Vol. 88 No. 1,043 November 2018 TESTIMONY For the study and defence of the holy Scripture 397 Trustees’ annual report and magazine news

Also in this issue: Jesus: choosing which way to go 400 Music in the worship of the first-century ecclesias 409 Writing out Scripture 413 Elohim: referring to the angels? 432

Contents TESTIMONY

Publishing Editor: JEREMY THOMAS. 22 Kingswood Close, Kings Norton, Birmingham, B30 3NX. Tel. 0121 444 6810; email: [email protected] Contents Section Editors: DAVID BURGES. 7 Whitehead Drive, Wellesbourne, Warwick, CV35 9PW. Tel. 01789 842692; Publishing Editor’s column 397 The letters of John Thomas email: [email protected] to Alexander Campbell (9) Science; Archaeology Miriam of Masada Barbara Booker 398 —Part 2 EDWARD CARR. 46 New Street, Reg Carr 422 Donisthorpe, DE12 7PG. The place where two ways Tel. 01530 271522; meet Danzig: a miracle, a email: [email protected] George Booker 400 tragedy, and a warning Exhortation Paul Maplethorpe 427 Tyre, Tarshish and Brexit SHAUN MAHER. 5 Birch Court, Taking a closer look at Pondering discipleship Doune, FK16 6JD. Robin Lamplough 430 Tel. 01786 842996; Isaiah 23 (4) email: [email protected] Jeremy Thomas 404 “Let Us make man in Our Watchman Hymns and songs in the image” P. H. Adams ERIC MARSHALL. The Pines, early church 432 Ling Common Road, Castle Vic Aucott 409 Give attendance to reading . . . Rising, King’s Lynn, Norfolk, For those who would be in December PE31 6AE. Tel. 01553 631279; Geoff Henstock email: [email protected] kings (1) 434 Exposition Edward Carr 413 York scenes 9. John Hutton’s grave JEREMY THOMAS (see above) The war that won’t go away Principles, preaching and Shaun Maher 414 Neil Galilee XX ­problems Effective Bible study GEOFF HENSTOCK. 13 ­Alpha benefits from sound advice Crescent, ­Panorama 5041, (Review) S. Australia. Tel. 8277-0730; email: Testimony books [email protected] Geoff Henstock 417 Australia Editor; Prophecy; Reviews

Articles for publication Articles to be considered for publication are welcome and should be Testimony website: forwarded to the Publishing Editor (in Australia, the local editor) in the http://testimonymagazine.com first instance.

Publication of articles in the Testimony does not presume editorial endorsement except on matters of fundamental doctrine, as defined in the Birmingham Amended Statement of Faith. XIX “Now Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. For Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak. And his head caught fast in the oak, so he was left hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him kept going” (2 Sam. 18:9, NASB). “The oak tree of the mountains is the Palestinian form of the evergreen Kermes oak (Quercus coccifera) . . . Kermes oak must have covered considerable areas of the hill country from Carmel to Samaria and Hebron, and even today there are fine forests on the hills of Upper Galilee and Gilead” (F. Nigel Hepper, Illustrated Encyclopedia of Bible Plants, pp. 33–4).

Cover picture: Kermes oak Publishing Editor’s column Trustee’s annual report 2018 Delayed September magazine Some readers of the printed version of the N ABBREVIATED version of the Trustees’ magazine may have received the September issue annual report is provided this year. A a little later than usual. This was due to staff Aseparate statement on the General Data holidays at our printers. Steps have been taken Protection Regulation was published on page to supply cover for future holiday periods and 395 of the October 2018 issue of the magazine. ensure that the printed version of the magazine Otherwise, the Trustees consider that their re- is distributed promptly in future. sponsibilities under the terms of the magazine’s trust deed and the law of England and Wales 2019 subscriptions to the Testimony remain unchanged from the 2017 annual report. Renewal slips for single-issue subscriptions in Readers are referred to page 353 of the October 2019 were enclosed with last month’s magazine. 2017 magazine for full details in this regard. The Renewal slips for multiple subscriptions, includ- Trustees take their responsibilities seriously, and ing ecclesial parcels, should by now have been are satisfied that they continue to be met under received by post. Subscribers to the e-magazine the terms of the policies which are in place. These have been sent their renewal notices by email. responsibilities include the publication of the It greatly helps the work of our Subscriptions abbreviated financial statement which follows. Secretary if subscriptions are renewed as This statement below has been examined by an soon as possible, please. We are very pleased external examiner. that it has been possible to keep the price of

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Testimony, November 2018 Contents 397 UK ­­subscriptions unchanged for 2019. Slight and details of how to order the book are on the adjustments have been made to the price of some back cover. overseas subscriptions, to reflect exchange-rate movements. E-subscriptions to the magazine (in Plastic wraps for the magazine pdf format) continue to be offered at a discount of The printed version of the magazine is currently 40% on the price of the standard UK subscription. posted to subscribers in a protective plastic wrap. Subscriptions for under-25s are again available at We have been asked whether, in the interests a discount of 50% of the standard subscription of the environment, it is possible for this to price (printed version or e-magazine). All queries be replaced by a paper or other biodegradable relating to subscriptions to the magazine should alternative. This matter is in the hands of our be addressed to the Subscriptions Secretary, printers, who also distribute the magazine rather than to the Publishing Editor. direct to subscribers. They have cut down on the amount of plastic they use, but at the moment New subscriptions we are not aware of any plans to introduce more For a one-year trial period, it will be possible for environmentally friendly packing. There are new subscribers in the United Kingdom to pay for practical issues to take into account here, such their 2019 subscription by monthly instalments. as the distribution of multiple parcels of the Please contact the UK Subscriptions Secretary, magazine, and the need for suitable protection Sister Sarah Marshall, for details. Contact details for magazines while they travel very long are on the last page of this issue of magazine as distances by surface mail to overseas subscribers. usual. For the time being this service is offered Experience indicates that non-plastic wraps do to new UK subscribers only. The service will be not provide adequate protection against damp reviewed in a year or so’s time. and other damage. Extra weight from paper packaging would also mean extra fuel costs in New book distributing the magazine via the postal system, The Testimony’s latest book, Treasure . . . new and to the detriment of the environment. Readers who old, a compilation of articles by the late Sister Ray are concerned about the environmental impact Walker, is now available. Further information was of the magazine are advised to check locally for provided on page 378 of the October magazine, suitable recycling facilities.—Jeremy Thomas Contents

Miriam of Masada Barbara Booker

13. Masada refuge, a gift from our God, where nobody would be chasing or hunting us. ISTRESS, let me tell you my first impressions Indeed, why would hunters come here? This Mof Masada before I try to describe our daily was no Galilee or Jordan Valley or Engedi. This life at the fortress. seemed like the end of all of God’s creation. It The island of stone rose out of the desert sands was as though His angels lacked any creativity before us, this stark, massive mountain that would when they fashioned this region. And yet in now be home to one more ragged lot of survivors. some small way I felt strangely safe, here with Some said its very name Masada meant ‘fortress,’ these warriors and this daunting, uninviting but others claimed that this was just one of sev- terrain. eral possible meanings in our language and that As I said, daylight was streaking the mountains the word really meant ‘devastation.’ For me, my of Moab and the Salt Sea as we approached Mas- Naomi and our fellow-travellers, it was a city of ada. It had been an easier journey from Engedi, Testimony, November 2018 398 Contents easier because we were rested in body and soul and we had been well fed during our stay there. But what was now looming ahead of us in the early dawn seemed overwhelming. From the base of this mountain I could glimpse a lone figure on the summit, highlighted by the sun. He called to his men, our warriors, and they responded—there, in the desert air, voices could be heard clearly at quite remarkable distances.

14. The Snake Path E were led to what was called the Snake WPath, and we soon realised why it was so Part of the Snake Path, as seen from the top of named. It coiled itself around, from the wadi, or Masada. dry creek bed, near the Salt Sea, and circled ever Robin Pollock/Wikimedia Commons upward along the eastern edge of the mountain. This apparently was the best way to the top, safe. This was Eleazar ben Ya’ir, the Commander and to the top we must go. The children were of Masada and the relative of my Jonathan. carried by the warriors, and the rest of us were tied with a warrior in between each of us, and 15. A tour of the fortress we walked cautiously, in single file. Up and up we wound, carefully placing each foot on a well- ACH individual or family was met by oth- worn pathway. I dared not look anywhere else, Eers already settled on Masada. All was well but only where each foot was going. One wrong organised for daily life with communal camp step would be the end of all earthly cares. Surely, duties. After Naomi and I were settled into our I thought, such a path was truly meant only for small home which was set in a wall, we were mountain goats, and yet here we were, climbing taken on a tour of the fortress. cautiously, step by measured step. From time to As I mentioned earlier, Mistress, this fortress time a rock would be dislodged and we could had been a refuge during the centuries for oth- hear it crashing far below us. ers, but especially for King Herod. He constantly No one spoke. There were only the voices of feared for his life, so he rebuilt Masada as a the wind and of the birds of prey circling on personal citadel for himself and his family. And those wind currents. The human sounds were once again, he made full use of his artistic and of heavy breathing from those of us unused to architectural interests, and of the skilled men such exertion. Our very lives depended on the who could make his vision a reality. No costs concentration and cooperation of mind and feet, were spared. and so we struggled upward, further and further The plateau is shaped somewhat like a boat, away from all we’d ever known. wider at the north end and slimmer at the south, I thought of the words of one of our kings about with a very broad centre. It faces north to Engedi, God making his feet like the feet of a deer and with the Salt Sea and Moab off to the east. When setting his feet on a rock. Now I truly understood you stand on the summit you have a vast setting such words and feelings. We all made it safely before you, and it was easy to see that we were to the top where one by one we passed through wise to be careful on our ascent. Far below is the the Snake Path gate onto the plateau that was to brilliant, deep blue of the Salt Sea, and from here be our world for an unknown length of time. A the whole length of the sea is visible. And when little hand reached for me, and my Naomi and I you turned to the west and to the south, you hugged each other in our joy of safety. Our feet would see the Judean wilderness. It is a fearful were truly set in a sure place by our God. We place of hills, valleys, wild creatures, birds of prey, had a home. isolation, heat and desolation. It is an area that I turned to look to the north, to the tower has been home to many an outlaw and prophet, where the figure had stood. He had descended and to a king or two. to the gate area and to his men. Then he turned My grandparents told of the one called John to welcome each of us, assuring us that we were the Baptiser who had gone into such a wilderness Testimony, November 2018 Contents 399 as this, and then some time later had emerged news of our land. But I also came to understand from that desolate area to show himself to Israel. that our commander didn’t fully trust them, According to them, he looked like a wild man, and as my story continues, you will see why his dressed in a camel-hair robe with a leather belt. opinion was accurate. His voice boomed across the landscape as he The plateau of Masada, except for the northern urged our nation to repent and return to our tip, was enclosed by a wall. Actually it was a God, in preparation for the one who was coming, double wall with chambers between the walls. the Messiah. These were used for storerooms or for homes Through this barren landscape the nomads for our troops and their families. The walls had travel easily, especially the Nabatean traders. I numerous towers and several gates, besides the was told that they came here with their wares and Snake Path gate by which we’d entered earlier. Contents

