SPIRITUAL QUALITY (5)
SPIRITUAL QUALITY (5)
SMcC This chapter is a fitting conclusion to the enquiry we have pursued together in these meetings. It is a very rich and very full chapter, and it gives us a remarkable view of Paul and his great service and especially referring to the subject of love as we have often noted in this chapter. There are a number of things that bear out in the chapter the thought of spiritual quality which we have looked at together, such as the first embrace, then the company that were with Paul, verse 4, the first day of the week, and the breaking of bread, and then the way that Paul descending falls upon Eutychus enfolding him in his arms, and then the remarkable way he goes over things in his words to the elders of Ephesus, and the remarkable feature that he touches upon in his word referring to the assembly in such a unique way, and all the counsel of God, and then referring latterly to the extent of his care for them, and the way he went about in his service in ministering, working with his hands and labouring. All this sets out the idea of quality, and then the finish of the chapter when we get the embrace again when they fell upon the neck of Paul and ardently kissed him; pointing us to the reciprocity of love in this wonderful environment that Acts 20 brings before us. These thoughts we should keep before us in finishing our enquiry as we look into this chapter 20 together. It is evident that Paul is contemplating the finishing of the apostolic period. There is no such thought as apostolic succession which some claim around us. It is perfectly clear from this chapter that there is no such thought as that, in that Paul appoints his service to no one following him particularly, in fact he leaves the brethren in the hands of God. “I commit you to God and to the word of his grace,” verse 32. All these things should be kept in mind, so that our period would be particularly in mind by extension. The thought of revival enters into the chapter, and the recovery of Paul’s ministry may be set out, so that it is a very full chapter in whatever way we may look at it, whether historically or dispensationally, the chapter is very full in regard of the thought of spiritual quality.
FW What is involved in the first embrace?
SMcC I think it shows us that Paul’s ministry, Paul’s service and ministry involves this activity of love, and the more we are in touch with Paul and his ministry in this light the more we shall understand this embrace. It says “But after the tumult had ceased, Paul having called the disciples to him and embraced them, went away to go to Macedonia.” Paul’s commission was not just a mere arbitrary commission to convey certain features of the truth that were in the dispensation that were committed to him, but he is setting out the great feature that enters into the economy, extending from God through Christ and the Spirit and the servants to the saints, the feature of love.
DMD Would the embrace suggest that love would be in circulation?
SMcC I think it does. The whole chapter would have that in mind, circulation, which is a great thing. The life of the Christian circle as it were lies in relation to the circulation of love. It is all right to speak of the subject of love, but if the thing is not in circulation we know there is not much value attaching to the position. We know what it is in regard of the monetary system, however much wealth there may be if the principle of circulation is interfered with impoverishment sets in, and it is the same in the assembly.
OEF Do we see love for the brethren here? John says, “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren.”
SMcC Well, I am sure he set out love for the brethren in an outstanding way, and in the verse you quote it is one of the things that is a witness to the fact that we have passed from death to life.
HD Does the embrace denote Paul’s pleasure in them as having taken on the ministry?
SMcC I think so. What affinity between him and the disciples! Now that is a great thing, and we want to look into it, the feature of affinity between us and the vessel of the ministry, because it is not a cold academic kind of thing we have in the assembly. There is to be real spiritual affinity between the minister and those ministered to, and I think that is what is set out in this matter of Paul here and the disciples.
JR Would the opposition and trial connected with the testimony endear us to one another?
SMcC That is what I thought; especially are we to note “after the tumult had ceased.” There is a circle into which we can repair and in which we can enjoy the peculiar blessedness that flows from these links of affinity between the vessel of the testimony and those that are with him in the testimony. It is one thing to assent to the ministry and to abstractly accept it, but it is another thing that there should be spiritual affinity With us in regard of the minister and the ministry.
DB The school of Tyrannus preceded this. There is no thought of the embrace in the school of Tyrannus, but the opposite to that. Does that necessarily precede this?
SMcC That is very interesting because there are different aspects and views of the position, and while we have not had time to go into chapter 19, undoubtedly the school of Tyrannus fits in in a distinct way with the subject of our enquiry, quality, because we know that in education, in school, things are pursued in an orderly way, not in a haphazard kind of way, but in an orderly definite and precise way, and I think it precedes what we have in this chapter. It kind of underlies what comes to light in relation to Ephesus.
GSR We might say we have come to the crest of the highway, and for a time the idea of suffering is left aside and the saints are in the enjoyment of love and life.
