18But thou, O Lord, hast shewn me, and I have known: then thou shewedst me their doings.19And I was as a meek lamb, that is carried to be a victim: and I knew not that they had devised counsels against me, saying: Let us put wood on his bread, and cut him off from the land of the living, and let his name be remembered no more.20But thou, O Lord of Sabaoth, who judgest justly, and triest the reins and the hearts, let me see thy revenge on them: for to thee have I revealed my cause.
18But you, O Lord, have revealed this to me, and I have understood. Then you displayed their efforts to me.19And I was like a meek lamb, who is being carried to be a victim. And I did not realize that they had devised plans against me, saying: “Let us place wood upon his bread, and let us eradicate him from the land of the living, and let his name no longer be remembered.”20But you, O Lord of hosts, who judges justly, and who tests the temperament and the heart, let me see your vengeance against them. For I have revealed my case to you.
18And the Lord hath given me knowledge of it, and I know it: then thou shewedst me their doings.19But I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying, Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.20But, O Lord of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I revealed my cause.
18But thou, O Lord, hast shewn me, and I have known: then thou shewedst me their doings.19And I was as a meek lamb, that is carried to be a victim: and I knew not that they had devised counsels against me, saying: Let us put wood on his bread, and cut him off from the land of the living, and let his name be remembered no more.20But thou, O Lord of Sabaoth, who judgest justly, and triest the reins and the hearts, let me see thy revenge on them: for to thee have I revealed my cause.
18But you, O Lord, have revealed this to me, and I have understood. Then you displayed their efforts to me.19And I was like a meek lamb, who is being carried to be a victim. And I did not realize that they had devised plans against me, saying: “Let us place wood upon his bread, and let us eradicate him from the land of the living, and let his name no longer be remembered.”20But you, O Lord of hosts, who judges justly, and who tests the temperament and the heart, let me see your vengeance against them. For I have revealed my case to you.
18And the Lord hath given me knowledge of it, and I know it: then thou shewedst me their doings.19But I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying, Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.20But, O Lord of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I revealed my cause.
2O Lord, my God, in thee have I put my trust; save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me.3Lest at any time he seize upon my soul like a lion, while there is no one to redeem me, nor to save.9The Lord judgeth the people. Judge me, O Lord, according to my justice, and according to my innocence in me.10The wickedness of sinners shall be brought to nought; and thou shalt direct the just: the searcher of hearts and reins is God. Just11Is my help from the Lord; who saveth the upright of heart.12God is a just judge, strong and patient: is he angry every day?
2O Lord, my God, in you I have hoped. Save me from all those who persecute me, and free me:3lest at any time, like a lion, he might seize my soul, while there is no one to redeem me, nor any who can save.9The Lord judges the people. Judge me, O Lord, according to my justice and according to my innocence within me.10The wickedness of sinners will be consumed, and you will direct the just: the examiner of hearts and temperaments is God.11Just is my help from the Lord, who saves the upright of heart.12God is a just judge, strong and patient. How could he be angry throughout every day?
2Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver.3O Lord my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands;9Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.10My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart.11God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.12If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.
2O Lord, my God, in thee have I put my trust; save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me.3Lest at any time he seize upon my soul like a lion, while there is no one to redeem me, nor to save.9The Lord judgeth the people. Judge me, O Lord, according to my justice, and according to my innocence in me.10The wickedness of sinners shall be brought to nought; and thou shalt direct the just: the searcher of hearts and reins is God. Just11Is my help from the Lord; who saveth the upright of heart.12God is a just judge, strong and patient: is he angry every day?
2O Lord, my God, in you I have hoped. Save me from all those who persecute me, and free me:3lest at any time, like a lion, he might seize my soul, while there is no one to redeem me, nor any who can save.9The Lord judges the people. Judge me, O Lord, according to my justice and according to my innocence within me.10The wickedness of sinners will be consumed, and you will direct the just: the examiner of hearts and temperaments is God.11Just is my help from the Lord, who saves the upright of heart.12God is a just judge, strong and patient. How could he be angry throughout every day?
2Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver.3O Lord my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands;9Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.10My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart.11God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.12If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.
The number changes in the middle of the plea. Save me from all them that persecute me is plural; the very next clause is not — lest at any time he seize upon my soul like a lion (v. 3). Augustine notices the shift and refuses to smooth it: the psalmist does not say lest at any time they tear, because he knew which single enemy remained when the rest had been overcome. That enemy is the one Peter names, the adversary who walks about as a roaring lion. Worthington keeps the historical sense alongside it — Absalom, or whichever enemy was then threatening David with a ruin he could not have escaped without visible protection. The Douay's while there is no one to redeem me renders a Hebrew phrase Berthier gives as "tearing, and not snatching away"; he defends the Vulgate by a parallel construction at Lamentations v. 8, and reads it as Augustine does — if God does not redeem, the lion tears.
Berthier's clarification at v. 12 is where the psalm turns. God is a just judge, strong and patient: is he angry every day? reads in English like a rhetorical shrug, but the Latin numquid must be rendered "is he not?", and the Hebrew el carries the sense of God threatening every day. The verse is therefore not a concession that God overlooks things; it is a statement that he objects to every one of them, daily, and still does not strike. Haydock lists how the daily threat actually arrives — by secret remorse, by preachers, by good books. Augustine puts the same point at the level of the last judgment: God does not collect his ministers for vengeance every day, because his patience is at present inviting sinners to repentance, and the penalty is reserved. Worthington notes the deferral often runs to death, when the measure of crimes is full. Calmet, more bleakly, quotes the pagan observation that Jupiter would soon be alone if he hurled his thunderbolt at every offender.
That patience is the reason v. 10's searcher of hearts and reins matters so much. Calmet glosses the reins as the affections, Menochius as the inmost recesses; Augustine divides the two terms — the heart holds a man's thoughts, the reins his delights, and delight is the end of care, since everyone labours toward what he actually enjoys. His application is unnervingly current. Once the Christian name acquired dignity, he says, hypocrisy increased: people found it worth their while to please men by the Christian profession rather than God. In that confusion of pretence a righteous man cannot be publicly identified, and God directs him instead in the inward conscience where no one else is looking. Works can be seen; the end aimed at by them cannot. Which is why the psalm asks not for vindication in the eyes of the crowd but for a verdict — judge me, O Lord, according to my justice (v. 9) — from the only judge who can see past the lion at the door to what the man inside is enjoying.
40Of that multitude therefore, when they had heard these words of his, some said: This is the prophet indeed.41Others said: This is the Christ. But some said: Doth the Christ come out of Galilee?42Doth not the scripture say: That Christ cometh of the seed of David and from Bethlehem the town where David was?43So there arose a dissension among the people because of him.44And some of them would have apprehended him: but no man laid hands upon him.45The ministers therefore came to the chief priests and the Pharisees. And they said to them: Why have you not brought him?46The ministers answered: Never did man speak like this man.47The Pharisees therefore answered them: Are you also seduced?48Hath any one of the rulers believed in him, or of the Pharisees?49But this multitude, that knoweth not the law, are accursed.50Nicodemus said to them (he that came to him by night, who was one of them):51Doth our law judge any man, unless it first hear him and know what he doth?52They answered and said to him: Art thou also a Galilean? Search the scriptures, and see that out of Galilee a prophet riseth not.53And every man returned to his own house.
40Therefore, some from that crowd, when they had heard these words of his, were saying, “This one truly is the Prophet.”41Others were saying, “He is the Christ.” Yet certain ones were saying: “Does the Christ come from Galilee?42Does Scripture not say that the Christ comes from the offspring of David and from Bethlehem, the town where David was?”43And so there arose a dissension among the multitude because of him.44Now certain ones among them wanted to apprehend him, but no one laid hands upon him.45Therefore, the attendants went to the high priests and the Pharisees. And they said to them, “Why have you not brought him?”46The attendants responded, “Never has a man spoken like this man.”47And so the Pharisees answered them: “Have you also been seduced?48Have any of the leaders believed in him, or any of the Pharisees?49But this crowd, which does not know the law, they are accursed.”50Nicodemus, the one who came to him by night and who was one of them, said to them,51“Does our law judge a man, unless it has first heard him and has known what he has done?”52They responded and said to him: “Are you also a Galilean? Study the Scriptures, and see that a prophet does not arise from Galilee.”53And each one returned to his own house.
40Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.41Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?42Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?43So there was a division among the people because of him.44And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him.45Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him?46The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.47Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived?48Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?49But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.50Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,)51Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?52They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.53And every man went unto his own house.
40Of that multitude therefore, when they had heard these words of his, some said: This is the prophet indeed.41Others said: This is the Christ. But some said: Doth the Christ come out of Galilee?42Doth not the scripture say: That Christ cometh of the seed of David and from Bethlehem the town where David was?43So there arose a dissension among the people because of him.44And some of them would have apprehended him: but no man laid hands upon him.45The ministers therefore came to the chief priests and the Pharisees. And they said to them: Why have you not brought him?46The ministers answered: Never did man speak like this man.47The Pharisees therefore answered them: Are you also seduced?48Hath any one of the rulers believed in him, or of the Pharisees?49But this multitude, that knoweth not the law, are accursed.50Nicodemus said to them (he that came to him by night, who was one of them):51Doth our law judge any man, unless it first hear him and know what he doth?52They answered and said to him: Art thou also a Galilean? Search the scriptures, and see that out of Galilee a prophet riseth not.53And every man returned to his own house.
40Therefore, some from that crowd, when they had heard these words of his, were saying, “This one truly is the Prophet.”41Others were saying, “He is the Christ.” Yet certain ones were saying: “Does the Christ come from Galilee?42Does Scripture not say that the Christ comes from the offspring of David and from Bethlehem, the town where David was?”43And so there arose a dissension among the multitude because of him.44Now certain ones among them wanted to apprehend him, but no one laid hands upon him.45Therefore, the attendants went to the high priests and the Pharisees. And they said to them, “Why have you not brought him?”46The attendants responded, “Never has a man spoken like this man.”47And so the Pharisees answered them: “Have you also been seduced?48Have any of the leaders believed in him, or any of the Pharisees?49But this crowd, which does not know the law, they are accursed.”50Nicodemus, the one who came to him by night and who was one of them, said to them,51“Does our law judge a man, unless it has first heard him and has known what he has done?”52They responded and said to him: “Are you also a Galilean? Study the Scriptures, and see that a prophet does not arise from Galilee.”53And each one returned to his own house.
40Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.41Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?42Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?43So there was a division among the people because of him.44And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him.45Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him?46The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.47Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived?48Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?49But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.50Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,)51Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?52They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.53And every man went unto his own house.
Everything the Pharisees say at v. 52 depends on a missing definite article. Out of Galilee a prophet riseth not is, as it stands, simply untrue, and Haydock will not let it pass: they could not have been ignorant that Jonas was a Galilean. He proposes that the sense must be the prophet, the expected one — the article is absent here but present at v. 40, where the crowd says this is the prophet indeed. Lapide, less interested in rescuing the sentence, lists what it runs into: Deborah was of Galilee, Anna of the tribe of Aser, Nahum the Elkoshite from Elkosh, a city in Galilee. Whichever way one takes it, the men who tell Nicodemus to search the scriptures have not searched them.
Chrysostom presses the same charge on the earlier objection. If the crowd's difficulty were really the Bethlehem prophecy, the remedy was near: go to Christ and ask how he can come from Galilee when the scripture says otherwise. They do not, purposely and of malice prepense, and Chrysostom concludes that they wished to conceal his extraction from David and so put forward where he had been educated instead. He sets Nathanael against them, who raised the same objection about Nazareth and was called an Israelite indeed, a lover of truth, for asking it out loud. Alcuin's version is gentler and worse: they knew the prophecies and knew he was brought up at Nazareth, and simply did not know where he was born — a question Lapide says indolence kept the people from pursuing and envy the scribes, leaving both inexcusable. Then the officers return empty-handed, and Chrysostom relishes the reversal: those sent to take hold of him were themselves taken hold of. Their report is exact — not never man did such miracles, but never did man speak like this man — so that men who had seen no wonder and read no scripture were convinced by the teaching alone, and were bold enough to say so to the Pharisees' faces. The reply from the chair is an argument from authority, which Lapide names outright as a fallacy, and which the next speaker refutes by existing, Nicodemus being a ruler who believes. Theophylact notes that the Pharisees keep their tone mild, afraid the officers might walk out and join Christ. Augustine states the inversion plainly: those who did not know the law believed in him who had given it, and those who taught the law condemned him.
Their three moves are still the standard ones. Ask who else of consequence agrees (v. 48). Declare those who disagree unqualified to hold an opinion — this multitude, that knoweth not the law, are accursed — which Cyril answers by observing that wise men become fools by boasting, since in claiming to know the law they convict themselves of not recognising the one it promised. And when someone asks for procedure rather than a verdict, impugn his loyalties: art thou also a Galilean? Nicodemus has asked for nothing except that the law be kept and a man be heard before he is judged; Augustine says he was not unbelieving but fearful, one who came by night to the light, wanting to be enlightened and afraid of being seen going, and who hoped they would be overcome if only they listened patiently, as the officers had been. They preferred obstinately condemning him to knowing the truth, and the chapter ends with the assembly breaking up — every man returned to his own house, which Alcuin reads as a return, without faith and without advantage, to their own habitations of infidelity.
18But thou, O Lord, hast shewn me, and I have known: then thou shewedst me their doings.19And I was as a meek lamb, that is carried to be a victim: and I knew not that they had devised counsels against me, saying: Let us put wood on his bread, and cut him off from the land of the living, and let his name be remembered no more.20But thou, O Lord of Sabaoth, who judgest justly, and triest the reins and the hearts, let me see thy revenge on them: for to thee have I revealed my cause.
18But you, O Lord, have revealed this to me, and I have understood. Then you displayed their efforts to me.19And I was like a meek lamb, who is being carried to be a victim. And I did not realize that they had devised plans against me, saying: “Let us place wood upon his bread, and let us eradicate him from the land of the living, and let his name no longer be remembered.”20But you, O Lord of hosts, who judges justly, and who tests the temperament and the heart, let me see your vengeance against them. For I have revealed my case to you.
18And the Lord hath given me knowledge of it, and I know it: then thou shewedst me their doings.19But I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying, Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.20But, O Lord of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I revealed my cause.
