THE ASSEMBLY AS CARED FOR AND AS ADMINISTERING
[p. 192] THE ASSEMBLY AS CARED FOR AND AS ADMINISTERING
Acts 20: 28; 1 Corinthians 3: 9 - 17; 1 Corinthians 1: 1 - 3
JT What is in mind is to call attention to the assembly as divine property involving divine rights, and that we may see, first of all, how it is cared for, as is indicated in the verse in Acts 20 and in the scriptures read in 1 Corinthians. Then, as it is of divine workmanship, we should see what function it is intended to fill. These thoughts are important as applied in their principle today; and we should consider first how the assembly is cared for. We have in the type of the assembly in Genesis, as seen in Isaac and Rebecca, an allusion to Rebecca’s nurse, which, I think, conveys the thought of tender care, considerate care too, as indeed is formally stated in 1 Thessalonians and implied in Paul’s remarks to the elders of Ephesus who were said to have their office from the Holy Spirit. Indeed it is said, “The Holy Spirit has set you as overseers”. It is not only a question of the care of Christ, but the Spirit as having first hand knowledge — as, of course, Christ has too — is here to convey to us first-hand knowledge of the needs of the saints, and those who are, in any sense, in the position of care are accordingly responsible. And not only care, but there is authority exercised, and feelings, affections and intimate knowledge of what is needed. Accompanying this instruction to the elders at Ephesus, we have the remark, somewhat difficult to understand in the Authorised Version, as to “The assembly of God, which he [that is God] has purchased with the blood of his own” (not ‘His own blood’ ) pointing to the place that Christ has in this sense as God’s own, pointing, too, to what the assembly is, not exactly in intrinsic worth, but what it is because [p. 193] of the cost.
ASL Would it be the blood of His own Son, as “He that spared not his own Son”?
JT That would be the force of it. The phrase itself is applied to Jesus, “Came to his own”.
ASL And they were angry with Him in John 5: 18 because He said that “God was his own Father”.
FSM You referred to the apostle who had been gentle in the midst of the Thessalonians and cherished them as a nurse would cherish her own children — is that the spirit in which the overseeing is to take place?
JT That was what I had in mind, as foreshadowed in Rebecca’s nurse. Jacob was directed to go up to Bethel, which he did, and it is said that Rebecca’s nurse died, as if the point was reached where care no longer applied. For we have to understand, that whilst the assembly is to be cared for, it, in its turn, cares for others. Care has in mind that it should function in relation to others, and in the exercise of divine government down here. The point is, it is “the assembly of the living God, the pillar and base of the truth” (1 Timothy 3: 15).
Ques Would the expression in Thessalonians, “As a nurse would cherish her own children”, involve that Paul valued the Thessalonians?
JT Yes, he valued them as his own children, with that kind of affection — a nurse for her own children — meaning that he valued them in the affections of a mother and with the skill of a nurse. That is what is in mind, I think. The nurse is not a hired servant, she is in the capacity of a mother.
Ques How would this work out in a locality?
JT Well, that you care for those in your meeting from the standpoint of what they have cost, and then from the standpoint of the family. The idea of ‘purchased’ is not a family thought, it is the acquirement of property that has not earlier been held. The family thought is by birth, that is, the saints are [p. 194] viewed as of the family, and a brother, like yourself or myself, in our respective localities, views the saints, not merely according to what they cost, but according to their family connection, the family links. And then, further, what they are in moral beauty, as all fathers and mothers are not only affected by the fact that their children are theirs, but they are affected by what the children are, that is, they are lovable. We may have to tax ourselves to apply the thought of lovableness to some, but we ought to learn, in that connection, to think of saints abstractly, if we are certain a person is a saint — we are entitled to do that. God does it, and John’s epistle teaches us how to do it. I think these thoughts entering into our local position make the service pleasurable, although it is burdensome, and, applied all round, it involves general care entering into and seen in what we call the care meeting. This is a most important meeting, for it is a meeting in which those who have the care (and, of course, everyone should have care) devote an hour or two hours to think entirely of the saints as to how they are getting on and other matters that run with that. I think heaven has great pleasure in those hours when brethren are giving themselves up to think of how the saints are getting on and whether things could be done to make repairs, or to add to what there is.
