MAN (26)
[p. 428] MAN (26)
Acts 5:17 - 42: Acts 6:1 - 15: Acts 7:1 - 60
JT The verses we began with refer to a religious matter: “And the high priest rising up, and all they that were with him, which is the sect of the Sadducees, were filled with wrath, and laid hands on the apostles”. The apostles were exposed to suffering almost immediately at the beginning of the dispensation.
RWS We are still considering the subject of Man, are we not? Do these scriptures bear on that subject?
JT Yes; manhood is seen in the apostles. It goes on to say that they “laid hands on the apostles and put them in the public prison”. They were put in the public prison.
ABP Do we see in this section the capacity for suffering that was seen in the apostles and then later in Stephen?
JT Yes; particularly in Stephen. His is a distinguished name in the list of sufferers.
ABP Would the golden censer suggest the capacity to suffer as seen in Christ? It was filled with coals of fire from off the altar and the priest’s both hands full of incense placed upon it “that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat”, Leviticus 16:13.
JT I should think so.
JTJr There are the sufferings of Christ, which are unique; and then we have the sufferings of the apostles and Stephen’s sufferings.
JT Very good, the sufferings of Christ, the sufferings of the apostles, and the suffering of Stephen. Stephen was a devoted man; he became the first martyr in this dispensation.
CHH [p. 429] Does the awful character of the religious opposition show itself in the priesthood being allied with the Sadducees, who were infidels? They did not believe in the resurrection.
JT They were infidels, and as such were religiously opposed. Religious opposition is the most serious of all.
ANW Is this feature of suffering in mind when the Lord is spoken of as the Lamb that had been slain? In Revelation 5:6 everything is to be set right by One who is known, not only as the Lamb, but the Lamb that had been slain.
JT Quite so.
AR That is brought into verse 30 of our chapter: “Whom ye have slain, having hanged on a cross”.
RWS The Lamb is seen standing in Revelation 5. Does that mean that He is now in resurrection, and is that not the sequel to suffering? If suffering goes as far as death, God’s answer is in resurrection power.
JT Quite so; and then to proceed, we have, in verse 19, “But an angel of the Lord during the night opened the doors of the prison, and leading them out, said, Go ye and stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life”.
JTJr The commission was to speak “all the words of this life”. It is the life of Jesus, is it not?
JT Yes; very good.
RWS Is it what He was below, or what He is above?
JT Well, it is the Lord as He was in the presence of men, I would think. But it is, “all the words of this life”, referring to a life that was acting for God on the earth..
ABP Do we see it set out in Stephen? Was the same character of life extended in him?
JT Quite so; say more.
ABP I wondered if the teaching of “this life” was supported by the manner of life seen in the apostles and in Stephen who set it out so fully even to martyrdom.
Ques The same life that was here in flesh and blood is now out of the grave by resurrection power. That would be over against the teaching of the Sadducees?
JT Very good; the Sadducees were opposing what was of God at the moment; they denied the resurrection.
JTJr The life of Jesus is the subject of testimony.
Ques Does the gospel of John open this up? “In him was life, and the life was the light of men”, John 1:4.
JT Yes.
AR You have said that the great thought in that verse is eternal life, as seen in the Lord Jesus.
JT Quite so, eternal life is the great thought in John’s gospel.
EAL You have also said that the great matters in John are light and love and life.
JT Yes; and I would say that “this life” is the life set out in John’s gospel.
JTJr The expression “this life” would mean that the thing is current, the life of Jesus.
JT Just so.
AR Do you mean that it is what the apostles were speaking about?
JT It was the life of Jesus, and it is the only one worth speaking of, really. Thank God for that life!
AR Would that be confirmed in the Lord’s saying to Saul of Tarsus, “I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest”? Acts 9:5.
JT Just [p. 431] so.
TNW It is said earlier that “they recognised them that they were with Jesus”, Acts 4:13.
ABP Is verse 32 important as bringing in the witness of the Spirit? “And we are his witnesses of these things, and the Holy Spirit also”.
JT Quite so.
RWS An angel told them to go and speak; I suppose that angels cannot speak “all the words of this life”, but men are privileged to do so.
JT In chapter 8 a very full thought of suffering is opened up: “And Saul was consenting to his being killed”, Acts 8:1 referring to Stephen. Saul was consenting, “And on that day there arose a great persecution against the assembly which was in Jerusalem”; Acts 8:1 it is against the assembly; that is the great power now here, in relation to Christ — the assembly.
ABP In referring to Saul do you have in mind that out of this there was developed the greatest sufferer, possibly, apart from the Lord?
JT Yes; a great sufferer; thank God for him! He remains as a witness to suffering ever since.
JTJr Reference to the assembly, therefore, coming in as the sufferer before Saul is taken up would be very instructive.
JT Very good; the assembly is a salient point in the Acts, I am sure.
JTJr So the Lord says: “I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest”, Acts 9:5. The assembly is in His mind, is it not?
JT Yes; quite.
CAM It is for the assembly to know the suffering before the glory, in order that the life of Christ might be displayed in it.
JT The sufferings and the glory make a beautiful thought, the sufferings and the glory. We are not told whose glory it is, but it is there. The Lord [p. 432] suffered and entered into His glory, and Paul, His great servant, suffered and will be in the glory.
