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QUICK LEARNING

JT As has been remarked, it is not simply learning that is in mind, but quick learning. This gospel makes much of learning, and properly speaking, teaching precedes learning. The Lord Himself in the prophets says “He wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the instructed”, (Isaiah 50: 4). So that it is in the mind of God that we should all be learners, but particularly those of us who serve in a special way. The Lord, too, in this particular gospel, quoting from the prophet (Isaiah 54: 13) says “They shall be all taught of God”, (John 6: 45), although that refers to the millennium when there will be widespread learning of God. In chapter 3 we have a special result of the work of God; Nicodemus is a slow learner, although a true believer, and it is thought that chapter 1 furnishes a quick learner — that is Nathanael — a learner by observation, not so much listening to teaching. Then in chapter 9 we have in the blind man who had his eyes opened, one who learned quickly, but who learned in order, the order in which the truth comes to us, until he arrives at the Lord Jesus and the Lord arrives at him. The Lord had met him earlier, but now he finds him and says “Dost thou believe on the Son of God”, and the man replies “Who is he, Lord, that I may believe on him”? So that he has been learning and as the chapter shows is even able to teach others. Now he is still learning, and I suppose he may be regarded as representing us all, for while we are down here we are to be learners. So I thought this scripture in John 1 would help us on this point. The chapter 20 would help us as extending the thought to sisters. Sisterhood usually includes more in number than with brothers, but I am afraid the ^[p. 24] disposition with them is to leave the learning to the brothers, the wives being content that their husbands are taught, whereas this gospel has striking examples of sisters who learn. Mary Magdalene is perhaps the best example — hence the passage in chapter 20 has been read.

Ques What had you particularly in mind when you spoke of Nathanael learning by observation?

JT Well, the Lord, when He saw Nathanael coming to Him says “Behold one truly an Israelite, in whom there is no guile. Nathanael says to him, Whence Knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said to him, Before that Philip called thee, ^[p. 34] when thou wast under the fig-tree, I saw thee. Nathanael answered and said to him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel”. He said that because of what the Lord had said, and it is because he observed that the Lord was there that the Lord could say what he did to him. He acquired a knowledge of the son of God very quickly.

PJ Would you say that he was marked by spiritual discernment?

JT Well he had been growing. In verse 45 it says “Philip finds Nathanael, and says to him, We have found him ^[p. 25] of whom Moses wrote in the law, and the prophets, Jesus, the son of Joseph, who is from Nazareth. And Nathanael said to him, Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” That would shew there was no discernment there at the start.

PJ I mean there is discernment there as a quick learner.

JT Yes, quite so; but not at the start. It is just as well to examine occasions of this kind because they are put down for our examination and our instruction. He says first of all “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Why should he say that? A man who had just spoken to him had said “We have found him of whom Moses wrote in the law, and the prophets, Jesus, the son of Joseph, who is from Nazareth”. Why should he answer immediately “Can anything good come out of Nazareth”? The speaker, Philip, evidently spoke sincerely and truly and feelingly; where was Nathanael’s discernment? Why should he say that immediately? Where was his discernment? Where was his history? Where was the experience which he learned from the facts?

JW Was it possible that he was coloured by what was current at the time? It is said on another occasion “Search and look, that no prophet arises out if Galilee”, (John 7: 52).

JT Well, quite so.

SR Would the thief on the cross be an example of one who learned by observation?

JT Very good; he is a good example of the aptness which now should occupy us in observation and learning.

Ques Would the absence of guile in Nathanael account for his ability to learn quickly?

JT Well, the Lord’s remarks would indicate it was constitutional, which is a thing to be counted on. If we see one who has some marks of the work of God, however small, God has effected that. The truth is that the whole man is born again — not partially so. In (John 3: 5 - 7) it says “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except any one be born of water and of Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit”. Nicodemus queries that because he is natural, and yet he had the distinct marks of the work of God, only the work in him was sluggish. You do not get anything very much of him until the nineteenth chapter, and even then he provides spices for the embalmment of the Lord’s ^[p. 26] body.

