,quiet ,talks on ,john's ,gospel  ,by   
,s4 ,d4 ,gordon     #aiae     ,preface  
,everything depends on getting ,jesus   
placed4 ,that lies at the root of       
all--living1 serving1 preaching1        
teaching4 ,john had ,jesus placed4 ,he  
had ,him up in ,his own place4 ,this    
settles everything else4 ,then one gets 
himself placed1 too1 up on a level where
 the air is clear and bracing1 the sun  
warm1 and the outlook both steadying and
 stimulating4 ,get the centre fixed and 
things quickly adjust themselves about  
it to your eyes4  ,it will be seen very 
quickly that this little book makes no  
pretension to being a commentary on1 or 
an exposition of1 ,john's ,gospel4 ,that
 is left to the scholarly folk who eat  
their meals in the sacred classical     
languages of the past4 ,it is simply a  
homely attempt to let out a little of   
what has been sifting in these years    
past of this wondrous miniature ,bible  
from ,john's pen4  ,the proportions of  
this homely little messenger of paper   

and type may seem a little odd at first4
 ,the longest chapter is devoted to only
 the opening eighteen verses of ,john1  
the prologue4 ,while the whole of the   
first twelve chapters of ,john1         
excepting that prologue1 is brought into
 one smaller chapter4 ,it wasn't planned
 so1 though ,i felt it coming as the    
wondrous mood of this book came down    
over me4 ,i think it mast be the effect 
of the atmosphere of ,john's book4      
,sometimes ,john packs so much in so    
little space1 and again he goes so      
particularly into the details of some   
one incident4 ,the prologue is a        
miniature ,bible4 ,the whole ,bible     
story is there in its cream4 ,and on the
 other hand ,john spends five chapters  
7xiii4-xvii471 almost a fifth of the    
whole1 on a single evening4 ,he devotes 
seven chapters 7xiii4-xix471 almost a   
third of all1 on the events of          
twenty-four hours4 ,john is controlled  
not by mere proportion of space or      
quantity1 but by the finer proportions  

of thought and quality4  ,it has been   
difficult to hold these homely talks    
down to the limit of space they take    
here4 ,so many veins of gold in this    
mine1 showing clearly large nuggets of  
pure ore1 lie just at hand untouched in 
this little mining venture4 ,but it     
seemed clearly best to get the one clear
 grasp of the whole4 ,that helps so     
much4 ,but there'll be strong temptation
 to get one's pick and spade and go at  
this gold mine again4  ,but now these   
things are written that we common folk  
may understand a bit better1 and in a   
warm way1 that ,jesus was ,god on a     
wooing errand to the earth2 and that we 
may join the blest company of the won   
ones1 and become co-wooers with ,god of 
the others4  ,s4 ,d4 ,g4     ,contents  
,i4 ,john's ,story  ,,ii4 ,the ,wooing  
,lover       ,who it was that came4     
,,iii4 ,the ,lover ,wooing       ,a     
group of pictures illustrating how the  
wooing was done and how      the ,lover 
was received4  ,,iv4 ,closer ,wooing    

,an evening with opening hearts3 the    
story of a supper and a walk in      the
 moonlight and the shadows4  ,v4 ,the   
,greatest ,wooing       ,a night and a  
day with hardening hearts3 the story of 
tender      passion and of a terrible   
tragedy4  ,,vi4 ,an ,appointed ,tryst   
,unexpectedly ,kept       ,a day of     
startling joyous surprises4  ,,vii4     
,another ,tryst       ,a story of       
fishing1 of guests at breakfast1 and of 
a walk and talk      by the edge of blue
 ,galilee4     ,i  ,john's ,story       
,i fled ,him1 down the nights and down  
the days2       ,i fled ,him1 down the  
arches of the years2     ,i fled ,him   
down the labyrinthine ways       ,of my 
own mind2 and in the midst of tears     
,i hid from ,him1 and under running     
laughter4           ,up vistaed hopes1  
,i sped2           ,and shot1           
precipitated1     ,adown ,titanic glooms
 of chasmd fears1       ,from those     
strong ,feet that followed1 followed    
after4      --,francis ,thompson1 in    

,the ,hound of ,heaven4  ,these are     
written that ye may believe that ,jesus 
is the ,christ1 the ,son of ,god2 and   
that believing ye may have life in his  
name4--,john xx4 #ca4     ,i  ,john's   
,story    ,the ,heart-strings of ,god4  
,there's a tense tugging at the heart of
 ,god4 ,the heart-strings of ,god are   
tight1 as tight as tight can be4 ,for   
there's a tender heart that's easily    
tugged at one end1 and an insistent     
tugging at the other4 ,the tugging never
 ceases4 ,the strings never slack4 ,they
 give no signs of easing or getting     
loose4  ,it's the tug of man's sore need
 at the down-end1 the man-end1 of the   
strings4 ,and it's the sore tug of grief
 over the way things are going on down  
here with men1 at the other end1 the    
up-end1 the heart-end1 of the strings4  
,it's the tense pull-up of a love that  
grows stronger with the growth of man's 
misunderstanding4  ,but the             
heart-strings never snap4 ,the heart    
itself breaks under the tension of love 

and grief1 grieved and grieving love4   
,but the strings only strengthen and    
tighten under the strain of use4  ,those
 heart-strings are a bit of the heart   
they're tied to1 an inner bit1 aye the  
innermost bit1 the inner heart of the   
heart4 ,they are the bit pulled1 and    
pulled more1 and pulled harder1 till the
 strings grew4 ,man was born in the warm
 heart of ,god4 ,was there ever such a  
womb6 ,was there ever such another      
borning1 homing place6  ,it was man's   
going away that stretched the heart out 
till the strings grew4 ,the tragedy of  
sin revealed the toughness and          
tenderness of love4 ,for that heart     
never let go of the man whom it borned4 
,man tried to pull away1 poor thing4 ,in
 his foolish misunderstanding and heady 
wilfulness he tried to cut loose4 ,if he
 had known ,god better he would never   
have tried that4 ,he'd never have       
started away2 and he'd never have tried 
to get away4  ,for love never faileth4  
,a heart--the real thing of a heart1    

that is1 ,god's heart--never lets go4   
,it breaks2 but let go8 not once3 never 
yet4 ,the breaking only loosens the red 
that glues fast with a tighter hold than
 ever4 ,the fibre of the heart--,god's  
heart--is made of too strong stuff to   
loosen or wear out or snap4 ,love never 
faileth4 ,it can't2 because it's love4  
,now all this explains ,jesus4 ,it was  
man's pull on these heart-strings that  
brought ,him down4 ,the pull was so     
strong and steady4 ,it grew tenser and  
more insistent4 ,and straight down ,he  
came by the shortest way1 the way of    
those same heart-strings4 ,for the      
heart-strings of ,god are the shortest  
distance between two given points1 the  
point of ,god's giving1 going love1 and 
the point of man's sore need1 given a   
sharper-pointed end by its very         
soreness4  ,it is a sort of blind pull1 
this pull of man on the heart of ,god2 a
 confused1 unconscious1 half-conscious1 
dust-blinded1 slippery-road sort of     
pulling1 but one whose tight grip never 

slacks4 ,man needs ,god1 but does not   
know it4 ,he knows he needs something4  
,he feels that keenly4 ,but he does not 
know that it's ,god whom he needs1 with 
a very few rare exceptions4 ,it doesn't 
seem to have entered his head that he'll
 never get out of his tight corner till 
,god gets him out4  ,down the street of 
life he goes1 eyes blinded by the thick 
dust1 ears deafened by the cries of the 
crowd1 by the noise of the street       
without1 and the noise of passions and  
fevered ambitions within1 heart         
a-wearied by the confusion of it all1   
groping1 stumbling1 jostled and         
jostling1 hitting this way and that1    
with the fever high in his blood1 and   
his feet aching and bleeding2 sometimes 
the polish of culture on the surface2   
sometimes rags and dirt2 but underneath 
the same thing4  ,yet under all there's 
a vague but very real feeling of that   
unceasing pull upward upon ,his         
heart-strings4 ,but though blind and    
vague and confused that tugging is never

 the less tense1 but ever more1 and then
 yet more4  ,jesus was ,god answering   
the tug of man's need on ,his           
heart-strings4 ,and so naturally there  
was an answering feel in man's heart4   
,man felt the answer a-coming4 ,there   
was a great stir in the spirit-currents 
of earth when ,jesus came4 ,a thrill of 
expectancy ran through the world1       
,roman1 ,greek1 ,barbarian1 far and     
wide1 as ,jesus drew near4 ,the         
book-makers of that time all speak of   
it4 ,it was the vibration of those same 
heart-strings connecting man and ,god4  
,the move at ,god's end was felt at     
man's4 ,the coming down along the       
highway of the strings thrilled and     
stirred and awed the hearts into which  
those strings led1 and where they were  
so tightly knotted4 ,the earth-currents 
spread the news4 ,man heard2 he felt2 he
 knew3 vaguely1 blindly1 wearily1 yet   
very really he heard and felt and       
recognized that help1 a ,friend1 some   
,one1 was nearing4  ,and then when      

,jesus walked among men how ,he did pull
 upon their hearts6 ,so quietly ,he went
 about4 ,so sympathetically ,he looked  
and listened4 ,so warm was the human    
touch of ,his hand4 ,so strong was the  
lift of ,his arm to ease their load4 ,so
 potent was the spell of ,his unfailing 
power to give relief4 ,how ,he did pull6
 ,and how men did answer to that pull6  
,unresistingly1 eagerly1 as weary child 
in mother's arms at close of day1 they  
came crowding to ,him4    ,the ,fourfold
 ,message4   ,it is fascinating to find 
one book in this old ,book of ,god given
 up wholly to telling of this1 ,john's  
,gospel4 ,of course the whole of the    
,book is really given up to it1 when one
 gets the whole simple view of it at one
 glance4 ,but so many of us don't get   
that whole simple glance4  ,so to make  
it easier for us simple common folk1 and
 to make sure of our getting it1 there  
is one little book1 hardly big enough to
 call a book1 just a few pages devoted  
wholly to letting us see this one thing4

 ,you can see the whole of the sun in a 
single drop of water4 ,you can see the  
whole of the ,book of ,god in this one  
little book that ,john wrote4  ,john's  
,gospel is like the small tracing of the
 artist's pen on the lower corner of an 
etching1 the remarque1 put there as a   
signature1 the artist's personal mark   
that the picture is genuine1 the real   
thing4 ,the whole consummate skill of   
the artist is revealed at a glance in   
the simple outline-tracing on the       
margin4 ,the whole of the ,god-story in 
the larger picture of the whole ,book is
 given in few simple clear lines in this
 exquisite little thing commonly called 
,john's ,gospel4  ,it is striking to    
make the discovery that ,john's little  
book has a distinctive message as a     
book4 ,it is full of messages1 of       
course4 ,but ,i mean that there is a    
distinct story told by the book as a    
whole1 by the very way it is put        
together4 ,it is told by the very sort  
of language used1 the words chosen as   

the leading words of the book4 ,it is   
told by the picture that clearly fills  
,john's eye as he writes1 and by the    
very spirit that floods the pages as a  
soft light1 and that breaks out of them 
as the subtle fragrance of locust       
blossoms in the spring4  ,the fragrance 
of flowers cannot be analyzed3 it must  
be smelled and felt4 ,that's the only   
way you'll ever know it4 ,the fine      
scholarly analyses of ,john are helpful4
 ,but there's the subtler something that
 cannot be diagramed or analyzed or     
synthesized4 ,it eludes the razor-edged 
knife1 and the keenly critical survey4  
,it is recognized only by one's spirit1 
and then only when the spirit is warm1  
and in tune with ,john's4  ,of course   
each of the ,gospel stories has a       
message of its own1 quite apart from the
 group of facts common to them all4 ,and
 these four messages together give us   
the fuller distinctive message of these 
four little books4 ,and a very winsome  
message it is1 too1 that takes hold of  

one's heart1 and takes a warm strong    
hold at that4  ,matthew tells us that   
,jesus is a ,king4 ,for a great purpose 
,he chose to live as a peasant1 as one  
of the common folks4 ,but ,he was of the
 blood royal4 ,he has the long unbroken 
kingly lineage4 ,he showed kingly power 
in ,his actions1 kingly wisdom in ,his  
teachings1 and the fine kingly spirit in
 ,his gracious kindliness of touch4 ,he 
was gladly accepted and served as ,king 
by those who understood ,him best4 ,he  
was acknowledged as ,king by the ,roman 
,governor2 and ,he died as a ,king1 and 
as a ,king was laid in a newly hewn     
tomb4  ,mark adds a fine touch to this  
picture1 a warm touch with colour in    
it1--this ,king of ours is a serving    
,king4 ,this comes not only with a warm 
feel1 but it comes as a distinct        
surprise4 ,men's kings are served kings4
 ,there have been kings1 and are1 who   
rendered their people a fine high       
service1 and do4 ,but the overpowering  
impression given the common crowd       

watching on the street is that kings are
 superior beings1 to be waited upon1    
humbly bowed to1 and implicitly obeyed4 
,they are to be served4  ,bat ,mark's   
picture shows us a ,king whose passion  
is to serve4 ,the service which ,he     
draws out of ,his followers is drawn out
 by ,his warm serving spirit towards us4
 ,the words on the royal coat-of-arms   
are1 ,not to be ministered unto1 but to 
minister4 ,and in the first meaning of  
the words ,he ,himself used that means  
not to be served but to serve4 ,in ,mark
 the air is tense with rapid action4    
,the quick executive movement of a      
capable servant is felt in the terse    
words short sentences and swift action  
of the story4  ,there's yet warmer      
colouring in ,luke's picture4 ,this     
serving ,king is nearest of kin to us6  
,he is not only of the blood royal1 but 
of the blood human4 ,he is bone of our  
bone1 blood of our blood1 and life of   
our common life4 ,he came to us through 
a rare union of ,god's power with human 

consent and human function1 never known 
before nor repeated since4 ,this is the 
bit that ,luke adds to the composite    
message of these four little ,god-story 
books4  ,here ,jesus has a tenderness of
 human sympathy with us men1 for ,he and
 we are brothers4 ,there's an outlook as
 broad as the race4 ,no national        
boundaries limit its reach4 ,no         
sectional prejudices warp or shut ,him  
off from sympathetic touch with any4 ,he
 shares our common life4 ,he knows our  
human temptations1 and knows them with a
 reality that is painful1 and with an   
intensity that wets ,his brow and shuts 
,his jaw hard4  ,this king who serves is
 a man4 ,he can be a king of men for ,he
 is a man4 ,he has the first            
qualification4 ,i might use an          
old-fashioned word in the first old-time
 meaning1--,he is a fellow1 one who     
shares the bed and bread of our common  
experience4 ,and so ,he is kin to us1   
both in lineage and in experience1 in   
blood and in spirit4  ,and ,john's share

 in this partnership message adds a     
simple bold touch of colouring that     
makes the picture a masterpiece1 the    
masterpiece4 ,this ,king who serves1 and
 is nearest of kin to us1 is also       
nearest of kin to ,god4 ,he is not only 
of the blood royal1 and the blood human1
 but of the blood divine4 ,he was with  
,god before calendars came into use4 ,he
 was the ,god of that creative ,genesis 
week4 ,he came on an errand down to the 
earth1 and when the errand was done1 and
 well done1 ,he went back home1 bearing 
on ,his person the marks of ,his        
fidelity to the ,father's errand4 ,this 
is ,john's bit of rich high colouring4  
,and so we are nearest of kin to ,god   
through ,jesus4 ,kinship is always a    
matter of blood4 ,there is a double     
kinship1 through the blood of           
inheritance1 and the blood of sacrifice4
 ,our inherited kinship of blood has    
been lost4 ,but ,his blood of sacrifice 
has made a new kinship4 ,we had broken  
the entail of our inheritance clean     

beyond mending4 ,we were outcasts by our
 own act4 ,but ,he cast in4 ,his lot    
with us1 and so drew us back and up and 
in4 ,he made a new entail through ,his  
blood4 ,and that new entail is as       
unbreakable as the old broken one is    
unmendable4 ,and so we come into the    
family of a ,king4 ,and we are kingliest
 in character when we are ,christliest  
in spirit and action4 ,we are most like 
the ,king when we are helping others4   
,our true motto1 in our relation to our 
fellows1 is3 ,i am among you as he that 
serveth4 ,towel and basin1 bended knee  
and comforted pilgrim-feet and refreshed
 spirit1--this is our family crest4     
,we're kin to all the race through      
,jesus4 ,black skin and white1 yellow   
and brown2 round heads and long1        
slanting eyes and oval1 in slum alley   
and palatial home1 below the equator and
 above it1--all are our kinsmen4  ,we   
are reaching highest when we are        
stooping lowest to help some one up4    
,we're nearest like ,god in character   

when we're getting nearest in touch to  
those needing help4 ,we are kingliest   
and ,godliest and ,christliest when     
we're controlled by men's needs1 but    
always under the higher control of the  
,holy ,spirit4  ,this is the composite  
message of the four ,gospels2 and this  
is its practical human outworking4      
,god on a ,wooing ,errand4   ,but it's  
the other ,john message we are          
especially after just now4 ,there's     
another message of ,john's book quite   
distinct from this1 though naturally    
allied with it4 ,and this other is the  
crowding message of his book4 ,its      
thought crowds in upon you till every   
other is crowded into second place4 ,and
 as it gets hold of you it crowds your  
mind and heart and life till every other
 is either crowded out1 or crowded to a 
lower place2 out1 if it jars2 lower     
place1 if it agrees1 for every agreeing 
bit yields to the lead of this          
tremendous message4  ,but one must get  
hold of ,john before ,john's message    

gets hold of him4 ,john was swayed by a 
passion4 ,it was a fiery passion flaming
 through all his life4 ,it burned       
through him as the fierce forest fire   
burns through the underbrush4 ,every    
base thing was eaten up by its flame4   
,every less worthy thing came under its 
heat4 ,it melted and mellowed and       
moulded his whole being4  ,it was the   
,jesus-passion4 ,it was kindled that    
memorable afternoon early in his life   
down in the ,jordan bottoms4#a ,john's  
namesake1 the ,herald1 applied the      
kindling match4 ,from then on the flames
 never flickered nor burned low4 ,they  
increased steadily1 and they increased  
in purity1 until his whole life was     
under their holy heat4  ,john didn't    
always understand his ,master4          
,sometimes he misunderstood4 ,but he    
never failed in his trust of ,him1 nor  
in his fidelity to ,him4 ,of the chosen 
inner circle ,john was the one who      
remained true through the sorest test1  
that betrayal-night test4 ,judas        

betrayed2 ,peter denied2 the nine fled  
in terror down the road to save their   
cowardly lives2 ,john went in with      
,jesus4 ,that fiery nature of his1 that 
early won for him the stormy name son of
 thunder1 came completely under the sway
 of this holier tenderer stronger flame1
 and burned itself out in a passion of  
love for ,jesus4  ,the ,jesus-passion   
swayed ,john completely4 ,this explains 
the man1 and his career4 ,it explains   
this little book of his ripe old age4   
,and only this can4 ,one must read the  
book through ,john's own heart1 then he 
begins to understand it4 ,this          
,jesus-passioned man is the key to the  
book1 the human key4  ,and the          
distinctive message of the book is      
simply this3 ,jesus was ,god on a wooing
 errand to the earth4 ,that simple      
sentence covers fully all that is found 
in ,john's twenty-one chapters4 ,every  
line in these fourteen or fifteen pages 
can be traced back into that brief      
statement4  ,indeed this becomes an     

outline of the book4 ,see3 in the       
opening paragraphs the wooing ,lover is 
coming down to earth4#b ,in the first   
twelve chapters the ,lover is pleading  
winsomely and earnestly for             
acceptance4#c ,then ,he is seen in      
closest touch with the inner group of   
those who have accepted1 opening ,his   
heart yet more1 wooing still closer4#d  
,then comes the last tragic pleading1   
pleading in intensest action1 with those
 who persist in rejecting4#e ,and then  
the last close heart-touches with the   
inner circle4#f    ,the ,water-,mark of 
,john's ,gospel4   ,the very words ,john
 so thoughtfully chooses as his leading 
words bear the distinct impress of this1
 like the sharply indented stamp of the 
mint on the new coin4 ,two such words   
stand out above all others1 believe and 
witness4 ,the first actually occurs     
oftenest1 sounding out like the dominant
 chord of music running throughout a    
symphony4 ,the second is like the chief 
warp-thread into which the fabric is    

being woven4  ,the two words are really 
twins1 born at the same time1 of the    
same mother4 ,they grow up together and 
work in perfect accord4 ,the witnessing 
is that men may understand and believe4 
,it's the servant leading up to the     
belief that shall become the mastering  
thing4 ,the belief is servant1 too1 in  
turn1 leading up to the witnessing that 
becomes the mastering passion in those  
who believe4  ,these words are worth    
digging into for the fine gold that lies
 hidden within waiting the miner's pick4
 ,the word believe is a nugget of pure  
gold1 whether you take our ,english word
 or ,john's word lying underneath4 ,the 
underneath word1 that ,john uses in his 
own mother tongue1 runs a sliding scale 
of meaning4  ,it's a ladder rising from 
bottom round to topmost4 ,it means to be
 persuaded that a thing is true2 then to
 place confidence in it1 to trust4 ,and 
trust always contains the idea of risk4 
,the heart-meaning always is that you   
risk something very precious to you1    

risk it to the point of heart-breaking  
disaster if your trust proves wrong4    
,our ,english word is of very close kin4
 ,it runs the same sort of sliding      
scale1 from something valuable and      
precious in itself1 on to something that
 satisfies you regarding the matter in  
hand4 ,you are not only satisfied but   
pleased1 content4 ,and so there is the  
same trusting and risking1 the same     
leaning your whole weight upon the      
thing4 ,deep down at its root1 believe  
is a close kinsman to love4 ,they both  
spring out of the same warm creative    
womb4  ,when we dig a bit into that word
 believe in the usage of common life it 
means three distinct things1 each       
leading straight into the               
other1--knowledge1 belief1 trust4 ,that 
is1 facts1 facts accepted1 facts trusted
 in regard to something that takes hold 
of your life4 ,you hear something4 ,you 
believe it's true4 ,but there must be   
the third thing1 risking something      
valuable4 ,there's no belief in the     

heart-meaning without this thing of     
risking4 ,the trust that risks is the   
life blood of faith4 ,the rest is only  
the bony skeleton with tendons and      
sinews and flesh4 ,there's no life      
without the blood4 ,there's no belief   
without trust4  ,and the word witness is
 the same pure-gold sort of nugget1     
assaying full weight4 ,john's native    
word and our own are just the same in   
meaning4 ,their meaning is to tell what 
you know4 ,we shall be running across   
this word again1 and digging a bit      
deeper into it4 ,but this is the thing  
that stands out in it4 ,you tell        
something that you yourself know4       
,there's personal knowledge4 ,there's a 
telling some one else this thing you    
know4 ,and yet more1 there's the purpose
 in the telling1 that others may know   
what you know1 and get all the good that
 comes with knowing it4  ,the witnessing
 is that others may believe4 ,it is a   
striking thing in ,john that the thought
 of witness is more common than the     

word4 ,the word occurs several times1   
and always in a leading way4 ,but the   
thought of witnessing is the colouring  
of every page1 and the chief colouring4 
,i said that these two words were twins1
 born at the same time1 of the same     
mother4 ,that warm-hearted brooding     
mother is the word wooing4 ,originally  
wooing means bending towards1 inclining 
forward or reaching out towards another4
 ,and the purpose of the reaching out is
 to get the other to reach forward      
towards you4 ,and that purpose puts the 
warm feel into the reaching out4  ,all  
words were pictures first4 ,here in this
 word wooing is a picture1 by one of the
 old masters1 waiting to be restored1   
with all the dusty accumulations of the 
years carefully removed4 ,and here's the
 picture3 a man standing1 with the light
 of the morning shining in ,his eyes1   
body bending forward1 hands reaching    
out1 with an eagerness1 an expectancy in
 every line of ,his body1 and tender    
love glowing out of ,his face1 and      

sounding in the very tones with which   
the voice is calling4  ,this picture is 
really the water-mark on the paper of   
,john's ,gospel4 ,hold up the paper of  
,john's ,gospel to the light4 ,the best 
light for the purpose is found on ,mount
 ,calvary4 ,high altitudes have clearer 
light4 ,you see more distinctly4 ,now   
look4 ,hold still that you may see all  
the outlines more distinctly4 ,there's  
the form of a ,man standing in pleading 
attitude1 with outstretched hands4 ,his 
face combines all the fineness of the   
finest woman's face1 with all the       
strength of the strongest man's1 and    
more1 immensely more1 all the purity and
 tenderness and power of ,god's face4   
,it is ,god ,himself in human form      
coming a-wooing to earth1 and we call   
,his name ,jesus4 ,this conception is   
the very atmosphere of ,john's ,gospel4 
,jesus is the witness of the ,father to 
men4 ,he knew the ,father4 ,he knew ,him
 by closest intimacy4 ,he lived with    
,him4 ,he came down to tell what ,he    

knew4 ,he wanted others to know too4 ,he
 wanted them to know even as ,he knew4  
,telling is the whole of ,jesus2 telling
 men of the ,father4  ,his mere         
presence1 ,his character1 ,his warm     
sympathy1 ,his practical helpfulness1   
,his words1 ,his actions1 most of all   
,his dying and ,his rising1 all these   
were a telling1 a witnessing1 a wooing2 
telling the ,father's love1 telling the 
damnableness of our sin by giving ,his  
very life blood to get it out of us2 so 
telling us how we might really know the 
mother-heart of the ,father4    ,jesus  
the ,dividing ,line4   ,there are       
several contrasts between the first     
three ,gospels and ,john's4 ,it is very 
striking to notice one in particular in 
this connection4 ,one reading the first 
three ,gospels for the first time is    
impressed with the fact of ,jesus'      
rejection4 ,this stands out peculiarly  
and dominantly4 ,it was the great fact1 
told most terribly in the death of      
,jesus4 ,it was the thing that stood out

 sharpest in the generation to which    
,jesus belonged1 the generation for whom
 these three ,gospels were written at   
the first4  ,but ,john wrote his story  
for an after-generation1 a generation   
that had not known the man ,jesus by    
personal touch and observation4 ,and so 
it was for all after-generations4 ,and  
,john makes it very clear that ,jesus   
was rejected1 and accepted4  ,he was    
indeed rejected2 that fact stands out as
 painfully here as in the others4 ,he   
was rejected by the little inner clique 
that held the national reins1 and held  
them with fevered tenacity1 and drove   
hard4 ,and the reason for it is made to 
stand out as plainly as the fact4 ,the  
envy and jealousy1 the intense          
bitterness and viciousness and devilish 
obstinacy back of the rejection stand as
 boldly out to all eyes as to ,pilate's4
  ,but the other side stands out sharply
 too4 ,jesus was accepted4 ,he was      
accepted by all classes1 by the         
cultured1 and the scholarly1 by         

thoughtful studious leaders and         
officials of the nation4 ,he was        
accepted by the great middle classes and
 by those in lowest scale socially1 and 
by the moral outcasts4 ,intense         
,hebrews1 ,roman officials of high rank1
 half-breed ,samaritans1 and men of     
outside nations group themselves        
together by their full acceptance of    
,jesus4  ,he was listened to1 doubted1  
questioned1 discussed1 thought over1 and
 then accepted4 ,and ,he was accepted   
with a faith and with a love that       
counted not suffering nor sacrifice for 
the sake of ,him whom they believed and 
trusted and loved4 ,john makes this     
clear1 rejected and accepted4  ,jesus   
divided the crowds4 ,down the road ,he  
comes1 with quiet strength1 witnessing  
to the great simple truth of the        
,father's pure strong wooing love4 ,and 
the crowd looks and listens             
and--divides4 ,some reject2 clearly they
 are a minority1 but entrenched in a    
position of power that proves quite     

sufficient for their purpose4 ,though it
 took all the power at their command to 
carry out their purpose4  ,others       
accept4 ,these are the crowds1 the      
majority4 ,some don't understand4 ,their
 motives are selfish or mixed1 like some
 other folks' motives4 ,some are played 
upon by the cunning of the leaders and  
swung away4 ,but there remain the       
thoughtful ones whose faith goes from   
weakness to strength2 it grows from more
 to yet more4 ,it mellows from a true   
simple faith to a deepened1 seasoned1   
sorely-tested1 surely-toughened faith   
that loves1 loves clear down to the     
roots1 and endures gladly4 ,this is the 
simple warp-thread into which ,john's   
very simple story of ,jesus is woven4   
,spelling ,god4   ,i want to give you a 
bunch of keys1 as we start into these   
homely talks in ,john's ,gospel4 ,they  
are simple keys4 ,any one can use them4 
,they fit easily and smoothly into every
 lock1 the lock of your life1 the lock  
of any circumstance1 any sore problem   

that may come up to baffle all your     
efforts4 ,they bring treasures within   
easy reach4 ,they open up the way into  
all you need4 ,there is a key to ,god1 a
 key to the ,book of ,god1 and then     
there are three keys to this little     
,john book4  ,the key to ,god is in one 
little word4 ,it has two spellings1     
sometimes with four letters1 sometimes  
with five1 and both correct spellings4  
,the four-lettered spelling is for all  
the world4 ,the five-lettered spelling  
is chiefly used in the western half of  
the earth1 and along certain lines and  
in certain spots here and there in the  
eastern half where the word is known4   
,that first spelling is l-o-v-e4 ,god is
 love4 ,love is of ,god4 ,god is always 
controlled by a purpose in all ,his     
dealings with the race1 and with you and
 me4 ,there is no chance-happening with 
,him1 no caprice1 no shadow in ,his path
 that tells of ,his being swerved aside1
 by anything we do1 from a steady       
purpose4  ,and that controlling purpose 

is always a purpose of love4 ,it's a    
purpose of strong steady pure clinging  
brooding love4 ,the bother is we don't  
know what that word love means2 none of 
us4 ,we know words but not the real     
things they stand for4 ,we don't know   
the real thing of love because we don't 
know the real thing of ,god4 ,if we     
knew1 oh6 if we but knew it--,him--how  
that simple statement would melt us     
down1 and mellow us through1 and mould  
us all over anew6  ,that's the shorter  
spelling4 ,it is the universal spelling4
 ,that love is being spelled out to all 
the race by every twinkling star in the 
upper blue1 every shade of green in the 
lower brown1 by every cooling shading   
night1 and every fragrantly dewy        
morning4 ,every breath of air and bite  
of food and draught of water is         
repeating ,god's spelling lesson4 ,these
 are the pages in ,god's primer4 ,so we 
all may learn to spell out ,god4 ,and so
 we get the right spelling of our own   
lives4  ,then there's the other         

spelling1 the five-lettered1 ,j-e-s-u-s4
 ,it's the same thing1 only spelled     
differently2 spelled in a yet better    
way4 ,the spelling grows bigger to us   
when ,jesus comes4 ,when we know ,him it
 takes more to spell out and to tell out
 ,god's love4 ,god grows larger to our  
eyes as ,he comes walking among us as   
,jesus4 ,no1 ,he doesn't grow larger4   
,we simply begin to find out how large  
,he is4  ,this is the closer1 more human
 spelling4 ,the letters are nearer and  
seem bigger as they come walking down   
the street where we live1 and knock at  
our own door4 ,they're easier spelled   
out4 ,we can get hold of them better4   
,love is a thing1 we think4 ,jesus is a 
person4 ,it's so different to touch a   
person4 ,but when we know1 we know that 
both spellings tell the same thing4 ,so 
far1 only about a third of us have heard
 anything about this second1 this closer
 spelling4 ,two out of three haven't    
heard about it yet4 ,but those who      
really know this spelling are eager for 

the others to get it1 too4  ,god is     
always controlled by a great simple     
purpose in thinking of you and me4 ,and 
it is an unfailing purpose of strong    
tender love4 ,this is the first key4    
,any one may take it and use it4 ,it is 
unfailing4 ,it will fit every lock4 ,it 
unlock every problem4 ,it will open up  
the riches to any life4 ,they're brought
 within easy reach of any hand by the   
steady use of this key4  ,this is the   
key to ,god4 ,it unlocks the doors and  
lets ,him freely into our lives4 ,then  
we find out how much truer it is than we
 can understand4  ,then there's the key 
to the ,book of ,god4 ,there are many   
keys here1 of course4 ,daily time alone 
with the ,book1 thoughtful reading1     
prayer1 some simple plan1 putting into  
your life what has been put in its      
pages1--these are all good keys4 ,but   
there's a master-key1 the master-key4   
,it is simply this3 glad surrender of   
will to the ,god of the ,book4 ,i mean a
 strong intelligent yielding to ,his    

mastery in all of one's plans and life4 
,the highest act of the strongest will  
is yielding to a higher will when you   
find it4 ,and you find the higher1 the  
highest1 will here4  ,this is the       
master-key4 ,bending the will affects   
eyes and ears and mind4 ,the hinges of  
eye and ear are in the will4 ,as the    
will bends those hinges move of         
themselves4 ,eye and ear and mind open4 
,the lower the will bends1 the more     
fully and habitually1 the more will eyes
 and ears open1 the keener and more     
alert will be the mental processes1 the 
more intelligent the understanding4 ,and
 there comes to be a continual mutual   
shifting4 ,with better understanding can
 come stronger more intelligent yielding
 of will1 and so again clearer light4   
,and it is striking to discover that    
there's a practical connection between  
the joints of the knees and the joint of
 the will4 ,the bending of knees to a   
sharp right angle affects the will4 ,it 
is easier to bend it4 ,it bends better  

and more4 ,and this grows4 ,the habitual
 bending of the knees helps make        
habitual and stronger and more          
intelligent the bending of the will4    
,this is the master-key to the ,book of 
,god4 ,it opens every lock and page4 ,it
 opens us to the ,book1 and opens the   
,book to us4 ,it frees out to us the    
wondrous ,spirit who is in these pages4 
,and so through the opened ,book there  
come to be the direct touch with the    
,god of the ,book4 ,we don't come to the
 ,book merely2 we come through it to    
,him who comes through it to us4 ,this  
is the second key in this bunch4        
,three ,keys4   ,now1 ,i want to give   
you the three keys to ,john's ,gospel4  
,there's a back-door key1 a side-door   
key1 and a front-door key4 ,these keys  
hang outside the doors1 low down1 that  
so any one who wants to can easily reach
 up1 and get them4 ,and if used         
faithfully and simply they will be found
 to unlock every page and line and      
difficult question4  ,the back-door key 

hangs right at the back door4 ,it is the
 very last verse of chapter twenty4     
,that really was the last chapter at    
first4 ,the thought of the book comes to
 a close there4 ,the story is complete4 
,then the ,holy ,spirit led ,john to add
 a little1 a second last-chapter1 an    
added touch for good measure4 ,love is  
never content4 ,it is always adding     
more4  ,here is the key3 these are      
written that ye may believe that ,jesus 
is the ,christ1 the ,son of ,god2 and   
that believing ye may have life through 
,his name4 ,this was ,john's whole      
thought in telling the ,jesus-story4    
,the practical gripped him wholly and   
hard4 ,this is the thing that guides his
 selection of incidents4 ,this purpose  
shapes the shape of the book4 ,it       
explains everything told1 and just why  
it is told in just the way it is told4  
,john lets ,jesus walk before our eyes  
fresh from ,his ,father's presence4 ,the
 mere fact of ,his presence1 the        
winsomeness of ,his personality1 the    

clearness of ,his teaching1 the power of
 ,his actions1 the uncompromising purity
 of ,his character amidst sin-stained   
crowds and sin-dirtied surroundings1 the
 unflinching rigidity of ,his ideals1   
the persuasiveness of ,his very manner  
and tone of speech1 the patience and    
gentleness1 the rugged granite strength1
 the mother tenderness1 above all the   
willingness to suffer so terribly1--all 
this is a plea1 a tremendous            
overpowering plea1 all the stronger     
because presented so simply and briefly4
 ,jesus is a ,lover and this is ,his    
wooing4  ,and ,john's one thought in    
writing is the same as the one thought  
in the ,lover's heart4 ,john has become 
simply an echo of ,jesus4 ,it is this1  
that you1 whoever you are1 wherever1    
whatever1 that you may believe4 ,you    
look and listen1 question1 puzzle a bit 
maybe1 but keep on listening and        
looking1 thinking1 weighing1 till you   
are clear these things are just so as   
,john tells them4 ,yon accept them as   

trustworthy4 ,then you accept ,him1     
,jesus1 as ,he comes to you1 your wooing
 ,lover1 your ,lover-,god1 your ,saviour
 and ,lord4  ,you believe3 that is you  
love4 ,the grammar of the word works    
itself out inside you thus1--believe1   
trust1 love4 ,the truth comes in through
 eyes and ears and feeling1 into brain  
and will2 through emotion clear down    
into your heart4 ,you love4 ,you cannot 
help yourself4 ,you love ,him1 ,jesus1  
the ,one so lovable4  ,john says that   
you may believe4 ,it is possible4 ,it is
 the reasonable intelligent thing to do 
after such a presentation4 ,john makes  
it easy for us to believe4 ,his telling 
of the story is so strong and           
convincing1 though so simple and short1 
that believing is the natural thing4    
,jesus ,himself1 as ,he conies to us    
through ,john's eyes and speech1 is so  
believable1 so trustworthy1 so lovable4 
,now we may believe4 ,it's the thing to 
do after a thoughtful kneeful study of  
the case as put by ,john4 ,we may       

believe clear into and through intellect
 and emotions and will1 right down into 
the depths of heart and love1 clear out 
into every action of the life4  ,and    
,john sweeps in the whole crowd of the  
world in the way he puts it here4       
,listen3 that you may believe that      
,jesus is the ,christ4 ,that was for the
 ,jew peculiarly in the first instance4 
,the ,jew had been taught through       
generations that there was ,one coming  
who was ,god's chosen ,one for the      
,hebrew nation4 ,he was the ,anointed   
,one4 ,the ,hebrew said ,messiah4 ,the  
,greek said ,christ4 ,both mean the     
same1 the ,one chosen of ,god1 anointed 
by ,him as the ,king and ,leader of ,his
 chosen people1 and through them of all 
the race4  ,listen further3 that ,jesus 
is the ,son of ,god4 ,that is for all of
 us1 ,jew and foreigner1 insider and    
outsider4 ,this ,jesus is in a          
distinctive sense the ,son of ,god1 the 
only begotten ,son4 ,this pure loving   
pleading wooing suffering dying         

rising-again ,jesus1 this is the only   
begotten ,son of the ,father4 ,all there
 is in a ,father comes to1 and is in1 an
 only begotten son4 ,this is ,god       
,himself coming to us in ,his ,son4     
,once let this sift into thought and    
heart1 then who would not believe1 and  
trust1 and love1 and fall on his face in
 the utter devotion of a voluntary slave
 before such a ,god6  ,and so believing1
 trusting1 loving1 touching1 ,his life  
flows in and fills up and floods out4   
,we have it now4 ,that word eternal1    
used so often by ,john with the word    
life1 is not a mere length word4 ,it is 
not a calendar word4 ,it tells the sort 
of life1 the quality of life1 that comes
 in through the opening door of our     
believing4 ,this is ,john's back-door   
key1 but it lets you clear in through   
the whole house4  ,then there is the    
side-door key4 ,it hangs at the side1 a 
bit towards the back4 ,it is in the     
,thursday night talk1 as we commonly    
call it1 that last heart-talk with the  

inner group on the betrayal night4 ,it  
is in chapter sixteen1 verse            
twenty-eight3 ,i came out from the      
,father1 and am come into the world3    
again1 ,i leave the world1 and go unto  
the ,father4  ,run through this ,gospel 
with that fresh in your mind1 and it is 
perfectly fascinating to find how much  
like a magnet it is1 picking out to     
itself so many bits from the ,master's  
lips that fit exactly into it4 ,jesus'  
constant thought was that ,he used to be
 with the ,father2 ,he came down on an  
errand to the earth4 ,by and by when the
 errand was done ,he would go back home 
again4  ,this sentence becomes a simple1
 exact1 comprehensive outline of the    
entire ,gospel4 ,notice3 ,i came out    
from the ,father3 that is chapter one1  
verses one to eighteen4 ,there ,jesus is
 seen coming down from ,his ,father's   
own presence4 ,then chapter one1 verse  
nineteen through to the close of the    
twelfth chapter is fully described and  
covered by the next clause1 and am come 

into the world4 ,here ,he is seen in the
 world1 in the midst of its crowds and  
contentions and oppositions4  ,again1 ,i
 leave the world1--chapters thirteen to 
nineteen4 ,in chapters thirteen to      
seventeen ,he is tenderly leaving the   
inner circle4 ,in chapters eighteen and 
nineteen ,he is going out of the world  
by the terrible doorway of the cross it 
had carpentered for ,him4 ,how quietly  
,he says the words1 though the terrible 
going is yet to come1 and is now so near
 that ,he can already feel the shame and
 the thorns and the nails4  ,and as     
quietly ,he looks beyond and adds1 and  
go unto the ,father4 ,in chapters twenty
 and twenty-one ,he lingers a little for
 the sake of these being left behind1   
but ,his face is already turned         
homeward4 ,they would hold ,him in their
 midst4 ,he quietly tells them that ,he 
is going back home to the ,father to get
 things ready for them1 as ,he had said4
    ,he ,comes to ,his ,own4   ,the     
front-door key hangs right at the very  

front1 outside1 low down1 where even a  
child's hand can reach it4 ,it is in    
chapter one1 verses eleven and twelve3  
,he came unto ,his own1 and they that   
were ,his own received ,him not4 ,but as
 many as received ,him to them gave ,he 
the right to become children of ,god1   
even to them who believe on ,his name4  
,this is the great key1 the chief key to
 this whole house4 ,it flings the front 
door wide open and you are inside at    
once1 and take in the whole of the house
 at a glance1 one glance1 one wonderful 
glance4  ,the first twelve chapters tell
 of ,jesus coming to ,his own1 ,his own 
nation1 humanly1 racially1 ,his own     
chosen people4 ,he is coming steadily   
and persistently1 in spite of rebuffs2  
coming patiently1 tenderly1 earnestly2  
coming ever closer in the ever          
increasing measure of divine power seen 
in ,his actions4  ,and continually1     
persistently1 ,he is being rejected and 
accepted4 ,he is rejected silently and  
contemptuously1 then aggressively and   

bitterly1 viciously and murderously4    
,his own received ,him not4 ,but many   
received ,him1 eagerly and warmly and   
thoughtfully4 ,they received ,him with a
 growing depth of conviction and        
deepening tenderness of love4 ,and as   
they come1 ,he is ever receiving them1  
giving them that touch of new life that 
marks only the children of ,god4  ,in   
chapters thirteen to seventeen ,he is   
receiving into closer fellowship those  
who have received ,him1 and at the same 
time wooing them into yet closer touch4 
,the story of the trial and crucifixion 
in chapters eighteen and nineteen1 puts 
the most terrific emphasis on the words1
 received ,him not4 ,they not only keep 
,him out of ,his own possessions1 but do
 their worst in putting ,him out of     
life4 ,and the little book closes in its
 last two chapters with ,his receivers  
being received into the sweetest        
intimacies of tested triumphant love and
 into the inner secrets of rarest       
resurrection power4  ,this is the most  

heart-breaking of all of ,john's        
heart-breaking sentences4 ,john had a   
hard time writing this ,gospel of his4  
,he was not simply writing a book2 that 
might have been fairly easy4 ,but he was
 telling about a friend of his1 the     
friend of his life1 his one dearest     
,friend4 ,and when he remembers how they
 treated ,him his eyes fill up1 and his 
heart beats till it thumps1 and his     
quill sticks into the paper in sheer    
reluctance to tell the story4  ,i think 
likely in the original manuscript1      
,john's own first copy1 the writing was 
a bit shaky and uneven here4 ,the dew of
 his wet eyes drops and blurs the words 
a bit as he puts down1 ,he came to ,his 
own1 and 4 4 they who were ,his own 4 4 
received 4 4 ,him 4 4 not4  ,one day a  
young student was crossing the          
quadrangles of one of the old ,scottish 
,universities towards his quarters in   
the dormitory4 ,he was not feeling well4
 ,his eyes had troubled him and made his
 work very difficult4 ,on the advice of 

