Expository Thoughts on the Gospels

16. — [A little while, and ye shall, etc.'l There is a diflficulty in this verse which requires consideration. To what time does oux Lord refer wlien He says, " a little while and ye shall not see Me," and " ye shall see Me "? There are two answers.

(a) Some think, as Chrysostom, Cyril, and Hengstenberg-, that our Lord only meant, " in a few hours I shall be removed by death, and buried, and then you will not see Me; and again after three days I shall rise again, and then you will see Me."

(6) Others think, as Augustine, Maldonatus, and Wordsworth, that our Lord meant, " In a short time I shall leave the world, ascend up to heaven, and go to my Father, and you will see Me no more; and again, in comparatively short time, I shall return to the world at my second advent, and you will see Me again."

I decidedly prefer the second of these interpretations. To" explain the words, " Ye shall not see Me," and " Ye shall see Me," by our Lord's death and resurrection, seems to me a forced and unnatural interpretation. Moreover it completely fails to explain the words, " I go to the Father." Both here and all through the passage, I believe our Lord is speaking for the benefit of the whole Church until His coming again, and not merely for the benefit of the eleven apostles. The true sense is best seen by inverting the order of the words. " The time has arrived when I must leave the world, and go back again to my Father. The consequence is that in a little time you will no longer see Me with your bodily eyes, for I shall be in heaven and you on earth. But take comfort! In a little time I shall return again with power and great glory, and then you and all my believing people will see Me again."

It is worth notice, in support of the view I maintain, that the expression in Greek, " a little while," is almost the same as in Heb. X. 37, when the second advent is clearly spoken of. Moreover the expression " 1 go," is distinctly applied in several places to our Lord's final departure from the world, and seldom, if ever, to our Lord's death on the cross.

Alford thinks His meaning is manifold, and says, "'Ye shall

see Mo ' began to be fulfilled at the resurrection, then received its main fulfilment at Pentecost, and shall have its final fulfilment at the return of our Lord." This strikes me as a very

It is curious that the first "Ye shall see " is in the present tense, and is an entirely different word to the second, which is a future. The first would be rendered literally, " Ye behold, or gaze upon Me 1 "

17. — [TTien said some, etc.] This whole verse shows how little the disciples realized or understood our Lord's meaning at present, when He spoke of His second advent. Yet when we consider how widely different are the meanings put on our Lord's words by Christians in this day, we can hardly feel surprised that eleven weak believers, like the apostles, could not take in the full sense of the words wlien tliey first heard tliem, tlie niglit before the crucifixion.

18. — \_They said therefore...little ^ohile.] This sentence shows that it was the " time " mentioned — " a little while " — which perplexed the disciples. We may conjecture that they could not make out whether it meant " literally " a few days or hours, or figuratively a comparatively short time. And is not this precisely the point on which all students of unfulfilled prophecy disagree? The verse before us is curiously applicable to many a prophetical controversy.

[We cannot tell... saith.] The words would be more literally rendered, " We do not know what he is speaking of."

19. — [Wow Jesus knew...ask Sim.] Here, as in other places, our Lord's perfect knowledge of the hearts and thoughts of all around Him is pointed Out. The word "ask," we should carefully note, is literally " to ask questions about a thing," It is the same word that is used in verse 23: " at that day ye shall ask Me nothing."

[And said, etc.] The word rendered, " Do ye inquire among yourselves of that? " would be more literally, "Concerning this, do ye seek with each other? "

20. — [Verily... say unto you.] It should be observed in this verse that our Lord gives no reply to the inquiry of the disciples. He does not tell them what He meant by saying " a little while," Questions about times and dates are rarely answered in Scripture. Our attention is rather turned to practical things.

[ Ye shall weep and lament, etc.] I believe, with Augustine and Bede, that the whole verse is meant to be a general description of the state of things between the first and second advents of Christ. " During my absence from the world after my ascension, you, my beloved disciples, and believers after you, shall have many reasons to lament and mourn, like a bride separate from her husband, while the wicked world around you shall rejoice in my absence, and not wish to see Me return. During this long weary interval, you and all believers after you shall often have sorrow and tribulation; but at last, when I come again, your sorrow shall be turned into joy." In support of this view I advise the reader to study Matt. ix. 15. The idea in each place seems the same. (Compare also Is. Ixv. 14.)

Poole remarks, " The time of this life is the worldling's hour, while it is for the most part the power of darkness to all wlio love and fear God. But as the worldling's joy shall at last be turned into sorrow, so the godly man's sorrow shall be turned into joy." (Isai. 1. 11; Matt. xxv. 33.)

The interpretation of Chrysostom, Cyril, and others, which makes the wliole verse fulfilled by the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord, appears to me very unsatisfactory. It hardly affords time for the weeping and rejoicing which is here described. Nor is it quite clear that the day during which our Lord lay in the grave was a day of rejoicing to His enemies, if we may judge their anxiety to prevent, if possible. His resurrection from the dead.

21. — [A woman, etc.] This verse is an illustration of the whole state of the Church between the first and second advents of Christ. It was to be a time of pain, anxiety, and desire for deliverance, from which the only cessation would be at the personal return of Christ.

We are distinctly told in Rom. viii. 22, that " the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain until now." It is the normal state of things while Christ is absent. The second coming of the second Adam can alone restore joy to the world. The Church in Rev. vii. 2, is compared to a woman " travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered." The wars and disturbances of the world are called in Matt, xxiv, 8, the beginning of " sor rows; " and the word " sorrows " there means literally " the pains of a travailing woman."

The whole idea of the verse seems to be that the interval between Christ's first and second advent will be, to the Church, a period of pain, sorrow, and anxiety, like the state of a woman expecting her delivery, — that the end of this period will be the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ the second time, — and that when our Lord does come the second time, the joy of the true Church will be so great, that the former sorrow and tribulation will be comparatively forgotten. The joy of seeing Christ will swallow up the afflictions of His absence. (Compare Rom. viii. 18—22; 2 Cor. iv. 17.)

22. — [And ye now therefore, etc.] I apply to this verse the same principle of interpretation that I have applied to the preceding ones, I think our Lord is speaking of the sorrow and pain which believers would feel during the interval between His first and second advent, " You are now entering on a period of pain, sorrow, and tribulation. But fear not. It shall not be for ever, I will return and see you again. In that day your heart shall be filled and satisfied with joy, a joy which no one can ever take from you, a joy which shall be for ever."

I cannot bring myself to believe that this " see you again " can possibly refer to the short period of forty days between the resurrection and the ascension! Above all, I feel strongly that the words, " Your joy no man taketh from you," could certainly not be applied to the times of trouble, and tribulation, and persecution even unto death, which the primitive Church passed through in the beginning of its existence. The sensible joy of the primitive Church, beyond doubt, was often taken away, as when Stephen was martyred, James slain with the Bword, and Peter put in prison. The second coming of Christ is the only time of uni^^ersal and unbroken joy to which believers can look forward. Now we are in tlie wilderness, and our sorrowless home is yet to be reached. Then, and then only, will tears be wiped from all eyes.

23. — [And in that day... ask... nothing. 1 In the first part of this verse I believe, with Augustine, that the " day " spoken of is the day of our Lord's second advent. The " asking " is asking questions, or making inquiries, such as the disciples had wanted to make in verse 19. " They were desirous to ask Him." The Greek word is the same, and quite different from the word rendered " ask " in the latter part of this verse. The meaning of the sentence is, " In the day of my second advent you will not need to ask Me any questions. You will then fully understand the meaning of many things which you do not understand now." The far superior light which believers will enjoy in the day of Christ's second coming, is the chief point of the promise, as in 1 Cor. xiii. 12.

