manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him. fulness, but also in deference to his mother's suggestion. (ver. 3.) Ver. 12. After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days. 13 He was ever prompt to the call 13 And the Jews' passover of duty. was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: and when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; and said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise. 17 17 This prophecy (Ps. Ixix. 9) is properly applied to Him; so zealous was He for the honour of his Father's house, and so completely did He make his Father's cause his own. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign sheweth thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? and said unto them, Destroy days. (See Mark xv. 29.) this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. 19 Jesus answered 19 Destroy-or slay-this body; and I will raise it from the dead in three Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body. When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said. 23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, 23 The faith of every follower of Christ is a rational faith-resting upon testimony. many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. 24 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man. CHAPTER III. MARCH 16, JULY 15, Nov. 11. THERE was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: the same came to Jesus by night, and said unto 3" Your avowal of my divine mission will not suffice to save you : there must be a change of heart and affections in you, even as in a creature born again." him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith born when he is old? can he mother's womb, and be born? * Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 8 unto him, How can a man be enter the second time into his 5 Jesus explains to Nicodemus that He was speaking spiritually, not literally; and points out the necessity of baptismal regeneration, as the appointed door of entrance into the Gospel kingdom. 6 He illustrates his doctrine by the analogy between spiritual and natural birth*. Marvel not that I said unto thee, 8 We can no more comprehend the mode of its operation, than we can see or control the winds of heaven. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, 10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? Verily, verily, How can these things be! 10 The Jews admitted proselytes by washing with water. Nicodemus," a master of Israel," must have known this. I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly 13 things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but 13 Our Saviour clearly asserts here the union of his divine and human nature. he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wil * Our Lord's illustration of his doctrine admirably checks any fanciful view of it. Thus, we are none of us conscious of the moment of our natural birth, or even of a considerable portion of our existence subsequent to it. How then can we expect to be conscious of any immediate impression, when we are born spiritually? Our natural birth, itself a mystery, is the appointed entrance to natural life; the powers of which develop themselves gradually: our spiritual birth is the appointed entrance upon spiritual life; and here also the powers expand gradually. derness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the 16 16 Glad tidings! None are excluded, except those who by impenitence exclude themselves. Whosoever believeth, shall live. world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, 19 Bad men hate the light of religion, because it exposes and condemns their deeds of darkness. and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. "But he that doeth truth 21 A good conscience rejoices in the light of religion. cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judæa, and there he tarried with them, and baptized. And John also was baptizing in Ænon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized. For John was not yet cast into prison. Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying. And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee, beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him. 27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given 27 Thus the ministers of the Gospel preach, not themselves, but Christ crucified. him from heaven. Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. "He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, 29 The Church is the bride-Jesus Christ, the bridegroom-St. John, the friend. which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease. He that cometh from above is above all he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all. And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony. He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal God giveth not the Spirit 2 34 Christ is superior to preceding prophets. They spake when and as the Spirit gave them utterance; but on Jesus" the Spirit remained:" (i. 33,) “not given” therefore * 99 measure.' given all things into his hand 36 So true is it, that there is no other name under heaven given unt men whereby we can be saved. Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. CHAPTER IV. MARCH 17, JULY 16, Nov. 12. WHEN therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,) he left Judæa, and departed again into Galilee. And he must needs go through Samaria. Then cometh he to 2 He chose that, during his life, the solemn office of Baptism should be administered by his disciples, rather than by himself; lest otherwise, after his death, men should esteem it of less value. a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel 6" He was wearied”—an incidental but clear evidence, how comply He had put on Him our nature. of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well; and it was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat *.) 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. 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 have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and *This is too often the case. Petty jealousies and envyings, how often do they combine to prevent worth from being duly appreciated, exactly where neighbourhood might best have understood its value. 14 You are now, so to speak, at the fountain. You are drawing from the word, the well of life. Patriarchs drank at the same fountain, opened in the rock-and that rock, Christ. 16 By thus evidencing his divine power, He rendered her faith a reasonable faith. JULY 16, Nov. 12. drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again : "but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall dever thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. 16 Jesus saith anto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: for thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly. The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. 21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 Ye worship ye know not what we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. 25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he. And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her? The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? Then they went out of the city, and came unto him. In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. But he said unto them, I have meat Therefore said the disciples one to eat that ye know not of. 21 The worship of the true God will no longer be confined either to Gerizim or to Jerusalem, but will be spread over the whole world. 22 The Gospel of salvation is first offered to the Jews. 25 Our Lord proves his divine knowledge, by relating the particulars of her past life. She heard, and she believed. |