Question Corner

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Jul 11, 1906

1844.—Pentecost.

Why was Pentecost kept after Christ’s resurrection, when it was a part of the ceremonial law, which was done away at the cross? N. B.

As the sacrifice of Christ was the fulfilment of the Passover, as His resurrection was of the wave offering; so that Pentecost of Acts 2 was of the feast of weeks, the feast of first-fruits. See Lev. 23:4, 5, 11, 15–17. The type was there met in antitype.

1845.—Resurrection, Angel, Spirit. Acts 23:8.

Explain Acts 23:8, the point of angel and spirit and resurrection. N. B.

It is a mere statement as to the belief on a certain point between the two great Jewish sects. The Sadducees were the “higher critics,” the religious skeptics and infidels of their time. They professedly held the books of Moses and rejected the later prophets. They did not see that Moses taught the doctrine of the resurrection, hence they believed in none. So also they did not believe in the existence of angels, spirit beings. By “both,” the apostle evidently classed “angel” and “spirit” together, as other intelligent beings than man. The other one of the both was the resurrection. There is no reference in this to the spirit or soul of man.

1846.—“Never See Death.” John 8:51.

Does not John 8:51 teach the immortality of the soul? N. B.

Not at all. If the soul were immortal, it would never taste death, whether it kept Christ’s sayings or not. Jesus bases continuation of life on the keeping of His Word. See John 3:36: “He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life; but he that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.” The thought of John 8:51 is that the obedient, faithful child of God will not die the death of the sinner. He may sleep in Jesus, but he “shall not be hurt of the second death.”

1847.—In and Out of the Body. 2 Cor. 12:2.

Please explain who the “man” is. 2 Cor. 12:2. What does “in” and “out of the body” mean? N. B.

The man was Paul. Paul declares in other words that he did not know whether he was actually caught up bodily to God, or whether he merely saw a vision. “In the body,” here as in every-day life; out of the body, caught up to heaven in the spiritual body. Paul did not know. Do we? The other question you ask was answered not long ago.

1848.—Meats Clean and Unclean.

Please explain 1 Tim. 4:1–5. M. L., C. P. U., AND OTHERS.

The text reads as follows in the American Standard Revised Version:

“But the Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons, through the hypocrisy of men that speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by them that believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it be received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified through the Word of God and prayer.”

Note the following points in the study:

1. It is not a last-day text, as many affirm. It refers to later times than the apostle’s day. “Later seasons” (Rotherham); “subsequent seasons” (Emphatic Diaglott). The word husteros rendered “later,” is in Matt. 21:29 rendered properly “afterward.” The apostasy began even in Paul’s time. See 2 Thess. 2:7; Acts 20:29, 30. And everything mentioned in this scripture has been manifest in the apostasy through the Dark Ages.

2. Those who are thus led astray are those who fall away from the faith, who make salvation to depend on schemes of men rather than by the faith of Jesus Christ.

3. They yield to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons, various phases of Spiritism, manifest in the various forms of pretended communication with the dead.

4. These things will be taught through hardened hypocrites, who have departed from the faith.

5. Among the things they teach is not counsel not to marry, or more care and deliberation and prayer as to so important a step, but marriage is forbidden by them. Witness various free-love cults and the celibacy of priests.

6. They command to abstain from meats. This does not necessarily mean flesh meats; but food of any kind. “Foods,” Rotherham has it. Our English word meat formerly applied to food of any kind. It is a perfectly understood command when the English farmer tells his man, John, feed the horses their meat—that is, hay and grain. We use it of the kernel of the nut. The Greek word is bromatos, food of any kind. See Matt. 14:15; John 4:34. The command to abstain from food, then, is the enjoining of arbitrary fasts from foods of any kind.

7. We can well believe that God would have us receive with thanksgiving all food that is good for us. He has told us in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 some kinds that are not good, that are unclean. These scriptures do not make these prohibited beasts unclean or clean; they are so in the very nature of the case, and this the Lord tells the people whom He would have holy like Himself. Lev. 11:44, 45.

8. “Every creature” is limited by explicit instruction elsewhere, just as “every day” in Ex. 16:4 is limited. “Every creature” does not include beasts which infinite wisdom has declared unfit for food, else snakes and worms and cormorants and buzzards are good. “Every day” did not include the Sabbath day. Nothing of all God has given for food is to be rejected if needed.

9. These are two things necessary to make the food what it ought to be: (1) It should be “sanctified” [separated, set apart] through the Word of God.” Surely that will exclude that which God has declared to be unclean and abomination; He declared this not as arbitrary law, but as vital fact. (2) It should be received with thanksgiving and prayer; and true prayer always seeks to know God’s way in order that God may be glorified. 1 Cor. 10:31.

1849.—“Whatsoever Thy Soul Desireth.”

Kindly explain Deut. 14:26. A. C. M.

The whole text and context presumes that God’s people are faithful, earnest, loyal, devoted. They would not, therefore, lust after the things He forbade, as recorded in this very chapter. The whatsoever is limited by their presumed loyalty to God’s specific prohibition. As to the “strong drink,” it may be said that Israel knew nothing of distilled liquors; and God forbade drunkenness. See Deut. 29:18–20; Proverbs 23.

1850.—What Kind of Darkness? Rev. 16:10.

Please explain Rev. 16:10, 11. Does the darkness refer to literal darkness, as in the plagues of Egypt? or does it refer to the time when the people and kingdoms who have been deceived by the beast shall turn against the beast? Rev. 17:16, 17. L.

We see no reason why these plagues should not be regarded as literal. The physical darkness is but the outer symbol of the black darkness which comes by rejecting light. It includes every kind of darkness which men have invited by rejecting God. Rev. 17:16 brings additional calamity, tho not necessarily darkness.

1851.—Easing Souls in Sin. Eze. 13:18–23.

Will you please explain Eze. 13:18–23? A SUBSCRIBER.

The passage is the Lord’s condemnation under striking figures of those who are easing the consciences of souls in sin, and seducing others to sin. The root of the matter is given in verses 19, 22, 23. “Pillows to the armholes,” or “elbows,” or “joints of the hands,” doubtless refers to customs with which we are not well acquainted.

1852.—Is the Soul Deathless? J. W. P.

It depends on the way you use the term. If by “soul” you mean “life,” as it is used in Matt. 16:25, 26, of course life is deathless, as death is lifeless, an assertion which would be gratuitous and tautological. If by soul is meant the whole man, as in Gen. 2:7, “and man became a living soul,” it is not true; for the man died. “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” Eze. 18:4, 20. This is also true where the soul is used of mind and faculties. “Bless the Lord, O my soul.”