the desire of ages-第25节

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nly；　as　his　glance　swept　over　the　throng；　his　eye　kindled；　his　face　was　lighted　up；　his　whole　being　was　stirred　with　deep　emotion。　With　outstretched　hands　he　cried；　〃I　baptize　in　water：　in　the　midst　of　you　standeth　One　whom　ye　know　not；　even　He　that　cometh　after　me；　the　latchet　of　whose　shoe　I　am　not　worthy　to　unloose。〃　John　1：27；　R。　V。；　margin。

The　message　was　distinct　and　unequivocal；　to　be　carried　back　to　the　Sanhedrin。　The　words　of　John　could　apply　to　no　other　than　the　long…promised　One。　The　Messiah　was　among　them！　In　amazement　priests　and　rulers　gazed　about　them；　hoping　to　discover　Him　of　whom　John　had　spoken。　But　He　was　not　distinguishable　among　the　throng。

When　at　the　baptism　of　Jesus；　John　pointed　to　Him　as　the　Lamb　of　God；　a　new　light　was　shed　upon　the　Messiah's　work。　The　prophet's　mind　was　directed　to　the　words　of　Isaiah；　〃He　is　brought　as　a　lamb　to　the　slaughter。〃　Isa。　53：7。　During　the　weeks　that　followed；　John　with　new　interest　studied　the　prophecies　and　the　teaching　of　the　sacrificial　service。　He　did　not　distinguish　clearly　the　two　phases　of　Christ's　work；as　a　suffering　sacrifice　and　a　conquering　king；but　he　saw　that　His

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coming　had　a　deeper　significance　than　priests　or　people　had　discerned。　When　he　beheld　Jesus　among　the　throng　on　His　return　from　the　desert；　he　confidently　looked　for　Him　to　give　the　people　some　sign　of　His　true　character。　Almost　impatiently　he　waited　to　hear　the　Saviour　declare　His　mission；　but　no　word　was　spoken；　no　sign　given。　Jesus　did　not　respond　to　the　Baptist's　announcement　of　Him；　but　mingled　with　the　disciples　of　John；　giving　no　outward　evidence　of　His　special　work；　and　taking　no　measures　to　bring　Himself　to　notice。

The　next　day　John　sees　Jesus　coming。　With　the　light　of　the　glory　of　God　resting　upon　him；　the　prophet　stretches　out　his　hands；　declaring；　〃Behold　the　Lamb　of　God；　which　taketh　away　the　sin　of　the　world！　This　is　He　of　whom　I　said；　After　me　cometh　a　man　which　is　become　before　me。　。　。　。　And　I　knew　Him　not；　but　that　He　should　be　made　manifest　to　Israel；　for　this　cause　came　I　baptizing　in　water。　。　。　。　I　have　beheld　the　Spirit　descending　as　a　dove　out　of　heaven；　and　it　abode　upon　Him。　And　I　knew　Him　not：　but　He　that　sent　me　to　baptize　in　water；　He　said　unto　me；　Upon　whomsoever　thou　shalt　see　the　Spirit　descending；　and　abiding　upon　Him；　the　same　is　He　that　baptizeth　with　the　Holy　Spirit。　And　I　have　seen；　and　have　borne　witness　that　this　is　the　Son　of　God。〃　John　1：29…34；　R。　V。；　margin。

Was　this　the　Christ？　With　awe　and　wonder　the　people　looked　upon　the　One　just　declared　to　be　the　Son　of　God。　They　had　been　deeply　moved　by　the　words　of　John。　He　had　spoken　to　them　in　the　name　of　God。　They　had　listened　to　him　day　after　day　as　he　reproved　their　sins；　and　daily　the　conviction　that　he　was　sent　of　Heaven　had　strengthened。　But　who　was　this　One　greater　than　John　the　Baptist？　In　His　dress　and　bearing　there　was　nothing　that　betokened　rank。　He　was　apparently　a　simple　personage；　clad　like　themselves　in　the　humble　garments　of　the　poor。

