Jz-^
/3
•^
*^-^##
5 THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY,!
^ Princeton, N. J. f
&S3«?
>39«
BS 485 .C168 18A7 v.29
^
'^^^r^,.^
I Calvin, Jean, 1509-1564 }f Commentaries . . .
r
■"a^fSK'r '
^S&£L
^
SU9l7#Hlll/\ISHOIH
in
1030
ana aiva
INSTITUTED A.D. 1843,
FOR THE PUBLICATION OF
THE WORKS OF JOHN CALVIN
IN ENGLISH.
His GRACE THE DUKE OF MANCHESTER.
THE MOST HON. THE MARQUESS CHOLMONDELEY.
THE MOST HON. THE MARQUESS OF BREADALBANE.
THE RIGHT HON. LORD CALTHORPE.
THE RIGHT HON. LORD ASHLEY, M.P.
Honorary Teeasdrehs,
ROBERT "WILLIAMS, ESQ., 20, Birchin Lane, London ;
ARCHIBALD BONAR, ESQ., Manager of Edinburgh and Glasgow Bank, Edinburgh.
Acting and Editoeial Secretary,
ROBERT PITCAIRN, Esq., F.S.A. Sc., 9, Northumberland Street East, Edinburgh, (to whom all coi'respondence is to be addressed.J
General Depositaries and Agents in Edinburgh, EDINBURGH PRINTING COMPANY, 12, South St David Street.
Agent in London, MR JOHN PETHERAM, Bookseller, 94, High Holborn.
Agents in Dublin, MESSRS CURRY, JUNIOR, & CO., Booksellers, SackvlUe Street.
The Subscribers are particularly invited and solicited to aid the endeavours which are now making to complete the Annual Subscrijitions to 3000, being the number of copies of these Woi'ks actually printed from the date of the institution of this Scheme.
The expenses, as it must be obvious to all, were very materially increased by the adoption of the New and Original Translations, prepared expressly for the present Series. The various estimates were calculated on the footing of mere Preprints of the Old English Versions, and of the List being completed to the full number of 3000 Subscriptions.
New Subscribers rnay still be admittel on the original Subscription of One Pound annually, (to whom all the Works hitherto issued will be se- cured,) on payment of the five years^ Contributions already due, by Bank- Orders or Cheques, or by Post-Office Orders, made payable to The Secre- tary, Robert Pitcaibn, F.S.A. Sc, 9, Northumberland Street East, Edinburgh, and trarismitted direct to The Office in Edinburgh.
lgi° In future, all Issues of Books will be made direct ft'om The General Depository, 12, South St David Street, Edinburgh ; and it is requested that all changes of address, or of the mode of forwarding the parcels, may be imme- diately communicated to the Depositary.
i^£!Mr'
REPORT
FOR THE YEAR 1846.
MAY 1847.
Since the Spring of 1844, the most indefatigable and strenuous exertions have been made to provide a regular and steady supply of materials for the press ; and it is most gratifying to the Secre- tary to report, that these have now, under the blessing of God, been crowned with complete success.
It may therefore be confidently anticipated that, during the future years of this important Scheme, no considerable arrears in the preparation and delivery of the Books, or any serious inter- ruptions in their progress through the press, (excepting the sick- ness of Editors,) are at all likely to occur — there being now above, in the hands of zealous and skilful Editors, twenty Volumes of Calvin's Commentaries in a state of most satisfactory forward- ness for supplying the demands of subsequent Issues.
The Works for the year 1846 began to be circulated, the First Issue early in March, and the Second Issue early in Mat/ 1847. It was considered of importance to issue the two first Volumes of the Twelve Minor PRorHETs together, to give the Subscribers the advantage of at once possessing a considerable portion of that most valuable Commentary.
In arranging the plan of Editing the Prophetical Books of the Old Testament, it was deemed of essential importance to fol- low an uniform system of editing the respective Commentaries. The Subscribers will observe that, in order to give a clearer and more practical view of Calvin's method, it was resolved :
1st, To print The Authorised English Version, and the original Latin Translation of Calvin, in parallel columns ; and.
4 REPORT FOR THE YEAR 1846.
2dly, At the end of the Commentary on each of the Prophets, to give a New and continuous Original Translation of Calvin's Version, as modified by his Commentaries, collated with the Hebrew text. These being printed in parallelisms, and properly divided into paragraphs, according to the subject, show, in a clpar and forcible manner, the prose and metrical passages of each Pro- phet ; and it is presumed that the plan will be equally acceptable and useful to the Biblical and Oriental Scholar, and to the pious and humble though " unlearned" inquirer after the truth.
The Subscribers are referred to the interesting and valuable "Volumes so recently circulated, for a complete development of various minor clianges and improvements in the manner of editing these Works, which, it is hoped, will prove to be of the greatest benefit and advantage to the reader.
According to the measures which have thus been adopted, not only has a large store of materials been accumulated for fu- ture use, but each of the Editors engaged on this very laborious and important undertaking has now ample time and opportunities afforded him for making suitable researches, while engaged in elaborating and illustrating these Commentaries.
Earlier and more stated Issues may thus be reasonably ex- pected, after the Works of the present year shall have been circu- lated, as by the commencement of the year 1848 a considerable number of Volumes, duly prepared for the press, will have been placed in the hands of the Secretary.
Owing to the protracted period, as well as the great extent, of these very costly preparations, the unexpected accumulation of Arrears of Subscription, and the List of Members being still far sliort of the full complement of 3000 Subscribers, the Secretary has unavoidably been placed in pecuniary advance to the amount of between £2500 and £3000, in his anxious endeavours to fur- ther the objects of the present Scheme to the utmost of his power and abilities.
The zealous co-operation and good ofiices of all the Sub- scribers are, therefore, respectfully but earnestly solicited to aid in procuring as many New Subscribers as possible, for the purpose of ensuring the perfect success of this very important Series of New Translations of the Commentaries and Theolo^ gical Works of John Calvin.
REPORT FOR THE YEAR 1846. 5
I.
BOOKS ISSUED FOR THE FIRST YEAR, (1843.)
COMMKNTARY ON THE ROJIANS, (complcted.) \ p^f.gf Jggue
TRACTS ON THE REFORMATION. Vol. I. ^
COMMENTARY ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, ill TwO ) ScCOnd IsSUC.
VoluHics, (completed.) >
11.
BOOKS ISSUED FOR THE SECOND YEAR, (1844.)
Third Issue. dL II. I
COMMENTARY ON THE BOOK OF PSALMS. Vol. I.
THE INSTITUTES OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. Vol. I.
THE HARMONY OF THE EVANGELISTS. Vol. I.
THE INSTITUTES OP THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION; Voli II. ) Fowth IsSllC
in.
BOOKS ISSUED FOR THE THIRD YEAR, (1845.)
THE HARMONY OF THE EVANGELISTS. VolS. II. & HI;, 7 t-^i1 T
y 1 , 1 \ > r if til Issue,
(completed.) ) -^
THE INSTITUTES OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGIONj Vol; III., )
(completed.) > Sixth Issitb.
COMMENTARY ON THE BOOK OF PSALMS. Vol. II. J
IV.
BOOKS ISSUED FOR THE FOURTH YEAR, (1846.)
COMMENTARY ON THE TWELVE MINOR PROPHETS, Vols. I- 1 c i1 Tp
and 11. I
COMMENTARY ON THE BOOK Ot PSALMS, Vol. III. ? 7^- 7w r
, 4r 1 T r huihth Issue,
COMMENTARY ON 6T JOHN 8 GOSPEL. A^ol. I. )
BOOKS AT PRESS AND IN PREPARATION FOR THE FIFTH YEAR, (1847*)
rOR PROPHETS. Vol. III. ")
ALBis. Vol. IV. / Nin
ST JOHN. Vol. II. l" Ten
NESIS. Vol. I. J
COMMENTARY ON THE TWELVE MINOR PROPHETS. Vol. III.' COMMENTARY ON THE BOOK OF PSALBIS. Vol. IV. f Ninth and
COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL BY ST JOHN. Vol. II. ( Tctlth IsSUCSi.
COMMENTARY ON THE BOOK OF GENJ
REPORT FOR THE YEAR 1846.
N.B. — The Ninth and Tenth Issues are to consist of the above Works, in the order in which they shall first be completed at press.
The ^th Issue is expected to be circidated in Angnst or September 1847, and the IQth Issue at the close of the year, or early in 1848.
%* Future Issues are already in active preparation, to the extent, in all, of 20 Volumes.
VI.
WOKKS NOW PROCEEDING IN MANUSCRIPT, TO PROVIDE
MATERIALS FOR EARLIER AND MORE REGULAR
ISSUES OF BOOKS IN FUTURE YEARS.
I. COMMENTARY ON THE BOOK OF FSALMS, The 5th Vol.
II. COMMENTARY ON THE MINOR PROPHETS. The 4th and 5th Vols.
III. COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLES TO THE CORINTHIANS, ill TwO VolS.
IV. COMMENTARY ON THE BOOK OF GENESIS, in TwO VolS.
V. COMMENTARY ON THE PROPHECIES OF ISAIAH, In FoUl' Vols. VI. COMMENTARY ON THE PROPHECIES OF EZEKIEL, in TwO VolS. VII. COMMENTARY ON THE PROPHECIES OF DANIEL, iu TwO Vols.
The Subscribers are respectfully reminded and requested to order prompt payment to be regularly made of their Annual Sub- scriptions, {£1, payable m di^vdiUCQ on \st January yearly,) at THE Office, by Bank-Orders or Cheques, or Post-Office Orders made payable to Robert Pitcairn, F.S.A. Sc, 9, Northumber- land Street East, Edinburgh.
Receipts will be ready at the Office previous to the close of each successive year, to be forwarded to Subscribers making re- mittances, in course of post.
It is recommended that due precaution be observed that no gold or bank-notes should ever be sent through the post.
Robert Pitcairn, Acting and Editorial Secretary.
Office of the Calvin New Translations, 1st May 1847-
REPORT FOR THE YEAR 1846.
REGULATIONS FOR DELIVERY OF THE BOOKS.
I. All Issues will henceforward be made DIRECT from the General Depository, in Edinburgh, to the addresses of the respective Subscribers.
II. Thej will be delivered free of expense in London, or withia three miles of the General Post- Office.
III. They will be sent to any place in England beyond the
distance of three miles from the General Post-Oflfice, London, by any Conveyance a Subscriber may point out* In this case, the parcels will be booked ; but the car- riage must be paid by the Subscribers to whom they are sent, and the books to be at the risk of the Sub- scribers in case of loss or damage.
IV. They will be delivered in Edinburgh and Dublin as in
London, and forwarded from thence to Subscribers in other parts of Scotland and Ireland, in the same manner as is mentioned above in respect to England.
V. They may remain at the General Depository, either of the Agencies, until the Subscribers apply for them ; but, iu that case, any damage which may happen from fire or other accident will be at the risk of such Subscribers entirely.
VI. They will be sent to any Correspondent or Agent, each Subscriber paying such Correspondent or Agent a share of the carriage of the parcel in which the books were included. Arrangements are made for the delivery, on this plan, in many of the cities and large towns where a sufficient number of the Subscribers reside ; and it will be esteemed a favour if Gentlemen who are willing to further the Calvin Translations, by taking the charge of the books for the Subscribers in their respective neighbour- . hoods, will write to the Office on the subject.
TO THE SUBSCRIBERS TO THE CALVIN TRANSLATIONS.
ro|)o0al(0
FOR PUBLISHING NEW ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS OP
CALVIFS COMMEKTAEIES
ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, AND ST PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE KOMANS.
In consequence of the dissatisfaction which has been so gene- rally expressed in reference to the Old English versions circu- lated during the first year by THE CALVIN SOCIETY, and at the special request of a number of the Subscribers, it is in- tended to re issue New Translations of the above Commentaries ; so that those who desire it, may possess a complete and uniform bet of Calvin's Works.
Those who approve of this proposal are requested to send their names without delay to the Secretary ; and if the number shall prove sufficient to defray the expense, measures will be immediately taken to carry the plan into effect, without at all interfering with the progress of the regular Issues of the Calvin Translations.
It is expected that these Commentaries will form Three large Volumes, extending to between 500 and GOO pages each, with Criti- cal Notes, Tables, Indices, «fec.
The price to Subscribers will be One Pound, which may be transmitted either now, or at the commencement of the next year with the regular Subscriptions.
The impression toill he limited. The Books to be delivered at the close of 1848 on the same plan with the ordinary Issues. Such copies as remain, after supplying the Subscribers, will be sold to Non-Subscvibers at 31s. 6d.
COMMENTARY
ON THE
GOSPEL ACCOEDING TO JOHN.
VOLUME I.
THE CALVIN TRANSLATION SOCIETY,
INSTITUTED IN MAT M.DCCC.XLIII.
FOR THE PUBLICATION OF TRANSLATIONS OF THE WORKS OF
JOHN CALVIN.
COMMENTARY
ON THE
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN.
BY JOHNtALVIN,
A NEW TRANSLATION, FROM THE ORIGIN Ali LATIN,
BY THE REV. WILLIAM PRINGLE.
VOLUME FIRST.
EDINBURGH :
PRINTED FOR THE CALVIN TRANSLATION SOCIETY.
M.DCCC.XLVII.
EDINBURGH :
THE EDINBURGH PRINTING COMPANY,
12, South St David Street.
THE TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE.
Commentaries on the Gospel according to John are numerous, and some of them are written with great learning and ability. Earely has a separate and extended interpreta- tion been given to any of the other three Gospels, which are, indeed, so closely interwoven with each other, that it is scarce- ly possible to expound one of them in a satisfactory manner, without bringing the whole into one view, comparing parallel passages, accounting for apparent contradictions, and supply- ing the omissions of each narrative, to such an extent as to produce Avhat shall be in substance, though not always in form, a Harmony op the Three Evangelists.
Few of these difficulties meet the expositor of John's Gos- pel, in which the slender thread of narrative — until it reaches the period of the last sufferings of our Saviour — does little more than connect long discourses, which He delivered to the multitude and to his disciples. Whatever opinion may be formed as to the theory of the elder Tittmann, that John wrote his work for the express purpose of proving the supreme Divinity of Christ, we cannot avoid being struck with the fact, that the miracles which he selects are distinguished by pecu-
6 THE translator's prfeace.
liar grandeur, and that the discourses which he relates con- tain the most abundant and delightful exhibitions of the glory of the Son of God, and of the nature of his mediatorial office, which our great Master was pleased to make during his per- sonal ministry.
Lampe, Hutcheson, and Tittmann, are better known, and more highly esteemed, in this country than any other Com- mentator on John that could be named. The three quarto volumes of Lampe are a monument of judicious toil, and pre- sent such stores of philological, historical, and theological learning as ought never to be mentioned but with respect and gratitude. Thoug;h not free from the faults of the Coc- ceian School, of which his miscellaneous treatises afford some unhappy proofs, his Commentary displays generally such cau- tion and judgment, that it deserves to be not only consulted, but perused throughout, and carefully studied. Hutcheson wanted both the acuteness and the industry requisite for the successful elucidation of the Holy Scriptures, but is justly ad- mired for the copiousness, variety, and excellence of his prac- tical observations.
Tittmann's 31eletemata Sacra in Evangelium Joannis, now happily rendered accessible to the English reader,^ must be resrarded as one of the most valuable contributions of modern times to biblical interpretation. Accurate scholarship, elegant and flowing language, deep reverence for the inspired volume, and a warmth of affectionate piety closely resembling that of the disciple lohom Jesus loved, have gained for that work a reputation which is likely to increase. To the reader who is chiefly desirous to ascertain the meaning of Scripture, and who willingly dispenses with what serves no other purpose than ilkistration, Tittmann's exposition of the first four Chap-
' Clarke's Biblical Cabinet, vols. xliv. and xlv.
THE translator's PREFACE. 7
ters of John's Gospel will be highly acceptable ; though It must be acknowledged that the remaining portion of the work — not executed till towards the close of the life of the venera- ble author — is somewhat less attractive, and, if it has been pre- pared with equal care, yet, in consequence of extreme unwill- ingness to bring forward explanations which had been already given, it will sometimes disappoint one who only dips into an occasional passage, and has not made himself familiar with the profound views unfolded in the earlier pages.
These and other eminent writers have been deeply indebted to Calvin's Commentary on John's Gospel, but have left its claims to the attention of all classes of readers as strong and urgent as ever. Where they differ from him, they often go astray, and where they agree with him, they generally fall below the instructive power of his own pen; for few can equal his clear and vigorous statements. When he places in a just light — as he frequently does — those texts which had been wrested for the confutation of heretics, none but eager and unscrupulous controversialists will complain. Every honourable mind will admire the unbending integrity of our Author, which, even in the defence of truth, disdains to em- ploy an unlawful weapon, and devoutly bows to the dictates of the Holy Spirit.
The present Work brings under review some of the most intricate questions in theology ; and in handling them he is not more careful to learn all that has been revealed than to avoid unauthorized speculation. They who know the diffi- culty of the path will the more highly appreciate so skilful a guide, who advances with a firm step, points out the bypaths which have misled the unwary, conducts us to scenes which we had not previously explored, and aids us in listening to a Divine voice which says. This is the wai/y walk ye in it.
8 THE translator's PREFACE.
In the Harmony of the Three Evangelists, the reader is so constantly referred to this Commentary, which appeared two years sooner, that the benefit of the former cannot be fully reaped, unless the latter be at hand. The Author's references are sometimes vague, but the Translator has endeavoured to discover and point out the page in which the desired information may be obtained.
W. P.
AUCHTEKARDER, 10th Apjll^ 1847.
I^P^?E^
■^mKs
k-vy VA^
\Sii:^ ^^sss^vS;:^ ^j3s^'s£iS^ S.S^^^'^iL-"
Wi
THE
HOLY GOSPEL OF lESUS CHRIST,
ACCORDING TO
SAINT JOHN,
WITH
THE COMMENTARIE OF
M. lOHN CALUINE
FAITHFULLY TRANSLATED OUT OF LATINE INTO ENGLISH
BY
CHRISTOPHER FETHERSTONE,
STUDENT IN DIUINITIE.
.•-*%
VOL. I.
Imprinted at London by Thomas Dawfon for Thomas Adams. 1610.
TO THE EIGHT HONORABLE
THE LORD ROBT. DVDLEI , EARLE OF LEYCESTER,
BARON OF DENBIGH, MAISTER OF THE HORSE TO THE QUEENE'S MAIESTIE,
KNIGHT OF THE NOBLE ORDER OF THE GARTER, AND ONE OF THE
QUEENE'S MAIESTIE'S MOST HONORABLE PRIUIE COUNSEL,
CHANCELOUR OF THE MOST FAMOUS VNIUERSITIE
OF OXFORD, CHRISTOPHER FETHERSTONE
VVISHETH ENCREASE OF SPIRITUALL
GIFTES, LONG LIFE, HAPPY
DATES, AND ENCREASE
OF HONOUR.
