Exposition of John, Chapter 6 · Verse 46 – Verse 48
Verſe 64. But there are ſome of you that beleeve not. For Jeſus knew from the beginning, who they were that beleeved not, and who ſhould betray him.
65. And he ſaid, Therefore ſaid I unto you, th… no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
Chriſt, having cleared his doctrine, doth point out the true cauſe of their ignorance and miſtakes, and of their ſtumblings at his doctrine; to wit, their unbeliefe; (which becauſe it was a peremptory cenſure, therefore John brings the ground of it from the depth of Chriſts divine fore knowledge,) ver. 64. and withall, he brings to their remembrance what he had ſaid, ver. 44. intimating he had ſpoken it with an eye to their corrupt diſpoſitions, and to let them ſee that it was nothing in him, but want of grace in them, that made this diſtance and ſtumbling.
From ver. 64. learn, 1. Who ever they be that ſtumble at Chriſts word as unſavoury, the true cauſe thereof is in themſelves, wha…ever they pretend; Therefore doth Chriſt retort that imputation caſt upon his Word, ver. 60. as flowing from the diſtemper of their own heart. 2. Such as do not underſtand Chriſts doctrine ſpiritually, nor do finde it ſpirit and life in operation, they have their own unbeliefe to blame for it; Therefore doth he aſſigne that as the cauſe of all their diſtemper, there are of you that beleeve not. This darkens the underſtanding, and deads the heart alſo. See Heb. 4.2, 3. 3. Chriſt would have his ſervants very tender and careful, that in diſcovering of faults among hearers, they do not diſcourage any who are innocent, nor any who have a deſire to be healed: So much doth his own practice teach, in that though they were many who were wrong here, yet he propounds the reproofe very gently, there are ſome of you, &c. not only to intimate that ſome were free, but to guard againſt the deterring of all, by a general rebuke. 4. Chriſts reproofes, and admonitions from his Word, ſhould be looked upon as flowing from good grounds and certain knowledge, beyond any that the creature hath, or can attain unto; Therefore doth John vindicate this ſeeming hard cenſure of Chriſts, from the imputation of raſhneſſe; by ſhewing, that Jeſus knew from the beginning, &c. 5. As all unbeleevers are in a dangerous condition; So traitours, and enemies to Chriſt and his doctrine under pretence of friendſhip, are among the firſt and worſt of unbeleevers; Therefore albeit Judas was an unbeleever alſo, yet he is ſet his alone here Jeſus knew who they were who beleeved not, and who ſhould betra… him 6. As there are many of theſe who do heare the Goſpel, who neither do nor will beleeve on Chriſt, and ſome who will turne treacherous enemies; So Chriſt is not ſurprized thereby, but doth perfectly foreknow what men will prove; for, he knew from the beginning all this as being God, to whom all things are known from everlaſting. 7. As there may be, and of-times are, very corrupt men in Chriſts company, and among the viſible ſocieties of his people; So it is his will that men be admitted to continue therein, ſo long as they profeſſe external ſubjection, without making enquiry into their ſpiritual eſtate: Therefore Chriſt, when he judgeth th…ſe men, giveth a reaſon of it from his divine knowledge, to warn all meer creatures, that they preſume not to prie into theſe ſecrets: And albeit he knew them well enough, yet he never rejected them, till firſt they bewrayed themſelves.
From ver. 63. learn, 1. Chriſt hath very grave and important reaſons for what he ſaith, though we oft-times do not ſee them; So much doth he make known concerning his former doctrine, though they had little conſidered it, He ſaid, Therefore ſaid I unto you, &c. 2 Albeit hearers be oft-times ſo ſtupid and blinded with ſelfe-love, that they never lay doctrine to heart, unleſſe it be ſaid, Thou art the man, (as we ſee even in David.) Yet it is the duty of all ſo to hear, as they make particular application of what is heard, for, ſo much doth Chriſt point at, while he tells that what he ſpake in general, was with an eye to them. 3. It is a truth to be much and frequently ſtudied, that men are naturally impotent of themſelves to come to Chriſt, and that they have rather cauſe to mourn under the ſenſe of this, when they cloſe not with Chriſts doctrine, then to quarrel him: Therefore doth Chriſt repeat this doctrine over again. 4. Such as do not fl…e to Chriſt, and embrace him in the ſenſe of their miſery, are a ready prey for all evil courſes; Therefore doth Chriſt lead them up to this, as the cauſe of all their diſtempers. 5. Such as get power and ſtrength to come to Chriſt, do not receive it according to any merit in them, but by free gift; Therefore is that drawing, ver. 44. explained from the cauſe thereof, except it were given him of my Father; Wherein is held out, that both power to come, and their very actual coming, is Gods free gift. See Eph. 2.8. Phil. 1.29. and 2.13. Rom. 7.18, 19.
Verſe 66. From that time many of his diſciples went back, and walked no more with him.
