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THE SPONSORSHIP PLAN Any friend w h o designates $200.00 a year for student training becomes a "Student- Sponsor" and likewise a partici pant in the training of volun teers for worldwide service for Christ. THE CHRISTIAN'S W ILL Many people intend to remem ber BIOLA in their wills, but many procrastinate, with fre quent resultant losses to the Lord's work. An inquiry to our office will bring information. THE BIOLA FELLOWSHIP Consists of those who desire to be faithful stewards in BIOLA's ministry. Their stewardship con sists of regular support of the GENERAL, RADIO, or MIS SIONARY funds. THE INVESTMENT INCOME Those who want to give a part of their savings for investment in this Christian enterprise, and at the same time receive regular dividends, find this plan ade quately meets their needs. THE TRUSTEE ACCOUNT Preferred by some with Savings and Loan accounts. Donor, con sidered a trustee for BIOLA, i in complete control while living At death, the remaining balanc goes to BIOLA.
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'Tine K i n g © B u s i n e s s A publication of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, Inc. Louis T. Talbot, Chancellor S. H. Sutherland, President • Ray A. Myers, Chairman of the Board APRIL, in the year of our Saviour Vol. 52, No. 4 Nineteen Hundred and Sixty-one Established 1910 Dedicated to the spiritual development of the Christian home /Met STRANGE MAN FROM KERIOTH — Herbert Henry Ehrenstein __ 8 SOMETHING NEW FOR EASTER — Albert J. Lindsey ..................... 10 JESUS THREE DAYS IN TOMB? — Reuben A. Torrey ............. 12 AN EPIC OF EASTER — John E. Woodland .......... ............................. 14 RESURRECTION GLADNESS — J. B. Rowell ....................................... 18 OLIVET DISCOURSE OF JESUS — Roy Laurin .................................... 20 MR. AMEN — Dick Hillis .......................................................................... 40 F w tm MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR — Samuel H. Sutherland ................... 6 DR. TALBOT'S QUESTION BOX — Louis T. Talbot .......................... 26 TALKING IT OVER — Clyde M. Narramore ......................................... 28 PERSONAL EVANGELISM — Benjamin Weiss .................................... 29 WORLD NEWSGRAMS — Arnold Ehlert ............................................... 30 SCIENCE AND THE BIBLE —— Bolton Davidheiser ............................ 31 BOOK REVIEWS — Arnold Ehlert ........................................................... 32 THE CHRISTIAN HOME — Paul Bayles ................................................... 34 UNDER THE PARSONAGE ROOF — Althea Miller ............................. 35 JUNIOR KING'S BUSINESS — Martha S. Hooker .................................. 36 ALUMNI NEWS — Inez McGahey ........................................................ 37 Colunuu PEOPLE IN THE NEWS ................................................................................. 4 READER REACTION ....................................................................................... 5 NUGGETS OF GOLD ...................................................................................... 25 TOWN AND CAMPUS NEWS ..................................................................... 36 HOMILETICAL HELPS .................................................................................... 39 — 1All Rights Reserved —
Living for Jesus STANDARDVBSCOURSE features a single theme; LIVING FOR JESUS Graded for all age groups; Nursery, Beginner, Primary, Junior, Junior High, Adult New features for 1961 include Craft Paks for Beginner, Primary, Junior. . . three packets of colorful Visual Teaching Aids. 1961 STANDARD VBS course includes:
• Director's Manual • Teachers’ Manuals • Visual Teaching Aids • Pupils’ Books • Craft Paks • Worship Helps
You can get a preview of most of these materials in the 1961 INTRODUCTORY KIT ($7.97 value) . . . only $4.95. Only one kit per school, please. Plan now with STANDARD 1961 VBS Course!
F R E E . . . PLANBOOK Brand-new, colorful 1961 VBS Planbook is yours for the asking. Included in every VBS Kit or sent separately on request.
STANDARD PUBLISHING Cincinnati 31, Ohio
S. H. SUTHERLAND: Editor AL SANDERS: Managing Editor
PAUL SCHWEPKER: Controller
JANE M. CLARK: Circulation Manager
JERRY JENSEN: Production Manager EDITORIAL BOARD Irene Boyd, Bolton Davidheiser, Arnold D. Ehlert, Charles L. Feinberg, James O. Henry, Martha S. Hooker, Oran H. Smith, Gerald B. Stanton
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Gospel Films On free-will offering basis. 150 to choose from. Also write for information about Tel-n- See, the marvelous new medium for mak ing and showing movie-like color pictures with synchronized sound on tape, at greatly reduced cost. C. O. BAPTISTA FILMS Wheaton, Illinois (A non-profit Christian Foundation)
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION — 'The King's Business" is ppublished monthly. U.S., its possessions, and Canada, $3.00 one year; $1.50 six months; 25 cents, single copy. Clubs of three or more at special rates. Write for details. Foreign subscription 75 cents extra. It requires one month for a change of address to become effective. Please send both old and new addresses. REMITTANCES — Should be made by bank draft, express, or post office money order payable to 'The King's Business/'
ADVERTISING — for information address the Advertising Manager, The King's Business, 558 South Hope Street, Los Angeles 17, California. MANUSCRIPTS —- "The King's Business" cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to manuscripts mailed to us for consideration. Second-class postage paid at Los An geles, California. Printed in U.S.A. by Church Press, Glendale, California. ADDRESS: The King's Business, 558 So. Hope St., Los Angeles 17, California.
