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Topic: God hath spoken...
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epouraniois
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A Dr. Bulinger mini study c.1916.
"Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; For Jehovah hath spoken," Isaiah 1:2
The One Great Requirement of the Word:
"Rightly Dividing" It.
God hath spoken, "at sundry times," as well as "in divers manners" (Heb 1:1).
And, if we are to understand what He has spoken, we must learn to distinguish, not only the various peoples whom He has spoken, but the "sundry times" at which He has spoken to them, and also the "divers manners."
It is true that the word polumerwV (polumeros) means strictly, in many parts, or portions. But it is equally true that these parts were spoken at different, or "sundry times"; so that the rendering of the AV is literal as to the fact, and to the sense—though not literal to the Words.
The "time" when God spoke "to the fathers" is manifestly set in contrast with the time in which He hath "spoken unto us." The "time" in which "He spake by the prophets" stands in contrast with the time in which "He spake by His Son." And the "time past" is obviously distinguished from "these last days" (Heb 1:1).
So that Times and Dispensations are inseparable from the Divine Word; not only the Times in which the Words were spoken, but the Times of which they were spoken, and to which they refer.
These different times are called Dispensations.
The Greek word rendered Dispensation is oikonomia (oikonomia), and refers to the act of administering. By the Figure Metonymy*, the act of administering is transferred to the time during which that administering is carried on.
The word itself is from oikoV (oikos), house and nemw (nemo), to dispense, to weigh or deal out, as a steward or housekeeper. Hence the word was used of the management or administration of a household.
Our English word "Dispensation" comes from the Latin: dis (apart), and pendere (to weigh): a weighing out. We still use the word in this particular sense in connection with medicine which is dispensed, i.e., weighed or measured out: the place where it is done being called "a Dispensary."
The Greek word Oikonomia is transliterated in our English word Economy; and we still preserve its original meaning when we speak of Political, Domestic or Social Economy, etc. This was its meaning at the date of our AV 1611, and it was used in the sense of administration. But, like many other words it degenerated by its usage; and, as such administration was carried out rather with the view to saving than spending, so Economy came to mean frugality or thrift.
But the meaning of the Greek in the New Testament is not affected by these modern changes.
It is always Administration.
In Isaiah 22:21 it is rendered "government," and in verse 19 it is rendered "station" (RV "office").
In the New Testament it is a question whether the word is used in any other sense than that of administration. It is either the ACT of administering or of the TIME during which such act of Administration is carried out.
The word occurs in Luke 16:2, 3, 4, where it is rendered "stewardship."
In four other places it is rendered "dispensation."
In 1 Corinthians 9:17, Paul says that "an administration is committed unto me."
In Ephesians 1:10 we learn that God's secret purpose* which He hath purposed in Himself is with a view to (not "in") the Administration of the fulness of times (RV the times, marg. seasons); when He will head up (RV sum up) "all things in Christ."
* This is the meaning of the words rendered, "mystery of His will."
In Ephesians 3:2 we learn that the "administration of the grace of God" was committed specially to Paul, that he might be the means of first making known the Mystery (or Secret).
This is further shown in verse 9, where the rendering "fellowship" should be administration:—"to bring to light, or enlighten all [as to] what [is] the administration of the Mystery (or Secret)."
In Colossians 1:25 we read "I am made a minister, according to the administration of God which is given to me for you, to fully preach the word of God."
In 1 Timothy 1:4, "neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which bring (RV minister) questionings, rather than an administration* of God which is in faith."
* It is oikonomia in the Received Text (1550), though the Translators of 1611 must have read it oikodomia (oikodomia), for they translated it "edifying." It is oikodomia in Beza's Text (1565) and Elzevirs (1624).
These are all the places where the word Oikonomia occurs, and, in each, the idea is the same.
Our use of the term, now, in these pages, agrees with this usage; i.e. either the act of administration; or, by an easy transition (Metonymy), the time or period during which any special form of administration is carried on. This transference, however, is not necessary; for we may still think of Dispensational truth as being the same thing as Administrational Truth.
It is manifestly clear that God's principles of administration must always have been perfectly adapted to the "times and seasons" during which they have been respectively carried out.
God's principles of administration with Adam, before the Fall, must have been quite different from those with his immediate posterity after the Fall.
His administration with Israel "under the Law" was carried out on different principles from those which obtain now, during this present administration of grace.
These again are obviously quite different from those which will characterize God's coming administration in Judgment.
And these, again, will be necessarily quite different from those which will belong to the administration of glory in "the fulness of times" when all things shall be gathered together in one under the Headship of Christ (Eph 1:10).
The present administration of God is in Grace; not in Law, Judgment, or Glory. It belongs to the time which is called "the Administration of the Mystery" (or Secret): that Secret (as the word Mystery means in the Greek) "which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men" (Eph 3:5). It was "hid in God from the beginning of the world" (Eph 3:9). It "was kept secret since the world began" (Rom 16:25). But Paul was made the special administrator of all the truth connected with it. It was committed to him by God: and the Word of God could not be "fully preached" without it (Col 1:25, margin). The Word of truth can be preached to-day, but it cannot be "fully preached" without the truth connected with this Mystery.
Here then, at the outset, we have various administrations suited to the various and corresponding Times and Dispensations, during which they were carried out, and in force. In "other ages" certain truths were hidden, which are contrasted with the truths which are "now revealed."
In the same way the Lord Jesus said, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now" (John 16:12).
It is clear therefore that, while "God hath spoken," everything which He has said belongs to its own proper Time and Dispensation. These times in which, or concerning which, He spoke, must therefore be carefully distinguished. "The Word of truth" must be rightly divided in this important matter, or, clearly, we shall not get the truth.
If we read into one Time or Dispensation that which belongs to another, we must necessarily have only confusion; and, confusion so great, that it will be absolutely impossible for us to have any idea of the purpose or meaning of what "God hath spoken."
We are specially enjoined by the Lord not to separate what God hath joined together; and it is equally true that we must not join together what He has separated].
*The Figure Metonymy
Met-o'-ny-my; or, Change of Noun. When one name or noun is used instead of another, to which it stands in a certain relation.
1. Of the Cause. When the cause is put for the effect (Gen. 23:8. Luke 16:29).
2. Of the Effect. When the effect is put for the cause producing it (Gen. 25:23. Acts 1:18).
3. Of the Subject. When the subject is put for something pertaining to it (Gen. 41:13. Deut. 28:5).
4. Of the Adjunct. When something pertaining to the subject is put for the subject itself (Gen. 28:22. Job 32:7).
Related Figure Metalepsis
Met'-a-lep'-sis; or, Double Metonymy (Gen. 19:8. Ecc. 12:6. Hos. 14:2). Two metonymies, one contained in the other, but only one expressed.
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