THE LORD'S COMING TO HIS OWN AS SEEN IN THE FOUR GOSPELS (1)
THE LORD’S COMING TO HIS OWN AS SEEN IN THE FOUR GOSPELS (1)
JT In divine incomings there is the idea of coming and seeing and then there is the idea of coming and remaining. In Genesis 11 God came down to see what the children of men were building, He did not come to stay but rather to see and condemn; then what Moses and the children of Israel built in Exodus also had in mind divine incomings, but the tabernacle of God was in mind there and God came to stay. There was a full examination of the structure and it was approved, Moses representing God in that sense, and also anointing it to show that it was approved, and then God came in Himself in glory, came in and remained, as it were. Now these scriptures are typical of what is in mind in the closing chapters of the evangelists regarding the Lord coming after He arose, and here verse 16 is particularly in mind, “But the eleven disciples went into Galilee to the mountain which Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they did homage to him: but some doubted. And Jesus coming up spoke to them”; what follows shows that they were approved and commissioned. The idea of the assembly had been introduced by the Lord in chapters 16 and 18, viewed in both chapters as having an administrative constitution, and it is hoped that we may be able to confine our thoughts to that, involving as it does the kingdom of God which is largely treated of in this gospel, and the assembly in relation to it. The idea is authority with administrative service, not service God-ward exactly but service in an administrative and authoritative sense. So there is means in the assembly to deal with matters whatever they may be so that we can carry on. The whole chapter has been suggested, with the exception of the first verse,
[p. 389] because it bears on what has been remarked and indeed in a larger sense the whole gospel does this. Righteousness is greatly stressed in view of this administrative institution because there should be moral authority as well as divinely appointed authority, and moral authority develops on moral grounds. Therefore we have from the very outset great stress laid on righteousness, particularly in the tenth chapter in which we have certain valuations which enter into this great matter. The Lord says after appointing the twelve, “He that receives you receives me, and he that receives me receives him that sent me. He that receives a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whosoever shall give to drink to one of these little ones a cup of cold water only, in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward”. The position is greatly strengthened on these moral lines as well as on commissioned or authoritative lines, and we have a list of values as they stand, namely a prophet, righteous man and a disciple.
JD Bearing on your subject it is remarkable that Joseph is spoken of as a righteous man in view of his dealing with the matter of Mary, so that the gospel begins with the great thought of righteousness.
JT That is very important and illustrates the line running throughout, so the Lord in speaking to John the baptist says, “Thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness” (chapter 3: 15). So that we are reminded in dealing with matters in the assembly that we must deal with details in the little things as well as in the big things.
JD The Holy Spirit in the assembly is maintaining the rights of Christ as Lord and the power for administration is in the assembly on [p. 390] that line.
JT It is in mind to bring that out. When we consider the kingdom it is a wider thought dealing with the heavens, so it is called the kingdom of the heavens in this gospel except for one or two places where it is called the kingdom of God, showing that heaven is brought into the position. That is, in assembly decisions and administration, “whatsoever thou mayest bind upon the earth shall be bound in the heavens; and whatsoever thou mayest loose on the earth shall be loosed in the heavens” (chapter 16: 19). Heaven is brought into the matter and earth too.
CHH Matthew 1: 1 says, “Son of David, Son of Abraham”. Would David represent the kingly side and Abraham the righteous side?
JT David is named first, although the line begins with Abraham, because that view of the kingdom is in mind. When we come to David in verse 6 it is, “David the king”, so we must keep the kingdom in mind; with the king decisions are deliberate and power is there in what proceeds.
Ques Are authority and administration the bases on which things are maintained here for God?
JT Yes, and the commissions are in chapter 10, which is important. In connection with the appointing of the disciples Mark says, “He appointed twelve that they might be with him”, but Matthew says, “And having called to him his twelve disciples, he gave them power over unclean spirits, so [p. 405] that they should cast them out, and heal every disease and every bodily weakness. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who was called Peter”. There is the principle of leadership established; not only is authority in each of them but one is mentioned specifically, “first, Simon”.
