UNDERSTANDING THE SCRIPTURES.
By M. E. K.
Some one has said, “Ask an infidel to find something in the Bible and you have got him;” that is, you have given him something to do of which he is incapable. But this is not always true, neither are infidels the only class who can not find anything in the Bible, nor quote it correctly. The modern newspaper editor is about as bad, and he is very prone to try to use Bible quotations to illustrate his ideas. The editor of a leading Chicago paper, wishing to illustrate a point in politics, exclaims, “‘Where is the sign of His coming?’ asked the impatient early Christians.” Now there are two texts in the Scriptures which sound something like the above. And this editor has not quoted either of them correctly. One of these is Matt. 24:3, and reads thus: “Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world?” This question was asked by the disciples of Christ, by the early Christians. It was not an impatient question; it was a very proper question; and the Lord replied at length, giving many signs that would in the future indicate that His coming was near. Moreover, this question was asked before the Lord went away, even before His death. It was asked also in a way that shows that the coming of the Lord was an event of the future to them. But the text as quoted by the Chicago editor seems to relate to the present: “What is the sign?” etc. It can not, therefore, be the same question. This is all the question about His coming that the early Christians asked that we have any record of. True, there is a similar question, or a prediction that a similar question will be asked, but the time of it is not the time of the early Christians, but of the last days. Here it is: “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming?” 2 Peter 3:3, 4. This is evidently the text of Scripture which the Chicago editor had in mind, but in his very hazy knowledge of it, he thought it was asked by early Christians, when it is actually now being asked by last-day scoffers. Is it possible that any of the readers of the SIGNS hold ideas in regard to the teaching of any scriptures as much out of the way as that of this editor? It may be, and while we search the Scriptures we should earnestly pray that the Spirit of truth may illuminate our understandings, that we may understand what we read. Otherwise, of what use will the Scriptures be to us? M. E. K.