Cyril and Chrysostom, however, apply " that day " to our Lord's resurrection and the forty days following it.

[ Verily, verily...whatsoever...ask...give it you.] In this portion of the verse our Lord renews and repeats His former promise about prayer. " Until that day when I come again, I solemnly declare that whatsoever tilings you shall ask in prayer from the Father in my name. He will give them to you."

The word " ask " in the Greek, in the latter part of this verse is entirely different from the word rendered " ask " in the tormer part. Here it signifies seeking or petitioning in prayer. There it meant asking questions.

It ia worth noticing here how very frequent and full are the encouragements to prayer which our Lord holds out in the

The " whatsoever " of the text must of course be limited to whatsoever things are really for God's glory, the disciples' good and the interests of Christ's cause in the world.

24. — {Hither to... nothing in my name.] This sentence means that up to this time the disciples had not prayed for anything through the name and mediation of Christ. They had followed Him as a teacher, looked up to Him as a Master, loved Him as a friend, believed Him as the Messiah predicted by the prophets. But they had not fully realized that He was the one Mediator between God and man, through whom alone God's mercy could come down to sinners, and sinful creatures could draw near to God. They were now to learn that their Master was one far higher than any prophet, yea, even than Moses himself.

Daniel's prayer, " Shine on Thy sanctuary for the Lord's sake," is almost the only instance of a prayer in Messiah's name in the Old Testament. (Dan. ix. 17.)

[Ask...receive... joy...full.'] This sentence means, " From lienceforth begin tiie practice of asking everything in my name and through my mediation. Ask fully and confidently, and you shall receive fully and abundantly. So asking, you shall find the joy and comfort of your own souls enlarged and filled up."

John Gerhard here remarks: " The benefit of prayer is so

great that it cannot be expressed! — Prayer is the dove which, when sent out, returns again, bringing with it the olive-leaf, namely peace of heart. Prayer is the golden chain which God holds fast, and lets not go until He blesses. Prayer is the Moses' rod, which brings forth the water of consolation out of the rock of salvation. Prayer is Samson's jaw-bone, which smites down our enemies. Prayer is David's harp, before which the evil spirit files. Prayer is the key to Heaven's treasures."

The Greek word rendered " full " means literally " filled up," being the perfect participle of the verb " to fill or fulfil."

The sentence teaches us that the joy and happiness of believers admit of degrees, and may be fuller at one time than at another. It also teaches that the joy of a believer depends much on his fervency and earnestness in prayer. He that prays little and coldly must not expect to know much of " joy and peace in believing,"

We should not fail to observe how prayer is set before believers here as a plain duty, in the imperative mood, and also how desirous our Lord is that His people should be rejoicing Christians even now in the midst of a bad world. That religion which makes people melancholy and miserable and wretchedlooking, is a very low type of Christianity, and far below the standard of Him who wished "joy to be full." (Compare 1 John i. 4.)

25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time Cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.

26 At that day ye shall ask in my name; and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:

27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.

28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.

29 His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and Bpeakest no proverb.

30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.

32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the father is with me.

33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation; bat be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

The passage we have now read is a very remarkable portion of Scripture, for two reasons. On the one hand, it forms a suitable conclusion to our Lord's long parting address to His discij)les. It was meet and right that such a solemn sermon should have a solemn ending. On the other hand it contains the most general and unanimous profession of belief that we ever find the Apostles making: — " Now are we sure that Thou knowest all things:....by this we believe that thou earnest forth from God."

That there are things hard to be understood in the passage it would be useless to deny. But there lie on its surface three plain and profitable lessons, to which we may usefully confine our attention.

We learn, for one thing, that dear knowledge of God the Father is one of the foundations of the Christian religion. Our Lord says to His disciples, "The time Cometh when I shall show you plainly of the Father." He does not say, we should mark, " I will show you plainly about myself." It is the Father whom He promises to show.

The wisdom of this remarkable saying is very deep. There are few subjects of which men know so little in reality as the character and attributes of God the Father. It is not for nothing that it is written, " No man knoweth the Father save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son shall reveal Him." (Matt. xi. 27.) '* The only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him." (John i. 18.) Thousands fancy they know the Father because they think of Him as great, and almighty, and all-hearing, and wise, and eternal, but they think no further. To think of Him as just and yet the justifier of the sinner who believes in Jesus, — as the God who sent His Son to suffer and die,— as God in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, — as God specially well-pleased with the atoning sacrifice of His Son, whereby His law is honored; to think of God the Father in this way is not given to most men. No wonder that our Master says, " I will show you plainly of the Father."

Let it be part of our daily prayers, that we may know more of " the only true God," as well as of Jesus Christ whom He has sent. Let us beware alike of the mistakes which some make, who speak of God as if there was no Christ; and of the mistakes which others make, who speak of Christ as if there was no God. Let us seek to know all three Persons in the blessed Trinity, and give to each One the honor due to him. Let us lay hold firmly of the great truth, that the Gospel of our salvation is the result of the eternal counsels of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; and that we are as thoroughly debtors to the love of the Father, as to the love of the Spirit, or the love of the Son. No one has learned of Christ so deeply as the man who is ever drawing nearer to the Father through the Son, — ever feeling more childlike confidence in Him, — and ever understanding more thoroughly that in Christ God is not an angry judge, but a loving Father and Friend.

We learn, for another thing, in this passage, that our Lord Jesus Christ makes r)iuch of a little grace, and speaks kindly of those who have it. We see Him saying to the disciples: " The Father Himself loveth you, because ye have loved Me, and have believed that I came out from God."

How weak was the faith and love of the Apostles! How soon, in a very few hours, they were buried under a cloud of unbelief and cowardice! These very men whom Jesus commends for loving and believing, before the morning sun arose forsook Him and fled. Yet, weak as their graces were, they were real and true and genuine. They were graces which hundreds of learned priests and scribes and Pharisees never attained, and, not attaining, died miserably in their sins.

Let us take great comfort in this blessed truth. The Saviour of sinners will not cast off them that believe in Him, because they are babes in faith and knowledge. He will not break the bruised reed or quench the smoking flax. He can see reality under much infirmity, and where He sees it He is graciously j^leased. The followers of such a Saviour may well be bold and confident. They have a Friend who despises not the least member of His flock, and casts out none who come to Him, however weak and feeble, if they are only true.

We learn, for another thing, in this passage, that the best C7iristians know hut little of their own hearts. We see the disciples professing loudly, " Now Thou speakest plainly, — now we are sure, — now we believe." Brave words these! And yet the very men that spoke them, in a very short time were scattered like timid sheep, and left their Master alone.

We need not doubt that the profession of the eleven was real and sincere. They honestly meant what they said. But they did not know themselves. They did not know what they were capable of doing under the pressure of the fear of men and of strong temptation. They had not rightly estimated the weakness of the flesh, the power of the devil, the feebleness of their own resolutions, the shallowness of their own faith. All this they had yet to learn by painful experience. Like young recruits, they had yet to learn that it is one thing to know the soldier's drill and wear the uniform, and quite another thing to be steadfast in the day of battle.

