CHRIST'S EXALTATION IN RELATION TO THE ASSEMBLY
CHRIST’S EXALTATION IN RELATION TO THE ASSEMBLY
EJW The principal thought in my mind in suggesting this scripture is in connection with the position in which Christ is here presented, as having gone far above all heavens, and the divine object in this. It appears to me that in this epistle Christ is presented as the Man of divine purpose, the One in whom God will bring about the whole system of His purposes, which means an intelligent moral universe that will be suitable in every way to God. I take it that this is what is involved in Christ filling all things. What is very affecting to us is that before going up to His present position far above all heavens, He goes into the lower parts of the earth, because that is man’s place; it was our place as having turned away from God into sin.
RSS What do you understand “the lower parts of the earth” to mean?
EJW I take it to refer to the grave. Man has to disappear from the earth proper because of having become lawless in regard to God. It is not man’s proper place according to the divine ordering; this was in the upper parts of the earth, where he could live and enjoy the conditions established there by divine goodness, and in the light and good of the heavens, and the blessing of God as seen in Genesis 1 and 2; but sin having come in, he now has to disappear into the lower parts of the earth, as being unfit to remain under the eye of God in the place and system of things in which he had been set. Christ, in divine love, goes into the lower parts of the earth; He goes into death and takes upon Himself all that [p. 130] under which the creation, represented in man, was lying, in order that, having effected redemption, He might become the great Head of all. He has now gone up far above all heavens, to the supreme point in the universe, in order that He might be in a position from which He can affect everything by His power, for God’s pleasure and joy and the good of the universe.
RSS You get what is parallel to this in Philippians 2, only that there it is more personal, bringing out the Lord’s remarkable humility, and then the supreme name of glory given Him by the Father.
EJW It is undoubtedly a matter of great importance that the Spirit can now engage us with an absolutely perfect Man, who is great enough, in every way, to fill with His influence every part and to affect every detail of the whole universe, that the whole system may be established and maintained in suitability to God.
JT It is especially interesting in a practical way because Christ is already able, from that point of exaltation, to bring to pass perfection here in the assembly; Ephesians 4: 12 - 13.
EJW It appears to be a point of the teaching of the chapter that there is already one circle, or family, filled from Him; that is, the assembly, viewed in its normal character in relation to Christ. The divine purpose regarding the universe is to find its anticipation, or first-fruits, there.
JT That is to say, He is now able to bring to pass perfection in the saints; “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 4:13. The divine thought is that the assembly should be fully qualified to set forth Christ.
WHC Is there the thought that He goes down [p. 131] into death in order that He might fill the universe with the light of God?
JT The thought of Christ ascending and descending is suggested by the gifts. Psalm 68 is quoted, and verses 9 and 10 are introduced parenthetically to enlarge on the bearing of the descending and ascending of Christ. The apostle states that which shows how occupied he was with Christ personally, and in verse 10 he shows the present place of Christ, and how He is acting from thence through the gifts for the perfecting of the saints prior to the time of display. We see the present expression of His power in the gifts and what is effected through them in the saints. What is of immense importance to us is that the gospels present to us perfection in man; that is, in Christ; then in the epistles, speaking in a general way, what is in view is the reproducing of that in the saints; what Christ is accomplishing at the present moment. He is working out the reflex of Himself. Before the assembly can be understood, Christ must be understood, because the assembly is a reflex of Christ. Adam said “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man”, Genesis 2:23. The assembly is “the Christ”, but Christ in that character which is suggested in the woman. The name he gave to each animal was characteristic, but when the woman is presented, he recognises her at once, because he knew himself. The formation of the assembly is now going on, and the gifts are to that end.
RSS You would connect it with the deep sleep of Adam, and as you remarked you cannot understand the assembly except as you know Christ.
JT A man said to me the other day that you could not see the assembly in the holy city in the Revelation. Knowing Christ, we readily recognise the assembly in the [p. 132] heavenly city.
GAT It is right then to look for perfection in the assembly.
JT We read here that the gifts are for the perfecting of the saints. It is important to be acquainted with the gospels and thus to come to know Christ as He was here. It is in this way we apprehend what God is seeking to bring to pass in the assembly now. After perfection is once here in Man, nothing else will do for God.
WHF The work spoken of here would reach to the glory.
