Quiet Talks on John's Gospel

over

i. 19-

r of all

t is love giving its best, and so bringing o

The warmth is its chief trait. It is a soft tender unfailing cuddling warmth. It cuddles and coos, it glows and flood

d comes shyly and winsomely, but steadily and strongly, out to the brooding warmth, gr

he mother-word, from out whose warm womb all these others come, warm, too, and full of gentle strong life. Its mother quality is so

uch deeper. Brooding is the mother of all love. It is its warmth that draws out that fine feeling that makes and marks friendshi

rt in body, and hurt yet more in their spirit by the greedy rivalry of life, and nurses into newness of life the shivering shredded hurt parts. I

rt's devotion, comes to know God as a tender Father, and Christ as a precious personal Saviour. Whether in close friend, or ardent

ooder. She broods in spirit till her child looks into her eyes, bearing the image, in face and mental impress and spirit, which the brooding

tell its awakening thoughts out in words, but doesn't know how yet; over the wilfu

f her life, far far more than in prenatal days. So there comes, slowly, but as she keeps true to the brooding spirit, surely, the strong gent

ing that comes, gentle as the dawning light in the grey east, fragrant as the dew of the new morning, irresistible in its pervasive persuasive presence as the rays of the growing sun, giving to us warmth, and l

itself out yet more, regardless of cost, until in place of the broken fragments there comes a finer sort of life out of the warm womb o

ctures

on the walls of Paul's tent-weaving study-room. There's the Colossian picture, the Creator-Jesus,

e Man-Jesus, emptied of all the upper-glory native to Him, bowing down lo

f the Father's presence, seated at His right hand, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named. And as you stand awed before this

dle-holding Church, but seen only by opened eyes. There He is seen as a Man of Fire, ablaze with light, intently watc

by the warmth of His wooing love drawing out the warmth of an answering love. This is peculiarly and distinctively the picture of John's Gospel. There is a Man wa

purity. There are ideals that seem out of reach in their great height. There's the insistence on these ideals, rigid stern absolutely unbending insistence. You see these. You

insistence are unbending. And the warmth woos you. It warms you, till there come the intens

omes to us in John's pages. Jesus is God brooding over us to woo out of us the love and

are its divisions. We had a look at the opening paragraphs of the Gospel, those eighteen brief verses that open the doorway into all the Gosp

oing errand. He woos individual men. He gives the personal touch. He devotes Himself to one person, now here, now there. His skill and tact in personal dealing are matchless. But this is not the chief wooing of these pages. It is the nat

y; to run through them as a story until it stands out in your mind as one simple connected, story. And then it will help greatly,

ent a long evening with those who loved Him;[13] how awfully He was treated by those who hated Him;[14] then how wondrously He surprised His friends;[15]

once understand. Pretty sharp discipline for the story-teller, especially if you stop to put in a simpler word when

-Thr

ng links, sometimes quarrelsome discussion, sometimes exquisite bits of Jesus' teaching, and sometimes John's comments. And as the story grows it reaches one climax after another, each increasing in intensity, until the intens

the nation, down to the Jordan bottoms where John the witness was drawing such great crowds. John modestly answers their questions ab

ening to John's reply seek out, or are brought into personal questioning touch with, Jesus, and then yield Him unquestioning belief and personal devotion. And these five come, in after years,

eth home drew Jesus thither with His kinsfolk and His new-made friends. And then He meets the need of the homely occasion by helping out the shortened supply of wine in such an unusual way as reveals His ch

into the near-by town of Capernaum with His kinsfolk and friends for a

area at Jerusalem. This touched at once the national leaders' most sensitive nerve, and touched it roughly. It never ceased aching. This turning of the temple-area into a common market

ese pages teem, and which came to its bursting head at the cross. Long after, when Jesus had died and been raised, the

the seasoned thoughtful faith of these first disciples. But one man sifts himself out by his spirit of earnest inquiry. The sharp contrast that runs throughout these incidents sta

uth in Jesus' words to him reveal the true faith of this rare inquirer; and this is verified by his later actions.[24] Clear

lee, but in its interest and its chief incident, centres in Jerusalem. The action begins with John the witness, and swings naturally to Jesus. The contrast in this group of incidents

by the nation's leaders, Jesus withdraws from Jerusalem to the country districts of Judea. There He takes up the sort of work John has bee

stirs up gossipy disputings. It is made to look like a jealous rivalry between the two men. And this supposed rivalry and disputing about the various claims of the two

ia towards Galilee. Then comes the great story of the visit to Sychar, with the exquisitely tactful winning of the sinful woman to a life

