Remarks of the ruler of the feast

ST. JOHN. 5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.

6 And there were set there six water-pots of stone, fafter the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.

6 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the water-pots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.

8 And he saith unto thein, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.

9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew ;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,

10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse; but thou hast kept the good wine until now. 11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, Mark 7.3 Ch.4.46 –h Ch 1.14—1 Matt, 12:46.—k Exod. 12.14. Deut. 16. 1, Ver.23 Ch.5.1 & 6.4.& 11.50.

16.

as he did the Samaritan woman, John iv. 21. as he addressed his disconsolate mother when he hung upon the cross, chap. xix. 26. as he did his most affectionate friend Mary Magdalene, chap. xx. 15. and as the angels had addressed her before, ver. 13. and as St. Paul does the believing Christian woman, 1 Cor. vii. 16, in all which places the same term yovat, which occurs in this verse, is used; and where certainly no kind of disrespect is intended; but on the contrary, complaisance, affability, tenderness, and concern; and in this sense it is used in the best Greek writers.

Mine hour is not yet come.] Or, my time; for in this sense the word apa is often taken. My time for working a miracle is not yet fully come. What I do, I do when necessary, and not before. Nature is unsteady-full of haste; and ever blundering in consequence. It is the folly and sin of inen, that they are ever finding fault with the divine Providence. According to them, God never does any thing in due time he is too early or too late: whereas it is utterly impossible for the divine wisdom to forestall itself: or for the divine good ness to delay what is necessary.

5. His mother saith, &c.] The Virgin seems to have under stood our Lord as hinted above. It was not yet time to grant them a supply, because the want had not as yet been generally felt. But silently receiving the respectful caution, she saw that the miracle should be wrought, when it best suited the purposes of the divine wisdom.

6. After the manner of the purifying of the Jews) Or, for the purpose of the purifying of the Jews. The preposition Kara, which I have translated for the purpose, often denotes, in the best Greek writers, the final cause of a thing. See several examples produced by Raphelius from Arrian and Herodotus. These six vessels were set in a convenient place, for the purpose of the Jews' washing their hands before they sat down to meat, and probably for other purposes of purifi. cation. See this custom referred to in Matt. xv. 2. As to the number six, we need seek for no mystery in it; the number of pots was proportioned to the number of the guests.

on the water made wine, fo.

and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him. 12 After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mo ther, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days.

13 And the Jews' pass-over was at hand: and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,

14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen, and sheep, and doves, and the changers of money, sitting:

15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; 16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house a house of merchandise. 17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, "The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

18 Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, "What

1 Matt 21.12. Mark 11.15. Luke 19. 45.-m Luke 2 49.-n Psa. 9. 9.—0 Max. 12. 38. Ch. 6.30.

direct manner, that these guests were at all intoxicated. 2 The words are not spoken of the persons at that wedding at all: the governor of the feast only states that such was the common custom at feasts of this nature; without intimating that any such custom prevailed there. 3. The original word bears a widely different meaning from that which the objection forces upon it. The verbs udvor and pervo, from ev, wine, which, from pera Sveiv, to drink after sacrificing, signify not only to inebriate, but to take wine, to drink wine, to drink enough: and in this sense the verb is evidently used in the Septuagint, Gen. xliii. 34. Cant. v. 1. 1 Mace. xvi. 16. Hag. i. 6. Ecclus. i. 16. And the prophet Isaiah, chap. lviii. 11. speaking of the abundant blessings of the godly, coinpares them to a watered garden, which the Septuagint translate, WE KROS PEI, by which is certainly understood, not a garden drowned with water, but one sufficiently saturated with it, not having one drop too much, nor too little.

10. The good wine until now. That which our Lord now made being perfectly pure, and highly nutritive.

11. This beginning of miracles] It was probably the first he ever wrought;-at any rate, it was the first he wrought after his baptism, and the first he wrought publicly. His glory) His supreme divinity; chap. i. 14. His disciples believed on him] Were more abundantly con firmed in their faith, that he was either the promised Messiah, or a most extraordinary prophet, in the fullest intercourse with the ever-blessed God."