SMcC So that there is a certain environment into which we can repair as Acts 20 shows, and we are here in the presence of the crown of Paul’s service and ministry, especially having the Ephesian position in mind, having declared unto them all the counsel of God.
HF In verse 4 we get the representatives of different localities coming forward, and the distinctive feature of quality seen and the principle of mutuality.
SMcC That is very interesting, for in this section, verses 3 and 4, despite Paul’s apostolic authority and the weight he carried in the light of his apostolic commission he entered into matters with others, as it says, “and having passed through those parts, and having exhorted them with much discourse, he came to Greece. And having spent three months there, a treacherous plot against him having been set on foot by the Jews, as he was going to sail to Syria, the resolution was adopted of returning through Macedonia. And there accompanied him as far as Asia, Sopater, son of Pyrrhus, a Berean; and of Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus, and Gaius and Timotheus of Derbe, and of Asia Tychicus and Trophimus.” Notice how much Macedonia is coming into this section. Macedonia referring to a choice part where Paul’s ministry had borne much fruit, and he always seemed to have special delight in referring to Macedonia, and here it appears in the opening of this chapter. It seems to represent a very fruitful area in regard to the ministry.
LC Would you say something in regard to the expression “the resolution was adopted.” On their initial visit to Macedonia in the 16th chapter it says “we sought to go forth to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to announce to them the glad tidings.”
SMcC It is a very interesting thing how both these thoughts are linked with Macedonia. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 16, “I will come to you when I shall have gone through Macedonia; for I do go through Macedonia,” verse 5. Why does he say that? It shows how much Macedonia was on his mind, and you remember how later in the second letter to the Corinthians he says in chapter 9: 2, “For I know your readiness, which I boast of as respects to you Macedonians,” He says in chapter 8, “But we make known to you, brethren, the grace of God bestowed in the assemblies of Macedonia; that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty has abounded to the riches of their free-hearted liberality.” As if there is a kind of fluidity linked with Macedonia, and their movements towards it in contrast to the rigidity that would result from fleshly officialism. I think the concluding and the resolution being adopted suggest that side of things.
LLC The thought of brethren seems to appear quite a lot in relation to those down in Macedonia. At Philippi when Paul left the prison with Silas they went to Lydia. When he came to Thessalonica “the brethren immediately sent away, in the night Paul and Silas to Berea.” And at Berea “the brethren sent away Paul to go as to the sea.” Where did they come from?
SMcC It is an interesting enquiry, the number of them here referred to from different parts, showing what a rich field it is in which God is operating. While we may think the territory may seem difficult at a certain time, it is quite apparent that it is yielding fruit as the different references made to the brethren indicate, and in this portion we have “Sopater son of Pyrrhus a Berean; and of Thessalonians Aristarchus and Secundus, and Gains and Timotheus of Derbe, and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus.” The field is yielding its quota. Macedonia comes into view both in the personnel who are referred to as well as in the reference to it geographically, and I think it points to a certain kind of fluid condition of things particularly linked with Macedonia, and where love is circulating as it is in this section you will always find things more fluid amongst the brethren.
LLC The Thessalonians were taught of God to love one another.
SMcC That is a remarkable statement in regard of them.
SS In chapter 16 the man of Macedonia says “Pass over into Macedonia and help us,” and “immediately” they sought to go. Where there is real need we can count on divine Persons to come in.
SMcC I think that is right, and Macedonia, as we have said seems to represent a certain choice area where the brethren were very poor, but where they were so affected by the ministry and by the service of the apostle among them that we have definite results as is indicated in the second epistle to the Corinthians, their free-hearted liberality could be spoken of as abounding in the presence of their deep poverty. That is a word for us in regard of the collections in our gatherings, showing that where the truth really is having its way, and where there is affinity with Paul you will find that the brethren give well, and there is certainly more and more room for giving in the collections in the gatherings, I am referring to that generally. “In the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty has abounded to the riches of their free hearted liberality.” The term seems paradoxical, the one seems to contradict the other - deep poverty, and riches, but there it is, and I think no doubt the way Paul brings the Macedonians into the 8th, 9th and 10th chapters of 2 Corinthians would bolster the position in regard of giving, for they must have been remarkable brethren in relation to giving, and it is a great thing that there should be right consideration for this matter, because if they were in deep poverty they must have had to budget and look into matters, and have the wherewithal to meet it as need arose, and I think that is what we need help on everywhere.
