SERVICE EXEMPLIFIED
[p. 515] SERVICE EXEMPLIFIED
Acts 6:15; Acts 7:1 - 3; Acts 7:54 - 60; Acts 8:4 - 8; Acts 8:26 - 40
JT I thought that a consideration of these two chapters would be blessed of the Lord to us, opening up the service relating to the testimony of God as a whole, and then the special service of the gospel. Both these servants, that is Stephen and Philip, had held subordinate appointments, that is, that of deacons, but they purchased to themselves good degrees and great boldness in the faith; Stephen in relation to the whole testimony of God and Philip in the gospel. The thought is that, whilst we are to wait on our ministry, those that are in it in a specific way are to be marked by faithfulness in what they find to do, industry in service is promoted, and, if we have to do with the whole testimony, the glory is particularly involved; so also in the service of the gospel. But in Stephen’s case the glory shone in him before he spoke about it; the servant is to take on the service involving glory — he takes it on in that way, he exemplifies what is presented by manifesting it. It is said that Stephen’s face, before he began his address, shone as the face of an angel. A corresponding incident in the history of our Lord is in Luke 4, a well-known passage. The Lord says, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me ...” (Luke 4:18). Then it says “he sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed upon him” (Luke 4:20). Then it says further, “All bore witness to him, and wondered at the words of grace which were coming out of his mouth” (Luke 4:22). The passages are to show how the minister becomes an object of interest spiritually by what he is and his manner, even before he enters on his ministry.
Rem So that what a brother ministers is helped by his general demeanour.
JT Yes, so far it is not because of his effectiveness in service, but what he is, how the truth is effective [p. 516] in him. Here it is a question of heavenly appearance; the Spirit of God is about to move on to the heavenly side of the truth. It was already reflected in Stephen, so that one in such circumstances gives a lead spiritually; as he determines the truth that is needed, he has already taken it on himself. Stephen is really introducing a new line of thought and he is already reflecting it. A new line of thought in the ministry is apt to arouse opposition, as it did here, so it is all the more imperative that the minister should be himself the exponent of it, so that the bearing of what is meant can be seen.
HPW Even in the Old Testament days, Moses was with God first and his face shone as he came down to the camp.
JT That is a good illustration of it. Stephen immediately speaks of the God of glory. You must expect that God has more than one glory; so if fresh ministry produces a new thought of glory we should not be repelled by it, but rather attracted to it to follow it up, because the glory is varied. The “God of glory” implies that the whole domain of glory is of God and He develops it, and it reflects in those He uses, for the saints generally are vessels of mercy prepared for glory. We ought to be ready for whatever glory appears.
PL One star differs from another in glory (1 Corinthians 15:41). Does that suggest the saints at home in that domain of glory and thus entering into the service in their own distinctive features?
JT Just so. In opening up those thoughts the Spirit of God begins with Abraham, not with Adam or Abel or Noah. In opening up the truth in a vessel, in Abraham, He takes him out and shows him the stars. There is a suggestion of an infinite domain of glory, but varied, the stars representing saints; they ought to be ready to take on whatever God is moving in in a distinctive way.
AMH The attractiveness you speak of is brought about by just putting one’s hand to what offers itself,
[p. 517] and developing on those lines, until some particular colour is taken on.
JT That is, I think, what appears. Stephen, it says, “full of grace and power, wrought wonders and great signs among the people” (Acts 6:8). He had been appointed to serve as a deacon, but that was not deacon’s service. And then it says “they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. Then they suborned men, saying. We have heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God” (Acts 6:10,11) (read verses 12 - 14). Then we are told about the glory that shone, that his face was like the face of an angel, pointing to a heavenly glory, as if it developed there in the presence of such opposition, and was visible; it says “all who sat in the council, looking fixedly on him, saw his face as the face of an angel”.
AMH Prior to his being selected for deacon’s service, it says he was full of the Holy Spirit. Is not that of great importance to this subject? Without that the Lord cannot do much with us, can He?