13. And the Jew's pass-orer was at hand] This was the reason why he staid but a few days at Capernaum, ver. 12. as he wished to be prescut at the celebration of this feast at Jerusalem. This was the first pass-over after Christ's baptism. The second is inentioned, Luke vi. 1. The third, John vi. 4. And the fourth, which was that at which he was crucified, chap. xi. 55. From which it appears, 1. That our blessed Lord continued his public ministry about three years and a half, according to the prophecy of Daniel, chap. ix. 27. And, 2. That having been baptized about the beginning of his thir tieth year, he was crucified precisely in the middle of his

Containing two or three firkins apiece.] Measures, or me tretes, unrperas. Bishop Cumberland supposes that the Syri-thirty-third. See Martin. an metretes is here meant, which he computes to have held seven pints and one eighth of a pint. And if this computation be right, the whole six water-pots might have contained about fourteen gallons and a quart. Others make each me tretes to contain ten gallons and two pints: see Arbuthnot. But the contents of the measures of the ancients are so very uncertain, that it is best in this, and numberless other cases, to attempt to determine nothing.

14. Found in the temple those that sold oren, &c.] This is a similar fact to that mentioned Matt. xxi. 12. Mark xi. 15. Luke xix. 45. See it explained on Matt. xxi. 12. If it be the same fact, then John anticipates three years of time in relating it here; as that cleansing of the temple mentioned by the other evangelists, took place in the last week of our Lord's life. Mr. Mann, Dr. Priestley, and Bp. Pearce, contend that our Lord cleansed the temple only once; and that was at the last pass-over. Calvin, Mr. Mede, L'Enfant and Beausobre, Dr. Lardner, Bp. Hurd, and Bp. Newcome, contend that he purged the temple twice; and that this, mentioned by John, was the first cleansing, which none of the other evan gelists have mentioned. Let the reader, says Bp. Newcome, observe the order of events.

8. Governor of the feast.] The original word, apxırpıkλivos, signifies one who is chief or head over three couches, or tables. In the Asiatic countries, they take their meals sitting, or rather reclining on small low couches. And when many people are present so that they cannot all eat together, three of these low tables or couches are put together in form of a crescent, and some one of the guests is appointed to take "Jesus works his first miracle at Cana of Galilee, chap. ii. charge of the persons who sit at these tables. Hence the ap. 11. then he passes a few days at Capernaum, which brings pellation of architriclinus, the chief over three couches or ta-him on his way to Jerusalem, ver. 12. The pass-over being bles; which in process of time became applied to the gover near, he goes up to Jerusalem, ver. 13. and casts the traders nor or steward of a feast, let the guests be many or few: and out of the temple, ver. 15. 16. At the pass-over he works many such person having conducted the business well, had a fes- miracles, ver. 23. While he is in Jerusalem, which city he tive crown put on his head by the guests, at the conclusion of does not leave till chap. iii. 22. Nicodeinus comes to him by the feast. See Ecclesiasticus, chap. xxxii. 1, 2, 3. night, chap. iii. 1, 2. Chap. ii. 2. contains a reference to chap. And they bare it.] A question has been asked, "Did our ii. 23. After these things, Jesus departs from Jerusalein, Lord turn all the water into wine which the six measures and dwells and baptizes in Judea, chap. iii. 22. And all these contained " To which I answer: There is no proof that he incidents take place before John is cast in prison, ver. 24. did; and I take it for granted that he did not. It may be ask But the second cleansing of the temple, happens most clearly ed, "How could a part be turned into wine, and not the during the last week of our Lord's life, after the death of the whole?" To which lanswer: The water in all likelihood was Baptist, and at a time when it would be absurd to say that changed into wine as it was drawn out, and not otherwise. afterward Jesus dwelt and baptized in Judea." "But did not our Lord by this miracle minister to vice, by The vindication of God's house froin profanation, was the producing an excess of inebriating liquor?" No; for the fol-first and the last care of our Lord: and it is probable he began lowing reasons: 1. The company was a select and holy com- and finished his public ministry by this significant act. pany, where no excess could be permitted. And, 2. Our Lord does not appear to have furnished any extra quantity, but only what was necessary, and as it was necessary. "But it is intimated in the text, that the guests were nearly intoxicated before this miraculous addition to their wine took place; for the evangelist says, orav μevowo, when they have become intoxicated." I answer, 1. It is not intimated, even in the most in.

It certainly appears that John directly asserts an early cleansing of the temple, by the series of his history: as the other three evangelists assert a latter cleansing of it. And though the act mentioned here seems to be nearly the same with that mentioned by the other evangelists, yet there are some differences. St. John alone mentions the scourge of rushes, and the casting out of the sheep and oxen.

Besides

CHAPTER III.

Lord with Nicodemus.

sign showest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? | lieved the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.
19 Jesus answered and said unto them, P Destroy this temple,
and in three days I will raise it up.

20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple
in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
21 But he spake of the temple of his body.

