NEARNESS TO CHRIST AND PUBLIC SERVICE (2)
[p. 153] NEARNESS TO CHRIST AND PUBLIC SERVICE (2)
JT Here the Lord is seen going through the country, city by city, and village by village, preaching [p. 154] and announcing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God, after certain events — “afterwards”, it says. The mind is directed to what preceded, especially in chapter 7, in which we have attention called to a state of things governed by grace. The presence of the Lord here, from Luke’s point of view, involves the spreading abroad of the principle of grace — the influence of it. So that chapter 7 calls attention to the incident of the centurion and other occurrences, showing that the principle of grace had spread abroad and was being effective; the knowledge that the centurion had of the Lord, and his own relation with the Jews; then the dealing with death, and John the baptist’s ministry. Chapter 7 thus shows the bearing and effect of the grace of the Lord’s ministry and the exposure of what was contrary to it. The Old Testament — what came down through John — was merged in what the Lord was doing, so that there is adjustment. The Pharisees and the lawyers are exposed, and all the people and the publicans are said to have justified God, being baptised by John. There is thus adjustment, and the full result of grace is seen evidently in the woman who anointed the Lord.
So that we have a state of things showing the success of the ministry that was proceeding. With a product like the woman in the Pharisee’s house before us, it is well worth combing the cities and villages to find such. “Afterwards ... he went through the country city by city, and village by village, preaching and announcing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God”. Nothing is said as to how the woman in Simon’s house learned of the Lord, whether she had ever come in contact with Him before, but the principle of grace was ruling to such an extent that she sought Him out. She represents the full result of His ministry in that way, and in this chapter (coming in after that), He is seeking out, we may say, all such.
Ques In view of material in each locality, would you say?
JT That is what I think we may see. In the second half of this chapter the sowing comes in as necessary. I think we shall see, as we proceed, that the object in view is to bring about local conditions answering to the assembly. But every city and every village has to be searched out. That is the principle, that whatever there is of God has to be searched out, so that it is every city and village.
Ques How would you apply that to a country like this today?
JT Well, you get the principle. When we get the principle rightly in our minds, the application becomes easy. Principles are so important; here the principle of finding what there is of God. You omit no city or village. This may easily be applied in any country. You see what the principle involves; you have got two things here, preaching and announcing.
Ques What is the difference?
JT I think preaching is authoritative. The Lord was anointed and sent to preach; it is representative. Announcing here may also be rendered “bringing”, as in chapter 2:10. The thing is set out in such form as to make it intelligible.
Ques Would the preaching [p. 158] of the glad tidings of the kingdom of God bring to light that of which you have been speaking?
JT Yes; it brings to light an order of things in which God intervened for the deliverance of man; it is the “glad tidings of the kingdom of God” here. It is an order of things marked by divine power wielded in grace, so that it is the kingdom of God. Luke emphasises that it is God: “The Spirit of the Lord [Jehovah] is upon me”, (Luke 4:18). So that in Luke the Lord, as He challenges them as to who He was, is confessed as the Christ of God. You have God, but then God in His kingdom, in an order of things through which believers are delivered from the power of Satan.
Rem He is anointed by “the Spirit of the Lord”, and then by the woman.
JT She anoints Him on the feet; evidently she discerns that to bring grace to her He had to travel; and was travelling. The service is not an easy matter, it is not for those who sit in their houses and think that God will do the work. It is a question of travelling, and hence here, one city after another, and one village after another is visited. Later (chapter 10) we have the Samaritan journeying.
Rem With regard to the preaching and announcing, both these words seem to be used in connection with John the baptist’s ministry at the beginning of this gospel: “preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins” (chapter 3:3); and then (verse 18), “exhorting ... he announced his glad tidings to the people”; the Spirit of God uses both these words.
JT Yes. I think ‘announcing’ has the force of showing that the glad tidings exist. The thing is opened up — made intelligible. But ‘preaching’ is generally more authoritative.
Rem And would it not suggest that in preaching there is a herald. Paul was a herald.
JT Yes. Preaching seems to have authority; it is one who is anointed that preaches.
Ques Do you suggest that the Lord is seen here as an [p. 156] example?
