THE ASSEMBLY A VESSEL FOR DIVINE PURPOSES
[p. 120] THE ASSEMBLY A VESSEL FOR DIVINE PURPOSES
Acts 10: 9 - 12; 1 Corinthians 11: 17 - 25; 1 Corinthians 5: 3 - 5; 1 Corinthians 14: 23 - 25; 2 Corinthians 8: 23, 24
JT The object in proposing these scriptures is that we might look at the assembly as the vessel for divine purposes as here on earth. First, for the service of God, the Lord’s supper being expressly connected with the assembly as such — partaking of it, the saints are gathered together in assembly. Then for discipline in chapter 5; for ministry of the word of God, particularly prophecy, chapter 14, inclusive of the temple — the saints being said to be the temple of God in chapter 3, as having the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit of God dwelling in them collectively; finally, the collection for the saints. All these services or divine uses are connected with the assembly. She will have other functions in the coming age, according to Revelation, and according to Ephesians, but one reading would not suffice to consider all; so that the services contemplated in 1st and 2nd Corinthians are selected as representative of our subject. In using the word “vessel”, reference is made to Acts 10: 11, where what came down, in the vision, is so designated. It was “a certain vessel descending, as a great sheet bound by the four corners”. “And this took place thrice, and the vessel was straightway taken up into heaven” (verse 16). This is the Spirit’s account of the matter, and Peter uses the word, too, in his account in chapter 11. Being the Spirit’s account, it expresses the mind of heaven as regards the thing mentioned, that it is a vessel. The economy relative to the assembly implies not only one thought, or one assembly, but many; what refers to the whole must work out in the sub-divisions, and the idea of a [p. 121] vessel must attach to each assembly. The assembly is viewed in Scripture, as in Corinth, as a whole idea — the assembly of God in Corinth, not simply what is characteristic; it conveys the completeness. The word, however, is used without the definite article when the apostle speaks of the functioning of the assembly in the locality, as this is characteristic, as in our passage in chapter 11: 18, “when ye come together in assembly”. The foregoing is an outline so that we might look into it intelligently.
CAI What is implied in the expression “in assembly”?
JT That we are in function. It has often been illustrated by members of a legislature, with the speaker in his place and the mace on the table. The house is in function — not simply in committee — it functions. The whole idea is there.
CAI Does it relate definitely to the saints being together in a certain way?
JT In relation to one another with their minds in a certain attitude, as of the assembly. “We, being many, are one loaf, one body; for we all partake of that one loaf” — such thoughts govern us as “in assembly”.
EBMcC You emphasise the thought of a vessel. What is in your mind as to that particular figure being used here?
JT It is a word used much in Scripture. We have the word in Isaiah 22: 24, “they shall hang upon him ... all the small vessels, as well the vessels of cups as all the vessels of flagons”. That is, all are dependent on Christ. In a detailed way we have such a vessel as Noah’s ark, the great containing vessel used to save him and his house. We have the same idea applied to a coffin. Joseph was embalmed in an ark — a vessel, evidently; he commanded that they should carry his bones up into Canaan when the people went up, and this was done,
[p. 122] presumably the same vessel being used. Then we have the idea in the ark of the covenant, and the vessels of service laid on the table of the tabernacle.
EBMcC Here it would contain that which is light for the world to come; the heavenly city will be this in the future.
JT Applied to the local assembly, it would answer to the assembly as a whole. The Lord said, “On this rock I will build my assembly” (Matthew 16: 18). It was something for His own use, not exclusively His, for it was God’s assembly, but He said “my assembly”, and He uses it in the sense of which we are speaking, as the great vessel of service; a containing vessel, too, because of the gifts which are in it. Every divine thought has a place there, so our primary thought is that we might see how important the idea is as in our minds in each locality, and to see whether the concrete thought may be realisable. The thought should be maintained, and each one functioning in it; so that the work of God goes on from that point of view in the locality.
JS Is there any distinction between “my assembly” and “the assembly of the living God?”
JT The assembly of God, as we have it here, would be the assembly as in relation to God. It is God’s assembly. The assembly of the living God would be just to stress the thought of life as over against deadness in current religion and the like; whereas “my assembly” is the Lord inferentially implying that it is His, a very precious thought, too; He uses it for divine purposes; thus it may be viewed as God’s or Christ’s. We can see that in the working out of the services of the assembly, it is usually God’s assembly, the assembly of God. Sometimes the locality is greatly stressed, or the persons in the locality, as in the epistles to “the assembly of Thessalonians” (made up of people in that city) “in God the Father”.
