The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-12-29

ExpositOrs.-For- witness: From
used forty-seven times ia john
White. He was in the world: Ian
suage as wonderful as thought. Com
pact simplicity; enigmatic form set
ting mind ingeniously a-working to
solve the enigma of Christ ignored in
His own world.-J. f. b. As many
as: individuality of exceptional ac-
tion.-DOherty. Gave power: Privi-
lege rather than ability.-Ibid.
Which were born: Not of men, title,
or privilege, but of nature the soul
being made conscious of the vital cap
acities, perceptions, and emotion of a
child of God before unknown.-J. F.
b. And the Word: To praise the
reader to the altitude of this climax
were the thirteen foregoing verses
written.-Ibid. And dwelt: Taber-
nacled, pitched His tent for a perma-
nent stay.-Ibid.
hS SeShS4 LdHAGEHs
Johns method of presenting the
life OF Christ is most remarkable. 1t
is as if, for example, one should take
a series of scenes from the career of
SavOnarola like his denial of absolu-
ton to Lorenzo the Magnificent, his
burning the vanities,n or his mar
tyrdom. John attempts no biogra-
ply, yet incidentally he gives us the
best chronology. He does not relate
the birth of Christ, yet as has been
said, eternal Christmas peryades his
soul.
John takes great scenic events, six
miracles (or signs, as he significantly
calls them, and three parallels. He
gives the setting and background of
each, and then interprets, or better.
makes the Lord his own interpreter
by recording His sayings in the con
nection. Thus by a series of clusters
of sayings, deeds. and events, he
makes what Origin did not hesitate
to call 1.-THE main gospel"
No part of the Bible has been more
highly praised. Thus: THE gospel
of the Son of Thunder opens with a
peal. cambridge Bible The heart
of Christ. ''-Ernesti. The diamond
among the Gospels, most fully pene-
trated by the light of life. ''-Lange.
written by the hand of an angel." y
Herder. The unique, tender, genu-
inc, leading Gospel. Luther. ''The
most important part of the New Tes-
lament. leasing. John excels in
the depths of Divine mysteries. "-Je-
rome. John poured forth the water
of life he himself had drunk in. ''-Au-
gustine. "Other Gospels describe
Christ's body, this His soul. Calvin.
In the stately and triumphant
strains of the prologue there is mi
nor note of deepest sadness. 1t rises
from Johns sympathetic appreciation
of Jesus and the worlds neglect and
hostility. The darkness did not com.
prehend the light. His own received
Him not.
It's the highest compliment to John
the Baptist that John the Evangelist
seems to think 1t Unnecessary to differ
entiate him from the Messiah. He
was not the Light, but he bore wit
ness to the Light. He was night
Waterman, answering to those who
asked, What of the night?' The
morning cometh." He was friend
of the bridegroom. not the bride.
groom: a star to guide, but not the
sun; not false light, but as compar-
ed with Jesus, a small light.
When John talks of light, he does
not go into cosmogony. He deals
with a self-eyident fact. Light is. Sc
when he names the moral condition
OF the race under the figure of dark
ness, he does not go into a theological
disquisition on sin, its origin, etc. He
deals with a self-evident fact. Sin is
There are necessary antagonisms be
tween light and darkness, and so be-
tween holiness and sin. Darkness
and sin do not comprehend, and axe
inyeterately hostile to light and holi-
ness. But light and holiness are tc
be ultimately triumphant.