Dispensations%20

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Dispensations Covenants

• Robert Thurman, MA
• Fall 2013

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Presuppositions

• Everyone has presuppositions. Here are the ones
  I am bringing to this course
• I presuppose that we agree that the Scriptures
  are our ultimate authority and that they are
  uniquely sufficient to provide answers to the
  questions we will wrestle with during this course.

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Presuppositions

• Everyone has presuppositions. Here are the ones
  your instructor brings to this course
• I presuppose that you are willing to engage in
  hard work and study to learn the Word of God.
• I presuppose that you expect to get your moneys
  worth out of this class, and that you expect me
  to challenge your thinking and to stretch you
  academically.

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Presuppositions

• Everyone has presuppositions. Here are the ones
  your instructor brings to this course
• I presuppose that you will not always agree with
  my understanding of the Scriptures. You are
  always free to disagree, but if you want to
  debate, I expect you to make your case using the
  Scriptures and with a loving and respectful
  spirit.

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Presuppositions

• Everyone has presuppositions. Here are the ones
  your instructor brings to this course
• I presuppose that you will not always understand
  everything in the assigned readings. Read them
  anyway and get what you can.
• I presuppose that you will not always understand
  everything I communicate during lectures. Ask me
  questions and dont stop until Ive made myself
  clear.

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Presuppositions

• Everyone has presuppositions. Here are the ones
  your instructor brings to this course
• I presuppose that you want to do your best work,
  and that you want me to tell you how you can
  improve the work you submit to me.
• I presuppose that you will face many challenges
  as you seek to complete this course. Please
  communicate with me if theres something I can do
  to help.

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Presuppositions

• Everyone has presuppositions. Here are the ones
  your instructor brings to this course
• I presuppose that we will grow in Christian love
  and in mutual respect for each other.
• I presuppose that you are not here for mere
  intellectual stimulation, but to grow in the
  grace and knowledge of our Savior.

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Why this course matters

• Learning about the dispensations and covenants
  of Scripture is essential if you want to
• Interpret Scripture-
• In particular this course will help you to
  understand the promises God made to His people in
  the Old Testament.
• It will help you understand how the New Testament
  uses the Old Testament.
• it will also teach you how to approach passages
  dealing with the doctrines of the people of God
  and passages dealing with the end times.

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Why this course matters

• Learning about the dispensations and covenants
  of Scripture is essential if you want to
• Understand the present nature of Gods kingdom
  and to anticipate the future nature of Gods
  kingdom (the Millennial Kingdom and Gods overall
  purposes for the future).

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Why this course matters

• Learning about the dispensations and covenants
  of Scripture is essential if you want to
• Identify the people of God and to understand
  Gods relationship and obligations to Israel, to
  the Church, to the Gentiles, and to the nations.

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Why this course matters

• Learning about the dispensations and covenants
  of Scripture is essential if you want to
• Relate the Law of Moses and the Law of Christ
  (the Mosaic Covenant and the New Covenant).
• Discern how New Testament believers should
  respond to Old Testament Law.

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Why this course matters

• Learning about the dispensations and covenants
  of Scripture is essential if you want to
• Recognize and trace Gods overarching purpose for
  history.
• Evaluate the teachings of Dispensationalism and
  the teachings of Covenant Theology.

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Why this course matters

• Learning about the dispensations and covenants
  of Scripture is essential if you want to
• Appreciate Gods sovereign rule over all creation
  and His faithfulness in keeping the promises He
  has made.

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What Is A Dispensation?

• General Sense-
• The English word dispensation is an Anglicized
  form of the Latin word dispensatio.
• The Latin verb is a compound, meaning "to weigh
  out or to dispense.
• Tertullian, a North African Christian, in the
  early third century used the Latin word
  dispensatio to translate the Greek word oikonomia.

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What Is A Dispensation?

• In ancient Greek culture, an oikonomos was a
  servant in charge of a household.
• Oikonomia referred to his activity of managing
  the house.
• These words came to be used broadly to describe
  any kind of manager or management activity.

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What Is a Dispensation?

• The management activity of an oikonomos usually
  involved financial transactions. The manager
  would receive money from his master, and he would
  be expected to use that money to run the
  household.
• The financial aspect of oikonomia gives us our
  English word economy.

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What Is a Dispensation?

• Oikonomia and oikonomos appear in the Septuagint,
  the Greek translation of the Old Testament.
• The individual in charge of the King of Judahs
  palace is called an oikonomos and his management
  responsibility over the kings household is
  called an oikonomia (1 Kings 46 169 183 2
  Kings 1818, 37).

