FELLOWSHIP AND ASSOCIATION WITH CHRIST
[p. 488] FELLOWSHIP AND ASSOCIATION WITH CHRIST
Luke 5:l-ll; John 21:5 - 14; Matthew 17:26,27
JT The scriptures read, involving fishing scenes, are intended of the Lord to help us first in regard to fellowship (Luke 5); then in regard to Christ in resurrection (John 21); and finally (Matthew 17), in regard to sonship, our association with Him in sonship. The reason why fellowship is suggested in Luke 5, is that we have the word partners used twice. There are two words, both signifying fellowship. The first, in verse 7, is partnership that can be reckoned on to afford assistance; the second time the word occurs, in verse 10, it denotes fellowship in the true sense, what we have in common. I think it will be seen that the Spirit of God has recorded the facts of this remarkable miracle with this end in view; for there are many who are glad to receive help, and count on others for it, but who do not go so far as the recognition of fixed relations in fellowship.
Ques Do you suggest that there are two kinds of partnership?
JT Well, it is rather two phases of the same thing, the first is in the sense that others are obligated to help you spiritually, and you count on that. In a certain way generally, all are in that relation. So, in the need that existed, they called on their partners in the other ship to come and help them. They were in the other ship, but still partnership existed.
Rem The word used in verse 7 is also used in Hebrews 6:4 — “partakers of the Holy Spirit”.
JT Quite so. Here the point we are seeking to make is help, in the sense that there are others who could help on this principle, and they are called upon to help.
MWB Is that the first way in which we should express fellowship practically?
JT [p. 489] Well, it ought to be an incentive to come into it, to come into what is available, if we obtain spiritual help, for it is only by the Spirit of God that we really get help; and if help is obtained in a spiritual way as from the Spirit of God, there should be a further move to where this is.
CAC Is that thought largely entered into in 1 Corinthians? I was thinking of the power for edification in the assembly.
JT It does. The ministry, especially prophetic ministry, extends far and wide, and people get help from it, and that ought to be a great incentive to move in the direction whence the help comes. Is that in your mind?
CAC Yes.
DLH Would you say that all Christians are in this fellowship that you are speaking of?
JT Well, it is a question of the obligation to help, but I would hardly go so far as to include them in the fellowship, because the word in verse 10 as applied to Christians contemplates mutual obligation to be free of evil. The use made of it in 1 Corinthians implies that we are obligated to one another in regard to our associations in the light; but certainly as those who know that, we are ready to own our obligations to Christians, to help them, whoever or wherever they may be. I was only thinking of the idea of help, that there were those who could be reckoned on for help in time of need. That was what I had in mind, not to extend the idea of fellowship in 1 Corinthians to all, because it cannot be extended to them save in the sense that they are free of evil, at least in principle. But then, there is the obligation to help any Christian.
Ques Would Aquila and Priscilla be an example of this in taking Apollos to them, and then the brethren writing to the disciples to receive him, and when he had come he “contributed much to those who believed through grace”?(Acts 18:[p. 490] 27)
JT That is a good example. Apollos was not yet fully owned as in fellowship, but there was much there evidently to indicate that he was on the way, and needed help, and Aquila and Priscilla were ready to extend it, and to do it well, so that he came into the fellowship and the service of God, and was commended and commendable. If there had not been help at that time, and given in the way it was, he would probably have continued as he had been, in an uncertain state and relation.
MWB If there is need in one locality, is it within the scope of fellowship to ask for help from another?
JT Well, I am glad you mention that, because there is a constant danger of what we may call Congregationalism — independency and self-sufficiency in meetings. Whilst in a certain sense it is designed that the local assembly should be self-sustaining, as having the Spirit and the elderhood, yet the universal fellowship must not be lost sight of, and that any help or ability to help anywhere should be available, and availed of too, in a seemly and subject way. The thought fits in here, they were within range, it was not a message sent, they were beckoned to.
MWB Though they were in another boat, they were in the same partnership.