a friend he sought the judgment of an   
expert in the treatment of the eyes4    
,the specialist made a very thorough    
examination and then informed the young 
student tactfully but plainly that he   
would lose his eyesight1 surely and not 
slowly4  ,lose his eyesight8 ,a sudden  
terrific actual blow between his eyes   
could not have stunned his body more    
than this stunned brain and heart4 ,lose
 his eyesight6 ,all his plans and       
coveted ambitions seemed slipping clean 
out from his grasp4 ,with the loss of   
eyes would go the loss of university    
training1 and so of all his dreams4     
,dazed1 blinded1 he groped his way      
rather than walked out of the           
physician's office4  ,his life was to be
 joined with another's4 ,and now he     
turned his distracted steps towards her 
home1 hungry doubtless for some word or 
touch of comfort for his sore heart4    
,and he was thinking1 too1 that with    
this utter break-up of the future she   
must be told4 ,and as he talked he said 

in quiet manly words that under these   
unexpected circumstances1 and the       
radical change in his prospects1 she    
must be free to do as she thought best4 
,and she took her freedom6 ,yet she was 
a woman4 ,and a woman's mission is to   
teach man love by the real thing of     
love1 by being it herself1 and drawing  
it out into full flower in him4 ,that   
was the second staggering blow4 ,a      
second time he groped his dazed way out 
of the house1 down the street1 into his 
lone student quarters4  ,but another    
,one was near1 brooding over him1 and   
tenderly holding his breaking heart1 and
 speaking words of warm comfort1 and    
breathing in the freshing breath of true
 love4 ,and as he yielded to this it    
overcame all else4 ,a new mood came and 
dominated4 ,and it became the fixed     
thing mastering all his life4 ,now he   
sits down1 and out of his torn bleeding 
but newly-touched heart writes the words
 we have all learned to sing3      ,o   
,love that will not let me go1       ,i 

rest my weary soul in ,thee1     ,i give
 ,thee back the life ,i owe1       ,that
 in thine ocean depths its flow         
,may richer1 fuller be4      ,o ,light  
that followest all my way1       ,i     
yield my flickering torch to ,thee2     
,my heart restores its borrowed ray     
,that in ,thy sunshine's glow its day   
,may brighter1 fairer be4      ,o ,joy  
that seekest me through pain1       ,i  
cannot close my heart to ,thee2     ,i  
trace the rainbow through the rain1     
,and feel the promise is not vain       
,that morn shall tearless be4      ,o   
,cross that liftest up my head1       ,i
 dare not ask to hide from ,thee2     ,i
 lay in dust life's glory dead1         
,and from the ground there blossoms red 
,life that shall endless be4  ,and with 
but a single change1 the change of a    
word or two in one line1 they stand as  
at first written4 ,i suppose his        
biographer omitted the incident for the 
same reason that the first three        
,gospels may have omitted the incident  

of ,lazarus while he was still living4  
,so there was a sheltering from personal
 embarrassment4  ,he came to his own and
 his own received him not4 ,he--,jesus  
came to ,his own and they that were ,his
 own received ,him not4 ,aye1 there's   
more to add3 ,he comes to ,his own--you 
and me--to-day4 ,and ,his own--  ,you   
and ,i must finish that sentence1 each  
in his own way4 ,and we will2 and we do4
 ,we may copy out in our lives just what
 these men of old did as told by ,john4 
,some of us do4 ,we may do some fine    
revision work on the text of ,john's    
version as we translate it now into the 
experience of our own hearts1 and into  
the life of our own lives4 ,that's the  
only way to understand the next sentence
 about being taken into the family of   
,god and sharing the fullness of life   
that is common there4  ,and this bit    
that is put down here is only a bit of  
copy work4 ,these things are talked and 
written only that we may be given a lift
 into closer touch of heart and life    

with the ,christ1 the ,son of ,god1 and 
the ,brother and ,saviour of men4       
,,ii  ,the ,wooing ,lover       ,who it 
,was that ,came            ,but with    
unhurrying chase1         ,and          
unperturbed pace1     ,deliberate speed1
 majestic instancy1         ,they       
beat--and a ,voice beat         ,more   
instant than the ,feet--     ',all      
things betray thee1 who betrayest ,me'  
--,the ,hound of ,heaven4       ,behold1
 ,i stand at the door and knock3 if any 
man hear my voice and open the door1 ,i 
will come in     to him1 and will sup   
with him1 and he with me4      --,rev4  
iii4 #bj4     ,,ii  ,the ,wooing ,lover 
7,john i4 #a-ah47    ,in ,his ,own      
,image4   ,love gives4 ,it gives freely 
and without stint1 yet always           
thoughtfully4 ,it gives itself out1 its 
very life4 ,this is its life1 to give   
its life4 ,it lives most by giving most4
 ,so it comes into fullness of life4    
,so it gets4 ,a thing of life1 in its   
own image1 comes walking eagerly with   

outstretched arms to its embrace4 ,it   
gives that it may get4 ,yet the giving  
is the greater4 ,it brings most joy4    
,this is the very essence of life1 this 
giving creating spirit4 ,it is          
everywhere1 in lower life and higher and
 highest1 wherever the touch of ,god has
 come4 ,the sun gives itself out in life
 and light and warmth4 ,and out to greet
 it comes a bit of itself--the fine form
 and sweet fragrance of the rose1 the   
tender blade of grass1 the unfolding    
green of the leaf1 the wealth of the    
soil1 the song of the bird and the      
grateful answer of all nature4  ,the hen
 sits long patient days on her nest4    
,and forth comes cheeping life in her   
own image1 answering the call of her    
mothering spirit4 ,the mother-bird in   
the nest in the crotch of the tree gives
 her life day by day in brooding love4  
,and her wee nestling offspring1 in her 
own image1 answers with glad increase of
 strength and growth4  ,father and      
mother of our human kind give of their  

very life that new life may come4 ,and  
under the overshadowing touch of an     
unseen ,presence comes a new life made  
in their image1 and in ,his who broods  
unseen over all three4 ,and over the    
life wrecked by sin broods the ,spirit  
of ,god4 ,and out through the doorway of
 an opening will1 comes a new creature  
of winsome life in the very image of    
that brooding ,spirit of ,god4  ,this is
 the holy commonplace of all life4 ,it  
is the touch of ,god4 ,it is everywhere 
about us1 and beneath and above4 ,the   
father-mother ,spirit of ,god broods    
over all our common life4 ,and when     
things go wrong1 ,he broods a bit closer
 and tenderer4 ,he meets every need of  
the life ,he has created4 ,and ,he meets
 it in the same way1 by giving ,himself4
  ,and there's always the response4 ,the
 fragrance of the rose answers the sun4 
,the pipped shell brings the longed-for 
answer to the gladdened mother-bird4    
,the ever wondrous babe-eyes give       
unspeakable answer to the yearning of   

father and mother heart4 ,the heart of  
man leaps at the call of his ,god4      
,this makes quite clear the wondrous    
response men gave ,jesus when ,he walked
 among us4 ,jesus was ,god coming a bit 
closer in ,his brooding love to mend a  
break and restore a blurred image4 ,and 
men answered ,him4 ,they couldn't help  
it4 ,how they came6 ,they didn't        
understand ,him1 but they felt ,him4    
,they couldn't resist the tender1       
tremendous pull upon their hearts of    
,his mere presence4  ,and ,jesus drew   
man into the closest touch of intimate  
friendship4 ,the long-range way of doing
 things never suited ,him4 ,and it      
doesn't4 ,he didn't keep man at arm's   
length4 ,and ,he doesn't4 ,and then     
because they were friends1 ,he and they1
 they were eager to serve1 and willing  
even to suffer1 to walk a red-marked    
roadway for ,him they loved4    ,the    
,gospel ,according to--,you4   ,among   
all those who felt and answered the call
 of ,jesus was one called ,john1 ,john  

the disciple4 ,jesus drew ,john close4  
,john came close4 ,john lived close4    
,john came early and he stayed late4 ,he
 stayed to the very end1 into the       
evening glow of life4 ,and all his long 
life he was under the tender holy spell 
of ,jesus' presence4 ,he was swayed by  
the ,jesus-passion4 ,always burning1 he 
was yet never consumed2 only the alloy  
burned up and burned out1 himself       
refined to the quality of life called   
eternal4  ,then ,john came to the end of
 his long life4 ,and he knew he would be
 slipping the tether of life and going  
out and up and in to the real thing of  
life4 ,and ,i think ,john was a bit     
troubled4 ,not because he was going to  
die4 ,this never troubles the man who   
knows ,jesus4 ,the ,jesus-touch         
overcomes the natural twinges of death4 
,but he was troubled a bit in spirit for
 a little by the thought that he would  
not be on earth any longer to talk to   
people about ,jesus4 ,and to ,john this 
was the one thing worth while4 ,this was

 the life-passion4  ,and so ,i think    
,john prayed about it a bit4 ,for this  
is what he did4 ,he said to himself1 ,i 
will write a book4 ,i'll make it a      
little book1 so busy people can quickly 
read it4 ,i'll pick out the simplest    
words ,i know so common folks everywhere
 that don't have dictionaries can easily
 understand4 ,and ,i'll make them into  
the shortest simplest sentences ,i can  
so they can quickly get my story of     
,jesus4 ,and so ,john wrote his little  
book4 ,and we call it the story of      
,jesus according to ,john1 or1 as we    
commonly say the ,gospel--the           
,god-story--according to ,john4  ,and   
all this is a simple bit of a parable4  
,it is a parable in action4 ,jesus is   
brooding over us1 giving ,himself1      
warmly wooing us4 ,he woos us into      
personal friendship with ,himself4 ,and 
then ,he asks that each of us shall     
write a gospel4 ,this is the ,gospel    
according to ,john2 and these others    
according to ,luke and ,mark and        

,matthew4 ,he means that there shall be 
the gospel according to--you4 ,what is  
your name8 put it in there4 ,then you   
get the ,master's plan4 ,there is to be 
the gospel according to ,charles and    
,robert and ,george1 and ,mary and      
,elizabeth and ,margaret4  ,and you say1
 ,write a gospel8 ,i couldn't do that4  
,you don't mean that4 ,that's just a bit
 of preaching4 ,no1 it isn't preaching4 
,it's so4 ,i do not mean to write with a
 common pen of steel or gold2 nor on    
just common paper of rags or wood-pulp4 
,but ,i do mean--,he means--that you    
shall write with the pen of your daily  
life4 ,and that you shall write on the  
paper of the lives of those you're      
touching and living with every day4     
,clearly1 ,he meant1 and ,he means1 that
 you and ,i shall live such simple      
unselfish lovable ,jesus-touched lives1 
in just the daily commonplace round of  
life1 that those we live with shall know
 the whole story of ,jesus' love and    
life2 ,his love burned out for us till  

there were no ashes1 and ,his life      
poured out for us till not a red drop   
was left unspilled4  ,are you writing   
your gospel8 ,is your life spelling out 
this simple wondrous ,god-story8 ,i can 
find out1 though1 of course1 ,i shall   
not4 ,what ,i mean is this1--the crowd  
knows4 ,the folks that touch you every  
day1 they know4 ,this old ,bible was    
never printed so much as to-day1 nor    
issued more numerously4                 
,and--thoughtfully--it was never read   
less by the common crowd on the common  
street of life than to-day4  ,that      
doesn't mean that the crowd doesn't read
 what it supposes to be religious       
literature4 ,it does4 ,i wish we church 
folk read our religious literature as   
faithfully as this crowd ,i speak of    
reads its4 ,it is reading the gospel    
according to you1 and reading it daily1 
and closely1 and faithfully1 and        
remembering what it reads1 and being    
shaped by it4  ,this ,bible ,i have here
 is bound in--,i think it is called     

sealskin4 ,i tried to get the best      
wearing binding ,i could4 ,but ,i've    
discovered that there's a better binding
 than this4 ,the best binding for the   
,gospel is shoe-leather4 ,the old       
,gospel of the ,son of ,god is at its   
best as it is being tramped out on the  
common street of life4 ,its truths stand
 out clearest as they're walked out4    
,its love comes warmest1 its power is   
most resistless as it comes to you in   
the common give-and-take of daily touch 
in home and shop and street4 ,are you   
writing your copy of the ,gospel8  ,you 
know that sometimes scholars have found 
some precious manuscripts in old        
monasteries4 ,they have gone into some  
old1 grey1 stone monkery in the ,near   
,east1 and they have run across old     
manuscripts hidden away in some dark    
cell1 covered with dust and with        
rubbish1 perhaps4 ,with much tact and   
diplomacy they have at length managed to
 get possession of the coveted          
manuscript4 ,and they have been fairly  

delighted to find that they have gotten 
hold of a remnant1 a very precious      
remnant1 of one of these ,gospels4 ,in  
just this way much invaluable light has 
been gotten that made possible these    
precious revised versions4  ,i wonder if
 your gospel--the one you're writing    
with your life--is just a remnant1 a    
ragged remnant4 ,and perhaps there's a  
good bit of dusting necessary1 and      
removing of rubbish1 to get even at what
 there is there4 ,and some of the shy   
hungry hearts that touch you and me need
 to use quite a bit of unconscious      
diplomacy perhaps to get even as much as
 they do4 ,i wonder4 ,the crowd knows4  
,it could throw a good bit of light     
here4 ,how much of this old ,jesus-story
 are you really living6  ,of course1    
there's a special touch of inspiration  
in these four ,gospels4 ,the ,holy      
,spirit brooded over these men in a     
special way as they wrote4 ,that is     
true4 ,these are the standard ,gospels4 
,we would never know the blessed story  

but for these four ,spirit-breathed     
little books4 ,but it is also true that 
that same ,holy ,spirit will guide you  
in the writing of your version of the   
,gospel4  ,these four ,gospels are      
different from each other4 ,the         
colouring of ,luke's warm personality1  
and of his physician habit of thought is
 in his ,gospel very plainly4 ,and so it
 is with each one of these ,gospels4    
,and1 even so1 there will be the        
colouring of your personality1 your     
habit of thought1 the distinct tinge of 
the experience you have been through1 in
 the gospel you write with the pen of   
your life1 and bind up in the           
shoe-leather of your daily round4  ,but 
through all of this there will be the   
simple1 subtle1 but very real1          
atmosphere of the ,holy ,spirit1 helping
 you make the story plain and full1 and 
helping people to understand that story 
as it is lived1 as they never can simply
 by hearing it told with tongues or read
 through eyes4  ,are you writing your   

gospel8 ,is your daily life spelling out
 the life and love of ,jesus1 that life 
that was poured out till none was left1 
that love that was burned out till even 
the ashes were burned up1 too8 ,this is 
the ,master's plan4 ,and practically it 
is the crowd's only chance4    ,god in  
,human ,garb4   ,now ,i want to have you
 turn with me to the opening lines of   
,john's ,gospel4 ,there are not many of 
these opening lines4 ,the whole story is
 a short one4 ,these lines at the       
beginning are like an etching1 there are
 the fewest touches of pen on paper1 of 
black ink on white surface4 ,but the few
 lines are put in so simply and         
skilfully that they make an exquisite   
picture4 ,it's the picture of ,god      
coming in human garb as a wooing ,lover4
  ,i think it might be best perhaps if  
,i might simply give you a sort of free 
reading of these opening lines1 with a  
word of comment or illustration to try  
to make the meaning simpler4 ,it will be
 a putting of ,john's words into the    

simple every-day colloquial speech that 
we ,english-speaking people use4 ,john  
used very simple language in his own    
telling of the story in his             
mother-tongue4 ,and it may help if we   
try to do the same4  ,you will quickly  
see how very simple this free           
translation will be4 ,yet1 let me say1  
that though homely and simple it will be
 strictly accurate to what ,john is     
thinking and saying in his own native   
speech4 ,i mean of course1 so far as ,i 
can find out just what he is thinking   
and saying4  ,let us turn then to       
,john's ,gospel1 at its beginning4 ,and 
it will help very much if we keep our   
,bibles open as we talk and read        
together4  ,listen3 in the beginning    
there was a wondrous ,one4 ,he was the  
mind of ,god thinking out to man4 ,he   
was the heart of ,god throbbing love out
 to man's heart4 ,he was the face of    
,god looking into man's face4 ,he was   
the voice of ,god1 soft and low1 clear  
and distinct1 speaking into man's ears4 

,he was the hand of ,god1 strong and    
tender1 reaching down to take man by the
 hand and lead him back to the old      
trysting-place under the tree of life1  
down by the river of water of life4  ,he
 was the person of ,god wearing a human 
coat and human shoes1 hand-pegged1      
walking in freely amongst us that we    
might get our tangled up ideas about    
,god and ourselves and about life       
untangled1 straightened out4 ,he was    
,god ,himself wrapped up in human form  
coming close that we might get          
acquainted with ,him all over again4    
,this is part of the meaning of the     
little five-lettered word in his own    
tongue that ,john chooses and uses1 at  
the first here1 as a new name for ,him  
who was commonly called ,jesus4 ,it was 
because of our ears that he used the new
 word4 ,if he had said ,jesus at once1  
they would have said ,oh6 yes1 we know  
about ,him4 ,and at once their ears     
would have gone shut to the thing that  
,john is saying4  ,for they didn't know4

 ,and we don't4 ,we know words4 ,the    
thing1 the real thing1 we know so       
little4 ,so ,john uses a new word at the
 first1 and so floods in new light4 ,and
 then we come to see whom he is talking 
about4 ,it's a bit of the diplomacy of  
,god so as to get in through dulled ears
 and truth-hardened minds down in to the
 heart4  ,nature always seems eager to  
meet a defect4 ,it seems to hurry       
eagerly forward to overcome defects and 
difficulties4 ,the blind man has more   
acute hearing and a more delicate sense 
of feel4 ,the deaf man's eyes grow      
quicker to watch faces and movements and
 so learn what his ears fail to tell    
him4 ,the lame man leans more on other  
muscles1 and they answer with greater   
strength to meet the defect of the      
weaker muscles4  ,the bat has shunned   
the light so long through so many       
bat-generations that it has become      
blind1 but it has remarkable ears1 and  
nature has grown for it an abnormal     
sense of touch1 and a peculiar          

sensitiveness even where there is no    
contact1 so that it avoids obstacles in 
flying with a skill that seems uncanny1 
incredulous4  ,i remember in ,cincinnati
 one night1 sitting on the platform of a
 public meeting by the side of a widely 
known ,christian worker and speaker who 
was blind4 ,as various men spoke he     
quietly made brief comments to me1-- ,he
 doesn't strike fire4 ,and then1 ,he    
doesn't touch them4 ,and then1 ,ah6 he's
 got them2 that's it2 now they're       
burning4 ,and it was exactly so as he   
said4 ,i sat fascinated as ,i watched   
the crowd and heard his comments4 ,the  
sense of discerning what was going on in
 another way than by sight had been     
grown in him by the very necessity of   
his blindness4 ,defect in one sense was 
overcome by nature1 by increase in      
another sense4  ,when ,queen ,victoria  
was in residence in ,scotland at        
,balmoral it was her kindly custom to   
present the various clergymen who       
preached in the ,castle chapel with a   

photograph marked with her autograph4   
,when ,george ,matheson1 the famous     
blind preacher1 came she showed the fine
 thoughtful tact for which she was      
famous4 ,clearly an autographed         
photograph would not mean much in itself
 to a blind man4 ,so the ,queen had a   
miniature bust-statue made and presented
 to him as her acknowledgment of his    
service4 ,and so where his eyes failed  
to let him see1 his sense of touch would
 carry to his mind and heart the fine   
features of the gracious sovereign he   
was so glad to serve4  ,jesus was ,god  
coming in such a way that we could know 
,him by the feel4 ,we had gone blind to 
,his face4 ,we couldn't read ,his       
signature plainly autographed by ,his   
own hand on the blue above and the brown
 below4 ,but when ,jesus came men knew  
,god by the feel4 ,they didn't          
understand ,jesus4 ,but the sore hungry 
crowds reached out groping trembling    
fingers1 and they knew ,him4 ,they began
 to get acquainted with their gracious  

,sovereign4  ,all this gives the simple 
clue to this word ,word which ,john uses
 as a new name for ,jesus4 ,man had     
grown deaf to the music of ,god's voice1
 blind to the beauty of ,his face1      
slow-hearted to the pleading of ,his    
presence4 ,his hand was touching us but 
we didn't feel it4 ,so ,he came in a new
 way1 in a very homely close-up way and 
walked down our street into our own     
doors that we might be caught by the    
beauty of ,his face1 and thrilled by the
 music of ,his voice1 and thralled by   
the spell of ,his presence4    ,god at  
,his ,best4   ,john goes on3 and this   
wondrous ,one was with ,god4 ,there were
 two of them4 ,and the two were         
together4 ,they were companions1 they   
were friends1 fellows together4 ,and    
this ,one was ,god4 ,each was the same  
as the other4 ,this is the same ,one who
 was in the later creative beginning    
with ,god4 ,it was through this ,one    
that all things were made4 ,and1 of all 
things that have been made1 not any     

thing was made without ,him4  ,you      
remember that ,john's ,gospel and       
,genesis begin in the same way1--in the 
beginning4 ,but ,john's in the          
beginning1 the first one1 is not the    
same as the ,genesis in the beginning4  
,john's is the beginning before there   
was any beginning4 ,it is the beginning 
before they had begun making calendars  
on the earth1 because there wasn't any  
earth yet to make calendars on4 ,then   
this second time the phrase is used     
,john comes to the later creative       
beginning with which ,genesis opens4    
,this is what ,john is saying here4  ,in
 ,him was life4 ,out of ,him came life4 
,out of ,him comes life4 ,there was no  
life1 there is none1 except what was in 
this ,one1 and what came1 and comes out 
from ,him all the time4 ,how patient    
,god is6 ,there walks a man down the    
street4 ,he leaves ,god out of his life4
 ,he may remember ,him so far as to use 
,his name blasphemously to punctuate and
 emphasize what he is saying4 ,yonder   

walks a woman in the shadow of the      
street at night4 ,and her whole life is 
spent walking in the dark shadow of the 
street of life4 ,and her whole life is a
 blasphemy against her personality1 and 
against the ,god who gave her that      
precious sacred personality4  ,take     
these two as extreme illustrations4     
,there is life there2 life of the body1 
of the mind1 life of the human spirit4  
,listen softly1 all the life there is   
there1 is coming out all the time from  
this ,one of whom ,john is talking4 ,it 
is not given once as a thing to be taken
 and stored4 ,it is being given4 ,it is 
coming constantly with each breath1 from
 this wondrous ,one4 ,this is what ,john
 is saying here4  ,how patient ,god is6 
,only we don't know what patience is4   
,we know the word1 the label put on the 
outside4 ,we don't know the thing1      
except sometimes in very smallest part4 
,for patience is love at its best4      
,patience is ,god at ,his strongest and 
tenderest and best4  ,i think likely    

when we get up yonder1 we'll stop one   
another on the golden streets4 ,there'll
 be a hand put out1 gripping the other  
hard4 ,and we'll look into each other's 
eyes with our eyes big4 ,and we'll say  
with breaking voices1 ,how patient ,god 
was with us down there on the earth1    
down there in ,london and ,new ,york4   
,in ,him was life4 ,out of ,his hand and
 heart is coming to us all the time all 
we are and all we have4 ,we may leave   
,god practically out4 ,so many of us do4
 ,but ,he never leaves us out4 ,the     
creating1 sustaining touch of ,his ,hand
 is ever upon each of us1 upon all the  
world4  ,though ,he cannot do all for us
 ,he would except as we gladly come and 
let ,him4 ,what ,he is giving us is so  
much4 ,it's our all4 ,yet it is the     
smaller part4 ,there's the fuller part4 
,this is the whole drive of ,john's     
story1 this fuller part4 ,out of ,him   
,jesus1 into us will come the newer1 the
 better1 the abundant quality of life1  
if ,he may have ,his way4  ,and ,john   

adds1--and the life was the light of    
men4 ,he was what we have4 ,he gives    
,himself2 not things1 but a person4     
,with ,god everything is personal4 ,we  
men go to the impersonal so much1 or we 
try to4 ,we do our best at it4 ,we have 
a great genius for organization1        
especially in this western half of the  
earth4  ,as ,i came back from a four    
years' absence from my own country1 ,i  
was instantly conscious of a change4    
,either my ears were changed or things  
about me were4 ,i think likely both4    
,but the wheels were going faster than  
ever4 ,there were more wheels1 and their
 whir seemed never out of ear-shot4     
,commercial wheels1 and educational1    
philanthropic and religious1 political  
and humanitarian1 thicker and faster    
than ever1 driving all day1 and with    
almost no night there4  ,and the whole  
attempt is to make the machine do the   
thing with as little dependence as      
possible on the human element1 even     
though the human element was never      

emphasized more4 ,contradictory8 ,yet   
there it is4 ,we men go to the          
impersonal4 ,yet deep down in our hearts
 we hunger for the human touch1 the warm
 personal touch4 ,this after all is the 
thing4 ,we all feel that4 ,yet the whole
 crowding of life's action is to crowd  
it out4  ,but with ,god everything is   
personal4 ,the life is the light of men4
 ,what ,he is in ,himself--that is what 
,he gives4 ,and this is all the light   
and life we ever have4 ,men make botany4
 ,god makes flowers breathing their     
freshening fragrance noiselessly up into
 your face4 ,man makes astronomy4 ,god  
makes the stars1 shaking their firelight
 out of the blue down into your         
wondering eyes on a clear moonless      
night4 ,man makes theology4 ,and        
theology has its place1 when it's kept  
in its place4 ,god gives us ,jesus4  ,i 
don't know much about botany4 ,my       
knowledge of astronomy is very limited4 
,and the more ,i read of theology1      
whether ,western or ,eastern1 ,latin    

,church or ,greek1 the first ,seven     
,councils or the later ones1 the more ,i
 stand perplexed4 ,it's a thing         
fearsomely and wonderfully manufactured1
 this theology4 ,but ,i frankly confess 
to a great fondness for flowers1 and for
 stars1 and a love for ,jesus that      
deepens ever more in reverential awe and
 in tenderness and grateful devotion4   
,the life was the light of men4 ,he     
,himself is all that we have4 ,we go to 
things4 ,we reckon worth and wealth by  
things4 ,he gives ,himself4 ,and ,he    
asks1 not things1 but one's self4       
,packing ,most in ,least4   ,and ,john  
goes quietly on with his great simple   
story3 and the light shineth in the     
darkness1 ,john has a way of packing    
much in little4 ,here he packs four     
thousand years into three ,english      
letters4 ,for he has been back in that  
creative ,genesis week4 ,and now with   
one long stride he puts his foot down in
 the days when ,jesus walks among us as 
a man4 ,forty centuries1 by the common  

reckoning1 packed into three letters    
e-t-h4 ,rather a skilful bit of packing 
that4 ,yet it is not unusual4 ,it is    
characteristic both of ,john and of the 
,one that guides ,john's pen4 ,when ,he 
is allowed to have free sway the ,holy  
,spirit packs much in little4  ,that    
rugged old ,hebrew prophet of fire and  
storm1 ,elijah1 standing in the grey    
dawn1 in the mouth of an ,arabian cave1 
had the whole of a new ,god--a ,god of  
tender gentle love--packed into an      
exquisite sound of gentle stillness1    
that smote so subtly on his ear1 and    
completely melted and changed this man  
of rock and thunder4 ,it's a new man    
that turns his face north again4 ,the   
new ,god that had compacted ,himself    
anew inside the ruggedly faithful old   
man is revealed in the prophet's        
successor4 ,this is the new spirit1 so  
unlike the old ,elijah1 that comes as a 
birth-right heritage upon young ,elisha4
 ,great packing work that4  ,that       
fine-grained young university fellow on 

the ,damascus road1 driving hard in     
pursuit of his earnest purpose1 had the 
whole of a ,god1 a new ,god to him1     
packed into a single flash of blinding  
light out of the upper blue4 ,he had the
 whole of a new plan1 an utterly changed
 plan for his life1 packed into a single
 sentence spoken into his amazed ears as
 he lies in the dust4  ,and if this     
,holy ,spirit may have ,his way--a big  
if8 ,yes3 yet not too big to be gotten  
rid of at once3 ,god puts in the if's1  
that we may get the strength of         
choosing4 ,we put them out1 if we do4   
,if ,he may have ,his way ,he'll        
pack--listen quietly1 with your         
heart--,he'll pack the whole of a ,jesus
 inside you and me4 ,much in little6    
,most in least6 ,and the more we let    
,him in1 the bigger that most prints    
itself to our eyes1 and the more that   
least dwindles down to the disappearing 
point4  ,god gives us ,his own self in  
,jesus4 ,jesus comes to live inside of  
us4 ,he doesn't give us things1 but     

,himself4 ,we talk about salvation4     
,there's something better--a ,saviour4  
,we talk about help in trouble4 ,there's
 something immensely more--a ,friend1   
alongside1 close up4 ,we talk about     
healing--sometimes1 not so much these   
days2 the subject is so much confused4  
,there's something much better--a       
,healer1 living within1 whose presence  
means healing and health for body and   
spirit4  ,then ,john says1 the light    
shineth in the darkness4 ,this is ,god's
 way of treating darkness4 ,there are   
two ways of treating darkness1 man's and
 ,god's4 ,man's way is to attack the    
darkness4 ,suppose this hall where we   
are were quite dark1 all shuttered up1  
and suppose we were new on the earth1   
and not familiar with darkness4 ,we want
 to hold a meeting4 ,but how shall we   
get rid of this strange darkness that   
has come down over everything8 ,let's   
each of us get a bucket or pail or      
basin1 and take some of the darkness    
out4 ,so we'll get rid of it1 and its   

inconvenience4  ,and if the suggestion  
were made seriously there might be talk 
of putting the suggestor in a certain   
sort of institution for the safety of   
the community4 ,yet this is the way we  
go at the other darkness1 the worse     
moral darkness4  ,god's way is quite    
different2 indeed just the exact reverse
 let the light shine4 ,the darkness     
can't stand the light4 ,if the hall were
 quite dark1 and ,i scratched only a    
parlour-match1 instantly as the little  
flame broke out of the end of the stick 
some of the darkness would go4 ,it's    
surprising how much would go1 and how   
quickly4 ,the darkness can't stand the  
light4 ,it flees like a hunted hare     
before a pack of hounds4  ,there may be 
times when action must betaken by a     
community against certain forms of evil1
 so damnable1 and so strongly           
entrenched1 and so threatening to the   
purity of home and young and of all4    
,but note keenly that this is           
incidental4 ,it is immensely important  

at times1 but it is distinctly          
secondary4 ,the great simple plan of    
,god is this3 let the light shine4 ,the 
darkness flees like a whipped cur1 tail 
tightly curled down and in1 before the  
real thing of light4  ,let me ask you a 
question4 ,come up a bit closer and     
listen quietly1 for this is tremendously
 serious4 ,and it's the quietest spoken 
word that reaches the inner cockles of  
the heart4 ,listen3 is it a bit dark    
down where you live8 ,morally dark8     
,spiritually8 ,how about that8 in       
commercial circles and social and       
fraternal1 in church and home and city  
and neighbourhood4 ,is it a bit dark8   
,or1 have ,i found the ,garden of ,eden 
at last before the serpent entered8     
,because if it be a bit dark1 softly1   
please1 let me say it very quietly1 for 
it may sound critical1 and ,i would not 
have that for anything4 ,we are talking 
only to help4 ,though sometimes the     
truth itself does have a merciless edge4
 ,if it be a bit dark does it not       

suggest that the light has not been     
shining as it was meant to8 ,for where  
the light shines the darkness goes4     
,for1 you see1 this is still ,god's plan
 for treating darkness4 ,it is meant to 
be true to-day of each of us1--the light
 shineth in the darkness4 ,of course1 we
 are not the light4 ,he is the ,light4  
,but we are the light-holders4 ,i carry 
the ,light of the world around inside of
 me4 ,and so do you1 if you do4 ,it is  
not because of the me1 of course1 but   
because of the great patience and       
faithfulness of ,him who is the ,light4 
,a very rickety cheap lantern may carry 
a clear light1 and the man in the ditch 
find good footing in the road again4    
,you and ,i are meant to be the human   
lanterns carrying the ,light1 and       
letting it shine clearly fully out4 ,and
 you know when some one else is         
providing the light the chief thing     
about the lantern is that the glass of  
the lantern be kept dean and clear so   
the light within can get freely out4    

,the great thing is that we shall live  
clean transparent lives so the ,light   
within may shine clearly out4 ,we may   
live unselfish clean ,christly lives1 by
 ,his great grace4 ,and through that    
kind of lives1 the ,light itself shines 
out1 and shines out most1 and most      
clearly4  ,over at the mouth of the     
,hudson1 where ,i call it home1 there   
are some strange things seen4 ,sometimes
 the glass of this human lantern gets   
smoky1 badly smoked4 ,and sometimes it  
even gets cobwebby1 rather thickly      
covered up4 ,and even this has been     
known to happen up there1--it'll seem   
very strange to you people              
doubtless--this2 they write finely      
phrased essays on the delicate shading  
of grey in the smoke on the glass of the
 human lantern4  ,they meet together and
 listen to essays1 in rarely polished   
,english1 on the exquisite lace-like    
tracery of the cobwebs on the glass of  
the human lantern4 ,but look6 ,hold your
 heart still and look6 ,there's the     

crowd in the road in the dark1          
struggling1 jostling1 stumbling1 and    
falling into the ditch at the side of   
the road1 ditched and badly mired1      
because the light hasn't gotten to them4
 ,the ,light's there4 ,it's burning     
itself out in passionate eagerness to   
help4 ,but the human lanterns are in bad
 shape4  ,rhetoric6 do you say8 ,i wish 
it were4 ,i wish with my heart it were4 
,look at the crowds for yourself4 ,there
 they go down the street1 pell-mell1    
bewildered1 blinded1 some of them by    
will-o'-the-wisp lights1 ditched and    
mired many of them4 ,the thing is only  
too terribly true4  ,our ,lord's great  
plan1 bearing the stamp of its divinity 
in its sheer human simplicity1 is this3 
we who know ,jesus are to live ,him4    
,we're to let the whole of a ,jesus1    
crucified1 risen1 living1 shine out of  
the whole of our lives4  ,is it a bit   
dark down where you are8 ,let the ,light
 shine4 ,let the clear sweet steady     
,jesus-light shine out through your true

 clean quiet ,jesus-swayed and          
,jesus-controlled life4 ,then the       
darkness must go4 ,it can't stand the   
,light4 ,it can't withstand the purity  
and insistence of its clear steady      
shining4 ,and the darkness will go3     
slowly1 reluctantly1 angrily1 doggedly1 
making hideous growling noises          
sometimes1 raising the dust sometimes1  
but it will go4 ,it must go before the  
,light4 ,the ,light's resistless4 ,this 
is our ,lord's wondrous plan through    
,his own1 and ,his irresistible plan for
 the crowd1 and ,his plan against the   
prince of darkness4    ,the ,heart-road 
to the ,head4   ,then ,john goes on to  
say1 the darkness apprehended it not4   
,the old common version says            
comprehended2 the revisions1 both       
,english and ,american1 say apprehended4
 ,both are rather large words1 larger in
 ,english than ,john would use4 ,john   
loved to use simple talk4 ,yet there's  
help even in these ,english words4      
,comprehend is a mental word4 ,it means 

to take hold of with your mind2 to      
understand4 ,apprehend is a physical    
word4 ,it means to take hold of with    
your hand4  ,you can't comprehend       
,jesus4 ,that is just the simple plain  
fact4 ,you may have a fine mind4 ,it may
 be well schooled and trained4 ,you may 
have dug into all the books on the      
subject1 ,english and ,german and the   
few ,french4 ,you may have spent a      
lifetime at it4 ,but at the end there is
 immensely more of ,jesus that you don't
 understand than the part that you do   
understand4 ,you've touched the smaller 
part only1 just the edges4 ,you cannot  
take ,jesus in with your mind simply4   
,the one is too big and the other too   
limited for that particular process4    
,but1 listen with your heart1 you can   
apprehend ,him4 ,you can take hold of   
,him4 ,there isn't one of us here1      
however poorly equipped mentally and in 
training1 and too busy with life's      
common duties to get much time for      
reading1 not one of us1 who may not     

reach out your hand1 the hand of your   
heart1 the hand of your life1 the hand  
of your simple childlike trust--if      
you're great enough in simplicity to be 
childlike1 to be natural1 not one of us1
 but may reach out the hand and take in 
all there is of ,jesus4  ,and the       
striking thing to mark is this1 that we 
don't really begin to comprehend until  
we apprehend4 ,only as we take ,him into
 heart and life can we really           
understand4 ,it's as if the heat in the 
heart made by ,his presence there       
loosens up the grey juices of your      
brain1 and it begins to work freely and 
clearly4  ,of course1 this is a         
commonplace in the educational world4   
,it is well understood there that no    
student does his best work1 no matter   
what that work may be1 in science or    
philosophy or in mathematics or in      
laboratorial research1 his mind cannot  
do its best1 or be at its best1 until   
his heart has been kindled by some noble
 passion4 ,the key to the life is in the

 heart1 that is the emotions and        
purposes tied together4 ,the approach to
 the mind is through the heart4 ,the    
fire of pure emotion and of noble       
purpose burning together1 works out     
through the mind into the life4 ,this is
 nature's order4  ,but what ,john is    
saying here1 put into as simple language
 as he would use1 is this3 the darkness 
wouldn't let the light in1 and couldn't 
shut it out1 and couldn't dull the      
brightness of its shining4 ,it tried4   
,it tried first at ,bethlehem4 ,the     
first spilling of blood came there4     
,there was the shedding of blood at both
 ends of ,jesus' career1 and innocent   
blood each time4 ,it tried at the       
,nazareth precipice1 and in the         
spirit-racking wilderness4 ,it tried by 
stones1 then in ,gethsemane1 then at    
,calvary4  ,and there it seemed to have 
succeeded4 ,at last the light was shut  
in and down2 the door was shut and      
barred and bolted4 ,and ,i suppose there
 was great glee in the headquarters of  

darkness4 ,but the ,third ,morning came4
 ,and the bars of darkness were broken1 
as a woman breaks the sewing-cotton at  
the end of the seam4 ,the ,light could  
not be held down by darkness4 ,it broke 
out more brightly than ever4 ,the       
darkness couldn't shut the light out4   
,and it can't4  ,let the light shine4   
,let it shine out through the clear     
clean glass of an unselfish1            
,jesus-cleansed ,jesus-fired life lived 
for ,him in the commonplace round1 and  
the shut-away corner4 ,and the darkness 
will go4 ,the darkness cannot shut out  
the light1 nor keep it down1 nor resist 
the gentle resistless power of its soft 
clear flooding4 ,let the ,light shine   
down in that corner where you are4 ,and 
the darkness1 darkness that can be felt1
 and is felt so sorely deep down in your
 spirit1 in its uncanny ,egyptian       
blackness1 that darkness will break1 and
 more1 clear1 and go1 go1 go1 till it's 
clear gone4  ,and so ends ,john's first 
great paragraph4 ,it is so tremendous in

 its simplicity that1 ,greek-like1 men  
stumble over its simple tremendousness4 
,away back in the beginning ,god        
revealed ,himself in making a home for  
man1 and in bringing the man1 made in   
,his own image1 to his home4 ,and then  
when the damp unwholesome darkness came 
stealing in swamping the home and man   
,he came ,himself1 flooding in the soft 
clear pure light of ,his presence1 to   
free man from the darkness and woo him  
out into the light4    ,tarshish or     
,nineveh8   ,then ,john goes on into his
 second paragraph4 ,there came a man1   
sent from ,god1 whose name was ,john4   
,why8 ,because man was in the dark4 ,he 
sent a man to help a man4 ,he used a man
 to reach a man4 ,he always does4 ,run  
clear through this old ,book of ,god1   
and then clear through that other ,book 
of ,god--the book of life1 and note that
 this is ,god's habit4 ,he1 ,himself1   
uses the path ,he had made for human    
feet4 ,with greatest reverence let it be
 said that ,god must use a human pathway

 for ,his feet4  ,even when ,he would   
redeem a world ,he came1 ,he must needs 
come1 as a ,man1 one of ourselves4 ,he  
touches men through men4 ,the pathway of
 ,his helping feet is always a common   
human pathway4 ,and1 will you mark      
keenly that the highest level any life  
ever reaches1 or can reach1 is this3 to 
be a pathway for the feet of a wooing   
winning ,god4  ,and this is still true4 
,it is meant to be true to-day that     
there came a man1 sent from ,god1 whose 
name is--your name4 ,you put in your own
 name in that sentence1 then you get    
,god's plan for you4 ,for as surely as  
this particular ,john of the desert and 
of the plain living1 and the burning    
speech1 was sent by ,god1 so surely is  
every man of us a man sent by ,god on   
some particular errand4 ,and the        
greatest achievement of life is to find 
and fit into the plan of ,god for one's 
life4 ,this is the only great thing one 
can do4 ,anything else is merely        
labelled great4 ,and that label washes  

off4 ,this is the one thing worth while4
  ,the bother is we don't always get the
 verbs1 the action words1 of that       
sentence straight4 ,john was a man sent 
from ,god4 ,and he came4 ,all men are   
sent ,but they don't all come1 some go2 
go their own way4 ,there was a man sent 
from ,god whose name was ,jonah4 ,but he
 didn't come4 ,he went4 ,he was sent to 
,nineveh on the extreme east4 ,he went  
towards ,tarshish on the extreme west2  
just the opposite direction4 ,every man 
is headed either for ,nineveh or        
,tarshish1 ,god's way or his own4 ,which
 way are you headed8  ,some of us go to 
,tarshish religiously4 ,we go our own   
way1 and sing hymns and pray1 to make it
 seem right and keep from hearing the   
inner voice4 ,we hold meetings at the   
boat-wharf1 while waiting for the       
,tarshish ship to lift anchor4 ,we have 
services in the steerage and            
second-class and distribute tracts and  
,new ,testaments2 but all the time we're
 headed for ,tarshish2 our way1 not     

,god's4 ,it won't do simply to do good4 
,we must do ,god's will4 ,find that and 
fit into it4  ,the meetings and tracts  
are only good but they ought to be on   
the train to ,nineveh1 and in ,nineveh  
where ,god's sent you4 ,are you berthed 
on the boat for ,tarshish8 or have you a
 seat engaged on the train for ,nineveh8
 going your own way8 or ,god's8 ,john   
was sent and he came4 ,you and ,i are   
sent4 ,are we coming or going8 coming   
,god's way8 or1 going our own8          
,living ,martyrs4   ,this true-hearted  
burning man of the deserts came for a   
witness4 ,here we strike one of ,john's 
great words4 ,you remember the three    
things that witness means8 that you know
 something2 that you tell what you know2
 and that you tell it most with your    
life4 ,and telling it with your life    
means1 not only by the way you live1    
but1 too1 even though the telling of it 
may cost you your life4 ,it came to mean
 all of that with this witness4  ,it    
came to mean that with a new fullness of

 meaning1 a peculiar significance1 to   
the great ,witness1 of whom ,john told4 
,this was the very throbbing heart of   
the wooing errand4 ,this explains the   
tenderness and tenacity of the ,lover in
 ,his wooing in the midst of intensest  
opposition1 and in spite of it4  ,the   
opposition brought about the terrific   
grouping of circumstances which the     
great ,lover-witness used as the        
tremendous climax of both wooing and    
witnessing4 ,no one doubts the reality  
of ,jesus' witness to the ,father's love
 before men4 ,and no one1 who has had   
any touch at all with ,him1 doubts the  
tremendous pull upon one's heart of such
 a wooing appeal as that ,calvary climax
 of witnessing made1 and makes4  ,and   
this1 mark it keenly1 is still the plan4
 ,the-same-came-for-witness is meant to 
be true of each follower of the ,christ4
 ,this is to be the dominant            
underchording of all our lives4 ,this is
 to be the never-absent motive gripping 
us1 and our possessions and our plans4  

