New Thoughts (05/09/13-05/14/13)
At first glance, it would seem as though these instructions to wait in Jerusalem run counter to the instructions the women were told to pass along, concerning the disciples going to Galilee. Matthew, as we shall see in the next study, indicates that the eleven did indeed go to that place in Galilee which Jesus had indicated (Mt 28:16). But, here in Luke, we find them tarrying in Jerusalem even before receiving these instructions, and the book of Acts would seem to indicate that they pretty much set up permanent headquarters there. It would certainly appear that they remained there through to the observance of Pentecost. But, is that explicitly stated? No.
Further, it is not necessary to read Matthew as indicating an immediate departure. Ten of the eleven, if we are piecing the picture together correctly, had personally encountered the risen Jesus by the end of that first day after the Sabbath. It seems clear, however, that Thomas would not have been inclined to pursue this rendezvous in Galilee unless and until he had his own doubts addressed. This, we are told, did not happen until some eight days later. And it is upon that later occasion that we arrive at this message from Jesus specifying that they are to remain in Jerusalem until endued with power in the Holy Spirit.
It is also clear that up until this occasion their comprehension of what this was all about remained very limited. They have accepted that Jesus is not dead. Do they truly comprehend that He has indeed been resurrected? That He was dead for a while there? I think so, but I’m not entirely certain. At any rate, something has led them to remain in the city for that time, and as I explored in the previous study, I a reasonably certain that something was the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Those eight days were pretty much a given, even with the instructions to head back to Galilee. That would have to wait until the observance of that feast was complete, and by then, they had this second encounter with Jesus, and received the additional instructions about remaining in town until further notice.
We must conclude, then, that everything up to and including that Pentecost outpouring had to have transpired prior to them returning to Galilee. That they did return to Galilee is clear from Matthew, and it is on that occasion, according to him, that they received that which we speak of as the Great Commission. Yet, the commission had clearly already been given in part by the time of the Spirit’s outpouring. So, then, these things from early in the book of Acts must precede the return, I think: “He gathered them, telling them to remain in Jerusalem to wait for the Father’s promise which they had heard from Him” (Ac 1:4), “Having been exalted to God’s right hand, and receiving the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, He has poured this out, which you see and hear” (Ac 2:33). The former but echoes what they have been told here, tying the two books by Luke neatly together. The latter indicates the fulfillment of the terms specified. Here was that power. Now you may proceed. Luke makes no mention of this return to Galilee.
I must note this problem with the analysis, though. Somewhere well prior to that Pentecost outpouring, Jesus had ascended into heaven. Indeed, He has made it clear that until His Ascension, the Spirit could not (or would not, if that feels better) be sent. That would seem to indicate that the commissioning in Galilee came prior to the Pentecost outpouring. Is it necessary to understand that order, though? What, after all, does Matthew say of that occasion? He says they met at ‘the mountain which Jesus had designated’, and that they worshiped Him when they saw Him (Mt 28:16-17). Does this preclude Him having ascended? Does this preclude a Christophany on that occasion? Read with a certain mindset, one could almost find it hinting at such a Christophany. Further, if we understand Jesus, in His present state, to be fully God and fully Man, then I cannot even suppose that a physical presence on His part is precluded, can I? So perhaps this problem is no problem at all.
I feel it necessary, though, to continue to remind both myself and whoever else might read these thoughts that they are but thoughts. They are opinions, the efforts of one man to sort and sift the events of the Gospels so as to understand how things fit together, how these sundry bits of detail combine to present the Truth rather than contradictory testimony.
Given Understanding (05/11/13-05/12/13)
If I have come even close to understanding, then I must take it as evidence of the same sort of experience the disciples underwent, I think. By this I do not in any way think to elevate myself to their status or authority. By no means! Rather, I perceive the need in myself for the same degree of humility that allowed them to speak openly of their own shortcomings, and how much they were dependent upon Jesus to be of any use to anyone.