Jeremias calls himself a meek lamb, that is carried to be a victim (v. 19), and Calmet, following Bochart, makes the lamb a pet, the kind "the Arabs still keep ... in their houses," citing 2 Kings 12. A household lamb has no reason to suspect the house, and the prophet says the same of himself, I knew not that they had devised counsels against me. The commentators disagree on the plain sense of the plotters' words, Let us put wood on his bread. De Dieu hears a threat to beat him, while Calmet and Menochius take it as mixing a poisonous wood into his food. Du Hamel adds that some Jews had corrupted this verse in Justin's time.
Haydock gathers the Christian reading. Theodoret says of v. 18 that something more than appears is meant, and Jerome and Worthington report that "all Christians" understand what follows of Christ, whom Jeremias, says Calmet, prefigured in his sufferings. Jerome's rule is that "all the prophets did most things for a type of our Lord and Saviour." On that rule the wood and the bread become the cross and the body; for Jerome and Gregory, "Christ, the bread of life, was nailed to the disgraceful wood." The figure strains at one point. Jeremias says I knew not what they plotted, yet Worthington notes that Christ foretold his sufferings, and Menochius resolves the prophet's side of it by reading "I acted as if I had been ignorant." The cry of v. 20, let me see thy revenge on them, gets similar care. Challoner calls it "rather a prediction of what was to happen, with an approbation of the divine justice, than an imprecation," and Jerome limits it to the impenitent, with a wish that they be converted.
Two temptations face the persecuted. One is to treat the enemy's plot as license for a curse. Challoner and Jerome hold the prophet to prediction and a hope of conversion, and leave the verdict with the God who triest the reins and the hearts. The other is to stay silent before God about one's cause. Jeremias does neither, and says to thee have I revealed my cause. The lamb goes to the altar, and the case is handed to the judge who sees both the plotters' counsels and the victim's heart.
2O Lord, my God, in thee have I put my trust; save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me.3Lest at any time he seize upon my soul like a lion, while there is no one to redeem me, nor to save.9The Lord judgeth the people. Judge me, O Lord, according to my justice, and according to my innocence in me.10The wickedness of sinners shall be brought to nought; and thou shalt direct the just: the searcher of hearts and reins is God. Just11Is my help from the Lord; who saveth the upright of heart.12God is a just judge, strong and patient: is he angry every day?
2O Lord, my God, in you I have hoped. Save me from all those who persecute me, and free me:3lest at any time, like a lion, he might seize my soul, while there is no one to redeem me, nor any who can save.9The Lord judges the people. Judge me, O Lord, according to my justice and according to my innocence within me.10The wickedness of sinners will be consumed, and you will direct the just: the examiner of hearts and temperaments is God.11Just is my help from the Lord, who saves the upright of heart.12God is a just judge, strong and patient. How could he be angry throughout every day?
2Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver.3O Lord my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands;9Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.10My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart.11God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.12If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.
The number changes in the middle of the plea. Save me from all them that persecute me is plural; the very next clause is not — lest at any time he seize upon my soul like a lion (v. 3). Augustine notices the shift and refuses to smooth it: the psalmist does not say lest at any time they tear, because he knew which single enemy remained when the rest had been overcome. That enemy is the one Peter names, the adversary who walks about as a roaring lion. Worthington keeps the historical sense alongside it — Absalom, or whichever enemy was then threatening David with a ruin he could not have escaped without visible protection. The Douay's while there is no one to redeem me renders a Hebrew phrase Berthier gives as "tearing, and not snatching away"; he defends the Vulgate by a parallel construction at Lamentations v. 8, and reads it as Augustine does — if God does not redeem, the lion tears.
Berthier's clarification at v. 12 is where the psalm turns. God is a just judge, strong and patient: is he angry every day? reads in English like a rhetorical shrug, but the Latin numquid must be rendered "is he not?", and the Hebrew el carries the sense of God threatening every day. The verse is therefore not a concession that God overlooks things; it is a statement that he objects to every one of them, daily, and still does not strike. Haydock lists how the daily threat actually arrives — by secret remorse, by preachers, by good books. Augustine puts the same point at the level of the last judgment: God does not collect his ministers for vengeance every day, because his patience is at present inviting sinners to repentance, and the penalty is reserved. Worthington notes the deferral often runs to death, when the measure of crimes is full. Calmet, more bleakly, quotes the pagan observation that Jupiter would soon be alone if he hurled his thunderbolt at every offender.
That patience is the reason v. 10's searcher of hearts and reins matters so much. Calmet glosses the reins as the affections, Menochius as the inmost recesses; Augustine divides the two terms — the heart holds a man's thoughts, the reins his delights, and delight is the end of care, since everyone labours toward what he actually enjoys. His application is unnervingly current. Once the Christian name acquired dignity, he says, hypocrisy increased: people found it worth their while to please men by the Christian profession rather than God. In that confusion of pretence a righteous man cannot be publicly identified, and God directs him instead in the inward conscience where no one else is looking. Works can be seen; the end aimed at by them cannot. Which is why the psalm asks not for vindication in the eyes of the crowd but for a verdict — judge me, O Lord, according to my justice (v. 9) — from the only judge who can see past the lion at the door to what the man inside is enjoying.
40Of that multitude therefore, when they had heard these words of his, some said: This is the prophet indeed.41Others said: This is the Christ. But some said: Doth the Christ come out of Galilee?42Doth not the scripture say: That Christ cometh of the seed of David and from Bethlehem the town where David was?43So there arose a dissension among the people because of him.44And some of them would have apprehended him: but no man laid hands upon him.45The ministers therefore came to the chief priests and the Pharisees. And they said to them: Why have you not brought him?46The ministers answered: Never did man speak like this man.47The Pharisees therefore answered them: Are you also seduced?48Hath any one of the rulers believed in him, or of the Pharisees?49But this multitude, that knoweth not the law, are accursed.50Nicodemus said to them (he that came to him by night, who was one of them):51Doth our law judge any man, unless it first hear him and know what he doth?52They answered and said to him: Art thou also a Galilean? Search the scriptures, and see that out of Galilee a prophet riseth not.53And every man returned to his own house.
40Therefore, some from that crowd, when they had heard these words of his, were saying, “This one truly is the Prophet.”41Others were saying, “He is the Christ.” Yet certain ones were saying: “Does the Christ come from Galilee?42Does Scripture not say that the Christ comes from the offspring of David and from Bethlehem, the town where David was?”43And so there arose a dissension among the multitude because of him.44Now certain ones among them wanted to apprehend him, but no one laid hands upon him.45Therefore, the attendants went to the high priests and the Pharisees. And they said to them, “Why have you not brought him?”46The attendants responded, “Never has a man spoken like this man.”47And so the Pharisees answered them: “Have you also been seduced?48Have any of the leaders believed in him, or any of the Pharisees?49But this crowd, which does not know the law, they are accursed.”50Nicodemus, the one who came to him by night and who was one of them, said to them,51“Does our law judge a man, unless it has first heard him and has known what he has done?”52They responded and said to him: “Are you also a Galilean? Study the Scriptures, and see that a prophet does not arise from Galilee.”53And each one returned to his own house.
40Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.41Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?42Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?43So there was a division among the people because of him.44And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him.45Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him?46The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.47Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived?48Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?49But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.50Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,)51Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?52They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.53And every man went unto his own house.
Everything the Pharisees say at v. 52 depends on a missing definite article. Out of Galilee a prophet riseth not is, as it stands, simply untrue, and Haydock will not let it pass: they could not have been ignorant that Jonas was a Galilean. He proposes that the sense must be the prophet, the expected one — the article is absent here but present at v. 40, where the crowd says this is the prophet indeed. Lapide, less interested in rescuing the sentence, lists what it runs into: Deborah was of Galilee, Anna of the tribe of Aser, Nahum the Elkoshite from Elkosh, a city in Galilee. Whichever way one takes it, the men who tell Nicodemus to search the scriptures have not searched them.
Chrysostom presses the same charge on the earlier objection. If the crowd's difficulty were really the Bethlehem prophecy, the remedy was near: go to Christ and ask how he can come from Galilee when the scripture says otherwise. They do not, purposely and of malice prepense, and Chrysostom concludes that they wished to conceal his extraction from David and so put forward where he had been educated instead. He sets Nathanael against them, who raised the same objection about Nazareth and was called an Israelite indeed, a lover of truth, for asking it out loud. Alcuin's version is gentler and worse: they knew the prophecies and knew he was brought up at Nazareth, and simply did not know where he was born — a question Lapide says indolence kept the people from pursuing and envy the scribes, leaving both inexcusable. Then the officers return empty-handed, and Chrysostom relishes the reversal: those sent to take hold of him were themselves taken hold of. Their report is exact — not never man did such miracles, but never did man speak like this man — so that men who had seen no wonder and read no scripture were convinced by the teaching alone, and were bold enough to say so to the Pharisees' faces. The reply from the chair is an argument from authority, which Lapide names outright as a fallacy, and which the next speaker refutes by existing, Nicodemus being a ruler who believes. Theophylact notes that the Pharisees keep their tone mild, afraid the officers might walk out and join Christ. Augustine states the inversion plainly: those who did not know the law believed in him who had given it, and those who taught the law condemned him.
Their three moves are still the standard ones. Ask who else of consequence agrees (v. 48). Declare those who disagree unqualified to hold an opinion — this multitude, that knoweth not the law, are accursed — which Cyril answers by observing that wise men become fools by boasting, since in claiming to know the law they convict themselves of not recognising the one it promised. And when someone asks for procedure rather than a verdict, impugn his loyalties: art thou also a Galilean? Nicodemus has asked for nothing except that the law be kept and a man be heard before he is judged; Augustine says he was not unbelieving but fearful, one who came by night to the light, wanting to be enlightened and afraid of being seen going, and who hoped they would be overcome if only they listened patiently, as the officers had been. They preferred obstinately condemning him to knowing the truth, and the chapter ends with the assembly breaking up — every man returned to his own house, which Alcuin reads as a return, without faith and without advantage, to their own habitations of infidelity.
The complete public-domain commentary this reading's note draws from, unabridged. Every claim in the note traces to a passage here.
Shewedst me. He insinuates that something more than what appears must be understood. (Theodoret) --- All Christians explain what follows of Jesus Christ, (St. Jerome; Worthington) whom Jeremias prefigured in his sufferings. (Calmet) --- "Let us follow the rule which shews that all the prophets did most things for a type of our Lord and Saviour; and what was now done by Jeremias, foreshewed what would happen to our Lord." (St. Jerome)
Meek: pet lamb. The Arabs still keep one in their houses, 2 Kings xii. 3. (Bochart ii. 46.) (Calmet) --- Knew. I acted as if I had been ignorant. (Menochius) --- Yet Christ foretold his sufferings, Matthew xx. 18., &c. (Worthington) --- Bread. Christ, the bread of life, was nailed to the disgraceful wood. (St. Jerome; St. Gregory, Mor. iii. 12.) --- They threaten to beat him, (De Dieu) or to mix a poisonous wood with his food. (Calmet) (Menochius) --- Some Jews had corrupted this text in St. Justin's time. (Du Hamel)
Sabaoth. That is, of hosts or armies; a name frequently given to God, in the Scriptures. --- Thy revenge. This was rather a prediction of what was to happen, with an approbation of the divine justice, than an imprecation. (Challoner) --- He speaks of the impenitent, (St. Jerome) and wishes they may be converted.
18 And the Lord hath given me knowledge of it, and I know it: then thou showedst me their doings. 19 But I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying, Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered. 20 But, O Lord of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I revealed my cause. 21 Therefore thus saith the Lord of the men of Anathoth, that seek thy life, saying, Prophesy not in the name of the Lord , that thou die not by our hand: 22 Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, Behold, I will punish them: the young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine: 23 And there shall be no remnant of them: for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation.
The prophet Jeremiah has much in his writings concerning himself, much more than Isaiah had, the times he lived in being very troublesome. Here we have (as it should seem) the beginning of his sorrows, which arose from the people of his own city, Anathoth, a priest's city, and yet a malignant one. Observe here,
I. Their plot against him, v. 19 . They devised devices against him, laid their heads together to contrive how they might be in the most plausible and effectual manner the death of him. Malice is ingenious in its devices, as well as industrious in its prosecutions. They said concerning Jeremiah, Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof —a proverbial expression, meaning, "Let us utterly destroy him root and branch. Let us destroy both the father and the family" (as, when Naboth was put to death for treason, his sons were put to death with him), or rather "both the prophet and the prophecy; let us kill the one and defeat the other. Let us cut him off from the land of the living, as a false prophet, and load him with ignominy and disgrace, that his name may be no more remembered with respect. Let us sink his reputation, and so spoil the credit of his predictions." This was their plot; and 1. It was a cruel one; but so cruel have the persecutors of God's prophets been. They hunt for no less than the precious life, and very precious the lives are that they hunt for. But, (2.) It was a baffled one. They thought to put an end to his days, but he survived most of his enemies; they thought to blast his memory, but it lives to this day, and will be blessed while time lasts.
II. The information which God gave him of this conspiracy against him. He knew nothing of it himself, so artfully had they concealed it; he came to Anathoth, meaning no harm to them and therefore fearing no harm from them, like a lamb or an ox, that thinks he is driven as usual to the field, when he is brought to the slaughter; so little did poor Jeremiah dream of the design his citizens that hated him had upon him. None of his friends could, and none of his enemies would, give him any notice of his danger, that he might shift for his own safety, as Paul's sister's son gave him intelligence of the Jews that were lying in wait for him. There is but a step between Jeremiah and death; but then the Lord gave him knowledge of it, by dream or vision, or impression upon his spirit, that he might save himself, as the king of Israel did upon the notice Elisha gave him, 2 Kings vi. 10 . Thus he came to know it. God showed him their doings; and such were their devices that the discovering of them was the defeating of them. If God had not let him know his own danger, it would have been improved by unreasonable men against the reputation of his predictions, that he who foretold the ruin of his country could not foresee his own peril and avoid it. See what care God takes of his prophets: He suffers no man to do them wrong; all the rage of their enemies cannot prevail to take them off till they have finished their testimony. God knows all the secret designs of his and his people's enemies, and can, when he pleases, make them know. A bird of the air shall carry the voice.
