MATHETΩN

The Mathetai do have officers, of sorts, in each Assembling, although they would object strenuously to my calling them that. Among themselves they use Greek terms for these, but to the outside world they offer English equivalents.

The Olders or Seniors are a senate comprising simply any man above a certain age who has been a Mathetes above a certain number of years. They make decisions for the Assembling and chart the course for the Mathetai. They are basically the government as you and I would think of it.

The Slaves are the executives, putting into action the Olders’ decisions and thus supporting the whole mighty work of the Mathetai. They are accountants or tailors, logisticians or carpenters, and all unusually intelligent and active men and women.

The Assembling Proper is simply all the Assembling except children and novices; every Mathetes must be present for them to act. They serve as a kind of supreme court, judging complaints between Mathetes, even excluding a Mathetes from the Mathetai if they deem it necessary, and, in certain cases, overruling the Olders.

The Visitor (they insist on this archaic usage, although I would offer something like Overwatcher instead) is a sort of ombudsman or auditor. He is a mature, usually married, man with an unusual gift for fairness, integrity, and counsel. He keeps records on the acts of the Slaves, on the decisions of the Olders, and on the hearings of the Assembling Proper and makes them available to all. He gives State of the Assembling speeches at intervals and otherwise reflects back to the Mathetai what their course has been and may be. He also observes the individual Mathetes and offers him or her counsel. In certain cases, he can overrule the Olders’ decisions.

i.9ff         The “good work” begun in the Followers by Jesus (.6) includes these:

• Their love abounding more and more in knowledge and in judgment [discernment]
• Their approving things that are excellent
• Their being sincere and without offense
• Their being filled with the fruits [results, work] of righteousness

i.15ff; ii.14; ii.20f; iii.18f         In Paul’s day:

• some envied him and strove with him, preaching Jesus to gain some advantage over or otherwise contend with him
• Assemblings murmured and disputed internally (or were in danger of doing so)
• “all men” looked out for only their own [safety or comfort or gain]
• many preached a Goodnews that (much like the Americanist gospel):
• made God over into their desires [their “belly”]
• made things they should be ashamed of (human failings or ambitions) into their pride [“glory”]
• took into account [“minded”] the things of this earth (perhaps fame or perhaps the things of “normal life”)

i.28         Those who oppose the Followers consider their courage to be a sign that they are certainly damned or hopeless [an “evident token of perdition”]—but to the Followers their courage should be a sign that God is saving them.

ii.12         “My loved ones, since you have always obeyed [Jesus, to whom every knee must bow (prev. p.)] not only in my presence but also, now [that I am imprisoned], much more in my absence—work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” We must ourselves work out [figure out with work, or work to make happen] how to be saved—from “this untoward generation” (as Peter Envoy put it), from sin, from our own selves—while we are full of fear and of trembling (of being on our own, of reverence toward God, of fear of failing at it). Yes, we must do this in 2007 in America—we must ourselves work out how to be saved to see the day of Jesus (i.6, &c.—i.e., the day when Jesus begins to rule the world as his Kingdom).

ii.26         Love is visceral.

iii.2f         Paul can be clever with words and rather rude: The Jews (and Judaizers) are not, as they claim, the circumcision (“the cut-arounders”) but the “concision” (“the cut-offers”). We Followers are the circumcision, having hearts cut-around (perhaps cut open) as an evident vow to God; the churchmen are merely cutting off hearts from Jesus.

iii.10ff         Paul desires “by any means” to attain Jesus’s resurrection from the dead—and so he “follows after” Jesus: first, he suffers as Jesus suffered, then, he will die as Jesus died—so that, last, he can follow Jesus into resurrection and Kingdom. (More word-cleverness, this time beautiful: “So I may apprehend that for which I am apprehended by Jesus.” Jesus is the caller; Jesus is the chooser and saver.)

iii.17         Where are Walkers today for me to take as examples? Besides the glimpses of Walkers in scriptures, and in history here and there, I cannot see any.

“Mark [observe] them which walk”—and yet all are to walk (.16, &c.), even the Assemblings at Philippi who evidently comprised the stable and well-off. The Works of the Envoys speaks again and again of “the Way” in which all who believed the Goodnews walk—it is a way of life (and death). Yet the Walkers are more than this—they walk through the world defending and confirming the gospel (i.7) and establishing Assemblings, and other things. Many walk falsely (.18); some were Envoys—for Paul was a Walker—yet even such high men as Envoys are to be our very own examples.

“What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—do” (iv.9). We see Paul a little in The Works. Where are Walkers today to see and take as examples?

iv.3         The stable and well-off Followers in Philippi are told to provide for the women and Clement who had been working with Paul. Cf. Jesus’s teaching that some are Followers while some, caring for Followers, claim a Follower’s reward (a bad paraphrase).

iv.6         “Do not worry about anything, but whatever your situation pray thank-yous to God and request of him anything you need.” Cf. the “Sermon on the Mount”.

iv.10ff         Paul is glad the stable and well-off Followers at Philippi are providing goods and care for him—not because he needs it, for he can starve or “abound” or die or live with equal contentment, but—for their sakes, to whom Jesus will account it fruit of them (of Him in them).