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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (8)
Victor M.
Eskew
INTRODUCTION
A.
In I Peter 3:15, we
are commanded to give an answer for the hope that is in us. However, we must be careful before we
respond to a question (e.g., “What Causes Arthritis?”).
WHAT CAUSES
ARTHRITIS?
A drunk man who smelled like beer sat down on a subway next to
a priest. The man's tie was stained, his face was plastered with
red lipstick, and a half-empty bottle of gin was sticking out of his torn coat
pocket. He opened his newspaper and began reading. After a few minutes the man turned to
the priest and asked, 'Say Father, what causes arthritis?'
The priest
replied, 'My Son, it's caused by loose living, being with cheap, wicked women,
too much alcohol, contempt for your fellow man, sleeping around with prostitutes
and lack of a bath.'
The drunk muttered in response, 'Well, I'll be,'
then returned to his paper.
The priest, thinking about what he had
said, nudged the man and apologized. 'I'm very sorry. I didn't
mean to come on so strong. How long have you had arthritis?'
The drunk
answered, 'I don't have it, Father. I was just reading here that the
Pope does.'
B.
The key to our answers
is that they must always be in harmony with the truth of God’s Word (Eph.
4:15).
But
speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the
head, even Christ.
C.
In our Question and
Answers series, we strive to answers your questions with a Bible
answer.
I.
DOES THE DENOMINATIONAL WORLD FIND APPROVAL FOR CALLING THEIR PREACHERS
“PASTORS” FROM EPHESIANS 4:11?
A.
Ephesians
4:11
And he
gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some,
pastors and teachers.
B.
This question assumes
that those who refer to their preacher as pastor seek Biblical approval for
such.
1.
Often, this is not the
case. Many do things with no
approval at all from God’s Word.
2.
Such should never be
done (Col. 3:17).
And
whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving
thanks to God and the Father by him.
C.
If Ephesians 4:11 is
used to prove such, it should not be.
1.
NOTE: The position of a pastor is
distinguished from the position of an evangelist in this
verse.
2.
Paul told Timothy to
do the work of an evangelist (II Tim. 4:5), not
the work of a pastor. The two works
are different.
D.
From history, it seems
that John Calvin and Ulrich Zwingli, two protestant reformers, applied the title
“pastor” to the preacher. This was
done to replace the Catholic priest in the minds of their
followers.
E.
The error of calling a
preacher “the pastor” developed due to a lack of understanding and proper
application of the Word of God.
1.
The Greek word
translated “pastor” is not always a noun in the NT. It is also a verb that means “to
feed.”
a.
Acts 20:28
Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock,
over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the
b.
I Corinthians 9:7
Who goeth
a warfare any time at his own charges?
Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not the fruit thereof? Or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not
the milk of the flock?
2.
In a one-man pastor
system, the preacher occupies the predominate role of feeding the
flock.
a.
He stands before the congregation and imparts the bread of life to the
members.
b.
Thus, it is assumed that he is “the pastor,” the shepherd, the one who
feeds the flock.
3.
Answer:
a.
Teachers also “feed the sheep,” but we do not refer to teachers as
“pastors.”
b.
In the Bible, the responsibility of feeding the flock has been given to a
specific group of man referred to as “elders,” “presbyters,” “bishops,”
“overseers,” “shepherds,” or “pastors.”
1)
In Acts 20:28 Paul commanded someone “to feed the
And from
2)
In I Peter 5:1-2, we again learn that the elders are responsible for
feeding the church.
The elders
which are among you I exhort, who am also an elders, and a witness of the
sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be
revealed: feed the flock of God
which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but
willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind.
c.
This may seem minor to some, but it is not.
1)
The Bible tells us to speak as the oracles of
God (I Pet. 4:11).
2)
We are talking about the organizational structure of the
church.
a)
Elders are the pastors of the flock. They have been commanded to feed the
church.
b)
Preachers and teachers assist the elders in this role by proclaiming the
Word of God. This, however, does
not make them pastors.
II.
WHY DID JESUS SAY HE WOULD BE IN THE GRAVE THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS
(Matt. 12:40)?
A.
Matthew
12:40
For as
Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of
man be three days and three nights in the heart of the
earth.
B.
When one examines the
Biblical narrative, he will find that Jesus was in the grave for
1.
Part of
Friday
2.
All of
Saturday
3.
Part of
Sunday
4.
Only two nights were
spent “in the heart of the earth.”
Thus, the question: “Why did
Jesus say He would be three nights in the heart of the
earth?”
C.
The word the Jews used
to refer to a day literally meant “a night-day.” It, therefore, became customary for the
Jews to say “night and day” to express the idea of a day. In addition, it must be understood that
a Jew reckoned time by counting part of a day as a whole
day.
1.
Jesus, therefore, was
not saying that I will spend 72 hours in the grave.
2.
He was saying that I
will be in the grave for three days:
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
3.
I Corinthians
15:3-4
For I
delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died
for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he
rose again the third day according to the scriptures.
