John 7

Notes

Ver. 3, 4. Stay no longer in this poor obscure country, but go preach and work miracles at Jerusalem, that you may make the great and learned men your disciples; and that, their number being increased, they may, on such a public occasion, favour your designs to set up your kingdom; for if you can do any wonderful works, it is proper you should establish and spread your fame by doing them in the most public manner, and in the most famous places, and on the most public occasions, that men of learning and authority may see and be convinced by them. 6, 7. However safely ye who have the favour of worldly men, being like them in your principles, tempers, and designs, may go up at the very beginning of the feast, it is not proper that I, whom they seek to kill, should go up so early, and give them an opportunity to concert measures against me. 16-18. I did not learn my doctrine which I preach by any human assistance; nor is it an invention of my own. But God hath sent me as Mediator, and qualified me to publish it to the world, not to gain applause to myself, but for the advancement of his honour and glory. And whosoever will, by humble, serious, and impartial reading, hearing, meditation, and prayer, labour to understand the will of God, in order to practise it, he shall experience such delight and power in my doctrine as shall prove it really divine. He will perceive that impostors suit their doctrines to the carnal inclinations of men in order to establish their own reputation and carnal interests; and that, as an evidence of my sincerity, and of the truth of my doctrine, I am wholly intent upon promoting the glory of God, who authorized me, and publish only what tends to humble mankind, and reform them from their errors and corruptions. 19-24. When ye profess such zeal for the laws of Moses, why do ye so universally break them? Why, in direct contradiction to an unalterable precept, do ye seek to murder me? When on the Sabbath-day ye circumcise children, and apply cures to the wounded, how absurd is it to seek to murder me, because on the Sabbath I perfectly cured the man who had long been infirm at the pool of Bethesda? Beware therefore of partially indulging prejudices against me on account of my mean appearances, or in favour of your chief priests and rulers, on account of their specious pretences and authority over you; but carefully examine things, and judge according to truth and equity. 28, 29. Ye indeed know my earthly parentage, but my office and original are much higher than ye apprehend. My Father, of whom ye are grossly ignorant, hath, in the faithful fulfilment of his love and promises, sent me into the world.—I have a perfect knowledge of his mind and will, for I am from him, by a peculiar and eternal generation; and as the anointed Mediator, I am authorized by him to reveal the way of salvation to men. 33, 34. It is but a short time that I shall continue preaching and working miracles among you; and then I shall, in my ascension, return to my Father. Then, in your miserable extremities, ye shall earnestly, but in vain, wish for my presence and favour; but ye shall neither find me to your comfort, nor ever follow me to heaven, where even now I am in my divine nature, either to enjoy or persecute me. 37-39. Let every destitute sinner among you who wishes after happiness believe on me, as the only Saviour, that he may be refreshed and satisfied with an abundant, increasing, and continued supply of blessing, which may flow out from his heart, in plentiful streams of good works, for his own and others' edification and comfort.—This signified that all who cordially believed in and received and rested on him for salvation, should, after his ascension to glory, receive an abundant communication of the gifts, graces, and comforts of the Holy Ghost, to refresh and cleanse their souls, and render them fruitful in good works and useful to others; which communication was not to be granted till Christ should have the honour of sending the Spirit to attest his exaltation and influence in heaven, and the Spirit could glorify Christ in the numerous conversions and remarkable holiness and comfort of both Jews and Gentiles.

Reflections.—It is a mournful case when the Saviour is banished. And base when men, even in religious duties, chiefly aim at their own carnal advantages. It wears but a very suspicious appearance when professors of religion are the darlings of wicked men. And it is highly shameful when the near relations of faithful ministers, or they who have most means of instruction, are the most careless or carnal. Faithful ministers must expect to go through various scenes of good and bad treatment, and the more faithful they are the more of the world's hatred will they experience. Men who hate the truth will always find something to quarrel with. But no malice can destroy them till their life be ended. They may therefore proceed boldly but cautiously in it.—Ignorance of Christ and his doctrines will make men doubt their divinity, or raise cavils against them. Prejudice against him will render them blind to the clearest means of conviction, make them reckon appearances realities, and pretend great zeal for God's law while they indulge themselves in the grossest violation of it, and condemn in others what they approve in themselves. But delightfully Jesus vindicates his character, doctrine, and work, to his own and his Father's honour, and to the confusion of his enemies. And serious attention will either convince or confound his opposers. Astonishing are the riches of his grace in offering a full and free salvation to his contemners and murderers. And abundant are the communications that flow from an exalted Redeemer. And it is most dreadful to seek occasions and false cavils against his kindness. It is dangerous to enjoy ordinances without his presence. And his despisers shall be awfully deprived of him, and all the means of his grace, in a little time. But it is a great mercy that the poor embrace and enjoy him when most men of rank and learning contemn both him and them. Wicked men readily curse whom the Lord hath blessed. But Christ can easily overawe, if not convert, the most stubborn, and render them witnesses for his honour. Easily he can embolden the most cowardly in a time of need, and disappoint and dispirit the crafty. And nothing more plainly manifests a bad cause than that its friends have recourse to persecution rather than to arguments.