THE PUBLIC SERVICE OF THE ASSEMBLY
[p. 264] THE PUBLIC SERVICE OF THE ASSEMBLY
1 Corinthians 11:17 - 26; 1 Corinthians 12:12,13; 1 Corinthians 14:23 - 25
JT It is proposed to look at these well-known scriptures from the standpoint of the public side of our position, as seeking to walk in the truth. There is the public side, which in the main is in view in this epistle, that is the public position of the assembly; and there is the private, or spiritual, inward side, which is found elsewhere, as in Colossians and Ephesians and in John’s gospel. It is proposed to confine our inquiry to the public features of our position; and it is thought that these may be grouped under the heading of order in the assembly as functioning, when convened in view of the Lord’s supper; and then the anointing in chapter 12:12, suggested in the term, “the Christ” which applies to the saints as marking them in spiritual dignity; and then the presence of God in its public bearing in chapter 14.
In order to confirm all this, in Luke’s gospel, which stands peculiarly in relation to this epistle, we find in view of the institution of the Lord’s supper that the Lord was in the temple daily, teaching; that is the public position. At night He went to the mount of Olives; that is the secret relation. Following on that we have in Luke, the counsel taken by the high priest to put the Lord to death, and Satan’s ready avenue of attack in Judas; and then we have the Lord placing Himself at table, as though He proceeds with the love line, in spite of the opposition. But there was, as said already, the secret relation He had, and this applies to ourselves also.
HES Did you say that order was a great point in regard to the Supper?
JT I think so. What is said is corrective of what was current among the Corinthians. “But in [p. 265] prescribing to you on this which I now enter on, I do not praise, namely, that ye come together, not for the better, but for the worse. For first, when ye come together in assembly, I hear there exist divisions among you, and I partly give credit to it”. He had spoken of division which he had heard of through the house of Chloe, which he did not doubt. He accepted, apparently, that in a general way among the Corinthians there were divisions, but what he says here is that the sorrowful feature actually appeared when together in assembly.
Ques Would division affect the public side?
JT You can see how sorrowful it would be, as you came into the assembly, to find the saints were in parties in the place where they were assembled; what an intrusion on the divine thought when there should be unity and corresponding order! The idea of an assembly was well known among the Greeks, but God’s assembly should be marked off as being of Him. It was a question of what could be seen from heaven, and by anyone who might know of the christian gathering.
Ques Were these conditions the outcome of what was among them when not together?
JT Exactly. They would come out in a reading of the Scriptures or in any other such circumstances; there were parties consequently. He is now dealing with the thing as they were together; the partisan evil was carried to that length. It is bad enough to have a following in our houses, but it is utterly intolerable in the eyes of God when we are convened.
ES What is the great remedy for the partisan spirit? I wondered if the love of Christ would clear all that spirit out.
JT That is the teaching of this chapter. We should go back to chapter 1 to get at the root of the thing. Partisan conditions usually arise from [p. 266] men of ability seeking certain advantages amongst the saints. Chapter 1 deals with that side. The apostle’s remarks are withering. He transferred the thought to those specified by names, so that they might get the principle; that they might not be occupied with the persons, and not seek to set one against the other. Any divisions that assume proportions amongst us, are the outcome of men of ability seeking advantages. If the underlying conditions are not spiritual, there is soil for the seed of division. Men of ability will find followers, but that that should actually enter into the meeting which he dignifies by the expression “in assembly” is distressing. It is an expression that should remind every lover of Christ of what He had in mind in dying — He gave Himself for the assembly, and the question is, Am I spoiling this coming together or robbing it of beauty in the Lord’s eye, by this partisan spirit?
EBG Is that why he determined to know nothing among them except Jesus Christ and Him crucified?
JT That would be a tremendous check on any one wanting to be a leader. Think of a man determined to know nothing else — not only to minister nothing! What an ability to rob the enemy of advantage!
HPW Is it not true that before division becomes public the seeds of it are sown in private?