Ques Would “Whatsoever thou mayest bind upon the earth shall be bound in the heavens” bring in administration in [p. 391] assembly responsibility?
JT Yes, the assembly as established is constituted, as you might say, in authority and there is no ‘if’ as to it; “tell it to the assembly; and if also he will not listen to the assembly, let him be to thee as one of the nations and a tax-gatherer”, Matthew 18: 17. There is no ‘if’ as to assembly authority; it is viewed abstractly but it is there; viewed from the abstract point of view it is really infallible because its commands and decisions are bound in heaven.
Ques Does the thought come out in connection with Matthew himself who was occupied in gathering taxes for Rome?
JT It is very good to bring that in because he was occupied administratively, sitting at the receipt of taxes, and the Lord inducted him; there was no ‘if’, it was just “Follow me”. The first principle on the moral line is the authority of the Lord, and Matthew did follow Him. He is also to be regarded as a man of importance, and he used this importance immediately for the Lord and brought in certain ones that the Lord could evangelise. His calling was not a bad calling; it was an administrative matter and he was carrying it on, but the Lord said, “Follow me”, and he did it. He is called Levi but his apostolic name is Matthew, which is very instructive; he is going to be employed now by the Lord in administrative matters.
Rem The power to bring him into subjection was thus expressed by the King.
JT Quite so. From the very outset authority was brought in by commandment, but this is something more than commandment, because “Follow me” involves the Person; the spiritual touch is there. No one is of any use at all without the spiritual touch in the things of God.
JWD Matthew links the thought of administration with the assembly.
[p. 392] JT The idea would be there. In regard of the people of Israel coming out of Egypt it is of note that whatever was found of God in Egypt was taken on and the people spoiled the Egyptians. God gave them favour in their eyes so that when they asked for certain things such as silver and gold and clothing they gave them to them. That is to say, the principal thought with the Lord as regards His system in this city is to spoil the other system and leave it a shell as much as possible with nothing in it that belongs to Himself. What is of value is taken away and God weakens the system until He leaves it just a shell.
RRT In mentioning the twelve apostles here is there the thought of how the Lord is taking account of what is characteristic with each individual in view of administration?
JT Quite so, the names would mean that. The twelve are called “disciples”, “And having called to him his twelve disciples, he gave them power”, Matthew 10: 1. That word ‘power’ indicates the dynamic exercising of authority, showing that they were qualified to cast out unclean spirits and to heal every disease and every bodily weakness. The gift of power for these things is remarkable! These men were able to do the thing and they were called upon by God to do it; the idea of the names is attached to that. In parallel the mighty men of David are mentioned in the beginning of his reign in Chronicles; and at the end in Samuel there is not one missing. The idea is that they were men able to do things, mighty men! I believe Matthew and Mark, especially Matthew, had in mind men able to do things, not only because they were appointed but because they had power in a dynamic sense. That is real power, and their names were taken from that.
RRT That is an important feature in connection with administration; certain conventions of this [p. 393] world fall because there is no power to carry out their decisions, and our administration will fall unless there is the power to carry it forward.
JT That is what Matthew and Mark have in mind particularly — power! They also have in mind great men, mighty men: “Now the names of the twelve apostles are these”. These twelve men each had a designation, so that in the meeting for discipline you would be reminded of the designation of each.
JD The earthquake and the angel sitting on the stone would set aside the great system of this world and introduce a new kingdom.
JT Yes; that would be seen in the whole passage before us. “And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending out of heaven, came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. And his look was as lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became as dead men”. Well, that is all impressing us with the power, not simply authority in the sense of commandments because of being told to do the thing, but undoubted ability to do it. That is a feature of Matthew and he himself is representative of it. So here you have the real thing; nobody is destroyed, for the angel destroys no one, but the power is there and everyone is to fear.
JWD It is the application of dynamic power.
