VOL.
XLV March/April 1962 No. 2
Wise as Serpents-Harmless as Doves
Notice of Postponement of Annual Meeting Remembering Christ"This do
in remembrance of me." - Luke 22:19. WITH
solemn joy, in smaller and larger groups (perhaps alone) we shall gather on the
evening of Friday, March 31, to observe -- in obedience to Him who did
institute and command it -- the Lord's Supper. The days of the years of our
pilgrimage have been many and hard, but again we draw nigh to the hallowed
place in our Christian experience, once again to keep the Feast. "This is
my body which is broken for you; eat ye all, of it. 'This is my blood which is
shed for you; drink ye all, of it." How precious the familiar words.
Heaven's treasury was exhausted that this table might be set;' blessed is he
that partaketh thereof. The sufficient emblems a crumb of bread-a sip of wine:
and oh! how we sing!
As
regards the Memorial proper, its institution, significance, and its cluster of
associated events, both typical and antitypical, we shall not enter into them
particularly now. Concerning these glorious truths we have all been well
informed. Our meditation will be devotional rather than expository. We would
linger instead upon the words of our text: "This Do in Remembrance of Me."In
remembrance of Thee? O Savior, we will indeed commemorate thy costly
redemptive sacrifice. Yea, Lord, we will further remember all thy benefits
toward us. For we remember the riches of thy prehuman existence, the glory
which was thine with the Father before the world was. Thou, the firstborn of
all creation, the beginning of the creation of God, wast by him as one brought
up with him, daily his delight, rejoicing always before him. For he possessed
thee in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. Thou wast set up
from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. All things were
made by thee, and without thee was not anything made that was made. When the
foundations of the earth were laid, thou didst hear the morning stars sing
together and all the sons of God shout for joy. Yea,
Lord, we do remember that in the fullness of time, thou, in -obedience to thy
Father, didst lay aside thy glory, and wast born of a woman -- wast made flesh.
Thou, so rich -- becamest poor for our
sakes! We remember the circumstances of thy birth -- that thou wast laid in a
manger because there was no room for thee in the inn! Thou earnest into the
world made by thee, but the world knew thee not. Thou didst make thyself of no
reputation and didst take upon, thee the form of a servant. Did they not call
thee the Carpenter's son -- thou, the architect of the universe? Yea, the
foxes had dens, and the birds, nests, but thou hadst no place to lay thy head!
Thou camest to thine own, but thine own received thee not. Despised, rejected,
a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief! Of the people there was none with
thee. How oft wouldst thou, in thy great love, have gathered them as a hen doth
her chicks, but they would not! For thou hadst compassion on the multitude, for
they were like sleep without a shepherd. O Savior, we do remember all this and
more. We
remember how thou wentest about doing good, and manifesting thy glory. The
blind received their sight, the lame walked, the lepers were cleansed, the deaf
heard, the dead were raised, the multitudes were fed, and to the poor the
Gospel was preached. Bartimeus, Jairus, the widow of Nain, Martha, Mary,
Lazarus and many others-all did partake of thy wonderful grace. Did ever man
speak as thou, didst speak? Did not all bear, witness and wonder at the
gracious words which proceeded forth out of thy mouth? Words of spirit and
life, words which the Father did give unto thee, wonderful words of life! We
remember Lord, as the last hour drew near, how thou didst steadfastly set thy
face to go to Jerusalem. The cup, which the Father had given thee, thou
wouldst' drink to the full!
The
shadows lengthened. With desire thou didst desire to eat the last Passover with
them, thy little ones, before thy suffering. Thou, when thy soul was full of
sublime purpose, in pained silence didst hear their words of selfish strife,
wounding thy spirit. (O Master! forgive us for all the many times since then
that we have wounded thee.) Sublime was thy example of humble servitude, as
kneeling before each one thou didst wash their feet. Unmindful of thyself, thy
solicitude was all for them, whom thou wouldst not leave as orphans. Having
loved thine own, thou didst love them to the end. For them, thou didst pray to
the Father, and O blessed thought! not only for them but for us also who have
believed on thee through their word! We
remember, dear Lord, as the awful hour of thy deepest humiliation arrived, that
thou in agony of spirit didst seek the garden spot. O that we could have
watched with thee one hour!
Dear
Lord, we must follow thee in our meditation for we remember thy betrayal. We
remember the traitorous kiss, the armed band, the fleeing disciples. To face
the powers of darkness thou wast left alone, and yet not alone, for the Father
was with thee. But from this hour he did not save thee, for, for this cause
camest thou unto this hour. Thou wast bound as a criminal and led before men of
evil. Do we remember what followed? O Savior! can we forget thy burden, of
suffering and the scenes of indignity and horror? How men smote thee -- mocked
thee -- spat upon thee --scourged
thee and then -- O shameful ignominy -- condemned thee to be crucified!
We
remember, precious Lord, though we little understand, the night thou didst
pass through when by the grace of God thou didst taste death for every man.
Thou hast once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that thou mightest
bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened in the spirit.
Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received
gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell
among them. We remember, dear Lord, that we Gentiles in time past were aliens
from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise,
having no hope, and. without God in the world. But now in thee, we who were far
off are made nigh by thy blood, and through thee we have access by one spirit
unto the Father. We are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens
with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation
of the Apostles and Prophets, thou thyself being the chief corner stone; in
whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the
Lord, an habitation of God through the spirit. We
remember that through thy poverty, we who were dead in trespasses and sins,
have been made rich. We have received forgiveness of sins, peace, life, sonship, joy, love, the hope of immortality. Thou hast become unto us wisdom,
and righteousness, and sanctification, and deliverance. We are heirs of God and
joint-heirs with thee; if so be that we suffer with thee, that we may be also
glorified together -- to be kings and priests for a thousand years, to bless
all the families of earth. Dear Lord, our cup runneth over; our hearts o'erflow with gratitude! Our souls do magnify the Lord, and our spirits rejoice in God our Savior. Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Gladly, dear Master, do we gather about thy table to commemorate thee; to bless the cup, and to break the bread, the communion of thy blood and thy body. And so will we keep the Feast until that rapturous day when we shall drink the new cup with thee in the Kingdom of God. - W. J. Siekman. Our Glorious Hope!"As touching the hope
and resurrection of the dead I am called in question." THE
DETERMINATION of the basis of Christian orthodoxy, that is, the true faith or
teaching, has been the earnest desire and effort of fifty or sixty generations
of Bible students and theologians, over a period of eighteen hundred years. Today,
each of the many sects of Christendom sincerely believes that its creed only
is truly orthodox. But the uncreed fettered, free Bible student holds that the
Bible teaching alone is the basis of orthodoxy. 'There
are several Bible criteria, or tests, or measures of orthodoxy. The basic test
is belief in a benignant God: "He that cometh unto God must believe
that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."
