Joh 1:18, 3:13 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 18. No man hath seen God at any time ] Moses and others heard his voice, and saw the cloud and the fire, which were the symbols of his presence; but such a manifestation of God as had now taken place, in the person of Jesus Christ, had never before been exhibited to the world. It is likely that the word seen , here, is put for known , as in ; , and ; and this sense the latter clause of the verse seems to require:- No man , how highly soever favoured, hath fully known God, at any time , in any nation or age; the only begotten Son , ( ,) who is in the bosom of the Father , who was intimately acquainted with all the counsels of the Most High, he hath declared him , εξηγησατο, hath announced the Divine oracles unto men; for in this sense the word is used by the best Greek writers. See Kypke in loco. 1095 Lying in the bosom , is spoken of in reference to the Asiatic custom of reclining while at meals; the person who was next the other was said to lie in his bosom ; and he who had this place in reference to the master of the feast was supposed to share his peculiar regards, and so be in a state of the utmost favour and intimacy with him.

‏ John 1:18

Verse 18. No man hath seen God at any time] Moses and others heard his voice, and saw the cloud and the fire, which were the symbols of his presence; but such a manifestation of God as had now taken place, in the person of Jesus Christ, had never before been exhibited to the world. It is likely that the word seen, here, is put for known, as in Joh 3:32; 1Jo 3:2, 6, and 3Jo 1:11; and this sense the latter clause of the verse seems to require:-No man, how highly soever favoured, hath fully known God, at any time, in any nation or age; the only begotten Son, (See Clarke on Joh 1:14,) who is in the bosom of the Father, who was intimately acquainted with all the counsels of the Most High, he hath declared him, εξηγησατο, hath announced the Divine oracles unto men; for in this sense the word is used by the best Greek writers. See Kypke in loco. 1095

Lying in the bosom, is spoken of in reference to the Asiatic custom of reclining while at meals; the person who was next the other was said to lie in his bosom; and he who had this place in reference to the master of the feast was supposed to share his peculiar regards, and so be in a state of the utmost favour and intimacy with him.

‏ John 3:13

Verse 13. No man hath ascended] This seems a figurative expression for, No man hath known the mysteries of the kingdom of God; as in De 30:12; Ps 73:17; Pr 30:4; Ro 11:34. And the expression is founded upon this generally received maxim: That to be perfectly acquainted with the concerns of a place, it is necessary for a person to be on the spot. But our Lord probably spoke to correct a false notion among the Jews, viz. that Moses had ascended to heaven, in order to get the law. It is not Moses who is to be heard now, but Jesus: Moses did not ascend to heaven; but the Son of man is come down from heaven to reveal the Divine will.

That came down] The incarnation of Christ is represented under the notion of his coming down from heaven, to dwell upon earth.

Which is in heaven.] Lest a wrong meaning should be taken from the foregoing expression, and it should be imagined that, in order to manifest himself upon earth he must necessarily leave heaven; our blessed Lord qualifies it by adding, the Son of man who is in heaven; pointing out, by this, the ubiquity or omnipresence of his nature: a character essentially belonging to God; for no being can possibly exist in more places than one at a time, but HE who fills the heavens and the earth.