EARLY IN THE MORNING. Of the first day after the feast had ended (see Chap. VII. 37), if this narrative is in its proper place in his life. AND HE SAT DOWN AND TAUGHT THEM. We learn from verse 20, that he was now in "the treasury of the temple." John does not give the words of teaching for the re... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES. This is the only place where John mentions the Scribes, though they are often named by the other Evangelists. From the time of Ezra they had been. distinct class. Gradually they became the most influential teachers of Israel, having far more to do in shaping the religious... [ Continue Reading ]
MOSES COMMANDED SUCH SHOULD BE STONED. The Mosaic enactment is found in Deuteronomy 22:22, and Leviticus 20:10. It required stoning in the case of. betrothed virgin, and also made the infidelity of. wife punishable with death. It was no feeling of outraged purity that brought these learned Scribes,... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS THEY SAID, TEMPTING HIM. The dilemma corresponds to that of the tribute money. To affirm the binding validity and force of the Mosaic enactment, would be to counsel. course of action contrary to the Roman law, and would also be incongruous with the merciful spirit of him who had called publica... [ Continue Reading ]
HE LIFTED HIMSELF UP AND SAID. As they were determined not to be foiled they kept pressing the question, "What sayest thou?" until he arose, looked at them with. look that seemed to pierce their very hearts, and to unveil their thoughts and lives, and then he said, "Let him that is without sin amon... [ Continue Reading ]
AGAIN HE STOOPED DOWN, AND WROTE. Resuming his former attitude he left them to ponder what he had said and to act upon it. There, for. little while, stood the silent scene; the stooping Lord slowly tracing characters with his fingers upon the earth; the crouching and weeping woman held by her accuse... [ Continue Reading ]
BEING CONVICTED BY THEIR OWN CONSCIENCE, WENT OUT. As he wrote and left them to their own thoughts, conscience began to do its work. "The word of the Lord was quick and powerful." In the presence of one who read their hearts they were helpless, and, one by one, they began to go quietly out, the eld... [ Continue Reading ]
WOMAN, WHERE ARE THINE ACCUSERS? Then he lifted himself up, looked around and saw that his enemies were gone, and then addressed the woman. As Augustine says: "Misery was in the presence of Mercy." "Doth no man condemn thee?" Is there no accuser to prove thy guilt?... [ Continue Reading ]
NO MAN, LORD.... NEITHER DO. CONDEMN THEE. He will not pronounce sentence upon her. He does not palliate her sin, but gives her the opportunity for repentance. In the words, "Go and sin no more," there is an implied rebuke of her past life,. charge to repent and live. better life, and an opening of... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD (JOHN 8:12-30) After this, "seated in the Treasury--either some special building of the temple so-called, or that part of the court of the women which contained thirteen chests with trumpet-shaped openings, into which the people, and especially the Pharisees, cast their gifts-... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU BEAREST RECORD OF THYSELF; THY RECORD IS NOT TRUE. Perhaps these Pharisees have in mind what is recorded in Chap. V. 31. Had they said, "The testimony is not sufficient to convince us," they might have merited more respectful treatment, but they bluntly affirm that his statement is false.... [ Continue Reading ]
THOUGH. BEAR RECORD OF MYSELF, MY RECORD IS TRUE. A man is not usually competent to bear witness of himself on account of the frailty of human understanding and must have corroborative testimony.. suppose that Mahomet, Ellen Smith, and other enthusiasts really thought that they were inspired. But C... [ Continue Reading ]
YE JUDGE AFTER THE FLESH. They looked upon outward appearances, material forms, and judged, like the world, from. superficial examination. They had not the spiritual discernment that was requisite to the recognition of Christ as one that came from God. Some "have eyes and see not," because some thi... [ Continue Reading ]
IF. JUDGE, MY JUDGMENT IS TRUE. He came not into the world to judge the world, but to save it, but he does not refrain from judging because he could not pass. judgment that was infallibly true. His Father would judge in him, and all lives were "naked and opened" to the sight of the Father.... [ Continue Reading ]
IT IS ALSO WRITTEN IN YOUR LAW. The Jewish law which they accepted as divine. It declared (Deuteronomy 19:15) that the testimony of two witnesses was to be accepted. In this case, besides his own witness, there was other testimony to confirm it. It will be noticed that Jesus does not say _our_ law.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FATHER THAT SENT ME BEARETH WITNESS OF ME. There was his own testimony that he came from the Father. Then, there was in addition, the testimony of the Father. The witness of the Father was given in all the Prophets who spoke of Christ, was given at the Baptism by testimony from heaven, was give... [ Continue Reading ]
