And by a Supposed Stranger.
By way of contrast, we will consider the effect of being favored beyond expectation, by one not a stranger. A youth, we will suppose, is employed in the household of a rich retired tradesman, who has shown various proofs of his appreciation of the lad’s services; on the other hand, it has been the delight or the youth to show himself worthy of his master’s confidence. But one day, during his master’s absence from home, he has the misfortune of injuring an old family relic, very greatly prized by his master. An old servant, rather jealous of the favor shown the youth, tells him that he will certainly get his notice to quit, when the master returns borne and finds what he has done; and the poor lad sadly admits the justice of what is surmised.
On the evening of the day of the master’s return, the youth is told that the master wants to see him in his private room. With trembling expectation of rebuke and dismissal he goes into his master’s presence. But with considerable tenderness in his tone and manner, his master kindly tells him that he wishes to give him a fortnight’s holiday; and that at his own expense he is going to arrange for it!
“Oh, sir!” exclaims the astonished young servant. “If you knew what I have done you wouldn’t speak like that!” “But I do know,” he replies. “I was told as soon as I returned; and this is what accounts for what I am telling you. During my absence you have evidently been trying to do more than you had strength for, and I shall now see that you get the rest you so much need. I certainly was grieved to see that the relic was broken, but I think I know a man who will be able to repair it successfully before you come back! “The boy was certainly favored beyond all expectation, but it was by one who knew, and who valued his past services and good qualities.
But, when Jesus was here a stranger amongst men, we find how well He knew and understood all who came near Him. It was so with Nathanael. He knew him before they met.
The woman of Samaria tried to prove to the Stranger, Who humbly asked her for a drink, that she knew something of Jacob’s history; but she didn’t expect to find that He was intimately acquainted with the whole of her own history! “Go, call thy husband and come hither,” He said to her. To which she answered,” I have no husband!” “Thou hast well said, I have no husband, He replied, for thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband; in that saidst thou truly.”
After revealing to her that He Himself was Israel’s promised Messiah, she left her water pot and made her way back to the city, and said to those whom she met, “Come, see a man that told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?” (John 4:5-305Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. 7There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. 8(For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) 9Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. 10Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. 11The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? 12Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? 13Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. 15The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. 16Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. 17The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: 18For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly. 19The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. 20Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. 21Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 23But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. 25The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. 26Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he. 27And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her? 28The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, 29Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? 30Then they went out of the city, and came unto him. (John 4:5‑30)). She knew that they could not divulge anything worse than what He had proved He knew already. And yet she felt so powerfully attracted to Him, and so thoroughly at home in His presence that she could not help making Him known to others. “Come, see (not go and see) a Man, that told me all things that ever I did; is not this the Christ?”
But let us consider another who got an introduction to the same great Discerner (Luke 5:1-81And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, 2And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. 3And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. 4Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. 5And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. 6And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. 7And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. 8When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. (Luke 5:1‑8)). It was on the shore of the lake of Gennesaret that it took place. The woman of Samaria was convinced that He knew what she had been. This man (Simon Peter) got proof that Jesus knew what he would be. He and his brother had been toiling all the night with no result, and to them it seemed very little use to let down their nets again. But at His word they did, with the result that a great multitude of fishes were enclosed; enough to fill both boats to sinking point. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me: for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” He felt unfit for His presence, yet couldn’t get away. In another Gospel we find that the Lord intended to make use of him and his brother Andrew by their becoming “fishers of men” (Mark 1:1717And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. (Mark 1:17)). But respecting Peter, Jesus foresaw more than this. He told him that Satan had his eye upon him, and that when tested he would thrice deny that he ever knew Him; and even named the very time it would take place, before the cock-crowing. This ardent disciple could not believe such a thing possible. But Jesus knew it, and had already prayed for him in connection with it― “that thy faith fail not” ―that is, that his confidence in Jesus might not be shaken, but his restoration secured. So the blessed Lord added, “when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren,” In his second epistle we find Peter doing this (2 Peter 3:1717Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. (2 Peter 3:17)). “Beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.” This is precisely what he himself had done! But at the predicted moment “the Lord turned and looked” upon poor Peter; in that “look,” the failing disciple found an unmistakable proof of His gracious Master’s unchanged love; while the bitter weeping that followed betokened Peter’s absolute distrust of his “own steadfastness.” It was, no doubt, the necessary preparation for boldly testifying, in the streets of the same city, of the life and death and resurrection, and exaltation to God’s right hand of the “same Jesus” that he once denied! The one who had said to Jesus, “Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord,” was thus made an effective “fisher of men.” The result is well known! “About three thousand souls” were added to the little company of those who had been loved, and (beyond all expectation) honored by Him Who was once a stranger in their city.
GEO. C.