Jesus was the greatest speaker

JESUS WAS THE GREATEST SPEAKER
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
“The officers answered, ‘Never man spoke like this
man.’” John 7:46.
THE UNRIVALLED ELOQUENCE OF JESUS NO. 951
A SERMON DELIVERED ON LORD’S-DAYMORNING, SEPTEMBER18,
1870, BYC. H. SPURGEON,AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE,
NEWINGTON.
“The officers answered, ‘Neverman spoke like this man.’” John 7:46.
THE chief priests and Phariseessentofficers to lay hold upon the Savior lest
His preaching should altogetheroverthrow their power. While the constables
who had mingled with the throng were waiting for an opportunity of arresting
the Lord Jesus, theythemselves were arrestedby His earnesteloquence;they
could not take Him, for He had fairly taken them, and when they came back
without a prisoner, they gave their reasonfor not having captured Him in
these memorable words, “Neverman spoke like this man.” Two or three
remarks as a preface to our discourse. It is a sure sign of a failing church
when its leaders callin the aid of the seculararm; the rule of the Scribes and
Pharisees musthave been weaknessitself, when it needed to wield the

truncheon of the civil magistrate as its only sufficient argument againstits
antagonist. Thatchurch which has been supported by bayonets is in all
probability, not far off its demise;any church which long collects its tithes and
its offerings by the hand of the police, and by legalprocess andconstraint, is
also, depend upon it, none too strong! The church which is unable to maintain
itself by spiritual poweris dying, if not dead; whenever we think of calling in
an arm of flesh to defend the faith, we may very seriouslyquestion whether we
have not made a mistake, and whether that which can be supported by the
swordmust not greatly differ from the Savior’s kingdom of which He said,
“My kingdom is not of this world, else would My servants fight.” The more a
man leans on a big staff, the more sure are you that he is feeble; in proportion
as churches rely on Acts of Parliament, human prestige, and legalauthority—
in that very degree they show their weakness!Call in the sheriff’s officer, and
you have virtually calledin the gravedigger!In this respectit is peculiarly
true, “All they who take the swordshall perish with the sword.” A church is
buried by the state, and not supported, when it draws its sustenance from
forcedtithes, and legalizedexactions!Observe, next, that in the end the
spiritual power will always baffle the temporal. The officers are fully armed,
and quite able to complete the arrestof the preacher;He has no weapons with
which to oppose them; He stands unarmed amid the throng—probably none
of His disciples would lift a finger to defend Him, or if they did, He would bid
them put up their sword into its sheath. And yet the officers cannotseize the
non-resistantpreacher! What stays their hands? It has come to a combat
betweenbody and mind, and mind prevails; the eloquent tongue is matched
againstthe two-edgedsword, and it has wonthe day! No fears or qualms of
consciencehamperedthe constables,and yet they could not lay their hands on
Him; they were chained to the spot where they stood—spellboundby the
mystic powerof His speech;His very tones fascinatedthem; the discourse
which He poured forth so fluently held them fast as His willing captives!It has
always been so—the spiritual has conquered the physical. Though at first it
seemedan unequal conflict, yet in the long run the elder has servedthe
younger; the club of Cain may lay Abel level with the dust, but it does not
silence him—from the ground the blood of Abel continues still to cry. Martyrs
may be consignedto prison, and draggedfrom prison to the stake, so that to
all appearance a full end is made of the goodmen, but “even in their ashes live

their usual fires”; at the stake they find a platform with a boundless auditory,
and from the grave their teaching cries with louder voice than from the
pulpit; like seeds sownin the earth they spring up and multiply themselves!
Others arise to bear the same witness, and if necessaryto sealit in the same
fashion. As Pharaoh’s mighty hosts could not combat with the hail and the
lightning which plagued the fields of Zoan and as all their chivalry could not
put to flight the darkness that might be felt, even so when God sends His truth
with powerupon a land, battleaxe and buckler are vain in the opposers’
hands. Our appointed weapons ofattack are not carnal;neither can they be
withstoodby shield or armor; our bowstrings cannotbe broken, or the edge of
our swordblunted. Let but the Lord furnish His ministers, as he did at
Pentecost, with wondrous words instead of shields and spears, and swords,
and these weapons ofthe holy war will prove them
The Unrivalled Eloquence of Jesus Sermon#951
Tellsomeone today how much you love Jesus Christ. Volume 16
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selves to be irresistible! Fight on, O preacher! Tell forth the story of the cross!
Defy opposition, and laugh persecutionto scorn, for, like your Master, you
shall as His servant ascendabove all your enemies, lead your captivity captive,
and scattergoodgifts among the sons of men! Note again that Godcan get
testimonies to the majesty of His Son from the most unlikely places. I do not
know who these constables may have been, or from what class ofmen they
were drawn, but generallythe civil authorities do not employ the most refined
and intellectual persons to actas officers. Theydo not require much
tenderness of spirit for such work—a roughhand, a keeneye, and a bold
spirit are the principal requisites for a constable. The priests and Pharisees
would naturally selectfor the seizing of the great teacherthose who were least
likely to be affectedby His teaching, and yet these men— doubtless men of
brutal habits, men ready enough to do their masters’bidding, showedwithin
themselves sufficient mental capacityto feel the power of the matchless
oratory of Jesus Christ. Those who were sent as enemies came back to

rehearse His praises, and so to vex His adversaries;truly the Lord canmake
the stones to cry out of a wall, and the beam out of the timber to answerit if
He wills; He can transform the ready instruments of oppositioninto the
willing advocatesofHis righteous cause. Notonly as in the case ofSaul of
Tarsus canHe direct a high characterinto the right path, but He canuplift
the groveling, and put a testimony into their mouths! He makes the wrath of
men to praise Him; He compels His adversaries to do Him homage;keep good
heart, then, O you soldiers of the cross!Let no thought of discouragement
ever flit across your spirits! Greateris He who is for us than all they who are
againstus! He canand will glorify His Son, Jesus!Even the devils shall
acknowledge His almighty power. His word has gone forth, and His oath has
confirmed it—“Surely as I live, says the Lord, all flesh shall see the salvation
of God.” God will glorify Himself even by the tongues of His enemies!In this
hope let us setup our banners. The text introduces to our notice the eloquence
of our Lord Jesus Christ, and upon that topic we shall try to speak. Maythe
Holy Spirit enable us. We shall note first, the peculiar qualities of it, which
amply justified the praise of the constables;secondly, personalrecollections of
it, treasuredup by ourselves;and, thirdly, prophetic anticipations of the time
when our souls shall hear His voice yet more distinctly, and shall say again,
“Neverman spoke like this man.” I. Let us note the PECULIAR QUALITIES
of our Lord’s eloquence. As among kings He is the King of kings;as among
priests He is the greatHigh Priest; as among prophets He is the Messiah, and
so is He the Prince of preachers, the apostle of our profession. Theywho are
most excellentas preachers are those who are most like He; but even those
who by being most like He have become eminent, they are still far short of His
excellence. “His lips,” says the spouse, “are like lilies, dropping sweetsmelling
myrrh.” He is a prophet mighty in word and deed! To form a right conception
of our Lord’s ministry, it is necessaryto note the whole of it, and we may do
so without departing from the text. Though the officers did not hear all that
Jesus said, I have no doubt that the qualities which shone in His entire
ministry were many of them, apparent in the discourse whichHe delivered on
that particular occasion. Follow me, therefore, as I note the leading qualities
of His unrivalled eloquence. The mostcasualreaderof Christ’s discourses
would observe that their style is singularly clearand easyto understand, and
yet their matter is by no means trivial or superficial. Did ever man speak like

this man, Christ Jesus, forsimplicity? Little children gathered around Him,
for much of what He saidwas interesting even to them! If there was evera
difficult word in any of Christ’s discourses, it is because it must be there
owing to the faultiness of human language;but there is never a hard word
inserted for its own sake, where aneasierword could have been employed.
You never find Him, for the sake ofdisplay, speeding upon the wings of
rhetoric; He never gives forth dark sayings that His hearers may discoverthat
His learning is vast, and His thinking profound; He is profound, and in that
respect, “neverman spoke like this man.” He unveils the mysteries of God; He
brings to light the treasures of darkness ofthe ages pastwhich prophets and
kings desired to see, but into which they could not pry. There is, in His
teaching, a depth so vast that the greatesthuman intellect cannot fathom it;
and all the while He speaks like the “holy child Jesus”—inshort sentences,
with plain words. He speaks in parables with many illustrations of the most
homely kind—about eggs, andfish, and candles, and bushels, and sweeping
houses, and losing pieces of money, and finding sheep;He never paraded the
stale and mildewed metaphors of your mere rhetoricians—“rippling rills,
verdant meads, star-bespangledheavens,” andI know not what besides!The
hackneyedproperties of theatricalorations are not for Him—His speech
abounds in the true and most natural of images, and is ever constructednot to
display Himself, but to
Sermon #951 The Unrivalled Eloquence of Jesus
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make clearthe truth which He was sent to reveal. “Neverman spoke like this
man!” The common people with their common sense heard Him gladly, for
even if they could not always graspthe full compass ofHis teaching, yet upon
the surface of His plain speechthere glittered lumps of goldenore well worthy
to be treasuredup! Forthis quality our Savior, then, remains unrivalled,
easilyunderstood, yet profound. His speechhad this also about it that He
spoke with unusual Authority. He was a masterdogmatist. It was not “it may

be so,” or “it can be proven,” or “it is highly probable”; but “Verily, verily, I
say unto you.” And yet, side by side with this was an extraordinary degree of
humility. The Masterspoke dogmatically, but never with proud self-
sufficiency, after the manner of the children of conceit;He never pesteredyou
with assumptions of superiority, and claims to official dignity; He borrowed
no assistancefrom a priestly robe, or from an imposing title; meek He was as
Moses,but like MosesHe spoke the words of the Lord with absolute
authority. Lowly and gentle of heart, never extolling Himself, nor bearing
witness of Himself, for then, as He says, His witness would not be true, He was
nevertheless the unhesitating minister of righteousness, speaking with power,
because the Lord’s Spirit had anointed Him. Coming out of the ivory palaces,
fresh from the bosomof His Father, having lookedinto the unseen, and heard
the infallible oracle, He spoke not with bated breath, with hesitancyand
debate as the scribes and lawyers!He spoke not with arguments and
reasonings as the priests and Pharisees,creating perplexity and pouring
darkness upon human minds! “Verily, verily, I say unto you,” were His
favorite words. He spoke that He did know, and testified what He had seen,
and demanded to be acceptedas sentforth from the Father. He did not
debate, but declare;His sermons were not guesses, but testimonies;yet He
never magnifies Himself, He lets His works and His Father bearwitness of
Him; He asserts truth from His own positive knowledge, andbecause He has a
commissionfrom the Fatherto do so—but never as mere dogmatists do with
an extolling of their own selves, as though they were to be glorified, and not
the Godwho sent the truth, and the Spirit by whom it is applied. Further, in
our Lord’s preaching there was a wonderful combination of faithfulness with
tenderness. He was, indeed, the prince of faithful preachers. Noteven Nathan,
when He stoodbefore King David, and said, “You are the man,” could be
more true to human consciencethan Christ was. How those cutting words of
His must have felt, like rifle bullets when they were first hurled againstthe
respectability of the age, “Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees,hypocrites!”
“Woe unto you, lawyers,” andso forth. There was no mincing matters, no
winking at wickednessbecauseit happened to be associatedwith greatness, no
excusing sin because it put on the sanctimoniousness ofreligion! He neither
fawned on the great, nor pandered to the populace; Jesus reprovedall classes
to their faces concerning their sins; it never occurredto Him to seek to please

