Now about the midst of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.

“(Hom. xlix. 1. Aug.) Our Lord delays His visit, in order to excite men’s attention, and goes up not the first day, but about the middle of the feast: Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. Those who had been searching for Him, when they saw Him thus suddenly appear, would be more attentive to His teaching, both favourers and enemies; the one to admire and profit by it; the other to find an opportunity of laying hands on Him.”

“(Tract. xxviii. s. 8.) The feast seems, as far as we can judge, to have lasted several days. And therefore it is said, “about the middle of the feast day:c” i. e. when as many days of that feast had passed, as were to come. So that His assertion, I go not up yet to this feast day, (i. e. to the first or second day, as you would wish me,) was strictly fulfilled. For He went up afterwards, about the middle of the feast.”

“After the Evangelist has dealt with the urging by which Christ's kinsmen were inducing him to go up into Judea, and has set down Christ's reply, here he consequently deals with his going up; and first the delay of Christ's going up is set down; second, its order; third, the manner of the ascent. The delay indeed is set down when he says "when he had said these things," namely the things he had answered, "he himself remained in Galilee," not going up with his kinsmen for the feast day, so that his word might be verified, which he had said: "I will not go up to this feast day." Numbers 23:19: "God is not as man, that he should lie, nor as the son of man, that he should be changed." But its order is set down when he says "but when his brethren," that is his kinsmen, "had gone up, then he himself also went up," etc. But this seems to be against what he had said above: "but I will not go up"; since the Apostle says, 2 Corinthians 1:19: "Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by us... was not in him 'yes' and 'no,' but 'yes' was in him." I answer, saying first, that the feast of Tabernacles (Scenopegia) was celebrated for seven days, as has been said. But the Lord had said above: "but I will not go up to this feast," that is, to the beginning of the feast. But what is said here, "to the feast day," must be understood as to the intervening days, whence there follows: "but now, the feast day being in the midst." And thus it is clear that Christ's deed is not contrary to his word. Second, as Augustine says, these men wanted Christ to go up into Judea in order to seek temporal glory, and so he said to them: "I will not go up to this feast," in the manner in which you wish. But he himself went up to the feast, as one about to teach the crowds and instruct them concerning everlasting glory. Third, according to Chrysostom, because he had said above "I will not go up to this feast day," to suffer and die, as they themselves wished; and yet he himself went up to the feast, not in order to suffer, but in order to instruct others. The manner of the ascent is shown to be not in the open, but as it were in secret. And of this there is a threefold reason. One, according to Chrysostom, lest, by laying bare his divinity too much, his incarnation should be less certain, as has been said above, and so as to take away the shame of hiding, for just men, when they cannot publicly restrain their persecutors; and therefore he says "as it were in secret," to show that this was done by dispensation. Isaiah 45:15: "Truly you are a hidden God." Another reason, according to Augustine, namely so that it might be understood that Christ is hidden in the figures of the Old Testament. Isaiah 8:17: "I have waited for the Lord, who hides his face," that is, his manifest knowledge, "from the house of Jacob"; whence also "even to this present day a veil is placed over their heart," as is said in 2 Corinthians 3:15. Therefore all the things that were said to that ancient people were shadows of the good things to come, as is said in Hebrews 10:1. Therefore, so as to show that even the feast itself was a figure, he therefore went up in secret. Scenopegia, as has been said, was the feast of tents. He therefore celebrates this feast who understands himself to be a pilgrim in this world. Another reason is, so as to teach us that we ought to hide the good things we do, not seeking the favor of men, nor desiring the pomps of attending crowds, according to that saying, Matthew 6:1: "Take heed that you do not do your righteousness before men, in order to be seen by them." Consequently, when he says "the Jews therefore were seeking him at the feast day," he sets down the occasion of manifesting the origin of spiritual teaching, and he sets down two occasions: one caused by the dissension of the crowds, the other from their admiration, at the point "but now, the feast day being in the midst, Jesus went up into the temple," etc. The dissension of the crowds concerned their opinion about Christ; whence concerning this he does three things. First he sets forth that in which all agreed; second, that in which they differed, at the point "and there was much murmuring in the crowd about him"; third, whose opinion prevailed among them, at the point "yet no one spoke openly of him for fear of the Jews." Now all agreed in this, that they were seeking him at the feast day, and were saying: "Where is he?" It is clear that out of much hatred and enmity they did not even wish to name him. Genesis 37:4: "They hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him." But they differed, because some were seeking him out of a desire to learn, according to that saying, Psalm 68:33: "Seek him, and your soul shall live"; others were seeking him out of a desire to do him harm, according to that saying, Psalm 39:14: "They seek my soul, to take it away." And therefore "there was much murmuring" in the crowd, concerning the contention that was about him in the crowd. And although "murmur" is of neuter gender, yet Jerome puts it in the masculine, because ancient grammar had this usage, or so as to show that divine Scripture is not subject to the rules of Priscian. And there was dissension, because "some," from the crowd, namely those who had an upright heart, "said," of Christ, "that he is good." Psalm 72:1: "How good is God to Israel, to those who are upright of heart!" Lamentations 3:25: "The Lord is good to those who hope in him, to the soul that seeks him." "Others," namely those who were ill-disposed, "said, No," namely he is not good. But by this it is given to be understood that the multitude considered him good; but the chief priests considered him evil, and therefore they say, "but he seduces the crowds." Luke 23:2: "We have found this man subverting our nation"; Matthew 27:63: "We have remembered that that seducer said," etc. Now it must be known that to seduce is to lead aside. But a man can be led aside either from truth or from falsehood; and in either way someone can be called a seducer. Either insofar as he leads aside from the truth; and in this way it does not fit Christ, because he himself is the truth, etc., below, John 14:6. Or from falsehood; and in this way Christ is called a seducer; Jeremiah 20:7: "You have seduced me, O Lord, and I have been seduced; you were stronger than me, and you have prevailed." And would that we were all called and were such seducers, as Augustine says. But he is called a seducer more properly who seduces and deceives from the truth: because he is said to be led aside who is drawn away from the common way. But truth is the common way; whereas heresy and the way of the wicked are certain byways. But the opinion of the wicked, namely the chief priests, prevailed, whence there follows "yet no one spoke openly." And this, because the crowds were held in check by fear of the chief priests; because, as is said below, John 9:22, if anyone should confess him to be the Christ, he was put out of the synagogue. From which is clear the malice of those who ruled, by which they lay in wait for Christ, and of those who were subject, namely the people, because they did not have freedom to say what they felt. Consequently, when he says "but now, the feast day being