MATTHEW 14
CAC God is pleased to bring His testimony before those in high places and to let us know that they have consciences. John was not afraid of Herod, but kept on speaking of his sin in taking his brother Philip’s wife. We see how men are carried by Satan’s power beyond anything they intend to do. Herod had never intended to kill John because he feared the crowd. Man in authority is really the slave to his fears and lusts. The Lord accepted it as a kind of foreshadowing of what would happen to Himself. When He heard of it He withdrew. He seems to withdraw so as to be the centre of attraction to those who fear God.
We see that the Lord does not always intervene to stop the violence against His most honoured servants, but He goes on with His service in grace in the midst of Israel. There was that in Him that could not be checked by any wickedness by man; whatever happens the service of grace goes on. Herod desired to see Jesus later on, but He treated him with contempt (Luke 23: 8, 9); He never used a contemptuous word (see Luke 13: 32) of anyone else. There is a certain moral baseness of character that deserves and receives contempt from God.
But it is beautiful to see the crowd following the Lord (verse 13) and being healed and fed — there was an unlimited store of grace there to be drawn upon; He is really Master of the situation. These were not such a spiritual company as those later on, but they made a journey and had a certain interest in Him. It is a comfort that He takes account of it, even if their interest was a selfish one. John records that He had to tell them so, “Because ye have eaten of the loaves and been filled”, John 6: 26. He goes on in the service of grace even when the objects of His service are unworthy. The feeding of the multitude is an important miracle; it is the only one recorded by all four evangelists. It is an important point with God to satisfy the minds and hearts of people, as we sing, ‘Jesus! Thou art enough, the mind and heart to fill’. God would bring people to satisfaction. We have as much here with us to satisfy every person in Teignmouth, and as many more as you can find. We have got enough to do it! The loaves signify what they were possessed of in the knowledge of Christ, not much and feebly held, but enough to meet many thousands.
Ques Why did the Lord say, “Bring them here to me”?
CAC We hold that little in very weak hands, and it seems not very serviceable. Well, ‘Bring it to Me and see what I can do with it’, that is, the Lord takes account of the smallness of what we have really got. But are we ready always to bring it to Him for Him to do with it what He likes? Five is the number of human weakness. God has stamped the number five on man; he has five fingers on each hand and five toes on each foot, and five senses. It marks everything we have on the human side. It is also the number that speaks of grace. The infirmity of our flesh remains. Paul says, “I speak humanly on account of the weakness of your flesh”, Romans 6: 19. He is not speaking of something wrong. We are sometimes made very conscious of it; well, the Lord takes account of that, He knows how we are affected by things. But there is something there (if we are believers) that the Lord can use, and delights to use for men.
The loaves would be what knowledge we have of Christ, and the fishes represent what is wrought subjectively in the souls of men. They are taken out of the sea, indicating the work of God in men. It is like the two sides of the truth: in Christ it is objective, and then there is what God has [p. 103] wrought in the souls of His people. If it is only in two it would be sufficient for a testimony. It would remind us that though our side is feeble, it is not unreal. Most of us would admit that our knowledge of Christ is feeble, but the thing is there substantially nevertheless; there is some appreciation of Christ, and some work of God evidenced because it is so. It is there though feeble, if we would only put it in His hand and let Him use it! It is not like the manna that came down from heaven, but He uses what is there, what His saints have. Do not be discouraged because it is a little, but let us bring it to Him to multiply. There is much in christendom that if brought to the Lord would be turned to dust and ashes in His hand.
No doubt the disciples had gathered up many precious thoughts of Christ from the Old Testament, and they realised that all these thoughts were substantiated in the Person in their midst, so that they had something to serve out. It would not be amiss if we had a stock-taking to see what we really have on hand. What do we really know? What have we really of Christ? It is good to look round and know.
Ques As to the fish and what is objective and what subjective?
CAC What is wrought in men is illustrated in John 1. When Simon was brought to the Lord He discerned he was a stone and, Nathanael “an Israelite, in whom there is no guile”; there was something wrought in them. Now all that enters into the food, what is objective in Christ and what God has wrought in the souls of His people; what is wrought in the saints is also food for you. The Scripture is largely made up of what is worked in the souls of the saints; the bulk of the Psalms is what is wrought in the saints. What is in Christ is the loaves and what is wrought in His saints, the fishes, and both sides are needed, it seems to me. So that the saints normally can not only speak of [p. 104] Christ objectively, but they can say what He has become to them. We value in each other what Christ has become to us; that is what makes the saints precious to us, is it not?
