SPIRITUAL INSTRUCTION FOR PART IN THE ASSEMBLY (3)
[p. 199] SPIRITUAL INSTRUCTION FOR PART IN THE ASSEMBLY (3)
JT It should be noted that the ascension is recorded in the end of Luke and also here in Acts 1, and what is also to be observed is that in Luke 24 we have leadership. It is said that the Lord led the disciples out as far as to Bethany, that is, we have the principle that the Lord may lead with a view to public testimony, but as Minister of the sanctuary He leads inwardly. He leads towards God, but His leadership has also to do with the dispensational dealings of God, and the saints are to be subject and amenable to His direction in this sense. Bethany is not Olivet, it does not say He led them to Olivet, it is said that they returned to Jerusalem from the mount of Olives; but in Luke it is definitely stated that He led them as far as Bethany, that is to a limited point. It has reference evidently to the place of love, but in relation to the remnant of Israel. It is seen there with the idea of the dispensations in view, but in Acts the disciples are told, “It is not yours to know times or seasons”. The book of Acts looks towards the assembly in its heavenly position, whereas Luke would concern us with the dispensations, and how the love of God for His ancient people has to be regarded, how the Lord would lead in that way for the moment, but ultimately having His eternal purpose in mind.
WS Having been led out as far as Bethany they returned to Jerusalem with great joy.
JT They returned to Jerusalem and they did not go to the upper room, but to the temple, meaning that they are in accord with the leading so far as it went, but still taking Jewish ground. Intelligence is contemplated; the Lord had opened their understanding to understand the Scriptures, and the Scriptures give great consideration for God’s ancient people. So that in going to Jerusalem [p. 200] they are in keeping with that, they go into the temple and are continually praising and blessing God. Under these circumstances they are a testimony to others, they were a contribution to Israel at this time, showing what God was willing to do for them.
FJF They are not as yet distinct from the nation.
JT The Lord did not wish them to be separate; leading them to Bethany meant they were to take up a remnant character in the place of love, in the exercise of great forbearance towards Israel; that was the point at the moment. We have to learn how God thinks of persons who are not affected by the truth as we are. He has them in His mind that they should be affected, and exercises great patience towards them. What would be a greater testimony to God at this time than that there should be such a company, praising and blessing Him continually? Anyone that went to the temple would have observed this. What a testimony it was! The idea of “as far as” to Bethany is that it is not beyond. The Lord had been accustomed to go to the mount of Olives, and when the Supper was instituted they sang a hymn and went there; but now they go to Bethany. The mount of Olives looks towards heaven and the assembly, it was the place to which the Lord had recourse at night. While He was in Jerusalem ministering He went to the mount of Olives at night, indicating that that was His retreat with His Father alone. But now He leads them, not there, but to Bethany. The point in the beginning of the Acts is to bring out the link with the upper room rather than the temple. While we are to be with God in bearing testimony to our brethren or to others whom He would bring into what we enjoy, we should never give up our own retreat, our own special place with Himself.
FJF It is striking that it says the mount of Olives was a sabbath day’s journey from Jerusalem. Does that suggest anything?
JT I suppose it is the distance between the camps in the wilderness and the tabernacle, where they could [p. 201] go and worship. They could go that length. There is the idea of restriction on the sabbath, but they could go into Jerusalem from Olivet even on the sabbath. I think it conveys a spiritual thought — that the old system allowed such a journey. The women (as we had yesterday) observed the sabbath, they were restful on the sabbath, according to the commandment; but there is nothing about the sabbath day’s journey in Luke, it is in the Acts.
JS Have you any thought as to why they were at the mount of Olives?
JT We are seeking to arrive at the distinction between Bethany and the mount of Olives. As already said, the Lord led them as far as Bethany; it is a remnant position, it is the place of love. According to Luke He was received up from Bethany. “And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven”. He is separated from them. Their position is as the remnant of Israel. In the opening of the Acts the link with heaven is in view.
RB Is it the assembly position in Acts?
JT That is the idea. Although they continued on the principle of Luke 24 in going to the temple, they broke bread in the house, and were in the upper room; they maintained the assembly position right through.
ND Does the upper room link on with the assembly?
