TO CORRESPONDENTS

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 2, 1876

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

R. R. Moon: For an explanation of 1 Cor. 5:5, see “Man’s Nature and Destiny,” p. 98.

JACOB, in Gen. 32:30 says, “I have seen God face to face.” Moses, Aaron, and seventy elders, saw the God of Israel. Ex. 24:10. But Paul says that no man has seen God. 1 Tim. 6:16; and so says John 1:18. Please explain. J. W. MINER.

Ans. The person with whom Jacob wrestled, is called, in verse 24, a man. Dr. Clarke says it was without doubt the Lord Jesus Christ; and Hosea says it was an angel. Hosea 12:4. It was not, therefore, God the Father.

We have no evidence that Moses, Aaron, and the elders, saw God’s face. When Paul and John state that “no man hath seen God,” we must understand that it is said of God’s face. This becomes evident on examination of Ex. 33:20. When God said to Moses, “Thou canst not see my face; for there shall no man see me and live,” and then immediately proceeded to show Moses the back parts of his body, covering Moses with his hand as he passed by so that he should not see his face, we understand the me has reference to God’s face.

To illustrate: We say of an individual that we have seen him, even though his back were towards us, or his face be otherwise hid. In this sense, God has been seen. In a more exact sense, speaking of a man of whom we have had simply a back view, we would say, No, I have never seen him—why, I saw his back once after he had got clear by me, but I have never seen his face. I don’t know how he looks. In this sense, no man has ever seen God.

“What is meant by these words in Acts 13:48? ‘As many as were ordained to eternal life believed.’ E. G. BLACKMAN.”

Ans. The Greek word here rendered ordained, includes no idea of pre-ordination or pre-destination of any kind. “And even if it did,” says Dr. Clarke, “it would be rather hazardous to say that all those who believed at this time were such as actually persevered unto the end, and were saved unto eternal life.” The original word signifies to place, order, dispose; hence it is here considered to imply the disposition or readiness of mind of some of the congregation to receive the words of life which Paul and Barnabas spoke to them. The Jews, verse 45, were not thus disposed; but being filled with envy, spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. The Gentiles were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord. C. W. S.