III.
PLEASE EXPLAIN WHY DIFFERENT BLOOD TYPES EXIST.
A.
The simplest
explanation is that God created Adam and Eve with the blood types of AO and
BO. This would allow all four of
the known blood types to develop in their offspring.
B.
It is interesting that
this question would not have been asked prior to 1901. This is the date that ABO types
were discovered by Austrian Karl Landstein.
1.
This discovery has
saved the lives of thousands of people who would have died had they lived before
1901.
2.
This discovery has
under girded two teachings of the Word of God.
a.
Life is in the blood (Lev. 17:11).
For the
life of the flesh is in the blood…
b.
All men spring from one common ancestor (Acts
17:26).
And hath
made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the
earth…
CONCLUSION
A.
The answers to some
questions take a little time to develop.
We do this so that there will be understanding instead of rushing through
the answer.
B.
Others questions we
answer with less information. Some
can get very technical. Therefore,
we seek to be as simple as possible.
C.
If we ever fail to
answer one of your questions in enough detail, please let us know. We will try to get you more information
to study.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
(8)
Victor M.
Eskew
INTRODUCTION
A.
In I Peter 3:15, we are commanded to give an answer for the hope that is
in us. However, we must be careful
before we respond to a question (e.g., “What Causes
Arthritis?”).
B.
The key to our answers is that they must always be in harmony with the
truth of God’s Word (Eph. 4:15).
C.
In our Question and Answers series, we strive to answers your questions
with a Bible answer.
I.
DOES THE DENOMINATIONAL WORLD FIND APPROVAL FOR CALLING THEIR PREACHERS
“PASTORS” FROM EPHESIANS 4:11?
A.
Ephesians 4:11
B.
This question assumes that those who refer to their preacher as pastor
seek Biblical approval.
1.
Often, this is not the case.
Many do things with no approval from God’s
Word.
2.
Such should never be done (Col. 3:17).
C.
If this verse is used, it should not be.
1.
NOTE: The position of a
pastor is distinguished from the position of an
evangelist.
2.
Paul told Timothy to do the work of an
evangelist (II Tim. 4:5), not the work of a pastor. The two works are
different.
D.
From history, it seems that John Calvin and Ulrich Zwingli, two
protestant reformers, applied the title “pastor” to the preacher. This was done to replace the Catholic
priest in the minds of their followers.
E.
The error of calling a preacher “the pastor” developed due to a lack of
understanding and proper application of the Word of
God.
1.
The Greek word translated “pastor” is seldom a noun in the NT. It is usually a verb that means “to
feed” (Acts 20:28; I Cor. 9:7).
2.
In a one-man pastor system, the preacher occupies a role that looks like
a shepherd.
a.
He stands before the congregation and imparts the bread of life to the
members.
b.
Thus, it is assumed that he is “the pastor,” the shepherd, the one who
feeds the flock.
3.
Answer:
a.
Teachers also “feed the sheep,” but we do not refer to teachers as
“pastors.”
b.
In the Bible, the responsibility of feeding the flock has been given to a
specific group of man referred to as “elders,” “presbyters,” “bishops,”
“overseers,” “shepherds,” or “pastors.”
1)
In Acts 20:28 Paul commanded someone “to feed the
2)
In I Peter 5:1-2, we again learn that the elders are responsible for
feeding the church.
c.
This may seem minor to some, but it is not.
1)
The Bible tells us to speak as the oracles of
God (I Pet. 4:11).
2)
We are talking about the organizational structure of the
church.
a)
Elders are the pastors of the flock. They have been commanded to feed the
church.
b)
Preachers and teachers assist the elders in this role by proclaiming the
Word of God. This, however, does
not make them pastors.
II.
WHY DID JESUS SAY HE WOULD BE IN THE GRAVE THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS
(Matt. 12:40)?
A.
Matthew 12:40
B.
When one examines the Biblical narrative, he will find that Jesus was in
the grave for part of Friday, all of Saturday, and part of Sunday. Jesus was only in the grave for two
nights. This is the reason for the
question.
C.
The word the Jews used to refer to a day literally meant “a
night-day.” It, therefore, became
customary for the Jews to say “night and day” to express the idea. In addition, it must be understood that
a Jew reckoned time by counting part of a day as a whole
day.
1.
Jesus, therefore, was not saying that I will spend 72 hours in the
grave.
2.
He was saying that I will be in the grave for three days: Friday, Saturday, and
Sunday.
3.
I Corinthians 15:3-4
III.
PLEASE EXPLAIN WHY DIFFERENT BLOOD TYPES
EXIST.
A.
The simplest explanation is that God created Adam and Eve with the blood
types of AO and BO. This would
allow all four of the known blood types to develop in their
offspring.
B.
It is interesting that this question would not have been asked prior to
1901. This is the date that
ABO types were discovered by Austrian Karl
Landstein.
1.
This discovery has saved the lives of thousands of people who would have
died had they lived before 1901.
2.
