THE GOSPEL (2)
[p. 371] THE GOSPEL (2)
Luke 1:26 - 38; Luke 2:1 - 20; Luke 3:21,22
JTJr The facts as to the Lord’s birth are before us in the first two passages read. The way the angel addresses Mary is impressive: “Hail, thou favoured one! the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou amongst women”. But then, he says, “Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favour with God”. It is a matter of selection by divine ordering; she had found favour. It is the selection of the one through whom the Lord was to come in.
JT God’s selection of a vessel.
JTJr Yes; it is well to see that she is selected as a vessel through whom the Lord was to come in.
EAL While she is referred to as a favoured one, that would be distinct from what is said of the Lord: “The holy thing ...”
JTJr Yes; the Lord derived nothing from her at all as to His Person.
JT And so, “The Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form as a dove upon him; and a voice came out of heaven. Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I have found my delight”. That is very beautiful and glorious.
JTJr So that the economy is alluded to in the verses that you have read.
JHH God had His eye on the line through which Mary came, all the way down from the beginning. The gospel of God concerning His Son was in mind.
JTJr I would say that fully; it goes back to God Himself through Adam. The human race is in mind in Luke’s gospel.
JT “And Jesus himself was beginning to be about thirty years old; being as was supposed son of Joseph ...” (Luke 3:23) The line is traced back [p. 372] to God.
JTJr Yes; the race is in mind; the line goes back through Adam to God.
ABP It has been suggested that the genealogy in Luke may be that of Mary rather than that of Joseph.
JTJr It is the line that runs through David and Nathan. The maternal side is in Luke.
ANW And yet, the word is, “As was supposed son of Joseph”, but pronounced from heaven as “my beloved Son”.
JTJr Yes, in verses 21 and 22 we have the economy brought before us. The public testimony is about to begin.
AR In chapter 1 the Lord is called “Son of the Highest”. The emphasis throughout is on the Son rather than on the woman, do you think?
JTJr The emphasis is on Christ; Mary is the selected vessel through whom He was to come in. She holds an important place, for she is called the favoured one; she had found favour with God, and as has been remarked, the selection relates to this line that goes all the way back through David to Adam and to God. So that the race is in mind.
EAL Mary is seen in Acts 1:14: “These gave themselves all with one accord to continual prayer, with several women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren”.
JTJr She would be seen there as taking her place in a right way in the assembly.
MG Is there some point in the statement that “the holy thing also which shall be born shall be called Son of God”?
JTJr Well, it may allude to what would come out in Him here in manhood, but still, the truth is there. In the next chapter the word is: “Today a Saviour has been born to you”. The idea of a Saviour is there immediately. And that is what is stressed in the gospel, a Saviour [p. 373] and salvation.
FNW Do we have the drawing near of God to man with salvation in view, all things being maintained according to what He is in Himself?
JTJr I think so. It is impressive to see that the three divine Persons are in this matter.
ABP Does Mary, in chapter 1:38, represent the feature of subjection that is to be formed in the assembly? She says, “Behold the bondmaid of the Lord; be it to me according to thy word”. Scripture speaks of the assembly being subjected to Christ.
JTJr And she is believing; Elizabeth says, “And blessed is she that hath believed” (Luke 1:45). Elizabeth knew that.
JMacK Are we to be impressed by the feelings that mark the introduction of the gospel? The women shine in providing feelings that correspond with those of the Holy Spirit. It is as though the Holy Spirit is hovering feelingly, so to speak, over the whole position, and as soon as the vessels are available He fills them. Even though Zacharias had been unbelieving, yet as soon as he comes into the matter he is filled with the Holy Spirit; “And Zacharias his father was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied” (Luke 1:67).
AR It says, in verse 35, “The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and power of the Highest overshadow thee”. The conception would be by the Holy Spirit, and the angel had knowledge of this, and that He should be called Son of God.
JMacK Yes; it would seem that the Holy Spirit had the custody of the whole matter.
Ques What does the hill country suggest?
JT A holy outlook; a good and wholesome outlook would mark the hill country.
JTJr So the conversation of the sisters is on that line; they are marked by spiritual feelings. It is a question of being in sympathy with God in what He [p. 374] is doing.