JT It is real power, really to enlarge in a simple way the question of authority. He came in with power and authority as vested in himself. “And his look was as lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became as dead men”. It suggests the way the whole universe is seen, so to speak, as well as how the men are affected, though they would come in in a special way as men are what Matthew has particularly in [p. 394] mind. Men are coming in to be formed into an institution called by the word ‘assembly’; it is properly from a Greek word meaning ‘called out persons’, called out in view of being in a certain position. So it is, according to Hebrews, “the assembly of the first-born”, such persons as those. And these are all in the kingdom which really supersedes the great word ‘assembly’.
CHH “Clothing white as snow” would suggest the moral side as linking on with the power.
LES Would what is found in Isaiah link on here? “I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and his train filled the temple. Seraphim were standing above him, each had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he flew. And one called to the other and said, Holy, holy, holy is Jehovah of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” Isaiah 6: 1 - 3.
JT It was an array of power and the prophets were able to see that; Jeremiah saw something too and what he saw was to support his ministry, and similarly with the other prophets. Matthew is on Old Testament lines and what is new is now introduced by Christ Himself. The angel is representative of heaven’s authority and power; he evidences the idea and it is seen first by the women. Then the Lord comes in and He greets the women particularly, saying, “Hail!”. The way the Lord salutes these women is very beautiful! It was not men but women, a very important matter because women are part of the constitution of the assembly. This chapter shows how heaven respects them and the Lord Himself particularly so.
LES “Emmanuel, which is, being interpreted, ‘God with us’”, Matthew 1: 23.
JWD The stone is rolled away, and do we have the guarantee that everything in the nature [p. 395] of stone which will interfere with the assembly will be rolled away?
JT That is very suggestive. Stone may be representative of what is of God of a permanent nature, but here it would suggest a great obstacle in the way in the minds of those lovers of the Lord and “an angel ... came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it”. The thing is done! So in our difficulties we shall find that the divine hand has done the principal thing. We come up against real obstacles and what are we going to do? If we proceed we shall find that the divine hand has been there before us.
RRT The sign of real triumph is to sit upon it.
JT There is a certain serenity in the attitude of the brethren in the way they can sit still and be wise. God is with them, as it says, “God is indeed amongst you”, 1 Corinthians 14: 25. The man thus impressed falls down, convicted of all, judged of all, and worships God.
Rem God has everything under control.
JT The stone is rolled away and the angel is sitting upon it; no one is interfering with that! “His look was as lightning, and his clothing white as snow”; there is warning in that.
JD What is said as to the women comes in in connection with the assembly meeting. It is important that the sisters should be there in all affection, sympathetically regarding the situation; it is to such the Lord says, “Hail!”
JT Very beautiful! In that connection we purposely omitted reading verse 1 of this chapter. Why were the women there? They came to look at the sepulchre — a futile occupation! They had light as to it too, but they did not walk in the light. It says, “Now late on sabbath, as it was the dusk of the next day after sabbath, came Mary of Magdala and the other Mary to look at the sepulchre”. Well, what [p. 396] did they have in their minds? It was very nice to look at the sepulchre, but there should have been more in their minds. Luke tells us that suddenly two men in shining raiment stood by them, and they rebuked them and told them what the Lord had said when He was with them in Galilee, “And they remembered his words”. Sure enough, it was in their minds only it was dormant! So the thing is for us to realise that our minds are to be active.
JD It is a question now of following the present words of ministry.
JT I think so. Where are our minds? If something comes up today about which you are not clear, do you have to go to this one and that one? You had much better tax your mind. What about yourself? what have you here? The two men were saying what the Lord had said in Galilee and as they talked the sayings came back into the women’s minds; then of course there was no further difficulty, I believe that is the point, because these women came with dark minds however commendable they might seem, and so we have the men in this position to impress their minds. Then it is said in our chapter, “And the angel answering said to the women. Fear not ye”. Only sisters were there, and they with dark, inactive minds, but heaven was tender and sympathetic with them, saying, “Fear not ye”, and the ‘ye’ is emphatic. The Spirit of God shows that the sisters have special consideration at this juncture; they were to be a part of the system in the upper room in Acts and so they needed tender consideration if they were to be of any use at all; they must be handled tenderly. And then it says, “for I know that ye seek Jesus the crucified one. He is not here, for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and say to his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and behold, he goes before you into Galilee, there shall ye see him. Behold, I have told you”. The idea of seeing enters into their message.