in the midst, Jesus went up into the temple," the second occasion of manifesting the teaching is set down, which is taken from the admiration of the crowds: and first the matter of the admiration is set down; second, the admiration itself; and third, the reason for the admiration. Now the matter of the admiration is Christ's teaching; whence concerning this both the time and the place are set down. The time, when he says "but now, the feast day being in the midst," that is, when as many days of that feast remained as had passed; whence, since the feast was celebrated for seven days, this is said to have been on the fourth day. And indeed in the fact that he hid himself, there is an indication of Christ's humanity, and an instruction for our virtue, as has been said; but the fact that he made himself manifest, and they could not restrain him, is a showing-forth of his divinity. Now he went up in the middle time of the feast for this reason, that at the beginning of the feast all are more attentive to those things that belong to the feast — the good indeed to the worship of God, but others to vanities and gains. But around the middle of the time, once the things belonging to the feast are dispatched, they are more prepared for teaching. Therefore, so as to find them more attentive and more prepared for teaching, he did not go up in the first days. Likewise also because this fits the order of Christ's teaching: because he came, not at the end of the world, nor at the beginning, but in the middle of time, to instruct men concerning the kingdom of God, according to that saying, Habakkuk 3:2: "In the midst of the years you will make it known." Now the place of the teaching is shown when he says "in the temple," where he taught for two reasons: namely, so as to show that he was teaching the truth, which they could not slander, and which was necessary for all; below, John 18:20: "I have spoken nothing in secret"; second, because the temple, since it is a sacred place, is fitting for Christ's most holy teaching. Isaiah 2:3: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths." But what Christ taught, the Evangelist passes over; because, as has been said, the Evangelists do not express all the deeds and words of the Lord, but those which produced commotion and contradiction among the people. And therefore here he makes mention of the commotion of the people arising from the teaching itself: namely because those who had before said "he seduces the crowds" were afterward, from the teaching itself, moved to admiration. And therefore, consequently, when he says "and the Jews marveled," their admiration is set down. Nor is it a wonder, because this is said in Psalm 118:129: "Wonderful are your testimonies." For the words of Christ are the words of divine wisdom. But the reason for the admiration is added when he says, "How does this man know letters, since he has not learned?" For they knew Jesus to be the son of a poor woman; and he was thought to be the son of a carpenter, who, living by his own labor, would not have applied himself to the study of letters, but rather to manual work; according to that saying, Psalm 87:16: "I am poor, and in labors from my youth." And therefore, when they hear him teaching and disputing, they marvel, saying, "How does this man know letters, since he has not learned?" A similar thing is found in Matthew 13:54: "Whence has this man this wisdom and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter's son?" Having set down the place and occasions of manifesting the origin of spiritual teaching, here he consequently manifests the origin of that teaching itself, and first he shows that the origin of spiritual teaching is from God; second he invites them to receive it, at the point "on the last day of the great feast Jesus stood and cried out." Concerning the first he does two things. First he shows the origin of the teaching; second, the origin of the teacher, at the point "some of the Jerusalemites therefore said," etc. Concerning the first he does two things. First he shows the origin of the teaching; second he excludes an objection, at the point "did not Moses give you the law?" Concerning the first he does two things. First he shows the origin of the teaching; second he proves it, at the point "if anyone is willing to do his will, he shall know concerning the teaching." He says therefore, "Jesus answered them and said," as if to say: you marvel whence I have knowledge; but I say, that "my teaching is not mine." If he had said "the teaching that I speak is not mine," there would be no question; but the fact that he says "mine is not mine" seems to imply a contradiction. But this is resolved, because this can be said in many ways. Whence his teaching can in one way be called his, and in another way not his. For if it be understood of Christ the Son of God, then, since the teaching of anyone is nothing other than his word, but the Son of God is the Father's Word, it follows therefore that the Father's teaching is the Son himself. Now the same Word is his own by identity of substance. For what is yours, if not you yourself? But it is not his own by origin. For what is not yours more than you, if you belong to someone, whatever you are? As Augustine says. This therefore, briefly, seems to be what he said: "my teaching is not mine"; as if he were saying: I am not from myself. In which the Sabellian heresy is confounded, who dared to say that he who is the Son is the same as he who is the Father. Or: "my teaching," which I pronounce by a created word, "is not mine, but his who sent me," the Father's; that is, it is not mine from myself, but from the Father, because even the Son has knowledge, through eternal generation, from the Father; Matthew 2:27: "all things have been delivered to me by my Father." But if it be understood of Christ the Son of Man, then he says "my teaching," which I have according to my created soul, and utter with the mouth of my body, "is not mine," that is, it is not mine from myself, but from God: because every truth, by whomsoever it is spoken, is from the Holy Spirit. Thus therefore, according to Augustine, in Book I On the Trinity, in one respect he called the teaching his own, and in another respect not his own: according to the form of God it is his own, according to the form of a servant it is not his own. From which we have an example, that we should acknowledge all our knowledge, with thanksgiving, as being from God; 1 Corinthians 4:7: "What do you have that you have not received? But if you have received it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?" Consequently, when he says "if anyone is willing to do his will, he shall know concerning the teaching," etc., he proves that his teaching is from God: and this in two ways. First from the judgment of those who rightly perceive; second from his own intention, at the point "he who speaks from himself seeks his own glory." Concerning the first it must be known, that one must stand by the judgment of him as to whether someone works well in some art, who is experienced in that art: just as, whether someone speaks French well, one must stand by the judgment of him who is skilled in the French language. According to this, then, the Lord says: one must stand by the judgment of him, as to whether my teaching is from God, who is experienced in divine matters, for such a one can rightly judge concerning these things; 1 Corinthians 2:14: "the natural man does not perceive the things that are of the Spirit of God, but the spiritual man judges all things." And therefore he says: because you are alienated from God, therefore you do not know concerning the teaching whether it be from God. "But if anyone is willing to do his," that is God's, "will," this one can know whether this teaching is from God, "or whether I speak from myself." Now he indeed speaks from himself who says what is false; because, as is said below, John 8:44, "when he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own." Or otherwise, according to Chrysostom. For the will of God is peace, charity, and our humility; whence Matthew 5:9 it is said: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God." But