SWR James tells us, “Has not God chosen the poor as to the world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom,” James 2: 5.
SMcC Yes, that is the position publicly as it stands. God has not chosen the rich but the poor; rich in faith would be that we are in the light of all the thoughts of God.
AEMcC The fact that the Macedonians first gave themselves to the Lord would enter into this matter.
SMcC Very good, I think that lies at the root of such giving, because if we have not first given ourselves to the Lord it will be very difficult for us to put our hands deep into our pockets in regard of giving. When we first give ourselves to the Lord giving becomes much easier. It is when we do not give ourselves to the Lord that the giving is harder.
SWR Does lordship have to do with this? “The Lord hath need of him.”
SMcC Yes, the Lord has need of things in the testimony, and this matter of love in circulation and especially the allusion to Macedonia would point particularly to the kind of environment in which love seems to be particularly free and fluid.
AEMcC Would the word ‘exhorted’ apply to that in verse 2?
SMcC It would indeed. “And having passed through those parts and having exhorted them with much discourse he came to Greece.” There seemed to have been a particular right of way in Macedonia for Paul’s ministry because of the way he refers to it in 2 Corinthians and also in 1 Corinthians - for I do go through Macedonia, which would suggest there was a right of way for the ministry there, so it says, “having exhorted them with much discourse he came to Greece.”
EW Did he have Europe in mind in referring to Macedonia?
SMcC Well, Macedonia would be linked with it, I suppose, and that is what I am referring to in regard of the field, that there is a certain area in mind which by extension comes over to Great Britain and the Western world, and these parts, but Macedonia is at the very foothills of that great position, and the truth particularly develops and prospers in it. You remember in Matthew 13 the Lord speaks of “that field,” verse 44.
FH In the previous chapter we have “Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, fellow travellers of Paul.” Would that bring in the idea of affinity and preparedness to go the whole way?
SMcC That is good and should help us into the matter of going the whole way. They were fellow travellers of Paul, not with Paul, the of stressing affinity between them. Aristarchus is a remarkable person, he is the only person mentioned by name in chapter 27, “Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica being with us,” verse 2. Notice the stress on Macedonian here - a Macedonian of Thessalonica, and he goes all the way in the book of the Acts, and we want every one of us, and especially the younger men and women to go all the way.
AEMcC These persons in verse 5 were preparing the way for Paul’s ministry. “These going before waited for us in Troas.”
SMcC I think that is right. Notice the constant allusion to periods of time in this section, and I think the “days of unleavened bread” bear on the position too, because the first man would undoubtedly be disallowed and room made for the kind of man seen in Jesus who gives us the true thought of unleavened bread. And then the choice feature of the first day of the week comes into view. “And the first day of the week, we being assembled to break bread” - all this flowing out of the active state of love as contemplated in the chapter. The assemblings in this chapter are to be viewed in relation to the active state of love among the brethren.
HF Would it correspond with John 20, the first day of the week.
SMcC That specially fits in with the side of the truth in this chapter where the crown of the apostle’s ministry is in mind. The Lord’s day fits in more with the dominical side bearing on the testimony in the scene around us, but the first day of the week points more to the inward, spiritual, and eternal side of things, the doorway into it.
ST In the first chapter it is said Jesus “being assembled with them” and here “we being assembled.” Would you help as to that?
SMcC It is interesting to notice the word ‘assembled’ is used, a very dignified word. The Lord has been helping us as to the use of right words in recent times, so that we do not refer to ‘subdivisions,’ which word detracts from the great idea of the assembly in a city, and this word ‘assembled’ has a very distinctive place. It is a dignified word particularly fitting in with this section. “We being assembled to break bread.”
Now we must go on to Eutychus; we must try to cover the chapter as well as we can. It is interesting to see that in the matter of the circulation of love and quality in which it is viewed in this chapter that persons like Eutychus are taken care of. They are not left to die or to perish altogether. There is the descending with Paul and the enfolding of Eutychus in his arms having the sense that his life was in him. I think that is a wonderful reference to the greatness of Paul that behind his apostolic commission and all his apostolic authority he is a model for us in the way of circulatory love, in the way he can affect the brethren and affect those who do not have much interest in the truth, and how he is prepared to help in view of full recovery.
FH Would there be a certain test in the upper room in this setting?