,the rest is incidental in a true life4 
,it may be a rest that takes most of the
 waking hours with most of us1 most of  
our strength and thought4 ,but there's  
an undercurrent in every life4 ,and the 
undercurrent is the controlling current4
 ,it makes us what we really are4 ,it   
may be quite different from the upper   
current controlled by the outer         
necessities of circumstances4 ,and with 
the true ,jesus-man this is the         
undercurrent1 this thing of witnessing4 
,do you know something of ,jesus8 ,do   
you know the cleansing of ,his blood8   
,do you know the music of ,his peace in 
your heart8 ,do you know a bit of the   
subtle fragrance of ,his presence8 ,do  
you know the power of ,his ,name when   
temptations come1 when the road gets    
slippery1 and your feet go out from     
under you--almost4 ,then ,his ,name1 its
 power1 and you hold steady4 ,do you    
know something about such things8  ,then
 tell it4 ,this is the plan--telling4   
,it's a ,gospel of telling4 ,tell it    

with your lips tactfully1 gently1       
boldly1 earnestly4 ,but tell it far     
more1 and most with your life4 ,let what
 you are1 when you're not thinking about
 this sort of thing1 let that tell it4  
,that's the greatest telling1 the best4 
,and1 softly1 now1 when you get to the  
end of telling what you know1 listen    
quietly1 don't go to digging into books 
for something to tell your class or the 
meeting or the crowd4 ,don't do that4   
,books have their place1 good books1 but
 it's always a sharply secondary place1 
or third1 or lower down yet4 ,poor crowd
 that must be fed on retailed books     
worked over6 ,don't do that4 ,know more4
 ,know ,jesus better4 ,trust ,him more  
fully4 ,risk more on following where ,he
 clearly leads4 ,then you can tell more 
and better4  ,sometimes ,i'm asked1 ,how
 can ,i have more faith8 ,well1 not by  
thinking about your faith4 ,not by books
 or definitions chiefly1 however they   
may help some4 ,i can tell you how3     
,follow where the ,master's quiet voice 

is clearly calling4 ,go where it is     
plain to you that that pierced hand is  
leading4  ,ah6 but the way is a bit     
narrow1 you think4 ,and it's steep4     
,there are sharp-edged stones under     
foot4 ,and those bushes are growing rank
 on both sides narrowing the path4 ,and 
thorns scratch and hurt and sting4 ,this
 other road where ,i am now--this is a  
good ,christian road4 ,my ,christian    
brothers are here4 ,i'd rather stay     
here4  ,and so you stay4 ,you don't say 
no to the calling voice4 ,you simply act
 no4 ,no wonder you get confused and    
tangled4 ,it's only in the path of      
following clear leading that there comes
 sweetest peace1 with no nagging doubts 
and mental confusion4 ,there only will  
you have more faith1 know more of ,him1 
touch with whom is the realest faith4   
,and so only will the witness be told   
out to the crowd on the street of your  
life1 of the power and satisfying peace 
of this ,jesus4  ,this is the witnessing
 we're sent to do4 ,and the crowds crowd

 to listen1 when it's given4 ,this is   
the way the ,witness did4 ,he followed  
the clear ,father-voice1 though the road
 led straight across the regular roads  
through thorn hedges and thick          
underbrush4 ,should not the servant     
tread it still8  ,the word that ,john   
uses here underneath our ,english word  
witness is the word from which our      
,english word martyr comes4 ,and martyr 
has come to mean one who gives his life 
clear out in a violent way for the truth
 he believes4 ,but1 do you know1 that is
 easy4 ,easy8 ,you say1 ,surely not1    
you're certainly wrong there4 ,no1 you  
are right4 ,it is not easy4 ,to face a  
storm of lead1 or feel the sharp-edged  
blade1 or yield to the eating           
flame1--that is never easy4  ,but this  
is what ,i mean4 ,there's the heroic in 
it1 and that helps4 ,you brace yourself 
for it4 ,the terrible crisis comes4 ,you
 pull together and pray and resolutely1 
desperately1 face it4 ,a little while1  
and it's over4 ,you've been true in the 

sharp crisis4 ,you have taken a place   
with the noble army of martyrs4 ,and we 
who hear of it have a martyr's halo     
about your head4  ,but there's something
 immensely harder to do4 ,without making
 a whit less than it is the splendid    
courage of martyrdom1 there's something 
that takes immensely more courage1 and a
 deeper longer-seasoned heroism1 and    
that is to be a living martyr1 to bear  
the simple true witness tactfully but   
clearly1 when it takes the very life of 
your life to do it1 though it doesn't   
take your bodily life in a violent way4 
,you know they don't martyr people these
 days for their ,christian faith4 ,at   
least not in the western half of the    
earth1 the ,christian hemisphere4 ,no1  
that's quite behind the calendar4       
,that's rather crude1 quite behind the  
cultured advanced ,christian progress of
 our day4 ,our ,christian civilization  
has gone long strides beyond that4 ,we  
have grown much more refined4 ,now we   
kill them socially4 ,many a one who     

would live true to the ,jesus-ideals in 
daily life in a simple sane way finds   
certain social doors shut and carefully 
barred4  ,we kill them commercially now4
 ,the man who will quietly hew to the   
,jesus-line in business is quite apt to 
find his income reduced4 ,the bulk of   
business shrinks4 ,the thermometer is   
run down below the living point4 ,we    
kill men by frost now4 ,the blockade    
system is skilfully used2 isolation and 
insulation from certain circles4 ,we are
 much more refined4  ,the great need    
to-day is of living witnesses to the    
,christ in home1 and social circle1 in  
the street1 and in the market-place4    
,so he died for his faith2 that is fine1
       ,more than the most of us do4    
,but stay1 can yon add to that line     
,that he lived for it1 too8      ,it's  
easy to die4 ,men have died       ,for a
 wish or a whim--     ,from bravado or  
passion or pride4       ,was it hard for
 him8      ,but to live3 every day to   
live out       ,all the truth that he   

dreamt1     ,while his friends met his  
conduct with doubt1       ,and the world
 with contempt4      ,was it thus that  
he plodded ahead1       ,never turning  
aside8     ,then we'll talk of the life 
that he led       ,even more than the   
death that he died4    ,the ,forgotten  
,preacher4   ,with a simplicity in      
sticking to his main point1 ,john goes  
quietly on3 that he might be a witness  
of the light4 ,that's rather            
interesting4 ,it was of the light he was
 to bear witness2 not of himself4 ,it   
was not the technical accuracy of his   
work1 not its scholarliness and skill   
that absorbed him1 but that the crowd   
got the light4 ,rather striking that1   
when you break away from the atmosphere 
round about1 and think into it a bit4   
,here's a man walking down a country    
road4 ,it's a hot day4 ,the road's      
dusty4 ,he gets a bit weary and thirsty4
 ,he comes across a bit of a spring by  
the side of the road4 ,clear cool water 
it is4 ,and some one has thoughtfully   

left a tin-cup on a ledge of rock near  
by4 ,and the man gratefully drinks and  
goes on his way refreshed4 ,he quite    
forgets the tin-cup4  ,sometimes the    
tin-cup seems to require much attention1
 up in the corner of the world where my 
tent is pitched4 ,it has to be handled  
very carefully and considerately if one 
is to get what possible drops of water  
it may contain4 ,the human tin-cup seems
 to bulk very big in the drinking       
process1 sometimes1 in my corner of the 
planet4 ,it is silver-plated sometimes2 
just common tin under the plating4      
,there's some fine engraving on the     
silver-plating1 noble sentiment1 deftly 
expressed1 and done in the engraver's   
best style4 ,but the water is apt to be 
scanty1 the drops rather few1 in this   
sort of tin-cup4 ,it's a bit droughty4  
,and sometimes even this has been known 
to occur3 they have associations of     
these human tin-cups for self-admiration
 and other cultural purposes4 ,and they 
have highly satisfactory meetings4 ,but 

meanwhile1 ah6 look6 hold still your    
heart1 and look here4 ,there's the crowd
 on the street1 hot dusty street1       
exhausted1 actually fainting for want of
 water1 just good plain water of life4  
,but there's none to be had2 only       
tin-cups6 ,john was eager to have men   
get a good drink4 ,he was content as he 
watched them drink1 and their eyes      
lighten4 ,he was discontent and restless
 with anything else or less4  ,do you   
remember the greatest compliment ever   
paid ,john1 ,john the ,herald8 ,john was
 a great preacher4 ,he had great drawing
 power4 ,to-day we commonly go where    
people are hoping they'll stay while we 
talk to them4 ,but ,john did otherwise4 
,he went down to the ,jordan bottoms1   
where the spirit ventilation was better1
 and called the people to him4 ,and they
 came4 ,they came from all over the     
nation1 of every class4 ,literally      
thousands gathered to hear ,john4 ,he   
had great drawing power4  ,and then     
something happened4 ,here is ,john      

to-day talking earnestly to great crowds
 down by the river-road4 ,and here he is
 again to-morrow2 but where are the     
crowds8 ,john has lost his crowd4 ,same 
pulpit out in the open air1 same        
preacher1 same simple intense message   
burning in his heart1 but--no           
congregation6 ,the crowd's gone4 ,poor  
,john6 ,you must feel pretty bad4 ,it's 
hard enough to fail1 but how much harder
 after succeeding4 ,poor ,john1 ,i'm so 
sorry for you4  ,but if you get close   
enough to ,john to see into his eye you 
quit talking like that4 ,and if you get 
near enough to hear you find your       
sympathy is not needed4 ,for ,john's eye
 is ablaze with a tender light1 and the 
sound of an inner heart music reaches   
your ear as you get near him4 ,and if   
you follow1 as you instinctively do1 the
 line of the light in his eye you       
quickly look down the road4  ,oh6       
,there's ,john's crowd4 ,they're        
listening to ,jesus4,john's crowd has   
left him for his ,master4 ,and the      

forgotten preacher is the finest        
evidence of the faithfulness of the     
preacher4 ,the crowd's getting the      
water1 sweet cool refreshing water of   
life1 direct from the fountain4 ,they've
 clean forgotten the faithful common    
tin-cup4 ,and ,john's so glad4 ,john    
came that he might bear witness of the  
light4 ,and he did4 ,and the crowd      
heard4 ,and they flocked to the light4  
,here's a man preaching4 ,and the people
 are listening4 ,the benediction is     
pronounced4 ,and they go out4 ,and as   
they move slowly out they're talking1   
always talking4 ,we don't seem yet to   
have demitted our privilege of talking  
after service4 ,here are two4 ,listen to
 them4 ,isn't he a great preacher8 so   
scholarly1 so eloquent1 so polished2 and
 all those classical allusions4 ,i      
didn't understand half he said2 he      
certainly is a great preacher4 ,we're   
very fortunate in such a man4  ,and the 
preacher1 whoever he be1 may know this  
for a bit of the certainty that         

occasionally will sift in4 ,he may be a 
scholar4 ,i wouldn't question it4 ,and a
 polished orator4 ,i wouldn't question  
that4 ,but in the main thing1 the one   
thing he's for1 as a ,jesus-witness1 he 
is a splendid scholarly polished        
failure4 ,men are talking about him4    
,they've forgotten his ,master1 if      
indeed--ah1 yes1 if indeed he have a    
,master6 ,he has a ,saviour1 let us     
earnestly hope1 and willingly believe4  
,but a ,master6 ,one that sweeps and    
sways his mind and culture and life like
 the strong wind sweeps the thin young  
saplings in the storm--clearly he knows 
nothing of that4 ,men are talking of    
him4  ,and here's another talking a bit 
,it may be just a simple homely talk4   
,or he may likewise be scholarly and    
eloquent4 ,a man should bring his best4 
,the old classic is beaten oil for the  
lamps of the sanctuary4 ,but there's the
 soft burning fire of the real thing in 
his message4 ,and the people feel it4   
,the air seems a-thrill with its quiet  

tensity4 ,and the last amen is said4    
,and again they go out4  ,and here are  
two walking down the road together1 and 
as they come to the cross-street1 one   
says to his companion1 ,excuse me1      
please1 ,i have to go down this way4    
,and the have-to is the have-to of an   
intense desire to get off alone4 ,and as
 he goes down the side street he's      
talking1 but--to himself4 ,listen to    
him3 ,i'm not the man ,i ought to be1 ,i
 wonder if ,jesus is really like he     
said4 ,i wonder if the thing's really   
so4 ,i believe--yes1 ,i really think    
,i'll risk it4 ,my life isn't like it   
should be4 ,i'll risk trying this       
,jesus-way4 ,i'll do it4  ,the man's    
clean forgotten the speaker4 ,oh1 yes1  
he remembers the tone of the voice1 and 
the look of the face1 but indistinctly1 
far away4 ,he's face-to-face with       
,jesus6 ,and the forgotten speaker is   
the finest evidence of the faithfulness 
of his speaking4 ,he is holding up the  
light4 ,and men run into the light4     

,they've clean forgot the little tin    
candlestick1 they are so taken up with  
the light it holds4    ,the ,one ,thing 
to ,aim ,at4   ,and ,john keeps driving 
in on the point in his mind3 that all   
might believe through ,him2 that they   
might listen1 stop to think1 agree as to
 the thing being believable1 then trust 
it2 then trust ,him1 the ,light1 risk   
something1 risk1 themselves to ,him1    
then love1 love with a passionate       
devotion4 ,this was ,john's objective4  
,it was the bull's-eye of his target    
never out of his keen ,spirit-opened    
eye4 ,nothing else figured in4  ,this is
 the thing in all our living and serving
 and doing and giving1 that men may know
 ,jesus to the trusting1 risking1 loving
 point1 the glad point4 ,everything that
 we can bring of gold and learning and  
labour and skill is precious1 it is as  
purest gold1 if it lead men into        
heart-touch with ,jesus4 ,and it clean  
misses the mark if it does less4  ,who  
would be content to give a ,belgian or  

,polish starveling a bare bit of bread1 
and a lonely stick of wood1 and a rag of
 cloth4 ,bite and stick and cloth are   
good1 but it's a meal and a fire1 and   
some clothing1 the man wants4 ,and you  
have both ready at hand4 ,things are    
good1 provided by money and skill and   
research and painstaking efforts4 ,they 
do good4 ,but it's ,jesus men need4     
,it's the warm touch that lets ,him     
fully in with all of ,his human sympathy
 and all of ,his ,god-power1 that's what
 they need4  ,given the sun and quickly 
come warmth and food and shelter1 health
 and vigour and increase of life4 ,given
 ,jesus1 and the warm touch with ,him1  
in ,his simple fullness1 just as ,he is1
 and surely and not slowly1 there come  
flooding in all the rest of an abundant 
life1 physical and mental and of the    
spirit4  ,john was not the light4 ,he   
was only the candlestick4 ,and he was   
content to be that4 ,he was a good      
candlestick4 ,the light was held up4 ,it
 could shine out4 ,how grateful the     

crowd was4 ,the road had been so dark4  
,it is a bad thing when light and       
candlestick change places4 ,the crowd   
seems to get the two confused sometimes4
 ,we get to thinking that the           
candlestick is the light1 and the light 
is--lost sight of4 ,we gather about the 
candlestick4 ,it'll surely lead the way 
out through the dark night into day4    
,it's such a good candlestick1 so highly
 polished4 ,and sometimes the human     
candlestick itself gets things a bit    
mixed4 ,it thinks1 then it feels1 then  
it knows1 with a peculiar quality of    
self-assertive certainty1 that after all
 it is the light that lighteth every one
 that is so blessed as to come within   
the radius of its shining4 ,and brass   
does take a high polish1 and makes an   
attractive appearance4 ,it does send out
 a sparkle and radiance if only it is   
somewhere within range of some real     
light1 patient enough to keep on shining
 in the dark1 regardless of             
non-appreciation or misrepresentation or

 misunderstanding4  ,is it any wonder   
the road is so full of people wandering 
in the night gathered about             
candlesticks8 ,is it surprising that the
 ditches are so full of men and         
candlesticks mixed up and mired up      
together8 ,yet it is always             
heart-breaking4 ,there may be talent and
 training of the highest and best1 and  
scholarship and culture1 eloquence and  
skill1 institutions and philanthropies4 
,and there is so much of these4 ,and    
these are good in themselves1 and of    
priceless practical worth when seen and 
held in their right relation to the     
thing4  ,but it needs to be said often  
and earnestly3 these are not the light4 
,they are given to point men better to  
the ,light4 ,they're road-signs1        
index-fingers4 ,and they are seen at    
their best when they point to the ,light
 so clearly that the crowd quite forgets
 them in hastening to the ,light they   
point out4 ,they serve their true       
purpose in being so forgotten4 ,they are

 still serving and serving best even    
while forgotten4    ,the ,real ,thing of
 ,light4   ,and ,john goes on to        
intensify yet more what he is thinking  
and saying3 there was the true light1   
the real thing of light4 ,they were     
bothered1 in ,john's old age when he is 
writing1 with false lights1 make-pretend
 lights1 that led people astray4 ,every 
generation seems to have been so        
bothered and confused4 ,and even our own
 doesn't seem to have entirely escaped  
the subtle contagion4 ,the ground is a  
bit swampy in places1 boggy4  ,low-lying
 land runs to bog and swamp4 ,and the   
air gets thick with heavy vapours4 ,and 
strange will-of-the-wisp lights form out
 of the foul damp gasses1 and they flit 
about in the gloom this way and that4   
,and people are led astray by them      
deeper into swamp and bog4 ,it's        
surprising to find how many1 that grow  
up in well-lit neighbourhoods1 wander   
off after the swamp lights1 and even    
follow them so contentedly4 ,that's     

partly due1 without doubt1 to the false 
lights borrowing so much of the mere    
outer incidentals from the true4 ,and   
they succeed in producing a make-up that
 easily deceives the unwary and         
untaught4  ,there's a teaching to-day1  
for instance1 that magnifies bodily     
healing4 ,the name of ,christ is freely 
used4 ,and the old ,book of ,god freely 
quoted4 ,and men are really healed4     
,there can be no question of that4      
,there are sufficient facts at hand to  
make that incontestably clear4  ,but    
bodily healing does not necessarily     
argue divine power4 ,there are results  
secured through the operation of        
unfamiliar mental powers that seem      
miraculous4 ,and clearly there are      
devilish miracles as well as divine4    
,miracles simply reveal a supernatural  
power1 that is1 a power above the       
ordinary workings of nature4 ,then one  
must apply a touchstone1 a test1 to     
learn what that power is4  ,it is       
striking that in this teaching ,i speak 

of now there is never mention of the    
atoning blood of ,christ4 ,and this is  
the sure touchstone by which to detect  
the real thing of light and the         
make-believe4 ,the outstanding thing in 
the life of ,christ is ,his death1 and  
the tremendous meaning which ,his own   
teaching put into that fact of ,his     
death4  ,there is none of the red tinge 
to this make-believe light4 ,it has the 
unwholesome unnatural tingeing of swamp 
lights4 ,and those who are healed       
through this teaching will find         
themselves in a bondage the more        
terrible because so subtle4 ,and only   
the power of the blood of ,christ can   
ever break that bondage4  ,there was the
 real thing of light4 ,here is the real 
thing of light4 ,there's a distinct     
tingeing of red in it4 ,it's the only   
light4 ,it only is the light4 ,every    
other is a make-pretend light1 however  
subtle its imitations and reflections3  
it will lead only into swamp and bog and
 ditch and worse4  ,and then ,john goes 

on to add a very simple bit that has not
 always been quite understood in its    
simplicity4 ,there was the real thing of
 light that lighteth every man that     
cometh into the world4 ,there is a      
little group of varied readings into the
 ,english here1 found in the margin of  
the various revisions4 ,but the central 
statement remains the same4 ,whether    
,john is saying that the light1 that    
lighteth every man1 was now coming down 
into the world in a closer way4 ,or1    
that every man is lighted as he comes   
into the world1 the chief thing being   
told is the same4 ,every man in the     
world is lighted by this ,light4        
,through nature1 the nightly twinklers  
in the wondrous blue overhead1 the      
unfailing freshness of the green out of 
the brown under foot2 through the       
never-ceasing wonders of these bodies of
 ours1 so awesomely and skilfully made1 
and kept going2 through that clear quiet
 inner voice that does speak in every   
human heart amidst all the noises of    

earth and of passion2 through these the 
light is shining1 noiselessly1 softly1  
endlessly1 by day and night4  ,it is the
 same identical light that ,john is     
telling us of here that so shines in    
upon every man1 and always has4 ,there  
is no light but ,his4 ,his later name is
 ,jesus4 ,from the first1 and everywhere
 still1 it is the light that shines from
 ,him that lights men4 ,he was with the 
,father in the beginning4 ,he acted for 
the ,father in that creation week4 ,he  
gave and sustained all life of every    
sort everywhere1 and does1 though only a
 third of us know ,his later1 nearer1   
newer ,name--,jesus4  ,but the light was
 obscured1 terribly beclouded and       
bedimmed1 hindered by earth-fogs1 and   
swampy clouds rising up1 until we are   
apt to think there was no light1 and is 
none2 only darkness4 ,then ,he came     
closer1 and yet closer4 ,he came in     
nearer form so as to get the light      
closer1 and let it shine through fog and
 cloud1 for the sake of the befogged1   

beswamped crowd4  ,and then--ah6 hold   
your heart still--then ,he let the      
,light-holder1 the great human ,lantern1
 be broken1 utterly broken1 that so the 
light might flash out through broken    
lantern in its sweet soft wondrous      
clearness into our blinded blinking     
eyes1 and show us the real way back     
home4 ,it was in that breaking that it  
got that wondrous exquisite red tingeing
 that becomes the unfailing hall-mark1  
the unmistakable evidence of the real   
thing of light4  ,and it's only as men  
know of this latest coming of the light1
 this tremendous tragic ,jesus-coming of
 the light1 that they can come into the 
full light4 ,that's the reason ,he came 
in the way ,he did4 ,that's the reason  
when ,he gets possession of us there's  
the passion to take the full            
,jesus-light out to every one4 ,and this
 passion burns in us and through us1 and
 ours1 and sweeps all in the sweep of   
its tender holy flame4 ,in this way     
every man may be fully lit1 and so in   

following the ,jesus-light he shall not 
walk in the darkness where he has been1 
but in the sweet clear light of life4   
,looking for ,recognition4   ,then we   
come to the first of ,john's            
heart-breaking sentences4 ,john had a   
hard time writing his ,gospel4 ,he was  
not simply writing a book4 ,that might  
have been fairly easy for him with his  
personal knowledge and all the facts so 
familiar4 ,but he is telling about his  
dearest ,friend4 ,and the telling makes 
his heart throb harder1 and his eyes    
fill up1 and the writing look dim to    
him1 as he tries to put the words down4 
,listen3 ,he was in the world1 and the  
world was made through ,him1 and the    
world recognized1 or rather             
acknowledged1 ,him not4 ,it was ,his    
world1 ,his child1 ,his creation4 ,he   
had made it4 ,but it failed to          
acknowledge ,him4 ,he came walking down 
the street of life4 ,he met the world   
going the other way4 ,and ,he gave it a 
warm good-morning greeting4 ,and it knew

 ,him full well4 ,it knew who ,he was4  
,but it turned its face aside and walked
 by with no return greeting4 ,this is   
what ,john is saying4 ,it recognized1 it
 acknowledged ,him not4  ,you mothers   
know the glad hour that comes in a      
mother's life when her little babe of   
the wee weeks knows her for the first   
time4 ,she's busy bathing or nursing1   
or1 she's just hovering over the        
precious morsel of humanity when there's
 really nothing needing to be done4 ,and
 the babe's eyes catch her own and a    
smile comes1 the first smile of         
recognition4 ,and the mother-heart gives
 a glad leap4 ,she murmurs to herself1  
,oh1 baby knows me6  ,and when the      
father comes home that night she greets 
him with1 ,baby knew me to-day4 ,and    
there's a soft bell-like tender ring in 
her voice that vibrates on the strings  
of his heart4 ,and all the folks within 
range are advised of the day's event4   
,and the mother clear forgets all the   
sharp-cutting pain back there just a    

little before1 in this joy1 this look of
 recognition4  ,i knew of a woman4 ,she 
was of an old family1 of unusual native 
gift1 and rare accomplishment4 ,and her 
babe came4 ,and the time came when      
ordinarily there would be that first    
sweet look of recognition1 but--it      
didn't come4 ,there was a defect2       
something not as it should be4 ,and you 
mothers all know how she felt1 yes1 and 
you true fathers1 too4 ,she was         
heart-broken4 ,and she turned aside from
 all the busy round of activity in which
 she had been the natural leader4 ,and  
for years she devoted all her splendid  
talents1 her strength and time1 to just 
one thing1 a very simple thing2 only    
this1--getting a look of glad           
recognition out of two babe-eyes4  ,he  
looked into the face of ,his child1 ,his
 world1 for the look of recognition4    
,but there was none4 ,and ,he was       
heart-broken4 ,and ,he devoted all ,his 
strength and time1 ,himself1 for those  
human years to--what8 ,one thing1 just  

one thing1 a very simple thing1 only    
this3 to getting a look of recognition  
out of the eyes of ,his child4  ,aye1   
there's more yet here4 ,he looks into   
our faces1 eager for that simple direct 
answering look into ,his face and out of
 our eyes1 yours and mine4 ,and we give 
,him--things1 church-membership1        
orthodox belief1 intense activity1      
aggressive missionary propaganda1 money 
in good measure1 tireless1 and then     
tired-out service--things6 ,and all good
 things4 ,but the thing1 the direct look
 into ,his own face answering ,his own  
hungry searching look1 that look in the 
face that reveals the inner heart that  
,he waits for so often1 and waits1 a bit
 sore at heart4  ,for you know the eye  
is the face of the face4 ,it's the      
doorway into the soul1 out through which
 the soul1 the man within1 looks4 ,i    
look at you1 the man inside here looks  
out at you through my eye4 ,and ,i look 
at the real you down through your eye4  
,the real man is hidden away within1 but

 looks out through the eye and is looked
 at only through the eye4 ,we really    
give ourselves to ,jesus in the look    
direct into ,his face which tells ,him  
all1 and through which ,he transforms   
us4    ,a ,heart-breaking ,verse4       
,then comes ,john's second              
heart-breaking verse2 but it is just a  
bit more heart-breaking in what it says4
 ,listen3 ,he came to ,his own home1 and
 they that were ,his own kinsfolk       
received ,him not into the house but    
kept ,him standing out in the cold and  
storm of the wintry night4  ,one of you 
men goes home to-night4 ,it's your own  
home1 shaped on your own personality    
through the years4 ,it's a bit late4    
,you've had a long hard day4 ,you're    
tired4 ,it's stormy4 ,the wind and the  
rain chill you as you turn the corner4  
,and you pull your coat a bit snugger as
 you quicken your steps and think of    
home1 warmth and comfort1 loved ones1   
and rest for body and spirit1 too4  ,as 
you come to the door you reach for your 

latch-key1 and find1 in the busy rush1  
you seem to have forgotten it1 somehow4 
,so you ring the bell or knock4 ,and    
suppose--be patient with me a bit1      
please4 ,suppose your loved ones know   
you're there4 ,you even see a hand      
drawing aside the edge of the window    
shade1 and two eyes that you know so    
well peer out through the crack at you2 
then the shade goes to again4 ,yes1 they
 know you're there4 ,but the door1 your 
own door1 doesn't open4 ,how would you  
feel8  ,and some one says to himself1   
,that's not a good illustration4 ,that  
thing couldn't happen4 ,it isn't        
natural4 ,no3 you're right4 ,it isn't   
natural4 ,it could not happen to you4 ,i
 am sure it could not happen to me4 ,if 
it could ,i'd be heart-broken4 ,but this
 is what happened to ,him6 ,this is what
 ,john is saying here4 ,he came to ,his 
own front door1 and they whose very     
image revealed their close kinship to   
,him1 received ,him not into the home1  
but kept the door fast in ,his face4    

,then there's a later translation4 ,this
 old ,king ,james version bears the date
 of #afaa1 ,i think4 ,and the ,english  
,revision is dated #ahha1 ,i believe4   
,and this ,american ,standard ,revision 
,i am using has #aija on its title page4
 ,but there's a later revision4 ,it     
bears a yet later date1 #aiae1 ,april   
#bg4 ,but it is a shifting date4 ,each  
translator fixed his own date4  ,this   
latest translation runs something like  
this3 ,he comes to ,his own4 ,that's you
 and myself4 ,we belong to ,him4 ,he    
gave ,his breath to us in ,eden4 ,he    
gave ,his breath to you and me at our   
birth4 ,he gave ,his blood for us on    
,calvary4 ,we belong to ,him4 ,the image
 of ,his kinship is stamped upon us4 ,we
 may not acknowledge it1 but that can't 
change the fact4  ,he comes to ,his own1
 and ,his own--and here1 as the scholars
 would say1 there are variant readings4 
,let me give you one or two ,i have     
found4 ,here is one3 ,he comes to ,his  
own1 and ,his own--puts a chair outside 

the door on the top-step4 ,it's a large 
armchair with a cushion in1 perhaps4    
,and then ,his own talks about ,him     
through the crack of the door1 or       
likelier1 the window4 ,it's reckoned    
safer to keep the door fast4  ,listen to
 what he says3 ,he's a wonderful man    
this ,jesus2 great teacher1 the         
greatest2 the greatest man of the race2 
,his philosophy1 ,his moral standards   
are the ideals2 wonderful life2 great   
example4 ,they fairly exhaust the       
language in talking about this ,man4    
,but notice4 ,it seems a bit queer4 ,the
 man they're talking about is outside   
the door4 ,his own claim is left        
severely outside4  ,some make it read   
like this3 ,he comes to ,his own1 and   
they who are ,his own open the door a   
crack1 maybe a fairly respectably wide  
crack4 ,we all like the word ,saviour4  
,yes1 we cling tenaciously to that4     
,selfishly1 would you say8 ,we want to  
be saved from a certain place we think  
of as down1 that we've been taught      

about1 and don't want to go to--if it's 
there2 the way men talk about it to-day4
  ,and we want to be saved into another 
certain place we think of as up1 and    
where we surely want to go after we get 
through down on the earth1 and must go  
away somewhere else2 with that after and
 must carefully underscored4 ,and we    
want to be saved from all the           
inconveniences possible along the way1  
and to secure all the advantages and    
help available3 yes1 yes1 open the door 
a crack4  ,but be careful about the     
width of the opened crack4 ,let it be   
just the proper conventionalized width4 
,let there be no extremeism about the   
wideness of that opening4 ,things must  
be proper4 ,for what would the other    
crack-open-door-owners think8  ,and     
then1 too1 yet more serious1 this ,jesus
 has a way1 a most inconsiderate way of 
coming in as far as you let ,him1 and of
 taking things into ,his own hands4     
,certain people use that word           
inconsiderate--to themselves1 in secret4

 ,jesus changes some things when ,he is 
allowed all the way in4 ,he might change
 your personal habits1 your home        
arrangements1 some of your social       
customs and your business plans4  ,of   
course ,he changes only what needs      
changing1 as ,he sees it4               
,but--then--you--well1 some things can  
be carried too far--to suit you4 ,this  
,jesus has the all habit4 ,he contracted
 it when ,he was down on the earth4 ,our
 needs grew the habit4 ,he gave all4    
,and ,he has a way of coming in all the 
way1 and of reaching in ,his pierced    
hand and taking all4  ,he might even put
 ,his hand in on that most sacred thing1
 that holiest of all1 that you guard    
most jealously--that box4 ,it has heavy 
hinges1 and double padlocks1 and the    
keys are held hard under the thumb of   
your will4 ,of course there may really  
not be much in it2 and again there may  
be very much4 ,but much or little1 it is
 securely kept under that thick broad   
thumb of yours4  ,oh6 you give2 of      

course2 yes1 yes1 we're all good proper 
,christian folk here4 ,we give a tenth1 
and even much more4 ,we support an      
aggressive missionary propaganda4       
,that's the thing1 you know1 in our day1
 for good church people4 ,we give to all
 the good things4 ,ye-es1 no doubt4 ,and
 we are very careful1 too1 that that    
inconsiderate ,hand shall not disturb   
the greater bulk that remains between   
hinge and lock4 ,that's yours4 ,of      
course you are ,his1 redeemed1 saved by 
,his blood4  ,well1 well1 how these     
pronouns1 ,his1 ours1 do get mixed up6  
,how lovely some things are to sing     
about1 in church1 and special services1 
at ,keswick and ,northfield4 ,but       
through it all we hold hard to that key1
 we don't let go--even to ,him1 though  
it is ,he who entrusts all to our       
temporary keeping4 ,we do guard the     
width of that opening crack1 do we not8 
,one day ,i looked through that crack   
and caught a glimpse of ,his face       
looking through full in my own1 with    

those eyes of ,his4 ,and at first ,i    
wanted to take the door clear off of its
 hinges and stand it outside against the
 bricks1 and leave the whole door-space 
wide for ,him4  ,but ,i've learned      
better4 ,no man wants to leave the      
doorway of his life unguarded4 ,he must 
keep the strong hand of his controlling 
purpose on the knob of the front door of
 his life4 ,there are others than ,he1  
evil ones1 cunningly subtle ones1       
standing just at the corner watching for
 such an opportunity4 ,and they step    
quickly slyly in under your untaught    
unsuspicious eyes1 and get things badly 
tangled in your life4 ,there's a better1
 a stronger way4  ,here's the personal  
translation that ,i try now1 by ,his    
help1 to work out into living words1 the
 language of life4 ,he comes to ,his    
own1 and ,his own opens the door wide1  
and holds it wide open1 that ,he may    
come in all the way1 and cleanse1 and   
change1 readjust1 and then shape over on
 the shape of ,his own presence4  ,but  

every one must work out his own         
translation of that2 and every one does4
 ,and the crowd reads--not this printed 
version4 ,it reads this other           
translation1 the one nearest1 in such   
big print1 the one our lives work out   
daily4 ,that's the translation they     
prefer4 ,and that's the translation     
they're being influenced by1 and        
influenced by tremendously4    ,he ,came
 to ,his ,own4   ,in certain circles in 
,england1 they tell of a certain        
physician years ago4 ,he came of a very 
humble family4 ,his father was a        
gardener on a gentleman's estate4 ,and  
the father died4 ,and the mother wasn't 
able to pay her son's schooling4 ,but a 
storekeeper in the village liked this   
little bright boy and sent him to       
school4 ,and he went on through the     
higher schooling1 became a physician1   
and began his practice in ,london4 ,he  
became skilled1 and then famous1 and    
then wealthy4  ,he remembered his dear  
old mother1 of course4 ,he sent her     

money1 and fabrics for dresses1 and     
wrote her4 ,but for a long time1 in the 
busy absorption of his life1 he had not 
been to see her4 ,and the dear old      
mother in the little cottage in the     
country lived in the sweet consciousness
 that her son was a great physician up  
in the great ,london4 ,he was her chief 
topic of conversation4 ,when the        
neighbours were in she would always talk
 of her son1 her ,laddie1 she called    
him4  ,he's so good to me1 my ,laddie   
is4 ,he sends me money4 ,i put it in the
 bank4 ,he sends me cloth for dresses2  
it's quite too good for a plain body    
like me4 ,and he writes me letters1 such
 good letters1 wonderful letters4 ,but  
he's so busy up there1 that he hasn't   
been to see me for a long time now4 ,you
 know he's a great doctor now1 and he   
has great skill1 and there are so many  
needing him4 ,and he's no time at all1  
even for himself1 ,i expect4 ,but--she  
would always finish her talk as they sat
 over the tea by saying1 half to        

herself1 really more to herself than to 
the little group1 with a half-repressed 
longing sigh1 but1 ,i wish1 ,i just wish
 ,i could see my ,laddie4  ,then some   
changes took place on the estate4 ,and  
the cottage where she had lived so long 
must be given up4 ,and the dear old     
woman had to make new plans4 ,and she   
cudgeled her old head1 and thought1 and 
at last she said to herself1 ,i know    
what ,i'll do4 ,i'll go-up to ,london1  
and ,i'll live with ,laddie4 ,he'll be  
so glad to have me4 ,and bright-coloured
 visions flitted through her mind1 as   
she sat over her tea by the open grate4 
,but she wouldn't send him word2 no1 no1
 she would surprise him1 and add to his 
pleasure4  ,and the dear old soul1 in   
her fine simplicity1 did not think into 
what this would mean1 nor of the        
difference that had grown up with the   
years1 in manner of life1 between her   
son and herself4 ,he was a cultured     
gentleman1 with his well-appointed city 
home1 and the circle of friends that had

 grown up about him4 ,and she was a     
simple uncultured country woman with a  
broad provincial twist on her tongue4   
,but she was blissfully unconscious of  
this4 ,she would go and live with her   
,laddie4 ,it would be so delightful for 
them both4  ,and so she went4 ,it was   
her first train journey1 and quite a    
time of it she had finding the house4   
,but at last she stands looking up at   
the house4 ,ugh6 does my ,laddie live   
here6 in this great mansion8 ,but there 
was the name on the door-plate4 ,there  
was no mistaking that4 ,and so she rang 
the bell4 ,is the doctor in8 ,she could 
hardly get the word doctor out4 ,she had
 never called him that before1 just     
,laddie4 ,but now she must say it4 ,is  
the doctor in8 ,and the word almost     
stuck in her throat as she thought to   
herself1 ,this poor man opening the door
 doesn't know that the 'doctor' really  
belongs to me4  ,but in a hard voice the
 servant said that it was past the      
hours4 ,she couldn't see the doctor4    

