HOW TO   UNDERSTAND   and APPLY THE BIBLE R. H. Boll     Published by THE WORD AND WORK Louisville, Kentucky

      All the blessings which the Word of God brings to a man (and they are many and great) are within reach of the open ear and willing heart. Anyone who willeth to do God's will and is therefore anxious to know God's ways is fitted to become a first-class Bible scholar. Assuming, dear reader, that you are such a man or woman, poor in spirit, truly wishing to know the will of God that you may do it, I offer you some fundamental instruction concerning the Bible; yet not instruction of mine but instruction drawn from the Bible itself, to meet the greatest difficulties in the Bible student's way.

      Let us suppose that you open the Bible for the first time, and, convinced that it is God's word, you seek to find there God's will concerning you. You are on the right track so far, for this is the word that is a light to men's feet. You may also, because of your pure motive, count upon the blessing of that wonderful God the Bible speaks of, for "He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." Heb. 11:6.

      Naturally you open the book at its first page. The headlines say: "The First Book of Moses, called Genesis." It is the beginning book of the Bible, the book of beginnings. There is the creation of the earth, of all living things on it, of the first man also and the first woman. The curtain rises [3] upon a scene of perfect peace and cloudless happiness. God beholds it and pronounces it as "very good." Then comes the beginning of sin, and with it the beginning of thorns and thistles; of toil and suffering and death; of enmity and jarring discord instead of peace and harmony; sorrow instead of joy; burdens, diseases, miseries upon man and beast. There also the beginning of the work of redemption of what was lost. (The last two chapters of the Bible show the accomplishment of this end.) On Abel's altar lies a slain lamb, and its blood flowed, we cannot guess for what, until later in the Bible the idea of sacrifice is explained. A flood destroys all the earth, one family excepted. The earth is populated again, and a man of Chaldea, Abram, is chosen to be chief factor in God's purpose, and to him God promised that in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blest. Now the rest of Genesis deals with this man and his son Isaac, and grandson Jacob, and Jacob's twelve sons, particularly Joseph.

      You stop now to think. You have learned many things which are intensely interesting. But you are perplexed. Has God told me here how to serve and worship Him? Shall I offer up animals upon an altar like Abel and Noah? Shall I circumcise my children like Abraham? If not, why not? Or, if yes, why is there not some clear indication that this is applicable to me, and that I am to follow it?

      You are ready to see a second important truth; namely that although all the Bible is God's word, some distinction must be made [4] between what directly applies to you and what does not. Looking over the index you become aware that the Bible is really a library--not simply one book, but a collection of books, sixty-six in number. These were written by the inspiration of God, by different men in different portions, during a period of 1,600 years, to different peoples in different languages: (the Old Testament in Hebrew and Aramaic, the New in Greek), and covering in extent of its application all time, from the dawn of creation to the "ages of ages." Different methods of worship and service, arranged by Jehovah, succeed one another. We would like to go patiently from book to book and watch the development of God's plan until it reaches us--but is there no readier way for me to learn God's will concerning me today? The study of all else in the Bible must be profitable, but tell us how to be saved now, and then at our leisure will we return to trace the paths of God in past and future.

      If then I may distinguish between the parts of the Bible and direct my attention at once to that which concerns me, I must learn how to divide it, and divide it without fail or mistake. (II Tim. 2:15. "Rightly dividing the word of truth".) God alone can direct me in this matter; for though my judgment is unreliable and inadequate, God can make, and surely has made a clean, clear, division of His own word. Let us turn then to Hebrews 1:1, 2, and read: [5]

      "GOD WHO AT SUNDRY TIMES AND IN DIVERS MANNERS SPAKE IN TIME PAST UNTO THE FATHERS BY THE PROPHETS, HATH IN THESE LAST DAYS SPOKEN UNTO US BY HIS SON."

