ENDINGS OF THE GOSPELS (2)
ENDINGS OF THE GOSPELS (2)
JT No doubt all know that the object of these four meetings, as the Lord may order them, is to reach an apprehension of spirituality. Matthew, as we had previously, teaches and exemplifies authority; requiring obedience, without which there can be no progress at all in the truth. Obedience to divinely accredited authority is seen in the angel; the Lord Himself being the full expression of this authority; it is also delegated to the assembly by Him. Authority in the assembly requires, not only subjection to the Lord personally, but also to the saints as of the assembly, as over against independency. It is obedience of faith. Matthew and Mark link together in that way; combined, they present obedience of faith. The gospel is for the obedience of faith, Romans 1: 5.
Mark has in mind levitical service, and so instead of bringing forward royalty, or the genealogy of Christ, he brings forward the testimony of Isaiah covering John the baptist’s ministry. “Beginning of the glad tidings of Jesus Christ, Son of God” (Mark 1: 1). He introduces his treatise to us in this way. Mark shows how the Lord went up into a mountain and called whom He Himself would, and then appointed the twelve; they were to be with Him that He might send them forth to preach. The service requires our being with the Lord, not only being subject to Him, but being with Him. All this bears on our chapter which stresses faith; unbelief shutting us out of everything; the chapter shows how the Lord rebukes unbelief. We see clearly by the New Translation that the idea of embalming is in the minds of the disciples, which rather indicates unbelief; the Lord needed no embalming, for He was to rise the third day.
LES [p. 319] Is it on the basis of the principle of the preaching of “faith to faith”?
JT That is the thought in Romans. That is, the preacher is to have faith, as Paul sets out in 2 Corinthians 4:13, quoting Psalm 116, “I have believed, therefore have I spoken”. No preaching is warrantable save what is in faith; that is true faith. Faith in the hearers is also essential if there is to be any result from the preaching, for we are told that faith is “by a report, but the report by God’s word”. So that faith in the preacher is needed as well as faith in the hearer, if there are to be results in the testimony. There is no possibility of pleasing God without faith, we are told. So that Paul’s example is very concise — “I have believed, therefore have I spoken”. It is a principle from the Old Testament.
PR What would be the thought in the spirit of faith? “And having the same spirit of faith” (2 Corinthians 4: 13).
JT The use of the word “spirit” there is cognate generally with all other uses of it. It is not the spirit of a person, but the spirit of faith. It is the spirit that marks all that is done in service, the same spirit of faith. So the ministers are to have the spirit of faith in their service. The spirit of a thing is subtle, but it permeates; you can tell it in a man like Stephen, for instance, he was full of faith and the Holy Spirit.
RRT What is said here regarding the women would indicate a lack of faith on their part, for they brought spices to embalm Him, and there were questions in their mind as to who was to roll away the stone.
JT That is how the matter stands. “Very early on the first day of the week they come to the sepulchre, the sun having risen. And they said to one another, Who shall roll us away the stone out of the door of the sepulchre? And when they [p. 320] looked, they see that the stone has been rolled away, for it was very great”. Their minds are evidently on natural lines, taking no notice of what the Lord had said, that He should rise the third day. That indicates that they were wanting in faith; they were not carrying forward His words.
LES Do you think this matter of faith would elevate the service of preaching?
JT Yes, I think the lesson largely for us this morning is as to whether we are believing in what we present to men. Do we really believe all the things ourselves? It is on the principle of faith to faith. The question is whether I really believe the gospel, or rather, do I really believe what I am saying myself. Otherwise, I am not likely to rightly impress the hearers, although I may impress them in a doctrinal way. Their minds can take in doctrine, but faith is a subtle thing that is only understood by those who have it. Therefore, it is on the principle of faith to faith. The spirit of faith is in the preacher, and if God is working in the hearers they will understand and be moved. So that we get it in the man, for instance, in Acts 14; he heard Paul speaking. The stress is on the actual thing — the speaking; the actual thing was interesting to him. It says of Paul and Barnabas in the first part of that chapter, “that they ... so spake that a great multitude of both Jews and Greeks believed”. It was the kind of speaking; and then we are told that the apostle Paul saw that the lame man had faith to be healed — that was the position. You will be sure to find results under those circumstances. Paul says with a loud voice, to the lame man, “Rise up straight upon thy feet; and he sprang up and walked”. He heard it, there was immediate response to the word of the apostle; he believed and [p. 321] the man believed.
