Q. 165. If wisdom in Proverbs 8 means the Lord Jesus, what is the meaning of “I was set up,” and “I was brought forth?” Does ver. 31 mean that Christ was looking forward to the future? C. H. P.
A. The whole passage is highly poetic and figurative, and speak directly of the wisdom of God personified as a woman. Now inasmuch as Christ is “the wisdom of God,” in this wonderful scripture Christians of all ages have discerned the description of Christ Himself. Such phrases as you allude to are not to describe His beginning, but rather to show as far as human language can that He was ever with God, “set up front everlasting” being equivalent to this. Ver. 31 describes the delight Jehovah ever had in man, and His dwelling with Him, a subject alluded to throughout scripture (Exodus 15; John 14 &c.), but not consummated till sin is banished forever in the new heavens and earth. (Revelation 21:33And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. (Revelation 21:3)).
A (1) This text speaks of the king, referring doubtless to both Solomon and Christ, and in an abstract way to the office as suchapter As a proposition this is alas! far from being literally true of all who reign. (2) Some read congregation of the giants others “congregation of the lost,” the meaning doubtless being the same as ver. 15. “Congregation” simply means “company.” Those that leave the way of understanding shall find their portion among the lost.
Q. 167. Where do all the “great multitudes “come from in Revelation 7:99After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; (Revelation 7:9)? And would “nations” include England, &c.? J. C.
A. They are the Gentile inhabitants of the millennial earth just as the 144,000 are the Jewish ones. Observe these are before the throne; the 24 elders are round about it, and (ver. 13) are in no way part of the great multitude. The heavenly saints moreover have their home in the Jerusalem which has no temple; the great multitude on the contrary according to ver. 15, and Zechariah 14:1616And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. (Zechariah 14:16) shall worship in the temple in the earthly city. We should judge that 2 Thessalonians 4:8-12 excludes from this company all who have heard and rejected the gospel.
Q. 168. Why do we not have the “cup after supper” as spoken of in the New Testament? C. P.
A. We do. It is the Paschal supper that we no longer eat. In Luke 22 you get both suppers. The paschal supper is from ver. 13-18. This is done away for us, and the Lord’s supper instituted in its place, which follows in ver. 19, 20. “ After supper” does not mean after the Lord’s supper, but after the Jewish passover.
A. Ancestors generally. The point is not whether these Israelites were saved or no, but that this new manna had life-giving properties that the old did not possess. As has been remarked, Christ came to His people in John 5 to deliver them (as in Egypt) with signs of miraculous power; in Chapter 6. He presents Himself to them as the heavenly manna for their wilderness journey, and in chaps. 7 as the joy of their feast in the land, but is rejected in all three.
A. This passage identifies the believer with the spotless new nature that he possesses by the new birth. The epistle regards the believer at the height of his proper standing in Christ. Every Christian is looked at here as acting solely in the power and energy of the new nature. But you may say he often does not. This is true, otherwise there were no need for 1:9, but this is not the subject here. It could not say “ought not to sin” for it is solely speaking here of what is born of God, and it is plain that nothing born of God can sin. The reason we ever sin is because we allow that within us to act which is not born of God. Such a Christian is not contemplated here.
Q. 171. How does the following text apply to the Lord’s supper, “Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire?” M. P.
A. Do not feed on a Christ that has died merely naturally (as the normal close of a perfect life) nor in any other way, save as having been the victim of the consuming fire of the righteous judgment of God. We feed on Him here not as our example and forerunner, but as our Savior, the one who endured God’s wrath for us. It is this that is expressed in being “roast with fire.”
Q. 172. Who were the 500, and when did our Lord see them? A. D. J.
Q. 173. What Scriptures were written about Christ besides the prophecies? Were there any New Testament scriptures written at the time of Luke 24:2727And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:27). A. D. J.
A. “All the scriptures” here refer to the Old Testament only. None of the New were extant at this time. Besides the prophets, such scriptures as Genesis 3:15; 22:18; 49:1015And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:15)
18And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. (Genesis 22:18)
10The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. (Genesis 49:10); Numbers 21:99And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. (Numbers 21:9); Deuteronomy 18:15, 1815The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; (Deuteronomy 18:15)
18I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. (Deuteronomy 18:18) all refer to Christ.
