Appendix
to “How to Approach the Bible”
1. Biblical
Canon:
It would be helpful to the Bible
student to consider and note the specific order of the books contained in the
Biblical Canon. In their God-ordained order the books of the Bible serve to
reveal the unfolding of the ages; uncovering the unique place of
Paul’s “mystery” gospel in God’s eternal plan. The Books in the Bible
are not
at all listed according to the chronological order of their writing. They are
set in the order of the unfolding of the dispensations and ages; past,
present, and the ages to come.
The index of our Bible (i.e., the Authorized
Kings James Version) reveals the uniqueness of Paul’s epistles, and the fact
that “the dispensation of the grace
of God” given to Paul for “the
body of Christ” appears to be inserted as a parenthesis in the ages.
God’s eternal plan includes an interruption in God’s ultimate plan for
Israel
, which will yet be fulfilled. After Paul’s thirteen (13) epistles to “the
church, which is body of Christ,” the focus of Hebrews picks up from the
Gospels, still being upon
Israel
, as though “the dispensation of the
grace of God” had not occurred. Only then, the truth of the cross
revealed to Paul is added for
Israel
to see and receive in “the ages to come.”
Let’s now consider the specific order of the
books of the New Testament, noting to whom they are addressed and intended.
·
The four Gospels
are set in what Paul calls “time
past,” while yet under “the
Law” and the Old Covenant for
Israel
.
·
The Book of Acts
begins in “time past” and then
we note the transition to “but now”
(“the dispensation of the grace of God”) with the stoning of Stephen
in Acts 7 and the salvation of Saul of Tarsus in Acts 9. Saul Paulus (Paul,
the Apostle to the gentiles) then received “the
mystery” gospel under the “the
dispensation of the grace of God” from the ascended Christ for “the
body of Christ.”
·
Paul’s thirteen
(13) epistles to “the
body of Christ” (Romans-Philemon)
follow the transition recorded in Acts. These are inserted as an interruption
of God’s plan for
Israel
. These Pauline epistles, for “the
body of Christ,” present the entirely new truth of the new “dispensation
of the grace of God” called “the
mystery,” which “had been kept
secret since the world began” (Rom 16:25).
NOTE:
All the books from “Hebrews to Revelation” are non-Pauline, written
to and/or of
Israel
. They concern God’s provision for meeting
Israel
’s needs in the Tribulation, and
Israel
’s position in “ages to come.”
God knew these truths would be needed to teach, encourage, and guide
Israel
’s believers in their reliance upon God, so as to equip them, such that they
may endure the Tribulation. “The body
of Christ” will already by then have been “raptured,” to be with the
Lord forever in heaven (1Thes
4:17).
·
The Epistle to the
Hebrews is written by Paul to present the truth of the cross of Christ
as only he received it. It will be needed if the believers are to endure the
Tribulation period. Paul here reveals the cross, blood, death, and
resurrection of Christ; citing many of
Israel
’s historical events and Patriachs as allegory or metaphor of these truths.
Hebrews is written in a way that the Hebrews could better come to understand
the truths of the cross. The law of “conditional blessing” (Heb 3:6, 14,
6:6, 10:26, 12:25) for
Israel
is still present in Hebrews, which is entirely contrary to
“the dispensation of the grace of God.” Thus, God’s clock will then
have moved ahead from Paul’s “time
past” for the lost Gentiles (Eph 2:2) to Paul’s
“but now” the body of Christ (Eph 2:13) and onto “the
ages to come” (Eph 2:7) that
focuses upon Israel. Confusion and insecurity occurs in
“the body of Christ” when Christians try to apply these conditions of
blessing given to
Israel
. These requirements do not fist the grace dispensation for “the
body of Christ.”
Before we look at the remainder of the
books from Hebrews to Revelation we need to note that in Gal
2:9 “James,
Cephas (Peter), and John” restricted their ministry
“to the circumcision,” while Paul was to go to the Gentile “uncircumcision”
with his new unique gospel. It is obvious then that “James,
Cephas (Peter), and John” would be addressing “the
circumcision” (
Israel
) in their epistles that followed.