Jesus goes to Galilee, where visitors at the Jerusalem Feast of Passover had been spr

rough three stages, the belief that comes to ask for help, the deeper belief that rests upon Jesus' word to him and starts back home, and th

ntrast with that first group centering in Jerusalem. There is rejection by the nation's leaders running from contemptuous silence to the beginning

reed Samaritan, and a Roman of gentle birth. Acceptance seems to grow with the distance from Jerusalem. Yet everything hinged in Jerusalem. There had be

towards t

nother feast, not called a Passover, but commonly and probably correctly so reckoned, another crowd-gathering Passover. An extreme ch

vance, and then because Jesus claimed God as "His own Father" in a distinctive sense. Friction fire may send out beautiful sparks.

ver was the pivot of the Jewish year and of Jewish national life. This Passover is made notable by Jesus' absence from Jeru

celebration? The multitudes fed by Him who was the Lamb of God and the true Bread of life? while the techni

tment with the disciples. Then follows a long disputation and another fine bit of Jesus' teaching.[33] These two incidents make another distinct group, separated from the previous one by a year o

ches in the temple in the midst of much opposition, bitter discussion, and concerted official effort against Him.[34] The dramatic incident of the a

casting of the man out from all religious privileges; and is followed by the rare bit of sheepfold and shepherd teaching.[37]

stoning, and then an attempt to arrest, both foiled by the restraint of Jesus' mere presence and personal power.[38] And another con

tive to the third and last chief group of incidents in this part of the boo

arus leads to the official decision to put Jesus to death.[40] And a connecting link of verses tells of Jesus' cautious withdrawal, of

ed by Jesus, gets into that bad heat of temper out of which came the foul bargaining and betrayal.[42] Another brief connecting link lets us see

, with the tremendous enthusiasm of the multitudes, and the hardening of the off

r is opening. Here the whole world opens its door, its front door, in these Greek representatives of the best culture the earth knew. But Jesus' visi

and then slips away into hiding till His hour had full come.[45] And with breaking heart John sadly recalls Isaia

hapter. No further evidence is brought forward. The case rests with the jury. The door had been shutting for a good while. The inside door-keepers had been pulling it hard. But the great Man outside had His hand on the k

ilate's seat the Lover is wooing. But it is wooing by action, by presence, by yielding. No pleading word is spoken. The direct wooing is done. Tender, earnest, insistent, patient, t

in John's

t Jerusalem. The other parts seem but background to make Jerusalem stand out big. In this John's Gospel differs radically from the other

no, though so highly favoured they had been in the wondrous mission entrusted to them. But because Israel was the gateway to a world Yes, for Israel's sake. Through this gateway, so carefully prepared when every other gate

se came great crowds of pilgrim Jews from all quarters of the world, speaking many languages beside their national Hebrew, giving large business, especially to money-brokers and traders in the animals and birds

a half years. That is, there are some months before that first Passover, and then the events run through and up to the fourth Passover, reckoning the u

a rule the official leaders of the nation, whom in common with the other writers he also designates by their party

he great numbers of foreign pilgrim Jews, city crowds, and country crowds. They gather to John's preaching. They gather in great numbers in Jerusalem, and

hey believe quickly, and almost as quickly are turned away and desert the cause they had so quickly and warmly rallied to. Fickle, unthoughtful, easil

What a schooling all this was for them! And there are other disciples, not of this picked circle, but on most intimate personal terms with the Master, some of them, like thoughtful cautious Nicodemus, like the Bethany group of three, and Mary the Magdalene.

