John 8
SIBVer. 3—6., If he had encouraged them to stone her, they might have reproached him with cruelty, in partially ordering a severe punishment against one, no worse than the publicans and sinners, with whom he conversed; or they might have accused him to the Roman governor, as an usurper of judicial authority, and an abettor of tumults. If he had declared against stoning her, or bade them refer the matter to the Roman governor, they hoped to incense the people against him as an enemy to the law of Moses and their liberty
John 8:12
Having, in myself, all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, I am come into the world to direct both Jews and Gentiles into the way of life and salvation by my word and Spirit. And whosoever believeth on me, and follows my direction and pattern, shall not go on in ignorance, error, sin, or misery, but have the saving light and comfort of a spiritual life here, and eternal life hereafter
John 8:13-19
Though, in ordinary cases, a man’s testimony concerning himself avails nothing, yet it is otherwise in the case of one, who is light and truth itself, and whose original and commission are from God, and whose return is to him;— of all which things ye are wilfully ignorant. Ye judge and condemn me only from carnal considerations and appearances; but I interfere with no civil judgment, and at present condemn or punish no man, but call sinners to repentance and salvation; and yet, though I were to pass or execute judgment, my sentence would be just and valid, on account of my oueness with, and commission from my Father. Nor is my Messiahship destitute of sufficient attestation, since I myself, as a divine Person, assert it; and my Father by his prophets, and by his immediate declarations from heaven, as well as by many other signs, hath attested it. Notwithstanding repeated instructions, ye continue wilfully ignorant of my person and office, and of my heavenly Father from whom I come to you. If ye had considered me as one in nature, counsel, and operation with him, ye would have seen his perfections shining forth in me, and discerned the relation in which he stands to me, as his Son, and meditational Servant
John 8:21-26
Knowing how eagerly they desired that he might be murdered, before the time appointed by his Father, Jesus said to them, I will soon ascend back to 3 my Father, and ye shall earnestly wish to have me among you to deliver you from your miseries, but shall die under the power and guilt of your sin, especially your rejection of me, and be rendered inexpressibly wretched, both in time and through eternity. Nor shall it be in your power to follow me into the heavenly state, either to bring me back or to partake of my glory.—Being not only of an earthly origin, but of unregenerate hearts and carnal tempers, ye cannot have fellowship with me, who am divine, and whose affections are perfectly set on heavenly things: but, on account of your obstinate refusal to embrace and acknowledge me, as the promised Messiah, and only Saviour, and other sins attending it, your city and nation shall be fearfully destroyed in this world, and yourselves for evermore terribly tormented in hell. I still insist on it, that I am the Son of God and promised Messiah:—I could easily charge you with a multitude of crimes, and condemn you for them; but as that is not my present work, I only tell you, that my Father infallibly performs all his promises concerning me, and to me, and them that believe in me, and all his threatenings against those that reject me: and whatever I say to men, is exactly according to the commission which I have received from his uncontrollable and awful authority. 28, 29. But however ignorant ye now are of me, when once ye have crucified me, and occasioned my exaltation to glory, either the happy influences of my Spirit, or the miseries on yourselves and nation, shall convince you, that I act by my Father’s authority, and have faithfully declared his doctrines, promises, and threatenings.—And meanwhile my Father, who is one with me in essence, continues with me the unmeasurable unction of his Spirit, and the tokens of his favour to me, as one who always acts agreeably to his will, and for his honour. 31, 32 Jesus said to these weak, or pretended believers, If ye really embrace and adhere to my holy doctrine, and subject your whole souls to it, ye shall be proved and owned to be my disciples in truth, as well as in name; and ye shall be still further enlightened and confirmed in the certainty, excellency, and importance, of my gospel; and, by means of it, be honourably delivered from every thing enthralling, mean, or miserable
John 8:34-36