There　were　in　the　throng　some　who　at　Christ's　baptism　had　beheld　the　divine　glory；　and　had　heard　the　voice　of　God。　But　since　that　time　the　Saviour's　appearance　had　greatly　changed。　At　His　baptism　they　had　seen　His　countenance　transfigured　in　the　light　of　heaven；　now；　pale；　worn；　and　emaciated；　He　had　been　recognized　only　by　the　prophet　John。

But　as　the　people　looked　upon　Him；　they　saw　a　face　where　divine　compassion　was　blended　with　conscious　power。　Every　glance　of　the　eye；　every　feature　of　the　countenance；　was　marked　with　humility；　and　expressive　of　unutterable　love。　He　seemed　to　be　surrounded　by　an

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atmosphere　of　spiritual　influence。　While　His　manners　were　gentle　and　unassuming；　He　impressed　men　with　a　sense　of　power　that　was　hidden；　yet　could　not　be　wholly　concealed。　Was　this　the　One　for　whom　Israel　had　so　long　waited？

Jesus　came　in　poverty　and　humiliation；　that　He　might　be　our　example　as　well　as　our　Redeemer。　If　He　had　appeared　with　kingly　pomp；　how　could　He　have　taught　humility？　how　could　He　have　presented　such　cutting　truths　as　in　the　Sermon　on　the　Mount？　Where　would　have　been　the　hope　of　the　lowly　in　life　had　Jesus　come　to　dwell　as　a　king　among　men？

To　the　multitude；　however；　it　seemed　impossible　that　the　One　designated　by　John　should　be　associated　with　their　lofty　anticipations。　Thus　many　were　disappointed；　and　greatly　perplexed。

The　words　which　the　priests　and　rabbis　so　much　desired　to　hear；　that　Jesus　would　now　restore　the　kingdom　to　Israel；　had　not　been　spoken。　For　such　a　king　they　had　been　waiting　and　watching；　such　a　king　they　were　ready　to　receive。　But　one　who　sought　to　establish　in　their　hearts　a　kingdom　of　righteousness　and　peace；　they　would　not　accept。

On　the　following　day；　while　two　disciples　were　standing　near；　John　again　saw　Jesus　among　the　people。　Again　the　face　of　the　prophet　was　lighted　up　with　glory　from　the　Unseen；　as　he　cried；　〃Behold　the　Lamb　of　God！〃　The　words　thrilled　the　hearts　of　the　disciples。　They　did　not　fully　understand　them。　What　meant　the　name　that　John　had　given　Him；〃the　Lamb　of　God〃？　John　himself　had　not　explained　it。

Leaving　John；　they　went　to　seek　Jesus。　One　of　the　two　was　Andrew；　the　brother　of　Simon；　the　other　was　John　the　evangelist。　These　were　Christ's　first　disciples。　Moved　by　an　irresistible　impulse；　they　followed　Jesus；anxious　to　speak　with　Him；　yet　awed　and　silent；　lost　in　the　overwhelming　significance　of　the　thought；　〃Is　this　the　Messiah？〃

Jesus　knew　that　the　disciples　were　following　Him。　They　were　the　first　fruits　of　His　ministry；　and　there　was　joy　in　the　heart　of　the　divine　Teacher　as　these　souls　responded　to　His　grace。　Yet　turning；　He　asked　only；　〃What　seek　ye？〃　He　would　leave　them　free　to　turn　back　or　to　speak　of　their　desire。

Of　one　purpose　only　were　they　conscious。　One　presence　filled　their　thought。　They　exclaimed；　〃Rabbi；　。　。　。　where　dwellest　Thou？〃　In　a　brief　interview　by　the　wayside　they　could　not　receive　that　for　which　they　longed。　They　desired　to　be　alone　with　Jesus；　to　sit　at　His　feet；　and　hear　His　words。