Let us mark these things, and learn wisdom. The true secret of spiritual strength is self-distrust and deep humility. " When I am weak," said a great Christian,

"then am I strong." (2 Cor. xii. 10.) None of us, perhaps, have the least idea how much we might fall if placed suddenly under the influence of strong temptation. Happy is he who never forgets the words, " Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall; " and, remembering our Lord's disciples, prays daily: " Hold Thou me up and then I shall be safe."

We learn, lasth^, from this passage, that Christ is the true source of peace. We read that our Lord winds up all His discourse with these soothing words: " These things have I spoken unto you, that ye might have peace." The end and scope of His parting address, He would have us know, is to draw us nearer to Himself as the only fountain of comfort. He does not tell us that we shall have no trouble in the world. He holds out no promise of freedom from tribulation while we are in the body. But He bids us rest in the thought that He has fought our battle and won a victory for us. Though tried, and troubled, and vexed with things here below, we shall not be destroyed. " Be of good cheer," is His parting charge: " Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

Let us lean back our souls on these comfortable words, and take courage. The storms of trial and persecution may sometimes beat heavily on us; but let them only drive us closer to Christ. The sorrows, and losses, and crosses, and disappointments of our life may often make us feel sorely cast down; but let them only make us tighten our hold on Christ. Armed with this very promise let us, under every cross, come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Let us often say to our souls, '* Why art thou cast down, and why art thou disquieted? " And let us often say to our gracious Mas- ter, — " Lord, didst not Thou say, Be of good cheer? Lord, do as Thou hast said, and cheer us to the end."

25. — {^These t7dngs...proverhs.] Our Lord seems here to begin windiug up and concluding His discourse. The expression " these things,'* seems to nie to apply to all that He had been saying since Judas went out, and He was alone with the eleven. " All tliese things I have been saying to you in language which you have not been able fully to understand, insomuch that I seem to have been speaking to you in parables or proverbs." The Greek word rendered " proverb " is only used five times in the New Testament, and in John x. 6 is translated parable.

Besser observes here, " From the very first words of our Lord's farewell discourse, — ' In my Father's house are many mansions,' — up to the words concerning the travailing woman, the heavenly purport of the discourse is enwrapped in various similes and parables."

Do we not learn here that ministers must not refrain from telling their hearers many truths, which at the time they do not fully comprehend, in the hope that they will seek more knowledge, and comprehend afterwards the meaning of the things taught?

[But the time cometh...Father^ I believe the " time " here mentioned must be the time between our Lord's resurrection and ascension, the great forty days when He taught the eleven disciples more fully than He had taught them before, and spoke more openly of the things of His Father. — I say this with diifidence. But I can see no other time to which oar Lord could refer excepting this. It is evidently some personal inptruction that He means, and not instruction by the invisible agency of the Holy Ghost. *• The time is very close at hand, when my sacrifice on the cross having been accomplished, and my resurrection having taken place, I will show you openly and plainly the things concerning my Father, who I am, and what my relation to Him, and will no longer use parables and figures to convey my meaning."

The promise may possibly include the continual teaching of the Holy Spirit, which our Lord would give His disciples after His ascension; but the language seems rather to point to direct teaching from our Lord's own mouth. Moreover, it is an " hour " that cometh. in the Greek, and not a continuous period of time. iSo in ver. 32, " the hour " means a time close at hand.

26. — [At that day...ask in my name.] I believe this sentence must mean, " In the day following my resurrection, when the full nature of my mission and office is at last understood, you

■will begin to pray and ask in my name. Hitlierto you have not done it. When I have risen from the dead, and opened your understandings, you will begin to do it."

I see insuperable objection to any other view. The "day" spoken of c.mnot be the day of Christ's second advent, because prayer will not be needed then. Nor yet can it be the whole period of time between Christ's first and second advent, because the passage which it is here bound up with belongs specially to the Apostles. (See ver. 27.) There remains, in my judgment, no reasonable explanation except the one already given.

[A7id Isay not..'pray...Father...you.'\ The meaning of this sentence seems to be, " It is not necessary to say that 1 will pray the Father to hear you and grant your requests. Not only shall I of course do this, but my Father also will willingly hear your prayer." This is the most natural meaning of the passage, in my judgment.

It is singular that the Greek word rendered " pray " at the end of the verse, is the same that is used to signify " ask questions," or " make inquiry," in ver. 23. But it is worth notice that the word seems specially used when our Lord is described as " praying " to the Father. (See John xvii. 9; xv. 20.)

27. — \^For the Father Himself, etc.^ This verse is a continuation of the encouragement contained in the verse before. " You need not doubt the Father doing for you all that you ask in my name, because he loveth you for having loved Me, and believed

, my divine mission. He loves all who love Me, and believe on Me." (See John xiv. 23.)

Anton paraphrases the verse, " ye need not so think of my

intercession as if the Father were not Himself well disposed, but must first be coerced into kindness. No! He Himself loveth you, and Himself ordained my intercession."

We should notice here how graciously our Lord acknowledges the grace there was in the disciples, with all their weakness. When myriads of Jews regarded Jesus as an impostor, the eleven loved Him and believed in Him. Jesus never forgets to honor true grace, however much it may be mingled with in firmity.

28. — \^I came forth, etc ^ This verse seems a farewell summary of the true nature of our Lord's office and mission. It grows out of the last clause of the preceding verse. " You have believed that I came out from God. In so believing you have done well, for so it is. For the last time I repeat that my mission is divine. I came forth from the Father, and came into the world to be man's Redeemer; and now, my work being finished, I am about to leave the world, and to go back again to my Father." This deep sentence contains more than at first sight appears. It points backward to our Lord's persecution; it points forward to His resurrection and ascension into glory.

Augustine, quoted by Burgon, remarks, " When Christ came

forth from the Father. He so came into the world as never to leave the Father; and He so left the world and went unto the Father as never to leave the world."

29. — l^His disciples said, etc.'] The words of the disciples seem to be a reference to our Lord's statement in the twenty-fifth verse, that " the time was coming when He would no more speak in proverbs, but show them plainly concerning the Father." The eleven appear to catch at that promise. " Even now Thou art speaking to us more plainly that we have ever heard Thee speaking before, and not in figurative language."

80. — [Ifow are we sure, etc.] This is a peculiar verse. It is hard to see what there was in our Lord's statement iu ver. 28, to carry such conviction to the minds of the eleven, and to make them see things about their Master so much more clearly than they had seen them before. But the precise reason why words alfect men's minds, and lay hold on their attention at one time and not at another, is a deep mystery, and hard to explain. The very same truths which a man hears from one mouth and is utterly unimpressed, come home to him with such power from another moath, that he will declare he never heard them before! Nay, more: the very same speaker who is heard without attention one day, is heard another day teaching the very same things with the deepest interest, by the same hearers, and they will tell you they never heard them before!

The words, " We are sure," are literally, " We know." They mean, " We know now that Thou knowest all things concerning Thyself, Thy mission, and the Father."

The words, " Thou needest not that any man should ask Thee," mean, " Thou hast told us so plainly who and what Thou art, that there is no need for any one to ask Thee questions, or seek further explanation."

The words, " By this we believe," must mean, " We are convinced and persuaded by the statement Thou hast j ist made," in ver. 28.

