⬇ EPUB

REVIVAL

JT This thought, that Paul represents, of the principle of revival in the history of the assembly, whilst not in any way detracting from the inauguration of the great system, yet in the completion of it awaited this advent. The apostles were stressed at the outset, of course only to the number twelve, a pattern afforded, and then they go on to the end, their names being in the foundations of the heavenly city. But from the outset it was evident it needed revival, as time went on correctness was needed. This is not a matter of mere history, but has present application that we should count on God for revival and for persons qualified to lead in it. I thought these passages serve to bring out these facts, so the scattering became the occasion of the intervention that we see here, and the spreading of the truth, the spreading of the movement. Up to this time the metropolitan thought, in the assembly at Jerusalem, more or less prevailed, but now the movement had gone beyond Jerusalem and took fresh character in Antioch. So these thoughts are intended to move us and to help us to see that it is a question of one generation passing away and another coming; Ecclesiastes 1: 4. God uses what may be available at any time. So these passages show how this movement was signalised, first in Barnabas and then in Paul himself, the movement, of course, proceeding, and the incoming of the Gentiles at Caesarea, so that the apostles, the twelve are still in their place, their full place, Peter being used to bring in the Gentiles, but still Paul was the apostle of the Gentiles. So Peter served to link on the beginning with the present movement. Therefore there is no thought of a break ^[p. 55] or schism, but continuance of the truth, of the divine movement, so that the movement is one. The assembly is the centre of it, not simply the apostles or one apostle, but the assembly. So the divine thought is glory to God “in the assembly in Christ Jesus unto all generations of the age of ages”, Ephesians 3: 21. Is that clear?

GG I think so. In that regard is it significant that what was preached at Antioch was the “glad tidings of the Lord Jesus”, as though they had this assembly touch as the glad tidings were presented?

JT It will be seen that chapter 11 is in a way the completion of the primary suggestion, that is, what began with Peter’s movement at Caesarea, and then the thought of love providing in a financial way to meet the need and how the collection for the saints became ultimately a matter of consequence and continuance, so the ministry of prophecy coming in is accentuated, but there is a break to bring out the work of the devil meeting all these things. Then the main subject is what is in Antioch — the assembly was there, the full thought of the assembly, but that was at Antioch, not Jerusalem, no rivalry but variety and enlargement.

EuR It was there as the result of the teaching of Paul and Barnabas for a whole year.

JT I suppose to bring out the completeness of the ministry that was introduced, particularly here intimating full time for any service of the kind to complete it, so the character of the material gave way to the influence of ministry, the influence of gift, and eventuated in a definite name which carried with it the thought of the Lord Jesus, that is Christians, the name being divine, it had come from God, it was special — not only disciples but Christians, which I think ought to be borne in mind that the working out of the truth which took many years, was not in a moment. The period in Luke’s account ^[p. 56] would almost intimate that it was, but a long time was needed to bring out the great developments which were in mind. This name is to break off from mere Judaism. No doubt the thought of Bar-jesus, the fact of the discipline on him, was to suggest the abandonment on the part of God of Judaism for a season bringing in the Gentiles. Bar-jesus was to be “blind, not seeing the sun for a season”, meaning it was not finality. Judaism will be resumed but in the meantime we have Christianity giving special distinction to the brethren stamped by the ministry of Paul and Barnabas.

Rem It seems the preaching of the glad tidings of the Lord Jesus led up to this and laid the foundation for it. Would you help us so that we might preach in this way? It seems to be the ground work of all that is built.

JT “Announcing the glad tidings of the Lord Jesus”. It is a peculiarly touching formative designation, “Lord Jesus”. Paul says later, “No one can say, Lord Jesus, unless in the power of the Holy Spirit”, 1 Corinthians 12: 3. I am not so sure there is very much attached to it, except a touch of endearment. We have the “glad tidings of Jesus” in chapter 8: 35, and in the same chapter — verse 5 — Philip preached “the Christ” to them.

JTtr There seemed to be fellowship between Antioch and Jerusalem at this time, sending out Barnabas, and it says it came to the “ears of the assembly”.

JT It existed at the outset. Antioch was here, it comes in here in this chapter; and in chapter 8 the movement by Philip was signalised by the intervention of the twelve sending out two in view of the gift of the Spirit. That the Spirit was not given through the preaching of Philip was remarkable as if Jerusalem had to be fully acknowledged.

