Before interpreting any verse in the Bible, one must know to whom it is
addressed with regard to Israel, gentile or the Church of God. In verse 32
of I Corinthians 10, a reference to these three groups of people is made.
"Give none offense, neither to the Jews [Israel], nor to the Gentiles, nor to
the Church of God."
All scripture is addressed to one of these three groups. In some cases the
Jews (or Israel); in some cases the gentiles (non-Jews) are addressed; and
in some cases the Church of God (Christian born-again believers) is
addressed.
It is not a proper handling of the Bible to find a scripture addressed to
Israel referencing the Law and say, this is for the Church of God.
Neither is applying to all Gentiles a verse addressed to the elect Church of
God. E. W. Bullinger wrote, "It is the common belief that every part of the
Bible is to be interpreted directly as referring to the Church of God; or as
pertaining to every person, at every stage of the world's history. This
neglect of the precept to rightly divide it is an effectual bar to the right
understanding of it, and to our enjoyment in its study. This non-
understanding of the Word is the explanation of its neglect, and this
neglect is the reason why so many who should be feeding on the spiritual
food of the Word are so ill-fed in themselves; and so ill-furnished for every
good work (2 Timothy 3:17) . While the Word of God is written FOR all
persons, and FOR all times, yet it is as true that not every part of it is
addressed TO all persons or ABOUT all persons IN all time."
In the case of the parable in Matthew 22, it is addressed to either the Jew
or gentile (and not to the Church of God) because it was spoken to those
who lived in a period before the renewing of holy spirit. See Titus 3:3-5.
"For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived,
serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and
hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our
Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we
have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of
regeneration, and renewing of the [holy spirit]."
It was not until the Pentecost after Christ's ascension (recorded in the book
of Acts, chapter 2) that the law of Moses became subordinate to the grace
of God and the holy spirit was received freely by both believing Jew and
gentile. This Pentecost revelation marked the beginning of the Church of
God. But, before this, even as Christ walked on the earth, Israel was
obliged to follow the Law, to demonstrate it's faith and obedience to God.
Yes, Christ had appeared and the mercy of God emerged through him but
the parables he spoke of concerned Israel yet under the Law of Moses,
because Grace, manifested by the renewing of holy spirit, was not yet
available. See John 7:37-39.
"In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying,
If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on
me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living
water.
(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should
receive: for the Holy Ghost [PNEUMA HAGION: holy spirit] was not yet
given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)"
Why didn't Christ speak to his disciples of the unconditional Grace of God;
nor the diminishing of the law for the sake of all peoples who would be
entering the fold of God's elect in the period of Grace? Why didn't he speak
of the righteousness, redemption, justification and sanctification that the
believer would receive upon confessing and believing in the resurrection of
their Lord? Because these things were "a mystery" to be fully revealed
only at a later time. The dispensation of the grace of God, where both
Israel and the gentiles could partake of the heavenly calling, is explained
by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 3:2.
"If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given
me you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the
MYSTERY [Grk. MUSTERION, a secret] (as I wrote afore in few words,
Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the
MYSTERY of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the
sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by
the Spirit: That the GENTILES should be fellow heirs [with Israel], and
partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel."
Christ, at the time of the parables, could not have been referring to the
Church of God because The Mystery concerning these matters was yet a
secret. Why was this information such a secret that even Christ would not
reveal it to his disciples? Paul suggests in I Cor. 2:7 that the information
was held back from the rulers of wickedness, the devil in particular, to
thwart their purposes:
"But we speak the wisdom of God in a MYSTERY [MUSTERION], even
the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
Which none of the princes [ARCHON] of this world knew: for had they
known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory."
It had always been the devil's purpose to kill the woman's seed (Christ).
(How zealously Herod sent the soldiers to Bethlehem to kill the children
when it was told him that one of them would become the king of Israel.
This is not a rational act but one motivated by ruling spirits referred to, by
Paul, as ARCHON or "ruler".)
Throughout the ages, since the prophecy in Eden, concerning the seed of
the woman, the devil had been attempting to destroy the Christ line.
The account in Revelation, concerning the wonder in heaven, the woman
clothed with the sun, is an allegory utilizing the constellations to tell of the
persecutions which befell (and will befall) the believing strain of Christ. See
Revelation 12:4 and 5.
"And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them
to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to
be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. And she
brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron:
and her child was caught up to God, and to his throne."
In motivating the leaders of Israel to have Christ crucified, the devil thought
he had finally achieved his objective. If he had known the Mystery, that
Christ would rise from the dead and form a triumphant people
(composed of believing Jews and gentiles), he would never have had him
crucified. Therefore both the Mystery and the Church of God were kept
secret until the Pentacost following Christ's crucifixion.
A reading, typical of the mistaken belief that the parable of the wedding
applies to the Church of God, appears in THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, by
Raynor Winterbotham. It suggests that the second beckoning to the feast
is a warning to haughty Christians. "Spoken to Jews, and dealing primarily
with their apostacy (which is represented as total and irremediable) it goes
on to crush by an awful example the least tendency to exaltation on the
part of the Christians. Following closely upon the last, and dealing with the
kingdom from the same general point of view (as first rejected by the Jews
and then bestowed upon the Christians) it is never the less very much
more disquieting as regards the later."
In other words, this author erroneously argues that the parable is
addressed to the Jews but it's conclusion is a warning to the Christians.
This can not be addressed to the Christians because the Church of God
was not even foreseen when the parables were told; neither can it be
addressed to the gentiles because they were not as yet called —
but Israel was.
| Chapter 4 The Mystery |
