SCRIPTURE
STUDIES
VOLUME SIX - THE NEW
CREATION
STUDY
V
THE ORGANIZATION OF THE NEW CREATION
The “Living Stones” for the Spiritual
Temple — The Nominal vs. the Real New Creation
— The “Mystery of God” and the “Mystery of
Iniquity” — Great Antichrist’s Organization — The Scriptures
Trustworthy — Freedom Permitted to the World and to Churchianity — Order
out of Confusion — “In Due Time” — “The Ends of the Ages” — The
Vine of the Father’s Planting — “The Twelve Apostles of the Lamb”
— Paul the Successor of Judas — Number of Apostles Limited
to Twelve — The
Apostolic Commission — The Apostles’ Strong Characters — The Apostle
Paul “Not one Whit Behind” the other Apostles — The Inspiration of the
Twelve — Divine Supervision of the Apostles’ Writings
— “Upon this Rock Will I Build My Church” — Harmony of
the Gospels — Keys of Authority — Apostolic
Infallibility — Objections Considered
— “One
is Your Master” — The True Church is “The Flock of God”
— Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Teachers — The
Lord’s Organization of
The New Creation Absolutely Complete — He is Also Its Superintendent — Gifts of the Spirit Ceased with Their
Necessity — Unity of
the “Faith Once Delivered to the Saints” — Unity of Force,
Antichristian — Bishops, Elders, Deacons — True Significance of “Prophet”
— Humility Essential to Eldership — Other Necessary
Qualifications — Deacons, Ministers, Servants — Teachers in the
Church — Many Should Be Able to Teach — “Be not Many of You Teachers, Brethren”
— “Ye Need not That Any Man Teach You” — “Him
That Is Taught” and
“Him That Teacheth” — Woman’s Province in the Church
— Women as Fellow-Workers — “Let Her be Covered.”
THE New Creation will not reach its perfection or
completion until the First Resurrection, so its organization will be
completed only then. The
temple figure illustrates this: as living stones we are now called, or
invited to places in the glorious temple, and, as the Apostle explains (1
Pet. 2:5), we come to Jesus, who, as the Father’s representative,
shapes, chisels, fits and polishes us for places in the glorious Temple of
the future—the meeting-place between God and the world.
As in the typical temple built by Solomon every
[page 196] stone was thoroughly fitted in the quarry for its
place in the building, so with us—all the fitting preparation is done in
the present life. As in the
type every shaped stone went into its place without the sound of a hammer,
so in the antitype—the living stones, which now submit joyfully to the
Lord’s preparation, will be completely organized under himself as the
capstone when united to him beyond the veil—without confusion, without
need of further arrangement or preparation.
However, the Scriptures recognize a oneness or relationship of
these living stones during the period of their preparation. Indeed, they
go a step further, and recognize a temporary organization which permits each member of the
prospective Kingdom to be a sharer with the great Teacher and Master
Builder in the preparatory work of “building up one another in the most
holy faith”—assisting one another in the shaping of characters in
accord with the lines of the pattern—our Lord Jesus.
As we proceed to a minute examination of the divine arrangements
for the present time, it may surprise many to discover how much liberty
the Lord has left to each individual member of the New Creation: but when
we recognize the fact that he is seeking willing worshipers, willing
sacrificers, who are prompted by love for the Lord and for the principles
of righteousness to lay down their lives for the brethren’s sake, and
for the sake of being colaborers with him, then it is clear that the
Lord’s plan of granting great liberty is the best plan—the one which
most surely tests the heart-loyalty, most fully develops character, and
proves the willingness of each to follow with the other the Law of Love,
doing to the other as he would the other should do to him.
Such a liberty, or, comparative freedom, is well adapted to the
Lord’s object in the present time—namely, the selection of the little
flock and the perfecting of them in character and instructing them for the
Royal Priesthood of the future—but would be wholly out of line with and
insufficient for the work of converting the world, which he is generally
supposed to be doing. It is
because of this wrong [page 197] doctrine—this supposition that God has commissioned
the Church to conquer the world and to subdue all things unto himself
during the present age—that so many persons of good judgment have
marveled at the simplicity of the organization of the Church by the Lord
and the apostles. And seeing
how inadequate such an arrangement would be for the conversion of the world, men have undertaken to elaborate the
organization, as seen in the various ecclesiastical institutions of
Christendom. Of these is the
Papacy, one of the most subtle and powerful organizations imaginable.
The Methodist Episcopal system is also masterful, but on a higher
plane; it controls a different class.
It is the thorough organization of these two great systems that has
given them their success and their power in “the Christian world.”
We shall see as we proceed that these and all human
“churches” are in their organization quite different from the
Church which the Lord instituted—that their ways are not his ways, even
as their plans are not his plans; for as the heavens are higher than the
earth, so are the Lord’s ways and plans higher than those of man. (Isa.
55:8,9) Ere long the
true-hearted will see that they greatly erred in leaving the simplicity of
Christ and attempting to be wiser than God in the conduct of his work.
Results will show his wisdom and man’s folly.
The
Nominal vs. the Real New Creation
As with the typical people all were Israelites in a nominal sense,
but comparatively few “Israelites indeed,” so in the antitype we are
not to be surprised that we find a nominal Church, as well as a real
Church, a nominal New Creation as well as a real New Creation.
Ever since Christianity became to some extent popular, “tares,”
“imitation wheat,” have infested the wheat-field, affecting to be
genuine wheat. However
difficult it may be for man, who cannot read the heart, to determine the
true from the false, the wheat from the tares the Lord assures us that he
knoweth the heart, that—“The Lord knoweth them that are his.”
He does indeed expect us to discriminate between the true [page 198] sheep and wolves in sheep’s clothing, and between
the true grapevine bearing the true fruits and the thorns and thistles
which might seek to pass themselves off for members of the true Vine, and
tells us so to do. But beyond
this general judgment—a liberal examination of the general outward
character, the Lord does not permit his people to go—saying, “Judge
nothing before the time.” Amongst
those whom you recognize as legitimate branches in the Vine, do not
attempt to decide how long a time should be granted them to bring forth
the ripe fruits. We must
leave that to the Father, the Husbandman, who prunes every branch, and who
will ultimately take away every branch or member that “beareth not
fruit.” We, therefore,
leave to the Husbandman the pruning of the “Vine”—the correction of
every truly consecrated member of the Church of Christ—letting him do
the excommunicating, recognizing that he did the planting and the watering
also, and brought forward the sprouting of every branch in the true Vine.
The spirit of the Vine is to be recognized to some extent in each
branch or member, and each is to be encouraged and assisted in its growth.
Love is to be the law amongst all these branches; and only as the
divine Word is heard—not a whit beyond its authorization—has any
branch the right to criticize, rebuke or otherwise prune, or do aught
against another branch. The
spirit of love is, on the contrary, to prompt to mercy, kindness,
long-suffering and patience up to the very limits allowed by the great
Husbandman; which, as we have already suggested, are broad and liberal and
designed to develop character in every branch.
All this is different in human organizations in proportion as they
have ignored or abandoned the simplicity of the divine arrangement. They have made arbitrary rules respecting who may be
acknowledged as members or branches of the Vine, and who may not be
admitted to the full fellowship; they have made financial exactions and
various rules and regulations which the Scriptures have not made, and laid
down numerous creeds and confessions which the Scriptures have not laid
down, and have prescribed penalties
[page 199] for violations of these which the Scriptures have not
imposed, and have made regulations for disfellowshipping, excommunicating,
etc., contrary to any authorization given to the True Church, the Body of
Christ, the True Vine, the New Creation.
We have already called attention to the fact that the Church of
Christ is called in the Scriptures the “Mystery of God,”*
because, contrary to expectation, the Church was to be the Messianic Body
which, under its Anointed Head, Jesus, shall rule and bless the world.