Exhortation The place where two ways meet George Booker Hundreds of years earlier, the “[Jesus and his disciples] approached Jerusalem and came prophet Zechariah had written: to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives . . .” “Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of (Mk. 11:1).1 Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusa- lem! See, your king comes to you, HE VILLAGES of Bethphage and Bethany righteous and having salvation, gentle and were on the road leading to Jerusalem, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I Tno more than a mile or two away from the will take away the chariots from Ephraim and city and the temple; it was an easy walk for Jesus the war-horses from Jerusalem, and the battle and his friends. This time, however, Jesus did not bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace intend to walk: “Jesus sent two of his disciples, to the nations. His rule will extend from sea saying to them, ‘Go to the village ahead of you, to sea and from the River to the ends of the and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied earth. As for you, because of the blood of My there, which no-one has ever ridden. Untie it and covenant with you, I will free your prisoners bring it here. If anyone asks you, “Why are you from the waterless pit” (Zech. 9:9-11). doing this?” tell him, “The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly”’” (Mk. 11:1-3). Why a donkey? In the parallel passage in Matthew, the colt is The prophet saw the King of Israel riding on a also called “the foal of a donkey” (21:5). This colt donkey, and not a horse. While horses were rid- or foal would carry Jesus into the city of Jerusa- den by conquering kings—and Jesus is actually lem. This was the beginning of the last week of pictured elsewhere as riding a horse (Rev. 19:11- Christ’s ministry, a week which would culminate 14)—this was not the time. Now was the time for in his arrest, trial, crucifixion and—three days the King to come in peace, and the donkey was later—his resurrection to glory. From this point an animal of peace. The true King of the Jews, at forward he would make every effort to call at- the climax of his first advent to Israel, would enter tention to his Messiahship, while confronting the capital city riding upon a donkey, bringing the corrupt Jewish power structure. His royal entrance into Jerusalem would be unconventional, but his purpose would be clear. He was plainly 1. Bible quotations are from the NIV (1980 edition) except announcing that he was God’s anointed one. where otherwise stated. Testimony, November 2018 400 Contents righteousness, peace and salvation to those who words, any gate or doorway, by itself, could be believed in him. considered a place where two ways meet. There will come a time when the true Mes- A large house or compound would suggest a siah will make war, but that war will be brief wealthy family with servants. Possibly some of and conclusive, and it will be no more than an those servants, who were also disciples of Jesus, introduction to his true mission with Israel and had prepared a colt, the offspring of a donkey, for the world. He will “proclaim peace,” and remove the Master to ride. Following Jesus’ instructions, from the nations the weapons of war. In that glori- the disciples found the colt at the special place ous time, the nations “will beat their swords into which he had described. plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor The person in whom two ways meet will they train for war anymore” (Isa. 2:4; Mic. Jesus was drawing ever nearer to the cross. It is 4:3). At that same time, the true Messiah will, in fitting that he spoke of the “place” where two the words of Zechariah, free those faithful ones ways meet, because he was that “place”! The Fa- who are imprisoned in the grave. He will do this ther had given His Son to the world for that very through his own death and resurrection—that is, purpose. With one portion of the Roman cross by the blood of God’s everlasting covenant (Heb. upright and the other horizontal, when placed 8:6-13; Jer. 31:31-34). Then, as promised, he will together at right angles the two pieces could even rule “from sea to sea and from the River to the represent the ‘intersection’ of heaven and earth. ends of the earth” (Ps. 72:8; cf. Gen. 15:18). In his birth, Jesus was both son of Mary and Son of God. In his sacrifice and resurrection, he Two ways would become the true mercy seat of God (Rom. “They went and found a colt outside in the street, 3:25; Heb. 9:5). In the Jews’ temple, the mercy tied at a doorway” (Mk. 11:4). Here the AV has seat was the covering of the ark of the covenant, “tied by the door without in a place where two sheltered by the wings of the cherubim in the ways met.” This translation is very interesting, Most Holy Place. Here the high priest of Israel especially because it suggests an important Bible sprinkled the blood of the sacrifice on the Day of theme, one of the most important of all Bible Atonement; it was the blood to make atonement themes. for the whole nation. But in the New Testament, One Greek word, amphodon, expresses the Jesus himself became the mercy seat. In a very AV’s phrase. This word occurs only here in the real sense, he was the altar where, as a priest New Testament, which makes the translators’ representing all of God’s people, he would come job all the more difficult, especially since there most closely into the presence of God and offer is little or nothing with which to compare this his own blood as the perfect sacrifice for the sins word in other contemporary records. Thus it is of all mankind: understandable that competent translations may “for all have sinned, and come short of the differ somewhat at this point. glory of God; being justified freely by His In his Word Studies in the New Testament, the grace through the redemption that is in Christ Greek scholar Marvin Vincent writes that ampho- Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propi- don refers to “any road [Gk. hodos] which leads tiation [sacrifice of atonement, NIV; mercy seat, around [amphi] a place or block of buildings.” NET] through faith in his blood, to declare His This is something like the English ‘roundabout’ righteousness for the remission of sins that or ‘traffic circle.’ The road which is described are past, through the forbearance of God; to here could be a road that wound its way around declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: a walled compound, changing directions once or that He might be just, and the justifier of him twice along the way. This suggests that Jesus told which believeth in Jesus” (Rom. 3:23-26, AV). the two disciples to look for an entrance near a Under the Law of Moses, the sacrifice and the corner of the compound—that is, where the road offering of blood on the Day of Atonement was made a sharp turn (in other words, where two dif- a ritual performed once a year. But the altar and ferent ways met). There they would find the colt. the blood and the service itself, all together, rep- One other thought: the entrance into any resented the redemption provided by Christ with enclosure could also serve as the exit from that his own blood—which was an infinitely greater same enclosure. There are always two ways to and more beneficial offering. The superiority go, and they lead in opposite directions. In other of Christ’s offering was this: while the Mosaic Testimony, November 2018 Contents 401 ritual had to be repeated each year, the sacrifice in another space, so we may think of the temple of Christ was offered once, for all time, looking curtain—which represented Christ’s flesh—as backward as well as forward (v. 25; Heb. 9:15), having two ‘sides’: one, his earthly ‘side,’ facing and for all people, including Gentiles as well as outward; and the other, facing into the Most Holy Jews: “[Jesus] entered the Most Holy Place once Place, as his heavenly ‘side.’ Likewise, Jesus is for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal the mediator, and the intercessor, the one who redemption” (v. 12). stands between God and man—the teacher who “we have been made holy through the sacrifice reveals God to man while pleading the cause of of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Day man to God. after day every priest stands and performs The cross on which the Saviour died sym- his religious duties; again and again he of- bolised the meeting of two ways. Jesus was the fers the same sacrifices, which can never take place where the Creator of the universe entered away sins. But when this priest [Jesus Christ] into the life of the world to provide the means had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he by which that world might be saved. Jesus was sat down at the right hand of God” (10:10-12). the place where God set up His true tabernacle (Jno. 1:14; Heb. 8:2) among men; the place where Jesus is the fulfilment of the Law God might be worshipped in spirit and truth, or Jesus said that he did not come to destroy (AV) ‘a true spirit’ (Jno. 4:23); and the place where God’s or abolish (NIV, NET) the Law of Moses, but to heaven-sent grace might overflow and cleanse fulfil it (Mt. 5:17). Jesus did not need todestroy the our earth-bound sin (Rom. 5:19-21). Law in order to fulfil God’s plan in His gospel The cross on Golgotha became, first in fact and of grace. But he did need to fulfil every righteous then in memory also, the crossing place and the requirement of that Law before he could offer meeting place—where sinful man might meet the gospel in all its fullness to the world. To do with God and find comfort under the protecting this, he had to fulfil the Law’s requirements in wings of His cherubim of glory. There darkness two major ways: first, he demonstrated the true would be swept away by light, hate overcome intent of the Law, which was to love God and also by love, and death swallowed up in the ultimate to love one’s neighbour (22:37-40); and secondly, victory of life eternal. he provided a perfect sacrifice for all the sins of the people. The place of decision Fulfilling the Law of Moses perfectly, Jesus The cross is the place of crossing, and also a place supplanted that Law by replacing it with himself. of decision. It is the crossroad where every per- In the words of the Letter to the Hebrews, he son must choose which direction to take, where became “better than” (greater than, superior to) every person must choose whom he or she will the angels, Moses, the Law itself, the priesthood, serve, where every person must choose whether the Mosaic sacrifices, the altar on which they were to come in—into the place of refuge which Jesus offered, and yes! even the temple itself—all the represents—or to turn and walk away. The cross components which went into the making of God’s and, more especially, the man who died on that old covenant with Israel. cross, demand a decision from every individual: Then Jesus “sat down” in heaven (Heb. 10:12), at ‘Where will I go? Whom will I follow? What will the right hand of God, to act as the new place— I do with my life?’ the one and only place—where God would meet • As Jesus carried his cross to the place of ex- with man, and where man could come to find ecution, one disciple (Judas) came to a tragic forgiveness and mercy in time of need. parting of the ways with his Master (Mt. 27:5). In his conception, his birth, and all his life, At the same time, another disciple (Peter) wept Jesus was the one person, and the one place, where tears of remorse for his denials of Jesus (Lk. two ways met. Son of God and Son of man, he 22:62), and then found forgiveness, a new life, was rightly referred to as “God . . . manifest in the and a renewed purpose (Jno. 21:15-17). flesh” (1 Tim. 3:16, AV). He was the place where • As Jesus travelled that same path to Golgotha, Almighty God reached out to sinful man, and the a passing stranger (Simon the Cyrenian) was place where sinful man could approach the Lord drafted, probably against his will, to bear God. Jesus was the door or gate or curtain (Heb. the cross for Jesus. After this extraordinary 10:20) at the precise place where two ways met. encounter with Jesus, it seems that Simon Just as a door stands half in one space and half willingly took up his own cross and followed Testimony, November 2018 402 Contents Jesus for the rest of his life (Mt. 16:24; Mk. 8:34; of crisis. There will come a time when we must Lk. 9:23). The fact that Simon is introduced to reaffirm—to ourselves if no one else—that we us as the father of two sons who were well have made the right choice; when, in effect, we known to believers suggests that father and must make the same choice all over again. Life is sons all came to believe in Christ, presumably filled with choices, and it is so easy to make a bad as a result of Simon’s first encounter with Jesus choice. Sometimes one really bad choice can start (Mk. 15:21). a chain reaction which goes so far as to undo the • At the cross, and on the cross, a convicted good choice we made earlier. When that happens, criminal found faith sufficient to grasp re- then we have come to another crossroad, another demption at the last possible moment. While place of decision, and we may be called upon to one thief was desperate and angry, the other make the right choice all over again. looked at Jesus and made a humble request: But if we need to do that, then we also know “Jesus, remember me when you come into that we can! Christianity is the religion of the your kingdom” (Lk. 23:42). And as simple as second chance, and the third chance, and on that, Jesus said that he would! (A proper trans- and on, ad infinitum. No matter how far away lation of Luke 23:43 would be: ‘I tell you the you go, no matter what you do that you should truth today—you will be with me in paradise; not have done, there is still a choice—there is that is, when I come in my kingdom,’ which still time and space to come back. As long as the thief had just mentioned in the previous you draw breath, you can still come back! There verse.) is a wonderful assurance in that, but we need to • At the cross, one of Israel’s leading teachers remember the hazard which comes along with (Nicodemus) found the courage to put aside it. Who of us knows how long we have to live? his earlier fear of even being seen with Jesus We may choose the wrong path, even thinking, ‘I (Jno. 3:1-8) to give openly the last tribute to can always change my mind later.’ But we never a dead Saviour (19:38-42), and to embrace a know how much more time we have allotted to hope which far surpassed anything he had us before it is—really—too late. learned or taught before. The old preacher was asked the question, • Blinded by the light of a risen Lord Jesus, a ‘Teacher, when is the last day we can repent?’ sworn enemy of the early believers (Saul of He answered, ‘That’s an easy question. You don’t Tarsus, who later took the name Paul) turned have to repent until the day before you die.’ ‘But, aside from the Damascus Road and the way of teacher, how will we know when that day comes?’ persecution, and took another way—becom- To which the preacher answered, ‘You won’t ing a great light to the Gentiles while preach- know! So repent now!’ ing “Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Cor. It has been said that no ordinary human be- 2:2), a new gospel of freedom and peace for ing could have invented Jesus Christ. Only an an enslaved and troubled world (Acts 22:3-15). all-powerful, all-wise God could have created such a man. The sole remedy for a sinful, dying A time of crisis world is a perfectly righteous and ever-living All of us who believe have come to the place Saviour—one who doesn’t sit somewhere out of where two ways meet. Perhaps it happened when reach, paying no attention to mere mortals, but we were quite young, and parents or Sunday rather lives among us, in our hearts and minds, school teachers pointed us toward a new and liv- and is always available to hear our prayers. He ing way. Perhaps it happened later in life, when is available right now. In Jesus, and Jesus alone, a chance conversation, pamphlet, advertisement our worldly way can join his spiritual way, fol- or website beckoned us, and whispered, “This is lowing in the footsteps of our Master, along “the the way; walk in it” and “you will find rest for way to the tree of life” (Gen. 3:24). He is truly your souls” (Isa. 30:21; Mt. 11:29). the ‘place where two ways meet.’ We pray that Nevertheless, for all of us who believe, there those two ways, once joined together, will never may come, when we least expect it, another time be separated. “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God” (Rev. 19:11-13, NIV).

Testimony, November 2018 Contents 403 Prophecy Tyre, Tarshish and Brexit: Taking a closer look at Isaiah 23 (4) Jeremy Thomas

