206
T h e
K i n g ' s
B u s i n e s s
April 1928
when a rumor started that He was alive, imagination did the rest. Let us admit that it is possible for some very honest people to mistake a phantom of their own brains for a reality in the outer world. Such subjective visions are usually due to a diseased state of mind or body. In some way the individual is abnormal, if he is given to thinking
Practically all that is recorded is inconsistent with the vision theory, yet, strange to say, many cling to it. The body of Christ was gone. That was clearly admitted even by the Romans who had placed strong guard at the tomb. .Visions cannot remove a body, and even if visions had deceived the disciples, a ghost story cannot account for Christianity. The great fact to be explained is Christianity. afe Has God Really Said Anything? T HE following para graph is quoted
t h a t he sees ghosts, visions, etc., when in reality there is nothing to see. The New Testament writers always clearly distinguish between vi sions and direct revela tions. Visions are re ferred to as occurring at night or during a season o f prayer or worship. The knowl edge of the resurrec tion, however, is said to have come to them during their daily occu pations. These plain, hardy men were not the type of individuals or dinarily given to emo tionalism and visions. W e must explain, also, h o w subjective visions due to enthusi asm could start so soon after the crucifixion as the third day. How could they h a v e out grown their utter con fusion in so short a time ? Explain, a l s o , why these appearances of Jesus only extended over a period o f a few d a y s . Would not vi sionary people h a v e continued having vi sions o f Him over a longer period ?. W e must also face the fact that the dis ciples were not looking for a resurrection, al though it had been fore told. W e witness their
from The Congrega- tionalist, taken from an article -written by Dr. Charles E. Jefferson. “ The time has come for all members o f the Christian Church to re nounce openly and em phatically the old doc trine of verbal inspira tion. The idea o f Bib lical inerrancy is; out grown. That teaching is false, demonstrably false. Christians owe it to Christ openly to dis card it. “ The popular im pression t h a t t h e Church still clings to that antiquated i d e a handicaps it in all its w o r k . It prejudices many sensible but ill- informed people against it. It d a m a g e s the Church in the eyes of the boys and girls in our colleges. Ministers are especially obligated to cut themselves loose from it, and to let the world know that they have done so.” In our day there are m a n y ministers and Christian workers who seem to want to believe in the Bible as “ a di
Keystone View THIS IS THE EUPHORBIA SPLENDOR— THE CROWN OF THORNS OR CHRIST THORN. THIS SPECIAL PLANT M AY BE SEEN IN THE BOTAN ICAL GARDENS AT WASHINGTON, D. C. IN PALESTINE IT GROWS MUCH LARGER. THE SHARP NEEDLE-LIKE THORNS WOULD INDEED WOUND A FOREHEAD ON WHICH THEY WERE PRESSED.
vine book,” while not accepting the inspiration of the Bible in the sense claimed in hundreds of passages by the Bible itself. Something like 2,000 times we meet the assertion ‘‘ Thus saith the Lord,” meaning nothing less than “ These are the words God has spoken.” Nearly 3,600 times the expression “And God said” occurs. Precise ivords are ascribed to Him. In many passages whole arguments are built upon a word (Heb. 1 :8 ). In Gal. 3 :16 Paul employs a single letter of a Word as the basis of an argument. If the claims of the Bible are true, its inspiration extends to the words of the original text, not simply general ideas here and there. If these claims are not to be accepted, then how can the Bible be considered anything
utter surprise when it occurred. It is frankly stated that when Christ first appeared He was unrecognized. We are repeatedly told that at first some of them doubted, showing that they would, have used every means of find ing out*whether or not it was true. It is not likely that they would have gone to those who were in a position to know whether or not anything unusual had occurred, to declare His resurrection, if they had no proof whatever of the truth of their assertions. Then, do subjective visions occur to many people, in different places and circumstances, at about the same time ? And how will we account for visionary conversations, for Christ’s appearances were not simply glimpses o f His form, but always involved the giving of detailed instruc tions.
Made with FlippingBook Online document