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FEATURES OF THE TRUTH BEARING ON THE LAST DAYS (1)

JT There are certain features of the truth that bear especially on the last days, and they are exemplified in certain persons. It is thought that these persons should be considered at this time. Of course the whole truth is presented in Christ, who is the truth, and hence in the first reading we shall consider Him in relation to what is specially in mind. The features refer to the position of the authorities, “the powers that be”, in the last days. It is thought that the Lord Himself should be looked at first, as to His presence before Pilate seen in John 18 and 19; then Paul before Agrippa and Festus, then Peter in certain connections, John in Revelation, and finally Timothy.

What is to be noted first is the conversation between the Lord and Pilate, which we may say is peculiar to John, and it is thought it would bear particularly on the last days. The government as appointed by God has been greatly accentuated by events that have arisen during recent times, extending back about thirty years, and it has come into contact with the Spirit of Christ in His people. The Lord has been helping the saints to say what is right to them, as He Himself did, and to act accordingly in other things. At the outset of the origination of the gentile monarchies great events occurred. The history of Nebuchadnezzar is outstanding. God gave him to be “king of kings”, and great wars were carried on by him. Nebuchadnezzar and his successors came into contact with God’s people in Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego these ^[p. 2] and many others were enabled of God to act becomingly and to bear testimony. And God acted in the monarchs, too, so as to enhance the testimony that was rendered in that time. The bearing of it has come right down to us. The Romans, of course, were marked by great things, as indeed were all the four monarchies, but the Romans particularly. During the period of their domination the Lord Himself appeared. And now great events are taking place, and the Spirit of Christ is again active in relation to the governing powers. God is acting in them governmentally, too, so as to give effect to the testimony that is being rendered by one and another of His people. The Lord’s own remarks in the two chapters read in John should have peculiar force with us in view of the end. The Lord asserts that His kingdom is not of this world. “Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, my servants had fought that I might not be delivered up to the Jews; but now my kingdom is not from hence”, John 18: 36. This is the most important passage of all that was in mind to be specially brought before the brethren at this time.

AEH It is noteworthy in connection with the Lord going into the situation that, while generally in John He is moving of Himself, this passage that you have suggested starts with, “They lead therefore Jesus from Caiaphas”.

JT He is now apprehended, not yet by the Romans but by the religious element in Jerusalem. He had gone into a garden, we are told in the beginning of the chapter. It is said, “Judas also, who delivered him up, knew the place, because Jesus was often there, in company with his disciples. Judas therefore, having got the band, and officers of the chief priests and Pharisees, comes there with lanterns and torches and weapons” (verses 2, 3). That is, He is pursued. He is still, in the beginning of the ^[p. 3] chapter, acting of Himself, and goes to a place which had often been visited by Himself and His disciples, so that He is still free, acting as is customary with Him; but now He is pursued by the traitor who comes in a militant fashion with the officers of the chief priests and Pharisees. They have come to arrest Him, which they do, but He shows that His power remains with Him. They could not do anything save as He permitted them. He asked whom they sought (verse 4) and they said, “Jesus the Nazaraean. Jesus says to them, I am he. And Judas also, who delivered him up, stood with them. When therefore he said to them, I am he, they went away backward and fell to the ground”. That is, He shows that they could not take His liberty away from Him save as He would permit them. This is in keeping with John’ line. A divine Person was there and they could not do anything save as He permitted them. Therefore He again demands, after they went backward and fell to the ground, “Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus the Nazaraean. Jesus answered, I told you that I am he; if therefore ye seek me, let these go away; that the word might be fulfilled which he spoke, As to those whom thou hast given me, I have not lost one of them” (verses 7 - 9). These verses are of great importance in view of what is before us: a divine Person is there, and although those who would be His captors are armed with torches and lanterns and weapons, they could not do anything. As He said, “I am he”, they went backward and fell to the ground. He is asserting His deity, so that the position is clear, all is at His behest; whatever He wills they may do, but nothing else. That is the position now, a divine Person is here, the Holy Spirit, and in His presence there is liberty; the bearing of this is universal. What is of God is maintained here in the fact that the Spirit of God is here. Nothing can ^[p. 4] happen without God, so that we may allow ourselves to be apprehended if it be God’s will. That is the position. It is a victorious position, though it involves suffering as the chapters plainly mark out. But the position in John is different from that in the other three gospels: the Lord shows that He can retain His liberty, Pilate could have no power against Him except as given from heaven.

HB Would the word as to His life in John 10: 18 fit: “I have authority to lay it down”? He is in this situation in perfect control.

JT That is what comes out. Satan had selected his instruments, it was a satanic matter; Judas had come under his power and the devil was doing his utmost, but his emissaries were powerless. He himself was powerless. Then the Lord says, “If therefore ye seek me, let these go away”. He could retain His liberty, but He is going to allow them to take Him. He provides however for the disciples, they are to be let go.