ASL As a matter of fact, these men of whom we were speaking were overseers of the local assembly at Ephesus.
JT They are said to be ‘set’ as overseers in the local assembly.
HPW Is it open to desire to be an overseer? Here they are ‘set’ which is more formal, but can any brother who desires to serve have this before him?
JT We have the formal statement in 1 Timothy 3: 1, it says, “If any one aspires to exercise oversight”.
[p. 195] The first thought as regards the office is that one may aspire to it, and then we have the instructions as to what he must be. If you aspire to anything in God’s realm, it must be on His terms — that is what is meant. But in Acts 14 we are told that the apostles chose themselves elders — they chose them, they made their own selection, meaning that, whilst it is a thing to be aspired to, sovereignty is involved and must be recognised.
Ques Is it right there should be the desire for oversight, but, in connection with it, there must be moral qualifications?
JT That is what comes out in the verses in 1 Timothy 3 we have referred to. If anyone proffers himself in the divine service, God lays down His terms, and makes it plain they must be adhered to.
ASL An overseer in one locality would not be that in another, would he?
JT No, it is always local. It says in Titus 1: 5, “Establish elders in each city;” in Acts 14: 23 it is “Having chosen them elders in each assembly”. Here it is, “Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock, wherein the Holy Spirit has set you as overseers”.
ASL Is the distinction between gift and oversight or deacon work vitally important? Of course, they might be combined in the same person, but are they distinct?
JT They might be combined, but the latter are evidently, as was remarked, local. Gift is never treated as local. A gift may live in a place, but the bearing of the gift is universal.
ASL That is an important distinction, for we read of the elders of the assembly at Ephesus, but they would not be bishops or deacons or elders if they went to Corinth.
JT No, but such a one might have the gift of government; it is very likely he would. The gift of [p. 196] government would go with eldership, and the gift of government would qualify him to speak in any meeting.
ASL Those who labour are to be respected, and especially those who labour in word and doctrine.
JT Quite so.
Ques Might a gift of government give help in difficulties, or is it only local?
JT “God has set certain in the assembly” (not the local assembly there in 1 Corinthians 12: 28) and among these are gifts of government, and therefore they are available anywhere. If saints are wise they will use them too, for they are set in the assembly. Just as you might give room for an evangelist or teacher, so a gift of government is a most important gift, and, if available, should be used.
Ques Is not “the assembly of God, which he has purchased with the blood of his own” a little more extensive?
JT The word ‘assembly’ at Ephesus is used in a spiritual way for the whole assembly, but that does not set aside the fact that there is a local assembly at Ephesus. The assembly at Corinth is the assembly we should always think of in dealing with a local assembly, for it is the epistle that specially treats of that subject.
ASL The verses we read in chapter 1 are most helpful as to what the assembly of God in a place is.
JT We may come to that. We need to get the idea of care; if the assembly is to function as God intends, it must be cared for.
Ques Would the thought of “purchased with the blood of his own” cause us to assess every assembly on earth with this same high value?
JT That is right, for the local assembly in principle includes all. “Thus I ordain in all the assemblies” — they would be local. There should be no difference at all in the assemblies.
[p. 197] Rem Even the thought in Romans 15: 6 of seeking to help one another is to the end “that ye may with one accord, with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”. That brings in the thought of what it should be for God, does it not?
JT Quite so, and it is a mutual sort of care in Romans; the idea of care attaches to each of us.
Rem I was thinking the end in view is that there might be something for God, for “with one mouth” refers to the assembly.
JT Quite so.
Rem The apostle wants to guard against any lording it over God’s possession: those whom we serve are God’s people.
JT I think, according to the requirements of 1 Timothy 3, an elder has necessarily grown up in the local setting. If one has grown faster than others, he would never lose sight of the fact that he is one of the brethren, and that saves him from officialism and enables him to get down to the brethren, and think of each brother and sister in the locality as of the assembly. Extending care to each or any simply means that I am caring for the assembly, and I think the idea of care for one another should never be lost sight of, the youngest christian ought to begin at the outset to care for others.
