SPOIL (6)

SPOIL (6)

Acts 5: 11 - 16; Acts 6: 8 - 15

JT It will be remembered that we began the last reading with the passage in Proverbs speaking of the woman of worth whose husband would have no lack of spoil. It was seen that the allusion is to Christ, that is, to the husband, and the woman of worth is the assembly. So that the section of the subject before us was spoil that accrues to Christ from the assembly, as seen in the Acts particularly; spoil arising from various exigencies as in chapter 2; what accrued from the outset, the Spirit having come. Peter’s first gospel address had great results, but particularly in the qualities that marked those who believed in Jerusalem, and the spirit of love governing them; subjection to the teaching of the apostles and persevering in it. So that a state of things was found at Jerusalem to which the Lord could add, and to which He did add “such as should be saved”. Following on that we spoke of chapter 4, what marked the company in their prayer, what they said; then Barnabas coming in at the end, the son of consolation, one who was indeed spoil, in the sense of service, linking up the work of God subsequently.

The thought now is to see from chapter 5 the spoil that accrues from discipline; from needed discipline being enacted in the assembly, and then in chapter 6 the spoil flowing out of the means taken to meet murmuring; in meeting the murmuring amongst the saints seven deacons come into view, and particularly Stephen and Philip; there was remarkable spoil for Christ evident in these two ^[p. 338] men.

WR Would you say that they were all in accord with the disciplinary action that had taken place previously? “And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch” (verse 12).

JT Yes. The paragraph read contemplates the effect of the discipline, that is, fear: “And great fear came upon all the assembly” (verse 11). Then God acted and the apostles, through Peter, are greatly signalised in this paragraph, as if God would extol what was of Himself in the way of moral authority as the outcome of such conditions.

CAM Would you say that acquirement of spoil is the result of meeting some adverse thing? You mentioned discipline and also murmuring. These were things that looked like a great disadvantage, but they turned out to be for blessing.

JT That is what appears, that in these things being met in the assembly, typified in the woman of worth whose husband gets spoil, the Lord is increasing His wealth. It was accomplished through the exercises and conflicts that were going on in the assembly at that time, and correspondingly now. As we face exigencies of this kind with God there will be spoil, and God is thus seen in the three Persons of the Trinity in meeting this evil. Peter first alludes to the Holy Spirit, then to God, identifying Him as God, and then the Lord. The Godhead is brought into this matter of discipline.

AFM Does that show how serious it is to transgress — to act independently of God who now dwelt in the assembly?

JT That is what is intended to be brought out. The Deity was involved; God was there. First, Peter says to Ananias: “Why has Satan filled thy heart that thou shouldest lie to the Holy Spirit?” (verse 3). Then later he says, “Thou hast not lied to men, but to God” (verse 4). And then he says to Sapphira,

“^[p. 339] Why is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord?” (verse 9). So that there is the thought of the Holy Spirit formally sinned against, and then God as such, and then the Spirit of the Lord. Each of these features of the Deity was trespassed against in this offence, for God was asserting Himself in His assembly.

JS Would great fear, spoken of in verse 11, make way for the authority of the Lord? “And believers were more than ever added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women” (verse 14).

JT That is what I thought we might see, in those who were “added to the Lord”, and then the dignity attaching to the twelve apostles. The allusion to them is as in Solomon’s porch, as if they are segregated in the thought of the Spirit so as to signalise them at this juncture as representative of divine authority.

ANW ‘No one daring to join them’ goes along with ‘the multitude that were added to the Lord’.

JT Yes. No one dared to move of himself. It was that sort of restraining power; such moral dignity attaching to the position. The apostles stand out in this way in Solomon’s porch. The allusion is to them; no one dared to identify himself with them. They were dignified and yet to be seen publicly, for Solomon’s porch was a public resort. Anyone could see these men there; God was calling attention to what they were.

