THE ABUNDANCE OF THE SEAS (3)
[p. 45] THE ABUNDANCE OF THE SEAS (3)
Mark 5:21 - 43; Mark 6:30 - 56
JT Up to yesterday afternoon we were dwelling on the Lord’s service by the sea. It was observed that the Lord’s service in this gospel is particularly set in relation to it; having the sea in the centre as affording an opportunity for the principle indicated in it to be emphasised; so that the end of chapter 4 shews that the disciples were already acquiring a knowledge of the sea. The references to the Old Testament helped us as to the use of ships so that the wealth of the seas should be acquired. The end of chapter 4 shews that the Lord having been taken by the disciples “as he was, in the ship” proved His superiority to the element of opposition that might be expected to arise; for whilst the sea denotes the area of the gospel, and the divine sowing, as in Mark 4, it also suggests an area in which Satan has power.
FHB Would it be well, for those not here yesterday, to say a word as to what the sea represents in this gospel?
JT What has come before us is that it primarily suggests the area whence divine wealth is to be drawn; so that the disciples are informed they are to be made fishers of men. That gives an indication at once of what the figure suggests.
FHB What was universal in contrast to what might be insular — the widest aspect of the service.
JT Quite. Now we see that the apostles are actually on the sea. The Lord began in chapter 4 by sitting in it, and as in the boat speaking the parable of the sower, this meaning that God would sow in that area, and that there would be the good ground. That is the principle of sovereign preparation; that God knows the ground. He knows the area, and prepares beforehand the good ground, so that there may be fruit. It brings in the sovereignty of God, and the perfect knowledge He has of the parts in which [p. 46] the gospel is to be proclaimed.
EuR And the yield is encouraging in this gospel.
JT I think we shall see how the wealth of the seas, so to speak, is in view from Mark 5 to the end of Mark 7.
EuR It is not a diminishing yield here, but thirty, sixty and a hundred.
JT That should stimulate us, that we may always hope for better results. It keeps us from discouragement. So we find in this first incident in Mark 5 that the result though not large was very excellent in quality one person in the whole country. It is in regard of a man representing the power of Satan, not now operating on the sea, but actually in the man; shewing that the material with which God is ready to deal is the very worst, possible, as we might say. The most difficult case imaginable is this man, as if God would shew that He does not take the easiest way. He does not seek out the people that are comparatively immune from satanic power, because there are grades in this respect, but He begins to meet the enemy in his stronghold. As in the case of Saul of Tarsus, He takes the most difficult case to shew the possible effect of the power of the ministry, because that is the point in Mark. The official idea of apostleship is not so much in evidence as the moral power in the ministers. You do not need to emphasise the official side if the actual power is there. It is a question of what is done, and nobody can dispute it.
HE S. Is the central point in Mark that the kingdom of God has come with power?
JT That is how it is presented in chapter 9, as we shall see; that is “the kingdom of God come in power”, and it is seen here in chapter 5 in the first great yield in Decapolis, that is, as passing over to the other side, which shews the idea of going overseas. The position is difficult, the soil is hard; it was a region of ten cities shewing the advantage that cities afford to Satan — the influence of cities. We were speaking about the cities of [p. 47] the Levites, they were over against Decapolis. The dries of the levites are necessary for God; but these cities, as the world’s cities do, afford power to Satan. But the man is completely delivered and wished to be with the Lord. He is found “sitting, and clothed and in his right mind”, and that is evidently the first great yield that we want — the man representing the intelligence and power needed for the testimony.
JCS Would you say the power demonstrated in dealing with this man shewed what the Lord could do with any case?
JT That is the idea. So, in the type, Moses is directed as Pharaoh goes out to the water to go and take his stand in front of him. That is, in the service we do not seek the weak subjects, because God would shew the superiority of His power to all that is of the devil: “Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world”, (1 John 4:4). Moses stands in front of him; that is, you confront the whole power of the world in the testimony.
EM Would there be an illustration in the rod becoming a serpent and then being taken up by the hand of Moses, that satanic power would be dealt with?
