I. Ordering Paul's Epistles 1 - Hope of the Glory

(Eph 3:3) how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly.
(Eph 3:4) When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ,
(Eph 3:5) which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now
been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.
(Eph 3:6) This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and
partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
(Eph 3:7) Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was
given me by the working of his power.
(Eph 3:8) To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to
the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
(Eph 3:9) and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in
God who created all things,
(Eph 3:10) so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known
to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
(Eph 3:11) This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our
Lord,
a) Remember that ‘stewardship’ is ‘dispensation’
b) You will find this nowhere outside of the epistles of Paul
c) This is (v. 8) untraceable – can’t find it anywhere else
d) Note: In Gal 3:19, we find that Israel’s laws came to man through angels
e) Here, we find that our program is taught to the rulers and authorities in the
heavenlies (high ranking angels) through the church!
f) Paul got it first, we got it from him and the angels get it through us!!
(1) I didn’t say that I understood it
(2) But, God says it, I believe it and that settles it!
E. A dispensational postscript
1. Why did Christ stop reading an OT prophecy in the middle of a sentence?
a) The OT passage – Isa 61:1-3
b) Christ’s reading of some of the passage – Luke 4:14-22
c) CHRIST knew that only a part would be fulfilled AT THAT TIME!
d) Many non-dispensationalists have a real problem with this passage.
2. Another interrupted OT passage
a) The OT passage – Joel 2:28-32
b) Peter says that Pentecost was the beginning of the fulfillment of this – Acts 2:15-21
c) Many ‘half-dispensationalists’ have a problem with this
(1) Fruchtenbaum is quoted as saying that Peter was only saying that
Pentecost was similar to Joel. He argues that first century Jews would often say
that something was what was in an OT passage when they meant that it was
similar.
(2) There is a whole superstructure of interpretation among Jewish rabbis that
Christ condemned –
(a) Some goes by the name of the procedure ‘Midrash’ 41
(b) In commenting on 13:2-4, the Mishnah (a kind of ‘commentary’ on
the Torah – books of Moses or LAW) includes the following:
(i) The appearances of Plague are two, which are four
(ii) … the appearances (colors) of plagues are sixteen
(iii) … thirty-six
(iv) … Seventy-two
(c) It is clear to me that such methods of interpretation are contrary to
scripture and not in accord with it.
d) Christ’s comment on Jewish hermeneutics at that time– Matt 15:3-9
Mat 15:3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment
of God by your tradition?
Mat 15:4 For God commanded, saying, Honor thy father and mother: and, He that curseth
father or mother, let him die the death.
41 Rabbi Jacob Neusner, Midrash in Context, this example is on page 15
Galatians Page 32 November 22, 2008 10:05