      Here in one swift stroke God cuts His Book into two parts; that which was spoken in times past, and that which was spoken in these last days; that which was spoken to the fathers on the one hand; and that which was spoken to us on the other. The messengers in the one case were the prophets; the messenger in the other is God's own Son. In order to present the contrast of the two portions to the eye let us diagram it.

      Now the portion on the right hand concerns me most directly. I set aside then for the time, all the Old Testament which was written by the "Prophets" from Moses on, and go straight to that portion of the Scriptures where the Son of God appears on the scene. In the first four books of the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, commonly called the four gospels) I find the earthly life-story of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the Lord, from His birth in a stable to His death upon the cross. Here He lives, acts, walks and talks. He is the One who is to deal with us, and to whom we must come for information, yea, and for salvation itself. Of Him God said: "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." (Matt. 3:17.) [6] In Luke (1:78-79) he is called "the day-spring from on high"--the spring of day, the source of light--"to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."

      A most remarkable event transpired upon the Mount of Transfiguration (Luke 9:28-36). In the presence of three chosen disciples Jesus was transfigured and Moses and Elijah appeared in glory talking about Jesus' decease which He was about to accomplish in Jerusalem. Peter, apparently dazed with the scene, proposed to remain on the mount forever and to build three tabernacles, one each for Christ, Moses, and Elijah. And it was "while he said these things there came a cloud and overshadowed them. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my Son, my chosen; hear ye him. And when the voice came Jesus was found alone." It is not hard to see that this vision looked toward the abrogation of the former dispensation in which Moses and Elijah were noted and chief messengers of God, and the placing of everything into the hands of Jesus; so that He might be the Way, the Truth and the Life, and no one could come to the Father but by Him. (John 14:6).

      This one, first, simple rule God gave for the division of His word (Heb. 1:1, 2) will, if kept in mind and faithfully applied, solve a lot of problems and correct many of the errors of the discordant religious doctrines and practices of today. When any question pertaining to our duty toward God in worship or service arises, Jesus must be [7] consulted. Moses cannot settle it; the prophets have not told us. They spake to the fathers. But unto us God spoke through His Son. Of what use the Old Testament is to us will be considered later. We see here, however, that its object is not to show us how to serve and worship God today, in this gospel dispensation.

      The bulk of the Old Testament is taken up with a covenant given from Mount Sinai, and the history of and prophetic messages to the people that lived under it. The New Testament contains the record of another covenant between God and men, which stands in sharpest contrast with the former one. That is called "the first covenant," this "the second." (Heb. 8:7). That is "the law," this is "the gospel." Moses was the mediator (the middle-man, or agent through whom God gave His covenant) of the first covenant; Jesus is the Mediator of the new, the better covenant (Heb. 8:6; 9:15). "For the law was given by Moses; but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ," John 1:17. The utter removal of the first covenant is set forth very clearly in Heb. 10:9 and Gal. 4:21-31.

      The question to be settled now--a question of supreme importance in many ways--is,

      We have learned enough already to answer offhand, "The Old Covenant ceased and the New began by the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ." Which answer is undeniably correct. But now a new question arises. [8] Jesus was born and lived and died under the old Law. Far from setting aside any part of the Law, He kept it Himself (was in fact the only person that ever did perfectly keep it), and taught His disciples to do the same. "Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets; I am not come to destroy but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments (of the law) and shall teach men so, he shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 5:17-19.) This He said at the beginning of His ministry. Toward the end He instructed His disciples once more: saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat"--that is they were then teachers of Moses' law. "All things therefore whatsoever they bid you, these do and observe." (Matt. 23:2, 3.) He insisted upon a more perfect obedience to the law than that of the scribes and Pharisees, for theirs was outward and perfunctory, and not from the heart. (Matt. 5:20). A few hours before His death, He in obedience to the old covenant, ate the Passover with His disciples. Neither is anything said of a change of covenant up to the moment of His death.