31. — [Jesus answered... now believe.] In this verse our Lord warns the eleven of their self -ignorance. They thought they believed. They did not doubt their own faith. Let them not be too confident. They would soon find they had an evil root of unbelief within. Never do we find our Lord flattering His disciples. Warnings against self-confidence need to be continually pressed on believers. Nothing is so deceptive as feeling and excitement in religion. We know not the weakness of our hearts.

Alford thinks that "do ye now believe," should not be rendered as a question, but as an affirmation. " You now believe, I know," The Greek admits of either view. I prefer the question.

32. — {Behold the hour...leave Me alone."] In this sentence onr Lord reveals to his confident hearers, the amazing fact tliat they, even they, w^ould in a very short time forsake Him, desert Him, run away and fail in faith altogether. " Behold! " He begins, to denote how wonderful it was, " the hour cometh, yea, is now come. This very night, before the sun rises, the thing is immediately going to take place. Ye shall be scattered, like sheep fleeing from a wolf, one running one way and another another, every man going off to his own things, his own friends, or his own house, or his own place of refuge. Ye shall leave Me alone. You will actually allow Me to be taken off by myself as a prisoner to the high priests and to Pontius Pilate, and not so much as one of you will stand by Me."

How little the best of believers know of their own hearts, or understand how they may behave in times of trial! If any men were ever fully and fairly warned of their coming failure, the disciples were. We can only suppose that they did not understand our Lord, or did not realize the magnitude of the trial coming on them, or fancied that He would work some miracle at the last moment, for His deliverance.

The Greek phrase rendered " His own," means literally, " His own things." It may either be " His own business," or as the margin renders it, " His own home."

{And yet...not alone...with Me.} In this teaching and touching sentence, our Lord reminds His disciples that their desertion would not deprive Him of all comfort. " And yet, when you are scattered, ifud have left Me, I am not entirely alone, because the Father is always with Me."

We need not doubt that one great need of the sentence was to teach the disciples where they must look themselves in their own future trials. They must never forget that God the Father would always be near them and with them, even in the darkest times. A sense of God's presence is one great source of the comfort of believers. The last promise in Matthew, before the ascension, was, " I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." (Matt, xxviii. 20.)

John Huss, the famous martyr, who was burned at Constance, is said to have drawn special comfort from this passage, during the lonely imprisonment which preceded his death.

83. — [TJiese tilings...peace.] In this concluding verse our Lord sums up the reasons why He has spoken the things contained in this whole discourse. " All these things I have spoken for this one great end, — that you may have inward peace by resting your souls on Me, and keeping up close communion with Me." It is one great secret in our religion to draw all our consolation from Christ, and live on Him. " He is our peace." (Eph. ii. 14.)

[In the world...tribulation.] Here our Lord tells tlie eleven, plainly and honestly, that they must expect trouble and persecution from the world. He does not conceal that tlie way to heaven is not smooth and strewed with flowers. On the contrary, " all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." (2 Tim. iii. 12.) To keep back from young beginners in religion the cross and the battle, is not teaching as Christ taught.

[But be...good cheer...overcome... world.] Here our Lord winds up all by bidding the disciples take courage, cheer up, be confident, and go forward without fear. The world in which they lived was a vanquished enemy. He, their Master, had " overcome the world." This means, I believe, not merely that He had given them an example of successful fighting by overcoming the fear of the world and the flattery of the world, but something far more important. He had overcome the Prince of this world, and was just about to win His final victory over him on the cross. Hence His disciples must remember that they were contending with an enemy already sorely beaten. " Ye need not fear the world, because I am just leading captive its King, and about to triumph over him on the cross."

Luther, quoted by Besser, here remarks, " Thus is the ' good-

night ' said, and the hand shaken. But very forcibly does He conclude with that very thing around which His whole discourse has turned. Let not your heart be troubled. Be of good cheer."

No devout commentator, I think, can leave this wonderful chapter without deeply feeling how little we understand of the depths of Scripture. There are many words and sentences in it about which we can only give conjectures, and must admit our inability to speak positively. Nowhere in Scripture, I must honestly confess, do commentators appear to me to contribute so little light to the text, as in their interpretation of this chapter.

1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyea to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify" thee:

2 As tliou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

3 And this is life eternal, that thiy might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

5 And now, 0 Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before ttie world was.

6 1 have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and tliey have kept thy word.

7 Now they have known that all

tilings whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. 8 For I have ffiven unto them the

they have received tTiem, and have known.surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that

These verses begin one of the most wonderful chapters in the Bible. It is a chapter in which we see our Lord Jesus Christ addressing a long prayer to God the Father. It is wonderful as a specimen of the communion that was ever kept up between the Father and the Son, during the period of the Son's ministry on eartli. — It is wonderful as a pattern of the intercession which the Son, as an High Priest, is ever carrying on for us in heaven. — ISTot least it is wonderful as an example of the sort of things that believers should mention in prayer. What Christ asks for His people, His people should ask for themselves. It has been well and truly said by an old divine, that "the best and fullest sermon ever preached was followed by the best of prayers."

It is needless to say that the chapter before us contains many deep things. It could hardly be otherwise. He that reads the words spoken by one Person of the blessed Trinity to another Person, by the Son to the Father, must surely be prepared to find much that he cannot fully understand, much that he has no line to fathom. There are sentences, words, and expressions, in the twenty-six verses of this chapter, which no one probably has ever unfolded completely. We have not minds to do it, or to understand the matters it contains, if we could. But there are great truths in the chapter which stand out clearly and plainly on its face, and to these truths v.-' shall do well to direct our best attention.

We should notice, firstly, in these verses, what a glorious account they contain of our Lord Jesus Christ'*s office and dignity. We read that the Father has " given Him power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life." The keys of heaven are in Christ's hands. The salvation of every soul of mankind is at His disposal. — We read, furthermore, that " it is life eternal to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent." The mere knowledge of God is not sufficient, and saves none. We must know the Son as well as the Father. Go i known without Christ is a Being whom we can only fear, and dare not approach. It is " God in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself," who alone can give to the soul life and peace. — We read, furthermore, that Christ " has finished the work which the Father gave Him to do." He has finished the work of redeaiption, and wrought out a perfect righteousness for His people. Unlike the first Adam, who failed to do God's will and brought sin into the world, the second Adam has done all, and left nothing undone that He came to do. — Finally, we read that Christ " had glory with the Father before the world was." Unlike Moses and David, He existed from all eternity, long before He came into the world; and He shared glory with the Father, before He was made flesh and born of the Virgin Mary.

Each of these marvellous sayings contains matter which our weak minds have not power fully to comprehend. We must be content to admire and reverence what we cannot thoroughly grasp and explain. But one thing is abundantly clear: sayings like these can only be used of one who is very God. To no patriarch, or prophet, or king, or apostle, is any such language ever applied in the Bible. It belongs to none but God.

Forever let us thank God that the hope of a Christian rests on such a solid foundation as a Divine Saviour. He to whom we are commanded to flee for pardon, and in whom we are bid to rest for peace, is God as well as man. To all who really think about their souls, and are not careless and worldly, the thought is full of comfort. Such people know and feel that great sinners need a great Saviour, and that no mere human redeemer would meet their wants. Then let them rejoice in Christ, and lean back confidently on Him. Christ has all power, and is able to save to the uttermost, because Christ is divine. Office, power, and pi"e-existence, all combine to prove that He is God.

