Exposition of John, Chapter 7 · Verse 14
Verſe 25. Then ſaid ſome of them of Hieruſalem, is not this he whom they ſeek to kill?
26. But loe, he ſpeaketh boldly, and they ſay nothing unto him. Do the Rulers know indeed, that this is the very Chriſt?
27. Howbeit we know this man whence he is, but when Chriſt cometh, no man knoweth whence he is.
Chriſt having thus debated with the Jewes and multitude, about his doctrine and practice, he (in the ſecond place) is aſſaulted by the inhabitants of Jeruſalem, who knew the Rulers plots better then others. And, 1. They crie out upon their Rulers, wondering what is become of their zeal and forwardneſſe, who were ſeeking him to kill him, and yet now when he preaches ſo boldly, they meddle not with him. 2. They alledge, in deriſion, that the Rulers were ſo moderate, poſſibly, becauſe they beleeved him to be the Meſſiah; But as for them, they think they have ſtrong reaſons wherefore they could not joine with them in that opinion. For they know whence this man is, whereas no man will know whence the Meſſiah is when he cometh. As for the firſt part of their reaſon it cometh more fitly to be conſidered in Chriſts anſwer: But in the ſecond part, they aſſert a manifeſt untruth; for, albeit Chriſt, in reſpect of his Godhead, was prefigured by Melchizedek, who in that ſtate is brought in Scripture, without father and mother, without deſcent, having neither beginning of dayes, nor end of life. Heb. 7.3. and it is ſaid of Chriſt, in that reſpect, who ſhall declare his generation? Iſa. 53.8. Yet it is as clear that in reſpect of his humanity, the Scripture clearly points out, what tribe he ſhould come of, his deſcent, family and linage, and the place of his birth. Doctrine, 1. When wicked men are put to ſilence in debates, yet will they not be gained, but this will irritate their corruptions to ſtart new queſtions about truth, and new prejudices againſt the maintainers thereof; for, their not replying to his reaſonings, makes it clear they were convinced; and yet this availeth not, but they are irritate and imbittered that the Phariſees are not more violent, and they run to new debates. 2. Ordinarily they who enjoy moſt advantages in a viſible Church, do in a declining time prove worſt of any; for, they of Jeruſalem, the chiefe City, and the place of ſolemne publike worſhip for all the Nation, are more upon the perſecutors plots, and more enraged, then any. 3. God can preſerve his own, in the faithful diſcharge of their duty, in ill times, in an admirable way, ſo that even their enemies themſelves may wonder at it; for, ſay they, Is not this he whom they ſeek to kill? and yet he ſpeaketh boldly and they ſay nothing to him; They wonder that, conſidering his boldneſſe and the Rulers reſolutions, he was not diſpatched, ſeeing they might eaſily do it when he caſt himſelfe among their hands. But hereby they do alſo hold out, (though they conſidered it not) that there was an admirable providence of God about him, reſtraining them till his hour came. And indeed, it is no leſſe then a wonder, to ſee Gods people carried through, amidſt the many ſecret and cruel plots of men, Pſal. 124.1. And it would be admired yet more by Saints, if they were privy to all the ſore hearts enemies have for their miſcarried deſignes. 4. It will never be mens honeſty and courage in an evil time, that will haſten trouble upon them, before God ſee it meet to try them; But their fainting doth rather provoke God to ſend upon them what they fear, and would decline; for, of this Chriſts experience is an ample proofe; He was in the midſt of enraged perſecutors, he ſpake boldly, and yet ſay they, lo, they ſay nothing to him, they give him not ſo much as an ill word for his pains. 5. Wicked Rulers and perſecutors, when they are worſt, will never want inſtigatours to encourage them in it, yea, and to carp at them that they are not violent enough; for, ſuch did theſe of Jeruſalem prove to the Phariſees. 