(Heb. 11:6.) The next is acceptance of Jesus Christ as the exclusive Agent of
God for man's salvation. Jesus said: "All things have been delivered unto
Me of My Father: and no one knoweth . . . the Father, save the Son, and he to
whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal Him." - Matt. 11:27. There
are numerous other measures of the reality, sincerity, and propriety of
Christian faith, including self-sacrifice; activity and zeal in service;
purification of life ("even as He is pure"); and joyful anticipation
of a future life with the Lord (a crown reserved for "all those who love
His appearing"). Not disregarding these but building upon them, the
further supreme and searching test of true faith is belief and reliance upon
the teaching of Christ regarding the resurrection of the dead. This
touchstone differentiates not only between accurate and inaccurate Christian
faith, but also between-Christianity and all false religions. It was the
question the Apostle Paul raised, that provoked such an uproar in the Jewish
Sanhedrin when they were examining him, that the Roman chiliarch who had him in charge thought they would
tear him in pieces, as related in Acts 23:1-10. And it is the question that
brings into sharp conflict the statements concerning man's nature, made by God
, through His Son, His Prophets, and His Apostles, with the falsehood told by Satan
to Mother Eve in the Garden of Eden. For this falsehood Satan was denounced by
our Lord, declared to be "a murderer from the beginning," and to have
"no truth in him." "He is a liar, and the father thereof."
(John 8:44.) Strangely enough, it seems much easier for the human mind to grasp
and believe the Satanic lie, than the truth as stated by man's Creator, who
certainly should know how he is constituted. It
is not the purpose of this article to present an exhaustive discussion of the
mortal nature of man, of death as the penalty of disobedience imposed upon the
race in the person of Adam, its progenitor. and of the Way opened for man's
possible recovery therefrom through the Gospel of Jesus Christ-including both
the living and the dead, those that have "done good" and those that
have "done, evil." Nor need we remind you' that there is a
"second death" reserved for those who, thus called forth from the
tomb to a life and an enlightenment not obscured by Satan's lies and unhindered
by Satan's rule, refuse to accept God's amnesty and restoration to His family
and Fatherhood. Such, we know, as will not then obey "That Prophet"
shall be "destroyed from among the people. (Acts 21:22-24.) All this
ground is fully covered by publications of this Institute, which are free for
the asking, or at nominal cost in book form. It
is enough here to remind our readers that God placed Father Adam under a test
of obedience, which involved his refraining from partaking of the fruit of a
certain tree in his Garden home. Satan, in the beginning of his contact with
the human family (as referred to by Jesus in John 8:44) assured Mother Eve that
if she and her mate should eat of "the tree that is in the midst of the
Garden," forbidden to them by their Creator, instead of dying as He had
said, they should "become as gods, knowing both good and evil" and
incidentally immortal. The outcome of the primitive experiment in disobeying
God must thus inevitably prove either God or Satan a deceiver. The evidence as
to which told the truth has been presented to mankind and the universe for
nearly six thousand
years. The inevitable termination of the life of every human being in death is
a continuing and should be a convincing proof to every thinking being that God is true, and His Adversary a
liar, as Jesus said. The Devil has tried, with considerable success, to
vitiate this conclusion by inculcating through various agencies, the doctrine
of the immortality of the human soul, so that to those who accept this theory,
death becomes merely a change of scene. But the complete extinction of life and
consciousness in death is everywhere taught in the Bible. "Put not your
trust in princes," says the Psalmist, "nor in the son of Adam, in whom there is no help. His
breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his
thoughts perish." Solomon, with divinely given wisdom, thus engrossed the truth: "The
living know that they shall die, but the dead know not anything . for there is no work, nor
device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol [Hebrew for the grave] whither thou
goest." - Psa. 146:3, 4; Eccl. 9:5, 10. Surely these statements (of many to the same end)
are sufficiently explicit! Nor is the New Testament less positive. Jesus'
promise of restoration from death was to "the dead all who are in the
tombs." (John 5:25-29.) He knew they were not in heaven, or a hell of
torment, or purgatory, or any other state of consciousness. And the basis of
that nominal "Christian" theology, which in reality is Platonic,
Egyptian, and Satanic, is shattered by the Apostolic statement that it is the
supreme Potentate, "King of kings and Lord of lords; who only hath immortality, dwelling
in light unapproachable; whom no man hath seen nor can see." God alone had
inherent immortality, as explained by the Lord Jesus; but He has power to
impart such life, and has done
so to the Son; and the Son extends it to those becoming members of His Bride,
His Church. The Prophet Isaiah foretold these things, embracing fundamental
truths and transactions of tremendous import in both heaven and earth. In a
passage hailing a special Servant of Jehovah who "shall be exalted and be
lifted up, and shall be very high," and who was to become the Sin-Bearer
for all mankind, making "His soul an offering for sin, the Prophet,
speaking in-the name of Jehovah, says: "I will divide Him a portion [of
immortality] with The Great [i.e. Myself], and He shall divide the spoil [of His victory over death and
the grave -- immortality] with the strong" -- those strong enough in their
determination to participate in His victory, to "follow the Lamb whithersoever
He goeth. (Those of our readers desiring to verify these statements from the
Scriptures, and to note their marvelous harmony and cohesion, are referred
to: 1 Tim. 6:15, 16; Eph. 5:13; John
5:19-29; Isa. 52:13-15; 53:1-12; Rev. 3:21; 14:4.) Confronted
with these facts in millions of books and hundreds of millions of tracts distributed ,
throughout Christendom during the past fifty years, it would seem that the
prevalent erroneous conception of the human soul as immortal should have been
generally if not unanimously replaced by an acceptance of the Scriptural
doctrine of the resurrection, as the basis of the Christian's hope of a future
life. Not so, however; the acceptance of Satan's falsehood that, because we
have eaten of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and of evil, we
have become as gods and cannot die, is so flattering to man's vanity, and it is
so impressed on his thinking from infancy,
and is so intrenched in the popular Church creeds, that it will require the
fiat of the returning Christ, "Behold, I make all things new," to
destroy the "covering" and rend the "veil" from mankind's
eyes, so that they may accept His proffer of "the water [symbolizing
Truth] of life freely" -- on His terms, not theirs. - Rev. 21;5-8;
Isa. 25:7. In
these latter days God has made it easier to accept the doctrine of the
resurrection than heretofore, by permitting mankind's searching mind to
discover means of recording, preserving, and reproducing a considerable portion
of a human being's, personality and accomplishments. The monuments, statuary,
hieroglyphics, cuneiform inscriptions, and crude drawings, coming down to us
from ancient peoples, give us but a limited knowledge of their appearance,
their lives, and their ideas. Great modern libraries of books, of motion
picture films and of phonograph recordings, permit the recreation at will of the
ideas, the appearance, and the voices of recently deceased men. Science could
manufacture an apparent replica of the body of a dead man; as, for example, of
President Woodrow Wilson, duplicating his appearance as shown in existing
motion pictures, place therein a phonograph record of his thoughts, for utterance
in his own voice; all so cunningly constructed .as to deceive one who had known
the man in life; yet it would be only a robot, not having a brain to think new
thoughts, a bodily metabolism to continue its existence, and .a consciousness
of personality that would, constitute a recreation or resurrection of the
.man, so that he would know himself. This last accomplishment God has
"placed in His own power," and that of the Son, to whom He has
imparted it. This ability is the peculiar "glory of God." To believe
this doctrine constitutes Christian orthodoxy, regarding the hope of
everlasting life. Demonstrating
the power of God to resurrect a dead man, Jesus stood before the tomb of
Lazarus and assured Martha, "Thy brother shall live again." Martha,
being only a Hebrew woman, instructed in that nation's ancient Scriptures but
not infected with Greek or Egyptian philosophy, nor with modern
"systematic theology," replied: "I know he shall live again in
the resurrection at the last day." Jesus associated Himself with that Day
and its promise by declaring: "I am the resurrection and the life; believe,
and thou shalt see the glory of God." Then He commanded: "Lazarus, come forth!"