III. His appeal to God hereupon, v. 20 . His eye is to God as the Lord of hosts, that judges righteously. It is a matter of comfort to us, when men deal unjustly with us, that we have a God to go to who does and will plead the cause of injured innocency and appear against the injurious. God's justice, which is a terror to the wicked, is a comfort to the godly. His eye is towards him as the God that tries the reins and the heart, that perfectly sees what is in man, what are his thoughts and intents. He knew the integrity that was in Jeremiah's heart, and that he was not the man they represented him to be. He knew the wickedness that was in their hearts, though ever so cunningly concealed and disguised. Now, 1. Jeremiah prays judgment against them: " Let me see thy vengeance on them, that is, do justice between me and them in such a way as thou pleasest." Some think there was something of human frailty in this prayer; at least Christ has taught us another lesson, both by precept and by pattern, which is to pray for our persecutors. Others think it comes from a pure zeal for the glory of God and a pious and prophetic indignation against men that were by profession priests, the Lord's ministers, and yet were so desperately wicked as to fly out against one that did them no harm, merely for the service he did to God. This petition was a prediction that he should see God's vengeance on them. 2. He refers his cause entirely to the judgment of God: " Unto thee have I revealed my cause; to thee I have committed it, not desiring nor expecting to interest any other in it." Note, It is our comfort, when we are wronged, that we have a God to commit our cause to, and our duty to commit it to him, with a resolution to acquiesce in his definitive sentence, to subscribe, and not prescribe, to him.
IV. Judgment given against his persecutors, the men of Anathoth. It was to no purpose for him to appeal to the courts at Jerusalem, he could not have justice done him there: the priests there would stand by the priests at Anathoth, and rather second them than discountenance them; but God will therefore take cognizance of the cause himself, and we are sure that his judgment is according to truth. Here is, 1. Their crime recited, on which the sentence is grounded, v. 21 . They sought the prophet's life, for they forbad him to prophesy upon pain of death; they were resolved either to silence him or to slay him. The provocation he gave them was his prophesying in the name of the Lord without license from those that were the governors of the city which he was a member of, and not prophesying such smooth things as they always bespoke. Their forbidding him to prophesy was in effect seeking his life, for it was seeking to defeat the end and business of his life and to rob him of the comfort of it. It is as bad to God's faithful ministers to have their mouth stopped as to have their breath stopped. But especially when it was resolved that if he did prophesy, as certainly he would notwithstanding their inhibition, he should die by their hand; they would be accusers, judges, executioners, and all. It used to be said that a prophet could not perish but at Jerusalem, for there the great council sat; but so bitter were the men of Anathoth against Jeremiah that they would undertake to be the death of him themselves. A prophet then shall find not only no honour, but no favour, in his own country. 2. The sentence passed upon them for this crime, v. 22, 23 . God says, I will punish them; let me alone to deal with them. I will visit this upon them; so the word is. God will enquire into it and reckon for it. Two of God's four sore judgments shall serve to ruin their town:— The sword shall devour their young men, though they were young priests, not men of war (their character shall not be their protection), and famine shall destroy the children, sons and daughters, that tarry at home, which is a more grievous death than that by the sword, Lam. iv. 9 . The destruction shall be final ( v. 23 ): There shall be no remnant of them left, none to be the seed of another generation. They sought Jeremiah's life, and therefore they shall die; they would destroy him root and branch, that his name might be no more remembered, and therefore there shall be no remnant of them; and herein the Lord is righteous. Thus evil is brought upon them, even the year of their visitation, and that is evil enough, a recompence according to their deserts. Then shall Jeremiah see his desire upon his enemies. Note, Their condition is sad who have the prayers of good ministers and good people against them.
18-19. Jeremiah here digresses to notice the attempt on his life plotted by his townsmen of Anathoth. He had no suspicion of it, until Jehovah revealed it to him ( Jr 12:6 ).
the Lord ... thou-- The change of person from the third to the second accords with the excited feelings of the prophet.
then-- when I was in peril of my life.
their doings-- those of the men of Anathoth. His thus alluding to them, before he has mentioned their name, is due to his excitement.
20. triest ... heart-- ( Re 2:23 ).
revealed-- committed my cause. Jeremiah's wish for vengeance was not personal but ministerial, and accorded with God's purpose revealed to him against the enemies alike of God and of His servant ( Psa 37:34 ; 54:7 ; 112:8 ; 118:7 ).
A psalm to David himself, which he sung to the Lord, for the words of Chusi, son of Jemini.
1. Now the story which gave occasion to this prophecy may be easily recognised in the second book of Kings. For there Chusi, the friend of king David, went over to the side of Abessalon, his son, who was carrying on war against his father, for the purpose of discovering and reporting the designs which he was taking against his father, at the instigation of Achitophel, who had revolted from David's friendship, and was instructing by his counsel, to the best of his power, the son against the father. But since it is not the story itself which is to be the subject of consideration in this Psalm, from which the prophet hath taken a veil of mysteries, if we have passed over to Christ, let the veil be taken away. And first let us inquire into the signification of the very names, what it means. For there have not been wanting interpreters, who investigating these same words, not carnally according to the letter, but spiritually, declare to us that Chusi should be interpreted silence; and Gemini, right-handed; Achitophel, brother's ruin. Among which interpretations, Judas, that traitor, again meets us, that Abessalon should bear his image, according to that interpretation of it as a father's peace; in that his father was full of thoughts of peace toward him: although he in his guile had war in his heart, as was treated of in the third Psalm. Now as we find in the Gospels that the disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ are called sons, so in the same Gospels we find they are called brethren also. For the Lord on the resurrection saith, "Go and say to My brethren." And the Apostle calls Him "the first begotten among many brethren." The ruin then of that disciple, who betrayed Him, is rightly understood to be a brother's ruin, which we said is the interpretation of Achitophel. Now as to Chusi, from the interpretation of silence, it is rightly understood that our Lord contended against that guile in silence, that is, in that most deep secret, whereby "blindness happened in part to Israel," when they were persecuting the Lord, that the fulness of the Gentiles might enter in, and "so all Israel might be saved." When the Apostle came to this profound secret and deep silence, he exclaimed, as if struck with a kind of awe of its very depth, "O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out! For who hath known the wind of the Lord, or who hath been His counsellor?" Thus that great silence he does not so much discover by explanation, as he sets forth its greatness in admiration. In this silence the Lord, hiding the sacrament of His adorable passion, turns the brother's voluntary ruin, that is, His betrayer's impious wickedness, into the order of His mercy and providence: that what he with perverse mind wrought for one Man's destruction, He might by providential overruling dispose for all men's salvation. The perfect soul then, which is already worthy to know the secret of God, sings a Psalm unto the Lord, she sings "for the words of Chusi," because she has attained to know the words of that silence: for among unbelievers and persecutors there is that silence and secret. But among His own, to whom it is said, "Now I call you no more servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard of My Father I have made known unto you: among His friends, I say, there is not the silence, but the words of the silence, that is, the meaning of that silence set forth and manifested. Which silence, that is, Chusi, is called the son of Gemini, that is, righthanded. For what was done for the Saints was not to be hidden from them. And yet He saith, "Let not the left hand know what the right hand doeth." The perfect soul then, to which that secret has been made known, sings in prophecy "for the words of Chusi," that is, for the knowledge of that same secret. Which secret God at her right hand, that is, favourable and propitious unto her, has wrought. Wherefore this silence is called the Son of the right hand, which is, "Chusi, the son of Gemini."
2. "O Lord my God, in Thee have I hoped: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me"
(ver. 1). As one to whom, already perfected, all the war and enmity of vice being overcome, there remaineth no enemy but the envious devil, he says, "Save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me
(ver. 2): lest at any time he tear my soul as a lion." The Apostle says, "Your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." Therefore when the Psalmist said in the plural number, "Save me from all them that persecute me:" he afterwards introduced the singular, saying, "lest at any time he tear my soul as a lion." For he does not say, lest at any time they tear: he knew what enemy and violent adversary of the perfect soul remained. "Whilst there be none to redeem, nor to save:" that is, lest he tear me, whilst Thou redeemest not, nor savest. For, if God redeem not, nor save, he tears.
3. And that it might be clear that the already perfect soul, which is to be on her guard against the most insidious snares of the devil only, says this, see what follows. "O Lord my God, if I have done this" (ver. 3). What is it that he calls "this"? Since he does not mention the sin by name, are we to understand sin generally? If this sense displease us, we may take that to be meant which follows: as if we had asked, what is this that you say, "this"? He answers, "If there be iniquity in my hands." Now then it is clear that it is said of all sin, "If I have repaid them that recompense me evil"
(ver. 6). Why yet does he, who we say is perfect, incite God to anger? Must we not see, whether he rather be not perfect, who, when he was being stoned, said, "O Lord, lay not this sin to their charge"? Or does the Psalmist pray thus not against men, but against the devil and his angels, whose possession sinners and the ungodly are? He then does not pray against him in wrath, but in mercy, whosoever prays that that possession may be taken from him by that Lord "who justifieth the ungodly." For when the ungodly is justified, from ungodly he is made just, and from being the possession of the devil he passes into the temple of God. And since it is a punishment that a possession, in which one longs to have rule, should be taken away from him: this punishment, that he should cease to possess those whom he now possesses, the Psalmist calls the anger of God against the devil. "Arise, O Lord; in Thine anger." "Arise" (he has used it as "appear"), in words, that is, human and obscure; as though God sleeps, when He is unrecognised and hidden in His secret workings. "Be exalted in the borders of mine enemies." He means by borders the possession itself, in which he wishes that God should be exalted, that is, be honoured and glorified, rather than the devil, while the ungodly are justified and praise God. "And arise, O Lord my God, in the commandment that Thou hast given:" that is, since Thou hast enjoined humility, appear in humility; and first fulfil what Thou hast enjoined; that men by Thy example overcoming pride may not be possessed of the devil, who against Thy commandments advised to pride, saying, "Eat, and your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods."
6. "And the congregation of the people shall surround Thee." This may be understood two ways. For the congregation of the people can be taken, either of them that believe, or of them that persecute, both of which took place in the same humiliation of our Lord: in contempt of which the multitude of them that persecute surrounded Him; concerning which it is said, "Why have the heathen raged, and the people meditated vain things?" But of them that believe through His humiliation the multitude so surrounded Him, that it could be said with the greatest truth, "blindness in part is happened unto Israel, that the fulness of the Gentiles might come in:" and again, "Ask of me, and I will give Thee the Gentiles for Thine inheritance, and the boundaries of the earth for Thy possession." "And for their sakes return Thou on high:" that is, for the sake of this congregation return Thou on high: which He is understood to have done by His resurrection and ascension into heaven. For being thus glorified He gave the Holy Ghost, which before His exaltation could not be given, as it is written in the Gospel, "for the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified." Having then returned on high for the sake of the congregation of the people, He sent the Holy Ghost: by whom the preachers of the Gospel being filled, filled the whole world with Churches.
7. It can be taken also in this sense: "Arise, O Lord, in Thine anger, and be exalted in the borders of mine enemies:" that is, arise in Thine anger, and let not mine enemies understand Thee; so that to "be exalted," should be this, become high, that Thou mayest not be understood; which has reference to the silence spoken of above. For it is of this exaltation thus said in another Psalm, "And He ascended upon Cherubim, and flew:" and, "He made darkness His secret place." In which exaltation, or concealment, when for their sins' desert they shall not understand Thee, who shall crucify Thee, "the congregation" of believers "shall surround Thee." For in His very humiliation He was exalted, that is, was not understood. So that, "And arise, O Lord my God, in the commandment that Thou hast given:" may have reference to this, that is, when Thou showest Thyself, be high or deep that mine enemies may not understand Thee. Now sinners are the enemies of the just man, and the ungodly of the godly man. "And the congregation of the people shall surround Thee:" that is, by this very circumstance, that those who crucify Thee understand Thee not, the Gentiles shall believe on Thee, and so "shall the congregation of the people surround Thee." But what follows, if this be the true meaning, has in it more pain, that it begins already to be perceived, than joy that it is understood. For it follows, "and for their sakes return Thou on high," that is, and for the sake of this congregation of the human race, wherewith the Churches are crowded, return Thou on high, that is, again cease to be understood. What then is, "and for their sakes," but that this congregation too will offend Thee, so that Thou mayest most truly foretell and say, "Thinkest Thou when the Son of man shall come, He will find faith on the earth?" Again, of the false prophets, who are understood to be heretics, He says, "Because of their iniquity the love of many shall wax cold." Since then even in the Churches, that is, in that congregation of peoples and nations, where the Christian name has most widely spread, there shall be so great abundance of sinners, which is already, in great measure, perceived; is not that famine of the word here predicted, which has been threatened by another prophet also? Is it not too for this congregation's sake, who, by their sins, are estranging from themselves that light of truth, that God returns on high, that is, so that faith, pure and cleansed from the corruption of all perverse opinions, is held and received, either not at all, or by the very few of whom it was said, "Blessed is he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved"? Not without cause then is it said, "and for the sake of this" congregation "return Thou on high:" that is, again withdraw into the depth of Thy secrecy, even for the sake of this congregation of the peoples, that hath Thy name, and doeth not Thy deeds.