HE FINAL PART of this series deals with “Shake yourself from the dust, rise up, a significant question which remains out- O captive Jerusalem; Tstanding from earlier in our study. Finally, Loose yourself from the chains around your it shows how some of the views of Isaiah 23 cur- neck, rently being propounded do not fit the details of O captive daughter of Zion” (52:2). the chapter, and do not fall into line with earlier The daughter of Zion is Jerusalem. The names Christadelphian interpretations. used in verse 1 are Zion and Jerusalem. ‘Zion,’ ‘Jerusalem’ and ‘daughter of Zion’ are all des- Tyre and Tarshish: the same power? ignations of the same city. On eight occasions Before bringing this study of Isaiah 23 to an end, in Lamentations, too, Jerusalem is called “the we must attempt to unravel the problem which daughter of Zion.” One of these makes it particu- we postponed from verse 10: “Overflow your land larly clear that the city of Jerusalem is intended: like the Nile, O daughter of Tarshish, there is no “The elders of the daughter of Zion sit on the more restraint.”1 Who is this daughter of Tarshish? ground, they are silent . . .” (2:10).3 This need In our earlier verse-by-verse analysis, it was not be the meaning of the phrase every time suggested that the more probable reading of this it occurs in Scripture, and there are alternative verse is that it depicts the people of Tyre flee- interpretations in some passages, but there is an ing westwards across the sea, as the River Nile adequate precedent here to support the sugges- overflowed the land of Egypt without restraint tion that “daughter of Tarshish” in Isaiah 23:10 during its annual inundation. The interesting de- means simply ‘Tarshish.’ As we observed above, scription “daughter of Tarshish” perhaps hints at this makes Tarshish another name for Tyre. Some Tyre having been founded as a colony of Tarshish, Christadelphian interpretations of Isaiah 23 have an uncertain location to the west. An alternative adopted just this approach.4 What it allows us to reading of verse 10 was rejected. But there is a do expositionally is put the chapter side-by-side third reading, and it is pertinent to consider this with Old Testament prophecies about Tarshish, as part of this study, since it appears to be the just as Brother Thomas does in Eureka. In this reading that Brother Thomas adopts in Eureka, way the “daughter of Tyre” in verse 10 is exactly which is necessary to sustain an application of the same party as the “daughter of Tarshish” in Isaiah 23 to Britain in the last days. In this third Psalm 45:12. view, the “daughter of Tarshish” is still Tyre, but Given the possible implications of this sug- now this phrase is to be read simply as equivalent gestion for our interpretation of Isaiah 23, par- to ‘Tarshish.’ What this does, of course, is to make ticularly the conclusions reached so far in this Tarshish an alternative name for Tyre. This reading is not as unlikely as it may at 1. Bible quotations are from the NASB. first seem. There is an Old Testament precedent 2. Isaiah 1:8; 10:32; 16:1; 37:22; 52:2; 62:11. in the phrase ‘daughter of Zion,’ which sometimes 3. The other seven occasions are: Lamentations 1:6; means simply ‘Zion.’ This phrase appears twenty- 2:1,4,8,13,18; 4:22. 2 4. See, for example, Harry Whittaker, Isaiah (1988), p. 254: eight times in Scripture, six times in Isaiah, and “Just as ‘the daughter of Zidon’ (v. 12) means Zidon, on at least one of these occasions the parallelism so also ‘the daughter of Tarshish’ means Tarshish- in the verse indicates clearly who the daughter Tyre.” Earlier in our study, however, it was argued of Zion is: that “daughter of Sidon” means Tyre, not Sidon. Testimony, November 2018 404 Contents study, we need to know whether or not Tyre and in 701 BC? If that is the case, then why do the Tarshish are the same place. What evidence can Assyrian annals say that the king of Tyre fled we consider to try and answer this question? all the way to the Phoenician colony of Kitium on Cyprus? Evidence for and against • If Tyre and Tarshish are the same place, then At face value a biblical case can be made for this the “ships of Tarshish” (Isa. 23:1,14) are Tyre’s reading of the prophecy. own ships. Twice in Isaiah 23 (vv. 1,14) the • In Isaiah 23, Tarshish is to be understood as word “wail” is addressed to them. Why would a description of the offshore island of Tyre, the occupants of these ships wail if, in fact, which lay almost opposite the part of the they were able to find refuge on island Tyre city which lay on terra firma. When Tyre is (and perhaps even continue their trade from told in verse 6a, “Pass over to Tarshish,” we there)? In that situation, would they incur the are to have in view her inhabitants sailing catastrophic losses described in this chapter— the short distance to the island for refuge (or including being ‘forgotten’? at least trying to).5 Tyre is “the daughter of • Even if we believe that there is more than one Tarshish” in the sense that the mainland city place called Tarshish in Scripture, one in the was settled from the island, the location of the west and another in the east (which is quite very oldest part of the city. This may be the likely), Old Testament references to Tarshish idea in a later prophecy against Tyre: “Also indicate that it was located far from Israel,6 her daughters who are on the mainland will not just along the Mediterranean coast.7 This be slain by the sword . . .” (Ezek. 26:6). evidence rules out island Tyre as being Tarsh- • Alternatively, if verse 6a is taken as being ish. addressed to other “coastland” cities, rather • Ezekiel 27:12 is conclusive: Tarshish traded than to Tyre’s own inhabitants, verses 6b and silver, iron, tin and lead with Tyre, so clearly 7 become an ironic invitation to these cities to in the time of the prophets the two were follow Tyre to the island of Tarshish, presum- separate places. Almost certainly, readers of ably to try and find her and in the vain hope the two prophecies in Old Testament times of being able to continue trading with her. would understand Isaiah’s Tyre to be entirely • As we have noted already, Psalm 45:12 speaks different from Ezekiel’s Tarshish. of “the daughter of Tyre [coming] with a gift” On balance, scriptural evidence indicates that to God’s anointed king, reigning on his throne Tyre and Tarshish cannot be the same place. This of righteousness. Verses 6 and 7 of this psalm obliges us to reject the suggestion that Isaiah are applied in Hebrews 1:8,9 to “the Son,” the 23:15-18 should be applied to a different city Lord Jesus Christ: “Your throne, O God, is or nation, referred to elsewhere in Scripture as forever and ever, and the righteous sceptre is Tarshish, and not to ancient Tyre herself. There the sceptre of his kingdom. You have loved is a place called Tarshish, and there are last-days righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore prophecies about it.8 And it may yet be that Britain God, your God, has anointed you with the oil proves to be the fulfilment of these prophecies; at of gladness above your companions.” In the no point does this study exclude that possibility. following chapter the inspired author explains But we must conclude that this interpretation of that he is speaking of the future Kingdom age (see 2:5). If we choose to conflate two prophecies which concern “Tarshish” and the 5. This is the explanation offered by Harry Whittaker, ibid “daughter of Tyre” respectively, they can be ., p. 253. 6. In Isaiah 23, it might be argued that the repetition of understood as referring to the same last-days the command “pass over” in verses 6 and 12 indicates power (Britain). that Tarshish is Cyprus: “Pass over to Tarshish . . . But there is also considerable internal evidence Arise, pass over to Cyprus”. However, the Hebrew against Tyre and Tarshish being the same place: word for Cyprus is Kittiyyi (Chittim, AV), and I am • If Tarshish is the offshore island of Tyre, is not aware of any compelling evidence that Tarshish the island far enough from the mainland to and Chittim are the same place. 7. Consider, for example: Genesis 10:2-4; 1 Kings 10:22; fit the requirements of the prophecy—that the 22:48; 2 Chronicles 20:36,37; Psalm 72:10; Isaiah 66:19; citizens of Tyre travel across the sea to flee Jeremiah 10:9; Ezekiel 27:12; Jonah 1:3. their conquerors? Even if it is, did the island 8. These would include: Psalm 72:10; Isaiah 66:19; Ezekiel then remain inviolate, and not fall to Assyria 38:13. Testimony, November 2018 Contents 405 these prophecies cannot reasonably be deduced ‘forgetting’ of Tyre occurs at the same time as from Isaiah 23. This chapter concerns Tyre, so what happens in verse 14, namely the destruc- we should look for a fulfilment of the closing tion of the stronghold of the city (regardless verses of this chapter in the experiences of of whether that was fulfilled by the Assyrians Tyre. or the Babylonians). • If all the events of Isaiah 23 are repeated in An increasingly common mistake? the last days, let us say at some point in the Before we draw this study to a conclusion, it history of Britain, then what are we to make of may be pertinent to address what I believe is a some of the other details of the chapter? Tyre mistake by some more recent Christadelphian is roundly destroyed (v. 1). This has never yet writers concerning Isaiah 23. I raise this, not to happened to Britain, so is it something that suggest that the exposition in this series is beyond we should expect? Why does the fall of Britain criticism (it is not), but because I see the mistake cause such consternation to Sidon (vv. 2,4) and being made more frequently in the context of the Egypt (v. 5)? Did Britain (or will she) trade United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European prosperously in grain from Egypt (v. 3) prior Union. The argument goes like this: Britain is the to her fall? In what sense can Britain possibly Tyre of the last days (following Brother Thomas’s be numbered amongst the strongholds of Ca- exposition); Isaiah 23 prophesies a seventy-year naan (v. 11)? And how do we understand the period of economic decline for Tyre; therefore command for Britain to relocate to Cyprus (v. as good Bible students we should look for a 12)? I am not aware of anyone who anticipates seventy-year economic decline for Britain, at the that such things will befall Britain; but is this end of which she experienced (or will experience) not precisely what we should anticipate if the a resurgence in her financial fortunes.9 In other whole of Isaiah 23 (including verses 15-18) words, this argument re-applies the whole of Isaiah has a last-days fulfilment in which Britain is 23 to Britain in the last days. Numerous attempts Tyre? Pointing out this expositional aberration have been made to identify the seventy years does not disprove that Britain is the last-days in question (although none of these appears to “daughter of Tyre”; she may yet be. But it does have captured the brotherhood’s attention very demonstrate logically that those who take convincingly, and some have been very weak this view cannot look for a fulfilment of the indeed). whole of Isaiah 23 in the last days. The value Careful reading shows that this cannot be a of our verse-by-verse study, set out in parts valid interpretation of the chapter. The seventy 2 and 3 of this series, now becomes appar- years during which Tyre is “forgotten” (vv. 15-18) ent. Every detail of the text, which—like all come to pass as a direct result of the overthrow of Scripture—has been “breathed out by God” the original city as described in verses 1-14. There- (2 Tim. 3:16, ESV), matters. Our interpretation fore, even if one understands the references to of any passage of prophecy must be faithful to ‘passing over’ (vv. 6,10,12) as the transfer of Tyre’s the inspired details of that prophecy. We are economic might to other nations (Great Britain not “accurately handling the word of truth” included), it must be admitted that this transfer (2:15) if it is not. occurs after the fall of the city—consequent to • Finally, we should note that, in the expositions it. It is not logically possible for Britain, as the by Brother Thomas, Brother Roberts, Brother inheritor of Tyre’s wealth, to be the subject of the Walker and Brother Carter which have been decline described in verse 15a. She, or any other cited in this study, the authors do not inter- nation we might choose, could not be the Tyre of pret Isaiah 23 in this way. Brother Thomas in the last days without that decline having already particular is adamant in his view that, once taken place. It stretches the wording of Isaiah Britain had acquired her wealth as the Tyre of 23 beyond credulity to suggest that the wealth the last days, that wealth would never be lost: of the original Tyre relocates to another nation, “The merchandise and revenue of the revived but that it is then this last-days Tyre which then Tyrian Mother passed from her . . . at length experiences the seventy-year decline. to Britannia; who holds on to them as her own Consider some of the consequences if we insist on holding to this view of the chapter: 9. For a recent published example of this, see: Donald • What do we do with of the phrase “in that Pearce (ed.), “The merchants of Tarshish and her young day” in verse 15? Surely this means that the lions,” Milestones to the Kingdom 2017, ch. 11, p. 84. Testimony, November 2018 406 Contents peculiar and especial inheritance. She hopes removed from this is the view that the chapter to monopolize them as long as the sun and has been heavily edited by a later hand to bring moon endure. Though this is objected to by it into line with reality. Such views should be other nations . . . they do not have the ability, rejected by those who believe in the divine origin and never will have, to divert them to their and authority of Bible prophecy. As God Himself own ports and coffers. The decree of heaven declared through the same prophet: “My word is against them . . .”10 Note that Britain is “the . . . which goes forth from My mouth . . . will not revived Tyrian Mother”; clearly, according to return to Me empty, without accomplishing what this exposition, Britain acquired her wealth I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for only after ‘Tyre’ had been remembered again. which I sent it” (55:11). Britain does not then experience another Historians more sympathetic to the Bible’s seventy years of being forgotten. A few years authority have suggested evidence for a change earlier Brother Thomas expressed the same in Tyre’s fortunes around seventy years after opinion of Britain’s role in the last days: “This her conquest by Assyria in 701 BC. The power was a prediction, in general terms, of the harlot of the Assyrian Empire began to decline in the career of the Tyrio-Tarshish Trafficsubsequently mid-seventh century BC. In his book The Story to its revival at the end of the seventy years, and of Phoenicia, the historian and Christian theolo- until the apocalypse of Jehovah, and of those gian George Rawlinson (1812–1902) states that who then dwelt before him. This apocalypse Phoenicia detached itself from Assyria “probably or ‘manifestation of the Sons of God,’ is still between BC 640 and 630.”12 No more Assyrian in the future. Tyre is therefore still playing governors over the region were appointed after the harlot with the kingdoms of the world; 637. The following extract from Rawlinson’s work and will continue so to do until the Lord is helpful, in that it is line with the Bible’s own Jesus comes as a thief in the night.”11 Again, evidence for Tyre’s return to great wealth during Tyre’s recovery after seventy years of decline the Babylonian era: is clearly in the past as far as Brother Thomas “On the whole, it is most probable that Phoe- is concerned. nician independence was proclaimed about There is a cautionary note here regarding careful BC 630 . . . The recovery of freedom was ac- reading—always of the Word of God, of course, companied by a great increase of prosperity; but also of what students in our community have and especially commerce received an impulse, written about the Word of God. It may be that, as which was felt to the furthest limits of the later students, we have not always followed earlier known world. Tyre established for herself an expositions sufficiently carefully, and that sig- ascendancy over the other [Phoenician] cities, nificant distortions in the interpretation of some and shortly rose to the highest point of her parts of the Bible are the unwelcome result. It g r e a t n e s s .” 13 would certainly be helpful for our understanding To this may be added the following quotation of Scripture if, as a community or as individuals, from the Swedish Bible scholar Seth Erlandsson we could reverse any such trend when we see it. (b. 1941): It might also be interesting to know when it was “If one is looking for an interval of seventy first suggested that all of Isaiah 23 has a second, years during which Tyre’s trade was crippled, last-days fulfilment. the period which immediately comes to mind is that between the years 700 and 630 BC when Help from the historians? Assyria did not permit Tyre to engage in any As has already been pointed out, the history of business activity. When Assyria’s hold over Tyre in the period immediately following its fall Palestine came to an end around 630, most to Assyria in 701 BC is not as clear as one might wish it to be. Perhaps this is inevitable, if the city suffered such a catastrophic overthrow. Histori- 10. John Thomas, “The angel-proclamation in midheaven,” ans are therefore divided in their interpretations Eureka (1981 edn.), vol. IIIB, ch. XIV, s. 6, p. 33. of the evidence that is available—including the 11. John Thomas, “Tyre—ancient and modern, with some unsuspected applications to the latter days,” Christa- important witness of Isaiah. At one extreme is the delphian, vol. 25, no. 289, Jul. 1888, p. 387. view that the events predicted in Isaiah 23 never 12. George Rawlinson, The Story of Phoenicia (G. P. Put- happened (although it is not clear how such a nam’s Sons, 1889), p. 149. claim could ever be substantiated). Only one step 13. Ibid., p. 150. Testimony, November 2018 Contents 407 of the western states were enabled to flourish text does not contain all the details from Isaiah again, especially Judah and Tyre.”14 23 that we are looking for. There is a difficulty even if we follow the earlier Unanswered questions Christadelphian expositions we have referred Not only do these observations support our in- to, and stick to the view that the seventy years terpretation, and the general historical accuracy, of Isaiah 23:17 reference the period of Babylon’s of the first section of Isaiah 23; they also contain (rather than Assyria’s) dominance over Tyre and a tantalising hint of something happening in other nations (Jer. 25:8-26) and the beginning Judah around 631 BC (that is, during the reign of the permanent transfer of Tyre’s economic of King Josiah) which might conceivably relate to strength overseas. For, as we noted, Zechariah the final verse of the chapter. Was cedar wood showed that Tyre would again be a wealthy city sold by Tyre to Josiah for his project to “repair in the days immediately before her fall to the the damages” of the temple in Jerusalem, when Greeks: “Tyre . . . piled up silver like dust, and money was given “to the carpenters . . . for buy- gold like the mire of the streets. Behold, the Lord ing timber . . . to repair the house” (2 Kgs. 22:5,6), will dispossess her, and cast her wealth into the just as King Hiram of Tyre sold cedar wood to sea” (Zech. 9:3,4). Zechariah is speaking of a Solomon when the temple was first built (1 Kgs. situation nearly two-and-a-half centuries after 9:11; 2 Chron. 2:3,8,9)? Babylon’s conquest of Tyre, and three-and-a-half Perhaps.15 It would certainly be satisfying if we centuries after Isaiah’s prophecy, yet evidently could find firm evidence, whether from Scripture Tyre was again an extremely rich place. or from secular history, of events which clearly It is disappointing not to have found concrete fulfil the one verse of the prophecy which relates evidence for a historic fulfilment of Isaiah 23:17,18. most directly to the people of God. I am conscious If these verses have indeed already come to pass, that this remains somewhat ‘the missing piece then instinctively it does feel that the events they of the jigsaw’ in this study, and that, regrettably, describe are so significant—concerning God’s we begin to draw this series to a close without land, God’s people and God’s city—that we ought anything that indisputably meets all the require- to be able to spot them. But perhaps it is not the ments of Isaiah 23:18: only such example of Bible prophecy. “Her gain and her harlot’s wages will be set apart to the LORD; it will not be stored up or Watching and waiting hoarded, but her gain will become sufficient As with so many questions arising from Bible food and choice attire for those who dwell in reading, we must continue our studies in the hope the presence of the LORD.” that answers can one day be found—or until some Without something definite in this regard, the event (or better exposition) demonstrates that our tendency to look for a last-days application of this verse is understandable. Despite the paucity of historical evidence, 14. Seth Erlandsson, The Burden of Babylon: A Study of Isaiah 13:2–14:23 (Gleerup, 1970), p. 102. however, Ezekiel’s prophecies against Tyre (chs. 15. For more on this possibility, see: Andrew Perry, “Tyre,” 16 26–28) provide conclusive proof that Tyre did Christadelphian Ejournal of Biblical Interpretation, vol. recover economically after the Assyrian conquest. 8, no. 4, Oct. 2014, p. 37. This article also reviews the As we have seen, chapter 27 lists a good number historical evidence for a fulfilment of Isaiah 23 in the of nations who were trading with her in Ezekiel’s time of the Assyrian Empire. day. Judah and Israel are among them—“Judah 16. Amongst the promise of God’s later judgements on and the land of Israel, they were your traders; with Tyre is this: “So I will silence the sound of your songs, and the sound of your harps will be heard no more” the wheat of Minnith, cakes, honey, oil and balm (Ezek. 26:13). Ezekiel is practically quoting from Isaiah they paid for your merchandise” (v. 17)—although 23:16: “Take your harp, walk about the city, O forgotten the text is not explicit enough regarding what harlot; pluck the strings skilfully, sing many songs . . .” was being purchased from Tyre for this trade to This may be a specific indication that after her fall to be a clear fulfilment of Isaiah 23:18. In the time Assyria Tyre would recover—only to be overthrown of Nehemiah too, Tyre was supplying food to again by the Babylonians. 17. By New Testament times the roles were reversed, for Jerusalem: “Also men of Tyre were living there Tyre had become dependent on Judea for her food who imported fish and all kinds of merchandise, supply: Acts 12:20 records how King Herod Agrippa I and sold them to the sons of Judah on the sabbath, “was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon even in Jerusalem” (Neh. 13:16).17 Once again the [whose] country was fed by the king’s country.” Testimony, November 2018 408 Contents exposition is flawed. But, as for any prophecy we has been fulfilled at some point in the past. are considering, our interpretation of Isaiah 23 We may not need to see prophecy fulfilled to must be based firmly and honestly on what the be able to deduce that it has been fulfilled. text and other relevant passages of Scripture say. 5 The text of Isaiah 23 itself does not require a 1 We should remember that this chapter is one second fulfilment of verses 15-18 in the last of a set of prophecies against nations which days. surrounded Judah in the days of Isaiah the 6 Finally, the suggestion that there is a repeat prophet, and it should not be unduly wrested application of the whole chapter to the ‘Tyre’ of from that context. the last days is implausible. This interpreta- 2 It predicts the fall of Tyre to the Assyrians tion is not logical; nor is it in harmony with in 701 BC, and the economic recovery of the the earlier Christadelphian interpretations of same city seventy years later. Isaiah 23 that it purports to follow. 3 Even if we believe that the chapter refers to As for the United Kingdom’s decision to leave Tyre’s fall to Babylon (in the face of verse the European Union, the twists and turns which 13), Scripture itself confirms that the city’s lead her gradually towards Brexit are likely to be material prosperity returned later in the Old many and varied. Doubtless many brothers and Testament period. Tyre did not suffer irre- sisters will continue to watch the process with versible collapse and see all its trade move fascination, looking for any developments which permanently to the west at that point in its appear to be in line with long-held expectations history. about a role for Britain in Bible prophecy. Those 4 Therefore, although we have been unable to expectations may yet prove to be justified. There find a clear fulfilment of all the details in appears to be no basis, however, for reading Isaiah the closing verses of the chapter, it remains 23 in this way. plausible to suggest that the whole prophecy (Series concluded)

