Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

t ch, iv. 2.

u 1 Sam. ix. 4.

s truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

t

X

22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judæa; and there he tarried with them, and baptized. 23 And John also was baptizing in Ænon near Matt.is, 6. to "Salim, because there was much water there: * and y Matt. xiv. 3. they came, and were baptized. 24 For John was not yet cast into prison. t between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purify

render, the truth.

25 Then there arose a question

read and render, on the part of John's disciples with a Jew.

from a vain love of praise, but from a desire for communion wherein he finds strength and security," De Wette. But this is not all the manifesting his works, that they are wrought in God, is and can be only by the candle of the Lord being kindled within him, and he himself born again in the Kingdom of God; see Ps. cxxxix. 23, 24.

[ocr errors]

We hear nothing of the effect produced on Nicodemus by this interview. It certainly did not alienate him from Jesus, see ch. vii. 50; xix. 39, also ch. xii. 42. It speaks for the simplicity and historic truthfulness of our Evangelist, that he adds nothing more, and even leaves untold the immediate result which the discourse had." Baumgarten-Crusius.

66

[ocr errors]

22-36.] Removal of Jesus and His disciples into the neighbourhood of the Baptist, who, upon occasion given, bears another notable testimony to Him. 22.] After these things: the sequence is not immediate; for this, St. John uses 'after this" or that," see ch. xi. 7, 11; xix. 28. the land of Judæa] The rural districts of Judæa, in distinction from the metropolis. baptized, viz. by means of His disciples;-see ch. iv. 2, and note. The place is not named: perhaps He did not remain in one fixed spot.

[ocr errors]

23.] The situation of these places is uncertain. Eusebius and Jerome place Salim eight Roman miles south of Scythopolis, and Enon at the same distance, on the Jordan. If Scythopolis was the ancient Bethshan, both places were in Samaria and to this agree Epiphanius, and the Samaritan chronicle called Abul Phatach. In Judith iv. 4, we find mention of "the valley of Salem" in Samaria (see note on Heb. vii. 1). An Enon in the wilderness of Judah is mentioned Josh. xv. 61 (in the Alexandrine text of the LXX, not in our English Bible) and ib. ver. 32, Shilhim (Seleem, LXX) and Ain, both in Judah, where it is certainly more

probable, both from the text here and
from other considerations, that John would
have been baptizing, than in Samaria.
The name Enon is an intensitive form of
Ain, a fountain, which answers to the
description here given. Both places were
West of the Jordan: see ver. 26, and com-
pare ch. i. 28.
they came, and were
baptized, i. e. the multitudes.
24.] There is much difficulty, which pro-
bably never will be cleared up, about the
date of the imprisonment of John, and its
reference to the course of our Lord's
ministry. Between Matt. iv. 11, 12, there
seems to be a wide hiatus, in which (see
note there) the first chapters of this Gos-
pel should be inserted. But the records
from which the three Gospels have arisen
were apparently unconscious of any such
interval. Our Evangelist seems here to
refer to such records, and to insert this
remark, that it might not be imagined, as
it would be from them, that our Lord's
public ministry (in the wider sense, see
below on ver. 26) began with the impri-
sonment of the Baptist. 25.] The cir-
cumstances under which this dispute arose
seem to have been these :-John and our
Lord were baptizing near to one another.
(On the relation of their baptisms, see
below on ver. 26.) They were both watched
jealously (see ch. iv. 1) by the Pharisees.
One of these (a Jew, i. e. a certain Jew,
which, in St. John's use of that term,
would mean, one of the rulers or chief
men) appears to have entered into dispute
with the disciples of John about the rela-
tive importance of the two baptisms; they
perhaps maintaining that their master's
purification preparatory to the Messiah
was absolutely necessary for all, and he
(the Jew) pointing out to them the ap-
parent inconsistency of this Messiah him-
self authorizing a baptism in his name, and
alleging that if so, their master's baptism
was rendered superfluous. We are driven

b

27, 34.

a1 Cor. iv. 7.

Heb. v. 4.

James i. 17.

bch. i. 20, 27. Mal. iii. 1.

ing. 26 And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom z ch. 1.7, 15, thoubarest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him. 27 John answered and said, a A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. 28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, "I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. 29 d He that e hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth X greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease. 31 e He that cometh from above fis above all:

render, hast borne.

to these conjectures, because the text gives
us no further insight into the fact, than
what the circumstances and the answer of
John render probable.
26.] Com-
pare ch. i. 28.
all men come to
him] Not, probably, any who had been
baptized already by John; but multitudes
of persons. The baptism now carried on
by the disciples appears to have stood very
much in the same position as that of John.
It was preparatory to the public ministry
of our Lord properly so called, which
began in Galilee after the imprisonment of
John. It was not accompanied with the
gift of the Spirit, see ch. vii. 39. As
John's commission was now on the wane,
so our Lord's was expanding. The solemn
cleansing of the temple was its opening;
and now it is proceeding onwards, gather-
ing multitudes around it (see ch. iv. 1).