,ah6 bat1 she said1 quite taken by      
surprise at being held there1 ,i must   
see him4  ,but1 ,i tell you1 it's quite 
too late to see him to-day4  ,but she   
resolutely put her stout country-boot in
 the crack of the door1 and her ,english
 jaw set in true ,english fashion1 and  
she said with that quietness that has   
the subtle touch of danger in it1 ,i'll 
see the doctor4  ,and the servant looked
 puzzled and went to report about this  
strangely insistent woman4 ,and the     
doctor was annoyed by the interruption  
in the midst of something that was      
absorbing him4 ,he said sharply1 ,it's  
past the hours2 ,i can see no one4  ,i  
told her so1 sir1 replied the man       
deferentially1 but she insists in a     
strange way1 sir4  ,what's she like8    
,oh1 just a plain country body1 sir4    
,well1 show her up4  ,and ,i am glad to 
remember that she had a warm embrace of 
his strong arms1 as he instantly        
recognized her in the doorway1 while the
 servant stared4 ,then he said rather   

nervously as the servant discreetly     
withdrew1 ,how did yon happen to come8  
,why didn't you send word8 ,has anything
 happened8 ,and then as she sat by the  
fire sipping a cup of tea1 she told the 
story1 in her own simple slow way1 and  
ended up with1 ,and now ,i'm coming to  
live with you1 ,laddie4 ,and the old    
eyes behind the spectacles beamed1 and  
the dear old wrinkled face glowed4  ,and
 he poked the fire1 and tried to think  
,you know1 our ,english friends depend  
almost wholly on the open grate fire1 as
 we do so largely in the ,south4 ,and   
it's a great thing1 is the open grate   
fire4 ,it's a fire4 ,it warms your body1
 at least in front in extreme weather4  
,but it's more than a fire4 ,it's a     
stimulus to thought4 ,it refreshes your 
spirit1 and rests your tired nerves1 and
 it is a wonderful thing to help you    
unravel knotty problems4 ,so he poked   
the fire and thought1 while she1 quite  
unconscious of his embarrassment1 went  
on sipping her tea and talking4  ,it    

would never do to have her come there1  
he thought4 ,and his thoughts went to   
the circle of friends at the dinner     
table in the evening1 and to the        
critical city servants that ran his     
bachelor establishment4 ,and just then  
his ear caught anew the broad provincial
 twist on her tongue4 ,he had never     
noticed it so broad1 so decided1 before4
 ,and she was talking the small         
countryside talk1 chickens and an       
epidemic among them4 ,and that grated   
strangely4 ,it certainly wouldn't do to 
have her come there4  ,then the tide    
began to rise gently on the beach of his
 heart4 ,he thought1 ,she's my mother4  
,and if mother wants to come here1 here 
she comes4 ,and he straightened up in   
his chair1 as he gave a gentler touch to
 a blazing lump of coal4 ,then the tide 
ebbed4 ,it began running out again4 ,no1
 it would hardly do4 ,and he poked and  
thought4 ,finally he broke into her run 
of talk4  ,mother1 you know it is not   
very healthful here4 ,we have bad fogs  

in ,london4 ,and you're used to the     
wholesome country air4 ,it wouldn't     
agree with you here1 ,i'm afraid4 ,i'll 
get a little cottage on the edge of     
town1 and ,i'll come and see you very   
often4  ,and the dear old woman sensed  
at once just what he was thinking4 ,she 
was not stupid1 if she was just a plain 
homely body4 ,he got his brains from his
 simple country mother1 as many a man of
 note has done4 ,but she spoke not of   
what she felt4 ,she simply said1 with   
that quietness which grows out of strong
 self-control3  ,it's a bit late the    
night1 ,laddie1 ,i'm thinking1 to be    
talking about new plans4  ,and he said  
softly1 ,forgive me1 mother3 it is late1
 ,i forgot4 ,and he showed her to her   
sleeping apartment4  ,and where do you  
sleep1 ,laddie8  ,right here1 mother1   
this first door on the left4 ,be sure to
 call me if you need anything4  ,and he 
bade her a tender good-night1 and went  
back to his study to do some more       
thinking and planning4 ,and very late he

 came up to his sleeping-chamber4 ,and  
he was just cuddling his head into the  
soft pillow for the night1 when the door
 opened1 so softly1 and in there came a 
little body in simple white night garb1 
with a quaint old-fashioned nightcap on1
 candle in hand4 ,she came in very      
softly4 ,and he started up4  ,mother1   
are you ill8 ,what's the matter8  ,and  
she came over very quietly1 and put down
 the candle on the table before she     
answered4 ,and then softly3  ,no1 no1   
,laddie1 ,i'm not ill4 ,i just came to  
tuck you in for the night as ,i used to 
do at home4 444 ,lie still1 my ,laddie4 
,and she tucked the clothes about his   
neck1 and smoothed his hair1 and patted 
his cheek1 and kissed his face4 ,and she
 crooned over him as mother with little 
child4 ,the years were quite forgot4    
,she had her little son again4 ,and she 
talked mother's love-talk to a child4   
,good-night1 ,laddie 444 good-night 444 
good-night 444 mother's own boy4 ,and a 
little more tucking and smoothing and   

patting and kissing1 and then she turned
 so quietly1 picked up the candle1 and  
went out1 closing the door so softly1   
her great strength revealed in her      
gentleness4  ,and he was just on the    
point of starting up and saying1        
,mother1 you must stay with me1 right   
here--no1 the morning will do1 he       
thought4 ,but when the morning came she 
wasn't down for breakfast4 ,and when he 
went to her room she wasn't there4 ,it  
turned out afterwards that she had said 
to herself1 ,it doesn't suit my         
,laddie's plans to have me here4 ,i     
don't understand why4 ,it isn't his     
fault at all4 ,it just doesn't suit4    
,and ,i'll never be a trouble to my     
,laddie4  ,and so with that rare        
characteristic ,english trait of        
independence1 she had quietly gone off  
early that morning before the house was 
astir4 ,and he broken-hearted--,i'm     
always glad to remember that--he        
searched through the wilderness of      
,london for more than a year1 searched  

diligently1 but could find no trace of  
her4 ,and then he was graciously        
permitted to minister to her last hours 
in a hospital where a street accident   
had sent her unconscious1 and where he  
was chief of the medical staff4  ,she   
came to her own and her own received her
 not4 ,he loved her1 but it didn't suit 
his plans4 ,he1 ,jesus1 came to ,his    
own1 and ,his own received ,him not2 it 
didn't suit their plans4 ,ah6 listen yet
 further3 ,he comes to ,his own1 you and
 me1 and ,his own--you finish it4 ,have 
we some plans1 too1 set plans1 that we  
don't propose to change1 even           
for--7softly7 even for ,him8 ,each of us
 is finishing that sentence1 not in     
words so much if at all1 in the words of
 our action4 ,and the crowd reads our   
translation4    ,the ,oldest ,family4   
,but1 ,john goes on4 ,that was a        
steadying but4 ,it was hard on ,john to 
recall how they treated his ,friend and 
,master4 ,but there is a but4 ,there's  
another aide1 an offset to what he's    

been saying1 a bright bit to offset the 
black bit4 ,but as many as did receive  
,him4 ,some received4 ,jesus was        
rejected1 yes1 abominably1 contemptibly 
rejected4 ,but ,he was also accepted1   
gladly1 joyously1 wholeheartedly        
accepted1 even though it came to mean   
pain and shame4  ,as many as received   
,him1 ,john says1 ,he received into ,his
 family4 ,the conception of a family and
 of a home where the family lives1 runs 
all through underneath here4 ,they would
 not receive this ,jesus because ,he    
didn't belong to the inner circle of the
 old families which they represented4   
,they regarded themselves as the        
custodians of the exclusive aristocratic
 circles of ,jerusalem4 ,and ,jerusalem 
was the upper circle of ,israel4  ,and  
every one knew that ,israel was the     
chiefest1 the one uppermost nation1 of  
the earth1 with none near enough to be  
classed second4 ,they were the          
favourites of ,god1 all the rest were   
dogs of ,gentiles1 outsiders1 not to be 

mentioned in the same breath4 ,to these 
national leaders of ,jesus' day1 this   
was the very breath of their life4  ,and
 this ,jesus6 ,they spat on the ground  
to relieve the intensity of their       
contempt4 ,who was ,he8 ,a peasant6 a   
,galilean6 ,nazareth6 ,nazareth was put 
in as a sort of superlative degree of   
contempt4 ,of course1 they could easily 
have found out about the lineage of     
,jesus4 ,in the best meaning of the     
word1 ,jesus was an aristocrat4 ,apart  
from its philological derivation that   
word means one who traces his lineage   
back through a worthy line for a long   
way1 and so one who has the noble traits
 of such lineage4 ,in the best meaning  
of the word ,jesus was an aristocrat4   
,his line traced back without slip or   
break to the great house of ,david1 and 
that meant clear back to ,adam4 ,the    
records were all there1 carefully       
preserved1 indisputable4 ,they could    
easily have found this out4  ,i recall  
talking one day in ,london with a gentle

 lady of an old1 titled ,scottish       
family1 an earnest ,christian1 trained  
in the ,latin ,church4 ,in the course of
 the conversation she remarked1 ,of     
course1 ,jesus was a peasant4 ,and ,i   
replied as gently as ,i could so as not 
to seem to be arguing1 ,of course1 ,he  
was not a peasant4 ,he chose to live as 
a peasant1 for a great strong purpose4  
,but ,he was an aristocrat in blood4    
,his family line traced directly back   
through the noblest families clear to   
the beginning4 ,no one living had a     
longer unbroken lineage4 ,and that is   
the very essence of aristocracy4  ,in   
some circles1 they count much1 or most1 
on old families4 ,in certain cities of  
our own country1 east and south1 this is
 reckoned as the hall-mark of highest   
distinction4 ,when one goes across the  
water to ,england and the ,continent1 he
 finds the old families of ,america are 
rather young affairs4 ,and as he pushes 
on into the ,east1 some of the old      
families of ,europe sometimes seem      

fairly recent4 ,i remember in the       
,orient running across a family where   
the father had been a ,shinto priest1   
father and son successively1 through    
forty-five generations2 and another     
where the father of the family has been 
successively a court-musician for       
thirty-eight generations4 ,i thought    
maybe ,i had run into some really old   
families at last4  ,i come of a rather  
old family myself4 ,it runs clear back  
without break or slip to ,adam in ,eden4
 ,i've not bothered much with tracing   
it1 for there are some pretty plain     
evidences of ugly stains on the family  
escutcheon1 running all through1 and    
repeatedly4 ,and then even more than    
that ,i've become intensely interested  
in another family1 an older family1 the 
oldest family of all4 ,arrangements have
 been made whereby ,i have been taken   
into this oldest family of all with full
 rights and privileges4 ,my claims to   
aristocracy are now of the very highest1
 with all the noble obligations that go 

with it4 ,that's what ,john is talking  
of here4 ,as many as received ,him1 ,he 
received into ,his family1 the oldest   
family of all4  ,these people refused   
,jesus because ,he didn't belong to     
their set4 ,in their utterly selfish    
prejudice and wilful ignorance1 these   
leaders shut ,him out from the circles  
they controlled4 ,but with great        
graciousness ,he received into ,his     
circle any1 of any circle1 high or low1 
who would receive ,him into their       
hearts4 ,to as many as received ,him    
into their hearts ,he opened the door   
into ,his own family4 ,he gave them the 
technical right of becoming children of 
,his ,father4  ,their part of the thing 
is put very simply in two ways4 ,they   
believed4 ,they were told1 they listened
 and thought1 they accepted as true1    
they risked what they counted most      
precious1 they loved4 ,so they believed4
 ,and so they received4 ,the door       
opened1 the inner door1 the heart door4 
,he went in4 ,that settled things for   

them4 ,when ,he graciously entered their
 hearts1 the inner citadel of their     
lives1 that settled their place in this 
oldest family of all4    ,how ,we ,don't
 ,get ,in1 and ,how ,we ,do4   ,it is of
 intensest interest in our day to have  
,john go on to tell1 in his own simple  
taking way1 just how we get into this   
,god-family4 ,first of all1 he tells us 
how we don't get in4 ,listen3 not of    
blood1 that is1 not by our natural      
generation2 nor of the will of the      
flesh1 that is1 not by anything we can  
do of ourselves1 though this has a      
place1 a distinctly secondary place2 nor
 of the will of man1 that is1 not by    
what somebody else can do for us1 though
 this too has its place4  ,these are the
 three nots2 the three ways we are not  
saved4 ,and it becomes of intensest     
interest to notice that these are the   
very three ways that the crowd is       
emphasizing to-day1 some this1 others   
that1 as the way of being saved4 ,the   
three modern words we commonly use for  

these three nots of ,john are1 family1  
culture1 and influence4  ,some of us    
seem to be fully expecting to walk into 
the presence of ,god1 and to get all    
there is to be gotten there1 because of 
the family we belong to4 ,this is       
probably stronger in some of us than we 
are conscious of4 ,it's a matter of     
blood with us1 our blood1 our natural   
generation4 ,we take greatest pride in  
showing what blood it is that runs in   
our veins4 ,we trace the line far back  
to those whose names are well known4    
,and this sort of thing has overpowering
 influence in our human affairs down    
here4  ,his gracious majesty ,king      
,george is ,king of ,england1 because he
 is the child of ,edward and ,alexandra4
 ,his one and only claim to the ,english
 throne is that at the time of accession
 he was their oldest living son4 ,but   
that won't figure a farthing's worth    
when he comes up to the hearthfire of   
,god's family4 ,and ,i think he         
understands this full well4 ,i'm        

expecting to see him there2 not as ,king
 of ,england1 but as a brother4  ,it is 
not a matter of blood4 ,it's a blessed  
thing to be well-born4 ,it makes a      
tremendous difference to have the blood 
of an old noble family in one's veins1  
if it is good clean blood4 ,but it'll   
never save us4 ,salvation is not by     
lineal descent1 not by family line4 ,it 
is not of blood4 ,john clears that      
ground4  ,some of us put great stress on
 what we are in ourselves4 ,this looms  
big with a great crowd scattered        
throughout the earth4 ,we know so much4 
,we have gotten it by dint of hard work4
 ,we can do some things so skilfully4   
,we have worked into positions of great 
power among men4 ,our names are known4  
,sometimes they are spelled in large    
letters4  ,the broad word for this is   
culture1 what we have gained and gotten 
by our effort1 of that which is reckoned
 good1 and which is good4 ,culture is   
one of the chief words in our language  
to-day4 ,whether spelled the ,english   

way or the ,german1 it looms big4 ,it is
 one of our modern tidbits4 ,it is      
chewed on much1 and pleases our palate  
greatly4 ,and culture is good1 if it is 
good culture4  ,but1 have you noticed1  
that you have to have a thing before you
 can culture it8 ,no amount of the      
choicest culture will get an apple out  
of a turnip1 nor a ,bartlett pear out of
 a potato1 nor make a ,chinese into an  
,englishman1 nor an ,american into a    
,japanese4 ,culture can improve the     
stock1 but it can't change it4 ,it takes
 some other power than culture to change
 the kind4 ,here we have to be made of  
the same kind as they are up in the old 
family of ,god4 ,there must be a change 
at the core4 ,then culture of that new  
stock is only good and blessed4  ,this  
is ,john's second not4 ,it seems rather 
radical4 ,it completely undercuts so    
much of our present day notions4 ,if    
,john is right1 some of us are wrong1   
radically1 dangerously wrong4 ,yet ,john
 had a wonderful ,teacher whom he lived 

with for a while4 ,and after ,he had    
gone1 ,john had another ,teacher1 unseen
 but very real1 who guided1 especially  
in the writing of the old ,jesus-story4 
,the whole presumption is in favour of  
,john's way of it being wholly right4   
,and if that makes us wrong1 we would   
better be grateful to find it out now1  
while there's time to change4 ,being    
saved is not a matter of what we can do1
 of our culture1 though this has its    
proper place4  ,and some of us put      
tremendous stress to-day on influence1  
what we can command from others1 in     
furtherance of our desires4 ,influence  
is spelled in biggest type and printed  
in blackest ink4 ,whether in political  
matters at ,washington or at ,london2 in
 financial1 whether ,lombard ,street or 
,wall ,street2 or in the all-important  
social matters1 or even in the          
educational1 the university world1 the  
chief question is1 ,whose influence can 
you get8 ,what name can you quote8      
,whose backing have you8 ,influence and 

culture are the twin gods to-day4 ,the  
smoke of their incense goeth up         
continuously4 ,their places of worship  
are crowded1 with bent knees and        
prostrate forms and reverential hush4   
,have you noticed that ,jesus hadn't    
enough influence with the officials of  
,his day to keep from the cross8 ,no3   
but ,he had enough power to break the   
official emblem of earth's greatest     
authority1 the ,roman seal on the       
,joseph tomb4 ,rather striking that2    
intensely significant for us moderns4   
,peter hadn't enough influence with the 
authorities to keep out of jail4 ,sounds
 rather disgraceful that1 does it not8  
,aye1 but he had enough power with ,god 
to open jail-doors and walk quietly out 
against the wish of those highest in    
authority4  ,influence has its proper   
place4 ,it's good1 if it is4 ,but we are
 not saved by it4 ,we are not saved by  
what some one else can do for us2 not of
 the will of man4 ,your mother's prayers
 and your wife's1 and the influence of  

their godly lives will have great       
weight4 ,it's a great blessing to have  
them4 ,they help enormously4 ,but the   
thing itself that takes a man into the  
presence of ,god1 saved and redeemed1 is
 something immensely more than this1    
some action of his own that goes to the 
roots as none of these other things do4 
,one time a deputation waited on        
,lincoln to press a matter of public    
concern4 ,but his keenly logical mind   
discerned flaws in their impassioned and
 carefully worked out arguments4 ,he    
waited patiently till their case was    
complete4 ,and then in that quiet way   
for which he was famous1 he said1 ,how  
many legs would a sheep have if you     
called its tail a leg8 ,as he expected1 
they promptly answered ,five4 ,no1 he   
said1 it wouldn't2 it would have only   
four4 ,calling a tail a leg does not    
make it one4 ,so a simple bit of his    
homely sense and accurate logic         
scattered their finely spun argument4   
,calling either family or culture or    

influence the chief thing doesn't make  
it so4 ,these are ,john's three         
tremendous nots4 ,they rather cut       
straight across the common current of   
thought and belief and conduct to-day4  
,we may indeed be grateful if a single  
homely drop of black ink from ,john's   
pen put into the beautifully cloudy-grey
 solution of modern thought clears the  
liquid and makes a precipitate of       
sharply defined truth that any eye can  
plainly see4  ,this is how we won't be  
saved4 ,this is how we don't get into   
the family of ,god4 ,it is not of blood1
 nor of the will of the flesh1 nor of   
the will of man2 not through family     
connection1 nor by what we can do of    
ourselves simply1 nor by what we can get
 some of our fellows to do for us1      
simply4  ,but of ,god1 ,john says4 ,it  
is by ,someone else1 outside of us1     
above us1 reaching down from a higher   
level1 and putting the germ of a new    
life within us1 and lifting us up to    
,his own level4 ,he puts ,his hand      

through the open door of our will1 what 
we do in opening up to ,him1 through the
 will of the flesh4 ,he walks along the 
pathway of the earnest desire of those  
who would help us up1 the will of man4  
,but it is what ,he does that does the  
one thing that all depends upon4 ,his is
 the decisive action1 through our       
choosing and our friends' helping4  ,i  
said it isn't a matter of blood1 of     
lineage4 ,yet it is4 ,that statement    
must be modified4 ,family relationship  
is of necessity a matter of blood4      
,that's the very blood of it4 ,this is a
 matter of blood2 but not our blood2    
,his4 ,there has to be a new strain of  
blood4 ,our blood is stained4 ,it is at 
fault4 ,it is impure4 ,there's been a   
bad break far back there in the family  
record1 a complete break4 ,we were      
powerless either to purify the stock1 or
 to get over that gap1 even if we       
admitted the need4  ,there had to be a  
bridging of that gap4 ,it had to be from
 the upper side4 ,the other fell short4 

,the gap was still there4 ,there had to 
be a new strain of blood4 ,this was1    
this is1 the only way4 ,we get into that
 old first family only by the ,father of
 the family reaching over the break and 
putting in the new strain of blood1 the 
germ of the family life1 and so lifting 
us up to the new level4 ,and ,jesus was 
,god doing just that4    ,our ,tented   
,neighbour4   ,then ,john begins a new  
paragraph4 ,he goes back to tell just   
how the thing was done4 ,listen3 the    
,word1 this wondrous ,one1 became a man1
 one of ourselves1 and pitched ,his tent
 in close amongst our tents4,there's    
only a stretch of canvas between ,him   
and any of us4 ,he wanted to get close1 
close enough to help1 yet never         
infringing upon the privacy of our      
tents1 only coming in as ,he was        
invited4 ,but ,he has remarkable ears4  
,a whisper reaches ,him at once4 ,and   
,he is out of ,his tent into ours to    
help at the faintest call4 ,that was why
 ,he pitched ,his tent in amongst ours1 

to be one of ourselves1 and to be at    
hand in our need4  ,and then a touch of 
awe creeps into ,john's spirit as he    
writes1 and the light flashes out of his
 eye with the intensity of an old       
picture surging to the front of his     
imagination again4 ,there was more than 
a tent here1 more than a man4 ,out of   
the man1 out through the tent doorway1  
and tent canvas1 flashes a wondrous1    
soft1 clear light1 that transfigures    
canvas and tent and man4 ,john's face   
glows as he writes1 and we beheld ,his  
glory4  ,i suppose he is thinking       
chiefly of that still night on white    
,hermon4 ,this despised ,man had called 
the inner three away from the crowd1 in 
the dark of night1 and had gently drawn 
aside the exquisite drapery of ,his     
humanity1 and let some of the inner     
glory shine out before their eyes4 ,so  
the way was lightened for them as their 
feet were turned with ,his down towards 
the dark valley of the cross4 ,i suppose
 ,john is thinking chiefly of this4     

,but this is not all1 ,i am very sure4  
,there's more1 even though this may have
 been most4 ,glory is the character of  
goodness4 ,it is not something tacked on
 the outside4 ,it is some native thing  
looking out from within4 ,so much of    
what we think of as glory and splendour 
in scenes of magnificence is a something
 in the externals1 the outer            
arrangements4 ,splendid garbing1        
brilliant colours1 dazzling shining of  
lights1 seats removed a distance apart  
and up1 magnificent outer               
appointments1--these seem connected in  
our thought with an occasion and a scene
 being glorious4  ,but ,john is using   
the word in its simple true first       
meaning4 ,glory is something within     
shining out4 ,it is the inner native    
light that goodness gives out4 ,we      
beheld ,his glory4 ,i think ,john must  
have been thinking of ,nazareth4 ,thirty
 out of thirty-three years were spent in
 homely ,nazareth4 ,ten-elevenths of    
,jesus' life was spent in--living1      

simply living the true pure strong      
gentle life amid ordinary circumstances1
 homely surroundings4 ,this was the     
greatest thing ,jesus did short of      
dying4 ,he lived4 ,next to ,calvary     
where the glory shined out incomparably1
 it shined out most in ,nazareth4 ,he   
hallowed the common round of life by    
living an uncommon life there4 ,this was
 a revealing of ,his glory4 ,so ,he     
revealed the inner spirit of simple full
 obedience to ,his ,father's plan for   
,his earth-life4  ,if we would only rise
 to ,his level6 ,the way up is down4 ,we
 are likest ,him when we live the true  
,jesus-life regardless of where it is   
lived1 on the street1 in the house1     
amidst the ideals--or lack of ideals--of
 those we touch closest4 ,it was a      
wondrous glory ,john beheld4 ,and the   
crowd--no wonder that crowd couldn't    
resist ,jesus4 ,they can't even yet1    
when ,he is lived4  ,then ,john goes on 
quietly to explain about that glory1 how
 it came4 ,he says it was glory as of an

 only begotten of a father4 ,the common 
versions with which we are familiar1 the
 old ,king ,james1 the ,english and     
,american revisions1 all say the1 the   
only begotten of the ,father4 ,i suppose
 the translators wanted to make it quite
 clear that ,jesus was in an exceptional
 way the very ,son of ,god4 ,and so they
 don't translate quite as ,john put it4 
,they try to help him out a little in   
making his meaning clear4  ,but you will
 notice that this old ,book of ,god     
never needs any helping out in making   
the truth quite clear4 ,when you can    
sift through versions and languages down
 to what is really being said1 you find 
it said in the simplest strongest way   
possible4  ,here ,john is saying1 glory 
as of an only begotten from a father4   
,it is a family picture1 so common in   
the ,east4 ,here in the ,west1 the unit 
of society is the individual4 ,the      
farther west you come the more          
pronounced this becomes1 until here in  
our own land individualism seems at     

times to run to extremes4 ,custom in the
 ,east is the very reverse of this4     
,there the unit of action is not the    
individual1 but the family4 ,the family 
controls the individual in everything4  
,we ,westerners think we can see where  
it runs to such extremes as to          
constitute one of the great hindrances  
to progress there4  ,in the ,east1 if a 
young man is to be married1 he has      
actually nothing to do with it1 except  
to be present in proper garb when the   
time comes4 ,the fact that he should now
 be married1 the choice of his bride1   
the betrothal1 the time1 all            
arrangements and adjustments1--all this 
is done by the families4 ,the two that  
we ,westerners think of as the          
principals have nothing to do1 except to
 acquiesce in the arrangements of their 
elders4 ,it is strictly a family affair4
  ,even so all that belongs to the      
family1 of wealth1 fame1 inheritance1   
distinction1 vests distinctly in the    
head of the family1 the father4 ,he     

stands for the whole family4 ,and so1   
too1 all of this descends directly from 
the father at his death to his eldest   
son4 ,in some parts the father retires  
at a certain age1 either really or      
nominally1 and all becomes vested       
technically in his eldest son4 ,and if  
the son be an only begotten son1 then   
literally all that is in the father     
comes into the son4 ,all the fame1 the  
inheritance1 the traditions1 the        
obligations1 the wealth1 in short all   
the glory of the father comes of itself1
 by common action of events1 to the son4
  ,now this is what ,john is thinking of
 as he writes1 we beheld ,his glory1    
glory as of an only begotten of a       
father4 ,that is to say1 all there is in
 the ,father is in ,jesus4 ,when you see
 ,jesus1 you are seeing the ,father4    
,the whole of ,god is in this ,jesus4   
,this is what ,john is saying here4     
,grace and ,truth ,coupled4   ,and then 
,john does a bit of exquisite packing of
 much in little4 ,he tells the whole    

story of the character1 the revealed    
glory1 of ,jesus in such a few simple   
words1--full of grace and truth4 ,not   
grace without truth4 ,that would be a   
sort of weakly1 sickly sentimentalism4  
,and not truth without grace4 ,that     
would be a cold stern repellent         
insistence on certain high standards4   
,but grace and truth coupled1           
intermingling4  ,of course real grace   
and truth always are coupled4 ,they tell
 the exquisite poise that is in         
everything ,god does4 ,truth is the     
back-bone of grace4 ,grace is the soft  
cushioning of flesh upon the bony       
framework of truth4 ,it is the soft warm
 breath of life in truth4 ,truth is     
grace holding up the one only standard  
of purity and right and insisting upon  
it4 ,and as we look we know within      
ourselves we never can reach it4 ,grace 
is truth reaching a strong warm hand    
down to where we are and helping us     
reach it4  ,with ,god these things are  
always coupled4 ,we get them separated  

badly1 or would ,i better say1          
imitations of them4 ,there is a sort of 
thing we have called truth4 ,it is not  
so common now as a generation or more   
ago4 ,it is a sort of stern elevated    
preaching of righteousness1 but with no 
warm feel of life to it4 ,i can remember
 hearing preaching in my immature boy   
days that made me feel that the man and 
the thing must be right1 but neither had
 any attraction for me4 ,it was as      
though a man went fishing with a        
carefully-made properly-labelled        
metallic-bait at the end of a long stout
 cord1 and said1 as he dangled it in the
 sinful waters to the elusive fish1     
,now1 bite2 or be damned4  ,it was never
 put so baldly1 of course1 in words4    
,and ,i was only a child with immature  
childish imaginations4 ,yet that was the
 feeling about the thing the child got4 
,but it's scarcely worth while talking  
of that now except to point the         
contrast2 things have swung so far to   
the other extreme4  ,the current thing  

to-day is grace without truth1 or what  
is supposed to be grace4 ,it is a sort  
of man-made substitute4 ,it's something 
like this4 ,here's a man in the gutter1 
the moral gutter4 ,it may be the actual 
gutter4 ,or1 there may be the outer     
trappings of refinement that easy wealth
 provides2 or1 the real refinement that 
culture and inheritance bring4 ,but     
morally and in spirit1 it's a gutter4   
,the slime of sin and low passion1 of   
selfishness and indulgence and          
self-ambition1 oozes over everything in 
full sight4 ,the man's in the gutter4   
,and along comes the modern philosopher 
of grace1 so-called4 ,he looks down     
compassionately1 and says1 ,poor fellow1
 ,i'm so sorry for you4 ,too bad you    
should have gotten down there4 ,let me  
help you a bit1 my brother4 ,so he puts 
some flowering plants down in the slime 
of the gutter1 and he brushes the man's 
clothes a bit1 and his hair1 and        
sprinkles the latest-labelled           
cologne-water over him1 and pats him on 

the shoulder1 and says1 ,now1 you feel  
better1 my man1 don't you8 ,and the man 
sniffs the perfume1 and is quite sure he
 does4 ,but he is still in the gutter4  
,there seems to be an increasing amount 
of this sort of thing over in my        
neighbourhood4 ,how is it in your corner
 of the planet8 ,there's an intense     
stress on environment2 that means the   
outside of things4 ,better sanitation1  
improved housing1 purer milk supply1 and
 segregation of vice which seems to mean
 putting some of the viler smelling     
slime of the gutter1 the slimer slime1  
all over in one guttered section by     
itself4 ,but there can be no health     
there4 ,it's a change of location that  
is needed6  ,the wondrous ,jesus-plan is
 different4 ,it holds things in poise4  
,grace and truth4 ,truth is ,jesus      
stretching ,his hand up high1 up to the 
limit of arm's length1 and saying1 ,here
 is the standard1 purity1 righteousness1
 utter honesty of heart and rigid purity
 of motive and life4 ,you must reach    

this standard4 ,it can't be lowered by  
the half thickness of a paper-thin      
shaving4 ,you must come to this         
standard4 ,the standard never comes down
 to you4  ,and the man in the gutter    
says1 ,i'll never reach it4 ,and he is  
right4 ,he never will--of himself1      
alone4 ,yet that's truth1 true truth4 ,a
 hopeless case you say2 utter           
impractical idealizing6 ,case ruled out 
of court4 ,just wait1 that's only half  
the case1 and not the warm half either4 
,grace is ,jesus going down into the    
gutter1 the gutterest gutter1 and taking
 the man by his outstretching hand1 and 
lifting him clean up out of the gutter1 
up1 and up1 till the man reaches the    
standard1 and is never content till he  
does4 ,that was a tremendous going down1
 and a yet more tremendous lifting up4  
,jesus broke ,his heart and lost ,his   
life in the going down4  ,but out from  
the broken heart came running the blood 
that proved both cleansing and a salve4 
,and out of the grave of that lost life 

came a new life that proved an          
incentive1 and a tremendous dynamic4    
,the blood cleanseth the inside of the  
man in the gutter1 and heals his sores1 
restores his sight and hearing and      
sensitiveness of touch4 ,the new life   
put inside the man makes him rise up and
 walk determinedly out of the gutter to 
a new location4 ,he is a new man1 with a
 new inside1 in a new location4 ,that   
threefold cord is ahead of              
,solomon's--it can't be broken4  ,and1  
if you'll mark it keenly1 a new inside  
includes a new outside4 ,the thing that 
in religious talk is called conversion  
is a sociological factor that cannot be 
ignored by the thoughtful student4 ,the 
drunkard goes down to the old-fashioned 
sort of mission where they insist on    
teaching that the blood of ,jesus       
cleanseth from all sin1 and that the    
,holy ,spirit will make a new man of    
you1 and burn the sin out4  ,and        
something happens to the drunkard4 ,he  
kneels a drunkard1 drunk2 he rises a    

man1 sober4 ,he goes to the hole he     
calls home4 ,and at once a change begins
 to work gradually out4 ,he treats his  
wife and children differently4 ,he      
works4 ,they are fed better and clothed 
warmer4 ,he gets a better house in a    
better neighbourhood4 ,the new          
sociological factor is at work4 ,it     
began inside2 it revolutionizes the     
outside4  ,settlement houses1 better    
environment1 improved outer conditions  
of every sort1 are blessed1 and only    
blessed1 after the inside is fixed or in
 helping to get it fixed4 ,if that isn't
 done1 they are simply as a lovely bit  
of pink-coloured court-plaster skilfully
 adjusted over an ugly incurable ulcer4 
,the man is befooled while the ulcer    
eats into his vitals4  ,it's only the   
blood-power of a ,jesus1 the ,jesus1    
that can fix the inside4 ,he cuts out   
the ulcer and puts in a new strain of   
blood4 ,then the inner includes the     
outer4 ,and the most grateful of all is 
the man4 ,this is the ,jesus-plan1 ,john

 says1 full of grace and truth4  ,grace 
is named first4 ,it comes first4 ,that  
is a bit of the graciousness of it4     
,that's love's exquisite diplomacy4 ,we 
feel the grateful warmth of the sun in  
the winter's air1 and are drawn by it4  
,we smell the fragrance of the roses and
 come eagerly nearer4 ,we hear the      
winsomeness of a gentle wooing voice    
a-calling1 and instinctively answer to  
it4 ,and then we find the sun's power to
 heal and cleanse and its insistence on 
burning up what can't stand its heat4   
,we find the inspiring1 purifying uplift
 of the flowers1 drawing us up the      
hillside to the top4 ,we find the       
voice--the ,man--gently but with        
unflinching unbending determination that
 never yields a hairbreadth1 insisting  
on our coming clear up to the topmost   
level4 ,that's a wondrous order of      
words1 and coupling of helps1 grace and 
truth4  ,and this is ,jesus4 ,this is   
,john's simple tremendous picture4 ,this
 ,man comes down into our neighbourhood1

 on our earth4 ,he sticks up ,his       
stretch of tent-canvas right next ours4 
,he insists on being ,his own true self 
in the midst of the unlikeliest         
surroundings4 ,the glow of ,his presence
 shines out over all the neighbourhood  
of human tents4 ,there's a purity of air
 that stimulates4 ,men take deep        
breaths4 ,there's a fragrance breathing 
subtly out from ,his tent that draws and
 delights4 ,men come a-running with     
childlike eagerness4    ,grace          
,flooding4   ,and now as ,jesus comes   
quietly down the river road where       
,john's crowd is gathered1 ,john the    
witness points his finger tensely out1  
and eagerly cries out3 ,there ,he is6   
,this is the man ,i've been telling you 
about6 ,he that cometh after me in point
 of time is become first in relation to 
me in point of preeminence3 for ,he was 
before me both in time and in           
preeminence4  ,and then ,john adds a    
tremendous bit4 ,he had just been       
talking about ,jesus being full of that 

great combination of grace and truth4   
,now his thought runs back to that4     
,listen3 ,of ,his fullness have we all  
received4  ,there's another translation 
of this sentence that ,i have run across
 several times4 ,it reads in this way3  
,of ,his skimpiness have we all         
received4 ,i never found that in common 
print2 only in the larger print of men's
 lives4 ,but in that printing it seems  
to have run into a large edition1 with  
very wide circulation4 ,men don't read  
this old ,book of ,god much2 less than  
ever4 ,they get their impression of ,god
 wholly from those who call themselves  
,his followers4  ,they watch the        
procession go by4 ,here they come       
crippled diseased maimed weakened in    
body1 piteously pathetically crutching  
along1 singed and burned with the flames
 of the same low passion that the       
onlooking crowds know so well1          
struggling1 limping1 crutching along    
bodily and in every other way4  ,and    
that's a crowd with very keen logic1    

those onlookers4 ,it judges ,god by     
those bearing ,his name1 very properly4 
,and it says more or less               
unconsciously1--,what a poor sort of    
,god ,he must be those people have4 ,no 
doubt ,he has a great job of management 
on ,his hands4 ,there are so many of    
them to provide for4 ,and apparently    
there can't be any abundance1 certainly 
no overflow1 no surplus4 ,he has to     
piece it out the best ,he can to make it
 go as far as possible4  ,i think maybe 
,i needn't be in any hurry to join that 
crowd1 at least till ,i have to1 along  
towards the end of things here4 ,there  
would only be one more to carry4 ,he has
 such a crowd now4 ,and the resources   
are pretty badly strained1 judging by   
appearances4 ,so the crowd talks4 ,poor 
,god6 ,how ,he is misrepresented by some
 walking translations4 ,of ,his         
skimpiness---6 ,be careful4 ,don't take 
too much4 ,be grateful for the crumbs4  
,please clean your spectacles1 and      
readjust them carefully1 and if you are 

afflicted with the small-print ,bible   
that seems in such common use1 get a    
reading-glass and look here at the      
proper translation4 ,that crutching1    
leather-bound translation is grossly    
inaccurate1 if it is in such big print1 
and in such wide circulation4 ,look     
here4 ,can you see the words8 ,this is  
the only correct reading3 ,of ,his      
fullness have all we received4 ,put that
 into the print of your life1 for your  
own sake and for the crowd's sake1 yes1 
and for ,god's sake1 too1 that the crowd
 may know the kind of a ,god ,god is4   
,and as if ,john had a suspicion about  
possible bad translations1 he did a bit 
of underscoring4 ,that word fullness is 
underscored in ,john's original copy4   
,it's a heavy underscoring1 in red4 ,the
 underscoring is in three words he adds3
 ,grace for grace4 ,that is1 grace in   
place of grace4 ,it's a sort of picture4
 ,some grace has been received4 ,and it 
is so wondrous that nothing seems so    
good4 ,and the man is singing as he goes

 about his work4  ,then comes a sudden  
soft inrushing of a flood of grace so   
great that it seems to displace all that
 was there4 ,oh6 the man didn't know    
there was such grace as this4 ,it seems 
as if he had never known grace before4  
,and the work-song is hushed into a     
great stillness1 though the wondrous    
rhythm of peace is greater than before4 
,and then before he quite knows how it  
happens in comes another soft subtle    
inrushing flood-tide of grace that seems
 to displace all again4 ,some temptation
 comes1 some sore need1 some tight      
corner4 ,you look to ,him2 lean on ,him2
 risk all on ,his response4 ,he         
responds2 and in comes the fresh inrush4
  ,and then this sort of thing becomes a
 habit1 ,god's habit of responding to   
your need1 need of every sort4 ,it      
becomes the commonplace1 the blessed    
commonplace that can never be common4   
,that's ,john's underscoring of the word
 fullness4 ,may the crowds whose elbows 
we jostle get this underscored          

translation1 bound in shoe-leather1 your
 shoe-leather4  ,then in his eagerness  
to make us understand the thing really1 
,john makes a contrast4 ,the law was    
given through ,moses2 grace and truth   
came through ,jesus ,christ4 ,the law   
was a thing1 given1 through a man4      
,grace and truth was a man coming1 the  
very embodiment in ,himself of what the 
two words stand for4  ,the law1 the old 
,mosaic law1 was not a statement of the 
full message of ,god4 ,that was given   
much earlier4 ,it was given to all4 ,it 
came directly4 ,it was given first in   
,eden1 in its flood2 and then           
continuously to every man wherever he   
was4 ,it was given within each man's own
 heart1 and through the unfailing       
flooding light in nature above and below
 and all around4 ,the tide of its coming
 has never ceased in volume nor in      
steadiness of flow2 and does not cease4 
,that tide came to flood in ,jesus4 ,and
 that flood has never known an ebb4     
,but men's eyes got badly affected4     

,they didn't let the light in1 either   
clearly or fully4 ,the light was there1 
but it was not getting in4 ,something   
had to be done to help out those eyes4  
,so the law was given4 ,it was merely a 
mirror to let a man see his face1 what  
it was like4  ,here's a mother calling  
to her little son1 ,come here and let me
 wash your face4 ,and he calls out1 ,it 
isn't dirty4 ,yes1 dear1 it is very     
dirty1 come at once4 ,why1 no1 mother1  
it isn't dirty2 you washed it this      
morning4 ,and the child's tone blends a 
hurt surprise and a settled conviction  
that his mother is certainly wrong this 
time about the condition of his face4   
,and if the mother be of the thoughtful 
brooding kind1 she says nothing1 but    
gets a hand mirror1 and holds it before 
the child's face4 ,that will always get 
a child's attention4 ,and the boy looks2
 he sees his dirty face reflected4 ,the 
blank astonishment on his face can't be 
put into words4 ,it tells the radical   
upsetting revolution in his thought on  

that subject4 ,how could it have        
happened that his face got into that    
condition6 ,and the washing process is  
yielded to at least2 possibly even asked
 for4  ,that's what the law did and     
does4 ,it showed man his face1 his      
heart1 his need4 ,it brings upsetting   
revolutionary ideas regarding one's     
self4 ,there it stops4 ,that's its      
limit4 ,then the ,man who in ,himself is
 grace and truth does the rest4    ,the 
,spokesman of ,god4   ,then ,john       
quietly1 deftly draws the line around to
 the starting point in that first       
tremendous statement4 ,he completes a   
circle perfect in its strength and      
beauty and simplicity1 as every circle  
is4 ,if we follow the order of the words
 somewhat as ,john wrote them down1 we  
find the bit of truth coming in a very  
striking1 as well as in a fresh way4    
,god no one has ever1 at any time1 seen4
  ,that seems rather startling1 does it 
not8 ,what do these older pages say8    
,adam talked and walked and worked with 

,god1 and then was led to the gate of   
the garden4 ,god appeared to ,abraham1  
and gave him a never-to-be-forgotten    
lesson in star study4 ,moses spent      
nearly six weeks with ,him1 twice over1 
in the flaming mount1 and carried the   
impress of ,his presence upon his face  
clear to ,nebo's cloudy top4  ,the      
seventy elders saw the ,god of ,israel1 
and did eat and drink1 the simple record
 runs4 ,and young ,isaiah that morning  
in the temple1 and ,ezekiel in the      
colony of exiles on the ,chebar1 and    
,daniel by the ,tigris at the close of  
his three weeks' fast1--these all come  
quickly to mind4 ,john's startling      
statement seems to contradict these     
flatly4  ,but push on4 ,john has a way  
of clearing things up as you follow him 
through4 ,listen to him further3 ,the   
only-begotten ,god who is in the bosom  
of the ,father--,he has always been the 
spokesman of ,god4 ,look into that      
sentence of ,john's a little4 ,it seems 
quite clear1 clear to the point of      

satisfying the most critical research1  
that ,john wrote down the words1 the    
only-begotten ,god4 ,the contrast in his
 mind is not between ,god1 and the only 
begotten ,son4 ,it is a contrast whose  
verbal terms fit with much nicer        
exactness than that4 ,it is a contrast  
between ,god and the only-begotten ,god4
  ,there is only one such person        
whichever way unity4 ,they tell the     
whole story hanging at the end of       
,john's pen4 ,this little bit commonly  
called the prologue is a gem of         
simplicity and compactness4  ,it is     
,john's ,gospel in miniature1 even as   
,john's ,gospel is the whole ,bible     
story in miniature4 ,you can see the    
whole of the sun reflected in a single  
drop of water4 ,you can see the whole of
 both ,father and ,son in the action of 
love in these simple opening lines of   
,john's ,gospel4  ,have you ever been   
walking down a country road till1 weary 
and thirsty1 you stopped at an old      
farmhouse and refreshed yourself at the 

old-fashioned well1 with its bucket and 
long sweep8 ,and as you rested a bit by 
the well you wondered how deep it was4  
,it didn't look deep at all4 ,the water 
was near1 and it was so clear and sweet 
and refreshing1 and so easy to get at   
for a drink4  ,is it deep8 ,so you fish 
a rather long bit of string out of your 
pocket1 and tie it to a bit of stone you
 find lying close by4 ,and you let the  
stone down1 and down1 and down1 till you
 are surprised to find that the well is 
deeper than your string is long4  ,well1
 ,john's opening bit is just like that4 
,it seems very simple1 easily understood
 at first flush in the mere statements  
made4 ,the water is near the top4 ,you  
easily drink4 ,and you are refreshed4   
,but when you try to find out how deep  
it is1 you are startled to find that it 
is clear over your head4  ,but it is    
never over your heart4 ,it is too deep  
for you to grasp and understand4 ,you   
never touch bottom4 ,but it's never     
beyond heart-understanding4 ,you can    

sense and feel and love4 ,you can open  
the sluice-gates into your heart1 and   
have the blessed flood-tide lift and    
lift and bear you aloft and along4 ,you 
can love4 ,and that is the whole story4 
,was ,john an artist8 ,is he making a   
rare painting for us here8 ,is he       
studying perspective1 shading and       
spacing1 to an exquisite nicety that is 
revealed in the very way he puts words  
and sentences and paragraphs together8  
,i do not know4 ,and if any of you think
 the thing ,i am about to speak of is   
due to a mere mechanical chance of the  
pen1 ,i'll not quarrel with you4 ,though
 ,i shall still have my own personal    
thought in the matter4  ,but will you   
notice this8 ,john begins his prologue  
with a description of a wonderful       
personality4 ,he ends it with another   
description of this same personality4   
,both descriptions are rare in beauty   
and boldness1 in simplicity and brevity4
 ,and right midway between the two1 at  
almost the exact middle line of the     

reading1 at what is the artistic center1
 stands the word came4  ,that word came 
gathers up into itself and tells out to 
you the whole story about this          
twice-described personality4 ,he came   
,john says4 ,that's the whole thing4    
,first the ,he fills your eye1 and then 
what ,he did--came4 ,and as you step off
 a bit for better perspective1 and      
change your personal position this way  
and that to get the best light1 you find
 the picture standing out before your   
awed eyes4  ,it is a ,man coming down   
the road with face looking into yours4  
,he is truly a man1 every line of the   
picture makes that clear to you4 ,but   
such a man as never was seen before1    
with the rarest blending of the kingly  
and the kindly in ,his bearing4 ,the    
purest purity1 the utmost graciousness1 
the highest ideals1 the gentlest manner1
 nobility beyond what we have known1 and
 kindliness past describing1--all these 
blend in the pose of ,his body and most 
of all in the look of ,his face4 ,and   

,he is in motion4 ,he is walking1       
walking towards us1 with hands          
outstretched4  ,this is ,john's picture 
of ,jesus4 ,he came to ,his own4 ,he    
came because ,his own drew ,him4 ,out   
from the bosom of ,his ,father1 into the
 womb of a virgin maid1 and into the    
heart of a race ,he came4 ,out of the   
glory-blaze above into the gloom of the 
shadow1 and the glare of false lights   
below1 ,he came4  ,out of the love of a 
,father's heart1 the ,only-begotten     
came1 into contact with the hate that   
was the only-begotten of sin1 that ,he  
might woo us men up1 and up1 and up1    
into the only-begotten life with the    
,father4  ,jesus was ,god on a wooing   
errand to the earth4     ,,iii  ,the    
,lover ,wooing       ,a ,group of       
,pictures ,illustrating ,how the ,wooing
 ,was ,done1 and ,how      the ,lover   
,was ,received                   ,still 
with unhurrying chase1                  
,and unperturbed pace1     ,deliberate  
speed1 majestic instancy                

