THE TESTIMONY MAINTAINED TO THE END (2)

^[p. 419] THE TESTIMONY MAINTAINED TO THE END (2)

Luke 19:28 - 40; John 12:12 - 16

JT Matthew, mentioning the ass and the colt, retains the principle of two, as is usual in his records; the corresponding word is “two of you”. But also, in the ass and the colt, we have an allusion to the elder brethren as with the younger brethren. What was made prominent in regard to Matthew was that the blind men introduced a new feature of the truth, and that this new feature is carried through by the young and the older ones together entering into the service of God maintained by the children in the temple, who were saying “Hosanna to the Son of David”.

It was pointed out as to Mark that he stresses that no child of man had ever sat on the colt; it is spoken of as having been tied, without any mention of the ass, and it was used by itself. The suggestion was that he represents those who serve levitically. Hence the Lord is spoken of as “sent”; He came in the name of Jehovah. Then the kingdom of David is spoken of. According to what the Lord said to the disciples before ascending the mount of Transfiguration — that the disciples would see the kingdom of God come in power — those who serve in a special way, in the gospel or in ministry, are supported by the kingdom of God come in power. Thus Paul said that his preaching was “in demonstration of the Spirit and of power” (1 Corinthians 2:4).

Luke enlarges on the environment in which the colt is held, and that he had masters — persons who had absolute authority over him — pointing to the need of young persons being held authoritatively by their parents. Parents are often too lax with their ^[p. 420] children, and hence they are not kept free from the influence of man, and not ready for the Lord when He puts in His claim to them.

Ques What spiritual thought is conveyed in the “crossway” in Mark? The colt was “bound to the door without at the crossway” (chapter 11:4).

JT It is said in a note, leading round the house, not the main street; that is, the young person is allowed a certain latitude, but not in the main current of the world outside. The note would indicate he is kept within bounds — “leading round the house”. Do not let them away from the house.

Ques Would the main street suggest the world and its influence?

JT The main current of the world. Hence parents should ask their child, Where have you been?

There is a certain variation in Mark between the Lord’s description and what the disciples found. The Lord said: On entering the village “ye will find a colt tied, upon which no child of man has ever sat”. What the disciples found was “a colt bound to the door without at the crossway”. It would appear that the Spirit of God would suggest that these disciples were observant, as Paul was in regard to Timothy. In Luke it is said that they that were sent “found as he had said to them”. Mark would stress that the servants are observant; they watch the ways of a brother’s house, the customs and habits. When Elisha returned to the house of the Shunammite woman, the child had died. Why had he died? Elisha walked to and fro in the house, as if he were looking round to see whether there were any bad literature lying around, or other thing which could have allowed death to enter the house.

Rem He was, in a way, searching for the weapon which had slain the child.

JT ^[p. 421] Yes; the Lord had made no mistake; He overlooked nothing in the description He gave; the disciples looked into the details.

Ques Is this a feature of discernment seen in the Lord particularly in Mark? I am thinking of Mark 11:11, where it says that He entered into Jerusalem and into the temple and looked round on all things.

JT Your point is the Lord looked round on all things; He left nothing out — a very searching matter. It was in the temple, not in the households of the saints. But chapter 11 refers to what may be in the meeting. The Lord walks in the midst of the golden candlesticks and observes, we may say, all that may be in any one of them. There is a suggestion of universality in the Lord’s walking in the midst of the golden candlesticks — there are seven of them, representing all. What comes to one’s mind is the variety of customs in different parts of the world. Assemblies which are characteristically assemblies of God will have the same customs. Paul says: “We have no such custom, nor the assemblies of God” (1 Corinthians 11:16). The Lord would insist in the gatherings on the importance of universal characteristics, that is, what is suitable to the house of God. It may seem to some a small matter, but God would have all the assemblies uniform. Verse 11 as was referred to, says: “having looked round on all things”. Verse 15 shows that the next day He dealt with certain conditions which were not right: “entering into the temple, he began to cast out those who sold and who bought in the temple, and he overthrew the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of the dove-sellers, and suffered not that any one should carry any package through the temple”.

Ques Mention some customs which should characterise us all.

JT In some meetings the brothers and sisters used to stand up after the breaking of bread, and ^[p. 422] remain standing until the meeting was finished. I must say I have no complaint to make about the French meetings now, but I refer to this custom which I have noticed elsewhere as an illustration. I should add, however, that many meetings are now free from this custom.

