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By the name of Greeks all were called, who were neither Israelites nor proselytes, among whom there were not a few pious men, worshippers of the true God." - Grotius. The difficulty, which the apostles found about mentioning these "Greeks" to Jesus, as well as the subsequent discourse, strongly implies, that they were uncircumcised persons. It is supposed that they lived on the confines of Galilee, and thus got acquainted with Philip. They were favourable to the Jewish religion, and came to Jerusalem to worship; yet it is not said that they ate the Passover. They had heard of our Lord's miracles, were desirous of seeing him, and receiving his instructions, and they respectfully applied to Philip for that purpose. Probably, Jesus ordered them to be introduced to him.

Our Lord, on this occasion, declared openly, that the appointed time was at hand, when he should be advanced to his exalted throne, to be glorified as the Saviour and King of both Jews and Gentiles: yet this would not take place till he had laid down his life for them.

The near prospect which our Lord had of his most tremendous sufferings, excited on this occasion such a perturbation of mind, that he publicly declared that "his soul was troubled; and what should he say" in respect of the scene before him? "Shall I say, Father, save me from this hour?" Even his holy nature might have dictated this prayer; had he not known that he came into the world, and had continued so long upon earth, with a special purpose of passing through that season of darkness and anguish ; without which all his former labours, obedience, sufferings, would be unavailing as to the grand object of his incarnation. He would, therefore, in perfect acquiescence, say, "Father, glorify thy name:" for he only desired to be supported through the dreadful scene, to the glory of the Divine justice, holiness, mercy, and truth, in the salvation of sinners. Upon this, the voice of the Father from heaven, which had attested him to be his Beloved Son, at his baptism, and when he was transfigured, proclaimed, that he had both glorified his name, and would glorify it." The life, miracles, and doctrine of our Lord had manifested the glory of God; and his death, resurrection, and exaltation would still more extensively and illustriously display it. Those who heard this voice less distinctly, or the Greeks who did not understand the words spoken, said that "it thundered," as probably it was attended by thunder: others, who understood what was spoken, supposed that an angel addressed him: but none of them seem to have understood, that the Father thus attested his complacency in him and in his whole work. He therefore assured them, that this voice did not come for his sake, as he had been always satisfied of his Father's love; but for their benefit, that they might believe in him as the Son of God. REV. THOMAS SCOTT.

Who can wonder at the desire these Greeks expressed to see so celebrated a person as Jesus was! We hope there was something more than mere curiosity in it, and that at length they saw him with believing eyes, and, according to his prediction, glorified him by a cordial acceptance of his gospel. His disciples, we see, were ready to introduce them: and

surely every faithful minister of Christ will undertake the task with pleasure, when he sees souls awakened by Divine grace, and inquiring after Jesus with affectionate concern.

How admirable is the love and steadfastness of our Redeemer, who procured so great a happiness for us at so dear an expense! and even when his innocent soul was troubled in the view of his sufferings, instead of declining them, met them with joy! How should it animate us to renew that general comprehensive petition, than which none can be more suitable to us with regard to all the Divine dispensations: Father, glorify thine own name! Glorify thyself, O Lord! and to that great end dispose of us as thou pleasest; for we should abhor ourselves if we had any interest separate from thine! DR. DODDRidge.

These Greeks having applied to Philip, he, together with Andrew, whom he consulted on the occasion, informed Jesus of their wishes. They were immediately conducted into his presence, and the Saviour addressed them, with great solemnity, to the following effect:

"The Son of Man, whom you now behold in circumstances of meanness, is about to enter on a state of the highest exaltation. But be not staggered, while you observe that my glory is preceded by extreme sufferings for these are necessary to accomplish the object which I have in view, the salvation of precious souls. As the wheat springs up from the grain, which at first seems to perish in the earth, and which, except it putrefy, will produce no increase; so a numerous company shall be redeemed to God in consequence of my death, and not one of the human race can be saved without it. He also that professes an attachment to my cause, must be willing to make the most painful sacrifices. A solicitous regard to your temporal interests will endanger your eternal welfare; but while you can cheerfully give up life itself for my sake, you adopt the most effectual method to secure your own happiness for ever. If, therefore, you would acknowledge me as your Lord and Master, you must be obedient to my command, and follow, without hesitation, wherever I shall lead, even to the severest calamities; and then you shall be with me, to behold my glory, and sit down with me in my kingdom. My Father himself will declare his approbation of your conduct, and confer distinguished honour upon you."

Our Lord having adverted to his approaching sufferings, was deeply affected with the prospect; and, as if the terrors of death had fallen upon him, he cried, "Now is my soul troubled." He seemed, for a moment, confounded in the view, and ready to petition that he might be rescued from the cross. But whatever the weakness of human nature might suggest, he resolved not to shrink from that which was the grand object of his incarnation; and therefore he prayed only, "Father, glorify thy name." Immediately a voice from heaven declared that the Divine glory had already been secured, and would yet be more signally displayed by his ministry. While the astonished multitude wondered at the sound, many of them not hearing the words distinctly, Jesus remarked, that this

testimony was given not for his sake, as he could want no further assurances of his Father's love, but for the confirmation of their faith. REV. THOMAS ROBINSON.

