Outlook for Peace

“The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.” —Psalm 72:3

THE struggle for peace was not won during the year 1950. Instead, the uneasy truce which began at the close of the second global war almost ceased with the outbreak of hostilities in Korea, and the subsequent invasion of Korea by troops of the Chinese Communist army. Many still believe that the Korean hostilities in reality marked the beginning of the third world war. But be that as it may, certainly from the human standpoint there is no bright prospect for lasting peace as we enter 1951. International diplomacy is still failing to solve the problems of human selfishness.

And, regardless of every other consideration, selfishness is the basic cause of all the world’s national, political, and economic problems. Whether we think of the tension which exists between nations as due to ideological differences, or to economic inequalities, it is selfishness that fans the flames of mistrust and animosity, and selfishness influences both the rich and the poor, the “haves” and the “have nots.” It is not the exclusive possession of any particular stratum of human society.

Viewing the world situation from one standpoint, we might say that a great deal of the unrest is caused by the fact that the backward nations of the earth are endeavoring to assert themselves to secure a more equitable share of earth’s bounties. Because of this, many are inclined to think of them as unreasonable and aggressive. Most of those who live in the more favored countries, where the standard of living is considerably above the world average, are not willing to share their bounties and advantages with other nations sufficiently to equalize living standards, so selfishness meets selfishness on a global scale, and the hearts of millions are filled with fear at what the outcome might be.

We can perhaps understand better the world situation by thinking of it in relation to conditions within a single nation. Even in these favored United States, we know there are millions who are barely existing, who experience nothing but the depth of poverty from the beginning of their lives to the end. If we could imagine these millions being well organized and armed, determined to seize by fair means or foul what they considered to be their share of the nation’s bounties, we would know that civil war was inevitable.

It is this situation that we now have on a global scale. Whole nations—indeed, half the world—are in the “have not” class, and they are organized and armed, determined to wrest from the remainder of the world that which they consider their due. With a situation of this kind confronting the nations, it is plain to be seen that the temporary settlement of a local dispute here or there will not solve the major problem, for no longer will the underprivileged nations of earth be satisfied with their lot. The widespread and increasing knowledge of the “time of the end” has awakened them, and they are on the march—unreasonably so, perhaps, but this makes the threat of world destruction even more ominous.

Russian communism enters into the picture simply because it purports to give relief for the underprivileged of the world. The nations which grasp this false hope do not realize that human selfishness dominates the communists as it does all the rest of the world, and that regardless of what may be promised, they will continue to suffer. Communism cannot root out human selfishness from the heart. Nor can this be done by the ideology of democracy, so there is little likelihood that there will be a great deal of progress toward peace during 1951; indeed, it is probable that the world will edge a little closer toward that general conflict which nearly everybody fears is coming.

The outlook for peace eventually, nevertheless, is bright, because the prophecies point out to us that when the nations reach their final extremity, nearing which we now see them, it will mean that the time is near for the kingdom of Christ to manifest itself in power and great glory, and that “of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end.” (Isa. 9:7) Today the nations are angry, but if we believe the promises of God this will not disturb us; for it is merely a token that the time has come when “the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdom of God and of his Christ.”—Rev. 11:15,18

The “kingdoms of this world” are referred to symbolically in the prophecies as mountains, and Micah informs us that in “the last days the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains.” (Micah 4:1-4) Thus, in symbol, we are told that the kingdoms (mountains) of this world are to become subject to the Lord’s kingdom, and this surrender of their sovereignty to the King of kings will be demonstrated by their desire to obey the laws of the new kingdom. They, will say to one another concerning the Lord, “He will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths.”

We are not to suppose that governments as at present constituted, or which may in the future be set up, will, as such, bow to the kingdom authority of Christ. Jesus will not rule the world through humanly constituted governments. He will have his own governmental arrangements and his own representatives. Nevertheless, the assertion that many nations shall say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,” indicates that in following his representatives there will he more than merely the turning of individuals to the Lord and declaring their allegiance to his kingdom, although only individual allegiance will result in everlasting life.

The increase of Christ’s kingdom from the standpoint of whole nations or nationalities, coming under its sovereign rule is again indicated in the prophecy which reads, “It shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.” (Zech. 14:17) Verse 18 of this chapter speaks of the “family of Egypt,” indicating that the word “family” as here used denotes a nation. Thus it will be that a whole nation may be deprived of God’s blessing through a failure to recognize the laws of the new kingdom.