This discovery has under girded two teachings of the Word of
God.
a.
Life is in the blood (Lev. 17:11).
b.
All men spring from one common ancestor (Acts
17:26).
CONCLUSION
A.
The answers to some questions take a little time to develop. We do this so that there will be
understanding instead of rushing through the
answer.
B.
Others questions we answer with less information. Some can get very technical. Therefore, we seek to be as simple as
possible.
C.
If we ever fail to answer one of your questions in enough detail, please
let us know. We will try to get you
more information to study.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
(8)
Victor M.
Eskew
INTRODUCTION
A.
In I Peter 3:15, we are commanded to give an answer for the hope that is
in us. However, we must be careful
before we respond to a question (e.g., “What Causes
Arthritis?”).
B.
The key to our answers is that they must always be in ______________ with
the truth of God’s Word (Eph. 4:15).
C.
In our Question and Answers series, we strive to answers your questions
with a Bible answer.
I.
DOES THE DENOMINATIONAL WORLD FIND APPROVAL FOR CALLING THEIR PREACHERS
“PASTORS” FROM EPHESIANS 4:11?
A.
Ephesians 4:11
B.
This question ____________ that those who refer to their preacher as
pastor seek Biblical approval for the practice.
1.
Often, this is not the case.
Many do things with no approval from God’s
Word.
2.
Such should never be done (Col. 3:17).
C.
If this verse is used, it should not be.
1.
NOTE: The position of a
pastor is ____________________ from the position of an
evangelist.
2.
Paul told Timothy to do the work of an __________________ (II Tim. 4:5),
not the work of a pastor. The two
works are different.
D.
From history, it seems that John Calvin and Ulrich Zwingli, two
protestant reformers, applied the title “pastor” to the preacher. This was done to replace the
_____________ ____________ in the
minds of their followers.
E.
The error of calling a preacher “the pastor” developed due to a lack of
understanding and proper application of the Word of
God.
1.
The Greek word translated “pastor” is seldom a _________ in the NT. It is usually a verb that means “to
________________” (Acts 20:28; I Cor. 9:7).
2.
In a one-man pastor system, the preacher occupies a role that
__________ _________ a
shepherd.
a.
He stands before the congregation and imparts the bread of life to the
members.
b.
Thus, it is _____________ that he is “the pastor,” the shepherd, the one
who feeds the flock.
3.
Answer:
a.
________________ also “feed the sheep,” but we do not refer to teachers
as “pastors.”
b.
In the Bible, the responsibility of feeding the flock has been given to a
specific group of man referred to as “elders,” “presbyters,” “bishops,”
“overseers,” “shepherds,” or “pastors.”
1)
In Acts 20:28 Paul commanded someone “to feed the
2)
In I ________ 5:1-2, we again learn that the elders are responsible for
feeding the church.
c.
This may seem minor to some, but it is not.
1)
The Bible tells us to speak as the _______________ of God (I Pet. 4:11).
2)
We are talking about the organizational structure of the
church.
a)
Elders are the pastors of the flock. They have been commanded to feed the
church.
b)
Preachers and teachers __________ the elders in this role by proclaiming
the Word of God. This, however,
does not make them pastors.
II.
WHY DID JESUS SAY HE WOULD BE IN THE GRAVE THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS
(Matt. 12:40)?
A.
Matthew 12:40
B.
When one examines the Biblical narrative, he will find that Jesus was in
the grave for ________ of Friday, ______ of Saturday, and _______ of
Sunday. Jesus was only in the grave
for _______ nights. This is the
reason for the question.
C.
The word the Jews used to refer to a day literally meant “a
__________-_______.” It, therefore,
became customary for the Jews to say “night and day” to express the idea. In addition, it must be understood that
a Jew reckoned time by counting ____________ of a day as a whole
day.
1.
Jesus, therefore, was not saying that I will spend _________ hours in the
grave.
2.
He was saying that I will be in the grave for three days: Friday, Saturday, and
Sunday.
3.
I Corinthians 15:3-4
III.
PLEASE EXPLAIN WHY DIFFERENT BLOOD TYPES
EXIST.
A.
The simplest explanation is that God created Adam and Eve with the blood
types of ______ and _______. This
would allow all four of the known blood types to develop in their
offspring.
B.
It is interesting that this question would not have been asked prior to
_________. This is the date
that ABO types were discovered by Austrian Karl
Landstein.
1.
This discovery has saved the lives of thousands of people who would have
died had they lived before 1901.
2.
This discovery has under girded two teachings of the Word of
God.
a.
________________ is in the blood (Lev.
17:11).
b.
All men spring from ___________ common ancestor (Acts
17:26).
CONCLUSION
A.
The answers to some questions take a little time to develop. We do this so that there will be
understanding instead of rushing through the
answer.
B.
Others questions we answer with less information. Some can get very technical. Therefore, we seek to be as simple as
possible.
C.
If we ever fail to answer one of your questions in enough detail, please
let us know. We will try to get you
more information to study.
