THE BEGINNINGS OF THE WORK OF GOD AT EPHESUS
[p. 258] THE BEGINNINGS OF THE WORK OF GOD AT EPHESUS
Acts 18:18 - 28; Acts 19:1 - 20
JT I was thinking of the work of God at Ephesus in its beginnings. The place that Ephesus has in the history of the testimony led to the thought of having it as a subject, as worthy of it, being, one may say, the very acme of Paul’s ministry. It is important to have such circumstances in our mind as indicating the character of God’s work, the character it takes on especially if there is anything in the nature of a beginning or an inauguration of the work of God at any time or at any place, because it bears certain features which are general. So there is here first of all the idea of links formed as the work proceeded. Hence, Aquila and Priscilla appear here as linking on with Corinth, increasing in their importance, these two persons; and then Apollos also having come from Alexandria, from Africa, forming a very important link in the work in Asia and later at Corinth. And then another feature here arising out of the work in its ordinary course of procedure is the idea of administration, of the work itself; not only what marked it inaugurally, but the work itself as it proceeded, affording administrative material in the twelve men that are spoken of at Ephesus.
RWS So the personnel in a place whom God is using bear upon the place itself. Is that your thought — what God will do in the place?
JT I thought so; what may afford the general principle to the end of the dispensation, or general principles, because the principles go through.
JS How would you link this on with the early church in Jerusalem? It was laid in the twelve, and this is not an independent work, is it?
JT I thought we would come to that. We may [p. 259] see in these twelve men the idea of the continuance of administrative material always so necessary. The beginning of the work at Jerusalem, of course, was marked by the number twelve. It is said that they continued in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship. It is a question of the apostles, that kind of fellowship and teaching.
AR There would be a difference between the beginning of Acts and Acts 18. I mean the twelve disciples in Acts 2 and the twelve men here — is it a higher level in that sense?
JT There is, no doubt, the suggestion of a higher level, because Paul came in through the upper quarters, we are told. No doubt, we are on higher ground morally at Ephesus than we are at Jerusalem.
CAM Referring to Aquila and Priscilla, you were linking them with Corinth. They really came from Rome before that. Would that be a link between Rome and Corinth and Ephesus?
JT It would be in a personal sense, but whether they were really Christians when they were ordered to leave Rome is a question. They left because they were Jews; they were called Jews. I am not saying they were not, but it is just a question.
CAM I can see that is an interesting point.
ANW In choosing Aquila and Priscilla as the first persons to leave at Ephesus, is there any significance in the fact that he had been with them, all three working together as tent-makers? Is that instructive to us?
JT I think it is. They evidently lodged together, which is remarkable, and undoubtedly they came into the truth through Paul and have honourable mention throughout afterwards; so that they become characteristic links in that sense. As has been remarked, they came from Rome and earlier they came from the east, somewhere in Asia Minor, but as [p. 260] Christians they are marked off at Corinth. Then they are at Ephesus and they are at Rome again afterwards. They had the assembly in their house, so that they become characteristic links, I think, and it is very suggestive and enjoyable to meet with brethren who are characteristic links among the brethren. They carry their status with them and increase in it.
CAM Speaking of moving from one place to another, would you say that we might in our early days be somewhat victims of circumstances, but our later movements should be governed by the testimony?
JT I think this country and Canada — those of us who are in fellowship, are largely classified in that sense. We are victims of circumstances. Certainly I was, although coming to this country and Canada for the fellowship. And so were you, I think. Many of us here may be classified in that way, and it is very encouraging that there is increase, increase in knowledge and increase in identification with the testimony. I think Aquila and Priscilla may be taken as typical.
GVD It would seem that the movement in the beginning of chapter 18 was ordered governmentally. That is to say, the Jews had been ordered to leave Rome. Would you say God works things in that way in relation to the testimony?
