Exposition of John, Chapter 12 · Verse 30
Verſe 47. And if any man heare my words, and beleeve not, I judge him not: For I came not to judge the world, but to ſave the world.
48. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have ſpoken, the ſame ſhall judge him in the laſt day.
The fourth argument is taken from the ſad judgement abiding all unbeleevers and rejecters of him, and his doctrine; For which end, he appealeth them to the judgement of the laſt day; Declaring, that however in his firſt coming, his e… and was not to judge, but to offer ſalvation and mercy to the world; Yet they ſhould be judged in the laſt day; And though there were no other witneſſe, yet his Word preached ſhould be a ſufficient teſtimony againſt them, at that time. For further clearing of what is ſaid of the end of Chriſts coming, compare, Chap. 3.17. Only it is to be marked, that this argument ſtrikes mainly againſt the wicked unbeleevers, and not the other ſort, ſave in ſo far as by continuing in not confeſſing of him when he inculcates that duty upon them, they prove themſelves never to have been ſound beleevers.
From verſe 47. Learn, 1. Not only rich promiſes and gracious offers, but even ſharp threatnings are a mean appointed of God to ſtir up men to embrace the Goſpel; Therefore is the argument ſubjoyned to the reſt here. 2. Albeit the Goſpel be glad tydings of joy, and contain cordials and remedies againſt all the curſes and threatning… of the Law; Yet it contains alſo threatnings againſt deſpiſers, as terrible as any threatning of the Law; as here we ſee. 3. Whatever be the judgements to come on theſe who hear not the Goſpel, yet their danger is by far greateſt, who hear and obey not; for, this threatning is againſt them who hear Chriſts words. See Chap. 15.22. 4. Not only are they guilty of ſin, and liable to judgement, who having the opportunity, yet will not hear, or who hearing, do perſecute; But even they alſo who hearing, will not beleeve nor give credite to what hath been ſaid, and cloſe with it accordingly; for, the threatning goeth out againſt them who hear and beleeve not. 5. Such is Chriſts mercy and long ſuffering, that when men do not beleeve on him, yet he will eſſay them with mercy▪ and leave them ro…me for repentance and faith; for, ſaith he, I judge him not, to wit, as yet, and I came to ſave the world. Albeit the unbeleeve… be already condemned by the ſentence of the Law, Joh. 3.18. and doth carry his dittay in his boſome with him, yet the full ſentence and execution is not paſt at firſt, but he is yet waited on. 6. Albeit Chriſt be alwayes Judge of the world, yet in his firſt coming, he laid aſide the perſon of a Judge, and took on the office of a Mediatour and Saviour, to offer and purchaſe mercy; for, I judge him not; for, I came not to judge the world. but to ſave the world. 7. In Chriſts …ſt coming his proper errand was, and the nature o… his work tended, to ſave ſinners; So that if it be an occaſion of condemnation to any, they have themſelves and their own corruptions to blame, in that they ſtumble at, and do abuſe their own mercy; for, it is held out here as Chriſts proper errand, not to judge the world, but to ſave the world.
From verſe 48. Learn, 1 Chriſt and his doctrine are inſeparable, and as the one is entertained, ſo is the other; for, rejecting him is joy…ed with not receiving his words. So that where the Word hath no place, he is rejected. 2. Whatever uſe men may ſeem to make of Chriſts Word, yet none are beleevers thereof, but they who ſo hear, as to receive and admit it into their hearts, and Chriſt in it; for, ſo, not to beleeve, ver. 47. is expounded, he rejects me, and receiveth not my words. 3. It is not their ſin who are ſtudying to beleeve and yet are kept wreſtling under the power of unbelief, that Chriſt will bring into judgement; but the ſin of theſe who care not to beleeve; for, ſuch are to be judged here, who reject me, &c. 4. It is a ſad plague on wicked unbeleevers who hear the Goſpel, that their unbelief is joined with diſdain to Chriſt, and contempt of his Goſpel and grace; and that Chriſt will ſo judge of it; for, ſo Chriſt calls it here, he that rejecteth me (with contempt and diſdain, chooſing other things before me, as the Word imports) and receiveth not my words, not accounting them worthy to have any place with him. 5. Albeit ſin be not ſoon puniſhed; yea, albeit Chriſt be the Mediatour of ſinners; yet ſuch as deſpiſe him, he will not keep them from judgement; for, ſuch a man hath one that judgeth him, whereby is meant, not ſo much that the Father doth judge them, though the Son at his firſt coming, do not, as that certainly they will not eſcape a Judge and judgement, as is after cleared. See Prov. 11.2. Eccleſ. 8.11, 12. 6. However the Lord deal with men here, and however in his forbearance they may eſcape judgement; Yet they will not eſcape the judgement of the laſt day, which will ſadly enough compenſe all delayes; for, he ſhall be judged in the laſt day. 7. Albeit in the day of judgement, wicked men will be called to an account for all their ſins againſt the Law; Yet the contempt of the Goſpel will be their ſaddeſt dittay; for, he that rejecteth me, the word that I have ſpoken ſhall judge him, that is, the Word of the Goſpel delivered by Chriſt, in whoſe mouth ſoever it be, though it will have its own peculiar weight againſt theſe who heard him, that he came and ſpake it himſelfe. 8. Though all other witneſſes againſt a wicked man were gone; yet the Word preached will ſtand up againſt him, as a witneſs and dittay in the great day: for, the word ſhall judge him in the laſt day. It ſhall be a witneſs of what was offered, and make up a dittay againſt him for his contempt, upon which Chriſt ſhall pronounce ſentence. 9. The Word of God is ſo ſure and infallibly, that Chriſts ſentence in the great day (when heaven and earth ſhall paſſe away) ſhall proceed according to the verdict and teſtimony thereof; for, the word that I have ſpaken, ſhall judge him in the laſt day. Chriſt will pronounce then according to what it ſayeth now, and that as well in favours of beleevers, as againſt unbeleevers.