APRIL, 1961
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Peoplem Dr. Charles C. Ryrie, president of the Philadelphia College of the Bible will announce the winner of the annual tuition scholarship essay contest at commencement exercises, June 3rd. Essays entitled “ The Bible: the Cen ter of All True Education” were sub mitted earlier this spring by high school juniors and seniors. Rev. William J. Jones, editor of the American Sun day School Union publications and secretary of the board of trustees of the college, is chairman of the panel of judges which will select the win ning essay. Major changes have been made, ef
Get Your FREE Copy LEADER'S GUIDE of Herald Summer Bible School NEW 1961 THEME "THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD" This unique and widely used VBS senes contains the same sounds closely graded permanent materials as before. Your Leader's Guide contains the theme song, explanation of the theme, ten devotions, suggested closing program, description of each grade's material, buyer's guide, and much other helpful information, includ ing information on filmstrips. The Herald Summer Bible School Series is Christ-centered in purpose, Bible-cen tered in content, child-centered in ap proach, experience-centered in method,
ates of Bible Colleges generally achieve a scholastic rating equal to those coming from liberal arts col leges and universities. Seminary students with a back ground of a Christian liberal arts or Bible college do better work than those with a secular education with little or no emphasis on theological preparation. Dr. Hugh R. Murchison, investment
banker and stock broker, was hon ored recently after being re - elected president of the Los Angeles Union Rescue M is s io n Board of Directors for the twentieth consecutive year. A year ago he was
fective with the summer q u a r t e r in the Scripture P ress S u n d a y School take -home paper, “My Coun sellor” and “ Pow er,” according to James A. Adair, edi tor of the papers. “My Counsellor”
and evangelistic in emphasis. Have the most successful vacation Bible school of your, experience with this dynamic , course, which confronts each pupil with the living Christ. A C T TODAY1 Leader’s Guide Free on Request HERALD PRESS Dept. KB Scottdale, Pa.
Dr. Murchison, awarded an honor ary Doctor of Laws degree by Jackson College of Honolulu, Hawaii, for his efforts in helping the needy. Dr. Paul M. Stevens, well known Bap tist radio personality, presents a plan “ to win the world to peace” in a new book entitled T H E ULTIMATE WEAPON . . . CHRISTIANITY, pub lished by Thomas Nelson & Sons. According to Dr. Bob Jones, Jr., pres ident of Bob Jones University, a new 5,000 watt transmitter will be in stalled at Radio station WMUU next month. Approval of the power in crease was received recently from the Federal Coknmunications Commission Dr. R a y m o n d Knighton, executive director o f t h e Christian Medical S o c i e t y , Dr. G. Hemwall, P h y s i cian - surgeon i n Chicago, and Dr. C. Everett Koop, pro fessor of surgery at the University o f Pennsylvania recently completed a six-week survey trip in Africa. Approximately 1000 delegates, rep resenting more than 700 churches will convene this month in Chicago for the 32nd annual convention of Inde pendent Fundamental Churches of America, according to the Rev. Glen A. Lehman, national executive secre tary of the organization. in Washington. Dr. Knighton
James A. Adair. will take on the shortened form of the name, “ Coun selor,” and will feature cartoons en titled “True Adventure” by Vernon Rieck, formerly with Walt Disney Studios. “ Power” will be offered in two editions . . . one for teens, the other for adults. Dr. Tom Malone, pastor of the Eman uel Baptist Church of Pontiac, Michi gan, and president of Midwestern Baptist Seminary, won first place in the seventh annual Evangelistic Ser mon Contest sponsored by THE SWORD OF THE LORD of Wheaton, Illinois, according to Dr. John R. Rice, editor.
SUMMER . . . always pleasant and profitable at WH E A T O N
Liberal arts and science courses are offered on Whea ton Campus, Black Hills Sci ence Station, S .D ., and Honey Rock, Wisconsin. Air- conditioned library and sci ence hall; well equipped labo ratories. Special work in teacher training. Graduate School of Theology, and Con servatory of Music; also In stitute of Missions.