Ques In relation to our committal as at the end of Matthew, it is said that the disciples were to be baptized to the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; is it the divine thought that nothing less than the whole idea is to be answered to on our part in responsibility here?

JT That is right, it is one thought. The sin was against God.

^[p. 340] Ques Should we not realise that we must start with that?

JT Yes. Christianity is in that light, according to Matthew, baptised to the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is really one name, embodying the three glorious Persons. We are baptised to that and in that light, but now the sin was against the assembly. Where God was to be honoured, where every whit was to say, “Glory”, this terrible thing was introduced; two persons acted together to sin against God in His house, in His assembly.

RWS Is this the first formal mention of the assembly in this book?

JT It is, if you omit chapter 2: “And the Lord added to the assembly” (verse 47). The words, “to the assembly”, are said to be doubtful. This is therefore the first mention and use of the word “assembly”, save in Matthew.

Ques How would you describe this sin — as religious or commercial, or of what kind?

JT I should say it was pride. It was the spirit of emulation to be equal with Barnabas. Rivalry takes various forms in us, perhaps. We might appear to give more than another and in doing so we act deceitfully, covering up something.

AFM Does this deception go back to the garden of Eden, where the first lie was told by Satan? Is this sin of Ananias the devil’s way of introducing something that he had introduced earlier in the garden of Eden, where he lied to Eve?

JT Quite so — Here, as you say, Satan did it; he put it into their hearts — a terrible thought! Peter says, “Why has Satan filled thy heart?” Satan had already acted against Christ in that way in entering into Judas’ heart; to betray the Lord.

^[p. 341] He utilised as instruments these two persons to attack the assembly, and so to attack God.

ANW Is there also a subtle danger of imitating what had just been done whole-heartedly by Barnabas?

JT That is the thing. It would have been acceptable if they had laid it all down, or if they had stated frankly that they were keeping back part. It was what is done by most of us in giving. We give according to Paul’s instructions on the principle of equality; so that there was no need at all for this movement. It was Satan’s work; he led them on to add selfishness to pride, by keeping back part of the price, but pretending to give all.

CAM Do you connect this work of Satan with the fact that the gates of hades shall not prevail against the assembly?

JT I think this is an illustration of it, how there is power in the assembly to meet it. God set out at the beginning the fulness of the thought of the assembly. Later on, of course, things lapsed; but at the beginning He set out the intactness of it as He had furnished it. It acted fully in its function here, so that as viewed as the virtuous woman, the Lord, her Husband, is known in the gates. The authority of Christ is seen in Solomon’s porch, because the point is the dignity of these men, the apostles; anyone could see them there and be affected by their presence. The Lord was known in the gates and was not lacking in spoil. The passage shows that great results accrued; what was of the Lord was added to.

JS Is Solomon’s porch introduced to dignify the twelve?

JT It was a public place to which anybody could go. The Lord had been there Himself and suffered in it, and now His apostles are in the same position. It is Christ known where He suffered.

^[p. 342] They are standing out in moral dignity, representing Christ in His authority.

WR Is it what they were personally? The apostle speaks of what he was personally in the glad tidings as writing to the Philippians, “in all the praetorium” (chapter 1: 13).

JT Quite so. His bonds in Christ were known in all the praetorium. Here it is a public place where the Lord Himself had been, and now these representatives of His are there. They acted for Him and are seen in their austerity against sin in the assembly, and there are additions to the Lord, not only men and women, but believers; no mere professors, but believers — real spoil.

JTJr Does Peter represent spiritual discernment in recognising the action of Ananias here?

JT I think that is right. What is proper to the assembly is discernment, especially in the exercise of discipline. It is more the spiritual side of the position; “the Holy Spirit”, and “the Spirit of the Lord”.

JS Are the twelve seen as superseding the temple, and now God is speaking through them?

JT I think that is the point, to bring out the dignity of the twelve and what it was that gave them that dignity. They had it; “but of the rest durst no man join them”. There was such a quality there that it was no light matter to be in such a position; for they stand out in their dignity. And then even the shadow of Peter, representing the twelve — the best of them, so to speak — evidently effected cures.

