The Potter and the Clay

A consideration of Divine Right

1. Vessels unto Honour

"Hath not the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?" (Rom.9:21 RV)

When Jesus began his ministry with the announcement "Repent: for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt.4:17) the message at once attracted great attention. About the time of his birth considerable expectation of great changes in the national condition had arisen, and the spirit of keen enquiry filled the minds of both the nation and its leaders. Uncertainty concerning the expiry of the "seventy weeks" foretold to Daniel (9:24) left all the people open to easy leading by anyone presuming to come in the name of the Lord. The word used by the angel, "hebdomad" (Greek)—seventy hebdomads—was of uncertain meaning when applied to the lapse of time. Literally it meant "seventy sevens" but whether these "seventy sevens" meant literal years ("seventy sevens of years") no one could say with certainty. Then, if they did represent years, what kind of years were they? Were they lunar or solar years? Every false Messiah over a period of more than a hundred years used this Messianic time‑prophecy, each one varying his basis of calculation to suit his own particular claims.

Each unit of the "seventy sevens" were made to vary and represent from nine to eighteen months, by these false Messiahs, to suit their case, the shortest period covering about three hundred and seventy years, while the longest spread over seven hundred and forty years. One of these Messianic claimants had made his appearance about B.C.3. Another followed in A.D.6. Both are mentioned in Acts 5:36‑37. Consequently, Messianic expectation had reached a high pitch about the time Jesus was born. After the disappearance of these two claimants, expectation subsided considerably, until John the Baptist came on the scene calling the nation to repentance because the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand. (Matt.3:2) Crowds of people flocked to his ministry, and were baptised so as to be in readiness for the appearance of the King. When John disclaimed that honour for himself, the people realised that he was no self‑seeker, and rated his credit at a high level accordingly. John’s claim to be only a voice in the wilderness proclaiming the way of the Lord kindled the fires of expectation again, and fanned them to white hot flame.

Six months after John began to teach, Jesus came with the same proclamation: "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." Jesus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of disease and all manner of sickness among the people. And the report of him went forth into all Syria and there followed him great multitudes from Galilee and Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and beyond Jordan. (Matt.4:23‑25) The common people followed him eagerly, because so many of them benefited from his healing ministry, but the rulers followed only from afar. Some of them, like Nicodemus, conceded that Jesus must be a prophet sent from God, otherwise He could not have done the great things which He did (John 3:2), but the rulers were not too ready to accept him in any higher sense.

In the course of time a conference was called to which came the Pharisees and the doctors of the law from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem—a national church council, in reality. In the midst of that representative assembly the power of the Lord to heal was with Jesus. A palsied man was let down through the roof into the midst of the conference. Seeing the evident confidence of the paralytic’s friends that He could heal this sufferer, Jesus said to him, "Man, thy sins are forgiven thee." (Luke 5:17‑25) Immediately the Scribes and Pharisees began to remonstrate. To forgive sins in that way was blasphemous. That could only be done in the prescribed manner and place. Only in Jerusalem, and only by the Priest, or by the High Council in conjunction with the Priest, could such a thing be done. "Who can forgive sins, but God alone?" they said. To approach God required the Priest’s intercession, at the place where God was reputed to dwell. "Whether (which) is easier," asked Jesus, "to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Arise and walk?" Receiving no answer, Jesus said, "But that ye may know that the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins" (He said unto the palsied man)" Arise, take up thy couch, and go unto thy house." (RV) Immediately the man rose up, gathered up his bed, and walked out of their midst.

From that time the attitude of the rulers stiffened against Jesus. This was not the type of Messiah they wanted. Talking about sin, instead of talking against Rome was unacceptable in their eyes. Forgiving sin instead of exciting the populace to rebel was contrary to their expectations. They wanted to throw off the foreign yoke, and were waiting for a prince who would lead them to war and victory. Then his interference with priestly prerogatives was not to their taste, His action on that point was revolutionary and dangerous. If that attitude spread and infected the common folk, where would it end? The central power at Jerusalem would be broken, and their authority at an end. They did not mind revolutionary things happening so long as they could direct the storm. But it was against Rome, not Jerusalem, that they desired the lightning to strike.