JT Quite. It was taken back; the rod became a symbol of Moses’ power; shewing how the instrument is wrested from the enemy to be used against him.
EuR In the christian economy God’s thought is to have the levitical cities now in the midst of man’s cities.
JT That is where God is setting His testimony — in the cities, according to Proverbs and the Acts.
EuR So by the operation of the Lord each one needs to be withdrawn from whatever may have influenced him or her as in the life of that city, and come into this new thing, which God has used in testimony in that city.
JT Quite; the rod became a serpent on the ground and Moses fled from it. It was the power of Satan in man, but he takes it back by the tail, which indicates [p. 48] what is meant. The idea of man is taken up, but man who had been under satanic power, now in God’s hand for service. That is the idea of this gospel; it is the “kingdom of God come in power”, so that the convert is in the Lord’s hands. He can so trust him that He leaves him behind where there is no protection at all for him, not even other saints — a man alone in that land of Satan’s power. The Lord can trust him there, and that indicates what the yield means, what there is for God in those overseas operations.
HES And is the fact that the yield increases in Mark’s gospel suggestive that the closing days will be the best?
JT At any rate, in quality. You would hope for that, and I am sure we should aim at quality whilst having quantity also in view. What you get in Solomon’s overseas expeditions was what was for God, that is, gold. The volume of gold is what is emphasised (1 Kings 9:28), and then the queen of Sheba symbolising the thing in persons, that she came herself in intelligence, knowing to what she was coming.
JJ What was in your mind about Proverbs in mentioning that book?
JT Wisdom takes her stand in the chief places of concourse where people are. That is where the testimony is rendered.
Ques Would sitting, clothed and sensible, shew the quality?
JT Yes; that is the kind of thing from the man’s side. What you want in a man is just those three things, that he is sitting and clothed and in his right mind. That is the idea of the rod brought back and held in the hand, as the symbol of divine authority, but divine authority used in one who had been under the power of Satan.
EuR So the apostle says to the saints at Corinth, “Such were some of you”; he reminds them whence they had come.
JCS [p. 49] The power that dealt with the man, was the kind of power that is meeting the power of the enemy in the Lord’s service here.
JT Do you not think he would need that as left alone in the territory where the Lord was refused? They ask the Lord to depart out of their coasts and He does, but He leaves the man there. What power would be needed in that man, to stand and tell what the Lord had done for him, to bear witness there!
Rem So that God has secured a man for His service.
JT That is right, and he would tell what was done for him; he would be a witness in himself of what God had done for him.
EuR The Lord had become attractive to him, and he would fain be with Him.
JT Quite; that kind of man the Lord can trust. If he were just simply delivered the Lord would no doubt have allowed him to accompany Him, but I think His leaving him in the country indicates the quality of the work there. Then you get another movement in verse 21, at which we began to read: “And Jesus having passed over in the ship again to the other side, a great crowd gathered to him; and he was by the sea”. There you see what the Lord carried on; He is ‘by the sea’; He has come to His own side, but He is still by the sea, and the remaining part of the chapter brings out quality, first in a woman and then in a girl. That is, it is the excellence of the quality in these three cases, shewing how the work of God takes in mankind in its varied relations a man, a woman and a girl, the latter called ‘damsel’ here by the Lord.
NMcC What is the suggestion in that?
JT The idea is freshness of life, but here in Mark with the added thought of walking. She not only sat but she walked, because that is a feature of fresh young life.
JC S. Do you regard all this as indicating the Lord’s ability to draw upon the wealth of [p. 50] the sea?
JT The passage begins with that, that He was by the sea, verse 21.
Ques What is the suggestion in the twelve years, both in the woman and the child?
JT The three taken together refer to what goes on in one believer, namely, intelligence, then transparency, that is deliverance inwardly, as in Romans 7 and then fewness of life. It is, I think, the believer according to Romans. What do you think?
FSM I was wondering whether the three incidents together would not suggest the conditions for our service today; first deliverance, and then sitting at the feet of Jesus clothed and in the right mind, then being sent, then being transparent, and finally the simplicity that would mark the child in newness of life.