JRF Even in a day of ruin, you would still hold to the thought of the whole body, and the assembly in the locality?
JT That is the primary thought; we must get the initial idea that is in God’s mind as to the assembly, and see how it works out in the sub-divisions of a locality. We were noting the other day that the word is in the singular in the early chapters of Acts. It is not until chapter 9 where Paul comes on the scene that we have the plural, assemblies, and we find that expression frequently afterwards. In 1 Corinthians 7: 17 Paul says, “Thus I ordain in all the assemblies”, not the assembly; the principle of catholicity is thus preserved, and the whole thought is presented sub-divisionally. Of course, christendom belies all this, and so the apostle began his admonitions by referring to the divisions among them. Christendom is divided by sectarianism; admittedly so; they use the word ‘non-sectarian’ to gloss it over, as it were, but it does not remove the sects.
Rem Does the vessel particularly stress the idea of unity, as in the persons composing it?
JT It seems so. We have before us the great thought of the one whole, in our respective localities. We hold ourselves in relation to it, and clothe each other in that way as of it, so that it functions; that is one of the greatest things for us, that in every locality where the saints are, it is functioning — in principle, and in practice, able to stand by itself, although recognising the universal unity. Every local assembly is furnished so as to act for itself, without denying that it is ready to receive help, as furnished of God, from other parts; but the principle is that the assemblies are set up, the apostle choosing elders in each of them (Acts 14: 23); not only an elder in each, but elders. God thus provides for the assemblies. We never read in Scripture [p. 124] of one elder having rule over an assembly. We also have deacons mentioned, so that there should be no lack. All these services are to go on; the Lord’s supper, and all that enters into that; discipline, ministry, the collection, and all that enters into each service. With reference to the collection, we read in chapter 16: 2, “On the first of the week let each of you put by at home”.
CHH Is the governing feature of this vessel that it descends out of heaven?
JT Yes. It lifts it off the level of the ordinary so-called churches. The names of the greatest saints have been attached to these churches, but these buildings do not come up to this vessel coming down from heaven, and going up again perfectly intact, because it is knit at the four corners; and it has an immense capacity, for it contains all the creatures that went into the ark. The suggested capacity of the vessel is very remarkable.
LDM Do you get the whole thought in chapter l, “The assembly of God ... in Corinth” and then its catholicity in the thought of “in every place”?
JT That is right, in every place. We have to determine what a place is sometimes. It involves great difficulty amongst us to determine the boundaries of a place, but the Spirit of God assumes we ought to be able to do it.
JS Do the different designations which we have of the assembly convey light as to her heavenly relationships?
JT I should say so. The most exalted relation mentioned is “the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of the heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” — the word following is that “the tabernacle of God is with men” (Revelation 21: 2, 3). These thoughts are all intended to affect us [p. 125] in testimony now.
TRH In the tabernacle there were vessels: are the thoughts attaching to all these put together in unity in the assembly now?
JT Yes. Coming to the New Testament, the vessels are ourselves. One is to be a vessel “to honour, sanctified, serviceable to the Master, prepared for every good work” (2 Timothy 2: 21). That should be applicable to everyone in the assembly.
FJF Does the Lord act in regard to the assembly in the same manner as mentioned in all these four instances quoted?
JT Yes; but the Lord’s supper in itself is what we do. In chapter 11 the apostle complains because they were not doing what they should do; what we do is to be according to what Christ did in the institution of the Supper; so that if we apply the word “my assembly” to 1 Corinthians 11, the Lord is in mind, and what is done is after the pattern He set out. It is a question of the way things are done. The Corinthians were doing things very differently, disgracefully, in fact; so Paul says, as to their gatherings, “it is not to eat the Lord’s supper” — so bad was their conduct. Hence, in the verses read, it is a question of the order and the way in which things are done. But the Supper is not all. There is the service of God, which develops out of it. The Lord’s supper is a memorial, and through it He comes in amongst us and takes the lead in the matter of the service of God. The assembly is essential to it; He needs it for the service of God, and it runs on into Ephesians where we read, “to him be glory in the assembly in Christ Jesus unto all generations of the age of ages”.
FJF Is He present as Head when we come together for discipline?
