EXTRACTS

JT If we rightly understood the magnitude of the assembly’s position here for God, we should understand the necessity for Ephesians. Divine principles were to be

maintained in a company of men and women in a given locality in the Spirit and grace of Christ, and that in spite of all opposition and contrariety that might exist. If an angel, for instance, were seen in the most adverse circumstances, he would never lose his temper; he would maintain his balance; the heavenly would shine there. We are to be spiritual whatever happens; we have to be exercised to carry ourselves in heavenly demeanour at all times; when tested we are to be like Christ.

SL Peter, walking on the water, desired to get near the Lord, and he got the support of the Lord.

JT Just so. In dealing with things in the assembly you seek to be in the dignity that marks a heavenly man. I think Stephen is a typical Christian. Paul as a minister stands out, but I think that Stephen is designedly presented as a typical Christian; some one has remarked that he was stoned because Christ was seen in him. He was like Christ; his face shone as the face of an angel when he stood before the council; that is the idea. An angel represents what is heavenly, and if the spirit of Stephen is continued, we should not have any contention; things would be carried on in a heavenly way; there is moral weight in the newness and power in which things are done, so that the saints are preserved. We go by precedent in a general way, but every emergency calls for fresh exercises, and the Lord gives a new thought as to how to meet things. The heavenly man is never baffled. I am sure Ephesians is the special book for us, but I fear that as a study of the heavenly colour it is neglected.

J. Taylor (Vol. 11, p.396)

Well now, I want to come to all this more fully. It says he went down to Joppa, then he went down to the ship. There he paid his fare to go with them. It was not simply that he paid his fare to go to Tarshish, but it says, to go “with them”. Now, you see, we have got a

moral touch; he is going with certain company. What kind of people is he going with? Will they have dances on board? games of tennis, cards, and what not? Will they have a good time on board? That is what the tourists think about. They do not cross the sea for seasickness!

Well, Jonah paid his fare, but he had in his mind not only that he would go to Tarshish, but that he would go “with them”. That is, he had company in view. A man on the down-grade seeks the society of this world. He is forsaking his own mercy; he is forsaking the temple at Jerusalem, and all the mind of God centring there, and he is going off with worldly company.

Those of us who travel by sea know what this means; the boat is the world in a condensed form, and the flesh likes it. Young people think of the time they are going to have on board ship; the company, the music, the dancing, for all these things mark modern ships. You say, Jonah was not travelling on a modern liner. No, but I am not preaching to Jonah, I am preaching to you. On the down-grade that is precisely what you go after—Jonah goes with them to Tarshish. You see, he is not saved from bad company. Many of us need that salvation. One of the most vicious things you can be in touch with is bad company. “Evil communications”, we are told, “corrupt good manners”, 1 Corinthians 15: 33. Many young men and young women brought up in Christian manners have taken on others in bad company. On a ship all are in close company, it is difficult to keep clear of those of the world; you do not wish to if you are on the down-grade; but to some of us it is a most trying ordeal.

J. Taylor (Vol. 31, pp.468, 469)

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