Annotations Upon the New Testament, John · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
Vers. 1. IEsus went unto the mount of Olives] He sought this solitarinesse, partly that he might refresh with necessary rest his body wearied with the daily labour of teaching, partly that he might be more for prayer.Polyc. Lyser.
About halfe a mile and a furlong from Jerusalem toward the east stood the mount of Olives, so called from the multitude of Olives. See Travels of the Patriarks. p. 483.
Vers. 3. And the Scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery, &c.] The Graecians read not this history;Quia haec historia semper à Latinis ecclesiis recepta fuit, & in plurimis vetustis Graecorum codicibus reperiatur, & nihil Apostolico spiritu indignū continet, non est cur eum in usū nostrum accommodare recuse mus. Calvin. Omiserunt hanc historiam Interpretes & Commentatores, non quod apocrypham censerent, sed quod in suis codicibus non inve nirent. Paulus Tarnovins in loc. Chrysostome and Theophylact wrote whole Commentaries upon this Evangelist, but explained not this history; Jerome also witnesseth that this history is not extant in any of the Latine Books, and it is not found in the Syriack Edition of the New testament. Polyc. Lyser.
We know that the history of the adulterous woman was in times past expunged by many, and is not found in the Syriack Edition, or in the Paraphrase of Nonnus, but yet we deny that it is not found in the Greek fountaine; yea, Theodorus Beza witnesseth, that of seventeene of his ancient Copies only one wanted it; none of the printed books which are extant this day leave it out. Austen affirmes that it was perversly rejected by some Hereticks, because it seemed to promise to men an impunity of sinning. But this is nothing to us to whom it sufficeth that the fountaines are cleare. Chamierus tomo 10. l. 12. c. 7.
Vide Piscat. in loc. & Seldeni, Uxorem Ebraicam. c. 11. p. 368. ad 372. Bezam, & Drusii praeterita, Grotium, & Waltheri Harmoniam Biblicam.It is found in a Syriack book of speciall note, therefore Ludovicus de Dieu, who wrote it out thence, mentions it in his Animadversions. Tatianus (who lived within threescore yeares after John) expresly mentions it also in his harmony of the Gospels, as Mr Selden shews in his Vxor Ebraica.
A woman taken in adultery] In the very act, foreign, that is, in the theft, perhaps to intimate the great theft which is in adultery.Deprehensa est in adulterio] Hoc est, deprehensa est in ipso facto cum adultaretur, foreign est enim deprehendere in facinore ipso, & huiusmodi deprehensionem foreign appellat Erasmus. Tam manifestè ut negari non possit. Vox est Graeca forensis. Grotius. foreign (quamvis foreign nullibi inveniatur) in ipso furro, & per Synecdochen generis pro specie in ipso facinore. Dilher. eclog. Sac. Dictum. 6. Id est, foreign, In ipso furto. Piscat. Some say, they brought the Adulteresse and not the Adulterer, that they might try Christs chastity; but rather because she was easier to be taken than the man, saith Maldonate.
Ver. 4. Master] They call him Master, whose Disciples yet they would not be, and whom in the former Chap. ver. 47. they called a Seducer. But they flatter him shamefully hoping by that the more easily to deceive him. They propound both the greatness and certainty of the crime.
See Boys his Sermon on this Text in his Remaines.Vers. 6. But Iesus stouped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not] The Syrians write not to the left hand as the Hebrews, not to the right hand as the Greekes and Latines, but downward, as Masius shews in his Syriack Grammer, which custome of writing it is probable was then observed by Christ, because at that time the Jews used the Syriack tongue. Piscat.
By this gesture Christ would shew that he was offended with the accusation of these men,Polyc. Lyser. Hoc gestu eorū contemptum prae se tulit. Calvin. and that he judged them unworthy of answer, because they carried all maliciously and fraudulently, and would be swift in punishing when they were slow in doing rightly.