Just last Sunday, we had been discussing the way the disciples seemed to be so dense when it came to what Jesus was telling them outright. We see some hints of that here, when we consider the rather daunting list of parallel verses brought to bear on this short passage. Just thinking about the number of times Jesus had told them explicitly that He must undergo seriously degrading treatment, humiliation by both Jew and Gentile, even be killed; He had told them repeatedly and in various forms that He would rise again the third day. Apparently, He had said this often enough that the chief priests got the message. Yet, the disciples did not. And we wonder at this. How could they fail to grasp His point?
Of course, thinking upon this we must also recall that there was a time when we, too, would read the clear message of Scripture and miss it entirely. We cannot help but observe how many in the culture at large receive clear and repeated testimony about Jesus and the truths of the Bible, yet reject them as naïve myths and folklore. Nice poetry in places, but irrelevant in our enlightened age. And many of us were of that self-same mindset until… That ought to give us the clue we need, but we forget. We have been in the faith long enough that those days when we didn’t believe are all but forgotten. The new man has in large degree lost sight of the old.
What I discovered, or recalled, looking across those parallel passages is that Scripture itself answers our question. Indeed, if all we had was the book of Luke, we would have sufficient to explain these guys. And, as Luke makes clear, the fault does not lie with them. They are not particularly, spectacularly dense. Indeed, they are pretty sharp, in all fairness. But, there is this: “They understood none of these things, and this saying was hidden from them, so they did not comprehend the things that were said” (Lk 18:34). Note well that this comment is made in regard to one of those occasions when Jesus was telling them what was coming. It was exactly that message of Crucifixion and Resurrection that was, according to Luke, “hidden from them.” And then, we come to what I take away as the key to this present passage. “Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures” (v45).
That is exactly it! Up until this point, though they were fed a solid diet of education about the kingdom and about the King, much of it was more or less settling like sediment in their minds. It was not actively understood. But, it was being tucked away for future reference. Up until this point, this day at or near the end of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, all that information was going in, but it was information overload. Lots of data, no understanding. Now, “He opened their minds.” Looking at the original language, that opening has the sense of ‘thoroughly opening’. Thayer adds the nuance that this opening concerns a thing previously closed up and hidden away, thus establishing a linkage between the two verses I have noted. It was hidden. Now, it was most thoroughly opened. It’s as if there had been a dam put in place, holding back from them the understanding of what they had been learning, and now, on this visit, Jesus has set the dynamite to that dam. They are soaked in the deluge of the outpouring of all which they had been taking in these last three years. Yet, they are not overwhelmed by it. They are able to understand it. They can finally put all the pieces together and see the big picture.
This, I should note, suggests to me that there was a great deal of instruction tucked between verse 44 and verse 46. But, then, this is Jesus we’re talking about. It could as easily have come in a flash. But, I sense the passage of several hours here, as He points out all those myriad passages that pointed to Him, that explained Him, that detailed not only how His earthly time must be, but also why, and what His death and resurrection meant for mankind.
Consider that linkage between things being hidden, and then opened up to full understanding, and then look at John’s statement towards the close of his first letter. “We know the Son of God has come and given us understanding so that we can know Him Who is true” (1Jn 5:20a). Back when I was pursuing the study of that letter, I didn’t recognize this implication, I don’t think. That is a huge statement of humility there. Alternately, it could be understood as a counterweight to the Gnostic tendencies of the time. They want to claim this inside knowledge and revelation, do they? Well, they are right in this much: Except the Son of God give understanding, there is no understanding. But, we were there! We who saw Him personally, who were in His physical, earthly presence for years on end (1Jn 1:1), who saw Him dead and saw Him resurrected and saw Him taken into heaven, mind you, what we are teaching you we have from Him. Were it not for Him coming and giving us that understanding, we wouldn’t understand it ourselves.
It’s a two-stroke message. On the one hand, if you want revelation, it is to the Apostles you must turn. If you want God-given, God-imparted Truth, then you’d best rely on these and not the many others who lay claims to dreams and visions that alter the message. Were they there? Did they learn at His feet? Did they enjoy His private tutoring sessions? No. All they have are their vain imaginations. We have the Truth and the reality. On the other hand, we have this only because of Him. He gave us to understand. Were it not for this moment that Luke is presenting, they would still have lots of data, but they would have no idea what to do with it.