      Now, in connection with His death upon the cross there are two things which we must specially notice: first, His saying upon the cross, "It is finished;" second, the fact that at the moment of His death the great [9] veil of the temple, which separated the holy place from the most holy (Heb. 9:1-8), tore in two from top to bottom. Without suggesting the meaning of these two notable facts, let us pass to some plain, definite statements of God's word. Contrasting the sacrifices of the old covenant, the blood of bulls and goats which "sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh," the writer of Hebrews continues: (Heb. 9:14) "How much more shall the blood of Christ . . . purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" Then in verse 15: "And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament (or, covenant) that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament (or covenant), they which are called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance."

      So it seems clear that before that better covenant established upon better promises, (Heb. 8:6) could be offered to men, the blood of Christ had to be shed; for this cleansing blood, redeeming men from their former transgressions and purging their consciences, put the promise of the eternal inheritance within their reach. For this cause Jesus died. Continuing now in Heb. 9:

      "For where a testament is there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth." (Vs. 16, 17.)

      It is evident therefore that we must pass over Jesus' human life-time in our search for the covenant He provided for us. The ratifying death has to come first. It may be [10] that now we can see more clearly why Moses and Elijah on the Mount of the Transfiguration talked about Christ's death; and also why Jesus charged His disciples to tell no man of the vision till after His resurrection. (Matt. 17:9.) It also throws light on His charge to keep secret the fact that He was the Christ. (Matt. 16:20.) The time had not come then. Not until the resurrection was He declared indeed to be the Son of God. (Rom. 1:4.)

      But now, this death having taken place, and Jesus risen from the dead, may we not look for the announcement of the new covenant? Even so. Jesus, after His resurrection, met His disciples in Galilee, and said unto them, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth: go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen." Matt. 28:18-20. It is now no longer "what Moses commanded," but "What I have commanded." He is the sole spokesman of God now. Once those who would enter into covenant relationship with God had to come to Moses, for he was the mediator of the old covenant; but now Jesus is the Mediator of the New Covenant, and no one cometh unto the Father but through Him. (John 14:6).

      This same commission to the apostles, which embodies the terms of the new covenant is thus recorded by Mark: "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every [11] creature; he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." (Mark 16:15, 16.)

      Luke brings out another feature of it: "Thus it is written and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day; and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations beginning at Jerusalem." Luke 24:46, 47.

      The discussion of these words is left for the next chapter, but attention is now called specially to the fact that this is the announcement of the new order, the new covenant, under which we must be saved, which came subsequent to the death and resurrection of the Lord. This is the "continental divide" of the Bible, the watershed between the two covenants.

      If the question should be asked what is the New Testament? we would at once point to the little book that begins with Matthew and ends with Revelation. In the common sense this would be correct. But strictly speaking the three passages above quoted (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15, 16; Luke 24:46, 47) are the core of the New Testament. Everything else in the book clusters around these. Matthew, Mark and Luke, and the gospel by John, tell about the person of the Mediator and Redeemer, His life and death, and lead up to the covenant; in the other books, from Acts to Revelation, we have the applications and elaborations of the [12] terms of this covenant. We could hardly overestimate the importance of these three passages: (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15, 16; Luke 24:46, 47). They embody the results of Christ's work. Wrapped up with them lies our salvation. On the terms announced in them we can enter into covenant relation with God, be cleansed from sin, and obtain part in "the inheritance of the saints in light." And besides these there are no covenant terms given. Sealed and stamped with the authority of Jesus Christ, sprinkled and ratified with His blood--the blood of the new covenant (as Moses sprinkled the book of the old covenant with the blood of animals, Heb. 9:18-20,) they cannot be changed. Let us consider them more particularly.

      Matt. 28:18.--"All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth."