JLF The service these women sought to render was a formal matter, and had no relation to the word that Jesus had spoken.
JT It would illuminate nobody. The sun had risen, it was clearly daylight and all that follows implies that there was light; light was shining. They left the scene in “trembling and excessive amazement”.
JLF The word given them for the moment would really be the word of faith that they could take hold of.
JT Exactly. John says that Jesus “manifested his glory;” and his disciples believed on Him. You may be a disciple and not be up to the mark as to what is available. They had been disciples, but clearly not fully so.
LES Would this help us as to the selection of those who are to preach?
JT That is important; many I think have the idea that gift is not necessary. In some meetings, one has known of the preaching being taken in order by all the brothers, not because they were gifted men, but because they were brothers. The selection of a preacher should be, because he has ability, also that he has faith; that he can preach on the principle of faith. The dispensation of God is said to be in faith, (1 Timothy 1: 4). How can a man represent the dispensation unless his service is in faith?
CSP The ways of God could not be apprehended without it. “By faith we apprehend that the worlds were framed by the word of God” (Hebrews 11: 3).
JT Paul speaks of “the word of faith which we preach”, and he tells us what it was. He brings it down to a small compass, saying, “if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt believe in thine heart that God has raised him from [p. 322] among the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10: 9). It was the word of faith that he always preached, and he says, it is in your mouth and in your heart. It may be there, yet not seen in a saving way. It needs the confession; believing with the heart and confessing with the mouth that Jesus is Lord.
TA Acts 2: 42 says, “And they persevered in the teaching and fellowship of the apostles, in breaking of bread and prayers”. Has not teaching a great place?
JT It has. Teaching goes with the preaching. The first convert that Paul and Barnabas had, after they were sent out by the Holy Spirit, was the deputy at Cyprus, and what struck him was the teaching. He was “amazed at the teaching of the Lord”.
JAT Why does the Spirit say here, “the sun having risen;” in John it is, “while it was still dark”?
JT The meaning here, I suppose, is that it was clear shining of the truth, the light was not obscured, but these women were not in the good of it. Paul speaks about the light that shone round about him, above the brightness of the sun; that affected him, but it was a light from heaven.
CSP Why is it in Mark 16 “the first day of the week”, whereas in Matthew 28 it is “the next day after sabbath”?
JT There is this difference in the passage, that Mark adds, “When the sabbath was past”. He introduces, therefore, a new day. While the particular expression by itself might be rendered alike in Matthew and Mark, as the note in Matthew shows, J.N.D. evidently prefers “the first day of the week” here; and this agrees with Mark’s addition, that the sabbath was past. Matthew’s expression retains the link with the sabbath. We are getting on to the new position. Clear light is shining, for Mark says, “the sun having risen”. “The true light already shines”. The sabbath in itself would not convey anything to them. Here it is, “the sabbath being now past”. You begin with that, there is a definite end reached. Then these women came, and we are told it was “very early on the first day of the week”. It is a new day and the sun is up, so that the position is clear. It is a sorrowful thing, if the position is clear and yet some of us are in darkness. A person may say, I do not see, and yet what is in mind is perfectly clear; he does not seem to have any shame that he does not see it. Those who have eyes to see, can see it; there is clear shining. It is an unbelieving state of soul that is dealt with here, and yet these are estimable women — Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome.
JB They are anticipating difficulties before they arrive at them.
JT That is right. So that in all matters we have to wait until we come to the facts to get the clear view. Get to the place; it is always unsafe to judge at a distance.
RRT It should have been a testimony to them to see the stone rolled away.