We should notice, secondly, in these verses, what a gracious account they contain of our Lord Jesus Christ's disciples. We find our Lord Himself saying of them, " They have kept Thy Word, — they have known that all things Thou hast given Me are of Thee, — they have received Thy words, — they have known surely that I came out from Thee, — they have believed that Thou didst send Me."

These are wonderful words when we consider the character of the eleven men to whom they were applied. How weak was their faith! How slender their knowledge! How shallow their spiritual attainments! How faint their hearts in the hour of danger! Yet a very little time after Jesus spoke these words they all forsook Him and fled, and one of them denied Him three times with an oath. No one, in short, can read the four Gospels with attention, and fail to see that never had a great master such weak servants as Jesus had in the eleven apostles. Yet these very weak servants were the men of whom the gracious Head of the Church speaks here in high and honorable terms.

The lesson before us is full of comfort and instruction. It is evident that Jesus sees far more in His believing ]>eople than they see in themselves, or than others see in them. The least degree of faith is very precious in His sight. Though it be no bigger than a grain of mustard seed, it is a plant of heavenly growth, and makes a boundless difierence between the possessor of it and the man of the world. Wherever the gracious Saviour of sinners sees true faith in Himself, however feeble, He looks with compassion on many infirmities, and passes by many defects. It was even so with the eleven apostles. They were weak and unstable as water; but they believed and loved, their Master when millions refused, to own Him. And the language of Him who declared that a cup of cold water given in the name of a disciple should not lose its reward, shows clearly that their constancy was not forgotten.

The true servant of God should mark well the feature in Christ's character which is here brought out, and rest his soul upon it. The best among us must often see in himself a vast amount of defects and infirmities, and must feel ashamed of his poor attainments in religion. But do we simply believe in Jesus? Do we cling to Him, and roll all our burdens on Him? Can we say with sincerity and truth, as Peter said afterwards, " Lord, Thou knowest all things: Thou knowest that I love Thee? " Then let us take comfort in the words of Christ before us, and not give way to despondency. The Lord Jesus did not despise the eleven because of their feebleness, but bore with them and saved them to the end, because they believed. And He never changes. What He did for them. He will do for us.

l.—[These words spake Jesus.'] The chapter we have now begun is the most remarkable in the Bible. It stands alone, and there is nothing like it. A few introductory remarks will not be out of place.

Henry remarks that this was a prayer after sermon, a prayer after sacrament, a family prayer, a parting prayer, a prayer before a sacrifice, a prayer which was a specimen of Christ's intercession.

We have here the only long prayer of the liord Jesus, which the Holy Ghost has thought good to record for our learning.

That He often prayed we know well; but this is the only prayer reported. We have many of His sermons, parables, and con versatious; but only this prayer.

We have here the prayer of one who spake as never man spake, and prayed as never man prayed, — the prayer of the second Person in the Trinity to the Father: the prayer of one whose office it is, as our High Priest, to make intercession for His people.

We have a prayer offered up by the Lord Jesus on a specially interesting occasion, — just after the Lord's Supper, — just after a most striking discourse, — ^just before His betrayal and crucifixion,— ^just before the disciples forsook Him and fled, — just at the end of His earthly ministry.

We have here a prayer which is singularly full of deep and profound expressions; so deep, indeed, that we have no line to them. The wisest Christian will always confess that there are things here which he cannot fully explain.

The Bible reader who attaches no weight to such considerations as these must be in a very strange state of mind.

Augustine remarks, " The prayer which Christ made for us. He hath also made known to us. Being so great a Master, not only what He saith in discoursing to the disciples, but also what He saith to the Father in praying for them, is their edification."

Calvin remarks, " Doctrine has no power, unless efficacy is imparted to it from above. Christ holds out an example to teachers, not to employ themselves only in sowing the Word, but by mingling prayers with it, to implore the assistance of God, that His blessing may render their labor fruitful."

Bullinger remarks that it was the duty of the Jewish priest to pray for the people, as well as to offer sacrifice for them.

About the place where this prayer was offered we know nothing certain. Some, as Alford, have conjectured that it was in the upper room where the Lord's Supper was held. This, however, seems inconsistent with "Arise, let us go hence." (Ch. xiv. 3L) It seems more likely that it was prayed in some quiet place outside the walls, before our Lord " crossed the brook Cedron." (John xviii. 1.) One thing at least is almost certain. It is a totally different prayer from that which our Lord prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, although Rupertus asserts it was the same.

About the hearers of this prayer, there seems no reason to doubt that all the eleven apostles were present, and all heard it. All heard the discourses of the last three chapters, and I cannot see why all should not have heard the concluding prayer.

About the general plan and order and arrangement of the prayer, I decline to express any opinion, thinking it more reverent not to define too closely such a matter. We can all see at a glance that our Lord prays about Himself, prays about the disciples, and prays about those who were after to be disciples. But it is best to pause here, and not to dissent and analyze and systematize too minutely such a prayer. One tiling only may be remarked, and that is, the singular frequency with which " the world " is mentioned. The phrase occurs no less than nineteen times.

I conclude these introductory observations by advising all who wish to study thoroughly this wonderful chapter of Scripture, to consult, if they can, the following works specially devoted to the elucidation of it: viz., " Manton's Sermons on Seventeenth John," 400 folio pages; " George Newton's Exposition of Seventeenth John," 560 pages folio; and " Burgess's Expository Sermons on Seventeenth John," 700 pages folio. These three books, having been written by Puritans 200 years ago, are ignored by some and despised by others. I simply venture the remark, that he who cares to examine them will find that they richly repay perusal. Manton's work especially will bear a comparison with anything written on this chapter since his days. It is curious that the other prayer, commonly called the " Lord's Prayer," has been frequently made the subject of books and expositions, while this much larger " prayer" has been comparatively little handled.

Melancthon says, " There is no voice which has ever been heard, either in heaven or earth, more exalted, more holy, more fruitful, more sublime, than this prayer.

Luther says, " In proportion as this prayer sounds plain and simple, it is in reality deep, rich, and wide, that which none can fathom."

[And lifted up His eyes to heaven.] This sentence shows that bodily gestures in prayer and worship of God are not altogether to be overlooked as unmeaning. There is a decent and reverent manner aud gesture which suits the action of addressing God. It also seems clearly to show that the prayer was prayed before witnesses. John writes as one describing what he saw and heard. It is perhaps too much to say that the expression proves tlie prayer to have been in the open air. A person may look upward and heavenward even in a room. Yet it certainly rather increases the probability that our Lord was in the open air.

Calvin says, " If we desire to imitate Christ, we must take care that our outward gestures do not exj^ress more than is in our mind, but that inward feeling shall direct the eyes, the hands, the tongue, and everything about us."

Newton observes that gesture and demeanor in God's worsliip, though not everything, are something,

[And said, Father, the hour is come.'] The " hour ** here named is the hour appointed in God's eternal counsels for the sacrifice of the death of Christ, and the final accomplishment of His atonement. That time, wliich had been promised by God, and expected by saints for 4000 years, ever since Adam's fall, had at length arrived; and the seed of the woman was actually about to bruise the serpent's head, by dying as man's Substitute and Redeemer. Up to tliis night " the hour was not yet come " (John vii. 30; viii. 20); and till it had come, our Lord's enemies could not hurt Him. Now, at last, the hour had come, and the Sacrifice was ready.

Augustine says here, " Time did not force Christ to die, but Christ chose a time to die. So also the time at which He was born of the Virgin He settled with the Father, of whom He was begotten without time."