JT Quite.
Ques Does Psalm 104:15 bear out what you are saying? It says, “wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart”. Would that equip us for effective service?
JT Yes. One is thus furnished. It is man’s heart, it is what is normal to Christians, for ministry is in manhood. The apostle laboured to effect that in the Corinthians; they were to be children in malice, but in their minds grown men.
HPW Is there not with us all, even as young brothers, a desire in some way to serve the Lord? It sometimes presents a difficulty as to what form it should take. Do you think the Lord would have us serve in any little way that comes to hand, and He will develop that and specially help us along certain [p. 518] lines, and that is how He indicates the way He would have us progress?
JT I think that is the order we find in these chapters. Stephen and Philip served as deacons, serving tables, which does not require gift, but evidently they did it well and it developed into much more exalted service. What we do we are to do well — whatever one’s hand finds to do, to do it with his might, and to do it in a satisfied way. “The trees of Jehovah are satisfied”, (Psalm 104:16). Satisfaction of soul ought to accompany the Lord’s service. We are not to be concerned to have more place made for us, for more place will be made for each as he progresses and is equal to do the thing that is to be done.
Rem It is said of Joseph before he is sent out in service for his father, that he was doing service with the sons of the handmaids — he was qualifying to be sent out to his brethren.
JT It was not congenial companionship in service: it is to be noted that the companionship was abhorrent to him, but he was doing service with them. It is often a very needed discipline to have to serve with uncongenial companions. But there was love — he was loved by his father; that is a point to be observed too, love that enters into sonship.
Ques Was the blind man in John 9:25 right when he said, “One thing I know”? Then he went on — he had the revelation of who Jesus was.
JT I think he represents development in the truth — not in service, but in the truth, which is another thing, to develop in the truth.
HDT Why does the glory shine in regard of the opposition particularly?
JT Well, it is a necessary thing. We are pretty sure to meet opposition if the Lord is going to use us, or is using us, and it is not so much how we meet it verbally, but our spirit and manner. I think the end of chapter 6 is to bring out the qualifications of [p. 519] Stephen for the great service he was to perform, how qualified he was, and in the passage read at the end of the chapter, we have, not simply the face of an angel, but moral glory — complete correspondence with Jesus in His moral glory; Stephen was suffering in the spirit of his Master.
PL “In meekness setting right those who oppose”, (2 Timothy 2:25). Would that be the spirit to meet the opposition?
JT Exactly. He is taking on the glory in that way, for in truth the idea of glory must run through. Stephen is a vessel prepared to bring in the thought of glory. In the beginning he reflects the heavenly side, angelic glory, the point being that service is heavenly glory, for angels are all ministers. “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out for service on account of those who shall inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14). Stephen’s face set out the heavenly side of glory, but he ended with the moral glory, the greatest kind of glory, that is, suffering like Jesus, as He suffered on the cross and prayed for His murderers.
AMH Do you think that tribulation or opposition tests as to whether self or Christ is dominating me? If it is Christ, there will be the taking on of more and more of His features.
JT That is, I think, what is presented here, the glory that rests on us as taking up service and developing in it and the ability that develops, knowing how to select what is needed for the moment in service.
HPW It is a very remarkable start to his discourse — “The God of Glory” — it shows he must have been thinking of the God of glory; he knew Him.
JT Well, we are to be touched by that. The glory ought to enter into all our service; in a meeting like this the glory would shine. So that, in entering on service, young brothers and sisters may see what a domain of glory opens up, the heavenly glory first, and then the glory of God in its variety and bearing,
[p. 520] and then the moral glory that shone in Jesus, particularly in His sufferings on the cross, reflected in us. Unless we are equal for this latter, no end can be reached. God reaches His ends in service here through suffering, through the ministers suffering, hence in the governmental domain. That is Peter’s ministry, it is the sufferings of Christ and the glory that follows.
