Exposition of John, Chapter 12 · Verse 27 – Verse 29
Ver. 44. Jeſus cryed, and ſaid, He that beleeveth on me, beleeveth not on me, but on him that ſent me.
Follow…th Chriſts farewell-Sermon to the Jewes, c…ncerning his perſon, office, and doct…ine, pointing out the advantages that men reap by beleeving in him, and the danger of rejecting him and his doctrine. And albeit the G…e…k particles which anſwer each to other, ver. 42, 44. do import that this doctrine had a ſpecial relation to the faintheartedneſs of theſe beleevers formerly ſpoken of; Yet the ſubject matter extend, both to the open unbeleevers, and them. And the whole purpoſe may be taken up in ſeveral arguments, pleading againſt the unbelief of many, and the faintheartedneſs of beleevers, who did not confeſs him. The firſt argument is inſinuate in Chriſts practice, of crying, whereby he inſinua…es the importance of this ſubject, that they ſhould beleeve in him, however they ſleighted it, and avows his zeal in this matter, when others hid themſelves. The ſecond argument (in this verſe alſo) points out the advantage of faith from the object thereof, who is God. They who beleeve on him, beleeve not on him, but on him who ſent him: which is not to be underſtood ſimply, that Chriſt is not the object of faith, but with relation to their conceptions of Chriſt, as a meer man, and oppoſite to G…d: and ſo the meaning is; That which he calls them unto, is not a faith in him as man, but a faith in God, and not a faith in him only, but a faith in the Father alſo, who is in Chriſt, and one and the ſame God with him, as the following verſe cleareth. And ſo the encouragement is, That be being true God, equal and one in eſſence with the Father, their faith in beleeving on him, ſhould be in God, and they ſhould finde the Father in him, which might both ſtir up the unbeliever to beleeve, and the fainthearted beleever, to avow him. Whence learn, 1. Whatever be mens thoughts, concerning Chriſt, and faith in him, for attaining ſalvation; yet it is in it ſelfe a matter of greateſt conſequence and importance; Therefore, Jeſus cryed, and ſaid, when he ſpake of it, as being neceſſary to be in…lcate. 2. Whatever be men… carriage, in maliciouſly rejecting or not avowing of Chriſt: Yet true ze…l in others ought not to be blunted, b…t …ather ſet on edge thereby; for, herein Chriſt is a pattern, who cryed, in commending his perſon and doctrine in the midſt of that corrupt and fainthearted g…e …i…n. 3. Chriſts diligence and earneſtneſs, in perſwading ſinners to come to him, is ſuch, as will leave all deſpiſers inexcuſable; for, not only doth he come again in publike, after he had lately departed from them, but when he comes, he zealouſly and affectionally cried, to perſwade them. 4. The reaſon why faith in Chriſt is ſo little endeav…u…ed after by men, and way beleevers are ſo little bold in avowing of it, is, becauſe the worth a…d conſequence thereof is ſo little ſeen; Therefore Ch…iſt points out the excellency thereof, as a ſpecial mean to convince and perſwade them. 5. The worth of faith is then taken up, when men ſtudy the object thereof well, and that they are not called to make fl…ſh their arme, or to truſt in dumb idols, but in the living and true God: Therefore doth he commend ſaith here, that by beleeving on him, they beleeve alſo on him that ſent him, and conſequently, on him as true God one with the Father. See Joh. 14.1. 2 Tim. 1.12. 6. It may encourage alſo to ſaith, that beleevers do not only faſten upon an infinite deity, but do aſcend up to God through Chriſt the Mediatour, and tryſt with the Father in him, who is true God one in eſſence with him; for, this is the order here, by beleeving on me they believe on him that ſent me, ſaith he. See 2 Cor. 5.19. and 3.4. 1 Pet. 1.21. 7. For taking up the right meaning of Scripture, men muſt not alwayes look to what the outward ſound of words at firſt view would ſeem to ſay; but all circumſtances, and the ſpeakers ſcope, muſt be ſeriouſly pondered; for, unleſſe we take theſe word… as ſpoken with an eye to the Jewes apprehenſions of Chriſt, we ſhall fall in a foul errour, that beleevers do not beleeve on Chriſt, which is contrary to the very ſcope of the place, and to other Scriptu…es, Joh 14.1. 8. Albeit it pleaſed the Father to ſend Chriſt as his Ambaſſadour into the world, and he came in obedience to that call; Yet this diminiſheth not the glory of the ſender, nor of the perſon ſent: for, both Chriſt, and he that ſent him, is true God, the object of ſaving ſaith.
Ver. 45. And he that ſeeth me, ſeeth him that ſent me.
In this verſe we have a confirmation of the ſecond argument, that beleevers in Chriſt beleeve on the Father alſo; ſhewing, that Chriſt being one, not in perſon, but in eſſence, with the Father, none can ſee him ſpiritually and by faith, but they muſt ſee the Father alſo, not only with him, but in him, and one with him, as being the brightneſſe of his glory, and expreſſe image of his perſon, Heb. 1.3. Col. 1.15. Whence learn, 1. True faith is accompanied with knowledge, and faith muſt contemplate Chriſt, to feed on his fulneſs, and ſix its eye on him for help and relief, as of old they did on the b…azen ſerpent; for, he that beleeveth on me, ver. 44. is expounded to be, he that ſeeth me. 2. Such as get an eye of faith to ſee Chriſt, will ſee him true God and one with the Father; for, be that ſeeth me, ſeeth him that ſent me. Unto a beleever and a diſcerning eye, the glory of his divinity will thine through his greateſt abaſement, as Matth. 16.16. and 27.54. 3. The Father is not to be ſeen but in the Son, nor can beleevers know what he is, but by ſeeing what the Son is, and what they ſee the Son to be, that the Father is in him; for, he that ſeeth me, ſeeth him that ſent me.
Ver. 46. I am come a light into the world, that whoſoever beleeveth on me, ſhould not abide in darkneſſe.
The third argument pleading againſt theſe evils, is taken from the fruit and utility following on faith in him; to wit, That he coming to be the light of the world, beleevers in him will partake thereof, and not abide in darkneſs: of which we have had occaſion to ſpeak before. Whence learn, 1. The world without Chriſt is lying under the power of darkneſſe, both of ignorance and wickedneſſe, and all miſeries following thereupon, for, the world needs light. 2. Chriſt is the diſcoverer of mens miſery, and of the remedy thereof, & is the true cordial & comfort of ſinners againſt all their miſeries; for, ſaith he, I am come a light into the world 3. As Chriſt is the true light of the world, ſo it pleaſed him to be at pains to manifeſt himſelfe unto the world, to make men partakers of the fruits and benefits thereof; for, I am come a light into the world, that whoſoever beleeveth on me ſhould not abide in darkneſs. 4. The way to partake of the benefits that are in Chriſt, is to embrace his perſon by ſaith, and ſo to draw out that fulneſſe of conſolation that is in him; for, the promiſe is made to whoſoever beleeveth o… him. 5. Beleevers in Chriſt, as they ought to ſhine as lights, being illuminate by him, who is the light of the world, Phil. 2.15. and as children of light, Eph. 5 8. So they ſhall by faith be tranſlated out of the Kingdome of darkneſſe, as to the ſtate of their perſon, Col. 1.13. and ſhall dayly partake of that light of direction, refreſhment, and conſolation that is in him; for, whoſoever beleeveth on me, ſhall not abide in darkneſſe. And if men would in the firſt place cheriſh faith, their light and conſolation would grow more.