p. 7 | QUESTIONS ANSWERED by Dudley Marvin Canright

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jan 7, 1889

QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

An explanation is asked of the following scriptures: Matt. 3:9; 16:18, 19; 18:18; 21:44; and 22:31, 32.

1. Matt. 3:9: "And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father; for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham."

The scripture is very plain of itself. The Jews thought that their salvation, greatness, and glory were assured, because they were the literal descendants of Abraham. John taught them that it was just as necessary for them to repent as for others. Jesus rebuked them in a similar way in John 8:33-44. They were sinners by nature even as others. Rom. 3:9. Their only hope of salvation was genuine repentance toward God, and faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ. They could flatter themselves that they were the seed of Abraham, but it would do them no good. God was not dependent upon them for the fulfillment of his promises to Abraham. He who had originally created man out of the dust of the earth could raise up from stones children unto Abraham. The lesson we should learn from the text is, that privileges of birth, pious parents, good reputation, or external circumstances, will not save us. Personal holiness, through Christ, will alone avail. Eze. 14:20; Heb. 12:14.

2. Matt. 16:18, 19; 18:18. The first reads as follows: "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of Heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven." The second reads: "Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven."

"Peter" comes from the Greek word petros, meaning "a stone." Liddell and Scott say of this word, "a stone and thus distinguished from petra." The word "rock" comes from this latter word, petra. Of this the same standard authority says, "There is no example, in good authors, of petra in the sense of petros a stone." The reason for using these two distinctive words is evident. The one signifies a rock, the other a stone.

Now "no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not . . . by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." 2 Pet. 1:20, 21. Therefore, to understand a prophecy, we must compare it with other scriptures. The same Spirit inspired all. We will learn the meaning of this scripture by comparing it with parallel and related passages.

What then was the foundation upon which the church of Christ was built? Paul furnishes the reply: "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." 1 Cor. 3:11. Again he says of Christians, "And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone," or "corner foundation." Eph. 2:20. Christ is the rock upon which the temple stands, he being the one who spoke through both apostles and prophets. John 14:26; 1 Pet. 1:10, 11. Isaiah bears testimony to the same (chapter 28:16): "Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, a sure foundation." Again, the psalmist says, "The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner." Ps. 118:22. Peter himself applies this to Christ in Acts 4:11, as he also does Isa. 28:16 in his first epistle, chapter 2.

The term "stone" is, it is true, applied to Christ in Isaiah, Acts, Psalms, 1 Peter, and other scriptures; but it comes not from petros, the word applied to Peter, but from lithos, a word used of stones in general, and also of Christ and his children. When the vital relation of one to the other is intended, the same word, lithos, is used; but when the distinction is to be made between the foundation and that

builded on the foundation, two words of different meaning are used, namely, petra (rock), and petros (stone). Christ is the foundation stone or rock (Matt. 7:24, 25), Peter one of the many stones built into a spiritual temple on that foundation. So the apostle himself, who heard Christ's words, testifies: "To whom coming, as unto a living stone [Christ], disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, ye also, as lively [living] stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." And then the apostle proceeds to quote Isa. 28:16 in proof of his statement. 1 Pet. 2:5, 6.

The Saviour therefore declares to Peter in Matt. 16:18, "Thou art a stone which will be built up in that great spiritual temple, which will be founded upon me, the Rock of whom the prophets have spoken, and whom you have just confessed."

The gates, or powers (for gate is a symbol of power and authority), of hell (hades, the grave) shall not prevail against the church of Jesus Christ. It may seem to do so. The grave may close its portals over sleeping saints, yea, over the Head of the church, but divine power will triumph over all. 1 Cor. 15:51-57.

