But here it was not God's purpose to record it. As the new birth for the kingdom of God, so the cross is absolutely necessary for eternal life. The chapter pursues this subject, showing that it is not only God who thus deals first, with the necessity of man before His own immutable nature; next, blessing according to the riches of His grace but, further, that man's state morally is detected yet more awfully in presence of such grace as well as holiness in Christ. "The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came ( ) by Jesus Christ." Now, it is no longer a question of nature, but of relationship; and hence it is not said simply the Word, but the Son, and the Son in the highest possible character, the only-begotten Son, distinguishing Him thus from any other who might, in a subordinate sense, be son of God "the only-begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father." The law works no deliverance; it puts a man in chains, prison, darkness, and under condemnation; it renders him a patient, or a criminal incompetent to avail himself of the displays of God's goodness. These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. (VersesJohn 5:8-12; John 5:8-12), But were the Jews mistaken after all in thinking that the seal of the first covenant was virtually broken in that deliberate word and warranty of Jesus? Various provisions were made for him in England (117476), including the succession to the The Light, on coming into the world, lightens every man with the fulness of evidence which was in Him, and at once discovers the true state as truly as it will be revealed in the last day when He judges all, as we find it intimated in the gospel afterwards. So on the last day, that great day of the feast (the eighth day, which witnessed of a resurrection glory outside this creation, now to be made good in the power of the Spirit before anything appears to sight), the Lord stands and cries, saying, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink." Here was One on earth who knew all secrets. Thus the Holy Ghost, given by the Son in humiliation (according to God, not acting on law, but according to the gift of grace in the gospel), was fully set forth; but the woman, though interested, and asking, only apprehended a boon for this life to save herself trouble here below. This leads Philip to Nathanael, in whose case, when he comes to Jesus, we see not divine power alone in sounding the souls of men, but over creation. Here there could not be more, and He would not give less: even "grace upon grace." Web1 John 4:16-19 NIV 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God orders matters so that a favoured teacher of men, favoured as none others were in Israel, should come to Jesus by night. Web1. But they learn that it was his divine Physician who had not only healed, but so directed him. Heavenly things are set in evident contradistinction, and link themselves immediately here, as everywhere, with the cross as their correlative. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. Such was the grace that God was displaying in Him, the true and full expresser of His mind. How, indeed, could it be stayed within narrow limits? God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. Nay, therefore it was they, reasoning, denied Him to be God. 1 John 4:18. Now, it is the Holy Ghost in the power that gives rivers of living water flowing out, and this bound up with, and consequent on, His being man in glory. Resurrection will be the proof; the two-fold rising of the dead, not one, but two resurrections. Deeper questions demanded solution. Alistair Macrae, minister at Wesley Uniting Church, joins Robyn & Fran to discuss discipleship, call, and repentance in Matthew 4. "No man hath seen God at any time: the only-begotten Son," etc. It was meet that so it should be; for, as a question of right, none could claim; and grace surpasses all expectation or thought of man, most of all of men accustomed to a round of religious ceremonial. Christ did not wait till the time was fully come for the old things to pass away, and all to be made new. WebThis small group Bible study of John 4:1-19 contains commentary, outlines, cross-references, Bible study discussion questions, and applications. If believers genuinely love God they will also obey his commandments. Thus we have traced, first, hearts not only attracted to Him, but fresh souls called to follow Him; then, in type, the call of Israel by-and-by; finally, the disappearance of the sign of moral purifying for the joy of the new covenant, when Messiah's time comes to bless the needy earth; but along with this the execution of judgment in Jerusalem, and its long defiled temple. Sons they might have been in bare title; but these had the right of children. Nevertheless, the heavenly part is little dwelt on, as John's gospel displays our Lord more as the expression of God revealed on earth, than as Man ascended to heaven, which fell far more to the province of the apostle of the Gentiles. But there was this difference from the former occasion, that, at the marriage in Cana (John 2:1-25), the change of the water into wine was clearly millennial in its typical aspect. 18 There is no And while He does not hide the privilege of the Jews, He nevertheless proclaims that "the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. None but a divine being could thus deal with the world. Remark, too, the extent of the work involved in verse 29. This testimony differs from the rest in having a more permanent character. But here these streams of the Spirit are substituted for the feast of tabernacles, which cannot be accomplished till Christ come from heaven and show Himself to the world; for this time was not yet come. John 1:17; John 1:17) The law, thus given, was in itself no giver, but an exacter; Jesus, full of grace and truth, gave, instead of requiring or receiving; and He Himself has said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. All disciplinary action, every probationary process, disappears. The Word, in order to accomplish these infinite things, "was made. He distinguishes between seducing spirits, and faithful ministers of the word; the former are of the world, speak of worldly things, and worldly men hear them; but the latter are of God, and they that have any spiritual knowledge of God hear them; but