PL So that, would you say, in 1 Corinthians 15 we have the heavenly glory, then, in the Ephesian epistle, the glory of God, and then finally, in 2 Timothy in the suffering spirit of Paul about to be martyred, have we the moral glory?
JT Yes. How perfectly what we get in Stephen here corresponds with the display of moral glory in Jesus!
Ques There does not seem to be any adjustment recorded in connection with Stephen’s experience. I was thinking of Moses, he seemed to have a great deal of adjustment in his forty years in the wilderness — Stephen speaks of him — he thought his brethren would have understood. What would you say as to that?
JT I think Stephen peculiarly corresponds with the Lord. How quickly a young servant may develop! Moses had eighty years of experience before he was commissioned, and then needed much breaking up; but we do not get that in Stephen’s history. But the needed discipline and formation must have been there, for there is no discrepancy; the ministry is perfect.
Ques Is your thought then that the early sight and contemplation of the glory in that respect would enable us to be matured earlier in service?
JT Well evidently, as has been pointed out, before taking on deaconship, one of the requirements was that they should be “well reported of, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom” (Acts 6:3). Stephen was “full of grace and power” and “wrought wonders and great signs among the people” (Acts 6:8). I suppose he was entirely in accord [p. 521] with the dispensation, which is another point to notice. He had taken on very markedly the spirit of Christ and the wisdom of Christ and the grace of Christ. Let us not forget the grace side, because it is a question of the dispensation, and God is always jealous that it should be maintained in the ministry — “grace and truth came by Jesus Christ”;(John 1:17) they subsist in Him.
AMH So that the glory shines in the Lord in grace in the gospel when He says, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). Would you call that a shining out of the glory?
JT I think it is; it is His moral glory.
Ques Would a sight of the actual glory greatly help us in this connection? What came out in Stephen would be helped by his seeing the glory of God, and Jesus [p. 525] standing at the right hand of God.
JT Quite so, and it would help him in having to do with the brethren whom he had to serve in material matters. What occasioned the appointment of these seven men was a sectional feeling, a development of dissatisfaction. We have been remarking on the trees of the Lord being satisfied, but some of the brethren had become dissatisfied, which of course greatly interferes with the ministry, and hence the apostles deputed this matter to the deacons, so that they should go on with the word of God and prayer. Such a man as Stephen must have been affected and disciplined by the experience of dealing with the conditions that existed. I suppose he would thus be more able to bring in the phases of the truth needed.
Rem A servant of Christ never knows what promotion may be in store for him. Here is a man who begins with meeting the material need of some disaffected saints, and he is called to the greatest service: to close the old dispensation, we may say, and make way for the ministry of Paul, which gives character to the [p. 522] new.
JT Quite so — making way for Paul. It is all moral glory shining, bringing out the truth, but exhibiting at the same time the spirit of grace and patience.
Ques Does the shining out of the glory in that way indicate great moral superiority in the face of opposition?
JT Yes. And what formation there must have been there! There is no evidence of any support at all even on the part of the brethren, for he was in the council chamber; not in the assembly of the saints surrounded by sympathetic brethren, but in the midst of hostility. Hence the importance of being reminded of the need of formation. The dispensation is to finish in the manner in which it began, that is, in moral glory corresponding to Christ.
Ques Is there inward formation and what is outward? Peter says, “The spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you” (1 Peter 4:14).
JT Quite so. The formation is manifestly here.
HPW All this is very searching to any who seek to serve, for it really means that the state of the servant should enhance his ministry.
JT That is the idea, that he is what he says; “Altogether that which I also say to you” (John 8:25).
HPW And there is nothing that would search us, as to what we have and where we are, like being alone, as Stephen was.
JT Yes.
HS Will you say a word more as to the close of the dispensation here being in glory, for, if we are at the moment at the close of the dispensation, what we see around us is rather discouraging. Is this dispensation also going to close in glory?
