ST. JOHN. T CHAP. 1.2. HAT holy perfon, of whom this narration treats, being united to God from eternity, was one together with him. It is he who created the world. It is he who offers falvation to mankind. He is a 3.4.5light fhining through darkness. Before his face God 6.7.8. fent his holy meffenger, John the Baptift, to draw men by his testimony, to follow this true light, which He intended for the direction of mankind. yet even that very world which he created, received And 1. Many learned men, and efpecially Dr. Lardner, have fhewn, that when St. John fpeaks of the Word, he did it not in con❤ formity to the Platonifts, as many have fuppofed; but merely as it was a customary way of speaking among the Jews. By the Word of the Lord were the heavens made. Pf. xxxiii. 6. Until the time came that this caufe was known the Word of the Lord tried him, PL. cv. 19. See alfo Rev. xix. 13. 2. St. John in the two first verses, fhews the nature of Chrift in the third his power; and from the fourth to the nineteenth he expatiates on the work of redemption. 4.5. When St. John mentions Jefus under the fimilitude of light, it is probable he alludes to the Shechinah, or divine light, which many of the Jewish rabbins confidered as the appearance of the Melliah. 9. Better tranflated; which coming into the world, enlighteneth every man. 9. 10. 21. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. him not. Those very creatures to whom he gave life, rejected the falvation he offered. But to those who fhall accept him, and believe his promises, he will give the glorious privilege of being the fons of God. They fhall be born again, not after the manner of men, but through the influence of the Holy Spirit of God. It was this divine perfon who condefcended to dwell with man; and we, who had nearer accefs to him, are the witneffes of his glory and power. In this teftimony alfo, John the Baptist joined; giving the fulleft evidence of his greatness and excellence. Nor was the holy religion he revealed a lefs convincing proof; from the excellence of which hath flowed every grace that hath been communicated to us. The law of Mofes was defective and partial. That of Christ, being full and clear, offers falvation to all mankind. Never before was the will of God thus revealed to fallen man. 11. Some commentators apply this immediately to the Jews; as if they were more peculiarly his own. I fhould fuppofe it refers equally to all who reject him. 13. Inftead of a EyEnnav, the Codex Veronenfis reads o eyenne which changes the fense from the perfons, who were born, to Chrift. 14. The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us; and we beheld his glory. This paffage is commonly, and I think very justly, produced in proof of the divinity of Chrift. The word dwelt might be tranflated tabernacled; so that here seems to be an allufion to the Deity's dwelling between the Cherubins. In the fame manner as God appeared there; the Son veiled, or tabernacled in the human form, appeared in the flesh. 16. Grace for grace. Perhaps the precife meaning of thefe words may be, One inflitution of Grace in the room of another; as the law of Mofes is mentioned immediately after. John's John's teftimony to this great truth was given on this occafion. The aufterity and holiness of his life and doctrines having spread his fame through Judea, the council at Jerufalem thought it proper to fend certain priests and Levites, to inquire, Whether he were the Meffiah? - John, with great earneftness, declared he was not. --They then afked whether he were Elijah (whom the Jews fuppofed would rife again to introduce the Meffiah), or any other of the old prophets? He affured them he was not. They defired then to know who he was, that they might return an answer to those who sent them? John answered from the prophet Ifaiah, that he was the voice of one crying in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord. 19: 20. 21. 22. 23. The Pharifees, (for of that fect were these in- 24. 25 quiring priests) defired then to know on what authority he baptifed; as his baptism certainly implied the introduction of a new religion? --John told 26. 27. them, it implied nothing as from himself; but had reference entirely to that fuperior perfon, who should foon make his appearance among them; and whose coming he was directed by the prophets to proclaim. This tranfaction paffed at the Ferry, or paffageplace, on the river Jordan, where was commonly a great refort of people, and where John at that time had fixed his ftation. 21. John could only mean, that he was not really the person of Elijah for if he knew his own defignation, he was certainly that person who was to come in the Spirit and power of Elijah. Luke i. 17. VOL. I Y great 29. 30. 31. 32. 33 34. 35.36. 37. The next day, John, feeing Jefus coming towards him, pointed him out to the people as the Lamb of God, who came to fulfil all the typical facrifices of the law, by taking away the fins of the world. This is he, continued John, of whofe fuperior excellence I spoke. When I began my ministry, I knew him not. I knew only in general, that fuch a perfon fhould arife; and that I was to prepare his way by calling men to repentance. Now I can bear the strongest testimony. I faw the spirit of God defcending from heaven, and refting upon him: and, that fame revelation, through which I was ordered to preach and baptize, gave me intimation also, that he, on whom I fhould fee that distinguishing sign, was the Meffiah, who fhould baptize with the Holy Ghoft. This fign, therefore, I faw, and bear record, that that facred perfon, on whom it refted, is the Son of God. It happened, the next day, that as John was standing with two of his difciples, he faw Jefus at a diftance; and pointing him out as that eminent perfon, who was to make atonement for the fins of the world, the two difciples followed Jefus, and, by 38.39 40. his permiffion, attended him. One of them, whofe 41. name was Andrew, immediately went in queft of his brother Simon, and told him, with great joy, that he had found the Meffiah; and carried him to Jefus. 29. See Exod. xxix. 10. IQ Levit. i. 4. iii. 2.-iv. 4. Jefus, in the spirit of prophecy, gave him the name of Peter, which fignifies a rock; implying that steady fupport which he should hereafter give to the church of Chrift. The day after, Jefus going into Galilee, found Philip, whom he engaged to follow him. Philip lived at Bethfaida, where Andrew and Peter alfo As very ma 42. This interview between Jefus and Peter differs fo terially from that mentioned in Matthew, that we muft fuppofe it a prior one and that after this tranfaction which John mentions, Peter returned home; and was not called to follow Jefus till that time which is recorded by St. Matthew. 45. Dr. Cave has used arguments which have convinced many learned men that Nathaniel was the apoftle Bartholomew. 46. In the text, Nathaniel afks, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? By good thing, or that good thing as it might be rendered, it is probable he might mean the Meffiah, who is fo called by the prophet Jeremiah (xxxiii. 14.). Nathaniel alfo no doubt knew, that the Meffiah was to be born at Bethlehem. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. |