Little by little their attitude towards both Jesus and his acts of mercy became more hostile, till they determined that He was too dangerous to be allowed to live. Either He or their power must die. During this phase of their gathering hostility, Jesus became more revolutionary still in act and utterance. Openly He derided Priests, Levites, Pharisees, Scribes, and rulers of the people. He taught them what the nation’s elite ought to do, and showed them how far the rulers came short. He publicly exposed the Temple authorities, and himself drove out the mercenary traffickers from the Temple courts. As time went by, the subject of his discourse changed. He spoke less of the Kingdom, and more about his sufferings and the purpose to be served thereby. When the mother of two followers desired prominent Kingdom honours for her sons, He told them they had not understood the changes under way. Did they really want to enter with him into Kingdom power—if so, could they enter into his baptism first? Could they drink also of his Cup? Blessing Peter for his confession—an understanding bestowed from Heaven—though He were the Christ—the long‑expected Messiah—yet He was soon to be smitten in death and not crowned with majesty. If any man would be his disciple, let him too take up his cross, and follow him into death. (Matt.16:24) The objectives of his teaching changed; no longer did He address himself to the nation as a whole, but to the little group, who, in spite of the official frown, still clung to him and his words. He had come, at first, to his own as a people, but they received him not. Only a "little flock" had accepted him, and even they did not fully understand. His words and actions baffled them. Of the Priesthood He said, their house was to become desolate; of Jerusalem it was to be laid in the dust; of his followers, He would covenant unto them a kingdom then He should return from heaven. It was hard for them to believe that their nation would be rejected and overthrown, while they, insignificant as they were, should be accepted to a throne.

This was the germ of the great theme which the risen Lord selected another Apostle to proclaim. After revealing himself alive to Saul on the Damascus way, the Lord sent him forth as a chosen vessel to proclaim his Name "before...the children of Israel" (Acts 9:15) and to suffer for his testimony. That "Name" and "testimony" denoted many things, many facets of Divine Truth. To those who could accept the testimony of the Lord it introduced them to wonderful opportunities and privileges. To those who would not accept that testimony it spoke of rejection, and of ancient privileges withdrawn. Little by little they learned to think and speak of God’s work as "Taking out a people for his Name" while the "Tabernacle of David" was to lie a while in the dust.

They learned that the church of God was to be built up into Christ as a remnant of individual believers, while the nation as a whole would stumble and fall to its doom. These things they taught wherever they went, both in public synagogues and private homes. As a consequence the ruling class, together with the Priests, became increasingly bitter and hostile to such as Paul. "It is not fit that he should live," they said after hearing his defence (Acts 22:22). They would have destroyed Paul forthwith. Many thousands (Acts 21:20) sought to amalgamate the new teaching with the old, unable to see and realise that the two teachings would not blend. They could not detach themselves from the Temple and its activities so long as it remained, nor yet make a full, clean break from the services of the Priests. (see Acts 21:20;25).

In every place where Paul found a little circle of believers and organised them into a church, this Judaising section sent their emissaries to override Paul’s work and gather the fruits of Paul’s missionary enterprise into their fold. They persecuted Paul and his little band of helpers everywhere, even going so far as to plot his death. (Acts 23:12‑14) Paul waged his side of the conflict by voice and pen, using his clear insight into the dispensational changes, and his great intellect, to speak and write incessantly to bring home, were it possible, to his erring brethren their great mistake. They would not allow themselves to realise that God had set aside the nation as a whole, rulers and people alike, and was now taking out from their midst only such as believed in Jesus and were ready to follow in his steps. That the Mosaic system could be superseded was more than they could accept. That the Aaronic Priesthood should be terminated and the Temple service fail they could not believe.

In the peak days of this controversy Paul purposed to visit Rome. In Rome were many Jews, who, though not then hostile to Paul, had heard many things about the Christian sect. (Acts 28:22) Also, a community of Christian believers had been established there. Both these and they Paul desired to see, to tell them the good news of Christ.

Knowing the Christian community there would have the same dispensational and doctrinal difficulties as their brethren in the Asiatic churches, Paul wrote for them an outline of the Christian faith as taught by himself everywhere he went. Discussing first the great themes of Redemption and Reconciliation, he next tells them of their privileges in Christ. He explains to them the deep things concerning baptism unto Christ, into his death, leading up to a grand climax concerning the call of many brethren, who, by Divine Power, would be conformed to the Image of God’s Son.

Passing, then, to consider dispensational facts, he opens up the great theme that raised contention in every Judaizing community. Had God set aside his ancient nation? And was He now gathering only a small remnant from them? Had God decreed that if it refused Jesus the nation should fall, and only a small selected company be saved? If this were so, the Judaizers said, God was unrighteous and unfaithful to his ancient promise! In view of the great promises of bygone days God could not cast off or set aside his nation, so they said. Were they not still observing his ordinances, and maintaining his Temple in their midst? Paul meets these arguments by his parable of the Potter and the Clay, and shows that of the same lump of clay God could indeed take a portion and make it into a vessel of surpassing honour, while setting the remainder aside to be made up according to his sovereign Will some later day.

Paul’s doctrine gathered up the teaching of his Master and set them out with great force. The nation was to be rejected and left desolate, while a little flock, baptised with and into his baptism, were to be made like him; and with him, and "in him," constitute God’s Anointed, God’s choicest vessel of all time.

To be continued
TH