GENEALOGICAL REGISTRY IN A DAY OF DEPARTURE (3)
[p. 238] GENEALOGICAL REGISTRY IN A DAY OF DEPARTURE (3)
JT This letter is specially intended to furnish us for the last days. Verse 7 introduces a matter of importance. What Paul says has to be thought over.
TMG “Consider what I say”.
Rem Does that refer to all that follow or to the resurrection?
JT The epistle itself is specially in view, but I think it has reference to what Paul taught generally. Of course, every part of the Word is to be thought over, but evidently what Paul says is the final word, and the great binding feature of the whole of revelation; it has therefore to be specially before us.
TMG All in Asia had turned away from him; he was a test, as we have been saying.
Rem Paul seems to lay great stress on the intelligent appreciation of what he says.
JT Yes. As Timothy would think over it, the Lord would give him understanding. Divine things are not taken in by mental ability, but by understanding divinely given.
TMG Timothy might think, but without the Lord giving him understanding it would not avail.
JT The Lord is brought in in this letter as supporting the testimony. It is the testimony of our Lord; so that this letter should be studied thoroughly in connection with every other Scripture intended for the servant.
Rem It says in 1 Timothy 4: 15, “Meditate upon these things”. “Take heed unto the doctrine”.
JT The reasons are given; it is “that thy profiting may appear to all”, and, “in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and those that hear thee”.
[p. 239] Ques What would be the great subject of Paul’s teaching?
JT He had two ministries - the ministry of the gospel, and the ministry of the assembly. Of course, Peter and the eleven preached the gospel too. They were to preach it to all the nations, but they did not preach it strictly as a heavenly system. Paul began by preaching Christ as the Son of God; and then he taught that the assembly was Christ’s body.
SL That, we may say, was the first lesson learned by the apostle and it characterised his ministry.
JT Yes. Paul announced Christ in Damascus as the Son of God. He tells us in Galatians 1: 15, that God revealed His Son in him, and it was that he might “announce him”. It is sonship and all that rests on that; the heavenly position and the assembly as the bride of Christ. The apprehension and the practice of Paul’s doctrine in the last day involves the saints being heavenly; so that in the address to Philadelphia it says they are to be kept from the hour of trial that shall come upon all those that dwell on the earth. It does not say, ‘I will take thee’ out of it, but “I will keep thee” out of it. It is a question more of God’s keeping power through faith, than actual translation.
TMG It involves “the testimony of our Lord”.
JT I think so; that is the tender plant that he would foster and protect in these last days.
TMG The tendency is to gravitate towards the earth.
JT Anyone who is an earth-dweller is exposed to the hour of trial. The Lord says, “I will keep thee out of the hour of trial”. It shows the faithfulness of Christ, and the power too that He is exercising on the behalf of the assembly.
TMG He is a present Saviour. All the organisations in the world are to divert the mind of man from Him.
[p. 240] JT The earth is in view in all the calculations of the philosophers. But the saints, as keeping the word of Christ’s patience, are to be kept out of the hour of trial.
Rem In Paul saying, “consider what I say”, was there something fresh to be considered?
JT It is what Paul says. The Lord opened the heart of Lydia to attend to the things spoken by Paul; Acts 16.
Rem It is really the heavenly line of things.
JT Timothy had learned of Paul before, and this was an additional word. What Paul said was to be considered and the Lord would give understanding.
TMG “Thou hast fully known my doctrine”, he says in chapter 3,
JT The man of God is to consider what Paul says.
JM That is what the enemy is ever against.
JT The Lord says, “he that keepeth my word”. Paul’s ministry would be included in Christ’s word. “The Son of God” is the great feature with Paul. It was a light from heaven that shone around him at Damascus.
TMG The tendency in Christendom today is to connect Christ with the earth, as we see in such books as, In His Steps.
JT What He was as a man here in relation to men.
Rem “The Son of God” is what He was in another sphere altogether.
JT Then as to the principles that were to govern the assembly, one who is spiritual recognises that the things which Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians as stated in chapter 14: 37 are “the commandments of the Lord”. The letters to the Corinthians in that way become the law of the house for Christians. Of course, Peter and John and James give us instruction, but the last word for the assembly is Paul’[p. 241] s word.
WHM It is a great lack among the people of God generally that we do not ponder things enough.
JT The Scriptures are very far-reaching. I have no doubt that in Paul’s writings the full bearing may not have been apparent then; the application of some features is, no doubt, clearer now, as the conditions in view have developed.
Rem What was given out when everything was in order might have a different bearing when failure had come in.
JT The idea in Scripture is that each book or letter is a part of a whole, and all is divine. You can never limit what is inspired, hence the great importance of thinking over things.
Rem The apostle could not do anything but minister; the understanding must come from the Lord.
JT Peter says that certain things Paul wrote were; hard to be understood. There are hidden teachings in these writings that only pondering would bring out.
Rem Like Daniel, who understood by books.
Ques Would it be right to say that the ministry of the assembly was not revealed until Paul’s time?
JT Yes.
Rem It needs a true spiritual state among the saints, before it can be made known or developed.
JT Paul did not make it known in its fulness, except to the Ephesians, as far as Scripture shows. The understanding of it is entirely dependent on “the spirit of wisdom and revelation”, which God gives to us. According to Ephesians 3: 14, Paul “bows his knees”. I understand that to be the evidence of great exercise. He desired that the saints should be strengthened with the Father’s spirit so as to be fully able to apprehend divine things.
Rem It is understanding “in all things”. Would [p. 242] not that have the effect of making us feel that we are dependent on the Lord for understanding in everything?
