FELLOWSHIP - GENERAL AND LOCAL
[p. 80] FELLOWSHIP — GENERAL AND LOCAL
1 Corinthians 1:1 - 3; 2 Corinthians 1:1,2; Colossians 4: 16; Deuteronomy 21:1 - 9
JT I was thinking of general fellowship and local fellowship, and the responsibility that attaches to each. I thought this subject would be one that would yield something for us at this meeting — that is, the subject of fellowship in a general and local sense and particularly the responsibility attaching to each respectively, for we at times are unduly local and unduly general. So that a right balance is what the Lord would always lead to, and it occurred to me that the first scripture read links the two ideas together, or rather makes them one; for whilst the address is to the assembly of God which is at Corinth we read it is to the “sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints, with all that in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both theirs and ours”. It is not, of course, that the apostle would imply that his directions as to administration should be taken part in by all at one time, but certainly any act of administration at Corinth should not be of an independent nature, it should be such as would take account of “all that in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both theirs and ours”. So that any question raised at Rome or in Jerusalem or in Africa as to an act in Corinth would be answered and would not be regarded as a matter belonging to Corinth exclusively, for the obvious teaching is that the same Lord is “both theirs and ours”. It is His matter and the principle of universality would be maintained while wisdom would recognise “put away from among yourselves that wicked person” 1 Corinthians 5:13 alluded to Corinth, but as put away in Corinth he would be put away everywhere. It would be regarded as an act binding on the assembly [p. 81] as a whole and the binding is necessarily the concern of all, subject to enquiry on the part of all.
I thought these remarks would cover the first part of our subject, and in the second letter the address is to the “assembly of God which is in Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia”; that is, the area is reduced, it is brought down to the province. Then in the epistle to the Colossians the thought is narrower still; that is, the letter addressed to Colosse was to be read to the assembly of Laodiceans, which was nearby, “and that ye also read that from Laodicea”. The area is reduced to neighbouring assemblies, two assemblies, as if the exercises and needs would be somewhat alike, showing that as the area is reduced the current conditions are more nearly alike. I thought that this declining gradation of responsibility helps as to current matters amongst the saints, matters that are constantly arising in localities and the responsibility attaching to the difficulties arising.
AN Do you mean that the moral conditions in Colosse would possibly be true of Laodicea, so that the same epistle would apply to both?
JT That is what is intended to be conveyed; for example, characteristic conditions in London are likely to mark the suburbs. I think God considers for His people in that way. Adjacent meetings are likely to be suffering from nearby like conditions and therefore a word for one is a word for another.
AN I think that helps, that the special word which the epistle had would equally apply to the district.
JT That is right, and wisdom therefore as more extended to the distant meetings would take all this into account. The more adjacent meetings are more likely to be conversant with details and the Lord would use them. It seems to me that is the instruction in this declining gradation of responsibility. I [p. 82] thought in suggesting these scriptures in relation to Deuteronomy that we find all these ideas condensed in this type in chapter 21. That is, we have the facts of an occurrence concerning which responsibility had to be determined. The determination was not by local people but by those that represent the general idea — that is 1 Corinthians 1. “Thine elders”, it says in verse 2, “thine elders and thy judges shall go forth, and they shall measure ...”. That is, the determination of the responsibility is general, it is by those who represent the general fellowship. “Thine” is Israel’s judges. And then we have the measuring and the local responsibility determined, and then the elders of the local city are brought in in verse 4; and then the priests, the sons of Levi, alluding to the spiritual condition — that a spiritual condition is required.
AS Is it the spiritual condition of the local meeting or the district?
JT The spiritual condition is general, that is, the word is “the priests the sons of Levi”. They are not regarded as local. They represent a state that God can approve, that is, a priestly condition. They are not mentioned after that, you will observe. Their office is determined in verse 5 “by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried”. And then the local people act as priests and say, “Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it”. Their solicitation is for the whole of Israel, they never lose sight of the general fellowship — “Be merciful, O Lord, unto thy people Israel”. That is the local people, but they are acting as priests.
RG How is the measuring done in a practical way?
JT Well now, before we get to that do you understand what was said in regard of 1 Corinthians and Colossians? It is important to get the basis in the New Testament. The first letter to Corinth is the [p. 83] the great general fellowship merging in the local. The second epistle brings it down to the province — the saints which are in Achaia; and the third scripture brings it down to the immediate locality, for Laodicea was very near to Colosse. They are viewed as having like exercises and yet their distinctiveness as assemblies is maintained — they do not act together. Now if that be clear, we may consider how the elders and judges measured.
Rem So that in that way any local company acting would have the whole fellowship in view in the acting.
