Exposition of John, Chapter 18 · Verse 3
Verſe 7. Then asked he them againe, Whom ſeek ye? And they ſaid, Jeſus of Nazareth.
8. Jeſus anſwered, I have told you that I am he: If therefore ye ſeek me, let theſe go their way.
9. That the ſaying might be fulfilled which he ſpake, Of them which thou gaveſt me, have I loſt none.
In theſe verſes is contained Chriſts ſecond conference with theſe men, his ſcope in which is to exempt his diſciples from the trial. In order to which, they (as appears) riſing and coming forward again, he propounds the former queſtion, and getting the ſame anſwer that formerly they gave, v. 7. he binds them to their Commiſſion, offering himſelf, and will have his diſciples exempted, v. 8. which is amplified from a commendation of his fidelity, in that he would perform that word ſo lately ſpoken, chap. 17.12. v. 9. Whence learn, 1. Some of the ſons of Adam, and eſpecially perſecutors, may be ſo far given up to obduration, a feared conſcience, and deſperate wickedneſs, as even wonders wrought upon them and againſt them in their evil courſe, will not availe to reclaim them; but they will either be inſenſible of the Lords hand, or ſ…eing it, they will harden themſelves the more to go on; for, albeit by their former fall, they might have been convinced of his Power and Godhead, yet they will not quit their wicked courſe, but come again avowing that they ſeek him. 2. Chriſt himſelf is the great Butt of perſecutors malice; ſo long as he was in the world the ſtream of their malice ran againſt him, and when they aſſault his followers, it is becauſe they cannot reach him. He is firſt hated of the world, and they for his ſake, and could the world reach him in heaven, they would not much trouble themſelves with his followers; for, ſo much may be gathered from their Profeſſion, we ſeek Jeſus of Nazareth, being compared with what Chriſt makes out of it, v. 8. that the diſciples muſt be free, as not minded by them, nor put in their Commiſſion by theſe who ſent them. 3. Chriſt in the throng of his own trials, is yet mindful of his followers, to preſerve and care for them; for, when he is to enter the liſts himſelf, he is ſolicitous for his diſciples, I am he, let theſe go away. 4. Chriſt in his loweſt and ſuffering condition, doth ſet bounds to perſecutors which they cannot tranſgreſſe; for, his reaſoning, If therefore ye ſeek me, let theſe go their way, had been of ſmall force with theſe abſurd men, for the exemp…ing of his diſciples, if there had not been a commanding power with it to bound them, as it did. 5. Chriſts offering of himſelf to undergo his bitter ſufferings, doth indeed exempt his people from the like; and he goeth betwixt them and all ſtormes in ſo far as they are deſtroying: for, ſo much may be gathered from his reaſoning in this particular, If ye ſeek me, let theſe go their way. Albeit he do not exempt his followers from outward troubles, as he did the diſciples at that time; yet his offering himſelf unto, and underlying that curſed death, did exempt them, and all his own, from that puniſhment due to ſin, and ſatisfaction required by juſtice for it. So that when juſtice challengeth them, they may ſend it to Chriſt who was taken for them all. And as for outward afflictions, all that they meet with are but ſome few drops, ſanctified and ſweetned to them, by his eſſaying of that lot before them. 6. Chriſt is ſo tender of his followers, that he will not put them to any trial, till they be ripe and fitted for it; ſo that when he ſends a trial, we are to reckon that we will be enabled for it, if it were but becauſe he ſends it, provided we do not caſt away our ſtrength, nor ſin it away from us; for, therefore would he have them let theſe go their way for this time, becauſe they were but yet weak, till after his reſurrection, that the Spirit was poured out upon them. 7. Chriſt is a faithful Keeper and Performer of his Word, and they are not ill provided, who have but his naked word to uphold and aſſure their hearts in greateſt extremities; for, this was alſo a reaſon why he would exempt them at this time, That the ſaying might be fulfilled which he ſpake, Of them which thou gaveſt me, I have loſt none. 8. What Chriſt hath done for his people, may be looked on as a pledge of what he will ſtill do, according as they need; for, that account which Chriſt makes of his by-paſt diligence, ch. 17.12. is here looked on as a promiſe to be fulfilled in their preſervation at this time alſo. And that not only becauſe in that paſſage he gave an account of his whole care till his removal from them, and ſo of this alſo, though not yet manifeſted, but alſo, that we may be aſſured that he will never change his way with his people, ſo long as they need it. 9. That ſweet word, chap. 17.12. is here applied to bodily preſervation from an outward trouble, though it chiefly point at their ſouls preſervation from the evil, as he explains it, chap. 17.15. when he prayes for the continuance of that preſervation from the Father; becauſe that not only during the time of his being with them, he did indeed hide them from outward troubles, as here was verified. But further, in ſparing them outwardly at this time, he had alſo a reſpect to their ſouls, which might have been cruſhed, had they been engaged in trial, as Peters experience makes evident. And ſo it teacheth, That as to tender the body and outward man with prejudice to the ſoul, is great cruelty: ſo where Chriſt vndertakes the charge of mens ſoule, he will alſo have a care of their body and outward condition, in ſubſerviencie to their ſoules welfare. He will reſpect their very bodies and outward man, and will not expoſe them to hazards, ſave when it is for their ſouls good, and when he is to get ſervice thereby, And he will make it evident at laſt, that he is not prodigal of their bodies, nor caſts them away, when he expoſeth them to ſuffering.