JnoG Do you think that we see a contrast to Nathanael in Nicodemus, in the fact that he discloses the ability to learn quickly and the Lord recognises that in saying “Thou shalt see greater things than these”; whereas Nicodemus was not able to learn quickly, hence it says — “If I have said the earthly things to you, and ye believe not, how if I say the heavenly things to you, will ye believe”?

JT Well, of course, you must remember that the teaching is progressive, and what you say is a bit beyond the beginning. The Lord is really meaning to encourage Nathanael and says, “Thou shalt see greater things than these”. It is a progressive thought. He had already said, “Thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel”. Think of a man being able to say that in such a short time from the truth being brought to him!

HB When you speak of quick learning being constitutional, do you mean normally to each person who is a believer — one who is born again — or is it to a selected person?

JT Well, anyone who is born again, or course, is selected, but some are sluggish. Others are quick. There are many examples in the scriptures, but I have picked out these two as the best that could be found — especially Nathanael.

JM What do you suggest would help us to learn quickly?

JT The word “constitutional” is good, because it implies (speaking of it on natural lines) what one is by birth. The principle is in the person — the principle of learning, the ability to learn; that must be there. Even in natural things you would get capacity for instruction in a man or woman, a boy or girl; you could not get ability to learn in a dog, no matter what means may be employed. It might appear in a small way in a detail, but in general it is ^[p. 27] not there. The thing is not really there at all. Therefore the principle of learning lies in the new birth. That is where everything lies, because the person is born anew. The word in John 3 is “That which is born of the flesh is flesh” and if the new birth dislodged or displaced the natural, there would be no sluggishness. The fact is that there is flesh to be dealt with, and it is that, if allowed, which causes sluggishness. Hence the need for exercise.

PHH Is there a certain skill implied in the ministry or in the minister in Philip’s action here? First of all he is found by the Lord and then he finds Nathanael, and when Nathanael raises a doubt he says “Come and see”. Does that imply a certain method of approach which should be inherent in the ministry today?

JT Well, I think that is good. “Come and see”. Meaning to be simple and practical, that if anyone is exercised at all, “come” is a word with spiritual instruction. Paul and Barnabas (especially Paul) had that in mind when at Antioch they taught in the assembly for a whole year. It is very remarkable indeed, the understanding and skill that is there; skill and experience too in teaching, which would be necessary to continue for a whole year, notwithstanding the fact that time must be regarded as valuable with these two brothers. However that is the way they did it and the result was very remarkable, for the disciples were called Christians at Antioch, but the teaching was in the assembly. It was a crowd they were teaching, and these persons would be rather mixed in ability and in constitutional qualities.

Ques Have you any thought as to the distinction, Andrew leading his brother to Jesus, and the way that Philip invites Nathanael to come to Jesus?

JT You mean the difference between leading and ^[p. 28] coming?

Rem I mean the invitation bringing him.

JT Just so. The power of the word “come”. The words “come and see” are characteristic of John, and have a great place in that Gospel. It means that the Spirit is here on earth, and it is of great value for an exercised person to some and see; for instance, the two that followed the Lord in the early part of the chapter. It says “Again, on the morrow, there stood John and two of his disciples. And, looking at Jesus as he walked, he says, Behold the Lamb of God. And the two disciples heard him speaking, and followed Jesus. But Jesus having turned, and seeing them following, says to them, What see ye? And they said to him, Rabbi (which being interpreted, signifies Teacher), where abidest thou? He says to them, Come and see”. That is, if you are exercised about learning, come and see where Jesus is, and what goes on where He is. They abode with Him that day. That would be an opportunity to see learners and how they learnt. Some say that class learning is the best way, that is persons all together, learning the same thing, and using all their powers to get all they can. That is what meetings like this should be — not simply a coming together for a good time, and to hear the truth, but to carry the truth away with us.

Ques Would an example be seen in Paul in Acts 9: verses 19 and 20, where it says that he “having received food, got strength. And he was with the disciples who were in Damascus certain days. And straightway in the synagogues he preached Jesus that he is the Son of God”.

