Exposition of John, Chapter 8 · Verse 21 – Verse 24
Verſe 39. They anſwered and ſaid unto him, Abraham is our father. Jeſus ſaith unto them, If ye were Abrahams children, ye would do the workes of Abraham.
40. But now ye ſeek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.
41. Ye do the deeds of your father. —
The Jewes do except nothing againſt the firſt branch of Chriſts doctrine, concerning ſpiritual bondage; but finding that in his anſwer to their objection, he had inſinuate that they had ſome father of whom he had little good to ſay: and being either really ignorant, or wilfully ſeeming not to know that Chriſt ſpake of their ſpiritual parentage and pedigree; they again lay claim to Abraham as their father, of whom Chriſt durſt ſay no ill, and ſo would render him odious as calumniating holy Abraham Chriſt, in his reply, doth more clearly hold out that he is not ſpeaking of their carnal deſcent according to the fleſh, but of their original and parentage according to the Spirit. And, 1. He ſheweth in general, that if they were Abrahams children according to the Spirit, they would imitate him in his works. 2. He ſheweth, in particular, wherein their way was contrary to Abrahams, in that they perſecuted him for telling the truth of God. And therefore, 3. They behoved to father themſelves on another in that reſpect, then Abraham. Doctrine. 1. Conceit of priviledges is a diſeaſe not eaſily cured, nor will men be eaſily taught or convinced of the evill of it; for, after Chriſt hath ſufficiently refuted this exception before, yet they will not be put from it, but repeat it again, Abraham is our Father. 2. It is an old trick of degenerate Churches and Church-men, to cry up the names of pious Anceſtours, to oppoſe them againſt the light of truth; for, ſo do they hold up Abraham as their Father, that any thing Chriſt would ſay of their parentage, might be repelled by that: and ſo do many, like them, cry up theſe from whom they have farre degenerate. But if theſe Saints departed knew how they were abuſed by theſe their degenerate ſinnes, they would cry, let them periſh from under theſe heavens. 3. Whatever external priviledges men may enjoy, by being born of religious Parents, and members of the Church; Yet true grace is not an hereditary gift, nor doth carnal and outward ſucceſſion make men partakers of ſpiritual priviledges: Therefore, albeit he had granted they were Abrahams ſeed, ver. 37. by carnal generation and ſucceſſion, yet he makes a doubt of their being his ſpiritual ſeed, till they prove it better, If ye were Abrahams children, &c. 4. There is no juſt ground for any to boaſt of their religious progenitours, unleſſe they follow their footſteps: for, ſaith he, If ye were the children of Abraham, and would have that a priviledge unto you indeed, ye would do the works of Abraham. Such as do boaſt of religiou… Parents, and yet will not imitate them, are but in effect reading a Narrative to a ſad ſentence againſt themſelves. 5. Albeit Abrahams carnal ſeed did enjoy many temporal, yea, and external Church-priviledges, by vertue of the Covenant made with him; Yet none are his ſucceſſours, as to participation of peculiar ſpiritual bleſſings and priviledges, but only theſe who are followers of his faith and fruitfulneſſe in piety: And they who do ſo, may lay hold on all the ſpiritual promiſes made to him and his ſeed. Therefore doth Chriſt require of theſe men, who were his carnal ſeed, that if they would partake of the promiſes made to him concerning ſpiritual freedom, they ſhould prove their intereſt in him by another title, doing the works of Abraham, and then their claim would be good. And this is a fair advan…age and encouragement to Gentiles. See Rom. 4.11, 12 6. As walking in any wicked courſe, ſo in particular, the perſecution of Chriſt and his followers, is unbeſeeming Saints, and proves that the perſecutors have no claime to the priviledges of Saints; Therefore doth he inſtance this in particular, ye ſeek to kill me who have told you the truth, to ſhew how unlike they were to Abraham, who did not this, and therefore could not claim to the priviledges of his ſpiritual ſeed. 7. Albeit the Lord, in great mercy, will paſſe over the many violent fits of corruption in his people, which, through grace, and by fleeing to Chriſt, they get ſmothered before they break forth; Yet the Lord will judge of wicked men by their wicked endeavours and attempts, though they ſucceed not, ſeeing they are only withheld by ſome obſtacle from without; The…efore doth he charge it on them, as ſufficient to prove what they were, ye ſeek to kill me, though it had not taken affect. See Pſal. 21.11. and 28.4. 