Has the end come? Why not? Paul said that the gospel he preached, the gospel of grace, had gone out into all the world, to all nations, and preached to every creature under heaven. Things that make you go hmmmmmmm.
Different Gospels
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Those out there who hate what they label as dispensationalism and like to believe it's a creation of Darby or Scholfield or whomever else in recent centuries, it's right there in scripture:
1 Corinthians 9:17
For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.
Notice that Paul's gospel is within a dispensation.
Ephesians 3:2
If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
Notice again, the dispensation of the grace of God...to whom? To the Jews and Gentiles to whom he preached.
Coloassians 1:25
Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
Notice the dispensation of God, again, and again, it's right there, and yet there are false accusers claiming this is about living in sin.
What lies and hateful deceptions there are out there...
MM
1 Corinthians 9:17
For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.
Notice that Paul's gospel is within a dispensation.
Ephesians 3:2
If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
Notice again, the dispensation of the grace of God...to whom? To the Jews and Gentiles to whom he preached.
Coloassians 1:25
Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
Notice the dispensation of God, again, and again, it's right there, and yet there are false accusers claiming this is about living in sin.
What lies and hateful deceptions there are out there...
MM
BibleStudent, If I used the word “destroy” about the law, it was a poor choice of words, but I do not recall using the word, rather “abolish”. But, to your point, I do agree that context clarifies meaning. For instance:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.” (Mat 5:17-18 NRSVue)
Merriam-Webster
fulfill 1d to bring to an end … she came to install herself and fulfill her time at the house.
accomplish 2 to bring to completion: fulfill
“For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us, abolishing the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it.” (Eph 2:14-16 NRSVue)
I’m not sure what you mean by the “architecture” in the law, but I see something that you may be referring to, as Jesus said:
“When Jesus had received the wine, he said, “It is finished.” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” (Joh 19:30 NRSVue)
I believe as expressed in the 1870 Jamieson-Faucett-Brown commentary on this:
“It is finished! and he bowed his head and gave up the ghost — What is finished? The Law is fulfilled as never before, nor since, in His “obedience unto death, even the death of the cross”; Messianic prophecy is accomplished; Redemption is completed; “He hath finished the transgression, and made reconciliation for iniquity, and brought in everlasting righteousness, and sealed up the vision and prophecy, and anointed a Holy of Holies”; He has inaugurated the kingdom of God and given birth to a new world.” The JFB is quoting from Daniel –
“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.” (Dan 9:24 KJV)
My approach to understanding DISPENSATION in the Biblical meaning
The BDAG gives 3 definitions for G3622 “οἰκονομία oikonomia”, the KJV “dispensation” –
First “responsibility of management, management of a household, direction, office”
*This is Paul’s meaning in 1 Cor 9:17
Second “state of being arranged, arrangement, order, plan
* Paul uses this meaning in Eph. 3:9 the plan of the mystery
Third “program of instruction, training (in the way of salvation)”
* Paul uses this meaning in 1 Tim. 1:4 they promote useless speculations rather than divine training that is in faith
For me, the RSV usage of “dispensation” seems the most biblically accurate in application:
“Now if the dispensation of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such splendor that the Israelites could not look at Moses’ face because of its brightness, fading as this was, will not the dispensation of the Spirit be attended with greater splendor? For if there was splendor in the dispensation of condemnation, the dispensation of righteousness must far exceed it in splendor. “(2Cor 3:7-9, RSV)
I end up in my understanding seeing three dispensations in scripture:
The Patriarchal Dispensation, prior to Moses
The Old Covenant Dispensation, from Moses to the Cross
The New Covenant Dispensation, in this ‘church age’, Since Matt. 16:18, Acts 2ff
Reader, do you use the word "dispensation"? If so, how many do you come up with?
The BDAG gives 3 definitions for G3622 “οἰκονομία oikonomia”, the KJV “dispensation” –
First “responsibility of management, management of a household, direction, office”
*This is Paul’s meaning in 1 Cor 9:17
Second “state of being arranged, arrangement, order, plan
* Paul uses this meaning in Eph. 3:9 the plan of the mystery
Third “program of instruction, training (in the way of salvation)”
* Paul uses this meaning in 1 Tim. 1:4 they promote useless speculations rather than divine training that is in faith
For me, the RSV usage of “dispensation” seems the most biblically accurate in application:
“Now if the dispensation of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such splendor that the Israelites could not look at Moses’ face because of its brightness, fading as this was, will not the dispensation of the Spirit be attended with greater splendor? For if there was splendor in the dispensation of condemnation, the dispensation of righteousness must far exceed it in splendor. “(2Cor 3:7-9, RSV)
I end up in my understanding seeing three dispensations in scripture:
The Patriarchal Dispensation, prior to Moses
The Old Covenant Dispensation, from Moses to the Cross
The New Covenant Dispensation, in this ‘church age’, Since Matt. 16:18, Acts 2ff
Reader, do you use the word "dispensation"? If so, how many do you come up with?
