TO CORRESPONDENTS by Uriah Smith

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 9, 1877

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

By Uriah Smith

Why is the word Sabbaton (σαββάτων), genitive plural, translated in Matt. 28:1, Sabbath, in the singular, in one case, and in the other by first of the week, the day being a supplied word? M. S. S.

Ans. The word Sabbath in the New Testament is from two words, sabbaton (σαββάτον), a noun of the second declension and singular number, and sabbata (σαββάτα), a noun of the third declension and plural number. This latter is used mostly in the dative or genitive with a singular signification, as in Matt. 28:1. It is translated week in the second instance of its occurrence in that text, because it follows a numeral adjective denoting the day of the week. See the tract on Sabbaton published at this Office, which fully explains this construction.

S. B. Alexander: The idea that the three days and three nights, during which the Son of man was to be in the heart of the earth, are to be reckoned from the time he was betrayed into the hands of wicked men, is held by some, and may be made to appear very plausible. We see no objection to the idea.

Are our sins forgiven and blotted out up to the time we believe and accept the Saviour, or not? D. S. J.

Ans. We understand that there is a difference between the forgiveness, or pardon of sin, and the blotting out of sin. Our sins are pardoned, or forgiven, when we repent, and up to the time of our repentance, but they are not blotted out till Christ makes the atonement in the Heavenly sanctuary, which will be, when it comes to the living, the end of their probation.

What are the two immutable things spoken of in Heb. 6:18? D. S. J.

Ans. The promise and the oath of God. God first gave his promise; and that alone was sure, it could never fail; but he being “willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel,” added his oath, sworn by himself.

How do you prove that Michael is Christ? E. H.

Ans. The language of Dan. 12:1 would clearly indicate this; for he is “the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people.” There is no other personage to whom such language can apply but to Christ. Again, Michael is to stand up or reign; but there is no future reign predicted but that of Christ. The direct testimony, however, on this point is found in the New Testament. Jude 9 says that Michael is the archangel, or ruler over angels. Paul, in 1 Thess. 4:16, says that when the Lord appears at his second coming the voice of the archangel is heard. And our Lord himself says in John 5:27, 28, that when the dead are raised, they hear the voice of the Son of man. The testimony of these three references is absolutely conclusive. First step, the dead hear the voice of the Son of God, or Christ. John 5:28. Second step, they hear the voice of the archangel, 1 Thess. 4:16; and as there is but one voice then heard, this archangel is Christ the Son of God. Third step, the archangel is Michael, Jude 9. Leaving out the second step, which serves simply to connect the other two, and we have the fact that Christ, the Son of God, is Michael.

Heb. 12:11. Exercised by “chastening” or by “righteousness”? which? N. Orcutt.

Ans. By “chastening,” or discipline. The Greek literally reads as follows: “And all chastening [or discipline] for the present is not esteemed [a matter] of rejoicing, but of grief; but afterward to those who are trained by it, it gives the peaceable fruits of righteousness.”

M. M. S.: For an explanation of Matt. 10:28, see “State of the Dead,” published at this Office, pp. 88–95.

J. Starr: The Bible gives no countenance to the idea that the day begins in the morning. When it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, as recorded in Matt. 28:1, the Sabbath was past; for that is the meaning of the expression, “in the end of the Sabbath.” Mark says plainly, “when the Sabbath was past.” The Sabbath ended at sunset the evening before. With the evening, or sunset, the day commences, according to Bible reckoning, as clearly as language can express it. U. S.