This mystery, or secret, now revealed to the saints, was kept
hidden from past ages and dispensations (Eph. 3:3-6), and is the mystery
of God which shall be finished now shortly, in the consummation of the New
Creation, in the close of this Gospel age. We have also drawn attention to the fact that the Scriptures
refer to Babylon as a counterfeit system (mother and daughters—some more
and some less corrupt, some better and some poorer counterfeits), and
there designated the “Mystery of Iniquity.”
We are not to be understood as meaning that the founders of these
counterfeit systems purposely and intentionally organized them for the
purpose of misleading the people of God.
Rather we are to remember that it is Satan who in the Scriptures is
credited with having “deceived the whole world” on this subject;
putting evil for good and good for evil; light for darkness and darkness
for light. Satan “now
worketh in the children of disobedience” (Isa. 5:20; Eph. 2:2), even as
he proffered his cooperation to our Lord Jesus.
He delights to cooperate with all of Christ’s followers whom he
can seduce from walking in the footsteps of the Master. As
he tried to persuade our Lord that there were better ways—ways that
involved less personal sacrifice and self-denial than the Father’s
ways—by which he might bless all the families of the earth, so he,
during this Gospel age, has been intent upon persuading the Lord’s truly
consecrated brethren to adopt his plans—not to give careful heed to the
Father’s plans and rules. He
would have them overwise—to
feel that they can serve the Lord better by other methods than those the
Scriptures point out. He
would puff them up with feelings of zeal for and pride in their human
systems, the work they are doing, and the organizations which they have
effected. With the Master the
Adversary had no success, his answer being invariably, “It is
written.” But not so with
his followers. Many, many
neglect what is written; neglect the Master’s example and words; neglect
the words and example of the apostles, and are intent upon carrying out
for God a plan which they hope and believe he approves and which they
trust will redound to his praise.
—————
*Vol. I, Chap. v.
[page
200]
How wonderfully mistaken such will find themselves when, by and by,
they shall see the Kingdom as God originally planned it and has since
worked the matter out along his own lines!
They will then discover how much better it is to be careful to be
taught of the Lord, than to attempt to teach the Lord—to do his work in
his way, rather than work for him in a way which he will not acknowledge.
The success of these human plans—as in Papacy, Methodism, and,
proportionately, in other denominations—helps to make these systems
“strong delusions.”
The Lord has not interfered with, or hindered, the growth of the
“tares” in the wheat-field during this Gospel Age.
On the contrary, he instructed his people to expect that both would
grow together until the “harvest” time, when he himself would be
present, superintending the separation, gathering the wheat into his barn
(the glorified condition), and seeing to the bundling of the tares for the
great time of trouble with which the age shall end, and which shall
destroy them as “tares” or imitation
New Creatures without destroying them as human beings.
Indeed, many of the “tares” are respectable, moral, and, as the
world uses the term, “good people.”
So amongst all the heathen religions there are elements of
goodness, too, though far less than amongst the “tares,” who have been
greatly blessed and advantaged every way by reason of their close contact
with
[page 201] the true “wheat,” and their partial discernment
of the spirit of the Lord in the latter.
This Mystery of Iniquity (“Babylon,” Confusion, Christendom)
the Apostle Paul declares was already beginning to work amongst the
Lord’s people in his day; but the working was evidently but slight until
after the death of Paul and the other apostles.
While the apostles remained with the Church they were able to point
out some of the false teachers through whom the Adversary was seeking
privily, privately, secretly, to bring in damnable heresies to undermine
the faith and to turn the faithful aside from the hopes and promises and
simplicities of the Gospel. (2 Pet. 2:1) The Apostle Paul speaks also of
some of these in general terms, as beginning the workings of iniquity; but
he names some of them personally, Hymenaeus and Philetus, et al., “who
concerning the truth have erred,” etc.—“overthrowing the faith of
some.” (2 Tim. 2:17) Respecting
these false teachers and their errors, he again warned the Church through
the elders at Ephesus, especially pointing out that these would flourish
after his death—grievous wolves, they would not spare the flock. (Acts
20:29) This last is
remarkably in accord with our Lord’s prediction in the parable. (Matt.
13:25,39) Our Lord clearly shows that these false teachers and their
false doctrines were the agencies of the Adversary who sowed the tares
amongst the wheat that he and the apostles had planted.
He says, “While men [the special servants, the apostles] slept,
an enemy came and sowed tares.”
It was not long after the apostles fell asleep, we may be sure,
until the spirit of rivalry under the guidance of the Adversary led step
by step to the ultimate organization of the great Antichrist
system—Papacy. Its organization, as we have already seen,* was not effected instantly, but gradually—beginning to assume
its power about the fourth century. The great Antichrist flourished so
successfully for a [page
202] time
that all the histories written from that period onward to the
“Reformation” practically ignored the right of every person and class
to the name Christian or to be considered orthodox and faithful who did
not belong to or in some manner support this Antichrist system.
Others were not permitted to exist except privately and under ban,
and if there were histories of them, apparently they were destroyed; but,
possibly, like those walking in the light of present truth today, the
faithful of that time were so insignificant in proportion of numbers and
influence that none would have thought them worthy of mention in
comparison with the great and successful system which they essayed to
oppose, and which so rapidly climbed to the influential place of power in
both temporal and spiritual matters.
—————
*Vol. II, Chap. ix.
Since the “Reformation” the Adversary has again showed his
cunning in organizing every new departure (every fresh effort to reach the
truth) into another Antichrist; so that today we have not only the
original “mother of harlots” but her many “daughters.”*
In view of these facts we will not seek for histories of the True
Church except such as we find in the New Testament, which evidently have
been preserved to us with great sacredness and purity, notwithstanding an
occasional interpolation, illustrated in John 21:25 and 1 John 5:7.
—————
*See Vol. III, pp. 42,154,155.
We will, however, briefly call attention to certain facts, which
not only prove to us that the Scriptures have been preserved in
comparative purity, but which attest also at the same time that the many
systems claiming to have been organized by the Lord and the apostles are
wholly different from the one which they did organize, the account of
which is given us in the New Testament.
(1) If the primitive Church had been organized after the manner of
Papacy or other denominations of today, the records would have been quite
different from what they are. We
would have had some reference to our Lord’s installation of the
apostleship with great ceremony, himself [page 203] sitting somewhere in state as a Pope, receiving the
apostles in scarlet robes as cardinals, etc., etc.; we would have had
strict laws and regulations respecting Friday, abstaining from meat,
etc.—something respecting “holy water” sprinkled upon the apostles
or upon the multitude, and something about making the sign of the cross. Mary, our Lord’s mother, would not have been forgotten.
An account would have been given of her claimed miraculous
conception and she would have been announced as “the mother of God,”
and Jesus himself would have been represented as doing her some special
homage, and as instructing the apostles to approach him through her.
Some injunction would have been given respecting “holy
candles,” when and how and where they should be used; some instruction
respecting the invocation of saints; some instruction about the
“mass,” and how Peter, meeting with the other disciples, was
recognized as the Pope; how they prostrated themselves before him, and how
he performed mass for them all, declaring that he had power to re-create
Christ in the bread and to sacrifice him afresh for personal
transgressions. We would have some account of Stephen’s burial; how
Peter or the others “consecrated” a grave for him, so that he might
lie in “consecrated ground,” and that they put in his hand a “holy
candle” while they said certain prayers over him.
We would have had rules and regulations respecting various orders
of clergy, and how the laity are not at all “brethren” with them, but
subservient to them. We would in turn have orders amongst the clergy,
higher and lower, Reverend, Right Reverend, Most Reverend; Bishops,
Archbishops, Cardinals and Popes; and particular directions how each and
all were to attain their positions, seeking honor one from another, and
who should be greatest.
The fact that these matters are in no sense of the word even hinted
at by the apostles is prima facie evidence that the systems which claim either in
whole or in part such divisions of the Church, such authorities, such
offices, etc., were not organized by the apostles or under their guidance,
nor
[page 204] by the Lord who appointed them and recognized their
work. John 15:16; Acts 1:2; Rev. 21:14
(2) It proves, additionally, that the Bible was not concocted by
these wise organizers; for had they forged it we may be sure they would
have supplied it abundantly with references such as we have suggested.
