been any brighter than they without the explanation which Jesus gave and which we have, but which they did not have as yet? Their stupid question brought out a wonderful answer. Jesus’ words in verse' 34 are wonderful words indeed, words that need to be meditated upon and made part o f our lives rather than to be com mented upon. Our Lord tells thein that His sustenance and satisfaction are in doing the will of God and bringing to its perfect accomplishment the work the Father had given Him to do. The word translated “ finish” in the A. V. means more than to “bring to an end,” it means “bring to a perfect end,” to “accomplish;” The work the Father had given Him to accomplish was the redemption o f man, and that could only be “accomplished” on the cross. So. it was our Lord’s food, His sustenance and joy, to die a substitute for us. Later on as He hangs bn the cross He will cry, ,(It is finished” (or, “accomplished” ). Tuesday, May 2 . John 4 : 35 - 38 - Our Lord’s thought in verse 36, taken in its connection, is that not only was there a work to be done at once in gathering the ripened harvest o f souls eager for the truth, but also there was an immediate reward in gathering the harvest, and each one who gathered would reap his pay as he, worked. This is always true o f the one who wins souls; not only will he receive , a reward in the eternal future, he receives his reward day by day. One o f the greatest joys to be known on earth is the joy o f bringing souls to Christ; even though there were no reward hereafter, the joy now pays for all the sacrifice made and all the work done. Not only is there the joy o f win ning the souls, but there is the joy of gathering fruit unlike the fruit o f any
Monday, May , I. John 4:3i-34-
The disciples having returned from the city where they had gone to buy food, had prepared their simple meal, but Jesus did not touch it. Lovingly solicitous o f His welfare, they besought Him to eat the food He seems to so greatly need, but He was so taken up with the work just done and so joyful over the soul won, and so eager for the work still before Him, seen in the multitude hurrying toward Him from the city, that He has no desire for food for His body. Spiritual and eternal interests, the interests o f others, were filling His thought apd heart, while the disciples were altogether occupied with thoughts of phys ical needs. So He replied, “ I have food to eat that ye know not.” The “ I” and the “ye” in our Lord’s answer are both emphatic in the Greek and draw a strong contrast between Himself and them. He had a “ food” far above that which they had bought and prepared, a “ food” that satisfied deeper and far more important cravings than those o f the body. But they, on their part, did not know this food, it belonged in a world that they had not entered as yet, but soon would enter. They did not merely not “know o f ’ it, they did not “know” (R. V .) it, it was outside their present sphere o f thought and feeling. There seem to be many professed Chris tians even yet who know little or nothing o f this food and its satisfaction, they are taken up (as were the disciples, then) with the needs o f the body’ and other low forms o f satisfaction. Many a professed Chris tian today would find more satisfaction in going to a banquet, or a dance, or a card party, than in saving a soul. How dull and stupid the disciples were, appears in their answer (v. 33). But would we have
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