JT That is what we ought to have in mind, I am sure. The moral thing is there. Then it says, as murderous opposition was displayed, “being full of the Holy Spirit, having fixed his eyes on heaven, he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God” He is confirmed now: there would be no [p. 523] support from the council, but heaven is watching all this, and what a sight it was for heaven — one man with such composure and intelligence and feeling, beginning with the God of glory and touching with exquisite skill, point after point, such items as were needed to bring the truth to bear upon them, and then to be able to fix his eyes on heaven! And heaven opens to him. We may count on that, on heaven being active for us.
HPW So he fixes his eyes on heaven and is a lovely example of 2 Corinthians 3:18 — transformed “into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord”.
JT I think he is the best example of that. And then how he can speak of what is in heaven. Having been there, Paul said he heard things, not allowed to man to speak, but here Stephen sees things and he can name them at once. I think it is a tribute to his state, he understands glory and can name it; he began with the God of glory, but now he is able to name glory.
Rem There is a difference between what he sees and what he says: “he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said. Lo, I behold the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God”.
JT I think you see the skill of the minister, able to transpose what he sees into what should be said. One does not need to convey all one sees or knows, it is what should be said. With Moses, as we have often remarked, the instructions given him relative to the passover were long, but in speaking to the people he epitomises; he says what should be said. The principle of measure is a mark of the minister, to know just what to say. How much Stephen could have said about the glory! But he just says what should be said, and that is “Lo, I behold the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God”. He [p. 524] does not mention the glory, the point was, the Son of man was there, not the Christ or Messiah, but the Son of man; that was what should be said at that time. When Philip began to speak, as we shall see, he began to speak about the Christ, he preached the Christ, but here it is the Son of man because it is a change-over, the Son of man is entering on an extended domain of service and administration. The whole of humanity was contemplated. I think it is a very fine thought that in such stress of circumstances he is able to say what should be said.
HPW He really had a universal outlook here.
JT That is what is in mind, the Son of man is in relation to all men, but He is still standing, not yet sitting, waiting in patience. And another thing the servant sees here is that everything is secured in heaven, the glory is there and the Son of man is there ready to serve further, for God will go on with His thoughts.
Ques Does it link on with the testimony of Jesus before the high priest? — “Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven”, (Matthew 26:64).
JT Somewhat, I think. It refers to the universal interest of God as over against the limited or special interest in Israel.
Ques Is it correct to think of Jesus as in this attitude of standing now?
JT I think it was at that juncture just to bring out that He was still ready to serve; the patience of God as to Israel is there, but I think the Son of man would be that God was going to work in grace amongst humanity. As we shall see in chapter 8, He begins at once. The burial of Stephen is the end of a chapter, and the persecution continued, and then the passage says “they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them”. It is those that were scattered now. The Son of man is standing at the right hand of God, and that means that operations are to go on. And here we have a wonderful evangelical service without any special appointment; there is no official side to the chapter.
HS Can we not see in verse 2 some correspondence with this precious ministry of Stephen? Pious men buried him, making great lamentation over him.
JT Well, it is the only burial we get in relation to servants in Christianity; I suppose it has a dispensational significance, like the burial of Sarah. What comes out is that as this great servant is buried, there were publishers of the testimony he rendered. In the order of things coming into view there are a lot of publishers as in Psalm 68:11. “Those then that had been scattered went through the countries announcing the glad tidings of the word”.
HPW Is it recorded for our encouragement that what might have seemed a calamity, the scattering of the saints, was turned of God to the furtherance of the work? God can use even that.
JT Exactly. And seed is evidently sown in the coming great servant who is there — Saul. He is to be not simply a servant, but an appointed official servant (see Acts 26:16, and footnote in New Translation). That is, the operations are to go on, and the heavenly testimony of Stephen is to open out in divine brilliancy in the ministry of one made fully competent.
HT Would it be right to view Philip, not only in regard to his own soul history, but as to what was general among the saints at that time? There was evidently the desire amongst those scattered to preach; was Philip the development of that in a specific way?
