Jasper County Democrat, Volume 15, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 April 1912 — THE SAVIOR'S TEACHINGS BROOKLYN TABERNACLE BIBLE STUDIES [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE SAVIOR'S TEACHINGS BROOKLYN TABERNACLE BIBLE STUDIES

APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION UNSCRIPTURAL. Mark iii, 7-19; Matthew v, 13-16—April 21. Text: “Ye did not choose Me, hut I chose l ion and appointnl you, that ye should go and bear fruit.”— John xr, 16 ill. VJ. CODAY'S lesson shows the particularity with which the twelve Apostles were chosen. Some of the things said to and respecting them are equally appropriate to every one of Jesus’ followers, hut other things said to The Twelve and respecting them apply to none otto ers of their day nor since. As for instance. the Savior said to The Twelve, and to none others, “Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.’’ The import of these words clearly is that the persons indicated were assured that they would be so specially

guided of Divine providence that they would set forth as the Divine will amongst men nothing to whi c h Heaven would not assent; and they Would declare not binding upon the followers of Jesus

only such things as in God's sight would not be binding. In those twelve men," therefore, we recognize a plenary inspiration, or special guidance not accorded in this particular degree to others of the “brethren.” Surely there is no intimation in the New Testament that as one after another of the Apostles died other men were recognized as succeeding them. On the contrary, the Scriptures repeatedly refer to the “Twelve Apostles of the Lamb.” Moreover, as the Jewish 1 Dispensation began at the death of Jacob, -in the recognition of his twelve sons, so the Christian Dispensation began at the death of Jesus, in the recognition of His twelve Apostles. And as one of the tribes of Israel was cut off, and is not mentioned in the enumeration in the Apocalypse, but the tribe of Manasseh substituted, so amongst Jesus' Apostles Judas is dropped and a successor is appointed. St. Paul to Succeed Judas.

In the past we may have read too carelessly the account of how the eleven faithful Apostles exceeded their authority in th.e selection of Matthias to take the place of Judas. They should have remembered that the Master specifically told them to do nothing until after receiving the heavenly benediction. Accrediting them with the very best of heart intentions, it was, nevertheless, effrontery on their part to select two names and to determine that one or the other must be the successor of Judas. They had no authority for so, doing. As for the one upon whom the lot fell. Matthias, we hear nothing further of him. In God’s due time, lie Himself brought forth Saul of Tarsus. St. I’aul tells us that he found evidences that God had chosen him for a special service from his mother’s womb. And such special preparation and supervision we doubt not was applicable to ail of The Twelve. “A Crown of Twelve Stars.” The Lord's specialization of the twelve Apostles is variously referred to. He said. “Have not I chosen you twelve?’’ And again, “l’e shall sit on twelve thrones.’’ In the symbolical book of Revelation He pictures the Church as a tcoman clothed with sunlight, standing over or near to the moon, which symbolizes the Jewish Law Covenant: and upon her head was a crown of twelve stars, representing the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. Again, later on in the same book, we find pictured the Church in glory beyond the veil, the Bride —the New Jerusalem. Of this City we read that it had twelve foundations, and in the twelve foundations the names of the twelve Apostles. -o The recognition of successors to theApostles was one of the first errors

after their death. Every bishop was recognized as one of the successors and hence as possessing Apostolic authority. It was not long until the words of the original Twelve were neglected. The living bishops were, acknowledged as ppeakiug with the

same Divine authority up-to-date, latter great Churehffouncils were called in which as claimed successors to the Apostles decided what should and what should not be believed by the Church, what was and what was not orthodox: It can be readily seen that this exaltation of false apostles (Revelation ii, 2), contrary to the Divine arrangement. opened a flood-gate of error, however well intentioned all concerned may have been. It is surprising that so many still hold to, the creeds thus formulated by pseudo-apostles. The need of the hour is a recognition of these facts and an abandonment of all those creeds and a return to the words of Jesusi and the Apostles and the Prophets. Only thus can we extricate ourselves from the multiplied errors represented in the six hundred di-vi-gidons of the church of Christ.

Apostles’ unauthorized choice, of Matthias.

"Apostolic succession” Unscriptural.