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Bible Studies BIBLE STUDIES "Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so" (Acts 17. 11). THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS and THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN VOLUME 25. NEEDED TRUTH PUBLISHING OFFICE, ROBOT BUILDINGS, LEEDS ROAD, BRADFORD. Printed in England by James Harwood Ltd., Derby. CONTENTS Pages Comments 14, 27, 45, 61, 77, 93, 109, 123, 137, 155, 173, 187 Editorial 1, 17, 33, 49, 65, 81, 97, 113, 129, 145, 161, 177 Falling away................ 52, 69 Heaven, The Kingdom of (J. M. ).. 2, 34, 65, 84, 97, 113, 145, 164 (G. P. ) 18, 49, 81, 129, 162 (A. T. D. ) .... 178 Hebrews, The Epistle to the: The Relationship of Angels to the Son of God and to Men.. 6 The Place granted to Men 22, 44 The Failure of Men 37, 61 The Need of a High Priest.... 53, 77 The Order of Melchizedek 70 Covenant Relationships 86, 108 The Holy Place 101 The Functions of the High Priest 117 Drawing near and its Consequences........ 131 Faith unto the Saving of the Soul 149 Running the Race with Patience.......... 166 A Mount and a Kingdom............ 181 Jubile, The Year of 180 Majesty and Condescension of Christ, The.. ...... 85 Moses in Hebrews 100 Psalms, Quotations from .......... 117, 148 Questions and Answers 14, 61, 79, 94, 109, 124, 138, 155, 174, 188 Timothy, Notes on the First Epistle to .. 16, 28, 46, 62, 79, 95, 110, 126, 140 Timothy, Notes on the Second Epistle to.... 142, 156, 174, 188 BIBLE STUDIES " Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so" (Acts 17 11). VOLUME 25. JANUARY, 1957. EDITORIAL Our new subject appears to be generally acceptable: we have a very full issue this month, with some new (or resuming) contributors, whom we gladly welcome. In these circumstances a few remarks on practical points may not be amiss. Papers should reach editors not later than 20th of the appro- priate month. This will mean that most contributors in the British Isles should post their papers not later than 18th of that month; overseas contributors should make generous allowance of time. Papers arriving late will be in danger of non-publication. Some papers did not indicate place of origin. This causes confusion, because postmarks are often indistinct and are sometimes misleading. It is a good plan to begin with " From... " It would be of considerable help to editors and printers, if writers would observe our requests on the syllabus, and specially if they would be careful not to write on both sides of the paper. Please note, too, our request as to length of paper. This month papers varied in length up to 1, 500 words; if a paper of this length is to appear as an extract (250 words, approximately) the result is almost certain to be very disappointing to the senders. Finally, please write on the prescribed subject. It should be observed that we are not making a general study of Hebrews, but of twelve outstanding subjects in the epistle, a procedure which many of our contributors desired. Longer papers tended to have much that was not on the current subject: on account of our very limited space therefore, if deletions must be made, the irrelevant must go first and such papers suffer gravely. We forbear saying more, but ask your thoughtful co-operation in making Bible Studies a profitable magazine. The Epistle to the Hebrews is inspired Scripture, but it also bears the mark of the man who wrote it. It immediately impresses the reader as the work of a man of great ability writing on a much greater Subject. Its teaching and argument are strongly coloured by the writer's intimate know- ledge of the Old Testament writings, and hence it provides a rich and rewarding subject for study. In thought it is deep indeed, and we would exhort our fellow-students to aim at depth of thought and understanding of the great mysteries contained therein. For there is, we fear, a tendency to superficial thought in our day, through failure to appreciate the greatness of the things that separated the present Testimony. Superficiality may bring starvation and death. Let us be truly rooted, builded and estab- lished (Colossians 2. 7). J. B. It is proposed to open the pages of Bible Studies to the exploration of the truths concerning the kingdom of heaven. It is one of the features of this magazine that studies may be made in a non-dogmatic way so that every avenue of truth may be explored, and diverse arguments may be set forth, so that in the goodness of God further light may be obtained on difficult passages of the Scriptures, with the hope that ultimately all diffi- culties may be resolved. It has long been known that the interpretation of many things concerning the kingdom of heaven is the cause of perplexity. Perhaps the principal difficulty is to determine the application, if any, to the present dispensation. It has been agreed that our two highly esteemed brethren, Mr. J. Miller and Mr. G. Prasher, should undertake to set out for the benefit of students of the Scriptures the several views which have been expressed up to the present time. The present writer will edit these and make such connecting remarks as may be necessary from time to time. A. T. D. THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN Those who give consideration to the subjects of the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God should first of all seek to discover to what and to whom these terms apply, and also seek to learn what changes in their application there may be in different dispensations. It is clear enough in the parables of the kingdom of heaven in Matthew 13 that the sphere in which the kingdom of heaven is seen is that of the world. In the parable of " The Tares of the Field " it is said that a man "sowed good seed in his field. " This field is called by his servants " thy field, " and then in the Lord's explanation of what the field signifies, He said, " The field is the world "; that is, the world composed of men and women, not the earth. In the parable of " The Treasure hidden in the Field " we take the application to be the same, that "the field is the world. " In the parable of "A grain of Mustard Seed, " to which the kingdom of heaven is likened, this seed was again " sowed in his field " by the man in the picture. Here again we believe that the explanation of the Lord still holds, that " the field is the world. " When we turn to Luke 13. 18, 19, where the Lord is comparing the kingdom of God to a mustard seed, we are told that the kingdom of God is " like unto a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his own garden. " Here, we believe, a fundamental difference is indicated between the spheres of the kingdoms of heaven and of God; the former applies to the field, the world, and the latter to the garden, a fenced-off enclosure, which implies " a within " and " a without. " The field and the garden Let us try to emphasize these differences of the field and the garden by referring to matters of fact. In the beginning of God's dealings with the human race, God first had to make a chaotic earth into a habitable earth for man. When this was accomplished God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (Genesis 2. 7). This work of making man comes before the planting of the garden in Eden. It is said in Genesis 2. 8 that " The LORD God planted a garden eastward, in Eden; and there He put the man whom He had formed. " It has often been remarked upon, that whereas we have God (Elohim) referred to from Genesis 1. 1 to Genesis 2. 3, wherein we have the Creation and the six work-days of God, concluding with the seventh, the sabbath, the rest of God, we have the LORD God (Jehovah Elohim) from Genesis 2. 4—3. 24. Why the addition of Jehovah before Elohim? It seems that here we have the covenant name, Jehovah, of the God of Israel introduced, because in man's responsibility in the garden of Eden and the test of obedience under which God placed him, THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN 3 in connexion with the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, we have a similar line of truth to that under which Israel would yet be placed in the covenant of obedience at Sinai, though it was more complex in the case of Israel. In the case of Adam in innocence it was simple, and it tested his simplicity and purity to Elohim, his Creator, and to Jehovah, who established that covenant of obedience with him. Adam had two spheres of responsibility, that toward the field, the world, of which he was made the over-lord, of which God said, " Have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth" (Genesis 1. 28); and that toward the garden, of which it is said, "And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden to dress it and to keep it" (Genesis 2.
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