Matthew Poole and continuators on John 11:33

33 When Jesus therefore saw her weep[illegible: 1 letter]ng, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled .

The Apostle speaks of Christ, Heb. 4.15. as an High Pri[illegible: 1 letter]st, that can be touched with the feeling of our Infirmities, and one that can have compassion, Heb. 5.2. Martha's and M[illegible: 1 letter]ry's Passion for their dead Brother was their Infirmity; Christ is touched with the feeling of it. He to shew himself truly man, groaned in himself; it being natural to us, to be affected with the afflictions of others, and to weep with those who weep. But here ariseth a question, Whether Christ was troubled from a Natural necessity, as we sometimes cannot forbear weeping, to see others weep bitterly; or out of choice? Some of the Ancients think it was out of choice. Mr. Calvin and others think, that it was out of a Natural necessity; not that he could not govern his Passions (as we sometimes cannot) by reason; but that he could not as man forbear his Passion. I shall Translate what Mr. Calvin speaks most judiciously in the case, determining neither way, but leaving it to the Readers judgment. But how (saith he) do gnawing, and trouble of Spirit, agree to that Person who was the Son of God? Because, to some it looketh very absurd to say, that Christ as one of us, is subject to human Passions; they think Christ no otherwise at any time, either grieved or rejoiced, than as he, so often as he thought fit, voluntarily assumed to himself those Passions by a secret dispensation. Augustine thought that Christ in this sense is said to have groaned, and to have been troubled; whereas, other mens Passions Transport them, and exercise a Tyranny over them, to the disturbance of their minds: he therefore thinks the meaning is, That Christ being otherwise sedate, and free from Passions, sometimes voluntarily took these Passions. But (saith he) in my judgment, it is a much plainer and simpler sense of this Scripture, if [illegible: 1 letter]e say, That the Son of God, taking upon him our Nature, did also freely with it, put on our Affections; (which are our Natutural Infirmities) so as he in nothing differed from us, but in this, that he had no Sin. Nothing by this is derogated from the Glory of Christ; for he voluntarily submitted to take our Nature upon him: by which he became like to us in our Humane Affections. And we must not think, that after he had voluntarily submitted to take our perfect Nature upon him, that he was free from the Passions and Affections of it: in this he proved himself to be our Brother, that we might know that he is a Mediator for us, who can easily pardon our Infirmities, and is ready to help us, as to those Infirmities which he hath experienced in his own Person. If any one object, That seeing our Passions are Sinful, it doth not agree to the Nature of him who was the Son of God, to share with us in them. I Answer, saith he, There is a great deal of difference (as to these Passions) betwixt us, and Christ; for our Affections are therefore faulty, because they are intemperate, and inordinate, and keep no bounds; but in Christ, tho they be, yet they are Composed, and moderate, and in Obedience to God. The Passions of men are faulty upon two accounts, 1 As they are Turbulent, and not Governed by the Rule of moderation. 2 As they often rise without any due ground or foundation, or are not directed to a right end. They are in us a disease, because we neither grieve, nor rejoice in measure: and to that degree alone, which God permits and allows, many rather give the reins to their Passions. And such is the Vanity of our minds, that we are grieved and troubled for little or no causes, being too much addicted, and cleaving to the World. There was no such thing in Christ, no Passion in him ever exceeded its just bounds, or was exercised, but upon a just and reasonable cause. To make this yet cle[illegible: 1 letter]rer, we must distinguish betwixt man in his Creation, and the Degenerate Nature of man, as it is corrupted through Sin: When God at first Created man, he Created him with Natural Affection[illegible: 1 letter] ▪ but such as were under the command of Reason: That our Pa[illegible: 1 letter]sions are now inordinate, and rebellious, is accidental to our Natu[illegible: 1 letter]e. Christ indeed took our Affections upon him, but without that disorder which fell into them by the Fall, which causeth us that we cannot obey them and God. He was greatly troubled, but not so as by his trouble to become disobedient to his Father. In short, if we compare our Affections with his, there will appear as great a difference, as betwixt pure water, and that which is dirty and filthy. And the single example of Christ, is enough to make us reject the Stoi[illegible: 3 letters] [illegible: 1 word] [or want of Passion] for from whom, if not from him, should we fetch the highest Rule of Perfection? Let us therefore rather study to Correct, and Tame that disorder, in which our Passions are intangled, and follow Christ as our guide, that we may bring them into order: Thus Paul, 1 Thes. 4.13. doth not require of us a stony stupidity, but commands us to Govern our grief, that we may not mourn as men without hope. For Christ therefore took our Affections upon him, that we by his Grace may be inabled to subdue whatsoever is vitious in them.

Marginal references: Gr. He troubled himself.