,came the following ,feet1              
,and a ,voice above their beat--        
,naught shelters thee1 who will not     
shelter ,me4'      --,the ,hound of     
,heaven4       ,o thou hope of ,israel1 
the ,saviour thereof in the time of     
trouble1      why shouldst thou be as a 
sojourner in the land1 and as a         
wayfaring      man that spreadeth his   
tent for a night8--,jeremiah xiv4 #h4   
,he came unto his own home1 and they who
 were his own kinsfolk      received him
 not into the house1 but left him       
standing outside in      the cold and   
dark of the winter's night4 ,but as many
 as did receive      him he received    
into his home1 and gave each a seat in  
the inner      circle at the hearthfire 
of ,god4--,john i4 ,,ii1 #ab4 ,free     
translation4     ,,iii  ,the ,lover     
,wooing  7,john i4 #ai-xii4 #ej7    ,the
 ,mother of all ,love-,words4           
,brooding is love at its tenderest and  
best ,it is love giving its best1 and so
 bringing out the best possible in the  

one brooded over4  ,look into the nest  
where the word itself was brooded4 ,it  
is a warm something1 warm in itself1 not
 a borrowed warmth4 ,the warmth is its  
chief trait4 ,it is a soft tender       
unfailing cuddling warmth4 ,it cuddles  
and coos1 it glows and floods a gentle  
comforting stimulating warmth4 ,and the 
best there is lying asleep within the   
thing so brooded over awakes4  ,it      
answers to that creative mothering      
warmth4 ,it pushes out1 against all     
obstacles1 and comes shyly and          
winsomely1 but steadily and strongly1   
out to the brooding warmth1 growing as  
it comes and growing most as it comes   
into closest touch with the warm        
brooder4  ,brooding is the mother of all
 love-words1--friendship1 wooing1       
pitying1 helping1 mothering1 fathering1 
witnessing1 believing4 ,it is the       
mother-word1 from out whose warm womb   
all these others come1 warm1 too1 and   
full of gentle strong life4 ,its mother 
quality is so strong that we are apt to 

think of it only in connection with     
actual mothers1 mothers among animals   
and birds and of our human kind4  ,but  
this is only one meaning1 really a      
surface meaning1 though such a fine deep
 meaning in itself4 ,its real heart     
meaning lies much deeper4 ,brooding is  
the mother of all love4 ,it is its      
warmth that draws out that fine feeling 
that makes and marks friendship4 ,it is 
its tender warmth that draws out that   
finest degree of friendship which knits 
with unbreakable bonds two lives into   
one4  ,it reaches out most subtly to    
knit up again the ends that have        
ravelled out under the sore stress of   
life4 ,it bends compassionately over    
those hurt in body1 and hurt yet more in
 their spirit by the greedy rivalry of  
life1 and nurses into newness of life   
the shivering shredded hurt parts4 ,in  
the more familiar use of the word it    
fathers and mothers the newly minted    
morsels of precious humanity1 coming    
into life with big wondering eyes4  ,and

 it warms into highest life that highest
 love that1 through the process of      
hearing1 assenting1 trusting1 risking1  
giving the heart's devotion1 comes to   
know ,god as a tender ,father1 and      
,christ as a precious personal ,saviour4
 ,whether in close friend1 or ardent    
lover1 gracious philanthropist1 devoted 
parent1 or earnest witness1 it is the   
same warm thing underneath1 at its fine 
task--brooding4  ,we think of it most in
 the mother4 ,for it comes to its       
highest human perfection there4 ,the    
true thoughtful mother is first and     
chiefest a brooder4 ,she broods in      
spirit till her child looks into her    
eyes1 bearing the image1 in face and    
mental impress and spirit1 which the    
brooding months have given4 ,she broods 
over the inarticulate days when the babe
 cannot tell the felt needs except to a 
brooding mother's keen insight4  ,she   
broods over the baby-talk days2 over the
 struggling days when the child would   
tell its awakening thoughts out in      

words1 but doesn't know how yet2 over   
the wilful days which come so early when
 the first battles come that decide the 
whole future4  ,with a warmth of        
tenderness and patience1 and a strength 
of gentle wise insistence1 more than    
human1 she broods4 ,it takes the very   
strength of her life1 far far more than 
in prenatal days4 ,so there comes1      
slowly1 but as she keeps true to the    
brooding spirit1 surely1 the strong     
gentle self-controlled life out of the  
warm womb of her brooding life4 ,so     
comes the child's higher birth1 so      
preparing the way for the yet higher4   
,now all this is at its native best in  
,god4 ,there only does it reach finest  
fruitage4 ,some day we shall recognize  
the meaning of that modest but          
tremendous little sentence1--,god is    
love4 ,this warm brooding something that
 comes1 gentle as the dawning light in  
the grey east1 fragrant as the dew of   
the new morning1 irresistible in its    
pervasive persuasive presence as the    

rays of the growing sun1 giving to us   
warmth1 and life1 and drawing out from  
within us warmth and life and beauty and
 strength1 all in its own image1 this is
 the thing called love4 ,this is the    
thing that ,god is4 ,as we know it we   
are getting acquainted with ,him4  ,and 
if a break comes1 instantly love in its 
grief sets itself with warmth and       
renewed strength to the new harder      
brooding task4 ,it gives itself out yet 
more1 regardless of cost1 until in place
 of the broken fragments there comes a  
finer sort of life out of the warm womb 
of love1 brooding1 redeeming1           
bringing-back-again love4 ,this is ,god4
 ,this is ,jesus4 ,john shows us ,jesus 
as a picture of the brooding ,god4      
,five ,pictures of ,jesus4   ,there are 
five wondrous pictures of ,jesus in     
these newer leaves of the old ,book4    
,three of them hang on the walls of     
,paul's tent-weaving study-room4        
,there's the ,colossian picture1 the    
,creator-,jesus1 infinite in power1     

making all things above and below and   
around1 and holding all things          
together4#g  ,close by it in wondrous   
contrast is seen the ,philippian        
picture4 ,it is the ,man-,jesus1 emptied
 of all the upper-glory native to ,him1 
bowing down low and lower and lowest1   
till in the form of a slave ,he hangs on
 a cross4#h  ,and in contrast yet more  
striking and startling1 close by its    
side hangs the ,ephesian picture4 ,it is
 the ,enthroned-,jesus1 back again in   
the soft1 blazing1 blinding glory of the
 ,father's presence1 seated at ,his     
right hand1 far above all rule and      
authority and power and dominion and    
every name that is named4 ,and as you   
stand awed before this picture your eye 
is caught by the artist's remarque      
sketch at the bottom4 ,it is a broken   
,roman seal1 and an open tomb1 and a    
bird with swelling throat singing       
joyously4#i  ,then there's ,john's later
 ,patmos picture of the ,present-,jesus1
 standing now down on the earth in the  

midst of ,his candle-holding ,church1   
but seen only by opened eyes4 ,there ,he
 is seen as a ,man of ,fire1 ablaze with
 light1 intently watching1 with tender  
but omnipotent touch waiting1 ever      
waiting2 with a patience unknown except 
in ,him1 still waiting4#aj  ,but ,john's
 earlier ,gospel picture is of the      
,brooding-,jesus4 ,the word brooding    
here takes in its fine deep             
significance4 ,jesus is seen here as a  
brooding ,lover1 by the warmth of ,his  
wooing love drawing out the warmth of an
 answering love4 ,this is peculiarly and
 distinctively the picture of ,john's   
,gospel4 ,there is a ,man walking       
towards you in these pages4 ,turn where 
you will there ,he is1 and always facing
 you1 with a gentle eagerness in ,his   
face and in the bend-forward of ,his    
body4  ,there is always a warmth1 a     
gentle radiating comforting drawing     
warmth in ,his presence4 ,this is the   
thing you feel most1 the warmth4 ,but it
 isn't the only thing4 ,there's the     

purity4 ,there are ideals that seem out 
of reach in their great height4 ,there's
 the insistence on these ideals1 rigid  
stern absolutely unbending insistence4  
,you see these4 ,you can't help it4 ,you
 feel them tremendously4 ,they seem to  
leave you clear out of reckoning1 they  
are so high up4 ,but there's the warmth1
 drawing arousing wooing1 irresistible4 
,you come to find that the warmth of    
that presence is as irresistible as the 
ideals and the insistence are unbending4
 ,and the warmth woos you4 ,it warms    
you1 till there come the intense        
admiration of the ideals1 and then the  
eager reaching of the whole being up    
towards them4  ,this is ,john's picture 
of the brooding wooing ,jesus4 ,this is 
,god1 in human garb as ,he comes to us  
in ,john's pages4 ,jesus is ,god        
brooding over us to woo out of us the   
love and purity1 the purity and love1   
that ,he woos into us by the touch of   
,his own warm presence4  ,john's little 
book is put together as simply as his   

sentences4 ,and as you take it up1 it   
falls apart almost of itself1 so simple 
and natural are its divisions4 ,we had a
 look at the opening paragraphs of the  
,gospel1 those eighteen brief verses    
that open the doorway into all the      
,gospel holds for us4 ,there is given   
chiefly ,john's simple vivid tremendous 
picture of a ,person1 coming with swift 
long stride and outreached hands4  ,now 
we turn to the second part of the book4 
,it runs from the nineteenth verse of   
the opening chapter on through to the   
end of chapter twelve4 ,it is devoted to
 the great winsome wooing of this great 
human ,person4 ,here we see ,him on ,his
 wooing errand4 ,he woos individual men4
 ,he gives the personal touch4 ,he      
devotes ,himself to one person1 now     
here1 now there4 ,his skill and tact in 
personal dealing are matchless4 ,but    
this is not the chief wooing of these   
pages4 ,it is the nation ,he is wooing4 
,with rarest strategy and boldness and  
persistence ,he lays loving siege to the

 nation through its leaders4 ,this is   
central and dominant in all ,his        
movements here4 ,this is the second     
picture in the gallery of ,john's       
,gospel4  ,it is a good thing to run    
through these fourteen pages of ,john's 
,gospel several times2 to run through   
rapidly1 though not hurriedly2 to run   
through them as a story until it stands 
out in your mind as one simple          
connected1 story4 ,and then it will help
 greatly1 if you are so blest as to have
 some boy or girl near at hand to whom  
you can tell it as a story in simple    
child 7not childish7 talk4  ,pack the   
whole into one story of ten minutes1 or 
fifteen3 the man of the story2#aa how   
,he tried to win the people's hearts2#ab
 how towards the end ,he spent a long   
evening with those who loved ,him2#ac   
how awfully ,he was treated by those who
 hated ,him2#ad then how wondrously ,he 
surprised ,his friends2#ae and then the 
little bit at the end where ,he prepares
 breakfast and has a walk and talk on   

the seashore with a little group of     
those who loved ,him most4#af  ,tell    
that to a boy or girl as a short story4 
,use sensible words1 but not one that   
your little listener wouldn't at once   
understand4 ,pretty sharp discipline for
 the story-teller1 especially if you    
stop to put in a simpler word when      
you've blundered into a big one4 ,the   
child will be held by it ,but you will  
get the most yourself out of the        
telling4    ,warp-,threads4   ,now as   
you read the second part over1 it       
gradually sifts itself into several     
incidents about which the story is      
woven4 ,these incidents form the        
warp-threads of the narrative4 ,into    
this warp are woven1 sometimes little   
connecting links1 sometimes quarrelsome 
discussion1 sometimes exquisite bits of 
,jesus' teaching1 and sometimes ,john's 
comments4 ,and as the story grows it    
reaches one climax after another1 each  
increasing in intensity1 until the      
intensest is reached4#ag ,and these     

incidents fall naturally into groups4   
,there are three chief groups that seem 
to stand out as giving the bolder points
 of the outline1 and then smaller groups
 or single incidents that lie in        
between4  ,it is very natural that the  
story begins with the accounts of the   
deputation that was sent from ,jerusalem
 by the official leaders of the nation1 
down to the ,jordan bottoms where ,john 
the witness was drawing such great      
crowds4 ,john modestly answers their    
questions about himself1 and then the   
next day with dramatic intensity points 
out the ,man for whom the whole nation  
has been looking for so long4  ,the only
 response from deputation and officials 
is a most significant disappointing     
silence1 a silence fully understood both
 by ,john#ah and by ,jesus4#ai ,but five
 ,galileans in the crowd listening to   
,john's reply seek out1 or are brought  
into personal questioning touch with1   
,jesus1 and then yield ,him             
unquestioning belief and personal       

devotion4 ,and these five come1 in after
 years1 to be leaders known wherever    
,christ's name is known4#bj ,so there   
begins the sharp contrast running       
throughout these pages1 between the two 
sides into which ,jesus' presence       
divides the crowds4  ,then ,john traces 
the simple way in which the faith of    
these five men ran its tiny but tough   
tenacious tendril-roots down into their 
very vitals4 ,a simple neighbourhood    
wedding occasion up near the old        
,nazareth home drew ,jesus thither with 
,his kinsfolk and ,his new-made friends4
 ,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 character4  
,and the conviction takes great fresh   
hold upon these five men that they have 
made no mistake4 ,this ,man is all they 
had taken ,him for1 and ,he is immensely
 more than they had thought into at     
first4#ba  ,then comes a little         
connecting link4 ,after the ,cana visit1

 ,jesus runs into the near-by town of   
,capernaum with ,his kinsfolk and       
friends for a few days1 a sort of       
continuation of the neighbourhood       
courtesies4#bb  ,and then at once ,john 
goes to the intensest1 and the most     
significant incident of this whole      
section of the book4 ,it is the drastic 
turning out1 by ,jesus1 of the traders  
in the temple-area at ,jerusalem4 ,this 
touched at once the national leaders'   
most sensitive nerve1 and touched it    
roughly4 ,it never ceased aching4 ,this 
turning of the temple-area into a common
 market-place1 which so jarred on the   
holy atmosphere of the place1 and on    
,jesus' fine spirit1 this was by        
arrangement with these leaders1 and     
yielded them large profit4 ,here was the
 sore spot4  ,with one deft stroke ,john
 lays bare the secret of the intense    
hatred of ,jesus by these national      
leaders1 with which these pages teem1   
and which came to its bursting head at  
the cross4 ,long after1 when ,jesus had 

died and been raised1 these five leading
 disciples find a new strengthening of  
their faith in recalling words spoken at
 this time by ,jesus4#bc  ,growing      
naturally out of this ,passover visit   
comes the ,nicodemus incident4 ,many of 
the ,passover crowds were caught by the 
power of ,jesus shown in the miracles   
,he did1 but had not the seasoned       
thoughtful faith of these first         
disciples4 ,but one man sifts himself   
out by his spirit of earnest inquiry4   
,the sharp contrast that runs throughout
 these incidents stands out here4 ,this 
man is of the inner upper cultured      
circle1 that controlled national        
affairs1 that sent that ,jordan         
committee1 and that had been so upset by
 the temple cleansing4  ,yet not only   
,nicodemus' earnest search for truth1   
and the questions asked by him1 but the 
fullness and fineness of spirit truth in
 ,jesus' words to him reveal the true   
faith of this rare inquirer2 and this is
 verified by his later actions4#bd      

,clearly ,jesus found here an opened    
door4 ,here is the first of those       
exquisite bits of ,jesus' teaching that 
mark ,john's ,gospel4#be  ,these four   
incidents make up the first group of1   
what ,i think of as1 the three chief    
groups of incidents in this section of  
,john4 ,the group begins at the ,jordan1
 and runs up into ,galilee1 but in its  
interest and its chief incident1 centres
 in ,jerusalem4 ,the action begins with 
,john the witness1 and swings naturally 
to ,jesus4 ,the contrast in this group  
of incidents is intense4 ,with the same 
evidence at hand1 first contemptuous    
silence and loving allegiance1 then the 
beginnings of bitterest hate and of     
tenderest personal love1 grow up side by
 side4  ,then there is a sort of        
swing-away-from-,jerusalem group that   
includes three incidents4 ,after the    
rejection of ,john's witness to         
,jesus#bf by the nation's leaders1      
,jesus withdraws from ,jerusalem to the 
country districts of ,judea4 ,there ,he 

takes up the sort of work ,john has been
 doing1 so bearing ,his witness to      
,john4 ,john had drawn great crowds down
 to the ,jordan and in the neighbourhood
 of its tributary streams4  ,now ,jesus 
helps in arousing and instructing these 
crowds4 ,there are two men preaching    
instead of one1 and ,jesus has the      
greater crowds4 ,this is used to make   
trouble4 ,it stirs up gossipy           
disputings4 ,it is made to look like a  
jealous rivalry between the two men4    
,and this supposed rivalry and disputing
 about the various claims of the two men
 become the uppermost thing4 ,it        
reflects the characteristic spirit of   
the leaders4 ,john greatly renews his   
witness to ,jesus with fresh emphasis   
and earnestness4#bg  ,but as ,jesus sees
 that ,his presence is only being made a
 bone of contention ,he quietly slips   
away from ,judea1 turning north through 
,samaria towards ,galilee4 ,then comes  
the great story of the visit to ,sychar1
 with the exquisitely tactful winning of

 the sinful woman to a life of purity1  
and then using her as a messenger to her
 people4 ,imbedded in the story is      
another bit of ,jesus' simple great     
teaching talk4#bh  ,then comes a brief  
connecting link4 ,finding no acceptance 
in ,judea1 ,his own country1 ,jesus goes
 to ,galilee1 where visitors at the     
,jerusalem ,feast of ,passover had been 
spreading the news of ,his words and    
deeds1 and so a gracious welcome now    
awaits ,him4#bi  ,and here in ,galilee  
,he wins the believing love of a roman  
officer of noble birth1 whose son is    
desperately ill4 ,the father's faith    
passes through three stages1 the belief 
that comes to ask for help1 the deeper  
belief that rests upon ,jesus' word to  
him and starts back home1 and the yet   
deeper that gets confirmation of ,jesus'
 word and power in the recovery of his  
son from the very time ,jesus spoke the 
assuring word4#cj  ,these are the three 
incidents in this group away from the   
,jerusalem district4 ,it is striking    

that this group away from ,jerusalem    
stands in sharp contrast with that first
 group centering in ,jerusalem4 ,there  
is rejection by the nation's leaders    
running from contemptuous silence to the
 beginning of open opposition4 ,here    
with less evidence there is acceptance  
by a ,samaritan and a ,roman2 the one of
 no social standing2 the other of the   
highest4  ,the rejection of ,jesus by   
the leaders stands in contrast thus far 
with acceptance of ,him by five         
,galileans1 by a cultured scholarly     
aristocrat1 a half-breed ,samaritan1 and
 a ,roman of gentle birth4 ,acceptance  
seems to grow with the distance from    
,jerusalem4 ,yet everything hinged in   
,jerusalem4 ,there had been the         
flood-light4 ,jerusalem was meant to be 
the gateway to the world4 ,the irony of 
sin6 ,the blinding of greed6 ,the       
self-cheating of being self-centered6   
,climbing towards the ,climax4   ,and   
now1 true to his controlling thought1   
,john goes straight back to ,jerusalem  

with his story1 ignoring intervening    
events4 ,there's another feast1 not     
called a ,passover1 but commonly and    
probably correctly so reckoned1 another 
crowd-gathering ,passover4 ,an extreme  
chronic case of bodily infirmity draws  
out the pity and power of ,jesus1 and   
the healed man takes his first walk     
after thirty-eight years4  ,but the     
thing is done on a ,sabbath day1 and    
gives rise to bitterest and murderous   
persecution1 first on the score of      
,sabbath observance1 and then because   
,jesus claimed ,god as ,his own ,father 
in a distinctive sense4 ,friction fire  
may send out beautiful sparks4 ,and the 
opposition brings out one of the        
choicest bits of ,jesus' teaching to be 
found in ,john4 ,this incident stands by
 itself4#ca  ,and now ,john reaches over
 a whole year with only a sentence or   
two for connection1 and comes again to a
 ,passover4 ,the ,passover was the pivot
 of the ,jewish year and of ,jewish     
national life4 ,this ,passover is made  

notable by ,jesus' absence from         
,jerusalem1 the only ,passover absence  
of ,his ministry4 ,and the reason is the
 violence of the persecution by the     
national leaders4  ,there is the feeding
 of the hungry thousands with a handful 
of loaves and fish4 ,was this the real  
,passover celebration8 ,the multitudes  
fed by ,him who was the ,lamb of ,god   
and the true ,bread of life8 while the  
technical observance was empty of life6 
,it wouldn't be the only thing of the   
sort1 in ancient times or modern4#cb    
,jesus withdraws from the crowds who    
would like a bread-maker for a king1    
gets a bit of quiet alone with ,his     
,father on the mountainside1 and then   
walks on the water in the storm to keep 
,his appointment with the disciples4    
,then follows a long disputation and    
another fine bit of ,jesus' teaching4#cc
 ,these two incidents make another      
distinct group1 separated from the      
previous one by a year on the far side  
and six months on the hither side4 ,and 

the contrast continues1 between the     
acceptance by the ,galilean crowds and  
the intensifying opposition by the chief
 group of ,jerusalem leaders4  ,then    
comes the second chief group of         
incidents4 ,about six months later      
,jesus returns to ,jerusalem for the    
autumn ,feast of ,tabernacles4 ,he      
boldly teaches in the temple in the     
midst of much opposition1 bitter        
discussion1 and concerted official      
effort against ,him4#cd ,the dramatic   
incident of the accused woman and the   
conscience-stricken leaders#ce is       
followed by a yet more bitter discussion
 and by the first passionate attempt at 
stoning4#cf  ,then the incident of the  
man born blind but now blessedly given  
his sight leads to the bitterest        
opposition thus far1 and the casting of 
the man out from all religious          
privileges2 and is followed by the rare 
bit of sheepfold and shepherd           
teaching4#cg ,these four incidents make 
up the second great outstanding group of

 incidents1 and mark the sharpest clash 
and crisis thus far4  ,a few months     
later at another ,jerusalem feast called
 the ,feast of the ,dedication1 comes a 
second hotly impulsive riotous attempt  
at stoning1 and then an attempt to      
arrest1 both foiled by the restraint of 
,jesus' mere presence and personal      
power4#ch ,and another connecting link  
traces ,his going away beyond the       
,jordan ,river1 where the crowds gather 
to ,him1 and are won to warm personal   
belief4#ci  ,another little gap of a few
 months passed over in silence1 brings  
the narrative to the third and last     
chief group of incidents in this part of
 the book1 and so leads immediately up  
to the great final events of the whole  
book4  ,the illness and death of        
,lazarus draws ,jesus back to a suburb  
of ,jerusalem1 ,bethany4 ,then the      
stupendous incident of the raising of   
,lazarus leads to the official decision 
to put ,jesus to death4#dj ,and a       
connecting link of verses tells of      

,jesus' cautious withdrawal1 of the     
inquiring crowds coming to the          
approaching ,passover1 and of the public
 notice given that ,jesus was under     
official condemnation4#da  ,it is at the
 home feast given in ,bethany as a      
tribute of love to ,jesus that ,judas1  
coldly criticizing a warm act of tender 
love1 and gently rebuked by ,jesus1 gets
 into that bad heat of temper out of    
which came the foul bargaining and      
betrayal4#db ,another brief connecting  
link lets us see the crowds more eagerly
 inquiring for ,jesus because of the    
raising of ,lazarus1 and the determined 
priests coolly plotting ,lazarus' death1
 too4#dc  ,then comes ,jesus' faithful  
open offer of ,himself in kingly fashion
 to the nation1 with the tremendous     
enthusiasm of the multitudes1 and the   
hardening of the official purpose to do 
the one thing that will offset this     
wild-fire enthusiasm4#dd  ,and then     
comes the apparently simple1 but in     
meaning tremendous1 incident of the     

inquiring ,greeks4 ,the ,jew door is    
slamming shut1 but the outside door is  
opening4 ,here the whole world opens its
 door1 its front door1 in these ,greek  
representatives of the best culture the 
earth knew4 ,but ,jesus' vision never   
blurs4 ,he understands2 ,he alone4 ,the 
only route to ,greece and the whole     
outer world is the underground route1   
the way through ,joseph's tomb4  ,and as
 the intense spirit-struggle passes1    
,jesus quietly goes on with ,his        
searching appealing talk to the crowd1  
and then slips away into hiding till    
,his hour had full come4#de ,and with   
breaking heart ,john sadly recalls      
,isaiah's wondrous foresight of just    
these days and events4#df ,these are the
 four incidents in this third chief     
group4  ,and so the door shuts4 ,the    
wooing ceases4 ,this bit of ,john's     
story is done4 ,the evidence is all in4 
,the case is made up4 ,the nation's door
 to its ,king shuts4 ,the ,lover's      
wooing of the nation ceases4 ,john turns

 to a new chapter4 ,no further evidence 
is brought forward4 ,the case rests with
 the jury4 ,the door had been shutting  
for a good while4 ,the inside           
door-keepers had been pulling it hard4  
,but the great ,man outside had ,his    
hand on the knob delaying the shutting  
process1 in the earnest hope that it yet
 might be quite stopped4 ,now ,his hand 
reluctantly loosens its hold4 ,the knob 
is free4 ,the inside pull does its work4
 ,the door goes to with a vigorous slam4
  ,the wooing is not wholly done4 ,there
 is still the indirect1 the tacit       
wooing4 ,there's still opportunity4 ,all
 through that fateful night from        
,gethsemane's gate1 to the last word at 
,pilate's seat the ,lover is wooing4    
,but it is wooing by action1 by         
presence1 by yielding4 ,no pleading word
 is spoken4 ,the direct wooing is done4 
,tender1 earnest1 insistent1 patient1   
tremendous1 irresistible in itself save 
to those who willed to resist anything  
and everything no matter what or        

whom1--wondrous wooing it has been4 ,now
 it's over4 ,that chapter is done4      
,way-marks in ,john's ,narrative4   ,out
 of this simple running account several 
things sift themselves1 and stand out to
 our eyes4 ,the action of the story     
swings chiefly about ,jerusalem4 ,the   
other parts seem but background to make 
,jerusalem stand out big4 ,in this      
,john's ,gospel differs radically from  
the other three4 ,they are absorbed     
chiefly with the tireless gracious      
,galilean ministry of ,jesus1 till the  
last great events force them to         
,jerusalem4  ,and the reason is plain4  
,jerusalem is ,israel4 ,it is the       
nation4 ,jesus is wooing the nation     
through its leaders4 ,why8 ,for the     
nation's sake8 for ,israel's sake8 ,yes 
and no4 ,because these ,jews were       
favourites of ,god8 ,distinctly no1     
though so highly favoured they had been 
in the wondrous mission entrusted to    
them4 ,but because ,israel was the      
gateway to a world ,yes1 for ,israel's  

sake4 ,through this gateway1 so         
carefully prepared when every other gate
 was closing1 through this out to a     
world--this was the plan of action4 ,and
 this will yet be found to be the plan4 
,through a ,jewish gateway the ,king    
will one day go out to touch ,his world4
 ,this is the geography of ,john's      
story4  ,the action of the story swirls 
largely1 too1 about the great national  
feasts1 the ,passovers1 the ,tabernacles
 or harvest-home feast of the autumn1   
and one called the ,dedication1 not     
elsewhere spoken of4 ,to these came     
great crowds of pilgrim ,jews from all  
quarters of the world1 speaking many    
languages beside their national ,hebrew1
 giving large business1 especially to   
money-brokers and traders in the animals
 and birds used in the sacrifices4 ,that
 classical ,pentecost ,chapter of ,acts 
gives the wide range of countries and of
 languages represented by these pilgrim 
thousands4 ,these feasts are the central
 occasions of ,john's story4  ,the time 

begins with ,john's preaching in the    
,jordan bottoms and reaches up          
practically to the evening of the       
betrayal4 ,it is commonly reckoned three
 and a half years4 ,that is1 there are  
some months before that first ,passover1
 and then the events run through and up 
to the fourth ,passover1 reckoning the  
unnamed feast of chapter five as a      
,passover4 ,this is the chronology of   
,john's ,gospel4 ,john's ,gospel gives  
the only clue to the length of ,jesus'  
ministry4  ,there are three groups of   
persons4 ,there are the ,jews4 ,that is 
one of ,john's distinctive phrases4 ,by 
it he means as a rule the official      
leaders of the nation1 whom in common   
with the other writers he also          
designates by their party names1        
,pharisees1 ,scribes1 ,chief ,priests1  
and so on4 ,among these the name of     
,caiaphas stands out1 and later ,annas4 
,then there are the crowds1 the masses  
of people that flock together in any new
 stirring movement4 ,there are ,galilean

 crowds1 feast-time crowds including the
 great numbers of foreign pilgrim ,jews1
 city crowds1 and country crowds4 ,they 
gather to ,john's preaching4 ,they      
gather in great numbers in ,jerusalem1  
and on the ,galilean visits4 ,they are  
easily impressionable1 swayed by subtle 
crowd-contagion1 stirred up and played  
upon cunningly by the opposition        
leaders4  ,they appeal greatly to       
,jesus1 like unshepherded sheep4 ,and   
the sick and needy ones1 so numerous1   
draw out ,his pity and warm touch and   
healing power4 ,they believe quickly1   
and almost as quickly are turned away   
and desert the cause they had so quickly
 and warmly rallied to4 ,fickle1        
unthoughtful1 easily-swayed1 needy      
crowds1 but with the thoughtful ones and
 groups here and there who are really   
helped and who stick4 ,these crowds are 
always in evidence4  ,and there are the 
disciples4 ,there is the inner group of 
chosen ones who companion with ,jesus1  
sharing ,his bread and bed1 and close   

witnesses of ,his gracious spirit and   
unfailing power1 with impulsive heady   
,peter and faithful steady ,john always 
nearest by4 ,what a schooling all this  
was for them6 ,and there are other      
disciples1 not of this picked circle1   
but on most intimate personal terms with
 the ,master1 some of them1 like        
thoughtful cautious ,nicodemus1 like the
 ,bethany group of three1 and ,mary the 
,magdalene4 ,and there is the larger1   
looser1 changing body of disciples1     
mingling with the crowds1 sometimes     
deserting1 but no doubt with many       
thoughtful devoted ones among them4     
,these are the leading persons figuring 
in ,john's story1 grouped about the     
person of ,jesus4  ,but these are simply
 interesting incidentals giving local   
colouring to ,john's story4 ,we pass by 
them quickly now to a few things that   
take great hold of one's heart1 that    
stand out biggest1 and give the real    
action of life to the story4            
,tapestry ,threads4   ,as we unravel the

 fabric of ,john's ,gospel there are    
three threads that stand out by reason  
of the distinctness of their colours4   
,there's a thread of clear decided blue4
 ,there's a dark ugly black thread that 
gets blacker as it weaves itself farther
 in4 ,and then there's a bright yellow  
glory-colour thread that shines with    
brighter lustre as the black gets       
blacker4  ,trace the blue first1 the    
thread of a simple glad acceptance of   
,jesus1 and trust in ,him4 ,it deepens  
in its fine shading of blue as you      
follow it1 true blue1 the colour true   
hearts wear4 ,from the very first ,jesus
 is accepted by some1 by many4 ,and this
 continues steadily through to the very 
last4 ,some doors open at once to ,him4 
,then under the influence of ,his       
presence and gentle resistless power    
they open wide1 and then wider4  ,it is 
fascinating to trace the simply told    
story of growing faith1 until one's own 
faith gets clearer and steadier and has 
more warm glow to it4 ,to adapt         

,tennyson's fine lines1 as knowledge    
grows from more to more there dwells in 
us more of the deep tender reverence of 
love1 until all the powers of mind and  
spirit chord into one symphony of       
unending music4 ,and the wheels of our  
common life move always to its rhythmic 
swing4  ,see how the crowds crowd to    
,jesus1 and open up to the appeal of    
,his words and acts and presence4 ,many 
of the pilgrim crowds of that first     
,passover believe1 impressed by ,jesus' 
spirit of helpfulness and ,his unusual  
power4#dg ,and the ,galileans among them
 give ,him warm welcome as ,he comes up 
into their country4#dh ,it is a great   
multitude that follows eagerly up on the
 east coast of the ,galilean sea1 hail  
,him as the long-expected prophet of    
their nation1 talk of plans for making  
,him their ,king1 and earnestly cry out1
 ,lord1 evermore give us this 7true7    
bread4#di  ,even in the midst of the    
bickering discussions at the            
,tabernacles ,feast many of the         

multitude believed on ,him1 some as the 
long-talked-of prophet1 some as the very
 ,christ ,himself4#ej ,and as ,he talks 
to ,his critics of ,his purpose always  
to please the ,father1 still others are 
drawn in heart to ,him and believe4#ea  
,and at this same time1 as the criticism
 gets uglier1 many make bold to speak   
out on ,his behalf#eb though it was     
getting to be a dangerous thing to do4  
,as ,he feels compelled to withdraw from
 the tense atmosphere of ,jerusalem1 and
 goes away into the country districts   
beyond the ,jordan the people come      
flocking to ,him with open hearts4#ec   
,the ,lazarus incident made inroads into
 the upper circles of ,jerusalem1 many  
of the influential social class with    
whom these dear ,bethany friends seem on
 close terms1 and who had been out there
 during those stirring days1 believe on 
,jesus1 and many of the common people1  
too1 are won by that occurrence4#ed     
,that tremendous raising of ,lazarus had
 much to do with the great acclaim of   

the multitudes as ,jesus rode into      
,jerusalem on the kingly colt4#ee  ,it  
is without doubt a sincere homage that  
these multitudes from far and near1 and 
the home crowds1 render1 with their palm
 branches and garment-strewn roads1 and 
spontaneous outburst of joyous song4#ef 
,and now as ,john put his bit of a      
knotted summary on the end of this part 
of his story1 he points out that even   
among the members of the ,jewish ,senate
 there were many real believers4#eg     
,but a crowd is a strange complex thing4
 ,it doesn't know itself4 ,it's easily  
swept along to do as a crowd what would 
never be done by each one off by        
himself4 ,and this works in good ways as
 well as in bad4 ,jesus drew the crowds 
and was drawn by them4 ,he couldn't     
withstand the pull of the crowd4 ,the   
lure of its intense need was            
irresistible to ,him4 ,yet ,he knew     
crowds rarely4  ,he was never blinded by
 their enthusiasm4 ,his keen insight saw
 under the surface1 though it never held

 ,him critically back from helping4 ,he 
quickly notes that the belief of those  
first ,passover crowds has not reached  
the dependable stage4#eh ,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 road1 and some turn away to an
 easier road1#ei so revealing an utter  
lack of the real thing4 ,and even where 
there's real faith of the sincere sort  
it is yet sometimes not of the seasoned 
sort that can stand the storms4#fj      
,these crowds seem of close kin to more 
modern crowds4 ,one touch of a crowd    
rubs out centuries of difference and    
shows one family blood in us all4 ,yet  
keep things poised4 ,it was out of these
 crowds that there came the disciples   
and close friends to whom we now turn4  
,there's gold in the crowds1 finest     
twenty-four carat gold4 ,it's all a     
matter of mining4 ,skilful mining gets  
out the gold4 ,this wondrous ,lover used
 the magnetic-current method of mining1 

the love-current4 ,the strong warm      
current1 the fine personal spirit       
current1 drew out to ,him the fine      
grains of gold in these human crowds4   
,growing ,faith4   ,now we climb the    
hill where the disciples are4 ,the      
crowds are in the bottom-lands4 ,many   
have started up the hill4 ,jesus always 
woos men uphill4 ,you can always tell a 
man by where he is standing1            
bottom-land1 hillside1                  
higher-hill-slope1 hilltop4 ,we turn now
 from the crowds that believed to those 
whose personal acceptance of ,jesus drew
 them into the inner circle4  ,the first
 three incidents trace the beginnings of
 faith in those first close disciples   
who came to be numbered among the picked
 inner twelve4#fa ,the first story is   
one of the rarest of ,john's many rare  
stories4 ,it is characteristic of the   
real thing of faith that beginning with 
two they quickly number five4 ,the      
attachment of the two to ,john1 the     
,witness1 reveals them as of the earnest

 inquiring sort1 after the very best4   
,john never forgot that talk with ,jesus
 in the gathering twilight by the       
,jordan4 ,it sends ,andrew out for      
,peter1 and ,john likely for ,james1    
while the ,master gets ,philip1 and he  
in turn ,nathaniel4 ,that reveals the   
real stuff of faith4 ,it has a mind     
whose questionings have been satisfied1 
a heart that catches fire1 and feet that
 hasten out-of-doors for others4 ,that's
 the real thing4  ,their faith takes    
deeper root at ,cana4 ,a new personal   
experience of ,jesus' power is a great  
deepener of faith1 the great deepener4  
,this is the only pathway from faith to 
a deeper realer sturdier faith4 ,a man  
can get a deeper faith only by walking  
on his own feet where ,jesus leads4     
,their faith grows imperceptibly but by 
leaps and bounds4 ,it grows down deeper 
and so up stronger and out farther by   
their companionship with ,jesus through 
those brief packed years4 ,what a school
 that was6 the school of companionship  

with ,jesus1 with lessons daily1 but the
 chiefest lesson the ,teacher ,himself4 
,what a school it is6 ,the only one for 
learning the real thing of faith3 still 
open3 pupils received at any time4  ,if 
we would shut our eyes and go with them 
as they company with ,jesus through     
those wondrous days and events and      
experiences we may get some hold on how 
their faith grew4 ,they actually saw the
 handful of loaves and fishes grow in   
their hands until thousands were fed4   
,their own eyes saw ,jesus walking on   
the water4  ,it was out of their very   
hearts that they cry out through        
,peter's lips in answer to ,jesus'      
pathetic pleading question and say1 ,to 
whom shall we go8 ,thou hast the words  
of eternal life4#fb ,and without doubt  
,thomas acts as spokesman for all when  
,jesus announced ,his intention of      
returning to the danger zone1 and       
,thomas sturdily says1 ,let us also go1 
that we may die with ,him4#fc  ,but you 
are thinking of that terrible break of  

theirs on the betrayal night1 are you8  
,well1 perhaps if we call to mind with  
what an utter shock the events of that  
terrific twenty four hours came1        
intensified the more by the             
unexpectedness and the suddenness of it2
 and then if--perhaps--we may call to   
mind the more recent behaviour of some  
modern disciples who have had enormous  
advantages over them in regard to that  
terrific experience it may chasten our  
feelings a bit and soften the edge of   
our thought about them4  ,but dear      
faithful ,john never faltered4 ,we must 
always love him for that4 ,how          
humiliating for us if not even one had  
stood that test4 ,and how their         
after-contact with ,john must have      
affected the others4 ,john pulled the   
others back and up4 ,and how their faith
 so sorely chastened and tested came to 
its fine seasoned strength afterwards4  
,these very events of the early days now
 come back with new meaning to them4    
,jesus' words at the temple cleansing1  

and the kingly entry into ,jerusalem1   
shine now in a new light and give new   
strength to their faith4#fd ,but ,john  
himself brings us back to this again in 
that long talk of the betrayal night4   
,so we leave it now4 ,but blue is a good
 colour for the eyes4 ,it reveals great 
beauty in the bit of tapestry-pattern   
,john is weaving for us to trace these  
true blue threadings4  ,but there's more
 here1 much more1 that adds greatly to  
the pattern4 ,there are faithful        
disciples and precious intimate         
friendships outside the circle of these 
future leaders4 ,take only a moment for 
these as we push on4  ,there's that     
night visitor of the early ,jerusalem   
days4 ,aristocrat1 ruler1 scholar1 with 
all the supercautiousness that these    
qualities always grain in1 ,nicodemus   
actually left the inner circle of       
temple-rulers who were as sore to the   
touch as a boil over ,john's drastic    
cleansing1 and comes for a personal     
interview4 ,his utter sincerity is shown

 in the temper of his remarks and       
questions1 and shown yet more in the    
openness of ,jesus' spirit in talking   
with him4 ,for this is a trait in       
,jesus' dealings1--openness when ,he    
finds an opening door4 ,it must be so1  
then and now4 ,he can open up only where
 there is an opening up to ,him4        
,openness warms and loosens4 ,the       
reverse chills and locks up4#fe  ,it is 
in another just such situation but far  
more acute1 that this man speaks out for
 ,jesus in an official meeting of these 
same rulers4 ,timidly8 have you thought1
 cautiously8 ,yet he spoke out when no  
one else did1 though others there       
believed in ,jesus4 ,a really rare      
courage it was that told of a growing   
faith4#ff ,and the personal devotion    
side of his faith1 evidence again of the
 real thing1 stands out to our eyes as  
we see him bring the unusual gift of    
very costly ointments for the precious  
body of his personal friend4#fg ,it's a 
winsome story1 this of ,nicodemus4 ,may 

there be many a modern duplicate of it4 
,in utter social contrast stands the    
next bit of this sort following so hard 
that the contrast strikes you at once4  
,it's a half-breed ,samaritan this time1
 and a woman1 and an openly bad life4   
,the ,samaritans were hated by ,jew and 
,gentile alike as belonging to neither1 
ground between the two opposing social  
national millstones4 ,womanhood was     
debased and held down in the way all too
 familiar always and everywhere4 ,and a 
moral outcast ranks lowest in influence4
  ,but true love discerns the possible  
lily in the black slime bulb at the     
pond's bottom and woos it into          
blossoming flower1 till its purity and  
beauty greet our delighted eyes4 ,under 
the simple tact of love's true touch1   
out of such surroundings grows a faith1 
through the successive stages of gossipy
 curiosity1 cynical remark1 interest1   
eagerness1 guilty self-consciousness    
that would avoid any such personal      
conversation1 out and out comes a faith 

that means a changed life1 and then     
earnest bringing of others till the     
whole village acclaims ,jesus a         
,saviour1 the ,saviour4  ,and the very  
title they apply to ,jesus reveals as by
 a flash-light the chief personal       
meaning the interview had for this      
outcast woman4 ,in one way her faith    
meant more than ,nicodemus'1 for it     
meant a radical change of outer life    
with her4 ,and many a one stops short of
 that1 though the real thing never does1
 and can't4#fh  ,then the circle widens 
yet more1 geographically4 ,jew1         
,samaritan1 it is a ,roman this time1   
one of the conquering nation under whose
 iron heel the nation writhes           
restlessly4 ,he is of gentle birth and  
high official position4 ,it is his sense
 of acute personal need that draws him  
to ,jesus4 ,the child of his love is    
slipping from his clinging but helpless 
grasp4  ,there's the loose sort of      
hearsay groping faith that turns to     
,jesus in desperation4 ,things can't be 

worse1 and possibly there might be help4
 ,there's the very different faith that 
looks ,jesus in the face and hears the  
simple word of assurance so quietly     
spoken4 ,he actually heard the word     
spoken about his dying darling1 thy son 
liveth4  ,then there is that wondrous   
new sort of faith whose sharper hooks of
 steel enter and take hold of your very 
being as you actually experience the    
power of ,jesus in a way wholly new to  
you4 ,as it came to his keenly awakened 
mind that the favourable turn had come  
at the very moment ,jesus uttered those 
quiet words1 and then as he looked into 
the changed face of his recovering      
child1 he became a changed man4 ,the    
faith in ,jesus was a part of his being4
 ,the two could never be put asunder4   
,so the ,roman world brought its        
grateful tribute of acceptance to this  
great wooing brooding ,lover4 ,the      
wooing had won again4  ,and now there's 
another extreme social turnabout in the 
circle that feels the power of ,jesus'  

wooing4 ,we turned from ,jerusalem      
aristocrat to ,samaritan outcast2 now   
it's from gentle ,roman official to a   
beggaring pauper4 ,it is at the         
,tabernacles' visit4 ,jesus1 quietly    
masterfully passing out from the thick  
of the crowd that would stone ,him1     
noticed a blind ragged beggar by the    
roadway4 ,one of those speculative      
questions that are always pushing in1   
and that never help any one is asked3   
,who's to blame here8  ,with ,his       
characteristic intense practicality     
,jesus quietly pushes the speculative   
question aside with a broken sentence1 a
 sentence broken by ,his action as ,he  
begins helping the man4 ,in effect ,he  
says1 ,neither this man nor his parents 
are immediately to blame2 the thing goes
 farther back4 ,but--and ,he reaches    
down and begins to make the soft clay   
with ,his spittle--the thing is to see  
the power of ,god at work to help4 ,and 
the touch is given and the testing      
command to wash1 and then eyes that see 

for the first time4  ,but the one thing 
that concerns us now in this great ninth
 chapter is the faith that was so warmly
 wooed up out of nothing to a thing of  
courageous action and personal devotion 
to ,jesus4 ,it is fairly fascinating to 
watch the man move from birth-blind     
hopelessness through clay-anointed      
surprise and wonder and ,siloam-walking 
expectancy on to water-washing eyesight4
  ,it is yet more fascinating to see his
 spirit move up in the language he uses1
 from the man called ,jesus1 and the    
cautious but blunt ,i don't know about  
,his being a sinner1 but ,i know ,i can 
see1 on to the bolder clearly not a     
sinner but a man in reverent touch with 
,god ,himself4  ,then the yet bolder1 a 
man from ,god1 brings the break with the
 dreaded authorities which branded him  
before all as an outcast and as a damned
 soul4 ,and then the earnest reverent   
cry ,who is ,he1 ,lord1 that ,i may     
believe8 reveals the yearning purpose of
 his own heart4 ,and then the great     

climax comes in the heart cry1 ,lord1 ,i
 believe1 ,i believe ,thee to be the    
very ,son of ,god4  ,and the outcast of 
the rulers casts in his lot with ,jesus 
and begins at once living the eternal   
quality of life which goes on endlessly4
 ,what a day for him from hopeless      
blindness of body and heart to eyesight 
that can see ,jesus' face and know ,him 
as his ,saviour and ,lord6 ,growth of   
faith clearly is not limited to the     
counting of hours4 ,it waits only on    
one's walking out fully into all the    
light that comes1 no matter where it may
 lead your steps4    ,the ,bethany      
,height of ,faith4   ,the ,bethany story
 is one of the tenderest of all4 ,it    
touches the heights4 ,it's a hilltop    
story1 both in its setting amidst the   
,bethany blue hills where it grew up1   
and in the height of faith it records4  
,it has personal friendship and love of 
,jesus and implicit trust in ,him as its
 starting point4 ,and from this it      
reaches up to levels unknown before4    