      Supreme authority is Christ's now. Neither in heaven nor on earth is there any that can change His word and will, as now about to be given. He and He alone, has the right to dictate and make terms. The commission in Luke is prefaced by, "Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day." (Luke 24:46). It was because of His death that God crowned Him with glory and honor. (Heb. 2:9.) As Joseph was taken from the dungeon and made ruler over Egypt, so absolutely that Pharaoh himself claimed only the throne, but turned all administration over into Joseph's hand; so from the grave, because He had been obedient unto death, God exalted His Son, Jesus, and gave Him the [13] name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow. (Phil. 2:5-11.) That therefore which follows this solemn introduction has been purchased by the bitter sufferings and death of the Savior, in obedience to the Father. Now, being Lord, having the keys of hell and death (Rev. 1:18,) and all power in heaven and on earth, He makes a covenant of life and mercy for the saving of sinful men.

      Matt. 28:19.--"Go ye therefore and teach all nations."

      Thus to the eleven apostles. Mark adds more particularly the thing to be taught--the gospel. "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." Mark 16:15. This gospel could never have been preached before this particular time, for, as Paul informs us later (1 Cor. 15:1-4) the foundation facts of the finished gospel were the death of Christ for our sins, His burial and resurrection.

      We note yet other changes. The thing that had hitherto been kept secret (Matt. 16:20), that Jesus was indeed the Christ, must now be widely proclaimed. The scope of preaching which had hitherto been confined to Israel only (Matt. 10:5-7, 15:24,) is now extended to the whole world; and on the strength of this most gracious provision the new covenant offer is to us also. Yea, it may happen that the Jew would oppose the preaching to the Gentiles (the "nations"), or men of one race might for one reason or another withhold it from another. But all such quibbling is forestalled by the simple [14] words of Mark, "to every creature." To be sure he means creatures that are able to believe, for Mark adds immediately, "he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." Wherever then there is a creature that can believe and be baptized, the gospel must be preached to that creature.

      Matthew's account says not a word of the necessity of believing on the part of those that are taught. But Mark's mention of it is enough even if it were not implied in Matthew's record. Luke brings out a condition which neither Matthew nor Mark have mentioned, while those specified by Matthew and Mark he omits, "Repentance and remission of sins should be preached among all nations." Luke 24:47.

      Some have much discussion as to which should come first, believing or repenting. We will waste no time. The man who believes and repents both, does what Jesus has desired of him, and the order cannot but be right. It is to be noted that behind the command to repent also stands the death of Christ, and the possibility of forgiveness it created. The very offer to repent is an unspeakable gift of mercy. For except that Spotless Lamb had borne away our sins there would have been no repentance--no use of it, no offer, no possibility. O the goodness of God which lies hidden in the word Repent!

      Matt. 28:19.--"Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

      Taking into consideration the preceding words we see that those who were taught (or made disciples, which is "learners,") [15] were to be baptized. This excludes infants. Even more emphatically does Mark's record exclude them: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." The New Covenant does not deal with infants--not because God rejects them from His blessings, far from it; but because they, not being responsible, nor having ever committed actual sin, do not come under its purpose. "Christ Jesus died to save sinners." Occasionally we hear a pathetic appeal not to leave infants out in the cold but to baptize them and take them in--which is more sentimental than scriptural. Does not God love the little ones more than we? Are we more merciful than He? It is presumptuous to change the order of the new covenant so as to baptize the untaught who cannot believe. Neither does the Book give any example or precedent authorizing such a thing. We have nothing to do with "taking any one in," or "leaving them out" in the cold. That is with Christ. All authority is His. He leaves no babe out in the cold, unless His heart has changed since the day He took them into His arms and blessed them. But it is not stated that they need to come in under the provisions of a covenant made with responsible and sinful men. Moreover, in this new covenant all shall know God, from the least to the greatest. Heb. 8:11. This excludes infants. The baptism of infants, moreover, would imply efficacy in mere water. Baptism is of value as an expression of faith and willing submission by faith to Christ as Lord, but when administered to a helpless infant is an empty and meaningless form. [16]

