Exposition of John, Chapter 12 · Verse 22
Ver. 35. Then Jeſus ſaid unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you: walk while ye have the light, l…ſt darkneſs come upon you: for he that walketh in darkneſſe, knoweth not whether he goeth.
36. While ye have light, beleeve in the light, that ye may be the children of light. Theſe things ſpake Jeſus, and departed, and did hide himſelfe from them.
In theſe verſes we have Chriſts anſwer unto, and carriage upon, this objection, ſo cloſing this whole purpoſe. And firſt, He will not anſwer any more directly to their cavilling objection, nor will he inſiſt to clear how his ſuffering and abiding for ever are conſiſtent, having already abundantly cleared all doubts, by his former doctrine and miracles. Only he indirectly points at what his former doctrine and miracles had proven; To wit, that he is the Meſſiah and light of the world, (of which we heard, chap 8.12.) And that by his doctrine and Miniſtry they had the true means of grace to direct them to heaven. And preſſeth upon them to walk in that light, rather then to bark againſt it, which afterward, ver. 36. he expounds to be their beleeving in him, and anſwerable walking. Secondly, He ſubjoines reaſons to enforce this exhortation. As, 1. They were to have but a little while of this light, his perſon firſt, and then the Goſpel holding him out, being to be removed from them; And therefore they had need to emprove the opportunity better, then to carp and diſpute themſelves from their happineſſe. 2. Upon the removal of this light, darkneſſe of ignorance and miſery would follow, and then they ſhould wander like men in the dark. 3. If they beleeve and walk in the light, they ſhall be the children of light, and his true followers. And by theſe ſubjoined to the exhortation, he clears alſo that, however it be a truth, that he is to abide for ever, yet not as they underſtood it. For he was not to abide for ever wi…h the Jewes in perſon, f…r leſs was it his errand among them to ſet up a worldly Kingdome: But he came for a while, to purchaſe eternal redemption, that ſinners might beleeve in him, and ſo become children of the light, and heirs of an heavenly Kingdome. Thirdly, Chriſt having ſaid this, leaves off his preaching, and gets away from them. This he did, partly, to avoid danger, becauſe he ſaw them begin to heat againſt him, and knew that his enemies were waiting for his life: And partly, to begin the verification of that threatning of the lights departing from them. And however Chriſt preached and debated much in publike, at this his laſt entry to Jeruſalem, which is noted by the other Evangeliſts; yet not much after this. And however it was, yet John mentions no more of his publike preaching after this, ſave only a little in the cloſe of this Chapter. All the reſt which followeth being only ſpoken unto, and with the diſciples.
From verſe 35. Learn, 1. Albeit Chriſt be very tender of weak ones, who wander, and hath commanded that they be inſtructed in meekneſſe who oppoſe, 2 Tim. 2.25. Yet when he hath clearly confirmed his truth, he looks upon the continued carpings of men, as a teſtimony of their malicious diſpoſition, which is neither to be dallied nor debated with: Therefore will he not inſiſt to anſwer to their cavil and objection, but puts them to their duty upon their peril. 2. As cavillations and diſputes againſt the truth are an evidence that mens hearts are dead, and that they are idle in point of practice; So the beſt way of dealing with ſuch, after the truth is cleared, is, to preſſe the practice of godlineſſe upon them, and to let them ſee the danger of oppoſing that truth upon which they ſhould be feeding; Therefore doth he, inſtead of anſwering, preſſe them to walk while they have the light, and points out the hazard of their ill emproving of their time 3. As Chriſt is the true light of the world, however he be deſpiſed by unbeleevers; Somers ſleighting of him doth not diminiſh his eſtimation of his own worth, nor ſhould beleevers think the leſſe of him; for, whatever their cavillations were, he propoſeth himſelfe to be eſteemed of as the light. 4. So long as men enjoy Chriſt and the means of grace, they enjoy light and a ſweet eſtate, if it be well emproven, be their outward condition never ſo ſad; for, it may ſtill be ſaid in ſuch a caſe, the light is with you. 5. It is a ſhort while, for moſt part, that men enjoy the occaſion of the means of grace; Either they are taken away from the means, or the means are taken from them, by perſecution, or becauſe of their abuſe thereof for, ſaith he, yet a little while is the light with you. 6. Albeit Chriſt will not at firſt give up with deſpiſers; Yet when men who enjoy the means, in ſtead of emproving thereof, do fall a wearying of, and carping at truth, it is a token they will enjoy them but ſhort while, unleſſe they repent; for, unto theſe c…rpers it is ſaid, yet a little while is the light with you, intimating his mercy, that it was not yet away, and the danger of a ſad and ſpeedy change, if they perſiſted. And however the Lord continue them with ſuch for a time, yet they may be ſo hardened, as not to profit thereby. 