-- and Lazarus came forth from the tomb. Jesus said "Loose him [from all
grave clothes] and let him go." This was a sample and type of a universal Reviving, and Loosing "at that Day." - John
11:1-44. The
glory of God particularly associated with the resurrection of the dead,
is again referred to by the Apostle in Romans 6:4: "Christ was raised from
the dead through the glory of the Father." And the great Day of which
Martha spoke, in which is to be revealed this particular and peculiar glory of
God, was foretold by the Prophet Isaiah among others, declaring the
universality of its application: "The glory of Jehovah shall be revealed,
and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of Jehovah hath
spoken it." -Isa. 40:3-8. Space
forbids a discussion here of the differences in the resurrection; of the best
or "first resurrection" of the Church, and the, "better resurrection"
of the holy men of the old dispensation, both to be prior to the general resurrection. Nor can we more than
refer to the secret imparted by the Apostle, that in the end of the Age there
would come a time when "we all shall not sleep, but we shall all be
changed." For further details and particulars, we again refer the
interested reader to the exhaustive publications supplied by the Institute. -
Rev. 20:4-6; Heb. 11:35; 1 Cor. 15:51, 52. Those
who in simple faith have accepted the Scriptural doctrine of the resurrection,
have not sorrowed as do those who have no such hope. When their loved
ones died they have known that in effect they have only "fallen
asleep," because they would surely awake, refreshed, in the Morning. Such
separations are ever hard to bear, but how consoling to know that they
are, only temporary! They have never been for so very long, for (at longest)
the sorrowing ones soon have joined their loved ones in sleep, or now, as we
believe, are "changed in a moment" to be with the Lord, and to join
in preparations for the General Resurrection -- for "their works do follow
with them." "Sorrows may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the
Morning." - Rev. 14:13; Psa. 30:5. It
will, be the Resurrection Morning, heralding The Day. The glory of God,
revealed, shall not only cause the dead to awake, but theearth also to
"bud and blossom as the rose. "The tabernacle of God" the
"Mighty God" of Isaiah 9:6, "the great God and our Savior"
referred to in Paul's Epistle to Timothy (2 Tim. 2:13) -- shall then be with
men, "and He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall
be no more neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more:
the first things are passed away. "He
that testifieth these things saith, Yea; I come quickly. Amen: come, Lord
Jesus." - Rev. 21 and 22. -
Horace E. Hollister. Immanuel's Land
-
Mrs. A. R. Cousin. The Ministry of the WordANOTHER
year has passed into history replete with its quota of joys and sorrows,
rejoicings and heartaches, hopes and fears. The refreshing fellowship over the
years is nothing more than a cherished memory through the death here and there
of loved ones now entered into God's rest. To those of us who have spent many
years "in the way of the Lord," the passing over of those with whom
we once walked "arm in arm into the house of God" brings a distinct
sense of loss and a growing feeling of loneliness. Somehow we never recover
this close-knit relationship in subsequent years, and this is particularly
true in these modern days where we find a new set of values placed on Christian
thinking and fellowship, as well as on everything else. At the same time, there
are still many excellent brethren who are earnestly desirous of "knowing
the way of the Lord more perfectly," and to whom pilgrim visits are a real
blessing. Ministering to such is a great satisfaction, for it is like pouring
water on the parched earth, which drinks it in eagerly. For
almost nine months of last year (and more than 18,000 miles of automobile
driving through the South, the Middle West, the East and the New England states
and portions of Canada) we were received kindly and hospitably entertained; and
appreciation was expressed for the services rendered. We were favorably
impressed with a growing trend away from the narrow idea of factionalism to
the Christian concept of liberty and love. Alas, too many have thought that
they were commissioned to "protect" the liberties of their brethren,
and, in all good faith, erected barriers to save Class members from those who
would, in the opinion of such, tend to subvert the faith of others. After all,
the truth in the hearts and lives of God's people is far removed from the
spirit of sectarianism. The thought that one's standing in the Lord must be
reduced to a series of stipulated beliefs is surely an indication of Christian
immaturity, because the New Testament describes successful overcoming as
resulting from being "conformed to the image of God's dear Son." When
the matter is properly viewed the brethren are coming to the realization that
they have been defrauding themselves of the services of excellent brothers
because of human barriers. We
had the privilege of serving at a number of conventions in various parts of the
country throughout this year. Excellent convention sessions were held at Cicero
and Chicago, Ill., Stevens Point, Wis., Grand Rapids, Mich., St. Louis, Mo.,
and Milwaukee, Wis. At these places were to be found the larger number of the
friends. It seemed that most all the brethren were thinking of world events as
indicating the nearness of Messiah's kingdom, and there was a soberness in the
attitude of both speakers and listeners. The very thought that there was the
prospect of the near end of the Narrow Way was stimulating to all who have
earnestly looked for this glad event "these many years." True, a few
held tenaciously to the idea that the Church had a great work yet to be done,
and while all could admire such enthusiasm and zeal, yet sober thinking on the
subject indicates that such a conclusion could not be supported by world
events, or the testimony of prophecy. Many have recalled Brother Russell's
remarks in the 1916 Watch Tower: "We must not let our theories weigh
anything against the facts"; a very sound approach to the matter. During
this year we have felt that the brethren generally were more in need of a word of counsel, admonition
and encouragement, because of their personal problems, and also sickness or
bereavement. Our mission, therefore, was more as an encourager of the brethren,
instead of lecturing them on all the various things they must believe in order
to be in good standing. And in this approach we found a ready response, land
many were the opportunities to give personal counsel, a word of prayer, and a
message from the Lord's Word. We found the brethren's response heart-warming,
and we owe a debt of gratitude to one and all for the warmth of their reception
and hospitality. This
was particularly true as a result of Sister Muir's unexpected heart attack
while attending the Stevens Point, Wis., convention at the end of last August.
She was in the hospital there between six and seven weeks, where she had
opportunities for witnessing to the truth as it is in Jesus. During that time
brethren from all over the Midwest, the South and the East, as well as points
in the far West, showered her with cards and in other practical ways showed
their love and sympathy. We can never adequately express our appreciation to
all the dear friends for their thoughtfulness and love, but ask that all
accept this expression of our gratitude, with the assurance that we bear you
all before the throne of grace that as your days your strength may be. We
realize, of course, that these words of cheer were sent to us simply because we
and you are now probationary members of Christ, much as he once compared a
"cup of cold water" given to one of his being acknowledged as done to
him. Thus the reward will come from the Lord himself, in part now and in its
fullness in the kingdom. Sister Muir is gradually improving at home in Florida,
but will no longer be able to make long trips across the country. From
this experience we have learned a number of lessons. One is that there is a
fellowship of heart that far transcends a mere mental uniformity of belief.