story. We pass by them quickly now to a few things that take great hold of one

try T

olours. There's a thread of clear decided blue. There's a dark ugly black thread that gets blacker as it weaves itself fa

it, true blue, the colour true hearts wear. From the very first Jesus is accepted by some, by many. And this continues steadily through to the

t. To adapt Tennyson's fine lines, as knowledge grows from more to more there dwells in us more of the deep tender reverence of love, until al

pfulness and His unusual power.[47] And the Galileans among them give Him warm welcome as He comes up into their country.[48] It is a great multitude that follows eagerly up on the east coa

His purpose always to please the Father, still others are drawn in heart to Him and believe.[51] And at this same time, as the criticism gets uglier, many make bold to speak out on His behalf[52] though it was gettin

on close terms, and who had been out there during those stirring days, believe on Jesus, and many of the common people, too, are won by that occurrenc

es and garment-strewn roads, and spontaneous outburst of joyous song.[56] And now as John put his bit of a knotted summary on the

done by each one off by himself. And this works in good ways as well as in bad. Jesus drew the crowds and was drawn by them.

as not reached the dependable stage.[58] He is never held back from showing the red marks in the road to be trodden even though many of His disciples balk at going farther on such a road, and some turn

that there came the disciples and close friends to whom we now turn. There's gold in the crowds, finest twenty-four carat gold. It's all a matter of mining. Skilful mining gets out the gold. This w

ing

lways woos men uphill. You can always tell a man by where he is standing, bottom-land, hillside, higher-hill-slope, hillt

nning with two they quickly number five. The attachment of the two to John, the Witness, reveals them as of the earnest inquiring sort, after the very best. John never forgot that talk with Jesus in the gathering twilight by the Jordan. It sends Andrew out for Peter, a

eepener of faith, the great deepener. This is the only pathway from faith to a deeper realer

Jesus through those brief packed years. What a school that was! the school of companionship with Jesus, with lessons daily, but the chiefes

ents and experiences we may get some hold on how their faith grew. They actually saw the handful of loav

"To whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life."[62] And without doubt Thomas acts as spokesman for all when Jesus a

twenty four hours came, intensified the more by the unexpectedness and the suddenness of it; and then if-perhaps-we may call to mind the more recent behaviour of some moder

had stood that test. And how their after-contact with John must have affected the others. John pulled the othe

w in a new light and give new strength to their faith.[64] But John himself brings us back to this again in that long talk of the betrayal night. So we leave i

e are faithful disciples and precious intimate friendships outside the c

the touch as a boil over John's drastic cleansing, and comes for a personal interview. His utter sincerity is shown in the temper of his remarks and questions, and shown yet more in the openness of Jesus' spirit in talking with him

else did, though others there believed in Jesus. A really rare courage it was that told of a growing faith.[66] And the personal devotion side of his faith, evidence again of the real thing, stands out to

and a woman, and an openly bad life. The Samaritans were hated by Jew and Gentile alike as belonging to neither, ground between the two opposing social

tact of love's true touch, out of such surroundings grows a faith, through the successive stages of gossipy curiosity, cynical remark, interest, eagerness, guilty self-consciousness that wou

had for this outcast woman. In one way her faith meant more than Nicodemus', for it meant a radical change

under whose iron heel the nation writhes restlessly. He is of gentle birth and high official position. It is his sense

ossibly there might be help. There's the very different faith that looks Jesus in the face and hears the simple

is keenly awakened mind that the favourable turn had come at the very moment Jesus uttered those quiet words, and then as he looked into the changed face of his recovering child, he became a changed man.

