his present rule. And, in place of it, the Crucified Christ, 'lifted up out of the earth' - in the
twofold sense - was, as the result of His Work, drawing, with sovereign, conquering
power, 'all' unto Him, and up with Him.
49. St. John vii. 28 b-33.
The Jews who heard it, so far understood Him, that His words referred to His removal
from earth, or His Death, since this was a common Jewish mode of expression
(qls Mlw(h Nm).50 51 But they failed to understand His special reference to the manner of
it. And yet, in view of the peculiarly shameful death to the cross, it was most important
that He should ever point to it also. But, even in what they understood, they had a
difficulty. They understood Him to imply that He would be taken from earth; and yet they
had always been taught from the Scriptures52 that the Messiah was, when fully
manifested, to abide for ever, or, as the Rabbis put it, that His Reign was to be followed
by the Resurrection. Or did He refer to any other One by the expression, 'Son of Man?'
Into the controversial part of the question the Lord did not enter; nor would it have been
fitting to have so in tha t 'hour.' But to their inquiry He fully replied, and that with such
earnest, loving admonition as became His last address in the Temple. Yes; it was so!
But a little while would the Light be among them.53 Let them hasten to avail themselves
of it,54 lest d arkness overtake them - and he that walked in darkness knew not wither he
went. Oh, that His love could have arrested them! While they still had 'the Light,' would
that they might learn to believe in the Light, that so they might become the children of
Light!
50. vv. 34-36 a.
51. This is another evidence of the Aramaic education of the writer of the Fourth Gospel.
Yet another is the peculiar Judaic use of the word h(#, hour, in ver. 27. But the idea of
'Prince of this world' has no analogon in the r# Mlw(h (or Metatron) of Rabbinism, to
whom, strangely, the designation r(n (in Zech. ii. 4 A.V., Babha B. 75 b, and in Ps. xxxvii.
25, Yebam. 16 b, about middle) is applied. And this is, on the other hand, quite as
characteristic of the Gospel which, under Jewish forms, bears a totally contrary spirit.
52. It is another mark of Jewish authorship, this use of the word 'Law,' to denote the
whole Scriptures.
53. Lux ipsa manet; sed non semper in vobis.
54. Ambulandum, non disceptandum. Fides non est deszes, sed agilis in luce.
They were His last words of appeal to them, ere He withdrew to spend His Sabbath of
soul before the Great Contest.55 And the writer of the Fourth Gospel gathers up, by way
of epilogue, the great contrast between Israel and Christ.56 Althoug h He had shown so
many miracles, they believe not on Him - and this their wilful unbelief was the fulfillment
of Esaias' prophecy of old concerning the Messiah.57 On the other hand, their wilful
unbelief was also the judgement of God in accordance with prophecy.58 Those who
have followed the course of this history must have learned this above all, that the
rejection of Christ by the Jews was not an isolated act, but the outcome and direct result