JT Well, I think He is. He sets out that we are here in relation to a system; not only now one preaching on his own account as gifted, but preaching in relation to the system. Hence you get here the glad tidings of the kingdom of God, and the twelve were with Him, and certain women, too. I am sure you see what I mean — in your service you recognise a system of things, you are taken up in connection with that. God has set up a system of things. That is where His power lies.
Ques Does that mean that you announce what exists already, you have not to produce it?
JT That is right. Of course you preach Christ, but then you preach the kingdom of God. It [p. 155] is the glad tidings of the kingdom of God.
Ques Why are the feet said to be anointed with myrrh, rather than oil?
JT I think it refers to a suffering path; it is a thorny way.
Ques Does love play a great part in this system? The centurion “loves our nation”, they say; (chapter 7:5). Then the woman’s son is restored to her, so as to satisfy her affection.
JT Quite so; you see how grace is operating in relation to what is of God here. “He loves our nation”, well, God still owned that; “and himself has built the synagogue for us”. God still owned that. And then the widowed mother is taken account of in a compassionate way by the Lord. Grace in service takes account of what God owns here. Then you have John — his ministry taken account of. He himself shows that he is waning, but this wonderful service of grace brings to light all the good things about John and his ministry. Those who heard justified God, and those who did not rejected the counsel of God; they rendered null the counsel of God as to themselves. It was their own doing. That is how grace takes account of things. Then here is this woman who loves much: “Wisdom is justified of all her children”. The thing is working out in this way. That is chapter 7. All this is included in the position in the opening of chapter 8.
Rem She “stood at his feet behind him”; that would be as much as to say, He is going before.
JT A very fitting position for a believer. She recognises His lead, and in the leading He is a sufferer; she anoints His feet.
Ques Does the action suggest intelligence on her part?
JT It does. She knew, she stood behind him weeping; there is the expression of feelings; it is a sure evidence of the work of God. Then she washes His feet with her tears and wipes them with the hairs of her head, and anoints them with myrrh. It is a beautiful service, done so well in such an adverse atmosphere. Many of us do things well under good circumstances, but she did it well in very adverse ones.
Ques Would that be ministering to Him of her substance?
JT That is the point; she was doing that. He said in spirit (Proverbs 8) that those who love Him would have their treasuries filled, she would be enriched through Him. But she did the thing well and deliberately. She was proving her love. She really condemned the coldness and indifference around her. She was doing what Simon should have done.
Ques In regard to the preaching being in relation to a system, would the twelve being with Him be more the public side?
JT The twelve allude to the administrative system, a system capable of His manipulation; the twelve are in His hands, so to say. We shall see later how He uses them, but for the moment they are there. We have to wait to see the development of the system.
Ques Would you enlarge a little on the thought of the glad tidings of the kingdom of God — the characteristics of it?
JT Well, I think it is, as we were saying, a system of things in which God is known in power; it is grace acting in power. The point is grace. Grace is dominant in chapter 7; but the Pharisees and lawyers are exposed — in spite of the presence of grace they are exposed — in that they did not submit themselves to the baptism of John. The Lord makes it plain that John’s was a powerful ministry; opening up in grace the way of escape. Its rejection sealed the fate of those Pharisees and lawyers.
Ques What is the counsel of God?
JT It would be all that God had in mind for Israel. It was all there, and He was ready to make it good, but they rendered it null.
Rem It was presented in John the baptist.
JT It was presented in Christ, to whom John witnessed (see John 1). In rejecting his ministry they rejected all that God had in His mind for them in Christ. Seeing Jerusalem, as entering it finally, He wept over it, knowing that He would be rejected.
Rem So that the preaching of the kingdom is the setting forth of the way God has revealed Himself.
JT “If I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you”, (Luke 11:20). That is to say, it is a question of power — grace acting in power for man’s deliverance, a power great enough to overthrow every enemy. The “strong man” kept his palace, but a stronger than he bound him; here the Lord is really spoiling his goods; grace is acting.
Rem Verse 2 shows that those who appreciated that power were in sympathy with Him.
