Question Corner

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Sep 22, 1909

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 36, No. 37.

[To Our Inquirers.—(1) The name and address of all who ask questions must accompany questions, not necessarily for publication, in token of good faith, and that we may reply by letter if thought best. All communications will be considered confidential if so desired, and no name will be published unless requested. But we have no time to give to anonymous or unsigned epistles or articles. (2) Let the questions be to the point. Do not say, “Explain Josh. 7:1-8,” but state the thing upon which help is desired. (3) Questions can not be answered immediately in this department. Sometimes it will mean a month or more of waiting. We can not reply to the same question frequently. Read answers to other questions; you may find reply to yours. (4) Members of the Bible Band will kindly enclose stamp if answer is desired by letter. Others will please enclose ten cents. This does not begin to meet expenses oftentimes. (5) “Foolish . . . questions avoid.”

2939.— The Seventh Day.

How do we know that the seventh day as we now record it is the same seventh day as in Bible times? W. M.

There are a goodly number of reasons which we can only mention in brief. First of all, is it reasonable to suppose that God would give a commandment to keep a certain day, naming that day so positively, so definitely, and yet permit man to be so utterly uncertain in regard to his duty and to the truth of God’s object in the giving of the law? No one who believes God to be a God of love, could hold to this for a moment.

2. Whatever may have been the condition of things previous to the Exodus from Egypt, God pointed out the true seventh day by a threefold weekly miracle for forty years in the fall of the manna, as recorded in Exodus 16. Whatever may have been the condition of His people spiritually, they could not misunderstand the day which God Himself miraculously marked. That was the day enjoined by the fourth commandment. Ex. 20: 8-11. Therefore fifteen hundred years before Christ His people knew the day.

3. There is no question as to the knowledge of the day during the Jewish dispensation. They all knew it and all who were faithful kept it. That was the same seventh day which they were keeping when our Lord Jesus Christ came to this world. He found them observing that day; He Himself regarded it. Luke 4:16. In His deeds of blessed ministry He tells us “It is lawful;” that is, in harmony with the law, “to do well on the Sabbath day.” Matt. 12:12. When He died, it was still honored by His disciples. Luke 23:56.

4. That same seventh day was the day just before the first day of the week. Read the first verse of Luke 24; read Mark 16:1, 2, and there learn that the Sabbath day kept by His disciples, honored by our Lord, was the day which came just before the first day of the week.

5. There has been no change of time or question of change of time from that day to this—as demonstrated by all history and astronomy.

6. Not only has it been demonstrated by history and astronomy, but before us is a chart of the week in 160 languages and dialects of the world. Some of the peoples to whom these languages belong have had no connection with each other; have been entirely separate in their history and in their customs; and yet every one of these languages shows the week to be identical, and 108 of the 160 show the seventh day to be the Sabbath, a holy day. It is a testimony that can not be set aside. That chart was prepared by the late William M. Jones, D.D., of London, a noted antiquarian, and His Royal Highness, Prince Louis Lucien Bonaparte, a noted European linguist.

It might be said in conclusion that all of the various creeds of the Christian church have demonstrated the same thing by keeping what they call the day of the resurrection, the first day of the week, commonly called Sunday.

2940.— Historic Dates.

I enclose a slip containing statements concerning our Lord’s life. Are they true? W. F. K.

They do not pretend to be wholly reliable. The sheet itself declares: “The above dates are correct for all practical purposes.” They are not really to be depended upon. For instance, the crucifixion of Christ occurred in A.D. 31 instead of A.D. 32; His resurrection and ascension, of course, the same year. Jesus’ public ministry was nearer three years and six months than it was three years and three months. The best way in such a case as this is to look up good authorities. You will find the birth and death and resurrection of Jesus traced quite fully in “Man’s Sin and Saviour,” by Uriah Smith, also “Thoughts on Daniel,” and “The Sanctuary and Twenty-three Hundred Days.”

2941.— Under the Law.

What is the meaning of “not under the law”? Does it mean that we are not obliged to obey the law? H. J.

In the text in Rom. 6:14, to which our querist has reference, it does not mean that we are not to obey the law, but it means that we are not held in condemnation by the law, and so the expression is generally used. The man who sins is bound down by the law; he is held in bondage, in subjection; “shut up” as the apostle expresses it in Gal. 3:23. Grace takes him out from under that condemnation by imparting to him, through faith, the righteousness of God, so that the Lord looks upon him now as clothed with the character of Christ. That same faith brings him into perfect harmony with God’s law, so that God writes the law in his heart. Heb. 8:10. He is no longer, then, under the law, or condemned by the law, but the law is in his heart, and he rejoices in all its glorious beauty. That law, too, witnesses in perfect harmony with the righteousness which God has given him by faith. Rom. 3:21-23. The law therefore no longer condemns him, but he says with the psalmist, “O how love I Thy law! it is my meditation all the day.” Ps. 119:97. This is in perfect harmony with the apostle John: “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous.” 1 John 5:3.

2942.— The Marriage Contract.

According to the Scripture, is a civil contract necessary in marriage? Do the usual promises make a couple man and wife? If so, why could a couple not make those promises and become united without the aid of a third party? A friend contends that the unity is recorded in heaven when the couple become engaged and promise everlasting love and fidelity. Is a ceremony necessary? I read that in Bible times a man served his bride’s father so many years, then she became his wife. L. D.

The Scripture tells us that we should submit ourselves to “every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake.” Most governments require a regular marriage ceremony by priest, preacher, or justice of the peace. Each one of these becomes, under the law, a civil officer authorized to perform marriage, however the religious ceremony may be regarded. In several states, what is called a “common-law marriage” was legal, and that may be even true now. We have not a copy of the latest marriage laws before us. In “common-law” marriage the parties themselves promise before witnesses to regard each other as man and wife; but such marriages are and ought to be discouraged. It belongs to the public, it belongs to the children which may be the fruit of such marriages, and it belongs to decent usage, that the parties should be married in the regular way. It always looks as tho there were something wrong if this is not the case. Of course, if the law of the country or of the tribe demanded only certain contract between the two parties, written or verbal, more perhaps would not be necessary; but it seems to us that no woman, at least, would be satisfied with anything else than a proper marriage with some kind of a marriage ceremony and some kind of a legal officer to perform it. So also the honorable man.

We have but one record in the Bible of a man’s serving his bride’s father, and that was in the case of Jacob for Rachel. That had nothing to do with the marriage law or custom; simply and solely, it related to those two parties. Jacob was anxious to get Rachel for a wife; Laban was anxious to get as much as he could out of Jacob; consequently the service. They had, however, their laws and ceremonies which have not been recorded to satisfy our curiosity.

2943.— The Race of Adam.

In your opinion, was Adam a white person, or black, or ruddy? J. J. S.

The word “Adam,” we are told by some authorities, means “red,” or “ruddy.” It is the word usually translated man. It would seem from the Bible that the Semites were the propagators of Adam’s characteristics and complexion to some extent, altho, of course, greatly degenerated. They belonged to the white race, and yet a healthy white race with ruddy complexion.