Exposition of John, Chapter 18 · Verse 10
Verſe 20. Jeſus anſwered him, I ſpake openly to the world, I ever taught in the Sinagogue, and in the Temple, whither the Jewes alwayes reſort, and in ſecret have I ſaid nothing:
21. Why askeſt thou me? Ask them which heard me what I have ſaid unto them: behold, they know what I ſaid.
Chriſt, in his defence and anſwer, waveth the matter of his diſciples, and anſwereth concerning his doctrine. And, 1. He gives a brief account of his way and manner of preaching, v. 20. That he had not (as the accuſation indirectly implyed) gone into corners with it, but had taught openly to the world, and particularly, in the Temple and Synagogues, where the Jewes were his ordinary hearers, and ſo had not carried himſelfe as if he durſt not avow his doctrine. 2. From this he gathereth an inference, v. 21. wherein he accuſeth their illegal procedure, who would have him to accuſe himſelfe, and would not proceed legally in examining witneſſes in ſo publike a matter, to whom he appeals. For clearing this purpoſe, Conſider, 1. While Chriſt ſaith, I ſpake openly, and declines to have ſpoken any thing in ſecret, his meaning is not to condemne mens preaching of truth ſecretly, in a time of violent perſecution; Yea, and that private teaching and exhortation be joyned with publike preaching, Act. 20.20. But his ſcope is only, in matter of fact, to ſhew what his practice had been, that ſo he may condemn the high Prieſts proceeding. And withall, by this he would ſhew, that however men may preach in ſecret in ſome caſes, for the preſervation of their perſons, yet they ought not ſo to do, as deſiring to have truth concealed, as if it were not juſtifiable, nor might be avowed in it ſelfe. Conſider, 2. This profeſſion of Chriſt, doth nothing contradict his practice elſewhere, in teaching the diſciples ſecretly, Mark. 4.34. for he taught his diſciples no other thing, for kinde of doctrine, but what he taught publikely, only he expounded it to them. And withall, he did ſo, not that it might be concealed, but that they might proclaime it, Matth. 10.27. Conſider, 3. Chriſts refuſing to give an account of his doctrine, is no way a denying or diſavowing of his doctrine, but only a legal defence. For, albeit a man, after he is legally convicted of a crime, may be dealt with to confeſſe it, as Joſhua dealt with Achan; Yet there is no reaſon why men ſhould expoſe themſelves, when they are under trial, to the fury of theſe who are lying in wait to enſnare and ruine them.
From v. 20. Learn, 1. That Chriſt doth not anſwer concerning his diſciples, which was the firſt part of the high Prieſts interrogatory; We may conceive the reaſon to be, Not ſo much becauſe, poſſibly, he intended it, after he had anſwered firſt to the matter of his doctrine, but was impeded by the uncivil carriage of the high Prieſts ſervant, v. 22. Nor yet only becauſe he would not enſnare and betray them, by giving an account of them: But chiefly, to ſhew, that his doctrine being well conſidered, that other queſtion needed not be anſwered, nor would he be found ſeditious in gathering diſciples thereby; for, not only had he in his doctrine taught theſe whom he healed to go unto the Prieſts according to the law, and theſe who converſed with him, to give Caeſar his due, But his doctrine being the doctrine of the Meſſiah, there could be no ſedition or ſchiſme, though all Iſrael ſhould embrace him and it. And ſo it teacheth, That a mans doctrine and grounds would be firſt conſidered, before any effects or conſequents following thereupon, be judged. For albeit, ſometime, a man may have truth on his ſide, which yet is not of that importance, nor ſo relevant a ground, as to make an open ſchiſme and rent upon it; Yet where weighty matters of truth are held out by a man in his ſtation, his cauſe is ſufficient to ward off all imputations ariſing from odious-like conſequents following upon the publiſhing thereof. 2. Saints, in their ſufferings, ought to account of truth and their cauſe, as the precious treaſure, carefully to be owned and defended, that it ſuffer nothing by them; Therefore, albeit Chriſt ſometime would not anſwer their calumnies and accuſations, partly, as being frivolous, and, partly, to teſtifie that being conſidered as our ſurety, he had nothing to ſay, there being nothing charged on him, but his people were guilty of it, or their ſins deſerved it: Yet here (as at other times alſo) he anſwered, to teſtifie, that however he yielded his perſon, yet he would not yield his cauſe as unworthy to be owned. And hereby giveth his followers an example what to do in their ſufferings. See Eph. 6.19, 20. 