      We see further from Matt. 28:19, that this baptism is to be administered by men; which excludes all possibility of its being "the baptism of the Holy Spirit," because Christ alone could be administrator of that. (John 1:33). So it must be the baptism in water that is enjoined here in the terms of the new covenant. Let none speak lightly of it. Among religious people too often today baptism is depreciated, sometimes entirely set aside. The very ones that apply water to an infant, speak of the baptism of adults as a small matter, a mere form, etc. They have changed its form also from the immersion in water which Jesus ordered (the very word itself means to dip, plunge, immerse,) to something quite different, but far more convenient. Here again we need to look to the solemn introduction of these terms: "All power (authority) is given unto me, in heaven and in earth." Shall we respect it? "Brethren, though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto." Gal. 3:15. What then if it is Christ's covenant? Has he any share in the common rights that obtain even between men? Shall His terms be changed and tampered with?

      How it has happened that people have thought lightly of the baptism Christ required is yet harder to understand in view of the words with which it is connected here: "Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." The revised version properly translates, "into the name," instead of "in." The only significance that could be attached to that is [17] that baptism (as the expression of faith) brings men into union with the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

      A widely known preacher and teacher of a pedo-baptist denomination wrote: "Every baptized believer must always look upon baptism as his entrance into a covenant with the Three-One God."^a Now this is somewhat out of joint with his general doctrine, but candor nonetheless led him to write it. And so it is. Here God has recorded His name, and here, in this last of the preliminary steps, He meets with His people to bless them. (Compare the type, Exod. 20:24.) There we enter salvation--not because of any virtue of the water, but through faith, by the terms of the new covenant the authority of Him who stands behind it, and the blood which is here applied to us, "unto remission of sins." (Acts 2:38.) This agrees with Mark 16:16, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved."^*

      Matt. 28:20.--"Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you."

      This follows the first teaching and the baptism. Being now baptized into Christ they are under His leadership and command, just as the Israelites, having passed through [18] the Red Sea, and being thus in a figure baptized unto Moses, were thenceforth forever free from the rule of Egypt and wholly committed to the rule and leadership of Moses. (1 Cor. 10:1, 2; Exodus 14.) Christ is their Lord now; they are His servants. He speaks--they hear. He goeth before them as the good Shepherd--the sheep follow Him. This devotion is the keynote of the Christian life.

      "And, lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world."

      Besides the sweet promise of Christ's presence with us to aid and to bless, this incidentally indicates how long this order of things is to continue, namely, "even to the end of the world." A better rendering, found in the margin of the Revised Version, is, "even to the consummation of the age." Until the end of this dispensation, until the Lord comes. Hence it is in full force today.

      It is notable that while Jesus gives out the terms of the great covenant, He Himself never preached it to the world, but delegated that work to the eleven men whom He addressed, and to whom He said, "Go ye into all the world." This great salvation indeed first began to be spoken by the Lord, but it was confirmed unto men by them that heard Him--the apostles. (Heb. 2:3.) They were His representatives, His witnesses (Acts 1:8), His ambassadors.

      Nothing is more important right here than that we should understand the fact that a representative, where he acts according to his instructions, has just the same authority [19] and power within those limits as the one that sends him. If some foreign country desires to transact business with the United States, she does not come over, king, court and all, but sends a man duly accredited and authorized, who represents her. He is the ambassador. If he is accepted, it is exactly the same as accepting the government that sends him; to reject his terms is to reject the power that sent him. If in his official capacity he is insulted, the insult is to the government that sent him. If on the other hand he is honored, the honor is to his government. He has (in accord with his instructions to be sure) the right to make terms, arrange treaties and compacts. What he binds here shall be bound in his country. In peace negotiations between warring countries the agreements accepted on each side are as valid as if the respective heads of the governments had been personally present and accepted them.

      Now this very relationship also exists between Christ and His apostles. "We (apostles) are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us; we beseech you on behalf of Christ, be ye reconciled to God." (2 Cor. 5:20.) To them had God committed the only peace terms, "the word of reconciliation." (2 Cor. 5:19.)

