"Truth about Ellen White Writings"

Part 8

1. Peter’s confession (DA, Ch. 45, Matt 16:16)

Ellen White (1827-1915): “The truth which Peter had expressed is the foundation of the believer’s faith” (DA, p. 412).

Ellen white: “Peter had expressed the truth which is the foundation of the Christian faith” (DA, p. 413).

Ellen White: “Peter had expressed the faith of the twelve” (DA, p. 112).

Albert Barnes (1798-1870): “Peter expressed the full belief of himself and of his brethren that He was the long- expected messiah” (Barnes’ Notes on the Whole bible, 1834)

B.W. Johnson (1833 – 1894): “The confession of Peter is the one Christian confession of the New Testament and the Apostolic age, and is the very foundation of the church” (People’s New Testament, 1891).

Thomas Stephen: “Jesus confirmed Peter’s confession as the revealed truth of God and the foundational article of the Christian faith” (A Gospel History of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: or, a Life of the Man of Sorrows, p. 391, 1853).

Alfred Edersheim (1825-1889): “The great confession of Peter, as the representative Apostle, had laid the foundation of the Church as such” (The life and times of Jesus the Messiah, Vol. 2, p. 91, 1883).

2. Baptism of blood (DA, Ch. 45)

Ellen White (1827-1915): “Although the baptism of blood must first be received…although the sins of the world were to weigh upon his innocent soul…He chose to endure the cross” (DA, p. 410, 1898)

Ellen White: “He sees the helplessness of man. He sees the power of sin. The woes and lamentations of a doomed world rise before Him. He beholds its impending  fate, and His decision is made. He will save man at any cost to Himself. He accepts His baptism of blood, that through Him perishing millions may gain everlasting life. (DA, pp. 692, 693).

John Ross Mac Duff (1818-1895): “Is He to listen to this cry of suffering ages, and by His own baptism of blood to work out for perishing millions in everlasting salvation? Or is He to snap these chains which bind Him,” save Himself and leave a world and its myriads to perish? …But, it is done! – the work is accomplished” (Memories of Olivet, pp. 324, 325, 1868).

Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892): “…but this I will say, the very spray from that great tempestuous deep, as it fell on Christ, baptized Him in a bloody sweat. He had not yet come to the raging billows as He heard the awful surf breaking at His feet, the shadow of the coming tempest, it was the prelude of the dread desertion which He had to endure, when He stood where we ought to have stood, and from us; it was this which laid Him low” (Agony in Gethsemane, 1874).

John Harris (1802-1856): “Though he saw from a height, the whole array of duty and trial which awaited him, a holy impatience to reach the Cross which stood at the end of his path – a self- consuming ardour to be baptized with a baptism with that of blood”(The Great Commission, p. 80, 1842).

3. The disciples were disappointed (DA, Ch. 45)

Ellen White (1827-1915): “More than this, the people, and even the disciples, had a false conception of the Messiah… The disciples still expected Christ to reign as a temporal prince” (DA, pp. 414, 415).

Edward Griffin (1770—1837): “At this time their great objections to his claim was, that he did not appear in the spirit and splendor of a temporal monarch and break their Roman yoke. The very disciples followed him with the same expectations and they were disappointed…” (Sermons By The Late Rev. Edward Griffin, Vol. 2, p. 144, 1838).

4. The cross was associated with Roman power (DA, Ch. 45)

 Ellen White (1827-1915): “The cross was associated with the power of Rome. It was the instrument of the most cruel and humiliating form of death. The lowest criminals were required to bear the cross to the place of execution” (DA, p. 416).

Ingraham J. H (1809-1860): “…the public place of execution, where the Romans, since they have been masters of Jerusalem, have executed criminals by their cruel mode of crucifying” (The Prince of the House of David, p. 389, 1855).

5. He calls three of his disciples (DA, Ch. 46, Matt 17; 1-8)

Ellen White (1827-1915): “Evening is drawing on as Jesus calls to His side three of His disciples, Peter, James, and John, and leads them across the fields, and far up a rugged path, to a lonely mountainside. The Saviour and His disciples have spent the day in traveling and teaching, and the mountain climb adds to their weariness. Christ has lifted burdens from mind and body of many sufferers; He has sent the thrill of life through their enfeebled frames; but He also is compassed with humanity, and with His disciples He is wearied with the ascent” (DA, p. 419, 1898).

