Bible Queries: Vol. 3, 340-388

 •  13 min. read  •  grade level: 5
 
Q. 340. Why should the seven men chosen in Acts 6:3, be called deacons, if the word “deacon” means any servant?
A. Because they were appointed to serve tables; and were, in fact, the first public servants of the church.
Q. 341. What is the teaching of (1) the latter clause of Luke 22:36; and (2) of ver. 38? B. M. B.
A. (1) It means that at our Lord’s departure they would no longer enjoy His protecting care, but, to a certain extent, would have henceforward to provide for themselves. (2) See Queries 232 and 357.
Q. 342. Has Matthew 26:52 (latter clause) any reference to Christians in the army? E. M. B.
A. We do not think so, directly; for by “taking the sword” is here rather meant taking the law into your own hands, instead of leaving matters in God’s.
Q. 343 1 Thessalonians 5:10: Do the words “wake (or watch) or sleep” refer to Christians being alive or dead; do they include all the Lord’s people, irrespective of whether or not they watch for His coming? E. M. B.
A. To the former, certainly.
Q. 344. For what purpose was long-suffering skewed towards the “vessels of wrath fitted to destruction?” Could they be saved? Romans 9:22. S. P. T.
A. We cannot say more on this point than what is contained in Romans 9
Q. 345. Romans 10:18. —Is it the gospel that is here referred to? If not, what is it they have heard? s. P. T.
A. We presume that what is meant are the glorious prophecies of Isaiah, Jeremiah, &c.
Q. 346. In what way does salvation come to the Gentiles by the fall of Israel (Romans 11 ? S. P. T.
A. The Jews having rejected the gospel, it was offered by Divine command to the Gentiles.
Q. 347. What does “make not provision for the flesh” mean? (Romans 13:14). S. P. T.
A. It means, do not allow yourself to yield to the wishes and desires of the flesh within, as in verse 53. Abstain from all that would be liable to ensnare you.
Q. 348. What is the “mystery” here referred to? (Romans 16:25). S. P. T
A. The union of Jew and Gentile in one body in the church.
Q. 349. Is “mystery” always used in scripture with reference to the same thing? S. P. T.
A. No. It is generally used with regard to the church; but in Revelation 17:5, and other places, it is used in a different sense. The context must decide.
Q. 350. Will you kindly explain 1 Corinthians 15:29? F. E. C.
A. Refer to B. S. Vol. 2., Q. 25, p. 16.
Q. 351. Will you kindly explain Romans 8:20? H. s.
A. We presume this refers to the fact of the ground being cursed for man’s sake, and the whole creation being involved in the results of Adam’s sin.
Q. 352. In Ezra 2:28, the men of Bethel and Ai are stated to be 223; whilst in Nehemiah 7:32 They are 523, Can you explain the difference? H. S.
A. The difference is evidently due to some error in transcription. Without reference to ancient authorities we cannot say more.
Q. 353. In Hebrews 1:3 we read, “when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:” whilst in Acts 7:55, Stephen saw Jesus “standing on the right hand of God.” Will you kindly explain when Christ “sat down?” H. S.
A. It has been thought that our Lord did not finally take His seat on high until this last offer of His return as Messiah was made, and rejected.
Q. 354. Will you please explain the latter clause of 2 Timothy 2:12? H. S.
A. This evidently refers to the fact that unfaithfulness is publicly taken notice of. The exact form this will take is not yet revealed.
Q. 355. How is it that slavery is looked on as right in the Bible, and provision is made for it, if it be really wrong? (Deuteronomy 12) S. P. T.
A. The institution of slavery was recognized, though not established, by the Mosaic law, with a view to mitigate its hardships and to secure to every man his ordinary rights. In the state of society that existed at the time, slavery as practiced by the Jews was the mildest of the alternatives that offered for the disposal of vanquished nations, and may have been regarded rather as a blessing than a curse. Hired service was then regarded as incompatible with freedom; and hence the slave, in many cases, occupied the same social position as the servant or laborer of our own times.
Q. 356. Why was it that the Feast of Tabernacles, though several times commanded in the Law, was never kept from the time of Joshua to that of Nehemiah? S. P. T.
A. Nehemiah 8:17 does not imply that the Feast of Tabernacles had not been kept since the days of Joshua, but. only that the Israelites had not kept it in the manner prescribed in the law. It was kept at the dedication of the Temple, see 1 Kings 8:2,65,66; 2 Chronicles 5:3;7. 8, 9; but this would appear to be the only occasion. From the days of Nehemiah all the feasts were kept with more regularity.
