Genesis 1:26, 27; Romans 5:12 - 21; 1 Corinthians 11:2 - 12

G.R.C. It is in mind in these meetings to consider the headship of Christ as leading to the headship and supremacy of God. One feels sure that the Spirit of God will help in the enquiry because the truth of headship is so much needed and, one feels for oneself, so little known. I think we would all recognise that God's place in the universe must be that of head, and the incoming of sin has raised a challenge as to that, so that while God remains head, He cannot be other than head, yet His headship is disregarded in the world. But we wait for a "new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness", and righteousness involves that God's place should be recognised and fully accepted by every intelligent creature. Then it is a great thing to see that headship under God is committed to man, not to angels. Angels have had a place in connection with the maintenance of the rights of God and in representing God, but it would appear that the idea of headship as under God has been reserved for man, that order of being, and angels recognise that. Angels are referred to in our third scripture, and we shall find that they are referred to in scriptures that we may consider later. The unfallen angels carry out God's will without question, and they do not question God's purpose as to man. So at the outset God said, "Let us make man" -- a very important statement in connection with the purpose of God as to man. There is no statement like that about anything else in the creation. It does not say 'Let us make light', or 'Let us make cattle', but God said, "Let us make man, in our image, after our likeness". This brings us in a

primary sense to what God's thought is as to man; God was to be represented in a full way in His creation, but it was to be through man -- Adam, of course, being but a figure of Him that was to come, and the figure pales into insignificance when compared with the One of whom he is a figure. Adam's dominion was over the fish of the sea and the fowl of the heavens and over the cattle and over the whole earth, but the dominion of the Son of Man extends to heaven and earth. He is "head over all things". God was not primarily occupied with Adam but with Christ, even at the beginning.

Then it might be well to say that while scripture begins with God and man, later in this book the thought of Father and Son comes in in Abraham and Isaac, because for God to be fully known in His nature and attributes, revelation and relationship were necessary. Finally, in David and Solomon the two thoughts of manhood and sonship combine. That is, we see God's full thought, as far as the types could give it, as to man in David and Solomon, both being in the place of sonship typically, but filling out headship in a glorious way.

I thought this morning we might think of the initial features of headship seen in Genesis; of the way the Lord Jesus has laid the moral basis for His own headship in Romans 5, and then the general principles of headship in 1 Corinthians 11 -- that is, the woman and the man and God, the order.

T.W.C. Does headship stand related to glory? Is headship more in relation to glory, and sonship in relation to love?

G.R.C. It says in the last scripture we read that man is God's image and glory.

J.McK. Would the new heavens and the new earth make way for the full outshining of this, everything deriving from God in His own blessedness?

G.R.C. I think so. It is a "new heavens and a new earth wherein dwells righteousness", and the One who has brought it into being says, "Behold, I make all things new". It is new creation and God in His supremacy.

Ques. Is that why it says "he that sat upon the throne"?

G.R.C. Yes, quite so. It is the throne, suggesting the supremacy of God.

J.McK. But it reaches us now in conditions of testimony, and that testimony has peculiar lustre in the way it does shine out.

G.R.C. Would you say what you have in mind as to reaching us now in conditions of testimony?

J.McK. In the presence of so much that is adverse, the believer comes in for the blessedness of it in the recognition of the great principle of headship, especially in Christ.

G.R.C. I am sure that is right, and in that connection a vessel is being formed which appreciates Christ's headship as no other ever could or will.

Ques. Would you say further what you had in mind in connection with the thought of headship and glory?

G.R.C. I think that would link with the outshining of God. Paul speaks of "the radiancy of the glad tidings of the glory of the Christ, who is the image of God" -- that is a touch of headship. Christ is the image of God, and there is the radiancy of glory connected with that, and we have to keep in mind that that title, 'the Christ', links with headship. No doubt the title 'the Christ' will Come before us as these meetings proceed, for it is a title that we need to give great consideration to.

E.J.B. What is involved in the word "in our image"?

G.R.C. Well, is it not needful for God to be expressed and represented, because He is the invisible God? The Lord Jesus is said to be the "image of the invisible God", and God ever remains invisible, "whom no man has seen, nor is able to see". Therefore the need of image becomes apparent, because if God, who dwells in light unapproachable, whom no man has seen nor is able to see, is to be apprehended intelligently in His creation, it can only be through an image, and the Christ is the image of the invisible God. There is a full representation of God in His moral character, in His nature and His attributes, in that blessed Person.

J.F.G. So right at the outset He had nothing less than that in His mind, in what is said here?

G.R.C. No, quite so. It is a marvellous statement. Adam, even in innocence, could only be in God's image in a limited way. In saying these words at the outset the person in God's mind was Christ. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; that is, He

takes precedence of Adam. He was always first in the mind of God, Adam being just a figure.

W.W.S. The word in verse 26 is in the plural, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness". Does that suggest that as to this matter Divine Persons took counsel together, do you think?

G.R.C. Well, it may leave room for that, but I am not quite clear about it. 'Elohim' in the Old Testament, the word normally used for 'God', is a plural word. The extraordinary thing is that in the Old Testament, which stresses that "Jehovah thy God is one Jehovah", a plural word is often used for God, but when you come to the New Testament, where God is declared as the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the singular is used for God. In Ephesians 1, it is the "counsel of his own will", not the counsel of 'Their own will', so that I could not with certainty reply to your question. Mr. Taylor years ago said that this might be the plural of majesty, and this chapter has the majestic side in mind. It is 'Elohim', God in His supremacy, that is in mind, and yet a God who would be known; a God who would not remain, as it were, in unapproachable light, though ever dwelling there, but a God who would be known in one who is His image.

Rem. At the end of verse 27 it refers to the singular pronoun, "in the image of God created he him".

G.R.C. That is interesting, yet there is the "let us" and "our". But we have to keep in mind that counsel does not mean agreement like three human beings agreeing together; it is "the counsel of his own will". I think counsel implies the way things are worked out. Purpose is the objective. God purposes something, but then He works all things according to the counsel of His own will; He counsels with Himself, as it were, and works things out according to the counsel of His own will. In Deity, as I understand it, there is only one will. J.N.D. says there is one will and mind and purpose, although separate willing in the detail of divine operations. But in spite of all that I am saying, I am not shutting out that there may be some veiled allusion to the Trinity in the passage.

Ques. In John 1 and Hebrews 1 the Son is referred to, and creation is attributed to Him, and yet on the other hand it is God speaking -- in Son?

G.R.C. Yes. So that, while there may be a veiled allusion to the Trinity, I think the plural of majesty has its place here, and I think we should avoid -- I speak subject to correction -- the idea of counsel as being agreement between persons, because I understand that God is One in will and purpose -- one in Essential Being.

Ques. May we not use the expression 'Divine Persons' too much, thus rather weakening the thought of the unity of the Godhead?

G.R.C. I think there is a danger of that. The word 'Persons' is useful in conveying what we mean as to the distinct activities of the Father and the Son and the Spirit, but I think it is well to limit the use of the words 'Divine Persons' as much as possible, and rather to speak of God. It is scriptural to speak of God.

Ques. Is that again confirmed in Hebrews when it says of the Son, "who being the effulgence of his glory and the expression of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power"? I was thinking of His glory, His substance and His power.

G.R.C. Yes, quite so. It is God speaking, in Son. The One in whom He is speaking is the One we know as the Son, but it is God speaking. He is the brightness of God's glory; as you say, it puts it in the singular, and He is the expression of His substance. We can distinguish the Persons, but God is One in His Essential Being.

A.G.B. When we come to the way that divine counsel is to be put into operation, is it not remarkable that the singular word is used? I was thinking of verse 18 of chapter 2 and again of verse 21.

G.R.C. It is. "I will make him an helpmate", and yet it is Jehovah Elohim who is speaking.

Ques. When you say that God is one, have you in mind that that is something more than what we refer to as unity?

G.R.C. Yes, quite so. We can speak of the unity of the saints; we are set together in unity, but "God is one" is a stronger expression. It is oneness of Being, as I understand it.

Rem. So that it never has in it the thought of anything to be arrived at, it is always there.

J.McK. It is important to bear in mind that each Person of the Godhead is fully and absolutely God, in Himself?

He is not in that sense dependent, so to speak. They are there, in self-existence, as one God?

G.R.C. And I think while we can distinguish we cannot separate Deity. If the Son was here it was God manifest in flesh; if the Spirit is dwelling in the saints, they are God's habitation in the Spirit.

Ques. What is the link between the scripture "Let us make man", and Christ? How does it apply?

G.R.C. I would not apply it to Christ. I would not apply the word 'make' to Christ, but rather that God was bringing in an order of being according to His purpose. He had previously created angels but He was not making man then. But all was in view of the incarnation. The Lord Jesus was born of a woman. God was making the order of being in which in due time the Son would take His place, but as the Second Man, out of heaven.

H.F.N. The word referring to the Lord is that "he became flesh", is it not?

G.R.C. Yes, "taking his place in the likeness of men".

W.W.S. Although He formed no part of the creation, yet in grace transcending He came into it and took a place in relation to it?

G.R.C. That is quite true, but then the greatness of this, do you not think, is that God was making an order of being in view of Christ becoming incarnate. God was preparing the way, as it were.

Ques. I would like to ask what is involved in the words of the Lord Jesus, "a body hast thou prepared me". I wondered whether God had not something to do with the body that the Lord Jesus took?

G.R.C. Quite so. I think it is good to bring that out, and it is another case where it is important to keep to the word of scripture, "a body hast thou prepared me".

We can safely go as far as that, that a body was prepared for the Lord Jesus, and a body is essential; angels have not bodies, they are spirits. For headship, for image, a body is essential.

Rem. I thought that was what was in your mind in the great thought of man before God.

G.R.C. Quite so. Man is a tripartite being -- spirit, soul and body; and the Lord Jesus has come into manhood

and scripture speaks of His spirit, His soul, and His body. In John 12 it says, "Now is my soul troubled" and in John 13 it says, "Jesus was troubled in spirit"; and He also says, "my body for you". Jesus is very man although He is very God; but it says, "in him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily", showing the necessity for a body.

J.McK. In 2 Corinthians 4 the glory of God is said to be in the face of Jesus Christ.

G.R.C. That necessitates a body.

J.A.P. Would the thought of likeness need the Son, the thought of likeness perhaps referring to the moral character of God, as love?

G.R.C. Well, the idea of likeness is never attached to Christ in scripture, and Mr. Darby says that is because He is God. It would not be right to say that Jesus was in the likeness of God, because He is God, and therefore in the fullest measure He must be the image of God, because he is God. It would be derogatory to say that he was in the likeness of God.

J.A.P. I meant that that feature of God would have to be expressed in Him, One who knew Him.

G.R.C. Quite so, and I think in us the family side is essential as underlying our part with Christ in headship. Likeness, I believe, is connected with the thought of origin, and children and those who form the assembly are all of Christ's order. According to this passage, "male and female created he them". The woman is there, typical of the assembly. The assembly is composed of those who have the divine likeness.

E.R.F. You made reference just now to the thought of fulness. Is it in mind that the fulness should be displayed through this great matter of headship?

G.R.C. It says, "in him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily". That brings out the greatness of the head.

Ques. Would these words "by him" and "for him" support the idea of speaking of Persons in the Godhead? "by him were created all things".

G.R.C. I think they do. We have to distinguish between the Father and the Son and the Spirit, and the word 'person' helps in this. We can distinguish the activities

of the Father and the Son and the Spirit, and scripture speaks of sovereign will in connection with the operations of each. Nevertheless "God is one", and I think that refers to the oneness of the Supreme Being.

Ques. Would you carry your remarks a little further as to how we can distinguish and not separate? How does that work out in our approach?

G.R.C. As to our approach, our access to the Father is through the Son and in the Spirit. That is, there would be no approach if we separated the Persons of the Godhead, for we need the Son and the Spirit to have access to the Father, and thus we dwell in God, and God in us. There are many other scriptures -- for instance, "Whoever denies the Son has not the Father either; he who confesses the Son has the Father also", 1 John 2:23; and, "He that abides in the doctrine, he has both the Father and the Son", 2 John 9. One could not have the Father and the Son without the Spirit.

H.F.N. If we might get a little clearer, would you say that in 1 Corinthians 15:28 the expression "God may be all in all" would involve Father, Son and Holy Spirit? I notice Mr. Darby, in the introduction to the Bible, brings in a most wonderful note of worship and then says, "God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit". Also does not Ephesians 3:21 -- "to him be glory in the assembly" -- involve Father, Son and Holy Spirit?

G.R.C. I fully agree.

H.F.N. So that there is liberty to address each Divine Person?

G.R.C. Certainly. God is One in nature and Essential Being; but this does not alter the fact that we can and must distinguish the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. If we think of God from His own side, making Himself known, and bringing us before Him for His pleasure, we know God in revelation and relationship in the Father, expressed and manifested in the Son and dwelling in us by the Spirit. But it is one God. On the other hand, if we think of divine operations day by day in the testimonial sphere, then we know the Father as our God, the Son as our Lord and the Spirit as the Comforter. But we never lose sight of the fact that the Son and the Spirit are one with the Father in Essential Being.

J.McK. Would you say that it is in the economy and in divine operations that there is that which can be distinguished, but as in Deity they are One, inseparably One?

G.R.C. Quite so. Therefore there is such a thing as response to God and worshipping of God without distinguishing Persons -- God the Supreme One. But then we know Him in revelation and relationship in the Father, expressed in the Son, and dwelling in us by the Spirit, but the whole matter is God; it is thus that God is known. And the God who is known in that way, in whom we dwell, and He in us, is the God who inhabits eternity. Behind all that has been made known, there is the fact of Himself, in His own supremacy, the supremacy of His own Being, dwelling in light unapproachable.

H.F.N. So that you come to the realm of what we so often speak of as inscrutable.

G.R.C. And the sense of that greatly promotes worship.

Ques. Do you distinguish between "God is one" and the oneness that the Lord speaks of in John 17?

G.R.C. I believe one underlies the other. My impression is that the oneness of Deity underlies those statements of the Lord in John's gospel. While, of course, there is the fact which flows from it, that as Man here, the Son, He was in every way one with His Father, yet I believe underlying all was the one-ness of Deity. It was impossible for it to be otherwise because of the oneness of Deity.

F.D.W. Would Philip's enquiring mind unwittingly bring in, or seek to bring in, separation when he said, "Show us the Father", whereas the Lord's reply is, "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father"?

G.R.C. Quite so. "Am I so long a time with you, and thou hast not known me, Philip?"; and earlier, "If ye had known me, ye would have known also my Father, and henceforth ye know him and have seen him"; and again "Believest thou not that I am in the Father and that the Father is in me?"

J.McK. As to headship, does it all bear upon mediatorship; the blessedness of what God is could only stand related to creation as in a mediator?

G.R.C. The headship of God is the great end in view. But the headship of God having been set aside in the creation, it is secured beyond any further challenge

through the coming in of the Lord Jesus and through His headship as Man, and, we may say, through Christ and the assembly. Thus the headship of God is to be secured in the universe in a way that will be for ever beyond all challenge.

W.B.H. Is it remarkable that David in 1 Chronicles 29 should, in some way, voice what you are now saying, when he says, "Thine, Jehovah, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the splendour, and the majesty; for all that is in the heavens and on the earth is thine: thine, Jehovah, is the kingdom, and thou art exalted as Head above all; and riches and glory are of thee"?

G.R.C. I think it illustrates what is in mind. David was the king and the title 'the king' is closely allied to headship. It suggests the glory and splendour attaching to the position. In human affairs the king is the head of the state, and Peter speaks of "the king as supreme". The king must be supreme, and therefore the king is always head, although kingship no doubt stresses the splendour and power of the position, while headship emphasises moral features and influence proper to it. But the king is the head; and in 1 Chronicles 29 David, as typical of Christ, having brought all under his own influence and sway as head, then makes way for the headship of God -- "thou art exalted as head above all".

H.F.N. Is one of the initial thoughts in headship the great thought of recovery?

G.R.C. That is because sin has come in. But would you say that the abstract truth of headship lies outside of the sin question?

H.F.N. Exactly.

G.R.C. Thus Genesis 1 is before sin came in. Apart altogether from the question of sin, if the invisible God was to be known He needed an image, and according to His eternal purpose man was to be His image; it was not an angelic being, but man. It required the coming into manhood of the Lord Jesus to fill this out, for Adam was just a figure. But then sin having come in, man's recovery had to be taken up by the Lord Jesus, and Romans 5 speaks of that. Sin having come in, there must be a moral basis laid for Him to take up headship. Were God's thoughts as to man and His eternal purpose to fail? They

have not failed, because the Lord Jesus has come in, as the One Man of Romans 5, to lay a moral foundation for His headship.

H.F.N. Has it not often been said that in Romans headship is introduced on a moral basis, in Colossians on a personal basis, and in Ephesians on an official basis? In that connection will you make more clear the link in your mind between our three scriptures?

G.R.C. Genesis 1 makes clear that the purpose of God in the matter is connected with man, "Let us make man". It is not a question of angels -- it is in man that God is to be represented, and it is man who is to have the place of head, and in that connection it is male and female, so that the assembly comes into the matter -- "let them have dominion". It is in Christ and the assembly that headship is to be seen; Christ is head over all things, of course, "head over all things to the assembly". Nevertheless the assembly shares in the dominion. In Romans the Lord Jesus is not called head, and I think we have to note that. It seems to me rather the moral foundation that He laid in order to take up His place as head. He is head by divine right because of His Person, but then in wondrous grace He came in on the line of the "one righteousness" and "the obedience of the one" in contrast with Adam. He was obedient unto death; and through that moral basis being laid, God's thoughts for man have in no way failed. God is free to carry out all His thoughts as to man; He is free to secure the assembly, so that the man and the woman should be in the place of headship according to the eternal purpose. Then 1 Corinthians 11 sets out the general principles of headship, whether we apply it to men and women down here, as the scripture does primarily, or whether we apply it to Christ and the assembly. "Christ is the head of every man, but the woman's head is the man, and Christ's head God". Man is God's image and glory, and the woman is the glory of the man. I think there you get the general principles set out.

Ques. Would you say a further word in relation to likeness, and how the thought of likeness is carried forward? You will remember that it is brought in in the fifth chapter after sin has come in and seems to be carried forward in the sense of generation?

G.R.C. I should say that is right, and I think in the full sense of generation it is connected with the children of God. It involves our generation as born of God; that is how the likeness is secured. John's epistle shows that those born of God are like God in righteousness and purity and love. The likeness is there and the assembly is composed of such persons and is therefore fitted to be with Christ as His counterpart in the headship.

Ques. Would you say why you think the word 'likeness' is left out in Genesis 1:27?

G.R.C. Because I think the primary thought is image. If the image is to be true, likeness is essential. But it is not said of Christ that He was in the likeness of God, because He is God, and therefore in manhood He must be the image of God, but with the saints, likeness has to be brought about. The primary thought in headship is image.

Ques. Is image the thought of representation?

G.R.C. Yes, God is invisible. He can only be known in His creation through One who represents Him; He will be known through Christ and the assembly.

H.F.N. Would it be right to say that when you come to the great question of recovery in regard to image and likeness God will not put the stamp of His image on anything that is not like Himself? So that, as you say, you could not refer to the thought of likeness in regard to the Lord, He is God.

G.R.C. In human affairs a representative may be a representative of a monarch and yet be quite unlike him. But that is not the divine thought. Fallen man remains as having been created in the image of God, but he is no longer a true image because the likeness is lost.

H.F.N. Exactly.

J.P.H. So it says in Philippians 2, "irreproachable children of God in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation; among whom ye appear as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life". Is that children and likeness?

G.R.C. I think it is.

H.F.N. Would it be right to link the thought of likeness with children, whereas image would more bear on our place as sons?

G.R.C. I think that is right. We are to be conformed to the image of God's son. And God's Son is the One whom God has made head -- He is the image of God.

THE HEADSHIP OF CHRIST AND OF GOD - READING 2

Ephesians 1:3 - 10, 20 - 23; Ephesians 3:8 - 19

J.F.G. Would you be free to say briefly what you understand to be the difference between lordship and headship?

G.R.C. The distinction is an important one and is made by Peter in his initial address in Acts when he says, "God has made him, this Jesus ... both Lord and Christ". I think lordship implies supreme authority. A king, in human affairs, is known as 'Sovereign Lord' in official documents, and that is right, for a king is Sovereign Lord. But then he is also head, he is head of the state; so that kingship includes both lordship and headship. I think lordship in Christ implies supreme authority and also power to subjugate, including what is military, whereas headship properly requires a scene where evil is no longer occurrent to be seen in its full exercise. God's thought of a king, as seen in David, is that he is the Beloved -- his name means that. So that in kingship according to God the king is not only a lord but he is the Beloved, and he therefore rules in the affections of his people, and as ruling in their affections he has great influence. He thus gives direction, impulse and character to the whole scene over which he is head. I think if we apply that to Christ, in whom alone the idea is fully seen, it is very wonderful. He is spoken of in this chapter as the Beloved, not simply God's Beloved, but He is the Beloved. It will be no arbitrary matter for things to be headed up in Christ. Because He is the Beloved, He will be the centre of all affection, and therefore all who come under His headship will be exceedingly sensitive to His impulse and direction; all will, as it were, move in the current of His thoughts and His mind.

This afternoon we may get help in a special way as to headship as seen in Christ, keeping in mind the title the Christ, which is the characteristic title in this epistle. The title 'Son of God' is used once, but the title 'the Christ' is used something like nineteen times in Ephesians. It implies His place as head and the royalty and splendour that attach to it, and thus includes kingship. It answers to 'the Lord's Anointed' of the Old Testament, only that whereas the kingship and headship of the Lord's Anointed of the Old Testament was limited to Israel and, in some measure, the nations around, the kingship and headship of the One who is in the full sense God's Anointed -- the Christ -- extends to all things, "the things in the heavens and the things upon the earth", Ephesians 1:10. God has purposed this in Himself, "according to his good pleasure which he purposed in himself for the administration of the fulness of times; to head up all things in the Christ". The title "the Christ" occurs again in verses 20 and 21, where it says that God has "set him down at his right hand in the heavenlies, above every principality, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name named". Think of the splendour of this position. It is the highest office in the universe. The title 'the Son' refers to a relationship, but the title 'the Christ' to an office.

F.D.W. So that does 'the Christ' involve choice?

G.R.C. It does; according to the scripture, "Behold my servant, whom I have chosen, my beloved, in whom my soul has found its delight. I will put my Spirit upon him", Matthew 12:18. That is the Christ. God has put His Spirit upon Him; He is the Anointed, and He is anointed because He is God's beloved.

N.K.McL. Does the title 'the Christ' in the Ephesian epistle always refer to Christ personally?

G.R.C. I think so. It is possible in verse 10, by inference, to include the assembly, because we know that the assembly is with Him in the headship; but I think generally the title 'the Christ' refers to Christ personally. But then His body is referred to, and He is viewed as united to the assembly in verses 22 and 23, "head over all things to the assembly, which is his body".

J.McK. Does the trend of headship in this epistle bear

on what accumulates Godward, that is, the gathering up of all that is effected through grace for the divine glory; whereas in Colossians is it headship as imparting wealth and wisdom and glory to the saints?

G.R.C. It is important to see that one great end in view in Ephesians is the gathering up of the response of the whole universe to God, and for that headship is necessary. The "administration of the fulness of times" refers to the world to come as the time when the fulness of every other time is displayed. A time is what we often call a dispensation. Out of every dispensation God has secured fruit; He has secured a family, and He is shortly to bring in the fulness of times. The fulness in that connection means that the harvest of each time or dispensation is displayed. God will display what He has secured from every dispensation, and that involves families; there will be families in heaven and on earth. But we have to bear in mind that the family idea by itself is not sufficient to secure adequately the whole scene in service and praise to God as God. For that we need headship. We need the family side of things to give liberty and privilege and enjoyment, but when we come to the service of God in His greatness, what is due to Him as God, and the gathering up of all in response to God, we need headship.

J.McK. You mean that headship is not simply a family idea -- it includes what is official and influential?

G.R.C. Yes.

Ques. Is it an eternal thought?

G.R.C. It is. Also the families that are displayed in the administration of the fulness of times are carried over into eternity. A change has to take place with some, of course, because "flesh and blood cannot inherit God's kingdom", but what God has secured for Himself from every age will be displayed and then carried over into eternity. The feast of tabernacles which typifies the fulness of times has seven days, and then an eighth day. The seven days refer to the world to come, whereas the eighth day, "the last, the great day of the feast", would link with the eternal state. The feast of tabernacles was celebrated when all the harvest was gathered in, and in the fulness of times all the harvest will have been gathered in, and God will display the great results, which are eternal.

Ques. Does lordship go into eternity?

G.R.C. I think abstractly lordship must always be there, but I do not think the active exercise of lordship belongs to eternity. The Lord Jesus will have put down all authority, He will have dealt with every enemy, so that I do not think the active exercise of lordship belongs to the eternal scene, whereas the exercise of headship must go right through.

H.F.N. There will be no necessity for the exercise of lordship in eternity. Do we not get an illustration of the contrast between lordship and headship in the books of Samuel and Chronicles? In Samuel does David represent the great thought of lordship and the establishment of the kingdom and the overthrowing of every adverse power, and then does Chronicles bring in the great realm of the service of God in which David shines in such peculiar lustre in headship?

G.R.C. That is very helpful. In Samuel David is dealing with enemies; it is subjugation and military exploits which link with lordship. But is not all in view of David securing a scene so under his influence as the beloved, where all are so responsive to him and where he is so enshrined in the affections of the whole nation, that they are brought entirely into line with his own desires and impulses towards God?

Ques. Is that what Christ as head will do -- bring out a universe for God?

G.R.C. That is exactly what is in mind. He says, "My God", and it is a question of what the perfect Man will do for His God.

W.W. In Solomon's day there was neither enemy nor evil occurrent.

G .R.C. That is the kind of domain where headship is seen in its true exercise. There is nothing to hinder affection flowing freely, so that the whole realm is in the flow, and under the influence of, the affections of the head.

Ques. Is subjection an eternal thought?

G.R.C. Yes, because headship involves subjection. Lordship subjugates in view of producing a state of subjection. It is in a state of subjection through affection that headship operates.

Ques. Does the day of the Lord precede the day of Christ?

G.R.C. The day of the Lord is an extended period. I think it begins with the initial judgments prior to the millennium; it includes the millennium, because the power of lordship will then hold evil in check; and it continues after the millennial day until the last enemy is destroyed. So that Peter speaks of the day of the Lord, without any reference to the millennial day, as ushering in the day of God. It is remarkable that Peter closes his ministry with the day of God, the headship of God, before his soul in such a manner that he does not even mention the millennial day. He speaks of the day of the Lord as one great matter of subjugation with a view to the bringing in of the day of God. But then, as you say, included in that period there is the millennial period which is spoken of here as "the administration of the fulness of times". It is called elsewhere the day of Christ, when Christ will reign without evil or enemy hindering.

H.F.N. How does the will of God bear upon this great thought of headship? We have often noted "the good pleasure of his will", verse 5, and then "the mystery of his will", verse 9, and then "the counsel of his own will", verse 11. Is all in view of eternity and the bringing in of headship?

G.R.C. I think so; and we are specially engaged now with "the mystery of his will". We need to take account of that expression. "The good pleasure of his will" relates to sonship, but then God would have His sons intelligent, and the mystery involves intelligence. It says, "the riches of his grace; which he has caused to abound towards us in all wisdom and intelligence, having made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in himself". God would have us intelligent as to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself as to the Christ.

H.F.N. The will of God here involves the whole spiritual universe, does it not?

G.R.C. It does, and I think we should seek to understand God's good pleasure in this connection. He delights that His Son should have this great official position, the greatest position in the universe. He delights to put honours upon the Son; He has set a crown of pure gold upon His head, He has crowned Him with glory and

honour. In Psalm 2 we have "Thou art my Son"; and "I have anointed my king". It is the good pleasure of God that the whole universe should centre in the Son, honoured in this way as His Christ.

H.F.N. According to the good pleasure of His will He has taken us into favour in the Beloved, but the mystery of His will is to gather everything up in Christ as the head.

G.R.C. That is what we need to lay hold of: the place He has given to Christ, because He loves Him. He is the Son, the Beloved, and it has been the greatest joy to the heart of God to set Him in the centre of a vast universe, in a most glorious way in royal splendour, as the Object of universal affection, influencing all. What a fit setting for such a Person!

J.McK. Headship in Christ is a prime matter with God, is it not? And would it not go back before any moral question had arisen? I was thinking of Proverbs 8, "Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his ways". Is not this great plan of headship God's prime idea as to the whole universe gathered up in Christ?

G.R.C. I think so. Jehovah possessed wisdom in the beginning of His way, and wisdom has found expression in this great plan. His delight in a parental way is to have families, and that is essential. There could be no liberty in the universe apart from the family idea in sonship. But divine wisdom, I think, is seen in the fact that He has brought in Christ as head. It is the acme of divine wisdom to bring in Christ as head, so that all the saved families have One to look to under whose direction they can take their place in the service of God. We are sons, and every family will know sonship in measure, and sons would love to serve God. But how are we to serve Him? We need to be under a head, under One who can give us impulse, direction, guidance and wisdom in the service of God -- One who knows fully what is suitable to God as God.

H.F.N. Is God teaching us all the secrets that belong to this vast system that is going to be introduced under the headship of Christ?

G.R.C. The mystery involves the secrets of God's will. No greater honour could have been bestowed upon us than that God should desire to communicate to us His

most cherished thoughts and plans, and that is what is involved in "the mystery of his will".

E.J.B. In this lavish setting it says, "which he has caused to abound towards us in all wisdom and intelligence, having made known to us". He has done it in a lavish way.

G.R.C. He has. We are His sons and He wants us to be thoroughly intelligent in His mind. But then, in spite of His abounding towards us, how little we have taken it in, how little we are marked by all wisdom and intelligence so as to understand the divine plan.

H.F.N. The One who is the very centre of the vast system of glory is to dwell in our hearts by faith. This would give us entrance into it, would it not?

G.R.C. Chapter 3, verse 8, speaks of "the unsearchable riches of the Christ"; and then Paul prays that the Father would give us, "according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened by his Spirit in the inner man, that the Christ may dwell, through faith, in your hearts". Have we taken enough note of the apostle's desire, and evidently the Father's desire, that the Christ -- that is to say, the Lord Jesus as the glorified head in all the splendours attaching to the office He holds -- that He in that character, should dwell in our hearts by faith.

H.B. Does the vast system of glory open out to us as the Christ is in our hearts? We get the Spirit of His Son whereby we cry "Abba, Father", but then the Father's Spirit is to magnify the Christ in our hearts, so that the whole scene of glory might be opened up before us.

G.R.C. Do you think we have understood that much?

H.B. It would be a good thing if we did more through this meeting.

G.R.C. Do you think we realise that the Father, according to the riches of His glory, would strengthen us by His Spirit in order that we might apprehend the glory that He has put upon His Son in giving Him this great position as the Christ? The Father delights in Him, He has heaped honours upon Him and made Him the centre of the whole system because He is worthy, and the Father would strengthen us that we might apprehend Him as the head of that system.

T.W.C. Is the ark in the tabernacle a type of Christ, especially as dwelling in our hearts by faith, as the centre of the great divine system which the tabernacle typifies?

G.R.C. Just so. I think that type fills out the expression in a large measure. The ark is the centre of the system as giving character to all. But then I believe also that Solomon is a type of the Christ and that both types are needed. It speaks of the love of the Christ which surpasses knowledge, and that suggests Christ as active. The ark suggests Christ as head in a fixed position as giving character to the whole scene, and as the One who has laid the basis by way of the mercy-seat for the whole scene to exist; but then the active element of headship is seen in Solomon in the immense activity that marked him, and David too, viewing them together as a type.

H.F.N. The ark was brought into the most holy place and the staves were withdrawn. Is that like Ephesians 3 -- the great end in view in Paul's ministry -- that the Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith, and the staves withdrawn?

G.R.C. I think so. But then Solomon becomes active, to secure in full measure the results for God, and it needs active love to secure the full results.

F.D.W. Is Paul one who was serving in the light of a system already in existence, and are we not often hindered in putting these truths off to the future?

G.R.C. I am glad you refer to that. What we have read in chapter 1 is future literally, but if we do not anticipate it in the power of the Spirit the service of God will flag. So that He is already head over all things to the assembly.

Ques. What is involved in the heavens and the earth? Does it involve the whole universe?

G.R.C. It does. Adam was set over the earth, but the mystery of God's will is to head up all things in the Christ, the things in the heavens and the things upon the earth; and then the angelic beings are brought in in their dignity here. When it speaks of angels in 1 Corinthians 11:10 it would refer to them as sent out for service, and so the woman has authority on her head because of the angels -- an important matter. If they understand the great subject of headship, sisters will have no difficulty about having authority on their head; because it is most important, in view of the place God has given man according to His

purpose, that we should rightly behave before the angels. I think that passage refers to them as sent out for service; but in Ephesians 1:21 they are referred to in their dignity, for they are great dignitaries, yet the Lord Jesus is above them all. What a place man has! God has "set him down at his right hand in the heavenlies, above every principality, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name named".

J.McK. Is chapter 3 the bearing of that upon us now? Is that why the word the mystery occurs? It will not be mystery in the future, will it?

G.R.C. Chapter 3 brings in the present in a specific way. Chapter 1 speaks of God's purpose which He purposed in Himself for the administration of the fulness of times, but chapter 3: 19 - 12 refers to God's eternal purpose about the present time, and it involves the working out of headship now in the assembly.

A.G.B. At what point in time would we begin to think of this great thought of the Christ? Does it go back to the incarnation, or to the anointing, or to His present place as the ascended Man?

G.R.C. At the incarnation the word is "a Saviour ... who is Christ Jehovah", Luke 2:11, footnote. Then there is the anointing at His baptism. God anointed His Son and so He moved out in testimony as the Anointed, the Christ, and is confessed as such in reply to the question, "Whom do ye say that I am", in each of the first three gospels. What a joy it must have been to God to see that great truth dawning on the hearts of the disciples! But I think He took up the position of the Christ officially in ascension, because Peter says, "God has made him, this Jesus ... both Lord and Christ". What do you say about that?

A.G.B. I am thankful for what you say -- it has clarified the thought in one's mind. The "administration of the fulness of times" involves the Christ in His present position?

G.R.C. It does, because I think the Christ really involves the glorified Man. He was anointed here, and was the Christ, and apprehended as such by faith, but the full splendour and dignity of the position is seen in Jesus glorified.

Ques. And is it not in that setting that this word "gave him to be head over all things to the assembly" comes in? I wondered if you had something further to say about His headship in this relation.

G.R.C. It would link particularly with the second chapter of Genesis, do you not think? "I will make him a helpmate, his like".

