erimentally, and drop off at the first difficulty; so many follow
under misapprehension, and with mistaken expectations. Some who came to
Him with great expectations left in shame and sorrow; some who thought
to make use of Him for party ends left Him in anger when they found
themselves unmasked; and one who thought skilfully to use Him for the
gratification of His own selfish worldliness, discovered that there was
no surer path to eternal ruin. Christ turns away none for mere slowness
in apprehending what He is and what He does for sinful men. But by this
question He reminds us that the vague and mysterious attraction which,
like a hidden magnet, draws men to Him, must be exchanged for a clear
understanding at least of what we ourselves need and expect to receive
from Him. He will turn from none who, in response to His question, can
truly say, We seek God, we seek holiness, we seek service with Thee, we
seek Thyself.

The answer which these men returned to the question of Jesus was the
answer of men who scarce knew their own minds, and were suddenly
confused by being thus addressed. They therefore reply, as men thus
confused commonly reply, by asking another question, "Rabbi, where
dwellest Thou?" Their concern was about Him, and so far the answer was
good; but it implied that they were willing to leave Him with only such
information as might enable them to visit Him at some future time, and
so far the answer was not the best. Still their shyness was natural,
and not without reason. They had felt how the Baptist searched their
soul, and of this new Teacher the Baptist himself had said he was not
worthy to loose his sandal-thong. To find themselves face to face with
this greatest person, the Messiah, was a trying experience indeed. The
danger at this point is hesitation. Many persons fail at this point from
a native reluctance to commit themselves, to feel pledged, to accept
permanent responsibilities and bind themselves with indissoluble ties.
They are past the stage of merely keeping Christ in view, but very
little past it. The closer dealings they have had with Him have as yet
led to nothing. Their fate hangs in the balance.

Out of this condition our Lord delivers these two men by His
irresistible invitation, "Come and see." And well for them it was that
He did so, for next day He left that part of the country, and the mere
knowledge of His lodging by the Jordan would have availed them nothing;
a warning to all who