The Berean Expositor Acts xvii. 10, 11 “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth” II Tim. ii. 15 VOLUME XXXIII. 1945 - 1946 The Berean Publishing Trust, 52a, Wilson Street, London EC2A 2ER. U.K. DEAR FELLOW-BELIEVERS, When we penned the Foreword to the preceding Volume, the enemy was at our gates, and that Volume bears evidence on many a page of the battle that was fought for its very existence. We write the present introduction, thank God, with the weight of War removed, but we must still record, to the glory of the God of all grace, that such have been the problems which have beset the publication of The Berean Expositor since the cessation of hostilities, that nothing less than the “help of God” (which we acknowledged in November, 1944), would have enabled us to write these words on the completion of Volume XXXIII in November, 1946. We are encouraged to know that in many lands those of like precious faith have helped us with their prayers and their fellowship, and that our very continuance is an indication that our Witness is approved of God, and desired by many of His people. With renewed confidence we therefore subscribe ourselves, Yours for the truth, rightly-divided, CHARLES H. WELCH, FREDERICK P. BRININGER, PHILIP DIVE, GEORGE T. FOSTER, LESLIE F. GREEN. November, 1946. I N D E X ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, THE-- The kingdom of God . concerning Jesus (xxviii. 23) 16 Paul’s use of the O.T., and structure of section (xxviii. 23-31) 21 Critical importance of Isa. vi. 9, 10 demonstrated 24 The quotation (Isa. vi. 9, 10) of Crisis 29 The testimony of the Lord’s prisoner (xxviii. 30, 31) 34 ALL MY SPRINGS ARE IN THEE-- Primary significance of Psalm lxxxvii. 7 considered 39 ANGLO-ISRAELISM 13 DISPENSATIONAL KEYSTONE, THE-- Objections to teaching that Acts xxviii. is dispensational boundary of first importance 42 Suggestion that Epistle to Hebrews contains “Ephesian truth” 48 DOCTRINE AND PRACTICE INSEPARABLE 14 EPHESIA-- The participle tois ousin 54 The preposition en 55 The conjunction kai 57 EVIL, WILL IT RE-ENTER THE UNIVERSE? 10 FUNDAMENTALS OF DISPENSATIONAL TRUTH-- ISAIAH: Comfort and Controversy (xl. 1, 2) 59 ISAIAH: The Forerunner (xl. 3-5) 62 ISAIAH: The frailty of flesh, and the power of the Word (xl. 6-9) 67 ISAIAH: The Second Advent: Its rule and reward (xl. 10, 11) 71 ISAIAH: Structure of xl. 12 - xli. 7, and introductory notes 75 ISAIAH: The folly and tragedy of idolatry (xl. 12 - xli. 7) 77 GOSPEL OF JOHN, THE-- The Testimony in Jerusalem (iii. 13-21) 82 The testimony in Judæa (iii. 22 - iv. 2) 85 The testimony in Samaria (iv. 3-42) 89, 94 The second Sign: The Nobleman’s Son (iv. 43-54) 98 The third Sign: The Impotent man (v. 1-15) 101 PEARL OF PARABLES, THE-- The two sons (Luke xv. 11-32) 107, 108 Give me . Make me (Luke xv. 12, 19) 109 He wasted his substance with riotous living (Luke xv. 13) 110 He came to himself (Luke xv. 13-16) 111 No more worthy (Luke xv. 17-19) 113 The father’s compassion (Luke xv. 20) 114 The prodigal’s acceptance (Luke xv. 22) 115 The real lost son (Luke xv. 25-30) 116 PHILIPPIANS, EPISTLE TO 6 PULPIT OF THE OPENED BOOK, THE-- Inspiration, and the Holy Ghost 118 Preservation of the inspired documents 120 Inspiration, and right-division of the Scriptures 124 Deity of Christ, and the meaning of the Atonement 126 Synopsis of a year’s testimony 130 I will have mercy, and not sacrifice 133 SELF-DRAWN PORTRAIT OF THE APOSTLE PAUL, THE-- Dread of officious interference 138 Fear of evil appearance 140 Refined courtesy 142 Self-denying love 144 Impatience of formalism, joined with forbearance 145 Tender grief 147 Freedom from jealousy 149 TEMPTED IN ALL POINTS LIKE AS WE ARE 151 THROUGHLY FURNISHED-- An examination of the words used 165 TIME AND PLACE-- Scriptural association of chronology & topography with doctrine and purpose 170 TIMOTHY, THE SECOND EPISTLE TO-- Crown and Prize (ii. 1-13) 172 The enabling of grace (ii. 1) 176 The transmission of the truth (ii. 2) 180 The good Soldier, and structure of ii. 1-13 185 The Athlete and the Husbandman (ii. 5, 6) 190 Consideration and Understanding (ii. 3-7) 194 TOOLS FOR THE UNASHAMED WORKMAN-- The Concordance: Its use 199 Lexicons 202 TRUST-- Seven results of a trust that clings 206 Blessedness of this trust (Psa. xl. 4) 209 Association of trust and hope (Psa. lxxi. 5) 210 Hezekiah’s pre-eminence (II Kings xviii. 