(3) Having this authority and evidence that the “mother” and
numerous “daughter” systems of the present day were not instituted by
the Lord and the apostles, but resulted from corruptions of their simple
teachings, and are, hence, mere human institutions—attempts to be wiser
than God in the doing of the divine work—let us have the greater
confidence in the Word of God, and let us give the more earnest heed even
to the smallest particulars it sets before us, upon this and all subjects.
During the six thousand years of the world’s history up to the
present time, God has permitted mankind in general to do their best in
solving the problems of life. The
natural man was created with qualities of mind which inclined him to honor
and worship his Creator; and these qualities of mind have not been totally
obliterated by the fall—“total depravity” is certainly not true of
the race in general. As God
has allowed men to exercise the other qualities of their minds as they
chose, so he has permitted them to exercise their moral and religious
traits according to their inclinations. We may see that aside from natural
Israel and spiritual Israel, and the influences which have gone out from
these to the world, God has let the world alone—let it do the best it
could do in the way of self-development, etc. Man in his ignorance and
blindness has largely fallen a prey to the devices of Satan and the fallen
angels, who, through various forms of superstition, false religions,
magic, etc., have turned the masses far from the truth. The Apostle explains the situation, saying that this is so
because when men knew God they glorified him not as God, neither were
thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart
was darkened, and God gave them over—allowed them to take the way they
preferred, to learn certain
[page 205] lessons in connection with their own depravity, and
to manifest by the degradation into which they would fall the exceeding
sinfulness of sin, and the unwisdom of listening to any counsel except
that of their Creator.
As we have already seen, the Lord does not purpose to leave mankind
in this weak and fallen condition; but through the New Creation, in his
own due time, the knowledge of the Lord will reach every member of the
human family, with full opportunity to come to a knowledge of the truth,
and to all the blessings secured through the redemption. But the point
which we wish specially to enunciate here is that, as God has thus left
the heathen nations to themselves, so also he is leaving so-called
“Christendom” to itself. He
is permitting men who have received some of the light of divine revelation
to use it as they please—to try their hand at improvements upon the
divine plan, to organize human systems, etc.
All this does not mean that he has not the power to interfere, nor
that he approves of these various conflicting and, more or less, injurious
devices and institutions of humanity and Churchianity.
These experiences will constitute another lesson, which by and by
will reprove many, when they shall recognize the grand outcome of the
divine plan and see how God kept steadily on, working out the
accomplishment of his original purposes, practically ignoring the schemes
and devices of man, and accomplishing his results sometimes partly through
them and sometimes in absolute opposition to them.
Just so he did in the end of the Jewish age, when he permitted some
of that nation to accomplish his plan in persecuting and crucifying the
Lord and his apostles. And as
some of them were “Israelites indeed,” afterward blessed and uplifted
and made partakers of the sufferings of Christ that by and by they might
also be partakers of his glories, so now there are probably spiritual
“Israelites indeed” who, Paul-like, will be recovered from the snares
of the Adversary.
Another point is worthy of notice: the Lord has a special time for
the beginning of his Kingdom, a special time, therefore, in which his
elect New Creation shall be developed
[page 206] and prepared for his service; and apparently it was a
part of his plan that special light should shine upon the beginning and
upon the close of this period. The
Apostle intimates this when he refers to us “upon whom the ends of the
ages have come.” (1 Cor. 10:11) It
was in the lapping
of the Jewish and Gospel ages that the Way, the Truth and the Life first
were manifested; “Dark Ages” intervened, and now in the lapping time
of the Gospel and Millennial ages the light shines as never before—on
“things new and old.” While we are to suppose that those in accord
with the Lord in the beginning of the age were given special light, and
that such now, in the close of the age, will be favored with the light of
Present Truth that they may thereby be sanctified, we are not to think
that the same measure of light was necessary to sanctification during
centuries intervening, some of which are known as the “Dark Ages.”
We are not to suppose that the Lord ever left himself without
witnesses, however they may have been ignored on the pages of history; but
are to regard this ignoring as due to their comparative obscurity and to
their being out of touch and out of sympathy with the great anti-Christian
systems—even though some of them may have been in those systems.
So the Lord’s call, applicable now, clearly indicates that we
should expect to find many of the Lord’s people in, and confused and bewildered by, sectarianism, in Babylon:
“Babylon the great is fallen.” “Come
out
of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that
ye receive not of her plagues.” Rev. 18:2,4
Having thus taken a cursory view of the Church and her limited
history, let us come more particularly to an examination of the Church as
it was originally instituted by our Lord.
As there is but one Spirit
of the Lord, which all who are his must possess, so there is but one Head
and center
of the Church, our Lord Jesus. We
are to remember, however, that in all of his work the Father was freely
acknowledged, and that according to his own account his work was done in
the Father’s name, by the Father’s authority—“Every plant which my
Heavenly Father hath not planted shall be
[page 207] rooted up.” (Matt. 15:13) The true Church, the New Creation, is of the Father’s
planting. Our Lord says, I am
the true Vine, ye are the branches and my Father is the Husbandman. Later
on he points out that there is a “Vine of the Earth,” a nominal
church, a false church, that was not of the Father’s planting, and which
shall be rooted up. The
fruitage of the True Vine is Love, and is precious to the Father; but the
fruitage of the Vine of the Earth is selfishness in various forms, and
will be ultimately gathered into the great winepress of the wrath of God
in the great time of trouble with which this age will close. John 15:1-6;
Rev. 14:19
Every Bible student has surely observed that our Lord and the
apostles recognized no division in the Church and ignored everything like
schism, both in fact and in name. With them the Church was one and
indivisible, like its one faith, one Lord and one baptism.
It was spoken of from this standpoint as the Church, the Church of
God, the Church of the Living God, the Church of Christ, the Church of
Firstborns; and the individuals of it were called “Brethren,”
“Disciples,” “Christians.” All these names are used indiscriminately of the whole Church
and of the smallest gatherings—even the twos and threes—and of the
individuals, at Jerusalem or Antioch or elsewhere.
The variety of these names and their general use clearly implies
that none of them were intended to be proper names.
All were merely illustrative of the great fact which our Lord and
his apostles continually set forth, viz., that the Church (Ecclesia, body, company)
of the Lord’s followers are his “elect”—to share his cross and
learn needed lessons now, and by and by to be associated with him in his
glory.
This custom should have continued, but was changed during the Dark
Ages. When error had
developed, the sectarian spirit came with it and peculiar designations
followed—Church of Rome, Baptist Church, Lutheran Church, Church of
England, Holy Catholic Church, Wesleyan Church, Christian Church,
Presbyterian Church, etc. These are marks of carnality,
as the Apostle points out (1 Cor. 3:3,4); [page 208] and as the New Creation emerges out of the gross
darkness which has so long covered the world it becomes enlightened upon
this point also; and observing the error and appearance of evil, not only
comes out of sectarianism, but refuses to be known by these unscriptural
names—though willingly answering to any or all that are Biblical.
Let us now examine the foundations of the one Church which the Lord
established:
The
Twelve Apostles of the Lamb
The Apostle declares that other foundation can no man lay than that
is laid—Jesus Christ. (1 Cor. 3:11)
Upon this foundation our Lord, as the Father’s representative,
began to rear his Church, and in so doing he called twelve apostles—not
by accident, but by design, just as the twelve tribes of Israel were not
twelve by accident, but in conformity to the divine plan.
Not only did the Lord not choose more than those twelve apostles
for that position, but he has never given authority since for any
more—barring the fact that Judas, having proved himself unworthy of a
position amongst the twelve, fell from his place and was succeeded by the
Apostle Paul.