22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples
remembered that he had said this unto them; and they be
Matt 95,61. & 27.40. Mark 14.58. & 15.29.- Col.2.9. Hebr.8.2. So 1 Cor.3. 16.
&6 19 2 Cor. 6.16-r Luke 24.6.

there is a considerable difference in our Lord's manner of doing it: in the cleansing mentioned by the three evangelists he assumes a vast deal of authority, and speaks more pointedly concerning himself than he appears to do in this cleansing mentioned by St. John': the reason which has been given is: In the first cleansing he was just entering upon his public ministry, and therefore avoided (as much as was consistent with the accomplishment of his work,) the giving any offence to the Jewish rulers: but in the last cleansing, he was just concluding his ministry, being about to offer up his life for the saivation of the world; in consequence of which, he speaks fully and without reserve. For answers to all the objections made against two cleansings of the temple, see the notes at the end. of Bishop Newcome's Greek Harmony of the Gospels, pp.7,8,9. 17. The zeal of thine house] See Psal. lix. 10. Zeal to pro mote thy glory, and to keep thy worship pure.

18. What sign showcest thou] See on Matt. xii. 38. and xvi. 1. When Moses came to deliver Israel, he gave signs or miracles, that he acted under a divine commission: What miracle dost thou work to show us that thou art vested with similar authority ?

19. Destroy this temple] Tov vaov Tovrov, this very temple: perhaps pointing to his body at the same time.

20. Forty and six years was this temple in building] The temple of which the Jews spake, was begun to be rebuilt by Herod the Great, in the 18th year of his reign: Jos. Ant. b. xv. c. 11. s. 1. and xx. c. 9. s. 5, 7. But though he finished the nain work in nine years and a half, yet some additional buildings or repairs were constantly carried on for many years afterward. Herod began the work sixteen years before the birth of our Lord: the transactions which are here related, took place in the thirtieth year of our Lord, which make the term exactly forty-six years. Rosenmuller. Josephus, Ant. b. xx. c. 8. s. 5, 7. has told us, that the whole of the buildings belonging to the temple, were not finished till Nero's reign, when Albinus, the governor of Judea, was succeeded by Gessius Florus, which was eighty years after the 18th year of Herod's reign. See Bp. Pearce.

21. Of the temple of his body] Rather, the temple, his body: his body had no particular temple: but it was the temple of his divinity-the place in which, as in the ancient temple, his Godhead dwelt. See how the Jews perverted these words, Matt. xxvi. 60. and the notes there.

231 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the pass-over, in the
feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the
miracles which he did.

24 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he
knew all men,

25 And needed not that any should testify of man: for he
knew what was in man.

81 Sam. 16.7. 1 Chron. 25.9. Matt.9.4. Mark 2.8. Ch. 6.64. & 16.30. Acts 1.
24. Rev.2.23.

22. Remembered that he had said this unto them] AvroLS, to them, is wanting in AEHLMS. Matt. BV, upwards of one hundred others; both the Syriac, Fersic, Arabic, Coptic, Ethiopic, Armenian, Slavonic, Vulgate, and Itala. Griesbach has left it out of the text.

They believed the scripture] The scripture which the evangelist immediately refers to, may have been Psalm xvi. 10. Compare this with Acts ii. 31, 32. and with chap. xiii. 35-37. See also Psalm ii. 7. and compare it with Hebrews i. 5. and chapter v. 5. and with Acts xiii. 33. They understood these Scriptures in a sense in which they never before understood them.

It is the property of many prophecies, never to be understood except by their accomplishment; but these are so be misunderstood, or applied to any other event. marked, that when their fulfilment takes place, they cannot

23. Many believed in his name] They believed him to be the promised Messiah, but did not believe in him to the salvation of their souls: for we find from the following verse, that could not trust himself to them. their hearts were not at all changed, because our blessed Lord

24. He knew all men] Instead of #avras, all men, EGH. and about thirty others, read avra, every man, or all things: and this I am inclined to believe is the true reading. Jesus knew all things, and why? because he made all things, chap ter i. 3. and because he was the all-wise God, ver. 1. and he He knows who are sincere, and who are hypocriknew all men, because he alone searches the heart, and tries the reins. tical: he knows those in whom he can confide, and those to whom he can neither trust himself nor his gifts. Reader, he also knows thee: thy cares, fears, perplexities, temptations, afflictions, desires, and hopes: thy helps and hinderances: the progress thon hast made in the divine life, or thy declension from it. If he know thee to be hypocritical or iniquitous, he looks upon thee with abhorrence: if he know thee to be of a meek and broken spirit, he looks on thee with pity, compla knowest all things, thou knowest that I do love thee, and mourn cency and delight. Take courage-thou canst say, Lord, thou because I love and serve thee so little; then expect him to come in unto thee, and make his abode with thee: while thy eye and heart are simple, he will love thee, and thy whole soul shall be full of light. To him be glory and dominion

The conversation between Nicodemus and our Lord, about the new birth and faith in his testimony, 1-15.

