This is a study of Jesus as the greatest quencher of thirst. He invited all to come to Him and drink

1. JESUS WAS THE GREATEST QUENCHEROF THIRST
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
John 7:37 37On the lastand greatest day of the
festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "Let
anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
The Thirsting Invited To The Fountain Of Living Waters
John 7:37
J.R. Thomson
It was our Lord's wont to make use of the most familiar objects, the most
ordinary events, the most customary practices, in order to illustrate and to
enforce spiritual truth. To set forth man's need of teaching, of heavenly grace,
of salvation, Christ spoke ofhunger and of thirst, of bread and of water. On
the occasionofthe Feastof Tabernacles, there was performed a ceremony
which may have immediately suggestedthe language ofthe text. This was the
drawing of water from the Poolof Siloam, which was borne in processionto
the temple, and poured out as a sacredlibation before the Lord. It was
probably upon the suggestionofthis ceremonythat our Lord uttered the
memorable and encouraging words of the text.
I. THE THIRST OF THE HUMAN SOUL. This thirst is deep seatedin the
nature of man. It manifests itself in the many forms of restless activityby
which men seek to satisfy their aspirations. The powerlessnessofthe world to
quench this thirst is an indication of the Divine origin of the soul. He who

2. drinks at a cisternwill find that the cistern will run dry. He who quaffs the
waterof a poolmay find the waterfoul and turbid. Pie who tries to quench his
thirst by draughts from the sea will learn that, so far from assuaging, these
salt waters only increase the thirst.
"The frail vesselthou hast made,
No hands but thine canfill;
For the waters of this world have failed,
And I am thirsty still."
II. THE SATISFYING GIFTS OF GOD'S HOLY SPIRIT. Thatwhich the
world cannot do, the Spirit of God can do; he canfill the creatednature with
peace, purity, truth, and power. The river of God's love flows on forever; it is
inexhaustible. "With joy shall ye draw waterout of the wells of salvation."
"Blessedare they that... thirst after righteousness:for they shall be filled."
III. THE INVITATION AND PROMISE OF JESUS.
1. He claims himself to dispense the satisfying gifts of the Spirit. He is the
Rock in the wilderness, from which flows the streamof living water. Thus he
said, "Let him come unto me;" and at an earlier period of his ministry, "I
would have given thee living water."
2. The terms upon which this blessing is conferred are such as are most
encouraging to the hearer of the gospel. Faith is required from the thirsting
applicant. This is evidently intended by the use of the words "come" and
"drink." The blessing must be appropriated. And yet the satisfying provision
is offered freely; it is not bought, but given. "Drink of the waterof life freely."
- T.

3. 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).

4. 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 —

5. 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.

6. 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 connectitself 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.

7. 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

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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 —

11. 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.

12. 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 carried from Siloamon the

13. 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 waterinto 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, startledthe 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,

14. 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.

15. (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

16. 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."

17. 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.

18. (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.

19. 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."

20. (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

21. 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.)

22. 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

23. 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?

24. 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.)

25. 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

26. 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.

27. 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.

28. 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.

29. 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.

30. 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 theyheard 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.

31. 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

32. 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
good.(2)The influence of our thirsts is most extensive and important. In some
casesour thirst is a ruling passion;but in all casesthey govern thought,
prompt the imagination, affectthe judgment, awakenorquiet the emotions,
guide the will, lead to action, and form our characters.(3)Mostpotent,
therefore, are they. A man is raised or castdown, destroyedor built up by his
thirsts.(4) When a man is sick, he needs not medicine irrespective of its
nature, but the specific for his particular disease. Poisonedfoodis more

33. dangerous than continued hunger. He is blessed, not whose thirsts are for the
moment slaked, but whose thirsts are slakedat Divine fountains.
II. JESUS CHRIST AS THE FOUNTAIN OF SUPPLY. Take the invitation in
connection—
1. With our lawful natural thirsts. We thirst —(1) For continued life, and
Jesus says, "Come unto Me and drink" (1 Corinthians 15:21-22;John 11:25,
26).(2)For activity, and Jesus says, "Come," etc. (John14:12).(3)For
enjoyment, and Christ gives joy in every gift, and promises it in every
promise, and makes every duty its instrument (Matthew 5:1-8; John 16:24; 1
Peter1:8).(4) For power, and Jesus makes His disciples the salt of the earth,
the light of the world, and kings and priests unto God.(5)For society, and
Christ satisfies it(Hebrews 12:22, 231.(6)Forthe love of others, and Christ
directs streams of kindness to every one who comes to Him by means of His
new commandment (John 13:34, 35).(7)For knowledge, andJesus is Himself
the Truth, in the knowledge ofwhom standeth our eternallife (John 17:3).(8)
For God, and He manifests God's name to us, and shows us the Father.
2. If we here speak of depraved tastes, it must be to saythat they who thirst
morbidly cannot come to Christ and drink; but they may come to Him and be
cured of their evil craving. As the thirst of a fever may be removed by a
physician, so sinful thirsts may be removed by our Saviour.
3. The thirsts of the returning prodigal and repentant sinner are specially
recognizedin these words (Psalm51:1, 8, 9; Luke 18:18;Mark 2:5; Mark
5:34; John 8:11).
4. All the thirsts of the God-born spirit are here recognized.Conclusion:From
these words —
1. We might preachhumanity, and show what is in man. We might exhibit
him as a dependent, receptive, desiring being; that he is not like his Maker,
self-sufficient.
2. But we will rather preach Christ. Here we see —(1) The know. ledge which
He had of human nature. He knew the thirsts of the multitude in whose midst
He spake.(2)His recognitionof all that pertains to man. His words and works

