[310]In obedience to the command of Jesus, these faithful disciples went to Jerusalem to the place known as the upper room, and there waited. Ten days passed and then it was that the holy spirit, the invisible power of God, was visited upon them; and true to his promise, the disciples began to understand.
[311]Jesus had now ascended on high and presented the merit of his sacrifice before Jehovah and the acceptance of this was manifested by the giving of the holy spirit to his disciples who had been his consecrated followers for three and a half years. Doubtless the angels of heaven now began to know something about the great mystery. What joy must have been in heaven when Jesus Christ appeared before the Father and presented the merit of his sacrifice and was received by Jehovah! Surely the heavenly host must have sung his praises. They had beheld him triumphing over death and the grave and now exalted to a position in heaven next to the Father. It must have been a great joy to the heavenly host, even as contemplation of it was a great joy to Jesus himself. "For the joy that was set before him [he] endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2) What joy must have filled the hearts of his disciples when they began to understand the mystery of God and to see how wonderfully he had led them and their fathers before them, preparing them now for the revelation of this great truth!
[312]In due time Saul of Tarsus, who afterward was named St. Paul, was illuminated and understood. And then he wrote: "Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church: whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God; even the mystery which hath been hid for ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the gentiles; which [mystery] is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (Colossians 1:24-27) The Apostle here emphasizes the fact that this mystery of God is now made known only to the saints. Saints means purified ones, which purification comes through receiving the merit of Christ's sacrifice.
[313]The word Christ signifies anointed. Anointing means designation to official position in God's arrangement. The Christ is the instrument or channel for the blessing of mankind. The Christ is composed of Jesus, the great and mighty head, and 144,000 members. (Revelation 7:4) Christ Jesus is the head and the church his body. We ofttimes hear the expression, a body of men with a general at their head. Of the Christ the Apostle says: "And he [Christ Jesus] is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preëminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell."—Colossians 1:17-19.
[314]The apostle Paul uses a human body to illustrate the Christ, the great mystery class; the head representing Jesus, and the other members of the body those who are of his church. "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.... Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular."—1 Corinthians 12:12,27.
[315]The Christ is also designated in the Scriptures as the seed of Abraham according to the promise. "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ." (Galatians 3:16) Addressing himself to the church, the Christians, the followers of Jesus, the Apostle further said: "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ.... And if ye be Christ's then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Galatians 3:26,27,29) This is the seed, then, through whom the blessings will come to all the families of the earth. Church means a gathered out class; and so the gospel age, that is to say, the period from Jesus' first coming until his second coming, is employed by Jehovah for the selection of the church, the seed of Abraham, through which blessings will come to all the remainder of mankind in God's due time.
[316]This same class is called the elect of God, according to his foreknowledge.—1 Peter 1:2.
[317]Again the Apostle likens the whole of the Christ to a living stone, saying: "Ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.... Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious." (1 Peter 2:5-7) In earthly buildings there is no chief cornerstone; but in this building of God there is a chief cornerstone which is Christ Jesus. The topstone or chief cornerstone of a pyramid is itself a perfect pyramid. The other members of the body, then, must be built up into Christ to conform to that chief cornerstone, which is illustrated by the Great Pyramid in Egypt.—See Isaiah 19:19.
[318]Again this anointed class, Jesus the head and the church his body, is spoken of as a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people. This was foreshadowed by the nation of Israel, particularly by the priesthood in connection with the house of Israel. The apostle Peter speaking of this class says: "Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy."—1 Peter 2:9,10.
[319]The members of the body of Christ, the church, are also designated as his footstep followers; and as such they are called to suffer with him that they might also reign with him. "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his footsteps." (1 Peter 2:21) These are also designated as Christians. It does not mean that because one is a member of some earthly organization called a church he is a Christian or a member of the true church. The true church is the body of Christ; and any one to be of the true church must be a follower of Christ in the truest sense of the word. To this class are given the exceeding great and precious promises recorded in the Bible, the promises of being associated with Christ Jesus in his kingdom. (2 Peter 1:4) Not to the world, but to his followers Jesus said: "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life".—Revelation 2:10.