Exposition of John, Chapter 12 · Verse 31
Ver. 49. For I have not ſpoken of my ſelfe; but the Father which ſent me, he gave me a commandment what I ſhould ſay, and what I ſhould ſpeak.
50. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatſoever I ſpeak therefore even as the Father ſaid unto me ſo I ſpeak.
The laſt argument ſerves to confirme and clear the former, and is taken from the authority of his doctrine. For, whereas they might except, that they were not afraid of his words, as being only his own. He anſwers, that he ſpake not of himſelfe, but what was the Fathers word alſo, And to confirme this, 1. He declareth that he had received a commiſſion from the Father who ſent him, concerning his doctrine, and what to ſay and ſpeak. 2. That he was perſwaded this doctrine delivered to him by the Father, points out the true way to eternal life. 3. That he had exactly followed this commiſſion in preaching, both for matter and manner. Hence the argument concludes ſtrongly two wayes. 1. That his Word and doctrine being divine, and the Fathers as well as his, it was ſufficient to judge and condemne all deſpiſers. 2. That his doctrine only pointing out the true way to life, and means of attaining it, they could not miſſe condemnation who would not hearken unto it. Whence learn, 1. Albeit Chriſts doctrine be his own, as he is true God and the wiſdome of the Father; Yet it is not his own, as meer man, nor as ſecluding the Father, who is one God with him, and who gave him a commiſſion and inſtructions as Mediatour; for, I have not ſpoken of my ſelfe, but the Father which ſent me, he gave me a commandment, &c. 2. The Father is the authour and approver of Chriſts doctrine, no leſſe then Chriſt himſelfe; for, I have not ſpoken of my ſelfe, &c. 3. No word, but Gods Word, is ſufficient to condemne men for diſobedience; and if men cannot prove their doctrine to be divine, it is neither to be obeyed, nor are terrours for the neglect thereof to be regarded; Therefore Chriſt takes this as the proofe that his Word ſhall judge men, ver. 48. for, I have not ſpoken of my ſelfe, but the Father which ſent me, he gave me a commandment, what I ſhould ſay, and what I ſhould ſpeak. And this he exactly followed, as ver. 50. The two words, of ſaying, and ſpeaking, may be taken comprehenſively, as pointing out all the wayes of delivering his commiſſion, by ſet and ſolemne preaching, or occaſional conferences; and the whole ſubject matter of his preaching, in precepts, promiſes and threatnings. And ſo it will import, that his commiſſion from the Father was full, both for matter and manner, and his diſcharge thereof anſwerable. Yet this variety of expreſſion is not to be inſiſted on, ſeeing in the following verſe Chriſt uſeth one of the words in place of both. 4. When men ſpeak by commiſſion from another, and according thereunto, the refuſer of the meſſage muſt be accountable to the Authour and ſender thereof; for, ſo doth Chriſt prove his Word ſhould judge them, ſeeing God is the author thereof, who will call them to an account. 5. The ſumme of Chriſts doctrine, which he delivered from the Father, is, to point out eternal life to loſt ſinners, and the way and means leading thereunto; for, his commandment (or the doctrine, which I, at his command, have preached) is life everlaſting. See Joh 17.3. 6. Whatever eſteeme ſinners have of the Goſpel; yet it is ſure in it ſelfe that there is no ſalvation by any other way or doctrine, but by embracing thereof; and as Chriſt is, ſo every Preacher ought to be perſwaded of the excellency thereof; Therefore, ſaith Chriſt, in oppoſition to all their miſconſtructions, I know that his commandment is life everlaſting. 7. Chriſt is a true Prophet, who ſpake neither more or leſſe in the doctrine of the Goſpel, then what was the Fathers will ſhould be delivered to us; for, whatſoever I ſpeak, even as the Father ſaid unto me, ſo I ſpeak. 8. It is the duty of the Meſſengers of the Goſpel to cleave cloſe to their commiſſion, without adding or diminiſhing; for, herein Chriſts practice is a pattern of their duty. 9. Such as are perſwaded of the excellency and abſolute neceſſity of the Goſpel, will cleave to it, and publiſh it in their ſtations, were their diſcouragements never ſo many, or the oppoſition made to them never ſo great; for, upon this, I know that his commandment is life everlaſting, Chriſt inferreth this by way of concluſion, whatever I ſpeak therefore, even as the Father ſaid to me, ſo I ſpeak. Intimating that upon this knowledge of the worth of his doctrine, he cleaves to it, and ſpeaks it, however they contemned him and it.
CHAP. XIII.
HItherto John hath recorded Chriſts proceedings in his miniſtry with all ſorts of people, and eſpecially theſe things in his doctrine and miracles which had been omitted by the other Evangeliſts. Now in this and the following chapters, to chap. 18 he records Chriſts carriage toward his diſciples, in taking his farewell at the laſt paſſeover; omitting (for moſt part) what the reſt have ſet down, and recording what they had omitted. And in this Chriſt having warned them of a traitour among themſelves, of his removal from them by his death, and his reſurrection and aſcenſion following thereupon, and of their own trials and exerciſes they were to meet with; He doth largely let forth his heart unto them, in ſweet cordials againſt his death and departure from them, in notable directions and encouragements unto them as preachers of the Goſpel, and in delivering his full Teſtament to them, and to all Saints in them: Cloſing all with a ſolemne and publike prayer to the Father.
In this chapter is recorded, 1. Chriſts waſhing of the diſciples feet, with the interpretation thereof, ver. 1.—17. 2. His diſcovering of Judas the traitour, ver. 18.—30. 3. Chriſts doctrine to the diſciples, upon Judas his removal, ver. 31. — 35. 4. His repreſſion of Peters raſh preſumption, ver. 36, 37, 38.