THE GREATNESS OF THE SAINTS
[p. 485] THE GREATNESS OF THE SAINTS
1 Corinthians 3: 21 - 23; 2 Corinthians 4: 5; Deuteronomy 33: 29; 2 Samuel 7: 23, 24
JT What is in mind is that we might dwell a little on the relation of the servants of the Lord to those ministered to. The first two scriptures are expressions of the apostle Paul, the leading minister of Christ, showing how he regarded the saints, even when they were in a low condition. In the second epistle he was a servant to the Corinthians “for Jesus’ sake”. It seems that in view of what is about to be unveiled — that is, the saints in their millennial and eternal relations — the Lord would lay it upon us that they should be rightly regarded as we serve them. In Revelation 3: 9 the Lord intimates that the saints, as in His mind (inclusive of all regarded as of the assembly, whilst, of course, it is remnant times) are to be done homage to in whatever manner He may bring it about. He says, “Behold, I make them of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews, and are not, but lie; behold, I will cause that they shall come and shall do homage before thy feet, and shall know that I have loved thee”. It is evidently in view of what the Revelation opens up to us in chapter 21, the assembly in its eternal and millennial relations, that the Spirit greatly stresses its greatness. I thought also that it would augment the truth to bring forward what the two great ministers of the Old Testament — Moses and David — say of the saints, in the passages read.
The fact that the apostle brings this thought into his letters to the Corinthians, is to show us by the Spirit, that in order to regard the saints in the light of their true greatness we must not be beclouded by any low conditions that may exist. Low as the conditions were at Corinth, the apostle says to them,
“[p. 486] for all things are yours. Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things coming, all are yours; and ye are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s” (1 Corinthians 3: 21 - 23). He does not speak abstractly, but to them, to those very saints that he describes in the first verse as not spiritual, saying, “And I, brethren, have not been able to speak to you as to spiritual”. The second epistle is more applicable to himself, as to what he was: “For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus Lord, and ourselves your bondmen for Jesus’ sake” (1 Corinthians 4: 5). And then he says, “For all things are for your sakes” (2 Corinthians 4: 15).
I think the most practical and profitable way would be to consider the circumstances in which the apostle utters these remarkable statements, so that in serving the saints, those who do serve in any special way, may have right thoughts, may be in a right attitude of mind — “ourselves your bondmen for Jesus’ sake”. The servant is among the “all things” that belong to the saints, and one might venture to add practically that consideration of this matter will deter us from exploiting the saints in any way. They become discredited and lose their character and dignity in our minds, if we exploit them in any way, however small, whether commercially, professionally, or ministerially. The thought of bondmen places us in the lowly attitude that is becoming, in view of the greatness of the persons we are serving. It says in Hebrews 7: 26, “For such a high priest became us”. The Lord of glory, the Creator, is presented to us in priesthood, and we are told that such a great personage as He was necessary to be our Priest.
EG You have often used the expression, Clothe the saints with the thoughts of God. Does this fit in with what you have in mind?
JT It does. The saints may find it difficult [p. 487] to accept the great thoughts which Scripture attaches to them, and it is incumbent on those who do know, who accept it and appreciate it, to convey in their attitude towards the saints how great they are. Not of course in the flesh, for the apostle deals with them most severely from that point of view, but in his mind they are the owners of everything.
WSS Would that be involved in Solomon speaking of himself as a little child when viewing the people of God?
JT “So great a people!” How he clothed them! Luke 15: 22 says, “Bring out the best robe and clothe him in it”. It is for us to convey in our attitude towards the saints this impression; of ourselves, “your bondmen for Jesus’ sake”. Yet not sparing the flesh in the brethren, because they are not to be exalted on that line at all. These epistles are most severe in dealing with that side of the truth.
Ques Do we see the way the Lord would clothe the saints in the last chapter of Matthew? He says, “Hail!” Is that a salutation of respect, recognising the subjective work which was represented there?
JT I think that is right. The apostle’s salutations to those at Rome fit in, but they are to greet one another with a holy kiss.
AMH 1 Corinthians 1: 30 says, “of him are ye in Christ Jesus”. Is that viewing what the saints are initially?
