Magyar Egyház, 1975 (54. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1975-10-01 / 10. szám

8

MAGYAR EGYHÁZ

MAGYAR

CHURCH

AND JESUS HAD NOT COME

“And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come unto them.” John 6:17.

It is one of the peculiarities of John that when he relates an incident, he usually puts in a remark which illuminates it, as in the instance here mentioned.

Our text follows immediately upon the feeding of the five thousand. The people would have made Him King, but He sends them away. He likewise urges His disciples to enter a boat, while He Himself retires to pray.

His withdrawal indicates that it is always dark when He leaves us, and although we may toil and labor, rest comes only when He appears. In order, however, that we may understand this incident better, we must compare the accounts in the other gospels. Luke omits it entirely. Matthew has a more complete account embodying the story of Peter coming to Jesus on the water. Mark’s account is more like that of John’s. The reason why John mentions this incident here is because Jesus would have His disciples believe, that His discourse about His body was not to be understood in a gross material sense, but in a spiritual and supernatural sense. When He had spoken of eating His flesh, they had complained of His hard saying, but after this incident they worshipped Him saying: “of a truth, thou art the Son of God.”

The disciples were not expecting Jesus to walk on the sea to them, for they had intended to meet Him at a certain place; but were prevented from reaching the shore because of the waves and a contrary wind. The ship was headed for Capernaum. Suddenly the disciples see Jesus coming towards them on the water, and they are afraid. Jesus calls to them: “It is 1, be not afraid.” Our text is rich in suggestion. It especially suggests to us that it is always dark when Jesus the Light of the world is absent.

It is dark for the sinner to whom Jesus has not yet come. There is a great difference between a Christian like Timothy, who knew the Scriptures from his youth, and one who has lived in sin and come to Jesus after great heart-searching and repentence. The

Christian who has been in constant communion with Christ does not know anything of the travail and anxiety of the sinner who finds Jesus. Paul tells us that when a man is converted to Christ, old things pass away, all things become new. Not only, is there anxiety, remorse and sorrow, but there is also joy in the sinner’s heart when Jesus comes into it. We are much more inclined to remember the miracles which occur in nature, and yet there are miracles in the human heart far greater than any natural miracles. When a sinner is converted to Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit he becomes a new creature. The conscience which has been asleep awakens, and when he comes to himself, he knows that he has, because of sin, come under the condemnation of the law and that his sin deserves punishment. In his unconverted state he knows that he is lost and all within him is dark. But when he has found Jesus and been found of Him how different is his outlook on life! His life of sin is no more attractive to him, and the pleasures of sin fill his soul with disgust. Remorse nags at his heart. Over him the sentence of death was hanging and before him there was no hope. Wherever he turned it was dark, and the question that perplexed him was: “whither shall I flee from the wrath to come?”

There is nothing which reveals the power of God more clearly than a glimpse into the sinner’s heart. When Jesus is absent all is dark. Light comes only when the light of the Cross of Jesus shines in upon him.

It is not only dark for the sinner when Jesus is absent, but also for the discouraged Christian it is often dark when Jesus is away. Every Christian must at times endure doubt and disappointment.

It seems almost a contradiction to speak of a discouraged Christian, but in doing so we speak not of that which the Christian should be but of that which he often is. If the Christian would be what he should be he would be always rejoicing. However, it is a great error to think that because we do not always rejoice, as Paul bids us, that we are no longer children of God.

There are some people who believe that cer-