men—He lookedto the doing of His Father’s business, and since that business
often involved the laying of righteousness to the line, of judgment to the
plummet, He spared not to do it. Perhaps no preacher ever used more terrible
words with regard to the fate of the ungodly than our Lord has done; you
shall ransack evenmedieval records to find more fearfully suggestive
descriptions of the torments of hell; those awful sentences whichfell from the
lips of the friend of sinners prove that He was too much their friend to flatter
them; too much their friend to let them perish without a full warning of their
doom! And yet, though He thundered like His own chosenBoanerges, whata
Barnabas the Savior was!What a Son of Consolation!How gentle were His
words! He did not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax; for
the womantaken in adultery He had no word of curse;for the mothers of
Jerusalembringing their babies He had not a syllable of reprehension. Kind,
gentle, tender, loving—the speechwhich at one time sounded as the voice of
Jehovahwhich breaks the cedars ofLebanon, and makes the hinds to calve,
was at other seasonsmodulated to music, softenedto a whisper, and used to
cheerthe disconsolate, andbind up broken hearts. “Neverman spoke like this
man,” so faithful, and yet so tenderly affectionate, so mindful of the leastgood
which He could see in man, and yet so determined to smite hypocrisy
whereverHis Holy eyes could discoverit. You will observe in the Savior’s
preaching a remarkable mingling of zeal with prudence. He is full of feeling,
the zealof God’s house has eatenHim up; He never preacheda cold, dull
sermon in all His life; He was a pillar of light and fire; when He spoke, His
words burned their way into men’s minds by reasonof the sacredenthusiasm
with which He delivered them! And yet His fervor never degeneratedinto
wildfire like the zeal of ignorant and over-balancedminds. We know some
whose zeal, if tempered with knowledge, might be of use to the church, but
being altogetherwithout knowledge;it is dangerous both to themselves and to
their cause. Fanaticismmay spring out of a real desire for God’s glory; there
is, however, no need that earnestnessshoulddegenerate into rant. It never did
so in the Savior’s case. His zeal was red hot, but His prudence was calm and
cool. He was not afraid of the Herodians, but yet

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how quietly did He answerthem in that trap concerning tribute-money! They
would never forgetthe penny and the question, “Whose image and
superscription is this?” He was ready to meet the Sadducees atany time, but
He was on His guard, so that they could not entangle Him in His speech. He
was quite sure to escape their nets, and take them in their own craftiness. If a
question is asked, which for the moment He does not care to answer, He
knows how to ask them another question which they cannotanswer—and
send them about their business coveredwith shame. It is a grand thing when a
man can be warm and wise, when he can carry about him an unexcitable
temperament, and yet the force which excites others;unmoved himself, the
man of prudence becomes the power by which others are moved. Such was the
Savior, but I must not let that sentence ofmine pass unchallenged—in the
higher sense He was always more moved than the people, but I mean as to
temper and spirit He was not readily disturbed. He was self-possessed,
prudent, wise, and yet when He spoke He flashed, and burned, and blazed
with a sacredvehemence which showedthat His whole soul was on fire with
love to the souls of men! Zeal and prudence in remarkable proportions met in
Jesus!“Neverman spoke like this man.” So, too, everyone who has read our
Lord’s discourses andmarked His characterwill have perceivedthat love was
among the leading characteristicsofHis style as a preacher. He was full of
tenderness, brimming with sympathy, overflowing with affection;that
weeping over Jerusalem, whose children He would have gathered, was but one
instance of what happened many a time in His life; His heart sympathized
with sorrow wheneverHis eyes beheld it; He could not bear that the people
should be like sheepwithout a shepherd, and He workedmany deeds of
kindness, and said many words of instruction, because He loved them, but our
Savior’s speechwas never affectedand canting; He used no stale honey, there
was nothing of that; I do not know the word to use—that insincere sweetness,
which in some people is disgustingly perceptible. He was far removed from the
effeminacy which, in too many cases, passes forChristian love. I loathe in my
very soul the talk of those who call everybody, “dear” this, or “dear” that,
endearing those whom perhaps they never knew, and to whom they would not

give a sixpence if they needed it. I hate this sugarof lead, this spiritual billing
and cooing!Where there is the leastof the meat of true charity, we find most
of the parsley or the seeds which are used for garnishing; the bottle is empty,
and so they label it to make it pass for full. No, give me a man, give me a man!
Let me hear outspokenspeech, not effeminate canting, whining, and
pretended ecstasiesofaffection. In nine casesout of ten the biggestbigot in the
world is the man who preaches up liberality—and the man who can hate you
worstis he who addressesyou in softestphrases!No, let a man love me, but let
it be with the love of a man! Let no man castaside that which is masculine,
forcible, and dignified under the notion that he is making himself better by
becoming soft and babyish; it was never so with the Savior. He condemned
this or that evil in no measured terms; there was in Him no apologizing, no
guarding of expressions, no fawning, and no using of soft words. They who are
shakenwith the wind and affectflattering phrases stand in kings’ palaces,but
He, the people’s preacher, one chosenout of the people, dwelt among the
many, a man among men! He was manly all through; love in Him abounded,
love unsurpassed, but also manliness of the noble sort. Far above the petty
arts of professionalorators, andthe shallow arguments of thinkers, His
teaching dealt out truth with courageousfidelity, and generous affection. He
held His ownposition, but trampled on none; He committed Himself to no
man, but He was willing to bless every man; His love was no imitation, but a
solid ingot of the gold of Ophir. No one else in this matter has so exactly
struck the balance, and therefore, “Neverman spoke like this man.” One
memorable characteristic ofour Lord’s preaching was His remarkable
commingling of the excellenceswhichare found separatelyin His servants.
You know, perhaps, a preacherwho is admirable when he addresses the
mind; he canexplain and expound very logicallyand clearly—andyou feel
that you have been instructed whenever you have sat under him. But the light,
though clear, is coldlike moonlight—and when you retire, you feel that you
know more, but yet are none the better for what you know! It would be wellif
those who can enlighten the head so well would remember that man also has a
heart! On the other hand we know others whose whole ministry is addressed
to the passions and the emotions; during a sermon you shed any quantity of
tears, you pass through a furnace of sensation, but as to what is left which is
calculatedpermanently to benefit you—it is difficult to discover!When the

sermon is over, the showerand the sunshine have both departed, the fair
rainbow has disappearedfrom sight, and what remains? It would be well if
those who always talk to the heart remembered that men have heads as well!
Now the Saviorwas a preacherwhose head was in His heart, and whose heart
was in His head; He never addressedthe emotions except by motives which
commended themselves to the reason;nor did He instruct the mind without at
the same time influencing the heart and conscience. Our
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Savior’s poweras a speakerwas comprehensive;He awakenedthe
conscience—who more than He? With but a single sentence He convicted
those who came to tempt Him, so that beginning with the eldest, and ending
with the youngest, they all went out ashamed! But He was not one who merely
opened wounds—a cutter and a killer. He was equally greatin the art of holy
consolation!With intonations of matchless music He could say, “Go your way,
your sins, which are many, are forgiven you.” He knew how to console a
weeping friend as well as to confront a boisterous enemy; His superiority was
felt by all sorts of men; His artillery struck at all ranges. His mind was equal
to all emergencies;it was for good, like the sword of the cherubim at the gates
of Eden for evil; it turned every way to keepthe gates of life open for those
who would gladly enter there. My brothers and sisters, I have entered upon a
theme which is boundless! I merely touch some of the outer skirts of my
Master’s robes;as for Himself, if you would know how He spoke, you must
hear Him! One of the ancients was likely to say that he could have wished to
have seenRome in its entire splendor, to have been with Paul in all his labors,
and to have heard Christ when preaching. Surely it were worth worlds but
once to have caught the sound of that serene, soul-stirring voice—to have
beheld for once the glance ofthose matchless eyes as they lookedthrough the
heart, and that heavenly countenance as it glowedwith love! His eloquence
had, however, this, for its main aspect—thatit concernedthe greatesttruths

that were ever made manifest to man; He brought light and immortality to it;
He clearedup what had been doubtful; He resolved that which had been
mysterious; He declaredthat which is gracious, that which saves the soul, and
glorifies God. No preacherwas ever laden with so divine a messageas Christ.
We who bring the same glad tidings bring the news as secondhand, and but in
part; He came forth from the Father’s bosomwith the whole truth of God,
and, therefore, “Neverman spoke like this man.” II. Secondly, let us try to
awakenin the saints some PERSONALRECOLLECTIONSofthe Savior’s
eloquence. Lend me your memories, you people of God! Do you remember
when you first heard Him Speak? We shall not talk of words which cleave the
air, but of those Spirit-words which thrill the heart, and move the soul. Follow
me then, and recallto fondest memory His words of pity, of which I may truly
say, “Neverman spoke to me like this man.” It was in the dim dawning of my
spiritual life, before it was yet light, before the sun had fully risen; I felt my
sin, I grieved beneath its weight; I despaired, I was ready to perish; and then
He came to me! Well do I remember accents whichthen I scarcelycould
understand, which nevertheless cheeredmy spirit. They sounded like these,
“Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest.” “Him that comes to Me I will in no wise castout.” Soft and sweetwere
the t ones, and tremulous with fond anxiety; they came as from one who had
bled and died. Do you remember when you also heard them? I do not mean
when you heard them from the pulpit, from the minister, but in your heart—
from Gethsemane, the cross, andthe throne! It was sweetto know that Jesus
pitied you; you were not saved, and you were afraid that you never might be,
for the sea workedand was tempestuous, but He said, “It is I, be not afraid.”
You beganto perceive that there was mercy if you could getit—that one
tender heart felt for you, one strong arm was ready to help you. You could no
longerlament, “No man cares formy soul,” for you perceivedthat there was a
Savior, and a greatone! Those were sweetsounds that now and then were
heard above the tumultuous deep which calledunto deep at the noise of God’s
waterspouts. None else everspoke as He did! Do you remember how in those
days you heard His voice with words of persuasion? You had often heard
gospelinvitations as the call of man, but then they came to you as the voice of
God heard in the silence of your heart, saying, “Turn you, turn you, why will
you die, O house of Israel?” “Come now, and let us reasontogether:though