As to the mechanics of this opening of their minds, it is admittedly possible that this was the work of a moment; as if a switch were flipped in their brains and suddenly, the whole fabric of Scripture was instantly comprehended. I rather think, though, that what Luke sums up so succinctly actually indicates a much lengthier time of explanation. Would they have had a copy of the Scriptures there to which they could refer? I find, for example, that as Jesus explains these things that are written, He is turning to those passages, pointing them out to His disciples. But, it may have been mental page turning, too. Remember where in Isaiah it says thus and so? How David wrote this in one of his Psalms? Here’s what those things meant! A group sufficiently versed in the Scriptures would recognize the references without having recourse to the actual text. The end result is the same: a great quantity of things suddenly fitting into place, a long, indeed a life-long ‘aha’ moment.
I see it as life-long because even if all the pieces were falling into place, and all these connections between various passages and their own experiences of the last few years were suddenly coming clear, it would still take a good deal of time to fully assess and consider all the ramifications. If this is true, then what about that? If all that we have witnessed the last few weeks was ordained from the beginning, what does this mean for my future?
At first we find the Apostles becoming wholly absorbed in the work of establishing the church, of managing the influx of new believers as they take up their commission in Jerusalem. But, there comes a time when they recognize that this is not going to work. The flood of knowledge that came on this occasion would not suffice to see them through. They must continue to learn and grow. Yes, even they! So it is that we later see them learning the necessity of delegation, just as Moses had so long ago. Their primary purpose must remain that of maintaining close communion, close communication with God, of exploring His Word, and seeking His understanding the more, that they might then impart of His knowledge to their charges.
This was, as it seems a necessity. I dare say, though, that it was also their great joy. What pleasures await the one willing to pursue this path! What depths of both amazement and contentment are given to the one who will diligently seek the Lord both in Word and in prayer. And, I can say this with utmost confidence: It is impossible to exhaust the material!
I need but consider these last several months, as I have been teaching the book of Mark at Sunday School even as this combined study of the Gospels continues. Indeed, it now appears I shall finish Mark for that class before I reach its final verse here. But, the thing is that pursuing Mark in isolation from the other three Gospels, one arrives at different observations, things that are missed in attempting to observe all four simultaneously. The flow of his text, the reasons for his selections, things of this nature are clearer.
I could also look back across last year’s classes on Romans and recall that the whole thing was fresh and new once more, in spite of having spent several years studying that text, and also having revisited it not so long ago as part of the men’s group at my previous church. It just doesn’t get old! The Word is indeed living and vital, and God has this wonderful way of orchestrating things such that the passage we need ‘just happens’ to be before our eyes at the time it is needed.
One could go so far as to say that the whole of this Christian walk is, after its fashion, one long, extended, ‘aha’ moment. Thinking upon that, I can barely imagine what shall ensue when we arrive home in heaven! If the wonder is so great even now, how shall we bear it when we are finally given to see in full? Is it any wonder that we shall need bodily restructuring for our heavenly abode? It’s not just the ethereal nature of the realm, it’s the vastness of Truth, the enormity of Eternity set in plain sight. What marvels lay ahead, and what joy we shall know!
Certain Truth (05/12/13)
Coming to that synopsis of what Jesus was explaining, I am caught by the particular phrasing chosen by the NET. “Thus it stands written”. This does well at implying the certainty of the matter. One may find evidence of that in the syntax of the passage. It is written Perfect Indicative. That writing was done in the past, but bears continuing significance in the present, and it is indeed certain. It is realized. That certainty, that already accomplished realization of the matter, certainly applies to the text itself. Yes, of course! It is written and what is written is necessarily already there on the page for us to read. But, as Jesus is explaining, it is certain and realized in a far more significant sense: It is finished! All that has been written of Him has found its fulfillment, its completion its fullest realization in Him.
Now consider: That does not solely apply to those things which had transpired the last few years. That does not solely apply to the ministry of Jesus, to His Crucifixion and Resurrection. It applies equally to His Ascension, though even as He spoke that remained future, as we perceive matters. It applies equally to what the Apostles would be accomplishing over the next sixty years or so. It applies to what the Church as a whole has accomplished in the centuries since. It applies, as well, to that which remains clearly future to us today. All that is written stands. The finger has crossed the page, and having writ, will make no changes.
