PRAYER: CHARACTERISTIC OF THE PERFECT MAN (1)
PRAYER: CHARACTERISTIC OF THE PERFECT MAN (1)
JT A line of thought came before my mind that may commend itself. The Lord is seen praying frequently throughout Luke’s gospel, and in looking into the subject it occurred to me that these instances have a constructive bearing, not in regard to His Person, but in regard to the example He sets, and the results that accrue from prayer as seen in these various instances. The consideration would enable us to touch on certain features of Luke’s gospel that I think would prove helpful.
In order that we may have the instances before us, the first is in chapter 3 — His baptism, the second in chapter 5, the third in chapter 6, the fourth and fifth in chapter 9, the sixth in chapter 11, and the last in chapter 22. We may now take up chapters 3 and 5, and see how we get on.
I suppose we have all been struck with the place that prayer has in Luke. The Lord is seen engaged in it in Luke more than in any of the other evangelists, and the book of Acts shows how the example set by the Lord in Luke is taken up by those who followed, particularly in the great vessel through whom the light of the gospel came to us Gentiles. The Lord’s commendation at his conversion was, “Behold he prayeth”. Acts 9:11. He said this to Ananias. In order to bring the great value of prayer more closely to ourselves, the great work at Philippi, inaugurating the work of God in Europe began in prayer. Paul and Silas and those with them arriving at Philippi are found in connection with a few who prayed by a river:
[p. 2] and later it says that as they went to prayer a damsel with a spirit of Python met them and would discredit what they were going on with by calling attention to them as “the servants of the most high God”. Acts 16:17. They were not engaged in that connection. They were about to introduce the gospel into Europe, and Satan would defeat this if possible. They are cast into prison, but are said to be engaged in prayer. Paul and Silas in praying praised God, and the prisoners heard them, and thus the work began. There can be no doubt that God intends to impress us all by that — the need of prayer if the work is to be sustained — if the testimony is to be sustained. So I thought if we looked at these two passages, perhaps the first would help us as to how the believer takes his place publicly with the people of God, because that is what we see here in Luke 3 — the entry, so to say, of one’s way in connection with the testimony of God — identification with His people. It says, “When all the people were baptised, it came to pass that Jesus also, being baptised”. There is a word in it especially to young Christians, I believe, as to how they take up their place with the people of God.
EBMcC I think it is most important to see how the Lord sets the example as the dependent Man.
JT If one identifies himself with the people of God in this attitude he is not likely to be a public charge spiritually.
JCS I think that is very good. The Lord Jesus here is introduced as the Pattern; and, as you said, the work with Paul and Silas was all the fruit of this Pattern.
JT We see how Paul became identified with the people of God. He was recommended to them as one who prays.
JCS So that, as you say, the man who prays will not be a charge or grief to the brethren. He will be one who can [p. 3] contribute.
JT It is a very important point — very remarkable and practical; because, as taking our place with the people of God, we are either going to be a liability or an asset; but one who comes in in this way will be a contributor, which every one of us should be.
Ques Would prayer follow baptism as a consequence?
JT In baptism there is the renunciation of all you might rely on in the flesh, so that now you need God. You need God in this position.
EBMcC He leads in this way. Others were baptised, but it does not say they were praying.
JT He leads here. The Lord is leading the way for all who should follow in taking their place in relation to the people of God. This is the way to enter.
JCS I think you said the other day that the Lord Jesus was prepared to wait until everyone else was baptised. Should that spirit mark one coming amongst the people of God?
JT I think so. All the people having been baptised, Jesus was baptised.
Rem Baptism is a public thing. Not so prayer.
JT It is here. Later we shall find the Lord praying alone, and in secret, but here it is necessary that the brethren should know that you pray; otherwise they might think you are going to be a charge. Not that they might not take you on as a charge, because the people of God are wealthy, and they can carry one a long way; but those who come in and identify themselves publicly with the people of God ought to indicate at the outset their trust in God.
SF And in that way they would be recognised as additional support for the company.
RMcM I suppose you would say it will soon be apparent to the brethren whether one prays or not.
JT No doubt. But you have the idea in Scripture of a good report. Timothy had the testimony of a good report among the brethren; and in speaking [p. 4] to Ananias the Lord does not say of Saul, ‘I appeared to him’, but “behold he prayeth”. Acts 9:11. That is what the Lord refers to as a commendation for this young brother coming in.
Ques Was it not important that those who were to bear testimony to the resurrection of Christ should be acquainted with the Lord as found in Luke?
JT That is where the assembling began. The nominee for the apostleship was to be one who had assembled with them during all the time the Lord Jesus went in and out among them, beginning with the baptism of John until He went up, so that one would have knowledge of this incident in assembling with the brethren at the outset.