CHOOSE FROM 109 OFFERINGS taught by Regular Faculty SESSIONS JUNE 13 TO AUGUST 18
ATTEND 2 , 4 , 6 , 8 OR 10 WEEKS Free Tuition to pastors, full-time Christian workers, and alumni for the Inter-Sessions, June 13 to 23. SEND FOR FREE BULLETIN Write: Director of Summer School. Dept. 41-K WHEATON COLLEGE • Wheaton, III ìm ìs
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A progressive Gospel work among Jews in the cities of middle-west and south-east U.S. and Jerusalem. Special Broadcast to the State of Israel from ELWA in Liberia and Trans-World Radio, Monaco daily. You too can be an active missionary. Send for free tracts and A.M.F. Monthly. Milton B. Lindberg Archie A. MocKinnoy General Director Superintendent 7448 N. Damen Ave., Chicago 45, Illinois
Dr. S. A. Witmer, executive director of the Accrediting Association of Rible Colleges, announced after a recent sur vey of seminary students that gradu-
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
AbandonedOrphansPleadfor Did GIVE THEM SUPPORT, LOVE AND ASSURANCE THAT YOU CARE — FOR ONLY PENNIES A DAY
reader reaction
ISSUE OF DANCING For over ten years now I have been en joying THE KING’S BUSINESS. I have entered various articles in my filing system for future use. I especially enjoyed your seasonal issue and am very encouraged by your constant, consistent stand with regard to the funda mentals. However, the main reason for my writing is the answer Dr. Narramore gave in his column regarding dancing. I am thrilled to see that you are not “glossing over” a growing problem in fundamental circles. His answer was straightforward and it was stimulating to me. Keep it up! Rev. Don De Boer, Director of Christian Education, Mayflower Church of Pacific Grove, California. BOOKS ON CATHOLICISM We noted in a recent issue of THE KING’S BUSINESS about Joseph Zacchel- lo and his books on Catholicism which we publish. We appreciate this mention and want to thank you. At the same time we would like to point out that Dr. Zacchello is author of INS AND OUTS OF RO MANISM and SECRETS OF ROMAN ISM. THE TWO BABYLONS is now a classic work on the papal worship and is by the late Rev. Alexander Hislop. Marie D. Loizeaux, Loizeaux Brothers. Inc., Bible Truth Depot, New York, New York. ADS FOR UNIVERSITY APPRECIATED Your last issues reached me yesterday. It is certainly a wonderful paper. What especially pleased me was the full page ad of Bob Jones University on the back cover. Jesse C .'Avery, Humboldt, Nebraska. I was very glad to see your article, “It Can Happen Here,” by C. Calvin Herriott. It was fine in what it said but didn’t go far enough. Any serious student of com munism knows that “if you belong to a church, you must prepare for persecution” is a very mild statement indeed. What actually is the case is that all Christian men, laymen as well as pastors, would be brutally tortured and killed, and women would be sent to the brothels for the Red Army and/or to slave labor camps. In my opinion it not only can happen here but will happen here unless we awaken to the danger. Let’s see some more articles on Communism. Norman M. Kensington, Portland 6, Oregon READER IMPRESSED WITH ARTICLE I just finished reading my favorites in the February KING’S BUSINESS and was very much impressed with the short article by J. Edgar Hoover on forcing a child to go to Sunday school. This needs to be in every home in America! Keep on putting out this vital type of issue, both PLEA FOR MORE STRESS ON THE DANGER OF COMMUNISM
Select your own Korean orphan from these dear children. Each one has a heartbreaking story and all are looking and praying for "Mommies and Daddies” in this fair land that God has richly blessed. You can bring them every need including Christian love and care, as well as school tuition which is not fre in Korea, for only $8 a month— just 26 pennies a day. Share a sponsorship with a friend— only $4 each a month— or interest your Church, Woman’s Society, Bible Class or Sunday School. Join the many who are finding blessing and joy in this rewarding
Desperate Mother Begs from Door to Door
Kim Hae Un, Number M-l above, lost her father who died of peritonitis last August. He was a day laborer and left no money or property for his wife and three small children. The mother became desperate, as week after week she had no way to feed or clothe them. From door to door she beg ged, carrying and leading her cry ing, hungry, ragged children. Suddenly she disappeared, aban doning them. The neighbors were kind and a church elder cared for the little ones for two months, then brought them to our Love
Valley Orphanage. Hae Un, whom the Superin tendent describes as "charming, active and cute,” is waiting for someone to become her sponsor —someone who will love her and provide for her needs. New sponsors are desperately needed to take in many more hungry, desolate children wandering the streets. What a chance to raise up a boy or girl to be a Christian leader in Korea. PHONE OR WRITE NOW !
THE EVERETT SWANSON EVANGELISTIC ASS’N., INC. 4848 North Leonard Drive Dept. K-4 Chicago 31, III. ]---------------------------CLIP AND MAIL TODAY---------------------------1 . O YES I want to sponsor an orphan for one year. My choice is Number ............. If this child has already been “ adopted,’ * I agree to support another whom you will select. With God’s ■ help I will send $8 a month to your office. Please let me have | my child’s name, picture, address and story. I understand I I may continue as long as I wish. Enclosed is support for □ first month, O full year. SEND FULL PARTICULARS. . □ I cannot “ adopt’’ a child but want to help by giving $............. . □ Please send me further information. I I | Name ........ ............................................................................. *---- ------------- i • Address .......................- ___ ___ _____ _______ ____— ................. - .......... • City . . . . . . . -|—T~,—r,—T—T — ...----- Zone ........ State ............................ Gifts of any amount are welcome. A ll gifts and sponsorings are income tax deductible. The Everett Swanson Evangelistic Ass'n. Inc. An Interdenominational Non-Profit Corporation Dept. K-4, 4848 No. Leonard Dr., Chicago 31, III., GL. 6-61 SI
Over 7000 orphans, children of lepers and war widows, are be ing cared for by the ESEA. More than 8 million meals are served each year. Many more children are in desperate need, homeless, ragged and hungry. Help us expand our 83 Homes. Each one is a Christian in stitution. All Staff and Board members are earnest Bible- believing Christians. Will you lend your aid so that we may take many more children off the streets and into our Homes? .Sponsors find the relationship with their children a THRILL ING experience.
in quality and in spirit. Paul Hogue, Moorpark, Calif.
