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because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.

23 Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.

24 Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.

25 He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.

26 Then said they to him again, What did he to thee how opened he thine eyes?

27 He answered them, I have told

[to the Pharisees,

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EXPOSITION-Chap. IX. Continued.

efficacy is, in this case, in the physician, and not in the remedy employed.

But to return to our history. The object in sending this poor man to Siloam was evidently to excite public attention to this miracle, and to spread the report of it in the temple, from which persons were continually coming and returning from Siloam; and this publicity was necessary to introduce the subsequent conversation, on the poor man's case, between himself and the Pharisees, in which the former discovers uncommon shrewdness.

They first inquire how the miracle was wrought, and affecting not to believe his own account, attempt to catechise his parents, who very prudently refer them back to him, as they do not appear to have been present at the time; and, besides, the Pharisees had threatened with exclusion from the synagogue, any person who should own Jesus to be the Christ. Therefore they said, "He is of age, ask him."

But the great offence with which they charge our Lord, is that of working this miracle on the sabbath, as it appears to have been contrary to their traditions, to use eye-salves, &c. on that holy day; and it was for this reason, probably, that our Lord used the clay, as it would have been as easy for him to have wrought the cure by a word speaking only, but that he set his face steadfastly against those traditions

by which they established their own para mount authority, and made void the law of God.

Having ascertained the identity of the man, and the reality of the cure, the great point in dispute is, whether a good mad and a prophet would work miracles ou the sabbath day. Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day;” not distinguishing between their own traditions and the divine commands. Others very narally asked, "How can a man that is a sinner"-that is, a wicked man, or an impostor" do such miracles?" Thus was there a division among the people, and, as it should stem (by ver. 16), among the

Pharisees themselves.

On the difference between the Christian doctrine of the Sabbath, and that of the Rabbies, we have offered some remarks on Matt. xii. 1-21, which we shall not here repeat. It is remarkable, certainly, that our Lord so often chose this day for the performance of his miracles, and it may serve to teach us, that active benevolence to the souls and bodies of our fellowcreatures ought to be blended with our devotions. As this is the day in which God blesses us, we cannot choose a better for blessing others. "I will bless thee, and make thee a blessing." (Gen. xii. 2.)

NOTES-Chap. IX. Con.

Ver. 24. Give God the praise.-See Jesh vii. 18, 19. Ver. 27. And ye did not hear.-Camp," Aud did ye not hear?"

Ver. 32. Since the world began, &c.— Camp. "Never was it heard before, that any man gave sight to one born blind,"

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not heard, that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. 33 If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.

34 They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.

35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?

36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? 37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou

[him and Jesus.

hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.

38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.

39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?

41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore sin remaineth. (F)

EXPOSITION.

(F) Ver. 22-41. The Pharisees reproach Jesus, and excommunicate the blind man whom he had cured.-The man's parents having declined to answer any questions about their son, he is again called before the Pharisees, who exhort him to "give God the praise;" which Doddridge thus paraphrases: Give glory to God, by a free confession of the fraud, if there be any collusion in this affair; or if the cure was really wrought in the manner thou affirmest, acknowledge the power, Sovereignty, and goodness of the Divine Being, in working by so unworthy an instrument; for we certainly know that this man, Jesus of Nazareth, is a sinner.' The man wisely answered, Whether he be a sinner, I know not: one thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see;" an answer that may be employed to silence the cavits of others beside these Pharisees. Ju the course of our Christian experience, difficulties may often arise which we may not be able to explain: but if we can say, 'Whereas I was once blind to my own state, and the excellence and necessity of Christ the Saviour, now I see; now is my mind enlightened duly to appreciate his salvation, it is well: let us not deny what he hath done, nor doubt his power and grace to complete the work.'

But to return to the Pharisees: they Cross-question the poor man, in hopes of detecting something inconsistent or contradictory in his answers, but in vain. He tartly replies-for he does not appear to be now before any public authorities who had a right thus to question him-" I told you before, and ye did not (or would not) hear: will ye also be his disciples?" Upon this

your

they revile both him and his deliverer:"We are Moses' disciples: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is." The man again shrewdly retorts upon them, that it was very strange that they, the teachers and guides of the people, could not tell whence he was, when he had wrought so extraordinary a miracle, whereas a plain man like him was satisfied by the work itself, that he must be of God, for "if he were not of God, he could do nothing." Upon this they lose their temper, reprove his supposed insolence, and excommunicate, or cast him out of their synagogue. "Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us?" by which expression we do not understand them as referring to the Scripture doctrine of original sin, but the Pythagorean figment of the transmigration of souls, already mentioned.

