Jesus goes to the]

CHAP. VII.

AFTER these things Jesus walked

in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.

2 Now the Jews' feast of tabernacles was at hand.

3 His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest.

4 For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world.

5 For neither did his brethren be lieve in him.

[feast of Tabernacles.

6 Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready.

7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.

8 Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast; for my time is not yet full come.

9 When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee.

10 But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.

11 Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he?

12 And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others

deed, some obscurity, but Doddridge thus explains them: "The words which I speak, they are spirit; that is, to be taken in a spiritual sense; and then you will find that they are life to your souls; whereas, to take them in a literal sense, they are most unprofitable and monstrous." This Jesus said, knowing that among those who followed him, were many who believed not, and one even of his apostles, who would betray him, and who probably now first began to entertain such a diabolical intention; and therefore our Lord calls him a devil-that is, a traitor and false accuser.

But let us hear Peter, whose honest heart spurned at treachery, though he afterwards proved a coward, through over confidence in his own strength. When Jesus saw one and another, who had been fed miraculously at his table, now slinking away privately from his society, till the number seems greatly to have been reduced, he said to the twelve, "Will ye also go away?" Peter, who, as we have said, scorned the thoughts of such conduct, boldly answered,

"To whom, Lord, shall (or can) we go? thou hast the words of eternal life;" alluding evidently to what our Lord had just said, of his words being "spirit and life." And here we are furnished with the best possible answer to every temptation to apostacy, from whatever quarter it may arise. Does Infidelity tempt us to desert the standard of the cross? What has she to offer? Nothing but an awful blank to every Christian hope; eternal sleep instead of eternal bliss; and annihilation, instead of endless glory. Does the world tempt us to desert from Christ for its wealth, its splendour, or its joys? Alas! they pass away like a rising vapour, or the fleeting clouds of summer. To whom then can we go? Thou Lord, and thou alone, hast"the words of eternal life."

Ver. 2. The Jews' feast of Tabernacles-or "of ingathering," as it is sometimes called. See Exod. XX. 16; Num. xxix. 12.

Ver. 3. His Brethren.-We have repeatedly remarked the vague and extensive sense in which this term is often used in Scripture: here it seems to intend his half-brethren, or cousins rather, who resided in the same family.

Ver. 4. If thou do.-Camp. "Since thou performest."

Ver. 6 Your time is alway ready-i, e. you are never back ward to show yourselves to the world. Ver. 8. I go not up yet.-A few MSS. and versions omit the last word yet; but the sense seems to require it, and the words imply it.

Ver. 10. In secret.-Camp. " privately."

Ver. 12. Much murmuring.--Camp. " Whispering;" private inquiry among each other, which sense the word sometimes bears. This may refer more particularly to strangers from distant parts, who came up to the feast. Doddr. justly observes, this cannot be the same journey related Luke ix. 51-56; which see,

history. He who now was most sure of Christ's character, but a short time afterwards protested that he did not know the man! The most forward professors are often the most cowardly; and sometimes the most diffident, the most victorious.

"A feeble saint shall win the day, Tho' death and hell obstruct the way."

CHAP. VII.

(U) Ver. 1-13. Jesus reproves his brethren; but follows them to the feast of Tabernacles. - After these things-that is, after the preceding conversations, Jesus still walked in Galilee, teaching as he went, whether in the public roads or private houses, or in the synagogues on the Sabbath day; for he would not yet walk in Jewry, or Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him, and his time was not yet come to die. His brethren, however, or cousins rather, who did not cordially believe on him, though, for his mother's sake, probably, they did not choose openly to oppose him these false friends, who are always worse than open enemies, persuade him to go directly to Judea, and there to exhibit his miracles before the Jews, who (as they probably well knew) were already plotting his destruction. "Go into Judea (say they), that thy disciples [there] also may see the works that thou doest: for no man doeth any thing in secret who himself seeketh to be publicly known," or noticed. "If (or since) thou [art able to] do these things, show thyself to the world," and convince them that thou art the great prophet which thou givest thyself out to be.

