EXTRACTS

But all this is really, not only moral glory, but it is a moral wonder—marvellous how the pen that was held by a human hand could ever have delineated such beauties. We are to account for it, as has been observed before and by others, only by its being a truth, a living reality. We are shut up to that blessed necessity. Still further, as we go on with this blessed truth, it is written, “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man”. Our words should prove themselves as thus, always with grace, by ministering good to others, “grace to the hearers”. This, however, will often be in the pungency of admonition or rebuke; and at times with decision or severity, even with indignation and zeal; and thus they will be “seasoned with salt”, as the scripture speaks. And having these fine qualities, being gracious and yet salted, they will bear witness that we know how to answer every man.

Among all other forms of it, the Lord Jesus illustrated this form of moral perfectness. He knew how to answer every man, as with words which were always to his soul’s profit, whether men would hear, or whether they would forbear; but at times seasoned, nay, seasoned highly with salt.

Thus, in answering inquiries, he did not so much purpose to satisfy them, as to reach the conscience or the condition of the inquirer.

In his silence, or refusal to answer at all, when he stood before the Jew or the Gentile at the end, before either the

priests, or Pilate, or Herod, we can trace the same perfect fitness as we do in his words or answers; witnessing to God, that at least One among the sons of men knew “a time to keep silence, and a time to speak”.

Great variety in his very tone and manner also presents itself in all this; and all this variety, minute as it was as well as great, was part of this fragrance before God. Sometimes his word was gentle, sometimes peremptory; sometimes he reasons; sometimes he rebukes at once; and sometimes conducts calm reasoning up to the heated point of solemn condemnation; for it is the moral of the occasion he always weighs.

J. G. Bellett (‘The Moral Glory of the Lord Jesus Christ’, pp.38, 39) Paul says, “Occupy thyself with these things; be wholly in them, that thy progress may be manifest to all” (1 Timothy 4: 15); that is a progressive believer. The things occupy your mind; you are well kept and enriched. It is a sort of treasure, anything that is formed. Then in chapter 12: 16 it says, “Now his disciples knew not these things at the first”, that is when He rode into the city on the colt, “but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of him”. Here in chapter 12 it is not simply when He was risen, but “when Jesus was glorified”. There is a progressive thought, adding to the faith of the disciples. They are progressive believers.

WHW Does it begin with zeal for this house? Does all begin from this?

JT I think that is where the disciples are brought into it, discerning the Lord as acting in zeal. It is a very important thing to get a brother acting in zeal for the house of God.

JCS The Lord would bring out these two truths in us very fully.

WHW Would the Lord meet every need in the disciples in what comes out?

JT The truth is the Lord went on; He was believed on. The disciples held the truth in their souls; it is a progressive feature, I mean a progressive believer characteristically.

WHW Zeal would cost us something. Does the Lord meet us in that way?

JT You come into contact with a certain class of brethren and you come into reproach if you are too zealous for the house of God. That was the issue at Bethesda—the question of the house of God. The house of God is never local—it is always a general thought, and what had to be contended for then was that what happens in one locality has a universal bearing.

J. Taylor (Vol. 97, p.278)

We were remarking today about Jehu, the one who executed the judgment of God; he met with Jehonadab, and said, “Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart?” Jehonadab said, “It is”, 2 Kings 10: 15. Well now, I believe that about you, that your hearts are right, because fellowship is not simply that we have agreed in regard of doctrine. It is really a question of heart. Is your heart right with my heart, and is my heart right with your heart, and both our hearts right with the Lord’s heart? That is the circle of fellowship. Jehonadab says, ‘My heart is right with your heart. I am with you’. So Jehu gave him his hand and took him up to him in his chariot. I apprehend that is our position, in this sense, we are together with pure hearts, with hearts that are true to each other as they are to Christ.

J. Taylor (Vol. 94, pp.123, 124)

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