Lessons for Bible Students.
(History of the Sabbath, pp. 166–178.) Since the death of the Redeemer, how does the law of God stand with reference to his people? Did the apostolic church sacredly regard the Sabbath, as well as other precepts of the moral law? What are some of the facts which prove this? Besides these facts what have we? In the history of the primitive church we have several important references to the Sabbath, what is the first of these? In Paul's address on this occasion what language does he use? At the conclusion of Paul's discourse, what request did the Gentiles make? What does this text show is meant in the book of Acts by the term Sabbath? How long after the resurrection, was this discourse given? What is the date of Luke's record? Had Paul or Luke at that time any knowledge of the change of the Sabbath? If the Sabbath had been changed, what should Paul have said upon this occasion? Was this second meeting of Paul's on the Sabbath, out of regard to the Jews; and if not, why? What does this text prove in regard to the knowledge of the Sabbath by the Gentiles? Several years after this, a council of apostles was held at Jerusalem; what was the question under consideration? Was there any dispute at this time relative to the Sabbath? If Paul had taught the Gentiles to neglect the Sabbath, would not those who brought up the question of circumcision, have brought up that of the Sabbath still more earnestly? The observance of the law of Moses was under consideration in this assembly; is the law of Moses the ten commandments? Several decisive facts prove this; first, what does Peter call the code under consideration? But how does James speak of the ten commandments? Second, the assembly having decided against the law of Moses, how does James, a member of this body, some years afterward, speak of the ten commandments? Third, of what law was circumcision a part? Fourth, are the precepts still declared to be obligatory, properly either of the ten commandments? What were those precepts? Are not the first and last of these, the second and seventh of the ten commandments? If the authority of the ten commandments was under consideration in this council, from what did the apostles release the Gentiles? What then may be said of those who represent that the Gentiles were released from the Sabbath by this assembly? And what is proved by the fact that this question did not come before the apostles on this occasion? Was the Sabbath referred to in this assembly, and how? What is proved by the language of James concerning the Sabbath in this meeting? What does Luke say of the Sabbath, in recording Paul's visit to Philippi? Of whom does this assembly appear to have been composed, Jews or Gentiles? With whom then, did the church of the Philippians originate? Paul, having come to Thessalonica, what did he do three Sabbath days? What texts show Paul's manner in this respect? Note, p. 172. With whom does the Thessalonian church appear to have originated? What language did Paul afterward address to them? What does this language prove? To what other churches was this church an example? Paul afterward came to Corinth; how did he spend his Sabbaths there? How is it shown that the first members of the Corinthian church were Sabbath-keepers? What can be said of the first churches founded in the land of Judea? How did nearly all the churches founded outside of the land of Judea, begin? Who were incorporated among these? What were these Gentiles at the time of their conversion? What is shown by the language of James to have been the character of the apostolic churches? In a letter to the Corinthians Paul is supposed to contribute a fifth pillar to the first-day temple; what is it, and in what chapter and verse found? What is the argument from this text in behalf of the first-day Sabbath? Upon what expression do these inferences rest? What do these words ordain? How is this expression translated in Greenfield's Greek Lexicon? How in the Latin versions, the Vulgate, and that of Castellio? How by the three French translations of Martin, Osterwald, and De Sacy? How by the German of Luther? How by the Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Swedish translations? Give Dr. Bloomfield's note on the original. How does the Douay Bible render it? How is it given in Beza's Latin version? What eminent first-day writer in his Sabbath Manual denies all this, and claims that this expression does not mean laying by at home? In his Notes on the New Testament, what testimony does this same writer bear? The Corinthian church, being, as we have seen, a Sabbath-keeping church, could this text have suggested to them the idea of a change of the Sabbath? In how many other scriptures does Paul even mention the first day of the week? How long after the alleged change of the Sabbath was this written? Does Paul here apply any title of sacredness to the first day of the week? What other point is also worthy of notice in this connection? To what days of the week only, are the duties here enjoined, appropriate?