John 10:40

And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode. AND WENT AWAY AGAIN BEYOND JORDAN, INTO THE PLACE WHERE JOHN AT FIRST BAPTIZED. (See the note at .)...

40._He went away beyond Jordan. _Christ passed _beyond Jordan, _that he might not have to fight continually without any advantage. He has therefore taught us, by his example, that we ought to avail ourselves of opportunities, when they occur. As to the place of his retreat, the reader may consult the observations which I have made at Chapter 1, verse 28. (305)...

39-42 No weapon formed against our Lord Jesus shall prosper. He escaped, not because he was afraid to suffer, but because his hour was not come. And He who knew how to deliver himself, knows how to deliver the godly our of their temptations, and to make a way for them to escape. Persecutors may drive Christ and his gospel our of their own city or country, but they cannot drive him or it out of the world. When we know Christ by faith in our hearts, we find all that the Scripture saith of him is true....

Verse John 10:40. _BEYOND JORDAN_] Rather, _to the side of Jordan_, not _beyond_ it. John 6:22, and Matthew 19:1. _WHERE JOHN AT FIRST BAPTIZED_] That is, at _Bethabara_: see John 1:28. _Afterwards_, John baptized at _AEnon_: John 3:23....

WHERE JOHN AT FIRST BAPTIZED - At Bethabara, or Bethany, John 1:28....

EXPOSITION JOHN 10:1 5. _Christ the Shepherd of the flock of God_._ _The discourse which now follows was the Lord's parabolic or allegoric reply to the conduct of the Pharisaic malignants. These men, claiming to be infallible guides of the ignorant, to be veritable shepherds of the flock of God, had ignored the advent of the true and good Shepherd, had opposed the Divine call and supreme claim of the Messiah, had set themselves to disturb and dislocate the relations between him and those who saw his glory and found in him the Consolation of Israel. They had excommunicated the adoring disciple who had passed out of lifelong darkness into marvelous light. They had exaggerated the faint glimmer of light which had broken upon their own blindness into true vision. They had said, "We see," and thus shown themselves to be willfully

AND WENT AWAY AGAIN BEYOND JORDAN,.... Where he had been before; and whither he went; not merely for the security of his person, much less to indulge himself in ease, but to preach the Gospel, work miracles, and bring many souls to believe on him, as did: and he went INTO THE PLACE WHERE JOHN AT FIRST BAPTIZED; that is, Bethabara, where he baptized before he was at Aenon, near Salim, John 1:28, and was the place where Christ himself was baptized, and where John bore such a testimony of him: AND THERE HE ABODE; how long is not certain, perhaps till he went to Bethany, on account of raising Lazarus from the dead....

CHAPTER 10 _ 1. The Shepherd of the Sheep. (John 10:1 .)_ 2. The Good Shepherd, His Sheep and His Work. (John 10:6 .) 3. At the Feast of Dedication; the Repeated Testimony. (John 10:22 .) 4. Accused of Blasphemy and His Answer. (John 10:31 .) 5. Beyond Jordan; and Many Believed on Him. (John 10:40 .) The teaching of this chapter is closely linked with the preceding event. It has become evident that the true sheep of Christ, belonging to His flock, would be cast out of the Jewish fold. The healed man cast out had become one of

THE FEAST OF THE DEDICATION._ Mg.,_ At that time suggests a closer connexion with what precedes than the old reading And. But in any case the notes of time are not precise. The Feast of the Dedication (p. 104) was instituted to commemorate the restoration (p. 607) of the Temple services in 165 by the Maccabees after its desecration for three years by Antiochus Epiphanes (1Ma_4:36-59, 2Ma_10:1-8, Josephus, _Ant._ XII. vii. 7). It lasted for eight days from December 25, and according to Josephus was called Lights, because this liberty beyond our hopes appeared to us. According to 2Ma_1:9 it was called the Tabernacles of the month Chisleu, many of the customs of Tabernacles being reproduced at it. For the Porch of Solomon, _cf._ Acts 3:11 *. The Jews, either incited to hope by Jesus-' teaching, or wishing to discredit Him with the crowd, demand a clear pronouncement of His Messianic cla

WENT BEYOND JORDAN.. WHERE JOHN AT FIRST BAPTIZED. For the time the Lord retired before the threatening storm. His "hour had not yet come," and would not until the Passover, three months in the future. In this region, where John had done his work of preparation so thoroughly,. more friendly reception might be expected....