214
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
May, 1933
S W A S T I K A MARCHES OVER EURO PE ! What does it mean? Haw does it fit in with Mussolini's map of the Roman Empire ? European crisis and the Jews; First Jewish seaport since Biblical times; When will Ezek. 38-39 be fulfilled? Romance of a Language Reborn— these and many other vitally inter esting topics in MAY issue of PROPHECY MONTHLY, 40 pages solid, pointed prophetic information. Don’t miss another issue. $1 year; 4 mo. trial special 25c. Ask for free BIBLICAL BOOK BULLETIN. PROPHECY MONTHLY Keith L. Brooks, Editor Dept. KB 2003 Addison Way Los Angeles, Calif. Competent — Dependable—Reasonable DR. HARRY C . FORSYTH Optometrist TUcker 8581 327 Story Bldg. 610 So. Broadway Los Angeles, Calif. Children’s Day £££■ “£ "The Sunshine of God's Love," new pageant- service for the Sunday school, price 10c. "Children's Day Recitations, Helps, etc.," price 25c. FREE catalog describes special day and general Choir and S. S. publications, plays, etc., and supplies speci men pages of music. GEO. F. ROSCHE & C O - g f f j c Ml. Eye Examinations and Glasses
empower the disciples to do their work (v. 19). Our Lord was “ received up.” The people had cast Him out, but God received Him. He was the first Man ever to tread the path of life from the grave to the glory, that path upon which the feet of all be lievers are placed. But even though He is in person exalted high above all the heavens, nevertheless He is constantly with His disciples on earth (v. 20; cf. Heb. 13:5, 6). The Lord is always present with those who go forth to preach the gospel in obedience to His command. He never leaves them nor for sakes them. As the first disciples went forth, the Lord made Himself known by the fulfill ment of the W ord as they preached it. He confirmed their testimony by giving signs, that the people might believe (v. 20). We are in danger of similarly looking for signs, and if we do not see them, we may imagine that the Lord has failed us, or we have failed Him. But the signs do not constitute assurance of the Lord’s presence and bless ing; sometimes the signs are not the Lord’s but the devil’s. The need today is for work ers who are willing to fulfill the commis sion, to rely implicitly on the W ord of God, and to leave the results with Him. Points and Problems 1. “Now when Jesus was risen early” (Mk. 16:19). Most careful Bible students have noticed that there is some question whether verses 9 to 20 were included in the original document Mark wrote. This fact is noted by practically all reference Bibles, in cluding the Scofield. In brief, the manu script evidence against their inclusion is that they are wholly omitted from the two oldest Greek manuscripts, the Vatican and the Sinaitic. In other manuscripts the sec tion appears with variations and omissions. The church father Irenaeus, however, who lived long before the writing of the two manuscripts mentioned above, quotes the passage; and many other manuscripts con tain it. Its. right to a place in Scripture has been defended by a notable line of scholars, including Dean Burgon. Where there is manuscript evidence on both sides, there is a common-sense rule which we may wisely follow. This rule is to ask the question: Is the passage of such a nature as to provide the scribes of the early church a motive for leaving it out or for putting it inf Now no one, so far as I know, has ever produced any sufficient motive for the inclusion of the passage in Mark if the book did not originally con tain it. But there was the strongest kind of motive for leaving it out. Certain great miraculous “ signs” were prbmised in verses 17 and 18 which would “ follow them that believe.” Now it is a matter of history that after the apostolic age these “ signs” are hard, if not almost impossible, to discover in the early record of the church. In facing the skeptics of those early days, the passage be came an embarrassment to the Church. The skeptics could ask, Where are the promised “ signs” ? How easy it would seem, there fore, to get rid of the difficulty by simply dropping the passage from newly made
copies! If this solution be correct, it was not the last time that ■men have resorted to such devices. At any rate, verses 17 and 18 are not included in the text of this week’s lesson. 2. “ These signs shall follow them that believe” (vs. 17, 18). Feeling that these verses are almost certain to enter into the discussion where classes use Bibles instead of quarterlies, I shall point out several things. First, the signs were for them that “ believe” not merely for some select group who might claim a theoretical “ sanctifica tion.” In the second place, such “ signs” were needed in the early years of the Apostolic testimony before the New Testament books were written, for the purpose of authenticat ing the new message of the Gospel. Finally, the Apostle Paul declared plainly that certain of these special gifts o f the Spirit, including the gift of tongues, would cease (1 Cor. 13:8). And he sets the time— “When that which is perfect is come” (v. 10). As long as New Testament revelation was in complete, as long as the early Churches had to depend upon the bestowal and exercise of certain spiritual gifts for their own edification and the credentials of their testimony, it was true as Paul said: “We know in part, and we prophesy in part” (1 Cor. 13:9). The more I study this chapter, the more I am inclined to believe that the thing which Paul calls “that which is perfect” is nothing else than the comple tion of New Testament revelation. When this had come, then “ that which is in part shall bp done away” (v. 10). Most thought ful students o f the W ord believe that the gift of “prophecy” ceased when John laid down his pen on Patmos, just as Paul had predicted. The same thing is true doubtless of some other gifts which were given, as tongues, for “ signs.” It is certainly a fact of history, which has puzzled more than one historian, that when the church entered the second century with a complete Bible in her hands, these “ signs” are remarkable for their absence. Frances E. W illard, as she sat in a busi ness meeting, looked across at the famous Woman’s Temple, then reaching its thir teenth story, and saw a hodcarrier along the outer wall. No one in the street was noticing him ; nevertheless he was a vital factor in the erection of the great building. “That is the way with character,” Miss W illard remarked. “W e build it in Utiles, and without observation. That is all there is of character-building, or temple-building, . . . just to keep right on putting in our time and effort to the best advantage pos sible at the moment.” W e may think it a; disgrace to be a hod- carrier; but that is what Shakespeare was — only he bore a superior sort of mortar. That is what Moses was, and Paul, and Luther, and Phillips Brooks. God is the Architect and the Master Builder. It is enough to be, in any humble capacity, workers together with Him, “ for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13). —A Cyclopedia of Twentieth Century Illustra tions. Golden Text Illustration M ark 16:20
/ ¿ * ^ M E R I C A N * C S \ UNCHRISTIAN BENEVOLENT/^ 1 SOCIETY / / £ / / RUSHFORD. MINN. //* // >^TQO|THCR(()jTOHELPONkV3^' SHOULD JOIN WITH US! A Christian Society for Christian People . . . organized not for profit, but to assist those who have been bereft of loved ones. Death benefits, according to ages, from $200 to $1000.00. Average cost $8 to $12 per year. Ministers and others write for territory.
PIANO IN A NUTSHELL HYMNS SONGS
>
t
Theory: how others learn without’ ion« .tedious lessons. The SE-< CRET is OUT in a 24 page* Ulustrated^self-instructing book.. FAIR VIEW MUSIC CO .' 1110 Marconi 8t Houston, Tex.'
\ \ *
.
: ^ g
28 f o r 30 c Since 1929 thousands have received these 28 Articles for 30c. ^ New fountain pen size telescope. 26 miniature book pocket library in pocket case. Powerful pinhead magnifier that amazingly illuminates the Ten Com mandments. Everything for three dimes. You'll be pleased. MAGNET MAGAZINE Board of Trade Bldg., Ro. 403, San Francisco, Cal.
Made with FlippingBook HTML5