Daniel March (1816-1909): “And now the master calls the three favourite disciples to himself, and makes his way out of the noisy town, across the open fields and the wild pasture lands, and up the steep ascent of the mountains…He has spent the day in travel and in teaching, and the mountain climb at night adds a heavy weight to the weariness that demanded rest before the evening came. His hand has lifted the burden of infirmity from many shoulders, and sent the thrill of life into many a worn and wasted frame” (Walks and Homes of Jesus, pp. 150-151, 1866).

6. Disciples do not ask Him wither He is going (DA, Ch. 46)

Ellen White (1827-1915): “The disciples do not venture to ask Christ whither He is going, or for what purpose. He has often spent entire nights in the mountains in prayer” (DA, p. 419).

Daniel March (1816-1909): “They do not ask him where he is going, or for what purpose…They have known him many times to spend the whole night in desert places, or upon lonely mountains in prayer” (Walks and Homes of Jesus, p. 151, 1866).

7. The dew falls (DA, Ch. 46)

Ellen White (1827-1915): “The dew is heavy upon His bowed form, but He heeds it not” (DA, p. 420).

Daniel March (1816-1909): “The dew falls like rain at evening…” (Walks and Homes of Jesus, p. 154, 1866).

Note: The ‘fall of dew’ was not mentioned by the gospel writers (see Matt 17: 1-8; Luke 9: 28-33).

8. Jesus prayed for the disciples (DA, Ch. 46)

Ellen White (1827-1915): “Now the burden of His prayer is that they may be given a manifestation of the glory He had with the Father before the world was… and that His disciples may be strengthened to behold it. He pleads that they may witness a manifestation of His divinity that will comfort them in the hour of His supreme agony with the knowledge that He is of a surety the Son of God and that His shameful death is a part of the plan of redemption” (DA, pp. 420, 421).

F. W. Farrar (1831-1903): “He took His three Apostles with Him that, haply, having seen His glory – the glory of the only Begotten of the Father,… their faith strengthened, to gaze unshaken on the shameful insults and unspeakable humiliation of the cross” (The Life of Christ, Vol. 2, p. 26, 1874).

9. Divinity flashes through humanity – 2 (DA, Chap. 46)

Ellen White (1827-1915): “Divinity from within flashes through humanity, and meets the glory coming from above. Arising from His prostrate position, Christ stands in godlike majesty… His countenance now shines “as the sun…” (DA, p. 421).

Cunningham Geikie (1824-1906): “Drawn forth by the nearness of His heavenly Father, the Divinity within shone through the veiling flesh… and His face glowed with a sunlike majesty” (Life and Words of Christ, vol. 1, p. 251, 1879).

10. Gates of city of God are thrown wide open (DA, Ch. 46)

Ellen White (1827-1915): “His prayer is heard. While He is bowed in lowliness upon the stony ground, suddenly the heavens open, the golden gates of the city of God are thrown wide, and holy radiance descends upon the mount, enshrouding the Saviour’s form. Divinity from within flashes through humanity, and meets the glory coming from above. Arising from His prostrate position, Christ stands in godlike majesty. The soul agony is gone. His countenance now shines “as the sun,”” (DA, p. 121).

Daniel March (1816-1909): “And the mighty Mediator is not left to pray unheard. Suddenly, as if golden gates of heaven had been thrown wide, and the splendour of the eternal throne had been poured upon the holy mount, the bending suppliant is clothed with a glory above the brightness of the sun. His countenance wears the aspect of serene and godlike majesty” (Walks and Homes of Jesus, p. 154, 1866).

11. Disciples fell smitten to the ground (DA, Ch. 46)

Ellen White (1827-1915): “…as they heard the voice of God speak in awful majesty that caused the mountain to tremble, the disciples fell smitten to the earth” (DA, p. 425).