·
James’ epistle
is plainly addressed to “the lost
sheep of the house of
Israel
” (James 1:1)
·
Peter’s 2 epistles are addressed to
Israel
’s diaspora –
Israel
’s “strangers (in the world)
scattered (sowed)” abroad (1Pet
1:1). 1Peter 2:12 speaks of being “among
the Gentiles” – then the recipients of this epistle must not
be Gentiles, but Jews. 1Pet 2:9-10 quotes Ex 19:5-6, a promise of God to
Israel
.
·
John’s 3 epistles
are addressing
Israel
’s diaspora – the scattered of
Israel
.
·
Jude’s epistle
is concerns
Israel
. Jude was “the brother of James”
(v1) and Jude was one of “the
twelve” Apostles of Israel who were told to go only to “the
lost sheep of the house of
Israel
” (Matt 10:5-6). Jude in verse 17 refers the recipients to “words
spoken by the twelve” – not to the Apostle to the Gentiles, Paul.
·
The Book of
Revelation, written by John, concerns Jesus Christ’s appearing is
unto Israel at His return to
earth. It reveals the happenings of the time of “the
ages to come” when Christ will return to set up the physical, literal,
earthly, kingdom of heaven as was promised to Israel. It is primarily about
Israel
.
2. A
Closing Word
I end this study series by
clearly stating my consistent focus and ultimate goal in writing these
studies. That objective is that every believer might personally come to learn
of Christ through the written word and then, most importantly, come to
experientially know the indwelling Christ as their life and governing Lord.
There is a time when we only
know about the Lord, but we must go on to know “Christ
who is our life” (
Col
3:4a).
Paul tells us there is “much
more” for the believer than being reconciled to God through Christ’s
cross. Romans 5:10 For
if, when we were enemies, we were
reconciled to God by the death of his Son, MUCH
MORE, being reconciled, we
shall be saved (sozo, completed)
by his life.
We should note that it is not
the Bible that gives us Christ’s resurrection life; only the “Spirit
of life in Christ Jesus” gives us real life. All life is organic and
only God’s pro-creative eternal life begets genuine life. 2
Corinthians 3:6 …the
letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. Jesus of Nazareth
has been processed via the cross to become “the
life-giving Spirit” (1Cor 15:45). He may now indwell every believer’s
spirit as “the Spirit of life in
Christ Jesus.” If we do not
possess His Spirit we are not His (Rom 8:8-9, 1Cor 6:17).
The great need of Christians
everywhere is to come to know the truth of the indwelling Christ, and then to
enjoy the provision of the rich deposit of the very life of the resurrected
Christ as the inheritance already possessed within them. We each have already
received all of His all-sufficient life-supply.
Most Christians are simply
deficient in the knowledge of who they now are by Christ in them as their new
life. See their great need, Paul prayed for revelation
knowledge of this truth to come to the believers at
Ephesus
.
Ephesians
1:16-18 (I Paul) Cease not to
give thanks for you, making mention of you in my
prayers; 17 That
the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may
give unto you THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM and revelation in the KNOWLEDGE
OF HIM: 18 The eyes of
your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of
his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance
IN THE SAINTS,
The Bible, studied in its
context and revealed by His Spirit (1Jonh 2:20, 27), leads us to see the
riches of the gift of our indwelling inheritance, and that this inheritance is
ours as the fruit of the cross of Christ. “The
(resurrected) Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” now is our real life.
This is the Spirit of the crucified, resurrected, and ascended Lord Jesus
Christ. He has become the life-giving Spirit (1Cor 15:45) who now indwells our
human spirit (1Cor 6:17) to be “our
life” (
Col
3:4, Gal 2:20).
The written word of the Bible
is God’s gift to us that is used of His Spirit to give us the light we need
to see Christ as He is today – as our
all-sufficient indwelling life-supply.
Being in and one with us, Christ now is so close at hand and so available.
“The Spirit of life in Christ
Jesus” is both our life and our enlightener that we might come to know
Him who is our indwelling life, to guide our living in an intimate way (1John
2:20, 27).
My prayer is that the study tools and
understandings presented in this study series may be used of Him to aid you in
your approach to Bible Study and in your walk; that you
as a believer might come know Him “in
you,” in that ever
deepening way that God desired and has made possible for each of us.
2
Timothy 4:22 The
Lord Jesus Christ be (is)
WITH THY SPIRIT. Grace be
(is) WITH YOU. Amen.
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