JT Apparently He did. The use of the word ‘governmental’ is good because they did not leave for any monetary reasons or any advantage to themselves. It would be the opposition, I would think. So it is said, “finding a certain Jew by name Aquila, of Pontus by race”, (verse 1). Notice that. Pontus would be in Asia Minor. The word ‘race’ is taken not from the fact that he was a Jew, but rather from his local position at Pontus. Then he had, “just come from Italy, and Priscilla his wife (because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome)”, then it says Paul, “came to them, and because they were of the same trade abode with them, and wrought.
[p. 261] For they were tent-makers by trade”. They are all governmental circumstances, and the trade and political position at Rome and the racial position at Pontus, and then the succeeding parts of their history bear all this out. They became definitely persons identified with the testimony.
ANW It makes it very interesting when that governmental restriction at Rome was lifted that they should return there as assembly material for the place.
JT That is very nice. The restriction was lifted apparently, because they are back again without any restriction or difficulty.
RWS Are you linking these two and others on with the work of God at Ephesus?
JT Just so. That is how the matter appears. After the Corinthian part of Paul’s work is finished, at least this part of it, “Paul, having yet stayed there many days, took leave of the brethren and sailed thence to Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila, having shorn his head in Cenchrea, for he had a vow; and he arrived at Ephesus, and left them there”, Acts 18:18,19. Then we get the appearance at Ephesus of Apollos, whose name is seen largely in connection with Corinth.
WFK Would you say something about the vow that Paul took? Was that necessary to help in the work?
JT I should not think so. The vow might be right, but the shearing of his head would hardly be right. It was hardly necessary.
JAP Why are there no households mentioned in Ephesus, such as we get at Philippi and Corinth? When Paul approached those cities he came to households.
JT I think what is prominent are these twelve men, as marking off what we are saying as to administrative necessities; the great necessity of administrative ability in view of the importance of the work at [p. 262] Ephesus, and it arises now because there is so much need of this administrative ability amongst the brethren.
GL Is it a good promise for the locality that such as Aquila and Priscilla are moving there? Is it boding good?
JT You can see that, that they are not only persons who might entertain as they did, and persons who would suffer for others, because that is another thing about them: the ability or disposition to suffer for others; that is, Paul says of them later that they laid down their neck, “Salute Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow-workmen in Christ Jesus (who for my life staked their own neck; to whom not I only am thankful, but also all the assemblies of the nations), and the assembly at their house”, Romans 16:3,4. So that they become peculiarly advantageous to the testimony, especially the apostle himself, that they stake their own neck on his account. The assemblies all became their debtors. This is a very encouraging side of the subject: the assemblies become debtors to such persons, to these two persons.
ABP Would their labours in any way contribute to this higher level which is brought in with Paul’s return?
JT It would look as if that is so, because they are seen in connection with Apollos, and their work proved beneficial for it says, “For he with great force convinced the Jews publicly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ”, Acts 18:28. This was after the service rendered to him by Aquila and Priscilla. It is said, “And Aquila and Priscilla, having heard him, took him to them and unfolded to him the way of God more exactly. And when he purposed to go into Achaia, the brethren wrote to the disciples engaging them to receive him, who, being come, contributed much to those who believed through grace”, Acts 18:26,27. So that it would seem as if Aquila’s and Priscilla’s work contributed to the perfecting of Apollos, and, of course, he contributed, as we are told here, to the saints. Therefore, I would think that they were already serving on this high level. It is not a Corinthian level; it is an Ephesian level really.
RWS Was there some change in the minister, too? After having come into Jerusalem and having kept the feast, it says in verse 21, “I will return to you again, if God will: and he sailed away from Ephesus. And landing at Caesarea, and having gone up and saluted the assembly, he went down to Antioch. And having stayed there some time, he went forth passing in order through the country of Galatia and Phrygia, establishing all the disciples”. I wondered if there was something in Paul himself, whether he used the Spirit of God to bring out the work of God at Ephesus, whether the Jerusalem side was really a hindrance at that time.
JT It would seem as if the general position is the extension of this idea of links. Jerusalem, of course, extended far east from these parts, but Paul’s journey to it and elsewhere and then returning to Ephesus would seem to be the establishing of links. Indeed, it marked Paul’s movements generally, the establishment of wholesome links amongst the gatherings.
AR Do you mean over against local independency?
