The Name Christ. Moses' Sin. Women Pastors. Fear of Death. Nicolaitans.
by the Rev. Walter Snyder

Q: I guess this shows how little I know, but where does the name Christ come from? I see in
the Bible where Mary was instructed to name her son Jesus but I can't seem to find the basis of
name Christ on which of course Christian comes from?

A: Christ as name came later, after its use as a title. Jesus is the Christ, that is, the Anointed One.
Christ comes from a Greek word. It has a close Hebrew parallel, Messiah. Thus, Christians belong to
God's Anointed, known as Jesus, the Christ.

Q: What sin did Moses commit that forbid him to go into the Promised Land?

A: In Numbers 20, God told Moses and Aaron to speak to the rock and it would bring forth water for
Israel. Evidently in a fit of anger at Israel, Moses struck the rock twice and he and Aaron were told
that they would not be allowed to lead Israel into Canaan. God wanted to show that the power of
his Word was sufficient and Moses' wrath didn't allow this to happen.

Q: Is it right for women to be pastors of the church?

A: Not if Paul wrote the truth when he said the bishop should be "husband of one wife." We have
the word of Scripture, which only speaks of male pastors. We also have the example of Scripture,
including the Old Testament priesthood: Yes, all Israelites were priests, but only certain men were in
The Priesthood. So also all who followed Christ were disciples, but only certain men were called to
be fishers of men, apostles, evangelists, pastors and teachers (that is, those who preach and teach
doctrine on a congregational level), and the like.

Finally, we have what might be called the "icon of Christ" reason: Jesus is to Church as bridegroom is
to bride. The one who stands in his stead at the congregational level acts as a "best man" who speaks
for the Groom ("in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ," as the Lutheran
absolution formula says). The church receives pastors as icons or models of the groom, just as the
congregations model the entire Christian Church. Scripture uses very fleshly, almost carnal
illustrations of the relationship between Christ and the bride. A woman as "pastor" in such a
situation---well what would you call an intimate love-relationship between two women?

Q: Why are many people afraid to die?

A: Some fear the unknown, some fear a judgment (even if they're not sure by whom or on what
criteria). Many, I think, are afraid because contrary to what the world would have us believe, death is
not "natural." Rather, it is an alien invasion brought about by sin. Death is sin's greatest weapon.
Even the confident Christian sometimes fears death because we, too, are burdened with our sinful
flesh. Yet God brings us through these fears, and through death itself, to life eternal in heaven.

Q: I was reading Revelation and in 2:6 it says, "But there is this about you, it is good you hate
the Nicolaitans just as I do." I'm sure it's the only time anywhere in the bible that Jesus says he
hates anyone. So I'm sure being a Nicolaitan is very bad. So what is one of these people?

A: It is likely that they were a sect founded by someone named Nikolaos. The early Church writer
Iranaeus claimed that they were antinomians (those who completely set aside God's law) and used
the Gospel as an excuse for sensual excesses. They were active at least in Ephesus and Pergamum,
and maybe elsewhere. Whatever or whoever they were, they must have been a major concern for a
time, yet the historian Eusebius notes that they did not last long.

To Ask the Pastor, please write Ask the Pastor, PO Box 12, Emma, MO, 65327 or send email to
askthepastor@aol.com. I look forward to hearing from you.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book
"What Do Lutherans Believe."

Ask the Pastor is copyright (c) 2001 by Walter P. Snyder. It may be reproduced in totality, including
this disclaimer, by anyone, provided that no profit is generated by said republication and
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