I wondered if we get here an illustration of the fellowship. It is not that we subscribe to certain doctrines held by the exclusive brethren! Here there is grass. They had not any grass later on; they did not need it. It was rather a poor sample of people here and the Lord in His consideration provided conditions for them; but as saints get on they become independent of conditions. The Lord really never suspends His operations of grace, whatever the conditions are, and they are peculiar at the present time. Well, the Lord knows far more than we do about them, and His service of grace is going to take account of the peculiar conditions; indeed, it will take character from those very conditions.
Ques Is there any link between the crowds we have been referring to and the sea the Lord walks upon?
CAC I think it was rather the contrast. He had been available as amongst the crowds, and they had opportunity to benefit by all His resources, but He dismisses them. I suppose it intimates that His service in Israel would come to an end, and He takes a new character of service that was in relation to His own in the ship. Is it not very much the Lord’s present position that He has finished His service in Israel and sent Israel away? But then He takes up another service on high, “he went up into the mountain apart to pray”.
There is great comfort in thinking that He has gone on high, not as retiring from service, but as taking up a new intercessory character of service, and that having reference to the position in which His own are found in the world. It is good to have that distinctly before us — He is on high praying, and He knows exactly what to pray for! I have [p. 105] found great comfort in falling back on the intercession of Christ and of the Spirit. Even if the prayers of the saints fail His do not fail or cease. He knows exactly what is needed, and He is praying about the circumstances that the saints have to go through.
Ques Is this the “stone” in 1 Peter 2: 4? “If it be thou, command me to come to thee upon the waters”.
CAC Yes. Peter seems to set forth peculiarly the assembly position. The disciples in the boat are the saints looked at as the Jewish remnant. They have to pass over the stormy sea until the Lord returns to them; but the portion and privilege of the assembly is really to join the Lord; and the more we understand His interest and care for us, and His intercessory service, the more we shall be drawn to Him. He never forgets us, and knows every wave that beats against the boat; and all the frailty and weakness of those in the boat. He knows all about it but it is a matter of intercession.
Ques Peter says the saints are “begotten ... again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from among the dead, to an incorruptible and undefiled and un fading inheritance”. That would be in principle Christ taking another place?
CAC Yes, but He is occupied with the conditions here. Romans 8 contemplates many things that may possibly come upon us, but it comforts us by telling us that Christ is at the right hand of God, and intercedes for us, and that none of the things down here can separate us from the love of God. It is a fixed constancy in that love! And in Hebrews it comes in in relation to the service of God, so that it may not suffer. But He ever lives to intercede for us, so that one’s feebleness and the circumstances we are in may not hinder the service of God going on. It is precisely what He is making intercession for.
Rem Hebrews says the law makes men [p. 106] high priests which have infirmities.
CAC We do not know such a system of imperfection; whatever He takes up is done perfectly, and God’s way is to teach us to leave all our infirmity and really come to Christ. Every infirmity raises the question, ‘Well, can I come to Christ?’ That is what He is doing, He is making Himself available to us to come to Him.
Rem Where it says in Philippians, “in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” it also says, “The Lord is near”, Philippians 4: 5.
CAC We do not use Him enough, do we? We want to make use of Him, He is near! “A help in distresses, very readily found”, Psalm 46: 1.
Ques Is the fourth watch the darkest of all?
CAC It is nearest to the morning, is it not? Well, that is the time He presents Himself to His own.
Ques The fourth watch is the last?
CAC Yes.
Ques Why does it say, “he went off to them”?
CAC I wonder whether it intimates that was the night of His absence. As we draw near the end we may expect a special movement on the Lord’s part and I think there has been, as the night is far spent. The Lord is making Himself a reality to the hearts of His saints.
Ques Why did the Lord appear in such a way; they did not recognise Him at first?
CAC I think it brought out that they had not very good eyesight! But the Lord often comes near and we do not recognise Him. I think it shows the possibility of the Lord’s coming to His own without being recognised, as in John 21. But then, He immediately spoke to them. If we do not recognise Him, He makes His own voice heard.
Rem We get into the darkness and difficulty sometimes and He is near all [p. 107] the time!