rom gentle Roman official to a beggaring pauper. It is at the Tabernacles' visit. Jesus, quietly masterfully passing out from the thick of the crowd that would stone Him,

the man. In effect He says, "Neither this man nor his parents are immediately to blame; the thing goes farther back. But"-and He reaches down and begins to make the soft cl

g to a thing of courageous action and personal devotion to Jesus. It is fairly fascinating to watch the man move from bir

lled Jesus," and the cautious but blunt "I don't know about His being a sinner, but I know I c

t and as a damned soul. And then the earnest reverent cry "Who is He, Lord, that I may believe?" reveals the yearning purpose

or him from hopeless blindness of body and heart to eyesight that can see Jesus' face and know Him as his Saviour and Lord! Growth of faith clearly i

ny Height

and in the height of faith it records. It has personal friendship and love of Jesus and implicit trust in Him as its starting point. And from this it reaches up to

aith is this: connecting Jesus' power and love with the actual need of your life. Abraham believed God with full sincerity that covenant-making night under the dark sky. But he didn't connect

ient wooing is to get Martha up to the point of ordering that stone aside. He got her faith into touch with the gravestone of her sore need. Her faith and her action connected. Th

oke her heart would give way under Jesus' touch. The Bethany faith doesn't believe that God can do what you need, merely. It believes that He will do it And so the stone's

s God into one's life to meet its needs gets clearer eyesight. Acted faith affects the spirit vi

f My burying." "Keep it" is the striking phrase. What does that mean? We speak of keeping a day, as Christmas, meaning to hallow the memories for whi

sus' power to overcome all opposition. She alone sensed what was coming, His death and its tremendous spirit-meaning. And it is possible that the ra

f the Bethany faith, faith at flood. This highest simplest truest faith, that had come in answer to

of the faith of these men nor of their acceptance of Jesus. But the more you think into it the more it seems that here is its true place, and that t

ost likely, in the meaning of men of Grecian blood, residents of Greece, the significance is practically the same, it was the outer

ny suburb was the talk of the city. And then there was that intense scene of the kingly entry into the city amid the acclaiming multitudes. They knew o

s one of that other man, under similar conditions though less intense, at an earlier stage, cautiously seeking a night intervi

ed interview. They say, "Sir, we would see Jesus." The whole story of conviction, of earnestness, of decision, is in that tremendous little

ing under such circumstances, and the form of the request, seem to tell the attitude of these men towards Jesus and their personal purpose regarding Him. It would be

ecially that these words are spoken. And if, as some thoughtful scholars think, Jesus spake here, not in His native Aramaic, but in the Greek tongue, it gives colouring to the supposition. The

nts showed was unquestionably there. It seems like another of those silences of John that are so full of meaning.

it and Him, as most likely they linger through the Passover-days at hand and then turn their fac

aith that is drawn out from nothing to little and more and much an

hread in t

hread as we traced the other and studied the whole. Ugly things stand out by reason of their very ugliness. This stands out in gloomy disturbing contr

on him was an official recognition of his power. The questions asked raise the possibility clearly being discussed of John being the promised prophet, or Elijah, or even the Christ Himself,

out of the very page, in the critical questions and cynical comment of the Jews. One can easily see

by one of the Jerusalem leaders, would seem to be a studied attempt to discredit the two preachers, Jesus and John, and swing the crowds away. It

lainly points out that vulgarizing hurt of sin whereby God's own mess

ion, to a desire and purpose actually to kill Jesus. It grew intenser as Jesus' claim grew clearer. The issue wa

es they have messengers at work amongst the crowds exciting discussion and discontent and worse. In the discussion it is easy to pick out the two elements

e of Galilee. The settled plan to kill made His absence a matter of common prudence. This makes most striking His great courage in going up to Jerusalem at the autumn Fea

ttempts to take Him by force, including an official attempt at arrest. But, strangely enough, the very officers sent to arrest are so

sed of wrong-doing of the gravest sort, and His opinion is asked as to the proper punishment for so serious an offense. There's nothing more dramatic in

f vile language in calling Him "a Samaritan," and accusing Him of being possessed with "a demon." And then the terrible cli

and civic privileges all who would confess belief in Jesus as Christ. And their spleen

