Chapters 3-7 of John’s Gospel are occupied with “Life,” it is the great subject. In John 3, eternal life—is acquired on believing, but in chapter 4 it is more the conscious possession of eternal life, and its activities, as a “well of water springing up” unto its source; hence the Lord Jesus introduces worship; which is the natural outflow of life, and the fruit of its conscious possession.
How the soul must be relieved from every barrier between it and the Father before it can worship in spirit and in truth. The clouds must be dispersed before the soul can be undistractedly occupied with the object before it. In John 8 and 9, we get the two actions of light; (for light is the great subject of these two chapters;) first, in removing the clouds from the soul, and relieving it from all anxieties and everything which is legally against it; and secondly, engaging the soul with the light itself which Christ is, so as to become a worshipper. Chapter 8 does the former, and chapter 9 the latter.
In chapter 8, we find a legally condemned sinner—exposed amongst men—Christ does not condemn her, but relieves her from the burden of felt condemnation. He who was Light itself, and knew all, does so. Like the Thief on the Cross, or Peter in the sinking ship, Light exposes self in either case, but it is the light of life, from One who is this; and who has Himself borne the judgment of God which was due to the sinner. The woman in chapter 8 remains before Christ, and is conscious of having no other refuge now than that of being in the light of His presence. She finds the light her refuge, it is her armor; and she learns in principle that He can be “just and the justifier of him that believes.” The light relieves her of what was pressing on her conscience, having first shown her the real nature of her sin—for there is no concealment in light—all is manifested; but at the same time the conscience is relieved of all that bore down upon it, and by Him who was to bear the judgment of her sin Himself. For us He has borne it.
Now chapter 9 shows another action of Light. Engaging the soul, which has been relieved of the pressure in chapter 8 with the Light itself. The blind man illustrates what a sinner is before God—without sight-utterly blind. Christ gives sight to the man.
I must not only be relieved from my burden, but I must have light for my soul. Christ does this too. The soul when first relieved does not all at once become occupied with Christ, who should naturally be the object of this newly given sight. The man whose eyes were opened “came seeing,” but still wanted an object. Light must now effect its second action, and introduce the soul into the region of worship. Many souls when they begin to “see,” become occupied with what they must do, (as in chapter 8 in the woman’s case, the soul was occupied with the evil it had done.) Hence we find the man contending with the Scribes and Pharisees. But when he was cast out of systematic religion, the Lord of life meets him and reveals Himself to him, and the consequence is immediate worship. —The heart is detained by an object Which controls it—this is worship.
The two chapters give us the wonderful action of light on the soul. The clouds are all cleared away, and I am fully occupied with Him who has effected the blessing. The case of the queen of Sheba, exemplifies this. (1 Kings 10:1-91And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to prove him with hard questions. 2And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. 3And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not. 4And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built, 5And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the Lord; there was no more spirit in her. 6And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. 7Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard. 8Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom. 9Blessed be the Lord thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the Lord loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice. (1 Kings 10:1‑9).) She first engaged Solomon with hard, questions,— communing with him of all that was in her heart; and when Solomon had solved all these, and relieved her of all her personal anxieties, she could then look around and fill her soul with the variety and magnificence of his glory, so that there was no more spirit left in her, but to praise and extol him. “When the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon’s wisdom, and the house that he had built, and the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the Lord.; there was no more spirit in her. And she said to the King, it was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. How be it I believed not the words until I came, and mine eyes had seen it; and, behold, the half was not told to me, thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.”
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