JT That is good. Evidently he learned quickly. For about sixteen years now we have had up this question. Who is the Son of God? The brethren have had it before them all that time, and the question is what have we learned about it? That matter was brought up very pointedly and one might say ^[p. 29] Suddenly. (That is another significant word which we get in scripture). We have had it before us all these years, and it is a challenge for each of us how much we have learned. Here the Lord says “Come and see”, and I think that anyone who hears now will do well to observe how the brethren are listening, that the Lord is here with us, and how we are getting on in truth.

Ques I would like a little more help as to this thought of “no guile”. It was when Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him that He says of him “Behold one truly an Israelite, in whom there is no guile”. Would you say that guile is one of the most retarding things in relation to learning?

JT Well, I suppose that is right, and the Lord comments on Nathanael being free from it, because what it says is, I am sure, true. Nathanael is to be subject to the work of God and Nicodemus too. When we compare the two men as to learning, we see that in the case of Nathanael it is said, “Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him”. The actual fact of seeing is another feature of John. For instance in verse 41 already alluded to Andrew “finds his own brother Simon and says to him, We have found the Messias (Which being interpreted is Christ)”. The interpretation of words which would not be understood is usually given in John, especially in these early chapters, and so this word Messias is explained in verse 41, “(which being interpreted in Christ)”. Then it says he led him to Jesus. We have already commented on the difference between leading, being led, and coming. Next we have “Jesus looking at him”. He also looks at Nathanael as it says “Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and says of him, Behold one truly an Israelite, in whom there is no guile”. We have already alluded to the constitutional side, and it was there. But the point is that it is not what Nathanael says, but what ^[p. 30] The Lord sees in Nathanael coming to Him. That thought leads me back to the beginning of Genesis. There we have the idea of names of persons and things, names of persons and things, names of creatures. Jehovah caused the animals to come to Adam to see what he might call them, as if God had pleasure in the discernment, the intelligence that His great creature man had. So, in a more exalted way, we have here the last Adam, Christ. He looks on Simon and says “Thou art Simon, the son of Jonas; thou shalt be called Cephas”. This is material for the assembly. Now the Lord looks at Nathanael and says “Behold one truly an Israelite, in whom there is no guile”. Evidently He had Israel in mind, what should be looked for in them. And so, if it be a question of having the assembly in mind (and of course that is the question now) Cephas is the man for that. It is a question of what the Lord sees in us at the first.

Ques Is Cephas constitutional?

JT I would think so, because it is a question of material. The Lord says in Matthew 16 “Thou art Peter”. Not ‘Thou shalt be called …’ That is what he was by constitution, by the work of God in him. And so in all these gatherings it is a question of what God sees, a question of persons, and whole persons as subjects of the work of God; not part of them, but the whole man. That is by the subsequent creative purpose of God.

SG The note in relation to verse 42 is interesting. It says “Looking carefully at him”.

JT The note referred to reads “Looking carefully; so verse 36; Matthew 19: 26; Luke 22: 61”. These notes are useful. But I think we can all see the use of these words, the importance of them in regard to our subject, that is, in regard to teaching. The teacher must look at the disciple or pupil. Someone was telling me last night that he was engaged in ^[p. 31] connection with the service of demobilisation. I enquired as to whether he looked at the soldier he was dealing with, and was told No, he looked at the papers. It comes to my mind now that heaven is not looking at the saints from any documentary standpoint. That will be so at the great white throne; but now heaven is looking at the work of God in every one of us, and hence the importance of Christians, real Christians; the importance of the work of God.

Rem The importance also of all learning to be true to what is true of us constitutionally as born again. The Lord looking at us carefully would remind us that we come under divine scrutiny, do you think, and we have to admit sometimes that what the Lord sees and what He would disclose to us is that the things we are going on with are such as would prevent us from being quick learners. Hence the need of being true in the power of the Spirit.

JT You mean you are holding yourself in the light of what you know you are by the work of God, and moving accordingly; paying attention to what is necessary to accelerate that — to make it all it should be.

Rem I feel very much and I would like more help as to the thought of guile. It is not exactly arrant wickedness, but it is something near the truth, but not quite the truth. Guile seems to be quite a striking word and I was wondering if there was something very particular in it being brought forward so early in John.

