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This, then, is the essential difference between the blind guides and the true. The blind
guides cannot see that all Scripture points to Christ, and so they lose themselves in
shadows. The true guide will always "begin at the same Scripture" and preached Jesus.
#11. Symbols of Service.
Helpers and Husbandmen.
pp. 190 - 193
What is the earliest title of service recorded in the Scriptures? Surely it is the word
"help":--
"And the Lord God said, it is good that man should be alone: I will make him an
help meet for him" (Gen. 2: 18).
Helper.
In Eve we have our first symbol of service, "the helper". And in Adam we have the
second, for although the word "husbandman" is not actually used of him, we know that
this was what, out of sheer necessity, he became after his expulsion from the garden: "In
the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread" (Gen. 3: 19). So, at the very beginning of the
Scriptures, we find the "helper" and the "husbandman" linked together.
In I Cor. 12: the apostle enumerates a number of spiritual gifts:--
"God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers,
after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues"
(I Cor. 12: 28).
The gift of "helps" to the church is seen from this passage to be a comparatively lowly
one, but the apostle has already warned us against lightly esteeming the lowly members
of the body. Miracles may be more impressive, but in their absence how grateful we
should be for a little help. We cannot all have the highest and most important gifts. Shall
we do nothing because we cannot be apostles? Shall we fail to teach because we cannot
prophesy? Shall we refuse help because we cannot work miracles?
The first gospel ministry of the apostle Paul in Europe is associated with this humble
office of "help":--
"And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. There stood a man of Macedonia, and
prayed him, saying, Come over and help us" (Acts 16: 9).
Paul's interpretation of the cry for "help" is: "assuredly gathering that the Lord had
called us for to preach the gospel unto them" (Acts 16: 10).