THE TESTIMONY MAINTAINED TO THE END (1)
[p. 410] THE TESTIMONY MAINTAINED TO THE END (1)
Matthew 21:1 - 11; Mark 11:1 - 11
JT It was thought to continue the subject we had at Beauvoisin yesterday, that is, the colt as seen in the four gospels. What is in mind is to show how the testimony is to be carried through to finality, and specially those features of it that have been stressed during the revival in these last days.
The two blind men spoken of in chapter 20 introduced a special feature of the testimony at that time. They were evidently not educated in the ordinary religious way. They had heard that “Jesus was passing by”, and they addressed Him as “Lord, Son of David”. This title particularly entered into that moment. The Lord had come over the Jordan, and He was approaching Jerusalem, the city of the great King, and it was especially right that He should be acknowledged as “Lord, Son of David”. So these blind men address Him in that way. It is taken up in the next chapter, verse 9, “And the crowds who went before him and who followed cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed be he who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest”. The crowd takes up the note introduced by the blind men in chapter 20, but prefix it by the word “Hosanna”, which means, ‘Save, I beseech thee’; so that Christ is acknowledged as having present power to save. Later in the chapter the children say the same thing in the temple. These are the facts related to the appearance of the colt in this section, so that he has a particular importance. In fact it is the ass and the colt in this gospel; the ass is not mentioned in the other gospels, but she is present here, and as we had it yesterday at Beauvoisin, attention is called to the need of the younger and older brethren moving together. It is to be noted that the Lord Himself [p. 411] appropriated the ass and the colt; it says, “He sat on them”. In Luke it is said that the disciples put Him on the colt. The thought as to Matthew is that the service of God is carried forward in this way, and the children take it up subsequently.
Ques In Mark and Luke it is said to be a colt on which no man had ever sat, and in Luke it is said that the disciples put the Lord upon it. Would that suggest that a younger brother needs the help of the other brethren to repress impetuosity, as in a colt that has never served?
JT In Mark particularly the thought is that he had not been under the yoke of this world. Luke remarks on that too, and he speaks of the colt having masters; that is, the colt was held more strenuously. It would imply, I think, that the parents hold their children for the Lord, refusing the yoke — the influence of the world, so that they have not much to unlearn. It is a great advantage when the young brethren, children of christian parents, are available for the service. It is said that no child of man had ever sat on this colt — “no child of man”; the stress would be on human influences.
Ques You would say it had never come under the influence of the world?
JT Particularly of man’s mind. Paul said to the Corinthians that they were walking as men (1 Corinthians 3:3).
Ques Is this illustrated in Timothy who from a child knew the Holy Scriptures?
JT Exactly.
Ques It is said in 1 Timothy that the overseer must conduct his own house well, having his children in subjection. Would these children belong to such a house?
JT They would. We know from the types, especially in 1 Chronicles, how men of God carried their children with them in the service. In Matthew,
[p. 412] however, this feature is omitted; the ass and the colt are held together. The foal is said to mean ‘son of one under yoke’; that is, the colt is under the ass’s influence.
Ques The Lord sat on the ass and the colt; do we infer from this that they were both available for Him as Lord?
JT I think the fact that He appropriated them shows that they were in the right condition; so that in our application now it would show that the older and the younger brethren are together in the testimony of God, the young recognising the moral weight, experience, and authority of the elder ones.
Ques Is there special instruction in the fact that in Matthew it is the ass that is tied?
JT Quite so; that would mean that the elder brethren are abiding by right principles, by the commandments of the Lord. Sometimes the brethren assert authority which only comes from themselves; they are not abiding by right principles.
Rem It is a special exercise for those who are older to continue in subjection and dependence.
JT Quite so, and asserting the authority of Scripture. When David and Solomon were on the throne together, David insisted on the law of Moses (1 Kings 2:1 - 4). Thus as the older brethren abide by the truth, the younger ones do well to keep by them.
