Studies in the Gospel According to John* By R. A. TORREY (These Studies are for careful study, not rapid and heedless reading)
II. The Public Ministry of Jesus Leading Those Who Were of the Truth to Believe in Him as the Christ, the Son of God. Ch. 1:19— 12:50 (continued). .
the Pharisees were the true represen tatives of the religious life of the un believing nation. The Lord knew that when they heard that His success was even greater than' that of John the Baptizer they would have a more ^bit ter enmity against Him than they had against John. They were moved by jealousy in each case (Matt. 27:18; cf. Acts 13:45 ; 17:5). But in the case of John the Baptizer there were more points of contact between the Phari sees and him than between the Phari sees and Christ; for John .came to them “in the way of righteousness.” (Matt. 21-32) while the Lord Jesus ran directly counter to their notions regarding righteousness. It is to be noticed that John speaks in the first verse of Jesus first as “the Lord” and afterwards as simply “Je sus.” It is John himself, who speaks of Him as “the Lord,” giving Him this title of dignity; it was in the reports that came to the Pharisees that He was spoken of as Jesus, His human name. John speaks of Him by this title “The Lord” not only here bur also in 6 :23; 11:2; 20:20, and quotes others as speaking of Him in this way in 20:2, 13, 18, 25; 21:7. Luke fre quently uses the same title in speak ing of Him, for example Luke 10:1; 17:5; 19:8, etc. He is very frequently addressed in the Gospels as “Lord” but without the definite article preced ing the word “Lord.” This title, “The Lord,” really sets forth the Deity of our Lord Jesus. In the Old Testa ment the title “The Lord” always refers to God except where the con text clearly indicates otherwise. In
9. The Lord Jesus’ Testi mony to the Woman of Sa maria that He Was the Christ, and the Woman’s Testimony, He “Told Me All Things that Ever I Did.”—Chapter 4:1-39. Vs. 1-3. “When therefore the Lord, knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptised (rather, was making and baptising ) more disciples than John ( though Jesus Himself bap tised not, but His disciples), He left Judea and departed again into Gali lee.” Our Lord now leaves Judea and goes into Galilee that He may avoid conflict with the Pharasaic party be fore the proper time for that conflict had come (cf. ch. 7:1; 10:39; 11:53, 54). He had a large work to do in gathering a company of believers, es pecially in Galilee, and in training the Apostles for the work which they were to carry on after His departure. From now on Galilee, and not Judea, will be the chief field of His work as a prophet, though John in his gospel even after this dwells very largely upon His Judean ministry. The Syn optic Gospels are largely taken up with His Galilean ministry. The Pharisees here appear, as elsewhere in John’s Gospel, as the most prominent repre sentatives of the Jewish religious sys tem. John never mentions by name the Sadducees or the Herodians. Though the priestly offices were largely in the hands of the Sadducees, •C opyright, by R. A. T orrey, 1913.
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