JT Quite so. They were not overwhelmed by the terrible attack of Saul entering into the houses of the saints in his persecuting zeal. No doubt the enemy is attacking now, but the thing is to go on, the surest way is to go on with what is of God; the Son of man is [p. 526] at the right hand of God, having all power, and the work of God is to proceed.
HDT If there is a general evangelical spirit amongst the saints, God will see that there are preachers.
JT They will develop, I am sure. And you find here a variety of terms for the gospel. The scattered ones preached “the glad tidings of the word” — a remarkable title for the gospel. The chapter contains various references to the gospel. In verse 4, “the glad tidings of the word”; then in verse 5 it says of Philip that he preached “the Christ” — that is another view of the gospel; and then again in verse 12, they believed Philip announcing “the glad tidings concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 8:12) — that is another term. Then we have in verse 25, the apostle Peter and others “having testified and spoken the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and announced the glad tidings” (Acts 8:25) — that is the ordinary term; and finally it is said in verse 35 that Philip opened his mouth and announced “the glad tidings of Jesus” to the eunuch. It is, to my mind, very remarkable that in this unofficial chapter, we get such a variety of terms covering the gospel, as if to remind us that it is well understood, and I think those who preach it would be well advised to study all these terms, because they help us as to those to whom we have to preach, whether we should preach the glad tidings of the word, or the glad tidings of the Christ, or the glad tidings of the kingdom of God, or the glad tidings of Jesus. It is a question of the variety of features and whether I can tell which should be used.
HPW Do you think that if we were more acquainted with the God of glory we should have a greater appreciation of the wealth of the gospel in all these aspects of it?
JT Exactly, The God of glory is an administrative thought really, that He is the God of it. Then we have a term — the Lord of glory. That is also an administrative [p. 527] thought. The God of glory suggests the source and immensity of it, the variety of glory, and the administration of it comes in more particularly in the Lord of glory.
HPW So in the end where Stephen saw the glory of God, that is really God in all His blessedness shining out.
JT It is all there. The God of glory appears to Abraham, and Stephen begins with that, so that it seems to me that chapter 8 is an opening up of chapter 7. The latter is the testimony in suffering, it is a man expressive of moral glory, of suffering as seen on the cross; chapter 8 is the gospel in its varied glories as opening up that, showing that God is going on, not in judgment, but in the glory of His grace.
Ques Do we see divine glory, in that opposition is answered by evangelical expansion?
JT That is the idea; it is the glory of God; instead of being hindered, it widens out more and more.
Ques I was wondering whether that was continued in chapter 11, where you get the preaching at Antioch, after the pouring out of the Holy Spirit on the nations. Would all that be additional glory?
JT Quite so. There are, I believe, about twenty appellations of the gospel. These varied glories set out in the gospel deserve our keenest consideration, especially those who seek to serve in that way. What a domain we have entered on! And if persecution arises, instead of being hindered there is expansion.
Ques Do we not get that with John in the isle of Patmos? He says, “I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ”, (Revelation 1:9).
JT Yes. I should like the brethren who preach here to take account of this great matter, this variety of glories that shine out in the gospel, and how the [p. 528] chapter begins with nondescripts, as we might say, simply scattered suffering saints, but they preached the gospel, and then the great development in one man whose house becomes marked by prophecy — at least, his four daughters were prophetesses, and prophecy obviously would confirm the gospel.
HPW You referred a little time back to having some sense of the various aspects of the gospel, and the question which one you are to apply. Do you think that what is recorded of Philip and the eunuch here would help in that way? That is to say, he finds out first where the man is; is that one of the features you would look for, so as to fish effectively, so to speak?
