The great benefit, of course, is redemption from extreme (continued)
Christ 45 are needful for us to know. He will tell us that which will supply all our defects, rectify our mistakes, and put an end to all our disputes. He will tell us the mind of God fully and clearly, and keep nothing back.
What a favour our Lord Jesus bestowed upon this woman in declaring Himself to her. 'I that speak unto thee am He." Christ never made Himself known so expressly to anyone, as He did to this poor Samaritan and to the blind man (John ix. 37.) No! not to John the Baptist, when he sent to Him. No! not to the Jews, when they challenged Him to tell them whether He was the Christ (John x. 24).
May He have done this because the woman had never any opportunity of seeing Christ's miracles, which were then the ordinary method of conviction? To those who have not the advantage of the external means of knowledge and grace, God has secret ways of making up the wants of them. We must therefore judge charitably concerning such people. God can make the light of grace shine into the heart, even where He does not make the light of the Gospel shine in the face.
So Christ comes to the expectant. (i) How near Jesus Christ was to her, when she knew not who He was (cf. Gen. xxviii. 16). Many are lamenting Christ's absence, and longing for His presence, when at the same time He is speaking to them. (ii) How Christ makes Himself known to us by speaking to us. "I that speak unto thee', so closely, so convincingly, with such assurance, with such authority, ''I am he."
10. Many Reject CHRIST
In spite of all, however, there are those who refused to recognise Him as Christ. '"'How long dost thou make us doubt? If thou be the Christ tell us, tell us plainly (fohn x. 24). These Jews quarrelled with Him as if He had unfairly held them in suspense hitherto. ''How long dost Thou steal away our hearts'', or "'take away our souls?"' so some read, basely intimating that what share He had of the people's love and respect
He did not come fairly by it. But we understand by the words 'How long dost thou keep us in suspense ?"' It was the effect of their infidelity and powerful prejudice that, after our Lord Jesus had so fully proved Himself to be the Christ that they were still in doubt concerning it. This they willingly hesitated about, when they might easily have been