Rem. But he was established head over all things prior to that, was He not?

G.R.C. That is true. The cattle and the beasts and the fowl, and so on, were brought to Adam and he proved his competency as head by the fact that he named them and whatever name he gave them that was its name. He had the wisdom to discern the functions and faculties of every creature brought to him, and then finally the woman is brought to him, and he names her. He says, "This time it is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh: this shall be called Woman, because this was taken out of a man". So the highest feature of Adam's intelligence lay in that he could name the woman and name her so accurately.

W.W.S. Is there not a peculiar delicacy of feeling and refinement of thought when you think of headship in relation to the woman?

G.R.C. There is. How capable the Lord Jesus is of assessing the functional value of every family and every individual in the universe of God, angelic beings too, and of influencing all and using all in the service of God, but especially so as regards the assembly; as regards her, His headship has a peculiar character.

H.F.N. So that the assembly is associated with the Christ in His headship and administration.

G.R.C. I think so, and do you not think that Christ's headship operates, if one might use the expression, downward and upward? It operates downward in the sense that the light of God and the administration connected with His glory is maintained in the universe through Christ and the assembly, and upward in the response that accrues through Him to God?

J.P.H. To what extent is Ephesians 1:22 - 23 touched by us now?

G.R.C. Well, I do not think we can limit the extent to which it may be touched now, because the Spirit is here,

and the union of Christ and the assembly is, as I understand it, an already existing fact. Things are viewed here as already done. It says that God set Him down at His right hand, and has put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the assembly.

H.B. Would you say a word on being enlightened in the eyes of your heart in chapter 1 and then the Christ dwelling through faith in your hearts in chapter 3.

G.R.C. The first is enlightenment, but would not the Father use that to make way for the Christ Himself to dwell in our hearts?

H.B. It says "that ye may be fully able to apprehend with all the saints". Do we need all the saints for this?

G.R.C. We need all the saints in our affections.

H.B. So it would have a bearing on our relations with one another?

G.R.C. It would.

H.F.N. What you were saying is of great importance. Chapter 1 is a matter of light, but then do we not need the prayer of chapter 3 to give us a present entrance into it? The first chapter is from the divine standpoint and is opening up the great realm of purpose, but when we come to the third chapter it is the formation of a vessel that is really to enter into it and display it eternally. Is that right?

G.R.C. That is very helpful. "Enlightened in the eyes of your heart, so that ye should know what is the hope of his calling". Do you not think that the calling includes not only sonship but also the church's union with Christ? I think if we limit the calling of God to sonship we fall short of the divine mind. I believe the hope of God's calling is sonship -- "out of Egypt have I called my son" -- but it also includes that we are called to have part in the assembly. The very word assembly means 'called out', it is a called-out company. So that we are called to sonship, which gives us liberty, but also to have part, a functional part, in this great vessel which God has called out and which is united to Christ. That is included in the hope of His calling. I think if we had the light of that it would lay the basis for Ephesians 3.

H.F.N. You were making a remark, which I think was most valuable, about the double thought of headship,

both looking down, and then in relation to God. Would you say a further word as to this?

G.R.C. In Genesis 1 and 2 the man and the woman were set over the creation to shed the light of God upon it, and Ephesians 1:22 - 23 corresponds with this in an antitypical way. "Him who fills all in all" would refer primarily to the downward functions of headship. But I think chapter 3: 8 - 12 have in view not only the administration of divine wisdom and wealth downward but also response upward. It is the Solomon aspect of headship. The vessel which is the bride of Christ is also the habitation of God, for He dwells in a vessel where Christ is enshrined. In such a vessel He finds His rest, and in it His service proceeds. So the type of the assembly under Solomon merges in the house and in those who had part in the service of the house under his headship. These verses in Ephesians 3 have that in mind. It speaks of "the glad tidings of the unsearchable riches of the Christ", and where can we find a type of that in scripture other than in Solomon? 1 Kings 4 gives the wealth of wisdom and other things that were under his hand for the people: "Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and making merry"; and it goes on to say, "God gave Solomon wisdom and very great understanding and largeness of heart, as the sand that is on the seashore". And then it says that he spoke of a vast range of things. All this was downward for the people, to fill them. But later there is the upward flow, and Solomon's wisdom is seen in ordering things in the way of response.

E.R.S. Is that why height is the last measurement referred to in Ephesians 3:18?

G.R.C. I think it would bear on this, because the queen of Sheba saw his ascent. She saw all the wisdom of Solomon and finally his ascent by which he went up to the house of Jehovah, and then it says there was no more spirit in her. Think of the king, the head, going up to the house of Jehovah. It would set in motion the whole service of the house which was under his impulse and direction, and you can understand there was no more spirit left in the queen of Sheba. She was an earthly principality looking on, and there was no more spirit left in her; but in

Ephesians 3 heavenly principalities are looking on at the service proceeding in a heavenly vessel.

H.F.N. So that in relation to Solomon does his wisdom and headship produce on the one hand the virtuous woman, the woman of worth, and on the other, as you say, the service of God really in its eternal character?

G.R.C. I think it does. I believe the acme of divine wisdom typically is seen in the way David and Solomon ordered the service of God. Would you say that?

H.F.N. I would indeed.

Ques. Why is the prayer addressed to the Father of every family? Is that an eternal setting?

G.R.C. The family thought is eternal.

Ques. I was wondering if it was your thought that our hearts must be established in the family setting before we could attain to the thought of God as the Head over all?

G.R.C. I think that is a most important principle to keep in mind. The family setting is essential; but the family setting does not exactly involve service. A king's sons at home with him are not thinking of service; but when it comes to matters of state and of the public honour due to the king, then in the liberty of sonship they take up service. They can render honour and homage to the king in a way no other subjects can because they know him in the inside place in intimacy. Thus family affections underlie the service of God.

A.G. Does the Father's spirit come in in chapter 3 to help us not only to see the ascent as did the queen of Sheba but to take it ourselves?

G.R.C. I am sure that is right. In chapter 1 sonship comes first, and then the mystery of God's will as to headship, and in chapter 3 the Father, who has named every family, would now strengthen the hearts of those who form the assembly to understand headship, the Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith, so that we might be fitted for the magnificence of divine service. As sons we would delight to be in it; but to be equipped and furnished for it we need to be under the headship of Christ.

F.C.E. In chapter 2 we have access to the Father, and in chapter 3 access to God. What is the difference?

G.R.C. Access to the Father in chapter 2 is the inner

side of privilege. Service is not so much in mind there, as far as one sees. But the theme of chapter 3 generally is God; it is "the mystery hidden throughout the ages in God, who has created all things, in order that now to the principalities and authorities in the heavenlies might be made known through the assembly the all-various wisdom of God, according to the purpose of the ages". That is God's purpose about the present time. Let us not forget that God has a purpose about the present time, "according to the purpose of the ages, which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access in confidence by the faith of him". It does not say who the access is to -- it is left open. It is a question of how far our spirituality will enable us to go. It does not say the Father here, but it adds 'boldness' because God is the theme, and you need boldness in approaching God, the Supreme Being. But we have boldness, and we have access with confidence by the faith of Him. Who can limit what that access may mean in the Spirit's power, under the true Solomon?

Rem. Whilst we ourselves are in time, if we reach, through the headship of Christ and the power of the Spirit, God in His habitation, do we touch eternity?

G.R.C. We arrive at eternal conditions in our spirits in the power of the Holy Spirit.

R.G.H. "Filled even to all the fulness of God". Would you mind saying how far that would go?

G.R.C. Well, I could not say how far it would go, because the fulness of God is like an ocean. You put a vessel into the ocean and the vessel is filled, but the vessel does not contain the ocean; nevertheless we can say the ocean is in the vessel, but not all of it. I do not think we can place limits upon it.

J.McK. So that perhaps the question to raise is, What is our capacity?

G.R.C. Yes, quite so. What is our capacity and spirituality?

J.McK. I was wondering whether you are not emphasising to us the particular value of this chapter, for God has delight in this great phase of the truth. Are we not inclined to look on to what is final and ultimate in actuality instead of seeing that in the wisdom of God this period of time

has a lustre peculiar to itself, when the administration of the mystery of the Christ shines by way of the Spirit?

G.R.C. I believe that verses 8 - 12 of this chapter 3 are some of the most important in scripture, and if anyone here does not know them off by heart I hope he will learn them today. Many learn the prayer, but do not learn what the apostle was praying about. These are the verses he was praying about, because it is a question of God's purpose as to the present moment, and, if we miss it, it is missed forever. It is an urgent matter that these verses should be taken up and understood and worked out, and that, of course, involves our relations with one another. The administration of the mystery with a view to God's wisdom being manifested in the assembly is a most testing thing, because it begins with our relations with one another. "There is one body and one Spirit". The body is referred to before the Spirit in that passage, and unless our 'body' relations are right, we shall get no further.

H.B. So that chapter 4 begins with one another and finishes with one another, as though the things must be held on those lines?

G.R.C. That is a very good and practical remark. Chapter 4 is so essential if we are to know anything of these verses in chapter 3.

J.F.G. Why did you say just now we need boldness in relation to God?

G.R.C. Because God is the Supreme Being, supreme in majesty. What do you think? I am only noticing that scripture puts in the word boldness there, "in whom we have boldness". It also comes in Hebrews, where God in His greatness is presented.

A.G.B. Is it not remarkable in that regard that the love of the Christ is left so late before reference is made to it? It would seem that some apprehension of the extent and vastness of the love of the Christ, operating in relation to these great thoughts that are Godward, should have a place in our souls.

G.R.C. Exactly. I think what you say is right, because the love of the Christ is one love. We are apt to think of the love of the Christ as relative to the assembly only, but the love of the Christ is one great and perfect love, the love of a perfect Man. He is God, of course, but it is the love

of a perfect Man which flows in every direction -- "I love my master, my wife, and my children" -- the love of the Christ. Is that right?

A.G.B. Yes, that is just what I had in my mind.

G.R.C. And so from that angle it could not be brought out till this point, because now you have got space to indicate the scope and extent of the activities of the love of the Christ. It flows in every direction. It fills out the length and breadth and depth and height.

J.A.P. Could I ask one question? You would not suggest that what you are referring to in the third chapter is greater than chapter 2: 18, would you, because in the fourth chapter we have definitely, "one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all, and in us all".

G.R.C. These things are complementary, they run on together. The Father's house is the place of privilege and enjoyment. It is a question of a place prepared for us, what the Father has done for us. He has done the best for us, and we have access to the Father. But complementary to this there is the assembly as the vessel of divine service, which brings in the thought of what is due to God in His greatness. The one is necessary for the other.

Ques. Is the order of John 20 to be borne in mind in relation to that, "My Father, and your Father ... my God, and your God"?

G.R.C. Yes, it is. "My Father, and your Father" is in view of our being able to be with the Lord Jesus as Man in the service of His God. Is that what you have in mind?

Rem. That is what I had in mind: not to distinguish in greatness but in order.

G.R.C. That is right.

THE HEADSHIP OF CHRIST AND OF GOD - READING 3

Colossians 1:12 - 18; Colossians 2:9 - 10; Ephesians 5:25 - 32; Genesis 2:18, 21 - 24

G.R.C. We come now in this reading to what is special: that is, Christ's headship of the assembly, which is a much more sensitive and delicate and remarkable matter than

His headship over all things. I thought we might be led to consider what Christ is to the assembly in Colossians, where it says, "He is the head of the body, the assembly". What a head the assembly has! And then in Ephesians 5 and Genesis 2 what the assembly is to Christ; what she is on account of her origin and what she is to Him as His helpmate, His like. Perhaps we have little understood all the reasons that govern Christ's love for the assembly.

But, to begin with, it is a question of the greatness and pre-eminence of the One who is the head. The passage we have read brings out His pre-eminence in the Father's affections as the Son of the Father's love, and His pre-eminence as the firstborn of all creation. As coming into manhood, He must rank as firstborn, because all things were created by Him and for Him, and He is before all. These are marvellous statements as to the Person of Christ, and the assembly has an appreciation of Him in every feature of His greatness.

E.J.F. Could you make a general remark as to the difference you see between what you are referring to now as to Christ as the head of the body, and what we were looking at yesterday in the end of Ephesians 1.

G.R.C. You are thinking of the expression "head over all things to the assembly, which is His body"? Well, I think if you view Christ and the assembly by themselves, then He is the head of the body the assembly. It is like a husband and wife, or a king and queen, viewed by themselves. But if you view them in relation to the whole realm that comes under the Christ, then He is head over all things to the assembly, because she is with Him in the headship. To use the illustration of a king and queen: they are together in the headship, but the queen would say, 'My husband is head over all things to me'. Does that help, do you think?

E.J.F. You are meaning that the official position is a much more general and universal one?

G.R.C. In Ephesians 1 Christ and the assembly are viewed in relation to the whole realm over which Christ is head. He is head over all things, and the assembly recognises that, but then viewed in that position she is with Him in the headship. He is head over all things to her, but to the lower creation, as it were, she is with Him

in the headship. But that does not alter the truth that, viewed by themselves, He is the head of the assembly. Ephesians 5:23.

N.K.McL. Is headship in Colossians more personal, and in Ephesians 1 more official?

G.R.C. That is true, so that Colossians brings out, does it not, the personal greatness of Christ, whereas, as you say, Ephesians 1 is rather His official greatness. It is the greatness of the office or position in which God has placed Him and in which the assembly is with Him in glory. In His personal greatness He is unique and alone, yet it is such a Person who is head of the body, the assembly.

J.P.H. Does Ephesians 1 suppose union having taken place?

G.R.C. I think it does. Would you say why you think that?

J.P.H. Because she is sharing the headship with Him.

G.R.C. I believe that is true, answering to Genesis 1:26, where it says, "Let them have dominion", supposing that they are together in union.

A.S. Would you say how far "the kingdom of the Son of his love" bears on this?

G.R.C. I think the affections of the Father are drawn out because of the excellence of the Lord Jesus in His Manhood. The passage brings out the greatness of His Person, but then the assembly also appreciates, and, in some way, shares with the Father in His appreciation of the excellence and lovableness of the Son. He is the Son of the Father's love; every excellent feature proper to man in the mind of God is seen in its full display in the Lord Jesus, so that He is not only the Son of the Father's love but He is the Beloved of the assembly -- He becomes our Beloved. Is that right, do you think?

A.S. Do you mean that the way in which the Father loves Him would affect us?

G.R.C. I think it does. The Father loves Him because He is so lovable. David and Solomon merge as a type here. Solomon represents the dignity and greatness of the relationship of son, then he is Jedidiah, the beloved of Jehovah. But of David God said, "I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth". God made him that because he was so lovable, so worthy of such a

position. David means 'Beloved' and he is the one who qualifies for affection because of his lovableness, whereas Solomon, as it were, is born into the place of sonship typically; he is in it as a position. Both are true of Christ, of course: "Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee"; but then it is true of Him too: "I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth", because of His intrinsic perfections.

H.F.N. Would that be substantiated by the word in the fourth of Proverbs, "For I was a son unto my father, tender and an only one in the sight of my mother", and then it speaks in the Song of Solomon of the "crown with which his mother crowned him". Is this not, in principle, the assembly's crowning of Christ in response to the Father's love for Him? He will be crowned publicly, of course, by Israel, but I wonder whether this can be applied to the assembly's crowning of the Person of Christ?

G.R.C. One has wondered about that, and I am glad you confirm it. The assembly surely would have maternal feelings of affection for Christ as the great ideal. The Father has reached, we may say, His ideal in the Son of His love, and the assembly is in line with that; as you say, she would crown Him. It is hardly the bride's part to crown, is it? But there is, I suppose, that aspect of the assembly in which she is at liberty to crown Him.

Ques. Would you say the assembly has an understanding and an appreciation of all the greatness and glory of Christ as presented in this chapter?

G.R.C. That is just what I thought. The assembly can enter into it as no other company can.

J.A.P. Is it not very abrupt, the transition from what speaks of His deity here, "by him all things subsist", to "he is head of the body"? It goes on without any suggestion of manhood, in a way.

G.R.C. I think His manhood is involved in the title "Son of his love"; it is His manhood introduced in a most endearing way. Then; "in whom we have redemption" also involves His manhood; and again, "who is image of the invisible God" refers to His manhood. It is in manhood that He is the image of the invisible God. Then, as you say, it makes clear that this Person, who is the image of the invisible God, is God, bringing out some remarkable

statements, which the assembly would greatly appreciate as to the greatness of His Person. Then following all that it says, "and he is the head of the body, the assembly".

A.G.B. And is it not important to notice that immediately headship is referred to it is said, "who is the beginning, firstborn from among the dead"? Is it not in that setting alone that we can come into the gain of the headship of Christ?

G.R.C. I am sure that is right, and that is another great glory of His Person, that He is the beginning. Adam was not the beginning -- the Lord Jesus is the beginning of everything for God; everything is patterned after Him. But then, He is firstborn from among the dead, as you say, because the old order had to be closed.

J.H. Would you mind saying a word about 'firstborn'. We would like to understand it. Does it imply the chief place?

G.R.C. I think it is a matter of rank. He is the "image of the invisible God, firstborn of all creation". As coming into the creation, He ranks as firstborn.

H.F.N. Would the Psalm confirm it "I will make him firstborn, highest of the kings of the earth"?

G.R.C. Yes. It is a question of the rank that God gave to David; God gave him that rank. But according to this passage the Lord Jesus is firstborn in the right of His own Person.

F.D.W. Could you enlarge a little for us on the expression you have used twice as to Him coming into the creation? I have heard it questioned.

G.R.C. It is what we call the incarnation.

J.P.H. It does not mean that He was part of creation, we know that, do we not?

G.R.C. Quite so. He is the Creator.

W.W.S. Does He not come into the creation as Creator, and by reason of taking a place in creation He must rank as the firstborn of all creation?

G.R.C. I think so. He comes into the creation as Man, that is the great truth. He is the Creator, but He comes into the creation as Man, however we may choose to describe it. The great point is that He is a Man, and it is as a Man that He is the image of the invisible God, and firstborn of all creation.

H.F.N. It is not a question of time, but the whole emphasis is on the dignity of the Person.

E.J.B. How does this bear on "he is the head of the body, the assembly"? Is it to stress the greatness of the assembly that such an One as He is its head, or is it an added feature which can be attached to Him that He has this glory that He is head of the body, the assembly?

G.R.C. I would not shut out either of those thoughts, but what is mainly in mind now is to bring out the greatness of the One who is the head, that the assembly has such a head. How it draws out our affections to Him! He becomes indeed to us the pre-eminent One.

Ques. Would it be summarised in the question by the daughters of Jerusalem in the Song of Songs, "What is thy beloved more than another beloved, thou fairest among women?" and then she proceeds to describe him personally.

G.R.C. That helps very much. Can we give an account of Him? The spouse in Canticles could give a detailed account of her beloved; she could answer the question in great detail. There is no other such Beloved as ours. He is ours, for He is the head of the body, the assembly. Our Beloved is the Father's Beloved, the Son of the Father's love; and He is a Divine Person, the One by whom and for whom all things were made; and, as having come into manhood, He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; and as having come out of death, He is the beginning, the firstborn from among the dead. In everything He has the pre-eminence, and the assembly is the vessel which understands His pre-eminence from every standpoint, and she loves Him in every feature of His greatness. She loves Him because of who He is in His Person; she loves Him because of His intrinsic worth and perfection in manhood; and she loves Him because the fulness dwells in Him. She also delights in the official glories that have been put upon Him according to Ephesians. The Beloved in the Song of Songs and in Psalm 45 is the king, and no one appreciates His kingship like the spouse.

H.F.N. Might we say in regard to what you were speaking of yesterday as to Romans 5 that we love Him for His moral glories; we love Him, according to Colossians, for

His personal glories; and then we love Him, according to Ephesians, for His official glories?

G.R.C. Very good. And it is a great contemplation, is it not: "My heart is welling forth with a good matter: I speak of my occupation touching the king. My tongue is the pen of a ready writer", Psalm 45:1, and footnote. We have an occupation which we shall never tire of all through eternity, occupation with our Beloved in all the features of His greatness.

Ques. It says in verse 19, "for in him all the fulness of the Godhead was pleased to dwell". Would the fact that He is our head be a great help to us in coming to a knowledge of God, which we all desire, so as to be able to respond more to Him?

G.R.C. That is one of the greatest features of His headship, particularly as stated in chapter 2. In chapter 1 it is put in the past -- in Him all the fulness was pleased to dwell -- with a view to the work of reconciliation, a remarkable statement; but in verse 9 of chapter 2 it says, "For in him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily". Again it is a Man who is before us -- let us keep manhood in mind. His Deity is involved, but it is a Man -- "For in him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily". If it was not bodily in a Man it would not be available to us.

J.P.H. And the note to chapter 2, to which you have referred, makes it clear that the fulness is towards us.

G.R.C. Yes, quite so. "In him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily; and ye are filled full in him".

E.J.B. Is it not a wonderful thing that in the assembly's head dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily?

G.R.C. It is a marvellous thing. How wealthy the assembly is! The fulness is in Him bodily, we might say, for our benefit. Not that we could ever fully compass it. All the fulness is beyond the compass of the creature. But nevertheless it is there for our appropriation in so far as we are able.

W.G.C. Could we have a word on the difference between the two references to the fulness in chapter 1 and chapter 2 of Colossians?

G.R.C. In chapter 1 the words "of the Godhead" are not there. "In him all the fulness was pleased to dwell". That is a remarkable statement, because it evidently refers

to the Lord Jesus when He was here in humiliation. It is a most profound statement. In chapter 2 it is in the present tense and the word 'bodily' is added, because it is a question of our appropriation. We have to distinguish between the Godhead or Deity -- the two words mean the same thing -- and the fulness of the Deity. As to absolute Deity, the blessed and only Ruler dwells in light unapproachable, whom no man hath seen nor is able to see. That is inscrutable. But the fulness of the Deity is something that can be taken account of and appropriated, in measure.

H.F.N. Does it help to see the first reference in scripture in regard to fulness? It is in Deuteronomy 33:16, where it is spoken of as the fulness of the earth; it is all that has come out of the earth, is it not?

G.R.C. I think that greatly helps, because the earth is inscrutable as far as man is concerned. Many things that God has made are inscrutable. They are not inscrutable intrinsically, of course, like God Himself is, but they are inscrutable as far as man is concerned. The earth itself is beyond the explanation or the understanding of man, yet we can appropriate and enjoy the fulness of the earth. Even the fulness of the earth we cannot compass. We cannot explain even a blade of grass. But we can take account of what the earth brings forth, and appropriate and enjoy it. And so as to the Deity, all the fulness dwells in Christ bodily for our appropriation and enjoyment as far as we are able.

J.F.G. All that is to be known of God is there.

G.R.C. Yes, and I suppose far more than can be known by the creature. All the fulness is beyond anything the creature can fully compass. It is all there; but, nevertheless, it is there to be appropriated in so far as our spirituality will permit us.

H.B. Is not this one of the most wealthy and complete statements in the scripture? "In him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily; and ye are complete in him".

G.R.C. I think so. Chapter 1 is not a question of our appropriation, it is the great fact that all the fulness was pleased to dwell in Him and by Him to reconcile all things to itself. Through the work of Christ, all things are to be brought into the presence of the Fulness in such a manner

that the Fulness will be completely complacent. But chapter 2 is for our appropriation. "In him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily; and ye are filled full in him".

H.F.N. So that it is something that has come within the reach of our appropriation. What is most glorious has come within our range, and when we think of the Lord's body, as the habitation and the temple and the dwelling-place of all this, it should bow our hearts in the most profound worship, should it not?

G.R.C. It should. What wealth the head bestows upon us; what wealth there is for us in the One who is our head! All the fulness of the Godhead! The wealth that is radiant in the One who is the head of the body, the assembly, is illimitable, and if we get the benefit of Him by way of accepting the truth of the body and allowing for the working of the body through the joints and bands and so on, we are going to be filled in this fulness.

H.F.N. A simple thought of fulness is what has come out of Deity, is it not? And one would like to ask: is it in view of our being brought into correspondence with Christ in what follows? There is circumcision, baptism, resurrection, and then finally that we are put into correspondence with Him through quickening. Is not all this fulness brought within our reach to bring about in this wonderful vessel a correspondence with our glorious head?

G.R.C. Chapter 1 is the work of Christ which sets us before the fulness in complacency, whereas chapter 2, as I understand it, is the work of God in our souls; we are risen with Him by faith of the working of God: "And you ... he has quickened together with him". So that there is the work of Christ in chapter 1 which places us before the fulness in complacency, and there is the work of God in quickening power in chapter 2, both of which are to set us in the body in such a manner that we can draw on all the resources of the head. All the fulness becomes available as thus set in relation to the head through His work for us, and through the work of God in us. We are thus set together bodywise so that we can draw on this fulness and get the benefit of it.

Ques. Is Hebrews 1, "the expression of his substance", a similar thought?

G.R.C. It is a somewhat similar thought; He is the expression of His substance or essential Being. The Lord Jesus is the expression of the essential Being of God.

Ques. In this chapter it says the body is of Christ. Is there ability thus to draw upon this fulness?

G.R.C. That is it. Through the operations of God in quickening that Mr. N. has spoken of it is a true and actual fact that the body is of Christ, so that there is the ability to draw upon the resources of the head.

H.P.N. Would you mind saying more in regard to "the expression of his substance"? The note says, "'essential being', not 'person'". Now why does J.N.D. put it in that way?

G.R.C. Is it not a question of God -- the Supreme Being? There is the distinguishing of the Persons, but then what has come out in the Persons is to give us some apprehension, as I understand it, of the nature and attributes of the Supreme Being. The Son is thus said to be the expression of His essential Being, involving the inseparable Oneness of God.

A.G. Is the word 'dwells' important, as over against 'expression'? It is the same word in chapter 1. I thought it would suggest the restfulness of Deity, and our drawing from Him in His character as thus known.

G.R.C. Well, I think there must be the distinction you refer to. Here the fulness dwells bodily, and so it is to be drawn upon. In Hebrews it is 'the expression'. It is not so much a question there of the body drawing upon it, but what has come into expression.

H.F.N. If we are moved this afternoon in regard to occupation with, and holy contemplation of, this glorious Person, till He takes complete possession of our hearts, we shall see how the fulness has come within our range.

G.R.C. "Ye are filled full in him". Why should we not, as the body, be filled?

Ques. Why is it that He is spoken of here as the head of the body, the assembly, but it speaks of the body first of all? Could you say why that is so?

G.R.C. Because I think the body is the prominent thought in Colossians. The primary thought is not the dignity of the vessel -- the assembly suggests that, so that in Ephesians 1 He is head over all things to the assembly,

which is His body; it is the public dignity of the vessel. But I think in Colossians the truth of the body is primarily in mind, with a view to our getting the gain of the head, drawing upon the fulness that is there.

A.G.B. Has that a Godward bearing? The note on verse 10, "ye are complete in him", says: "We, as towards God, are complete in him". Does that suggest the fulness that there is in the assembly Godward?

G.R.C. I have no doubt it means that from the divine side we are complete. As in Him, that is in Christ, we are in every way suited to the presence of God; we are complete in that sense. But then, there is the question of our drawing upon the head with a view to the body increasing with the increase of God, so that God's portion is in view in all this.

A.G.B. I wondered as to the fulness, that we would long to know something more of it in our approach towards God.

G.R.C. That is what we need. I am sure we all feel the need to know more about fulness in approaching God.

Ques. Would you say another word as to the oneness of God's essential Being? Do we not understand from John 17, for instance, that the Persons were there before time?

G.R.C. Oh yes. The distinctions of Person, as we speak are undoubtedly eternal. Only what has come out as to the nature and attributes apply equally to those Persons. For instance, "God is love" and "God is light" pertain to God as such without distinction of Person, and this enters into our worship of God as Supreme. But in the expression "all the fulness of the Deity" one cannot shut out the idea of distinguishing Persons, for all that is to be known of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit is involved in it. J.N.D. says as to it that there could be no separation of the Son from the Father or the Spirit, though most distinct in their relationship, and thus all the fulness of the Godhead dwells in Him bodily. Nevertheless the word Godhead does not in itself imply distinctions -- it is just the Deity, that is what the word means.

Ques. In regard to our drawing upon the fulness that resided in Christ, does verse 19 help, "from whom all the

body, ministered to and united together by the joints and bands, increases with the increase of God"? I was thinking "from whom all the body".

G.R.C. Yes, that is it, "from whom" is where it comes from; it comes from this blessed Person.

We ought now to go on to the second part of our subject, and that is the question of the preciousness of the assembly to Christ. She is so precious to Him that it says, "the Christ also loved the assembly, and has delivered himself up for it". But then we have a present matter, "Because of this a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be united to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh". That is a present matter, because it is during this period that the Lord Jesus has left other interests precious to Him, other affectionate interests, in order to be united to the assembly.

Rem. We have been needing help on that point.

G.R.C. It ought to affect us profoundly that during the present period the love of the Christ is such that He has left other matters, great and precious matters, in order to be united to the assembly, because he Has found something more precious, most precious.

W.W.S. Are we not now touching what is peculiarly delicate and intimate in the relation between Christ and the assembly? I was thinking of how it reads, "Husbands, love your own wives". It is a peculiarly exclusive matter: Christ loving the assembly exclusively, and the assembly loving Christ exclusively, would you say?

G.R.C. That is beautiful, is it not? There is a delicate sensitive touch about the headship of Christ to the assembly, which is unique; and I wonder whether we might get some further impressions as to the reason the assembly is so precious to Christ. First of all there is the question of her origin, so it says, "we are members of his body; we are of his flesh, and of his bones". That links with Genesis 2, where it says, "This time it is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh: this shall be called Woman, because this was taken out of a man". And then there is the question of His helpmate, His like, which involves the versatility of the assembly. If a great man is seeking a counterpart, if he is seeking a wife, it is a great thing for him to find a wife who is versatile, and able to move with

him in all his interests without any difficulty, to be able to move with complete ease in the flow of his mind and affections in everything he has on hand, and I believe that is what the Lord Jesus has secured in the assembly.

Rem. So it says in Proverbs 31, "She doeth him good, and not evil, all the days of her life".

G.R.C. Yes, quite so. In Genesis 2 it is 'helpmate', his counterpart, as the note says.

W.B.H. Of him and for him -- that is one of the earliest thoughts we get in scripture, I suppose.

H.F.N. Is that why in the book of Genesis the brides were to be of the same kindred? Rebecca was of Isaac's kindred. We must be of the order of the heavenly Man to be united to Him, and would that make us versatile?

G.R.C. I believe the versatility of the assembly rests upon the fact that we are of Him; we are His body. That was the distinction of the woman, that she was his bone and his flesh, and the fact that she was taken out of man gave her capacity to move with man in everything. And if you think of the assembly as Christ's body, He has a vessel which is entirely in the current of His own mind and thoughts.

J.P.H. Speaking in terms of Christ and the assembly, is there not a great deal in the last part of verse 28, "he that loves his own wife loves himself", the assembly being himself?

G.R.C. Yes. In this relationship of man and wife there is that which is exclusive in the reciprocal affections; but then, the idea of a helpmate, his like, means that the one who is the object of his affections can move out with him in everything that he has on hand.

Ques. You were speaking of varied interests which the Lord has for the moment laid down. Would the assembly be competent and sympathetic in thinking of those glories which attach to Him and are yet to be taken up in the future?

G.R.C. Yes, so that if you think of the assembly according to Genesis 1 as with Him in the headship, "let them have dominion", the assembly is competent for that, and that all enters into the Lord's love for the assembly; His affection is drawn out because of what He sees there: the potentialities of such a vessel. For instance, He has a

vessel competent to be entirely expressive of Him in administrative matters, the bride the Lamb's wife. When John is taken to see what she looks like, he sees the holy city; he sees an administrative vessel, entirely competent to administer for Christ and for God.

H.F.N. Do I understand you would connect that with the fifth chapter? The fifth chapter, if I might ask, is the assembly looked at as all glorious within. Is it not what she is as the special and peculiar object of the affections of the heart of Christ, and He has delivered Himself up for her? He has no other interests at the present time, but has given Himself wholly over to His wife?

G.R.C. That is just what I think. But then one of the reasons the assembly is so delightful to Him is because of all her capabilities. The wife implies that, as I understand it. The bride is entirely for His delight. But the word here is "for this cause shall a man leave father and mother and shall be united to his wife". That is, he sees the potentialities of that vessel, as his helpmate, his like; one delightful to him, of course, in bridal relations, but also entirely qualified to be with him in all his interests. Psalm 45 is upon lilies, that is one view of the assembly, the fragrance of the assembly to Christ, her purity; and then she is seen as the queen: "on thy right hand doth stand the queen in gold of Ophir". Then if you come to Psalm 22 she is the hind of the morning, she is ready to move with her beloved in the highest heights in connection with the service of God.

H.F.N. Might we add one more thought: she really shines out as the virtuous woman and the heart of her husband does safely trust in her?

G.R.C. Excellent, so that is another feature.

W.W.S. Do I understand from what you are saying that you are speaking of the assembly now as entirely suited to Christ in every setting, whether it be in love's setting or in an administrative setting? Is that what you mean?

G.R.C. Well, when a man chooses a wife, you know, he has the whole matter in mind, has he not? I mean there is the love setting, the personal affections; but he needs a helpmate, his like, he needs one who will be with him in everything that he is going on with, and be thoroughly in the current of his mind and thoughts in every matter

and so, as regards the assembly, if it is administrative matters, the Lord has a vessel entirely qualified to take up administration. If it is the service of God, He has a vessel available in that service.

H.B. These administrative matters, they would be done like Christ would do them, would they not?

G.R.C. That is just it -- she acts just as her husband would. He can trust her to do it.

H.F.N. So that her husband is known in the gates?

G.R.C. Quite so.

Rem. That is what David saw in Abigail.

G.R.C. That is another excellent reference.

THE HEADSHIP OF CHRIST AND OF GOD - READING 4

John 1:1 - 18 Revelation 21:9 - 10, 1 - 7

J.F.G. Will you please give a brief resume of the previous readings.

G.R.C. The theme that has been before us is the headship of Christ, as making way for the headship and supremacy of God. In the first reading we considered in a general way the truth of headship, and noticed particularly that according to God's purpose headship under God has been given to man as an order of being, not to angels; and so when man is first mentioned in scripture the word is, "Let us make man In our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion", and it says, "God created Man in his image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them". This brings out typically the great truth of Christ's headship, Adam being a figure of Him to come, and also of the assembly's place with Him in the headship as united to Him. We dwelt at some length on the wonderful truth of image. The Lord Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the God who always will be invisible, but who is known in the One who is His image. We noted that it never says the Lord Jesus is in the likeness of God, because He is God. It would therefore be derogatory to speak of Him as in God's

likeness. The saints have to be brought into God's likeness, to be properly representative, but the Lord Jesus is the image of God, because He is God.

