20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. 21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.

22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?

23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

24 And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.

25 And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?

26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;

27 He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

[testimony to Jesus.

28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me for he was before me.

31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with

water.

32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. (B)

come upon the express errand of making known his Father's character, and to reveal his will to men for their salvation. Let us therefore resign ourselves into the hands of God our Saviour, and implore his aid, to study and to practice whatever he is pleased to teach us.

"O that the Lord would guide my ways
To keep his statutes still!

O that my God would grant me grace
To know and do his will!"

Watts, Ps. 119.

(B) Ver. 19-34. John's testimony to Jesus.-No one of our Lord's disciples discovered more of the cardinal virtue of humility than did John the Baptist. In the midst of his great popularity, respected by all classes, and even feared by Herod, still he sinks in his own estimation, and shrinks from public notice. Speaking of Messiah, he says, "He must increase, but I must decrease." I am his herald only, and, having introduced him to public notice, I must withdraw into obscurity.

Ver. 21. Art thou Elias? and he saith, I am not.He was not Elijah come from the invisible world, as the Jews doubtless meant (for such was their expectation); yet he was the Elias intended by the prophet Malachi. See Expos. Matt. xi. 1-19.That prophet.-Marg a prophet;" but the Greek is more accurately rendered by Camp. "The Christ," and "The Prophet." See Deut. xvii. 15.

Ver. 28. In Bethabara.--Camp. reads, " in Bethany" and adds, that "the MSS. which read Bethany, are, both in number and in value, more than a counterpoise to those in which we find the valgar reading (Bethabara). Add to these, the Vulg., the Saxon, and both the Syriac versions," &c. So Griesbach. Bethany signifies a ferry-house; but This Bethany was not where Lazarus and his sisters lived, but beyond, or "upon the Jordan," where probably a ferry-boat was stationed.

Ver. 31. I knew him not.--This is differently explained. Doddr. says, "knew him not " personally, which seems difficult to believe, since all the male

branches of families used to meet at the three great feasts at Jerusalem, which we know Jesus was accustomed to attend; and Zacharias, the father of John, being a priest, would naturally bring up his family in that duty. Camp. thinks that John might have known Jesus to be a prophet, yet not the Messiah; but being himself a prophet, even supposing he had not heard of his miraculous conception, or early devotedness to God (which is scarcely probable), he must have naturally suspected that he was the person to whom he was appointed forerunner. But see our Exposition.

Ver. 33. I knew him not.-In addition to what is said in our Exposition, we may remark, that there seems to have been a special providence in the circumstance of John and Jesus being brought up at such a distance-one in the desert of Judea, and the other in Lower Galilee (not less than 60 or 70 miles apart), and never seeing each other, but at the three great festivals, which cat off all reasonable suspicion of confederacy or collusion,

The call of]

35¶ Again, the next day after, John stood, and two of his disciples;

36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

38 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?

39 He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.

[Andrew and Simon;

40 One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.

41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.

42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.

43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow

me.

This conduct of John reminds us of the Pagan philosopher, Antisthenes, who kept a school of rhetoric; but, when he heard Socrates, he shut up his school, and told his pupils, "Go seek for yourselves a master, I have found one :" but John did better; when he had found a master for himself, he recommended him to all his followers.

But there seems some difficulty to reconcile what John here says, "I knew him not," with the account of Matthew, that when Jesus came to be baptized, John forbad him, as having more need to be baptized by him, which shows that he knew who he was. We have, indeed, no doubt that he was persuaded in his own mind; but he had not yet received that miraculous attestation to the fact which he had been taught to expect, and without which he was not authorized, in his prophetic character, to announce him as Messiah, which therefore he did not until he saw "the sign from heaven,"-the decisive proof of his divine mission. (See Matt. iii. 16.) Then, says he, "I saw and bare record, that this is the Son of God." From this time, it seems, he recommended his disciples to follow Jesus. Some of them, at least, did so, as for instance, Andrew, Simon's brother (ver. 40); and afterwards, when any appear to have doubted the fact of Jesus being the Mes

siah, John sent them to hear his preaching, and see his miracles, as affording the most decisive evidence. (Matt. xi. 3-5.)

But the evidence which John gave concerning Jesus, is chiefly confined to two points,-1. The divinity of his character, as "the Son of God;" and, 2. The efficacy of his atonement, as being "The Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world." These great truths should never be lost sight of by a preacher of the cross, as being the foundation of the Christian system. If John insisted on these points, even before the death of Christ, how much more should Ministers of the Gospel do so, in subsequent ages, after the atonement has been offered, and after the doctrine of the cross has been made the power of God to the salvation of so many thousands of mankind."

We may also here remark how much clearer views the Baptist had of the office and work of Christ than any of his own apostles! No sooner, however, was the Holy Ghost poured down on the day of Pentecost, than even Peter, who would not hear of the death of Christ before, made it his continual theme.