Daniel March (1816-1909): “When the disciples, smitten to the ground by the terror of “the voice from the excellent glory,”” (Walks and Homes of Jesus, p. 157, 1866).

Note: According to Matthew 17: 6 “they fell on their face.”  They were not smitten to the earth neither did the mountain tremble.

12. Traces glory on Jesus’ face (DA, Ch. 47, Matt 17:9-21; Mark 9:9-29)

Ellen White (1827-1915): “The night of communion with the heavenly glory had left its trace upon the Saviour and His companions. Upon their countenances was a light that awed the beholders. The scribes drew back in fear, while the people welcomed Jesus” (DA, p. 427).

John Gill (1697-1771): “Were greatly amazed; either that he should come at that juncture, to assist and relieve his disciples, when the Scribes were triumphing over them, as some think; or rather, as others, on account of that remaining lustre and glory which was on his countenance, through his transfiguration, and not yet wholly gone off; like that which was on the face of Moses, when he came down from Mount Sinai” (John Gill’s exposition on the Whole Bible, Mark 9:15, 1748).

Joseph Benson (1749-1821): “At his coming so suddenly, so seasonably, so unexpectedly: perhaps, also, at some unusual rays of majesty and glory, which yet remained on his countenance; as, it seems, Moses’s face shone several hours after he had been with God on the mount” (Joseph Benson’s Commentary of the Old and New Testaments, Mark 9:15, 1811-1818).

Thomas Coke (1760-1832): “Were greatly amazed, — When the people looked on him as he was coming, they were struck into astonishment at those unusual rays of majesty and glory which yet remained on his countenance. It seems, that as Moses’s face shone several hours after he had been with God on the mount, so something of the glory of the transfiguration remaining in our Lord’s countenance, and on his raiment, might astonish the multitude, and attract their veneration” (Commentary on the Holy Bible, Mark 9:15, 1801-1803).

Ellen White: “The night of communion with the heavenly glory had left its trace upon the Saviour and his companions. Upon their countenances was a light that awed the beholders. The Scribes drew back in fear, while the people welcomed Jesus” (DA, p. 427).

Ellen White: “Seeking to prove that they and their Master were deceivers… the rabbis triumphantly declared, was an evil spirit that neither the disciples nor Christ Himself could conquer” (DA, p. 427).

Jamieson (1802-1880): “There can be hardly any doubt that His countenance still retained traces of his transfiguration glory. No doubt these cavillers were twitting the apostles of Jesus with their inability to cure the demoniac boy of whom we are presently to hear, and insinuating doubts even of their Master’s ability to do it” (Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole bible, 1871)

John Gill (1697-1771): “Were greatly amazed… on account of that remaining lustre and glory which was on his countenance, through transfiguration, and not wholly gone off; like that which was on the face of Moses, when he came down from Mount Sinai” (John Gill’s Exposition on the Whole bible, 1748).

John Wesley (1703-1791): “All the multitude seeing Him were greatly amazed – perhaps also at some unusual rays of majesty and glory, which yet remained on his countenance” (Wesley’s Notes on the Bible, 1755).

13. The feast of Tabernacles (DA, Ch. 49)

Ellen White (1827-1915): “The feast continued for seven days,… This feast was not only the harvest thanksgiving, but the memorial of God’s protecting care over Israel in the wilderness. In commemoration of their tent life, the Israelites during the feast dwelt in booths or tabernacles of green boughs. These were erected in the streets, in the courts of the temple, or on the housetops. The hills and valleys surrounding Jerusalem were also dotted with these leafy dwellings, and seemed to be alive with people” (DA, p. 448, 1898).

Daniel March (1816-1909): “They lived in booths or tabernacles of green boughs built upon the housetops, in the streets and public squares, in the courts of the temple and of private houses, and all up and down the valleys and hill-sides beyond the walls of the city. Seven days were consecrated with offerings and libations, with feast and song, with grand choral symphonies of the temple music” (Night Scenes in the Bible, p. 363, 1868).

