Modern usage looks somewhat askance at the free use of the word

'belly', even as the seven references to 'bowels' found in Paul's epistles

are not acceptable reading to the so -called 'refined' today.  The Greek

koilia, like the Hebrew beten and qereb, often denotes the most inward part

of man, and is almost synonymous with the use of 'heart' among us today.

It is very characteristic of John to slip in a word of explanation as

the narrative proceeds, and this he has done here:

'But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should

receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was

not yet glorified' (John 7:39).

This tendency to help the reader with an explanatory word is seen in

such passages as 2:25; 6:64; 9:22; 11:13; etc.  Most textual critics agree

that the word dedomenon 'given' is an addition to the original text, 'The

Spirit was not yet, because Jesus was not yet glorified' (7:39).  The evident

meaning is that the dispensation of the Spirit was contingent upon the

glorifying and ascension of Christ, and this is implied in John 14:16,17 and

16:7, and stated with clearness by Peter on the day of Pentecost:

'Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received

of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath shed forth this,

which ye now see and hear' (Acts 2:33).

Pentecost was a germinant fulfilment, and the yet future day, as a

terminant fulfilment, seems to be necessary to completely fill out the

Saviour's intention.  Whenever 'the last day' shall come, this outpouring of

the Spirit among other things will be a great and blessed characteristic.  We

have given consideration to the references in Acts 2:17 separately in the

article entitled Joel and the last days of Acts 2 (p. 400), which should be

consulted.  We therefore pass on to other references.

James 5:3 looks upon the last days as a time of judgment.  'Ye have

heaped treasure together for the last days', and in verse 9 he seems to

return to the subject, saying:

'Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned:

behold, the Judge standeth before the door' (James 5:9).

Peter uses the words 'the last time' or 'times' or 'days' in each case

translating the one word eschatos.  In the first epistle he speaks of

salvation and of the precious blood of Christ:

'Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to

be revealed in the last time' (1 Pet. 1:5).

'Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but

was manifest in these last times for you' (1 Pet. 1:20).

Here in the same chapter, the expression 'the last time' refers to the

future 'appearing of Jesus Christ' (1 Pet. 1:7), and 'these last times'

refer, as does Hebrews 1:2, to the period of His first Advent.  It should be

noted that in 1 Peter 1:5 the word translated 'time' is kairos, 'season', and

in 1 Peter 1:20 the word 'times' is the plural of chronos.  In 2 Peter 3:3

the apostle reveals that:

'There shall come in the last days scoffers',