The Purposes of the Incarnation. 35 sequence of the teaching of John. But Philip was the first m an to whom Christ used that great formula of calling men which has become so precious in the passing of the centuries— “Follow me.” What happened? “Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote.” That was the first thing that Philip had seen in Christ according to his own confession: One Who embodied all the ideals of Moses and the prophets. We find Philip next in the sixth chapter, when the multi tudes were about Christ, and they were hungry. Philip, who considered it impossible to feed the hungry multitude, now sees Someone Who in a mysterious way had resource enough to satisfy human hunger. Philip then listened while in match less discourse Jesus lifted the thought from material hunger to spiritual need and declared, “I am the bread of life”. So that the second vision Philip had of Jesus, according to the record, was a vision of Him, full of resource and able to satisfy hunger, both material and spiritual. We next see Philip in the twelfth chapter. The Greeks coming to him said, “Sir, we would see Jesus.” Philip found his way with Andrew to Jesus, and asked Him to see the Greeks. Philip saw by what then took place that this Man had intimate relation with the Father, and that there was per fect harmony between them, no conflict, no controversy. He saw, moreover, that upon the basis of that communion with His Father, and that perfect harmony, His voice changed from the tones of sorrow to those of triumph,—“Now is the judg ment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto myself.” That was Philip’s third vision of Jesus. I t was the vision of One acting in perfect accord with God, bending to the sorrow that surged upon His soul, in order that through it He might accomplish human redemption. We now come back to the last scene. Philip said, “Show
Made with FlippingBook Learn more on our blog