We notice with what care the Lord watched over the apostles—his
carefulness for Peter, his praying for him in the hour of his trial, and
his special appeals to him afterward to feed his sheep and his lambs.
We note also his care for doubting Thomas and his willingness to
demonstrate to him thoroughly the fact of his resurrection.
Of the twelve, he lost none save the son of perdition—and his
deflection was already foreknown to the Lord and foretold in the
Scriptures. We cannot
recognize the choice of Matthias recorded in Acts as in any sense of the
word the Lord’s selection. He was, doubtless, a good man, but was chosen
by the eleven without authority. They
had been instructed to tarry at Jerusalem and wait for endowment from on
high by the holy Spirit at Pentecost, and it was during this waiting
period, and before they were endued with power, that
[page 209] they mistakenly cast lots and chose Matthias to take
the place of Judas. The Lord
did not reprove them for this undesigned meddling with his arrangement,
but simply ignored their choice, and in his own time brought forward the
Apostle Paul, declaring, “He is a chosen vessel unto me”; and, again,
we have the Apostle’s statement that he was chosen from his mother’s
womb to be a special servant; and, further, that he was not a whit behind
the chiefest of the apostles. Gal. 1:15; 2 Cor. 11:5
From this it will be seen that we are entirely out of accord with
the views of Papacy and of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and of the
Catholic-Apostolic Church, and of the Mormons, all of whom claim that the
number of the apostles was not limited to twelve, and that there have been
successors since their day who spoke and wrote with equal authority with
the original twelve. We deny
this, and in evidence note how the Lord particularly chose those twelve,
calling to mind the prominence of the number twelve in sacred things
pertaining to this election; and we cap the climax by pointing to the
symbolical picture of the glorified Church furnished in Revelation 21.
There the New Jerusalem—the symbol of the new Millennial
government, the Church, the Bride united to her Lord—is very clearly
delineated; and in the picture the statement is most distinctly made that
the twelve foundations of the City are precious, and that in the twelve
foundations were the names written of the “twelve
apostles of the Lamb”—no more, no less. What better proof could we
have that there were never more than twelve of these apostles of the Lamb,
and that any others were, as the Apostle Paul suggests, “false
apostles.” 2 Cor. 11:13
Nor can we imagine any need of more apostles; for we still have
those twelve with us—their testimony and the fruit of their labors—in
a much more convenient form than had those who were personally with them
during their ministry. The records of their ministries are with us; their
records of the Lord’s words, miracles, etc.
Their discourses on the various topics of Christian doctrine in
their epistles are in our [page 210] hands today in a most satisfactory manner.
These things are “sufficient,” as the
Apostle explains “that the man of God may be thoroughly furnished.”
Explaining the matter further the Apostle declared, “I have not
shunned to declare the whole counsel of God.”
What more is necessary? 2 Tim. 3:17; Acts 20:27
Immediately succeeding his forty days of meditation and testing by
the Adversary in the wilderness, and having determined upon the proper
course, our Lord began to preach the Gospel of the coming Kingdom and to
invite followers, who were called disciples.
It was from amongst these disciples that he eventually chose the
twelve. (Luke 6:13-16) They were all from what might be termed the humbler
walks of life, several of them fishermen, and of them it is declared
without disapproval that the rulers “perceived that they were unlearned
men.” (Acts 4:13) Apparently the twelve were called from amongst the
“disciples” or general followers who espoused the Lord’s cause and
confessed him without leaving their daily avocations.
The twelve were invited to become associates in the ministry of the
Gospel and the record is that they forsook all to follow him. (Matt.
4:17-22; Mark 1:16-20; 3:13-19; Luke 5:9-11)
The “seventy” commissioned later on never were recognized as
apostles. Luke gives us a
particular account of the selection of the twelve, informing us that just
prior to this event our Lord withdrew to a mountain for prayer—evidently
to take counsel with the Father in respect to his work and his colaborers
in it. He continued all night
in prayer—and when it was day he called unto him his disciples (Greek, mathetes—learners
or pupils); and of them he chose twelve, whom he also named apostles
(Greek, apostolos—sent forth ones).
Thus the twelve were marked as separate and distinct amongst the
disciples. Luke 6:12,13,17
The other disciples not thus chosen to apostleship were also
beloved of the Lord, and no doubt they were in full sympathy with his
appointment of the twelve, recognizing it as in the interest of the work
in general. Upon what bases
[page 211] the Lord made his choice is not stated; but we have
the record of his own prayer to the effect that, “Thine they were and
thou gavest them me”; and again, “Of those whom thou hast given me, I
have lost none save the son of perdition”—Judas.
In what sense or to what degree the Father made choice of the
twelve matters nothing to us. No
doubt one qualification which they possessed was humility; and,
undoubtedly, their lowly vocations and previous experiences in life had
been such as tended to make them not only humble men, but to lead
additionally to strength of character, determination, perseverance, etc.,
to a degree which other pursuits might not have done to the same extent.
We are informed that the selection of the twelve at the time it took
place, instead of waiting until Pentecost (the date of the begetting of
the Church), was, in large measure, for the purpose of permitting these
twelve to be specially with the Lord, to behold his works, to hear his
message, that thus they might in due time be witnesses to declare to us
and to all of God’s people at first hand the wonderful works of God, and
the wonderful words of life manifested through Jesus. Luke 24:44-48; Acts
10:39-42
The
Apostolic Commission
There is not the slightest suggestion anywhere, to the apostles or
concerning them, that they were to be lords over God’s heritage; that
they were to consider themselves as different from other believers, exempt
from the operations of divine law, or specially favored or secure as
respects their everlasting inheritance.
They were continually to remember that “all ye are brethren,”
and that “one is your Master, even Christ.”
They were always to remember that it was necessary for them to make
their calling and election sure;
and that unless they obeyed the Law of Love and were humble, as little
children, they should in no wise “enter into the Kingdom.”
They were given no official titles nor any instruction respecting
special garb or peculiar demeanor, but merely that they should in all
these things be ensamples
[page 212] to the flock; that others seeing their good works
should glorify the Father; that others walking in their footsteps should
thus be following in the footsteps of the leader also, and ultimately
attain to the same glory, honor, immortality—partakers of the same
divine nature, members of the same New Creation.
Their commission was one of service—they
were to serve one another, to serve the Lord and to lay down their lives
for the brethren. These
services were to be rendered specially in connection with the promulgation
of the Gospel. They were partakers of the pre-anointing that had already
come upon their Master—the same anointing which pertains to all of the
New Creation, all of the Royal Priesthood, and is described by the
prophet, saying: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed
me to preach good tidings unto the meek,...to bind up the
broken-hearted,” etc. Isa. 61:1,2; Luke 4:17-21; Matt. 10:5-8; Mark
3:14,15; Luke 10:1-17
Although this anointing did not come directly upon them until
Pentecost, they had previously had a foretaste of it in that the Lord
conferred upon them a share of his holy Spirit power, etc., when he sent
them out to preach. But even
in this, special opportunity for pride was taken away when later on our
Lord sent seventy others forth to do a similar work, and similarly
empowered them to perform miracles in his name.
The real work of the apostles did not, therefore, begin in the
proper sense of the word until they had received the holy Spirit at
Pentecost. There, a special
manifestation of divine power was conferred upon them—not only the holy
Spirit and gifts of the Spirit, but also, and specially, power to bestow
these gifts upon others. Thenceforth
they were by this last-mentioned power distinguished from all others of
the Church. Other believers
were counted in as members of the anointed body of Christ, made partakers
of his Spirit and begotten of that Spirit to newness of life, etc.; but
none could have a gift, or special manifestation except as conferred
through these apostles. These
gifts [page 213] of miracles, tongues, interpretations of tongues,
etc., we are, however, to bear in mind, in no sense hindered or took the
place of the fruits of the holy Spirit, which were to be grown or
developed by each of the faithful through obedience to the divine
instructions—as each grew in grace, knowledge and love.
