27 John answered, "A man can receive nothing, unless it has been given him from heaven.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow.
For who makes you different? And what do you have that you didn't receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might know the things that were freely given to us by God. Which things also we speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual things. Now the natural man doesn't receive the things of God's Spirit, for they are foolishness to him, and he can't know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
According as each has received a gift, be ministering it among yourselves, as good stewards of the grace of God in its various forms. If any man speaks, let it be as it were oracles of God. If any man serves, let it be as of the strength which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
to which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth in Christ, not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
of which I was made a servant, according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of his power. To me, the very least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
Paul, an apostle (not from men, neither through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead),
But by the grace of God I am what I am. His grace which was bestowed on me was not futile, but I worked more than all of them; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
Who then is Apollos, and who is Paul, but servants through whom you believed; and each as the Lord gave to him?
Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
"It is like a man, traveling to another country, having left his house, and given authority to his servants, and to each one his work, and also commanded the doorkeeper to keep watch.
The baptism of John -- was it from heaven, or from men? Answer me." They reasoned with themselves, saying, "If we should say, 'From heaven;' he will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?'
and Yahweh took me from following the flock, and Yahweh said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'
As for me, I have not hurried from being a shepherd after you; neither have I desired the woeful day; you know: that which came out of my lips was before your face.
However Yahweh, the God of Israel, chose me out of all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever: for he has chosen Judah to be prince; and in the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel; Of all my sons (for Yahweh has given me many sons), he has chosen Solomon my son to sit on the throne of the kingdom of Yahweh over Israel.
It shall happen, that the rod of the man whom I shall choose shall bud: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against you.
[seems it but] a small thing to you, that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself, to do the service of the tent of Yahweh, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them; and that he has brought you near, and all your brothers the sons of Levi with you? and seek you the priesthood also? Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against Yahweh: and Aaron, what is he who you murmur against him?
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on John 3
Commentary on John 3 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 3
In this chapter we have,
Jhn 3:1-21
We found, in the close of the foregoing chapter, that few were brought to Christ at Jerusalem; yet here was one, a considerable one. It is worth while to go a great way for the salvation though but of one soul. Observe,
This great truth of the necessity of regeneration being thus solemnly laid down,
Jhn 3:22-36
In these verses we have,
From the certainty of Christ's doctrine, John takes occasion,