Question Corner

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Feb 4, 1897

“Enquire, and make search, and ask diligently.”

No. 469. “Hate.”

Why is the term “hate” used in Luke 14:26, when we are commanded just the opposite in Ex. 20:12 and Eph. 6:1-4? W. F.

The word “hate” is used in the sense of loving less. Compare Matt. 10:37. It does not mean to cherish, or harbor, ill feelings against a person. The text means that we should love God so much that we are willing to forsake all for his sake. Hate here stands for forsaking all, even as love implies following with all the heart. See the conclusion in Luke 14:33.

No. 470. “Thieves and Robbers.”

PLEASE explain John 10:8. Who are the thieves and robbers that came before Him? L.

“All that came before Me are thieves and robbers” (R. V.), that is, claiming to be “the One who should come.” Our Lord evidently refers to the false messiahs who preceded him. This does not include such men as John the Baptist, or the prophets. None of these were self-sent, or came on a mission of their own, or professed to be the Messiah. Jesus seems to have referred to such men as Theudas and Judas, mentioned in Acts 5:36, 37. He only came in “the fulness of the time.”

No. 471. Raising Mules.

PLEASE explain Lev. 19:19. Is it right to raise mules? Earnest Inquirer.

The object of the Lord in such instruction was to impress upon his people that there should be no mingling of the holy with the profane. See Eze. 22:26. A disregard of these common things with reference to natural law, would lead to a disregard of higher and sacred relations in spiritual law. See Deut. 4:2. God desires no mixing of worldly policy and heavenly principle. Mules were in common use among the children of Israel. See 2 Sam. 13:29; 1 Kings 1:33; 10:25; 18:5. And it is probable that they raised them. But if “Earnest Inquirer” has any doubt with reference to the question asked, give God and a good conscience the benefit of the doubt.

No. 472. The Sons of God.

WHO are the sons of God spoken of in Gen. 6:2; Job 1:6; 2:1, and 38:7? M. C. M’C.

Those in Gen. 6:2 doubtless refer to men who were born of God, who professed faith in him, and were called by God’s name. See Gen. 4:26, margin: “Then began men to call themselves by the name of the Lord.” In Job 1:6; 2:1, and 38:7 the term refers to heavenly beings, angels, or messengers of God, among whom Satan once stood.

No. 473. The Bride.

In Rev. 21:2 and in Gal. 4:26 Jerusalem is spoken of as a city, and in Rev. 21:2 it is spoken of as the bride; also in verses 9, 10. In SIGNS of December 10, article 10 of Revelation 17, the church is called the bride of the Lord. Now if the church is the bride, who are the guests at the supper in Rev. 19:9?

The SIGNS has not said that the church is the bride of Rev. 21:2, 9, 10. In the earthly warfare, in the church militant, the believer, the man restored, is represented as being married to Christ (Rom. 7:4), and the church, or congregation of believers, as being espoused to Christ (2 Cor. 11:2). See also Jer. 3:14; 31:32. So also when the earth shall be restored to its rightful King, the land shall be called “Beulah,” or married, and the capital city of that new earth, the New Jerusalem, as the representative of that restored land, will be called the bride. See Isa. 62:2-5; 54:1-5; Rev. 21:2, 9, 10. The guests of the marriage of the Lamb are all the children of Christ, the Everlasting Father, and the New Jerusalem, the mother, and doubtless the angels of God. It will be seen that the figure of marriage, the symbol of the closest union—one flesh—runs through all, the union of Christ with the individual, with the church, and with the eternal kingdom.

No. 474. Who Are the Branches?

In Rom. 11:17 who are the branches broken off? Are we the wild olive tree that is grafted in?

The branches broken off are the tribes of unbelieving Israel. Compare Jer. 11:16; Rom. 11:14-21. Unbelieving Gentiles are the wild olive branches; and such were we (Eph. 2:12; Titus 3:3), but believing in Jesus Christ we become of the true Israel, grafted into the True Vine (Rom. 11:20, 22; Eph. 2:19, 20; Titus 3:4, 5; Eph. 3:6).

No. 475. The Number from Each Tribe.

In Rev. 7:5-8 does it literally mean that just an even number of descendants of each tribe of Israel will be saved?

The true Israel of God are not those numbered among the tribes of earth, nor have they ever been, only as those tribes were connected with Christ by faith. There are no known twelve earthly tribes now. But in God’s record above, where the names of true Israel are written, the twelve tribes still exist, not made up necessarily nor largely from the descendants of the Hebrews, but from the believing of all nations. For it is by faith that Israel shall be saved. “And so [by faith, verse 20] all Israel shall be saved.” Rom. 11:26; also 9:6-8; Gal. 3:26-29; Eph. 2:20; 3:6. All who enter the city of God will enter as one of the twelve Heavenly Tribes. Rev. 21:12. The numbers mentioned in Rev. 7:5-8, 12,000 from each tribe, do not refer to the earthly tribes, but to those recorded in heaven; nor does it include all that are saved under each tribe, but those who are saved out of the last generation of men. The sealing work of Rev. 7:1-8 is a work which takes place just before Christ comes, and the 144,000 of that chapter are identical with the company of Rev. 14:1-5. For a fuller explanation see “Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation,” by U. Smith.