the zeal of contention frequently perverts the mind of man, to such an extent that he considers the true to be false. Whence, once the spirit of contention is laid aside, the certainty of truth is more rightly held; Job 6:29: "Answer, I beseech you, without contention, and speaking that which is just, judge." And therefore the Lord says: if anyone wishes to judge rightly concerning my teaching, let him do his will; that is, let him lay aside the anger, envy, and hatred which he has toward me without cause. And there is nothing to prevent him from knowing whether it be from God, or whether I speak from myself, that is, that they are the words of God which I speak. Or otherwise, according to Augustine. The will of God is that we do his works, just as it is the will of the master of a household that his laborers do his work. Now the work of God is that we believe in him whom he himself has sent; above, John 6:29: "this is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." Therefore he says, "if anyone is willing to do his," namely God's, "will," that is, to believe in me, this one will know whether my teaching is from God. Isaiah 7:9, according to another reading: "unless you believe, you shall not understand." Consequently, when he says "he who speaks from himself seeks his own glory," he proves the same thing from his own intention. And he sets down a twofold intention, by which is understood a twofold origin of teaching. Now it has been said that some speak from themselves, but others speak not from themselves. Now whoever strives to speak the truth speaks not from himself. All knowledge of truth is from another: either by way of instruction, as from a teacher; or by way of revelation, as from God; or by way of discovery, as from the things themselves, because, as is said in Romans 1:20: "the invisible things of God are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made." Thus therefore, in whichever of these ways some knowledge is had, it is not from the man himself. But he speaks from himself who has received the things he says neither from things nor from human teaching, but from his own heart; Jeremiah 23:16: "they speak the vision of their own heart"; Ezekiel 13:3: "Woe to the foolish prophets who prophesy out of their own heart." Thus therefore, to fabricate something from oneself is for the sake of human glory: because, as Chrysostom says, whoever wishes to teach some doctrine of his own wants this for no other reason than that he may acquire glory. And this is what the Lord says, proving that his teaching is from God. "He who speaks from himself," apart from the sure knowledge of truth which is from another, this one seeks his own glory, for the sake of which, and for the sake of pride, heresies and false opinions are introduced. And this befits Antichrist; 2 Thessalonians 2:4: "who opposes and is lifted up above all that is called God or that is worshiped." "But he who seeks the glory of him who sent him," as I seek — below, John 8:50: "I do not seek my own glory" — "this one is truthful, and there is no injustice in him." I am truthful, because my teaching contains the truth; there is no injustice in me, because I do not usurp another's glory. And, as Augustine says, he offered us a great example of humility, in that, being found in the condition of a man, he seeks the glory of the Father, not his own: which you, O man, ought to do. When you do something good, you seek your own glory; when you do something evil, you contrive a slander against God. But it is clear that he was not seeking his own glory; because if he had not been an adversary to the chief priests, they would not have persecuted him. Thus therefore Christ, and whoever seeks the glory of God, has indeed in his intellect knowledge — Matthew 20:16: "Master, we know that you are truthful" — and therefore he says here "this one is truthful"; but in effect a right intention, whence he says "and there is no injustice in him." For injustice is that a man usurp to himself what belongs to another; but glory belongs properly to God alone: whoever therefore seeks glory for himself is unjust. Consequently, when he says "did not Moses give you the law?" he excludes an objection. For someone could say to Christ, that his teaching was not from God for this reason, that he broke the Sabbath, according to that saying below, John 9:16: "this man is not from God, who does not keep the Sabbath." And this he intends to exclude; whence concerning this he does three things. First he excuses himself, arguing from the side of the accusers; second their wicked response is shown, at the point "the crowd answered," etc.; third he excuses himself by an argument, at the point "Jesus answered and said to them: I have done one work, and you all marvel." He says therefore: granted, as you say, that my teaching is not from God, because I do not keep the law, breaking the Sabbath; nevertheless you have no cause for accusing, since you are in a like fault. Whence he says, "did not Moses give you," that is, your people, "the law? And yet none of you keeps," that is, observes, "the law"; Acts 7:53: "you received the law by the ordinance of angels, and you have not kept it." Whence also Peter, Acts 15:10: "this is a burden which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear." If therefore you do not keep the law, why, on account of a transgression of it, do you wish to kill me? For you do not do this for this reason, but out of hatred: otherwise, if you were acting out of zeal for the law, you yourselves would keep it; Wisdom 2:12: "let us lie in wait for the just one, because he is not useful to us, and is contrary to our works, and reproaches us with the sins of the law"; and there follows: "let us condemn him to a most shameful death." Or it may be said, that you do not keep the law which Moses gave you: and this is clear in the fact that you wish to kill me, which is against the law; Exodus 20:13: "You shall not kill." Or otherwise, according to Augustine: you do not do the law, because I myself am contained in the law; above, John 5:46: "if you believed Moses, you would perhaps believe me also; for he wrote of me." But you wish to kill me. Consequently, the wicked response of the crowd is set down, when he says, "the crowd answered, and said: You have a demon." Now the crowd truly answers things that do not pertain to order, but to disturbance, as Augustine says: for they say that he has a demon who casts out demons, Matthew 12:24. And therefore, consequently, when he says "I have done one work, and you all marvel," the Lord, tranquil in his own truth, confutes them, excusing himself by an argument; and first he reminds them of the deed on account of which they are disturbed; second he shows that they ought not to be disturbed, at the point "therefore Moses gave you circumcision"; third he brings them to just judgment, at the point "do not judge according to appearance," etc. Jesus therefore answered, and said to them: "I have done one work, and you all marvel." He did not return reviling for reviling, nor did he repel them, because "when he was reviled, he did not revile in return"; but he reminds them of the deed concerning the healing of the paralytic, at which they all marveled, not with the admiration of devotion, according to that saying, Isaiah 60:5: "you shall see and abound, and your heart shall marvel and be enlarged," but with the admiration of disturbance, according to that saying, Wisdom 5:2: "seeing it they shall be troubled with terrible fear, and shall marvel at the suddenness of the unlooked-for salvation." If therefore you marvel because of one work, that is, are disturbed with disturbance, what would you do if you saw all my works? For, as Augustine says, it was his works that they were seeing in the world: all the sick also are healed by him; Psalm 106:20: "he sent his word, and healed them"; Wisdom 16:12: "neither herb nor poultice healed them, but your word, O Lord, which heals all things." Therefore you are disturbed for this reason, that you see only one work, and not all. Consequently, when he says "therefore Moses gave you circumcision," he convicts them of unjust