The love of

God, the source of human salvation, 16. Who are condemned, and who are approved, 17-21. Jesus and his disciples come to Judea, and baptize, 22. John baptizes in Enon, 23, 24. The disciples of John and the Pharisees dispute about purifying, 25. The discourse between John and his disciples about Christ, in which the excellence, perfection, and privi. leges, of the Christian dispensation are pointed out, 26-36. [A. M. 4031. A. D. 27. An. Olymp. CCI. 3.] MIERE was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.

T

2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rab bi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except 4 God be with him.

Ch.7.50 & 13.39-b Ch 9. 16, 33. & 2.23. & 7. 13. & 12.42.- Ch.9.16, 33. Acts 2. 2-4 Acts 10 38

NOTES.-Verse 1. Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.] One of the members of the grand sanhedrim; for such were ordinarily styled rulers among the Jews. A person of the name of Nicodemus, the son of Gorion, is mentioned in the Jewish writings, who lived in the time of Vespasian, and was repu ted to be so rich, that he could support all the inhabitants of Jerusalem for ten years. But this is said in their usual extravagant mode of talking.

2. Came to Jesus by night] He had matters of the utmost importance, on which he wished to consult Christ: and he chose the night season, perhaps less through the fear of man, than through a desire to have Jesus alone, as he found him all the day encompassed with the multitude; so that it was impossible for him to get an opportunity to speak fully on those weighty affairs, concerning which he intended to consult him. However, we may take it for granted, that he had no design at present to become his disciple: as baptism and circumcision, which were the initiating ordinances among the Jews, were never administered in the night time. If any person ri ceived baptism by night, he was not acknowledged for a proselyte. See Wetstein.

Rabbi My Master, or Teacher, a title of respect given to the Jewish doctors, something like our Doctor of Divinity, i. e. teacher of divine things. But as there may be many found among us, who though they bear the title, are no teach ers, so it was among the Jews: and perhaps it was in reference to this, that Nicodemus uses the word didagkaλos, dida

| 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say
unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the
kingdom of God."

4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born whea
and be born?
he is old ? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb,

e Chapter 1.13. Gala. 6. 15. Tit.3.5. James 1.18. 1 Pt.1.23. 1 John 3.9-f Or,
from above.
skalos, immediately after, by which, in chap. i. 39. St. John
translates the word Rabbi. Rabbi, teacher, is often no more
than a title of respect: didaskalos signifies a person who not
We know that thou art a teacher come from God] We, all
only has the name of teacher, but who actually does teach.
the members of the grand sanhedrim, and all the rulers of the
racles. We are all convinced of this, though we are not all
people, who have paid proper attention to thy doctine and mi-
candid enough to own it. It is possible, however, that oldaper,
we know, signifies no more than, it is known, it is generally ac
No man can do these miracles] It is on the evidence of thy
knowledged and allowed, that thou art a teacher come from God.
miracles that I ground my opinion of thee. No man can do
3. Jesus answered] Not in the language of compliment:
what thou dost, unless the omnipotence of God be with him.
he saw the state of Nicodemus's soul, and he immediately ad-
dressed himself to him on a subject the most interesting and
important. But what connexion is there between our Lord's
reply and the address of Nicodemus? Probably our Lord saw,
kingdom, and in reference to this, he immediately says, Ex-
that the object of his visit was to inquire about the Messiah's
cept a man be born again, &c.

The repetition of amen, or verily, verily, among the Jewish writers, was considered of equal import with the must solemn oath.

Be born again] Or, from above: different to that new 259 birth, which the Jews supposed every baptized proselyte en

Though baptism by water into the Christian faith, was necessary to every Jew and Gentile that entered into the king-profess to teach a religion which we do not understand, nor dom of the Messiah, it is not necessary that by water and the Spirit, (in this place,) we should understand two different things: it is probably only an elliptical form of speech, for the Holy Spirit under the similitude of water; as in Matt. iii. 3. the Holy Ghost and fire, do not mean two things, but one, viz. the Holy Ghost under the similitude of fire-pervading every part, refining and purifying the whole.

