1._Jesus walked in Galilee. _The Evangelist appears not to pursue a continued narrative, but to select out of what occurred at different times those events which were worthy of being related. He says that Christ sojourned for a time in Galilee, because he could not remain in safety anywhere among th... [ Continue Reading ]
2._Now a feast of the Jews was at hand. _Though I do not affirm it, yet it is probable that this happened during the second year after Christ’s baptism. As to this feast, which the Evangelist mentions, it is not necessary at present to say much. For what purpose and use it was enjoined, Moses shows,... [ Continue Reading ]
3._His brethren therefore said to him. _Under the word _brethren _the Hebrews include all cousins and other relations, whatever may be the degree of affinity. He says that they mocked at Christ, because he shunned to be seen or known, and concealed himself in a mean and despised district of Judea. T... [ Continue Reading ]
4._If thou dost these things; _that is, if thou aspirest to such greatness that all may applaud thee, direct towards thee the eyes of all. And they add, _show thyself to the world, _using the word _world, _as contrasted with the small number of persons among whom he was spending his time without hon... [ Continue Reading ]
5._For even his brethren did not believe in him. _Hence we infer how small is the value of carnal relationship; for the Holy Spirit stamps with a perpetual mark of infamy the relations of Christ, because, though convinced by the testimonies of so many works, they did not even then believe. _Therefor... [ Continue Reading ]
6._My time is not yet come. _There are some who erroneously interpret this as referring to the _time _of his death, for it denotes the _time _of his setting out on the journey to go to the feast. (181) He assures them that, in this respect, he differs from his relations. They may freely and without... [ Continue Reading ]
7._The world cannot hate you. _When he says that _the world cannot hate them_, he reproves them for being altogether carnal; for peace with _the world _can only be purchased by a wicked consent to vices and to every kind of wickedness. _But me it hateth, because I testify. The world _here denotes m... [ Continue Reading ]
9._He remained in Galilee. _The Evangelist here places before our eyes the cousins of our Lord Jesus Christ, (182) who, in compliance with ordinary customs, pretend to worship God, but yet are on friendly terms with unbelievers, and therefore walk without any alarm. On the other hand, he places befo... [ Continue Reading ]
11._The Jews therefore sought him. _Here we ought to consider what was the condition of the Church. For the Jews, at that time, gaped for the promised redemption like hungry men; yet, when Christ appears to them, they remain in suspense. Hence arose that murmuring and that variety of opinions. That... [ Continue Reading ]
12._And there was much murmuring. _He means that, wherever men were collected in crowds, as usually happens in large assemblies, they held secret conversations about Christ. The diversity of opinion, which is here related, proves that it is not a new evil, that men should differ in their opinions ab... [ Continue Reading ]
13._Yet no man spoke openly of him for fear of the Jews. _By _the Jews _he here means the rulers, who had the government in their hands. They burned with such hatred against Christ, that they did not permit a word to be uttered on either side. Not that they were displeased at any reproaches which we... [ Continue Reading ]
14._Jesus went up into the temple. _We now see that Christ was not so much afraid as to desist from the execution of his office; for the cause of his delay was, that he might preach to a very large assembly. We may sometimes, therefore, expose ourselves to dangers, but we ought never to disregard or... [ Continue Reading ]
15._And the Jews wondered _Those who think that Christ was received in such a manner as to be esteemed and honored are mistaken; for the _wonder _or _astonishment _of the Jews is of such a nature, that they seek occasion from it to despise him. For such is the ingratitude of men that, in judging of... [ Continue Reading ]
16._My doctrine is not mine. _Christ shows that this circumstance, which was an offense to the Jews, was rather a ladder by which they ought to have risen higher to perceive the glory of God; as if he had said, “When you see a teacher not trained in the school of men, know that I have been taught by... [ Continue Reading ]
17._If any man wish to do his will. _He anticipates the objections that might be made. For since he had many adversaries in that place, some one might readily have murmured against him in this manner: “Why dost thou boast to us of the name of God? For we do not know that thou hast proceeded from him... [ Continue Reading ]