ABP This hill country is introduced in Judges 1, is it not? When it was taken possession of, good brotherly feelings prevailed, for Judah and his brother Simeon went up together to possess it.
JTJr Therefore, the idea of the hill country would allude to what is above the ordinary conversations of persons and to a place where there are good spiritual feelings amongst the brethren.
ANW Are we not at this moment in the realm where these things are the subject of conversation? It is entirely a contrast with what is filling the world.
AR Does this word ‘Highest’ bear on the idea of elevation in the hill country?
JTJr It is a name of God, of course.
JT “The Highest” is a distinctive name, a name of great respect!
JTJr So that we have the Highest, and the Holy Spirit, and then the “holy thing”, which brings in the three divine Persons. It is important to see that divine Persons are making Themselves known, and that it is a question of our being in Their presence all the time.
CAM The matter of elevation is a leading thought in Luke’s gospel.
JTJr I would think so: it is moral elevation.
JT That word ‘moral’ is a very large idea; we should be careful in our use of it.
JTJr It is a question of what is right. These women were speaking together of these great matters, therefore their minds had elevated thoughts.
JT The matter that they were speaking about was of great import.
ABP Would it be right to suppose that Luke acquired much of this information from Mary herself? And would it show the greatness of the person and of her contributions to the truth? Luke was not present at these [p. 375] occurrences.
JT That would be right; and female contribution to the truth is also right; it would give character and distinction to the whole position.
ANW She was a holy vessel that contained matter which became invested in the assembly itself.
JT That is the point that would be in the mind of the Spirit of God.
WTP It says that Mary kept these things in her mind, and pondered them in her heart.
AR You have told us that she knew things about the Lord that no one else knew.
JT I am sure she did; she kept these things in her heart; that is a good place to keep them.
ABP In that sense, should it not be encouraging to the sisters, that they can have a real part in the development of right feelings in brothers who have part in announcing the gospel?
JTJr So that the woman who anointed the body of the Lord for His burial was to be spoken of wherever the gospel is preached.
EJF Could a word be said as to the angelic service mentioned here as well as the service of the Holy Spirit? What has been said would help us as to the Spirit because we need to have right spiritual feelings as we take account of such holy matters as we have here.
JT We need right feelings in these matters.
JTJr It is not now the angels speaking but it is the Spirit of God who speaks; the Spirit of God teaches us.
EJF Yes, but is there any suggestion that angelic power and care surrounds this great occasion in view of its holiness? Man has sought to mar it.
JTJr So it says, “The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and power of the Highest overshadow thee”. That would be protection. God is in the matter in the way [p. 376] of protection.
VCL Hebrews 1:14 says that the angels are sent out for service on account of those who shall inherit salvation. Divine arrangement brought in the angels, too, because of the heirs of salvation.
ANW It is also said as to the mystery of piety, “Seen of angels”.
JTJr In chapter 2 “the holy thing” is to be seen. The angels are referred to in the first chapter in relation to John the baptist and the Lord Himself and then again in the second chapter in relation to the shepherds. This would show, I suppose, the great interest heaven had in all this great matter.
ABP Did you have in mind to say something about the economy?
JTJr Yes; the three divine Persons are seen immediately in chapter 1 — that is, the Highest would allude to God; then we have the Holy Spirit referred to, and finally, “the holy thing ... shall be called Son of God”. So that the three divine Persons are immediately before us. Then again at the opening up of the public side in chapter 3:21 reference is made to Jesus; then you have the Holy Spirit; and then you have the “voice ... out of heaven” which would be the Father’s voice. He is not mentioned by name, but from what is said it is evident that it is the Father.
ABP Is it noteworthy that the activity of divine Persons here is in relation to one another? The Lord is praying, which would no doubt be to the Father; the Holy Spirit is descending in a bodily form as a dove upon Jesus; and then the Father is speaking to the Lord Jesus and saying, “Thou art my beloved Son”. That seems to precede the public testimony.
JTJr Yes; I think it is an allusion to the activity of divine Persons in regard to the revelation of God, and then, too, in regard to meeting all that had come in through the fall. It was all met [p. 377] in Christ.
JT It is noticeable the place the Holy Spirit has in all this. It says of Simeon that “the Holy Spirit was upon him” (Luke 2:25). God has brought in great victory seeing the place the Holy Spirit has in the Scriptures and His place objectively.