In the second reading we considered in Ephesians the scope of Christ's headship, particularly having in mind the title 'the Christ', which implies the great and magnificent office or position into which He has been installed as Man, as the Lord's Anointed; and the mystery of God's will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself for the administration of the fulness of times, to head up all things in the Christ. It is God's good pleasure that the Christ should be the One in whom everything is headed up in heaven and earth, and He has placed Him above every principality and authority and power and dominion and every name named, not only in this age, but also in that to come, and given Him to be head over all things to the assembly which is His body, the fulness of Him who fills all in all. We saw the bearing of that on the present time in chapter 3, where the assembly, as functioning under the headship of Christ as the true Solomon, displays the all-various wisdom of God to the principalities and authorities in the heavenlies, not only in administrative matters but also in relation to the ascent, the service of God. An earthly principality saw Solomon's ascent, and there was no more spirit left in her, whereas the heavenly principalities are witnesses of the ascent of the true Solomon in connection with the service of praise in the assembly, so it says, "in whom we have boldness and access in confidence by the faith of him". The Father would strengthen us in all these matters that the Christ, referring to His headship, should dwell in our hearts by faith.

In the third reading we considered the special and the most sweet character of Christ's headship as relative to the assembly. Colossians 1 indicates what He is to the assembly as head. "What is thy beloved more than another beloved?" Such an One as He is the head of the body, the assembly. We dwelt on His greatness in several aspects, particularly being detained on the thought of "in him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily". Such an One is the head of the body. We also dwelt briefly on what the assembly is to Him according to Ephesians 5,

as the helpmate, His like. His affections are set upon the assembly, not only because of the private relationship between Christ and the assembly but because of the potentialities of that vessel as His counterpart in everything, the wife. That is what has been before us.

Now we move on to consider the great subject of God, as presented by John -- the declaration of God in chapter 1 and the great end in view in Revelation 21, where it says, "the tabernacle of God is with men, and he shall tabernacle with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself" -- those words being particularly in mind, "God himself"... "shall be with them, their God". "God himself" suggests the greatest intimacy that could be known between the Supreme Being and the creature. It is God Himself, the God who has been declared.

It is to be noted that the Gospel of John begins with very great stress on the Deity of Christ, lest we should in any way limit the thought of God. It does not begin 'in the beginning was God', but "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God". Lower down it says, "No man has seen God at any time", which takes us back to that beginning. In that state of Deity no one has seen God at any time. But the verses which follow disclose the marvellous truth that that God has been declared.

Ques. What have you in your mind in that it does not say 'in the beginning was God'?

G.R.C. To point out that the initial stress is on the Word, on that Person as we speak. Lest we should in any way limit the thought of God in our minds, this verse begins with such an absolute statement as to the Deity of the Lord Jesus.

Ques. Does it guard the Person of the Lord Jesus?

G.R.C. That is no doubt its primary purpose. But it would also preserve us from limiting the thought of God in our minds.

Rem. The Word would apply to Him as coming into revelation?

G.R.C. That title refers to Him in Manhood, but it is asserting the truth of His Person, that He was with God, and was God, and that never ceases to be.

Ques. Is it going to help us if we can carry forward these two statements: "The Word was with God, and the Word was God"?

G.R.C. I think so, because coming into manhood does not alter the fact of His Deity. True, in coming here He emptied Himself, yet He makes it clear to His disciples before He leaves, by addressing the Father in their hearing in chapter 17, that that condition would remain no longer, but that, in glorified Manhood, He would also be glorified along with the Father with the glory which He had along with Him before the world was. That glory links with chapter 1, verse 1.

E.J.B. I was thinking of the way it can be said absolutely of one of the Persons that He was God, but at the same time that He was with God, the two thoughts.

G.R.C. It shows His distinctive personality, and yet His place in Deity. And, as I say, even though when here He had emptied Himself -- though unchanged and unchanging in His Person: the 'I AM' -- why should He in the presence of His disciples ask the Father, in view of His work here in humiliation being finished, that He should be glorified along with the Father with the glory which He had along with Him before the world was, unless to indicate to them that, as a glorified Man, He also now has the glory which He had along with the Father before the world was.

N.K.McL. That is the glory of Deity, is it?

G.R.C. Quite so, the glory of Deity. I am only making these remarks to indicate at the outset that scripture would preserve us from limiting the thought of God in an arbitrary way. While in many passages the context shows that the Father is in mind, in many others the Trinity is implied, without distinguishing the Persons. We are justified in referring to God as God without distinguishing Persons.

Ques. Could we have a word as to why John's writings are the last of the communications opening up this great subject?

G.R.C. Well, in one sense God reserves the best until the last. There is something exceedingly choice in the way John deals with things. But it seems most instructive that the three great apostles, Peter, Paul and John, all have the day of God before them, though Peter alone uses

the term. In a most marked way, as he leaves the scene, Peter is looking for the day of God, and exhorts us to be looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God. There is a day called the day of Christ, and there is the day of the Lord, but the final day he calls the day of God, not exactly the Father's day. He is looking for it from the standpoint of the ways of God, and speaks of the new heavens and the new earth as a promise. Paul looks on to the same great end, but, while he also has the ways of God in mind, he views it from the standpoint of purpose. He says, "then comes the end", which we may perhaps dwell on this afternoon. John combines the two, I believe, bringing Peter's and Paul's lines together in Revelation 21. He speaks of the new heavens and the new earth, which is Peter's line, and then he speaks of the holy city, New Jerusalem, and the tabernacle of God, which is Paul's line, the assembly. But God is the great End.

J.McK. You would think this look backward is intended at the outset to carry us through on this holy level. If the source be such, if the beginning be such, what must the end be? This ray of glory in chapter 1: 1 lays the foundation for the bringing out of the truth in all its clarity and carrying it forward to the great end in our souls?

G.R.C. Quite so. It should help us therefore to look at the beginning and the end together, should it not?

J.McK. Does the Lord's title, the Alpha and Omega, encourage us to do that?

G.R.C. It is a marvellous title which the Lord Himself takes in Revelation 22:13. In chapter 21 the One on the throne says, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end". It may be said that the Lord Jesus is the speaker there, but, even so, it is as God He is speaking; God, as God, is before us in that passage. But in chapter 22 the Lord applies the title to Himself personally, "Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to render to every one as his work shall be. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end". Is that right?

J.McK. We need a lot of help on that line, because there is a danger of thinking of each Divine Person as having a part in Deity, instead of each being fully and blessedly God.

Ques. Do you think that the last verse of Psalm 48, "This God is our God for ever and ever", would be anticipative of God being fully made known or revealed?

G.R.C. I think it would be anticipative of what we are on now. Literally it applies to Israel, but then the Psalms were not written only for Israel; primarily they were for us.

Rem. I was only thinking of the definiteness and assurance with which the Psalmist speaks, "This God is our God".

G.R.C. Well, that is very blessed, and we may get help so as to be able to use such language. What do we know about Him, "This God"?

F.D.W. The same Psalmist says, "According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise". Is that in your mind as to the objective?

G.R.C. Yes. "This God". That is the God we are considering now, the God that is presented in John 1:1 - 18. "This God is our God". Can we say that? Have we embraced this God in our affections, as knowing Him?

E.J.F. You have referred to Revelation 21:6. What do you say as to the speaker in verse 7: "I will be to him God"?

G.R.C. I would simply leave it as it stands, that it is God speaking. We are sons of God.

E.J.F. The beginning is in John 1, and I wondered whether the end in the last scripture we are corning back to is that -- "This God".

G.R.C. I think that is right. The declaration is to help us as to that, as to this God. No one has seen God at any time. He is beyond our range and reach in inscrutable Deity, but it says, "The only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared". So that that is what we may perhaps get help on now.

J.McK. Is it not a glorious tribute to the declaration that it can be said "God himself", without limitation of any kind?

G.R.C. It is.

J.McK. Is there not a tendency with us to think of the declaration as partial? But it brings the blessed God Himself within our range, nothing less.

G.R.C. That helps much, and shows the importance of considering the thought of declaration. Apart from it

God would be unknown, but "the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared", and this declaration, as I understand it, is full and complete. Everything has been brought out as to God which could be brought out and brought within the range of the creature.

Rem. The Word has been spoken of as the expression of the mind of God.

G.R.C. I think the title 'the Word' stands related to the declaration and has a bearing on the renewed mind. The heart is engaged, because it says, "we have contemplated his glory, a glory as of an only-begotten with a father"; the heart is engaged with what is entrancingly beautiful. But coupled with that there is the thought of the Word which implies that there is something to learn, something to be apprehended by the renewed mind. There is a vast range of things, more than we can ever compass, of course, in this Person. All that could be told out as to God has been told out in Him.

J.L.W. Would you link the expression "I am the Alpha and the Omega" with "the Word"?

G.R.C. There seems to be a connection. You were thinking that they are the first and last letters of the alphabet, encompassing all that can be known of God.

T.W.C. Why is the declaration connected with the only-begotten Son in the bosom of the Father followed, as it is, by an emphatic He -- He has declared Him?

G.R.C. It seems to me that the declaration of God not only required the bringing out of what God is in His nature and attributes, which have been brought into relief in the way He has dealt with the sin question, but also the revelation of the Father through the Lord Jesus coming into the place of the only-begotten Son. This was necessary to give full expression to affections that were ever there in God, but which waited for the incarnation to find expression. While God's dealing with the sin question has brought into expression the love of God, which requires nothing in its object to draw it out, because God is love, yet there are also affections, which stand related to eternal purpose, which could only find expression in the presence of an Object adequate for them. Such are the affections of the Father for the Son.

W.W.S. In that way is the declaration intended to be a most attractive matter in that it is made by the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father?

G .R.C. I think it is. It is most attractive, and I do not think the declaration would be complete -- God would not be fully declared -- if these tender affections had not come into display.

H.F.N. I understand your thought is to lead up to the headship of God. Would you indicate what is in your mind as to this?

G.R.C. If God is to have His place as head, it implies not only His supremacy as God but that He is known and held in affection. Revelation 21:1 - 3 implies a scene where God is head, although the word is not mentioned because John is stressing the intimacy of eternal conditions. Yet the supremacy of God is there; for although He is dwelling with men in such nearness, it says, "He that sat on the throne said". God is enthroned there -- He is the King of the ages. But then it is God known in such a manner that, although He is the King of the ages, and has all the majesty of the throne attaching to Him, it can be said, "God Himself shall be with them". Angels recognise His kingship and supremacy, but none can render Him such reverential worship as those of whom it can be said, "God Himself shall be with them, their God". They are under His direct influence and He is enshrined in their affections as head.

H.F.N. Paul, in 1 Timothy, refers to the One who is the King of the ages, the invisible God. Do we need to know the great thought of kingship before we can get the great thought of headship in relation to God, of which you were speaking? The two thoughts seem almost inseparably connected.

G.R.C. I think they are. The thought of kingship is majesty and supremacy, but then, it is those who are near to the King and know Him and love Him who can, in the fullest way, accord Him the honour and glory which are His due as King of the ages. But as thus known and enshrined in their affections, He is head to them; they are under His influence and sway inwardly, as Paul says, "God all in all".

F.D.W. Does declaration link with His majesty, and revelation with the side of affection?

G.R.C. Declaration is the bringing out of all that is to be known of God in and through this blessed Person, so that it is a very vast range; and within the bounds, as it were, of that declaration the Son reveals the Father to certain ones. "Nor does anyone know the Father, but the Son, and he to whom the Son may be pleased to reveal Him".

W.B.H. I was wondering why just before the eighteenth verse we get the reference to grace and truth subsisting through Jesus Christ. Would you say a word as to that?

G.R.C. Apart from grace and truth subsisting, we should never be able to stand in the presence of the declaration of God. But the declaration of God is made in and through the One in whom grace and truth subsists. So that we can stand in the presence of it, like Moses, who turned aside to see this great sight. It was holy ground, but he could stand there.

J.P.H. Would it be right to link this word in John 1, "he hath declared him", with the end of Ephesians 3, "That ye may be filled even to all the fulness of God"? The assembly, the nearest family, is able to take in all that has ever been made known as to God, and able to answer to it?

G.R.C. Being "filled even to all the fulness of God" would be the portion of those who, in this dispensation, come into the gain of the declaration; but the declaration stands whether anyone comes into the gain of it or not.

J.McK. Is the declaration complete in itself, and would it not stand for all the families named of the Father? Whether they all come into it in the same measure is another matter, but the declaration is complete, is it not?

G.R.C. That would help as to Mr. H.'s question. As regards the assembly it is a question of being filled unto all the fulness of God, but that could not be said of other families, one would judge.

H.F.N. Declaration is a universal matter, is it not? When it is a question of revelation, it is what is sovereign and what is specific. But every family in the redeemed universe will stand in the light and, in their measure, in the gain of the declaration, will they not?

G.R.C. And all that are brought into the gain of declaration are brought into it through the gracious activities of

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The declaration stands, but no one could be affected by it, man's state being what it is, unless the Father in grace began to work. The Father initiates things according to this gospel; "thine they were", the Lord says, "and thou gavest them me". Also in chapter 6, "No one can come to me except the Father who has sent me draw him". So that this gospel is full of the gracious activities of the Father, and also those of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, with a view to souls being brought into the gain of the declaration.

J.McK.. Does the title "the Word" suggest that there is a certain initiation required on the part of those who receive Him? I was thinking of what you have been referring to in chapter 6, "Every one that has heard from the Father Himself and has learned of Him comes to me". We need this initiation. I think you referred to the renewed mind.

G.R.C. Will you kindly enlarge on this?

J.McK. I was thinking of what followed -- the light shining in darkness, and the darkness apprehending it not. It is a question of those who received Him, those "who have been born not of blood, nor of flesh's will, nor of man's will, but of God".

G.R.C. Quite so. That brings about a sphere of things where what has come out in the Person who is the Word can be considered and taken in by our renewed minds. It says, "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us". I think the 'us' are the children of God of the previous verse; it is those who are born of God, those who have received Him. In this circle the Word can dwell. We cannot think of the Word dwelling in a world that He came to and which knew Him not, nor among His own of Israel who received Him not. There was no dwelling-place for the Word there. But through the operations of divine grace there was a circle where the Word dwelt -- the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Dwelling implies restful and suitable conditions, and that is what we are needing on an occasion like this, and I think we have them in measure. In such conditions contemplation is possible and thus our renewed minds can absorb more and more of what is expressed in Him who is the Word.

H.F.N. Would that be seen in the two, who, when they heard John the Baptist speaking, followed Jesus and abode with Him that day?

G.R.C. That is very good indeed, because they call Him 'Rabbi', do they not? They say "Where abidest thou?" Mr. Taylor said years ago that we do not usually ask our school-teachers where they live, we are not interested. But here was the teacher, the Rabbi, and His teaching was of such a character that they virtually said, we want to come home with you. And it is when you are at home with the Lord that you get the benefit of His teaching fully.

H.F.N. So is it not important to emphasise the fact that "the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we have contemplated his glory"? One fully admits that the contemplation in one sense was unique to the apostles, they witnessed a life lived in entire relation to the Father, yet I suppose we can come into this holy contemplative spirit. Then the second thing is, "Of his fulness we all have received, and grace upon grace", and thus we are led on spiritually into the great thought of declaration, are we not?

G.R.C. Very good indeed. That helps greatly as to how things work. There is this circle at the present time -- Paul would call it the temple, but John speaks about it in a nearer and more intimate way. The temple of God, after all, is a homely place, although it is also a very holy place. What could be more holy and yet more homely than. "We have contemplated his glory, a glory as of an only-begotten with a father"? And then, lest we should think that we could not be in such a circle, it says, "full of grace and truth ... for of his fulness we all have received, and grace upon grace". All this grace is ministered that we might be happily and restfully in the homely and holy circle which, in the power of the Spirit now indwelling surrounds the One who is the Word; and that, as you say, makes way for our getting the gain of the declaration: "the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father. He hath declared".

Ques. Have you any thought as to why it is put as a simile in this sentence, "we have contemplated his glory, a glory as of an only-begotten with a father"?

G.R.C. I think it is bringing it down to us, to within the range of our intelligence, because we are accustomed to

this kind of thing in human life; we are accustomed to the idea of an only-begotten with a father -- we know it is a most tender and precious thing. Not that in human affairs it could ever compare with the place of the Lord Jesus with the Father, but it is put as something known, a kind of thing known to the human race. But then, you see, the One who created the human race, the God of whom we are speaking, created these affections. And if He created such a relationship as this in the human race He must be capable of such affections in surpassing degree. In fact He really patterned human relationships after the divine relationships He had in mind to bring in, which alone would satisfy His heart. "An only-begotten with a father" -- in that relationship, as applied to the Lord Jesus and His Father, the fulness of divine affections have, I think, come into display.

A.G.B. Does not what you are saying now have a bearing upon the remarkable place that is given to grace in this setting? Is it not suggestive of the infinite resources that have been supplied by God Himself in order that He may thus draw near? It says "grace upon grace".

G.R.C. Should it not encourage us greatly that this boundless resource of grace is available in order that we might be restfully in this holy and yet homely circle, where we can contemplate His glory? With our hearts thus: engaged, our renewed minds will be free to take in the truth, and we shall become intelligent as to the truth of the declaration.

H.F.N. And as to the headship of God!

J.McK. Is the reference to an "only-begotten with a father" to stress to us the importance of our acquaintance with and contemplation of Christ, for it is only there we I shall have the knowledge of the Father?

G.R.C. Quite so, and only there that we shall have the knowledge of God.

J.T.W. Is something to be known in our local settings of the Lord dwelling among us?

G.R.C. I believe, as an application, it would answer to the temple conditions in our localities, because we are there for enquiry, and all enquiry that we could possibly have finds an answer in the One who is the Word; but it involves now the presence of the Spirit.

J.T.W. So that while declaration would be for all, there are even now those that can have the wonderful privilege of together contemplating Christ's glory?

G.R.C. If there are temple conditions locally, we have the privilege of enquiry with a certainty that we shall get our enquiries answered, because the One who is the Word is available to us on account of the Spirit of God dwelling in us.

J.P.H. What more were you going to say about declaration?

G.R.C. The nature and attributes of God have shone out in dealing with the sin question; but I think it is evident that declaration also includes the whole truth relating to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Lord's ministry in this gospel is full of the Father, and His activities and His supreme place in the economy, and it is full of Himself, the greatness of His Person, and the greatness of the place He has in the economy, and it is also full of the Holy Spirit. No other part of scripture so fully brings out the truth as to the Holy Spirit.

Ques. Would you say declaration is the widest and most inclusive thought that is presented to us?

G.R.C. I think it is.

A.S. Would it involve every phase of the Lord's life; His life here in flesh and blood and His death, and His resurrection and His ascension?

G.R.C. Yes, all are needed. And yet, because His ministry in this gospel anticipates His death, He brings out remarkable instruction as to the Father and as to the Son and as to the Holy Spirit.

J.A.P. Would the words "God and Father", or "God and our Father", or "God the Father", which are so frequent in scripture, suggest that there is a gradation in the way in which Divine Persons have been pleased to reveal Themselves?

G.R.C. I think so. The Lord says, "My Father is greater than I"? so that in what is called the economy of God -- 1 Timothy 1:4, Colossians 1:25 -- the Father is supreme. In relation to the administration of things, in the scene of testimony and need, I think it is right to say that the Father is God to us, and the Son is Lord to us, and the Spirit is the Comforter. As in this scene of need, if we turn to God, we address Him

as the Lord, and we seek the Spirit's help as the Comforter. The declaration includes what God would be to us in the scene of testimony and need. But as to our place before God, our eternal place, we know God in revelation and relationship in the Father, we know Him as expressed and manifested in the Son, and we know Him dwelling in us in the Spirit, but it is all God; it is God all in all, as I understand it.

E.J.B. Does it not peculiarly move our hearts toward God as we think of all that?

G.R.C. Quite so. It is God known in His own realm; God in relationship with us as known in the Father expressed to us in the Son, and dwelling in us by the Spirit, but it is God.

H.F.N. Paul could say "My God shall abundantly supply all your need".

G.R.C. That is interesting, because it shows that even in the scene of testimony and need we can use the title God to include the Trinity. The title "My God" covers all. All our needs would be supplied through the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; because, after all, as to our needs, the Father takes charge of certain things, and the Lord Jesus takes charge of certain things, and the Spirit takes charge of certain things; but "my God shall abundantly supply all your need".

Ques. Is it not remarkable that in all the epistles, generally speaking, God is spoken of. The Father is referred to in the salutations, and once or twice otherwise, but generally through all the epistles it is God.

G.R.C. I think we have to take scripture in its setting, and in the realm of testimony and administration and need, "to us there is one God, the Father", and we generally turn to Him in all matters that stand related to God. But this does not alter the fact that Paul repeatedly uses the term God in a wider sense. I do not believe he was limiting himself at all when he says, "my God shall abundantly supply all your need"; and again, "I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all". As regards his doxologies in Romans, one is addressed to Christ, "Who is over all, God blessed for ever", but the others are addressed to God as God without limitation.

H.F.N. Now may we have a word on Revelation?

G.R.C. In Revelation we come to the end as given us by John, and again the thought of God is stressed, both in the millennial and the eternal day. In both passages there is a connection between the assembly, as under the headship of Christ, and the place God has. The word is, "Come here, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife". That is the assembly under the headship of Christ, entirely amenable and responsive to Him; but what John sees is the holy city, because the assembly is versatile; she is available to Christ in every aspect in which He needs her. In the millennium He needs her in administration, and in that aspect she is the city, the wife is the city, wholly like her husband in administration; and so she has the glory of God. The Lord Jesus is the One in whom the glory of God shines, of course, but the holy city has the glory of God.

Then in the eternal state, he says, "I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of the heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband". Again you have the link with Christ in affection and headship, a bride adorned for her husband; but the voice from heaven says, "Behold, the tabernacle of God". John is told that the vessel with which he is occupied as the bride is also the tabernacle of God. The truth is that, as marked by bridal affection, the assembly is a vessel in which Christ is enshrined and therefore God rests in it complacently. The tabernacle of old is a type. Christ was enshrined, in it as the ark, and God could rest there -- everything was complacent for God. And how does Christ get His place as enshrined in the assembly? It is through bridal affections.

J.McK. Is it not wonderful that the same word can be applied in Revelation 21 as in John 1:9; The Word tabernacled amongst us, and now the tabernacle of God with men. Would it imply that the answer is gloriously reached?

G.R.C. It is most interesting that we begin and end with this thought of tabernacle.

J.McK. It is so unofficial.

G.R.C. We must not think of the tabernacle as a tent. The word tabernacle does not mean a tent but a dwelling place. In the Old Testament there was the tabernacle and

the tent over the tabernacle which protected it. But in eternity the tent is not needed -- there is no more journeying. It is a dwelling place in intimacy, as Mr. M. says; not the palatial aspect as verses 10 et seq. David says, "The palace is not for man but for Jehovah Elohim". That is the display side. Buckingham Palace is a palace, but if you went inside you would find intimate and homely family affections there. The tabernacle was merged in the temple under Solomon; the two ideas merge, for he brought up the tabernacle and all its vessels into the house. It is a spiritual idea. The tabernacle would suggest the intimate and homely side of things which underlie the display and goes on to eternity, would it not?

W.W.S. Does the scripture in Revelation stress the thought of what is to eternity, as it says, "from eternity to eternity thou art God", the economy corning in between, God at the beginning and God at the end?

G.R.C. Quite so. How much richer the "to eternity" is, is it not? How much richer, because the declaration has come in between, and now, in what we can speak of as "to eternity", God Himself is known in a most blessed way in this tabernacle. He is known in the Father in c revelation and relationship, He is known in the Son in expression and manifestation, and He is known in the Spirit as dwelling. What a tabernacle this is, and God Himself in it. It is God Himself who is there.

Ques. Is that covered in "God is love"?

G.R.C. The declaration of God involves the great truth that God is love. He that dwells in love dwells in God and God in him. In the eternal state we shall dwell in God and God in us. Then if you think of God Himself being with the other families through the tabernacle, how near He must be to those who form the tabernacle. The nearness of those who form the tabernacle is indescribable.

J.McK. Is not that the beauty of the tabernacle, that God Himself, in all His blessedness, will be there and thus there will be a mediatorial condition of things in which the glory will radiate and be known by other families.

G.R.C. Just so. And if it can be said of the men who form the other families that God Himself is with them because His tabernacle is there, what must be the nearness of those who form that tabernacle? It cannot be described.

A.G.B. Does the last part of verse 6 suggest to your mind the way in which these great and wonderful thoughts can come within the range of any who thirst after them?

G.R.C. That is just it. If anybody thirsts after eternal realities the One on the throne would encourage such. If thirst has been awakened with any of us today, He would say to us, "I will give to him that thirsts of the fountain of the water of life freely". The Spirit, as we know, has no less an objective before Him than to bring souls into the gain of eternity now.

Ques. Would the expression "He that sat on the throne said" emphasise the supremacy of God -- God is still supreme?

G.R.C. Yes, and also the city. We have to take account of the fact that the city is still there in eternity, the city suggesting what stands related to the majesty of God. It is His city, the holy city, new Jerusalem. So there is still the city and the throne; but there is also the tabernacle, God so near.

Ques. Do you mean that the assembly will be used mediately to the other families in eternity?

G.R.C. I think so. I think that is what Mr. M. had in mind.

J.A.P. What a transparent vessel she must be!

H.F.N. Then it says finally, "He that overcomes shall inherit these things, and I will be to him God". God would have every one of us to be overcomers in view of eternity. We inherit all these things on the principle of overcoming.

G.R.C. What an immense encouragement to be an overcomer and to go in for these things.

J.McK. Is it significant that the city in its eternal setting precedes the millennial aspect in this chapter?

G.R.C. I think it is, because, after all, the assembly will be in her eternal place before she comes out in the millennium. We shall have reached our eternal state and condition, although there will not yet be a new heaven and a new earth. The great objective, as I see it, in the ministry of Peter, Paul, and John is not simply that, in our spirits, we should anticipate the world to come, but that we should reach eternity. And so the narrative here hastens on to eternity, then it comes back to tell us about the world to come.

THE HEADSHIP OF CHRIST AND OF GOD - READING 5

1 Corinthians 15:20 - 28; 1 Chronicles 29:10 - 13, 20; Ephesians 3:19 - 21; 2 Chronicles 5:13 - 14

G.R.C. We have in mind what Paul refers to as "the end" in verse 24 of 1 Corinthians 15, "then the end". It is the great end that divine operations are moving towards, and suggests finality. The passage deals with matters, to some extent, from an historical angle, yet, in the power of the Spirit, we are to antedate the end, arriving at it now in our spirits; and it is profitable to look at the order in which the great events take place. Ephesians 3 is not historical, but rather has in view our arrival now at the end, in so far as the assembly is concerned in the service and testimony of God; we are to arrive even now in our spirits at the greatness of what the assembly is in Christ Jesus, the vessel of God's glory and service and praise. The passage in 1 Chronicles 29 links with 1 Corinthians 15, a remarkable passage if we take it as typical of Christ, proving what has been before us, namely, that the headship of Christ is to make way for the headship of God. David had no other thought in his mind. God made him head, He made him His firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth, but David had no thought in his mind whatever of using that position for his own aggrandisement. His whole aim was to use the great position God had given him as head in order to make way for the headship of God. So that it is the greatest moment of David's life, when he rises to what he had ever had before him, and says, "Thou art exalted as head above all". On the other hand, the passage in 2 Chronicles 5 may link more with Ephesians 3, as to the way we arrive at that at the present time in unity in the service and praise of God.

I think we should keep in mind that all these passages show what the perfect Man does for His God. It is the Son, of course, and all the affections of sonship enter into the matter; David and Solomon were typically in the place of son but, nevertheless, it is what a Man, the true Man,

is doing for His God. It links with what the Lord Jesus says in John 20, "My God, and your God" -- what He is doing for His God. And so the point in 1 Corinthians 15 is the Christ; it is the Man. "As in the Adam all die, thus in the Christ all shall be made alive". The two heads are brought before us. "But each in his own rank: the first-fruits, Christ; then those that are the Christ's at his coming". There are those that are the Christ's; but while He has great pleasure in them, His great aim is that all that comes under His hand should be available for His God.

J.P.H. As to what you have before you this afternoon, is it the perfect filling out by Christ of God's great original thoughts in Genesis 1, "Let us make man in our image"?

G.R.C. It includes that, but also brings in the great return to God. Man set in headship in God's image is to express the invisible God in His creation. But then headship has upward as well as downward functions. The Lord Jesus as head uses the immensity of His power and the great influence of His love, the love of the Christ, which surpasses knowledge, to gather up everything in the universe for His God. That is typified in David and Solomon gathering up everything in the way of response. On the one hand God is known through the head, who is His image; but on the other hand the Man who is head in the mighty power and influence of His love, which flows in all directions, towards His God as well as towards the assembly, gathers up all for the glory and praise of His God, and that is perfection in man. It is perfection in man to consider wholly and completely for God.

J.McK. So that you have the great return flow here; there has been the outward flow in declaration, and now the same blessed Person gathers everything up in a return flow.

G.R.C. That is just what I thought. I think we have to see those two sides of headship. On the one hand God is expressed in the head, He is the image of God; but then the fruit of that expression, as it takes effect, is that there is a vast response secured for God, and the perfection of man as seen in Christ lies in the fact that He gathers up all that response, which in one sense centres in Himself, and carries it to His God.

H.F.N. Would that be seen in Hebrews 2, "I will declare thy name", and then, "in the midst of the assembly will I sing thy praises"? Is that the downward and upward feature?

G.R.C. I think that is right. The name declared, of course, is "My Father and your Father, and my God and your God". And you get a somewhat similar order to that here, because it says, "then the end, when He gives up the kingdom to him who is God and Father". That is the first thing, "To him who is God and Father".

H.F.N. At the beginning of the meetings you made a very valuable remark, that we might sum it up in the thought of God and Christ, and Father and Son. Would these passages give us the great climax of those two lines?

G.R.C. They would, and they show that the climax of all is God. It is not that one would say one line was greater than the other exactly; but there is an 'end' in view; and I believe when we come to finality it links with the thought of God, "My God and your God".

H.F.N. Would it be right to say that the two lines merge when we come to the great finality of God all in all? It is the day of God's eternal supremacy, is it not?

G.R.C. Quite so.

Ques. Would "the end" refer to the end of God's operations?

G.R.C. In contrast, you mean, to His rest. It is no longer a question of operations but of rest.

N.K.McL. The culmination of His ways?

G.R.C. Yes, and the final establishment of His purpose. "Then the end". What a grand expression that is!

J.A.P. Do you have men in sonship connected in this way, in the eternal day?

G.R.C. That is the relationship men will always be in -- sonship never ceases. When it says the tabernacle of God is with men, it means in sonship; that is the liberty of the position. "I will be to him God, and he shall be to me son" is the word to the overcomer. But then, it is men, not angels. It is in and through Man that God has secured His end.

Ques. God speaks about David as a man after His heart. Does that bear on what you said about what a man is to his God?

G.R.C. That is exactly what I had in mind. David was typically in the place of son with God, "I will make him my firstborn"; but God says of him, "I have found David, a man after my own heart, who will do all my will".

F.D.W. Do you see the operational side set out in David in Psalm 132 with his longings for a place for Jehovah and for the ark, and then "Arise, Jehovah, into thy rest, thou and the ark of thy strength"?

G.R.C. That helps, because I think we have to see that the place for God is in the assembly. Through the assembly God will secure His place in the universe, but primarily the place for God is in the assembly -- not exactly in the family, but in the assembly. I believe as the service proceeds on Lord's Day morning we touch the blessedness of bridal and wifely relations with Christ, and we do not leave them behind -- we carry them forward. We leave nothing behind, for all is cumulative in the service. Then we enjoy the fact that the assembly, which is His body and His bride, is the first of all the families; it is the assembly of the firstborn, and I think that is where the Father's portion comes in; but that is connected with our privilege and our blessing. Then we move on to the thought of a place for God, His habitation, a place suited for One so great as God. Not that any vessel could contain God -- the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him -- and yet the Man after His own heart, who has done all His will, has secured a place worthy of God, as the abode of His glory and service and praise, and that is the assembly. I believe we have to distinguish between a place for us in blessing and nearness in the Father's house; a place in sonship with all its joy, and then the fact that under the headship of Christ the assembly becomes the place and abode for God.

J.McK. Is it significant that it is the assembly in Christ Jesus? I was wondering whether the peculiar lustre and glory of Christ Jesus, that order of man, entered into it. It is not just the position of the assembly as in Christ, it is not official; but is it not love's way of referring to the assembly?

G.R.C. What do you mean when you say it is not official?

J.McK. Well, we have the two expressions used in the epistle, "in Christ" and "in Christ Jesus". You have been speaking about the Man and what He secured for His God. I was wondering whether the tender sensibilities and glories of that Person are not now the portion of the assembly?

G.R.C. The assembly is wholly in accord with that Man. Our love for Him is greatly stimulated as we see in Him the perfect Man, who has considered so fully and completely for His God. Our hearts adore Him when we think of it, the Man who completely effaced Himself, even unto death and abandonment, as Psalm 22 shows, in order that His God might dwell among the praises of Israel, that His God might have a suitable place; and that place is the assembly. And the assembly loves that Man, and is under the influence of His love and feelings in such a manner that she is responsive to His God, and has an appreciation of His God, in measure like His own. And what an appreciation He has of God. Think of what the appreciation of God must be in a Man who is God.

Ques. Philippians 2 refers to the downward stoop, and the power which He has to subdue all things to Himself, and to His exaltation.

G.R.C. 1 Corinthians 15 indicates His power to subdue all things to Himself, and what He has in mind in doing it.

Ques. Does Christ Jesus bring in the great thought of finality, man as he is and where he is according to the purpose of God?

G.R.C. I think it does. "In Christ Jesus" is our status and also involves our state, according to God. The expression could never be used of angels. Angels are heavenly beings, but they are not in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus. We are raised up together, and made to sit down together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus. That is a status in the heavenlies that no beings have had except those who form the assembly. No other company has such a status. The assembly in Christ Jesus is a greater conception than individual saints in Christ Jesus. It is the greatest conception of all. What a vessel! It is the abode of God's glory.

H.F.N. Is your thought that we should entirely lose sight of ourselves, and have the ability to abstract.

ourselves? The assembly is wholly occupied with God and anticipates the day when God shall be all in all.

G.R.C. Exactly. I think if we touch the last verse of Ephesians 3 we do anticipate verse 28 of 1 Corinthians 15"that God may be all in all". As we anticipate that now, there is glory to God in the assembly in Christ Jesus, glory to Him in the service of praise that proceeds, and glory to Him in the testimony that flows out of it.

