THE SERVICE OF GOD IN THE FOUR GOSPELS (3)
[p. 419] THE SERVICE OF GOD IN THE FOUR GOSPELS (3)
JT It has been thought necessary to consider Luke in two meetings as affording moral instruction as to our subject. In considering chapter 1 we see that the service of God was carried on by the true priest of the house of Aaron. The Spirit of God dwells on him, but it became evident by the incoming of an angel when he was serving, that he was unbelieving as to his own prayers. But he was a hopeful case. He was restored, and in his recovery he had more than he ever had before. He was not only a priest of the house of Aaron, but the Holy Spirit came upon him so that he could prophesy. All this points to the door of another dispensation; God coming in in grace, and John the baptist was to prepare the way of the Lord.
It is thought that chapter 2 represents a perfect state of things in those who are brought into the service. There were no discrepancies in the shepherds, Simeon or Anna. The shepherds were abiding without, keeping watch over their flock by night. “An angel of the Lord was there by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them”. Then when we come to Simeon, he is already a priest in the true sense, but he is not said to be a priest after the order of Aaron. He was a characteristic man of Jerusalem, “just and pious, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him”. So that we are now at the door of a new dispensation. Zacharias comes into the real priesthood and authentic ministry by the Spirit, and now Simeon, although not said to be a priest after the order of Aaron, is really a priest as the Holy Spirit is upon him. “It was divinely communicated to him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death before he should see the Lord’s Christ”. So that we have a man now in the power [p. 420] of the Spirit.
HH Is all that connected with the service of God, each one taking a right place in relation to this service?
JT I think it is for our encouragement. This gospel, as remarked yesterday, is hopeful. We have a subject of the work of God. The Lord would encourage us as to hopeful cases. It may be that some have perhaps been under discipline, but it is hopeful as we make the most of any evidence of the work of the Lord.
H There is a distinction in service. You see the difference between Simeon and Zacharias. Simeon was not inside in the holy place but Zacharias was.
JT Simeon is a priest of the new order. Anna is of the tribe of Asher, not of Aaron, but a priest of the new order. She departed not from the temple. She is there serving God night and day with fastings and prayers. What is of the old is being brought into the new. They are both on spiritual lines.
Ques Do you think that moral features that might be at the beginning of the dispensation are to be found at the end?
JT I think Luke would encourage us on the line of grace. The name John means ‘ Jehovah is gracious ‘, or ‘ Jehovah has graciously given ‘. He comes in from the old order. John the evangelist brings in the new order in chapter 3:30,31 of his gospel, “He must increase, but I must decrease. He who comes from above is above all”. Then what the Spirit of God goes on to say indicates that John was in the new order of things in his soul, but not officially. It was remarkable; he was slain at about thirty-five years of age in the full height of his ministry. He could not continue on in christianity any more than Moses could enter into the land, but in his spirit he was beyond the old order.
The service is to reflect the mind of heaven. Zacharias’ position is in the holy place. He comes in ostensibly to support what is going on. We make the most of what has come down from the Old Testament. Zacharias is doing what is right ostensibly but underneath there [p. 421] is difficulty; but not to discourage at all, it is hopeful. The angel does not say, You are wanting in faith; he begins to speak about John the baptist. It is encouraging, hopeful, stimulating. Then Zacharias comes in with his unbelief. But Zacharias and Elizabeth are brought over, you might say, to the new order of things. She goes to the hill country. Zacharias goes to his house, meaning it was a household matter, but Elizabeth goes to the hill country. It is a new order of things, and these two women, Mary and Elizabeth, are on that line. It is one of the most remarkable things in Scripture, but that is the way Luke would encourage us.
JD The thing before God would be the assembly service in discipline; “I am Gabriel, who stand before God”.
JT If one would not hear the assembly, let him be as a heathen. “Whatsoever ye shall bind on the earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose on the earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, that 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. For where two or three are gathered together unto my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:18-20). The assembly’s position in discipline is here as the authority of heaven, and it represents the mind of heaven. “Whatsoever it may be that they shall ask, it shall come to them from my Father.” So that it is most serious.