JT Yes, that is how it stands in Corinthians. It is “to all that in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both theirs and ours”. In the following address the apostle directs that certain persons be put away, delivered to Satan, and the like. Well, Corinth cannot assume that it is not the business of Rome.
Rem So that that would be ever in view in anything that might come upon a local company, they would recognise the brethren in the district and elsewhere.
JT I think that it is important that we get the full bearing of the fellowship. The unity of the Spirit is a collateral thought, there is one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all — that is the spiritual side, the fellowship is the working out of it.
Ques Would you say that no assembly can act rightly in regard to the local fellowship unless they have the general fellowship in view?
JT Quite so. We act in relation to the general fellowship. Yet wisdom would leave it, of course, with the local assembly as to whatever is done.
Rem And yet as to the result Mr. Darby speaks very strongly, the man that was put away was outside the assembly altogether.
[p. 84] Ques Is there any instruction in the identification of Sosthenes with Paul?
JT Well, as has often been remarked, it is the brotherly element; the Spirit of God takes account of our way of looking at things, a brother would require a brother for brotherly consideration in all matters.
Rem In chapter 5 there is the “within” and the “without”, “Ye, do not ye judge them that are within? But those without God judges. Remove the wicked person from amongst yourselves” 1 Corinthians 5:12,13 — there is the inclusive and the exclusive.
JT Those that are within are in the circle of the fellowship, the wicked man was to be outside of that.
Ques Would the fact that chapter 5 opens with the thought that it is universally reported suggest the link, that is, the general and the local?
JT The state of division amongst them was reported by the house of Chloe but the state of corruption was generally reported, without it being said who reported it. There was universal feeling about it. There is no doubt that in the house of Chloe there was godly concern, that there were conditions such as are spoken of in the assembly.
Ques Would you say a word as to the difference between priests, elders and the sons of Levi?
JT The first thing is “Thine elders and thy judges”. Now the suggestion there, clearly, is persons who are responsible. Elders today are not general, the bearing of an elder in the assembly is local. “Thine elders” means the national elders of Israel, and what they represent in the type is persons who are responsible, they are distinct from the priests. The word denotes a person of experience, one who has grown up in the testimony and loving the Lord and His interests. They would have the experience which would lead them to be concerned about any and every matter which affects the testimony, so that they would denote today the element of responsibility [p. 85] everywhere. If there is no element of responsibility there is nothing for God. Responsibility means that the things of God are being looked after and if we cannot do it directly we can pray about it. And then judges refers to ability to judge, if there be not that the same thing applies — there is nothing for God. The same persons are alluded to, of course. The first is the responsibility and the second ability to judge. Then “the priests the sons of Levi” refers to the same persons, but it is looking at what is spiritual. The apostle says, “I think that I also have God’s Spirit”, 1 Corinthians 7:40 but he gives his judgment of himself as one who had had mercy shown him. Generally speaking, believers dealing with the things of God reckon on the Spirit and on spirituality, so that the word in Galatians is “Ye who are spiritual” Galatians 6:1 — that is what is alluded to. So that there are three things, the responsible element, the discerning element and the priestly element, that is the element that makes room for the Spirit of God, which applies to all christians — all christians are priests — hence all christians are brought into it. The priest always considers for God. The law was in his charge, he was custodian of the law and you can rely upon his word, and it says, “By their word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried”. Hence we need the priestly element or there is no authority. The incident brings all this holy organism into action, a very wonderful thing in this world. Think of a holy organism of God set down here in this world and it is right in its results — a great matter in God’s account.
Rem I wonder whether that would be exemplified in the Lord personally in regard of His judgment and the priestly character of it: “My judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me”. John 5:30.
JT There you have perfection of judgment. In the assembly, viewed as under the divine hand, governed [p. 86] by the Spirit of God, you get a like result. We are not guessing at things. It is not haphazard, the thought is you reach a judgment according to God.
AN If I am looking at things in relation to myself or others my judgment will be flurried, but if I look at it in relation to God there will be a right judgment.
JT Very good. In Deuteronomy 33 it says, “Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one”. Deuteronomy 33:8. “Thy Thummim” is first (it is usually the Urim first), which means, I think, that the state was there before you get the light. If the spiritual state was there you can count upon the light from the Holy One. God had tested out Levi. It is interesting to compare the blessing of Moses, ‘the man of God’, and the blessing of ‘Jacob the father’. Jacob gives the whole history of the tribes, good and bad. Genesis 49 is not based on conduct. It is prophetic, because the tribes did not really exist yet, save in the sense of family, so that the tribal conduct had not yet taken place, it was purely prophetic. But when Moses blessed the people, tribal conduct had become historic, the tribes had been tested and the blessing was based on the result of the testing. It is an important matter, especially in regard of Levi; that is, God had tested him and God had found him worthy of the Urim and the Thummim. Levi in many instances sided with Moses. In regard to the golden calf he sided with Moses and in another instance he disregarded his father, “whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah; Who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen him”. Deuteronomy 33:8,9. Much is said about Levi, he is reliable, he entirely disregards natural relationships in dealing with the things of God. They are the most treacherous matters in dealing with the things of God.