Q. 174. What are we to learn from the fact that Moses and Elijah were seen in glory with Jesus on the mount? H. J. M.
A. Do we not see them there as the two great witnesses to the law and the prophets? The law was broken, the prophets despised, and Christ Himself rejected. All was then over according to Matthew 16 with the Jewish nation, and the only vindication of God’s glory was in the cross of Calvary, which formed the topic of their conversation. Looked at as a picture of the coming kingdom, (Matthew 16:2828Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. (Matthew 16:28)) we get Christ the center, the heavenly saints typified by Moses and Elijah, (the former representing those put to sleep by Jesus, Elijah those caught up to heaven without dying;) while Peter, James, and John represent the earthly saints in the millennium, enjoying the heavenly glory of which they are eye-witnesses.
Q. 175. Was Mary Magdalene the sister of Lazarus and the same that anointed our Lord with ointment? E. B.
A. Mary of Magdala is not the same as Mary of Bethany. She is first named in Luke 8 as a woman who had been healed of a fearful disease, and appears to have had considerable wealth (ver. 3). Neither is there any ground for connecting her with the nameless sinner of Luke 7, who was an abandoned character. The name of “Magdalene” commonly applied to such, is utterly without warrant in Scripture.
A. This figurative expression merely means that they owe all their salvation in common with all other saints to the blood of the Lamb. As already stated in Q. 167, this company form the Gentile inhabitants of the millennial earth, and are doubtless the same as the “sheep” of Matthew 25
Q. 177. Please say what is meant by following Christ, and what is the difference between suffering for Christ’s sake and for righteousness’ sake? K. T.
A. Treading in His footsteps as recorded in the four Evangelists. Suffering for righteousness’ sake is spoken of in Matthew 5:1010Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:10) and 1 Peter 3:1414But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; (1 Peter 3:14), suffering for Christ’s sake in Matthew 5:1111Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. (Matthew 5:11) and 1 Peter 4:1313But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. (1 Peter 4:13). The former is connected with the light of God shining on the conscience, the latter with the love of Christ attracting the heart. Hence, I suffer for righteousness when I act in daily life according to the divine standard of truth and rectitude; I suffer for Christ when I follow Him in a path or trial and rejection.
A. It is the same power as given in John 20:2323Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. (John 20:23). When Jesus was down here he had special power to forgive sins on earth as Son of Man dispensationally (Luke 5:2424But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house. (Luke 5:24)). Before leaving the world, He gives this power in John 20:2323Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. (John 20:23) to the company then gathered, with Himself in the midst (compare Matthew 18:2020For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20)). In the company there were probably women (20:18) and certainly others in addition to the eleven apostles (Luke 25:33), besides the two just returned from Emmaus (Luke 24:3535And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread. (Luke 24:35)). So that this power was not here given to an individual, nor to a body of apostles, but to a company of disciples gathered round their Lord. A practical carrying out of this power may be seen as to retaining sin, or binding in 1 Corinthians 5:4, 54In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. (1 Corinthians 5:4‑5). when the man’s sin was retained on him as regards his position on the earth, by a body of disciples gathered according to Matthew 18:2020For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20), a procedure ratified by God, and as to remitting or loosing in 2 Corinthians 2:6,76Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. 7So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. (2 Corinthians 2:6‑7) where the sinner was restored and his sin remitted. This act has nothing to do with guilt before God, but is connected with the sphere of Christian communion on earth.
A. Job, the third son of Issachar, should be rather Jashab (1 Chronicles 7:11Now the sons of Issachar were, Tola, and Puah, Jashub, and Shimron, four. (1 Chronicles 7:1)) and has no connection with the patriarch, who is supposed to have lived in Idumea at a very early period. Some without any good ground have supposed he was the same with Jobab (1 Chronicles 1:4444And when Bela was dead, Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead. (1 Chronicles 1:44)), others place him before Abraham’s time from the internal evidence of the book. None can however exactly fix the date of Job’s existence, though the general evidence all shows that it must have been at a period of great antiquity.
Q. 180. As sin bearer did our Lord suffer physical pain on the cross? S. B.
A. The Lord was a true man, and not merely appeared to be suchapter Hence, He suffered agonizing pain on Calvary. But all this though fully felt could not for a moment be compared to the unutterable anguish of bearing for our sakes the wrath of God. We cannot however go deeper and distinguish further between these sufferings. The whole cross, with all its suffering and shame was so intimately connected with the bearing of our sin that we dare not attempt to separate one part from another.
