THE ASSEMBLY - THE ANOINTED VESSEL
[p. 210] THE ASSEMBLY — THE ANOINTED VESSEL
Luke 4: 16 - 22; 1 Corinthians 12: 12 - 13
JT The expression in 1 Corinthians 12:12, “so also is the Christ”, evidently alludes to the assembly as anointed. It seems to convey what the apostle had in mind mainly in writing to them — that they might arrive at the divine thought of spiritual dignity and power in the anointed vessel — the assembly. The anointing involves sanctification. Much is said of it in the Old Testament in the types, especially in Exodus and Leviticus, God thus intimating that the tabernacle and the priestly service connected with it should represent that holiness and moral dignity that are becoming to Himself. One feels that there is a great deal of light amongst the saints, and perhaps much enjoyment of it, but without that separation, and sanctification, and dignity which are becoming to the light. It is obvious in the first letter to the Corinthians that the divine intent was that there should be in Corinth a vessel answering in sanctification to the light within. I thought it would help us to see how important the anointing is as first presented in Christ in Luke. Luke makes much of it, because he is concerned as to that which is comely and dignified, and free from the natural and worldly elements that so often creep in amongst us.
Ques Is the thought of holiness and that of sanctification the same idea?
JT Yes. Aaron is called the “saint of the Lord” Psalm 106: 16, as officially representing the divine thought.
Ques Is not the thought of holiness linked with the divine nature? Is sanctification identified with that in Scripture?
JT It is the same idea; we are set apart in holiness. “Be ye holy for I am holy”. Sanctification on our side corresponds with what God is in His nature. Man was perfectly presented in Christ even from the outset of His [p. 211] being; as born into this world He is spoken of as “that holy thing” Luke 1: 35, and as ascended into heaven, He is “holy, harmless, undefiled, separated from sinners” Hebrews 7: 26. The divine idea is brought into manhood and developed in the Lord Jesus here, so that at His baptism it is seen that the vessel was morally suited to be anointed, and the Holy Spirit came down in bodily form as a dove upon Him. He identifies Himself with the vessel. What God is, is thus manifested in a Man. Now that is to become true in men, so that there may be a vessel here — the assembly — to which God can commit Himself. A vessel was there in the Lord as the Son; holiness was there inherently in Him, but it showed itself humanly, so to speak, in incarnation. The anointing is God committing Himself to men, and giving them such power as would enable them to truly represent Him.
Ques Various people in Scripture are anointed: what is the underlying thought of anointing?
JT It is God committing Himself to men, I think, and dignifying them by conferring power by which they should rightly represent Him in testimony. Satan, according to Ezekiel, had been anointed — “Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth” (Ezekiel 28: 14). He was in some measure in the secret of God’s purpose, he stood in that place. So too in the Psalms, in reference to the covenant made with the patriarchs, God says, “Touch not mine anointed ones, and do my prophets no harm” (Psalm 105: 15). The idea of anointing is also connected with the priesthood and the prophets, then later with the king.
Rem In the leper, too.
JT Quite: but these are the official features in which it is set out — in the priest, in the prophet, and in the king. But then there is the tabernacle, which suggests the thought of an entire system, representing the whole created system — the moral system in which God is to shine out; that too was to be anointed.
[p. 212] LDM Do you think the anointing is specially in view when the Lord says, “tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high” Luke 24: 49?
JT Just so. They could not rightly represent God otherwise; so that the idea of representation enters into it, hence the moral qualifications must underlie the divine committal to us in the anointing. There must be a vessel fitted for anointing.
GN So it would be a serious thing if we stooped to act in the flesh instead of in the dignity of the anointing.
JT Yes, that was what I was thinking. One has to say it feelingly that generally the walk and conduct of the saints are below the divine thought. Luke presents the divine thought set out in the Lord: Paul, in the main, I think, is occupied to bring it about in the saints.
Ques Is that due to lack of enjoyment?
JT I think so. The word in 1 Corinthians 12: 13, “For by one Spirit are we all baptised into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit”, gives the thoughts that underlie the public position, that is to say, the baptism into one body merges the saints in a spiritual way, it merges us all in one another, and you accept the position, you are not restive, you are content in it; but in being given to drink of one Spirit, you enjoy it. Drinking is the practical enjoyment of the thing. It brings in the thought, too, of mutual enjoyment; whereas baptism, being the act of another, merges us all together, so that each has his place. The one is according to the divine will, and the other that I accept it and enjoy the position given me, by drinking into the one Spirit.