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APRIL, 1961
B I 0 LA I S A C C R ED IT ED ! A MESSAGE from the editor On Friday, February 24, 1961, BI0LA College was ad mitted to membership in the Western College Association. Membership in the W.C.A. carries with it full accredita tion, a goal toward which BI0LA has been striving for the past twelve years. The goal has been achieved only through a most thorough program of academic development both in the areas of raising our standards and at the same time increasing the liberal arts offering in the curriculum to provide a sufficiently well-rounded liberal arts
AMER ICAN SUN D A Y -SCHOO L UN ION
training. This has been ac complished without sacri ficing to any degree what soever the spiritual em phases which have charac terized BI0LA throughout its history. Courses in the study of the Word of God are still absolutely central in the program of each stu dent, regardless of his lib eral arts major. Being also a member of the Accrediting Association of Bible Col leges, BI0LA requires as much Bible training as is required by the Association of any other Bible Institute or Bible College in the country. Supplementing the Bible college program with
A special missionary program for your Church, Sunday School or mis sionary Society to acquaint you with the spiritual needs of rural America . . . FIRST IN A SERIES “NEW HOPE IN THE CUMBERLANDS" Schedule this colored slide story now. AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION Dept, of Missions 1816 Chestnut Street, Phila. 3, Pa. PLEASE SEND FURTHER INFORMATION TO
Name of Church or organization
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"The Convent Horror" Story of Barbara Ubryk One of the saddest narratives on Convent Life ever written. No book like this in print! In "T h e Convent Horror" terrible facts taken from Official Records, reveal how beautiful Barbara Ubryk was locked in a small Nunnery Basement Dungeon twenty one years. The most terrible revelations ever recorded! Protestants awake! Order your copy of this amazing book to-day. Postpaid only $1.35. Edition limited. Gospel Books Dept. KB-4 Rowan, Iowa BIBLICAL RESEARCH SOCIETY I 4005 Verdugo Road Los Angeles 65, Calif. A faith work founded by David L. Cooper, Ph.D., with a literary ministry to Jew and Gentile (Rom. 1:16). FREE—A sample copy of our monthly publication, Biblical Research Monthly
D R . S U T H E R L A N D
a liberal arts program that is sufficiently broad to ful fill the requirements of the Western College Association means that the two programs have been fused into one curri culum, thus making BI0LA College an institution of higher learning with a completely unique and distinctive type of program. The significance of this development can best be ex plained by describing what accreditation does not mean and also what it does mean. (1) It does not mean that BI0LA has deviated in the least from its original purpose, namely, to provide a thorough training in the Word of God for the young people who come hare to study. (2) It does not mean that BI0LA has become merely a lib eral arts college, but rather that BI0LA has become a completely distinctive institution of higher learning, combining the essential features of a Bible college and those of a liberal arts college. (3) It does not mean that we at BI0LA consider that we have achieved the ultimate goals, either spiritual ly or academically. Rather, we are challenged to advance to even greater accomplishments in our whole school life, all for the purpose of giving our stu dents the most thorough training possible and then sending them out with zeal, determination, and knowledge adequate to meet the needs of the world of today and to proclaim the unsearchable riches of the Lord Jesus Christ.
CEYLON and INDIA GENERAL MISSION Member Mission I.F.M.A. WANTED RECRUITS For Pakistan & India Write for free literature 107 North Hale, Wheaton, Illinois
A unique devotional
PATHWAYS TO GOD • Photo meditations • Prayer starters • Ideal gift item • Published quarterly $1.00 per year (less in quantities) PATHWAYS TO GOD, Box 1B97-A Anderson, Ind.
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Accreditation does mean that: ( 1 ) A. The classroom work that is offered at BIOLA is definitely of a collegiate standard. B. The faculty is academically equipped to teach the material in the classrooms. C. The library meets at least the minimal standards required for adequate research in the areas of fered in the curriculum. D. The physical plant is of sufficient size and quality to allow the students to do acceptable collegiate work. In the future under-graduates who desire to trans fer, and graduates who desire further training, will be able to secure the maximum amount of transfer credit for the work they have accomplished at BIOLA, especially in the liberal arts areas. (It should be noted that transfer of Bible subjects credit will continue to be on a very limited basis because the average liberal arts college or university does not offer comparable subjects in its curriculum.) BIOLA will become eligible to apply for membership in the Association of American Colleges, the Ameri can Association of University Professors, the Ameri can Association of University Women, and other pro fessional and educational organizations. These contacts should serve to enrich our own academic efficiency and stature and at the same time afford us an opportunity for a definite Christian witness. Whenever high school students contact their ad visors and are asked where they plan to attend col lege they will not be advised against BIOLA because "it is not accredited." A degree from BIOLA College will be accepted by any government in the free world where missionaries are allowed to work. It will make possible the future establishment of a nurses' training course leading to the R.N. de gree. (This course has been impossible to implement because, by State law, only accredited schools can offer such a program. This means that our graduates who become registered nurses will have a thorough Bible training which will be invaluable to them as they labor as missionaries in various areas of the free world.) It reveals to the world that it is entirely possible for an institution of higher learning to be academi cally acceptable and at the same time to give proper emphasis to the study of God's Word and to proclaim its eternal truths to a world lost in sin. It will make possible the employment of qualified BIOLA graduates in public service positions. It means that there must be raised up a larger num ber of friends of BIOLA than we have ever had before who will be willing to get under the financial load of the school in order that we might be able to main tain, and where possible, to develop to a greater ex tent, these objectives which have just been reached. This new day in the life and development of BIOLA demands increasing prayer and increasing interest on the part of an ever-increasing number of the Lord's people. ( 2 ) (3) (4) (5) ( 6 )