JT It is clearly with a view to the man. He is a good case. It is a very important thing with a workman in the field of God. What kind of persons are we dealing with? Sometimes they are slow and sluggish and sometimes they are quick and ready to talk too much. The true workman will know what to think of his subjects. It is a great matter in service to ^[p. 32] deal with the person, as we have seen that the Merarites in their service had to do with the boards, that is the persons, persons who are subjects of the work of God, and would observe them.

Rem So later on in John you have those who practise the truth and come into the light. I suppose they are persons in whom what is constitutional has become characteristic.

JT Quite so. You see that in the way things are thrown off, judged and abandoned, so that the work of God is allowed to go forward. “Laying aside every weight and sin which so easily entangles us …”

FB It requires a moral foundation for this quick learning.

JT Well, it does. It is not a mere academic matter, it is a moral matter, it begins with God. God is our great Teacher. The Lord Jesus is here specifically called that by the persons who follow him — they call Him Teacher. John’s disciples wanted to see the Teacher, but the Lord said to them “What seek ye”, whereas He said to Mary Magdalene “Whom seekest thou”? It is a question in the first place of the thing. The Lord had in mind that they needed to be taught, but with Mary Magdalene it is the Person.

GM What is the difference between teaching and learning?

JT You knew what the teacher did at school? He taught. That is his business. Your business was to learn. Your parents would point out to you to study. That is what is left to you to do. We do not study enough. We do not meditate. John said “We have contemplated His glory”.

PJ Would quick learning be seen in Romans 8, verse 5? — “For they that are according to flesh mind the things of the flesh; and they that are according to Spirit, the things of the Spirit”.

JT Well, that is good.

Ques Just referring for a moment to the enquiry about guile: Do you get an illustration of guile in the woman in John 4, where the Lord says “Go call they husband” and she replies “I have no husband”?

JT Do you not think that was a downright lie?

Rem It seems to be a measure of the truth to cover up the whole truth.

JT “He whom thou now hast”. There was deception — guile, no doubt, but I would say it was far worse.

Rem The Lord says “Thou hast well said, I have no husband”. There seems to be some truth in what she says. I wondered if that was where the guile comes in. It borders on wickedness.

JT Well, it does. She denied the thing. Guile is bad enough, but this is worse.

PHH Is there a certain glory which follows upon this learning? I was thinking of the disciples in the next chapter being in the presence of the sign of the water turned into wine and it says Jesus manifested His glory and His disciples believed on Him. Does that shew the advantage of moving along this line of learning, to come into some ray of the glory of the Person?

JT Just so. It is progressive I would say. The Lord remarks “One truly an Israelite, in whom there is no guile”. That is a basis for further remarks by the Lord. Nathanael says to Him, “Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said to him, before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig-tree, I saw thee. Nathanael answered and said to him, Rabbi, thou are the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel”. The manifestation of His glory is here too. The negative statement would indicate he was ready to let in light as it shone; let in glory as it shone. So that the Lord said, “Before that Philip called thee,

when thou wast under the fig-tree, I saw thee. Nathanael answered and said to Him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou are the King of Israel”. What a marvellous thing — the ability to take in things quickly! Two of the greatest things in the book of Psalms, he is able to say immediately that they applied to the Lord — the only person to whom they could be applied. “Jesus answered and said to him, Because I said to thee, I saw thee under the fig-tree, believest thou?” The Lord is confirming His work in a progressive manner. He is carrying the subject along in what he has already confessed. So He says “Thou shalt see greater things than these”. Not simply ‘There shall be greater things’, but he was to see them.

JM Would the Lord suggest in that way to Nathanael that he was still to be quick in his observation?

JT Quite so. That is what the Lord implied. The Lord would have in His mind that he was learning quickly, learning wonderfully.

Ques Does it shew that in the way he uses the word “thou” twice emphatically?

JT Well, I would think that; it would fit in with the first chapter of Hebrews, where the things relative to the glory of Christ are taken from what the psalmist uttered. Heaven is pleased with those who learn, taking their very sayings and applying them.

PHH The fact that he says “Rabbi” shows that he had taken the thing on.

