Acts 15:12-21 - Corps Notes - October 7, 1976
Publication Date: 10-7-1976
On Ephesians 4:25 where I want to begin tonight, or where we will begin tonight , the first part of what the Research Team gave me is the work that Walter Cummins published in our wonderful Way Magazine on "The Spoken Word." Also, as we cover Ephesians 4:28 tonight, I had all the information in front of me from another article that Walter Cummins has in the... has had in the Magazine. The first article on Ephesians 4:25 is entitled "The Spoken Word." The one on Ephesians 4:28 is "Workers for God." Both of these pieces of work by Walter are absolutely superb. And I believe that they should appear and will appear in our research journal GMIR whenever we begin publishing that. {GMIR Aramaic word meaning ' to perfect, accomplish , mature, complete, arithmetically to be divisible without any remainder.}
And I noticed again that some of the things that were stated are just so beautifully and logically presented, I'm truly thankful for, not only Walter, but the whole Research Department. I think our Biblical Research Department is just second to none. And it' s even going to be better by God' s mercy and grace next year and in years to come than it is at this time. And right now I do not believe that our Biblical Research Department needs to take a back seat for any academic institution or work in the world.
And I thought today, I have never... I've never thought of Walter Cummins in any other capacity than to be my assistant. I know Vince Finnegan, you know, on the books is my assistant. And that' s great. But I've never thought of Walter Cummins in any other capacity for so many years as always being my assistant. And I think he' s just the most wonderful person that any president could have as his assistant. And also to be chairmen of the Department of Greek, and then the coordinator of the Biblical research of The Way International. For any one man to have that position and that responsibility is an awesome reality and I'm real proud of Walter and real thankful for him. But I am also thankful for the rest of our wonderful men and women in the Research Department.
I would like for the Corps all over the country to go to the Magazine and find "The Spoken_Word," that's the title of it, dealing with Ephesians 4:25 and other scriptures, and before the next Corps meeting next week, you endeavor to master that great piece of work by Walter Cummins. It's just, you know, the spoken Word. Over fifty Greek words are used in the New Testament in connection with the faculties of utterance. Over fifty. And then he takes the most important ones and he lists them and it' s just. .. it' s just a piece of research work that you should really as a Corps master in your heart and in your life.
Ephesians 4:25 in the King James reads, Wherefore put away lyin g, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.
The ' putting away' was interesting to me again because of the Greek word aniko, a-n-i-k-o.
And this word is ' the putting away,' this word ' put away,' aniko, is the same root word as in 4:22, where we use the word ' rest,' meaning ' to rest.' Is that right? Yep, that is right. I taught you that,
didn't I? Did I or didn't I? Doesn't look right to me. It is the same root. What chapter am I missing? Am I missing anything? I don't know. Right now I'm screwed up, ha ha. First time today. You check the word again and I'll do that, too and see what I'm missing here.
But a-n-i-k-o is the word for ' putting away from you. ' To put away. And it' s the same root as the word ' rest.' I don't know where the word appears, but it's got to be in there.
Now, that word ' speak,' every man speak. That word ' speak ' is from the Greek word
laleo, l-a-l-e-long-o. And that' s where Walter' s article on "The Spoken Word"_c omes in because that is.. .he uses that word laleo in here, which I teach in Corinthians when I teach the Foundational Class. And he says the word is employed 24 times in I Corinthians chapter 14. I had forgotten that.
This word is truly significant. I couldn' t quite understand it Research Department, what you said on page 26B 16, where you defined it ' to make vocal utterance,' ' to babble,' 'to talk,' 'to exercise the faculty of speech without reference to the words spoken.' I just wondered if there might not be another word that could be substituted or utilized at this point. I know that Zachariah 8:16 is the quotation that is used here, or spoken of. And that Zachariah 8:16 adds force to what is said by using a quote, a quotation. That' s why my question to the Research Department is, How can it be without reference to what is spoken if it is truth plus the quotation of the Word of God that's given. It doesn't quite fit for me.
'With his neighbor' has to be a believing neighbor. This 'speak truth with his neighbor' is a figure of speech gnome, g-n-o-m-e, which simply is a citation. And that' s a citation from Zachariah 8:16.
There are a series of figures of speech, Corps, in chapter four which just put the 00mph, the highlight, to the particular things that are set whereby you put off the old man. This phrase here 'speak every man truth with his neighbor' is one of them. The other one appears in verse 26, 'be angry and sin not.' ' Steal no more' is another one. 'Corrupt communication' is the fourth one. 'Grieve not the holy spirit' is the fifth one. ' All bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, evil speaking' is the sixth. And then ' be kind' and so forth, is the seventh.
You see, the last phrase in that verse, in King James, For we' re members one of what? [Another] And it' s relative to the neighbor. Now you just look at that. Wherefore put away lying, speak every man truth with his what? [Neighbor] For we are members one of another. That doesn't mean just a neighbor who lives next door, but it has to be a believing neighbor because we are members one of what? [Another]. You could not be a member ' one of another' ifhe was an unbeliever. That's how I know this is going to work. This tells me that the neighbor is a believer. And this ' we' re members one of another' continues the imagery of the Body of Christ.
The literal according to usage of this verse is as follows: Wherefore put away the lie... and I believe in my heart, before I go on with the literal that until man is born again, it's all a lie anyways. And that' s why I believe that this translation will fit in the light of that knowledge. Because when a man is not born again, his whole life is just a lie. Now you're born again, and that ' s why I think the text states it ' wherefore put away the lie,' the life you' ve been living , the screwed up life you have lived outside of God. It' s been just a life of a lie. It' s not truth. It' s just the opposite of truth and that's my reason for translating it this way... Wherefore put away the lie.
You've got to go with that translation. You have no other text to go by both from Aramaic and Greek it's 'lie.' Not 'lying.' If the Research Department has anything to share in the light of that, I'd be blessed to hear, but you' ve heard my reasons for translating it, Research Department, this way.
Now since they're born again, their whole life is changed, so the life of lying, and living a lie, and being a lie, and being false, is to be put away.
And every man... this is the translation ... and everyone, everyone. The word ' man' you could use because it's an inclusive noun, but I prefer to use the word ' one.'
Wherefore put away the lie and everyone speak the truth with his neighbor for we are members one of another. That is literal according to usage.
Now for the expanded according to understanding. It's not bad. Because of this... What we coughing for? Everybody sick?...Because of this... and the reason I went in the expanded along this line is because verse 24 last week told us that we are created by God in righteousness and in true purity, through holiness. Twenty four.
That's why 25, Wherefore ... 'wherefore' can be translated 'because of this.' Because of this what? Being created in righteousness and truly pure. See it's an inside job.
Because of this being created in righteousness and truly pure by the grace and the love of
God.. .Because of this being created in righteousness and truly pure, you put away, completely lay to rest the lie that you have been and were living and each one of you speak the truth using a quotation from the Word with his believing neighbor for we are members one of another in the Body of the Church.
Robinson {Edward} said, he translated, 'speak every man truth with his neighbor' and he said it's from Zachariah 8:16 which adds force to what is said by using a quote. That's why I translated that. I think that' s great. It adds force to what is said. If you're speaking to someone, it adds force to what you say by using a quote, a quotation from God's Word. In other words, ' you share the Word with them.' That' s why I went with that translation. I want to give it to you again in this sense.