As to the argument in favour of Christ's mission, we do not found it on his miracles, separately considered; but as taken in connexion with the whole of his character-the purity of his doctrine and of his life. At the same time, though bad men may have done "many wonderful works," there is not in the records of history any thing like the series of miracles recorded of our Lord, either in the power or benevolence which they displayed: neither the miracles of Moses or Elijah, much less those of their pretended prophets or impostors, can be brought into competition with his miracles.

Our Lord hearing that the poor man was expelled the Synagogue, which, of course, deprived him of all aid from Jewish charity, sought him out, as the first coa

NOTES

Ver. 31. Cast him out.-Marg, "Excommunicated him ;" namely, from the syragogue.

Christ the door: and]

CHAP. X.

S. JOHN.

VERILY, verily, I say unto you, He

that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

6 This parable spake Jesus unto them but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.

[the Good Shepherd.

7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

13 The hireling fleeth, because he

EXPOSITION-Chap. IX. Continued.

fessor who had suffered on his account, and instructs him privately, as it should seem, in the mysteries of his kingdom. "Dost thou believe in the name of the Son of God?" And he answered, "Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?" Jesus replied, "Thou hast both seen him, and it is be that talketh with thee." The man had been prepared for this discovery. He was convinced by the miracle of which he had been the subject, that Jesus was indeed a prophet, and has no hesitation in admitting this farther discovery of his glory-"Lord, I believe ;" and as a proof thereof, he fell down and "worshipped him."

Some persons had now collected round

them, and our Lord says in their hearing, "For judgment am I come into this world, that they which see not might see;" and that they which boast that they "do see, may be made blind"-or have their blindness discovered and exposed. This occasioned some of the standers by, who were Pharisees, to exclaim, What! and "are we blind also?" To whom our Lord calmly replied, "If ye were blind," as this poor man was, or if you had no means of information, " ye should have," comparatively, no sin;" but since ye think your selves wise, and boastingly say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth" without excuse, and without remedy.

NOTES.

CHAP. X. Ver. 1. That entereth not by the door that is, by the gate of the sheep-fold,

Ver. 2. He that entereth in by the door is the shepherd-that is, thieves and robbers are not allowed to enter in by the door, but those only who belong to the sheep-fold.

Ver. 3. He calleth his own sheep by name.-In Judea, and other Eastern countries, the shepherds give names to their sheep, who answer to them, as do our dogs and horses, following them when called. -Macknight.

Ver. 4. The sheep follow him: for they know his voice. Not only is this the case in the East, but Polybins mentions, that in Italy the shepherds were accustomed to sound a horn, and the sheep would follow them. Orient. Cust. No. 1295.

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Ver. 8. Ail that ever came before me.-Camp. says, the words "before me" are wanting in some of the most arcient, and in a great number of other MSS., and in some ancient versions of early editions. He reads, "All who have entered in another manner." The double comparison of Christ to a sheepdoor and to a shepherd, introduces a confusion of metaphor not very agreeable to our European taste, but not uncommon in the East.

Ver. 12 But.... an hireling" It is not the hare receiving hire which denominates a man a hireling; for the labourer is worthy of his hire (Jesus himself being judge, Luke x. 7); but the loving hire more than the work--the working for the sake of hire." Wesley.

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is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

CHAP. X.

[with madness.

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EXPOSITION.

(G) Ver. 1-21. Jesus the door of God's sheep-fold-and the Good Shepherd himself. -In part of this allegory, Jesus Christ speaks of himself as the only door-the only way by which men can enter into the true Church, or fold of God. The allusion is to the gate by which the shepherd leads his sheep into the blessed pastures. When he says, "All who came before me are thieves and robbers," he does not reflect on the prophets of the Old Testament, who made no pretensions to be themselves the way, or the door, unto eternal life, but pointed only to the Messiah as such. The thieves and robbers here alluded to, were those false teachers who pretended to point out some other way of life and salvation, than through his mediation and atonement; whether by men's own moral obedience, or by a course of ritual ceremonies and observances.