Hence the New Testament message of the power of love which unites all who
possess it in the bonds of peace. This is "the peace of God," a
wondrous experience and something which fortifies us in periods of great
stress. Another lesson is that the measure of Christian love which we show to
one another indicates the extent to which we have grasped the meaning of the love
of Christ to us. Finally, as members in the great Vine, partaking of the
same'' root, we learn that successful overcoming is represented, amongst other
things, in the spirit of sacrifice with which we "serve one another." We
have rejoiced with those who have the courage and enthusiasm of youth.,
striving to see their objective, and praying God's blessing upon them as they
seek to serve him according to their', understanding of his will. We have sat
with the sick and the shut-ins and tried to lift their minds to the higher
outlook and thus to take a fresh look upward and receive encouragement. We
have listened to those with problems with which they have struggled for a long
time, thinking that perhaps an outsider might see a glimmer of light where all
seems dark otherwise. We have buried the dead, glad for their release and
hopeful for their place in the Lord's kingdom. To the bereaved we have painted
the picture of that kingdom, its glory and beauty, and its effectiveness in
readying mankind for the reign of righteousness and life. We have lent a
helping hand to the discouraged, trying, in the Apostle's language, to
"bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ." With
the argumentative we have refused to be drawn into wordy discussions which are
a weariness to the new creature. Where new interest has occurred we have tried
to show the beauty and simplicity of the divine plan and encouraged such to
continue seeking the Lord's way. This is a most wonderful ministry and highly rewarding in spiritual values, although sometimes the flesh grows weary and our own burdens remain. Yet it is true that the knowledge of what others endure makes our own burdens seem light in comparison, and this lesson has again been amply emphasized to us. The Scriptures assure us that we "are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works," and that God is working by means of his promises, with our hearty co-operation, first to will, and then he begins his work in us, to do. In the proportion that we are faithful to the Lord and are led by his spirit, guided by his word, in that proportion we come to understand our heavenly Father. In seeking to do the things well-pleasing to him, we are developing in ourselves his glorious character. Unless we become thus developed spiritually we shall not be ready for our glorious resurrection change, which St. Paul says will come in an instant. We are waiting, therefore, for the grand consummation when we shall be perfected with our Lord as members of his body and sharers of his glory. We commit the results of our ministry with all its frailties into the hands of our dear Lord, who in his providence, can crown it with success. - A. L. Muir. Wise as Serpents-Harmless as DovesMatthew 10:16 As
the context shows, these words were spoken by our Lord to his twelve Apostles
and constituted part of his commission to them. The word "apostle"
means "one sent forth." Christ himself was the Apostle-the
Apostle and High Priest of our profession (Heb. 3:1) -- the one sent forth by
God. And these twelve were his apostles-chosen and sent forth by him.
"Behold I send you forth',. [the "I" is emphasized] as sheep in
the midst of wolves; be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmless as
doves." They
themselves, if they continued in his ministry and spirit, could not and would
not bite and devour. Their apostolic mission had no wolfish element in it. But
they themselves would be persecuted. As sheep in the midst of wolves they
would be exposed to the malice of many who would be both able and eager to bite
and fight and devour. Because of this, "therefore," they were to be,
or to become, "wise as serpents." The
word translated "wise" in our Authorized Version is translated
"prudent" by Rotherham. In the Diaglott it is "sagacious."
It does not refer to intellectual or ethical wisdom, but rather denotes
prudence in regard to one's own safety. It refers to the serpent's real or
reputed wariness or sagacity in relation to danger. Commenting on this
passage Matthew Henry has observed: "They were to be not as foxes, whose
cunning is to deceive others; but wary as serpents whose policy is only to
defend themselves, and to shift for their own safety." "In the cause
of Christ," this writer adds, "we must be wise not to pull trouble
upon our own heads." The
word "harmless" has the significance of "purity," of being
"unmixed," "unadulterated," and hence "without guile.
While he wished them to become, in time of need, wary as serpents, he
did not wish them to become wily, or insincere. They were to be genuine
throughout, as unwily as doves. Their character was to be, as Dr. Morrison puts
it, "a beautiful mixture of wariness and guilelessness." Our
Lord's "therefore" must not be overlooked. It is dependent upon the
emphatic "I" of the first clause: "It is I who send you forth as
sheep in the midst of wolves; become ye therefore, as becometh apostles
charged with my commission, wary, but qualify that wariness by dovelike
guilelessness. The presence of the wolves demands that ye be wary; the fact
that ye are my apostles demands that ye be guileless." We
are not apostles, yet nevertheless we represent, in our lesser service, the
Lord's cause in the earth today. As such the text applies to each of us.
"Be ye therefore, wary as serpents, guileless as doves." - P, L. Read. The Completeness of the BodyTHE
Church is the "one body" of Christ, and all Christians are individual
members of that body. No one liveth t himself, no one dieth to himself; when
one member suffers all members suffer with it. It is one of the sins of a self
sufficient age to deny the unity and completeness of Christ's body, and to set
u tests of unity other than those which h- has appointed. In the natural body
each member united with the head has vital union with every other member
connected with the same head. The basis of true Christian unity is union with
Jesus Christ who is the head of the body. Men lay down as the basis of their
unity, union with some human leader through the doctrines which he has
proclaimed or the forms which he has instituted. They are united by external
observances, by laws, forms, rites, and bands. Their union is the union of
staves it a barrel; Christ's union is the union of branches in a vine. Their
union is that of bones in a skeleton, joined and wired together, but destitute
of vital energy; the union of Christ and his people is the union of the members
of a body, joined together by those ligaments which every joint supplieth, and
pervaded by the energy of a common life. The unity which Christ inaugurated
embraces the whole family of God. It includes every man who has vital
connection with the great head of the Church. Men's schemes are too narrow for
this, and include only those persons who coincide in opinions, who agree in
forms, who are trimmed according to a certain pattern, or shaped in conformity
to certain human standards. Christ bids us to receive one another as he has
received us. The fact that we have passed from death unto life, and we are
united to Christ the living head, is proof chat we are united for his people.
