Exposition of John, Chapter 5 · Verse 32 – Verse 35
Verſe 44. How can ye beleeve, which receive honour one of another; and ſeek not the honour that cometh from God only?
The fourth chalenge, (and the chiefe cauſe of their unbelief, and not embracing Chriſt) is for their pride and vaine glory, which they hunted after among men, not contenting themſelves to be approven and reſpected of God, by embracing his Sonne by faith. See chap. 12.43. Doctrine 1. True beleevers, and receivers of Chriſt are all one: They do indeed beleeve in Chriſt; who, out of affection and ſenſe of need, do cloſe with, and embrace Chriſt offering himſelfe in the Goſpel, albeit they have not attained to lively aſſurance; and without this, hiſtorical aſſent will not prove ſaving faith; Therefore, receiving, ver. 43. and beleeving in this verſe do mutually explain one another. So alſo Joh. 1.12. 2. Albeit faith be the gift of God, and it be impoſſible for any natural man to beleeve of himſelfe; Yet men by continuance in ſinfull wayes, and entertaining particular reigning ſinnes, may adde to this impotency, may lay more impediments in the way of Gods working faith, and may be convinced that their caſe is inconſiſtent with true faith; for, how can ye beleeve? ſaith he, intimating, that they had ſuperadded impediments of beleeving to their condition by nature, as a crooked twig by growing, becometh more difficult to be made ſtreight, and that themſelves might ſee that their temper was inconſiſtent with faith. 3. As faith, which ſuppoſeth a man regenerate and ſubdued to Chriſt and his yoke, and which purifieth the heart, is inconſiſtent with the dominion of any one luſt or corrupt affection; So in particular, it cannot conſiſt with the dominion of ambition, and affectation of vaine-glory; for, albeit we be bound to honour all men, and Magiſtrates in particular, 1 Pet. 2.17. and are bound in honour to preferre one another, Rom. 12.10. and albeit beleevers ought ſo to carry themſelves, as the way of God may be honoured in, and becauſe of them, Rom. 2.24. Yea, albeit they cannot hinder, nor is it their ſinne, if undue honour be offered unto them, provided they mourn for it, and receive it not: Yet when men hunt after reſpect from men, and do receive it with luſtful delight, and reſt on it as the chief ſcope of their actions, it is an evidence of no faith, or that what they pretend to, is unſound: Therefore, albeit ſome ſuch be ſaid to beleeve, where it prevailed but in part, Joh. 12.42. yet where it beares full ſway, and it only is ſought after, he ſaith, how can ye beleeve, which receive honour one of another? And indeed, ſuch do evidence, that they have not cloſed with Chriſt on his own tearmes, of ſelfe denial and being convinced of their worthleſneſſe; that they will take moſt paines on their outſide to be ſeen of men, and ſo cannot but neglect ſincerity; and, that their ambition and love of reſpect from men, will draw them to apoſtacy and prove their unſoundneſſe, when they are called to undergo an ignominious croſſe. 4. God alloweth and conferreth much honour upon true beleevers; They have an honour of ſtate and priviledges, in being ſonnes and friends to God; They have the honour of his approbation in their conſcience, yea and ſometimes his reſpects to them are made conſpicuous to the world; And, they are allowed to wait for the honour of eternal exaltation; for, there is the honour that cometh from God, to ſuch. 5. As this true honour comes from God alone, whoſe approbation only may be reſted on, and who can advance thoſe whom he approveth, and make them honourable. So ſincere beleevers muſt ſeek after this which is ſo neceſſary; by ſtudying humble ſincerity in his ſight, following thoſe duties that are in leaſt reſpect in the world, and not reſting on ſo much only, as may gain them honour from men; And as they muſt ſeek after it, not contenting themſelves with leſſe, ſo they muſt be content with this, and be looſed from the love of honour from men, not regarding how they be looked on by the world becauſe they embrace Chriſt; Therefore, it is imported, they ſhould ſeek the honour that cometh from God only, See Rom. 2.29. 2 Cor. 10.18. 6. Whatever may be mens duty, in ſeeking to approve themſelves even to the conſciences of men, and not to neglect juſt diſreſpect in the world, under pretext of approving themſelves to God; Yet ſuch as ambitiouſly hunt after vain-glory, and reſpect from men, do prove themſelves to be careleſſe of Gods approbation, ſince hunting after the one, and ſeeking the other, cannot conſiſt together; for, here they are oppoſed, ye receive honour one of another, and ſeek not the honour that cometh from God only.
