Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1899-04-22
H SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON w, SECOND QUARTER, IN
TERNATlONAL SERIES, APRIL %.

Comments by WIN. X Ffsher-Sobject;
Jesns the Way and the Truth and tn.
Life, John IA; I.l4-GoIden Text: Jesus
saith Unto Him, j Am the Way, the Truth
and the Life, Jonn IA: o.
let not your heart be troubled; We
believe in God, believe also ia me.
Peloubet says, 'In order TO under
stand the meaning Of the first verses
Of this chapter it is necessary TO re
move the veil which covers them by
their separation from chapter ID.
Turn back TO 10; 81. Jesus reveals TO
His disciples that lie is about 10 ~
away and leave them, and that they
cannot follow Him for the present.
He shows Peter that, although be
thinks he 10 willing to 90 with his
Master even TO death, he is not yet
willing or prepared, for before morn
ing he should deny him three times.
Doubtless all the disciples felt the
gloomy foreboding that they also
might fall If the brave Peter could not
stand. There was treachery among
their own number. Their enemies were
many and fierce and strong. If the
head of the kingdom went away what
could the disciples doy They could see
only danger and disaster, and dark
ness that could be felt"
Then IT was that Jesus comforted
them with these cheering words, Let
not your heart be troubled"
"In my Fathers house there are
many mansions; If it were not SO /
would have told You. ] go to prepare
a place for you"
Of late, in certain sections, there has
been quite a revival of the worn-out
argument there is no heaven or hell in
existence now, but that they will be
created in the last great day.
Those Of us who believe that ''To be
absent from the body is TO be truly
present with the Lord" ch~eerfully
and joyfully accept the teaching that
our Fathers house is both n State
and q place. 1t is where God in some
peculiar sense dwells. where He mani
tests most fully His goodness and
Fatherly love, where His glory most
radiantly shines. The thought of the
''many mansions" there. Godet says.
may be derived from those vast ORR
entail palaces in which there is an
abode not only for the sovereign and
the heir to the throne. but also for all
the sons of the king, however numer-
Gus they may be.
And if | go and prepare a place for
you, / will come again and receive you
unto myself: that where | am, there
We may be also"
The revised version reads, Il come
again." which puts the promise in the
present tense. OF this DR.. Vincent
says, "Not to be limited to the Lords
second and glorious coming AT the last
day. nor at any special coming. such
as Pentacost, though these are all in
cluded in the expression; it is rather
to be taken as His continual coming
and presence by the Holy Spirit"
Westcott says, Christ is. in fact, from
the moment of His resurrection. ever
coming into the world and to the
church, and to men as the risen Lord"
"And whittier l 90 We know, and the
way We know. Thomas said unto Him,
Lord, we know not whittier thou goest,
and how can we know the way?
The disciples knew both the way
and the goal, if they would but recall
what they had heard their Master say
polH III pubiiC anu III PiiN"tS'
Jesus saith unto him. am the way,
the truth and the life; no man cometh
the Father but by me"
Jesus is the truth as well as the way,
in Him "are hid all the treasures Of
wisdom.'-(Col. .; 81
'If We had known me, ye should
have known my Father also; and from
henceforth We know Him, and have
Him"
The English word know represents
two Greek words in the better text,
which are not identical in meaning"
the proper rendering of the first
of this verse would he. If We
had recognized me-fully understood
who I am-ye would have known my
Father"
After all these years our conception
of the mystery of the Trinity is very
dim. so it is not 10 be wondered ut
even after Jesus said what He did to
Thomas) thai we read:
Phillip saith unto Him. Lord, shew
us the Father, and 1t sufficeth us.
Jesus saith unto him. Have | been
so long with you, and yet hast thou
not known me, Philip? He that hath
seen me hath seen the Father; and
how sayest thou then, Shew us the
Father?
'Believest thou not that l am in the
Father, and the Father in me? The
words that Ispeak unto you l speak
Of myself; but the Father that
dwelleth in me, He doeth the work"
The last part OF the tenth verse in
the revised version reads. Il speak not
of myself. but the Father abiding in
me doeth His works"
Believe me that am in the Father
and the Father In me-. or else believe
me foI the very works sake"
In other words. Jesus said: IF We
cannot understand my words, ut least
believe that | and the Father am one
on account of the works We have seen
me do"
Verify, verify i say unto you. He
that b~elieveth on me. the works that |
10 ne shall do also; and greater works
than these shall he do, because / go