Ques It is remarkable how many worshippers there are in the chapters before us. Mary, Elizabeth, Zacharias, and Simeon are responsive in the matter. Should the thought of the gospel produce worship in us, also?
JT Quite so.
FWK Holy feelings find an outlet in these cases, so that the names of divine Persons are magnified. God gets precious fruit from these selected persons.
JTJr Mary uses the titles Lord, God my Saviour, and the Mighty One; the idea of Saviour was in her mind as well as the Mighty One. These titles indicate that God would be able to complete what He had undertaken.
JMacK So that God has His praise by way of the gospel.
JTJr Quite so; Luke emphasizes that. There is so much of glory to God in the gospel.
JMacK All the healing in the gospel is to afford testimony to God, and every vessel healed is to become available for testimony Godward.
CAM Is that the basis of “the praises of Israel”?
JMacK I thought that is how the praises came about, because there is the ability to take an intelligent account of what God has wrought in souls.
AR In chapter 2:13 the celebration begins in heaven, but the gospel has in view “good pleasure in men”.
JTJr How in keeping the heavenly host is with what was in God’s mind. At the earth’s founding “the sons of God shouted for joy”(Job 38:7). Angels have a great place in God’s matters. The Revelation confirms [p. 378] that. But here and now men are brought into it by the Spirit.
FWK Men are to be characterized by joy. In the temple the disciples are found praising and blessing God. It is a kind of crown to Luke’s gospel.
JTJr Just so; there is need for right feelings in the preachers; they are not to be static in themselves; they are to be moving with what they are saying.
JMacK Praising God means that we can say something about what He has done; there is the work of God in our souls from understanding what God has wrought and we can speak about it intelligently.
JTJr Quite so; and sonship would give us to be intelligent and restful in what we say to God.
JT We read that “It came to pass, after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers and hearing them and asking them questions”(Luke 2:46).
JTJr So it is important to hear first in the temple.
JT Very good.
AR We should have knowledge of the three divine Persons and be able to worship them as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
JT We just wonder at divine Persons coming in at this juncture; it is a wonderful link in the chapter here.
JMacK In chapter 3:21,22, already alluded to, there is a certain completeness presented to us, is there not?
JTJr I think so; the testimony is about to begin and three divine Persons are presented in relation to the wonderful testimony that is about to come out.
JMacK Every marvellous divine provision for men is taken on in [p. 379] the economy.
ABP According to what is before us there is intelligent joy in heaven amongst the angelic hosts; in the hill country there is intelligent joy amongst those who have been taken up; and amongst divine Persons Themselves there seems to be a sufficiency in Themselves in the Father’s expression of delight. They, too, seem to be joying in the dispensation.
ANW Can we distinguish between our soul feelings and our spirit feelings? Mary distinguishes between soul and spirit.
JTJr Man is composed of spirit, soul and body. We do not know how angels acquired their intelligence; that is something we could not say. But what came out in these women would indicate that they had been with God, and they learned what they had to say, from their links with God. I think that is the point in sonship; it means that we come into things intelligently.
AR So that we should not be behind in worshipping the three divine Persons.
JTJr What is set out here shows that the three Persons are before us. We are always in the presence of divine Persons.
AR It is quite in order to worship the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, do you not think?
JTJr Well, it is done here.
WWM The Lord Jesus said in chapter 15, “There is joy before the angels of God for one repenting sinner” Luke 15:10. If the sinner is to come into the joy of these things, he must start that way.
EAL “The Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form as a dove upon him”. The Lord embodied the work of the Spirit and unfolded the Spirit’s operations. But when the Lord was glorified the Spirit was free to take up His abode in men.
JTJr All the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in Christ. That is important to keep [p. 380] in mind.
EAL In this gospel it says that certain were filled with the Holy Spirit, but the Lord was full of the Spirit.
JTJr The Spirit was given without measure; there is no measure; it could not be for He is a divine Person. No creature could take that place.
VCL Was it a matter of the presence and committal of the Spirit to the Lord in manhood, whereas with us it is in view of formation in us by the Spirit?
JT The Lord had come into man’s place; it is Man’s distinction.