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0 0 Many churches are enjoying an Artisan built by their own members. This saves half the cost of a ready-built organ. PRE-WIRED PLAN You can save 30% with factory wired, pre-tested chassis. THE CUSTOM PLAN Your church can buy no lovelier organ at any price than a custom built Artisan. Several sizes available. ^ E L E C T R O N I C ORGAN ARTS, wel 4949 N YORK BLVD., LOS ANGELES 42, CAL. I Please send me FREE brochure I N a m e _____________________________________ Address. jC I t y . .( ) State. To identify yourself when writing advertisers, simply mention "King's Business." W ILL YOU PRAY WITH US? This year, Protestants were faced with a serious problem. According to a new law, religious instruc tion had to be provided for children—Roman Cath olic, Protestant, or Jewish. This means that in every public school, wherever there is a child from a Protestant home, a teacher must be appointed. There are not enough Protestant teachers to meet these demands. THE BELGIAN GOSPEL MISSION La Mission Evangel ique Beige John S. Kimber— OWen 7-3748 1907 N. Cypress St., La Habra, Calif. TWO WEEK TOUROFU.S. r FOU R W IE K T T O U R OF SO U TH 1 L A M E R IC A J If you have just two weeks vacation—take the W heaton T our of scenic America, Grand Canyon, California, Yosemite. Canadian Rockies—and much more. If you have four weeks, then take the South American tour to Rio, Buenoe Aires, Monte video, San Diego, Lima, Quito—see Station HCJB, and many other outstanding cities of South America. On both trips, experienced tour leaders, fine Christian fellowship, world-famous sites and scenerv. Write today for F ree B ulletin . Spe cify which tour. Address: Dr. Joseph P. Free WHEATON TOURS I(OX 468, D.pt, K41 WHEATON, ILLINOIS ALSO TOURS OF EUROPE ANO HOLY LANO i
(7)
( 8 )
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Samuel H. Sutherland, LL.D. President, Biola College
APRIL, 1961
by Herbert Henry Ehrenstein
E v e r y y e a r , during the Lenten season, one rather sinis ter person receives a great deal of attention. His name is Judas Iscariot, the traitor in the band of Jesus’ follow ers. He is excoriated and condemned for his vicious act of betrayal. All manner of maledictions are heaped on his head bv fervent preachers as the man who “ sold out the Lord.” Now, to be sure, this is true! But have we ever taken the time to evaluate the life of Judas? The Scriptures tell us that the devil entered into Judas (John 13:27) and thus he performed his heinous crime. But what were the human factors which led up to this act of betrayal? We propose to consider some of them in this article. First, a word about Judas’ background. Very little is actually known about the man. From his name, we gather that he was bom in Kerioth, cited in the book of Joshua as one of the villages of southern Judah (Joshua 15:24). Iscariot is apparently a transliteration of the Hebrew ish, “man” and Kerioth—man of Kerioth. He was the son of Simon Ish-Kerioth (John 13:2; 6:71; 13:26). Jesus selected Judas as one of the apostles as recorded by the synoptic gospels and all three state that this man was to betray Christ (Matthew 10:4; Mark 3:19; Luke 6:16). We often wonder just why Jesus called Judas to this high office. Surely, He must have known that Judas would betray Him. No one really knows the reason although all sorts of guesses have been offered. Undoubtedly, our Lord had a definite reason for incorporating this traitor into His band of disciples. Perhaps it was only that the Scriptures might be fulfilled; perhaps there were other reasons. We do not know. As we stand off and watch Judas at work, we discover that he was a very greedy individual. Indeed, his avarice had driven him to a love for money and this, in turn, had made him a thief. When Mary of Bethany poured the cost ly ointment over the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair, Judas was greatly agitated. “Why was this oint ment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” His question was not prompted by any concern for the poor. Rather, as John comments, Judas was the treas urer of the disciples (another paradox-—that Jesus would let a thief be elected to this office!) and put the little money the group had into the money container which he kept. He knew that, if the ointment had been sold, his money-box would have received greater funds which he might filch. “ For,” John minces no words; [Judas] “ was a thief,” and made a practice of embezzling the funds (John 12:6, RSV). Naturally, therefore, he would always be on the alert for ways of replenishing the stolen money. We know that Jesus was not ignorant of Judas’ activi ties. Throughout His association with the disciples, He made reference to the black sheep in the group. He spoke of him as a devil (John 6:70), not clean (John 13:10), a traitor (John 13:18), a betrayer (Matthew 26:21), and the
son of perdition (John 17:12). But always, these designa tions were given in veiled language so that positive identi fication could not be made by the rest of the disciples. To the very end, Judas had an opportunity to escape detection and be drawn into the intimate fellowship of true dis- cipleship. Let us take a glance at the events and episodes which contributed psychologically to Judas’ final downfall. Again, we do not say that his defection can be explained purely from a psychological standpoint. There was a very real case of demon possession here. But, as circumstances frequently lead us, as Christians, to a closer walk with Christ, so certain factors in life can be responsible for a person’s downward trek into sin. This was clearly true of Judas. He joined the band of disciples feeling that Jesus was the Messiah. Conditioned from boyhood by the Jewish hope of a coming military deliverer to overthrow Israel’s enemies, Judah watched closely as Jesus made His debut, performed His miracles and began His public ministry. In Judas’ mind were pictures of power, prestige, authority and the thought of being associated with a conqueror appealed to his ego. Thus, he accepted the responsibility of treasurer since he envisioned a great future. In the kingdom, soon to be set up, he would be collector of in ternal revenue— a very lucrative position. We may assume that he was impressed by Jesus’ pow er, His miracles. He probably watched as Jesus healed the centurion’s son at a distance (Matthew 8:5 ff). He observed the raising of the son