SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE - HOW IMPARTED
[p. 308] SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE — HOW IMPARTED
John 1:38,39; Acts 19:9,10; Acts 18:11; Acts 11:26
These scriptures taken together, or even severally, convey the suggestion of which I have in mind to speak, namely, the impartation of spiritual knowledge. I read from John with the object of setting out the general bearing of the subject in these days of ours, for we have often remarked to one another, and no doubt all recognise it, that John’s writings have the last days in mind, and it is noticeable that teaching has a distinguished place with him, especially in his gospel. It will be remembered that even “the teacher of Israel” John 3:10 addressed the Lord as “Rabbi”, and added, “we know that thou art come a teacher from God” John 3:2. That is a word that enters into the present time, and, indeed, has marked divine activities for a hundred years or more, but particularly for the last hundred years — the idea of teaching from God. The idea of teaching acquired a place in the early history of the assembly. Spiritually it had a great place in the apostles with the Lord, but it acquired a place later as arising from the felt need of the religious leaders to keep abreast of the teaching of the world, so that philosophy and vain deceit were allowed a place. John would shut them out, and Paul would shut them out, as we learn in his letter to Colosse; but they found an entrance, and have retained a hold on the leaders of christendom ever since, and never more than at the present time. So that the thought of “a teacher from God” as you can see, has great significance in John’s gospel, especially as spoken of by the one whom the Lord speaks to as “the teacher of Israel”. John 3:10.
These disciples of whom we have often spoken to one another — the Lord’s first disciples — addressed Him as “Teacher” or “Rabbi”, and the Spirit of God is careful to tell us in a very formal way that the word signifies “Teacher”, being thus interpreted so that there should be no mistake. Hence the Lord acquired amongst men the title spiritually — as, indeed, is general with divine titles — as the outcome of human experience. Divine titles are without exception set in that way; they arise from human experience — human experience, of course, in which God has part; for any other experience is of no value, nor does God respect it. Experience with God has always an outcome which God respects, and from the very earliest days, according to the Scriptures, this feature appears; as, for instance, the name ‘Jehovah’ when first mentioned by Eve arises from her experience; she says, “I have acquired a man with Jehovah” Genesis 4:1, as if she experienced His help. So in John’s gospel the principle of naming what we experience spiritually is in evidence; in fact, if one experiences a thing rightly, if one has to do with a thing intelligently, one ought to be able to name the thing. It is when one names it that one shows one has profited by it. The hearts of these two disciples were touched by the beautiful words of John the baptist as he looked on Jesus as He walked. It is a beautiful illustration of the influence that we may exert, as we have spoken of today. John influenced his own disciples, not only by his words, but by the tone of them. He was affected himself, and his disciples left him and followed Jesus. Jesus saw them following, and He says, “What”, not ‘whom’, but “What seek ye?” And they said, “Teacher, where abidest thou?” The meaning of the word they used is then explained to us carefully, meaning that in their souls they wanted to be taught; although touched in their affections, they needed teaching, and they felt it, and they said, ‘Lord, where do You dwell, or abide?’ That is the first thing they enquire.
[p. 310] I mention all this, dear brethren, that we may understand that divine education involves not only from whom, but where we learn. Even although it may be the very best teaching, it may be affected adversely by the whereabouts, by the surroundings; so that the enquiry of these disciples is instinctively right, and it should be reflected in every young disciple today, everyone whose heart is drawn to Jesus: “where abidest thou?” The Lord says, “Come and see”. That is another mark of John which is to be observed, that he expects us to move. Stationary christians are discredited in his eyes, for armchair christianity is abhorrent to John, and indeed, to the Scriptures. He contemplates that if you are affected you will move. Hence the Lord says, “Come and see” — one of the finest words you get. Elsewhere we are told that certain who were affected by the testimony of Christ came to Jesus, but they found a man, the man out of whom the demons had gone, sitting, clothed, and in his right mind. He was at the feet of Jesus. He is an example, and example is a great matter. These who came to Jesus found the man, and his attitude and clothing are spoken of. The obvious suggestion is that you would sit down by him, sitting, clothed, at the feet of Jesus. That is the place to learn, and you learn in company with others. But here the Lord says, “Come and see”; He invited them, and they came: “They went therefore, and saw where he abode; and they abode with him that day. It was about the tenth hour”. John gives us these details. No doubt the idea of instruction is there; that is what is in their minds, and the Lord will never disappoint anything which is in our minds if it is according to Him; He will always gratify it. That was in their minds, and we may well infer, dear brethren, that there was something in the way of teaching; but the point that I would make is the surroundings, where it was, where He abode. He [p. 311] could easily have told them the street and the number of the street, as we are told elsewhere, but it is no question of the number; it is “Come and see”; it is a spiritual thought.