8. But whether the former exposition of this place, or this last be the more suitable, without prejudice to any one better, or equal, or as good, it follows very consistently, "the Lord judgeth the people." For whether He returned on high, when, after the resurrection, He ascended into heaven, well does it follow, "The Lord judgeth the people:" for that He will come from thence to judge the quick and the dead. Or whether He return on high, when the understanding of the truth leaves sinful Christians, for that of His coming it has been said, "Thinkest thou the Son of Man on His coming will find faith on the earth?" "The Lord" then "judgeth the people." What Lord, but Jesus Christ? "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son." Wherefore this soul which prayeth perfectly, see how she fears not the day of judgment, and with a truly secure longing says in her prayer, "Thy kingdom come: judge me," she says, "O Lord, according to my righteousness." In the former Psalm a weak one was entreating, imploring rather the mercy of God, than mentioning any desert of his own: since the Son of God came "to call sinners to repentance." Therefore he had there said, "Save me, O Lord, for Thy mercy's sake;" that is, not for my desert's sake. But now, since being called he hath held and kept the commandments which he received, he is bold to say, "Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to my harmlessness, that is upon me." This is true harmlessness, which harms not even an enemy. Accordingly, well does he require to be judged according to his harmlessness, who could say with truth, "If I have repaid them that recompense me evil." As for what he added, "that is upon me," it can refer not only to harmlessness, but can be understood also with reference to righteousness; that the sense should be this, Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to my harmlessness, which righteousness and harmlessness is upon me. By which addition he shows that this very thing, that the soul is righteous and harmless, she has not by herself, but by God who giveth brightness and light. For of this he says in another Psalm, "Thou, O Lord, wilt light my candle." And of John it is said, that "he was not the light, but bore witness of the light." "He was a burning and shining candle." That light then, whence souls, as candles, are kindled, shines forth not with borrowed, but with original, brightness, which light is truth itself. It is then so said, "According to my righteousness, and according to my harmlessness, that is upon me," as if a burning and shining candle should say, Judge me according to the flame which is upon me, that is, not that wherewith I am myself, but that whereby I shine enkindled of thee.
9. "But let the wickedness of sinners be consummated"
(ver. 9). He says, "be consummated," be completed, according to that in the Apocalypse, "Let the righteous become more righteous, and let the filthy be filthy still." For the wickedness of those men appears consummate, who crucified the Son of God; but greater is theirs who will not live uprightly, and hate the precepts of truth, for whom the Son of God was crucified. "Let the wickedness of sinners," then he says, "be consummated," that is, arrive at the height of wickedness, that just judgment may be able to come at once. But since it is not only said, "Let the filthy be filthy still;" but it is said also, "Let the righteous become more righteous;" he joins on the words, "And Thou shalt direct the righteous, O God, who searcheth the hearts and reins." How then can the righteous be directed but in secret? when even by means of those things which, in the commencement of the Christian ages, when as yet the saints were oppressed by the persecution of the men of this world, appeared marvellous to men, now that the Christian name has begun to be in such high dignity, hypocrisy, that is pretence, has increased; of those, I mean, who by the Christian profession had rather please men than God. How then is the righteous man directed in so great confusion of pretence, save whilst God searcheth the hearts and reins; seeing all men's thoughts, which are meant by the word heart; and their delights, which are understood by the word reins? For the delight in things temporal and earthly is rightly ascribed to the reins; for that it is both the lower part of man, and that region where the pleasure of carnal generation dwells, through which man's nature is transferred into this life of care, and deceiving joy, by the succession of the race. God then, searching our heart, and perceiving that it is there where our treasure is, that is, in heaven; searching also the reins, and perceiving that we do not assent to flesh and blood, but delight ourselves in the Lord, directs the righteous man in his inward conscience before Him, where no man seeth, but He alone who perceiveth what each man thinketh, and what delighteth each. For delight is the end of care; because to this end does each man strive by care and thought, that he may attain to his delight. He therefore seeth our cares, who searcheth the heart. He seeth too the ends of cares, that is delights, who narrowly searcheth the reins; that when He shall find that our cares incline neither to the lust of the flesh, nor to the lust of the eyes, nor to the pride of life, all which pass away as a shadow, but that they are raised upward to the joys of things eternal, which are spoilt by no change, He may direct the righteous, even He, the God who searcheth the hearts and reins. For our works, which we do in deeds and words, may be known unto men; but with what mind they are done, and to what end we would attain by means of them, He alone knoweth, the God who searcheth the hearts and reins.
10. "My righteous help is from the Lord, who maketh whole the upright in heart"
(ver. 10). The offices of medicine are twofold, on the curing infirmity, the other the preserving health. According to the first it was said in the preceding Psalm, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak;" according to the second it is said in this Psalm, "If there be iniquity in my hands, if I have repaid them that recompense me evil, may I therefore fall by my enemies empty." For there the weak prays that he may be delivered, here one already whole that he may not change for the worse. According to the one it is there said, "Make me whole for Thy mercy's sake;" according to this other it is here said, "Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness." For there he asks for a remedy to escape from disease; but here for protection from falling into disease. According to the former it is said, "Make me whole, O Lord, according to Thy mercy:" according to the latter it is said, "My righteous help is from the Lord, who maketh whole the upright in heart." Both the one and the other maketh men whole; but the former removes them from sickness into health, the latter preserves them in this health. Therefore there the help is merciful, because the sinner hath no desert, who as yet longeth to be justified, "believing on Him who justifieth the ungodly;" but here the help is righteous, because it is given to one already righteous. Let the sinner then who said, "I am weak," say in the first place, "Make me whole, O Lord, for Thy mercy's sake;" and here let the righteous man, who said, "If I have repaid them that recompense me evil," say, "My righteous help is from the Lord, who maketh whole the upright in heart." For if he sets forth the medicine, by which we may be healed when weak, how much more that by which we may be kept in health. For if "while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, how much more being now justified shall we be kept whole from wrath through Him."
11. "My righteous help is from the Lord, who maketh whole the upright in heart." God, who searcheth the hearts and reins, directeth the righteous; but with righteous help maketh He whole the upright in heart. He doth not as He searcheth the hearts and reins, so make whole the upright in heart and reins; for the thoughts are both bad in a depraved heart, and good in an upright heart; but delights which are not good belong to the reins, for they are more low and earthly; but those that are good not to the reins, but to the heart itself. Wherefore men cannot be so called upright in reins, as they are called upright in heart, since where the thought is, there at once the delight is too; which cannot be, unless when things divine and eternal are thought of. "Thou hast given," he says, "joy in my heart," when he had said, "The light of Thy countenance has been stamped on us, O Lord." For although the phantoms of things temporal, which the mind falsely pictures to itself, when tossed by vain and mortal hope, to vain imagination oftentimes bring a delirious and maddened joy; yet this delight must be attributed not to the heart, but to the reins; for all these imaginations have been drawn from lower, that is, earthly and carnal things. Hence it comes, that God, who searcheth the hearts and reins, and perceiveth in the heart upright thoughts, in the reins no delights, affordeth righteous help to the upright in heart, where heavenly delights are coupled with clean thoughts. And therefore when in another Psalm he had said, "Moreover even to-night my reins have chided me;" he went on to say as touching help, "I foresaw the Lord alway in my sight, for He is on my right hand, that I should not be moved." Where he shows that he suffered suggestions only from the reins, not delights as well; for he had suffered these, then he would of course be moved. But he said, "The Lord is on my right hand, that I should not be moved;" and then he adds, "Wherefore was my heart delighted;" that the reins should have been able to chide, not delight him. The delight accordingly was produced not in the reins, but there, where against the chiding of the reins God was foreseen to be on the right hand, that is, in the heart.
12. "God the righteous judge, strong (in endurance) and long-suffering"
(ver. 11). What God is judge, but the Lord, who judgeth the people? He is righteous; who "shall render to every man according to his works." He is strong (in endurance); who, being most powerful, for our salvation bore even with ungodly persecutors. He is long-suffering; who did not immediately, after His resurrection, hurry away to punishment, even those that persecuted Him, but bore with them, that they might at length turn from that ungodliness to salvation: and still He beareth with them, reserving the last penalty for the last judgment, and up to this present time inviting sinners to repentance. "Not bringing in anger every day." Perhaps "bringing in anger" is a more significant expression than being angry (and so we find it in the Greek copies); that the anger, whereby He punisheth, should not be in Him, but in the minds of those ministers who obey the commandments of truth through whom orders are given even to the lower ministries, who are called angels of wrath, to punish sin: whom even now the punishment of men delights not for justice' sake, in which they have no pleasure, but for malice' sake. God then doth not "bring in anger every day," that is, He doth not collect His ministers for vengeance every day. For now the patience of God inviteth to repentance: but in the last time, when men "through their hardness and impenitent heart shall have treasured up for themselves anger in the day of anger, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, then He will brandish His sword."
13. "Unless ye be converted," He says, "He will brandish His sword"
My God. This title is prompted by love and confidence. (Haydock) --- All. David had only few followers, while he was pursued by Saul (Calmet) and Absalom. (Haydock)
Lion. In a spiritual sense this is the devil, 1 Peter v. 8. (St. Augustine) --- "Let him only see the sign of the cross, or the lamp continually burning before the altar, he will flee away. Should we wonder at this? the garments alone of Paul drove him from possessed person." [Acts xix. 12.] (St. Chrysostom) --- Will modern sectaries still ridicule these things? --- While. Hebrew, "tearing, and not snatching away." But there is a similar construction, (Lamentations v. 8.) which shews that we ought to follow the Vulgate. (Berthier) --- Absalom, or any other enemy, may be this lion. (Worthington) --- They threatened David with utter ruin, which he could never have escaped, without God's visible protection.
Innocence. Hebrew, "simplicity," which has the same meaning. (Haydock) He speaks of the justice of his cause (Muis) against his particular enemies. (Worthington) --- St. Paul thus commends himself, 2 Timothy iv. 7. The justice of the saints is not merely imputed, as the first Protestants foolishly imagined: for how should God reward those whom he saw still in sin, and who were only reputed holy? a notion which their disciples have modified or abandoned, as they have also done what had been taught respecting grace. Justice is an effect of God's grace, and of man's co-operation, 1 Corinthians xv. 10. (Berthier) --- David begs that the disposer of kingdoms would convince Saul that he was not a rebel: and the world, that he had not lost God's favour, like his rival. (Haydock)
Reins; affections, (Jeremias xii. 2.; Calmet) and inmost recesses, which are open to God. (Menochius)
PSALM VII. (DOMINE DEUS MEUS.)
David, trusting in the justice of his cause, prayeth for God's help against his enemies.
Just. This epithet refers to God, in Hebrew. Septuagint might easily explain it of help, before the words and verse were divided: (Haydock) yet it is still taken in the former sense, in some Greek and Latin copies. The wicked shall be frustrated in their designs, though they may succeed for a time, (Calmet) consumetur, (Symmachus; Haydock) or rather let their ruin be determined on, 1 Kings xxv. 17. (Calmet)
Strong. Hebrew el, means also "God threatening every day;" (Haydock) which must be a proof of his patience, as the Septuagint have intimated, since he could destroy at once. Thus numquid, must be rendered "is he not?" (Isaias xxvii. 7.) (Berthier) --- God cannot but be displeased at every sin. He threatens the offender daily by secret remorse, or by his preachers and good books. (Haydock) --- But he often defers punishment (Worthington) till death, when the measure of crimes is full. (St. Augustine) --- This silence or delay is one of the most terrible of his judgments, (Haydock) and a mark of his great indignation. If he were, however, to strike every one as soon as he had committed sin, where should we be? "He would soon be alone," as a pagan observed of "Jupiter, if he were presently to hurl his thunderbolts against every offender." (Calmet) See Val. Max. i. 2. (Ecclesiasticus v. 4.)
1 O Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me: 2 Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver. 3 O Lord my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands; 4 If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy:) 5 Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust. Selah. 6 Arise, O Lord , in thine anger, lift up thyself because of the rage of mine enemies: and awake for me to the judgment that thou hast commanded. 7 So shall the congregation of the people compass thee about: for their sakes therefore return thou on high. 8 The Lord shall judge the people: judge me, O Lord , according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me. 9 Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.
Shiggaion is a song or psalm (the word is used so only here and Hab. iii. 1 )—a wandering song (so some), the matter and composition of the several parts being different, but artificially put together—a charming song (so others), very delightful. David not only penned it, but sang it himself in a devout religious manner unto the Lord, concerning the words or affairs of Cush the Benjamite, that is, of Saul himself, whose barbarous usage of David bespoke him rather a Cushite, or Ethiopian, than a true-born Israelite. Or, more likely, it was some kinsman of Saul named Cush, who was an inveterate enemy to David, misrepresented him to Saul as a traitor, and (which was very needless) exasperated Saul against him, one of those children of men, children of Belial indeed, whom David complains of ( 1 Sam. xxvi. 19 ), that made mischief between him and Saul. David, thus basely abused, has recourse to the Lord. The injuries men do us should drive us to God, for to him we may commit our cause. Nay, he sings to the Lord; his spirit was not ruffled by it, nor cast down, but so composed and cheerful that he was still in tune for sacred songs and it did not occasion one jarring string in his harp. Thus let the injuries we receive from men, instead of provoking our passions, kindle and excite our devotions. In these verses ,
I. He puts himself under God's protection and flies to him for succour and shelter ( v. 1 ): " Lord, save me, and deliver me from the power and malice of all those that persecute me, that they may not have their will against me." He pleads, 1. His relation to God. "Thou art my God, and therefore whither else should I go but to thee? Thou art my God, and therefore my shield ( Gen. xv. 1 ), my God, and therefore I am one of thy servants, who may expect to be protected." 2. His confidence in God: "Lord, save me, for I depend upon thee: In thee do I put my trust, and not in any arm of flesh." Men of honour will not fail those that repose a trust in them, especially if they themselves have encouraged them to do so, which is our case. 3. The rage and malice of his enemies, and the imminent danger he was in of being swallowed up by them: "Lord, save me, or I am gone; he will tear my soul like a lion tearing his prey," with so much pride, and pleasure, and power, so easily, so cruelly. St. Paul compares Nero to a lion ( 2 Tim. iv. 17 ), as David here compares Saul. 4. The failure of all other helpers: "Lord, be thou pleased to deliver me, for otherwise there is none to deliver, " v. 2 . It is the glory of God to help the helpless.
II. He makes a solemn protestation of his innocency as to those things whereof he was accused, and by a dreadful imprecation appeals to God, the searcher of hearts, concerning it, v. 3-5 . Observe, in general, 1. When we are falsely accused by men it is a great comfort if our own consciences acquit us—
III. Having this testimony of his conscience concerning his innocency, he humbly prays to God to appear for him against his persecutors, and backs every petition with a proper plea, as one that knew how to order his cause before God.
1. He prays that God would manifest his wrath against his enemies, and pleads their wrath against him: "Lord, they are unjustly angry at me, be thou justly angry with them and let them know that thou art so, v. 6 . In thy anger lift up thyself to the seat of judgment, and make thy power and justice conspicuous, because of the rage, the furies, the outrages (the word is plural) of my enemies. " Those need not fear men's wrath against them who have God's wrath for them. Who knows the power of his anger?
