Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-09-13

latter had seen His works and had had
an opportunity to accept Him as their
Lord and Saviour. and yet had indif-
ferently declined, while the former had
had no such opportunity. Capernaum
was shining in the reflected glory of
His presence; of all the cities 1T had
been the most exalted by reason Of His
residence there. But because only a
few had accepted Him there her fall
would be only greater, and she should
be cast int the depths of hell 1t had
been especially blest but because she
had failed to make the most of her
blessings she should be especially
cursed
Then at that time there escaped from
Jesus lips one Of those e1aculatory
prayers which were but the outward ex-
pressions of His inner feelings. This
time il was a prayer of Thanksgiving to
God, a very strange one at that. He
thanked God that He had hidden these
things from the wise and prudent and
had revealed them unto babes. This was
a strange prayer, a curious cause for
thanksgiving; and yet when we think of
1t, IL is not so strange or curious either.
particularly in the light of His next
statement which explains the reason why
only those who realize their own igno-
rance and weakness can ever discern
the things of God; while those who are
sure of their own strength and worldly
wisdom never learn these deeper things.
For Jesus continued saying as He turned
to His disciples "All things are delivered
unto me of my Father, and no man
knoweth the Son but the Father: neither
knoweth any man the Father save the
Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will
eth to reveal Him.
It may be interesting and helpful to
the understanding of this to appreciate
the shades of meaning which the Greek
words give here, which are not shown
BY our English translation. The word
"knoweth" means to become fully ac-
quainted with; and the word reveal
means literally to take off the cover
The mystery of the truth of the incarna-
ton is such that any limited mind, such
as our finite minds are can not fully
comprehend it. Only the Father be-
comes fully acquainted with the Son;
and no one is fully acquainted with the
Father except the Son. except those to
whom the Son willeth to take off the
cover and let them see the glory of the
Father. 1t is easily Understood there
fore why the wise and prudent can never
have knowledge of these things
THE GREAT INVITATION.
Jesus then, af if His heart was all
most breaking with the yearning be-
cause these cities had failed to receive
the message which He brought them,
said, Come unto Me all We that
labor and are heavy laden; take NY
yoke upon you and learn of Me, and We
shall find rest unto your souls, for My
yoke is easy and My burden is light"
Stop and think this through-again
read it through carefully. ponder it's
words, each phrase do you appreciate
what great contract He enters into
there? Have you gotten yet the great
ness of the promise which He makes?
In the phrase of the hour. can He de-
liver the goods? az
Let us see just what He promises.
His invitation includes all those who
labor and are heavy laden, no matter
how weary they are. no matter what
the load is. no matter what kind of
men they are, no matter what their en-
vironment is; He promises if they come
to Him He will give them rest. And
then, as if this was not enough, He
promises if they win take His yoke
upon them and learn Of Him that they
shall find rest. The words are different
in the Greek, the rest which He gives
is "repose," "quietness," a cessation or
the WEAKNESS and labor and of the
burdens which heavy laden them. The
other word, the rest" which we find
when we take His yoke upon us is
recreation. This latter is just as great
as the former and just as necessary to
it logically. There is many a man who
frets himself in his work to the point
of nervous prostration, who could ac-
complish twice as much and yet save
his nerves if he was yoked UP with
Christ. He could work without weari-
ness; he could find recreation in his
work. tNt
Can Jesus do as He has promised
here? Think carefully, because His
promise is very great. Yes, thank God
He can do all that He has promised
in this to any man who comes to Him,
and the reason why He can do this is
because all things are delivered to Him
by His Father. That is the key-word
of this passage. Draw line under 1T
and then back to woe" in the twenty
first verse and another one down to
''come." in the twentyeighth. Because
all things have been delivered unto Him
by His Father. He can speak of all
the things that will come upon those
men who have failed TO accept what He
brought to them, and because all things
have been delivered by His Father He
can extend this blessed invitation to all,
no matter what his past has been; no
matter what his present is, who will
come and take His yoke upon him.
VIII you come?