7. It may ſtir up men to emprove the opportunity of the means of grace, when they conſider, how ſhort while they may enjoy them, and that their neglecting of the opportunity may ſhorten it; for, it clearly followeth yet a little while is the light with you, therefore walk while ye have the light. 8. Such as do rightly emprove an offer of Chriſt, and the means of grace, will be ſo far from carping thereat, that they will not reſt ſatisfied with any notional eſtimation thereof, unleſſe they reduce their knowledge into practice, and in the uſe of means be advanced in their way to heaven; for, it is required, they walk while they have the light as men make uſe of the day-light, to do their buſineſſe or travel in. 9. Such as neglect opportunity, and abuſe the means of grace, are juſtly deprived of that light, and puniſhed with darkneſſe of ignorance and wandring in ſinful courſes, and of affliction and judgements; for, that is the certification, loſt darkneſſe come upon you, when the light is removed, And that is ſad…er, then if they had never enjoyed the light. 10. When Chriſt is provoked to deſert profane deſpiſers of him; Yet he will not want ſ…me to ſhine upon in the world; for, the threatning is particular, darkneſſe upon you. For when he removed his bodily preſence from them, and the Goſpel alſo, yet he took not this light from the world. 11. As it is the great mercy of thoſe who enjoy and emprove the Goſpel, that they know what they are doing, and what to do in every condition, (for, they are as men in day light, who ſee their way), So it is a ſad judgement on deſpiſers, who provoke God to take away the means, that they wander in darkneſſe, ſtumbling on ſinful courſes, and walking by gueſſe in very ſtep, and that in affliction they know not whither to turn them; for, ſo much is imported in this reaſon, for he that walketh in darkneſſe, knoweth not whither he goeth.
From verſe 36. Learn, 1. Sinners can never enough be admoniſhed of, or ponder the danger of their neglecting an opportunity of the means of grace, and their duty to make uſe of it; Therefore doth Chriſt again repeat the exhortation, inſinuating the ſhort time they were like to have the opportunity, while ye have the light, beleeve in the light, 2. Before there can be any anſwerable walking to an offer of Chriſt, or any uſe made of truth, uſe muſt be made of faith to cloſe with the truth, and with Chriſt offered in it; Therefore, is their walking, expounded here, beleeve in the light, or the truth of the Goſpel, and in Chriſt ſhining in it. 3. Such as make uſe of the means of grace, do reap fair advantage thereby, in getting, and evidencing a good condition; for, they are to do this, that ye may be the children of light. A name given to Saints, Luk 16.8. Eph. 5.8. 1 Theſ. 5.8. and elſewhere; And the meaning of this encouragement, is. That by emproving this opportunity, they ſhall be tranſlated out of the power of darkneſſe, into the Kingdome of Chriſt, which is a Kingdome of light; They ſhall become the Sonnes of God, who is the Father of lights, Jam. 1.17. and participate of ſweet effects of Chriſts being the light of the world; And, by ſo doing, they ſhall alſo evidence themſelves to be children of light, illuminated by divine light, to diſcern right and wrong, what is their true happineſſe, and real miſery; to be men who come to the light with their actions, and who are thirſting after that eternal light of glory. 4. Chriſt is not only terrible, but even meek alſo to his oppoſers, if they would ſubmit to him; And all his ſcope in ſhewing himſelfe terrible, is, to drive them to his mercy, and to partake of the fruits of his meekneſſe; for, all his threatnings are ſweetned with this, that his ſcope in them is, to drive them to duty, that they may be children of light. 5. There is hope, even concerning thoſe who wickedly oppoſe Chriſt and his truth, that they may partake of his mercy, if they will caſt away their weapons, and ſubmit; for, even to ſuch it is offered here, that if they will do duty, they may be the children of light. 6. It is needful not only to deal freely with wicked oppoſers, but to diſcountenance them alſo, to ſee what that may work; for, theſe things ſaid Jeſus, and departed, that is, he went away at night to Bethany, as the other Evangeliſts obſerve, and by this means alſo he did avoid their fury and plots within the City. 7. Convictions and offers do oft-times ſo little prevail with wicked men that they do but heighten their malice; for, Chriſt behooved to hide himſelfe, after this doctrine. 8. In caſes of hazard from malicious men, it is lawful to preſerve our own lives, by ordinary and lawful means; for, Jeſus hid himſelfe from them. 9. Chriſts ſervants muſt not weary of frequency of trials, in diſcharge of their duty; and to be put to it again and again, even to ſave themſelves from extream violence; for, Chriſt hath ſanctified this lot in his own perſon, who was often put to hide himſelfe.