In Micah’s prophecy, after relating the fact that the nations shall seek to be taught the Lord’s ways, and walk in his paths, we are further informed that the Lord will “rebuke strong nations afar off,” indicating that even then some of the nations will want to continue governing themselves upon the basis of selfishness. Perhaps, as Zechariah’s prophecy tells us, one of the ways the Lord will rebuke these “strong nations afar off” will be by withholding such needed blessings as rain.

Just how the turning of whole nations to the Lord may be accomplished we cannot be sure. Evidently, though, it will be by means of representatives who will be empowered to speak for the nation. These representatives will of necessity themselves be righteous men whose influence among their people will be toward righteousness, men who will be respected and whose leadership into the kingdom of Christ will be quite generally followed. And when it is followed, peace will result. See Zechariah 8:20-23.

This is quite clearly the thought of the prophecy which reads, “The mountains [kingdoms] shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills [smaller nations], by righteousness.” (Ps. 72:3) The translation of this prophecy is a little vague, but the thought is that by following a course of righteousness, the nations of earth, great and small, will secure peace. This righteous course will be made plain to them when they say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain [kingdom] of the Lord, … and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths.”—Micah 4:2

The Apostle Peter, referring to the promise of God concerning a new heavens and a new earth as recorded by the Prophet Isaiah, wrote that righteousness will be one of the characteristics of this new social order. According to God’s promise, declares Peter, we “look for a new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. (Isa. 65:17; II Pet. 3:13) Just as the rulership of unrighteousness has brought the human race to the very brink of complete ruin, when no one knows from one day to another when atom bombs may begin to drop, destroying half the cities of the world; so the rule of righteousness will correct this terrible situation, bring peace, and quietness and assurance to all people who “learn the Lord’s ways and walk in his paths.”

David’s prophecy further states concerning Christ, the new King of earth, that “he shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.” (Ps. 72:6) How meaningful this is in the light of world conditions today. The human race is as the grass that withereth and is cut down. There is desolation on every hand, but soon the new King of earth shall “come down like rain,” and “as showers that water the earth.” Then the dying hopes of the people will be revived, and they will rejoice in the God of their salvation.

“In his days,” continues the prophet, “shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.” (Ps. 72:7) The righteous shall flourish! What a tremendous change this will make in the outlook of the people. Then it will become literally true that “righteousness exalteth a nation.” (Prov. 14:34) Today, and throughout all the past, nations have endeavored to exalt themselves by almost any means they could, and seldom have any of them hesitated to depart from the course of righteousness in order to attain their ends. But this will be changed when Christ becomes the recognized King of earth.

And when the righteous flourish, it seems obvious that nearly all will want to follow the course of righteousness. For a time, and on the part of many, righteousness will be looked upon merely as the best policy to follow under the circumstances. But as the kingdom rule continues, the vast majority will learn to love righteousness, and will delight to make it a governing principle of their lives. Thus they will bring lasting peace and joy into their own lives, and their example will help others to follow the same course.

Yes, the outlook for peace is bright, very bright indeed—as bright as the promises of God. It will not come through the United Nations, but through the kingdom of Christ. He is to be the true Liberator, not of one nation, not of one group of nations, but of all nations. He will liberate them not merely from selfish oppression and from war, but from sin, sickness, and death.

He will bring deliverance to all people and to all nations, for he “shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.” “Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him. For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.”—Ps. 72:8,11-14

What a glorious outlook for peace! Christ’s kingdom of righteousness will not manifest itself in 1951, for there are other prophecies pertaining to the present transition period which must first be fulfilled. But his kingdom is near, so near that it is of vital concern to all who are living today, for “this generation” shall not pass away until the sovereign rule of Christ will manifest itself in power and great glory throughout all the earth.

May this hope make glad our hearts as we face the uncertain experiences of 1951! And on every suitable occasion, let us proclaim the good news of the kingdom in order that other hearts may be refreshed and made glad.

