be given him from heaven.

28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.

29 He that hath the bride, is the bridegroom: but the friend of the

and to mean that he was not disposed to go beyond his commission, or assume to himself any authority or honor which God had not bestowed upon him. "One who by divine authority is entrusted with any commission cannot exceed that commission; since, therefore, God hath only made me the forerunner of the Messiah, as I have told you, ver. 28, I cannot pretend to be equal with him." Whitby. "I have told you from the beginning, that I was only the forerunner of the Messiah; and was sent, not to form a separate party, but to point out to men that Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world, ver. 28."-Clarke. "I do not, says John, arrogate to myself any greater authority than I know God has given me."Resenmüller. This interpretation is not only more consistent than the other with the principles of truth, but it better harmonizes with the succeeding verses, in which is stated the reason why John did not assume to be equal or superior to Jesus, and was not displeased at his success.

28. Ye yourselves bear me witness, &c. It was not now a new thing, for John to confess his inferiority to Jesus; and he appealed to his disciples, that he had uniformly disclaimed the Messiahship for himself, and had testified concerning a successor who should appear in that character. I said, I am not the Christ, &c. Or, the Messiah. See John i. 19-27. The testimony of John, on this point, as on others, was open and distinct. He announced himself as the precursor of the Messiah; but lest there should be any mistake, besides testifying that the Messiah was at hand, he positively and repeatedly asserted that he was not that personage. His disciples knew that fact; and to them he appealed. Why then should they expect him to retain his standing as the most eminent religious teacher, after the promised Messiah appeared? This distinction he had not received from God, and he did not claim it from men. 29. John declares, that, so far from

bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly, because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

being dissatisfied at the superior attention and honor rendered to Jesus, his joy is fulfilled in that very fact. He rejoices to witness the commencement of the glorious work entrusted to Jesus.

He that hath the bride is the bridegroom, &c. That is, the bride belongs to the bridegroom, exclusively. Nevertheless, his friend rejoices when he hears the bridegroom's voice; he shares the joy, though the possession of the prize belong solely to another. Thus also do I rejoice in the manifestation and success of the Messiah, notwithstanding to him belongs the glory and honor of saving mankind from their sins. My joy therefore is fulfilled, in witnessing the triumph of the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. The figure here employed was familiar to Jewish ears. At their weddings, there were generally two persons selected as friends of the bridegroom, to whom special duties were assigned according to the provisions of the Mosaic law. These were generally choice friends, who were interested in his happiness, and who rejoiced in his prosperity. The relation between Jesus and inankind, redeemed from sin, is frequently represented by the figure here used. See 2 Cor. xi. 2; Eph. v. 25-27, 32.

30. He must increase, &c. The morning star is a glorious object, while it is a herald of the sun; but when the sun himself appears, the glory of the star, gradually diminishing, is at length entirely lost to the view and overpowered by the brighter glory which succeeds it. So John excited the attention of the people, while he proclaimed the approach of the Messiah. "He was a burning and a shining light." John v. 35. But when he came who was the "Light of the world," John viii. 12, the less light was shorn of his beams, and the attention of men was fixed on that "true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." John i. 9. This result John foresaw; but he did not regret it; on the contrary he rejoiced. He was willing to be forgot

31 He that cometh from above is above all he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth he that cometh from heaven is above all. ten entirely, so that Christ might be glorified by all. But he is not forgotten; nor will be, while Jesus is honored as the Messiah. He will be remembered as the faithful herald, who was true to his trust, assuming nothing which had not been given him, but cheerfully and joyfully giving place to his superior and assisting to proclaim his glory.

