John 9:25 He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. Pertness and ignorance may ask a question in three lines, which it will cost learning and ingenuity thirty pages to answer. When this is done the same question will be triumphantly asked again next year, as if nothing had ever been written on the subject; and as people in general, for one reason or other, like short objections better than long answers, in this mode of disputation, if it can be styled such, the odds must ever be against us; and we must be content with those of our friends, who have honesty and erudition, candour and patience, to study both sides of the question (chap. John 10:25). (Bp. Horne.)Infidelity can only go round and round the same topics in an eternal circle, without advancing one step further. It produces no new forces: it only brings those again into the field which have been so often baffled, maimed, and disabled, that in pity to them they ought to be dismissed, and discharged from any further service (Acts 19:28, 34). (J. Seed.) Will ye also be His disciples? — Bold irony this — to ask these stately, ruffled, scrupulous Sanhedrists. Whether he was really to regard them as anxious and sincere inquirers about the claims of the Nazarene prophet! Clearly here was a man whose presumptuous honesty would neither be bullied into suppression, or corrupted into a lie. He was quite impracticable. So, since authority, threats, blandishments had all failed, they broke into abuse, "Thou art His disciple," etc. "Strange," he replied, "that you should know nothing of a man who has wrought such a miracle as not even Moses wrought; and we know that neither he nor anyone else could have done it unless he was from God." What! Shades of Hillel and Shammai! Was a mere blind beggar, a natural ignorant heretic, altogether born in sins, to be teaching them? Unable to control any longer their transport of indignation, they flung him out of the hall, and out of the synagogue. (Archdeacon Farrar.) Thou art His disciple. — I. THE CHARACTER OF A TRUE DISCIPLE. This was the first name attached to Christ's followers. It is a correlative to His title, "Teacher": hence they who received His instructions were His disciples. And when they obtained the more distinctive name of their Master, this was recognized, "The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch." Names are but arbitrary signs of things, and are really characteristic no further than as the things themselves exist. The Christians were no worse for being called Nazarenes, and Judas was no better for being called an apostle. Hence the necessity of distinguishing between the proper and the lax use of words. A man may be a disciple universally or really. Such a distinction is coeval with the use of the term. "Many of His disciples went back," "Ye are My disciples indeed. A true disciple — 1. Believingly embraces the doctrines of Christ. They are received into His heart as the basis of conduct; they are the mould which gives its impression to the character. Such doctrines as credible, require faith; as authoritative, bind; as graciously given, are to be used for the benefit of a guilty and erring mind. So close is the affinity between Christ and His truth, that believing His Word is believing in Him. But it is one thing to believe the gospel to be true, and another to believe its necessity to our own well-being; the former will make a man a disciple in name, the latter in truth. 2. Cherishes an ardent affection for Christ's person. Faith is His word by realizing to the mind His great excellencies and gifts, engages its esteem, desire, and delight. It opens the springs of gratitude and awakens the purest sensibilities. This love is a master grace, leading a train of other virtues, which receive their highest worth from it. 3. Devotes himself to the cause of Christ — giving himself up to Christ's disposal — living or dying. This devotedness includes self-denial, confession of Christ before men, lively activity in extending His kingdom. II. THE NECESSITY AND IMPORTANCE OF BEING A TRUE DISCIPLE. 1. From the absolute requirement of God, My son give me thy heart." Everything short of this is robbery. He who delays obedience holds out his enmity against God; and can this succeed? 2. From a principle of consistency. Shall God be treated as we deem it base for man to be treated? In common affairs mere outward respect is insulting. With whom do men trifle when they assume the form of godliness without a care of the power. 3. From a regard to our safety and peace. (Congregational Remembrancer.) Parallel Verses KJV: He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. |
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