the desire of ages-第37节

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ed　into　their　labors。〃　The　Saviour　was　here　looking　forward　to　the　great　ingathering　on　the　day　of　Pentecost。　The　disciples　were　not　to　regard　this　as　the　result　of　their　own　efforts。　They　were　entering　into　other　men's　labors。　Ever　since　the　fall　of　Adam　Christ　had　been　committing　the　seed　of　the　word　to　His　chosen　servants；　to　be　sown　in　human　hearts。　And　an　unseen　agency；　even　an　omnipotent　power；　had　worked　silently　but　effectually　to　produce　the　harvest。　The　dew　and　rain　and　sunshine　of　God's　grace　had　been　given；　to　refresh　and　nourish　the　seed　of　truth。　Christ　was　about　to　water　the　seed　with　His　own　blood。　His　disciples　were　privileged　to　be　laborers　together　with　God。　They　were　coworkers　with　Christ　and　with　the　holy　men　of　old。　By　the　outpouring　of　the　Holy　Spirit　at　Pentecost；　thousands　were　to　be　converted　in　a　day。　This　was　the　result　of　Christ's　sowing；　the　harvest　of　His　work。

In　the　words　spoken　to　the　woman　at　the　well；　good　seed　had　been　sown；　and　how　quickly　the　harvest　was　received。　The　Samaritans　came　and　heard　Jesus；　and　believed　on　Him。　Crowding　about　Him　at　the　well；　they　plied　Him　with　questions；　and　eagerly　received　His　explanations　of　many　things　that　had　been　obscure　to　them。　As　they　listened；　their　perplexity　began　to　clear　away。　They　were　like　a　people　in　great　darkness　tracing　up　a　sudden　ray　of　light　till　they　had　found　the　day。　But　they　were　not　satisfied　with　this　short　conference。　They　were　anxious　to　hear　more；　and　to　have　their　friends　also　listen　to　this　wonderful　teacher。　They　invited　Him　to　their　city；　and　begged　Him　to　remain　with　them。　For　two　days　He　tarried　in　Samaria；　and　many　more　believed　on　Him。

The　Pharisees　despised　the　simplicity　of　Jesus。　They　ignored　His　miracles；　and　demanded　a　sign　that　He　was　the　Son　of　God。　But　the　Samaritans　asked　no　sign；　and　Jesus　performed　no　miracles　among　them；　save　in　revealing　the　secrets　of　her　life　to　the　woman　at　the　well。　Yet　many　received　Him。　In　their　new　joy　they　said　to　the　woman；

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〃Now　we　believe；　not　because　of　thy　saying：　for　we　have　heard　Him　ourselves；　and　know　that　this　is　indeed　the　Christ；　the　Saviour　of　the　world。〃

The　Samaritans　believed　that　the　Messiah　was　to　come　as　the　Redeemer；　not　only　of　the　Jews；　but　of　the　world。　The　Holy　Spirit　through　Moses　had　foretold　Him　as　a　prophet　sent　from　God。　Through　Jacob　it　had　been　declared　that　unto　Him　should　the　gathering　of　the　people　be；　and　through　Abraham；　that　in　Him　all　the　nations　of　the　earth　should　be　blessed。　On　these　scriptures　the　people　of　Samaria　based　their　faith　in　the　Messiah。　The　fact　that　the　Jews　had　misinterpreted　the　later　prophets；　attributing　to　the　first　advent　the　glory　of　Christ's　second　coming；　had　led　the　Samaritans　to　discard　all　the　sacred　writings　except　those　given　through　Moses。　But　as　the　Saviour　swept　away　these　false　interpretations；　many　accepted　the　later　prophecies　and　the　words　of　Christ　Himself　in　regard　to　the　kingdom　of　God。

Jesus　had　begun　to　break　down　the　partition　wall　between　Jew　and　Gentile；　and　to　preach　salvation　to　the　world。　Though　He　was　a　Jew；　He　mingled　freely　with　the　Samaritans；　setting　at　nought　the　Pharisaic　customs　of　His　nation。　In　face　of　their　prejudices　He　accepted　the　hospitality　of　this　despised　people。　He　slept　under　their　roofs；　ate　with　them　at　their　tables；partaking　of　the　food　prepared　and　served　by　their　hands；taught　in　their　streets；　and　treated　them　with　the　utmost　kindness　and　courtesy。

In　the　temple　at　Jerusalem　a　low　wall　separated　the　outer　court　from　all　other　portions　of　the　sacred　building。　Upon　this　wall　were　inscriptions　in　different　languages；　stating　that　none　but　Jews　were　allowed　to　pass　this　boundary。　Had　a　Gentile　presumed　to　enter　the　inner　enclosure；　he　would　have　desecrated　the　temple；　and　would　have　paid　the　penalty　with　his　life。　But　Jesus；　the　originator　of　the　temple　and　its　service；　drew　the　Gentiles　to　Him　by　the　tie　of　human　sympathy；　while　His　divine　grace　brought　to　them　the　salvation　which　the　Jews　rejected。

The　stay　of　Jesus　in　Samaria　was　designed　to　be　a　blessing　to　His　disciples；　who　were　still　under　the　influence　of　Jewish　bigotry。　They　felt　that　loyalty　to　their　own　nation　required　them　to　cherish　enmity　toward　the　Samaritans。　They　wondered　at　the　conduct　of　Jesus。　They　could　not　refuse　to　follow　His　example；　and　during　the　two　days　in　Samaria；　fidelity　to　Him　kept　their　prejudices　under　control；　yet　in　heart　they　were　unreconciled。　They　were　slow　to　learn　that　their　contempt　and