2. He prays that God would plead his cause.
(1.) He prays, Awake for me to judgment (that is, let my cause have a hearing), to the judgment which thou hast commanded; this speaks, [1.] The divine power; as he blesses effectually, and is therefore said to command the blessing, so he judges effectually, and is therefore said to command the judgment, which is such as none can countermand; for it certainly carries execution along with it. [2.] The divine purpose and promise: "It is the judgment which thou hast determined to pass upon all the enemies of thy people. Thou hast commanded the princes and judges of the earth to give redress to the injured and vindicate the oppressed; Lord, awaken thyself to that judgment." He that loves righteousness, and requires it in others, will no doubt execute it himself. Though he seem to connive at wrong, as one asleep, he will awake in due time ( Ps. lxxviii. 65 ) and will make it to appear that the delays were no neglects.
(2.) He prays ( v. 7 ), " Return thou on high, maintain thy own authority, resume thy royal throne of which they have despised the sovereignty, and the judgment-seat of which they have despised the sentence. Return on high, that is, visibly and in the sight of all, that it may be universally acknowledged that heaven itself owns and pleads David's cause." Some make this to point at the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, who, when he returned to heaven (returned on high in his exalted state), had all judgment committed to him. Or it may refer to his second coming, when he shall return on high to this world, to execute judgment upon all. This return his injured people wait for, and pray for, and to it they appeal from the unjust censures of men.
(3.) He prays again ( v. 8 ), " Judge me, judge for me, give sentence on my side." To enforce this suit, [1.] He pleads that his cause was now brought into the proper court: The Lord shall judge the people, v. 8 . He is the Judge of all the earth, and therefore no doubt he will do right and all will be obliged to acquiesce in his judgment. [2.] He insists upon his integrity as to all the matters in variance between him and Saul, and desires only to be judged, in this matter, according to his righteousness, and the sincerity of his heart in all the steps he had taken towards his preferment. [3.] He foretels that it would be much for the glory of God and the edification and comfort of his people if God would appear for him: " So shall the congregation of the people compass thee about; therefore do it for their sakes, that they may attend thee with their raises and services in the courts of thy house." First, They will do it of their own accord. God's appearing on David's behalf, and fulfilling his promise to him, would be such an instance of his righteousness, goodness, and faithfulness, as would greatly enlarge the hearts of all his faithful worshippers and fill their mouths with praise. David was the darling of his country, especially of all the good people in it; and therefore, when they saw him in a fair way to the throne, they would greatly rejoice and give thanks to God; crowds of them would attend his footstool with their praises for such a blessing to their land. Secondly, If David come into power, as God has promised him, he will take care to bring people to church by his influence upon them, and the ark shall not be neglected, as it was in the days of Saul, 1 Chron. xiii. 3 .
3. He prays, in general, for the conversion of sinners and the establishment of saints ( v. 9 ): " O let the wickedness, not only of my wicked enemies, but of all the wicked, come to an end! but establish the just. " Here are two things which everyone of us must desire and may hope for:—(1.) The destruction of sin, that it may be brought to an end in ourselves and others. When corruption is mortified, when every wicked way and thought are forsaken, and the stream which ran violently towards the world and the flesh is driven back and runs towards God and heaven, then the wickedness of the wicked comes to an end. When there is a general reformation of manners, when atheists and profane are convinced and converted, when a stop is put to the spreading of the infection of sin, so that evil men proceed no further, their folly being made manifest, when the wicked designs of the church's enemies are baffled, and their power is broken, and the man of sin is destroyed, then the wickedness of the wicked comes to an end. And this is that which all that love God, and for his sake hate evil, desire and pray for. (2.) The perpetuity of righteousness: But establish the just. As we pray that the bad maybe made good, so we pray that the good may be made better, that they may not be seduced by the wiles of the wicked nor shocked by their malice, that they may be confirmed in their choice of the ways of God and in their resolution to persevere therein, may be firm to the interests of God and religion and zealous in their endeavours to bring the wickedness of the wicked to an end. His plea to enforce this petition is, For the righteous God trieth the hearts and the reins; and therefore he knows the secret wickedness of the wicked and knows how to bring it to an end, and the secret sincerity of the just he is witness to and has secret ways of establishing.
10 My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart. 11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day. 12 If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready. 13 He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors. 14 Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood. 15 He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. 16 His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate. 17 I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high.
David having lodged his appeal with God by prayer and a solemn profession of his integrity, in the former part of the psalm, in this latter part does, as it were, take out judgment upon the appeal, by faith in the word of God, and the assurance it gives of the happiness and safety of the righteous and the certain destruction of wicked people that continue impenitent.
I. David is confident that he shall find God his powerful protector and Saviour, and the patron of his oppressed innocency ( v. 10 ): " My defence is of God. Not only, God is my defender, and I shall find him so; but I look for defence and safety in no other; my hope for shelter in a time of danger is placed in God alone; if I have defence, it must be of God." My shield is upon God (so some read it); there is that in God which gives an assurance of protection to all that are his. His name is a strong tower, Prov. xviii. 10 . Two things David builds this confidence upon:—1. The particular favour God has for all that are sincere: He saves the upright in heart, saves them with an everlasting salvation, and therefore will preserve them to his heavenly kingdom; he saves them out of their present troubles, as far as is good for them; their integrity and uprightness will preserve them. The upright in heart are safe, and ought to think themselves so, under the divine protection. 2. The general respect he has for justice and equity: God judgeth the righteous; he owns every righteous cause, and will maintain it in every righteous man, and will protect him. God is a righteous Judge (so some read it), who not only doeth righteousness himself, but will take care that righteousness be done by the children of men and will avenge and punish all unrighteousness.
II. He is no less confident of the destruction of all his persecutors, even as many of them as would not repent, to give glory to God. He reads their doom here, for their good, if possible, that they might cease from their enmity, or, however, for his own comfort, that he might not be afraid of them nor aggrieved at their prosperity and success for a time. He goes into the sanctuary of God, and there understands,
1. That they are children of wrath. They are not to be envied, for God is angry with them, is angry with the wicked every day. They are every day doing that which is provoking to him, and he resents it, and treasures it up against the day of wrath. As his mercies are new every morning towards his people, so his anger is new every morning against the wicked, upon the fresh occasions given for it by their renewed transgressions. God is angry with the wicked even in the merriest and most prosperous of their days, even in the days of their devotion; for, if they be suffered to prosper, it is in wrath; if they pray, their very prayers are an abomination. The wrath of God abides upon them ( John iii. 36 ) and continual additions are made to it.
2. That they are children of death, as all the children of wrath are, sons of perdition, marked out for ruin. See their destruction.
(1.) God will destroy them. The destruction they are reserved for is destruction from the Almighty, which ought to be a terror to every one of us, for it comes from the wrath of God, v. 13, 14 . It is here intimated, [1.] That the destruction of sinners may be prevented by their conversion, for it is threatened with that proviso: If he turn not from his evil way, if he do not let fall his enmity against the people of God, then let him expect it will be his ruin; but, if he turn, it is implied that his sin shall be pardoned and all shall be well. Thus even the threatenings of wrath are introduced with a gracious implication of mercy, enough to justify God for ever in the destruction of those that perish; they might have turned and lived, but they chose rather to go on and die and their blood is therefore upon their own heads. [2.] That, if it be not thus prevented by the conversion of the sinner, it will be prepared for him by the justice of God. In general ( v. 13 ), He has prepared for him the instruments of death, of all that death which is the wages of sin. If God will slay, he will not want instruments of death for any creature; even the least and weakest may be made so when he pleases. First, Here is variety of instruments, all which breathe threatenings and slaughter. Here is a sword, which wounds and kills at hand, a bow and arrows, which wound and kill at a distance those who think to get out of the reach of God's vindictive justice. If the sinner flees from the iron weapon, yet the bow of steel shall strike him through, Job xx. 24 . Secondly, These instruments of death are all said to be made ready. God has them not to seek, but always at hand. Judgments are prepared for scorners. Tophet is prepared of old. Thirdly, While God is preparing his instruments of death, he gives the sinners timely warning of their danger, and space to repent and prevent it. He is slow to punish, and long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish. Fourthly, The longer the destruction is delayed, to give time for repentance, the sorer will it be and the heavier will it fall and lie for ever if that time be not so improved; while God is waiting the sword is in the whetting and the bow in the drawing. Fifthly, The destruction of impenitent sinners, though it come slowly, yet comes surely; for it is ordained, they are of old ordained to it. Sixthly, Of all sinners persecutors are set up as the fairest marks of divine wrath; against them, more than any other, God has ordained his arrows. They set God at defiance, but cannot set themselves out of the reach of his judgments.
(2.) They will destroy themselves, v. 14-16 . The sinner is here described as taking a great deal of pains to ruin himself, more pains to damn his soul than, if directed aright, would save it. His conduct is described, [1.] By the pains of a labouring woman that brings forth a false conception, v. 14 . The sinner's head with its politics conceives mischief, contrives it with a great deal of art, lays the plot deep, and keeps it close; the sinner's heart with its passions travails with iniquity, and is in pain to be delivered of the malicious projects it is hatching against the people of God. But what does it come to when it comes to the birth? It is falsehood; it is a cheat upon himself; it is a lie in his right hand. He cannot compass what he intended, nor, if he gain his point, will he gain the satisfaction he promised himself. He brings forth wind ( Isa. xxvi. 18 ), stubble ( Isa. xxxiii. 11 ), death ( James i. 15 ), that is, falsehood. [2.] By the pains of a labouring man that works hard to dig a pit, and then falls into it and perishes in it. First, This is true, in a sense of all sinners. They prepare destruction for themselves by preparing themselves for destruction, loading themselves with guilt and submitting themselves to their corruptions. Secondly, It is often remarkably true of those who contrive mischief against the people of God or against their neighbours; by the righteous hand of God it is made to return upon their own heads. What they designed for the shame and destruction of others proves to be their own confusion.
In singing this psalm we must do as David here does ( v. 17 ), praise the Lord according to his righteousness, that is, give him the glory of that gracious protection under which he takes his afflicted people and of that just vengeance with which he will pursue those that afflict them. Thus we must sing to the praise of the Lord most high, who, when his enemies deal proudly, shows that he is above them.
1-2. Though many enemies set upon him, one is singled out as prominent, and compared to a wild beast tearing his prey to pieces (compare 1Sa 20:1 ; 23:23 ; 26:19 ).
3. if I have done this-- that is, the crime charged in the "words of Cush" (compare 1Sa 24:9 ).
9. the hearts and reins-- the affections and motives of men, or the seat of them (compare Psa 16:7 ; 26:2 ); as we use heart and bosom or breast.
10. defence-- literally, "shield" ( Psa 5:12 ).
11. judgeth-- as in Psa 7:8 .
the wicked-- Though not expressed, they are implied, for they alone are left as objects of anger.
12-13. They are here distinctly pointed out, though by changing the person, a very common mode of speech, one is selected as a representative of wicked men generally. The military figures are of obvious meaning.
CHAPTER 7
But after this Jesus walked in Galilee, &c. Not immediately, but about six months after. The incidents of the former chapter took place in March, the feast of tabernacles was in September. But Christ lived six months after this, to the following March. All which follows Christ said and did in the last months of His life. S. John then omits here the events of these six months, amongst which are the defence of the disciples for eating with unwashed hands; the healing of the daughter of the Canaanitish woman; St. Peter's testimony, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God, for which. He was constituted the head of the Church; the paying the tribute-money; His reproof of the Apostles for disputing who was the greatest, &c. For all this which S. John omits had been recorded by the other Evangelists.
Jesus walked in Galilee. He was already in Galilee, but it means He went to and fro in Galilee, preaching the kingdom of God.
For He would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews (i.e., the chief of the Jews) sought to kill him, because He kept not the Sabbath, as the Jews did, but healed the sick on that day, and called God His father, and consequently asserted that He Himself was God (see chap. v. 18). It appears that Jesus did not go up to Jerusalem at either the Passover or Pentecost of this year. And this because He knew the death that was devised against Him, before His appointed time; not because He feared the Jews, or dreaded death, but to set us an example of flying from our persecutors, till God otherwise reveals, and delivers us into their hands, as S. Athanasius did. (So say S. Augustine and others.)
Ver. 39.But this spake He of the Spirit which they that believe on Him should receive. After His death, and by His merits at Pentecost, for before that the Apostles had not received it so copiously and abundantly as at that time; and they at once watered the parched earth by the streams of their preaching and virtue, fertilised it by their good works, inebriated it by the love of God, and inundated it with all virtues, by means of the living water of Christian grace, life, and doctrine.
For the Spirit was not yet given, i.e., the Holy Spirit was not yet given so copiously, because Jesus was not yet glorified. But why was not the Holy Spirit given visibly and abundantly before His Ascension? (1.) S. Leo says, "In order that this gift and pouring forth of the Holy Spirit might be acknowledged as the fruit of His Passion, Ascension and Triumph. Just as kings give largesses to their people on occasions of great joy, as triumphs and so forth. (See Acts ii. 33.) "His Ascension" (says S. Leo) "was the cause of His giving His Holy Spirit." (2.) The sending of the Spirit was the glorification of Christ. For the Spirit by the greatness of His gifts wondrously set forth the glory of Christ. For He wrought so many miracles by the Apostles, as to convert the whole world to Christ. (3.) Because the disciples before the Ascension were not able to receive so great a gift, having such carnal notions of Christ. (4.) S. Augustine (in 1oc), "He willed not to give the Spirit till after His Resurrection, in order that our charity might glow for the Resurrection, and being separated from the world may run wholly towards Him." And S. Cyril, "Christ then became the Principle of our renewed nature, when, counting as nothing the bands of death, He rose again." And again, "There was in the Prophets a certain rich brightness of the Holy Spirit, and a light shining before them, to guide them to the knowledge of things to come. But to those who believed in Christ, there was not only the Holy Spirit, as a light to lead them on the way, but He dwelt within them, as if in His temple."
