7
A KEY TO HOLY SCRIPTURE
It becomes manifest that it is not sufficient for us to find chapter and verse for any article of our faith, important
as that is; we must also be sure that the Scripture we quote is written concerning the dispensation that applies to us.
The apostle Paul, whose very ministry and apostleship was vitally connected with this fact, has expressed the
principle in the following passage:
`STUDY TO SHEW THYSELF APPROVED UNTO GOD, A WORKMAN THAT NEEDETH NOT TO BE ASHAMED -
RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH'
(2 Tim. 2:15).
The Lord `rightly divides'
Let us take one illustration from the ministry of the Lord Himself. In Luke 4:16-21, the Lord is described as
reading the opening words of Isaiah 61. He closes the book at the words, `To preach the acceptable year of the
Lord', and then says, `This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears'. Had He read on in Isaiah 61:2, the next
words quoted would have been, `and the day of vengeance of our God', a day which is connected with the millennial
blessings of Israel when they become `priests of the Lord', and receive `double' for their shame. This was not
fulfilled in the days of Christ's ministry. Over 1900 years separate those two sentences, which in our Authorized
Version are divided merely by a comma. How important therefore this principle must be.
Before we leave this illustration of right division it will be of service to observe one other feature. The words
omitted in Luke 4 were not set aside; they were simply reserved for their own proper place, and are found in Luke
21:22:
`For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled'.
LUKE'S GOSPEL
Chapter 4:19
Chapters 5 to 20.
Chapter
21:22
The acceptable
The day of
year of the
vengeance of
Lord.
our God.
Fulfilled
Drawing near after an interval of over 1900 years..
The right division of the Word of Truth recognises all Scripture. It does not cut out unpopular doctrine; it just
apportions all Scripture according to God's purpose.
Chapter 6
JEW, GENTILE, AND CHURCH OF GOD
The apostle, in 1 Corinthians 10:32, gives the threefold division of mankind, as viewed from the standpoint of
grace.
The Jew
Behind and beyond the question of reward for good, and punishment for evil, lies the fact that the Jew was
unconditionally chosen for blessing when God called Abram and promised to make of him a great nation. For the
time indeed:
`As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the
fathers' sakes.