JS The shadow of Peter moving in the light of Christ risen, would involve blessing for those who came under it.

JT I think that is right; the shadow was beneficial; it was not a hiding of the glory of Christ. That is, what had marked the Lord here, cures ^[p. 343] of all kinds of diseases, is now markedly evident through Peter. There was no opaqueness in Peter that hindered the shining out of the curative power of Christ.

CAM The casting of Peter’s shadow would show that he was a man of substance.

Ques Would the Old Testament represent a shadow of the thing that was seen in Christ?

JT That is right; that is what is said in Hebrews. There are two words used; one is type, and the other is shadow. Shadow is the throwing forward of what was coming.

AFM Was the shadow of Peter, which effected these cures in the nature of spoil, over against what had dishonoured God through Ananias and Sapphira?

JT I think so. The twelve were heaven’s best. That is, I think, how they are regarded. Peter had already said, “Look on us”. He said that of himself and John. Now the Spirit of God gives us this position after the remarkable demonstration of divine resentment of evil in the assembly; a remarkable thing, that two persons should fall down and die. It was not that Peter killed them, for that way would not do. It was simply that he spoke judicially in the power of the Spirit, and they fell down and died. They were cared for after death. They were respected in this sense and are viewed as believers.

AFM You would not question the earlier sincerity of their faith on account of what they had done?

JT No; I should regard it as a sin unto death. But they had a burial; not like what is said in Ecclesiastes; “If a man ... have no burial, I say an untimely birth is better than he” (chapter 6: 3). I suppose they will share in the first resurrection.

EEH Would Peter’s history give a lustre to this matter? As a recovered man he speaks and gives a challenge to Satan, who desired to sift him as wheat earlier. Here now he is a recovered man as under the hand of Christ.

JT Quite so. I suppose Satan had desired to sift them all. The “you” is, of course, plural, but Peter is singled out in the Lord’s mind. So it is all the apostles here; the product of Christ, what He had here; heaven’s best, outstanding after this solemn discipline as if God were honouring them. Peter had vindicated His name in the assembly. It is just what should be done. God is honouring them now.

ANW You think that this group in the porch are the apostles?

JT I think that is what is meant; they are in view. It says, “And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders done among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch ... )” (verse 12). I would say that they are to be regarded as the apostles.

CAM In John’s gospel the Son of God moved in that area, as in superiority to all the power of evil, so that nothing could prevail against Him.

JT Yes; they surrounded Him there, but He found an outlet and went back to the place where John baptised at first. He went back to first principles and carried on. I think now what is emphasised here is the apostles acting in such power in vindicating God in His house, that they are honoured, so that the work of God goes on. “And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders done among the people” (verse 12). They had exercised discipline, but they carry on the real work that is proper to the dispensation. They exercise curative power. Thus are they seen here. But the people magnified them; like Joshua,

^[p. 345] God said He would magnify him. They are magnified in the eyes of the people and the work of God goes on in regard of the Lord. Believers — multitudes of them — were added to the Lord. I think that is a fine trophy, that is, spoil arising out of all this — men and women, believers added to the Lord. We have had before us a man and woman acting together in unbelief and wickedness, but here they are believers added to the Lord.

AFM That should encourage us locally to be faithful to the Lord and to one another, instead of being afraid to say something or do something for fear of losing one or another of our number. On the other hand, there should be addition instead of subtraction.

JT That is the divine way. “Lo, it is a people that shall dwell alone and shall not be reckoned among the nations. Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel?” Numbers 23: 9, 10. There will be a large Israel, notwithstanding that they dwell alone.

FHL Is it like the glory appearing in the wilderness after the judgment?

JT I think so; God coming in and honouring those who acted for Him.

Ques Is it your thought that we should have additions when we have had subtractions? The assembly should be able to attract; instead of losing we gain by discipline exercised according to God.