Speak the truth using a quotation from the Word, which means 'share the Word.' Quote the Word to them. Tell them what the Word says, with his believing neighbor. Why? For we are members one of another in the Body of the Church. This verse is just mind blowing.
Here, you have a born-again believer neighbor who needs to grow up a little more. So what do you do? Each one speak the truth to that neighbor, that believer, using the Word, quoting the Word because we' re members one of another in the Body of the Church. It's a real positive thing to do.
Verse 26 in King James reads, Be angry.. .ha ha... we like that one, don't we. Be ye angry and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath.
Here is a verse of Scripture that' s very, very difficult for most people. And it' s not too easy for us either. But I think we are able to share the truth of the greatness of this and it's been burning in my heart for a long time to do this with our people.
Everybody has problems with ' how can you be angry and not sin?' You know, how can raise hell with something and not be sinful in doing it? Teed off and not be sinful. And how can you go... and what does it mean 'don't let the sun go down upon your wrath?' See.
In the context, here, verses 26 and 27 deal with your believing neighbor, specifically. Then the Greek word for ' anger' which is from the root orge, o-r-g-long-e means 'anger together with the desire of revenge .' That' s bad. That' s a heavy. The Hebrew word means ' to kill, and all the tumults of passion that terminate in killing.' So it's a real heavy word when it said ' be angry.'
And the way I believe it's used in God' s Word, ' be ye angry' means ' it's a long time anger with your believing neighbor until a change has ensued.' The desire to... of revenge is a change. And I, knowing the Word in the light of the new birth, it's where a change finally comes about. Until that time, you just, long-term, you just stay put witnessing the Word, sharing the Word. You do not dislike the believing neighbor; you simply dislike that he is not fully accepting the Word and walking on it. So it' s a long-term anger until a change has ensued. You just stay faithful.
I don't know what else to do with those words. It is a righteous anger. Yet it is a righteous anger without sin.
Among the scholars, there is a disagreement on these words. Well, I don't know about my being a scholar; that I don' t anything about being about. But it's simple to me because righteous anger is commanded by God's Word when it says ' be ye angry.' Well, the scholars can fight about it. I don' t care. It' s a command. Not just permitted to get teed once in a while when somebody' s off of God' s Word, a believer is off of God's Word. You' re always teed off righteously at any believer, born-again believer, who is off of God' s Word. And for those of us in the Way Ministry, it' s been a lifetime.
Get into it with them on... Oh what subject do you want to talk about? Baptism? Food? One God? See. All that stuff.
The Aramaic is accurate in the words ' and sin not.' It literally translates ' and you will not sin.' Again, this ' be angry and sin not' is that figure gnome. Quotation. A citation from the Old Testament. It' s from Psalm 4:4. But in King James, Psalm 4:4, it's translated 'stand in awe.' The real sense of the Hebrew is ' one of admonition;' sin not. Where we' re admonished to not sin. Sin not.
' Let not the sun go down on your wrath. ' Ha ha. That again is beautiful. People went to bed when the sun went down, when it got dark. That's when they went to bed. So what that simply is saying, ha ha, ' don't go to bed teed off.' Don' t let the sun go down on your wrath. In other words, go to bed; don' t go to bed mad. ' When you go to bed' is what it means. Let not the sun go down when you go to bed. And they went to bed when the sun went down. When it got dark, they went to bed, see.
' Upon your wrath.' And the word ' wrath' here is basically ' irritation.' Ha ha. Previously when I taught Ephesians, I made mention of this fact, ' don' t let righteous anger shake you, wondering if it was right on. When you go to bed, go to sleep.'
Now, this is what we have done with it in the literal, ha ha, according to usage. I got more papers up here than Carter has liver pills, or something. Then, I can' t find my... whatever it is I take off of it.
Okay, verse 26. You be righteously angry.. .this is literal according to usage.. .and you will not be sinning. Don't go to bed even with a momentary irritation, ha ha.
I don't think you get nearly as much fun out of this as I do. It's neat. It's absolutely scrumptious, see. At the opening, is that heavy word, remember? Anger. So it's a real heavy time. So what he is saying, in the heavy time, when your standing on God' s Word and sharing that with the believing neighbor, you' re righteously angry... you're not sinning. And you don't even go to bed with a momentary irritation. In other Words, when you go to bed, thank God the day is over. Say your last prayer and start snoring.
Boy, that would save a lot of sleeping pills, wouldn' t it? Practicing that principle. Boy, oh boy, what a tremendous Word. And hardly anybody understands verse 26. They argue about it, but they don' t get the understanding.
Now this is the expanded one according to understanding, I hope. And again, I would like to just lay some things before the Corps, and especially before the Research Department. I translated the first part of verse 26, You always stay angry with an all-out desire to have them to change which anger will not be sin on your part.
Then I have another translation of that first part of it: You be righteously angry, 'teed off' with sin... 'Teed off' I put in quotes. But don't you sin by acting ' holier than thou' vaunting yourself by acting so righteously like you never sin.
I do not know which one of those two the Research Department feels would be the better. The last part of the phrase that I translated which would go with both of these that I have given you here on the expanded one for understanding. This, the last part, goes with that first one and with the second ... also.. .even if it is only a momentary irritation. When you go to bed, go to sleep. That's what I did with it.
Now, verse 27. King James says, Neither (or neither) give place to the Devil. The word 'place' is simply a portion, a part. No believer will give full place to the Devil, but he may be giving a part, a portion. He' ll mark off a spot, ' this is Devil' s permission over here, over here, no permission, you know. And you really give the Devil a portion or a spot if you stew about it after you go to bed and you toss and you tum and can' t sleep.
This word 'the Devil,' ' the Devil' in the Aramaic is a very interesting and exciting Word to me and it blesses my heart. It' s a compound word where the first part means ' to eat' or ' to devour.' The latter
' to slander' or ' to accuse. ' So when I got to translating this, literally according to usage, verse 27 reads: Do not give any portion or space or an opportunity to the Devil. So I used those three words synonymously: portion, space, opportunity. Do not give any portion or space or an opportunity to the Devil.
The expanded according to understanding: And you will not give a toehold, an opportunity or an occasion for the Devil to eat you. Ha ha. I get more fun than you ever will out of working this stuff, huh.
You see, and to me, that communicates to my understanding. John 10:10. The thief cometh not but for to what? [Steal, kill, and destroy] Right. To eat you out. To beat you. And that's why that Aramaic word, on the word ' Devil' really thrilled me.
And that ' s why I put it into the expanded translation: And you will not give a ' toehold.' Now, at L.E.A.D., you know how important it is to get a what? [Toehold] Ha ha. And when you' re really climbing in, you' re blessed for a toehold. How thankful you are when you get a foothold. Now the adversary can never get a foothold in a believer' s life until he first has a toehold. That's why I translated it that way.
Do not give... and you will not give a toehold ... shave all the rocks off... an opportunity or an occasion for the Devil to eat you. And that' s exactly what he likes to do to believers.
Now we go to verse 28. King James says, Let him that stole steal not more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. And here again, is another great work that I believe should be in our research journal GMIR, Walter' s work on " Workers for God."