It should seem that many persons associated themselves among our Lord's disciples, with the expectation that he would shortly assume a public character, and promote them to situations of influence and honour, and they probably grew weary with delay, and therefore urged him to

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bring matters to a crisis. This might be the case in the present instance: or it may be these kinsmen of our Lord, who were going themselves to Jerusalem, hoped to see some splendid miracles wrought there, of which they had heard much in Galilee, though probably they had seen but few; our Lord always avoiding any thing like display, and always refusing to gratify an idle curiosity.

"My time is not yet come; but your time is always ready." As if our Lord had said, "I have reasons for delay which affect not your case. You are always ready to push yourselves forward to public notice, and you may do so without danger. You have not provoked them by any exposure of their crimes, or by any protest against their errors; but the case is widely differ ent with me. I have protested both against their principles and conduct, and they therefore hate me and seek my life, the time for me to resign which is not yet come."

For these reasons Jesus refused to go up at first, and, when he did go, went up privately, that he might not prematurely attract their notice. In the mean time, he heard their secret whisperings and debates respecting him. His enemies enquired for him, "Where is he?" and this bringing on a conversation respecting him, some said, "He is a good inan;" others said, "Nay; but he deceiveth the people. Howbeit, "no man spake openly [in favour] of him for fear of the Jews," that is, those who were in authority-the Jewish rulers. It may seem strange that, after the lapse of 18 centuries, there should still be the same diversity of opinions respecting the person and character of our Saviour; but so it always will be while the world is divided into saints and sinners, and while of those who profess his name, many are ashamed or afraid to own it before his enemies.

Ver. 15. Letters-Marg. " learning." Ver. 17. If any man will-Doddr. "is determined."-Camp. and Pearce, "is minded to"-do

his will, he shall know of (peri, concerning) the doctrine (which I preach) whether it be of (eh, from) God.

Others charge him]

18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

19 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?

20 The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee?

21 Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel.

22 Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man.

[with having a devil.

23 If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day?

24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. 25 Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill?

26 But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ?

27 Howbeit, we know this man whence he is but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is. (X)

(X) Ver. 14-27. Jesus goes up about the middle of the feast, and justifies both his doctrine and his conduct.-What particular circumstance might render it proper for Jesus to go up to the feast now, and not before, it is impossible to ascertain. No sooner, however, did he arrive, than he went up into the temple, and his teaching, as usual, soon attracted attention and admiration; and they who knew his limited education, exclaimed, “How knoweth this mau letters, having never learned?" This certainly cannot refer to the mere elements of reading, for every Jewish child was taught to read; but letters must be here taken in the higher sense of literature, or "learning," as our margin reads it. Not that we apprehend our Lord made any display of secular or polite literature, which was foreign to his style and manner; but

he employed an easy and popular elocution, a force of reasoning, and a deep acquaintance with the Hebrew Scriptures, which eminently distinguished his discourses from those of the Scribes and Pharisees, and thus excited the admiration of the people, and the envy and malevolence of their accustomed teachers.

But the great point before us is the doctrine here laid down, that the best way to understand the will of God is by studying to obey him: "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine [I preach] whether it be of God." But on this subject we shall present our readers with another beautiful extract from Bp. Taylor, of pious memory. "We [says the Bishop] have examined all ways in our inquiries after religious truth, but one; all but GOD's way. Let us, having missed in all

Ver. 18. No unrighteousness.-Doddr. "impos. ture, deception."

Ver. 20. Thou hast a devil (or demon).-So chap. 1.20, "He hath a devil, and is mad," which plainly shows (says Doddr.) that they (the Jews) thought that (at least) some of the worst kinds and degrees of luuacies proceeded from the agency of some demon: as many considerable Greek writers plainly did." See our Notes on Matt. iv. 24. &c &c. Ver. 21. One work-namely, healing the infirm man at the pool of Bethesda-and ye all marvel (or wonder) on account of it. Doddr.