It is an old saying, (Right Honorable,) and no lesse true then olde, that saleable wines neede no iuie bush, which pro- uerb importeth thus much, that thinges which are of them- selueg good & comendable haue not any, at leaste no greate need of commendation. If, therefore, I should with fine filed phrases, with gay geason woords, with straunge exam- ples, and notable hysterics, compound some long Prologue and tedious Preface in commendation of this most excellent work and Commentarie of that famous member and faithfull Doctour of God's Church, Maister lohn Caluine, I might cause your Honour to suspect the fondnesse thereof: I my selfe should seeme to doubte of the goodnesse thereof : and, finally, minister occasion to many to condemne me of folly. Omitting, therefore, that which is needlesse, I descend vnto that which is needefull : to wit, to excuse my selfe of arro- gancie wherof some may accuse me, in that I dare presume to dedicate vnto your Honour this my translation, vnto whom I am altogether vnknowne. The loade stone, as men say, writers do testifie and experience doth teach, hath in it selfe
12 THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY.
such power, force, and vertue, that it draweth iron vnto it though it be farre distant ; right so, vertue doth drawe men vnto it, and the reporte thereof causeth men to loue those whome they haue not scene, and to reuerence those of wh5 they haue onely heard, which thing, sithence it is so, there is no cause why I shoulde either be accused of arrogancie or condemned of impudencie for approching so boldly vnto your Honour, and for suffering this my translation to appeare in your name. For your friendes confesse, and your foes can- not iustly denie, that God hath placed in your noble breast great aboundance of most heroicall vertues, I omit to speake of that rare report of your vnfeigned religion which resoundeth euery where, and redoundeth to your prayse. I should be tedious if I should set downe particularly the most vndoubted testimonies of your faithfulnesse toward yom' dread Souer- aigne : I should seeme to flatter if I would extoll that godly magnanimitie wherwith the Lord hath endued you to main- taine his truth, to defend the realm, to subdue those proud aspiring Papists. That great and earnest care which your Honour hath alwaies had, and euen now hath, to support the poore ministers of the Word and Gospell of lesus Christ in God's cause, and in good causes, hath in it selfe sufficient force to enforce not onely me, but all thankfull heartes, by word and writing, to bewray all thankfulnesse and dutiful- nesse towards your good Honor, as this, so that singular lib- eralitie vsed at all times by your Lordship towards my friends, hath caused me, in dedicating of this booke to your Honour, to testifie some parte of my thankfull minde in their behalfe. And heere I am to craue pardon of you, whiche I hope I shall easily obtaine, for that I haue not behaued my selfe finely as I might though faithfully as I ought in this my worke. And thus, fearing prolixitie, I conclude, praying vnto the Lorde God of heauen and earth, that King of Kinges and Lorde of Lordes, that he will graunt vnto your Honour and to the rest (whom he hath placed in the like degree of dignitie) his Holy Spirite, that Spirite of wisdome and vnder- standing, that you may thereby be so directed that all your thoughts, woordes, and workes, may tend to the setting foorth of God's glory, the maintenance of true religion, the
THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY. 13
preseruation of the realme. So shall England haue wealth, be voide of woe, enioy solace, be free from sorrow, possesse plentie, nor tast of pouertie, inherite pleasure, and not see paine. Which God graunt.
Your Honou7'''s most humble and obedient,
Christopher Fetherstone.
TO THE READER.
Being instantly requested (gentle reader) by my godly zeal- ous friendes, to enterprise the translating of this most learned Commentarie of M. lohn Caluine, and being perswaded ther- vnto by many godly reasons, whereof God's glory and the profite of his Church should be the cheife, I could not nor would not refuse to take that charge vp on me, vnlesse I should haue forgotten my dutie towardes God, his Church, and my friendes ; and now, forasmuch (gentle reader) as the princi- pal recompence of my paines shal be that profit which thou shalt reape by the reading of this my translation, I beseech thee refuse not to take some paines in reading the same. I haue not stuft it full of strage words deriued of the Latine, which might no lesse molest thee then if they continued La- tine as they were. I haue not racked the phrases to make them runne smoothly to please daintie eares, and so digressed from the truth and meaning of the authour ; but, so much as possible I could, I haue translated worde for worde, which the learned by conference shall wel perceiue. Long time haue the godly desired to haue this worke published in the English tongue, and seeing they haue their desire now, my request vnto them is to accept of my paines herein. I dare not, good reader, presume so farre vpon mine owne skill as to saye that there is no faultes committed heerein, but I am earnestly to desire thee rather courteously to amend them then curiously to condemne me for them. And thus, trust- ing to thy curtiesie, I committe thee to the tuition of the Almightie, who so direct thee by his Spirite, that by read- ing thou maiest profite.
Thine in the Lorde,
Christopher Fetherstone.
THE AUTHOR'S EPISTLE DEDICATOM.
TO THK
TRULY HONOURABLE AND ILLUSTRIOUS LORDS,
THE SYNDICS AND COUNCIL OF GENEVA,
JOHN CALVIN
SUPPLICATES FROM THE LORD THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND FIRMNESS, AND A PROSPEROUS ADMINISTRATION.
I NEVER call to remembrance that saying of Christ, in which he sets so high a value on the duty of receiving strangers with kindness as to reckon it done to himself, without con- sidering, at the same time, the extraordinary honour which he has been pleased to confer on you, by making your city the resort, not of one or a few individuals, but of his Church at large. Among heathen countries hospitality was always commended, and was even accounted one of the principal virtues ; and, accordingly, when they intended to denounce any people as barbarians and savages of the lowest stamp, they called them a^li/ous, or — which means the same thing — inhospitable. But far higher praise is due to you that, in these troublesome and unhappy times, the Lord has appointed you to be the persons whose support and protection should be solicited by godly and inoffensive men banished and driven from their native countries by the wicked and cruel tyranny of Antichrist. And not only so, but he has also dedicated to
16 EPISTLE DEDICATORY.
his name a sacred dwelllng-jjlace among you, where his wor- ship may be maintained in purity.
Whoever attempts, in the sHghtest degree, openly to in- vade, or secretly to take from you, these two advantages, not only labours to deprive your city of its brightest orna- ments, but beholds its existence and safety with an envious eye. For though the kind offices which are here performed towards Christ and his scattered members excite the barking of wicked men against you, still you ought to look upon yourselves as abundantly compensated by this single consi- deration, that angels bless you from heaven, and the children of God bless you from every quarter of the world ; so that you may boldly despise the foul slander of those men who are not restrained either by scruples of conscience, or by shame, from pouring out more outrageous insults on God himself than on you, — nay, who, when they wish to calumniate you, begin with blaspheming God. Though this very occasion ^ kindles the rage of many people against you, yet you have no reason to dread any danger arising from it, so long as their fury shall be counteracted by the protection of His hand who hath promised that He will be the faithful Guardian of those cities in which the doctrine of His Gospel shall remain, and in which godly men, whom the world cannot endure, shall be permitted to dwell. I say nothing as to its being unneces- sary to give yourselves any uneasiness about conciliating this class of enemies ; for there is no man that is hostile to you for the sake of the Gospel, who would not desire to see you ruined or oppressed on other grounds. But granting that there were no other reason why you are hated by the avowed enemies of sound doctrine, than because they see you em- ployed in defending it, still, disregarding their stratagems and threatenings, you ought resolutely to defend those two impregnable bulwarks, the purity of religious worship, and a godly anxiety to maintain the Church which Christ has placed under the shelter of your wings.
So far as relates to the slanders which are thrown at us
(" Ascavoir que TEvangilc, et ceux qui y veulent adherer, ont yci leur retraitte,") — (" namely, that the Gospel, and those who wish to abido by it, have their retreat hert\")
EPISTLE DEDICATORY. 17
by the Pope's hired brawlers — that we have apostatized from the Church, because we have withdrawn from subjection to the See of Rome — I wish it were as much in our power to protest with unshaken confidence before God and the angels, that we are at the greatest possible distance from that filthy- puddle, as we can easily and readily defend oiu'selves from the crime which they are in the habit of laying to our charge. They boast, indeed, of the name of the Catholic Church, though no part of the whole doctrine of the Law and the Gospel has been permitted by them to remain free from shameful corruptions, though they have profaned the whole worship of God by the filth of their superstitions, and have not scrupled to debase all the ordinances of God by their inventions. Nay more, so Catholic — so universal — is the mass of errors by which they have overturned the whole of reli- gion, that it would be enough to destroy and swallow up the Church a hundred times over. We can never, therefore, ex- tol, in terms so lofty as the matter deserves, the unbounded goodness of God, by which we have miraculously escaped from that destructive whirlpool, and have fixed the anchor of our faith on the firm and everlasting truth of God.^ And, indeed, this Commentary will itself, I trust, be a sufiicient proof that Popery is nothing else than a monster formed out of the innumerable deceptions of Satan, and that what they call the Church is more confused than Babylon.
Yet I will candidly acknowledge — what is actually true — that we are not at a sufficient distance from that filthy pit, the contagion of which is too widely spread. Antichrist com- plains that we have fallen away from him ; but we ^ are com- pelled to groan that too many of the pollutions with which he has infected the whole world remain amongst us. God has graciously restored to us ® uncontaminated purity of doc- trine, religion in its primitive state, the unadulterated wor- ship of God, and a faithful administration of the Sacraments,
^ The French version adds : "a ce qu'elle no flottast plus parmi les traditions des hommes ;" — " that it might no longer be tossed about among the traditions of men."
" " Nous qui taschons dc rcmcttrc I'estat dc I'Eglisc a son entier ;" — " \vc who endeavour to restore the Church to her original condition."
' " Dicu par sa grace nous a restitue."
18 EPISTLE DEDICATORY.
as they were delivered to us by Christ. But the principal cause which hinders us from attaining that reformation of conduct and of life which ought to exist is, that very many persons, remembering that unbridled licentiousness in which the Papists indulge in opposition to the command of God, cannot become accustomed to the yoke of Christ. Accord- ingly, when our enemies, in order to excite against us un- founded dislike among the ignorant, raise a vexatious outcry that we have broken all discipline, their calumny is abun- dantly refuted (even though we should remain silent) by this single consideration, that at home we have no contest more severe than about — what is considered, at least, by many people to be — our excessive severity. But since you are the most competent witnesses for myself and my colleagues, that we are not more rigid and severe than the claim of duty de- mands and even compels us to be, as we freely submit to the decision of your conscience respecting us ; so, on the other hand, you will easily perceive at a glance the singularly ridiculous impudence of our enemies on this subject.
I shall now say a few words about myself as an individual. Though I trust that my numerous writings will be a suflfi- cient attestation to the world in what manner I have taught this Church, yet I have thought that it would be of very great importance for me to draw up a special record on this subject inscribed Avith your name ; for it is highly necessary that the kind of doctrine which you acknowledge to be taught by me should be exhibited to the view of all.^ Now though, in all the books which I have hitherto published, it has been my endeavour that you and the people under your charge should derive advantage from them even after my death, and though it Avould be highly unbecoming that the doctrine which has emanated from your city to foreign nations should yield fruit extensively, but be neglected in the place of its abode, yet I trust that this Commentary, which is especially dedicated to you, will take a firmer hold of your memory. For this purpose I pray to God to inscribe it so deeply with His own finger on your hearts that it may never be obliterated
^ The French copy adds: " afin qu'ou n'en juge point a raveuture, ni a credit ;" — " that they may not judge of it at random, or on trust."
EPISTLE DEDICATORY. 19
by any stratagem of Satan ; for to Him does it belong to crown my labour with success, who has hitherto given me such courage as to desire nothing more than to watch faithfully over the safety of you all. Farther, as I freely acknowledge before the world that I am very far from possessing the care- ful diligence and the other virtues which the greatness and excellence of the office requires in a good Pastor, and as I continually bewail before God the numerous sins which obstruct my progress, so I venture to declare that I am not without an honest and sincere desire to perform my duty. And if, in the meantime, wicked men do not cease to annoy me, as it is my duty — by well-doing — to refute their slanders, so it will belong to you to restrain those slanders by the exer- cise of that sacred authority with which you are invested. Wherefore, my Illustrious and highly honoured Lords, I recommend you to the protection of our good God, entreat- ing Him to give you always the spirit of prudence and virtue for governing aright, and to make your administration pros- perous, so that His name may be thereby glorified, and that the result may be happy for you and yours.'
Geneva, 1st January, 1553.
^ In the concluding sentence, the more amplified form of the French version has been followed. — Ed.
THE ARGUMENT
TO THE GOSPEL OF JOHN.
The meaning of the Greek word iuayysXiov (Gospel) is well known. ^ In Scripture it denotes, by way of eminence, (xar ^^o^rjv,) the glad and delightful message of the grace exhi- bited to us in Christ, in order to instruct us, by despising the world and its fading riches and pleasures, to desire with our whole heart, and to embrace when offered to us, this invaluable blessing. The conduct which we perceive in irre- ligious men, who take an extravagant delight in the empty enjoyments of the world, while they are little, if at all, affected by a reUsh for spiritual blessings, is natural to us all. For the purpose of correcting this fault, God expressly bestows the name Gospel on the message which he orders to be proclaimed concerning Christ ; for thus he reminds us that nowhere else can true and solid happiness be obtained, and that in him we have all that is necessary for the perfec- tion of a happy life.
Some consider the word Gospel as extending to all the gracious promises of God Avhich are found scattered even in the Law and the Prophets. Nor can it be denied that, whenever God declares that he will be reconciled to men, and forgives their sins, he at the same time, exhibits Christ, whose peculiar office it is, wherever he shines, to spread
^ " On scait asscz que Ic mot d'Evangile sigHilie cntrc Ics Grccs toutes bonnes nouvcllcs ;" — " it is well Known that the word Cjosj)d denotes in Greek any kind of good news."
THE ARGUMENT. 21
abroad the rays of" joy. I acknowledge, therefore, that the Fathers were partakers of the same Gospel with ourselves, so far as relates to the faith of a gratuitous salvation. But as it is the ordinary declaration made by the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures, that the Gospel was first proclaimed when Christ came, let us also adhere to this mode of expression ; and let us keep by that definition of the Gospel which I have given, that it is a solemn publication of the grace revealed in Christ. On this account the Gospel is called the power of God to salvation to every one who helieveth, (Rom. i. 16,) because in it God displays his righteousness. It is called also an embassy, by which he reconciles men to himself, (2 Cor. v. 20;) and as Christ Is the pledge of the mercy of God, and of his fatherly love towards us, so he is, in a peciUiar manner, the subject of the Gospel.
Hence it came that the histories which relate that Christ appeared in the flesh, and died, and was raised from the dead, and at length was taken up into heaven, have pecu- liarly obtained the name Gospel. For although, for the reason already stated, this word means the New Testament, yet the name which denotes the whole has come, by general practice, to stand for that part, of it which declares that Christ was manifested to us in the flesh, and died, and rose from the dead. But as the bare history would not be enough, and, indeed, would be of no advantage for salvation, the Evangelists do not merely relate that Christ was born, and that he died and vanquished death, but also explain for what purpose he was born, and died, and rose again, and what benefit we derive from those events.
Yet there is also this difference between them, that the other three are more copious in their narrative of the life and death of Christ, but John dwells more largely on the doc- trine by which the office of Christ, together with the power of his death and resurrection, is unfolded. They do not, indeed, omit to mention that Christ came to bring salvation to the world, to atone for the sins of the world by the sacri- fice of his death, and, in short, to perform every thing that was required from the Mediator, (as John also devotes a por- tion of his work to historical details;) but the doctrine,
?
22 THE ARGUMENT.
which points out to us the power and benefit of the coming of Christ, is far more clearly exhibited by him than by the rest. And as all of them had the same object in view, to point out Christ, the three former exhibit his body, if we may be permitted to use the expression, but John exhibits his soul. On this account, I am accustomed to say that this Gospel is a key to open the door for understanding the rest ; for whoever shall understand the power of Christ, as it is here strikingly portrayed, will afterwards read with advan- tage what the others relate about the Redeemer who was manifested.
John is believed to have wi'itten chiefly with the intention of maintaining the Divinity of Christ, in opposition to the wicked blasphemies of Ebiou and Cerinthus; and this is asserted by Eusebius and Jerome, in accordance with the general opinion of the ancients. But whatever might be his motive for writing at that time, there can be no doubt what- ever that God intended a far higher benefit for his Church. He therefore dictated to the Four Evangelists what they should write, in such a manner that, while each had his own part assigned him, the whole might be collected into one body ; and it is our duty now to blend the Four by a mutual relation, so that we may permit ourselves to be taught by all of them, as by one mouth. As to John being placed the fourth in order, it was done on account of the time when he wrote ; but in reading them, a different order would be more advantageous, which is, that when we wish to read in Matthew and the others, that Christ was given to us by the Father, we should first learn from John the purpose for which he was manifested.
COMMENTARY
ON THE
HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST
ACCORDING TO JOHN.
COMMENTARY
ON THE
HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST
ACCORDING TO JOHN.
CHAPTER I.
1. In the beginning was the Speech, and the Speech was with God, and the Speech was God. 2. He was in the beginning with God. 3. All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5. And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
1. In the beginning was the Speech. In this introduction he asserts the eternal Divinity of Christ, in order to inform us that he is the eternal God, who was manifested in thejieshf (1 Tim. iii. 16.) The design is, to show it to have been necessary that the restoration of mankind should be accom- plished by the Son of God, since by his power all things were created, since he alone breathes into all the creatures life and energy, so that they remain in their condition ; and since in man himself he has given a remarkable display both of his power and of his grace, and even subsequently to the fall of man has not ceased to show liberality and kindness towards his posterity. And this doctrine is highly necessary to be known ; for since apart from God we ought not at all VOL. I. B
26 COMMENTARY ON THE
to seek life and salvation, how could our faith rest on Christ, if we did not know with certainty what is here taught ? By these words, therefore, the Evangelist assures us that we do not withdraw from the only and eternal God, when we be- lieve in Christ, and likewise that life is now restored to the dead through the kindness of him who was the source and cause of life, when the nature of man was still uncorrupted.
As to the Evangelist calling the Son of God the Speech, the simple reason appears to me to be," first, because he is the eternal Wisdom and Will of God ; and, secondly, because he is the lively image of His purpose ; for, as Speech is said to be among men the image of the mind, so it is not inappropriate to apply this to God, and to say that He reveals himself to us by his Speech. The other significations of the Greek word Xoyog (Logos) do not apply so well. It means, no doubt, definition^ and reasoning, and calculation ; but I am unwilling to carry the abstruseness of philosophy beyond the measure of my faith. And we perceive that the Spirit of God is so far from approving of such subtleties that, in prattling with us, by his very silence he cries aloud with what sobriety we ought to handle such lofty mysteries.
Now as God, in creating the world, revealed himself by that Speech, so he formerly had him concealed with himself, so that there is a twofold relation ; the former to God, and the latter to men. Servetus, a haughty scoundrel belonging to the Spanish nation, invents the statement, that this eternal Speech began to exist at that time when he was displayed in the creation of the world, as if he did not exist before his power was made known by external operation. Very differ- ently does the Evangelist teach in this passage ; for he does not ascribe to the Speech a beginning of time, but says that he wasjfrom the beginning, and thus rises beyond all ages. I am fully aware how this dog barks against us, and what cavils were formerly raised by the Arians, namely, that in the be- ginning God created the heaven and the earth, (Gen. i.- 1,) which nevertheless are not eternal, because the word begin- ning refers to order, instead of denoting eternity. But the Evangelist meets this calumny when he says,
And the Speech loas with God. If the Speech began to be
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 27
at some time, they must iSnd out some succession of time in God ; and undoubtedly by this clause John intended to dis- tinguish him from all created things. For many questions might arise, " Where was this Speech ? How did he exert his power ? What was his nature ? How might he be known ?" The Evangelist, therefore, declares that we must not confine our views to the world and to created things ; for he was always united to God, before the world existed.. Now when men date the beginning from the origin of heaven and earth, do they not reduce Christ to the common order of the world, from which he is excluded in express terms by this passage ? By this proceeding they oiFer an egregious insult not only to the Son of God, but to his etei-nal Father, whom they deprive of his wisdom. If we are not at liberty to conceive of God without his wisdom, it must be acknow- ledged that we ought not to seek the origin of the Speech any where else than in the Eternal Wisdom of God.
Servetus objects that the Speech cannot be admitted to have existed any earlier than when Moses introduces God as speaking. As if he did not subsist in God, because he was not publicly made known : that is, as if he did not exist un'thin, until he began to appear without. But every pretence for outrageously absurd fancies of this description is cut off by the Evangelist, when he affirms without reservation, that the Speech luas with God ; for he expressly withdraws us from every moment of time.
Those who infer from the imperfect tense of the verb ^ which is here used, that it denotes continued existence, have little strength of argument to support them. Was, they say, is a word more fitted to express the idea of uninterrupted succession, than if John had said. Has been. But on matters so weighty we ought to employ more solid arguments ; and, indeed, the argument which I have brought forward ought to be reckoned by us sufficient ; namely, that the Evangelist sends us to the eternal secrets of God, that we may there learn that the Speech was, as it were, hidden, before he re- i veale^^^himself JA«i^<^ternal structure of the world. Justly,!
^ " Pource qu'il est dit Estoit, ct non pas N'estc ;" — " Because it is said Was^ and not Has been.''''