JT You have in your mind that the two boats might be used to illustrate two meetings?
MWB Yes, I was wondering whether we should not only be attracted by the advantages of help being available, but is there not a sense in which we should accept the obligation of rendering help?
JT Well, I think we ought to hold ourselves in that attitude, not to be ready to say. ‘It is not my business’, because it is; whether we intervene profitably or otherwise, certainly we should make it a matter of our business, as governed by general principles, in the way of prayer. Another thing that comes out here is that the Lord is in the midst of all this, the situation [p. 491] arises from an act of His, not an act of evil, but an act of Christ, bringing out who He is; and it would be in the way of blessing, which this may be taken to illustrate. Surely we should be ready to lend a hand and make the most of the blessing, that nothing should be lost, because there are diversities of gifts; the man whom the Lord may use to get souls, to launch out into the deep, may not be able to teach the word of God as Paul could, so that a teacher would be useful, if available.
Ques When they heard that Peter was at Lydda, they at Joppa sent for him. Would you make a difference between that and beckoning?
JT Well, I think there is a difference. They were very urgent in sending for Peter — he must not fail to come. Then the message from Cornelius was the result of direction from heaven to send for him. So that those who can help should be always ready, and availed of by those who are in need, whether in the way of blessing or dealing with evil.
Ques Did the testimony come into Europe on that principle?
JT “Come over into Macedonia, and help us”, (Acts 16:9). Quite so. This partnership is very convenient, people who go along together, and can beckon to each other. It indicates an understanding between them; and it is well that brethren in localities should understand each other.
MWB We have sometimes limited the invitation to questions of need or service, and difficulties. Would it extend so far as circumstances where there is a great depletion of the number of brethren available for the Supper? I was thinking of such circumstances as occur in the north of Scotland, when a large number of brothers are away on their calling. Would it be becoming for a meeting nearby to recognise their obligations and go over and be present at [p. 492] the Supper?
JT Very much so. It is a question of supporting the weak.
CAC That is very good.
Ques In saying that Peter guarded himself in going, were you referring to those he took with him?
JT Yes. In meeting difficulties at Jerusalem he was particular to mention “these six brethren” who had accompanied him — an indication that we may take as many as possible if we feel special witness as to any matter is needed; and the sequel showed he was wise in that. If there was any question about it, he had these brethren to appeal to. So that in all these matters we should not expose ourselves, in the extension of help, to the charge of interference. If there are those who are ready to make a charge of interference, it is important to forestall them.
Ques How do you regard the fishes? It seems the Lord is blessing Simon in this great haul of fishes.
JT Yes, it is a scene of blessing; it is introduced by the reference to the word of God, there were those who “pressed on him to hear the word of God”. If the brethren come together to hear the word of God, you can look for something. The Lord called attention to that, and He acted according to the circumstances. It was a seaside matter; it is not a resurrection scene, it is in the sea — God’s way in the seas, and we see the abundance there is. I think the Lord is on these lines: He saw the ships standing there, and entering into one which was Simon’s, He asked him to draw out a little way, so that He taught from the sea, from the boat. It is a suggestion of what is in the deep — the realm of God’s sovereignty; therefore the scene is one of blessing. In the midst of it we have this great acknowledgment of Simon, which we should look for in times of blessing — not simply the catch, but the judgment of sin, true repentance towards God. He fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man. Lord”. But then the Lord was there; it was not a situation [p. 493] where the Lord would depart from him. It was a situation where Peter’s need could be met. The Lord was there, but He made no effort to preserve the fish; the ships were in danger of sinking, but the Lord did not remedy that part; it was a question of partnership; help coming in that way, and that is exactly what comes into view.
Ques Does it connect with Psalm 8:8, “whatever passeth through the paths of the seas”?
JT Exactly; all was put under Him, really His deity is implied; it refers to creation. The sea is a great scene of activity on the part of the Lord, and here there are remarkable results, but He does not attempt to remedy the danger of losing people, that was for the partners; that principle of help now comes in.