JT Quite so. God adding — God honours true discipline by adding to the Lord, because the point is to bring out that, the dignity of the apostles and the authority of the Lord.

ABP Would the word of Peter, “Thou hast not lied to men, but to God” (verse 4), be like the underlying principle involved in this? In cases of difficulty, a definite principle or position is brought to light. Is that ^[p. 346] essential?

JT The state of the two persons is brought out, so that when the woman comes in, Peter says to her, “Tell me if ye gave the estate for so much?” He would bring the thing out, the real state of things. She said, “Yes, for so much” (verse 8). There was collusion in the sin. Peter said to her, “Why is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Lo, the feet of those that have buried thy husband are at the door, and they shall carry thee out” (verse 9). He is recognising her dignity, who she was, but she has to suffer in the meantime; it is a sin unto death and there is no changing of that! John says, “There is a sin to death: I do not say of that that he should make a request”, 1 John 5: 16.

Ques Peter uses the evidence of two separate confessions to charge her with being linked with another, as he says, “ye have agreed together ...” Is that like a party?

JT It is an act of collusion in evil. Of course we may agree together in good, too. As Matthew says, “If two of you shall agree on the earth concerning any matter, whatsoever it may be that they shall ask, it shall come to them from my Father who is in the heavens”, Matthew 18: 19. That is the opposite of this. Matthew deals in two’s; he speaks of two demoniacs, and conditions are so bad when you get evil of that kind banded, that nobody can pass that way. But also he says, “If two of you shall agree on the earth concerning any matter, whatsoever it may be that they shall ask, it shall come to them from my Father who is in the heavens” — an immense thing in remnant times. But here are two of the assembly, alas! undoubtedly christians, but in the hands of the devil, brought so under his power as to enter into collusion in introducing deception into the assembly. It was a spiritual attack, and ^[p. 347] hence the stress on the Holy Spirit and the Spirit of the Lord.

JS Peter is able to name what the sin is: “to tempt the Spirit of the Lord”. That was very serious.

JT I think it is good to see that; Peter stresses how divine Persons were affected by this.

RWS Is the reference to the feet of Peter at which Sapphira falls, and the hands of the apostles and the shadow of Peter to dignify the personnel of the assembly?

JT Just so. The personnel of the assembly is a point that Matthew makes. We ought to read these accounts as to the assembly in Acts with Matthew, because it is the vessel of the public testimony that is in mind. After the confession of Peter and the announcement of the assembly in Matthew 16, then you get the personnel, that is, on the mount. What dignity attaches to those who form it! The mount of transfiguration is what Christ was, you might say, judicially. “His face shone as the sun”. It is the thought of rule; and then as they were coming down from the mountain, the thought of sonship comes into evidence. The sons are free, the Lord says. The association with Christ is asserted when He says, “Take that and give it to them for me and thee”, Matthew 17: 27. The distinction attaching to the personnel of the assembly that is coming out here is in the act of holy government: how faithful Peter was, how spiritual he was, how he vindicated the holy, spiritual constitution of the assembly and God’s presence there in a three-fold character.

JS Is this glory over against all the deadness and darkness which had befallen judaism?

JT Exactly. It was the public position in Solomon’s porch as over against the whole paraphernalia of the temple, as indeed we have in the Beautiful gate in chapter 3. Everything now ^[p. 348] attached to what God was doing through these men. “Look on us” — attention was called to them.

JS Peter is consciously walking in the glory of the Lord, and hence his shadow was effective in a curative way.

Rem It is not only the teaching, but also the fellowship of the apostles, fellowship in all they are doing, as in judgment here.

Ques Does the testimony widen here from the porch to the whole city of Jerusalem, as mentioned in verse 16?

