they observe it! How was its spirit violated? Nay, even the letter of it for they were already taking counsel together to put him to death. This he knew, to whom all things were known though it appeared strange to those with whom he was discoursing.

20. The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee?

21. Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel.

22. Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers ;)1 and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man.

23. If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day?

24. Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

The Jews still remembered against Jesus the miracle which he had performed, probably a year and a half before, at Bethsaida; when he healed the paralytic man on the sabbath day. He had defended himself at other times by reference to their own practice, of tending their cattle on the sabbath. He here defends himself by the law of Moses in which they trusted. To keep that law, which required that circumcision should take place on the eighth day from the birth, they were in the habit of infringing upon the repose of the sabbath.

1 Before it was made part of the law of Moses, it was ordained to Abraham as a seal of the covenant.

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And should not he be allowed in a far less degree to infringe upon that repose, in order to restore health to the diseased body? But prejudice listens to no reason. Therefore he warns them not to judge hastily, but to judge righteous judgment.

25. Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill?

26. But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ?

27. Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is.2

28. Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not.

29. But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me.

30. Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.

was,

The cavil of some of the Jews here, pretending that they knew of Jesus whence he furnishes opportunity for declaring a solemn truth, which might strike conviction to their hearts. He that sent me is true, whom ye know not. And yet God was acknowledged by them, as the Creator; as the deliverer of their nation; as the author of their law; his word was read in their synagogues;

2 This seems to have prevailed as a traditional notion among the Jews, derived, probably, from one of the prophecies: as "Who shall declare his generation?" or, "Whose goings forth have been of old."

and sacrifice was daily offered to him in the temple. Yet they knew him not.

To know God, therefore, is something more than to confess the Scriptures to be his word, or to pay him ceremonial worship. Nay, it is something more than to be acquainted with his attributes, and to acknowledge his power, his justice, his mercy, his wisdom. It is so to bring these attributes of God before the mind, as to act upon them; to let them operate upon our affections, and influence our ways and doings. To know God in a scriptural sense, is to have that acquaintance with him which makes him the object of our reverence, and love, and obedience. It was knowledge of God in the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that they made all their undertakings, all their journies, all their enterprises begin with God; invoking his aid, and depending upon his blessing. It was knowledge of God in Joseph, when the thoughts of what he owed to God repressed the motions of sin, and restrained him from entering into temptation. It was knowledge of God in Eli, when he acquiesced in the divine will, though exercised against himself, and submitted to the hand of the Lord. The Psalms are full of the knowledge of God. There we find David, sometimes declaring his majesty and the excellence of his power; sometimes magnifying his goodness and mercy; sometimes bending before him in contrition, sometimes breaking forth in strains of joy and thanksgiving, and always depending upon him for increase of

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grace, and strength, and spiritual good. It was knowledge of God to say, "When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained; what is man that thou art mindful of him, or the son of man that thou visitest him?" It was knowledge of God to say, "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes."4

Such-like acquaintance with God and his will does not appear in the discourses of the Jews recorded here. They had lost the true understanding of his nature. What ignorance of God, to choose a place of concourse for a display of prayer; to wear the outward appearance of fasting by a sad countenance; to give alms to be seen of men! What ignorance of God to complain that a man was made whole on the sabbath day; to be jealous when a sinner was instructed in the ways of righteousness! So that although they made their boast of God, as the God of their father Abraham; though they professed his worship, and

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swore by his name;" it might be truly said, they knew him not. In any sense of filial love or duty, they knew him not. Their knowledge of him had no influence upon their hearts or lives.

The Lord proceeds to say, But I know him; for I am from him, and he hath sent me. And thus

3 Psalm viii. 3, 4.

4 Psalm xix. 7,

8.

he has instructed and enabled us to know God, in a still more endearing character than that in which he was revealed to the Jews. To them he was revealed as the author of their law, the preserver of their nation. To us he is revealed as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, whom he hath sent to bless us, by bringing us to himself. This teaches us to know him with that acquaintance which goes nearest to the heart, as having displayed towards us the highest exercise of love. But it is acquaintance which only his Spirit can infuse. He must "shine in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." 5 It is a knowledge which must be

spiritually discerned." May it be granted us more and more fully, till the words of the prophet are accomplished, saying, "I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people; for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, saith the Lord."6

5 2 Cor. iv. 6.

6 Jer. xxxi. 33.