JT Yes; so that the twelve years in the case of the woman and the child would mean the effect of deliverance in the believer. The child’s life corresponded with the time of the woman’s trouble; it was year by year; so that the inward deliverance of Romans 7, Romans 8 culminates in a normal spiritual state; The Lord begins to shew here that there were grades of quality in the service; that the servants were not all on the same level in His mind; there were three distinctive ones. He is already indicating quality in His servants, and He has in mind that there should be quality and spiritual refinement in the result of His work; and I think that is seen in the girl. She is the product, not of what was public as in the woman’s case, but of private work. It is a private spiritual refinement culminating in fresh life, as implied in Romans 8.
MWB In that way there is a reflection of what the servant is in the work that he accomplishes.
JT Just so. You would be exercised as to adding a little touch to the saints. It is not always rough work. There is that certainly; dealing with the man was heavy work, casting out the demons; but then there is the [p. 51] refining process, and that is also seen here. That is a very great test as to where one is, and what is the quality of one’s ministry; it is what one would be exercised about as to the quality of the ministry, because whilst we have volume, thank God, we must never overlook that quality must enter into ministry, the refining of the saints. The Lord is aiming at the greatest possible product; but the church is to be the acme of divine workmanship and He is pleased to use us in that. So it is a question of one’s ability for refining, that is, the increase in quality in the ministry. The heavenly city will be the fulness of the result of that work, the excess. The superlative degree is in Ephesians, and that points to the work of God in its completeness. The heavenly city really will display the supreme refining work of God, and that is what should affect us if the Lord is pleased to call us into His service; are we able to move on into a little bit of quality in ministry? It is not simply volume; quality is the thing to which the Lord would call attention.
Ques Is it suggested in the thought of the twelve the power for service and the conditions that there might be quality?
JT We are speaking now rather about the three. The twelve represent the complete administrative system, to meet the whole position of evil here; but then you have three selected out of the twelve; reminding us that the Lord is already indicating quality. Why should He take those three? There must be something about them above the others. You find them specially selected, and then they are brought into this particular part of the work in the house, and you have this result, a girl brought up out of death, by the Lord, and walking. You would see there freshness, grace of movement and potential development of features of the church.
HES Do these three incidents shew the perfection of the service? Is it in principle deliverance from Satan, sin and [p. 52] death?
JT Well, there is all that; but I think you ought to add the thought of refinement, the newness of life that Romans contemplates. Romans 8 contemplates something very fine leading on to Ephesians. Romans properly leads into Ephesians. That is, in a girl like this, fresh from the Lord’s hands, brought back to life in this environment of the father and the mother and the three selected apostles, you have something that can be developed. She is only twelve years of age, and therefore there is in her that which can be developed.
FSM Would it suggest in the Lord taking the girl by the hand at the age of twelve, that there is a moment in our soul history when the Lord would take us by the hand and awaken the instincts of service towards Him?
JT You have in a girl in those circumstances a subject, as you might say, for the development of spirituality. From the Lord’s point of view, what will He not do with this case?
EJMcB Is your thought the possibility of walking in newness of life?
JT Yes, the possibilities that follow the full effect of the teaching in Romans.
JCS Speaking again of refinement, would persons serving on that line have a kind of moral elegance in their service?
JT That is so. Then there must be something important in that you have the actual original words the Lord used, “Talitha koumi”. The child hears those words from His own lips. They are interpreted for us; but you have the actual words the Lord used in this girl’s ears. That is to say, she is a direct product of His own work; and it says she immediately arose and walked. “Damsel, I say to thee. Arise. And immediately the damsel arose and walked, for she was twelve years old”. Now, whatever comes after must have this as a groundwork. That is to say, as I understand it, it is that which Romans produces and which Ephesians finishes.
[p. 53] Obviously a girl of twelve years is not finished; she does not present the full divine idea in a woman, for the divine idea really is the church. That is the great culminating thing on the feminine side; but here you have a subject for that work, from the standpoint of quality.
MWB Do you connect that with the way Ananias put his hands on Saul? Would he have given him an impression of what was suited to the assembly in the way of refinement, of the quality of the thing?