WHERE IS THY FATHER? This question is asked, not for information, but in. scornful spirit. They could not see his Father, therefore they disputed his words. The Savior strikes at the root of their difficulty in his reply: YE NEITHER KNOW ME, NOR MY FATHER. Had they known Christ this would have le... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE WORDS SPAKE JESUS IN THE TREASURY. The treasury of the temple was in the court of the women, the most public part of the temple. See Mark 12:41; Luke 21:1. The mention of the locality shows the boldness of the Lord's teaching. The Sanhedrim held its sessions, usually, in the hall Gazith, whic... [ Continue Reading ]
GO MY WAY,... YE SHALL DIE IN YOUR SINS. We now pass to another stage in the discourse, either continued at that time, or resumed by. connection of thought, afterwards. His words are no longer confined to the Pharisees, but addressed to "the Jews," the whole class of official opposers, and he carrie... [ Continue Reading ]
WILL HE KILL HIMSELF? I do not suppose that these "Jews" were so dull as their question implies. They probably asked this question in scorn. They did not understand the Lord because they did not want to understand. They mean that, as he proposes to go where they cannot come, he must be going to Geh... [ Continue Reading ]
YE ARE FROM BENEATH. Their words were full of mockery and the Lord increases his severity. Understanding their allusion to the world beneath in their question, he replies, "You are from beneath," earthly, fleshly, worldly, of. spirit that will cause you to go to your own place, but I AM FROM ABOVE... [ Continue Reading ]
SAID THEREFORE, YE SHALL DIE IN YOUR SINS. Because "they are from beneath," "of the world." The only way that there is of escape from the fearful fate that he predicts is stated: "If ye believe not that. am, ye shall die in your sins." Their unbelief was due to their obstinacy and wilful blindness;... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO ART THOU? He had said, "believe that. am;" they said, "believe that thou art what? Who art thou?" Their words were no doubt spoken with. sneer, as though they said, "Whom, then, dost thou fancy thyself to be?" His answer is not such as he was wont to give to honest, earnest seekers, but such as... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY AND JUDGE OF YOU. Still he continues to speak. His words will only make them more bitter, but he represents divine truth and the message must be given to the world. He will only speak what he "has heard" of God, though he has much to say in the way of admonition and censure.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY UNDERSTOOD NOT THAT HE SPAKE OF THE FATHER. They were so pre-occupied with thoughts of earthly things that they did not perceive what is so plain to us, that he declared that he would not speak his own words and judgments, but only what he "had heard of the Father." He had not designated by an... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN YE HAVE LIFTED UP THE SON OF MAN, THEN SHALL YE KNOW THAT. AM. Though his Jewish hearers did not understand the import of his words, they are clear to us. The "lifting up" always points to the cross, and this victory of his enemies and humiliation of the Son of God, is always pointed to as the... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT SENT ME IS WITH ME. He always has. sense of the presence of the Father. He was not so much an ambassador from God, as "the Brightness of the Father's glory and the express image of his person," the manifestation of God. I DO THE THINGS WHICH PLEASE HIM ALWAYS. "Always" is emphatic. He was... [ Continue Reading ]
MANY BELIEVED ON HIM. From the instructions that follow it is evident that they did more than give assent to the proposition that he was an inspired man of God. They were evidently moved in heart to trust and follow him.... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS AND ABRAHAM (JOHN 8:31-59) 31. If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed. The words spoken by the Savior in the preceding discourse convinced many of his hearers. They "believed on him," but their faith was not yet made perfect by obedience. Hence he adds the conditions of d... [ Continue Reading ]
AND YE SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH. Disciples are learners. Their object is to know the truth. The way to know the truth is, not to engage in study, but to obey the truth. He declares (John 7:17): "If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God." This shows that the best wa... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY ANSWERED. Probably not the Jews who believed, but the opposers in the throng. WE BE ABRAHAM'S SEED, AND WERE NEVER IN BONDAGE. It was the proud boast of the Jews that they were descendants of Abraham. They trusted in their blood rather than in obedience to the God of Abraham. Their proud lan... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSOEVER COMMITTETH SIN IS THE SERVANT OF SIN. According to his custom, Christ makes no direct argument in reply, but states. truth and leaves them to apply it. The sinner is the slave of sin. Action forms habit, and habit is. second nature. We say of the drunkard, the tobacco chewer, the opium ea... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SERVANT ABIDETH NOT IN THE HOUSE FOREVER. The servant has no claim to remain continually in the same family, but may be changed at will. The son can remain because he is. son. Hagar, the bondwoman, was sent forth from the home of Abraham. The Jews, bondmen instead of children, who claimed that... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THE SON, THEREFORE, SHALL MAKE YOU FREE, YE SHALL BE FREE INDEED. Ye are not truly free, but servants of sin, children of the bondwoman who was cast out. If you would be free indeed you must have the freedom that the Son bestows and become children. In order to fully comprehend the figure read G... [ Continue Reading ]