JT Just so. It was important that the beginning of the work at Ephesus should link on generally because it was destined to be the leading work of Paul, and it was no accident that he just moved out from Corinth and Ephesus to go to Jerusalem, and from there as we read, “And landing at Caesarea, and having gone up and saluted the assembly, he went down to Antioch. And having stayed there some time”, (these words ‘some time’ would mean he [p. 264] stayed long enough to establish what was needed in the sense of good influence linking on the work of God), “he went forth, passing in order through the country of Galatia and Phrygia, establishing all the disciples”.
CAM Would you say that the reference to the words “feast at Jerusalem” in verse 21 was a sort of grace linking on what was there — the spread of the testimony — or would you think that was just a date?
JT He says, “I must by all means keep the coming feast at Jerusalem”. That seems to be interpolated, but it is put in there as if it were so. Whether the appearance at that feast at that particular time had any reference to the vow he made and the shearing of his head, whether these were not Judaic touches, whether they really added to the position is a question; but in general he was establishing the saints.
CAM I just wondered whether we should be right in thinking it was linking the Old Testament set-up of things in any way.
JT Just so; but you just wonder about the shearing of his head. The vow might fit in but it seems to be one of the things that happens in the blessed apostle’s life that is just a little below par. He got into trouble in that same connection later.
AR In establishing the saints do you think he had in mind the making of a circuit, that Ephesus should be thinking the same thing as Corinth; the same principles should be working in every place?
JT That is just what I was thinking. He was establishing the disciples and he really made a circuit, as you say. He uses the very word only in an extended sense. He later went on to the Adriatic, he says; from Illyricum round about to Jerusalem he fully preached the gospel of Christ, and in that way established the saints by personal presence in the places, which is a most important thing in the furtherance of the work of God — [p. 265] personal influence.
APT Would a good healthy household like Aquila and Priscilla contribute to the work of God?
JT That comes out. The link at Rome again shows that they were influential in that sense. There was an assembly in their house, which would mean there would be visitations to them. In fact you might think certain hospitality marked them in the way that Paul joined them at Corinth. They evidently resided in the same place. Undoubtedly Priscilla would be more or less hostess, and there is further evidence in the fact that they took Apollos; they took him to them. Aquila and his wife Priscilla took Apollos to them, which I would assume to be to their house or lodgings, so that they could speak freely to him.
ANW I wondered whether that was why Priscilla takes precedence over Aquila in going with Paul from Corinth to Ephesus, but in dealing with Apollos Aquila takes precedence over Priscilla. She seems to be honoured; it says, “and with him Priscilla and Aquila”, in Acts 18:18. Is that saying too much?
JT I do not think so, because the facts show that the two names Aquila and Priscilla are equally used; something like six times equally used in the reference to them by the Spirit. It is a remarkable thing that the wife should take as much precedence as the husband. It would seem that the Spirit of God is telling us that a wife may arrive through exercise to a level with her husband.
AR Like the Song of Solomon — is that the idea? You do not know who is doing the work or who is speaking sometimes.
JT Just so; the feminine and masculine speakers are not always clearly distinguished.
WFK Had Apollos been under poor teaching and needed this instruction like many Christians today?
[p. 266] JT That leads to the whole matter coming up. Apollos had the same teaching as the twelve men at Ephesus, but Apollos made much more headway than they did, and that is a matter that may come before us for profit. Some learn quickly and others are slow. Apollos evidently had kept pace with the truth save that he needed adjustment, whereas the twelve did not keep pace with the truth. The truth of the Holy Spirit had been current for many years before then, and yet they say in chapter 19, “We did not even hear if the Holy Spirit was come”, Acts 19:2. That shows very great carelessness or neglect, because the truth was long current and the Spirit of God was speaking of Himself in the ministry for a long time, and John the baptist himself had made a point of it that the Holy Spirit came upon the Lord Jesus as He was baptised, and that He was the One that should baptise with the Holy Spirit. Why did they miss that important point in their education?
