Exposition of John, Chapter 11 · Verse 7 – Verse 9
Ver. 9. Jeſus anſwered, are there not twelve houres in the day? If any man walk in the day, he ſtumbleth not, becauſe he ſeeth the light of this world.
10. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, becauſe there is no light in him.
Followeth Chriſts anſwer to their objection againſt his reſolution, conſiſting of two parts; The firſt whereof (in theſe verſes) is general. Concerning which, they who underſtand this day, and the houres thereof, of mans life time, wherein he is to go about his buſſineſs, do indeed ſpeak this for truth, that the time of Chriſts calling in that way, was to be ended at his death, and that men could not reach him till the houres of his life were expired, and therefore he neede… not feare But neither doth that ſo fi…ly agree with what is ſubjoyned, ver. 10. of mens ſtumbling in the night, nor ye… with Chriſts own practice, who, albeit he knew he ſhould be in ſafety till his hou…e came, yet he did uſe lawful means, and follow the Fathers call, in removing from place to place, as is manifeſt in his going lately out of Judea. Therefore, if we conſider, 1. The order that God hath eſtabliſhed in nature, in appointing the day for mens labour, in all the houres thereof, and not the night, becauſe men cannot but ſtumble in it, Pſal. 104 20. 21, 22, 23. 2. Chriſts particular anſwer, ver. 11. wherein he ſhewes his calling for this journey, I… …ay, we conſider theſe, we will finde the ſenſe of this general anſwer to be this; That a calling from God is like day-light to a man, to prevent fear of ſtumbling, or inconveniency and danger: whereas he who neglects the opportunity thereof, may fall in many inconveniences, like a man who neglects his journey till the evening or night, and therefore cannot chooſe but ſtumble, ſeeing he wants the light of day, and hath no light in him to ſupply that defect. And by this, Chriſt leads them to underſtand, that as he had a calling to leave Judea, ſo if he could clear a calling to return to it again, there was no danger, whereas to ſleight a calling would draw on real inconveniences Doctrine 1. The great task and exerciſe of Chriſtians ought to be, to turn their eyes from ſtudying inconveniencies and hazards, to ſtudy their duty and calling, as their work and care, and then leave the care of events unto God; Therefore, doth Chriſt draw them, who were affected with fear of dangers, to conſider ſeriouſly what calling there was for that undertaking. 2. As the Lord hath honoured the children of men by appointing unto them lawful callings, wherein they may ſerve him, whatever their calling be in it ſelfe; So he hath appointed times and opportunities of theſe callings, which are not to be neglected: for, a calling is like the day, wherein a man may walk, and there are twelve houres in this day, that is, a prefixed time for going about this calling, (as there is for day-light;) which is not be neglected, more then a man would neglect the day time to go about his buſineſſe in it. The expreſſion alludes to the cuſtome of the Jewes, who divided the day and the night, each of them in twelve houres, and that both ſummer and winter, only they ſhortned the houres of the day in winter, and lengthned them in ſummer; and ſo, (contrariwiſe) the hours of the night. 3. A man that followeth a calling from God, and emproveth all the opportunities thereof, is in a ſafe courſe, and ſo needs fear no danger; for, as, if any man walk in the day, he ſtumbleth not becauſe he ſeeth the light of this world, or the ſun; ſo he that hath the light of his calling, needs not ſtumble, but that may be to him as day-light is to paſſengers. See 1 Pet. 3.13. For, albeit following of Gods call will not alwayes keep men from trouble, but Chriſt himſelf, when his courſe was finiſhed, and very ſhortly after this met with it: Yet, 1. They will get their day finiſhed, and ſhall not be interrupted till they have finiſhed their work, as Chriſts experience teacheth, See Luk. 13.31, 32. 2. If they be not kept from difficulties, yet following their calling, they are kept from the guilt of procuring them ſinfully. 3 They may be ſure they ſhall be bleſſed, and 4. That God who employes them, will make up all their loſſes to them So that the clearneſſe of Gods call affords more peace, then all the difficulties men can m…et …ith in a calling, can make void. Doctrine 4. As mans life is but ſhort, ſo the opportunities of following of a calling from God are but ſhort, and ſoone leſt in de…mably; for, it is but a day of twelve hours, after which a night cometh 5. As men who run on danger without a calling, may meet with many a ſnare; So they who neglect Gods call for fear of trial, may meet with ſover difficulties in their own way; for, if a man walk in the night, he ſtumbleth becauſe there is no light in him, to take up hazards, which God hath appointed the Sun to point out unto men. The meaning is, not only that he who runs without a call, ſtumbleth, but that as a man who, having buſineſs to do in the day time, yet, doth not ſet out till night, doth exceedingly prejudge himſelfe; ſo he who either rejects Gods call, and takes him to follow his own counſels, or he who fits the opportunities of doing his calling, and comes too late, may meet with ſharp trials.