LES For the understanding of the ministry do we need the sensitiveness of the Spirit suggested in the character of a dove? It would help us to be balanced in the truth.
JT That is good, I am sure. The point is that we have to tax ourselves because what we are in involves a system, an organism. No one can explain the organism of the human body, and the Lord intended that because He intends the idea to enter into this system, the assembly, in which we find ourselves. It is an organism and involves great refinement and sensitiveness.
CHH “O knowledge too wonderful for me!” Psalm 139: 6.
JWD Body organism makes for one mind, and most of the letters sent around would not need to be answered if we understood how the body organism works out locally.
JT I think that is right. Let us tax ourselves as to what we know. Has He told us? The two men in Luke reminded them of what they knew and the women came to it, so with those going to Emmaus, their hearts burned within them; they were affected inwardly.
JD The angel says, “Go quickly”, and the women are evidently obedient to the angelic ministry so that as they are in the path the Lord meets them. They had listened to the ministry and taken it on.
JT Quite so. This is angelic ministry of course dealing with the inauguration of christianity but it is a primary lesson that we have to learn, to come under the authority of heaven. With Philip it was not the Spirit that told him to go to Gaza but an angel, yet when he went we are told that the Spirit took him on.
[p. 398] We ought to see the importance of the women’s place here and how it is carried through, so that the term “your women” is mentioned in Corinthians. It is thus carried through into assembly matters and I believe there is instruction here for those who are of the organism. Are we sensitive and do we remember what we have heard? Are we keeping things in our minds? We should be ready to be ministered to and ready to keep up with whatever is current. This is the principle on which the body functions, not by writing letters to some brother five or six thousand miles away but by taxing what you know yourself. There is no need for it, especially in view of the time it takes to get a letter back; tax yourself! The Spirit of God is ready and He will give understanding.
LES “And ye have the unction from the holy one, and ye know all things”, 1 John 2: 20.
Ques Would that be “according to the power which works in us”, Ephesians 3: 20?
JT Just so; as it says here, “He is not here, for he is risen, as he said”. There is no need to go to anyone else for instruction, tax yourself! The “as he said” would show that they had heard what He said.
RRT The case with us may possibly be that we need adjustment as to where the Lord is at the moment. They were seeking Him, the crucified One, in the grave, but their thoughts were directed to the fact that He was not there but was risen and was going before them into Galilee.
JT And the idea of appointment is a kingdom principle. The word ‘appointment’ is used in verse 16, “But the eleven disciples went into Galilee to the mountain which Jesus had appointed them”, and that implies acting under directions, the authority of the Lord entering into it. The word to the women was by the angel, “Behold, I have told you”. He [p. 399] spoke with authority, and that principle runs down to the present day, in a greater or lesser degree, in a prophet, or a righteous man, or a disciple. It is a poor thing not to have some authority; I need it in my work if I am an employer, and I need to know how to order it according to God. The next thing is that they are doing what the angel has told them and are doing it quickly, not at a later date but “going out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, they ran to bring his disciples word”. How many things are done quickly by us all, and how unreliable we often are! But what we get here is reliability; they carry the message that they have received and the Lord comes to meet them: “And as they went to bring his disciples word, behold also, Jesus met them, saying, Hail!”. They were carrying out the message and the Lord saluted them: “And as they went, behold, some of the watch went into the city, and brought word to the chief priests of all that had taken place”. That was the devil’s work. We are prone to speak of women as carrying false information but these women carried the things they received intact and the Lord came in and saluted them.
JD The Lord here speaks of the disciples as “my brethren”, speaking of the institution of the assembly.
