THE GLORY IN THE ASSEMBLY
[p. 294] THE GLORY IN THE ASSEMBLY
2 Corinthians 3:18; Revelation 21:9 - 11; 2 Chronicles 5:11 - 14
JT In the first epistle to the Corinthians Christ is called “the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:8), while in 2 Corinthians we find “the glory of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18). The scripture speaks of the “God of glory” (Acts 7:2), the “Father of glory” (Ephesians 1:17), the “Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:8 and James 2:1) and the “Spirit of glory” (1 Peter 4:14) so that glory stands related in a special way to the three Persons of the Godhead.
The assembly is the vessel in which God has glory “unto all generations of the age of ages” (Ephesians 3:21). The passages read show how glory is introduced into the assembly and ever remains there. It is a question for us as to how much we know of the glory in the assembly. The Holy Spirit dwelling in us is the Spirit of glory, who wishes even now to clothe the whole assembly with the glory of God.
In 2 Corinthians 3 we have the new covenant, the Lord as the Spirit of the new covenant being engaged there in making it effective in our hearts. In 1 Corinthians Christ is called the Lord of glory, but the whole epistle is concerned with the adjustment of the outward order of the assembly.
It is only when we are right publicly that we can take on the glory of the second epistle to the Corinthians. In 1 Corinthians 11:25 it says, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood”. At the breaking of bread the cup stands before us and it speaks of the new covenant. In 2 Corinthians 3 the glory of the new covenant is unfolded. It is so great that the glory of the old covenant completely disappears before it. Verse 10 speaks of the “surpassing glory”, and in verse 8 it says that the ministry of the Spirit subsists in glory. The new covenant unfolds the love of God and the Spirit brings it into our hearts. We can enjoy the Lord’s supper in an outward way without enjoying its real meaning. The Lord is the Spirit of the new covenant; He gives us actually to enjoy the love of God in our hearts. It is only when the love of God, which by the Holy Spirit is shed abroad in our hearts (Romans 5:5), is actually enjoyed by us at the breaking of bread that the glory then begins to shine out. We see then not only the visible emblems, but also understand their language of love. When the saints come together in this way, they have wonderful power. They then experience the service of the Lord as the Spirit of the new covenant; they look on Him and are transformed from glory to glory. The glory with which we are then filled shines out from us again. God makes of us a vessel of glory, in order to make known the riches of His glory upon us, the “vessels of mercy, which he had before prepared for glory” (Romans 9:23). That which we are considering is particularly realised at the Supper.
I hope that after these introductory words the brothers will be free to express themselves in order that our reading may be intelligible to both young and old.
Ques Why do you connect the new covenant with the Supper?
JT This connection is quite clear, for it expressly says “This cup is the new covenant in my blood” (1 Corinthians 11:25). In 2 Corinthians 3 the new covenant is then described more fully. We are there subjects of the divine writing, Christ writing in our hearts by the Spirit of the living God (verse 3). Every believer is a vessel of mercy (Romans 9:23) and when we come together to the Supper in the consciousness that we are all vessels of mercy, we must also all have the thought before us that we are made vessels for glory, so that the assembly will be the great vessel for the glory of God (Revelation 21:[p. 296] 10).
Ques Should this glory be already present now?
JT Yes, this is the time when we are being clothed with glory. The Lord is the Spirit of the new covenant. “Now the Lord is the Spirit” (verse 17). Christ as Lord brings the love of God into our hearts.
Ques What is the difference between the Lord, as Spirit, and the Holy Spirit?
JT The Holy Spirit was sent down from the glorified Lord Jesus above (John 7:39) and He sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts (Romans 5:5). But in 2 Corinthians 3 it is a question of the Lord Jesus as the Spirit of the new covenant. It says in verse 6, “the Spirit quickens”. Then follows a long parenthesis from verse 7 to verse 16. Verse 6 is thus directly connected with verse 17, “The Spirit quickens ... Now the Lord is the Spirit, but where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty”. It is a question of the Lord as the Spirit of the new covenant. There is always His power present, but also liberty, though not for the flesh, but spiritual liberty. Christ is “Lord” as Man, but this title also includes His deity. We see the same also in 1 Corinthians 15:45, the last Adam a quickening spirit.
Ques Should the glory which the disciples contemplated in the Lord (John 1:14) be seen now in the assembly?
JT Yes, that is very important, but before we can see the glory in the assembly we must all look on the glory of the Lord. John writes that they contemplated His glory, but that was a glory as of an only-begotten with a father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14). In 2 Corinthians 3, however, it is more a question of an official glory of the Lord which we are to look upon. It is the Lord in the way in which He makes the new covenant effective in us. The face of Moses shone, so that the children of Israel could not fix their eyes upon it (verse 7). On the [p. 297] other hand, we can look upon the glory of the Lord. When we are looking upon the Lord in this official service of love, we become transformed. I use the expression ‘official’ because it says here “the Lord”.
Ques Is that the same as “the glory which thou hast given me I have given them” (John 17:22)?