Let us remember, though in a far lower sense, that believers are all immortal till their hour is come; and till then they are safe, and cannot be harmed by death.

Let us note how our Lord addresses God as " Father." In a lower sense we may do the same, if we have the Spirit of adoption, and are His children in Christ. The Lord's prayer teaches us to do so.

It is worth notice that our Lord uses the phrase " Father" six times in this one prayer.

[Glorify Thy Son...glorify Thee.] I think the meaning of this sentence must be this: •' Give glory to Thy Son, by carrying Him through the cross and the grave, to a triumphant completion of the work He came to do, and by placing him at Thy right hand, and highly exalting Him above every name that is named. Do this, in order that He may glorify Thee and Thy attributes. Do this, that He may bring fresh glory to Thy holiness, and justice, and mercy, and faithfulness, and prove to the world that Thou art a just God, a holy God, a merciful God, and a God that keepeth His word. My vicarious death and my resurrection will prove this, and bring glory to Thee. Finish tlie mighty work. Glorify Me, and in so doing glorify Thyself. Finish Thy work, not least, that Thy Son may glorify Thee by bringing many redeemed souls to heaven, to the glory of Thy grace."

Stier remarks, " These words prove the Son is equal to the Father, as touching His Godhead. What creature could stand before his Creator, and say, * Glorify Me, that I may glorify Thee?'"

The glory of God and His attributes is the grand end of all creation, and of all God's arrangements and providences. No- tiling brings such glory to God as tlie completion of tlie redeeming work of Christ, by His death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven. Our Lord seems to me to ask that His death may at once take place, that He through death may be taken up to glory, and that there the justice, holiness, mercy, and faithfulness of the Father may be glorified and exhibited to all creation, and many souls be at once saved and glorify the Divine wisdom and power.

Augustine remarks, " Some take the Father's glorifying the Son to consist in this, — that He spared Him not, but delivered Him up for us all. But if He be said to be glorified by passion, how much more by resurrection? For in the passion it is more His humility than His glory that is shown forth, as the Apostle Bays in Phil. ii. 7 — 11."

2. — [As Thou hast given Him poicer, etc.] The Greek of part of this verse is peculiar, as it contains a nominative absolute; and a literal translation seems impossible. It would be, " That with regard to all that body or thing which Thou hast given Him, He should give eternal life to thsm." There seems a distinction between the whole body and the particular individual members. The body is given to Christ, in the mass, from all eternity. The members of that body are called in time, separately and one by one, and eternal life given to them.

There certainly seems a connection between this verse and the concluding clause of the preceding verse. " Let Thy Son glorify Thee by saving souls, even as Thou hast appointed He should do, seeing that Thou hast given Him power and authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all the members of that mystical body which Thou hast given Him."

When we read here of " the Father giving power to the Son," •we must carefully remember that it is not the giving of a superior to an inferior. It signifies that arrangement in the counsels of the eternal Trinity, by which the Father gives to the Son especially the carrying out of the work of redemption. Newton thinks the " power" includes the dignity of judgment at the last day, as in John v. 22.

The expression "all flesh" seems to me, as it does to Augustine, BuUinger, Newton, and others, to denote all mankind. All are not saved, but Christ has power and authority over all. Some confine it to the " elect," but I cannot see the force of their argument. To my eyes i.t is like John iii. 16, where " world " and " believers " are in contradistinction. So it seems here, " all flesh " and " given ones."

Chrysostom thinks that the phrase " all flesh " had special reference to the calling of the Gentiles into the Church; and that our Lord meant that henceforward He was to be " Saviour of Gentiles as well as Jews."

The plirase "eternal life " includes everytliing tliat is neces- Barj to the complete salvation of a soul, — the life of justification, sanctification, and final glory.

The Son gives " eternal life " to none but those who are " given to Him," in the everlasting counsels of the Trinity, from all eternity. Who these are man cannot say. " Many of the gwen ones," says Traill, " do not for a long time know it." All are invited to repent and believe, without distinction. No one is warranted in saying, " I was not given to Christ, and cannot be saved." But that the last day will prove that none are saved except those given to Christ by the Father, is clear and plain.

Poole remarks, " We need not ascend up to heaven to search the rolls of the eternal counsels. All whom the Father hath given to Christ shall come to Christ; and not only receive Him as Priest, but give themselves up to be ruled and quickened by Him. By such a receiving of Christ we shall know whether we are of the number of those that are given to Christ."

Traill remarks, " This giving of men to the Son to be redeemed and saved is the same thing with election and predestination."

" There is a twofold giving of men to the Son by the Father. One is eternal, in the purpose of His grace; and this is mainly meant here. The other is in time; when the Father by His Spirit draws men to Christ. (John vi, 44.) All the elect are given from eternity to the Son, to be redeemed by His blood; and all the redeemed are in due time drawn by the Father to the Son, to be kept to eternal life,"

8 ^-[And this is life eternal, etc.] This verse is mercifully given to us by our Lord as a description of saved souls. " The secret of possessing eternal life, — of being justified and sanctified now, and glorified hereafter, — consists simply in this: in having a right saving knowledge of the one true God, and of that Jesus Christ whom He has sent to save sinners." In short, our Lord declares that he who rightly knows God and Christ is the man who possesses eternal life.

Of course we must distinctly understand that mere headknowledge, like that of the devil, is not meant by our Lord in this verse. The knowledge He means is a knowledge which dwells in the heart and influences the life. A true saint is one who " knows the Lord." To know God on the one hand — His holiness, His purity. His hatred of sin; and to know Christ on the other hand — His redemption, His mediatorial office. His love to sinners, — are the two grand foundations of saving religion.

Right knowledge after all lies at the root of all vital Christianity, as light was the beginning of creation. We need to be " renewed in knowledge." (Col. iii. 10.) We must know what we believe, and we cannot properly worship an unknown God,

Do we know God, and do we know Christ ar»glit? are the two great questions to be considered. God known out of Christ is a consuming fire, and will fill us with fear only. Christ known without God will not be truly valued: we shall see no meaning in His Cross and passion. To see clearly at the same time a holy, pure, sin-hating God, and a loving, merciful, sin-atoning Christ, is the very A B C of comfortable religion. In short, it is life eternal to know rightly God and Christ. " To know God without Christ," says Newton, " is not to know Him savingly."

Traill remarks, " The secret moth and poison in many people's religion is, that it is not Christianity at all. God out of Christ is a consuming fire; God not worshipped in Christ is an idol; all hopes of acceptance out of Christ are vain dreams; a heaven out of Christ is little better than the Turk's paradise."

The Greek of the phrase, " that they might know," would have been better rendered, " to know." It is the same phrase that is so rendered in John iv. 34: " My meat is to do the will." Literally, this is, " My meat is that I may do the will."

Let us learn that knowledge is the chief thing in religion, though we must not make it an idol. Most wicked men are what they are because they are ignorant. Godly people are often described in Scripture by one single phrase: " They kno w God."

The argument which Arians and Socinians have always loved to found on this verse appears to me extremely weak. Their idea, that our Lord did not lay claim to divinity, because He speaks of the Father as the " only true God," is foolish and unreasonable. Chrysostom, Cyril, Toletus, and others, remark very sensibly, that the word " only " was not meant to exclude the Son and the Holy Ghost, but only those idols and false gods with which the heathen religions had filled the earth when Christ appeared. The very fact that eternal life consists in knowing not only God, but Christ, goes far to prove Christ's divinity.