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What Is a Dispensation?

• Oikonomia and oikonomos also appear in the New
  Testament.
• In Romans 1623, Erastus is the oikonomos of the
  city of Corinth. This probably means he was the
  chief treasurer or the C.F.O. for the city.

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What Is a Dispensation?

• Jesus also used these terms in some of His
  parables.
• In Luke 1242 there is an oikonomos responsible
  for making sure all his masters servants were
  properly fed.
• In Luke 161-13, there is an unjust oikonomos who
  is called in to have his oikonomia evaluated by
  his master.

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What Is a Dispensation?

• From these references we can summarize the
  general sense of oikonomos and oikonomia.
• Oikonomos refers to any type of manager or
  administrator.
• Oikonomia, the word we translate dispensation,
  refers to the activity of a manager and to the
  way the manager organizes his activity (his plan,
  order, structure, etc.)

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What Is a Dispensation?

• Theological Sense-
• The parables of Jesus are not just stories about
  managers and households. Jesus told these
  parables to teach about the coming kingdom of
  God.
• They speak to the relationship between God and
  Israel and to the fact that God will call Israel
  to account in the judgments that will precede
  Gods kingdom.

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What Is a Dispensation?

• Through this teaching, oikonomia acquired a
  theological sense it came to designate the
  relationship between God and the world.
• Paul uses both oikonomia and oikonomos in his
  writings to describe Gods management or plan for
  the world.
• Most of these uses refer to Pauls own office as
  an apostle.

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What Is a Dispensation?

• God, the Master of the world, entrusted to Paul
  and the other apostles the responsibility of
  proclaiming new revelation- the mysteries of God
  and Christ (1 Cor. 41-2 Eph. 32-6 Col.
  125-29)
• Pastors and teachers were also part of this
  stewardship (Titus 17).
• Peter says that all Christians are all oikonomoi
  of the grace of God (1 Peter 410).

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What Is a Dispensation?

• In Ephesians 39, Paul speaks of the dispensation
  or oikonomia of the mystery of Christ.
• Reading this in the context of verses 4-6, we see
  that Paul uses dispensation to refer to a new
  order or a new arrangement in the relationship
  between God and humanity.

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What Is a Dispensation?

• The relationship between God and human beings
  should be thought of as a dispensation, a
  management relationship, God has instituted.
• We now live in a dispensation which has been
  established through the death and resurrection of
  Jesus Christ and the coming of the Holy Spirit.

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What Is a Dispensation?

• This current dispensation or management
  relationship between God and humanity is
  different from the arrangement which had been
  previously in effect.
• The previous arrangement was also a dispensation
  (Galatians 323-47).

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What Is a Dispensation?

• Significance-
• What is the significance of God calling His
  relationship with humanity or His management of
  our relationship to Him, a dispensation?

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What Is a Dispensation?

1. God is sovereign over human affairs. Just as the
   master of an estate, God has the authority to
   manage, structure, or design human affairs in any
   way that He desires and He has the authority to
   hold His servants accountable.
2. God has a purpose and a plan. Management activity
   always has a vision or a plan or a purpose in
   view. There is a planned and purposeful order to
   whatever arrangement God institutes.

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What Is a Dispensation?

1. A dispensation involves an ordered set of
   relationships. In any management plan there is
   organization, delegation, and accountability.
2. A dispensation involves responsibilities and
   requirements.
3. Dispensations can change. Managers often change
   their management plan when theyve accomplished
   the goals set in the previous plan.

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What Is a Dispensation?

• Summary-
• A dispensation is a management relationship
  between God and humanity, in which God manages
  the way human beings are to relate to Him and to
  one another. God has progressively revealed
  Himself and His plans through successive
  historical dispensations and He is leading us to
  a future dispensation in which all of His
  promises and covenants will be eternally
  fulfilled.

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What Are the Dispensations?

• All Christian theologians admit the existence of
  identifiable dispensations in redemptive history,
  but not all use the term dispensation.
• Charles Hodge, a Covenant Theologian, believed
  that there are four dispensations after the Fall
  -- Adam to Abraham, Abraham to Moses, Moses to
  Christ, and Christ to the end.
• Berkhof, another Covenant Theologian believed
  that there were two dispensations -- the Old and
  the New, but within the Old he saw four distinct
  periods wherein God managed His relationship to
  humanity in distinctive ways.