Q. 181. How may it be shown that the “abomination of desolation” did not refer to the Roman Standard? W. J. H.
A. There is no doubt but that Matthew 24 is one of those numerous prophecies that have an immediate and partial fulfillment and a distant and complete one. Such prophecies we find in Daniel 11 which though referring unmistakably to Antiochus, Epiphanes to ver. 32 will yet have another and deeper fulfillment in the person of Antichrist who is clearly spoken of in v. 36 also in Acts 2 when Joel’s prophecy (to be fully accomplished in the millennium) had a partial fulfillment at Pentecost. So in Matthew 24 we find not only events which may refer to the siege and overthrow of Jerusalem (which almost exclusively occupies the corresponding prophecy in Luke 21:21-2421Then let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. 22For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. 24And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. (Luke 21:21‑24),) but plain references to the last days. Not only is the coming of the Lord spoken of but the whole passage is descriptive of “the end of the world” (or rather “age,”) ver. 3. We therefore consider that the “abomination of desolation “though possibly referring partially to the presence of the Roman Eagle in the holy place, will not find its entire fulfillment until the image of the beast is set up in the temple during the reign of Antichrist. See Daniel 8:13; 9:27; 12:1113Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? (Daniel 8:13)
27And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. (Daniel 9:27)
11And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. (Daniel 12:11), and Revelation 13:14, 1514And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. 15And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. (Revelation 13:14‑15).
A. (1) Yes, and was surely fulfilled at Calvary. (2) Does it not refer to the history of the Jews? The unclean spirit of idolatry appears to have been cast out of them in a most remarkable manner by the Babylonish captivity, for we do not read of it after their return, nor do we find it even alluded to as a current sin by our Savior. Their house, however, though swept and garnished with Rabbinical traditions, was still “empty,” when their Messiah stood at the door and knocked, they did not open to Him, (John 1:1111He came unto his own, and his own received him not. (John 1:11)) and therefore the spirit of idolatry will return in the last days under Antichrist, (see the preceding query), and their last state be worse than their first.
A. (1) It refers to all builders, not solely to the “master builders” who laid the foundation; surely “any man” is sufficiently emphatic testimony that it cannot be limited to the apostles. (2) In having the Holy Ghost as our teacher, and having a new nature or spiritual mind capable of being taught. See preceding verses.
A. (1) Blood generally refers to guilt before God, and atonement for it. Cleansing by the washing of water by the word (ver. 9, see also Ephesians 5:2626That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, (Ephesians 5:26)) refers rather to practical defilement. The cleansing here is eternal in its value; hence it is in the present tense as including past, present, and future, showing its intrinsic value. Every Christian is “in the light,” hence the only condition here implied is that of being a child of God. (2) “Destroy” in ver. 15 means to destroy or cause to perish: in ver. 20, it is a different word, rightly translated destroy overthrow” (R. V.) A parallel passage is in 1 Corinthians 8:1111And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? (1 Corinthians 8:11) and both mean that by willfully violating the conscience of another, I turn aside and (destroy as far as it is in my power) his integrity and faith.
A. The discrepancy between the two accounts has led tradition from all time to assign two distinct places to the field of blood in Matthew 27:88Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. (Matthew 27:8), and Acts 1:1818Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. (Acts 1:18). We cannot see however any reason why taking the two passages together and accepting Matthew as the literal historical account, Judas could very well be said in an indirect manner in Acts 1:1919And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood. (Acts 1:19) to have purchased the field. True he did not buy it himself, but he provided the wages of iniquity for the purpose, and hence in a sense may be said to have bought it. We think such an explanation preferable to supposing two Aceldamas. There is no doubt if we knew all the circumstances the apparent discrepancies would disappear.
Q. 186. Please say why Jericho was cursed, (Joshua 6) E. S. M.
A. Because it was the first city to resist the entry of the Israelites, and represented the power of Satan as opposed to the children of God.
Q. 188. (1) What is meant by being a member of a church? (2) What is the usual time for partaking of the Lord’s supper? (3) Would you kindly explain “Whosoever sins ye remit,” &c. (John 20) E. S. M.