In pursuing a little further what comes out through John in regard of this matter, I would call attention of the sisters to this question of teaching; and, without being critical, I would say here, dear brethren, that our sisters would do well to notice what John records about this subject in his gospel; because many are apt to leave the teaching, say, to brothers, taking in a little, perhaps, here and there; but to sit down and learn divine things systematically is not very common with our sisters; perhaps not with any of us, but certainly not with our sisters. They are not allowed to speak in the assembly or teach, but that is no reason why they should not sit down and learn systematically. That is what Mary of Bethany did; she learnt systematically, even in the presence of opposition and severe criticism; she sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to His word. It is not a matter of asking the Lord some particular question: sisters are very apt to do that; they want a particular question settled; but the point with Mary of Bethany was that she listened to what the Lord was saying; whatever it was that He was saying was of moment to her.
John does not record that, but he records another incident which is very creditable to her as an example. Her sister Martha who complained so bitterly about her, according to Luke’s gospel, was intelligent as to the fact of the Lord’s coming to Bethany; she says to Mary, “The teacher is come and calls thee”, John 11:28. How becoming that the Teacher should call for one who had been accustomed to sit down and take in and appropriate what He said. “The teacher is come”, says Martha, “and calls thee”. Martha had heard the most wonderful things from His lips [p. 312] just then, and she broke off the conversation by a wonderful confession, “Yea, Lord; I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, who should come into the world” John 11:27 — a fine confession — and then she went off in haste to Mary secretly, and says, “The teacher is come” — what a wonderful fact it was — “and calls thee”. Is there a christian on earth whom He does not call? I do not think so. He is knocking at the doors of christians in the world in order that He might come in and sup with them, and they with Him. “The teacher is come and calls thee”: John 11:28 there is not one here to whom that does not apply. The Lord has an interest in every one of us in regard to this matter.
So with another Mary, Mary of Magdala, out of whom seven demons had gone, she also, according to John 20, calls the Lord in Hebrew (as is probably the original rendering), “Rabboni”, John 20:16 as if she would appropriate it to herself, and there again we are told what the word means, although without the same formality or stress as in John 1; it is simply said here that it means “Teacher”. The Lord is risen from the dead, and is speaking to her, and she says, “Rabboni”.
You see that what I am speaking of at the moment, I am saying to the sisters. These are remarkable examples of christians in the early days who learned systematically, and expressed their appreciation of what they learned by the titles they gave the Lord — though Mary of Magdala changes the word somewhat, she does so, not by accident, but with some purpose — but it is left in a general way as meaning, “Teacher”. The Lord would speak to our beloved sisters here and everywhere as to this great matter, that we might become instructed in the whole system of truth, the truth of the gospel, and of the assembly, too, the truth of the heavenly calling. We must not be content with anything less than the whole range of truth.
[p. 313] Now I want to go to the book of Acts because it deals with the early days. John deals with the last days, and he has a beautiful way of presenting things informally and affectingly with the intent that we should get these things into our souls; without our knowing it, they are there; but in Acts we get the beginning, and, of course, the word always remains in its freshness, however late in the dispensation. John indeed tells us that Jesus went back to the Jordan after the Jews had surrounded Him and their efforts to take Him were prevented, He went back to the place where John baptised at the first, meaning that He went back to first principles, not to begin over again on another line; and “many believed on him there” John 10:42, showing that He had material to go on with. “Many believed on him there”; that is the best place in which to believe on Him, where He began, where the heavens opened on Him, and the Holy Spirit was seen coming down, and the Father’s voice was heard saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased”. Matthew 3:17. That is the place to which the Lord went, and “many believed on him there”. John asserts that; the book of Acts has that also in mind, so that the writer begins by speaking of “all things which Jesus began both to do and to teach” Acts 1:1; what He did comes first, and then the teaching, the idea being that you have the things presented concretely in some person or persons, and then you have the teaching. The teaching is to open up what the things mean. Abstract christianity does not pay any attention to what is done, but only to what is in the creed, but you want what is done first. If the creed-maker is able to do the thing, then let him teach. True christianity is in the doing, and the teaching opens up to you what is meant, what things are.