JT No doubt the enemy moves in this way with a view to general cleavage, but waits his opportunity. The position is usually military, and it is always a question of his man. He has his man, and so in Luke 22 the high priests were taking counsel to put Jesus to death, but they could not, for the people stood in the way (Luke 19:48). It is remarkable, for it was not that the people loved Christ, but it prevented the working out of the plans of the leaders. Then it says Satan entered into Judas; there was a strong link between him and the devil,
[p. 267] but he had not entered into him earlier. For military reasons he waited his opportunity, and then he entered into Judas. He has secured his man. The Lord nevertheless proceeds on the opposite line. He, too, had His man and that man is bearing the pitcher of water. These are principles. The enemy has no way of entering in among us, aside from someone among us.
HPW Are you specially thinking of it in connection with the local meetings?
JT Yes. There are wider things; division assumes a wider outlook; but it is the local matter here.
It is very distressing to think the enemy has a man; he is watching, and when the opportunity arises he will do the damage. He cannot get in among us aside from a low state; the position is invulnerable otherwise. How sorrowful to bring partisanship in when sitting down to partake of what speaks of the love of Christ!
WL When the man appears do we each contribute? Perhaps he has received support and been encouraged.
JT I am sure that is true. At Bethany Judas had some sympathy when he criticized Mary; there were others with him; but though he criticized then, Satan had not yet entered into him.
EBG What are we to understand by verse 19? “that the approved may become manifest among you”.
JT That is governmental. It is God taking account of the low state of the Corinthians; it is hardly thinkable at Ephesus; God allows certain elements to bring out the approved. He has His eye on the approved. They would be in reproach at Corinth. God allows or orders conditions to bring to light those who are approved; you may be sure that they will be made manifest. We do not need to push matters. It is better to wait. “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10): the approved are known to God.
PL Does Adonijah bring to light the approved — Zadok, Benaiah and Nathan?
JT Yes. It is noticeable that the approved come into prominence in both the risings of Absalom and Adonijah. Even young men hitherto unmentioned come into notice in the crisis. In connection with the effort of Adonijah a remarkable group comes into evidence; the prophetic element at that time brought them into evidence. The approved came to light and God was manifestly with them, so that Adonijah had to abandon his project; there was no need of conflict. Had there been skill before in Absalom’s rebellion, a battle might have been avoided. Such troubles are to be met with skill.
HPW Would you say a little more as to when skill is required to make a stand, or whether it is right to wait?
JT We are apt to be in a hurry to get some advantage — to secure a room, or the like, whereas wisdom would wait, and God will, in His own time, bring the approved into evidence. We need to act like Nathan (1 Kings 1).
PL The approved have always the housetop as a retreat.
JT You mean that, “It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a contentious woman, and a house in common”, (Proverbs 25:24). Quite so. David was an old man and things had been let go. He represents the responsible element among us. The greater number are not discerning what is current; I think Nathan represents the skill that is successful in appealing to such.
BJS Is your thought that we should first judge the principles governing actions and then convict the persons; Nathan exposes David’s sin, and then says, “Thou art the man” (2 Samuel 12:[p. 269] 7).
JT Yes. David never quarrels with the man that convicts his conscience; Gad is called his seer (2 Samuel 24:11). David did not rebuke him. David had this advantage that he had a seer by him — one who, as judging any evil action, would convict him of it. That is a question for the saints generally in any meeting — whether they have eyes and ears open and sensitively active.
PL David describes the smiting of the righteous when he says, “Let the righteous smite me, it is kindness; and let him reprove me, it is an excellent oil which my head shall not refuse”, (Psalm 141:5). Knowing the heart you have, you cannot dispense with such a service.
JT All that enters into the sorrowful circumstances at Corinth, when the partisan spirit was actually carried into the assembly while the Lord’s supper was partaken of. The apostle says it is not the Lord’s supper really; it may seem to be the Lord’s supper, but it is not. We thus see that no sectarian company can have the Lord’s supper. It cannot be connected with a sect.
FSM Would you say that the Lord expresses His approval of those who are right when the sectarian element becomes antagonistic? He approves the one that anointed Him in Simon the leper’s house.