Q. 357. Was there any special reason why a king should not keep any horses?
A. The special reason is supplied in Deuteronomy 17:16, why the king should not “multiply” horses to himself. Egypt was the neighboring mart; and he must abstain from causing the people to return thither. (Compare also Isaiah 31:1, and Psalms 20:7.)
Q. 358. Will you kindly explain the difference between “God’s building,” where Christ is the foundation and men build; and that in Ephesians 2:20-22, and 1 Pet. 2:4-7, where there is no builder, and Christ is the corner-stone; the foundation consisting of the apostles and prophets? s. P. T.
A. In 1 Corinthians 3 the house is indeed God’s; but inasmuch as men build, that which is not a true stone may be built in; whereas in Ephesians God being the builder, nothing but living stones form part of the house (as in 1 Pet. 2).
Q. 359. To what “day” does 1 Corinthians 3:13 refer? Is it at the judgment-seat of Christ that believers’ work will be tried by fire? S. P. T.
A. Yes, to the judgment-seat of Christ.
Q. 360. What does “stewards of the mysteries of God” mean? S. P. T.
A. Those entrusted with the ministry, specially of the church.
Q. 361. 1 Corinthians 5:5. —Will you kindly explain this verse? I cannot understand how a man can be delivered over to Satan that his flesh may be destroyed, yet his spirit be saved.
A. The distinction between flesh and spirit is sufficiently obvious. As an illustration of this passage, we might instance the case of Job.
1 Corinthians 6:3. Is it ever revealed elsewhere that the saints shall judge angels? S. P. T.
A. Not that we know of.
Q. 363. Could Paul, being a believer, become a castaway? S. P. T.
A. No; he only puts the case. For an explanation of his use of the first person, see 1 Corinthians 4:6.
Q. 364. Will you please tell me if the tribe of Dan did right in taking Laish? Judges 18:27. E.
A. We should say, not. The last verse of Judges gives a great clue to the book.
Q. 365. How did God fulfill His promise to David (2 Samuel 7) that his kingdom should be established forever? E.
A. It was fulfilled in Christ, and will yet be made good. (See Acts 13:34).
Q. 366. Why did Jesus weep at the grave of Lazarus? Was it in sympathy with the grief of Mary and Martha? E.
A. It was more; it was real grief. This does not, of course, exclude sympathy.
Q. 367. Please explain 1 Corinthians 8:11. E.
A. It means stumbling his weak conscience (see ver. 12), so as to be turned aside out of the right way.
Q. 368. Why is it said that Hannah prayed? her words seem to be entirely a song of praise. C. H. P.
A. Prayer is often used as a general word to express the action of speaking to God, which may take the form of request or of praise.
Q. 369. Why are the accounts of Achsah’s marriage and request to her father, and the request of Zelophehad’s daughter, each mentioned twice? (Josh. 15; Judges 1; Numbers 27; Joshua 17) C. H. P.
A. They are not recorded twice by the same historian. You will find many instances of double records by different writers.
Q. 370. How would you answer those who plead Deborah’s example in favor of women taking a prominent place in times of general weakness? C. H. P.
A. It is only in the New Testament that woman gets her true place defined, especially in all Christian matters.
Q. 371. What is the typical meaning of salt? (Mark 9:49,50). I have heard that it was grace; but can that be proved from scripture? C. H. P.
A. The obvious scriptural use is in reference to its preservative power. This you will see in Matthew 5:13, and elsewhere.
Q. 372. (Judges 4:21). Was Jael’s action right? It seems such an act of treachery, and yet Deborah blesses her for it. C. H. P.
A. We think it was an act of base treachery. Though Deborah’s song is recorded by inspiration, we nowhere read that she was inspired to utter it.
Q. 373. Were the different songs, prayers, &c., that are given us in the Bible, inspired? —such, for instance, as Deborah’s and Mary’s songs, Hannah’s prayer, and David’s lamentation over Saul and Jonathan? or are they only recorded for our information? C. H. P.
A. We could not say more than that they were recorded by divine wisdom for our instruction in various ways.
Q. 374. Explain (1) 1 John 3:20, as contrasted with ver. 21. (2) Romans 8:20. C. H. P.
A. (1) If even our hearts condemn us, how much more God, who knows all? but if they do not, then we walk with a good conscience before God. (2) The creation did not long retain its virgin beauty, but suffered together with man from the entrance of sin into the world.