Manton remarks that the expression in this verse had a twofold object; firstly, to exclude the idols and false gods; and secondly, to show the order and economy of salvation."

Let us note that this is the only place in the New Testament where our Lord calls Himself " Jesus Christ."

4. — [I have glorified Thee on the earthJ] The meaning of these words I take to be this. " I have now glorified Thee during my life on earth by keeping Thy law perfectly, so that Satan can find no defect or blemish in Me, — by witnessing faithfully to Thy truth in opposition to the sins and false teaching of the Jews, — by showing Thee and Thy mind towards man in a way that was never known before."

words I take to be this. " I have completed the work of redemption which Thou didst send Me into the world to accomplish,— My death and resurrection being so near that to all intents and purposes it is finished."

On the use of the past tense here instead of the future, Au-

gustine remarks, *' Christ saith He has finished that which He most surely knows He will finish. Thus long before in prophecy he used verbs of past tense, when that which He said was to come to pass after many years. ' They pierced,' says He, * my hands and my feet: ' not they will pierce." (Psalm xxii. 16.)

It has been truly remarked that Christ alone, of all born of woman, could say literally " I have finished the work Thou gavest Me to do." He did what the first Adam failed to do, and all the saints in every age fail to do: He kept the law perfectly, and by so keeping it brought in everlasting righteousness for all them that believe. Yet here is the model we ought to keep before our eyes continually. We must aim to finish the work our Father appoints for us, whether great or small.

Musculus remarks, that true godly obedience is to be seen not merely in doing such work as we arbitrarily take up, but in doing such work as God appoints us to do.

It admits of doubt, whether there is not a latent reference in the end of this verse to Daniel's prophecy, that Messiah would " finish transgression, make an end of sins, make reconciliation for iniquity, and bring in everlasting righteousness." (Dan. ix. 34.)

Let it be carefully noted that Christ's redeeming work on earth was " work which the Father gave Him to do." He was the Person commissioned in the counsels of the everlasting Trinity to do this work.

" On the earth " must include the whole period of Christ's incarnation, from His birth until His ascension. During all that period He glorified the Father by perfect unvarying holiness.

5. — \_And now, 0 Father, glorify Thou Me, etci\ Having briefly recited His work on earth, or, as it were, rendered an account of His ministry, our Lord now repeats the one prayer with which He began: " Glorify Me." The meaning of this verse I take to be as follows: " Father, my earthly work being now finished, I ask to be restored to that heavenly glory which in an unspeakable manner I had with Thee, as one of the co-equal and undivided Trinity, long before this world existed. The period of my humiliation and self-imposed weakness being accomplished, let Me once more share Thy glory, and sit with Thee on Thy throne as I did before my incarnation."

It is needless to say that the things asked in this prayer, both here and elsewhere, are very deep, and reach far beyond man's understanding. The glory which the Son had with the Father, in the time before the creation of the world, is a matter passing our comprehension. But the pre-existence of Christ, tlie doctrine that Father and Son are two distinct persons, and the equal glory of the Father and the Son, are at any rate taught here very plainly. It seems perfectly impossible to reconcile the verse with the Socinian theory, — that Christ was a mere man, like David or Paul, and did not exist before He was born at Bethlehem.

Let us also learn the practical lesson, that a prayer for glory comes best from those who have done work upon earth for God. A lazy wish to go to glory without working is not according to Christ's example.

6. — [/ have manifested Thy name.] In this part of the prayer our Lord begins to speak of His believing people: directly of the eleven apostles, but indirectly and partially of all believers in every age. And the rest of the prayer from this point is entirely taken up with the case of the disciples.

The sentence before us means, " I have made known Thyself, Thy character, and Thine attributes to my disciples." The word " name " is continually used in this sense in the Bible. Thus: Psalm xxii. 22; lii. 9; cxix. 55; Is. xxvi. 8; Acts ix. 14; Prov. xviii. 10. A right knowledge of God the Father was the first thing which Christ revealed and taught to His disciples.

Burgon remarks, " The word name is here used in that large signification, so well known to readers of Scripture, whereby it is made to stand for God himself. (Psalm xx. I.) The evangelist says, " They shall call His name Emmanuel;" meaning, that our Saviour would be what the name Emmanuel means: viz, ' God with us.' As often thus as our Lord made known to men the mind and will of the eternal Father, so often did He manifest His name."

Traill remarks, " What is the Father's name? Many think they know it, to whom Christ never revealed it. If you ask them whether they know Christ's Father's name, they have a ready answer. He is the first Person in the Trinity. He is the Almighty, the maker and ruler of heaven and earth. Yes:. but this is tlie name of God only, and that in general! The name of Christ's Father is that name and discovery of God wherein He stands related to the Son."

[ Unto the men...gavest them Me.] In this sentence our Lord describes His disciples. He calls them " men whom the Father gave Him out of the world, — men who were the elect children of the Father, and whom the Father committed and entrusted to His care as to a good Shepherd." Lampe thinks

Believers are " given " to Christ by the Father, according to an everlasting covenant made and sealed, long before they were born; and taken out from the world, by the calling of the Spirit, in due time. They are the Father's peculiar property, as well as the property of the Son. They were of the world, and nowise better than others. Their calling and election out of the world to be Christ's people, and not any foreseen merit of their own, is the real foundation of their character.

These are deep things, things to be read with peculiar reverence, because they are the words of the Son addressed to the Father, and handling matter about believers, which the Eternal Trinity alone can handle with positiveness and certainty. Who those are who are given to Christ by the Father, we can only certainly know by outward evidences. But that all believers are so given by the Father, predestined, elect, chosen, called by an everlasting covenant, and their names and exact number known from all eternity, is truth which we must reverently believe, and never hesitate to receive. So long as we are on earth we have to do with invitations, promises, commands, evidences, and faith; and God's election never destroys our responsibility. But all true believers, who really repent and believe and have the Spirit, may fairly take comfort in the thought, that they were known and cared for and given to Christ by an eternal covenant, long before they knew Christ or cared for Him. It is an unspeakable comfort to remember that Christ cares for that which the Father has given Him.

[And they have kept Thy word.] Here our Lord continues the description of His disciples, and names things about them which may be seen by men as well as God. He says, " They have kept, or observed, or attended to, the Word of the Gospel, which tliou didst send them by Me. While others would not attend to or keep that Word, these eleven men had hearing ears and attentive hearts, and diligently obeyed Thy message." Practical obedience is the first great test of genuine discipleship.

. — []Vow they have knoicn, etc.] In this verse our Lord proceeds to give an account of His disciples. The meaning seems to be, " They have now attained such a degree of knowledge, that they know that the words they have heard and the works they have seen from Me, are words and works given Me to speak and do by Thee."

The idea is that they know my mission to be divine. " They know that Thou hast sent Me to be the Messiah, and hast commissioned Me to speak and act as I have done."

Here, as elsewhere, it is striking to obser^'e how Jesus dwells on a right knowledge of the Father as the great truth which He came into the world to reveal.

8. — [For 1 hane given... words...gavest Me.] In this sentence our Lord declares what He had done in teaching His disciples: He had given them the words, doctrines or truths, which the Father had given Him to proclaim to the world. The words which our Lord spoke, and the works which He did, were both alike given Him by the Father to speak and to do, in the eternal counsels of the Trinity about man's salvation.