JT And His approval of her extends down to the present moment. The Lord enjoined that what she did should be mentioned wherever the gospel would be preached.
AEF Is it will at work too in each taking his own supper? You can tell whether people are on the line of honouring the Lord, or exalting themselves.
JT Yes. Some of us were seeing that in the record of the altar in Scripture; we see with Noah that he was characteristically unselfish; he kept back nothing. These people no doubt would be well-to-do,
[p. 270] and had their own supper. In this they despised the assembly and put their poorer brethren to shame.
Paul withers the thing. He does not say, houses to have parties in, but houses in which to eat. “Have ye not then houses for eating and drinking?” Then he goes on to bring out the manner of the Lord’s supper, what the Lord said and did in instituting it; he says that he received from the Lord what he delivered to them. How beautiful the order was on that evening! Then the apostle proceeds to the thought of the public bearing of what is done. It is a public matter.
JW Does that correspond with the Lord teaching in the temple in Luke?
JT Yes. He retired to Olivet at night, but anyone who came to Him He taught. There is nothing more needed among the people of God than teaching. It is most impressive to follow what the Lord says about teaching; He taught and continued to teach.
AEF We need teaching as following the Lord’s order in the Supper.
JT We do. There is constant freshness in the instruction of Luke 22 and this passage. As coming together for the Supper we are “in assembly”. Corinthians is the outward aspect of the matter. The court of the tabernacle was seen from without.
HES Is it the perfect ordering of the first occasion that should mark us?
JT The apostle shows that while he had received it from the Lord the original order and simplicity of the memorial remained. Its setting is in “the assembly of God”, where divine order is maintained.
LDM Does the title “Lord Jesus” bear on the question of order?
JT His authority is there, but there is an affectionate regard in it. No one can say “Lord Jesus” but by the Spirit; the appellation should never be pronounced except in the Spirit. The whole order [p. 271] is by the Spirit; otherwise we have not the anointing as in chapter 12. The whole procedure is to be by the Spirit.
LDM That would imply power in the assembly to check disorder.
JT Yes. When anyone says “Lord Jesus” in the power of the Spirit, it resounds, as it were, in the assembly. As also the name, “Father”. We say “Abba, Father”, by the Spirit, too. The whole procedure of the assembly must be in the Spirit. In speaking about the Spirit and our saying “Lord Jesus” and “Abba, Father” by the Spirit, we come to the idea of the anointing that is in chapter 12. “For even as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of the body, being many, are one body, so also is the Christ”. These are the saints under God’s eye. You see the great testimony there would be in saints as anointed. It is not ministry as in chapter 14, but what transpires in the assembly, in whatever part one takes, it is in the power of the Spirit. There is a dignity in the procedure that you cannot find anywhere else. God will bring out what He had in mind; that surely should take on spiritual dignity. It is the way things are said in the Spirit.
EBG In what way is the expression “the Christ” related to what is public? One can see it in the assembly in chapter 14, but what is it in public?
JT It comes out in the assembly as convened. The christian assembly room, the Jewish synagogue, and the heathen temple might all be in the same street, and if one went into one place after another what would he see? The christians together were God’s assembly in the city; it was to be known as such there. No doubt all would know there was that place. In the Jewish synagogue he would hear the Scriptures read but without the dignity of the anointing, not as the Lord Jesus read them. He stood up [p. 272] to read after His anointing, then He sat down, and they all marvelled; there was a dignity there that was unheard of. That was to be continued. The Jewish synagogue would not have a dignity like that, it was a lifeless state of things; and in the idol-house it was heathenism. A man might go into the darkness there, and from that to the assembly where the Scriptures would be read in dignity, or where the Lord’s supper would be in progress — what a dignity he would observe! — that is, if it was as the apostle had it in mind. How one would love to have heard the apostle speak to the Lord in the assembly! One would have been impressed by the dignity of it all. What was in Nazareth (Luke 4) is carried forward into the gentile countries; it is “the Christ”.
JW Does it link with the man with the pitcher of water in Luke 22?
