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.) 5. The Testimony of the Signs Wrought by Jesus in Jerusalem Leading many to Believe in His Name, 2:23-25. V. 23. “Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day (rather, during the feast), many believed in (rather, on) his name, when they saw (rather, beholding) the miracles ( rather, his signs) which he did.” ■ Jesus had been practically rejected by the ecclesiastical authorities in the temple, but many of the general multitude gathered in Jerusalem during the seven days of the feast believed on His name. We shall see in the following verses that though our Lord had a more favorable reception on the part of the multitude than on the part of the authorities, that even the faith of the many who did believe was not of a very intelligent or deep character. All through this Gospel, as well as in other parts of the New Testament, our attention is called to the fact that there is faith and faith, that is to say, that there is faith that is real, deep, thorough-going and consequently lasting, and that there is faith that is superficial, apparent rather than real, that does not involve an intelligent, thorough-going surrender of one’s self to the object of faith, and that therefore means little and does not endure. The same thing is as true today as it was when our Lord was here upon earth. There are those who believe on His name and yet do not really believe on Him in the innermost depths of their being with a faith that leads to an absolute surrender of self to Him. The expression “believed on his name” is to be carefully noted. The name stands for the person or character as revealed. Our Lord Jesus was revealing Himself as the Messiah, the ful- filler of Old Testament prophecy (vs. 13-17) : the “many” here spoken of recognized Him as the Messiah, but not such a Messiah as they were looking for, but without any thor- ough-going trust in His own person. When they discovered that He was not altogether the kind of a Messiah that they were looking for (but a Messiah who was to be rejected and crucified) they forsook Him. A real belief on His name, i. e., a real putting confidence in the person of the Lord Jesus as revealed in the New Testament, leading to a consequent acceptance of Him as all that which He reveals Himself to be (Lord, Saviour, Son of God, etc.) makes one a child of God (John 1 :12). But such a faith in His name as this, those here mentioned did not have. Their faith was built upon their gazing with wonder upon thè signs which He did, “gazing at” or “gazing with wonder at” is the force of the word translated “when they saw” in the Authorized Version and more accurately rendered “beholding” in the Revised Version. The same Greek word is similarily used in chapters 7 :3 ; 12 :45 ; 14:19 ; 16:16. While our Lord Himself appealed to His miracles as proof that •Copyright. 1913, by R. A. Torrey
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