Matthew Poole and continuators on John 12:35

35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you k: walk while ye have the light, le[illegible: 1 letter]t darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness, knoweth not whither he goeth .

Our Saviour thinketh not fit further to open himself as to that point concerning the Messiah, and his Divine Nature; into a direct assertion of which he must have entred, had he given a direct answer to their questions; otherwise what they had objected, might easily have been answered by our Saviour, by distinguishing betwixt the two Natures in his own person; according to his Divine Nature he was not to die, tho he died according to his human Nature; and after his suffering and Resurrection, his whole person in which both the Divine and human Nature were United, were to indure for ever; but he thinks not fit to discourse this point, but returns to what Iohn had told them, Iohn 1.9. and what he himself had said, Chap. 9.5. That he was the light of the World, tho possibly by light, he here understandeth those beams of Gospel Doctrine, which issued out from him as the fountain of light. Yet a little while, I who am the great light, and the true light of the World, am with you: or yet a little while, the Gospel which is light, and direct[illegible: 1 letter] you in the way to Heaven, is with you, for within a few years (under forty) after this, their City was destroyed, and their Nation ruined, and before that time the Apostles were turned away from the generality of that Nation to the Gentiles, Acts 13.46. and 19.9.

He in the next verse expoundeth himself as to what he meant by walking, viz. believing: make use of the light, both to guide your understandings and judgments, and also to direct your feet: for look on men in the World, while they have the guidance of the light of the Sun, know how to order their steps, and to direct their feet: but if once it be dark, they know not how to direct their feet in their way; but err, and stumble, and fall. So it will be with you, when I shall be gone, who am the great light of the World, while I am in the World, (as he spake, Chap. 9.5.) and not onely I gone, but the Gospel, which is that light which I shall leave behind me, be gone, by my Apostles turning to the Gentiles, through your perverse refusal of the Salvation of it, (as Acts 13 46. and 19.9) When you shall be utterly ruined, (as it will be at the destruction of your City) then you will walk in darkness, having no means of Salvation left you.

Marginal references: Chap. 8.12. ver. 46.; Jer. 13.16. Eph. 5.8.; Chap. 11 10.