painful world,

'Take it on trust a little while,
Thou soon shalt read the mystery right,
In the full sunshine of His smile.'

III. Lastly, and very briefly, a word about the patient Teacher.

'Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask Him.' He knows all our
difficulties and perplexities. Perhaps it is His supernatural
knowledge that is indicated in the words before us, or perhaps it is
merely that He saw them whispering amongst themselves and so inferred
their wish. Be that as it may, we may take the comfort that we have
to do with a Teacher who accurately understands how much we
understand and where we grope, and will shape His teaching according
to our necessities.

He had not a word of rebuke for the slowness of their apprehension.
He might well have said to them, 'O fools and slow of heart to
believe!' But that word was not addressed to them then, though two of
them deserved it and got it, after events had thrown light on His
teaching. He never rebukes us for either our stupidity or for our
carelessness, but 'has long patience' with us.

He does give them a kind of rebuke. 'Do ye inquire _among
yourselves_?' That is a hopeful source to go to for knowledge. Why
did they not ask Him, instead of whispering and muttering there
behind Him, as if two people equally ignorant could help each other
to knowledge? Inquiry 'among yourselves' is folly; to ask Him is
wisdom. We can do much for one another, but the deepest riddles and