of the widow of Nain (Luke 7:11 ff). The stilling of the storm (Mark 4:35 ff), the feeding of the 5000 (John 6) and the raising of Jairus’ daughter (Matthew 9:18 ff), all added to his growing conviction that this must indeed be the promised deliverer. Probably the raising of Lazarus, dead four days, clinched the matter for Judas (John 11). His own subsequent ability to per form miracles as he was sent forth with the other dis ciples, must have created all sorts of illusions of grandeur and power within Judas (Matthew 10:1 ff). Perhaps the first sharp blow to this mounting enthusi asm was the beheading of John the Baptist. Judas, indig nant at this despicable act, expected quick retaliation from Jesus. Surely, the Messiah would speak a word and Herod would be stricken down in his tracks. Yet, time went on and Jesus did nothing, simply retired to a secret place and seemed dejected. Judas was puzzled. Was his Lord afraid of Herod? Didn’t He understand that if He let these politi cal big-wigs get away with such murder that they would eventually walk all over Him and His coming kingdom? The second blow came after the feeding of the five thousand people. The grateful populace wanted to make Jesus king to keep their stomachs filled (John 6:14, 15). Here was the opportunity of a life-time, Judas thought. Surely, Jesus would take advantage of it. But no! He got
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KERIOTH
into a boat and hurried away. We may assume that Judas was angry; he felt that Jesus was letting vital opportuni ties slip through His fingers. After this feeding of the five thousand, Jesus began to talk of Himself as the bread of life. He suggested that His followers must eat His flesh and drink His blood. This made no sense to Judas. Probably he sought to dismiss this discussion from his thinking as just so many pious phrases intended to impress the multitude. But then, when Judas noticed that many of Jesus’ followers were leaving Him after this statement (John 6:66), he was alarmed. He felt that Jesus ought to switch His talk to a political challenge and try to recapture the numbers of disciples who were severing connections with Him. Tell them that He was the Messiah, that He intended to conquer Rome and lead them to victory! That would bring them back. But Jesus seemed to take the departure of the throngs quite casually. It was here that He made a reference to Judas: “ Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” (John 6:70). However, no name was mentioned and Judas was not ex posed. One day, the Pharisees approached Christ and de manded that He show them a sign of His authority and right to His claim of Messiah. “ Show us a sign from heaven!” they demanded. Expectantly, Judas must have waited. What miracle would He perform? But instead, Jesus simply refused (Matthew 12:38 ff; 16:1 ff). Judas could not understand this; it made no sense. Jesus was breaking all the known laws of successful political cam paigning. The next strong blow to Judas’ house of cards was Jesus’ talk of His coming death. “ From that time forward, Jesus began to show His disciples how . . . He must suf fer . . . and be killed . . .” (Matthew 16:21 ff). Jesus— dying? This could not be! It would mean the end to any possible earthly kingdom. This was a terrific blow to Judas, a contributing factor to his ultimate betrayal. When Jesus went up to the top of the mount of trans- figuration, Peter, James and John were chosen to accom pany Him; not Judas! He may have felt slighted for, after all, wasn’t he important? Wasn’t he the treasurer? And, while Jesus was gone, the father with the demon-possessed boy came seeking healing for his son at the hands of the disciples. One after another they tried to cast out the de mon and they failed. Even Judas, who had so valued his power to heal, discovered that his power had apparently vanished. And, when Jesus descended from the mountain top, He severely rebuked His disciples: “ O faithless and perverse generation; how long shall I be with you?” (Matthew 17:17). This must have stung Judas like a whip. On another occasion, Jesus declared His deity and when the Jews tried to stone Him, instead of striking them down with His power, He “ hid Himself’ (John 8:59). This sort of thing didn’t seem logical to Judas and he had begun to APRIL, 1961
wonder whether he had made a big mistake joining up with this messianic movement. Had he picked the wrong Man? Possibly Palm Sunday lightened the load a bit for Judas. He discovered that the moment had now come when Jesus was to ride into Jerusalem. This was the tradi tional conduct of the conquerer—riding triumphantly into the capital city to announce his conquest. Possibly he was a bit chagrinned that Jesus and His disciples carried no weapons for use against the Romans. But Judas probably figured that the miraculous powers of Christ would make weapons unnecessary. The tumultous reception Christ received from the crowds who surrounded Him on all sides, as well as those who came out from the city to see what was taking place, buoyed up Judas’ spirits considerably. Perhaps he had misjudged Jesus. He had just been waiting for the right moment to take over. Then, the second cleansing of the Temple (Luke 19:45 ff) seemed to be a real sign of con quest. Naturally, the Messiah would start His clean-up campaign with God’s House. This would be the beginning of greater things to come. But then, to Judas’ shocked amazement, Jesus simply withdrew from the city and went back to Bethany once more, without any further at tempt at overthrowing Rome. This was probably the last straw. There are those who think that it was Judas’ desire to force Christ’s hand— to make Him exert conquering power — that caused him to sell out his Lord. If he could only put Him into a position in which He would have to utilize His miraculous power and take control, in order to get out of some predicament—then He might conquer Rome and establish His kingdom. This theory is possible, of course. Psychologically, and humanly speaking, this would fol low on what we have already suggested. But there was more to Judas’ betrayal than psychology. The whole thing was satanically engineered. Twice, we read that Satan entered into Judas: once, to start the ball rolling, and once when he left the communion table to finish the foul deed. Judas’ bargain with the priests is in teresting. They paid him thirty pieces of silver as prophe sied by Zechariah 11:12, 13. This would be equivalent to about $24 in our money. $24 is all Judas received for the most nefarious betrayal in human history. And for $24, he sold out the Lord of Glory. The money, incidentally, came from the Temple treasury, from a fund used to buy sacri fices for the Temple. How little those religionists realized that they were contributing Temple funds to pay for the greatest sacrifice of all, the Lamb of God who would take away man’s sin. At the Last Supper, we have the show-down. Jesus had already said, “ one of you (disciples) is a devil,” but Judas had not been identified. Now, in the upper room, He said, “• ■ • you are clean, but not all of you . . . one of you CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE 9