such as are not of God do not heal them, by which may he known the spirit of truth from the spirit of error, 1Jo 4:5,6. They would fall a prey to Antichrist, and meanwhile are accused of Moses, in whom they trusted, without believing him; else they would have believed Christ, of whom he wrote. This statement (verse John 1:15) is a parenthesis, though confirmatory of verse John 1:14, and connects John's testimony with this new section of Christ's manifestation in flesh; as we saw John introduced in the earlier verses, which treated abstractly of Christ's nature as the Word. a toilet or bathroom. They wonder, as they had murmured before (John 7:12-15); but Jesus shows that the desire to do God's will is the condition of spiritual understanding. The Father seeks worshippers. In truth, Christian baptism did not yet exist, but only such as the disciples used, like John the Baptist; it was not instituted of Christ till after His resurrection, as it sets forth His death. In the Word was life, and the life was the light of men. "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." He was God. It is not John's business here to call attention to His Messiahship, not even when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask, Who art thou? So we see in the attractive power, afterwards dealing with individual souls. Besides this, goodness overflows, in that the Father is gathering children, and making worshippers. and the more manifest from His lips to one who was a real impersonation of sin, misery, blindness, degradation. (Ver. 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: Thus it is a kind of transitional fact for a most important part of our gospel, though still introductory. What is there in God more truly divine than grace and truth? (VerseJohn 4:1; John 4:1) It was strange to her that a Jew should thus humble himself: what would it have been, had she seen in Him Jesus the Son of God? he would not. "Ye will not come to me that ye might have life." Grace begins, glory descends; "Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink." behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. Nothing less than everlasting life in Christ can deliver: otherwise there remains judgment. The judgment, all of it, whether for quick or dead, is consigned to Him, because He is Son of man. God does not here condescend to call it His, though, of course, it was His and holy, just, and good, both in itself and in its use, if used lawfully. But all that is historically related of the Lord Jesus inJohn 1:1-51; John 1:1-51; John 2:1-25; John 3:1-36; John 4:1-54. was before the imprisonment of the Baptist. Further, it is connected intimately with the evidence of man's ruin by sin. ", To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use the convenient, Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament, The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary, Tout ainsi que la terre, pour apporter fruict, sera menuisee et amollie par le soc de la charrue. The person of the Son was there the object of divine and overflowing joy even then, although, of course, in the full sense of the word, the Holy Ghost might not be given to be the power of it for some time later; but still the object of worship was there revealing the Father; butJohn 7:1-53; John 7:1-53 supposes Him to be gone up to heaven, before He from heaven communicates the Holy Ghost, who should be (not here, as Israel had a rock with water to drink of in the wilderness outside themselves, nor even as a fountain springing up within the believer, but) as rivers flowing out. God is love. Jesus said to her, You are right when you say you have no husband. He saw him under the fig tree. NIV. * He says, One was among them of whom they had no conscious knowledge, "that cometh after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to loose." "And this is the judgment, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. How striking the omission! If, on the contrary, a soul has been taught of God the glory of the person of Him who was made flesh, he receives in all simplicity, and rejoices in, the glorious truth, that He who was made flesh was not made flesh only to this end, but rather as a step toward another and deeper work the glorifying God, and becoming our food, in death. It passes over all question of dispensations, until it accomplishes, in all its extent, that purpose for which He thus died. (Ver. Web16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. "But He said to them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of." (See Hebrews 12:2, Hebrews 13:11-13) Again, let me just remark in passing, that although, no doubt, we may in a general way speak of those who partake of the new nature as having that life, yet the Holy Ghost refrains from predicating of any saints the full character of eternal life as a present thing until we have the cross of Christ laid (at least doctrinally) as the ground of it. It is not a question of the law, but of hearing Christ's word, and believing Him who sent Christ: he that does so has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment; but is passed from death unto life. Nay, "the world knew him not." It was sabbath-day. WebJohn was the most popular name given to male infants in the United States until 1924, and though its use has fallen off gradually since then, John was still the 20th most common name for boys on the Social Security Administration 's list of names given in 2006. The Jews, with all their privileges, were strangers here. John 3:17; John 3:17) This decides all before the execution of judgment, Every man's lot is made manifest by his attitude toward God's testimony concerning His Son. 1 John 4:19, ESV: We love because he first loved us. For "he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. john 8 32) 1 John 4:16 (King James Version) 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. called also John the Baptist. John gives us this point of contact with them, though in an incident peculiar to himself. Her testimony bore the impress of what had penetrated her soul, and would make way for all the rest in due time. it was no lack of testimony; their will was for present honour, and hostile to the glory of the only God. We have had his name introduced into each part of the preface of our evangelist. How little they conceived of what was then said and done! His name was John. Art thou that prophet? Here the unlimited scene is in view; not Israel, but the world. Mark what, as such, He does declare Him. The man could not tell the Jews the name of his benefactor. 