Ques Why does the apostle use the similitude of the flock and the thought of shepherding here in Acts 20?
JT The first thought is, “Take heed therefore to yourselves” and then, “to all the flock;” that is, your love is general. Then it is, “shepherd the assembly”. It is remarkable the word ‘shepherd’ is applied to the assembly. The flock is alluded to to bring in all the saints; the flock is just so many saints, but the assembly is a corporate thought, and it is the corporate thought God has in His mind. To get the saints to see that they are linked up corporately [p. 198] and organically so that they may function together is what is in mind.
Ques What scripture would you suggest to support the care meeting as we understand it?
JT Acts 15 — the apostles and elders or elder brethren, came together to consider the matter. I have always regarded that as a text for the care meeting. We have no official elders now, but we have those who care unofficially, and it is right that we should come together to consider matters.
Ques Would you say, however many gatherings there might be in one city, there could be but one care meeting?
JT Well, in that sense. There was the assembly at Jerusalem and Paul and Barnabas were received by the assembly there. In view of the special matter that came up in Antioch, the apostles and elders came together to consider it. The consideration is interspersed with wonderful information furnished by Barnabas and Paul as to the work of God among the gentiles; that is to say, the occasion was in line and vivified by information about the work of God everywhere. It is important to bring that in. And then, the consideration having taken place, we have Peter standing up in the midst of the brethren and setting out the principles that govern the position. That is another important matter. Job says, “How hast thou ... abundantly declared the thing as it is?” (Job 26: 3). That is to say, it is important to shut out all bias and personal feelings! Then they had further conversation. There was a large number of brethren there; and then James confirms what Peter says — that is, you have two witnesses. There were many witnesses as regards the matter in hand, but there are two witnesses most prominent as to the principles that govern the position. That is one of the greatest things you can think of in this matter, to have the thing fully set out by competent witnesses,
[p. 199] and then, to have the facts and the principles. Finally, all these being furnished, we are told they wrote a letter. It says, “It seemed good to the apostles and to the elders, with the whole assembly”. Then, “It has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us” — that is the decision, the thing is carried into effect and set out authoritatively. I think that is the idea as to our care meetings. We have to be very small and humble about them, but there is the general thought of the facts being accurately set out on the principle of witness, and then the principles, and then the decision. So that the apostles and the elders with the whole assembly were brought into it.
ASL There is no decision apart from the whole assembly.
JT That is the idea.
Rem “That every matter may stand upon the word of two witnesses or of three” (Matthew 18: 16).
JT Yes, that is one of the maxims laid down in the second letter to Corinth.
Ques What have you in mind when you refer to the assembly involving saints acting organically — what does that convey?
JT I was speaking first about the care and watchfulness that is needed that all the saints are brought into this, that they might see what they are called to, not only in heaven but now, in carrying out the government of God. Israel being set aside, the assembly is the vessel for that, and every saint is to be brought into it, to see what he is called to in the way of functioning in divine administration. Now care is that all the young brothers and sisters are brought into it; they are brought to see by attention, by care and by teaching, what this great vessel is. So the Lord told Paul He had much people at Corinth, and, as soon as that is recorded, it is added the apostle stayed at the place for eighteen months, teaching the word of God. That alludes to the [p. 200] tabernacle in the wilderness, that God is going to have a vessel organically formed, set up here, for the setting out of His thoughts; that is what is in mind. It is a very great matter that the young saints should come into this, and the elder ones are responsible to bring them into it.
Ques Would the teaching of the Lord Jesus in Matthew 18 as to the possibility of a sheep going astray help us in our localities?
JT That is right. Sheep are contemplated as going astray, and the Lord pictured a shepherd going after one. Then He goes on to speak of a brother offending another, which enters into what we are saying. How is this matter going to be settled? That is what Matthew 18 teaches. It is to be settled by the brothers, if possible, settling it between themselves. We should not burden the assembly more than necessary, whether it be in providing for material needs, or exercising judgment. If two brothers can settle a matter between themselves, it is what the Lord directs; but, if that be impossible, the word is “tell it to the assembly”, without saying a word as to what the assembly means. It had already been mentioned in chapter 16; now it is assumed to be known, and the Lord says, “tell it to the assembly”. That is what we want to come to, what is involved in the assembly as mentioned in Matthew 18.
