64
THE KING’S BUSINESS
previous day, but the repetition of the testi mony made such a deep impression upon them that they at once left their old master and followed the new one' to Whom he pointed them. John had not told them to follow Him, but the impression of his words was so profound that without any direct command they did so. The tense of the Greek word translated “followed” denotes a single act, and the word there fore expresses the single act as their choice which they made once for all. The follow ing of Jesus at this time was thq ;crisis of their life, it was a definite and deliberate conversion, it was without excitement, very calm, but resulting through deep conviction wrought by the Word of God, the inspired testimony of John the Baptist. Three steps of Christian experience are set forth—they heard, they looked, they fol lowed. Other steps will shortly follow. We, too, must first look at Jesus as the Lamb if we would follow Him as our example. It is by the look, not by the following that we are saved (Isa. 45:22; Num. 21:9). We must first believe in what Jesus has done (John 19:30; Rom. 3:25) before we ask “What would Jesus do?” and try to imitate it. But it is by following that we demonstrate that we really have looked and are saved (Mark 10:52; 1 John 2:6). John’s simple, short, sincere testi mony sent the young men to follow Jesus and thus turned the world upside down. Oh, the power of a Holy Ghost testimony (cf. John 4:39). vs. 38, 39. “Then (And) Jesus turned, and saw (beheld) them following, and Saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto Him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being inter preted, Master), where dwellest (abidest) thou? He saith unto them, Come and see (, and ye shall see). They came (add, therefore) and saw where He dwelt (abode), and (, and they) abode with Him that day: for it was aboutJhe tenth hour." From following Jesus the two. men go on to abiding with Him. This is how it came about: As soon as they began to follow, Jesus turned and gazed at them as they fol
lowed. What a look it was, so penetrating, so tender, so full of encouragement. One of them at least never forgot if. His story of it here in the very phraseology employed reproduces it. Then there comes a question as searching as the look, “What seek ye?” They did not clearly know themselves, but there were deep yearnings in their hearts that never hád been satisfied, and He was “the Lamb of God” and would- surely satisfy. (They want to know Him better, so they timidly ask, “Teacher, where do you live?” hardly daring to say plainly, “We want to come to your school.” Men seek such various things when they start to fol low Jesus, pardon for sin, healipg for the body, loaves and fishes. Happy the man who seeks Jesus Himself. What are you seeking? Jesus’ reply went not merely to the heart of the question, but, to their hearts’ desire, “Come, and ye shall see.” What a moment of joy it was when Jesus said that, and He ,is saying it today to every one who wishes to come to Him (John 6:37; Rev. 22:17; Matt. 11:28). John gives an exact note of the time. It was formerly thought that John’s method of reckoning time was by beginning his hours at six o’clock in the morning, in which,case the tenth hour would be four o’clock in the afternoon, but reason has been found to conclude that John reckoned his time as we do, from midnight until noon, so the tenth hour is ten o’clock in the morning. They spent a whole day with Jesus. vs. 40-42. “One of the two which (that) heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first findeth (findeth first) his own brother Simon, and saith unto Him, We have found the Messias (Messiah), which is, being interpreted, Christ. He brought him unto Jesus. Jesús looked upon him, and said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona (John); thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone (Peter)." This is the first instance of missionary effort among the followers of Our Lord Jesus. No sooner had Andrew found Jesus than he went with all haste to tell the good
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