JT It widens out more than that; it widens out to the cities round about. “And the multitude also of the cities round about came together to Jerusalem, bringing sick persons and persons beset by unclean spirits, who were all healed”. That is what was said about Christ in His ministering here. He healed them all. It is the virtuous woman, as it were, His wife, and she is maintaining all this and He is known in the gates. He is not here personally. He is known through her. It is an immense thing to see in our times, as walking in the light of the assembly, that we carry on in this way — maintaining the thought of the virtuous woman — that things are not allowed to go by the board. Things are dealt with, involving good housekeeping, involving needed discipline.

AC Is that why God honours Peter in such a remarkable way? In chapter 8 we would see his spiritual discernment in answering Simon Magus, whose evil state had evidently escaped Philip’s notice.

JT Quite so; the apostles come into evidence there again; because it was the apostles that were at Jerusalem that sent them out. “And the apostles who were in Jerusalem, having heard that Samaria had received the word of God, sent to them Peter and John” (verse 14) — their best, as it were. They were representative of the twelve.

JS The Lord had said that they should do greater works. I suppose verses 15 and 16 would show greater works as a result of His having gone on high and having sent the Spirit here.

JT Things are going on so the Husband is well known. They are not arrogating anything to themselves. It is in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, as Peter says. So that He is known in the gates. Solomon’s porch is like the gate, a public place. The Lord had suffered there, but now He is known there as represented in these men.

JTJr Do you think the sick should be brought into the streets today?

JT I think so; if it is the street corresponding with Jerusalem. “Street” is used several times in Acts. Streets have a great place in a city. It is in Jerusalem, where God was still acting in mercy.

WR What about beds and couches? What would they suggest?

JT Well, the bed is a greater thought than the couch, but in any case the sick are laid out so that they get all the advantage that these comforts give, as awaiting Peter’s shadow.

Rem Beds and couches might indicate that they were helpless people.

JT Quite so. You get the idea of a couch throughout in this respect. In chapter 9 you get it; Aeneas was on a couch. It is a good thing to have a couch, a provision especially for one who is ill. The palsied man was borne by four. They bore the couch and let it down through the roof, showing that the couch has some meaning in itself. It alludes, I think, to the circumstances in which we are.

ABP We noticed in the Old Testament that there were certain gradations of the spoil, as David’s ^[p. 350] spoil. Would you say those who are added to the Lord would be like David’s spoil; whereas those who were cured would be of lesser importance?

JT I think that is a good way of putting it. David’s spoil was certain cattle driven before others, as if there was something there outstanding that would indicate that they belonged to David, something there that connected them with David specially. Here there are those added to the Lord; they are subject people. These are not people that exercise their own wills in the assembly. There can be no unity aside from this subjection as added to the Lord.

Rem Is the Spirit in chapter 5 greater than in chapter 2?

JT Chapter 2 presents the great primary Pentecostal thought, and we cannot very well allow anything to be greater in that way; because the Pentecostal thought is in the foundation of the city. It is the Pentecostal assembly that we see in Revelation. The foundations had the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, and these are the men of whom we are reading here; that is, God signalises these men, and they will be signalised in the future, their names being in the foundations of the city. We shall all be signalised in having our names written in heaven, but the apostles are specially so as having their names in the foundations of the city. What men they were!

CAM What a glorious thing it will be to see the shining of Christ in His assembly by-and-by! To see the features of Christ worked out in these conditions is most interesting.

JT Chapter 2 is characteristically the Pentecostal assembly in its foundations. How surely they were laid! — that is to say, not only as to the truth, the teaching of the apostles, but the quality of the men and that of their converts, what the ^[p. 351] Lord could add to. Peter says now, “Look on us”. It is largely a question of quality when you come to the heavenly city. In Revelation 5 we have the judicial thought. You do not get that stressed earlier in this book. We come now to the judicial side of the position, and the apostles are as true there as they were in preaching the gospel.

JHE Was the superstructure being reared up at that time?

