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A KEY TO HOLY SCRIPTURE
Peter never uses the expression, and James takes a somewhat different point of view. This only illustrates the
difference in calling and ministry). The following features must be noticed:
Miraculous gifts were the rule
Galatians 3:5 links miracles and faith together in a context that is dealing with justification, and the blessing of
Abraham. The first epistle to the Corinthians is the one that deals with the question of spiritual gifts and therefore
contains the fullest statement. In chapter 12 are gifts of healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues
and interpretation of tongues. The apostle, to show how senseless was the pride of some in gifts more striking than
those possessed by their brethren, uses the figure of the human body - for the body is not one member, but many.
The eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee. The apostle even speaks of less honourable parts of the
body, and of the more comely parts, showing that he is not here speaking of `the church which is His Body', but is
using a natural figure even as he does in a similar context in Romans 12:4,5. The church was one body in Christ; the
church had inter-dependent members LIKE a body, but the church, the `one body', was not then revealed.
The miraculous element, which continued right through to Acts 28, was promised in Mark 16:
`These signs SHALL follow them that believe; In My name SHALL they cast out devils (demons); they SHALL
speak with new tongues; they SHALL take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it SHALL not hurt them;
they SHALL lay hands on the sick, and they SHALL recover' (Mark 16:17,18).
Dear reader, if `the church' began at Pentecost, what evidence have you that you are `saved' (see Mark
16:15,16)? Have these signs followed your faith? If not, why not? If the Lord kept His word, we are reduced to two
alternatives:
(1) No one is saved now, for these signs do not follow, or
(2) These signs did follow, but a change of dispensation has come in.
That the true reason is the second one suggested, will be evident from the fact that while the apostle Paul was
bound for the hope of Israel, he worked miracles identical with those promised in Mark 16 (see Acts 28: 3-9, `a
serpent' and `healing by laying on of hands'). After Acts 28 the apostle in great sorrow has to leave a faithful
fellow-servant behind sick (2 Tim. 4:20). Another had been sick unto death and recovered by the mercy of God, but
not by the apostle's miraculous intervention. Paul advises Timothy what to take for his physical weakness, whereas
once, a handkerchief sent from the apostle worked a cure (Acts 19:12).
Israel holds the first place
Linked with the presence of signs and miracles is the next feature, viz.,
ISRAEL HOLDS THE FIRST PLACE.
The following will show how differently the Jew is treated in the two sets of epistles:
Before Acts 28
After Acts 28
(Six epistles)
(Six epistles)
Expression
Times
Times
Jew
25
1
Israel
14
2
Israelite
3
0
-
-
Total
42
Total
3
-
-
The three occurrences after Acts 28 are, however, beside the mark. The word Jew occurs in a verse which sets
aside his distinctive position (Col. 3:11) and Israel is used in a negative way (Eph. 2:12; Phil. 3:5), so that the usage
is confined, in a positive sense, to those epistles written before Acts 28. Think of the way the Jew figures in Romans.
`The Jew FIRST' for blessing or judgment (Rom. 1:16; 2:9,10) exactly indicating Israel's millennial position (Isa. 60
and 61).