Followeth another, and worſe event, that followed upon this Sermon, even the open apoſtacy of many of his followers, ver. 66. with Chriſts confirmation of his Apoſtles, and warning them of the unſoundneſſe of ſome of themſelves, to the end of the chap. In this ver. it is declared that even theſe diſciples (of whom ver. 60.) are ſo far from being taken with Chriſts doctrine, or from liſtening to his vindication thereof, when they murmured at it, that they are the more irritate, and do make open apoſtacy. Whence learn. 1. As there are times of viſible flocking unto Chriſt, ſo there are times of trial, wherein there will be as great ſcattering and Apoſtacy from profeſſions; for, ſo are we here taught, that many went back, and (as it ſhould ſeem, comparing, ver. 67) all that were preſent but the twelve. 2. Chriſts doctrine is a touchſtone of true profeſſion, and ſuch as do not profit by his preaching, nor grow better by his reproofes or diſcoveries of their evils, and the remedies thereof, will ſtill grow worſe, till they make open apoſtacy; for, it was from that time they went back, that is, after he had preached himſelfe unto them, and had diſcovered that the true cauſe of their murmuring was only in themſelves, and that this could be remedied only by God. 3. Albeit ſuch as have in ſincerity given up their names to Chriſt, will neither totally nor finally fall away; Yet not only may they make a foul defection for a time, and in part, but viſible profeſſours may totally fall away; for, Many of his diſciples went back. &c. That is many unſound profeſſours did altogether renounce him, and albeit, it may be, ſome did again recover their feet, yet no mention is made of it here. 4. Mens former profeſſions and engagements to Chriſt and his truth, will aggravate their Apoſtacy, and adde to the ſinne thereof; Therefore alſo it is marked that they were diſciples who went back. See Gal. 3.3. and 4.15. 5. Albeit unſound profeſſours ſeem to caſt the world, and their old faſhions, behinde their back, for a while; yet their heart is not really weaned from them, nor are they really caſt out; And when tentation cometh, and they finde not that in Chriſt which they expected, they will turne back to their old vomit again; Therefore it is ſaid, they went back, or, to the things behinde them. So dangerous is it for profeſſours, to have Satan gone out, and not caſt out. Luk 11.24. to have any thing wherein to delight beſide Chriſt, when they cloſe with him; or, to have theſe things which they ſeemed formerly to ſl…ight, bearing bulk again in their eyes, however they may ſeem to palliate it with becoming more wiſe and prudent then at firſt they were. 6. As it is the duty of all profeſſours, to hold communion with Chriſt; and converſe with him, and publickly to own him in the midſt of a perverſe generation (without which greateſt pretences of ſecret friendſhip is of no availe, Joh. 12.42, 43.) So, when men do quit this practice, and do not wait upon the ordinances as they were wont, it is an undeniable ſigne of woful Apoſtacy, whatever they pretend to; for, it is the proofe of their Apoſtacy, they walked no more with him, nor did publickly own him, nor wait upon his Miniſtry.
Ver. 67. Then ſaid Jeſus unto the twelve, Will ye alſo go away?
Upon this ſad event and defection of many, Chriſt confirmes his twelve Apoſtles, and yet warnes them, that all who were unſound, had not gone away at this defection. The way of confirming them, is by a queſtion, poſing them concerning their reſolution, which drawes out an ample confeſſion and Teſtimony of Peter, in name of the reſt. From Chriſts queſtion in this, ver. learn, 1. Chriſt is not much troubled, though never ſo many of the rotten croud do deſert him; Therefore he never ſpeaks a word to them, but only to the twelve. 2. When many are making defection, it may ſo ſhake even the ſoundeſt, that they will need warning and confirmation: Therefore doth he put them to it, if they alſo would go away. Even the godly have feeds of the ſame evils which draw others away; evil example is very forcible, eſpecially when it is general; and ſinne is very infectious, eſpecially when it is carried on with plauſible pretexts. And therefore it is no wonder if men be in hazard in ſuch a caſe: And, backſliders are (beſide their own defection) guilty of weakning the hands of others. 3. Albeit Chriſt ſtand not in need of any followers, nor needs he be anxious, though all ſhould forſake him; yet he will take pains to confirme and keep ſuch as are his own; Therefore doth he deale with the twelve. 4. The nearer Chriſts relations be to any, and the more proofes of love they have received, he will take it the worſe, to be forſaken by them: And this ſhould be a mean to keep ſuch from defection; Therefore ſaith he, will ye alſo go away? intimating that their departure would touch him more then what all the reſt had done, and therefore they ſhould guard againſt it. 5. Whatever reſpect Chriſt have to any of his people, yet he will detain none againſt their will, but will have them a willing people who follow him; for this cauſe it is, that he puts it to themſelves, will ye go away? to intimate, that he will not accept of them (though no moe were left) except they be willing. Which yet is not to be underſtood, as if he left it ſimply arbitrary to them, to do as they liſted in it. But his ſpeech inſinuates a reproofe of them that went away, and therefore warns them to take heed they do not follow them. It is alſo a mean which he ſanctifieth unto them, and ties them faſter, while he ſeems to caſt the rains looſe. And withal, he who requires willing ſervice, doth give to his own, to be willing.