Ver. 22. Moses therefore. The word therefore in Gr. dia touto) begins this verse in our common fireek Testaments, and is therefore included in it by our translators; but Doddr., Camp., Wesley, and most modern translators (following Theophylact and Beza), attach it to the preceding verse, as the ground of the Jews marvelling. Thus Mr. Wesley (ver, 21), "I did one work and ye all marvel AT Ir." (Ver. 22)" Moses gave you circumcision," &c.

Comp. Expos.Not because (Doddr." that") it was of Moses, but of the fathers-or early patriarchs, namely, Abraham, Gen. xvii. 16.

Ver. 23. That the law of Moses should not be broken." Marg. "Without breaking the law of Moses."- -Every whit whole-or sound throughout. See Doddr.

Ver. 24. Judge not according to the appearanceliterally, according to the face, or outward surfaces of things: weigh the evidence before you, and judge equitably, or, righteous judgment.

Ver. 25. He, whom they seek to kill?-Notwithstanding some of the people affected to think Jesus mad, because he said, "Ye go about to kill me," yet it is very evident from this, and several other expressions in this chapter, that they really had such a design, and had made no great secret of it.

Ver. 26. The very Christ.-The word (alethos) "very," or "true," Dr. Camp. remarks, is wanting in many MSS. and versions, and some early editions, and is not necessary to the sense.

28 ¶ Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not.

29 But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me.

30 Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.

31 And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?

32 The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concern

[in their opinion.

the other, try this. Let us go to God for truth; for truth comes from God only. If we miss the truth, it is because we will not find it; for certain it is, that all the truth which God hath made necessary, he hath also made legible and plain; and if we will open our eyes we shall see the sun; and if we will walk in the light,' we shall rejoice in the light.' ... The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and a good understanding have all they that do his commandments.' And so David says of himself, I have more understanding than my teachers, because I keep thy precepts.' And this is the only way which Christ has taught us. If you ask What is truth? you must not do as Pilate did, ask the question, and then go away from him that only can give you an answer: for as God is the author of truth, so he is the teacher of it, and the way to learn is this; for so saith our blessed Lord-If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God.'"

We must not, however, attribute this discovery to our own wisdom or our own strength. "There is (continues the good prelate) in every righteous man a new vital principle. The spirit of grace is the spirit of wisdom, and teaches us by secret inspirations, by proper arguments, by actual persuasions, by personal applications, by effects and energies; and as the soul of man is the cause of all his vital operations, so is the Spirit of God the life of that

life, and the cause of all actions and productions spiritual; and the consequence of this is, what St. John tells us, Ye have received the unction from above, and that anointing teacheth you all things'-all things that pertain to life and godliness; all that by which a man is wise and happy. Unless the soul have a new life put into it, unless there be a vital principle within, unless the spirit of life be the informer of the spirit of man, unless there be in our hearts a secret conviction by the Spirit of God, the Gospel itself is a dead letter." (Via Intellig. quoted in Dr. Knox's Christ. Philos. § 6.)

In thus admonishing the Jews that the way to acquire a fuller knowledge of the divine will was to practice what they already did know, our Lord strongly implies that their ignorance arose from disobedience of heart: they hated the truth, and therefore rejected him that taught it. They sought their own glory, and the honour which comes of men: they were therefore insensible to his merits, who sought not his own glory, but that only which comes from God. (See ch. v. 41.)

Our Lord then adverts to the signal miracle which he had wrought at the pool of Bethesda, as related in the beginning of chap. v., and which, while it had excited the admiration of the multitude, excited also the enmity of their rulers, under the pretence that it was a violation of the sabbath, though they themselves made no

Ver. 28. Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am.-Bp. Chandler, who is followed by Doddr., Camp., and Wesley, reads these words interroga tively; but, we humbly conceive, without suficient reason. See our Exposition.

Ver. 34. Where I am-i. e. where I reside; namely, in heaven.

Ver. 25. The dispersed--i. e. the Jews dispersed among the Gentiles. Marg. " Greeks." So in the Jatter clause" and teach the Greeks,"