46 Which of you convicteth me of sin? - And is not my life
as unreprovable as my doctrine? Does not my whole behaviour confirm the
truth of what I teach?
47 He that is of God - That either loves or fears him, heareth - With
joy and reverence, God's words - Which I preach.
48 Say we not well - Have we not just cause to say, Thou art, a Samaritan
- An enemy to our Church and nation; and hast a devil? - Art possessed
by a proud and lying spirit?
49 I honour my Father - I seek his honour only.
50 I seek not my own glory - That is, as I am the Messiah, I consult
not my own glory. I need not. For my Father consulteth it, and will pass
sentence on you accordingly.
51 If a man keep my word - So will my Father consult my glory. We keep
his doctrine by believing, his promises by hoping, his command by obeying.
He shall never see death - That is, death eternal. He shall live for ever.
Hereby he proves that he was no Samaritan; for the Samaritans in general
were Sadducees.
54 If I honour myself - Referring to their words, Whom makest thou thyself?
56 He saw it - By faith in types, figures, and promises; as particularly
in Melchisedec; in the appearance of Jehovah to him in the plains of Mamre,
Gen 18:1; and in the promise that in his seed all the nations of the earth
shall be blessed. Possibly he had likewise a peculiar revelation either
of Christ's first or second coming.
57 Thou art not yet fifty years old - At the most. Perhaps the gravity
of our Lord's countenance, together with his afflictions and labours, might
make him appear older than he really was. Hast thou seen Abraham - Which
they justly supposed must have been, if Abraham had seen him.
58 Before Abraham was I AM - Even from everlasting to everlasting. This
is a direct answer to the objection of the Jews, and shows how much greater
he was than Abraham.
59 Then they took up stones - To stone him as a blasphemer; but Jesus
concealed himself - Probably by becoming invisible; and so passed on -
With the same ease as if none had been there.
