The Sabbath-School by Ellet Joseph Waggoner

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Aug 9, 1883

The Sabbath-School.

By Ellet Joseph Waggoner

Lesson for the Pacific Coast.—Aug. 18.

ACTS 13 : 14-52.

NOTES ON THE LESSON.

"FOR they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath-day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him." Verse 27. Jerusalem was the religious center of the world. To the Jews as a class God's will had been revealed in an especial manner; they were the depositaries of his law; all his instruction to the human race, either directly or through prophets, came through the Jews. And Jerusalem was the place where the most favored ones dwelt. Here the law and the prophets were read every Sabbath-day; and yet, not only the mass of the people, but even the rulers themselves, did not know the Messiah when he came. "He came unto his own, and his own received him not." They did not know the prophecies which they read to the people every week. Were they then blameless in what they did? If so, of what use was it to send light to them? Their ignorance was of a kind that Peter says will be common in the last days—willful ignorance. They wanted the Messiah to come in their own way—in a way that would exalt them. But Christ, when he wept over Jerusalem, as its day of salvation was drawing to a close, gave as a reason for its final rejection, "because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation." Because they did not know the things which were for their peace, they were hid from their eyes. Luke 19 : 41-44. From this we may learn that those in high positions in the church do not always understand the truth which they ought to be able to teach. He who pins his faith to some leading man in the church may be led to destruction.

AND we find precisely this state of things now. At Christ's first advent the rulers believed in Moses, but of Christ they said, "as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is." Those who believed that Jesus was the Messiah, were derided and looked upon with contempt. Now the whole religious world are willing to confess that Jesus was the Messiah, and they call themselves by the name that was once so despised; but they turn with scoffs from the doctrine of his second advent. Those who "according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth," are stigmatized, and looked upon as fanatics. "Where is the promise of his coming?" say they. They can believe a truth when it is no longer a special test, but "present truth" they reject. But, says one, "If the rulers and leaders in the church do not know the truth, how can we whose advantages are far more limited hope to be enlightened?" Hear what the Lord says: "But to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word." Isa. 66 : 2. Whoever remains ignorant of truth, has only his own perverse heart and haughty disposition to blame for it. "At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent [wise in their own and the world's estimation], and hast revealed them unto babes." Matt. 11 : 25.

IN verse 27 we have positive proof that Paul recognized no other Sabbath than the seventh-day Sabbath. He said that the prophets were read "every Sabbath-day." Upon what day was the law read in the Jewish synagogues? On the seventh day of the week; all acknowledge this, when they sneeringly term it "the Jewish Sabbath." Did they read the law on the first day, or in any way recognize that day as of any more importance than the second or third? They did not. Then when Paul says that the prophets were read "every Sabbath-day," he showed that he knew nothing of any other Sabbath than the one which the Jews observed. The Jewish dispensation, so called, was long past when Paul used these words; but the Sunday was not recognized as a Sabbath even by Paul, the most advanced of the apostles.

"AND by him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." Verse 39. The "law of Moses" refers not to the moral law, or ten commandments, but to the ceremonial or Levitical law. It is true that no one can be justified by the moral law, for that is not the object of law. It would justify a man if he had never sinned, but since all have sinned it can only condemn. Under the Levitical law there were sacrifices for sin, and an atonement was made every year. But this atonement or justification was only figurative. As Paul says, those gifts and sacrifices "could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience." Heb. 9 : 9. Their only object was to point to Christ, and to keep ever before the minds of the people the real sacrifice that he was to make. In Paul's sermon he tells the Jews that this true sacrifice has already been made, and that through Christ their sins may now be forgiven in fact instead of in figure, as under the ceremonial law. The Jews had largely lost sight of the object of those sacrifices, and looked upon them as efficacious. As a consequence they rejected Christ, not realizing that they needed the sacrifice that he made.