28 COMMENTARY ON THE
therefore, does Augustine remark, that this beginning, which is now mentioned, has no beginning ; for though, in the order of nature, the Father came before his Wisdom, yet those who conceive of any point of time when he went before his Wis- dom, deprive him of his glory. And this is the eternal gene- ration^ which, during a period of infinite extent before the foundation of the world, lay hid^ in God, so to speak— which, I for a long succession of years, was obscurely shadowed out 1 to the Fathers under the Law, and at length was more fully J manifested in flesh.
I wonder what induced the Latins to render 6 Xoyog by Verbum, (the Word ;) for that would rather have been the translation of to |^/Aa. But granting that they had some plausible reason, still it cannot be denied that Sermo (the Speech) would have been far more appropriate. Hence it is evident, what barbarous tyranny was exercised by the theo- logians of the Sorbonne,' who teazed and stormed at Eras- mus in such a manner, because he had changed a single word for the better.
And the Speech was with God. We have already said that ■ the Son of God is thus placed above the world and above all ^"Hhe creatures, and is declared to have existed before all ages. But at the same time this mode of expression attributes to him a distinct personality from the Father ; for it would have been absurd in the Evangelist to say that the Speech was always with God, if he had not some kind of subsistence peculiar to himself in God. This passage serves, therefore, to refute the error of Sabellius ; for it shows that the Son is '{ distinct from the Father. I have already remarked that we • ought to be sober in thinking, and modest in speaking, about such high mysteries. And yet the ancient writers of the Church were excusable, when, finding that they could not in any other way maintain sound and pure doctrine in opposi- tion to the perplexed and ambiguous j)hraseology of the heretics, they were compelled to invent some words, which after all had no other meaning than what is taught in the Scriptures. They said that there are three Hypostases, or
^ " Les Theologiens Sorbouistes."
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 29
Subsistences, or Persons, in the one and simple essence of God. ^^he word umeraatg (Hypostasis) occurs in this sense irTTleb. i. 3, to which corresponds the Latin word Substantia, (^substance,) as it is employed by Hilary. The Persons (rd T^offuTa) were called by them distinct properties in God, which present themselves to the view of our minds ; as Gregory Nazianzen says, " I cannot think of the One (God) without having the Three (Persons) shining around me."^
And the Speech was God. That there may be no remaining doubt as to Christ's divine essence, the Evangelist distinctly asserts that he is God. Now since there is but one God, it follows that Christ is of the same essence with the Father, and yet that, in some respect, he is distinct from the Father. But of the second clause we have already spoken. As to the unity of the divine essence, Arius showed prodigious wicked- ness, when, to avoid being compelled to acknowledge the eternal Divinity of Christ, he prattled about I know not what imaginary Deity ;- but for our part, when we are informed that the Speech was God, what right have we any longer to call in question his eternal essence ?
2. He was in the beginning. In order to impress more deeply on our minds what had been already said, the Evan- gelist condenses the two preceding clauses into a brief sum- mary, that the Speech always was, and that he was loith God; so that it may be understood that the beginning was before all time.
3. All things were made by him. Having affirmed that tlie Speech is God, and having asserted his eternal essence, he now proves his Divinity from his works. And this is the practical knowledge, to which we ought to be chiefly accustomed ; for
1 The reader will find our Author's views of the Holy Trinity very fully illustrated in the Institutes of the Christian Religion^ Book I. Chap, xiii., and will be at a loss whether to admire most the marvellous acuteness, or the sobriety of judgment, by which the whole discussion is pervaded. — Ed.
2 " Que c'estoit je ne scay quel Dieu qui avoit este cree, et eu com- mencement ;" — '■ That there was I know not what God who had been created, and had a beginning."
30 COMMENTARY ON THE
the mere name of God attributed to Christ will affect us little, if our faith do not feel it to be such by experience. In reference to the Son of God, he makes an assertion which strictly and properly applies to his person. Sometimes, indeed, Paul simply declares that all things are hy God, (Rom. xi. 36 ;) but whenever the Son is compared with the Father, he is usually distinguished by this mark. Accordingly, the ordinary mode of expression is here employed, that the Father made all things hy the Son, and that all things are Isy
; God through the Son. Now the design of the Evangelist is, as I have already said, to show that no sooner was the world created than the Speech of God came forth into external operation ; for having formerly been incomprehensible in his essence, he then became publicly known by the effect of his ipower. There are some, indeed, even among philosophers,
y who make God to be the Master-builder of the world in such a manner as to ascribe to him intelligence in framing this work. So far they are in the right, for they agree with Scripture ; but as i\xQj immediately fly off into frivolous speculations, there is no reason why we should eagei'ly desire to have their testimonies ; but, on the contrary, we ought to be satisfied with this inspired declaration, well knowing that it conveys far more than our mind is able to comprehend.
And without him was not any thing made that was made. Though there is a variety of readings in this passage, yet for my own part, I have no hesitation in taking it continuously thus : not any thing was made that was made; and in this almost all the Greek manuscripts, or at least those of them which are most approved, are found to agree ; besides, the sense requires it. Those who separate the words, which was made, from the preceding clause, so as to connect them with the following one, bring out a forced sense : what was made ivas in him life ; that is, lived, or was sustained in life.^ But they
1 The difference of readings lies wholly in the punctuation, and the dis- pute is, whether the words o ykyoviv shall form the conclusion of the Third, or the commencement of the Fourth verse. Calvin expresses his con- currence with the majority of manuscrijjts, which connect the words in question with the Third verse thus : K«< x^^h ai^Tov iyiuiro ovos sv o •yiyovsv, and without him ivas not any thing made, (or, more literally, as well as more emphatically,) and without him was not one thing made —
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 31
will never show that this mode of expression is, in any instance, applied to creatures. Augustine, who is excessively addicted to the philosophy of Plato, is carried along, according to custom, to the doctrine of ideas ; that before God made the world, he had the form of the whole building conceived in his mind ; and so the life of those things which did not yet exist was in Christ, because the creation of the world wss appointed in him. But how widely different this is from the intention of the Evangelist we shall immediately see.
I now return to the former clause. This is not a faulty redundancy, {Ts^irroXoyia,) as it appears to be ; for as Satan endeavours, by every possible method, to take any thing from Christ, the Evangelist intended to declare expressly, that of those things which have been made there is no exception what- ever.
4. In him teas life. Hitherto he has taught us, that by the Speecfi of God all things icere created. He now attributes to him, in the same manner, the preservation of those things which had been created ; as if he had said, that in the creation of the world there was not merely displayed a sudden exer- cise of his power, which soon passed away, but that it is manifested in the steady and regular order of nature, as he is said to uphold all things by the word or will of his jjower, (Heb. i. 3.) This life may be extended either to inanimate creatures, (which live after their own manner, though they are devoid of feeling,) or may be explained in reference to living creatures alone. It is of little consequence which you choose ; for the simple meaning is, that the Speech of God was not only the source of life to all the creatures, so that those Avhich were not began to be, but that his lif e-gis'mg power causes them to remain in their condition ; for were it not that his continued inspiration gives vigour to the world, every thing that lives would immediately decay, or be reduced to nothing. In a
WHICH WAS MADE. Other manuscripts, certainly of no great authority, connect them with the Fourth verse : K«( x^'i^U avTov iyivsro ov^s h. O ykyauiv kv ocvr^ ^uvj fiu. And icithout him was not one thing made. What was made loas in him life. The preference given by our Author rests on grounds which can scarcely be questioned. — Ed.
32 COMMENTARY ON THE
word, what Paul ascribes to God, that in him we are, and move, and live, (Acts xvli. 28,) John declares to be accom- plished by the gracious agency of the Speech ; so that it is God who gives us life, but it is by the eternal Speech.
The life was the light of men. The other interpretations, which do not accord with the meaning of the Evangelist, I intentionally pass by. He speaks here, in my opinion, of that part of life in which men excel other animals ; and informs us that the life which was bestowed on men was not of an ordinary description, but was united to the light of under- standing. He separates man from the rank of other crea- tures ; because we perceive more readily the power of God by feeling it in us than by beholding it at a distance. Thus Paul charges us not to seek God at a distance, because he makes himself to be felt within us, (Acts xvii. 27.) After having presented a general exhibition of the kindness of Christ, in order to induce men to take a nearer view of it, he points out what has been bestowed peculiarly on themselves ; namely, that they were not created like the beasts, but hav- ing been endued with reason, they had obtained a higher rank. As it is not in vain that God imparts his light to their minds, it follows that the purpose for which they were created was, that they might acknowledge Him who is the Author of so excellent a blessing. And since this light, of which the Speech was the source, has been conveyed from him to us, it ought to serve as a mirror, in which we may clearly behold the divine power of the Speech.
i 5. And the light shineth in darkness. It might be objected, that the passages of Scripture in which men are called blind are so numerous, and that the blindness for which they are condemned is but too well known. For in all their reasoning faculties they miserably fail. How comes it that there are so many labyrinths of errors in the world, but because men, by their own guidance, are led only to vanity and lies ? But if no light appears in men, that testimony of the divinity of Christ, which the Evangelist lately mentioned, is destroyed ; for that is the third step, as I have said, that in the life of men there is something more excellent than motion and
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 33
breathing. The Evangelist anticipates this question, and first of all lays down this caution, that the light which was originally bestowed on men must not be estimated by their present condition ; because in this corrupted and degenerate nature light has been turned into darkness. And yet he aflfirms that the light of understanding is not wholly extin- guished ; for, amidst the thick darkness of the human mind, some remaining sparks of the brightness still shine.
My readers now understand that this sentence contains two clauses ; for he says that men are noAv widely distant from that perfectly holy nature with which they were originally endued ; because their understanding, Avhich ought to have shed light in every direction, has been plunged in darkness, and is wretchedly blinded ; and that thus the glory of Christ may be said to be darkened amidst this corruption of nature. But, on the other hand, the Evangelist maintains that, in the midst of the darkness, there are still some remains of light, which show in some degree the divine power of Christ. The Evangelist admits, therefore, that the mind of man is blinded; so that it may justly be pronounced to be covered with dark- ness. For he might have used a mUder term, and might have said that the light is dark or cloudy ; but he chose to state more distinctly how wretched our condition has become since the fall of the first man. The statement that the light shineth in darkness is not at all intended for the commendation of depraved nature, but rather for taking away every excuse for ignorance.
And the darkness did not comprehend it. Although by that small measure of light which still remains in us, the Son of God has always invited men to himself, yet the Evangelist says that this was attended by no advantage, because seeing, they did not see, (Matth. xiii. 13.) For since man lost the favour of God, his mind is so completely overwhelmed by the thraldom of ignorance, that any portion of light which remains in it is quenched and useless. This is daily proved by experience ; for all who are not regenerated by the Spirit of God possess some reason, and this is an undeniable proof that man was made not only to breathe, but to have under- standing. But by that guidance of their reason they do not
34 COMMENTARY ON THE
come to God, and do not even approach to him ; so that all their understanding is nothing else than mere vanity. Hence it follows that there is no hope of the salvation of men, unless God grant new aid ; for though the Son of God sheds his light upon them, they are so dull that they do not comprehend whence that light proceeds, but are carried away by foolish and wicked imaginations to absolute madness.
The light which still dwells in corrupt nature consists chiefly of two parts ; for, first, all men naturally possess some seed of religion ; and, secondly, the distinction between good and evil is engraven on their consciences. But what are the fruits that ultimately spring from it, except that religion degenerates into a thousand monsters of superstition, and conscience perverts every decision, so as to confound vice with virtue ? In short, natural reason never will direct men to Christ ; and as to their being endued with prudence for regulating their lives, or born to cultivate the liberal arts and sciences, all this passes away without yielding any advantage.
It ought to be understood that the Evangelist speaks of natural gifts only, and does not as yet say any thing about the grace of regeneration. For there are two distinct powers which belong to the Son of God : the first, which is mani- fested in the structure of the world and the order of nature ; and the second, by which he renews and restores fallen nature. As he is the eternal Speech of God, by him the world was made ; by his power all things continue to possess the life which they once received ; man especially was endued with an extraordinary gift of understanding ; and though by his revolt he lost the light of understanding, yet he still sees and understands, so that what he naturally possesses from the grace of the Son of God is not entirely destroyed. But since by his stupidity and perverseness he darkens the light which still dwells in him, it remains that a ncAV office be undertaken by the Son of God, the office of Mediator, to renew, by the Spirit of regeneration, man who had been ruined. Those persons, therefore, i*eason absurdly and incon- clusively, who refer this light, which the Evangelist mentions, to the gospel and the doctrine of salvation.
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 35
6. There was a man sent by God, whose name was John. 7. He came for a testimony,! that he might testify of the light ; that by him all might believe. 8. He was not that light, but that he might testify concernmg the light. 9. The true light was that which enlighteneth every man who Cometh into the world. 10. He was Ln the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11. He came into his own, and his own received him not. 12. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God ; namely, to those who believe in his name ; 13. Who were born not of bloods,^ nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
6. There was a man. The Evangelist now begins to dis- course about the manner in which the Son of God was mani- fested in flesh ; and that none may doubt that Christ is the eternal Son of God, he relates that Christ was announced by John the Baptist, as his herald. For not only did Christ exhibit himself to be seen by men, but he chose also to be made known by the testimony and doctrine of John; or rather, God the Father sent this witness before his Christ, that they might more willingly receive the salvation offered by him.
But it might at first sight appear ridiculous that Christ should receive testimony from another, as if he needed it; while, on the contrary, he declares that he does not seek testi- mony from man, (John v. 34.) The answer is easy and obvious, that this witness was appointed, not for the sake of Christ, but for our sake. If it be objected that the testimony of man is too weak to prove that Christ is the Son of God, it is likewise easy to reply, that the Baptist is not adduced as a private witness, but as one who, having received authority from God, sustained the character rather of an angel than of a man. Accordingly, he receives commendation not for his own virtues, but for this single circumstance, that he was the ambassador of God. Nor is this at variance with the fact, that the preaching of the gospel was committed to Christ, that he might be a ivitness to himself; for the design contem- plated by the preaching of John was, that men might attend to the doctrine and miracles of Christ.
Sent by God. He does not say so for the purpose of
1 u
2
Pour (^porter) tesmoignage ;" — " to bear testimony." " Nais de sangs, om, de sang f — " born of bloods, or, of bloods
36 COMMENTARY ON THE
confirming the baptism of John, but only mentions it In passing. This circumstance is not sufficient to produce certainty, since many run of their own accord, and boast that God has sent them ; but the Evangelist, intending afterwards to speak more fully about this witness, reckoned it enough, for the present, to say in a single word, that John did not come but by the command of God. We shall afterwards see how he himself affirms that God is the Author of his ministry. We must now recollect — what I formerly noticed — that what is asserted about John is required in all the teachers of the Church, that they be called by God ; so that the authority of teaching may not be founded on any other than on God alone.
Whose name was John. He states the name, not only for the purpose of pointing out the man, but because it was given to him in accordance with what he really was. There is no room to doubt that the Lord had reference to the office to which he appointed John, when he commanded by the angel that he should be so called, that by means of it all might acknowledge him to be the herald of divine grace.' For though the name pniH'' ^ {Jehohannan) may be taken in a passive signification, and may thus be referred to the person, as denoting that John was acceptable to God ; yet for my own part, I willingly extend it to the benefit which others ought to derive from him.^
7. He came for a testimony. The end of his calling is briefly noticed ; which was, that he might prepare a Church for Christ, as, by inviting all to Christ, he shows plainly enough that he did not come on his own account.
8. He was not that light. So far was John from needing commendation, that the Evangelist gives this warning, lest
1 " Heraut et ambassade de la grace de Dieu ;"— " Herald and ambas- sador of the grace of God."
2 "Le nom de Jean, qui signifie Grace ;" — "The name John, which signifies Grace."
3 For the meaning of the name Jolin^ derived fi-om the Hebrew Jeho- hannan, the reader may consult our Author's Commentary on the Harmony of the Three Evangelists, vol. i. p. 15. — Ed.
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 37
his excessive brightness might obscure the glory of Christ. For there were some who gazed so eagerly upon him that they neglected Christ ; just as if a person, enraptured with beholding the dawning of the day, would not deign to turn his eyes towards the sun. In what sense the Evangelist employs the word light we shall immediately see. All the godly, indeed, are light in the Lord^ (Eph. v. 8,) because, in consequence of their being enlightened by his Spirit, they not only see for themselves, but likewise direct others by their example to the way of salvation. The apostles likewise are peculiarly called light, (Matth. v. 14,) because they go before, holding out the torch of the Gospel, to dispel the darkness of the world. But here the Evangelist speaks of him who is the only and eternal source of illumination, as he immediately shows more clearly.
9. The true light was. The Evangelist did not intend to contrast the true light with the false, but to distinguish Christ from all others, that none might imagine that what is called light belongs to him in common with angels or men. The distinction is, that whatever is luminous in heaven and in earth borrows its splendour from some other object ; but Christ is the light, shining from itself and by itself, and enlightening the whole world by its radiance ; so that no other source or cause of splendour is anywhere to be found. He gave the name of the true light, therefore, to that which has by nature the power of giving light.
Which enlighteneth every man. The Evangelist insists chiefly on this point, in order to show, from the effect which every one of us perceives in him, that Christ is the light. He might have reasoned more ingeniously, that Christ, as the eternal light, has a splendour which is natural, and not brought from any other quarter ; but instead of doing so, he sends us back to the experience which we all possess. For as Christ makes us all partakers of his brightness, it must be acknow- ledged that to him alone belongs strictly this honour of being called light.
This passage is commonly explained in two ways. Some restrict the phrase, every man, to those who, having been
38 COMMENTARY ON THE
renewed by the Spirit of God, become partakers of the life- giving light. Augustine employs the comparison of a school- master who, if he happen to be the only person who has a school in the town, will be called the teacher of all, though there be many persons that do not go to his school. They therefore understand the phrase in a comparative sense, that all are enlightened by Christ, because no man can boast of having obtained the light of life in any other way than by his grace. But as the Evangelist employs the general phrase, every man that cometh into the world, I am more inclined to adopt the other meaning, which is, that from this light the rays are diffused over all mankind, as I have already said. For we know that men have this peculiar excellence which raises them above other animals, that they are endued with reason and intelligence, and that they carry the distinction between right and wrong engraven on their conscience. There is no man, therefore, whom some perception of the eternal light does not reach.
But as there are fanatics who rashly strain and torture this passage, so as to infer from it that the grace of illumina- tion is equally offered to all, let us remember that the only subject here treated is the common light of nature, which is far inferior to faith ; for never will any man, by all the acuteness and sagacity of his own mind, penetrate into the kingdom of God. It is the Spirit of God alone who opens the gate of heaven to the elect. Next, let us remember that the light of reason which God implanted in men has been so obscured by sin, that amidst the thick darkness, and shocking ignorance, and gulf of errors, there are hardly a few shining sparks that are not utterly extinguished.
10. He loas in the world. He accuses men of ingratitude, because of their own accord, as it were, they were so blinded, that the cause of the light which they enjoyed was unknown to them. This extends to every age of the w orld ; for before Christ was manifested in the flesh, his power was everywhere displayed ; and therefore those daily effects ought to correct the stupidity of men. What can be more unreasonable than to draw water from a running stream, and never to think
GOSPEL ACCOEDING TO JOHN. 39
of the fountain from which that stream flows ? It follows that no proper excuse can be found for the ignorance of the world in not knowing Christ, before he was manifested in the flesh ; for it arose from the indolence and wicked stupidity of those who had opportunities of seeing Him always present by his power. The whole may be summed up by saying, that never was Christ in such a manner absent from the world, but that men, aroused by his rays, ought to have raised their eyes towards him. Hence it follows, that the blame must be im- puted to themselves.
11. He came into his oivn. Here is displayed the absolutely desperate wickedness and malice of men ; here is displayed their execrable impiety, that when the Son of God was mani- fested in flesh to the Jews, whom God had separated to him- self from the other nations to be His own heritage, he was not acknotcledged or received. This passage also has re- ceived various explanations. For some think that the Evan- gelist speaks of the whole world indiscriminately ; and cer- tainly there is no part of the world which the Son of God may not lawfully claim as his own property. According to them, the meaning is : " When Christ came down into the world, he did not enter into another person's territories, for the whole human race was his own inheritance." But I approve more highly of the opinion of those who refer it to the Jews alone ; for there is an implied comparison, by which the Evangelist represents the heinous ingratitude of men. The Son of God had solicited an abode for himself in one nation ; when he appeared there, he was rejected ; and this shows clearly the awfully wicked blindness of men. In making this statement, the sole object of the Evangelist must have been to remove the offence which many would be apt to take in consequence of the unbelief of the Jews. For when he was despised and rejected by that nation to which he had been especially promised, who would reckon him to be the Re- deemer of the whole world? We see what extraordinary pains the Apostle Paul takes in handling this subject.