Ver. 11. Theſe things ſaid he, and after that he ſaith unto them, Our friend Lazarus ſleepeth, but I go, that I may awake him out of ſleep.
Chriſt having in general, cleared the uſefulneſſe and ſafety that is in following a calling, doth, in this ſecond part of the anſwer, clear his own calling to this journy in particular, to wit, that he might raiſe Lazarus, who was now dead. Whence learn, 1. Chriſt hath an honourable relation unto, and a neere intereſt in them that beleeve; for, he is the friend Lazarus. See Iſa. 41.8. Jam 2.23. 2. The death of beleevers doth not break off Chriſts relations or friendſhip to them, but he will remember them for good, even when they are dead; for, he is friend Lazarus when dead, and I go to awake him 3. Such as are friends to Chriſt, ought alſo to be looked on as friends, by all Chriſts followers; Therefore, doth he ſay, Our friend Lazarus. 4. Albeit death be a common lot to the godly and wicked; yet Chriſtians ought to have Chriſtian conceptions, and Chriſtian expreſſions of it, and indeed the nature thereof is changed to them: Therefore, ſaith he, Lazarus ſleepeth, which name is given to death, not only becauſe he was ſhortly to raiſe him up, as eaſily as one awakes a ſleeping man (and ſo afterward he ſaith, I go that I may awake him, See alſo Luk. 8.52. &c) but alſo, becauſe death is a ſweet ſleep to the godly, and a reſt from their labours, till the morning of the reſurrection, that he raiſe them up to inherite glory, Rev 14.13. Pſal. 17.15. 5. When Chriſt propounds difficulties to his people, he hath alſo the remedy in his own hand; and when we are called to ſtudy difficulties, he warrants us alſo to ſtudy what he can do for us under them; Therefore, unto this, that Lazarus ſleepeth, he ſubjoynes, but I go that I may awake him. 6. It is a calling to Chriſt, to go where he may do good to any of his own, were it through never ſo many difficulties and dangers; Therefore doth he ſubjoyne this to the former general doctrine, as clearing his calling to this journey in particular, Theſe things ſaid he, and after that he ſaith unto them Our friend Lazarus ſleepeth, but I go, &c. 7. Chriſt alone will have the glory of the good done to his people, and will not ſuffer any to ſhare with him; for, albeit he had invited them to go with him, as companions in the journy, ver. 7. yet he will acknowledge no companions in the miracle, I go that I may awake him. 8. Chriſt will chooſe that way of working for his people that may moſt manifeſt his own glory, albeit it ſhould be a way full of hazard, of delayes, and diſcoveries of his peoples weakneſſe; Therefore, whereas they might object, that he might more eaſily ſend his word of power, which might do the work more ſpeedily, as Joh. 4.49, 50. and with leſſe hazard, and cauſe of fainting fear to them; Yet, ſaith he, I go, that the glory of the miracle might …e more conſpicuous, as the event teſtified.
Ver. 12. Then ſaid his Diſciples, Lord, if he ſleep, he ſhall do well.
13. Howbeit Jeſus ſpake of his death: but they thought he had ſpoken of taking of reſt in ſleep.
Chriſts manner of expreſſion in clearing of his calling, being miſtaken by the Apoſtles, though the phraſe was very uſual, they urge it againſt his going to Judea. For, whereas Chriſt ſpake of Lazarus death, they underſtand it of his reſting by ſleep in his ſickneſs, and therefore propound that this being a ſigne of health, he needed not to go heale him. Whence learn. 1. Even diſciples are ready to miſtake and miſunderſtand Chriſts minde and words; for, ſo they underſtand Chriſts words otherwiſe then he meant them. 2. One great cauſe of our miſtakes, is, the averſeneſſe of our minde from knowing any thing but what we pleaſe; and that our corrupt affections do oft-times guide our judgements; for, the diſciples being averſe from ſuffering, and glad of any excuſe to keep out of Judea, do grip to Chriſts expreſſion of ſleep, to gather this faire pretence from it, Lord, if he ſleep, he ſhall do well; whereas, if their paſſions and diſtempers had not blinded them, they might eaſily have perceived, that Chriſt meant more by that expreſſion; ſeeing he would not have undertaken ſuch a journey, meerly to awake a ſleeping friend out of a refreſhful ſleep. 3. It is no eaſie matter to bring even diſciples to ſubmit to Gods will, when it croſſeth their own diſpoſitions; for, after all that Chriſt had ſaid, they bewray that they continue ſtill averſe from going to Judea. 4. When Chriſt puts his people to it, they may expect to be tried both on the right hand and the left, 2 Cor. 6 7. and to have both carnal fears of trouble, and deluded hopes of exemption, let looſe upon them, to bring forth what is in their heart; Therefore, after they are tried with an affrighting ſight of danger, ver. 7, 8. Now, on the other hand, they are tried with hopes of being free of that journey, and by this they are ſifted, as well as by the other, and the neceſſitie of going was the more ſearching, after ſuch a fancy.