Those who believe are saved;

CHAPTER III.

came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so P must the Son of man be lifted up;

15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

• Nam 21. 9-p Ch 8. 8 & 12. 3.—q Ver 36. Chap. 6. 47. Rom. 5.b. 1 John 4A-◄ Luke 9.55. Ch 5.45, & 8, 15 & 12.47 1 John 4. 14.

12. If I have told you earthly things] If, after I have illustrated this new birth by a most expressive metaphor, taken from earthly things, and after all you believe not; how can you believe, should I tell you of heavenly things, in such language as angels use, where earthly images and illustrations can have no place? Or, if you, a teacher in Israel, do not understand the nature of such an earthly thing or custom of the kingdom, established over the Jewish nation, as being born of baptism, practised every day in the initiation of proselytes: how will you understand such heavenly things, as the initia. tion of my disciples by the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire from heaven, if I should proceed further on the subject?

13. No man hath ascended] This seems a figurative expression for, No man hath known the mysteries of the kingdom of God; as in Deut. xxx. 12. Psal. lxxiii. 17. Prov. xxx. 4. Rom. xi. 34. And the expression is founded upon this generally received maxim: That to be perfectly acquainted with the concerns of a place, it is necessary for a person to be on the spot. But our Lord probably spoke to correct a false notion among the Jews, viz. that Moses had ascended to heaven, in order to get the Law. It is not Moses who is to be heard now, but Jesus; Moses did not ascend to heaven: but the Son of man is come down from heaven to reveal the divine will. That came down] The incarnation of Christ is represented under the notion of his coming down from heaven to dwell upon earth.

those who believe not, are condemned.

18¶ile that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.

19 And this is the condemnation, "that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the ..ght, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made inanifest, that they are wrought in God. 22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the 1 Ch.5.4.& 6.49, 47, & 20,31,-u Ch 1.4,9,10,11.& S. 12. -v Job 24. 13,17, Eph. 5. 13-w Or, discovered.

merit, than what the urgent necessities of the case required. Fourthly. That sin must be an indescribable evil, when it required no less a sacrifice to make atonement for it, than God manifested in the flesh. Fifthly. That no man is saved through this sacrifice, but he that believes, i. e. who credits what God has spoken concerning Christ, his sacrifice, the end for which it was offered, and the way in which it is to be applied, in order to become effectual. Sixthly. That those who believe, receive a double benefit. 1. They are exempted from eternal perdition-that they may not perish. 2. They are brought to eternal glory-that they may hare everlasting life. These two benefits point out tacitly the state of man; he is guilty, and therefore exposed to punishment: he is impure, and therefore unfit for glory.

They point out also the two grand operations of grace, by which the salvation of man is effected. 1. Justification, by which the guilt of sin is removed, and consequently the person is no longer obnoxious to perdition. 2. Sanctification, or the purification of his nature, by which he is properly fitted for the kingdom of glory.

17. For God sent not, &c.] It was the opinion of the Jews, that the Gentiles, whom they often term the world, nohy olmah, and yn o omoth hâolam, nations of the world, were to be destroyed in the days of the Messiah. Christ corrects this false opinion; and teaches here a contrary doctrine. God, by giving his Son, and publishing his design in giving him, shows that he purposes the salvation, not the destruction of the world-the Gentile people: nevertheless, those who will not receive the salvation he has provided for them, whe

Which is in heaven.] Lest a wrong meaning should be taken from the foregoing expression, and it should be ima gined that in order to manifest himself upon earth, he must necessarily leave heaven; our blessed Lord qualifies it by add-ther Jews or Gentiles, must necessarily perish; for this plain ing, the Son of man who is in heaven: pointing out by this, the whiquity or omnipresence of his nature: a character essentially belonging to God; for no being can possibly exist in nore places than one at a time, but He who fills the heavens and the earth,

reason, There is but one remedy, and they refuse to apply it.
18. He that believeth] As stated before on verse 16.
Is not condemned] For past sin, that being forgiven on his
believing in Christ.

But he that believeth not] When the Gospel is preached to him, and the way of salvation made plain.

Is condemned already] Continues under the condemnation which divine justice has passed upon all sinners: and has this superadded, he hath not believed on the name of the only-begotten Son of God, and therefore is guilty of the grossest insult to the divine majesty, in neglecting, slighting, and des pising the salvation which the infinite mercy of God had pro. vided for him.