JT Exactly. Matthew stresses who did it, and that he sat on it. He is the only one who tells that, because it is a question of authority; here they are saying to one another, Who shall roll us away the stone? but “when they looked, they see that the stone has been rolled away”, it had been done. And entering into the sepulchre they saw a young man seated on the right side clothed in a white robe. That is what they all saw. If there is a matter that must be clearly seen, we must get to the spot where it is. That is a principle entering into local responsibility.
JB Why is it that the earthquake is in Matthew and not [p. 324] in Mark?
JT In Matthew it governs, in measure, the whole position; it is a question of divine power. The angel is seen with his face like lightning, and with white garments. Here there is a young man sitting on the right, clothed in a white robe. It is another view. So that in spiritual ministry every man that stands up to speak has his own line, he does not introduce novelties, but there is variety in ministry. What does this young man mean? It is that ministry requires youthful energy and purity. He is sitting on the right, clothed in a white robe. That is one point in true ministry, that it is the power of God. “The right” indicates this.
JB It is remarkable that the right hand is so prominent in the works of God.
JT Quite so — God’s right hand. That is what it says here. We are told in verse 19 that Christ “sat at the right hand of God;” that is where He is.
FCB In chapter 12 the scribes are said to love to walk about in long robes, but they are not said to be white.
JT This young man is the contrast to mere official position; here it is a white robe on a young man. Purity is the thought. “Keep thyself pure”, the apostle says.
JLF In Matthew it is “clothing”, but in Mark “robe”. Would the robe give more of an official thought?
JT Clothing is covering or surrounding circumstances; the idea of a robe is, perhaps, more official. The scribes wore long robes as already noted. The Spirit of God does not use a leading word save to convey something definite. Mark was used of God to bring out this side, because he had failed on this point, he had allowed natural feelings to sway him; he had lost his way for a while.
RRT In Matthew the angel is seen rolling away the stone and sitting on it, and here this young man [p. 325] is sitting. Would it indicate that the thing had been done and finished?
JT Yes, it is a sequential position. Sitting on the stone would convey assured authority. Sitting inside the sepulchre, and sitting on the right, would imply condition and readiness for services.
CSP Is sitting a proper attitude for a levite, as waiting thoughtfully and restfully?
JT I think it is. He cannot always be active. If we are always active we will lose power and freshness. Sitting would denote deliberation. The Lord “sat at the right hand of God”, and yet He is operating all the time.
CSP Moses sat by the well.
JT Exactly. Naturally he was a very energetic man; as he saw the Egyptian smiting one of his brethren he slew him; he saw two Hebrews quarrelling, and he would put them right. Now in Midian he is sitting; the well by which he sat being typical of the Spirit. He was thus recognising another power than that which had governed him previously.
RRT Would sitting suggest availability? There was a time that Mark was not available.
JT Well, that is right I think, in a way, but sitting, as we are considering it, implies deliberation and consequent balance. I think a standing attitude is more that I am ready for service. In deliberation the enquiry will be, What shall I do next? There is a lot to do, but I want to be very careful in what I am doing, I must weigh considerations entering into it.
LES It is suggestive in Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus.
JT Just so. She was in a learning attitude. As to standing, you find in the endings of the gospels that the Lord Himself is standing as risen from among the dead. He is standing “in the midst”, in relation to the great divine economy. He sat on the [p. 326] right hand of God, and the effect is that the disciples going forth, preached everywhere. That is, all service flows out of an administrative position taken up. So that in the economy we have to be deliberative, and that should enter into every feature of service. Where is the open door? What shall I do, or say? What are the conditions in a given place? So Paul says, “I did not judge it well to know anything among you save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2: 2). He came to a conclusion as to what to say.
GHG The Lord sat at Sychar’s well — “sat just as he was at the fountain” (John 4: 6).
FCB Would not the sitting here be the working out of Psalm 110: 1? “Jehovah said unto my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I put thine enemies as footstool of they feet”.
JT Yes. He is there until a certain time arrives.
