Exposition of John, Chapter 7 · Verse 2
Verſe 2. Now the Jewes feaſt of Tabernacles was at hand.
3. His brethren therefore ſaid unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judea, that thy diſciples alſo may ſee the works that thou doeſt.
4. For there is no man that doeth any thing in ſecret, and he himſelf ſeeketh to be known openly: if thou do theſe things, ſhew thy ſelf to the world.
Followeth the ſecond part of the Chapter, wherein Chriſt refuſeth to go up in his brethrens company to the feaſt of Tabernacles. Their deſire is contained in theſe verſes, to which Chriſt returnes his anſwer in the following purpoſe. In theſe verſes conſider, 1. The occaſion which induced them to make this propoſition, (which alſo points at the time of his continuance in Galilee) verſe 2. Namely, that the feaſt of Tabernacles was now approaching; which was one of their three yearly ſolemnities, Levit. 23.34. wherein (beſide other performances, common to it with other feaſts) they went out of their houſes and dwelt in booths made of boughs of trees: Not onelyonly to be a type of Chriſts Incarnation and dwelling in our fleſh, but to keep them in remembrance of their preſervation in tents in the wilderneſſe, before they came to the promiſed land. 2. Their deſire, that he would depart hence, and go up to Judea, and ſhew himſelf to the world: The meaning whereof is not, that they would be rid of him, or caſt him in his enemies hands, but they could not endure that their kinſman ſhould lurk in ſo baſe a place, and not go to Judea, where he might get more credit, and wherein they thought to ſhare. And therefore they deſire that he would go up with them to this ſolemne feaſt, and ſo Chriſt himſelf expounds their deſire, verſe 8. and ſo was the cuſtome, that kinſmen went up together to theſe feaſts, Luke 2.44. 3. The motives they uſe to induce him to hearken to their deſire, are two; In one of them, verſe 3. they pretend reſpect to the diſciples which he had gathered in Judea (chap. 3 22, 26. and 4.1.) who, as they inſinuate and pretend, were ſleighted and expoſed to tentations, through his long abſence, and theſe miracles he wrought in corners might contribute much to ſtrengthen them. In the other, verſe 4. they diſcover more of their ambitious intentions; They think it unhandſome for a man of ſo eminent gifts to lurk in corners, nor can they underſtand what could be his aime, if it were not to riſe and become eminent by his gifts; and therefore would have him caſting himſelf where he might get beſt opportunity of being taken notice of. 4. John records the true ground of this carnal motion in them, ver. 5. They were but yet in nature, and did conceive carnally of him, and ſought onelyonly to make advantage by their relation to him, and to advance their own carnal ends and deſignes. And this makes it clear, that (as his brethren were not any other children born by Mary, but his kinſmen, called brethren, after the manner of the Hebrews; ſo) they who made this motion were not any of his kinſmen whom he called to be Apoſtles; for, they were already converted and choſen, chap. 6.70. but ſome others.
From verſe 2. Learn, 1. The hard and incertaine lots of Gods people will, in due time, have a good iſſue, and matter of praiſe; for, ſo is held out in their keeping the feaſt of Tabernacles, in remembrance of the iſſue of their wandring. And it is a lively embleme of the ſweet iſſue that ſhall be of the godlies wandring, when they ſhall enter out of the wilderneſſe of this world into their heavenly Canaan. 2. Albeit we are ready to forget our troubles, and the mercies wherewith they have been ſweetened, when they are paſt and over; Yet it is Gods will they ſhould be remembred, with thankfulneſſe, and ſobriety, and with readineſſe to follow God, when ever he calls to new troubles: So much alſo is imported in their yearly obſervation of this feaſt, wherein they were not onelyonly thankfully to remember the mercy, but by their going out of their houſes, and dwelling in booths, and that at the time of gathering in their fruits, and when their barnes were full (for that was the time of this feaſt, Exod. 23.16. Deut. 16.13.) they were to teſtifie that preſent mercies had not made them forget former trials; that they would uſe them ſoberly, and were ready yet to leave all at his call, who had guided them ſo well in former trials. 3. Albeit praiſes be due to God, in all ages, in thankful remembrance of his mercies; yet the way of teſtifying thereof by ſolemne feaſts, is Jewiſh, and not to be continued under the Goſpel; Therefore, is it called (as formerly) the Jewes feaſt.