AN I am sure that is important, that in local difficulties, where the question of natural relationships [p. 87] come in, or if I have a bitter spirit towards another, I will not have a clear judgment.
JT So he is called, “Thy holy one” — that expression applies absolutely to Christ — “Thou art the holy one of God” John 6:69 — it is a great discovery. He is the true Levi and we are to get character from Christ.
Rem There is a remarkable statement in 2 Chronicles 19:6, “And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do; for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment”.
JT That is good. “Take heed what ye do”. That scripture you quoted regarding Levi is very beautiful, “Who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own children: for they have observed thy word, and kept thy covenant”. Deuteronomy 33:9 It is the father and the mother and the brother and the children that are set aside, natural relationships in the assembly; that was not prophetic, it had already come out. In Levi, God was dealing with what had already been proved. So that a person proved is reliable. God regards us as reliable and confides in us and counts on a right judgment. It is a question of what you will do tomorrow. You may succeed today but you may not tomorrow. God would have those that are reliable. So that Malachi brings out the priesthood in the end of the Old Testament. God sits as a refiner and tests us. God, as it were, puts up things to us; we may think ourselves spiritual and God says, Well, what are you going to do with this? and the testing goes on. If we are all clear about the general responsibility of “thine elders and thy judges”, the next thing is the local persons — “the city that is nearest”. Measurement is made by “thine elders and thy judges”, then the next thing is that the immediate responsibility is determined — what will these do?
[p. 88] Ques Before going on to that do you mind saying who is the man that is slain in the field?
JT Oh, it is just an occurrence; it may apply to Christ, it is just an occurrence which requires adjudication, whatever requires a solution is in view. It is just a type, it is not that we have the direct teaching in the scripture we read, it is a type. A coroner’s inquest is what the law requires, whoever the man is or however it may be set.
Rem Does it suggest a disordered state?
JT Yes, there is the murder, all that enters into the case. Now what is that city going to do? It is going to be tested. Is the murderer there? Do the elders of the city know anything about it? There are no loose ends in the Scriptures, things are taken up at once and we are provided with what we are to do.
Rem So that in the beginning of Acts when Peter brings it home to them, they say, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Acts 2:37.
JT That is right. The suggestion is that the city is here, there is no imputation laid on the city, but they are to clear themselves. The point is for us to see how quickly the matter is taken up, and how beautiful the result of the instructions being followed. We have the priests in the locality who are able to speak to God. They are not thinking of themselves but of ‘all Israel’. It says in verse 6, “All the elders of that city, that are next unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley: And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it. Be merciful, O Lord, unto thy people Israel”. They are able to act as priests and speak to God. But we have to take account of the “heifer ... which hath not drawn in the yoke”, and “the valley which is neither eared nor sown”, as it is said, “the city that is nearest unto him that is slain, even the elders of that city shall take a heifer that hath not been wrought with, that hath not drawn in the yoke; and the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto an ever-flowing watercourse, which is not tilled, nor is it sown, and shall break the heifer’s neck there in the watercourse ... . And all the elders of that city that are nearest unto him that is slain, shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck is broken in the watercourse”, Deuteronomy 21:3,4; Deuteronomy 21:6.
[p. 89] The heifer suggests the opposite to what might have brought about the murder. It represents one that has not been employed by man’s will. The murder would have been the result of man’s will. And there was to be no sowing in the valley. It is all the opposite of what would have brought about the murder. The scene of the murder is the scene of man’s will, and where there has been sowing of some kind, wicked cultivation.
Rem I was wondering if Numbers 1 and 2 would support what we have been considering, first the whole host, that is the universal position, secondly the families, which might suggest the surrounding companies, and then the father’s house, which might suggest the local aspect.
JT That is right, there were four sets of tribes, one on the east and one on the south and one on the west and one on the north representing the universal position, the universal element in the testimony. Then each set is subdivided into three and then the father’s house is still a further subdivision. So that you can bring the thing down, as in the case of Achan, all the tribes were brought into it, it is a universal matter. Tribe after tribe is taken, then Judah is taken, then the father of Achan is taken and then Achan is taken. That is, the thing is worked out to the responsible person. As the Lord said, “One of you shall betray me”, Matthew 26:21, Mark 14:18. John 13:21 but the thing has to be determined — each one says, “Is it I?”