The giving of the keys to Peter may have had reference to his being chosen as the first, after the resurrection, to present to both Jews and Gentiles the conditions on which men could have a part in the church of Christ. The day of Pentecost he preached Jesus to the Jews. He afterward formally opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. Acts 15:7, 14. The binding and loosing did not have reference to any arbitrary power existing in Peter as an individual, but had reference to the conditions of acceptance by Christ, and the consequence of rejecting these conditions. Peter's message which he should bear to the world was not to be indefinite or uncertain. It was to be a savor of life or death. If men accepted of it with all their heart, they would be loosed from sin (John 8:32, 36), and bound, or united, to Christ. John 15:1-8. If men rejected this message they were left in the bonds of sin and condemnation. John 8:34; Rom. 6:16; John 3:18. It was in this way that Jeremiah was set "over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant." Jer. 1:10, compared with 18:7-10.

The same principle will apply to Matt. 18:18, where reference is made to the whole church. And we may further add, that when the church, united to her divine Head, walking in the light, acting in harmony with the word of God, deals with its members, such action, whether it be to bind or loose, to acquit or condemn, will be ratified by Heaven. It means no more than this. A church acting contrary to God's word is apostate or backslidden, and is herself a subject of condemnation. And such most emphatically is the Church of Rome, which arrogantly and presumptuously claims the power to bind or loose at will. The Lord designates that church as "the mystery of iniquity." 2 Thess. 2:7.

3. Matt. 21:44: "And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder."

By referring to the forty-second verse, and comparing with Ps. 118:22 and Acts 4:11, it will be seen that the stone refers to Christ. The grinding to powder is easily understood. Christ is brought to view in Dan. 2 as the stone "cut out of the mountain without hands," which broke in pieces the various metals composing the image, symbolizing the nations of earth, and they "became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them." This breaking and grinding is "the wrath of the Lamb" (Rev. 6:16) against those who have rejected every overture of mercy, despised "the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering," and have treasured up wrath against "the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God." Rom. 2:4, 5.

Falling on the stone and being broken signifies an opposite work—a work of mercy and reconciliation. Falling is voluntary on the part of the sinner. It is the gracious privilege which a gracious God gives to all. Being broken has reference to the repentance, contrition, and sorrow for sin which is manifested in every believer in Jesus Christ. It is a breaking away from the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life. 1 John 2:16. It is the broken and contrite heart which is not despised of God. Ps. 51:17. It is the "contrite and humble spirit" which God will revive. Isa. 57:15. It is the heart that mourns, the poor in spirit, who shall be comforted and shall see God. Matt. 5:3, 4. Such will become united to the Foundation Stone by his healing power, and will be a living stone in the great spiritual temple of God. 1 Pet. 2.

4. Matt. 22:31, 32: "But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living."

The question at issue was the resurrection. One great sect of the Jews had been confounded by Jesus (verses 15-22), and now the Sadducees attempt to confound him. They do not believe in the resurrection. The only scriptures which they hold as of divine authority are the books of Moses; and they do not believe that Moses taught the resurrection. And so from a case based on the law of Moses, they endeavor to confound our Saviour by an argument against the resurrection. Bear in mind that it is not the intermediate state that is in question, or that our Saviour must prove, or be confounded. It is as to whether the dead rise. First, he shows that his questioners do not know the scriptures nor the power of God. The same social relations need not to exist in the resurrection life. The elect number will be complete, and, as all will live forever, they do not need to multiply more. Secondly, he shows that the dead do rise by an appeal to the writings of Moses. Why, God is not the God of the dead or those who are not; he is the God of the living. This was a truth accepted by all. But God says that he is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; now how can this be if they are dead? They are dead, but they are sleeping in faith. Therefore they are not, in the wisdom and power of God, counted as dead, for in his purpose they will live. It is thus that God "calleth those things which be not as though they were" (Rom. 4:17), because they exist in his purpose. While the dead do not live unto themselves, they "all live unto him" (Luke 20:38); for in his purpose all will be surely raised to life. The multitude were astonished at his wisdom, and the learned scribes perceived that he had answered well. The Sadducees were confounded at the wisdom of the lowly Nazarene, "who spake as never man spake." M. C. W.