Christ reformed the mosaic covenant into the new covenant!
behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world Jn 1:29
the new covenant replaced the old!
thks
Actually there is just one eternal covenant from God to man, which is Jesus with us, the blood covenant.
All the ot ones point to Jesus.
Would true Christian today go find a red heifer and build a temple in middle east and sacrifice that?
Churchgoer.
I appreciate your ardor. However, the Gospel of Jesus has both a vertical and horizontal component. While Jesus sacrifice repaired there rift between sinful mankind and God, it also retained the central reality of the Hebrew Bible that was as central to Christianity as it was to Judaism. That eternal link is found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is One.a 5And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. Matthew 22:34 "Now when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they assembled together. 35And one of them, an expert in religious law, asked him a question to test him: 36“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” 37Jesus said to him, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40All the law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” Mark 12:28 - 34.Now one of the experts in the law came and heard them debating. When he saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29Jesus answered, “The most important is: ‘Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 31The second is: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
So, if you are a brittle dispensationalist, you will say that nothing Jesus said applies because He was talking about the law of Moses and not His own Gospel. If you actually are free of this 150 yr old fallisy, then looking at the heart of Jesus carries weight. Jesus radically challenged societal norms by demanding active love for adversaries. He stated: "But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you". He explained that loving those who love you is easy, but showing grace to the ungrateful and evil reflects the true character of God. Jesus said, I give you a "new commandment" to His disciples before his crucifixion: "Love one another as I have loved you". He specified that the ultimate measure of this love is laying down one's life for one's friends. Jesus taught that love is not merely an emotion, but an active commitment demonstrated through obedience. He said, "If you love me, keep my commandments". Demonstrating love requires following His teachings and seeking the highest good for others.
On one hand you are full of scriptures constructed 500 yrs ago. I am alluding to the false doctrine of salvation by grace through faith alone where "faith is mere compliance with one version of Protestantism." Even Martin Luter was adamant that the "truly saved will "bear fruit" or what they profess is only a wish and they are delusional and the 150 yr old fetish about "When all the Gentiles come in is a theology that runs totally against the evolution and spread of Christianity. Today, it is the Jews what continue to resist "coming in," not gentiles.
My point is that 21st Century what passes for popular Christianity is just what Luter warned against. There is no "fruit" required. No conversion. No flight from sin. No self-sacrifice. No compelling love for the unlovable. No healing, no continual repentance and confession (way too catholic) The thousands/millions of those wounded on life's highway are the government's problem while we complain when a sermon exceeds 45 minutes...or the inadequacy of the air conditioning. Our priorities are to spread our unique version of Protestantism where each of the thousands of protestant theologies spawn ever fracturing and incoherent unique Christian sects.
Our badge before the world is that we are "believers." What is obvious to the world is that ywe are only interested in self-righteousness and that ywe only preach to your church members and know just enough bible to defend what someone in recent memory told you to believe. Christianity in North America in all form is deflating like a leaky balloon. Millions and millions have left what we call sect vs sect Christianity in just the past 50 years. The average age in most Churches is 50+ and the number of young in attendance is 15%. It is time to get back to the Gospel that is a call to repentance, life change, a new kind of love and faith that allows Christians to stand out not because we are devoted to one political party but because the world can see the Love of God for us and through us.
not sure what your " however" is? We actually agree with each other.
I’d say that “testament” and “covenant” come close to being synonyms but don’t quite bridge the gap. Consider, for instance, Hebrews 9:16. I’ve given a link (below) to the Bible Hub page that lists the usual number of forty-something different translations of this verse. About ten of them have opted for “covenant” and a few more than that, about fifteen, for “testament.” All the rest, or something close to half the total, have settled on a third option, “will.” One example is the ESV:
For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established.
Or the GNB, which makes it clearer still:
In the case of a will it is necessary to prove that the person who made it has died.
Surely any translator wishing to make his meaning readily intelligible to a present-day reader will agree that, in this verse, “will” is definitely the best option. “Testament” would also be intelligible, thanks to our familiarity with the term “last will and testament.” But “covenant” should be avoided: the meaning would be lost on almost every reader except those who have made a systematic study of Bible translations or those who are fully familiar with the works of sixteenth and seventeenth century writers. In my view, that slight difference is already sufficient for us to conclude that “testament” and “covenant” are not fully synonymous with one another.
https://biblehub.com/hebrews/9-16.htm
Covenant Hebrew word is really blood covenant, "cut ", it is a very serious contract.
Testament, not the same meaning though.
Testament, not the same meaning though.
John 777
Cool Greek. However
In the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible, the Greek noun οἰκονομία (oikonomia) is translated as "dispensation" four times. Rooted in the ancient management of a household, this linguistic connection forms the structural foundation for how God's divine plans and arrangements are described throughout the New Testament.