JT The apostle is writing apostolically and speaks of himself as present in spirit. He says, “in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (ye and my [p. 126] spirit being gathered together, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ), him that has so wrought this: to deliver him, I say, being such, to Satan for destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Corinthians 5: 4, 5). It is clear that the assembly is contemplated. The word is not used, but “ye ... being gathered together” the apostle says. He is there in spirit, which has to be understood in relation to the organism, as indicating a real presence in some sense. He stresses the man “being such” as described, as if to make sure that there was no mistake about what the man was. They ought to be able to say whether the man was really such as was reported, so the action taken would be in the power of our Lord Jesus Christ.
LDM Would it help to say a word as to the distinction between gathering together in chapter 5, and then chapter 11 the coming together “in assembly;” and 1 Corinthians 14:23, “the whole assembly come together in one place”?
JT The first has already been remarked upon. The expression “come together in assembly” being considered as characteristic, that is, we are together as of the assembly and holding each other in that way, so that it is in function; not simply that we are together in a room, but in assembly, referring to our attitude of mind, so that we are governed by the truth of the assembly; and as in this attitude of mind, we give scope to the Holy Spirit, for the assembly depends on the Spirit. That in general, I think, is what the assembly is in chapter 11; but the word is not used in chapter 5. What is stressed there is power, the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, they being there. Still the saints are together, “ye and my spirit being gathered together, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ”. It is humbling when discipline has to be executed; as in the case of [p. 127] the woman in Numbers 5, there is no sweet savour offering. It is a humbling state of things, and what is needed is power and discernment to deal with such a matter.
LDM I was wondering whether the gathering carries a judicial idea?
JT It does. I am not saying the idea of the assembly is not implied; I believe it is.
AMH Matthew 18 intimates that in exercising judgment we are in assembly.
JT Quite; Matthew 18 indicates that such authority is set in the assembly.
AMH What is the thought in “my spirit”? Does that leave room for exercise and the entering in spirit of all the saints into what is going on locally? The spirits of the saints would be in the matter as knowing of it.
JT Quite so.
AMH Does it help to link up with the universal thought?
JT It does; and it depends on the organism in which christians are as one body. I suppose this is implied in Paul’s spirit being there. It lent apostolic authority to what was done. It was the actual presence of his spirit in some sense. Perhaps in our weakness we hardly realise what the organism is.
AMH That seems a very important point, the truth of the body underlying the assembly, so that it operates in a living way as the saints are together.
JT As to chapter 14 — we are now not exactly together in assembly, but “the whole assembly come together in one place”, as already remarked. It would mean that the sub-divisional gatherings in a town or city would be given up for the moment, so that such a meeting should be held. It ought to be on an evening which would not interfere with other services. First, the apostle gives the great effect of such a meeting, because it affords opportunity [p. 128] for prophetic ministry, which he regards in this chapter and generally as the greatest kind of ministry. He shows immediately the effect of prophetic ministry, the man whom he contemplates as coming into the meeting “is convicted of all, he is judged of all; the secrets of his heart are manifested; and thus, falling upon his face, he will do homage to God”. Then from verse 26, to the end of the chapter, we have order again taken up, this time in regard of ministry. Chapter 11 is order in regard of the Lord’s supper and the services of God that follow, but here it is order in regard of ministry of the word of God. So that two or three are to speak. It says, “But if there be a revelation to another sitting there, let the first be silent. For ye can all prophesy one by one” (verses 30, 31). Then in verse 32, “And spirits of prophets are subject to prophets”, meaning that each prophet should rule his own spirit; he rules his own spirit in such a way that he is amenable to the influence of the Holy Spirit, and he sits down if another has a revelation; and he would not be a fourth speaker. Verse 34 shows that women are to be silent in the assemblies; verse 35, “it is a shame for a woman to speak in assembly”.
CHH Do you think that the Lord being emphasised in 1 Corinthians 11 is to regulate the feature of disorderliness that was found there?
JT It seems that the apostle seizes the opportunity to bring in the Lord’s supper as involving the authority of the Lord. It is the Lord’s supper, and it would seem as if it is intended from that point of view to subdue us, so that we might avoid all disorder, and that would run on through all the services. If it is to take part audibly, we must be regulated by the truth governing the position and in every way maintain what is suitable in [p. 129] the assembly.
TRH Are you carrying forward the thought of the vessel through all this — a vessel for the divine services of discipline, ministry, collection?
JT That is exactly what is in mind, to the end that in each of our localities we might see that the assembly is that characteristically; that it acts and can function in all these services. You can see what we have on our hands in our care meetings, and prayer meetings, because at the moment this vessel is the supreme thought of God. If we get that into our souls, all meetings and thoughts would converge on it, that the assembly might function.