34. meet most entirely all human needs. They are not like flowers given to the
starving,.orgauze raiment to the nakedin winter; but like bread to the
hungry and clothes to the beggar.(3)But what must be the resources ofone
who is justified in speaking thus? Can any individual be a fountain of supply
to every man? There is One continually named by the sacredwriters who is a
Sun, Fire, Door, Rock, Bread, Fountain. To Him, who canbe representedby
these figures, any man may surely come and drink. No creature imparts all, or
even many, kinds of good; but God is the spring of all that is beneficial, and
Christ is the manifested God. To how few of our thirsty fellows canany of us
say, "Come to me and drink"? But Jesus says that, and standing in the centre
of all time, as in the midst of all men. Did we need proof of the Deity of Jesus
Christ we have it here.(4)But what shall we sayof His love? "Any man." The
man may be Atheist or idolater, broken-heartedbecause allhis cisterns are
broken, be conscious thathe deserves only to die with thirst; yet Jesus means
him.(5) But the thirsty have to come. The sole condition is coming, and the
only limit to the ministrations of the Saviour is our receptivity.
(S. Martin.)
Man's thirst quenched by Christ
H. J. W. Buxton.
1. An artist once painted a famous picture for an altar-piece, and calledit the
Fountain of Life. It represents the SacrificedRedeemerstretchedin His
mother's arms. From the rock beneath their feetflow the abundant waters of
salvation, which are receivedinto a greatcistern. Saints, martyrs, apostles,
evangelists, are drinking of the water, or filling their vases and handing them
to eachother. From the cisternflows a streaminto a lowerplace, where a
family of poor, humble people are drinking with grateful looks. Thenthe
stream flows awayamong meadows, where the little children canreach it, and
they are taking up the precious waterin their tiny hands, and drinking it with
smiling lips. We canall see the meaning of that picture, which tells us that the
salvationof Jesus is for all who will acceptit, high and low, young and old,
rich and poor.

35. (H. J. W. Buxton.)
Christ's satisfactionsfull and real
T. Guthrie, D. D.
Not like a shallow brook, that runs in winter and is dry in summer; but a
fountain that the frost never binds, and that the hot, thirsty day never drinks
dry, that is ever full and everflowing. In the regions of the burning desert
they tell me that skeletonslie thick, not only in the paths to the fountains, but
lie ghastly white and withering, with the nakedskulls looking overthe banks
into the very waters. With the tongue cleaving to the roof of the mouth, they
press on, guided by the greenpasture that lifts its head above the sand, and
shows where the fountain is. They drank the water in anticipation, but will
they reachit? Alas! with what horror in their eyes they gaze on the empty
bed, and fight with man and beastfor some muddy drops that but exasperate
their thirst! The desert whirls around them; they stagger, they fall; hope
expires, and they expire themselves;and by and by the sky drops, lightnings
flash, thunders peal, and rain pours down, and the waterrises in that
fountain, and plays in mockerywith the tresses ofdead beauty, and kissesthe
faces ofthe dead. Such things happen. But see you yen cross standing up
yonder? It marks a fountain where never man went in vain. No dead souls lie
around that cross. Calvarywas once a Golgotha — a "place of skulls." It is so
no longer. Where men once went to die, men now go to live; and a man never
went for mercy there, and for grace to help, and found none. There is now in
America a greatrevival; there was in my own country a greatrevival. God
send us all such revivals I In every church and every country there are times
and seasons ofrevival, when the peace ofbelievers is like a river in glorious
flood, rolling beneath bank and ridge; like the sea in a storm, when it sends its
waters beyond its common bounds, and overflows the boats that lie highest
and driest on the beach. But at all times and in all seasons, Isay, that if you
will searchyou will find fulness of mercy to pardon and "grace to help in time
of need." The supply, in fact, is inexhaustible. I know mountains have been
exhausted of their gold, mines of their diamonds, and the depths of oceanof