EH Both in the first visit and the second, the word ‘reasoning’ is used by the apostle; not preaching but reasoning. Would that be indicative of the kind of soil that was there? “But entering himself into the synagogue he reasoned with the Jews”, Acts 18:19. “But when some were hardened and disbelieved, speaking evil of the way before the multitude, he left them and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus”, Acts 19:9. Would that be indicative of the kind of soil the apostle had to deal with?
JT I would think so, bearing on Ephesus particularly, that the mind has a great place in the ministry: the idea of reasoning and the mind being recognised, not in any bad sense, but the reason of the mind just. The mind is taxed in the education.
AR You spoke about Apollos learning quickly and the twelve learning slowly. Why is it we are so slow [p. 267] now?
JT That is a good question. You can see that here in these two cases that are given and it is rather important that they are breaking away from an inaugurated position, a position having a status at one time; that is, John’s baptism. It had a place at one time, and these two sets of persons, that is to say, Apollos and the twelve men, as the facts show, through Paul’s ministry, Aquila and Priscilla included, broke away from an inaugurated position spiritually. They broke away from it. That marks the present time. So many have had to break away from positions that are not fully warranted scripturally, and the question is whether they learn after they break away; whether they sever themselves fully from the position once held. It would seem as if Apollos made a clean break because he knew only, we are told, the baptism of John, but he was very remarkable in his education. It is said, “But a certain Jew, Apollos by name, an Alexandrian by race” (the meaning of the word ‘race’ there being the same as that mentioned in Aquila’s history) “an eloquent man, who was mighty in the scriptures, arrived at Ephesus. He was instructed in the way of the Lord, and being fervent in his spirit, he spoke and taught exactly the things concerning Jesus, knowing only the baptism of John. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. And Aquila and Priscilla, having heard him, took him to them and unfolded to him the way of God more exactly”, Acts 18:24 - 26. It is clear that he had made much more headway in the truth than the twelve men had, and so we have to take him as a methodical and quick learner, ready to take in the truth as it came to him.
WFK Would the eloquence be gift?
JT It was ability, anyway.
CAM Would you say the knowledge of the Scriptures was greatly in his favour?
JT Certainly. The point I am making, and I [p. 268] think the brethren should pay attention to it, no doubt you are, too, is that we break away from what we have been in definitely for something better, and proceed in that something better, so that we acquire a place in the real testimony of God. That is a most important tiling, to get brothers like that. Whereas although the twelve men learned quickly as they came into touch with Paul (Apollos did not come into touch with Paul at first, but these twelve men did come into touch with him at first) it says after they say they did not hear about the Holy Spirit, the apostle says to them, “To what then were ye baptised? And they said, To the baptism of John. And Paul said, John indeed baptised with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on him that was coming after him, that is, on Jesus. And when they heard that, they were baptised to the name of [p. 271] the Lord Jesus. And Paul having laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied”, Acts 19:3 - 6. They have learned quickly now evidently under Paul’s influence and energy, whereas Apollos did not have that advantage.
RWS Would he have had the Spirit before, do you apprehend?
JT I think so; I think the case is just left as the eunuch’s case is left without mention. He is not said to have received the Spirit neither is Apollos said to have received the Spirit, but we have to learn by inference. The Scriptures contemplate that, to learn from circumstances and inference, and I believe both Apollos and the eunuch had the Spirit, otherwise they could not have acquired the position they had in the testimony.
GVD Speaking about quick learners, it is encouraging to have that kind of material added to us, taking on the truth of household baptism, for [p. 269] instance.
JT I am glad you bring that up because household baptism was put on the shelf fifty years ago. Most of the leading brothers put it on the shelf and refused it and suffered accordingly, most of them; whereas the Lord has broken through and the Spirit of God has led the brethren generally to that point, because Paul’s doctrine requires household baptism. I do not think the brethren will get on with Paul’s ministry unless they acknowledge the household. Therefore, slowness of learning is a great detriment and we might as well be aware of that fact. If we are missing some particular point of the truth that ought to be learned, we are sure to suffer.
ANW We should not let our minds be disturbed by people injecting what they call infant baptism into it. It is household baptism.