Jerusalem teaching. And again their enraged attempt at stoning, the second one,

the upper social circles, among the old families, even in the Jewish Senate itself, notwithstanding the threatened excommunication. On every hand men are believing. Things are getting

cted with belief. And there it is officially determined to put Jesus to death, and serve public

s is on every tongue, it is determined to put Lazarus to death, too. This is t

y-Colour

in relief both by the pleasing blues and the disturbing blacks. It is the figure of the Man on the errand, intent on His wooing, absorbed in His great task. Thia Man, His tr

ut appealingly as one goes through those fragments of teaching talks running throughout. The rare faithfulness of it to the nati

death nor even the stubborn resistance of a human will can prevail against it. It is power sufficient to satisfy the most cr

the Man, and at the purpose that grips Him. Of the nineteen incidents in these twelve chapters fif

is radically changed, so morally affecting the whole life. In five-the temple cleansing, at the Tabernacles Feast, the first and second attempt at stoning, and t

walking on the water-it is power in the realm of nature. In four-healing the Roman nobleman's son, the thirty-eight-year infirmity, g

means something above the usual natural order. The two words are commonly taken as having one meaning. Neither word means something contrary to nature, of course, but simply on a higher level tha

more a power that can command and call them into action down in the sphere of our common ordinary life, until we stare in wonder. This is really the remarkable thing. N

ere's an abundance and a degree of power in Jesus' miracles outclassing all others. It is fascinating and awesome to watch the growth of power in these m

lm of nature or the body? or in the realm of the human will? multiplying food or changing a human will? Which is greater, to induce a man vo

here a growth in the power revealed? Is there an intenser plea to these men as the

or different adjustments and conditions, and it overcomes the opposite, the broken tissue, the diseased conditions, the weakness, the tend

nditions in nature. The whole thing moves up to a measureless higher level. And clearly enough it is a less difficult task to enlighten and persuade one who seeks the ligh

more to the imagination. The man who can heal is magnified in our eyes above the other. The miraculous always seems the greater. It is more unusual. Stronger wills are inf

Behind both nature's forces and human forces are unseen spirit personalities, both evil and good. The real battle of our human life lies there in the spirit realm. Victory there means full vict

stery over a giant, unsurrendered, God-defiant will. This underlies all else. But we've run off a bit. Come back to the simple story, and see h

ser W

creating in the liquid the added constituents that made it wine. The healing of the nobleman's son rises to

long standing. The acute case of illness may be most difficult and ticklish, demanding a quick masterful use of all the physician's knowledge and skill. The chronic case

se, but it moves up higher in the greater abundance of power shown, the increase

universal law of gravitation would naturally have drawn His feet through the surface of the wat

e, is a bulletin-board for all that happens. No detail is omitted, and no one misses the

al power but simply to keep an appointment. But then Jesus never used His power to show that He had power, bu

Elisha's touch of power to meet the need of the distressed theological student.[87] In e

of the sort to appeal much more to the crowd. It has in it the dramatic. It wo

ar related in John's story. There is here not only the chronic element, but the thing is distinctly i

eeting of nature's lack through some slip in the adjustment of her action in connection with human action. There is not only the appealing

f the six recorded cases of the dead being raised this is easily the greatest in the power seen at work. In the other five, in the Elijah record,[88]

y was in its last degree. Man stands utterly powerless, utterly helpless in the presence of death. It is not the last degree of improbability. There is no improbability. It's an im

cial circles, among all classes, this tremendous event won recognition of Jesus' power and claim, and with recognition personal faith. Noth

oing Ye

only so recognized by the crowd. There are eight incidents here. And again we shall find the steady rise of the power seen at work. Three

alem Passover. Under the holy spell of John's presence he is drawn away from his enraged brother-rulers to seek the night talk. The frankness and fullness of Jesus' talk shows plainly how open he was and how much more he

radical face-about in habit and life amongst the very people who knew her past sinful life best. It meant more than change of conviction, that change actually put into practice across the grain of the habits

urally be hardened, and stony hard, shameless to the point of hopeless indifference in moral sense, and all th

with conviction of her sin. The word of counsel as she is dismissed would seem a mirror reflecting the inner longing of her heart and the new purpose s

ds a fine moral sensibility; by their own tacit confession no better in practice than she in the point of morals raised; in their malignant cun

until the last one is gone. As an instance of one will controlling and changing another will wholly against its will to the point of forcing out confession of personal guilt, it is most remarkable.