AHC In Leviticus 8 Aaron and his sons are bathed with water, then clothed, then anointed: is that what you have in mind?
JT Yes. I think the truth stands in Leviticus thus: God is in the tabernacle and He speaks out of it,
[p. 213] that is the position; then He invites the people to draw near according to their measure. It is the worshipper — the man himself — who draws near; he comes with an offering, a burnt-offering, a meat-offering, a peace-offering, a sin-offering, or a trespass-offering; it is his doing, and according to his own measure. These chapters therefore bring out the moral qualities of the saints, as built up for the divine pleasure; the worshippers show, by their voluntary action Godward, the measure in which they correspond with Christ, and how far they see what He was, as represented in these various offerings, in going into death. Their appreciation of Christ is measured by their offerings on whatever line they may approach. Then the law governing all these offerings was given to the priests, so that the standard might be maintained amongst the people of God. In chapter 8 God reverts to His own thought; so the high priest is anointed apart from death, and the tabernacle is anointed with him, setting forth the position of Christ as the inaugurator and maintainer of the divine system. Christ was anointed in manhood apart from any thought of death; the Spirit came down and identified Himself with Him at the outset of His service here for God. His death comes in on our account, so when we have learned the epistles, and they have had their place with us, we go back to the gospels to see the divine thought set forth perfectly in Christ — it is seen in absolute perfection in Him — His personal dignity and immunity from death. Then the saints — typified in Aaron’s sons — are brought in through death in connection with Him.
GN So we see and learn the thing as presented in Christ as man.
JT Yes, I think that is how we believers learn it. We begin with Romans, we learn it first there; that gives us the Spirit individually; then in Corinthians we see the place of the Spirit in regard to the company, and as set up in the Spirit we go back to the gospels [p. 214] and learn the perfection of every quality in Christ personally. I apprehend the gospels were written later than any of the New Testament books, for they were given when they had become necessary to the saints as empowered in the Spirit. They were qualified in the Spirit to contemplate perfection in Christ. That is what gives the gospels their great importance; they stand alone. In Leviticus 8 we have perfection in a man presented typically, and the whole system anointed with him.
Rem In the end of chapter 8 we get the food of the priest; is not that an important point? It was not simply appropriation but assimilation. In partaking of it, we become like what we partake of.
JT Quite so. That is what the gospels I think are for: they are strong meat to build up the priestly constitution. Aaron and his sons were to remain in the tabernacle throughout the whole period of their consecration. Chapter 9 brings out Christ in relation to Israel, but chapter 8 sets out particularly the church position, and in a way may be said to be “the Christ”. God has secured the system of things which was prefigured in the tabernacle, and a priesthood in it sufficiently dignified to represent Him here. The thought of the priests as maintaining for God during the entire period of their consecration needs our special attention. The food of the priests is given in chapters 6 and 7; the skin of the burnt offering went to the priest, setting forth complete correspondence to Christ in his devotedness to God.
Ques Would you say that is brought about by the Spirit? In Corinthians it says, “So also is the Christ”. Would it refer you back to the gospels and show how by the Spirit the thing has been effected?
JT Yes, hence you have the thought of the Spirit and the drinking into it. The baptism into one body, and the drinking of one Spirit are both necessary to the divine thought of the anointed system.
YY-[p. 215] L You could hardly get the thought of “the Christ” in the gospels, could you?
JT “The Christ” means the anointed; obviously in Corinthians it refers to the saints.
YY-L That is why I asked whether “the Christ” covers more than Christ personally as presented in Luke 4.
JT Yes, as in Corinthians “so also is the Christ” refers to the saints, to the whole system — the anointed system. But the nations are banded together against the Lord and His Christ, or His Anointed, which is the same thought. Where you get God committing Himself to us — to men — the enemy seeks to attack. So when the Philistines heard that David had been anointed they attacked (2 Samuel 5:17); it is the same in Psalm 2, they are against the Anointed. Even as to the Lord, it is after He was anointed that He was carried of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted. The thing was put to the test; the greatest possible test was brought to bear upon Him, and He overcame. The dignity in which He overcame, the great moral power that marked Him, greatly affect one: no struggle, no effort, it was done in dignity. What power was there! He answers by the word of God and the enemy is powerless. Then he comes to Nazareth, and we do well to see how the anointed Vessel comports Himself in the place where He had been brought up. He comes into the synagogue, and as one anointed by the Spirit, He avails Himself of what was there. The Old Testament was in the synagogue, and we see how such a One uses the Scriptures. Today we see how thousands misuse the Scriptures, for, alas! they are not anointed, with the result that the Bible is brought into discredit.