36. their pearly gems;but the riches of mercy and of grace in Christ are
inexhaustible. They are no less to you than to those who went before you, and
there will be no less for those who come after you; and when unborn millions
have come, and the world's last man, with a dying sun above him add a
reeling earth beneath him, comes up to that blessedFountain, oh! he will find
it as full as it is this day, in its fulness inviting you to washand be clean, to
drink and live, to believe and be forgiven.
(T. Guthrie, D. D.)
He that believeth on Me
C. H. Spurgeon.
I. THE WORK OF THE SPIRIT IS INTIMATELY CONNECTEDWITH
THE WORK OF CHRIST. It is a greatpity when persons preach the Holy
Spirit's work so as to obscure the work of Christ — e.g., by holding up before
the sinner's eye the inward experience of believers, instead of lifting up the
crucified Saviour, to whom we must look and live. It is an equal pity when
Christ is so preachedthat the Holy Spirit is ignored, as if faith in Christ
prevented the necessityof the new birth. The two works are so joined together
that —
1. The Holy Spirit was not given until Jesus was glorified. The original has it
simply "was not." Of course this does not mean that He was non-existent, for
He is eternal;but that He was not in fellowship with man to the full extent He
now is, and could not be till the redeeming work of Christ was finished. You
read of the prophets, etc., that the Spirit of the Lord came upon them and
moved them, but He did not dwell in them. His operations were a coming and
a going. They knew not the "communion of the Holy Ghost." But since
Christ's glorification, the Spirit is in His people, and abides with them for
ever.
2. The Holy Spirit was given after the ascensionofChrist unto His glory, to
make that ascensionmore renowned. "When He ascendedon high... He gave
gifts to men." Those gifts were men in whom the Spirit dwelt, and who

37. preachedthe gospelto the nations. The shedding of the Spirit on the Day of
Pentecostwas the glorificationof the risen Christ upon earth. What grander
celebrationcould there have been?
3. The Holy Spirit was given as an evidence of our Divine Master's acceptance,
the gift being a consequence ofChrist's finished work.
4. It is the Spirit's work to bear witness of Jesus. "He shalltake of Mine."
Hence He comes to convince of sin, to reveal the sacrifice for sin; of
righteousness, thatwe may see the righteousnessofChrist; of judgment, that
we may be prepared to meet the Judge. He has not come, and never will, to
teacha new Gospel.
5. It is by the gospelof Jesus that the Spirit works in the hearts of men. "Faith
cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God."
6. The Spirit's work is to conform us to the likeness ofChrist, not to this or
that human ideal.
7. Evermore it is for the glory of Jesus that the Spirit works — not for the
glory of a church, or a sect, or a man "He shall glorify Me."
II. THE HOLY SPIRIT'S OPERATIONS ARE OF MARVELLOUS
POWER. Theyare —
1. Inward. The rivers are to flow out of the midst of a man, from his heart and
soul, not from his mouth; the promised power is not oratory, talent, show.
2. Life-giving "living water." When the man speaks, prays, acts, there shall be
going out of him emanations which are full of the life of grace and godliness.
3. Plentiful Not a river, but "rivers."
4. Spontaneous. "Shallflow." No pumping is required — the man does not
want exciting and stirring up. Does the sun make a noise that men may be
aware of his rising? No, he shines and says nothing about it. So does the
Christian.
5. Perpetual:not like intermittent springs.

38. III. THESE OPERATIONS ARE EASILY OBTAINED.
1. By believing in Jesus. It is faith which gives us the first drink and causes us
to live, and the more abundant blessing of being ourselves made fountains
come in the same way. With Christ is the residue of the Spirit.
2. By prayer. "If ye being evil," etc.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Christians are not ponds, but spring-heads
C. H. Spurgeon.
I have heard of William Gadsby, that, travelling on a coachone day, he asked
two hereticaldivines to tell him how a sinner is justified in the sight of God.
"No," saidthey, "you don't catchus is that fashion. Whateveranswerwe gave
you would be repeatedall over Manchesterwithin a week.""Oh," he says,
"then I will tell you. A sinner is justified in the sight of God by faith in the
blood and righteousness ofChrist. Go and tell that all over Manchesterand
all over England as quickly as you like; for I believe nothing that I am
ashamedof."
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Believers are springs of living water
Sunday SchoolChronicle.
One summer day, a few years ago, strolling for rest and pleasure near the
mouth of the Columbia river, where there is a large rise and fall of the tide, I
came, at low tide, upon a splendid spring of pure, fresh water, clearas crystal,
gushing up from betweenthe rocks that two hours before had formed a part
of the river's bed. Twice a day the soiled tides rise above that beautiful
fountain and coverit over; but there it is, deep down under the salt tide, and
when the tide has spent its force and gone back againto the ocean's depths, it

39. sends out its pure waters fresh and clearas before. So if the human heart be
really a fountain of love to Christ it will send out its streams of fresh, sweet
waters, eveninto the midst of the salttides of politics or business. And the
man who carries sucha fountain into the day's worry and struggle, will come
againat night, when the world's tide has spent its force, with cleanhands,
sweetspirit and consciencevoid of offence towards God and man.
(Sunday SchoolChronicle.)
Believers have a perennial spring within them
H. G. Salter., Bp. Westcott.
The Christian has a fens perennis within him. He is satisfied from himself.
The men of the world borrow all their joy from without. Joy wholly from
without is false, precarious, and short. Like gatheredflowers, though fair and
sweetfor a season, it must soonwither and become offensive. Joy from within
is like smelling the moss on the tree, it is more sweetand fair, and I must add
that it is immortal.
(H. G. Salter.)As the Scripture hath said. — The reference is not to any one
isolatedpassage, but to the generaltenor of such passages as Isaiah58:11;
Zechariah 14:18, takenin connectionwith the original image (Exodus 17:6;
Numbers 20:11).
(Bp. Westcott.)
Out of His belly shall flow rivers of living water.
Wateran emblem of the Spirit
Why has He called the grace of the Spirit by the name of water? Becauseby
waterall things subsist; because ofwaterare herbs and animals created;
because the water of the showers comesdownfrom heaven; because it comes
down one in form, yet manifold in its working. For one fountain wateredthe
whole of the garden (Genesis 2:10), and one and the same rain comes down