14. Water ceremony (DA, Ch. 49)

(Water of Siloam/Kedron)

Ellen White (1827-1915): “At the first dawn of day, the priests sounded a long, shrill blast upon their silver trumpets, and the answering trumpets, and the glad shouts of the people from their booths, echoing over hill and valley, welcomed the festal day. Then the priest dipped from the flowing waters of the Kedron a flagon of water, and, lifting it on high, while the trumpets were sounding, he ascended the broad steps of the temple, keeping time with the music with slow and measured tread, chanting meanwhile, “Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.” Psalm 122:2.

He bore the flagon to the altar, which occupied a central position in the court of the priests. Here were two silver basins, with a priest standing at each one. The flagon of water was poured into one, and a flagon of wine into the other; and the contents of both flowed into a pipe which communicated with the Kedron, and was conducted to the Dead Sea. This display of the consecrated water represented the fountain that at the command of God had gushed from the rock to quench the thirst of the children of Israel” (DA, pp. 448, 449).

Note: The above service was not prescribed by the ceremonial laws in the Bible. Obviously, it is a tradition formed sometime later and had been continued as part of the ceremonial law. No earlier author had mentioned about the water being collected from Kedron, but from Siloam; neither did they mention of the Dead Sea in connection with this ritual.

Daniel March (1816-1909): “When the first streak of dawn appeared, shooting up the eastern sky over the ridge of Olivet, the priests sounded with their silver trumpets three times, long and loud; and the answering shouts of the people welcomed the Great Hosanna day. A procession of priests started immediately to bring water from the fountain of Siloam, which flowed at the foot of Mount Moriah outside of the city walls. When the procession returned; … their appearance was greeted with a blast of silver trumpets. They ascended the steps of the temple, bearing the golden beaker full of water in their hands, chanting the song of Degrees as they went slowly up, keeping time with their steps: “Our feet stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem!” Then in the presence of all the people they poured out the consecrated water in commemoration of the fountain that flowed flowed from the rock for the tribes in the wilderness” (Night Scenes in the Bible, p. 365, 1868).

J. G. R. Forlong: “Sacred water was drawn by the priests in a golden chalice from the pool of Siloam and carried with a flourish of silver trumpets into the temple where it was poured into a silver cup which stood on the western side of the altar. Wine was then put into that on the eastern side, when both liquids were permitted to mingle by means of holes, and then run off by a pipe to the brook kedron” (Rivers of Life, p. 460).

15. People were weary after the seven days of feasting (DA, Ch. 49).

Ellen White (1827-1915): “Day after day He taught the people, until the last, “that great day of the feast.” The morning of this day found the people wearied from the long season of festivity. Suddenly Jesus lifted up His voice, in tones that rang through the courts of the temple: “If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink” (DA, p. 453).

Daniel March (1816-1909): “Now, we have strong reason for believing that it was at this joyous climax in the great national festivity, when the people had exhausted themselves with singing and shouting all night, and the morning found them weary, hungry and thirsty, that Jesus stood forth and cried, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink!” (Night Scenes in the Bible, p. 366, 1868).

16. The woman taken in adultery (DA, Ch. 50, John 8: 1-11)

Ellen White (1827-1915): “Jesus looked for a moment upon the scene, – the trembling victim in her shame, the hard faced dignitaries, devoid of human pity… It was the husband’s duty to take action against her” (DA, p.  461).

Cunningham Geikie (1824-1906): “It was not their business, but that of her husband, to accuse her; nor could she be legally punished… Leading forward their trembling prisoner, unveiled and exposed before the crowd of men…” (Life and Words of Christ, pp. 539, 1891).

17. What did Jesus write on the ground? (DA, Ch. 50, John 8: 6)

Ellen white (1827-1915): “There, traced before them, were the guilty secrets of their own lives” (DA, p. 461).

Ellen white: “Jesus was tracing on the ground, in legible characters, the particular sins of which the woman’s accusers were guilty, beginning with the eldest and ending with the youngest” (Redemption Or The First  Advent Of Christ  With  His  Life  And  Ministry,  p. 96, 1877).

