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by J. Miller | Category: Jottings | Apr 1951

The English words "heathen " and" pagan " refer to the same class of people. Originally the meanings of the words were somewhat different. "Heathen" comes from "heath," which means a waste or a pasture for cattle. Heathen originally meant the people who dwelt on the heaths remote from the towns. The town's people were regarded as having been brought under the influence of Christianity, but the people of the heaths still lived in ignorance.

"Pagan" is a word of similar meaning. The word is derived from the Latin word for a villager; Latin, pagos, a village. The word "pagan" means a countryman, "one of the rustic people who remained longest unconverted."

The A.V. uses the word "heathen " for the nations in the Old Testament over 140 times, and some thirty times the word "nations" is rendered "Gentiles." "Gentile," one who belongs to some clan or tribe is applied to all clans, tribes or nations, outside the Jewish nation. Israel was originally a holy nation, which was separated by God for the purpose that He might establish divine service amongst them, and He gave them His holy law, by which the knowledge of the true God was to be disseminated amongst the nations. "Gentile" is allied to "Genus," which means kin or race.

"Gentiles " is the word generally used in the New Testament for " nations," but in a few places we find the A.V. adhering to the use of the word "heathen," in Acts 4.25; 2 Corinthians it. 26; Galatians 1.16; 2.9; 3.8 ; Matthew 5.47 ; 6.7 ; 18.17. In the last three scriptures it is the word ethnikos (ethnikos is also found in 3 John 7), which means, one having the character of one belonging to the nations. "The form used (ethnikos) describes the character rather than mere position."

Let us seek now to derive some help from the use of ethnikos in the places where it is found in the New Testament (Matthew 5.47; 6.7; 18.17; 3 John 7). In the first scripture we have the Lord enjoining on His disciples proper behaviour towards their enemies, their persecutors, and men in general. Their heavenly Father is good to the unthankful and unholy, for He makes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and unjust. He says that if His disciples loved only those that loved them they were no better than the publicans who did this; and, if they saluted their brethren only, no better than the Gentile, (publicans is given in the A.V., but Gentiles, such as have the character of Gentiles, is, by authorities, said to he the true reading). The disciples were not to descend to mere Gentilish conduct, to salute only those of their own kind. They were to follow their Father's perfect ways and to he perfect as He is. This is to be the ideal and issue of all our strivings. to be imitators of God, as beloved children, and to walk in love.

In Matthew 18.15-18 we have the Lord outlining to His disciples a course of procedure in dealing with a brother who has sinned against one of his brethren If he should remain obdurate to all entreaty and remonstrance by his brother by two or three, and by the church then, in refusing to hear the church the word of the Lord is, "Let him be unto thee as the Gentile (ethnikos) and the publican." He must not be treated as one bearing the character of a Gentile until upon his rebellious refusal to hear the church he has been given the place outside the church that his actions and character qualified him for. May I say a word here, that sometimes those in the church seem to take up such an attitude towards those who have been excommunicated, that they deem it proper not to accord the ordinary civilities which are to he paid, as Matthew 5.47 teaches to those outside. This conduct seems to be wrong. We can act as Christians should to a brother who has sinned without having fellowship with him or doing anything that could be construed as giving him the right hand of fellowship.

How simple and direct is the prayer which the Lord taught His disciples, when He said, "After this manner pray ye" ! How orderly it is!.

I.Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name.

II.Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth.

III.Give us this day our daily bread.

IV.And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

V.And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one" (Matthew 6.9-13).

There is not a word too many and not a necessary one omitted. Here is a specimen for disciples for all time, but have we not to confess how much is wanting in our heart-breathings before the Throne of Grace?

Previous to these words being spoken by the Lord, He said, "In praying use not vain repetitions, as the Gentiles (ethnikos) do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much seeking." We have a lively example of this in Elijah's time, when the prophets 0 Baal, four hundred and fifty men, called from morning until noon, "0 Baal, bear us," but there was no answer. Whereupon Elijah mocked them, telling them to cry, for Baal was a god, who was either musing, on a journey, gone aside, or asleep. Lashed by the prophet's words, they continued to cry, but in vain. But who were the prophets of Baal? No doubt many were Israelites who had followed their king - Ahab - in his idolatrous worship - men of God's people who had become Gentilish in their practice. Let us not be Gentilish in our prayers, but be simple, direct, sincere in what we plead for with our God. It is not vain repetition to ask and ask again for the same thing. Indeed, we are encouraged to ask till God grants our petition (see Luke 15. 1-8). Saints are to importune God, to do as Israel were exhorted by Isaiah to do: "Ye that are the LORD'S remembrancers, take ye no rest, and give Him no rest (silence), till He establish, and till He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth" (Isaiah 62.6, 7.) Oh, for God's watchmen to-day to follow a like prayerful habit! Does not Zion lie waste, wanting any expression in many places, living stones being buried in the rubbish of Christendom? Let us take no rest till our God fuiflis the longing of His own heart for the unity of His people.

John's third epistle contains a wealth of instruction in the 14 verses into which it has been divided. This instruction is built up around three men, (1) Gaius, to whom the epistle is address, (2) Diotrephes, who loved to have the pre-eminence, and (3) Demetrius who had "the witness (good report, A.V.) of all men, and of the truth itself," and John adds of this good man, "Yea, we also bear witness; and thou knowest that our witness is true." As we read of the characters of these three men, how it should stir within us the desire to emulate that of Gains and Demetrius! It is a New Testament echo of that great and good man of ancient time, Enoch, the seventh from Adam, who prior to his translation had witness borne to him that he had been well-pleasing to God! (Hebrews ii. 5). By our ways and works we are forming our characters now which shall mark us out for all eternity. Lovely men are men of lovely thoughts and deeds. Gaius did lovely things; his actions towards those who were brethren and strangers withal is described by God's Spirit as" a faithful work." Who were these brethren he received and assisted? They were such as went forth for the sake of the Name, taking nothing of the Gentiles (ethnikos) (John 5.7). We have seen in a previous article that a sinning and rebellious brother was to be treated as the Gentile (heathen man, A.V.) and the publican (Matthew is. 17); a brother may bear the character of the Gentile, though by divine regeneration he can never be a Gentile, because of the initial work of grace upon him. Those who went forth took nothing from the Gentiles nor from such as bore the character of the Gentiles. From whence then came the support of such men? The answer is, from those like Gaius, from churches like the Philippians, whilst other men and other churches (such as the church in Corinth, see 2 Corinthians 11. 8) let their opportunity go past. Happily such as Diotrephes are not greatly in evidence, though a larger number may have little exercise as to those who for the sake of the Name have gone forth taking nothing of the Gentiles.

J. Miller | Apr 1951
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