also of many who were mere strangers. Interest in natural kinsmen wonld soon be merged in the wider interest a Christian must feel in humanity at large. Peter was Androw'e first gift to Jesus, and he may have been the easiest. To bring a human being into real, loving contact with Jesus is not an easy thing; but what a service, what a blessing and a joy, to every one concerned I I. Andrew wae able to bring Peter to Jesus because HE HAD FIRST oF ALL BEEN DROU0ilT IIIMBELF. Andrew had first of all been himself the subject of spiritual illumi- nation. God must have shined in his heart to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Ile had been brought to Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah. The acquaintance had been very short, but a great deal may be done in a short lime when the human heart has been getting ready to meet with Christ, when there is perfect openness and simplicity of mind-truth on one side and an ea"er seeker 0 after it on the other. To get other people as far as Peter, we must first of all have got as far as Andrew ourselves. How should the blind lead the blind? We must not wait for an Andrew. God has his own agency for us. He may send some John the Baptist, saying, "Behold! " to us. We must consider well the obstacles in our way to Jesus, which none can remove but ourselves-procrastination, bosom sins, spiritual indolence, neglect of the Scriptures. II. CoNBIDEn WHO IT WAS THAT ANDREW BP.OUGHT. His own brother Simon. So natural brotherhood is distinguished from that spiritual brotherhood which afterwards sprang into existence as regenerated believers in Christ felt the strong tie binding them together. What brother ought not to be to brother, and yet what he may very easily become, is shown from Cain and Abel, and Joseph and his brethren. ,vhat brother ought to be to brother is shown in this seeking of Simon by Andrew. Great oppor- tunities are given by natural brotherhood, mutually cherished. Give every good thing in nature a chance to become also a minister of grace. III. CoNSIDEn WHAT ANDREW SAID TO PETER. "We have found the Messiah." This is as much good news for us as it was for Peter. What Andrew said he said at- first, after a very brief acquaintance; but he would go on saying it all the more as day after day opened up the riches of Messiah's mission and power. Observe the plural form of the announcement. The other disciple agreed with Andrew in his judgment. Look out for those and listen to them who bear the same message as Andrew, though not in quite the same form. We have words and acts of Jesus constantly forced on our atten- tion. If we cannot be brought to Jesus, Jesus is brought to us. All bringing of men to Jesus must be preceded, more or less, by bringing of Jesus to men. Andrew must have brought such a vivid and powerful account of his talk with Jesus as would amount practically to a bringing of Jesus.-Y.
Vera. 45-51.-Jesus and Nathanael. Jesus praises Nathanael both in what he says to others concerning him, and what he says directly to himself. Whatever Jesus may have found praiseworthy in the other four disciples, he said nothing. Nathanael stands out very distinctly as having in him elements of character needing to be published to all disciples. Jesus meant to say to others," Be ye as this man. Be ye also Israelites indeed, in whom there is no guile. Be ye those who have peculiar individual experiences under the fig tree." And so we must try to discover what it is to be" an Israelite indeed," and what it was Jesus specially observed when Nathanael was under the fig tree. I. Begin with the most definite word, AN ISRAELITE INDEED. Some are Israelites only in appearance-Israelites according to the flesh, perhaps, yet not therefore Israel- ites indeed. An Israelite indeed is one like Israel. Israel is the man of two names- Jacob to begin with, Israel afterwards. We must look at him in all the scenes of his life. Jacob at Bethel must be specially considered, also that later wrestling till the breaking of the day. On that occasion Jacob was resolved. ·with him it was now or never. He had a blessing to get that meant salvation and prosperity, and therefore, as a drowning man grasps the rope. he grasped the only Being who could give that blessing. That was how Israel got his name, entered into his privilege, and became an example to us. An Israelite indeed is one who wrestles with the Giver of spiritual blessin~s; one who has known long agonies of the heart; one who has toiled with strong cryin~ and tears, if only he might got the bles6ing of a conscience unde6led, and a hc:u·t p'-'rfoctly 111-bjected to the will of God. • 78 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN, rCll, II, 1-20 0
TI. Tm: I,TGJIT THm CAST ON THE CTTARACTER OF NATTTANAEL, He was Rn Israelite Indeed. 'l'herC'forc he had J.71own intense spiritual struggles. His bosom had been tho ecat of ~nmc grC'at searching influence akin to tb:-.t which hrnel ~sed through when he wrc~tlrd to the breaking of the day. Nathanael must h:ive had nis time of wrestling under the fig tree. Something was resolved, something attained, What tho something "·a~ we know not, for Jesus perfectly respects Nathanael's secret, even while he makes Nathanael feel that he knows it. ITT. \VF. ALL SHOULD RAVE oun TIME UNDER TRI!: FIG TREE, Seek a senson wherein the underlying T<'alities of life shall meet us face to face. Struggles liko those of Nathanael nre indiellted again and again in the Dook of Psalms. If you would under- stand Ps. cxxx:ix., you must have bad your time under the fig tree. Till you have bad rnch a time you are without a key to the deepest, most precious utterances of Scripture. The thought of Nathanael should stir us up t-0 that struggle which makes a. spiritual man so rich and strong, and, above all, so satisrying a sight to the Lord Jesus Christ. IV. WHEN WE ADE UNDER THE FIG TDEE JESUS KNOWS ABOUT IT. Nathanael knows that Jesus has ga.zed upon his heart and seen its most hidden thoughts. He is not dependent npon the exactness of our recollections, or the fulness of ·our descriptions. He sees the fulness of the inwnrd life just as it is. Nathanael knew that hence- forth to one Being in the universe nt least secrets were not secrets. Not merely that Nathanael wa~ seen, but seen by the eye of Jesus, that made the discovery so important, "I saw thee." Put all the fulness of meaning you can into that" I,"-Y.