SMcC I think there is. We are tested as to what we do in these circumstances and it is not a question of arbitrarily going forward. Paul might have said ‘We have come here to break bread and are going forward despite what has happened’; but no, the position is held up to make way for what love can do, because as Proverbs says, “Better is a meal of herbs where love is, than a fatted ox and hatred therewith,” Proverbs 15: 17. We all thank God for the love that there is circulating, and for being in the place where it is circulating, especially as it is circulating here. The enfolding I think points to the embrace of love in this particular matter.
AEMcC The light of the position alone was not sufficient. Paul was the only one who could meet the situation.
SMcC It would seem like that, and it is important to see the lead that Paul gives, and especially do our young people need care; we specially need to help them in regard of this position. The ministry is so great at the moment, we are reaching the crown of the church revival of things in the dispensation, and our young people are not just posts and pillars of stone; they are persons with souls and with feeling, and they need to feel the circulation of love in order that they may be carried into the channel and stream in which these wondrous thoughts are flowing that come before us in this chapter.
GSR Would it link on with the word in Ephesians 4: 13, “until we all arrive at the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God at the full-grown man, at the measure of the stature of the fulness of the Christ”?
SMcC Very good, as if there is consideration for every one, and we should be concerned as to every one in regard of the matter. They were not going on without Eutychus. The greatness of Paul shines in this matter, because he was a great man, one of the greatest men outside of Christ in relation to the ministry, yet he does not arbitrarily go forward, but holds the whole position up that Eutychus might be brought back into the circulation of love.
SS Someone has said the old and the young were going on together, God wants the experience of the old and the freshness and energy of the young.
SMcC I think so, and in the meetings in London in 1949 the expression was made which was very interesting, that unity body-wise makes way for union. There is not much use of talking about the exalted privileges of union with Christ in heaven if there is not unity body-wise, and I think we have now in this section a suggestion in an abstruse way of the body and the idea of circulation in it, because Eutychus was a definite part of the whole matter and Paul sees what is necessary, that he should be brought back into the flow and circulation of love, and we want our young brothers and sisters to get the impression of this wonderful environment and circle they are in where love is free to flow and they are wanted in this circle.
DB Is the apostle’s spirit here like that of the Lord in Luke 15 leaving the ninety and nine and going after the one sheep that was lost?
SMcC I think so. It is the way that love would take to secure what is out of the way; not just brush it aside and say we will go on without him, but we want to think of our young people more and more, and they need to feel the circulation of love, that it is not a question of mere arbitrary light we are going on with, but Eutychus is made to feel the enfolding of Paul. “Paul descending fell upon him and enfolding him in his arms, said, Be not troubled, for his life is in him.” That is there is something to work on. Do not let us write off our young people too quickly, let us take a good look - his life is in him; there is something to work on, and let the embrace come into operation.
AEMcC Love would find out what was there and would link on with it, however small it was.
SMcC That is it. Paul works on that. We might find a lot we can work against, but let us hold them in this vital environment where love in its choice quality is circulating. The Lord Jesus stressed the fatherly side. He was a father to them, and Paul, ere he leaves, stresses the fatherly side in his actions and movements. That is what is needed in our gatherings, not an arbitrary brushing aside of anyone, but bringing them into the warmth of love’s circulation, and its flow. So he is now coming into this realm constitutionally. He has not been in it constitutionally before, he had been hearing wonderful things coming out, and had been listening to them, but was not constitutionally in them, and so he falls asleep and falls down, but now the thought of food implies that he is going to be secured not just physically, but constitutionally.
CW Is the quality you are speaking of seen supremely in Paul as he shows skill in discoursing in the upper room, and when it comes to Eutychus he embraces him showing the versatility of knowing what to do in a crisis?
SMcC I think that is right. You find that the greater a man is spiritually the more fluid he is. We have often noticed that with beloved Mr. Taylor that things that would cause many of us a lot of disturbance cause no disturbance with him. The greater we are spiritually the more we can meet exigencies as they arise. Paul was able to turn from the discourse to meet it - not with another discourse now. Here are some of our young people and we all know that they have to go through certain experiences in their souls, and they have to find their assembly feet as it were, and we have to remember that we are not dealing with stones, we are not dealing with just wood, but we are dealing with persons who have souls, and therefore there is need not only for mere unfolding of light. You may give them a book of ministry and say read it, it will help you, and we do want to get them in touch with the ministry, but more is needed than that. This enfolding is needed to help them in this wonderful environment that so suggests our own time when the crown of things is arrived at. Then this matter of Eutychus is not going to lower the level. There is power to resume the elevated position. Paul goes up to the upper room.