It' s just tremendous where he... you know... he just goes into God' s men are called many things in the Word. They' re called: fellow workers, ministers, or servants, slaves, fellow slaves, partners, messengers, soldiers, fellow soldiers, athletes, fellow athletes, stewards, ambassadors, witnesses, all of those. And he covers them so beautifully. And I love very much how he covered the word ' slave,' because it' s a much stronger word than to be a minister, or to be a servant. It is to be one who is branded, marked out, sold out. And baby, from that day on, there are no ifs, and' s, or but' s. You never budge on it. You are branded. Most believers are never branded. They may be servants, they may be ministers, but they are not branded. When you' re branded, you stay faithful. You do not budge. You do not change. You stay put. If all hell breaks loose, you still live the believing Word.
I think the prophet once said, If I was in the midst of hell, God I know you' d be there. (Psalm 139:8) He' d be there. That' s the doulos. That, of course, is just a tremendous piece of work.
And the other great part that I think... and this is a second piece that I want the Corps to master before next Wednesday night, " Workers for God," the work on ' witness.' You see, it's the same word basically that's translated ' martyr,' see. And we got a lot of those canonized. That's not at all what a witness is. A witness is a living example, not a dead one. The word 'martyr' simply means that you lay down your life in witnessing. And boy, when you put the doulos together with ' witness,' then you' ve got power for abundant living. It's just a fantastic work by Walter and I' m real grateful that it was published. Because once it' s in print, people can take a look at it if they want to.
I'd like a cup of coffee, please.
Now, we are in verse 28. The Aramaic translation is ' and he who was stealing.' I understand it from the English, ' let him that stole,' past tense. The Aramaic is real simple, real strong. ' And he, the one who is born again, who was, past tense, stealing.'
Thank you.
His whole life was one of those before he was born again.
Whenever you bring a cup of coffee to a right-hand man, you put the handle to the right. When you serve a cup of coffee to a left-hand man, you put it on the left-hand side and put the handle to the left. Corps principle number seven or something, ha ha. Mrs. Wierwille would say, Well, be thankful you even get a cup of coffee. [Laughter] Ah, you're wonderful.
See, ' let him who stole, steal no more.' 'Stole and steal,' that' s a figure of speech and is polyptoton p-o-l-y-p-t-o-t-o-n. It' s a repetition of the same root word in different parts of speech or reflections. But, that's not earth shaking right now in my heart.
You see, in some Eastern culture, it was not considered a sin or a shame to steal because that's the way they lived, the only way they lived. Somebody told me... or not only told me, one of our people, but it was in a national magazine, that the basic culture of Russia today is to steal. And in some respects I can understand this. If you don't have anything and you're starving to death and there' s a loaf of bread you can get a hold of... steal the dam thing. I understand that.
So this verse is really sharp, really sharp. Let him who stole, even though that man previously considered it the way to live and there was no shame in it, no sin in it. He said, Well, let that fellow who stole, steal no more. Something has happened on the inside of that man. Something that happened, where He is able to meet all of our need according to His riches in glory. Christ in you, the hope of glory. More than conquerors.
A record in the Old Testament, I forget where it is, but it's in there, that it' s never, you never need to borrow or steal bread or... what is that in the Old Testament? Begging bread. One person stand and tell me. {Psalm 37:25, I have been young and now am old; yet have I seen the righteous forsaken, nor His seed begging bread.} Psalm 27:25 who? {Psalm 37:25} 37:25. All the years, he's never seen the righteous to have to do what? {Beg bread} Beg bread.
First of all, I wish the Christian world could hear this. Secondly, I wish our government in the United States could understand it. The Word says, If you don't work, you don' t eat. A lot of that stuff. Well, what we've been doing is stealing from the people who are willing to work to give to the people who don' t want to work. That's a bunch of crap. That's stealing. That's why this verse is so hot in my soul tonight. Let him who stole, quit stealing, dang it. See.
Many years ago I was really knocked for a loop along some of this line in India, from Dr. Williams. I think he loved India maybe like I love the United States, I don' t know. Because only a man knows how much he loves his own country, I guess.
But... as we were traveling together, he said to me, Dr. Wierwille, I hear you have whores in the United States.
You know, I never had given it a thought. I just took it for granted. [Laughter] And I said, yeah. He said, Why does a rich country like the United States have whores?
And I said, I don't know.
And he said, I can't understand it. Cannot your women make enough money to live? Yeah, but they figure that' s cheaper and more pleasurable or something, I don' t know. And he said, Well, I think it's sinful that the United States has whores.
And I said, What do you mean?
And he said to me, why, I can understand India. He said we don' t enough food, we don' t have enough of anything hardly for a lot of people. And we have whores because that' s the only way they can continue to live physically.
And I thought to myself, well boy, that' s slapping me in the face good. And I took it as a wonderful lesson. There is no excuse in the United States for any women being a whore because she doesn' t need to get screwed and paid for it in order to get money so she can live. There's plenty of work available and if there isn' t she ought to get born again, then there' s a guarantee of work. ..other work, available. I tell you, when you' re honest, some of these men in other countries have some real logic behind their thinking. How would you have liked to have handled that? I just simply admitted, Well, I think we' re wrong in the United States. But I said, I think you' re wrong in India, too, because no reason to have whores here if you get them born again.
So I don' t know. But this verse today as I worked the final working on this verse 28 is when my heart really went back and burned with that truth that Dr. Williams had stated. Because in many Eastern cultures, it was not considered as sin or as shame to steal, if it was a matter of livelihood. You sometimes wonder who will live in the greatest condemnation before God and justice and judgment when the time comes.
For in most of what are called poor countries even, there is sufficient money, food, and other things for the people to live if those in positions of authority were not so selfish and egotistical, and want it for themselves , and let the rest of the world die... or a country die.
The word ' labor' in verse 28 is the word which literally means ' hard work resulting in fatigue.' That's how I felt coming from the woods last night. And I didn' t do anything. It was just hard work being there with the rest of you. Today I got so tired of being with some, I came home. Ah, you' re wonderful.
' Working with his hands' is an Eastern cultural type of thing. Today in our culture, you could have it, you know, the truth is working with your mind or working with your hand, whatever you' re working at. But in Eastern culture, every son was to be trained to work with his hands, even if he was the son of a king. Had to learn a trade, a profession of business.
Jesus Christ was a saddle maker. He made them to ride, I guess, what do you want? Tennessee Walkers , or? See. I think not only did he do that, Paul did it, too, you know. Someday I'm going to find a...or Walter, or some of those, are going to find me a manuscript to prove it. .. and a wonderful carpenter by trade. Many times doing carpentry work and being a saddle maker were sort of in the same household, because building carpentry and having saddles to use for their business and carrying on, were very, very closely aligned. Well, I won' t argue the point, but I wish we' d keep looking.
II Thessalonians.. .Do your hands ever get so dry you can hardly hold anything? Golly, mine are so dry tonight, I wonder why? II Thessalonians, chapter 3:10... this we commanded you that if any would not work, neither should he what? [Eat] Right. Even unemployment is no excuse for stealing. He just doesn' t eat. Goes and gets work. Boy, when I first saw the greatness of these principles many years ago, and then of course, I uniquely by God' s grace, inculcated that into our W.O.W. program and very dynamically in the Corps leadership.