CAC So we look for the Lord to make Himself known by some ministry that is really His voice to us. And Peter understood that where the Lord was he could be; he rose at that moment to great elevation, ‘Where Thou art I can be’ — which is a great thing to apprehend.
Ques What about the thought of being commanded?
CAC Everything depends on His word. John speaks much of commandment. His commandment is the pleasure of His love in regard to His saints; it is what pleases Him. That is the way to get at privileges — to see that it is according to His pleasure that we should take them up, though it might seem an impossibility to walk on water. It is an impossible thing for nature! One marvels it came into Peter’s mind; it certainly did not come naturally. He got an impression that he could do it too! Though an impossibility to nature, it was possible to love, and what is possible we have to learn from the Lord’s own words. We might think that it is impossible that we should be fitted for association with the Son of God and that He should be our life — what an impossibility for nature! But if we take His word for it, we see it is a divine possibility that we should join Him, and He loves that we should do it. Peter had a spiritual impulse and a spiritual desire but he was not really equal to what he proposed.
Rem He just walked on the water for a moment or two which was wonderful!
CAC Of yes, it was shown to be a practical thing. I suppose we get impressions from the Lord, and we have desires to move spiritually, but we have to learn we cannot sustain ourselves in a position into which in faith and love we have brought ourselves; we have to be dependent on Him.
Ques In Galatians 2 is Peter beginning again to sink and needing dependence again?
CAC Yes, it is not enough to have a right thought [p. 108] before us, but have we the power to work it out practically?
Rem It says, “immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught hold of him”.
CAC Oh yes, He never fails. It was a very blessed experience, though very humbling to Peter. He could not get back into the ship and say, ‘I did it all’! The Lord has very often to let us down; we propose a thing, and though in faith and love, cannot carry it through. We have to cast ourselves upon His mercy, and then it is all right! Peter went back into the ship a better man than he came out.
Rem Our security lies in keeping our eye and faith fixed on the Lord.
CAC The first thoughts of love are generally right, but then the test comes in, the wind was there. I do not know that it was any worse, but his attention was diverted from the Lord, and then he began to sink. It shows the importance of keeping the eye on the One who is in absolute supremacy. Whatever difficulties there are, He is in supremacy; and when we think how the Lord can meet things, it keeps us steady. It is not how I can meet things, but how He can; and any circumstance that makes us feel practically that we cannot do without the Lord is very good for us. That is why the present distress is very good for us, showing us that we cannot do without Him. It shows that circumstances may be very adverse; they are sometimes, but then the Lord draws near and gives an impression of Himself. It is a wonderful thing to get an impression of the Son of God; it is that here because it all brings out that it is God’s Son.
Rem It was lack of confidence in the Lord at the bottom with Peter.
CAC That is most important. Why should we ever doubt Him? It is sad to think we should. Paul says, “Be careful for nothing” — a very simple word, but one of the [p. 109] most difficult things possible for us to do! Mr Stoney used to say that ‘all this is education for the assembly’; all leading up to chapter 16 where the truth of the assembly comes out. We are taught the privilege of leaving everything that would naturally be a support; there is the privilege of leaving it all. It is the weakness of the church that it is always clinging to something that gives a natural support; but the Lord would teach us to take up a position outside all natural support. The boat was adapted to the water and served its purpose, but it is a greater thing to walk on the water than to keep in the boat.
The Lord comes back to the boat eventually and He will come back to the remnant of His people, who will be found in the presence of great distress and trouble, and give them rest from their distresses, so that all will know that He is God’s Son.
It is wonderful how the Lord has opened up the truth of His Sonship in later years; there is a better apprehension of Him as Son of God than ever before. And then we have the privilege of association with Him, as we get in chapter 17: the sons are free, “give it to them for me and thee”. He puts Peter along with Himself in sonship; what a wonderful position!
Rem It says, “They brought to him all that were ill, and besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment; and as many as touched were made thoroughly well” (verses 35 - 36).
CAC I suppose it sets forth typically what He will do when He comes back. He will put everything right. And we are just waiting for that! The people of the earth will have to learn by their very distresses that there is no remedy but the Son of God; so He will become “the desire of all nations”. It is marvellous to think of! And everybody will be healed. What marvels this Person is able to do! It is all in that Person. It is true that none of us has anything [p. 110] worth having outside that Person, and all there is in Him is available to each individual and to the whole assembly. So there is nothing exclusive about it.