Ques. 131. Please explain the hours Jesus was on the cross. P. C. B.
Answer: Mark 15:2525And it was the third hour, and they crucified him. (Mark 15:25). "It was the third hour, and they crucified Him." This answers to 9 a.m. in our time. Verse 33, "And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour"; that is, from noon till 3 p. m. After the darkness, Jesus said: "It is finished," and "Father, into Thy hands I commit My spirit"; then He died. It was near the end of the day, sundown, when He was buried, that is "even." (v. 42.)
Answer: The natural superstitions of the human mind produce stories of ghosts, fairies and goblins and other nonsensical things; these are all profane, they leave out true thoughts of God. We are to exercise ourselves rather unto godliness; this is true submission to God's word. (2 Cor. 10:55Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; (2 Corinthians 10:5).)
W. W. H.
Answer: The man out of whom the demons were cast is a picture of the believing remnant of Israel, who, after he met the Lord Jesus, was found sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind. It is also a picture of all believers.
The swine is a picture of the apostate nation of Israel, who, under the power of Satan, rush on downward to their destruction. It is also true of all Christ rejecters. Thirty-eighth and thirty-ninth verses show the believer's desire to be with the Lord, but in the meantime he was to wait in the world out of which his master was sent and there to witness to what God had done for him. (Phil. 2:12-1612Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. 14Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; 16Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain. (Philippians 2:12‑16).)
Ques. 134. What do the Scriptures teach is the Christian's path in time of war? M.
Answer: James 4:1, 21From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? 2Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. (James 4:1‑2), tells him where war comes from. The believer belongs to Christ, he is bought with a price. (1 Cor. 6:20; 7:2320For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. (1 Corinthians 6:20)
23Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. (1 Corinthians 7:23).) Christ's teaching and example is for the believer. (Phil. 2:55Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (Philippians 2:5); 1 John 2:66He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. (1 John 2:6).) The believer is a citizen of heaven. (Phil. 3:2020For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: (Philippians 3:20); Heb. 3:11Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; (Hebrews 3:1).) Jesus' kingdom is not of this world. (John 18:3636Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. (John 18:36).) The believer is not of this world. (John 17:1616They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. (John 17:16).) The Lord teaches him not to resist evil. (Matt. 5:3939But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. (Matthew 5:39).) To love his enemies. (Matt. 5:4444But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; (Matthew 5:44); Luke 6:27, 2827But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, 28Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. (Luke 6:27‑28).) He is to suffer rather than to fight. (Rom. 12:19-2119Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:19‑21).) He is to obey the powers that be (Rom. 13:11Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. (Romans 13:1); 1 Peter 2:1313Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; (1 Peter 2:13)), to pray for the rulers (1 Tim. 2:11I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; (1 Timothy 2:1)) and to submit to them in every right thing, but if contrary to the word of God, he is to obey God rather than men. (Acts 4:19, 20; 5:2919But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. 20For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. (Acts 4:19‑20)
29Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. (Acts 5:29).)
In the Old Testament, Israel was God's earthly people. They were to fight against Gods enemies and to possess the land of Palestine. (Psa. 149:6-96Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand; 7To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; 8To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; 9To execute upon them the judgment written: this honor have all his saints. Praise ye the Lord. (Psalm 149:6‑9); Deut. 8:7-10; 34:1-47For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; 8A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; 9A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass. 10When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath given thee. (Deuteronomy 8:7‑10)
1And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the Lord showed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan, 2And all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the utmost sea, 3And the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar. 4And the Lord said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither. (Deuteronomy 34:1‑4).)
The Christian blessing is seen in Eph. 1:33Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: (Ephesians 1:3); 1 Peter 1:3, 43Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, (1 Peter 1:3‑4). He needs strength to suffer (Phil. 1:20, 2920According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. (Philippians 1:20)
29For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; (Philippians 1:29); Col. 1:1111Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; (Colossians 1:11)), he is to find it in Christ. (Phil. 4:13, 1913I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Philippians 4:13)
19But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19).)
Answer: The truth of the Church of God as the body and the bride of Christ, and as the habitation of God through the spirit, is unfolded in the letter to the Ephesians.
First Timothy instructs the man of God how to behave in this house or habitation of God. (3:15.)
Second Timothy instructs the man of God how to walk when disorder and confusion has spoiled it as God's witness on earth. It teaches him that there is a path of faith, which is a path of obedience to God and to His word. In this epistle we find all kinds of evil have come in. but God has not disowned it: the Holy Ghost still dwells here on earth in it. In chapter 2:15, the believer is to seek the approval of God, dividing and applying the word according to God's mind revealed in the Scriptures. In verses 20 and 21 and their context, the path of faith and separation from evil is marked out. Verse 20 compares Christendom to a great house, in which is a mixture of bad and good; all is in confusion.
It is a picture of the professing church on earth. We are in it, we are not told to leave it, but the twenty-first verse calls on the believer to purge himself from the mixture; that is, to be separated from the mixture so to walk in a separate path, and thus be a vessel unto honor, set apart, and meet for the Master's use and prepared unto every good work.
Verse 22 teaches us that a right condition of soul is needed, as well as a right position of separation. So it reads, "Flee also youthful lusts." These words would teach us to judge our own hearts and ways, so that we are not allowing things inconsistent with the true character of a Christian. Next he is told what to follow-not people, but-"righteousness, faith, love, peace-practical righteousness in our ways; faith in God and His word as our guide (see 3:16, 17). Love is the divine nature in its activity, it goes out in compassion for the newly and the lost, and it embraces as one with them all the children of God; it is also love in the truth, it rejoices not in iniquity; peace, we follow peace, the Christian is to be a peacemaker, and have his feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Ministering peace to the troubled heart of saint or sinner out of the fullness of the grace of God. Following thus we find others doing the same, and in the unity of the Spirit (Eph. 4:33Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:3)), we follow with them; they call on the Lord out of a pure heart. We are not called on to decide who are the Lord's and who are not, but we are to discern those who seek to follow the Lord in simplicity and sincerity, and to follow with them.