THE LORD'S DAY AND THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK

THE LORD’S DAY AND THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK

Revelation 1: 10; John 20: 11 - 23

JT The Lord’s day in Revelation points to the power that the Lord has, pending “the day of the Lord” when it will be exercised universally; the power He has to apply to any situation, to any circumstance or combination of circumstances now. It fits in with modern times — His intervention to make a way for the spiritual element, so that it might have free action. It makes way for what the first day of the week signifies. John says, “I became in the Spirit”; he would be in the state in which he would realise his privileges, but there were external conditions that interfered and the Lord would deal with these. So that he turns “to see the voice” — a remarkable expression — and sees the Lord, in judicial habiliments. These habiliments represent certain traits and powers that were in the Lord, and which are alluded to in the addresses to the assemblies; they imply the release that we are enjoying now, so that the truth as it stands related to the first day of the week, that is, to the assembly in its proper relations, is available. John’s gospel, which was no doubt written later, would open up what the Lord, in this judicial presentation, would effect; it opens up the spiritual side, so that we have an outlet on the first day of the week.

Ques Would not the lordship of Jesus apprehended in the soul bring about subduedness, and put us in an attitude to take in the blessings that are in the Lord’s mind in regard of the first day of the week?

JT It would indeed, so that Matthew would go with the idea of the Lord’s day in that respect. It is a question there, of what the saints are told to do;

^[p. 233] in John it is rather what we do by spiritual instinct and understanding. Matthew is what we are told to do, “Behold, I have told you”. Matthew 28: 7. It is a question there of whether you can take orders from one subordinate to the Lord; it is delegated authority in Matthew. According to that passage, an angel directs the women, and as they are moving under that direction the Lord meets them and greets them. Matthew would emphasise the importance of subjection. No one can ever be adjusted, unless he learns to do what he is told by divine authority, by whomsoever it may come to him — for the Lord uses whom He will.

AMH Are you connecting two thoughts with the Lord’s day, first, that He has secured it for us to give us liberty in a material sense, so that we have actual freedom from our ordinary avocations; and then, that there is a spiritual movement of the Lord in relation to that day too?

JT Yes; the Lord’s day as owned publicly by the governments as a day of rest; and there is also liberation in a spiritual way from the thraldom of the religious system that has grown up; the Lord’s day is owned and we are free in it. The day might be observed publicly, and yet the saints not be free spiritually.

PL “This is the day that Jehovah hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it”, Psalm 118: 24. Would that be taking advantage of it spiritually?

JT It would. There is the application of authority to ourselves, we learn to do what we are told to do. The hierarchical system is not wanting in authority of a kind, for there is the authority of darkness. There is nothing so potent in holding people, as the authority that is vested in “religion” as it is called. But alongside of that we have to be on our guard against the democratic element; we have to see that there is such a thing as authority. “Behold, I have told you”, the angel says. It is not only what he said,

^[p. 234] but the personality of the one who said it. He represented heaven. There is such a thing as that.

AMH With what are you connecting that at the present time?

JT With the need among the saints generally and locally as to the recognition of authority, that is authority as seen in men who through experience with God have weight. They are themselves subject, as the angel was.

PL Is not John himself in the beginning of the Revelation the great example of that? He is there as the bondman; He leads as in subjection.

JT Exactly.

Ques Do you connect the idea of authority with the Lord’s day?

JT Yes. It is not only the idea that He has a day, but that He dominates a day. He does not dominate the world, but there is that principle as a testimony and it will soon be asserted generally. The first day of the week has little force aside from the Lord’s day and what it means.

PL Paul introduces the first day of the week in 1 Corinthians 16, after he has brought in the authority of the Lord.

JT Yes; he brings it in then as expressing the feeling or sentiment that should enter into giving. It is not mere religious sentiment, but spiritual sentiment; the day stands for that. There are such memories connected with it, that it produces spiritual feelings.

AMH We have no evidence that the Lord’s day was one of liberty at the beginning. Is not the fact that it is free now the result of the Lord’s interference on behalf of His people?

JT That is what I was thinking. He has exercised His power to give it to us.

AMH So that we should value it and use it on the lines which He has ^[p. 235] provided.