Ques. Could we have a distinction drawn between God as Father and God all in all?

G.R.C. Well, it says, "Then the end, when he gives up the kingdom to him who is God and Father". He is Man, He is the Son, and came forth from the Father, and came into the world, and He has left the world and gone to the Father. He is continuing with the operations which have been entrusted to Him, but this passage indicates that the time is coming when all the operations entrusted to Him will be finished, and how comely it is that at the end He should give up the kingdom to Him who is God and Father. All things have been delivered to Him by His Father for a purpose which is viewed here as fully achieved. While He is achieving it He has a peculiar place of supremacy as Man. The prominent feature of the world to come is that it is the kingdom of a Man; the Lord speaks of the Son of man coming in His kingdom. But His kingdom serves to an end, and when that end is reached, according to God's purpose, He gives up the kingdom to Him who is God and Father. The kingdom does not come to an end; the kingdom is an eternal thought, but it is no longer the kingdom of a Man, so to speak -- it is the direct kingdom of God.

N.K.McL. Could you just enlarge on that, that the kingdom does not come to an end?

G.R.C. It is important to understand that the kingdom of God is eternal. In the millennial day, as to the public position, it is, in a sense, the kingdom of a Man, the Lord Jesus reigns. Although, according to the type of Solomon and David, He is on Jehovah's throne, nevertheless it is a Man that is administering things and is prominent. But the final thing is that He gives up the kingdom to Him who is God and Father, with a view to the direct rule and influence of God as head, the God made known to us in

declaration and revelation. He is the King of the ages, the immortal, invisible and only God.

J.A.P. What do you make of the expression "the Father's kingdom" in that regard?

G.R.C. "Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father". It is a comforting thought: God is their Father. The reference is to the millennial kingdom. It is really the kingdom of Christ, but at the same time it is the kingdom of their Father, which I think is very precious. God is known to us in the Father, and that must enter also into the eternal aspect of the kingdom.

J.McK. Would the new heavens and the new earth wherein dwells righteousness imply that an administration in love continues?

G.R.C. It would. And I believe that involves the acknowledgment of God in His supremacy -- it would not be righteousness otherwise. He is supreme in love and in majesty. In the new heavens and the new earth there will never be another challenge to the complete supremacy of God as King of the ages and as head above all. This glorious Man brings a state of things to pass in which the headship of God is beyond the reach of any challenge, for the glory of God radiates in Him as the image of the invisible God, and through Him the response to God is fully secured.

W.W.S. Is the thought of the kingdom being an eternal one confirmed in the place given to subjection in verse 28?

G.R.C. I think it is, and I think there are other passages which confirm it. Mr. Taylor has drawn attention, you will no doubt remember, to verse 50 of this chapter, "But this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit God's kingdom, nor does corruption inherit incorruptibility". Thus in the final phase flesh and blood do not enter into it, whereas in the world to come people on earth will be blessed in flesh-and-blood conditions.

Ques. Does the throne of verse 5 of Revelation 21 link on with the eternal setting of the kingdom: "He that sat on the throne"?

G.R.C. Yes. "He that sat on the throne said, Behold I make all things new". That is a proof that the kingdom goes on to eternity. It is the new creation, but there is

One who is on the throne. There is also a city, which shows that while administration is not prominent, for no gates are mentioned, yet there is administration in the sense of light and influence from the city.

Ques. Could we have a word as to the Son also Himself being placed in subjection that God may be all in all.

G.R.C. I think the idea of the passage is that the kingdom in the hands of a Man ceases. The Son is one of the greatest titles the Lord has, and always brings to mind His Deity, and yet it is a title that only applies to Him in manhood. His kingdom does not come to an end in the sense of failing, for "of his kingdom there shall be no end", it says in Luke. It is given up in as great power and vigour as when it commenced. It does not therefore really come to an end, but it is given up to Him who is God and Father, so that instead of the kingdom of a Man you have the direct rule of God.

F.D.W. Could it be said that here the great objective in view in the economy of God has been reached?

G.R.C. The operations of God, I think, have reached their end, but the economy goes on to eternity.

H.F.N. Is not the throne of God in the Old Testament connected with the Ark and the Mercy Seat? That would give the throne an eternal setting, would it not?

Ques. "Thy throne, O God, is to the age of the age". Does that go beyond the world to come?

G.R.C. I would not think so. I think that is a reference to Christ Himself: "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever; a sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of thy kingdom: thou hast loved righteousness, and hated wickedness", Psalm 45:6, 7. I think it shows that the assembly -- applying the Psalm to the assembly -- has always a great appreciation of the Deity of Christ. When we are responding to Him as our Beloved, and as Head of the assembly, we are always mindful of His Deity. Psalm 45, Colossians 1, and the Lord's presentation of Himself as "the root and offspring of David" all confirm this. He is peculiarly attractive to the bride as "the root and off-spring of David".

J.A.P. Would mediatorship go on to eternity?

G.R.C. Yes, in the sense that the Lord Jesus is the One in whom God is manifested and expressed. As was said

this morning, God is known to us eternally in revelation and relationship in the Father, and He is expressed and manifested eternally in the Son, for we see God nowhere else, and He dwells in us eternally in the Spirit. But it is all God. That is the God we know.

E.R.F. Do you think Mr. Darby had the eternal character of the throne in mind in the hymn

"Thy counsels too in all Thine own
Fulfilled by power divine,
Spread wide the glory of Thy throne,
Where all in glory shine"?

G.R.C. I would say that is the throne of Revelation 21. What about that, Mr. McL?

N.K.McL. Very good.

H.F.N. Was not the vision in chapter 5 given to impress John with the eternal stability of the throne in contrast to the failure of the assembly?

G.R.C. I would certainly go with that. There is the throne, and One that sits on it. The Person is not defined because it is God as God that is in mind. If the Person is Christ, it is as representing God. And then the Lamb is there, in the midst of the throne.

H.F.N. Will you just say a few words as to how this is going to affect us in the service of God, because I know that is in your mind.

G.R.C. I am hoping that we shall come more into the flow and current of Christ's own affections and feelings towards His God, and I believe that is what is in mind in Ephesians 3. It says "to know the love of the Christ". It does not say the love of the Son, though He is the Son, I but to know the love of the Christ, the love of that Man, the love of the Christ which surpasses knowledge. The love of the Man who could say in type, "I love my master, my wife, and my children"; it is a love which flows in all directions and gathers up everything in the universe for God.

H.F.N. I think it used to be said that the love of the Christ was the love of the husband.

G.R.C. I think that restricts it too much. I believe the love of the Christ is one indivisible love which flows in all

directions, the love of a perfect Man, and the love of a perfect Man must have God as its supreme Object; otherwise He would not be a perfect Man. He must have God as His supreme object, and His wife as His next object, and His children as His next object, which may, if we just apply it, take in the other families.

J.F.G. As we come into the gain of what you are saying we could certainly say eternity has begun, could we not?

G.R.C. That is just what we could say.

N.K.McL. "I love my master, my wife, and my children". My master comes first.

G.R.C. That is right, and it could not be otherwise. It would not be the love of a perfect Man if God were not first.

Ques. Would the Son being placed in subjection be the supreme act of love? It is not the thought of obligation there, is it?

G.R.C. The way it is put is extraordinary. It does not say anyone put Him in subjection; it is put in an impersonal way, "Then the Son also himself shall be placed in subjection to him who put all things in subjection to him". It is most holy ground and one ought not to say much about it, but undoubtedly it is a love matter, and the will of God, in the Oneness of Supreme Being, enters into it.

Ques. Does subjection make way for headship, for God to have His place as head?

G.R.C. It does, and so it says, "He has put all things in subjection under his feet". Everything else is brought into subjection, and then it says, "When all things shall have been brought into subjection to him". Once that is done, and all are recognising the headship of the Son, then the Son, as it were, makes way for the headship of God. His whole service has had in view the headship of God. David, in 1 Chronicles 29 is a type. Having subdued everything and having all under his sway, then he says, "Thou art exalted as head above all".

J.McK. Is it remarkable that the apostle should present this wealthy parenthesis to the Corinthians?

G.R.C. It is. You would not expect to find it, would you? Say some more about it.

J.McK. Would not this passage of such infinite wealth make the Corinthians ashamed of their poverty? The

devotedness of the Son and His place in subjection would all be a word to them, would it not?

G.R.C. That is very helpful, because they were insubject, were they not, and were boasting.

J.McK. And ruling, ruling as kings.

G.R.C. What a state of affairs! You cannot think of anything which would come with such a rebuke to them as this passage, for they see the perfect Man and His operations, and what is the final end.

Rem. The apostle seems to confirm that, does he not, in this second letter when he says, "Whatever promises of God there are, in him is the yea, and in him is the amen, for glory to God by us"?

G.R.C. Very good. That is the great end: glory to God by us. And that really has its final expression in "To him be glory in the assembly".

Ques. Where it says in relation to all being put under him "the last enemy that is annulled is death", does that imply that there is to be no cessation of response?

G.R.C. You mean it is the land of the living? Quite so. It is a living system, so that there will be no cessation of response.

J.P.H. We would like help as to this very great matter, the assembly being available to Christ responsively to God. We love to come into it. Could you help us more? I think you said that the assembly does not cease in the service of God as such, at the point of union with Christ or something to that effect.

G.R.C. It does not cease at all. The assembly is not limited to one phase of the service. There is the assembly's personal relation with Christ, the reciprocal affection and delight between the Christ and His assembly. That lays the foundation for what the assembly is as the habitation of God, as the scriptures indicate. The vessel which is said to be prepared as a bride adorned for her husband is the tabernacle of God; she is that because of her relations with Christ. She loves Christ, He is enshrined in her affections, and in such a vessel as that, where Christ is enshrined, like the ark enshrined in the tabernacle, everything is pleasurable to God, and entirely in accord with God, and there God dwells. But then Christ is not only the centre, like the Ark, but is active in His love, as the

true Solomon, to secure full response to His God in such a vessel.

J.P.H. Well, I think I can speak for us all and say that we would love to be helped about this passage, and the parallel passage in Hebrews 2, "In the midst of the assembly will I sing thy praise" -- the manner of it.

G.R.C. Well, we must keep in mind the versatility of the assembly. The word to John is, "I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife", but what he is shown is a city. She is the city because she is the bride, the Lamb's wife. Because she is the true wife she can be trusted with divine administration, so she becomes the city of God. Her bridal and wifely links are all with Christ, not with God, but because she is held thus in affection for Christ, and under His headship and influence in everything, therefore she becomes the city of God, God can trust her even as He trusted Christ with His administration and interests. And so with the service of praise, the vessel which is "prepared as a bride adorned for her husband" is the tabernacle of God, where His service goes on through all eternity, because of the very great place Christ has in her affections. He has her completely under His influence and control. So that I think we have to see that the idea of the bride and the wife merges in the city and in the tabernacle.

T.W.C. Does John 17:22 help, "And the glory which thou hast given me I have given them, that they may be one, as we are one; I in them and thou in me, that they may be perfected into one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and that thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me"?

G.R.C. I believe that verse is a help in this matter. "I in them and thou in me" involves a place for God. "I in them" is like the ark enshrined in the house, and where the ark is there is the place for God, "thou in me".

F.D.W. Is not all this to draw us in to being contributors in love? Is that not seen in the way David operated with a view to others contributing for the house? I was thinking of what he contributed of his own, thus giving a lead to all those who were willing to be themselves contributors. Is that in line with what you have in mind?

G.R.C. It is, because I think that is how we see the headship of David working out, David loved his God

supremely, and his God was his great objective, and he brought the people into line with himself. Will you please read the verse?

F.D.W. "And I know, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart have I willingly offered all these things; and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, offer willingly to thee", 1 Chronicles 29:17.

G.R.C. It illustrates the working of headship. What a joy it is to the heart of Christ to see all the saints moving in the current of His own affections towards God, all willingly offering, all wholly and without reserve in the service of God!

H.F.N. Is that not touchingly confirmed in verse 10, "And David blessed Jehovah in the sight of all the congregation; and David said, Blessed be thou, Jehovah, the God of our father Israel, for ever and ever" and so on; and then the people are brought into the current of it, are they not, in verse 20, "And David said to all the congregation, Bless now Jehovah your God. And all the congregation blessed Jehovah the God of their fathers and bowed down their heads, and did homage to Jehovah and the king". Is that it?

G.R.C. That is very beautiful, and I believe the two sides of worship are expressed there. "All the congregation blessed Jehovah the God of their fathers" would be what is expressed, I think, in the way of praise and thanksgiving, whereas the bowing down their heads is the inward prostration of heart.

A.G.B. What bearing would verse 17 have upon our localities in carrying these great thoughts in our hearts as David did, evidently from the earliest of his days, and working to an end?

G.R.C. If we are under the influence of the true David, I believe that our great concern will be that there should be a place for God in each of our localities. Perhaps as a result of our being together today there will be a better place for God than there ever has been before. I think we must distinguish between the family idea, which is our blessing and privilege, affording liberty with God, and which underlies the truth of the assembly, and the assembly itself, which is a vessel, a place for God, a place worthy

of God in His greatness. Even in the local setting it is intended to be that; the assembly of God in Corinth involves a place for God in that city. Is that right, Mr. B.?

A.G.B. That is what I had in my mind. I was just wondering how far these thoughts coming into our hearts perhaps in early days may develop as they did with David and be brought to finality.

G.R.C. That is very important. There will be something for God if we all go away under the influence of the love of the Christ, for then our chief concern in our localities will be to secure a state and condition among the saints suited to God; and His service -- worthy of One so great as God.

F.R.H. What is the bearing of the care meeting on the service of God?

G.R.C. The greatest thought of care as I understand it is caring for the assembly of God, a most remarkable expression. There is the thought of caring for the sheep and shepherding the sheep, but the greatest matter of care, I believe, is caring for the assembly of God. You have in mind that vessel, and that it should be what it is intended to be.

J.McK. Do you think that whilst you may speak of David typically, yet this would be the way to help this line of truth forward in our localities? Blessing Jehovah is perhaps one of the most effective ways of getting the truth into the hearts of the saints.

G.R.C. That is a most interesting thing, because the service of song is prophetic, is it not? According to 1 Chronicles 25, some singers were to prophesy with the lute and harp and cymbal, and others prophesied under the direction of the king, and others prophesied with the harp to give thanks and to praise Jehovah. The service of song and thanksgiving in the assembly is the most powerful way, I believe, of bringing the saints into the mind of God. The idea of prophecy is that you bring people into the mind of God. In the service of song it is not prophecy as bearing on our state, but prophecy in a greater sense, as bringing people into the mind of God according to His purpose; because that aspect of the service, its prophetic aspect, is not for God. He does not need prophecy; it is for the saints. So that Ephesians 5:18 - 20

begins with speaking to yourselves. While God is before us, we speak aloud and speak distinctly, so that the brethren should hear, in order that all may be carried and transported into the realm of things that we are speaking or singing about. That is the idea of prophecy in song, the word music means transport. See footnote to 1 Chronicles 15:22. We are transported into the realm of things of which the song speaks.

J.McK. I have been struck with the way in the Old Testament, when the Spirit is speaking expressly, He often takes up verse to do it as though to bring the matter quickly into our affections.

G.R.C. That would indicate, among other things, how important the hymn book is, and how important that the hymn book should be accurate. Not that we can get perfection, but the hymns we have had during these few days have been remarkable. They have helped us all on into the very realm of things we are talking about; they have been prophetic.

J.McK. Does Mr. Darby not make a comment in his preface that the hymn should be a sustained vehicle of the truth which sets our souls in communion with Christ, and even with the Father?

Rem. So the thought of leadership in praise would bring that in too, would it not? The thirteenth verse, "And now, O God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name" -- that would have a great effect, the people joining in.

G.R.C. It does have a great effect, and brings us into things, in a way in which we cannot be brought into them otherwise.

E.J.B. Is this involved in the verse that has been referred to in Hebrews 2, "In the midst of the assembly will I sing thy praises"? He can rely fully upon the assembly to enter into His thoughts of His God? And in the way of song He sets it on.

W.W.S. I should like to ask if there is a refinement conveyed in song which cannot be expressed in any other way?

G.R.C. There is refinement. It is prophecy which is not bearing on state. In a ministry meeting, prophecy has to bear often on our state, but the benefit of the service of

God is that if things are right it contains a prophetic element of the most positive kind, which brings the mind of God relative to His purpose so powerfully into our souls that we are transported into the realm of purpose.

H.F.N. Have we an illustration of that earlier in David's history? When he brings up the ark it says, "Then on that day David delivered this psalm to give thanks to Jehovah, to Asaph and his brethren", and so on. Is that an illustration of how it would work in the assembly as Christ gets His place?

G.R.C. You are thinking of David there as a type of Christ. It seems to indicate how Christ gives the lead, does it not, that David handed the psalm to Asaph and his brethren, but it came from David.

H.F.N. Quite, and do you not think in regard to our service there would be more freshness and originality about it -- I mean divine originality -- and a more living character, if what you have been speaking of in relation to Christ really had its place in our hearts.

G.R.C. There would, and I believe that expression "to know the love of the Christ which surpasses knowledge" is just what we need to keep us in that freshness. We are kept in the current of the love of the perfect Man. We are in the current of His love for His God, as well as in the current of His love for His assembly.

H.F.N. I am glad you mentioned that. I had always looked at that scripture in relation to the Christ as meaning that all the husband's interests were in the heart of His wife, Christ dwelling in the heart by faith. But I think, as we are viewing it now, it is something worth thinking over -- the love of a Man and reaching out to the whole universe.

G.R.C. Yes, but then the greatest interest in the heart of the perfect Man is His God. So that as the assembly embraces His interests she embraces His chief interest, and His chief interest is His God.

H.F.N. Well, that is what I am thankful for. I think we have all got help on the point; I trust we have. I feel that I have got a wider view of it today than I have had before, and it must lead up to God. "To him be glory in the assembly in Christ Jesus unto all generations of the age of ages. Amen".

G.R.C. And does it not indicate how we arrive at the: fulness of God? Knowing the love of the Christ for His God would make us sensitive, so that in our measure we should appreciate His God as He does, and who can measure the appreciation of that Man, who is God, for God. We cannot measure it, and yet we are to be filled to all the fulness of God.

Ques. Is not the expression "My God" in Revelation 3:12 used by the Lord in His present position?

G.R.C. His word to Philadelphia comes from Him in His present position. It is not only His resurrection position as in John 20, but as the ascended and glorified Man He still says "my God" -- "the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God". He has got the assembly before Him as the vessel which is alone suited to be the residence of the glory of His God -- the city of His God, the new Jerusalem. You might say, He is thinking of His bride; she is His bride, but He is not thinking of her in that connection; He is thinking of her as the vessel suited to be the residence of God's glory.

J.F.G. Would you be free to say another word as to John 20. Is the Lord seeking to lead our affections not only to the Father, but, as He says, to "my God and your God"? How far would that go?

G.R.C. As far as ever our spirituality permits, I would say. What do you say?

J.F.G. While the Lord says "my Father and your Father", we touch the Father, but is not the great end in assembly service what you are bringing before us now -- to reach on to the headship of God?

G.R.C. That is just what I have in mind. "My Father and your Father" -- we delight in the family side of things; the Father has named every family, in heaven and on earth. But for an adequate abode of the divine glory a formed and sensitive vessel is needed. The family must underlie this; the family is our privilege and our blessing, and our liberty is connected with it, and the Father has a great place in our responsive worship. But when you come to "my God and your God" it involves the assembly as a vessel of the divine glory and service.

Ques. Does the thought of exceeding magnifical come in?

G.R.C. Yes, it does. God is so great, that, as David says, "the house is not for man, but for Jehovah Elohim and it must be exceeding great in fame and beauty in all lands". And that is what the assembly is; the assembly is exceeding great in fame and beauty throughout the universe. There is no vessel like it; it is an adequate vessel to be the residence of the divine glory.

A.G. Is there a touch on that line in the end of Ephesians 3, "exceedingly above all that we can ask or think, according to the power which works in us"?

G.R.C. Quite so. That is a very encouraging verse as we think of these great matters, that the God who is the great objective in these things can do exceedingly above all we ask or think according to the power that works in us. And that is what He is doing. He is always doing more than we ask or think. He does it continually, even in our local settings. We pray about the ministry meeting, and when we come home we say, He did more than we asked or thought; we could not have conceived that words like that would have been given. God is always acting like that, because He has this great vessel in view.

Ques. Is that also suggested in 1 Chronicles 29:12, "Thou art exalted as head above all; and riches and glory are of thee, and thou rulest over everything; and in thy hand is power and might, and in thy hand it is to make all great and strong. And now, our God, we thank thee"?

G.R.C. It is a most encouraging word, "In thy hand is power and might; and in thy hand it is to make all great and strong" -- it links with "the power which works in us". God makes all who form the assembly great and strong to fill out their part in such a vessel.

J.P.H. Would you be free to compare the language in 1 Chronicles 29, "Thou are exalted as head above all", with 1 Corinthians 15, "God all in all"?

G.R.C. I would think there is a link, because 1 Corinthians 15:28 says, "the Son also himself shall be placed in subjection to him who put all things in subjection to him". I would think that would link on with the thought of "Thou art exalted as head above all". And then it goes on, "that God may be all in all". It is where the headship of God is recognised without challenge that this blessed

state of things will be actually brought about, and it is to be brought about now if there is a state and condition for it.

F.D.W. I wondered if "all" would link our minds with His headship, and "in all" the power to respond to it.

G.R.C. Yes. "All" as object, you mean. I think so. He is "all in all" -- a wonderfully close expression.

J.F.G. Have you a word to say in regard to 2 Chronicles 5:13?

G.R.C. I do not think we need to say much about it. It does bear on what has been said as to unity in our localities. It has a wider bearing, we know; but it says, "it came to pass when the trumpeters and singers were as one to make one voice to be heard in praising and thanking Jehovah; and when they lifted up their voice with trumpets, and cymbals, and instruments of music, and praised Jehovah; for he is good, for his loving-kindness endureth forever; that then the house, the house of Jehovah, was filled with a cloud". It seems to indicate how the being filled to all the fulness of God comes about. These persons were so under the headship of Christ typically, under the influence of the love of the Christ that surpasses knowledge, which is represented in Solomon in all his active love, that they were brought into complete unity in the service and praise of God, and the house was filled. Typically they were filled to all the fulness of God.

Note, address by W. W. Smart, pages 84 - 95, not included in this file.

SON OF MAN, SON OF ABRAHAM, SON OF DAVID

Genesis 3:14 - 15; Genesis 22:15 - 18; Psalm 132:1 - 5; 2 Corinthians 1:19 - 20

I have read a number of scriptures, dear brethren, but I have three thoughts in my mind: and that is to speak of the Lord Jesus as the Son of man, as the Son of Abraham and as the Son of David. In all those aspects of His manhood He was the subject of promise. Although the words read in Genesis 3 were said to the serpent, they came in the nature of a promise to mankind, and refer to the Lord Jesus as the Son of man, "he shall crush thy head, and thou shalt crush his heel". Then Abraham was promised a seed in and through whom the blessing was to come, "in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth bless themselves". The blessing was to come through the Son of Abraham. Thirdly, God promised David a son who would build God's house, and God said, "I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son" -- the glorious Son of David! And the passage we have read in the New Testament says that whatever promises of God there are, the yea and amen is in the Son of God, and that is the truth. No mere son of man could have fulfilled the promise of Genesis 3; the great truth is that the Son of man is the Son of God. No mere son of Abraham could have fulfilled the promise of blessing which was made to Abraham; the great truth is that the Son of Abraham is the Son of God. And no mere son of David could have built God's habitation; the truth is that the Son of David is the Son of God. So that whatever promises of God there are, in Him is the yea and in Him the amen for glory to God by us. The word to Mary in Luke is "That holy thing that shall be born shall be called Son of God";

and it is made clear that the Person coming in was God Himself -- "a Saviour, who is Christ Jehovah". The Son of God is God Himself in manhood. What a marvellous truth that God Himself has come into manhood to fill out His promises; therefore they cannot fail, whatever promises of God there are; in Him is the yea and in Him the amen for glory to God by us. It is a great thing to lay hold of the truth of the incarnation. In the first chapter of Luke it says the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David, for He is the Son of David, but it is also said, "that holy thing which shall be born shall be called Son of God".

The matter of promise stands related to purpose; but whereas purpose refers to what God has determined for His own pleasure and satisfaction, promises are those elements of purpose, if I might use such a word, which faith requires to encourage it. And so God has graciously made promises right from the beginning of time. It is a proof of His love that God makes promises to encourage faith. As soon as sin came in He promised that there should be a son of man who would crush the serpent's head. What a wonderful thing that the Lord Jesus has come in, and in Him, as we have said, God Himself has come in to deal with this matter, but it must be met in man. By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and the disaster could only be retrieved in man; the challenge could only be met by man -- it necessitated the incarnation. Unless it could be met in a man, then all God's purposes as to man would come to nought. The word was, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness". But disaster had come in, the challenge and the disaster must be met in and by a man, and God immediately promised that Man, because He had the Man in reserve, the Son of God. He was to come, born of a woman, "when the fulness of time was come God sent forth His Son, come of a woman". Marvellous thing! It should affect our hearts to think of the lowliness of the way Jesus came and the grace on His part to take up man's case for God's glory when we were absolutely helpless and powerless; sin having come into the world and death by sin, we could do nothing about it at all. What wonderful grace that the Lord Jesus should come as Son of man, to

take up man's case before God, and to meet it all for the glory of God. So that referring to His death He could say, "Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in Him". He was going to take up the whole of man's case, and represent man in his fallen condition before God and deal with the whole matter, at infinite cost to Himself, to God's glory. In that the Son of man was glorified; it was an amazing display of moral glory in a man, that He should be prepared to go that way, that He should be prepared to be lifted up. The wonderful thing is, that He continually speaks of Himself under this title. Others do not, for faith looked on, faith recognised the Son of David, and confessed Him as such. But the Lord Jesus says, "the Son of man". "The Son of man came not to be ministered unto but to minister". The Son of David will be ministered unto; royal splendour belongs to Him and thousands upon thousands will minister to Him. But the Son of man came not to be ministered unto but to minister and give His life a ransom for many. A foundation had to be laid before the glory of the Son of David could come in. It was the only way in which the position could be retrieved -- to minister and to give His life; that was the end of His ministry: to give His life. How much are we prepared to give for the saints and for God's glory? That is where His ministry ended. We may think that there is a certain glamour attached to ministry, but the end of ministry with the Lord Jesus was to give His life. Nothing else that He ministered would have been effective if He had not gone all that way, and given His life a ransom for many. Blessed Son of man! And how great the results have been! "He shall crush thy head". The attack of Satan was a well-devised attack; think of Satan coming in this form, the form of a serpent, that old serpent, the devilish wisdom that marks the old serpent. Satan had his plan, but the way the Son of man has gone has crushed his head. All Satan's plans have been thrown into confusion, never to be retrieved, so that God's plans might go forward without let or hindrance. "He shall crush thy head, and thou shalt crush his heel". The Lord suffered, but He was not detained on His way, it was only His heel. The sufferings were real, unfathomed, but the Lord was not detained; the atoning sufferings, as it were, were

taken in His course, in the course of His path of obedience to the Father's will; but He has crushed the serpent's head; Satan's plans are for ever defeated, and God's plans are going through. Blessed Son of man! How much we owe to Him! So that all God's thoughts and purposes as to Man stand, nothing has broken down, God's eternal purpose as to man stands, not simply what He had in mind as to Adam personally, but the greater thoughts that God had in mind as to the Son of man are now established in Christ, in His headship over all things.

Now I pass on to the Son of Abraham. With Abraham blessing is connected, "surely blessing I will bless thee", and the greatest blessing, I suppose, that God has for man is sonship. Blessing, sonship, the family, are all connected with Abraham. The Son of Abraham is the Son of God, and not only that, but He is the only-begotten Son. What comes to light in Abraham and Isaac is the truth typically of the Father and the Son, and it is in that connection that the blessing comes to us, the blessing that God has in His mind for men. God's thought is to fill heaven and earth with families, every family is to know sonship in its measure, and if the blessing of Abraham was to come to us it involved what God says to Abraham, "Take now thy son, thine only son, Isaac, whom thou lovest ... and offer him up for a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I will tell thee of". In this type the affections of the Father and the Son are brought out. What it meant to the Father and to the Son to take that journey together, as the scripture says, "thine only son ... whom thou lovest". How Abraham loved that son, but God in speaking to Abraham was looking on to a time when He would take such a journey Himself, when He would have here His only Son, whom He loved. It awaited the incarnation for God to be known as the Father. The Person we know as the Father, one would judge, could hardly take that name until the Son was here, and yet it is in that relationship that the most precious affections connected with God Himself have come into expression. As we were considering this morning, John says as to the Lord Jesus, "We have contemplated his glory, the glory as of an only-begotten with a father". There is the double glory there, the glory of the Only-Begotten, and the glory of the

Father. There is a glory attaching to both. We can well contemplate the glory of the Only-Begotten; what affection, what obedience, what devotion to His Father's will, what holy communion, as with Abraham and Isaac! Isaac says, "My father", and he says, "Here am I, my son". How precious the communion between the Father and the only-begotten Son! But then scripture speaks, too, of the glory of the Father, and the coming in of Christ has brought out the glory of the Father. He was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father. The glory of the Father has to be distinguished from the glory of God. The glory of God stands related to the nature and attributes of the Supreme Being, specially coming into display in dealing with the sin question, but bringing out what is there in God Himself, that God is light, and God is love. But the glory of the Father links with the purposes of divine love -- with affections in God, which could not be satisfied apart from family relationships, tender, intimate, affectionate relationships. So that the Lord Jesus came into manhood, the Word became flesh, in order that these tender and affectionate relationships might come into display. The love of God requires nothing in its object to draw it out, for God is love. But there are also affections in God which have found expression in the love of the Father, which could only come into display in the presence of an Object adequate for them. In the only-begotten Son here there was an Object adequate for these affections, and so the Father came into view in relation to His only-begotten Son. The Father has become known and the riches of His glory have shone out -- the One who will fill heaven and earth with families named of Himself. The affections which rest with such satisfaction on the Son embrace now all those taken into favour in the Beloved, and will, in some measure, extend to all the families named of the Father. God delights in these families. He says to Abraham in Genesis 12, "In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed" -- all the families. And we know that now it is not only a question of earthly families, but of heavenly. How marvellous the promise of a Son to Abraham; the One who, coming, would bring in the blessing of sonship, through whom families will fill heaven and earth, families named of the Father, brought into such

tender relationship. And of course the assembly is the nearest and most blest of all the families, the first of all the families -- the assembly of the firstborn -- so that the Lord Jesus says, "I go to prepare a place for you, that where I am there ye may be also". That is the place of the assembly viewed as a family. What a place we have in the Father's house! The first of all the families. What blessing has come in through the Son of Abraham!

Now I pass on to the third title, the Son of David. These titles are cumulative. God says of David, "I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after my heart", so that we must carry forward what is connected with the Son of man into this, "who shall do all my will". And God says, "I will make him firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth", so that we must carry manhood and sonship into the truth of the Son of David. The Son of David, that is Solomon, is peculiarly a type of Christ as Son, as we know; yet in David and Solomon -- and we must view them together as a type -- manhood is seen in its glorious character. God's greatest thoughts as to man, as far as the types go, come into expression. It says of David, "a man after my heart, who will do all my will". What is all God's will? It is certainly God's will that the challenge should be met and that the serpent's head should be crushed, but that is not all God's will. It is certainly God's will that heaven and earth should be filled with families named of the Father, but that is not all God's will. What is involved in all God's will? There may be other things, but what is involved in it is the formation or building of the assembly as the habitation of God; the bringing in of a vessel adequate for the display of the glory and greatness of God. And that is what marks David. "Jehovah, remember for David all his affliction; how he swore unto Jehovah, vowed unto the Mighty One of Jacob: I will not come into the tent of my house, I will not go up to the couch of my bed; I will not give sleep to mine eyes, slumber to mine eyelids, until I find out a place for Jehovah, habitations for the Mighty One of Jacob". As far as a type could be, David is a type of the perfect Man. Perfection in man lies first and foremost in this, that he considers, before everything else, for his God. He is willing for complete self-effacement, the greatest self-abnegation for the sake of his God.

That is perfection in man, seen in its fulness, alone in Jesus. It involves the love of the Christ which surpasses knowledge; His love for His God. David and Solomon are a type of Christ, the Anointed. It is the glorious state of man that is before us here. The Son of man coming in lowliness to meet the challenge, to crush the serpent's head, is one thing; but now we have Man in glory, the Christ, the Anointed of God, the true David. Thousands upon thousands minister to this great and glorious Person, the glorious Man, the glorified Man.

But then, think of the love of the Christ. The Christ is the perfect Man, and therefore the primary feature of the love of the Christ is His love for His God. Even in human affairs if a man loves his wife more than his God that would be idolatry, that would not be perfection in a man. But the Christ is the perfect Man, and the love of the Christ is the love of a perfect Man, and therefore first and foremost it is His love for His God, "I love my master, my wife, and my children" -- a perfect love which flows in all directions. But what we see in David is love for his God. He swore and vowed to the mighty God of Jacob, "I will not give sleep to mine eyes, slumber to mine eye-lids, until I find out a place for Jehovah, habitations for the Mighty One of Jacob". What a man David was! But yet he was only a feeble figure of the One who was to come, the Lord Jesus, the Man entirely devoted to His God, who would find a place for His God, a habitation. And so we find in the twenty-second psalm, a Psalm of David, the depths to which the Lord Jesus went as the Son of David, "My God, my God", He says, "why hast thou forsaken me?" You may say to me, I thought that was His atoning sufferings for me. That is true, but there is more than that in it. It is His atoning sufferings for God's sake; it is what He was doing for God. "My God, my God", He says, "why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me?" Sins are not mentioned in this psalm as far as I see. I am not saying He was not abandoned because of sins, but that is not the point. The point is the depths to which He went for His God. "Thou art holy, O thou that dwellest amidst the praises of Israel". That is why He was there, from the standpoint of this psalm. Not simply to work atonement for you and for me, He was there for His

God, and this shows the extent of His devotion to His God, the One who would at all costs secure a place for God, habitations for the Mighty God of Jacob.

Where will God find His habitations? "O thou that dwellest amidst the praises of Israel". He would secure a vessel of praise, worthy of God in all His greatness as God. What a wonderful type! What wonderful language David expresses, language which can only, in the full sense, belong to Christ! It is worth reading this psalm, dear brethren, from the standpoint of what the perfect Man did for His God. And as soon as He comes forth from death He says, "I will declare thy name to my brethren". What name? The name of His God! It involves the name of the Father, but it is not limited to that. "My Father and your Father". That is the Abraham side of things, it connects with the Son of Abraham, really. It is the blessing, the intimacy, the family. But "My God and your God" involves the assembly, the vessel of God's glory and service and praise. He has secured the assembly for God.