JS What would be the character of a word given on Lord’s day morning; and would there be more than one?
JT A ‘word’ is given, not a lecture or discourse. Brevity is one thing that should mark it, because much else enters into the occasion, which, in the mind of God, is very full, and should not be hampered by anything that would not promote what is on hand, the worship of God. One is speaking under the Lord’s headship, and would convey that it is from Him, and as in power, it affects everybody. I have constantly seen that a word of that kind has promoted what was on hand and prospered it. You would not have two or three words. We are dealing with great matters and brevity should mark us. If we look at all that is said about the Lord’s supper itself, in its assembly setting, 1 Corinthians 11, it is brief.
ESH You say that the word should be given as under the headship of Christ. It would seem to arise out of the occasion. You would not think of one coming with a word prepared.
JT Quite so. The Spirit selects a suitable man, one who is efficient in giving ministry and is likely to be useful at such a great moment. It is a heart matter, a matter spiritually felt.
TRH [p. 130] Would you have the functioning of the vessel in view? It would promote this.
JT Yes. You get illustrations in the Old Testament of persons speaking spontaneously, the Spirit coming upon them; that is a formula in Old Testament times, and the result was just what was needed, and it had its own divinely designed effect.
CAI Should we expect a word?
JT Well, it is a feature of the truth that God speaks in the assembly. Moses went into the tabernacle to speak to God, but then he heard the voice speaking to him from off the mercy-seat. God spoke first. The word of God is a feature of the assembly. The word of God is heard there.
AMH Is the word to direct attention to some feature of Christ Himself, that He would support in following up?
JT That is what it usually is. Normally it regulates and stimulates our spiritual sensibilities.
CAI In some of our meetings a word is unusual. Should that be so, or should we be concerned about it?
JT Some years back many said there should not be a word; but I do not think that thought is held anywhere now. The word of God should have a place in the assembly.
AMH Is it particularly serviceable at a point where the saints are moving either from the Lord to the Father, or to some feature in connection with the Lord not yet touched, and would lead forward?
JT I think so. At the end of a feature of the service, it may turn the hearts and minds of the brethren to another thing that is needed.
LM Is that borne out by Joshua, “Come hither, and hear the words of Jehovah your God”?
JT Quite so, in view of the people moving over Jordan into the land. You get in Luke 10: 20 a beautiful thought, “Yet in this rejoice not, that [p. 131] the spirits are subjected to you, but rejoice that your names are written in the heavens”. Rejoice that your names are in heaven. That is brief, but it is wonderfully stimulating.
Rem Is the assembly of God in a locality definable now?
JT We are now trying to make it clear. If you have the definition in the whole condition, we should get at the truth. We are dealing with the assembly as it was, and that is right. Thus we see how the truth is applicable, whether it can function now, and it can. The best authority for that is the Lord’s address to Philadelphia, only one assembly, but the word intimates plainly that He is thinking of the whole assembly. He says, in Revelation 3: 10, “I also will keep thee out of the hour of trial;” and in verse 9, “they ... shall know that I have loved thee”. He is thinking of the whole.
EBMcC What you are saying would produce men. That the tabernacle of God is with men would be evidence in a locality that the assembly is functioning properly.
JT Just so. It is composed of men normally, but you would have to consider the word “men” in Revelation 21: 3 in its context. It is a question of that order of being — men as such, not a special nation.
EBMcC I was thinking of Christ’s glory, as seen in those who serve — “messengers of assemblies, Christ’s glory”.
JT The persons Paul speaks of would be men characteristically. The idea is full-grown — a great feature of the truth — we are to be men in this; and he says, “Whether as regards Titus, he is my companion and fellow-labourer in your behalf” (2 Corinthians 8: 23). One would like to have commendation [p. 132] like that.
AMH What is the point in Paul’s mentioning that? To bring it to bear upon the Corinthians?
JT What better letter of commendation could there be than this? He had been with them, he brought Paul word of them, causing him great joy.
AMH They possessed distinctive characteristics not found elsewhere in the world.
JT While on the way, these men might have been exposed to all sorts of things, such as robbery, like Ezra coming up from Babylon with his brethren: he was ashamed to ask the king for anything more, and trusted God. These would be trustworthy men, they would trust God that the robbers should not take the money from them, but their faces would indicate something. “Messengers of assemblies” — as if they were dignified, and Christ’s glory connected with them, and entering into both the assemblies and the servants. A messenger of an assembly would convey whatever the assembly was, that is, the assembly would be reflected in its messenger.
