Doctrine of the Sacred Scripture #103
103. The existence of a Word among ancient peoples is clear also in the writings of Moses, who refers to it and quotes something from it in Numbers 21:14-15, 27-30; 21:14-15, 27-30. And the narrative portions of that Word were called The Wars of Jehovah, and the prophetic portions Oracles.
From the narrative portions of that Word Moses quoted the following:
Therefore it is said in the Book of the Wars of Jehovah: “Waheb in Suphah, and the streams, the Arnon, and the channel of the streams which went down to the dwelling place of Ar and stops at the border of Moab.” (Numbers 21:14-15)
The wars of Jehovah in that book — as in ours — meant and described the Lord’s combats with hell and His victories over it, which would take place when He came into the world. These same combats are also meant and described in many places in the narrative portions of our Word—such as by the wars of Joshua with the nations of the land of Canaan, and by the wars of the judges and kings of Israel.
[2] From the prophetic portions of the Ancient Word Moses quoted the following:
Therefore the Oracles say: “Go into Heshbon; the city of Sihon will be built and established. For a fire has gone out from Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon; it consumed Ar of Moab, the possessors of the heights of the Arnon. Woe to you, Moab! You have perished, O people of Chemosh! He has made his sons fugitives, and given his daughters into captivity to Sihon king of the Amorites. We finished them with arrows; Heshbon has perished as far as Dibon. And we laid them waste as far as Nophah, which [reaches] even to Medeba.” (Numbers 21:27-30)
Translators render the source as “those who speak in proverbs, ” but they ought to be called Oracles or Prophetic Utterances, as can be seen from the meaning of the word moshalim in the original Hebrew, which means not only proverbs but also prophetic utterances—as in Numbers 23:7, 18, 24:3, 15. In each of these verses Balaam is said to have uttered his oracle, which was a prophetic one (prophetic, in fact, of the Lord). His oracle each time is called mashal, in the singular. Moreover, the words quoted by Moses in these verses are not proverbs, but prophecies.
[3] That the Ancient Word was likewise Divine or Divinely inspired is apparent in Jeremiah, where almost the same words occur, namely:
...a fire has gone out from Heshbon, and a flame from the midst of Sihon, which consumed the corner of Moab and the crown of the head of the sons of tumult. Woe to you, Moab! The people of Chemosh have perished! For your sons have been taken off into captivity, and your daughters into captivity. (Jeremiah 48:45-46)
In addition to these references, a prophetic book of the Ancient Word, called the Book of Jashar or Book of the Upright, is also cited by David and Joshua. By David:
David lamented...over Saul and over Jonathan..., and he wrote to teach the children of Judah [the Song of] the Bow; is it not written in the Book of Jasher? (2 Samuel 1:17-18)
And by Joshua:
...Joshua...said...: “Sun, stand still in Gibeon; and Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon." ...Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? (Joshua 10:12-13)
Moreover, I have been told that the first seven chapters of Genesis are found in the same Ancient Word, so completely that not the least word is missing.
Matthew 22
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And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,
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The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
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And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
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Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
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But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
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And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.
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But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
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Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
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Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
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So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
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And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
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And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
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Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
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For many are called, but few are chosen.
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Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk.
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And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men.
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Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?
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But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?
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Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny.
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And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?
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They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.
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When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.
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The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,
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Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
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Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother:
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Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.
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And last of all the woman died also.
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Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.
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Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
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For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.
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But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,
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I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.
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And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.
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But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.
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Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
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Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
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Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
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This is the first and great commandment.
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And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
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On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
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While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,
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Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David.
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He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying,
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The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?
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If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?
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And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.