JT That goes further, I believe. We cannot say that the Lord received the new covenant for Himself, for He did not require it. The glory of 2 Corinthians 3 is the love of the Lord in which He seeks to make the new covenant effective in us. The prayer of the Lord in John 17 was to lead the disciples and us as far as possible into His position before the Father.
Ques Into the divine family?
JT Yes, it is a question there of the exceedingly high position into which we are brought, and of the testimony of this in the presence of the world, “I in them and thou in me, that they may be perfected into one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and that thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me” (John 17:23). To this end He gives us the glory which the Father gave Him down here, that is, sonship. The glory in 2 Corinthians 3 is a basis for the glory of John 17:22, that is, sonship, but sonship goes further. In John 17 there are different levels of glory. In verse 22 the Lord Jesus shares the glory of sonship with us. In verse 24 He asks “that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me, for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world”. This glory is given to the Lord according to the eternal purpose of God (Ephesians 3:11). We shall see it but cannot share it with Him. In verse 5, the Lord further speaks of the glory which He had before the world was. He does not say that it was given to Him, like the glories in verses 22 and 24 and also He does not say that we shall behold it or share it with Him. In verse 5 we [p. 298] have His eternal, divine glory, which belongs to His own divine Person and of which He never once says that we are to see it. In John 17 we have thus different grades of glory.
Ques Why does it say in 2 Corinthians 3:18 that the glory of the covenant transforms all?
JT That embraces all believers on earth, but first of all we must all behold the glory of the Lord. Then the love of God becomes recognised, enjoyed and warmly responded to. It is precious to apprehend Christ as the Spirit of the new covenant, bringing us into the enjoyment of the love of God.
Ques Is that His activity as High Priest?
JT No, it is a question here of His supremacy as Lord. Christ stands as Lord on the divine side, but as High Priest He is on our side; “We have such a one high priest” (Hebrews 8:1). It is beautiful that the Lord says to us that He would like to transform us into vessels of glory. To this end He leads us through sufferings, difficulties and chastenings.
Ques Do we not behold the Lord in relation to that system of things? Did Moses on the mountain not see that world?
JT Certainly. We are not looking upon anything in this world, but the Lord. The Israelites could not look upon Moses as he came down from the mountain. In 2 Corinthians 3 the reference is to the second time that Moses was upon the mountain, not the first time. At the second time he had himself to take two tables of stone with him up to the mountain (Exodus 34). The Holy Spirit refers to this in 2 Corinthians 3. Our hearts are as it were the tables which Christ takes with Him into the mountain.
We see how great our Lord Jesus is, for what Moses could not do, He does. It is a fact that all that is now upon the earth for God belongs to heaven. The assembly is a heavenly vessel upon the earth. Every one of us is a vessel of mercy and the [p. 299] mercy of God came into evidence when Moses was upon the mountain the second time. God had said earlier to Moses, “I will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy” (Exodus 33:19), and on the mountain He proclaimed “Jehovah, Jehovah God merciful and gracious” (Exodus 34:6). Moses had said, “Let me, I pray thee, see thy glory” (Exodus 33:18). As vessels of mercy we are fitted to behold the glory of God. Being in the consciousness of the mercy of God, we are material upon which there can be writing, that is, we can receive in us a permanent impression of the glory of the Lord. As Moses then came down from the mountain, the skin of his face shone (Exodus 34:29). The glory shines in that which the Lord brings down to us from the mountain, namely, the unfolding of the love of God.
Ques Does the love of God shine out down here?
JT Yes, in a special way when we are assembled to eat the Lord’s supper. The Lord says Himself, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood” (1 Corinthians 11:25). The Supper should make a deep impression upon our hearts, but there are perhaps many brethren who receive no impression upon them. If an unconverted person is present, he also sees the bread and the cup standing upon the table, but it makes no impression upon him. It is only when I regard myself as a vessel of mercy that the Supper makes an impression upon my heart. We do not see Jesus above, but the Lord in the way He has come down to us from God to make us vessels for glory. That is the greatest service which the Lord has done, that He has brought the love of God into this world and now is bringing it into our hearts.
Ques Is that the greatest glory, when we recognise and enjoy the love of God?
JT Yes, in a moral way. The love of God in the new covenant I see in the cup standing before me, but the Lord seeks also to bring it into my [p. 300] heart, and He does it with the greatest skill. Everyone here should ask himself if he is really enjoying the love of God in his heart.
Ques How can we then arrive at it that the love of God is effective in us?
JT Let us leave the Lord a free hand with us, otherwise we come short. Let us give ourselves entirely to the Lord and we shall see what He can make of us. 2 Corinthians 3:18 shows that we can feel in us this service of the Lord.
Stephen saw the glory of God in heaven (Acts 7:55). The glory had left the temple and was in heaven, and it is there now, but it has also been brought down here by the Holy Spirit and the assembly down here is already clothed with it. “But whom he has justified, these also he has glorified” (Romans 8:30). When the assembly comes down later on out of the heaven from God, then it has the glory of God (Revelation 21:10).
Ques In Hebrews 12:22 - 24, have we come to those wonderful things, in order to receive already the glory of God?
