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in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not 2 so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And 3 if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

most distinguished philosophers and moralists of heathen antiquity, lauded though they have been to the skies, we shall soon perceive the immeasurable distance between them and the final discourse and prayer of the Son of God, as it respects genuine pathos, affectionateness, clearness of spiritual vision, submission to the will of Heaven, and desire for the good of all mankind. For they, however pure and good, are of the earth, earthy; while he is the Lord from heaven, to whom divine things seem native and congenial.

1. Let not your heart be troubled. The disciples were distressed by the intimations, obscure and mysterious to their minds, which Christ had thrown out respecting his betrayal by one of them, and his approaching departure. He, therefore, pursues in this passage a consolatory strain, eminently adapted at once to soothe and to strengthen them. Ye believe in God, &c. Luther and most other translators render both verbs in the imperative mode: Put your trust in God, put your trust also in me. The original verbs have the same form, both in the imperative and the infinitive, and the circumstances of the case must therefore decide the question, which mode shall be used. The imperative is preferable, according to this rule of judgment. He bids them, in this dark hour, repose their confidence in God, and also in him. For he well knew, from his acquaintance with human wants and sorrows, that faith, trust, was the great consoler and supporter. And he would have them confide not only in the Infinite God, but in his Son, who came to bring

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God nearer to their hearts. See note on ver. 9.

2,3. In my Father's house are many mansions. Or, apartments. Allusion is here made to the large number of rooms in a great palace, or possibly to the vast and many-chambered temple at Jerusalem, peculiarly his Father's house. He describes, under this figure, the extent and greatness of the future blessedness of his followers. This is more natural than to suppose, as some do, that he is here speaking of the gradations, or posts, of service and honor in his kingdom; for his object now was consolation.-1 go to prepare a place for you. A figure taken from one of a company of travellers going before the others, to make arrangements for their accommodation. The disciples would be admitted into the society of Jesus hereafter. And if I go and prepare a place for you, &c. Norton observes here, "that he uses figurative terms which do not admit of being transformed into literal. The general effect of the language, its aggregate significance, if I may so speak, is alone to be regarded. The meaning is, your future blessedness will be as great, and is as certain, as if it were prepared for you by me, your Master and Friend, and you were assured that I should return in person to conduct you to it."

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-1 will come again. This is subjoined to give completeness to the figure; as in parables various circumstances, which have not in themselves any special moral application, are introduced to impart smoothness and ornament to the story.

4. He had so often spoken of his death, and the future blessedness of

- Thomas saith

5 whither 1 go ye know, and the way ye know. unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can 6 we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and 8 from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

heaven, that he might reasonably conclude they knew, or ought to know, both the way and the destination, or whither he was going.

5. Three disciples, who seldom spoke in the conversations, Thomas, Philip, and Judas, are introduced in this chapter as propounding questions, which at the same time evinced their ignorance of the leading design of Christ's ministry, and afforded him the opportunity of proclaiming the divine truths of his gospel.- We know not whither, &c. As we know not the destination, how can we know the way to reach it? The mind of Thomas was intent upon some local change of place on the earth, not upon futurity as the destination, and death as the way. The preconceived ideas of the Messiah among the Jews. - and the disciples were Jews — forbade the thought that he was to die, though Jesus had often in the clearest terms announced to them his coming fate.

6. I am the way, the truth, and the life. Terse and powerful words, concentrating worlds of meaning into a single clause. Jesus delighted in these figures, and elsewhere called himself the shepherd, the door, the bread of life, the vine, the life, and the light of the world. He is the way in which his disciples walk here, and their path to immortality. He is the way of pardon and eternal life, the way to God and to heaven. He is the truth; the teacher of the purest, most important, and most glorious truths relating to our duty, danger, and destiny. He is the life; the example and inspirer of the true, spiritual,

Philip

everlasting life of the soul. How much is intimated by these words of our Lord! Indeed, the suggestive power of the Bible throughout — a trait of genius in human compositions

is wonderful beyond expression, and is partially revealed in the fact, that its individual verses are, from age to age, the foundation of the countless sermons of Christendom, with their infinite variety of topics, doctrines, illustrations, and applications.