JCS So that the first incident would really show the impression they received when they heard Jesus praying at the beginning.
JT And a thought would come up into one’s mind that He prayed. And as He prayed the heavens were opened. That is, we get the idea of the approval of heaven, which is another feature; for young believers, in taking their place with the people of God, should inquire, ‘Is heaven satisfied?’ Heaven would not be really satisfied with other than a person who prays; that is, it is a praying person who draws out the approval of heaven.
SF Is one thought in connection with prayer, that we realise we have no resources in ourselves? Such a revolution has taken place in our souls that we turn to a divine source for supply.
JT You are qualifying for the assembly as you begin thus.
Heaven owns Him. There is a very distinct word in that. “Jesus, having been baptised, and praying ... the heaven was opened”. Heaven was taking account of what was there — what was coming out. It is not a question of God’s knowledge of the Person [p. 5] who was there, because that is ever true. It is heaven taking account of what was developed publicly.
Ques I suppose we have to learn that we have entered into death by baptism, and all our spiritual resources come from heaven.
JT That is the thing, and as we recognise that we qualify for the assembly. We are learning to depend on heaven — on God.
JCS It is beautiful to think that such conditions existed here on earth in that Man that heaven opened and took account of those conditions, and endorsed everything that was found there.
JT Exactly. It is beautiful.
RJW Is that why the voice in Luke is directly to the Lord Jesus? In Matthew it is more in reference to those surrounding Him.
JT Quite. In Mark it is also direct.
RJW Luke’s presentation suggests something most important in connection with prayer.
JT You see in a man like Apollos, who only had the light of John’s baptism, how he is prepared for adjustment. Some are at a disadvantage through receiving only partial light at the outset; but, that being received rightly, it lays the basis for further light. It lays the basis for adjustment. Anyone who receives the gospel, even although it is presented partially or imperfectly, if he receives the element of light rightly, will be ready for adjustment later. We know that a very imperfect gospel is preached today abroad, but nevertheless there is light in it, and where that light is received honestly there is hope, because there is readiness for adjustment. If one is not ready for adjustment there is no hope of fitting him into the assembly. He might be an eloquent man like Apollos, and mighty in the Scriptures, but unless he is ready for adjustment he will never fit into the assembly. He may go abroad and preach, getting converts and renown, but he never [p. 6] comes into the assembly as fitting into it practically. But you see with Apollos, he knew John’s baptism — “Knowing only the baptism of John”, Acts 18:25 it says. He knew that, and he is ready for adjustment, so that Aquila and Priscilla take him and show him “the way of God more exactly”, Acts 18:26. It is a great thing in taking one’s place with the people of God, according to the light one has, to be ready for adjustment, because there is more light than one has, but if one has the thing honestly he is ready to be helped.
RMcM There are those who have not much light, but if they are true to the light they have they will get more.
JT I think what is going on is of great service. Those who have the light of Christ and of the assembly are to help in adjusting others. The gospel is going but, though imperfectly. Nevertheless there is light in it, and the great service that is open to those who have light is adjusting others as they are ready for it.
CHH That is where the value of prayer comes in, In depending on God you turn from the path of independence to the path of dependence, so that there is room for the adjustment you speak of.
JT The service of adjustment is within the range of sisters. Anyone may humbly help one like Apollos. It will be observed that both Aquila and Priscilla had part in the service rendered to him. It was no question of preaching, nor was it a question of teaching exactly, but of unfolding the way of God more exactly. One who is on the way can show it.
JCS It is very encouraging that even where the light has been only partially received it has brought elements into the soul that make adjustment and construction possible.
JT I thought Apollos stands out as a model in [p. 7] that way.
JCS So you would encourage us to be free and on the look out for such souls. Even sisters may help them.
JT Take one like Anna, the prophetess. She served God instantly night and day with fasting; but she also spoke of Christ to all those that looked for redemption. That is, wherever anyone was exercised she would speak to him, and did. That service is within the range of sisters. It can be done as Aquila and Priscilla did it. They did not say to Apollos publicly, ‘What you are preaching is not exactly right’. “They took him unto them” Acts 18:26; but they rendered a great service, not only to him, but to the whole assembly, because it says he contributed much to the brethren; and that is the idea — one is to contribute to the brethren.
LDB It says that Aquila and Priscilla, having heard Apollos, took him unto them. Doubtless they discerned that he had light from God.
EBMcC So we never know how far reaching our service may be. As you say, he contributed to the brethren. He was able to help the brethren after he had been helped himself. Would you say we always need to be ready to be adjusted?