But then, you see, David and Solomon secure the assembly in a practical way, because they are so lovable; they are typical of Christ as the Beloved. David's name means beloved. Jedidiah means the beloved of Jehovah. They were beloved men. Think of a man who could write the Song of Songs. The Song of Songs is full of the King, for the Beloved is the King. In other words, the Beloved is the Christ, He is the head. The spouse delights in Him as the King. He is head over all things to her. That is the idea of the Song of Solomon as applied to us, what the King is to the assembly. Psalm 45, a song of the Beloved, also brings out what the King is to the assembly and what the assembly is to the King. But you see we have to let things merge. We cannot carry one type too far, for one type merges into another. There are women who are types of the assembly, in connection with David and Solomon, but then the type merges into the assembly of Israel. They come to David and say, "We are thy flesh and thy bones". He became the beloved of the whole assembly of Israel. In a coming day, Israel will again be marked by affections like that for Christ Himself, and the Song of Solomon, in measure, will be taken up by Israel. The Lord Jesus will become their Beloved, and so, you see, the thought of the

spouse merges into the whole assembly of Israel, and what influence David and Solomon secured over the whole assembly of Israel. Under the influence of their love the whole assembly became tributary to God and the service of God. Why? Because they were under the influence of the love of the Christ which surpasses knowledge, as typified in the love of those two men, David and Solomon. And then if you merge the types further the assembly becomes the house that Solomon built; because if you come to the anti-type, the assembly is the house. There is the assembly viewed in its personnel, but the assembly also forms the very habitation of God. So we have to let these things merge into one another in our thoughts, and the One who is the true Son of David has brought all to pass. He has found a place for His God, a habitation, for the assembly is the habitation of God in the Spirit. He has formed the assembly for God, as a place for God. There is a place for us in the Father's house, but what about a place for God? David says, "The palace is not for man but for Jehovah Elohim, it must be exceeding great in fame and beauty in all lands". The true David has secured such a vessel -- the assembly. But while He has laid the foundation for it in His death according to Psalm 22, it is through the power and influence of His active love, the love of the Christ which surpasses knowledge, that all is gathered up for God. The ark is enshrined in the house, and all the response gathered up for God.

What a wonderful type David is, and it is in connection with that type that the assembly's heart is enraptured and engaged. The final word of the Lord is "I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify these things to you in the assemblies. I am the root and offspring of David, the bright and morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come". We say: "Come" to that blessed perfect Man who ever considered for His God. He is the Man of our hearts. He ravishes our hearts, He is the Beloved, and the Spirit and the Bride say, Come.

May God grant that the Christ may be enshrined in our hearts, that the Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith, that we, being rooted and founded in love, may apprehend with all saints the length and breadth and depth and height, and to know the love of the Christ, and be in the

current of it, the love of the Christ which surpasses knowledge, and so be filled to all the fulness of God. May we be so available that, even in our local settings, there may be a place for God, and a vessel of service worthy and adequate, in some measure at any rate, for God, in all His greatness -- Christ's God. How He loves His God, how He is considering for His God, how He would have us consider for His God, and all that is due to His God.

May He help us for His Name's sake.

THE ASSEMBLY IN THE BOOK OF ACTS - READING (1)

Matthew 28:19; Acts 1:1 - 16, 26; Acts 2:1 - 4, 14 - 18, 32, 33, 38 - 42, 46, 47

G.R.C. It is suggested that our theme throughout the five readings should be the assembly in the book of Acts, culminating in chapter 20, where Paul speaks of the assembly of God which He has purchased with the blood of His own.

We have begun with Matthew 28:19 because it brings in the full Name of God as now declared, to which we have all been baptised, and to which, in a peculiar way, the assembly stands related. The assembly both apprehends and responds to the declaration of God in a much fuller way than any other creature vessel. It is of the utmost importance, therefore, as approaching the subject of the assembly, to have in our minds the name of God as declared. It comes in the assembly gospel and the words are the words of the Lord Jesus Himself. But while in Matthew 28 He brings out the full name of God as declared, in Acts 1 He greatly stresses the Person of the Holy Spirit; and you will remember that in Luke 24 His last words before leaving His own relate to the Holy Spirit. He says, "And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you", Luke 24:49. So that according to Matthew 28, Luke 24 and Acts 1 the apostles were left with a very powerful objective presentation of the Holy Spirit. While the Lord Jesus in Acts 1 presents Himself living and also gives the Father fully the place that is His, yet He puts great stress upon the Holy Spirit, and we have to remember that He is dealing with what is foundational to the assembly. The names of the men to whom He is speaking appear

in this chapter and their names appear in Revelation 21 on the foundations of the city. So the Lord is dealing with what is foundational, and therefore it is important from that standpoint to consider the stress the Lord puts upon the Holy Spirit, because we shall never understand the assembly at all apart from an appreciation of the Holy Spirit. So at the beginning of this chapter it says, "having by the Holy Spirit charged the apostles whom he had chosen", verse 2. He would leave them with an impression that everything they were to do was to be by the Holy Spirit. The whole charge that He committed to them was to be maintained in the power of the Holy Spirit alone; nothing was to be done except by the Holy Spirit. They were to shut out every other thought from their minds in the matter of activity relative to the assembly. Then He says, "For John indeed baptised with" -- or in -- "water, but ye shall be baptised with" -- or in -- "the Holy Spirit after now not many days". In water baptism we are baptised 'to' the Holy Spirit, but here He speaks of being baptised 'in' the Holy Spirit, which John himself had borne witness to.

R.W. Is that why in John great stress is laid upon the Spirit's coming, "that he may be with you for ever", John 14:16, and then Paul labouring as he did in the Corinthian epistles, reminding them that their bodies were the temple of the Holy Spirit and developing the idea of the Spirit dwelling in them in view of the service of God and the truth of the assembly being understood?

G.R.C. The apostle lays great stress in 1 Corinthians on the Holy Spirit. The more we think of it, the more we can see that the very existence of the assembly depends upon the presence of the Holy Spirit. There would not be such a vessel had the Holy Spirit not come.

H.P. Is there any significance in the fact that in the typical scripture, Exodus 23, prior to the setting up of the tabernacle, great stress is laid upon the place the Angel should have, of whom it says, "my name is in him", verse 21?

G.R.C. It is an interesting suggestion as bearing on our subject. And so the Lord here lays great stress on the Holy Spirit in view of the setting up of the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man.

E.C.L. Would you say a word about the end of Luke, the idea of power from on high? I wondered if there has been difficulty in some minds as to the place the Spirit has because they think only of power instead of the Person of the Godhead with power.

G.R.C. The Lord says, "Behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you", Luke 24:49 -- and instructs them "to await the promise of the Father", Acts 1:4. The idea of promise is carried forward by Peter, "Having therefore been exalted by the right hand of God, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit", Acts 2:33. The Lord says much in His ministry as to the blessedness of the Father. He mentions the name of the Father about one hundred times in John's gospel and about forty times in Matthew. If we want to learn about the Father fully we have to go to the ministry of the Lord Jesus Himself and the more we appreciate the blessedness of the Father, the more we shall value His promise. The apostles would await with keen expectation the promise of the Father, the Father Himself being so blessed. If an earthly father promises something to his children with what anticipation they await the fulfilment of the promise. All that the Lord had told them of the Father would lead them to await the coming of the Holy Spirit with great expectation.

F.W.T. Would they know the actual day on which to expect this, according to Leviticus 23:16? They were to count fifty days.

Ques. I was thinking of the word in Luke, "till ye be clothed with power from on high" -- the idea of being clothed. Does it not suggest that every member and every servant is completely covered so that all that appears is the Holy Spirit?

G.R.C. Quite so. Each allusion of the Lord to the Holy Spirit carries its own instruction; first in Matthew as to His co-equality in Deity -- "the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit". There is the right order in that Name, but nevertheless the name implies coequality in Deity, an objective view of the Holy Spirit. The beginning of Christian experience lies in accepting the truth of baptism, involving this objective view of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. But then in

Luke the Lord gives another touch as to being clothed with power from on high, not power from below. We have to beware of the democratic principle in our Care Meetings. Power according to God is from on high.

A.H. The coequality that you referred to is subsisting equality?

G.R.C. It is, so that while they would await with keen anticipation the promise of the Father, which suggests all the blessing that would flow into their souls through the gift of the Holy Spirit, they were also to understand that the One coming was no less than a Person of the Godhead, coming in all the greatness of His Person and His own rights.

G.F.S. Would you be free to say a little more as to the democratic principle with regard to the Care Meeting?

G.R.C. We have to guard against power from beneath which would be Satanic. The democratic principle -- power from below -- makes way for that. The world is governed today largely on the principle of power from below; but the Lord says, ye shall "be clothed with power from on high".

G.H.B. Is Matthew 28:19 sufficient to command our worship and praise to the Holy Spirit personally?

G.R.C. I am sure it is. It is the name of God as declared, as I understand it. It is the Jehovah of the Old Testament. The Jehovah of the Old Testament in the full sense is the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Each is separately called Jehovah in the New Testament -- see 2 Corinthians 6:18; Luke 2:11; 2 Corinthians 3:18. The Father is Jehovah, the Son is Jehovah and the Spirit is Jehovah. Therefore the full name that corresponds with Jehovah of the Old Testament is the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and that Name demands our worship; and also each Person -- because the Persons are referred to separately -- demands our worship.

W.S.S. I was thinking of what is said about the promise of the Father. Should that not touch our affections? There is no doubt that that is very much like the Father sending the Son. How our affections are touched by that; and is it not necessary for us to come into these things by means of our affections?

G.R.C. It does indeed touch our affections. The Father has done the very best for us.

C.R.W. I do not feel that we have fully entered into the glory and wonder of the Father's gift. Christ was here personally, but He was not available to His people in the same way that the Spirit is now available to the saints as His body. Would you agree with that?

G.R.C. I would. So the Lord says, "It is profitable for you that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you", John 16:7. We are in a day that is marked by the very best, the Father has sent the Son; but then the crowning matter is that the Father and the Son have sent the Holy Spirit.

W.S.S. I have been greatly impressed with the thought of the Father sending the Son. Now we need to be impressed with the thought of the Father sending the Spirit.

G.R.C. And then also to be impressed with the greatness of the Spirit in His own Person.

A.H. No position a Divine Person is pleased to take in humiliation could ever affect His own Person, and are we not to have that adoringly in our hearts?

G.R.C. Exactly. The first and second of Acts, as well as Matthew 28:19, would help us to have a great appreciation of the Person of the Holy Spirit. Our brother has referred to the type of the Angel of God's presence who went before the children of Israel. They were to be careful in his presence. And how careful we should be in view of the greatness of the Person who is with us and dwelling in us.

Eu.R. Is the end of verse 8 of chapter 1 important in that connection? Is the Spirit's coming attributed to His own act -- "ye will receive power, the Holy Spirit having come upon you"?

G.R.C. We must ever keep before our souls the greatness of the Person of the Spirit that He never ceases to be who He is in the Deity.

C.C.I. Would the expression "the Spirit of truth who goes forth from with the Father", John 15:26, be expressive of His own prerogative and His moving in His own volition?

G.R.C. I think that. While He has come to us in virtue of Jesus being glorified and therefore He takes the place

of being sent by the glorified Man, for on moral grounds He could not have come to dwell in us apart from the finished work of Christ and His consequent glorification, yet that does not alter the truth of His Person. He goes forth from with the Father; He is coequal with the Father.

C.W.O'L.M. Referring to your remark that the Father would do the best for us in the gift of the Spirit, is not that a primary thought of the Father and Son, sending the Spirit that They might have response to Themselves?

G.R.C. The response is certainly secured by the sending of the Spirit. But in the way the Lord speaks in John He is sent for our sakes as the Comforter and to guide us into all the truth. So the Lord says that it is profitable for us that He should go away so that the Comforter should come to us. Yet, as you say, it is through the Spirit's service that all response in the assembly towards God is secured.

J.P.H. The rightness and appropriateness of worshipping the Spirit lies in the truth of His own Person, who He is?

G.R.C. And we should be concerned, should we not, according to verse 2, to do nothing apart from the Holy Spirit? He should be the source of all thought and word and action in the assembly.

A.B. Is it not affecting that the Lord Jesus Himself, after He had risen from the dead, even on the day when He was taken up, charged them by the Holy Spirit? Would He not be an example in that way?

G.R.C. He would. We are confronted at the present time with evangelical activities with which are linked methods and associations which are not of the Holy Spirit, so that it is well to remind ourselves that the divine thought in this dispensation is that every feature of the testimony should be carried through wholly and entirely in the power of the Holy Spirit; that He should be the source of every thought, every word and every action; that there should be no admixture of any kind in the bringing in of worldly methods. You could not think of these heavenly men in Acts bringing a single Egyptian method into the praises of God or the testimony of God. In chapter 2 the company as a whole speak as the Spirit gave them to speak forth. Then Peter standing up with the eleven

speaks forth. But there is no admixture of any worldly method at all, the whole matter is entirely in the power of the Spirit.

F.W.B. Is that confirmed by chapter 1: 16, when Peter speaks about the scripture being fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke?

G.R.C. That is why I suggested that verse being read. Does it not show the effect of the Lord's words upon the apostles that Peter should say this? The Holy Spirit had become a living Person to Peter although he had not yet received the Holy Spirit. Through the Lord's words the Spirit was objectively before Peter's soul in such a manner that he speaks of the scripture being fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David. The Holy Spirit personally was thus before Peter's soul and, in result, the scriptures had a place they had never had before in his soul.

W.J.T. Does scripture confirm that? "Holy men of God spake under the power of the Holy Spirit", 2 Peter 1:21.

G.R.C. Quite so.

W.W.S. Is it not an evidence of spirituality when we are able to refer to what the Holy Spirit may say? In verse 1 attention is called to Jesus and in verse 2 to the Holy Spirit, stressing the great need for spirituality.

E.C.L. Would not the verse referred to, and also the way the Lord Jesus came in and went out amongst His own, be the way we should look for things to be done if the Holy Spirit is given His place? You were referring to the methods used in evangelisation. Do you think we have to be governed by the way the Lord moved and the way He is moving if the Spirit is going to take us on?

G.R.C. I am sure that is right.

W.J.T. You spoke in prayer of the Spirit of God taking every place given to Him in Christendom to continue His sovereign operations in grace. Would you enlarge on that a little?

G.R.C. I think it endears the Holy Spirit to us, that He should be prepared to take whatever place is given to Him, however small it may be, and to go on patiently with His work in Christendom generally. However much things are brought in to grieve Him, He will still pursue

His patient work; but that must not in any way cause us to fail to recognise what is due to Him in the assembly. Our concern would be, as of the assembly, to give Him His full place, allowing no admixture at all. The assembly's very existence depends upon the fact that the Holy Spirit has come; and every motive, thought, word and action should find its source in this blessed Person.

A.J.R. In Acts 5 there is a challenge in the admixture that Ananias brings in. Is that why Peter says, "Why has Satan filled thy heart that thou shouldest lie to the Holy Spirit"?

G.R.C. At the beginning any admixture was judged unsparingly.

H.J.M. Do you think this objective view of the Spirit which you have been presenting would help us to be prepared to wait for His movements and direction? Would waiting upon Him be continuous in the assembly? And would the Lord's ministry relative to the kingdom of God, verse 3, help us to make room for the Spirit?

G.R.C. I think so, because the truth of the kingdom as known at the present time really involves the Spirit having His place in all the saints individually. According to Romans 8, God secures the believer fully for Himself in virtue of the presence and indwelling of the Spirit. And so it says, "the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit", Romans 14:17.

H.J.M. I was thinking of the subjection that the kingdom would produce in us, so that we would be ready to accept things as they are presented to us by the Spirit.

G.R.C. I think that is right. The kingdom of God involves that we are secured individually as vessels of the Spirit and thus we are ready for the assembly. We need the truth of Romans, therefore, in order to be available for the truth of Corinthians.

D.S.H. Have you something more in mind as to the difference between being baptised "to the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" and being baptised with the Holy Spirit?

G.R.C. The first is water baptism, we are baptised "to the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit", but here the Lord says, "ye shall be baptised

with" -- or in -- "the Holy Spirit after now not many days". Is not baptism in the Holy Spirit fundamental to the truth of the assembly? Does it not show how fundamental the truth of the Spirit is to the formation and constitution of the assembly?

D.S.H. Does it connect with our being merged together?

G.R.C. It does, and I think it implies that we are all moving in the current of the Spirit; we are baptised in the Holy Spirit. Paul says, "For also in the power of one Spirit we have all been baptised into one body", 1 Corinthians 12:13.

H.B. Is there not something very positive about that?

G.R.C. It is a very positive matter because we are all baptised in one Spirit. That is how the one body comes into being. You can understand what a reality the body is, as all the saints are in the flow of the Spirit and immersed in it.

H.B. Is that not what we want to get all the saints into, this positive current?

G.R.C. It is indeed. And Paul says, we "have all been given to drink of one Spirit", 1 Corinthians 12:13. There is drinking as well, meaning that I open my inwards. I have no reserves as merged with the brethren; I have no reserved compartments -- I open my inwards to the Spirit. I think drinking implies that.

W.S.S. Would you say a word as to verse 5 and its link with verse 8, "ye will receive power, the Holy Spirit having come upon you"?

G.R.C. Verse 8 has the testimonial position in mind. Verse 5 is really the formation of the assembly, what is constitutional to the assembly. We are baptised in the Holy Spirit. That is how the body is formed. But then alongside of that, and complementary to it, is the idea that we receive power, the Spirit having come upon us. We are baptised or immersed in the Spirit, but then the public position is that the Spirit has come upon us and we thus receive power to do all that is needed in the testimony.

E.J.B. Are these two sides linked with verses 2 and 3 of chapter 2? Verse 2: "filled all the house"; verse 3: "sat upon each of them". I was thinking of what you were saying as to the formation of the assembly. The filling of

the house would be more inward, and then sitting upon each one would secure them all in this same power, the power of the Spirit.

G.R.C. It would, and so in chapter 2 further features are in evidence. First there is what is heard, "a sound out of heaven", then what is seen, "parted tongues, as of fire", and then, I think we may say, what is felt, "they were all filled with the Holy Spirit". In result the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off; indeed a greater joy than had ever been known in Jerusalem before. So the mockers say, "They are full of new wine".

G.F.S. You have spoken of what is inward on our side. Does the violent impetuous blowing involve what is inward from God's side?

G.R.C. There came suddenly a sound out of heaven as of hard breathing -- see J.N.D.'s note. I think it suggests the inwards of God, the inward feelings of God; and how He would breathe into and thus take possession of them in the highest way. The human organs are used as figures to help us. The idea of the lungs being filled is to convey spiritually the imparting of life in the highest sense, involving power of intelligent response Godward and testimony manward. Then there is the idea of the lower organs being filled with new wine. We need wine to stimulate us and give us joy and strength in testimony, but first of all there is hard breathing. Does it not indicate how God Himself in the Spirit was waiting for this moment. All through the Old Testament God was waiting for this moment, and now the time had come and here was a suitable vessel formed through the ministry of Christ Himself. The feelings of God enter into this. There was hard breathing. The moment God had waited for had come; there was "a habitation of God in the Spirit", Ephesians 2:22.

W.W.S. You referred to what was heard and seen and felt. Might that suggest, speaking reverently, the substantiality of the Spirit as a distinctive Personality?

G.R.C. That is very good. Why should we not know something now of the deep feelings of God in the Spirit?

E.J.F. Would you say a word as to the parted tongues of fire? Does it raise with us the question of holiness if we are to enjoy what the presence of the Spirit really means?

G.R.C. It does. And does it not show the importance of the tongue, and that the tongue should be controlled? The tongue is the unruly member, and thus if the tongue is controlled the whole man will be under control and secured for God. The Spirit is given not only to control us in other ways but to make the tongue the most serviceable of our members, because the tongue is the most important member in the service of God. David said, "Awake my glory; awake lute and harp", Psalm 57:8. "My glory" appears to be a reference to his tongue -- see Psalm 16:9 and Acts 2:26.

F.W.T. Stephen's tongue was serviceable. He was filled with the Holy Spirit.

G.R.C. It is the intention that the tongue of all that compose the assembly should be used in the high praises of God and the testimony to men: "Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand", Psalm 149:6.

A.P.A. David said, "The Spirit of Jehovah spoke by me, and his word was on my tongue", 2 Samuel 23:2.

J.P.H. As regards the personal side, would you say something on the words, "it sat upon each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit"?

G.R.C. "Each one of them" is the body idea. The doctrine of the body awaited Paul. He says, we are "each one members one of the other", Romans 12:5, and he develops that in 1 Corinthians, "But to each the manifestation of the Spirit is given for profit", 1 Corinthians 12:7. In Acts 2 the body was formed by the baptism of the Spirit and there appeared to them parted tongues, as of fire, and it sat upon each one of them. Does not that show that in the assembly each one of us has his own place sovereignly given by God. He has set for Himself the members in the body as it has pleased Him. "Each one" would refer to each one of the one hundred and twenty. The twelve were there, but the whole vessel is in mind, each one of them, and they "began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them to speak forth". It would include brothers and sisters.

J.P.H. I was thinking of that, and I wondered whether the Spirit sitting would imply that there were receptive conditions for Him with each one of the brethren.

G.R.C. That is very good and would raise an exercise with each one of us.

C.C.I. Does Romans 8 raise the question of the Spirit with each one of us? Would the reference to the Spirit of Christ raise the question as to how we stand in relation to the body, and God's Spirit dwelling in us as to how we stand in relation to the house of God?

G.R.C. Very good. "If anyone has not the Spirit of Christ he is not of him". It is the body thought, Christ being in the believer, whereas the Spirit of God dwelling in us would fit the individual for the house.

A.L. Would it maintain a balance in our minds between what is collective and what is individual? I may have the Spirit, but it does not make me independent.

G.R.C. It says, "God has set the members, each one of them in the body, according as it has pleased him", 1 Corinthians 12:18, and then it says, "Now ye are Christ's body, and members in particular", verse 27, and to each the manifestation of the Spirit is given for profit, verse 7, so that we are in no wise to individualise ourselves; and yet it is a question as to whether each of us individually is available to the Spirit, so as to fill out our place in the body.

J.W.G. Does this stress the personality that is proper to the assembly -- the one hundred and twenty names? Would it really refer to heavenly personality?

G.R.C. The fact that we are merged in one body does not in any way rob each individual of his distinction; in fact it enhances the distinction of each. Individual distinction is seen at its very best as each merges in the body and fills out his place in it.

R.S.W. Is there a certain glory connected with the sovereignty of the Spirit? Does that run right through? I was thinking of the sovereignty of the Father and the sovereignty of the Lord Jesus, and there is also the sovereignty of the Spirit in imparting what He will to each.

G.R.C. There is. 1 Corinthians 12:11 asserts the sovereignty of the Spirit, dividing to each in particular as He pleases. And so in our scripture it sat on each one of them and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.

F.O.W. So that, whilst we should be happily conscious of the presence of the Spirit, if we use our tongues we

should in some way understand the up-springing of the Spirit within. I was thinking of the two sides, the happy consciousness of being together in the presence of the Spirit viewed objectively, and then, as we use our tongues, we are conscious of voicing our expressions by the Spirit dwelling within.

G.R.C. Quite so. He is dwelling with us not only individually as in Romans 8 but collectively, "Ye are the temple of God and the Spirit of God dwells in you?" 1 Corinthians 3:16. He is in each one of us and we are together as indwelt by the Spirit.

W.W.S. The end of verse 4 of chapter 2 says, "as the Spirit gave to them to speak forth" -- does that bring in regulation, and would the impulse of the Spirit imply the great need for soul sensitiveness on our part to answer to that?

G.R.C. I am sure that is right. We are to be dependent on Him so that what we say is of this character -- "as the Spirit gave them to speak forth".

A.G.B. Could you say in that regard why the speaking is manward here and we have to wait for the filling out of the service Godward for Paul's ministry?

G.R.C. Do you not think that in Acts the public testimony is primarily in view? Nevertheless it is not only speaking manward. At the end of the chapter it says, "And every day, being constantly in the temple with one accord, and breaking bread in the house, they received their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God, and having favour with all the people". The praises of God were going on just as at the end of Luke where they were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. As soon as the Lord went on high and the Holy Spirit was poured out, the service of God began; not yet in the full light of Paul's ministry, and yet it was a service worthy of God at that time. There was also the breaking of bread. The service Godward was therefore proceeding, but testimony manward is primarily in mind, and so the first thing said is, "as the Spirit gave them to speak forth".

W.W.S. In that connection is there a sense in which the service of God has a public bearing?

G.R.C. I think the service of God is really the highest form of public testimony; that is the confessing of God's

name in a sacrifice of praise. That is why it is so important that exercised souls should come to the Lord's Supper.

H.B. So a man who came to the morning meeting said it was the most impressive thing he had ever been to.

G.R.C. It should be the most impressive. The high praises of God are proceeding, but you will find the two-edged sword there, too. There will be the testimony manward which has its own effect. Peter wields the sharp two-edged sword.

J.P.H. Does not what you have just said as to the service of God and the preaching bear on what you mentioned earlier as to certain popular preaching which does not connect with the assembly? Is not the service of God behind the public testimony in Acts, and is not the public testimony rendered with a view to the enrichment of the service of God? I am thinking of chapter 13. They were ministering to the Lord and fasting, and the testimony goes out from such conditions and has such conditions in view. I think a good many of the young people amongst us are thinking of what is going on and we need to be balanced about it.

G.R.C. That is very important. There was conflict in 1905 at the time of the Chicago notes as to the relation between the gospel and the house of God, and we need to hold the ground that was secured then. According to Acts 2, God's habitation in the Spirit was established. Then there is the speaking forth by all the saints, a speaking which would be in the spirit of praise and worship. They were speaking of the great things of God. It is with such a backing, the house of God established, and the saints full of the great things of God, that the preaching goes out. Peter stands up with the eleven.

E.T.H. Would you say that in Ezekiel 47 we have the house and then the testimony manward, as suggested in the river, flowing out from that point?

G.R.C. That confirms what we are saying. Peter in quoting Joel shows the extent of the Spirit's activities as poured out, brothers and sisters being brought into it. Your sons and your daughters and my bondmen and my bondwomen are all said to prophesy and the young men to see visions and the old men to dream dreams.

These things should be current amongst us. Our sons and daughters should be prophesying because they are God's bondmen and bondwomen. No one will be able to prophesy in power unless he is fully committed to God. If we are not available for prophesying, let us look to our bondmanship. Why should not the sisters prophesy? Why should not the young men see visions? No one can go forward without vision; but the Spirit is here in order that the young men might see visions and go forward and the old men dream dreams. All these things should be current in the assembly, so that it is a living vital vessel in the testimony here.

Then in Peter's preaching he stresses, "and ye will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit". That is the great point of the moment: the gift of the Holy Spirit. The blessed results were in evidence, and in his preaching Peter opens it up to all. He says, "Repent, and be baptised, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for remission of sins, and ye will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit". He as much as says, You will come into all that is current. You will be in this great vessel, the assembly; you will have power to speak forth and to prophesy. Let us see that we are all in it. It is for all of us; but if we are to develop in it we must persevere in the teaching and fellowship of the apostles, in the breaking of bread and prayers, and do so daily. In saying 'daily' I do not find fault with what is sometimes called the 'assembly calendar', but Acts stresses what is daily. It says they were daily in the temple, and that the Lord added daily. In chapter 6 there is the daily ministration. We should not say there are too many meetings if we had the outlook of the saints in Acts. They were in things daily.

THE ASSEMBLY IN THE BOOK OF ACTS - READING (2)

Acts 9:1 - 6, 15 - 22, 28, 31; Romans 16:25 - 27; Ephesians 3:1 - 4; Revelation 3:1, 2

G.R.C. This morning we were occupied with the great theme of God as declared in the name of the Father, and

of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, with which name the assembly is in a special way connected as the vessel which understands that name and is responsive to God thus known as no other vessel could be. But we noticed that in the first of Acts, while the Lord presents Himself living, and also speaks of the greatness of the Father who reserves certain things in His own authority, yet He specially stresses the Holy Spirit, leaving the apostles keenly anticipative of the coming of that glorious Person, the One who would come to them as the promise of the Father, the One in whom they would be baptised, and the One who, as coming upon them, would furnish them with power in testimony. The Lord indicates that they are to concentrate on the great matter of the Spirit's coming. He says, "It is not yours to know times or seasons". They were to concentrate on this great outstanding fact that the Holy Spirit was coming and they were left in the keenest anticipation of His coming. Then we dwelt on some of the features that come into view in connection with His actual coming: what was heard, and seen, and felt; the saints being, to use the figure of the human body, not only filled as regards the lower organs with the new wine, but also filled with divine breathing, which afforded power for speaking manward and for feeling and response Godward; so that the service of God and the testimony to men was inaugurated in the greatest possible power, the power of God Himself in the Spirit. Then the door was opened by Peter for all to come into the gain of the Spirit -- "ye will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit". The great feature of the dispensation is that the gift of the Holy Spirit is available.

Now this afternoon we have before us the light out of heaven. In chapter 2 it is a sound out of heaven. In chapter 9 it says, "there shone round about him a light out of heaven", and this light is the greatest light that has ever shone. We may say it is the greatest light that ever will shine for men; and men, we need to remember, are the most blest of any creatures, men in Christ, but this is the greatest light that will ever shine. The Spirit of God would help us as to this greatest of all light revealed to Paul. He says, "God ... was pleased to reveal his Son in me", Galatians 1:16, and "by revelation the mystery has been

made known to me". Those two revelations constitute the greatest light that has ever come to men, and, if understood, enable us to be in the assembly at the full level of intelligence and response that God desires.

I suggested reading Revelation 3 as an afterthought because the Lord says He is the One who has the seven Spirits of God. That is, the fulness of the Spirit is available with a view to our going on to completion. Paul's ministry involves completion. If we do not go on in our souls and enter into this greatest of light we shall never reach completion according to God, and Sardis, which represents Protestantism, has never moved on to Paul's ministry of the assembly. Protestantism, as such, is ignorant of Paul's gospel and of Paul's intelligence in the mystery. Rome claims to be the assembly, but she is a complete travesty of it. Protestantism has never apprehended the assembly in any sense at all, and one reason why Protestantism has failed is because in her evangelical zeal she has allowed herself to be defiled. Therefore she has become dead; death and defilement go together. Defilement may spring from evangelical zeal, but in defiling ourselves we do it at the expense of our lives, we become dead as to the truth of the assembly and to all that is really living according to God. So the Lord is speaking to those who have not defiled their garments. I mention that as an afterthought as bearing on current exercises. If we are led away, even, as we may think, with the best motives, to defile our garments as Protestantism has done, by using worldly means and methods in testimony, we are disqualified from moving on into this greatest of light. We are disqualified from ever apprehending Paul's ministry. Such a course not only results in disqualification but will lead to moral death. But we will get help, no doubt, in pursuing the positive side. The seven Spirits of God suggest the full availability of the Spirit, so that we might, as giving Him His place, take in this greatest light and thus arrive at the complete thoughts of God.

J.O.S. Would verse 14 of Ephesians 5 bear on this matter? "Wherefore, he says, Wake up, thou that sleepest, and arise up from among the dead, and the Christ shall shine upon thee" -- I was thinking particularly as to what you said as to Sardis, whether this is a general word

to the saints with a view to coming into the greatest things.

G.R.C. I am sure that is right, because, as you say, the word "the Christ shall shine upon thee" involves what we have spoken of as the greatest light that has ever been vouchsafed to men. The Christ shining upon us involves the truth of the mystery and Paul's intelligence in it.

C.R.W. God and the Lamb are the light of the city -- would that cover very much what you are saying? I was thinking of Christ, the Lamb, Christ in His manhood; but 'God' would cover the three Persons of the Godhead, as being the full light of the city.

G.R.C. Quite so. It says, "the Lord God Almighty is its temple, and the Lamb", and then it says, "for the glory of God has enlightened it, and the lamp thereof is the Lamb", Revelation 21:22 - 23. What is shining through is the glory of God, but the vessel of that glory is the Lamb; so that the glory is shining in the face of Jesus -- that is where we see it. I take it all that will ever be expressed of God is expressed in the Lord Jesus.

R.M.B. Would the mention of light in Matthew 4, the assembly gospel, have this great light in view? "The people sitting in darkness has seen a great light, and to those sitting in the country and shadow of death, to them has light sprung up", verse 16. I wondered if that had this great light in view.

G.R.C. Well, I think it helps, because that speaks of the light which is shining down, the great light. "The people sitting in darkness has seen a great light". Then it speaks of the light that has sprung up. There was the light of God shining upon them in Christ, like the sun in the heavens. On the other hand, the light had sprung up, which refers, I suppose, to the light of life seen in Him as a Man living in all the favour of God. Is that not seen in the assembly? The light springing up today is in the assembly.

G.H.B. In the passage in Ephesians 5 there is a reference to Isaiah 60:1, "Arise, shine! for thy light is come". Is that our light you have in mind?

G.R.C. Yes. That is exactly what I have in mind -- it is a light out of heaven; and Paul says later that he saw this light at midday, and it was above the brightness of the sun.

A.B. Is it important that the light is from heaven? Does it have in mind that believers are linked with this blessed Man in heaven? They are linked with Him in the Spirit.

G.R.C. I am sure that is so. He is the Second Man, out of heaven, and according to chapter 1 He was taken up into heaven. In chapter 2 there is a sound out of heaven, and now in chapter 9 a light out of heaven; so that heaven dominates the whole position. A Man has gone into heaven, and the result is a sound out of heaven as the Spirit comes, and now a light out of heaven.

G.F.S. Does the sense of that light increase with him, because in chapter 22 he says, "a great light"?

G.R.C. And in chapter 26, "a light above the brightness of the sun".

R.W. Is there a psalm which says, "in thy light shall we see light", Psalm 36:9?

G.R.C. How do you understand that?

R.W. I wondered if it worked out in the way Saul of Tarsus responded to the Lord. He is brought into the full light and outshining of all that God is.

G.R.C. I am sure that is right. Paul was brought into the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus, which set him free; and also into the light of the fact that Jesus is the Son of God, because this light includes what he calls "my gospel", and the first thing he does, according to verse 20, is "straightway in the synagogues he preached Jesus that he is the Son of God". God had revealed His Son in him. Then finally, in the Lord's own words, "Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute me?" -- the mystery was revealed to him. I believe all that is included in the light out of heaven, the light of the glory of God, the light of sonship, and the light of the mystery -- "Why dost thou persecute me?"