Contents

Exposition Hymns and songs in the early church Vic Aucott

songs” (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). Was this What place, if any, did singing have in the first-century vocal praise about the things they ecclesias of Christ? What are the benefits of singing in our believed and preached, or something communal worship today? else? Did they address their praise and thanksgivings to the Lord God HEN THE EARLY church engaged in and the Lord Jesus, or was it about themselves? preaching activities, the preaching com- It is helpful to search out Bible passages to Wprised “the things concerning the king- discover what the hymn-singing was and what dom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts the believers rejoiced about. First let us establish 8:12), or, put another way, “the apostles’ doctrine” a fundamental principle. In John 4:24 we read (2:42). What they preached is well defined and that “God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him straightforward. But how did the early church must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” This engage in its worship? What did this consist of, verse tells us about the attitude of mind of the and what practices did the ecclesias use to express worshipper, and that worship must be sincere, their worship? Part of the corporate worship meaning that all that is offered must be accord- consisted of “psalms and hymns and spiritual ing to truth and declare the truth with integrity Testimony, November 2018 Contents 409 of heart. This applies to all aspects of worship, in order” (1 Cor. 14:40), and in love, and to the including the singing of hymns. glory of God the Father and His Son the Lord Jesus Christ, for believers had been called to the New Testament fellowship of His Son. The first recorded singing in the New Testament appears to be when the multitude of angels sang Aspects of worship at Jesus’ birth (Lk. 2:13,14). What did the angels 1 Prayers—those recorded are spontaneous, sing about? They rejoiced at the coming of the with freely quoted Scripture, the content Saviour, the Messiah and anointed King-Priest, determined by need, whether preaching, op- and that forgiveness would now be possible by position, danger or imprisonment. faith, with the prospect of peace of mind among 2 Reading—“give attendance to reading” was men who could look forward to the Kingdom of Paul’s sound advice to Timothy (1 Tim. 4:13). God because of the message of life. He means, ‘Read the Old Testament and the At the end of the Lord’s ministry, when Jesus letters that are circulating amongst ecclesias,’ and his disciples left the upper room after the for in these the foundation principles of the Last Supper, the record says that “when they had Truth had been laid. sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of 3 Hymns—these were based on Scripture or Olives” (Mk. 14:26). Presumably they sang all or were an expression of doctrine. Examples part of the Hallel, Psalms 113–118. All these six include: psalms are hopeful in tone, even though they • Acts 16:25—when Paul and Silas were in speak of the prospects of death. But here also prison in Philippi; could they have been is a description of the great work of God and singing psalms, or possibly hymns about His overriding care for all who believe in Him, the essentials of the New Covenant? leading to the hope of resurrection and new life, • 1 Corinthians 14:26—written to Corinth, salvation, and the confirmation that the Christ where some members, exercising the Spirit would fulfil his vows. gifts, “[had] a psalm . . . unto edifying.” • Ephesians 5:14—“Wherefore he saith, Need for unity Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from The worship arrangements in the new ecclesias the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.” were to some extent based on Old Testament This is an illustration of a first-century practice. That is what the Jews and early believ- hymn about the resurrection. It tells of re- ers were used to, so it was natural that it should demption as well as being a wake-up call, be similar. Additionally, the gospel went to with an exhortation and encouragement Gentiles who lived outside the Land, and who to “walk circumspectly” (v. 15). “Psalms came from different backgrounds and cultures, and hymns and spiritual songs” by this spoke different languages, or even had different time had become a well-established part of ways of dressing and conducting family life. ecclesial worship, thanksgiving and praise, Something had to be found which would unite as can be seen from verses 19 and 20. all this diversity into a unity and bring harmony • Colossians 3:16—the same is true here, to the multicultural variety of the newly formed where there is a similar refrain, but with congregations. the added instruction to ‘teach and admon- It was important that, once ecclesias were es- ish’ through the singing of psalms, hymns tablished across the Roman Empire, there was a and spiritual songs, based on the word of pattern of unity, as one Lord had died for all and Christ. So the musical aspects of worship all broke one loaf in their remembrance. Travel- supported the spoken word of the gospel. ling believers would find a common faith and Hymns were sung as part of the teaching practice, and needed to feel comfortable. method for doctrine and principles of Paul, with his authority from God, established the Christian life, to reinforce belief and the organisation of the ecclesias with the ap- doctrine, and provide suitable warnings, pointment of Spirit-guided bishops, elders and as well as being to the praise and glory of deacons, and introduced readings, exhortation the Lord God. and worship in “psalms and hymns and spiritual We find in the New Testament that hymns and songs.” All of this was based on the foundation songs used by the ecclesias were based on aspects principle, “Let all things be done decently and of “the things concerning the kingdom of God, Testimony, November 2018 410 Contents and the name of Jesus Christ” or “the apostles’ and grace before the foundation of the world. doctrine,” much like some of our hymns are to- The phrase teaches the doctrine of calling day. One comment from the early second century and election, to which the early part of verse referring to Christian practice states: “they were 9 refers, in which God meets the failures of accustomed on a stated day to meet before day- human nature. The hymn tells us how Christ light, and to repeat among themselves a hymn accomplished the saving work by abolishing to Christ as to a god.”1 So hymns to Jesus were death through his own death and resurrec- being sung by the early believers—even though tion, and bringing life and immortality to they would disagree with Pliny’s theology! light in promised incorruptible and changed resurrection-bodies—and all made known in Hymns in the New Testament the gospel of love. 1 1 Timothy 3:16—“And without controversy 4 2 Timothy 2:11-13—“It is a faithful saying: great is the mystery of godliness: God was For if we be dead with him, we shall also manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, live with him: if we suffer, we shall also reign seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, with him: if we deny him, he also will deny believed on in the world, received up into us: if we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: glory.” This six-point doxology is not so much he cannot deny himself.” This is one of the about the person of Christ, but rather the ‘faithful sayings,’2 which contain exhortation purpose of God in the Word made flesh. It and encouragement for faithful living in a is about the manifestation (revealing) of the difficult world, and keep hope alive, because grace of God in the coming of the Lord Jesus he is faithful. This hymn consists of four cou- Christ; that God operates in this world; that plets describing the difficulties and benefits belief and acceptable behaviour are relevant of faithful living for Christ. It is encouraging in the present time as saints prepare for the believers to bear their trials, to endure, to have ageless times of the Kingdom. fortitude and perseverance under pressure. 2 1 Timothy 6:14-16—“. . . until [at] the appear- The words in verse 11, “if we be dead with ing of our Lord Jesus Christ: which in his him,” do not refer to Paul’s pending execution times he shall shew, who is the blessed and or to physical dying, but to the dying in Christ only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord at baptism when we are buried in water. It is of lords; who only hath immortality, dwelling about continuing in well-doing and holding in the light which no man can approach unto; onto the faith; for if that is done, then there whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom is the happy prospect of living and reigning be honour and power everlasting. Amen.” All with him in the Kingdom. the phrases in these verses have Old Testament The reference to denial in verse 12 comes origins, indicating that first-century hymns from the teaching of Jesus. The words “believe drew on Old Testament scriptures for words, not” are not referring to out-and-out unbelief ideas and content. This hymn was scripturally of the gospel, but rather to the possibility of based. This example is a powerful paean of failing to respond fully to its teaching and praise, clearly expressed and acknowledging appeal, giving up or not fighting the good the wonder of God in the greatest purpose fight of faith. ever put before men and women. The hymn The hymn ends on a victorious note: “he also emphasises the part played by the Lord abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself,” Jesus in this sacred drama. dispelling the temptation to give in or give 3 2 Timothy 1:9,10—“[God’s] purpose and grace, up because the going gets tough. which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began . . . is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who 1. Pliny the younger, Imperial governor of Bithynia AD hath abolished death, and hath brought life 110–113, in a letter to Emperor Trajan around 111, and immortality to light through the gospel.” enquiring how he should deal with Christians. See It is reckoned that these words were also the John Thomas, Eureka, vol. 1, pp. 254–5, for the text of the letter. basis of a hymn used by first-century ecclesias. 2. For a full treatment of the ‘faithful sayings,’ see Alfred The hymn describes the eternal purpose of Nicholls, Letters to Timothy and Titus (CMPA, 1991), God and His eternal character, as well as His Essay 5, p. 49 and Essay 32, p. 289. Other ‘faithful foreknowledge when He revealed His purpose sayings’ are found in 1 Timothy 1:15; 3:1; 4:9; Titus 3:8. Testimony, November 2018 Contents 411 Other hymns in the New Testament servant of God, and the song of the Lamb.” It is One example of such is in Hebrews 1:3: “. . . who a glorious picture of the praise and honour due being the brightness of His glory, and the express to Almighty God, because of the consummation image of His person, and upholding all things by of His great purpose, reserved for the redeemed the word of His power, when he had by himself of the Kingdom age. It is about His victories, re- purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of demption and salvation through His Son, and the the Majesty on high.” This is about the exaltation effectiveness of His judgements over His enemies, of Christ as the manifestation of God. The hymn resulting in universal celebration. describes the wonder of Christ, his relationship with his Father, his beautiful character and its Hymns in Christadelphian worship expression of God’s will. It is a reminder of the One independent American writer 6 said in 1997 life of Christ from crucifixion, through resurrec- of our hymns and Hymn Book: “Christadelphian tion, ascension, exaltation and glory, and finally hymns reflect the essential doctrines and prin- to priesthood at the right hand of God in heaven. ciples of their faith. These principles were anti- It is likely there are three more hymns in Trinitarian. They also believe that God would 1 Peter.3 They all deal with the work of Christ, establish His Kingdom on earth through the especially his sufferings and sacrifice, and the return of Jesus to reign 1,000 years in Jerusa- triumph that follows in his resurrection. They lem.” In other words, our Hymn Book restates our tell how this redemptive plan had been declared beliefs and doctrine. It expresses the way we wor- from the beginning, and that the Lord Jesus is at ship and the way we ought to live, and declares the heart of this plan. They describe the wonder our fervent hope in the coming of Jesus and the of the love of God and how it is embedded in Kingdom of God. The American reviewer was His revelation and our healing. The second of able to determine what we believe as a com- the three hymns is a long quotation from Isaiah munity—just by reading our Hymn Book. That is 53, whilst the third refers to the importance of a how it should be: hymns support our faith, and good conscience and our relationship with these confirm what we teach and preach from Scripture, things. These hymns are faith-building, estab- and what makes the Christadelphian community lished on proven facts, encourage a sound way separate and distinctive. Hymns and hymn books of life, and keep alive a vision of the future. In which do not do this should be rejected. This addition to these, there are other possible hymns is why it is right that our hymns are based on in the New Testament.4 the words of Scripture, and that we can all sing them with an easy conscience. It is important Yet to be that the words of our hymns are clear in their When we come to the Book of Revelation we find meaning—not vague and capable of double songs already composed and sung in the past, meaning. as well as others prepared for the Kingdom age. Scripture, rightly divided, ensures accuracy Revelation 5:9,10 refers to the time in the first cen- of the hymns’ content and makes clear to us tury when the saints offered their thanksgiving as we sing exactly what we believe. When we in their prayers, represented by the twenty-four all sing together, it is our collective worship of elders with their harps and golden vials full of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. We are making odours, because the Lord Jesus Christ was now a statement about our faith. For from our hearts worthy to take the book and open the seals. In we are expressing our personal appreciation of addition, verses 11-14 refer to the coming age what God has done for us in the life, crucifixion of the Kingdom; since “the universal exaltation and resurrection of the Lord Jesus and the hope of Christ, and glory to God in the highest, rep- resented in this symbolic scene, has never yet occurred on earth, it follows that we here have 3. 1 Pet. 1:19,20; 2:21-25; 3:18-22. linked with the incident of giving to Christ the 4. The following are suggested by C. K. Barrett in his power to open the seals because of his worthiness, commentary on 2 Corinthians: 2 Corinthians 4:4(b); a representation of the universal exaltation that Philippians 2:6-11; Colossians 1:15-20 and John 1:1. 5. Robert Roberts, Thirteen Lectures on the Apocalypse (3rd awaits him, when his whole seal-opening work edition, 1908), 3rd Lecture, p. 43. 5 is completed.” 6. Wesley Roberts, Professor of Music at Campbellsville There is another new song in Revelation 15:2- University, Kentucky, a noted organist and a past 4, this one described as “the song of Moses the president of Kentucky Music Teachers Association. Testimony, November 2018 412 Contents of immortality to come. Meanwhile we express 1 It is an opportunity for thanksgiving and the our thankfulness for forgiveness of sins and even praise of God and of the Lord Jesus now a better and richer quality of life. 2 It reinforces our fellowship and common beliefs Conclusion 3 It enables us to declare our personal faith in Hymn singing is important for at least four God’s truth and the hope of the gospel of peace reasons: 4 It is an essential element of our unity.

Contents

Exhortation For those who would be kings (1) Edward Carr

How often do we write out Scripture? When was the last A king was expected to have his time you put pen to paper to copy out a passage of the own handwritten copy of God’s law. It would help him to remember and Word of God? memorise the Word of God. How many of the kings actually did this OU MAY BE a regular writer-out of verses: is a matter for interesting discussion—did David on scraps of paper; on catalogue cards; on do so? Did Solomon? Hezekiah? Josiah? Others? Ybeautifully illustrated art paper. Or you What about us? may never have thought of doing it. Herein lies a practical challenge to Testimony readers to do Purpose ‘the duty of kings’: The intention of the command is that there will “And when he sits on the throne of his king- be personal remembrance, personal engage- dom, he shall write for himself in a book a ment, personal involvement with the Word of copy of this law, approved by the Levitical God. In writing the words, we are encouraged priests. And it shall be with him, and he shall to remember; in remembering, we are lifted up read in it all the days of his life, that he may by the power of God’s words. learn to fear the LORD his God by keeping all Here, then, is a personal challenge for us as the words of this law and these statutes, and individuals who are designated as prospective doing them” (Deut. 17:18,19, ESV). “kings and priests” of the age to come:

Each day, write out one significant passage from the daily readings, one personal favourite verse, or one meaningful biblical phrase. See how many days you can sustain this habit.

Testimony, November 2018 Contents 413 Watchman The war that won’t go away Shaun Maher

HE SYRIAN CIVIL WAR has been bubbling conflict to strengthen their hand and move into away for more than seven years.1 Whilst the geographically strategic positions in proximity to Tconflict has been on the verge of boiling Israel’s northern border. Neither of these powers over and spreading to other areas on a number has made any secret of their desire to wipe Israel of occasions, to date it has remained confined from the map. more or less to Syrian territory. This apparently Any one of these factors in isolation would intractable conflict is perhaps the most significant be a cause for concern, but the intense mix of threat to world peace today. Why do we think this conflicting national interests, the amount of is so? There is a number of contributory factors military hardware and personnel deployed, and that point to this conclusion. the deep-seated suspicion and hatred between the participants, creates a pressure-cooker envi- A complicated mix ronment that seems extremely likely to explode First, here in one relatively small area we have at some point. two opposing superpowers, each with a very different perspective on the preferred outcome Intractable foes and supporting opposite sides of the conflict: Israel is still technically at war with Syria and, Russia supporting the regime of Syria’s President since the last open conflict ended in 1973, she Assad, and the USA supporting the anti-Assad has carried out air strikes and occasional covert forces. Both powers have troops on the ground ground incursions in order to curtail Syrian and planes in the sky, a fact that significantly military developments that Israel sees as a threat increases the probability of a direct confrontation to her national security. These have continued at some point—either deliberately, or, perhaps the during the seven years of Syria’s civil war. But more likely scenario, inadvertently. since Russia’s arrival in 2015, Israel has been able The next factor is the overt presence of a num- to carry out these operations only by co-operating ber of opposing regional powers, alongside the with Russian forces, who control most of Syria’s two superpowers, vying to establish their domi- airspace. Until recently this arrangement seemed nance and to extend their sphere of influence in to be working well, with Israel increasing the fre- the Middle East. Turkish forces have established quency of its raids during the last twelve months a buffer zone inside northern Syria in order to as she has attempted to contain a new threat in keep the conflict away from their border and to the form of the Iranian military build-up just over manage Kurdish factions, but also to maintain the border in Syria. their influence and their supply chains to their Until the Syrian civil war, Iran’s only military proxies fighting directly in the conflict. On the presence in the region was her proxy army in opposite side, Iranian forces are fighting alongside Lebanon: Hezbollah. Over the last couple of the Assad regime, and are now constructing a years Iranian military forces have been working network of bases,2 suggesting that they are plan- directly with Hezbollah, particularly in the south ning to maintain their presence in the medium of Syria and around the Golan region. An article to long term. Although not directly involved in in The Atlantic 3 earlier this the year described how the conflict, another power, Saudi Arabia, is sup- Hezbollah now has more than 100,000 rockets porting anti-Assad Sunni factions on the ground. The third factor at play is the ancient enmity between nations neighbouring the conflict who 1. https://www.britannica.com/event/Syrian-Civil-War/Civil- are as yet involved only intermittently and in very war 2. https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20181004106 limited ways. Principal among these nations is 8599161-iran-bases-syria-israel/ Israel. Israel’s sworn enemies, Iran and Hezbol- 3. https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/ lah, have used their involvement in the Syrian 2018/07/hezbollah-iran-new-weapons-israel/565796/ Testimony, November 2018 414 Contents Russia’s S-300 missile system on display in Kiev in August this year. VoidWanderer (CC BY-SA 4.0)/Wikimedia Commons in its arsenal, many of which are equipped with Israel’s freedom to operate over Syrian airspace updated Iranian guidance systems. In the last war will be limited, in the short-term at least.7 Rus- in 2006, Hezbollah was able to fire 100 rockets per sia has also now provided Syria with the highly day into northern Israel, most of which landed advanced S-300 ground-to-air missile system, in unpopulated areas. With their new capability capable of shooting down the most advanced they will be able to strike the major population stealth aircraft. These developments are likely to centres to the south, including Jerusalem and create conditions which may facilitate the ambi- Tel-Aviv, with an enhanced capability of more tions of Iran and Hezbollah to establish military than 1,000 rockets per day. Understandably, this infrastructure in Syria with reduced harassment is of great concern to Israel. The tension between from Israeli forces. Israel and Iran has been growing steadily over the last eighteen months, and Iran’s ambitions A synagogue in the Golan have been curtailed only by regular strikes on Another factor at play is energy resources—in bases and military convoys by Israeli forces. Many the form of billions of barrels of oil reserves commentators are fearful that a direct Iran-Israel discovered in the Golan heights in 2015.8,9 With conflict in Syria is becoming highly likely.4 Russia on standby to rebuild Syria’s gas and oil

Friendly fire 4. https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20181006106 The situation was further complicated in Sep- 8655918-russia-mediator-for-israel-iran-in-syria/ tember when Syrian air defences shot down a 5. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/09/23/russia- Russian military surveillance aircraft over Syria.5 blames-misleading-israeli-intelligence-downed-plane- Even though the aircraft was attacked by Syrian syria/ forces, Russia blamed Israel for the loss.6 Why did 6. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/ the Russians direct their anger at Israel and not russia-revives-allegations-of-israeli-culpability-in- downed-plane-in-syria/2018/09/23/ac6741de-bf36-11e8- Syria? The reason appears to be that the Israeli 9f4f-a1b7af255aa5_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_ air force used the Russian aircraft as a shield to term=.52da2308237c carry out a bombing raid on Syrian targets. The 7. https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/syria/.pre Soviet-era S-200 air defence system used by the mium-downing-of-russian-jet-israel-fears-putin-will- Syrians was unable to distinguish between the clip-its-wings-in-syria-1.6492314 (requires subscrip- Russian plane and the smaller, faster Israeli jets, tion). 8. leaving the Russians as a ‘sitting duck’ when the https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/ Major-Shale-Find-Could-Guarantee-Israels-Oil-Supply- air defences were triggered. For-Years.html The Russians have continued to blame Israel for 9. http://www.atimes.com/ds-oil-bonanza-golan-heights- the friendly-fire incident, and it seems likely that jezreel-valley/ Testimony, November 2018 Contents 415 The recently restored Ein Keshatot synagogue in the Golan. Abraham Graicer (CC BY-SA 4.0)/Wikimedia Commons infrastructure further to the north,10 one cannot together in conflict, either to judge them, or to use but wonder if she also has an eye on the potential them to execute judgment on His wayward people bounty of these reserves as well as the offshore or their enemies. We might think, for instance, gas reserves in the Levant basin. The scale of of Sennacherib’s army being drawn down to Je- these finds is truly significant, and they have rusalem for destruction (2 Kgs. 19:35-37), or the the potential to turn Israel into a net exporter way that God actively raised up the Babylonians of gas and oil in years to come. It is easy to un- and brought them down to judge His people and derstand why Russia has come down into Syria destroy His city. The latter example is brought to and maintained such a prominent presence in our attention in interesting terms by Habakkuk: the area. There is potentially much to be gained “Look among the nations, and see; wonder and from staking a claim in Syrian affairs. be astounded. For I am doing a work in your Perhaps sensing this competition, and with her days that you would not believe if told. For own eye on the prized oil of the Golan, Israel has behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that been making political noises about sovereignty bitter and hasty nation . . . They are dreaded over this annexed territory. In October, Israeli and fearsome . . .” (Hab. 1:5-7).12 Prime Minister Netanyahu rededicated the newly These words do not imply that God passively restored Ein Keshatot synagogue in the Golan allowed the Babylonians to come to power (as with a speech stating that “Israel in the Golan some suggest in relation to current events); rather, is a fact. The international communities must this is described as God specifically “doing a recognise this . . . The Golan will always remain work” (v. 5), indicating that the process is active under Israeli sovereignty, otherwise we will have and intentional. Taking this view does not imply to accept Iran and Hezbollah on the shores of Lake Kinneret [Galilee].”11 10. https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Russia-Is- Taking-Over-Syrias-Oil-And-Gas.html The hand of God 11. https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Culture/Ein-Kes The conflict raging in Syria threatens to ignite a hatot-the-Golan-Heights-hidden-gem-opens-to-the- wider conflict at any moment, and in all likeli- public-569111. Interestingly, this article states that hood it is only by the restraining hand of God that the archaeological finds at Ein Keshatot were first this has not yet happened. We read in Scripture documented by Laurence Oliphant, the diplomat of occasions when God has restrained warring and traveller who was entrusted with the contribu- tions made by Christadelphians towards the Jewish factions or His own judgements until such times colonisation of Palestine (as it then was) during the as He was ready to accomplish His purpose, often 1880s. Oliphant’s name appears hundreds of times in through the participants in the conflict. There the pages of the Christadelphian during that decade. are examples of God bringing kings of the earth 12. Bible quotations are from the ESV. Testimony, November 2018 416 Contents that God approved of the Babylonians, or chose into full conflict. We might think of the picture them for their admirable attributes; far from it. in Revelation of God’s angels “holding back the The prophet describes them as a “bitter and hasty four winds of the earth” that no harm might come nation” (v. 6)—hardly characteristics that one upon the God’s servants (Rev. 7:1-3). It may be that would associate with goodness and godliness. a similar restraining hand is currently at work, This is borne out by the fact that ultimately the holding back God’s destructive judgements for Babylonians were themselves judged for their reasons not fully known to us. Might one such cruelty, and for their failure to recognise God’s reason be to provide time for the full number of hand in their military successes (Jer. 51:49). the Gentiles to be realised, and for His servants faithfully to discern the times and so prepare to Holding back the winds of judgement meet their Lord? We cannot be certain, but it may well be that the We do not know the answers to these ques- Syrian conflict will be the catalyst which brings tions, but we do put our trust in our heavenly about the final conflagration over God’s land, Father and pray that He will bless us in the time people and city, Jerusalem. All the ingredients that remains. We ask for the strength of faith and seem to be in place, but for the time being per- motivation to be profitable servants of our Master haps they are being held back from breaking out the Lord Jesus in all that we say and do.