JT That is right. It is not infant baptism at all that is being advanced; it is household baptism. It is not that infants are of importance, although they are said to be holy — the infants of Christians — but it is the household. The influence is not in the babe, the influence is in the parents; the forming influence is in the parents.
AAT Is your thought that the twelve made faster progress after they broke away from the synagogue?
JT I think they did. I would attribute that to the extraordinary energy of the apostle Paul, the way he was used.
Rem The jailer at Philippi gave a good lead in household baptism.
JT He did. Very good. He was baptised that same night; but then he had a good lead in Lydia. She also opened her house. She had her household baptised. The Lord opened her heart before, though. All these show how the work of God progresses, especially when there is anyone of special energy in the service like Paul. You can see these twelve [p. 270] men made more rapid headway even than Apollos did.
AI What would you suggest about the apostle laying his hands on them before the Spirit came upon them?
JT That brings out what Paul was, as we were saying; how God furnishes persons who can be not only links but in a special way to impress other people, so as to make them vessels as he was in measure. And so it was that a woman of Samaria, for instance, came under the Lord’s influence, the greatest possible influence, and she left her waterpot. He did not suggest to her to do that, but she did; she, “left her waterpot and went away into the city, and says to the men, Come, see a man who told me all things I had ever done: is not he the Christ?” John 4:28,29. That is to say, she became part of the divine system of service. That all illustrates what we are saying: the importance of learning quickly and proceeding in it.
AI In relation to this high level you were speaking of, do you regard Apollos as a man who was effective in it?
JT That is what we said a moment ago. He was effective in it; almost on a level with the apostle, you might say. “I have planted; Apollos watered”, 1 Corinthians 3:6. That is how quickly he got into prominence in the divine system of service.
TW Would you say something more about the comparison between this and the administrative position at Jerusalem despite the fact that the apostles were there?
JT The apostles were there first and worked well. You have perhaps greater work in those men than any twelve men afterwards, but it is striking that the first subjects of Paul’s ministry became administrative. They became administrative, you might say, at once, because it is said, “And when they heard that, they were baptised to the name of the Lord Jesus. And Paul having laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied”. They became effective in the ministry immediately.
FSC I was wondering if the teaching had not been as much at fault as the hearing.
JT I think that is a good point. That is what they said. “We did not even hear if the Holy Spirit was come”. Well, it is just remarkable that they did not.
WWM It says, “And when they heard that”.
JT It is the point of what Paul is in the ministry. So with Lydia — the Lord opened her heart and she heard the things spoken by Paul.
WWM Would you say in regard of Apollos, there was skill with the man in taking it on, but there was a subject state with him instead of a teaching one?
JT I would say that. The Spirit of God has put these jewels coming up almost immediately in the service, especially in relation to Paul. It is very refreshing to see how they joined in in the service, in the economy of God. They are in it effectively almost at once. I believe it leads us on to Mark’s gospel, because his gospel is on the principle of ‘immediately’ — things being done quickly and effectively, not poorly done but well done. He is the one that tells us that the Lord did all things well, but they were done quickly.
WFK Is Apollos humble in submitting to teaching by Aquila and Priscilla?
JT Exactly. They became his teachers in a formal way, because they took him to them.
CAM You were mentioning Mark’s gospel. That is interesting, because they spoke with tongues and prophesied. It came very rapidly.
JT It says in Mark 16:19, “The Lord therefore, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into [p. 272] heaven, and sat at the right hand of God. And they, going forth, preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs following upon it”. The thing is immediate. That is Mark, and his teaching and his gospel enter into what we are saying as to the work at Ephesus.
EWS The Lord has favoured us in this area especially in the last five or six years. This country and the whole continent have been favoured with gift. Is this a challenge as to whether we are taking it on and are acting in administration in line with the gift that has been given us?
JT The great need is administration: what is to be done and how it is to be done; to do it well. All that enters into administration and hence the importance of these twelve men, because their number is not mentioned until everything is done for them. They are full-fledged when they are said to be about twelve.