JT That is a good suggestion, because the Lord had taken Ananias in hand to ensure that the touch should be, that which should represent Him.
RB Do you mean that if there is to be the securing of quality in the yield, you must have the quality first in the Levite?
JT Exactly; that is what I have been thinking as to the quality of the ministry that the Lord is giving. There is much of it; but it is quality that is needed so that there should be the development and the finish in the church. What do you say?
EJMcB I think that is very good.
JT How do you look at it in our ministry?
EJMcB One would long to see converts actually marked by a fresh character of life in this scene, with interests and affections moving into what is dear to Christ.
JT You see how little there is of that abroad in the nominal service of the Lord. There is no idea of quality, even although souls may be saved; there is no idea of the finished product, so to speak.
WL Would the Philippian epistle cover the range of those three you have brought before us, commencing with the rough work in the jailor, and Lydia going on to the finer touches we get in the epistle?
JT That is good. I have no doubt Lydia represents the quality of Philippi, because she is the woman “whose heart the Lord opened to attend to the things spoken by Paul”. Paul spoke to the jailor of course; but she attended.
[p. 54] to the things spoken by him. Whatever he said she would attend to; Paul’s ministry is the full thought of God in the church.
JJ This all involves a moral process.
JT It does; Paul recognised afterwards that Lydia represented the quality of his work, for he went to her when he was released from the prison. “They came to Lydia”, as if she was the special link there. The apostle could thank God for his “whole remembrance” of the Philippian saints, (Philippians 1:3).
Ques What place does food have in relation to what you have said? “He desired that something should be given her to eat”.
JT That is another important thing that necessarily goes with refinement of character, the quality of the food. The Lord says, ‘Something’; He does not specify it. “He desired that something should be given her to eat”. It would be for the parents to provide the food for her, those who were responsible. It was not simply that there should be food in the house, but food that would suit such a one. What have you in mind?
Rem I was wondering if “Damsel, I say to thee, Arise”, would suggest a divine operation, and the food, the service of those who sympathetically stand by and see what the girl needs.
JT Exactly.
JJ Does the last verse shew that Romans overlaps into Colossians?
JT I think Romans really merges into Ephesians; the end of Romans links on with Ephesians. Colossians, is a sort of detour necessary because of a certain danger at Colosse. The normal course is Romans into Ephesians; that is, the mystery is introduced at the end of Romans and that links with Ephesians.
FHB When you speak of refinement, do you mean the development of the character of Christ [p. 55] in the Just so. What is suggested here is the spiritual environment into which the girl is raised up. The Lord put out certain ones. “But he, having put them all out, takes with him the father of the child, and the mother, and those that were with him, and enters in where the child was lying”. So that the environment was spiritual. It was the quality, the very best available the Lord Himself, and then those three, and then the father and the mother of the child, and the girl is raised up into that environment. So whilst it is a divine operation, it is a divine operation in such surroundings.
Ques Would you classify these three incidents as dispossession, relief and formation?
JT That is right.
MWB Is there progress in that way, subjugation in connection with the man in intelligence; and then transparency; and then what you said as to spiritual refinement? That is, the lack of transparency prevents the refinement.
JT Just so; and then the age of the child means that she is a subject for further development.
MWB It is not maturity, but the immense possibilities.
GWW Is your thought that giving something to eat indicates the work of the Spirit in connection with one established in Roman truth, but not yet ready to take up the position indicated in Ephesians?
JT Yes; giving something to eat would build up the constitution, as we say. In Saul’s case it says he, “having received food, got strength”, then he was with the disciples, and then he entered into the synagogue and preached that Jesus was the Son of God. All this required spiritual strength, which suitable food alone can impart.
GWW Do you think it indicates the work of the Spirit?
JT I think so, and then what any one of us gives in the way [p. 56] of ministry.
PSM Would you suggest giving something to eat would encourage us in our local meetings that there should be that kind of ministry, that would build up servants of quality and refinement?