40. upon all the world; yet it becomes white in the lily, and red in the rose, and
purple in the violets and pansies, and different and varied in eachseveral
kind; so it is one in the palm tree, and anotherin the vine, and all in all things;
being the while one in nature, not diverse from itself; for the rain does not
change, when it comes down, first as one thing, then as another, but adapting
itself to the nature of eachthing, which receives it, it becomes to eachwhat is
suitable. Thus also the Holy Ghost being One, and of one Nature, and
undivided, divides to eachHis grace "according as He will," and in the name
of Christ works many excellencies.ForHe employs the tongue of one man for
wisdom; the soul of another He enlightens by prophecy; to another He gives
powerto drive awaydevils; to another He gives power to interpret the Divine
Scriptures. He invigorates one man's self-command; He teaches anotherthe
way to give alms; another He teaches to fastand exercise himself; another He
teaches to despise the things of the body; another He trains for martyrdom:
diverse in different men, yet not diverse from Himself (John 4:14; John 5:4; 1
Corinthians 12:11).
( S. Cyril.)
The abundance and vitality of the Spirit's operations
Rivers, not river, to show the copious and overflowing power of grace;and
living water, i.e., always moving; for when the grace of the Spirit has entered
into and settledin the mind, it flows freer than any fountain, and neither fails,
nor empties, nor stagnates.The wisdom of Stephen, the tongue of Peter, the
strength of Paul, are evidences ofthis. Nothing hindered them; but like
impetuous torrents they went on, carrying everything along with them.
( Chrysostom.)
Diversity of the Holy Spirit's operations
W. H. Van Doren, D. D.

41. There is one Spirit, but divers operations;one fountain, many rivers. Moses
mighty" in miracle, Isaiahglorious in prophecy, apostles convincing in
eloquence, Paulpowerful in reasoning. A Howard for benevolence, a Luther
for reformation, a Calvin for theology, a Huss and a for martyrs. No place
having one believer is without a living well.
(W. H. Van Doren, D. D.)
The Holy Ghostwas not yet given
Bp. Westcott., Bp. Westcott.
The Holy Ghostwas not yet given. — The addition of the word "given"
expresses the true form of the original, in which "Spirit" is without the article.
When the term occurs in this form, it marks an operation or manifestation, no
gift of the Spirit, and not the personal Spirit (comp. John 1:33; John 20:22;
Matthew 1:18, 20;Matthew 3:11; Matthew 12:28;Luke 1:15, 35, 41, 67; Luke
2:25; Luke 4:1).
(Bp. Westcott.)Becausethat Jesus was notyet glorified (comp. John 16:7;
John 20:17). The necessarylimitations of Christ's historical presence with the
disciples excluded that realization of His abiding presence whichfollowedon
the Resurrection. It is impossible not to contrastthe righteousness ofthis
utterance with the clearteaching of St. John himself on the "unction" of
believers (1 John 2:20, etc.), which forms a commentary gained by later
experience upon the words of our Lord.
(Bp. Westcott.)
The fulness of the Spirit the gift of the glorified Chris
Bp. Ryle.
t: — The Holy Ghost was not yet with men in such fulness of influence on
their minds, hearts, and understandings, as the Spirit of adoption and
revelation, as He was after our Lord ascendedup into heaven. It is as clearas

42. daylight, from our Lord's language about the Spirit, in John 14:16, 17, 26;
John 15:26; John 16:7-15, that believers were meant to receive a far more full
and complete outpouring of the Holy Spirit after His ascensionthan they had
receivedbefore. It is a simple matter of fact, indeed, that after the Ascension
the apostles were quite different men from what they had been before. They
both saw, and spoke, and actedlike men grownup, while before the Ascension
they had been like children. It was this increasedlight and knowledge and
decisionthat made them such a blessing to the world, far more than any
miraculous gifts. The possessionofthe gifts of the Spirit, it is evident, in the
early Church was quite compatible with an ungodly heart. A man might speak
with tongues and yet be like salt that had lostits savour. The possessionof the
fulness of the graces ofthe Spirit, on the contrary, was that which made any
man a blessing to the world.
(Bp. Ryle.)
The glorificationof Christ
Bp. Westcott.
This is the first distinct reference to the glorification of our Lord. The
conceptionis characteristic ofthis Gospel(comp. John 1:14; John 2:11), and
includes in one complex whole the Passionwith the triumph which followed.
Thus St. John regards Christ's death as a victory (John 12:32), following the
words of our Lord, who identified the hour of His death with the hour of His
glorification(John 12:23, etc.). In accordancewith the same thought, Christ
spoke of Himself as already "glorified" when Judas had gone forth to his
work (John 13:31);and so He had alreadyreceivedHis glory by the faith of
His disciples before He suffered (John 17:10). In anotheraspectHis glory
followedafter His withdrawal from earth (John 17:5; John 16:14).:By the use
of this phrase the Evangelistbrings out clearly the absolute Divine unity of the
work of Christ in His whole "manifestation" (1 John 3:5, 8; 1 John 1:2),
which he does not (as St. Paul) regard as distinct stagesofhumiliation and
exaltation.