Contents

Review Effective Bible study benefits from sound advice Geoff Henstock

Servants of the Lord: A In 2017, Lively Stones Publishing released a Bible Study Handbook. 380-page book entitled Servants of the Lord: A Brother David J. Burke. Bible Study Handbook. Written by Brother David Burke, the book describes itself as “a fresh, de- Lively Stones, 2017. mystifying look at Bible study for everyone.” It Paperback, 380 pages. is not clear how it can be described as “fresh,” ISBN 9781387041183. in that almost all of what is presented has been derived from the writings of other Bible scholars. The extent to which it demystifies Bible study is something each reader needs to assess for himself. The description on the back cover goes on to COMMUNITY which claims to be commit- state that “interpreting Scripture is a sacred trust.” ted to Bible study welcomes the production That is correct, and for that reason the usefulness A of books and other resources that facilitate of a book designed to assist in discharging that and encourage good study practices. If such ma- “sacred trust” should be tested; in this case, it terials are to be of value and utility, and recom- has been found wanting. mended for widespread use, it is vital that they be In his introduction, the author writes that balanced and sound. It is with regret, therefore, “We must uphold correct doctrine and practice, that a recent publication intended as a handbook correcting and guiding others where necessary, for Bible students cannot be wholeheartedly en- and accepting correction in our turn” (p. 11). It dorsed. While some of the material in the book is hoped that this review, although negative, will is interesting and instructive, there is a lack of be accepted by the author in the spirit of those balance which undermines its overall value. words. Testimony, November 2018 Contents 417 The importance of Bible study of the work without adding to the information After his introduction, Brother David discusses imparted. Had the author been more economi- the importance of Bible study. He recognises that cal with his references, and had the publishers “reading the Bible regularly is a great habit” (in adopted more ‘standard’ typesetting, the work fact, it is more than “a great habit”—it is vital) and could have been considerably shorter—much less continues by stating that “reading is no substitute than half its current length. for studying” (p. 12). It is true that reading and The book’s structure also is curious. After studying are not necessarily the same thing, but introductory comments on Bible study, there are we should resist any temptation to think that sections on Christian leadership and Christian study must always take the form of detailed, faith. These brief chapters, amongst the most analytical hermeneutics. Faithful, thoughtful valuable in the book, are well worth consider- reading is itself an entirely valid form of study. ing. They draw heavily on trends in religion There is a danger that those with an aptitude over recent decades, particularly in the United for detailed analysis might disparage less so- States, as identified by American evangelical phisticated means of simply listening attentively analyst George Barna. His research shows that to what God tells us in the Bible. God inspired there has been a rapid decline in Bible literacy and preserved His Word for the benefit of ordi- amongst people who identify as Christian. These nary people, not just for academics. An Israelite chapters also implicitly demonstrate the spiritual peasant-farmer and Tyndale’s proverbial “boy bankruptcy of the evangelical movement and that driveth the plough” are as competent to ap- the growing trend in Western culture towards preciate the divinely inspired message as highly an individualist approach to religion over the qualified and credentialled theologians—indeed, collectivist culture that is more consistent with sometimes their profound insights into Scripture the biblical model.1 elude their more academically educated brothers Our own community has not been immune to and sisters. these trends. Brother Alfred Nicholls drew atten- The Bible calls for reading and meditation, tion to the threats posed to our community by practices in which all disciples (academic and the evangelical movement in his 1983 book The non-academic) should engage, alongside prayer, Evangelical Revival—a modern challenge to Biblical praise, fellowship, service and other spiritual truth. The difficulties foreseen by Brother Alfred disciplines. Even the illiterate may meditate have become evident in sections of the Chris- effectively upon the Bible when it is read to tadelphian brotherhood in the thirty-five years them. Yet, sadly, this book offers little on how to since that work was published, and align with extract real value simply from adept reading; its Barna’s conclusions. emphasis on study at the expense of reading is unhelpful. The practising of justice, mercy and Imperfections faith outranks Bible study in importance, despite Part One of Brother David’s book, entitled “The study’s intrinsic value. This is not to deny, how- story of Scripture,” occupies nearly one third of ever, that there is a place for the academically the book. It outlines the development of the canon rigorous textual analysis of Scripture that this of Scripture, and its transmission and translation. book advocates. While interesting, this story has already been well told in many publications of both our com- Format and structure munity 2 and other religious groups. There are Although 380 pages, this is not a lengthy work. several rather ‘woolly’ statements and at least The text is printed double-spaced, and many pages have large amounts of blank space; quite a few pages have less than 100 words or are 1. The comments on collectivism on pages 179–85 are completely blank. There are 650 footnotes, many also well worth close consideration in this context. reproducing lengthy extracts from the writings 2. Books on this theme written by Christadelphians of others. There is a degree of repetition in these include Brother Richard Purkis’s The English Bible footnotes; for instance, in a chapter on the Lord’s and its Origins (Tamarisk, 1988) and Brother Derrick Banyard’s lavishly illustrated God’s Living Word—How letter to Laodicea in Revelation 3, footnote 555 the Bible Came to Us (The Christadelphian, 1993). In repeats verbatim the words of footnote 532, the 1920s, Sampson Low, Marsten & Co. published while footnote 577 repeats precisely the words Brother Frank Jannaway’s book The Bible and How it of footnote 560. This repetition adds to the bulk Came to Us. Testimony, November 2018 418 Contents one basic error in this section. On page 41 the were negative about Gibbon’s work, but in recent author says there is “evidence that later Hebrew decades there has been a resurgence in support copies of the Old Testament were based upon the from academics for what is still a standard text Dead Sea Scrolls”; but that cannot be true, as the on the subject. In view of this oversight, it would scrolls were unavailable for nearly 2,000 years. have been preferable for the author to temper the It is, however, likely that “later Hebrew copies tone of some of his comments about students who of the Old Testament” and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not keep up-to-date with modern scholarship. were based on the same sources. A feature of the book is the author’s advocacy When discussing the Old Testament, Brother of highly analytical, structured Bible study which David comments on the Septuagint. He asserts draws heavily on the most recent scholarship that it was the standard text for Jews in the land available. On page 138 he writes: in the time of Christ. Not all scholars would “Reject commentaries that lack extensive agree. The author provides little evidence for referencing and a bibliography. Beware of his claim other than the use of the Septuagint outdated scholarship: avoid any commentary in the Gospels when quoting the Old Testament, published earlier than 1965, since this will be which may not necessarily be verbatim reports reliant on material from up to two decades of what was said. earlier.3 Later in this section there is imbalance in the “If you are writing in 2017, you should not potted biographies of some key historical figures. be quoting sources based on research from 70 A disproportionate amount of biographical detail years ago unless you have a specific reason for is provided about William Tyndale—again, inter- doing so. Most commentaries of this vintage esting information, but it has been well covered have been superseded by more recent works.” in several readily accessible biographies. There This stance is not reasonable, and it may be de- also seems to be rather too much emphasis on rived from a practice in professional academic the views of the New Testament scholar Bart circles to prioritise recent books and papers Ehrman. It is not clear why the author thought over earlier ones. Ironically, Brother David’s it essential to include so much of this historical book quotes from the writings of John Calvin and biographical information in a Bible study (sixteenth century), Matthew Henry (eighteenth handbook. century), Brother John Thomas and Brother Part Two, “Resources and Preparation,” is the Robert Roberts (nineteenth century), Sir William first section which really addresses Bible study. Ramsey (1904), Philip and David Schaff (1910) and Unfortunately, many readers will find it irritat- L. Berkhof (1938)—all from more than seventy ing. It includes several assertions which overstate years ago. There is, of course, a vast reservoir the case, and some which are simply wrong. For of older works which have much to offer Bible instance, on page 129 Brother David writes that students. All works, no matter the source or age, “Bible dictionaries and commentaries are both need to be used critically, but older resources essential.” Yet generations of faithful Israelites which may be recommended include those of and Christians were able to understand God’s Bengel, Barnes, Alford, Lightfoot, Meyer, Keil Word and apply it to their lives long before Bible and Delitzsch, and Wordsworth. Commentary dictionaries and commentaries became available series which can be recommended include the to them; and today, many continue to esteem and Expositor’s Greek Testament, Expositor’s Bible, Pulpit apply God’s Word with no reference at all to such Commentary, Ellicott (unabridged), Jamieson Faus- aids. This and similar errors might have been set Brown, The Speaker’s Commentary, Westminster corrected had the book been subjected to more and Macmillan Commentaries, early volumes of thorough editing. the International Critical Commentary, Cambridge Greek Testament, and Cambridge Bible for Schools Modern scholarship and Colleges. Such works should not be dismissed Brother David makes much of the need to keep so peremptorily. abreast of modern scholarship and, on page 130, Despite what is asserted in this book, it can lists a range of well-known texts that he dismisses be argued that current Christian scholarship is as outdated. One of these is Gibbon’s Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Some up-to-date views about this work have been disregarded. It is true 3. Perhaps unintentionally, these comments effectively that in the mid-twentieth century some historians write off the expositions of Brother John Carter. Testimony, November 2018 Contents 419 moving in the opposite direction. Increasingly it Page 151 asserts that parables typically teach a is being realised that far too little attention has single point. This is a non-critical regurgitation of been paid to the history of Bible interpretation. an idea first introduced by Adolf Jülicher. Yet in Hence there are several new series coming out fact, when Jesus himself interprets his own para- whose precise purpose is to draw attention to bles—for instance, in the Parable of the Sower, and the exegesis of the church ‘fathers,’ the Orthodox the Parable of the Tares—he interprets them detail tradition and Reformation scholars. Antiquity by detail. It is all very well to be aware of modern does not confer automatic authority, but neither scholarship and debate, but we must always ap- does modernity. proach it with a critical mindset. On page 152 the Throughout the book, the author’s attraction author looks at the Parable of the Ten Virgins and to technical language is evident. For example, he rejects the “traditional” interpretation without uses terms such as lingua franca and ‘heresiarch,’ suggesting a more satisfactory alternative, even both of which he defines in a footnote. Later he though the “traditional” view is supported by uses the word ‘eschatological,’ but without ex- both the immediate and broader context. planation. It is unhelpful to use terms that your Pages 190–1 discuss literacy rates in the ancient audience may not recognise, especially if they world. While literacy rates at that time generally are unnecessary. At the end of the book there were very low, it is surely a mistake to assume (as is a glossary of technical terms, but several of this book does) that this was the case in Israel. the technical terms used are not included there. The greatest impediment to widespread reading in ancient Israel was a lack of access to scrolls, Literature and world of the Bible especially for the poor in remote areas (although These are the themes of Parts Three and Four. even the synagogue in Nazareth had at least the There are elements here which are useful, but, scroll of Isaiah), rather than an inability to read. as with other sections of the book, these parts Basing estimates for Jewish literacy on those in are patchy and unbalanced, and there are some other contemporary societies does not do the Jews unfortunate minor errors, such as on page 149, justice. They worshipped a God who had specifi- where the author classifies all of Paul’s epistles cally revealed Himself through words, and who as pastoral. specifically discouraged the use of statues and In this section the author discusses literary images. That meant that Jews had an incentive genres encountered in the Bible. He opens his to become literate which did not apply in other overview of narrative by stating: “Narratives of communities. the ancient world were highly subjective” (p. 145). One of the more extraordinary claims made Indeed, all narratives are highly subjective, and in this book is on page 158: we need to be conscious of the author’s intent “The primary goal of the interpretative pro- in selecting the material presented or omitted. cess is to understand the original meaning of There is some evidence of selectivity in Servants the text. The secondary goal is to determine of the Lord: A Bible Study Handbook. An example of whether or not the text has a contemporary this is the lengthy discussion, on pages 165–9, of application. In many cases (if not most) it John Pilch’s flawed analysis of the word “heaven,” will not.”4 reflecting perhaps the emphasis placed on this This is unsustainable. All Scripture is inspired term in online debates about the interpretation by God and is profitable for instruction. To sug- of Genesis 1, in which the author has taken part gest that “in many cases (if not most)” there is no in recent years. contemporary application for a message that God When discussing wisdom literature on page graciously inspired and preserved for the benefit 150, Brother David quotes approvingly Allen C. of His people is staggering. The implication for Myers’ comment in The Eerdmans Bible Diction- the doctrine of inspiration inherent in this view is ary that acquaintance with ancient Near Eastern reflected on pages 212–3, where the author writes wisdom literature is necessary to interpret its about the need to distinguish between “personal Old Testament counterpart. This cannot be true. opinion and divine injunction” when analysing It is inconceivable that God would have inspired Paul’s epistles. so many books (among them some of the most popular in the Bible) in this genre if such academic knowledge were essential to understanding 4. A similar claim is made on page 149 about the New them. Testament epistles. Testimony, November 2018 420 Contents In Part 6, “Study Examples,” there are some Sources helpful interpretative comments about several After the glossary, to which reference has already passages, such as Amos 4 and Revelation 13. In been made, the book concludes with lists of rec- this section, the author draws attention to the ommended resources in terms of lexicons, Bible importance of the sociohistorical context of pas- dictionaries, commentaries and other relevant sages being studied. This is true of both Scripture books. There is also a detailed bibliography. and uninspired literature. It is also possible to These lists are interesting as much for what is detect the sociohistorical context within which omitted as what is included. Although these lists Brother David has written his book. Reference are compiled and published by Christadelphians, has already been made to the influence of recent there appear to be only three Christadelphian debate about Genesis 1. There is also frequent works in the list of recommended books (all in the evidence of the author’s frustration with cultural Apologetics category) and four Christadelphian practices and approaches to Bible study that he authors in the bibliography. What is the author has encountered in the past and which he regards suggesting in this selection of texts? as counterproductive. In addition to the books listed earlier which The study examples are followed by a brief sec- deal with the development of the canon and tion on critical thinking and a section on writing its transmission, there are many other relevant and public speaking. The comments on critical and profitable Christadelphian works to which thinking could have been expanded, while the Brother David could have referred his readers, in- comments on writing and speaking seem periph- cluding books by Brother Alfred Norris (On Read- eral at best. Writing and speaking ought not to ing the Bible, Believing the Bible and Understanding be a primary objective in Bible study. In addition, the Bible), Brother Harry Whittaker (Exploring the the points about writing are slanted towards the Bible and Enjoying the Bible), and Brother Richard preparation of formal academic papers and texts Purkis (Word Start—First Steps in Bible Study). rather than devotional, exhortational and Bible One might also have expected to see reference to study material which are of so much wider value Brother John Thomas’s pamphlet How to Search the in our community. It also is curious that, on page Scriptures, and Brother Ron Abel’s notes How to be 322, the writing of books is omitted from the list a Better Reasoner. If it be argued that none of these of examples of formal writing. works presents a systematic and comprehensive approach to Bible study, then the same is true of Oversights A Bible Study Handbook. There are two very valuable study techniques or traits which the author fails to mention in this Conclusion work. Perhaps the most significant of these is the Lively Stones Publishing describes itself as a failure to comment on the value of quotations, by publisher of “high quality books reviewed prior later inspired writers, of earlier Bible passages. to publication (by committee members with spe- These are, in effect, divinely inspired commen- cialized knowledge of the book’s subject),” and in taries. Often the full significance of a passage his dedication the author names seven individuals would not be recognised were it not for the way who assisted in reviewing his work. There would it is later quoted. An example of this is the way have been much benefit in seeking comment Paul quotes Psalm 2:7 in Acts 13:33. from a broader range of people, including some The second unfortunate omission is the failure generalists with no “specialized knowledge of to comment on the value of comparing notes the book’s subject” and people who do not share with other faithful students. Many Bible students many of the author’s perspectives. Had this been can confirm the ‘iron sharpening iron’ benefits done, some of the errors and weaknesses in the that can flow from discussing their findings and book might have been more readily identified and thoughts with others whose comments have corrected prior to publication. As it is, Servants of helped them to challenge their preconceptions the Lord: A Bible Study Handbook is a patchy and and round out their thinking, often to great unbalanced work which cannot be endorsed for mutual benefit. widespread use.

“If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord” (1 Cor. 14:37).