EW The matter before Paul was deferred for a while, and the Holy Spirit records that he descended, not condescended.
SMcC Very interesting that. He descended. He is the great minister as to Christ and the assembly and the great outstanding feature of the mediatorial position is the descent of Christ, and the assembly is formed in accord with the mediatorial position, so that she descends in Revelation 21, and Paul, the great minister, is setting out the idea here, he descends. It is the activity of love in full keeping with the mediatorial actings in the economy of grace.
ECL “And they brought away the boy alive and were no little comforted.” They took on now the care that would value this young man.
SMcC I think that verse is very important. It says “they brought away the boy alive and were no little comforted.” We are inclined to speak of Eutychus as if he does not mean much, but apparently the brethren thought a lot of Eutychus despite the fact that he had fallen from the third story, and they were no little comforted. They do not say, ‘Oh, well, here is Eutychus back again,’ but their hearts were warmed and cheered by what had taken place, and now he would find a constitutional living part in this environment and that is what we want all our young people to feel and find.
ST “By this shall all know that ye are disciples of mine, if ye have love amongst yourselves,” John 13: 35. Would that help?
SMcC Yes, the Lord is indicating the great importance of love and its bearing on the testimony, “By this shall all know that ye are disciples of mine, if ye have love amongst yourselves.”
HF This is associated with daybreak. Would you say something about that?
SMcC I think that fits into our day; the day-breaking is almost upon us. We are about to enter the glory and the final position, we are just about to enter finality with Christ in glory. The whole controlling feature of the position is Paul. Everything stands related to Paul and is regulated by Paul. His ministry is the governing light in the chapter.
ECL Eutychus being back we now have conversational ministry. Would recovery promote liberty, for mutual conversation?
SMcC I think so, and dispensationally it alludes to the recovery in our time. There has been recovery to that position as indicated in verse 11, and the conversational side is a remarkable part of these closing days; reading meetings such as these.
OMR Would you say something on verse 9, “Paul discoursed very much at length,” and verse 11, “having long spoken.” Have you any thought as to the extensiveness and the fulness of the ministry?
SMcC I think it has to be viewed in the light of the dispensation and the recovery to what governs everything in these last days - that is Paul’s ministry which gives us the Lord’s supper and its proper assembly setting, and all that is related to it. It seems as if Paul having long spoken would mean dispensationally that the whole position latterly is covered by the light of Paul’s ministry.
LC Does this whole chapter suggest in the mention of the embrace and the enfolding in connection with this ministry what is to be introduced in the power of love and warmth and practical encirclement?
SMcC That is the point. I think we might well say and speak humbly about the position that at the present time love is circulating in an unusual and remarkable way, in a way that it has never done before. In different ways it could be referred to, but the brethren throughout the assembly have generally experienced the circulation of love in a remarkable way in this closing part of the dispensation.
I think now as we go on to Paul’s remarks to the elders they would help us to see what kind of a person Paul was, what lay behind his ministry and his service, as he says, “Ye know how I was with you all the time from the first day that I arrived in Asia,
serving the Lord with all lowliness and tears, and temptations, which happened to me through the plots of the Jews; how I held back nothing of what is profitable, so as not to announce it to you, and to teach you publicly and in every house.” A remarkable expression. We get the breathings here of a man who is finishing his service, and what is occupying him is not exactly the great prowess in his service in the previous chapters, but his tender links with them, and his regard for the truth, and his desires that the saints should come into the fulness of the truth.
HD He refers to himself not as an apostle but as a bondman. Would you say something about that?
SMcC You are referring to the note, “serving as a bondman.” That is an interesting reference, especially when we think of Exodus 21. We might write all over this as in the spirit of Christ Paul would say “I love my master, my wife and my children, I will not go free,” Exodus 21: 5. That is he was not in the testimony one week and out of it another week. He was not all worked up and bright and caring for the saints one week, and not bothering about them another week, but he was in it as a bondman, entirely and unselfishly committed in love’s service all the time; and that is one thing we want to emulate in Paul. “Remember your leaders who have spoken to you the word of God; and considering the issue of their conversation, imitate their faith,” Hebrews 13: 7. We have examples in that way put before us.
GO Paul says to Timothy, “Thou therefore, my child be strong in the grace which is in Christ Jesus,” 2 Timothy 2: 1.
SMcC I have no doubt Paul was referring Timothy back to the scope of the truth as he had heard it from Paul.
DMD In verse 31 he says “Wherefore watch, remembering that for three years, night and day, I ceased not admonishing each one of you with tears.” Would the bondmanship and feelings of the apostle be seen in this?