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What a Dispensation Is Not

• Strictly speaking, a dispensation is not an age
  or an era.
• Dispensations do exist in time- they begin and
  they end, but a dispensation is more than a
  distinct period of time.
• We dont talk about the dispensation of the
  Judges or the dispensation of the Divided
  Monarchy, or the Dispensation of the Exile.

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What a Dispensation Is Not

• All would qualify as distinct eras in Biblical
  history, but none are referred to as
  dispensations.
• A dispensation is characterized by new revelation
  from God that changes the way in which He is
  managing humanity.

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What a Dispensation Is Not

• A dispensation is not a different way of
  salvation.
• Some have suggested that people were saved by the
  works of the law in the Old Testament, but now
  they are saved by grace in the New Testament.
• Unfortunately, that error was taught in the first
  edition of the Scofield Study Bible.

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What A Dispensation Is Not

• "As a dispensation, grace begins with the death
  and resurrection of Christ. The point of testing
  is no longer legal obedience as the condition of
  salvation, but acceptance or rejection of Christ,
  with good works as a fruit of salvation."
• Scofield Reference Bible (New York Oxford,
  1909)

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What a Dispensation Is Not

• The error in the original Scofield Study Bible,
  has unfortunately caused many people to associate
  dispensations with different ways of salvation.
• This also leads to the charge that
  dispensationalism teaches that there have been
  multiple ways of salvation.

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What a Dispensation Is Not

• According to Ryrie, the most frequently heard
  objection against dispensationalism is that it
  supposedly teaches several ways of salvation.
  John Wick Bowman made this accusation in 1956
  when he said that dispensationalists are clearly
  left with two methods of salvation. In 1960,
  Clarence Bass argued that dispensational
  distinctions between law and grace and Israel and
  the church inevitably result in a multiple form
  of salvationthat men are not saved the same way
  in all ages.

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What a Dispensation Is Not

• In his 1991 book, Wrongly Dividing the Word of
  Truth A Critique of Dispensationalism, John
  Gerstner accused all dispensationalists of
  teaching more than one way of salvation. He said,
  We must sadly accuse dispensationalists (of all
  varieties) of teaching, always implicitly and
  sometimes explicitly, that there is more than one
  way of salvation and, in the process of
  developing that theology, excluding the one and
  only way even from this dispensation of grace.

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What a Dispensation Is Not

• However, the dispensations are not to be seen as
  different ways of salvation.
• The error in the Scofield Bible was corrected in
  later editions.
• No one is saved apart from faith in Christ.
• The Old Testament saints were saved by believing
  in what Christ would do, and we are saved by
  looking back at what Christ has done (Hebrews
  11).

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What a Dispensation Is Not

• Paul makes it very clear that no one can be saved
  by keeping the Old Testament law (Romans 320)
• A dispensation is not evidence that God has
  changed or that He is reacting to human events.
  God is sovereign and His purposes cannot be
  thwarted.
• The attributes of God remain consistent in each
  dispensation.
• God is sovereign and has a plan.

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Characteristics of a Dispensation

• What are the primary characteristics of a
  dispensation?
• A dispensation is characterized by
• New revelation
• A distinct management relationship between God
  and humanity (or a portion of humanity)
• Responsibilities for humans

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The Dispensations

• Some theologians have added secondary features to
  the dispensations.
• A test
• A failure
• A judgment

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The Dispensations

• Throughout the centuries many dispensational
  schemes for understanding the progress of Gods
  revelation have been developed (See handouts)
• Traditional dispensationalist have typically
  pointed to seven distinct dispensations.

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The Dispensations

• Innocence or Freedom- Genesis 128-30 215 217
• What is the new Revelation?
• What are the specifics of the management
  arrangement instituted by God?
• Is there a covenant?
• Is there an obvious test or tests?
• Is there a failure?
• Is there a judgment?

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The Dispensations

• Conscience- Genesis 314-19 321 41-5
  (possibly Jude 14-15)
• What is the new Revelation?
• What are the specifics of the management
  arrangement instituted by God?
• Is there a covenant?
• Is there an obvious test or tests?
• Is there a failure?
• Is there a judgment?
• Is there a continuation of any divine principles
  from the previous dispensation?

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The Dispensations

• Human Government- Genesis 91-17
• What is the new Revelation?
• What are the specifics of the management
  arrangement instituted by God?
• Is there a covenant?
• Is there an obvious test or tests?
• Is there a failure?
• Is there a judgment?
• Is there a continuation of any divine principles
  from the previous dispensation?

