Jesus had begun His ministry. We cannot be very certain as to the exact happenings before the events took place that are given in Mark 1, but so much is sure, He had filled His days with many labors. And all these labors left Jesus very tired indeed. They were…
Yes, there is also such a thing as denominational wisdom. (First italics mine; second the Rev. G. Hoeksema’s. See The Banner, April 27, 1939, page 391.) And I would add the softly spoken wish: would that you promoted and followed it with a view to the matter in question. Wisdom,…
There is perhaps no imagery quite so vivid in its speech as the language of water. It is a figure that is often employed by the Holy Ghost in the Holy Scriptures. Both in the Old and the New Testament we note its speech. One of the very first Psalms…
It is often emphasized within the church of Jesus Christ that truth is eternal. Rightly so. We were reminded of this when our thoughts turned to the second psalm and, looking up, thought on the devastating war in Europe. Surely truth is eternal. This second psalm fits even now. The…
In these days of wars and rumors of war “there be many that say, who will shew us any good?’’ Can you imagine the inhabitant of Warsaw? And in a lesser degree all the inhabitants of Europe? The question, pregnant with abject fear, expressive of insecurity, is pitiful even apart…
The fifth psalm is a morning meditation. Many years later we find a quotation taken from this psalm and quoted in the New Testament. (Rom. 3:13). I cannot help but think: how few people will to-day meditate like the saint in this psalm. To-day there is a very different tenor…
This is also a great evil upon the earth. Then our enemy is not after our body so much as he sets himself to tear our soul in pieces. And the damage is done. And there is almost no remedy against its devilish poison. You can cry against it and…
More and more it seems as though equity, truth and wisdom have fled from the face of the earth, never to return. The very foundations of human relationship seems to be so shaken that only cruel might, total deception and ludicrous folly seem to reign supreme. However, nothing is farther…
The eleventh Psalm is Davidic; the superscription tells us so. But when we inquire after the time of its composition and the circumstances referred to in the Psalm we cannot come to absolute certainty. There are those, among whom the learned Deitzsch, who think that the circumstances described in this…
The thirteenth Psalm is, first, the outcry of a heart that is overburdened with grief, chief of which is the feeling of forsakenness; second, the prayer for relief in the face of jeering enemies; and, third, the song of a grateful saint. In the first part of the Psalm, that…
At sundry times and in divers manners I have heard a question asked which I here find in the 15th Psalm. Some put it this way: Where will you spend eternity? I know, I know: the question put into that form usually comes from the corner of those that dilute…
Many, many years ago, it happened that a piercing, thrice-repeated cry ascended to the heavens. It was David, and, as was very often the case, David in trouble. Thrice repeated is his crying to God. We refer to the opening of the seventeenth psalm. Hear! Attend! Give ear! Involuntarily we…
Mr. President, Rev. and Mrs. Hoeksema, Beloved in the Lord: It would not do to begin my speech somewhat on this order—On this joyful occasion I am very glad to be in your midst, and as I look upon your smiling and happy faces, etc., etc. No, that would be…
“The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.” Psalm 23:1, 2. There is a poet of olden times who has called the twenty-third Psalm the nightingale of the psaltery. I can well believe…
Psalm 42:1, 2: “To the chief musician Masehil, for the sons of Korah. As the heart panteth after the waterbrooks, so panteth my soul after Thee, o God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?” The Bible, beloved, is full…
Dear Editor-in-Chief: On the very surface, your outline of the proposed change of the Standard Bearer is better than we have now. However, I think that we should add one more department, that is, if we will not get a Church paper. And the proposed addition is a department for…
There are many difficulties confronting us when we set ourselves to write something about this Psalm, difficulties of a various nature, exegetical, historical, theological. A man could write a rather long treatise about the difficulties alone. Try to write something about this Psalm, restricting yourself to this theme: What did…
We do not know at what occasion this song was composed. That is, we do know in general, but not in particular. It may fit several occasions. It may very well point to the ascension of the ark of the covenant into the hill of Zion at the time David…
Now that is a foolish thing to do. Whatever or whomever you may attack, never attack innocence. You lose before you start. Whatever you do to virtue returns upon your head a million times over. Because virtue is God. Yet such was the case with David. David was innocent; still…
There is a difference between prayer and supplication. Prayer is that activity of faith whereby you turn your soul to God as the Fountain of all good things, thirsting for Him and very desirous to be filled by Him with all the good things you need for time and eternity.…
The superscription of this psalm and song tells us that it was occasioned by the dedication of the house. There we must put the period. What follows tells us who the author of the psalm and song is, namely, David. Many expositors tell us that this song was composed by…
The superscription of this psalm tells us at what occasion it was composed. It was when David changed his behavior before the face of Abimelech, the king of Gath. The record of this history you will find in I Sam. 21. The events recorded there date from the period when…
There is a vivid contrast in this psalm. On the one hand, we read a description of the wicked in their wanton wickedness; and, on the other hand, a description of God’s wonders, both in the works of nature and of grace. The first verse has given rise to many…