A.H. It says, "as I could not see, through the glory of that light", in chapter 22: 11. Paul is calling attention not only to the light but to the glory of it. Would that have in mind this vast range?

G.R.C. It shows how it moved his whole being, and thus he can speak of the glory of that light.

S.H. Does he bring this light to bear upon the Galatians? When they had departed from the truth of the gospel he

refers to the revelation of the Son of God in him. He is moving in the greatness of this light.

G.R.C. Very good. We may get help in speaking of Paul's ministry in its two parts according to the end of Romans, "my glad tidings, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery". Paul's ministry was composed of two parts, as it were: he was minister of the gospel and he was minister of the assembly. It is one ministry in two parts. I do not see in scripture that Paul, in the ordinary course of things, separated the two. In Galatians he refers to the gospel only, because the truth of his gospel was at stake; but generally, as in Romans 16, Colossians 1 and Ephesians 3, he links the two together. He does not separate the two parts of his ministry, because both are essential. Whether we have apprehended how the two parts of his ministry bear on each other I do not know.

F.W.T. Is it significant that the two expressions you quote, Paul speaking of himself as minister of the gospel and minister of the assembly, are put together with scarcely a verse between? The Spirit of God puts them together in that way in Colossians.

G.R.C. That is very interesting; and similarly in Ephesians he says, "to me, less than the least of all saints, has this grace been given, to announce among the nations the glad tidings of the unsearchable riches of the Christ, and to enlighten all with the knowledge of what is the administration of the mystery hidden throughout the ages in God", Ephesians 3:8 - 9. So that both in Colossians and Ephesians and in the end of Romans the two are brought together. The two together form the great light, the light out of heaven, the light above the brightness of the sun, and we should learn to hold these two lines together -- they are complementary -- the truth of sonship, which is Paul's gospel, and the truth of the assembly.

J.O.S. If Paul had taken off what we might speak of as the top-shoot of his ministry, that is, his ministry as to the mystery, he would never have gone to Rome. I was thinking of the verse in Acts 22 that he quotes, "Go, for I will send thee to the nations afar off. And they heard him until this word, and lifted up their voice, saying, Away with such a one as that from the earth, for it was

not fit he should live", verses 21 - 22. I was thinking how the top-shoot, you might say, the mystery, was really a great test, and whether that is a great test today?

G.R.C. I am sure that is true. I would not say sonship is the test exactly, although it is always a test in another way -- it was a test in Galatia. So that we have to be on our guard to maintain the truth of sonship. But generally the truth of the mystery is what tests us, because the truth of the mystery involves intelligence in the highest degree, and the deepest exercises of soul. But it is normal for sons to be intelligent. God would give His sons intelligence to enter into the most secret thoughts of His heart -- "the mystery hidden throughout the ages in God". Paul was, therefore, both minister of the gospel and minister of the assembly. The separation of these two ministries results in defectiveness as to the whole scope of the truth.

A.L.B. Is it not particularly important at the present time when things outwardly are in great confusion that these two parts of Paul's ministry should be held as one?

G.R.C. I think it is, and the Spirit of God may help us on this particular occasion to see how the two parts of his ministry are complementary and necessary to each other. It is not a question of setting one against the other, or saying that one is greater than the other. Such comparisons are pointless and damaging. The point is that both lines are absolutely essential, and only those who are in the liberty of sonship can ever find their place properly in the assembly. On the one hand the intelligence and liberty of sonship are necessary if we are to find our place in the body and function of the assembly; and on the other hand, the more we enter into the truth of the assembly the more we provide a setting where the sons are seen in service at their very best. The two things are necessary to each other.

A.B. Does Paul present the mystery enticingly in Romans 16:25? He presents it as something to go in for.

G.R.C. I think so; and is not the word "according to" important? "Now to him that is able to establish you, according to my glad tidings and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery".

That is, one is according to the other. It is not a question of setting one against the other, or comparing; one is according to the other, and essential to the other.

A.McG. Did not Mr. Stoney say that the gospel of the Son of God was the gospel of the glory? Would that not govern the whole position? Is not Paul the minister? He says, "according to my glad tidings".

G.R.C. Quite so. On that line what could be greater than the truth of sonship and our association with Christ in all the favour of the Father's affections?

J.C.T. Is it not a great exercise as to the kind of ministry that souls come under? I was thinking how Paul is supremely affected by the light which reached him initially. It is important that the full gospel should be presented, the gift of the Spirit and some light as to the assembly coming into the presentation of the glad tidings.

G.R.C. It is of the utmost importance.

W.W.S. Is it right to think that in Romans it is God who is in view, and "my glad tidings" and the preaching of Jesus Christ, and the revelation of the mystery is all in view of God being served?

G.R.C. Yes, and Paul is an example, is he not, in the very fact that what he is saying there forms part of the doxology? He is a worshipper; he is worshipping God in relation to eternal purpose. In chapter 11 he worships God in connection with His ways, but he closes Romans with a note of worship to God relative to eternal purpose, referring to the eternal God, "according to the commandment of the eternal God, made known for obedience of faith to all the nations".

W.W.S. It would help us in that way, therefore, to understand that the preaching of Jesus Christ has in view the securing of persons for the pleasure and service of God.

C.R.W. So the apostle lays a glorious basis here, preaching "Jesus, that he is the Son of God", and Christ becomes Son that He might bring in a company of sons, a suitable people to worship God.

A.H. Who would you have in mind as to verse 25 of Romans 16, "to him that is able to establish you"?

G.R.C. The eternal God, the only-wise God. Who would you have in mind?

A.H. I thought it embodied the Persons of the Godhead that you referred to in Matthew.

G.R.C. It must do, because the eternal God is now made known in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Rem. Would you say why the prophetic scriptures are brought in here?

G.R.C. You will note that it does not say 'Scriptures of the prophets' because the mystery was hidden and formed no part of their testimony in Old Testament times, but it says 'prophetic Scriptures'. Paul says in connection with his ministry of the mystery in Colossians that it was given to him according to the dispensation of God towards them to complete -- or fill full -- the word of God. I think in the light of Paul's ministry many scriptures, which in themselves are historic, become prophetic of the mystery. We can now include New Testament scriptures; but they were not written at the time Paul was writing, so he would have in his mind Old Testament scriptures. Not that those who uttered them understood the truth of the mystery -- they did not. The mystery was hidden throughout the ages in God, but the One who indited the scriptures knew the mystery of God and He used men of old to write down prophetic scriptures. Once we have Paul's ministry as a key whereby to unlock their meaning, they become prophetic as giving light about the mystery. We need to see that Paul's ministry fills out or completes the word of God. Completing does not mean that he added the last section to scripture, because we know he did not; John wrote after Paul. The idea is that Paul's ministry fills out the whole plan of scripture and is thus like the key of knowledge to the whole of scripture. So that, having Paul's ministry, Genesis 2 becomes prophetic. Genesis 2 would not be prophetic as to the mystery without Paul's ministry, but having Paul's ministry we can see that Genesis 2 is a prophetic scripture. God brings the woman to the man and the man names the woman. Genesis 24 also becomes a prophetic scripture as to the mystery. So also do the scriptures relating to the tabernacle system and the house which Solomon built for Jehovah. Having Paul's ministry, which completes the word of God, scriptures in the Old Testament open up to us and provide marvellous wealth.

The revelation of the mystery was to Paul, but the prophetic scriptures confirm and give fulness to it; so it says, "by prophetic scriptures, according to the commandment of the eternal God, made known for obedience of faith to, all the nations".

A.L.B. Does what James says in Acts 15 help: "And with this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written", verse 15, and then, "the Lord, who does these things known from eternity", verse 18?

G.R.C. Quite so. If the mystery was hidden throughout the ages in God, the Spirit of God inditing the scriptures would have this matter ever before Him, and so the Old Testament is replete with prophetic scriptures relating to the mystery; but until the mystery was revealed to Paul no one understood these scriptures.

Eu.R. You have in mind that this word to Paul, "why dost thou persecute me?" is the filling out of Genesis 2 -- the man and the woman?

G.R.C. In Acts 9 the Lord Jesus names the woman. We have to keep in mind that scripture does not repeat itself; so that Genesis 2, the prophetic scripture, stands in all its glory by itself. There Jehovah Elohim brings the woman to the man and the man names the woman in that setting, God having brought her to him. In the New Testament we get something additional, and that is that the Lord from His exalted position owns the suffering assembly on earth as His body. Just as Adam said, "this time it is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh", so here the Lord owns the assembly as His body. He names the assembly to the elect vessel that He had sovereignly taken up to be the minister of the assembly. You can understand the Lord naming the assembly to Saul of Tarsus -- "Why dost thou persecute me?" I do not think anyone else could name the assembly except the Lord Jesus.

Eu.R. Then in Genesis 24 we have three Persons of the Godhead active through the dispensation to bring about response to the Son of God in view of the service of God.

A.G.B. How would the expression "made known for obedience of faith to all nations" work out? I notice in Acts 26 Paul says there in recounting this matter before Agrippa, "I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision".

G.R.C. Is it not meant that not only is the gospel "made known for obedience of faith to all the nations", but the mystery, too? The mystery is not optional. That is how it is regarded, if it is regarded at all, in Protestantism; it is really not understood at all. Paul's ministry generally is regarded as optional. But the gospel is preached for the obedience of faith to all the nations, and alongside of it the revelation of the mystery is made known for the obedience of faith to all nations by commandment of the eternal God.

Ques. Does the way that this great light affected Paul and took possession of him become a pattern?

G.R.C. If we truly apprehend the light above the brightness of the sun, it will take possession of us. The truth of Paul's gospel and the truth of the mystery as made known by him will completely control our beings and our lives, and that is what God is after.

J.J.McC. Is it helpful to see that in Ephesians 5, where the truth of the mystery is developed, Paul commences by speaking of the saints as those who were "once darkness, but now light in the Lord", and then refers to them as "children of light", as though it is only such persons that can come into the gain of what he can speak of in relation to Christ and the assembly?

G.R.C. That is very important. I am glad you referred to Ephesians 5. We are now light in the Lord; Saul of Tarsus became light in the Lord, and we are all to become light in the Lord. In that chapter he says, "This mystery is great, but I speak as to Christ, and as to the assembly", and preceding that we are called members of His body. That is the light which came to Saul here. He had seen the members, he had dragged them off to prison -- Acts 8:3; he had seen Jesus expressed in those members. So that when Jesus owns the vessel and names her, saying, "Why persecutest thou me?" Saul of Tarsus understood. He had no difficulty in taking in the idea immediately; and it grew with him. "We are members of his body; we are of his flesh, and of his bones. Because of this a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall be united to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh. This mystery is great, but I speak as to Christ, and as to the assembly". That is the great mystery of the present moment, that

Christ, the glorified Man, has left interests which are very precious to Him because of something that is most precious. It is what He has done now. He has left precious interests for what is most precious, to be united to His wife. How much do we know of the truth that Christ is united to His wife?

E.C.L. Are we not tested by the fact that that position is outwardly one of suffering and reproach? Do you think in Christendom generally it is not accepted? We turn aside from it, but Paul's first impression was that it was in suffering and in reproach.

G.R.C. So Acts 9 has its own setting, and Genesis 2 stands in its own setting. There is no suffering or reproach in Genesis 2. Saul of Tarsus saw the vessel here in suffering and in the greatest reproach. The vessel linked with Jesus the Nazaraean as to the public position was really the wife of the glorified Man.

D.S.H. Does the reference to Ananias and his coming into the matter show how the Lord is able to coordinate things? He is working with Paul and He is coordinating things in regard to His people who were already suffering, so that they should be intelligent, not only as to the one who was to be an elect vessel but as to the place he was to have amongst the people of God.

G.R.C. So that the title "Lord" is prominent in this chapter, which bears on what was referred to earlier, "for ye were once darkness, but now light in [the] Lord". The title "Lord" in Ephesians goes a long way. It may, in certain passages, merge into Deity, corresponding with 'Adonai' in the Old Testament. We know that Jesus is made Lord, but the title Lord may sometimes imply more than this. It says, "be strong in the Lord, and in the might of his strength", Ephesians 6:10 -- "for ye were once darkness but now light in the Lord", Ephesians 5:8, and this chapter stresses light right through. It is the Lord acting, because unless we are subject to the Lord as Saul was here, we shall never come into the light of the Christ. Saul says, "Who art thou, Lord?" and he never withdraws his complete surrender to the Lord. As one who was light in the Lord he says, "Wake up, thou that sleepest, and arise up from among the dead, and the Christ shall shine upon

thee", Ephesians 5:14. It is as the Christ that the church is linked with Him. We need to be subject to the Lord if we are to apprehend the Christ and all that centres in the Christ.

A.M. Would lordship link on with the obedience of faith?

G.R.C. It would. We are called on to obey the Lord and as we said earlier Paul was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. May the Lord grant that none of us here may be disobedient to the heavenly vision. The Spirit would give us heavenly vision at a time like this.

F.W.B. In Acts 9:17 Ananias says, "the Lord has sent me that thou mightest see, and be filled with the Holy Spirit". Is it necessary to be filled with the Holy Spirit if we are to enter into the full light of the truth?

G.R.C. I am sure that is right. We should know what it is to be filled with the Spirit. Of Saul of Tarsus the Lord says, he "is an elect vessel to me", and we know he has a peculiar place; but then he applies the idea of a vessel to all the saints in Romans 9:23, saying, "that he might make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy". So that all the saints are vessels from that standpoint, and the idea of a vessel is that it is to be filled. God has no thought of a vessel that is not filled. If we apprehend that we are vessels individually it makes room for the great vessel, the assembly, the great vessel that is to be filled to all the fulness of God -- Ephesians 3:19.

J.O.S. Is it not to be noticed that in Ephesians 5:17 we have the understanding of what is the will of the Lord, and then in the next verse, "but be filled with the Spirit"? I wondered if we shall ever be filled with the Spirit if we are not subject to the Lord.

G.R.C. I am sure we shall never be filled with the Spirit unless we are subject to the Lord.

W.J.T. Have we not thought that being filled with the Spirit was left to certain kinds of persons, but it should be normal to us all?

W.W.S. Involving the displacing of every feature that is not pleasing to the Spirit, every feature that is not seen in Christ?

G.R.C. Is not that very important because Protestantism has taken on all sorts of extraneous things to help

them with evangelisation, and so on? Actually it disqualifies persons completely from these higher levels of the truth, which we cannot enter into apart from the Holy Spirit and being filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is prepared to help anyone as far as he finds any room at all, but we need to be filled with the Spirit for the higher levels; and it is open to all of us to be filled with the Spirit. The word is, "be filled", and Paul would not say that if it were not a possibility.

F.W.T. In Acts 6 they had no difficulty in finding seven men filled with the Spirit.

G.R.C. Can we find them in our localities?

G.H.B. Paul says, "If anyone think himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him recognise the things that I write to you, that it is the Lord's commandment", 1 Corinthians 14:37. Is it because of the relationship in which the assembly stands that we need to be governed in the wilderness position by the Lord's commandments?

G.R.C. I am sure that is right, otherwise we shall not be free to enter into the higher levels, but the Lord's commandment governs us fully in the wilderness position.

E.J.B. Would the passage in Romans 16 help, not only in the matter of evangelisation apart from the assembly, but also in the matter of mixed marriages, that the commandment involves subjection both in relation to the glad tidings and in relation to the assembly?

G.R.C. Say a little more.

E.J.B. I was thinking of "the commandment of the eternal God" -- in seeking a partner in marriage. It is essential according to the commandment to have one who is not only in the light of the glad tidings but also in the light of the assembly.

G.R.C. That is very good. How could we be moving in the light of the assembly otherwise? The truth of the mystery involves, as to Christ and the assembly, that the two shall be one flesh. How can there be complete oneness between two persons when one is holding the truth of the mystery and the other is not?

E.J.B. I was thinking of that and the commandment of the eternal God making it essential.

G.R.C. There is nothing more damaging, and nothing hinders the saints more from entering into the higher

levels of the truth, than mixed marriages and other evil associations.

C.C.I. Is all this to have a bearing on the local assembly, the light of it being received at Damascus, and the truth of it being worked out in Paul's ministry by the local assembly at Ephesus? Is there a danger of divorcing the great truth of the mystery from what is practical in the local assembly?

G.R.C. We must not do that. When you come to the local assembly as in the two epistles to Corinthians, Paul finishes them by saying, "I have espoused you" -- that refers to the local company at Corinth -- "I have espoused you unto one man, to present you a chaste virgin to Christ", 2 Corinthians 11:2. So that the light Paul had in his soul as to the assembly in its completeness as espoused to Christ governed him in his activities and ministry. In every local company he had nothing less in his mind than that each local company should be espoused to one Man.

Eu.R. So just now we are facing serious exercises in India, and we are sharing deep sorrows in Australia. It is all because we belong to the "me".

J.W.C. The light that shone for Saul is shining now for us to embrace and the Spirit would help us on that line.

G.R.C. The Lord saying "he that has the seven Spirits of God" shows that all is available now. The seven Spirits of God stand related to the seven lamps. The Spirit in His faithfulness is available to the assembly so that the full light may shine.

Eu.R. This co-relation would make it a very serious thing to embark on any independence in relation to the glad tidings. The gospel is the gospel of the glory, and it needs the glory of the assembly behind it.

J.L.W. Is it helpful to notice that the gift of the evangelist is in a special setting in Ephesians 4, coming down from the ascended head, a Man in the glory, and in the place of Deity, all with a view to certain things being worked out in the saints?

G.R.C. Very good. The gift of the evangelist is given, just as are the other gifts, from the Man who has ascended above all the heavens. He could not have ascended above all heavens if He had not been God, yet He is truly Man. The gifts, including the evangelists, are with a "view to

the work of the ministry, with a view to the edifying of the body of Christ".

H.W.T.S. Paul speaks at the end of Ephesians of "opening my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the glad tidings". Did not Mr. Stoney say that the gospel might be known while the mystery of the glad tidings is wholly unknown?

G.R.C. So that he desires prayers specially for the opening of his mouth to make known the mystery of the glad tidings.

J.P.H. Is it contained in the word to Timothy, "who desires that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth", 1 Timothy 2:4?

G.R.C. Yes, because the word 'knowledge' there is really "full knowledge".

J.P.H. I was thinking of that -- the full knowledge of the truth -- and I was wondering if it would help in that connection to see Andrew in John 1. He wanted to see where the Lord abode and he abode with Him that day; and then he goes out and finds his own brother Peter and brings him to Christ. I wondered whether privilege and our part in the service of God, and in association with Christ where He is, gives background to our seeking of souls?

F.D.W. Is an evangelist one who has been captivated by the light out of heaven and becomes a bondman?

G.R.C. We all need to be captivated by this light.

A.H. Is it not a sorrowful matter that all the reformers fell short of the mystery and the light of the church?

G.R.C. It is, and it makes it very imperative that we should hold fast today and be intelligent as to the mystery of the Christ. It is not only a question of the one body, that would preserve us from independency, but also that we are Christ's body; and then that He has left other interests to be united to His wife. This is a great matter because when you think of a wife how much is involved in that, a vessel that is competent to be with Him in every sphere of interest in which He moves. Whether we think of administration, what is downward, or whether we think of what is upward in the service of God, the Lord has secured a vessel of which it is said, "the two shall be one flesh", a vessel that moves in the current of His own thoughts and affections in every way.

H.J.M. Is Paul's work at Antioch helpful in that connection? It says that he was with them for a whole year and "they were gathered together in the assembly and taught a large crowd; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch". I was thinking of the time given to work these things out both in privilege and in administration.

G.R.C. Very good.

W.W.S. Would the mystery as alluded to here at the end of Romans greatly contribute, and if rightly apprehended, lead to deeper and richer response to God as expressed in this choice doxology? As you know, there are four of them in Romans, but is not this the greatest?

G.R.C. I think so, because of the references to the eternal God and the only-wise God. It is an ascription in worship of glory to God in relation to His purpose.

W.W.S. If the truth of the mystery were better understood we should find ourselves using expressions that have "doxology" character.

G.R.C. I believe so. The purpose of God includes what Paul speaks of as "my gospel"; that is, it includes sonship. We were marked out beforehand for adoption through Jesus Christ to Himself. But then the purpose of God also includes "the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in himself for the administration of the fulness of times", Ephesians 1:9. Purpose embraces both ideas: the truth of sonship and the truth of the mystery. They are both included in the purpose of the eternal God, the only-wise God, and both are needed; and the relation between each needs to be understood if worship in the way you are speaking of it is to ascend to God from the assembly in Christ Jesus. We need to understand both sonship and the assembly, including the relationship between Christ and the assembly. I do not know how far we have apprehended that.

C.W.O'L.M. I was just wondering whether you would explain the difference between "my glad tidings" and "the preaching of Jesus Christ". Does that not form a certain basis for the apprehension of the mystery?

G.R.C. I think so. "My gospel" particularly refers to the truth of sonship, and then "the preaching of Jesus

Christ" is foundational because the whole structure is patterned after Jesus Christ, from the foundation to the corner stone; and He Himself is the Corner Stone. No other man has any place or footing there at all. So that the preaching of Jesus Christ lays the basis for the truth of the mystery.

A.B. Would the preaching of the Son of God involve Christ as known outside of this world and having another world of His own, and would not that result in deliverance practically from this world's system?

G.R.C. As you say, sonship takes us outside the world and involves great liberty with God, the Spirit of His Son being in our hearts. From the standpoint of experience we arrive at the liberty of sonship in Romans 8:14 - 15, and in this liberty we find our place in the body according to Romans 12:4 - 5. F.E.R. said that no one finds his place in the body apart from the liberty of sonship. Romans 8 thus comes before Romans 12 -- "as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For ye have not received a spirit of bondage again for fear, but ye have received a spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father", verses 14 - 15. Persons such as that can happily accept divine sovereignty as to their place in the body. Thus Paul's gospel is needed before we can begin to touch the assembly. Unless we are in the liberty of sonship we shall quarrel with God's sovereignty. Indeed, it is only sons who apprehend God's great plan as to the body, the assembly; and it is only sons who are prepared happily to accept the place His sovereign will has given them in that great vessel. As we apprehend what the assembly is and accept our functional part in it we become available in it as sons to serve God, because the assembly is the place where sons serve. The assembly has to be distinguished from the family. The Father's house is the place of liberty where the sons are at home; the assembly is the vessel of service where each one has a place divinely given and where all function under the impulse of the headship of Christ. So it is in the assembly setting where the sons are seen serving; in the Father's house they are at home and at rest. Unless we understand union with Christ we shall never understand the assembly as a vessel of service Godward.

S.H. Would you say, in what you are referring to at the moment, that there is some instruction for us in Acts 9 as to the Lord Jesus saying in verse 5, "I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest", and then Ananias saying to him later, "the Lord has sent me, Jesus that appeared to thee in the way in which thou camest", and then his reference to his being Son of God, "Jesus, that he is the Son of God"? Do you think that there is something in what you are saying as to the charm of it in these two references: the light as to the assembly and then the distinctive light as to the Person, the personal name being used?

G.R.C. What charm, indeed, in the personal Name! According to verse 20, he preached Jesus that He is Son of God, but in verse 22 he "increased the more in power" -- note that! He is going on to the mystery in principle -- not that it was yet developed -- and he increased the more in power, for that is what is necessary with regard to the truth of the mystery. "But Saul increased the more in power ... proving that this is the Christ". The mystery centres round the Christ. Paul in his ministry begins with the Son of God and goes on to the Christ -- "the Christ" occurs nearly twenty times in Ephesians -- whereas John begins with Christ and goes on to the Son of God. We need both ministries. The mystery centres round the fact that Jesus is the Christ, and the church is united to Him.

S.H. The Lord, even Jesus, appeared to him on the Damascus road. The charm and greatness of the Person and the liberty of sonship would dawn upon the soul of the apostle, do you think?

G.R.C. The liberty of sonship would be known as the glory of the Son of God dawned on him. But then he goes on to prove that Jesus is the Christ. So that the wonderful truth is that the Son of God is the Christ.

Then just a word as to verse 28, "and he was with them coming in and going out". He is a real assembly man. He does not come in with any self-importance, saying that the Lord had appeared to him and that he was a chosen vessel; nothing like that about Paul, once Saul. He has the light of the assembly, which precludes any self-importance at all. It is wonderful that in the case of the Lord Jesus Himself, who is the Person of all-importance, it is said of Him

"the Lord Jesus came in and went out among them". He, who was God over all, Blessed forever, of Him it says that He came in and went out among them. It does not say He came in as over them, though God over all. Saul immediately takes character from the Lord -- "he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem" -- a real assembly man.

E.T.H. "Saul, brother", was not that an excellent start?

G.R.C. We need a family start. The family lays the basis for the assembly.

D.S.H. Did Paul come into the benefit of Ananias there? Was Ananias appreciating the hard breathing, and did Paul come into the benefit of that?

G.R.C. What feelings marked Ananias! The feelings of God and of Christ were expressed in him in the power of the Spirit.

THE ASSEMBLY IN THE BOOK OF ACTS - READING (3)

Acts 10:9 - 20, 34 - 48; Ephesians 2:14 - 22; Ephesians 3:1 - 6

G.R.C. We are engaged in these readings with the assembly as presented in Acts, and what we have read now refers to a revelation to Peter. The Lord Jesus had already called Paul, the great minister of the assembly, and now the Spirit of God takes Peter in hand in order to make way for Paul. What is indicated to Peter, the truth involved in it, is essential if we are to be free to move in the gain of the light out of heaven which came to Paul. So the Spirit of God takes Peter in hand, and according to the next chapter 11: 5 -- he sees "a certain vessel descending like a great sheet, let down by the four corners out of heaven". So we have again the expression "out of heaven" -- there was the sound out of heaven, the light out of heaven and now Peter has a vision of a certain vessel as a great sheet let down by the four corners out of heaven. He sees the contents of the sheet and he receives certain instructions and adjustment -- three times over-showing the importance of this matter; and then the vessel was

straightway taken up into heaven. So it is of immense importance if we are to be free to move in liberty according to the truth of Paul's ministry, that we should all understand and accept the teaching in Peter's vision, that we should accept the same adjustment which Peter accepted because, while he, as a Jew, needed it in a special way, we all need it in measure. In one sense the 'Jew' is in all of us; we all naturally tend to have a sense of superiority, personally and nationally and in other ways; it is the tendency of sin in the flesh that we should attach some sense of superiority to ourselves -- like the Pharisees who regarded themselves as righteous and despised the rest of men. So we need the view of the assembly which Peter is given and to accept the adjustment which he accepts, so that there should be morally no hindrance to our entering upon the higher levels of the mystery. Peter's vision teaches what one has referred to -- I hope the expression is acceptable to the brethren -- as the lower levels of the mystery. The lower levels of the mystery were not peculiar to Paul. In Ephesians 3:4 he speaks of "my intelligence in the mystery of the Christ" -- that was peculiar to himself; then he goes on to speak of a level of things which was "revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in the power of the Spirit", and I believe that is seen in chapters 10 and 11 of Acts. The Spirit was active here and He reveals things to Peter, and through Peter to the rest of the apostles, in the power of the Spirit, "that they who are of the nations should be joint heirs, and a joint body, and joint partakers of his promise in Christ Jesus by the glad tidings". That revelation was not peculiar to Paul; it was revealed to Peter and to the holy apostles and prophets. It does not rise to the level of Paul's intelligence in the mystery, it does not take us into the heavenly relationships which pertain to the assembly; it is a basic matter that those of the nations should be "a joint body" -- it does not say Christ's body -- Paul would tell us that -- but that the nations should be a joint body and joint heirs, and so on. I thought we might get help on this side of the truth which, as I say, is absolutely essential if we are to be free to move on to the higher levels which Paul was used to open up.

G.F.S. Would the fact that Peter is told to "slay and eat" indicate that the way has been opened up by the

death of Christ, and help us to view one another in the light of it?

G.R.C. I am sure that is right. So the death of Christ is greatly stressed in Ephesians 2. I suggested reading that chapter because although the revelation was given to Peter, it is Paul who gives us the doctrine. You have to go to Paul for the doctrine in most things. For instance, Paul said that he was not sent to baptise but to preach the gospel, yet we have to go to Paul for the doctrine of baptism. So as to this: it was a revelation to Peter, but we have to go to Paul for the doctrine.

D.S.H. Does it appear in the character of Paul's service? The administration of the mystery was committed to him as distinct from Peter, whereas something of a more general character was known to the others.

G.R.C. Yes. Although Peter had this vision in order to clear the ground for Paul's ministry, yet Peter's commission -- he was the apostle of the circumcision -- was not the administration of the mystery, although he had the keys of the kingdom and was used to bring the Gentiles in, in the wisdom of God's ways. It was given to Paul to work out the truth of the assembly in its full conception; that is, as embracing Jew and Gentile and every type of man.

W.W.S. Is the light out of heaven which shone around Paul in chapter 9 now taking concrete and substantial shape in this certain vessel descending out of heaven -- an allusion to the assembly in the light of the lower levels of which you spoke? It was necessary in view of touching the assembly in the light of what is heavenly, do you think?

G.R.C. That is very helpful, that the assembly here is called a "vessel", so that, as you say, it is something substantial. It is one thing to have the light which came to Paul in chapter 9, which he said later was a light out of heaven above the brightness of the sun at midday, the brightest light that ever shone; but it is interesting to see that Peter sees what is substantial; not only light, but a certain vessel. It is a great thing to hold in our minds that the assembly is a vessel; each one of us is a vessel -- Paul was an elect vessel -- we are vessels of mercy before prepared for glory. But the great vessel is the assembly

and that is a very substantial idea. Peter sees this vessel, not in its heavenly relationships, not in a defined way, it is like a sheet. It is a question of what it contained, nevertheless it is a vessel, and one which is going to be filled to all the fulness of God. But it has not arrived at that here; it is an initial view of the vessel relative to the personnel which it contained. Yet the vessel itself, with all its contents too, comes out of heaven, and it goes back to heaven. That is the great thing to understand.

B.G.H. Is it important to see that the vessel is heavenly in origin and character, and is received back into heaven? That is the force of the word.

G.R.C. That is most important. We are to apprehend that there is a vessel on earth whose origin is heaven and whose destiny is heaven. It is only on earth for a time in testimony, and as soon as the time of testimony is finished it will be received back into heaven; meanwhile, all its links are there. It is let down out of heaven by its four corners, so that all its links are heavenward. But it is here for the time being in testimony, and while it is here we have to face the conditions which Peter saw inside the sheet. When it is taken up to heaven finally no such conditions will obtain but while it is here in testimony we have to face the fact that while the vessel itself is heavenly in origin, there are in it those who are very much earthly in origin and they have sinful histories. Nevertheless, viewed according to God, even the creatures in the vessel are out of heaven.

W.W.S. So it is here and now that moral exercises are worked out in the assembly.

G.R.C. Yes, and unless we face these moral issues we will never be free for what Paul would lead us into.

R.W. Would you enlarge further on what you call the 'lower' levels, and understanding the idea of the sheet as corning out of heaven? Are the creatures in the sheet the personnel?

G.R.C. Paul says in Ephesians 3:3, "by revelation the mystery has been made known to me". No doubt Paul had the whole of it; he did not need Peter's vision, he had the whole matter, whether we speak of it as higher levels or lower levels. The mystery was made known to Paul. Then he says, "according as I have written before briefly,

by which, in reading it, ye can understand my intelligence in the mystery of the Christ". As I understand it, Paul's intelligence in the mystery of the Christ includes the whole truth of the assembly, its full place and relationships relative to Christ and to God. But then he goes on to say, "which in other generations had not been made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in the power of the Spirit, that they who are of the nations should be joint heirs, and a joint body, and joint partakers of his promise in Christ Jesus by the glad tidings". As I understand it, verses 5 and 6 relate to that part of the truth of the mystery which is not peculiar to Paul but which is revealed to Peter in Acts 10, and in the power of the Spirit is passed on by him in chapter 11 to "the holy apostles and prophets".

G.H.B. Does this involve the truth of the new head? Peter says, "he is Lord of all", and Paul speaks in 1 Corinthians 15 about the "last Adam", and of the one made of dust, and then of the heavenly One and the heavenly ones.

G.R.C. That is right, because the second Man is out of heaven -- it is the same expression, "out of heaven". He cannot be limited to Israel nor to any particular nation; what comes out of heaven is unique. There is the heavenly One and the heavenly ones, a new order. Is that what you had in mind?

G.H.B. That is it, and we come to it by recognition of the order to which we once belonged by nature, of dust, and then the order into which we come on account of Christ's headship.

G.R.C. Quite so. Ephesians 2 says, "he is our peace". That links with Peter's preaching, "the word which he sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ -- he is Lord of all" -- that is, Jew and Gentile, there is no distinction. He is Lord of all, but preaching peace. It is a question of peace now, not only with God but peace between man and man. So it says in Ephesians 2, where the gospel of peace is referred to, "he is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of enclosure, having annulled the enmity in his flesh, the law of commandments in ordinances, that he might form the two in himself into one new man, making peace". Does that not bear on what we are saying that He creates

the two in Himself into one new man? He is the Man out of heaven, and He creates the two in Himself into one new man. It is a heavenly matter, "one new man".

E.C.L. It is interesting that in chapter 11 Peter has to face this matter with the brethren at Jerusalem; and then in chapter 15 Paul has to face it -- the contention which arises over this very thing. I was thinking of what you were saying as to the enmity which exists, that the man after the flesh, personified in the Jew, does not seem to be able to appreciate God coming in sovereignly and bringing in something better than he has had before.

G.R.C. Through sin the old man is marked by every feature of enmity. The enmity between Jew and Gentile is the most pronounced; I suppose it has been the cause of more conflicts on earth than any other thing; and is still a great bone of contention. But then, while that is the greatest enmity between man and man, God in dealing with that has dealt with every other enmity also because He has dealt with the man himself. Our old man has been crucified with Christ; in the cross that man has been brought to an end in judgment, the man to whom all these enmities attach; and He has formed the two -- Jew and Gentile -- in Himself into one new man, making peace, and that is the only way of making peace -- "one new man"! Then following that He has reconciled both to God in one body by the cross, and following that we both have access through Him to the Father in one Spirit. The whole matter is one of peace. The gospel of peace brings in unity, real unity according to God, based on the complete judgment of man in the flesh in the cross of Christ, and our being formed in Christ Jesus into one new man.

A.H. Does Peter's appropriation involve that on our part?

G.R.C. I think it does. It would be well for us to consider Peter now.

A.G.B. Is it of import to see that Peter is enjoined to eat? Is it a matter of our learning this great truth inwardly? It is not only light but what is formed by it. One was impressed by the fact that Peter hungered, and I wondered if it would be carrying it too far to link it on with the normal work of God in every one of our souls. God provides food that will satisfy the hunger in our souls.

