the desire of ages-第30章

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As　the　woman　heard　these　words；　faith　sprang　up　in　her　heart。　She　accepted　the　wonderful　announcement　from　the　lips　of　the　divine　Teacher。

This　woman　was　in　an　appreciative　state　of　mind。　She　was　ready　to　receive　the　noblest　revelation；　for　she　was　interested　in　the　Scriptures；　and　the　Holy　Spirit　had　been　preparing　her　mind　to　receive　more　light。　She　had　studied　the　Old　Testament　promise；　〃The　Lord　thy　God　will　raise　up　unto　thee　a　Prophet　from　the　midst　of　thee；　of　thy　brethren；　like　unto　me；　unto　Him　ye　shall　hearken。〃　Deut。　18：15。　She　longed　to　understand　this　prophecy。　Light　was　already　flashing　into　her　mind。　The　water　of　life；　the　spiritual　life　which　Christ　gives　to　every　thirsty　soul；　had　begun　to　spring　up　in　her　heart。　The　Spirit　of　the　Lord　was　working　with　her。

The　plain　statement　made　by　Christ　to　this　woman　could　not　have　been　made　to　the　self…righteous　Jews。　Christ　was　far　more　reserved　when　He　spoke　to　them。　That　which　had　been　withheld　from　the　Jews；　and　which　the　disciples　were　afterward　enjoined　to　keep　secret；　was　revealed　to　her。　Jesus　saw　that　she　would　make　use　of　her　knowledge　in　bringing　others　to　share　His　grace。

When　the　disciples　returned　from　their　errand；　they　were　surprised　to　find　their　Master　speaking　with　the　woman。　He　had　not　taken　the　refreshing　draught　that　He　desired；　and　He　did　not　stop　to　eat　the　food　His　disciples　had　brought。　When　the　woman　had　gone；　the　disciples　entreated　Him　to　eat。　They　saw　Him　silent；　absorbed；　as　in　rapt　meditation。　His　face　was　beaming　with　light；　and　they　feared　to　interrupt　His　communion　with　heaven。　But　they　knew　that　He　was　faint　and　weary；　and　thought　it　their　duty　to　remind　Him　of　His　physical　necessities。　Jesus　recognized　their　loving　interest；　and　He　said；　〃I　have　meat　to　eat　that　ye　know　not　of。〃

The　disciples　wondered　who　could　have　brought　Him　food；　but　He　explained；　〃My　meat　is　to　do　the　will　of　Him　that　sent　Me；　and　to　accomplish　His　work。〃　John　4：34；　R。　V。　As　His　words　to　the　woman　had　aroused　her　conscience；　Jesus　rejoiced。　He　saw　her　drinking　of　the　water

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of　life；　and　His　own　hunger　and　thirst　were　satisfied。　The　accomplishment　of　the　mission　which　He　had　left　heaven　to　perform　strengthened　the　Saviour　for　His　labor；　and　lifted　Him　above　the　necessities　of　humanity。　To　minister　to　a　soul　hungering　and　thirsting　for　the　truth　was　more　grateful　to　Him　than　eating　or　drinking。　It　was　a　comfort；　a　refreshment；　to　Him。　Benevolence　was　the　life　of　His　soul。

Our　Redeemer　thirsts　for　recognition。　He　hungers　for　the　sympathy　and　love　of　those　whom　He　has　purchased　with　His　own　blood。　He　longs　with　inexpressible　desire　that　they　should　come　to　Him　and　have　life。　As　the　mother　watches　for　the　smile　of　recognition　from　her　little　child；　which　tells　of　the　dawning　of　intelligence；　so　does　Christ　watch　for　the　expression　of　grateful　love；　which　shows　that　spiritual　life　is　begun　in　the　soul。

The　woman　had　been　filled　with　joy　as　she　listened　to　Christ's　words。　The　wonderful　revelation　was　almost　overpowering。　Leaving　her　waterpot；　she　returned　to　the　city；　to　carry　the　message　to　others。　Jesus　knew　why　she　had　gone。　Leaving　her　waterpot　spoke　unmistakably　as　to　the　effect　of　His　words。　It　was　the　earnest　desire　of　her　soul　to　obtain　the　living　water；　and　she　forgot　her　errand　to　the　well；　she　forgot　the　Saviour's　thirst；　which　she　had　purposed　to　supply。　With　heart　overflowing　with　gladness；　she　hastened　on　her　way；　to　impart　to　others　the　precious　light　she　had　received。

〃Come；　see　a　man；　which　told　me　all　things　that　ever　I　did；〃　she　said　to　the　men　of　the　city。　〃Is　not　this　the　Christ？〃　Her　words　touched　their　hearts。　There　was　a　new　expression　on　her　face；　a　change　in　her　whole　appearance。　They　were　interested　to　see　Jesus。　〃Then　they　went　out　of　the　city；　and　came　unto　Him。〃