Acts 15:12-21
October 7, 1976
Acts 15:12
I defined and gave you the great accuracy of that word “multitude” in verse 12 as being “fulness”
which is a very unique usage of that word, a very wonderful usage; it’s not the common usage of the
word ‘multitude”.
“gave audience” - listened attentively and thinking-ly
“declaring” - exegeomai
“miracles” - semeion - signs
“wonders” - teras - miracles,
Acts 15:13
“held their peace” - same as “kept silence” in verse 12 - That means they just shut up; they closed the
discussion.
“James” - Galatians 1:19:
But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.
This James who is speaking here, in Acts 15:13, is the Lord’s brother. You and I would know him as
his half brother; same mother, different father. And yet he’s called brother. John 7:3-10 Drill verse 5
into your minds. John 7:5: For neither did his brethren believe in him.
In Acts 1:14:
These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication [thanksgiving], with the
women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
So something did occur in some of their lives.
James l:la:
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ
It’s really neat, isn’t it? James, the Lord’s half brother, writing, “a servant of God, and [a servant] of
the Lord Jesus Christ” James had been the Lord’s own half brother, but at one time, he didn’t believe
in him. Look at I Corinthians l5:5 & 7 and especially note verse 7: After that, he
was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
Jesus was seen by James; singled out individually. I’ve often wondered what they talked bout. It
doesn’t tell me. I’ve wondered about it. This is the same James that we’re going to read about here in
the Book of Acts. That’s why I’m giving you all these references; to show you how a man can
change and does change; and how he is really terrific in what he says in Acts, as we shall see.
In Acts 12:17, you see how James is singled out time and again? Look at Acts 21:18 and
in Galatians 2:2, they were pillars, seemed to be pillars anyway. I Corinthians 9:5 These are some
of the references in the Word, to the Lord’s brethren, and some singling out, specifically, James the
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Lord’s brother who became one of the pillars of the church in Jerusalem. In Acts 15:13, that’s the
same James.
“hearken unto me” – same as “gave audience” in verse 12 - In other words, he said, “Men and
brethren, give a listen; open your ears.”
Acts 15:14
“Simeon” - is “Simon”
“declared” - exegeomai - to unfold; to fully make known
“at the first did visit” - first visited - how the first visitation to the Gentiles; how God first did this -
you and I know He did it via Peter.
“for” - not in any text
I did a literal translation according to usage of this verse that I want to share with you:
Simon hath declared how God first visited the Gentiles to receive out from among them a
people; His name.
The non-usage of the preposition “for” intrigued me. The minute accuracy simply astounded me, for
it was Peter who went to the Gentiles, the household of Cornelius, and started that work. God
received out from among the Gentiles a people; His name; people that would carry His name. We are
among those people. We carry His name, for God is our Father. You carry the name of your father.
He didn’t pick out a people “for” His name; He picked out a people who carried God’s name. That’s
the Gentiles; to receive out from among them a people; His name, His name. Not “for” it, but people
who carried His name. That’s just fantastic! We are sons of God. We carry God’s name and we came
out from among the Gentiles. When you begin to cull these truths, in the depth of the Word, people
through the centuries have gotten confused thinking, “Well this is the Church of the Body [i.e. – the
mystery].” It is the Church of the Body, as we see it unfold. But they couldn’t see it from the
prophecies of old, because the church of the body was not about the Gentiles being called out. The
Church of the Body is that the Gentiles are fellowheirs, fellowheirs. That’s what the fight is all about
here in Acts 15. How can they be fellowheirs? They’re Gentiles. They can’t be fellowheirs; they’ve
not been circumcised. “The mystery” is that the Gentiles are fellowheirs and of the same body; Christ
in you, the hope of glory. That’s “the mystery”; fellowheirs, and of the same body. As far as the
blessings on Israel and on the Gentiles, that’s written in prophecy. We’re going to get prophecy now.
Acts 15:15
“to this, agree the words of the prophets” - If the words of the prophets agree to it, then it must have
been in prophecy. What? “that God would receive out from among the Gentiles, a people carrying
His name.” Yet, that’s not “the mystery”, even though you and I know they’re part of the family.
“The mystery” is that the Gentiles shall be fellowheirs, and of the same body, with Christ in you, the
hope of glory.
We get to this great prophecy in verses 15-18.
Acts 15:15-18
This is from Amos 9:11-l2.
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The prophecies that are given in the New Testament, in some instances, do not agree with the literal
Word as it’s given in the Old Testament. Some are taken from the Septuagint, others vary
considerably. But the sense of the prophecy is always preserved, although the words may vary.
Before I finish this session, we’re going into some real in-depth work along this line. Right now I
want to cover the accuracy of the Word here and then we will go to a study of the things that are
spoken and written in prophecy to lay the foundation and to give you some work for the next “15
minutes.”
Acts 15:16
“After this” - after these things
“I will return” - How is He going to return? Here we have an Old Testament prophecy where He
says, “After these things I will return and build again the tabernacle.” How will He return? The “will
return” means “by His sons who have Christ within.” That’s you! That’s how He returned. Christ
where? In you! Christ in you! And so the prophecy was regarding Gentiles, who would return. The
prophet who wrote this (holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit) didn’t
understand it at all, for the time of its fulfillment had not yet come. He just wrote; Holy men of God
spake as they were moved. But you and I, looking back, knowing that the prophecy was fulfilled; His
“return to the Gentiles” was with those sons of God, born again of God’s spirit. Peter first, then Paul
and Barnabas, you understand? That’s how He’s going to “build again.”
“build again” - build up - It is not a building again from nothing, because there were still Jewish
born-again believers, right? They were Judeans by religion. But for the most part, what had happened
to Israel and the Judeans? They had rejected the gospel. And therefore it went to whom? The
Gentiles. That’s why it isn’t “to build again”, because “to build again” in the least common
denominator means something is completely destroyed, nothing left, so you have to build again. This
is not “build again” but it is to “build up”. Now there may not be much left, but you can still, if
there’s one little bit left, you can build “up” on it? But if there’s nothing left, then you have to build
again.
“the tabernacle” - The usage of this thing is unbelievable. Why didn’t He say, “the temple” that He
laid on David’s heart, yet Solomon built it? Why didn’t He say, “the kingdom” that David
established? He uses the word “tent” or “tabernacle.” The word “tabernacle” is the word “tent” - to
indicate how low it’s really fallen. God almost had to start from scratch again. How low it’s fallen, is
indicated by the usage of the word “tabernacle” of David or ‘tent” of David.
“build again” - build up
“ruins” literally - the things overturned - “I will build up the things overturned; I will set them up
again.” I can see the picture like great walls of granite thrown over. It has a good foundation left, but
you just set the granite back up.
“set it up” - erect it upright and straight - That is beautiful. This is what He’s saying about the
Gentiles; out from among the Gentiles, He’s going to build up. And those Gentiles are His name, and
He’s going to build them up, straight and erect. Walk like men of God, women of God; shoulders
back, heads up.
The kind of very thing that I keep driving at you is what the verse is talking about.
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Acts 15:17
“the residue” - literal - a faithful remnant - “remnant” means a small, called-out group. What do you
have when you just make a dress and you have all the stuff you didn’t use laying around? Remnants.