27.] The subject of this answer is, the divinely-appointed humiliation and eclipsing of the Baptist himself before the greater majesty of Him who was come after him. Accordingly he begins in this verse by answering to the zeal of his disciples, that he cannot go beyond the bounds of his heaven-appointed mission.' "I cannot arrogate to myself and take upon me what God has not given." Wetstein. Some apply the words to Jesus :— "If His circumstances are more illustrious, and all men come to Him, it is no matter of wonder; for such would be the case with Divinity." Chrysostom. But the whole tone of the answer makes the other view more likely. Of course the remark, being general, may in the background have reference to the greater mission of Jesus; but not primarily. The parallelism of "a man here, and himself, as the subject of "I said" in the next verse, also supports this view; see Heb. v. 4.

دو

a

f

Mark i. 2.
Luke i. 17.

2 Cor. xi. 2.

Matt. xxii. 2. Eph. v. 25, ever. 13. Matt. xxviii. 115, 27.

27. Rev. xxi. 9.

& render, with joy.

ch. viii 28.

18. chap.

Rom. ix. 5.

28.] "Not only so, but I have always given the same consistent testimony; that I was only the forerunner of One greater than myself." The word him in the original does not refer to "the Christ:" but to Jesus, as the subject of ver. 26; and thus is not merely a general testimony with regard to the Messiah, but a personal one to Jesus. In reading this verse therefore, strong emphasis should be laid on the word him. 29.] Here first, (and here only in our Gospel,) comes, from the mouth of the Forerunner, this great symbolical reference, which is so common in the other Gospels and in the Epistles. It is remarkable that our Lord brings it forward in His answer to the disciples of John respecting fasting, Matt. ix. 15: where see note on the further import of the terms used. The friend of the bridegroom was the regular organ of communication in the preliminaries of marriage, and had the ordering of the marriage feast. It is to this last time, and not to any ceremonial custom connected with the marriage rites, that this verse refers. The friend rejoices at hearing the voice of the bridegroom, (see Jer. vii. 34; xvi. 9; xxv. 10: Rev. xviii. 23,) in his triumph and joy, at the marriage. He rejoiceth with joy because he hears in the voice of the Bridegroom an assurance of the happy completion of his mission, and on account of the voice itself,-"so sweet, so lovely, so telling of salvation." The words standeth and belong merely to the graphic setting forth of the similitude. this my joy therefore is fulfilled] Because I have presented the bride to Him, and fulfilled, as is elsewhere said, the ministry entrusted to me." Euthymius.

30] decrease, "as the morning-star at the rise of the sun." Euthymius. See note

g1 Cor. xv. 47. 8 he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the h ch. vi. 33. earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all. 32 And

1 Cor. xv. 47. Eph. i. 21.

Phil. ii. 9. i ver. 11.

ch. viii. 26:
xv. 15.

what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony. 33 He that hath received ki John v. 10. his testimony, hath set [to] his seal that God is true. 341 For he whom God [ahath] sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit m by measure render, of the earth. Z omit for perspicuity.

1 ch. vii. 16. m ch. i. 16.

a omit.

on Matt. xi. 2 ff. 31.] Many modern critics maintain that after ver. 30 we have the words, not of the Baptist, but of the Evangelist. Lücke and De Wette assume that the Evangelist has put his own thoughts into the Baptist's mouth, or at least mixed them with his words. The reason of this arbitrary hypothesis is, (a) That the sentiments of the following verses seem to them not to be congruous with the time and position of the Baptist. But some of them confess that this very position of the Baptist is to them yet unexplained, and are disposed to question the applicability to their idea of it of very much which is undoubtedly recorded to have been said by him. So that we cannot allow such a view much critical weight, unless it can be first clearly shewn, what were the Baptist's convictions concerning the Person and Office of our Lord. (b) That the diction and sentiments of the following verses are so entirely in the style of our Evangelist. But first, I by no means grant this, in the sense which is here meant. It will be seen by the reff. in my Greek Test. that the Evangelist does not so frequently repeat his own favourite expressions as in most other passages of equal length. And even were this so, the remark made above on vv. 1621, would apply here also; that the Evangelist's peculiar style of theological expression was formed on some model; and on what more likely than in the first place the discourses of his divine Master, and then such sententious and striking testimonies as the present? But there is a weightier reason than these for opposing the above view, and that arises from what modern criticism has been so much given to overlook, the inner coherence of the discourse itself; in which John explains to his disciples the reason why He must increase; whereas his own dignity was to be eclipsed before Him. This will be seen below as we proceed. And there is nothing inconsistent with what the Lord himself says of the Baptist in these verses.