Testimony, November 2018 Contents 421 History The letters of John Thomas to Alexander Campbell (9)— Part 2 Edited and annotated by Reg Carr

The concluding part of Brother Thomas’s plead, in their behalf, that there are Christians letter written from Liberty, Amelia in all sects. How have the brethren received this County, Virginia, on 20 November 1837 avowal? Some of them go so far as to say that if and addressed to Alexander Campbell in you were to come among them they would not Bethany, Virginia. fellowship you. But for myself, I consider this as going too far. I was at Smyrna, King and Queen.5 UT WHAT makes this crisis so favorable an I spoke there. When I had done, Bro. T. M. Henley opportunity to discharge ‘the great gun of rose and gave notice, requiring a full attendance Bexcommunication’ against me? Let us see. of the church on the ensuing Lord’s Day to take I perceive in the ninth number of the Harbinger, three extracts from the letter of a sister in Lunen- 1. ‘The Lunenburg Letter’ became something of a cause burg.1 That letter has been charged upon me, célèbre among the Campbellites in the late 1830s. It either as the prompter or writer. But the sister was written by Sister Louisa A. Anderson, the wife who wrote it can testify that it was all written and of Brother Albert Anderson, and was published in folded for the mail before I knew of its existence. full by Brother Thomas in the Advocate of September 1838 (pp. 155–7). Addressing Alexander Campbell I have heard the whole epistle read—and a most pseudonymously in June 1837 as ‘Shelemiah,’ Louisa excellent one it is—and it would have been well Anderson asked him very pointedly what role in the had you laid it before your readers entire, that process of salvation he assigned to immersion into they might themselves have been permitted the a full belief of the gospel. Sister Anderson’s basic privilege of reading and judging independently question was, ‘What is it that makes a Christian a of your views of expediency. My good brother, true Christian?’, and this was one of the key topics the remarks which you have appended to the on which Campbell and Brother Thomas differed so strikingly. The definition of what constitutes true extracts, go to the utter subversion of the gospel of Christian baptism became an issue that has reverber- Jesus Christ. This is not my individual opinion. ated throughout the history of the Disciples of Christ. I am sustained in it by the loud and stern deci- Indeed, Peter Hemingray describes the Lunenburg sion of brethren in whom you do confide, and Letter as “one of the most famous letters in the whole others who, if you knew them in their Christian history of the Campbellite movement,” and he credits character, you could not but respect. I have not it with initiating a “discussion [which] still continues . . . among the Disciples of Christ” (Peter Hemingray, long returned from a tour through Caroline, John Thomas: his friends and his faith, pp. 73 & 278). Spottsylvania, Essex, King and Queen, and King 2. These counties lay, more or less contiguous to each 2 William. I have had an opportunity of acquaint- other, to the north and east of the Doctor’s farm in ing myself with the sentiments of Protestants Amelia County. The tour will have covered at least and brethren.3 The Episcopalians, Presbyterians, 300 miles. Methodists and Baptists of the day congratulate 3. By “brethren” here, Brother Thomas meant Campbel- themselves that you have at length come over to lites. 4. That is, Campbell’s 1837 debate with Bishop Purcell them, and that ‘the Campbellites’ will have to (see Note 11 in last month’s article). follow! This is natural enough: he who stands 5. There is still a Smyrna (Christian) Church, at Powcan before the world as “the Champion of Protestant- in King and Queen County, Virginia. It lies about ism” (I have read the debate),4 the next step is to thirty-five miles northeast of Richmond. Testimony, November 2018 422 Contents into consideration certain opinions that were be- assertion. I believe with all my heart, and without the ing introduced into this Reformation.6 I turned shadow of a reservation, that there will be a resurrec- to a brother, inquiring, What next?, supposing tion of the just and unjust. Mr. Jones of London, that I was about to come under trial. But I was informed that it was not I this time, but Brother Al- 6. Thomas M. Henley (1783–1846) was a Campbellite exander Campbell. Tempora mutantur, thought I, the elder in King and Queen County for many years. times are changed, et nos mutamur ab illis! 7 I next He had been a Baptist preacher until 1824, when visited the Acquinton in King William.8 There I Campbell personally converted him to become a learned that a remonstrance had been signed by Disciple of Christ, and he remained a Campbellite until his death. He lived in Hillsborough, King and a full meeting against your perversion of Scrip- Queen, from 1834, and was closely associated with ture in the remarks on the Lunenburg sister’s the Smyrna and Rappahannock Churches. He was a letter.9 frequent contributor to Campbell’s Millennial Harbin- I know a place, not 40 miles from this, where I ger, especially in the correspondence section, and he learned that my detractors were scheming to get actively opposed the preaching of Brother Thomas in up a charge against me,10 in order to divert my Eastern Virginia. Henley’s son Robert married one of attention from your gospel-nullifying sentiments. Campbell’s daughters. 7. Tempora mutantur et nos mutamur ab [sometimes in] My dear Brother, I do not charge you with the illis is a Latin expression, adapted from the writings same intention; but this I say, that your “coming of the Latin poet Ovid (43 BC–AD 17), and means ‘the down like a thunderstorm” upon me at this times change, and we change with them.’ “crisis,” fulminating your bull of excommunica- 8. The Acquinton Church, in Rumford, King William tion against me upon the flimsy and revengeful County, was originally built in 1734. It was renovated report of an enemy, which you seem to have in 2010 and is on the Historic American Buildings seized upon with a morbid avidity, does appear Survey register. 9. This ‘remonstrance’ took the form of a letter of com- remarkably coincident. But I assure you, the day plaint objecting to certain remarks Campbell had is past, and I trust gone forever, when great ec- made in answering the questions posed by the Lunen- clesiastical personages can make their ‘inferiors’ burg Letter in the Millennial Harbinger of September the scape-goat of their offences. May I not retort 1837. Campbell attempted to explain himself in the upon you? You are yourself as much a subject November 1837 issue of his magazine, in an article of discipline as you would make me. May I not entitled “Christians among the sects” (pp. 506–8); but advise you to clear your own skirts before you he ended up splitting hairs unsatisfactorily about what makes a repentant believer a Christian. He simply set about purifying the brethren of me? could not wriggle out of the fact that, in answering I should not have named the things which the Lunenburg Letter, he had written that it was not now see the light in this letter; but you have put right to “make any one duty the standard of Christian me upon the defensive. My cause is too just to state or character, not even Christian immersion,” permit me to indulge invectively, as some may and that “there is no occasion for making immersion term a warmth and energy of style. My Brother, on a profession of the faith absolutely essential to a you have done me no real harm. I do not think Christian.” Campbell was forced to acknowledge that, “judging from numerous letters received,” his “reply you can now separate from me twenty patrons. to the sister from Lunenburg [had] given some pain Your decree from Bethany has arrived about one to our brethren, and some pleasure to our sectar- month too late. The September Advocate is in the ian friends” (Millennial Harbinger, Dec. 1837, p. 561). hands of its subscribers, and they know from Campbell seems to have felt so conscious that he had that that your manifesto is the baseless fabric of failed to settle this issue convincingly that he went on a vision. I need not, therefore, offer any further to publish a Millennial Harbinger ‘Extra’ issue, which remarks in refutation of Mr. Hunnicutt’s fictions, he dedicated “To all those brethren in Virginia and elsewhere, who have either in their individual or social for fictions they are, as brethren who heard both relations addressed me on the meaning and tendency sides can abundantly testify. of an opinion expressed in reply to some queries from But if his are fictions, your allegations being a sister in Lunenburg, Va.” (ibid., p. 577). founded upon these, are fictitious too. You have 10. This was Richmond, about forty miles east of the become my public accuser. In the discharge of Doctor’s farm, and where a scurrilous pamphlet at- your official attributes you accuse me of denying tacking him had been published in 1836 (see Note 8 in last month’s article). the resurrection of the dead 11 . Permit me to say that 11. Campbell had specifically written of the Doctor as the fervor of your imagination has obscured your one “who denies the resurrection of the dead, and the judgment. Did I not see the charge before me, I future judgment of all mankind” (Millennial Harbinger, could not believe you would make so reckless an Nov. 1837, p. 511). Testimony, November 2018 Contents 423 in his Lectures on the Apocalypse,12 says that the sophist, too weak and hazardous, too glaring and First Resurrection is but metaphorical, yet you can mutable ever to form and cement a party.” How fellowship him, though he has unfellowshipped is it, Bro. C., that your giant-strength has failed you. You are not so sensitive, therefore, upon this to crush so “weak,” so “hazardous,” so “mutable” doctrine in relation to me. Now “do justice though a thing as I? Look at the “party” you have been the heavens fall.”13 I believe that there will be “forming” and “cementing” for the last years of two literal resurrections of dead bodies. You know I your life. Look at certain churches I could name, believe this, provided only you read what I write. and then say if you have succeeded in forming I believe in a resurrection of the dead saints at and cementing parties against which the gates the Second Coming of Christ, and in a second of Hades shall not prevail. What is the cause resurrection of saints and sinners, the subjects of that splitting and apathy, and that worldly- of the personal reign of Jesus on earth for one mindedness under which they suffer? These are thousand years. I believe in the judgment which things in which I have had no hand. I will tell sits upon the subjects of the second resurrection you what it is: it is attributable to the unsound at the end of the Millennium—a judgment of all principles upon which these churches are con- both small and great, who have done good or evil ac- stituted. There is too much of the leaven of An- cording as it shall be determined by the things written tichrist, which they must purge out from among in the Books.14 them before they will be prepared to meet the As to the accusation about “all Adam’s race King.17 who die in infancy,” and which you have printed But your decree takes an amazing sweep. My in capitals, it is nothing more than an appeal poor, weak, hazardous, glaring, and mutable self which a man of sense ought not to condescend is not enough to satiate its appetite: ecclesiastical to.15 I regard it as an appeal to animal passion; proscription must have more victims than one to the forlorn hope of weak, defeated partisans. My gratify its inordinate desires! All “who believe” opponent in the debate swelled amazingly upon as well as teach what I maintain must go by the this topic, knowing how calculated it was to alarm board with me! Well, I congratulate myself that the parentalism of his hearers. For my own part, I am not alone. But whose fault is it that I have I scarcely ever mention it on this account, for it is the most difficult thing in the world to elevate the intellect of an audience above their passions. 12. On “Mr. Jones of London” see Brother Thomas’s letter of 23 July 1835 (published in the Testimony, vol. 86, no. Nevertheless, when questions are put to me, I an- 1,019, Sept. 2016, p. 353), Notes 2, 3 and 11. swer as readily as I can, come what will. You say, 13. This is the English translation of Fiat justitia ruat my Brother, that the contrary doctrine is taught caelum, a Latin legal maxim which was one of the in the Scriptures. Prove it if you can. I know you Doctor’s favourite sayings. cannot. Shew that eternal life is unconditional, and 14. In his inaccurate reporting of the Doctor’s debate with then I will give up the point.16 the Rev. Watt (see Note 9 in last month’s article), James “Doleful gospel” is a singular phrase. Who Hunnicutt had made it appear that Brother Thomas denied “the resurrection of the dead, and the future ever heard of glad tidings full of grief? The gospel I j u d g m e n t .” am accustomed to teach is full of joy to all people 15. Basing his criticisms of Brother Thomas on Hunnicutt’s who will obey it. It is that, though under sentence false account of the debate with Watt, Campbell had of death, God offers them eternal life on condition asked the readers of the Harbinger: “Is he their ‘apostolic of believing and obeying the truth concerning Jesus. advocate’ who preaches, writes, and publicly debates to But you know what I maintain as well as I do convince them and the world of this doleful gospel— myself, for it is plainly laid down in my former THAT ALL ADAM’S RACE WHO DIE IN INFANCY ARE LOST FOR EVER?” (Millennial Harbinger, Nov. letters to you. Though you say I am mutable, I 1837, p. 511). still adhere to that. 16. Campbell appears never to have replied to the Doctor You have brought many railing accusations on this point! against me. May the Lord forgive you; I do. You 17. Such hard-hitting home truths must have stung Camp- term me “the chosen vessel” of former years, bell a great deal, since he must have known that the “the person,” an “incorrigible factionist,” “a bold Churches of Christ were becoming ‘broad’ in just the way that the Baptist churches had done before them. speculator,” “a schismatic,” &c. This may be all Where Brother Thomas was most active, in Eastern very polite in your estimation; but I really think Virginia, at least some of the churches were turning that it is both “vulgar” and “abusive.” You say to a narrower, and more discriminating, form of the that you “do most sincerely regard me as a mere gospel. Testimony, November 2018 424 Contents company? It is the fault of him who cuts us off. you distil an opinion that there are ‘Christians It is he that makes a party and not the proscribed. among Protestant Parties’!25 You will perceive from this Advocate,18 that I have But has it not entered into your conceptions a companion in heresy in the Editor of a northern that a proposition may, at one and the same time, periodical of unimpeachable integrity.19 I could be both a matter of faith and a matter of opinion? A name evangelists and elders of churches, besides few years ago, the proposition was advanced by numerous brethren who believe with me, all you, in your debate with Macalla, I believe, that brethren who adorn the gospel of God. But with baptism was for remission of sins.26 This to you these you proclaim that you have “no more fel- lowship than with Mormonism and those who 18. That is to say, the November 1837 issue of the Advocate, teach it.” What a declaration! Even “sincerity,” in which Brother Thomas published a copy of this that darling substitute for the obedience of the letter to Campbell (pp. 231–42). gospel, will avail us nothing! We are “subverted,” 19. This was Silas E. Shepard, of Auburn, New York, the and to destruction we must go; for our doctrines Editor of the Primitive Christian. An article by Shepard, are declared to be “positively subversive of the entitled “Materialism and anti-Materialism”—agree- Christian faith.” But this we deny. We know they ing substantially with the Doctor’s point of view on the mortality of man and the resurrection of the are subversive of Protestantism, but certainly not body—was reprinted in the same issue of the Advocate of Christianity. as this letter to Campbell (Nov. 1837, pp. 225–7). As to my “speculation” and “opinionism,” per- 20. “Discussion of Universalism” was the title of a long- mit me to say that you are the last man in America running epistolary debate that filled the pages of that ought to reproach me in reference to these. the Millennial Harbinger during 1837. The letters were What is your controversy with Mr. Skinner but exchanged between Campbell and a leading Univer- speculation?20 To one who reads the Scriptures salist minister, Dolphus Skinner, of Utica, New York. As Brother Thomas rightly pointed out, the debate attentively, and understands them according was full of speculation, and both writers went well to their most obvious signification, there is no beyond what was written in Scripture. difficulty in coming to the conclusion that the 21. Campbell had written, in an article entitled “Opin- theories neither of yourself nor of your opponent ionism”: “There is a growing taste for opinionism in can possibly be sustained. And as to opinionism, the ranks of reformation. This must be quashed, or have you not, my brother, in your tenth number, there will be an end to all moral and religious im- decreed that the propagation of opinions shall provement. It has ever been the harbinger of schism, 21 the forerunner of all discord, vain jangling, and bad be quashed? But how have you obeyed your feeling amongst all classes of religionists” (Millennial own laws? Look at the eleventh number, under Harbinger, Oct. 1837, p. 439). the caption ‘Christians among the Sects.’ There 22. Quoted from the Millennial Harbinger, November 1837, you confess that in the ninth number under the p. 506. same head you had been propagating opinion- 23. Campbell’s debate with Bishop Purcell (see Note 11 in ism through the length and breadth of the land, last month’s article) amounted to an apology for Prot- at least wherever the Harbinger circulates, for you estantism, which Campbell championed robustly, and was heartily endorsed by the Baptists (see Millennial say “we gave it as our opinion that there were Harbinger, 1837, pp. 105–12). 22 Christians among the Protestant Sects.” Your 24. Brother Thomas was probably here referring to this opinion, as we have seen, has been extolled by curious remark made by Campbell in the Millennial those sects; and however you may modify your Harbinger (Sept. 1837, p. 413): “John Bunyan and John opinion, they understand you as recognizing them Newton were very different persons, and had very as Christians, and with this they are content. If different views of baptism, and of some other things; anything makes a party in “this reformation” it yet they were both disposed to obey, and to the extent of their knowledge did obey the Lord in every thing.” will be your championship of Protestantism and 25. Campbell had written, in the July 1837 Millennial 23 your proclamation of that opinion. You have Harbinger (p. 293): “. . . we find in all Protestant parties not the shadow of a shade for that opinion in the Christians.” It was this very phrase that was chal- Bible. You speculate upon Jews, Turks, Pagans, lenged by the Lunenberg Letter (see Note 1 above). Romanists, Protestants, perfect and imperfect 26. Brother Thomas must have read the published version Christians, a nondescript obedience which falls of Campbell’s debate with the Presbyterian minister William Maccalla, on the subject of “Christian bap- gospel short of obedience, on the Newtons, and tism,” which took place in Washington, Kentucky, in 24 the Bunyans, inward and outward Christians, October 1823. Campbell’s contention that baptism was inward and outward baptism, essentials and for the remission of sins was dismissed by Maccalla non-essentials, and so forth; from all of which as an unproved opinion. Testimony, November 2018 Contents 425 was a matter of faith; and why? Because there Sadduceanism.”27 How easily I demolished your was testimony sufficient before your mind to whole fabric based upon this will appear from p. make it so. Not more, perhaps, than three or four 21, vol. 4.28 But if you are not satisfied with my persons believed it. You propounded it. But how reasoning upon the subject, allow me to recom- was it received by the public? As an opinion; and mend to your notice an article in the present why? Because there was not sufficient testimony number over the signature of A. B. Walthall.29 It before their minds to make it a matter of faith. has already appeared in the Primitive Christian; 30 Now suppose the public had said to you on that and would, perhaps, enlighten not a little the occasion, “Mr. Alexander Campbell, Sir, the world exclusive readers even of the Millennial Harbinger. has hitherto been sufficiently harassed by the But I am glad that I am too weak “to form and opinions of men, we have therefore determined cement a party.” The party that will be approved to be distinctly understood upon this topic; we by God is that only which is formed and cemented now consequently make known to you that we by the truth. I belong to this party; and having are resolved to quash the liberty of propagating volunteered under its banner I intend to enter opinions. We command you, therefore, ‘explicitly into no compromise with any other. You can do to renounce’ and to be for ever silent respecting as you please about persisting in or retracting your opinion that baptism is for remission of your fulminations; it matters not. You may cast sins, which in our judgment is speculative and us out of your church but, thanks be to the King, untaught.” Suppose they had dictated thus to you you cannot deprive us of the rights of citizenship as, in effect, you have to those who dissent from or expel us from His Kingdom. You have excom- you; pray, my good brother, where would now municated us, it is true; but we are still “kings and be the doctrine of baptism for remission of sins? priests to God,” constituted such by being washed The Baptists, I trow, would have been spared in the blood of a royal victim. We have still the much distress, and even you might have missed right, though denounced by the whole world, if the renown of having schismatized a portion of unjustly condemned, to commune in spirit with their communion. the Father Who has begotten us to Himself by a Allow me to observe that editors and peri- belief of the truth. odicals are not the bond of union in a church of We are commanded to return good for evil. Be- Christ. Under existing circumstances they are ing yet “in the hope” as you profess to be, I expect indispensable to the dissemination of truth and to meet you in the Kingdom of the Everlasting­ to the subversion of error. But a congregation of Christian philosophers will contemplate an edi- 27. In the 1836 Millennial Harbinger, under the heading torial war as a mere ‘battle of books.’ They will “Materialism,” Campbell wrote a series of articles believe those propositions which have the most designed to dispose of the Doctor’s views about the evidence to sustain them. It is the truth which mortality of man, the resurrection of the body, and unites them in the bonds of peace and affection. the judgement of the responsible. Campbell’s seven- teenth “argument” against the Doctor appeared in They will not declare for this champion or for the December 1836 number (pp. 559–60). Campbell that; though both may be slain, the word of the referred disparagingly to the Doctor’s views, first, as Lord abides for ever. They regret the fury of the ‘Materialism’ because Brother Thomas believed that combatants, while they smile at the impotency ‘the soul’ ceased to exist at death, and secondly as of their rage. They have no partialities: they sigh ‘Sadduceanism’ because the Doctor did not believe only for the victory of truth. in universal resurrection. Before you proceed again to reclaim me from 28. Brother Thomas’s thoroughgoing reply to Campbell’s ‘Argument 17’ (about Luke 20:38, “God is not a God of “opinionism,” permit me to suggest that my wor- the dead, but of the living”) appeared in the Advocate, thy physician would heal himself. “First take the May 1837, pp. 21–3. splinter out of your own eye; then you will see to 29. A. B. Walthall’s article “Jesus and the Sadducee” take the mote out of thy brother’s.” The insuper- (Advocate, Nov. 1837, pp. 229–31) was very much in able facts to my theory, which you say you laid line with the Doctor’s understanding of Luke 20:38. before my face, and which it is alleged I did not Walthall was an elder of the Paineville Church and profess to meet or obviate, were, if passed over at a signatory of the Paineville circular which publicly repudiated Campbell’s call to the Disciples of Virginia all, omitted as your weakest points for the saving to disfellowship the Doctor (see Note 33 below). of time. Your strongest position, as you supposed, 30. The Primitive Christian was Silas Shepard’s monthly was your “17th Argument.” This you termed a periodical, published in Auburn, New York, from 1835 “most triumphant refutation of Materialism and to 1841. Testimony, November 2018 426 Contents Age. I shall therefore treat you as a brother, and But I shall not seek to bias their decision,33 for I regard you as such, though somewhat more dic- am armed too strong in the justice of my cause tatorial than you have a right to be. I shall still to have recourse to any sinister means of defence. continue to plead for what I believe to be true, With the most unfeigned wishes for your well- though it should cross you at every step. I shall not being in all things, seek to encounter you unnecessarily; but if you I subscribe myself, dear Brother, continue to plead for an UNBAPTIZED CHRIS- Yours in all Christian benevolence, TIANITY, I shall oppose you with all my powers, John Thomas contemptible as you may deem them to be. My case I willingly submit to the jurisdiction of 31 the church to which I belong. It is composed of 31. That is, the Paineville Church, in Amelia County, honorable and intelligent men, who have learned Virginia, where Brother Thomas was a member until how to rise superior to vulgar prejudice. I will not 1839. anticipate their decision; but as they are friends 32. The French expression amende honorable means, in this to us both, and no doubt will require that justice context, ‘a satisfactory apology.’ be done to each, it is possible they may respect- 33. In the event, the Paineville Church came out unani- mously in favour of retaining Brother Thomas in fel- fully call upon you to retract your decree, and to lowship. Not only so, but they also issued a general republish my remarks upon Hunnicutt, and this circular criticising Campbell’s procedure. See: “The letter to you, as a part of the amende honorable 32 Church at Paineville and the Harbinger,” Advocate, to which I as the injured party may be entitled. January 1838, pp. 299–303. Contents