John Albert Fabricius (1668-1736): “…in St. Jerome’s 2nd Book against the Pelagians where we have the words [….]: Jesus stooping down wrote on the Earth, viz. The sins of the Accusers, and those of all men, according to what is said in the Prophet (Jeremiah 17: 13)” (The History of the learned, or, An Impartial Account, Vol. 6, p. 7, 1703).

Jennifer Wright Knust: “He [St. Jerome, 345-420 A.D] then summarizes the tale…Refusing to respond, Jesus began to write with his finger on the ground, the sins to be sure of those who were making the accusation…”(Early Christian Re-Writing and the History of the Pericope Adulterae, p.511).

Jennifer Wright Knust:  St. Augustine [354-430 A.D] said that “…he [Jesus] wrote their sins upon the earth, showing that the Jews, unlike the Christians, were ‘sterile stone’ that could not bear divine fruit” (Ibid., p. 514).

18. Freedom of choice (DA, Ch. 51)

Ellen White (1827-1915): “In the work of redemption there is no compulsion. No external force is employed. …In the change that takes place when the soul surrenders to Christ, there is the highest sense of freedom. The expulsion of sin is the act of the soul itself. …The only condition upon which the freedom of men is possible is that of becoming one with Christ. …Sin can triumph only by enfeebling the mind, and destroying the liberty of the soul. Subjection to God is restoration to one’s self,- to  the true glory and dignity of man. The divine law, to which we are brought into subjection, is ‘the law of liberty.”(DA, p. 466, 1898)

John Harris (1802-1856): “And in doing this, observe, no external force is employed; …it is true, the change is necessitated; but the moral necessity is the highest form of freedom. It is true, that the mind is brought under the authority of a new law. …He comes to emancipation of the will from a state of slavery; (for sin can only triumph by influencing the mind and extinguishing the liberty of the soul), …Even the expulsion of sin is the act of the soul itself; In fine, the only condition on which freedom of a finite will is possible, is, by its becoming one with the will of God; …and to produce this happy junction is the object of the regenerating Spirit; so that subjection to him is restoration to one’s self” (The great Teacher, p. 185, 1835).

19. The light of life (DA, Ch. 51, John 8: 12, 20).

Ellen White (1827-1915): “When he spoke these words, Jesus was in the court of the temple… In the centre of the court rose two lofty standards, supporting lamp stands of great size” (DA, p. 463).

Ellen white: “At evening when the lamps were lighted, the court was a great scene of rejoicing. Grey haired men, the priests, of the temple and the rulers of the people, united in the festivity dances to the sound of instrumental music and the chants of the Levites in the illumination of Jerusalem” (DA, p. 463).

Jamieson (1802-1880): “These words spake Jesus in the treasury – a division so called, of the free court of the temple part of the court of the women. In the  treasury  where it was spoken stood two colossal golden lamps,  on which hung a multitude of lamps, lighted after  the evening sacrifices, diffusing their brilliancy, it is said over all the city. Around these people danced with great rejoicing” (Commentary Critical and Expository on the Whole bible, 1871)

20. How Jesus found access to the minds of His hearers (DA, Ch. 52)

Ellen White (1827-1915): “Again Jesus found access to the minds of His hearers by the pathway of their familiar associations” (DA, p. 476, 1898).

Ellen White: “Jesus found access to the minds by the pathway of their most familiar associations” (Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, p. 190, 1895).

John Harris (1802-1856): “He sought access to their minds by the beaten pathway of their most familiar associations (The Great Teacher, p. 91, 1835).

21. The Good Samaritan parable was a true story (DA, Ch. 54, Luke 10: 30-37)

Ellen White (1827-1915): “This was no imaginary scene, but an actual occurrence, which known to be exactly represented” (DA, p. 499).

Edward Greswell (1797-1869): “The parable of the good Samaritan is one which many commentators have agreed to consider as the narrative, most probably of a real transaction: yet it is the narrative of what passed in secret, and could be known only to the narrator himself” (An Exposition of the parables and of other parts of the Gospels, p. 92, 1834-1835).

Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892): “But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbor? The Savior then related this incident which I have no doubt was really a fact” (Sermon delivered at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, November 11, 1866).