8. Chriſt is a Teacher who will not diſſemble, nor deceive or ſl…t…er his heare…s, but will faithfully deliver the truth which he receives; for, ſaith he, I have told you the truth which I have heard of God. 9. As a faithful declaration of the truth of God is the beſt ſervice can be done to men, ſo it is horrid wickedneſſe and ingratitude in men, when they will not only perſecute the innocent, but even theſe who are beneficial unto them, and do them beſt offices; for, ſo doth Chriſt aggravate their cruelty; ye ſeek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth. See Pſal. 109.4. 2 Cor. 12.15. 10. Such is the perverſity of the world, and their hatred to the truth of God pointing them out in their right colours, that the ſervants of Chriſt need expect no caſe, ſo long as they are faithful in their truſt; for, ſuch was Chriſts lot before them, ye ſeek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth. 11. Wicked men can never attempt any violence againſt the ſervants of God, becauſe of their fidelity, but God will look upon the injury as reflecting on himſelfe who entruſts them; for this cauſe doth Chriſt ſhew that the truth, for which they did perſecute him, he heard it of God, and ſo their quarrel was in effect againſt God, the Author of that truth. And as this may deterre men from ſuch violent courſes, ſo it may ſweeten the bitter cup, when it is held to the head of any of Gods ſervants. 12. Let wicked men cavil never ſo much againſt Chriſt, or ſtrive to clear themſelves, yet he will not alter his verdict of them till they change their manners; Therefore, over again doth he conclude, ye do the deeds of your father, that is, deeds like unto his, and deeds whereunto he driveth you. 13. Chriſt is ſo milde, even to his violent enemies, that when he reproves them, he rather deſires that they ſhould ſeverely judge themſelves, then that he ſhould deale too harſhly with them; And when he reproves any, it is their duty to ſet conſcience on work, to apply and enlarge the challenge againſt themſelves: for theſe cauſes it is, that he, now the ſecond time, ſaith only, ye do the deeds of your father, not naming who that father is, but leaving that to their own conſciences to gather, when they ſhould think ſeriouſly on the challenge.
Verſe 41. — Then ſaid they to him, we be not born of fornication, we have one Father, even God.
The Jewes are not yet ſilenced, but do bring forth a new objection, in this verſe about their parentage and original. Where, by fornication, I do not underſtand bodily filthineſſe, but idolatry, which is frequently in the Prophets called fornication or adultery. And the ſcope of the verſe is this; They perceiving now that Chriſt is not ſpeaking of their carnal deſcent and pedigree, but of their ſpiritual original and deſcent, do aſſert that in this alſo they had enough to ſay for themſelves; and that as Abraham was their father, in reſpect of carnal generation; ſo being conſidered in their ſpiritual ſtate and being, they were the children of that one only true God. And this (without regarding his former reaſons to the contrary) they labour to p…ove by this Argument, That they were not borne in an idolatrous ſtate, but in the true Church, nor were idolaters themſelves, but worſhipped God according to his Word, and therefore were his children And though it may be objected, that their progenitou…s were idolaters, as may be …en in Abraham, Joſh. 24.2. and frequently in their progeniton…s, throughout the hiſtory of the Bible; Yet that doth not render their ground untrue, (though it do not prove the concluſion as will be ſeen afterward) for even a Church infected with idolatry may bring forth children to God, in reſpect of outward Church-ſtate, ſo long as ſhe hath not got a bill of divorce, Ezek. 16.20. Doctrine, 1. Idolatry is indeed ſpiritual fornication, and a breach of that marriage Covenant that is betwixt God and his Church; and (whatever be Gods indulgence for a time, yet) it doth deſerve that the Church ſhould be rejected as not his wife, and that her children ſhould be no more accounted his, then baſtards are allowed to ſucceed to an inheritance; for, ſo much do they acknowledge that it is fornication, and that to be born of fornication, and to have one Father, even God, are not conſiſtent. See Hoſ. 1.9. and 2.2. 2. Deſperate and malicious hypocrites may not only preſume to glory that they are the ſucceſſours of religious Saints, but may be ſo impudent alſo, as to boaſt of their adoption and communion with G…d; for, ſo do they; after their glorying of Abraham, they adde, we have one Father, even God. See Matth. 7.22. Hoſ. 8.2. 3. Albeit it be a great mercy to be borne members of a true Church, and to worſhip God according to his own ordinances; yet that is not enough to prove any to be a true child of God; for, albeit their argument be true, we be not borne of fornication, yet it doth not hence follow that God is their Father, as Chriſts reply doth teach us.
Verſe 42. Jeſus ſaid unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me; for I proceeded forth, and came from God, neither came I of my ſelf, but he ſent me.