AR I would like a little help in what is the difference between Jerusalem and Ephesus in the idea of administration — this high level — how we do things in our local meeting.
JT There must be a difference. I would say you could hardly exceed what was at Jerusalem, because it is what has an abiding position eternally, that is in the city. The twelve apostles are seen in the foundations, the twelve foundations of the walls of the city, so that it would be hard to say that that has been exceeded. But, at the same time, we have to go by inference and spiritual intelligence and see that Paul’s ministry exceeds in the sense of inwardness, of developing love in the administration. So that he laboured more than they all, he said, and the Lord was pleased to give him more than they had. That is, the Lord was pleased to give him, as he says, to complete the word of God, and the ministry of the assembly and the ministry of reconciliation and the [p. 273] ministry of the new covenant. Therefore, we are bound to recognise by discernment, by intelligence that Paul would exceed them, but only in the inner, you might say, beautification and completion of the work in the assembly.
JAP We need to give greater room to prophecy in administrative matters.
JT You see it here, how it is seen almost immediately, and it is in the early days extended to sisters. There were four women of whom we are told that they prophesied. They were not simply prophetesses; they prophesied, which would mean that the work was extended in that sense.
APT This thought of influence is helpful. In the same chapter, chapter 20, they brought the boy alive after Paul embraced him. Would that be indicative of the normal working out in our local settings of the ability to recover? Love? I suppose we lose a lot; one feels it.
JT You are speaking about the recovery of Eutychus?
APT Yes; you were speaking about love. One believes it is most important; the ability to hold persons who are slipping, hold them and retrieve them. Is that Paul’s line?
JT I would think that is right. One would like just to link on there some of the things that would prove it; the way Peter speaks of Paul — I think he would represent the twelve of whom we have been saying that they could hardly be exceeded from the fact that they have the place eternally in the heavenly city. They have the place, the most public place eternally. But that does not militate against the inward side with which Paul had to do, that is, the inward side in Christ’s affections — Christ’s body.
CAM Talking about the administrative side and inwardness seems to be a great help, because in working things out administratively we might be [p. 274] liable to go by rule, or what was done in some similar case, whereas inwardness would require a sort of instinct for a given position.
JT Yes, and the evidence of divine support in it. Hence he is the only one that says, “ye can understand my intelligence in the mystery of Christ”. No one could say that but Paul. Peter refers to Paul with this distinction: he regards Paul’s writings as Scripture, and that persons who are uninstructed resisted it to their own destruction.
EH Where do you place Paul’s ministry in relation to the heavenly city?
JT I think it is all inward. I would think it is the finishing side. He speaks of completing the word of God and presenting every man perfect in Christ. I would think the Jewish Christians came in for all that because undoubtedly he wrote the book of the Hebrews and that was to the Jewish Christians.
AR Acts 20 is a chapter of embraces. In the first verse it speaks about his embracing persons. He embraced the disciples before he embraced Eutychus and then in the chapter he is embraced. That might suggest inwardness.
JT Just so. It is a love chapter; you begin with it and end with it and have it in the middle.
EMcK He has the inner man in mind.
JT That is just what I was thinking, that the Father might strengthen us in the inner man.
RD Does this administrative matter carry through in Revelation 2 despite the fact that they had fallen away from the original position and their first love? How would you account for that?
JT That is what the Lord discerned, but it only supports what we are saying, because Paul had left that church in its completeness. He tells us that he perfected every man; to present every man perfect and his prayer for them according to Ephesians 3 is that they might know the love of Christ which passes [p. 275] knowledge and be filled unto all the fulness of God. It says, “In order that ye may be fully able to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height; and to know the love of the Christ which surpasses knowledge; that ye may be filled even to all the fulness of God”, Ephesians 3:18,19. It seems as if that is the fulness, that is the perfection. The assembly according to that is left as the vessel in which the Father is to be glorified throughout all generations of the age of ages. Therefore, the assembly seems according to the Ephesians to be perfected, left as it should be. Therefore what is seen afterwards as seen in Revelation 2 is what time has effected. How much time may wear us down and how much we may become depreciated in time. On the other hand, we may advance in time, but alas! there was a down-grade and hence the Lord does not say they are to be restored to that, but that they might do the first works. The works would be something, anyway, if they did them — the first works; because these works, according to Ephesians 2, were ordained that we should walk in them.
