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(Conclusions). pp. 95, 96
The witness of John the baptist points to Christ as the sent One. The reference to
aionian life in John 4: 36, is in a somewhat different connection, and is the one
reference which is not linked with faith, but rather with service. John 5: 39 is a
somewhat misapplied verse. Verse 36 speaks of the works that the Lord performed as
His witness that the Father had sent Him. Further, He said, "Ye have not His word
abiding in you: for whom He hath sent, Him ye believe not". They may have had a vast
acquaintance with the letter of the word. They could glibly instruct the wise men that
Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, but they did not act upon their knowledge and go
and worship Him! They had not His word abiding in them.
"Ye search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have aionian life, AND THEY ARE
THEY WHICH TESTIFY OF ME, and ye will not come to Me that ye might have life".
What a testimony! Search the Holy Scriptures merely for the receiving of honour
from men (41, 44), and failing to see Christ "The sent One", the One concerning Whom
the Scriptures speak, and without Whom the Scriptures are void.
May we ever pray to be kept from any approach to such a condition. This, then,
seems to be the special aspect in which aionian life is present in the Gospel of John. It
differs in several essential respects from the aspects of Matthew's Gospel. We do not
attempt here to solve the problem which arises out of this difference; we first of all state
the facts, reserving our conclusions until the various phases of the subject have been
passed under review.