Questions and Answers

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 7, 1872

Questions and Answers.

QUESTION. Do Ex. 20: 7 and Matt. 5: 34, refer to the same thing? If so, how can Ps. 15: 4 be harmonized with them? J. H. T.

ANSWER. We do not think the two passages first quoted refer to the same thing. Nor do we think the instructions in Matt. 5, forbid a proper use of the judicial oath. We understand David to teach in Ps. 15: 4, that it is commendable in a man to faithfully perform his promises or vows, even if, after having made them, he finds he cannot fulfill them except through a loss, pecuniary or otherwise, to himself.

QUESTION. In Acts 9: 7, Luke says, respecting the men who journeyed with Paul to Damascus, “And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no man.” In Acts 22: 9, Paul himself gives an account of this matter in these words: “And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.” How can these passages be harmonized together? A. J.

ANSWER. The verb to hear (Gr. ἀκούω) has not only the sense of hearing, that is, of perceiving sound by the organs of the ear, but also of understanding what is said. Luke evidently uses it in the former sense, and Paul in the latter. They heard a sound but did not understand the words that were spoken.

QUESTION. By what law do you determine whether a passage of Scripture is to be understood as literal or figurative? A. J.

ANSWER. Understand it as literal always when it will make good sense to so understand it; that is, when there can be no objection against it. But if it cannot consistently be taken as literal, then it must be a figure; and then we must remember that all figures must be explained by language which is literal, and so look elsewhere for literal testimony which will explain the figure.

QUESTION. Please explain Isa. 66: 20, 21, 24. A. J.

ANSWER. We recently heard some suggestions from Bro. Geo. I. Butler on these verses, which seem to be correct. Will he please write an article on this scripture soon for the REVIEW?

QUESTION. Please explain John 3: 13. M. W.

ANSWER. The subject Christ is presenting before the minds of the people in this chapter is a knowledge of heavenly things; and the sense of verse 13 evidently is that no man has ascended up to Heaven for the purpose of bringing back word concerning the knowledge he might gain there. The mere fact that Enoch and Elijah had ascended to Heaven in past ages as a pledge of God's faithfulness and a future life, but not to come back to the world as teachers of heavenly things, does not therefore militate in the least degree against this statement of Christ's. Then he adds, “but he that came down from Heaven;” that is, Christ, who came down from Heaven is qualified to speak to them, from absolute knowledge, of heavenly things; for “he is in Heaven;” that is, as to his knowledge of the place, its truths and principle, it is the same as if he was even then there. He could speak with as much positiveness and assurance, as if he spoke from Heaven itself, instead of here upon the earth.

QUESTION. Will you give an explanation of Rom. 9: 11–24. F. R. R.

ANSWER. We have not time at present, to give a lengthy examination of that portion of scripture. We will only say here that we think that verse 22 presents in one sentence the great idea which the apostle designs to inculcate. Some suppose that Paul, in this scripture, represents God as acting arbitrarily, and raising up for subjects of his wrath those who have done nothing to merit it. But we do not so understand him; for the verse referred to says that he endures with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction. That is, all along in the history of the race, agents appear on the stage of action, who perversely stand in the way of the will of God. He gives them opportunity to accept his grace, and become vessels of mercy; sometimes offering large opportunities to become illustrious agents in the fulfillment of his purposes, as in the case of Pharaoh. But they resist and resist, and reject his offers and oppose his will; and he waits and waits, suffering long with them. At length, when they prove themselves hopelessly apostate, he gives them up to their own ways, and then shapes events so that the wrath of man shall praise him; in other words, so that their stubbornness, perverseness, and persistent rebellion, shall only be the occasion for the manifestation of his power, and redound to his honor and glory. This we believe to be, in short, the intent of the apostle's teaching here.

QUESTION. We wish for an explanation of 1 Cor. 5. Does Paul in this chapter refer to anything except fornicators? Are the teachings of this chapter designed for the benefit of the church at the present day? If so, in what respect, and to what extent? M. E. F.

ANSWER. We think Paul writes to the Corinthian church concerning a particular case in their midst; but the principles he lays down, will apply to all cases of a like nature in all ages.