Verſe 45. Do not think that I will accuſe you to the Father: there is one that accuſeth you, even Moſes, in whom ye truſt.
To make the former chalenges have place, Chriſt warnes them of being judged and accuſed before the tribunal of God; And that he might prevent the thoughts of their hearts (who leaned to Moſes as their great teacher, Joh. 9.28, 29. and beleeved to be abſolved and ſaved by following the Law given by him, and ſo regarded not Chriſts chalenges) He declareth that not only he, but Moſes his Law would accuſe and condemne them; And ſo leades a ſpecial Scripture witneſſe for himſelfe, even Moſes Law. While Chriſt ſaith, he will not accuſe them, it is not a ſimple denial, for his doctrine and offer of ſalvation will be the ſad condemnation of ſinners: But it is ſpoken according to their opinion, who regarded little his oppoſition, and therefore he declares that even Moſes, their great friend, would be their partie, not in reſpect of his perſon, but his writeings. Doctrine 1. Sinners, continuing obſtinate after abundance of conviction, may look for appearing before Gods tribunal, to have the matter diſcuſſed; and Miniſters oughe to ſet this before them; Therefore doth a Chriſt here put them in minde of being accuſed to the Father. 2. Sinne unrepented of, and the ſinners not fleeing to Chriſt for pardon and purging of it, will draw on ſharp and ſad accuſations before the tribunal of God; both law and Goſpel, Gods juſtice, mens own conſciences, the ſpirit reſiſted by them in his moral ſwaſions, Act. 7.51. yea, all the paines taken on them, will contribute to this work; for, it is ſuppoſed, they will be accuſed to the Father. 3. Such as reject Chriſt, and do neglect chalenges for this, it is becauſe they have ſome falſe confidence beſide, which bolſters them up in their oppoſition; for, ſo had the Jewes, Moſes, in whom ye truſt, ſaith he; they gloried of being his diſciples who ſpake with God, and thought to be ſafe by looking to his Law. 4. What ever be the confidence, which ſeemeth to uphold men in their miſ-regarding of Chriſt, it will not only fail them, but turne an accuſer to make up their ditty; for, even Moſes, in whom ye truſt, will accuſe you to the Father. 5. What ever men may think of Chriſts being an adverſary; Yet not only is it ſad when the Saviour of ſinners turnes the ſinners accuſer; But he will finde many witneſſes to proſecute his ſentence and chalenge againſt the deſpiſers; Godly men, whom ſuch glory of, in oppoſition to him, will be ready to be their greateſt enemies, and the Word of God in the Miniſtry of his ſervants, extraordinary or ordinary, will beare witneſſe againſt them, whatever reſpect they ſeem to carry thereunto; for, ſaith he, think not that I will accuſe you to the Father, (or, albeit ye think light of that, though too ſad for you to beare, yet) there is one that accuſeth you, even Moſes in whom ye truſt, not only, becauſe the ſentence of the Law ſtood againſt them, but all his writing and doctrine ſhould accuſe them, as is after cleared.
Verſe 46. For had ye beleeved Moſes, ye would have beleeved me, for he wrote of me.
