Messiah, but what is true, and will all be fulfilled in me; but ye are totally ignorant of his gracious perfections, and gracious counsels, and have no inclination to obey his just commands. You are really igno rant of what the prophets have delivered concerning the Messiah; for, had you understood their predictions, you would have known, that one of his principal characters is to understand the perfections and will of God more fully, and explain them to the sons of men more clearly, than any other messenger ever before sent from the Most High. And would you attentively consider the doctrines I deliver, you would soon perceive this character remarkably fulfilled in me, and be convinced that I came from the Almighty God of Jacob. This defence, however powerful, and his reasons, however solid, were far from disarming his enemies of their malice for some of them were desirous of apprehending him but Providence would not suffer any to lay hands on him, because the time of his sufferings was not yet come. Many of the people, however, convinced by the powerful miracles he had lately wrought, and the unanswerable reasons he had advanced in support of his character, believed on him, and affirmed publicly in the temple, that he was the Messiah. "And many of the people believed on him and said, When Christ cometh, will be do more miracles than these which this man liath done?" John vii. 31. The scribes and pharisees were highly provoked at this attachment of the common people to Jesus; and accordingly, on the last and great day of the feast, they met in council, and sent several officers to apprehend him, and bring him before them. Jesus, during these transactions in the council, continued in the temple teaching the people. My ministry, said he to the multitude, is drawing near its period; and therefore you should, during the short time it has to last, be very careful to improve every opportunity of hearing the word: you should listen with the greatest attention to every discourse; that your minds may be stored with the truths of the AFmighty, before I return to my Father; for after my departure, you shall earnestly wish for the same opportunities of seeing me, and hearing my instructions, but shall never obtain them. "Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me. Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come." John vii. 33, 34. The Jews, who did not understand that our blessed Saviour alluded to his own death, resurrection, and ascension to the right hand of the Majesty on high, whither their sins would not permit them to follow him, wondered at this doctrine, and imagined, that he intended to leave Judea, and preach to their brethren dispersed among the Gentiles. But this supposition was not sufficient because, if he did go and preach among the Gentiles, they thought it was not impossible for them to follow him thither Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will be go, that we shall not find him? Will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles? What manner of saying is this that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come." John vii. 35, 36.00 While the divine Teacher was thus instructing the people in the temple, the water from Siloam was brought in, according to the appointment of the prophets Haggai and Zachariah, part of which they drank with loud acclamations, in commemoration of the mercy shewed to their fathers, who were relieved by a stream which miraculously flowed from a rock, and relieved a whole nation, then ready to perish with thirst in a dreary and sandy waste; and the other part they poured out as a drink-offering to the Almighty, accompanying it with their prayers, for the former or latter rain to fall in its season: the whole congregation singing the following passage, "With joy shall ye draw water out of the well of salvation." Isaiah xii. 3. It was the custom of our Saviour, to deliver moral instructions, in allusion to any Occurrences that happened; and he accordingly took this opportunity of inviting, in the most affectionate manner, all who were desirous of knowledge or happiness, to come to him and drink, alluding to the ceremony they were then performing. And to encourage all such as were desirous of believing in him, he promised them the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which he represented under the similitude of a river flowing out of their belly. In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." John vii. 37, 38. During this discourse to the people, the officers from the council came to apprehend him; but hearing that the topic he was discussing was a very singular one, and he seemed to deliver his discourse with remarkable fervour, their curiosity induced them to listen some time to his discourse before they laid hands on him. But the eloquent manner in which he delivered his subject melted away their rage; the sweetness of his pronunciation, and the plainness and perspicuity of his discourse elucidated the beauties of truth, and caused them to shine before the understanding, with their native lustre. Accordingly his very enemies, who were come from the council on purpose to apprehend him, were astonished; the greatness of the subject, made as it were visible by the divine Speaker, filled their understandings: the warmth and tenderness with which he delivered himself, penetrated their hearts; they felt new emotions, and being overwhelmed with the greatness of their admiration, were fixed in silence and asto No. 8. nishment; they condemned themselves for having undertaken the office, and soon returned to the rulers of Israel without performing it. If our Lord had pleaded for his life before the officers of the council, who were sent to apprehend him, the success of his eloquence even in that case, had been truly wonderful: but in the case before us, it was surely superior to all praise: for in a discourse addressed to others, and even on a spiritual subject, it disarmed a band of inveterate enemies, and made them his friends. Nor were the officers the only persons affected by this discourse, for many of them declared that he must be one of the old prophets; and others, that he was no other than the Messiah himself. Some, however, led away with the common mistake that he was born at Nazareth, asked with disdain, If the Messiah was to come out of Galilee ? And whether they would acknowledge a Galilean for the Messiah, when the scripture had absolutely declared, that he was to be born in Bethlehem, the native town of his Father David? "Many of the people, therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet. Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee? Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was ?" John vii. 40, 41, 42. Such were the dissensions on this subject; that some of his enemies, knowing that the officers were sent to apprehend him, threatened to lay hands on him; but the Almighty would not suffer them to execute their wicked design." And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him," John vii. 44. The officers now returned to the council, and were asked, why they had not brought Jesus of Nazareth? When the officers aus Ff swered, "Never man spake like this man." This reply enraged the council, who reviled them for presuming to entertain a favourable opinion of one whom they had pronounced an impostor. It is strange, said they, that you, who are not ignorant of our sentiments concerning this person, should entertain a favourable idea of him. Have any persons of rank, or celebrated for their knowledge of the laws, believed on him? Are not his followers the very dregs of the people, who are totally ignorant of all the prophecies concerning the Messiah? These officers made no answer to these railing accusations of their Masters; but Nicodemus, a member of the council, arraigned their conduct in a very poignant manner, "Does our law (says he) condemn any man before he has been heard?" They had before condemned their officers for being ignorant of the law, when it appeared they were themselves far more ignorant in pretending to condemn a person before they had proved him guilty. They were acting They were acting directly contrary to the fundamental principles of the law of equity, at the time they boasted of their profound knowledge of its precepts. Incensed at this reprimand of Nicodemus, they asked him, with an air of disdain and surprise, if he was also one of those mean persons who had joined together to support the pretences of a Galilean; though the scriptures had plainlysaid, that Bethlehem was the place of the Messiah's nativity: Adding, that if he refused to listen to them, he should soon be convinced that the great Prophet mentioned by Moses was not to be born in Galilee. "Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet." John vii. 52. Having made this reply to Nicodemus, the council broke up, and Jesus, who well knew their malicious intentions, retired to the mount of Olives, where he spent the night with his disciples. Our blessed Lord, early the following morning, returned to the temple, and again taught the people. The Scribes and Pharisees now determined to render him odious to the multitude, or obnoxious to the Roman governor; and therefore placed before him a woman that had been taken in the act of adultery, desiring his opiniou what what punishment she ought to suffer. woman (said they to Jesus) was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned; but what sayest thou?" John viii. 4, 5. "This Had our Lord disapproved the sentence of the law, they would doubtless have represented him to the multitude as a person who contradicted Moses, and favoured adultery; which could not have failed of rendering him odious to the people. On the other hand, had he ordered her to be stoned, it would have afforded a plausible pretence for accusing him to the Roman governor, as a person who stirred up the people to rebellion, the Romans having now taken the power of life and death into their own hands. But Jesus, who well knew their maliciou intentions, made them no answer, but "stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not." John. viii. 6. They, however, still continued pressing him to give an answer, and at last, Jesus, in allusion to the law, which ordered that the hands of the witnesses, by whose testimony an adulterer was convicted, should be first upon him, said, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." Let those who are remarkably zealous for having justice executed upon others, at least, take care to purify themselves from all heinous crimes. This reply had its desired effect. The hypocritical Scribes and Pharisees were convicted of sin by their own consciences: so that they immediately retired, fearing Jesus would have made their particular sins public. "And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last." John viii. 9. The woman's accusers being all retired, Jesus told her, that as no man had pronounced sentence of death upon her, neither would he pronounce it; but advised her to be very careful for the future to avoid the temptations which had induced her to commit so black a crime. The wisdom, knowledge, and power of our blessed Saviour, were eminently displayed on this occasion: his wisdom in defending himself against the malicious attempts of his enemies; his knowledge in discovering the secrets of their hearts and his power, in making use of their own consciences to render their artful intentions abortive. It was, therefore, with remarkable propriety that the great Redeemer of mankind now called himself the "Light of the World ;" as if he had said, I am the spiritual sun, that dispels the darkness of ignorance and superstition, in which the minds of men are immersed, and enlightens the paths that lead to eternal life, nor shall any who follow me ever be involved in darkness. "I am the Light of the World: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." John viii. 12. This assertion of our Lord highly provoked the Pharisees, who told him that he must be a deceiver, because he boasted of himself. To which the great Redeemer of mankind replied, You are not to imagine that I called myself the Light of the World from a principle of pride and falsehood; that title justly belongs to me nor would you yourselves refuse to acknowledge it, did you know from what authority I received my commission, and to whom, when I have executed it, I must return. But of these things ye are totally ignorant of; and therefore judge according to outward appearances, and condemn me because I do not destroy those who oppose my authority. But the design of the Messiah's coming is very different from your mistaken notions; he is not to destroy, but to save, the children of men. Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go. Ye judge after the flesh, I judge no man." John viii. 14, 15. He added, that if he should condemn any person for unbelief, the condemnation would be just, because his mission was true, being confirmed by his own testimony, and that of his Almighty Father, the God of Jacob, by whose authority, and agreeable to whose will, all his sentences would be passed. "And yet if I judge, my judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me." John viii. 16. Having thus asserted the divinity of his mission, and shewn that his judgment was just, he proceeded to inform them that the Father himself bare witness to the truth of his mission. You cannot, said he, justly complain, even if I should punish for you your unbelief, because you are, by your own laws, commanded to believe the testimony of two witnesses that my mission evidently is true. For the actions of my life, which are perfectly agreeable to the character of a messenger from heaven, bare sufficient witness of me; and the Father by the miracles he has enabled me to perform, beareth witness of me; ye are therefore altogether culpable in objecting to my mission. "It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me, beareth witness of me." John vii. 17, 18.. The Jews then asked him, Where is the Father, the other witness to whom thou. appealest ? Jesus replied, Your conduct The Jews by no means comprehended this departure of which our Lord told them. They even fancied he would destroy himself, because they thought the only retreat where he was not to be found was the gloomy habitation of the grave. To which the blessed Jesus replied, Your vile insinuation betrays at once the wickedness of your hearts, and the baseness of your original. Ye are from the earth, and therefore subject to all the evil passions that infect human nature: and from the dictates of your own hearts you fancy that I can be capable of committing the horrid crime of self-murder. But my extraction is very different: it is from heaven, and consequently my mind is not tainted with the corruption of this world. You, therefore, must believe, that I am the "bread of life," the heavenly manna, the light of the world, the true Messiah, if you are desirous of being cleansed from those pollutions which flow from your earthly origin; but if ye still continue in your unbelief," you shall die in your sins." The Jews now, in order to vindicate themselves, demanded what sort of person he pretended to be? To which Jesus answered," Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning (that is, at the beginning of this discourse) the light of the world." Adding, "I have many things to say, and. to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him." John viii. 26. |