JT Yes. They are of God in Christ Jesus, “who has been made to us wisdom from God, and righteousness, and holiness, and redemption”. I suppose such a statement is needed in an epistle like this, because the work of God at Corinth had become obscure and shallow, but still, they are in Christ; they have that status. Although babes, the apostle would not have any other thought. If leaven is there, it is to be purged out “that ye may be a new lump, according as ye are unleavened;” he keeps that abstract [p. 488] thought in mind. We should not take up any other attitude in regard to the saints, however low their state, for a principle of service is to carry the saints along with us, not to travel too fast, or to lord it over God’s heritage. So that Moses and Aaron, seen in Exodus 4, are typical ministers; they are in their initial service, and the people worship because of what they do. Then when the instructions are given as to the passover, the people again worship as the minister serves them (Exodus 12: 27). Further, in Exodus 16: 10 as the people would have gone back to Egypt, it says, “when Aaron spoke to the whole assembly of the children of Israel, that they turned toward the wilderness ... ;” showing that influence for good normally goes with the ministry.
Ques Would this tend to improve the quality of what is ministered?
JT I think so; the bondman is more likely to minister Christ, who is supremely the Bondman. He will be more likely to present Christ aright than any who in any way lord it over the saints.
SB Would it be right to say that David has these qualities when he speaks of the Philistines defying the armies of the living God, and challenges Goliath himself “in the name of Jehovah of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied” (1 Samuel 17: 45). Is that the reason Jehovah later spoke of choosing David to feed His people?
JT Just so. One is impressed with the way David qualifies, especially in the pressure of the battle in the valley of Elah; his very beauties are alluded to. And then in answer to Eliab he said there was “a cause;” he was under orders, for his father had sent him, and he is so full of the thought of the armies of Israel and who they were, that for such a one as Goliath, great as he may have seemed to the natural mind, to have defied them, was abhorrent to him. What a place the armies of Israel [p. 489] had with him, the armies of the living God! And so, completing his service, he is peculiarly lowly when speaking to Saul. Saul was very supercilious even after the victory, when the giant’s head was in David’s hand; but David says, “I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite”. Then it goes on to say, “when he had ended speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul” (1 Samuel 18: 1). He stripped himself to clothe David; he clothed him with the greatness which belonged to himself at least. Perhaps he did not go quite far enough, but he went a good way. This all shows the spirit of the servant, and how he attracts those he serves, for he had served Jonathan and Saul wonderfully at that moment; after that we get the maidens of Israel coming out and sounding David’s praises.
WJT You spoke of the servant carrying the saints along with him. Is that beautifully illustrated in Numbers 11: 12, “thou sayest to me, Carry them in thy bosom”?
JT That in itself is very beautiful, although in the stress of circumstances spoken in unbelief; it corresponds with our own great apostle’s remarks to the Thessalonians, when speaking of being in the midst of them as a nurse cherishing her own children. The Thessalonians were just growing babes, but Paul clothes them with parental affection.
Ques Would you say that wisdom is called for in the particular aspect of the truth to be presented at any given time? Here they were quarrelling between themselves as to leadership, and this brings out the great thought in chapter 3. Then in chapter 6 we get another choice thought, “he that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit”. Should it be known to the minister which feature of the truth should be presented on each particular occasion?
JT Yes. Here he was transferring the thoughts [p. 490] of party leaders to himself and Apollos for their sakes, and brings in this great thought which is very remarkable. We have spoken elsewhere of Joshua speaking to Jehovah, and calling upon the sun and moon to stand still. The two great orbs belong to the saints. What an elevating thought is this, even as to christians in a low state, babes — the sun and the moon belong to them! In royal families they follow this principle of keeping the children nourished with high thoughts — they are, of course, on natural lines, but that is the principle; the saints should be nourished with great thoughts, whilst carefully instructed as to the utter worthlessness of the flesh. It is a great matter that the servant is able to bring the great thoughts of God forward, helping to lift us out of the littleness of the flesh.
JTS Would the spirit of this be seen in Exodus 33: 13, 16? Moses says, “and consider that this nation is thy people”, and then he says, “And how shall it be known then that I have found grace in thine eyes — I and thy people?” In the next chapter he says, “Let the Lord, I pray thee, go in our midst; for it is a stiff-necked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin”. He would not allow the flesh notwithstanding the greatness of the people?