      An apostle is literally "one sent forth." So we read in John 20:21 how Jesus said to them: "Peace be unto you; as the Father hath sent me, so send I you." And with these words He gave them the ambassador's power to transact business on their Lord's behalf; which business was to put away sin and [20] establish peace between man and God. "And when He had said this He breathed on them and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Spirit; whose soever sins ye forgive they are forgiven unto them, whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained." (John 20:22, 23.) No one will suppose, of course, that they could forgive sin according to their own pleasure and whims, or even as their reason and kindness might direct. Like all other ambassadors--yea, and much more so, for God is strict in this point--they were confined to the instructions from their Lord, which through the Holy Spirit they were to receive. In fact, to forestall any mistake on their part, the Holy Spirit Himself was to control their utterances.

      The device of printing the personal words of Jesus in red letters, or in black-face type, could be misleading, for it leaves an impression that the personal teachings and words of the Lord carry more weight and authority than those of the apostles. The Lord is set up as a higher authority than the apostles, where their respective statements appear to conflict. Now this is to misunderstand the whole matter. To be sure the apostles were men, and Jesus is Lord. But Jesus had authorized them and had given them the message, and subsequently put them under the control of the Holy Spirit that they might accurately set forth His will. Jesus Himself said: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that receiveth whomsoever I send, receiveth Me; and he that receiveth Me receiveth Him that sent Me." (John 13:20.) Vice versa, "He that rejecteth you [21] rejecteth Me: and he that rejecteth Me rejecteth Him that sent Me." (Luke 10:16.) And Jesus is entirely responsible for the terms they should lay down, and the covenant of peace they were to offer. To one of them (Peter) the Lord said, "I will give unto thee the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Matt. 16:19.) Which is to say that the government of heaven will stand by the terms and agreements the apostles shall make on earth, and will ratify them.

      Up to the time that Jesus uttered the new covenant terms they had been kept in the secret counsel of God from times eternal. But now these words of infinite importance were given--not to the world as yet, but to the apostles, who were also charged to preach them to all nations. Jesus placed the treasure of His unsearchable riches into earthen vessels. (2 Cor. 4:7.) But even now the Lord required that it be kept secret a while longer. The time was not yet. First the apostles must receive their final qualification, to fit them completely for their work--an ambassadorship so sacred and important that in all the world the like of it had never been, and in which a mistake on their part would result in the loss of souls, and the marring of God's great purpose. So the very possibility of human mistakes must be eliminated. This God did in His own wise way.

      Having given them their commission, Jesus says: "And behold I send forth the [22] promise of the Father upon you; but tarry ye in the city (Jerusalem) until ye be clothed with power from on high." (Luke 24:49.) So back to Jerusalem they must go and wait. For what? This is further explained in Acts 1:4, 5, 8--"and being assembled together with them He charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, said He, ye heard from Me; for John indeed baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days hence . . . But ye shall receive power when the Holy Spirit is come upon you; and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem and in Judea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth." (A. R. V.)

      The Holy Spirit! The Son goes back to the Father; but not a step shall be made until Jesus was glorified. (John 7:39.) In Christ's farewell talk to His disciples found in John 14, 15, and 16; on that dark night of the Passover, Lord's Supper and betrayal, the promise of the Holy Spirit is given with great fulness, and His work explained. "He shall teach you all things," said Jesus, "and bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you." (John 14:26.) The 26th verse of the following chapter calls Him "the Spirit of Truth which proceedeth from the Father," and states that when He is come He should "bear witness" of Christ. In the next chapter (John 16), Jesus' declaration of the Spirit's coming is prefaced by this hardest of all things for the apostles to believe: "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away." How could it be? [23] "For if I go not away the Comforter (the Spirit) will not come unto you." Then He tells them how the Spirit should convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and concludes, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now; howbeit when He, the Spirit of Truth is come, He shall guide you into all the truth; for He shall not speak from Himself, but what things soever He shall hear these shall He speak; and He shall declare unto you the things that are to come." (John 16:7-13.) Taught and reminded by the Spirit of all that Jesus had ever spoken, (John 14:26), and guided into all the truth even in the points where Jesus personally had given them no previous teaching (John 16:12, 13), they would be fully prepared to be the ambassadors of Christ to proclaim unto men the way of salvation. And for the Spirit who would enable them to fulfil this responsibility, they were to wait in Jerusalem.