The conferring of these gifts, which a man might receive and yet be
sounding brass, a tinkling cymbal, marked the apostles, nevertheless, as
the special servants or representatives of the Lord in the work of
founding the Church. 1 Cor. 12:7-10; 13:1-3
Our Lord in selecting these apostles, and in instructing them, had
in view the blessing and instruction of all of his followers to the end of
the age. This is evident from
his prayer at the close of his ministry, in which, referring to the
disciples, he said, “I have manifested thy name unto the men [apostles]
which thou gavest me out of the world; thine they were and thou gavest
them me; and they have kept thy Word.
Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me
are of thee. For I have given unto them the words [doctrines] which thou
gavest me and they have received them,...I pray for them: I pray not for
the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
...Neither pray I for these [apostles] alone, but for them also which
shall believe on me through their word [the entire Gospel Church]: that
they all may be one [in purpose, in love], as thou, Father, art in me and
I in thee, that they also may be one in us; [then showing the ultimate
purpose of this election, both of the apostles and of the entire New
Creation, he added]—that the world [loved of God while sinners and
redeemed by the precious blood] may believe that thou hast sent me”—to
redeem and restore them. John 17:6-9,20,21
The apostles, although unlearned men, were evidently strong
characters, and under the Lord’s teaching their lack of worldly wisdom
and education was more than compensated for in “the spirit of a sound
mind.” It is not strange, therefore, that these men were uniformly
recognized [page 214] by the early Church as guides in the way of the
Lord—specially appointed instructors—“pillars in the Church,” next
in authority to the Lord himself. In
various ways the Lord prepared them for this position:
They were with him continually and could, therefore, be witnesses
respecting all the affairs of his ministry, his teachings, his miracles,
his prayers, his sympathy, his holiness, his self-sacrifice even unto
death, and, finally, witnesses of his resurrection.
Not only did the early Church need all these testimonies, but all
who have since been called of the Lord and have accepted his call to the
New Creation—all who have fled for refuge and are trusting in the
glorious hopes centered in his character, in his sacrificial death, in his
high exaltation and in the plan of God he is to fulfil—needed just such
personal testimony in respect to all these matters, to the intent that
they might have strong faith, strong consolation.
Seventy other disciples were sent forth later, by the Lord, to
proclaim his presence and the harvest of the Jewish age, but their work
was different in many respects from that of the twelve.
Indeed in every manner the Lord seemed so specially to set the
apostles apart, that we, with the entire Church, may have fullest
confidence in them. These
alone were participants with him in the last Passover and in the
institution of the new memorial of his own death; these alone were with
him in Gethsemane; it was also to these that he manifested himself
specially after his resurrection; and it was these only who were specially
used as mouthpieces of the holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost.
The eleven were “men of Galilee”; as some who heard them
remarked, “Are not all these Galileans?” Acts 2:7; Luke 24:48-51;
Matt. 28:16-19
Although—as the record shows—our Lord revealed himself after
his resurrection to about five hundred brethren, nevertheless the apostles
were specially dealt with and were intended to be the specific
“witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews and
in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: him God raised up on
the [page 215] third day...And
he commanded us to preach unto the people,” etc. Acts 10:39-45;
13:31; 1 Cor. 15:3-8
The Apostle Paul, although not directly a witness to the same
extent as the eleven, was, nevertheless, made a witness of our Lord’s
resurrection in that he was given a subsequent glimpse of his glorious
presence, as he himself states the matter—“Last of all he was seen of
me also, as of one born out of due time [before the time].” (1 Cor.
15:8,9) The Apostle Paul was
not really entitled to see the Lord in glory before the remainder of the
Church at his Second Advent, when all of his faithful shall be changed and
be made like him and see him as is; but in order that the Apostle might be
a witness he was granted this glimpse and was additionally granted
visions and revelations more than they all. He was thus, perhaps, well compensated for his previous lack
of personal contact with the Master.
Nor were his special experiences merely for his own advantage; but
chiefly, we may presume, for the advantage of the entire Church. Certain it is that the peculiar experiences, visions,
revelations, etc., granted to the Apostle who took the place of Judas,
have been more helpful than those of any other of the apostles.
His experiences permitted him to know and appreciate not only
“the deep things of God”—even some things not lawful to be uttered
(2 Cor. 12:4), but the illumination which they gave to the Apostle’s
mind has through his
writings been reflected upon the Church from his day to the
present time.
It was because the Apostle Paul had those visions and revelations
that he was enabled to grasp the situation and to appreciate the new
dispensation and recognize the lengths and breadths and heights and depths
of the divine character and plan so clearly, and it was because he
appreciated these things clearly himself that he was qualified to state
them in his teachings and epistles in such a manner as to confer blessings
upon the household of faith all down throughout the age.
Indeed, even today, the Church could better afford to lose the
testimonies of any or all of the other
[page 216] apostles than to lose the testimony of this one.
Nevertheless, we are glad to have the full testimony—glad to
appreciate it all, as well as the noble characters of the entire twelve.
Mark the testimony which indicates his apostleship: first of all, the
Lord’s words, “He is a chosen vessel unto me to bear my name before
the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.” (Acts 9:15)
The Apostle’s own declaration is, “I certify you, brethren,
that the Gospel which was preached by me is not of man; for I neither
received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of
Jesus Christ” (Gal. 1:11,12); and again he declares, “He that wrought
effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision [the Jews],
the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles.” (Gal. 2:8)
Not only did his zeal for the Lord and the brethren, and his
willingness in laying down his life for the brethren—in spending time
and energy for their blessing—testify to his worthiness to rank as an
equal of any apostle, but when his apostolic relationship to the Church
was called in question by some, he frankly pointed to this, and to the
Lord’s blessing in connection with his revelations and ministries, etc.,
as proving that he was “not a whit behind” the others. 1 Cor. 9:1; 2
Cor. 11:5,23; 12:1-7,12; Gal. 2:8; 3:5
It was not the Lord’s intention that the apostles should do a
work merely amongst the Jews—quite to the contrary is the record.
He instructed the eleven that his work and their message was for
all the people, ultimately; though they were to tarry at Jerusalem until
endued with power, and were there to begin their testimony. Our Lord’s words were, “Ye shall receive power after that
the holy Spirit is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me both
in Jerusalem and in Judea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of
the earth.” (Acts 1:8) This
witnessing continued not only during the lifetime of the apostles, but
still continues. They are
still preaching to us, still instructing the faithful, still encouraging,
still admonishing, still reproving. Their death did not stop their
ministry. They still speak, still witness, are still mouthpieces of the
Lord to his faithful. [page 217]
The
Inspiration of the Apostles
It is well that we have confidence in the apostles as faithful
witnesses, or historians, and that we notice that their testimonies bear
the stamp of honesty, in that they sought not wealth nor glory amongst
men, but sacrificed all earthly interests in their zeal for the risen and
glorified Master. Their
testimony would be invaluable if it had no further weight than this; but
we find the Scriptures teaching that they were used of the Lord as his
inspired agents, and that they were specially guided of him in respect to
the testimony, doctrines, customs, etc., which they would establish in the
Church. They bore witness not
only to the things they heard and saw, but, additionally, to the
instruction which they received through the holy Spirit; thus they were
faithful stewards. “Let a
man so account of us as...stewards of the mysteries of God,” said Paul
(1 Cor. 4:1). The same
thought was expressed by our Lord when he said respecting the twelve, “I
will make you fishers of men,” and again, “Feed my sheep,” “Feed
my lambs.” The Apostle also
says—The mystery [the deep truths of the Gospel concerning the high
calling of the New Creation—the Christ] hidden in other ages, is now
revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.