CHH Would that characteristic shine out in service?
JT I think so. A brother would look after the money, but not do it as though he were cashier in a bank. These brethren would bear something in their countenances as to the dignity of their service — “Christ’s glory”.
WHW Would they give a visible indication of the unity of the assembly?
JT Yes. In the gift to meet the need of the saints, because that is the point in these two chapters. “Thanks be to God for his unspeakable free gift” (2 Corinthians 9: 15), so that glory here would be in the reflection of what God is in Christ.
EBMcC Paul speaks about having things clear before the Lord and also before men. Their righteous acts come before men as well as before the Lord.
“[p. 133] We provide for things honest, not only before the Lord, but also before men. And we have sent with them our brother whom we have often proved to be of diligent zeal in many things, and now more diligently zealous through the great confidence he has as to you” (2 Corinthians 8: 21, 22).
JT That is particularly important when money is involved.
FWW Does this apply to what we speak of as special collections, or the collection as a whole?
JT This is a special collection clearly, but I suppose what we are saying would govern the whole matter, because all giving ought have the character of glory, and therefore the box on the table is glory.
FWW It would not apply merely to the collection which is made now on one Lord’s day in the month?
JT I think it applies particularly to a special collection, and the letters are intended to stimulate the brethren so that they might give, and the Lord is brought forward as the model. “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sakes he, being rich, became poor, in order that ye by his poverty might be enriched” (2 Corinthians 8: 9). Then in 1 Corinthians 16: 1, 2 the first day of the week is brought into it, the only occasion in which we get the first day of the week in 1st and 2nd Corinthians, and it is in connection with the collection.
FWW Have you any thought as to the frequency of this character of collection?
JT It cannot be too frequent. It is the infrequency we have to consider; not that one would complain at all as to the giving of the Lord’s people, because I think God is greatly blessing the brethren on that line. The remarkable place it has in the Scriptures is to be reflected in us. The thought of [p. 134] giving is seen in God and in Christ and the instruction here ends thus: “Thanks be to God for his unspeakable free gift”. The assembly is the home of love in this respect as in others; it reflects God; it is God’s assembly, and the principle of giving would be there, so that the box is glory, the whole position in the service of God is glory to glory.
CAI Do we understand that in chapter 16 the apostle has in view the special collection?
JT Clearly it is.
CAI In connection with the regular collection, would that be laid up for?
JT Nothing is said of a local collection or local needs, but of love acting towards persons at a distance.
LDM Acts 11: 29 bears this out as a result of prophetic ministry, “they determined, according as any one of the disciples was well off, each of them to send to the brethren who dwelt in Judaea, to minister to them; which also they did”. The promotion of love is there in this giving.
JT Particularly at a distance. John speaks about seeing your brother having need — that would be local, but here it is a thing that is witnessed to, you hear of it, it is love operating to overcome prejudices, national, for instance; you do not allow anything like that to interfere with the operation of love.
AMH Deuteronomy 14 puts together the Levite and the stranger, the widow and the fatherless, as if they all had some common place in the mind of God.
JT They all are generally in mind, I think. The allocation of certain amounts for each group covers the matter.
AMH That helps. Where it is done, the giving becomes much more generous. The saints have a definite idea of the size of the need before them.
[p. 135] There is plenty of affection and it only requires something to be presented to call it forth.
JT The subject of giving seems to be taken up in Scripture as a matter to be promoted by stimulation; that is the tenor of Paul’s remarks. He boasted of the Corinthians to the other assemblies to stimulate them, and he boasted of other assemblies to the Corinthians with the same intent.
FWW What the Lord said of the widow, (Luke 21: 1 - 4), would be stimulating.
JT Yes, indeed. The Lord said she “has cast in more than all”. He immediately began to talk of the throwing down of the temple, as if it were not great enough, for what the woman represented required a greater thing, and the assembly is the idea, being the residence of the best that is of heaven.
AMH Does this scripture help us in the working out of what the Lord spoke of as “my assembly”, the universal idea?
JT Yes. Only a divine Person could thus speak, but it works out mediatorially. He uses it in the promotion of the divine purposes and designs, everything being in His hands and He over everything (Matthew 28: 18, John 3: 35).
Rem Had this principle of giving become characteristic of the saints at Ephesus who were told to “remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive”?
JT Just so — a very blessed word.
WHW We are to remember those far off as well as in our own locality.
JT The “sheet bound by the four corners” gives the universal thought.