That’s what it’s talking about. You see the real body was to have been what? Israel! The real body
was Israel. But Israel goofed; they blew it. And because they blew it, it went over to the Gentiles.
And God is taking, from Pentecost on, a faithful remnant. You are in that body.
“men” - the man - ādām is the text and ādām is “the man” – it goes back to Genesis 1. God taking
out of the Gentiles [out from among], building up, almost on nothing [tent], the ruins; He’s building
up a faithful remnant of “the man”, of Adam.
“seek after” - earnestly seeking
“the Lord” - Jehovah
Boy, what a fantastic thing. Earnestly seeking Jehovah; earnestly seeking to do the will; earnestly
seeking after Jehovah; earnestly seeking to do His will. That’s what it’s talking about. “Jehovah” is
“Elohim” on the level of His people. “Elohim” is God the Creator. “Jehovah” is God in relationship
to that which He has created. God in Christ in you, is a creation; new birth, created. That’s why it’s
“a faithful remnant of the man, earnestly seeking after Jehovah.”
“and all the Gentiles” – out of all the nations
“upon whom my name is called” - What is His name? (“my name”) It’s Jehovah. In Deuteronomy
28:10, the word “Lord” is “Jehovah.” You see, you do not know God as Elohim. You know Him as
Jehovah.
“upon whom my name is called” - Literally - who will call upon Jehovah
Acts 15:18
This is really sort of screwed up. I think I better just give it to you very detailed and accurately.
“unto God are his works” - just sort of scratch it. But here is how it works,
verses 17 & 18:
A faithful remnant of Adam earnestly seeking Jehovah out of all the nations, who will call
upon Jehovah who has made these things known from the beginning of the world.
That’s the text.
“world” - you could put “ages” - it’s aiōn - Isn’t that a beautiful, beautiful prophecy? That a faithful
remnant of the man. You see the reason I believe “Adam” is used here is “before the fall”, that’s why
it’s so significant to me. It’s not the Adam after the fall; it’s the Adam before the fall. For when
you’re born again as a Gentile, you’re not only body and soul, but you’re also spirit; same as the
original Adam, who had body, soul and spirit. “…earnestly seeking Jehovah out of all the nations
(and “nations” is Gentiles) who will call upon Jehovah. Out from among all the nations, the Gentiles,
who will call upon Jehovah who has made these things known from the beginning of the ages (or the
world).” Those are verse 17 and 18.
I have another translation that I’ve done that I’d like to share with you.
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Acts 15:16-18:
After these things I will build again, and will build up the tent of David which is fallen down,
and I will build again the things overturned thereof, and I will make it upright that the
remnant of man might earnestly seek the Lord, and all the nations on whom my name is
called, saith the Lord, who maketh all these things known from the laying of the world.
Acts 15:19
“my sentence” - krinō - my decision - but even stronger than that, it’s basically judgment “my
judgment” And I’m sure, knowing who James was (one of the pillars), these people are going to pay
a considerable amount of attention and respect to what James is saying. He says “my decision” or
even stronger than that “my judgment”.
“trouble” – harass - That’s exactly what these fellows had done, as they’d gone up, they were
harassing. It is “trouble”, but it’s “trouble” with a “sting” in it. It’s harassment.
“are turned” - are turning
Acts 15:20
“But” - in contrast, to being harassed by them
If you read this verse just in the King James, it leaves you rather aghast:
“abstain from pollutions of idols” - What is that? Here’s an idol. Am I polluted because I
touch it? So, it’s got to be deeper than that.
“fornication” - Has to make more sense than just shacking up; adultery.
“things strangled, blood” - It’s got to mean more than that.
This, here, is a fantastic word of wisdom in application and knowledge. This is where we begin, now,
to build something that, had it not had the word of knowledge and wisdom in it so fantastically, the
first century church would have split right down; circumcision gang and non circumcision gang. I
told you about that previously.
Now look at this statement:
“that we write unto them that they abstain” - even from the King James, though it isn’t very sensible,
you can see that they really didn’t request anything too heavy. It sounds heavy to you for the
moment, but when you work that thing minutely, this is really what it says, “But that we send an
epistle.”
“write” – epistle – An epistle is something with a little length to it; a nice letter. I am sure that this
epistle was much more than just, “abstain from pollution of idols, fornication, things strangled,
blood.” That wouldn’t be an epistle. That would just be a seven word epistle or something. You see,
this gives us the salient truth of what’s going to be in that epistle, but the epistle was nicely blown up,
expanded: “My, it’s wonderful to be able to address this letter to you. God bless you and greetings to
you in the wonderful name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Isn’t it wonderful that we are Christians
together...” That’s the epistle and in it they dropped some of these little beautiful kernels of
cooperation, where the spirit of God is moving in James, to get the circumcision gang happy without
causing the non-circumcision to get upset about it and split out.
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He does it with the word of wisdom beyond hardly anything that anybody ever sees in here. They just
read it; silly words, you know. “Yea...I knew all the time you are not supposed to get contaminated
with idols; not nice to fornicate and things strangled. So what, we eat blood all the time.” See, that’s
the way people read the Word.
It’s much deeper than that; “But that we send an epistle”, not just, “thus saith the Lord!” Had James
written that letter, or had the boys written a letter in that attitude, she’d have split. They did not write
a little note. They wrote an epistle. That’s right. Had James said, “Now look you fellows up there in
the north, quit messing with those idols, and quit eating food that has been strangled and not properly
knifed with a kosher knife”, you know what would have happened? The Gentiles would have said,
“The hell with you!” Then there’d have been the big split. But by the usage of the word of
knowledge and the word of wisdom, they wrote them a nice, pretty package; a beautiful epistle.
“that they abstain from pollutions idols” - You know, that they just get rid of the virgin over here and
that snake trip over there. “It doesn’t mean much; just that you abstain from worshipping them like
you used to, you know?” That’s what they’re saying. “Abstain from idols that will pollute”.
“from fornication” - from sex in the services - That is literally what it says, if you’ve got eyes to see
it. It doesn’t quite say that in the Greek or the Aramaic. If it does not say it then what does
fornication mean? When you see it and understand that they had been Gentiles, and in a lot of the
services of Gentile religions, sex was a real nice trip. Still is, I guess. Today, at Baalbek, Jupiter is the
big temple. Is that the one that has the pillars in front, you see on the posters in the bank, and on the
calendars? Jupiter, I think, is the big spirit temple. That’s the spiritual temple. Everybody who came
to Baalbek to worship would go to the spiritual temple first and get it spiritually on. After they got it
spiritually on, they would go to the temple of Bacchus. Bacchus is the god of eat and drink. So they
ate good physical food. That’s why, on the second level at Baalbek is the temple of Bacchus, then
down the hill farther, after they’ve worshipped their god, after they’ve gotten their physical food,
then they go down for their sex. And that’s the temple of Venus. They’re all three still there.
These people were Gentiles, born again of God’s spirit, and there’s a big fight over circumcision.
Finally, James comes up with this: he said, “We send an epistle that they abstain from idols that will
pollute them, and from sex in the services and strangled animals in which is yet the blood.” That’s
the text.
“and strangled animals in which is yet the blood” - Because when you strangle an animal, blood’s in
it. All of these things were common among Gentiles.
I guess in the Satanist services the female is sometimes the altar today. It’s really interesting, isn’t it?