If our fellowship is with the Father and with the Son Jesus Christ, it is also
with one another. Men, however, restrict their fellowship; and hence, while
Christ's Church is inclusive and wide reaching, their churches are narrow, and
shut out more Christians than they shut in. The results of this are grievous to
God's people who are thus excluded from
union with saints, but still more grievous to those who exclude them. How often
we see churches crippled and helpless for lack of the labor and sympathy of
Christian brethren who stand by their side ready and willing to be helpers in
their toils, but are excluded by some party Shibboleth, or by some unscriptural
name or form. How often we see men
shut away from their proper field of Christian effort, simply because they
cannot accept the unscriptural statements and arrangements, which men presume
to impose before they receive them to their fellowship. Met toil in weariness,
and bring themselves to the borders of the grave, that they may do work which
others would willingly and wisely do, who are not permitted to participate in
the labor. Thus men virtually say to God's
children: "You may be members of Christ's body, but we have no need of you
or your services." The
Apostle has taught us that no member of the body can be spared from its place
and its proper work, without serious injury. No man can separate himself from
the body of Christ without harm; nor can any portion of Christians separate themselves
from others who love the Lord, or exclude other Christians from their
fellowship, without doing themselves great injury. The
union of true Christians springs from a higher than human source; and their
adaption to each other for mutual helpfulness is so complete and perfect that
any separation must work harm both to those who cause it and to those who
endure it. The feet may say, We are strong, we have no need of the eyes, we
carry the body, and the eyes are mere useless gazers. But when the eyes are
gone, and the feet are groping and floundering in the ditch, the folly of this
decision is most manifest. So whenever any of the Lord's children in their
inexperience and self-sufficiency think themselves able to dispense with the
presence, the service, and the loving fellowship of others of the children of
the Lord, they may find sooner or later, by their weakness, inefficiency, and a
thousand calamities and troubles that may come upon them, they have overestimated
their own powers, and have put away from them those members which God bath set
in the body, that they might abide together in the unity of love and in mutual
helpfulness. Our Savior's parting prayer for his disciples was that "they
all may be one," and the hearts of the truly regenerate yearn and long for
this unity. Deeper than the names and forms and creeds of men, throbs that
inward, divine and universal life which Christ imparted, and which makes his
disciples one. - Selected. Notice of Postponement of Annual MeetingThe
Annual Meeting of the Pastoral Bible Institute, due to be scheduled for
Saturday, June 2, has been postponed to Saturday, September 22. Plans are now
under way to hold it in Atlantic City,
New Jersey. We
are making this early announcement so that Institute members, who might wish
to participate in conventions now being planned by Associated Bible Students in
various parts of the country to be held during the summer months. will know
that they need not reserve the June date for the Institute's Annual Meeting. Further
particulars as to the hour and place of meeting will be announced later. Israel Today"The
sceptre shall not depart from Judah, Prof.
Yigael Yadin, Professor of Archeology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem,
recently announced that a total of 64 ancient documents--"the largest
single collection of written documents ever unearthed in the Holy Land"
-was found by the Hebrew University archeological team which he led in two
expeditions to the Judean Desert caves near the Dead Sea. Prof. Yadin, former
Chief of Staff of the Israel defense forces, described the documents at a press
conference in New York City. Characterizing
the result of the recent expeditions as "the greatest find of this kind
since the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls," Prof. Yadin pointed out that
the documents are written in Hebrew, Aramaic, Nabatean and Greek. "The
oldest document dates back to the year 88 A.D., while the other documents range
clown to the third year of Bar Kosiba (Bar Kochba), Prince of Israel i.e., 1.35
A.D.," he stated. Among
the 64 documents are two fragments of Biblical scrolls -- one from the Book of
Numbers and one from the Book of Psalms. "These are among the earliest
fragments of the traditional (Masoretic) text of the Bible," Prof. Yadin
added. "The
importance of these finds lies primarily in the fact that nearly all of the
documents found during the second expedition to the caves are absolutely
dated-many of them triple-dated with the year, month and day. The system of
dating in many of these documents is also a triple one, with dates recorded
according to the years of reign of the Roman emperors, the consuls in Rome, as
well as the local calendar. This absolute dating establishes beyond question
the date of the Bar Kochba letters which were found during our first
expedition, since the letters were discovered in the very same cave. Moreover,
these documents also provide a firm basis for evaluating the Dead Sea Scrolls
on paleographic grounds," Prof. Yadin asserted. Because
of the dry atmospheric conditions in the caves, "we also discovered for
the first time many objects made of perishable materials which are otherwise
not found in excavations, such as great quantities of clothes, textiles and
wooden vessels. The absolute dating of the documents also enables us to date
these objects, which is of great importance from an archeological point of
view. This is particularly significant with respect to the textiles, which are
the oldest dated group found in the Holy Land. This last conclusion was
confirmed only a few days ago in the course of my visit to the Textile Museum
in Washington where I consulted on this matter with Miss Louisa Bellinger, the
world authority on ancient textiles," he reported. "These
new discoveries, rich in legal, geographic, historical and sociological
information, will aid us greatly in lifting the veil of obscurity from a most
important period in the history of the Holy Land, the Jewish people, and the
Roman Empire. Just as the Hazor excavations, for example, have established the
historical accuracy of the Biblical data concerning Joshua, Solomon and the
later kings of Israel, so do these newly-discovered documents establish the
historicity of the information preserved in the traditional Jewish sources of
the Mishna and Talmud concerning the life and events during and immediately
after the Second Jewish Commonwealth. They also shed new light on the
traditional Jewish sources themselves," Prof. Yadin concluded. In 1
Samuel 23:29 we read, "And David . . . dwelt in strong holds at En-gedi." In the mountain caves near the Dead Sea, David hid from the
wrath of King Saul. It is in this area that the archeologists of Israel are
finding such valuable relics from the ancient past. The Dead Sea Scrolls were
found near En-gedi. There is great hope that future Israel archeological
expeditions will unearth much more material of antiquity around the Dead Sea.
The hundreds of caves in the arid region where Sodom and Gomorrah were located
were frequently used by the people of Israel as places of refuge from the
wrath of enemies. In
passing we should mention that Bar Kochba, the mighty Jewish warrior of the
second century, was so successful for a time in massacring the Roman Legions in
Israel that he was hailed by Rabbi Akiba as being "the Messiah."
Hadrian and his forces from Rome soon dispelled this notion from the minds of
the Israelites when they slaughtered at least 500,000 Jews and dispersed the
rest into all the then known world (132-135 A.D.). This happened 100 years
after Jesus had foretold the doom of Jerusalem. THE NEW TESTAMENT ON TRIALA.
N. Dugger, writing from Jerusalem in "The Mount Zion Reporter says,
"It has been stated in our publications that the New Testament is fast
becoming a popular book for the general reading public in Israel, that it is
found in the libraries, on the center tables of thousands of homes, as well as
being used in government schools. It ...
A few years ago if a person was found in possession of a New Testament he was
considered a Christian, and shunned by most all Jews. Now "But
when a person openly confessed that he believed the Messiah had come, and was 'Yeshua ha
Meshiach' (Jesus the Messiah), born in Bethlehem, that person ' as
put down as a Christian, and firm, or business places hiring him were boycotted
by the Orthodox and others. t was believed and understood by most all Jews in
Israel that if a person believed in Jesus Christ, as the Messiah, he was a
Christian, and was not a Jew. "Now
this subject is being debated all over Israel, very much the same as the mater
reading or owning a New Testament was a few years ago. The majority in Israel
will tell you now that a Jew can remain a Jew while believing in Christ, far
better than he can remain a Jew and not believe in God or the Bible, oil be a
Communist. . . . There are thousands of Jews in Israel who claim to have no
religion, but they read the Bible and pray, and have more at heart than many who attend religious
services. . Changes for the good of Israel are coming fast." At
the recently held International Bible Contest in Jerusalem there was an
interesting scene. Yemenite Rabbi Yihye Alsheikh, representing Israel, won the
contest by a very narrow margin over Mrs. Yolanda da Silva, a Seventh bay
Adventist of Brazil. When the rabbi, was declared the winner, Mrs. da Silva,
who had taken a seat down below among the audience, suddenly climbed on to the
platform and presented Rabbi Alsheikh, a solitary figure at the long
contestants' table, with a book wrapped in golden cellophane. It was the New
Testament in
Yiddish. Later, she presented another copy to Mr. Ben Gurion. This, of course,
was reported in the press. WHY IS THE SABRA SO DIFFERENT?Anita
Engle, author of "The Nili Spies,"
has a good explanation to offer on the spatter of what makes Israeli youth
different from children in other countries) She states: "It
isn't hard to discover that most people who write about Sabras--Israeli
youngsters--have a strong partisan belief that they are different from all
other youngsters. Not only just different, but because of their phenomenal national
feats --- bitter as well. "As
a matter of fact, Israeli youngsters are different from young people everywhere
else in the world. Not because they're braver, more independent or more
patriotic. It would be hard
to prove that the young people of other countries would not behave as the
Israeli youth have done under the same circumstances. "What
makes them unique, and rather special products in today's world is due to
one thing. That is their study of the Bible. The Bible is taught in every
school in the country as a subject.