Frederick Gustav Lisco (1791-1866): “A certain man; some, without sufficient ground, have thought they discovered a history, which had shortly before occurred, and was now made use of by Jesus” (The Parables of Jesus Explained and Illustrated, Translated by P. Fairbrairn, p. 219, 1840).

Note: Fairbrairn cautions those who consider the parable of the good Samaritan a true incident, in the above quote. There is no scripture support for it to be so considered.

22. The priest and the Levite came there by providence (DA, Ch. 54)

Ellen White: “God in his providence had brought the priest and the Levite along the road where the wounded sufferer lay, that they might see his need of mercy and help” (DA, p. 500).

Matthew George Easton (1823-1894): “It was not by chance that the priest came down at that time, but by a specific arrangement and in exact fulfilment of the plan; not the plan of the priest, nor the plan of the wounded traveller, but the plan of God. By coincidence the priest came down …in the providence of God. This is a true story of the divine government.”(Easton Illustrated Bible Dictionary, “Chance”, 1893).

Richard Chenevix Trench (1807-1856): “… by that wonderful falling in of one event with another, which often indeed seems to men but chance, yet is indeed of fine weaving in, by God’s providence, of the threads of different men’s lives into one common woof” (Notes on the Parables of our Lord, p. 254, 1863).

Philip Schaff (1819-1893): “By chance. In the language of common life. As a fact, most opportunities of doing good come as it were ‘by chance,’ though providentially ordered of God” (Schaff’s Popular Commentary on the New Testament, Luke 10: 31, 1879).

Thomas Coke (1747-1814): “And by chance – and so we may render the words, by divine Providence” (Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible, Luke 10: 31, 1803).

23. He that showed mercy on him (DA, Ch. 54)

Ellen White (1827-1915): “The lawyer would not, even now, take the name Samaritan upon his lips, and he made answer, “He that showed mercy on him” (DA, p. 503, 1898).

Frederick Gustav Lisco (1791-1866): “The polite hypocrite will not name the Samaritan by his proper name” (The Parables of Jesus Explained and Illustrated, Translated by P. Fairbrairn, p. 224, 1840).

J. W. Mc Garvey (1829-1911): “He that showed mercy on him. The lawyer avoided the name Samaritan so distasteful to his lips” (The Fourfold Gospel, Luke 10: 37).

Matthew Henry (1662-1774): “Which of these did the neighbour’s part?” To this the lawyer would not answer, as he ought to have done, “Doubtless, the Samaritan was” but, “He that showed mercy on him doubtless, he was a good neighbour to him”” (Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary on the Bible, Luke 10: 37, 1710).

Jamieson (1802-1880): “And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise. And he said, He that showed mercy on him. He does not answer, ‘The Samarita’-that would have sounded heterodox, heretical-but “He that showed mercy on him.” It comes to the same thing, no doubt, but the circumlocution is significant” (Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible – Unabridged, Luke 10: 37, 1871).

24. Jesus blessing the little children (DA, Ch. 56, Luke 18: 15-16)

Ellen white (1827-1915): “Some of the children had passed beyond the years of infancy to childhood and youth” (DA, p. 512).

John Gill (1697-1771):  “It does not appear the they were new born babes; the words used by either of the evangelists do not always signify such, but are sometimes used of such as are capable of going alone; yea, of receiving instructions, of understanding the scriptures, and even of twelve years of age” (John Gill’s exposition on the Whole Bible, 1748)

25. Rich young ruler was a member of Jewish council (DA, Ch. 57)

Ellen White (1827-1915): “He was a member of the honoured council of the Jews” (DA, p. 520).

John Gill (1697-1771): “Luke calls him, “a certain ruler”; not of a synagogue, an ecclesiastical ruler, but a civil magistrate: perhaps he might be one of the Sanhedrim, which consisted of “twenty one”” (John Gill’s exposition on the Whole Bible, Matthew 19:16, 1748)

John Dummelow : “St. Luke calls him a ‘ruler,’ i.e. either a member of the Sanhedrin, or a ruler of a synagogue” (John Dummelow’s Commentary on the Bible, Matthew 19:16, 1908).