JWD Paul, when he called himself “the prisoner of Christ Jesus”, and “the prisoner of the Lord”, would move into that thought, would he not?

JT Quite so. The history of the voyage from Caesarea to Malta brings out that he had retained his liberty inwardly. “An angel of... God... stood by me”, he says, Acts 27: 23. Even outwardly he is, in a sense, in charge of the position; and as he reaches Rome, although still a prisoner, he retains liberty to carry on his service; and from there we have the greatest things from him in written ministry.

ANW When he secured certain liberty by claiming to be a Roman, what of that?

JT That was, of course, failure. The Lord suffered before the high priest, and said, “If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil”. This was, as ever with Him, absolutely right, in contrast to Paul’s giving way in pressure. He used his Roman citizenship ^[p. 5] to relieve himself, which was a descent from the level of faith he was on; but the Lord graciously considered for him so that it did not interfere with the general position and testimony of the apostle. The Lord said to him immediately after, “For as thou hast testified the things concerning me at Jerusalem, so thou must bear witness at Rome also”.

RWS After the Lord’s enemies fell backward, Peter uses the sword (John 18: 10): he missed the import at the moment of who the Person was.

JT He was falsifying the position. The Lord said to him, “Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given me, shall I not drink it?”

AEH Would the Lord’s saying, “Let these go away”, suggest that meeting the authorities in the proper way, and the consciousness of power, would help the brethren in carrying on; that there would be more liberty afforded them?

JT Yes. The Lord stands in the breach. He says, “I told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go away”. An important principle comes in there: that is, the Lord says things in His ministry in view of future occurrences; He says things prophetically, so that faith might be fortified. When the application time came, those who had faith would know what to do. So in verse 9 it is, “that the word might be fulfilled which he spoke, As to those whom thou hast given me, I have not lost one of them”. He had spoken that prophetically in chapter 17. It was not simply historical at that time, but that that principle should go forward — the Lord preserving His people that they should not be lost. But Peter, as far as his action goes, negatives that thought; his act is against what the Lord is doing, what He had said prophetically in chapter 17. Peter is nullifying that as far as his action goes. It was no doubt corrected, but I think the incident ^[p. 6] shows how we may come in to thwart a prophetic word. We are fortified when some event happens if there has been a prophetic word as to it. Peter’s action was nullifying what the Lord had said as to the preservation of the disciples. “Simon Peter therefore, having a sword”. Is not that the sequence of the natural mind in Peter? It is certainly not a sequence from what the Lord had said, that none of them should be lost.

Rem We had a prophetic word in the last war with regard to the authorities.

JT The question of conscience came up in a remarkable way. So far as I know, there had been no conscription in Great Britain before, but the Lord allowed conditions to arise which necessitated conscription, that is, manpower conscripted by the authorities. At that time the Spirit of the Lord raised up a standard, and it has stood as a guide for the saints. No one at that time expected this condition to arise so soon afterwards, but that standard has afforded fortification for faith and devotedness to the Lord in the young brothers that are conscripted now. The Lord is making room for them as maintaining a good conscience before Him.

HGH On the same line, does verse 32 confirm the prophetic words of Jesus in relation to Himself?

JT Yes, “signifying what death he should die”. Prophecy would fortify faith in that way.

AAT How do you apply verse 9 today?

JT It is a sheltering principle. John brings it in here, and in view of the extraordinary conditions of the last days it has particular force, for God has revived the truth and recovered His people. It applies to us in the present recovered position. I think God is helping the brethren to hold on to it. Instead of divisions amongst us, such as happened earlier and frequently, we have had none since 1908, none worth bringing forward. Sovereign mercy is preserving ^[p. 7] us. It will continue to preserve us as we keep lowly. The promise to the assembly in Philadelphia enters into this: “I also will keep thee out of the hour of trial, which is about to come upon the whole habitable world, to try them that dwell upon the earth”.

JRH Does all this mean that the peace and liberty of the brethren has been ensured by those who take the forefront in the matter of declaring their conscience?

JT Speaking militarily, they are the spearhead. God has ordered things that way: a certain grade of human life in the brethren is called into the breach, and the Lord is helping them. It is a front line matter for the salvation of all — the principle that was stressed in the last war.

SWP Would one brother having the sword tend to endanger the position of all?

JT That is just the point. Here is one brother acting on his own initiative: “Simon Peter therefore, having a sword, drew it, and smote the bondman of the high priest and cut off his right ear”. The damage that he does is not remedied here. The Lord is letting things stand. How far will your action go? If I am disregarding the principle, the damage may not be remedied immediately. Here the Lord did not mend the matter, though in Luke He does.