43. (Bp. Westcott.)
The Holy Spirit must be receivedby us
Drelincourt.
The sea enters into the rivers before the rivers can enter into the sea. In like
manner God comes to us before we cango to Him, and heaven enters into our
souls before we can enter into heaven.
(Drelincourt.)
The Holy Spirit sustains the inward life of believers
H. G. Salter.
Grace in the saints is not like light in the sun, that springs from itself, but like
the light of a lamp that is constantly fed with supplies of oil, otherwise the
weak light will faint and die.
(H. G. Salter.)
Many of the people, therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth
this is the Prophet
Christ the Prophet
I. HIS FITNESS AS A PROPHET.
1. Foretold(Deuteronomy 18:15;John 1:45).
2. Typified (Deuteronomy 18:18;Acts 3:22).
3. Anointed (Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:17-21).
4. Competent (Matthew 11:17;John 3:2, 34).

44. 5. Faithful (John 8:26, 28;John 12:49, 50).
6. Wise (Luke 2:40, 47, 52;Colossians2:3).
7. Mighty (Matthew 13:54;Luke 4:82).
8. Meek (Matthew 11.;29 12:17-20).
9. Sympathetic (Hebrews 2:18; Hebrews 4:15).
II. HIS TREATMENTAS A PROPHET.
1. Rejectedby His own people (John 1:11).
2. RejectedatHis own home (Luke 4:28-30).
3. Rejectedbefore Pilate (John 18:39, 40).
4. Followedby multitudes (Matthew 5:1; John 6:2).
5. Believedby many (John 4:41, 42; John 17:8).
6. Trusted by some (Acts 7:59; 2 Timothy 1:12).
7. Commended by some (John 1:26, 27, 45).
8. All should hear (Deuteronomy 18:15, 18;Hebrews 2:2, 3).
9. All should trust Him (Psalm37:5; 1 Peter5:7).
III. His LESSONS AS A PROPHET.
1. On sinfulness (John 3:18, 19;John 15:22).
2. On salvation (John 3:16; John 5:24).
3. On judgment (Matthew 25:31, 32).
4. On reward (John 6:47; Matthew 25:34).
5. On penalty (Matthew 25:41, 46).
6. On heaven (John 14:2, 3; Matthew 22:30).

45. 7. On victory (Luke 12:32; Matthew 10:22). This is My beloved Son, in whom
I am wellpleased;hear ye Him (Matthew 17:5).
(Sunday SchoolTimes.)
Christ the cause of division
C. H. Spurgeon.
Even when Jesus preachedso sweetlyHis meek and loving doctrine there was
a division among the people (ver. 43). Even about Himself there was a schism.
We may not, therefore, hope to please everybody, howevertrue our teaching
or peacefulour spirit.
I. THERE WAS A DIVISION AMONG THE NEW DISCIPLES. We may
view the parties formed in His day as symbolical of those in our own.
1. Some admitted none of His claims.
2. Others admitted a portion, but denied the rest.
3. Certain admitted His claims, but neglectedto follow out the legitimate
consequencesofthem.
4. A few became sincere hearers, going as far with Him as they had yet
learned of Him. Let us view persons who have thoughts about Jesus with
considerable hope. Though they blunder now, they may yet come right. Let us
not frighten awaythe birds with imprudent haste. Let us pray for those who
deny His claims, and resistHis kingdom. Let us aid those who come a little
way towards the truth, and are willing to go all the way if they canbut find it.
Let us arouse those who neglectholy subjects altogether,
II. THERE WAS A DIVISION OF BELIEVERS FROM NON-BELIEVERS.
This is a greatand wide difference, and the more clearlythe division is seen
the better; for God views it as very deep and all-im- portant. There is a great
division at this present hour —
1. In opinion; especiallyas to the Lord Jesus.

46. 2. In trust; many rely on self; only the godly on Jesus.
3. In love. Differing pleasures and aims prove that hearts go after different
objects.
4. In obedience, character, andlanguage.
5. In development, growth, tendency.
6. In destiny. The directions of the lines of life point at different places as the
end of the journey. This cleavagedivides the dearestfriends and relatives.
This is the most realand deep difference in the world.
III. YET WHEN FAITH COMES, UNITY IS PRODUCED.There is unity
among the people because ofHim.
1. Nationalities are blended. Calvary heals Babel.
(1)Jews and Gentiles are one in Christ.
(2)The near and the far-off as to spiritual things are brought nigh in Him, who
is the one and only centre of grace and truth.
(3)Believers ofall nationalities become one Church.
2. Personalpeculiarities cease to divide.
(1)Workers forChrist are sure to be blended in one body by their common
difficulties.
(2)Position, rank, and wealth give way before the uniting influence of grace.
3. Mentalspecialities feelthe touch of unity. Saints —
(1)of varying creeds have an essentialunion in Christ;
(2)of all the changing ages are alike in Him;
(3)of all styles of educationare one in Him;