JTJr The mystery of it all is to be kept before us. We have in chapter 1:35, “The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee”. The birth of Jesus is in mind there. Then the Holy Spirit comes upon Jesus later; it is all mystery as to just what this means. Divine Persons are acting and the natural mind is shut out. It is divine Persons acting of Themselves.
FNW “No one knows the Son but the Father”(Matthew 11:27).
JTJr Yes; there is inscrutability.
Ques In 1 Timothy 3:16, we have, “And confessedly the mystery of piety is great. God has been manifested in flesh, has been justified in the Spirit”. What is meant by “justified in the Spirit”?
JTJr Everything that Jesus did was justified; all that came out in Christ was justified in the Spirit when He came. “God has been manifested in flesh” is what we have here in Luke.
ABP What is meant by the sign in chapter 2:12? “And this is the sign to you: ye shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling-clothes, and lying in a manger”.
JTJr The political matter comes before us in this chapter, how they came up to be registered in the census; that was all divinely ordered, no doubt. And then there was this sign of a Babe wrapped in swaddling-clothes and lying in a manger. It was not in the best place in the city, but [p. 381] in a manger.
JT A very humble place.
ABP Our position today would fit?
JTJr Do you mean that we should be humble?
ABP Well, there is a great political matter on today, but we believe that what God finds distinct pleasure in today is not in the most distinguished place in the city.
JTJr You mean that, without drawing too much attention to ourselves, this meeting is of importance to heaven today, but it is not mixed up in what is prominent.
ABP Yes; and is not this sign an indication of what has characterized the dispensation, that throughout it the thing heaven delights in most is found in the most unlikely place?
JMacK So that the preponderously profound matter of God here in a Man and the lowliness of the environment go on together.
EEH The sign that was given to Ahaz in Isaiah 7 was that the virgin should bring forth a son and call his name Immanuel.
JTJr Yes, Immanuel means, “God with us”; that is seen in Matthew, I suppose. It is important that we realize that God is with us.
JT The Spirit of God is here.
JHP Would the sign bear upon the restrictions of the present day such as we find ourselves in this afternoon? We are restricted as to numbers and the room in which we meet and so on. I thought that possibly the swaddling-clothes may suggest the limitation into which divine grace has seen fit to come. We would not look for anything great outwardly.
JTJr We would go along with what is in keeping with the gospel; it is a very great matter, of course, in view of what is coming out, but the external side, at the moment, is not for display. It is a question of what is to be [p. 382] displayed spiritually.
JHP And coming into Christianity we would recognize that this characterizes the whole position, and will continue to do so right to the end, I suppose.
JTJr So we should keep humble and shun any exterior show.
EJF Are the shepherds a sample company? It says, “And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God”. Would our understanding of the gospel lead up to this?
JTJr I think so; it is a question of understanding, and that leads to sonship. It is a question of how things are understood. Sonship is in mind and we advance in it. Intelligence is acquired and we are thus able to apprehend things as the Spirit has scope in us.
EM Gabriel says, “I ... stand before God” (Luke 1:19). The result of the gospel is that we are equipped to stand before God.
SW Have you anything to say about praying? It says in verse 21, “Jesus having been baptized and praying”. Is that in view of the gospel being presented? In the next chapter Jesus enters into the synagogue and reads where it says, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me”(Luke 3:18).
JTJr Prayer is emphasized in Luke. There is more about it here than in any other gospel. It has in mind a Man here dependent upon God; the Lord came in that way, as dependent upon God.
AR The exclamation is, “Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I have found my delight”.
JTJr God had found His delight in Him; it was a backward look at this point. We see Him sitting in the temple; it was to hear first. I think we need help in regard of the temple. The idea of the temple works out amongst us and we need to be ready to hear when we come into the temple.
FWK “The Lord Jehovah hath given me the tongue of the instructed that I should know how to succour by a word him that is weary. He wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the instructed”, (Isaiah 50:4). I suppose that speaking and setting forth of the glad tidings would be on the principle of prayer and dependence.
JTJr In that sense we have to be learners individually, in our homes and in every matter, so that when we come into the assembly it is a question of what is there in each person; what intelligence there is with each one.
CFE Anna is a good example of one in the temple.
JTJr Yes; she was an old sister but she came into these wonderful things and she prophesied about them.