3. Such as have truth on their ſide, may ſpeak it boldly and freely, as that which may be avowed, and will bear them out who own it; And men ought thus to ſpeak it, as they have a calling; for, ſaith Chriſt, I ſpeak openly, or confidently, both to the world in general, and particularly, in the Synagogue and Temple, whither the Jewes alway reſort. See Act. 4.29. 4. Whatever care ſhould be had that pearles be not caſt before ſwine; Yet the truth of God ought to be publiſhed by his ſervants indifferently to the world, in their ſtations, as being debtors to all, and not knowing upon whom the Lord may make their Miniſtry ſucceſſeful; and however it ſucceed, a teſtimony is to be left againſt the incorrigible; Therefore, ſaith Chriſt, I ſpake openly to the world, or to all, indifferently and freely, to whom he had a commiſſion. 5. It is a commendable practice of members of the viſible Church, to frequent the publike Ordinances and places appointed for that end; And herein, the diligence of men who live in a degenerate and corrupt Church, may condemne the negligence of others; for, it is here ſuppoſed, that in this time, the Jews did alwayes reſort in the Synagogue, for their ordinary Sabbath ſervices, and in the Temple, where their more ſolemne and ceremonial wo…ſhip was performed. 6. Chriſts preaching not only openly to the world, but more eſpecially, in the Synagogue, and in the Temple, where there were Jewes of ſeveral tempers, and many of them ſet to enſnare him, and jangle with him; May ſerve to teach, not only, That his love was great, who ſought them ſo earneſtly, who yet were about to crucifie him, Matth. 23.37. and, That the power accompanying his doctrine is ſuch, as there may be hopes of prevailing thereby, even among the moſt corrupt ſocieties of men. As he publiſheth his doctrine among his moſt cruel enemies, where (no doubt) he prevailed with ſome, Joh. 12.42. But further, it teacheth, That truth muſt be preached, as men have a calling, where there are many diſadvantages, and ſtrange humours of people, to encounter; And, That faithful Miniſters muſt not alwayes expect ſuch auditories as they would deſire, for tractableneſſe and ſubjection: for, Chriſt, the Prince of Teachers, taught in the Synagogue, and in the Temple. 7 Miniſters of the Goſpel, in their preaching thereof, ought to renounce the hidden things of diſhoneſty; Either, in conveighing lawful duties in a clandeſtine baſe way, which is apt to render them ſuſpected; Or, by their ſo ordering their way, as they may decline contempt or hatred, or may compaſſe ſome baſe by-ends; for, ſo much doth Chriſts example teach, who in ſecret ſaid nothing, as is before explained. See 2 Cor. 4.2. 1 Theſ. 5.2…. 2 Tim. 3.6.
From v 21. Learn, 1. A mans publike carriage (eſpecially if he be one whoſe carriage is, for moſt part, not our and known) being examined and found right, it is full of hazard, and evidenceth great want of Charity, to ſuſpect his integrity or his carriage in other things, unleſſe there be good ground for it. Therefore, Chriſt carrying himſelfe openly in his doctrine, he counts it very informal to judge him as a heretick or ſeditious perſon, unleſſe it could be inſtructed by his hearers. And herein men ſaile exceedingly, by their envy and ſecret whiſperings, of which ſee Prov. 27.4. 2 Cor. 12.20. 2. A man being by the law of nature obliged to ſelfe-defence, and againſt ſelfe-murther; ought therefore not to accuſe himſelfe before a Judge; Therefore Chriſt declineth ſo to do, why askeſt thou me? 3. Whatever liberty men have to decline ſuch witneſſes as do profeſſe their malicious and partial diſpoſition, and that they will not make conſcience of lying, ſo they may condemne the innocent: Yet the carriage of Chriſts followers ſhould be ſuch, as they need not decline any witneſſes who will declare the truth: Therefore Chriſt appeals indifferently to his hearers, be who they will, if they would tell what he ſaid, Ask them which heard me, what I have ſaid unto them. 4. It is the duty of hearers to be able to give an account of what they hear, as they are called to it; for, Chriſt ſuppoſeth this of them, Behold, they know what I ſaid, though few of many hearers attain to ſo much.