      After Jesus was taken up from their midst, the disciples who had accompanied Him on that last of His earthly walks, returned to Jerusalem. With much emphasis does the writer of the Book of Acts state this, mentioning the distance they had to walk on their way back and the fact that they were in an upper room in the city of Jerusalem, where they abode, and, again, mentioning the names of the eleven apostles, to show that these selfsame ones and all of them lived there. It was an important point. Jesus had decreed that "repentance and remission of sins should be preached among all nations [24] beginning at Jerusalem," Luke 24:47, and followed up with the command that they (the apostles) should tarry in the city until they "be clothed with power from on high." Luke 24:48. To which let us add the explanatory eighth verse of the first chapter of Acts: "But ye shall receive power when the Holy Spirit is come upon you, and ye shall be my witnesses"--and now watch the order--"both in Jerusalem"--there first---"and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."

      In the city of Jerusalem waiting and praying the little company is now the center of Heaven's interest. At last the great day of fulfillment breaks. On the morning of the day of Pentecost a sound like as of a rushing mighty wind was heard coming from heaven, but descending upon the particular house where they were sitting, and filling it. Cloven tongues like as of fire parting asunder appeared and sat on each one of them. "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance." (Acts 2:1-4.)

      This then was the Promise, the coming of the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth who should guide them into all truth and bring all the priceless teaching of the Lord to their remembrance. A large crowd gathers attracted by the sound and the strange events. Now, too, has certainly come the time to preach the word of the new covenant, the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. [25]

      The first spokesman is Peter. (Acts 2:14.) This is the man to whom Jesus had solemnly committed the "keys of the Kingdom of Heaven." (Matt. 16:19.) The right man then, at the right place, and at the right time. All the lines of promise converge here. We have arrived at the climax of all scripture up to this time.

      "Peter standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice and spake forth unto them saying, ye men of Judea and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem . . . hearken to my words."

      First by a quotation from the prophets he explains the strange phenomena, the perplexing fact that everyone heard them speak in his own tongue. Then he begins with his subject. What is the subject? Better to ask, "Who is the subject?" It is a Person. "Jesus of Nazareth" (Acts 2:22)--the wonderful works He did; His death; the manner and cause of it; His resurrection, predicted by David, witnessed by Peter and the rest of the apostles; His exaltation, evidenced by the wonderful events of that day. Many points of doctrine are touched upon in this great sermon, but it is not a doctrine he is preaching; it is Christ, Christ, Christ! And as he reaches this climax: "Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly that God hath made this same Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ"--the people, in whose memories the facts of Christ's life and shameful death are still fresh, stand conscience-stricken, and in anguish of heart cry out, "Men and brethren--what shall we do?" [26]

      If it is indeed a fact that there is one gospel (Gal. 1:8, 9), and no other; one faith once for all delivered to the saints (Eph. 4:4; Jude 3), even as there is but one God; if this be indeed the man to whom Jesus committed the keys to the kingdom of heaven, and to whom Jesus said, "whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in in heaven," (Matt. 16:19); if this man is indeed speaking as the Spirit gives him utterance (Acts 2:4), infallibly true--then the answer he is about to give to these anxious inquiring sinners is the unalterable, unchangeable direction for all inquiring sinners, forever, "even unto the end of the world." (Matt. 28:20.) The way of salvation, never before published, is now about to be spoken with Divine authority. The fate of these listeners depends now on the manner in which they receive and treat this answer. And so depends the fate of all sinners today.