. Possibly a thoughtful delicacy of regard for the woman restrains John's pen if she were still living as he writes. And then lat

estoring it from a barn-yard to a place of holy worship, is a most remarkable illustration of restraint upo

aw-officers, everything of the sort on their side. Yet the restraint of His presence and will over them is as absolute as though they were in chains. They weak

t it is a greater antagonism that is restrained by the same power. They are fully prepared now. The cleans

essive. There are three attempts at His arrest. Yet that strange noiseless power of restraint is upon them. They do not do as they would. Clearly they can

h kindling on the fire. "No man took Him," but clearly they wanted to. Their open relations become more strained. He uses yet plainer speech in exposing their hypocrisies. This stirs them still more. T

a crowd by simply passing through their midst and going on His way.[98] Perhaps something in the glance of that eye of His, or in the set of His face,[99] something in Him restrained

f-control in their rage they again reach down for the stones to kill Him at once. And again they are restrained from their passionate purpose, as Jesus quietly goes on talking with them. Again they attempt to s

y boldness of this wholly unexpected move on His part constituted a tremendous restraint. Their hate had gone through several stages of refined hardening during the few months preceding. The formal decision to k

inions. The tenseness of the whole scene, the power of restraint so put forth, the volcano smouldering underfoot waiting the slightest extra jar to loose out its explosion, all are revealed in the little sentence so p

us, attested beyond question. Power over the human will both in affecting a voluntary change, and in actually restraining its action against its own set purpose, had risen to its climax in the bold open entry in broadest daylight into the capital where His de

the Son of God, their kingly Messiah. And He lived His claim. Power is the one universally recognized touchstone by which we judge God and man. His power told who

the power. Love was the dominating thing. Jesus was love in shoes, God in action. Always there was the tenderness, the gentleness, the patience, th

, two traits that are one. Men always think most of the power. God Himself always emphasizes most the love

us the Person, the Man Jesus, God with us, God making a world, and th

ss in the thick of opposition, so faithful to the chosen faithless nation,-this Man Himself is the wooing. His words, His actions, His power, His persistence,

nised by al

man, the cultured refined Greek,-that was all the world. And all these recognized Him as some one kin to themselves, bound by closest spirit-ties, to whom they were drawn by the strong cords of His common kinship with themselves. The w

ngled freely with simple country folk, the unlettered, the humblest and lowliest, all drawn alike to Him, and all unconscious of differences when under the holy spell of His presence. The wealthy like Joseph of Arim

salem were glad to unlock their jealously guarded doors to Him. And the simple Capernaum fisherfolk wer

ith this in my errand among the nations. The East balks at the ways of the West sometimes. Many books say there is no point of contact between the two. The East balks at our Western organization, our rule of

se. You book people say there is no point of contact between Orient and Occident? But there is. Jesus is the point of contact. One real touch of Jesu

again brought that message of life to them. But as I mingled among Japanese Christians of different communions and heard them pray, they were not praying in Portuguese nor in English. They had no

r, I could feel the close personal burning touch of their spirits with Jesus. They and He

tings. Night after night as I talked through interpretation her deep-set black eyes glowed and glowed. But when one night an hour or more was spent in voluntary pr

mbol his eyes have known from infancy is talking into an ear that knows both Polish accent and Polish heart. So with the German of the Saxon highlands, and of the simpler speech of the Teutonic lowlands. So with the olive-skinned Lati

South and knew the coloured people by heart, and loved them. And when he returned to his Southern home town he would frequent

n with his great child-eyes big and aglow, he said, "Youse got a white skin, but youse got a black heart." And

art, a Roman, a Greek, a Samaritan heart. Aye, He had a world heart, He had a human heart. And He

to us. And now belongs to us more than ever, and we to Him. The human heart has felt His tremendous wooing. It has

heartfelt devotion into a crown of love for Him, bestudded with the dewy