Q. 375. Explain Hebrews 8:2. E. S. G.
A. Verse 24 in chapter 9 explains it.
Q. 376. (I) In Peter 4:6, does the apostle mean being dead naturally or dead in sins? (2) Ver. 52. Was the “fiery trial” persecution, or the coming destruction of Jerusalem? E. S. G.
A. (1) Dead naturally. (2) The former; observe these Jews were not in Judea. (Chapter 11.)
Q. 377. Explain (1) Ecclesiastes 3:11, (2) Chapter 7:27, 28, and (3) 8:10: Does the “place of the holy” mean the temple? C. H. P.
A. (1) We should be glad to receive an explanation of this verse. (2) This verse is quite clear as to the meaning, we do not know how the preacher arrived at this conclusion. (3) This verse appears to refer to religious professors who were forgotten after their death, we cannot say more. “Holy” probably does mean the temple.
Q. 378. (1) Explain Acts 22:16. (2) 1 Corinthians 15:29. Surely this latter cannot refer to literal baptism. F. M. S.
A. (1) See 1 Peter 3:21. The burial of which baptism is the figure marks the division between the old life of sin and the new life of righteousness and holiness. The language is figurative. (2) See B. S., 1882; Q. 25, p. 16.
Q. 379. “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth” Revelation 21:1. Does “heaven” here mean the place where God dwells, or only the firmament? F. M. S.
A. See 2 Peter 3 ro. The latter; surely God’s dwelling place knows no change.
Q. 380. Explain 1 Thessalonians 5:23. What is the distinction between soul and spirit? Is the spirit only the immortal part? H. S.
A. Soul generally means the natural life of man. Beasts have souls (Genesis 1:21, 24, 30; Hebrews) (that is) animal life. Man’s soul differs from theirs in being directly imparted, together with His spirit by God, and hence is immortal (Psalms 16:10; Genesis 2) The immortality of the soul we find mentioned by such a writer as Job, who was one of the earliest, and not a Jew (Job 33:28.) We find him distinguishing between soul and spirit (Job 7:11, also 12:10). He speaks of all these, spirit, soul and body (Job 10:1, 11, 12, and says in 19:26), that in his flesh he (that is the complete man, spirit, soul and body) would see God. He points out that the body is mortal, but not the other two. The soul in Scripture departs from the body at death (Genesis 35:18), it can love (Genesis 34:3), has appetites (Leviticus 7:18), lusts (Deuteronomy 14:26), hates (2 Samuel 5:8), is troubled (Psalms 88:3), is relieved (Lamentations 1 &c. &c. The soul thus is not the same, nor so high a part of man, as the spirit.
Q. 381. Does Matthew 12:20 refer to our Lord’s dealings with His avowed enemies? E. M. B.
A. Most probably. It has been applied to the Lord’s grace towards the meek and lowly, but the other interpretation is more likely.
Q. 382. Isaiah 19:24. Why is Israel placed third with Egypt and Assyria? Will not Israel be the first of all nations in the millennium? E.
A. It does not mean third in order, though named last in verse 25, but a third part. Israel will certainly hold its special place of favor above all nations in the millennium.
Q. 383. Explain (1) 1 Corinthians 9:17 latter clause. (2) James 2:1. E.
A. (1) God loves a willing giver; nevertheless in the apostle’s case it was more than this; he was compelled to carry on his work, God having specially entrusted it to him. (2) It means, you who have faith do not have respect to people according to their wealth.
Q. 384. Is it known or can it be conjectured why Paul went into Arabia, Galatians 1:17? E. M. B.
A. Probably to be alone with God, as Moses in Sinai and Elijah in Horeb.
Q. 385. What is the teaching of “the elder shall serve the younger?” E. M. B.
A. It refers to Esau, who was the elder, who sold his birthright to Jacob the younger, and whose descendants became subservient to the Israelites.
Q. 386. Does 1 Pet. 3:18 mean quickened by the spirit of a man, or by the Holy Spirit as in Romans 8:11? E. M. B.
A. The Holy Spirit.
Q. 387. Who and what are represented by the priest and Levite of Luke 11. E. M. B.
A. The Jewish law and ritual.
Q. 388. (1) What is the carcass in Matthew 24:28. (2) Matthew 25:32. Does “all the nations” take in heathendom or only Christendom? E. M. B.
A. (1) The corrupt Jewish people. (2) The former especially. Christendom will have no further gospel, having neglected the present offer of God’s grace. See 2 Thessalonians