PR Is the contrast to this seen in chapter 14, the young man who had a linen cloth about his body, but fled naked?
JT This is the contrast, I would say. The man in chapter 14 “fled from them naked”. He was in a mixed condition of mind, he was fearful, and poorly clothed, only a linen cloth cast about his naked body; it was not complete covering, there was nothing dignified about it. Very often the case with young men is that they are in a mixed state of mind, and in a crisis they are not equal to the position, and they flee on account of opposition. This young man is fully clothed; it is a white robe and he is sitting where the power is, at the right hand. I believe this is suggestive of Mark as recovered. The other is Mark as leaving the work (Acts 15: 38).
PR This young man would represent those thoroughly in the work?
JT That is the suggestion. Timothy and Titus should be read, in connection with him, because they contemplate young men in service.
[p. 327] TA Is Christ presented as the Sun in the expression — “the sun having risen”?
JT It is “on the first day of the week;” the sun had actually come up, meaning that there was clear light, clear shining. It might be suggestive of Christ in the sense of light. Matthew presents the sun in the sense of rule: the sun symbolises light and rule. It was not the mid-day sun here, but still it is over the horizon, it is shining.
RB The whole company seems to be affected by the spirit of unbelief in contrast to the beautiful setting that Matthew gives us.
JT Well, that is the point that is before us, that we might learn the lesson of judging unbelief, because we are so given to it. We hardly realise that at times we are not governed by faith in what we are doing. This chapter is intended to rebuke that. The best qualities of the disciples are in these women, and yet this is the state they are in. Thus I have to watch that my service is carried on in faith.
RRT This would indicate that light in itself is not sufficient. There must be faith.
JT That is the thought. The sun had risen, and yet, in spite of that, this was their state. Am I then, immune? The “trembling and excessive amazement” bring out the state of confusion their minds were in. “Trembling and excessive amazement possessed them, and they said nothing to any one, for they were afraid”. What good are they now? What good is anyone who is afraid to say anything, who is trembling with excessive amazement? He is rendered useless, and yet these are estimable persons. They are overlooking what the Lord had said about rising from the dead the third day. They did not have faith as to [p. 328] that.
JB Do we not lose a great deal by this kind of attitude of trembling for fear, even as to asking questions? In asking we get help.
JT Yes, at first they were amazed and alarmed, and now it is trembling and excessive amazement, so their state gets worse; the young man had said to them, “Be not alarmed”. That is the word; there is nothing to be alarmed about; Jesus had been there. The young man says “Be not alarmed. Ye seek Jesus, the Nazarene, the crucified one. He is risen, he is not here; behold the place where they had put him”. Matthew says, “Come see the place where the Lord lay”, because it is authority. Here it is, “He is risen, he is not here” — he was putting them right in their souls. They were dark and confused; the young man is putting them right, but they are not amenable to his adjustment. They get worse. That is often the case amongst us; good brothers are often baffled, they do not see things clearly, whereas the thing is as clear as noonday to those with good eyes. There is some influence at work in these women that is out of keeping with their general history. Why is it? They are overlooking what the Lord had said, allowing their natural minds to rule them instead of intelligent faith.
RTM Should it concern us that we might be very active, yet not in faith, and on the other hand, be inactive and yet not in faith? The women here were active, the disciples were inactive, and yet there was a lack of faith on both sides.
JT Yes, it is unbelief right through until the Lord Himself comes in as seen in verses 9 - 18. The commission given to the disciples, (verse 15), would indicate that they had become adjusted. He says, “He that believes and is baptised shall be saved”. It is not he that has believed and has been baptised; it is present active faith. Such an one would be [p. 329] saved. It is not mere historical faith and baptism. That is not the point here, but active faith. Baptism is an active thing in its bearing, not that I have been baptised, but I am baptised.
RRT Would what the young man said to the women here be like an appeal to faith, “behold the place where they had put him”? Faith in them taking that in, would bring them to the fact of resurrection.