For then streams of grace not only flowed, but poured down from heaven, not merely on a few, but on very many of the faithful. From thence there flowed forth such thousands of martyrs, who nobly endured the rack, the flames and the lions; so many bands of virgins victoriously contending even to death for their Christian virginity; so many swarms of monks and anchorets who in monasteries and deserts lived separate from the world and for God, as men of heaven, and angels upon earth; so many orders of Pontiffs and Prelates, who governed most holily the churches committed to them, and moulded them to perfect sanctity; such bands of Doctors, Preachers and Confessors, who scattered on every side their streams of doctrine and holy living, by their teaching, preaching and writings, enlightening the whole world with the knowledge of God, and enkindling it by His love; of whom it is said, "He shall pour forth as showers his wise sentences" (Ecclus. 39: 6). And lastly, so many myriads of the faithful, both men and women, who living soberly, justly and godly in this world, eagerly looked, and still look for the glorious coming of our Great God and Saviour Jesus Christ. Is not this great and unending glory to Jesus Christ?
Ver. 42.Doth not the Scripture say, &c. As Micah foretold. But Jesus is not the Christ as having been conceived and brought up at Nazareth. But He was born at Bethlehem, and since they had seen so many evident signs of His Messiahship, they were bound to inquire more carefully into this point which seemed to be wanting. And had they done so, they would have understood the truth, and would have known that His being a Galilean was no objection to His being the Christ; but the people from indolence, and the Scribes from envy of Him, would not investigate the matter, and were both accordingly inexcusable.
Ver. 43.So there was a division among the people because of Him. Some accusing Him of being an innovator, others excusing Him, and lauding Him as a Prophet.
Ver. 44.And some of them would have taken Him, i.e., some of the multitude, not of the rulers, who were all of one mind not to acknowledge Him. But the officers who were sent for the purpose wished to apprehend Him.
But no man laid hands on Him. For Christ withheld them by His power of spirit, and the majesty of His countenance, much more by His Divine Power. And, moreover, the hour for His suffering had not yet come. So Cyril.
Ver. 45.The officers therefore came, &c. As to the masters who had sent them.
And they said unto them, Why have ye not brought Him? Their coming was a greater thing than to have remained with Christ, for they would thus have been spared annoyance from them, but now they became heralds of Christ, and became more bold in their bearing, says S. Chrysostom.
Him, that innovator, deceiver, and false prophet. They deigned not to call Jesus by His own name.
Ver. 46.The officers answered, &c. Because He was God-man, and therefore He teaches not with human but Divine grace, power efficacy and majesty. Notice here the force of Christ's words, His authority and dignity, which astounded these officers, who, though willing, were not able to take Him, nay were obliged to love, reverence and honour Him; and to profess as much to their masters though most hostile to Christ. "Proving," says Cyril, "how rash and weak it is to fight against Christ." "They might certainly have excused themselves (says S. Chrysostom) "by saying we dared not take Him, lest we should rouse to sedition against ourselves the multitude who favoured Him." For they seemed not so much to admire Him, as to blame those who had sent them to seize Him, whom they ought rather to have listened to. Why sent ye us to seize so great a teacher? We have been captivated by the power of His words, and ye, if ye had heard Him yourselves, would have been captivated also. They spake not to please their masters, but to witness to the truth. Such is the power of truth. It is therefore probable that many of them were afterwards fully converted to Christ at Pentecost. For God seems to have rewarded in this way their sincere and noble testimony to Christ. "They were laudably led astray," says the Gloss, "in passing over to the faith from the evil of unbelief." S. Cyril supposes that they suspected Him to be God. "How then could we take Him, who is as far above us as God is above man?"
Ver. 47.The Pharisees therefore answered, Are ye also deceived? "They were Christ's implacable enemies," says Nonnus. "When they ought to have felt compunction, and to change their opinion," says Chrysostom, "they accuse the officers. But in mild terms, for fear they also should at the last fail them." But they ought to have asked what there was so wonderful in Jesus' words. But they took care not to do that, by their blind and obstinate hatred against Him. S. Cyril enforces it thus, "We may pardon the multitude for being deceived, but how could ye, who are our officers, and infected with the same incredulity with ourselves, how could you be so quickly led astray as to believe in Him?"
Ver. 48.Have any of the rulers or Pharisees believed in Him? And consequently He is not the Christ. An argument from authority, but yet a fallacy. For these rulers and Pharisees were the sworn enemies of Christ, because He reproved their sins. But yet some of the rulers secretly believed in Him, as Nicodemus. As S. Augustine wisely says, "They who knew not the law, believed on Him who had sent the law, and they who taught the law despised Him who had sent it, that the saying might be fulfilled, "I am come that they which see not may see, and that they which see might be made blind.'"
Ver. 49.But this people who knoweth not the Law are cursed. In passing, i.e., from Moses and the law to Jesus and the gospel. By this term the Pharisees endeavour to terrify the officers and others, and to turn them away from the faith and love of Jesus. "They are deserving" (says Theophylact) "of many curses for being unbelieving themselves, and the authors of unbelief in others." As says S. Cyril, "Wise men by boasting become fools. For while they profess that they know the law, they accuse themselves of unbelief," and of ignorance also, in not acknowledging Christ, who was promised by the law, and who then stood before them. (See Deu_18:19.)
Vers. 50, 51.Nicodemus saith unto them, &c. The law of Moses, (Deu_14:14) and the law of nature,Nicodemus accuses his colleagues of being the violators of both laws. But he does so in a quiet way, for fear of their anger. For, as S. Augustine saith, "For he hoped if they would only hear Him patiently, they would become like those officers who were sent to take Christ, but preferred to believe on Him." And further Cyril asserts that Nicodemus said this as pricked by his conscience. Still labouring under a fatal bashfulness, and not combining boldness of speech with his zeal, he exposes not to view the faith which was inherent in him. But vesting himself in a cloke of simulation, he was a kind of secret defender of Christ. Though it is the duty of believers without fear or shame to profess the true faith, as S. Paul said, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ," &c. (Rom_1:16).
Ver. 52.They answered, &c. And thou, as being of the same country, dost thou favour and defend Him?
Search (the Scriptures, Vulg.) and see that out of Galilee ariseth no prophet. They reply insolently, as though he knew not the Scriptures. Attend to us and learn. "They insult him," says Theophylact; "go and learn, for up to this time thou hast not learned that out of Galilee ariseth no prophet." This was not true. For Deborah was of Galilee (Jdg_4:4-6), and Anna of the tribe of Aser (Luk_2:36), and Nahum the Elkoshite from Elkosh, a city in Galilee. And in Samaria which adjoined Galilee there were many Prophets, as Elijah, Elisha, and the hundred which Obadiah hid in a cave.
2. It is rash to assert that because, up to that time, no Prophet had arisen from Galilee, none would afterwards arise.
3. It was foolish, because Nicodemus had never said that Jesus was a Prophet, but merely that He should not be condemned without being heard; but they were so blinded by hatred, as to do many rash and foolish things contrary to reasonable judgment.
Ver. 53.And every one went to his own house. "Fearing lest any one else should support Nicodemus," says Euthymius. They therefore deferred their intention of killing Jesus, but did not revoke it. God brought about this delay, by means of Nicodemus, because the ordained hour had not come.
Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet. 41. Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee? 42. Has not the Scripture said, That Christ comes of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was? 43. So there was a division among the people because of him. 44. And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him. 45. Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said to them, Why have you not brought him? 46. The officers answered, Never man spoke like this man. 47. Then answered them the Pharisees, Are you also deceived? 48. Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? 49. But this people who knows not the law are cursed. 50. Nicodemus said to them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) 51. Does our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he does? 52. They answered and said to him, Are you also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee arises no prophet. 53. And every man went to his own house.
Our Lord having invited those, who believed in Him, to drink of the Holy Spirit, a dissension arose among the multitude: Many of the people therefore, when they heart these saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.
The one, that is, who was expected. Others, i.e. the people said, This is the Christ.
These had now begun to drink in that spiritual thirst, and had laid aside the unbelieving thirst. But others still remained dried up in their unbelief: But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee? Has not the Scripture said, That Christ comes of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was? They knew what were the predictions of the Prophets respecting Christ, but knew not that they all were fulfilled in Him. They knew that He had been brought up at Nazareth, but the place of His birth they did not know; and did not believe that it answered to the prophecies.
But be it so, they knew not His birth-place: were they ignorant also of His extraction? that He was of the house and family of David? Why did they ask, Has not the Scripture said, that Christ comes of the seed of David? They wished to conceal His extraction, and therefore put forward where He had been educated. For this reason, they do not go to Christ and ask, How say the Scriptures that Christ must come from Bethlehem, whereas you come from Galilee purposely and of malice prepense they do not do this. And because they were thus inattentive, and indifferent about knowing the truth, Christ did not answer them: though He had lauded Nathanael, when he said, Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? and called Him an Israelite indeed, as being a lover of truth, an well learned in the ancient Scriptures. So there was as a division among the people concerning Him.
Not among the rulers; for they were resolved one way, viz. not to acknowledge Him as Christ. The more moderate of them only used malicious words, in order to oppose Christ’s path to glory; but the more malignant wished to lay hands on Him: And some of them would haze taken Him.
The Evangelist says this to show, that they had no concern for, and no anxiety to learn, the truth. But no man laid hands on Him.
That is, because He Who had the power to control their designs, did not permit it.
This were sufficient to have raised some compunction in them; but no, such malignity believes nothing; it looks only to one thing, blood.
They; however who were sent to take Him, returned guiltless of the offense, and full of admiration: Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said to them, Why have you not brought Him?
They who wished to take and stone Him, reprove the officers for not bringing Him.
The Pharisees and Scribes profited nothing by seeing the miracles, and reading the Scriptures; but their officers, who had done neither, were captivated with once hearing Him; and they who went to take hold of Him, were themselves taken hold of by the miracle. Nor did they say, We could not because of the multitude: but made themselves proclaimers of Christ’s v wisdom;: The of officers answered, Never man spoke like this Man.
He spoke thus, because He was both God and man.
Not only is their wisdom to be admired, for not wanting miracles, but being convinced by His teaching only, (for they do not say, Never man did such miracles as this Man, but, Never man spoke like this Man,) but also their boldness, in saying this to the Pharisees, who were such enemies of Christ. They had not heard a long discourse, but minds unprepossessed against Him did not require one.
The Pharisees however rejected their testimony: Then answered them the Pharisees, Are you also led away? As if to say, We see that you are charmed by His discourse.
And so they were led away; and laudably too, for they had left the evil of unbelief, and were gone over to the faith.
They make use of the most foolish argument against them: Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on Him? but this people who knows not the law are cursed? This then was their ground of accusation, that the people believed, but they themselves did not.
They who knew not the law, believed on Him who had given the law, and they who taught the law condemned Him; thus fulfilling our Lord’s words, I am come, that they which see not might see, and that they which see might be made blind.
How then are they cursed, who are convinced by the law? Rather are you cursed, who have not observed the law.
The Pharisees answer the officers courteously and gently, because they are afraid of their forthwith separating from them, and joining Christ.
As they said that none of the rulers believed on Him, the Evangelist contradicts them: Nicodemus said to them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them.)
He was not unbelieving, but fearful; and therefore came by night to the light, wishing to be enlightened, but afraid of being known to go. He replies, Does our law judge any man before it hear him, and know what he does? He thought that, if they would only hear Him patiently, they would be overcome, as the officers had been. But they preferred obstinately condemning Him, to knowing the truth.
He calls the law of God, our law; because it was given to men.
Nicodemus shows that they knew the law, and did not act according to the law. They, instead of disproving this, take to rude and angry contradiction: They answered and said to him, Are you also of Galilee?
i.e. led away by a Galilean. Our Lord was called a Galilean, because His parents were of the town of Nazareth; I mean by parents, Mary.
Then, by way of insult, they direct Him to the Scriptures, as if He were ignorant of them; Search and look, for out of Galilee arises no prophet: as if to say, Go, learn what the Scriptures say.
They knew the place where He had resided, but never thought of inquiring where He was born; and therefore they not only denied that He was the Messiah, but even that He was a prophet.
A prophet does not come from Galilee, but the Lord of the prophets does. (St. Augustine, tract. 38. in Joan.) --- Without faith, without advantage, they again return to their habitations of infidelity and impiety. (Alcuin)
But this multitude ... are accursed; i.e. falls under the curses of the law, by being seduced and led away by false preachers. (Witham)
They say to Nicodemus: Art thou also a Galilean, who defendest this Galilean, whereas no prophet, nor especially the Messias, comes from Galilee? (Witham) --- A prophet, properly the prophet: for they could not be ignorant that the prophet Jonas was from Galilee. We have not indeed the article the in this verse, but we find it in ver. 40, with which this appears to correspond. (Haydock)
37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) 40 Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet. 41 Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee? 42 Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was? 43 So there was a division among the people because of him. 44 And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him.
In these verses we have,
I. Christ's discourse, with the explication of it, v. 37-39 . It is probable that these are only short hints of what he enlarged upon, but they have in them the substance of the whole gospel; here is a gospel invitation to come to Christ, and a gospel promise of comfort and happiness in him. Now observe,
1. When he gave this invitation: On the last day of the feast of tabernacles, that great day. The eighth day, which concluded that solemnity, was to be a holy convocation, Lev. xxiii. 36 . Now on this day Christ published this gospel-call, because (1.) Much people were gathered together, and, if the invitation were given to many, it might be hoped that some would accept of it, Prov. i. 20 . Numerous assemblies give opportunity of doing the more good. (2.) The people were now returning to their homes, and he would give them this to carry away with them as his parting word. When a great congregation is to be dismissed, and is about to scatter, as here, it is affecting to think that in all probability they will never come all together again in this world, and therefore, if we can say or do any thing to help them to heaven, that must be the time. It is good to be lively at the close of an ordinance. Christ made this offer on the last day of the feast. [1.] To those who had turned a deaf ear to his preaching on the foregoing days of this sacred week; he will try them once more, and, if they will yet hear his voice, they shall live. [2.] To those who perhaps might never have such another offer made them, and therefore were concerned to accept of this; it would be half a year before there would be another feast, and in that time they would many of them be in their graves. Behold now is the accepted time.
