1.
Oh the folly of the Jews! seeking Him as they did before the Passover, and then having found Him in the midst of them, and having often attempted to take Him by their own or by others' hands without being able; they were not even so awed by His power, but set themselves to their wickedness, and desisted not. For it saith, that they continually made the attempt; "These words spake He in the treasury, teaching in the Temple; and no man laid hands on Him." He spake in the Temple, and in the character of teacher, which was more adapted to rouse them, and He spake those things because of which they were stung, and charged Him with making Himself equal to the Father. For "the witness of two men is true," proveth this. Yet still "He spake these words," It saith, "in the Temple," in the character of teacher, "and no man laid hands on Him, for His hour was not yet come"; that is, it was not yet the fitting time at which He would be crucified. So that even then1 the deed done was not of their power, but of His dispensation, for they had long desired, but had not been able, nor would they even then have been able, except He had consented.
Ver. 21. "Then said Jesus unto them, I go My way, and ye shall seek Me."
Why saith He this continually? To shame and terrify their souls; for observe what fear this saying caused in them. Although they desired to kill Him that they might be rid of Him, they yet ask, "whither He goeth," such great things did they imagine from the matter. He desired also to show them another thing, that the deed would not be effected through their force; but He showed it to them in a figure beforehand, and already foretold the Resurrection by these words.
Ver. 22. "Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself?"
What then doth Christ? To remove their suspicion, and to show that such an act is sin, He saith,
Ver. 23. "Ye are from beneath."
What He saith, is of this kind: "It is no wonder that ye imagine such things, ye who are carnal men, and have no spiritual thoughts, but I shall not do anything of the kind, for,
"I am from above; ye are of the world."
Here again He speaketh of their worldly and carnal imaginations, whence it is clear that the, "I am not of this world," doth not mean that He had not taken upon Him flesh, but that He was far removed from their wickedness. For He even saith, that His disciples were "not of the world" (c. xv. 19 ), yet they had flesh. As then Paul, when he saith, "Ye are not in the flesh" (Rom. viii. 9 ), doth not mean that they are incorporeal, so Christ when He saith, that His disciples are "not of the world," doth nothing else than testify to their heavenly wisdom.
Ver. 24. "I said therefore unto you that...if ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins."
For if He came to take away the sin of the world, and if it is impossible for men to put that off in any other way except by the washing, it needs must be that he that believeth not must depart hence, having2 the old man; since he that will not by faith slay and bury that old man, shall die in him, and shall go away to that place to suffer the punishment of His former sins. Wherefore He said, "He that believeth not is judged already" (c. iii. 18 ); not merely through his not believing, but because he de parteth parteth hence having his former sins upon him.
Ver. 25. "Then said they unto Him, Who art thou?"
Oh folly! After so long a time, such signs and teaching, they ask, "Who art thou?" What then saith Christ?
"The same that I told you from the beginning."
What He saith, is of this kind; "Ye are not worthy to hear My words at all, much less to learn who I am, for ye say all that ye do, tempting Me, and giving heed to none of My sayings. And all this I could now prove against you." For this is the sense of,
Ver. 26. "I have many things to say and to judge of you."
"I could not only prove you guilty, but also punish you; but He that sent Me, that is, the Father, willeth not this. For I am come not to judge the world, but to save the world, since God sent not His Son to judge the world, He saith, but to save the world. (c. iii. 17.) If now He hath sent Me for this, and He is true, with good cause I judge no one now. But these things I speak that are for your salvation, not what are for your condemnation." He speaketh thus, lest they should deem that it was through weakness that on hearing so much from them He went not to extremities, or that He knew not their secret thoughts and scoffings.
Ver. 27. "They understood not that He spake to them of the Father."
Oh folly! He ceased not to speak concerning Him, and they knew Him not. Then when after working many signs, and teaching them, He drew them not to Himself, He next speaketh to them of the Cross, saying,
Ver. 28, 29. "When ye have lifted up the Son of Man, then ye shall know that I Am, and that I speak not3 of Myself, and that He that sent Me is with Me. And the Father hath not left Me alone."