SMcC I think it should affect our hearts as to how we view the saints as to whether we view them in the light of the love of Christ for them because that is what Paul did. He thought of the assembly in all his movements, and it did not matter what he came across among the brethren he held them in the light of the assembly and served them in the greatness of that love that was so supremely expressed in Him whose the assembly is, our Lord Jesus Christ. We are tested. It is one thing to be asked to do certain things, to take on certain services, however small, but what about bondmanship and love for the brethren in this light as Paul was giving to these elders a model in himself? I think it is to show what eldership involves. In calling the elders over he is trying to inculcate into their minds what eldership will involve. It is not a matter of an official position but of unselfish care for the saints in tears, and sufferings, and temptations. But whatever it may be, whether our service is valued or not, we are to hold the saints in the light of the choice features of quality in which they are regarded here. Shepherd the assembly of God.
CW This chapter covers the great scope of the service of the apostle. There is the public side which would be linked on with the meeting rooms, and then there is “in every house,” and then here “admonishing each one of you with tears.”
SMcC A beautiful setting altogether. He was a man of like passions as ourselves, and is a model. We are to think of Paul. Of course he came short of Christ, Christ is unique in relation to sufferings and feelings, but Paul comes very near to Christ in this matter, and we are to take note of all these things and see how we measure up in regard of them.
LC Is it not most important to take account of quality in detail? We have in this chapter three years, three months, seven days, five days, and a single day. Would it be quality brought down in concentrated form?
SMcC Very interesting. The divisions of time are a study in themselves in this chapter, and it is remarkable how things are concentrated. Notice how he says in verse 31, “I ceased not admonishing each one of you with tears”; each one of you. What a great person Paul was. It is the concentration of love in that way on each one.
HF Do you think the prophetic touch comes in in verse 29, “I know this that there will come in amongst you after my departure grievous wolves, not sparing the flock”?
SMcC I think so. Now as we go on to verse 34 we have “Yourselves know that these hands have ministered to my wants, and to those who were with me, I have shewed you all things, that thus labouring, we ought to come in aid of the weak, and to remember the word of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” In the presence of the crown of things in regard of his ministry he is thinking about the weak and about others, and how he can give to others. What an example, what a contrast to the hierarchy around us and all those around us in the official body of Christendom. Think of the feelings the chapter is charged with! Think of the love the chapter is charged with in a man of like passions as ourselves setting out by example the way to serve the saints. It is a great matter to keep from writing people off too quickly. We want to carry them in the grace of the dispensation, especially the younger ones if by any means we can help them.
GSR There are two thoughts that seem to stress the idea of love, Paul’s face and Paul’s neck. I was thinking as you were speaking about the circulation of love of the effect on Paul’s countenance reflecting all he spoke of, and the recollection with the brethren of all his service and devotedness as they fell upon his neck and kissed him.
SMcC Very interesting. There might be a suggestion in the neck of the resoluteness of bondmanship. The neck always refers to resoluteness in the Scriptures, and think of what resoluteness was there in Paul’s service in bondmanship. He served all the brethren alike, and it is a great thing that we should, without preference or predilection in the matter, serve all the saints.
JR Marks of suffering would be in his face as well as marks of love.
SMcC I am sure there would be that, and the way he speaks here both in regard of his sufferings and in regard of his service brings him very near to Christ, his Master, and we want to be like Christ on this line, and especially to be free from what is official. The less we have spiritually the more official we have to be, we have to make up for it officially; the more we have spiritually the less we shall be official, and that is what shines in Paul, the great lack of what is official in him. While he did occupy, and rightly so, an official position, what shines here is practical Christianity in the man. We all want to be practical persons, not to dream and have super-spiritual ideas that never work out practically. The more you are with God and in the crown of things, and in the full joy of Ephesian light, the more practical you will be in regard of your wife, and your children, and the local brethren.
SW Would the brethren here take on the features of Paul? “They all wept sore; and falling upon the neck of Paul they ardently kissed him.”
SMcC That is right, that is how example works in the chapter. If you get a person who is a model like Paul in that way, it is wonderful how infectious it is, and how persons begin to take on things and features as they see them set out in a living exponent of the truth.
OMR So it would be a spontaneous response to what we get in verse 1, “Paul having called the disciples to him and embraced them,” and in verse 10, “enfolding him in his arms.”
SMcC I think so.
Kingston, Jamaica.