2. How he gave this invitation: Jesus stood and cried, which denotes, (1.) His great earnestness and importunity. His heart was upon it, to bring poor souls in to himself. The erection of his body and the elevation of his voice were indications of the intenseness of his mind. Love to souls will make preachers lively. (2.) His desire that all might take notice, and take hold of this invitation. He stood, and cried, that he might the better be heard; for this is what every one that hath ears is concerned to hear. Gospel truth seeks no corners, because it fears no trials. The heathen oracles were delivered privately by them that peeped and muttered; but the oracles of the gospel were proclaimed by one that stood, and cried. How sad is the case of man, that he must be importuned to be happy, and how wonderful the grace of Christ, that he will importune him! Ho, every one, Isa. lv. 1 .
3. The invitation itself is very general: If any man thirst, whoever he be, he is invited to Christ, be he high or low, rich or poor, young or old, bond or free, Jew or Gentile. It is also very gracious: "If any man thirst, let him come to me and drink. If any man desires to be truly and eternally happy, let him apply himself to me, and be ruled by me, and I will undertake to make him so."
(1.) The persons invited are such as thirst, which may be understood, either, [1.] Of the indigence of their cases; either as to their outward condition (if any man be destitute of the comforts of this life, or fatigued with the crosses of it, let his poverty and afflictions draw him to Christ for that peace which the world can neither give nor take away), or as to their inward state: "If any man want spiritual blessings, he may be supplied by me." Or, [2.] Of the inclination of their souls and their desires towards a spiritual happiness. If any man hunger and thirst after righteousness, that is, truly desire the good will of God towards him, and the good work of God in him.
(2.) The invitation itself: Let him come to me. Let him not go to the ceremonial law, which would neither pacify the conscience nor purify it, and therefore could not make the comers thereunto perfect, Heb. x. 1 . Nor let him go to the heathen philosophy, which does but beguile men, lead them into a wood, and leave them there; but let him go to Christ, admit his doctrine, submit to his discipline, believe in him; come to him as the fountain of living waters, the giver of all comfort.
(3.) The satisfaction promised: "Let him come and drink, he shall have what he comes for, and abundantly more, shall have that which will not only refresh, but replenish, a soul that desires to be happy."
4. A gracious promise annexed to this gracious call ( v. 38 ): He that believeth on me, out of his belly shall flow —(1.) See here what it is to come to Christ: It is to believe on him, as the scripture hath said; it is to receive and entertain him as he is offered to us in the gospel. We must not frame a Christ according to our fancy, but believe in a Christ according to the scripture. (2.) See how thirsty souls, that come to Christ, shall be made to drink. Israel, that believed Moses, drank of the rock that followed them, the streams followed; but believers drink of a rock in them, Christ in them; he is in them a well of living water, ch. iv. 14 . Provision is made not only for their present satisfaction, but for their continual perpetual comfort. Here is, [1.] Living water, running water, which the Hebrew language calls living, because still in motion. The graces and comforts of the Spirit are compared to living (meaning running ) water, because they are the active quickening principles of spiritual life, and the earnests and beginnings of eternal life. See Jer. ii. 13 . [2.] Rivers of living water, denoting both plenty and constancy. The comfort flows in both plentifully and constantly as a river; strong as a stream to bear down the oppositions of doubts and fears. There is a fulness in Christ of grace for grace. [3.] These flow out of his belly, that is, out of his heart or soul, which is the subject of the Spirit's working and the seat of his government. There gracious principles are planted; and out of the heart, in which the Spirit dwells, flow the issues of life, Prov. iv. 23 . There divine comforts are lodged, and the joy that a stranger doth not intermeddle with. He that believes has the witness in himself, 1 John v. 10 . Sat lucis intus—Light abounds within. Observe, further, where there are springs of grace and comfort in the soul that will send forth streams: Out of his belly shall flow rivers. First, Grace and comfort will produce good actions, and a holy heart will be seen in a holy life; the tree is known by its fruits, and the fountain by its streams. Secondly, They will communicate themselves for the benefit of others; a good man is a common good. His mouth is a well of life, Prov. x. 11 . It is not enough that we drink waters out of our own cistern, that we ourselves take the comfort of the grace given us, but we must let our fountains be dispersed abroad, Prov. v. 15, 16 .
Those words, as the scripture hath said, seem to refer to some promise in the Old Testament to this purport, and there are many; as that God would pour out his Spirit, which is a metaphor borrowed from waters ( Prov. i. 23 ; Joel ii. 28 ; Isa. xliv. 3 ; Zech. xii. 10 ); that the dry land should become springs of water ( Isa. xli. 18 ); that there should be rivers in the desert ( Isa. xliii. 19 ); that gracious souls should be like a spring of water ( Isa. lviii. 11 ); and the church a well of living water, Cant. iv. 15 . And here may be an allusion to the waters issuing out of Ezekiel's temple, Ezek. xlvii. 1 . Compare Rev. xxii. 1 , and see Zech. xiv. 8 . Dr. Lightfoot and others tell us it was a custom of the Jews, which they received by tradition, the last day of the feast of tabernacles to have a solemnity, which they called Libatio aquæ—The pouring out of water. They fetched a golden vessel of water from the pool of Siloam, brought it into the temple with sound of trumpet and other ceremonies, and, upon the ascent to the altar, poured it out before the Lord with all possible expressions of joy. Some of their writers make the water to signify the law, and refer to Isa. xii. 3 ; lv. 1 . Others, the Holy Spirit. And it is thought that our Saviour might here allude to this custom. Believers shall have the comfort, not of a vessel of water fetched from a pool, but of a river flowing from themselves. The joy of the law, and the pouring out of the water, which signified this, are not to be compared with the joy of the gospel in the wells of salvation.
5. Here is the evangelist's exposition of this promise ( v. 39 ): This spoke he of the Spirit: not of any outward advantages accruing to believers (as perhaps some misunderstood him), but of the gifts, graces, and comforts of the Spirit. See how scripture is the best interpreter of scripture. Observe,
(1.) It is promised to all that believe on Christ that they shall receive the Holy Ghost. Some received his miraculous gifts ( Mark xvi. 17, 18 ); all receive his sanctifying graces. The gift of the Holy Ghost is one of the great blessings promised in the new covenant ( Acts ii. 39 ), and, if promised, no doubt performed to all that have an interest in that covenant.
(2.) The Spirit dwelling and working in believers is as a fountain of living running water, out of which plentiful streams flow, cooling and cleansing as water, mollifying and moistening as water, making them fruitful, and others joyful; see ch. iii. 5 . When the apostles spoke so fluently of the things of God, as the Spirit gave them utterance ( Acts ii. 4 ), and afterwards preached and wrote the gospel of Christ with such a flood of divine eloquence, then this was fulfilled, Out of his belly shall flow rivers.
(3.) This plentiful effusion of the Spirit was yet the matter of a promise; for the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. See here [1.] That Jesus was not yet glorified. It was certain that he should be glorified, and he was ever worthy of all honour; but he was as yet in a state of humiliation and contempt. He had never forfeited the glory he had before all worlds, nay, he had merited a further glory, and, besides his hereditary honours, might claim the achievement of a mediatorial crown; and yet all this is in reversion. Jesus is now upheld ( Isa. xlii. 1 ), is now satisfied ( Isa. liii. 11 ), is now justified ( 1 Tim. iii. 16 ), but he is not yet glorified. And, if Christ must wait for his glory, let not us think it much to wait for ours. [2.] That the Holy Ghost was not yet given. oupo gar hen pneuma — for the Holy Ghost was not yet. The Spirit of God was from eternity, for in the beginning he moved upon the face of the waters. He was in the Old-Testament prophets and saints, and Zacharias and Elisabeth were both filled with the Holy Ghost. This therefore must be understood of the eminent, plentiful, and general effusion of the Spirit which was promised, Joel ii. 28 , and accomplished, Acts ii. 1 , &c. The Holy Ghost was not yet given in that visible manner that was intended. If we compare the clear knowledge and strong grace of the disciples of Christ themselves, after the day of Pentecost, with their darkness and weakness before, we shall understand in what sense the Holy Ghost was not yet given; the earnests and first-fruits of the Spirit were given, but the full harvest was not yet come. That which is most properly called the dispensation of the Spirit did not yet commence. The Holy Ghost was not yet given in such rivers of living water as should issue forth to water the whole earth, even the Gentile world, not in the gifts of tongues, to which perhaps this promise principally refers. [3.] That the reason why the Holy Ghost was not given was because Jesus was not yet glorified. First, The death of Christ is sometimes called his glorification ( ch. xiii. 31 ); for in his cross he conquered and triumphed. Now the gift of the Holy Ghost was purchased by the blood of Christ: this was the valuable consideration upon which the grant was grounded, and therefore till this price was paid (though many other gifts were bestowed upon its being secured to be paid) the Holy Ghost was not given. Secondly, There was not so much need of the Spirit, while Christ himself was here upon earth, as there was when he was gone, to supply the want of him. Thirdly, The giving of the Holy Ghost was to be both an answer to Christ's intercession ( ch. xiv. 16 ), and an act of his dominion; and therefore till he is glorified, and enters upon both these, the Holy Ghost is not given. Fourthly, The conversion of the Gentiles was the glorifying of Jesus. When certain Greeks began to enquire after Christ, he said, Now is the Son of man glorified, ch. xii. 23 . Now the time when the gospel should be propagated in the nations was not yet come, and therefore there was as yet no occasion for the gift of tongues, that river of living water. But observe, though the Holy Ghost was not yet given, yet he was promised; it was now the great promise of the Father, Acts i. 4 . Though the gifts of Christ's grace are long deferred, yet they are well secured: and, while we are waiting for the good promise, we have the promise to live upon, which shall speak and shall not lie.
II. The consequents of this discourse, what entertainment it met with; in general, it occasioned differences: There was a division among the people because of him, v. 43 . There was a schism, so the word is; there were diversities of opinions, and those managed with heat and contention; various sentiments, and those such as set them at variance. Think we that Christ came to send peace, that all would unanimously embrace his gospel? No, the effect of the preaching of his gospel would be division, for, while some are gathered to it, others will be gathered against it; and this will put things into a ferment, as here; but this is no more the fault of the gospel than it is the fault of a wholesome medicine that it stirs up the peccant humours in the body, in order to the discharge of them. Observe what the debate was:—
1. Some were taken with him, and well affected to him: Many of the people, when they heard this saying, heard him with such compassion and kindness invite poor sinners to him, and with such authority engage to make them happy, that they could not but think highly of him. (1.) Some of them said, O, a truth this is the prophet, that prophet whom Moses spoke of to the fathers, who should be like unto him; or, This is the prophet who, according to the received notions of the Jewish church, is to be the harbinger and forerunner of the Messiah; or, This is truly a prophet, one divinely inspired and sent of God. (2.) Others went further, and said, This is the Christ ( v. 41 ), not the prophet of the Messiah, but the Messiah himself. The Jews had at this time a more than ordinary expectation of the Messiah, which made them ready to say upon every occasion, Lo, here is Christ, or Lo, he is there; and this seems to be only the effect of some such confused and floating notions which caught at the first appearance, for we do not find that these people became his disciples and followers; a good opinion of Christ is far short of a lively faith in Christ; many give Christ a good word that give him no more. These here said, This is the prophet, and this is the Christ, but could not persuade themselves to leave all and follow him; and so this their testimony to Christ was but a testimony against themselves.
2. Others were prejudiced against him. No sooner was this great truth started, that Jesus is the Christ, than immediately it was contradicted and argued against: and this one thing, that his rise and origin were (as they took it for granted) out of Galilee, was thought enough to answer all the arguments for his being the Christ. For, shall Christ come out of Galilee? Has not the scripture said that Christ comes of the seed of David? See here, (1.) A laudable knowledge of the scripture. They were so far in the right, that the Messiah was to be a rod out of the stem of Jesse ( Isa. xi. 1 ), that out of Bethlehem should arise the Governor, Mic. v. 2 . This even the common people knew by the traditional expositions which their scribes gave them. Perhaps the people who had these scriptures so ready to object against Christ were not alike knowing in other parts of holy writ, but had had these put into their mouths by their leaders, to fortify their prejudices against Christ. Many that espouse some corrupt notions, and spend their zeal in defence of them, seem to be very ready in the scriptures, when indeed they know little more than those scriptures which they have been taught to pervert. (2.) A culpable ignorance of our Lord Jesus. They speak of it as certain and past dispute that Jesus was of Galilee, whereas by enquiring of himself, or his mother, or his disciples, or by consulting the genealogies of the family of David, or the register at Bethlehem, they might have known that he was the Son of David, and a native of Bethlehem; but this they willingly are ignorant of. Thus gross falsehoods in matters of fact, concerning persons and things, are often taken up by prejudiced and partial men, and great resolves founded upon them, even in the same place and the same age wherein the persons live and the things are done, while the truth might easily be found out.
45 Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him? 46 The officers answered, Never man spake like this man. 47 Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? 48 Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? 49 But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed. 50 Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) 51 Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth? 52 They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet. 53 And every man went unto his own house.
The chief priests and Pharisees are here in a close cabal, contriving how to suppress Christ; though this was the great day of the feast, they attended not the religious services of the day, but left them to the vulgar, to whom it was common for those great ecclesiastics to consign and turn over the business of devotion, while they thought themselves better employed in the affairs of church-policy. They sat in the council-chamber, expecting Christ to be brought a prisoner to them, as they had issued out warrants for apprehending him, v. 32 . Now here we are told,
I. What passed between them and their own officers, who returned without him, re infecta — having done nothing. Observe,
1. The reproof they gave the officers for not executing the warrant they gave them: Why have you not brought him? He appeared publicly; the people were many of them disgusted, and would have assisted them in taking him; this was the last day of the feast, and they would not have such another opportunity; "why then did you neglect your duty?" It vexed them that those who were their own creatures, who depended on them, and on whom they depended, into whose minds they had instilled prejudices against Christ, should thus disappoint them. Note, Mischievous men fret that they cannot do the mischief they would, Ps. cxii. 10 ; Neh. vi. 16 .
