The nature and conditions of Christ's manifestation.
The last sentence of our Lord suggests the question of Judas.
I. THE QUESTION OF JUDAS. "Lord, and what has happened, that thou wilt manifest thyself to us, and not unto the world?"
1. The questioner, who is otherwise known as Lebbaeus or Thaddaeus, mistakes the nature of Christ's manifestation. He imagined that it would be a theophany associated with the establishment of a temporal kingdom.
2. He imagines that Jesus has made some sudden change in the scope or sphere of the Messianic manifestation. He knew that it would affect the Gentiles as well as the Jews. Tic is at a loss to understand the change in the Messianic program.
II. OUR LORD'S EXPLANATION OF THE CONDITIONS OF HIS MANIFESTATION. "If any man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him."
1. The conditions are love to Jesus, proved by obedience, and crowned with the love of the Father. The power of receiving the revelation depends upon loving obedience. Thus the Divine fellowship is always conditioned.
2. The want of love in the world made the manifestation impossible to it. "He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings." This was the true answer to the question of Judas.
3. The manifestation of Christ is spiritual rather than temporal. "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation; the kingdom of God is within you." God dwells with the believer; the believer dwells with God. The first is the condition of the second.