HH The two or three might be one brother and two sisters or two brothers and one sister.
JT Yes, quite, Simeon and Anna. It would include sisters as well as brothers. We have this remarkable sister, Anna. I would rely on her judgment. If she and Simeon agreed touching anything it would be heard in heaven. Yes, should it not be so? Sisters are enjoined not to speak in the assembly, but as to their weight,
[p. 422] they would be worth as much as each brother. They do not speak in the assembly nor attend the care meetings.
Ques Could sisters hold the ground for the breaking of bread for a visiting brother who might come along?
JT A local company is composed of that which is there. If there was only one brother there and he was unfit for fellowship, they could withdraw from him. They cannot function audibly, that is, they cannot assemble to function characteristically. Women are not to speak in the assembly. They cannot carry on in the service of God, but they can carry on discipline.
Ques Is it proper to give a resume of the care meeting at the next prayer meeting for the benefit of those sisters who would not otherwise know what was done?
JT They are to ask at home.
Ques Would the tribe from which Anna came indicate the spiritual power of the sister?
JT I think the name of the tribe would show that the new order of things is coming in. It says in Hebrews 7:14, “For it is clear that our Lord has sprung out of Juda.” But here this is speaking of another tribe. Melchisedec suggests a priesthood that is not of the tribe of Levi. “For it is clear that our Lord has sprung out of Juda.”
Rem What I had in mind was that Anna was of the tribe of Asher and she did not depart from the temple. In spiritual power she maintained a knowledge of the mind of God. Would she indicate that there was spiritual power?
JT That is true also. She did not belong to the daughters of Aaron like Elizabeth, yet there is moral power. It is a new order of things. She was one to whom you could go with full confidence. I do not know of one like her. Paul and Silas went to Lydia and saw the brethren. Why did they go to Lydia? She was a leader in spiritual power there.
Rem Asher would dip his foot in oil.
JT Think of a woman like Phoebe! I believe she would be as reliable as any brother there, and we have [p. 423] another sister, Priscilla. I am sure she would be as reliable as any brother there. Think of the way Phoebe is spoken of, “Phoebe, our sister” (Romans 16:1), showing that she really had a place among the brethren. She lived seven miles from Corinth in a town called Cenchrea. Paul says, “She hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also”.
It may not be right that a local brother should give a letter of commendation; it is a question of whether the local brother is of value. The letter is only of the same value as the writer. 2 John begins, “The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not I only but also all who have known the truth, for the truth’s sake which abides in us and shall be with us to eternity. Grace shall be with you, mercy, peace from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 John 1-3). John says to her that many deceivers have gone out into the world. “If any one come to you and bring not this doctrine, do not receive him into the house, and greet him not” (verse 10). She could exercise discipline in view of that man.
Rem You might have in a meeting a disorderly brother and an indifferent brother, and the disorderly brother might get a letter of commendation from the indifferent brother.
JT The letter is only worth as much as its writer. God can support what is outwardly right but He never fails to expose their unbelief. But then as here the case is not hopeless. God has given a son in grace. We are in the dispensation of grace, so that Zacharias prophesies, not about his own son, but about Christ. In our present chapter there is no discrepancy in those who are carrying on. The shepherds are caring for their flock by night, and the angel is there. We are not on the outskirts of divine things; we are right in the midst of them. It is no question of geography; it is where you are in your soul. Then there is this wonderful announcement by the angel, “I announce to you glad tidings of [p. 424] great joy, which shall be to all the people; for today a Saviour has been born to you in David’s city, who is Christ the Lord”.
Ques Do you think the saints on the west coast might be in the very centre of things the same as those in London?
HH They are getting on very well on the Pacific coast.