What the Bible Says About Mary

THE year 1950 will go down in history as one during which the professed churches of Christ, both Catholic and Protestant, made a tremendous effort to turn back the rising tide of irreligion that is sweeping the world, and arouse in the hearts of the masses a more earnest desire to know and serve God. It was “Holy Year” for the Catholic Church, a year that was ushered in with a great deal of pomp and ceremony in Rome, with the Pope personally taking the lead. Various Protestant groups, not wishing to be outdone, staged impressive campaigns of one sort or another in an effort to direct the attention of the confused public in their direction. The net results of these efforts are difficult to evaluate. Certainly they are not outstanding enough to be readily discernible. It is doubtful if the world is any nearer to God now than it was at the beginning of 1950.

However the Catholic Church used the occasion of “Holy Year” to proclaim a new dogma for its people to believe, the bodily “assumption” of Mary. In plain words, this means that it is now necessary for all Catholics to profess their belief that Mary ascended to heaven as a human being, and is now there in the flesh to intercede for those who pray to Christ through her. This had been taught and believed by some in the church for a long time, but it was not mandatory that all should accept it. Now, however, all Catholics must believe it in order to remain in favor with the church. Here, then, is at least one item which “Holy Year” brought to the Catholic world which Catholics will not be able to ignore.

What Say the Scriptures?

Whether Catholics or Protestants, it is fitting, when a certain viewpoint is made so important a part of alleged Christian belief, to re-examine the Word of God to determine what authority, if any, it might contain for such a dogma. Just what does the Bible say about Mary? Was she venerated in the Early Church? Were the early disciples taught by Jesus, or by others, to use her name in their prayers? Is she ever referred to as the “mother of God”? Is there any hint that when she died she was taken directly to heaven in the flesh, or in any other manner?

The first mention of Mary in the Bible is in connection with the circumstances which led up to the birth of Jesus. She is referred to for the last time in Acts 1:14. Here we are told of a little gathering of Jesus’ disciples who were waiting in an upper room in Jerusalem for the fulfillment of his promise to send them the Holy Spirit. “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication,” we are told. In this group were “the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus.”—Acts 1:14

This was just before Pentecost, and while the Book of Acts and the various epistles written by the apostles of Jesus reveal much concerning the viewpoints and activities of the Early Church over a period of many years after Pentecost, not a single other reference is made to Mary in any of these writings. Even the Apostle Peter, who is claimed to have been the first Pope of the Catholic Church, does not mention Mary’s name, although he wrote two important epistles setting forth many vital points of faith and practice.

The apostles’ complete silence concerning any special position occupied in the church by Mary is quite understandable when we take into consideration the fact that Jesus himself likewise failed to indicate that his followers should in any way ascribe special honor to his mother. On one occasion there seemed to be an excellent opportunity to impress upon the minds of his disciples the importance of honoring his mother, but instead of doing this, he used the circumstance to impress a contrary lesson upon their hearts and minds.

This incident is recorded in Matthew 12:46-50: While discoursing to the people, Jesus’ mother and brethren—that is, the younger children of Mary—“stood without,” and indicated that they would like to speak to him. One of the listeners told Jesus about this, saying, “Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.” What did Jesus answer? He raised the question, “Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?”

Jesus then answered his own question. The account reads that “he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.” No other meaning can be given to these words than the fact that Jesus did not want his disciples to hold his mother in higher esteem than any others who believed on him and became his footstep followers. The fact that she was his mother did not, in Jesus’ mind, entitle her to receive special honor and veneration from his other disciples.

Jesus did respect and love his mother, and as a son felt a due responsibility toward her welfare. This is evidenced by the command he gave to the Apostle John while dying on the cross. His mother was standing there, near enough, apparently, to hear what the Master said. John was also nearby. Addressing the apostle, Jesus said, “Behold thy mother!” and to Mary he said concerning John, “Behold thy son!” (John 19:26,27) This has been seized upon by some Catholic teachers as proof that all the followers of Jesus should venerate Mary as “mother.” But there is nothing in the account to indicate that Jesus had anything of the kind in mind. It was simply a beautiful way of impressing upon John the fact that he was giving him the responsibility of caring for his mother, and indicating to her that she was to look to John for such care as she might need, that in this respect John would take his place in her life.

These are the only instances recorded in the Bible in which Mary’s association with Jesus and his disciples are definitely mentioned, and instead of revealing that the Master wants his people to venerate her as is done in the Catholic Church, the very opposite is true. This, we think, is very significant. But sometimes even greater importance can be attached to what is not said on a certain subject, and this is especially true of Mary’s position in the church.