After reading Psalm 38 and noting that David calls this psalm: “to bring to remembrance”, we are inclined to say: the sooner forgotten the better. It seems to me that nice people would rather not have too much of this song. Its language is shocking to the so-called refined intellect.…
We have in this psalm the cry of the merciful. It is the cry of the merciful man in trouble. And he knows that he will be delivered. The first verse is the main theme: Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in the time…
Gerrit Vos (1894-1968) was a minister in the Protestant Reformed Churches and long-time contributor to the SB. This wonderful article was first published as a meditation in the June 15, 1948 issue of the SB (vol. 24, no. 18, pp. 409-411). “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them,…
* Speech delivered at the recently held convention of our young People’s Societies in Grand Rapids, Mich. For quite a while I have known the main theme of this convention, namely, Christian Liberty; but I confess that I have had no little difficulty in finding a sub-head under this general…
Having called Samuel and revealed to him the doom of Eli’s house, “the Lord appeared again in Shiloh,” so we read, “for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord.” As was pointed out, this statement closes the third chapter. The narrative continues at…
We presume that all our readers are acquainted with the fact that the ministers of the Protestant Reformed Churches and the ministers of the Reformed Church in the U. S. have had several conferences in years past. The fact of this matter has been advertised repeatedly. The members of both…
The second article of the Rev. Doekes appeared in De Reformatie of July 5, 1947, which article our editor wants me to publish, together with my translation. The article reads as follows: (DUTCH REMOVED) Here follows the translation: Unto Whom Is The Promise? (Reply to the Rev. Hoeksema) The promises…
The following announcement appeared in The Banner of August 8th: Consistories, Attention: Reliable sources of information state that Prof. Dr. K. Schilder and Rev. D. Van Dyk expect to arrive in our country some time in the month of August to engage in preaching and in speaking engagements to provide…
Most of our readers have heard the sad news that our editor, the Rev. H. Hoeksema, suffered a heart attack on Tuesday, June 17th, at Sioux Falls, South Dakota, while enroute to California where he intended to spend his vacation. We realize that this notice comes to you at a…
This is the third article, written by the Rev. Doekes of the Reformed Churches, Art. 31, of the Netherlands, in answer to the 4 questions which our Editor asked him, and which are found in Volume 23 of our Standard Bearer, March 15, 1947, page 271. This third article appeared…
In The Banner of July 11 and also of July 18, the Rev. Ghysels writes about the parable of our Lord which is commonly called the parable of the Wheat and the Tares. He writes as follows: “Our Lord’s warning against judging—his counsel to let wheat and tares grow together…
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.” I Cor. 13:1 What does Paul mean with this astounding verse? Well, you must know that things were not as they ought to be at…
“And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.” I Cor. 13:2 The Apostle will teach the church at Corinth the difficult lesson that all their…
This is the fourth article, written by the Rev. L. Doekes of the Netherlands Reformed Church, maintaining Art. 31, in answer to the four questions our Editor asked him, Vol. 23 of the Standard Bearer, March 15, 1947, page 271. This fourth article appeared in De Reformatie, Sept. 13, 1947,…
Under the above title, the Rev. Ring Star of the Christian Reformed Chin eh at Bemis, South Dakota, writes an article in the Calvin Forum of Aug. and Sept., 1947. I do not know the meaning of the word Forum in Calvin Forum. It may have reference to the use…
“And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. I Cor. 13:3 There was schism at Corinth through the foolishness that was still in them. It is not foolish to make…
At the time I write this editorial, our esteemed brother Prof. Dr. K. Schilder is on the way home again. Some time ago he left per auto to New York where he will take ship for the Netherlands. On the way he will stop over at Philadelphia, the city where…
Our readers will remember that our Editor at various occasions enlightened you on the First Reformed Ecumenical Synod which was held in Grand Rapids, Mich., from August 14 to August 30, in 1946. The Christian Reformed Church (es) had also delegated a number of men to that Synod which claims…
The Grand Haven Adult Bible Class sends me the following question: “Editor, Standard Bearer Grand Rapids, Michigan. Dear Editor— We would appreciate having your opinion voiced with respect to the following:
“To give knowledge of salvation unto His people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the Dayspring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into…
The following article was cut from the periodical “De Strijdende Kerk”, of which Rev. G. Toornvliet is the Editor-in-chief. He writes as follows: I translate: TO AMERICA Prof. Schilder went to America. From what I heard the Rev. Van Dijk will follow him. Their purpose is to give elucidation.
The undersigned does not know whether or not he will be enabled to finish a contemplated series of editorials on the above theme. And the reason is plain. He is appointed to substitute for the regular Editor-in-Chief, the Rev. H. Hoeksema, who is convalescing from a recent illness. And the…
“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up.” I Cor. 13:4
The last time we wrote under this theme, we called your attention to the fact that before we wish to enter upon the controversy proper, it would be well to outline in how far we are agreed with the Liberated Churches. You understand, of course, that speaking confessionally, in the…
With this initial article I would begin a short critical survey of the position which the Liberated Churches in the Netherlands have taken with respect to the Covenant of Grace, and related matters, such as the question with whom God establishes His covenant, the promise, the children, or the heirs…
“Now will I praise the Lord; therefore she called his name Judah.”—Gen. 29:35b. “My praise shall be of Thee in the great congregation.”—Psalm 22:25a.