JT It is all brought to pass here by the Spirit. This is the time of building; there is no formation in the future.
JSG The object in view in the gifts is that we should be no longer babes.
JT It is painful to note the babe state that marks the people of God. The exercise of anyone having to do with the things of God would be that babyhood should cease.
JSG The church in the Revelation is seen as that in which perfection and finality are reached, and therefore that which will abide.
JT It is all that which came out in Christ. The assembly does not present anything that is new but what had already been manifested in Christ. It is His fulness,
EJW The assembly is to be the fulness of Him who will fill all in all. It will be through the assembly that He will fill all things; it is, therefore, a necessity that the saints who compose the assembly should be formed in divine intelligence (verse 13) and love (verses 15 and 16) in order to be capable for their place and function, as the body of Christ; to be His fulness in God’s world.
JT If we were able to analyse, we would find that all the qualities of Christ are there as the result of the Spirit’s work; there is nothing lacking. The [p. 133] Lord has supplied the assembly with all that will reproduce His qualities in it.
EJW He will thus be set forth and known in that which is in process of spiritual formation at the present time. It is in view of this that saints are now being formed in intelligence and divine affections, and are to be full-grown, in order that in the coming day Christ may be admired in all them that believe.
WHF The Head gives impulse to the members.
JT Yes, but in the preceding verses it is the gifts that build; there the body builds itself in relation to Christ. The joints are one and another of us, all standing in relation to Christ. Each saint has a certain function to perform, and the growth of the whole is dependent on each holding his place; that is, holding the truth, which regulates us. The truth is the perfect measure of everything. Christ, as come into the world, is the perfect measure of everything. It is that truth that regulates us.
K The whole body takes character from the Head.
JT The Lord places us in relation to one another, and we are to hold the truth in love. There is to be activity in affection, and in that connection there is growth. We are not to remain babes. With babes there is not ability to rightly discern, and adjust themselves. The apostle says: “in malice be babes; but in your minds be grown men”, 1 Corinthians 14: 20.
EJW The Scriptures give us certain marks of a man in Christianity as distinguished from a babe. I think it is helpful to recognise them. They speak, for instance, of love in 1 Corinthians 13; moral discernment and discrimination in Hebrews 5; and intelligence in Ephesians 4, as characteristics of a man.
HG There is courage also. “Quit you like men, be strong”, 1 Corinthians 16: 13, is another mark of a man in Christianity.
JT [p. 134] A man knows how to conduct himself among the saints.
EJW The very things exhorted in verses 2 and 3 are indications of the divine thought, that there is to be on the earth at the present time a circle filled morally from Christ. Lowliness, meekness, longsuffering and bearing with one another in love do not find their origin here, but are the qualities and traits of Christ.
JT Yes, if the conditions here spoken of are fulfilled, Christ would be there morally.
JSG In connection with the gifts, is not the thought that when Christ was here all the mind of God came out, and as gone up on high He bestows gifts in order that all the purpose of God may be kept before the saints?
EJW It appears to me that underlying what we have here regarding the saints is God’s great purpose concerning the universe — all things. He will “gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth” Ephesians 1:10.
JT Yes. One feature of the divine purpose regarding the universe is unity. This had been established among the saints at Ephesus, and now this is to be maintained for there is one body. The idea would be to maintain here a testimony to God as being one.
RSS And that is very important. I suppose the best characteristic that could be found in a meeting would be unity according to God, and it would be that which would involve its prosperity and blessing.
JT The tabernacle sets forth typically God’s testimony. There is great variety in the order of things it represents, but unity is seen throughout. There were different parts, but all bound together so as to be one tabernacle. In the future there will be distinctions of privilege, but unity will pervade all.
RSS [p. 135] One of the most prominent thoughts in Scripture is the establishment of unity. In the world to come there will be infinite variety, but no rivalry. Ephraim will not vex Judah, nor Judah Ephraim; all will be maintained in divine order in unity.
JSG They will learn from the assembly, and the assembly learns from Christ. It is God’s present intention that unity should be seen in the assembly.
JT Where there is unity the greatness of the provision which Christ has made for us in the Spirit is discovered. I believe that where the conditions spoken of in this chapter obtain there will be the evidence of gift.
WHF There can be no blessing apart from unity and order.
JSG The exhortations here have unity in view, and then if there is unity there will be the disclosure of the wonderful provision Christ has made for us.