JT I am sure that is so, and being ready to adjust others too.
MPM The disciples felt their lack when they asked the Lord why they could not do as He had done. He said, “This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting”. Matthew 17:21.
JCS So it must be by prayer. Are we alive to the possibilities there are in our position? It is full of possibilities.
JT I thought the Lord might help us to see these possibilities in looking at this prayer in Luke.
Rem Luke would encourage us greatly. He opens the gospel with people praying.
JT He opens the gospel with a man — a priest.
[p. 8] and his wife of the daughters of Aaron — who was devout, and walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, blameless. He serves in the order of his course. He waited on his service, which was to offer incense. That is in connection with prayer. As he offered incense at the altar, the people were praying outside — a very beautiful spectacle for heaven. It is very remarkable that Luke should begin in this way. Then an angel appears on the right side of the altar of incense and tells Zacharias that his supplications and intercessions had been heard. You see at the very outset of the gospel we are encouraged with the thought that we are heard. He evidently asked for a son; but then he begins to question in unbelief, and the angel says, “Thou shalt be dumb, ... until the day that these things shall be performed”. Luke 1:20. Thus while Zacharias is a remarkable example of prayer, yet he shows that in our prayers we may be unbelieving. It is not merely our prayers therefore; it is a question of the prayer of faith — that we believe the Lord will give us what we ask for.
Rem Cornelius is a beautiful example of that. It says, he “prayed to God alway”, Acts 10:20 and his prayers were heard.
JT I think he is a very remarkable example. He prayed and he gave alms, showing how genuinely he had been affected.
Rem I suppose true prayer and conditions suitable for God to give light go together. Prayer would produce conditions in which God can work.
JCS Cornelius would also be illustrative of what you said earlier: that one who prays is one who contributes.
Ques Is he in the light of the assembly?
JT No, he is not in the light of the assembly yet. He is pious, but he has not the light of the gospel nor of the assembly yet; but he presents very beautifully what comes in through prayer. Then it says Peter [p. 9] went up to the house-top to pray, and in his prayer he fell into an ecstasy, and saw a sheet coming down. There again you have heaven coming into view. The man of God is impressed, with the result that the Gentiles are happily brought in.
EBMcC That is very remarkable. You find these conditions there, and in Luke. Wonderful conditions they are.
JT Luke makes a point of that. God takes account of whatever may be of Himself, and enlarges on it.
CHH Is it not a wonderful beginning with the Lord Jesus — the beginning of His public testimony? It would indicate the gain for one who begins with prayer. He is a pleasure to heaven.
JT You may be sure that what heaven approves will soon be approved by the brethren.
GRG Is prayer possible apart from the Spirit?
JT Well, you couldn’t pray in the Holy Spirit unless you had the Holy Spirit. But I think the Scriptures show, as in the case of Cornelius, that one who has not the Spirit may pray and the prayer be heard. In Luke 11 it is said that the heavenly Father gives His Spirit to those who ask Him.
Ques I was wondering whether we should distinguish between prayer and “praying in the Holy Spirit”.
JT I think we should. Many pray, and it cannot be said to be a prayer in the Holy Spirit, because one may not have the Spirit. Saul prayed before he received the Spirit; Acts 9.
JCS So a person might pray without the Holy Spirit and be very mixed, but what is of God will be taken account of by heaven.
JT The passage in Jude refers to the saints together. Of course we should all seek to pray in the Spirit. Inasmuch as we have the Spirit, we may pray in the Spirit, whether individually or [p. 10] collectively.
SF Still, it is encouraging to see heaven so attentive to a prayer like Cornelius’s.
Rem You would say that a praying brother or sister would be of great value to the assembly. I was thinking of Epaphras labouring fervently in prayer for the Colossians.
JT I do not know of any greater service, and it is within the range of all.
Ques Would you say our prayer meeting is one of the most important meetings we have?
JT Yes. Acts 16 shows that the introduction of the gospel into Europe began with a prayer meeting. There was a place there “where prayer was wont to be made”. Acts 16:13. Then again, “as we went to prayer”. Acts 16:16. They were to pray collectively. Matthew 6 emphasises individual prayer: “Enter into thy chamber, and, having shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret”. Matthew 6:6. No one can be rewarded openly — for instance, be able to pray acceptably in the assembly — unless he learns to pray to God in secret.
JCS So that the Lord, in the second scripture we read, would be the Pattern. He withdrew into the wilderness.