This is the beautiful thing about Truth. Truth is not subject to change. Truth is not subject to beliefs. Truth is a thing more solid than rock, more permanent than the cosmos. Truth stands, and because what is written is Truth, it also stands. “What is truth?” Pilate asked Jesus. “I AM the Truth” comes His reply. See! Here in the scroll of God’s Word it is written of Me! How necessary it is for us to recognize, to really internalize that what we have in the Bible is just that: God’s Word. The hand of man may have held the stylus. The personality of man may have shaped the phrasing, and the mind of man made lexical choices. But, over that whole process stands the God Whose own Spirit inspired the men involved, and He is not only the Spirit of Inspiration over the Work He commissioned, He is also Editor-in-Chief. He did not hire on these men as secretaries taking dictation, no. But, He also did not leave them to write whatever happened to cross their minds. They were transcribing Truths here, and it was critical that they get it right. As our pastor pointed out last week, God determined not only the words that would be written, but even the tenses, the voices, the moods used. And yet, in a fashion that leaves us this visibility into the lives of those men through whom it is written.
It is somehow important to us to know that these men are themselves as they write, even though their writing is a thing greater than themselves. I don’t honestly think that they wrote, most of them, with a conscious thought of, “I am recording God’s own words here!” Paul certainly understood himself to be writing with God’s authorization, but he was writing letters, some of them quite personal. Did he see himself as one writing Scripture? I suppose it’s not impossible. Peter certainly seemed to view his efforts in that light. Did Peter see his own letters as Scripture? I suppose we cannot be sure one way or the other, but everything I see about these men leads me to think that they had come to such an end of themselves that any thought so grand as to their own roles must have faded. It was enough and even too much that they were apostles. Yes, they bore that responsibility. But, note that, apart from establishing their authority to speak, they far more often present themselves as servants and slaves of Christ, rather than anything so august as an ambassador.
The critical matter for them is that Truth be presented and Truth be defended. As I step into an elder’s role at our church today, I am mindful of that same critical matter. And, I must add one more to that list: That Truth be exemplified, lived out.
God! Were it not for the certainty of Your Truth, of Your Word, I should faint at the prospect of this task You have set before me. And yes, I do see Your hand in this, as unlikely as it seems to me that I should be set in such a position. But, it is Your Word which holds me. It is Your hand which enfolds me. It is Your purpose that I must now and ever seek to see done. If ever, Lord, I have seen set before me that of which I am wholly incapable, this is it. Yet, it is Your doing, and therefore I am assured, as these Apostles must have been assured, that the certainty of Your Word and Your Will will be my strength, my shield, my guide. Only keep me true to Your purpose, submitted to Your desires, a bondservant in Your household as all those who have served before me.
Misunderstood (05/13/13)
Amongst the accumulated verses considered as amongst those either being fulfilled or recording the fulfillment, we find that comment the people were making as Jesus hung on the cross. “He saved others, yet He cannot save Himself” (Mt 27:42). This demonstrates the degree of misunderstanding that the general populace suffered from. There is, after all, a great distinction between cannot and will not. They certainly did not understand why He was dying, why He would not put up a fight, or work up a miraculous escape.
We must recognize that the passage does make clear that they knew He had done miracles on other occasions. “He saved others…” They’re not suggesting that was all a huge fraud. They are, however, possessed of a much lower view of this Man, given His apparent incapacity when it comes to Himself.
It is also clear that right up until this moment, the Apostles have not done all that much better with understanding their Messiah. They have still, even at this point, got their misconceptions about what it means that He is Messiah. They’ve still got visions of dynasty dancing in their heads, even as they undergo this expansion of comprehension.
But, the thing that really caught my attention as I was looking at that snide comment about how He could not save Himself, is how nearly it can be echoed at times by our own thoughts. Now, we know full well that He lives, that His determination to undergo the death He suffered on the cross was to a purpose. It was not lack of power on His part, but might very well demonstrate a greater power than He had displayed before. It takes, after all, rather a lot to stand firm in the face of that much agony.