47. (4)in heaven will be many as the waves, but one as the sea.Ambitions, which
else would disintegrate, are overcome, and laid at Jesus'feet. Let us divide, if
there be a division. Let us closelyunite, if there be real union in Christ.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Division of feeling and opinion about Christ
Bp. Ryle.
Here we see our words literally fulfilled. He did not bring "peace,but
division" (Luke 12:51). It will always be so as long as the world stands. So
long as human nature is corrupt Christ will be a cause of division and
difference among men. To some He is a savour of life, and to others of death.
Grace and nature never will agree any more than oil and water, acid and
alkali. A state of entire quiet, and the absence ofany religious division, is often
no goodsign of the condition of a Church or a parish. It may even be a
symptom of spiritual disease anddeath. The question may possibly be needful
in such cases,"Is Christ there?"
(Bp. Ryle.)
Various opinions
H. Melvill, B. D.
We often speak ofthe greatchanges and revolutions which have occurredin
the world. But through the long series there may be traced much that is
permanent, so that probably uniformity is as truly the characteristic of
human history as variety. It may, e.g., be always ascertainedthat the same
principles have pervaded God's moral government. It may also be perceived
that the elements of human characterhave throughout been the same. Our
text, relating as it does opinions of the Jews regarding our Lord, will give us
opportunities of observing this sameness in particular cases.We may be
compelled to saythat men are what they were eighteenhundred years back,

48. on discovering that modern indifference and unbelief borrows from ancient
its form and apology.
I. The first parties introduced are THOSE DISPOSED TO RECOGNIZE
CHRIST AS A TEACHER SENT FROM GOD.
1. The cause of this convictionwas not any action of Christ's, but a "saying"
of His. Then surely the saying must have been one of extraordinary power,
some assertionof Divinity, or some verification in Himself of ancient prophecy
too complete and striking to be resisted. No;the wonder-working saying was
that of ver. 37, which the Evangelistthought so obscure as to require an
explanation. Yet simple as it seems to us and dark as it seemedto St. John, it
succeededat once in wringing the confessionthat He was a Divinely-sent
Teacher.
2. The saying is one of those gracious invitations into which are gatheredthe
whole gospel. It demands a sense ofwant, a feeling of thirst, but proffers an
abundant supply, and by adding a reference to Scripture, which could only be
interpreted of some measure of supernatural influence, our Lord intimated
that His promise was a spiritual gift, satisfying desires after God and
immortality.. Here is the moral thirst which is not to be slakedatthe springs
of human science andtheology. And as there must have been many in the
crowddissatisfiedwith the traditions of the elders, and feeling a need of
higher teaching, the promise would come home as meeting their wants, and
the suitableness ofthe offer would pass as an argument for Christ's Divine
mission.
3. There is no difference here betweenpast days and our own, for the
argument is but that basedon the self-evidencing power of the Bible. A
religion may commend itself either by prodigies wrought in its support, or by
the nicety, with which it fits in to the mental and moral constitution, to the
wants and cravings of a soul which soughtin vain everywhere else for supply.
And this latter is the standing witness for the Bible. The sinner, conscious of
exposure to the wrath of God, and of inability to ward off destruction, will
find in Christ the Saviour he needs, and in the aid of the Spirit the help he

49. wants, so that there will seemto him no room for doubt as to the truth of the
gospel.
II. Mix againwith the crowd and hearkento SOME OTHER OPINIONS.
1. Those who are inclined to conclude that Jesus is the long promised Christ,
find themselves met with objections, formidable because professedlygrounded
on Scripture (ver. 42). There is no attempt to depreciate Christ's teaching, but
there was a fatal argument deduced from prophecy which has expresslyfixed
the birthplace and lineage of Christ. But this is one of the most surprising
instances of ignorance orinattention, if we may go no further. It is hardly
possible to imagine a fact more readily ascertainable thanthat our Lord was
born at Bethlehem, and was of the lineage of David; for the massacreofthe
innocents had made His birth so conspicuous, andnow there was no one left
but our Lord who could prove Himself to have been born at Bethlehem on the
expiration of Daniel's week ofyears. Therefore either He was the Messiah, or
prophecy had failed. Yet so greatwas the popular indifference or prejudice,
that a statementseems to have gone uncontradicted that the pretended
Messiahwas a Galilean. He passedas "Jesus ofNazareth," and this was proof
that He was not born in Bethlehem; and men were so glad of some specious
excuse for rejecting Him, that they made this shallow falsehooda pretext for
rejecting Him. It lookedvery fine to have Scripture on their side; the devil
used the Bible in tempting Christ, and they could now use it in justifying their
unbelief. The "Swordof the Spirit," like every other, may be used for suicide
as well as for war.
2. The like of this is of frequent occurrence amongstourselves. Whatis that
scepticismwhich is often met with among the boastful and young? Is it the
result of carefulinvestigation? No. The fashionable young man, the orator at
some juvenile literary club, gets hold of some objectionagainstChristianity
which has a specious sound and formidable look — all the better if it come out
of the Bible, in the shape of an allegedcontradiction and this is enough; he has
his "ShallChrist come out of Galilee?"and with so decisive an argument, why
should he trouble to searchfurther? This is our quarrel with him. He wishes
to continue deceived. The sceptic, like the Jew, has only to look around him
and he would find that Jesus did not come out of Galilee, but out of

