John 7:28–29

Christ being grieved at this impudent cavil, doth reply unto it with much boldnesse and zeal. And, 1. He declareth that however they knew him, and whence he came, yet their carriage proved that they knew not the Father that sent him. 2. He subjoins that he was comforted in this, that what ever they thought of him; yet he knew that he was sent from the Father, who is true; And, however they knew not the Father, yet he knew him, as being from him, and sent by him into the world. For clearing this a little, consider, 1. The great difficulty here is, how to understand these words, ye both know me, and whence I am, being compared with what followes, that they knew not the Father; for, they are taken up diversly, As, 1. By way of Irony and holy derision, as if Christ had said; Ye think ye know me well enough, but ye know me not at all as ye should, since ye know not the Father who sent me, and that I am come from him. And this indeed holds true in general, That conceit is a great prop unto mistakes and errours, and an hinderance unto closing with Christ; That mens not closing with Christ by faith, doth flow from ignorance of the Father; And, That conceit of knowledge is very hateful to Christ, seeing he doth, in an holy manner, mock it. 2. The words may be taken as declaring them to know Christ, and yet to be ignorant of him, but in diverse respects; They knew him, and whence he was, as man, (though even in that they erred, if they supposed him to be the Carpenters Sonne;) Yet they knew not the Father, nor him, as God, proceeding from the Father, and sent by him. And indeed, They have need to be quick sighted, who know Christ as he is in truth, and they who do know much, will perceive, when they get opened eyes, that they are ignorant of far more of him. These interpretations have indeed these truths in them, and do aggree well with the temper of the body of the Jewes, who were very ignorant. But Christ, zeal and indignation in this discourse, (testified by crying) with the consideration of these he speaks unto, may lead us to look yet more narrowly into the words, Therefore (3) when we consider, that Christ is not now dealing with the multitude, but with the companions of the Rulers, who knew all their plots, ver. 25. with these who even now had been convinced in the matter of Christs healing the man on the Sabbath, and had therefore in great rage, started this new quarrel; and with these who would have taken him, though they had no warrant from the Rulers, ver. 30. When, I say, we consider these things, the words may run very well thus; That Christ chargeth upon them that they knew him well enough, and yet against their light, would not acknowledge him, but delighted to cavil. And this is not strange, for it was the great sinne of the Rulers, that they sinned against their light in opposing of Christ, and so might also their associats. See Joh. 3.2. Matth. 22.16. The only difficulty against this interpretation, is, that it seems not to agree with what is afterward said, that they knew not him that sent him. But so is also said of the Rulers who sinned against their light, that they knew not the Father nor Christ, Joh. 18.2, 3. because, however they knew as much as to make them guiltie of sinning against light, yet they knew him not savingly, and their carnal conceptions concerning the Messiah, made them maliciously reject all the convincing arguments that this was he, since they saw no satisfaction to their desires in him. Consider. 2. As for these proofes of Christs knowing the Father, ver. 29. the last of them is clear of it selfe, that Christ being sent Ambassadour from the Father, behooved to know him who sent him, and to have ample instructions, and knowledge of his minde. As for the other proofe, I am from him, however it may be taken generally, that he came from the Father, and not only so (for, one may come from another, and yet know little of him or his minde either) but came cloathed with a commission and furnished with instructions, as his sending imports; or, it may point out, that he did voluntarily come, as well as the Father sent him: Yet it seemeth clearer, to understand it of his eternal generation, and being from the Father as God, and so it points out an higher proofe of his knowing the Father, beside his being an Ambassadour. Doctrine, 1. Such is the perversitie of men, in opposing Christ and the Gospel, that it is hard for them who have any zeal of God to get it endured; So much did Christ testifie by his vehemency in speaking to these, he cried in the Temple as he taught. 