So in Ephesus, where, under God, the apostle’s greatest success was, he entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews three months: but they [p. 314] were hardened and disbelieved and opposed. I want you to take notice of this, because it is one of the things which is important for us at the present time: that is, Paul separated from the synagogue; he separated himself, but he also separated the disciples. All teaching today should be marked by that: we are to be separated from the synagogue, both the teacher and the disciples; his effort should be to detach them from the synagogue. You say, ‘The synagogue? There are not many in this country!’ I am not speaking of the literal synagogues, but of Judaism, of Judaistic teaching and influence. Let us not be deceived, beloved brethren; there is a great deal of Judaism amongst us, and it is impairing the teaching, it is beclouding it; that is, right things, things which are right in themselves, are taken up and applied wrongly, they are applied unspiritually, they are applied severely, too severely; we stand for a right principle, and ignore the state of those to whom we would apply it. So that Judaism becomes the most specious kind of opposition. The teaching is not opposed openly, but it is vitiated and thus damaged by Judaism. That comes out in Acts 19; the apostle not only separates himself, but the disciples. Every teacher, if with God, would seek to separate the disciples from the synagogue. The next thing is that he met daily in the school of one Tyrannus. We have often alluded to this man, the school-master. It was the school of one Tyrannus; it was that school. It is as if the apostle says, ‘I abominate Judaism, and I leave it, and I want you to leave it’. The disciples were separated by him; no doubt they were willing to be separated, but it was his action, and it was also his action to lead them into the school of this one Tyrannus, and there to teach them for two years.
The suggestion in all this is that the reception of spiritual ministry or teaching is not optional with any [p. 315] of us. The Lord highly resents optionalism in this matter; it is very prevalent, as if I can lay a thing aside or overlook it or ignore it with impunity; but you cannot do that. You will come to grief in this school if you do. Tyrannus will not tolerate that. The idea is that there is rigour in the teaching; the whole course must be gone through if you enter into it, because if careless, or negligent, or indifferent, your example will affect others, and this is abominable to the teacher. So Paul stayed there two whole years, and we are told that he reasoned — he reasoned the truth into their souls. It was so urgent that they should be clear of Judaism and of Jewish influences. But it is also urgent that any careless or wilful christian should be likewise subdued, and that he should see that he is dealing with eternal things, and the things of God. There is no option as to it; it is imperative for us to learn these things. There is not one of us (I would include myself) who is not liable to fail as to these matters. One is conscious of being so careless as to let the most precious thing pass without looking into it and appropriating it, and enriching oneself by it. That is why I read Acts 19. Paul continued at Ephesus two years. Elsewhere we are told that he stayed in the place three years. The result was that not only in Ephesus, but all in Asia heard “the word of the Lord”, Acts 19:20 not ‘the word of God’. The position is a military one in Acts 19. It is a question of “the Lord”, not exactly as we have it in Romans, but rather in a military sense, as “the captain of Jehovah’s army” Joshua 5:15; because Ephesus is the great battleground for the truth. Paul says, “I have fought with beasts in Ephesus”, 1 Corinthians 15:32. That was not said of any other place. Satan marshalled his forces to oppose him in that place. It was “the word of the Lord”, and all in Asia heard it. What a fine testimony sounded out: “the word of the Lord”. It is [p. 316] very like the trumpets of Jericho sounded by the priests; they brought down the wall. The wall fell as Israel shouted, meaning that Israel is brought into the testimony. The beautiful, clear sounding-out of the testimony from the rams’ horns brought Israel into it, as at the command of Joshua they shouted that shout of victory, and the walls fell flat without Israel having to strike a blow. Ephesus means this. Other things, of course, enter into it, but it is a question of the Lord, of the authority and military power and skill that He has. In Acts 18 it is not ‘the word of the Lord’ but “the word of God”. Chapter 18 deals with the wilderness; it is a tabernacle chapter and deals more with the local assembly. It is, as I might say to be simple, the brethren here in Cardiff. It is no question of heavenly places, but of the order of God in the wilderness conditions into which God can come, and where He may