At the close of his long life, in which he had learned much of the power and justice and holiness and goodness of God, it seemed to him that all these were summed up in the one simple saying, “God is love.”

[Illustration:  THE FIRST DISCIPLES Ittenbach Page 67]

When John bade Nicodemus good-night, he could not look forward to the time, nor to the place where we see them together again.  John the lone apostle with Nicodemus and his Lord at the beginning of His ministry, is the lone apostle at the cross.  Then and there, he recalls the first meeting of the three as he beholds the Rabbi approaching.  This is his record; “Then came also Nicodemus, who at the first came to Jesus by night.”

There is a tradition concerning Nicodemus that after the Resurrection of Jesus, his faith in Him was strengthened.  The “teacher come from God” he now believed to be the Son of God.  The timid Rabbi became a bold follower of the Lord whom he once secretly sought.  For this he was no longer permitted to be a ruler of the Jews.  He was hated, beaten, and driven from Jerusalem.  At last he was buried by the side of the first martyr Stephen, who had baptized and welcomed him into the fellowship of the Christian Band.

CHAPTER XIII

St. John and the Samaritaness

“He cometh to a city of Samaria, called Sychar....  Jacob’s well was there.  Jesus therefore, being wearied with His journey, sat thus on the well.  There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water.  Jesus said unto her, Give Me to drink.”—­John iv. 5-7.

     “Probably John remained with the Master.  They would scarcely have
     left Him alone especially in that place; and the whole narrative
     reads like one who had been present at what passed.”—­Edersheim.

The vale of Sychar is one of the most interesting spots in the Holy Land.  Jacob’s well is one of the sacred sights about whose identity there is no dispute.  I count the Sabbath when my tent overshadowed it one of the most memorable of my life.  It was a privilege to read on the spot John’s story of the Master tarrying there, and of the truths there revealed.

John tells us that Jesus, on His way from Judaea to Galilee, passed through Samaria, arrived at Jacob’s well, and “being wearied with His journey sat thus on the well,” while His disciples went “away unto the city to buy food.”

It is not necessary to suppose that all of the six went to the neighboring city.  Probably John remained with the Master.  His narrative is one of the most distinct word-paintings in the whole Gospel story.  He writes like one who saw and heard all that passed, not only when the other disciples were with him, but also and especially what happened when they were absent from the well.

[Illustration:  THE MARRIAGE AT CANA Old Engraving Page 72]

John tells us that Jesus “was wearied with His journey.”  The observing, tender-hearted disciple saw and remembered his Master’s weariness.  In this simple, brief record, he reminds us of Jesus’ humanity, and so how much He was like ourselves.  How much of his Lord’s weariness and suffering the sympathizing disciple was yet to witness.