Exposition of John, Chapter 8 · Verse 30
Ver. 49. Jeſus anſwered, I have not a devil: but I honour my Father, and ye do diſhonour me.
50. And I ſeek not mine own glory; there is one that ſeeketh and judgeth.
51. Verily, verily, I ſay unto you, if a man keep my ſaying, he ſhall never ſee death.
In theſe verſes, we have Chriſts anſwer to this blaſphemous calumnie. And, 1. He declareth, that he had no devil, but was honouring his Father in what he did and ſaid, and therefore it was their great ſinne thus to reproach him, ver. 49. 2 Loſt they ſhould think he took to is ill, as an indignity done to him; he declareth, that he was no ſelfe-ſeeker, nor hunter after vain-glory, nor needed he avenge himſelfe on them, ſince the Father will honour him, and take courſe with them who rub upon his glory, ver 50. 3. To ſhew what his true glory is, and what their loſſe is who deſpiſe his Word, he ſheweth what bleſſed effects ſhall follow upon obſerving of his doctrine, ver. 51.
From ver. 49 Learn, Bittereſt calumnies ſhould be anſwered meekly by Chriſts ſervants; And however men f…ile in duty to them, yet they ſhould ſtill cleave to duty; Therefore doth Chriſt meekly deny the calumny, I have not a devil, and refutes it with reaſon. 2. As it is the duty of all Gods people to ſeek the honour of God, as their chiefe end; ſo Chriſt did eminently honour his Father, both in his doctrine and obedience; for, ſo ſaith he, I honour my Father. See Joh. 17.4. 3. They who ſincerely ſeek Gods honour, do prove that they are not guided and acted by Satan, whatever the world think or ſay of them; for, ſo doth Chriſt prove his point, I have not a devil, but I honour my Father. 4. Mens innocent lives and carriage is the beſt mean to refute unjuſt calumnies and reproaches; for, ſo doth Chriſt refute their blaſphemy, by his honouring of God in his carriage. 5. It is a commendable zeal for God, honour, when his faithfull ſervants will not ſuffer wicked men, who carry the devils ſtamp and image to father themſelves on God, as his beloved and dear people; for, in this, particularly, did he honour his Father here, in telling them plainly what they were. 6. As mens honouring of God will not ſtop the mouths of malicious ſlanderers; So their ſinne is very great who reproach them who do honour God; And particularly, this holds true of Chriſt, who cannot be diſhonoured, but it rubs upon the Father alſo; Therefore, ſaith he by way of ſad chalenge, I honour my Father, and ye do diſhonour me. See Joh. 5.22, 23.
From ver. 50. Learn, 1. Such as unfeignedly ſeek Gods honour, will not hunt after vain-glory, nor ſeek their own glory, ſave in ſo far as Gods honour is ſtricken at by the reproaches caſt on them; Therefore doth Chriſt ſubjoyn, I ſeek not mine own glory. 2. Such as unfeignedly ſeek Gods glory, need not be anxious about the reproaches they meet with, ſeeing God undertakes to ſee to that: Therefore alſo, leſt they ſhould think the want of honour from them grieved him, he ſaith, I ſeek not mine own honour, there is one that ſeeketh and judgeth. 3. As Chriſt did honour the Father in going about the works of his calling; ſo the Father did undertake, and hath now honoured him, and will avenge all the blaſphemies, and reproaches that wicked men belch out againſt him; for, ſaith he, there is one that ſeeketh and judgeth.
From ver. 51. Learn, 1. Chriſt is never ſo angry with his foes, as to forget his friends; Yea, he delights to conveigh his threatnings againſt enemies, in promiſes to his children, if ſo be they will conſider their loſſe, and yet take hold of his offer; Therefore, inſtead of threatning, he makes a gracious promiſe, and that not only for the confirmation of any weak ones who were then hearing, but to try what ſuch an offer might yet work upon theſe wicked men. 2. Albeit moſt part of men make but little account of the matter of their ſalvation, and theſe who have any thoughts about it, are very averſe from crediting Chriſts naked Word, about the way to it: Yet Chriſt would have it looked upon as a weighty buſineſſe, and would have it out of all contraverſie that he will make good the Word which he ſpeaks concerning it; Therefore doth he premit his ordinary aſſeveration to this doctrine, Verily, verily, I ſay unto you, that he may teach them, that it is no light or trivial matter he is ſpeaking of, and that he may remove all heſitation concerning the truth of his Word. 3. Such as would receive any benefit by Chriſts doctrine, ſhould not only hear it, but lay it up in their heart, and keep it in ſome meaſure of ſincerity in their life; for, it is required, that they keep my ſaying. 4. Albeit ſuch as cleave to Chriſt, and make conſcience of obedience to his Word, may meet with very many troubles, and may oft-times have very great fears about death, and their eternal happineſſe; Yet they ſhall be ſecured from eternal death, and all their other troubles, and bodily death it ſelfe, ſhall be ſwallowed up into victory; for, if a man keep my ſaying, he ſhall never ſee death, to wit, eternal death, and conſequently, ſhall get a good account of all the ſteps betwixt him and eternal happineſſe.