EXTRACTS

Then it goes on to say, “Give heed to thyself”. That is particularly what I had in mind; and then, “and to the teaching; continue in them; for, doing this, thou shalt save both thyself and those that hear thee”. “Give heed to thyself”. Take heed to your gift, of course; do not neglect that, but do not neglect yourself! Take heed to yourself, your ways, your motives. If I am going to preach or speak to the saints, what about my walk and ways? Is it apparent that I am going on with God? It says here, “... thou shalt save both thyself and those that hear thee”.

You are to save yourself; it is a question of service, of a servant, and of his ways, his practices; how he lives, how he occupies himself, but particularly he is to take heed to himself. “But youthful lusts flee ...” Think of a great servant like Timothy having to be told that! Flee them! There are those things that are most dangerous for you. See that they do not get at you! “Give heed to thyself”. One has often been impressed with the sad endings of some great servants of God; one could name many. And it is a warning to us while we are young to take heed to ourselves as to certain propensities that we are conscious of, anything that militates against me. Lay it aside. If it is a temptation, flee it! Get out of its way, because others are looking at me. If I have a little ability to serve the Lord’s people, others are looking at me. So that the apostle is concerned about this servant, that he should save himself and that he should save those to whom he ministers; that one is what he is. “... as with the people, so with the priest”, Isaiah 24: 2. As soon as a man is recognised as having any little ability in ministry, he is watched. People say, He does it, I can do it. “Give heed to thyself and to the teaching; continue in them; for, doing this, thou shalt save both thyself and those that hear thee”. Thank God for those who hear! There are not many who hear today, relatively very few, but those who do hear, save them! That is what all this ministry is for.

We need saving every day, and ministers are to be models, as this servant is told to be—“a model of the believers”.

J. Taylor (Vol. 92, pp.252, 253)

And then as to marital affairs, we see in Solomon a man capable of a most remarkable composition, showing that there was there an understanding of holy love. His song, which is called, “The song of songs, which is Solomon’s”, treats of holy love; no one can read it aright or profitably, save as he reads it from that point of view. He had also great discernment as to family affairs. The book of Proverbs is from the son of David. Every young man and young woman should read that book from the standpoint that the writer knew parental love.

Proverbs speaks of parental affection and the due response in children; you have in it the wisdom of the son of David, as entering into all family relationships—and how entangled they are! The family idea is becoming lost in this world. In the East, indeed, it hardly ever had a footing; in the Western world it had a certain place, and hence, as I apprehend, this section of the world was selected in the wisdom of God for the development of the assembly. East of Palestine the gospel and the mystery made little or no headway. In regard to marriage, the Lord goes back to the beginning, Matthew 19: 8. Genesis is quoted in Ephesians in the same connection; Ephesians 5: 31. The saints need to be reminded of that wisdom that preserves intact family relationships. We cannot be in the assembly according to God, save as our houses are ordered according to Him. But I speak particularly of the spiritual family, and Proverbs is intended to maintain us in that relation. It is intended to maintain the links between us and the Father and the Son, and with each other as brethren.

J. Taylor (Vol. 29, pp.192, 193)

I refer to all this because I believe it is important to bear in mind that when we come to critical things, such as doctrine or discipline, we need to pay more attention to the actual letter of Scripture. It might, of course, be said that the letter kills, which is true, but it is not always the truth in that sense; it has to be read with intelligence. By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned”, Matthew 12: 37. There it is a question of literality.

J. Taylor (Vol. 65, p.257)

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