31. He that cometh from above is above all. Having intimated distinctly that Jesus was the Messiah, and must increase while his forerunner decreased,.comparatively, in the estimation of mankind, John assigned a reason why it should be so; namely, that Jesus was more exalted in his nature, more accurately acquainted with the divine character and purposes, and more abundantly filled with the divine spirit, than himself or any other prophet of God. By coming from above, the same idea is expressed as by being sent from God, ver. 34, and often elsewhere. See note on ver. 13. He is above all, in his origin, as the only being in the universe who can be properly styled the Son of God; in office, for to him alone was given commission to save the world from sin and misery; in power and authority, for to him was given all power in heaven and in earth, and he shall reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet, not excepting the last enemy, death. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, and not until then, he shall deliver up the authority thus delegated, and resign his kingdom to the Father, that God may be all in all. Matt. xxviii. 18; 1 Cor. XV. 24-28. THe that is of the earth is earthly, &c. Literally, he that is of the earth is of the earth;" the meaning is sufficiently obvious in the translation. By this contrast between the heavenly origin of Jesus and the earthly origin of all the prophets, an obvious reason is suggested why he should be regarded as worthy of more honor than they.

32. What he hath seen, &c. Other prophets uttered dark sayings, which perhaps they themselves did not fully

32 And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.

33 He that hath received his tes timony, hath set to his seal that comprehend; but Jesus declared what he had seen and heard, what he knew to be true, and the import of which he understood. He was fully instructed in the will of God concerning men; he distinctly comprehended the nature of his own mission; namely, that he was sent, not to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved, ver. 17. He was therefore worthy to be confided in by men, and his instructions to be sought in preference to those of John or any other prophet. T No man receiveth his testimony. A general negative, which must be understood with a qualification, as is evident from facts before narrated, and from the succeeding verse. The meaning is, few receive his testimony, or acknowledge him as the Messiah, and fully credit the doctrines which he proclaims. It is worthy of remark, that although multitudes thronged him during almost his whole ministry, very few imbibed and preserved a living faith in him. Many believed him to be the Messiah ; yet they were so blinded by their Jewish prejudices, that they did not comprehend his doctrines, and did not receive his testimony in its purity. Indeed, to some extent, this was true of the apostles themselves. Yet, except during the interval between his crucifixion and resurrection, they trusted in him as the Messiah. But the great mass of almost-Christians fell off; so that after the ascension, when the disciples assembled to elect an apostle in the place of Judas, the number was only "about one hundred and twenty." Acts i. 15.

33. He that hath received his testimony. Who firmly believed the doctrines uttered. There were a few such, even then. To be sure, they did not fully comprehend the whole doctrine; but they acknowledged the authority of the teacher, and believed his words were true. Hath set to his seal, &c. hath affixed his seal. "To seal an instrument, is to make it sure; to acknowledge it as ours; and to pledge our veracity that it is true and binding, as when a man seals a bond, a deed, or

Or

CHAPTER IV.

THEN the Lord

3 He left Judea, and departed again into Galilee.

4 And he must needs go through

CHAPTER IV.

1. The Lord. That is, Jesus. T The Pharisees had heard, &c. Some of the Pharisees had been baptized by John, and credited his testimony. Matt. iii. 7. But others, offended perhaps at his searching rebukes, represented him as an innovator, and made known their dissatisfaction to the Sanhedrim, who sent messengers to demand of John by what right he presumed to administer baptism. John í. 19-25. To these ruling Pharisees, members of that supreme ecclesiastical council, reference seems to be made here. They had heard the fame of Jesus, and he knew that they were exasperated against him. As he had not completed his work, and the time had not arrived when he should be cut off from his earthly labors, he prudently removed into Galilee, where their power was less absolute. He did not court danger, nor seek for persecution. But, as he directed his disciples to do, when he was hindered by opposition and persecution in one place, he retired to another, where he could more successfully carry forward his great work. Matt. x. 23. Jesus made and baptized, &c. What his disciples did, in his name, is said to have been done by him. It does not appear that he personally baptized any one, not even his disciples.