      Now, in the light of man's methods, Peter's answer was strange enough. He neither called for mourners, nor testimonies, nor for prayers just then, however appropriate these things may be on other occasions. He did not ask for those who felt the working of the Spirit, or had consciousness of sins forgiven to stand up. He did not request them to sign cards and to indicate "the church of their choice"--as if Christ had established a variety of churches for men to select from (Matt. 16:18); he did not command the inquirers to subscribe to a set of articles of belief; nor did he offer to take [27] them in on probation; nor did he propose to take a vote of the apostles and disciples as to whether the applicants should be received into the church, after the doctrines and commandments of men in these latter days. He did none of these things. His words were very simple, very much to the point, and set forth the only way of escape, the only thing worthwhile, whether then or now. He said: "Repent and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."--(Acts 2:38.)

      And in saying this he turned the key in the lock, opened the gates, flung them wide, and left them open. You can walk into the same church and kingdom, through the same gates, in the same way today. In fact, it is the only way you can walk in. If as simple and definite an answer as this inspired reply of Peter's had always been given to inquiring sinners, how many souls would have been spared long doubt, darkness and despair! But such is the perverseness of man's theology that in the majority of cases today this answer is never given.

      With many other words Peter testified and exhorted saying, "Save yourselves from this untoward generation"--which had crucified the Lord and over whom the wrath was gathering. Flee out of this wicked world which is today doomed and cursed, unto God and the company of His elect, who are in the church of Jesus Christ. [28]

      "Then as many as gladly received the word were baptized, and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls, and they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship and in the breaking of bread and prayers . . . And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." (Acts 2:41, 42, 47.)

      Not much needs to be added. We have arrived at the very heart of the Bible; and without much difficulty we can survey the whole from this vantage ground. The rest of the Book of Acts relates with some fullness of detail how apostles carried out the commission received from their Lord, and how the Word spread, churches were established, from Jerusalem to Judea, thence to Samaria, Europe, Rome; when, with the arrival of Paul in that city the book abruptly ends. Then follow a number of epistles to Christians, to build them up and teach them in the way--this being the fulfillment of the latter part of the commission--"teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." (Matt. 28:20.) The young Christian should at once address himself to the study of these. Only he will probably do better to begin, say, with I and II Thessalonians, rather than with Romans (which in our arrangement comes after Acts)--for Romans is perhaps difficult for a babe in Christ. Study Revelation also--there is a blessing in it (Rev. 1:3), but beware of the many so-called interpretations, wild theories and imaginations men have spun around that [29] book. First get its facts and teaching into your mind whether you understand all or not. Some day, if God will, you shall receive light on it, just as the Eunuch who faithfully studied Isaiah (though he did not understand) received at last the clue that enabled him to understand it all. (Acts 8.)

      The Old Testament is full of the sweetest teaching, illustrations of God's ways and of human nature, and promises, which apply to the time now present and times yet future. (Rom. 15:4; 2 Tim. 3:16.) Only of course, while God is the same, we are now under another covenant and worship and serve God by the directions laid down in the New Testament, from the day of Pentecost onward.

      Having thus learned to rightly divide the word of God, may you use it with purpose of heart, in loving obedience and find it

[HUAB2 1-30.]

      The electronic version of R. H. Boll's How to Understand and Apply the Bible, 2nd Edition, (Louisville, KY: The Word and Work, [1925]) has been produced from a copy of the tract purchased recently from Word and Work. The tract first appeared in two parts in Word and Work 18 (April 1925): 116-118; (May 1925): 142-147. The first edition was published in Louisiana by Word and Work in 1913. No history of reprintings is available. A collation of the two editions appears with the editor's notes on the first edition.

      Pagination in the electronic version has been represented by placing the page number in brackets following the last complete word on the printed page. Inconsistencies in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and typography have been retained; however, corrections have been offered for misspellings and other accidental corruptions. Emendations are as follows:

            Printed Text [ Electronic Text
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 p. 13:     (Luke 24:46. [ (Luke 24:46).
 p. 27:     these thing [ these things
 

      Addenda and corrigenda are earnestly solicited.

Ernie Stefanik
Derry, PA

Created 26 November 2000.
Updated 20 June 2003.