Here both the Verb and the Noun are highly emphatic. He came. The Evangelist says that the Son of God came to
40 COMMENTAllY ON THE
that place where he formerly was ; and by this expression he must mean a new and extraordinary kind of presence, by Avhich the Son of God was manifested, so that men might have a nearer view of him. Into his oion. By this phrase the Evangelist compares the Jews with other nations ; be- cause by an extraordinary privilege they had been adopted into the family of God. Christ therefore was first offered to them as his own household, and as belonging to his empire by a peculiar right. To the same purpose is that complaint of God by Isaiah : Tlie ox hioweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib, but Israel knoweth me not, (Isa. i. 3 ;) for though he has dominion over the whole world, yet he represents him- self to be, in a peculiar manner, the Lord of Israel, whom he had collected, as it were, into a sacred fold.
12. But to as many as received him. That none may be retarded by this stumbling-block, that the Jews despised and rejected Christ, the Evangelist exalts above heaven the godly who believe in him ; for he says that by faith they obtain this glory of being reckoned the sons of God. The universal term, as many, contains an implied contrast ; for the Jews were carried away by a blind vaunting,^ as if they exclusively had God bound to themselves. The Evangelist declares that their condition is changed, because the Jews have been re- jected, and their place, which had been left empty, is occu- pied by the Jews ; for it is as if he transferred the right of adoption to strangers. This is what Paul says, that the destruction of one nation was the life of the whole world, (Rom. xi. 12 ;) for the Gospel, which might be said to have been banished from them, began to be spread far and wide throughout the whole world. They were thus deprived of the privilege which they enjoyed above others. But their impiety was no obstruction to Christ ; for he erected else- where the throne of his kingdom, and called indiscriminately to the hope of salvation all nations which formerly appeared to have been rejected by God.
' " D'une vanterie aveuglee ; c'est a dire, n'entendans pas ce qu'iJs disoyent ;" — " by a blind vaunting ; that is, not understanding what they said."
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 41
He gave them power. The word h^ouaia here appears to me to mean a right, or claim ; and it would be better to translate it so, in order to refute the false opinions of the Papists ; for they wickedly pervert this passage by understanding it to mean, that nothing more than a choice is allowed to us, if we think fit to avail ourselves of this privilege. In this way they extract free-will from this phrase ; but as well might they extract fire from water. There is some plausibility in this at first sight ; for the Evangelist does not say that Christ makea them sons of God, but that he gives them power to become such. Hence they infer that it is this grace only that is offered to us, and that the liberty to enjoy or to reject it is placed at our disposal. But this frivolous attempt to catch at a single word is set aside by what immediately follows ; for the Evangelist adds, that they become the sons of God, not hy the will which belongs to the flesh, but when they are born of God. But if faith regenerates us, so that we are the sons of God, and if God breathes faith into us from heaven, it plainly appears that not by possibility only, but actually — as we say — is the grace of adoption offered to us by Christ. And, indeed, the Greek word l^ouala is sometimes put for a^iugig, (a claim,) a meaning which falls in admirably with this passage.
The circumlocution which the Evangelist has employed tends more to magnify the excellence of grace, than if he had said in a single word, that all who believe in Christ are made by him sons of God. For he speaks here of the unclean and profane, who, having been condemned to perpetual ignominy, lay in the darkness of death. Christ exhibited an astonish- ing instance of his grace in conferring this honour on such persons, so that they began, all at once, to be sons of God; and the greatness of this privilege is justly extolled by the Evangelist, as also by Paul, when he ascribes it to God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us, (Eph. ii. 4.) But if any person shall prefer to take the word power in its ordinary acceptation, still the Evangelist does not mean by it any intermediate faculty, or one which does not include the full and complete effect ; but, on the contraiy, means that Christ craye to the unclean and the uncircum- VOL. I. C
42 COMMENTARY ON THE
cised what appeared to be impossible ; for an incredible change took place when out of stones Christ raised up children to God, (Matth. iii. 9.) The power, therefore, is i\\^t fitness (/■/.avori^g) which Paul mentions, when he gives thanks to God, who hath made us fit (or meet) to be partakers of the inherit- ance of the saints, (Col. i. 12.)
Who believe in his name. He expresses briefly the manner of receiving Christ, that is, believing in him. Having been ingrafted into Christ by faith, we obtain the right of adop- tion, so as to be the sons of God. And, indeed, as he is the only-begotten Son of God, it is only so far as we are mem- bers of him that this honour at all belong-s to us. Here ag^ain the notion of the Papists about the word power is refuted.^ The Evangelist declares that this power is given to those who already believe. Now it is certain that such persons are in reality the sons of God. They detract too much from the value of faith who say that, by believing, a man obtains nothing more than that he may become a son of God, if he chooses ; for instead of a present effect they put a power which is held in uncertainty and suspense.
The contradiction appears still more glaring from what immediately follows. The Evangelist says that those who believe are already born of God, It is not, therefore, a mere liberty of choice that is oiFered, since they obtain the privilege itself that is in question. Although the Hebrew word D2J^ {Name) is sometimes used to denote poiver, yet here it denotes a relation to the doctrine of the Gospel ; for when Christ is preached to us, then it is that we believe in him. I speak of the ordinary method by which the Lord leads us to faith ; and this ought to be carefully observed, for there are many who foolishly contrive for themselves a confused faith, without any understanding of doctrine, as nothing is more common among the Papists than the word believe, though there is not among them any knowledge of Christ
^ " Et par ceci derechef est refutee rimagination des Papistes de laquelle j'ai parle, h, scavoir que Dieu donne aux hommes une possibility seulement d'estre faits enfans sieus;" — "and here again is refuted the notion of the Papists which I spoke of, namely, that God gives to men a bare possibility of becoming his children."
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 43
from hearing the Gospel. Christ, therefore, offers himseU' to us by the Gospel, and we receive him by faith.
13. Who were born not of blood} Some think that an indirect reference is here made to the preposterous confidence of the Jews, and I willingly adopt that opinion. They had continually in their mouth the nobleness of their lineage, as if, because they Avere descended from a holy stock, they were naturally holy. And justly might they have gloried in their descent from Abraham, if they had been lawful sons, and not bastards ; but the glorying of faith ascribes nothing whatever to carnal generation, but acknowledges its obligation to the grace of God alone for all that is good. John, therefore, says, that those among the formerly unclean Gentiles who believe in Christ are not born the sons of God from the womb, but are renewed by God, that they may begin to be his sons. The reason why he uses the word blood in the plural number appears to have been, that he might express more fully a long suf'.cession of lineage; for this was a part of the boasting among the Jews, that they could trace their descent, by an uninterrupted line, upwards to the patriarchs.
The will of the flesh and the loill of man appear to me to mean the same thing ; for I see no reason why flesh should be supposed to signify woynan, as Augustine and many others explain it. On the contrary, the Evangelist repeats the same thing in a variety of words, in order to explain it more fully, and impress it more deeply on the minds of men. Though he refers directly to the Jews, who gloried in the flesh, yet from this passage a general docti'ine may be ob- tained : that our being reckoned the sons of God does not belong to our nature, and does not proceed from us, but because God be^at us willingly, (James i. 18,) that is, from undeserved love. Hence it follows, first, that faith does not proceed from ourselves, but is the fruit of spiritual regenera- tion ; for the Evangelist affirms that no man can believe,
' Here our Author, either from choice or fi'oni inadvertency, has adopted the phrase of blood, instead of what he followed in his version of the Text, (see page 35,) of bloods — the literal, though not idiomatic, render- ing of iS, mi fiotrav, which is itself of rare occurrence, but not without classical authority. — Ed,
44 C;OMMENTART ON THE
unless he be begotten of God; and therefore faith is a heavenly gift. It follows, secondly, that faith is not bare or cold knowledge, since no man can believe who has not been renewed by the Spirit of God.
It may be thought that the Evangelist reverses the natural order by making regeneration to precede faith, whereas, on the contrary, it is an effect of faith, and therefore ought to be placed later. I reply, that both statements perfectly agree ; because by faith we receive the incorruptible seed, (1 Pet. i. 23,) by which we are born again to a new and divine life. And yet faith itself is a work of the Holy Spirit, who dwells in none but the children of God. So then, in various respects, faith is a part of our regeneration, and an entrance into the kingdom of God, that he may reckon us among his children. The illumination of our minds by the Holy Spirit belongs to our renewal, and thus faith flows from regenera- tion as from its source ; but since it is by the same faith that we receive Christ, who sanctifies us by his Spirit, on that account it is said to be the beginning of our adoption.
Another solution, still more plain and easy, may be offered ; for when the Lord breathes faith into us, he regenerates us by some method that is hidden and unknown to us ; but after we have received faith, we perceive, by a lively feeling of conscience, not only the grace of adoption, but also newness of life and the other gifts of the Holy Spirit. For since faith, as we have said, receives Christ, it puts us in possession, so to speak, of all his blessings. Thus so far as respects our sense, it is only after having believed — that we begin to be the sons of God. But if the inheritance of eternal life is the fruit of adoption, we see how the Evangelist ascribes the whole of our salvation to the grace of Christ alone; and, indeed, how closely soever men examine themselves, they will find nothing that is worthy of the children of God, except what Christ has bestowed on them.
14. And the Speech was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
14. And the Speech was madefiesh. The Evangelist shows
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 45
what was that coming of Christ which he had mentioned ; namely, that having been clothed with our flesh, he showed himself openly to tlie world. Although the Evangelist touches briefly the unutterable mystery, that the Son of God was clothed with human nature, yet this brevity is wonderfully perspicuous. Here some madmen amuse themselves with foolish and trivial subtleties of this sort : that the Speech is said to have been madejlesh, because God sent his Son into the world, according to the conception which he had formed in his mind ; as if the Speech were I know not what shadowy image. But we have demonstrated that that word denotes a real hypostasis, or subsistence, in the essence of God.
The word Flesh expresses the meaning of the Evangelist more forcibly than if he had said that he was made man. He intended to show to what a mean and despicable condition the Son of God, on our account, descended from the height of his heavenly glory. When Scripture speaks of man con- temptuously, it calls him Jlesh. Now, though there be so wide a distance between the spiritual glory of the Speech of God and the abominable filth of our Jlesh, yet the Son of God stooped so low as to take upon himself that Jlesh, subject to so many miseries. The word Jlesh is not taken here for corrupt natiure, (as it is often used by Paul,) but for mortal man ; though it marks disdainfully his frail and perishing nature, as in these and similar passages : for he remembered that they were flesh, (Ps. Ixxviii. 39 ;) all FLESH is grass, (Isa. xl. 6.) We must at the same time observe, however, that this is a figure of speech in which a part is taken for the whole ; for the lower part includes the whole man.^ It was therefore highly foolish in Apollinaris to imagine that Christ was merely clothed with a human body without a soul ; for it may easily be proved from innumerable passages, that he had a soul as well as a body ; and when Scripture calls men Jlesh, it does not therefore deprive them of a soul.
The plain meaning therefore is, that the Speech begotten by God before all ages, and who always dwelt with the
' " Car sous la chair et la partie inferieure tout I'homme est comprina ;" — '*for under the /?es^, and the lower part, the whole man is included."
46
COMMENTAKY ON THE
Father, was made man. On this article of faith there are two things chiefly to be observed. The first is, that two natures were so united in one Person in Christ, that one and the same Christ is true God and true man. The second is, that the unity of person does not hinder the two natures from remain- ing distinct, so that his Divinity retains all that is peculiar to itself, and his humanity holds separately whatever belongs to it. And, therefore, as Satan has made a variety of foolish attempts to overturn sound doctrine by heretics, he has al- Avays brought forward one or another of these two errors ; either that he was the Son of God and the Son of man in so confused a manner, that neither his Divinity remained entire, nor did he wear the true nature of man ; or that he was clothed vfiih. Jlesh, so as to be as it were double, and to have two separate persons. Thus Nestorius expressly acknow- ledged both natures, but imagined two Christs, one who was God, and another who was man. Eutyches, on the other hand, while he acknowledged that the one Christ is the Son of God and the Son of man, left him neither of the two natures, but imagined that they were mingled together. And in the present day, Servetus and the Anabaptists invent a Christ who is confusedly compounded of two natures, as if he were a Divine man. In words, indeed, he acknowledges that Christ is God ; but if you admit his raving imaginations, the Divi- nity is at one time changed into human nature, and at another time, the nature of man is swallowed up by the Divinity.
The Evangelist says what is well adapted to refute both of these blasphemies. When he tells us that the Speech was madejlesh, we clearly infer from this the unity of his Person ; for it is impossible that he who is now a man could be any other than he who was always the true God, since it is said that that God ivas made man. On the other hand, since he distinctly gives to the man Christ the name of the Speech, it follows that Christ, when he became man, did not cease to be what he formerly was, and that no change took place in that eternal essence of God which was clothed With. Jlesh. In short, the Son of God began to be man in such a manner that he still continues to be that eternal Speech who had no beginning of time.
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOUN. 47
Anddicelt. Those who explain that the Jlesh served, as It were, for an abode to Christ, do not perceive the meaning of the Evangelist ; for he does not ascribe to Christ a perma- nent residence amongst us, but says that he remained in it, as a guest, for a short time. For the word which he employs (jsx^vcKiCiv) is taken from tabernacles} He means nothing else than that Christ discharged on the earth the office which had been appointed to him ; or, that he did not merely appear for a single moment, but that he conversed among men until he completed the course of his office.
Among us. It is doubtful whether he speaks of men in general, or only of himself and the rest of the disciples who were eye-witnesses of what he says. For my own part, I approve more highly of the second view, for the Evangelist immediately adds :
And we beheld his glory. For though all men might have beheld the glory of Christ, yet It was unknown to the greater part on account of their blindness. It was only a few, whose eyes the Holy Spirit opened, that saw this manifestation of glory. In a Avord, Christ was known to be man In such a manner that he exhibited In his Person something far more noble and excellent. Hence it follows that the majesty of Ood was not annihilated, though it was surrounded hyjiesh; it was indeed concealed under the low condition of the Jlesh^ but so as to cause its splendour to be seen.
As of the only-begotten of the Father. The word as does not, in this passage, denote an inappropriate comparison, but rather expresses true and hearty approbation ; as when Paul says, Walk AS children of light, he bids us actually demonstrate by our works that we are the children of light. The Evangelist therefore means, that in Christ was beheld a glory which was worthy of the Son of God, and which was a sure proof of his Divinity, He calls him the Only-begotten, because he is the only Son of God by nature ; as if he would place him above men and angels, and would claim for him alone what belongs to no creature.
^ " Est deduit d'uii mot qui signific Tabernacles, c'est a dire, teiites ct pavilions ;" — " is derived Horn a word which signifies Tabernacles, tiiat is, tents and pavilions."
48 COMMENTARY ON THK
Full of grace. There were, indeed, other things in which the majesty of Christ appeared, but the Evangelist selected this instance in preference to others, in order to train us to the speculative rather than the practical knowledge of it; and this ought to be carefully observed. Certainly when Christ walked with dry feet upon the waters, (Matth. xiv. 26; Mark vi. 48 ; John vi. 19,) when he cast out devils, and when he displayed his power in other miracles, he might be known to be the only-begotten Son of God ; but the Evan- gelist brings forward a part of the approbation, from which faith obtains delightful advantage, because Christ demon- strated that he actually is an inexhaustible fountain of grace and truth. Stephen, too, is said to have been full of grace,^ but in a different sense ; for ihe, fulness of grace in Christ is the fountain from which all of us must draw, as we shall have occasion shortly afterwards to explain more fully.
Grace and truth. This might be taken, by a figure of speech, for true grace, or the latter term might be explana- tory, thus : that he was full of grace, which is truth or per- fection ; but as we shall find that he immediately afterwards repeats the same mode of expression, I think that the meaning is the same in both passages. This grace and truth he after- wards contrasts with the Law ; and therefore I interpret it as simpfy meaning, that the apostles acknowledged Christ to be the Son of God, because he had in himself the fulfilment of all things which belong to the spiritual kingdom of God; and, in short, that in all things he showed himself to be the Redeemer and Messiah ; which is the most striking mark by which he ought to be distinguished from all others.
15. John testifieth^ of himself, and cried, saying, This is he of whom I spoke; who, coming after me, was prefen-ed to me, for he was more excellent than I.* 16. And out of his fiilness have we all received, and grace
^ This must have been a slip of memory on the part of oiir Author; for the phrases applied to Stephen are different, though parallel. He is called a man full of failh and of the Holy Ghost, (Acts vi. 5 ;) full OF faith and power, (Acts vi. 8 ;) and full of the Holy Ghost, (Acts vii. bb.^^Ed.
2 "Jean rend (ou, arenJw^tesmoignagedeluy;" — "John gives Cor, ^avej testimony of him."
3 " Plus excellent que moy, ou, premier que may ;"' — " more excellent than I, or, before me."
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 49
for grace. 17. For the law was given by Moses ; grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 18. No man hath ever seen God : the only-begotten Son himself, who is in the bosom of the Father, hath declared him.
15. John testijieth. He now relates Avhat was the preaching of John. By using the verb testijieth (^fia^rv^if) in the present tense,' he denotes a continued act, and certainly this doctrine must be continually in force, as if the voice of John were continually resounding in the ears of men. In the same manner he afterwards uses the word cri/, to intimate that the doctrine of John was in no degree obscure or ambiguous, and that he did not mutter among a few men,^ but openly, and with a loud voice, preached Christ. The first sentence is intended to convey the statement, that he was sent for the sake of Christ, and therefore that it would have been un- reasonable that he should be exalted, while Christ was lying low.
This is he of whom I spoke. By these words he means that his intention was, from the beginning, to make Christ known, and that this was the design of his public discourses; as, indeed, there was no other way in which he could discharge his office as ambassador than by calling his disciples to Christ.
JVho, coming after me. Though John the Baptist was older than Christ by a few months, yet he does not now speak of age ; but as he had discharged the office of prophet for a short period before Christ appeared in public, so he makes himself the predecessor with respect to time. With respect, therefore, to public manifestation, Christ came after John the Baptist. The words which follow might be literally ren- dered, he was made before me, for he was before me ; but the meaning is, that Christ was justly preferred to John, because he was more excellent. He therefore surrenders his office to Christ, and — as the proverb runs — "delivers to him the torch," or gives way to him as his successor. But as he arose later in the order of time, John reminds his hearers that this is no
' " En usant du verbe du temps present, k scavoir, Rend tesmoignage, et non pas, Rendoit ;" — " by using the verb in the present tense, giveth tes- timony, and not gave testimony."
^ " Qu'iln'a point parle enti'e see dents, et communique la chose comme en secret a peu de gens ;" — " that he did not speak between his teeth, and communicate the matter, as it were secretly, to a few persons."
50 COMMENTARY ON THE
reason why lie should not be preferred to himselfj as his rank deserved. Thus, all who are superior to others, either in the gifts of God or in any degree of honour, must remain in their own rank, so as to be placed below Christ.
16. And out of Ids fulness. He begins now to preach about the office of Christ, that it contains within itself an abundance of all blessings, so that no part of salvation must be sought anywhere else. True, indeed, the fountain of life, righteous- .ness, virtue, and wisdom, is with God, but to us it is a hidden and inaccessible fountain. But an abundance of those things is exhibited to us in Christ, that we may be permitted to have recourse to him ; for he is ready to flow to us, provided that we open up a channel by faith. He declares in general, that out of Christ we ought not to seek any thing good, though this sentence consists of several clauses. First, he shows that we are all utterly destitute and empty of spiritual blessings; for the abundance which exists in Christ is intended to supply our deficiency, to relieve our poverty, to satisfy our hunger and thirst. Secondly, he warns us that, as soon as we have departed from Christ, it is in vain for us to seek a single drop of happiness, because God hath determined that whatever is good shall reside in him alone. Accordingly, Ave shall find angels and men to be dry, heaven to be empty, the earth to be unproductive, and, in short, all things to be of no value, if we wish to be partakers of the gifts of God in any other way than through Christ. Thirdly, he assures us that we shall have no reason to fear the want of any thing, pro- vided that we draw from the fulness of Christ, which is in_ every respect so complete, that we shall experience it to be a truly inexhaustible fountain ; and John classes himself with the rest, not for the sake of modesty, but to make it more evident that no man Avhatever is excepted.
