Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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John
Book: John
Chapter: 8
Overview:
The
Pharisees and the adulteress.
(1-11) Christ's discourse
with the
Pharisees.
(12-59)
1-11 Christ neither found fault with the
Law, nor excused the
prisoner's guilt; nor did he countenance the pretended zeal of
the
Pharisees. Those are self-condemned who
Judge others, and
yet do the same thing. All who are any way called to blame the
faults of others, are especially concerned to look to
themselves, and keep themselves pure. In this matter
Christ
attended to the great work about which he came into the world,
that was, to bring sinners to
Repentance; not to destroy, but to
save. He aimed to bring, not only the accused to
Repentance,
By
showing her his
Mercy, but the prosecutors also,
By showing them
their sins; they thought to ensnare him, he sought to convince
and convert them. He declined to meddle with the
Magistrate's
office. Many crimes merit far more severe
Punishment than they
meet with; but we should not leave our own work, to take that
upon ourselves to which we are not called. When
Christ sent her
away, it was with this caution, Go, and
Sin No more. Those who
help to save the
Life of a criminal, should help to save the
soul with the same caution. Those are truly happy, whom
Christ
does not condemn.
Christ's favour to us in the forgiveness of
past sins should prevail with us, Go then, and
Sin No more.
12-16 Christ is the
Light of the world.
God is
Light, and
Christ is the image of the invisible
God. One
Sun enlightens the
whole world;
So does one
Christ, and there needs
No more. What a
dark
Dungeon would the world be without the
Sun!
So would it be
without
Jesus,
By whom
Light came into the world. Those who
follow
Christ shall not walk in
Darkness. They shall not be left
without the truths which are necessary to keep them from
destroying error, and the directions in the way of duty,
necessary to keep them from condemning
Sin.
17-20 If we knew
Christ better, we should know the
Father
better. Those become vain in their imaginations concerning
God,
who will not learn of
Christ. Those who know not his
Glory and
Grace, know not the
Father that sent him. The time of our
departure out of the world, depends upon
God. Our enemies cannot
hasten it any sooner, nor can our friends delay it any longer,
than the time appointed of the
Father. Every true believer can
look up and say with pleasure, My times are in thy
Hand, and
better there than in my own. To all
God's purposes there is a
time.
21-29 Those that live in unbelief, are for ever undone, if they
die in unbelief. The Jews belonged to this present evil world,
but
Jesus was of a heavenly and Divine nature,
So that his
doctrine, kingdom, and blessings, would not suit their taste.
But the
Curse of the
Law is done away to all that submit to the
Grace of the
Gospel. Nothing but the doctrine of
Christ's
Grace
will be an argument powerful enough, and none but the
Spirit of
Christ's
Grace will be an agent powerful enough, to turn us from
Sin to
God; and that
Spirit is given, and that doctrine is
given, to work upon those only who believe in
Christ. Some say,
Who is this
Jesus? They allow him to have been a
Prophet, an
excellent Teacher, and even more than a
Creature; but cannot
acknowledge him as over all,
God blessed for evermore. Will not
this suffice?
Jesus here answers the question. Is this to honour
him as the
Father? Does this admit his being the
Light of the
world, and the
Life of men, one with the
Father? All shall know
By their
Conversion, or in their condemnation, that he always
spake and did what pleased the
Father, even when he claimed the
highest honours to himself.
30-36 Such power attended our
Lord's words, that many were
convinced, and professed to believe in him. He encouraged them
to attend his teaching, rely
On his promises, and obey his
commands, notwithstanding all temptations to evil. Thus doing,
they would be his disciples truly; and
By the teaching of his
Word and
Spirit, they would learn where their
Hope and strength
lay.
Christ spoke of spiritual liberty; but
Carnal hearts feel
No other grievances than those that molest the body, and
distress their worldly affairs. Talk to them of their liberty
and property, tell them of waste committed upon their lands, or
damage done to their houses, and they understand you very
Well;
but speak of the
Bondage of
Sin,
Captivity to
Satan, and liberty
By Christ; tell of wrong done to their precious souls, and the
hazard of their eternal welfare, then you bring strange things
to their ears.
