Exposition of John, Chapter 8 · Verse 20
Ver. 37. I know that ye are Abrahams ſeed, but ye ſeek to kill me, becauſe my word hath no place in you.
38. I ſpeak that which I have ſeen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have ſeen with your father.
In theſe verſes, we have the ſecond branch of Chriſts anſwer; Wherein he anſwers to the chiefe ground of their exception, taken from their deſcent from Abraham; from whence they concluded that (at leaſt by right) they were freemen. In anſwering to this, Chriſt maketh uſe of the diſtinction betwixt Abrahams ſeed after the fleſh, and after the ſpirit, (of which Rom. 2.28, 29. and 9.6, 7.) and declareth, That he would not deny, but that they were Abrahams carnal ſeed; yet that could availe nothing, ſince they did not follow his footſteps, but ſought to kill him, as an evidence that his doctrine had no place, nor reſpect in their hearts, which was not Abrahams way, ver. 37. And to inculcate this yet more. 1. He ſheweth, that the Word, which they deſpiſed, was the doctrine committed to him from the Father, which Abraham would never have entertained as they did. 2. That their carriage proves that they have another Original and father, whom they follow, then Abraham, and that this their father is contrary to him and his Father, whom Abraham worſhipped and obeyed, ver. 38. And by this he indirectly points out that they were acted by Satan, whom he expreſſely names afterward, ſeeing they would not underſtand him when he ſpake thus.
From ver. 37. Learn, 1. Chriſt, even in his dealing with wicked men, is moſt tender and meek, and rather willing to gain then deterre them, ſo long as there is any hope; So much appeareth in his way of reaſoning here, for whereas in their other ground of exception (wherein they alleadge they were never in bondage, ver. 33.) he had them at a ſeen advantage of an impudent lie, at leaſt of a vain imagination; yet after he hath cleared their miſtake about ſpiritual bondage, he doth not meddle at all with that exception, but only cleares that wherein they ſeemed to have ſome advantage of truth on their ſide. And by this alſo, he would teach all the maintainers of truth, to make it their great ſtudy, to clear and juſtifie it in their debates, rather then to inſult over adverſaries, to imbitter and eſtrange them yet more from the love of the truth. 2. Chriſts knowledge of truth is infinite, and he doth propound it ſo infallibly and irrefragably, that he knoweth before hand all that can be ſaid againſt it; for, whereas they thought to ſurprize him with his objection, he tells them, I know that ye are Abrahams ſeed. A finite weak man might ſee his own ſhallowneſſe, by meeting with an objection he dreamt not of, but Chriſts doctrine cannot be ſhaken by ſuch means. 3. Albeit external priviledges may be a ſnare to delude hypocrites, and make them conceit of freedome; And albeit Chriſt may make uſe of mens conceit of theſe priviledges, to convince them, and agreeage their miſcarriage: Yet no priviledge that men can boaſt of, will make void Chriſts truth, concerning the ſpiritual bondage of men by nature, nor bring them into real liberty: for, ſaith he, I know that ye are Abrahams ſeed, that ye conceit of it, and expect much by it; but yet my doctrine ſtands true, and ye have the ſadder account to make, who enjoying that priviledge, do not emprove it better, 4. A little of mens practice is a ſurer rule to try them by, then all their faire language or boaſted of priviledges; Therefore, ſaith he, I know that ye are Abrahams ſeed, but that will not avail to prove your point, ſince ye ſeek to kill me. See Matth. 7.16. 5. Mens cruel malice againſt Chriſt and his children, proveth them to be yet in nature, and under the bondage of ſinne, whatever elſe they have to boaſt of; for, by this he proves them ſervants of ſinne, though they were Abrahams ſeed, ye ſeek to kill me. 6. Whatever natural men and hypocrites pretend to, or ſeem to have, of eſtimation and reſpect to the doctrine of the Goſpel; Yet really it hath no place with them. Either they have no roome for Chriſt, or his directions or comforts, (as the word here imports) as being ſufficiently provided, as they think, without him; or, they think his doctrine but cold comfort, to wait upon and follow in a time of ſtraite; or, they cannot digeſt his ſpiritual inſtructions, as being ſo contrary to the dictates of fleſh and blood, and laying a neceſſity on them to have ſo mean a conceit of themſelves; or, they affect it, not, becauſe of his authority who ſpeaks it, but becauſe of novelty, fineneſſe of expreſſion, or the like external motives; or, the affections they have, do not make it ſink down in their hearts, to take root there, and bring forth fruit, but it only fleets for a while in their imagination; or, if they be never ſo clearly convinced, yet out of pure malice, they will reject and oppoſe it: Therefore ſaith he, my word hath no place in you. See Jer. 22.21. Exod. 6.9. 1 Cor. 2.14. Acts 17.19, 20, 21. Matth. 13.15, 20, 21. 7. Where the Word is barred out, and gets not roome in mens hearts, there men are ful of miſchiefe, and prone to all evil; and particularly, where the Word preached is not received, men will readily turne perſecutors: Therefore ſaith he, ye ſeek to kill me, becauſe my word hath not place in you. For not only is this a juſt judgement of God upon ſuch deſpiſers; but the frequent inculcating of the Word will irritate their corruption, and it will grow worſe and worſe. There is no member of the Church, how civil or diſcreet ſoever, but if he receive not Chriſts Word into his heart, he is ready to turne a perſecutor.