It is indeed uncertain whether he speaks generally of the whole human race, or means only those who, subsequently to the manifestation of Christ in the flesh, have been made more fully partakers of his blessings. All the godly, no doubt, who lived under the law, drew out of the same fulness ; but as John immediately afterwards distinguishes between different periods.
GOSPEL ACCOKDING TO JOHN. 51
it is more probable that here he especially recommends that rich abundance of blessings which Christ displayed at his coming. For we know that mider the Law the gifts of God were more sparingly tasted, but that when Christ was mani- fested in flesh, they were poured out, as it were, with a full hand, even to satiety. Not that any of us has obtained a greater abundance of the grace of the Spirit than Abraham did, but I speak of God's ordinary dispensation, and of the way and manner of dispensing. John the Baptist, that he may the more freely invite his disciples to come to Christ, declares that in him is laid up for all an abundance of the bless- ings of which they are destitute. And yet if any one choose to extend the meaning farther, there will be no absurdity in doing so ; or rather, it Avill agree well with the strain of the discourse, that all the fathers, from the beginning of the world, drew from Christ all the gifts which they possessed ; for though the laio was given by Moses, yet they did not obtain grace by it. But I have already stated what appears to me to be the preferable view; namely, that John here compares us with the fathers, so as to magnify, by means of that comparison, what has been given to us.
And grace for grace. In what manner Augustine explains this passage is well known : that all the blessings which God bestows upon us from time to time, and at length life ever- lasting, are not granted as the reward due to ourmerits, but that it proceeds from pure liberality that God thus rewards former grace, and crowns his own gifts in us. This is piously and judiciously said, but has nothing to do with the present pass- age. The meaning would be more simple if you were to take the word/or (a I'T/) comparatively, as meaning, that whatever graces God bestows on us, proceed equally from the same source. It might also be taken as pointing out the final cause, that we now receive grace, that God may one day fidfil the work of our salvation, which will be the fulfilment of grace. For my own part, I agree with the opinion of those who say that we are watered with the graces which were poured out on Christ ; for what we receive from Christ he does not bestow upon us as being God, but the Father communicated to him what would flow to us as through a channel. This is the
52 COMMENTARY ON THE
auoiuting with which he was anointed, that he might anoint U8 all along with him. Hence, too, he is called Christ, (the Anointed,) and we are called Christians.
17. For the Law was given hy Moses, This is an anticipa- tion, by which he meets an objection that was likely to arise ; for so highly was Moses esteemed by the Jews that they could hardly receive anything that diflPered from him. The Evan- gelist therefore shows how far inferior the ministry of Moses was to the power of Christ. At the same time, this comparison sheds no small lustre on the power of Christ ; for while the utmost possible deference was rendered to Moses by the Jews, the Evangelist reminds them that what he brought was exceedingly small, when compared with the grace of Christ. It would otherwise have been a great hinderance, that they expected to receive from the Law what we can only obtain through Christ.
But we must attend to the antithesis, when he contrasts the law with grace and truth ; for his meaning is, that the law wanted both of them.^ The word Truth denotes, in my opinion, a fixed and permanent state of things. By the word Grace I understand the spiritual fulfilment of those things, the bare letter of which was contained in the Law. And those tAvo words may be supposed to refer to the same thing, by a well-known figure of speech, (hypallage ;) as if he had said, that grace, in which the truth of the Lata consists, was at length exhibited in Christ. But as the meaning will be in no degree affected, it is of no importance whether you view them as united or as distinguished. This at least is certain, that the Evangelist means, that in the Law there was nothing more than a shadowy image of spiritual blessings, but that they are actually found in Christ; whence it follows, that if you separate the Law from Christ, there remains nothing in it but empty figures. For this reason Paul says that the shadows were in the law, but the body is in Christ, (Col. ii. 17.) And yet it must not be supposed that anything was exhibited
1 " Que la Loy n'a eu ne I'un ne I'autre ;" — " that the Law had neither the one nor the other."
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 53
by the Law in a manner fitted to deceive ; for Christ is the soul which gives life to that which would otherwise have been dead under the law. But here a totally dififerent question meets us, namely, what the law could do by itself and without Christ ; and the Evangelist maintains that nothing perma- nently valuable is found in it until we come to Christ. This truth consists in our obtaining through Christ that grace which the law could not at all bestow ; and therefore I take the word grace in a general sense, as denoting both the un- conditional forgiveness of sins, and the renewal of the heart. For while the Evangelist points out briefly the distinction between the Old and New Testaments,' (which is more fully described in Jer. xxxi. 31,) he includes in this word all that relates to spiritual righteousness. Now this righteousness consists of two parts ; first, that God is reconciled to us by free grace, in not imputing to us our sins ; and, secondly, that he has engraven his law in our hearts, and, by his Spirit, renews men within to obedience to it; from which it is evident that the Law is incorrectly and falsely expounded, if there are any whose attention it fixes on itself, or whom it hindei's from coming to Christ.
18. No man hath ever seen God. Most appropriately is this added to confirm the preceding statement ; for the know- ledge of God is the door by which we enter into the enjoy- ment of all blessings ; and as it is by Christ alone that God makes himself known to us, hence too it follows that we ought to seek all things from Christ. This order of doctrine ought to be carefiJly observed. No remark appears to be more common than this, that each of us receives, according to the measure of his faith, what God offers to us ; but there are few who think that we must bring the vessel of faith and of the knowledge of God with which we draw.
When he says that no man hath seen Gody we must not understand him to refer to the outward perception of the bodily eye ; for he means generally, that as God dwells in
1 The points of agreement and of difference between the Old and New Testaments are copiously illustrated by our Author in the Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book II. chap. x. xi. — Ed.
54
COMMENTARY ON THE
>
\
inaccessible light, (1 Tim. vi. 16,) he cannot be known but in Christ, who is his lively image. This passage is usually explained thus : that as the naked majesty of God is con- cealed within himself, he never could be comprehended, ex- cept so far as he revealed himself in Christ ; and therefore that it Svas only in Christ that God Avas formerly known to the fathers. But I rather think that the Evangelist here abides by the comparison already stated, namely, how much better our condition is than that of the fathers, because God, who was formerly concealed in his secret glory, may now be said to have rendered himself visible ; for certainly when Christ is called the lively image of God, (Heb. i. 3,) this refers to the peculiar privilege of the New Testament. In like manner, the Evangelist describes, in this passage, some- thing new and uncommon, when he says that the only-begot- ten Son, loho teas in the bosom of the Father, hath made known to us what was formerly concealed. He therefore magnifies the manifestation of God, which has been brought to us by the gospel, in which he distinguishes us from the fathers, and shows that we are superior to them ; as also Paul explains more fully "in the Third and Fourth chapters of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians. For he maintains that there is now no longer any vail, such as existed under the Law, but that God is openly beheld in the face of Christ.
If it be thought unreasonable that the fathers are deprived of the knowledge of God, who have the prophets daily going before them and holding out the torch, I reply, that what is ascribed to us is not simply or absolutely denied to them, but that a comparison is made between the less and the greater, as we say ; because they had nothing more than little sparks of the true light, the full brightness of which daily shines around us. If it be objected, that at that time also God was seen face to face, (Gen. xxxii. 30 ; Deut. xxxiv. 10,) I main- tain that that sight is not at all to be compared with ours ; but as God Avas accustomed at that time to exhibit himself obscurely, and, as it were, from a distance, tliose to Avhom he was more clearly revealed say that they saw him face to face. They say so with reference to their own time ; but they did not see God in any other way than wrapped up in many folds
GOSPEL ACCOEDING TO JOHN. Di*
of figures and ceremonies.^ That vision which Moses ob- tained on the mountain was remarkable and more excellent than almost all the rest ; and yet God expressly declares, thou shalt not be able to see my face, only thou shalt see my back, (Exod. xxxiii. 23 ;) by which metaphor he shows that the time for a'full and clear revelation had not yet come. It must also be observed that, when the fathers wished to behold God, they always turned their eyes. towards Christ. I do not only mean that they beheld God in his eternal Speech, but also that they attended, with their whole mind and with their whole heart, to the promised manifestation of Christ. For this reason we shall find that Christ afterwards said, Abraham saw my day, (John viii. 56 ;) and that which is subordinate is not contradictory. It is therefore a fixed principle, that God, who was formerly invisible, hath now made himself visible in Christ.
When he says that the Son teas in the bosom of the Father, the metaphor is borrowed from men, who are said to receive into their bosom those to whom they communicate all their secrets. The breast is the seat of counsel. He therefore sllows that the Son was acquainted with the most hidden secrets of his Father, in order to inform us that we have the breast of God, as it were, laid open to us in the Gospel.
19. And this is^ the testimony of John, when the Jews sent Priests and Levites to Jerusalem, to ask him, Who art thou ? 20. And he confessed, and denied not ; he confessed, I say, I am not the Christ. 21. They then asked him. What art thou then ? Art thou EHjah ? And he said, I am not. Art thou a Prophet? ^ And he answered, No. 22. They said therefore to him, Who art thou, that we may give an answer to those who sent us ? What sayest thou of thyself? 23. He saith, I am the voice of him who crieth in the wilderness,* Prepare the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Isaiah.
19. And this is the testimony. Hitherto the Evangelist has related the preaching of John about Christ ; he now comes down to a more illustrious testimony, which was delivered to
^ " Enveloppemens de figures et ceremonies."
" " C'est ici aussi fow, c'est done ci) le tesmoignage ;" — "this is also {or, this is therefore) the testimony."
^ "Es-tu Prophete, o?/, le Prophete?" — "Art thou a Prophet, or, the Prophet?"
* " De celuy qui ci'Ie au desert."
56 COMMENTARY ON THE
the ambassadors of the Priests, that they might convey it to Jerusalem. He says, therefore, that John openly confessed for what purpose he was sent by God. The first inquiry here is, for what purpose the Priests put questions to him. It is generally believed that, out of hatred to Christ, they gave to John an honour which did not belong to him ; but this could not be the reason, for Christ was not yet known to them. Others say that they were better pleased with John, because he was of the lineage and order of the priesthood ; but neither do 1 think that this is probable ; for since they expected from Christ all prosperity, why did they voluntarily contrive a false Christ? I think, therefore, that there was another reason that induced them. It was now a long time since they had the Prophets ; John came suddenly and contrary to expecta- tion ; and the minds of all were aroused to expect the Messiah. Besides, all entertained the belief that the coming of the Messiah was at hand.
That they may not appear to be careless about their duty, if they neglect or disguise a matter of so great importance, they ask John, Who art thou ? At first, therefore, they did not act from malice, but, on the contrary, actuated by the desire of redemption, they wish to know if John be the Christ, because he begins to change the order which had been cus- tomary in the Church. And yet I do not deny that ambition, and a wish to retain their authority, had some influence over them ; but nothing certainly was farther from their intention than to transfer the honour of Christ to another. Nor is their conduct in this matter Inconsistent with the office which they sustain ; for since they held the government of the Church of God, it was their duty to take care that no one rashly obtruded himself, that no founder of a new sect should arise, that the unity of faith should not be broken in the Church, and that none should introduce new and foreign ceremonies. It is evident, therefore, that a report about John was widely spread and aroused the minds of all ; and this was arranged by the wonderful Providence of God, that this testimony might be more strikingly complete.
20. And he confessed, and denied not. That is, he confessed
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 57
openly, and without any ambiguity or hypocrisy. The word confess, in tlie first instance, means generally, that he stated the fact as it really was. In the second instance, it is re- peated in order to express the form of the confession. He replied expressly, that he was not the Christ.
21. Art thou Elijah f Why do they name Elijah rather than Moses ? It was because they learned from the predic- tion of Malachi, (iv. 2, 5,) that when the Messiah, the Sun of Righteousness, should arise, Elijah Avould be the morning star to announce his approach. But the question is founded on a false opinion which they had long held ; for, holding the opinion that the soul of a man departs out of one body into another, when the Prophet Malachi announced that Elijah would be sent, they imagined that the same Elijah, who lived under the reign of king Ahab, (I Kings xvii. 1,) was to come. It is therefore a just and true reply which John makes, that he is not Elijah ; for he speaks according to the opinion which they attached to the words ; but Christ, giving the true inter- pretation of the Prophet, affirms that Johii is Elijah, (Matth. xi. 14; Mark ix. 13.)
A?-t thou a Prophet'^ Erasmus gives an inaccurate explana- tion of these words by limiting them to Christ ; for the addi- tion of the article (6 T^op^Trjc, the prophet) carries no emphasis in this passage ; and the messengers afterwards declare plainly enough, that they meant a different prophet from Christ ; for they sum up the whole by saying, (ver. 25,) if thou art neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor a Prophet. Thus we see that they intended to point out different persons. Others think that they inquired if he was one of the ancient prophets; but neither do I approve of that exposition. Eather do they by this term point out the office of John, and ask if God had appointed him to be a prophet. When he replies, / am not, he does not for the sake of modesty tell a lie, but honestly and sincerely detaches himself from the company of the joro- phets. And yet this reply is not inconsistent with the honourable attestation which Christ gives him. Christ bestows on John the designation of prophet, and even adds that he is more than a prophet, (Matth. xi. 9 ;) but by these
VOL. I. D
58 COMMENTARY ON THE
words he does nothing more than demand credit and authority for his doctrine, and at the same time describes, in lofty terms, the excellence of the office which had been conferred on him. But in this passage John has a different object in view, which is, to show that he has no special message, as was usually the case with the prophets, but that he was merely appointed to be the herald of Christ.
This will be made still more clear by a comparison. All ambassadors — even those who are not sent on matters of great importance — obtain the name and authority of ambassadors, because they hold special commissions. Such were all the Prophets who, having been enjoined to deliver certain pre- dictions, discharged the prophetic office. But if some weighty matter come to be transacted, and if two ambassadors are sent, one of whom announces the speedy arrival of another who possesses full power to transact the Avhole matter, and if this latter has received injunctions to bring it to a conclusion, will not the former embassy be reckoned a part and appendage of the latter, which is the principal ? Such was the case with John the Baptist, to whom God had given no other injunc- tion than to prepare the Jews for listening to Christ, and becoming his disciples.* That this is the meaning, will still more fully appear from the context ; for we must investigate the opposite clause, which immediately follows. / am not a prophet, says he, hut a voice crying in the wilderness. The dis- tinction lies in this, that the voice crying, that a way may he prepared for the Lord, is not a prophet, but merely a subor- dinate minister, so to speak ; and his doctrine is only a sort of preparation for listening to another Teacher. In this way John, though he is more excellent than all the prophets, still is 7iot a prophet.
23. The voice of him ivho crieth. As he would have been chargeable with rashness in undertaking the office of teaching, if he had not received a commission, he shows what was the duty which he had to perform, and proves it by a quotation
1 " Sinon de preparer les Julfs ii donner audience a Christ, et estre scs disciples."
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 59
from the Prophet Isaiah, (xl. 3.) Hence It follows that he does nothing but what God commanded him to do. Isaiah does not, indeed, speak there of John alone, but, promising the restoration of the Church, he predicts that there will yet be heard joyful voices, commanding to prepare the way for the Lord. Though he points out the coming of God, when he brought back the people from their captivity in Babylon, yet the true accomplishment was the manifestation of Christ In flesh. Among the heralds who announced that the Lord was at hand, John held the chief place.
To enter Into ingenious Inquh'ies, as some have done, Into the meaning of the word Voice, would be frivolous. John Is called a Voice, because he was enjoined to cry. It is in a figurative sense, undoubtedly, that Isaiah gives the name wilderness to the miserable desolation of the Church, which seemed to preclude tlie return of the people ; as if he had said, that a passage would Indeed be opened up for the captive people, but that the Lord would find a road through regions In which there was no road. But that visible wilder- ness, in which John preached, was a figure or image of the awful desolation Avhich took away all hope of deliverance. If this comparison be considered, it will be easily seen that no torture has been given to the words of the prophet in this application of them ; for God arranged everything in such a manner, as to place before the eyes of his people, who were
overwhelmed with their calamities, a mirror of this pi-edictlon.
«
24. Now those who were sent were of the Pharisees. 25- Therefore they asked him, and said to him, WTiy then dost thou baptize, if thou art not the Christ, nor Ehjah, nor a Prophet ? 26. John answered them, saying, I baptize with water ; but one standeth in the midst of you, whom you know not. 27. It is he who, coming after me, is preferred to me ; whose shoe-latchet I am not worthy to loose. 28. These thmgs were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
24. Were of the Pharisees. He says that they were PAamees, who at that time held the highest rank In the Church ; and he says so in order to inform us, that they were not some contemp- tible persons of the oi'der of the Levltes, but men clothed with authority. This is the reason why they raise a question about his baptism. Ordinary ministers would ha^■e been
60 COMMENTARY ON THE
satisfied with any kind of answer ; but those men, because they cannot draw from John what they desired, accuse him of rashness for venturing to introduce a new religious observ- ance.
25. Why then dost thou baptize'? By laying down those three degrees, they appear to form a very conclusive argu- ment : if thou art not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor a prophet ; for it does not belong to every man to institute the practice of baptism. The Messiah was to be one who possessed all authority. Of Elijah who was to come, they had formed this opinion, that he would commence the restoration both of the royal authority and of the Church. The prophets of God, they readily grant, have a right to discharge the office committed to them. They conclude, therefore, that for John to baptize is an unlawful novelty, since he has received from God no public station. But they are wrong in not acknow- ledging him to be that Elijah who is mentioned by Malachi, (iv. 5 ;) though he denies that he is that Ely ah of whom they foolishly dreamed.
26. I baptize with water. This ought to have been abun- dantly sufficient for the correction of their mistake, but a reproof otherwise clear is of no advantage to the deaf ; for, when he sends them to Christ, and declares that Christ is present, this is a clear proof not only that he was divinely appointed to be a minister of Christ, but that he is the true Elijah, who is sent to testify that the time is come^ for the renovation of the Church. There is a contrast here which is not fully stated ; for the spiritual baptism of Christ is not expressly contrasted with the external baptism of John, but that latter clause about the baptism of the Spirit might easily be supplied, and shortly afterwards both are set down by the Evangelist.
This answer may be reduced to two heads : first, that John claims nothing for himself but what he has a right to claim, because he has Christ for the Author of his baptism, in which
* " Que le temps estoit venu."
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 61
consists the truth of the sign; and, secondly, that he has nothing but the administration of the outward sign, while the whole power and efficacy is in the hands of Christ alone. Thus he defends his baptism, so far as its truth depends on anything else ; but, at the same time, by declaring that he has not the power of the Spirit, he exalts the dignity of Christ, that the eyes of men may be fixed on him alone. This is the highest and best regulated moderation, Avhen a minister borroAvs from Christ whatever authority he claims for himself, in such a manner as to trace it to him, ascribing to him alone all that he possesses.
It is a foolish mistake, however, into which some people ''\ *'! have been led, of supposing that John's baptism was different^ j[^^j y from ours ; for John does not argue here about the advantage ~7~ .- and usefulness of his baptism, but merely compares his own '^' ^ person with the person of Christ. In like manner, if we were inquiring, at the present day, what part belongs to us, and what belongs to Christ, in baptism, we must acknowledge that Christ alone performs what baptism figuratively repre- sents, and that we have nothing beyond the bare administra- tion of the sign. There is a twofold way of speaking in Scripture about the sacraments ; for sometimes it tells us that they are the laver of regeneration, (Titus iii. 5 ;) that by them our sins are tvashed away, (1 Peter iii. 21 ;) that we are in- grafted into the body of Christ, that our old man is crucified, and that toe rise again to newness of life, (Rom. vi. 4, 5, 6 ;) and, in those cases. Scripture joins the power of Christ with the ministry of man ; as, indeed, man is nothing else than the hand of Christ. Such modes of expression show, not Avhat man can of himself accomplish, but Avhat Christ performs by man, and by the sign, as his instruments. But as there is a strong tendency to fall into superstition, and as men, through the pride which is natural to them, take from God the honour due to him, and basely appropriate it to themselves ; so Scripture, in order to restrain this blasphemous arrogance, sometimes distinguishes ministers from Christ, as in this passage, that we may learn that ministers are nothing and can do nothing.