"It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you." Verse 46. Here is a text for the consideration of those who think that the gospel is yet to be preached especially to the Jews as a nation, and is to result in their entire conversion. God designed that they should always be, as for a long time they were, the objects of his special favor. Through them, as Paul says in the next verse, God designed to enlighten the Gentiles. In accordance with this plan Christ confined his ministry when on earth solely to the Jewish people. "I am not sent," said he, "but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." In carrying out God's plan it was necessary that the word should first be preached to them. A grand future was before them, but they neglected their opportunity. They despised the high estate to which they had been called. They rejected Christ. "He came unto his own, and his own received him not." And so Christ said, "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate." Yet God has not forgotten his promise nor changed his plan. The promises were to Israel. The name "Israel" means "a warrior or soldier for God," and was given to Jacob because he prevailed with God. Gen. 32 : 28. Therefore all, of whatever nation, who strive to overcome through Christ are classed as a part of the true Israel. Read Rom. 2 : 28-30; Gal. 3 : 27-29.

"AND as many as were ordained to eternal life believed." Verse 48. Dr. Barnes says, "this verse is a battle-ground." That it has always been such is proof rather of the perversity of the human mind, than of any inherent difficulty in the text. If the Bible were studied more as other books are, to find out just what it means, and not for the purpose of bolstering up preconceived ideas, many supposed difficulties would vanish. In regard to this passage, a certain class hold that it affords positive proof of their theory of foreordination or predestination; and many who could not yield assent to the inconsistencies of that theory, have almost wished that this text were not in the Bible. There are many things in the Bible that are "hard to be understood," but this text does not seem to us to be one of them. Let us give it a brief examination. The text does not say that as many as were foreordained to eternal life believed, although it has come to be considered as having that meaning. The word "ordained" is from the Greek word tasso, which signifies, to place, appoint, set in order, dispose; it is used with especial reference to the motions of an army, to drawing it up in battle array. But it has not connected with it the slightest idea of predestination; none of the lexicons give any hint of such a meaning. Having found out what it does not mean, we will determine by the context what it does mean. We find that the apostles had in their audience both Jews and Gentiles, but they addressed themselves at first especially to the Jews, as Paul said to them: "It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you." The Jews listened attentively until they say that the Gentiles were favorable to the word spoken, and then, being filled with envy, they "spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming." Now it is evident to all that they could not be accepted and saved while in such a condition, and Paul plainly told them so. But what language did he use? Did he say, Seeing ye have been foreordained to destruction, lo, we turn to the Gentiles? No; but, "Seeing ye put it [the word] from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles." The word "judge" means to sentence, to condemn. Paul did not mean that the Jews thought themselves unworthy of everlasting life, for they considered that they alone were worthy of it; but he meant that by their rejection of the truth they had passed sentence upon themselves. This shows very plainly that their salvation rested wholly with themselves; they might have shown themselves worthy of eternal life, if they had chosen to do so. Then as far as they as individuals were concerned, there was no foreordination. It might be truly said of them that they were not disposed to accept the word of truth; and no one would have any difficulty in understanding such a statement. But right in contrast with these, we have another class, to which the apostles turned. The Gentiles were not troubled with race prejudice; their consciences were quickened, and a desire for salvation was aroused in their hearts. And so, like those in another place, "they received the word with all readiness of mind." In other words, they were disposed or inclined to obtain eternal life, and consequently they believed; and that is just what the text states in regard to them. Just a few words in regard to what kind of predestination the Bible does teach. There is a class who are foreordained to eternal life. Who are they? They are described in the following verse: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Before man was created, God formed a plan in regard to him, and that was that if on trial he proved loyal and obedient, he should have eternal life. Simple obedience was all that was required; but after the fall another condition was added, viz., belief in Christ for the remission of past sins. It was a fixed fact then that those and those only who should comply with those conditions would have eternal life. But the offer was to all; "whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely;" that is, whosoever is so disposed, as were the Gentiles at Antioch.

E. J. W.