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hatred　must　give　place　to　pity　and　sympathy。　But　after　the　Lord's　ascension；　His　lessons　came　back　to　them　with　a　new　meaning。　After　the　outpouring　of　the　Holy　Spirit；　they　recalled　the　Saviour's　look；　His　words；　the　respect　and　tenderness　of　His　bearing　toward　these　despised　strangers。　When　Peter　went　to　preach　in　Samaria；　he　brought　the　same　spirit　into　his　own　work。　When　John　was　called　to　Ephesus　and　Smyrna；　he　remembered　the　experience　at　Shechem；　and　was　filled　with　gratitude　to　the　divine　Teacher；　who；　foreseeing　the　difficulties　they　must　meet；　had　given　them　help　in　His　own　example。

The　Saviour　is　still　carrying　forward　the　same　work　as　when　He　proffered　the　water　of　life　to　the　woman　of　Samaria。　Those　who　call　themselves　His　followers　may　despise　and　shun　the　outcast　ones；　but　no　circumstance　of　birth　or　nationality；　no　condition　of　life；　can　turn　away　His　love　from　the　children　of　men。　To　every　soul；　however　sinful；　Jesus　says；　If　thou　hadst　asked　of　Me；　I　would　have　given　thee　living　water。

The　gospel　invitation　is　not　to　be　narrowed　down；　and　presented　only　to　a　select　few；　who；　we　suppose；　will　do　us　honor　if　they　accept　it。　The　message　is　to　be　given　to　all。　Wherever　hearts　are　open　to　receive　the　truth；　Christ　is　ready　to　instruct　them。　He　reveals　to　them　the　Father；　and　the　worship　acceptable　to　Him　who　reads　the　heart。　For　such　He　uses　no　parables。　To　them；　as　to　the　woman　at　the　well；　He　says；　〃I　that　speak　unto　thee　am　He。〃

When　Jesus　sat　down　to　rest　at　Jacob's　well；　He　had　come　from　Judea；　where　His　ministry　had　produced　little　fruit。　He　had　been　rejected　by　the　priests　and　rabbis；　and　even　the　people　who　professed　to　be　His　disciples　had　failed　of　perceiving　His　divine　character。　He　was　faint　and　weary；　yet　He　did　not　neglect　the　opportunity　of　speaking　to　one　woman；　though　she　was　a　stranger；　an　alien　from　Israel；　and　living　in　open　sin。

The　Saviour　did　not　wait　for　congregations　to　assemble。　Often　He　began　His　lessons　with　only　a　few　gathered　about　Him；　but　one　by　one　the　passers…by　paused　to　listen；　until　a　multitude　heard　with　wonder　and　awe　the　words　of　God　through　the　heaven…sent　Teacher。　The　worker　for　Christ　should　not　feel　that　he　cannot　speak　with　the　same　earnestness　to　a　few　hearers　as　to　a　larger　company。　There　may　be　only　one　to　hear　the　message；　but　who　can　tell　how　far…reaching　will　be　its　influence？　It　seemed　a　small　matter；　even　to　His　disciples；　for　the　Saviour　to　spend

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His　time　upon　a　woman　of　Samaria。　But　He　reasoned　more　earnestly　and　eloquently　with　her　than　with　kings；　councilors；　or　high　priests。　The　lessons　He　gave　to　that　woman　have　been　repeated　to　the　earth's　remotest　bounds。

As　soon　as　she　had　found　the　Saviour　the　Samaritan　woman　brought　others　to　Him。　She　proved　herself　a　more　effective　missionary　than　His　own　disciples。　The　disciples　saw　nothing　in　Samaria　to　indicate　that　it　was　an　encouraging　field。　Their　thoughts　were　fixed　upon　a　great　work　to　be　done　in　the　future。　They　did　not　see　that　right　around　them　was　a　harvest　to　be　gathered。　But　through　the　woman　whom　they　despised；　a　whole　cityful　were　brought　to　hear　the　Saviour。　She　carried　the　light　at　once　to　her　countrymen。

This　woman　represents　the　working　of　a　practical　faith　in　Christ。　Every　true　disciple　is　born　into　the　kingdom　of　God　as　a　missionary。　He　who　drinks　of　the　living　water　becomes　a　fountain　of　life。　The　receiver　becomes　a　giver。　The　grace　of　Christ　in　the　soul　is　like　a　spring　in　the　desert；　welling　up　to　refresh　all；　and　making　those　who　are　ready　to　perish　eager　to　drink　of　the　water　of　life。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　20

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Except　Ye　See　Signs　and　Wonders〃


The　Galileans　who　returned　from　the　Passover　brought　back　the　report　of　the　wonderful　works　of　Jesus。　The　judgment　passed　upon　His　acts　by　the　dignitaries　at　Jerusalem　opened　His　way　in　Galilee。　Many　of　the　people　lamented　the　abuse　of　the　temple　and　the　greed　and　arrogance　of　the　priests。　They　hoped　that　this　Man；　who　had　put　the　rulers　to　flight；　might　be　the　looked…for　Deliverer。　Now　tidings　had　come　that　seemed　to　confirm　their　brightest　anticipations。　It　was　reported　that　the　prophet　had　declared　Himself　to　be　the　Messiah。

But　the　people　of　Nazareth　did　not　believe　on　Him。　For　this　reason；　Jesus　did　not　visit　Nazareth　on　His　way　to　Cana。　The　Saviour　declared　to　His　disciples　that　a　prophet　has　no　honor　in　his　own　country。　Men　estimate　character　by　that　which　they　themselves　are　capable　of　appreciating。　The　narrow　and　worldly…minded　judged　of　Christ　by　His　humble