When you’re really honest and you take an honest look at life and all things, the counterfeit is so
much like the genuine it will blow your mind. When you’re really honest the first thing a man really
needs is spiritual; the second is physical as far as food is concerned and then his sex life, for the
wholeness of it. Isn’t that sort of neat? The Adversary knows this too. That’s why he had Jupiter,
Bacchus and Venus. That verse just sits there and stares at you, and it just sort of knocks you for a
loop. Who would have believed that the great Apostle Paul would have dared to come back to
Jerusalem when he had all that work to do back up there? Some of those Gentiles hadn’t gotten rid of
the “Marys” and the “Saint Joes” and the “rest” out of their houses yet. Oh, a lot of them had. Others
hadn’t quite gotten over this thing where, man if you’ve really got it spiritually, you’ve got to get that
little old gal in the services and have a little sex with her. You talk about the greatness of the Word
and things that nobody sees in the Word, because they’re just blinded to the Word. This thing is just
fantastic.
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You don’t read in the Word where Paul says, you know, “all this damnable stuff”? If you’re going to
bring people up to the greatness of God’s Word, you’ve got to learn to live with them. You’ve got to
lift them. You’ve got to build them up. Paul did just that. In Corinth, they had the same type of
graduated spiritual experience and physical. They had a place where they would worship, a place
where they would eat, and a place where they would go for their sex life. Paul ministered in Corinth.
He saw all this stuff. He knew what was going on. He wasn’t stupid. And yet he comes with the
knowledge of God’s Word to Jerusalem saying, “These have been born again, just like you have.”
People, it’s unbelievable. But there it is. It’s the Word.
Look at that Paul fighting for the new birth? Eternal life! Salvation! Not of works, lest any man
should boast. Don’t you see why Ephesians would click in? “All men dead in trespasses and sins”:
circumcised men; dead, uncircumcised men; dead. If you’re dead, what difference does it make
whether you’re green, yellow, pink or orange? Whether you’re six feet three or five feet eight? If
you’re dead, you’re dead. A little sex on the side; if you’re dead, you’re dead. A little extra idol
standing in the corner; if you’re dead, what difference does it make if you have 50 idols, or if you
had no idol? The circumcision boys thought they didn’t have any idols. Gentiles had idols. But all:
dead in sins. You see the greatness of this; Paul and Barnabas, bringing this back to Jerusalem to
settle it. “Sure, maybe my kids out there are sexing it up to much. But you circumcision fellows, you
maybe aren’t sexing it, but you’re sure thinking it!” That is what the depth of this thing is all about.
Look, I’m not kidding you. This is what the fight is all about.
Exodus 12:43-44:
And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall
no stranger [Gentile] eat thereof:
But every man's servant [Gentile] that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him,
then shall he eat thereof.
The greatest of all deliverance was the Passover. That’s what put you in the house; the circumcision.
Then you could eat in the house; the Passover. And the ordinance was: no Gentile, no stranger,
nobody from the nations unless he is circumcised. That’s what they went up to Jerusalem to talk
about; whether that ordinance was still in effect. If you want to look at it another way, the whole
thing centers around:
Acts 14:27
“door of faith” - door of believing - How He had opened the door of believing unto the Gentiles. The
door of believing is one thing; the seal of believing is something else. The fight is over whether God
opening the door to the Gentiles is enough; or for them to be saved, must they have the seal? That
seal is mentioned in Romans 4:11:
And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith [believing]
which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe,
though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
The door of believing was one thing; the seal of believing was another thing. The seal of believing
was the circumcision. “Now these people have confessed with their mouth the Lord Jesus. We’ve
rehearsed all this. They speak in tongues just as we do in Jerusalem. Therefore, do they need the seal
of believing when they have the witness of believing?” That’s the fight in Jerusalem. That is what
they were dealing with here.
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Acts 15:21
“of old time” - from ancient generations
“hath in every city” - has in city after city
“preach” – kērussō - proclaiming, shouting - The guy that comes out at the Kentucky Derby blowing
that big long trumpet before it opens is technically called a “kērussō.” The Mohammedan that stands
out calling for the hours of prayer, when he blows that trumpet, the word for that is “kērussō”,
heralding forth the hour of prayer, heralding forth the running of the Kentucky Derby. To preach is to
herald forth; to declare with a loud declaration, like the trumpet. You have it at the running of the
games of the Olympics in Rome, Athens and other places. The trumpeter would come out with a big
long trumpet and he’d blow it loudly. The “kērussō” is the trumpet; the “preaching.”
“every sabbath day” - sabbath after sabbath day
Well, that’s all I’m going to do word by word, and line by line. Now, were going into working this
prophecy stuff with you from the Old Testament that you may get a better understanding of this
matter of quotation of prophecies that are in the New Testament. Man through the years has really
confused all of this and caused a lot of difficulty, a lot of doubt, a lot of unbelief and all because they
did not want to understand. Words, originally written in connection with the circumstances of a given
[each] situation, may be reused in connection with different circumstances, different comments,
different application, and different sense. Now, that’s the heaviest line I’ve given you tonight when it
comes to prophecy. Put it another way:
1. - prophecy, then - time circumstance
2. – subsequent - time circumstance
3. – final - time circumstance. When that final time circumstance is used, it always adds the
word “fulfilled” or “full”; “Prophecy full” or “fulfilled.” Before that, it was never fulfilled.
One of the best pieces of work along this line is in Bullinger’s Bible in Appendix 107. Here, he goes
into the principle by underlining the quotations from the Old Testament in the New:
Companion Bible, Appendix 107 [note: bracketed words in dark red are Dr.’s added comments]
It is a fact that in quotations from the Old Testament the Greek text sometimes differs from
the Hebrew.
The difficulties found in connection with this subject arise from our thinking and speaking
only of the human agent as the writer, instead of having regard to the fact that the Word of
God is the record of the words which He, Himself employed when He spoke “at sundry times
and in divers manners” (Heb 1:1); and from not remembering (or believing) that “holy men
of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (II Pet. 1:21, and cp. Matt. 15:4. Mark
12:36. Acts 1:16; 3:18; 28:25. Heb. 3:7; 9:8; 10:15).
If we believe that throughout the Scriptures we have the words of God, and not of man, all
difficulties vanish. The difficulties are created by first assuming that we are dealing with
merely human documents, and then denying the Divine Speaker and Author the right that is
claimed by every human writer for himself.
It thus seems that man may take any liberty he chooses in quoting, adapting, or repeating in a
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varied form his own previously written words, but that he denies the Divine Author of Holy
Scripture the right to deal in the same manner with His own words. This is the cause of all the
so-called “discrepancies” and “difficulties” arising from man’s ignorance.
The Holy Spirit, in referring to words which He has before caused to be written in connection
with the special circumstances of each particular case, frequently refers to them again in
relation to different circumstances and other cases. He could have employed other words had
He chosen to do so; but it has pleased Him to repeat His own words, introducing them in
different connections, with other applications and in new senses.
[That is absolutely beautiful.]
All these things are done, and words are even sometimes changed, in order to bring out some
new truth for our learning. This is lost upon us when we charge upon God our own
ignorance, and the supposed infirmities of human agencies.
