Exposition of John, Chapter 6 · Verse 11
Verſe 15. When Jeſus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a King, he departed againe into a mountaine himſelfe alone.
A third effect and conſequent of the miracle, is, that the people, out of blind and furious zeale, would have ſet him up to be their King, if he foreſeeing it, had not departed againe into the mountaine (where he and the diſciples had been, ver. 3.) and that alone, having commanded his diſciples to go to Sea, as the other Evangeliſts do record: And ſo this is a tranſition to the following miracle. Doctrine. 1. There is no point of divine truth received by natural men, but their hearts are ready to detain the ſame in unrighteouſneſſe, and to leaven it with their own corrupt principles; for, they who acknowledge him to be the Prophet, according to the Scripture, and who had warrant alſo to receive the Meſſiah as a King, do yet pervert all this, with their corrupt conceptions of his Kingdom. 2. Chriſt is ordinarily much miſtaken, even by thoſe who acknowledge him: And particularly, his Kingdom is oft-times conceived of amiſſe; for, ſo do they here; Though they knew him to be the promiſed Meſſiah, yet they leave that, and take themſelves only to his Kingly office, not to ſubmit themſelves to his Spiritual yoke and government, but expecting carnal liberty, and a proſperous condition, under their promiſed King. And for begetting of theſe conceptions; there concurred. 1. Their miſtake and carnal conceptions of Scriptures pointing at Chriſts Kingdome, wherein they were foſtered by the corrupt gloſſes of their Teachers, who pointed out the Meſſiah as a worldly Monarch, coming to ſubdue all nations under his and their feet. 2. Their own carnal diſpoſition, which minded no other want, but that of their belly, and therefore could conceive of no other remedy and advantage by him, but that they ſhould live at eaſe, and with much liberty, under him, and he give them their meat without toile, as he had done in the late miracle. 3. They were more ſenſible of the yoke of oppreſſion, wreathed about their necks by the Romans, and of their ſlavery that way, then they were of ſinne and ſoul ſlavery, and therefore they could not take up Chriſt rightly, nor make right uſe of him, but dreamed only of deliverance from their outward ſlavery by him. All theſe evils would be guarded againſt by them who would conceive a right of Chriſt; and in a word, men would beware dreaming of great things under the Sun, in Chriſts company, and when they engage themſelves in the waies of godlineſſe. Doctrine. 3. Men may have fits of zeale, pretending more to honour Chriſt, and be more furious and violent in the expreſſions thereof, then thoſe who have ſpiritual and pure zeale; and yet all of it be but fleſhly and ſinful; for, ſuch is their blind zeale here, all they pretend to in it, is to honour Chriſt, and exalt him as a King, and they will do it violently, and by force, never minding the danger wherein they involved themſelves thereby, and yet there was nothing but fleſh in it. Carnal zeale, what ever it pretend, yet it ſailes both with winde and tide, and therefore ſuch impetuous furious motions are to be ſuſpected. 4. Raſh and carnal blind zeale for Chriſt and his Kingdome, is one of Satans great engines, whereby he labours to bring real prejudice to Chriſt and his Kingdome; for, by this attempt of theirs, not only were all thoughts of his ſpiritual Kingdome baniſhed, and ſwallowed up in the thoughts of a carnal Monarchy, but this was the ready way to raiſe a ſcandal on him, as guilty of treaſon, and to draw the Romans on him, and them, and all his followers, to cut them off. 5. Chriſt is omniſcient, and knoweth what is rolling in every mans minde; and he will not be ſurprized nor overreached by any deſigne of men; for, Jeſus therefore perceived that they would come, and take him by force, &c. 6 Chriſt will not approve of any honour offered to him, which he hath not preſcribed and enjoined, were it cloaked with never ſo much of apparent zeal; for, he refuſeth and declineth all this honour, as not required by himſelfe. 7. Albeit Chriſt be a true King over his Church, and do exerciſe a ſpiritual Kingdome in it, and have alſo a ſpiritual government eſtabliſhed, for keeping his ſubjects in order; Yet he came not into the world to be a worldly King, nor to adminiſtrate a Kingdome which is of this world: Nor is his Kingdome prejudicial to the thrones and civil government of men, but the beſt pillar they have, if they will ſuffer him to rule among them; Therefore doth Chriſt refuſe all this offer, as not competent to him. And this teacheth his followers, to beware of uſurping Lordly dominion under pretext of adminiſtring the things of his Kingdome. 8. As Chriſts followers ſhould ſhun popular applauſe and worldly pomp, (as their Maſters example here doth teach;) So true zeal againſt theſe ſhould be very fervent and real, and not for the faſhion only; Therefore Chriſt not only prevents their motion before it break forth, but withdraws himſelfe alone, having ſent his diſciples away, that they may not finde him. And this he did; not only to avoid all occaſion of ſuſpicion, or prudently to break their fit of zeal, which could not have been diverted by his ſtaying and reaſoning with them: But alſo to teſtifie how really he abhorred their courſe, and ſo gave a patterne to all his followers, not to put away applauſe ſo, as they would have it follow them, but really to deteſt it. 9. Such as do not make right uſe of Chriſt and his company, but do only expect carnal things of him, are juſtly puniſhed with the want of his company; As here he deals with this people. 10 That Chriſt when he withdrew, went to prayer, (as is remarked, Matth. 14.22, 23. Mark 6.46.) it may teach. 1. Chriſt hath ſanctified to his people the exerciſe of prayer in all their needs, and he is the great Interceſſour for them, under all their miſeries and diſtreſſes; So much doth his practice teach. For, albeit he was true God, and ſo needed not pray, yet as he was a man under the Law, he would pay this homage and fulfill all righteouſneſſe, and by making uſe thereof in his need, Heb. 5.7, Matth. 26.39. he hath ſanctified this exerciſe to all his needy people. And by this practice he teacheth, that as Mediatour, his interceſſion is alwaies ready in a ſtrait, and he delights in that exerciſe; as here he had this peoples folly to pray about, and his diſciples following trial to hold up to the Father. 2. Prayer is a ſpecial mean of entertaining communion with God, and a mean of converſe with him, wherein they who are moſt holy, will be moſt frequent, as Chriſts practice doth teach, who at all occaſions did converſe with his Father in the practice of this duty. 3. Private prayer doth require as much privacy and retiredneſſe as may conveniently be had, that mens ſpirits may ſettle and be compoſed for the dutie; So much alſo doth this practice of Chriſt teach (in going alone to the mountaine to pray) as it is a patterne to us, though he himſelfe was not peſtered with any ſinful diſtractions 4. When men get much applauſe in the world, it is their duty not only to ſhun it, but then to be much in converſe with God; partly, to guard their hearts from being blowen over at unawares; and partly, to make ſure that all is right betwixt God and them; So much alſo may Chriſts practice of prayer at this time, as it is a patterne to us, teach.