He (the Baptist) ever speaks not as a disciple of Jesus, not as within the Kingdom, -but as knowing the blessedness of those who should be within it; as standing by, and hearing the Bridegroom's voice. Nor again is there any thing inconsistent with the frame of mind which prompted the question sent by John to our Lord afterwards in the onward waning of his days in prison; see note on Matt. xi. 2.

he that cometh from heaven] This gives us the reason why HE must increase: His power and His words are not from below, temporary, limited; but are divine and inexhaustible; and, ver. 32], His witness is not, like John's, only of what he has been forewarned to expect, but of that which He has seen and heard. But no man,-i. e. in reference to the world, into which He is come, the darkness in which His light shines,—no one comparatively,— receives His testimony. The state of men's minds at Jerusalem with regard to Jesus must ere this have been well known to the Baptist. 33, 34.] This exception shews the correctness of the sense just assigned to "no man." "He that hath received His testimony, and believeth Him, hath confirmed, shewn, that God is true who sent Him, Whose are the words which He speaks; but he that hath not received it and disbelieveth Him, doeth the contrary, and in fact is an open withstander of God," Euthymius. true, not as Wetstein, that God has been true to His promises by the prophets this does not suit the context; but as above from Euthym., true in Himself: a revealer, and fountain of truth.

for God giveth not the Spirit by measure] Seeing that the contrast is between the unlimited gift of the Spirit to Him that comes from above, and the limited participation of Him by those who are of the earth; we must not understand the assertion generally, but supply to Him as has usually been done. The Rabbinical books say that the Holy Spirit was only given to the prophets by measure. This unmeasured pouring of the Spirit on Him

xxviii. 18. Luke x. 22. ch. v. 20, 22: xiii. 8:

[bunto him]. 35 n The Father loveth the Son, and hath a Matt. xi. 27: given all things into his hand. 36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life: but the wrath of God abideth on him.

3

[ocr errors]

xvi. 2 Hab. ii. 4.

Heb. ii. 8.

ch. i. 12: vi. 47. ver. 15, 16. Rom. i. 17.

1

John v. 10.

IV. 1 When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and a baptized more disciples ach. iii. 22, 26. than John, 2 (though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,) he left Judæa, and departed again into Galilee. 4 And he must needs go through Samaria. 5 c Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. b Gen. xxxiil. 6 Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being Josh. xxiv.

b

b not in the original.

accounts for his speaking the words of God.

35.] This, again, is the ground why the Father gives not the Spirit by measure (to Him): see Matt. xi. 27-29, with which this verse forms a remarkable point of connexion, shewing that what is commonly known as John's form of expression was not confined to him, but originated higher, having its traces in the narrative of the other Gospels, which is confessedly, in its main features, independent of him. 36.] Compare ch. i. 12, 13; ver. 15. The word rendered "believeth not" may mean disobeyeth, and is so rendered Rom. ii. 8; x. 21: 1 Pet. ii. 7, and elsewhere. Unbelief implies disobedience. abideth] It was on him, see ver. 18, in his state of darkness and nature,-and can only be removed by faith in the Son of God, which he has not.

CHAP. IV. 1-54.] MANIFESTATION OF HIMSELF AS THE SON OF GOD IN SAMARIA AND GALILEE. 1-42.] On his way back to Galilee through Samaria, he discourses with a Samaritan woman. Confession of his Messiahship by the Samaritans. 1.] An inference may be drawn from this, that our Lord knew the anger of the Pharisees to be more directed against Him than against the Baptist,probably on account of what had passed in Jerusalem. that Jesus, not "that He"

because the report which the Pharisees had heard is given verbatim. 2.] Probably for the same reason that Paul did not baptize usually (1 Cor. i. 14-16); viz. because His office was to preach and teach;-and the disciples as yet had no office of this kind. To assume a further reason, e.g. that there might not be ground for those whom the Lord himself had baptized to boast of it, is arbitrary

19: xlviii. 22.