JT Yes, on the judicial side. How can you build up any community aside from the judicial department? It is one of the most important points to consider in the things of God; it is greatly stressed, especially in Matthew. That is what we are considering now and the fruit or spoil that accrues to Christ out of it. If you bring in extraneous matter as in Corinthians, then the fire has to be applied. Today much, alas! has to be left to run on until the coming of the Lord, but they are not left here; dealing with them is not left until the coming of the Lord. Paul says in writing to the Corinthians, “If any one love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha”, 1 Corinthians 16: 22. He is doing his best throughout the letter to bring about a judicial condition at Corinth, and he does it by bringing to their attention the worst kind of sin, but there were many other matters. The judicial department would need to be active for a good while, but he got them on to judicial lines. That is what God honours in our chapter, the judicial side of the assembly.

Ques Will you say something about Matthew 11 in relation to your remarks as to Matthew?

JT Well, the judicial side is stressed, but then it says, “Woe to thee. Chorazin! woe to thee, Bethsaida! for if the works of power which have taken place in you, had taken place in Tyre and ^[p. 352] Sidon, they had long ago repented in sackcloth and ashes. But I say to you, that it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in judgment-day than for you” (verses 21, 22). The Lord was not dealing actually with them now; He was dealing with them morally. It was only a matter of time until His judgment be executed. He says, “in judgment-day”. It is comparative judgment, a very important thing, and so now it is carried on here to the assembly. They are dealing with some of their own. “For what have I to do with judging those outside also? ye, do not ye judge them that are within? But those without God judges”, 1 Corinthians 5: 12, 13. But we must judge those that are within, and they were doing it here.

ANW That throws light on those words: “More than ever added”. That could not be but for the excellent foundation there.

JT Quite so. This foundation stood.

JS Solomon’s porch coming into view — and heaven honouring the twelve — would lay the moral background for the address of Stephen.

JT Quite so. I thought that if we go on to chapter 6 we shall see how another phase — another attack of the enemy — is met. It was not so serious as the case of Ananias and Sapphira, and yet it might become serious because it was a sectional matter. “But in those days, the disciples multiplying in number, there arose a murmuring of the Hellenists against the Hebrews because their widows were overlooked in the daily ministration”, Acts 6: 1. This is because of increased numbers. The quality evidently was deteriorating and it had to be met. This attack of the enemy is through deterioration amongst the people of God because of the murmuring of the Hellenists against the Hebrews. That would mean that those from a distance, the Grecian Jews who had believed, were affected against the poor Hebrews who were local in Jerusalem — a very ^[p. 353] subtle sort of thing and only because their widows were neglected. But there was a murmuring, that is the point.

Ques So that multiplication in itself is not spirituality, is it?

JT It may be the very opposite; it may afford material for the enemy, as, alas! we have proved; persons who are allowed in and have never understood the principles that govern the saints.

JTJr So “added to the Lord” would be over against that.

JT The setting would show that. Chapter 11, as we shall see, carries that thought on; it alludes to the kind of material that is being added now — believers added to the Lord.

AFM Do you think the murmuring would have been prevented if the ministry of Paul had been introduced that the saints are one body? They would evidently regard themselves here as sectional.

JT The ministry of Paul helps, specially, but in spite of it, you get feelings of this kind. But our point now is to show how wisely it was met, and how we get these great products out of it, namely, Stephen and Philip, the best sort of material, or spoil. The Spirit of God calls attention to Stephen’s face, what it was, reflective of heaven; and then in Philip we get one so likeable to the Spirit that He raptures him.

Ques Do you think there was a drop in spiritual tone here with the apostles?

JT It seems so. The Spirit of God now proceeds with these two of the seven deacons, and the scattered ones later in chapter 8.

JTJr “But we will give ourselves up to prayer and the ministry of the word” (chapter 6: 4). That was a very high level, was it not?

JT Quite so. Still Stephen and Philip with the “scattered ones” are now more before the mind ^[p. 354] of the Spirit, looking on to Paul. The tent of testimony is definitely moving.