JT Quite so. I think he is a reader, which is a great matter. What we are dealing with now is a question of the scriptures, and these bible readings are definitely appointed for these last days. It is a question as to whether the apostles had readings just as we have them. I am sure God has ordered these bible readings, and it is a question for persons who ^[p. 35] come to them to read the scriptures. So Philip the evangelist (not the Philip mentioned here) when he first met the eunuch said “understandest thou what thou readest”? You can see how Nathanael understood. So the Lord in Luke 24 finally adds the idea of the Psalms when teaching the disciples — He opened their understanding and referred to the Psalms.

HB Nathanael would be actually an advance upon Philip. Philip refers to Moses and the prophets, but it would seem as though Nathanael had got something additional.

JT Yes, that would be seen if he compared notes with Philip later. I am sure Philip would be ready to give credit to Nathanael, the new convert, although he himself was not a very old convert. It is movement, constant movement in this chapter. One result of quick work. We have John the Baptist’s part in it, and the Lord’s own part in it, and then his remarks here; and so as remarked, if these two brothers compared notes afterwards I am sure Philip would be ready to admit that the younger brother, Nathanael, went beyond him. That is what the old brothers do all the time — recognise the young. One of the greatest encouragements I know is the number of young brothers who are able to come out and serve, and as far as I can see, too, the older ones ready to recognise them. So I am sure that Philip would be ready to tell Nathanael that he had got on quicker than he; he would probably say, ‘I did not say anything to you about the Son of God’. It was Nathanael who brought that subject up.

Rem Philip told Nathanael that they had found Jesus, the son of Joseph; but Nathanael goes far beyond that. He says “Thou are the Son of God; Thou art the King of Israel”. Then the Lord refers to Himself as Son of man.

JT Well, that is what the Lord put before him,

as much as to say, ‘Go on’. The vista of glory opening up is unlimited, because the light that is shining is unlimited; “Thou shalt see greater things than these”. (John 1: 5) You cannot say you have got all the truth, for we never get to the end of it. Not that we shall be learning after we get to heaven, for we shall be finished down here. It is a question of what the Lord can do in our present state. He can make us finished products in spite of what is there, that which is born of the flesh, but the power of the Spirit is operating.

EB Would this ‘opened heaven’ be like the ‘opened heavens’ in the epistle to Hebrews?

JT Very much. “Ye shall see the heaven opened” (John 1: 51) — alluding to Jacob in Genesis. He is dealing with an Israelite and Jacob was a great Israelite. Israel is the name he got, and Nathanael is a good sample of an Israelite.

FB By way of contrast, would Zacharias in Luke be a slow learner, while his wife was a quick learner?

JT Quite so, and he had to suffer nine months of dumbness. Manoah’s wife was a quick learner also.

JnoH Why is it “Son of man” in the last verse?

JT Some eighty times or more the Lord calls Himself the Son of man. It is a word which would fit in with the case of Nathanael, for He would not be limited to Israel. It would come out presently in Paul’s ministry. It says in chapter 2 the disciples believed on Him. They were disciples before but they had not believed on Him. The shining of glory makes full disciples, and that was the point here. It means that the subject, the pupil or learner is to be ready for wider things. The Son of man implies something wider than the King of Israel. The Son of God is here too, and that is greater than the King of Israel, or the Son of man.

EJF He changes from the “thou” to “ye”.

^[p. 37] Does that mean that others would be associated with him as he goes on?

JT Yes. That is good. “Verily, verily, I say to you, henceforth ye shall see …”, meaning you are called to bring in others. None of us is here for himself. If he is a true Christian he is to bring in others. We don’t want to go to heaven alone. We want to go with the brethren.

Rem Paul could say in Corinthians “We all”. Would that be including the Corinthians and himself?

JT I would say so — in such good company.

SB Is it intended to direct our attention to the fact that our learning should be in line with another sphere and another Man. You remember it says of Paul “much learning doth make thee mad”.

JT You are quoting what Festus said as recorded in the 26th chapter of the Acts. I am saying that so that we might refer to the scripture and have it exactly. Some at Corinth were saying “His bodily presence is weak and his speech contemptible”.

