Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-08-05
THE SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR AUG.
8, 1885; LESSON SIXTH.

tiles Seeking Jesus" John xii, ao-3e. 3,
Our lesson, though including many great
truths on which we can only glance rapidly,
has unity in it. 1t is all suggested by the
"Greeks, l. e., not Greekspeaking Jews, but
born Greeks, proselytes, no doubt (for they
came among the keepers Of the FEAST, coming
to 'see Jesus" This again is connected with
the foregoing passages. A threefold honor
Is done to Jesus. First Mary anoints him
Then the people hail him as king. Now
thirdly, the Greeks show their feeling toward
him. All he says-and this is the close of his
public speaking as John reports IT, the rest Of
this gospel is to his disciples-follows from
the suggestive visit of the Greeks. ss-
v. 20. In one sense Judaism seems mar
row, but it provided for others than Jews
coming into its privileges. See Solomon's
prayer for the stranger in 1 Kings viii, II,
~ Many did come like these Greeks. They
are spoken of as worshippers. They came to
Philip Of Bethsaida; why, we cannot tell
He seems to have been slow and heSitating
(See John vi, 8, and xiv, 9.) He comes and
tells Andrew, with whom he seems connected
also in the report of the feeding Of the five
thousand. Sometimes men in a company
take to" one another. He was of the city of
Andrew John i, 40. The simple wish of the
Greeks is to "see Jesus" and Andrew and
Philip tell Jesus. What the Lord did we are
not told. But it is not unreasonable to think
that the words he spake, as the Greeks sug-
gested them, may have had a bearing on
them. Jesus never made sensation" He
did mot cry nor lift up his voice." nor make
stir in the street This request was not
without significance The wise men from
the east came with their homage at his birth
Here are Greeks from the west coming on the
eve of his death. "Many shall come from the
east and west, etc. (Matthew viii, 11). The
magi, taught from above honor a wisdom
greater than theirs "The Greeks seek after
wisdom" They are on the way TO it when
they say, "We, would see Jesus" All that
falls short of seeing him is unsatisfying. Oh,
that all our schools and colleges, where
ancient literature and modern culture are
studied, had this inspirationl This desire of
the Greeks recalls to the Saviour's mind all
that would follow from his work, and this
brings with fresh vividness the work itself
~ #.
V 29 probably to the disciples and the
Greeks he says, "The hour is come, that the
Son of man should be glorifed, ri G., his real
character and work displayed, as in his
dying, rising and setting up kingdom for
Jews and GentileS. He had been rejected,
misunderstood. His true nature and work
will now be seen.
v "a Then the Saviour employs sug-
gestive figure, describing first himself in his
work, and then secondly his people, "Glo-
rifedl yet am to die! This looks strange;
but it is not SO really. If grain of wheat
keeps itself, SO to speak, whole, and does not
die, nothing more comes of it; but if it die,
go into the ground and be dissolved, more of
its kind is the result. If do not die / shall
be the Son of man, but alone If die, a
great multitude that no man can number will
he my seed lisa. lii, 10, my brethren the
children whom God viii give me-" So it ia
with his people. If they think only of ease,
comfort, self preservation, nothing comes of
them. If they are willing to spend and be
spent for God, there is fruit. What made
Livingstone, Moffat, Cary, Duff Brainerd-
what made martyrs and apostles-greatl
This figure would suit Greeks. Paul uses it
to the Corinthians in another point of view
q Cor XIV, 36).) F.-.. ,r..
3 V. 25 is q plain statement Of the truth SO
vividly set forth. Guard your life from any
risks from doing duty and it comes to nothing.
Be willing, if need be, to lay it down for
Christs sake and it will be kept safe to life
eternal. Jesus often dwelt ON this Matt Y,
50; xvi, 25; Luke tx, 1924. 1t was needed
then; it is still ~ have made money, achieved
success, won fame. / lived for that, and
gained my object" Many feel and some say
that. But they have gained nothing else;
they have lost their real life-ther souls.
"Hate," of course, b strong word for love
less than as in tho reference to "hating father
and mother" etc. luke xiv, 26). This is the
deep inward truth which carly and later su-
perstition twisted into self torment and vol
untary starvation. Monks won fame and
honors by ostentatious fasting, not the things
Jesus thought of.
V. 26. There is some peculiar fitness in the
words, "any man." when we think Of the
Greeks If any man, Jew OF Greek, desires
to serve ME, tho way is to follow me, do as
do, initiate me, deny self, mako sacrifice for
others; then where / go he will como at
length See John xvii, "a and Thess. iv, ~
If any man, jew or Greek, barbarian,
Scythian, bond or free, will serve me- him will
tho (see Revision) "Father honor" The way
to have honor at the hand of the Father is to
UC SSINttIlU tiLO 1OllOWeT VI lis QUIZ.
V. n. All this recalls vividy the coming
sufferings. @Now is my soul troubled" He
saw all that was coming as we cannot
"What shall sayP This is the expression
Of the human apprehension and bswilder-
ment Of the man of sorrows. He sets us an
example. "Call upon Me in the day of
trouble" says God (s'ee Ps |, 15.) "Save
Inc from this hour;" so human nature shrinlss
from the suffering: but then Jesus recalls,
"But for this cause came I unto this hour"
Some have read, "Shall say save me from
this hour" Our reading is the better. He
has before him the great thing thought of
from the beginning. He is to be "Christ
crucilled." He is to make his "soul an offer
ing for SIM" if he is to see his seed. So,
rising above self and thinking Of the Fathers
honor, he says b. ......fr.....t, |
". 2Sl, "Fathcr, glorify thy name" It is
tho victory of trust and faithfulncss over
fear and self in every form It is the highest |
type of the martyr spirit, and the Father |
honors it, Hero comes significant fact--a |
voice from heaven loud like thunder, which |
Jesus and the disciples heard and understood. |
II have both glorifed it." in the witnessing |
to the Jews of our Lords ministry, and will |
glorify it in tho witnessing "again" to the
Gentiles, Of whom the Greeks are types.
V. 20 is instructive. The 'lnultitudc" |
heard the awe-inspiring sounds, but to them
they were but thunder. So it is now. Gods
voicesin creation, providence and Scripture
believers can hear and prsfit by, but to the
multitude these are from natural causes,
claws of nature" or Of man. John in the