One great source of such difficulties is our failure to note the difference between what is said
to be “spoken,” and what is said to be “written”. If we introduce the latter assumption when
the former is definitely stated, we at once create our own “discrepancy”. [Here is the phrase
that I had forgotten. I knew it all the time. I’ve said it many times. Here it is in Bullinger.]
True, by a figure of speech we can say that an author has said a certain thing when he has
written it; [That’s why when it says, “holy men of God spake,” I have said that means they
also wrote it. To speak is to write; but when it says to write, it is not to speak.] but we may
not say that he spoke it when he distinctly says that he wrote it, or vise versa. Some
prophecies were spoken and not written; some were written but not spoken; while others
were both spoken and written.
If we deliberately substitute the one for the other, of course there is a discrepancy; but it is of
our own creating. This at once disposes of two of the greatest and most serious of so-called
discrepancies.
One other consideration will help us when the quotations are prophecies. Prophecies are the
utterances of Jehovah; and Jehovah is He Who was, and is, and is to come - the Eternal. His
words therefore partake of His attributes, and may often have a past and present as well as a
future reference and fulfilment: and (1) a prophecy may refer to the then present
circumstance under which it was spoken; (2) it may have a further and subsequent reference
to some great crisis, [Which would be after the original.] which does not exhaust it [as yet];
and (3) it may require a final reference, which shall be the consummation, and which shall fill
it full, and thus be said to fulfil it.
Certain prophesies may therefore have a preterite reference, as well as a future fulfilment; but
these are to often separated, and the part is put for the whole, one truth being used to upset
another truth, to the contempt of Divine utterance, and to the destruction of brotherly love.
The principles underlying the New Testament quotations were fully set out by Solomon
Glassius (A.D. 1623) in his great work (written in Latin) entitled, Philologia Sacra, chapter
on “Gnomes”; and, as this has never been improved upon, we follow it here.
The notes on the N. T. passages must be consulted for further information.
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He’s going to build it up. This piece of work of Solomon Glassius I would like to have a copy of,
written in Latin just for the Fine Arts Center. I saw the 1611 King James copy today that we have in
the library up here, and the 1560 Matthew Bible copy. It’s just beautiful. Gloria had them sent over.
In Bullinger’s, Figures of Speech Used in the Bible, on page 778; he goes in depth into this. The
Greek word of course is “gnome” or English, “quotation.” The English word for the Greek word is
gnome. It’s pronounced ('nōm), from the Greek word gnome, meaning knowledge, understanding;
also a means of knowing.
Figures of Speech Used in the Bible, pg. 778 & 779:
[note: bracketed words in dark red are Dr.’s added comments]
From gnōnai, meaning to know.
Hence, the term Gnome is given to the citation of brief, sententious, profitable sayings
expressive of a universal maxim or sentiment which appertains to human affairs, cited as
well-known, or as being of general acceptance, but without quoting the author’s name.
In Proverbs 1:2, they are called “words of understanding.” The Scriptures, as Bengel
remarks, are so “full of the best things, that these constitute, as it were, certain continued
sentiments openly set forth in the form of gnomes.
“When these are applied to a certain person, time, or place; or to individual cases; or are
clothed with circumstantial particulars, the figure is called NOEMA, (no-ee-ma), (plural,
NOEMATA), i.e., sense, thought, that which is thought, from noeîn, to perceive.
“When the author’s name is given, the figure is called CHREIA, use, usage, or usance, (from
chraomai, to use).
For the Greek name of the figure Gnome the Latins substituted SENTENTIA (sen-ten'-ti-a),
sentiment, or a sententious saying: a philosophic aphorism, maxim, or axiom, which is quoted
on account of its application to the subject in hand. [I think that’s a lousy translation of it;
that the Latins did. It’s much deeper than sentiment, unless sentiment was deeper for the
Latins. Maybe I should have looked up the word sentiment. I associate it with being
sentimental. Evidently, I better look the word up before I criticize the Latins for what they
did. So, delete this from your legal records.]
A Gnome, however, differs from a Proverb in this: that every Proverb is a Gnome, but every
Gnome is not necessarily a Proverb. A Gnome is, properly speaking a quotation: and
therefore this figure opens up the whole question of the quotations from the Old Testament in
the New.
This is a large subject, many volumes having been written upon it, both in ancient and in
recent times.
It is also a difficult subject, owing to certain phenomena which lie upon its surface.
It is a fact that there are variations between the quotations and the text quoted from.
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Sometimes they agree with the Septuagint translation, and differ from the Hebrew, and vice
versa; and sometimes they differ from both.
Sometimes they are direct quotations; at other times they are composite quotations of several
passages joined in one; while others are mere allusions.
Consequently it is difficult for anyone to make a list or table of such quotations which shall
agree with those made by others.
The general fact [however] seems to be that there are 189 separate passages quoted in the
New Testament, according to Spearman’s reckoning:
From footnotes on pg. 779:
If it is merely a reference or allusion, as distinct from a quotation, then there are many more,
of course. The Lord Jesus Himself referred to 22 out of our 39 Old Testament books.
In Matthew there are references to 88 passages in 10 Old Testament books. In Mark to 37
passages in 10 books. In Luke to 58 passages in 8 books. In John to 40 passages in 6 books.
Deuteronomy and Isaiah, [This is a great paragraph] the two books most assailed by the
Higher Critics, are referred to more often than any other Old Testament books. While
Revelation contains no less than 244 references to 25 Old Testament books.
In Romans there are 74 references. Corinthians, 54. Galatians, 16. Ephesians, 10. Hebrews,
85.
In all, out of 260 chapters in the New Testament, there are 832 quotations, or references, or
allusions to the Old Testament Scriptures. [832]
Every Old Testament book is referred to with the exception of Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, and
Canticles.”
From pg. 780:
It will thus be seen that by far the larger number of quotations correspond with the Septuagint
translation.
[That’s part of the introduction of this. This is interesting.]
From pg. 782:
These facts are deeply instructive; because, for example, while the modern critics divide the
Book of Isaiah into two authorships, The New Testament ascribes six out of the thirteen
passages to Isaiah in the first part of the prophecy, and seven out of the last part. [So the New
Testament contradicts the higher critics; same authorship according to the New Testament.]
The recognition of this one simple fact demolishes completely the hypothesis of the Higher
Critics, and will cause us to prefer the statements of God to the imagination of men.
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In making a quotation from the Old Testament in the New, surely the Holy Spirit is at liberty
to do what any and every human writer may do, and frequently does, in his own works.
Human writers and speakers constantly repeat, refer to, and quote what they have previously
written and spoken, introducing the words in new senses, in different connections, with
varied references, and in fresh applications.
This is the case with the quotations in the Bible, and this one consideration explains all the
so-called difficulties connected with the subject.
Our work, then, in considering these differences, becomes totally different in character from
that which treats them merely as discrepancies, arising from human infirmity or ignorance.
These differences become all important, because they convey to us Divine comments, and
reveal to us new truths.
In quoting, or using again, words and expressions which the Holy Spirit has before used, we
may note the following interesting ways in which He varies the sense or the words in order to
convey to us new truths and lessons by the new application.
In referring to these by way of illustration we have not classified them according to these
definitions and divisions, as the student can determine each case for himself. But we have
followed the arrangement of Glassius in his chapter on Gnomes.