G.R.C. That is an excellent suggestion, because unless we arrive at God's full thoughts as to the assembly, we shall, I am sure, be hungry. The work of God in us is of such a character that the satisfaction of our souls requires, I believe, our arriving at the full thoughts of God.

A.B. In regard to the question of hunger, would the appreciation of the mercy and grace of God who has closed our former history in the death of Christ greatly help us in regard to unity?

G.R.C. I am sure it would, and it would help us as to feeding on one another. What you are saying as to the way God has cleansed us in mercy provides such abundance of food once we learn to appropriate the brethren in the way Peter did, "Rise, Peter, slay and eat" -- what abundance of food was available.

H.P. God says, "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed", Genesis 3:15.

G.R.C. The enmity is with the serpent and its seed, and that works out specially in the religious man. He is an inveterate enemy; the religious man is always a tool of Satan, one of the most serviceable tools of Satan. The enmity was present in Peter at the beginning of this chapter. He says, "In no wise, Lord". He shrank from anything of this kind. But then Peter gets adjusted. There is no enmity with Peter after this vision; his outlook is completely changed, and he is entirely changed. He understands that by the cross the Lord Jesus has slain the enmity. Men slay one another because of the incompatibility of the features of the old man, but the Lord Jesus, by the cross, has slain the enmity, so that the saints can be together in peace, and if we do not learn to be together in peace, and not only in peace but as feeding on one another, how can we move on to the great thoughts of God ministered by Paul?

W.W.S. Peter is exhorted to slay. Does that mean that we have to bring the death of Christ to bear on one another in view of appropriating one another?

G.R.C. Yes, otherwise shall we not be feeding on one another's natural and fleshly characteristics, which only foster the enmity, and we well know how it works out. How difficult it is to free our minds from such things. The solution is, "Rise, Peter, slay and eat". He is going

to view the brethren now in the light of the death of Christ, where everything that has marked them has been dealt with.

B.G.H. We feed on what God has cleansed.

G.R.C. That is it, "What God has cleansed, do not thou make common".

F.W.T. In that sense the brethren are available to us for the enjoyment of the thoughts of God.

G.R.C. It is a great thing to learn to feed on one another according to God, for it gives strength -- "we, being many, are one loaf, one body" -- and that implies that we feed on one another. In the tabernacle the priests could eat the shewbread. Israel will be reconciled to God in twelve tribes, and the shewbread was typical of Israel according to divine purpose. Those who form the assembly are reconciled to God in one body. We are one loaf, not twelve loaves -- "we being many, are one loaf, one body", and we are food for one another in that way.

W.J.T. When we come to the supper we look upon the elements, and we look, too, upon the brethren -- we do not close our eyes.

G.R.C. If we are in the gain of this chapter that is just what we can do. We shall be able to look at the brethren in relation to their heavenly origin and destiny. God has cleansed them so that to us now they are no longer quadrupeds and creeping things of the earth and fowls of heaven; we do not view them like that at all.

E.J.B. Is it not a great thing to view the brethren as they actually are as the personnel of the heavenly vessel?

G.R.C. "A certain vessel descending like a great sheet, let down by four comers out of heaven". You can understand this being part of the mystery for it is a mysterious thing. How can it be that a vessel let down out of heaven should contain the abominable things of the earth, for creeping things are an abomination to Jehovah, and yet they are there in the vessel that is coming out of heaven.

R.S.W. Would it begin with the epistle to Romans? God's work in men -- cleansing?

G.R.C. Yes, it includes God's work in men as well as God's work for men.

H.B. I was thinking about perception. He said, "I perceive that God is no respecter of persons". Do not we

need that perception, and then to feed on one another in the light of the death of Christ -- "slay and eat"? Reconciliation is always in connection with the death of Christ, is it not? How wonderful reconciliation in one body is. If we could get help as to this it would help us in local difficulties.

G.R.C. That is just what I have in mind, because God has set us together in local companies where this has to be worked out practically. In some countries it is more testing than others, because there are brethren of diverse races. In Acts 13 there was a coloured man among the prophets and teachers, but there would be no racial discrimination, I feel sure. Even here, where we are mainly of one nationality, the working out of the truth of the one body tests us.

H.B. Did not Mr. G. say in London that if there is a difference between two brothers, if both died there would be an end to it?

G.R.C. So that "slay and eat" is the command.

R.W. Perhaps we do not appreciate Christianity as Ephesians 2 presents it.

G.R.C. I am glad you refer again to Ephesians 2, because the early part of the chapter views the work of God in its completeness and says God, "has quickened us with the Christ -- ye are saved by grace -- and has raised us up together" -- i.e. Jew and Gentile -- "and has made us sit down together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus, that he might display in the coming ages the surpassing riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus". There you see the completeness of the work of God: the saints sitting down in the heavenlies. There are no quadrupeds or creeping things of the earth there, for they are quickened with Christ and raised up together and made to sit down together. But the second part of the chapter views the same persons here on earth reconciled to God in one body by the cross. It is like the vessel as a great sheet let down to the earth and the personnel viewed in relation to their earthly and sinful origin. It does not alter the truth of the early part of the chapter. The same persons, who, as represented by the creatures in the vessel, were so repugnant to Peter, have been raised up together, and made to sit down together in the heavenlies in Christ

Jesus. The "slay and eat" is the reconciling of the two viewpoints, the explanation of this mystery.

A.G.B. There is the word as to cleansing, and then, in Cornelius's house, the Spirit falls upon those who were hearing the word. Did not the Spirit's action crystallise and finalise in Peter's soul the practical workability of this matter? He says in chapter 11, "who indeed was I to be able to forbid God?" Does not the practical working out of the truth depend upon the presence and help of the Spirit?

G.R.C. Quite so. The cleansing is a comprehensive idea. Basically it depends on the death of Christ, so it says, "Rise, Peter, slay and eat". The blood and the water which came from His side are the means of cleansing. But then Peter says in chapter 15: 8, referring to the Gentiles, "and the heart-knowing God bore them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit as to us also, and put no difference between us and them, having purified their hearts by faith". So that the next thing is faith. There is the work of Christ, which is the basis of cleansing, but then for persons to come into it there must be faith. Following that, there is sanctification of the Spirit, which, I think, completes the matter practically.

C.W.O'L.M. Does 1 Corinthians 6 help in that way? It says, "And these things were some of you; but ye have been washed, but ye have been sanctified, but ye have been justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God", verse 11.

G.R.C. That is very helpful. It brings the things together.

W.W.S. Will you say a word as to the confirming service of the Spirit? Peter is doubtful, but the Spirit speaks to him, saying, "go with them, nothing doubting". May we rightly expect the peculiar service of the Spirit in relation to our apprehending the mystery in this sense?

G.R.C. I am glad you brought that in because we need to take account of the activities of the Spirit in this section of Acts. In chapter 9 the Lord is stressed as active in the calling of Paul and securing him as an elect vessel. In the higher levels of the mystery the Lord's activities become more and more apparent, although the Spirit's service is essential all through. For instance, when Rebecca was

brought to Isaac he led her into his mother Sarah's tent. In the higher levels the Lord Himself as head becomes more and more prominent, but in this section the Spirit is prominent. It should draw out our affections to the Spirit as we see how active He is in the unifying of the body and in preparing the way for Paul's ministry. "In the power of one Spirit we have all been baptised into one body, whether Jews of Greeks, whether bondmen or free", 1 Corinthians 12:13.

F.E.S. Would drinking into one Spirit, symbolised in the cup, make the matter of unity joyful, not irksome?

G.R.C. It is indeed a matter of joy. There is nothing irksome in it, as we give place to the Spirit. In this chapter the Spirit takes Peter in hand in a most affecting way. He says, "Behold, three men seek thee; but rise up, go down, and go with them, nothing doubting, because I have sent them". Who would have thought that the Spirit sent those three men? You might say Cornelius sent them, but the Spirit said He had sent them. He was over all these operations, taking charge of the whole matter. He does not wait for Peter to finish, but while he was yet speaking "the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were hearing the word". He did not even wait for water baptism, showing most manifestly how His deep feelings and the urgency of His affections led Him to act energetically in order that the full thought of the assembly from this standpoint, view and Gentile brought together in one body, might be brought to pass.

F.W.B. In chapter 11 Peter says, "I remembered the word of the Lord". Is not that by the service of the Spirit?

G.R.C. It is; and it shows what an impression the Lord's words in Acts 1:5 had made on Peter. It was indelibly in his mind, and the Spirit could bring it forward at the right moment.

G.H.B. Peter also said, "the Spirit said to me" in chapter 11: 12. So that there is no doubt as to which of the Persons is acting.

G.R.C. It was a critical point in Peter's history, and it is affecting that the Spirit should say, "go with them, nothing doubting". The Spirit knows how to enable us to go forward nothing doubting.

A.B. Would you connect the power of the Spirit with the promotion of unity among the saints? We have to wait sometimes to see how things are going to come to an issue, but can we count on the Spirit?

G.R.C. It would greatly help us if we did count on the Spirit and wait upon Him; sometimes we take matters into our own hands.

F.E.S. When we have difficulty with certain persons -- some may not get on well together -- if we have recourse to the Spirit He will help us in the way in which He helped Peter here.

G.R.C. Quite so. If we understood the baptism of the Spirit in a practical way all these difficulties would be overcome because we should all be immersed in the Spirit.

F.W.T. Would Peter be encouraged by the authority of the Spirit. He says, "I have sent them". As subject to the Spirit's authority would we get help together?

G.R.C. The Spirit asserts His authority in the matter of unity. We should recognise it, I am sure.

A.M. As to Peter's words, "In no wise, Lord", was he addressing the Lord Jesus, or was it really the Spirit?

G.R.C. It is evident that Peter was subject. The title 'Lord' implies that he was a subject man. Although he says, "In no wise, Lord", it is not in the spirit of insubjection. I would say that the voice "Rise, Peter, slay and eat" came to him with divine authority and that is why he used the word 'Lord', but from the setting of the chapter it would appear that the voice was actually the voice of the Spirit.

G.R.W. Can we not address the Spirit as Lord?

G.R.C. Scripture says, 'Lord Spirit' or 'Jehovah Spirit', 2 Corinthians 3:18. The Spirit is Lord in relation to His place in Deity, just as the Father is Lord -- see Matthew 11:25. Even as regards the Lord Jesus, His lordship goes beyond what He is as made Lord. The angel says, "a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord". That really means Christ Jehovah. He is Lord in His own right in Deity; but, as Man, God has made Him Lord and Christ.

J.O.S. In Isaiah 6:8 it says, "And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" When Paul quotes this section in the last chapter

of Acts he says the Holy Spirit spoke. Does that confirm what you are saying?

G.R.C. It does. "Holy, holy, holy" in that chapter seems to be an indirect reference to the Trinity. Each of the Persons in the Godhead is Lord in His own right. In John 12, referring to the same passage, it says, "These things said Esaias because he saw his glory and spoke of him", verse 41. So the passage is applied to the Lord Jesus as well as to the Holy Spirit.

H.P. In Acts 11:9 it says, "And a voice answered the second time out of heaven, What God has cleansed, do not thou make common"; and in verse 12 it says, "And the Spirit said to me to go with them, nothing doubting". Is Peter referring to the same Person?

G.R.C. The fact that the voice was out of heaven does not mean that it was not the Holy Spirit, because we cannot limit the Spirit at all. He never ceases to be who He is as a Person of the Godhead; and the point of the voice out of heaven, I would say, is to stress heaven. There was a sound out of heaven in chapter 2, a light out of heaven in chapter 9, a great vessel out of heaven and a voice out of heaven according to chapter 11.

Eu.R. Does it not leave us with an impression that the whole Godhead is delightfully active as engaged in this great matter of the reception of the Gentiles?

G.R.C. I would say that and especially the Spirit.

J.J.McC. Is that not borne out in chapter 13, where we have a further -- reference to the direct operations or speaking of the Spirit? You have already alluded to those who were present, a mixed gathering, and it says, "the Holy Spirit said, Separate me now Barnabas and Saul", as if the Spirit had great interest in the bringing in of the Gentiles, having in mind particularly what is for the heart of Christ.

G.R.C. That is very good; it confirms what we have been saying. The Spirit was operating with a view to Saul, afterwards Paul, filling out the whole of his ministry and securing the bride for Christ.

J.P.H. And it is interesting, too, that in chapter 16, where Paul is about to go into Europe, he is forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia, the Spirit of Jesus did not allow him to go to Bithynia, and then a man

comes to light. I was just thinking of the Spirit Himself controlling Paul with a view to his ministry coming into the west.

G.R.C. All that is very instructive and should attach our hearts to the Holy Spirit as we see how He takes affairs in hand. How true He is to His mission, and how He asserts His sovereign authority in connection with the unity of the body and the securing of the church for Christ.

A.G.B. Does 1 Corinthians 12 stress the sovereignty of the Spirit? "But all these things operates the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each in particular according as he pleases". That chapter refers to the way we regard one another, "those parts of the body which we esteem to be the more void of honour, these we clothe with more abundant honour, and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness ... that there light be no division in the body, but that the members might have the same concern one for another". Is that something like the working out of things locally in the light of the sovereignty of the Spirit?

G.R.C. I am sure it is, and it shows how the Spirit, in the way He distributes to each in particular, would help us as to mutual respect for one another. How can I have anything but respect for a brother or sister as I see the Spirit manifesting Himself in and through them? Then as we respect one another, we shall appropriate one another as cleansed by God, thus viewing one another according to our divine and heavenly origin. What strength such food affords in moving forward bodywise.

W.W.S. Is it well to remind one another that the voice of the Spirit will be heard only in certain conditions? It says in chapter 10, "But as Peter continued pondering over the vision, the Spirit said to him", and in chapter 13, to which allusion has been made, it says, "And as they were ministering to the Lord and fasting". Are those the conditions necessary if we are to hear the voice of the Spirit?

G.R.C. That is very interesting -- individual conditions in Peter and assembly conditions in chapter 13.

G.W. And in verse 30 of chapter 10 it says of Cornelius that he had been fasting "unto this hour".

A.B. It is interesting that two praying men are put

together. Peter had withdrawn to pray. Then he sees the vision, and the Spirit speaks to him. Cornelius also was a man marked by prayer.

G.R.C. Prayer and dependence make way for the Spirit's activities.

A.H. Could we have a word about chapter 10, verse 44, "While Peter was yet speaking these words the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were hearing the word". Is it the same word as Luke 15:20, where the father, "fell upon his neck and covered him with kisses"? It is the idea of embrace -- a feeling matter.

G.R.C. It is an act of affection on the part of the Spirit. We were hearing last night about the love of the Spirit -- is not this an example of it?

J.C.T. I was wanting to enquire about the thought of affectionate movement of the Spirit. Is it to mark us in the way that we embrace one another? There were persons hearing the word. Once this feature is in evidence there are no reserves on the part of the Spirit.

G.R.C. How lovable people are as they hear the word, how lovable they become to the saints, how lovable they are to the Spirit. He fell upon them; that is, embraced them. The love of the Spirit was drawn out to those who were hearing the word.

W.W.S. Is it the idea that the Spirit cannot withhold Himself, the lovable features were so attractive to Him.

G.R.C. He does not even wait for Peter to finish nor does He wait for water baptism.

J.O.S. When the servant saw Rebecca it says he ran to meet her.

G.R.C. Another reference to the depth of affections in the Spirit.

THE ASSEMBLY IN THE BOOK OF ACTS - READING (4)

Acts 11:19 - 26; Acts 12:1 - 5; Acts 13:1 - 4; Acts 14:23 - 27; Acts 15:1 - 20,22 - 29; Acts 16:5

G.R.C. We have been considering the assembly in the book of Acts. In chapter 1 we were noticing that the Lord

so speaks of the Holy Spirit before His departure that He leaves the apostles keenly anticipative as to the coming of the Spirit. In chapter 2 we considered what was seen and heard when He came, and then the testimony Peter rendered, making clear that the Holy Spirit was available to each one who repented. In chapter 9 we saw how the Lord called Saul of Tarsus, and a light out of heaven shone round about him. We dwelt upon the greatest light that has ever come to the creature, and which is embodied in Paul's ministry, his gospel, which centres in the Son of God, and his ministry of the assembly which centres in Christ. It is one great ministry, but, composed of those two parts, bringing to men the full light of God relative to His eternal purpose. This morning we were engaged with the revelation to Peter in chapter 10, the Spirit being active in a remarkable way to prepare and adjust Peter, with a view to his exercising the authority the Lord had given him -- the keys of the kingdom of the heavens -- in order to make way for Paul's ministry, to whom the administration of the mystery was committed. If that administration was to go through it was essential that Peter should fulfil his service in using the keys, and essential that he personally and all the holy apostles and prophets should be brought into line with what we spoke of as the lower levels of the truth of the mystery, that is, that "they who are of the nations should be joint heirs, and a joint body, and joint partakers of his promise in Christ Jesus by the glad tidings". We considered how that bears on us in our localities and our relations with one another; we need to act as Peter did and to have the view Peter had of the vessel, as a great sheet, which contained all kinds of creatures, a vessel which comes from heaven, and goes to heaven! We are not to be hindered or turned aside from the great light which has shone through Paul, through failing to have a right outlook on the brethren. We are to have such an outlook on the brethren that we are prepared to feed on one another, "Rise, Peter, slay and eat". In the light of the death of Christ we are to look upon one another as cleansed by God, and to feed upon one another as those who, from the divine standpoint, have a heavenly origin.

Now we are to consider the practical functioning of the

assembly in the sphere of testimony. In the earlier part of Acts the activities were largely in the hands of the apostles, the foundation men; but now the structure is erected and the assembly as a living organism, a living structure, is functioning in its own dignity, and, as we may say, in its own precedence, because the assembly takes precedence over the greatest gifts, although it needs the gifts and their service. It is good to get a view of the dignity of the assembly as a living active vessel for God here in testimony, devoted to the interests of Christ. Chapter 11 refers to "the ears" of the assembly, and as she hears things which relate to the interests of her Husband her feelings are aroused and she takes action. It says, "the report concerning them reached the ears of the assembly which was in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas". Then chapter 12 refers to the prayers of the assembly. The assembly had a right valuation of Peter, and unceasing prayer was made by the assembly to God concerning him. The whole assembly in Jerusalem was praying. At least three local companies are mentioned in this chapter. There may have been a hundred meetings; the whole assembly was engaged in prayer and it results in angelic intervention, which we can count upon.

In chapter 13 the assembly is the vessel in which the gifts are set and in which the Holy Spirit speaks authoritatively in His own sovereign right, "Separate me now Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them". The Lord Jesus had commissioned Saul for his great work at his conversion, as he tells Agrippa. But he did not go round telling people that the Lord had commissioned him; he waits until the Holy Spirit speaks in the assembly so that there can be no question about it. Persons claiming that the Lord has commissioned them, when the brethren know nothing about it, do not carry confidence. But the great apostle patiently pursued his service at Antioch as at the bottom of the list, esteemed, I suppose, as the least of the gifted men at Antioch at that time. Although he knew in his own soul what the Lord had called him to, he waited until the Holy Spirit's voice was heard in the assembly saying, "Separate me now Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them". Who could say anything against that?

Following that, elders are referred to in Chapter 14; he chose them elders in every assembly -- not over but 'in' every assembly -- and chapter 15 affords instruction as to the relation between elders and the assembly in a matter relating to the truth, for the assembly is seen there as "the pillar and base of the truth". The result of it all is that the assemblies generally were confirmed and increased in number every day -- chapter 16: 5. One feels that if we were in the gain of these chapters that would be the result; instead of so little increase, which we often deplore, the assemblies would be confirmed and increase in number every day.

J.P.H. As we have a universal outlook in our affections and interests, does the Lord bring us news of the brethren in various parts?

G.R.C. I would think that. If we have assembly 'ears' the Lord will see to it that the tidings of what He is doing reach us.

W.J.T. Would the thought of the sheet bound at the four corners suggest what is universal?

G.R.C. It would. God "desires that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth ... the testimony to be rendered in its own times", 1 Timothy 2:4 - 6. That is the present testimony.

W.S.S. Is it remarkable that the persecution which took place on the occasion of Stephen should have led to the establishing of the position at Antioch? How wonderful the overruling hand of God is in these matters. We should never be discouraged if persecution comes in, for it will establish the truth more firmly amongst the saints.

G.R.C. To be scattered abroad, viewed from a natural standpoint, is a great calamity; there was a certain amount of it during the last war -- called evacuation. If we gave way to nature it would bring about despondency. But there was no despondency amongst these saints. First they spoke to Jews alone, but then they went over the wall, as it were, and spoke to Greeks, announcing the glad tidings of the Lord Jesus. So that if scattering takes place we should see in it all the ordering of God for the furtherance of the testimony; and the ears of the assembly would be alert as to what God is doing.

W.S.S. I suppose the Cyprians and Cyrenians would be the most unlikely kind of people to bring the truth to educated people in Antioch.

J.M. Was there at Antioch the development of body features which were hardly apparent at Jerusalem? The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch, the features of Christ had developed; and then consideration one for another leads them to minister to the brethren in Judaea.

G.R.C. The truth of the body of Christ came into view definitely at Antioch. According to 1 Corinthians 12:27, "ye are Christ's body and members in particular". So they were called Christians. You can understand how that would come about under Paul's ministry. But at the same time we have to give credit to the assembly at Jerusalem in that they had ears, they had feelings about things; and while in this broken day we cannot send out anybody in the way they did, yet it is just a question how much true assembly feelings of this kind have developed amongst us, whether we have a living interest in what is happening far afield at the moment, as, for instance, in India; and whether we are prepared to do all that we can assembly-wise. If these feelings were really developed in us, would not the outposts be better looked after? Where the saints are in large numbers they are fairly well looked after. The saints invite certain ones to minister; we are accustomed to assembly invitations. But if these feelings were more developed would not brethren be encouraged to visit and minister the word in outposts where the local brethren feel loth to invite because they are small in number and far away? It is a question of the feelings proper to the assembly as caring for the interests of Christ. Here the assembly sent out the best man available.

Eu.R. Perhaps if there were more assembly feelings with us, and more prayer for the outposts in the prayer meeting, the Lord might move more brethren to visit the outposts in India and the like. Brethren in the north of Norway are well worthy of a visit. It is most refreshing to take account of the way they move in line with the testimony.

K.P. Is that what Paul means in chapter 15: 36, when he says, "Let us return now and visit the brethren in every

city where we have announced the word of the Lord, and see how they are getting on"?

G.R.C. There it is Paul himself taking the initiative. In chapter 13 the Holy Spirit takes the initiative: "Separate me now Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them". But after the journey was over and they had fulfilled the work, Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us return now and visit the brethren ... and see how they are getting on". There is room for the ministers themselves to be concerned about pastoral visits.

A.B. Is not Barnabas developed as moving in chapter 11? Certain fresh qualities come to light in him. He had already been spoken of as "son of consolation"; now he is referred to as "a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith". Later he fetches a better man, Paul.

G.R.C. Barnabas is a great model. He was the best man they had, other than the apostles. When it was a question of the work in Samaria the apostles sent Peter and John -- the two best apostles. In chapter 11 the assembly sent out Barnabas to go through as far as Antioch -- no doubt he established the brethren all the way along -- and "having arrived and seeing the grace of God, rejoiced". Then it says, as you say, that "he was a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith"; and he proved his worth in going away to Tarsus to seek out Saul, the very best man for the work in hand.

A.B. Unselfish love on his part had in mind the best for the saints.

G.R.C. It is remarkable the perception he had as to the potentialities there were in that vessel: "he went away to Tarsus to seek out Saul".

J.M. Would you say a further word as to whether we should wait to be sent out or wait for an invitation, or move on our own exercises with the Lord?

G.R.C. We have noticed the way Saul waits at Antioch; he does not go further until the Holy Spirit says, "Separate me now Barnabas and Saul". Prior to that he is amenable to the brethren, and to a brother seeking him out. He was there for a whole year as a result of a brother seeking him out. It shows that, as brethren, we can help one another. Then the Holy Spirit directs in chapter 13, and later he had a vision of a man saying, "Pass over into Macedonia and

help us", chapter 16: 9, and they concluded that the Lord had called them. It appears, therefore, that generally an individual waits for direction of some kind. But what is in mind at the moment is the assembly's part in the matter. The assembly is spoken of as having ears and being affected by what she hears and taking action in the interests of Christ -- like the virtuous woman who considers the field and buys it; she does something about it.

E.J.B. Would assembly ears hear what may arise in a locality by a sovereign action of the Spirit, apart from us? I was thinking of the possibility of a town or village having persons in it exercised as to the assembly, and yet knowing nothing as to procedure. Assembly ears might hear something of that?

G.R.C. That has happened in times past, and meetings have been established as a result. In our locality at the moment there is a work going on, and it is an exercise as to whether God may secure some assembly material from it.

W.S.S. Would you say a word as to the assembly sending out in chapter 11, and the Holy Spirit sending Barnabas and Saul in chapter 13? We have been taught that the assembly does not preach or teach or send out.

G.R.C. Have we been taught that the assembly does not send out?

W.S.S. According to chapter 11 the assembly did send out. I am seeking help as to the general principle; I am not suggesting that in this broken day these things would occur as they did at the beginning. But should these feelings and sensibilities govern us even though we cannot send out in this way? If the affections of the assembly are touched surely there will be results, the assembly will be praying about it and something will be done -- not in the way of official sending out, but something will be done.

G.F.S. Even if only in a practical way.

G.R.C. Quite so. The assembly will be prepared to support in a practical way suitable persons who are able to go.

W.S.S. We need to be very much exercised in our localities in regard to these matters.

G.R.C. We are used to the idea that a servant is responsible to the Lord and in the ultimate issue that must

govern him; but have we tended to make service too individual? According to chapter 11 there are the ears of the assembly and also the feelings and actions of the assembly relative to the interests of Christ.

R.W. In chapter 8 it says that Philip going down to a city of Samaria preached Christ to them. Is that not the kind of preaching that the Spirit would link the assembly with?

G.R.C. I think so; but in chapter 8 the apostles take action. In chapter 11 it is the assembly that acts.

E.C.L. The virtuous woman in Proverbs 31 considers and acts in view of all the interests of her husband, and in doing so she is blessed in all her work. Is the assembly moving on that line here?

A.L.B. One of the things it says of the virtuous woman is that she delivers girdles to the merchant. I was thinking of the binding together -- involving Barnabas going out.

G.R.C. That is an important feature; binding together resulted. Barnabas goes to Antioch and then seeks out Saul, and they teach for a whole year; and when the famine came anyone of the disciples that was well off determined, each of them, to send to the brethren who dwelt in Judaea to minister to them. So that the "girdles" were very much in evidence; the assemblies were bound tightly together in the bonds of divine love. The truth of the body, Jew and Gentile, brought together in one body, was seen as an actual working reality in the sight of heaven.

A.B. Does it show that the governmental dealings of God in the persecution, and His providential dealings in the famine, all worked together, through divine love, for the development of what is pleasing to God in the assembly?

G.R.C. That is very good. They were designed to knit the assembly together, Jew and Gentile. All God's dealings have the prosperity of the assembly in view.

C.C.I. Paul spoke of the burden of all the assemblies in 2 Corinthians 11. Would he have in mind that, as local companies, we should be alert to what is happening throughout the earth? So that sorrows in any locality affect the saints universally in relation to the truth of the assembly.

G.R.C. One of the great points in his letter to the Corinthians was to deliver them from parochialism; they were so proud of themselves and so self-satisfied that they did not look beyond their own locality.

J.L.W. Is that something we need to bear in mind in our meetings for care? We tend to be very parochial.

G.R.C. We do. In Corinthians Paul referred to universal customs and directions. He also told them what was going on at Ephesus: "for a great door is opened to me and an effectual one, and the adversaries many", 1 Corinthians 16:9. They knew nothing about it, because they had not assembly ears. A meeting wrapped up in itself has not assembly ears at all.

A.G.B. Is it interesting to see that the unceasing prayer in chapter 12 stands related to a direct and venomous attack on the assembly with a view to nullifying the unifying affections working at the end of chapter 11? The attack was defeated and at the end of chapter 12 it says that the word of God grew and spread itself.

G.R.C. "At that time Herod the king laid his hands on some of those of the assembly". It is not simply some of the disciples of the Lord, it is the assembly that is stressed now, a living organism so precious to God. No one can lay his hands on some of the assembly except at mortal peril to himself, no matter how great he may be. Where true assembly features are developed they are so precious to God that He will not have them destroyed. The attack was used by God to bring out the further feature of assembly prayer.

A.G.B. There might be a danger of our being overwhelmed by such a venomous attack, but if it develops assembly prayer God comes in, and thus way is made for the word of God to grow and spread itself. The result is evident.

G.R.C. I wonder whether we realise the power and efficacy of assembly prayer. According to Matthew 18:19, "if two of you shall agree on the earth" -- that is, two of the assembly -- "concerning any matter, whatsoever it may be that they shall ask, it shall come to them from my Father who is in the heavens". Do we believe that the Lord gives us a 'blank cheque' in regard to assembly prayer? The Lord, in His own case, says, "Thinkest thou that I cannot

now call upon my Father, and he will furnish me more than twelve legions of angels?" Matthew 26:53. The Lord did not ask for them, and the assembly may not always be free to seek deliverance; nevertheless twelve legions of angels were available. One angel was sufficient in this chapter.

J.P.H. We were not afraid during the war to pray for Cairo, and God stopped a great army; and Cairo and the assembly there were preserved.

G.R.C. That was an important meeting during the war.

A.H. What would be the effect of James being slain in relation to what you have said? There was a great deal of exercise as to Peter, but the saints did not seem to be alert as to James.

G.R.C. They were certainly alert as to Peter. Unceasing prayer was made by the assembly to God concerning him. The final result was not only that an angel released Peter but that an angel of the Lord smote Herod because he did not give glory to God, and he expired eaten of worms. But over against that the word of God grew and spread itself -- wonderful result of prayer! The Lord bringing this down to any 'two of you' in Matthew shows that the resource of assembly prayer is always available.

F.E.S. Do you think the Lord is allowing the trade-union element to assert itself so that the feature of prayer and the fruit of it may be encouraged amongst us?

G.R.C. And not only trade unions but trade associations; I believe assembly prayer would work wonders in these matters. Some trade associations are just as murderous as trade unions. If you do not belong to them you cannot get goods. But all these things. I have no doubt, can be met by assembly prayer. What can God not do!

Eu.R. Do you think it is necessary to stress the murderous element, however nice the associations may appear in their activities? Would not 2 Corinthians 6:14, "be not diversely yoked with unbelievers", be sufficient?

G.R.C. I would think so; and you certainly have what is murderous here: "at that time Herod the king laid his hands on some of those of the assembly to do them hurt, and slew James".

R.S.W. Do you think God would get spoil from the slaying of James, the suffering spirit of Christ being developed in the assembly?

G.R.C. I think so; and also from calamities which happen nowadays. This was a great calamity. It was persecution, and he died for the testimony; yet there was not the glory attaching to it that marked the death of Stephen. It was just the wanton act of a wicked man. God allows, at times, what appears to be a great calamity among the saints to bring out assembly feelings and to quicken assembly prayers.

D.W.W. In what way did you mean that trade associations can be met by prayer?

G.R.C. God can enable His saints to get through and gain a livelihood in spite of them.

W.J.T. You mean that their power would be broken in answer to the prayers of the assembly.

G.R.C. God can completely break the power of these confederacies and He can come in in other ways and provide for His own. We are told in Isaiah not to fear confederacies, but "Jehovah of hosts, him shall ye sanctify; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread", Isaiah 8:13. When you think of the angelic resources available, what can God not do? How easily He can deal with these seemingly powerful men!

H.P. Does Peter himself get the gain of the scripture quoted in Isaiah? He uses it in his epistle. Does it show that the government of God is on behalf of those who fear him, and against those who do not?

G.R.C. Peter's epistle helps. "Sanctify the Lord the Christ in your hearts".

S.H. Have we to notice that in spite of such pressure, when assembly prayer is proceeding, assembly administration proceeds normally? According to verse 25 the service of Barnabas and Saul was fulfilled. It was part of assembly administration.

G.R.C. Quite so. It is interesting to see how this attack was timed by the enemy. Had it dismayed and discouraged the brethren they would have failed to get the gain of the ministration which Barnabas and Saul had brought; and the remarkable effect, to which our brother has referred, of the girdles uniting Jew and Gentile practically in one body, would have failed to materialise; but it did not fail! The resource of the saints was in prayer; Peter was released, Herod was destroyed; and the chapter concludes

by referring back to Barnabas and Saul, indicating that this service of binding the saints together had been fulfilled.

W.S.S. Would you say a word as to Peter's experience in this chapter coming before the Antioch position in chapter 13?

G.R.C. Barnabas and Saul carried in their souls the gain of all that transpired in chapter 12; they would bring the gain of it to the assembly in Antioch. It says, "there were in Antioch, in the assembly which was there, prophets and teachers". What a dignified view of the assembly! This is not now in Jerusalem. The assembly in Jerusalem had had a distinctive place. But now the heavenly side of the truth was out and the Spirit of God brings out the glory and dignity of a local assembly as seen at Antioch. The Spirit loves to adorn the assembly with distinctive gifts: "Barnabas, and Simeon, who was called Niger, and Lucius the Cyrenian, and Manaen, foster-brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul". What a mixed company! It reminds us of what was in the great vessel like a sheet, in chapter 10. These men were among those whom God had cleansed, and not only had He cleansed them but they were gifted men and assembly adornment.

G.F.S. You were stressing that they were in the assembly.

G.R.C. Quite; God had set certain in the assembly, and here they were.

A.McG. Would those set in the assembly bring out one side, the public side, and then is there the feeling side in regard to the body, God having tempered the members?

G.R.C. Just so. Underlying all is the truth of the body, and as members of it we have the same respect one for another. Then it says, "as they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said". What a dignity this gives to the assembly that this glorious Person, the Holy Spirit, is there! While we know this is special, yet the way it is set would leave one with the impression of the normality of the Spirit's presence and speaking in the assembly. As we are together, in holy conditions, ministering to the Lord and fasting, it would be a normal thing for the Holy Spirit to speak. What dignity that gives to the assembly!

J.L.W. The gifted men are not over the assembly -- the Holy Spirit is in that position administratively.

G.R.C. That is important. They were in the assembly which was there. Gifted persons are not to assume to be over the assembly. The assembly is the greatest vessel, and in that vessel there are great persons. So "the Holy Spirit said, Separate me now Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them". Marvellous thing to think of the assembly in that way as the vessel where the Spirit is and where His voice is heard expressly!

G.W.B. Are these conditions spiritually suitable to His voice being heard, as ministering to the Lord and fasting?