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The Dispensations

• Promise- Genesis 122 1316 1513 172-6
  (seed) 121 7 1314, 15, 17 1518 1818-21
  (land) Genesis 122-3, 132 2217-18 264
  2814 (to be a blessing).
• What is the new Revelation?
• What are the specifics of the management
  arrangement instituted by God?
• Is there a covenant?
• Is there an obvious test or tests?
• Is there a failure?
• Is there a judgment?
• Is there a continuation of any divine principles
  from the previous dispensation?

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The Dispensations

• Law- The Mosaic Law (Exodus 19 -gt Leviticus
  Numbers Deuteronomy)
• What is the new Revelation?
• What are the specifics of the management
  arrangement instituted by God?
• Is there a covenant?
• Is there an obvious test or tests?
• Is there a failure?
• Is there a judgment?
• Is there a continuation of any divine principles
  from the previous dispensation?

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The Dispensations

• Grace- Crucifixion-gt continuing at present (John
  117 Acts 2 Rom. 614 722, 1 Cor. 619-20 2
  Cor. 33-11 Heb. 88-12
• What is the new Revelation?
• What are the specifics of the management
  arrangement instituted by God?
• Is there a covenant?
• Is there an obvious test or tests?
• Is there a failure?
• Is there a judgment?
• Is there a continuation of any divine principle
  from the previous dispensation?

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The Dispensations

• Tribulation (Revelation 5-18)
• What is the new Revelation?
• What are the specifics of the management
  arrangement instituted by God?
• Is there a covenant?
• Is there an obvious test or tests?
• Is there a failure?
• Is there a judgment?
• Is there a continuation of any divine principles
  from the previous dispensation?

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The Dispensations

• Kingdom (2 Sam. 7 Ps. 2 Is. 96-7 11 657-25
  Ez. 36 37 Revelation 20-21)
• What is the new Revelation?
• What are the specifics of the management
  arrangement instituted by God?
• Is there a covenant?
• Is there an obvious test or tests?
• Is there a failure?
• Is there a judgment?
• Is there a continuation of any divine principles
  from the previous dispensation?

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Why Study Dispensationalism?

• Because Dispensationalism addresses some of the
  most significant doctrines in Scripture
• Hermeneuticsit provides a framework for
  interpreting the Bible consistently
• KingdomGods kingdom purposes (including the
  millennial Kingdom and Gods purposes for the
  future)
• People of Godthe relationship between Israel,
  Gentiles, Church, the Nations
• Law of Godthe relationship between the Mosaic
  Covenant and the New Covenant (Law of Moses and
  Law of Christ)

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Why Study Dispensationalism?

• If you care about these important topics and
  their relationship to each other then you should
  be interested in Dispensationalism since
  Dispensationalism makes a serious attempt to
  address these doctrines.
• Because Dispensationalism presents a rival system
  to Covenant Theology that also addresses many of
  these same important issues.

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Why Study Dispensationalism?

• Because Dispensationalism is a solid fixture and
  influential force in Protestant theology.

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What Is Dispensationalism?

• One way to define Dispensationalism is to call it
  theological framework for viewing the Bible.
• Another way to define Dispensationalism is to
  call it a system of Biblical interpretation.
• Both definitions are helpful.

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What Is Dispensationalism?

• Dispensationalism is built upon four essential
  components
• The Scriptures must consistently be interpreted
  literally (normally), grammatically, and
  historically.
• There is an ongoing distinction between Israel
  and the church and this distinction involves an
  eschatological future for Israel.

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What Is Dispensationalism?

• God has ruled and continues to rule over the
  earth in successive dispensations. (Some
  definitions of Dispensationalism do not include
  this, because almost all Christians agree that
  the Bible speaks of at least two or three
  dispensations.)
• Gods overarching purpose for history is His
  glory.

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What Is Dispensationalism

• Many non-dispensationalist affirm that
  consistently interpreting the Scriptures with a
  literal-grammatical-historical hermeneutic will
  lead to a belief in an ongoing distinction
  between Israel and the Church, a future for
  national Israel, and a belief that Gods purpose
  for history is His own glory.
• Look at the following quote from a
  non-dispensationalist

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What Is Dispensationalism?

• "Now we must frankly admit that a literal
  interpretation of the Old Testament prophecies
  gives us a picture of an earthly reign of the
  Messiah as the premillennialist pictures.  That
  was the kind of Messianic kingdom that the Jews
  of the time of Christ were looking for, on the
  basis of a literal interpretation of the Old
  Testament promises (Floyd Hamilton, The Basis of
  the Millennial Faith), 38

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What Is Dispensationalism?