Ques Would you say a word as to the breaking of the neck?
JT It is a question of man’s will. It is murder — it is not a dead man, it is a slain man, and somebody did it and whoever did it had a stiff neck, he was a murderer. It all refers to conditions in this world finding a place amongst the people of God.
Ques Do you think that this regarding the heifer is what is lacking in us, there must be the apprehension of the death of Christ in this character?
JT That is the idea, He is the opposite of all this. Here the point is “not drawn in the yoke”. The Lord Jesus never came under the human yoke, man’s yoke. Anyone that commits murder has done so. It is usually a planned thing — the sowing in the valley. Now not being sown is the opposite of what was in those that perpetrated this wickedness. This is over against all that, and the elders of that city are to show that they are in accord with all this, and that is the point — I am to be in accord with Christ if I am to have part in this. I think, too, that we would enter upon a local difficulty with subdued spirits if we were affected by the death of Christ in this aspect.
Ques How does this aspect of the death of Christ work out in the breaking of the neck?
JT Well, the heifer’s neck being broken is expiation. Christ entered into death for us and that is expiation. It says, “And the blood shall be expiated for them”. That is, He became this for us. Look at Saul of Tarsus, an insolent, overbearing man he calls himself, an arrogant kind of man doing things legally and with a good conscience. A good conscience does not mean that I am right. “But”, he says, “mercy was shewn me”. 1 Timothy 1:13.
Ques Why is the word ‘field’ used so much here?
JT It is to fill out the type, I think, when there is nobody to see what happened. If it had been in the city you probably would have had witnesses. Showing that, no matter what happens, it is covered;
you cannot say ‘It is not in our city’. No matter where it is, it is covered. An inquest is required, the thing has to be solved. So that Israel is cleared. That is what the elders say, “Forgive thy people Israel”. That is, the saints must be clear in all these matters. We cannot have the imputation of guilt upon us. We cannot be here for God if things are not solved. There is nothing left unsolved in the assembly. That is one great point. The apostle says, “in every way ye have proved yourselves to be pure in the matter”. 2 Corinthians 7:11.
Ques After they have established their innocence does their responsibility cease?
JT Well, they pray for all Israel. We are not concerned about our own meeting only, we pray for all Israel, as I have just read in verse 7, “Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it. Be merciful, O Lord, unto thy people Israel”. That is what the Lord Jesus died for, to set up here a testimony free from guilt and He has put within us a means of solving things. This chapter has proved most helpful and has saved a great many brethren in these latter days, that is, whilst the approved might be made manifest. Well, we do not want to lose any. They do not want to lose any. They pray for all Israel, the expiation is for all Israel. It is well to keep that in mind. In the great battle with Midian it says that not a man was lost, and the greatest spoil you get in Scripture is, I think, in that battle. Phinehas, you know, proved the reality of the priesthood, the everlasting priesthood. He set to the war with the holy instruments of God, even with a trumpet, that is, the testimony of the Lord. He sounded it, and sounded it, and sounded it. Phinehas would keep on sounding out the truth.
Rem It would seem that the responsibility is with the local city. In the Revelation it says, “The angel of the assembly” of a particular [p. 92] place.
JT Yes, then the next thing is, is the local city equal to the emergency? And that is why the priesthood is immediately brought in. Not the local priest, but “the priests the sons of Levi”, that is, the holy condition amongst the people of God generally are brought into it. To my own mind that is important at the present time. God has used this scripture to save the brethren, not to cut any off, but to save them.
Ques Have you in mind that in cases of difficulty we have been perhaps concentrated on circumstances and the culprit rather than the responsibility which is the universal sorrow?
JT I think that things are often made too local and we lose the wealth that is available to us. If a man anywhere in the world has ability for government, he is available. These things are set in the assembly and it is important to give them scope, God has provided them for us. On the other hand that person ought to be concerned not to go beyond his service. I think the universal side needs to be emphasised because it embraces all that God has furnished for the assembly so that we do not want to shut anything out..
Rem The principle would be borne out in the epistle to the Corinthians, while it was apostolic yet there was a priestly element in it. That is, “In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit”, 1 Corinthians 5:4. The principle of it is that he is thinking of it in relation to the Lord.
JT That is right, and his spirit was there. One would not be fanciful, but the idea is that he was not there in body but he was there in spirit. How far-reaching assembly elements are! Spirituality reaches out.
Rem A sectional movement would have a tendency to lose men, would it [p. 93] not?
JT So all these conflicts should yield wealth universally.
Ques Is verse 9 important? The guilt will never be put away when they do not do what is right in the eyes of Jehovah.
JT Yes, that is so. That is insisted on, “thou shalt do what is right”.