JT So there is advance, and the word ‘ran’ here is progressive. The angel gives a short word, and then the Lord uses His own word, “Go, bring word to my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there they shall see me”.
LES In reporting ministry it is needful to bring in the spiritual state in which that ministry is conveyed.
JT I think that is good.
Rem The meeting place here is Galilee, despicable in the eyes of [p. 400] men.
JT That is another thought, that the position in Galilee is one of reproach.
JWD This word ‘hail’ should be in evidence in administrative matters, and the Lord’s being with us would tend to moral power.
JT That word implies that we are to be respectful to the brethren, a great factor, for if we have no respect for the brethren we shall certainly never love them.
CHH In Romans 16 we have a list of salutations to different brethren.
JT That is the idea. The word ‘salute’ is used many times there.
Rem Please say a word about, “And they coming up took him by the feet, and did him homage”.
JT Why should He be held by the feet? What effect would that have upon Him? What was intended by them? The woman in Luke 7 anointed His feet but they are not doing that; they would detain Him and it was not the time for that; the Lord was taking up a new position. We might say, There was no harm in what they did, but it is out of keeping with this position of haste.
CHH The thought of Galilee was intended to clear their minds of current ecclesiastical ideas.
JT It would be a word for christians in the early days, and especially for the Jews, because when the work of God began with them it was indicated that they were not to make much of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem came under great discipline and was terribly treated as it were by God. I suppose the Jews would be affected by the traditions of Jerusalem, but it is important in christianity to be held rightly in regard of what is traditional. Tradition speaks of that which is on old lines and the elder brethren must be careful that more is not attached to them than is due, for we have to accept reproach on the line of refusing traditions.
LES [p. 401] What is the thought in the mount of Olives?
JT That is where He comes, which is important.
RRT Thank God for the position of reproach!
JT That is where the power lies and it is the position definitely appointed. It reminds us of the mountain viewed by Abraham and its import as brought out in Genesis 22. In Genesis 8 we have mount Ararat on which the ark rested; it rested on the crest of the mountain, but special spiritual importance attaches to the mountain in chapter 22: 14, “On the mount of Jehovah will be provided”. Mountains are a great feature running all through Scripture and Matthew emphasises them; here the mountain is the place of appointment.
RRT It is a great thought that while in the position of reproach yet we have available the mountain in the midst of Galilee.
JT That brings up our point for this meeting, “the eleven disciples went into Galilee to the mountain which Jesus had appointed them”. It was the great object in their minds on the way, “And when they saw him, they did homage to him”; how affected they were! They worshipped Him! This is a system of things in which the Lord is to be worshipped for He is a divine Person and that must colour everything. It is not simply that He is viewed as such but He is that, He is God, as John records it in the words of Thomas, “My Lord and my God”. That is what the Jews will say in a coming day and that is what we are to say, too.
Ques Does this principle of moving according to divine appointment make way for the Lord to come in, and in coming to remain?
JT That is true. The disciples are keeping His appointment and that gives them moral status with Him. They are incomplete, only eleven, but still they carry out the divine commandment.
JA [p. 402] The mountain is the thought of superiority, is it not?
JT It is the place of provision, “On the mount of Jehovah will be provided”, so the disciples are governed by the commandment and I believe that is the basis of Christianity from the Matthew viewpoint. Although a broken number, eleven instead of twelve, and today we have two or three instead of one hundred and twenty, yet locally the position is immutable on the line of moral righteousness; and further the position here is stabilised by the Lord saying, “Behold, I am with you all the days, until the completion of the age”. What a word that is! What stability!
JD Why does the writer say anything about those who doubted?
JT The Lord makes no allusion to the broken number nor to Thomas; He is not speaking because of the doubters, He is going forward.
RRT The footnote in regard of the word ‘doubting’ would help. If there is hesitation in regard of worship in connection with the Lord it is a solemn matter.
JT “They did homage to him, but some doubted”. It is the idea of hesitation. The Lord is not stopped by the two going to Emmaus nor by the doubters; the eleven, representing the general position, are right.