How often, though, do our thoughts wander down avenues like, “He healed so and so. Why doesn’t He heal me?” “He’s freed so many from their addictions, why not me?” Why am I still battling this old familiar sin, when I know many who have been granted victory over this very thing? And if we’re not careful, thinking drifts from why won’t He, to why can’t He. It’s that same progression of unbelief that we saw in Thomas. And it’s insidious. The assaults of unbelief have almost as many disguises as do the assaults of pride. It takes vigilance to be alerted to the danger before things get out of hand. It takes the reminder that God is able, and God is good, and if He has chosen to make this my situation, there is a reason. Rather than railing against the unfairness of it all, I do well to consider the purpose of it all. Perhaps (can it be?) I am merely a slow learner, or stubborn.
Perhaps I have not only misunderstood the workings of my Savior, but willfully so, resisting the work of His reforming power in me when it touched upon matters yet too dear to me. I’ll confess that even as I’m considering this, I’m fending off (or simply seeking to recover from) a cold that hit me yesterday. And I’ll confess that much of my thinking yesterday was along the lines of, ‘of all days!’ Here, I am being commissioned as an elder, and I can barely bow my head without leaving a mess on the floor. Here, I must blow my nose every few minutes, and I need to be shaking hands. How this can be? Why, Lord? Why would you time it like this?
And, I still don’t know. I might be inclined to write it up as an attempt by the enemy. But, then I must ask why it is my King opts not to save on this occasion? Now, a cold is a very minor thing, an annoyance really, of little consequence. But, it’s an annoyance. And somehow we adopt that idea that a believer, if he really believes, ought to be free of such annoyances, shouldn’t he? Aren’t we all supposed to be enjoying the abundant life? Is this a result of me, like Peter, not having taken the call to watch and pray seriously enough? Even if it is not, I must say I have been feeling a much greater call towards prayer, seeing this new responsibility that has found me.
I suppose my first prayer must be, Lord grant that I learn from this, learn from Peter, and come to a place of more earnest prayer. Grant that I shall not lean upon my own understanding in this task You have set me, but shall in all things seek Your face, Your will, Your Spirit to guide and inform. If ever I have felt weak in the face of what is required it is now. And I ask with assurance that You may be shown strong in my weakness.
Understood (05/13/13)
Over against the misunderstanding of the past, we have record as well of the clear understanding of the Apostles going forward. Whether it be Peter in his simplicity or Paul in all his cleverness, it is the validity of Scripture that gives basis to their words, even as it is the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit that gives power to the message spoken. I continue to dwell on the implications of this verse, “Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” Paul was no different in that necessity, only in the timing. He would spend a great deal of time unlearning, I think, much of what he had been taught by the Pharisees even as he was learning the Truth. It is a necessary part of coming to understand, that we are shorn of our misundertandings so as to make a place for Truth.
But, look at the samples of preaching that we have from these two. “All the prophets bear witness of Him, that through His name all who believe receive forgiveness of sins” (Ac 10:43). Rest assured that if you, upon hearing this, had any doubts, they would happily list off as many passages as you need to confirm the truth of what was just said. I still have this image of Jesus doing just that as He opens their minds. Of course, they did not have books to leaf through that He might point to this page or that. They likely did not even have a scroll to which they might refer. They had the memories instilled by their parents and their teachers and their days in synagogue.
For us, accustomed to a world of notes and memos, unable (or so it would seem) to manage a simple trip to the store without written reminders of why we went, this seems amazing. How could they hold the Scriptures in their heads to such a degree? Indeed, we come across folks in our own day who have memorized even one of the shorter books of the New Testament and find it unusual, amazing even. But, for them, it was natural. It was the way things were remembered. Shoot, many of them might have been unable to read even if the scroll was there! Given that, the accuracy with which they are able to quote the Scriptures is that much more astounding.