Unto the end of verſe 47. we have Chriſts reply to this exception, containing ſeveral particulars. And firſt, He evinceth that they are not Gods children; which he proveth from this reaſon, that if they were ſo, certainly they would love him, ſeeing he is from the Father by eternal generation, and cometh into the world by his Incarnation, not of his own head, but being ſent of the Father. Whence learn, 1. Chriſt is a lovely object, and ought to be beloved of his Church; for, ſo is here required that they ſhould l…ve him. And who ſo do not love the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, they are excommunicate in the higheſt degree, 1 Cor. 16.22. 2. None can juſtly pretend any intereſt in God as his children, but they that love Chriſt, who in his divine nature is the expreſſe image of his Father, and in his office, is employed by him; for, ſo much doth Chriſts aſſertion and argument hold forth, If God were your Father, ye would love me, for I proceeded forth (or came out, pointing at his eternal generation) and come (in the preſent time, as it is in the Original, to performe this office of Mediatour) from God. 3. It is a point beyond all contraverſie that Chriſt was ſent of the Father, to be the Mediatour and Meſſenger of the Covenant to his Church, and conſequently, that all his doctrine and works were according to his Commiſſion from the Father; Therefore is it added for confirmation, neither came I of my ſelf, but he ſent me. 4. Theſe reaſons, given by Chriſt, wherefore Gods children ſhould love him, taken from his eternal generation by the Father, and his being ſent by him in Commiſſion, may further teach us in general. 1. True lovers of God will give a roome in their affections to others, according to the meaſure of their communion with, and intereſt in God; for, if the Fathers children do love Chriſt, who is begotten of God, and is the expreſſe image of his perſon, then they will alſo love others who are begotten of him, and bear his image in part, 1 John 5.1. 2. True lovers of God will love to have intercourſe with him, and will love every Meſſenger ſent by him, and the Meſſenger for the meſſage ſake; for, that other ground, I come from God, and he ſent me, holds out this general, That they could not be Gods children, unleſſe they liked to hear from him, and liked theſe who bring the tidings. See Gal. 4.14, 15.
Verſe 43. Why do ye not underſtand my ſpeech? even becauſe ye cannot heare my word.
This chalenge may be underſtood generally, and ſo it contains a ſecond proof that God was not their Father, taken from their not underſtanding of what he preacheth, which evidenceth that they were not onelyonly under a natural impotencie to hear, but were ſo tranſported with malice, that they could not hear with patience, and ſo were none of Gods children. It may be alſo underſtood particularly, as a chalenge that they were ſo blinded with malice, that they could not underſtand what he had ſpoken in general termes of their father, verſe 38.41. and ſo it is a tranſition to the following verſe, wherein he explains his minde. We need not ſtand on this difference, ſeeing this particular may come in well enough under the general chalenge. And it teacheth, 1. It is a duty incumbent to all, to underſtand what Chriſt ſpeaks unto them; and where it is not ſo, Chriſt will make a quarrel of it; for, he puts it home with a ſharp queſtion and chalenge, Why do ye not underſtand my ſpeech? not onelyonly to put them to conſider from whence it flowed, (of which afterward,) but to teſtifie his indignation againſt them for it. 2. Chriſts wicked enemies are not onelyonly naturally impotent to hear the Word of God aright, but are ſo blinded with malice, that they cannot ſo much as with patience hear what he ſaith; for, this doth Chriſt chiefly underſtand, when he ſaith, ye cannot hear my Word. 3. Mens own malice addes to their natural ignorance, and doth ſo blinde them, that they cannot underſtand never ſo plain truth; for, ye underſtand not my ſpeech, becauſe ye cannot hear my Word. See Matth. 13.9. 4. Albeit Gods Children may have much ignorance, and may for a time be tain…ed with ſome errour; Yet as that is not good, ſo they who maliciouſly ſleight the means of knowledge, and do ſhut their own eyes, that they cannot and will not ſee, have nothing to evidence that they are the children of God; Therefore doth Chriſt, by this queſtion, put them to conſider what their practice and condition flowed from, VVhy do ye not underſtand my ſpeech? even becauſe ye cannot hear my VVord For if men of one Province, and children of one Family do underſtand the language and dialect (as ſome tranſlate the word ſpeech) of the Countrey, and Family, and are diſcerned from others by their ſpeaking of it, as Judg. 12.6. Matth 26.73. Then certainly they cannot be children of Gods houſe, who do not underſtand the language of it. And much more do they prove that they are not begotten by the ſeed of the Word, who cannot ſo much as endure to hear it.