50. Bethlehem. God suffered infants to be slain that Jewishunbelief might be
inexcusable, and He has raisedup giants in His Church whose writings render
modern unbelief the same.
(H. Melvill, B. D.)
The wonderful nature of Christ's teaching
P. Doddridge, D. D.
His mode of speaking is like that of a prince, who, having been educatedin a
splendid court, could speak with ease ofmany magnificent things, at the
sudden view of which a peasantwould be swallowedup in astonishment, and
would find himself greatly embarrassedin an attempt to explain them to his
equals at home.
(P. Doddridge, D. D.)
Then came the officers
The return of the bailiffs
Bp. Ryle., T. Whitelaw, D. D.
I. THE MAJESTYOF JESUS CONFESSED(ver. 47). One almost wishes that
the officers had been more specific. Perhaps it was the same qualities that had
affectedChrist's listeners from the first.
1. Openness (ver. 26). No greatness, criticism, danger, daunted Him. Before
the hierarchs (John 18:20), the hostile mob (John 18:5), and Pilate (John
18:33), He was everthe same resolute and outspokenpreacherof the truth.
2. Authority. There was not a solitaryrealm in which He did not reign
supreme — the kingdom of nature (Matthew 8:26; Matthew 14:32), the world
of humanity (Matthew 8:8), the empire of devils (Mark 1:27; Luke 4:36),the
regionof the dead (Matthew 9:25; Luke 7:15; John 11:44), the innermost
domain of the conscience (John8:9).

51. 3. Graciousness (Luke 4:22).
II. THE FRIENDS OF JESUS SILENCED.
1. The bailiffs rebuked (vers. 47-49). Theywere reminded that they were only
menials, who had no right to think, etc.;hearing which, no doubt, crestfallen,
they slunk away; let us hope rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer
for Him (Acts 5:41) and following up the favourable impression.
2. Nicodemus put down (vers. 50-52). The Sanhedrists could not frown at him
as ignorant of the law (ver. 51), but they could sneer at his sympathy with the
GalileanPreacher, and stopped his mouth by delicately hinting that he was
growing old and did not know his bible as accuratelyas he should (ver. 52).
Exactly so have Christ's champions in all ages beentreated.
III. THE ENEMIES OF CHRIST HARDENED. The hierarchs, determined
on Christ's removal, are henceforthimpervious to everything advanced in His
favour. The light that was in them became darkness. Lessons:
1. The power of Christ's words overhonest and sincere hearts.
2. The doctrine of Christ an argument for His divinity.
3. The superior religious instincts of the masses as distinguishedfrom the
classes.
4. The certainty that Christ and His cause will never lack defenders.
5. The downward course of those who wilfully oppose Christ.
(T. Whitelaw, D. D.)
Opposition to the truth
J. W. L. M.
I. GENERALLY SERVES TO ELICIT THE MOST IMPORTANT
TESTIMONYIN ITS BEHALF. The officers could have no possible interest

52. in Christ, but were, if anything, prejudiced againstHim. Hence their
testimony was disinterested. It was —
1. To the justice of His claims as a Divine messenger. Unless aided by Divine
influence, there was the difficulty the Jews themselves started(ver. 15).
2. To the earnestpersuasiveness ofHis manner. He spoke the truth, but in
love. He concealednothing to softenprejudice, but clothedwarnings, etc., so
as to win conviction (ver. 46).
3. To the force of His reasoning on conscience.Whatbut this could have
induced the officers to risk disapproval?
II. GENERALLY IGNORES MAN'S RESPONSIBILITYFOR HIS BELIEF
(ver. 48). We are told that we are not competent to judge for ourselves, and
therefore should believe what our superiors bid. Some submit from indolence;
others for the sake ofa goodappearance, "willing to be damned for fashion's
sake, andto go to hell out of compliment to the scribes and Pharisees";others
from policy. How is it that so many of the greatones are arrayed againstthe
truth? Because —
1. It is independent of their patronage.
2. It is indifferent to their prejudices.
3. It promises no worldly rewards. Hold to your personal responsibility.
III. Is ESPECIALLY CAREFUL TO CONSERVE ADVENTITIOUS
DISTINCTION (vers. 48, 49). Truth is levelling in its influence. It debases the
greatand exalts the humble. It destroys caste. Error, on the other hand,
preserves it, for it is essentialto its continuance.
IV. FREQUENTLYCALLS OUT THE SYMPATHIES OF ITS SECRET
DISCIPLES (ver. 50). If we resolve never to do less for Christ than Nicodemus
did, we shall be of service. Whateverwe are not able to do, we can prevent a
vote of censure on Christ unanimously.