But Christ is also here spoken of as "the Good Shepherd," which is an allegory much more familiar to us than the preceding. Under this figure he is repeatedly represented to us by the prophets (see Isa. xl. 11; Ezek. xxxiv. 23; Zech. xiii. 7, &c.), as well as in the latter parts of the New Testament. As the Good Shepherd, he is distinguished from "the hireling, who careth not for the sheep," as well a from the robber, who comes to steal them. He is the Good Shepherd, as that character expresses his tenderness towards them:-" He shall feed his flock like a

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shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.' (Is. xl. 11.) A good shepherd will also risk his life in defence of the sheep, as David did when he kept his father's sheep (1 Sam. xvii. 34-36); but THE Good Shepherd not merely risked, but gave, or, as it is here expressed, laid down his life for his sheep. Jesus is not only the Good Shepherd, but "the Great Shepherd of the sheep." (Heb. xiii. 20.) "The Chief Shepherd" (1 Pet. v. 2), whose own the sheep are," having "purchased them with his own most precious blood."

We are farther informed, that this Good Shepherd intimately knows his sheep, and is known of them: He calls them all by name-they know his voice and follow him; but will not follow strangers, for they know not the voice of strangers; all which circumstances relate to the divine communion which subsists between Christ and true believers; being drawn to him by the Father's grace; as he hath said, "No man can come unto me unless the Father which hath sent me draw him." (Ch. vi. 44.)

But Christ has other sheep beside those of the Jewish fold. Blessed be God, his sheep are not confined to one quarter of the world; he hath a flock in almost every country of the globe, which it is the object of his gospel ministry gradually to collect into one sheep-fold, under the great Chief Shepherd of our souls. For these he hath laid down his life, and taken it again, as

NOTES.

Ver. 14, 15. And know my sheep, &c.-Camp. reads (we think preferably), " 1 both know my own, and am known by them (even as the Father knoweth me, and I know the Father), and I give my life for the sheep."

Ver. 18. No man taketh it.-Camp. "No man

forceth it"--from me. See ch. xix. 11.

Ver. 20. He hath a devil, and is mad.-See ch. vii. 20; viii. 48, 52. They suppose him mad in consequence of being possessed.

Ver. 20, 21. Hath a devil.-The Greek in both these verses is not diabglos, but daimon, or demon.

The feast of]

S. JOHN.

22 ¶ And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.

[dedication.

33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that

23 And Jesus walked in the temple, thou, being a man, makest thyself in Solomon's porch.

24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly,

25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.

26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

30 I and my Father are one. 31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.

32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

God.

34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?

35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the Scripture cannot be broken;

36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I an the Son of God?

37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.

38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

39 Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,

40 And went away again beyond Jordan, into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode.

41 And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle; but all things that John spake of this man

were true.

42 And many believed on him there. (H)

EXPOSITION-Chap. X. Continued.

he told the Jews, according to "the command" or commission, which he received from his Father.

At this the Jews were startled, and some profanely said, "He hath a demon and is mad; why hear ye him?" while others shrewdly asked, "Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?" or can madmen perform miracles like this?

(H) Ver. 22-42. Jesus disputes with the Jews in Solomon's porch.-According to Josephus, this porch was the eastern part of a gallery erected on the inside of the outer court of the temple. It was the cus tom of the ancients to teach and converse walking; and it being now winter, it is probable that both Jesus and the Jews resorted thither for protection from the

NOTES-Chap. X. Con.

Ver. 25. They bear witness of me.-See ch. v. 36. Ver. 28. Neither shall any man pluck.-Camp. "Neither shall any one wrest." The noun “man” is certainly improperly supplied (as in many other places); and Dr. C.'s version is more literal.

Ver. 29. To pluck.-Camp. "to wrest," as before. Ver. 39. I and my Father-Doddr. "The Father;" for the pronoun is not in the original, nor is it wantedAre one-not eis, one person, but en, one thing; meaning one divine Being-one God.

Ver. 34. In your law-i. e. in the sacred books, thus the Psalmist himself used the term frequently, Ps. cxix.

Ver. 35. The word of God came.-Some refer this to the divine decree which made them magistrates, or judges; but Doddr. refers it rather to the di vine message, I said, Ye are gods." Ps. lxxxii. 6.

And the scripture cannot be broken.-We should prefer reading these words as Doddr. does, in a parenthesis, thus-" If he called them gods to whom the word of God came (and the scripture cannot be broken), Say ye," &c.

Ver. 36. Whom the Father hath sanctified.—This term, sanctify," does not always mean to make holy; but often, especially in the Old Testamer:!, to devote to a sacred purpose or office. See ch. viii. 42.

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