Ans. The Jewish remnant, who will suffer terribly in the last half of Daniel’s seventieth week.
Ans. We can only understand this to mean that Christ being rejected, those who truly follow Him must be prepared to do so at all costs, even to the breaking of every earthly tie; not that natural relationships as such are to be repudiated, but Christ must be first, and His claims set before all else, even one’s own life.
Ques. Are there two “little whiles” in John 16?
Ans. Yes, He was still to be with them a little while, and He was to be separated from them a little while.
Ans. The kingdom, in its present form, extends from Pentecost till the Lord comes for His saints.
There are many associations, both secular and religious, that might be spoken of as “bundles” of tares, but the wheat is mixed in with them. The wheat here is not Israel, but all who are the Lord’s now; those who are cleansed from their sins and sealed by the Holy Spirit. When the Lord comes, He will gather them all into His granary. After that, the angels will be called to do their work (Matt. 13:39,41,4939The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. (Matthew 13:39)
41The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; (Matthew 13:41)
49So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, (Matthew 13:49)).
The fishermen in Matt. 13:4848Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. (Matthew 13:48) are the servants in the present time, who understand what God is doing, not saving the world, but gathering out of it those who compose the body of Christ. They know that the gospel of the grace of God, that is preached now, gathers these only, and these are the good who believe the gospel to the salvation of their souls. The bad, though in the net, were only nominal Christians, that is, without being born again.
Ans. In one sense, it was not a new commandment, but that which was from the beginning. In another sense, it was a new commandment, inasmuch as Christ is revealed in a new way, by the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, consequent upon Christ’s glorification at God’s right hand. Eternal life was always in Him; but now it is true in Him and in His people, because they are united to Him by the Holy Ghost. It could not have been said, “in Him and in you” until redemption was accomplished, and the Holy Ghost had come down to baptize believers into one body, and unite them to the head; but this latter is unfolded in the writings of Paul. John gives us the subject of eternal life. Paul develops the doctrine of the Church.