JT So if you feel led in taking on service to younger people, you want to leave the subject for further development. You lead them on as the Lord help you; and the next ministry may lead them on further. That is, the ministry ought to be one whole, under the Lord, for “the perfecting of the saints”. All the gifts are “for the perfecting of the saints; with a view to the work of the ministry, with a view to the edifying of the body of Christ; until we all arrive at the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, at the full grown man, at the measure of the stature of the fulness of the Christ”, (Ephesians 4:12,13). I am sure that is the line.
CSS Would the fine quality of the curtains of the tabernacle indicate what you are saying?
JT That is good, because it is really the fineness that is in view. The further you go into the tabernacle the finer the quality in regard of the materials used. The curtains were of byssus, which would imply an excessively fine yarn. The nearer you get to God, the more essential is the refinement indicated in this material.
Rem I suppose nothing would promote that like the study of Christ.
JT That is the idea, what Ephesians contemplates; “the measure of the stature of the fulness of the Christ”, that is, what shines out in Him as Man.
EJM There were Peter, James and John; do you have administration, practical service and love reaching to the service of the Lord Jesus Himself?
JT Just so.
GWW Would the paternal and maternal influence found in the assembly be indicated by the father and mother being brought into prominence?
[p. 57] JT I thought that.
EuR In the next chapter we have the Lord feeding the multitude; have you that in mind at all?
JT There is much instruction in the next chapter. You have the calling out of the twelve; it is not the three now, but the twelve. “And he calls the twelve to him and he began to send them out”. Chapter 5 suggests the wealth of the sea through the Lord’s own ministry. Now the twelve are called, and he began to send them out. A long course of ministry is in view. The twelve anointed certain subjects of their work with oil, verse 13.
ELM Would the period of time between naming the disciples in chapter 3:17 here answer to the probationary period of levitical service?
JT That is right; the Levite entered the service at twenty-five and became fully developed at thirty; this chapter is full levitical maturity the Lord can trust them with a commission and the result is, “They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many infirm, and healed them”. The anointing with oil is the spiritual dignity with which converts are invested.
JJ Have you anything to say as to the lack of converts in localities in connection with all that has been before us? Ought not that to be a concern with us?
JT Well I am sure it ought to be taken to heart, but I think there is a good deal of ‘hook — and — line’ work going on now. I mean, we should not ignore what is being done. Time was when the ‘net’ work was more in evidence and you heard of a good many converts in a place; but I think there is more hook — and — line work going on now, individuals getting blessing here and there. Every day you hear of some one or two, and that is not to be ignored, but I am sure the Lord would stimulate us as to this, and I believe the Lord will use what is coming before us here to this end.
Ques Do you think the hook-and-line work would tend more to [p. 58] quality?
JT It does. It is recognised by fishermen that die hook — and — line fish are the best.
HD'AC In the previous chapter it was one soul in each case, the demoniac, the woman and the child.
JT Then the first works of the twelve justify the Lord in His selection of them. They anoint with oil, which is a very good sign; they would leave the result of their work in spiritual dignity, They are thinking not of themselves in it, but of God, because the Holy Spirit represents God.
RB Is that something additional to what you referred to as refinement?
JT I think the anointing with oil is dignity put upon them publicly. What did you think?
RB I thought anointing was public.
ELM Was that not Paul’s exercise at Ephesus? “Have ye received the Holy Spirit?” I wondered if that was the foundation for Ephesian truth, the saints set up in the power of the Spirit?
JT Quite, and then the work of God itself should be representative of Him. An anointed person is one dignified. We have three things about the believer; the anointing, the sealing, and the earnest of the Spirit in the heart. The anointing is what the believer is publicly for God.
WRP Have you any thought why the anointing is in connection with the work of the disciples rather than with the Lord’s own work?
JT It indicates how they entered into the spirit of the work, that they were not going by rule. As we sometimes say, Where is your scripture for this or that? It is right, of course, to have scripture for anything, but you enter into the spirit of the Lord’s work, and I think this lesson begins in the end of chapter 2, where He walked through the cornfield. That was all He did; He did not pluck the ears of corn; they did, and He defended their action; as if He would say, You have been coming into [p. 59] liberty by the example I have shewn you and you have got into the spirit of it. That is one great thing in Christianity, getting into the spirit of things, because the full effect of coming into this is to get to God Himself, for He is behind all. What is written is comparatively little, but the deeper you go, the nearer you get to God Himself. I believe the disciples got the spirit of the Lord’s ministry in applying the oil.