Israeli children begin their (Bible) study officially from grade two, and they
continue until they leave high school. The Bible is the book from which they
learn the history of their people and their land, and it is the book from which
they learn much of their literature. Thus nothing foreign is imposed on them.
It is a living part of their language and their country. "My
children were brought up in the lovely village of Kiryat Amal in Lower Galilee.
Mt. Carmel stretched across the sky line in full view, the high point from
which the Prophet Elijah called down fire to confound the false prophets of
Baal. "All
around us were the remnants of the oak forests of Biblical times. This is a
special oak, called the Holy Oak, and it has varieties of enchanting acorns. I
kept looking in the Bible for some reference to this oak. At last I was
thrilled to find that Absalom was killed when he took shelter in an oak forest.
If you remember, his long hair got caught in the branches. This was in the
mountains of Ephraim. The mountains of Ephraim were not far from where we
lived, and these special oaks also grew there. "That
was enough for me. I used to show all our visitors these fascinating acorns,
and tell them my wonderful discovery. One day my boys were in the room when I
was telling this story to a visitor from abroad. David, my youngest, who was
eight years old then, suddenly piped up and said, 'Why that's not true,
Mummy!' "We
produced our English-Hebrew Bible and found that we were both right. According
to the English version, the tree that Absalom got caught in was oak. Oak in
Hebrew is 'alon.' According to the Hebrew text, which is, of course the
original version, the tree was an 'aylah.' "'But
what's an aylah?' I asked. "'I'll
show you,' said David, and off he ran to the woods at the back of the house. He
came running back with a spicy smelling branch of a tree which I knew very well
by sight but had never heard it called by name. We looked up its English name in the
dictionary. The tree that poor Absalom got caught in was not the oak, but the
terebinth tree. That is the same tree that Saul, the first king of Israel, sat under when he held his
court. And here it was, growing in our back yard, just like any ordinary tree! "It
is not surprising to find youngsters in elementary schools in Israel who are
more at home in the Bible than many people who have sweated to get university
degrees in the subject in other countries. 'Gingy,' a 19-year-old private in
the Engineering Corps, is an example. "Gingy
was one of the volunteers who took part in the famous expedition to the Judean
Desert when Prof. Yadin found the Bar Kochba letters. This stalky,
red-headed little chap showed such phenomenal strength in shifting boulders
about in the cave, they nicknamed him 'the human bull-dozer.' When they found
the first scrap of parchment scroll with a few words written on it in ancient
Hebrew, Prof. Yadin hadn't time to whip out his concordance to check its
source, when Gingy called out 'Psalms,' another youth called out 'Number 15,'
and both of them recited the missing passages to the end. "I
met Gingy at a reception given by the President and Mrs. Ben-Zvi in honor of
the expedition. He was about 5 feet 5 inches tall. His arms were like the
thighs of a steer. Although he had come from North Africa as a child, with his
flaming red hair, broad, freckled face, and good natured smile, he looked like
an Irish navy. "Does
Bible study make Israeli children any more religious, or even better behaved?
It's rather hard to say. But studying at the fount of the world's ethics cannot
help but leave some impression." -
Casimir Lanowick. The Question Box(Matt. 24:28; John 2:19;
Matt. 27:51; 1 Kings 6; Exod. 27; John 13:34.) Question: Please
explain Matthew 24:28, which reads: "For wheresoever the carcass is, there
will the eagles be gathered together." Answer: I
shall never forget, at the age of seventeen, asking this selfsame question of a
dear sister then in her eighties. Nor shall I ever forget her reply. While to
most of my queries she had a ready response, this one puzzled her. She did not
permit this lack of knowledge, however, to disturb her poise. With quiet
dignity, humbly, and with her customary charm and serenity, she replied
simply: "My boy, I really do not know what that scripture means." Nearly
sixty years have rolled away since then. She, I doubt not, has long known the
answer to this puzzling passage. For myself, I am not too certain. Perhaps I
have it also. That, however, must be for the reader to decide. Before
inquiring as to the meaning of the expression, let us first secure a better
translation. To
begin with, the first word of the verse, the particle "for" should be
eliminated. It has been
eliminated in the Revised Standard Version, the Diaglott and other more accurate translations. Scholars tell
us that an earlier translator foisted this word "for" into the text
because he imagined, erroneously, that the statement in verse 28 was intended
to corroborate the statement in verse 27, where our Lord had likened his second
advent to lightning emerging from the east and shining to the west. Again,
the word translated "eagles" includes all birds of rapine, and since eagles do not feed on
carrion, the
word vultures should be used here. A preferred translation is given by Moffatt: "Wherever the carcass lies,
there will the vultures gather." Now
that we have this preferred translation before us, let us examine it. No less
than five possible interpretations have come to my attention. One
interpretation is that the Jewish nation is represented by the carcass, while
the eagles are the Roman armies, whose ensign is the eagle. Many able scholars
have adopted this view, among them being Lightfoot, John Wesley, and Adam
Clark. But this interpretation proceeds on the assumption that verse 27 refers
to our Lord's return to destroy Jerusalem through the agency of the Romans in A.D.
70-an assumption which is not confirmed by historical facts, and which
introduces confusion into the interpretation of the rest of the chapter. A
second interpretation, one adopted by Chrysostom and others of the early
Christian Fathers, is that the carcass represents Christ himself, and the
eagles represent the members of the Church, gathering to him by faith
throughout the Gospel Age. A
third interpretation is somewhat similar to the second one, except that the
gathering together of the eagles is understood to mean the meeting with the
Lord in the air, mentioned in 1
Thess. 4:17. A
fourth interpretation is the one put forth by Brother Russell. His view was
approximately the same as that held by Chrysostom, except that he supplemented
the thought (that the carcase represented Christ) by the additional thought
that it also represented the truth concerning Christ and especially the food of
"present truth," provided by our Lord during the period of his second
presence. In
support of this view, Brother Russell pointed out that, in the parallel passage in Luke
(17:37), these words of our Lord are in reply to a question put to him by the
disciples, namely, "Where, Lord?" This question Brother Russell
understood as meaning: "Where will these [the two on the bed in verse 34
and the two grinding at the mill in verse 35}-where will these be taken?"
