Exposition of John, Chapter 8 · Verse 34 – Verse 35
Ver. 57. Then ſaid the Jewes unto him, Thou art not yet fifty yeares old, and haſt thou ſeen Abraham?
58. Jeſus ſaid unto them, Verily, verily, I ſay unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
This laſt part of Chriſts anſwer occaſions a new exception againſt him, that he, who was ſo young a man, ſhould preſume to ſay he had ſeen Abraham, ver. 57. In anſwer to which, Chriſt aſſerts that however they take it, yet he is before Abraham; to wit, in reſpect of his Godhead, though upon that alſo followeth that even then he exerciſed the office of Mediatour according to the Covenant of Redemption, in that nature, and ſo was the matter of the godlies deſire and joy, even from the beginning, as was ſaid before of Abraham, ver. 56. While they ſay, thou art not yet fifty yeares old, though Chriſt was far younger, it may be conceived that Chriſts condition and exerciſe, being a man of ſorrowes and acquainted with griefes, had altered him much, and made him ſeem older then he was, as indeed, exerciſe of minde will waſte mens bodies ſoone. Or it may be conceived to be ſpoken with a latitude, that it was very abſurd that he, who had not lived ſo much as the ha…e of an age, (reckoning an hundred years to an age) ſhould ſay he had ſeen Abraham who was dead ſo many ages before. Likewiſe, they bewray their malice in their ſpeech, obſcuring what he had ſpoken of Abrahams ſeeing of his day, and putting in theſe words, haſt thou ſeen Abraham? as thinking it a diſparagement, that Abraham ſhould take notice of him though he had lived ſince that time. Doctrine, 1. The truth of God muſt not be the worſe loved, that it be ſublime and above the reach of humane reaſon, or that malicious men cannot, or will not ſee and acknowledge it, but do account it abſurd; for, here a precious truth is rejected by them as abſurd. 2. Such as look on Chriſts outſide only, and his ſtate of humiliation, will never ſee his true excellency; And ſo many things are true of Chriſt as God, that fleſh and blood, and they who look on him as meer man, will think them moſt abſurd: for, herein was their miſtake, they look on him as man only, and therefore object, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and haſt thou ſeen Abraham? 3. Let men oppoſe as they will, yet it is a truth beyond all contraverſie, that Chriſt had a ſubſiſtence before his incarnation and becoming man, and conſequently is true God; for, ſaith he, Verily, verily, I ſay unto you before Abraham was, I am. He followeth forth his ſubſiſtence no further then before Abraham, (though he be eternal) becauſe this was the matter now in contraverſie. And they who forge gloſſes to obſcure this text, as ſpeaking of no ſubſiſtance of Chriſt before his incarnation, do not only wrong Chriſt, as not anſwering diſtinctly to the Jewes Queſtion, ver. 57. but are in that reſpect more blinde then the very Jewes, who underſtood it ſo, and could not endure to hear it, ver. 59. 4. Chriſts ſubſiſtence before his incarnation, is immutable and unchangeable, not ſubject to the viciſſitudes of time; Therefore ſaith he, before Abraham was I am, not, I was, to ſhew that this has ſubſiſtence is unchangeable, ſtill preſent, and conſequently eternal. This, I am, is alſo a name of God, Exod. 3.14. pointing out that he is, and hath an unchangeable being of himſelfe and that albeit there be that which may be known of God, Rom. 1.19. yet his nature is incomprehenſible and unſearchable, and is moſt fitly expreſſed by this, I am that I am, Exod. 3.14. See Judge 13.18.
Ver. 59. Then took they up ſtones to caſt at him: but Jeſus hid himſelfe, and went out of the Temple, going through the midſt of them, and ſo paſſed by.
Followeth now the iſſue of this long diſpute, and particularly of this laſt conteſt. They look upon him as ſo abſurd in what he had laſt ſpoken, that they will reaſon no more, but ſeek to cut him off as a blaſphemer; And he takes no more pains to convince them, but delivers himſelfe miraculouſly from their fury. Whence learn, 1. Malicious perſecutors will not hearken to truth, though never ſo clearly told them; but when all arguments fail them, they will betake themſelves to violence; for, then they take up ſtones to caſt at him, wherein they were injurious, in returning him the reward of a blaſphemer, who had told them the truth, and unjuſt, in their tumultuous procedure, and not taking a legal way. And this is it which may be expected of all contradictors of Chriſts doctrine, if they get power, and be not b…idled. 2. It is lawful for Gods ſervants to withdraw from the fury of bloody perſecutors, when the perſecution is perſonal, as Chriſts example doth teach. 3. Our bleſſed Lord did condeſcend to ſanctifie all the weak means preſcribed to his people in hard times, in his own perſon; for, he who could have deſtroyed them, hid himſelfe, and made uſe of fleeing, he went out, &c. 4. Chriſt can diſappoint perſecutors, and deliver his people, even in greateſt extreamnity; for, when they have him among their hands in the Temple, he firſt hid himſelfe, and then went out of the Temple, going through the midſt of them, &c. Either he dazled their eyes, and made himſelfe inviſible, both when he hid himſelfe, and went away; or having done ſo for a while, while he hid himſelfe, he did binde up their hands that they could not touch him when he went openly through them out of the Temple. And ſo he evidenced his great power even in his infirmity, and ſo alſo doth he make his people prove ſtrong while they are weak, and perfects his ſtrength in their weakneſſe.