AR It says, in the book of Revelation, “The marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife has made herself ready” Revelation 19:7. She is seen as the wife of the Sufferer.
JT Yes; the Lamb’s wife.
ANW May we look at the high priest and the sect of the Sadducees as representing the gates of hades? It says that the gates of hades shall not prevail against the assembly (Matthew 16:18).
JT Yes; think of the venom of these persecutors against Christ. In verse 17 of Acts 5 it says, “The Sadducees, were filled with wrath”, Acts 5:17.
ANW The note shows that the idea of envy is there. It is that peculiar character of wrath; jealousy and envy.
JT That is striking.
CHH I suppose that the sufferings commenced in Luke 4. It says, “They were all filled with rage ... and cast him forth ... that they might throw him down the precipice”, Luke 4:29. Every effort and every overture met with this violent opposition. But Stephen, as enduring it, saw the glory of God and could speak of seeing the Son of man.
JTJr The title Son of man would have in mind what was in manhood, and would connect with “the words of this life”.
JT Man is the great idea of God; we perhaps may forget the place that man has. When we think of the Lord Jesus having become Man it gives us some idea of how great a thing it is that God has before Him.
WTP Does Stephen in some way express that thought in himself? Is there a correspondence in him to the Son of man and the glory? It says, earlier, that his face was as the face of an angel.
JT Just so.
[p. 433] ANW His witness was that of a martyr. The idea of martyr enters into Acts 22:20, “thy witness Stephen”. In the word ‘witness’ we have the idea of martyr.
AR Does the title Son of man mean that Christ is now in relation to all men?
JT Quite so; in relation to all men; it is wider than Israel. It is in relation to the race.
RWS Does the Spirit of God have in mind that there should be some correspondence in the way of suffering at the end of the dispensation to what there was at the beginning? All this that we are reading about was at the beginning; we are now at the end.
JT There may be.
FT The end of the Lord’s path, as recorded in Luke, entailed the ignominy that was shown at the cross; the mocking, the insult, and the sneering.
JT It is well to have that before us. Today is an important day in this country (Election Day), and we can have that in our minds, that God may have His ministers in the Government to look after things in a public way in view of the testimony. We are exhorted to pray “for kings and all that are in dignity, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all piety and gravity”, 1 Timothy 2:2.
CHH Do you think that the sufferings at the end of the dispensation may be more moral than physical? Paul speaks of his sufferings which he had and the care of all the assemblies which, in his mind, seemed to be above all other sufferings. If we were more spiritual, we would develop these deep feelings. Spirituality would produce these deep feelings and we would suffer for the testimony.
JT Well, I think that is good; we should have these deep feelings.
JTJr The apostles were beaten, it says. It was a humiliating thing, but it was a suffering matter.
[p. 434] But today it is more moral; the saints go through moral suffering, but the apostles suffered in a peculiar way.
CHH Paul could write to the Philippians, “even weeping”, about those “whose god is the belly ... who mind earthly things”, Philippians 3:19. It is rare now to see brethren weeping over spiritual defects in persons. Paul felt things morally; at Ephesus he served them night and day with tears; and it is said of the Lord Himself: “My tears have been my bread day and night”, Psalm 42:3.
JT Quite so; and the apostle remembered Timothy’s tears.
Ques Is there refusal to hear the testimony of the Holy Spirit as well as hatred against the Lord and the assembly? It says in verse 51, “O stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit”.
JT Showing that the Spirit was refused.
JTJr The allusion would be to the Spirit operating in men. Seven men, full of the Holy Spirit, were selected in chapter 6. Stephen is spoken of in this chapter as being filled with the Holy Spirit.
CHH Peter writes much of suffering but nearly always brings in the idea of glory, linking on the sufferings with the glory.
JT Just so; what a wonderful expression: “The sufferings which belonged to Christ, and the glories after these”, 1 Peter 1:11.
ABP The Lord Jesus Himself said, “Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory?” Luke 24:26.
J.T. Wonderful!
WWM Does suffering link on with manhood and shine out in relation to our position in testimony? Moses chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a [p. 435] season.
JT How gloriously manhood shone out when Christ was here; what a sight for God! It involved the sufferings and the glories after these. What it must have been to God that Man should thus be seen in perfection in such circumstances!
Ques Verse 41 of chapter 5 says, “... rejoicing that they were counted worthy to be dishonoured for the name”. Paul could say that he rejoiced in sufferings (Colossians 1:24). Is it a distinctive character of christianity that not only sufferings are endured but they are rejoiced in?
JT Quite so; I am sure the Lord has had great pleasure in the readiness with which suffering has been taken on and I am sure He has pleasure in our being here today, in spite of the fact that the political situation around us today is also important to Him; He is thinking of us, and what is in our hearts, and He will regulate what is political in view of His people.
AP Are there two particular things which bring in sufferings at this present time? I am thinking of our young men being called for military service and also of the union matter.
JT Very good; but I am sure that God is thinking of the young men who are suffering.
FNW The way Stephen says, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” would be a witness to the Spirit in him, supporting him in suffering.