JWD The Lord says, “Put the sword into the sheath”, as if there is hope in doing that.

JT The position is that the sword is sheathed and another feature of the kingdom takes its place. The Lord says, “My kingdom is not of this world”; if it were, He says, “my servants had fought”. Well, Peter had fought, but the Lord is not charging that. In general that is the position, the brethren are not using the sword. That was a defect on Peter’s part. The disciples did not take weapons to attack their ^[p. 8] enemies.

ANW In using the sword Peter lowered for the moment the level of the Lord’s people.

JT Yes, and the Lord did not attempt to remedy it according to John’s account. If things happen amongst us that should not, if He comes in and remedies them, good and well; but in this case it is not so, and that is to remind us. Some brother enlists, disregarding conscience; hence the position is lost to that extent.

HB It seems to be put over against the cup given by the Father.

JT The moment involved the Lord’s death. The sword would be used against Him for atonement — not against me. The Lord says, “The cup which the Father has given me, shall I not drink it?” The general position of the present dispensation entered into it.

WR “He was reckoned with the lawless”.

JT In view of all this they must fortify themselves. They would for a moment be without the Lord’s protection; hence His direction that they should buy swords. But the disciples did not understand, and so the Lord said, “It is enough”.

JWD The active agency against the Lord is religious power coupled with political power; it is active before we get to the Roman monarchy restored. Is there something of an analogy today that brings about this crisis?

JT I think so — the traitor emanating from this combination. We are dealing here with the inner circle of evil. Judas emanated from the inner circle. Satan had hired him, and he led the band with weapons, torches and lanterns. Think of that as over against the light that shone in Christ! Judas was the centre of this satanic operation: “Judas also, who delivered him up, stood with them”. That is the position. It is an inner circle of evil. There is the mystery of iniquity; it is working out in the last ^[p. 9] days in a more concrete way than it did at the beginning. There has been a betrayal of the position, and those that have been betraying the truth are lending themselves to the devil. The group with Judas here corresponds with what is at work today. The Lord says, “The hand of him that delivers me up is with me on the table”.

WR If we are not affected by the truth we are likely to betray it.

JT “Simon Peter therefore”; what is this “therefore”? The Lord had just said, “If therefore ye seek me, let these go away”. Whatever it means it cannot be a sequence to the Lord’s words. The Lord’s words were a fulfilment of the earlier statement He had made, “as to those whom thou hast given me, I have not lost one of them”. Thus it is clear that Peter, in using the sword, was out of accord with the Lord’s mind. But the Lord does not heal the bondman of the high priest. He does so according to Luke.

CAM Is this not one of the things that impresses you with the fact that John’s ministry looks down to the last time? This section is prophetic of the maintenance of the testimony, especially at the end.

JT It is. There has been a revival of discipleship in the inner circle. But there has also been the betrayal of the testimony and those who lead in that come back: they know the spot, they know what the brethren hold and where they meet, and they are pretty sure to have their lanterns, and torches and weapons. Peter uses the sword, contrary to the Lord’s teaching, but He would adjust Peter. He does not adjust Judas, but He adjusts Peter telling him to put that weapon into its sheath. He does not, however, tell him to destroy it. In effect it belonged to the governing authorities, but it is not a weapon for Christ’s disciples. Another thing comes in here, the Lord’s heavenly kingdom. Peter would ^[p. 10] learn that he and his fellow disciples must be governed by its principles. They must follow the line of what He has been doing, what He says and does. That is where the testimony of Christ and the salvation of the brethren lie.

SWP Is all this position the Lord takes up one of pattern, first His testimony to Annas, then to Caiaphas, and then to Pilate, all being suggested to bring out some features of Himself in these positions for our guidance and help?

JT Yes. This is a first line attack. Satan tries to do what he can; Judas is in his service as leader. Satan intended to do what he could with Judas and his band allied to the religious element. Then we have Peter denying the Lord, and alongside of this his use of the sword to cut off Malchus’ ear. The “band” (verse 12), is again employed: “The band therefore, and the chiliarch, and the officers of the Jews, took Jesus and bound him: and they led him away to Annas first”. Then the Lord is led to Pilate. Now we are in front of the four monarchies, at least of the final one, the Roman.

HGH In verse 29 the authorities seem to be showing a measure of favour towards the religious leaders. What is there in the fact of Pilate’s going out instead of their coming in?

JT It was the Passover time and they could not, because of Jewish custom, enter the praetorium. They had religious scruples and could not go in there; Pilate has to do as they say, he has to go out to them. That shows the position of the government; religion usually has power there. And so he goes out from the authoritative place to where they are. You can thus see the influence at work even where the rights of God are involved. Pilate is not, however, available to Satan at first; he represents government in the abstract and his mind is right at first. Satan has no power over him until the Jews come in.

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