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〃He　saith　unto　them；　Come　and　see。　They　came　and　saw　where　He　dwelt；　and　abode　with　Him　that　day。〃

If　John　and　Andrew　had　possessed　the　unbelieving　spirit　of　the　priests　and　rulers；　they　would　not　have　been　found　as　learners　at　the　feet　of　Jesus。　They　would　have　come　to　Him　as　critics；　to　judge　His　words。　Many　thus　close　the　door　to　the　most　precious　opportunities。　But　not　so　did　these　first　disciples。　They　had　responded　to　the　Holy　Spirit's　call　in　the　preaching　of　John　the　Baptist。　Now　they　recognized　the　voice　of　the　heavenly　Teacher。　To　them　the　words　of　Jesus　were　full　of　freshness　and　truth　and　beauty。　A　divine　illumination　was　shed　upon　the　teaching　of　the　Old　Testament　Scriptures。　The　many…sided　themes　of　truth　stood　out　in　new　light。

It　is　contrition　and　faith　and　love　that　enable　the　soul　to　receive　wisdom　from　heaven。　Faith　working　by　love　is　the　key　of　knowledge；　and　everyone　that　loveth　〃knoweth　God。〃　1　John　4：7。

The　disciple　John　was　a　man　of　earnest　and　deep　affection；　ardent；　yet　contemplative。　He　had　begun　to　discern　the　glory　of　Christ；not　the　worldly　pomp　and　power　for　which　he　had　been　taught　to　hope；　but　〃the　glory　as　of　the　Only…begotten　of　the　Father；　full　of　grace　and　truth。〃　John　1：14。　He　was　absorbed　in　contemplation　of　the　wondrous　theme。

Andrew　sought　to　impart　the　joy　that　filled　his　heart。　Going　in　search　of　his　brother　Simon；　he　cried；　〃We　have　found　the　Messias。〃　Simon　waited　for　no　second　bidding。　He　also　had　heard　the　preaching　of　John　the　Baptist；　and　he　hastened　to　the　Saviour。　The　eye　of　Christ　rested　upon　him；　reading　his　character　and　his　life　history。　His　impulsive　nature；　his　loving；　sympathetic　heart；　his　ambition　and　self…confidence；　the　history　of　his　fall；　his　repentance；　his　labors；　and　his　martyr　death；the　Saviour　read　it　all；　and　He　said；　〃Thou　art　Simon　the　son　of　Jona：　thou　shalt　be　called　Cephas；　which　is　by　interpretation；　A　stone。〃

〃The　day　following　Jesus　would　go　forth　into　Galilee；　and　findeth　Philip；　and　saith　unto　him；　Follow　Me。〃　Philip　obeyed　the　command；　and　straightway　he　also　became　a　worker　for　Christ。

Philip　called　Nathanael。　The　latter　had　been　among　the　throng　when　the　Baptist　pointed　to　Jesus　as　the　Lamb　of　God。　As　Nathanael　looked　upon　Jesus；　he　was　disappointed。　Could　this　man；　who　bore　the　marks　of　toil　and　poverty；　be　the　Messiah？　Yet　Nathanael　could　not　decide　to　reject　Jesus；　for　the　message　of　John　had　brought　conviction　to　his　heart。

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At　the　time　when　Philip　called　him；　Nathanael　had　withdrawn　to　a　quiet　grove　to　meditate　upon　the　announcement　of　John　and　the　prophecies　concerning　the　Messiah。　He　prayed　that　if　the　one　announced　by　John　was　the　deliverer；　it　might　be　made　known　to　him；　and　the　Holy　Spirit　rested　upon　him　with　assurance　that　God　had　visited　His　people　and　raised　up　a　horn　of　salvation　for　them。　Philip　knew　that　his　friend　was　searching　the　prophecies；　and　while　Nathanael　was　praying　under　a　fig　tree；　Philip　discovered　his　retreat。　They　had　often　prayed　together　in　this　secluded　spot　hidden　by　th