Ques You are thinking not only of the important things, but you extend this thought to all the details?

JT It says: “having looked round on all things”. At St. Etienne some years back the collection box was nailed near the door; it is not there now, thank God.

Ques What attitude do you think the saints should observe as gathered, for example, during prayer and thanksgiving?

JT In the case of prayer, we have a certain latitude in Scripture. The word generally used for worship in the New Testament means a prostration before the person worshipped. In every case we have something that would denote reverence.

Ques Should not all the others be in the same attitude as the one who is praying?

JT I doubt that. Certainly the one who prays should observe a form of special reverence.

Ques Should not the one who prays stand, as in priestly service? Is it not a priestly act?

JT Quite so.

Ques Are there meetings where the brothers stand up with the brother who is praying?

Rem There were some; perhaps there are some still.

JT The question is whether it is just a religious custom, and if so it is objectionable.

Ques What about kneeling down?

JT You mean all? If it is a small gathering, it is acceptable; but in a gathering like this it would ^[p. 423] be very difficult; and it is questionable whether a long period of kneeling promotes liberty.

Rem In another matter it speaks of waiting on the Lord without distraction.

JT Quite so. What is in mind in Luke is the service of God. It says, “As he drew near, already at the descent of the mount of Olives, all the multitude of the disciples began, rejoicing, to praise God with a loud voice for all the works of power which they had seen, saying, Blessed the King that comes in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest”. The wording has to be regarded as the product of the Spirit in such a case. We already noted that the scene contemplates a divine current. Luke gives a peculiar touch, as if it was understood that heaven was now coming into view. The multitude of the heavenly host in chapter 2 said: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace”. Here it is “peace in heaven”, showing that a change had come about, that instead of peace on earth, it is now peace in heaven; it is a question of christianity.

Ques Does this refer by anticipation to the ascension and exaltation of Christ at the right hand of God?

JT Yes, and ultimately to the casting out of heaven of Satan, all bringing out the remarkable intelligence which enters into Luke’s account. The Lord had said according to chapter 10, when the disciples returned and said their service had been victorious, “In this rejoice not, that the spirits are subjected to you”, and He adds “I beheld Satan as lightning falling out of heaven ... rejoice that your names are written in the heavens”. That is, the Lord was bringing out the heavenly side of the position. The casting out of Satan makes room for us in heaven. So that the word here is: “peace in heaven, and glory in the highest”. All this enters into the ^[p. 424] praises of the saints at the present time. The children in Matthew were praising in the temple, but their praises did not go beyond Christ as Son of David. It is the heavenly position in Luke; hence the Lord says here, answering the Pharisees: “I say unto you, If these shall be silent, the stones will cry out”. Such was the immensity of what was present, the current of power centering in Christ, that the Lord says this.

Ques Would the Lord weeping over Jerusalem, as recorded immediately afterwards, find some expression with us now in evangelical feelings?

JT I am sure God would have pleasure in right feelings — weeping over Jerusalem; as it is indicated in the note, the word “wept” implies an evident outward expression of grief. So in Ezekiel we learn that those who sigh and cry for all the abominations are specially marked off. What comes out in the whole scene here is depth of feeling — persons capable of being affected by a peculiar movement of God.

Ques The next chapter begins with “And it came to pass on one of the days, as he was teaching the people in the temple, and announcing the glad tidings ...”. I wondered whether the feelings would find expression in the preaching of the gospel.

JT It has the force of evangelising; it is more than preaching. It seems to me that the Lord would help the brethren at this time to be in the current of what God is doing at the present time, and to be intelligent in it.

John’s account as usual is most peculiar, compared with the others. The truth is that what governs John’s account is the immense testimony manifested in the resurrection of Lazarus. In verse 9 we have, “A great crowd therefore of the Jews knew that he was there; and they came, not because of Jesus only, but also that they might see Lazarus ^[p. 425] whom he raised from among the dead. But the chief priests took counsel that they might kill Lazarus also, because many of the Jews went away on his account and believed on Jesus”. We have no reference to Bethphage, Bethany and the mount of Olives, nor to the colt tied. What we find is that the crowd is acting already, without any reference to the ass and the colt. They “took branches of palms and went out to meet him, and cried, Hosanna, blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel. And Jesus, having found a young ass, sat upon it”. That is to say, it is pre-eminently God’s power in Christ, or, at least, Christ’s power in the raising of Lazarus, which originates this great testimony. The colt is found as this is proceeding. The Lord finds it Himself; He does not send the disciples for it. He sees that it is necessary to have this colt at this particular time. Hence, to make an application, it would be a young brother at the present time; the current of revival has already started and he is brought into it, as if the Lord would say he is needed at this particular time. The colt is not going to create the movement; the movement is on, and the word ‘found’ indicates that the Lord has in mind that someone is needed for this occasion.