JT Yes. That is what we all need to do. The next thing is, you begin to feel the great need there is, and you look abroad and see it. That is what comes out in the fifth chapter. The leper had been healed, and it says, “The report concerning him was spread abroad still more, and great crowds came together to hear, and to be healed from their infirmities. And he withdrew himself and was about in the desert places and praying”, Luke 5:15,16. The desert brings up another line. He is praying amongst the repentant remnant in the third chapter, after His baptism, and heaven opens to Him, and the Holy Spirit comes down. Heaven is restful there; but here He is in the presence of need. They come from all directions to be healed. How is this going to be [p. 11] met? That is what comes up in the fifth chapter, so that the Lord sets us a pattern. He withdrew. The fact that the multitude is there and you are there is not enough. Of course fulness is always there in the Lord, but we are speaking now of the pattern He sets us. You have to go into the desert, where there is nothing for the flesh. A large congregation tends to minister to the flesh; and the platform tends to minister to the flesh. The desert is where we learn that the flesh is not respected at all. It says, the Lord withdrew Himself, and was without in the desert places and praying. They had come from all directions, and, instead of meeting the need, He withdrew into the desert. That is the experience that has to be gone through if we are to be effective. If the power of God is to be seen in us, we have to understand what it is to withdraw into the desert and pray.
Rem So that one has constantly to be in the recognition that everything must come down.
JCS The Lord Jesus is a Pattern of a heavenly and dependent Man in that connection, although, as you have already noted, while He was here as Man there was in Him fulness of power. He had taken the place of dependence here.
MPM Would withdrawing into the desert be akin to the thought of fasting?
JT It shows you are determined not to feed the flesh, because a large congregation to minister to, for anyone who has ability to preach, is food for the flesh, and we have to be on our guard against it. The Lord had taken a place here in dependence, and He sets out the way of service. You must retire, so that the flesh may not be strengthened or ministered to.
RJW The gain of it seems to be in that connection, because the report is spread abroad of His fame. He withdraws from all [p. 12] that.
JT He shows us how to avoid the snare of the devil through popularity or prominence.
AHR Would what you are saying be anything like Philip? He was successful in his evangelistic work, but he is told to go down to the desert after one soul.
JT That is a good illustration of it.
JCS Do you think that if we really laid hold of the spirit underlying all this it would draw us aside, and we would be with the Lord in all that was engaging us, so that we might have a right perspective?
JT Quite. The flesh is so insidious. It asserts itself on all occasions, and the Lord shows us here how we are to check it. It is not that there is any- thing of that in Him; it is that He graciously sets us an example. “He withdrew himself” — the pronoun is emphatic in the New Translation.
JCS Heaven must have looked on with peculiar delight, as it witnessed the Lord Jesus in these conditions, seeing Him alone there.
Ques Was not this what God had been looking for from the outset?
JT It says, “I have found my delight”. The word ‘found’ is to be noted.
DB When the Lord came out of the desert “the Lord’s power was there to heal them”.
JT “It came to pass on one of the days that he was teaching ... and the Lord’s power was there to heal them” (verse 17). The “Lord” there is Jehovah.
LDB The thought of healing is very touching.
Ques Would the Pharisees and doctors of the law illustrate the flesh — its ability, etc.?
JT What could put all that in its place save the power of God? Get all the education — the theological training that the seminaries are able to afford — and set that down alongside the power of God, and where is it? It is put into the shade. The power of God cannot be gainsaid, and it comes in through prayer.
[p. 13] Take a man the Lord intends to use. At this time He had just revealed Himself to Peter. Peter, James and John were just fishermen. What were they against these doctors of the law and Pharisees? What were they according to the ordinary estimate of religious leaders of the world? They were nothing. But they were to have the power of God, which these leaders had not. The power of God was to come in, and it comes in through prayer.
JCS So that a man who goes into the desert and prays learns how the Lord did things. That would be effective in the assembly and in public testimony.
RJW When the Lord comes back to the need He knows how to meet it, as having been with God.
JT He meets it, too, in men who had repute. We have to face this, that need exists in the world, even in these doctors of the law and Pharisees. Not only were they unable to do anything, but they themselves needed help. Well, how are we to meet these circumstances save as we turn to God in prayer? We may say we are on the right ground and have the truth; but that is not enough. The power of God is needed, and where it exists it cannot be gainsaid. The power of the Lord was there to heal them. It does not say they were healed by it, but it was there, and it was there through prayer.
SF So that having the power present is greater than the effects of the power. There will be no effect without the power.
AHR Have you any thought as to the difference between the two companies, one in the 15th verse and the other in the 17th? They are two different companies.
JT The company in verse 17 is brought in as a test. Unless you have the power of God you come into ridicule. As to the company of verse 17 it says, “There were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by”.
[p. 14] They would take notice, and, you may depend, would not be slow to criticise, so that what we need is prayer to meet all this. The power of God cannot be gainsaid.
