John 1:10-13 KJV
He was in the world,
and the world was made by him,
and the world knew him not.
He came unto his own,
and his own received him not.
But as many as received him,
to them gave he power to become the sons of God,
even to them that believe on his name:
Which were born, not of blood,
nor of the will of the flesh,
nor of the will of man,
but of God.
The Word was now in the world. God had made the world through him. But the people in the world did not know who he was. He came to the place that was his own. But his own people did not accept him. But some people did accept him. They did believe in him. He gave authority to those people to become God’s children. They did not become God’s children in the usual human way. They were not born because of what any people wanted. They were not born because of what any man decided. No! They were born from God.
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He came unto his own,
The Word showed himself again when he came in the flesh.
He came to his own. He did not only come to the world, which was his own, but also the people of Israel, that were peculiarly his own people, above all other people.
Of them he came, among them he lived, and to them he was first sent.
The Jews were at this time a mean despicable people; the crown was fallen from their head; yet, in remembrance of the ancient covenant, bad as they were, and poor as they were, Christ was not ashamed to look upon them as his own.
The word used here for “His own, it is translated from “Ta idia” meaning His own things, as in possessions; not “tous idious”, his own persons, as in people in a relationship; like true believers are called, (John 13:1).
The Jews were his, as a man’s house, and lands, and goods are his, which he uses and possesses; but believers are his as a man’s wife and children are his own, which he loves and enjoys. He came to his own, to seek and save them, because they were His own.
He was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, for it was He of Whom the sheep were.
His own received him not.
Observe that the Son was shut out by the majority of his people, and acknowledged by only a few.
The Christ should have received the most affectionate and respectful welcome possible in this world; because it was made by him, and because He came to save the lost, but people didn’t recognize Him, and didn’t believe Him when He showed who He was.
Generally He was rejected: His own received him not.
We have reasons to expect, that those who were his own, should have welcomed Him, considering the opportunities they had to know about His coming, and to have knowledge about His person and character.
They had the prophecies of God, which told them beforehand when and where to expect Him, and of what tribe and family he should arise.
He came among them Himself, and introduced Himself with signs and wonders.
And therefore it is not said of them, as it was of the world (John 1:10), that they knew him not; but his own, though they could not but know him, yet received him not; did not receive his doctrine, did not welcome him as the Messiah, but fortified themselves against him.
The chief priests, that were in a particular manner His own (for the Levites were God’s tribe), were ring-leaders in this contempt put upon Him. This was very unjust, because they were His own, and therefore He might command their respect; and it was very unkind and ungrateful, because he came to them, to seek, and save them, and so to court their respect.
Note, that many who in profession are Christ’s own, yet do not receive him, because they will not part with their sins, and keep going their own way, and also do not accept Him to reign over them, will consequently, ultimately miss out on His glory.
There was however a remnant who followed Him, and were faithful to Him.
Though His own received him not, yet there were those that received him
To be continued
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