Ques Do we not have to be very careful not to make a thing an assembly matter that is not suitable to consider there?
JT I think that is what is meant. “Let not the assembly be charged” is mentioned in regard to another matter, but it is an important principle. To use common language, let it be settled out of court — it is much better.
Ques Would not the thought of covering come in in telling a brother his fault between “thee and him alone”?
[p. 201] JT Quite so. The more circumscribed evil is the better; it is only when all else fails that it should be brought to the assembly.
FI If we get the care meeting in Acts 15 do we get the basis of it in Matthew 18: 20, “Where two or three are gathered together unto my name, there am I in the midst of them”?
JT Well, that fits in with our own times. “Again I say unto you ...” is a division in the chapter. The earlier part of the chapter contemplates the assembly as intact, as set up by the apostles. But when the Lord says, “Again I say unto you”, He refers to later times. “Two of you” refers to two of the assembly; and then “two or three” of the assembly as gathered to the Lord’s name have Him. I think we should recognise that in our so-called care meetings, so that there is power to deal with matters; it is, “There am I in the midst of them”. The Lord keeps the persons in mind; they are so pleasurable to Him, those of the assembly; He is in the midst of them.
FI If we have a sense of the Lord’s presence there it will steady us.
JT How great a matter it is when we are dealing with these cases to exclude all bias and personal feelings and to deal with the matter as it is, letting all the facts be furnished, and counting that the Lord is there. He is there specifically in regard to the matter we have on hand, and He knows what we have come together for. He is thoroughly with us, and He is with us according to what we have in our minds — that is how He regards us. It says the Lord was with David, and the Lord is with us; He is not less interested than we in anything that is going on, and how interested a spiritual man is in a meeting in a difficult case. Well, the Lord says, ‘I am with you throughout’ — “There am I in the midst of them” — we are doing the thing.
[p. 202] Ques Do you think the recognition of the status “my assembly” in Matthew 16 would sober and help us as to what we may bring to it as indicated in Matthew 18?
JT Quite so. How glorious a matter it is that it is Christ’s assembly!
Ques Would this thought of shepherding in Acts 20 be important as following on the verse where Paul has not shunned to declare the whole counsel of God? I wondered whether those who took up care would be in their measure in the light of that.
JT That is right.
Ques And the persons being cared for are saints by calling; would that enter into it?
JT Just so. They are saints by calling as Paul was an apostle by calling — that is the basis of our position.
Now in 1 Corinthians 3 we have the assertion that the Corinthians were God’s husbandry and God’s building. God’s husbandry is an agricultural thought with a view to fruit; but they are God’s building with a view to dwelling and with a view to the assembly functioning, and it runs on to the thought of the saints being the temple. The elders are telling you that you are essential to this institution where God’s mind is to be made known; you are essential to this great matter, and you should attend all the meetings, because it is in the meetings that the mind of God is made known. Then those who are building are to be given to understand that they must be building right material or they will interfere with the divine thought. Everything must make for the divine thought that the company is to be the temple where God speaks, and every one is essential to it, so that each should be there in intelligence. Any real exercise may be taken up by the Spirit at any given time and used to convey the mind [p. 203] of God for all, for the Spirit operates with what is there in the meeting as we come together, and He might take up my exercise and use it to convey the mind of God to all; so that it is essential I should be there. I think that is what is meant in Acts 2: 1 in saying they were all there.
Ques When you speak of what is organic, do you mean that each brother and sister should hold themselves as responsible to function like each member of the human body?
JT That is what is in mind. Sisters are there, they are not speaking, of course, but that does not mean they are not thinking or feeling. They ought never to be there as members of a congregation. As sitting there in assembly we are sitting in relation to others, and the Spirit takes account of my attitude and uses me in it to bring about the great organic thought. So that the exercise in any one of us in that way becomes general; the brother who may be speaking conveying the mind of God, is affected by what is present, by the wealth that is there.
Ques Is not that a very serious but wonderful thought you have just expressed that the brother speaking is affected by the wealth or otherwise that is there?
