The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1905-02-03
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON VI, FIRST QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, FEB. 8.
Text of the Lesson, JOhy Nv, 6-14.
Memory Verses, IL, 14-Gblden Text,
Rev. xii, ~ Commentary Pre-
pared by Rev. ID. NJ. Stearus.


pared by Rev. ID. NJ. stearns.
[Copyrigh 1905 by American Press Association
The scene or today's lesson Is Sama-
ria, and the center is Jacobs well on a
piece of ground which Jacob bought OF
Shechem, son of Hamor, which after
ward became the Inheritance OF Jo-
seph, where also the body of Soseph
was buried Josh. xiv, 80; Gen. xxxiii,
10). We are always taught In connec-
ton with this lesson TO think OF ia
cob's well, but L was recently remind
ed by a missionary home on furlough
that there must be some reason for
mentioning the parcel of ground be-
longing to Joseph. Two thoughts are
suggested: Joseph was a fruitful
bough by n we'll whose branches run
over the wall, and here Is the true Jo-
seph reaching over the Jewish wall to
the Samaritans and bearing much
fruit Gen. Xix, 22-24).
The topic in last weeks lesson was
the necessity of the new birth and the
searching truth that even the most re-
ligious must be born again. Here we
have the blessed assurance that the
greatest sinner may be born again and
greatly used to win others to Christ.
The heart of the lesson Is the Lord
Jesus Himself and His seven sayings to
the woman in verses 7, 10, 1914, 10, IT.
10, 21-24, o. Weary and thirsty, we
see in Him one who can truly sympa-
thize with us, touched with a feeling
of our infirmities, tempted In all points
like as we are, yet without sin (Heb.
iv, 15). According to Johns method OF
counting time, 1t was either q a.. IN. or
9 D. IN. when Jesus rested by the well.
Compare chapter xix, IA. His first re-
quest of the woman, Give me to
drink" reminds us Of one Of His seven
words from the cross, II thirst xix,
2S). He was literally weary, hungry
and thirsty as He sat thus by the well,
vet He was refreshed without actual
food or drink verses 80, 80.
His chief hunger and thirst was and
is for the souls of sinners. Have you
refreshed him, and are you doing 1t
daily by winning others? His second
word TO the woman Verse 20) takes us
back TO Gen. 1, @, Z, waters above and
waters below; also to Jer. ii, ID, the
fountain and the broken cisterns, and
onward to Rev. XXI, 6; xii, II, the wa
ter of life freely given. lisa. lv, l; Eek.
Xvii, 8, might also be considered with
much profit.
Thus only can we become wells Of
water springing up. In last lesson we
saw the water to be the word, and the
only way to- receive Christ, who Is
Himself the living bread and the liv-
ing water, Is by believing His word,
which is both spirit and life (chapter
vi. 60. In the majority Of believers
the water in their well Is very low,
and it is difficult to obtain any from
them because they do not let the word
of Christ dwell in them richly accord
ing to Col. iii, IS. In our Lords fourth
and fifth words oversees 40 He laid
bare to the woman her inner sinful
life. for only those who realize that
they are sinners and nothing but sim
ners before God can appreciate Saw
Jour- He came not to call the right
eous. but sinners, and we must see
ourselves as helpless as the bitten Is
raelites before we will care to look be-
lovingly upon Him who was made sin
for us. Being convicted OF sin, she did
as so many do-tried to escape by say
ing, at do not belong to your church;
you worship In Jerusalem, but we in
this mountain" She did not say that
she worshiped or professed TO wor-
ship. but spoke of her people, "our ia
TIERS"
In His sixth word oversees 21-24) He
turns her to God the Father as seek
ing not places. but hearts, of people and
sincerity, for while man looketh on the
outward appearance the Lord looketh
on the heart, and HE Is not Jew
which Is one outwardly, neither Is that
circumcision which is outward in the
flesh, but he Is q Jew which Is one In
wardly, and circumcision is that OF the
heart, in the spirit. not in the letter,
whose praise is not of men, but Of
God" Il Sam. xvi, q Rom. ii, %, 29).
How much there is In many church
which passes before men as worship.
but which In the sight Of God Is only
q mockery and an abomination and Of
which He says, "Vain oblations,
feasts my soul hatethw Qsa. !, 13, Id
The Father is seeking for those who In
prayer and praise and meditation hold
heart communion with Him, that He
may reveal Himself to such and show
Himself strong on their behalf Oh
Chron. XVI, 81.
The woman's reference to Messiah
the Christ (see chapter !, Al, draws
forth His last word, Il that speak unto
thee am He" (verse 26). The work Is
done. her eyes behold her Saviour, her
heart receives Him, her errand Is for
gotten, the waterpot is left by the well,
she even seems to forget that she is
woman, and, Fastening back to the
city, she earnestly proclaims that she
has seen the Christ. Her heart Is oc-
cupied with Him; she forgets herself,
and great are the results. Many be-
lieved on Him because Of her testimo-
ny, they constrained Him to abide
with them two days, and many more
believed because of His own word