your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;though they are red
like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Do you remember how they followedone
another, eachword suiting your particular condition, and having still
accumulatedpower over your mind? Did not Jesus oftenseemto say to you,
“Yield now, poor sinner; castawayyour weapons ofrebellion; destroynot
your own soul! Look unto Me and be saved, for I have loved you and made
atonement for your sins”? Those were marvelous pleadings which at last won
your heart by force of love! You had many reasons to resistthose persuasions,
and you did resistthem for a while; and like the spouse in the Canticle, you
permitted the lover of your soul to wait outside your door, and say, “Open to
Me, My head is wet with dew, and My locks with the drops of the night.” Yet
you found it hard to resist Him, for the persuasions of His love were mighty
upon you as He drew you with cords of love, with bands of a man, until you
could hold out no longer.
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Beloved, you surely callto mind when the words of persuasionwere by-and-
by followedwith words of power! “Neverman spoke like this man,” when He
said to my darkenedsoul, “Let there be light,” well do I remember that
admonition, “Arise, shine, for your light is come. Awake, you who sleep, and
arise from the dead and Christ shall give you light.” Do you remember when
He passedby and saw you in your blood, and said to you, “Live,” and castthe
skirts of covenantlove over you, and washedyou, and made you clean, and
laid you in His bosom, and made you His forever? “Neverman spoke like this
man.” Do you remember when He made all your darkness and sorrow to pass
awayas in a moment by saying to you, “I am your salvation”? Have you
forgottenthat word of pardon? I cannever forgetit— even if I outlive
Methuselah, it must still remain green in my memory! The words came with
powerwhen I lookedto the cross, and heard the absolving words, “Your sins
are forgiven you.” “Neverman spoke like this man.” No priest cangive an

awakenedconscience rest, norany other, exceptthe greatHigh Priest, Jesus,
Melchisedec, the sinner’s pardoner; no words of hope, nor thoughts of
consolationcanever breed such peace within the spirit as the blood of Jesus
brings when it speaks within the heart far better things than that of Abel! It
reconciles us unto our God and so gives perfectpeace. Since the time when
first we heard His pardoning voice, we, many a time have heard Him speaking
with right royal words, and we have said, “Neverman spoke like this man.”
How sweetit has been to sit in the assembly of the saints when the gospelhas
been His word to our souls! Oh, the marrow and the fatness, the feastof fat
things, of fat things full of marrow which we have fed upon when the King has
satat the table! When our Belovedspeaks His word of promise, how has it
revived our drooping spirit! It came as dew upon the tender herb; it touched
our lips as a coalfrom off the altar; it gave us healing, consolation, joy.
Beloved, cannotyou look back to many instances when you had no food for
your soul but the promise; when your soulknew no music but the word of His
love? BlestMaster, speak to me thus evermore— “Eachmoment draw from
earth awayMy heart, that lowly waits Your call. Speak to my inmost soul, and
say, ‘I am your love, your God, your all!’ To feel Your power, to hear Your
voice, To taste Your love, is all my choice.” And when you have enjoyed His
presence in your solitude, have had communion with Him, and He has
revealedHis ancient, His unchanging, His never-ending, His boundless love to
you—have you not prized His words far above the choicestjoys of earth?
When you have confessedyour sins with penitent sorrow, and He has given
back the word of full remission;when you have revealedyour sorrow, and
receivedthe assuranceofHis tender sympathy; when you have laid bare your
weakness,and receivedthe word that strengthens—have you not been ready
to challenge all heaven to compare with Him, and exclaimed, “Neverman
spoke like this man”? To those who are unbelievers, and to those professors
who live at a distance from Christ, this will sound like mere fancy, but believe
me, it is not so!If there is anything real beneath the skies, it is the communion
which Christ has with His people by His Spirit. “Truly our fellowship is with
the Father, and with His Son, Jesus Christ.” We hear His voice, though not
with these ears, and we so hear it as to know it, as sheepdiscern their
shepherd’s voice;and a strangerwe will not follow, for we know not the voice
of strangers. Our ears being opened by the Spirit, we at this hour can say, “I

sleep, but my heart wakes. Itis the voice of my Beloved, my soul melts while
He speaks.”Now, my dear friends, there are some words of our Saviorspoken
long ago, which, since we have known Him have been so quickenedby His
presence that we number them from now on among personal recollections.
That word, “I have loved you with an everlasting love”; it is true it is written
in the Bible, an old, old saying, but I cansay, and so canmany of you, that it
has been a new saying to me. We have by faith been enabledto hear it as
spokento us, and the Spirit of the blessedGod has so brought it home to our
hearts that it is as if Christ had never said it before, but had spokenit to us
personally. Yes, “I have loved you with an everlasting love.” There are many
here who have heard Him say, “I have chosenyou, and not castyou away.”
The Spirit of God has made many an ancient saying a speechfrom the living
Jesus to us. Those words of His when He said, “Lo, I come:in the volume of
the book it is written of Me, I delight to do Your will, O My God”—ourfaith
has stoodat Bethlehem’s manger and we have seenthe body prepared for
Him, and Himself putting on the form of a servant. His coming to seek and to
save that which was lost has become a personalcoming to us, and we have
rejoicedin it exceedingly! Has not the voice which came of old from the sea
when He said, “It is I, be not afraid,” been a voice to you? And the voice from
Jerusalem, “How often would I have gatheredyou”—has it never bewailed
the
7
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perishing ones around you? The voice from Bethany, “I am the resurrection
and the life”—has it never been heard at the burial of your brother; the voice
from the table when He washedHis disciples’feet, and bade them washone
another’s feet—has it not excited you to humble service of the brethren? Have
we not againand againheard the cry of Gethsemane, “Notas I will, but as
You will”? I cannot convince myself that I did not actually hearthe Redeemer
say that! At any rate, I have rejoicedwhen in the spirit of resignationthe echo

of it has been heard in my own spirit. Do I not this very day hear Him saying,
though long ago He spoke it, “Father, forgive them for they know not what
they do”? His intercessionformy guilty soul; what is it but the continuance of
that gentle prayer? And for certainthat last concluding sentence, “Itis
finished,” “consummatum est”—my ears may not have heard it, but my soul
hears it now, and rejoices to repeatthe words!Who shall lay anything to my
charge since Christ has consummated my deliverance from death, hell, sin,
and brought in a perfect righteousness forme? Yes, these old sayings of
Christ heard years ago we have heard in spirit, and our witness is after
hearing them all, “Neverman spoke like this man.” None canbe compared
with Him at their best; His ministers cannot rival Him—they do but echo His
speech!III. I shall close by mentioning certain PROPHETIC
ANTICIPATIONS which lodge in our souls with regard to that eloquence in
the future. Brothers and sisters, you have heard the voice of Jesus, but are
you expecting to still hear it? As long as ever you live you are to speak for
Jesus—butyour hope for His kingdom does not lie in your speechbut in His
voice. Brothers, He can speak to the heart, He can make the truth which you
only utter to the earpenetrate to the mind and heart! We expectthat our
exalted Lord will speak before long with louder voice than before; the gospel
chariot lags awhile;as yet He goes notforth conquering and to conquer, but
He will yet gird His sword upon His thigh, and His voice shall be heard
marshalling His hosts for the battle! Let but Christ give the word, and the
company of them that shall publish it shall be exceedinglygreat;let Him send
forth the word of His might from Zion, and thousands shall be born in a day!
Yes, nations shall be born at once!The electof God, today apparently but few,
shall come out from their hiding places, and Christ shall see of the travail of
His soul and be satisfied. Despite the melancholy belief of some that the world
will come to an end with a defeatedGod, and with only a few saved, I
nevertheless am certainthat Scripture warrants brighter hopes! One day “the
knowledge ofthe Lord shall coverthe earth as the waters coverthe sea.” “The
glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together,” this we
know, for God has said it! In all things Christ shall have the pre-eminence,
and therefore in the matter of souls savedHe will have the pre-eminence over
Satan, and the souls who are lost. O for an hour of that voice of the Lord
which is full of majesty, that voice which breaks the cedars ofLebanon, and

makes them to skip like a calf—Lebanonand Sirion like a young unicorn!
When shall the voice of the Lord shake the wilderness of Kadesh and discover
the forests? It shall yet be heard, and in His temple shall everyone speak of
His glory, for the Lord sits upon the flood, yes, the Lord sits King forever!
Have hope, then; let your anticipations be of brighter times, for He will
speak—He who shakes bothheaven and earth when He wills it; and when He
speaks, youwill say, “Neverman spoke like this man.” We expectpersonally
for ourselves, if Jesus comes notbefore we depart, to hear Him speak sweetly
to us in the hour of death. Talk of it solemnly and softly, for put it in whatever
light you may, it is dread work to die. But when we lie a dying, and the sounds
of earth are shut out from the lone chamber, and the voice of affectionis
drowned in mournful sobs, then Jesus will come and make our bed, and speak
as never man spoke, saying “Fearnot, I am with you; be not dismayed, I am
your God; when you pass through the rivers I will be with you, the floods shall
not overflow you.” Dying Christians, by the songs which they have lifted up,
and by the joy which has sparkled from their eyes have proven that the voice
of Jesus is such that, “Neverman spoke like this man.” O beloved, what will
that voice be to our disembodied spirits when our souls shall leave this clay
and fly through tracks unknown to see the Savior? I know not with what
words of welcome He may address us then; He may reserve His choicest
utterances for the day of His appearing, but He will not take us into His
bosom without a love word, nor receive us into our quiet resting places
without a cordial commendation. What must it be to see His face, to hear His
voice in heaven? Then shall we know that, “Neverman spoke like this man.”
And then when the time ordained of old is fulfilled; when the day comes that
the dead shall hear the voice of God; when the resurrection and the life shall
speak with trumpet tones, and the righteous shall be raised from their
graves—oh, then it will be seen, as they all obey the quickening word, that
“Never
8