But, there are other messages given. “Let it be known that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you” (Ac 13:38), and here I would move straight to Peter’s first sermon, “There is no salvation elsewhere. No other name has been given among men by which we must be saved” (Ac 4:12). This understanding is threatened in our day. We of the older generation still grasp the truth that there is but One Way to heaven. It is not the case that all roads lead hence, that all these myriad religions just have different names for the One True God. Allah, we understand does not equal Buddha, does not equal Shiva, does not equal the Great Wolf Spirit, does not equal God. There is One. There can be only One. And He has proclaimed in no uncertain terms that His claims are absolutely exclusive. You cannot even come to the Son except the Father draws you hence, and in no wise can you survive approaching the Father except it be through the Son. There is no other name. There is no other path. There is no other hope.
Our children, unfortunately, are being indoctrinated with a different mindset. For them, even though we try so hard to instill an appreciation for Truth, there is this problem that truth is being presented to them as something relative, fluid, malleable. My truth needn’t be the same as yours. You are free to believe what you want, and I’ll believe what I want, and we’ll just pretend that, even though our beliefs are completely orthogonal to one another, we’re both right anyway.
Even we who know better are pressured to adopt such a mindset. This is the whole thrust of multiculturalism, of so-called politically correct speech monitoring and the like. The nature of the workplace requires most of us to labor alongside folks who, if they hold any beliefs at all, hold beliefs far different from our own. We are required to team up with atheists, Buddhists, agnostics, Muslims, and every other sort of belief system. We are required to do so peacefully. We are not allowed to be uncomfortable with these other beliefs. We are not being paid, the reasoning goes, to have moral stances. We are being paid to get a job done, so you’d best leave your morals at the door.
But, to whom do we answer? With Whom have we to do? At what point are these demands to be quiet as to our beliefs even while these others are given permit to voice theirs reasonable accommodation for the workplace, and at what point do they rise to the level of denying Jesus? I am not generally an advocate of gorilla Christianity, in your face attempts to demonstrate one’s faith by how one will not bow to the least restriction on one’s freedom to speak. There is a legitimate call for reticence at the workplace. There has been something of a social contract entered into by the acceptance of employment. But, there is a point at which we must arise and speak. There is a place for setting out occasions for questions to arise. And if the question arises, and there is a break time to be used for the purpose, we are not precluded from answering those questions. Indeed, we ought to be compelled not by our employers but by our Savior to answer at the soonest possible opportunity.
Those whose beliefs differ from ours are not enemies, but prospects. They are ourselves in previous years. They are misled, maybe even stiffly rebellious against the Word of god. They may want no more to do with the Savior than I did before I came to know Him. While we were yet enemies… We daren’t lose sight of the truth of our own rescue. And we daren’t think we can exclude any of these present-day enemies from being discovered to be our brothers, our sisters, further brands pulled from the fires of perdition.
There is no salvation elsewhere. There, we must draw the line. To let some practitioner of false religion go on, to tell him it’s ok that he’s believing a lie. It’s all good. This we dare not do! Or, certainly we ought not dare to do it. We are egging that one on towards something worse than death, and telling them their delusional state is just as much a reality as our own. More, we are denying and defying the command and commission our own Lord and King has set upon us. We are bearing false witness to the Name above all names, and can we really suppose this goes unnoticed? Can we really suppose our God is OK with that? Don’t be fooled! God will not be mocked, most certainly not by His own!
Implications of Understanding (05/14/13)
Earlier, in John’s description of that first appearance of Jesus to the ten, he records Jesus saying, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you” (Jn 20:21). I noticed at the time that, whereas the term He uses to describe His own sending is apestalken, the sending of the disciples is spoken of as pempoo. But, here, Jesus uses the word apostelloo to describe His sending forth the Holy Spirit. This gives us the same root term for Father sending Son and Son sending Spirit. It speaks of having been sent on a specific mission, and implies the sender’s own authority backing that mission, therefore also backing the one sent.
I have to say that this passage gives us a good image of the Trinity in action. The Father promised. Jesus sends. The Spirit arrives to fulfill His mission. The Father sent Jesus to fulfill His mission, and part of that fulfillment is this one. They are together in the work, of one mind. That Jesus comes in the full authority of the Father is due to Him being One with the Father. That the Holy Spirit then comes in the full authority of the Son (and therefore of the Father), is because He is likewise One with both Father and Son.
