Q. 156.-Would it not be irreverent to partake of the Holy Eucharist otherwise than fasting, and therefore not convenient to have an evening celebration? M. H. U.
A. We find no injunction in scripture to partake of the Lord's Supper fasting. We would suggest that the phrase "Holy Eucharist" is by no means so good an expression to use as the simple language of scripture-the Lord's Supper. The term " Celebration " is still more unscriptural; and we would ask our correspondent whether it is not better, in these holy things, to cleave closely to scriptural language and thoughts, and avoid all terms that have an ambiguous or even a false meaning.
In answer to your correspondent in May No. of Bible Student, (New Queries, No. 145) " What is the meaning of the second Sabbath after the first "?-I would refer you to the only good and full answer and explanation of this obscurely-rendered passage, δευτεροπρώιῳ.
It is "All past time" Almanac, published by the Book Society, 48, Paternoster Row, price 6d.; and has many other important and true elucidations of other chronological passages, &c.. in the Old and New Testament, which are very important, and deserve all attention and praise to the author. G W.
Q. 130. Referring to the answer to this Query, and the rendering of verse 8 in the Revised Version, that the lamps of the foolish were " going out," do you intend the inference to be drawn that the foolish were only professing Christians (i.e. hypocrites), who had not received the Spirit of God? I know that this is the ordinary explanation, and that the statement of our Lord that the foolish had oil which burnt up to the time of His appearing, is stated to be a "structural device" (Brown). But I should like to know how the clear assertion that the foolish had oil can be so summarily treated. 83.
A. We think the word " hypocrites " a little hard; and, as regards the temporary enjoyment of spiritual blessings, in an outward manner, by mere professors, see Heb. 6:44For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, (Hebrews 6:4).
Q. 216. Those who raised this question were not actuated by a sincere desire to fulfill the law, but simply and only by the desire to entrap the Lord. (Luke 20:2020And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor. (Luke 20:20)). The instigators of this foul design presently answered Pilate, " we have no king but Caesar," and that too, in the presence of Him for whom these questioners now professed to entertain such high regard (ver. 21).
That they-the husbandmen of the vineyard-were not altogether in darkness as to who He was, who had so recently ridden in royal dignity into Jerusalem, our Lord's own words, uttered only a little while before this question was asked, proved most conclusively. (Ver. 14). They had long sought to entangle Him in His talk-by pressing this question, they now hoped to succeed. Since, if He was in reality about to assume the reins of government, He would surely commission all Israelites henceforth to pay tribute to Himself, and not to Caesar; and they could accuse Him of having spoken "against Caesar." On the other hand, if He had no thought of taking the crown, could they not accuse Him of having deceived those who had shouted " Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord!"? The Lord " perceived their craftiness," and answered them; in such a manner, that He made their own question tell against themselves, as has been already shown, A. J.
Q. 172. (p. 156). Here are a few facts in connection with this subject. It is positively asserted in John 13:30,30He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night. (John 13:30) that Judas, upon receiving the sop, went immediately out to perform his perfidious errand. This sop was received at the Paschal feast, which, we learn from Matthew and Mask, was followed by the Lord's Supper. The correspondence of the passages, Matt. 26:21-25,21And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. 22And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I? 23And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. 24The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born. 25Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said. (Matthew 26:21‑25) Mark 14:18-21,18And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me. 19And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I? 20And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish. 21The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born. (Mark 14:18‑21) and John 13:18-30,18I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me. 19Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he. 20Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. 21When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. 22Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake. 23Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. 24Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake. 25He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it? 26Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. 27And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly. 28Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him. 29For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor. 30He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night. (John 13:18‑30) seems to indicate that they all undoubtedly refer to the same event. From the above we would at once conclude that Judas went out after the celebration of the Passover, and before the Lord's Supper.
But though the contrary of this is not even implied in Matthew, Mark, or John, the narration in Luke apparently contradicts the other three on this point. But it is only apparently, we believe. For, first, let it be remembered that Luke does not write in strict chronological sequence in many instances; as may easily be seen from a comparative chronology of the four gospels. Then may we not reasonably suppose that Chapter 22:19 and 22 are inserted in parenthesis? In favor of this, mark that the description of the events during the eating of the Passover continues down to ver. 34. The qualifying phrase " after supper " seems to point to the same view. YOD.
W. H. M.'s explanation (p. 161) does not appear at all satisfactory to me. Truly, the " first mention of rain upon the earth is in Gen. 7:1212And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights. (Genesis 7:12)"; but this is scarcely proof enough that "there was no rain till the flood." Nor does Gen. 2:66But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. (Genesis 2:6) confirm his opinion in my mind. We certainly read there of " a mist going up from the face of the earth and watering the whole face of the ground," but does not this, as has been suggested, refer to the evaporation of moisture, and its subsequent descent as rain? We cannot conceive of a mist going up to water the earth, unless it afterward descends: and why not descend as rain? That copious nocturnal dews were, and are, common in oriental countries, is a well-known fact. See Judg. 6:37-4037Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said. 38And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water. 39And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew. 40And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground. (Judges 6:37‑40). But it seems preposterous to suppose that these dews were capable of sustaining vegetable life, feeding large rivers, &c. See Gen. 2:10-1410And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. 11The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; 12And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone. 13And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia. 14And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates. (Genesis 2:10‑14). Why, in Elijah's time, when there was a drought for three years (doubtless there were dews during that period) the water-courses dried up and there was a sore famine in the land. What if the place of drought was world-wide, and the period extended to 1600 years, as W. H. M. would have us believe: God could most certainly have upheld life, or have caused the dews to be heavy enough to do so during that time; but we never find that He acts contrary to, or suspends natural laws, without some great purpose.
Gen. 2:55And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground. (Genesis 2:5) cannot be considered, as W. H. M. supposes, a valid objection. For, though it says it had not rained up to that time, it does not deny that it rained after. Further, ver. 4, 5, are a summary of God's creation-work, previously described in fuller detail. The Lord God is spoken of here as the great independent Author of all things: He has made the earth and the heavens, and every herb and plant of the field. But-to mark more perfectly the character of His creation-it is written that every plant was made " before it was in the earth," and every plant "before it grew." Thus vegetation was called into existence in its maturity, and not by any evolutionary method. And further to show yet more clearly the almighty power of the Creator, it is shown that those two agents, rain and tillage, now so often indispensable to perfect vegetation, had nothing whatever to do with the first existence of plants; for "the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground " (ver. 5). But God. though He created without rain, immediately sends it, (ver. 6) to sustain the life He called into existence without its aid. This we believe to be the force of the passage in Gen. 2:5, 65And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground. 6But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. (Genesis 2:5‑6).
Thus we see no reason to doubt that rainbows were seen before the deluge. The difference was: antediluvian rainbows were mere natural phenomena, while the post-diluvian were the guarantee of the fulfillment of God's covenant. Yod.