JTtr You referred to the metropolitan idea.

JT The word ‘assembly’ is in the singular up to this time. In chapter 14 Paul and Barnabas chose elders in each assembly, which would mean that the assemblies henceforth should be on the footing of responsibility, not independent, but the idea of assemblies. The plural word in chapter 9 is questionable, but Paul in chapter 18 greets “the assembly” without saying which one (verse 22). As late as his service at Ephesus the metropolitan thought is there, but gradually disappearing. It must be transferred to heaven, Jerusalem above is the centre of everything for us now. Is that clear?

JTtr The remark as to the “ears of the assembly” is interesting, does the assembly today have ears?

JT I should think so in principle. The brethren have what we call care meetings which are simple statements of fact. We have care and as having care we have ears to hearken to what is said as to assembly matters.

GG It is significant in our chapter we get, “They were gathered together in the assembly and taught a large crowd”.

JT That would be the assembly in the sense of any local assembly. It was the assembly at Antioch. That ran through. You may not hear the assembly, that would refer to Jerusalem, but it holds now, meaning any local assembly has authority from the Lord in that sense, although we never forget that we are in broken times. But the Lord tells us He is thinking of the whole in Revelation. “I also will keep thee out of the hour of trial”, Revelation 3: 10. That refers to the whole assembly.

Ques Would you say a word about Paul representing the principle of revival?

JT It is an allusion to what marked him at the outset before he was commissioned. He preached that Jesus was the Son of God and eventually became ^[p. 58] active and energetic in the testimony to promote the revival. These verses indicate plainly there was a revival. This whole year’s service in which Paul was the leader eventually would indicate the movement in heaven. The brethren will remember the force of the word ‘called’ here, it is not simply an ordinary word but of divine origin, divine pronouncement, meaning a distinct stamp had been placed on the work of God at that time, and that work continued. There must have been continual impressions left, original impressions which we do not get now. Thoughts now are not different from what we have had before because the word of God has been completed. So the Lord would help us to be aware and cognisant of what is going on in a distinctive character, that we are dealing with a great matter, not to call attention to ourselves, but great people are involved.

Ques Would a revival of this sort bring in a large crowd of intelligent persons and lead to distinctiveness in chapter 13?

JT Just what I was thinking. The verses in chapter 11 bring in Paul. He is mentioned last in the list in chapter 13, but he comes to the front. It says, “Paul and his company” in verse 13, which is a definite expression. No one would attempt to suggest anybody had a company now, no brother, however gifted. So here we are in a time of the beginning, the inaugural state of things, so he and Barnabas chose elders in every assembly.

Rem It was a new departure in the ways of God, in bringing the Gentiles in.

JT In the sense in which we are saying it is not exactly new, for the Gentiles were brought in from Caesarea, but it is new in the sense of apostolic ministry. Barnabas is called an apostle, too. None had such authority as Paul, such a wide area of subjects, the ministry of the assembly, the ministry of reconciliation, and the ministry of the gospel and ^[p. 59] one or two others. So we can see at once this section is revival and yet in a sense not a revival but a continuance of the truth, in the sense of great addition.

Rem The circumstances seem to call for a man like Paul, so that the crowd twice mentioned are formed by example into the assembly. They would know of his “ways ... in Christ” (1 Corinthians 4: 17), and his “intelligence in the mystery of the Christ” (Ephesians 3: 4).

JT And that was augmented by special attendance, Titus and Timotheus stood out and continued.

Ques The fact that he spoke to Greeks — what would you say about that?

JT Not simply Jewish converts but Greeks, as if God was affecting the Pagan world, not only that, but possibly to bring out the language in which He intended to distinguish the written testimony. He is the God of the Gentiles and could use them at His pleasure. But what we come to now should stress what was at Antioch. “There were in Antioch, in the assembly which was there, prophets and teachers” whose names are given and Saul is the last. The Holy Spirit stresses Himself as God, not simply as sent down from heaven, but as God, for it says, “As they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, Separate me now Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them”. I have called them. “Then, having fasted and prayed, and having laid their hands on them, they let them go. They, therefore, having been sent forth by the Holy Spirit”, showing the Spirit is stressed in this section. It would seem that it is suitable it should be so, that at such a juncture the Spirit should assert Himself in sending out these servants to the Gentiles.