JT It does in the Acts. In Luke we have the priestly side. It is God patiently waiting on Israel, and waiting on them with such a contribution as the disciples of Jesus were in the temple. How joyful they were! If you had been there you would have seen that, and enquired, What does this mean? It was what God had in His mind for all, a palpable thing, not mere doctrine. The rabbis were occupied with the law and tradition, but this is a palpable testimony. There had not been such a company seen in the temple before — not even in the days of Solomon. It was [p. 202] a contribution from God to His ancient people in His dispensational ways.
RB He did not lead them that way in Acts.
JT He did not lead them at all in Acts. Acts is an assembly book. He assembled with them. You learn from Him in the assembly what you are to do. It is headship.
LW The position of the disciples in the temple is similar to the cloud lingering.
JT That is what it was. You can see what a contribution it was from Jehovah to His ancient people. Any one could see them; it was in the court, it would not be in the holiest. If one enquired, What is the occasion of all this joy? the answer would be, It is God’s mind for you. It is the same thing today; as the saints are happily in the enjoyment of the things of God, they are a testimony to all who see them. In John 1: 39 the Lord says, “Come and see”. It is important to have something of God that people can see.
FJF Was it a spiritual witness? “Ye are witnesses of these things”.
JT It was in a spiritual way; think of what they were. If you had been there as a Jew, and had come into the court of the temple and looked at these people, you would have noted their joy; they were jubilant, victorious, obviously enjoying blessing. Not from Abraham down had there been such a testimony in Israel as this. The Lord Jesus had been brought in as a Babe, and Simeon’s word was a prophetic testimony to Israel, but there is no need of calling attention to these men, they show they are full of holy joy.
FJF Glory was there when the Lord Jesus was brought in as a Babe, and also here.
JT What Haggai spoke of was realised, in a sense, the “latter glory” of the house. It was only provisional however. For the moment these men, like Christ, are there and full of joy; and they were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. It was a further [p. 203] testimony to them. When Stephen spoke to them, his face shone; it was a continuation of this in that sense; but his address was an indictment.
RD It says, “were continually”. Is that today?
JT The point is that it was there every day, as it were, any one could see it. Of course it came to an end, but there was a constant testimony to Christ as the result of His death and resurrection.
JB Do you think the assembly in that way is a testimony to christendom?
JT That is the idea. John comes in at the end. “Come and see”. That is one of his characteristic phrases. Luke would say, Go and carry the testimony in grace to people wherever they are, like the Samaritan, but “Come and see”, means there is something to see.
FJF Was all this involved in what Paul brought to light?
JT It was ultimately merged in the assembly.
TR Before the Lord died, He went into the temple and looked round on everything, then He left it and went out to Bethany.
JT He came back from Bethany in the morning, but as He came back He cursed the fig-tree. That is not here, they came back from Bethany full of joy and blessing, not cursing.
Rem The joy was consequent upon the Lord leading them to Bethany, the place of love.
JT It would be, but there was more than that. He lifted up His hands and blessed them, and as He blessed them He was parted from them and went up into heaven. When He had gone they went back into Jerusalem with the sense of being blessed.
CCE There is no testimony so strong as joy, it is the strongest form of testimony.
JT Yes, when you have it every day. We experience a good day on Lord’s day as a rule, thank God, but what are we [p. 204] on Mondays?
CCE Here it is not just a burst of joy, subsiding then into depression.
JT It is “continually”. “Joy unspeakable and filled with the glory”. What a testimony it is!
FJF Do you think this was a triumph for God?
JT Certainly. It is what He had effected through Christ. The true Aaron had blessed them. The true Aaron is here, and He lifts up His hands and blesses them, and is parted from them. They have the sense of being blessed, as Isaac said, “blessed he shall be”. There is no doubt about it, these people are blessed; it is a permanent thing.
JHH This was the transitional period between the old and the new dispensations.
JT Transitional in its bright side. Judgment is not in view here, it is all blessing.
JHH The old dispensation closing up in glory.
JT It is closed up judicially later, because Stephen’s address is the indictment, as remarked already. You have no indictment here, nothing but praise to God; not teaching and preaching, but joy visibly in the centre of everything, the temple.
LW The glory departed from Israel. Is this the return?
