John 2:23

Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. NOW WHEN HE WAS IN JERUSALEM AT THE PASSOVER, IN THE FEAST [DAY], [ en (G1722) tee (G3588) heortee (G1859)] - rather, 'during the feast,' which lasted seven days. What is now to be related is not the result of one day, but of the whole period of this festival. The cleansing of the Temple, recorded in the preceding verses, occurred probably before the feast began. MANY BELIEVED IN HIS NAME - see the note at John 1:12. These converts, persuaded that His claims were well founded,...

23._Many believed. _The Evangelist appropriately connects this narrative with the former. Christ had not given such a sign as the Jews demanded; and now, when he produced no good effect on them by many miracles — except that they entertained a cold faith, which was only the shadow of faith — this event sufficiently proves that they did not deserve that he should comply with their wishes. It was, indeed, some fruit of _the signs, _that _many believed in _Christ, and in his name, so as to profess that they wished to follow his doctrine; for _name _is here put for _authority_. This appearance of faith, which hitherto was fruitless, might ultimately be changed into true faith, and might be a useful preparation for celebrating the name of Christ among others; and yet what we have said is true, that they were far from having proper feelings, so as to profit by the works of God, as they ought t...

23-25 Our Lord knew all men, their nature, dispositions, affections, designs, so as we do not know any man, not even ourselves. He knows his crafty enemies, and all their secret projects; his false friends, and their true characters. He knows who are truly his, knows their uprightness, and knows their weaknesses. We know what is done by men; Christ knows what is in them, he tries the heart. Beware of a dead faith, or a formal profession: carnal, empty professors are not to be trusted, and however men impose on others or themselves, they cannot impose on the heart-searching God....

Verse John 2:23. _MANY BELIEVED IN HIS NAME_] They believed him to be the _promised Messiah_, but did not believe in him to the salvation of their souls: for we find, from the following verse, that their hearts were not at all _changed_, because our blessed Lord could not trust himself to them....

FEAST-DAY - Feast. During the celebration of the Passover, which continued eight days. MIRACLES WHICH HE DID - These miracles are not particularly recorded. Jesus took occasion to work miracles, and to preach at that time, for a great multitude were present from all parts of Judea. It was a favorable opportunity for making known his doctrines and showing the evidence that he was the Christ, and he embraced it. We should always seek and embrace opportunities of doing good, and we should not be “deterred,” but rather “excited,” by the multitude around us to make known our real sentiments on the subject of religion....

EXPOSITION VERSES 2:1-3:4 _The testimony of signs to the glory of the Word made flesh._ JOHN 2:1 (1) _The first sign, the beginning of signs, Mastery over the old creation. Sign of love and power. _The description of the preceding narrative, given in John 2:11, is the true key to it. It is impressive on several accounts. Christ had not yet given any "sign" of the invisible and eternal glory which the evangelist in his prologue had claimed for him. He had not in his own person "manifested" the unique majesty of his will, nor revealed the direction in which the power he wielded would most freely move. John, by this statement, (1) puts down a positive disclaimer of the whole cycle of portents which, whe

NOW WHEN HE WAS IN JERUSALEM AT THE PASSOVER,.... Whither he went, in order to keep it, that being at hand, and now come; see John 2:13; IN THE FEAST DAY; either on the day the Chagigah was eaten, which was sometimes emphatically called "the feast", as in Numbers 28:16, "and in the fourteenth day of the first month, is the passover of the Lord; and in the fifteenth day of this month, [is] the feast"; the passover lamb was eaten on the fourteenth day of the month "Nisan", and the "Chagigah" was on the fifteenth; in the former only a lamb was eaten, in the other, cattle out of the herds; hence mention is made, both of flocks and herds, for the keeping the passover, Deuteronomy 16:2. Jarchi's

II. ETERNAL LIFE IMPARTED: What it is and What it Includes Chapter 2:23-17 The second part of this Gospel contains the blessed teachings the Son of God gave concerning eternal life, how it is imparted and what it includes. Everything in these Chapter s is new. The story of Nicodemus, the woman at Sychar's well, the healing of the impotent man, the discourses of our Lord, etc., are not reported by the synoptic Gospels. There is not a word of the Sermon on the Mount reported by John; the many miracles, so significantly arranged in Matthew, are omitted (except the feeding of the 5000); nor do we find a single parable concerning the Kingdom of Heaven. The progressive revelation concerning eternal life will be brought out in the annotations. As already stated the teachings begin with the new birth, in which eternal life is imparted, and end with the destiny of those who are born again. This...

THE RESULTS OF THE FIRST VISIT TO JERUSALEM. The result of the Lord's visit to Jerusalem at the Passover and His work there was that many believed on his name, _i.e._ they were convinced that He was the Messiah and were ready to follow Him as such, of course interpreting the title according to their own expectations and aspirations. Jesus, knowing their thoughts, refuses to trust Himself to them. Their views are incompatible with His. Before He can be the Messiah of His people, He must teach them the true character of the Messianic kingdom. If this is authentic history, it may go some way towards explaining the difference between this gospel and the Synoptists in respect of the attitude of Jesus, His disciples, and the people, with regard to the question of His Messiahship....

MANY BELIEVED IN HIS NAME WHEN THEY SAW THE MIRACLES. The miracles that he worked at this Passover season are not recorded, but this passage affirms them, as well as John 3:2. Their belief was rather an intellectual assent that he was. divine teacher than an obedient trust in him as the Savior....