CHH Does worshipping Jesus as a divine Person imply that there is full deity there in manhood?
JT Undoubtedly there was some such thought in their minds; I would take it for full value. The Spirit of God records that “when they saw him, they did homage to him”. “And Jesus coming up spoke to them”, because the mountain would be nothing to Him without them; so in John He came to where the disciples were.
[p. 403] Rem The Lord comes to us at the Supper.
JT He comes to us, and He came to them. “And Jesus coming up spoke to them”. If any one of these eleven had been late they would have missed this, but they were there. Suppose you were to be there and you were not there! I think anyone trifling in mind and neglectful and as such coming in late is wanting in this respect; these things are to be taken account of because they enter into the constitution of the assembly.
JWD Do you mean this principle of going to the mountain?
JT What the mountain was then is now the assembly where the Lord provides much. In 1 Corinthians 14 the whole assembly in one place would suggest the idea of the mountain of God.
CHH In Hebrews we are said to come to mount Zion.
JT We are said there to have come to eight things and the first thing mentioned after the allusion to the intrusion of a beast is mount Zion, a question of grace. So Luke says, “The Lord is indeed risen and has appeared to Simon”.
Ques Does the mountain speak in a peculiar way of divine resources? Isaiah speaks of the mountain of Jehovah’s house being established on the top of the mountains.
JT And Ezekiel says, “This is the law of the house: Upon the top of the mountain ... is most holy”. It is a question of moral strength and that must enter into the assembly.
Rem Divine teaching is respected.
JT Just so. “All power has been given me in heaven and upon earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them to the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have enjoined you”. You get that transmitted to Acts 2 where “they persevered in the teaching and fellowship of the apostles” (verse 42).
Ques What is the difference between power and authority?
JT Well, it is a question of what is in mind in English because the word ‘power’ covers both, it covers both commandment and authority, and power supports the command; the two ideas are expressed in the same word. Suppose a policeman arrests a man, he must have something to show that his authority is from the government. Well, these men here are just eleven Jews, you may say, and they are told to go and make disciples of all nations. But are they just Jews? Presently, ten men shall take hold of the skirt of a Jew, “saying, We will go with you; for we have heard that God is with you”, Zechariah 8: 23. There will be power with them then, but that is not so here, this is simply going out amongst the nations to convert them and is more the thought of moral power because the Spirit of God is with them, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations” — a great order! Making disciples is not simply telling a man what to do but relates to what the man is himself, as when the Lord said to them, I will make you fishers of men. There is clearly the suggestion of power in what they were commanded to do and these things must be in ourselves individually; that is the point in what we are looking at, that we might learn to do these things and be governed by these principles.
Ques In Matthew 10 they are first called disciples and then later on apostles. Is authority connected with apostles?
JT Just so, and what we have looked at in that chapter shows they were qualified to do certain things. “And having called to him his twelve disciples, he gave them power over unclean spirits, so that they should cast them out, and heal every disease and every bodily weakness” (verse 1). That is the power to do things, and then in the next verse they are called apostles. The title ‘apostles’ indicates that they were representative of the Lord, they were His apostles, and to them was committed real power for casting out of demons and so forth. That same idea is what is in mind here; it is apostolic: “All power has been given me in heaven and upon earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them to the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have enjoined you. And behold, I am with you all the days, until the completion of the age”. That is the position, because in Matthew it is a question of how we are to carry on in the position and how it becomes practicable.
LES So the question is how far this power over demons and bodily weaknesses comes into evidence at the present moment.
JT That is the question we are stressing now, bearing in mind that there is a difference between the synoptical gospels and John’s gospel, the former dealing with the beginning of the dispensation and the latter dealing with the end, so that in effect a great change comes about. We are not now relying on outward signs but on the Spirit of God and power in a moral way, so that John speaks of a man being born again — how much greater than an outward sign! That is what was coming in in the Spirit’s day, and so we do not need these signs now. John does not call the Lord’s acts miracles as the other evangelists do but refers to them as signs, just calling attention to what was there. The Spirit is here now, and John stresses the Spirit and makes way for Him.