What Christ wrote, and wherefore, it is not exprest, yet the Fathers diligently inquire after both. Aug. l. 4. de Consens. Evang. gives these reasons why Christ wrote, First, that he might signifie that those were to be written on earth, not in heaven,Vide Toletum in loc. as he had said to his Disciples, Luk. 10.20. Secondly, That he might shew that he works miracles on earth, for miracles are certaine signs which are done one earth. Ambrose saith, that he wrote that, Ier. 22.29. And in another place he saith, he wrote, Thou seest the mo…e that is in thy brothers eye, but dost not see the beame which is in thine own eye. Sunt hae Patrum meditationes. Certi tamen nihil statui potest saith Dilher. Dilher Ecclog. Sac Dictum quintum.These are the meditations of the Fathers, but nothing certaine can be determined. That he wrote with his finger significant letters, and made some words which might reprove the sins of most fraudulent men it is probable, but what they were it is beyond our capacity to understand, saith the same Dilher.
Vers. 7. He that is without sin among you] He condemnes their Hypocrisie, not the fact simply.
foreign signifieth properly, one that is impeccable and not subject to sin. But Tolet thinkes it is here rather taken for one that is now without sin.
Calvin thinks that he spake this according to the Law, Deut. 17.7. by which the witnesses were with their own hands to kill the guilty person. But there God warned they should not condemn that person with their tongue which they would not kill with their hands, here Christ requires perfect innocency in witnesses, that none should undertake to punish a crime in another, unlesse he be innocent and free from all fault himself. See more in Calvin.
Vers. 9. Being convicted] Or reproved, the Greeke word signifies conviction by argument.
Went out one by one] Vnus & deinde unus, One and then one; we have the same expression, Mark 14.19.
Beginning at the eldest] Either because the younger for honours sake offered the first place of going out to the Elder, or because the elder were conscious to themselves of more and greater sins; and that he might give them the more confidence of going out, he againe bowed himself, Ver. 8.
Vers. 10. None but the woman] In respect of the accusers, the Disciples were yet present, and the people which Jesus taught.
Vers. 11. Neither do I condemn thee] He came not then to the judgement of the world, but that he might give place to repentance Christ while he was in the forme of a servant neither condemned whoredome, nor absolved it civilly.Non ad Christum spectabat Politici magistratus officium, morte multando sontes exequi, sed hortari potius nec pergeret adulterari: sed quo minus illa puniretur ab aliis quorum inter fuit insontes animadvertere, nihil absuit. Dr. Twiss. vind. l. 1. parte 1. digr. 10. c. 2. Vide Bezam, & Piscat.
Sin no more] Willingly, deliberately.
Vers. 12. I am the light of the world] The light of the world visible by Creatures, of the invisible by grace; the light of the world which I have created by my word, redeemed by my bloud; not of the Jews only, but of all men, of all times, places, orders, and conditions, Esa. 42.6. and 49.6. Luk. 2.32.
He that followeth me] To follow Christ is to receive his Doctrine, to acknowledge him for the true Messiah of the world, to worship and invocate him, the following of Christ therefore comprehends true faith Charity and obedience, as Christ himself explaines it, Iohn 12.36. and 46. not only a lively knowledge of the true God and salvation, but also as Austen will, a continuation of the same even to eternall life.
The light of life] Which may be referred either to Christ, who is the light, and enlightens every one comming into this world, he shall, I say, possesse this Christ the fountaine of life, that is, shall be partaker of his benefits and merits; or it may be referred to eternall life, that last end of our afflictions, as if he should say, he that obeys me shall have eternall life, shall once see that light inaccessible where God himself dwels,Aretius and enjoyes it.
Vers. 32. And the truth shall make you free] Austen observed here the emphasis of the Greeke word, for they are said to be freed by the Latines, who are brought out of danger, or from a disease; but the Greeke word belongs to liberty which is opposed to servitude; also, he is called a free man amongst the Latines who is out of danger, but the Greeke word signifies, an ingenuous man, and one that is obnoxious to no servitude, the stomack of the Jews so declares it, We never served any man.
