Evening, June 9

Charles Spurgeon · Morning and Evening: Daily Readings

"Search the Scriptures."

  John 5:39

   The Greek word here rendered search signifies a strict, close,
   diligent, curious search, such as men make when they are seeking gold,
   or hunters when they are in earnest after game. We must not rest
   content with having given a superficial reading to a chapter or two,
   but with the candle of the Spirit we must deliberately seek out the
   hidden meaning of the word. Holy Scripture requires searching--much of
   it can only be learned by careful study. There is milk for babes, but
   also meat for strong men. The rabbis wisely say that a mountain of
   matter hangs upon every word, yea, upon every title of Scripture.
   Tertullian exclaims, "I adore the fulness of the Scriptures." No man
   who merely skims the book of God can profit thereby; we must dig and
   mine until we obtain the hid treasure. The door of the word only opens
   to the key of diligence. The Scriptures claim searching. They are the
   writings of God, bearing the divine stamp and imprimatur--who shall
   dare to treat them with levity? He who despises them despises the God
   who wrote them. God forbid that any of us should leave our Bibles to
   become swift witnesses against us in the great day of account. The word
   of God will repay searching. God does not bid us sift a mountain of
   chaff with here and there a grain of wheat in it, but the Bible is
   winnowed corn--we have but to open the granary door and find it.
   Scripture grows upon the student. It is full of surprises. Under the
   teaching of the Holy Spirit, to the searching eye it glows with
   splendour of revelation, like a vast temple paved with wrought gold,
   and roofed with rubies, emeralds, and all manner of gems. No
   merchandise is like the merchandise of Scripture truth. Lastly, the
   Scriptures reveal Jesus: "They are they which testify of me." No more
   powerful motive can be urged upon Bible readers than this: he who finds
   Jesus finds life, heaven, all things. Happy he who, searching his
   Bible, discovers his Saviour.