Ques Would you say that the current was already in existence when the Lord laid hold of a young man named Saul?

JT It is really a direct example of what we have here.

Rem The mention of “branches of palms” is suggestive; it means triumph, victory.

JT They are not mentioned elsewhere in relation to this incident; the crowds are providing them. That is all proceeding, and now the Lord is looking for a young man. That is the principle.

^[p. 426] Rem It says in Acts 16 that Paul “came to Derbe and Lystra; and behold, a certain disciple was there, by name Timotheus ... Him would Paul have go forth with him”.

JT Another excellent example of what we are saying. In order rightly to apprehend this account, we have to consider carefully the fact that God was glorified and the Son of man glorified in the resurrection of Lazarus. Lazarus was here; next to the Lord, he is the prominent person. He represents spiritual dignity in silence. That is to say, in the meeting in Toulon there is to be spiritual dignity. It is a result of the current of what God has done. Scripture never speaks of what Lazarus said; it is what he was as the fruit of the work of Christ: “Jesus ... came to Bethany, where was the dead man Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from among the dead ... Lazarus was one of those at table with him”. And now in public he is just spoken of as “Lazarus whom he raised from among the dead”. Lazarus represents the fruit of the power that has been active. And now who is the young man who will come in at this juncture to be used of the Lord? This great testimony is not as it were to evaporate and disappear; it is to be carried to completion. The Lord deliberately selected this young ass and sat upon it. Then the prophet Zechariah is again quoted, but the point is not exactly who the king is but “thy King cometh, sitting on an ass’s colt”. The colt is given great prominence, and I believe the voice of our own time is for the young brethren to come forward; but it will be a question of the Lord’s selection; it is one whom He found.

Ques Is it in accord with the whole gospel of John where it is a question of the sovereignty of God?

JT And also of qualifications in the persons selected.

^[p. 427] Rem The Lord had already found others. In chapter 1 He found Philip, in chapter 9 the man who had been cast out. This young man is not the only one.

JT Another point to be noticed here is that the disciples were not fully intelligent as to what was occurring, so that we have nothing here about their clothes or garments. But there is remedy for ignorance. Even disciples according to John need to believe; they had not believed enough sometimes. In chapter 2 it is said that “this beginning of signs did Jesus in Cana of Galilee ... and his disciples believed on him”. They were His disciples, but they needed to believe more than they had believed. No doubt everyone here will admit that there is much we need yet to believe, and as believing it to understand it. The understanding of the disciples here is based on their knowledge of the fact of Christ being glorified.

Ques In Luke it is the crowd of the disciples; here it is a large crowd praising. What is the difference?

JT The effect seems to be greater here. I think we have to bring the word ‘glory’ into all this. There was the glory of God and the glory of the Lord in the resurrection of Lazarus, and the effects of it are seen here; the disciples had to wait until Christ was glorified for a full understanding of what did happen. It is plain enough, therefore, that any defect in knowledge amongst us will be remedied as we see Christ glorified.

Ques The disciples understood when they received the Holy Spirit?

JT Yes, but the stress is on Jesus glorified. That light is needed in our souls. The Spirit operates in relation to it.

Ques Why is it not Jesus risen, but ^[p. 428] glorified?

JT A comparison of the references to Christ’s personal glory throughout this gospel would answer that in our souls.

Ques In Matthew and Mark the praise is addressed to the Lord, in Luke to God; now here again in John it is addressed to the Lord; what does this mean?

JT Well, it is generally a question of God in Luke. Matthew and Mark open their gospels by introducing Christ personally, the first bringing out His royalty, the second His ministerial position. John insists on His deity.

Rem Here, therefore, the emphasis is that He is glorified: “we see Jesus ... crowned with glory and honour” (Hebrews 2:9).

Rem In Luke 24:25,26, the Lord says to the two of Emmaus, “O senseless and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory?”. Prophecy helps us to understand and to contemplate Jesus in glory.