disturbance, and first he sets down the commandment given to them by Moses; second, their deed; and third he argues from both. Now the commandment of Moses is concerning circumcision; and therefore he says, "therefore," that is, to signify my works, "Moses gave you circumcision." For circumcision was given as a sign, as is had in Genesis 17:2: "it shall be to you a sign of the covenant between me and you": for it signified Christ; and therefore it was always given in the member of generation, because from Abraham, according to the flesh, Christ was to descend, who effects spiritual circumcision, that is, of mind and body. Or it was done in that member for this reason, that it was given against original sin. But that Moses gave circumcision is not expressly found, except Exodus 17:44: "every bought slave shall be circumcised." And although Moses gave circumcision, it was not as though instituting it: because he himself was not the first to receive the commandment of circumcision, but Abraham, as is had in Genesis 17:10. Now the deed of the Jews is that they circumcised on the Sabbath; and this is what he says, "and you circumcise on the Sabbath," etc. And this for this reason, because it was commanded to Abraham that the child be circumcised on the eighth day; Genesis 21:4: "he circumcised him on the eighth day, as God had commanded him." But from Moses it had been commanded them that they should do no work on the Sabbath day. Now it happened sometimes that the eighth day, of necessity, fell on the Sabbath day; and thus, circumcising the child on that very day, they broke the commandment of Moses, for the sake of the commandment of the fathers. And therefore from these things the Lord argues, when he says, "if a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses may not be broken; are you angry at me, because I made a man completely whole on the Sabbath?" Here it must be noted, that this argument has its force from these three considerations, of which two are express, but the third is understood. For we see, first, that although the commandment of Abraham was earlier, nevertheless the commandment of Moses concerning the observance of the Sabbath did not take precedence over the earlier one, namely the commandment concerning circumcision; Galatians 3:17: "now this I say, that the covenant confirmed by God, the law, which was made four hundred and thirty years after, does not annul." And therefore from this he argues: because although in human laws later things take precedence over earlier ones, nevertheless in divine matters the earlier things are of greater authority. And therefore the commandment given to Abraham concerning circumcision is not prejudiced by the commandment of Moses concerning the observance of the Sabbath. Much less, therefore, is it prejudiced in my case, who do what was disposed by God, before the constitution of the world, concerning the salvation of men, figured in the Sabbath. Another consideration is, that the Jews had a commandment that they should not work on the Sabbath; and yet the Jews did work those things that pertained to a particular salvation. He says therefore: if you, to whom it is commanded that you do nothing on the Sabbath, receive circumcision on that very day, which is a certain particular salvation (whence also it was done in a particular member), and you do this, so that the law of Moses may not be broken (from which it is clear, that the things that pertain to salvation are not to be omitted on the Sabbath) — then much more ought a man to do, on that very day, those things that are for the salvation of all. You ought not, therefore, to be indignant at me, because I made a man completely whole on the Sabbath. The third consideration is, that both commandments were a figure: for "all these things happened to them in figure," 1 Corinthians 10:11. If therefore the figure, namely the commandment concerning the observance of the Sabbath, is not prejudicial to the figure, namely the commandment of circumcision, much less is it prejudicial to the truth. For circumcision itself prefigured the Lord, as Augustine says. Now he says "the whole man" for this reason, that, since the works of God are perfect, he was healed so as to be sound in body, and he believed so as to be sound in soul. Consequently, when he says "do not judge according to appearance," etc., he brings them back to a just examination of themselves: namely, that they should not judge according to appearance, but with just judgment. Now someone is said to judge according to appearance in two ways. For a judge judges according to what is alleged; 1 Samuel 15:7: "men see the things that appear." But in this there can be deception; and therefore he says "do not judge according to appearance," that is, according to that which immediately appears, but inquire diligently; Job 29:16: "the cause which I did not know, I searched out diligently"; Isaiah 11:3: "he shall not judge according to the sight of the eyes." Or otherwise, "do not judge according to appearance," that is, do not accept a person in judgment: for this is forbidden to all who judge; Exodus 23:6: "you shall not accept the person of the poor in judgment"; Malachi 2:9: "you accept faces in judgment." Now to accept a person in judgment is to set aside just judgment on account of love, or reverence, or fear, or the condition of the person, which do not pertain to the case. He says therefore "do not judge," as if to say: not because Moses has greater glory among you than I, should you pass sentence from the dignity of persons, but from the nature of things: because the things that I do are greater than the things that Moses did. But it must be noted, according to Augustine, that he does not judge partially who loves equally. For when we honor men in different ways according to their ranks, it is not to be feared that we are accepting a person.”

“Here is, I. Christ's public preaching in the temple (Joh 7:14): He went up into the temple, and taught, according to his custom when he was at Jerusalem. His business was to preach the gospel of the kingdom, and he did it in every place of concourse. His sermon is not recorded, because, probably, it was to the same purport with the sermons he had preached in Galilee, which were recorded by the other evangelists. For the gospel is the same to the plain and to the polite. But that which is observable here is that it was about the midst of the feast; the fourth or fifth day of the eight. Whether he did not come up to Jerusalem till the middle of the feast, or whether he came up at the beginning, but kept private till now, is not certain. But, Query, Why did he not go to the temple sooner, to preach? Answer, 1. Because the people would have more leisure to hear him, and, it might be hoped, would be better disposed to hear him, when they had spent some days in their booths, as they did at the feast of tabernacles. 2. Because he would choose to appear when both his friends and his enemies had done looking for him; and so give a specimen of the method he would observe in his appearances, which is to come at midnight, Mat 25:6. But why did he appear thus publicly now? Surely it was to shame his persecutors, the chief priests and elders. (1.) By showing that, though they were very bitter against him, yet he did not fear them, nor their power. See Isa 50:7, Isa 50:8. (2.) By taking their work out of their hands. Their office was to teach the people in the temple, and particularly at the feast of tabernacles, Neh 8:17, Neh 8:18. But they either did not teach them at all or taught for doctrines the commandments of men, and therefore he goes up to the temple and teaches the people. When the shepherds of Israel made a prey of the flock it was time for the chief Shepherd to appear, as was promised. Eze 34:22, Eze 34:23; Mal 3:1. II. His discourse with the Jews hereupon; and the conference is reducible to four heads: 1. Concerning his doctrine. See here, (1.) How the Jews admired it (Joh 7:15): They marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned? Observe here, [1.] That our Lord Jesus was not educated in the schools of the prophets, or at the feet of the rabbin; not only did not