18._He who speaketh from himself. _Hitherto he has showed that there is no other reason why men are blind, but because they are not governed by the fear of God. He now puts another mark on the doctrine itself, by which it may be known whether it is of God or of man. For every thing that displays the... [ Continue Reading ]
19._Did not Moses give you the Law? _The Evangelist does not give a full and connected narrative of the sermon delivered by Christ, but only a brief selection of the principal topics, which contain the substance of what was spoken. The scribes mortally hated him, (186) and the priests had been kindl... [ Continue Reading ]
20._Thou hast a devil. _The meaning is, “Thou art mad;” for it was a customary phrase among the Jews, who had been trained to the doctrine that, when men are excited to rage, or when they have lost sense and reason, they are tormented by the devil. And, indeed, as gentle and moderate chastisements a... [ Continue Reading ]
21._I have done one work. _Now, leaving their persons, he begins to speak of the fact; for he proves that the miracle which he performed is not inconsistent with the Law of God. When he says that _he has done one work_, the meaning is, that it is only of a single crime that he is held guilty, or tha... [ Continue Reading ]
22._Therefore Moses gave you circumcision _The particle _therefore _appears to be unsuitable; and, accordingly, some take διὰ τούτο (_on this account_, or _therefore_) in the sense of διὰ τούτο, (_because_;) but the Greek syntax is unfavourable to their opinion. (189) I explain it simply as meaning,... [ Continue Reading ]
24._Judege not according to the appearance. _Having concluded his defense, he likewise administers a reproof on this ground, that they are carried away by wicked dispositions, and do not form _a judgment _according to the fact and the matter in hand. _Circumcision _was properly held by them in rever... [ Continue Reading ]
25._Some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem; _that is, those to whom the rulers had communicated their plots, and who knew how much Christ was hated; for the people at large — as we saw lately — looked upon this as a dream, or as madness. Those persons, therefore, who knew with what inveterate rage the... [ Continue Reading ]
27._But we know whence this man is. _Here we see not only how great is the blindness of men, when they ought to judge about the things of God, but this vice is almost natural to them, to be ingenious in contriving what may hinder them from arriving at the knowledge of the truth. It is frequently, in... [ Continue Reading ]
28._Jesus therefore exclaimed in the temple. _He bitterly reproaches them for their rashness, because they arrogantly flattered themselves in a false opinion, and in this manner excluded themselves from a knowledge of the truth; as if he had said, “Youknow all things, and yet you know nothing.” And,... [ Continue Reading ]
29._But I know him. _When he says that _he knoweth God_, he means that it is not without good grounds that he has risen to so great confidence; and by his example he warns us not to assume lightly the name of God, so as to vaunt of Him as the patron and defender of our cause. For many are too presum... [ Continue Reading ]
30._Therefore they sought to seize him. _They had no want of will to do him mischief; they even made the attempt, and they had strength to do it. Why, then, amidst so much ardor, are they benumbed, as if they had their hands and feet bound? The Evangelist replies, _because Christ _’_s hour was not y... [ Continue Reading ]
31._And many of the multitude believed in him. _We might have thought that Christ preached to deaf and altogether obstinate persons; and yet the Evangelist says that some fruit followed. And, therefore, though some may murmur, and others scorn, and others slander, and though many differences of opin... [ Continue Reading ]
32._The Pharisees heard. _Hence it appears that the Pharisees, like persons set on the watch, were anxious on all occasions not to permit Christ to be known. In the first instance the Evangelist calls them only _Pharisees, _and next he adds to them_the priests _of whom _the Pharisees _were a part. T... [ Continue Reading ]
33._Yet a little while am I with you. _Some think that this sermon was addressed to the assembly of the people who were present, and others, that it was addressed to _the officers _who had been sent _to seize _Christ. But for my own part, I have no doubt that Christ particularly addresses his enemie... [ Continue Reading ]
34._You shall seek me. _They _sought _Christ, to put him to death. Here Christ alludes to the ambiguous signification of the word _seek, _for soon _they shall seek him _in another manner; as if he had said, “My presence, which is now irksome and intolerable to you, will last for a short time; but er... [ Continue Reading ]