Etymology and Core Meaning The Greek word oikonomia (the root of the modern English word "economy") is a compound of two words: Oikos: Meaning "house" or "household".Nomos: Meaning "law", "rule", or "management".Literally translating to "the law of the house" or "household management," the word historically described the duties of a steward (oikonomos). This was a trusted manager appointed by a master to oversee property, distribute resources, and run daily affairs.How the KJV Translates Oikonomia The word oikonomia appears 9 times in the Greek New Testament. The KJV renders it using two distinct terms depending on the context:"Stewardship" (3 times): Used in Luke 16:2-4 during the Parable of the Unjust Steward. Here, it strictly refers to a literal job managing a wealthy man's estate."Dispensation" (4 times):
Used by the Apostle Paul to describe a divine arrangement or a spiritual administrative responsibility entrusted to him by God.Note: In the remaining two instances (Ephesians 3:9 and 1 Timothy 1:4), the KJV translates textual variants of the word as "fellowship" or "godly edifying."
The 4 "Dispensation" Passages When the KJV uses "dispensation," it highlights an administrative arrangement or a specific stewardship given to humanity:1 Corinthians 9:17 – "...a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me."Meaning: Paul views preaching the gospel as a mandatory household duty assigned to him by God.Ephesians 1:10 – "That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ..."Meaning: God's ultimate strategic management plan for the climax of human history.Ephesians 3:2 – "If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward."Meaning: The administration or distribution of God's grace during the current era.Colossians 1:25 – "Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God."Meaning: The specific stewardship blueprint God gave Paul to build the Church.
Modern Linguistic Shifts In modern English, "dispensation" often means giving something out (like dispensing medication) or an exemption from a rule. In modern theology, it frequently refers to a specific block of historical time (e.g., Dispensationalism).However, the original Greek oikonomia focuses heavily on the action of administration, arrangement, or management rather than just a period on a timeline. Because of this shift, newer translations like the NASB or ESV typically swap out "dispensation" for words like "stewardship," "administration," or "plan."If you would like to explore this further, let me know if you want to look into how this word ties into theological Dispensationalism, or if you want to compare other verses dealing with biblical stewardship.
The KJV was not a translation. It was an"version" that did not threaten an earthly king. King James. Conversation: the revisions that formed the basis of the kjv You said: the revisions that formed the basis of the The King James Version (KJV) of 1611 was not a completely fresh translation, but rather a formal revision of existing English Bibles. In their instructions, King James I’s translation committees were explicitly told to alter the existing text as little as possible yet King James himself charged the translators of t he Textus Receptus to eliminate all references to at reduce the authority of the King....Him.
@biblestudent78, thank you for your careful research, adding to @Jon777 ’s helpful post #304. Just a very brief further addition: In the Parable of the Unjust Steward, the word “steward” itself is oikonomos in Luke’s Greek. For oikonomia, many modern translators are abandoning the archaic–sounding term “stewardship” and switching to “management” instead.
Your generalizations about those who don't hold to Dispensationalism are incorrect. It is a fact that dispensationalism was unknown before 1830 along with a pre-tribulation rapture. These ideas came to Darby while convalescing after having fallen off his horse. Dispensationalism is a man-made lens through which Scripture is interpreted, not something derived from it. Eisegesis rather than exegesis.
As for the word 'dispensation' used in the NT, it simply means stewardship, not Darby's idea of ages in which God tests humanity who eventually fail.
I believe you’re quoting from the KJV, where “dispensation,” in these three verses, is the translation of oikonomia in Paul’s Greek. Please take a look at the first passage, 1 Cor 9:16-17, in two modern translations, where the word is translated as “stewardship” in one and as “task” in the other. I don’t see how this passage can be used to substantiate the theory of dispensationalism.
[ESV] For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship.
[GNB] I have no right to boast just because I preach the gospel. After all, I am under orders to do so. And how terrible it would be for me if I did not preach the gospel! If I did my work as a matter of free choice, then I could expect to be paid; but I do it as a matter of duty, because God has entrusted me with this task.
Similarly in the other two verses the word appears again as “stewardship” in the ESV and as either “task” or “work” in the GNB. In Eph 3:2:
[ESV] assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you,
[GNB] Surely you have heard that God in his grace has given me this work to do for your good.
And in Col. 1:25:
[ESV] of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,
[GNB] And I have been made a servant of the church by God, who gave me this task to perform for your good. It is the task of fully proclaiming his message,
A Dynamic Equivalence Translation that is not a revision has a truly fresh approach, the New English Bible of 1970. In the Preface it states:
"They recommended that the work should be undertaken; that a completely new translation should be made, rather than a revision, such as had earlier been contemplated by the University Presses of Oxford and Cambridge; and that the translators should be free to employ a contemporary idiom rather than reproduce the traditional 'biblical' English."
The 1989 Revised English Bible is a revision of the 1970 NEB. These are from the UK. The REB is one of my favorites for a modern translation. To read these online, you need to use the https://archive.org/