EuR Each Person in the Deity seems concerned in the assembly; it adds great lustre to it.

JT Thus God protects the truth of the Deity,

^[p. 60] whilst maintaining the economy set out in order to meet a certain end, yet the Deity is Itself protected in our minds.

Ques On what kind of occasion do you think this took place? “As they were ministering to the Lord and fasting”.

JT I think it was to develop the thought of the service of God which has become very prominent with us lately, involving the Lord’s supper; although it is not mentioned here, it comes in later. The service of God is being set out in the order of it, the order in which divine Persons have part in it. There is not the same order in the early chapters, the service went on but not with such definiteness. It acquired no such distinction in Acts 2 but under Paul it did and does yet. It still retains its distinction as at the beginning of the service.

EuR Ministering to the Lord and fasting involves priestly service.

JT I am sure. Whether the Lord is Christ or Jehovah — I think it is the Lord Jesus. We are said to be priests unto Christ, so the service in the Lord’s supper can continue by itself and yet not separated from the main service, but as it were a section in it.

EuR He has made us priests.

JT But we are made priests unto Christ too, so that the Lord has the thing for Himself.

JTtr Does the Holy Spirit speak in this way today?

JT I would think so. I think that all the divine Persons speak distinctly. It is a question of our discernment whether we are able to see and discern the Father’s voice, and the Son’s voice is to be discerned, and the Spirit’s voice, too, is to be discerned. We could hardly carry on intelligently without recognising these things. The Lord is giving more character to the meetings and the parts of the services, so I think brethren are more intelligent ^[p. 61] in it and it is right to seek to continue in intelligence in view of our eternal part.

Rem These two great servants in the matter of revival do not enter into it voluntarily. Barnabas was sent from Jerusalem and Paul was called into it.

JT Showing the sympathetic cohesion in the services. Barnabas was sent from Jerusalem and he sought out Paul. And then Paul went to Jerusalem to make acquaintance with Peter, showing the strong fellowship and unity that marked them, which should mark us now, for national feeling tends to disrupt these things. “Jerusalem above”, it says in Galatians 4: 26, “which is our mother”, is our one common centre.

JMcK Does this fit into Ephesians 2 where the apostle speaks of “the foundation of the apostles and prophets”? Then the apostle goes on to what is made known concerning Christ and the assembly by the power of the Spirit, the great opening out of the assembly springing out of that.

JT That is very suggestive, and the great place Paul had in all that is in mind. That ye may understand “my intelligence in the mystery of the Christ”, not the intelligence of the twelve but “my intelligence”. The Lord gave him that place in the affections of the brethren. And though he is not in the foundations of the heavenly city, he is in the inner side — that ye might “be strengthened ... in the inner man”, Ephesians 3: 16. The inward side is to be kept in mind, because Paul says, God “was pleased to reveal his Son in me”, Galatians 1: 16. With Peter it was to him. So the inward is taken up by Paul and enlarged on.

EuR This would stimulate the meetings for prophetic ministry.

JT I am sure. That is what God has helped us in.

EuR “The Spirit speaks expressly” — that is ^[p. 62] in view of the apostate state coming in. We need this prophetic ministry locally more than ever.

JT Quite. So the Lord has helped us to apply the thought of prophetic ministry to these meetings. For there should be an element of authority in the ministry if the character of it is kept in mind. Therefore in 1 Corinthians 14 the great point is “rather that ye may prophesy”. So the question of the prophetic character — “the hill of God” which is alluded to in 1 Samuel 10: 5 — comes in that chapter, “If therefore the whole assembly come together in one place”. It is the whole assembly, the whole idea, as if God would indicate there is authority. He has authoritative speaking, and the assertion of the truth, so that the temple of God comes into it. “Do ye not know that ye are the temple of God?” (1 Corinthians 3: 16). The same idea you see in Ephesians 2: 21 — it “increases to a holy temple in the Lord”. It is in view of unfolding the mind of God in a coming day. The assembly is in view of that.

Rem This thought of Barnabas and Saul being called comes through the Holy Spirit making a distinct impression on one vessel present?