travel for learning, as the philosophers did, but did not make any use of the schools and academies in his own country. Moses was taught the learning of the Egyptians, but Christ was not taught so much as the learning of the Jews; having received the Spirit without measure, he needed not receive any knowledge from man, or by man. At the time of Christ's appearing, learning flourished both in the Roman empire and in the Jewish church more than in any age before or since, and in such a time of enquiry Christ chose to establish his religion, not in an illiterate age, lest it should look like a design to impose upon the world; yet he himself studied not the learning then in vogue. [2.] That Christ had letters, though he had never learned them; was mighty in the scriptures, though he never had any doctor of the law for his tutor. It is necessary that Christ's ministers should have learning, as he had; and since they cannot expect to have it as he had it, by inspiration, they must take pains to get it in an ordinary way. [3.] That Christ's having learning, though he had not been taught it, made him truly great and wonderful; the Jews speak of it here with wonder. First, Some, it is likely, took notice of it to his honour: He that had no human learning, and yet so far excelled all that had, certainly must be endued with a divine knowledge. Secondly, Others, probably, mentioned it in disparagement and contempt of him: Whatever he seems to have, he cannot really have any true learning, for he was never at the university, nor took his degree. Thirdly, Some perhaps suggested that he had got his learning by magic arts, or some unlawful means or other. Since they know not how he could be a scholar, they will think him a conjurer. (2.) What he asserted concerning it; three things: - [1.] That his doctrine is divine (Joh 7:16): My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. They were offended because he undertook to teach though he had never learned, in answer to which he tells them that his doctrine was such as was not to be learned, for it was not the product of human thought and natural powers enlarged and elevated by reading and conversation, but it was a divine revelation. As God, equal with the Father, he might truly have said, My doctrine is mine, and his that sent me; but being now in his estate of humiliation, and being, as Mediator, God's servant, it was more congruous to say, "My doctrine is not mine, not mine only, nor mine originally, as man and mediator, but his that sent me; it does not centre in myself, nor lead ultimately to myself, but to him that sent me." God had promised concerning the great prophet that he would put his words into his mouth (Deu 18:18), to which Christ seems here to refer. Note, It is the comfort of those who embrace Christ's doctrine, and the condemnation of those who reject it, that it is a divine doctrine: it is of God and not of man. [2.] That the most competent judges of the truth and divine authority of Christ's doctrine are those that with a sincere and upright heart desire and endeavour to do the will of God (Joh 7:17): If any man be willing to do the will of God, have his will melted into the will of God, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of myself. Observe here, First, What the question is, concerning the doctrine of Christ, whether it be of God or no; whether the gospel be a divine revelation or an imposture. Christ himself was willing to have his doctrine enquired into, whether it were of God or no, much more should his ministers; and we are concerned to examine what grounds we go upon, for, if we be deceived, we are miserably deceived. Secondly, Who are likely to succeed in this search: those that do the will of God, at least are desirous to do it. Now see, 1. Who they are that will do the will of God. They are such as are impartial in their enquiries concerning the will of God, and are not biassed by any lust or interest, and such as are resolved by the grace of God, when they find out what the will of God is, to conform to it. They are such as have an honest principle of regard to God, and are truly desirous to glorify and please him. 2. Whence it is that such a one shall know of the truth of Christ's doctrine. (1.) Christ has promised to give knowledge to such; he hath said, He shall know, and he can give an understanding. Those who improve the light they have, and carefully live up to it, shall be secured by divine grace from destructive mistakes. (2.) They are disposed and prepared to receive that knowledge. He that is inclined to submit to the rules of the divine law is disposed to admit the rays of divine light. To him that has shall be given; those have a good understanding that do his commandments, Psa 111:10. Those who resemble God are most likely to understand him. [3.] That hereby it appeared that Christ, as a teacher, did not speak of himself, because he did not seek himself, Joh 7:18. First, See here the character of a deceiver: he seeketh his own glory, which is a sign that he speaks of himself, as the false Christs and false prophets did. Here is the description of the cheat: they speak of themselves, and have no commission nor instructions from God; no warrant but their own will, no inspiration but their own imagination, their own policy and artifice. Ambassadors speak not of themselves; those ministers disclaim that character who glory in this that they speak of themselves. But see the discovery of the cheat; by this their pretensions are disproved, they consult purely their own glory; self-seekers are self-speakers. Those who speak from God will speak for God, and for his glory; those who aim at their own preferment and interest make it to appear that they had no commission form God. Secondly, See the contrary character Christ gives of himself and his doctrine: He that seeks his glory that sent him, as I do, makes it to appear that he is true. 1. He was sent of God. Those teachers, and those only, who are sent of God, are to be received and entertained by us. Those who bring a divine message must prove a divine mission, either by special revelation or by regular institution. 2. He sought the glory of God. It was both the tendency of his doctrine and the tenour of his whole conversation to glorify God. 3. This was a proof that he was true, and there was no unrighteousness in him. False teachers are most unrighteous; they are unjust to God whose name they abuse, and unjust to the souls of men whom they impose upon. There cannot be a greater piece of unrighteousness than this. But Christ made it appear that he was true, that he was really what he said he was, that there was no unrighteousness in him, no falsehood in his doctrine, no fallacy nor fraud in his dealings with us. 2. They discourse concerning the crime that was laid to his charge for curing the impotent man, and bidding him carry his bed on the sabbath day, for which they had formerly prosecuted him, and which was still the pretence of their enmity to him. (1.) He argues against them by way of recrimination, convicting them of far worse practices, Joh 7:19. How could they for shame censure him for a breach of the law of Moses, when they themselves were such notorious breakers of it? Did not Moses give you the law? And it was their privilege that they had the law, no nation had such a law; but it was their wickedness that none of them kept the law, that they rebelled against it, and lived contrary to it. Many that have the law given them, when they have it do not keep it. Their neglect of the law was universal: None of you keepeth it: neither those of them that were in posts of honour, who should have been most knowing, nor those who were in posts of subjection, who should have been most obedient. They boasted of the law, and pretended a zeal for it, and were enraged at Christ for seeming to transgress it, and yet none of them kept it; like those who say that they are for the church, and yet never go to church. It was an aggravation of their wickedness, in persecuting Christ for breaking the law, that they themselves did not keep it: "None of you keepeth the law, why then go ye about to kill me for not keeping it?" Note, Those