JS Is he like David here, building a habitation for God in the Spirit?
JT That is just what happened. The epistle contemplates that Paul had come on that way before he wrote the epistle, that the work was growing to a holy temple in the Lord. It was a final thought, but the effect that time had on it in the sense of deterioration is a sorrowful thing. That is what Revelation contemplates. The deterioration is acknowledged by the Lord and placed upon the assembly at Ephesus as on the others, but there are the first works. They are not to be given up; they can be specified. They were ordained by God to walk in, but the general position that Paul left was perfect.
EMcK The high place that they had first — the promise to the overcomer would bring that about.
JT [p. 276] We have often spoken of that — the tree of life in the paradise of God — you could not get anything higher nor anything more enjoyable. That was there.
RWS Paul says in Acts 20, “Wherefore watch, remembering that for three years, night and day, I ceased not admonishing each one of you with tears”, Acts 20:31. Would that be the element in which this work was perfected?
JT I would say that fully, and then the reference to love running through that chapter, not only at Ephesus. It is the love chapter, and it is, I believe, the greatest chapter in the Acts, chapter 20, because of the presence of love in so many different places. And you have men that accompanied Paul as evidence of his work, and the many lights in the upper chamber, and the power in the apostle himself to go down and enfold someone in his arms and resuscitate him in that sense and bring him up again, and he becomes a comfort to the brethren. He was just a boy.
GVD Would it be an indication of defect in the administration that when Paul had to write to Timothy he begged him to remain there because of what had come in?
JT Just to finish off and complete the thing.
GVD He says, “But the end of what is enjoined is love out of a pure heart”, 1 Timothy 1:5.
JT Anything that was left unordered was to be ordered by Timothy. That is a good point, because God never leaves things undone. They are always finished off. We have often remarked about Psalm 133:2; the finish is there in that the ointment ran down to the hem of the garments, which means there is completion.
APT Does the work of God prosper only under the conditions of holy love? I mean to say love operating amongst the brethren makes way for the work [p. 277] of God.
JT It is the normal way, because love is of God and God carries on his work on that principle.
ABP Did the apostle have administration in mind when he exhorted the elders to remember the words of the Lord Jesus that it is more blessed to give than to receive, Acts 20:35. Is that administration?
JT Very good; giving and receiving. That is what Paul alluded to in the Philippians. I mean, not that it was more blessed to give than to receive, but he speaks about none communicating with him in regard of giving and receiving save them only; as if that should be something that should mark us at the present time, because I never knew of a time when the brethren are more ready to give than they are now, and the next thing is how it is received; whether the receiving does as much good as the giving. It ought to be a matter of circulatory principles. If you get something, you receive it, but why? What is to be done with it? It is to be put into the circulatory principle with God, the great circulatory ministry that is going on; not simply giving but receiving as well.
FNW Paul says, “in order that now to the principalities and authorities in the heavenlies might be made known through the assembly the all-various wisdom of God”, Ephesians 3:10. Would that be the height of what is reached in the assembly along administrative lines?
JT That is a good suggestion. The angels desire to look into that. God has a thing that is worth looking into and worth looking at and even the heavenly beings look at it, and that brings out how great the assembly is.
DP This work going on outside of Jerusalem would be a great cheer to the apostle.
JT Quite so. Of course, his work was outside Jerusalem properly. “Lo, we turn to the nations”, he said. He was sent there. But he went back to [p. 278] Jerusalem, perhaps to revive things there, but the fact of the shearing of his head did not seem to help much.
FNW Would the relation of the twelve foundations of the walls of the city in the Revelation and the twelve pearls refer to administrative principles in the twelve being basic, but it refers to the ministry worked out in localities — the pearls and the gates?
JT The idea of administration extending to the twelve gates.