,faith touches high water here4 ,it     
rises to flood1 a flood that sweeps     
mightily through the valleys of doubt   
and questionings all around about4  ,at 
the beginning there is faith in ,jesus  
of the tender1 personal sort4 ,at the   
close there's faith that ,he will       
actually meet the need of your life and 
circumstance without limit4 ,the highest
 faith is this3 connecting ,jesus' power
 and love with the actual need of your  
life4 ,abraham believed ,god with full  
sincerity that covenant-making night    
under the dark sky4 ,but he didn't      
connect his faith in ,god with his need 
and danger among the ,philistines4#fi   
,peter believed in ,jesus fully but his 
faith and his action failed to connect  
when the sore test came that ,gethsemane
 night4  ,the ,bethany pitch of faith   
makes connections4 ,it ties our ,god and
 our need and our action into one knot4 
,this is the pith of this whole story4  
,jesus' one effort in ,his tactful      
patient wooing is to get ,martha up to  

the point of ordering that stone aside4 
,he got her faith into touch with the   
gravestone of her sore need4 ,her faith 
and her action connected4 ,that told her
 expectancy4 ,creeds are best understood
 when they're acted4 ,moving the stone  
was her confession of faith4 ,not that  
,jesus was the ,son of ,god4 ,that was  
settled long before4  ,no3 it meant     
this--that the ,son of ,god was now     
actually going to act as ,son of ,god to
 meet her need4 ,under ,his touch her   
dead brother was going to live4 ,the    
deadness that broke her heart would give
 way under ,jesus' touch4 ,the ,bethany 
faith doesn't believe that ,god can do  
what you need1 merely4 ,it believes that
 ,he will do it ,and so the stone's     
taken away that ,he may do it4 ,god has 
our active consent4 ,are we up on the   
,bethany level8 ,has ,god our active    
consent to do all ,he would8 ,is our    
faith being lived1 acted out8  ,and the 
feast of grateful tribute that followed 
has an exquisite added touch4 ,the faith

 that lets ,god into one's life to meet 
its needs gets clearer eyesight4 ,acted 
faith affects the spirit vision4 ,there 
is a spirit sensitiveness that          
recognizes ,god and discerns how things 
will turn out4  ,notice ,jesus' words   
about ,mary's act of anointing4 ,there  
is a singularly significant phrase in   
it4 ,let her keep it against 7or in view
 of7 the day of ,my burying4 ,keep it is
 the striking phrase4 ,what does that   
mean8 ,we speak of keeping a day1 as    
,christmas1 meaning to hallow the       
memories for which it stands4 ,keep it  
here seems to mean that4 ,let her keep a
 memorial4 ,yet it would be a memorial  
in advance of the event remembered and  
hallowed4  ,it seems to suggest that    
,mary thus discerned the outcome for    
,jesus of the coming crisis1 and more1  
its great significance4 ,the disciples  
expected ,jesus' power to overcome all  
opposition4 ,she alone sensed what was  
coming1 ,his death and its tremendous   
spirit-meaning4 ,and it is possible that

 the raising of her brother helped her  
to sense ahead another raising4 ,for    
there is no mention of her at the tomb1 
as would otherwise have been most       
natural4  ,her simple love-lit faith    
could see1 and could see beyond to the  
final outcome4 ,this is the story of the
 ,bethany faith1 faith at flood4 ,this  
highest simplest truest faith1 that had 
come in answer to ,jesus' patient       
persistent wooing for it1 opens the way 
for the greatest use of ,his power on   
record4  ,there's one story more in this
 true-blue faith list4 ,it is the story 
of the ,greeks4 ,at first it seems not  
to belong in here4 ,there is no mention 
made of the faith of these men nor of   
their acceptance of ,jesus4 ,but the    
more you think into it the more it seems
 that here is its true place1 and that  
this is why ,john brings it in1 not     
simply to show how the outside world was
 reaching for ,jesus1 but to show the   
inner spirit of these men towards       
,jesus4  ,whether the term ,greeks is   

used in the looser sense for the        
,greek-speaking ,jews1#gj or for        
non-,jewish foreigners1 or1 as ,i think 
most likely1 in the meaning of men of   
,grecian blood1 residents of ,greece1   
the significance is practically the     
same1 it was the outer world coming to  
,jesus4 ,these had come a long journey  
to do homage to the true ,god at        
,jerusalem4 ,their presence reveals     
their spirit4  ,they were eye and       
ear-witnesses of the stirring events of 
those last days in ,jerusalem4 ,the     
stupendous story of the raising of the  
man out in the ,bethany suburb was the  
talk of the city4 ,and then there was   
that intense scene of the kingly entry  
into the city amid the acclaiming       
multitudes4 ,they knew of the official  
opposition1 and the public proclamation 
against ,jesus4 ,they breathed the      
,jerusalem air4 ,that put them in touch 
with the whole situation4  ,now notice  
keenly they seek a personal interview   
with ,jesus4 ,this is the practical     

outcome of the situation to them4 ,it   
reminds one of that other man1 under    
similar conditions though less intense1 
at an earlier stage1 cautiously seeking 
a night interview4 ,their desire tells  
not curiosity but earnestness1 and the  
very earnestness reveals both purpose   
and attitude towards ,jesus4  ,and this 
is made the plainer by the very words   
they use as they seek out the likeliest 
man of the ,master's inner circle to    
secure the coveted interview4 ,they say1
 ,sir1 we would see ,jesus4 ,the whole  
story of conviction1 of earnestness1 of 
decision1 is in that tremendous little  
word would4 ,it was their will1 their   
deliberate choice1 to come into personal
 relations with this ,man of whom they  
were hearing so much4  ,and it seems    
like a direct allusion to that          
tremendous word1 and an answer to it1   
when ,jesus1 in effect1 in meaning1     
says1 if any man would follow ,me4 ,both
 the coming under such circumstances1   
and the form of the request1 seem to    

tell the attitude of these men towards  
,jesus and their personal purpose       
regarding ,him4 ,it would be altogether 
likely that they accompany ,philip as he
 seeks out ,andrew4 ,it would be the    
natural thing4 ,and so they are with    
,philip and ,andrew as they come to tell
 ,jesus4  ,then this would be the       
setting of these memorable intense words
 that ,jesus now utters4#ga ,he senses  
at once the request and the earnest     
purpose of these men seeking ,him out4  
,it is for them especially that these   
words are spoken4 ,and if1 as some      
thoughtful scholars think1 ,jesus spake 
here1 not in ,his native ,aramaic1 but  
in the ,greek tongue1 it gives colouring
 to the supposition4 ,the intense       
earnestness of ,his words1 and the      
revealing of the intense struggle within
 ,his spirit as ,he breathes out the    
simple prayer1--all this is a tacit     
recognition of the spirit of these      
,greeks4  ,the parallel is striking with
 the ,nicodemus interview where no      

direct mention is made of the faith that
 later events showed was unquestionably 
there4 ,it seems like another of those  
silences of ,john that are so full of   
meaning4#gb ,and the silence seems1 as  
with ,nicodemus1 to mean the            
acquiescence of the inquirers in the    
message they hear4  ,this then would    
seem to be the reply to the request4    
,they have indeed seen ,jesus4 ,and they
 accept it and ,him1 as most likely they
 linger through the ,passover-days at   
hand and then turn their faces homeward4
 ,and so the warm wooing has drawn out  
this warm response from the cultured    
,greek world4  ,so we trace the blue    
thread in ,john's tapestry picture1 the 
true faith that is drawn out from       
nothing to little and more and much and 
most1 under the warmth of the brooded   
wooing of this great ,lover4    ,the    
,ugly ,thread in the ,weaving4   ,now   
for that ugly dark thread1 the          
opposition to1 the rejection of1 the    
,lover's wooing4 ,but we'll not linger  

here4 ,we've been seeing so much of this
 thread as we traced the other and      
studied the whole4 ,ugly things stand   
out by reason of their very ugliness4   
,this stands out in gloomy disturbing   
contrast with all the rest4 ,a brief    
quick tracing will fully answer our     
present purpose4 ,and then we can hasten
 on to the dominating figure in the     
pattern4  ,the opposition begins with   
silent rejection1 moves by steady       
stages1 growing ever intenser clear up  
to the murderous end4 ,the sending of   
the committee to the ,jordan to examine 
,john and report on him was an official 
recognition of his power4 ,the questions
 asked raise the possibility clearly    
being discussed of ,john being the      
promised prophet1 or ,elijah1 or even   
the ,christ ,himself1 and this is an    
expression of the national expectancy4  
,the utter silence with which ,john's   
witness to ,jesus is met is most        
striking4#gc ,its significance is spoken
 of by both ,jesus and ,john4#gd  ,the  

intensity of the resentment over the    
cleansing of the temple-area can be     
almost felt rising up out of the very   
page1 in the critical questions and     
cynical comment of the ,jews4 ,one can  
easily see all the bitterness of their  
hate tracking its slimy footprints out  
of that cleansed courtyard4#ge  ,the    
cunning discussion among the great      
,jordan crowds about the purifying rite 
of baptism1 stirred up so successfully  
by a ,jew1 that is1 probably by one of  
the ,jerusalem leaders1 would seem to be
 a studied attempt to discredit the two 
preachers1 ,jesus and ,john1 and swing  
the crowds away4 ,it was shrewdly done  
and might have dissipated the fine      
spiritual atmosphere by bitter strife   
and discussion had not ,jesus quietly   
slipped away4#gf  ,this attitude of     
theirs is clearly recognized and felt by
 ,jesus4 ,he plainly points out that    
vulgarizing hurt of sin whereby ,god's  
own messenger is not recognized when ,he
 comes in the garb of a neighbour4#gg   

,then things get more acute4 ,the       
blessed healing of a                    
thirty-eight-year-old infirmity leads to
 outspoken persecution1 to a desire and 
purpose actually to kill ,jesus4 ,it    
grew intenser as ,jesus' claim grew     
clearer4 ,the issue was sharply drawn4  
,he called ,god ,his own ,father1 making
 ,himself equal with ,god4 ,they begin  
plotting ,his death4#gh  ,his prudent   
absence from ,jerusalem at the time of  
the next ,passover reveals graphically  
how tense the opposition had gotten4    
,but even up by ,galilee's shores they  
have messengers at work amongst the     
crowds exciting discussion and          
discontent and worse4 ,in the discussion
 it is easy to pick out the two         
elements1 the nagging critics and the   
earnest seekers4 ,and the saddening     
result is seen in many disciples leaving
 ,jesus and going back again to their   
old way4#gi  ,then things got so intense
 that ,jesus' habit of life was broken  
or changed4 ,he could no longer frequent

 ,judea as ,he had done1 but kept pretty
 much to the northern province of       
,galilee4 ,the settled plan to kill made
 ,his absence a matter of common        
prudence4 ,this makes most striking ,his
 great courage in going up to ,jerusalem
 at the autumn ,feast of ,tabernacles4  
,he quietly arrived in the midst of much
 rumour and hot discussion about        
,himself1 and begins teaching the crowds
 openly1 to the great amazement of many4
  ,at once begin the wordy critical     
attacks1 egged on probably by the warmth
 with which many receive ,jesus'        
teachings4 ,there are three attempts to 
take ,him by force1 including an        
official attempt at arrest4 ,but1       
strangely enough1 the very officers sent
 to arrest are so impressed by ,jesus'  
teaching that they return with their    
mission not done1 to the intensest      
disgust and rage of their superiors4#hj 
,early on the morning following there's 
a cunning coarse attempt to entrap ,him 
into saying something that can be used  

against ,him4 ,a woman is brought       
accused of wrong-doing of the gravest   
sort1 and ,his opinion is asked as to   
the proper punishment for so serious an 
offense4 ,there's nothing more dramatic 
in ,scripture than the withdrawal of    
these accusers1 one by one1 actually    
conscience-stricken in the presence of  
the few simple words of this wondrous   
,man4#ha  ,this is followed by the      
intensest give-and-take of discussion   
thus far1 in which they give vent to    
their bitterest degree of vile language 
in calling ,him a ,samaritan1 and       
accusing ,him of being possessed with a 
demon4 ,and then the terrible climax is 
reached in the enraged passionate       
attempt of stoning4 ,it is the worst yet
 to which their fanatical rage has      
gone4#hb  ,now they reach out to        
intimidate the multitude1 by threatening
 to cut off from religious and civic    
privileges all who would confess belief 
in ,jesus as ,christ4 ,and their spleen 
vents its rage on the man born blind but

 now so wondrously given sight of two   
sorts4#hc  ,the winter ,feast of the    
,dedication a few months later finds    
,jesus back again in ,jerusalem         
teaching4 ,and again their enraged      
attempt at stoning1 the second one1 is  
restrained by a something in ,him they  
can neither understand nor withstand4#hd
  ,the ,lazarus incident arouses their  
opposition to the highest pitch4#he     
,this is recognized as a crisis4 ,such  
power had never been seen or known4 ,the
 inroads of belief are everywhere1 in   
the upper social circles1 among the old 
families1 even in the ,jewish ,senate   
itself1 notwithstanding the threatened  
excommunication4 ,on every hand men are 
believing4 ,things are getting desperate
 for these leaders4 ,they determine to  
use all the authority at hand           
arbitrarily and with a high hand4 ,what 
strange blindness of stubborn self-will 
to such open evidence of power6  ,a     
special meeting of the ,jewish ,senate  
is held1 not unlikely hastily summoned  

of those not infected with belief4 ,and 
there it is officially determined to put
 ,jesus to death1 and serve public      
notice that any one knowing of ,his     
whereabouts must report their           
information to the authorities4  ,and as
 the incoming crowds thicken for the    
,passover1 and the talk about ,lazarus  
is on every tongue1 it is determined to 
put ,lazarus to death1 too4 ,this is the
 pitch things have risen to as ,john    
brings this part of his story to a      
close4    ,the ,glory-,coloured ,thread4
   ,it is a relief to turn now to the   
chief figure in this tapestried picture 
of ,john's weaving4 ,here are           
glory-coloured threads of bright yellow4
 ,they easily stand out1 thrown in      
relief both by the pleasing blues and   
the disturbing blacks4 ,it is the figure
 of the ,man on the errand1 intent on   
,his wooing1 absorbed in ,his great     
task4 ,thia ,man1 ,his tremendous       
wooing1 wins glad grateful ever-growing 
acceptance4 ,and with rarest boldness   

and courage ,he persists in ,his wooing 
in spite of the terrific intensifying   
opposition4  ,the gentle softening dew  
persists in distilling even on the      
hardest stoniest soil4 ,the gentle      
winsomeness of the wooing stands out    
appealingly as one goes through those   
fragments of teaching talks running     
throughout4 ,the rare faithfulness of it
 to the nation and its leaders is thrown
 into bold relief by the very opposition
 that reveals their dire spiritual      
plight and their sore need4  ,the power 
of it is simply stupendous4 ,as gentle  
in action as the falling dew it grows in
 intensity until neither the gates of   
death nor even the stubborn resistance  
of a human will can prevail against it4 
,it is power sufficient to satisfy the  
most critical search1 and to make       
acceptance not only possible with one's 
reasoning power in fullest exercise but 
the rational thing4  ,look a bit at the 
power at work here4 ,for in looking at  
the power we are getting a better look  

at the ,man1 and at the purpose that    
grips ,him4 ,of the nineteen incidents  
in these twelve chapters fifteen give   
exhibitions of power4 ,it is of two     
sorts1 power over the human will1 and   
miraculous power4  ,eight incidents     
reveal power working upon the human     
will4 ,in three of these--,nicodemus1   
the ,samaritan woman1 the accused sinful
 woman--the will becomes pliant and is  
radically changed1 so morally affecting 
the whole life4 ,in five--the temple    
cleansing1 at the ,tabernacles ,feast1  
the first and second attempt at stoning1
 and the kingly entry into the city--the
 human will is stubbornly aggressively  
antagonistic to ,jesus1 but is          
absolutely restrained from what it is   
fully set upon doing4  ,in the other    
seven incidents the power is miraculous 
or supernatural4 ,in three--turning the 
water into wine1 multiplying food       
supplies1 walking on the water--it is   
power in the realm of nature4 ,in       
four--healing the ,roman nobleman's son1

 the thirty-eight-year infirmity1 giving
 sight to the man born blind1 and the   
raising of ,lazarus--it is power in the 
realm of the body1 radically changing   
its conditions4  ,it will help to       
remember what those words miraculous and
 supernatural mean4 ,miraculous means   
something wonderful1 that is1 something 
filling us with wonder because it is so 
unusual4 ,supernatural means something  
above the usual natural order4 ,the two 
words are commonly taken as having one  
meaning4 ,neither word means something  
contrary to nature1 of course1 but      
simply on a higher level than the       
ordinary workings of nature with which  
we are familiar4 ,the action is in      
accord with some higher law in ,god's   
world which is brought into play and is 
seen to be superior to the familiar     
laws4  ,but the power1 or the man that  
can call this higher law into action1 is
 of a higher order4 ,there is revealed  
an intimacy of acquaintance with these  
higher laws1 and even more a power that 

can command and call them into action   
down in the sphere of our common        
ordinary life1 until we stare in wonder4
 ,this is really the remarkable thing4  
,not supernatural action itself simply1 
tremendous as that is1 but the man in   
such touch with higher power as to be   
able to call out the action1 and to     
command it at will4  ,this is one of the
 things that marks ,jesus off so        
strikingly from other holy men4 ,there  
are miracles in the ,old ,testament and 
in the ,book of ,acts4 ,but there's an  
abundance and a degree of power in      
,jesus' miracles outclassing all others4
 ,it is fascinating and awesome to watch
 the growth of power in these movements 
of ,jesus4 ,it is as though ,he woos    
more persistently in the very degree and
 variety of power that ,he uses so      
freely1 and with such apparent ease4    
,which calls out greater power1 creating
 or healing8 making water into wine or  
healing bodily ailment8 ,which is the   
greater1 power in the realm of nature or

 the body8 or in the realm of the human 
will8 multiplying food or changing a    
human will8 ,which is greater1 to induce
 a man voluntarily to change his course 
of action1 or to restrain him 7by moral 
power only1 not by force7 from doing    
something he is dead-set on doing8      
,this is the range through which ,jesus'
 action runs in these fifteen incidents4
 ,is there a growth in the power        
revealed8 ,is there an intenser plea to 
these men as the story goes on8 ,is     
there a steady piling up of evidence in 
the wooing of their hearts8  ,well1     
creating is bringing into material being
 what didn't so exist before4 ,healing  
does something more4 ,it creates new    
tissue1 makes new or different          
adjustments and conditions1 and it      
overcomes the opposite1 the broken      
tissue1 the diseased conditions1 the    
weakness1 the tendency towards decay and
 death4 ,clearly there's a greater task 
in healing1 and a greater power at work1
 or more power1 or power revealed more4 

,then1 too1 of course1 the human is     
above the physical4 ,man is higher than 
nature4 ,he is the lord of creation4 ,it
 is immensely more to affect a human    
will than to affect conditions in       
nature4 ,the whole thing moves up to a  
measureless higher level4 ,and clearly  
enough it is a less difficult task to   
enlighten and persuade one who seeks the
 light1 and to woo up one who is simply 
carelessly indifferent1 than it is to   
overcome and restrain a will that is    
dead-set against you and is bitterly set
 on an opposite course4  ,of course1 all
 of this is not commonly so recognized4 
,it seems immensely more to heal the    
body than to change a man's course of   
action1 or1 at least1 it appeals        
immensely more to the imagination4 ,the 
man who can heal is magnified in our    
eyes above the other4 ,the miraculous   
always seems the greater4 ,it is more   
unusual4 ,stronger wills are influencing
 others daily4 ,that's a commonplace4   
,bodily healing is rare4 ,and all the   

world is ill4 ,things are ripe to have  
such power seize upon the imagination   
then and always4  ,and then1 too1 there 
are interlacings here of things we see  
and things we don't see4 ,there is the  
element of the use of the human will in 
all miraculous action1 whether in nature
 or among men4 ,behind both nature's    
forces and human forces are unseen      
spirit personalities1 both evil and     
good4 ,the real battle of our human life
 lies there in the spirit realm4        
,victory there means full victory in the
 realm of nature and of human lives4    
,there is a devil with hosts of spirit  
attendants4 ,the wilderness was a       
spirit-conflict of terrific intensity1  
ending in ,jesus' unqualified victory4  
,jesus' power was more than simply      
creative1 or healing1 or over human     
wills4 ,it was the power of a pure1     
strong1 surrendered will having the     
mastery over a giant1 unsurrendered1    
,god-defiant will4 ,this underlies all  
else4 ,but we've run off a bit4 ,come   

back to the simple story1 and see how   
the power of ,jesus is revealed more and
 more before their eyes4 ,and in seeing 
the faithfulness and winsomeness of ,his
 power1 see ,his wooing4    ,intenser   
,wooing4   ,a look at the miraculous    
power first4 ,the turning of the water  
into wine was simple creative power at  
work1 creating in the liquid the added  
constituents that made it wine4 ,the    
healing of the nobleman's son rises to a
 higher level4 ,the power overcomes     
diseased weakened conditions and creates
 new life in the parts affected4  ,the  
healing of a thirty-eight year old      
infirmity rises yet higher in the scale 
of power seen at work4 ,the ,roman's    
child was an acute case2 this an extreme
 chronic case of long standing4 ,the    
acute case of illness may be most       
difficult and ticklish1 demanding a     
quick masterful use of all the          
physician's knowledge and skill4 ,the   
chronic case is yet more difficult      
eluding his best studied and prolonged  

and repeated effort4 ,clearly the power 
at work is accomplishing more2 and so it
 is pleading more eloquently4  ,the     
feeding of the five thousand is creative
 power simply1 like the water-wine case1
 but it moves up higher in the greater  
abundance of power shown1 the increase  
of quantity created1 and the far greater
 and intenser human need met and        
relieved4  ,the walking on the water was
 an overcoming one of nature's laws1 a  
rising up superior to it4 ,the universal
 law of gravitation would naturally have
 drawn ,his feet through the surface of 
the water and ,his whole body down4 ,he 
overcomes this law1 retaining ,his      
footing on the water as on land4  ,it   
was done in the night1 but an ,oriental 
community1 like any country community1  
anywhere1 is a bulletin-board for all   
that happens4 ,no detail is omitted1 and
 no one misses the news4 ,and this like 
all these other incidents become the    
common property of the nation4  ,it is  
interesting to note in the language     

,john uses#hf that the motive underneath
 the action was not to reveal power but 
simply to keep an appointment4 ,but then
 ,jesus never used ,his power to show   
that ,he had power1 but only to meet the
 need of the hour4 ,yet each exhibition 
of power revealed indirectly1           
incidentally who ,he was4  ,there is an 
instance similar to this in the borrowed
 axe-head that swam in obedience to     
,elisha's touch of power to meet the    
need of the distressed theological      
student4#hg ,in each instance it is the 
same habit of nature that yields homage 
to a higher power at work4  ,but though 
there is here no increase of power shown
 yet the action itself was of the sort  
to appeal much more to the crowd4 ,it   
has in it the dramatic4 ,it would appear
 to the crowd a yet more wonderful thing
 than they had yet witnessed4  ,the     
giving of sight to the man born blind is
 distinctly a long step ahead of any    
healing power thus far related in       
,john's story4 ,there is here not only  

the chronic element1 but the thing is   
distinctly in a class by itself1 quite  
outclassing in the difficulty presented 
any case of mere chronic infirmity4  ,it
 was not a matter of restoring what     
disease had destroyed but of supplying  
what nature had failed to give in its   
usual course4 ,it was a meeting of      
nature's lack through some slip in the  
adjustment of her action in connection  
with human action4 ,there is not only   
the appealing dramatic element1 as in   
the walking on the water1 but the       
appealing sympathetic element in that   
this poor man's lifelong burden is      
removed4  ,and then the seventh and last
 of these1 the actual raising of        
,lazarus up from the dead1 is a climax  
of power in action nothing short of     
stupendous4 ,of the six recorded cases  
of the dead being raised this is easily 
the greatest in the power seen at work4 
,in the other five1 in the ,elijah      
record1#hh the ,elisha1#hi the          
,moabite's body at ,elisha's grave1#ij  

,jairus' daughter1#ia and the widow's   
son at ,nain1#ib there was no lapse of  
time involved4  ,here four days of death
 had intervened1 until it was quite     
certain beyond question that in that    
climate decomposition would be well     
advanced4 ,utter human impotence and    
impossibility was in its last degree4   
,man stands utterly powerless1 utterly  
helpless in the presence of death4 ,it  
is not the last degree of improbability4
 ,there is no improbability4 ,it's an   
impossibility4 ,the thing is in a class 
by itself1 the hopeless class4 ,and the 
four days give death its fullest        
opportunity4 ,and death never fails in  
grim faithfulness to opportunity4  ,it  
is no wonder that all ,jerusalem was so 
stirred4 ,the common crowds of home     
people and pilgrims1 the aristocratic   
families1 the inner official circles1   
among all classes1 this tremendous event
 won recognition of ,jesus' power and   
claim1 and with recognition personal    
faith4 ,nothing like this had ever      

happened4 ,this is the superlative      
degree of miraculous power revealed in  
this matchless wooing of a faithless    
nation4    ,love ,wooing ,yet ,more4    
,now a look at the power at work in the 
realm of the human will1 really a higher
 power1 or power at work in a higher    
realm1 though not commonly so recognized
 by the crowd4 ,there are eight         
incidents here4 ,and again we shall find
 the steady rise of the power seen at   
work4 ,three of these tell of the human 
will changed1 and four of its being     
restrained against its will from doing  
that which it was dead-set on doing4    
,the ruler who withdrew from the midst  
of the disturbed temple managers for a  
night-call upon ,jesus was radically    
changed in his convictions and his      
life-purpose4 ,he had an open mind4 ,the
 work was begun at that first ,jerusalem
 ,passover4 ,under the holy spell of    
,john's presence he is drawn away from  
his enraged brother-rulers to seek the  
night talk4 ,the frankness and fullness 

of ,jesus' talk shows plainly how open  
he was and how much more he opened and  
yielded that evening4 ,and the after    
protest in the official meeting of the  
rulers1 and the loving care for the body
 of ,jesus reveal how radical was the   
transformation wrought upon his will and
 heart by ,jesus4#ic  ,the ,samaritan   
woman is changed from utter indifference
 to a change of will and purpose that   
makes her an eager messenger to her     
people until they hail ,jesus as the    
,saviour of the world4 ,the change      
involved a radical face-about in habit  
and life amongst the very people who    
knew her past sinful life best4 ,it     
meant more than change of conviction1   
that change actually put into practice  
across the grain of the habits of years1
 and of the lower passions1 so hard to  
change4 ,it is a distinct step up from  
the change in ,nicodemus simply because 
there was so much more to change4 ,the  
same power had more to do4 ,and it did  
it4#id  ,the story of the woman accused 

of the gravest offense is a double one  
in the power seen at work4 ,she would   
naturally be hardened1 and stony hard1  
shameless to the point of hopeless      
indifference in moral sense1 and all    
this increased by their coarse publicity
 of her4 ,and so little is said1 but so 
much suggested of a change in her4  ,the
 purity of ,jesus' face and presence    
would be a tremendous power of          
conviction4 ,the gentleness of ,his     
quiet question would couple softening of
 heart with conviction of her sin4 ,the 
word of counsel as she is dismissed     
would seem a mirror reflecting the inner
 longing of her heart and the new       
purpose stirring within1 as memory      
recalls early days of virgin purity1 and
 a wild hope within struggles towards   
life that there may yet be a change even
 for her4  ,the change in her accusers  
is1 at least1 as remarkable though      
wholly different4 ,morally hardened1 as 
shameless and coarse as the woman as    
regards a fine moral sensibility2 by    

their own tacit confession no better in 
practice than she in the point of morals
 raised2 in their malignant cunning only
 concerned with the woman's sin as a    
means of venting their spleen upon the  
man they hated and feared1--what a      
hideous spirit-photograph6  ,under the  
strange compelling power of ,jesus' word
 and will1 utterly conscience-stricken  
at being as guilty as she in the        
particular item under discussion1 they  
turn1 one by one1 and slink softly out1 
until the last one is gone4 ,as an      
instance of one will controlling and    
changing another will wholly against its
 will to the point of forcing out       
confession of personal guilt1 it is most
 remarkable4 ,one wonders if1 under that
 tremendous conviction of personal sin1 
some of these were later included in    
those of the ,sanhedrin who openly      
accepted ,jesus4 ,it is quite possible4 
,it is not improbable4#ie  ,the fact is 
noted that the very language used here  
under the ,english indicates a different

 authorship of the incident than        
,john's4 ,possibly a thoughtful delicacy
 of regard for the woman restrains      
,john's pen if she were still living as 
he writes4 ,and then later the ,holy    
,spirit1 who so tactfully restrains     
,john's pen1 guides another to fit the  
remarkable story in its place in the    
record4  ,the drastic turning of        
bargaining cattle-dealers and bickering 
money-brokers1 out of the temple-area1  
and restoring it from a barn-yard to a  
place of holy worship1 is a most        
remarkable illustration of restraint    
upon antagonistic wills at the point of 
their greatest concern4 ,these leaders  
would gladly have turned ,him out4  ,and
 who was ,he1 this man with flashing eye
 and quiet stern word8 ,a stranger1     
unknown1 from the despised country      
district of ,galilee4 ,and they have    
authority1 law-officers1 everything of  
the sort on their side4 ,yet the        
restraint of ,his presence and will over
 them is as absolute as though they were

 in chains4 ,they weakly ask for a sign 
and evidence of power4 ,they themselves 
experienced the most tremendous         
exhibition of power the old temple-area 
had known for generations4#if  ,the     
power of restraint at the ,feast of     
,tabernacles is yet greater4 ,or it     
might be more accurate to say that it is
 a greater antagonism that is restrained
 by the same power4 ,they are fully     
prepared now4 ,the cleansing incident   
took them unawares4 ,it made them gasp  
to think that any one would dare oppose 
them like that4  ,now they are on guard4
 ,then1 too1 their antagonism has       
intensified and embittered to the point 
of plotting ,his death4 ,and they have  
grown more openly aggressive4 ,there are
 three attempts at ,his arrest4 ,yet    
that strange noiseless power of         
restraint is upon them4 ,they do not do 
as they would4 ,clearly they cannot4    
,they are restrained4 ,the man whose    
presence so aroused1 also held them in  
check1 apparently without thinking about

 it4 ,his presence is a restraint4#ig   
,then a second clash of wills comes a   
day or so later4 ,their opposition is   
yet intenser4 ,there has been no        
cooling-off interval4 ,his continued    
open teaching in face of their attempts 
at arrest puts fresh kindling on the    
fire4 ,no man took ,him1 but clearly    
they wanted to4 ,their open relations   
become more strained4 ,he uses yet      
plainer speech in exposing their        
hypocrisies4 ,this stirs them still     
more4 ,their hooked fingers reach       
passionately for the stones that would  
make a finish at once1 and the green    
light flashes out of their enraged eyes4
 ,it's the sharpest clash yet4 ,they are
 at a high fever point4  ,it seems to   
take a greater use of power to restrain4
 ,he hid ,himself is the simple sentence
 used4 ,this is one of four times that  
we are told of ,his overcoming the      
hostile attack of a crowd by simply     
passing through their midst and going on
 ,his way4#ih ,perhaps something in the 

glance of that eye of ,his1 or in the   
set of ,his face1#ii something in ,him  
restrained them as ,he quietly passes   
through the uproarious crowd and goes on
 ,his way undisturbed4 ,they are held   
back against their wills from doing the 
thing they are so intent on doing4#ajj  
,a few months later ,he is back in      
,jerusalem4 ,but the interval seems not 
to have cooled their passion1 only to   
have heated and hardened their enmity4  
,they at once begin an aggressive wordy 
attack4 ,then losing self-control in    
their rage they again reach down for the
 stones to kill ,him at once4 ,and again
 they are restrained from their         
passionate purpose1 as ,jesus quietly   
goes on talking with them4 ,again they  
attempt to seize ,his person4 ,and the  
simple striking sentence used1 ,he went 
forth out of their hand1 points to the  
extent of their purpose and to a yet    
greater use of ,his power of restraint  
over their unwilling wills4#aja  ,the   
last incident of this sort is the kingly

 entry into the city amid the enthusiasm
 of the pilgrim and city crowds4 ,it    
says not a word about any attempt on    
their part nor of ,his restraint over   
them4 ,but the very boldness of this    
wholly unexpected move on ,his part     
constituted a tremendous restraint4     
,their hate had gone through several    
stages of refined hardening during the  
few months preceding4 ,the formal       
decision to kill1 the edict of          
excommunication1 the public notice that 
any information of ,his whereabouts must
 be made known1 and the decision to kill
 ,lazarus also1--all indicate the hotter
 burning of the flames of their rage4   
,yet into just such a situation ,he     
quietly turns the head of ,his untamed  
unridden young colt of an ass and rides 
through the city surrounded by the      
crowds under the very eyes of these     
leaders and their hireling legal        
minions4 ,the tenseness of the whole    
scene1 the power of restraint so put    
forth1 the volcano smouldering underfoot

 waiting the slightest extra jar to     
loose out its explosion1 all are        
revealed in the little sentence so      
pregnant in its concealed dynamic       
meaning1 ,jesus hid ,himself from1 them4
 ,there's an exquisite blending of      
restraint over them and boldness with   
cautious prudence4 ,he was walking very 
close to the edge that time4#ajb  ,so   
,his power1 shown so quietly but        
irresistibly before the eyes of all     
during those brief years1 rises to a    
double climax nothing short of          
stupendous4 ,miraculous power in the    
realm of nature and of the human body   
had reached its climax in the raising of
 ,lazarus1 attested beyond question4    
,power over the human will both in      
affecting a voluntary change1 and in    
actually restraining its action against 
its own set purpose1 had risen to its   
climax in the bold open entry in        
broadest daylight into the capital where
 ,his death was officially and publicly 
decreed4 ,the two climaxes touch4 ,and  

it is tremendously significant that     
whereas they sometimes question ,his    
miraculous power1 they could not deny   
,his restraining power over themselves4 
,how gladly they would if only they     
could4  ,and all this1 mark you keenly1 
is a bit of ,his wooing4 ,the wooing is 
ever the dominant thought in ,his heart4
 ,so ,he was revealing to them who ,he  
was4 ,he claims to be the ,son of ,god1 
their kingly ,messiah4 ,and ,he lived   
,his claim4 ,power is the one           
universally recognized touchstone by    
which we judge ,god and man4 ,his power 
told who ,he was even more than ,his    
tremendous words did4 ,he was acting    
naturally4 ,his presence among them thus
 natural1 true to the power native in   
,him1--this was the wooing4  ,but there 
was more than power4 ,there was love4   
,there was a perfect blend of the two4  
,with the power went the love4 ,nay1    
rather1 with the love went the power4   
,love was the dominating thing4 ,jesus  
was love in shoes1 ,god in action4      

,always there was the tenderness1 the   
gentleness1 the patience1 the purity1   
the unflinching ideals1 yes1 the        
courage1 the utter fearlessness tempered
 with a wise prudence4 ,all these are   
the fuller spelling of love4  ,always   
these went in closest touch with the    
resisted but resistless power4 ,these   
are the two traits of ,god1 two traits  
that are one4 ,men always think most of 
the power4 ,god ,himself always         
emphasizes most the love4 ,but true     
power is simply love in action4 ,the    
power is the outcome of love1 and under 
the control of love4  ,this is the      
second of ,john's great impelling       
pictures4 ,the first shows us the       
,person1 the ,man ,jesus1 ,god with us1 
,god making a world1 and then1 in homely
 human garb walking amongst its people1 
one of themselves4  ,this second shows  
us the wooing4 ,this ,man1 so tender in 
touch1 so gentle in speech1 so          
thoughtful in action1 so pure in life1  
so unbending in ideals1 so fearless in  

the thick of opposition1 so faithful to 
the chosen faithless nation1--this ,man 
,himself is the wooing4 ,his words1 ,his
 actions1 ,his power1 ,his persistence1 
,his patience1 this also is the wooing  
of this great ,god-,man-,lover4 ,this is
 ,god spelling ,himself out into human  
speech1 wooing men out and up and in to 
,himself4    ,jesus ,recognised by all  
the ,race4   ,and it is most striking to
 sit still and think into how this      
,lover was recognized by men of all     
nations1 and how ,his wooing was        
understood and yielded to by men of all 
sorts4 ,the intense ,jew1 the half-breed
 ,samaritan1 the aggressive ,roman1 the 
cultured refined ,greek1--that was all  
the world4 ,and all these recognized    
,him as some one kin to themselves1     
bound by closest spirit-ties1 to whom   
they were drawn by the strong cords of  
,his common kinship with themselves4    
,the waves of ,his personal influence   
were1 geographically1 like ,his last    
commandment to ,his disciples4 ,the     

movement was from ,jerusalem to ,judea1 
through ,samaria1 and out into the      
uttermost part of the earth and the     
innermost heart of the race4  ,and all  
sorts of men understood4 ,jesus wiped   
out social differences and distinctions 
in the crowds that gently jostled each  
other in ,his presence4 ,the aristocrat 
and the cultured1 the student and the   
gentle folk1 mingled freely with simple 
country folk1 the unlettered1 the       
humblest and lowliest1 all drawn alike  
to ,him1 and all unconscious of         
differences when under the holy spell of
 ,his presence4 ,the wealthy like       
,joseph of ,arimathea1 and the beggar   
like the man born blind1 the pure in    
heart like ,mary of ,bethany and the    
openly bad in life like the accused     
woman of ,jerusalem1--all felt alike    
that this ,jesus belonged to them1 and  
they to ,him4  ,the underneath tie of   
real kinship of heart rubbed out all    
outer distinctions4 ,the old families of
 ,jerusalem were glad to unlock their   

jealously guarded doors to ,him4 ,and   
the simple ,capernaum fisherfolk were   
grateful when ,he shared bread and roof 
with them4 ,all men recognized ,jesus as
 belonging to themselves4  ,and the     
calendar has not changed this1 neither  
,gregorian nor ,old ,style4 ,time finds 
the race the same always4 ,centuries    
climb slowly by1 but the human heart is 
the same1 and--so is ,jesus4 ,i was     
greatly struck with this in my errand   
among the nations4 ,the ,east balks at  
the ways of the ,west sometimes4 ,many  
books say there is no point of contact  
between the two4 ,the ,east balks at our
 ,western organization1 our rule of the 
clock1 and our rush and hurry4 ,our     
,westernized church systems and our     
closely mortised logical theologies are 
sometimes a bit bewildering1 not exactly
 comprehensible to their ,orientalized  
mode of thought4  ,but they never balk  
at ,jesus4 ,when they are told of ,him1 
and get some glimpse of ,him1 their eyes
 light1 their faces glow1 their hearts  

leap in response4 ,you book people say  
there is no point of contact between    
,orient and ,occident8 ,but there is4   
,jesus is the point of contact4 ,one    
real touch of ,jesus makes all the world
 akin4 ,no2 that can be put better4 ,one
 touch of ,jesus reveals the kinship    
that is there between ,him and men1 and 
between all men4  ,in ,japan it was the 
,portuguese that first took the ,gospel 
a few hundred years ago4 ,and you still 
find ,japanese churches founded by the  
,portuguese4 ,fifty odd years ago it was
 the ,english tongue that again brought 
that message of life to them4 ,but as ,i
 mingled among ,japanese ,christians of 
different communions and heard them     
pray1 they were not praying in          
,portuguese nor in ,english4 ,they had  
no thought that ,he was a ,portuguese   
,saviour they prayed to1 nor yet an     
,english4 ,they prayed in ,japanese4    
,they felt that ,jesus spoke their      
tongue4 ,he belonged to them4 ,he and   
they understood each other4  ,as ,i     

listened to ,manchu and ,chinese1 to    
,korean and ,hawaiian pour out their    
hearts in prayer1 ,i could feel the     
close personal burning touch of their   
spirits with ,jesus4 ,they and ,he were 
kin to each other4 ,their very voices   
told the certainty in their hearts on   
this point4  ,i recall a little old     
bent-over woman of seventy-odd years up 
in northern ,sweden1 a ,laplander4 ,she 
had come a long three days' journey on  
her snow-shoes to the meetings4 ,night  
after night as ,i talked through        
interpretation her deep-set black eyes  
glowed and glowed4 ,but when one night  
an hour or more was spent in voluntary  
prayer she needed no interpreter4 ,and  
as ,i listened ,i needed none4 ,i felt  
that she knew that ,jesus spoke         
,lappish4 ,the two were face to-face in 
closest touch of spirit4  ,and so it is 
everywhere4 ,the flaxen-haired ,holland 
maid kneeling by her single cot knows   
that ,jesus talks ,dutch1 and her homely
 hearthfire ,dutch1 too1 at that4 ,and  

the earnest ,polish peasant in his      
,carpathian cabin bowed before the      
symbol his eyes have known from infancy 
is talking into an ear that knows both  
,polish accent and ,polish heart4 ,so   
with the ,german of the ,saxon          
highlands1 and of the simpler speech of 
the ,teutonic lowlands4 ,so with the    
olive-skinned ,latin and the darker-hued
 ,african kneeling on opposite sides1   
north and south1 of the great           
,central-earth ,sea4 ,wherever knowledge
 of ,jesus has been carried1 ,he is     
recognized and claimed as their own     
regardless of national or social lines4 
,i knew a minister of our ,southland1   
but whose public service took him to all
 parts of our country4 ,he had been     
reared in the ,south and knew the       
coloured people by heart1 and loved     
them4 ,and when he returned to his      
,southern home town he would frequently 
preach for the coloured people4 ,he was 
preaching to them one ,sabbath with the 
simplicity and fervour for which he was 

noted4  ,at the close among others1 one 
big black man grasped his hand hard as  
he thanked him for the preaching4 ,and  
then with his great child-eyes big and  
aglow1 he said1 ,youse got a white skin1
 but youse got a black heart4 ,and you  
know what he meant1--you have a black   
man's heart1 you have a heart like mine4
 ,your heart makes my heart burn4  ,now 
,jesus had a ,hack heart4 ,he had a     
white heart4 ,he had a yellow1 a brown  
heart4 ,he had a ,jew heart1 a ,roman1 a
 ,greek1 a ,samaritan heart4 ,aye1 ,he  
had a world heart1 ,he had a human      
heart4 ,and ,he has4 ,there's a ,man on 
the throne yonder1 bone of our bone1    
heart of our heart1 pain of our pain4   
,there's more of ,god since ,jesus went 
back4 ,human experience has been taken  
up into the heart of ,god4 ,jesus       
belonged to us4 ,and now belongs to us  
more than ever1 and we to ,him4 ,the    
human heart has felt ,his tremendous    
wooing4 ,it has recognized its ,kinsman 
wherever ,he has been able to get to    

them1 and it has gladly yielded to the  
plea of ,his love4  ,jerusalem might    
carpenter a cross for ,him1 but the     
world would weave its heartfelt devotion
 into a crown of love for ,him1         
bestudded with the dewy tears of its    
gratitude1 sparkling like diamonds in   
the light of ,his face4     ,,iv        
,closer ,wooing       ,an ,evening with 
,opening ,hearts3 the ,story of a       
,supper and a ,walk      in the         
,moonlight and the ,shadows             
,nigh and nigh draws the chase1         
,with unperturbed pace1     ,deliberate 
speed1 majestic instancy1     ,and past 
those noised ,feet     ,a ,voice comes  
yet more fleet--     ,lo1 naught        
contents thee1 who content'st not ,me4  
--,the ,hound of ,heaven4       ,i came 
forth from the ,father1 and am come into
 the world3 again1 ,i      leave the    
world1 and go unto the ,father4--,john  
xvi4 #bh4      ,i thought ,his love     
would weaken     ,as more and more ,he  
knew me2     ,but it burneth like a     