JT That man would move in the dignity we are speaking of.
JW He would say “Lord Jesus”, we may say.
JT Quite so. “Behold, as ye enter into the city a man will meet you, carrying an earthen pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he goes in; and ye shall say to the master of the house, The Teacher says to thee, Where is the guest-chamber where I may eat the passover with my disciples? And he will shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready”, (verses 10 - 12). It is all in beautiful dignity. If we apply the idea of the anointing to the man with the pitcher of water, he is full of holy and refreshing thoughts, for the water is typically what is used in ministry. He has something about him you cannot but notice. The Corinthians had been met by a man like that.
FSM Has the anointing primarily the public position in view?
JT I [p. 273] think so.
AEF Would this man be one of such as make room for the Holy Spirit?
JT Yes. The point is that Christ is there; for anyone with eyes to see, the dignity of the Christ was there. The anointing implies that God is committed to Christ, and by extension to the assembly; hence “so also is the Christ”.
In chapter 14 it is a question of gift. The apostle points out that under certain conditions people will say you are mad; men will take account of conduct. Think of such a testimony!
FSM Is it significant that chapter 13 comes between chapters 12 and 14, emphasizing the inward state?
JT If we had set ourselves down by the apostle as he was writing, we might ask, Why does he not talk about some man in Corinth? — love is not in the air, but in persons; he is speaking of the thing in the abstract, in its qualities. No doubt some in Corinth had these qualities, and this presentation of love would bring them into prominence. No one can speak of love as the apostle speaks of it, save one who knew love well. There is remarkable skill in it. You might have all knowledge, and gift, and not have this quality. Of course he is alluding to men of ability in Corinth but he speaks of himself, “I am nothing”.
Ques Would you say a word about the baptising of the Spirit in chapter 12, and the drinking into one Spirit?
JT The Lord Himself is said to baptise with Holy Spirit; it is a divine prerogative, but the drinking into it is my part. It satisfies me. I believe the idea of satisfaction in the assembly, has a great deal to do with all this. People come in as a matter of light; they say it is superior to the Greek assembly, or to the Jewish synagogue, or the idol-houses, but I need more than light, I need the Spirit in order to [p. 274] be satisfied in the assembly. I may come in on the principle of light, and tomorrow I may be dissatisfied, but if I have drunk into the one Spirit I am never dissatisfied. I have drunk into what is in the christian assembly — that is what I understand.
WL Would the drinking go on?
JT Yes it would. It is a great matter for young christians. People say, The position we occupy is right, etc., but that is not enough; the saints must show by their demeanour that the assembly has the means of satisfaction.
JTS Do we get a deepening sense that love is there?
JT Yes. I can say I am more satisfied than ever. There is an increasing sense of the appreciation of Christ among the brethren; the more you drink into it the more you enjoy it; it is not only because it is right, but because the Spirit as pervading the assembly is satisfying.
Rem The Spirit being there, it is a living organism.
JT Chapter 12 brings out the organism. The Holy Spirit unites us in this sense. The organs of the body that act of themselves, each functions in its place, and is not complaining because it is not some other part. The foot is in a lowly position, but it has to support everything, but such a member is satisfied. He is functioning in his place.
BJS Would you help us as to what would put us on the line of being satisfied? Those come in that are satisfied at the outset, but later drop out.
JT The assembly is pervaded by the Spirit. If you had come into the assembly in Corinth, conditions being right, and had drunk into the Spirit there, you would say you had never been in such a place.
HES Is that connected with the tabernacle system that came under the fragrance and power of the anointing?
JT [p. 275] Yes. There is nothing said about the temple being anointed; it is the dignity of the material that is stressed; but in the wilderness the anointing is very prominent. Typically the public testimony is in view.
HES Would it be right to say that certain of the Corinthians were honouring one another, but ignoring others? Under these circumstances God is not honoured.
JT Exactly. It is a mistake to think that I can honour God, and not honour the brethren. The thought in the drinking is as to what is among the brethren, what they live on.