JT Yes, you are cast upon the Lord, and He will not fail; He will give understanding in all things.
Rem The apprehension of Paul’s ministry would give character to Timothy. He would be marked as supporting the truth by this.
JT Timothy was to remember “Jesus Christ raised from among the dead, of the seed of David”, according to Paul’s glad tidings.
TMG The risen Man. That gave character to his glad tidings.
JMcF The great thought is “raised from among the dead”.
JT Yes, at the end of a path of faithfulness. He who carried out the will of God, met all kinds of opposition. That Man was raised. That is a great stay to the heart. We are in like circumstances, in measure.
JMcF The moral import of that would affect us now. In our spirits we would be as those risen from amongst the dead through faith of the operation of God.
JT In resurrection all Christ’s sufferings are over. We are to remember Him raised. This is an immense stay to the heart in suffering.
Ques Why does he bring in here “the seed of David”?
JT I think it is because He inherited the promises to David. He was the Seed-royal, and this meant suffering; see Matthew 2. All that hangs on royalty, for Him meant reproach and suffering. The purple in the tabernacle referred to royalty. This means suffering now. Christ’s kingly rights were witnessed to at the cross; instead of reigning, [p. 243] He died.
WHM Does it not imply also how He became a Man excellent in all His ways? “The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day”, Proverbs 4: 8.
JT The other side of the truth of His Person, as seen in Romans 1, is, that He was “marked out Son of God in power according to the spirit of holiness, by resurrection of the dead”. That passage refers to the power He exercised Himself in regard to others; here in 2 Timothy 2, it is that He was raised by God.
TMG The power was inherent in Him according to Romans.
Rem It involved suffering, for the apostle.
JT Suffering is the order of the day, but then it culminates in resurrection; so the apostle immediately adds: “Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds”.
Rem That resurrection is the end of the path of suffering is not seen by the world, or those in it who persecute But we do not want deliverance on any other principle.
JRW You said that suffering is the order of the day; there is also rejoicing.
JT Suffering is to be accepted. All that will live godly have to suffer; but joy in the Spirit accompanies it! A most wonderful example of this was in Philippi, where Paul and Silas were cast into the inner prison. At midnight they “in praying were praising God, with singing”. One thing led to another; the place, for the moment, was turned into a temple of God. And then, it says, “the prisoners listened to them”. It was a wonderful scene. That is what God can do in these days.
Rem The suffering precedes the joy.
JT Of course, you get the joy, but, in this respect the suffering brings it out.
[p. 244] Ques What did you mean when you said there is no deliverance except in resurrection?
JT That is the principle. It is said of some of the saints of old “Not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection;” Hebrews 11: 35. So that we do not look for man’s help, we look for God’s help. The Psalms show in a remarkable way how the “godly man” was delivered. God is allowing terrible things to happen so that the elect may be moved and “obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory”. For this the apostle endured all things.
Ques How can the elect be moved?
JT Many of the elect are mixed up with things in the world. Before the war there was great development, but God has come in to upset all that; so that no man can talk about human progress now. And those in whom God is working are convinced that their hopes are not to be set upon earthly things. This is surely a great advantage.
SL In preaching the gospel you have not to convince people now that the world is wicked - it is evident.
JT Like the lost piece of silver, if the dust is shaken up the piece is more readily found,
Rem The elect spoken of here have not been saved as yet.
JT All still unsaved would be in view. Those that we know as saints are definitely called “the elect” in Colossians, but here all are included.
Ques Is the thought of “eternal glory” in verse 10, to show the greatness of the salvation? A preacher would have a world-wide view in preaching, not only the elect?
JT Of course, God is very great, and He has every man before Him for blessing. Isaac, who is a type of Christ, blessed both Jacob and Esau, which suggests that blessing is for all.
[p. 245] Rem; If the preacher has a sense of the grace of God, he would make the invitation universal.
JT God will have all men to be saved. You must preach what is in God’s mind if you want to preach effectively.
Rem In the first chapter of Colossians it says, “whom we announce, admonishing every man, and teaching every man, in all wisdom, to the end that we may present every man perfect in Christ”.
JT Paul had a wide field before him there.
Rem We need to have our hearts enlarged.
TMG God has blessing in His heart for all; but the elect only will appreciate it, and so come into the salvation that is in Christ Jesus.
JT “The word is faithful; for if we have died with him we shall also live together”. This is in line with what we have been dwelling upon, correspondence with Christ’s position in suffering and glory. “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him”. Then it says, “If we deny him, he also will deny us”. John Baptist “confessed and denied not”, we read in John 1: 20. He had a great opportunity to make much of himself, but he confessed and denied not; and then he went on to tell them of Christ, and confessed Him in His greatness. The great thing is - to confess Him now.
RWG John confessed and denied not. The fact of confessing brought about that he denied not. If he had not confessed, he would have denied.
JT They sent to find out if John were the Christ, but he confessed and denied not.
WHM John took a very low place as being only “a voice”.
TMG He said of Jesus, “He must increase, but I must decrease”.
Ques How do you understand the word, “If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful, he cannot deny himself”?
JT I suppose that is a fresh thought to stay our hearts “He abideth faithful”. Unfaithfulness is not quite so serious as denial. I think it is a stay to the heart, if there has been failure, that the Lord remains faithful. The denial referred to here is a characteristic attitude taken up either in teaching or in practice.
Ques Has it not a present application?
JT Yes, He abides faithful.
Rem The apostle had proved that; he could say, “The Lord stood by me”.
JT I think that those who are acquainted with the history of things can easily testify that the Lord has always provided, so that there is no need for any discouragement.
TMG We have often seen how He remains faithful.