The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 211

wildcrncse, God's old pioneering hernlde had voices like thunder. Now tho wilderness ton great extent is transformed into a garden, and the voice becomes na.turally more suppressed. 'l'he Dn.ptist wns a special herald with a special messa"e 0 ~ the world's wilderness, nnd he had a voice like a trumpet. (4) .Awful loneliness. "The voice of one crying in the wilderness." Here is a vast wilderness, and only one crying in it. John was literally so, nod morally to a greater extent. He had scarcely any one to sympathize with him, no responsive voice but the echo of his, no inspiration but that from within and from above. The Messiah he heralded was personally unknown to him. Great reformations have commenced with a few-with one-anrl that one alone bearing a lonely torch through a scene of dense darkness. Let those who labour almost alone in foreign lands remember the lonely crier of the J udrea.n wilderness, the sources of his inspiration, and the ultimate results. (5) Terriole ear11estness. "The voice of one cry- ing." Not moaning, or muttering, or whispering, but crying. John was terribly earnest. His message burned like fire in his soul, quivered on his lips, and thundered forth in his voice. His whole being was merged into speech-his head and feet, his face, his eyes, especially his trumpet-voice, and even his strange garment spoke ; so that he could not give a better account of himself than by saying, "I am the voice." He almost felt all voice. .And it should ever be so. The observer should be all eyes, the listener all ears, but the herald all voice. Let the preacher be all mind in the study, but all voice in the pulpit. (6) Great power and effect. There is a great power in a voice, even the mere sound of material forces-the peals of the thun<ler, the sweeping blast of the storm, the mighty tones of the ocean, or the terrible roar of the cataract; but what is all this sound to.the human voice iu its various cadences and modulations, as the expression of thought, the flaming chariot of passion and enthusiasm, and the stately vehicle of intelligence? lu the thunder and the storm matter only speaks ; but in the human voice mind speaks; and in that of a Divine herald God himself speaks. So that io. the voice of John could be heard the want of the world and the will of God. The thunder is not much without the lightning. 'l'he Daptist had a message of lightning and a voice of thunder, so that it was very powerful and effective. Its first notes were stern and terrible as he came in contact with the awful hypocrisy, infidelity, and vice of the age. Then his voice burst forth into thunders of invective and whirlwinds of condemnation, "0 genemtion of vipers," etc. I But towards the close of his ministry his voice grew more tender and mellow, so that we cannot imagine even the stem Baptist's voice to be otherwise than soft and musical as he uttered the words, the climax of his ministry, "Behold the Lamb," etc.J The ministry of John terrified and charmed, stirred society to its very core, answered its purposes, and drove all nearer to or further from God. (7) Evanescence. "I am the voice," etc. Notice the difference between the description of Christ and that of John. One is the" Word," abiding and permanent; the other is the" voice," transient and evaporating. John and his ministry were the voice-like the report of a cannon, soon to die away, but not before the shot is sent home. J ohn':1 voice was soon hushed, but hushed in the music of fulfilment, and in the sweeter voice of the already-present King, LESSON:!. 1. Many inquire while they ought to know. This deputation and those that sent them were masters in Israel, and ought to know the coming of their Lord and Messiah. 2. Many inquire in proper form, but in a wrong spirit. This deputation were outwardly proper, but inwardly hollow and insincere. 3. Many inquirers ilt first raise high hopes, but they are soon blighted. Doubtless John at first was elated with such a respectable and apparently genuine deputation ;~but his:hopcs were soon blighted by the hoar-frost of bigotry and pride. It came to nothing, at least with regard to the majority of them. 4. TliefaWiful herald should publish his message irrespective of consequences, treat all with respect, answer questions. Some may ben~fit by others' failures, and drink the water drawn but left by some one else.-B. T. Vors. 45-51.-The guileless inquirer. Notice-- I. THE OHARAOTER OF NATHANAEL IN rrs DISTINGUISHING FEATUBES. "An Isrn.ilite indeed." This title was partly given to Jacob, and assumed by his descendants. Dut many of thorn were Israelites only in uame, not in deed. Hereditary titles are often hollow and unrea.l. They were genuine when bestowed nt first as tokens anJ. rewa.nls of coumge a.nd service, but when assumed on account of birth merely, they often lack  TIIE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO S'l', JOHN. [ou. t, 1-61,