JT Exactly. There is a voice in it. John turned to see “the voice”.

Ques “I became in the Spirit”. Is that a suitable state suggested?

JT I think so. It is what becomes us, and would follow subjection.

Ques Does the Lord’s day suggest that the Lord is in supreme command and can carry out His thoughts?

JT I think so. The day as we have it, reminds us that He has acted, not in a general way, but as exercising His power for His people now — showing His hand as necessary. You can reckon on that, and in so far as His hand is apparent, there is release and liberty for us.

PL In that way His heirship to the whole scene is witnessed in the exercise of His rights.

JT The ‘dominical day’ is not an empty term; it means that He can put forth His power. He opens and no one can shut (Revelation 3: 8). He does it as necessary. He is not working miracles, in the ordinary sense, but His hand is at work and faith discerns it.

Ques And is it not helpful that the Spirit is brought in?

JT It is. John is a model; he says, “I became in the Spirit on the Lord’s day”.

Ques Would it show how active the Spirit would be in putting us in condition to receive impressions from the Lord? It is encouraging in that way to have, not only the Lord, but the Spirit. Some of us may find it difficult to shake ourselves free from the world system, but is there not great encouragement here?

JT There is, and what was remarked about Matthew is very important especially for christians who are under the authority of darkness. What is meant, I think, is the hierarchical system. It has authority over the soul and people are held. Authority according to God is seen in persons that have no authority in religious systems, yet it is there. “Behold, I have told you”.

AMH Are you putting that over against the whole of the Jewish system?

JT Quite, or the corresponding system now; it is the same thing — the authority that holds people. That is what the Lord deals with almost immediately in the addresses to the assemblies. He recognizes faithfulness at Ephesus in refusing those that said they were apostles and were not. Revelation 2: 2. They claimed authority but were found liars. Then they hated the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, but later on these things appear — that sort of authority. So that you come down to Rome, in Thyatira, where it is full blown. But there is another authority; the spirit of authority runs through the addresses to the assemblies. The Lord may use this one or that one, but it is authority. He is speaking, and unless we learn to discern that voice and do what it says, we shall never reach the truth of the assembly.

Ques Would affection for Christ separate us from the authority of darkness, and so make room for what the Spirit would disclose?

JT It would, but it is one authority against another; there is the authority of darkness that has asserted itself all down those dark centuries, and in the addresses to the assemblies there is the authority of the Lord. That is the principle. There is authority in Him and He warns the assemblies. He may use this one or that one, but it is His voice; He is telling you what to do. “Behold, I have told you”. And if you do not do that, you remain where you are, and suffer the penalties that He speaks of. But John hearkened to His voice; he turned to see it, and what he saw he describes; and he is true to his bondmanship, carrying out the Lord’s instructions.

AMH You remarked that it is not merely what is said but the one who is speaking. Does it not look as if the weak point from the beginning was this question of giving the Lord His place? The Dark ^[p. 237] Ages came in afterwards, after the Jewish system had been broken up.

JT Yes. The letters to Corinth were intended to assert the Lord’s authority, and in 2 Timothy, “Let every one who names the name of the Lord withdraw from iniquity”.

Ques Does the expression, “I became in the Spirit”, mean that there is exercise of soul before the Lord to give Him His place, and hear what He has to say?

JT I think it does; it is the attitude of your soul as in assembly; you become in the Spirit. We do not reach the assembly save on those lines. We are generally merely theoretic. John had actually become in the Spirit.

Ques What do you mean by being theoretic?

JT That we have right forms and all that kind of thing. I think what is meant in this chapter in Revelation, is that John was in a state suitable to the assembly in spiritual relations; but it is as if the Lord would indicate that before that proceeds, external things must be adjusted; so that the things John was to see and write about referred to adjustment. In chapters 2 and 3, the assembly is to be reached through adjustment. We acknowledge that a change has come about; things are not what they were. Whilst we have access to the Lord in a spiritual way we own there has been defection. But the change is met by the Lord; He has power to make a way for us in spite of the fact that things are not what they were. He sets before us an opened door. So that we take up assembly relations in a humble way; we acknowledge that things are not what they were. Were it not for His intervention, there could be no practical realization of the assembly at all.