JT That is very good. I had thought of that passage, because Moses is the outstanding minister of the Old Testament along with David. God must have given Moses a wonderful impression of the people — much more than is recorded. In returning from Midian the circumcision was enforced. Jehovah was going to slay Moses, showing how He would impress him with the utter incorrigibleness of the flesh and its uselessness. His wife says he is “A bloody husband”, because of the circumcision. So he must have had a great conception of the utter uselessness of the flesh in whatever way he may have understood it. It might be inquired, Why “I and thy people”? Paul would have said, Thy people and I. Evidently when the saints have gone astray and have come under fleshly influences, it is necessary that the authority of the minister should be impressed upon them; for, in truth, he is representative of Christ. He is not less, because he is a bondman; indeed, Jesus was a Bondman. If a man becomes a bondman, God does not fail to exalt that man. In Moses’ case it was peculiarly so. God will not have His servant ill-treated, He will insist upon his greatness. The tabernacle was pitched outside and God appeared to Moses and spoke to him as a man speaks with his friend; all that his dignity might be known and that he should have influence with the people. When Moses is about to die, the point that he has before him is the greatness of the people. After all, what is the value of any service save as it promotes the greatness of God’s people? The greater they are spiritually, the greater is God’s inheritance in them.
MWB If we are to serve rightly, we must always bear in mind the greatness of the people as divinely constituted, and yet have a sober regard to their practical state; prepared to take up the feelings proper to the displeasure of God on account of that state.
JT Quite so — “having in readiness to avenge all disobedience”. The true servant is prepared for all contingencies.
JJ Do you have that view of things when Balaam speaks in Numbers 23 and 24? Does it bring out the greatness of the people?
JT Yes. I suppose the divine thought was to augment what was already there in view of the people entering the land. Moses, as representing authority, could not take them in, but as a man of God he clothes them with wonderful thoughts. Moses had nothing to do with Balaam’s prophecies; they [p. 492] were all the direct action of God, showing how He comes in sovereignly to augment the ministry; we can always expect that. Whatever God is stressing in ministry He will come in Himself to augment it with something, so that it might be enforced. He brings out the greatness of the people in those remarkable prophecies, or, as we may call them, divinely regulated pronouncements. Moses undoubtedly wrote the account. How it would enlarge his soul as to God acting to support him; and then you get the numbering, as much as to say, Such people as this can be numbered for the heavenly land.
AT Does the Lord’s supper help in this matter?
JT It is introduced in this epistle under the words, “I speak as to intelligent persons”. A feature of the assembly is that it is composed of “intelligent” persons; a thought which should be with us always in sitting down to the Lord’s supper in assembly, Thus we are “one body”.
PL Would the greatness of the saints in the Lord’s mind be seen in the way He speaks to the Father as to them in John 17?
JT We have referred to that elsewhere — how the Lord laboured, according to John, to impress them with the Father, and who they were, too, in the Father’s mind. Then finally the Lord speaks of them not as babes, but as men. He had spoken to His Father about them as babes, in Matthew 11, which is very touching. Now He speaks to His Father about them as men, and asks for such things as would enhance their greatness; their sanctification would be like His; they would be with Him; the glory He had received He would give them, He would glorify them with it; and they would have the kind of love the Father had. What men they would be, able to love Christ as the Father loves Him!
FSM Is it not characteristic of the writers of the epistles that they approach their task with the [p. 493] consciousness of the dignity of the saints? In Colossians, it is “to the holy and faithful brethren in Christ;” in Hebrews, “holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling;” in 1 Peter, “to the ... elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father”. If we are impressed with the dignity of the saints and have a sense of what God thinks about them, would that not give effect to our service throughout?
JT Just so. We should have this before us more — to whom we are ministering. In Luke 10: 20, when the ministers had just come back, having done well in their service, the Lord says to them, “in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subjected to you, but rejoice that your names are written in the heavens”. It is one of the most beautiful touches in Luke. They were not to rejoice because of their success in service, but that their names were written in the heavens. That gives dignity — it is their status up there. What a glorious prospect that is! Viewed thus, how worthy the saints are of service!
Ques Does Numbers 20: 10 show the importance of viewing the saints rightly? Moses says, “Ye rebels”, but Jehovah viewed them very differently.
