_After this there was a feast of the Jews_ THE POOL OF BETHESDA, A TYPE OF FAVOURED LOCALITIES IN A RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY IN WHICH THE HIGHEST MIRACULOUS AID HAS NOT YET APPEARED The miraculous aid is I. ENIGMATICAL: An angel troubling the water. II. OCCASIONAL: At a certain season. III. EXTREMEL... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do_ THE UNITY OF THE FATHER AND THE SON The Jews sought to kill Jesus in obedience to the law (1) because He wrought a miracle on the Sabbath; (2) because He vindicated Himself on the ground of His equality with God, who constantly... [ Continue Reading ]
(in conjunction with 6:47). VERILY, VERILY 1. These words indicate a subject of special importance. 2. They were used to denote a clear and certain revelation. 3. Notice when this certainty lies solely in “I say unto you.” In the matter of our salvation carnal reason never arrives at certainty. M... [ Continue Reading ]
_The hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God._ THE SPIRITUAL RESURRECTION I. Its SUBJECTS. The spiritually dead, in trespasses and sins. To have life we “must be born again.” II. Its MANNER. 1. The dead hear the voice of the Son of God in the word preached.... [ Continue Reading ]
_The hour is coming in the which all that are in their graves shall hear His voice_ THE GENERAL RESURRECTION I. The RESURRECTION. 1. Its subjects. All who are in their graves. (1) The almost universal custom of preserving the remains of the departed bears witness to the truth of the text. No suc... [ Continue Reading ]
_I can of My own self do nothing; as I hear I judge_ CHRIST’S PRESENT JUDGMENT This verse is a conclusion of this part of Christ’s apology for His curing of the man, and commanding him to carry his bed on the Sabbath day, and for His asserting His unity and equality with the Fathel; wherein, from... [ Continue Reading ]
_If I bear witness of Myself My witness is not true._ There is another that beareth witness of Me THE WITNESSES OF THE SON I. A GREAT WITNESS, His forerunner. The Baptist as a witness for Christ was 1. Human (John 5:34; _cf. _John 3:31). 2. Brilliant. While he lasted he was like the lamp that g... [ Continue Reading ]
_I receive not honour from men._ Lest they should think that in commending Himself and challenging them He was hunting after vainglory, as false teachers do, Christ obviates that mistake, and showeth that He was seeking no such thing, nor was capable of any addition of honour from the creature. Whe... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ye have not the love of God in you_ THE SIN OF NOT LOVING GOD I. WHAT IS IT TO LOVE GOD? Hereunto is required 1. Knowing of Him. 2. Our choosing Him as our portion and sovereign good Deuteronomy 26:17; Psalms 16:5; Psalms 73:26). 3. Our exercising all the acts of love towards Him. (1) Good wi... [ Continue Reading ]
_I am come in My Father’s name, and ye receive Me not._ Whence learn I. Albeit Christ be God over all, equal with the Father, and Lord over His own house, and so acts in His own name, yet IT PLEASED HIM TO CONDESCEND as Mediator, not only to purchase life to them that come to Him, but to COME into... [ Continue Reading ]
_How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another?_ FALSE AND TRUE GLORY Something is lost in this rendering of “honour” in the place of glory. More is lost by the substitution of “from God only” for “from the only God.” Glory is the forthshining of light, the manifestation of a perfection... [ Continue Reading ]
_Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father:__ THERE IS ONE THAT ACCUSETH YOU, EVEN MOSES, IN WHOM YE TRUST__._ The day of judgment is likened to a trial, and we learn that with every verdict there will be given reasons which shall satisfy the intelligent creation. When we read of books and... [ Continue Reading ]