are commonly most censorious of others who are most faulty themselves. Thus hypocrites, who are forward to pull a mote out of their brother's eye, are not aware of a beam in their own. Why go ye about to kill me? Some take this as the evidence of their not keeping the law: "You keep not the law; if you did, you would understand yourselves better than to go about to kill me for doing a good work." Those that support themselves and their interest by persecution and violence, whatever they pretend (though they may call themselves custodes utriusque tabulae - the guardians of both tables), are not keepers of the law of God. Chemnitius understands this as a reason why it was time to supersede the law of Moses by the gospel, because the law was found insufficient to restrain sin: "Moses gave you the law, but you do not keep it, nor are kept by it from the greatest wickedness; there is therefore need of a clearer light and better law to be brought in; why then do you aim to kill me for introducing it?" Here the people rudely interrupted him in his discourse, and contradicted what he said (Joh 7:20): Thou has a devil; who goes about to kill thee? This intimates, [1.] The good opinion they had of their rulers, who, they think, would never attempt so atrocious a thing as to kill him; no, such a veneration they had for their elders and chief priests that they would swear for them they would do no harm to an innocent man. Probably the rulers had their little emissaries among the people who suggested this to them; many deny that wickedness which at the same time they are contriving. [2.] The ill opinion they had of our Lord Jesus: "Thou hast a devil, thou art possessed with a lying spirit, and art a bad man for saying so;" so some: or rather, "Thou art melancholy, and art a weak man; thou frightenest thyself with causeless fears, as hypochondriacal people are apt to do." Not only open frenzies, but silent melancholies, were then commonly imputed to the power of Satan. "Thou art crazed, has a distempered brain." Let us not think it strange if the best of men are put under the worst of characters. To this vile calumny our Saviour returns no direct answer, but seems as if he took no notice of it. Note, Those who would be like Christ must put up with affronts, and pass by the indignities and injuries done them; must not regard them, much less resent them, and least of all revenge them. I, as a deaf man, heard not. When Christ was reviled, he reviled not again, (2.) He argues by way of appeal and vindication. [1.] He appeals to their own sentiments of this miracle: "I have done one work, and you all marvel, Joh 7:21. You cannot choose but marvel at it as truly great, and altogether supernatural; you must all own it to be marvellous." Or, "Though I have done but one work that you have any colour to find fault with, yet you marvel, you are offended and displeased as if I had been guilty of some heinous or enormous crime." [2.] He appeals to their own practice in other instances: "I have done one work on the sabbath, and it was done easily, with a word's speaking, and you all marvel, you make a mighty strange thing of it, that a religious man should dare do such a thing, whereas you yourselves many a time do that which is a much more servile work on the sabbath day, in the case of circumcision; if it be lawful for you, nay, and your duty, to circumcise a child on the sabbath day, when it happens to be the eighth day, as no doubt it is, much more was it lawful and good for me to heal a diseased man on that day." Observe, First, The rise and origin of circumcision: Moses gave you circumcision, gave you the law concerning it. Here, 1. Circumcision is said to be given, and (Joh 7:23) they are said to receive it; it was not imposed upon them as a yoke, but conferred upon them as a favour. Note, The ordinances of God, and particularly those which are seals of the covenant, are gifts given to men, and are to be received as such. 2. Moses is said to give it, because it was a part of that law which was given by Moses; yet, as Christ said of the manna (Joh 6:32), Moses did not give it them, but God; nay, and it was not of Moses first, but of the fathers, Joh 7:22. Though it was incorporated into the Mosaic institution, yet it was ordained long before, for it was a seal of the righteousness of faith, and therefore commenced with the promise four hundred and thirty years before, Gal 3:17. The church membership of believers and their seed was not of Moses or his law, and therefore did not fall with it; but was of the fathers, belonged to the patriarchal church, and was part of that blessing of Abraham which was to come upon the Gentiles, Gal 3:14. Secondly, The respect paid to the law of circumcision above that of the sabbath, in the constant practice of the Jewish church. The Jewish casuists frequently take notice of it, Circumcisio et ejus sanatio pellit sabbbatum - Circumcision and its cure drive away the sabbath; so that if a child was born one sabbath day it was without fail circumcised the next. If then, when the sabbath rest was more strictly insisted on, yet those works were allowed which were in ordine ad spiritualia - for the keeping up of religion, much more are they allowed now under the gospel, when the stress is laid more upon the sabbath work. Thirdly, The inference Christ draws hence in justification of himself, and of what he had done (Joh 7:23): A man-child on the sabbath day receives circumcision, that the law of circumcision might not be broken; or, as the margin reads it, without breaking the law, namely, of the sabbath. Divine commands must be construed so as to agree with each other. "Now, if this be allowed by yourselves, how unreasonable are you, who are angry with me because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day!" emoi cholate. The word is used only here, from chogē - fel, gall. They were angry at him with the greatest indignation; it was a spiteful anger, anger with gall in it. Note, It is very absurd and unreasonable for us to condemn others for that in which we justify ourselves. Observe the comparison Christ here makes between their circumcising a child and his healing a man on the sabbath day. 1. Circumcision was but a ceremonial institution; it was of the fathers indeed, but not from the beginning; but what Christ did was a good work by the law of nature, a more excellent law than that which made circumcision a good work. 2. Circumcision was a bloody ordinance, and made sore; but what Christ did was healing, and made whole. The law works pain, and, if that work may be done on the sabbath day, much more a gospel work, which produces peace. 3. Especially considering that whereas, when they had circumcised a child, their care was only to heal up that part which was circumcised, which might be done and yet the child remain under other illnesses, Christ had made this man every whit whole, holon anthrōpon hugiē - I have made the whole man healthful and sound. The whole body was healed, for the disease affected the whole body; and it was a perfect cure, such as left no relics of the disease behind; nay, Christ not only healed his body, but his soul too, by that admonition, Go, and sin no more, and so indeed made the whole man sound, for the soul is the man. Circumcision indeed was intended for the good of the soul, and to make the whole man as it should be; but they had perverted it, and turned it into a mere carnal ordinance; but Christ accompanied his outward cures with inward grace, and so made them sacramental, and healed the whole man. He concludes this argument with that rule (Joh 7:24): Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. This may be applied, either, First, In particular, to this work which they quarrelled with as a violation of the law. Be not partial in your judgment; judge not, kat' opsin - with respect of persons; knowing faces, as the Hebrew phrase is, Deu 1:17. It is contrary to the law of justice, as well as charity, to censure those who differ in opinion from us as transgressors, in taking that liberty which yet in those of our own party, and way, and opinion, we allow of; as it is also to commend that in some as necessary