JT I think so. First of all, those “that had been scattered went through the countries announcing the glad tidings of the word”. I would like to come to what is in Philip personally; how he came under the angelic direction and moved accordingly, then how he came under the direct influence of the Spirit, and then how he became raptured, how he developed in the light and became so pleasing to heaven that he was raptured. But, first, let us take the glad tidings of the word — what does that mean? It is preached by the scattered saints. This certainly deserves attention, for it is a question, I believe, of the glad tidings opening up the mind of God. What wealth there is in that in the sense of glad tidings!
Rem That is what we want, to get our gospel preachings enriched.
JT Exactly. Then, next to that, Philip preached the Christ. He had no commission, as far as we see, he was not appointed like the twelve to preach the gospel, but he preached the Christ; he says, as it were, ‘Whatever you may think of me, there is a Man in heaven who can do things for God’ — that is the idea of “the Christ”. And Philip developed in his service. Then the chapter says he announced “the glad tidings concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 8:12). One can understand that, he would be [p. 529] thinking of power in the way of protection and order here — the kingdom of God.
HDT Does this feature of glory stand over against the need that is present?
JT Yes. There is glory in each of those features.
HDT What connection, if any, would the thought of Samaria have with “the Christ” in John 4?
JT There certainly is a connection. That was what the woman was impressed with — “Is not this the Christ?” (John 4:29) — she presented Him in the way she apprehended Him. Now Philip is preaching Him, and there is “great joy in that city”.
HDT Could each feature of the glory be traced through to stand over against the existing need?
JT Yes. This Simon (verse 9) was a man who did great things, he gave out that he was some great one — well, the Christ is greater.
PHH The thought of the Christ seems to be connected with feeling, both in this chapter and in chapter 9. Would that have a bearing on the preaching today?
JT Well, it is the Man who can do things. God said, “I have found David, ... a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will” (Acts 13:22) — that is Christ. Simon gave out that he “was some great one”, so that the preaching of the Christ would meet that. Whatever the opposition is, what is presented is to meet it.
Rem Paul, in 1 Timothy, speaks of “the glad tidings of the glory of the blessed God” (1 Timothy 1:11).
JT That is another term covering the gospel. We have also “the radiancy of the glad tidings of the glory of the Christ”, (2 Corinthians 4:4). So you see what varieties of glory enter into the preaching of the gospel, and I thought this chapter, not being marked by special commissions given, fits in with the present time; it is a question of purchasing to oneself this kind of thing by industry, by spiritual energy, by being with God and doing the thing one’s hand finds to do. There is no [p. 530] evidence that Philip was invited, or had any special arrangements made for him, but he just went and preached, and this was the result: the Spirit of God gives us this array of titles of the gospel in connection with this man and these scattered saints, as if He would say that they know what they are doing; they knew it spiritually, because of their devotedness.
HS Does he not also prepare the way for the ministry of Peter and John? Surely that was a very great service.
JT That is another thing; Jerusalem acting with them, for Jerusalem was still in the place of administration, and the apostles being there, Philip’s service is confirmed.
AMH Do you think the fact that Philip presents the gospel in so many different ways militates against the idea that each person has a certain line in the gospel? Do you think we should all be prepared to take up all lines?
JT I am sure that is right; and to take up any one of these features as it might suit a given occasion.
AMH You would not tie yourself and say. My line is to speak to simple souls, and so on? You would rather expand in whatever direction the Lord might lead.
JT Not to be a children’s evangelist, or the like. This is a chapter that really serves in that way as showing how these devoted believers knew what they were about. The chapter begins, as regards the gospel, with the glad tidings of the word; it is a question of intelligence in the mind of God regarding the gospel.
HPW Ought the servant’s preaching to be enriched constantly as he goes on?
JT Yes. A young brother might preach in the street once or twice, and heaven is taking account of and is pleased with what he is doing, and heaven, in its own way, will intimate to that brother that there is more to be done. A man might even be moved because [p. 531] of his business so as to be used of God elsewhere — for angelic service alludes to providential ways. Philip was told to go down towards Gaza, and he rose up and went. There was nothing attractive, for there was not a word said about the Ethiopian eunuch; the angel did not tell Philip about him or of service of any kind. It is a question of obedience in service; he rose up and went at the direction of the angel.