No. 476. Marriage and Divorce.

Do not Matt. 5:32 and 19:9 give a man or woman, as the case may be, the right to marry again if the divorce is obtained on the grounds of adultery, and no other? T.

We read these scriptures in that way. Whoever puts away his wife except for the cause of fornication, and marries another, is guilty of adultery. His first wife having proved true to him, is still his lawful wife.

No. 477. The Worm Dieth Not.

PLEASE explain Mark 9:44, “Where their worm dieth not.”

The place there mentioned by our Lord (verse 43) translated “hell,” comes from Ge-henna, meaning the valley of Hinnom. This was a place outside of Jerusalem, called in the Old Testament “Tophet.” It was once used for idolatrous sacrifices, but afterwards as a place where the offal of Jerusalem was cast and the dead bodies of malefactors were thrown or buried. See 2 Kings 23:10; Jer. 19:4-6. Consuming this filth were numerous worms; and to consume what the worms did not devour, in order to avert pestilence, constant fires were kept burning. The worm was ever present there, the fire did not go out as long as there remained aught to devour or consume. The worm and fire were, therefore, agents of complete destruction. Our Lord uses these facts as symbols of the punishment of the wicked. The Valley of Hinnom is a type of the world, the place of punishment of the wicked. The offal and dead bodies are types of the works of Satan, including evil men. The worm and the fire are types of the agencies which God will use for the utter destruction of sin and those who choose sin. The worm will not die till it has done its work. The fire will not go out till it has consumed the chaff. See Isa. 51:8; Ps. 37:20; Mal. 4:1; Matt. 3:12; 2 Peter 3:7, 10; Rev. 18:8.

No. 478. The Son of David.

How is Christ called the Son of David, and as was supposed the Son of Joseph, and was the Son of neither after the flesh? How then can he be the Son of man? J. M.

He was not the Son of David through Joseph, only in law. He was the Son of David in fact, and the Son of man in fact, by being born of Mary. “When the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman.” Gal. 4:4, R. V. The genealogy is reckoned according to Jewish custom through the father. Both Mary and Joseph sprang from David, and when the two branches united in marriage, the son, not the daughter, was counted.

No. 479. Justified without Law.

PLEASE explain Rom. 3:28. Why should we keep the law if we are justified without the deeds of the law? A Seeker after Truth.

Justification, or counting that just which is not just, has reference to the past. Here is a man who has been a criminal—a horse thief—for forty years. He desires to be a good citizen. He can not say, I will keep the law from this time forward, and then I will be accounted a good citizen. This would not do. The judge would say: Your future obedience will satisfy only the future; it will not change the past. It can not undo the crimes you have committed. No deeds of the law you can do will ever restore you to citizenship; but the governor is a merciful man, he will pardon all your crimes. He goes to the governor, and, in his goodness of heart, the governor pardons or justifies the criminal, and he does this without the fulfilling of the deeds of the law on the part of the criminal. Should the pardoned horse thief now say: “Well, the governor has pardoned me for my crimes, which I could not undo; why should I keep the law in the future? I will go back to stealing horses again.” We all know that every one would condemn a course like that. The governor pardons that men may obey the law. Christ forgives what we may not undo, not that we may sin again (Rom. 6:1), but that we may keep the law (Rom. 8:4). He not only forgives sin, but he changes the heart so that it will not hate God’s law (Rom. 8:7), but love it, and love to obey it (1 John 5:3). He who feels that he is justified of Christ in order that he may again go into sin, is not justified at all.

No. 480. What Was Done Away?

Will you please explain 2 Corinthians 3? It says, “For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.” G. S.

That which is “done away” is what is called the glory of “the ministration of death” (verse 7), and the glory of “the ministration of condemnation” (verse 9). That which remains, which is more glorious, is the glory of “the ministration of the Spirit” (verse 8), and the glory of “the ministration of righteousness” (verse 9). The first glory is represented by the law outside of the man, written only on tables of stone, even as it was to unbelieving Israel of old. It was glorious, but as they did not receive it, it condemned them to death. But Moses received it in his heart, the Corinthian Christians received it in their hearts, through faith by the Spirit, and the Spirit of God wrote it upon the hearts. The law, in such case, does not condemn: it makes righteous; and the greater glory of the righteousness shines away the glory of condemnation. The vail represents sin. When the heart turns to the Lord, he will take away the sin. It is not the law that is done away, it is its condemning power. A fuller answer may be found in a tract soon to be issued, Bible Students’ Library, No. 149.