One standeth in the midst of you. He indirectly charges
62 COMMENTARY ON THE
them with stupidity, in not knowing Christ, to whom their minds ought to have been earnestly directed ; and he always insists earnestly on this point, that nothing can be known about his ministry, until men have come to him who is the Author of it. When he says that Christ standeth in the midst of them, it is that he may excite their desire and their exertion to know him. The amount of what he says is, that he wishes to place himself as low as possible, lest any degree of honour improperly bestowed on him might obscure the excellence of Christ. It is probable that he had these sen- tences frequently in his mouth, when he saw himself immo- derately extolled by the perverse opinions of men.
27. Who coming after me. Here he says two things ; first, that Christ was behind him in the order of time ; but, secondly, that he was far before him in rank and dignity, because the Father preferred him to all. Soon after he will add a third statement, that Christ was preferred to all others, because he is in reality more exalted than all others.
28. These things were done in Bethahara. The place is mentioned, not only to authenticate the narrative, but also to inform us that this answer w\as given amidst a numerous assembly of people ; for there were many who flocked to John's baptism, and this was his ordinary place for baptizing. It is likewise supposed by some to be a passage across Jordan, and, from this circumstance, they derive the name, for they interpret it the house of passage ; unless, perhaps, some may prefer the opinion of those who refer to the memorable passage of the people, (Jos. iii. 13,) when God opened up a way for them in the midst of the waters, under the direction of Joshua. Others say that it ought rather to be read Beth- araba. Instead oi Bethahara, some have inserted here the name Bethany, but this is a mistake; for we shall afterwards see how near Bethany was to Jerusalem. The situation of Beth- ahara^ as laid down by those who have described the country, agrees best with the woi'ds of the Evangelist ; though I have no wish to dispute about the pronunciation of the word.
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 63
29. The next day, John seeth Jesus coming to him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world ! 30. This is lie of whom I said, After me cometh a man who was preferred to me, be- cause he was more excellent than I. 31. And I knew him not ; but in order that he might be manifested to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water. 32. And John testified, saying, I saw the Spirit descending like a dove from heaven, and it remained upon him. 33. And I knew him not ; but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me. Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him, it is he who baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. 34. I saw therefore, and testified, that he is the Son of God.
29. The next day. There can be no doubt that John had ah'eady spoken about the manifestation of the Messiah ; but when Christ began to appeal", he wished that his announce- ment of him should quickly become known, and the time was now at hand when Christ would put an end to John's ministry, as, when the sun is risen, the dawn suddenly dis- appears. After having testified to the priests who were sent to him, that he from whom they ought to seek the truth and power of baptism was already present, and was convers- ing in the midst of the people, the next day he pointed him out to the view of all. For these two acts, following each other in close succession, must have powerfully affected their minds. This too is the reason why Christ appeared in the presence of Jolm.
Behold the Lamb of God. The principal office of Christ is briefly but clearly stated ; that he takes away the sins of the world by the sacrifice of his death, and reconciles men to God. There are other favours, indeed, which Christ bestows upon us, but this is the chief favour, and the rest depend on it ; that, by appeasing the wrath of God, he makes us to be reckoned holy and righteous. For from this source flow all ■ the streams of blessings, that, by not imputing our sins, he receives us into favour. Accordingly, John, in order to conduct us to Christ, commences with the gratuitous forgive- ness of sins which we obtain through him.
By the word Lamb he alludes to the ancient sacrifices of the Law. lie had to do with Jews who, having been accus- i;omed to sacrifices, could not be instructed about atonement for sins in any other way than by holding out to them a sacrifice. As there were various kinds of them, he makes
64 COMMENTARY ON THE
one, by a figure of speech, to stand for the whole ; and it is probable that John alluded to the paschal Imnb. It must be observed, in general, that John employed this mode of ex- pression, which was better adapted to instruct the Jews, and possessed greater force ; as in our own day, in consequence of baptism being generally practised, we understand better what is meant by obtaining forgiveness of sins through the blood of Christ, when we are told that we are washed and cleansed by it from our pollutions. At the same time, as the Jews commonly held superstitious notions about sacrifices, he corrects this fault in passing, by reminding them of the object to which all the sacrifices were directed. It was a very wicked abuse of the institution of sacrifice, that they had their con- fidence fixed on the outward signs ; and therefore John, holding out Christ, testifies that he is the Lamb of God ; by which he means that all the sacrifices, which the Jews Avere accustomed to offer under the Law, had no power whatever to atone for sins, but that they were only figures, the truth of which was manifested in Christ himself.
Who taketh away the sin of the world. He uses the word sin in the singular number, for any kind of iniquity ; as if he had said, that every kind of unrighteousness which alienates men from God is taken away by Christ. And when he says, the sin OF THE WORLD, he extends this favour indiscrimin- ately to the whole human race ; that the Jews might not think that he had been sent to them alone. But hence we infer that the whole world is involved in the same condemna- tion ; and that as all men Avithout exception are guilty of unrighteousness before God, thev need to be reconciled to him. John the Baptist, therefore, by speaking generally of the sin of the world, intended to impress upon us the con- viction of our own misery, and to exhort us to seek the remedy. Now our duty is, to embrace the benefit which is oflfered to all, that each of us may be convinced that there is nothing to hinder him from obtaining reconciliation in Christ, provided that he comes to him by the guidance of faith.
Besides, he lays down but one method of taking away sins. We know that from the beginning of the world, when their own consciences held them convinced, men laboured anxiously
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 05
to procure forgiveness. Hence the vast number of propi- tiatory offerings, by which they falsely imagined that they appeased God. I own, indeed, that all the spurious rites of a propitiatory nature drew their existence from a holy origin, which was, that God had appointed the sacrifices which directed men to Christ ; but yet every man contrived for himself his own method of appeasing God. But John leads us back to Christ alone, and informs us that there is no other way in which God is reconciled to us than through his agency, because he alone takes aivay sin. He therefore leaves no other refuge for sinners than to flee to Christ ; by Avhich he overturns all satisfactions, and purifications, and redemptions, that are invented by men ; as, indeed, they are nothing else than base inventions framed by the subtlety of the devil.
The verb al^nv (to take axcay) may be explained in two ways ; either that Christ took, upon himself the load which weighed us down, as it is said that he carried our sins on the tree, (1 Pet. ii. 24 ;) and Isaiah says that the chastisement of our peace was laid on him, (Isa. liii. 5 ;) or that he blots out sins. But as the latter statement depends on the former, I gladly embrace both ; namely, that Christ, by bearing our sins, takes them away. Although, therefore, sin continually dwells in us, yet there is none in the judgment of God, because when it has been annulled by the grace of Christ, it is not imputed to us. Nor do I dislike the remark of Chrysostom, that the verb in the present tense — 6 a'i^uv, loho taketh away — denotes a continued act ; for the satisfaction which Christ once made is always in full vigour. But he does not merely teach us that Christ takes away sin, but points out also the method, namely, that he hath reconciled the Father to us by means of his death ; for this is what he means by the word Lamb. Let us therefore learn that we become reconciled to God by the grace of Christ, if we go straight to his death, and when we believe that he who was nailed to the cross is the only propitiatory sacrifice, by which all our guilt is re- moved.
30. This is he of whom I said. He comprehends every
GQ COMMENTARY ON THE
thing in a few words, when he declares that Christ is the per- son who, he said, was to be preferred to him ; for hence it fol- lows that John is nothing more than a herald sent on his account ; and hence again it is evident that Christ is the Messiah. Three things are here stated ; for when he says that a man cometh after him, he means that he himself was before him in the order of time, to prepare the way for Christ, according to the testimony of Malachi, Behold, I send my messenger hefore my face, (Mai. iii. 1.) Again, when he says that he was preferred to himself, this relates to the glory with which God adorned his Son, when he came into the world to fulfil the office of a Redeemer. At last, the reason is added, Avhich is, that Christ is far superior in dignity to John the Baptist. That honour, therefore, which the Father bestowed upon him was not accidental, but was due to his eternal majesty. But of this expression, he was preferred to me, because he was hefore me, I have already spoken.^
31. And I kneio him not. That his testimony may not be suspected of having been given either from friendship or favour, he anticipates such a doubt, by affirming that he had no other knowledge of Christ than what he had obtained by divine inspiration. The meaning, therefore, amounts to this, tliat John does not speak at his own suggestion, nor for the favour of man, but by the inspiration of the Spirit and the command of God.
/ came baptizing uiith icater ; that is, I was called and ap- pointed to this office, that I might manifest him to Israel ; which the Evangelist afterwards explains more fully, and confirms, when he introduces John the Baptist, testifying that he had no knowledge of Christ but Avhat he had obtained by oracle ; that is, by information or revelation from God."^ Instead of what we find here, / came to baptize, he there states expressly (ver. 33) that he was sent ; for it is only the calling of God that makes lawful ministers, because every pei'son who, of his own accord, thrusts himself forward, Avhatever learning or eloquence he may possess, is not entitled
1 See p. 49. '"Par oracle ; c'est k dire, advertissement ou revelation de Dieu."
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 67
to any authority, and the reason is, that he is not authorised by God. Now since it was necessary that John, in order that he might lawfully baptize, should be sent by God, let it be inferred from this, that it is not in the power of any man whatever to institute sacraments, but that this right belongs to God alone, as Christ, on another occasion, in order to prove the baptism of John, asks if it was from heaven^ or from men., (Matth. xxi. 25.)
32. / saw the Spirit descending like a dove. This is not a literal but a figurative mode of expression ; for with what eyes could he see the Spirit ? But as the dove was a certain and infallible sign of the presence of the Spirit, it is called the Spirit, by a figure of speech in which one name is substituted for another ; not that he is in reality the Spirit, but that he points him out, as far as human capacity can admit. And this metaphorical language is frequently employed in the sacraments ; for why does Christ call the bread his body, but because the name of the thing is properly transferred to the sign ? especially when the sign is, at the same time, a true and efficacious pledge, by which we are made certain that the thing itself which is signified is bestowed on us. Yet it must not be understood that the dove contained the Spirit who f Us heaven and earth, (Jer. xxiii. 24,) but that he was present by his power, so that John knew that such an exhibition was not presented to his eyes in vain. In like manner, we know that the body of Christ is not connected with the bread, and yet we are partakers of his body.
A question now arises, why did the Spirit at that time ap- pear in the form of a dove ? We must always hold that there is a correspondence between the sign and the reality. When the Spirit was given to the apostles, they saw cloven tonc/iies ofjire, (Acts ii. 3,) because the preaching of the gospel Avas to be spread through all tongues, and was to possess the power of fire. But in this passage God intended to make a public representation of that mildness of Christ of which Isaiah speaks in lofty terms, The smoking Jlax he will not quench, and the bruised reed he will not break, (Isa. xlii. 3.) It was then, for the first time, that the Spirit was seen descending
68 COMMENTAEY ON THE
on him ; not that he had formerly been destitute of him, but because he might be said to be then consecrated by a solemn rite. For we know that he remained in concealment, during thirty years, like a private individual, because the time for his manifestation was not yet come ; but when he intended to make himself known to the world, he began with his bap- tism. At that time, therefore, he received the Spirit not only for himself, but for his peojile ; and on that account his de- scent was visible, that we may know that there dwells in him an abundance of all gifts of which we are empty and destitute. This may easily be inferred from the words of the Baptist ; for when he says, Upon ichom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, mid remaining on him, it is he tvho haptizeth loith the Spirit, his meaning is, that the reason why the Spirit was be- held in a visible form, and remained on Christ, was, that he might water all his people with his fulness. What it is to baptize with the Spirit I have already noticed in a few words ; namely, that he imparts its efficacy to baptism, that it may not be vain or useless, and this he accomplishes by the power of his Spirit.
33. Upon ichom thou shalt see the Spirit descending. Here a difficult question arises ; for if John did not know Christ, why does he refuse to admit him to baptism ? To a person whom he did not know he would not say, I ought rather to he baptized by thee, (Matth. iii. 14.) Some reply, that he knew him to such an extent as to regard him with the reverence due to a dis- tinguished Prophet, but was not aware that he was the Son of God. But this is a poor solution of the difficulty, for every man ought to obey the calling of God without any respect of persons. No rank or excellence of man ought to prevent us from doing our duty, and therefore John would have shown disrespect to God and to his baptism, if he had spoken in this manner to any other person than the Son of God. It follows that he must have previously known Christ.
In the first place, it ought to bo observed, that the knoio- ledge here mentioned is that which arises from personal and long acquaintance. Although he recognizes Christ whenever he sees him, still it does not cease to be true that they were
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 69
not known to each other according to the ordinary custom of men, for the commencement of his knowledge proceeded from God. But the question is not yet fully answered ; for he says that the sight of the Holy Spirit was the mark by which he was pointed out to him. Now he had not yet seen the Spirit, when he had addressed Christ as the Son of God. For my own part, I willingly embrace the opinion of those who think that this sign was added for confirmation, and that it was not so much for the sake of John as for the sake of us all. John indeed saw it, but it was rather for others than for himself. Bucer appropriately quotes that saying of Moses, This shall he a sign to you, that after three days' journey, you shall sacrifice to me on the mountain, (Exod. iii. 12.) Undoubt- edly, when they were going out, they already knew that God would conduct and watch over their deliverance ; but this was a confirmation a posteriori, as the phrase is ; that is, from the event, after it had taken place. In like manner, this came as an addition to the former revelation which had been given to John.
34. / saw and testified. He means that what he declares is not doubtful ; because God was pleased to make him fully and thoroughly acquainted with those things of which he was to be the witness to the world ; and it is worthy of notice, that he testified that Christ was the Son of God, because he who gives the Holy Spirit must be the Christ, for to no other belongs the honour and the office of reconciling men to God.
35. The next day John was again standing, and two of his disciples ;
36. And looking at Jesus walking, he said. Behold the Lamb of God !
37. And those two disciples heard him speak, and followed Jesus. 38. And Jesus turning, and looking at them following him, saith to them. What do you seek ? And they said to him, Rabbi, (which, if you interpret it, is explained Master,) where dwellest thou ? 39. He saith to them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and remained with him that day ; for it was about the tenth hour.
36. Behold the Lamb of God ! Hence appears more clearly what I have already stated, that when John perceived that he was approaching the end of his course, he laboured inces- santly to resign his office to Christ. His firmness too gives
70 COMMENTARY ON THE
greater credit to his testimony. But by insisting so earnestly, during many successive days, in repeating the commendation of Christ, he shows that his own course was nearly finished. Here we see also how small and low the beginnins; of the Church was. John, indeed, prepared disciples for Christ, but it is only now that Christ begins to collect a Church. He has no more than two men who are mean and unknown, but this even contributes to illustrate his glory, that within a short period, without human aid, and without a strong hand, he spreads his kingdom in a wonderful and incredible manner. We ought also to observe what is the chief object to which John directs the attention of men ; it is, to find in Christ the forgiveness of sins. And as Christ had presented himself to the disciples, for the express purpose that they might come to him, so now, when they come, he gently encourages and exhorts them ; for he does not wait until they first address him, but asks. What do you seek ? This kind and gracious invitation, which was once made to two persons, now belongs to all. We ought not therefore to fear that Christ will with- draw from us, or refuse to us easy access, provided that he sees us desirous to come to him ; but, on the contrary, he will stretch out his hand to assist our endeavours. And how will not he meet those who come to him, who seeks at a distance those who are wandering and astray, that he may bring them back to the right road ?
38. Rahhi. This name was commonly given to persons of high rank, or who possessed any kind of honour. But the Evangelist here points out another use of it which was made in his own age, Avhich was, that they addressed by this name the teachers and expounders of the word of God. Although, therefore, those two disciples do not yet recognize Christ as the only Teacher of the Church, yet, moved by the commendation bestowed on him by John the Baptist, they hold him to be a Prophet and Teacher, which is the first step towards receiving instruction.
Where dwellest thou ? By this example we are taught that from the first rudiments of the Church we ought to draw such a relish for Christ as will excite our desire to profit ; and next,
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 71
that we ought not to be satisfied with a mere passing look, but that Ave ought to seek his dwelling, that he may receive us as guests. For there are very many who smell the gospel at a distance only, and thus allow Christ suddenly to disap- pear, and all that they have learned concerning him to pass away. And though those two persons did not at that time become his ordinary disciples, yet there can be no doubt that, during that night, he instructed them more fully, so that they soon afterwards became entirely devoted to him.
39. It was about the tenth hour ; that is, the evening was approaching, for it was not more than two hours till sunset. The day was at that time divided by them into twelve hours, which were longer in summer and shorter in winter. But from this circumstance we infer that those disciples were so eagerly desirous to hear Christ, and to gain a more intimate knowledge of him, that they gave themselves no concern about a night's lodging. On the contrary, Ave are, for the most part, very unlike them, for Ave incessantly delay, because it is not convenient for us to foUoAV Christ.
40. Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of those who heard John speak and followed him. 41. He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith to him. We have found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. 42. He brought him therefore to Jesus ; and Jesus, looking at liim, said, Thou art Simon, the son of Jonah ; thou shalt be called Cephas, which is, being interpreted, Peter.
40. Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. The design of the Evangelist, down to the end of the chapter, is to inform us how gradually the disciples were brought to Christ. Here he relates about Peter, and afterwards he Avill mention Philip and Nathanael. The circumstance of Andrew immediately bringing his brother expresses the nature of faith, which does not conceal or quench the light, but rather spreads it in every direction. Andreio has scarcely a spark, and yet, by means of it, he enlightens his brother. Woe to our indolence, there- fore, if Ave do not, after having been fully enlightened, endeavour to make others partakers of the same grace. We may observe in Andreio two things Avhich Isaiah requires from the ciiildren of God; namely, that each should take his
72 COMMENTARY ON THE
neighbour by the hand, and next, that he should say, Comej let us go up into the mountain of the Lord, and he will teach us, (Isa. ii. 3.) For Andrew stretches out the hand to his brother, but at the same time he has this object in view, that he may become a fellow-disciple with him in the school of Christ. We ought also to observe the purpose of God, which determined that Peter, who was to be far more eminent, was brought to the knowledge of Christ by the agency and ministry of Andrew ; that none of us, however excellent, may refuse to be taught by an inferior; for that man will be severely punished for his peevishness, or rather for his pride, who, through his contempt of a man, Avill not deign to come to Christ.
41. We have found the Messiah. The Evangelist has inter- preted the Hebrew word Messiah (Anointed) by the Greek word Christ, in order to publish to the whole world what was seci'etly known to the Jews. It was the ordinary designation of kings,^ as anointing was observed by them as a solemn rite. But still they were aware that one King would be anointed by God, under whom they might hope to obtain perfect and eternal happiness ; especially when they should learn that the earthly kingdom of David would not be permanent. And as God raised their minds, when subdued and weighed down by various calamities, to the expectation of the Messiah, so he more clearly revealed to them that his coming was at hand. The prediction of Daniel is more clear and forcible than all the rest, so far as relates to the name of Christ ; for he does not, like the earlier Prophets, ascribe it to kings, but appro- priates it exclusively to the Redeemer, (Dan. ix. 25, 26.) Hence this mode of expression became prevalent, so that when the Messiah or Christ was mentioned, it was understood that no other than the Redeemer was meant. Thus we shall find the woman of Samaria saying, the Messiah will come, (John iv. 25 ;) which makes it the more wonderful that he who was so eagerly desired by all, and whom they had constantly in their mouths, should be received by so small a number of persons.