Rem These conditions are sometimes allowed to test the availability of love, and the ability to see where help is needed.
JT That is exactly the point, I think, to bring out the working of the divine nature in us, what God delights in. The Lord does so much, but then He leaves much; it is for the partners; and that, of course, implies every one of us, no one should regard himself as exempt from the obligation to help the saints.
Ques Is what you were saying illustrated in Isaiah 41:6? “They helped every one his neighbour, and each said to his brother. Take courage”.
JT They were going to make a god there.
MWB That was partnership in an evil matter.
JT It should rebuke us as to whether we are as diligent in our partnership as the idol-makers are. The partners here in Luke were equal to their obligation. The tenth verse would bring out that they were more than helpers, they were really in heart together — really partners: that is what God looks for in our fellowship. It is a fixed thing with us. The mutual astonishment comes in there, all were affected by the work of God.
MWB [p. 494] So they were not only one in action, they were one in being.
JT That is what verses 9 and 10 mean. It says, “For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: and so was also James, and John, the Sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon”. They were not called brethren here, but just “sons of Zebedee”. The point is, they are partners with Simon, that is, really with him in the thing, no jealousy existent.
DLH The word in the original means that they shared and shared alike.
JT That helps us. I should like to see that spirit amongst us and generally, people marked by proper feelings about others, being affected by what God is doing; and then the Lord, as it were, honours that in saying to Simon, “Fear not; henceforth thou shalt be catching men” — not merely one event, but it would be his occupation.
LDM Verse 7 says, “they beckoned to their partners”, changing from Simon to them all.
JT I think it is to bring out the collective thought.
AWGT Does what you say preserve us from the independency as to help from brethren nearby?
JT Well, it does. Independency is often expressed in brethren in a locality saying of a certain thing, ‘It is our matter’. Maybe your ship will sink and you will lose everything! When the spirit and attitude of independency becomes fixed, the Lord may say, “Your house is left unto you”, (Luke 13:35).
Rem Then it is a great matter that in our localities we should be spiritually near one another, and view one another for good, so that power would come in.
JT You can see how the Lord intends that; 1 Corinthians 12 shows that the economy of the assembly is in that setting.
Ques Would Judah inviting Simeon to help him in his lot be an [p. 495] illustration?
JT A good illustration. We have often noted that Simeon’s lot was inside Judah’s, which would have a tendency to vex; but it did not, excellent relations prevailed between them, so that Simeon helped Judah in his warfare to secure his possession, and Judah helped Simeon. It is really a love matter. The danger of sinking brought out the relation of partnership, and readiness to help, and then feeling together (verses 9,10), due to the great results.
MWB Just as Paul and Barnabas, as they went up to Jerusalem, declared on their way the conversion of the gentiles, causing great joy, rejoicing in the mercy of God to the nations.
JT That is good. Then another thing is that Simon is to be catching men: that it is to be his occupation: “thou shalt be catching men”. He is not to be simply a person known to be a fisherman, but one who catches men.
JW Why does the Lord single out Peter in this service?
JT I think He intended to make him first: “First ... Peter”, (Matthew 10:2). Luke does not give us the calling of the apostle as Matthew and Mark do; the first mention we have of Simon is in chapter 4; and they are not seen as pairs of brothers in Luke, they are called rather informally. It is to bring out the circumstances, that in their very midst the work of God was going on, the word of God was being spoken, but it did not come in through them, it was spoken by the Lord, and they are carrying it on.
Ques Does the thought of catching men give the idea of bringing into fellowship?
JT In the last verse read it says, “leaving all they followed him”. That is the first thing, if we are to take on the catching of men, we are to be known as followers of Jesus, as having left all. The ships were brought to land, however; everything received needed attention. Another thing is that they were washing [p. 496] the nets before this happened, showing that it was a well-managed business. The Lord looks for conditions like this in our ordinary occupation if He is going to choose us for His service.
Ques What are we to understand by the breaking of the nets?