JT The twelve were with Him. The twelve showed that they were qualified, in that they were with Him; not now that He is with them (chapter 6:17), but they are with Him. That is to say, they [p. 159] are moving, their position is determined by His. We shall see later how He uses them. “The twelve” signifies material which can be divinely manipulated for service.
Ques It says of the women who went with Him that they had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities. Would they be an evidence of the kingdom?
JT Exactly. There was one, Mary Magdalene, for instance, from whom seven demons had gone out. It was not simply that there was power, but they had gone out. There was a vessel — the work of God became such in her that they went out, they could not stay there.
Ques Was it the operation of grace?
JT Well, yes. But it is a great tribute to what had taken place in Mary Magdalene.
Rem They were not cast out.
JT Elsewhere they are said to have been cast out, but it is as if they had to go; there was no more room for them. As with Judas, he went out; (John 13).
Ques Who took their place?
JT The power of the kingdom. Now it would be the Holy Spirit. Christ would occupy her affections, if Mary Magdalene be the woman of chapter 7, for it is a continuation morally; there was no room except for Christ.
Rem So that we arrive at the power of the kingdom by our need.
JT I think it is a very fine thing when we see evil going out, it shows a certain change in the conditions. Here there were seven of them — complete power, but they went out.
Ques Are you connecting the completeness of the work with the preaching and announcing?
JT Well, that is what He was doing, but, you see, He had by Him twelve. These twelve men had a formative history — thus they were with Him, it is [p. 160] put that way. He has by Him a number of persons, material that can be used as He pleases, so that the greatest good may result. Peter may be taken to represent the work of God in them all. “First Peter”, that is the way Matthew 10:2 presents it. Luke gives us his history in this way; the Lord entered into his house and healed his mother-in-law. He had an exhibition in his house of the Lord’s power, He stood over the woman and the fever left her; but, apparently Simon did not get the thing then, but the testimony was before his eyes — in his house. Then, in the next chapter, the Lord is in his boat; we are reminded, as it were, that if He cannot secure us in our houses He touches us in our businesses. And in the boat the Lord secures him, He secures him on the principle of subjection. The Lord says, “Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught”; it was a direct word to him. He first begs him for his boat, but in the second instance He directs him. And Peter says, “at thy word I will let down the net”, (Luke 5:5). That is to say, his natural experience would have suggested to him that the letting down of the net was useless, but there is obedience to the Lord’s word, “at thy word”. Thus we have a man subject to the Lord, and now he learnt that grace was there and he fell down at the Lord’s knees. The next chapter shows what the knees mean; the twelve are selected after a night’s prayer, and thus they are here with the Lord. You can see, therefore, that He has those by Him that are under His hand; He uses them so that the greatest result accrues. But then these women are also with Him, evidences of the subjective results of grace — there is no room for demon power in that environment. The twelve would represent intelligence and authority.
Ques Why are their names given?
JT No doubt to indicate the features of the work of God. They had become distinguished among [p. 161] the saints, for this account was written long after the occurrence. They are an evidence of the work of God. The wife of Herod’s steward is there, “and many others, who ministered to him of their substance”.
Rem So that the work of God subjectively would always be distinctive.
JT I think so. It is diversified; the distinctions are marked off by the names.
Ques Referring again to the announcing — would it be consequent upon being with Him, and the preaching the outcome of being sent?
JT Yes; the preaching is authoritative. But we bring or announce glad tidings. For this we are to learn how to speak. Moses had to come to the point where he said he could not speak, and God accepted that, for not one of us can speak according to God unless we have discovered that naturally we have no ability. You might speak with the tongues of angels and not have love (see 1 Corinthians 13), that would not be the thing. God says to Moses, Aaron “shall be to thee instead of a mouth”, (Exodus 4:16). But He says, “I will be with thy mouth and with his mouth”, (verse 15). We need that as well, not only the announcing, but God with the mouth, so that the words convey the thing according to God. Much is made of Paul’s speaking. For instance, in Acts 14:1 he and Barnabas entered together into the synagogue; “together” — that is a nice touch. But then it says, they “so spake” that a great number believed. We are told that Paul was the chief speaker (verse 12); others had said his speech was contemptible, but the Holy Spirit says he was the chief speaker. Then the lame man heard Paul speak — not preach, but speak, and Paul looked on him and saw that he had faith to be healed, and he cried with a loud voice. It is a question of speaking.