The object of this revelation is explained to be: “To make all
men see what is the fellowship of the mystery [upon what terms
participation in this New Creation may be obtained] which from the
beginning of the world has been hid in God.” (Eph. 3:3-11)
Again in describing how the Church is to be built upon the
foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the
chief cornerstone, the Apostle declares “For this cause [for the
building up of the Church, the temple of God], I, Paul [am] the prisoner
of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles.” Eph. 2:20,22; 3:1
The Comforter was promised to “teach you all things and bring all
things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you”; “and he
shall show you things to come.” (John 14:26; 16:13)
To a certain extent, undoubtedly, this is applicable to the entire
Church, but it was specially [page 218] applicable to the apostles; and, indeed, it still
operates toward the remainder of the Church through the apostles—their
words still being the channels through which the holy Spirit teaches us
things both new and old. In harmony with this promise we may understand
the apostolic inspiration to have been of a threefold character. (1) Refreshment of memory enabling them to recall and
reproduce the Lord’s personal teachings.
(2) Guidance into an appreciation of the truth pertaining to the
divine plan of the ages. (3)
Special revelations of things to come—the things of which our Lord
declared, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear
them now.” John 16:12
We are not to suppose that the refreshment of the memory of the
apostles implied a dictation of the exact phraseology or of the exact
order of our Lord’s words. Nor
do the apostolic writings give evidence of such a dictation.
The Lord’s promise, however, is itself a guarantee of the
correctness of their statements. In
each of the four Gospels we have a history of the Lord’s early life and
ministry; yet in each the individuality of the writer is manifested.
Each in his own style records those items which seem to him most
important; and under the Lord’s supervision these various accounts
furnish altogether as complete a history as is necessary for the
establishment of the faith of the Church, of the identity of Jesus as the
Messiah of the prophets, of the fulfilment of the prophecies concerning
him, of the facts of his life and of his teachings.
Had the inspiration been verbal (a word-for-word dictation), it
would not have been necessary for several men to rephrase the narrative;
but it is noteworthy that while each writer exercised his individual
freedom of expression and made his own choice of the events most important
and worthy of record, the Lord by his holy Spirit so supervised the matter
that nothing of importance was omitted—all that is needed is faithfully
recorded—“that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished.”
It is interesting to note that the Apostle John’s record
supplements the other three—Matthew,
[page 219] Mark and Luke—and that he chiefly discourses of
circumstances and incidents of importance omitted by the others.
The Lord’s proposition that he would through the holy Spirit
guide the apostles, and through them the New Creation, “into all
truth,” implies that the guidance would be a general one rather than a
personal and individual guidance into all truth—the fulfilment after
this manner is evidenced by the records.
Although the apostles, with the exception of Paul, were plain and
unlearned men, nevertheless their scriptural expositions are very
remarkable. They were able to
“confound the wisdom of the wise” theologists of their day—and ever
since. However eloquent the
error, it cannot stand before the logic of their deductions from the Law
and the Prophets and the teachings of the Lord.
The Jewish Doctors of the Law remarked this, and, as we read,
“took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus”—that they had
learned his doctrine and copied his spirit. Acts 4:5,6,13
The apostolic epistles consist of such logical arguments based upon
the inspired writings of the Old Testament and upon the words of the Lord;
and all who, throughout this Gospel age, have partaken of the same spirit
by following the lines of argument which the Lord through his mouthpieces
has set before us, are guided to the same truthful conclusions; so that
our faith does not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. (1
Cor. 2:4,5) Nevertheless, in
these teachings, as well as in their historical presentations, we have no
evidence of a word-for-word dictation—no evidence that they were merely
amanuenses of the Lord, speaking and writing in a mechanical manner as did
the prophets of olden times. (2 Pet. 1:21)
Rather, the apostles’ clear-sighted view was an illumination of
the mind which enabled them to see and appreciate the divine purposes and
thus to state them clearly; just as all of the Lord’s people since,
following their leading, have been enabled to grow in grace and in
knowledge and in love, and so have been enabled to “comprehend with all
saints what is the breadth,
[page 220] and length, and depth, and height; and to know the
love of Christ, which passeth [all human] knowledge.” Eph 3:18,19
Nevertheless, we are fully justified in the belief that their other
teachings, as well as their historical accounts, were so supervised by the
Lord that improper words were avoided, and that the truth was set forth in
such a form as to constitute “meat in due season” for the household of
faith from their day to the present.
This divine supervision of the apostles was indicated in advance by
our Lord’s words, “Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in
heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in
heaven.” (Matt. 18:18) We
would understand this to signify, not that the Lord would yield his
prerogative and become obedient to the dictates of the apostles, but that
they should be so kept, so guided by the holy Spirit, that their decisions
in the Church, respecting what things should be considered obligatory and
what things should be considered optional, would be proper decisions; and
that the Church in general, therefore, might know that the matters were
fixed, settled—the conclusions arrived at being the Lord’s decision as
well as that of the apostles.
Upon
This Rock Will I Build My Church
It was in full accord with this that, after the Apostle Peter had
borne witness that our Lord was the Messiah, “Jesus answered and said
unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not
revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter [petros—a
stone, a rock], and upon this rock [petra—a mass of rock—the great fundamental rock of truth,
which you have just expressed] I will build my Church.” The Lord himself is the builder, as he himself also is
declared to be the foundation, “Other foundation can no man lay than
that is laid—Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor. 3:11) He is the great Rock, and
Peter’s confession of him as such was, therefore, a rock testimonial—a
declaration of the foundation principles underlying the divine plan.
The
[page 221] Apostle Peter so understood this matter and so
expressed his understanding. (1 Pet. 2:5,6)
He declared all truly consecrated believers to be “living stones”
who come to the great Rock of the divine plan, Christ Jesus—to be built
up as a holy temple of God through union with him—the foundation. Peter,
therefore, disowned any pretension to being the foundation-stone himself
and properly classed himself in with all the other “living stones”
(Gr. lithos) of the
Church—though petros, rock, signifies a larger stone than lithos,
and all the apostles as “foundation” stones would in the divine plan
and order have a larger importance than their brethren. Rev. 21:14
Keys
of Authority
In the same connection the Lord said to Peter, “I will give unto
thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on
earth shall be bound in heaven,” etc.
Thus the same authority given to the apostles as a whole was
specifically expressed to Peter, with the additional privilege or honor of
the keys—the opening power or authority.
We remember how the Apostle Peter used the keys of the Kingdom and
did the opening work of the new
dispensation, first, to the Jews at Pentecost, and, later, to the Gentiles
at the house of Cornelius. On
the Day of Pentecost, when the holy Spirit was poured out, we read that
“Peter stood up with the eleven”—he took the initiative; he opened, the others
followed, and the gospel invitation was thus thrown open to the Jews.
In the case of Cornelius the Lord sent messengers to Peter, and
specially directed him by a vision to follow their invitation, and thus
particularly used him in opening the door of mercy, liberty and privilege
to the Gentiles—that they also might come into and share the privilege
of the high calling of the New Creation. These matters are in full accord
with what we have seen respecting the Lord’s purposes in connection with
the choice of the twelve apostles. And
the more clearly the Lord’s people discern the fact that these twelve
men were made the peculiar representatives of the new dispensation and
their
[page 222] words the special channels of truth in respect to the
New Creation, the more thoroughly they will be prepared to accept their
words, and the more disinclined they will be to indorse the teachings of
others in conflict with their testimony. “If they speak not according to
this Word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isa. 8:20
The last proposition of our Lord’s promise reads, “He [the
Father’s holy Spirit] shall show you things to come.” This implies a
special inspiration of the apostles, and indirectly it implies the
blessing and enlightenment of the Lord’s people down to the very close
of this age, through their teachings.
They were thus not only to be holy apostles, but also prophets, or
seers making known future events to the Church.
It is not necessary to suppose that all of the apostles were used
to the same extent in any or all of these ways of service.
The fact is that some were honored more not only in privileges of
service as apostles, but also more in showing the things to come.
The Apostle Paul points out various things to come: the great
falling away in the Church; the revealing of the “Man of Sin”; the
mystery respecting the second coming of the Lord, and that we shall not
all sleep, though we must all be changed; the mystery, hidden from past
ages and dispensations, that the Church, including the Gentiles, should be
fellow-heirs of the promise made to Abraham—that his seed should bless
all the families of the earth, etc., etc.