1 See Harmony of the Three EvaiKjelists^ vol. i. p. 92, n. 2 ; and p. 142, n. 2.
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 73
42. Thou art Simon. Christ gives a name to Simon, not as men commonly do, from some past event, or from what is now perceived in them, but because he was to make him Peter, (a stone.) First, he says, Thou art Simon, the son of Jonah. He repeats the name of his father in an abridged form ; which is common enough when names are translated into other lan- guages ; for it will plainly appear from the last chapter that he was the son of Johanna or John. But all this amounts to nothing more than that he will be a very different person from what he now is. For it is not for the sake of honour that he mentions his father ; but as he was descended from a family which was obscure, and which was held in no estima- tion among men, Christ declares that this will not prevent him from making Simon a man of unshaken courage. The Evangelist, therefore, mentions this as a prediction, that Simon received a new name. I look upon it as a prediction, not only because Christ foresaw the future stedfastness of faith in Peter, but because he foretold what he would give to him. He now magnifies the grace which he determined after- wards to bestow upon him ; and therefore he does not say that this is now his name, but delays it till a future time.
Thou shalt be called Cephas. All the godly, indeed, may justly be called Peters, (stones,) which, having been founded on Christ, are fitted for building the temple of God ; but he alone is so called on account of his singular excellence. Yet the Papists act a ridiculous part, when they substitute him in the place of Christ, so as to be the foundation of the Church, as if he too were not founded on Christ along with the rest of the disciples ; and they are doubly ridiculous when out of a stone they make him a head. For among the rhap- sodies of Gratian there is a foolish canon under the name of Anacletus, who, exchanging a Hebrew word for a Greek one, and not distinguishing the Greek word %i(paXv\ (kephale) from the Hebrew word Cephas, thinks that by this name Peter was appointed to be Head of the Church. Cephas is rather a Chaldaic than a Hebrew word ; but that was the customary pronunciation of it after the Babylonish captivity. There is, then, no ambiguity in the words of Christ ; for he promises what Peter had not at all expected, and thus magnifies his VOL. I. E
74 COMMEKTARY ON THE
own grace to all ages, that his former condition may not lead us to think less highly of him, since this remarkable appel- lation informs us that he was made a new man.
43. The next day Jesus wished to go into Galilee, and found Philip, and said to him, Follow me. 44. Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45. Philip findeth Nathauael, and saith to him. We have found Jesus of Nazareth, the sou of Joseph, of whom Moses in the Law, and the Prophets write. 46. Nathauael said to him. Can any good thing come out of Nazareth ? Philip said to him, Come and see.
43. Follow me. When Philip was inflamed by this single word to follow Christ, we infer from it how great is the effi- cacy of the word of God ; but it does not appear indiscrimin- ately in all, for God addresses many without any advantage, just as if he struck their ears with a sound which vanished into air. So then the external preaching of the word is in itself unfruitful, except that it inflicts a deadly Avound on the reprobate, so as to render them inexcusable before God. But when the secret grace of God quickens it, all tlie senses must be affected in such a manner that men will be prepared to follow wherever God calls them. We ought, therefore, to pray to Christ that he may display in us the same power of the Gospel. In the case of Philip, there was no doubt a peculiarity about his following Christ ; for he is commanded to follow, not like one of us, but as a domestic, and as a familiar companion. But still the calling of all of us is illus- trated by this calling of Philip.
44. Was of Bethsaida. The name of the city appears to have been mentioned on purpose, that the goodness of God to the three Apostles may be more illustriously displayed. We know how severely, on other occasions, Christ threatens and curses that city, (Matth. xi. 21 ; Luke x. 13.) Accord- ingly, when God brought into favour with him some out of a nation so ungodly and wicked, we ought to view it in the same light as if they had been brought out of the lowest hell. And when Christ, after having drawn them out of that deep gulf, honours them so highly as to make them Apostles, it is a distinguished favour and worthy of being recorded.
GOSI'EL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 75
45. Philip fiadeth Nathanael. Though proud men despise these feeble beginnings of the Church, jet we ought to per- ceive in them a brighter display of the divine glory, than if the condition of the kingdom of Christ had been in every respect, from the outset, splendid and magnificent ; for we know to how rich a harvest this small seed afterwards grew. Again, we see in Philip the same desire of building which formerly appeared in Andrew. His modesty, too, is remark- able, in desiring and seeking nothing else than to have others to learn along with him, from Him who is a Teacher common to all.
We have found Jesus. How small was the measure of Philip's faith appears from this circumstance, that he cannot utter a few words about Christ without minglino; with them two gross errors. He calls him the son of Joseph, and says, that Nazareth was his native town, both of which statements were false ; and yet, because he is sincerely desirous to do good to his brother, and to make Christ known, God ap- proves of this instance of his diligence, and even crowns it with good success. Each of us ought, no doubt, to endeav- our to keep soberly within his own limits ; and, certainly, the Evangelist does not mention it as worthy of commendation in Philip, that he twice disgraces Christ, but relates that his doctrine, though faulty and involved in error, was useful, because it nevertheless had this for its object, that Christ might be truly known. He foolishly says that he was the son of Joseph, and ignorantly calls him a native of Nazareth, but yet he leads Nathanael to no other than the Son of God who was born in Bethlehem, (Matth. ii. 1,) and does not contrive a false Christ, but only wishes that they should know him as he was exhibited by Moses and the Prophets. AN'e see, then, that the chief design of doctrine is, that those Avho hear us should come to Christ in some way or other.
There are many who engage in abstruse inquiries about Christ, but Avho throw such darkness and intricacy around him by their subtleties that they can never find him. The Papists, for example, will not say that Chi-ist is the son of Joseph, for they distinctly know Avhat is his name ; but yet they annihilate his powei', so as to hold out a jihantom in the
76 COMMENTARY ON THE
room of Christ. Would it not be better to stammer ridicu- lously, like Philip, and to hold by the true Christ, than by eloquent and ingenious language to introduce a false Christ ? On the other hand, there are many poor dunces in the pre- sent day, who, though ignorant and unskilled in the use of language, make known Christ more faithfully than all the theologians of the Pope with their lofty speculations. This passage, therefore, warns us that, if any unsuitable language has been employed concerning Christ by ignorant and un- learned men, we ought not to reject such persons with disdain, provided they direct us to Christ ; but that we may not be withdrawn from Christ by the false imaginations of men, let us always have this remedy at hand, to seek the pure know- ledge of him from the Law and the Prophets.
46. Can any good thing come out of Nazareth ? At first, Nathanael refuses, the place of Christ's nativity (as described by Philip) having given him offence. But, first of all, he is deceived by the inconsiderate discourse of Philip ; for what Philip foolishly believed Nathanael receives as certain. Next, there is added a foolish judgment arising from hatred or contempt of the place. Both of these points ought to be carefully observed by us. This holy man was not far from shutting out against himself all approach to Christ. Why was this ? Because he rashly believes what Philip spoke incorrectly about Christ ; and next, because his mind was under the influence of a preconceived opinion that 7io good thing could come out of Nazareth. If then we are not carefully on our guard, we shall be liable to the same danger ; and Sa- tan labours every day, by similar obstacles, to hinder us from coming to Christ ; for he has the dexterity to spread many falsehoods, the tendency of which is to excite our hatred or suspicion against the Gospel, that we may not venture to taste it. And next, he ceases not to try anotlier method, namely, to make us look on Christ with contempt ; for we see how many there are who take offence at the degradation of the cross, which appears both in Christ the Head and in his members. But as we can hardly be so cautious as not
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 77
to be tempted by those stratagems of Satan, let us at least remember immediately this caution :
Come and see. Nathanael allowed his twofold error to be corrected by this expression which Philip uttered. Follow- ing his example, let us first show ourselves to be submissive and obedient ; and next, let us not shrink from inquiry, when Christ himself is ready to remove the doubts which hai'ass us. Those who read these words not as a question, but as an affirmation. Some good thing may come out of Nazareth, are greatly mistaken. For, in the first place, how trivial would such an observation be ? And next, we know that the city Nazareth was not at that time held in estimation ; and Philip's reply shows plainly enough that it was expressive of hesitation and distrust.
47. When Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, he salth of him, Behold, one truly an Israelite, in whom there is no deceit. 48. Nathanael saith to him. Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said to him, Before Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig-tree, I saw thee. 49. Nathanael answered and said to him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel. 50. Jesus answered and said to him. Because I said to thee, I saw thee under the fig-tree, thou believest ; ^ thou shalt see greater things than these. 51. Then he said to him. Verily, verily, I say to you. Hereafter you shall see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of man.
47. Behold, one truly an Israelite. It is not on Nathanael's own account that Christ bestows on him this commendation, but under his person he holds out a general doctrine. For, since many who boast of being believers are very far from being actually believers, it is of great importance that some mark should be found for distinguishing the true and genuine from the false. We know how haughtily the Jews gloried in their father Abraham, and how presumptuously they boasted of the holiness of their descent ; and yet there was scarcely one in a hundred among them who was not utterly deo-enerate and alienated from the faith of the Fathers. For this reason, Christ, in order to tear the mask from hypocrites, gives a short definition of a true Israelite, and, at the same time, removes the offence which would afterwards arise from
1 "Tu crois, ou, crois-tu ?" — " Thou believest, or, helievest thou?'
78 COMMENTARY ON THE
the wicked obstinacy of the nation. For those who wished to be accounted the children of Abraham, and the holy peo- ple of God, were shortly afterwards to become the deadly enemies of the Gospel. That none may be discouraged or alarmed by the impiety which was generally found in almost all ranks, he gives a timely warning, that of those by whom the name of Israelites is assumed there are few who are true Israelites.
Again, as this passage contains a definition of Christianity, we must not pass by it slightly. To sum up the meaning of Christ in a few words, it ought to be observed that deceit is contrasted with uprightness and sincerity;' so that he calls those persons sly"^ and deceitful who are called in other parts of Scripture double in hearty (Psal. xii. 2.) Nor is it only that gross hypocrisy by which those who are conscious of their wickedness pretend to be good men, but likewise another inward hypocrisy, when men are so blinded by their vices that they not only deceive others but themselves. So then it is integrity of heart before God, and uprightness before men, that makes a Christian ; but Christ points out chiefly that kind of deceit which is mentioned in Psal. xxxii. 2. In this passage akn&ojg (truly) means something more than certainly. The Greek word, no doubt, is often used as a simple affirma- tion ; but as we must here supply a contrast between the fact and the mere name, he is said to be truly, who is in reality what he is supposed to be.
48. PVhence knowest thou ? Thouojh Christ did not Intend to flatter him, yet he wished to be heard by him, in order to draw forth a new question, by the reply to which he would prove himself to be the Son of God. Nor is it without a good reason that Nathanael 2iB^B whence Christ kneio him; for to meet with a man of such uprightness as to be free from all deceit is an uncommon case, and to know such purity of heart belongs to God alone. The reply of Christ, however, appears to be inappropriate ; for though he saw Nathanael under the fig-tree, it does not follow from this that he could penetrate
1 " Rondeur et syncerite." 2 u Canteleux et frauduleux."
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 79
into the deep secrets of tlic heart. But there is another reason ; for as it belongs to God to know men when they are not seen, so also does it belong to Him to see what is not visible to the eyes. As Nathanael knew that Christ did not see him after the manner of men, but by a look truly divine, this might lead him to conclude that Christ did not now speak as a man. The proof, therefore, is taken from things which are of the same class ; for not less does it belong to God to see what lies beyond our view than to judge concerning purity of heart. We ought also to gather from this passage a useful doctrine, that when we are not thinking of Christ, we are observed by him ; and it is necessary that it should be so, that he may bring us back, when we have wandered from the right path.
49. Thou art the Soji of God. That he acknowledges him to be the Son of God from his divine power is not wonderful ; but on what ground does he call \\\\-aKing of Israel? for the two things do not appear to be necessarily connected. But Na- thanael takes a loftier view. He had already heard that he is the Messiah, and to this doctrine he adds the confirmation which had been given him. He holds also another principle, that the Son of God will not come without exercising the office of King over the people of God. Justly, therefore, does he acknowledge that he who is the Son of God is also King of Israel. And, indeed, faith ought not to be fixed on the essence of Christ alone, (so to speak,) but ought to attend to his power and oflfice ; for it would be of little advantage to know who Christ is, if this second point were not added, what he wishes to be towards us, and for what purpose the Father sent him. The reason why the Papists have nothing more than a shadow of Christ is, that they have been careful to look at his mere essence, but have disregarded his kingdom^ which consists in the power to save.
Again, when Nathanael calls him King of Israel^ though his kingdom extends to the remotest bounds of the earth, the confession is limited to the measure of faith. For he had not yet advanced so far as to know that Christ was appointed to be King over the whole world, or rather, that from every quarter
80 COMMENTARY ON THE
Avould be collected the children of Abraham, so that the whole world would be the Israel of God. We to whom the Avide extent of Christ's kingdom has been revealed ought to go beyond those narrow limits. Yet following the example of Nathanael, let us exercise our faith in hearing the word, and let us strengthen it by all the means that are in our power ; and let it not remain buried, but break out into confession.
50. Jesus answered. He does not reprove Nathanael as if he had been too easy of belief, but rather approving of his faith, promises to him and to others that he will confirm it by stronger arguments. Besides, it Avas peculiar to one man that he tvas seen under a Jig-tree by Christ, when absent and at a distance from him ; but now Christ brings forward a proof which would be common to all, and thus — as if he had broken off from what he originally intended — instead of addressing one man, he turns to address all.
51. Yoii shall see heaven opened. They are greatly mistaken, in my opinion, who anxiously inquire into the place where, and the time when, Nathanael and others saw heaven opened ; for he rather points out something perpetual Avhich was always to exist in his kingdom. I acknowledge indeed, that the disciples sometimes saw angels, who are not seen in the present day ; and I acknowledge also that the manifestation of the heavenly glory, when Christ ascended to heaven, was different from what we now behold. But if we duly consider what took place at that time, it is of perpetual duration ; for the kingdom of God, Avhich was formerly closed against us, is actually opened in Christ. A visible instance of this was shown to Stephen, (Acts vii. 55,) to the three disciples on the mountain, (Matth. xvii. 5,) and to the other disciples at Christ's ascension, (Luke xxiv. 51 ; Acts i. 9.) But all the signs by which God shows himself present with us depend on this opening of heaven, more especially when God com- municates himself to us to be our life.
Ascending and descending on the Son of man. This second clause refers to angels. They are said to ascend and descend, 80 as to be ministers of God's kindness towards us j and
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 81
therefore this mode of expression points out the mutual inter- course which exists between God and men. Now we must acknowledge that this benefit was received through Christ, because without him the angels have rather a deadly enmity against us than a friendly care to help us. They are said to ascend and descend ON THE SON OF MAN, not because they minister to him, but because — in reference to him, and for his honour — they include the whole body of the Church in their friendly regard. Nor have I any doubt that he alludes to the ladder which was exhibited to the patriarch Jacob in a dream, (Gen. xxviii. 12 ;) for what was prefigured by that vision is actually fulfilled in Christ. In short, this passage teaches us, that though the whole human race was banished from the kingdom of God, the gate of heaven is noxo opened to us, so that we are felloic- citizens of the saints, and companions of the angels, (Eph. ii. 19 ;) and that they, having been appointed to be guardians of our salvation, descend from the blessed rest of the heavenly glory ' to relieve our distresses.
CHAPTER II.
1. Three days after,- there was a marriage In Cana of Galilee ; and the mother of Jesus was there. 2. And Jesus also was invited, and his dis- ciples, to the marriage. 3. And when the wine fell short, the mother of Jesus salth to him, They have no wine. 4. Jesus salth to her, What have I to do with thee ? my hour is not yet come. 6. His mother saith to the servants. Do whatever he shall bid you. 6. And there were there six water-pots of stone, placed according to the Jewish custom of cleansing, containing each of them about two or three baths. 7. Jesus saith to them, Fill the water-pots with water. And they filled them to the brim. 8. And he saith to them. Draw out now, and cany to the master of the feast ; and they carried. 9. And when the master of the feast had tasted the water which was made wine, (and knew not whence It was, but the servants who drew the water knew,) the master of the feast calleth the bridegi'oom, 10. And salth to him. Every man at first sets down good wine ; and when men have drunk freely, then that which is worse ; but thou hast kept the good wine till now. 11. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and displayed his glory, and his disciples believed on him.
1 " De la gloire celeste." 2 " Tertio die ;" — " trols jours apres."
82 COMMENTARY ON THE
1. There was a marriage in Cana of Galilee. As this narra- tive contains the first miracle which Christ performed, it would be proper for us, were it on this ground alone, to con- sider the narrative attentively; though — as we shall afterwards see — there are other reasons which recommend it to our notice. But while we proceed, the various advantages aiising from it will be more clearly seen. The Evangelist first mentions Cana of Galilee, not that Avhich was situated towards Zare- phath (1 Kings xvii. 9 ; Obad. 20; Luke iv. 26) orSarepta, between Tyre and Sidon, and was called the greater in com- parison of this latter Cana, which is placed by some in the tribe of Zebulun, and by others in the tribe of Asher. For Jerome too assures us that, even in his time, there existed a small town which bore that name. There is reason to believe that it was near the city of Nazareth, since the mother of Christ came there to attend the marriage. From the fourth chapter of this book it will be seen that it was not more than one day's journey distant from Capernaum. That it lay not far from the city of Bethsaida may also be inferred from the circumstance, that three days after Christ had been in those territories, the marriage was celebrated — the Evangelist tells us — in Cana of Galilee. There may have been also a third Cana, not far from Jerusalem, and yet out of Galilee ; but I leave this vindetermined, because I am unacquainted with it.
And the mother of Jesus teas there. It was probably one of Christ's near relations who married a wife ; for Jesus is mentioned as having accompanied his mother. From the fact that the disciples also are invited, we may infer how plain and frugal was his Avay of living; for he lived in common with them. It may be thought strange, however, that a man who has no great wealth or abundance (as will be made evident from the scarcity of the wine) invites four or five other persons on Christ's account. But the poor are readier and more frank in their invitations ; because they are not, like the rich, afraid of being disgraced, if they do not treat their guests with great costliness and splendour ; for the poor adhere more zealously to the ancient custom of having an extended acquaintance.
Again, it may be supposed to show a want of courtesy,
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 83
that the bridegroom allows his guests, in the middle of the entertainment, to be in want of wine ; for it looks like a man of little thoughtfulness not to have a sufficiency of wine for his guests. I reply, nothing is here related which does not frequently happen, especially when people are not accustomed to the daily use of wine. Besides, the context shows, that it was towards the conclusion of the banquet that the wine fell short, when, according to custom, it might be supposed that they had already drunk enough ; for the master of the feast thus speaks. Other men place worse vdne before those who have drunk enough, hut thou hast kept the best till now. Besides, I have no doubt that all this was regulated by the Provi- dence of God, that there might be room for the miracle.
3. TJie mother of Jesus saith to him. It may be doubted if she expected or asked any thing from her Son, since he had not yet performed any miracle ; and it is possible that, with- out expecting any remedy of this sort, she advised him to give some pious exhortations which would have the effect of preventing the guests from feeling uneasiness, and at the same time of relieving the shame of the bridegroom. I consider her words to be expressive of {svij.ira&ua) earnest compassion ; for the holy woman, perceiving that those who had been invited were likely to consider themselves as having been treated with disrespect, and to murmur against the bridegroom, and that the entertainment might in that Avay be disturbed, wished that some means of soothing them could be adopted. Chrysostom throws out a suspicion that she was moved by the feelings of a woman to seek I know not what favour for herself and her Son ; but this conjecture is not supported by any argument.
4. Woman, what have I to do with thee ? Why does Christ repel her so rashly ? I reply, though she was not moved by ambition, nor by any carnal affection, still she did wrong in going beyond her proper bounds. Her anxiety about the inconvenience endured by others, and her desire to have it in some way mitigated, proceeded from humanity, and ought to be regarded as a virtue ; but still, by putting herself for-
84 COMMENTARY ON THE
ward, she might obscure the glory of Christ. Though it ought also to be observed, that what Christ spoke was not so much for her sake as for the sake of others. Her modesty and piety were too great to need so severe a chastisement. Besides, she did not knowingly and willingly offend ; but Christ only meets the danger, that no improper use may be made of what his mother had said, as If it were In obedience to her command that he afterwards performed the miracle.