6. Free preaching is that which the world cannot endure, nor hear, without being enraged; for, that he ſpeaketh boldly, is their eye-ſore. 7. A viſible Church may grow ſo corrupt, that it will be accounted the greateſt crime and reproach that may be, to receive or profeſſe the moſt neceſſary and fundamental truths; for, they account it a great indignity in Jeruſalem, to know indeed that this is the very Chriſt. They have reaſon to acknowledge Gods merciemercy who live in times wherein it is their glory, and not their reproach, to avow this. And the godly, even in a viſible Church, ſhould be looking that their trial may come to that height in declining times. 8. Such as are in power, and do not rule for God, are juſtly contemptible, and ſlaves, in a ſort, to them who follow them in wickedneſſe; for, the Rulers muſt take a taunt, from their perſecuting aſſociates and followers. 9. It is undeniably groſſe and abominable wickedneſſe for men to profeſſe they know and acknowledge Chriſt, and yet to perſecute him and his truth; for, ſo much do theſe men grant, that if the Rulers knew he were the Chriſt, it was ſufficient to turn them from their reſolutions of killing him. 10. It is commendable that men, in matters of Religion, do not pin their faith upon the ſleeve of any, how eminent ſoever they be, and though they were never ſo much eſteemed by themſelves; But that they have a reaſon of their hope in themſelves; for, albeit theſe men erred dangerouſly in the particular, yet their principle is good in the general, that though the Rulers ſhould beleeve him to be the Chriſt; yet they could not go along with them, ſo long as they thought they had reaſon to the contrary. 11. Errour is very dangerous and enſnaring; And albeit many may ſeeme to be led away by others into errour, yet experience will readily prove, that errour doth ſo bewitch them, as the tentation that drew them on, will not bring them off again; for, albeit they were drawn on, chiefly, by their leaders example, to oppoſe Chriſt, yet they profeſſe that though their Rulers would come off yet they will not 12. Erroneous perſons, and deſpiſers of Chriſt, are much foſtered in their way, by their conceit of their own knowledge, and even by a pretence that they know and reſpect Chriſt, more then any beſide. Therefore, they make great boaſt of their knowledge, and particularly, of the Meſſiah whom they expected, and yet they are oppoſing him when he appeareth. 13. The not comparing of Scripture with Scripture, but taking any ſingle ſentence that ſeems to plead for what, we would be at, is a very great nurſery and cauſe of errour; for, ſuch is their reaſoning here, they catch at one thing ſpeaking of the Meſſiahs Divinity, and take no notice of other places with which that ſhould have been compared. 14. The right way to read the Scriptures concerning Chriſt, is, to take up both theſe Scriptures which ſpeak of his humanity and voluntary humiliation, and theſe which point out his Divinitie and glory, and ſee them all accompliſhed in him; Yet diſtinctly, ſo as we are not to expect that to be verified of his manhood which is proper to his Godhead: Nor yet that his Godhead in it ſelfe ſuffered any change by the perſonal union; for, herein alſo they failed in their reaſoning, urging that what was ſaid of the Meſſiahs Godhead ſhould be verified of him according to his humane nature. 15. It any think it ſtrange how theſe underſtanding men ſhould ſo far miſtake, ſeeing nothing was more clear and frequent in Scripture, then whence the Meſſiah is, as man, and that in reſpect of all circumſtances, his mother, place and time of his birth, parentage, &c. They would conſider, that (beſide what may be ſpoken to afterward, of their ſinning againſt light,) this people were ſo taken up with, and foſtered by their traditions, in a dreame of Chriſts outward glory & pompe, that they could not heed nor underſtand any thing concerning his humiliation, how clearly ſo ever it was revealed. And of this we have a clear inſtance in the diſciples themſelves, who being taken up with the ſame dreame, could not underſtand Chriſt, when he ſpake moſt clearly of his ſufferings, Mark 9.31, 32. Luke 9.44, 45. and 18.31, 32, 33, 34. And it teacheth, how dangerous a phrenſie vain imaginations and deluſions are, which will ſo poſſeſſe mens mindes, that cleareſt ſun beams of truth will not be diſcerned by them, unleſſe God in mercy recover them out of the ſnare of the Devil.