He follows that in here from that work in 1620, wasn’t that when he lived? That work I told you, I’d
like to have in Latin. That’s just part of the tremendous thing that is written in here. This is quite
extensive in Figures of Speech Used in the Bible. The quickest way to just run over them is right
here in this Companion Bible where he gives it the following.
From Appendix 107:
I. As to their INTERNAL form: i.e. the sense, as distinct from the words:―
1. Where the sense originally intended by the Holy Spirit is preserved, though the words may
vary.
2. Where the original sense is modified, and used with a new and different application.
3. Where the sense is ACCOMMODATED, being different from its first use, and is adapted
to quite a different event or circumstance.
[Those are the three categories as to the Internal form: The sense as distinct from the words. The
second category is to their external form: the words as distinct from the sense. The first one; the
sense as distinct from the words. The second external form; the words as distinct from the sense.]
II. As to their EXTERNAL form: i0e. the words, as distinct from the sense.
1. Where the words are from the Hebrew text or Septuagint Version.
2. Where the words are varied by omission, addition, or transposition.
3. Where the words are changed, by a various reading, or by an inference, or in Number,
Person, Mood, or Tense.
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a. By a different reading.
b. By an inference.
c. In number.
4. Where two or more citations are combined. Composite quotations.
This is a common practice in all literature.
[Then he gives some illustrations that I want to read to you.]
Plato connects two lines from Homer, one from The Iliad, xi. L. 638, and the other
from l. 630. Xenophon in his Memorabilia Bk. I, ch. 2, § 58, gives as one quotation
two passages from Homer’s Iliad.
[See, human authors do it, and yet every time God does it in His Word, people say there’s an error.
And He is just documenting it, shoving that criticism right down people’s throats.]
Lucian, in his Charon, section 22, combines five lines together from Homer from
different passages from the Iliad and the 0dyssey.
Plutarch, in his Progress in Virtue, combines in one sentence Homer (0dyssey vi. 187
and xxiv. 402). [He jumps from here to there and puts them together.]
Cicero, De 0ratore, combines in two lines parts of Terence’s lines (Andria 115, 116,
Parry’s Edn.).
Philo, in Who is the Heir of Divine Things, quotes, as one address of Moses, parts of
two others (Num. 11:13 and 22). In the same treatise (§ 46) he combines parts of
Genesis 17:19 and 18.14.
Man may make a mistake in doing this, but not so the Holy Spirit.
In Matthew 21:5, Isa. 62:11 is combined with Zech. 9:9
In Matthew 21:13, Isa. 56:7 is combined with Jer. 7:11
In Mark 1:2-3, Mal. 3:1 is combined with Isa. 40:3
In Luke 1:16-17, Mal. 4:5-6 is combined with 3:1
In Luke 3:4-5, Mal. 3:1 is combined with Isa. 40:3
In Acts 1:20, Ps. 69:25 is combined with l09:8
In Rom.3:10-12, Eccles. 7:20 Is combined with Ps. 14:2-3 and 53:2-3
In Rom. 3:13-18, Ps. 5:9 is combined with Isa. 59:7-8 and Ps. 36:1
In Rom. 9:33, Isa. 28:16 is combined with 8:l4
In Rom. 11:26-27, Isa. 59:20-21 is combined with 27:9
In I Cor. 15:54-56, Isa. 25:8 is combined with Hos. 13:14
In II Cor. 6:16, Lev. 26:11-12 is combined with Ezek. 37:27
In Gal. 3:8, Gen. 12:3 is combined with 18:18
In I Peter 2:7-8, Ps. 1l8:22 is combined with Isa. 8:14
[He gives all these references, and the fifth point under the External form is:]
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5. Where quotations are made from secular writers.
Now. I didn’t expect you to remember everything I said tonight, but I expect you to have the
knowledge to know where to go to look it up. And I wanted it specifically on the tape, because there
will be a lot of our people, maybe in due time, who will riot have access (immediate access at least)
to a Companion Bible or a Figures of Speech, who can take what I have said and taught tonight, and
go to their own Bibles and check it out. That will be helpful to them. By the way, Bullinger has all
the quotations from the New Testament with those where they came from, in the Old Testament. He
has them all in there. And of course, “Gnome” here in Figures of Speech has them in detail. It’s a
fantastic piece of work. It must have been fifteen years ago when I first asked, or dropped a hint, that
I wished we could find that one done by Glassius; the one done in Latin. We tried all over Europe.
We have a fellow that, (Menden, is that his name?) who’s been our bloodhound for years up there.
He’s never gotten me a copy.
I need a man with a great knowledge in his mind, well-read and studied in all of Bullinger’s fine
points, footnotes, naming of certain books, same of Ginsberg’s work and a fantastic knowledge of
things that I’ve worked out through the years. I ‘d like him to spend a year or two in Great Britain
and Europe to live with Mr. Menden and pay him for the privilege, which I would be glad to do. I’d
like to let my man just stand close to him and just breathe occasionally and watch Menden work. For
when Menden dies some of the greatest, fantastic knowledge of where things are in the world will be
lost, because he has the best mind up here and knows where things are all over the world. Not only
in Great Britain and Europe but Canada and the United States. He knows where the stuff is. And the
only way you ever find out what a man has in his head is live with him; study, shut up, and keep your
mouth shut but listen. And then ask intelligent questions, occasionally, net too many, because
nobody’s that intelligent to ask many. It would take you about two years. And in that year or two, that
it would take. you could learn the mind of that man. He’s always willing to give; he’s just so loving,
tender, understanding. And I just know that he is the best buyer in the world. He buys whole
libraries.
It is through him that I got everything, years ago, that Bullinger has ever done, with the exception of
two small pamphlets, which we have not yet acquired. Otherwise, I have everything that Bullinger
ever did. And we have scoured the world for them. But maybe we’ll get them one of these days.
These are some of the things that are open in The Way Ministry to people who have ability and you
don’t get this ability the first year in. the Corps, or the second, or the third. It’s the kind of ability that
you must develop within yourself. How many years? I don’t know. See, everybody would like to
have a vacation and go to Europe, or go to Great Britain, and be with Menden for about a year or
two, but that wouldn’t help the ministry much. I’m interested in a man who has a fantastic knowledge
of a lot of the great works that pretty well are no longer in circulation. They‘re pretty well hidden in
posterity. And you have to dig them out. Menden is smart enough to know all of that stuff. I think he
was at one time the head of the Bullinger Trust Foundation. Maybe he wasn’t, maybe he was ,just Dr.
Carpenter’s friend, who today is the head of the Bullinger Trust Foundation.
Now. a lot of these things that I work in the Word; I’ve worked things like figures of speech; I’ve
worked every figure of speech that’s in the Bible. I’ve worked it; now, that doesn’t mean I
remembered it. I never said I remembered it. I just worked it, A few things I remember, but Bullinger
too, Ginsberg, some of these men had fantastic knowledge about certain things in the Word. That’s
the finest piece of work on prophecies from the Old Testament in the New Testament. And he
capsulizes it for us, that you can study it out and you can read it. You can read it in a half hour. That
doesn’t mean you will digest it. But it’s there, and that takes the Bible on prophecy and fits it just like
a hand in a glove on the literal of other usages of the Word. That again, is another proof that the
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