MATTHEW 25
CAC The subject in view in this chapter is faithfulness in the time of His absence. The Lord’s absence brings in a peculiar testing. The Lord reminds His own every Lord’s Day that He is absent and each occasion of the reminder should affect us deeply as to how we are filling up the time of His absence. It is a peculiar period such as will never recur again. It is very striking to see that the possession of the Spirit is looked at from the responsible side; it is not a question of God giving the Spirit in His sovereignty. It is a collective responsibility but what comes home to each one individually. The prudent ones took oil, that is, it belongs to our responsibility.
Rem And it could not be transferred.
CAC It is the period marked by the in-dwelling of the Spirit and the Lord attaches great attention to it. It enters into and is part of the responsibility of each one. The foolish virgins thought it was enough to be in the outward position of having gone out to meet the Bridegroom; that is the christian position outwardly. Apart from the light being maintained by the Spirit the light will die out, and that is what we see practically all round us, so divine things are decadent and going out in the profession; what light there was is going out.
The christian profession continues, and people are just as anxious to have their children christened, even in the big cities that are so infidel. This is a very solemn thing be cause it carries responsibility and shows that people cling to the christian profession in an outward way.
Ques Whatever our light we should see that we have [p. 163] the Spirit?
CAC That is a most important exercise, because the Spirit is available. It is the day really of the outpouring of the Spirit (true also in the future) Acts 2; it is the character of the moment.
Ques As to the slothfulness of the wise virgins?
CAC It shows how soon those who have the Spirit may become very slack and lose all the gain of the Spirit.
Ques Would the midnight cry be a sovereign act of the Holy Spirit bringing about revival or the slumber would have continued?
CAC Yes, there has been spiritually a great revival, beginning of course, with the Reformation, and it made way for further movements of the Spirit of God. There was a revival not only of the truth but of hearts to appreciate the truth, and we look for that to continue — for light and food and condition of heart to appreciate it.
Ques Would virgins speak of bridal affections?
CAC It is rather noticeable that the bride does not appear. It is characteristic of the gospels that the bride does not appear; she is, as it were, behind the scene. You get sons of the bridechamber and virgins and “He that has the bride is the bridegroom”, but the bride herself does not appear. I suppose the standpoint in the gospel is that the bridegroom is about to take up His relations with Israel. The faithful remnant of Israel would be the bride the Spirit of God would have in view; the ministry of Christ finds out those who are interested. The more distinctly and fully Christ is presented, the greater the test that comes on christendom. Those who love Him and desire to be faithful to Him are brought to light at the presentation of Christ.
At the Reformation it was not a great reformation of Christ but the light of justification by faith, not by works; but there was an absence of the ministry of Christ [p. 164] personally. What marked the revival at the beginning of the last century was the ministry of Christ, and the calling of notice distinctly and clearly to the presence of the Spirit.
Ques Why are “prudent” and “foolish” used in connection with the Spirit?
CAC It is in connection with the Spirit that those qualities are brought to light. Those who are prudent will see the great wonder of the gift of the Spirit. It has often been said that we can have as much of Christ as we like, and so we can of the Spirit! We can have as much of the Spirit as we desire, even to the point of being filled with the Spirit!
Ques Who would they be that sell?
CAC It suggests there is a source of supply. I suppose that when Paul speaks of the Spirit being ministered, he is really referring to God. And it is a matter of faith — the gift of the Spirit is by faith, “that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith”, Galatians 3: 14. The first thing I think, is to have faith, exercising the definite faith in God; then it is the pleasure and delight of God to give the Spirit. He has the ground for it and is justified in giving the Spirit to those who come into line with God in the glad tidings. We delight in what God proposes in the glad tidings and fall in with it, and God says, ‘I delight to give you the Spirit’.
Those who receive Christ are born of God. They have a nature capable of appreciating what God appreciates, that is, Christ. To such God gives His Spirit, but only to those who come into line with God. Repentance is the first move into harmony with God on the part of the creature. It is not unconditional giving in John 4. It was all unconditional on the part of God, but the woman could not understand or be a recipient before her conscience was touched. God puts the anointing, not on the flesh, but on what appreciates Christ and is in subjection to Him; it is on that line [p. 165] that we come more and more into the gain of the Spirit. God does not give His Spirit to the disobedient but to them that obey (Acts 5: 32). The ministry connected with the Spirit is often very defective at the present time; men are holding very defective thoughts as to it.
The Spirit is grieved by anything like slackness of heart in regard of Christ, He cannot get on with that state of heart at all.
Ephesians refers to a very full presentation of the gospel, “in whom ye also have trusted, having heard the word of the truth, the glad tidings of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, ye have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the earnest of our inheritance to the redemption of the acquired possession to the praise of his glory”, Ephesians 1: 13 - 14. God does not delay in giving His Spirit, it is the one thing God has before Him — to give His Spirit, and He does not delay a moment longer than is necessary. The moment the condition is there God gives it.
There is no reason why we should not be filled with the Spirit. If my thoughts are in harmony with God at any moment, and my feelings entirely moving in the divine current, and there is no action of the natural mind or will, the soul is filled with the Spirit. Perhaps, it is only for a moment, but it is real while it lasts; and a soul full of the Holy Spirit is full Godward, and speaks in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, so that there are expressions Godward. It would help us to look at the hymn book; we might say of some of the hymns that they are full of the Holy Spirit. They are the expressions of those who were full of the Holy Spirit, and we want to bring our hearts and spirits into the current of the Spirit, turning to God with thoughts of God and of Christ, of what God has done and given, and while so occupied we are holy people.
There are duties of everyday life to be attended to, and the duties in responsible life never hinder us. If we give them an undue place they may!