To Correspondents

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 9, 1871

To Correspondents.

An article, “Be ye Holy,” is passed by for want of signature.

D. S. JAMES: It is not certain who made the vow mentioned in Acts 18:18, Paul or Aquila. Many commentators refer it to the latter. The vow was probably that of a Nazarite, see Num. 6, and may have been made before his conversion to Christianity. But if not, it can easily be accounted for: for, 1. Paul wished to disarm the Jews of prejudice, and hence performed things which to him were matters of indifference, because they were still considered essential by them; and, 2. Offerings and sacrifices had a political as well as typical use; for from them, the State or civil government derived its support. It was therefore proper even for Christians, as citizens of that commonwealth, to present them for their political uses, though their typical significance had ceased.

We understand John 2:24, 25, to be simply a declaration of the Lord’s omniscience, shown by his power to read the hearts of men.

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH: The word translated, “made void,” in Ps. 119:126: “They have made void thy law,” is not the same as the one rendered “made void” in Rom. 3:31, though it has a similar signification. The word in Psalm 119, is diaskedannumi, which means to “scatter abroad, disband, drive away.” Katargeo, the word employed in Romans, means “to set free, to leave unemployed or idle,” hence “to render useless, to make void, to abolish.”

R. J. FOSTER: We think the words “letter” and “spirit” in Rom. 2:27, 29; 7:6, are not used in the same sense as in 2 Cor. 3:6. In the latter they seem to denote the old and new covenants, or the civil administration of the law under the former dispensation, in the Jewish nation as a theocracy, and the spiritual administration of the law in this dispensation, among Christians as a household of faith. While in Romans the same words evidently refer to an inward, spiritual, living worship, in contrast with an outward, formal, dead one.

R. D. BENHAM: The book was thankfully received. Should have acknowledged it before, but have been trying to find time to notice it.

J. C. BUNCH: Isa. 65:20, and Zech. 14:16–21 cannot be taken to prove immortality in the new earth, because we have testimony which is plain, positive, and direct, that there will be no death there, and all these passages from which an inference can be drawn to the contrary, are confessedly obscure. Direct testimony cannot give place to the indirect. We believe all the cutting off that is spoken of in both passages takes place before the new earth becomes the possession of the saints.

H. J. JOHNSON: For an exposition of Rev. 12, see Thoughts on the Revelation.

INQUIRER: For an exposition of Luke 17:34–37, see Answers to Objections against the Visions pp. 57–68. We have not time now to notice Mal. 1:12, 13, and 3:8–12. Should be pleased to have some of our preaching brethren prepare remarks on those passages for the REVIEW.

J. O. CORLISS: We have no evidence that the darkness during the dark day of 1780, extended beyond New England, and the Canadas; but at the same time it was the most remarkable and extensive phenomenon of the kind that has occurred since the crucifixion of Christ; and hence is sufficient to fulfil the prophecy.