AMH To “remember ... whence thou art fallen” is to be a continuous thing; Revelation 2: 5.

JT That would produce a suitable spiritual condition.

^[p. 238] So that the remnant books of the Old Testament become exceedingly helpful. What is recorded is for us, so that we might act in a comely way in the changed circumstances.

PL Ezekiel sits among the captives and he gets visions of God, chapter 1. Is that the lowly state, the confessed state of the assembly’s public position which calls forth these disclosures from the Lord?

JT Quite so; you have many such thoughts in Ezekiel. It comes very close home to one — “Behold, I have told you”. You say, it does not matter who says it, but it is not only what is said but the person who said it. The idea of representation is never given up. Hence here it says, “he signified it, sending by his angel, to his bondman John”. Revelation 1: 1. There is never any thought of the Lord giving up representation. It is not only what the person says, but himself.

PL Would not the words be added to in moral weight by the countenance and raiment of the person who speaks? The clothes of the hierarchy would be in contrast to Matthew 28 where it says, “his look was as lightning, and his clothing white as snow”. Is not authority made attractive in the spirit of the one who wields it?

JT In Matthew it is a question of enforced authority; the keepers become as dead men; Matthew 28: 4. It is there a question of the power that there is, and that never ceases.

Rem The countenance of the angel corresponds with the countenance of the Lord at the transfiguration according to Matthew. His face shone as the sun.

JT It is that sort of thing; it is not earthly. The sun is supreme, dominant; the angel’s “look was as lightning” — the power was irresistible. The hierarchical system is immediately in evidence in Matthew 28, I mean the root of it. As the women went, doing what they were told to do, the Lord met them. That is a very remarkable thing, but it is as we do what ^[p. 239] we are told to do that the Lord meets us. We are able to take an order from a subordinate, but he is the Lord’s representative. Then it says in verse 11, “And as they went, behold, some of the watch went into the city, and brought word to the chief priests of all that had taken place. And having assembled with the elders, and having taken counsel ...” We see there, how the counter-authority works — the lying system which has become widespread. But the Lord respects those who do as they are told to do, and who act on heavenly authority. That is our deliverance. The moving in obedience to divine orders undermines the whole hierarchical system.

Ques Representation is not merely gift, but is rather beyond that?

JT It would be certain heavenly features. The seal in 2 Timothy 2: 19 is a sort of divine mandate, whoever has it. It says, “having this seal”. It is a moral thing; you cannot deny it. On the one side of the seal is, “The Lord knows those that are his”, and on the other, “Let every one who names the name of the Lord withdraw from iniquity”.

Rem The idea of representation would have marked Timothy as well as Paul.

JT Paul wrote to him so that he might represent him.

Rem We should not forget the rest of our brethren, and that is to be in evidence by our demeanour, and the way in which we speak of things, and in our activities. The Lord knows those that are His, but we cannot pick them out, save as separated from iniquity.

JT So that if you meet a Christian you say to him, Be as I am, for I am as you are. “Be as I am”, is a question of what is imperative; “I can do no other”, as one said — and there is moral authority in that. It is a question of the will of God; the will of God carries moral authority in the whole ^[p. 240] universe. In these democratic times it is a great thing for young people to see that there is such a thing as “I have told you”, and that as soon as you begin to do what you are told to do, the Lord meets you and salutes you. There is something there to salute! “As they went”, it says in verse 9. It was “as they went” too that the lying set in, verse 11. So that the enemy is endeavouring to nullify the authority that is conveyed in obedience.

Rem Anyone who loves the Lord would like to obey Him in the way in which you are speaking. Normally our hearts would love to please the Lord.

JT “He that has my commandments and keeps them, he it is that loves me”, John 14: 21. It is a very forceful way of putting the truth.

Then I thought John 20 is the spiritual side hinging on all this. We have the first day of the week mentioned twice in the chapter. It is a question not so much of authority but of spiritual instinct, and the movement that marks it; and of spiritual affection and what it culminates in, that is, “I ascend”. It is not “I will ascend”, or “I have ascended”, but “I ascend”. It is characteristic.