From ver. 38. Learn, 1. Chriſt as he is inſeparable from the Father, ſo is he upon all his counſels, and knoweth his ſecrets; for ſaith he, I ſpeak what I have ſeen with my Father, to wit, his eternal counſels concerning loſt ſinners, whereof I am made participant 2. Chriſt alſo is the faithful interpreter and revealer of his Fathers counſel, for his peoples good; and his doctrine is in all things agreeable to the counſel and will of God; for, I ſpeak that which I have ſeen with my Father. And this, as it ſheweth the great priviledge of the Church, to whom theſe ſecrets are concredited, Rom. 3.1, 2. ſo it doth highly aggravate their contempt who reject this meſſenger and his meſſage, Heb. 2.2, 3. and 12.25. 3. It is not enough that wicked men be ſhewed their evil way in it ſelfe, but they ſhould be led up to ſee from what principle it flowes, and what the dangerous conſequents of it are: Therefore doth Chriſt lead them up here, to ſee what their malitious oppoſition unto him was, and whence it flowed. 4. It is one ſad mark upon wicked men and adverſaries to Chriſt, that as they are oppoſite unto him, ſo their oppoſition proveth that he and they are not children of one Father; Therefore doth he point out himſelfe and them as having different and contrary Fathers, I ſpeak what I have ſeen with my Father, and ye do that which ye have ſeen with your Father. Whereas with his own children it is otherwiſe, Job. 20.17. 5. Let wicked men boaſt never ſo much of their parentage and priviledges; Yet their works and carriage do prove that Satan is their Father, by whom they are acted and guided, and whoſe wayes they do imitate; for, ſaith he, ye do that which ye have ſeen with your Father; where Satan is called their Father, not in reſpect of the ſubſtance of their nature, which is neither created nor begotten by him, but in reſpect of the corruption of th…ir nature and manners, into which he was a chiefe inſtrument to draw man in Paradiſe, and doth yet foſter, and hold it on foot in his poſterity. Likewiſe, while he ſaith, ye do what ye have ſeen with him, it is not be underſtood of any viſible communion and intercourſe betwixt Satan and every unrenewed man; but that they do according as he prompts and acts them. 2 Tim. 2.26. Eph 2.2. and ſo do commit theſe evils, wherein he fell before them, as is inſtanced, ver, 44. 6. It is a ſad and humbling ſight of natural mens condition, to ſee them acted and led by Satan, as effectually and really, as ever their bodies were, who were corporally poſſeſſed by him: Therefore doth Chriſt by this point out the odiouſneſſe of their caſe unto them. And if this were well conſidered, it might not only diſcover, how little wonder it is there be a great oppoſition be twixt them, and the children of Chriſt, who are led by his Spirit. But it might humble them to think that they are under the conduct of ſuch a guide, when they think they are only following ſome pleaſant or profitable courſe: And it might let them, who dreame of a change of their manners when they pleaſe, ſee that it is not ſo eaſie a matter, but as hard as it was to diſpoſſeſſe the man that had the Legion of devils in him.