32.

c render, So he cometh. and unnecessary. 4.] If He was already on the borders of Samaria, not far from Enon (see note on ch. iii. 23), the direct way was through Samaria. Indeed without this assumption, we know from Josephus that the Galilæans ordinarily took this way. But there was probably design

also in the journey. It could not have
been mere speed,-since He made two
days' stay on the way. 5.] Sychar is
better known by the O. T. name of She-
chem. It was a very old town on the
range of Mt. Ephraim, in a narrow valley
between Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim, Judg.
ix. 7. Some think that Sychar, which
means "drunken," was originally a con-
temptuous name applied by the Jews to
Shechem, which had supplanted the
proper appellation. Very near it was
afterwards built Flavia Neapolis. There is
a long and interesting history of Sychem,
and the Samaritan worship on Gerizim,
and the Christian church in the neighbour-
hood, in Robinson's Palestine, iii. 113-
136. See also Dr. Thomson, The Land
and the Book, p. 472 ff. He thinks that
Sychar and Shechem are not the same,
because at Shechem (Nablus) there are
delicious fountains of water, which the
woman would hardly have left to draw
from a deep well two miles off.

the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to
his son Joseph] This is traditional: it
finds however support from Gen. xxxiii. 19,
where we find Jacob buying a field near
Shechem, and Josh. xxiv. 32, where, on
the mention of Joseph's bones being laid
there, it is said that it became the inhe-
ritance of the children of Joseph.
Lord does not allude to the tradition in the
conversation, though the woman does.
6.] Robinson (iii. 112) can only solve the

Our

wearied with his journey, à sat thus on the well and it was about the sixth hour. 7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. 8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) е 9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for [the] Jews have no dealings with [the] Samaritans. 10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest Zech. xiii. 1: have asked of him, and he would have given thee living

c 2 Kings xvii 24. Luke ix. 52, 53.

Acts x. 28.

d Isa. xii 3: xliv. 3.

Jer. ii. 13.

xiv. 8.

d

render, was sitting.

difficulty of the present well standing in a spot watered by so many natural fountains, by supposing that it may have been dug, according to the practice of the patriarchs, by Jacob, in connexion with the plot of ground which he bought, to have an independent supply of water. thus refers to being wearied with his jour ney, and might be expressed by accordingly. There is no authority for the meaning 'just as he was,' or 'just as it happened,' i. e. on the bare stone. the sixth hour, i.e. mid-day. Townson supposed the sixth hour, according to St. John, to mean six in the evening, after the way of reckoning in Asia Minor:'- but, as Lücke observes, this way of reckoning in Asia Minor is a pure invention of Townson's. A decisive answer however to such a supposition here, or any where else in our Evangelist, is that he would naturally have specified whether it was 6 A.M. or P.M. usualness of a woman coming to draw water at mid-day is no argument against its possibility; indeed the very fact of her being alone seems to shew that it was not the common time. 8.] The disciples had probably taken with them the baggage, among which would be the vessel for drawing water, see ver. 11. The Rabbis say that a Jew might not eat the bread or drink the wine of a Samaritan: but that appears from this verse to be exaggerated.

The un

9. being a Jew] She knew this perhaps by his dress, more probably by his dialect. There seems to be a sort of playful triumph in the woman's question, q.d. even a Jew, when weary and athirst, can humble himself to ask drink of a Samaritan woman.' for Jews have no dealings with Samaritans are the words of the Evangelist to explain her question. The word rendered have no dealings is properly spoken of trade,-but here is in a

с

e render, food.

d

f omit.

wider signification. The fact is abundantly illustrated in the Rabbinical writings. The question of the woman shews a lively, naïve disposition, which is further drawn out and exemplified by Him who knew what is in man, in the following dialogue.

[ocr errors]

The

10.] The important words the gift of God have been misunderstood by many Commentators. Some suppose them to mean 'our Lord Himself, and to be in apposition with the next clause, and who it is, &c. Others, 'this opportunity of speaking with Me.' Doubtless both these meanings are involved, especially the former: but neither of them is the primary one, as addressed to the woman. WATER is, in this first part of the discourse, the subject, and serves as a point of connexion, whereby the woman's thoughts may be elevated, and her desire aroused. The process of the discourse in this particular is similar to that in Acts xiv. 17. From recognizing this water as the gift of God, in its limitation, ver. 13, and its parabolic import, ver. 14, her view is directed to Him who was speaking with her, and the Gift which He should bestow, -THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: see eh. vii. 37-39. who it is] These pregnant words form the second step in our Lord's declaration. He who speaks with thee is no ordinary Jew, nor any ordinary man, but One who can give thee the gift of God; One sent from God, and God Himself. All this lies in the words, which however only serve to arouse in the woman's mind the question of ver. 12 (see below). living water] Designedly used in a double sense by our Lord, that the woman may lay hold of the material meaning, and by it be awakened to the higher one (see reff.). The words bring with them, and in our Lord's inner meaning involved, the performance

« AnteriorContinuar »