JT It is very important for servants to bear this in mind, for we all know how irritated we become. This great servant, in that sorrowful time, called the people rebels. You cannot go into the land with such thoughts of bitter resentment, because the brethren will not listen. One knows well enough, as no doubt many do, how these thoughts arise, and this is written to check us. God will not brook it, He will not have the saints viewed otherwise than in relation to His counsels and His work in them. On the other hand, as those, having the place of God’s people, turn away from the truth, become opposers of it, reprobate, the strongest condemnatory terms are used in Scripture of them. The Lord Himself speaks of a wicked and adulterous generation, and Stephen says, “O stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers, ye also” (Acts 7: 51).
AFM Jehovah defended Moses when Miriam and Aaron spoke against him.
JT We have just been remarking as to Moses saying, “I and thy people”. The mediator must be distinguished, and the honour due to every servant is divinely maintained. Moses, in placing himself first, no doubt rises to the thought of Christ. He says, “so shall we be distinguished, I and thy people”. It is beautiful language and evidently God was greatly pleased with it.
Ques Do you get a further example of what you are saying in Luke 22: 27? When the disciples were questioning amongst themselves as to who should be the greatest, the Lord says, “I am in the midst of you as the one that serves”, and then He goes on to speak to them of having appointed unto them a kingdom.
JT That is very remarkable; and they were to sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. The thought is to lift the saints out of their pettiness and rivalry. To bring in their greatness, what they are in the mind of God, is part of the service of the minister, and he is to serve as a bondman for Jesus’ sake.
EJMcB Viewing the greatness of the saints as God looks at them, the servant would seek to lift them out of the conditions in which they are, so that they may touch the thoughts of God for them.
JT That is what we get in 2 Corinthians, where we have correspondence with Moses. In Exodus 34 Moses goes up the second time, and it is left to him to hew the stones, and God would write on them. Then we get the reference to the fact that the skin of his face shone. It is the new covenant figuratively, and God furnishes the minister with the means to [p. 495] lead the saints on. He adds sovereignly to what the minister is aiming at, which is very comforting, for God is doing this all the time. Sometimes we really wonder what can be said next; so much ground has been covered. The Spirit of God has infinite resources, but the servant has to keep applying death to himself so as to be available in the dispensing of them. Joshua had to go down into the valley, as we have been seeing recently; he gets into the position of Christ, where Christ was. In Moses’ case God furnishes him with fresh impressions, for God was not giving up. Moses has right thoughts, as we see in Exodus 33; he was thoroughly with God in what He had before Him. Jehovah passed before Moses “and proclaimed, Jehovah, Jehovah God merciful and gracious” — a remarkable thing. The servant has to be ready to be adjusted all the time as to himself — old things will not do. One often has felt like Samson; he found, we are told, the fresh jaw-bone of an ass — an unlikely thing, from the human point of view, but it was just what was needed. The apostle Paul was in great sorrow as to the Corinthians, but he says, as it were, 1 am going on with you. I cannot write another letter to you like the first; and so he says, “Now he that establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, is God”. Note “with you” — he is with the brethren and they are now, we may say, with him. What will he say next? It is remarkable that the matter of the letter of commendation comes in just at this point; a very small thing in itself, but wonderful things open out from it. So now in the midst of the greatest things, the richest things to affect the brethren who needed recovery and establishing in the truth, we get the new covenant.
SB Would it be right to say that the defection of the people at Kadesh-barnea would not have occurred had they risen to the height of God’s [p. 496] thought for them? Could Caleb and Joshua be referred to as fit to lead the people on?
JT Yes. It is an immense thing to hold the ground in a crisis, whether it be by many or few. Something is bound to happen; the enemy is not going to gain the day if two men, or even one man, is prepared to hold the ground.
JJ Do we get the authority side in the first epistle and the priestly side in the second epistle to Corinthians?
JT We get the priestly side in both epistles, but the first is more what Moses is typical of. The Aaronic character comes in more in the second epistle; but authority is stressed in both. In the second the apostle says, “Having in readiness to avenge all disobedience”. But in chapter 3 he is dealing with them in the Spirit of Christ as the Mediator of the covenant; for that is the point. They went so far as to suggest that he should have a letter of commendation, and this gave him the “fresh jawbone of an ass”, so to speak, that is chapter 3. It was there; I do not think it was premeditated, and the Lord was with him in it. The parenthesis, verses 7 - 16, was not premeditated, but what a wonderful opening up of the covenant it was! What a weapon the apostle had — what a means of leading the brethren on with him! I believe the servant will always find that, if he has the true thought of God as to the greatness of the saints whom he is serving. The Lord will furnish us with what is needed. We must not go too far ahead, but seek to bring them along the line that we ourselves are on.