JT It ought to have dawned on them. Why did they not recall the Lord’s words? You often find in dealing with brethren that a given thing is as clear as possible, but there is some influence that hinders one seeing it. Has the Lord not said something to govern this position? Why am I not then governed by the Scripture, by what the Lord says? “They went out, and fled from the sepulchre. And trembling and excessive amazement possessed them, and they said nothing to any one, for they were afraid”. They are just useless for the moment, whereas Matthew shows that they went and did as they were told. This is another view.
JLF Would you say that the young man in Mark is serving; whereas in Matthew the angel is representative of authority?
JT That is the thought, exactly. In Matthew all the marks of authority are present, whereas here the young man is ready to serve them; he is pure, and, I may say, reliable. You can see it; he is not an inexperienced young man; he has a representative bearing; he is under orders, and is the one to speak to.
RRT Why is there this reference to Peter, “go, tell his disciples and Peter”?
JT Peter calls Mark his son, as if he had been especially acquainted with him; his father spiritually. In Mark’s mother’s house, the prayer meeting was being held as Peter was released from prison,
[p. 330] and the account given is not too good as to those praying, because they were in unbelief; they did not believe it was Peter. Mark would have all that in his mind, I think, when he wrote. He would recall Peter’s history, and there would be significance in recalling the message to the disciples and Peter. Luke relates that at the first gathering at Jerusalem after the Lord rose, those present were saying that He had appeared to Simon. These references in Mark and Luke denote grace; but Matthew 10 says “first Simon, who was called Peter”. He had the first place among the apostles, but why has he second place here? Well, clearly he has to suffer reproach for his failure. So that if I get under a cloud in that way by my conduct, my wisdom is to accept it, but the Lord has not lost sight of me. It is in the light of his failure that the young man mentions Peter.
MDF The variations in the different gospels are very helpful.
JT Yes, very helpful; it shows what the ministry is, how the vessels have different viewpoints, yet all perfect. There were twelve apostles, and each one of them would give you some distinctive view of Christ. If Peter stood up in a ministry meeting to speak, and Barnabas stood up after him, each would have his own point of view. There is variety in the service of God.
PB Would Elihu represent the young man sitting at the right? He waits until Job and his friends had finished speaking, which might represent the sitting idea. Then when he comes in, he speaks on behalf of God.
JT Yes. Being young, Elihu waited until they finished. He makes a point of that; they all were older than he, so the Lord waited in His ministry until John was cast [p. 331] into prison.
WGH Mark presents service on its highest level; unbelief would drag it down.
JT Yes, the young man is the idea of it. He is not active, he is sitting, but he is sitting in a right position, where power is, just as Moses sat at the well. Many are very active, thinking they have to keep in the front. The one who relies on the Spirit has power.
ADS The angel in Matthew says, “Come see the place where the Lord lay;” but the young man in Mark says, “Behold the place where they had put him”.
JT Matthew uses the word “Lord”, — a title of authority, — and speaks of where the Lord lay, not where He was put. That Person lay in death, the Lord of glory lay in death. In Mark the Lord is amenable to the act of another; they put Him there and He accepted it; as we see in the types, Jehovah showed Moses wood, and Moses cast it into the water. That is, the wood is amenable to the action of another; showing how the Lord humbled Himself, and became subject to the action of another. That is the teaching here, I think, as to ministry, that however gifted you may be, you must always be amenable to the action of another, the will of another. We must not be imperious, others may know better under certain circumstances.
JLF What is the thought, “Afterwards as they lay at table he was manifested to the eleven”?