The Greek words (t/ IimoI zat got ;) literally mean. What to me and to thee ? Bat the Greek phraseology Is of the same import with the Latin — Quid tihi mecum ? (what hast thou to do with me ?) The old translator led many people into a mistake, by supposing Christ to have asserted, that It was no concern of his, or of his mother's, if the wine fell short. But from the second clause we may easily conclude how far removed this Is from Christ's meaning ; for he takes upon himself this concern, and declares that it belongs to him to do so, when he adds, mi/ hour is not yet come. Both ought to be joined together — that Christ understands what it Is necessary for him to do, and yet that he will not act in this matter at his mother's suggestion.
It Is a remarkable passage certainly ; for why does he absolutely refuse to his mother what he freely granted after- wards, on so many occasions, to all sorts of persons ? Again, why is he not satisfied with a bare refusal ? and why does he reduce her to the ordinary rank of women, and not even deign to call her mother ? This saying of Christ openly and mani- festly warns men to beware lest, by too superstitiously elevating the honour of the name of mother In the Virgin Mary,' they transfer to her what belongs exclusively to God. Christ, therefore, addresses his mother In this manner, in order to lay down a perpetual and general Instruction to all ages, that his divine glory must not be obscured by exces- sive honour paid to his mother.
How necessary this warning became. In consequence of the gross and disgraceful superstitions which followed after- wards, Is too well known. For Mary has been constituted
1 u
En la vierge Marie."
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOUN. 85
the Queen of Heaven, the Hope, the Life, and the Salvation of the world ; and, in short, their fury and madness proceeded so far that they stripped Christ of his spoils, and left him almost naked. And when we condemn those horrid blas- phemies against the Son of God, the Papists call us malignant and envious; and — what is worse — they maliciously slander us as deadly foes to the honour of the holy Virgin. As if she had not all the honour that is due to her, unless she were made a Goddess ; or as if it were treating her with respect, to adorn her with blasphemous titles, and to substitute her in the room of Christ. The Papists, therefore, offer a griev- ous insult to Mary when, in order to disfigure her by false praises, they take from God what belongs to Him.
My hour is not yet come. He means that he has not hitherto delayed through carelessness or indolence, but at the same time he states indirectly that he will attend to the matter, when the proper time for it shall arrive. As he reproves his mother for unseasonable haste, so, on the other hand, he gives reason to expect a miracle. The holy Virgin acknowledges both, for she abstains from addressing him any farther ; and when she advises the servants to do what- ever he commands, she shows that she expects something now. But the instruction conveyed here is still more exten- sive, that whenever the Lord holds us in suspense, and delays his aid, he is not therefore asleep, but, on the contrary, regulates all His works in such a manner that he does nothing but at the proper time. Those who have applied this passage to prove that the time of events is appointed by Fate, are too ridiculous to require a single word to be said for refuting them. The hour of Christ sometimes denotes the hour which had been appointed to him by the Father ; and by his time he will afterwards designate ^\hat he found to be convenient and suitable for executing the commands of his Father ; but in this place he claims the right to take and choose the time for working and for displaying his Divine power.'
1 I
' Dii beiongaer ct desploycr sa viiLuu Diviuc."
86 COMMENTARY ON THE
5. His mother saith to the servants. Here the holy Virgin gives an instance of true obedience which she owed to her Son/ when the question related, not to the relative duties of mankind, but to his divine power. She modestly acquiesces, therefore, in Christ's reply; and in like manner exhorts others to comply with his injunctions. I acknowledge, indeed, that what the Virgin now said related to the present occurrence, and amounted to a declaration that, in this instance, she had no authority, and that Christ would do, according to his own 2)leasure, whatever he thought right. But if you attend closely to her design, the statement which she made is still more extensive; for she first disclaims and lays aside the power which she might seem to have improperly usurped ; and next, she ascribes the whole authority to Christ, when she bids them do xohatever he shall command. We are taught generally by these Avords, that if we desire any thing from Christ, we will not obtain our wishes, unless we depend on him alone, look to him, and, in short, do whatever he com- mands. On the other hand, he does not send us to his mother, but rather invites us to himself.
6. And there were there six icater-pots of stone. According to the computation of Budjeus, we infer that these water- j)ots were very large ; for as the metretd^ {/j,sT§7}Tris) contains twenty congii, each contained, at least, a Sextier of this country.^ Christ supplied them, therefore, with a great abundance of wine, as much as would be sufficient for a ban- quet to a hundred and fifty men. Besides, both the number and the size of the water-pots serve to prove the truth of the miracle. If there had been only two or three jars, many might have suspected that they had been brought from some other place. If in one vessel only the water had been changed into
1 " a son Fils."
2 The exact size of the Ji?kin cannot be easily ascertained. If ^£Tf>jTi!s be here used by the Evangelist as a purely Greek word, we must conclude it to be an Attic measure, which was nearly equal to nine English gallons. If, again, it be placed here as a substitute for the Hebrew word n3, (^Bath,) as the Septuagmt has done in 2 Chron. iv. 5, it will probably be rated at seven gallons and a half. — Ed.
' " Dc cc pays de Savoye ;" — " of this country, Savoy."
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 87
wine, the certainty of the miracle would not have been so obvi- ous, or so well ascertained. It is not, therefore, without a good reason that the Evangelist mentions the number of the water- pots, and states how much they contained.
It arose from superstition that vessels so numerous and so large were placed there. They had the ceremony of washing, indeed; prescribed to them by the Law of God ; but as the world is prone to excess in outward matters, the Jews, not satisfied with the simplicity which God had enjoined, amused themselves with continual washings ; and as superstition is ambitious, they undoubtedly served the purpose of display, as we see at the present day in Popery, that every thing which is said to belong to the Avorship of God is arranged for pure display. There was, then, a twofold error : that without the command of God, they engaged in a sui^erfluous ceremony of their own invention ; and next, that, under the pretence of religion, ambition reigned amidst that display. Some Popish scoundrels have manifested an amazing degree of wickedness, when they had the effrontery to say that they had among their relics those water-jjots with which Christ performed this miracle in Cana, and exhibited some of them ;^ which, first, are of small size, and, next, are unequal in size. And in the present day, when the light of the Gospel shines so cleaily around us, they are not ashamed to practise those tricks, which certainly is not to deceive by enchantments, but daringly to mock men as if they were blind ; and the world, which does not perceive such gross mockery, is evi- dently bewitched by Satan.
7. Fill the ivater-pots with loater. The servants might be apt to look upon this injunction as absurd ; for they had already more than enough of water. But in this way the Lord often acts tow\ards us, that his power may be more illustriously displayed by an unexpected result ; though this circumstance is added to magnify the miracle ; for when the servants drew wine out of vessels which had been filled with water, no suspicion can remain.
' " Qu'ils avoyent cutve Iciirs icliques dc ccs cnichcs, csquclles Clirist avoit fait ce uiiiaclc eii Cana, ct en inonstrojcnt."
88 COMMENTARY ON THE
8. And carry to the master of the feast. For the same reason as before, Christ wished that the flavour of the wine should be tried by the master of the feast, before it had been tasted by himself, or by any other of the guests ; and the readiness with which the servants obey him in all things shows us the great reverence and respect in which he was held by them. The Evangelist gives the name of the master of the feast to him who had the charge of preparing the banquet and arranging the tables ; not that the banquet was costly and magnificent, but because the honourable appella- tions borrowed from the luxury and splendour of the rich are applied even to the marriages of the poor. But it is won- derful that a large quantity of wine, and of the very best wine, is supplied by Christ, who is a teacher of sobriety. I reply, when God daily gives us a large supply of wine, it is our own fault if his kindness is an excitement to luxury ; but, on the other hand, it is an undoubted trial of our sobriety, if we are sparing and moderate in the midst of abundance ; as Paul boasts that he had learned to know both how to be full and to be hungry, (Phil. iv. 12.)
11. This beginning of miracles. The meaning is, that this was the first of Christ's miracles ; for when the angels announced to the shepherds that he was born in Bethlehem, (Luke ii. 8,) when the star appeared to the Magi, (Matth. ii. 2,) when the Holy Spirit descended on him in the shape of a dove, (Matth. iii. 16 ; Mark i. 10 ; John i. 32,) though these were miracles, yet, strictly speaking, they were not performed by him ; but the Evangelist now speaks of the miracles of which he was himself the Author. For it is a frivolous and absurd interpretation which some give, that this is reckoned the first among the miracles which Christ performed in Cana of Galilee ; as if a place, in which we do not read that he ever was more than twice, had been selected by him for a display of his power. It was rather the design of the Evangelist to mark the order of time which Christ followed in the exercise of his power. For until he was thirty years of age, he kept himself concealed at home, like one who held no public office. Having been consecrated, at his baptism, to the dis-
GOSPEL ACCORDINa TO JOHN. 89
charge of his office, he then began to appear in public, and to show by clear proofs for what purpose he was sent by the Father. We need not wonder, therefore, if he delayed till this time the first proof of his Divinity. It is a high honour given to marriage, that Christ not only deigned to be present at a nuptial banquet, but honoured it with his first mh'acle. There are some ancient Canons which forbid the clergy to attend a marriage. The reason of the prohibition was, that by being the spectators of the wickedness which was usually practised on such occasions, they might in some measure be regarded as approving of it. But it would have been far better to carry to such places so much gravity as to restrain the licentiousness in which unprincipled and abandoned men indulge, when they are withdrawn from the eyes of others. Let us, on the contrary, take Christ's example for our rule ; and let us not suppose that any thing else than what we read that he did can be profitable to us.
And manifested his glory ; that is, because he then gave a striking and illustrious proof, by which it was ascertained that he was the Son of God ; for all the miracles which he exhibited to the world were so many demonstrations of his divine power. The proper time for displaying his glory was now come, when he wished to make himself known, agreeably to the command of his Father. Hence, also, we learn the end of miracles ; for this expression amounts to a declaration that Christ, in order to manifest his glory, performed this miracle. What, then, ought we to think of those miracles which obscure the glory of Christ ?
And his disciples believed on him. If they were disciples, they must already have possessed some faith; but as they had hitherto followed him with a faith which was not distinct and firm, they began at that time to devote themselves to him, so as to acknowledge him to be the Messiah, such as he had already been announced to them. The forbearance of Christ is great in reckoning as disciples those whose faith is so small. And indeed this doctrine extends generally to us all ; for the faith which is now full grown had at first its infancy, nor is it so perfect in any as not to make it necessary that all to a man should make progress in believing. Thus, they who now VOL. I. p
90 COMMENTARY ON THE
believed may be said to begin to believe, so far as they dally make progress towards the end of their faith. Let those who have obtained the first-fruits of faith labour always to make progress. These words point out likewise the advantage of miracles ; namely, that they ought to be viewed as intended for the confirmation and progress of faith. Whoever twists them to any other purpose corrupts and debases the whole use of them ; as we see that Papists boast of their pretended miracles for no other purpose than to bury faith, and to turn away the minds of men from Christ to the creatures.
12. After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples : and he remained there not many days. 13. And the passover of the Jews was at hand ; therefore, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14. And found in the temple some who sold oxen, and sheep, and doves, and money-changers also sitting. 1 5. And having made a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen, and threw down the money of the changers, and overturned the tables; 16. And said to those who sold doves, Take those things hence ; do not make my Father's house a house of merchandise. 17. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up.
12. He went down to Capernaum. The Evangelist passes to an additional narrative ; for having resolved to collect a few things worthy of remembrance which the other three had left out, he states the time when the occurrence which he is about to relate took place ; for the other three also relate what we here read that Christ did, but the diversity of the time shows that it was a similar event, but not the same. On two occasions, then, did Christ cleanse the temple from base and profane merchandise ; once, when he Avas beginning to discharge his commission, and another time, (Matth. xxi. 12 ; Mark xi. 15 ; Luke xix. 45,) when he was about to leave the world and go to the Father, (John xvi. 28.)
To obtain a general view of the passage, it will be necessary briefly to examine the details in their order. That oxen, and sheep, and doves, were exposed to sale in the temple, and that money-changers were sitting there, was not without a plausible excuse. For they might allege that the merchandise trans- acted there was not irreligious, but, on the contrary, related to the sacred worship of God, that every person might obtain, without difficulty, what he might offer to the Lord ; and,
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 91
certainly, It was exceedingly convenient for godly persons to find oblations of any sort laid ready to their hand, and in this way to be freed from the trouble of running about in various directions to obtain them. We are apt to wonder, therefore, why Christ was so highly displeased with It. But there are two reasons which deserve our attention. First, as the Priests abused this merchandise for their own gain and avarice, such a mockery of God could not be endured. Secondly, whatever excuse men may plead, as soon as they depart, however slightly, from the command of God, they deserve reproof and need correction. And this is the chief reason why Christ undertook to purify the temple ; for he distinctly states that the temple of God is not a place of merchandise.
But it may be asked. Why did he not rather begin with doctrine ? For it seems to be a disorderly and imj^roper method to apply the hand for correcting faults, before the remedy of doctrine has been applied. But Christ had a different object in view : for the time being now at hand when he would publicly discharge the office assigned to him by the Father, he wished in some way to take possession of the temple, and to give a proof of his divine authority. And that all might be attentive to his doctrine, it was necessary that something new and strange should be done to awaken their sluggish and drowsy minds. Now, the temple was a sanctuary of heavenly doctrine and of true religion. Since he wished to restore purity of doctrine, It was of great importance that he should prove himself to be the Lord of the temple. Besides, there was no other way in which he could bring back sacrifices and the other exercises of religion to their spiritual design than by removing the abuse of them. What he did at that time was, therefore, a sort of preface to that reformation which the Father had sent him to accomplish. In a word. It was proper that the Jews should be aroused by this example to expect from Christ something that was unusual and out of the ordinary course ; and It was also necessary to remind them that the worship of God had been corrupted and per- verted, that they might not object to the reformation of those abuses.
And his brethren. Why the brethren of Christ accompanied
92 COMMENTARY ON THE
him, cannot be determined with certainty, unless, perhaps, they intended to cro along with him to Jerusalem. The word brethre7i,it is well known, is employed, in the Hebrew language, to denote cousins and other relatives.
13. And the passover of the Jews loas at hand; therefore Jesus went up to Jerusalem. The Greek words xa/ avi^n, may be literally rendered, and he went up ; but the Evangelist has used the copulative and instead of therefore ; for he means that Christ went up at that time, in order to celebrate the passover at Jerusalem. There were two reasons why he did so; for since the Son of God became subject to the Law on our account, he intended, by observing with exactness all the precepts of the Law, to present in his own person a pattern of entire subjection and obedience. Again, as he could do more good, when there was a multitude of people, he almost always availed himself of such an occasion. Whenever, there- fore, we shall afterwards find it said that Christ came to Jerusalem at the feast, let the reader observe that he did so, first, that along with others he might observe the exercises of religion which God had appointed, and, next, that he might publish his doctrine amidst a larger concourse of people.
16. Make not my Father'' s house a house of merchandise. At the second time that he drove the traders out of the Temple, the Evangelists relate that he used sharper and more severe language ; for he said, that they had made the Temple of God a den of robbers, (Matth. xxi. 13 ;) and this was proper to be done, when a milder chastisement was of no avail. At pre- sent, he merely warns them not to profane the Temple of God by applying it to improper uses. The Temple was called the house of God; because it was the will of God that there He should be peculiarly invoked ; because there He dis- played his power ; because, finally, he had set it apart to spirit- ual and holy services.
Mij Father'' s house. Christ declares himself to be the Son of God, in order to show that he has a right and authority to cleanse the Temple. As Christ here assigns a reason for what he did, if we wish to derive any advantage from it, we must
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 93
attend chiefly to this sentence. Why, then, does he drive the buyers and sellers out of the Temple ? It is that he may bring back to its original purity the worship of God, which had been corrupted by the wickedness of men, and in this way may restore and maintain the holiness of the Temple. Now that temple, we know, was erected, that it might be a shadow of those things the lively image of which is to be found in Christ. That it might continue to be devoted to God, it was necessary that it should be applied exclusively to spiritual purposes. For this reason he pronounces it to be unlawful that it should be converted into a market-place ; for he founds his statement on the command of God, which we ought always to observe. Whatever deceptions Satan may employ, let us know that any departure — however small — from the command of God is wicked. It was a plausible and imposing disguise, that the worship of God was aided and promoted, when the sacrifices which were to be offered by believers were laid ready to their hand; but as God had appropriated his Temple to different purposes, Christ disre- gards the objections that might be offered against the order which God had appointed.
The same arguments do not apply, in the present day, to our buildings for public worship ; but what is said about the ancient Temple applies properly and strictly to the Church, for it is the heavenly sanctuary of God on earth. We ought always, therefore, to keep before our eyes the majesty of God, Avhich dwells in the Church, that it may not be defiled by any pollutions ; and the only way in which its holiness can remain unimpau'cd is, that nothing shall be admitted into it that is at variance with the word of God.
17. A)id his disciples remembered. It is to no purpose that some people teaze themselves with the inquiry how the disciples remembered a passage of Scripture, with the meaning of which they were hitherto unacquainted. For we must not understand that this passage of Scripture came to their remembrance at that time ; but aftcrwai'ds, when, having been taught by God, they considered with themselves what was, the meaning of this action of Christ, by the direction of
94 COMMENTARY ON THE
the Holy Spirit this passage of Scripture occurred to thera. And, indeed, it does not always happen that the reason of God's works is immediately perceived by us, but afterwards, in process of time, He makes known to us his purpose. And this is a bridle exceedingly well adapted to restrain our presumption, that we may not murmur against God, if at any time our judgment does not entirely approve of what he does. We are at the same time reminded, that when God holds us as it were in suspense, it is our duty to wait for the time of more abundant knowledore, and to restrain the excessive haste which is natural to us ; for the reason why God delays the full manifestation of his works is, that he may keep us humble.
The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up. The meaning is, that the disciples at length came to know, that the zeal for the house of God, with which Christ burned, excited him to drive out of it those profanations. By a figure of speech, in which a part is taken for the whole, David employs the name of the temple to denote the whole worship of God ; for the entire verse runs thus : the zeal of thy house hath eaten me up, and the reproaches of them who reproached thee have fallen on me, (Psa. Ixix. 9.) The second clause corresponds to the first, or rather it is nothing else than a repetition explaining what had been said. The amount of both clauses is, that David's anxiety about maintaining the worship of God was so intense, that he cheerfully laid down his head to receive all the reproaches which wicked men threw against God ; and that he burned with such zeal, that this single feeling swallowed up every other. He tells us that he him- self had such feelings ; but there can be no doubt that he described in his own person what strictly belonged to the Messiah.
Accordingly, the Evangelist says, that this was one of the marks by which the disciples knew that it was Jesus who protected and restored the kingdom of God. Now observe that they followed the guidance of Sciipture, in order to form such an opinion concerning Christ as they ought to entertain; and, indeed, no man will ever learn what Christ is, or the object of what he did and suffered, unless he has
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 95
been taught and guided by Scripture. So far, then, as each of us shall desire to make progress in the knowledge of Christ, it will be necessary that Scripture shall be the subject of our diligent and constant meditation. Nor is it without a good reason that David mentions the house of God, when the divine glory is concerned ; for though God is sufficient for himself, and needs not the services of any, yet he wishes that his glory should be displayed in the Church. In this way he gives a remarkable proof of his love towards us, because he unites his glory — as it were, by an indissoluble link — with our salvation.
Now as Paul informs us that, in the example of the head, a general doctrine is presented to the whole body, (Rom. XV. 3,) let each of us apply to the invitation of Christ, that — so far as lies in our power — we may not permit the temple of God to be in any way polluted. But, at the same time, we must beware lest any man transgress the bounds of his call- ing. All of us ought to have zeal in common with the Son of God ; but all are not at liberty to seize a whip, that we may correct vices with our hands ; for we have not received the same power, nor have we been intrusted with the same commission.
18. The Jews then answered and said to him, What sign^ showest thou to us, that thou doest these things ? 19. Jesus answered and said to them. Destroy this temple, and I will raise it up in three days. 20. The Jews therefore said. Forty and six years was this temple in building ; and wilt thou raise it up in three days ? 21. But he spoke of the temple of his body. 22. When therefore he was risen fi'om the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this to them ; and they believed the Scrip- ture, and the word which Jesus had spoken,
18. What sign showest thou to us ? When in so large an assembly no man laid hands on Christ, and none of the dealers in cattle or of the money-changers repelled him