JT It is very important, but it is encouraging, too, to those who minister. The presence of spiritual sisters is apt to be helpful. The presence of unspiritual ones is apt to hinder. That is what is so serious about coming to a meeting without exercise.
Rem Paul speaks about not being able to say certain things because of unspirituality, but among the perfect he said he could speak the wisdom of God.
JT Well, I think many come to meetings just as people go to church to hear the minister; the whole matter is in his hands; they have no responsibility at all. That is not the church of God; the church of God is that each person is of it and responsible as [p. 204] in it, and if it is to function according to His mind, I must be there, and there in exercise. “The temple of God is holy”.
ASL Would exercise be that of faith?
JT I think that is one of the first things, that we come together in faith, and then that we are able to abstract ourselves. The power of abstraction is such a great thing in christianity, to be able to abstract your mind from other things for the moment and devote yourself to one thing.
ASL And with faith there would be expectancy.
JT Yes. If we get the organic thought that the assembly is an organism, it will help us, for an organism requires refinement of mind and affection and ability to shut out for the moment extraneous things, things that might be right in their own place, but not now.
Ques Would the assembly in that sense be set over against all in this world where the scene is filled with the thought of organisations? Would the assembly as a living organism be God’s answer to that?
JT That is the thought, and what a marvellous thing that is, that God should set up His assembly here so fortified and ramified that it should be immune from all the influences around, that God should have His place in it and His mind be told out.
ASL That is a fine distinction between organism and organisation.
JT Yes, organisation is a question of public order; we come together and sit down in assembly, and there are notices and what not to be given out — these are all public, done exactly as they should be done. So the apostle constantly refers to the instructions; the thing is properly ordered, adjusted, you may say, organised. Things are done according to the mind of God, because it says He is the God of order. But an organism requires more than order; there are [p. 205] unseen conditions in an organism. I mean, conditions that do not appear on the surface, but the effect of them appears.
ASL An organism would be a living thing; organisations would be rules and regulations with a committee to see that they are enforced.
JT Yes, the word ‘body’ here contemplates it is something living, “We, being many, are ... one body”. Each one of us has the thing in his own physical constitution.
Ques Do we see that worked out when, in Acts 6, they were told to choose seven men, and they chose out seven men and among them Stephen who was full of faith and of the Holy Spirit? Does it not show what material there was there in the way they acted?
JT Yes, that was in Stephen’s service as a deacon. A deacon’s work is that of a novice, but the organism includes every brother and sister in a locality and each should function in his or her place. There are organs in the human body that are governed by the mind, and there are organs that are self-acting, not dependent on the mind: a very remarkable thing, which refers to the body of Christ also, that there are affections, there are feelings, moving — you are conscious of them. If you stand up to speak to the saints, you must use your mind, but, sitting with the saints spiritually, there are movements that are not directed by the mind: the more spiritual we are the more of them there are. So the psalmist says, “My reins instruct me” (Psalm 16: 7), showing how throughout, the believer is viewed as in the body. He may be a member that functions because he loves; the thing is always there, love is always there. Love functions itself, indeed love is spoken of almost as if it were a person in this epistle — it never fails.
Ques Verse 9 says, “Ye are God’s husbandry;” would not that suppose there is some formation going on which should be available when we are together?
JT [p. 206] You mean the fruit is developed?
Rem Yes, there is something there. God’s husbandry is not a barren piece of ground with no flowers or fruit of any kind; there is something going on, some development.
Ques Is not the husbandry the fruit of patient labour? Can we not reverently suggest the patience of God in grace?
JT Quite so.
Ques When it says, “Let each see how he builds”, does it refer only to those who minister or to each one?
JT I think the idea is that love edifies. No doubt Paul is alluding to those who minister, for the saints are formed by what they receive in the way of teaching, but the general principle is that love edifies. If love is amongst us it works for the self-edification of the body in love. But I have no doubt when the apostle says, “Let each see how he builds” he refers to those who minister, for there were those who were producing bad doctrine. We must be careful in our ministry that we are governed by Scripture, that we are not ministering fanciful things, for saints are very apt to take on fanciful things. We have to watch that, the minister has to watch it above all, that he presents what is scriptural.
