Ques. Please explain John 10:35.
Ans. In Ex. 22:28. "gods" distinctly means judges or rulers, and it is in this sense the Lord uses the word here. These judges were the representatives of God's government in the earth, and if they were called gods, how could the Jews accuse Christ of blaspheming, for calling Himself the Son of God, when He had been sent in a far more special way.
Ques. Please explain the difference between baptizing "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" (Matt. 28:19); "in the name of Jesus Christ" (Acts 2:38); "in the name of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 19:5).
Ans. The baptism is the same, and we should believe that the same words were used, as there is only the one command, but the baptism is described in different terms according to the case. Thus in the command when "all nations" are contemplated we get the full words given; in Acts 2, specially Jewish, the name of Jesus is made prominent, being the One who had been rejected by them; while in Acts 19 it is the "Lord Jesus" being Christ in resurrection, and not addressed specially to those who had just crucified Him.
Ques. Please explain Jude 21, "looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”
Ans. We give the following remarks by another. "When one sees what are the fruits of the heart of man, one feels that it must be His mercy which presents us without spot before His face, in that day, for eternal life with a God of holiness. No doubt it is His unchangeable faithfulness, but in the presence of so much evil, one thinks rather of the mercy. Compare in the same circumstances, what Paul says 2 Tim. 1:16. It is mercy which has made the difference between those that fail and those that stand (Compare Ex. 33:19).”
Ques. Is there any significance in the order observed in Heb. 12:22-24?
Ans. We think there is. There are eight things in all each being separated by the word "and." 1, the mount; 2, the city; 3, the innumerable company of angels; 4, the Church; 5, God; 6, spirits of just men; 7, Jesus; 8, the blood. The earthly Zion raised the apostles thoughts to the heavenly city and to heaven generally, then to their innumerable angelic hosts, and then to the Church enrolled there by the grace of God. God as judge, naturally introduces the spirits of those faithful ones who had suffered righteously on the earth. This leads on to the new covenant and its Mediator, who will again establish relationship with God's ancient people, and not only with them, but, in virtue of His precious blood (that does not cry for vengeance as did Abel's), with the whole Millennial earth. The passage thus speaks of God, Christ, heaven, angels, the Church, the remnant of the Jews, and the redeemed earth.