It will be observed that the disciples placed their own garments upon the ass and the colt. Discipleship is a different side of the position from experience. The disciples have learnt from Christ. Thus such a one as Timothy would appoint an elder; a man appointed might be older than he, but Timothy had the advantage of knowing Paul’s doctrine and manner of life. So that discipleship implies ministry, teaching, prophecy or the like.
[p. 413] Ques Is the position of the village suggestive? It is said to be facing the disciples when they found themselves in the region of the mount of Olives.
JT The whole environment has to be taken into account. The position is Jerusalem with its environs; Bethphage and Bethany are at the mount of Olives, which alludes to spiritual influence. “Over against” suggests it was near at hand.
Rem The Lord does not contemplate their losing any time in finding what is pleasing to Him, because it says “immediately”.
JT What was suggested is that the Lord already had influence there. He had already worked in their hearts and was recognised there.
Ques The disciples put their garments on the ass and the colt; the crowd spread theirs on the road. What is the difference?
JT The garments of the disciples allude to right teaching, I think. We are to take on the character of being taught of God. But there were the garments of the crowd as well. The crowds are not to be despised here. There was a strong current of influence favourable to Christ. The crowd comes under the power of it; hence they are recognised here. Their garments are not put upon the ass and the colt; they “strewed their own garments on the way”, it says. Influence of that kind is not to be despised; it makes the path easier and more honourable to Christ.
Ques What would the garments of the crowd represent?
JT They are characteristics entering into the service of God. Crowds are usually uncertain, but the Lord makes a distinction as to them, for instance, on the occasion of their remaining with Him three days. What characterised them is not to be despised; so far they form part of the general position favourable to Christ. Others cut down branches of the trees, which would mean that they [p. 414] had some spiritual idea of freshness. In view of the spiritual teaching flowing from it, we may presume that on another similar occasion they would not use these same branches. It was not something that they could find by the way, but fresh branches of the trees; they “kept cutting down branches”, so that there was continual freshness.
Rem The road would, as it were, be filled with freshness from beginning to end.
JT A very important feature, because the Lord has in mind now that the testimony is to go through in freshness to the end. It is very remarkable how in an occasion of this kind there is a current flowing. Satan does not seem to get any inlet here. The whole position is favourable to Christ.
Ques Does this current of influence continue until the whole city is affected and all say the same thing?
JT That would be in view. You will observe in verse 9 that “the crowds who went before him and who followed” were all affected in the same way.
Ques Should we see something in the order of this procession? The crowds go before with garments and branches, others follow, all marked by praise; and in the midst the Lord on the ass and colt, and no doubt the disciples beside Him?
JT A wonderful display of the power of the current in favour of Christ! The crowds say here: “Hosanna to the Son of David”; they add a word to what the blind men say. It is a word we do well to take account of, because it means, ‘Save, I beseech thee’.
Ques Would you develop that thought a little?
JT I think it is important to see that we have the Lord today to save us from the extraordinary circumstances with which we have to contend. It had been announced prophetically that “difficult times” would come. Now they are here, and He is a present Saviour, always available.
Ques Is there a shade of difference between the two Hosannas, one uttered by the crowds perhaps in relation to the circumstances, and the other uttered by the children, which would be rather more for the house?
JT The second is the greater, because the Lord Himself comes into it to defend what the children say. “When the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonders which he wrought, and the children crying in the temple and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David, they were indignant, and said to him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus says to them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?” We can see in the Lord Himself coming in and introducing the Psalms, especially the first book which is peculiarly David’s book (he is the author of the psalm the Lord quoted from), that we are in presence of the service of God. The children are maintaining it, which is to bring out this great thought of youthfulness as carrying the testimony; there is also the thought of freshness.
Ques How are we to understand the thought of “sucklings”, who cannot even speak?
JT It is a quotation from Psalm 8; it fits in peculiarly in Matthew. The true David is now here before us — the sweet psalmist of Israel, and He had already said to His Father: “Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to babes. Yea, Father, for thus has it been well-pleasing in thy sight” (chapter 11:25).
Ques Nine times in Matthew 2 the Lord is called a little child. Is there a thought of correspondence with Him?