Chriſt confirmeth this aſſertion by this reaſon; Moſes could not but be a witneſſe againſt them who beleeved not his doctrine; Now, none could beleeve his doctrine who beleeved not in Chriſt, ſince he wrote ſo clearly of him. Whence learn. 1. Eminent inſtruments in Gods houſe, are never rightly entertained, but when their doctrine is received and entertained by faith; for, whatever they boaſted of Moſes, yet Chriſt imports that they beleeved not his doctrine, had ye beleeved Moſes. 2. Men may pretend to truſt Gods ſervants, and their meſſage, who yet have no true faith; and namely, when their truſt goeth contrary to the meaning and ſcope of the word; Such was their truſt in Moſes, rejecting Chriſt, ver. 45. which yet was no beleeving 3. There can be no true beleeving of the doctrine of the Word, but where it leads men to the acknowledgement and embracing of Chriſt; for, had ye beleeved Moſes, ye would have beleeved me. 4. Such as did indeed beleeve Scripture prophecies concerning the Meſſiah, did alſo acknowledge the accompliſhment in Chriſts perſon, when he came; and he who acknowledgeth not the one, did not truly beleeve the other; for, had ye beleeved Moſes, who wrote of me, ye would have beleeved me, when ye ſee the accompliſhment. 5. Moſes in his doctrine did write and teſtifie of Chriſt; Not only did he hold him out in expreſſe prophecies, Gen. 3.15. and 22.18. and 49.10. Deut. 18.18. and elſewhere, and did point him out under the ſhadows and types of the Ceremonial Law, and of the brazen Serpent, the Manna, the Rock that followed them, &c. But the ſcope and drift of all his writing tended to him, Rom. 10.4. Gal. 3.24. and the way and conveyance of the legal adminiſtrations pointed at ſomewhat beyond them. For, in the very entry, it was ſhewed him that theſe were but ſhadows of better things in heaven, Exod. 25.40. with Heb. 5.5. his unvailing of his face, when he went to God, Exod. 34.34. ſhewed that ſuch as were familiar with God, ſaw ſome other thing then they could ſee through the vaile: The conſciences of ſuch as were apprehenſive of ſinne and wrath, would eaſily diſcover that theſe could not quiet them; Their frequent repetition pointed out their inſufficiency, Heb. 10.11. Yea, God himſelfe declareth how far they miſtook themſelves, or the Law, who looked on it as a Covenant of workes, to get life by it; Deut. 5.27, 28, 29. Upon all theſe grounds it is ſaid, he wrote of me.
Verſe 47. But if ye beleeve not his writings, how ſhall ye beleeve my words?
Chriſt cloſeth this chalenge, with an amplification taken from that which is more in their eſteem, to that which they accounted leſſe of; Shewing that if they did not beleeve Moſes writings, who himſelfe was ſo high in their eſteem, and whoſe writings they acknowledged to be divine Scripture, it was no wonder they gave him no credit, of whom they had no ſuch account, though indeed he was infinitely above him. Whence learn. 1. Chriſt our Lord was content to undergo contempt and diſreſpect, and to be looked on as inferiour to his very ſervants; That ſo he might make his people truely honourable, and might ſanctifie contempt to them; and particularly, that his ſervants might not be diſcouraged when they are ſleighted, conſidering that none contemne them, but they contemne theſe whom they profeſſe to eſteem more of: Therefore Chriſt ſpeaks of himſelf here as inferiour to Moſes in their eyes, and acquieſceth in this, that they contemned Moſes whom they boaſted of, as well as him. 2. The writings of Moſes (as of other pen-men of Scripture are worthy to be beleeved) even all and every part of them; for, it is a chalenge, ye beleeve not his writings. 3. Such as will not beleeve the Scriptures, would not beleeve Chriſt, nor eſteem of him, if he were in the world ſpeaking to them; for, if ye beleeve not his w…itings, how ſhall ye beleeve my words? See Luke 16.29, 30, 31.
CHAP. VI.
IN this Chapter we have recorded, Firſt, A miracle of Chriſts feeding a great multitude with a few loaves and fiſhes; to ver. 16. Next, His miraculous walking on the Sea, to come to his diſciples in their need; to ver. 22. Thirdly, Chriſts Sermon, or conference, with thoſe who followed him, concerning the bread of life, with the effects and conſequents of the conference, to the end of the Chapter.