Notwithstanding your haughty, and even notoriously false, boasts of civil and religious freedom, I assure you, that, be whose descendants you will, if ye indulge yourselves in the practice of wickedness, ye are slaves under the power of your lusts, and the guilt of your sins; and as such, all unbelieving Jews, though the natural seed of Abraham, shall be quickly excluded from God’s church and favour, while I, the Son of God, and eminent seed of Abraham, shall continue as Head of the church, and all true believers abide therein as members. If therefore I, who am the Son of God, and Lord of my church, grant you my spiritual freedom, ye shall be really and eminently free from the guilt and dominion of sin, and from the law, as a covenant, and from burdensome ceremonies; and, in fine, free from all evil, and fully possessed of every thing glorious and comfortable
John 8:37-41
I know that ye are the natural descendants of Abraham: but ye are so far from being like him in his faith or obedience, that ye seek to murder me, merely because your own proud and carnal hearts cannot relish nor receive the holy, spiritual, and self-humbling doctrine which I preach unto you. I speak and act as one intimately acquainted with, and obedient to, God my Father; and ye act, as under the influence of, and in communion and concert with, the devil as your true father; a very sure evidence, that ye are not the genuine and believing children of Abraham
John 8:45-47
Not only do ye discredit the proofs of my Sonship and Messiahship, and the doctrines which I preach; but because I tell you truths, which are spiritual and holy, disagreeable to your corrupt inclinations and interests, ye reject both me and them: and so perverse are you, that though ye cannot point out the smallest fault in my behaviour or doctrine, yo obstinately persist in your unbelief. From this it is evident, that ye are not children of God, who are all of them desirous to know, and ready to receive and observe whatever he speaks
John 8:49-51
My continual and earnest study to advance the glory of my Father, in the salvation of his people, fully manifests, that, in my work, I am no way influenced or directed by the devil; nor am I solicitous about either your reproaches or your applause, as I know that my Father will secure me the regard of all his chosen people, and will effectually vindicate my character, and revenge all the indignities offered to it. And I solemnly assure you, that, whosoever heartily embraces and holds fast my spiritual and holy doctrine, in faith and obedience, shall be delivered from every real misery, and enjoy everlasting happiness
John 8:56-58
So highly did your father Abraham esteem me, that he earnestly desired to see my appearance in the flesh, and exceedingly rejoiced in the foresight of it. How young soever I be with respect to my human birth; yet I existed from eternity, as the unchangeable I AM
REFLECTIONS UPON CHAP. VIII.—There is great need of caution in dealing with malicious hypocrites. Very abominable is adultery, and richly deserving of capital punishment. But those who indulge themselves in it, or any like wickedness, are very unfit to be zealous prosecutors of the guilty. Many fear shame, on account of sin, more than damnation, and by fleeing from Christ, the merciful Saviour, wilfully destroy themselves. Now he is ready to pardon the greatest transgressions; but he will quickly be an inexorable Judge. He is come into our dark world, to reveal the method of salvation by the gospel, and to illuminate our hearts by his Spirit. Ignorant of, and far from him, we shall certainly wander into everlasting perdition. But under his enlightening influence, we shall avoid dangerous errors, be freed from spiritual slavery, and safely arrive at eternal life. Being a divine person, one with, and sent by, the Father, we may safely rest in, and abide by, his testimony. But no external evidence is sufficient to persuade a carnal heart. Many were the blasphemous contradictions which he endured in the cause of mercy and truth. While he was horribly insulted by the wicked, the hypocritical, the proud and malicious, children of Satan, as if he had been diabolical and mad. And great was the forbearance and meekness which he manifested in his own vindication. It looks ill, when men are enraged by reproof. Unprofitable is descent from the most godly parents, if we continue strangers to their faith and holiness. And it is base to boast of such, while we obstinately persevere in our sins. It is impossible either to know or believe Christ’s words, while we remain hardened in carnal lusts, and under the power of the devil. Yea, an empty profession of the true religion but tends to make our case still the more miserable. And if we drive Jesus the Saviour from us now, he will, at last, leave us in our sinfulness and ruin. But happy they, who know his truth, and have it abiding in their heart; who are conformed to his image, and desire after, and delight in, him! Thrice glorious their gospel-liberties, and unspeakable their eternal felicities