Preface to Luke’s Gospel
There is nothing here inconsistent with the thought of inspiration in the full sense of the word (Luke 1:1-4). Infidels have asserted that for the record of matters of history and biography inspiration was not required. In a general sense this may be true, but inspiration ensures perfect accuracy in the record, which no unaided historian can afford. But it has been asserted that Luke admits his own non-inspiration. He does nothing of the kind. In these verses we find three sources of information whereby we may know those things that concern the life of our blessed Lord and Savior.
First and foremost there were those who “from the beginning were eye-witnesses”; these were the apostles, who narrated the facts of our Lord’s life, death, resurrection, and ascension, not merely as intelligent men, but as “ministers of the Word.” In other words, “their oral testimony was inspired.”
In the second place, there were those who undertook to set down in writing the, things communicated to them by these inspired apostles—things which were received amongst the Christians with full certainty (“surely believed”).
These many writers, while pious in their motives, were nevertheless not inspired writers.
The apostolic oral testimony of verse 2 had given to the many writers of verse and to the whole Christian company of that time, a sure ground of belief. But for the good of the whole Church in all ages something further was needed, and this we have in the four inspired gospels.
Hence we have in the third place the written testimony of Luke (vss. 3,4), who contrasts himself with the writers of verse and compares himself with the inspired apostles of verse 2. His motive was not only a pious one, but was divinely directed in its execution, so that believers in all ages might “know the certainty of those things.” Luke had what the writers of verse had not, namely, “perfect understanding of all things from the very first.” Luke, therefore, did not need what the others did before he could write; he did not require to be told the facts by the apostles; he himself had a perfect understanding of every detail from the very commencement. This was a claim to absolute accuracy, which could only be by divine inspiration.
ED.
The Lord’s Table.
We would draw special attention to the letter on the Lord’s table in our current number, filled as it is with most important principles of truth. Not infrequently have we heard the expression “table of devils” applied to the commemoration of the Lord’s death by companies of Christians not assembling along with the individual who thus speaks. To say nothing of the ignorance displayed, it would be impossible to find words strong enough to condemn this outrage upon Christ and His people.
But it is dangerous in these days of the church’s ruin to apply in an exclusive sense he expression “the Lord’s table” to any section of Christians. 1 Corinthians 10 is the only New Testament passage where the expression occurs, and here it is easy to see it is put in contrast to “the altar” in Israel, and “the table of demons” amongst the heathen. The present broken and divided state of the Church is not contemplated in the passage, and for a right understanding of it we must not drag in what is not there. For any company of saints in these days of confusion to claim the title of “the Lord’s table” in an exclusive sense is a pretension which is unbecoming, and we feel persuaded displeasing to God.
The Lord’s table is that which distinguishes the Church of God in contrast to the Jews and the Gentile or heathen (vs. 32). The Jew who ate of the sacrifice was identified with the altar on which the sacrifice was offered; the heathen who partook of that which was sacrificed to idols was identified with the demon represented by the idol. On the other hand, Christians partook of the Lord’s table, and thus were identified with the Lord— “We (Christians) being many, are one bread, one body; for we (Christians) are all partakers of that one bread.” As we have said, we must not introduce into the passage what is not there; the confusion of Christendom is not contemplated in 1 Corinthians 10, though the truth there taught helps to direct our path in the midst of the confusion. Sectarian celebrations of the Lord’s Supper are in flat contradiction to the truth of verse 17, which teaches the oneness of the body of Christ. Care is needed in these days of laxity in doctrine, but wherever Christians sound in faith and pious in life are refused, those so acting, it seems to us, are sectarian in their principles. We should be glad to hear what others have to say on the subject.
ED.
Revival Records.
A correspondent from Canada has sent us the following interesting recollections of what took place amongst the boys at the school he attended in 1859:
“I have been much interested in reading the revival records of the great revival in 1859, which commenced in Ireland, and spread over a great part of England, Scotland, and Wales. I was a pupil at a private school of between thirty and forty boys situated on Rodborough Common, near Stroud, in that year, and the wave of blessing passed over us, in answer, no doubt, to the prayers of our schoolmaster, Mr. Jabez Home, who was an earnest and devoted man of God, as much, or more interested in our spiritual than in our general knowledge.
“Most, if not all the boys were affected, and instead of passing our recreation hours in play as formerly, we met together in a shed where some wagons belonging to a farmer named Melsom were kept, and which was in a quiet spot not far from our playground, and within hearing of the school bell. We usually filled one or two wagons, and there we spent all our play hours in praise, reading, and prayer. I often think of that gracious work of the Lord, and how we were stirred up to seek Him with one accord, for the conversions were rapid, and to find our joy and delight in singing praises to Him, reading the Word, and offering up simple but earnest prayers from hearts His love had reached and won. Mr. Horne wisely, I think, kept away from our meetings, though no doubt pleading for us in private prayer. We were not aware at the time that anything of the kind was going on elsewhere, as we knew little of what was taking place outside of us. On one occasion Melsom came with his horses to the shed to take away a wagon, but when he saw how we were occupied he quietly went away, saying his (Mr. Horne’s) lads were quite welcome to the use of his wagons.”
J. C. E.