"Let the vain world pronounce it shame, And fling their scandals on the cause; We boast our Saviour's (worthy) name, And make our triumphs in his cross.'

Ver. 38. Where dwellest thou?-Marg," abidest." Ver. 39. About the tenth hour.-Supposing these hours to be reckoned according to the Roman method, from six in the morning, they bring us to four in the afternoon, which our translators, in their mar ginal note, remark, was two hours before night, reckoning their day from six to six. See Note on Matt. xx. 3-6.

Watts.

44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.

45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the Law, and the Prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.

47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! 48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and

[and Nathanael.

said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.

49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.

50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.

51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man. (C)

(C) Ver.35-51. The calling of Andrew and Peter, Philip and Nathanael.—Andrew appears to have been the first called of all the twelve apostles. He was previously a disciple of the Baptist, aud, as we here see, followed Jesus in consequence of the recommendation of John, his master. The other disciple with him, is supposed to have been John the Apostle; but this conjecture is founded only on the concealment of his name, which is believed to have been the case with Johu in other instances, where himself was meant.

When they followed Jesus it was about the tenth hour of the day, which, reckoning from six in the morning, makes it four in the afternoon, from which hour they remained with Jesus, at his apartment, till the evening. Before, however, Andrew went in to sit down, he went in search of his brother Simon, who appears to have been near upon the spot, and went with him; and they sat down together, listening, and doubtless "wondering," as others had done before, at the gracious words which proceeded from the Saviour's mouth. On this occasion, it should seem, Jesus first gave to Simon the name of Peter, which is here explained to signify "a stone." In Matt. xvi. 18, our Lord alludes to the same interpretation; but, by this passage, the name had been imposed long before. It does not appear, however, that these dis

ciples immediately forsook their callings and followed Jesus: the probability is, that their constant attendance was not required till Jesus formed an establishment, and provided them a home.

Next day-the frequent use of this term seems to imply that John, when not occvpied in his official duties, used to walk with some of his disciples on the banks of the Jordan, and Jesus probably did the same. Whenever John, therefore, saw Jesus, he pointed his disciples to him as "the Lamb of God," or the Saviour of the world; and thus bare record of him in the face of his disciples and the public. The consequence was, that many of John's disciples followed Jesus, as he had himself predicted-" He must increase, but I must decrease."

But what most interests us in this section, is the calling of Nathanael, whom we have supposed to be the same with Bartholomew the apostle (See Expos. of Luke vi. 12-19), and on whose amiable character we shall here offer a few observations. 1. We mark his simplicity-he was an Israelite indeed, in whom was no guile;" no hypocrisy, no dissimulation: yet, 2. Though simple, he was not credulous; so far from it, he scrupled to believe in Jesus because he came from Nazareth, a town inhabited by ignorant, rude, and vicious characters; so that it appears to have

Ver. 44. Bethsaida-was at this time a poor fishing village on the lake of Gennesareth.

Ver. 46. Nazareth.-This was a town of Lower Galilee, about two leagues East from Mount Tabor. It bore a bad character, even among the Galileans, which is fully justified by the treatment which our Lord himself received from them, Lake iv. 28, 29: This is one instance in which our Saviour "made himself of no reputation." } toesias I

263nda to suun al

** 1

Ver. 51. Verily, verily Gṛ. Amen, Amen, which is, in fact, a Hebrew word, signifying certainly," or in truth;" but it is remarkable that John, in a lopting this word, always doubles it, while the ether Evangelists use it singly; a circumstance we can account for only from the earnestness of his manner.-Angels .... ascending and descending, to wait, &c. So Doddr. But Campbell renders it, ascending from... and descending upon,"

t

ND the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the

mother of Jesus was there:

[at a marriage in Cana.

7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.

3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.

4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.

5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.

6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.

9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,

10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.

11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and mani

been a proverbial saying, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? Thus the good physician placed himself in the centre of the diseased. 3. Though not credulous, he did not obstinately resist evidence: when Jesus convinced him that he knew what passed in his secret retirement, he at once acknowledged the divinity of his character: "Rabbi [master or doctor], thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel." 4. We have here an instance not only of Nathanael's simplicity and honesty, but of his piety; since "under the fig-tree" appears to have been his usual place for retirement and prayer, where he knew that he was excluded from every eye but his, who readeth the heart.

Our Lord here adds, addressing Nathanael, and the other disciples with him, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels

of God ascending and descending [to wait] upon the Son of man." Several instances of this nature occurred to the apostles (of whom we have reckoned Nathanael to be one) during their master's life; but the grand instance of it was at his ascension (Acts i. 11), to be exceeded only at the day of judgment (See Matt. xxiv. 31, 32; xxvi, 30). It appears to us that angels were constantly in attendance upon our Lord, though not always visible to others; and who can say that they attend not on his disciples also? "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for (or on behalf of) them who shall be heirs of salvation?" (Heb. i. 14.)

CHAP. II. Ver. 1. Cana of Galilee. A small town, four or five miles from Nazareth.