Rem Philip knew how to use the Scriptures.
JT Quite: but look at the Lord here, and look at Paul in his handling of the Scriptures; but this is a unique passage; we see here what use can be made of the Scriptures by an anointed vessel. Here in Luke [p. 216] we learn how grace is presented to men, and what place the Scriptures have in that service; it is presented in this gospel to call attention to the anointing. In going among the heathen, one might not resort so much to them, because they are not accredited there: one would need a miracle perhaps, a sign from God; but here in the synagogue of Nazareth, where the light of God was acknowledged, that was not needed: the Scriptures were already there, and the Lord’s use of them is a guide for us now. We do not need signs in christendom: the Scriptures are already recognised, but we do need to know how to use them, otherwise we shall bring them into discredit.
Rem It is remarkable in that connection how Peter is able to take up and apply the Scriptures after the Holy Spirit had been given.
JT It is remarkable. One is thankful that the Authorised Version is ‘Appointed to be read in Churches’, in synagogues, so to speak, but a serious responsibility attaches to those who discredit them officially. Many of them are not anointed and therefore are not qualified to handle them. The Lord went into the synagogue. The book of the prophet Isaiah was delivered to Him — that particular volume of the Scriptures had doubtless been read by others; the Lord knew what was in it, He took the roll from the attendant and stood up for to read, and found the place where it was written. He knew where the text was which furnished the light of the position at that moment.
GN That is continued in Peter in Acts 2: he knew the text that would apply to the situation.
JT He stood up in the dignity of the anointing.
YY-L When you speak of the dignity of the anointing, do you mean a man standing up in the power of the Spirit?
JT When it is a question of ministry, yes. I am thinking also of what is in 1 Corinthians, which is not [p. 217] a question of ministry, though that is included, but what the saints are collectively.
YY-L As the anointed vessel?
JT Yes. If one stands up to minister, not as relying on the energy of the flesh, nor as allowing natural ability or education, but as relying on the Spirit, he does so in spiritual dignity. There is a dignity about that man and he will not discredit the Scriptures; he will rather enhance them. So Luke gives us the details as to the Lord in the synagogue; he shows that the roll of the scripture was handed to Him, and that He found the place where it was written (this is not merely an incident, it is in keeping with what Luke has before him), and He reads it, then He closed the book and gave it again to the attendant and sat down, as much as to say, This scripture covers the dispensation. It is a fixed thing, there is no uncertainty about it — He sits down. Then He begins to speak, and He makes application of what He had read — “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach” Luke 4: 18, etc., saying, “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears” Luke 4: 21.
HH He knew where to stop in the reading of it.
JT Quite so, and it is an important thing not to go too far.
Ques Does Peter standing up with the eleven suggest the vessel?
JT That is a Levitical touch: it shows he was not beneath his dignity as a Levite. In chapter 1 he stands up in the midst of the brethren, showing that he understood the assembly, but in chapter 2, he stands up with the eleven, showing he understood his Levitical position.
YY-L If the ministry needs to be in the grace of the anointing, what about those who listen?
JT That I think comes out in the company. It is just the general thought that I would press; how the Lord handled the Scriptures and what an effect it had [p. 218] on His hearers, though the sequel shows there was no work of God in them, but the manner of the minister was such that they were all affected. If there had been a work of God there, they would have fallen down and owned that God was there.
GN Whatever the position calls for, there is that in the anointing that can meet it. Here it is a question of the expression of grace, is it not?
JT That is what Luke has before him, that the vessel is in keeping with the testimony — the testimony is not discredited by the minister, for all was in the grace of the Spirit. So they marvelled at the words of grace that came out of His mouth — attention is called to the Vessel. Although in result they opposed Him and would murder Him, nevertheless the testimony of grace was brought to them.