HPW Is your point here that a man should accept the providential ways of God with him, and have in mind that his path is ordered of God in connection with His service.
JT I think it is important to connect that with this passage. Angelic service is often seen in that way; God settles a matter for us by some providential ordering; and then, as Philip is found in a spot that is called desert — nothing attractive in it — the word to him is, “Approach and join this chariot”. He did what he was told to do, only now he is promoted in that, having moved under angelic direction, the Spirit directs him, which is a higher thought. Then, as it seems, he acts so well in relation to the eunuch that “the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip”. Another thing is that Philip did not have to fall back on one of his old sermons. The passage says, he began “from that scripture”; he took up what the man was engaged with.
AMH Are you calling attention to Philip’s being caught away? And in the end of the dispensation, if these features are developed with us, may the Lord see fit to take us home?
JT That is exactly the point. The history of Enoch brings out this matter of being caught away, and it is a question of those that please God. Before he was translated, “he had this testimony, that he pleased God”;(Hebrews 11:5) and I think the Lord has great regard for our thinking of what is suitable to Him in our service, not only the results we get, but the way we do things, for the previous chapter speaks of the kind of man Stephen [p. 532] was, and then Philip follows on; they correspond with what the Lord Jesus was in His service, the pleasure there was to heaven in everything Jesus did.
HPW I do not know that I have quite got your thought about his being caught away. Should this kind of spirit mark the saints immediately before the rapture?
JT I think so, in everything they do they are concerned as to the way the Lord would have it done.
HDT Will you say a little as to Philip’s going down with the eunuch?
JT That is another thing. It is the opposite to clericalism — he went down with him into the water. The fact that there was water there at all is a remarkable thing, for the place was desert; as we move with God everything serves us.
Ques Would you say a little as to Philip’s beginning from that scripture and announcing the glad tidings of Jesus to him?
JT Well, it is what speaks about the Lord personally as Man. It is Isaiah 53, that is the Man — He shall grow up before Jehovah as a tender plant and as a root out of a dry ground. It was what He was under God’s eye, the kind of man Jesus is. It was in keeping with the position; it was the service of the Son of man, serving an Ethiopian. It was a question of the race; the Son of man stands in that relation.
HDT Would it be right to say that it is not so much the historical fact that is stressed, but the way Jesus was in the circumstances as “a lamb” and “a sheep”? The spirit in which He went that way is stressed.
JT Quite so.
HPW Have you any thought on this last verse of chapter 8: “And Philip was found at Azotus, and passing through he announced the glad tidings to all the cities till he came to Caesarea”?
JT Well, I suppose the thought is that he went to that point — to Caesarea; but Peter was used there.
[p. 533] Philip was found residing there later with his four daughters and was a very hospitable brother, showing that, as well as being an evangelist, he could be hospitable. Luke tells us that Paul and those who came with him stayed “many days” with Philip; showing that a servant must not think that preaching is all; he must be a brother, and if he has a house, be hospitable, because he can serve the testimony that way, too.
HS Could we regard this chapter as partly fulfilling Psalm 68:11 “The Lord gives the word: great the host of the publishers”. Then “Ethiopia shall quickly stretch out her hands unto God” (Psalm 68:31)?
JT Yes.
Ques Would you say that such a brother has the idea of entertaining from God Himself, in Luke 14?
JT Just so. The idea of entertaining belongs to the gospel, and Philip and his four daughters correspond. Hospitality is one of the most important services. His four daughters are spoken of and Paul and his company abode with Philip many days, and Agabus is able to speak to Paul by the Spirit there; so that the evangelist’s house comes into view and that in Caesarea, not in the midst of his own labours, where he might be honoured, but where Peter laboured; and he is exercising hospitality in a liberal way.
AMH That would be a feature of the glory — it is like God.