Exposition of John, Argument – Chapter 1
The ARGUMENT.
JOHN the ſon of Zebedee, being called from the fiſher-trade to be an Apoſtle, Matth. 4.21, 22. was in a ſpecial way favoured of Chriſt, during the time of his abode in the world; being admitted to be one of the witneſſes of ſome of his ſpecial miracles, Mark 5.37. of his transfiguration, Matth. 17.12. and of his agonie in the garden, Matth. 26.37. He was likewiſe entruſted by Chriſt upon the Croſſe, with the care of his mother, John 19.26, 27. and (which is above all) he was one ſpecially beloved of Chriſt, and very intimate with him, John 13.23. and 21.20, 24. After Chriſts aſcenſion, and the pouring out of the Spirit, he is employed with the reſt, in proclaiming the glad tidings of ſalvation, and was joynt with Peter in healing of the creple, and enduring of the trials which followed thereupon, Acts 3. and 4. After that, we finde him ſent with Peter to Samaria, Acts 8.14. &c. Afterward, as hiſtories record, he went to Aſia the leſſer, where he did propagate the Kingdome of Chriſt, not onelyonly by preaching unto them, but by writing, at the direction of the Holy Ghoſt, to the edification of the whole Church, as appeareth by his Epiſtles, the Revelation, and this Goſpel, whereof he declareth he was the Penman. John 21.20, 24.
His ſcope in this Narration of the Hiſtory of Chriſt, is to prove that Chriſt-man is alſo the very Son of God, and to clear up the way of ſalvation through faith in his Name, as he declareth, Chap. 20. 31. And more particularly, the time, and occaſion of his writing of it, as is (recorded in Eccleſiaſtical hiſtory) was, That, during the time of his exile in Pathmos, (where he wrote the Revelation) the Churches in Aſia were infeſted with many ſeducers, publiſhing their pernicious errors, as may be gathered alſo from his Epiſtles to the ſeven Churches there, Rev. 2. and 3. and namely with Ebion and Cerinthus, who denied the divinity of Chriſt; Therefore, after his return, (and ſo long after all the reſt of the Apoſtles were dead) he is ſet on work by Chriſt to write this Goſpel, and adde this witneſſe to the other three, to make up a moſt perfect narration for the uſe of the Church in all ages; Wherin he doth in a very ſublime way deſcribe and aſſert the perſon, natures, and offices of Jeſus Chriſt, againſt all the errors of that time, or which might afterward trouble the Church; and, as the beloved Diſciple that had lien in his Maſters boſome, he ſoareth very high in ſpeaking of the great myſtery of godlineſſe. In his narration he doth not inſiſt to repeat what had been ſufficiently recorded by the other Evangeliſts, but pitcheth chiefly upon ſome noted, and ſpecial actions of Chriſt, adding thereto divers of his excellent Sermons, upon the chief points of Chriſtian Religion, together with his ſolemn Prayer before his paſſion; which in the Lords holy and wiſe providence had been reſerved for ſuch a time and ſuch a Penman; and wherein the deepeſt myſteries of ſaith, and the rich treaſures of the godlies comfort, are clearly and ſatisfactorily pointed out.
The parts of this Hiſtory are, 1. A deſcrition of Chriſt to ver. 37. of Chap. 1. 2. A narration of the execution of his offices, in his doctrine, and actions, during the time of his life and miniſtry, to Chap. 18. 3. The hiſtory of his death and ſufferings. Chap, 18. and 19. 4. The hiſtory of his reſurrection, with ſome paſſages confirming the ſame, Chap. 20. & 21.
CHAP. I.
IN this Chapter, firſt, John deſcribeth Chriſt the ſubject of the Goſpel, pointing out his divinity, and his manifeſtation of himſelf to the world, before, and by his incarnation, to v. 15. Next, he confirmeth this doctrine from ſundry teſtimonies of John the Baptiſt, concerning Chriſt, to v 37. Laſtly, He relateth the calling of five diſciples, to the end of the Chapter.