JT That we may go the full length of fellowship in unbelief. Very often there are partisan conditions; persons who have like views gather in a house, perhaps secretly; there is no faith in it, though such may have the symbol of fellowship. I met lately with a certain condition in a meeting; one of the leading thoughts advanced was that they were all of one mind, but it was a wrong mind. One mind [p. 332] is not enough in the things of God, you want the truth; what is right. Here they were lying at table, and that symbolises fellowship, and yet they were in unbelief. So the Lord came; “Afterwards as they lay at table he was manifested to the eleven, and reproached them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen him risen”. They are not able to believe adequate testimony. If I cannot believe testimony I am not in the truth, I am not fit for administrative service. It is very striking to note the references to unbelief in this section. Verse 10 says, “She went and brought word to those that had been with him, who were grieving and weeping”. Look at that, they are grieving and weeping about the Lord’s death, and yet, when the truth comes to them, they do not believe it! That is a most searching matter. Then He was manifested to two of them, “and they went and brought word to the rest; neither did they believe them” — two of them. Luke gives us a long account of these two. “Afterwards as they lay at table he ... reproached them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen him risen”. It is a serious feature of unbelief, that I am not ready for accredited testimony.
LES Would the judgment of unbelief help us in regard of matters that affect the testimony today?
JT I should be ready for testimony, and not be too trustful of my own judgment; if it be a local matter, I am not to judge until I get on the spot, as we have had it. I may have testimony rendered to me before I get on the spot, as Paul in Corinth; he had accredited testimony, the state of things was well known by common report, and he accepted that testimony. He did not go to Corinth to judge of the man. He said, my spirit will be with you, but then he makes this proviso — “being such”, that is, we [p. 333] must be sure that all that is said about the man is true, before we execute the discipline.
RRT Would you say, there is indicated here a progress in their unbelief? In the first instance Mary of Magdala brings word and they disbelieved her; then the testimony of those who went into the country they would not believe; they did not believe “those who had seen him risen”.
JT Clearly. They were lying at table partaking of food together in that unbelief. Applying this to ordinary conditions, these men are dangerous in that state; their very reputation makes them dangerous as in that state of unbelief. Nobody but the Lord can deal with such a thing as that, but He took the matter in hand and reached a solution.
RRT It shows that if we get on wrong lines as to anything, the thing may progress beyond our control.
JT Quite so, and it becomes so bad that the Lord alone can deal with it, and hence we must be on our faces about it. If the leading men are in a state of darkness, what can we do? It is hopeless, unless the Lord Himself takes the thing in hand, but He does. So the passage says, He reproached them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen Him risen. That is the finish; we must assume that they were corrected. Verse 15 says, “And he said to them, Go into all the world, and preach the glad tidings to all the creation”. They must have been reached, because He would not have entrusted them with this commission unless they were corrected.
TA Would you say that Thomas represents the Jew? He would not believe until he put his hand in the side of Christ.
JT It was a most unreasonable thing for a brother to say. He was saying in effect, I cannot believe the testimony of two or more brothers, and [p. 334] yet he could not but admit that they were in the ordinary sense reliable. Why should I not believe what my brethren say? You say, I cannot believe until I see — that is utter scepticism. I must learn to believe accredited testimony.
PB Do we see a suggestion here of those who have at one time moved as in fellowship, but when light was presented, their grieving and weeping caused them to miss the point, and they moved away on wrong lines? I was thinking of the truth regarding eternal life and other truths that have come before us — the truth of sonship.
JT Quite so. A very good illustration of what is before us. They may be feeling people, but they are really sentimental people; it is a form of unbelief — a very difficult form to meet, but the Lord meets it, because He would not have entrusted them with this commission unless they believed. He rebukes them; He alone could do it. Verse 16 says, “He that believes and is baptised shall be saved, and he that disbelieves shall be condemned”. The commission is, “Go into all the world, and preach the glad tidings to all the creation”. Evidently they have been reached and recovered, or the Lord would not have commissioned them. It is to bring out His own work, because the chapter shows that the disciples as left to themselves had failed entirely. The Lord takes up the whole matter in verse 19, and adjusts them so that He can send them out. He tells them at the same time that a disbelieving person is lost; there must be belief. He stresses the idea of faith in the commission.
JLF This would apply as amongst us in matters of testimony that should be accepted.
JT If there is not confidence in each other, to receive each other’s testimony, there can be no assembly administration at all. There must be confidence enabling us to believe [p. 335] each other.