G.R.C. They were ministering to the Lord, that is, engaged in priestly service. Priestly service should underlie all that we do. Paul said, "God ... whom I serve in my spirit in the glad tidings of his Son", Romans 1:9. The word 'serve' there means priestly service. Even when Paul was preaching he was serving as a priest. Fasting, I think, means the refusing of natural tastes and desires, and that leaves the Spirit free. The Spirit should have complete liberty in the local assembly, and then He will use whom He will. If we have natural likes and dislikes it tends to quench the Spirit. The Spirit distributes to each in particular as He will. If we are ministering to the Lord and fasting we are prepared for the Spirit to do as He will. If the flesh had been active at Antioch some of the brethren might have said, Why choose the one at the bottom of the list? Why go from Barnabas right down to Saul? But as ministering to the Lord and fasting they were ready for whatever the Spirit indicated.

A.G.B. Do I gather that this sending finalised itself in chapter 16? What would be in the mind of the Spirit at this point would be the filling out of all Paul's service, going westward even as today.

G.R.C. Quite so. The Spirit had in mind all Paul's service, although in divine wisdom He puts Barnabas with him at the beginning. The Spirit is always considerate, acting in a manner calculated to carry the full confidence of the brethren; He would never do anything to cause cleavage amongst brethren. So He links Barnabas with Saul, and Barnabas was an excellent companion for this first journey because of his unselfishness. While to begin

with he had the first place, before they had gone far Paul was in the ascendancy, and that is what the Spirit had in mind.

J.P.H. Is the secret of the Spirit's selection of Paul seen in verse 9, "Saul, who also is Paul"?

G.R.C. Because he is little, you mean -- that is just it. The Spirit will use us if we are small enough.

F.F. There were no local peculiarities or customs at Antioch. It says, "in Antioch in the assembly which was there".

G.R.C. There should be no local habits or customs. It is a great sorrow to hear people speaking of what 'we' do in the sense of local customs. "We" normally is the universal "we". "We have no such custom", Paul says; that is the universal "we". But to proceed, the sending out in chapter 13 was a new departure, and you can understand the Spirit Himself coming into it, so that there should be no question about it, but that it should carry full confidence. It was evident to all that He was governing the reception of the Gentiles in chapter 10. Now He is sending out Barnabas and Saul. Then in chapter 14 we come to the choosing of elders. Apostolic authority, in the actual person of the apostles, was a passing phase. But under Paul's economy of the assembly no apostle could remain in every place to help the local meeting. Therefore in chapter 14: 23 it says, "having chosen them elders in each assembly". Note that it is "in each assembly", not over each assembly. There is no thought of an elder being over the assembly any more than there is any thought of gift being over the assembly; gifts are in the assembly, and elders are in the assembly, as Peter says, "the elders which are among you", 1 Peter 5:1 -- that is where they are, they are among you.

W.S.S. I suppose the passage in chapter 14 would link up with chapter 20: 28: "take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock, wherein the Holy Spirit has set you as overseers", having in mind the departure of the apostles?

G.R.C. Yes. So eldership is essential for the care of the assembly. We have to remember that the principle of eldership governs the care-meeting, because when it is a question of caring for the assembly of God the apostle

gives the qualifications of overseers. He says, "if anyone does not know how to conduct his own house, how shall he take care of the assembly of God?" 1 Timothy 3:5. We should all aspire to the work of overseership, but the actual care of the assembly of God is in the hands of the elders or overseers.

W.S.S. That would preserve us from the democratic spirit.

G.R.C. We have to beware of that spirit. What I am saying does not mean that the care-meeting is not open to all; it is open to all, as indicated in chapter 15, and we are glad we have so many young people in fellowship. At our care-meetings quite young persons are present, and we would desire that from early days they might aspire to exercise oversight, for "if anyone aspires to exercise over-sight, he desires a good work". You cannot be too young to desire to care for the assembly of God. But, nevertheless, we must avoid democratic principles; we must avoid the idea of power from below, for the principle of Christianity is "power from on high".

G.F.S. Would you say that spirituality is an essential feature in relation to eldership?

G.R.C. Yes. The verse quoted, chapter 20: 24, speaks of the Holy Spirit setting them as overseers.

J.W.G. Does what is educational enter into the care-meeting? I was thinking particularly of the younger brethren.

G.R.C. It does, and also it is important that every conscience should be carried in view of anything going further to the assembly. Every conscience should be carried and enlightened. The consciences of all need enlightening as to principles involved in any matter; but we must keep to scripture as to the care of the assembly being in the hands of elders. I am not speaking of official elders for we cannot appoint official elders in these days. If any claim to be official elders the Lord will not support them. But the Holy Spirit, having the care of the assembly, sees to it that in every assembly there are those qualified to care. So it says here, "elders in each assembly"; in Titus 1:5 it is "elders in each city". But what we have to remember is that not only are there elders in a city but elders in each assembly, which means each gathering in the

city. The Holy Spirit would not leave one gathering in a city without the element of eldership. Paul speaks of "the assembly which is in thine house", Philemon 2; in every one such assembly there would be the element of eldership. Of course, elders in the city add great strength to the whole position.

C.R.W. The elder brethren could not possibly decide any matter except as assembled with all the saints, could they?

G.R.C. The next chapter helps us as to that. We have a very serious matter there and it brings out what the assembly is as "the pillar and base of the truth". When the truth is at stake the assembly takes the matter up. First of all the assembly at Antioch took it up because it says, "they therefore, having been set on their way by the assembly" went to Jerusalem; and then it says, "being arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the assembly, and the apostles, and the elders". The assembly is put first. Throughout this section of Acts the assembly is seen to be paramount, and it remains paramount throughout the dispensation. Then as the passage proceeds and the conflict had commenced, it says in verse 6, "the apostles and the elders were gathered together to see about this matter". It does not suggest they were together alone -- the whole company appears to be there. The discussion, however, was in the hands of the apostles and elders, "much discussion having taken place". But the discussion was apparently in the presence of all the brethren.

G.F.S. Verse 12 would confirm that: "all the multitude kept silence and listened to Barnabas and Paul".

G.R.C. Yes. So that first they were all listening to Barnabas and Paul in verse 4, then the opposers speak in verse 5; and then the apostles and elders discussed the matter in verses 6 and 7. They would not expect young brothers to take part in a discussion of that kind, when the truth was at stake, but it would be educative for all -- there was much discussion. The discussion was needed so that the minds of the brethren might be clarified as to the whole issue. Discussion belongs to the care-meeting. Then the Holy Spirit takes charge of the matter authoritatively. "Peter, standing up, said to them, Brethren". It was now, one would judge, an assembly meeting. Peter

was speaking authoritatively, bringing in a word of wisdom by the Spirit, as it says, "to one, by the Spirit, is given the word of wisdom; and to another the word of knowledge". Peter brings in a word of wisdom. Then Barnabas and Paul in verse 12 go on to relate all that God had wrought among the nations, which would confirm the word of wisdom. Then, when they held their peace, James, by the Spirit, gives a word of knowledge with a supporting scripture and is enabled to express a judgment which carried the consciences of all the saints. In the final issue they say, "it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us", that is, the Holy Spirit was authoritatively in the matter.

A.McG. It looks as if the meeting of assembly character followed very closely on the meeting for care.

G.R.C. It was a very special occasion; but we can just get the general principle of the way elders functioned in the care-meeting, as we speak, and then the way the Holy Spirit came into the matter authoritatively in the assembly. It says, "it seemed good to the apostles and to the elders, with the whole assembly, to send chosen men from among them"; and later, "it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us".

B.G.H. Is it important that James gives a distinct and definite judgment which all understood, even the simplest person present?

G.R.C. If the Holy Spirit has His place a clear judgment will always be expressed. This is specially important when the truth is at stake.

W.J.T. Would Micah 5:5 help, "When the Assyrian shall come into our land, and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight princes of men"? The brethren have shepherds and princes to raise against the enemy in his movements.

G.R.C. Quite so. Elders are not over the assembly but in the assembly, as already remarked. Peter speaks of "the elders which are among you", and warns them not to exercise oversight as lording it over their possessions. Normally their discussions would take place in the presence of the brethren; there are sometimes sordid and defiling details which might profitably be kept out of the care-meeting; but, apart from these, things should be

ventilated before all the brethren. I say that because later in this book, chapter 21: 18, the elders come together apart from the brethren generally, and they do mischief. It says, "on the morrow Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders came there"; it does not say the brethren were there, but "all the elders came there. And having saluted them, he related one by one the things which God had wrought among the nations by his ministry". Then they proceeded to give Paul wrong advice. That is what happened when the elders gathered independently of the saints.

E.J.B. How do you regard Galatians 6:1 in this regard? "If even a man be taken in some fault, ye who are spiritual restore such a one". Would that call for spiritual eldership?

G.R.C. Yes. That applies in all cases whether a matter comes to the assembly or not; restoration must be in the hands of those who are spiritual.

Rem. It says in James 5:14, "Is any sick among you? Let him call to him the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord ... and if he be one who has committed sins, it shall be forgiven him".

G.R.C. In that case it is the exercise of the person who calls to him the elders of the assembly, and it is for a particular purpose. But I wondered whether the scripture in Acts 21 shows the danger of elders assuming an official status and acting on their own. The advice given on that occasion was unspiritual, it was wrong, it was just expediency. Normally, we need the atmosphere provided by brethren as together to keep the discussions on a spiritual level. The assembly, as such, is in the background all the time as being the greatest vessel. The elders are not over it.

E.J.B. The elders as a whole would not meet together except in the care-meeting?

G.R.C. No, unless there is something of a sordid character of which some details might be spared the brethren.

E.J.B. Would all the elders be involved in that, or might it be just one or two godly ones?

G.R.C. Just those who are directly handling the case. We need to avoid the idea of official elders in all that we are

saying. Nevertheless we must recognise that the care of the assembly is especially the responsibility of those who have the moral qualifications of eldership.

H.M. Would it be particularly necessary in a day of brokenness to take the brethren into our confidence and to bring things to the care-meeting, although we cannot speak of having elders in the way they had them at the beginning?

G.R.C. Just so.

A.H. Is it not instructive that in the beginning of chapter 21 we have a wonderful indication of what lies in the Spirit? The mind of the Spirit is given by a little company of saints. They say to Paul by the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem. My own exercise is that we need much help as to the recognition in a local company of the presence of the Spirit, the local company being divine territory, and it should not be invaded by elders from other parts. I think it has been trespassed against.

G.R.C. Elders normally function in the local companies.

A.H. Are we warranted in going beyond that? What you have referred to in Acts 15 is a matter of this very thing.

G.R.C. A man is what he is wherever he is; but his special responsibility would be in his locality. But what you say as to having respect for the local company as a vessel of the Spirit is of great importance. The beginning of Acts 21 is remarkable. A simple company of saints at Tyre could tell the great apostle by the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem. It shows the predominance of the assembly; the assembly must predominate in everything.

Rem. Paul found the disciples there; they were not expecting him.

G.R.C. He found the disciples, and moved among them in such a manner that they were free in his company and the Spirit could use them to speak to him. The greatness of the assembly shines out in that. It is a contrast to what happened in Jerusalem where he goes to James and meets the elders by themselves.

R.W. In view of what has been said, is it not good to distinguish between what relates to elders and what is priestly? A brother with priestly discernment is helpful anywhere.

THE ASSEMBLY IN THE BOOK OF ACTS - READING (5)

Acts 19:1 - 10; Acts 20:17 - 21, 26 - 28; Ephesians 1:5 - 12; Ephesians 3:10 - 12, 20 - 21

G.R.C. We have been engaged with the assembly as presented in the book of the Acts. This afternoon we arrive at the objective with which we commenced, that is, to consider the valuation that God Himself places upon the assembly, according to Acts 20:28, where the apostle says, "the assembly of God, which he has purchased with the blood of his own". He is viewing the assembly of God, as down here, needing care and shepherding. The Holy Spirit has the matter in hand and sets certain ones in -- not "over" -- the flock as overseers, to shepherd the assembly of God. This work is to be done from the standpoint of the valuation that God places upon this great vessel which, in its final setting as presented in Ephesians 3 and also in other passages such as Revelation 21, is seen in its glory as the trusted vessel to which He commits, through eternity, the responsibility of diffusing the light of God and of leading the universe in the ascription of praise to God. So from this standpoint it is a most choice and august vessel, the acme of divine workmanship. God has secured a vessel able to take on the greatest responsibility of any creature vessel in the universe, and to fulfil it in the power of the Spirit and in the power of union with Christ, without the slightest risk of breakdown and without coming short in any way. There will be carried out in it a service which is adequate to the greatness of God Himself, both in the ascription of glory to Him and the diffusion of the light of His glory to the universe. Oh, that we had an appreciation of it! It involves the following of Paul's ministry from beginning to end, and no doubt the setting at Ephesus was ordered by God to bring that home to us. Paul finds about twelve men who had not yet begun their Christian experience, for they had not even heard that the Holy Spirit was come. They did not yet belong to

the assembly; they had been baptised only with the baptism of John; and so Paul begins with this material, and under his tuition they are carried from the beginning of true Christian experience, that is, Christian baptism, to the great climax, as to which Paul says, "I have not shrunk from announcing to you all the counsel of God", Acts 20:27. To go through that course of instruction requires the greatest application, and, therefore, in chapter 19 and again in chapter 20, verse 1, they are called "disciples". I think, in the period covered by Paul's ministry, the saints are generally called "brethren", but Ephesus is an exception. It says, "Paul, having passed through the upper districts, came to Ephesus, and finding certain disciples", Acts 19:1 - 2, and then in verse 9, "but when some were hardened and disbelieved, speaking evil of the way before the multitude, he left them and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. And this took place for two years". Then when he is leaving them the Spirit of God still calls them disciples, "after the tumult had ceased, Paul having called the disciples to him". That title goes with Matthew, the assembly gospel, where the saints are called "disciples" after the Lord rose from the dead; and also with John where they are similarly called "disciples" after the Lord rose from the dead.

-- McK. Will you distinguish between the two, the "disciples" and the "brethren"?

G.R.C. Paul's initial aim wherever he went was to bring about family conditions amongst the saints, because the warmth of family affections must underlie the truth of the assembly. Thessalonians brings in Paul's foundations upon which he would erect the Corinthian structure; and so in connection with his ministry in Acts the term "brethren" is prominent. I would not think that that was at all lacking at Ephesus, only I think the Spirit of God at this point in Acts would stress the paramount need of discipleship in whole-hearted application to the truth, if we are really to get the gain of Paul's ministry. It is a most extensive ministry and requires the greatest application, in fact daily application. It is not sufficient to seek to follow Paul's ministry only in 'city readings' as we call them; we must apply ourselves to it every day, and so it

stresses "reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus". This went on for two years, and I would think there would have been keen interest among the disciples and that they would not have missed one day out of the two years.

S.H. Is it significant that in chapter 14 we have disciples encircling Paul after he had been stoned in Lystra and dragged out of the city and left for dead? Then later he is the only one who is said to have made disciples; he made many disciples -- Acts 14:21. I was thinking of Matthew 28:19.

G.R.C. These scriptures are very interesting, showing how true he was to the commission of Matthew 28. He made "disciples of all the nations, baptising them to the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit", with a view to their becoming assembly material.

F.O.W. Teaching links with the school of Tyrannus.

G.R.C. And also with the thought of disciples.

Eu.R. What is involved in making disciples? Would it suggest a state of subjection, to be a learner?

G.R.C. Yes, also affection for the Lord Jesus, prepared to follow Him in reproach.

Ques. So would you think that no one could make disciples who was not a disciple himself?

G.R.C. I am sure of that.

R.W. Is Apollos in that category? It says of him that he was "an eloquent man, who was mighty in the scriptures ... He was instructed in the way of the Lord, and being fervent in his spirit, he spoke and taught exactly the things concerning Jesus, knowing only the baptism of John ... And Aquila and Priscilla, having heard him, took him to them and unfolded to him the way of God more exactly. And when he purposed to go into Achaia, the brethren wrote to the disciples engaging them to receive him, who, being come, contributed much to those who believed through grace", Acts 18:24 - 7.

G.R.C. That is good. It shows that the spirit of discipleship marked Apollos. He was willing to learn from those who, in the public eye, were a simple brother and sister, yet they were more spiritual than he.

C.E.B. Would you say a word more as to the school of Tyrannus, because is it not in the school of Tyrannus where disciples are made?

G.R.C. I would say it is in the school of Tyrannus that disciples are instructed. I think the making of disciples must depend on the personality of the one with whom they come into touch, because these are already said to be disciples; they had already been affected, possibly by Apollos, who had been at Ephesus, "he was instructed in the way of the Lord ... and taught exactly the things concerning Jesus, knowing only the baptism of John", Acts 18:25.

H.B. Would it involve influence?

G.R.C. I think so. Should we not all make disciples? If so, it is essential that we should be true disciples ourselves, subject and ready to learn, keen, too, with our affections engaged so that we are prepared to go to any length to know the whole truth. Then we shall affect other people. Paul was like that himself; Paul was prepared to go through anything for the truth's sake.

J.O.S. How would you apply the daily instruction?

G.R.C. Should we not keep the truth in its highest levels, as committed to Paul, before us every day, so that it enters into our daily exercises? If so, we shall never think there are too many occasions of coming together to get help. We may not be able to be present on every occasion, but we shall never complain of the number of occasions on which the brethren are together. It seems that it was normal in Acts for the brethren to be together every day. They were daily in the temple, Acts 2:46, and there was the daily ministration, Acts 6:1.

J.O.S. Do we need to be more concerned as to the daily reading of the higher levels of the ministry?

G.R.C. I think it would help if we knew how to regulate ourselves and our time better, so as to give the things of God first place.

C.R.W. It says of Bartimaeus that he followed Jesus in the way. We read a great deal about "the way" in Acts. Is it a question of earnestly following in the way?

G.R.C. I think it is, and of realising that it is a course of instruction which requires application and is worthy of the greatest faculties that a man possesses as empowered by the Holy Spirit.

P.W.T. Does Matthew give the greatest result of discipleship, "it is sufficient that the disciple should become as his teacher"?

G.R.C. We should like, as far as we can, to keep pace with Paul.

C.C.I. Does discipleship underlie the matter of responsibility in the assembly and the worship of God?

G.R.C. I would think a true disciple is one who feels the responsibility laid upon him to follow the truth the whole way.

C.C.I. That is, the matter is distinct from the matter of privilege, as suggested in "the brethren".

G.R.C. There is the side of privilege, but the school of Tyrannus does not exactly suggest privilege. It suggests a place where the greatest application and concentration is needed, and a true disciple would feel the responsibility of following the truth right to its climax and not in any way stopping short. Paul says, "for I have not shrunk from announcing to you all the counsel of God". Have we got as far as that? I am sure we should like to know more about it.

A.A.B. Have we an example of a true disciple in Timothy, one who fully followed things up?

G.R.C. Timothy is a great encouragement to us; he fully followed up what he had seen and heard in Paul.

J.O.S. Is there a suggestion in the fact that the name is Tyrannus? There is an element of compulsion in the matter if we are to arrive at the end.

G.R.C. Quite so. Paul says in Philippians, "not that I have already obtained the prize, or am already perfected; but I pursue, if also I may get possession of it, seeing that also I have been taken possession of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not count to have got possession myself; but one thing -- forgetting the things behind, and stretching out to the things before, I pursue, looking towards the goal, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus", chapter 3: 13 - 15.

A.M.M. Would the disciples understand liberty and co-operation in moving together and helping together? I was thinking of the number twelve. There was something which held them together in true interest and affection; is that not a basic thing?

G.R.C. Twelve is a love number, as we have often been reminded. If the number twelve, in a spiritual sense, is truly present with us there will be a working out of the whole truth in love. God gives us persons to walk with in our localities. There may not be many, but if the number twelve is there spiritually we shall find, amongst those available, the opportunity to work out the truth practically and concretely for God.

C.C.I. In Acts 20, where Paul was teaching publicly and in every house, he also says, "Wherefore watch, remembering that for three years, night and day, I ceased not admonishing each one of you with tears". It is not only what is done in the meeting, but the conversation that goes on in the houses of the saints.

G.R.C. The meetings energise us. Some say there are so many meetings they cannot visit the saints, but Paul did both. He had meetings every day, and he visited every house, working night and day. Some of us want fixed hours and do not want to work overtime, but Paul knew nothing about that kind of thing.

Ques. He also earned his living in the normal way; he had not retired.

G.R.C. He worked with his own hands to keep himself and those with him.

H.W. I was going to ask whether discipleship is preliminary to being a good workman?

G.R.C. Just so, and I am sure if we follow up Paul's teaching we shall learn the plan. He was a wise architect and did not begin his work without having the whole plan of the assembly before him. We also need to have the plan, otherwise we are just beating the air.

H.F. Is that why in the next section the word 'announcing' is used, "I have not shrunk from announcing to you all the counsel of God", Acts 20:27? Does the announcing correspond with the Spirit's service in John 16, bringing back a report?

G.R.C. It shows the dignity of the whole matter. Ephesians 1 helps as to the counsel of God.

G.F.S. Would both the lower and higher levels of the truth be involved in it?

G.R.C. That is just what I was thinking. Ephesians 1 unfolds God's will. In Colossians Paul prays to the end

that the saints might be "filled with the full knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding", Colossians 1:9, and then Epaphras was "combating earnestly for you in prayers, to the end that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God", Colossians 4:12. Ephesians 1 speaks of the will of God in three parts: first, the good pleasure of His will, which links with Paul's gospel, the truth of sonship, "having marked us out beforehand for adoption through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will", Ephesians 1:5. Then God would have His sons intelligent as to His great plan for the universe, and so Paul speaks of "the riches of his grace which he has caused to abound towards us in all wisdom and intelligence, having made known to us the mystery of his will", Ephesians 1:9. Sonship is a very great matter but is not difficult to understand, whereas all wisdom and intelligence is needed to understand the mystery of God's will, "according to his good pleasure which he purposed in himself for the administration of the fulness of times to head up all things in the Christ", Ephesians 1:9 - 10. That involves the assembly as associated with Him in the headship, according to verses 22 - 23. Finally, he speaks of "the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his own will", which includes what we have referred to as the lower levels of the mystery because it is the working out of things in the ways of God. Purpose is the great objective, but in reaching it He works all things according to the counsel of His own will. It is the counsel of His will that tests our wills. The good pleasure of His will in marking us out for sonship does not test our wills, we are delighted with that; the mystery of His will does not test our wills, although it tests our intelligence. But in working all things according to the counsel of His own will He cuts right across the will of man. He does not consult man, for He takes counsel with no one but Himself. "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counsellor?" Romans 11:35. The counsel of God's will tests our wills, but if it is submitted to it will lead to a doxology with us, as it did with Paul in Romans 11:33 - 5; and this, in turn, makes way for the doxology relative to purpose in Romans 16:25 - 7.

A.B. Would it lead to subjection in regard to God's ways with us?

G.R.C. It would. It needed subjection at the outset. "That we should be to the praise of his glory who have pre-trusted in the Christ" refers to Jewish believers, and "in whom ye also have trusted, having heard the word of the truth, the glad tidings of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, ye have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise" refers to Gentile believers, while "who is the earnest of our inheritance" means that Jew and Gentile share a common inheritance. The counsel of God's will decreed that the Jew should come in first, and then the Gentile, and that both should have part in the inheritance. That is what tested Peter when he saw the "heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending as a great sheet ... in which were all the quadrupeds and creeping things of the earth", Acts 10:11 - 12. That vision related to the counsel of God's will and enters, in principle, into the make-up of every local meeting. We have no choice as to our companions; we may have persons of different colour, race, nationality and social status in the same meeting. We would not have chosen such companions at all, but God has chosen them and has put us together to work out the truth practically. Are we going to quarrel with the counsel of His will, or shall we not rather submit in a spirit of worship saying, "Who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counsellor, or who has first given to him, and it shall be rendered to him? For of him, and through him, and for him are all things; to him be glory for ever. Amen", Romans 11:34 - 6. His arrangements are all part of the working out of His perfect plan.

A.H. Does Job arrive at this by the way of the breaking of his own will? He said, "I know that thou canst do everything, and that thou canst be hindered in no thought of thine. Who is he that obscureth counsel without knowledge? Therefore have I uttered what I did not understand; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not", Job 42:2 - 3.

G.R.C. That is very helpful. Job repented in dust and ashes, and that is where we need to be; and that is where an understanding of Romans 9, 10 and 11 would bring us. We are just vessels of mercy. We all belong to the clay of fallen humanity and God has been pleased to take up certain ones. There is no question of superiority. Not

one of us has any rights. Every believer, if he understands Romans 9, 10 and 11 rightly, recognises that. Whatever is brought to pass of any value must be of Him and through Him and for Him. There is no glory to man at all.

R.S.W. Does Elihu bring Job to that standpoint, to view things according to God?

G.R.C. He does, and we need to help one another so that we accept the counsel of God's will and do not resist His purpose.

J.P.H. Does that enter into God's ways with us personally? Whatever they may mean and however we may feel them, we are happy about them, and happy with Him, recognising that they work out for added wealth in the service of God.

G.R.C. I am sure of that: "O depth of riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and untraceable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counsellor?" Romans 11:33 - 4. He does not take counsel with anyone in what He does with each one of us in His ways and in what He may bring upon us. He takes counsel with Himself in perfect wisdom and knowledge, with a view to reaching the end He has in view, that is, His purpose: "the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his own will".

W.S.S. Did counsel enter into His early movements in Genesis?

G.R.C. I have no doubt that the counsel of His will entered into creation, and into the Incarnation, too.

A.M.M. Is it at this point that the service of God begins? It says here, "that we should be to the praise of his glory". If we are to have an intelligent part in the service of God we must be marked by subjection to His will.

C.W.O'L.M. Is not the fullest cost of the working out of the counsel of His own will seen in the Lord Jesus in Gethsemane? I was thinking of the praises of Israel as the working out of Psalm 22.

G.R.C. That is very affecting indeed. You are thinking of the depths of Christ's sufferings in that Psalm, and all that entered into the counsel of God's will. Who could measure what it cost Christ?

Eu.R. The verse we are so accustomed to in relation to

the service of God, "I will declare thy name to my brethren; in the midst of the assembly will I sing thy praises", Hebrews 2:12, comes from that same suffering psalm.

G.R.C. The Lord's motive in going into death according to Psalm 22 was to lay the basis for the declaration of the name of His God and to secure the praises of His God.

A.B. Would you think the praise of His glory relates to the administration of the fulness of times? I was wondering whether it would work out at the Lord's coming and go on to the eternal day.

G.R.C. It will, but all that is anticipated now, because it says the Holy Spirit is the earnest of our inheritance. What will accrue to God in and through the assembly in the world to come and in the eternal state is to accrue now in a spiritual way, because the Holy Spirit is here.

J.O.S. Would you say that the land as apportioned by Joshua is a kind of pattern of our inheritance, fitting into the thought of the counsel of God's will; but in David the service of praise involves God's inheritance in the saints?

G.R.C. Quite so.

G.W.B. Are we thus acquiring a knowledge of God? Is it thus that we have substance for His service?

G.R.C. Just so. We are getting help as to the last phase of the service -- the worship of God, as such; but I am sure most of us have felt, since the exercise was raised, how little substance we have for that phase of the service.

H.B. Would not the sense of mercy preserve us in freshness in our relations with God? David says, "but as for me, I am like a green olive-tree in the house of God".

G.R.C. The Holy Spirit is the earnest of our inheritance. If we give Him His place we shall be ever fresh in our communications with one another, in our response to Christ and in the worship of God. He is the source of all freshness.

A.H. I am wanting help as to "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ", and the whole portion down to verse 14. I am asking for help, because I observe that you are speaking much of God, but are you referring to God as Father or are you referring to God in the full sense now?

G.R.C. I would think he begins by saying, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ", because sonship in the first instance is before his mind. But I do not think the expression "his will", as used throughout this section, could be limited to one Person of the Godhead. J.N.D. has said that God is One in will, in thought, in purpose; that there is separate "willing" but only one will.

A.M.M. Does not the apostle begin with God's will, "apostle of Jesus Christ by God's will"?

G.R.C. Quite so. In Ephesians 3, about which we ought now to speak, God's assembly is brought before us in a very powerful way. Paul says, "I have not shrunk from announcing to you all the counsel of God". I think "all the counsel of God" covers all that we have been saying: "the good pleasure of his will", "the mystery of his will" and "the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his own will". It is a general expression covering the whole purpose of God and the way He brings it to pass, an inclusive idea. It is in the light of that that Paul uses the remarkable expression, "the assembly of God, which he has purchased with the blood of his own". In Ephesians 3 he refers to the assembly as functioning at the present time. The book of Revelation helps as to the functioning of the assembly in the world to come and in the eternal state; but we need Ephesians 3 in order to understand how we can function now and anticipate what is actually future now, and so we read, "in order that now to the principalities and authorities in the heavenlies might be made known through the assembly the all-various wisdom of God", Ephesians 3:10. We ought to notice that in this chapter God is prominent. It speaks of "the mystery hidden throughout the ages in God, who has created all things in order that now to the principalities and authorities in the heavenlies might be made known through the assembly the all-various wisdom of God, according to the purpose of the ages which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access in confidence by the faith of him", verses 9 - 12. I think the word 'boldness' links with the thought of God in His greatness, and that these verses suggest the assembly functioning both in administration and, what is more important still, in the service Godward.

F.O.W. So that the praise of His glory would be in the ears of the whole creation.

G.R.C. There are not many men available to listen to it at the present time, but principalities and authorities in the heavenlies are taking account of the service of God proceeding in the assembly.

J.P.H. Does it emphasise the greatness of our portion, we have to subserve everything else to it? The service of God is what we live for?

G.R.C. So you can understand even at the present time how precious the assembly is to God, "which he has purchased with the blood of his own". I think the principalities in the heavenlies observe through the assembly the all-various wisdom of God as it functions under the headship of Christ. "The unsearchable riches of the Christ", of whom Solomon was a type, are available to the assembly as under His headship, and thus she is fully endowed in the service of God.

W.S.S. Would the expression "all-various wisdom of God" link with the thought of counsel in chapter 1?

G.R.C. Is not the wisdom seen in the way the assembly serves as under the headship of Christ? Christ is the true Solomon, He has unsearchable riches in the way of substance and in the way of wisdom; and, as the assembly functions under His headship, every feature of divine wisdom comes into display.

E.C.H. In the functioning of the assembly?

G.R.C. Yes. Is it not well to understand God's purpose in this connection? This chapter refers to His purpose relative to the present time; the fulfilment of purpose according to chapter 1 will be complete in the future, but chapter 3 refers to the purpose of God about the present moment. He has secured the assembly, "which he has purchased with the blood of his own", in view of a present answer to His thoughts, "according to the purpose of the ages which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord".

R.L. It says in the note that the word "purchased" is really 'purchased to himself', Acts 20:28.

J.P.H. The note connects with the note on Hebrews 1, showing that what God has done is in view of what is for Himself now and eternally, the purchase of the assembly. That links with the last verse we read, what He secured

for Himself now and eternally, "to him that is able to do far exceedingly above all which we ask or think, according to the power which works in us, to him be glory in the assembly in Christ Jesus unto all generations of the age of ages". It begins now and goes right on, is that right?

G.R.C. Quite so.

J.P.H. One would like to emphasise the greatness, the importance and the value of the service of praise -- glory to God in the assembly.

A.McG. Does that bear on the remarks made in an earlier reading as to what God has set in the assembly for Himself?

G.R.C. And especially on the fact that He has purchased the assembly for Himself.

Note, address by W. W. Smart, pages 185 - 194, not included in this file.

THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING (ADDRESS)

Psalm 2:6 - 8, 12; Psalm 45:1 - 9, 13; Psalm 22:1 - 3, 22; Psalm 48:1 - 3, 8 - 10

I wish to say a word, dear brethren, as to God's Son and God's King, and what the assembly is to the King; and also to speak of God as King, and what the assembly is to God.

It is a great joy to speak of the King; the Psalmist might well say, "My heart is welling forth with a good matter: I say what I have composed -- or, 'my occupation' -- touching the king". The King is a wonderful occupation! The King, indeed, enraptures all our hearts as we come to know Him and apprehend His glories. He is the Beloved. Psalm 45 is headed "A song of the Beloved". David's name means 'beloved'; Solomon's other name -- Jedidiah -- means 'beloved of Jehovah'. God's idea of a King is that He rules in the affections of His people -- He is the Beloved. Not that He is King over the assembly. If we think of an earthly king and queen, we do not think of the king as ruling over the queen; and yet no one appreciates the king as much as the queen. If the queen refers to the king you know whom she means; it is her husband, he is the king to her. That is how the church stands related to Christ: He is head over all things. He is truly God's King, but He is head over all things to the assembly. No company will ever have such an appreciation of the King as the assembly, The King is her Husband, and the fact that He is the King only enhances to her the wonder of His affection for her as Husband. It is wonderful to her to think that such a Person as the King needs her for the satisfaction of the affections of His heart, and also needs her as His consort in the glorious position which He occupies as King, and that He will not take up that position publicly until the queen is by His side. Now that is what is true as regards Christ

and the assembly. At the present time He has left other things to be united to the assembly, and not till the assembly is complete and in glory at His side will He take up all the vast interests in a public way which pertain to Him as head over all things. The assembly will then share with Him in the headship. Thus no company has such an appreciation of the King as the assembly, because, to use the figure, she is the queen; and who values the king, even in a human royal family, like the queen?

But the King is not only beloved to the assembly, He is beloved of God. God chose David, a man after His own heart, who would do all His will. How God loved David! He said, "I will make him firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth", Psalm 89:27. So the scripture says, "Behold my servant, whom I have chosen, my beloved, in whom my soul has found its delight", Matthew 12:18. Think of God expressing Himself like that! And then, "I will put my Spirit upon him" -- that is the King. God says, as it were, 'I will anoint that Man because He is my Beloved, and My soul has found its delight in Him'. That is what the title 'the Christ' means. God has put His Spirit in its fulness upon one Man and one Man only. We share in the anointing, but the Spirit in its fulness is upon the Christ.

So Psalm 2 says, "I have anointed my king upon Zion, the hill of my holiness". The King in the Old Testament corresponds with "the Christ" in the New. He is the Anointed, God's beloved in whom His soul has found its delight, the Man after His own heart who will do all His will. God can trust Him fully and has put all power in His hands, assured that everything will be carried through according to His will. "The Christ" is an official title and relates to the highest office in the universe. We little realise -- we shall see it soon! -- the magnificence and splendour attaching to it; an office so great that, although it belongs to manhood, only a Person of the Godhead could fill it. So when Paul refers to the incarnation in Romans 9 he says, "of whom, as according to flesh, is the Christ, who is over all, God blessed for ever"; because no one who was not "over all, God blessed for ever" could ever sustain in manhood the glorious office of "the Christ". God says, "in whom my soul has found its