5 Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

into the Christian church; but Jesus did not baptize them who first professed faith in him. There is no intimation that he ever baptized even one of his apostles with water. It has been supposed that Jesus refrained from baptizing, lest there should be disputes and heart-burnings between those who received baptism at his hands and those whom his disciples baptized. See 1 Cor. i. 11-17. But, for whatever reason he refrained, it would appear that, while he adopted this rite as the visible seal of admission into his kingdom, he did not regard or represent it as absolutely indispensable to salvation, here or hereafter, as he did not baptize his apostles.

3. He left Judea, &c. See note on ver. 1, and Matt. ii. 22.

4. Must needs. It was necessary; an obsolete phrase. ¶ Go through Samaria. This province was situated between Judea and Galilee, and the direct way from the one to the other was through Samaria. A circuitous road, on the east of the Jordan, through Peræa, was sometimes travelled. But the passage through Samaria was more direct and convenient.

5. Sychar. This city, otherwise called Shechem, or Sichem, and whose modern name is variously written Napolose, or Neapolis, or Nablous, was a city of Ephraim. Josh. xvii. 7. It was situated about forty miles northerly from Jerusalem, and ten miles from Shiloh.

supposition is natural, as the only parcel of ground which Jacob is recorded to have given individually to Joseph, is that mentioned in Gen. xlviii. 22.

7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.

8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)

9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of

6. Jacob's well. A well supposed to have been dug by Jacob, and which is still supposed to exist, and is pointed out to travellers. It is represented as somewhat more than a hundred feet in depth, hewn out of solid rock. ¶ Sat thus on the well. The word thus has been a subject of some perplexity. But the most probable solution is, that it has reference to the weariness of Jesus. He was weary, and sat thus, or as a weary man, on the well; or, as it might be translated, by the well. Perhaps the well had an elevated wall around it, on which Jesus sat to rest his weary limbs ; for, while clothed in flesh, he was subject to its natural infirmities. It was common for travellers in the East to stop at wells for refreshment. Water was scarce and valuable. Sixth hour. Twelve o'clock, or noon. 7. A

woman of Samaria. Or, a Samaritan woman; a woman of the province of Samaria, not of the city bearing that name; for this was about fifteen miles distant from the well of Jacob. As the woman came to draw water, she evidently dwelt in the vicinity; and it is probable, from ver. 28, that her home was in Sychar. To draw water. The well being deep, this was laborious; and when drawn, according to the custom of the country, the water was to be carried on the head, to the place of use. To such menial offices were females formerly subjected. And even now, their condition is not much improved, in barbarous countries, where the light of Christianity has not penetrated. But in Christian lands, one of the visible effects of the gospel has been, to restore woman to her proper position in society, not the mistress or the slave of man, but his companion and help-meet. Give me to drink. Jesus was thirsty, but had no vessel to

10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw draw water from the well; he asked it, therefore, of the woman, and most richly did he repay her for what she bestowed.

8. His disciples were gone. This is stated as the reason why Jesus desired water of the woman; the disciples had taken with them the drinking-cup, usually carried by travellers, with which they could draw up water from springs and wells, to quench their thirst. They had gone to buy meat, or food; for it was now noon, ver. 6, and they needed refreshment.

It

9. The Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. See notes on Matt. x. 5; Luke ix. 53. This remark is generally supposed to be the language of the evangelist, not of the woman. was enough that she should express surprise that a Jew would ask water of her; Jesus needed not to be informed of the mutual enmity between the nations. The evangelist, writing for those who might not be acquainted with the fact, thought proper to mention it, in order to explain the otherwise unaccountable language of the woman.

10. The gift of God. Or, the favor of God; referring to the blessed opportunity granted to her, to obtain living water, or be instructed in the gospel of truth. And who it is, &c. That is, if you knew my true character, and recognized me as the Messiah. Living water. This phrase denotes, literally, the water of springs, fountains, or running streams, in contradistinction_to standing pools or stagnant waters. The same phrase is sometimes used now, in a like sense. But our Lord used the words figuratively, to denote the gospel of truth, ver. 14. See Rev. xxi. 6 xxii. 1, 17.

11. Nothing to draw with. The well was deep, and the water beyond reach,