As　Jesus　still　sat　at　the　well　side；　He　looked　over　the　fields　of　grain　that　were　spread　out　before　Him；　their　tender　green　touched　by　the　golden　sunlight。　Pointing　His　disciples　to　the　scene；　He　employed　it　as　a　symbol：　〃Say　not　ye；　There　are　yet　four　months；　and　then　cometh　harvest？　behold；　I　say　unto　you；　Lift　up　your　eyes；　and　look　on　the　fields；　for　they　are　white　already　to　harvest。〃　And　as　He　spoke；　He　looked　on　the　groups　that　were　coming　to　the　well。　It　was　four　months　to　the　time　for　harvesting　the　grain；　but　here　was　a　harvest　ready　for　the　reaper。

〃He　that　reapeth；〃　He　said；　〃receiveth　wages；　and　gathereth　fruit　unto　life　eternal：　that　both　he　that　soweth　and　he　that　reapeth　may　rejoice

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together。　And　herein　is　that　saying　true；　One　soweth；　and　another　reapeth。〃　Here　Christ　points　out　the　sacred　service　owed　to　God　by　those　who　receive　the　gospel。　They　are　to　be　His　living　agencies。　He　requires　their　individual　service。　And　whether　we　sow　or　reap；　we　are　working　for　God。　One　scatters　the　seed；　another　gathers　in　the　harvest；　and　both　the　sower　and　the　reaper　receive　wages。　They　rejoice　together　in　the　reward　of　their　labor。

Jesus　said　to　the　disciples；　〃I　sent　you　to　reap　that　whereon　ye　bestowed　no　labor：　other　men　labored；　and　ye　are　entered　into　their　labors。〃　The　Saviour　was　here　looking　forward　to　the　great　ingathering　on　the　day　of　Pentecost。　The　disciples　were　not　to　regard　this　as　the　result　of　their　own　efforts。　They　were　entering　into　other　men's　labors。　Ever　since　the　fall　of　Adam　Christ　had　been　committing　the　seed　of　the　word　to　His　chosen　servants；　to　be　sown　in　human　hearts。　And　an　unseen　agency；　even　an　omnipotent　power；　had　worked　silently　but　effectually　to　produce　the　harvest。　The　dew　and　rain　and　sunshine　of　God's　grace　had　been　given；　to　refresh　and　nourish　the　seed　of　truth。　Christ　was　about　to　water　the　seed　with　His　own　blood。　His　disciples　were　privileged　to　be　laborers　together　with　God。　They　were　coworkers　with　Christ　and　with　the　holy　men　of　old。　By　the　outpouring　of　the　Holy　Spirit　at　Pentecost；　thousands　were　to　be　converted　in　a　day。　This　was　the　result　of　Christ's　sowing；　the　harvest　of　His　work。

In　the　words　spoken　to　the　woman　at　the　well；　good　seed　had　been　sown；　and　how　quickly　the　harvest　was　received。　The　Samaritans　came　and　heard　Jesus；　and　believed　on　Him。　Crowding　about　Him　at　the　well；　they　plied　Him　with　questions；　and　eagerly　received　His　explanations　of　many　things　that　had　been　obscure　to　them。　As　they　listened；　their　perplexity　began　to　clear　away。　They　were　like　a　people　in　great　darkness　tracing　up　a　sudden　ray　of　light　till　they　had　found　the　day。　But　they　were　not　satisfied　with　this　short　conference。　They　were　anxious　to　hear　more；　and　to　have　their　friends　also　listen　to　this　wonderful　teacher。　They　invited　Him　to　their　city；　and　begged　Him　to　remain　with　them。　For　two　days　He　tarried　in　Samaria；　and　many　more　believed　on　Him。

The　Pharisees　despised　the　simplicity　of　Jesus。　They　ignored　His　miracles；　and　demanded　a　sign　that　He　was　the　Son　of　God。　But　the　Samaritans　asked　no　sign；　and　Jesus　performed　no　miracles　among　them；　save　in　revealing　the　secrets　of　her　life　to　the　woman　at　the　well。　Yet　many　received　Him。　In　their　new　joy　they　said　to　the　woman；

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〃Now　we　believe；　not　because　of　thy　saying：　for　we　have　heard　Him　ourselves；　and　know　that　this　is　indeed　the　Christ；　the　Saviour　of　the　world。〃