We needn’t find in this some idea that one is greater and one lesser. That there is an implied command structure does not necessitate such an understanding. That perspective may be a natural enough response for us, that we suppose the one who initiates the command must per force be the greater. But, amongst the persons of the Trinity, this is not the necessary case. They are, He is, after all, One. There is a willing submission, as I see it, but the authority and the power of that authority are not, in this case, delegated one to the other, but rather inherent to each.
It is when the divine appoints the mundane to service that we must arrive at a delegating of that authority, and with that delegating of authority we must also recognize that distinct limits and boundaries are set. Step beyond the limit and all authority is relinquished. Thus, as was heard in the elder commissioning Sunday, we agree to follow ‘so far as he follows Christ’. And not one step further! In so much as my example is able to stand up and say, “follow my example as I follow Christ’s”, it is well. But, I remain human, fallen, an imperfect example. In those imperfections, by all means learn from my mistakes, but not by repeating them!
That is not the direction I had thought to go on this point, but there it is, and it is a worthwhile detour to ponder for a time.
More immediately to the point of the passage, though, consider that: The Holy Spirit is sent with a specific mission. The Holy Spirit, like Jesus, is God’s Apostle. I don’t know that we ever hear of either Son or Spirit described that way. We hear both spoken of as Paraklete, the lawyer sent to our aid. But, they are also Apostello, here on a mission, here for God’s purpose, here with His authority and power to complete said purpose.
We understand that Jesus declared the Twelve to likewise be apostello, if not in that specific case from John’s Gospel, then elsewhere in the record. They, too, are on a mission. They, too, have the authority and power of God Himself to back them, but again I stress: with the boundaries established. When they are handed the authority to bind and loose, it is not that they could somehow manage to forgive the sins of one whom the Father has not called, or condemn one He has. They may pronounce anathema upon this man or that, but if that pronouncement does not reflect the Truth of God’s determination, it is an empty pronouncement.
Now, in the case of the Apostles, we hold that such was the power of the Apostolic Holy Spirit upon them that they kept themselves within the established boundaries. One notes that Paul is very careful to indicate those occasions where he speaks merely of his own opinion as opposed to rendering God’s own judgments. Would that we were yet so circumspect!
As to those who wish to claim the mantle of apostleship in our day; certainly, if they suppose themselves fit to take that title on par with the Twelve, the mere fact of their claim would seem to prove them unfit, and unwilling to hear the Scriptures. If, on the other hand, they are contemplating more the lower-case variant spoken of through the book of Acts, perhaps there remains a case to be made. But, for the most part, I don’t really think that’s the understanding. It’s more a case of spiritual grade inflation. How, after all, is the leader to distinguish himself when one and all are already laying claim to the prophetic mantle? Why, we move beyond that to the apostolic. And when all of joined us at that level? What then? But, I again digress.
The Holy Spirit, regardless of all others, comes as an Apostle, sent on a mission, granted full authority and all power in pursuit of that mission. That mission, to be sure, included the authoring of these very Scriptures. That mission also, and with equal certainty, included the shepherding of the Apostles as they in turn shepherded the establishment of the church. But, His mission did not end there. He continues. He stands, in some sense, as the Apostle remaining in the Church. He comes to teach, but only as He hears in heaven. He comes to remind. He comes to aid us in our prayers, for so often we don’t know how to pray as we ought, and just as often, we don’t really know what to pray for at all. But, He is there. He is here.
He comes, as Scripture tells us, to indwell the believer. Not just the Apostle, not just the pastor, but every believer. Isn’t that something! His power is with us, each one of us and every one of us, to serve God as He wills. And notice this about the sending of the Spirit as well: It is a matter of legal fulfillment. The promise of the Father, in this case, can be viewed as legally binding. It is a provision, a promised service that has been made certain to us. It has been made certain not by our own efforts and worth, but by the finished work of Christ. His resurrected state seals that promise. His death purchased us from our slavery to sin and also accomplished the necessary prerequisite for the fulfillment of this promise. His resurrection confirmed that the debt He paid was accepted, the legal conditions met, and the promise now signed and sealed. It remained but for His ascension to complete the process. For, part of that promise was that the other Paraklete would not be sent until the first Paraklete had assumed the throne.