Ques Would the servant be very greatly cast upon God in his ministry to be able to handle things like this, and make way for the expression of the truth needed?
JT Quite so. Here it is a letter of commendation, which is a small matter, but God makes it a [p. 497] very great matter; for it is a means of helping the brethren at that particular juncture. He follows on in chapter 3, and speaks of the covenant by itself, and this, as we know, fits in with the Lord’s supper. Then he alludes to bondmen, that is, himself in relation to the Corinthians. Chapter 4 begins, “Therefore, having this ministry ...” He is going on with them in the midst of such rich thoughts as the thought of a letter of commendation has led to.
HH I suppose that Moses blessing the tribes would correspond with the letter of commendation that Paul speaks about. Moses spoke well of Israel in Deuteronomy 33.
JT Yes. Anyone meeting Moses at that time and asking about Israel would hear him speak well of them; he would not call them rebels. The whole chapter is a wonderful testimony to what Moses thought of Israel; he does not go quite so far as to say that he loved the tribes, but he says that God does, and we may see how thoroughly he is with that; indeed, he is “the man of God” in blessing Israel.
WSS Does this come out in Daniel 9: 18, 19? He says to God, “behold our desolations, and the city that is called by thy name”, and then, “thy people are called by thy name”.
JT Just so. There is a great destiny for that people, and all would be fulfilled. The man clothed in linen says (Daniel 12: 9 - 13), “Go thy way, Daniel ... thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days”. What a beautiful word for the servant.
APT Is Romans 16 something further than the jaw-bone of an ass? In finishing, the apostle brings in Phoebe and her relations with the saints.
JT Yes. Phoebe is a minister of the assembly and she is spoken of as possessing dignified qualities. She is evidently the bearer of the letter to the Romans, and the apostle’s commendation of her is [p. 498] included. This brings up the question of letters of commendation, because sometimes a letter is a little out of keeping with the person who is bearing it. Paul in writing his letter of commendation of Phoebe speaks also of others, as if it furnished him with what was needed in the finishing of his letter. He evidently knew much about the persons he saluted, and his salutations would serve a good purpose, when commending this dear sister living near by. He had affectionate regard for the saints at Rome, and a specific estimation of some of them, and he takes advantage of the opportunity offered to give expression to it. It is necessary that we should have a right estimation of the brethren we meet. We are to hold them in our minds as God regards them. The apostle’s salutations would strengthen the position, because through them the assembly at Rome would be in its own account greater. The letter of commendation would suggest the work of God in persons so noted; and of course there were other persons there equally the subjects of the work of God.
JSE Does not Paul, in the way he covers the saints in the first letter to Corinth, help them forward in the direction of the thoughts of God to such an extent, that they themselves could refuse the things that damaged them? They would now regard them as beneath them.
JT That is suggestive of what opens up so wonderfully in chapters 3 and 4 of the second epistle. “Therefore, having this ministry, as we have had mercy shewn us, we faint not”. As if the new covenant came into his mind and he was greatly stimulated. “But we have rejected the hidden things of shame” and “we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassingness of the power may be of God, and not from us”. He now allows what he is speaking of its own weight in his own soul, clothing his own position with the great thought of the new covenant, and he says, “your bondmen for Jesus’ sake”. Surely this was to the end that they might take it on and clothe themselves with it, too. Then he goes on to say, “while we look not at the things that are seen, but at the things that are not seen; for the things that are seen are for a time, but those that are not seen eternal”. He would link that on with the thought of the new covenant.
PHH Is that seen in Exodus 34, where the skin of Moses’ face shone, but he did not know it? Would it be what you are speaking of — something furnished by God in order to bring the people into what Moses had?
JT Yes; it would enhance His servant. They were afraid of him, and it would seem as if he would not go on without his brethren, so that “Moses called to them; and they turned to him”. Paul speaks of the shining of the face of Jesus, there was nothing to repel. Paul himself was exactly like that to the Corinthians, a bondman “for Jesus’ sake”.
WC “I drew them with bands of a man, with cords of love” (Hosea 11: 4). Is that the thought of the covenant?
JT Quite so. The allusion is to how God served Israel through Moses and Aaron.