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man spoke like this man.” He who speaks the resurrectionword is man as well
as God. “As by man came death, by man came also the resurrectionfrom the
dead.” And then, when you and I shall be at His right hand; when the body
and soul reunited shall receive the final award, and He shall say in inimitable
tones, “Come, you blessedof My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for
you from before the foundation of the world,” we shall not need to say, “Never
man spoke like this man.” When we, with Him, shall enter into the everlasting
rest; when He shall deliver up the mediatorial kingdom to God, even the
Father, and God shall be all in all, we, in the retrospectof all He saidon earth,
and said in heaven, we in the constant hearing of His voice who shall wearHis
priesthood perpetually, looking still like a lamb that has been slain—we shall
then bear fullest witness that, “Neverman spoke like this man.” Mark well,
my hearers, that in such confessioneverysoul of you will have to unite; you
may live enemies to Christ, and you may die strangers to Him, but that,
“Neverman spoke like this man,” you shall be made to feel! If today you will
not acknowledgethat His mercy to you is unbounded, that His condescension
in inviting you to come to Him today is worthy of loving admiration; if you
will not yield, but shut your ears to the invitation of His mercy when He says,
“Come unto Me, and I will give you rest,” yet at the last, an unwilling assent
to our text will be wrung from you when He shall say, “Depart, you cursed,
into everlasting fire in hell, prepared for the devil and his angels”;the
thunder of that word shall so torment you, the terror of His speechshallso
shake you, and utterly dissolve you, that you shall feel, wondering all the while
that it was a man who could speak thus, that, “Neverman spoke like this
man.” You have sometimes upbraided the preacherfor speaking too
severely—youwill then know that he was not severe enough! You have
sometimes marvelled that the minister should give such fearful descriptions of
God’s wrath to come—youthought he went too far, but when the pit of hell
opens wide her mouth, and the devouring flames leap up to devour you at the
word of the once crucified Savior, then you will say, for terror and for wrath,
for overwhelming horror—“Neverman spoke like this man.” The lips that
said “Come, you weary,” shallsay, “Depart, you cursed,” in tones which none
but such lips could give forth! Love once made angry turns to wrath, intense

and terrible! Oil is soft, but how fiercely it burns! Beware, lestHis angeris
kindled againstyou, for it will burn even to the lowesthell! The Lamb of God
is as a lion to those who reject His love; provoke Him no longer!May the Holy
Spirit bow you to repentance!God grant that in a far happier sense than this
last, you may learn to say, “Neverman spoke like this man.” But one way or
other, every soul here, and every soulof womanborn, shall acknowledgethat,
“Neverman spoke like this man.” To GodI commend you. Farewell.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
The Incomparable Words
John 7:46
J.R. Thomson
The testimony of these officers was atleastimpartial. If they were prejudiced,
it was not in favour of Jesus, but againsthim. Persons in their position were
likely to share the feelings of those by whom they were employed, and by
whom they were sent on a messagehostile to the Prophet of Nazareth. But the
demeanour, and especiallythe language, of Jesus disarmedthem. They came
under the spell of his wisdom, his grace, his eloquence. And when they
returned, without having executed their commission, they justified themselves
by the exclamation, "Neverman spake like this Man."
I. CHRIST'S WORDS ARE INCOMPARABLE AS REVELATIONS OF
TRUTH. He uttered the justest, the sublimest truths regarding the character
and attributes of God; concerning the nature, the state, the sin, the peril of
man; concerning religion, or the relation betweenman and God, especially

concerning the Divine provision of salvation, and of spiritual and immortal
life.
II. CHRIST'S WORDS ARE INCOMPARABLE AS ANNOUNCING LAWS
OF HUMAN LIFE. Where else can we find perfect precepts to govern
conduct, dictates of morality so spiritual, motives to obedience so mighty?
Christ's are the authoritative words of a Divine Lawgiver, who claims to rule
the hearts, and, through the hearts, the actions and habits of mankind.
III. CHRIST'S WORDS ARE INCOMPARABLE IN THEIR STYLE AND
THEIR ILLUSTRATIONS, ADAPTING THEM TO READERS OF EVERY
CLASS. They are simple words, howeverprofound may be the truth they
embody; they are beautiful words, which charm a pure and lively
imagination; they are earnestwords, which rouse emotion and inspire a
reverent attention. This is evident both from the place they have takenin
literature, and from the fact that they are equally appreciatedby the young
and the old, by the cultured and the untaught.
IV. CHRIST'S WORDS ARE INCOMPARABLE IN EFFICIENCY. This is
the true test, and this test brings out the unequalled powerof the words,
which are mighty because they are the expressionof the Divine mind.. Many
of our Lord's sayings might be quoted, which have, as a matter of fact,
revolutionized the thoughts and doctrines of millions of men. Some of the
greatestreforms in human societymay be tracedup with certainty to words
uttered by the Nazarene.
V. CHRIST'S WORDS ARE INCOMPARABLE FOR THEIR ENDURING,
PERMANENTLIFE AND INFLUENCE. The words of many wise,
thoughtful, and goodmen have perished. There are words which are full of
meaning and preciousness forone generation, but which fail to affectthe
generations whichfollow. But Christ's words are treasured with increasing
reverence and attachment by succeeding generations.His ownsaying is
verified by the lapse of time. "Heavenand earth shall pass away, but my
words shall not pass away." - T.

Biblical Illustrator
On the last day, that greatday of the feast.
John 7:37-52
Jesus the Christ
S. S. Times.
I. PROFFERINGBLESSINGS.
1. Waterfor the thirsty (ver. 37; Exodus 17:6; Numbers 20:11; Psalm78:15,
20; Psalm105:41;Matthew 5:6).
2. Usefulness for the believing (ver. 38; Proverbs 4:23; Proverbs 18:4; Acts
4:20; Romans 14:7; 1 Corinthians 6:20; James 3:10).
3. Divine aid for men (ver. 39;Isaiah 44:3; Joel2:28; Zechariah12:10; John
16:7; Acts 2:33; Philippians 2:13).
II. AWAKENING THOUGHT.

1. The prophet (ver. 40;Deuteronomy 18:15, 18; John 1:21; John 6:14; Acts
3:23; Acts 7:37).
2. The Christ (ver. 41; Matthew 16:16; Mark 14:61;Luke 4:41; Luke 22:67;
John 1:41; John 4:29).
3. The seedof David (.ver. 42; Isaiah11:1; Jeremiah 33:22;Luke 1:69;
Romans 1:3; 2 Timothy 2:8; Revelation5:5).
III. BAFFLING FOES.
1. Bitter enemies (ver. 44; Matthew 21:46; Mark 11:18;Luke 19:47;Luke
20:19;John 7:19, 30).
2. Perplexedofficials (ver. 46;Matthew 7:28; Matthew 27:22, 24;Mark 15:14;
Luke 23:22; Acts 23:9).
3. Raging Pharisees(ver. 47; Luke 5:30; Luke 6:7; Luke 7:30; John 7:32;
John 11:47; Acts 23:9).
(S. S. Times.)
Jesus the Christ
A. H. Moment, D. D.
I. JESUS'CLAIM TO DIVINE FULNESS (vers. 37-39).
1. It was tabernacles. The lastday had come. It was Sabbath. All hearts
overflowedwith joy. With waterfrom Siloahthe priest came, pouring it upon
the altar in the presence of all the people. That waterwas a symbol of
salvation(Isaiah 12:3). Seeing it, Jesus makes, regarding Himself, this
proclamation: "If any man thirst, let Him come unto Me and drink." How
emphatic the word "thirst!" It means all the needs of the soul and the deep
cravings of mankind. The word "drink" is equally strong. Jesus here offers
Himself as a complete satisfactionto man. The claim here set forth is one and
the same thing with Isaiah55:1. The same personspeaks in both places. Jesus
thus declares Himself to be God, i.e., the Christ.

2. The same thing is claimed in ver. 38. The believer, having receivedJesus,
becomes himself a fountain of eternal life — rather is he a channel through
which the grace ofGod flows to bless other hearts. This is the effectof the
regenerating and sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. This Spirit is securedfor
the sinful world by the atonement of Jesus Christ. The cross has two sides —
one turned towards God the Father, reconciling Him to man a sinner; the
other turned towards man, securing for him the Holy Ghost. Under these two
aspects Christ's sacrifice is always presentedin the Bible. It is to the lastof
these that vers. 38, 39 refer. Hence Jesus declares Himselfthe Christ.
II. THE PEOPLE CLAIM JESUS AS CHRIST (vers. 40-44).
1. Some declaredthat He was "The Prophet" (Deuteronomy18:15). The
person here spokenofwas held by the Jews to be the coming Messiah(Acts
3:22, 23).
2. Others bolder, pronouncing His name: "This is the Christ" (ver. 41).
3. A third party, while they seemingly rejectedHim, bore a testimony to His
being the true Messiah(vers. 41, 42). He had both the lineage and birthplace
which they required to convince them. Only their own ignorance stoodin the
way. Observe:(1) It was Christ's strong claim regarding Himself that won
Him confessors. So in teaching, we must present the truth in strong terms,
leaving results with the truth itself.(2)A little ignorance oftenprevents men
from receiving the gospel(ver. 42).(3)Anything for an excuse is the motto of
some persons. The cry now is, "He is a Galilean!" If not this, then something
else, equally untrue.(4) The plain teaching of the Word is apt to attract the
attention of all and cause divisions among the people (ver. 43). Nothing is
talkedabout so much as Christianity.(5) No one can damage the truth, except
so far as God gives him permission, and then it is for a wise purpose, as the
future will show (vers. 32, 44). His hour did come. Then He was crucified. The
greatestcrime securedthe world the greatestblessing!
III. THE OFFICERS CLAIM JESUS AS CHRIST (vers. 45-49). Their
testimony in His behalf is containedin ver. 46. It was the same as saying: "His
speaking is that of a Divine person." Those hard men, that went to arrest
Him, were overcome by the love shownin His speech;by the truth which

impressed them; by the persuasionHis words carried with them and by His
authority as a teacher. These allwere so marked that, returning, His enemies
had to declare. "Neverman so spake" — none, save God, could show such
love, truth, persuasionand authority.
1. These are all divine qualities, man having them in proportion as he is
"endued with power from on high."
2. The gospelhas these four greatelements — Love, Truth, Persuasion, and
Authority.
3. Those who will not receive the gospelpronounce such testimony as this
"deception" (ver. 47). The belief of the humble-hearted is foolishness unto the
intellectual-proud (Vers. 48, 49).
IV. Nicodemus claims Him to be Christ (vers. 50-53). The charge againstJesus
by the Pharisees wasthat He claimed to be from God, the true Messiah.
Nicodemus virtually said this: "You have not disproved this claim; nothing
has been done to prove the falsity of Jesus'words" (ver. 51). He might have
made His testimony stronger. We must remember that a secretdisciple is not
bold in word or deed. The reply of the Pharisees was weak,showing that their
cause was basedon ignorance and prejudice (ver. 52). Such is the cause of
unbelief to-day.
(A. H. Moment, D. D.)
If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink
The thirst of humanity anticipated and met
T. Binney.
On the last day of the feastof tabernacles the priests stoodnear the altar and
poured waterover it copiouslyfrom large capaciousvessels. Perhaps the day
took its name "the great day" from that circumstance. It was a symbolicalact
intended to connect itself with the predictions that in the days of the Messiah
God would pour out His Spirit, and was something like a prayer that they