Well, now: Let us bring this forward to today. We who are in Christ today dwell in the full effect of this. Jesus has ascended. He has assumed His throne, and the Holy Spirit continues to serve as Apostle to the church of believers. His mission hasn’t changed. He is still here to empower us to rightly understand and rightly teach the Truths of God. He is still here to aid us in our prayer life, both to enjoy its fullest riches and to adjust our words as necessary. We might say that he continues to serve that priestly role of bearing our prayers up to heaven. And, I am inclined to think that He does a bit of rewrite where necessary.
I think of those occasions in worship where we who are serving as lead worshipers feel we have done a wholly inadequate job fraught with mistakes and not terribly musical at all, only to be told by our fellow worshipers what a marvelous time of worship it was. Two possibilities: One, that they are lying through their teeth so as to avoid hurting our feelings or two, this same Apostle the Holy Spirit has interposed Himself between our efforts and their ears, correcting our mistakes that what is offered might be holy and suitable. I tend to prefer the former perspective.
But again: consider. Leader or least member of the church, it doesn’t matter. It’s not for the professionals or the commissioned or any such thing. It’s for every single member of the elect. The Holy Spirit has as His Apostolic mission to come to you, to abide in you, to teach you and remind you of Truth. He has as His mission to aid you in your sanctification, to bear your prayers towards heaven, to encourage your prayers and your actions, to point out to you those good works that were set before you that you might do them, and to administer from His own power that you may do them and do them well.
This, friend, was not something reserved to those first Twelve. It is the promise delivered for all the saints. “This is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel” (Ac 2:16). It hasn’t stopped. It has been abused. It has been counterfeited. But, it hasn’t stopped. He abides, and He shall continue to abide until the day of Christ’s return.
This has implications for us as believers. If God is for us, who can be against us, Paul asked (Ro 8:31). If the Holy Spirit is with us, what possible cause can I have for reticence? If I am imbued with His power, informed by His understanding, how can I remain silent? What excuse would I come up with that would stand a chance of being satisfactory? For all that, what excuse have I for my failures? If I bear this Apostle within, as abiding in me and speaking to me, what must follow? Surely, I must be the more committed and concerned that every word I speak, every action I take henceforth redounds to His glory whom I am sworn to serve!
There is a comment David makes in the midst of Psalm 69. That Psalm, I must say, is not one of great hope, but of desperation and trial. “Save me, o God!” It is an outpouring of David’s heart when trials threaten to overwhelm him. But, I note this which he sets in the midst of describing his woeful situation. In spite of the dishonor being heaped upon him by his enemies, he has this prayer at heart: “May those who wait for Thee not be ashamed through me, O Lord God of hosts. May those who seek Thee not be dishonored through me, o God of Israel” (Ps 69:6).
What a mindset! If I am dishonored because I insist on doing Your will, so be it! But, let that dishonor not besmirch another. Let my example not cause another of Your children to falter. Let me bear up under the trials, O God, in a manner worthy of Your child. This Psalm comes up, it should be noted, because it bears so strongly upon the work of Christ upon the cross. That said, I am finding the call of that verse to be particularly meaningful as I contemplate this new role I have taken on.
It is beyond me to achieve by my own strength. I am too fallible in my flesh, too capable of treachery even to myself. But, I would yet offer this prayer of David’s.
Let not those who seek Thee and wait for Thee be ashamed or dishonored because of me. For so long as I serve Thee, may it be by the counsel of Thy own Holy Spirit within. If I speak, let it be Thy words. If I see the need, let my actions serve to satisfy the need. Holy Spirit, I shall need Your Apostolic leading as never before, if I am to honor the Lord Who has set me in this place. For, I am no apostle. I am but a man. I pray that I have indeed answered as I believe I have, “Here am I. Send me.” And, Lord, if indeed You have sent, I am confident You shall empower. May my service be pleasing in Your sight. May my service be fully in accord with Your desire, One with Your Spirit.