JJ Is the climax reached in Psalm 148: 14 “the children of Israel, a people near unto him”, and then Psalm 149?
JT Quite so; it seems to begin in Exodus 19, a people near to Jehovah. This matter of the letter of commendation opens up much about the new covenant, both in regard to the saints and in regard to the minister. He leads them through other great things — reconciliation and new creation — so that now he says to them, “Our mouth is opened to you, Corinthians, our heart is expanded” (2 Corinthians 6: 11).
Ques In verse 2 of chapter 3, the apostle says, “Ye are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read of all men”. Does he suggest that the servant’s commendation lies in his ability to view the saints, in the way you are speaking?
JT That is what is meant. The way Paul spoke about the Corinthians was wonderful; he would speak well of them, of how he regarded the work at Corinth. What is written in his heart is a wonderful thing; but now they also become an epistle “known and read of all men, being manifested to be Christ’s epistle ministered by us”.
The passage in Deuteronomy 33 confirms what we have in these two scriptures, and corresponds with the book of Revelation. It seems to me that the Lord would keep the book of Revelation before us, as to the greatness of the saints and how they will appear. Paul says, we shall be “manifested with him in glory” (Colossians 3: 4). John says, “the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of the heaven from God, having the glory of God” (Revelation 21: 10). This brings out how great is the thought of what God has in us, in view of administration, in view of our millennial service. So that the ministers are mentioned, their names are on the foundations of the city. These men did their work well; it was foundational — there were twelve of them — and the result was seen. They did not go beyond their work, as it says, “To every man his work”. In giving the twelve their work the Lord did not give them Paul’s; but they had their own, which was not beyond the foundation. This wonderful superstructure reflects back on the apostles at Pentecost — how well they did their work, and what men they were! They did not bring in the Son of God, but kept to their own line; not that they did not have the truth. A great principle in ministry is “to every man his work”. So in 1 Corinthians 3 every man is to see how he builds, what he puts into it; the foundation is there.
AJG Paul says, “For other foundation can no man lay besides that which is laid”. Is the foundation which Paul laid consistent with the foundational work of the twelve?
JT It must be so, for whether in their work or his it is Christ. His name does not appear in the heavenly city. His work is not foundational in the primary general sense. He himself speaks in Ephesians 2 of the foundation of the apostles and prophets, but his name is not there. He had part in the placing of the corner-stone, and, as he says in 1 Corinthians 3, he laid the foundation in a practical sense for his building among the gentiles. His work, therefore, would be included in Ephesians 2: 20. The great thought that should impress us in considering these great servants, including Moses and David, is how feeling they were, how thoroughly they were with God, and had God’s mind about those they were serving. So God says to Moses, “this people”, but Moses says to God, “thy people”. David, after the light of sonship had come to him, speaks of Israel in a wonderful way in the passage read in 2 Samuel 7: 23, 24: “Who is like thy people?”
JHB David refers to the greatness of God Himself, saying, “Wherefore thou are great, Jehovah Elohim” (verse 22).
JT The whole passage, from verse 18 to the end, is a remarkable expression, by one who, as in the light of sonship, is full of the divine greatness; and correspondingly the greatness of God’s people, for the greatness of the people is linked with the greatness of God.
AJG Is Paul in the spirit of that when he says, “Ye are Christ’s”?
JT That brings out the true position. All things belong to the saints, they belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God. That is the order seen in Corinthians.
Ques Does the apostle observe the same principle [p. 502] in his service manward? At Athens he says, “Being therefore the offspring of God ...”
JT It is all men there; he links man up with God. It seems to me that the greatness of God, in the economy into which He has come, requires the greatness of the saints, because it is a question of the whole scheme into which He has come, and the greatness of the saints is included in the shining out of God in His righteousness, power, love, and counsels.
Ques Does David in 2 Samuel 7: 24 give the thought of God’s inheritance in the saints? He says, “thou hast established to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever; and thou, Jehovah, art become their God”.
JT That passage enters beautifully into what is before us.
JTS Was it not the concern of these great servants that they should serve well? Paul says, “what is our hope, or joy, or crown of boasting? are not ye also before our Lord Jesus at his coming? for ye are our glory and joy” (1 Thessalonians 2: 19, 20).
JT That is what we have been seeing. The twelve apostles’ names were in the foundation, and every man’s name appears in relation to his work. We do not want to be ashamed of our work in that day.