JT That is what I understand. The Spirit did not become incarnate so He speaks through someone in whom He dwells, but it is His speaking.

Rem It seems to give the Spirit room to operate in what is levitical. He speaks in relation to sending forth these two men for further work thus linking the work of God elsewhere.

JT So the work is one whole. “There is one body and one Spirit, ... one hope ... one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in us all”, Ephesians 4: 4 - 6. It is all one thing. All that should be stressed in ministry, especially prophetic ministry, so that what is said here will be said in Australia.

^[p. 63] Rem So that what is done by the Spirit is done mediately.

JT The assembly has ears as viewed as universal.

Rem As this finds expression and is worked out in the saints, what once has owned His name and proves to be apostate will be left. The Lord has that in which He operates.

JT The brethren ought to understand that. In the Lord’s address to Philadelphia, the assembly is there and in His mind it is functioning, and He says, “I make them of the synagogue of Satan ... I will cause that they shall come and shall do homage before thy feet, and shall know that I have loved thee”. The Lord was thus distinguishing what was of Himself, and exposing what was not. So the revelation through John, the Apocalypse, provides for all these matters. The apostate thing will be judged according to their judgment. “God has judged your judgment upon her”, Revelation 18: 20. This is a great matter; what we are dealing with now, God will deal with presently, and He is taking account of what the brethren are saying and what they are praying about. He has not given up the primary thought. He has not altered one iota of His thought of the assembly.

Rem So a designation is given to this man — a false prophet, such are to be banned.

JT That is the thought. It is a Jew. But in the epistle to the Hebrews there is the assertion of apostasy as in chapters 6: 4 - 8 and 10: 26 - 31, etc. Things are being defined so that we can distinguish. God has been working politically to distinguish things amongst the brethren. As the end draws near the thing is there. That gives great advantage to the brethren to carry on in prayer, able to see that God is recognising the powers that be for a purpose. This man has a certain link with Jesus, I suppose - Bar-jesus. He was a “magician (for so his name is by interpretation)” — we can see the idea of interpretation — “opposed them, seeking to turn away the proconsul from the faith”. It is a political matter with him. He would turn him away from the faith.

EuR What have you in mind?

JT It is a political title. Any man working on these lines, we would have our eye upon him. We can identify the thing here by the thought of interpretation. It is rather he is carrying on with the outward thing, that God has owned, for instance the Church of England is an institution God has owned. No spiritual man wishes it overthrown, not that he would in any way support it.

EuR It is of service and going on till the Lord comes.

JT Quite so.

Rem Saul says, “O full of all deceit and all craft son of the devil, enemy ^[p. 65] of all righteousness wilt thou not cease perverting the right paths of the Lord?” His name is in condemnation.

JT You can read a political position in what he says. At the same time Paul is an apostle of Jesus Christ and naming things in that light. What a great matter it was that the proconsul should be secured. They went the whole length of the island to secure him. He marvelled at the teaching. These religious systems are nothing compared with the assembly.

Rem Saul’s name is changed here to Paul. There is intelligence in his new name.

JT It is character, I think. The Spirit of God is calling attention to what Paul is characteristically, not simply his name. The meaning of the name Paul is ‘little’; he is “less than the least of all saints”, Ephesians 3: 8. That is what he says of himself.

Rem It is the inwardness that is there, and he is fearless in using the Lord’s name.

JT “Wilt thou not cease perverting the right paths of the Lord?”

EuR There is much of this mist and darkness around. Should we not seek to be on the lines of “Paul and his company” in verse 13?

JT The Spirit of God distinguishes him in that way, having a company. He speaks of himself “being such a one as Paul the aged”, Philemon 9. There is a distinction attached to him that no one else has. So a great servant said, Cleave to Paul, do not forget John but cleave to Paul, he is teaching the last word from heaven, the last word for many things, especially the completion of the word of God.

Rem This principle of revival stands connected with Paul.

JT I should say so. Hence the long discourse at Troas. We are not told what he said, but it was accompanied with revival. Of the boy Paul said, “His life is in him”. It was the resuscitation of the testimony in mind. “They brought away the boy alive, and were no little comforted”, Acts 20: 12.

← Previous Article 8 of 32 Next →