A. (1) An individual Christian was associated with his fellow-believers in the locality; but membership properly so called is only spoken of in the New Testament, in two senses, one “with Christ” and the other “with one another.” Both these are really but one, being the membership of the one body of Christ. (2) The usual time spoken of in Scripture is the first day of the week. No express command however is given on the subject. (3) You will find this fully explained in Q. 178.
A. (1) Refer to B. S. vol. i. page 138, Q. 422. We shall be glad of further light on this verse. (2) It refers to anything and everything that comes before God in our hearts. He must be first, and, if anything else is, it is an idol. There is a constant danger of Christians becoming idolators in this sense. God does not forbid natural love, but puts it in its right place.
A. The latter part of this verse is better translated “ye may be received.” 1 Timothy 6:1717Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; (1 Timothy 6:17) etc., throws great light upon this scripture. The meaning of the verse is, “Lay out your riches in such a way as to bring, instead of present enjoyment, an eternal reward”; as 1 Timothy 6:1919Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. (1 Timothy 6:19) says, “Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come.” “He that giveth to the poor, lendeth to the Lord,” and not even a cup of cold water given in His name, shall ever lose its reward. “When ye fail” means when you die.
A. Refer to B. S. Jan. 1882 p. 19. If you want more, write again.
Q. 192. Is it not Scriptural to use the expression “Lord’s day” and not Sunday according to Revelation 1 to? and is there not in so doing an indirect testimony to the world and to Christians who know the day only as Sunday or the Sabbath? S. R. T.
A. We should decidedly say “yes.” If you refer to B. S. for March p. 97, you will find some thoughts on this subject.
Q. 193. (1) Will you explain Ezekiel 28:13-1513Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. 14Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. 15Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. (Ezekiel 28:13‑15), and (2) 2 Corinthians 12:2-42I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. 3And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) 4How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. (2 Corinthians 12:2‑4). W. J. B.
A. (1) We understand it to be a full description of the pristine beauty of the one whom we know as Satan. The fall is described in ver. 17, hence pride is called in 1 Timothy 3:66Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. (1 Timothy 3:6), the “condemnation of the devil.” (2) Paul here speaks of himself as being caught up to the third heaven. In scripture there are three heavens, one (Deuteronomy 4:1919And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the Lord thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven. (Deuteronomy 4:19)) the firmament or air where birds fly and the clouds gather; another (Deuteronomy 14:1919And every creeping thing that flieth is unclean unto you: they shall not be eaten. (Deuteronomy 14:19)) the whole of space where the sun, moon, and stars are; and thirdly (Psalms 2:44He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. (Psalm 2:4)) the dwelling place of God “ the heaven of heavens.” Here he heard things too glorious to put into human language. He could not tell whether he was in or out of the body. It occurred about 14 years before, about which time Paul was stoned and left for dead at Lystra. If this were the occasion here referred to, we can quite understand how Paul would not know whether he was dead or alive.
A. (1) Bread that would be fit food for angels, did they require any; or as some read, bread provided by the ministry of angels. Considering the highly figurative character of the Psalms we think the former the more likely meaning. (2) By mixing it with about one ten-thousandth part of its weight of lead.
Q. 194. Were not the Samaritans in some sense akin to the Jews from John 4:1212Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? (John 4:12)? And yet 2 Kings 17; Ezra 4:1-51Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the Lord God of Israel; 2Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither. 3But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us. 4Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building, 5And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia. (Ezra 4:1‑5) and the feeling with which the Jews regarded them seem to point to the contrary. W. J. H.
A. There was no doubt a great admixture. Besides the Scriptures you mention, it appears from profane history that the neighborhood of Sychar was peopled by Jews by Alexander the Great, and after this from B. C. 109 the Jews also lived in the city until Pompey the Roman general restored it to the original inhabitants of mixed origin. A comparison of 2 Kings 17:2424And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof. (2 Kings 17:24) with 2 Kings 25:1212But the captain of the guard left of the poor of the land to be vinedressers and husbandmen. (2 Kings 25:12) will show that none of the original Israelites were left in Samaria. The new comers were mainly Assyrians; but possibly by intermarriage with some of the renegade Jews left in the above settlements, by degrees they advanced a claim to Jewish origin, which however was never admitted by the Jews, nor owned by the Lord (Matthew 10:5,65These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: 6But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. (Matthew 10:5‑6)).