interesting personality three times in the Bible. In Genesis 14 we are told that he was the king of Salem, a very real person. Such was not true with our Lord Jesus Christ for He is King of ALL the earth. The second refer ence is Psalm 110:4 in which we find the prophetic word concerning our Saviour that He is to be after the order of Melchizedek. The final refer ence is in Hebrews chapter 7. Of him it was said that he had neither father or mother. This was not true of our Saviour Who was bom of the virgin Mary. There are two recorded human genealogies for the Lord. Does Scrip ture mean that this person had no relatives, and was out of the human realm? No, it simply means that he had no recorded genealogy. It is as if we caught a snapshot of him. Every- time we see him thereafter he is exact ly the same age. There is a timeless quality about Melchizedek. The Bible tells us that he was made like unto the Son of God. If such be true, and it was, how could he be Christ Himself. The Spirit of God is drawing out certain unmistakable qualities as a means of bringing us see vital truths. Q. Fullerton, Calif. — "Many have la beled today’s church as. being pagan because of its observance of Christ mas, Easter, Mother’s Day, and so forth, due to their pagan origin. How should we consider such observances?” A. We should distinguish between Christian observances and other occa sions such as Mother’s Day. To be sure, Christmas and Easter are much abused and misused. This does not mean, however, that they are pagan days. The fact of the birth, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is that which we emphasize for they are utterly magnificent truths. Just because the world has misused these occasions is no reason for us to set them aside. Mother’s Day and Fathers’ Day are of a different nature. Cer tainly there is nothing wrong in salut ing our parents, not only once a year but also throughout the entire twelve months. 22
forever, Amen.’ Someone told me that it is not in the original. Is this true?” A. This is taken from Matt. 6:13. Translators, regardless of their Chris tian stand, use their own judgment based upon what they feel ancient manuscripts reveal. This is called “textual criticism.” We do not have the manuscripts which came from the hands of the apostles and other writ ers which, in the original languages, were God-breathed, without any er rors whatsoever. No doubt if they had been preserved people would be worshipping them. Some manuscripts may be observed as more reliable than others. They are considered to be “stronger.” The best principle would be to put all of the material in the text, stating in the margin that some ancient and reliable manuscripts omit the portion. Such is the case with the verse in question. No one can say with any degree of complete finality that it should or shouldn’t be deleted. By the way, when we "speak-of “textual criticism,” we do not refer to the word as we know it today. Actually, a critic is one who makes a judgment, not a person who finds fault with others. Q . Lakewood, Calif. — “What do you think of square dancing?” A. The question we really need to con sider is, what does it lead to? Original ly the square dance led to the waltz, and then on to the various other forms which are known today. (Such cur rent weird antics seem more like pagan rituals performed in the heart of dark est Africa.) Square dancing is not an end in itself, it is simply a step to other things. There is nothing we can say by way of commendation of it. Q . Emmet, Idaho — — “Was the high priest, Melchizedek, who appeared to Abraham, a real person or actually Chmst appearing in the Old Testa ment? Doesn’t Hebrews 7:1 to 3 prove that it was Christ?” A. The passage in Hebrews does not indicate this at all. We read of this
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