136 Verses 1-5.―There is further recognition here of the Galilean ministry.
136a Verse 1.― “After these things.” That is, about six months after the discourse of chapter 6.
“The Jews.” Cf. 2:8, 54.
137 Verse 3.―As to the Lord’s “brethren being uterine” ―that is, His mother’s children―see Ps. 69:8, and cf. Acts 1:1414These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. (Acts 1:14), 1 Cor. 9:55Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? (1 Corinthians 9:5). This belief is maintained, after Tertullian, by M’Clellan, Farrar (“Early Days of Christianity,” chapter 19.), Mayor (Introduction to “Commentary on Epistle of James”), and by Professor Swete (Commentary on Mark). For the theory that Joseph was married previously, see Lightfoot (“Dissertation” in his edition of the Epistle to the Galatians) and Salmon. It must be borne in mind that Origen and Jerome, who supported the idea of Mary’s continued virginity, were influenced by Apocryphal Gospels. Mr. Carr seems to have changed his opinion since he wrote the note in his Cambridge edition of Matthew’s Gospel (see his note on present passage).
On what we are told in verse 5, Kinnear remarks: “His divinity was hidden in the absolute perfection of His humanity” (p. 71).
135 Verse 8.―The reading “not yet” seems to have arisen from a desire to meet Porphyry’s imputation to JESUS of inconstancy. But the Lord’s not going up then was but an illustration of what this Evangelist speaks of elsewhere―His dependence on the Father, by whose direction He was governed day by day, in respect both of speech (verse 16) and action (v. 19). Any real difficulty is removed by the natural explanation―of Westcott and Plummer―that the Lord meant, not to keep the feast.
139 Verse 12.― “Good” in the sense of “benevolent.”
139a “The Jews.” Here the special meaning that the title acquires in this Gospel is very clear.
140 Verse 15.― “Letters” ―i.e., rabbinical learning (Acts 16: 2-1: πολλὰ γράμματα, “much learning”). In the Gospel records we are told of the Lord Jesus’ writing (John 8:66This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. (John 8:6)), and of His reading (Luke 4:1616And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. (Luke 4:16)). The one reading book of the synagogue school was the Bible. Cf. notes 23, 56 on Mark.
141 Verse 21 f.― “One.” Heitmüller treats this as inconsistent with 7:21. But the Lord is not Himself the speaker there. The expositor takes “because of this” as part of verse 21, but Govett, as the revisers, with “Moses,” as beginning of verse 22.
141a Verse 23.―The ὃλον goes with ἃνθριωπον rather than (as A.V. and R.V.) with ύγιῆ― “a whole man” (so Wetstein).
142 Verse 26.―Observe that it is the rulers (“the Jews”) who fail to recognize the Lord’s Messiahship, and only those of the crowd influenced by them (verse 41).
143 Verse 27.―See note at 9:29.
“He allows that they have spoken rightly of His human origin” (Barth, “Chief Problems,” p. 162). We may suppose, however, that our Lord is but reminding them of their own words recorded in 6:42―i.e., taking them on their own ground.
145a “I am.” Cf. 3:13.
143 Verse 38.― “As the Scripture said.” Reference may be made to such passages as Isa. 12:3; 35:63Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. (Isaiah 12:3)
6Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. (Isaiah 35:6) (cf. Matt. 11:4-64Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and show John again those things which ye do hear and see: 5The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. (Matthew 11:4‑6)); 44:3, 55:1, 58:11; Joel 3:1313Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. (Joel 3:13); Ezek. 47:11Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar. (Ezekiel 47:1).
149 Verse 39.― “Spirit was not yet.” On this Schmiedel, who is followed by Burkitt (p. 248) and Scott (p. 336), has the following remark: “The Holy Spirit had no existence before the exaltation of Christ,” and cites 2 Cor. 3:1717Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. (2 Corinthians 3:17) (col. 210And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: (Colossians 2:10),530). One might fairly expect a writer of such pretension (he has edited Winer’s “Grammar”) to be acquainted with a use of the negative which appears in other passages of this Gospel, such as 9:3 and 11:4, and also m 2 Cor. 3:1010For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. (2 Corinthians 3:10). From there being no article before “Spirit,” some (as Norris and Govett) would explain it of spiritual gift (1 Cor. 1210To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: (1 Corinthians 12:10), 14), which now represents the gifts of the Spirit predicted of the days of Messiah. See, how over, the Exposition, p. 450, note. As to misunderstanding by the Evangelist of the Lord’s utterances (alleged by Reuss and others), see note at 2:21.
150 Verse 40.―Cf. verse 46 for Christ’s words being evidential. As to “the prophet,” see note 118. For the connection of this verse with verse 52, see Carr, “Horæ Biblicæ,” p. 76 ff. He considers that “the” should be understood before “prophet” in the Pharisee’s question (p. 83). This suggestion, which commends itself, is reproduced in the same writer’s annotated edition of the R.V. of this Gospel. Cf. Abbott, “Johannine Grammar,” p. 358.
151 Verse 42.― “Bethlehem.” Critics wonder why John (Wendt and others would say his “editor”), if he knew of the Bethlehem birth, did not here mention it. Perhaps we have in this an instance of what Dr. Salmon described as the Evangelist’s “irony,” as in 6:42. We have examples of something of the kind in the Pauline Epistles. The important point is that the Jews, as Govett remarks, “in this the chief of questions had not interest enough to push their inquiries.”
152 Verse 43.― “Division.” This illustrates Luke 12:5151Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: (Luke 12:51). So, again, in 9:16. 10:19 of this Gospel. The word in each passage is “schism.”
153 Verse 45 f.― “The chief priests.” These represent the Synoptic “Sadducees,” who, together with the Pharisees, made up the Sanhedrin. “Never man” ―i.e., a mere man (ἄνθρωπος).