History Danzig: a miracle, a tragedy, and a warning Paul Maplethorpe

In times of great persecution, it has been possible to see Baltic Sea port Between the two World Wars, Danzig, God’s hand at work on behalf of His people. Such events on the Baltic Sea coast, was a so-called cause us to reflect on our readiness to meet the Lord, free port under League of Nations should similar testing come for the saints in the last days. protection. Bordered by Germany and Poland, it was a cause of friction and EW READERS of the Testimony will recall distrust between its two vastly larger neighbours. the events leading up to the start of the From 1920 until 1939, the port and its hinterland FSecond World War. Unless we are at least formed the Free City of Danzig. The intention of in our late seventies, those events are only his- the decision-makers who created this entity was tory, outside our own experience, and we cannot to give the largely landlocked Polish state access comprehend the sufferings which were endured to the sea, to facilitate the import and export of by our brethren and sisters during the dark days goods between Poland and the rest of the world. of that terrible conflict. But for the brethren and The problem with Danzig was that it was essen- sisters in Germany, and in areas occupied by tially a German city, with German-speakers form- the forces of the Third Reich in the period im- ing the majority—around ninety-five per cent of mediately before and during the Second World its population according to the census of 1923. War, the position was far worse than for those The city’s religious composition reflected its who lived in the English-speaking world at that Germanic ethnic background, with a little over time. fifty per cent Protestants (largely Lutherans), Testimony, November 2018 Contents 427 The significance of Danzig is that, from its creation by the League of Nations, it provided an important haven and transit point for Jewish refugees fleeing from civil war in Poland and Russia. Over 50,000 Jews used the port as a transit facility to overseas emigration. Most went to Canada and the United States. But the city was not only a temporary refuge from persecution; for others it represented the possibility of a new home, a safe haven, in a very volatile Europe. Over the twelve years from 1925 to 1937, the Jewish popula- tion of Danzig increased from some- thing over 7,000 (consisting of around 2,500 citizens and up to 5,000 stateless refugees) to around 12,000 in 1937. This substantial increase was remarkable in itself, but what took place afterwards surely demonstrates the hand of the Almighty with His people.

Increasing persecution Annemarie Schwarzenbach (Public domain)/Wikimedia Commons According to the most reliable figures, Danzig city theatre in 1937, showing evidence of the by late 1939 Danzig’s Jewish population rising influence of the Nazi party in the free city. had fallen to just over 1,500. Thus in around a third Roman Catholics (mostly Polish), two years the number of Jews living in the city and slightly under two-and-a-half per cent Jews and its immediate environs reduced by more and other religious groups. than 10,000—over eighty per cent of the Jews of From Danzig’s inception, Germany resented Danzig left the city. They had seen ‘the writing the fact that the city, with more than ninety on the wall.’ Whilst some persecution occurred per cent of its population being German-speak- soon after the Nazi Party dominated the city ing, did not form part of the German state. administration from 1933, serious trouble did not This resentment increased after Hitler’s rise to really occur until October 1937, when, following power in 1933 and his wish to unite all German a speech by the Nazi city leader, an organised peoples into one vast German state, in line with pogrom against Jews resulted in the destruction Nazi philosophy. Thus members of the Nazi of a number of Jewish properties and serious party, especially at its higher levels, encouraged damage to others in the city. The following year ethnic Germans in neighbouring states such as saw increasing persecution, as laws similar to Austria, Bohemia, Moravia and Poland to fo- those then in force in Germany were introduced ment political disruption by seeking integration in Danzig. Jews were forbidden to go to places into Greater Germany. Scarcely any state with a of entertainment or to stay in hotels, and were German minority escaped the attention of the barred from most professions. In November 1938, Nazi party, as they each claimed their ‘right’ to two nights after the Kristallnacht riots in Germany, join their fellows in the larger German union. when hundreds of synagogues were destroyed Danzig was no exception to this policy, under and Jewish shops and businesses were looted, which Germany absorbed the Saar, Austria, and three synagogues in Danzig were destroyed. Bohemia and Moravia. The largest, the Great Synagogue, was saved by A clear insight into the background and history Jewish war veterans. of Danzig is provided in chapter 6 of Brother Jason 1 Hensley’s book Part of the Family, which considers 1. Jason Hensley, Part of the Family, vol. 1, The Christa- Max Rubinstein, one of the Jewish children who delphian, 2016, reviewed in the Testimony, vol. 86, no. fled from German control to England in 1939. 1,020, Oct. 2016, p. 390. Testimony, November 2018 428 Contents Immediately afterwards, the Danzig Senate, controlled by Nazis, approved the Nuremberg Laws, identical to those introduced earlier across Germany. In early 1939 some 3,500 Jews left the city, emigrating to Palestine. By the outbreak of the Second World War that autumn, most of the remaining 1,500 Jews were elderly. In one sense a modern-day miracle had taken place—a foretaste of the emigration of Jews from the Arab countries to Israel after the formation of the State of Israel in 1948. Few of those who remained in the city survived the war, most being murdered as the ruthless German war machine eliminated its opponents in the terrible conflict. It is amazing to think that, having first provided a place of safety for Jews fleeing persecution and civil war in Poland and Russia immediately after the First World War, the Almighty then provided a way of escape so that, unlike so many of their coreli- gionists, the vast majority of the Jews of Danzig were saved from the Holocaust which destroyed so many in the Second World War. Since that time we have witnessed—and we continue to witness—the hand of God at work in saving His chosen people, the Jews. Nowhere is Public domain this more true than in Arab lands. Consider the Jews of Syria, who, in the early 1940s, numbered The great synagogue of Danzig (now Gdansk in Poland), destroyed by the Nazis in May 1939, around 30,000. Today there are scarcely any Jews after being saved by Jewish war veterans living in that war-torn land. Ahead of today’s in 1938 following the Kristallnacht riots in troubles, God provided a way of escape from Germany. that country, where their ancestors had lived for more than two millennia, sparing them from the reports that, as a result of that campaign, two hardship and devastation which has wrecked baptisms took place. the very fabric of society in Syria. Consider too Six or so years later a further campaign was Egypt, where for centuries Jews had lived, and held in Danzig. This campaign, again organised which they had considered home. In late 1948 by the brethren of the German ecclesias, resulted there were still around 75,000 Jews living there, in the formation of a small ecclesia. This is men- but today the Jewish population is less than a tioned by Brother John Botten in his book The thousand. There have been similar situations in Captive Conscience.4 Few details can be found of Iraq and in South Yemen, from where thousands conditions in the city after the Nazis took over of Jews are fleeing from persecution by their the government of the so-called ‘free state.’ One Arab ‘brethren.’ Most of those who have escaped can only imagine the day-to-day hardship for its have been absorbed into Israel—in a modern citizens as National Socialism, with its extreme miracle, God has provided a haven for His chil- militarism, compulsory military service, and dren, witnessed by most Christadelphians alive demands for commitment to the state, became today. 2 the order of the day. Nothing is known of the

The trail goes cold But what about the adopted children of Abraham 2. For more information on the migration of Jews from in Danzig? In his book Into All the World,3 Brother Arab lands to Israel, see: Martin Gilbert, In Ishmael’s House, Yale University Press, 2010.—J.D.T. Stanley Owen tells of a Bible campaign held in 3. Stanley Owen, Into All the World, Christadelphian Bible Danzig in May–June 1924, when brethren from Mission, 1998, p. 354. Germany held a number of lectures attended by 4. John Botten, The Captive Conscience, The Christadel- audiences of up to a thousand. Brother Stanley phian, 2002, p. 110. Testimony, November 2018 Contents 429 sufferings of the brethren and sisters during transcribed onto CD. Yet there is no mention of those traumatic years. As Brother John concludes the Danzig ecclesia. his section on the situation in Poland before the Second World War: “When the Germans Closer to home invaded Poland in 1939, the city [Danzig] was And what of today’s brotherhood? Ought we to their first objective. In the aftermath the infant expect to be spared by a similar miraculous de- ecclesia lost contact with the Brotherhood, and liverance should a time of testing and persecution nothing is known at present about the fate of its occur for us? This is a thought-provoking ques- members.” tion. Fifty or so years ago, a number of brethren After Danzig’s incorporation into the Third and sisters in Great Britain, expecting persecu- Reich, information about the brethren and sis- tion and anticipating a ‘fire on the isles,’ fled to ters seems to have been lost. There is simply no the southern hemisphere for safety. To date, that record of the circumstances of the little Danzig fire has not come. ecclesia. What persecutions did they suffer? Yet the earth is increasingly full of immoral- Did any of them survive the war, or did they ity and violence, with men’s hearts anxious for all perish in the destruction inflicted upon that the future—for themselves, and for their chil- once-beautiful city? If they did survive, were they, dren and grandchildren. Such signs remind us like other ethnic Germans, expelled following the that the return of Jesus draws closer. Whatever incorporation of the city (now renamed Gdansk) troubles await the household of faith in the last into Poland in 1945? If so, how were they treated days, the resurrection of the faithful saints of all under the post-war Communist regime with its ages—from first-century Asia Minor to Danzig in emphasis on atheism? Germany, and elsewhere—will shortly take place, Some sixty years ago, Brother Norman Arnold and the living saints will be summoned to meet gave a fascinating but heartbreaking talk in Bir- their Lord. As we watch world events unfolding, mingham about the experiences of the German let us endeavour to prepare ourselves for that brethren and sisters during the Second World day, taking heed to the words of Jesus: “Behold, War and its aftermath. Thankfully a recording I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth . . .” was made of the address, and has recently been (Rev. 16:15). Contents