When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he instructed them to open their prayers by saying, “Our Father which art in heaven.” Note that nothing is said about petitioning God through the sacred heart of Mary. On another occasion Jesus instructed his disciples to use his own name when approaching God in prayer, but he said nothing about using the name of Mary for such a purpose. Must we conclude from this that Jesus was unfamiliar with the true art of praying, and that he failed to give his disciples proper instructions on the subject? We think not!

With this in mind, it is most revealing to note the many prayers referred to and sometimes quoted in the Book of Acts, and in the various epistles of the New Testament. The apostles and others prayed while in prison, and on other occasions, yet the name of Mary is never mentioned. In several of the epistles, the writers urge Christians to be “instant in prayer,” and to pray fervently, but they never say that Mary’s name should be used in prayer.

The Apostle John—the apostle to whom Jesus entrusted his mother for her physical care—wrote that if any man sin he has an Advocate with the Father, and he tells us that this Advocate is Jesus, not Mary. (I John 2:1,2) This was not an oversight on his part, for his care of Mary would keep him reminded of any special place she might have occupied in God’s arrangements.

James writes that we “ask, and receive not,” because we ask “amiss.” (James 4:3) This certainly would have been an excellent time to impress upon the minds of his readers that effective prayer can be offered only by using the name of Mary. But he did not. His only explanation of prayers that are not in harmony with God is that they are selfish prayers, requests for things which we, want to “consume upon our lusts.”

As we have already noted, no mention at all is made of Mary after Pentecost. She was with the disciples who waited in the upper room at Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit to endue them with authority to be the ambassadors of Christ in the world, but what happened to her after that, the Scriptures do not reveal. Nothing at all is said about her death. Several women are mentioned in the Early Church, and honorably so, but not Mary.

Dorcas is one of these. She is cited for her unselfish labors on behalf of others, and when she died, Peter awakened her from the sleep of death.—Acts 9:36-41

Priscilla was another. She was the wife of Aquila, and together they labored in the Gospel; sometimes by themselves, and at other times in association with the Apostle Paul.—Acts 18:2,18,26; Rom. 16:3; I Cor. 16:19

Lydia, the seller of purple, is most favorably referred to in the New Testament. She first came in contact with the Gospel through the ministry of the Apostle Paul, and was among the first in Philippi to become a disciple. For a time the Church at Philippi held their meetings in her home. (Acts 16:14,15,40) Yes, sisters in Christ were loved and honored in the Early Church, but where was Mary?

When Mary received the announcement from the angel that she was to bear a Son who would “reign over the house of Jacob forever,” and of whose kingdom there would be no end, she greatly rejoiced. She said, “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. [Jehovah, as the Author of the plan of salvation, is properly referred to as the Savior—he sent his Son to accomplish the work of salvation.] For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.”—Luke 1:33,46-48

It is quite proper that all Christians appreciate the wonderful manner in which Mary was used in the divine plan, but what she said about all generations calling her blessed certainly cannot properly be construed as justification for the Catholic viewpoint concerning her. We are confident of this because of what the Master later said when on one occasion he was speaking: “A certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.” Whether or not this certain woman was Mary, or whether it was someone else endeavoring to honor Mary and sing her praises, we do not know. In either case Jesus’ reply is significant, for he said, “Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the Word of God, and keep it.”—Luke 11:27,28

It is clear from this that Jesus did not intend, nor was it his Heavenly Father’s will, that Mary be given a special position of honor and power in the church. Certainly she is not to be worshiped.

Moved by the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth referred to Mary as the mother of her “Lord.” (Luke 1:43) But this does not mean that Mary was the mother of God. In Psalm 110:1 we read, “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” Here Jehovah, the Creator, the Heavenly Father, is addressing his Son and calling him Lord. But the Hebrew word used simply denotes a mighty one, not Jehovah.

Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God, is indeed a mighty One, and in fulfillment of this promise has, since his resurrection, been highly exalted to the right hand of God. So Elizabeth’s prophetic reference to him as “Lord” was quite proper, but does not mean that he was God, or that Mary was the mother of God. Let us endeavor to give Mary her proper place in our respect, but let us worship God, in the name of Christ. Thus we will be worshiping him “in Spirit and in truth” as the Scriptures indicate we should.

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