beacon1     ,and its light and heat go  
through me2     ,and ,i ever hear ,him  
say1     ,as ,he goes along ,his way1   
,wand'ring souls1 ,o do come near ,me2  
,my sheep should never fear ,me4     ,i 
am the ,shepherd true4      --,frederick
 ,william ,faber4     ,,iv  ,closer     
,wooing  7,chapters xiii4-xvii47        
,knots4   ,the knot tied on the end of  
the thread holds the seam4 ,the         
clinching of the nail on the underside  
holds all that has been done4 ,love ties
 knots to hold what has been gotten4    
,the bit of prayer knots up the kindly  
act4 ,the warm hand-grasp knots the     
timely word4 ,the added word and act tie
 up all that's gone before4 ,hate       
imitates love the best it can4 ,but its 
intense fires are never so hot4  ,the   
rest of ,john's book is simple4 ,it is  
tying knots on the ends of threads4     
,five knots are tied on the ends of     
these same three threads we have been   
tracing4  ,there's a triple knot on the 
end of the blue thread of acceptance2 an

 ugly tangled knotty knot on the end of 
that black thread of opposition and     
rejection2 and a knot of wondrous beauty
 on the end of that yellow thread of    
winsome wooing4 ,chapters eighteen and  
nineteen tie two of these1 the black and
 the glory-coloured4  ,chapters thirteen
 through seventeen1 is the first knot on
 the faith thread1 the betrayal-night   
knot4 ,chapter twenty is the second1 the
 ,resurrection knot2 chapter twenty-one 
the extra knot1 the love-service knot4  
,we take a look now at the patient      
skilful tying of the first knot on the  
end of that true-blue faith thread4     
,it's taken a good bit of careful work  
to get that thread1 tearing loose1      
cleansing1 spinning1 twisting1 careful  
handling1 till at last a good thread is 
gotten1 and is being woven into the     
warp4 ,now a knot is tied on its end to 
hold what has been gotten1 and keep it  
from ravelling out1 for there's a       
desperately hard place coming in the    
weaving4  ,there's a clean finish at the

 end of the twelfth chapter of ,john4   
,there's a sharp break1 an abrupt turn  
off to something quite different4 ,the  
direct-wooing case is made up4 ,there is
 no more added to it1 except the        
indirect1 the incidental4 ,the evidence 
is all in4 ,wondrous wooing it has been1
 in its winsomeness1 its faithfulness1  
its rare power4 ,now it is over4 ,it's  
done1 and well done4 ,that door is shut1
 the national door4  ,now another door  
opens4 ,the inner door into ,jesus'     
heart is being opened by ,him4 ,and the 
inner door into the disciples' heart is 
being knocked at that it1 too1 may open4
 ,it is the betrayal night4 ,jesus is   
alone with the inner circle4 ,they have 
received ,him4 ,now ,he will receive    
them into closer intimacy than yet      
before4 ,they have opened their hearts  
to ,his love4 ,now ,he opens ,his heart 
to let out more the love that is there4 
,love accepted is free to reveal itself4
 ,and love revealing its warmth and     
tenderness and depth yet more calls out 

quickly a deeper1 a tenderer love4      
,it's the ,passover evening4 ,they have 
met1 the twelve and their ,master1 by   
appointment1 in the home of one of      
,jesus' faithful unnamed friends4 ,in a 
large upper room they are shut in1      
gathered about the supper board4 ,as    
they eat ,jesus is quietly but intently 
thinking4 ,four trains of thought pass  
through ,his mind side by side4#ajc ,the
 ,father had trusted all into ,his      
hands4 ,he had come down from the       
,father on an errand and would return   
when the errand was done4  ,and now the 
hour was come4 ,the turn in the road was
 reached1 the sharp turn down leading to
 the sharp turn up and then back4 ,it   
had seemed slow in coming1 that         
hour4#ajd ,dreaded things seem to linger
 even while they hasten1 dreaded        
longed-for things1 dreaded in the       
experience of pain to be borne1 eagerly 
longed for in the blessed result2 as    
with an expectant mother4 ,now the      
hour's here4#aje  ,and yonder across the

 board sits the man so faithfully wooed1
 yet dead-set in his inner heart on a   
dark purpose1 more evil in its outcome  
than he realizes4 ,there must be more   
and tenderer wooing4 ,he shall have yet 
another full opportunity4 ,and under all
 is the heart-throb of love for these   
who are ,his own1 being birthed into a  
new life by the giving of ,his very own 
life these months past4 ,he loves ,his  
own1 and will to the uttermost1 the     
utterest1 the mostest1 limit of love and
 of time left ,him before the great     
event4 ,these are the thoughts passing  
quietly1 clearly1 intensely1 through    
,jesus' mind as they sit at supper4     
,teaching ,three ,things in ,one        
,action4   ,now ,he acts4#ajf ,quietly  
,he rises from the table1 picks up a    
towel and fastens its end in ,his       
waistband for convenience in use1 after 
the servant's usual fashion4 ,then ,he  
pours water into a basin and turning    
stoops over the feet of the disciple    
nearest ,him4 ,and before they can      

recover from their wide-eyed            
astonishment ,he begins bathing his feet
 and then carefully wiping them with the
 convenient towel4 ,and so around the   
circle4 ,peter1 of course1 protests1 and
 so calls out a little of the           
explanation4 ,and then with tender      
passionateness he asks for the washing  
to take in all his extremities1 head and
 hands as well as feet4 ,how their      
hearts must have felt the touch upon    
their feet6  ,then follows a bit of     
explanation4#ajg ,but the chief thing   
had already been done4 ,the acting was  
more than the speech4 ,three things the 
,master was doing4 ,the teaching about  
humility lies on the surface1 within    
easy reach4 ,it was acted1 then spoken2 
done1 then said4 ,it was sorely needed1 
and is4 ,in it was the key to ,jesus'   
great victory within the twenty-four    
hours following1#ajh and would have been
 for them had they used it4 ,humility is
 the foundation of all strength and     
victory4 ,only the strong can stoop4 ,it

 takes the strongest to stoop lowest4   
,he who so stoops is revealing strength4
  ,humility is not thinking meanly of   
yourself2 it is merely getting into     
correct personal relation with ,god1 and
 so with men4 ,it is our true normal    
attitude1 as dependent creatures1 as    
those who have sinned1 as those who have
 been bought with blood4 ,everything we 
have is from ,another1 originally and   
continuously2 we are utterly dependent4 
,all rights have been forfeited by our  
wilful conduct2 we retain nothing in our
 own right4 ,and all we have now has    
been secured for us at the cost of      
blood2 we are being carried at enormous 
expense4 ,not much room there for       
self-satisfaction1 is there8  ,humility 
is simply recognizing our utter         
dependence upon ,another1 and living it4
 ,and this controls our touch with our  
fellows4 ,in this lies the secret of all
 strength1--mental keenness and vigour1 
sympathetic touch with others1 and power
 of action in life and in service4 ,all 

this touches the weakest spot in these  
men1 and in--us4  ,but there's more     
here4 ,the humility teaching is out on  
the surface4 ,there's a bit under the   
surface1 that they would soon be needing
 and needing badly4 ,it's this3 the     
thing in you that's wrong must be made  
right2 and it can be4 ,every sin done by
 the man who is trusting ,christ as his 
,saviour1 every such sin must be        
cleansed away4 ,and it can be4 ,the     
feet-washing told this bit of tremendous
 truth4  ,these men trusted ,christ4    
,but their moral feet would get badly   
messed that night1 mired and slimed by  
passionate betrayal and blasphemous     
denial and cowardly flight4 ,the man    
going to the bath-house was clean on    
returning home except where his         
sandalled feet had gathered some soil   
from the road4 ,these men were cleansed 
in heart through ,christ4 ,but the      
foot-soilings must be cleansed4 ,these  
two things ring out4 ,sin must be       
reckoned with and cleansed out4 ,and1   

blessed truth6 it can be4 ,this is the  
second bit4 ,it would be brought to     
their remembrance that same night when  
the road they took dirtied them up so   
badly1 and afterwards4  ,but there's a  
deeper1 a tenderer bit yet here4 ,there 
is the love touch4 ,jesus was giving    
them the tenderest touch yet of ,his    
love1 to hold them4 ,the personal touch 
is the tenderest4 ,man yearns for the   
personal touch1 of presence1 of lips1 of
 hands4 ,something seems to go through  
the personal touch from heart to heart4 
,the spirit-currents find their         
connection so4 ,jesus gave the tender   
personal touch that evening1 the closest
 yet4 ,his hands touched their feet1 but
 ,he was not thinking most about their  
feet4 ,he was reaching higher up4 ,his  
hands reached past their feet for their 
hearts4  ,and they felt it so4 ,their   
hearts understood1 if their heads didn't
 yet4 ,judas felt those hands reaching  
to touch his heart4 ,and he had to set  
himself afresh to resist that touch4    

,john felt it1 and remained steady4     
,peter felt it and came back with       
flooded eyes4 ,the fleeing nine felt    
that touch and yielded to it as they    
penitently returned4 ,love won4 ,that   
personal touch did it4  ,but ,jesus     
feels ,judas' heart hardening as ,he    
touches his feet1 and the gentle word   
already spoken availed not4#aji ,now    
,his great heart is sorely troubled for 
,judas4#aaj ,he tries once again to     
reach his heart and stay his wayward    
feet4 ,he reaches for his feet through  
his heart this time4 ,they're all       
together about the table again4         
,quietly1 but with tactful indirectness1
 ,jesus lets ,judas know that ,he knows4
 ,he says1 ,one of you is planning to   
betray ,me4  ,the men stare one at      
another in questioning astonishment4    
,peter touches ,john's arm and with eye 
and word quietly asks him to find out4  
,john reclining next to ,jesus asks the 
question in undertone4 ,and as quietly  
,jesus makes reply4 ,then the last      

appeal is made to ,judas in the last    
delicate touch of special personal      
attention4 ,judas' unchanged spirit     
makes wordless answer4 ,the hardening of
 the purpose is a further opening of a  
downward door and that door is quickly  
used by the evil one4  ,and ,judas rises
 abruptly with jaw set and eye tense1   
and goes out into the blackest night the
 clouds ever shut in4 ,so the first     
tremendous part of the evening's drama  
is now done4 ,the wooing of ,judas has  
been intense and tender clean up to the 
last moment1 and resisted4 ,now that    
chapter is done4 ,another corner is     
passed4 ,the extremes have--parted4 ,one
 man has gone out4 ,eleven stay in1 and 
in staying come closer4                 
,believe--,love--,obey4   ,the          
atmosphere clears now4 ,that black cloud
 shifts4 ,the pressure is relieved4 ,the
 air changes4 ,breathing is easier4     
,jesus did ,his best to keep ,judas in  
by trying to have him turn              
something--some one--out4 ,but the      

something that held the some one is kept
 within1 so the man goes out4 ,that     
inside air was getting a bit thick for  
,judas4 ,love's tender pleading         
unyielded to makes breathing difficult4 
,again ,jesus begins talking in the     
cleared air4 ,the hour had full come4   
,the character of the ,son of ,man would
 now be revealed1#aaa and in being      
revealed ,god's character would also be 
understood1 and ,god ,himself would show
 what ,he thought of ,jesus by ,his     
personal recognition and acknowledgment 
of ,him1 and ,he would do it at once4   
,the clock is striking the hour4 ,now   
,he was going away4 ,they would not     
understand4#aab  ,then ,jesus strikes   
the great key-note of their future      
conduct as ,he goes on4 ,the thing is   
this3 love one another4 ,this is the    
badge ,he gives them to wear4 ,it will  
always identify them as ,his very own4  
,peter picks up the one bit he          
understands1 and is told that he cannot 
yet follow in the tremendous experience 

lying just ahead for ,jesus1 but some   
day he can1 and will4 ,and then to      
,peter's blundering self-confidence     
comes a plain tender reminder of his    
weakness4#aac ,so that wondrous         
fourteenth chapter that ,christendom    
loves begins back in the thirteenth4    
,and ,jesus goes quietly on as they     
still linger about the table4#aad ,he   
had been sorely troubled1#aae but ,he   
would have them not troubled by their   
doubtings regarding ,himself4 ,it is    
true that they were outcasts with ,him1 
from their national home1 but ,he would 
provide them a home1 and a better one4  
,they did believe in ,god4 ,they should 
believe ,him just as implicitly4 ,this  
is the warp into which is woven the     
whole fabric of that evening's talk4    
,the whole talk is a plea for their     
trusting loving acceptance of ,himself  
as fully as of ,god4 ,this word believe 
changes its outer shape three times     
during that evening1 making four words  
in all1 but it's always the same thing  

underneath4  ,so now the teaching goes  
on in freest exchange of question and   
answer4 ,what a picture of how we may   
talk everything out with our ,lord and  
get fully answered4 ,thomas' question   
helps ,jesus to turn them away from     
thinking of a roadway of clay and sand  
to a ,man4 ,philip's helps ,him to      
insist on the presence of the ,father in
 a distinctive sense within this ,man so
 familiarly talking with them4 ,and then
 four times over ,he rings out that word
 believe4  ,then by a subtle turn ,he   
changes the word1 though not the thing1 
to help them understand better3 ,if ye  
love ,me4#aaf ,that puts the thing at   
once up on the heart level4 ,believing  
is a thing of the heart4 ,their heads   
were bothered4 ,he said in effect1--all 
your head questions will be answered in 
good time1 but this thing is higher up  
than that4 ,it's a matter of your heart4
 ,and so that word believe becomes love1
 its second shape4 ,and with that is    
quickly coupled obey1 the third outer   

shape ,he gives the word believe that   
night4  ,it is all the same thing       
underneath4 ,love is the heart side of  
believe1 the inner side4 ,obey is the   
life-side of believe1 the outer1 the    
action side4 ,the love looks out the    
window of the life and then comes out   
and walks down the street on an errand4 
,love doesn't simply love3 it loves some
 one4 ,love that simply loves isn't     
love4 ,love comes to life only in the   
personal touch4  ,and love keeps in     
perfect rhythm of action with the one   
loved4 ,that is the other way of saying 
obey4 ,obedience is the music of two    
wills acting together4 ,believe me1 love
 me1 obey me1--this is the three-noted  
music of the upper room2 three notes but
 one music2 a fourth note to be added   
later4 ,this is the wondrous closer     
wooing4  ,i go to the ,father4 ,we1 the 
,father and ,i1 will send the ,holy     
,spirit to you4 ,he will come in through
 this opened door of obedience4 ,he will
 abide in you1 come in to stay4 ,he will

 be everything and do everything that   
you need in every sort of circumstance4 
,keep in closest touch with ,him3 this  
is to be your one rule4 ,your part is   
simple4 ,believe2 that means love2 that 
means obey4  ,so they talk around the   
table4 ,then there's thoughtful silence1
 which the ,master breaks by saying1    
,arise1 let us go4    ,the ,great ,vine 
,picture4   ,now they're walking down   
the street1 silently1 the ,master in the
 lead1 with ,john and ,peter close      
by4#aag ,the moon is at the full4 ,now  
they see the temple1 the moonlight      
falling full upon it4 ,and the great    
brass grape-vine with which it had been 
beautified by ,herod at his building of 
it shines with wondrous beauty in the   
enchantment of moonlight4  ,and now the 
,master is speaking again4 ,very quietly
 the words come as they still gaze at   
the beauty of the brass vine4 ,listen to
 ,him1 ,i am the true vine1 and ,my     
,father the vine-gardener4 ,here is the 
illustration that exactly pictures what 

,he had been saying in the upper room4  
,it supplies the fourth word1 the fourth
 outer shape that word believe takes on1
 believe1 that is--love1 that is--obey1 
that is--abide4  ,look at the vine1 then
 you have the whole story pictured1     
simple1 clear1 full4 ,each of these four
 words grows out of the other as fruit  
out of blossom1 and blossom out of the  
new branch and that out of the old stock
 of the vine3 believe1 love1 obey1      
abide2 vine1 new branches1 tiny blossom1
 fruit4 ,the fruit grows out of the     
vine2 yet it is the very life of the    
vine4 ,abide grows out of believe1 yet  
it is the very heart and inner life of  
believe4  ,so ,he goes on ringing the   
changes back and forth1 now here1 now   
there4 ,pruning--that insures fruit1 and
 more and better4 ,praying--that is the 
fruit1 some of it2 that naturally grows 
out of the abiding4 ,my words--that is  
part of the abiding1 the life-juice of  
the vine coming into branch and blossom 
and fruit4 ,joy--that is the rich red   

juice of the grape in your mouth4       
,friends--that is the other word for    
abide4 ,that's what abiding makes and   
reveals4 ,abiding--that is what friends 
do3 that's what friendship is1 the real 
thing4 ,obey--that is the swing of step 
with our great ,friend as we go along   
the road together4 ,so these clusters of
 rich ripe fruit hang thick on the vine 
of this simple teaching-talk as they    
walk along in the moonlight4  ,and now  
they're passing through some of the     
narrower streets as they make their way 
east towards the city gate4#aah ,and    
these narrow streets are shadowed4 ,and 
you feel the shadows creeping into ,his 
talk4 ,the world will hate them4 ,of    
course4 ,this is a natural result of the
 abiding4 ,the outer crowd can no more  
put up with the ,jesus-swayed man than  
with ,jesus ,himself4 ,and the hate     
would be aggressive4  ,but if they would
 clearly understand ahead what to expect
 it would help them keep their feet when
 the worst storm came4 ,and by staying  

steady and true through the worst that  
came1 they would be of the greatest     
service4 ,the ,holy ,spirit in them     
would reach out and talk to that outer  
crowd4 ,he would make clear to them     
their awful sin in killing ,jesus1 the  
spotless purity and rightness of the    
absent ,jesus1 and the terrific fact    
that the prince of the world whom they  
rally to so faithfully is actually      
judged1 doomed and damned4 ,then ,he    
adds1 now in a little bit ,i'll be gone 
from you4 ,then a little later1 ,i'll be
 with you again4  ,so ,he goes on       
ringing the changes back and forth on   
this in simple conversational style4    
,and now they are silent4 ,the narrow   
street is quite shadowed4 ,he lets them 
think a bit over ,his words4 ,and the   
personal part takes hold most4 ,and they
 talk softly together of what this      
means1--a little while and ,he is gone2 
again a little while1 and ,he is back4  
,they're plainly puzzled1 yet restrained
 from breaking in upon ,his deep mood4  

,but with characteristic gentleness ,he 
speaks of what they would ask4#aai      
,clearly there is some terrible         
experience for ,him and for them just at
 hand4 ,but ,he reaches past to the joy 
beyond1 as the mother forgets sharp     
pains in the joy of her new-born babe4  
,and as ,he talks they think they       
understand now1 but again ,he gently    
reminds of the storm about to break4    
,and then ,he leaves them three wondrous
 words1--peace1 good-cheer1 overcome4   
,in the midst of the worst storm there  
may be peace4 ,in the thickest of       
tribulation the song of cheer may ring  
out4 ,he has overcome4 ,the outcome is  
settled4 ,no doubts need nag4 ,sing6    
,sing louder6 ,christ is ,victor6  ,this
 is the second bit of the evening's     
closer wooing1 this long quiet talk     
about the supper table and along the    
road4 ,it is wooing them up to more     
intelligence in their believing and     
loving4 ,it's wooing them to trust ,him1
 hold hard to ,him1 during the coming   

storm1 when they wouldn't understand4   
,even when they can't understand1 but   
stand in hopeless helpless bewilderment1
 they still can trust ,him4    ,taken   
into the ,innermost ,life4   ,they're   
outside the city-gate now1 going down   
the path towards the ,kidron ,brook4    
,now comes the third bit of that        
evening's closer wooing4#abj ,and this  
is the tenderest1 the most personal1 the
 least resistible bit1 the closest      
wooing of all4 ,he takes them into ,his 
innermost heart-life for a brief moment4
 ,it must have reminded ,john afterwards
 of that mountain-top experience when   
,jesus drew aside the drapery of ,his   
humanity and let a little of the inner  
glory shine out4 ,here ,he takes them   
with ,him into the holy of holies of    
,his own inner life with ,his ,father4  
,let not any one think that ,jesus was  
simply letting them hear ,him pray1 so  
they might learn4 ,not that2 not that4  
,he was taking them into the sacred     
privacy of ,his own innermost life4     

,that was a bit of the wooing1 under the
 desperate happenings just ahead4 ,but  
now as ,he takes them in ,he quite      
forgets them1 though ,he knows they are 
there4 ,he is absorbed with the ,father4
 ,he isn't thinking now of the effect of
 all this on them4 ,that's past4 ,he is 
alone in spirit with the ,father1       
talking out freely even as though       
actually quite alone4  ,we are in the   
innermost holy of holies here4 ,the     
heart of the world's life is its        
literature4 ,the heart of all literature
 is this sacred ,book of ,god4 ,the     
heart of this ,book is the ,gospels4    
,the heart of these four ,gospels is    
,john's4 ,the heart of ,john's is this  
exquisite bit1 chapters thirteen to     
seventeen4 ,and there's yet an inner    
heart here4 ,it is this bit1 the        
seventeenth chapter1 where the inner    
side of ,jesus' prayer-life lies open to
 us4 ,and we shall find an innermost    
heart yet again here4  ,the simplicity  
of speech here catches the ear4 ,the    

holy intimacy of contact with ,god      
hushes the spirit4 ,the certainty of the
 ,father's presence awes the heart      
greatly4 ,the unquestioning confidence  
in the outcome is to one's faith like a 
glass of kingdom wine fresh from the    
,king's own hand4 ,the tenseness and yet
 exquisite quietness holds one's being  
still with a great stillness4 ,both     
shoes and hat go off instinctively and  
we stand with head bowed low and heart  
hushed for this is holiest ground4  ,of 
course1 no paraphrase of this prayer can
 possibly approach its own beauty and   
simplicity4 ,but it may perhaps send one
 back to the prayer itself to see better
 what is there4  ,they're out in the    
open1 down near the ,kidron4 ,jesus     
stops and looks up towards the blue1 the
 ,father's open door1 and quietly talks 
out of ,his heart into ,his ,father's   
heart1 ,father3 the hour is come2 talked
 of long before this errand was started 
upon1 brooded over these human years1   
felt in ,his inner being as it ticked   

itself nearer in the tremendous passing 
events4 ,now it is come4 ,the clock is  
striking the hour1 striking on earth and
 echoed distinctly in the ,father's ear4
  ,father3 reveal now the true character
 of the ,son2 yet only that the ,son may
 reveal ,thy true character4#aba ,thou  
hast already done so in the control     
,thou hast given ,him over all men1 that
 so ,he may give to them the eternal    
life4 ,and this is the real life to come
 into intimate touch of heart and life  
with ,thee and with ,thine anointed     
,one1 ,jesus4  ,i have already revealed 
,thy character in doing fully the errand
 ,thou didst send ,me on4 7,and it was  
fully done in all the active part1      
though the greatest thing yet remained  
to be done in the tremendous yielding1  
the strong passive yielding to ,hate's  
worst that so ,love's truest and best   
might be clearly seen by men47 ,and now 
,i am coming back to be recognized and  
acknowledged and received by ,thine own 
self even as it was before ,i came away 

on this errand4  ,thus far ,he has been 
alone with the ,father face-to-face2    
just the two together in closest        
communion4 ,now the prayer moves on from
 communion and petition to intercession4
 ,he is thinking of others1 of these men
 who are grouped near by4 ,he has prayed
 for them before4 ,he is simply picking 
up the thread of the accustomed prayer  
,he had prayed1 and would still pray    
when ,he had gone from them up through  
the doorway of the blue4  ,he has       
revealed the ,father to them1 and they  
have understood and believed and have   
followed4 ,now ,he prays for them1 that 
they may be kept2 not taken out of the  
world2 kept in it1 giving their witness 
to it1 yet never of its spirit1 always  
controlled by another ,spirit4 ,they    
were being sent into the world for      
witness even as ,he had been4  ,and a   
great word breaks out like the bursting 
of a flood of sunlight out of dark      
clouds1--joy4 ,he had used it that      
evening before in the upper room1 and   

again along the road4 ,now it flashes   
out again4 ,this reveals the meaning of 
that good-cheer and overcome with which 
the roadway talk closed4 ,with the      
clouds of hate at their blackest1 and   
the storm just about to break in        
uncontrolled wild fury1 ,he speaks of   
,my joy4 ,he is singing4 ,in the thick  
of hatred and plotting here's the bit of
 music1 in the major key1 rippling out4 
,such a spirit cannot be defeated4 ,joy 
is faith singing in the storm because it
 sees already the clearing light beyond4
  ,and so ,he prays on1 touching the    
same keys of the musical instrument of  
,his heart1 back and forth1 yet ever    
advancing in the theme4 ,now ,he        
broadens out1 in clear vision1 beyond   
the gathering storm1 to those1 through  
all the earth1 and down the centuries1  
who would believe through these men who 
are listening4 ,what a sweep of faith4  
,that singing cleared ,his vision4  ,and
 then ,he sees them all1 of many races  
and languages and radical differences1  

all blended into one body of earnest    
loving believers drawn by the one vision
 of ,himself back in the glory of the   
,father's presence1 where they will all 
gather4 ,and then love ties the knot on 
the end4 ,a personal love ties together 
,father and ,son and--us1 who humbly    
give the glad homage of our hearts4     
,right in the very midst of the prayer  
lies that innermost heart of which ,i   
spoke a moment ago4 ,it is in verse ten4
 ,jesus says1 ,all things that are ,mine
 are ,thine1 and ,thine are ,mine4      
,there lies the very inner heart of all 
carried to the last degree4 ,there is   
glad giving and full taking2 surrender  
and appropriation4 ,he who gives all may
 reach in and take all4 ,here is1       
humanly1 the secret of ,jesus'          
stupendous character and career4  ,and  
it is the same for the humblest of us4  
,the road is no different4 ,we may say1 
by ,his great grace1 in the insistence  
of our sovereign wills1 ,all that is    
mine is ,thine3 ,i give it ,thee4 ,i    

give it back to ,thee3 ,i use all the   
strength of my will in yielding all to  
,thee1 and in doing it habitually4      
,then we can say1 with greatest         
reverence and humility and yet bold     
confidence1 ,all that is ,thine is mine4
 ,yet being mine it is ,thine4 ,still   
being ,thine it is mine4 ,so comes the  
perfection of the rhythmic action of    
love4 ,our love gives our all to ,him4  
,and then takes the greater all of      
,his--no1 not from ,him1 for ,him1 held 
in trust1 used for ,him1 while we keep  
knees and face close to the ground1 lest
 we stumble and slip and worse4  ,so the
 prayer closes4 ,and if we might go back
 over it1 alone in secret1 prayerfully1 
quietly thinking thoughtfully into it1  
until this great simple prayer gets its 
hold upon our hearts4 ,and then         
gradually it would come to us that so   
,he is now praying for us1 you and me4  
,what must it have meant to these men to
 stand there quietly1 awed as they      
listen to ,him praying that prayer4 ,how

 it reveals the deep consciousness of   
the intimacy of relation between ,father
 and ,son4 ,how it must have touched and
 stirred them to the very depths to hear
 ,jesus telling the ,father so simply   
about their faith in ,himself1 and their
 obedience1 their break with their      
national allegiance to follow ,himself4 
,and that word joy--did they wonder     
about it8 ,and wonder more later that   
night1 and the days after8 ,but the     
key-note of the music caught1 and soon  
they were singing the same tune1 and in 
the same pitch4  ,what wooing6 ,this was
 the closest wooing4 ,the fine wooing of
 this matchless ,lover came to its      
superlative degree that night4 ,positive
 degree1 that touch upon their feet2    
comparative1 that talk about the board  
and along the road2 superlative1 this   
taking them in for a brief moment into  
the secrecy of ,his inner communion with
 the ,father4    ,simplified ,spelling4 
,and this closer wooing is not over4 ,it
 hasn't quit yet4 ,that vine is still   

hanging out in fine view1 all softly    
ablaze with the clear beautifying light1
 not of a fine ,passover moon2 no1 the  
light of ,his face1 ,his life1 ,his     
words4 ,that vine becomes for all time  
to every heart the pictured meaning of  
abide4 ,and that word abide gives the   
whole of the true life4  ,we say        
,christian life1 and rightly4 ,i like to
 say also1 the true1 the natural1 life4 
,any other is abnormal1 unnatural1      
untrue4 ,i might say1 of the higher     
,christian life1 following the common   
usage of these latter days4 ,i still    
prefer to say true life4 ,higher means  
that there is a lower life4 ,and that   
this lower is reckoned ,christian1 too4 
,that is the bother1 the cheapening of  
things2 we call a thing ,christian which
 is less than the thing it is called4   
,some of us need to go to school1 and to
 sit down in the lower classes where    
spelling is taught4 ,we can spell       
believe in the common way with seven    
letters4 ,we must learn to spell it with

 four letters--l-o-v-e4 ,we need to     
learn to spell love with a b and a      
y--o-b-e-y4 ,we need to learn to spell  
obey with five letters a-b-i-d-e4 ,we   
need to find that abide is spelled best 
with four letters o-b-e-y4  ,we need to 
learn this simplified spelling a bit1   
then all will become simplified1 living1
 loving1 witnessing1 praying1 winning1  
singing with joy over the results of our
 new spelling in the syllables of daily 
life4 ,blessed ,master1 we would come to
 school to ,thee to-day4 ,please let us 
start down in the spelling class4 ,and  
teach us1 ,thou ,thyself teach us4  ,but
 the vine--let us make that the central 
picture on the wall1 with the ,master in
 the picture pointing to the vine4 ,and 
under the picture the one word abide4   
,then the whole story is in easy shape  
to help1 pictured before our eyes4      
,abide--that is ,jesus walking around in
 your shoes1 looking out through your   
eyes1 touching in your hand1 speaking   
through your lips and your presence4 ,he

 is free to2 that's your side of it4    
,he's unhindered4 ,he does it2 that's   
,his side of it4  ,look up at the       
picture on the wall4 ,the whole vine is 
in the fruit1 is it not8 ,the whole of  
the fruit is in the vine1 is it not8    
,that's abiding4 ,the whole of ,jesus   
will be in you as you go about your     
daily common task1 singing4 ,the whole  
of you is in ,jesus as everything simple
 and great1 is done to please ,him1     
singing as you do it4  ,and just as     
between vine and fruit there are branch 
and blossom1 pruning and careful        
handling1 sun and shade1 dew and rain1  
so there are betweens here before full  
ripening of fruit comes4 ,there's       
purifying1 cleansing by blood1 cleansing
 by a soft fire burning within1 and     
pruning by the ,gardener and by ,his    
human assistant1 you1 sharp1 incisive1  
hurting pruning4  ,there's feeding1--the
 juice of the vine flows in1 and is     
taken in2 the divine word of the divine 
,master is meditated1 the cud of it is  

chewed daily4 ,there's                  
obedience1--perfect rhythm of action    
between vine and branches4 ,there's     
prayer1 the intercourse of our spirits1 
,his and ours1 together1 the drawing    
from ,him all we need1 and the letting  
,him use us in ,his interceding for ,his
 world4 ,these are some of the betweens4
 ,through these comes the ripening      
fruit4  ,and the outer crowd comes      
eagerly for the fruit hanging over the  
fence within easy reach4 ,there's a warm
 sympathy with one's fellows2 only the  
thing's more than the words sound4 ,the 
,jesus-spirit within will be felt by    
those outside1 something warm and gentle
 and helpful4 ,there will be things     
done1 many things1 earnestly            
thoughtfully done4 ,the proper word is  
service4 ,but the thing's so much more  
than the word ever seems to mean4  ,and 
there'll be yet more1 a more of a       
surprising sort4 ,the classical fox     
called the grapes sour because he       
couldn't reach them4 ,there'll be some  

outside sour talk because some of the   
crowd won't reach the fruit4 ,it        
wouldn't agree with them the way they   
insist on living4 ,the ,jesus-life      
abiding within and flowing freely out is
 a protest against the opposite4 ,the   
mere presence of a ,christ-abiding man  
convicts people of the sin of their     
lives and their treatment of ,jesus4 ,it
 convinces them that the absent ,jesus  
is right1 and so they are wrong4 ,so    
there's trouble out in the crowd just   
because of the ripe good fruit hanging  
in plain sight and easy reach over the  
vineyard fence4 ,and that double result 
goes on getting more so1 some coming to 
the vine drawn by the fruit1 some       
talking against fruit and vine4 ,but the
 man abiding is of good cheer4 ,he      
sings4 ,for the outcome is assured4  ,so
 every grape-vine1 in garden1 by        
roadway1 or on hillside1 with its       
vine-stock1 branches1 blossom1 and      
fruit1 tells of the ,father's ideal for 
men1 a unity of life with ,himself1 and 

with each other4 ,and every bunch of    
grapes hanging on one stem1 with its    
many in one1 tells of that same ideal1  
the concord of love with the ,father and
 with each other4  ,and that unity of   
love dominating all is irresistible to  
the outer crowd1 in the winsomeness of  
its wooing4     ,v  ,the ,greatest      
,wooing       ,a ,night and a ,day ,with
 ,hardening ,hearts3 the ,story of      
,tender      ,passion and of a ,terrible
 ,tragedy         ,now of that long     
pursuit     ,comes on at hand the bruit2
     ,that ,voice is round me like a    
bursting sea3     ',and is thy earth so 
marred1     ,shattered in shard on      
shard8     ,lo1 all things fly thee1 for
 thou fliest ,me6     ,strange1 piteous1
 futile1 thing6      ,wherefore should  
any set thee love apart8     ,seeing    
none but ,i makes much of naught' 7,he  
said7     ',and human love needs human  
meriting3     ,how hast thou merited--  
,of all man's clotted clay the dingiest 
clot8     ,alack1 thou knowest not      

,how little worthy of any love thou art6
     ,whom wilt thou find to love       
ignoble thee1     ,save ,me1 save only  
,me8     ,all which ,i took from thee ,i
 did but take1     ,not for thy harms1  
,but just that thou might'st seek it in 
,my arms4     ,all which thy child's    
mistake     ,fancied as lost1 ,i have   
stored for thee at home3     ,rise1     
clasp ,my hand1 and ,come4'      --,the 
,hound of ,heaven       ,i will betroth 
thee unto me forever2 yea1 ,i will      
betroth thee unto      me in            
righteousness1 and in justice1 and in   
loving kindness1 and in      mercies4 ,i
 will even betroth thee unto me in      
faithfulness4--,hosea      ii4 #ai1 #bj4
      ,jesus1 ,lover of my soul1        
,let me to ,thy bosom fly1     ,while   
the nearer waters roll4     ,while the  
tempest still is high4     ,hide me1 ,o 
my ,saviour1 hide1     ',til the storm  
of life is past2     ,safe into the     
haven guide1     ,o receive my soul at  
last4      --,charles ,wesley4     ,v   

,the ,greatest ,wooing  7,john          
xviii4-xix47    ,wider ,wooing4   ,at   
the top of the mountain is the peak4    
,the peak is the range at its highest   
reach4 ,the peak grows out of the range 
and rests upon it and upon the earth    
under all4 ,the whole of the long       
mountain range and of the earth lies    
under the peak4 ,the peak tells the     
story of the whole range4 ,at the last  
the highest and utmost4 ,all the rest is
 for this capstone4  ,the great thing in
 ,jesus' life is ,his death4 ,the death 
crowns the life4 ,the whole of the life 
lies under and comes to its full in the 
death4 ,the highest point is touched    
when death is allowed to lay ,him       
lowest4 ,it was the life that died that 
gives the distinctive meaning to the    
death4 ,let us take off hat and shoes as
 we come to this peak event4  ,there's a
 change in ,john's story here4 ,the     
evening has gone1 the quiet evening of  
communion4 ,the night has set in1 the   
dark night of hate4 ,the intimacies of  

love give place to the intrigues of     
hate4 ,the joy of communion is quickly  
followed by the jostling of the crowd4  
,out of the secret place of prayer into 
the hurly-burly of passion4 ,and the    
,master's rarely sensitive spirit feels 
the change4 ,yet with quiet resolution  
,he steps out to face it4 ,this is part 
of the hour1 part of ,his great task1   
the greatest part4  ,for the holy task  
of wooing is not changed4 ,it still is  
wooing1 but there's a difference now4   
,there's a shifting4 ,the wooing goes   
from closer to wider1 from the disciples
 to the outer crowd1 from the direct    
wooing of the national leaders by       
personal plea to the indirect by action1
 tremendously personal action4  ,it     
moves out into a yet wider sweep4 ,it   
goes from the wooing of a nation to the 
wooing of a race1 from ,jew             
distinctively to ,roman                 
representatively1 from ,annas standing  
in ,god's flood light rejected to       
,pilate in nature's lesser light        

obscured1 from ,god's truant messenger  
nation to the world's mighty ruling     
nation4  ,in the epochal event just at  
hand ,jesus begins ,his great wooing of 
a race4 ,and that wooing has gone on    
ever since1 wherever ,he has been able  
to get through the human channels to the
 crowd4 ,he was lifted up and at once   
men began coming a-running broken in    
heart by the sight4 ,he is being lifted 
up1 and men of all the race are coming  
as fast as the slow news gets to them4  
,but back now to ,john's story4 ,they   
pick their way over the stones of the   
little ,kidron into the garden of the   
olives4 ,there1 quite alone in the deep 
shadows of the inner trees1 ,jesus has  
,his great spirit-conflict1 and great   
victory4 ,the touch with sin so close1  
so real1 now upon ,him within a few     
hours1 the sin of others upon ,his      
sinless soul1--this shakes ,him         
terrifically beyond our understanding1  
who don't know purity as ,he did4 ,but  
the tremendous strength of yielding     

brings victory1 as ever4 ,and the battle
 of the morrow is fought in spirit1 and 
won4  ,now the trailers of hate come    
seeking with torch and lantern1 soldiers
 and officers1 chief priests and rulers1
 the ever present rabble1 and in the    
lead the shameless traitor4 ,they are   
pushing their quest now1 seeking ,jesus 
in the hiding whence ,he had gone days  
before#abb led by the man who knew ,his 
accustomed haunts4  ,but there's no need
 for seeking now4 ,jesus is full ready4 
,he decides the action that follows4 ,he
 is masterful even in ,his purposeful   
yielding4 ,quietly ,he walks out from   
the cover of the trees to meet them4    
,and as their torches turn full upon    
,his advancing figure again that        
marvellous power not only of restraint  
but decidedly more is felt by them4 ,and
 the whole company1 traitor1 soldiers1  
rulers1 rabble1 overpowered in spirit1  
fall back and then drop to the ground   
utterly overawed and cowed by the lone  
man they are seeking4  ,does ,judas     

expect this8 ,will this power they are  
unable to resist not open the eyes of   
these rulers6 ,but there's no stupidity 
equal to that which goes with           
stubbornness4 ,in a moment ,jesus       
reveals ,his purpose in this1 to shield 
,his disciples4 ,now the power of       
restraint is withdrawn and ,he yields to
 their desires4 ,they shall have fullest
 sway in using their freedom of action  
as they will4 ,and ,peter's foolish     
attempts are quietly overruled4  ,they  
keep up the forms by taking ,jesus to   
,annas the real ,jewish ruler of the    
nation4 ,but it is simply an opportunity
 for the coarseness of their hate to    
vent itself upon ,his person4 ,they     
pretend an examination here in the      
night's darkness suited to their deeds4 
,he quietly reminds them of the frank   
openness of all ,his teachings4         
,meanwhile ,john's friendly act has     
gotten ,peter entrance4 ,the attitude of
 the two men is in sharpest contrast4   
,john is avowedly ,jesus' friend1       

regardless of personal danger4 ,peter   
just the reverse4 ,and the hate of the  
leaders has soaked into all their       
surroundings even down to the           
housemaids4 ,and ,john notes how exactly
 ,jesus foreknew all1 even to a         
thrice-spoken denial before the second  
crowing of a cock4  ,now comes the great
 ,pilate phase4 ,it was the intense     
malignity of their hate that made them  
bother with ,pilate4 ,they could easily 
have killed ,jesus and ,pilate would    
never have concerned himself about it4  
,but they couldn't have put ,him to such
 exquisite suffering and such shameful  
indignity before the crowds as by the   
,roman form of death by crucifixion4    
,clearly there is a hate at work behind 
theirs4 ,their hate is distinctly       
inhuman4 ,is all hate8 ,there's an      
unseen personal power in action here set
 on spilling out the utmost that        
malignant hate can upon the person of   
,jesus4 ,but these men are cheerful     
tools4 ,hate is tying its hardest knot  

with ugliest black thread on the end of 
its opportunity4  ,this is ,pilate's    
opportunity and he seems to sense it4   
,and a struggle begins between          
conscience and cowardice1 between right 
action with an ugly fight for it1 and   
yielding to wrong with an easy time of  
it4 ,clearly he feels the purity and the
 personal power of this unusual         
prisoner4 ,the motive of envy and hate  
under their action is as plain to his   
trained eyes4  ,twice the two men1      
,pilate and ,jesus1 are alone together4 
,did ever man have such an opportunity1 
personally1 and historically8 ,with rare
 touch and winsomeness ,jesus woos4 ,and
 ,pilate feels it to the marrow under   
all his rough speech4 ,his repeated     
attempts with the leaders make that     
clear4 ,but cowardice gripped him hard4 
,it's a way cowardice has4  ,the name of
 ,caesar conjures up fears1--loss of    
position1 of wealth1 of reputation1     
maybe of life itself4 ,he surrenders4   
,conscience is slain on the judgment    

seat4 ,cowardice laughs and wins4 ,a    
sharp fling brings a cry of allegiance  
to ,caesar from their reluctant throats1
 as their hatred wins the day4 ,he      
strikes them back an ugly blow as ,he   
surrenders4 ,that reluctant ,caesar cry 
told out the intensity of their hate4   
,they hated ,caesar much1 but they hated
 ,jesus immeasurably more4 ,they gulp   
down ,caesar to be able to vent their   
spleen upon ,jesus4  ,and so they       
crucified ,him4 ,at last they succeed4  
,they have gotten what they were bent   
on4 ,the hate burning within1 these     
months and years1 finds its full vent4  
,its hateful worst is done1 and horribly
 well done4 ,and they stand about the   
cross with unconcealed gloating in pose 
and face and speech and eyes4 ,their    
part of the story is done4    ,masterful
 ,dying4   ,but ,jesus' part--ah6 that  
was just begun4 ,john lays emphasis on  
the mastery of ,jesus here4 ,it is      
marked1 and reveals to ,john's faithful 
love-opened eyes the dominating purpose 

of ,jesus in yielding to death4 ,strong1
 thoughtful1 self-controlled1           
anticipating every move1 ,he was using  
all the strength of ,his great strong   
will in yielding4 ,he was doing it      
masterfully1 intelligently4  ,this is   
marked throughout4 ,at the arrest ,he   
walks frankly out to meet those seeking 
,him1 and restrains them in that        
strangely powerful way till ,he was     
quite ready4 ,he makes the personal plea
 to ,pilate for ,pilate's sake1         
impressing him so greatly1 but          
interposing nothing to change the       
purpose of ,his accusers4 ,when         
,pilate's final decision is given ,john 
notes that ,jesus went out bearing the  
cross for ,himself1 though provision had
 been made for this4#abc ,his influence 
upon ,pilate is seen in the accuracy of 
the kingly inscription that hangs over  
the cross4 ,in the midst of the         
excruciating bodily pain ,he thinks of  
,his mother1 and with marvellous        
self-control speaks the quiet word to   