JT In a way it is there. It will come back to Israel presently, and will enter from the east, we are told in Ezekiel, and this is a foreshadowing of what is coming in by and by. It is God saying to every Jew, This is what My mind is for you, and so it is with every christian. The preacher should be the expression of what he is preaching. It is like the two pillars in front of the temple — they were intended to illustrate what was in God’s mind. Christianity is not a theoretical thing, it is a substantial thing. John’s epistle brings in the substantial side of things. “And these things write we to you that your joy may be full”, 1 John [p. 205] 1: 4.
FJF These men would form very good material with which to build the assembly, when they received further light.
JT You can understand how the Spirit of God would take up Luke and prepare him to write the gospel, and instruct him that the gospel only went so far but did not go all the way. The Lord would undoubtedly give Luke to understand that there was something more in mind. Luke would have to look in another direction now before writing the Acts, and he is looking in another direction; he is not looking at the temple in Jerusalem any more, that is no longer his objective. The thought was that the Lord was about to send the Spirit “whom I will send to you from the Father”. He says, “he shall bear witness concerning me”. He “goes forth from with the Father”, and is thus perfectly conversant with all that is in the Father’s mind, all His counsels; and He also bears witness. There is thus a further witness by One perfectly competent to bring out the thoughts of God, going forth from with the Father; “And ye too bear witness”, this involves Paul’s teaching, which is an additional testimony. Luke in Acts has all this in view. He opens his second treatise to Theophilus by referring to all the things which Jesus began both to do and to teach. He speaks of how He “presented himself living”. He presented Himself a living Person from among the dead. He is now to be seen thus. It is not simply that He was seen, but He showed Himself, so that He should be seen as He intended Himself to be seen. Then He assembled with them, this is the idea now. It is a question of learning how to assemble, and He is with them to teach them; you do not get this earlier. It is now the question of assembling and knowing how to assemble, which far transcends the temple. It is a question of the spiritual temple formed of persons, the Lord of glory, the true Solomon, assembling with them. Peter would say, as it were, I remember the Lord — how He sat, how He moved (it is not now the question of the breaking of [p. 206] bread). I remember how He acted in the assembly. So that you are introduced at once to this great idea (verse 4).
FJF That has eternity in view.
JT I think so. We are now looking towards the Pentecostal assembly which will be seen coming down out of heaven from God (Revelation 21), but not only the Pentecostal assembly, for the city in Revelation 21 includes Paul’s ministry, which connects what happened here, and subsequently under the twelve, with the eternal position.
JS The disciples are now quite free with the Lord to ask questions. “Is it at this time that thou restorest the kingdom to Israel?”
JT He is always ready to answer questions in the assembly. Questions had been asked Him in the temple, but now it is in the assembly. It is as having come together they asked Him questions.
FJF Intelligent persons are in view.
JT Yes, persons who know how to be in the assembly.
JHH Does the assembly now displace the material temple as a place to be inquired in?
JT It does. You can see how things are overlapping here. But the material thing is about to disappear; you can see how it is displaced here. The better thing has come in, the better thing of Hebrews 11: 40. God sets things aside by bringing in what is better; it is not arbitrary.
JHH Is temple light a feature of the assembly today?
JT Yes. The Lord begins by assembling with them, and another thing is that He charged them by the Spirit. It is the day of the Spirit, things are to be done by the Spirit.
FJF They would learn from Him how to comport themselves as He assembled with them.
JT You can see they would be set free. “Being assembled with them”, it says, He “commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem” (verses 4, 5); telling them further that they would be baptised with the Holy Spirit, and implying that they were to be merged together in power.
BHT Does baptism with the Holy Spirit involve the ascension of Christ?
JT Yes; “Having therefore been exalted ... he has poured out this”. “In the power of one Spirit we have all been baptised into one body”, 1 Corinthians 12: 13. Baptised here would imply merging. It is not being clothed with power from on high, but being baptised.
RD He was speaking of the things which concerned the kingdom of God. Does that involve the whole of christianity?
