WILL you please explain through your paper whether or not supplied words have any inspiration? or are binding? If not, please read Col. 2:16, 17 without using the supplied word "days," and explain.
Sometimes the supplied words are necessary to complete the sense. That is, if you were reading the Greek you would understand the idea without the word; it would be embodied in the sentence, the words, the modifying terms. But when it is translated into English it becomes necessary to supply the word which would be understood in the original. Sometimes the wrong word may be supplied. Col. 2:16, 17 would read: "Let not any one, therefore, be judging you in an eating or in a drinking, or in respect of a feast or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of the coming things, but the body [is] of the Christ."—Rotherham's Emphatic Translation. The word "Sabbath," in our version, is plural in the original (sabbatōn) and means Sabbaths, or Sabbath days. So also Young's, the Syriac, and other translations render it in the plural.
No. 444. Old and New Covenant.
(1) PLEASE give the chronological order of events from Exodus 19 till the tabernacle was set up. (2) What was written in that book which Moses sprinkled with blood? (3) Just what constitutes the old covenant? (4) And what belongs to the new covenant?
1. The word of God will give as good an account as can be obtained elsewhere. We have given therein the events in chronological order from chapter 19 to chapter 32 inclusive. The instruction concerning the sanctuary in chapters 25 to 31 is what God gave to Moses in the mount. The building and setting up of the sanctuary immediately followed. Exodus 33-40.
2. There was written in the book the agreement between the people and God (Ex. 19:5-8; 24:3, 7, 8), the ten words spoken of God, together with "the judgments" of chapters 21-23. These judgments formed the basis of the national law. All that was afterward added to this did not enlarge or diminish it by one moral principle. It simply developed the principles that were in it, but which an ignorant and sin-blinded people could not see.
3. The old covenant was the mutual agreement between God and Israel. The Lord promised them great blessings if they would obey his voice and keep his covenant. Ex. 19:5. The people on their part promised that they would do this. But as they had not heard God's voice the Lord does not seal the covenant. He speaks his law; and he gives other instruction through Moses. Moses writes it all in a book, and reads it to the people, and again they promise to do it. This book of the covenant was then ratified with blood. The covenant was the agreement between God and Israel. It was a covenant concerning his law, and the principles of that law in their national life. Israel failed to do as they agreed. But that did not affect the law. When an alien makes application of citizenship, he promises to obey its laws and support its government; the government promises to protect his life, property, etc., that is, to give him the privileges of citizenship. If after his naturalization papers are granted, he becomes a traitor the next day, his act in nowise affects the law he promised to obey. It is just as obligatory, as perpetual, as just and good, as it was before. So the old covenant in no way affected the nature or perpetuity of God's law.
4. We have not space to tell all that belongs to the new covenant. It is all-embracing in the great plan of God. It in brief may all be summed up in God's wondrous law. The law in its relation to the sinner, and the law as manifest in Christ Jesus—the Gospel. It comprehends all that is used in God's purpose in making man like himself.