JT The “young child” in Matthew 2 refers more to the dignity of Christ Himself, but here it is [p. 416] a question of its being the Father’s pleasure to give the revelation to the very youngest of those that were in His mind; so that all those who are born of God are brought into this. The youthfulness is stressed, and now it is applied to the service of God: “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise”.
Ques Would it be right to say that the effort here is to banish this feature of youthfulness, as Herod did in chapter 2 of this gospel?
JT It would be the same kind of thing. In the beginning of Matthew, Herod is concerned about the age of Jesus, and so those destroyed were about that age. But here it is the babes and sucklings, the very youngest.
Rem In 1 Peter it is a question of new-born babes desiring earnestly the pure mental milk of the word.
JT That is a question of taste, discernment in taste; young christians should have taste for what is necessary for them — the pure mental milk of the word. It is not mere ordinary building up of the babe physically, but of his mind.
Ques Would it be right to say that these children are reliable? It says, “And leaving them he went forth out of the city”.
JT That is a good suggestion; it corresponds with chapter 19 where the Lord lays His hands on the little children and departs; that is, they are left, so that either themselves or others must take charge. To speak figuratively, these babes and sucklings did not use the common hymns that are taught to children; they were engaged with the highest note of the moment.
Ques Would you say this was the highest note that had been expressed in the temple since its [p. 417] foundation?
JT Here the important point is that the Person Himself is there, in the temple. He never was in it in the Old Testament. It is Jesus the Son of David actually present, and the subject of praise in the temple.
The presentation of this subject in Mark has reference to levitical service. The celebration of the crowd is: “Hosanna! blessed be he that comes in the Lord’s name. Blessed be the coming kingdom of our father David. Hosanna in the highest!”. As in Matthew and Luke, the Lord is seen in Mark as under orders; He comes “in the Lord’s name” — that would be Jehovah’s name; the allusion is to Psalm 118. It is not only the Lord Himself here now, but the coming kingdom. Levitical service requires the kingdom; so that the mount of transfiguration is the kingdom of God come in power.
Ques Is there anything to be gathered from the fact that this quotation is taken from Zechariah, the prophet who encouraged the remnant?
JT You are referring to Matthew’s quotation. What is to be observed is that the Spirit of God would have us understand that this remarkable scene described had been foretold, that is to say, what God is doing now is according to the general trend of Scripture. And inasmuch as it is a quotation from Zechariah, who is a special remnant prophet, as has been remarked by our brother, it is most significant. He and Haggai not only prophesied in that day, but helped the builders.
Ques All this stands related to prophetic ministry?
Rem It is said in Ezra 5: 2, “Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem; and with them were the prophets of God, who helped them”.
JT These two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, coming in particularly in remnant times, illustrate [p. 418] the advantage of prophetic ministry in our times; as our brother has remarked, we see in this verse in Ezra that the prophets of God helped the builders. Hence here in Toulon, if the brethren are building, the prophets of God, if given place, will help them.
Rem It is written in Ezra 6:14, “And the elders of the Jews built; and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they built and completed”.
JT Yes, they finished — that is the point. What is before us in these two meetings is to show how the testimony as revived is to go through to finality, and how the youthful ability amongst us is to be developed. The first book of Samuel is the book entering into this matter — a child asked for, a child granted, a child devoted to the Lord, and his mother watching over him in his early days, a child acting as a priest with a linen ephod, a child made the confidant of God (for God revealed to him His mind about Eli and Eli’s house), and finally recognised as a prophet in Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba. Hence parents and children and young men and young women are all brought into it. This is the need of the moment, that the testimony in its most pleasing features to God, that is in the service of praise, is to go through to finality.
What has been observed about the kingdom here should be in view before we finish. It is, “Hosanna! blessed be he that comes in the Lord’s name”; Christ is here representative of God as the Sent One. And then there is the kingdom: “Blessed be the coming kingdom of our father David”. And after that: “Hosanna in the highest!”. So that we have great thoughts here, particularly for those who aspire to service in a special way. Our service is supported by the kingdom.. So that in chapter 9, as we remarked, the transfiguration is the kingdom of God come in power.