Deuteronomy 33:19
They shall suck of the abundance of the seas, and of treasures hid in the sand.
MARTYN LLOYD-JONES (1899-1981): The Christian faith, the Christian message, the Christian Gospel, is wonderful and marvellous. It can be compared to a great ocean. A little child can paddle at the edge of the ocean, but away out in the centre, in the depths, the mightiest Atlantic liner is but like a cork, or a bubble. But it’s the same thing, the same ocean. And thus, you see, we come into the Christian life, and we enter as children. But we must go on and out into the depths.
THOMAS MANTON (1620-1677): The Word is an ocean without bottom or banks…The truths revealed in Scripture are of two sorts: some are plain doctrines, fit for the entertainment of novices, and may be called the porch and entrance; others are deep mysteries, to exercise the wits of the strongest. In the waters of the sanctuary, in some places the elephant may swim; in others, the lamb may wade…There are―not all things, nor the most material―but “some things hard to be understood,” 2 Peter 3:16. God hath expressed His mind in some points so, that the sharpest-sighted will not at first glance easily take up the meaning of it. Other things are plain, and easy, and obvious, so that the very entrance, or first sight of them, giveth understanding…So, in knowledge, there are “the first principles of the oracles of God;” or some elements, and afterwards deeper mysteries; milk for babes, as well as meat for stronger men.
GEORGE WHITEFIELD (1714-1770): Read the Scripture constantly, or, to use our Saviour’s expression―Search the Scriptures, John 5:39; dig in them as for hid treasure.
E. W. BULLINGER (1837-1913): The word rendered “search” is borrowed from the practice of miners; it implies two things, to dig and to examine. First, with much labour they pierce the earth to a considerable depth; and when they have thus found a vein of precious ore, they break and sift it, and suffer no part to escape their notice. Thus we must join frequent assiduous reading, with close and awakened meditation; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
CHARLES BRIDGES (1794-1869): To read, instead of searching the Scriptures is only to skim the surface and gather up a few superficial notions. The rule of success is—Dig up and down the field; and if the search be discouraging, dig again. The patient industry of perusal and re-perusal will open the embosomed treasure. Surely there is a vein for silver, Job 28:1. Yet what miner would be content with the first ore? Would he not search deeper and deeper, until he has possessed himself of the whole; not satisfied with taking away much, but determined to leave nothing? Thus let us daily explore “the length, and the breadth, and the depth” of our boundless stores, until we be filled with all the fulness of God, Ephesians 3:18,19. This habit of living in the element of Scripture is invaluable.
A. W. PINK (1886-1952): The Bible is no lazy man’s book: much of its treasure, like the valuable minerals stored in the bowels of the earth, only yield up themselves to the diligent seeker.
THOMAS MANTON: There is something obvious and lies uppermost in all truths, that is soon understood―afterwards, we come to dig into the mines of knowledge, and to dive deeper, as choice metals do not lie on the surface, but in the bowels; therefore we should not content ourselves with a superficial search, but dig as for treasure in a mine: If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures, Proverbs 2:4.
C. H. SPURGEON (1834-1892): Do not be satisfied with a superficial survey, as many Christians are. These are not the days of contemplation as the old Puritan times were, we are too apt to be superficial; but do remember that while there are nuggets of gold upon the very surface of Scripture, yet the most valuable mines of gold are far down.
WILLIAM GURNALL (1617-1679): Truth lies deep and must be digged for.
DAVID BRAINERD (1718-1747): Strive to penetrate to the bottom of Divine truths, and never be content with a superficial knowledge.
J. C. RYLE (1816-1900): Dig for the meaning like a man digging for Australian gold.