Rem Would headship come in there?

JT I think it does; I think it is stamped on the chapter. Take the handkerchief that was upon His head, something was done to it; it was folded in a distinct place by itself. Special attention is called to it. It was a distinct part of the wrappings or the cloths that were on the Lord’s body, and the sequel, I think, is to amplify that Mary moved in that light as the Lord met her. Peter and the disciple whom Jesus loved represent intelligence. It is well to note that they ran and their pace is noticed, one outrunning the other. It is a question of spirituality and of movement, and they were affected by what they saw in the tomb. They saw nothing living in the tomb, but Mary did. They saw the cloths; that ^[p. 241] is to say, they saw something that indicated to them that material things were not touched by the action of resurrection; that the action of resurrection left material things untouched, save the handkerchief, which latter seems to me is the action of some person to call attention to the head. In verse 8 it says, “Then entered in therefore the other disciple also who came first to the tomb, and he saw and believed”. That is, he saw this; he saw the “linen cloths lying, and the handkerchief which was upon his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded up in a distinct place by itself”. That is what he saw, and it says he believed.

AMH What do you think that means, that in some way it was conveyed that the Lord was risen?

JT It was not a clandestine action to take the body away, because the cloths were there. There had been no struggle to get out of them. It was resurrection; that is to say, John is presenting the spiritual side. The writer is the one who believed.

Ques Would what you are speaking of, follow on being in the Spirit on the Lord’s day?

JT Yes. Being in the Spirit would open up eternity to you; and that is what is in view in this chapter. It is the first day of the week here, not the Lord’s day; it the spiritual side of it. Then what you see in Mary are instincts. There is much ignorance abroad today and the deliverance is by observing the authority of the Lord. But then I may do that, and yet be wanting in intelligence, and I think Mary represents that. It is said that she stood at the tomb weeping without; evidently she was not believing, for there was evidence before her that the Lord was risen and this should have caused rejoicing. She had great affection, but she did not understand. The disciples went to their own homes. You say, That is not to their credit, but there is a certain amount of credit for they believed. They ^[p. 242] went home believing, but she did not — she was weeping.

AMH She is seeking the Lord, but without any apprehension as to the conditions in which she would find Him.

JT Yes; what conditions is He in now? She thought about somebody carrying Him away. John did not think that; the position of the cloths indicated to him that nobody had carried Him away, that material things have nothing to do with it. What do we know about that?

Ques Would not affection lead you in the way of adjustment?

JT That is what comes out, but then, we must not speak too disparagingly of the two disciples that went home; better at home believing, than at the tomb unbelieving. They had no question as to the resurrection. Still more light would have come to them had they remained by the tomb.

Rem They had seen something that Mary had not seen up to that moment.

JT Quite; they were ahead of her. They believed because of what they saw in the tomb without the angels. Had they waited they would have been confirmed, of course. Mary saw the stone rolled away; she thought somebody had done it and taken the Lord out. She was, for the moment, unbelieving.

PL The yield for the Lord depends on faith.

JT We need to understand what is spiritual; the two disciples understood that the resurrection had actually happened by what they saw in the tomb; they believed; they had spiritual understanding.

AMH That is confirmed by the fact that there is no reference afterwards to their disbelief of her report.

Rem Verse 14 says she “beholds Jesus standing ^[p. 243] there, and knew not that it was Jesus”. Had she been believing, she would have recognized Him.

JT But the facts stated show unmistakably that, she loved the Lord, and He knew and valued this.

Ques Is that why she gets this wonderful communication in advance of the disciples?

JT That is it; she had affection and the Lord knew this. We should notice the movements that are recorded. The passage says, “As therefore she wept, she stooped down into the tomb, and beholds two angels”, verse 11. There is not a word about the cloths; faith took account of them. To see two angels is more a matter of sight.

Ques Would you say a word as to the angels being one at the head and the other at the feet? verse 12.

JT I think they recognize the dignity of the Person; it is “where the body of Jesus had lain”.

AMH Do you think the Lord might come amongst us as together and not be recognized? Is that suggested in Mary at first not recognizing who He is?