will lift up ms heel against me” (John 13:10,18). Again, Judas was unnamed. Jesus gave the traitor every opportu nity to get back into line before it was too late. Again (Matthew 26:21), He said, “ one of you will betray me” and again no name was mentioned. The disciples, greatly disturbed, all began to ask, “ Is it I? Is it I? Is it I?” Even Judas, sly fellow that he was, ventured the question in mock sincerity: “ Lord, is it I?” The disciples were arranged about a low table, lying on mats with their heads towards the center of the table, their feet extended, like spokes extending from the hub of a wheel. Across the table from Jesus, Peter, whose curi osity was almost at the breaking point, motioned to John, lying next to Jesus, to ask Him who was going to betray Him. John quietly asked Jesus and received the answer, “ he it is to whom I shall give a sop . . .” But this still did not identify Judas, as all the disciples received the sop. Only the quiet statement to Judas himself — “ that which you are going to do, do quickly!”— identified the traitor. But no one else understood (John 13:27-29). How loving the Lord is! Even the one who betrayed Him was shielded from the scorn and hatred of the other disciples to the last. And these men could surely show scorn and hatred; they had demonstrated this (Mark 10:41). Finally, the sad statement was uttered when the deed had been done: “ none of (these disciples) is lost, except the son of perdiction” (John 17:12). When Judas came to his senses and realized the enor mity of his crime, he was terrified. If it had been his pur pose merely to force Jesus’ hand, he began to realize that the device wouldn’t work. He—Judas—had sent an inno cent Man to His death. We recall the feverish attempt to undo what he had done: the return of the thirty pieces of silver, the futile reasoning with the religious leaders, the desire to convince them that it had all been a mistake. But all was in vain. Finally, the traitor went out in re morse and hanged himself. What a terrible end for one who had had such a prom ising beginning! How the lesson of Judas’ downfall ought to create within each of us the desire to surrender our all to Christ. Let us examine our lives and make certain that there is nothing in our hearts that would even begin to approach betrayal. May there never be any price that would purchase our loyalty to our Savior and Lord. Let the tragic end of the strange man from Kerioth be a con stant warning to us all to live our lives always in the center of His will. Herbert Henry
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SOMETHING NEW FOR
Ehrenstem is at present the director o f Bible
EASTER
study correspondence courses. Contributing
by Dr. Albert J. Lindsey
editor, Eternity. Bible teacher on
staff o f the Evangelical
Foundation. Associate in Research Department o f the Foundation
W h a t is t o u r Easter aspiration? The little child thinks of bunnies and eggs. The business man talks of sales and profits. Young people discuss parties and gatherings, and a multitude, young and old alike, lose themselves in the thought of Easter finery. You will do well to keep in mind the fact that this finery will
and teacher of the New York Bible class.
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
lose its glamour and be discarded—it is of no permanent value. In considering your own Easter aspiration, it would be profitable for you to turn to that of the Apostle Paul as found in the third chapter of Philippians and give God a chance to speak from the printed page to your soul. Here Paul is talking about the religious life as he says, “ Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more.” Paul understood perfectly the viewpoint of the worldly wise—he had once shared that viewpoint. He was a man who had a rich heritage; he possessed position and attained a brilliancy of scholar ship. Of himself he wrote, “ Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee.” We read on in the sixth verse, “ Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.” Paul could boast of all these things. Just here let us ask ourselves the question, “ In what do we boast?” Paul counted these possessions with pride until he experienced an intellectual and spiritual revelation. As a result he could say, “ But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ” (vs. 7). The picture has changed—he counts things now for Christ’s sake. This becomes his new standard of value; the new reason for fife. Christ has stepped between Paul and his old ideals. It is far. better to discover our mis takes and correct them now than later. Look at Paul as he changes his ledger heading from “profit” to “ loss”— are you sure that you have the right word at the top of the ledger of your life? Thus, then, has Paul taken his stand and he continues on solid ground as he says, “ Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ” (vs. 8). Paul has chosen his life! Having weighed carefully the “ all things” beside Christ, he has come to the same conclusion as expressed by Christ when He said, “What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?” Let us not forget that humanly and materially Paul had lost the “ all things.” He said he was not sorry at that for he had gained Christ. Instantly the world asks, “What is it to gain Christ?” Here Paul’s Easter aspiration bursts forth in all its beauty as the question is answered. He says, “And be found in him, not having mine own right eousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith” (vs. 9). There are three kinds of righteousness, and only three. There is legal righteousness, self-righteousness, and God’s holy righteousness. God holds no part with the first two which form the thinking of the average man and woman on the street; they are moralists. They will tell you, “ as long as I do the best I know how, pay my bills . . . I am sure such righteousness will be acceptable to God.” Paul sums it up for us in Romans 10:3 when he says, “ For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” Does that perchance describe you? Paul continues in the tenth verse, “ That I may know APRIL, 1961