19. This is the condemnation] That is, this is the reason why any shall be found finally to perish, not that they came into the world with a perverted and corrupt nature, which is true; nor that they lived many years in the practice of sin, which is also true; but because they refused to receive the salvation which God sent to them.

11. As Moses lifted up] He shows the reason why he descended from heaven, that he might be lifted up, i. e. crucified for the salvation of mankind; and be, by the appointment of God, as certain a remedy for sinful souls, as the brazen ser pent elevated on a pole, Numb. xxi. 9. was for the bodies of the Israelites which had been bitten by the fiery serpents in the wilderness. It does not appear to me, that the brazen serpent was ever intended to be considered as a type of Christ. It is possible to draw likenesses and resemblances out of any thing: but in such matters as these, we should take heed that we go no further than we can say, Thus it is written. Among the Jews, the brazen serpent was considered a type of the resurrection-through it the dying lived: and so by the voice of God, they that were dead shall be raised to life. As the serpent was raised up, so shall Christ be lifted up: as they who were stung by the fiery serpents, were restored by looking up to the brazen serpent: so those who are infected with, and dying through sin, are healed and saved by looking up to, and believing in Christ crucified. These are all the analogies which we can legitimately trace, between the lifting up of the brazen serpent, and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The lifting up of the Son of man may refer to his mediatorial office at the right hand of God. See the note on Numb. xxi. 9. 15. That whosoever believeth] Bp. Pearce supposes that this verse is only the conclusion of the 16th, and that it has Deen inserted in this place by mistake. The words containing to the human race-it shines to all, envies none, and calls the reason of the subject in the following verse, and seem to break in upon our Lord's argument, before he had fully stated The words un arodnṛai alda, may not perish but, are nitted by some very ancient MSS. and Versions.

16. For God so loved the world] Such a love as that which induced God to give his only-begotten Son to die for the world, could not be described:-Jesus Christ does not attempt it. He has put an eternity of meaning in the particle ouro, so, and left a subject for everlasting contemplation, wonder, and praise, to angels and to men. The same evangelist uses a similar mode of expression, 1 Epist. iii. 1. Behold WHAT MANNER of love, ποταπήν αγάπην, the Father hath bestowed upon us. From the subject before him, let the reader attend to the following particulars: First. The world was in a ruinous, condemned state, about to perish everlastingly; and was utterly without power to rescue itself from destruction. Secondly, That God, through the impulse of his eternal love, provided for its rescue and salvation, by giving his Son to die for it. Thirdly. That the sacrifice of Jesus was the only mean by which the redemption of man could be effected, and that it is absolutely sufficient to accomplish this gracious design: for 1 would have been inconsistent with the wisdom of God to have appointed a sacrifice, greater in itself, or less in its

Light is come] That is, Jesus, the Sun of righteousness, the fountain of light and life; diffusing his benign influences every where, and favouring men with a clear and full revela. tion of the divine will.

Men loved darkness] Have preferred sin to holiness, Belial to Christ, and hell to heaven. chashac, darkness, is frequently used by the Jewish writers, for the angel of death and for the devil. See many examples in Schoettgen.

Because their deeds were evil.] An allusion to robbers and cut-throats, who practise their abominations in the night season, for fear of being detected. The sun is a common blessall to necessary labour. If any one choose rather to sleep by day, that he may rob and murder in the night season, he does this to his own peril, and has no excuse:-his punishment is the necessary consequence of his own unconstrained actions. So will the punishment of ungodly men be. There was lightthey refused to walk in it. They chose to walk in darkness, that they might do the works of darkness-they broke the divine law, refused the mercy offered to them, are arrested by divine justice, convicted, condemned, and punished. Whence then does their damnation proceed? From THEMSELVES. 20. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light] He who doth vile or abominable things; alluding to the subject mentioned in the preceding verse. The word pavdos,, evil or vile, is supposed by some to come from the Hebrew phalas, to roll, and so cover onesself in dust or ashes, which was prac tised in token of humiliation and grief, not only by the more eastern nations, see Job xlii. 6. but also by the Greeks and Trojans, as appears from Homer, Iliad xviii. I. 26. xxii. 1. 414. xxiv 1. 640, compare Virgil, En. x. 1. 844. and Orid, Metam. lib. viii. 1. 528. From the above Hebrew word, it is likely that the Saxon ful, the English foul, the Latin vilis, and the Eng. lish vile, are derived. See Parkhurst under pavλos.

Lest his deeds should be reproved] Or, discovered. To

ST. JOHN.

and bap-|joiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.