AHC The chapter (Luke 4) opens with mention of the Holy Spirit: is that important?
JT I think Luke emphasises that. John, in speaking of the Spirit, uses the word “holy” occasionally, but Luke almost invariably so, and that because it is a question of holiness and dignity, and because he is emphasising the moral quality of holiness. The Lord is referred to as “that holy thing” Luke 1: 35, indeed the early chapters of Luke impress you with holiness; holiness marks the whole scene. Everything is marked by the grace of the Holy Spirit.
FWJ This was in humiliation too in Luke, so it involved being despised.
JT Yes, and I think that the holy anointing oil, with which the priests were anointed typified really the spirit of the lowly, dependent, suffering One. The leading ingredient was myrrh — which means the spirit of a suffering Christ. As we understand the truth as to the Spirit according to Romans and Corinthians — that is as given to us individually and collectively — then we begin to see it is no less than the Spirit of Christ, of a suffering Christ. Philippians answers to it;
[p. 219] the Spirit of Christ in the saints involves suffering; and all priestly service involves suffering. Luke, when he records in the Acts the Lord appearing to them in resurrection, says “after he had suffered” Acts 1: 3.
FWJ Will you say a little about the assembly as being the anointed vessel.
JT I think the apostle had that in his mind in writing to the Corinthians. The facts that come out in the epistle show that they were very far beneath the divine thought. He could say they came behind in no gift, which was true, and that God was faithful who had called them to the fellowship of His Son; but their practice was not marked by the holiness which priestly service calls for, so the apostle has to exhort them to self-judgment. I hear, he says, there are divisions among you; one says I am of Paul, another, I of Cephas, and another, I of Christ, that is to say, there was the revival of the old Greek method of hero-worship among them. This had marked the Greeks, and of course it marks man, but particularly where there is ability amongst men, and where there is ability there is sure to be party work; men become leaders of a party. The assembly at Corinth had dropped from its dignity as having the Spirit of God, to the level of men. Paul says to them, “Are ye not men?” “for ye are yet carnal” 1 Corinthians 3: 3. Then he immediately proceeds to point out to them the manner of his preaching, that it was not in human wisdom, or human learning; he did not go to the Greeks for any help at all in his preaching: he did not study their eloquence, or bring it into his ministry; he would know nothing among them “save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” ... “And my speech and my preaching”, he adds, “was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power” 1 Corinthians 2: 2,4. He would own no power save the power of the Spirit. In chapters 1, 2, 3 and 4, he deals with the question of his ministry, what it was, and what ministry should be, a ministry which owed nothing to [p. 220] man.
YY-L There would be great spiritual gain amongst us if we gave more place to the Spirit.
JT Yes. Many of us, alas! have gone to the Greek schools for help, that is, we have relied on natural ability; Paul says deliberately, he had used none of these things. They had made him a leader, but he never intimated in the least degree that he wanted a following; he realised that he was anointed. His preaching was on the principle of the anointing.
Ques Was the fact of the anointing the way to meet the situation — that he should come in among them and know nothing but Jesus Christ and Him crucified?
JT Quite. In Luke 4, immediately the Lord ministered on the line of the anointing, their natural minds began to work — “Is not this Joseph’s son?” Luke 4: 22; on another occasion they said, “How knows this man letters having never learned?” John 7: 15. They could not see how a man without any training as far as they knew, could thus minister; they could not appreciate the anointing; they say virtually, how can he minister? And Paul, although he had polish, and education, and ability too, determined these should not be seen; he would know nothing save Jesus Christ and Him crucified; in his ministry he would be marked by the anointing. Then when he wrote his letter to them, he sends Timothy with it so that he might bring them into remembrance of the apostle’s ways — “my ways which be in Christ” 1 Corinthians 4: 17 as he says: having Timothy there would be like Paul in their midst.
YY-L As reflected in Timothy.
JT Exactly. His child in the faith.
AHC The training for the ministry as men say, which we find in christendom, is practically a denial of the Spirit.
JT It is, and it leads alas! to the discrediting of the Scriptures. It works out in that way, for they take up the ‘Higher Criticism’ and other things, which undermine the authority of [p. 221] the Scriptures.
FWJ Do you view the anointing as upon a man in service in distinction to the Holy Spirit indwelling?