WRP I heartily go with that.
JT I think every one should be concerned as to the product of his ministry, that it should have refinement and dignity.
FS Why is it connected with the infirm?
JT They were consciously weak. “When I am weak, then I am powerful”, (2 Corinthians 12:10). It is the weak things God takes up and anoints, and although weak you are powerful.
WC Would the anointing with oil involve souls being brought into their intelligent place in the anointed vessel?
JT I am sure that is true.
HD'AC When one hears of converts the question is, where is the oil? Can we perceive that the Spirit is there? It is very important; it should be evident that the Spirit is there.
TK In connection with the remark as to the spirit of the thing, would the qualification for that be faith working by love?
JT Just so.
Ques You referred to the opening of Proverbs 8. What application do you give to that today?
JT Wisdom’s service is to be where men are.
EuR In this anointing with oil it is not only that there is deliverance from demons, but the bringing in of some entirely new feature that would represent God.
JT That is the idea. God has taken up weak [p. 60] and infirm persons and put His dignity upon them, because the anointing is dignity and power.
EuR So it is to the Corinthians the apostle writes of the saints being established in Christ and anointed. Would it involve that we should have the sense locally of being established in Christ and anointed together for the representation of God.
JT I am sure that is right.
DLH I should like to ask why the anointing with oil seems to be placed here as a means to an end? It does not say they healed them and anointed them with oil, but they anointed them with oil and healed them. The healing seems to follow the anointing with oil, very much as in the epistle of James. Why is that?
JT The idea is that healing is included in the results of the oil. It is the Spirit in that connection, the public aspect, where there was disease. Luke speaks about ‘diseases’ as well as sick people. All is superseded by the dignity and power involved in the possession of the Spirit.
DLH Then would the healing be characterised by the Spirit’s power?
JT That is what I thought. It goes with it; the anointing is the thing to take notice of specially.
JJ Is not the woman with the issue of blood an illustration of that? She felt in her body that she was healed; it was power really by the Spirit, was it not?
JT Romans 5 leads to Romans 7, Romans 8. The anointing here is Romans 8, only it is more public and I carries healing with it. There is really no healing spiritually without the Holy Spirit.
EuR The apostles could call attention to the man in (Acts 3:16): “By faith in his name, his name has made this man strong whom ye behold and know; and the faith which is by him has given him this complete soundness in the presence of you all”. Would that suggest it?
JT Just [p. 61] so.
EuR It says in the next chapter, “Beholding the man who had been healed standing with them”.
JT He “held Peter and John”, shewing he had linked on with the public testimony. The anointing is implied in his case.
EuR And although such a young convert there was dignity there.
JCS Was the power there in the twelve to produce the quality?
JT That is the idea. The result of their testimony should correspond with them. I mean, you want to represent God in your service. I suppose the two pillars in the front of the temple indicated what God could produce by the testimony, and there were all the necessary things in the court of the temple to bring about correspondence with those pillars. Spiritually the means were there of bringing the man that approached into accord with those pillars, and that is the thought in public service. The servant represents God and what God would effect. The thing is therefore brought near to the person who is the subject of grace. You have the idea in yourself, not only in what you say, but in what you are. These men were anointed, and they anointed the subjects of their work infirmity marking all. How weak Saul was after the heavenly vision!
MWB You were saying it should be an exercise on the part of the servant to be in his ministry and manner that which he wishes to be produced in those to whom he ministers.
JT That is all important.
JHT Do you think the service of Tychicus at Colosse would be a vital link in the growth from Romans to Ephesians? Paul speaks of him as “the beloved brother and faithful minister”. Would the former bring in the refinement there and the latter bring in food? I was thinking of what you said as to God sending the ministers and that they should represent Him. Paul [p. 62] speaks of having sent Tychicus. He had that delegated authority, and he is marked by these features of refinement and bringing in food; and then the secret of his power would be in his being a “fellow — bondman”. Further, he says, “that he might know your state”. I wondered if he would not be concerned about the growth from Romans to Ephesians; it also says, “that he might encourage your hearts”, and then he that “with Onesimus ... they shall make known to you everything here”. Is that suggestive?