JT He gives grace to every one of us. Every believer has received grace from Christ for the good of all, “to each one of us has been given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ”, Ephesians 4: 7.
EJW The grace given is, I take it, grace suited to the place and function of the individual in the body. Do you think it is so?
JT Yes. I may think I have a very difficult place to fill and that someone else has an easier one, but the difficulties will not exceed the grace. The grace supplied is according to the measure of Christ’s gift. This measure is infinite.
JSG Saints are viewed in this epistle as God’s habitation, Christ’s body, and God’s family; and grace is needed and given for each of these.
JT I find myself among the Lord’s people, and in whatever connection I have to do with them, I need [p. 136] grace for the practical working out of things, and the word is — “he gives more grace”. James 4:6.
WHC Would the measure of the grace which is impressed on all be what Christ is to you?
JT Grace is the help which flows to you from Christ through the Spirit; and this is in connection with the maintenance of unity which has been established among saints. There may be no gift in a meeting, but if the conditions indicated in the first few verses are present, there will be unity and then there will be gift. Unity forms the conditions for the disclosure of what Christ can do for us, and so the gift will come. The power of Christ will be there for the perfecting of the saints, in order that they may come to full growth.
RJW The prominence which is given to unity among saints in the Scriptures is significant and ought to arrest our attention and exercise us. It appears to have been one of the principal burdens of Paul’s heart and writings. It is that which the Spirit of God constantly works to maintain and Satan to destroy.
RSS How is unity practically brought about and maintained?
EJW I should say that it is by our being individually in the appreciation of Christ as the Head, and thus coming under His influence. The headship of Christ is a great spiritual reality. If in the good of it, we shall be under the influence of Christ in such a way as to be formed by it, and unity will be the practical result. I think the divine principle for the maintenance of unity is seen in Psalm 133. That which was personal to Aaron was upon his head and flowed down to the skirts of his garments. Aaron, no doubt, represents Christ as the Head, and the skirts of His garments the saints on earth; these become redolent with that which in the first instance was found with the Head alone.
[p. 137] No doubt it refers to the affections and qualities of Christ.
WHF That would bring in the Spirit. Unity can only be maintained as we keep near Christ, and lowliness, meekness, longsuffering, etc., are found with us. Then we shall be able to keep that which has been established in the Spirit.
JSG The obligation rests upon us all to use diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace; Ephesians 4:3.
JT There is the responsibility. The unity was once for all brought to pass by Christ and our responsibility is to keep it.
JSG An illustration of how unity is brought about is found in Luke 15. There was music. Music is perfect harmony of sound, by sounds being perfectly blended. It is brought about by the appreciation of all that Christ is.
JT The unity of the Spirit is a practical thing. It is the witness of spiritual affections being present among us. In Acts 2 the unity and witness were established, and everyone has to come into that which is established, and to keep it. In Ezekiel 37 Judah and Joseph had been divided, but they became one stick in the hand of the prophet, indicating that God’s purpose regarding Israel is unity. The same thing is true in the assembly. Of twain one new man is made. What caused the division is abolished in the death of Christ. The point is that there is to be a testimony for God. The gospel rightly presented brings about unity.
EJW What happened at Babel was the confounding of language, which caused general division and scattering. But God’s intention regarding men is unity, and the moment the true Head is in His place as glorified (Acts 1) the gift of tongues is introduced (Acts 2). In this way, in the Spirit’s presence and power, and based on the cross of Christ, there is [p. 138] a point and a principle of recovery from Babel; that is, from this world in its confusion in evil.
RSS It is interesting and assuring to see that God will not allow unity in that which is evil. He prevents it for the good of His people. In a coming day there will be a trinity of evil in unity — the dragon, the beast and the false prophet (Revelation 13). But God does not permit any general unity of evil while the saints are here. An anarchist once said, ‘If we were only united we could turn the world upside down’. We can thank God that He does not allow unity of the forces of evil to be effected.
JT What has really come to pass in Christendom is that there is a point of return to Babel, for the different nations do not understand each other’s language. It may be judicial. Understanding is found only among those who recognise the Spirit of God.
RSS The idea of God giving a testimony to what He is in Himself is important. It is a prominent thought in Ephesians that God is forming the assembly in order that what He is in Himself may be set forth in the coming day.