be found by any exercised person. How important a matter this is! So it is “the word of God”; and I want to show, dear brethren, that this is what is taught us in a general way. You will observe that according to this chapter the apostle also left the synagogue, but he secured the ruler; he robbed the place; he broke it up in that way. It is a question of the power of the testimony. He went into a house instead of the synagogue — a beautiful thought, for there he could be found. Indeed, at the end of this book Paul is found in his own hired house, meaning that he had full right there; he paid his rent. That is, in a general way, how we are down here. How could we be in this world save as God opens up ways and means so that we can be here as righteous persons? You cannot have God with you unless you are righteous, unless you pay your rent and your debts. He remained in his own hired house, and then he received all who came to him. What education was to be found there! The most profound,
[p. 317] the most spiritual, the most exalted of his teaching issued forth from that hired house, and anyone going there found an entrance. There was no idea of it being shut up, as the Vatican is shut up today, the occupant of which is only great as he keeps out of sight. Paul was ready to receive anybody. What did they see there? The reflection of Christ in that suffering martyr for the truth, in one who was ready to unfold the deepest things of Christ to any who came. It says he received all who came to him. That is the position in these last days. Here in Corinth Paul entered into the house of one called Justus; so he was in a favourable position, and the scripture says he continued there for eighteen months, six months less than is mentioned in regard to his stay at Ephesus. I mention these months and years because of their importance in this matter. Our christian education is not a daily matter; it is a long matter; it is a university course, beloved, if you will pardon my using that common word; and it is not optional. It says he was eighteen months there, just as it says the Lord had told him that He had much people in that place. He discerned what was in the Lord’s mind. It was not simply that He wanted a lot of people; He does want numbers, of course — the counsels of God require numbers — but that is not the point. It is not a question of one or two hundred brethren together, but that they should be formed, organised and built up as by an architect. That is the idea. Paul says, “as a wise architect, I have laid the foundation”, 1 Corinthians 3:10. He discerned the Lord’s mind. The Lord told him that He had much people in that city, and that no one should set upon him to hurt him. He was to go on, and he did so; he gathered up the Lord’s thought, and he stayed there for eighteen months, as much as to say, ‘I will not leave this place till I have them all, and till I have them all formed and regulated by the thoughts [p. 318] of God set out in the tabernacle’. What are these thoughts? They are set out in “the word of God”. “The word of God” conveys the mind of God. It was a question of the mind of God at this particular time in regard to this particular people in Corinth. How dreadfully degraded they were! It was a most wicked city. Paul had already secured some, Crispus and others, but there were still others to be secured, and the apostle settled down to get all these people and form them into an assembly, and this he did with marvellous skill and patience. They were formed into an assembly, addressed by him at the beginning of his first epistle. Does he address them as individuals? No, he does not address them as an assembly of believers in Christ but as “the assembly of God which is in Corinth”. 1 Corinthians 1:2, 2 Corinthians 1:1. That is what is taught. He remained there eighteen months, and taught the word of God. Has not that a great application at the present time? Thank God for the number ‘in fellowship’, as we say, but what about teaching the word of God as that which opens up the mind of God at the present time, showing what is the assembly in Cardiff or Newport or anywhere else, so that the thoughts of God can take form in these places? I do not limit it to that, of course. “The word of the Lord” is more a heavenly thought in Acts 19: “the word of God” is the mind of God taking form in the presence of evil, so that God may be here, having a place in which to dwell; how great a thought that is, dear brethren, that we may have tabernacle conditions in these last days! How can that be without the word, and without being taught? Paul continued there eighteen months teaching among them the word of God. What wonderful Bible readings and addresses they must have had! But he made no outward show at all; he says, “my word and my preaching, not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power”, 1 Corinthians 2:4; “that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us”, 2 Corinthians 4:7.