might live to see those days and share that blessing. It was our Lord's custom
to connectHis teaching with occurrencesbefore Him, and so, perhaps
pointing to that act, He said, "If any man," etc., proclaiming His Messiahship.
I. HUMANITY IS THE .SUBJECTOF INTENSE SPIRITUAL DESIRES.
We know how intense the animal appetite of "thirst" may become. How
terrible it has been in the burning desert or the besiegedcityi That is here
takento indicate the characterof spiritual desire, and is an ordinary
rhetoricalfigure used by our poets and philosophers when they speak of the
thirst of gold, ambition, etc. But Christ offers no drink for the appetites or
passions.
1. There is the thirst of the intellect — the desire for truth. It is very
wonderful how soonthe mind of a child will begin to speculate aboutthe
mystery of life, of death, of God, and the soul.
2. There is the thirst of consciencein two forms.(1) There is the consciousness
of moral weakness. A man feels the moral obligationhe is under, sees the
beauty of duty, has a conviction of right, but a sense of infirmity of purpose —
makes his strong resolutions and scatters them the next day. And so the moral
nature thirsts for strength to perform.(2) The conscienceis burdened by a
sense ofsin, and yearns for its forgiveness andremoval. This has given rise to
priests. The people create the priests. No priesthood ever yet originated itself
for the purpose of trampling on the people.
3. There is the thirst of the heart: not merely a desire for happiness. You are
made for something greaterthan that. There is a thirst in looking at the
dislocationof things around us. What tears of soul bereavementand pain let
out the waters of bitterness in times of darkness I So the soul wants something
to rest upon, to feel that we are not in a neglectedand fatherless world.
II. JESUS CHRIST IN THE GOSPELMEETS THESE DIVERSIFIED
WANTS.
1. Christianity professesto be a revelationof spiritual truth. It interprets
nature and adds communications of its own about all that it is necessaryfor us
to know.

2. Christianity meets the thirst of consciencein a specialway.(1)By the
revelation of the Personof Christ. The gospeldoes not come as a systemof
thought, nor are its preachers philosophers;it presents a Saviour, through
whom we may obtain forgiveness ofsins.(2) Connectedwith this is the mission
of the Spirit to renew, to strengthenthe will, to purify the affections, to make
duty a delight, and bring the whole man into harmony with duty and God
(Romans 8:3-4).
3. Christianity meets the thirst of the heart by providing a large measure of
rational and manly happiness, and that in two ways.(1)By the life of faith —
faith as a daily habit, looking to God in all things; and along with that it gives
spiritual consolationand grace.(2)Bythe characterit creates andsustains,
delivering us from the torments which attend passion, sin, disharmony with
God.
III. CHRIST NOT ONLY MEETS THE THIRST OF HUMANITY, BUT IS
URGENT TO MEET IT. "Let Him come." Do not mystify yourselves with the
metaphysics of the Divine decrees.TakeChrist in His plain utterances and
remember that secretthings belong unto God. He says, "if any man will, let
Him come" — believe in His honesty of purpose, and that He means what He
says, "It is not the will of my Fatherthat one of these little ones should
perish." "You may perish, but that will be from your own acts, not God's."
IV. CHRIST IN MEETING THIS THIRST DOES OF SET PURPOSE
MAKE US A BLESSING TO OTHERS. "Out of Him shall flow," etc.
(T. Binney.)
Thirst relieved
G. Clayton.
"A word spokenin seasonhow goodit is!" Much of the force of an
observationdepends upon its being well-timed. The orators of Greece and
Rome attended to this. But there was One who "spake as neverman spake,"
who seizedall occasions. Here is an instance of it.

I. THE APPETITE SUPPOSED.
1. Let us accountfor it. When man proceededfrom the hand of God he was a
strangerto thirst. He was formed for the enjoyment of God, and God became
the source ofhis enjoyment. Then he was in his element. But sin has removed
man from the fountain, and he now wanders through a parched wilderness.
"My people have committed two evils," etc.
2. Its nature. It includes —(1) Want and emptiness. The mind has an aching
void. We might as well expectlight in a beam cut off from the sun, the source
of all radiance, as expectsatisfactionofmind without God.(2) Restlessness —
the fever of the mind. Hence the anxiety of change, "seeking restand finding
none."(3)Misery. Disappointed in the objects ofpursuit men turn awayin
disgust, saying, "miserable comforters are ye all." Hence despondencyand
suicide.
3. Its universal prevalence. It is felt more or less intensely, but none are
strangers to it.(1) The inquiries of men prove this. "Who will show us any
good."(2)The pursuits of men prove this. The toils of the studious, the
slumbers of the voluptuary, the cell of the hermit, the hoards of the miser,
all.say, "I thirst."(3) The regrets of men prove this. "Vanity of vanities," etc.
II. THE SATISFACTION PREPARED.
1. The person who offers the refreshment. The eternal Son of God who
became man, to die for sin and rise and ascendinto heaven to "receive gifts
for men," even the Holy Spirit. The "living water." Christhas the Spirit
without measure for the enlightenment and salvationof men. Here is all that
can satisfythe thirsty, soul — pardon for the guilty, liberty for the enslaved,
peace for the distracted, and finally heaven.
2. The means of getting the living water. Note —(1) the approach of faith, "let
him come."(2)The applicationof faith "drink."
III. THE EXTENT OF THE INVITATION. "If any man."

1. As to character. There is no description of the persons invited. "If any
man," be he who he may, whatever his age, country, condition. This is better
than any specificationofname, for others might bear the same.
2. As to the simplicity of the qualification. All men thirst. Don't sayI am not
thirsty enough. If you thirst at all you are meant.
3. As to the sincerity of the Inviter. Can we doubt this? Is He not able, and
willing to relieve us.Conclusion:
1. Learn why Christ is imperfectly appreciated — because men do not realize
their moral condition.
2. If this is not assuagedhere it never will be in eternity. Readthe parable of
the rich man.
(G. Clayton.)
Rivers of living water
J. Riddell, M. A.
1. These words were spokenon the last day of the feast — therefore on the last
opportunity for doing goodto that multitude. The dispersion of a mighty
crowdis always affecting, as we forecastthat it is a final parting with some,
and see in it a foreshadowing ofthat lastseparation. Our Lord was sensitive to
such feelings, and could not suffer the vast assemblageto break up without
giving them something which might revealitself in their hearts when far from
the excitementof the city.
2. It was the greatday, when, after the solemnities of the previous week and
their august associations and suggestions,all susceptible souls would be open
to elevatedthoughts. So Jesus, seizing the moment when the metal was molten
to give His own impress to it, cried, "If any man," etc.
3. Christ's gift is living waters. He speaks to us as subject to desires for which
nature has made no provision, and offers Himself as a fountain of relief and
eternal satisfaction. His words sweepthe entire circle of humanity, for every

man thirsts. The only question is, Can His religion do what everything else
confessedlyfails to do? "Yes," saidJesus. The Holy Spirit as given by Him is
as rivers of living water, because —
I. THE SPIRIT IS THE CHANNEL OF GOD'S LOVE TO SOULS.
1. Man thirsts for love. It is the nobleness of our nature that food and raiment
and gross pleasures do not satisfy it. What makes childhood's blessedness,but
that its whole atmosphere is love? Yet how far all human love comes shortof
satisfying our craving all know. But let a man be thoroughly certified that
God loves him to save him, and that every moment he has accessto God to tell
Him all his griefs, what a river of refreshment must this love prove in his
heart.
2. God's love to us is His love in Christ — love, the most ample in its measure,
the most intense in its power, the most complete in its adjustments to our
condition. But it is not this love in a book that will give us relief. The
testimony of the Book must be transferred to the heart to become a living
reality there. The Spirit adds nothing to its dimensions, but makes it approved
and acceptedto the soul. Divine love is the sovereignelement of all
blessedness:Christ is the Divine Vesselholding that love which flows over
with sweetwaters, but it is the Spirit which witnessesofthis to the soul.
II. THE SPIRIT IS THE CREATOR OF BLESSED AFFECTIONSIN THE
SOUL. "Shall be in Him." Man thirsts for an inward blessedness.Notin his
circumstances but in his heart, in noble views, pure affections, generous
aspirations, lies the true well-being of man. He may have millions and yet be
haunted with fears of starvation. He may allow himself every luxury, and yet
his soulbe a level of monotonous wretchedness. Malignantself-centred
passions are the fever of the soul. Place a man amidst the splendours of
royalty, and a jealous spirit will make him miserable. It is from a right state of
the heart that its blessednessmust flow; therefore the true salvationof man is
not outward but inward. It has its outward elements in an alterationof man's
relation to God; but what were it worth for the outcastto be delivered from
his rags and poverty, and be receivedback if he retained all the evil passions
which ruined him? He must become an altered man to become blessed. All

experience and Scripture bear witness that this is a work not for man but for
the Spirit of God. It is the almighty spirit of love, whose living waters flowing
into the heart destroyits bitterness and impurity, and make it a fountain of
brightness.
III. THE SPIRIT IS THE POWER OF SPIRITUAL COMMUNICATION.
1. As the waters ofa fountain gush forth by their own pleasure, so do the
living waters of spiritual life impart themselves to all around. Every refreshed
soul is constituted a well of refreshment, like a fertile spot in the wilderness.
How is this done? By the gifts and service which it prompts. WheneverHe is
in the heart, our families, neighbourhoods, churches will be refreshed.
Stagnantwaters which have no outlet become corrupt and bitter like the Dead
Sea.
2. Man thirsts for successful, usefulaction. You are not content with the result
which your daily calling gives you. Without despising common duties, you feel
that you were made for nobler things. Well, the noblest course is open to all.
You need not acquire rank or money. If renewedby the Spirit, you can make
your course as a shining river. No other life is worth living: all other is vanity
and vexation.
3. This blessednessandusefulness must be habitual, a river not a brook.
Nothing can be more remote from the true idea of the Holy Spirit than
transcient excitement. Conclusion:
1. This gift of the Spirit is acquired by faith. "Coming" is "believing."
2. This gift assumes different forms in different believers.
3. This gift every believer is bound to use.
(J. Riddell, M. A.)
The incident
A. Edersheim, D. D.