He points out, also, that in the end of the age evil conditions
will prevail in the Church; that men will be lovers of pleasure more than
lovers of God, having the form of godliness but denying the power thereof;
covenant breakers, etc., and that “grievous wolves” (destructive
higher critics) would not spare the Lord’s flock. Indeed, all of the
writings of the Apostle Paul are brilliantly illuminated by the visions
and revelations which he enjoyed as a seer of things that in his day were
still future and not proper to be fully explained, but which now are
manifest to the saints through the types and prophecies of the Old
Testament—understandable now in the light of the [page 223] apostles’ words because the “due time” has come
for them to be understood.
The Apostle Peter, also, as a seer points out the coming of false
teachers into the Church who privily, secretively, will bring in damnable
heresies, even denying that the Lord bought them.
Looking down to our day he prophesies saying, “There shall come
in the last days scoffers... saying, Where is the promise of his
[Christ’s] presence?” etc. He
prophesied also that “The day of the Lord shall so come as a thief in
the night,” etc.
The Apostle James likewise prophesies respecting the end of this
age, saying, “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for the miseries
that shall come upon you...Ye have heaped treasure together for the last
days,” etc.
The Apostle John, however, was the most remarkable seer, or prophet
of all the apostles: his visions, constituting the Book of Revelation,
delineating in the most remarkable manner the things to come.
The
Apostolic Infallibility
From the foregoing we are fully justified in believing that the
apostles were so guided by the Lord, through his holy Spirit, that all of
their public utterances were of divine inspiration for the admonition of
the Church, and no less infallible than the utterances of the prophets of
the preceding dispensation. But
while feeling thus assured in respect to the truthfulness of their
testimony and that all of their utterances to the Church have the divine
approval, it is well that we examine carefully five different
circumstances, mentioned in the New Testament, which are usually
considered as opposed to the thought that the apostles did not err in
their teachings. We will
scrutinize these separately.
(1) Peter’s denial of our Lord just prior to his crucifixion. It
cannot be disputed that Peter here was overtaken in a serious wrong, for
which afterward he was sincerely penitent; but we should not forget that
this transgression though committed after his choice as an apostle, was
prior [page 224] to his being anointed by the holy Spirit at
Pentecost, and his divine endowment as an apostle in the fullest sense.
Furthermore, the infallibility we have claimed for the apostles is
that which applies to their public teachings and
writings, and not to all the incidents and minutiae of their lives, which,
unquestionably, were affected by the blemishes of their earthen vessels,
marred by the fall in which all of Adam’s children have suffered.
The Apostle’s words that “we have this treasure in an earthen
vessel,” evidently applied to himself and the other apostles, as well as
to all of the Church—recipients of the holy Spirit.
Our share, as individuals, in the great atoning work of our Master,
covers these blemishes of the flesh which are contrary to our desires as
New Creatures.
The apostolic office for the service of the Lord and the Church was
entirely apart from the mere weaknesses of the flesh, and was conferred
upon them not because of human perfection, but while they were admittedly
“men of like passions” with ourselves. (Acts 14:15)
The office did not bring restitution—perfection to their mortal
bodies—but merely the new mind and the holy Spirit to guide these.
It did not make their thoughts and actions perfect, but merely
overruled those thoughts and actions so that the public teachings of the
twelve are infallible—the Word of the Lord. This is the kind of
infallibility claimed for the popes—that when the pope speaks ex
cathedra, or officially, he is overruled of God and not permitted
to err. This inerrancy of the
popes is claimed for them on the basis that they are also
apostles—overlooking and ignoring the fact that the Scriptures teach
that there are but “twelve apostles of the Lamb.”
(2) Peter on one occasion “dissembled”—was guilty of
double-dealing. (Gal. 2:11-14) This
is pointed to as a proof that the apostles were not infallible in conduct. We concede this as we perceive the apostles also avowed it
(Acts 14:15); but we repeat that these human weaknesses were not permitted
to mar their work or usefulness as apostles—who “preached the gospel
with the holy Spirit sent down from heaven” (1 Pet. 1:12; Gal.
1:11,12)—not with man’s wisdom, [page 225] but with the wisdom from above. (1 Cor. 2:5-16)
This error on Peter’s part God promptly corrected through the
Apostle Paul, who kindly, but firmly, “withstood him to the face because
he was to be blamed”; and that it was properly received by the Apostle
Peter, and that he quite overcame this weakness in respect to preference
for the Jews, is abundantly witnessed by his two epistles, in which no
trace of wavering on the subject can be found, nor any lack of
faithfulness in acknowledgment to the Lord.
(3) It is claimed that the apostles expected the Lord’s second
advent to take place very quickly, possibly in their own lifetime, and
that in this they erred doctrinally and showed that their teachings are
untrustworthy. We answer that
the Lord declared that he left the apostles in uncertainty respecting the
time of the second coming and the establishment of the Kingdom—simply
telling them and all to watch, in order that when the event should be due
they might know and not be in darkness on the subject as the world in
general will be. Their
inquiry about this matter after the Lord’s resurrection brought from him
the answer, “It is not for you to know the times and the seasons which
the Father hath put in his own power.”
Shall we then find fault with the apostles for a matter which the
Lord declared to be, for a time, a divine secret?
Surely not. We do
find, however, that under the guidance of the Spirit in respect to
“things to come,” the apostles were very guarded in their expressions
in respect to the time of the second advent; and so far from expecting the
matter in their own lifetime their words indicate the contrary.
For instance, the Apostle Peter distinctly says that he wrote his
epistles to the intent that his testimony might be with the Church after
his decease—a clear evidence that he did not expect to live until the
establishment of the Kingdom. (2 Pet. 1:15)
The Apostle Paul, while declaring that “the time is short,” did
not pretend to say how short. Indeed,
viewed from the standpoint of a week of seven one-thousand-year days—the
seventh of which would bring the Kingdom—more than four-sixths of the
waiting time had
[page 226] already passed, and the time was far spent.
In exactly the same way we speak of such matters now respecting
earthly affairs, when on Thursday we say that the week will soon be gone.
Paul also spoke of the time of his departure, of his readiness to
lay down his life, of his preference so to do.
He points out that the day of the Lord would so come as a thief in
the night. Some false
impressions on the subject he corrected, saying, “Be not soon shaken in
mind nor yet be troubled: neither by spirit nor by word nor by epistle as
from us, as that the day of Christ is now present.
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come
except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed,
the son of perdition,” etc....”Remember ye not that when I was with
you I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth, that he might be revealed
in his own season.”
(4) It is objected that Paul, who wrote, “I, Paul, say unto you,
that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing” (Gal. 5:2),
caused Timothy to be circumcised. (Acts 16:3) And we are asked, Did he not
thereby teach falsely, and in contradiction to his own testimony?
We answer, No: Timothy was a Jew, because his mother was a Jewess
(Acts 16:1); and circumcision was a national custom amongst the Jews,
which began before
the Law of Moses and which was continued after Christ had “made an end
of the Law [Covenant], nailing it to his cross.”
Circumcision was given to Abraham and his seed four hundred and
thirty years before the Law was given to Israel as a nation at Mount
Sinai. Peter was designated
the Apostle to the circumcision (i.e., to the Jews), and Paul, the Apostle
to the uncircumcision (i.e., to the Gentiles). Gal. 2:7,8
His argument of Gal. 5:2 was not addressed to Jews. He was addressing Gentiles, whose only reason for desiring or
even thinking about circumcision was that certain false teachers were
confusing them, by telling them that they must keep the Law Covenant, as
well as accept Christ, thus leading them to ignore the Grace
Covenant. The Apostle [page 227]
here shows that for them to be circumcised (for
any such reason) would be a repudiation of the Grace Covenant,
and, hence, a repudiation of the entire work of Christ. He found no objection to Jews continuing their national
custom of circumcision: this is evident from his words in 1 Cor. 7:18,19,
as well as in his course with Timothy.