Vers. 33. We were never in bondage to any man] Some of the ancient Fathers judge this speech of the Jewes to be the Character of an arrogant mind,Vide Rollocum in loc. and also a manifest lye, See Gen. 29.20. & 39.1. Their Fathers served in Aegypt forty years, Gen. 15.13. and Exod. 20.2. They served also the Babylonians, Seldenus de Jure naturali & Gentium parte tertia. l. 6. c. 19. Duobus maximè modis homines servi fiebant, nascendo ex servis, aut bellico casu incidendo in captivitatem. Vtrumque à se removent. Non sumus nati ex Cananaeis aliisque servilibus populis, nemo nos in servitutem bello redegit. Non agitur hic de libertate status publici sed privati. Grotius.and even then the Romans. Mr Selden distinguisheth of a twofold servitude, one inherent in the person or intrinsecall, another extrinsecall consisting in outward services, and civill obedience, they deny the first only here (saith he) as the words following in Verse 34. shew, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
Vers. 34. Committeth sin] That is, giveth himselfe unto it, foreign, he that maketh sin, That is, that doth it as his work. Verily, verily] He was about to speake of a great matter, and that which the Jews would hardly admit of, and therefore he seriously confirmes it. Is the servant of sin] As if he should say, You understand my speech of a corporall servitude, of which I in no wise speake; there is another spirituall servitude far more hurtfull, viz. the bondage of sin, from whom you and other men are in no wise free.
Vers. 36. If the Son] That is, himselfe who was the naturall Son.
Vers. 43. Why doe ye not understand my speech] That is, approve and assent to it.
Because ye cannot hear my word] That is, understand it, ubi audire pro intelligere est. Glassius.
Vers. 44. He was a murderer from the beginning] That is, the first murderer, and the author of murder, opposite to God, who is the first good, and author of all good, life to himsefe and in his creature. From the beginning] Not of the Creation of the world, or of time, but of man. He is a lyar and the father of it] So he is of all sinnes, but of lies because he brought sin into the world by way of lying at the first.
Vers. 47. Yee therefore heare them not, because ye are not of God] That is, profitably, for they all heard.
Melancthon. Luther.Vers. 49. Jesus answered, I have not a Devill] When the Jewes objected two crimes against our Saviour Christ, one that he was a Samaritane, another that he was a Devill, he neglected the crime which concerned his person, and passed it over as being of the least sort of wrongs, and stands upon that other especially which touched his doctrine, I have not a Devill.
Vers. 56. Saw it] A farre off, Heb. 11.13. How could this be when Christ was borne many hundred years after? Answer, Not by the eye of sense or reason, but faith, whereby he saw Christ more lively,Perkins. and more to his joy and consolation, so many hundred yeares before he was, than many which lived in Christs time, and saw him, and conversed with him.
The Fathers say that he saw Christs birth at the vallie of Mamre, Gen 18. and his passion in the Mount Moriah, Gen. 22.
Verum quidem est, nondum attigisse Dominum annum tricesimum quartum (nam post annum tricesimum tertium cum dimidio Christus sublatus est è terris) verùm hoc illi largiuntur, eum jam propè attingere annum quinquagesimum: non potuisse tamen fieri affirmant, ut videret Abrahamum. Quo quidem responso corporalem hunc aspectum intelligunt, eùm Dominus de spirituali & fidei aspectu loquutus sit. Rollocus in loc.Vers. 57. Thou art not yet fifty yeares old] In his prime and flower of age, a little past thirty *Rogers pratic. Car. See Dr. Hackwells apologie, page 162. Hast thou seen Abraham] who died above two thousand years since., deemed by Jewes a man toward fifty, such shewes of over age (say some) had care and paines to win soules cast upon him. But Calvin dislikes this, and saith, they grant him more age lest they should seeme to deale too exactly and precisely with him, as if they should say, certainly thou wilt not make thy selfe so old that thou shouldst boast of thy comming to fifty, See Maldonate and Grotius.