JT It is a matter of spiritual power. They are in the very centre of things; they are watching the sheep by night. It is without; they are exposed to things. But the angel is there. It is important, that word, abiding without; they are not running in and taking shelter; they are abiding in exposure. They are abiding by things, carrying on the service of God and the angel of the Lord is there. It does not say he came there. How approved they are by heaven! The angel of the Lord is there by them. In Luke 24 the Lord stood in the midst. He was there. The angel says, “Fear not”, and “suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good pleasure in men.” It is from glory to glory in Luke. “Fear not, for behold, I announce to you glad tidings of great joy”.
Ques Would you say a word as to the difference between the service of the angel and the service of the Lord among us?
JT Here in this chapter we have not got the service of the Lord yet, but we are dealing here with transitional things. It is Gabriel. It is really a priestly angel and he is ready to help in the service. Then in chapter 2 the angel is with them. It is the very centre of things, “Behold, I announce to you glad tidings of great joy, which shall be to all the people; for today a Saviour has been born to you in David’s city, who is Christ the Lord”. It is like a word from the Lord in the meeting. What glory! The same was in the temple; the glory of [p. 425] the Lord was there. Zacharias needed adjustment and the shepherds were filled with fear. But the angel says to them, “Fear not, for behold, I announce to you glad tidings of great joy”. It is the glory of the Lord. It is transitional here; the glory of the Lord shone around. He would have our minds set at rest. How can we have the service of God if our minds are full of fear? “Behold, I announce to you glad tidings of great joy, which shall be to all the people ... ye shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling-clothes, and lying in a manger”. They did go and found it even so.
Elizabeth goes to the hill country. Mary is subject. She accepts the position and joins her sister in the hill country. It is spiritual elevation and finally Zacharias comes into the service as a priest and as a prophet. Mary is here and what is said about her is that she kept all these things in her mind, pondering them in her heart. She is a treasury of divine things. She is going through into christianity. We hear of her again in the upper room. She was a treasury, she pondered things. If we do, in due course we will have wealth. We do not hear of Simeon and Anna again, but we do hear of Mary.
Simeon was in the centre of divine thoughts. Jerusalem is the centre of divine things, so that Simeon is a man in Jerusalem. That is his character. That is how he is to be known. He is characteristically a man in Jerusalem. It says, “This man was just and pious, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it was divinely communicated to him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death before he should see the Lord’s Christ”. He came in the Spirit into the temple. Neither Simeon nor Anna were of the tribe of Levi but Simeon was a priest in a spiritual sense. The conditions were such as to justify the coming in of Christ.
These shepherds are looking after the sheep. They are exposing themselves by night. Mary has kept things in her heart. We value everything that is said that is [p. 426] right. Then there is a man in Jerusalem, characteristically a man of Jerusalem, and Anna is a characteristic sister in Jerusalem. So the assembly today is in the centre of divine thoughts.
In Ezekiel we have the highest thought of unity symbolized in the two sticks becoming one. There should be one king and that king should be David. There was writing on the stick for Joseph and then the stick for Judah. If I am right, God can take me up sovereignly so that there is one stick in the hand of God.
Ques Is not that the thought in regard to Anna?
JT She represents the ten tribes. Simeon is the principal thought. Simeon is a characteristic man of Jerusalem. “This man was born there” (Psalm 87:6). Anna lived with her husband seven years. She would be about one hundred and five so that she carries forward much. She carries down Old Testament qualities.
Ques Would you help us a little on the thought of dwelling in the temple and fasting?
JT It is introduced into the new order of things. Think of these two people, Simeon and Anna! What you are doing may seem to be very little. We are enjoying the blessing, you know. It is a positive thing if you come into blessing. “This child is set for the fall and rising up of many in Israel”. This is crowning the whole position. There is a man able to talk. He is going into the new order of things of placing the gentiles first. It would take away the veil of the gentiles. The position is as clear today as it was at Pentecost. Anna comes in. She is a prophetess. The assembly is composed of brothers and sisters. We are as sure of our position as Peter and John were at Pentecost. The position is clear. God has established it. Is it not underlying Luke’s writings that he is really supporting Paul’s ministry? Really it is just as certain as at the beginning. There is the establishment of the anointing so that it is just as certain as at the beginning.