JT The circumstances brought out the reality of the partnership, there are other things in it, not in mind today, but imperfection marked what was used. Perfection in this sense awaited Christ’s death and resurrection. The net of John 21 did not break.
Ques Does Paul, in Philippians 1, referring to the circumstances in which he was, use those circumstances to draw out the love and support of the brethren?
JT Quite so.
Ques Does Lydia apprehend these fixed relations of fellowship when she says, “come into my house and abide there” (Acts 16:15)?
JT I think she does. Liberty for the apostle to abide there would be a fixed matter; her hospitality would be reckoned on, so that as Paul and Silas were released, they went to her, as if the door was always open. Those of us who move about the country know that there are certain whom we can reckon on in this way. The Spirit of God says that when the apostle visited Melita, the chief man of the island showed hospitality in a very friendly way — not simply hospitality, but “in a very friendly way” (Acts 28:7). That is the kind of feeling that marks a hospitable house, that you are welcome. A friend is, in a sense, more than a brother. The term brother is somewhat formal and official, but a friend is different. It is not that one is here to criticise, but there are many touches you get in one house that you do not get in another.
CAC I was thinking of the expression at the end of 3 John: “Greet the friends by name”; 3 John 14 that would indicate that this friendly character should come into evidence in the last [p. 497] days particularly.
WEB What is specially chronicled of Hushai is that he was the king’s friend (1 Chronicles 27:33).
JT Yes. He came to Jerusalem, out of which David was rejected, as Absalom came in; he came in at the same time, and that meant the overthrow of Absalom — friendliness to David.
Ques You would not suggest that acceptance of friendliness from the chief man of the island of Melita compromised the fellowship in any way?
JT I do not think so at all; I do not think the Spirit of God would record it as He does if that were so. As a result of this friendliness, Paul is received there, and he stayed a long time, and striking testimony to the power of God was rendered. And as Paul and those with him were leaving the island, they were furnished with such things as they needed. Surely the Spirit conveys in the narrative that more than mere natural kindness was stirred up.
Rem It says, “The friend loveth at all times”, (Proverbs 17:17).
Ques Would it be illustrated in the way that Abraham cared for those three who came to him, and then he is spoken of as the Friend of God?
JT Quite so.
CAC Is this a step on the way to what you have before you in John 21?
JT I thought that John 21 leads up to a further thing, that is, Christ on the shore. He is not in the midst of the circumstances, but they are, these seven brothers; and it says, “And early morn already breaking, Jesus stood on the shore” (John 21:4). It is another position; He is outside their operations, not in them, but He is directing them in them. The end in mind is on the shore, and the Lord is there.
CAC Should the fellowship, as you have spoken of it, have that in view?
JT I think so. Fellowship is a wilderness position, as I understand, in the presence of evil, and requiring [p. 498] the wall of fellowship to protect us, but then from that we go on to Christ risen. The circumstances may need correction, as they did here, for serious defection had taken place, but still the Lord calls them children, which is a very touching expression, showing that He is expressing fatherly care over them. He puts it to them as to whether they had any meat. It is not like Luke 24, “Have ye anything here to eat?” (Luke 24:41) It is, “Children, have ye anything to eat?” — a very tender, gracious way to address them at a time when they were not right. The Lord’s question in Luke 24 is a test for any gathering, as to what is there, what the brethren have. John 21 does not say, “Have ye anything here to eat?” (Luke 24:41) but the Lord is in the circumstances in Luke 24; He was in the assembly, where a disordered state of things had arisen. But in John 21 He is on the shore and the disciples in the sea, and so He just says, “have ye anything to eat?” The answer is, “No”.
MWB You are emphasising that it is not “here” in John 21, for He was not in those circumstances.
JT Quite so; whereas in Luke 24 it is “here”, because He was in them.
Ques Is John 21 the Colossian setting?
JT Well, it is somewhat. Paul regulates the conditions in Colosse by letter, not having seen the saints there; so that it is regulation at a distance. Their order was good, but they were in danger of certain things.