TEH Is that what you see in Daniel when he has gone through with the interpretation of the king’s dream? He is given his administration to be over the province of Babylon and he takes with him his three friends. In our localities where we may be only two or three we may reduce the number twelve to three and act in the light of it.
JT It is a very divisible number; twelve is the most divisible number, so that Daniel may be compared with Joseph in administration in how they linked up their brethren or their companions with them in it. What better could they get than companionship?
JAP It says Joseph taught his senators wisdom. Would that be like the school of Tyrannus?
JT That is good. This man Tyrannus would dictate. He would be a man that was exact in his education, which is important. You are not allowing the scholars to be loose and do as they please in the school. There is no doubt that the introduction of this particular item is to confirm the idea of education in Paul’s ministry.
ANW Even in the household of Aquila and Priscilla they were ‘more exact’. Apollos was exact but they were more exact.
DP Do you carry out the idea of administration in manhood?
JT I think that is the thought. They are called men. “And all the men were about twelve”, Acts 19:7. That is what you mean? We are told to quit ourselves like men, which would be in keeping with this.
RWS The word of the Lord — is that a characteristic word at Ephesus in connection with administration?
JT That is another thing that ought to enter into what we are saying. At Corinth the stress is laid on the word of God, but in Ephesus the stress is on the word of the Lord, which would mean, I think, that military operations were contemplated as needed, and we knew it was so. The epistle shows that military operations were contemplated and the whole armour of God was enjoined.
RWS What do you mean by military?
JT ‘The Lord’ is a military term. It is authoritative. This system of teaching here does not brook any looseness or carelessness or optionalism in the thing. You must go through with it and go through with it well, it is a school. The word ‘school’ is used and the master is a tyrant. He is one who would exact things and demand that you do things well and learn well. How many come to these meetings and how many could give an account of what is ministered? If one takes it in according to the school or principle of Tyrannus they could give an account of what they have learned.
CAM We have a terrible conflict following this; as we gain strength, do you not think it awakens the terrible power of evil in a military way?
JT That is another thing that comes up here. I am glad you mention that or we might have passed along without it. We were speaking of the twelve men; now we have seven men in the enemy’s camp, Acts 19:14. It is a spiritual number for good or bad. In this case it is a spiritual number for wickedness. They were seven men, sons of Sceva, and they were under the influence of the devil. That shows we are in the presence of the enemy’s camp and it is a military matter.
CAM I was thinking how it fitted into the Ephesian position, this spiritual wickedness. The more advance that is made the stronger we have to be.
JT Just so. This was a remarkable battle and the result was triumphant because of the presence of the books and how they were all burned. “And many of those that practised curious arts brought their books of charms and burnt them before all”, Acts 19:19. It seems to me that is a great triumph. “And they reckoned up the prices of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. Thus with might the word of the Lord increased and prevailed”.
APT That is like the standard is up and is going to stay up. We need that in our local settings.
JT Quite so.
WFK Is that a sure sign of the work of God, when the enemy works like this?
JT Just so. That is, it was remarked about Mr. Darby, when they went out to preach on the street and came back, Mr. Darby said, Did the enemy do anything? If there is anything of God going on the devil will be there if he can. “Satan also came”, Job 1:6. But he came here to be entirely overwhelmed.
DP I suppose previously these books may have been a great treasure to them, but it was nothing to burn them.
FNW Would this account be an encouragement to us in our localities that if administration is functioning according to the teaching of the Lord we can count on this battle in relation to Satan taking place outside of the assembly? This does not take place in the assembly. It peters out in the man that was possessed.
JT The town clerk had to do with it, showing that a settled or orderly government usually subdues [p. 281] what is against God. The settled government is in favour of what is right at the moment. It is said in Acts 19:35, “And the town clerk, having quieted the crowd, said, Ephesians”, etc. He quieted the crowd. It was not a question of doctrine or what the present day leading men hold, but the Spirit of God is leading indirectly at least, to support His work and make room for it.
WFK This good state in Ephesus is responsible for the epistle to the Ephesians.
JT Just so. Paul had to speak the very highest things to them.
WFK You could not write the epistle to the Ephesians to the Corinthians.
JT You could not, indeed.