Question Corner

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 29, 1902

1206.—SCRIPTURE REFERENCES.—THEIR AUTHORITY AND USE.

A correspondent who encloses subscription to the Signs thus writes us:—

(1) I send a few Bible references which I would like you to notice, as they have direct bearing on the Sabbath question as given in the subject index of Thomas Nelson’s edition of the Bible, and as taught by most of the orthodox churches of to-day. Therefore, as I believe you are the exponents of the truth, I call your attention to this subject. Under heading of “Sabbath” and “observance of” in New Testament, I find these references: Matt. 12:1–13; Mark 2:23–28; 3:1–5; Luke 6:1–10; 14:1–5; John 5:8–18; Rom. 14:5, 6; Gal. 4:10; Col. 2:16; apparently aiming to teach that it does not make any difference what day we keep, so we keep one day. (2) I also desire to call your attention to Luke 1. What does he mean by the “second Sabbath after the first”? (3) What day is referred to in Romans 14, where the subject matters not, so we keep the day to the Lord? I believe that the Seventh-day Adventist people are right; but to be able to convince others, we must be armed with proof that is as strong as the Word of God can make it. I have no doubt on the subject myself, but there are doubters, and, like Thomas of old, they want proof.

1. References to other passages in the margins of our Bibles or in Bible text-books are no part of God’s Word. They are wholly the work of man, quite useful for the one who knows their purpose, but to those who do not, sometimes misleading. The compiler of the references in the text-book in question evidently designed to place together all the texts which to him seemed to have a bearing upon the day. The supposition is that the student will examine them all by the aid of the Spirit, and give each its due weight and proper setting. Simply because we find a number of texts under a certain heading, we are not supposed to think that all teach or pertain to the thought of the heading, unless the Scriptures themselves warrant this conclusion. For instance, in Dan. 12:1 mention is made of a great “time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time,” and reference is made to Matt. 24:21 where the great tribulation is spoken of, “such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” Many conclude that both texts refer to the same thing; but the context of each shows that the “trouble” is upon the wicked, from which God’s people will be delivered, while the tribulation is upon the saints. All that references can rightly be used for is convenience and suggestion, never for authority in interpretation.

2. The expression would mean no more than on a second Sabbath after one previously mentioned. The Revised Version reads, “It came to pass on a Sabbath.” The Syriac and others are similar. The best Greek copies do not give either second or first Sabbaths.

3. The reference in Rom. 14:5, 6, is evidently to days and feasts connected with ancient ceremonies; but in the light of the whole chapter it may be given the broadest application, namely, that whatever day a man may keep or whether he keeps no day, man is not his judge; he is responsible alone to God. Of course, this does not imply that God has not a Sabbath day, or that He does not require man to keep it, or that Christians should not teach God’s Word, and persuade the disobedient to obey, but no man is judge of another. It is not for any man to say when a soul has passed the line of condemnation. “Preach the Word.” By that man must stand with God or fall with sin.