JT Yes, I do. I think it shines there particularly, for in presenting the testimony the point is that it should not be discredited but rather enhanced by the vessel. We have to distinguish between the indwelling of the Spirit and the anointing of the vessel with a view to a true representation of God here. The princes of this world did not recognise the wisdom of God — the hidden wisdom which God had predetermined before the ages for our glory. The princes would, I suppose, be the great people — the learned people, but none of them knew the “hidden wisdom”; for if they had, they “would not have crucified the Lord of glory” 1 Corinthians 2: 8, for it was all there in Him.
Ques Would you say the anointing gives the true christian character?
JT Well, it does. It enters into our walk and ways and it enters into our being taught in the truth (1 John 2), “the same anointing teacheth you of all things”. But I think Corinthians has in view the ministry first, and then the vessel in which God is seen in this world — “God is indeed amongst you” 1 Corinthians 14: 25. It is not just the Spirit as given to an individual christian.
Rem So that one should always be characterised by the anointing.
JT Always.
BER The anointing brings about unity. Would you say a word in regard to Psalm 133 in this connection? There the company is in view.
JT That is the last of the Songs of Degrees, except one. It is the culmination of the exercises of the remnant; they arrive at the thought of brethren, and brethren dwelling together in unity, and that is the result of the anointing. The psalmist says, “It is like the precious ointment upon the head” Psalm 133: 2, because they have arrived at the thought of brethren as dignified by the anointing — “the precious ointment upon the [p. 222] head that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard; that went down even to the skirts of his garments” Psalm 133: 2. I think the psalm brings out in a beautiful way what we are speaking of, what brethren are as having come to the unity of spiritual affections; the dignity of Christ in heaven is seen descending on them.
YY-L So would it be right to think of the assembly as having the anointing, having the mind of Christ — a competent vessel for the thoughts of Christ?
JT Certainly, and now God would bring about in every local company some correspondence with that. What underlies it is “by one Spirit are we all baptised into one body” 1 Corinthians 12: 13. It works out practically as we find ourselves baptised into one body and made to drink of one Spirit; that is, we are all merged: not in socialism, but in spiritual power. We lose our peculiarities in the merging. Water baptism means that I am submerged, but as baptised by the one Spirit, I become merged.
YY-L Baptism by water separates, it does not merge.
JT It takes you out of the world; but the baptism of the Spirit means that I am merged. One may have distinguishing features naturally, but it is not nature there; all is in the power of the one Spirit: that which made me distinguished after the flesh is laid aside, the baptism disposes of all that, so that one fits into the company, and answers to the divine thought as to the company as the vessel of the Spirit. Then further, it is not simply a question of being subject, but I am happy in it, so he says, we “have been all made to drink into one Spirit” 1 Corinthians 12: 13. If I have drunk into it, I have enjoyed it, and when this is so, it becomes true that the vessel of the glory of God is secured.
FWJ Then the anointed vessel becomes the witness of the moral glory.
JT Yes. So in Exodus, God says, “The tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory” Exodus 29: 43, but the anointing underlies that. So the apostle says, in 1 Corinthians 14: 23 - 25 “[p. 223] If therefore the whole church be come together into one place and ... if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all ... and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth”. The glory is there; it is God that is manifested.
BER Would you say the sanctification is the result of the anointing?
JT In that full way, it is. I think the element of sanctification begins as you apprehend Christ’s death as closing up all that is of the flesh, and you desire to be true to His death; you see God is holy; but in that complete way, the sanctification of the vessel — of the system — is by the divine presence; God is there. So the man falls down on his face admitting it. It is a wonderful thing to come into a company and see such subjection and unity — each one so fitting into his place, that there is room for prophecy; and the mind of God being thus brought in, a man coming in is affected: he says, “God is there”. The assembly is the anointed vessel for the divine glory to shine in and no one can resist that — the man falls down and admits it. There were three companies in Corinth — the Jew, the gentile, and the church of God. All three might be in the same street, so to speak — the synagogue, the greek temple, and the christian assembly. If I go into the synagogue, what do I find? Maybe I find the Scriptures there, and Jewish Rabbis there — Rabbis who assume to minister from the Scriptures. There are traditions, musty effete things spoken of, and my soul is withered. I get nothing, nothing at all, death reigns there. Then suppose I go into the heathen temple. What I find there is satanic power; greek wisdom and philosophy — greek learning, but satanic learning is represented there, and I recoil from it. I get out of that place. Then there is the church of God and I come into the christian assembly, where I find [p. 224] men and women sitting — anointed persons, subject to God, and they have the Scriptures. A brother gets up, he is in the dignity of the anointing, and he reads the scriptures with power, he speaks about them, he applies them, and my conscience is affected, I say, “God is there”. The testimony is enhanced by the vessel as the result of the anointing; that was what the apostle had in mind. The same thing applies now; in any locality where the saints are, there should be this moral dignity, so that souls are attracted; they find God there.