CAM Do I understand that what is in your mind is that where there is an increase of numbers, there might on the one hand be more opportunity for Satan, but on the other hand when the thing is met there is a glory that is very special?

JT That is the thing to see, the kind of spoil that the Lord gains out of this murmuring. It is really a question of the spirits of these two men, not simply what they had, but the spirit in which they acted — what quality marked them — beginning in a lowly way as deacons they obtained “for themselves a good degree, and much boldness in faith which is in Christ Jesus”, 1 Timothy 3: 13. They shine for Christ. It seems to me that the Lord, through the writer here, puts them out in the front — David’s spoil again of another kind.

FHL Those of the increase are now called disciples.

JT Yes, the first occurrence of the word in the book. We should note especially Stephen and Philip — what God effected in them, using the language of David as to them, for they are as it were David’s spoil. They are outstanding; they are before others. There were seven of them but two outstanding; that is the principle, a comparison. Peter and John are outstanding among the twelve apostles; but these two are the product of Christ through these exercises.

AFM They were Hellenists.

JT Quite so. He met their murmuring by taking up two of their own kind. It shows the wisdom with which things are done. That is what we ought to see here.

JTJr Stephen was full of grace and power. He was courageous and yet of a gracious and humble ^[p. 355] spirit.

JT Quite so. We have power in discipline in chapter 5, but it is wisdom that meets this matter, so that wisdom is an immense thing in dealing with difficulties amongst the brethren.

ABP Would the dignity seen in these judicial actions, first of all in Peter, and later in Stephen (because his action really was judicial with the nation), link on with Psalm 122 — the idea of the thrones for judgment?

JT That is very good. Stephen’s speech is an indictment. He is judging them morally. “Ye do always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers, ye also” (chapter 7: 51). That is a settled matter. The state of things in Jerusalem is exposed and morally settled by this wonderful address of Stephen, and you can understand how the Lord would point to him. And He does; He uses Luke to point us to this man, and later on Philip’s labours occupy us as important spoil. The Lord has that spoil — it is a product of the assembly.

CAM Stephen’s was a wonderful address; it cost him his life to make it.

Ques Is the spoil here in Stephen seen in new covenant glories?

JT It is covenant glory, but it is more heavenly glory. It is no less than the shining of heaven in the countenance of this man. “And all who sat in the council, looking fixedly on him, saw his face as the face of an angel” (chapter 6: 15). The Lord is pointing to him. He is making these councillors look at him. They look fixedly on him and there it was, heavenly glory shining in his face.

JS I suppose we should see grace on the Lord’s part in so enhancing Stephen that what he has to say might be received.

JT What a beautiful testimony it was! Stephen is the best sort of an example you can get of one taking on the glory of an environment; as has been ^[p. 356] alluded to, taking on the covenant glory from the face of Jesus. But Stephen is going beyond that; it is not now the shining of grace, it is judicial. It is the shining of an angel — “as the face of an angel”. It is the principle of taking on the glory of an environment. Stephen took it on, but it was judicial glory. Moses’ face shone with the glory of the covenant, but now we have God coming in judicially after the shining of covenant glory. The time was up, God is calling a halt; the glory was mounting up and about to leave from the threshold of the house as in Ezekiel’s day. Stephen’s testimony brought that out, so that they send him after the Lord, and say, “We will not that this man should reign over us”, Luke 19: 14. That finishes the matter. It is now a question of God’s coming in and dealing with this obdurate state of things.

Ques “And behold, a throne stood in the heaven, and upon the throne one sitting, and he that was sitting like in appearance to a stone of jasper and a sardius, and a rainbow round the throne like in appearance to an emerald”, Revelation 4: 2, 3. Did Stephen reflect that?

JT There was something of that to be seen, I am sure; but here is a man bringing in the mind of heaven. It is a judicial heaven now.

ANW According to Luke, the angels in the tomb looked like men, but this man has the face of a heavenly being.

