John 12:34

Followeth to ver. 37. the last particular in this part of the Chapter, containing an objection of the people against Christs former doctrine concerning his sufferings, together with Christs answer thereunto, and the close of this purpose.

In this verse is their objection; Wherein, understanding well that title of the Sonne of man, to be understood by Christ of himselfe, and that his lifting up, was meant of his death who gave out himself to be the Messiah: They do object, that the Scripture (Psal. 110.4. and elsewhere) speaks of the perpetual endureance of the Messiah; and therefore do disdainfully enquire who this Son of man is; seeing by his own concessions he could not be the Messiah, since he was to be lift up and die? The errour and mistake in all this objection, is, their not considering and distinguishing of two natures in Christs person, of both which the Scripture speaks, Isa. 53.7, 8. Seeing he might be lift up in the one, and yet abide for ever in respect of the other. Likewise, their confounding his state of humiliation unto the death with his state of exaltation after his sufferings; in which respect he abideth for ever. Doctrine 1. Christs sweetest doctrine will not gain on wicked unbeleevers, but they will carp and stumble; Yea, they will rather voluntarily seek occasion of quarrelling, then embrace and beleeve it; for, notwithstanding Christ hath even now been owned from heaven, and his doctrine hath been most sweet, yet the people answered him, and objected against his doctrine. 2. Its a necessary and commendable duty in the members of the visible Church, to be well acquaint with Scriptures, and to emprove all means for that end; for, albeit they be the people, or multitude, as the word signifies, yet they can give an account what they have heard out of the Law. Where, albeit the Scripture pointed at, be found in other places in the Old Testament, rather then in the books of Moses, yet they call it the law, for reasons mentioned on Chap. 10.34. And they mention only what they have heard out of it, either because being unlearned, they had no means of instruction, but their hearing the Word read in their Synagogues, and yet they understand so much. Or, because whatever other means of instruction they had, by their own reading, meditation, or conference; Yet they neglected not that special mean of edification by the publike Ordinances. 3. It is from the Scriptures only, that contraverses in Religion ought to be determined; for, they object nothing to determine this contraversie, but what they heard out of the Law. 4. Mens knowledge and good parts will not lead them to beleeve in Christ, unlesse they be sanctified; But will rather furnish them with weapons, wherewith to oppose him and his truth; For, these are men who understand Christs language of lifting up, which John thinks needful to explain, ver. 32.33. And who are well versed in the Scriptures; and yet all the use they make hereof, is to carp and quarrel. 5. It is the great comfort of beleevers, that the Messiah endureth for ever, to apply his own purchase, and interceed for them, and to make them eternally happy with himselfe, who is the eternal and alsufficient God: Therefore was this sweet doctrine registrate in the Law, that Christ abideth for ever. See Heb. 7.25. 6. Christs lifting up by death, and his abiding for ever, do very well consist together, if rightly understood; for, both these are true of him, when the Law saith, that Christ abideth for ever, and when himselfe (who is truth it selfe) saith, the Sonne of man must be lift up. And indeed, concerning Christ there are many seeming contradictions in Scripture, as Isa. 53.7, with 8. Isa. 53.2. with Psal. 45.2. Isa 9.6. with Joh. 12.27. See also Matth. 22.42, 43. and elsewhere; Which as they may be easily reconciled; By considering that he is true God, and true man, in one person; By distinguishing betwixt his state of humiliation and of glory, and betwixt the carnal look that wicked men take of him, and the spiritual look of right discerners: So they are very comfortable to study. For hereby is held out how low he stooped to reach sinners, and yet how high he is, that he may exalt them. Thus also do the Scriptures speak of his Church and her conditions in different, and seeming contrary, tearms, as Cant. 1.5. 2 Cor. 6.9, 10. and elsewhere; which also are easily reconciled, by distinguishing betwixt the worlds thoughts, (and sometime her own also) of her, and Gods thoughts of her; Betwixt what she is in her selfe, and what she is in her head: and, betwixt what her conditions are, and do portend in themselves, and what Christ brings out of them. 7. As all erroneous persons do seek patrociny for their errours in Scripture, (as here they do) So a special mean of deluding souls, and breeding errour, is, when they look on one parcel of Scripture, without searching into it (Joh. 5.39) or comparing it with other Scriptures, which might illustrate and clear it; (1 Cor. 2.13.) for, so do they run upon errour, by fixing only on such Scriptures as spake of the Messiah’s abiding for ever, never looking to these which spake as clearly of his sufferings, as Isa. 53. throughout, Dan. 9.26. Psal. 22.16, 17, 18. and frequently. 8. Such members of the visible Church as are not acquaint with soul-misery, and are prepossessed with carnal delusions and fancies concerning Christ and his Kingdome, will easily fall in errours, concerning him, were the contrary truths never so clear in Scripture; for, this was another occasion of their errour. Albeit other Scriptures might have cleared this objection, and these people generally knew the Scriptures exactly; Yet because, not only they were not exercised under the sense of misery, needing a suffering Saviour (which is an usual companion of delusion,) but, their heads were filled with a dream of the carnal glory of his Kingdome; Therefore this blinded their eyes, that they saw not, or considered not these other Scriptures. This also for a time blinded the disciples eyes, that they little pondered the doctrine of Christs sufferings, Matth. 20.18, 19, with ver. 20. Yea, and understood it not, Luk. 18.31, 32, 33, 34. 9. It is an evidence of an impenitent, unhumbled, and wicked disposition in men, when they think basely of a suffering Christ, and of his humiliation and death; for, such is their temper here, in enquiring so disdainfully, who is this Sonne of man? and that because he must be lift up. 10. Ignorance errour, and delusion, are ordinarily accompanied with much pride and conceit; for, so was it with these here. They think they have reasoned so strongly out of the Law, against his doctrine of the Sonne of mans suffering, that they insultingly conclude, who is this Sonne of man? As if they said; We have undeniably argued, that though the Sonne of man cannot be the Messiah, be what thou wilt: For, by thy own confession thou must dye, and by the Law Christ abides for ever. Thus 1 Tim. 6.3, 4, pride is joined with errour, and knowing nothing, and with doting, about idle questions, which is an usual mark of delusion.