Rem In Galatians 1 the word ‘announced’ is [p. 162] used five or six times. I was wondering whether it referred to the defective way in which the Galatians had taken in the gospel; they had not understood what was in the mind of Paul.
JT It does not seem that they had. The thought of speaking is important, because it has to do with the testimony presented; you want to present it rightly. He “so spake”, it says.
Ques Does grace carry the thought of teaching? not only power and authority, but is there also teaching?
JT Yes, you are thinking of Titus: “the grace of God which carries with it salvation for all men hath appeared, teaching us”, (Titus 2:11).
Ques In 1 Corinthians 15 the apostle says, “I make known to you” (verse 1), “I announced to you” (verse 1), and “I delivered to you” (verse 3); what are the differences in these expressions?
JT In writing he wished to make clear what he had announced when with them. Then delivering would be, so to speak, conveying the impression — the thing was passed over to them.
Now the Lord here speaks this parable, “a great crowd coming together, and those who were coming to him out of each city, he spoke by parable”. Speaking by parable means, I think, that in the general interest the natural mind is apt to intrude, but speaking by parable excludes it; only those who have ears to hear can follow. Christianity is to be set up on that principle. The natural mind has to be shut out. That is not ‘announcing’ and ‘shewing’. Parabolic ministry is to shut out the natural mind, however clever.
Rem It brings to light the state of those addressed; there would be those who heard the parable, and did not come in to ask the meaning.
Ques How does the parable take shape with us?
JT I think you have to be exercised that in [p. 163] ministry you do not appeal to the natural mind. The Lord spoke by parable, He shut out the natural mind. Christianity was not set up in the recognition of the natural mind at all. And it is the natural mind in a religious way that He is dealing with. Parables were judicial; the Jews were rejecting the testimony of Christ, and so henceforth it was for those who had “ears to hear”.
Rem He did not begin with parables; there was a special time when He began.
JT Now that He has a system of His own He does. The natural mind is shut out altogether. In the previous chapter they rendered null the counsel of God, now they are being shut out effectively by parabolic ministry.
Rem So that the kingdom of God comes not by observation.
JT It does not. Every other kingdom of the world has come by observation, their leaders make everything of show. But He says, “the kingdom of God is in the midst of you”; it was there in a moral way, but in power; (chapter 17:21).
Ques Does that apply today?
JT Surely. If you get the principle, I think you can see the application of it. We must move on these lines. Where there is a general rejection of the truth we have to count on God to give ears to hear, and not seek to gain the public ear by appealing to the natural minds of men.
Rem We might not have ears to hear the ministry of today.
JT Well, the appeal is, “He that has an ear, let him hear”, (Revelation 3).
Rem It deals with the capacity to receive ministry.
JT Yes. When you are called upon to have ears to hear, it shows that God is working, and those who serve must count on this.
[p. 164] Ques What is the meaning here of the seed that is sown?
JT The Lord says that the seed is the word of God; it brings in God as He is in Christ.
Rem It is not fruitful in the souls of men apart from repentance.
JT It is that God is working. In Mark the Lord says it brings forth fruit and you do not know how; (Mark 4:27).
Rem There is no repentance with the first class therefore.
JT The fourth class only bears fruit according to God.
Ques Would Simon (Acts 8) illustrate that? He was not “good ground”.
JT He did not represent the good ground. As our brother has been remarking, the word received had not been accompanied by repentance. Where the word of God is received honestly, as on the day of Pentecost, it is accompanied by repentance. Not that they said they were repentant, but the principle is there. Peter said, “Repent, and be baptised every one of you”, (Acts 2:38). The word of God coming in in Luke would, I think, be an expression of God revealed in grace. He is not imputing trespasses, so that my heart is subdued and assured, and what can I do in the presence of a God like that but humble myself? How can I retain my will in the presence of such grace? “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses”, (2 Corinthians 5:19). That is the kind of thing.