The　Samaritans　believed　that　the　Messiah　was　to　come　as　the　Redeemer；　not　only　of　the　Jews；　but　of　the　world。　The　Holy　Spirit　through　Moses　had　foretold　Him　as　a　prophet　sent　from　God。　Through　Jacob　it　had　been　declared　that　unto　Him　should　the　gathering　of　the　people　be；　and　through　Abraham；　that　in　Him　all　the　nations　of　the　earth　should　be　blessed。　On　these　scriptures　the　people　of　Samaria　based　their　faith　in　the　Messiah。　The　fact　that　the　Jews　had　misinterpreted　the　later　prophets；　attributing　to　the　first　advent　the　glory　of　Christ's　second　coming；　had　led　the　Samaritans　to　discard　all　the　sacred　writings　except　those　given　through　Moses。　But　as　the　Saviour　swept　away　these　false　interpretations；　many　accepted　the　later　prophecies　and　the　words　of　Christ　Himself　in　regard　to　the　kingdom　of　God。

Jesus　had　begun　to　break　down　the　partition　wall　between　Jew　and　Gentile；　and　to　preach　salvation　to　the　world。　Though　He　was　a　Jew；　He　mingled　freely　with　the　Samaritans；　setting　at　nought　the　Pharisaic　customs　of　His　nation。　In　face　of　their　prejudices　He　accepted　the　hospitality　of　this　despised　people。　He　slept　under　their　roofs；　ate　with　them　at　their　tables；partaking　of　the　food　prepared　and　served　by　their　hands；taught　in　their　streets；　and　treated　them　with　the　utmost　kindness　and　courtesy。

In　the　temple　at　Jerusalem　a　low　wall　separated　the　outer　court　from　all　other　portions　of　the　sacred　building。　Upon　this　wall　were　inscriptions　in　different　languages；　stating　that　none　but　Jews　were　allowed　to　pass　this　boundary。　Had　a　Gentile　presumed　to　enter　the　inner　enclosure；　he　would　have　desecrated　the　temple；　and　would　have　paid　the　penalty　with　his　life。　But　Jesus；　the　originator　of　the　temple　and　its　service；　drew　the　Gentiles　to　Him　by　the　tie　of　human　sympathy；　while　His　divine　grace　brought　to　them　the　salvation　which　the　Jews　rejected。

The　stay　of　Jesus　in　Samaria　was　designed　to　be　a　blessing　to　His　disciples；　who　were　still　under　the　influence　of　Jewish　bigotry。　They　felt　that　loyalty　to　their　own　nation　required　them　to　cherish　enmity　toward　the　Samaritans。　They　wondered　at　the　conduct　of　Jesus。　They　could　not　refuse　to　follow　His　example；　and　during　the　two　days　in　Samaria；　fidelity　to　Him　kept　their　prejudices　under　control；　yet　in　heart　they　were　unreconciled。　They　were　slow　to　learn　that　their　contempt　and

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hatred　must　give　place　to　pity　and　sympathy。　But　after　the　Lord's　ascension；　His　lessons　came　back　to　them　with　a　new　meaning。　After　the　outpouring　of　the　Holy　Spirit；　they　recalled　the　Saviour's　look；　His　words；　the　respect　and　tenderness　of　His　bearing　toward　these　despised　strangers。　When　Peter　went　to　preach　in　Samaria；　he　brought　the　same　spirit　into　his　own　work。　When　John　was　called　to　Ephesus　and　Smyrna；　he　remembered　the　experience　at　Shechem；　and　was　filled　with　gratitude　to　the　divine　Teacher；　who；　foreseeing　the　difficulties　they　must　meet；　had　given　them　help　in　His　own　example。

The　Saviour　is　still　carrying　forward　the　same　work　as　when　He　proffered　the　water　of　life　to　the　woman　of　Samaria。　Those　who　call　themselves　His　followers　may　despise　and　shun　the　outcast　ones；　but　no　circumstance　of　birth　or　nationality；　no　condition　of　life；　can　turn　away　His　love　from　the　children　of　men。　To　every　soul；　however　sinful；　Jesus　says；　If　thou　hadst　asked　of　Me；　I　would　have　given　thee　living　water。

The　gospel　invitation　is　not　to　be　narrowed　down；　and　presented　only　to　a　select　few；　who；　we　suppose；　will　do　us　honor　if　they　accept　it。　The　message　is　to　be　given　to　all。　Wherever　hearts　are　open　to　receive　the　truth；　Christ　is　ready　to　instruct　them。　He　reveals　to　them　the　Father；　and　the　worship　acceptable　to　Him　who　reads　the　heart。　For　such　He　uses　no　parables。　To　them；　as　to　the　woman　at　the　well；　He　says；　〃I　that　speak　unto　thee　am　He。〃

When　Jesus　sat　down　to　rest　at　Jacob's　well；　He　had　come