-S.S., Vol. IV, page D610. However,
their question, "Where, Lord?", may be understood in another way, in
line with a further interpretation, which appeals to me as being, probably,
the true one. In this, the fifth interpretation noted, the carcass represents corruption, and the vultures judgment. Let us consider this
interpretation, and note how well it fits the context. Our
Lord had just been pointing out a coming time of judgment. It would, he had said, be a
time of trouble, such as had not been previously in mankind's history.
Elaborating his theme, he had reminded them that, except for the few who
entered the ark with Noah, the flood had destroyed, not merely a few, but all of them. Again, he had
observed that when Lot fled from Sodom all others were destroyed; even Lot's wife had perished
when she looked back. And he had likened these events to the conditions which
would obtain during the period of his second advent. (Matt. 24:21; 37-39; Luke
17:28-30.) It was to all of
this that the disciples had responded: "Where, Lord?" (Where will
these judgments take place?) Such
a question indicated that, as yet, they understood very little of the ways of God. In their imperfect,
immature point of view, God, being almighty, could do anything he chose. They
failed to realize that there are some things which even God cannot do. He
cannot violate his own principles. He cannot deny himself. (2 Tim. 2:13.) This
they had yet to learn. In their minds, Christ, did he but choose, could restore
the kingdom to Israel "at this time" (Acts 1: 6), or five hundred
years hence, or five thousand. These judgments of which he had just been
forewarning them, could take place in Jerusalem, if God so chose, or in Japan.
They had yet to learn that God never has and never will act arbitrarily. He cannot do so. To
their question, "Where, Lord?" -- where shall these judgments take
place? -- our Lord replied in a way they would understand. He replied with a well known Oriental proverb, based
on a passage in the Book of Job. (Job 39:30.) "Where the slain are,
there is she" (the eagle, or
vulture - Job 39:27). "Wheresover
the carcase is, there will the vultures be gathered together." (Wheresoever corruption abounds, there God's judgments will be sent, to
clean up the putrid mess.) This
has been the unvarying procedure on the part of Almighty God throughout the centuries. It is plainly
to be seen in the case of Babylon, MedoPersia, Greece, and Rome, and will
never be more true than in the judgment day of the nations in the end of the Gospel Age. And
when will that be? And where? I reply: To my understanding it has been in
process for years, and will continue
to is completion. It is not
localized to one or a few nations, but includes, or yet will include, all
nations. Its purpose is benevolent, as may be noted in the following lines from
an unknown poet:
What
to do? Let the Prophet answer: "Seek
righteousness, seek meekness, it may be y shall be hid in the day of the
Lord's anger." - Zeph. 2:3. Question: Will
you please
explain our Lord's words in John 2:19 where he is reported to have said to the
Jews, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." Answer: The
Jews to whom our Lord
spoke understood
him to refer to the Jewish
temple, for they replied: "Forty and six years was this temple in
building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?" (John 2:20.) However,
our Lord did not refer to the Jewish temple, but as St. John explains in John
2:21, "He spake of the temple of his body." The
question next arises as to the meaning of this expression, "the temple of
his body." I think the primary reference of our Lord was to his own impending
death and resurrection, but that his words may be understood as applying also
to his mystical Body, the Church, of which he is the all-glorious Head. From
John 2:22 it appears that at the time our Lord spoke, the disciples themselves
did not understand the import of his words, but that "when he was
risen" they recalled them; evidently regarding his personal resurrection
as their fulfillment. Then also "they believed the Scripture,"
--doubtless that Scripture which predicted his resurrection so unmistakably
namely, Psalm 16:10. In
stating my belief, as I have foregoing, that the primary; reference of our
Lord was to his own death and resurrection, let me not be misunderstood. I do
not at all mean to say or imply that his resurrection body and the human body
destroyed on Calvary were the same. The, true thought is expressed by St.
Peter: "Put to death in flesh he was made alive in spirit." (1 Pet.
3:18, Diaglott) word for word translation.) "We know no man after
the flesh," says St. Paul. "Even though we have known Christ after
the flesh, yet now know we him so no more." - 2 Cor. 5:16. But
while our Lord's words had their primary reference to himself, they find an
application also to the Church -- to that company who seek to walk in his
steps. In 1
Cor. 3:16 the Apostle questions the Church as follows: "Know ye not that
ye are the temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you?" And
again: "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy, for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye
are." - Verse 17. Moreover,
in his second letter to the same Church the Apostle again employs this
symbolism: "What agreement hath the temple of God with idols?"
"For ye are the temple of God, the living One." (2 Cor. 6:16.)
Indeed, an able scholar of other days (A. J. Gordon) tells us that the Greek phrase, "ton
naon ton Theou" translated "the Temple of God" occurs in the
New Testament ten times only, and that in every case it refers to the Church.* -------------------------------- * The
ten places are: Matt. 26:61; 1 Cor. 3:16; 1 Cor. 3:17; 1 Cor. 3:17; 1 Cor.
6:19; 2 Cor. 6:16; 2 Thess. 2:4; Rev. 3:12; Rev. 11:1; Rev. 11:19. The
conclusion, then, is that it was first
of himself, and then of his Body, the Church, our Lord spoke. The Jews did, indeed,
destroy the Head, and all down through the Gospel Age the various members of
the Body of Christ have been called upon to "suffer with him," to be
"dead with him," "to lay down their lives for the
brethren." This Body of Christ (the members of which have been selected,
one here, one there, some from within the nominal churches, some from without
them-some from every kindred, tribe, and nation), has been in process of
destruction from the time of Jesus until now, and very soon, if I mistake not,
the last member will have proved
himself "faithful unto death." But
how are we to understand our Lord's further word in respect to his raising up
of the temple of his Body, in three
days? I think
St. Peter gives us a clue in his Second
Epistle, chapter 3, verse 8 (2 Pet. 3:8), where we read: "Beloved, be not
ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a
thousand years as
one day."
The destruction of the temple of God, which is the Church, began in the fifth
thousand-year day of
the world, in
the destruction of the chief Corner-stone, and it has progressed since, during the remainder of the
fifth day, all of the sixth day, and we
are now in the beginning of the seventh day, "very early in the morning.
And the promise of the Lord is that
the, chief, or first resurrection, "his" resurrection, shall be
completed about this time. Speaking of the Church, the Psalmist (Psa. 46:5) declares, "God
is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God shall help her, and that
right early (margin,
when the
morning appeareth)." Our Lord was a part of three days dead and was raised
a spirit being, by the Father, on the third day, early in the morning; so likewise
the Church which is his Body will be raised on the third day, the third
thousand-year day from the time he spoke (the seventh thousand-year day of the
world), early in the morning. Question: I
understand there were several temples, namely:
It
was the veil of Herod's temple that was rent in twain at the death of Christ
(Matt. 27:51). Are the dimensions of this veil given in the Scriptures? Answer: No
-- The principal sources of information are Josephus and other writers of his
time. According to Josephus and the Talmud the dimensions are given as Height
40 cubits and Width 10 cubits. It is described also as being of great
thickness, a palm or hand breadth wrought of gold and purple and
proportionately strong palm or handbreadth is given in the Oxford Bible A
handbreaadth is
approximately 3
1/2 inches; a cubit, 19 to 21
inches. Question: In 1
Kings 6 the building of King Solomon's temple is described in detail, but I
have been unable to find any reference to a veil corresponding to the veil in
the tabernacle which separated the Holy from the Most Holy. Please comment. Answer: Scholars
have noticed that the veil is not mentioned in 1 Kings 6. However it is listed
and described in 2 Chron. 3:14 which reads: And
he made the veil of blue, and purple, and crimson, and fine linen, and wrought
cherubims thereon. Question: Please
relate the points of the compass to the Tabernacle, citing scriptures in
proof. Answer: According
to the 27th chapter of Exodus the entire enclosure, including the court, was
100 cubits long by 50
cubits wide. In other words its length was twice its width. The south side was
100 cubits (verse 9). The north side was 100 cubits (verse 11) The west end was
50 cubits (verse 12). The east end was 50 cubits (verse 13). In verses 14, 15,
and 16, the east end contained the gate (20 cubits) on each side of which were
hangings of 15 cubits. The
Westminster Dictionary of the Bible has a paragraph on the significance of
"east" which reads: East.