Rem So that the goodness of God, where it is known in the soul, leads to repentance.
JT Yes; the word would convey that to you.
Ques What is the meaning of the ‘anointing’, speaking of the Lord’s words, “he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor”? (chapter 4:18).
[p. 165] Could it be said of the twelve afterwards that they were anointed?
JT They were. “The Spirit of the Lord”, that is, the Spirit of Jehovah, “is upon me”. That would convey at that time what God was in grace. He quotes from Isaiah. I think Isaiah is the most evangelical of the prophets, a man who learnt how to judge himself. He saw the Lord, he says, in the year that king Uzziah died, “sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory”, (Isaiah 6:1 - 3). And then he says, “Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts”. Now the seraph comes in with the tongs. He did not touch the live coal — it is another that bears the judgment of the fire. But he takes the coal with the tongs from off the altar, and touches Isaiah’s lips. It is a question of what his lips were — what He was saying. I suppose that is what we should all have to admit, that what we are comes out in what we say. He is now cleansed, and then he is ready to be sent. So that Isaiah is aptly quoted by the Lord in chapter 4 as representative of the evangelical spirit of Scripture, and Jehovah presented there would be God as then known in grace. That was the Spirit that was upon the Lord.
Ques In the latter part of Isaiah 6 it says, “Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not” (verse 9). Is that at all analogous with what you have been saying about the parable?
JT It is; it fits in here. He is one who has [p. 166] judged himself in that sense. The idea of the tongue, or mouth, is taken into account. The Holy Spirit as coming on Christ took a bodily form. That is to say,all that God is, but in the character of a dove. The speaking would develop that — the way that God has come in, in Luke — in this holy Vessel. His speaking brings that out.
But at Pentecost the Spirit comes in in the character of cloven tongues as of fire, and they sat upon each, meaning that it is a question of speaking, and speaking by many. But the fire is to deal with what would be corrupting in our tongues, the speaking is to be pure: the Holy Spirit attends to all that in us.
Ques What do you connect with the word ‘cloven’?
JT It is ‘parted’; I suppose the speaking would be universal: “we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God”, (Acts 2:11). The divine thought was that in the coming in of the Spirit the thoughts of God should not be limited to any one tongue.
Rem Showing that the gospel is universal.
JT That is the thought. There was no need of that under the old economy, because it was one nation, now it is all. You remember the word in Luke 24:47 is “that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name”, not to all men, but “to all the nations”. The divisions under the government of God are overcome.
Ques The twelve being with Him, does it suggest that in the preaching and announcing it is necessary to have sympathy?
JT The point is that He had those by Him whom He could use. ‘Twelve’ implies spiritually that I am not thinking about myself, I am simply at the will of the Lord, so that I can be used according to His wisdom. Isaiah says, “Here am I”; he was a true servant in that [p. 167] sense.
Ques Would you say how the Lord manipulates today?
JT The principle of service is that I am available to the Lord in relation to others, for He has others as well. That is, He had twelve apostles, and each one was to be available to Him in relation to the others; He had work for each one of them. Hence Paul was the apostle to the gentiles, and Peter to the circumcision; there was no interference with each other’s ministry. Those serving are not envious of each other; they are working under the Lord, and so they are not at cross purposes. Love for one another must underlie service. The intensification of the principle is seen in the heavenly city in the measurements, governed as they are by twelve. Nowhere is it so intensified as there, showing how perfectly the city is formed in the divine nature.
Ques Do we have to get at the root of things in self-judgment to be effective as with Peter and Isaiah?
JT That is a feature which must mark those who serve. You see in the history of Peter how the Lord brings about the twelve. They must go to the root of things. Peter says, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord”; but he fell down at His knees, that is the thing.
Rem That would have to be maintained.
JT Indeed! See how Barnabas and Saul worked together beautifully, and yet in Barnabas’ strongest point he broke down in the end. The strongest point was, I think, that he unjealously brought Saul to Antioch, yet that is the point where he broke down, for he afterwards departed with Mark, allowing natural feeling to influence him.
Ques Would the ministering to Him of their substance imply support of the testimony?