her and to ,john that insures her future
 under his filial care4  ,and then ,john
 significantly adds1 ,jesus1 knowing    
that all things are now finished4#abd   
,with masterly forethought1 and         
self-control and deliberation ,he had   
done the thing ,he had set ,himself to  
do4 ,never was yielding so masterful4   
,never was a great plan carried out so  
fully through the set purpose of one's  
enemies4 ,his every action bears out the
 word ,he had spoken1 ,no man taketh ,my
 life away from ,me1 ,i lay it down of  
,myself4#abe  ,so now ,his great work is
 done1 and thoroughly done4 ,his lips   
speak the tremendous word1 ,it is       
finished4 ,and ,he bowed ,his head and  
gave up ,his spirit4 ,it was ,his own   
act4 ,the self-restraint was strong upon
 ,him till all was done that was needed 
for the great purpose in hand4 ,then    
,his head is bowed1 ,his great heart    
broke under the terrific strain on ,his 
spirit as ,he allowed ,his life to go   
out4  ,from that moment no indignity    

touches ,his body4 ,the ,jews with their
 wearisome insistence on empty          
technicalities would have added further 
indignity to crucifixion4 ,but that body
 is sacredly guarded from their profane 
hand by unseen restraint4 ,john with    
solemn simplicity points to the         
unmistakable physical evidence1 in the  
separation of blood and water1 that     
,jesus had actually died2 no swooning1  
but death4 ,and reverently he finds the 
confirmation of ,scripture4  ,only      
tender love touches that body now4 ,two 
gentlemen of highest official and social
 standing and of large wealth1 brothers 
in their faith in ,jesus1 and also in   
their timidity1 now take steps at once  
to have the precious body of their dear 
friend tenderly cared for without regard
 to expense4 ,so ,he is laid away in a  
new tomb in a garden among the flowers  
of the spring time4 ,the last touch is  
one of tender love4 ,so ,his greatest   
wooing was done1 and begun2 the great   
act done1 its tremendous wooing         

influence only just begun4  ,jesus died 
deliberately4 ,this is quite clear4 ,it 
was done of love aforethought4 ,it was  
,his own act fitted into the            
circumstances surrounding ,him4 ,this   
makes ,his death mean just what ,he     
meant it to mean4 ,run back through ,his
 teachings rather carefully and that    
meaning stands clearly out4  ,he was the
 ,father's messenger2 simply this2 but  
all of this4 ,the ideals of right so    
insistently and incessantly held up and 
pressed were the ,father's ideals4 ,his 
mere presence told the ,father's great  
love for men4 ,they two were so knit    
that when the one suffered the other    
suffered1 too4  ,it was the love for men
 in ,his own heart that drew ,him down  
here and drove ,him along even to the   
,calvary ,hill4 ,he died for men1 in    
their place1 on their behalf4 ,this was 
,his one thought4 ,through this their   
bondage to sin and to ,satan would be   
broken and they would be set free4#abf  
,and they would be drawn1 their hearts  

would be utterly melted and broken by   
,his love for them4#abg ,the influence  
would reach out until all the race would
 feel its power and respond2 and it     
would reach into each one's life who    
came till the life he lived was of the  
abundant1 eternal sort4  ,the devil was 
a real personality to ,jesus4 ,this     
whole terrific struggle ending at the   
cross was a direct spirit-battle with   
that great spirit prince4 ,so ,jesus    
understood it4 ,all the bitter enmity to
 ,himself traces straight back to that  
source4 ,that enmity found its worst    
expression in ,jesus' death4 ,the       
pitched spirit-battle was there4 ,but   
that prince was judged1 condemned1      
utterly defeated and cast out in that   
battle1 and his hold upon men           
broken4#abh  ,and so this was the       
greatest wooing of all4 ,it was greatest
 in its intensity of meaning to the     
,father looking eagerly down4 ,it       
revealed ,his unbending1 unflinching    
ideals of right1 and the great strength 

and tenderness of ,his love for men4 ,he
 would even give ,his ,son4 ,it was     
greatest in its intensity of meaning to 
the ,son4 ,it meant the utmost of       
suffering ever endured1 the utmost of   
love underneath ever revealed2 and it   
would mean the race-wide sweep of ,his  
gracious power4  ,it was greatest in its
 intensity of meaning to ,satan1 the    
hater of ,god and man4 ,it told his     
utter defeat1 and loss of power over    
man4 ,so it broke our bonds and made us 
free to yield to the wooing4 ,and it was
 greatest in its intensity of meaning to
 us men4 ,for it showed to our confused 
eyes the one ideal of right standing out
 clear and full4 ,it set us free from   
the fetters of our bondage1 gave us the 
tremendous incentive of love to reach up
 to the ideal of right1 and more1       
immensely more1 gave us power to reach  
it4  ,it was the greatest wooing in the 
out-reach of its influence1 for all men 
of all the earth would be touched4#abi  
,and it was greatest in the in-reach to 

all the life of each one who came under 
its blessed influence4 ,the whole       
ministry taught this4 ,it would mean    
newness of life in body1 in mind1 in    
social nature1 in spirit1 and in the    
eternal quality of life lived here1 and 
to be lived without any ending4  ,and   
all the world has responded to this     
greatest wooing as they have come to    
know of it4 ,that three-languaged       
inscription on the cross was a world    
appeal and a world prophecy4 ,in ,hebrew
 the religious language of the world    
whose literature told of the one true   
,god1 in ,latin the language of the     
masters of the world1 in ,greek the     
language of the culture of the world1   
that message went out to all the world4 
,this ,jesus is our ,kinsman-,king1 our 
,brother-,ruler1 our ,love-,autocrat4   
,he revealed ,his love for us in ,his   
death for us4  ,and men answer to       
,jesus' great plea4 ,with flooded eyes  
and broken hearts1 and bending wills1   
and changed lives1 men of all the race  

bow gratefully at the feet of ,jesus1   
our ,saviour and ,lord and coming ,king4
     ,,vi  ,an ,appointed ,tryst        
,unexpectedly ,kept       ,a ,day of    
,startling ,joyous ,surprises           
,halts by me that footfall3     ,is my  
gloom1 after all1     ,shade of ,his    
hand outstretched caressingly8     ',ah1
 fondest1 blindest1 weakest1     ,i am  
,he whom thou seekest6     ,thou drawest
 love from thee1 who drawest ,me4'      
--,the ,hound of ,heaven4       ,after  
,i am raised up ,i will go before you   
into ,galilee4--,mark      xiv4 #bh4    
,,vi  ,an ,appointed ,tryst             
,unexpectedly ,kept  7,john xx47    ,the
 ,appointment4   ,jesus had made an     
appointment4 ,it was with these dear    
friends who had responded so lovingly to
 ,his wooing4 ,it was a significant     
appointment1 most significant4 ,he had  
appointed to meet them three days after 
,his death4 ,he had made a further      
appointment to meet them in ,galilee4   
,what a stupendous appointment to make6 

,it was a sacred appointment1 sacred as 
the love that made it1 sacred to ,jesus 
as the friendship of these men with whom
 it was made1 sacred as ,his word that  
never was broken4 ,our ,scottish friends
 use a most significant word for        
appointment1 the word tryst4 ,they used 
to use it some for ordinary             
appointments1 but chiefly it is used for
 friendship and for love-appointments4  
,the appointment is a tryst4  ,tryst is 
the same word as trust4 ,in the old     
,gothic language it was one of the words
 used for a covenant or treaty4 ,in     
medieval ,latin it was a pledge given   
that an agreement would be kept4 ,it is 
a fine turn of a word that uses the very
 spirit of confidence in one's heart in 
another as the name for the appointment 
made with him4 ,the trust in the heart  
gives the name to the appointment4 ,it's
 an appointment with one who can be     
trusted to keep his word1 and who is    
trusted4  ,so an appointed tryst becomes
 more than a mere appointment4 ,it is a 

pledge of faith4 ,now this is the real  
force of the word here4 ,jesus had      
appointed a tryst with these men1 and in
 making it ,he was plighting ,his troth1
 pledging ,his word to them4 ,he had    
asked them to risk all for ,him4 ,in    
this tryst ,he is pledging all to them4 
,he never forgot that sacred            
appointment4 ,he had thought much before
 ,he made it4 ,he knew it would involve 
much to keep it4 ,the power of ,god was 
at stake in the making and the keeping  
of it4 ,he knew that4 ,he thought of it4
 ,he made the appointment and ,he kept  
it4 ,jesus keeps ,his appointments4 ,his
 word never fails4 ,not even the gates  
of death1 nor the power of the evil one1
 can prevail against it4  ,this was a   
staggering appointment4 ,it took so much
 for granted4 ,it reckons ,god's power  
is as big as it is4 ,but then that's a  
way ,jesus had1 and has4 ,and it is a   
way he will come to have who companions 
much with ,jesus4  ,jesus had spoken of 
this indirectly but distinctly when     

first ,he told ,his disciples of ,his   
suffering and death1 six months before4 
,and each time afterwards when ,he told 
them of ,his death the words were always
 added1 and the third day rise          
again4#acj ,i ,the two things are nearly
 always linked4 ,but they hadn't seemed 
to sense what ,he meant4 ,the thing     
seems quite beyond them4  ,he spoke of  
it again on that never-to-be-forgotten  
night of the betrayal1 the night of the 
feet-washing1 and that last long talk1  
and that wondrous ,kidron-prayer4 ,he   
spoke of it more than once that night4  
,it was a very emphatic word ,he spoke  
as they were walking along the darkly   
shadowed ,jerusalem streets out towards 
the east gate4 ,he said1 a little while 
and ye shall behold ,me no more2 and    
again a little while and ye shall see   
,me4#aca ,and the disciples pick this up
 and puzzle over it4  ,and the ,master  
explains rather carefully and at some   
length4 ,there was a time of sore       
trouble coming for ,him and for them4   

,and while they were sorrowing the outer
 crowd would be making merry4 ,but it   
would be just as with the expectant     
mother1 ,he said4 ,all the while even   
when the pains cut she is thinking of   
the great delight that is to be hers4   
,her after-joy clean wipes out of her   
thought the sharp cutting of the pain4  
,so it would be4 ,i will see you again1 
,he said in plainest speech4 ,and again 
that same night ,he said1 after ,i am   
raised up1 ,i will go before you into   
,galilee4 ,could any appointment be more
 explicit as to time and place8  ,but   
they forget4 ,aye1 there's the bother1  
this thing of forgetting4 ,the memory is
 ever the index of the heart and the    
will and the understanding4 ,you can    
tell the one by the other4 ,some things 
are never forgot4 ,a bit embarrassing   
and odd this thing of forgetting what   
,jesus says4  ,his enemies remembered1  
and took special pains to head off any  
breaking of their careful plans4#acb    
,and even when the angels remind the    

women of the promised appointment1 and  
they with great joy repeat the reminder 
to the disciples1 it seems like idle    
talk and is not accepted4 ,the thing    
couldn't be1 they think4#acc ,finally   
the evidence becomes so convincing that 
they start off for the trysting place1  
into ,galilee1 unto the mountain where  
,jesus had appointed them4#acd    ,how  
the ,appointment ,was ,kept4   ,let us  
look a bit at the wonderful keeping1 so 
unexpected1 of this sacred tryst4 ,it's 
the third day now since ,jesus' death4  
,it is in the dark dusk of the early    
morning4 ,a little knot of women make   
their way slowly along the road leading 
out of the city gate4 ,mary ,magdalene  
is in the lead1 so far ahead of the     
others as to be alone4 ,they are        
carrying packages of perfumed ointments4
 ,they are thinking only of a dear dead 
body and of clinging fragrant memories4 
,they are troubling themselves about how
 to get the big stone at the tomb pushed
 aside4 ,it was too much for their      

strength4 ,as she drew near the tomb    
,mary ,magdalene's love-quickened eyes  
notice something quite unexpected4 ,the 
stone is moved aside6 ,she naturally    
thinks some one has taken the body      
secretly away in the night4  ,quickly   
she turns and runs back towards the city
 to tell ,peter and ,john4 ,and as      
quickly as they hear the startling news 
they are off on a smart run towards the 
tomb4 ,meanwhile the other women go on  
into the tomb4 ,they are further        
startled to see a glorious looking      
person who assures them that ,jesus is  
living1 having risen up out of death4   
,all a-quiver with fear intermingled    
with the first glimmering light of a    
great hope that they hardly dare hope1  
they flee hastily back to town to tell  
the others4  ,now ,peter and ,john1 who 
have been eagerly running1 arrive       
breathless1 with ,john in the lead4     
,gazing reverently1 intently1 in through
 the opening ,john sees1 not a body1 but
 on the spot where the body had been    

laid1 the linen wrappings lying1 held up
 in the shape of a body by ,nicodemus'  
abundant and heavy ointments just as    
when they held the body of ,jesus4 ,but 
clearly there is nothing in them now4   
,now ,peter comes up1 and1 just like    
him1 goes straight in1 and is at once   
struck by the arrangement of these      
cloths1 just as ,john had been4 ,then   
they comment on the fact that the head  
cloths are lying where they naturally   
would be1 a little apart from the       
others1 the distance of the head from   
the body4  ,the evidence convinces them 
that ,jesus' spirit had indeed returned 
to ,his body1 and that ,he had risen up 
through the cloths1 and gone4 ,and they 
start back to town in a great maze of   
wonder and delight4  ,and now ,mary     
,magdalene1 knowing nothing of all this1
 comes slowly back absorbed with her    
thoughts that the body has been secretly
 removed4 ,she stands at the open tomb  
weeping4 ,then for the first time she   
stoops down and looks in4 ,she is       

startled to see two angels left there to
 explain matters4  ,they gently say ,why
 weepest thou8 ,still sobbing1 she says1
 ,they have taken away my ,lord1 and ,i 
know not where they have laid ,him4 ,and
 turning aside as she speaks she sees   
some ,one standing near her4 ,her       
tear-misted eyes think ,him the         
attendant in charge of the garden4      
,again the question by this man1 ,why   
weepest thou8 ,how strangely they talk1 
these angels and this gardener6 ,she    
makes a plea for the body4  ,then the   
one word1 her name1 spoken in that voice
 she knew so well--,mary4 ,ah6 there's  
no question about that voice4 ,she needs
 no explanation nor evidence more than  
this1 as she cries out1 ,oh1 my beloved 
,master4 ,then ,he acts so like         
,himself2 ,he gives her an errand to do 
for ,him4 ,and off she goes4 ,she has   
had the wondrous privilege of the first 
sight of ,him1 and the first errand for 
,him4 ,the tryst has been kept with     
,mary ,magdalene4  ,and now the other   

women who had gone running down the road
 after hearing the angels' startling    
message are amazed to meet ,jesus       
standing in the roadway in front of     
them4 ,and the same quiet rich voice so 
gently and simply gives them the usual  
good-morning salutation4 ,at once they  
are on their knees at ,his feet4 ,and   
,he softly says1 ,don't be afraid4 ,go  
tell ,my brethren to meet ,me at the old
 place appointed1 up by the blue waters 
of ,galilee4 ,and again the tryst is    
kept4  ,but before all this1 the        
soldiers on guard1 terror-stricken by   
the earthquake that had taken place1 and
 dazed at the sight of the angel of the 
,lord had fled at top speed to the chief
 priests with their startling story4    
,here was a wholly unexpected bothersome
 finish to the thing4 ,but quick        
consultation follows4 ,and then free use
 of money makes the soldiers willing to 
tell what they know to be a lie4 ,and so
 the two utterly different stories1 the 
truth and the lie1 get into circulation 

at once4 ,the soldiers and the chief    
priests' circle have learned that the   
appointment was kept4  ,meanwhile ,peter
 has gone down the road back to town in 
a maze of conflicting emotions4 ,john1  
lighter of foot1 had hurried ahead1 very
 likely to tell the great news to       
,jesus' mother1 now his own4 ,peter     
plods slowly along1 thinking hard4 ,it  
was still early morning1 the air so     
still and fragrant with the dew4 ,maybe 
down by some big trees he is walking1   
absorbed1 when all at once1 some ,one is
 by his side4 ,it's the ,master4 ,the   
appointment has been kept with ,peter4  
,but we must leave them alone together4 
,peter has some things to straighten    
out4 ,that's a sacred interview meant   
only for him4  ,that afternoon two      
disciples walking out to a little       
village a few miles away are joined by a
 ,stranger whose talk makes their hearts
 burn like the ,master's used to4 ,and  
as they gather about the evening meal   
with ,him1 and ,he gives thanks and     

breaks the loaf1 all at once their eyes 
see4 ,it is ,jesus ,himself who has been
 with them all the time4 ,again the     
appointment is kept4  ,at once they     
hasten back to town1 and are just       
telling the news in joyously broken     
speech to the disciples gathered in an  
upper room with locked doors when again1
 all at once1 ,jesus appears in their   
midst1 and eats some bread and fish1 and
 tells them to know by the feel that it 
is really ,himself with them4 ,he has   
kept ,his sacred appointment with the   
,twelve4 ,then a week later ,he comes in
 like manner among them again for the   
sake of one man1 ,thomas4 ,so ,he keeps 
the appointment with ,thomas1 also4     
,our ,guarantee of ,his ,promises4      
,two things stand out sharply4 ,the     
resurrection was not expected4 ,it was  
the most tremendous surprise4 ,the news 
was received at first by those most     
interested with utter stubborn unbelief4
 ,then the evidence was so clear and    
repeated1 and incontestable that these  

same men staked their lives on it4 ,they
 suffered to the extreme for their      
witness that ,jesus had indeed risen4   
,jesus rose from the dead4 ,his body was
 re-inhabited by ,his spirit4 ,the      
spirit didn't die4 ,spirits neither     
sleep nor die4 ,the body died4 ,then    
life came into it again4 ,it was a real 
body that could eat and be touched4 ,it 
was recognized as the same one they had 
known4 ,but it was changed4 ,the old    
limitations were gone4 ,new powers had  
come4  ,jesus keeps ,his appointments4  
,his pledged word never fails4 ,not a   
word ,he has spoken can ever be broken4 
,some day ,he is coming back4 ,it is an 
appointment4#ace ,then we1 too1 who have
 slipped the tether of life and left our
 bodies temporarily in the dust1 shall  
rise up again to meet ,him4 ,it is a    
sacred appointment ,he has made with us4
  ,and some of us who live in that day  
shall be changed instead of dying1 and  
shall be caught up to meet ,him and our 
own loved ones in the air4 ,that's ,his 

true tryst with us up in the blue1 some 
day4 ,and ,he will keep it4  ,and       
meanwhile everything ,he has promised us
 in the ,book is sure1 as being ,his    
plighted word4 ,his resurrection is our 
bond1 our guarantee4 ,as surely as ,he  
rose on that third morning ,he will keep
 ,his word regarding every matter to you
 and me4  ,his appointments never fail1 
whether of guidance1 of bodily health   
and strength1 of supplies for every sort
 of need1 of peace1 of power1 of        
victory4 ,the power that raised ,jesus  
up from out the dead is pledged to us   
for every promise of this ,book for     
to-day's life4 ,he will do an act of    
creation before ,he will let ,his ,word 
fail4 ,he will leave no power unused to 
keep the appointment of ,his ,word with 
us4  ,let us trust ,his ,word to us     
fully4 ,and let us live our trust4      
,,vii  ,another ,tryst       ,a ,story  
of ,fishing1 of ,guests at ,breakfast1  
and of a ,walk and ,talk      by the    
,edge of ,blue ,galilee          ,i come

 unto you4--,john xiv4 #ah4       ,lo1  
,i am with you all the days4--,matthew  
xxviii4 #bj4     ,,vii  ,another ,tryst 
7,john xxi47    ,jesus ,unrecognised4   
,john's story is done4 ,and it is well  
done4 ,with the skill of a tried jurist 
he has drawn up a clear full line of    
evidence and presented it in a vigorous 
straightforward way4 ,and he plainly    
states his case4 ,his whole purpose is  
that those who read his little book     
shall come into warm personal touch of  
life with the ,lord ,jesus4 ,that ties  
the knot on tight at the end of chapter 
twenty4 ,john's case has gone to the    
jury of his readers4  ,but now ,john    
reaches for his pen again4 ,the guiding 
,spirit has put another bit into his    
heart to write down4 ,this time it is a 
special bit1 not for all to whom the    
book is sent1 but for a selected class  
of his readers1 namely1 for those of    
them who have given ,john a favourable  
verdict on the evidence presented4 ,it  
grows out of chapter xx4 #ca as rose out

 of bud1 and fruit out of blossom4 ,it  
is for those who believe that ,jesus is 
the ,christ the ,son of ,god1 and so    
have life in ,his ,name4  ,and a very   
tender precious bit it is1 more wondrous
 in its sheer simplicity than any of us 
seem to suspect4 ,it is simply this3    
this ,jesus is with us all the time4    
,this same ,jesus who was so swayed by  
the need of the crowd1 who burned ,his  
life out day by day warmly responding to
 their sore need--,he is here4  ,this   
,jesus who fed the hungry1 healed the   
sick of every sort1 and freed men from  
devilish power1 who convicted men so    
tremendously of their wrong1 restrained 
their evil power to hurt1 wooed the     
hearts of all so irresistibly1 and led  
them into changed lives2 this ,jesus who
 died and then did the stupendously     
mighty thing of rising up out of        
death1--this ,jesus is with us now by   
your side and mine4  ,and ,he is just   
the same ,jesus in ,his warm love and   
resistless power4 ,the words are rather 

familiar4 ,the fact--no one of us seems 
to have gotten hold of it yet4 ,this is 
the thing that makes ,john eagerly reach
 for his pen again before his little    
book-messenger goes out on its errand4  
,the thing isn't new in information1 but
 in actual living experience it seems to
 be so new as to be an unknown thing to 
some of us4 ,the ,master had spoken of  
this that betrayal-night around the     
supper board4 ,it was really a          
continuation of that trysting           
appointment ,he had made with them that 
evening1 a wonderful continuation4      
,clearly they didn't understand ,him    
that night4 ,but during those           
after-,pentecost days they were given a 
continuous graphic unforgetable         
illustration of its meaning4 ,we to-day 
seem able to explain the part they      
didn't understand1 the teaching that    
betrayal-night4 ,we don't seem to get   
hold of the part they did understand and
 experience1 the real presence of the   
risen ,jesus in the midst actively at   

work4  ,that night ,jesus said3 ,i will 
make request of the ,father1 and ,he    
will send you another unfailing powerful
 ,friend to be always at your side4     
,then ,he added3 ,he abides with you now
 7in ,my presence7 and shall be in you  
7after ,i send ,him74 ,then ,he said1 ,i
 come unto you4 ,yet a little while and 
the world seeth ,me no more but ye see  
,me4  ,and again1 ,he that hath ,my     
commandments and keepeth them he it is  
that 7in that sheweth that he7 loveth   
,me and 444 ,i will manifest or shew    
,myself unto him4 ,here is the simple   
teaching3 ,he would send the ,holy      
,spirit2 in the ,holy ,spirit's coming  
,jesus ,himself1 the new risen exalted  
empowered enthroned ,jesus1 ,he came2   
and ,he would let them see ,himself with
 them4  ,now this added chapter of      
,john's is the illustration in advance  
to these men of what these words mean4  
,the great standing illustration is that
 ,book of ,acts which1 will you notice1 
doesn't end4 ,it only breaks off1       

abruptly1 without even a punctuation    
point4 ,it wasn't meant to end4 ,we are 
supposed to be living in it yet4 ,but   
these men haven't come to the experience
 of the ,pentecostal ,acts yet4 ,this is
 an illustration in advance to them4    
,and it remains an illustration to us of
 what we seem a bit slow in taking in4  
,but let us get at the simple bit of    
story itself4 ,there's a little group of
 the inner circle1 seven including the  
leaders4 ,these men haven't found their 
feet yet4 ,the stupendous events of     
those days1 coming in such startling    
succession1 have left them dazed4 ,the  
crucifixion left them stupidly dazed2   
the resurrection left them joyous1 but  
still dazed4 ,they don't know just where
 they are1 nor what to do4  ,so ,peter  
proposes fishing2 an ideal proposition1 
when you want to get off and think      
things through and out4 ,any fisherman  
knows that4 ,and the others readily join
 in4 ,they see the good sense of it4    
,but the fish don't catch4 ,and the     

morning finds them tired in body and    
more tired in the spiritless uncertainty
 that hangs over them like a clinging   
damp fog4  ,yonder is some ,one standing
 on the beach4 ,but that's nothing      
unusual4 ,they barely notice ,him4 ,and 
now this ,stranger calls out to them a  
cheery common question1 ,caught         
anything8 ,and now ,he gives a--no1 it  
can hardly be called a command1 so      
quietly is it said4 ,yet they are subtly
 conscious of a something in the word   
that makes them obey1 though it's the   
last sort of thing to do4  ,and now at  
once the net-ropes pull so hard2        
astonishing this6 ,then ,john's keen    
spirit detects ,who it is4 ,is he       
thinking of the other big unexpected    
haul in those same waters6#acf ,and     
,peter's over the side of the boat      
shoreward4 ,fishing has lost all        
attraction for him4  ,and when they all 
got ashore with their haul1 tired1 wet1 
chilled to the marrow1 hungry1 what's   
this8 ,a blazing fire of coals burning  

cheerfully on the sands4 ,and some fish 
dexterously poised1 doing to a brown    
turn1 and some bread4 ,and the          
,stranger1 no1 ,jesus1 ,he's no longer a
 stranger1 ,jesus says quietly1 ,boys1  
better bring the haul up on the beach4  
,and the old fishing habit still strong 
on them counts the fish4 ,it's such an  
unusual haul1 they must know how many4  
,john must be thinking again about that 
earlier haul4 ,the net couldn't stand   
the strain then4 ,but now it's          
different4 ,ah6 everything's blessedly  
different now4 ,the net was not rent4   
,then the gracious call to breakfast by 
their ,host4 ,was ever fish done to such
 a fine turn8 ,did ever any fish have   
such an exquisite flavour8 or taste so  
good8 ,did ever men eat so gladly and   
yet quietly with a distinct touch of awe
 in their spirits8 ,for they know it is 
the ,master1 though no word of that has 
been spoken4 ,words were needless4  ,now
 they're walking along the beach1 ,jesus
 and ,peter in the lead but the others  

quite near4 ,and there's the bit of talk
 between the two4 ,very gently ,jesus   
says1 ,do you love ,me1 ,peter8 ,and    
,peter feels he hardly dare use the     
sacred word for love that the ,master   
has used4 ,he had made such an awful    
break at just that point4 ,and with     
breaking voice he says1 ,yea1 ,lord1    
,thou knowest ,i have the highest regard
 for ,thee4  ,and again the question1   
and the answer1 with ,peter still humbly
 clinging to his more modest word4 ,and 
now ,jesus says1 ,do you really love ,me
 even as you yourself say8 ,and ,peter  
with his heart in his face says         
passionately1 ,lord1 ,thou knowest      
better than ,i can tell ,thee4  ,and    
because he loves1 ,peter is given the   
full privilege of shepherding the whole 
flock1 from feeding little lambkins on  
to feeding all1 and guiding1 through the
 hard places1 even the wayward ones4    
,and more yet and higher1 because ,peter
 loves1 he will be privileged to suffer1
 even as his ,master had suffered4 ,the 

fellowship would extend even to that4   
,and ,peter's eye falls on ,john4 ,and  
apparently he is thinking of the        
contrast between ,john's faithfulness   
and his own break that betrayal-night4  
,if poor faulty ,peter may be so        
privileged how ,john would be rewarded4 
,but ,jesus quietly turns ,peter1 and   
all ,peter's numerous kinsfolk of this  
sort1 away from human comparisons4 ,and 
instead ,he seeks to turn their hearts  
to this3 ,he is coming back in person   
some day for an advance step in the     
kingdom program4 ,and there they are1   
walking and talking1 along the beach by 
the blue ,galilean waters4    ,the ,same
 ,jesus ,here ,now4   ,an unrecognized  
,stranger who turns out to be ,jesus2 an
 unusual haul of fish gotten in a very  
unusual way2 a warm fire and tasty      
breakfast for cold hungry men2 a tender 
talk about love and service and         
sacrifice1 and about ,jesus'            
return2--all this is a moving-picture   
illustration of the meaning of a word1  

one word4  ,it is a word ,jesus used in 
that last long quiet talk4 ,it's the    
key-word to this added chapter1         
occurring three times4 ,in the old      
version it is the word shew2 in the     
revision manifest4 ,after these things  
,jesus manifested ,himself again 444 and
 ,he manifested ,himself on this wise4  
,this is now the third time that ,jesus 
was manifested to the disciples after   
that ,he was risen from the dead4#acg   
,the word used underneath literally     
means to make manifest or visible or    
know1 what has been hidden or           
unknown4#ach ,then each time it is used 
it gets its local colouring from its    
connection4 ,the simple tremendous      
meaning here clearly is this3 ,jesus let
 ,himself be seen and known4 ,he did not
 come4 ,he was there4  ,but their eyes  
couldn't see ,him4 ,in effect ,he was   
hidden1 not seeable4 ,now the change    
that comes is this3 ,he is seen4 ,and   
,he is seen in ,his true native         
character2 so certain results follow4   

,he had said1 ,i will manifest          
,myself4#aci ,and this was now the third
 time that ,he did it1 to the disciples1
 after that ,he was risen4  ,this is the
 advance illustration of the ,book of   
,acts4 ,this is the tremendous thing ,he
 is burning into their hearts through   
eyes and ears3--,he is always present4  
,he1 whose power they had felt so       
stupendously1 and whose warm sympathy so
 tenderly1 ,he is always with them4 ,the
 coming of the ,holy ,spirit meant just 
this4 ,the ,spirit would be as ,jesus'  
other self1 as ,jesus ,himself4 ,the one
 thing the ,spirit would do would be to 
manifest1 to shew openly1 the power of  
,jesus4  ,then four pictures pass before
 their eyes to illustrate the meaning1 a
 fishing picture and a breakfast picture
 in action2 then in words1 a            
love-service-suffering picture1 and a   
picture of ,jesus returning in person   
seen by all to take an advance-step4    
,the fishing picture clearly meant this3
 great numbers of people1 surprisingly  

great numbers1 coming1 drawn not by any 
human skill1 but by the supernatural    
power of ,jesus manifesting ,himself in 
that way4 ,the breakfast picture meant  
this3 that this wondrous ,jesus would   
take tender personal care of those in   
this blessed gathering ministry1 even to
 their bodily needs and strength4  ,and 
the love-service-suffering word-picture 
said so plainly this3 true service grows
 out of love4 ,the chief thing is the   
loyal tender attachment to the person of
 ,jesus4 ,then out of this will         
naturally come service1 and willingness 
to suffer4 ,the touchstone won't be     
service but personal love4 ,the service 
will simply be an expression of the     
love4  ,and the ,jesus-return           
word-picture fills their vision with    
this same ,jesus coming in open glory   
before all eyes to carry out the kingdom
 plan4 ,as these men learned to live    
always in the presence of a ,jesus whom 
their outer eyes saw not1 these pictures
 would become living pictures seen in   

open daily life4  ,so this is a further 
bit of the tryst appointment4 ,this is  
the fuller tryst1 the greater1 the yet  
more wondrous tryst4 ,not only would ,he
 rise up out of death1 and appear to    
them in person seen by the outer eyes1  
but ,he would be with them continually  
manifesting ,himself in rarest power of 
action1 in tenderest personal care1 in  
talking and walking with them4  ,they   
would see the power plainly at work2    
then they would say with a soft hush1   
,he is here4 ,they would find new bodily
 strength1 new guidance in perplexity1  
new peace in the midst of confusion1 and
 they would say to each other in awed   
tones1 ,he is here3 it's the ,master's  
touch4  ,and so it would come to be a   
habit to anticipate ,his presence4 ,they
 would figure ,him in1 and figure ,him  
in big1 as big as ,he is1 in all sorts  
of circumstances and planning and       
meeting of difficulties4  ,it is most   
striking that ,john closes his ,gospel  
so differently from the others4 ,they   

close with the ,master rising up and    
disappearing on a cloud into the upper  
blue4 ,john closes with ,jesus walking  
along the beach1 talking with the little
 group of trusted ones4 ,jesus did      
ascend up into the blue whence ,he shall
 some day descend4 ,but the ,holy       
,spirit sends ,john back to his pen to  
give us this as the last picture1       
impressed on the sensitive plate of the 
eyes of our heart4 ,this3 ,jesus present
 with us all the while walking along the
 shore of our common round of life1     
clothed with matchless power1 and       
devoting ,himself to us as we to ,him4  
,along about the middle of the          
eighteenth century there came to        
,england a young ,french-,swiss1 named  
,de la ,flchre1 hungry hearted for the  
truth4 ,he was so helped by ,john       
,wesley that he cast in his lot with the
 new ,methodist movement and ,john      
,williams ,fletcher became one of       
,wesley's most faithful co-labourers4   
,late in life he married a woman of     

unusual mental and spiritual attainment4
  ,i ran across a simple story over     
there of this ,mrs4 ,john ,fletcher     
which interested and helped me much4    
,this saintly gifted woman told of a    
dream which came to her with such       
vividness as to seem to her mature mind 
more than a common passing vagary of    
sleep4 ,in her dream she was engaged in 
an intense struggle with an evil spirit4
 ,she was having a most difficult fight4
  ,she noticed some one standing a      
little bit to one side watching the     
fight but taking no active part in it4  
,the fighting became so intense and her 
strength so sorely strained that she was
 on the point of giving up4 ,then this  
one came over near and touched her      
gently and said1 ,be strong4 ,instantly 
a wondrous strength came to her and she 
held on4  ,again the evil one attacked  
her viciously4 ,she wondered why this   
helping friend did not come to her      
assistance in the fight4 ,then she was  
moved to say to her enemy1 ,depart1 in  

,jesus' ,name4 ,and instantly he fled4  
,and she was free and victorious4 ,that 
was her dream4 ,as she awoke there came 
to her the most real sense of the       
presence of her ,lord4  ,this is only   
one simple illustration from life4 ,i   
have run across many of the same1 wholly
 different each from the other1 but each
 emphasizing the one simple tremendous  
fact of the constant presence with us of
 this same mighty ,jesus4  ,it is of    
keenest help to mark that humanly the   
initiative of action is in our hands4   
,the fight is ours4 ,we decide our      
stand4 ,we choose1 and we bear the brunt
 or result of our choice4 ,we step out  
as the need comes4 ,prayer and a spirit 
of humblest dependence on ,another      
guides our decision and action4 ,but we 
take the action4 ,the initiative is     
ours4  ,and always alongside is ,one    
standing close up1 putting all ,his     
limitless power at our disposal1 in our 
action4 ,all ,he did in living and dying
 and rising up out of death was done on 

our behalf4 ,and now all the tremendous 
result of ,his victory is at our        
command4 ,all the power native in ,him  
is for our use4  ,this is the other     
tryst our ,lover-,lord makes with us4   
,lo6 ,i am with you all the days1 sunny 
days and shadowy1 bright days and dark1 
all the days clear to the end4 ,this is 
the sacred tryst ,he has made with us4  
,and ,he keeps the tryst4 ,we may count 
on ,him1 ,and as we do we shall cast    
nets into hopeless waters and get a     
great haul4 ,we shall find ,his presence
 anticipating all our personal needs4   
,we shall rejoice to serve and--if so it
 prove to be--to suffer for the ,one we 
love with tenderest devotion4  ,and we  
shall look eagerly forward to seeing    
,him who is always in touch with us1    
here and now1 to seeing ,him with these 
outer eyes of ours1 coming in glory with
 ,his resistless power1 to make some    
blessed changes4     ,footnotes    #a   
,john i4 #ce-db4  #b i4 #a-ah4  #c i4   
#ai-xii4 #ej4  #d ,chapters xiii4-xvii4 

#e ,chapters xviii4-xix4  #f ,chapters  
xx4-xxi4  #g ,colossians i4 #ae-ag4  #h 
,philippians ii4 #f-h4  #i ,ephesians   
i4#ai-bc4  #aj ,revelation i4 #ac-ah4   
#aa i4 #a-ah4  #ab i4 #ai-xii4 #ej4  #ac
 ,chapters xiii4-xvii4  #ad ,chapters   
xviii4-xix4  #ae ,chapter xx4  #af      
,chapter xxi4  #ag ,there are nineteen  
of these incidents3   #a4 ,the official 
deputation1 i4 #ai-ea4  #b4 ,marriage in
 ,cana1 ii4 #a-aa4  #c4 ,cleansing the  
,temple1 ii4 #ac-bb4  #d4 ,nicodemus1   
iii4 #a-ba4  #e4 ,dispute about         
purifying1 iii4 #bb-cf4  #f4 ,samaritan 
woman1 iv4 #a-db4  #g4 ,nobleman's son1 
iv4 #df-ed4  #h4 ,thirty-eight years    
infirmity1 v4  #i4 ,feeding five        
thousand1 vi4 #a-ae4 #aj4 ,walking on   
water and discussion1 vi4 #af-ga4 #aa4  
,at ,feast of ,tabernacles1 vii4 #ab4   
,accused woman1 viii4 #a--aa4 #ac4      
,first attempt to stone1 viii4 #ab-ei4  
#ad4 ,man born blind1 ix4 #a-x4 #ba4    
#ae4 ,second stoning1 x4 #bb-db4 #af4   
,lazarus1 xi4 #ag4 ,bethany ,feast1 xii4

 #a-aa4 #ah4 ,triumphal ,entry1 xii4    
#ab-ai4 #ai4 ,the ,greeks1 xii4 #bj-ej4 
#ah iii4 #cb4  #ai iii4 #aa4  #bj i4    
#ai-ea4  #ba ii4#a-aa4  #bb ii4 #ab4    
#bc ii4 #ac-bb4  #bd vii4 #ej1 #ea2 xix4
 #ci4  #be ii4 #bc-;iii4 #ba4  #bf iii4 
#aa1 #ai1 #cb4  #bg iii4 #bb-cf4  #bh iv
 #a-db4  #bi iv4 #dc-de4  #cj iv4       
#df-ed4  #ca v4 #a-dg4  #cb vi4 #a-ad4  
#cc vi4 #ae-ga4  #cd vii4 #a-eb4  #ce   
viii4 #a-aa4  #cf viii #ab-ei4  #cg ix4 
l-x4 #ba4  #ch x4 #bb-ci4  #ci x4       
#dj-db4  #dj xi4 #a-ec4  #da xi4 #ed-eg4
  #db xii4 #a-h4  #dc xii4 #i-aa4  #dd  
xii4 #ab-ai4  #de xii4 #bj-cf4  #df xii4
 #cg-ej4  #dg ii4 #bc4  #dh iv4 #de4    
#di vi4 #a-b1 #ad1 #ae1 #cd4  #ej vii4  
#ca1 #dj1 #da4  #ea viii4 #cj4  #eb x4  
#bj1 #ba4  #ec x4 #dj-db4  #ed xi4 #de2 
xii4 #i-ab4  #ee xii #ag-ah4  #ef xii4  
#ab-ad4  #eg xii4 #db4  #eh ii4 #bc-be  
#ei vi4 #fj-ff4  #fj xii4 #db-dc4  #fa  
i4 #ce-ea2 ii4 #a-aa2 iii4 #ac-bh4  #fb 
vi4 #ff-fi4  #fc xi4 #af4  #fd ii4 #bb2 
xii4 #af4  #fe iii4 #a-ba4  #ff vii4    

#ej-ea with xii4 #db1 #dc4  #fg xix4    
#ci4  #fh iv4 #e-db4  #fi ,genesis ,,xv4
 #f with xx4 #aa4  #gj vii4 #ce4  #ga   
xii4 #bd-cf4  #gb ,note the official    
deputation incident 7chapter i471 and   
the ,nicodemus incident 7chapter iii474 
#gc i4 #ai-cd4  #gd iii4 #aa1 #cb4  #ge 
ii4 #ac-bj4  #gf iii4 #bb-;iv4 #c4  #gg 
iv4 #dd4  #gh v4 #af-ah4  #gi vi4       
#cj-cf1 #da-db1 #eb1 #fj-ff4  #hj vii4  
throughout4  #ha viii4 #a-aa4  #hb viii4
 #ab-ei4  #hc ix4 #a-x4 #ba4  #hd x4    
#bb-ci4  #he xi4 #dg-eg4  #hf ,jesus had
 not yet come1 intimating that they were
 expecting ,him in accordance with an   
understanding between ,him and them4 vi4
 #ag4  #hg ,kings vi4 #a-g4  #hh ,kings 
xvii4 #ag-bd4  #hi ,kings xiii4 #bj-ba4 
#ij ,kings iv4 #cb-cg4  #ia ,luke viii4 
#dj-db1 #di-ef4  #ib ,luke vii4 #aa-ag4 
#ic iii4 #a-ba4  #id iv4 #g-db4  #ie    
viii4 #a-aa4  #if ii4 #ac-ba4  #ig vii4 
throughout4  #ih ,luke iv4 #cj2 ,john   
viii4 #ei2 x4 #ci2 xii4 #cf4  #ii ,mark 
x4 #cb2 ,luke ix4 #ec4  #ajj viii4      

#ab-ei4  #aja x4 #bb-ci4  #ajb xii4     
#ab-ai1 #cf4  #ajc xiii4 #a-c4  #ajd ii4
 #d2 vii4 #f1 #h1 #cj2 viii4 #bj4  #aje 
xii #bc1 #bg2 xiii4 #a1 #ca-cb2 xvii4   
#a4  #ajf xiii4 #d-aa4  #ajg xiii4      
#ab-bj4  #ajh ,philippians ii4 #f-aa4   
#aji xiii4 #ah4  #aaj xiii4 #ba-cj4     
#aaa ,the word glory with its companion 
glorify1 is frequent in ,john4 ,we shall
 understand better if we remember that  
originally the word he uses means the   
opinion that one has of another1        
especially a good opinion4 ,but as the  
word is used commonly here the          
underlying thought is1 not what one     
thinks of another1 nor yet something    
that one may give to another1 but the   
actual character in the one so thought  
of4 ,glory is the character of goodness4
 ,so to see one's glory is to see his   
real inner character1 and to see that   
character openly recognized and         
acknowledged4 ,so to glorify means to   
recognize and acknowledge openly the    
true character of one4 ,twice in ,john  

the word is used in the cheaper meaning 
of outer honour among men4 vii4 #ah2    
viii4 #ej4  #aab xiii4 #ca-cc4  #aac    
xiii4 #cd-ch4  #aad xiv4 #a-ad4  #aae   
xi4 #cc2 xii4 #bg2 xiii4 #ba4  #aaf xiv4
 #ae-ca4  #aag xv4 #a-ag4  #aah #ah-xvi4
 #ah4  #aai xvi4 #ai-cc4  #abj xvii4    
throughout4  #aba ,see footnote on      
glory4  #abb xii4 #cf4  #abc ,matthew   
xxvii4 #cb and parallels4  #abd xix4    
#bh4  #abe x4 #ag-ah4  #abf viii4       
#ca-cb1 #cd-cf4  #abg xii4 #cb4  #abh   
,some references for this whole         
paragraph1--viii4 #dd2 xii4 #ca2 xiii4  
#b1 #bg2 xiv4 #cj2 xvi4 #aa4  #abi x4   
#af2 xii4 #cb2 xvii4 #bj4  #acj ,matthew
 xvi4 #ba2 xvii4 #i1 #bc2 xx4 #ai2 ,mark
 viii4 #ca2 ix4 #ca2 x4 #cd2 ,luke ix4  
#bb2 xviii4 #cc4  #aca xvi4 #af4  #acb  
,matthew xxvii4 #fc4  #acc ,mark xvi4   
#f-g2 ,luke xxiv4 #f-aa4  #acd ,matthew 
xxviii4 #af4  #ace ,john xiv4 #c1 and   
others4  #acf ,luke v4 #a-aa4  #acg xxi4
 #a1 #ad4  #ach ,so ,thayer4  #aci xiv4 
#ba1 #a4 c4