JT I think it is more like Matthew, the face of the angel who sat on the tomb. It says, “And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending out of heaven, came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. And his look was as lightning, and his clothing white as snow”, Matthew 28: 2, 3. I think there is a link between that angel and Stephen. He dies praying for his murderers, but the whole address and the whole position ^[p. 357] is judicial, and it is the Son of man he sees in heaven; not the Messiah, but the Son of man.

CAM There is a remarkable link with Matthew. He alludes to the Lord’s face shining as the sun. At the end he refers to another feature of the creation, saying the countenance of the angel was like lightning. It was evidently a judicial matter.

JT Quite so; a very solemn thing, and for faith, a very important thing, that God is going on, as we had it in Matthew: “At that time, Jesus answering said, I praise thee, Father, Lord of the heaven and of the earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent [that was judicial], and has revealed them to babes”, Matthew 11: 25. God is going on; Stephen sees the Son of man standing and the glory of God is there, but it is the Son of man now; that is, God is taking a new course now.

AFM Does the “face of an angel” here refer to what is evangelic, or does it suggest what is judicial in character?

JT The angels are executors of grace, but they are executors of judgment, and I think that is the idea there, that it is the mind of heaven now because the position was changing. It is Son of man instead of Messiah, and that is what would be reflected in Stephen’s face. Christ as presented in grace to Israel in the testimony of the twelve was refused.

AFM Yes; the great grace that marked these men earlier is very significant, but now the scene has changed.

JT Stephen begins with glory, the God of glory; and he shows that the glory had shone in all the testimony, but had only met with resistance. I think Stephen’s face would reflect what heaven thought of that.

Ques Would the verse, “O stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit” (verse 51), be like the lightning coming from the throne in Revelation 4?

JT Quite so; it reflects the mind of heaven now. That is what Stephen’s address leads up to; it is judicial, and yet he is praying for them. Personally he has no other thought than that.

Rem They were being invited here to kiss the Son, but they did not answer to it.

WB-w Would this spirit of Stephen check the murmuring among the saints, the murmuring of the Hellenists against the Hebrews?

JT Quite so. The angelic face is not seen there. It is seen in the council: it is for the councillors to see. Heaven’s mind is changing, as it were, but as a deacon, one can understand what a soothing, pacifying and reconciling influence, he would exert.

JS In verse 8 he shines personally, does he not? It is a very short paragraph, but a remarkable one. “And Stephen, full of grace and power, wrought wonders and great signs among the people”.

JT I think that in speaking about him as passing on to his great service publicly and his appearance in the council, we should not forget the deacon’s service and what marked him as in it, and how quickly he purchased to himself a good degree. He needed no one to confer anything on him. He was what he was. We do not need any friendships above us to bring us forward. He purchased to himself a good degree. That would refer to the character of his service.

WB-w He was full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and then it says he was also “full of grace”. Would that not be a great contrast to Ananias and Sapphira? Satan filled their hearts.

JT Quite so; in him grace would be reigning. This is a great matter in these cases of discipline and murmuring and cleavages amongst us — grace reigning, even in one who is serving the saints. It came ^[p. 359] in in these seven men. I have no doubt that they were all more or less alike, but with Stephen, wherever he went around to the houses, grace would prevail. He was full of it; this was the result of his being full of faith and of the Holy Spirit. What binding influences he would exert as he filled his office as a deacon, and observing believers would say, That man is worthy of more distinction; and he purchased to himself a good degree in that way. That is the true way of promotion amongst the people of God. It is a question of what one is.

NP Does this signify a new departure in the ways of God — passing on the service to non-commissioned men?

JT Yes. The subsequent promotion of Stephen and Philip is what they purchased themselves; they were equal to what promotion they got. Possibly Peter could not have done as well in the council as Stephen did. Stephen was the one suited for this great service.

WB-w The Judicial idea from the twelve is passed on to Stephen?

JT Yes; he is the man for this work; anybody could see it. They looked on him fixedly, and he reflected what was in heaven.