The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 433

rrs INFIRMITIB8. The need a.nd desire 1Jo 11-hich expression waa thus given had a physical cause and WIii! accompanied by a physical pain. Jesus had thirsted upon hie journey when he asked from the Samaritan woman a draugM of water from Jacoh'H ,.-ell. Jesus seems to have taken no refreshment from the time when he supped with the apostleB in the upper room ; since then he had endured the agony in tho garden had passod through the repeat.ed ex&minations before the Jewish council und th~ Homan governor, ancl had hung for hours upon the cross. The bodily anguish and exhaustion of crucifixion, aggrava.t-0d by his unspeakable mental distress, account for the thirst which po81!88Sed the dying Sufferer. When the refreshment was offered, Jems moistened his li[)8 with the posr,a, or sour wine, offered him in the spongo raised on the stem of hyssop. This seems to have revived him, and strengthened him for the last cries which he uttered in his humiliation. H. 'l'HIB OBY I8 AN EVIDENCE OF OUB Loan's EXTREME JIUMILIATION. When we remember that Jesus was the Lord of nature, whooould feed multitudes with bread, and cowJ supply a banquet with wine; when we remember that this acknowledgment of thirst was made in the presence of his enemies and persecutors; whon we remember from whom Jeswi deigned to accept the draught by which his thirst was relieved ;-we cannot but be impressed by the depth of humiliation to which he stooped. Ha wus "obedient unto death;" the "things which he suffered" were unexampled. Christ not only cond81!Cended to die; he accepted death in a form and with accompanying circumstances which rendered it something more than death. His death was sucrificial, and he shrank from nothing that could coo.tribute to ma.kB h.i.m "perfect through sutforiug." - . llL 'l'HIB CBY INSTBUOTB US AS TO THE PBIOE BY WJIIOB OUR REDEMPTION WAS SECURED. Our Lord's pain of body, his anguish of soul, the ignominious circumstances attending his dcoease, were all foresee11 and accepted. This very cry was a fulfilment of an ancient prophecy ; and the language of the evangelist forbids us to regard this as a mere coincidence. "By his stripes we are healed;" and we may look upon his volun- tary endura.oce of thirst as a means of satisfying the deep thirst of our immortal spirit. At all events, in his anguish he paid the price by which his people are redeemed. IV. TIIIS CRY SUGGESTS TO us A HETHOD BY wmca WE MAY, IN AOOORDANOE WITJI Cmwrr's OWN DmECTIONS, MINISTER UNTO HIM. Jesus has taught us to identify his people with himself. If love to him would find an opportunity for its display, an outlet by which it may flow forth, this is to be found in those ministrations to Christ's "little ones" which he enjoins upon those who recognize his authority and who love to please him. The cup of cold water may be given to the thirsty one in the name of a disciple. Some want may be supplied, some suffering alleviated, some wrong redressed. And they who for Christ's sa.ke th\18 minister to the thirsting, the needy, the friendless, are ju.stifled in deeming thlllllSelves, so far, ministers to Christ himself. It is all as though, hearing his dying cry, they raised the refreshing draught to his parched lips. He will account the deed of che.tlty u done W1to himself.-T. Ver. 30.-l?ie Bi:r;th word from the cross. To this solemn, awful moment Jes\18 had been looking forward during the whole of his ministry. As the ministry drew to a close he felt the approach of its consummation, and again and again gave utterance to his feelings. He .knew that the hour had come, that he was about to leave the worlcl ; he had looked up to the Father and had said, " I come to thee." And now the reason for living was over, and nothing remained for him but to die. The end was marked by the brief, momentous exclamation. " It is finished I " L THE P.BEDlCTIONB REFEBB.ING TO TIIB MEssIAH WERE NOW ALL FULFILLED, It had been written1 "The Seed of the woman shall bruiAe the serpent's head;" "Thou hast brought me into the dust of death ; " "It pleased the Lord to bruise him ; " " Tho Messiah shall be cut off;" "I will smite the Shepherd." These predictions of the sufferings of the Anointed of God were now verified in the e.xperiell.C8 completed by the Son of man. !L THE OBEDIEliCE AID> HUJULIA'l'ION OF TllE SoN OF GOD W.EBJ!l NOW COMPLETED, His humiliation had been apparent in his ta.king the form of a servant, anq. 11i;iduring poverty ar,d privation, anguish and contempt. His obedience had commenced ,dth hi;; childhood, had been continued during his ministry, and W!iS now perf8'lted in death, on, XIL 1-42.] 'l'IlE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. 447