While the morning sacrifice was being prepared, a priest, accompaniedby a
joyous processionwith music, went down to the pool of Siloam, whence he
drew waterinto a golden pitcher capable of holding three log (rather more
than two pints). But on the Sabbath they fetched the waterfrom a golden
vesselin the Temple itself, into which it had been carriedfrom Siloamon the
preceding day. At the same time that the processionstartedfor Siloam,
another went to a place in the Kedron valley, close by, called Motza, whence
they brought willow branches, which, amid the blasts of the priests' trumpets,
they stuck on either side of the altar of burnt offering, bending them over
toward it so as to form a kind of leafy canopy. Then the ordinary sacrifice
proceeded, the priest who had gone to Siloam so timing it that he returned
just as his brethren carriedup the pieces of the sacrifice to lay them on the
altar. As he entered by the "water-gate," whichobtained its name from this
ceremony, he was receivedby a threefold blast from the priests'trumpets.
The priests then went up the rise of the altar and turned to the left, where
there were two silver basins with narrow holes — the eastern, a little wider,
for the wine; and the western, a little narrower, for the water. Into these the
wine of the drink offering was poured, and at the same time the water from
Siloam, the people shouting to the priest, "Raise thy hand," to show that he
really poured the water into the basin which led to the base of the altar .... As
soonas the wine and waterwere poured out, the Temple music began, and the
Hallel (Psalm 113.-118.)was sung... Salvationin connectionwith the Son of
David was symbolized by the pouring out of waterThus the Talmud says
distinctly, "Why is the name of it calledthe drawing out of water? Becauseof
the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, according to what is said: ' With joy shall
ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.'"... We cannow in some measure
realize the event. The festivities of the week oftabernacles were drawing to a
close. "Itwas the lastday, that great day of the feast."... Itwas on that day
after the priest had returned from Siloam with his golden pitcher, and for the
last time poured its contents to the base of the altar; after the Hallel had been
sung to the sound of the flute, the people shouting and worshipping as the
priests three times drew the threefold blasts from their silver trumpets — just
when the interest of the people had been raisedto its highestpitch, that from
the mass of the worshippers, who were waving towards the altar quite a forest
of leafy branches as the last words of Psalm118, were chanted — a voice was

raisedwhich resounded through the Temple, startled the multitude, and
carried fear and hatred to the hearts of their leaders. It was Jesus who "stood
and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink." Then
by faith in Him should eachone truly become like the pool of Siloam, and
from his inmost being "rivers of water flow." "This spake He of the Spirit,
which they that believe on Him should receive." Thus the significance ofthe
rite, in which they had just taken part, was not only fully explained, but the
mode of its fulfilment pointed out.
(A. Edersheim, D. D.)
The significance ofthe incident and Christ's use of it
W. Arnot, D. D.
In the latter days of Jerusalem, as we learn from the history of the period, a
ceremonywas added to those of the ordained feasts of booths, intended,
evidently, to commemorate the thirst in the wilderness, and the supply that
was provided from the rock in Horeb. On the last day of the feast, towards
evening, the priests formed a procession, and, having drawn water from the
pool of Siloam, bore it to the Temple, and poured it on the ground, so that it
should flow down to the lowerstreets of the city. This symbol pointed,
probably, to Ezekiel's grand vision of waters issuing from the Temple, small
at first, but rapidly increasing, until they became a river that could not be
passedover — a river to swim in. The precessionofpriests has gone to Siloam
and returned to the Temple. They have poured the waterfrom the golden
vessel, and a rivulet is making its wayalong the unwonted channel, forth from
the hallowedcourts towards the city. The assembledcrowds are ranged on
either side, watching the progress ofthe mimic stream. The beams of the
setting sun strike the water, where in a hollow it spreads into a pool, and
golden glory flashes for a moment from the spotthat had been dull dry earth
before. The multitude gaze in ignorant superstition; but some of the Lord's
hidden ones are there, waiting for the consolationofIsrael, and spelling
painfully out of these dead letters the name of their living Redeemer. Jesus
lookedon the crowdas they gazedwistfully on the symbolic water. His heart

was yearning for them. He knew what was in man: He knew that the Jews
made idols of these significantsigns, as they made idols of the scriptures
which were printed on their clothing. He saw them drinking that which
cannot quench the thirst of a soul. He pitied them, and came to the rescue.
(W. Arnot, D. D.)
The Preacher's lastsermonfor the season
C. H. Spurgeon.
I. THE INQUIRY FOR THE THIRSTY.
1. It is very wide. "Any man" of all that heterogeneous mass.
2. It is anxiously narrowed down. "If" — as if He had said the mass of you do
not thirst; do any of you thirst? He reads their genera/indifference only too
well. Alas I the thirsty are few: self-contentpossesses the minds of many, and
world content steals overothers. They are in a desert; no drop of dew falls
about them, and the water-bottle has long since been dry; but they are
mockedby the mirage, and they put aside their thirst with the fond idea that
they can drink to the full.
3. It is painfully clear. The thirsty know what thirst is. It is a self-explaining
pain.
4. It is being continually repeated. It is as urgent to day as then.
5. What is this thirst? Nothing actual or substantive; it is a lack crying out of
its emptiness. When our systemneeds drink, a merciful providence creates a
pang which drives us to a supply. Thirst rings the alarm bell, and mind and
body set to work to supply the demand. It were a dreadful thing if the system
needed waterand yet did not thirst; for we might be fatally injured before we
knew that any harm was happening to us. So with spiritual thirst.
II. THE ONE DIRECTION FOR THE RELIEF OF ALL SUCH THIRSTY
ONES. "Lethim come," etc.

1. Christ who gives the waterwhich quenches spiritual thirst, invites us to
Himself person. ally. What creedyou are to believe will do by and by, just
now your duty is to come to Christ. At this time Christ had not been crucified,
risen, etc., but the text was spokenwith a foresightof all that should transpire
up to His glorification. Come directly to Him, who by all this has become a
fountain of living water — not to creeds, ceremonies, sacraments, priests,
services, doings, orfeelings. Salvationlies in Him only.
2. All that a sinner wants is to be found in abundance in Him, and all that
every sinner wants.
3. In Jesus is a varied supply. The thirst of the soul is not like the thirst of the
body which is quenched with one liquid; the soul thirsts for many things —
peace in distraction, pardon of sin, purity from pollution, progress in grace,
powerin prayer, perseverance;and all this is in Christ.
4. We must come to Christ and bring nothing of our own except our thirst,
and that coming is believing.
5. Having come we must drink — the first action of the infant, the easiestact
of the man.
III. THE PERMISSION HERE GIVEN FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION.
1. There is no limit as to what thou has formerly done, in the wayof sin,
unbelief, hardness, denial.
2. There is no limit put as to where thou hast been before. A man went to a
merchant to ask the price of a certain article. He then went to others and tried
to buy at a cheaperrate, but found that the first had quoted the lowestprice.
So he went back, but the merchant refused to serve him, not caring for such
customers. But if you have been to Moses, to Rome, yea, even to the devil,
Christ still says, "Come unto Me."
3. There is no limit because ofany kind of lack. Some think themselves
deficient in tenderness, or penitence, or disqualified by age, poverty,
illiterateness. Some are locking the door with the very keythat was meant to
open it. "I am afraid I do not thirst;" "I have not the sense of need I ought to

have;" but this means that you are sensible that you are more needy than you
think you are. The fact that you need a sense of need proves how horrible is
your need. Would you come if you did thirst? Then come and you shall thirst.
The more unfit the more you are invited; your very unfitness is your fitness.
4. When Christ says "Come" nobodyelse can say"Nay."
IV. THE ENTREATYFOR THEIR COMING. "Jesus stoodandcried." It
was the last opportunity, hence the urgency. Surely we ought to entreat Him
to let us come. Instead of that we are callous. Whena man has charity to give
does he entreat people to acceptit? How strange that you should be so
unwilling and Christ so anxious!
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
The greatinvitation
T. Boston, D. D.
I. WHO THEY ARE WHO ARE INVITED. The thirsty.
1. In all thirst there is —(1) A sense of want. Every man is sensible that he is
not self-sufficient.(2)Desire ofsupply. The soul of man is everdesiring.
2. The object of this thirsting —(1) The end where the soulmay rest, and that
is happiness. For this every man thirsts.(2) The means leading to the end. He
that desires refreshment, desires also to drink, though he may by ignorance
take a cup of poison.
3. There is a two-fold thirst —(1) Natural and common to all men. It is as
natural for a man to desire happiness as it is for him to breathe. But men miss
the wayand seek it in the world, and hence, disappointed, say, "Who will
show us any good?"(2)Supernatural, experiencedby those only whose heart
God hath touched. "My soulthirsteth for the living God." There is no
happiness unless this is satisfied.
II. TO WHAT THEY ARE INVITED.

1. To come to Christ, i.e., to believe on Him (ver. 33). Unbelief is a departing
from the living God: faith is coming back.
2. To drink, i.e., to actually make use of Christ for the supply of this need.
This points out three things in Christ.(1) The fulness of Christ for needy
sinners.
(a)In Him there is a fulness of merit to take off the fulness of our guilt.
(b)A fulness of the Spirit to take awaythe powerof sin, and to actuate us in all
good.
(c)A fulness of grace.(2)The suitableness ofChrist. In Him there is a remedy
for every disorder.(3)His satisfactoriness. This drinking also implies three
things in us.
(a)The soulgoing out for a supply of its particular wants, renouncing all
confidence in itself or any creature (Jeremiah 17:5).
(b)The soul's going out in desire after supply from Christ upon His invitation.
(c)Believing application of Christ to the soulin —
(i)catching hold of the promise suited to our case.
(ii)Venturing our case upon the promise and proposed supply.
(iii)Confidence in Christ answering our necessities.
III. MOTIVES FOR ACCEPTING THE INVITATION.
1. The supply of the needs of sinners is the greatend of the mystery of Christ.
2. He is able to supply all needs howevergreatthey may be. Christ is a
fountain that is never dry. The creatures are brokencisterns and soon
exhausted.
3. Consideryour need of Him.
4. If you come now you will drink of the rivers of God's pleasures for
evermore.