Rem In Acts 19 it says, “And God wrought no ordinary miracles by the hands of Paul”. How do you look at [p. 406] that?
JT They were needed then. If a brother amongst us could raise the dead or heal the sick how many people would we have coming to us? Everybody in this city! But there is nothing moral in that, it would be just a nine days’ wonder and when the man died that would be the end. But the power of God is to affect a man so that he is born again — what a great matter! That is greater than raising the dead. You say, How can that be? But it is true. “The wind blows where it will, and thou hearest its voice, but knowest not whence it comes and where it goes; thus is every one that is born of the Spirit”, John 3: 8. Think of that! What a man he is — born of the Spirit of God!
JD Why is it “baptising them to the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”?
JT It is kingdom truth and it introduces us into the assembly. The Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit Each have a say in this, so that if I am baptised to Them there are great possibilities. The mission here was to the nations; presently it will be to the Jews, as set out in a great measure in chapter 10, which contemplates what enters into christianity but what came out in judaism. The disciples were not told there to go to the nations but here they are sent to the nations, and what power goes with them as they go to make disciples of all nations, introducing them to the realm of the Father, Son, and Spirit, the economy in which God is known; baptism opens the way into it. The suggestion in the word ‘to’ is that you are for God and He is for you.
JWD Would Matthew’s teaching fill out the names of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit with spiritual completeness?
JT The preaching here is by moral influence; Matthew gives a Model. He presents the Lord Jesus saying, “Come to me, all ye who labour and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke [p. 407] upon you, and learn from me; for I am meek and lowly in heart”, chapter 11: 28, 29. “Learn from me” is the objective thought; you see something in someone else and are affected by it. To make disciples I must not only preach but I must be the thing; Jesus was altogether what He said.
Rem The first three gentiles brought their households too to be baptised as a result of the preaching, Cornelius, Lydia and the Philippian jailor.
JT Very good. Baptism was to make them representative of christianity. Paul and Silas represented it to the jailor and Peter to Cornelius; the Lord was particular to make them the thing before sending them out.
JD In the baptism of the eunuch both he and Philip went into the water.
JT Quite so. Philip was the thing, and the Spirit of God seizes on that point to rapture him. He sets out the idea of christianity just as much as Stephen did, for these two men were models; they were both deacons and models of christianity. What would become of christianity if we had not models? Such persons influence others, and make us say, I want to be like him.
Rem If a person has been sprinkled with water instead of being submerged would it be right to baptise him again?
JT Well, if it has been done in the name of the Lord it is accepted in heaven and I would not baptise a person like that again; he is baptised and as such is held responsible by heaven.
Rem Persons should be actually buried in the water.
JT That is the moral thought but still heaven accepts the other. The whole christian profession is held responsible by heaven and almost all in it are baptised like that. At the same time I would say that if a person’s conscience would not be satisfied without [p. 408] being baptised again I should have no difficulty in doing it; if it is necessary for a good conscience by all means do it. I was asked about that by a Roman Catholic who did not know whether or not he had been baptised and I said, If you were born a Catholic it is quite right to assume that you have been baptised; however, if your conscience disturbs you by all means have it done again. The Lord is merciful and it is good to satisfy your conscience but there is hardly a christian living that heaven does not regard in the light of having been baptised.
Rem It is important that this thought of making disciples and baptising is linked together; it is one matter.
JT The preposition ‘to’ is helpful because it is introducing you to something; ‘in the name’ involves power but ‘to the name’ is introducing you into something and it is well worth your while! It opens the way to enjoy things in God’s realm.
RRT Would you use this formula today?
JT Yes, I think so, ‘To’ suggests the objective thought introducing you into something through the three Persons, whereas ‘in’ suggests power.
RRT So you would baptise in the name of the Lord Jesus and to the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
CHH Both words are used in 1 Corinthians 10: 2, “and all were baptised unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea”.