53. V. IS GENERALLY MARKED BY RIDICULE INSTEAD OF ARGUMENT
(ver. 52). This method is often successful, orit would not be employed. Truth
revolts from levity.
VI. IS GENERALLY CONDUCTED IN VIOLATION OF EVEN ITS SELF-
CONSTITUTED STANDARDS.These men, who professedto go by the law
and sneeredat the people as ignorant of it, were themselves convicted of
violating it (Deuteronomy 19:15-18).
VII. WILL FINALLY BE SILENCED AND OVERCOME. The assembly,
unable to answerNicodemus, broke up with every mark of haste and
confusion.
(J. W. L. M.)
The officers answered, Neverman spake like this man
The circumstance
E. N. Kirk, D. D.
Our Lord's ministry was now nearly completed; the effects of His example
and preaching were so manifesting themselves that the Sanhedrim had
become desperate. The prey was about to slip from their grasp, and they must
either lose their position or silence the Preacher. Theyaccordinglysenttheir
officers to apprehend Him. They were accustomedto obey such orders, and
were selectedbecausenaturally possessedofmore firmness than sensibility,
and because the more insensible by having practisedthe duties of their office.
Like other Jews, they had heard much preaching by their rabbis, and
therefore expectedto find a ranter. The idea they had must have been that the
apprehension cf a fanaticalpreacher, disturbing the public peace, wouldbe an
easytask, and rather a pastime. So they may have gone jocularly on from
streetto street until they had come to the immense multitudes gathered in and
around the Temple celebrating the feastof tabernacles. Butthe chief interest
of that multitude seems to radiate from the vast circumference to Christ as its
centre. They press through the throng, and approachthe hallowedspot. But

54. what checks their rude steps? Why do they not advance to seize their prey,
please their masters, and secure an extra fee? They are confounded, not with
fear, but with amazement, reverence, and an unwonted human sympathy.
There He stands, incarnate Deity! No fierceness ofa mob leaderis seenin
Him, no cringing to formidable enemies, no caressing the populace. He stands
alone and lofty in the meek dignity of a descendedGod. And they might first
have said, "Neverman lookedlike that man." But they felt the attractive force
of the very powerthat disarmed them. There was a presence that annihilated
the authority of Sanhedrims; there was a manifest virtue that acquitted Him
at the bar of their consciences. And before it they laid down their vile
commission, and joined the devout and admiring hearers. This added to their
wonder and reverence. SurelyMoses neverspake more according to the mind
of God. Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, never spake with more authority
than this man. He is a prophet of the living God; and surely the elders of
Israelnever intended to arrestsuch a man; and they returned, not with a
prisoner, but with a nolle-prosequi, a report that there was no ground of
arrest. "Neverman spake like this man."
(E. N. Kirk, D. D.)
Similar but contrastedincidents
G. Burder., J. B. Figgis, M. A.
Plutarch mentions it as a memorable proof of the extraordinary eloquence of
Mark Antony, that, when soldiers were sentto kill him, he pleaded for his life
in such affecting language that he totally disarmed them of their resolution,
and melted them into tears. But these officers are vanquished, not by the
forcible arguments of a man pleading for his life, but by hearing one of the
ordinary discourses ofour Lord, not particularly directed to them, but to the
people at large.
(G. Burder.)In the troublous times that closedthe great Republic, amongstthe
men that arose and made themselves masters of the world there was hardly a
greaterthan Caius Marius. The conqueror of Jugurtha, the conquerorof the

55. Cimbri, he was lookedupon as the shield and sword of Rome. Six times he
sought and six times he obtained the consulship, and bid fair to die as he had
lived, the ruthless lord of the eternal city. But God decreedotherwise. A rival
appearedupon the scene, and after chequeredfortunes Marius had to fly. In
the romance of his wanderings we read that he was once put on shore
unattended and unarmed. He was seizedand flung into prison, and an edict
came from Rome that he must die. A Gaulish slave was sent to the dungeon to
do the deed. Marius, sitting in a gloomy cornerof the prison, with his
bloodshot eyes glaredon the man, and with his terrible voice demanded,
"Canstthou kill Caius Marius?" And the slave, fearing the prisoner more
than the gaolerorthe judge, flung down his swordand fled away, crying, "I
cannot kill Caius Marius." Put side by side with this story of a sanguinary life
the incident of the life the most submissive and self-denying the world has ever
seen, and the very likeness ofthe latter will make the unlikeness of the spirit
greater. In both murder was meant. In both the presence and words of the
intended victim postponedthe murder. In both the assailants turned craven.
But the shield that turned the edge of their swordin the one case was terrific
rage, in the other placid mercy.
(J. B. Figgis, M. A.)
"Neverman spake like this man
Lyman Abbott, D. D.
1. Jesus was a popular preacher. The synagogue was full when He spoke, and
men went out in crowds into the fields to listen to Him.
2. He was a powerful preacher. Extraordinary changes ofcharacterwere
wrought by His sermons. The tax-gathererleft his money.changing and the
fisherman his boats to follow Him. All classeswere affectedby it, from the
most cultured and religious to the most abandoned.
3. Whatevertheory men may have respecting His person, there can be no
doubt that the world has been revolutionized by His teaching. What, then,
were the elements of His power?(1)He spoke to the common in their