5) 212 Prayer and deliverance (I Chron. v. 20) 213 TRUTH IN THE BALANCE-- Figure of the Balances in Scriptures 215 Peter’s testimony of the three Creations (II Pet. iii. 1-13) 217 Underlying correspondence of All Scripture 222 Doctrine and Practice 226 WAR IN HEAVEN-- Underlying principles 230 Effect on liberty of the subject 231 Legitimate use of the Scriptures in a day of darkness and strife 233 Censorship of information 235 Measures of defence and offence 236 WORSHIP-- Meaning of the term 239 Its relation to leading, gospel, sacrifice, and revelation 242 Further examples and illustrations 246 Essential association of true worship with liberty 250 Epistle to Philippians. pp. 105 - 108 An examination of passages that have been adduced as evidence that the Epistle belongs to the period before Acts xxviii. and not to the dispensation of the mystery. More than one reader has submitted a series of objections to the inclusion of Philippians as an epistle of the mystery, contending that the passages which they advance refer rather to a period before Acts xxviii. than after that dispensational boundary. The matter is of importance to us all, and for the truth’s sake we should know what these objections are and what answers the Scriptures provide. (1) “Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. i. 6). The suggestion made is that, instead of translating with the A.V., “will perform”, the thought is that something commenced by the Lord was now about to be discontinued because of the imminence of the dispensation of the mystery. “Being confident” is the translation of peitho, which occurs three times in this opening chapter, subdividing the structure into three sections. In verses 12-18 this “confidence” is associated with “the furtherance”, not the “discontinuance”, of the gospel and, in verses 22-26, not with Paul’s departure and “discontinuance”, but with Paul’s “abiding in the flesh” and the “furtherance” of the Philippians’ joy and faith. If, therefore, it is to this furtherance of what had already been begun by the Apostle that the opening remark refers, why, so far as God’s work was concerned, instead of “furthering”, was He about to discontinue it? However, while this creates an atmosphere, it is not proof. The word translated “perform” may mean “discontinue”, and if it does, that is the end of all argument. Accordingly we examine the original for this word and find that it is the Greek epiteleo. Writing to the Corinthians, the Apostle manifested his great concern that the offering for the poor saints at Jerusalem should be completed: “Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also” (II Cor. viii. 6). “Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have” (II Cor. viii. 11). Here we have three occurrences of epiteleo, placed in contrast with “begun” and a readiness “to will”. It would make nonsense of this chapter to teach that Paul intended the Corinthians to understand that the collection for the saints was to be discontinued or postponed until some future and remote date. As II Cor. ix. 1-5 makes abundantly clear, the argument is all the other way. This, however, is not the only occurrence of epiteleo in II Corinthians. “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (II Cor. vii. 1). Did the Apostle conclude the exhortation commenced in II Cor. vi. 14, by saying “Discontinue holiness”, “Postpone all practical sanctification until a future date”? To ask the question is to expose its folly. Paul uses the word epiteleo once more in relation with the verb “to begin”: “Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” (Gal. iii. 3). We believe we can confidently leave the question of the correct translation of Phil. i. 6, to the sane judgment of any believer who can weigh evidence, and who believes that all scripture is inspired. (2) The next objection is that the apostle wrote Philippians in evident expectation of the nearness of the “second coming”, and the passage cited for this is Phil. i. 22-25. The only word in this passage that can be assumed to refer to the Lord’s second coming is in verse 23 where the Apostle uses the word “to depart”. This word is analuo, the origin of the English word “analysis”. It occurs in the noun form, analusis, in II Tim. iv. 6, where the Apostle said “the time for my departure is at hand”.