Ver. 4. Woman.-That there is nothing disrespectful in this address, is evident from its use in classical writers. Xenophon puts it into the mouth of a Persian chief, when consoling a captive lady of the highest rank. Augustus is made to use it to Cleopatra, and Antenor to Helen. It may, therefore, be ebnsidered as equivalent to Madam. See Orient. Lit. No. 1337.

Ibid. What have I to do with thee?-Parkhurst and Camp." What hast thou to do with me?" The expression, though certainly not disrespectful, implies reproof: "Why cost thou interfere?"

Ver. 6. Two or three firkins.-Thys is an English measure, unknown to the Greeks or Jews. Doddr., Camp., and others, suppose the Heb, Baths to be intended, which are reckoned to corain from four

"Are they not all thy servants, Lord?
At thy command they go and come;
With cheerful haste obey thy word,
And guard thy children to their home."

Watts.

to seven gallons each; but it were better to leave it indefinite-measures. It need not be supposed, however, that the whole of the water was changed, but so much only as was called for.

Ver. 8. The governor of the feast-i. e. the presi dent or chairman, whose duty on such occasions is described by the author of Ecclesiasticus, chap. xxxii. 1. The Greek term is architrielinos, who sat at the head of the table, which was shaped like the Greek letter II, as represented by ancient painters. Comp. Note on Matt. xxvi. 20.

Ver. 9. When the ruler-or governor; it is the

same word.

Ver. 10. When men have well drunk.-Doldr. drank plentifully Camp. " largely," or "freely," which lust terras seem best. The lx, use the same word in Gen. xliii. 34; Sol. Song, yo Hag. i, 6; in none of which does it imply intoxication,

CHAP. II.

[the temple.

15 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;

16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.

17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

(D) Ver. 1-11. Our Lord attends a marriage feast, and changes water into wine. In explaining this narrative, it is necessary to glance at the nature of the Jewish marriages, which lasted seven days, persons coming and going, perhaps, all the time (Judg. xiv. 17). From a deficiency of wine it has been inferred that the married couple were poor; but it is equally possible that the report of Jesus being present at the feast, had drawn together an accession of guests quite unexpected. On these occasions a president, or governor of the feast, was appointed to regulate the festival and preserve de

corum.

Many reasons may be assigned for the attendance of Jesus on this occasion. The marriage was probably an alliance formed in his own family; and though circumstances would not permit his sanctioning the sacred ordinance by his example, his presence on this occasion might be designed to express his approbation of a union instituted by God himself, and sanctioned by holy men of every age. Не might wish it to be understood also, that he was no cynical philosopher, but designed to mix in all the innocent enjoyments, as well as duties, of civil life, which were not incompatible with his divine character. He was no ascetic, nor affected the retirement of a desert; but be came eating and drinking, even with reputed sinners, that he might have the better opportunity of introducing his holy doctrines and precepts among all classes of society.

The language of Jesus on this occasion, to his virgin mother, appears mysterious, and cannot perhaps be fully explained. The epithet Woman," however abrupt it may sound to English ears, in Greek means nothing disrespectful; but was addressed, by men the most accomplished, to females of the highest rank. And the expression "What have I to do with thee?" (or, rather, "What hast thou to do with me?") though it may imply a gentle reproof, may only be designed to intimate that whatever filial duty Jesus might owe to Mary, as his mother, that relation gave ber no right to interfere with his public duties. He was "about his Father's business," as he had said many years before (Luke ii. 49), and knew when and how to act, without any human direction. His "hour" (as he said on other occasions) was not yet come, and he might have wise reasous for delay, unknown to her as well as to us; and it is evident she did not understand this as a refusal, because she directed the servants to obey his orders.

"At the command of Jesus (says Bp. Taylor) the water-pots were filled with water, and the water was, by his divine power, turned into wine, where the different economy of God and the world is highly observable. Every man sets forth good wine at first, and then the worse; but God not only turns the water into wine, but into such wine that the last draught is most pleasant. The world presents us with fair language, promising hopes, convenient fortunes, pompous honours, and these are the outside of the

Ver. 15. Of small cords-i. e. the cords that had been employed to tie up the cattle.-Oxen, Camp. "cattle." Oxen (properly speaking) being cas. trated animals, could not be sacrificed. See Note on Exod. xxii. 30; Levit. i. 3.

Ver. 16. An house of merchandise.-Doddr. and Camp. " traffic "--a public market: and the extent of that market may be judged of from what Josephus tells us, that at one Passover the Jews sacrificed 236,500 victims of different kinds, which amounting

to more than 32,000 daily, would require a larger market than our Smithfield, in London. It is possible, however, that Josephus exaggerated, as well as the Jews: he mentions, that Herod, in his 15th year, in repairing the temple, doubled the space of ground which had enclosed it, which will account for this large market. See Lard. Cred. ii. 290.

Ver. 17. The zeal of thine house, &c.-See Psalm Ixix. 9, and Note.