-No man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Acts iv. 12. Comparatively speaking, Jesus is the only guide to the Father. The Gentiles were in darkness, and the Jews, the chosen people, though they called God their Father, yet knew him not in his true character as the God and Father of all. But in our Saviour's life, ministry, and religion, are disclosed the most sublime and the most practical views of the paternal government, providence, and grace of God. Since the Deity has revealed himself through his Son, as our Father, it devolves upon us, with additional weight, to be followers of Him as dear children.

7. If ye had known me, i. e. in my true and spiritual character. He was the image and representative of the Supreme Being; so far as they advanced in a just acquaintance with, and appreciation of him, they increased in the knowledge of the great Being whose glory he reflected. Have seen him. They saw in Jesus all of God that could be seen in the flesh; the purest, brightest, loveliest manifestation of the In finite and Eternal One. It was the

saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and 9 yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? 10 the words that I speak unto you, I speak not of myself: but the Father, that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that 11 I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that be- 12

same, to all practical purposes, as if they had enjoyed personal communication with the Almighty. The last clause of the verse is an emphatic reiteration of the sense of the first part.

8. Lord, show us the Father, &c. So insensible was Philip to the moral and divine beauty of Christ, as the brightness of God's glorious perfections. His wish seems to have been, that some sign from heaven should more fully display the power of the Supreme Being.

9. Have I been so long time with you, &c. A question full of sad and gentle reproach to his dull and unspiritual follower. Thou must have profited but little by thine acquaintance with me, not to have discovered that I appear in the world to reveal the Father, to bring God nigh to men. He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father. Not literally and personally, but intellectually and spiritually. "This, I conceive," says Martineau, "to have been the peculiar office of Jesus; to show us, not to tell us, the spirit of that Being who spreads round us in Infinitude, and leads us through Eternity. The universe had prepared before us the scale of the Deity. Christ has filled it with his own spirit; and we worship now, not the cold, intellectual deity of natural religion; not the distant majesty, the bleak immensity, the mechanical omnipotence, the immutable stillness of the speculative

Theist's God; but One far nearer to our worn and wearied hearts; One whose likeness is seen in Jesus of Nazareth."

10, 11. He speaks in these verses of his intimate union in will, knowledge, and purpose, with the Father, in terms similar to those he used on many other occasions. Chap. v. 36, 43, vii. 16, viii. 26, x. 38. With what noonday clearness does he repeat again and again, as if in anticipation of the corruptions that have since tarnished the purity and lustre of his church, that he derived his wisdom from the Father, and wrought his miracles by the Father's power, not his own!-The words-the works. Referring respectively to his doctrines and to his miracles. - Believe. This verb may be taken in the indicative or imperative mode, or understood interrogatively. The latter is preferable. Or else believe me for the very works' sake. If my divine authority be not apparent to you in the wisdom of my instructions, and the sanctity of my character, let your faith at least be given to the power that accompanies my miracles. If the moral evidence be not sufficient, at least credit the miraculous proofs. When other means of persuasion failed, we uniformly find our Lord falling back upon his superhuman works, as the ultimate appeal and final basis of his authority. See note on chap. x. 38.

lieveth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father, 13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the 14 Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in 15 my name, I will do it. - If ye love me, keep my command16 ments: and I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another

12-15. The works that I do shall that will I do, i. e. according to Newhe do also. He was now addressing come, whatsoever, in relation to your his disciples, and his declarations are miracles and ministry, tends to gloprobably in some respects to be lim- rify the Father through me. That ited by that consideration. It came will I do. Or, cause to be done. to pass, as he predicted, that his The promises of our Lord, in these apostles and early preachers per- two verses, were happily suited to formed similar wonderful works to console the minds of his anxious his own; they healed the sick, raised and distressed disciples. That the the dead, and called men to repent- Father may be glorified in the Son. ance and life everlasting. — Greater Since the Son is the representative works than these shall he do. Some of the Father, the Father is glorified deem this as spoken popularly: "You by the glory of his representative. shall do mightier works if needed, if Christianity, as revealed to the world the cause of Christianity required it. through Jesus, is designed to proThere shall be no limit to your pow-mote the glory of God by advancing er." While others suppose, that there is no reference whatever to the degree of power exerted, but to the effects produced. The apostles and their coadjutors would accomplish far more, regarding simply the results of their exertions, than Jesus had effected. For their ministry was to be longer than his, more widely extended, reaching over many parts of the Gentile world, and accompanied with more miracles in number, with the gift of speaking with tongues, and with additions to the Christian cause of multitudes of converts. - Because I go unto my Father. As remarked by Dabney, "The disjoining this verse from verse 13 by a period, effaces the connexion of the whole passage. Our Saviour's 'going to the Father,' does not by itself assure what he is promising; but does so, when his agency in this exalted state is taken into account." We should punctuate the passage thus: Because I go, or am going, unto my Father, and whatsoever ye shall ask in my name,