God is always equally glorious in himself: so he was before the foundations of the world were laid: before ever there were any creatures to celebrate his praise. But there is another glory of God, and that is his declarative glory; which is nothing else but that visible splendour and lustre that reflects from his essential glory, upon the notice and admiration of his creatures. God is, therefore, glorified by his creatures declaring and setting forth the infinite excellencies that are in his essence. We cannot set any new gems in his diadem, which did not shine there before; but when we observe and admire those several corruscations of his attributes which appear in those various methods that God takes to manifest them; then we are said to glorify God.

Christ prays, therefore (John xii. 28), "Father, glorify thy name;" that is, make thine essential glory, the glory and brightness of thine attributes, conspicuous to the world: to which request there was an answer returned from heaven, " I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again :” that is, as I suppose the words may well be interpreted, I have already glorified my mercy, which is my name, in thy incarnation and mission, and I will also glorify my justice in thy passion and crucifixion: by the one declaring how gracious I am in providing a Saviour for the ruined world; by the other how just and holy I am in exacting a full and complete satisfaction for the sins and transgressions of the world.

God's clearest manifestation of his glory was made in Christ, "who is the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person." - Heb. i. 3. In him heaven was brought down to earth, the infinite comprehended, the invisible made conspicuous, and all the miracles both of grace and glory reconciled to our very senses. In him all the attributes of the Divine nature are so interwoven with the infirmities of the human, that, if I may so speak, God in him studied to exhibit to us a person like ourselves, to give us some advantage for our apprehensions to conceive of his infinite perfections. In him omnipotence became weak; eternity mortal, innocence itself guilty; God became man; the Creator, a creature; the Maker of all, his own workmanship; life itself in him underwent the sentence of death! And all these strange impossible truths, as for other ends, so for this, that we might have some clearer hints and discoveries of the infinite glories of God, which in their full brightness would only dazzle and confound us; and therefore the apostle calls him, " God manifested in the flesh.”—1 Tim. iii. 16. Certainly God in flesh must needs be rather veiled and hidden than manifested: but although to himself he was obscured, yet to us he was manifested; because, if the glory of the Deity had not been thus clouded and allayed, it had not been manifested. Hence John, speaking of Christ in the mean estate of his humiliation, says of him, "We behold his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."-John i. 14. BISHOP HOPKINS.

"Father, glorify thy name." By the name of God is to be understood himself in all his attributes; his wisdom, truth, mercy, justice, holiness, &c. which were abundantly glorified by Christ's death and resurrection. Christ teaches here a lesson of submission to the Divine will. Do with me what thou wilt, so that glory may redound to thy name.

"Then came there a voice from heaven," &c. Calmet's note on this passage, taken from Chrysostom, Theodoret, and others, is as follows, in a literal translation ::—“I have accomplished my eternal designs on thee, I have sent thee into the world to make an atonement for the sin of the world, and to satisfy my offended justice. I will finish my work. Thou shalt shed thy blood upon the cross. My glory is interested in the consummation of thy sacrifice. But in procuring my own glory, I shall procure thine. Thy life and thy death glorify me: I have glorified thee by the miracles which have accompanied thy mission; and I will continue to glorify thee at thy death, by unexampled prodigies, and thy resurrection shall be the completion of thy glory and of thy elevation.”

Christ was glorified, 1. By the prodigies which happened at his death. 2. In his resurrection. 3. In his ascension, and sitting at the right hand of God. 4. In the descent of the Holy Ghost on the apostles. And 5. In the astonishing success with which the gospel was accompanied, and by which the kingdom of Christ had been established in the world.-2 Cor. ii. 14. "This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes." Probably meaning those Greeks, who had been brought to him by Philip and Andrew. The Jews had frequent opportunities of seeing his miracles, and of being convinced that he was the Messiah; but these Greeks, who were to be a first fruits of the Gentiles, had never any such opportunity. For their sakes, therefore, to confirm them in the faith, this miraculous voice appears to have come from heaven. DR. A. CLARKE.

God indeed is, ever was, and cannot but be Lord and King of the whole world: in this sense, therefore, we cannot pray for his kingdom as something future. But besides this natural kingdom of God, there is a moral and spiritual one, which he has given to men in the Scriptures. The gospel dispensation is "the kingdom of God," or " of heaven:" that dominion, which in Daniel it is foretold, "the God of heaven should set up, and which should never be destroyed." Our Saviour was then, after John the Baptist, only giving notice of its approach: the largest part of mankind hath not, so much as in profession, entered into this kingdom; but lies overwhelmed in Pagan idolatry, Jewish unbelief, or Mahometan delusion; and the largest part of Christians have corrupted the doctrines of Christ. Here then is great room and great need for praying, that the "Heathen may become the inheritance of Christ, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession:" when "the kingdoms of this world shall be the kingdoms of our God and of his Christ." ARCHBISHOP SECKER.

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