him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellow ship of his sufferings. In all honesty, do you know Him through a distinct Easter knowledge and an appropriate Easter experience? There are three specific ways in which Paul aspires to know Him. First, ‘in the power of his resurrection.” If he could realize, to the fullest extent of the term, the meaning of the empty tomb, then he would have an understanding of the unlimited power of Almighty God. Understanding the power of the resurrected Lord, he would understand the power of Calvary’s Cross. The second phase Paul wishes to possess is “ the fellow ship of his sufferings.” Paul aspires to the fellowship of, or participation in, His sufferings at all points. Then Paul adds one more portion to his desire; he says, “ Being made conformable unto his death” or being con formed to His death. Let us turn to Paul’s statement in Galatians 2:20, “ I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me, and gave himself for me.” He suffered when Christ suffered; he died when Christ died; he lives when Christ lives. Those were Paul’s Easter aspirations— do they lie in the depths of your soul? Are you exercising the faith which He put into your breast? Has your life of fear given place to the victory of certainty? How pathetic that the true significance of Easter should be lost under the debris of the superficial, thus robbing the soul of that which Easter really brings in the risen Saviour. Could it be possible that you are finding yourself some what in the position of those dear ones of long ago on that first Easter as they met the risen Christ? Let us glance back at Mary Magdalene. She is weep ing at the tomb, sobbing out the words, “ They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him.” Many a poor woman, rescued from the depths of iniquity might look into the empty tomb and never see the Christ until, by faith, she would meet Him in the garden. There He would call her by name as He called Mary. Then there were the women who went to the tomb, weary because of their failure in searching for Him. Suddenly their spirits were quickened when they heard Him say, “ All hail.” Are you, too, worshipping Him? Impetuous Peter looms large in the picture—Peter who denied his Lord! The Lord said, “ Go tell my disciples and Peter.” He did not forget then—He has remembered and forgiven you now. You are still one of His own. Two disciples were walking on the road to Emmaus; their hearts burning within them as He expounded the Gospel to them. W ill you, as did they, do something about the Gospel that you have heard? Doubting Thomas of the intellectual world could not believe without proof. Christ has slipped into the room and calling you by name has said, in effect, “ Come, you have been doubting long enough, reach hither your hand and be not faithless but believe.” How patient is Almighty God. We know the Easter garments will fade, they will grow old and be discarded —Oh, that we might be clothed in the righteousness which comes only from our God! 11
Was JESUS Really Three Days and Three Nights in the Heart
of the Earth ?
by Reuben A. Torrey
M a t t h e w , in the twelfth chapter of his Gospel and the fortieth verse, reports Jesus as saying: “ As Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale [sea monster (ASV marg)], so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” According to the commonly accepted tradition of the church, Jesus was crucified on Friday, dying at 3 P.M. or somewhere between 3 P.M. and sundown, and was raised from the dead very early in the morning of the following Sunday. Many readers of the Bible are puzzled to know how the interval between late Friday afternoon and early Sunday morning can be figured out to be three days and three nights. It seems rather to be two nights, one day and a very small portion of another day. The solution of this apparent difficulty, proposed by many commentators, is that a “ day and a night” is simply another way of saying “ a day,” and that the ancient Jews reckoned a fraction of a day as a whole day, so they say there was a part of Friday (a very small part), or a day and a night: all of Saturday, another day, or a day and a night; part of Sunday (a very small part), another day, or a day and a night. There are many persons whom this solution does not altogether satisfy, and the writer is free to confess it does not satisfy him at all. It seems to him to be a make shift, and a very weak makeshift. Is there any solution that is altogether satisfactory? There is. The first fact to be noticed in the proper solu tion is that the Bible nowhere says or implies that Jesus was crucified and died on Friday. It is said that Jesus was crucified on “ the day before the sabbath” (Mark 15:42). As the Jewish weekly sabbath came on Saturday, beginning at sunset the evening before, the conclusion is naturally drawn that as Jesus was crucified the day
before the sabbath, He must have been crucified on Fri day. But it is a well-known fact, to which the Bible bears abundant testimony, that the Jews had other sabbaths beside the weekly sabbath which fell on Saturday. The first day of the Passover week, no matter upon what day of the week it came, was always a sabbath (Ex. 12:16; Lev. 23:7; Num. 28:16-18). The question therefore arises whether the sabbath that followed Christ’s crucifixion was the weekly sabbath (Saturday) or the Passover sab bath, falling on the 15th of Nisan, which came that year on Thursday. Now the Bible does not leave us to specu late in regard to which sabbath is meant in this instance, for John tells us in so many words, in John 19:14, that the day on which Jesus was tried and crucified was “ the preparation of the Passover” (ASV), that is, it was not the day before the weekly sabbath (Friday) but it was the day before the Passover sabbath, which came that year on Thursday. That is to say, the day on which Jesus Christ was crucified was Wednesday. John makes this as clear as day. The Gospel of John was written later than the other Gospels, and scholars for a long time have noticed that in various places there was an evident intention to cor rect false impressions that one might have received from reading the other Gospels. One of these false impressions was that Jesus ate the Passover with His disciples at the regular time of the Passover. To correct this false im pression John clearly states that He ate it the evening before, and that He Himself, died on the cross at the very moment the Passover lambs were being slain “ between the two evenings” on the 14th Nisan (Ex. 12:6, Hebrew, and ASV marg). God’s real Pascal Lamb, Jesus, of whom all other pascal lambs offered through the centuries were only types, was therefore slain at the very time appointed of God.
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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