Ques Is not that the real need amongst us — being under the power of the Spirit so that souls are attracted?
JT I think that God has before Him at the present time to bring about that very thing — that there should be something to attract souls, as they come into our meetings.
GN It is as we walk in moral dignity we have any influence with our brethren. It is said of David “he walked wisely”; he had tremendous influence in Israel. We read he was anointed in the midst of his brethren — what is the meaning of that?
JT It is a type of the Lord, I think; He was distinguished in that way; Christ is distinguished among us. The position in 1 Samuel is set out in Hannah. Her desire was for some one to meet the situation that had become so bad. Being the desire of a woman, Hannah represents the subjective state of the remnant, that, taking account of the situation according to God, would desire to have it met. Then, alongside that, there was the natural desire of the people to have a king like the nations, and they get their desire — they get Saul. And yet again, alongside that, there is the desire of God, there is the thought of God, to bring in a man after His own heart. Outside Hannah’s desires and outside the people’s desires, God had His own desires — “Jehovah has sought him a man after his own heart” (1 Samuel 13: 14). It touches one to think of God’s own heart, His own desires! Then Samuel is sent to [p. 225] Bethlehem to the house of Jesse, for God had said, “I have provided me a king among his sons” 1 Samuel 16: 1. God Himself had taken account of the state of things and He had found a man after His own heart. Samuel goes, and the proceedings went on: but David — God’s chosen king — was not there when Jesse made his seven sons pass before Samuel, so he said to Jesse, “Jehovah has not chosen these” 1 Samuel 16: 10. David had not entered into any one’s mind, and yet it was he who was in God’s mind. So Samuel says, “Are these all the young men?” And he said, “There is yet the youngest remaining” 1 Samuel 16: 11. Yes there was another, but one who had never been thought of by any one, not even by those who were nearest and dearest to him, but he was the man God had chosen. Samuel says, “Send and fetch him, for we will not sit at table till he come hither” 1 Samuel 16: 11. And as soon as he arrived, Jehovah said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he” (1 Samuel 16: 12). He is anointed in the midst of his brethren; he is distinguished in that way — in contrast to Saul, who was anointed in a sort of private way — and in the power of that anointing he went forth. Samuel was to take an heifer with him when he went to Bethlehem to anoint David, meaning that there would be a subjective answer to it — the feminine animal gives a subjective thought. Saul sought to check that by bringing in Merab and Michal for David, but they did not conform to the anointing at all: David’s spouse must be of a different family from Saul (see 1 Samuel 25:42,43). That is what Paul aimed at securing. He says, “I have espoused you unto one man to present you a chaste virgin to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11: 2). The apostle knew well that Satan’s effort would be to corrupt their thoughts.
FWJ Do you view the anointing rather as the operations of the Spirit than of gift?
JT It is more a question of the operations of the Spirit in chapter 12. The chapter opens with the subject of spiritual manifestations, and, as the chapter proceeds,
[p. 226] the apostle works the thing down to the truth of the body, and then he says “God has set certain in the assembly” (verse 28), and he gives the order — first apostles, etc. The truth of the body must be seen first, and when we understand that we are Christ’s body and members in particular, then each christian has his place in the power of the Spirit; then there is room for the gifts.
FWJ Is it the capacity of the body as the anointed vessel rather than the resources that come from the Head?
JT Just so, but you can see how the exercise of gift in testimony is made to fit in with the idea of the assembly as the anointed vessel. Each saint should have his place, then there is room for gifts.
FWJ The vessel in the scripture you quoted is the vessel in a corporate position; “so also is the Christ”, then “members in particular” gives the idea of all the members.
JT Yes. “Ye are Christ’s body”. 1 Corinthians 12: 27.