LES Then the testimony of a person or persons must be based on facts, is that not so? It would make us careful as to what we say to one another, not mere gossip or unconfirmed reports.
JT Quite so. The persons witnessing here had seen the Lord risen. They are eye-witnesses of the fact. Love will believe all things, and hope all things, and endure all things, but it is not believing untrue things.
JLF What is meant by “new tongues”?
JT Well, that is part of the commission. “These signs shall follow those that have believed: in my name they shall cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they should drink any deadly thing it shall not injure them; they shall lay hands upon the infirm, and they shall be well”. There had been nothing like it before. These are very difficult matters, but faith overcomes them. Persons who believe can do these things — not only commissioned persons, but persons who believe. It is to bring out what faith is. As in James, “the prayer of faith shall heal the sick”. New tongues would mean that the testimony of the gospel should not be limited by national boundaries. In Christ’s name those who believe have complete power over Satan.
HRH Is it not solemn that unbelief is enumerated in Revelation 21, and has its end in the lake of fire?
JT Quite so, so that vengeance is taken “on those who know not God, and those who do not obey the glad tidings of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 1: 8). Unbelief goes with that. Obedience of faith is absent. I think it is very assuring to see that though we may not be able to cope with a situation that might arise in any locality, or generally, even as the disciples here seem to be beyond any help at all from men, yet, as we are dependent,
[p. 336] the Lord comes in always. At the right time He comes in, and the solution is reached, the matter is settled.
WGH Faith is a basic and fundamental feature in the service of God.
JT Quite so. We may have the right principles and truth, but faith is necessary to make them effective. Thus we are characteristically of the dispensation, because it is “in faith” (1 Timothy 1: 4).
JLF So that faith on our side and grace on God’s side, makes up the dispensation, in a way?
JT Quite so, and then the Lord is ever ready to come in where all is hopeless; the Lord will come in if we let Him. That is what these verses from verse 9 to the end mean.
RRT Would you say a word as to the signs? The signs here do not seem to be given to induce believing; “these signs shall follow those that have believed”. Then in the last verse, “and confirming the word by the signs following upon it”. There is a thought in the signs given, not that people might believe, but that the signs should follow those who believe, and are for confirmation.
JT That is the point of view here, that the Lord goes with us. They preached everywhere; the Lord confirmed by signs what they were doing. The principle now is that the Lord is with us if we are moving in faith, and He never fails to come in to show that He is with us. The position is that we are on sure ground; “the firm foundation of God stands”, and the Lord comes in and confirms it from time to time. If you look for it you will get it. Here it is, “the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs following upon it”. The signs come in after the preaching.
RRT It is not that the workers are confirmed, it is that the Lord is working with them, but [p. 337] the word is confirmed.
JT Their word is confirmed, exactly. It is the most assuring thing in a meeting like this, that the Lord comes in, and you are sure that it is Himself; you are confirmed. Nothing will move you; you know the truth; you know in yourself that the Lord is with you.
PB So, in taking up the serpents they do not harm you, and the drinking of any deadly thing will not hurt you. Would that be suggestive of what Satan might bring in amongst the people of God, which can be overcome by power through faith amongst the saints?
JT That is just the thought, it can be overcome. You can look into the matter and it is not defiling. Take the book ‘The Irrationalism of Infidelity’ — a most remarkable book — in it, wicked things are dealt with effectively one by one. The person who handles them is not damaged by them, he exposes them, it is in the power of the Spirit through faith. You would not like to see young people take up books of bad doctrine, because they would damage them. Finally “they shall lay hands upon the infirm, and they shall be well”. That is a positive thing — healing the sick.
ADS Moses was told to take the serpent by the tail. Does that correspond?
JT That is important as showing that we are not to touch evil unless divinely necessary. The Lord was driven by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. It is a question of God’s will, and if I have faith I am not damaged.
JB When Paul and his company landed in Melita, although the viper seized his hand, in result, it had the effect of establishing the people who were there (Acts 28: 3 - 6).
JT Then he shook it into the fire, its power was destroyed.