For the peculiar use of the phrase, " words," to denote the truths or doctrines taught by our Lord, see John iii. 34; vi. 68; sii. 48; xiv. 10. Specially we should remark Peter's saying, " Thou hast the words of eternal life."

[They have received, etc., etc.] Our Lord here declares three remarkable things about His disciples. They had willingly received and embraced the truths He brought them from the Father. They had known and acknowledged that their Master came from God the Father. They believed and were persuaded that the Father sent Him to be the Messiah. And all this had taken place when the vast majority of their countrymen neither acknowledged nor believed anything of the kind.

We should carefully note the high character given to the disciples by our Lord. It seems wonderful, at first sight, when we remember their many defects in faith and knowledge, that our Lord should commend them for " knowing" and " believing." Yet when we think of their immensely difficult position, and the opposition they had to meet, we shall see it was no light matter to believe at all. It is after all a very comfortable reflection that our Lord does not despise weak grace; and that He honors reality and sincerity of faith, although it may be very small. Believers make a better appearance in heaven than they do upon earth.

The word rendered " surely " is literally " truly." It is translated "surely" in Matt. xxvi. 73; Mark xiv. 70. The idea is, " They have known for a sure and undoubted truth."

Manton observes, " The faith of the Apostles was weak. They had but a confused view of Christ's Godhead and eternal generation. They knew little of His death, were filled with the thought of a terrene kingdom and a pompous Messiah, and understood not His prediction of His death and passion. Though they knew Him to be the Redeemer and Saviour of the world, yet the manner of His death and passion they knew not. ' We trusted that it had been He that should have redeemed Israel.' Yet observe how Christ commendeth their weak faith I Certainly lie loveth to encourage poor sinners, when He praisetli their mean and weak beginnings."

Traill observes, " Christ tells all the good He can of His dia-

ciples, and covers their failings. How poorly had they received Christ's Word! How weak and staggering was their faith! How oft had Clirist reproved them sharply for their unbelief and other faults! Yet not a word of all this in Christ's representing them to His Father! This is the constant, gracious way of our High Priest. He makes no mention of Hia Israel's faults in heaven, but for their expiation."

9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which tliou hast given me; for they are thine.

10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine: and I am glorified in them.

11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.

12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name; those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but

the son of perdition: that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

13 And now come I to thee: and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

14 I have ^iven them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

These verses, like every part of this woriderfiil chapter, contain some deep things which are " hard to be understood." But there are two plain points standing out on the face of the passage which deserve the special attention of all true Christians. Passing by all other points, let us fix our attention on these two.

We learn, for one thing, that the Lord Jesus does things for JIls believing people which He does not do for the wicked and unbelieving. He helps their souls by special intercession. He says, " I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which Thou hast given Me."

The doctrine before us is one which is specially hated by the world. Nothing gives such offence, and stirs up such bitter feeling among the wicked, as the idea of God making any distinction between man and man, and loving one person more than another. Yet tlie world's objections to the doctrine are, as usual, weak and unreasonable. Surely a little reflection might show us that a God who regarded good and bad, holy and unholy, righteous and unrighteous, with equal complacency and favor, would be a very strange kind of God! The special intercession of Christ for His saints is agreeable to reason and to common sense.

Of course, like every other Gospel truth, the doctrine before us needs careful statement and Scriptural guarding. On the one hand, we must not narrow the love of Christ to sinners, and on the other we must not make it too broad. It is true that Christ loves all sinners, and invites all to be saved; but it is also true that He specially loves the " blessed company of all faithful people," whom He sanctifies and glorifies. It is true that He has wrought out a redemption sufficient for all mankind, and offers it freely to all; but it is also true that His redemption is effectual only to them that believe. Just so it is true that He is the Mediator between God and man; but it is also true that He intercedes actively for none but those that come unto God by Him. Hence it is written, " I pray for them: I pray not for the world."

This special intercession of the Lord Jesus is one grand secret of the believer's safety. He is daily watched, and thought for, and provided for with unfailing care, by One whose eye never slumbers and never sleeps. Jesus is " able to save them to the uttermost who come unto God by Him, because He ever liveth to make intercession for them." (Heb. vii. 25.) They never perish, becauss He never ceases to pray for them, and His prayer must prevail. They stand and persevere to the end, not because of their own strength and goodness, but because Jesus intercedes for them. When

Judas fell never to rise again, while Peter fell, but repented, and was restored, the reason of the difference lay under those words of Christ to Peter, " I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.". (Luke xxii. 32.)

The true servant of Christ ought to lean back his soul on the truth before us, and take comfort in it. It is one of the peculiar privileges and treasures of a believer, and ought to be well known. However much it may be wrested and abused by false professors and hypocrites, it is one which those who really feel in themselves the workings of the Spirit should hold firmly and never let go. Well says the judicious Hooker, — " No man's condition so safe as ours: the prayer of Christ is more than sufiicient both to strengthen us, be we never so weak; and to overthrow all adversary power, be it never so strong and potent." (" Hooker's Sermons." Nisbet's edit., 1834, p. 171.)

We learn, for another thing, in these verses, that CJirist does not wish His believing people to he taken out of the iGorld^ hut to he heptfrom the evil of it.

We need not doubt that our Lord's all-seeing eye detected in the hearts of His disciples an impatient desire to get away from this troubled world. Few in number and weak in strength, surrounded on every side by enemies and persecutors, they might well long to be released from the scene of conflict, and to go home. Even David had said in a certain place, " Oh, that I had wings like a dove, then would I flee away and be at rest! " (Psalm Iv. 6.) Seeing all this, our Lord has wisely placed on record this part of His prayer for the perpetual benefit of His Church. He has taught us the great lesson that He thinks it better for His people to remain in the world and be kept from its evil, than to be taken out of the world and removed from the presence of evil altogether.

Kor is it difficult on reflection to see the wisdom of our Lord's mind about His people, in this as in every thing else. Pleasant as it might be to flesh and blood to be snatched away from conflict and temptation, we may easily see that it would not be profitable. How could Christ's people do any good in the world, if taken away from it immediately after conversion? — How could they exhibit the power of grace, and make proof of faith, and courage, and patience, as good soldiers of a crucified Lord? — How could they be duly trained for heaven, and taught to value the blood and intercession and patience of their Redeemer, unless they purchased their experience by suffering? — Questions like these admit of only one kind of answer. To abide here in this vale of tears, tried, tempted, assaulted, and yet kept from falling into sin, is the surest plan to promote the sanctification of Christians, and to glorify Christ. To go to heaven at once, in the day of conversion, would doubtless be an easy course, and would save us much trouble. But the easiest course is not always the path of duty. He that would win the crown must carry the cross, and show himself light in the midst of darkness, and salt in the midst of corruption. " If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him." (2 Tim. ii. 11.)

If we have any hope that we are Christ's true disciples, let us be satisfied that Christ knows better than we do what is for our good. Let us leave " our times in His hand," and be content to abide here patiently as long as He pleases, however hard our position, so l6ng as He keeps us from evil. That He will so keep us we need not doubt, if we ask Him, because He prays that we may be " kept." Nothing, we may be sure, glorifies grace so much as to live like Daniel in Babylon, and the saints in Nero's household, — in the world and yet not of the world, — tempted ou every side and yet con- querors of temptation, not taken out of the reach of evil and yet kept and preserved from its power.