GRG It says, “the power of the Lord was present to heal them”. Would it magnify Christ?
JT It did. The grace of God is here for all men, and the doctors of the law were men, the same as others; that is the attitude to maintain. The heart of God is towards the religious dignitaries of Christendom as well as towards the common people.
Ques Would you say power is available for every one of us?
JT It is. I think that is what we ought to see.
ARG Do you attach importance to the conditions as well as the prayer?
JT Yes. Here it is “in the desert places”. The flesh in us is averse to going there.
JCS So that a man who prays loses confidence in himself and in everything outside of God.
JT I suppose that every seminary in the world makes provision for the flesh. Now the desert is the opposite of that — it makes no provision for the flesh. Religious training that makes provision for the flesh is the opposite of what we have here.
Ques Would not the result of this be really to humble one and magnify God?
JT That is the thought — it brings the flesh to nothing.
Ques A man of this kind would have power with God and men.
JT He would. In coming in from the desert to preach you have learned the worthlessness of the flesh. You do not commend the flesh — you do not appeal to it; it is no better in you than in anyone else. One who has learned to disallow the flesh in himself will not appeal to the flesh in other people; he will not say anything to influence [p. 15] the flesh.
AHR I was wondering whether He withdrew Himself from the first company so as pot to be made anything of, and the second was His test as to site.
JT I think that is right. These Pharisees and doctors of the law represent the religious power of Jerusalem. Still, the power of God was there even for them.
WJP Would you say if we accept popularity there is no power?
JT We have seen it at times — one accepting popularity with the result that there was no power.
Rem In connection with the gatherings, sometimes we have occasion to be very concerned about a certain trouble, it may be a brother taking part when he should not. In prayer we have an effectual remedy, for the removal of that; but we so often lose sight of the true remedy for the removal of many things, and we take our own way to remove them, and this only makes the trouble worse.
JT Instead of bringing God in. It says, “If two of you shall agree on the earth concerning any matter, whatsoever it may be that they shall ask, it shall come to them from my Father who is in the heavens”, Matthew 18:19. Any local difficulty arising can be most effectually met thus, if there are even two that are of the assembly and they agree.
Ques Would this incident expose to us the impossibility of fleshly ability meeting need? In the presence of the need the doctors were sitting by, and there was inability to meet it in any wise. The Lord alone can do that.
JT I thought verse 15 is, as has been remarked, the result of one’s fame going abroad. Then the people begin to come to hear Him. The flesh in us would take advantage of that. The Lord withdraws; and then it is on one of the days after that, meaning that the Lord did not fix the day. It was as if any time you came to Him the power would be there. It [p. 16] was not a fixed meeting like this we are at now, but “one of the days” — any of them, so to speak. It is quite right we should pray and prepare for special occasions, but the thing is to be in the power at all times.
JCS So the Lord Jesus was really characterised by prayer and power.
JT On any day you met Him the power would be there.
JCS I think that is where perhaps we are so deficient; we are not always equal to the occasion.
JT We prepare ourselves for special occasions, which is right truly; but how am I on my ordinary days, when there is nothing special on hand?
JCS It seems to me there is great encouragement in all this. It brings something within the reach of the youngest person, and one sees wonderful possibilities wrapped up in it if we are prepared to follow the pattern.
Ques Do you suggest that the doctors of the law were delivered from the theological line and brought into dependence on God?
JT I do not think you can go that far. They were there: it does not say they were healed. The fact that they were doctors of the law would show that there was an element there that would be a test. If you got the Archbishop here and the leading clerics of the city, whatever motive underlay their coming, they would be a test to you. But the power of God cannot be gainsaid, whatever their reputation for learning might be.
Ques Would you say the Jewish leaders missed their opportunity?
JT No doubt they did; but in the next verse we get “men bringing upon a couch a man who was paralysed”, and they set the couch before Him. This man is going to get the blessing. It does not say the others did. There is one man going to receive the [p. 17] blessing; that is, you have men exercised about one. They are carrying him; they are concerned about his state, and he receives the blessing. The Lord says, “But that ye may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins, he said to the paralysed man, I say to thee, Arise, take up thy little couch and go to thine house. And immediately standing up before them, having taken up that whereon he was laid, he departed to his house, glorifying God”. That man got it; he was borne in by others, and he is sent to his own house carrying his bed.
MPM Their faith and prayer were owned by the Lord.
JT Quite.
Ques Do you think there is to be movement on the Lord’s side in view of bringing this in at the present moment?
JT Well, I thought He would move in that way. The service of prayer is really as effective as any service available, and it is within the reach of all.