As regards prophecy in chapter 14, we are to cultivate that gift. It effects edification; you must build up what is there. To keep the brethren together on right lines is most important, but have they moved since last year? Prophetic ministry builds up, so the apostle urges that they should desire to prophesy. In chapter 14 it is not the assembly functioning as in chapter 11, the whole setting here is in view of ministry; all the saints in the place are to be together in view of ministry.
FWW What is the end of prophetic ministry?
JT It is what brings God in. It is plainly stated in verse 25. “The secrets of his heart are manifested; and thus, falling upon his face, he will do homage to God”. That is a great matter. It is a public result. God is here in a public sense. People may say what they like, but if God is amongst the saints it is undeniable that the place is right.
FWW You would not limit that to meetings we call meetings for ministry, although it includes them?
JT I think these verses allude to such meetings; the gathering here is obviously for the exercise of gift. The next paragraph begins with verse 26, and you have other things contemplated, a psalm, a teaching, a tongue, etc. — there is room for all that. [p. 276] There is room for what wealth there may be among the saints.
HPW Do you think a meeting of this kind locally affords the Lord an especial opportunity to speak, that otherwise He has not got?
JT I think so. Such meetings are becoming prevalent. If you have a reading it falls into the hands of those with special ability, but perhaps there are those present who have something that the most able has not got. It says, “each of you” has a psalm, and so on; that spreads out and seems to give scope for whatever there is. There is an opportunity to give it out. If the organism is sensitive enough, when one has a revelation the other holds his peace.
HPW How do you understand that?
JT It alludes to the organism. One is sensitive and in touch with the brethren, and he knows that another has something. Intimate acquaintance with one another helps greatly in such meetings. You can almost tell what a brother is thinking about, if you are in constant contact. In a gathering like the present, it would be almost impossible to have such a meeting as is contemplated in 1 Corinthians 14, for there is not the needed intimacy of knowledge of one another.
HPW When a brother with a word from the Lord starts to give it, he would hope that another has a further word to develop it.
JT All is to be done in the liberty and confidence of love, and hence there will be edification; if I give out a hymn it is to edification. I am thinking of the Lord, and of His people. The apostle speaks of a “tongue” and “let one interpret”, but he goes back to prophecy again. You think of order; two do not speak together, “let two or three prophets speak” — that is applicable to us now. The meeting should not be addressed by more than three, [p. 277] two is preferable.
HPW It would not be always the same two or three.
JT That is the danger. Verse 26 is a check on that; it is a meeting for mutual contribution.
HES Would not this suggest extreme spiritual sensibilities?
JT Yes. If we are in spiritual touch with the local brethren and sensitive we shall discern if any brother present has a word.
Ques Would it be right to come with something?
JT Verse 26 contemplates the brethren as coming with something; indeed the principle seems to be, not to come empty. The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets and I am not carried away by any impulse; I am in control of my spirit. The prophets speak, two or three; I may not get something in the meeting, but there will be freshness.
FWW If you have a psalm you are not necessarily the speaker.
JT I think if I have the opportunity, it would be given out; and even if it is in my heart and not given out, it is part of the wealth of the meeting. It is a question for sisters as to what they have in their hearts. If every brother and sister has something in his heart in a spiritual way, there is plenty. However, all is not presented, for there are wise limitations, (verse 29). And the entire proceeding is governed by the understanding (verse 15), the Holy Spirit being owned as present.
JTS It says, “Let your women be silent”. That is not because they have not substance.
JT No. A prophet speaking would be all the more effective if the sisters have a supporting influence.
WT What is the bearing of the first part of chapter 11?
JT It is in view of order. It is remarkable how the idea of order enters into this chapter. Christ is regarded as having come in as Head, the covering of the woman is all in that connection; the woman [p. 278] has to be covered because of the angels. Another thing that enters into this is the general principle governing gift. Gift is universal; so that if a man with ability from God comes into a small meeting, even if not local in it, the principle governing gift gives him liberty there. Indeed the truth of the assembly and of fellowship in its general bearing allows for the presence at such a meeting of saints from other localities.