The direction toward the sunrise (as is denoted by the Hebrew and Greek words
employed in Josh. 11:3; 12:3, etc.; Matt. 2:1). The Hebrews faced the point of
the rising sun when they determined direction; hence the east was the front (as
is denoted by the Hebrew word in Gen. 2:8). The orientation of the east gate of
the Temple at Jerusalem was important; it was so built that on the days of the
spring and fall equinoxes the first rays of the rising sun, heralding the
advent of the glory of God, could penetrate into the Holy of Holies. In
harmony with the foregoing, note that on page 13 of Tabernacle Shadows (T13)
paragraph one, we read: This
structure was 15 feet wide, 15 feet high, and 45 feet long, and open at the
front or east
end.
(italics ours) In
an interesting and profitable article published in the August-September 1959 Herald, the contributor also correctly
represents this matter on page 123, in the following words: RETURN WESTWARD TO GODIt
has been suggested above that just as eastward represents departure from God,
so westward bespeaks a drawing nigh unto him. Thus Abraham's separation unto
God from Ur was in the direction of the west. The same lesson is clearly depicted Scripturally in
connection with the Tabernacle of the Wilderness and Solomon's Temple. Both of
these structures were oriented' so that their gateways were on the east side, necessitating entrance
from that quarter. Progress through the Court into the Holy and thence into the
Most Holy or Inner Sanctuary, where the Divine Presence was symbolized in the
Shekinah Light between the cherubim, was therefore westward. When, in the days of Ezekiel
the Prophet, gross idolatry on the part of Israel had invaded the very Temple
of God itself and the symbol of his Presence could no longer abide there, the
Glory of God was seen to withdraw eastward by stages until finally it was seen to rest on the
Mount of Olives to the east of
the city. (Ezek. 9:3; 10:18, 19; 11:22, 23.) One such manifestation of idolatry
in the Temple area is recorded in chapter 8, twenty-five men being seen with
their backs to the Temple worshiping the sun towards the east. Question: In
John 13:34 Jesus gave his disciples "a new commandment," --
"that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one
another." In
what sense was this commandment new? Answer: It
was not new in the sense that a command to love had never before been given.
Such a commandment "was written in the very constitution of Adam and
Eve." (See Scripture Studies, Vol. 6, page F350.) Moreover, love to one's neighbor is
enjoined in the Old Testament. (Lev. 19:18.) But the law of love which Jesus
here gave was new in two senses: (1) It was to be a love for one another, and, (2) they were to love
one another as
Jesus had loved them. Let us briefly consider his commandment from these two points of view. 1.
They were to love one another. The
love here enjoined was not a love which was to apply to the entire human race
(as in the case of the law of love written in the constitution of the first
man), nor was it to be especially applicable to the members of the nation of
Israel, as might be said of the law of love stated in Leviticus. It was given
(not to all men, nor yet to Israel, but) to the footstep followers of the
Master. It
was to embrace them all, but only them. Moreover the earlier laws of love were
not thereby repealed, even for them his constitutes an additional obligation. This
commandment, therefore, was new in that it was to commence from a new enter,
even from Jesus himself; and was to embrace an entirely new circle -- the
Church. It would thus be suited to new circumstances. The Church, which is his
Body, was about to be founded, and love was to be the mighty influence
animating its members -- the powerful bond
uniting the members of that Body to each other and to Jesus, heir Head. His
Body-members, united to each other in love, were to be his love-bearers to the
world. To the world the constant love which would be seen in the relationship
of the members of the Church to each other would be taken as a proof of their
discipleship: "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples,
if ye have love one to another." Verse 35. 2.
They were to love one, another "as I [Jesus) have loved you." Scholars
tell us that the Greek word here translated "as" means more than a
simple comparison; it indicates a conformity, and characterizes the mutual love
of Christians as being of the same nature as that which unites Jesus to his footstep
followers, each
returning to his brother t e love with which Jesus loves him. When
our Lord gave them this new commandment, he was within a few hours of his
death. His love for them, which had always been strong and unremitting, had
never been greater. "Having loved his own which were in the world, he
loved them unto the end." (Verse I) If, therefore, their love was
to be in conformity with his, it would mean a willingness on their part to
suffer for their brethren similarly, even unto death, and this conclusion is
actually drawn by St. John in his first Epistle. There, in chapter 3, verse 16,
he says: "Because he laid down his life for us, we ought to lay down our
lives for the brethren." There
is an instructive paragraph on this question from the pen of Brother Russell in
Reprints, page R4549. We quote: "The 'New Commandment' represents
a higher law than was given to the Jew under the Law Covenant, hence higher
also than will be, given to Israel and mankind under the New Covenant. The New
Commandment mentioned by our Lord is not the Father's commandment at all, but
the command of our Head, our Teacher, to all those who have entered the school
of Christ and who are hoping to become 'members' of the Anointed One -- members
of the Mediator, Prophet, Priest, and King of the new dispensation. Justice
could not give this new command: all that justice could command is expressed in
the Law given to Israel, namely, supreme love for God and love for the neighbor as for one's self. This new commandment
which the Lord gave applies only to the Church of this Gospel Age. In effect it
is this: If you would be my disciples, if you would share my throne and glory
and immortality, you must have my spirit. You must do more than keep the
Law. You must be more' than just. You must be self-sacrificing.' If you
would share my glory, I command and direct that you love one another as I
have loved you. (John 15:12.) I have loved you to the extent of laying down
my life for you sacrificially. You must have this same spirit and
cast in you lot with me in self-sacrifice,
or you cannot be my disciples, nor
share my glory, and associate in my work as the Mediator for the blessing of Israel and mankind.
Whosoever will be my disciple must take up his cross and follow me, that where I am there shall
my' disciple be. Surely no one can doubt the Savior's meaning -- my disciples
must die with me." Our
Lord's commandment was most loyally obeyed. And the flame of this entirely new
affection on earth, streaming forth from the holy fires burning in the early
Church, proved, a most mighty influence in the spread of the Gospel. And we
too, are determined, are we not, that our fellowship shall be similarly
attested; that men shall be constrained to say of us, as of them: "See how these
Christians love one another! -
P. L. Read. Recently Deceased
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