JT It is a great general thought. The kingdom of God is a moral thought, the kingdom in which God is seen and felt. That was about to be inaugurated as the Spirit came down. The next thing that comes out is that the disciples wanted to know certain things, and He does not answer in the negative or the positive. He said, “It is not yours to know times or seasons, which the Father has placed in his own authority; but ye will receive power”. They would get the Spirit; they would be abundantly supplied for testimony. So that it is not wise to make too much of current happenings among the nations. When God acts, things will take form very quickly, we must wait for that. It says in Mark that even the Son does not know; here it says “which the Father has placed in his own authority”. We may as well accept that; our point is testimony in connection with the assembly. Sometimes we assume to know too much! The point for us is the present testimony of God. He will not be diverted from it.
CCE If the Son does not know, how can we expect to be told? We cannot expect to have a superior position to Him.
JT The Father has placed it in His own authority. All things are given into the Son’s hands. In inscrutable [p. 208] wisdom the Father reserves certain things for Himself. We have to leave that. The book of Revelation is really the opening up of the Lord’s remark, “nor the Son”: “Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him” — which God gave to Him. That is how it opens up to us, but as to the application of times and seasons, it is very precarious to attempt to fix anything, for properly they do not belong to our dispensation. We are living in the day of the Spirit, and it is a remarkable thing that the feast of Pentecost is not said to end. It is not limited by time. It is not like the other feasts, it has an outlet into eternity; that is an important thing for us.
NG Is the assembly to be a witness to Christ? “Ye shall be my witnesses”.
JT That alludes to the twelve. The assembly is contemplated there in principle, but the disciples were to return again to Jerusalem as witnesses, not now simply that they saw things, but the Lord constituted them His witnesses of these things. “Ye will receive power”, He says. The power they received would really work out in the assembly, and they would be there as witnesses. Spiritual power would mark them. Not here as sent out as the Jewish remnant, but in relation to the assembly.
JR As of the assembly, does that give us courage to testify? Peter before the Lord’s crucifixion failed miserably, but after the Spirit comes down he stands up boldly — he is not afraid now.
JT Yes. Peter exemplifies what the Lord says here — “ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea”. Peter exemplifies this.
ND How does this work out in regard to the twelve — “to the end of the earth” (Acts 1: 8)?
JT It does not seem as if they carried that out, but that it fell into the hands of Paul eventually; according to the counsel of James it was decided they should minister to the circumcision, but Paul to the nations. And so it fell within the range of Paul’s services. This is just a general thought — the end of the earth. In [p. 209] whomsoever it was carried out they were to be His witnesses. We have hardly anything in detail about the twelve in the Acts, except Peter and John; although of course the others are included in general references to “the apostles” and were active in service and used of God.
HWR The fact that James is the first to suffer death shows he must have been prominent as a witness.
JT We may be sure all were prominent in service in general and did the work assigned to them.
FJF Would it be right to say that the full truth concerning the assembly could not come to light in this chapter as the Lord was not in the right position yet? He was not ascended.
JT Quite so, nor was the Spirit here, but you can see how the thing was being worked out in principle. While He was amongst them, He showed them how to assemble.
FJF It was a very great day.
JT Yes. You will notice how stress is laid on the manner of His going up — which you do not get in Luke — and they beholding him. That should enter into the assembly. They behold Him; they kept looking up too long, however, because the cloud had received Him out of their sight. If God takes something out of your sight, it is no use looking at it, you will not see it. It showed that a new dispensation was being inaugurated, a dispensation of faith, not of sight now.
CCE What do the two men represent here in verse 10?
JT They represent characteristics that should mark the testimony. Their clothing would suggest that the interval between the Lord’s going up and His return is to be marked by purity. We need to keep our garments clean. “They shall walk with me in white”. If you are going back into the city you must keep clear of what is in it. They would suggest that to the disciples. There are three sets of two persons — there were two at the sepulchre in shining raiment; two here and they are [p. 210] in white; also two men on the mount and they are glorious, they appear “in glory”. They contain the brightest suggestion, as coming out of heaven — Moses and Elias, two known persons. In each case there is some testimony, the numeral two being a suggestion of testimony. Here it is the question of purity in the interval between the Lord’s ascension and His return. One of the most difficult things is to keep our clothing white, to keep our spirits clear. “Blessed are they that wash their robes” (Revelation 22); you keep doing it. The thought is always to be present with me.