Principles, preaching and problems Pondering discipleship Robin Lamplough

What does true discipleship entail? A personal reflection Over the years, I have been warned by the author on his own discipleship highlights the need of many dangers and threats to my faith. From platform and in private for genuine engagement with the Scriptures in the life of conversation, I have been told of the every disciple of Christ. dangers of communism, socialism, liberalism and humanism. I have N MORE THAN half a century of sometimes heard graphic addresses on the threat to my faltering discipleship, I have often had to reflect spiritual wellbeing of trade unionism, television, Ion what being a disciple of Christ really means. the Internet and gay pride marches. But this is It is sometimes difficult to know how to react nothing new. An elderly brother once told me to situations that arise in personal or ecclesial that, in his youth, he had heard many warnings life. But I have gradually come to learn that this of the insidious threat of radio. The introduction very uncertainty is, through the love, grace and of polio vaccine was in some places regarded with foreknowledge of Almighty God, an important suspicion. Many of our Western ecclesias have a part of the divine education programme. truly conservative tradition. Testimony, November 2018 430 Contents Tradition: advantages and disadvantages say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, Yet in my professional discipline tradition has It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever played an important role. Much of my working thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be life was spent in boys’ boarding schools. There, free. And ye suffer him no more to do ought tradition provided a stable framework for daily for his father or his mother; making the word life. It removed the problem of constantly need- of God of none effect through your tradition, ing to make decisions on how to act in particular which ye have delivered: and many such like circumstances. It has been a useful tool, giving things do ye” (Mk. 7:9-13). the working day an element of predictability. But What did the Master mean when he said that there was an inevitable downside. The customary tradition could negate the power of God’s Word? informal initiation of newcomers and the misuse In the context of his quotation from the prophet of authority by senior students had constantly to Isaiah (vv. 6,7), was he not warning that an in- be monitored and dealt with. herited and uncritically accepted understanding Much the same is true of my ecclesial life. I of a passage of Scripture might close our minds never needed to wonder how a Sunday morn- to the power of the living Word? ing’s worship would be arranged or orchestrated. I have become convinced that, in order to I inherited a customary pattern by which all seek spiritual enlightenment, I have a personal necessary things were accomplished, “decently responsibility to engage with the Word of God. and in order.” Tradition freed my mind of de- Commentaries and expositions are a helpful manding detail and gave me time and space to starting point, but in the end I must grapple with focus on higher things. But there have also been the inspired text for myself, and allow it to speak difficulties. to me by its own power, not through a filter of Traditionalism often manifests itself in forms other readers’ minds. But if I do this in my own of speech and writing. It is easy to discount it as strength, then I shall fail. I must pray for guidance quaint and harmless jargon. But it is sometimes as I read: I must wrestle humbly with perhaps indicative of mental laziness, even of overly obscure passages in order to extract, by God’s conservative inflexibility. Our community has grace, their intended meanings. And I must not be in some quarters preserved a handful of clumsy alarmed or intimidated if the power of the Word ‘portmanteau’ phrases, perhaps representing the leads me away from traditional understandings downside of Victorian wordiness: ‘friend and and explanations. brother,’ ‘sister-wife,’ ‘plan and purpose.’ Like all jargon, these can have the effect of creating Culture and consideration a barrier between the initiated and the uniniti- From the time of my baptism, I was introduced ated. This is particularly true in a country like to the culture of ‘Bible marking’ and verse-by- the writer’s own, South Africa, where some of verse commentary. They were very useful tools our visitors have English as their second or even in the initial stages of learning to understand third language. As a result, the message from the the basic message of the Scriptures. It was only platform can be unnecessarily obscured, rather very much later that I developed the ‘heretical’ than clarified, even at the end when there is an view that I should move on from this important invitation to tea and ‘light refreshments’! developmental stage. I began to see that, for me, Bible marking—especially with indelible black He thinks too much ink—could have the effect of freezing my un- Are these just the pernickety meanderings of derstanding of a passage: that it could calcify the someone who thinks too much about the form living Word, “making the word of God of none of words? As I read the Gospels, I am pointed effect” (‘emptying it of power’). in an entirely different direction. The Lord Jesus If, when I grappled with the meaning of a taught that one of the greatest threats to spiritual passage, my first resource was my own marginal growth is tradition. It has the power, he warned, marking rather than the passage itself, then I to make the Word of God ineffectual: was in danger of disempowering the Word of “And he said unto them, Full well ye reject God. In other words, my traditional approach the commandment of God, that ye may keep had so fixed my understanding that I could not your own tradition. For Moses said, Honour think beyond it. I was making the Word of God thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth ineffectual, just as the Master had warned so father or mother, let him die the death: but ye long ago. Testimony, November 2018 Contents 431 Yet, having said all this, I must be consider- me “hip and thigh” for diverging from the path ate and circumspect in my sharing of any new of tradition. insights. Some of my brothers and sisters may, The day is fast approaching when all the for a lifetime, have held fast to ideas that I might wisdom of mortal men is going to be revealed now be questioning. I have no right to unsettle as woefully inadequate. In that day, many hu- their faith and confidence. Rather, I must strive to man traditions will be exposed as ill-founded. be positive and encouraging, even to those who And the King will ask each one of us, “Have ye are convinced that their own duty is to smite never read?” Contents Encounter “Let Us make man in Our image”1 P. H. Adams Following recent correspondence in the Testimony on “The original Hebrew word is Elo- him, and it means ‘mighty ones.’ This the meaning of Elohim, the Hebrew word most often word is used to indicate the exist- translated ‘God’ in the Old Testament, a reader has ence and the activities of an order suggested that the magazine should republish a series of beings possessing great powers, of articles on this topic which first appeared in 1947 but inferior to the Almighty, who and 1948. This series is concerned principally with the is called Yahweh or Jehovah. “Angels are frequently called question of whether Elohim refers to the angels, but it does Elohim (mighty ones) throughout touch on matters discussed in the recent correspondence, the Old Testament, and in many including whether Elohim is to be regarded as a singular other cases Elohim are called gods.” or plural noun. The introductory article in this six-part We find, to our surprise, that quite series appears below. a number of Bible students believe that the word Elohim signifies the Subsequent articles consist mainly of reader’s letters angels, and that it was the angels in reply to this first article, and comments from the editor who said: “Let Us make man in Our of the ‘First Steps’ and Problems section of the magazine image” (Gen. 1:26). With all respect, at the time, brother P. H. Adams of Stockport. As well as we venture to offer an alternative, being instructive on the topic in question, the exchange of and—in our view—a more correct, interpretation. views is noteworthy for the fact that it remains courteous The Companion Bible says: “Elohim in tone, notwithstanding the robustness of the discussion, occurs 2,700 times (in the Old Testa- and for its faith in the inspired text of the Scriptures. ment). Its first occurrence connects it It also illustrates that we need not be afraid of revising with creation, and gives it its essential cherished views of some passages of the Bible if they are meaning as the Creator . . . Elohim is God as the Creator of all things.” challenged by solid scriptural evidence. Strong’s Hebrew and Chaldee Dic- The original articles have been edited only for format, tionary defines Elohim as “gods in the not for content. ordinary sense, but specifically used of the supreme God; occasionally N AN OTHERWISE excellent religious maga- ­applied by way of deference to magistrates.” zine which has recently come to hand, there is Ian article with the above heading. In the course 1. First published in the Testimony, vol. 17, no. 204, Dec. of his article, the author says: 1947, p. 420. Testimony, November 2018 432 Contents The Pentateuch and Haftorahs, edited by Dr J. H. where ­“angel” appears in the AV of the Old Tes- Hertz, late Chief Rabbi of Great Britain, has this tament the Hebrew word is malak, which means note: “Elohim is the general designation of the ‘messenger’ or ‘agent.’ As against the single Divine Being in the Bible as the fountain and instance where Elohim is translated “angels” we source of all things. Elohim is in plural form, have about 2,000 cases where Elohim is translated which is often used in Hebrew to denote plenitude “God” (meaning the Almighty). Space restrictions of might. Here (Gen. 1:1) it indicates that God limit us to the citation of only a few of these comprehends and unifies all the forces of eter- passages: nity and infinity.” Another note, dealing with • “. . . and the angel [malak] of God [Elohim] called Genesis 1:26, says: “The use of the plural (‘Let Us to Hagar out of heaven . . .” (Gen. 21:17) . . .’) is the Hebrew idiomatic way of expressing • “And the LORD [Yahweh] appeared unto [Isaac] deliberation, as in Genesis 11:7, or it is the plural the same night, and said, I am the God [Elohim] of majesty, royal commands being conveyed in of Abraham thy father . . .” (26:24) the first person plural, as in Ezra 4:18.” • “And God [Elohim] said unto Moses, I AM Young’s Analytical Concordance gives “God, THAT I AM . . .” (Ex. 3:14) gods, objects of worship” as the meanings of • “I am the LORD [Yahweh] your God [Elohim] Elohim. In the Hebrew Index-Lexicon of this . . .” (Lev. 20:24) Concordance, the Old Testament (AV) renderings • “Hear, O Israel: The LORD [Yahweh] our God of Elohim are summarised thus: [Elohim] is one LORD [Yahweh]” (Deut. 6:4) • “The LORD [Yahweh] of hosts is the God [Elo- Times translated him] of Israel” (1 Chron. 17:24). These verses (and there are about two thousand Angel 1 others of a similar character) make it certain, God frequently we feel, that Elohim refers primarily and almost exclusively to God Himself. Goddess 2 It may at first appear somewhat strange to Gods 240 English-speaking Bible students that Elohim (a plural word) should be used to denote the one Judges 5 God, but we need to remember that we are deal- Great 1 ing, not with English words, but with Hebrew words, and with Hebrew idioms too. We leave Mighty 2 ourselves wide open to error and misunderstand- Very great 1 ing if we attempt to translate some of these He- brew words literally, and according to the rules Exceeding (lit. to God) 1 of English grammar. The statement in the magazine referred to, As this summary indicates, only once in the that “Angels are frequently called Elohim (mighty whole of the Old Testament is Elohim translated ones) throughout the Old Testament,” is quite “angels.” This solitary instance is in Psalm 8:5, mistaken, and seems to have been based on a “For Thou hast made him [man] a little lower misunderstanding of the Hebrew language and than the angels [Elohim].” In every other case its (to us) strange idioms. Contents

GIVE ATTENDANCE TO READING . . . IN DECEMBER (continued from page 435) In addition to the many books on Revelation, charts and explanatory notes originally compiled including some not mentioned above, a plethora in 1922 by Brother E. H. V. Williams. of booklets have been issued which touch upon May God bless you in your efforts to under- aspects of the book and its interpretation. One of stand and apply His Word each day in December, the most interesting of these is Eureka at a Glance, and in whatever time might await us until our prepared in 1949 by Brother F. Bilton based on Master returns. “Even so, Come, Lord Jesus!” Testimony, November 2018 Contents 433 Give attendance to reading . . . in December Geoff Henstock

S THE YEAR draws to its close, our read- Micah ings in December take us through Job, eight The Prophecy of Micah by Brother Mark Allfree Aof the minor prophets, the Epistles of James, is a comprehensive commentary on Micah, and Peter, John and Jude and the Book of Revelation. the Micah Study Guide by Brother Reg Carr is also recommended. Job An enigmatic book, Job captures the imagination Nahum of many and intimidates others. Written in poeti- Two of the books listed above under Jonah also cal form and presented as a drama, it is believed cover Nahum. In addition to these, Brother Mark to be one of the oldest books in the Bible. Job is Allfree has published The Prophecy of Nahum, the subject of many books which may be help- while Brother David Baird’s book Nahum the ful, including: Comforter is also worth considering. • Brother David Baird, The Education of Job • Brother Jack Balchin, Sitting with Job: reflections Habakkuk on the man and the book Two books on this prophecy are recommended: • Brother D. Jeff Hammett, The Book of Job and Habakkuk by Brethren James Luke and Andrew Other Studies Johns, and Upon the Watchtower by Brother H. P. • Brother Stephen Irving, The Endurance of Job Mansfield. • Brother Ralph Lovelock, Job In addition to these expositions, readers may be • Brother Tom McCarthy, The Spiritual Journey interested in an extended table of links between of Elihu: a reflection Genesis 49 and Habakkuk 3 in Brother Richard • Brother Andrew Perry, The Book of Job Mellowes’ book The March of the Rainbowed Angel. • Brother John Pople, To Speak Well of God: an exposition of the Book of Job Zephaniah • Brother John Roberts, Job Study Guide Brethren David Baird and Gary Steel have writ- • Brother L. G. Sargent, Ecclesiastes and Other ten an eponymous exposition of Zephaniah. A Studies feature of this book is the inclusion of eleven • Brother Cyril Tennant, The Book of Job essays which demonstrate the relevance of parts • Brother C. C. Walker, Job: hast thou considered of the prophecy to the life of the disciple today. My servant Job? Brother H. P. Mansfield also wrote an exposition of this book under the title Consider Your Ways Jonah (this book also deals with Haggai). In addition, In last month’s article several general works on the there is an exhortation based on Zephaniah 2 minor prophets were recommended. In addition included in Further Seasons of Comfort by Brother to these, Jonah is covered in several expositions Robert Roberts. which may be recommended. These include: • Brother Mark Allfree, The Prophecy of Jonah Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi • Brother Geoff Henstock, Mercy and Judge- The standard Christadelphian work on these ment—an exposition of Jonah and Nahum prophecies is Brother John Carter’s Prophets After • Brother H. P. Mansfield, The Goodness and the Exile. In addition to this work, there are three Severity of God (this book also covers Nahum) books which deal with Zechariah which may be • Brother Harry Whittaker, The Prophecy of Jonah. worthy of consideration: In addition to these expositions you may be in- • Brother C. C. Walker, chapter 8 of Theophany terested in comments about Jonah in The Divided (later issued as a pamphlet under the title Kingdom by Brother Philip Hinde. Zechariah) Testimony, November 2018 434 Contents • Brother H. P. Mansfield, Prophecy of Zechariah • Brethren Peter Southgate and Clifford Whar- • Brother Geoff and Sister Ray Walker, The ton, Revelation Explained. Second Exodus (this book argues that Isaiah’s While the above books closely align with the and Zechariah’s prophecies of the return from interpretation set forth in Eureka, all of them exile are a pattern for today). diverge from it on some points of detail. Two The reference to Satan in Zechariah 3 is the subject expositions which also see Revelation as covering of interesting comments by Brother Peter Watkins the whole period of history from John’s day to on pages 40–44 of The Devil—the Great Deceiver. the coming of Christ and into the Kingdom age Brother Dennis Gillett’s Of Hearts and Minds and beyond, but which differ a little more from includes a chapter entitled “Malachi—the un- the traditional approach, are Brother Geoff and known,” which offers a most intriguing sugges- Sister Ray Walker’s The Revelation of Jesus Christ tion about the prophet. and Brother Rudolf Rijkeboer’s Jesus’ Last Message. Of Christadelphian writings whose approach James to Jude differs quite markedly from the traditional Several worthwhile books dealing with these let- continuous-historical approach, the following ters were recommended in the article published are among the best known: in April. • Brother A. D. Norris, Apocalypse for Every Man • Brother David Pitt-Francis, The Most Amazing Revelation Message Ever Written Perhaps no other book of the Bible attracts as • Brother Harry Whittaker, Revelation: a biblical much attention as this dramatic prophecy, or is approach the subject of so many alternative interpretations. • Brother Peter Watkins, Exploring The Apoca- The April article reproduced Brother John Carter’s lypse and the Future. recommended reading plan for those interested in Interpretations presented in these books differ developing a better understanding of Revelation, from that of Brother Thomas and from each but otherwise we deferred consideration of works other. Brother Graham Pearce’s book The Revela- which readers might wish to consult when going tion—Which Interpretation? critiques the various through Revelation. We now return to consider approaches to interpreting Revelation and makes some of the writings in the brotherhood on this a case for the continuous-historical interpretation. challenging book. Another work which argues for the traditional The traditional approach in our community to approach to Revelation is Brother Paul Billing- Revelation is the continuous-historical interpreta- ton’s The Book of Revelation—An Appeal for Right tion. The standard work in this regard is Brother Understanding. A brief book which critically John Thomas’s three-volume exposition, Eureka.1 examines the continuous-historical approach is Several later works have drawn upon Brother Brother Thomas Gaston’s The Continuous Historic Thomas’s exposition, including the following Interpretation Examined. (roughly in order of their appearance): Several helpful books address sections of the • Brother Robert Roberts, Thirteen Lectures on book. There are two on the letters to the seven The Apocalypse ecclesias in Asia in Revelation 2 and 3: Brother • Brother Edward Grimes, The Apocalypse: a Joseph Bland’s What the Spirit Saith Unto the revised version Churches, published in 1889, and Brother W. L. • Brother J. J. Hadley, An Introduction to The Bedwell’s The Letters to the Seven Churches in Asia, Apocalypse published in 1988. A book which comments on • Brother C. C. Walker, Notes on The Apocalypse Revelation 10 and related Old Testament prophe- • Brethren W. H. Boulton and W. H. Barker, The cies is The March of the Rainbowed Angel by Brother Apocalypse and History Richard Mellowes. • Brother F. Bilton, An Exposition of The Apoca- (Continued on page 433) lypse • Brother H. P. Mansfield, The Apocalypse Epito- mised 1. 2018 is the sesquicentenary of the completion of Eu- Interpreting the Book of • Brother Alfred Nicholls, reka. To mark that milestone, the work was the subject Revelation (a book which deserves to be much of a retrospective article in the Testimony: see Geoff better known) Henstock, “150 years young,” vol. 88, no. 1,034, Jan. • Brother Michael Ashton, Revelation Study Guide 2018, p. 29. 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(6) 354 0396; Fax (6) 354 0395 OTHER PUBLICATIONS email: [email protected] For a list of previous years’ Special Issues Remittances payable to available, please apply to the Subscriptions TESTIMONY MAGAZINE Secretary, to whom all orders should be sent. Published on behalf of The Testimony Committee (Christadelphian) by Jeremy Thomas, 22 Kingswood Close, Kings Norton, Birmingham, B30 3NX, UK • Printed by Reflex Litho Ltd., Thetford, Norfolk. Registered Charity No. 225908. Testimony, November 2018 436 Contents York scenes 9. John Hutton’s grave

IDDEN AWAY down a narrow passage in the heart of the historic city of York lies the Hburial ground of Holy Trinity Church. Our attention is drawn to a gravestone that gives an insight into the beliefs of the deceased: Beneath is deposited All that was mortal of JOHN HUTTON, Who died 12th April 1793, Aged 47. Go Home, Dear Wife, and shed no Tears, unbiblical doctrine of an ‘immortal soul’ separating I must ly here till Christ appears; from the body at death and living on elsewhere. And, at his Coming, hope to have This is sometimes complicated further by assum- A Joyful Rising from the Grave. ing that at the return of Christ this soul reunites with a resurrected body. We might surmise that We live in an age where few believe in the resur- John Hutton believed in an immortal soul as rection of the dead at Christ’s reappearing. Yet, well as bodily resurrection, despite over two hundred years exposed to the because “all that was mor- elements, this engraved testimony to the hope of tal” may imply a belief that resurrection still rings out. some of him was immortal.

Holy Trinity Church was an Anglican church in Carefully re-reading the John Hutton’s day, and would have promoted the gravestone, however, we realise that it can be re- garded as consistent with the Bible message. Every bit of each person is mor- tal and at death enters an unconscious sleep in the grave: “all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again” (Eccl. 3:20). Following death there is hope of resurrection: “many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt” (Dan. 12:2). Those raised to everlasting life enter into the joy of their lord (Mt. 25:21)—a joyful rising from the grave, to use the gravestone’s words.

I sometimes escape the crowds in York city centre and sit quietly on a bench in this small graveyard. Time to think. Around me in the city people are working hard—preparing for their retirement years. How many are preparing for their long-term destiny? John Hutton’s destiny will be decided by the righteous Judge; he cannot change it now. But how am I preparing for the day when Christ appears? Can I hope to have a joyful rising from the grave? With Christ I can.—Neil Galilee

Contents XX TESTIMONY BOOKS NEW BOOK: Treasure . . . new and old. Ray Walker. The thirty-nine chapters of this book have been selected from articles Ray Walker contributed over many years to the Bible Student and the New Bible Student magazines. History, theology, philosophy, ethnology and other disciplines are brought skilfully to bear on the Bible in these intriguing chapters, and the reader is guaranteed an intellectual ‘treat.’ There are also some challenges in store as the author manages convincingly to blow away a number of errors and preconceptions. £10.00.

One man’s pilgrimage: under God’s good hand. 88 pages. £2.00. Testimony Handbook of Bible Principles. 197 pages. £2.00. Family Trees of the Tribes of Israel. 117 pages. £5.50. Moses: Earth’s Meekest Man. 172 pages. £2.50. Paul’s Epic Journey to Rome. 153 pages. £6.00. The Pen of a Ready Writer. 272 pages. £2.50. Daniel’s Last Prophecy. 141 pages. £7.50. Man and Woman. 122 pages. £0.50. ‘Spirit’ in the New Testament. 185 pages. £1.00. “In the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” 196 pages. £8.50. The Exodus – A Commentary on Exodus 1–15. 237 pages. £1.00. Wonders of Creation: the works of the Divine Designer. 202 pages. £10.00. For the Study and Defence of the Holy Scripture: Volume 1. 236 pages. £5.00. Volume 2. 207 pages. £8.50. Volumes 1 & 2 together. £10.00

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