Rem Although Festus said “much learning doth make thee mad” they would not have said that about Paul’s ordinary learning.

JT “Henceforth ye shall see the heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of man”. The Lord opens that up to all of them. Whoever the “ye” may have meant, it was very extensive in the Lord’s thought. You want to carry the brethren with you.

There is much more that we might dwell upon here as to the greatness of what is coming. But for the sake of the sisters we might look at chapter 20. Verse 14 says “Having said these things she turned backward and beholds Jesus standing there, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus says to her, Woman, why dost the weep? Whom seekest thou? She, supposing that it was the gardener, says to him, Sir, if thou hast borne ^[p. 38] him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus says to her, Mary. She, turning round, says to Him in Hebrew, Rabboni, which means Teacher”. These remarks are just to help to carry all of us in what has been said; that is the thought of learning. Although Mary is very dark in the early part of the chapter, yet she is full of affection for the Lord, but loving Him as thinking Him dead, whereas He was risen. He had risen from among the dead. There was considerable darkness in her soul, but the passage shews that the Lord dealt with her personally. We are told in verse 15 that He calls her “Woman”, saying “Woman why dost thou weep? Whom seekest thou?” He is dealing with her soul, with her affections. But she replies supposing it was the gardener. “She says to him, Sir, if thou hast borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus says to her, Mary”. That means that he is now dealing with her personally, referring to her affections, mentioning her name, which means suffering. She had, had experience, the experience of suffering. “She, turning round, says to him in Hebrew, Rabboni, which means Teacher. Jesus says to her, Touch me not”. As much as to say, that is enough. That is the point He wanted her to come to, that she should call Him Teacher. He was her Teacher. I am learning of Christ; I am not a Presbyterian, not a member of the Church of England, nor a Catholic, nor any other sect. I am a Christian. I have learned of Christ. The persons who were called Christians had learned for a year from Paul and Barnabas.

Ques I was going to ask if what hinders us is the teaching of current religion rather then learning in the way of which you are now speaking. I was thinking of the man in John 5. He seemed to make no progress whatever, he was still connected with the ^[p. 39] religious system; and in relation to Colossians and Hebrews, the effect Judaising teaching had on them.

JT Quite so. Very good. The Lord said to the man in John 5 “Sin no more”, and He says also to the woman in the 8th chapter “Sin no more”, meaning, I should think, they were not subjects of progressive teaching. They were doubtful. And a great many today are doubtful.

PHH Do you think that this rapid learning must be accompanied by the tendency for adjustment? I was thinking of Mary; first of all it says she turned round and said “Teacher”. That might indicate “an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile”. It is our side of the matter to be ready for adjustment at all times.

JT Quite so. Hence the word to Paul was “And now why lingerest thou? Arise and get baptised, and have thy sins washed away, calling on his name”, (Acts 22: 16). That is what he needed. Things still clung to him. I would think in that sense, according to what you say, baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the great things for Christians who are seeking the truth, taking them on in their true sense. Paul had to rise and wash away his sins. He had to do it himself; but then he had to learn to come into fellowship. Normally Christians are so shy of fellowship. But I am sure these are true things which should be impressed. It says, Be baptised. That is, renounce the world, lay it aside, leave it, and then come into the fellowship, where you get distinct proof in the soul, and light, love, enjoyment; where would you get it in the systems? It is among the brethren you get that, where the Spirit of God dwells, involving the assembly.

FC Is that why in John 20 it is the Person, while in John 1 it is “What seek ye”?

JT Quite so; now the Person. The beautiful word “Mary”. First He said “Woman” — a noble title. He does likewise in the case of the woman in the fourth chapter, and she says “Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet”. In chapter 20 He says “Woman” to make way for “Mary” which name meant much.

JS Would Lydia come in, in that connection? Would you say she was a quick learner. It says she was baptised and her house.

JT I would say that. And the remark was made “If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there”. It was to come in, not merely for a meal, but to abide there. She was a real hearty Christian.

PJ The woman in 2 Kings 4 was farther advanced then her husband. She says “I perceive that this is a holy man of God”.

JT And thus they made a dwelling place for him.

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