CF Do you think we may be too much occupied with the return of the Lord as a prophetic thought? We must not be diverted from function as witnesses here.
JT The thought is Jesus. “This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner ...” (verse 11). That is what the men tell the disciples. It is not a question of times and seasons, but the fact that He is coming back, and He will come back as they had seen Him go. They were now to take on something of His way of assembling; His movements were to determine theirs.
JR The Lord breathed into His disciples in John 20. What is the difference between breathing into the disciples, and the power about to come in here?
JT They are two views of the same thing, which synchronise. Luke is concerned about the public side, the Spirit coming upon them. He sat upon each of them, it is a public thing. But the breathing into the disciples is inward and relates to eternity, though it has its bearing also in testimony, and works out in the way of forgiveness and retention of sins. What is stressed is the manner, “as ye have seen him go into heaven”. What is suggested is important to distinguish. John deals with the inward side. David built inward. Luke is concerned more with the public side, but both bear on the testimony.
CCE The fact that they are distinguished is important; on the other hand, they bear on each [p. 211] other.
JT I suppose John 20 is a sort of pattern of what took place when the Spirit came. It is a very affecting thing — the breathing of Christ into His disciples. It constitutes us trustworthy. He thus commits Himself to us.
LW “As the Father sent me forth, I also send you”.
JT Thus we correspond with His position as here. “Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted”.
FJF God breathing into Adam’s nostrils was that he might be in the image and likeness of God. Is that so? The breathing of John 20 fitted them to be here representative of Him.
JT I think that is the idea. How could Adam represent God otherwise? There is image and likeness. The moral qualities of God are seen in the man, but he is also representative of God. Authoritative representation of God is there.
BHT Referring to the Lord’s own movements, you suggest that we should learn from them. I was wondering if that is why they were found at mount Olivet.
JT Yes. He returned to Jerusalem during the day, and in the nights He went to mount Olivet. It is an out-of-the-world condition. Bethany was not an out-of-the-world condition, the Jews came there to sympathise with Mary. Bethany was a town, Olivet a mount. They went there after the Supper, and I think that is why it is mentioned here. They returned from the mount, which is called Olivet, which is near to Jerusalem — a sabbath day’s journey. He did not lead them to any point, it is now a question of spiritual understanding. What ought we to do next? The Lord has gone up and He has not led me anywhere, but He has conveyed certain things to me. He has assembled with us, and we have impressions. Where will these impressions lead — to the temple or to the upper room? To the latter, that is the point today: Whither do the spiritual impressions that you get lead you — to the cathedral or some other such religious building? No. They will lead elsewhere, to the upper [p. 212] room, where certain persons are. Believers must find this upper room and these persons. If Paul went to London, what do you suppose he would think of St. Paul’s cathedral? What would Peter think of St. Peter’s at Rome? We ought to have feelings as to these things. These impressions of Jesus received when He was with His own, where do they direct me? In what will they culminate? He does not tell them to go to the upper room, but they went there.
Ques What is the thought of their staying?
JT It is a permanent position, leading towards the assembly. The upper room signifies moral elevation. It is something entirely different, for it does not comport with current religious feeling.
LW We are to feel the greatness of it and what is to be enjoyed now.
JT As regards enjoyment, Paul said, that to depart and to be with Christ is far better, but for the sake of the testimony he knew that he would remain. I should not like to miss what is going on now. Peter was to glorify God in death, so he would not expect the Lord to come in his lifetime. There were certain things the apostles understood, and one was that the testimony would go on.
JR You mentioned that John’s gospel rules out Iscariote every time. Is that the reason why the Spirit gives so much detail as to what happened to him?
JT It gives you a full account of what the feelings of the assembly were as to that man. Peter calls attention to Judas here; “for he was numbered amongst us, and had received a part in this service”. This upper room was a most interesting place. In the temple would be the chief priests, the old system carried on, sacrifices offered, etc., but we have the names of the persons given that were staying in that upper room, and we are told that they gave “themselves all with one accord to continual prayer, with several women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren”.
The results of our Lord’s testimony are here, and [p. 213] what results as we analyse these people! Taken one by one, what potentialities were there in these persons! Think of what each of them could say to you about Jesus! What treasure there was! It was all assembly property. It is an enrichment greater than what David spoke about in 1 Chronicles, whether actual or potential.