strictness and severity which in others we condemn as imposition and persecution. Or, Secondly, In general, to Christ's person and preaching, which they were offended at and prejudiced against. Those things that are false, and designed to impose upon men, commonly appear best when they are judged of according to the outward appearance, they appear most plausible prima facie - at the first glance. It was this that gained the Pharisees such an interest and reputation, that they appeared right unto men (Mat 23:27, Mat 23:28), and men judged of them by that appearance, and so were sadly mistaken in them. "But," saith Christ, "be not too confident that all are real saints who are seeming ones." With reference to himself, his outward appearance was far short of his real dignity and excellency, for he took upon him the form of a servant (Phi 2:7), was in the likeness of sinful flesh (Rom 8:3), had no form nor comeliness, Isa 53:2. So that those who undertook to judge whether he was the Son of God or no by his outward appearance were not likely to judge righteous judgment. The Jews expected the outward appearance of the Messiah to be pompous and magnificent, and attended with all the ceremonies of secular grandeur; and, judging of Christ by that rule, their judgment was from first to last a continual mistake, for the kingdom of Christ was not to be of this world, nor to come with observation. If a divine power accompanied him, and God bore him witness, and the scriptures were fulfilled in him, though his appearance was ever so mean, they ought to receive him, and to judge by faith, and not by the sight of the eye. See Isa 11:3, and Sa1 16:7. Christ and his doctrine and doings desire nothing but righteous judgment; if truth and justice may but pass the sentence, Christ and his cause will carry the day. We must not judge concerning any by their outward appearance, not by their titles, the figure they make in the world, and their fluttering show, but by their intrinsic worth, and the gifts and graces of God's Spirit in them. 3. Christ discourses with them here concerning himself, whence he came, and whither he was going, Joh 7:25-36. (1.) Whence he came, Joh 7:25-31. In the account of this observe, [1.] The objection concerning this stated by some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who seem to have been of all others most prejudiced against him, Joh 7:25. One would think that those who lived at the fountain-head of knowledge and religion should have been most ready to receive the Messiah: but it proved quite contrary. Those that have plenty of the means of knowledge and grace, if they are not made better by them, are commonly made worse; and our Lord Jesus has often met with the least welcome from those that one would expect the best from. But it was not without some just cause that it came into a proverb, The nearer the church the further from God. These people of Jerusalem showed their ill-will to Christ, First, By their reflecting on the rulers, because they let him alone: Is not this he whom they seek to kill? The multitude of the people that came up out of the country to the feast did not suspect there was any design on foot against him, and therefore they said, Who goes about to kill thee? Joh 7:20. But those of Jerusalem knew the plot, and irritated their rulers to put it into execution: "Is not this he whom they seek to kill? Why do they not do it then? Who hinders them? They say that they have a mind to get him out of the way, and yet, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing to him; do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ?" Joh 7:26. Here they slyly and maliciously insinuate two things, to exasperate the rulers against Christ, when indeed they needed to spur. 1. That by conniving at his preaching they brought their authority into contempt. "Must a man that is condemned by the sanhedrim as a deceiver be permitted to speak boldly, without any check or contradiction? This makes their sentence to be but brutem fulmen - a vain menace; if our rulers will suffer themselves to be thus trampled upon, they may thank themselves if none stand in awe of them and their laws." Note, The worst of persecutions have often been carried on under colour of the necessary support of authority and government. 2. That hereby they brought their judgment into suspicion. Do they know that this is the Christ? It is spoken ironically, "How came they to change their mind? What new discovery have they lighted on? They give people occasion to think that they believe him to be the Christ, and it behoves them to act vigorously against him to clear themselves from the suspicion." Thus the rulers, who had made the people enemies to Christ, made them seven times more the children of hell than themselves, Mat 23:15. When religion and the profession of Christ's name are out of fashion, and consequently out of repute, many are strongly tempted to persecute and oppose them, only that they may not be thought to favour them and incline to them. And for this reason apostates, and the degenerate offspring of good parents, have been sometimes worse than others, as it were to wipe off the stain of their profession. It was strange that the rulers, thus irritated, did not seize Christ; but his hour was not yet come; and God can tie men's hands to admiration, though he should not turn their hearts. Secondly, By their exception against his being the Christ, in which appeared more malice than matter, Joh 7:27. "If the rulers think him to be the Christ, we neither can nor will believe him to be so, for we have this argument against it, that we know this man, whence he is; but when Christ comes no man knows whence he is." Here is a fallacy in the argument, for the propositions are not body ad idem - adapted to the same view of the subject. 1. If they speak of his divine nature, it is true that when Christ comes no man knows whence he is, for he is a priest after the order of Melchizedek, who was without descent, and his goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting, Mic 5:2. But then it is not true that as for this man they knew whence he was, for they knew not his divine nature, nor how the Word was made flesh. 2. If they speak of his human nature, it is true that they knew whence he was, who was his mother, and where he was bred up; but then it is false that ever it was said of the Messiah that none should know whence he was, for it was known before where he should be born, Mat 2:4, Mat 2:5. Observe, (1.) How they despised him, because they knew whence he was. Familiarity breeds contempt, and we are apt to disdain the use of those whom we know the rise of. Christ's own received him not, because he was their own, for which very reason they should the rather have loved him, and been thankful that their nation and their age were honoured with his appearance. (2.) How they endeavoured unjustly to fasten the ground of their prejudice upon the scriptures, as if they countenanced them, when there was no such thing. Therefore people err concerning Christ, because they know not the scripture. [2.] Christ's answer to this objection, Joh 7:28, Joh 7:29. First, He spoke freely and boldly, he cried in the temple, as he taught, he spoke this louder than the rest of his discourse, 1. To express his earnestness, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts. There may be a vehemency in contending for the truth where yet there is no intemperate heat nor passion. We may instruct gainsayers with warmth, and yet with meekness. 2. The priests and those that were prejudiced against him, did not come near enough to hear his preaching, and therefore he must speak louder than ordinary what he will have them to hear. Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear this. Secondly, His answer to their cavil is, 1. By way of concession, granting that they did or might know his origin as to the flesh: "You both know me, and you know whence I am. You know I am of your own nation, and one of yourselves." It is no disparagement to the doctrine of Christ that there is that in it which is level to the capacities of the meanest, plain truths, discovered even by nature's light, of which we may say, We know whence they are. "You know me, you think you know me; but you are mistaken; you take me to be the carpenter's son, and born at Nazareth, but it is not so." 2. By way of negation, denying that that which they did see in him, and know of him, was all that was to be known; and therefore, if they looked no further, they judged by the outward appearance only. They knew whence he came perhaps, and where he had his birth, but he will tell them what they knew not, from whom he came. (1.) That he did not come of himself; that he did not run without sending, nor come as a private person, but with a public character. (2.) That he was sent of his Father; this is twice mentioned: He hath sent me. And again, "He hath sent me, to say what I say, and do what I do." This he was himself well assured of, and therefore knew that his Father would bear him out; and it is well for us that we are assured of it too, that we may with holy confidence go to God by him. (3.) That he was from his Father, par' autou eimi - I am from him; not only sent from him as a servant from his master, but from him by eternal generation, as a son from his father, by essential emanation, as the beams from the sun. (4.) That the Father who sent him is true; he had promised to give the Messiah, and, though the Jews had forfeited the promise, yet he that made the promise is true, and has performed it. He had promised that the Messiah should see his seed, and be successful in his undertaking; and, though the generality of the Jews reject him and his gospel, yet he is true, and will fulfil the promise in the calling of the Gentiles. (5.) That these unbelieving Jews did not know the Father: He that sent me, whom you know not. There is much ignorance of God even with many that have a form of knowledge; and the true reason why people reject Christ is because they do not know God; for there is such a harmony of the divine attributes in the work of redemption, and such an admirable agreement between natural and revealed religion, that the right knowledge of the former would not only admit, but introduce, the latter. (6.) Our Lord Jesus was intimately acquainted with the Father that sent him: but I know him. He knew him so well that he was not at all in doubt concerning his mission from him, but perfectly assured of it; nor at all in the dark concerning the work he had to do, but perfectly apprized of it, Mat 11:27. [3.] The provocation which this gave to his enemies, who hated him because he told them the truth, Joh 7:30. They sought therefore to take him, to lay violent hands on him, not only to do him a mischief, but some way or other to be the death of him; but by the restraint of an invisible power it was prevented; nobody touched him, because his hour was not yet come; this was not their reason why they did it not, but God's reason why he hindered them from doing it. Note, First, The faithful preachers of the truths of God, though they behave themselves with ever so much prudence and meekness, must expect to be hated and persecuted by those who think themselves tormented by their testimony, Rev 11:10. Secondly, God has wicked men in a chain, and, whatever mischief they would do, they can do no more than God will suffer them to do. The malice of persecutors is impotent even when it is most impetuous, and, when Satan fills their hearts, yet God ties their hands. Thirdly, God's servants are sometimes wonderfully protected by indiscernible unaccountable means. Their enemies do not do the mischief they designed, and yet neither they themselves nor any one else can tell why they do not. Fourthly, Christ had his hour set, which was to put a period to his day and work on earth; so have all his people and all his ministers, and, till that hour comes, the attempts of their enemies against them are ineffectual, and their day shall be lengthened as long as their Master has any work for them to do; nor can all the powers of hell and earth prevail against them, until they have finished their testimony. [4.] The good effect which Christ's discourse had, notwithstanding this, upon some of his hearers (Joh 7:31): Many of the people believed on him. As he was set for the fall of some, so for the rising again of others. Even where the gospel meets with opposition there may yet be a great deal of good done, Th1 2:2. Observe here, First, Who they were that believed; not a few, but many, more than one would have expected when the stream ran so strongly the other way. But these many were of the people, ek tou ochlou - of the multitude, the crowd, the inferior sort, the mob, the rabble, some would have called them. We must not measure the prosperity of the gospel by its success among the great ones; nor much ministers say that they labour in vain, though none but the poor, and those of no figure, receive the gospel, Co1 1:26. Secondly, What induced them to believe: the miracles which he did, which were not only the accomplishment of the Old Testament prophecies (Isa 35:5, Isa 35:6), but an argument of a divine power. He that had an ability to do that which none but God can do, to control and overrule the powers of nature, no doubt had authority to enact that which none but God can enact, a law that shall bind conscience, and a covenant that shall give life. Thirdly, How weak their faith was: they do not positively assert, as the Samaritans did, This is indeed the Christ, but they only argue, When Christ comes will he do more miracles than these? They take it for granted that Christ will come, and, when he comes, will do many miracles. "Is not this he then? In him we see, though not all the worldly pomp we have fancied, yet all the divine power we have believed the Messiah should appear in; and therefore why may not this”

“And the Jews marvelled,.... Both at the matter, and manner of his doctrine; it was such, as never man spake; his words were so gracious, and there were such truth and evidence in them, and they were delivered with such power and authority, that they were astonished at them: saying, how knoweth this man letters? or "the Scriptures", as the Arabic and Persic versions render it; which are called "holy letters", Ti2 3:15; according to which, the sense is, that they were surprised at his knowledge of the Scriptures, that he should be conversant with them, and be able to interpret them, and give the sense and meaning of them, in so full and clear a manner, as he did: or else the sense is, how came this man to be such a learned man? whence has he this wisdom, and all this learning which he shows? as in Mat 13:54. So a learned man is in Isa 29:11, said to be one that , , "knows letters", as the Septuagint there translate the Hebrew text; but how Christ should know them, or be a learned man, having never learned, was surprising to them: that is, he had not had a liberal education, but was brought up to a trade; he was not trained up at the feet of any of their Rabbins, in any of their universities, or schools of learning; and in which they were certainly right. Modern Jews pretend to say he had a master, whom they sometimes call Elchanan (o), but most commonly they make him to be R. Joshua ben Perachiah (p): with whom they say, he fled into Alexandria in Egypt, for fear of Jannai the king: and one of their writers (q), on this account, charges the evangelist with a falsehood: but who are we to believe, the Jews who lived at the same time with Jesus, and knew his education and manner of life, or those that have lived ages since? (o) Toldos Jesu, p. 5. (p) Juchasin, fol. 159. 1. Ganz Tzemach David, par. 1, fol. 21. 1. & 24. (q) R. Isaac Chizzuk Emuna, par. 2. c. 46. p. 435.”

“about the midst of the feast--the fourth or fifth day of the eight, during which it lasted. went up into the temple and taught--The word denotes formal and continuous teaching, as distinguished from mere casual sayings. This was probably the first time that He did so thus openly in Jerusalem. He had kept back till the feast was half through, to let the stir about Him subside, and entering the city unexpectedly, had begun His "teaching" at the temple, and created a certain awe, before the wrath of the rulers had time to break it.”