JT I think that is right. Angels represent the Old Testament way of administering; it was the dispensation of angels. That is not christianity. Of course they have part in this dispensation, but as ministering spirits on account of those who are heirs of salvation.

Ques Referring again to Mary’s affection, would not the passage show that what marked the two disciples was intelligence? Whilst the Lord greatly values affection, would this not suggest that there should be intelligence with it?

JT I think that is what the chapter would impress upon us, that there should be affection combined with intelligence, but I think affection is brought into great evidence as marked by certain instincts, which lead in the right direction. It says,

“^[p. 244] Mary stood at the tomb weeping without. As therefore she wept, she stooped down into the tomb, and beholds two angels sitting in white garments, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say to her. Woman, why dost thou weep? She says to them. Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him” verses 11 - 13. That is, she is thinking of some persons; she says “they”. She is not thinking of God; God is evidently not in her thoughts. Who were the “they”? You speak in that indefinite way, while there is confusion and darkness in the mind. “They have taken”, she says, and “they have laid him”. That is darkness; no one had taken Him away; the Lord was risen. He had said in this gospel He would raise up the temple of His body, but she is thinking about others, whoever they were. If you were to ask, Who are “they?” she could not tell you. It is confusion, and I believe that describes many of us — a vague confused state of mind, hardly knowing what we are thinking about. But then there is affection and this is honoured; “my Lord”, she says.

Rem That is what He was to her.

JT Yes; then it says, “Having said these things she turned backward”. Why should she do that? She could not, perhaps, tell you; it is a question of instinct, and movement that flows out of it. There is something there that moves in the right direction. She saw a gardener, as she thought; it says she knew not that it was Jesus. “Jesus says to her, Woman, why dost thou weep? Whom seekest thou? She, supposing that it was the gardener, says to him, Sir, if thou hast borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away”, verses 14, 15. There was confusion of mind and darkness. Still the affection was there; there was the groundwork of the assembly — the spiritual element — so the Lord says, “Mary”. There is now a link;

^[p. 245] the person is recognized by Him. It says. She, “turning round, says to him in Hebrew. Rabboni, which means Teacher”. She is now on the high road to heavenly light. He is “My Lord”, but now my “Teacher”. You feel how we need that; we need the Lord Himself to instruct us spiritually.

PL It is not delegated authority now. In headship the Lord takes us into His own hands.

JT Quite so; He adjusts Mary at once, and evidently she is very adjustable. She is constituted a messenger of the greatest message as to our privileges.

Ques He “calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out”. John 10: 3. Would that be suggested here in His saying “Mary”?

JT Exactly; so that she is personally recognized in the presence of all these great things.

Ques Is she beyond the disciples now?

JT I think she is; she carries the message to them. And she knows how to do it; it is not done in an uncomely or official way. It says, she “comes bringing word to the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had said these things to her”, verse 18. That is very comely.

Ques I suppose the Lord’s question to her, “Why dost thou weep?” would be in the light of the situation? It was not a time of weeping.

JT No, indeed; it was a time of victory. It was the first day of the week on which Christ arose from the dead.

PL Would the teaching convey the imparting of suited sensibilities to accompany the light?

JT Exactly; the Spirit of God explaining the meaning of the word would show that that is the point. We need teaching.

Rem That is the great need today. We have had light in abundance, and things have been distinguished ^[p. 246] for us, but it is now a question of coming under His headship.

JT Yes. It is what is spiritual. And that is the point here — being led into spiritual things. So that He says, “Touch me not”. Why not? The natural mind of course would wish to do it. But He says, “I have not yet ascended to my Father”. All that is spiritual; the link would be with the One who ascends.

Rem It went beyond resurrection.

JT It did — that is important to notice.

Rem I suppose, in a way, all the redeemed companies come into resurrection, but “My brethren” and ascension conveys a further thought.

JT Quite so; there is dignity; and I think John being in the Spirit involves that we come back to that. John’s gospel would, I think, come in after Revelation, as an adjustment, there is a removing of hindrances. However ignorant we may be, there is a way made now for us into the highest things and to the greatest privileges. That is what this chapter would suggest to us, so that it is now not only doing what you are told to, but coming under the teaching of the Lord as Head, as One who has ascended.