Ques Is the thought that there is that which is valuable and that which is worthless in regard to these things?
JT Manifestly. First, gold, silver, precious stones; secondly, wood, grass, straw. Wood might be used in a building, but the apostle is not dealing with that; he is using a symbol to show what is real or acceptable and what is not. The first three, I think, are what abides; the second three will be burnt up by the judgment of God.
Rem But not the [p. 207] workman.
JT No, not if he is a christian. Then there are those who corrupt the temple of God by wicked teaching — these are destroyed, a terrible thought that! The first paragraph in the epistle contemplates the assembly in its status in a locality as a vessel for God. The word ‘assembly’ was common among the Jews, of course, and among the Greeks it was very common; hence the force of the word as implying something for God, that He has such a thing as that. It is viewed later as over against the Jewish synagogue, and the like, and then the gentile temple, and then the assembly of God — God has that, He has that kind of property. He differentiates as to kinds of property, and these verses speak of a certain kind of property that belongs to God. But the saints are viewed as His assembly in a city.
ASL And the thought in the word ‘assembly’ is definitely a company called out just as truly as Abraham was called out; ecclesia means that.
JT Yes, so it is not of the world, it is called out of it. “Of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who has been made to us wisdom from God, and righteousness, and holiness, and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1: 30). That is to say, the saints, as of God, form it, an assembly implying intelligence, a vessel God can use for the carrying out of His thoughts and His government in this world — a very, very great thing.
ASL Into which no thought of nationality can enter.
JT Quite so.
Ques Would not the greatness of that thought give it the first place in our hearts?
JT That is what I am trying to stress, that the elders make it their business to impress on the young people that they are essential to this. And think of the dignity of it, that they are called out to be a vessel here superior to the world, for the carrying [p. 208] out of divine thoughts, of the government of God, in this world.
ASL That was God’s thought for Israel, to be separated from all people to be for God, so it dates from Abraham’s day.
Ques Why does it go on to say, “With all that in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”?
JT It is to bring out the universal bearing of the local position, that we are not independent churches, or assemblies like some of the sects. For instance, there are certain of them who are congregationalists. That is to say, the whole matter is in the congregation; it is not true; that is not in the mind of God. The congregation refers to this particular company, whereas the assembly of God is local, but the bearing of it is universal. Hence we should never, in our local administration, refuse a visiting brother to have part in it, for the universal idea should always be present. How beautiful, how dignified this is! “The assembly of God which is in Corinth;” the point is, there is the local city. Then, you must not shut out the other, “with all that in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both theirs and ours”.
Ques In Numbers you get the whole assembly of the children of Israel, and then they are numbered as of their tribes, but “the whole assembly of the children of Israel” would involve the universal thought.
JT It would.
Ques You have referred several times emphatically to the assembly of God. Would it help us to understand our position better in the light of that if we understood that everything outside of it really pertains to the assembly of the wicked, therefore we must value increasingly God’s [p. 209] assembly?
JT Yes, there is dignity attaching to it that is of God. If you think of Corinth, what it was, you might go into the city (one has often pictured it) and there might be a Jewish synagogue in the street, and a heathen temple, and then an assembly of God. Anyone might go down the street and go in one after another; then he finally comes to the assembly of God and finds these people. What a difference there is in the idea of temple! You come into the assembly of God, where men and women are sitting in subjection to one another and to the Lord, and they are marked by intelligence and holiness — what an atmosphere! If I am at all exercised, I sit down there and I say, ‘This is my place, I am at home here. The environment answers to my exercises and my needs’. Indeed, that is what is said one falls down there, as the ministry is going on, and acknowledges “that God is indeed amongst you”. What that is to heaven! What God has here in that way! And, of course, the thought is that brothers and sisters here in Coventry might see they are essential to all this, they are called to all this, so that there might be some little setting out of God in this city, of His mind, and His order. The Lord’s supper should be seen as showing that the Lord is rejected; it is all known in this circle, everything is understood, it is where you get everything resolved — everything in this world is cleared there. You love to answer to the Lord’s words “my assembly”, and then “God’s assembly;” that word is very much loved in heaven, and heaven is looking down to see it exemplified in however few of us there may be in the places where we are.