Jesus plainly reminded them, that the
Man who
practised any
Sin, was, in fact, a
Slave to that
Sin, which was
the case with most of them.
Christ in the
Gospel offers us
Freedom, he has power to do this, and those whom
Christ makes
free are really
So. But often we see persons disputing about
liberty of every kind, while they are slaves to some sinful
Lust.
37-40 Our
Lord opposed the proud and vain confidence of these
Jews, showing that their descent from
Abraham could not profit
those of a contrary
Spirit to him. Where the
Word of God has
No
place,
No good is to be expected; room is left there for all
wickedness. A sick person who turns from his
Physician, and will
take neither remedies nor
Food, is past
Hope of recovery. The
Truth both heals and nourishes the hearts of those who receive
it. The
Truth taught
By philosophers has not this power and
effect, but only the
Truth of
God. Those who claim the
privileges of
Abraham, must do
Abraham's
Works; must be
strangers and sojourners in this world; keep up the
Worship of
God in their families, and always walk before
God.
41-47 Satan prompts men to excesses
By which they
Murder
themselves and others, while what he puts into the mind tends to
ruin men's souls. He is the great promoter of falsehood of every
kind. He is a liar, all his temptations are carried
On By his
Calling evil good, and good evil, and promising
Freedom in
Sin.
He is the author of all lies; whom liars resemble and obey, with
whom all liars shall have their portion for ever. The special
lusts of the
Devil are spiritual wickedness, the lusts of the
mind, and corrupt reasonings, pride and envy, wrath and malice,
Enmity to good, and enticing others to evil.
By the
Truth, here
understand the revealed will of
God as to the
Salvation of men
By Jesus Christ, the
Truth Christ was now preaching, and which
the Jews opposed.
48-53 Observe
Christ's disregard of the applause of men. Those
who are dead to the praises of men can
Bear their contempt.
God
will seek the honour of all who do not seek their own. In these
verses we have the doctrine of the
Everlasting happiness of
believers. We have the character of a believer; he is one that
keeps the sayings of the
Lord Jesus. And the privilege of a
believer; he shall
By No means see
Death for ever. Though now
they cannot avoid seeing
Death, and tasting it also, yet they
shall shortly be where it will be
No more forever, Ex 14:13.
54-59 Christ and all that are his, depend upon
God for honour.
Men may be able to dispute about
God, yet may not know him. Such
as know not
God, and obey not the
Gospel of
Christ, are
Put
together, 2Th 1:8. All who rightly know anything of
Christ,
earnestly desire to know more of him. Those who discern the dawn
of the
Light of the
Sun of
Righteousness, wish to see his
rising. "Before
Abraham was, I AM." This speaks
Abraham a
Creature, and our
Lord the Creator;
Well, therefore, might he
make himself greater than
Abraham. I AM, is the name of
God, Ex
3:14; it speaks his self-existence; he is the First and the
Last, ever the same, Re 1:8. Thus he was not only before
Abraham, but before all worlds, Pr 8:23; Joh 1:1. As
Mediator,
he was the appointed
Messiah, long before
Abraham; the
Lamb
slain from the foundation of the world, Re 13:8. The
Lord
Jesus was made of
God Wisdom,
Righteousness,
Sanctification, and
Redemption, to
Adam, and
Abel, and all that lived and died
By
Faith in him, before
Abraham. The Jews were about to
Stone Jesus
for
Blasphemy, but he withdrew;
By his miraculous power he
passed through them unhurt. Let us stedfastly profess what we
know and believe concerning
God; and if heirs of
Abraham's
Faith, we shall rejoice in looking forward to that
Day when the
Saviour shall appear in
Glory, to the confusion of his enemies,
and to complete the
Salvation of all who believe in him.