2. The violent, malicious, and effronted opposition of men should not blunt nor dash zeal, but rather set an edge upon it, in all these who would approve themselves to have antipathy against sinne; Therefore, Christ cries as he taught. To be calme so long as our particular is not touched, however God be dishonoured, is stupidity and not meeknesse, and an evidence of the want of the zeal of God. 3. Among other trials and exercises that Christ and his followers do meet within the world, from the ignorance of men and their infirmities, this is one of the chiefe, that they will have to do with men, who directly against their light do oppose him and his truth; for, such did Christ meet with here. And it may warne men, to take heed how they sleight and go over their light in ordinary walking, lest, in processe of time, they maliciously contradict their light. And to beware of engaging against truth, lest they be lest to themselves, to run to hell before they stop. 4. Mens opposing of truth, and Christ, against their light, is not only a sad trial to the zealous, but an horrid iniquity in it selfe, and will be a witnesse for the friends of truth in the bosome of opposers; Therefore Christ not only cries against this, but beares their knowledge upon them, as a witnesse for him, and an aggravation of their sinne; ye both know me, and ye know whence I am. 5. Whatever light malicious opposers of Christ have, which will aggreage their own guilt; yet their opposition proves that they have no saving knowledge of God nor of him; Therefore saith Christ to them, him that sent me ye know not. Whatever light and knowledge of God men have, yet they know nothing indeed and savingly, but what their heart submits unto and embraces, and what the Sonne reveals of him. Matth. 11.27. and what tends to eternal life, Job. 17.3. 6. Such as are approven of God, ought not to be shaken by the misconstructions, and malicious oppositions and cavillations of men, Therefore doth Christ set forth his own grounds of comfort and assurance, to testifie that he would not be moved by all their opposition, nor needed a testimony from them. 7. Albeit the gaining and conversion of one soul be of more worth then a whole world; Yet it is one good end of a Ministry, to convince malicious men, and not leave them without a witnesse; Therefore also doth Christ assert his calling and commission before these malicious men, that they might know there was not only a Prophet, but the Messiah among them. See Ezek. 2.5. 8. It is a sweet encouragement under trial, when men know they have a calling from God to what they are opposed in, and that they do not undertake it of themselves; for, when Christ saith, I am not come of my selfe &c. It not only imports, that he was indeed sent by the Father, but holds out his ground of encouragement from his calling. And if men knew what it were to bear the burthen and consequents of any course they undertake, it would make them affrayd to run without a call. 9. Such as would reap comfort by any call from God, should study much his fidelity and truth, and that whoever despise them, yet he will not misregard them, who employeth them; Therefore doth Christ subjoine, he that sent me is true, to wit, in his promises and covenant made with him the Mediatour when he sent him into the world, and therefore will accordingly own him in his going through his state of humiliation. And this also is of general use and comfort to all who are called of God, 1 Thes. 5.24. And as men would not quit the comfort and clearnesse of their calling, so they would take heed that Atheisme do not brangle the truth of these promises made to them, in following that calling. 10. Such as would savingly know Christ, especially in his state of humiliation, and would not maliciously oppose and contradict any light they have, they should labour to know the Father that sent him, that so they may see better what Christ is, and what the hazard is of rejecting him; for, so much also is insinuate in this challenge, he that sent me is true, whom ye know not. Had they seen the Father more in Christ, they had not maliciously stumbled at his basenesse, nor durst they have hazarded to oppose him 11. Men who would cleave to and be encouraged in God, in times of opposition, should not take up truths concerning him by guesse, but should be certain of them by saith; Therefore, doth Christ assert, I know him. 12. Whoever be ignorant of God, yet Christ knoweth him and his will perfectly, and is sufficiently able to reveal him to others, who desire to learn at him; for, saith he; But I know him. 13. Christs perfect knowledge of the Father appeareth from his eternal Godhead, that he is from the Father, and the same in essence with him, and so communicates with him in his eternal knowledge of himselfe, and in his counsels; and, from his commission from the Father, which imports that he came with full instructions from him; for, these are here given as reasons of his knowledge, for I am from him, and he hath sent me. And this not only serves to put us out of all doubt, that Christ doth reveal the Father infallibly; But being held out as the ground of that challenge, and as that which supported him under their malicious opposition, It teacheth men, that however they cannot attain to this measure of clear and near knowledge; yet if they would be born out in times of opposition, they must study to know God and his truth, by that measure of communion with him, which he allow’s upon sinful men.