Chapter 12 puts the disciples into this place of testimony by the power of
the Holy Ghost, and with the world opposed to them, after the Lord's
departure. It is the word and the Holy Ghost, instead of the Messiah on the
earth. They were neither to fear opposition, nor to trust in themselves,
but to fear God and trust to His help; and the Holy Ghost would teach them
what to say. All things should be revealed. God reaches the soul: man can
only touch the body. Here that which goes beyond present promises, the
connection of the soul with God, is put forward. It is coming out from
Judaism to be before God. Their calling was to manifest God in the world at
all costs-to manifest Him to faith before all things were made manifest. It
might cost them dear before men: Jesus would confess them before angels. It
is bringing the disciples into the light as God is in it, and the fear of
God by the word and faith when the power of evil was present; all that
evil, however secret, would be brought to light.
Nor this only. Blasphemy against the witness given would, in their case, be
worse than blaspheming Christ. This might be forgiven (it has been indeed,
and will be at the end to the Jews as a nation); but whosoever spoke in
blasphemy against the testimony of the disciples blasphemed against the
Holy Ghost. It should not be forgiven. But the Lord deals with their heart
as well as with their conscience. He encourages them by three things: 1st,
the protection of Him who counted the hairs of their head, whatever might
be the trials of their faith; 2nd, the fact that, in heaven and before the
angels, their faithfulness to Christ in this painful mission should be
acknowledged by Him; and 3rd, the importance of their mission, its
rejection being more fatally condemning than the rejection of Christ
Himself. God had taken a step, and a final step, in His grace and in His
testimony. The bringing to light of all things, the care of God, their
being confessed by Christ in heaven, the power of the Holy Ghost with
them-these are the motives and the encouragements here given to the
disciples for their mission after the Lord's departure.
That which follows brings out yet more distinctly the position in which the
disciples were placed, according to the counsels of God, by the rejection
of Christ (v. 13). The Lord formally refuses to execute justice in Israel.
This was not His place. He deals with souls, and directs their attention to
another life which outlasts the present; and, instead of dividing the
inheritance between the brothers, He warns the multitude to beware of
covetousness, instructing them by the parable of the rich man who was
suddenly called hence in the midst of his projects. What became of his
soul?
But, having established this general basis, He turns to His disciples and
teaches them the great practical principles that were to guide their walk.
They were not to think of the morrow, but to trust in God. Moreover they
had no power over it Let them seek the kingdom of God, and all that they
needed should be added. This was their position in the world that rejected
Him. But besides the Father's heart was interested in them: they were to
fear nothing. It was the Father's good pleasure to give them the kingdom.
Strangers and pilgrims here, their treasure was to be in heaven; and thus
their heart would be there also.
[see note #33]
Besides this, they were to wait for the Lord. Three things were to
influence their souls: the Father would give them the kingdom, their
heart's treasure in heaven, and the expectation of the Lord's return. Until
the Lord should come, they were required to watch-to have their lamps
burning; their whole position should manifest the effect of the continual
expectation of the Lord-should express this expectation. They were to be as
men who waited for Him with their loins girded; and in that case, when all
should be according to the Lord's own heart, re-established by His power,
and they brought into His Father's house, He would make them sit down, and,
in His turn, gird Himself to serve them.
It is of all importance to fix the attention of the reader on the point,
that what the Lord looks for here is not the holding, however clearly, the
Lord's coming at the end of the age, but that the Christian should be
waiting for Him, in a full profession of Christ, and his heart in spiritual
order. Such, the Lord will make to sit down as guests, but such for ever,
in His Father's house where He has brought them, and will Himself in love
minister the blessing. This love will make the blessings ten thousand fold
more precious, all received from His hand. Love likes to serve, selfishness
to be served. But He did not come to be ministered to. This love He will
never give up.
Nothing can be more exquisite than the grace expressed in these verses, 35
and 37.
[see note #34]
On the inquiry of Peter, desirous of knowing to whom Jesus addressed these
instructions, the Lord refers him to the responsibility of those to whom He
committed duties during His absence. Thus we have the two things that
characterise the disciples after the rejection of Christ-the expectation of
His return, and service. The expectation, the vigilance that watches with
girded loins to receive Him, finds its reward in rest, and in the feast
(happiness ministered by Him) at which Jesus girds Himself to serve them;
faithfulness in service, by having rule over all that belongs to the Lord
of glory. We have seen, besides these special relationships between the
walk of the disciples and their position in the world to come, the general
truth of the renunciation of the world in which the Saviour had been
rejected, and the possession of the kingdom by the gift of the Father.
In that which He says afterwards of the service of those who bear His name
during His absence, the Lord also points out those who will be in this
position, but unfaithful; thus characterising those who, while publicly
exercising ministry in the church, should have their portion with the
unbelievers. The secret of the evil that characterises their unbelief would
be found in this, that their hearts would put off the return of Jesus,
instead of desiring it and hastening it by their aspirations, and serving
with humility in the desire of being found faithful. They will say, He is
not coming immediately; and, in consequence, they will do their own will,
accommodate themselves to the spirit of the world, and assume authority
over their fellow-servants. What a picture of that which has taken place!
But their Master (for He was so, although they had not truly served Him)
would come at a moment whenthey did not expect Him, as a thief in the
night; and, although professing to be His servants, they should have their
portion with unbelievers. Nevertheless there would be a difference between
the two; for the servant who knew his own Master's will and did not make
ready for Him, as the fruit of his expectations, and did not perform his
Master's will, should be severely punished; whilst he who had not the
knowledge of His will should be punished less severely. I have added "own"
to the word "Master," according to the original, which signifies a
recognised relationship with the Lord, and its consequent obligation. The
other was ignorant of the explicit will of the Lord, but he committed the
evil which in any case he ought not to have done. It is the history of true
and false servants of Christ, of the professing church, and of the world in
general. But there cannot be a more solemn testimony as to what brought
unfaithfulness into the church, and led to its ruin and approaching
judgment, namely, the giving up the present expectation of the Lord's
coming.
If it shall be required of persons according to their advantages, who will
be so guilty as those that call themselves the ministers of the Lord, if
they do not serve Him as in expectation of His return?
Nevertheless the Lord, thus rejected, was come to bring conflict and fire
on the earth. His presence kindled it even before His rejection, in the
baptism of death through which He was to pass, was accomplished. It was
not, however, till after this that His love would have full liberty to
develop itself in power. Thus His heart, which was love even according to
the infinitude of the Godhead, was straitened until the atonement gave free
course to it, and to the accomplishment of all the purposes of God, in
which His power should be manifested according to that love, and to which
this atonement was absolutely necessary as the basis of the reconciliation
of all things in heaven and earth.
[see note #35]
Verse 51-53. He shews in detail the divisions that would be the result of
His mission. The world would no more endure faith in the Saviour than it
did the Saviour Himself, who was its object and whom it confessed. It is
well to note how the presence of the Saviour draws out the evil of the
human heart. The state described here is in Micah, the description of the
most dreadful state of evil conceivable (Micah 7: 1-7).
He then addresses Himself to the people, to warn them of the existing signs
of the times in which they lived. He puts this testimony on a twofold
ground: the evident signs which God gave; and the moral proofs which, even
without the signs, conscience ought to acknowledge, and which thus oblige
them to receive the testimony.
Be they ever so blind, they are in the way to the judge. Once delivered up,
they should not come out till the chastisement of God was fully executed
upon them.
[see note #36] (compare Isaiah 40: 2).