JW In difficulties in a locality, is it for us to think of the food question?
JT If there are difficulties and you have not sat down together and faced the difficulty, you will not get much meat: not that the Lord does not help us, He does — the Lord here is dealing with such a state of things. There were seven of them, and the leading ones mentioned are Simon Peter and Thomas — not very encouraging in the circumstances, because Peter had not yet been fully restored; and they went off fishing. “I go to fish”,(John 21:3) Simon says. Well, it is an enterprise without the Lord.
Rem That must of necessity end in their having no meat.
JT Exactly. They acknowledged it at once. Then the Lord, instead of telling them to launch out into the deep, says, “Cast the net at the right side of the ship and ye will find”. The right side suggests power. Here the Lord undertakes to do something from the shore, with the result that Simon Peter goes to the shore — the Lord becomes attractive now. It is no more “Depart from me”: he casts himself into the sea; he was naked; that is, exposed in all this. Whenever the Lord takes on anything. He reaches the point at once. Peter is exposed, he is naked. Paul was urgent that he should not be found naked (2 Corinthians 5:3).
Rem Peter moving as he did proves that there was affection for the Lord.
JT That is what comes out. When the Lord is operating for adjustment, whatever is there comes into evidence. So John discerns the Lord. It is a question now of going on to resurrection, of joining the Lord where He is, not getting Him into our circumstances, but of reaching the Lord where He is at once.
WEB Is that where the true features of love are found in the saints, as joining the Lord in resurrection?
JT Yes. If you get a note like John’s, “It is the Lord”, every fibre of one who loves Him will be brought into action; so that Peter drew his coat around him and cast himself into the sea.
MWB Is there a suggestion in the fact that the first move on right lines was one of obedience? We must be subject in filling out the requirements of the Corinthian ministry before we can be drawn over to the other side.
JT That is right. The Colossians apparently were quite clear as to order, but the point, I think, in the epistle is Christ, “Christ is everything, and in all” (Colossians 3:11). So [p. 500] that if I love Him, as soon as the note is struck, “It is the Lord”, all my affections are brought into action — I must be with Him. Then the passage read in Matthew brings us into companionship with Christ in a public way — “for me and thee”. We are exactly in His position here.
MWB Would you say one word about the difference between the partnership in view in Luke 5 and the way they shared together in John 21, which is figuratively resurrection? In what sense is fellowship or communion known?
JT Well, the Lord in directing them to bring in the fishes they had taken, is honouring them; they were great fishes, not viewed as boat-loads, but the number is given, one hundred and fifty-three. It is a question of count. They are to be used; so that it is a question of what we have as with the Lord in resurrection. And the Lord says. Come and dine — a dignified thought, not merely something to eat.
MWB Would it answer to eternal life, that kind of sharing together?
JT Yes. There is great dignity about it, the kind of fish, and the number; and they are to be used. The Lord gives the invitation, everything being ready for them.
CAC Is that rather the thought of fellowship as John presents it in his epistle?
JT Just so. It is fellowship with in his epistle, not fellowship of, as in Corinthians.
CAC I wondered whether Luke 5 would not suggest the Corinthian fellowship, but John 21, fellowship as John views it?
JT I think that is good. The change of preposition helps. Fellowship of is the character of the thing, it is not anything in which Christ has part; He does not have part in the partnership in Luke 5. In John’s epistle it is fellowship with, the apostles had fellowship with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ, and [p. 501] then the saints have fellowship with the apostles and with one another.
CAC Would that be the kind of fellowship that would be enjoyed in the land?
JT I should say that. And that, of course, links on with sonship as in the scripture read in Matthew 17. The idea is that the sons are free. It is a question of the obligation being put on the Lord to pay the tax, and He uses it to bring out the fact that the sons are free — to establish spiritual freedom. He could not possibly be under such obligation, but He would not give offence, and at the same time He established that the sons are free — a very precious thought. And the catching of this one fish — pointing to divine resources — is to enable us to fulfil that obligation, but as identified publicly with Christ.