1 John 4:16-19 New International Version 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. (ver. Thus it is not the Spirit of God simply giving a new nature; neither is it the Holy Ghost given as the power of worship and communion with His God and Father. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. And He did accept that place thoroughly, and in all its consequences. It is the final setting aside of Judaism then, whose characteristic hope was the display of power and rest in the world. (ver. "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work." of The ignorance of the world has been proved, the rejection of Israel is complete: then only is it that we hear of this new place of children. To have righteousness we Also one of the two thus drawn to Him first finds his own brother Simon (with the words, We have found the Messiah), and led him to Jesus, who forthwith gave him his new name in terms which surveyed, with equal ease and certainty, past, present, and future. Law, means, ordinances, could not meet the need no pool, nor angel nothing but the Son working in grace, the Son quickening. Of course it is the revelation of Christ; but here He was simply revealing the sources of this indispensable new birth. In a certain sense, the principle of John 4:1-54 was made true in the woman of Samaria, and in others who received Christ then. "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life." He that comes from above from heaven is above all. What can be more evident, or more instructive? Thus, in His person, as well as in His work, they joined issue. Then, resuming the strain of verse John 1:14, we are told, in verseJohn 1:16; John 1:16, that "of his fulness have all we received." Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. WebThe Witness of John. And in this He is sovereign. Observe: not which was, but "which is." The result immediately follows. (Verses John 5:17-18). Here there is no John proclaiming Jesus as the One who was about to introduce the kingdom of heaven. He could, therefore, tell them of heavenly things as readily as of earthly things; but the incredulity about the latter, shown in the wondering ignorance of the new birth as a requisite for God's kingdom, proved it was useless to tell of the former. The apostle attests this. But as many as received him, to them gave he power [rather, authority, right, or title] to become children of God." Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. He is a divine person; His manhood brought no attainder to His rights as God. Why should He not show Himself to the world? 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. It is the revelation of God yea, of the Father and the Son, and not merely the detecter of man. All others prove not only that they are bad, but that they hate perfect goodness, and more than that, life and light the true light in the Word. This gives occasion to Jesus to teach us the lesson that conscience must be reached, and sense of sin produced, before grace is understood and brings forth fruit. (1-4) The reason for Jesus warning: certain persecution. (Ver. Two resurrections, one of life, and another of judgment, would be the manifestation of faith and unbelief, or rather, of those who believe, and of those who reject the Son. How blessed the contrast with the people's state depicted in this chapter, tossed about by every wind of doctrine, looking to "letters," rulers, and Pharisees, perplexed about the Christ, but without righteous judgment, assurance, or enjoyment! 6 There came a man who was sent from God. For The Baltimore Sun. The account of Jesus calling the first disciples matches almost word for word the parallel account in Mark 1.1620. All this, however, was abstract, whether as to the nature of the Word or as to the place of the Christian. Truth and grace were not sought nor found in man, but began to subsist here below by Jesus Christ. He would have every soul to know assuredly how he stands for eternity as well as now. Help us purchase electrical generators for churches. (Ver. Details are not called for now, but just the outline of the truth. But the Spirit would not confine His operations to such bounds, but go out freely like the wind. Not Jacob was there, but the Son of God in nothing but grace; and thus to the Samaritan woman, not to the teachers of Israel, are made those wonderful communications which unfold to us with incomparable depth and beauty the real source, power, and character of that worship which supersedes, not merely schismatic and rebellious Samaria, but Judaism at its best. They were not to wonder then at what He says and does now; for an hour was coming in which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; those that have done good to resurrection of life, and those that have done evil to resurrection of judgment. John 1:20-25) John does not even speak of Him as one who, on His rejection as Messiah, would step into a larger glory. ( ) flesh, and dwelt among us." The man went off, and told the Jews that it was Jesus: and for this they persecuted Him, because He had done these things on the sabbath. Each had his own; all are harmonious, all perfect, all divine; but not all so many repetitions of the same thing. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. Still the Lord refused the crown then: it was not the time or state for His reign. By and by He will apply it to "that nation," the Jews, as to others also, and finally (always excepting the unbelieving and evil) to the entire system, the world. Thus, in fact, we have the Lord setting aside what was merely Messianic by the grand truths of the incarnation, and, above all, of the atonement, with which man must have vital association: he must eat yea, eat and drink. saith unto her, fie, call thy husband, and come hither. Such are the grand emphatic points to which the Lord leads. He would apply himself more to preaching work, which was the more excellent, 1 Cor 1 17. But it is important we should know how He entered the world. The incarnate Word was here full of grace and truth. 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