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This article demonstrates the two levels of maturity in Christ; living on Him here via the “manna,” which indicates Christ’s Life when He was here. Or living on Him on the “corn of the land,” which indicates living on Him where He is now—big difference!
NC
The corn of the land is Christ in glory (ascended—NC); the manna, the Life of Jesus on the earth (Joshua 5:11, 12 - the manna ceased after this—NC). If you feed on Him in glory where the Father has set Him, you are empowered by Him to act for Him in superiority to everything.
Here He humbled Himself. He is not humbled now; He is glorified! He is not limited to the compass of man, and to maintain for the Father therein; that was manna. Now He is “far above all principality,” etc., “Head over all things to the Church” (Eph 1:21, 22); this is the corn of the land.
It has been contended that we feed on the corn of the land in order to be here as He was here; that is, that we feed on the corn of the land to reach the manna, but I do not think this is the full truth, though it is quite true that if I feed on Christ in glory I shall by Him be in His grace, or manna here (manna first then the corn—NC).
Paul began above, and hence had Christ’s grace all the way down (Paul was one whom God revealed His mind to the most—NC). I believe he had more than the manna, that he had the corn of the land, and that the corn of the land is more than the Lord Jesus had down here. For instance, He is Head of the Church now; He was not so down here (the forming of the Church wasn’t complete until He ascended and sent the Holy Spirit for our rebirth to become the Church—NC). If I know Him as the Head, I feed on the corn of the land, not on what He was down here (manna—NC), but what He is now (the corn—NC). But I do not lose what He was down here by knowing Him in glory where He is now.
Of course I cannot walk down here beyond what He was here, but as I am in the power of my union with Him in glory, I am enabled be His precious Spirit to be superior to all human considerations, in order to act for Him, as Stephen did (Acts 7:55-60). There is not a practical thing in Ephesians which could be derived from manna simply; and yet manna was par excellence in the eye of the Father (because that’s what He wanted for them at that time, until they matured enough for the corn—NC).
It was the Son glorifying His Father in the form of man who had dishonored Him, vindicating God in that form. But now He is exalted, and we are united to the glorified Man; and I am enabled by Him to do greater things now, things which could not have been done before. We are seated “in heavenly places” now (which confirms our eternal position (Eph 2:6—NC) which could not be while He was down here.
How could we keep the unity of the Spirit while He was down here (the Spirit wasn’t sent until His ascension—NC)? This can only be done through His present power (while in heaven—NC), or the corn of the land. How could I “grow up unto Him in all things (Eph 4:15), etc., while He was down here? That is not what He was, i.e.,—the manna, but what He is now. How could I put on the new man until I was of the New Man? No one could be that until after He ascended into glory.
Where are the gifts but from ascension? How could I love as He did (Jhn 15:12), until after He had offered Himself to the Father? I cannot do anything right here without Him as the manna (manna first then the corn—NC); but as I know Him above, he leads me to rise above all my own circumstances here for Him in His power. “Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might (Eph 6:10).
— James Butler Stoney (1814-1897)
MJS daily devotional excerpt for April 2
“A ministry of life, whether it be at the kitchen sink, or from the First Church pulpit, must flow from the life of the Lord Jesus Christ. That life must be developed in and shared through the growing believer, by the Holy Spirit. We are to rest in Him for spiritual growth, and He will work through us for spiritual service.”—Miles J Stanford
“He, whom the Lord cannot trust with the faithful care of his own vineyard, will not be trusted with the tending of God’s Vineyard of living, immortal souls. How shall we face the Owner of the Vineyard, if we have neglected our own lives; if we have not entered into that which God has shown us; if we must say, when He asks us about the lack of fruit and the neglect which is so sadly evident: ‘Lord, I was so busy tending Thy Vineyard, that my own vineyard I have not kept’ (S.S 1:6).” -Charles Henry Mackintosh (1820-1896)
NC
There Is A Difference!
The corn of the land is Christ in glory (ascended—NC); the manna, the Life of Jesus on the earth (Joshua 5:11, 12 - the manna ceased after this—NC). If you feed on Him in glory where the Father has set Him, you are empowered by Him to act for Him in superiority to everything.
Here He humbled Himself. He is not humbled now; He is glorified! He is not limited to the compass of man, and to maintain for the Father therein; that was manna. Now He is “far above all principality,” etc., “Head over all things to the Church” (Eph 1:21, 22); this is the corn of the land.
It has been contended that we feed on the corn of the land in order to be here as He was here; that is, that we feed on the corn of the land to reach the manna, but I do not think this is the full truth, though it is quite true that if I feed on Christ in glory I shall by Him be in His grace, or manna here (manna first then the corn—NC).
Paul began above, and hence had Christ’s grace all the way down (Paul was one whom God revealed His mind to the most—NC). I believe he had more than the manna, that he had the corn of the land, and that the corn of the land is more than the Lord Jesus had down here. For instance, He is Head of the Church now; He was not so down here (the forming of the Church wasn’t complete until He ascended and sent the Holy Spirit for our rebirth to become the Church—NC). If I know Him as the Head, I feed on the corn of the land, not on what He was down here (manna—NC), but what He is now (the corn—NC). But I do not lose what He was down here by knowing Him in glory where He is now.
Of course I cannot walk down here beyond what He was here, but as I am in the power of my union with Him in glory, I am enabled be His precious Spirit to be superior to all human considerations, in order to act for Him, as Stephen did (Acts 7:55-60). There is not a practical thing in Ephesians which could be derived from manna simply; and yet manna was par excellence in the eye of the Father (because that’s what He wanted for them at that time, until they matured enough for the corn—NC).
It was the Son glorifying His Father in the form of man who had dishonored Him, vindicating God in that form. But now He is exalted, and we are united to the glorified Man; and I am enabled by Him to do greater things now, things which could not have been done before. We are seated “in heavenly places” now (which confirms our eternal position (Eph 2:6—NC) which could not be while He was down here.
How could we keep the unity of the Spirit while He was down here (the Spirit wasn’t sent until His ascension—NC)? This can only be done through His present power (while in heaven—NC), or the corn of the land. How could I “grow up unto Him in all things (Eph 4:15), etc., while He was down here? That is not what He was, i.e.,—the manna, but what He is now. How could I put on the new man until I was of the New Man? No one could be that until after He ascended into glory.
Where are the gifts but from ascension? How could I love as He did (Jhn 15:12), until after He had offered Himself to the Father? I cannot do anything right here without Him as the manna (manna first then the corn—NC); but as I know Him above, he leads me to rise above all my own circumstances here for Him in His power. “Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might (Eph 6:10).
— James Butler Stoney (1814-1897)
MJS daily devotional excerpt for April 2
“A ministry of life, whether it be at the kitchen sink, or from the First Church pulpit, must flow from the life of the Lord Jesus Christ. That life must be developed in and shared through the growing believer, by the Holy Spirit. We are to rest in Him for spiritual growth, and He will work through us for spiritual service.”—Miles J Stanford
“He, whom the Lord cannot trust with the faithful care of his own vineyard, will not be trusted with the tending of God’s Vineyard of living, immortal souls. How shall we face the Owner of the Vineyard, if we have neglected our own lives; if we have not entered into that which God has shown us; if we must say, when He asks us about the lack of fruit and the neglect which is so sadly evident: ‘Lord, I was so busy tending Thy Vineyard, that my own vineyard I have not kept’ (S.S 1:6).” -Charles Henry Mackintosh (1820-1896)