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the good of mankind. — If ye love me, keep my commandments. Jesus is soon to leave his disciples. He suggests topics of consolation and advice. He tells them, that their love to him would not be measured so much by the grief they expressed at his departure, as by the fidelity with which they observed his commands. The true criterion of their love would be their obedience. The flight of ages has not annulled this principle. It is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever. If we love our Saviour, we shall keep his commandments. If we keep them not, it is good evidence that our love is lukewarm or cold, whatever be our professions. The affections of the heart are better known by the actions of the life, than by the words of the lips.

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16. I will pray the Father. claring, what is repeated a thousand times in the New Testament, that Christ depended upon the Supreme Being, as a son upon a father, as a creature upon the Creator, for the

worthy evidence that miracles have been since performed. Special spiritual gifts then ceased; for their object had been accomplished. Continued miracles would not be miracles, but would become a part of the regular order of nature. If those who contend for the perpetuity of spiritual gifts in the Christian church, will speak in unknown tongues, heal the sick by a word, open the eyes of the blind, and raise the dead, then, and not till then, will they gain the credence of mankind in their doctrine.

Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; even the Spirit 17 of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: 18 blessings which himself and his followers needed. Another Comforter. In allusion to his own departure. Considerable difference of opinion has existed relative to the translation here. The original word, αoαxλntos, Paraclete, signifies advocate, teacher, monitor, comforter; and it is difficult to decide with precision what is the best term to be used. One epithet of the Messiah, among the Jews, was Menahem, in reference to his being a consoler, a comforter. Luke ii. 25. The term advocate, or intercessor, is applied to Jesus in 1 John ii. 1. The same terms are equally applicable to that which would come after Christ on the day of Pentecost, as he speaks of it as another comforter or advocate, i. e. another in relation to himself. The divine influence which would soon descend on the apostles after the ascension of their Master, is here personified under the name of Paraclete, as we personify Nature and Providence in common conversation, and as Wisdom, as Sin and Death, are personified in the Scriptures. See Prov. viii. Rom. vi. 9, vii. 11. The effect of this divine and special influence was not solely or chiefly to be. of a consolatory character, though that was included, but to consist of instruction, guidance, and strength in their future arduous duties and trials, as preachers of the gospel. Examine ver. 17, 26; Acts ii. 4. - Abide with you forever. Or, as long as you live. Philem. 15. Jesus remained with them as their Teacher and Guide only a few years; this was to abide with them always. The gift of the Holy Spirit and the power of working miracles continued through the apostolic age; but there is no trust

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17. The Spirit of truth. The Paraclete is here defined, not simply as the Spirit of consolation, but of truth. After Jesus was crucified and raised from the tomb, the rays of truth began to break in upon the benighted minds of his disciples, concerning the real nature of his mission; and after the descent of the Holy Spirit at the Feast of Pentecost, they became fully enlightened as to the benevolent purposes of God in sending his Son into the world. ceive. Or, recognize. - Because it seeth him not, &c. i. e. because its spirit is uncongenial with the spirit and love of truth. For he dwelleth with you, &c. The apostles already possessed no inconsiderable share of this Spirit of truth, and their minds would be opened to receive it in yet larger measures.

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18. Comfortless. This rendering seemingly refers to that of Comforter in ver. 16; but the original word signifies orphans. When Jesus left them, they might appear to themselves to be as orphans, deprived of parental guidance and care; but he consoles them with the reflection and promise, that he would still sup

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