2. The reason which the officers gave for the non-execution of their warrant: Never man spoke like this man, v. 46 . Now, (1.) This was a very great truth, that never any man spoke with that wisdom, and power, and grace, that convincing clearness, and that charming sweetness, wherewith Christ spoke; none of the prophets, no, not Moses himself. (2.) The very officers that were sent to take him were taken with him, and acknowledged this. Though they were probably men who had no quick sense of reason or eloquence, and certainly had no inclination to think well of Jesus, yet so much self-evidence was there in what Christ said that they could not but prefer him before all those that sat in Moses's seat. Thus Christ was preserved by the power God has upon the consciences even of bad men. (3.) They said this to their lords and masters, who could not endure to hear any thing that tended to the honour of Christ and yet could not avoid hearing this. Providence ordered it so that this should be said to them, that it might be a vexation in their sin and an aggravation of their sin. Their own officers, who could not be suspected to be biassed in favour of Christ, are witnesses against them. This testimony of theirs should have made them reflect upon themselves, with this thought, "Do we know what we are doing, when we are hating and persecuting one that speaks so admirably well?"
3. The Pharisees endeavour to secure their officers to their interest, and to beget in them prejudices against Christ, to whom they saw them begin to be well affected. They suggest two things:—
(1.) That if they embrace the gospel of Christ they will deceive themselves ( v. 47 ): Are you also deceived? Christianity has, from its first rise, been represented to the world as a great cheat upon it, and they that embraced it as men deceived, then when they began to be undeceived. Those that looked for a Messiah in external pomp thought those deceived who believed in a Messiah that appeared in poverty and disgrace; but the event declares that none were ever more shamefully deceived, nor put a greater cheat upon themselves, than those who promised themselves worldly wealth and secular dominion with the Messiah. Observe what a compliment the Pharisees paid to these officers: " Are you also deceived? What! men of your sense, and thought, and figure; men that know better than to be imposed upon by every pretender and upstart teacher?" They endeavour to prejudice them against Christ by persuading them to think well of themselves.
(2.) That they will disparage themselves. Most men, even in their religion, are willing to be governed by the example of those of the first rank; these officers therefore, whose preferments, such as they were, gave them a sense of honour, are desired to consider,
[1.] That, if they become disciples of Christ, they go contrary to those who were persons of quality and reputation: " Have any of the rulers, or of the Pharisees, believed on him? You know they have not, and you ought to be bound up by their judgment, and to believe and do in religion according to the will of your superiors; will you be wiser than they?" Some of the rulers did embrace Christ ( Matt. ix. 18 ; ch. iv. 53 ), and more believed in him, but wanted courage to confess him ( ch. xii. 42 ); but, when the interest of Christ runs low in the world, it is common for its adversaries to represent it as lower than really it is. But it was too true that few, very few, of them did. Note, First, The cause of Christ has seldom had rulers and Pharisees on its side. It needs not secular supports, nor proposes secular advantages, and therefore neither courts nor is courted by the great men of this world. Self-denial and the cross are hard lessons to rulers and Pharisees. Secondly, This has confirmed many in their prejudices against Christ and his gospel, that the rulers and Pharisees have been no friends to them. Shall secular men pretend to be more concerned about spiritual things than spiritual men themselves, or to see further into religion than those who make its study their profession? If rulers and Pharisees do not believe in Christ, they that do believe in him will be the most singular, unfashionable, ungenteel people in the world, and quite out of the way of preferment; thus are people foolishly swayed by external motives in matters of eternal moment, are willing to be damned for fashion-sake, and to go to hell in compliment to the rulers and Pharisees.
[2.] That they will link themselves with the despicable vulgar sort of people ( v. 43 ): But this people, who know not the law, are cursed, meaning especially those that were well-affected to the doctrine of Christ. Observe, First, How scornfully and disdainfully they speak of them: This people. It is not laos , this lay-people, distinguished from them that were the clergy, but ochlos outos , this rabble-people, this pitiful, scandalous, scoundrel people, whom they disdained to set with the dogs of their flock though God had set them with the lambs of his. If they meant the commonalty of the Jewish nation, they were the seed of Abraham, and in covenant with God, and not to be spoken of with such contempt. The church's common interests are betrayed when any one part of it studies to render the other mean and despicable. If they meant the followers of Christ, though they were generally persons of small figure and fortune, yet by owning Christ they discovered such a sagacity, integrity, and interest in the favours of Heaven, as made them truly great and considerable. Note, As the wisdom of God has often chosen base things, and things which are despised, so the folly of men has commonly debased and despised those whom God has chosen. Secondly, How unjustly they reproach them as ignorant of the word of God: They know not the law; as if none knew the law but those that knew it from them, and no scripture-knowledge were current but what came out of their mint; and as if none knew the law but such as were observant of their canons and traditions. Perhaps many of those whom they thus despised knew the law, and the prophets too, better than they did. Many a plain, honest, unlearned disciple of Christ, by meditation, experience, prayers, and especially obedience, attains to a more clear, sound, and useful knowledge of the word of God, than some great scholars with all their wit and learning. Thus David came to understand more than the ancients and all his teachers, Ps. cxix. 99, 100 . If the common people did not know the law, yet the chief priests and Pharisees, of all men, should not have upbraided them with this; for whose fault was it but theirs, who should have taught them better, but, instead of that, took away the key of knowledge? Luke xi. 52 . Thirdly, How magisterially they pronounce sentence upon them: they are cursed, hateful to God, and all wise men; epikatartoi — an execrable people. It is well that their saying they were cursed did not make them so, for the curse causeless shall not come. It is a usurpation of God's prerogative, as well as great uncharitableness, to say of any particular persons, much more of any body of people, that they are reprobates. We are unable to try, and therefore unfit to condemn, and our rule is, Bless, and curse not. Some think they meant no more than that the people were apt to be deceived and made fools of; but they use this odious word, They are cursed, to express their own indignation, and to frighten their officers from having any thing to do with them; thus the language of hell, in our profane age, calls every thing that is displeasing cursed, and damned, and confounded. Now, for aught that appears, these officers had their convictions baffled and stifled by these suggestions, and they never enquire further after Christ; one word from a ruler or Pharisee will sway more with many than the true reason of things, and the great interests of their souls.
II. What passed between them and Nicodemus, a member of their own body, v. 50 , &c. Observe,
1. The just and rational objection which Nicodemus made against their proceedings. Even in their corrupt and wicked sanhedrim God left not himself quite without witness against their enmity; nor was the vote against Christ carried nemine contradicente — unanimously. Observe,
(1.) Who it was that appeared against them; it was Nicodemus, he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them, v. 50 . Observe, concerning him, [1.] That, though he had been with Jesus, and taken him for his teacher, yet he retained his place in the council, and his vote among them. Some impute this to his weakness and cowardice, and think it was his fault that he did not quit his place, but Christ had never said to him, Follow me, else he would have done as others that left all to follow him; therefore it seems rather to have been his wisdom not immediately to throw up his place, because there he might have opportunity of serving Christ and his interest, and stemming the tide of the Jewish rage, which perhaps he did more than we are aware of. He might there be as Hushai among Absalom's counsellors, instrumental to turn their counsels into foolishness. Though we must in no case deny our Master, yet we may wait for an opportunity of confessing him to the best advantage. God has his remnant among all sorts, and many times finds, or puts, or makes, some good in the worst places and societies. There was Daniel in Nebuchadnezzar's court, and Nehemiah in Artaxerxes's. [2.] That though at first he came to Jesus by night, for fear of being known, and still continued in his post; yet, when there was occasion, he boldly appeared in defence of Christ, and opposed the whole council that were set against him. Thus many believers who at first were timorous, and ready to flee at the shaking of a leaf, have at length, by divine grace, grown courageous, and able to laugh at the shaking of a spear. Let none justify the disguising of their faith by the example of Nicodemus, unless, like him, they be ready upon the first occasion openly to appear in the cause of Christ, though they stand alone in it; for so Nicodemus did here, and ch. xix. 39 .
(2.) What he alleged against their proceedings ( v. 51 ): Doth our law judge any man before it hear him ( akouse par autou — hear from himself ) and know what he doeth? By no means, nor doth the law of any civilized nation allow it. Observe, [1.] He prudently argues from the principles of their own law, and an incontestable rule of justice, that no man is to be condemned unheard. Had he urged the excellency of Christ's doctrine or the evidence of his miracles, or repeated to them his divine discourse with him ( ch. iii. ), it had been but to cast pearls before swine, who would trample them under their feet, and would turn again and rend him; therefore he waives them. [2.] Whereas they had reproached the people, especially the followers of Christ, as ignorant of the law, he here tacitly retorts the charge upon themselves, and shows how ignorant they were of some of the first principles of the law, so unfit were they to give law to others. [3.] The law is here said to judge, and hear, and know, when magistrates that govern and are governed by it judge, and hear, and know; for they are the mouth of the law, and whatsoever they bind and loose according to the law is justly said to be bound and loosed by the law. [4.] It is highly fit that none should come under the sentence of the law, till they have first by a fair trial undergone the scrutiny of it. Judges, when they receive the complaints of the accuser, must always reserve in their minds room for the defence of the accused, for they have two ears, to remind them to hear both sides; this is said to be the manner of the Romans, Acts xxv. 18 . The method of our law is Oyer and Terminer, first to hear and then to determine. [5.] Persons are to be judged, not by what is said of them, but by what they do. Our law will not ask what men's opinions are of them, or out-cries against them, but, What have they done? What overt-acts can they be convicted of? Sentence must be given, secundum allegata et probata—according to what is alleged and proved. Facts, and not faces, must be known in judgment; and the scale of justice must be used before the sword of justice.
Now we may suppose that the motion Nicodemus made in the house upon this was, That Jesus should be desired to come and give them an account of himself and his doctrine, and that they should favour him with an impartial and unprejudiced hearing; but, though none of them could gainsay his maxim, none of them would second his motion.
2. What was said to this objection. Here is no direct reply given to it; but, when they could not resist the force of his argument, they fell foul upon him, and what was to seek in reason they made up in railing and reproach. Note, It is a sign of a bad cause when men cannot bear to hear reason, and take it as an affront to be reminded of its maxims. Whoever are against reason give cause to suspect that reason is against them. See how they taunt him: Art thou also of Galilee? v. 52 . Some think he was well enough served for continuing among those whom he knew to be enemies to Christ, and for his speaking no more on the behalf of Christ than what he might have said on behalf of the greatest criminal-that he should not be condemned unheard. Had he said, "As for this Jesus, I have heard him myself, and know he is a teacher come from God, and you in opposing him fight against God," as he ought to have said, he could not have been more abused than he was for this feeble effort of his tenderness for Christ. As to what they said to Nicodemus, we may observe,
(1.) How false the grounds of their arguing were, for, [1.] They suppose that Christ was of Galilee, and this was false, and if they would have been at the pains of an impartial enquiry they would have found it so. [2.] They suppose that because most of his disciples were Galileans they were all such, whereas he had abundance of disciples in Judea. [3.] They suppose that out of Galilee no prophet had risen, and for this appeal to Nicodemus's search; yet this was false too: Jonah was of Gath-hepher, Nahum an Elkoshite, both of Galilee. Thus do they make lies their refuge.
(2.) How absurd their arguings were upon these grounds, such as were a shame to rulers and Pharisees. [1.] Is any man of worth and virtue ever the worse for the poverty and obscurity of his country? The Galileans were the seed of Abraham; barbarians and Scythians are the seed of Adam; and have we not all one Father? [2.] Supposing no prophet had risen out of Galilee, yet it is not impossible that any should arise thence. If Elijah was the first prophet of Gilead (as perhaps he was), and if the Gileadites were called fugitives, must it therefore be questioned whether he was a prophet or no?
3. The hasty adjournment of the court hereupon. They broke up the assembly in confusion, and with precipitation, and every man went to his own house. They met to take counsel together against the Lord and his Anointed, but they imagined a vain think; and not only he that sits in heaven laughed at them, but we may sit on earth and laugh at them too, to see all the policy of the close cabal broken to pieces with one plain honest word. They were not willing to hear Nicodemus, because they could not answer him. As soon as they perceived they had one such among them, they saw it was to no purpose to go on with their design, and therefore put off the debate to a more convenient season, when he was absent. Thus the counsel of the Lord is made to stand, in spite of the devices in the hearts of men.
40-43. Many ... when they heard this ... said, Of a truth, &c.-- The only wonder is they did not all say it. "But their minds were blinded."
44-49. would have taken him; but, &c.-- (See on Joh 7:30 ).
50-53. Nicodemus-- reappearing to us after nearly three years' absence from the history, as a member of the council, probably then sitting.
Jeremias calls himself a meek lamb, that is carried to be a victim (v. 19), and Calmet, following Bochart, makes the lamb a pet, the kind "the Arabs still keep ... in their houses," citing 2 Kings 12. A household lamb has no reason to suspect the house, and the prophet says the same of himself, I knew not that they had devised counsels against me. The commentators disagree on the plain sense of the plotters' words, Let us put wood on his bread. De Dieu hears a threat to beat him, while Calmet and Menochius take it as mixing a poisonous wood into his food. Du Hamel adds that some Jews had corrupted this verse in Justin's time.
Haydock gathers the Christian reading. Theodoret says of v. 18 that something more than appears is meant, and Jerome and Worthington report that "all Christians" understand what follows of Christ, whom Jeremias, says Calmet, prefigured in his sufferings. Jerome's rule is that "all the prophets did most things for a type of our Lord and Saviour." On that rule the wood and the bread become the cross and the body; for Jerome and Gregory, "Christ, the bread of life, was nailed to the disgraceful wood." The figure strains at one point. Jeremias says I knew not what they plotted, yet Worthington notes that Christ foretold his sufferings, and Menochius resolves the prophet's side of it by reading "I acted as if I had been ignorant." The cry of v. 20, let me see thy revenge on them, gets similar care. Challoner calls it "rather a prediction of what was to happen, with an approbation of the divine justice, than an imprecation," and Jerome limits it to the impenitent, with a wish that they be converted.
Two temptations face the persecuted. One is to treat the enemy's plot as license for a curse. Challoner and Jerome hold the prophet to prediction and a hope of conversion, and leave the verdict with the God who triest the reins and the hearts. The other is to stay silent before God about one's cause. Jeremias does neither, and says to thee have I revealed my cause. The lamb goes to the altar, and the case is handed to the judge who sees both the plotters' counsels and the victim's heart.