In reply to the advice given him by his relations, Christ intimates that his motive for not going sooner to Jerusalem was the assurance which he had, that he should be in danger of suffering death in that city, or on his way thither, and that it was not proper for him at this time to expose himself to it.

6. Then said Jesus unto them, My time is not yet come, but your time is always ready.

7. The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it that the works thereof are evil.

That is, it is not proper for me to go up till the feast is begun, because I should hereby expose myself to doctrine premature danger: for by the purity of my and the severity of my reproofs, I have inflamed the minds of the Jews to the highest pitch of resentment. But you may go up to Jerusalem whenever you please: for you have given no such offence, and are exposed to no danger.

8. Go ye up unto this festival: I go not up yet unto this festival, for my time is not yet full come.

By this it appears that he intended to go up, although not immediately.

9. When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee; or, "having said these words, he continued still in Galilee."

10. But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up to the festival, not openly, but as it were in

That is, without teaching publicly or working any miracles, so as to draw a crowd after him. Had he done either, he might have provoked his enemies to put him to death by some irregular means. It was to avoid such a crowd by the way that he staid behind, till his relations and others were gone up.

11. Then the Jews sought him at the festival, and said, Where is he?

They knew that he who had observed other festivals would attend this also, and therefore inquire not whether he would be there, but where he was to be found.

12. And there was much murmuring, "much disputing," among the people concerning him; for some said, He is a good man; others said, Nay, but he deceiveth the people.

13. Howbeit no man spake openly of him, for fear of the Jews.

The former opinion would have offended the scribes, and the second the common people, among whom Jesus was highly popular.

REFLECTIONS.

1. In the conduct of Jesus upon this occasion, we see that the greatest courage in facing danger may be united with the greatest prudence in avoiding it, where to encounter it would be useless. He who went up publicly to Jerusalem at the last passover, who visited his usual places of resort, and who put himself into the hands of his enemies, when he knew that every thing was prepared for a public trial and execution, at present retires from Judæa, to avoid his enemies, and absents

himself for a time from a religious festival, or goes to it in a private manner, lest he should give too much offence, or yield himself too much to their power. This union of courage with prudence is a rare occurrence, and discovers uncommon excellence of character. We too often see in the advocates of truth no-. thing but an anxious concern for personal safety; no care but to avoid every appearance and every act which may involve them involve them in hazard; or, on the other hand, a thoughtless rashness, which courts danger and incurs it unnecessarily hence they become the victims of their own folly, without rendering any essential service to the interests of truth and virtue. Happy is the man who, like Jesus, can unite these seemingly opposite qualities; who knows when to withstand the enemies of truth, and when to retire from them.

2. In the account here given of our Lord's kinsmen, we see the mischievous effects of envy: this prevented them from acknowledging his divine mission, and from perceiving the force of evidence, which was abundantly satisfactory to unprejudiced strangers; and the same evil passion still operates to prevent many from embracing the truth, who enjoy the best advantages for becoming acquainted with it. Let us be careful to keep our breasts free from this pernicious principle. How much better is it to be ranked among the brethren of Christ, by character and disposition than by blood and natural alliance!

3. We see that the best characters are not exempted from the imputation of bad motives. The humble Jesus is charged with vanity and the love of praise; and he who sacrificed every comfort for the good of mankind is accused of a selfish regard to his own interest, and of being a deceiver of the people. Let not those who take upon themselves the office of exposing the corruptions of religion, or of reproving the vices of mankind, be surprized or offended if they experience the like injustice. Such returns are an honourable testimony to their sincerity, and a proof that they walk

in the steps of their master; considerations which ought to make them rejoice rather than grieve.

4. We may observe that the enemies of Christ among the Jews are more just in their conclusions than modern unbelievers; for they esteem him a bad man, because he deceived the people; whereas the rejecters of the gospel in the present day maintain that a man may be good, a lover of God and of his brethren, who pretends to speak in God's name, without ever receiving authority from him, and who teaches men to believe and profess doctrines which he knows to be false, and which exposed those who professed them to the loss of every thing that is valuable in the world. That is, they maintain that fraud is consistent with sincerity, and that to usurp the rights of heaven, and to violate its laws, is true piety. To such absurdities are men driven by rejecting the gospel of Christ.

John vii. 14-32.

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

He avoided going up before, lest, by attracting a crowd, he should provoke his enemies to some private attempt against his life, and the world might hereby be deprived of the benefit arising from a public trial and execution. Of this there was less danger when the festival was so far advanced.

15. And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, rather, "learning," having never learnt; "having never been taught."

The learning of the Jews at this time consisted in the knowledge of the scriptures, and what Christ had been employed in was probably an exposition of some

part of the law; his audience were surprised that he should be able to do this, without having had the assistance of a master, which all their scribes and lawyers enjoyed; for Jesus had never been observed to attend upon any. To this he replies by saying that the knowledge which he possessed was not acquired by his own industry, or by the instructions of others, but received from God himself.

16. Jesus answered them, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.

17. If any man will do his will, or, " if any man wisheth to do his will," he shall know of the doctrine," he will know of the doctrine," whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

That is, the man who is sincerely desirous to do the will of God, and ready to comply with it, wherever discovered, in opposition to his passions and private interests, will easily perceive whether the doctrine which I teach proceed from God, or only from myself. This language of Christ strongly implies that those who supposed his doctrine to be of human origin did so from prejudice, and from a mind averse from complying with the will of God; he now suggests to thema plain rule, by which to try the pretensions of a prophet, and to which he appeals for the justness of his

own.

18. He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory; but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness, no deceitfulness*," is in him.

The man who assumes the office of a divine teacher, without divine authority, must do so from interested

See Pearce and Wakefield on this place, and also on Luke xvi. 9.