KNOW THAT YE ARE ABRAHAM'S SEED. He admits their boast that they are the fleshly children of Abraham, "but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you;". proof that they were not spiritually Abraham's children. Abraham had no such spirit. John the Baptist found it needful to rebuke the... [ Continue Reading ]
SPEAK THAT WHICH. HAVE SEEN WITH MY FATHER. Jesus was the Son; he had dwelt in the Father's house; he declared what he had seen and heard there; this they rejected, and did what they "had seen with their father;" not Abraham, whom they claimed, but the father named in verse 44.... [ Continue Reading ]
39-43. ABRAHAM IS OUR FATHER. To Christ's allusion to their father they again assert that they are Abraham's offspring. This might be true according to the flesh, but spiritually they had another father. See verse 44. YE SEEK TO KILL ME. A thing totally unlike Abraham, and showing that they are n... [ Continue Reading ]
YE ARE OF YOUR FATHER, THE DEVIL. He shows that there are two households on the earth; that of God, composed of his children; and that of the devil, composed of his children. All who hear the voice of Christ become God's children by adoption (Romans 8:15-17), and all who refuse to hear him, do so b... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE. TELL YOU THE TRUTH, YE BELIEVE ME NOT. He has just declared that the devil is the father of liars and that they are his children; hence they would refuse to receive the truth. They had in them the spirit of their father which would lead them to reject the truth and to prefer falsehood. The... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH OF YOU CONVINCETH ME OF SIN? He points to his sinless character as. proof that there can be no falsehood in his words. The argument is: "If. am not the Son of God, find out some human defect or weakness that proves that. am only. man, and therefore, imperfect like all others." This is Christ'... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT IS OF GOD HEARETH GOD'S WORDS. These Pharisees claimed to be of God, but proved they were not by rejecting the words of the Son.... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU ART. SAMARITAN, AND HAST. DEVIL? They resort to the language of passion and vituperation. Of all men they hated the Samaritans most and hence this charge; they next accuse him, not of having. devil, but being possessed with. demon, or evil spirit. The charge had been before made that he cast o... [ Continue Reading ]
HONOR MY FATHER. He passes by in silence their first charge; the second he denies, and shows that it cannot be true, for he honors his Father, which. demon could not do; and yet the Jews dishonored him, while he honored the Father.... [ Continue Reading ]
SEEK NOT MINE OWN GLORY. He cared little therefore for their abuse, and sought not to defend himself. The "one that seeketh and judgeth" would take care of his reputation. God's children may disregard the unrighteous judgments of men, but God will Judge righteously.... [ Continue Reading ]
IF. MAN KEEP MY WORD, HE SHALL NEVER SEE DEATH. Here again is. condition and. promise. Notice 1. Its universal character. _If any one,_ Jew or Gentile, male or female, bond or free. 2. The condition: _Keep my words._ Again, obedience essential; no life without it; by obedience we are not only freed... [ Continue Reading ]
ART THOU GREATER THAN OUR FATHER ABRAHAM? Their argument is: They that heard the word of God are dead, and shall they who have heard thee not die? Their question is asked in scorn. Compare with John 4:12.... [ Continue Reading ]
IF. HONOR MYSELF, MY HONOR IS NOTHING. They had just asked: Whom makest thou thyself? The Father, who honoreth him, will settle that question by his resurrection from the dead and exaltation.... [ Continue Reading ]
YE HAVE NOT KNOWN HIM, BUT. KNOW HIM. They claimed to be worshipers of Abraham's God. He now shows, that despite their claims, they did not know him, but that he knew and revealed him. Nor could he deny it, for he must tell the truth.... [ Continue Reading ]
YOUR FATHER ABRAHAM REJOICED TO SEE MY DAY... AND WAS GLAD. Saw it in promise by prophetic vision; whether or not "Abraham was greater" he rejoiced in the hope of the revelation of Christ.... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU ART NOT YET FIFTY YEARS OLD, AND HAST THOU SOON ABRAHAM? They do not attempt to give his age, but. round period that will cover it. It had been about 2,000 years since the time of Abraham. Jesus did not say he had seen Abraham, but they pervert his words.... [ Continue Reading ]
VERILY, VERILY,. SAY UNTO YOU, BEFORE ABRAHAM WAS,. AM. A solemn and official declaration preceded by" Verily, verily." The utterance is. remarkable one. It does not merely assert that he _was_ before Abraham, but, before Abraham was,. AM. It identifies him with the. AM of the Old Testament. Divini... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY TOOK UP STONES TO STONE HIM. They regarded his language blasphemy. If he had been only. man it would have been. Hence, in. sudden rage, without waiting for. trial, they sought to inflict the penalty of blasphemy by mob violence. Stoning was the legal penalty of blasphemy, but could not be infl... [ Continue Reading ]