(T. Boston, D. D.)
We must drink in the gospel
C. H. Spurgeon.
A celebratedminister was once takenill, and his wife requestedhim to go and
consult an eminent physician. He went to this physican, who welcomedhim
very heartily. The minister stated his case. The doctorsaid: "Oh it is a very
simple matter, you have only to take such and such a drug and you will be
right." The patient was about to go, but the physician pressedhim to stay, and
they entered into pleasantconversation. The minister went home to his wife
and told her what a delightful man the doctor had proved to be. He said, "I do
not know that I ever had a more delightful talk. The goodman is eloquent,
and witty, and gracious." The wife replied, "But what remedy did he
prescribe?" "Dear," saidthe minister, "I quite forgot what he told me on that
point." "What?" saidshe, "did you go to a physician for advice, and came
awaywithout the remedy?" "It quite slipped my mind" he said, "the doctor
talkedso pleasantlythat his prescription has quite gone out of my head." You
must receive Christ by faith.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Christ a Divine Fountain
H. W. Beecher.
"If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink. What man would dare to
say of merely physical things, "If any man lacks knowledge, lethim come unto
me." NeitherHumbolt, nor Liebig, nor Agassizwould dare to say this, even of
the departments in which they are pre-eminent, how much less of the whole
range of learning! yet Christ, disdaining physical things, appeals at once to the
soul with all its yearnings, its depths of despair, its claspings — like a mother
feeling at midnight for the child whom death has taken— its infinite
outreachings, its longings for love, and peace, and joy, which nothing can

satisfy this side of the bosomof God, and says, "If any man thirst, let him
come unto Me and drink." He stands over againstwhateverwant there is in
the human bosom, whateverhunger there is in the moral faculties, whatever
need there is in the imagination, and says, "He that cometh to Me shall never
hunger, and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst."
(H. W. Beecher.)
The gospela generaloffer of grace
D. L. Moody.
I was travelling some time ago, and I had a little child with me, and I was not
acquainted with the law of the railroad respecting children, but I happened to
see this announcement, "All children under five years of age free." I did not
ask any questions. My child was under five. Neither did I buy a ticket. I took
the announcementto mean what it said, and did not pay a halfpenny.
(D. L. Moody.)
We must feelour need of Christ before we come to Him
H. W. Beecher.
Suppose a man were to call upon the physician and say, "Well, sir, I want
your services.""Are you sick?" saysthe physician. "No;not that I know of."
"What, then, do you want of me?" "Oh! I want your services.""Butwhat
for?" The man makes no reply. "Are you in pain?" "No." "Is your head out
of order?" "No." "Noryour stomach?" "No;I believe not. I feel perfectly
well; but still I thought I should like a little of your help." What would a
doctor think of such a case as this? "What must Christ think of those that ask
His help, not feeling that they really need it?
(H. W. Beecher.)

The thirsty should drink
During a revival in a town in Ohio, a man who had been very worldly minded
was awakened, but for some time concealedhis feelings, even from his wife,
who was a praying woman. She left him one evening in charge of his little girl
of three years of age. After her departure his anxiety of mind became so great
that he walkedthe room in his agony. The little girl noticed his agitation, and
inquired, "Whatails you, pa?" He replied, "Nothing," and endeavouredto
quiet his feelings, but all in vain. The child lookedup sympathizingly in his
face, and inquired, with all the artlessnessand simplicity of childhood, "Pa, if
you were dry, wouldn't you go and get a drink of water?" The father started
as if a voice from heavenhad fallen on his ear. He thought of his thirsty soul
famishing for the waters oflife; he thought of that living Fountain opened in
the gospel;he believed, and straightwayfell at the Saviour's feet. From that
hour he dates the dawning of a new light, and the beginning of a new life.
The patience of Christ
C. H. Spurgeon.
It was the last day of the feastof tabernacles. It was the eighth day which was
spent as a Sabbath, but the Saviourdid not ceaseto preach because the
festival was almostover. Till the last day He continued to instruct, to invite, to
entreat. It is but one instance out of many of the Saviour's pertinacity of
lovingkindness.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Faith is easy
C. H. Spurgeon.
Drink! That is not a difficult action. Any fool can drink; in fact, many are
greatfools because they drink too much of poisonous liquors. Drink! Thou
canstsurely do that. Thou hast only to be as a spunge that sucks up all that

comes nearit. Put thy mouth down and suck up that which flows to thee in the
river of Christ's love, open wide thy soul and drink in Christ, as the great
northern whirlpool sucks in the sea. If any man thirst let him receive Christ.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
The spirit dwelling in, and flowing from, the Christian man
M. Brock, M. A.
Now was the time of the autumn heats. The effects ofthe harvest rains had
long passed. The crops were just removed from the face of the ground. Above
was the burning Syrian sun. Beneath — as with us, now — was the scorched
and arid soil. All was dust, and weariness, and heat. It was the time of a great
festival — the greatautumnal feastof tabernacles, commemorative of the
fruits of the earth now gatheredin.
I. Here you may observe we have AN INVITATION — "Jesus stood, and
cried, saying, If any man thirst, let Him come unto Me, and drink."
1. There seems to me something emphatic in that word, "stood." It expresses
in a teacherthe attitude of prominence, energy, aggression. It was well suited
to High, who, as tie was there placed amidst that perishing throng, came "to
seek, andto save that which was lost."
2. And the voice is still more marked than the attitude. "Jesus stoodand
cried." This term is applied to those who arc labouring under some strong
passionor affectionof the mind, whether of grief, fear, desire, or other. Here
it expresses earnestness andenergy. At least, let ministers shew by their
manner that they have a deep interest in the salvation of those they address.
3. But from the attitude, and the voice, turn we to the words themselves, to the
gracious invitation of the Lord. Whom does He address? Those who thirst. A
large class, as many will testify. For they who thirst include all who are not
satisfied.(1)There, for example, are they who are disappointed. On them life
opened fairly and brightly, but its horizon became overcast. Full of joyous
anticipation they sprang forward with alacrity in the race of life. But

unlookedfor difficulties arose, Theyexperiencedtreacheryand falsehood.
Life to them lost its charm. They found not what they sought. They thirsted,
but were not satisfied.(2)Then there are the prosperous who cannot be
satiatedwith prosperity. In their fulness they are empty; in their joyfulness
they are sad; pleasure pleases not; slumber soothes not.(3)And there are
those, too, who, having tried to slake the thirst of their undying souls with
dying things, and discovering their error, are now seeking in things heavenly,
unfailing sources, and perennial fountains. These do not, now, thirst for the
creature. They have found out their error, and plainly see that the creature
cannot satisfy. Now to these, and to all others, unsatisfied, anxious, craving,
desiring, thirsting, Jesus cries, "Come unto Me, and drink." And it is thus
that Jesus meets the cravings of our humanity; His providence supplies our
bodily wants. "As thy day, so shall thy strength be." In the same way man's
intellect meets in his God, that on which it can repose. Who should satisfy
mind but He who made mind! But, oh! the storms and tempests of thought!
Then there is the way in which the Saviour meets man's spirit. The heart of
man must have something whereonto repose, something to love, something
wherewith to sympathize. The Saviour in His humanity here meets the heart
of man.
II. Nor must we omit to notice THE EXTENT OF THE LORD'S
INVITATION — "Any man." "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and
drink."
III. Having thus spokenof this invitation of our Lord, we have now to notice
HIS PROMISE, WITHJOHN'S COMMENT THEREON.
1. "Water." Refreshmentand purification are presented to us in this figure.
2. "Living water." Notstagnant, much less putrescent. Life belongs to the
Christian; and this life he must seek to impart to others.
3. "Rivers of living water." Here are presented to us ideas of depth,
copiousness, perpetuity. Eternal life in believers is not to be scant, or shallow.
A joyous and abounding river, it is to flow with waters exuberant and
vivifying to all around.

4. They are "flowing waters." "Outof Him shall flow rivers." The Spirit
which God has given is not to be restrained.
IV. But in WHAT MANNER may this water of the Spirit in a man be said to
flow out of him?
1. One main method of the manifestation of the Spirit has already been
alluded to — by the words of our mouth. But we would not restrain the
symbol of these flowing waters only to a man's words.
2. His actions also may be included. The Christian's life should be a continual
call to turn from the path of death.
3. Influence we would also name as another most effective mode of making
these waters flow to the benefit of our fellow-men. Influence! Influence
voluntary, and involuntary! How wide its extent, and how incalculable its
power!
V. We have expounded and illustrated the text. Let us conclude by some
INSTRUCTIONSdrawnfrom it.
1. See the diffusive characterof the dispensation of the gospelI A man is not
made partakerof the Spirit of God for His own mere individual salvation, but
for the salvationof others also.
2. But let us be careful to avoid a common error. The water of life must be put
in us for our own salvationbefore it can flow out of us for others'good. It is
not like the spider's web which she spins out of herself.
3. But how encouraging the promise, "He that believeth on Me, out of him
shall flow rivers of living water." Christ here expresslydeclares that if we
believe on Him we shall be made partakers of His Spirit.
4. Holy gracious the invitation! "If any man thirst let him come unto Me, and
drink." If our lips are to feed others, those lips shall themselves be first fed.
5. Contrasthere these .living waters of the soul with that perishing water of
Shiloah of the ceremonialbefore alluded to. Here is the contrastbetween
religion spiritual and religion ceremonial — betweensacraments (orsigns)

and the things by them signified. The Jewishpopulace saw nothing but the
water— heededfor the most part nothing but the ceremony.
(M. Brock, M. A.)
The affinity betweenGod and man in regard of man's wants and God's
fulness
DeanGoulburn.
1. This saying of our Lord's produced among some the conviction that He was
the Christ (vers 40, 41). We gather from hence that it met some instinct of the
human heart. He struck a note which vibrated in their inmost souls. What was
the secretofthis effect. It was no doubt that many of the audience felt that
they were spiritually athirst, that there was a craving in them after light,
truth, love which nothing on earth met. They felt that He was making an offer
of which hey had need to avail themselves. They are convincedof His claims
by offering them exactly what they had felt the want of.
2. In order to the existence of love betweentwo parties, there must be a secret
affinity betweenthem in virtue of which one supplies what the other needs.
Take the case offriendship betweenthe sexes. The man needs sympathy and
confidence, which the woman supplies; the woman needs support, protection,
counsel, which it is the man's part to furnish. This principle lies also at the
foundation of commercialintercourse. A. produces what B. wants, and B.
what A. wants; and this mutual want draws both together. The same mutual
interdependence is observable in nature. Plants are fed by the light and air of
heaven, and return the perfumes which some of them exhale. It is so with man
and God.
I. MAN HAS AN URGENT NEED OF GOD. When this makes itself felt he
cries, "My soul is athirst for God," and then he is arrestedby the offer of the
Son of God, "If any man thirst," etc. Of course all things need God for their
continuance, but man has needs which distinguish him from the inferior
creation.