JT Yes. It indicates plainly that Tychicus was representative of God in his ministry.
EuR Would you make a few remarks on the rest of the chapter?
JT The passage read, (Mark 6:30), records that the apostles were gathered together to Jesus. They have now got their official title; they are called ‘apostles’ I suppose to shew that they are qualified.
RB Is this what you have called getting their degrees?
JT Just so. There is the principle in Scripture of naming a thing when it is there. They had evidently qualified in their service, and so they are formally called apostles in verse 30; “The apostles are gathered together to Jesus”. That is a good reference, “to Jesus” they go back after their successful service to Jesus. It is very touching and a beautiful example, with much besides. There is a certain calm mg result in going back to Jesus “gathered together to Jesus”, it says. “They related to him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught”. That was their part, and then He said to them, “Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place and rest a little”, and then it adds, “For those coming and those going were many, and they had not leisure even to eat. And they went away apart into a desert place by ship”. There again the link is kept up with the sea, and then you have the feeding of the multitude, which brought [p. 63] out that after all their successful service they were defective in ability to bring in the food.
Then “immediately he compelled his disciples to go on board ship, and to go on before to the other side to Bethsaida, while he sends the crowd away. And, having dismissed them, he departed into the mountain to pray”. Now they are in a position where the wind is contrary. They are in a position selected for them by Him, and apparently they took the position somewhat reluctantly. “He compelled” them, shewing that at certain points the Lord has to use a firm hand, and He does. He compelled them to take up this position in the ship, but then He would bring out something that they perhaps had never thought of. He would bring out the principle of walking on the water, which was a new experience altogether for them. And the Lord “would have passed them by”, which is a very searching matter, even at a time of success in service, as If He would remind us that after all He could get along without us. Not that He wishes to, Because He does not really pass them by, but He would remind them of that. “Seeing them labouring in rowing, for the wind was contrary to them, about the fourth watch of the night he comes to them walking on the sea, and would have passed them by”. That is a thing to be noted.
Ques Was that a test of their state?
JT No doubt it would have been a challenge to them, to see the Lord about to pass them by. Well, why should that be? We can never assume, therefore, that He can be brought to a standstill because of anything in us He can go on.
JJ I suppose in one sense He had passed them by in taking up Paul.
JT Exactly; and in taking up the seventy according to Luke, He shewed He could get others, and many others. But it is only to call attention to the lesson to be learned. Then it says, “But they, seeing him walking [p. 64] on the sea, thought that it was an apparition, and cried out. For all saw him and were troubled. And immediately he spoke with them, and says to them. Be of good courage: it is I, be not afraid. And he went up to them into the ship, and the wind fell”. It was a very wonderful experience, I am sure, and the result was a great stimulation in them. Their real state is brought to light as indicating why He would have passed them by. It says, “They were exceedingly beyond measure astonished in themselves and wondered, for they understood not through the loaves: for their heart was hardened”. That shews He was dealing with what was in their hearts, and that explains why He would have passed them by. And then it says, “Having passed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and made the shore. And on their coming out of the ship, immediately recognising him, they ran through that whole country around, and began to carry about those that were ill on couches, where they heard that he was”. There is great stimulation now in this acquired fresh knowledge of the Lord.
EuR Is it like a crisis among the people of God, that if the gain is secured, it leads to a fresh impression of Himself?
JT One has often seen that. The result of a crisis is that there is an excess of light and stimulation, but it is humbling that it could come only in this way.
JHT There may be much public activity, but the Lord looks at the state behind it.
JT That is very searching.
HES Does this testing bring out the characteristic feature in regard of the servant in Mark, that is, unbelief? Is that our weakness?
JT Quite. I hope we shall see something of the seriousness of that as it appears in the last chapters of this gospel.