Not that it was necessary
for Timothy or any other Jew to be circumcised; but that it was not
improper; and that, as he would be going amongst Jews to a considerable
extent, it would be to his advantage—giving him the confidence of the
Jews. But we see Paul’s
steadfast resistance, on this subject, when some who misconceived the
matter sought to have Titus—a full-blooded Greek—circumcised. Gal.
2:3-5
(5) The account of Paul’s course, recorded in Acts 21:20-26, is
reflected upon as being contrary to his own teachings of the truth; and as
indicating his errancy as respects doctrines and practices.
It is claimed that it was because of wrongdoing in this instance
that Paul was permitted to suffer so much as a prisoner, and was finally
sent to Rome. But such a view
is not borne out by Scripture-stated facts.
The record shows that throughout this entire experience Paul had
the sympathy and approval of all the other apostles, and, above all, the
Lord’s continued favor. His
course was at the instance of the other apostles.
It was testified to him by prophecy, before he went to Jerusalem
(Acts 21:10-14), that bonds and imprisonment awaited him; and it was in
obedience to his convictions of duty that he braved all those predicted
adversities. And when in the
very midst of his trouble, we read: “The Lord stood by him and said,
‘Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast
testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at
Rome.’“ Later we find the
Lord again showing him favor, as we read: “There stood by me the angel
of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be
brought before Caesar: and lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with
thee.” Acts 23:11; 27:23,24
In view of these facts, we must seek an understanding of [page 228]
Paul’s course in correspondence with his uniformly
bold and noble course—esteeming very highly the work and testimony which
God not only did not reprove, but did approve. Coming then to the
examination of Acts 21:21-27, we notice (verse 21) that Paul had not
taught that Jewish
converts should not circumcise their children; nor did he repudiate the
Mosaic law—rather, he honored it, by pointing out the greater and
grander realities which Moses’ law so forcibly typified.
So far, therefore, from repudiating Moses, he honored Moses and the
Law, saying: “The Law is just and holy and good,” and pointed out that
by it the knowledge
of the heinousness of sin had been increased; that the Law was so grand
that no imperfect man could obey it fully, and that Christ, by keeping it,
had won its rewards, and now under the Grace Covenant was offering
everlasting life and blessings as a gift to those unable
to keep the law, but by faith, accepted as the covering of their
imperfections his perfect obedience and sacrifice, and who became his
followers in the path of righteousness.
Certain ceremonies of the Jewish dispensation—such as the fasts,
the celebration of new moons and Sabbath days and feasts—were typical of
spiritual truths belonging to the Gospel age.
The Apostle clearly shows that the Gospel of the Grace Covenant
neither enjoins nor forbids these (the Lord’s Supper and Baptism being
the only injunctions of a symbolic character commanded us, and they new
ones). Col. 2:16,17; Luke 22:19; Matt. 28:19
One of these Jewish symbolic rites, termed “purifying,” was
that observed by Paul and the four Jews, in the case which we are now
examining. Being Jews, they
had a right, if they chose, not only to consecrate themselves to God, in
Christ, but also to perform the symbol of this purification. And this is what they did—the men who were with
Paul having made, additionally, a vow to humiliate themselves, before the
Lord and the people, by having their heads shaven.
These symbolic ceremonies cost something; and the charges
presumably made up the “offering” of money—so much for each, to defray the expenses
of the Temple. [page 229]
The Apostle Paul never taught the Jews that they were free from the Law—but,
on the contrary, that the Law had dominion over each of them so long as he
lived. He showed, however,
that if a Jew accepted Christ, and became “dead
with him,” it settled the claims of the Law Covenant upon such
Jew, and made him God’s freeman
in Christ. (Rom. 7:1-4) But he did teach the Gentile converts that they
had never been under the Jewish Law Covenant, and that for them to attempt
the practice of Jewish Law ceremonies and rites would imply that they were
trusting in those symbols for their salvation, and not relying wholly upon
the merit of Christ’s sacrifice. And
to this all of the apostles assented. See Acts 21:25; 15:20,23-29.
Our conclusion is that God did most wonderfully use the twelve
apostles, making them very able ministers of his truth, and guiding them
supernaturally in the subjects upon which they wrote—so that nothing
profitable to the man of God has been omitted—and, in the very words of
their original writings, manifested a care and wisdom beyond what even the
apostles themselves comprehended. Praise God for this sure foundation for
our faith!
The
Apostles Not Lord Of God’s Heritage
Are the apostles to be regarded as in any sense lords in the Church? or,
in other words, When the Lord and Head of the Church departed, did any of
them take the place of the Head? or did they together constitute a
composite head, to take his place and assume the reins of government? Or were they, or any of them, what the popes of Rome claim to
be, as their successors—the vicars or substitutes of Christ to the
Church, which is his body?
Against such hypothesis we have the plain statement of Paul (Eph.
4:4,5) “There is one body” and “one Lord”; and, therefore, among the various members of that
body, no matter what may be the relative importance of some, only the one
Lord and Head is to be recognized.
This the Lord also clearly taught when, addressing the multitudes
and his disciples, he said, “The Scribes and Pharisees...love...to [page 230]
be called Rabbi; but be not ye called Rabbi; for one
is your Master, and all ye are brethren.” (Matt. 23:1,2,6-8)
And again, addressing the apostles, Jesus said, “Ye know that
those presuming to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and
their great ones exercise authority over them, but
it shall not be so among you; but whosoever will be great among
you shall be your servant, and whosoever of you will be the chiefest shall
be servant of all; for even the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto,
but to minister [serve] and to give his life a ransom for many.” Mark
10:42-45
Nor have we any evidence that the early Church ever regarded the
apostles as lords in the Church, or that the apostles ever assumed such
authority or dignity. Their
course was very far indeed from the papal idea of lordship, and from that
of the prominent ministers in all Christian sects.
For instance, Peter never styled himself “the prince of the
apostles,” as papists style him; nor did he and the others ever title
each other, or receive such homage from the Church.
They addressed or referred to one another simply as Peter, John,
Paul, etc., or else as Brother Peter, Brother John, etc.; and all of the
Church were similarly greeted—as brothers and sisters in Christ.
(See Acts 9:17; 21:20; Rom. 16:23; 1 Cor. 7:15; 8:11; 2 Cor. 8:18;
2 Thess. 3:6,15; Philemon 7,16.) And it is written that even the Lord
himself was not ashamed to call them all “brethren” (Heb. 2:11), so
far is he from any domineering attitude in the exercise of his true and
acknowledged lordship or authority.
Nor did any of these leading servants in the early Church go about
in priestly robes, or with cross and rosary, etc., courting the reverence
and homage of the people; for, as the Lord had taught them, the chiefest
among them were those who served most.
Thus, for instance, when persecution scattered the Church and drove
them out of Jerusalem, “the eleven” bravely stood their ground,
willing to do whatever might come; because in this trying time the Church
abroad would look to them at Jerusalem for encouragement and
[page 231] help. Had
they fled, the whole Church would have felt dismayed and panic-stricken.
And we find James perishing by the sword of Herod; Peter, with a
similar fate in view, thrust into prison and chained to two soldiers (Acts
12:1-6); and Paul and Silas in their ministry beaten with many stripes,
and then cast into prison and their feet made fast in the stocks; and Paul
enduring “a great fight of afflictions.” (Acts 16:23,24; 2 Cor.
11:23-33) Did they look like
lords or act like lords? Surely
not.
Peter was very explicit in this matter, when counseling the elders
to “feed the
flock of God.” He
did not say your
flock, your people, your
church, as many ministers today speak, but the flock of God, not
as lords of the heritage, but being patterns to the
flock—patterns of humility, faithfulness, zeal and godliness. (1 Pet.
5:1-3