1. His understanding is never satisfiedwith the truth it contrives to reach.(1)
There is nothing more interesting than discovery. It is as if God had proposed
to us in nature and life certainenigmas, and had challengedhuman ingenuity
to the solution of them. But observe how, upon a discovery being made, it loses
its interest, and we immediately go in quest of fresh truth. Just as the pleasure
of hunting is not derived from the game which is caught, but from the
excitement of the pursuit, so with the quest of truth. You see this restlessness
in the pursuit of religious as well as scientific truth. The inbred curiosity of the
mind, which desires above all to know where it is precluded from knowledge,
is the fruitful source of heresies and fantastic speculations.(2)Butis there
nothing corresponding to this restless thirst? Is the mind to fret itself for ever
and never reachthe goal? Is there no highest truth in which the
understanding may at length acquiesce? Notso. The Scriptures say that God
is Light, and that in Christ are hid all the treasures ofwisdom and knowledge.
When, therefore, man displays an insatiable desire to know, he should remind
himself that God is its only satisfaction, andthis Light is to be enjoyed, not by
any painful straining of reason, but by entire submission of the will to God's
will.
2. Man craves afterInfinite Good.(1)This is attested —(a) By the mischievous
excessesofintemperance. The instinct that prompts man to this is peculiar to
him. There is nothing of it among the lower creatures. The realaccountof it is
that by the constitution of his mind man thirsts after a goodhe finds in no
createdobject. The instinct misdirected by the Fall, goes astray. Having a
hungry spirit, he makes a desperate effortto extract from bodily enjoyments
what may appease its cravings, but the body, like a people, is impoverished
and enfeebledby excessive taxation.(b)But there are more refined ways in
which men endeavour to satisfy this craving. They seek preeminence of ability
or position or wealth;the flattering speeches whichare a sort of homage to
superiority — how dear are these things to the soul! Not that the soul rests on
them; having tastedthem it immediately craves for new enjoyments, a wider
reputation, a higher pre-eminence.(c)The bestof earthly good with which the
spirit seeks to satisfyits thirst is human sympathy. It plants for itself a
domestic and socialparadise, but the trees, alas I like Jonah's gourd, are apt
to be smitten. And, independently of this, no mere natural affection cansatisfy

the craving for love.(2)But the Creatorcan satisfy every craving. Do we long
after a joyous exhilaration of the Spirit which shall tide us over our
difficulties? "Be not drunk with wine... but be filled with the Spirit." Do we
thirst after esteem? Human esteemis but a taper; the real sunlight of the soul
is the smile of God's approbation. Is pre-eminence our aim? He is the
Fountain of Honour. Do we long for sympathy? He is Love.
II. DOES GOD DEPENDON MAN? Yes, as a field of display for the Divine
perfections. .Godlongs to surround Himself with intelligent and joyous
creatures to lavish on them the resources ofHis infinite goodness.Here we
may catcha glimpse of the reasonwhy evil was permitted. To be bounteous to
creatures retaining their integrity is a very inadequate effectof God's
goodness.Mercycould never have poured itself forth, had there not been
vessels ofmercy to receive it. And vessels ofmercy could never have existed
had there been no transgression. We may therefore recognize betweenGod
and man a natural reciprocity. He is the only Being who can satisfythe deep
wants of the soul. And from His intrinsic goodness He longs to satisfythem.
(DeanGoulburn.)
Christ our fountain head
H. Dosker.
I. CHRIST THE CLOVEN ROCK.
1. The smitten rock. Moses smote andChrist was smitten to save a perishing
people.
2. The spring of life flowing therefrom.
3. Its inexhaustible fulness (John 4:14). The spring in the desertis now dry.
4. Its wonderful adaptability. Tropicalsuns cannotevaporate it, nor Polar
breezes freeze it. It is adapted to every climate, and wise and foolish, rich and
poor, must drink and cleanse themselves here.
II. THE SINNER AND THE FOUNTAIN.

1. The sinner thirsts. Life is a desert, provoking craving for satisfaction.
2. His consciousnessofit. Desire for higher, purer experiences will awake in
every rational soul. Then do what he will he cannotreasonit away.
3. Its evidences. Man's endeavourto find rest somewhere;unnatural activity
of mind and body; oft a desperate effort to drown the voice of God.
4. False waters.
(1)Wilful blindness.
(2)So-calledinnocentpleasures.
(3)Sinful indulgence — Marahs, or DeadSeas.
5. The thirst assuaged.
(1)By recognizing the terrible malady of sin.
(2)By confessing guilt.
(3)By coming to the fountain. The first draught allays the burning fever of the
soul.
III. THE BELIEVER AND THE FOUNTAIN.
1. The disciple's thirst. Every draught creates a new longing. He thirsts for a
sanctifiedlife, for Christian work, for victory over sin, for conformity to
Christ.
2. His need for the fountain. Only near the fountain can he live and grow.
3. Its reflecting power. Here he learns to know himself; what he ought to be
and what he is.
4. Its purifying power.
5. The visits to that fountain the thermometer of the Christian's inner life.
(H. Dosker.)

Come and drink
H. Bonar, D. D.
I. THE TIME. The lastand greatday of the feastwhen Israel's joy, in
appearance, was atthe fullest, and when there seemedleastneed of any other
joy.
II. THE PLACE. Jerusalem— the Temple. What need of anything else than
what the Temple afforded: particularly through the teachings ofthis feast.
III. THE GIVER. The Sonof God, and not merely a prophet, who knew what
they needed, and what He had to give; Himself God's own gift. To Himself He,
as ever, turns their eye. "Come unto Me." Feasts, altars, sacrifices, doctrines,
ceremonies, were allvain.
IV. THE GIFT. Living water;the Holy Spirit; a gift sufficient to fill the soul of
the emptiest, and to quench the thirst of the thirstiest, and then to overflow
upon others. There are two gifts of God which stand alone in their priceless
greatness — the gift of His Son and the gift of His Spirit.
V. THE PERSONS. Notheathenand irreligious, but religious Jews, engaged
in Divine worship. Before it was to the Samaritanthat He presentedthe living
water. In Revelation22. it is to Jew and Gentile alike. So also in Isaiah55. But
here the thirsty one is the Jew. His rites and feasts cannotquench his thirst,
which calls for something more spiritual and Divine. So to those who frequent
the sanctuary— who pray and praise outwardly — the Lord now speaks.
External religiousness mayhelp to pacify conscience, but it does not confer
happiness. Only Christ can do that.
VI. THE LOVE. It is all love from first to last. In love Christ presents the full
vesselof living water, and presses to their parched lips.
(H. Bonar, D. D.)
Christ's call to thirsty souls
A. Raleigh, D. D.

1. These are bold words, and they would be as false as bold if He who speaks
them were no more than man. Shall a mere man presume to invite, not a small
number for knowledge and sympathy — that we might understand — but the
whole race for the satisfactionoftheir most vehement and spiritual ideas. The
presumption would be as blasphemous as absurd. But He who thus speaks has
a right to speak, and is conscious ofit.
2. All human desire and need is expressedin the one word "thirst." Consider
the different kinds of thirst, and see how coming to Christ will satisfythem.
I. The lowestand commonestof all, the thirst for HAPPINESS.
1. A man may come with a desire which is not gracious, but simply natural,
since every creature desires to be happy, and which is universal, since no man
is perfectly satisfied, and drink the cooling waters ofthe gospel. Those who
limit the invitation to the graciouslythirsty undo the grace they seek to
magnify, and take all the freeness from the gospel. The words "any man"
shatter such a fancy in pieces. Let him come with the feeling he has. It may be
inward disturbance, brooding fear, gnawing heart pain, weariness of
disappointment, inner longing — whatever it be he is welcome.
2. If he does not see how Christ canbe of any service let him trust Him as he
would a man who has the credit of being trustworthy, so far as to try His
specific. Two men once followedJesus because they heard another speak well
of Him. They did not know very well what they wanted, so they askedHim
about His home. He gave an answerHe is giving to all the thirsty, "Come and
see." Theywent, and never left Him more.
3. But coming so, a man soonbegins to be conscious ofhigher desires.
II. Thirst for RIGHTEOUSNESS.If the desire for happiness is to be fruitful it
will and must take this form.
1. A moral creature can never be happy without rectitude. If a man has the
feeling "letme be happy, but let me enjoy the pleasures ofsin," he either does
not come or coming does not drink. The thirst therefore continues, and
becomes a pain.

2. But to come to the righteous one is to see righteousnessand to become
conscious ofunrighteousness.
3. Can I be right, and How? How canthese stains be cleansed? Christalone
can answerthese questions, and satisfy this greatdesire. His blood cleanses.
His righteousness avails. Itis to be in them as a principle as well as on them as
a garment.
III. The thirst for LOVE — the love that shall love us, and the love that shall
go out to those who love us. When this desire is fully arousedit will not rest
until it finds Jesus Christ. It is but a little waywhen you can say, "He or she
loves me," "I am loved of husband, wife, parents, friends." This will never
satisfy an immortal nature. Take the earthly love that is goodand pure. It is
the gift of God. Rut that you may have that faculty fully developedtake first
the love that passestknowledge.
IV. There is a thirst profounder and vasterwhich Christ alone can satisfy —
the thirst for LIFE. The others may be tracedback to this. It is the deep
organic desire which has been implanted by its Author for its perpetuation.
Every man has it. The shrinking from annihilation is instinctive. Out towards
the realm of life it stretches imploring hands. But where? Reasoncannot
demonstrate its existence;imagination cannot find it in her loftiestflight.
Philosophy says, "You give me no data, and I cangive you no conclusion."
Ah, yes! no data; for the departed never return. And yet we thirst for them;
and, if we are Christians, we are sure we shall see them again. But how? By
His word who is the Life, and drinking of Him we live indeed. "Any man."
That is you.
(A. Raleigh, D. D.)
The soul's thirst satisfiedin Jesus
S. Martin.
I. MAN AS A THIRSTYCREATURE. Every man thirsts.

1. Constitutionally. Notas accidentallyexcited, but as made by God to thirst.
It is in our nature to thirst.(1) Forlife. In deep sorrow we may cry, "O that
Thou wouldst hide me in the grave!" In unrest we may say, "I would not live
alway." With heavenopened, we may desire to depart and be with Christ. But
Satanspake truly, "All that a man hath will he give for his life."(2)For
pleasure;according to our idea of felicity and our capacityfor bliss. Man is
not naturally a lover of misery.(3) For activity. Menare net naturally lazy.(4)
For society. The results of the solitary system in our prisons show that the
desire for associationis constitutional.(5)For knowledge.The subjects upon
which we seek information vary; but all men desire to know.(6)Forpower,
from the moment in which we seize and shake the rattle to the hour in which
we dispose of our property.(7) For the esteemand love of others.(8)For the
possessionofobjects of beauty.(9) For God. That this thirst is natural is
proved by the factthat religion of some kind is universal. There is not a nation
of Atheists.
2. There are derived thirsts, dependent upon the particular condition of the
individual, and grafted on the natural thirst. Thus a desire for wealthmay
arise from a thirst for enjoyment, or power, or honour, or socialconnections.
A thirst for freedom may arise from desire for activity, and for religious unity
by desire for religious enjoyment. Any natural thirst creates others.
3. The natural, and many of the artificial, thirsts would have existedhad man
kept his first estate;but the entrance of sin has produced depraved thirsts. Sin
itself is a morbid thirst, and actualsin is the offspring of such thirst (James
1:14, 15). Covetousness,envy, etc., are depraved thirsts.
4. The return of man to God and his salvationby Christ involve new thirsts.
There is the thirst —(1) Of the quickened spirit for particular religious
knowledge.(2)Of the penitent for pardon.(3) Of the new born for
righteousness.(4)Ofthe child of God for being filled with all the fulness of
God.
5. There are a few facts connectedwith these thirsts that we may not
overlook.(1)Thosethirsts which are natural cannot be evil in themselves;and
those which, being artificial, are lawful expansions of the natural are equally

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