(The reader should always turn to the Bible and read the passages referred to.)

BY JOHN BLOORE

QUES. 17.-What is the difference between grace and mercy in 1 Tim. 1:2 and 2 Tim. 1:2?

ANS.-Grace is free favor in general, the blessing of God freely bestowed upon us. Mercy is what God shows toward us in view of infirmity, failure, trial-the relief and help He sends in time of stress. Grace, specially, is the Divine favor extended to the guilty; mercy, that which is for the miserable. A word may be added as to the third feature of these salutations-peace. It means a condition of freedom from disturbance, from anxiety of mind. Phil. 4:6-9 directs our way to its realization, as Heb. 4:15,16 shows how grace and mercy are made available.

QUES. 18.-What is the meaning of "better resurrection" in Heb. 11:35?

ANS.-The contrast is between the resurrection those will have who suffered as stated, and that granted to the women who "received their dead again by resurrection" (New Trans.), which was merely a continuation of life on earth. "A better resurrection" will be that of the just to life and glory of heavenly order.

QUES. 19.-Why does Peter call the Lord Jesus, "Holy Child" (Acts 4:27,30)?

-In both these passages the Revised Version and New Trans. give "servant." The Greek word is pais, meaning a boy or girl, a child in legal relation, not necessarily of natural descent, which is rather expressed by teknon; this word is continually used in the sense of servant. Pais is used twenty-four times in the New Testament and with the exception of Acts 4:27, 30 is rendered:"Servant," – eleven times ; "son," twice, referring to Christ, both changed to 'servant' in New Trans. (Acts 3:13,26); "young man," once ('boy' in New Trans.); "maiden," "maid," Luke 8:51,54; "child," or "children," five times, one of which refers to the Lord (Luke 2:43, 'boy,' New Trans.); "son," once, John 4:51 ('child,' New Trans.).

The context really determines which rendering to adopt, and this shows "servant" to be the most suited in all the passages in the Acts (3:13,26; 4:27,30).

QUES. 20.-Were Ananias and Sapphira true believers?

ANS.-The judgment visited upon them does not raise the question of their salvation. It was a manifestation of God's government in His house-the assembly. They lied to God. Their state was such that the enemy could use them in an effort to corrupt the testimony. It served as an opportunity to show to all the reality and power of the Holy Spirit, who knowing the secret evil at work immediately revealed it, and summary judgment followed. Analogy may be found in the case of Nadab and Abihu (Lev. 10); 1 Cor. 11:30-32; 1 John 5; 16,17.

QUES. 21.-Does any Scripture intimate when Moses was saved?

ANS.-None that we know. We know his parents acted in faith, and that he, by faith, though he had become great, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter (Heb. 11:23, 24, New Trans.). This we may suppose connects with Acts 7:23, so Moses would be forty years of age. Certainly before this he had believed God, and entered into His mind and will for His people (Heb. 11:25, 26).

QUES. 22.-Why is Mary not permitted to touch the Lord (John 20:17), while in Matthew the women hold Him by the feet?

ANS.-In Matthew we read:"And they coming up took Him by the feet and did Him homage."

In John "touch" is haptou, primarily meaning to fasten to, not a momentary touch but a clinging to. By her action Mary, great in her affection and joy, showed she thought that the Lord had returned to renew the old relations, that the old form of intercourse would again go on. She was clinging to Him in that way, and now that He had come back she supposed the past would live again in the coming days. Plainly this was something quite different from the simple act of homage. Mary's heart was set on a form of relationship which could not be resumed. He must now be known in the new place soon to be taken with the Father. This meant for His loved ones, like Mary, a more blessed and glorious relationship with Him which could only be realized through His own departure and the coming of the Spirit to indwell His redeemed people. (Compare 2 Cor. 5:16). "For I have not yet ascended to my Father," gives the reason. Henceforth relationship depends upon that, His being with the Father in glory, and is not to be of the order known in the past during the days of His flesh. This underlies the message the Lord gives Mary. In the light of the epistles we see how much precious truth was enshrined in His few words-words of spirit and life. It is in fact the bringing of His people into the same position as Himself before the Father-"My brethren-My Father, your Father-My God, your God." Blessed relationship! May our hearts live in it more and more.