JT Yes, we have come to that wonderful system which God has established above.
Ques How can I know that I am actually enjoying the love of God in my heart?
JT Our heart then burns within us with blessedness (Luke 24:32). When the Lord brings the love of God into our hearts, then it will also be felt.
Ques What does the cleft in the rock mean, in which God hid Moses (Exodus 33:22)?
JT In that case Moses did not represent the mediator, but simply a believer. God hides us in Christ, surely a very comforting thought. Moses in his own strength could not be with God, but only in Christ. 2 Corinthians 3 is extraordinarily great and beautiful. We have there what the Lord wants to do with us at the Supper. As surely as we are still [p. 301] in this world, so sure it also is that the Lord transforms from glory to glory.
Ques. Even now?
JT Yes, even now. This transformation is inward, not yet outwardly seen.
Ques. In the mind?
JT Yes, the Lord has such great thoughts for us, but we take them in so little. The transformation takes place through the Lord, the Spirit. As Moses led the flock behind the wilderness, the glory of God appeared to him in the burning thorn-bush (Exodus 3:1,2). Moses said to himself, “Let me now turn aside and see this great sight, why the thorn-bush is not burnt” (verse 3). In that moment, as God saw that Moses turned aside, He called to him, “Moses, Moses!” (verse 4). If we would turn aside to behold the glory of the Lord then God would take account of us. The glory of God is worth being looked upon. It shines out in the Lord’s supper, and when we are looking upon it we become transformed.
Ques Why do we look so little upon the glory?
JT We are not like Moses. We have no interest in it because we are not continually abiding in Him (1 John 2:28). It is so precious that the glory has been brought within our range. Israel could not look upon the face of Moses, but we are in a position to look upon the glory of the Lord and if we do that, then we are transformed according to the same image from glory to glory even as by the Lord the Spirit. If we only had more the consciousness in us that we are vessels of mercy, as it says “According to his own mercy he saved us” (Titus 3:5)!
Ques Must there be a certain state present with us?
JT Quite so, and on this account I read the passage in 2 Chronicles 5:11 - 14. The hundred and twenty priests who were found there had hallowed [p. 302] themselves; the ark had been brought into the holiest of all; the trumpets and singers were as one, to make one voice to be heard; they all praised Jehovah, for He is good, for His loving-kindness endureth for ever. All that was present. Then we read, “The glory of Jehovah had filled the house of God”. I have noticed at the breaking of bread that after we have given thanks for the bread and the cup and have given the Lord the place in the assembly which is due to Him, we are slow in following Him as leading us to the Father. When we have really given Him His place as Head, then He directs the whole current of worship to His God and Father. The dedication of the temple in 2 Chronicles 5 is very precious, but we see that certain conditions must be there if the glory of God is to come in.
Ques The most important thing is surely that they were all one and as one man they made one voice to be heard?
JT Yes, that includes all the saints. We read that at Pentecost they were all together in one place (Acts 2:1). We must read the Old Testament more attentively if we want to become better acquainted with the assembly. It says in 1 Corinthians 10, “Now all these things happened to them”, that is, to the Israelites, “as types, and have been written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come”. The whole light of the Old Testament flows into the assembly.
Rem But it is often said that we should be more occupied with the New than with the Old Testament, because the New contains the substance (Christ) and the Old only the shadow (the types).
JT There is something right in that, for we must first have the substance, before we can understand the shadow. But although we have the shadow in the Old Testament, yet we find many details which we do not have in the New. Without the Old Testament we shall not be complete, “For as many things as have been written before have been written for our instruction” (Romans 15:4). Our Lord interpreted to the disciples on the way to Emmaus the things which were written in the scriptures of the Old Testament concerning Himself (Luke 24:27). We should all have a treasure out of which we can bring forth things new and old (Matthew 13:52). The Old is a shadow of the New but it has also meaning and value. Let us take for example Abel’s offering, for that is more than a shadow of the death of Christ. It says that “Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain”. There was substance in it because it was an act of faith on the part of Abel (Hebrews 11:4).
Ques Do the hundred and twenty priests in 2 Chronicles 5:12 answer to the hundred and twenty who were assembled in the upper room and who received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost?
JT It is noteworthy that both numbers agree. “Twelve” refers to administration, divisible into all possible groups. The number ten speaks of our responsibility. The number 120 (that is twelve times ten) refers to an administration which is under our responsibility. At Pentecost they were all the outcome of the activities of the Lord, but none was absent for they were all together in one place. If we were more frequently at the meetings the effect of it would also be more felt in the assembly. The priests are continually in the house of God: 2 Chronicles 5 shows what should be in the assembly. It is not a question of what the assembly is in testimony to men, but what it is to God. It says in Ephesians 3:21 that the assembly gives glory to God now and to all eternity. Our offerings of praise and our worship are glory to God.
Ques Are we priests at the [p. 304] Supper?
JT Yes, we cannot be before God at all except as priests. But priests also live practically righteous and holy. “Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness” (Psalm 132:9). The priests today are those who call upon the Lord out of a pure heart (2 Timothy 2:22).