From ver. 3, 4. Learn, 1. Carnal men, when they have the occaſion of ſpiritual publike ſolemnities and ordinances, do not minde the tight end, or Gods honour in going about them, Nor do they make conſcience of ſpiritual preparation, that they may profit by them, but all their care is how to attaine their own carnal ends, particularly, of vain-glory, in and by them; for, when this feaſt was at hand, verſe 2. all the preparation of theſe men for it, was to get Chriſt with them, that they might come to credit by him at it. 2. Chriſts carnal friends and followers do follow him onelyonly for their own ends, and in expectation of carnal reſpect and glory by him; for, ſuch was their ſcope in this deſire. 3. It is high preſumption in creatures, to preſume to preſcribe to Chriſt what to do, or when to do it; And particularly, to employ him ſo to order his matters as may moſt advance their carnal ends, and bring them in eſteeme; for, it was not ſimply a fault to wiſh him in Judea, for he went afterward, verſe 10. nor yet to deſire he ſhould be known to the world, ſeeing it was his end in coming, to ſhine as the light of the world; But it was their fault to carve out and preſcribe to him when to depart, and to be ſo impudent, as to deſire that his manifeſtations might be made ſubſervient to their vain-glorious and carnal deſignes. 4. Men, when they are proſecuting their carnal and ambitious ends, will not want ſpiritual and plauſible pretexts, wherewith to mask them; for, ſo much appears in their firſt reaſon, go into Judea, that thy diſciples alſo may ſee the works that thou doeſt; wherein they ſeeme to be ſo taken up with thoughts of the publike good of his followers, as they dare indirectly chalenge him for ſleighting them ſo long. It is indeed a truth, that Chriſt will have a care of ſuch as give up their names to him, where ever they are, that they faint not for want of neceſſary encouragement. But they failed in propounding this, in That they made it but a mask to their carnal ends, (as indeed God looks not onelyonly to deſires, but to the end and ſcope of the deſirerers;) That they could think to learn him how to reſpect his people, or guide them better then he did; That they tied his encouraging of his followers to his bodily preſence and miracles, whereas he was God, to ſupport them in his bodily abſence; and, That they think it a fault he ſhould withdraw his viſible preſence, even from his diſciples, when he is called of God to ſhun imminent dangers. 5. Carnal and unrenewed men do make it their onelyonly aime, to become great by any gifts and endowments they have received; And they are ſo ignorant of another way, that they meaſure, even the moſt godly, by their own diſpoſitions, and do count them but ſilly, who do not thirſt after glory and reſpect; Therefore ſay they, for, no man doth any thing in ſecret, and he himſelf ſeeketh to be known openly; Whereby they do not meane ſo much, that he rubbed upon himſelf, by lurking in corners as a deceiver, and not coming to view, as an honeſt man ſhould do; But their carnal diſpoſition thought it impoſſible, that a man could be gifted as he was, and not thirſt after reputation in the world, and therefore, ſuppoſing that this was Chriſts aime alſo, they wonder he was ſo ſilly, and did not proſecute his ends more vigorouſly. 6. Men of eminent gifts are expoſed to very great danger, if they want ſincerity; having (beſide their own hearts, that can tell them too well what they are) many carnal friends, who may be Satans inſtruments, to ſuggeſt unto them tentations, to be puffed up with conceit, and to carnal courſes and aimes; for, here Chriſt was tried with it, though the Prince of the world found nothing in him. 7. Such as are carnal and ambitious hunters after vain-glory, do care nothing what they are or do in ſecret, but all their thought is about what is open and publike, and how to frequent publike conventions, and make ſhews, that they may be taken notice of; for, ſo much appears in their counſel, If thou do (or ſince thou doeſt) theſe things, ſhew thy ſelfe to the world.
From verſe 5. Learn, 1. The grace of God doth not go by blood or natural acquaintance, but by free gift; for, they are his brethren, and yet that proves not their grace, neither did his brethren beleeve in him, more then the Capernaites; and therefore they are in as little account with him. And herein Chriſts example is ground of comfort to them who have, and are oft-times put to trials by graceleſſe friends; Though afterward we finde a change, Acts 1.14. 2. The truth of the grace of God in men, will appear, eſpecially, in their taking up Chriſt by faith, as he hath revealed himſelf, and in their cloſing with, and embracing of him, out of the ſenſe of their great need; for, this is the evidence of their want of grace, they did not beleeve in him; that is, they did not take up what he was, nor cloſe with him. 3. When men are ambitious, and hunt after vain-glory, and when they dare preſume to teach Chriſt his duty, it is an evidence of a graceleſs condition, at leaſt in ſo far; Therefore, it is given as a reaſon of their former preſumption and ambition; for neither did his brethren beleeve in him.