[p. 319] That is what he had in mind; so he deliberately determines what to bring before them; he says, “I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified”, 1 Corinthians 2:2. One is reminded sometimes of the places in Ezekiel’s pattern of the temple, the places for preparing food. A very good suggestion for those of us Who serve, or attempt to serve, the Lord and the saints is to find out the place for the preparation of food, So that the right thing is measured and presented; so that we take account of the kind of need there is, and of the capacity of those served, that “the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us”. 2 Corinthians 4:7. They were formed into an assembly. Paul says, “Ye are ... God’s building” — not mine, but God’s; 1 Corinthians 3:9. He was the architect, but they were God’s building. Let every saint understand he is part of God’s building. Surely no one would want to be out of it. How can one be in it? By being taught the word of God. It is forced through to the mind. It is a mental thing, spiritually so. The mind receives it as it is forced into it, so to speak, by power.
My closing thought is in Acts 11. It is Paul’s introduction to us as a teacher, as one who would teach with another brother. That is another important thing for all Who serve, to be able to teach and serve with another, it may be to take the second place. The apostle John is an example of that for all of us; he is a brother Who can take a second place. That is the ordering of God; it is always “Peter and John” when they are mentioned together. Peter was usually the speaker, but John was there. You may be sure he was not silent, but they are beautiful as seen together. We read, “Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion” Psalm 48:2, but never was anything seen in creatures so beautiful as [p. 320] in Peter and John when they went up to the temple to pray at the ninth hour. It was a beauty far exceeding any of the beauties that shone in that temple. The Beautiful gate was there, of course, but where was beauty such as that seen in Peter and John, two men actuated by love for Christ, and for souls, too, under the authority and guidance of heaven. So they say, “Look on us”, Acts 3:4 two brothers moving together thus, the one taking the second place.
Paul is introduced in that way to us in this chapter as sought out by another brother, Barnabas, who had already met him, and had measured his capacity. Evidently Barnabas was a brother who could think of others, and not of himself only, and of their measure of potentiality in ministry; and so he went and sought out Saul. There is a work going on; nondescript brothers who had been scattered and were preaching went to Antioch, and got great results. Then Barnabas was sent from Jerusalem to them, to go as far as Antioch to see what was going on there; and he came and saw, and knew what was needed, and he said, ‘Saul is the man’, a beautiful example of unselfish and unjealous ministry. He might say, ‘A fine opportunity for me!’ But no! he says, ‘Saul is the man for this’. He evidently discerned the grace of God in that young brother. The eyes of heaven are looking around today for young brothers with potentiality for ministry, not pushing ones, but persons who have to be called out, sought out; and you may be sure, someone will find you, some eye will see you. Heaven has already seen you, and from the very beginning has called you. When the hour is come for you, you will be promoted. Heaven has a wonderful way of doing it.
Barnabas sought out Saul, and found him, and he brought him to Antioch. You would have liked to hear them talk together as they went that long way to Antioch. Having arrived there, they [p. 321] taught for a whole year a large number of people “in the assembly” — that is how it should read, meaning that now you have arrived at that great initial thought of ministry, of teaching. The Spirit of God presents at once the leading features, that is, not only the teachers, but the place. It is not now a dwelling-house, or an unnamed place as in John 1; the thing named here is called “the assembly”, one of the most dignified words used in the New Testament. The teaching went on there month after month for a whole year; the whole cycle, winter, summer, fall and spring are all gone through. These two brothers lived the whole year round with these dear saints in Antioch, and taught them in the assembly — a very remarkable word; for Paul says later that he taught from house to house at Ephesus; Acts 20:20. Here it is a question of setting out the principle, that it is in the assembly that the teaching goes on. Now, dear brethren, not many of us understand this. The Lord has had this up constantly among us, that we might understand the assembly, and as regards this matter, of which I am now speaking, that we might understand it as the place of education, the place at least where Christ teaches us, for He is the Teacher through whomsoever He may use. He is the Teacher, and His place of teaching is in the assembly. Hence the importance of knowing the assembly, of understanding the import of it, and of frequenting it, so as not to be absent when anything is occurrent. It is a time of teaching. Every meeting will unfold something, some thought from the Lord that is required for us in our education.
That is all I had to say, dear brethren, and I hope all will understand, and see that it has a great bearing at the present time, specially for young christians, not only as to who teaches them, but as to where they are taught, and as to diligence on their part so as to get every bit of instruction that is available.