35._Whither will he go? _This was added by the Evangelist, for the express purpose of showing how great was the stupidity of the people. Thus not only are wicked men deaf to hear God’s instruction, but even dreadful threatenings are allowed by them to pass by in mockery, as if they were listening to... [ Continue Reading ]
37._On the last day. _The first thing that ought to be observed here is, that no plots or intrigues of enemies terrified Christ, so as to cause him to desist from his duty; but, on the contrary, his courage rose with dangers, so that he persevered with greater firmness. This is proved by the circums... [ Continue Reading ]
38._He who believeth in me. _He now points out the manner of coming, which is, that we must approach, not with the feet, but by faith; or rather, _to come _is nothing else than _to believe_, at least, if you define accurately the word _believe_; as we have already said that we _believe in _Christ, w... [ Continue Reading ]
39._But this he spoke of the Spirit. _The word _water _is sometimes applied to _the Spirit _on account of its purity, because it is his office to cleanse our pollutions; but in this and similar passages this term is employed in a different acceptation, which is, that we are destitute of all the sap... [ Continue Reading ]
40._Many of the multitude. _The Evangelist now relates what fruit followed from this last sermon of our Lord Jesus Christ; namely, that some thought one thing and some another, so that _a difference of opinion arose among the people _It ought to be observed that John does not speak of the open enemi... [ Continue Reading ]
41._Others said, He is the Christ. _The second have a more correct opinion than the first; for they plainly acknowledge that he is the Christ; but the third (201) rise up against them, and hence proceeds the debate. By this example we are warned that we ought not to think it strange in the present d... [ Continue Reading ]
44._Some of them wished to seize him. _By these words the Evangelist means, that they not only despised Christ, but that their wicked rejection of him was accompanied by cruelty and eagerness to do him injury; for superstition is always cruel. That their efforts were unavailing, we ought to ascribe... [ Continue Reading ]
45._So the officers came. _Here we may see how blind is the arrogance of men. To such an extent do they admire and adore the greatness which renders them eminent, that they have no hesitation in trampling under foot morality and religion. If any thing happen contrary to their wish, they would willin... [ Continue Reading ]
46._Never man spoke like this man. _Those officers acknowledge that they are subdued and vanquished by the word of Christ, and yet they do not on that account repent or give due honor to the word. If it be true, that _never man spoke like this man_, why did not the Divine power, which they were comp... [ Continue Reading ]
47._And are you also seduced? _While they reprove their officers, they endeavor, at the same time, to keep them in subjection. For by these words they mean, that it would be unreasonable and unbecoming that they should not remain steady, though the whole people should revolt. But we must see on what... [ Continue Reading ]
48._Has any of the rulers, or of the Pharisees, believed in him? _“He has none on his side,” they say, “but low and ignorant men; _the rulers, _and every person of distinction, are opposed to him.” They expressly name _the Pharisees, _because they had a reputation above others, both for knowledge an... [ Continue Reading ]
49._But this multitude. _The first part of their pride was, that, relying on the title of Priests, they wished to subject all to them in a tyrannical manner. The next is, that they despise others as men of no estimation, as those who excessively flatter themselves are always disposed to abuse others... [ Continue Reading ]
50._Nicodemus said to them. _The Evangelist describes _Nicodemus _as a neutral man, who does not venture to undertake in good earnest the defense of sound doctrine, and yet cannot endure to have the truth oppressed. _He who came to Jesus by night. _This circumstance is mentioned by the Evangelist, p... [ Continue Reading ]
52._Art thou also from Galilee? _They say that all who favor Christ are _from Galilee_, and this is spoken reproachfully, as if he could not have any person among his followers except from the small and unknown corner of _Galilee _(205) The extreme violence to which they are excited against Nicodemu... [ Continue Reading ]
53._And every man went to his own house. _Now follows an astonishing close of the transaction. If any one take into account what was the reign of the priests at that time, with what rage they were excited, and how vast was their retinue, and, on the other hand, if he consider that Christ was unarmed... [ Continue Reading ]