The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-08-28


the questions o! Thomas and Philip anG the
answers to them. They speak for US, as i,
were, and the replies they get make the truth
more clear and precise to US.
First we look at the direct comfort. Y. l.
Their hearts might we'll be troubled, "What
is to come of our hopes' What shall we dc
If he goes away. Whittier shall We turns
We have quilted all for hin-hc has been
everything to us Now, in presence of all
the enemies he and we have made, how desc.
late we shall be! We stakcd all on him and
all is lost This is just what they thought
when he was buried, as we see in Luke XIV,
81 But we trusted that it had been he
which should have redeemed Israel No
wonder that they were sad as they talked
over the past duke xiv, N. He bids them
keep the trouble away from their hearts.
! They had general faith in God, Like devout
Hebrews believing the Scriptures they be
iieved in Gods power to protect and fulfill
his promises Now he says, Believe also in
me- For
~ God had testified to him by miracles
and voices from heaven John xii, 2S), and by
the fulflment of prophecy in him Luke xiv,
~.
C2) He came to do Gods will, as his ambas-
sador and representative; God was behind
him, and would make good all that he said in
the divine name.
o. He was himself divine This is brought
out later Tvs, 10, ~, and will be explained.
How much depends on believing!
V. . They would he friendess and home
less here below, but IN my fathers house are
many mansions'-a word we get from the
Latin and meaning, not rich, separate resi-
dences, but abiding places las in the margin
of the revisioDl. He would not have drawn
them after him if they were to be unpro-
vided for. He was leaving them as they
knew to their grief, but it was to prepare a
place for them. He opened the door into
heaven; he brought in the righteousness that
gave q title 10 it; he entered as their fore
runner hebrews vi, 1920. These three
things are included. The "FatLer's house" is
one figure; others are "city" Hebrews XII,
1910 and within the vail" Hebrews vi, ~,
2U.
V. 3 proves that he thought of the "pre-
pairing in connection with his dying, rising
and ascension. IF l do this, l will come
again" This is the second advent many as
poets Of which we too much neglect. You
shall not be forgotten or orphans. Il will re-
ceive YOU" etc. Acts j, III will show how
this was believed Paul sets this truth before
the Colossians (Colossans iii, a. Revelations
iii, q should be examined in this connection
V. 4 He had always told them of this, and
now recalls it. His death, the mode of it,
and the ends to lie served, had all been an
nounced He no doubt meant to draw them
out by these words
V. s. Thomas was slow. See John *, "a,
%. He was, moreover, possibly agitatcd, SO
he takes up the Masters words, How can we
know the wayF 1t is likely that the EN-
phasis is to be on "we." The Revision reads in
v. 4, "whithcr / 90 ye know the way Thomas
took II that they were to follow him and be
with him; but how could they do that II they
did not know whittier he was going. This
explains the answer of our Lord in
V. 6, "To go Thomas, into my Fathers
house is to 60 by me, for l am the way" etc.
In Christ, we are in the way; not in him, We
are out of the way. In Christ, we are in the
truth; out of him, we are in deadly error. In
Christ, we are in the life; out of him, We are
still dead in sins This rule is absolute. mo
man cometh unto the Father, but by me-"
See Oh this John X, 8; viii, 81; Eph. ii, Is;
Acts iv. II.
v Z is not so clear until we have thought
it over. Christ was the image, in feeling and
character, of the Father. If they had known
j. e., fully comprehended-hi they would
have comprehended the Father and the way
to his house, which it was needful to provide,
but they would "from henceforth"-i. e., not
from that moment, but from the time-near
at hand-when the Comforter would come,
sent by Christ and reveal the Father See
VS. 1917, 20.
Now we come TO Philips request He
seems to have been matter of fact see
John vi, y in the turn of his mind. Hence
his words,
N. 81, Lord, shcw us the Father, and it
sufIceth u.s." will be enough for us, will salts
fy us. Now we may think of the Father in
two respects: 1) In his nature, the invisible
God, and ~ in his attributes The former
none could zee John i, lS); the latter Jesus
had shown, and Philip might well be gently
blamed - reproached mildly here - for not
knowing this Hence the words
". 81. "IIe that hath seen me hath seen the
Father So the Master said in John xii, A.
There are three persons in the God-head 1t
is not that God is the Father when we think
Of him in heaven, the Son when we think of
him on earth, and the Holy Ghost when we
think of him as dwelling in us If this were
50 there would be no sense in Jesus on earth
praying to the Father, or being deserted or
forsaken 10y him, or sending the Holy Spirit.
See Eph ii, Is, again The mode of three i'll
One we do not know; the facts are strongly |
asserted and applied in Scripture Matt.
xviii 49,.
V. 10 The lin" of this verse relates to feel |
ing, character and purpose, This is shown
by the second and third clauses, | speak the |
words he would have spoken, and do the |
leeds he approves Entire unity of aim is the |
point stated They need not be afraid of
finding the Father in anywise different from
the Son. An agent may make promises |
which the principal will not own or be bound |
by; but it cannot be so here.
V. II. The first element of comfort ". y |
is in believing. The remedy for Philips |
weakness is in the same direction, "believe."
Faith admits of extension. Hence the need |
Of getting more knowledge And it admits |
of increase c'Lord increase our faith Luke |
xvii, D. The works Jesus had done in teaching |
and saving men, rather than miracles, proved |
his oneness with the Father, as he had ex-
planned before John v, 80. This leads on to |
another point: | am one in mind with &c |
and do his works You will become one i'll mind |