JT Quite so. You see in the early part of the Acts how each held what he had as not his own. And it comes to light that Barnabas had lands, which [p. 168] he sold, and laid the money at the apostles’ feet; and then at Antioch you get those who were “well off”, (Acts 11:29) determined to send to the poor saints, which also they did. That is the way of ministering to the Lord of our substance.
Ques Has the sowing something in view for God?
JT It has. What comes out here is more the result for Him. Bringing forth fruit with patience marks the good ground. It is noticeable that in both Matthew and Mark you have a graded result, here you have a hundredfold, that is, the full result. But when you come to the explanation of the parable He does not say a ‘hundredfold’, but “with patience”. Patience is one great feature with God, and Luke would bring us to it; you are bearing fruit with patience. I think God would bring us into accord with His thought — the patience of God — how He has borne with men all these centuries. Then what follows on that is light; and then what follows on that is that I have things “whosoever has, to him shall be given”. That is what I think is going on now, those who have are getting more, and those who have not, what they seem to have is being taken from them. Light comes in after the bearing of fruit with patience. Verse 14 says that some seed fell among thorns; “these are they who having heard go away and are choked under cares and riches and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to perfection”. No doubt such have a place for a time, but they bring no fruit to perfection. Those that fall on good ground are those that hear the word and keep it, and bring forth fruit to perfection — with patience. And then, what is consequent upon that is light. It says, “No one having lighted a lamp covers it with a vessel or puts it under a couch, but sets it on a lampstand, that they who enter in may see the light”. That is an additional thought — one bearing fruit has light, and you want to see to it that [p. 169] every one who enters in sees that light. You are looking for people to enter in.
Ques Is that the Philippian position, “among whom ye appear as lights in the world”? (chapter 2:15).
JT Here it is a question of entering in; if God is working, people will be entering in. For those who seek to be in fellowship with God’s people your desire is that they should see the light. You are not covering it. The point is that it should be seen by those who enter in.
Rem The product of the sowing.
JT There is such a thing as entering in, and in entering in they see the light. But the word here is to see to it that it is not hidden. The fact that we have the light is not everything, you want the people who are entering in to see it. Why should they enter in? There is something there they do not find anywhere else; but the word here is to see to it that it is not hidden.
Rem “Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it”, (Colossians 4:17).
Ques What exactly is the entering in?
JT Well, there is something to enter into. You see, if you take the earlier verses — the Lord, and the twelve, and those holy women — there is something there to enter into, a wonderful circle indeed. What interests were there! But the Lord emphasises here that in coming in they should see the light; it should not be obscured by any selfish consideration. The lighted lamp should be set on a lampstand, not covered by a vessel or put under a bed.
Rem So that the bringing forth of fruit with patience is the maintenance of the light.
JT But there might be neglect, such as being too much engrossed in business and household affairs, and the light thus become obscured.
Ques Would the fruit be for God?
[p. 170] JT Quite so; but the light is the other side, it is for men.
Ques Is it entering into the kingdom of God?
JT No doubt. You get in the beginning of the chapter Christ, and the twelve, and those women — what an order of things that was!
Rem A circle of blessed interests, as you said.
JT Yes, indeed! We see these women ministering to the Lord in unselfishness. Mary Magdalene — think of what she would be to Christ! And what an influence in the circle! Then Peter and John, how they would get on together! Well, that indicates what there is in the fellowship of God’s Son. We want to be sure that we are not obscuring the light.
Rem There is fruit in perfection inside.
JT Yes. So that, if people come in, they come in to this. It is not only a place of light, but there are things going on there that reflect what is in heaven. If one entered into heaven, what would he see? Not only light, but persons; he would see them in their blessed relations to one another. Normally there is a representation of this in the assembly.
Then we have here, “there is nothing hid which shall not become manifest, nor secret which shall not be known”. That is another thing that is very important — hidden things come to light. Where the Holy Spirit is operating everything comes to light; the patient man knows that and he waits on God. He says, “there is nothing hid which shall not become manifest”. That is very sweeping and necessary in our fellowship. This is going on — the exposure of every dark thing, every secret thing.
Rem The heavenly city is marked by transparency.