All Articles For From Holy Writ

Introduction.

That it is of great importance to see the special significance John attaches to the term “Sign” we have attempted to demonstrate in our former article. More could be said to substantiate our contention, but we trust that what we have written will, at least for the present, be sufficient to indicate its importance. We will have ample opportunity to refer to this matter again later in this essay in another connection.

In our last article we underscored that John in recording to us the “signs” of Jesus very evidently made a selection. We also stated that there is a very evident design in this selection. The writer so marshals his material that he brings the Christ into boldest relief as the Son of God in the flesh, who suffers and dies and rises again the third day, being powerfully revealed to be the Son of God.

We may quite safely assume that all of our readers are very well acquainted with the Gospel narrative of the wedding feast at Cana of Galilee, where Jesus and His disciples were also invited to be present. We need, therefore, not write out this portion of Scripture in full. Those who wish to acquaint themselves with the passage, or refresh their memory can take their Bible and read it.

The conclusion that we may draw from the data given in our former article, seems to be that the “wine” is chosen by Christ as a picture of His perfected work as the Son of Man. For wine, we saw, is the product of what we have at the end of the entire process of fomentation. It can be developed no more. It is aged, perfected. So too with Christ’s work, when it is completely perfected, there will be no possibility of bringing it further.

Many long years had passed by. And always the mother of Jesus was pondering in her heart concerning the meaning of all this Word of God, this revelation concerning her son. And while she pondered, and, no doubt, instructed Him, He “increased and grew strong, filled with wisdom and the grace of God was upon Him”. For thirty years she had watched this marvelous son, and all the while she pondered.

This is an emergency measure. We are sorry to hear that Rev. Lubbers is ill, which prevents him from filling this department for the present. Our readers will be disappointed that his regular series of articles on the “Signs In The Gospel Of John” will not appear for a few issues, awaiting his recovery. M ay the Lord speedily restore him to health that he may soon resume his various duties among us.

There are certain expressions that we hear repeatedly in conversations, sermons or prayers. They may have been borrowed from Scripture, which gives them an even more familiar ring. Possibly we have become accustomed to using them ourselves, without giving much thought to their exact meaning.

One of the most common expressions we meet in Scripture are those well-known words, “the fear of the Lord.” It would prove impossible in one short article to quote all the passages, particularly in the Old Testament, where the expression appears. But a closer examination of a few of these passages proves as interesting as it is profitable.

One of the most unique and significant expressions m Scripture is the repeated statement, “I will be a God unto thee”.