CP The special claims of the mother and brethren of Jesus are no more asserted, they merge together now in the upper room.
JT It shows the result of our Lord’s service. He had suffered much from His relatives, so everyone who is spiritual will likewise suffer from natural-minded relatives.
The Lord had experienced it peculiarly, but He exercised great patience with them. Nevertheless He had on one occasion to rebuke His mother, saying, “What have I to do with thee, woman?” We see here that He had secured His mother and brethren for the truth. Mary is here representative of a treasury in the temple. By the Spirit David had a pattern of the treasuries. Mary had much that no one else had. No one could tell you so much about Christ’s infancy and boyhood and early manhood as His mother.
CCE It is possible that she was the vessel used to convey to Luke the details that he brings into his gospel.
JT Luke would inquire from her. If I were thinking of writing about the humanity of Jesus, I would if possible certainly inquire of His mother.
FJF She did treasure them too; she pondered all the things concerning Him in her heart. She was a real living treasury.
Rem Would these persons be the first living contribution to His assembly?
JT They are the result of our Lord’s testimony. He is the true David, the material for the house is here. The building is formed after He goes up to heaven.
The next thing we see is the idea of leadership (verse 15).
God’s way in the administration of the assembly is to have leaders. Peter stands up in the midst of the brethren. There were a hundred and twenty of them, not just the apostles, but “the brethren”; and Mary is there; sisters are there, so that it is characteristically an assembly matter. Having so recently sinned, what a man of moral power Peter must have been to stand up in the midst of the brethren. He is quite free of his sin now. It is the true idea of forgiveness.
CCE It shows how you get free of your past — put under your feet through faith.
JT The Lord intended that the brethren should not retain anything in their minds against him. The brethren in Luke 24 were talking about how the Lord appeared to Simon. Evidently He appeared to him early, and the word to the women was, “go, tell his disciples and Peter”. Peter did not lose his place because of his denial of the Lord. “First, Peter” — he is still “first”. He is able to stand up in the midst of the brethren, and what he says is right.
LW His name is mentioned first in connection with the list of those in the upper room.
JT It is always first Peter, that is the Lord’s way. Even his great sin did not deprive him of that. It is very encouraging, but it affords no licence; he had bitter experience — much more, we may be sure, than is recorded. Paul writes to Timothy, “At my first defence no man stood with me, but all deserted me ... But the Lord stood with me, and gave me power, that through me the proclamation might be fully made”. I have no doubt there were those who thought Paul should not be leading, and who rather resented it. Why should Paul be leading when he was in prison? The Lord said, Paul is to lead to the last. “Through me the proclamation might be fully made”. We are to be subject to those who lead, and to pray for them; it is a very important thing. The democratic spirit is creeping in so much among the brethren; the principle of levelling down is working [p. 215] insidiously amongst us, but God will never give up leadership. If He puts a man forward He will keep him and support him, and woe be to him who stands in his way!
FJF The message to the women was, “go, tell his disciples and Peter”, whereas the disciples speak of the Lord having appeared to Simon. Is there any significance in that?
JT I think the Lord intended that they should all know that Peter had retained his place in His mind; He had not given him up at all. Having repented of it, his denial of the Lord did not impair his position as an apostle.
BHT The Lord said “Satan has demanded to have you, to sift you as wheat”.
JT That referred to them all: it is in the plural. This is the message in Mark 16, specially sent to Peter; the Lord is specially concerned about Peter.
JS Do you think there is a moral thought in his being referred to as Peter?
JT The Lord appeared to Simon. He is viewed as a responsible man. He is a responsible man as having sinned, and yet the Lord appears to him first to encourage him and evidently to get the brethren to understand that he had not lost his place among the apostles.
JS How quickly he knew how to apply the Scriptures!
JT And that before the Spirit came down. What exercises Peter must have had in those days, and what thorough self-judgment must have gone on in him. He stood up. He sets out what the Lord can do for everyone who is in like state — what the Lord can graciously do for us in reinstating us among our brethren.
RB Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren, not above them.
JT That is very suggestive — a word for all who serve in an outstanding way. How different from him who assumes to be the successor of Peter!