• Therefore, the debate over Dispensationalism is
  largely a debate over hermeneutics.
• Many non-dispensationalists claim to use a
  literal-grammatical-historical hermeneutic, but
  in reality, they do not. They use a different
  hermeneutic when interpreting prophecy
  (especially Old Testament prophecy).

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What Is Dispensationalism?

• Non-dispensationalists actually use a hermeneutic
  that is better described as grammatical-historical
  -theological because they interpret Old Testament
  prophecies with the theological pre-assumption
  that all are either fulfilled in Christ or the
  church.
• Covenant theologian, Anthony Hoekema, affirms
  this when he states The Old Testament must be
  interpreted in light of the New Testament and
  that a totally and exclusively literal
  interpretation of Old Testament prophecy is not
  justified.1
• 1Anthony A. Hoekema, An Amillennial Response
  to Dispensational Premillennialism, in The
  Meaning of the Millennium, Four Views, ed. Robert
  G. Clouse (Downers Grove, IL InterVarsity,
  1977), 55

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What Is Dispensationalism?

• Mythical Distinctions of Dispensationalism
• Dispensationalism teaches multiple ways of
  salvation.
• Dispensationalism is inherently Arminian.
• Dispensationalism is inherently antinomian.
• Dispensationalism is opposed to Lordship
  salvation.
• Dispensationalism is all about land.

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What Is Dispensationalism?

• Mythical Distinctions of Dispensationalism
• Dispensationalism is mostly about believing in
  dispensations.
• Dispensationalism is all about believing in seven
  dispensations.
• Dispensationalism is all about a Pre-Tribulation
  Rapture.
• Dispensationalist dont believe the Sermon on the
  Mount is applicable today.

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What Is Dispensationalism?

• Mythical Distinctions of Dispensationalism
• Dispensationalism is new.
• Dispensationalism leaves people unconcerned about
  current events and uninvolved in politics.
• Dispensationalism is causing its adherents to
  push the world toward the horrors of Armageddon.
• This list is based upon Busting Myths about
  Dispensationalism, by Michael Vlach

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What Is Dispensationalism?

• History
• Opponents of Dispensationalism often assert that
  its ideas are new and didnt exist until the 19th
  Century.
• J.N. Darby is often credited as the inventor of
  Dispensationalism.
• It is true that Darby popularized some facets of
  Dispensationalism, but he did not create it.

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What Is Dispensationalism?

• History
• The concepts vital to Dispensationalism existed
  very early in Church History.
• The writers of the early post-Apostolic Church
  era (e.g., Clement of Rome, Barnabas, Papias),
  were pre-millennial and held to a distinction
  between Israel and the Church.

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What Is Dispensationalism?

• History
• It was not until around AD 160 that any of the
  church fathers blurred this distinction. The
  first to do this was Justin Martyr.
• Irenaeus (130-200) spoke of the various
  dispensations of God and specifically mentioned
  the Christian dispensation.
• Clement of Alexandria (150-220) saw four
  dispensations in Scripture.

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What Is Dispensationalism?

• History
• Augustine (4th century) spoke of successive
  epochs, dispensations and various ages
  through which an immutable Creator ruled His
  mutable creation.
• Augustine did not find contradiction in the
  teaching that the diversity of Gods work within
  the creation was in any way incompatible with the
  immutability of His character.

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What Is Dispensationalism?

• History
• Though each of these authors alluded to
  dispensational-like concepts, these early
  references should not be claimed as the beginning
  of Dispensationalism.

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What Is Dispensationalism?

• History
• The first systematic presentation of
  Dispensationalism was by a Frenchman named Pierre
  Poiret (1649-1719).
• He wrote a book titled LOEconomie Divine which
  was published in 1687.

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What Is Dispensationalism?

• History
• The title, when translated, is The Divine
  Economie which is a direct reference to the
  recognition of economies or dispensations
  from the Divine viewpoint.
• His six volumes are pre-millennial and
  dispensational in perspective,
• Poiret identified seven dispensations.

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What Is Dispensationalism?

• History
• John Edwards (1637-1716) wrote an immense work
  titled A Compleat History or Survey of all the
  Dispensations, in which he developed a
  dispensational scheme.
• Isaac Watts (1674-1748), the hymn writer defined
  dispensations and developed a six-fold
  dispensational scheme almost identical to the one
  used by many modern dispensationalists.

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What Is Dispensationalism?

• History
• 1687, the date of Poirets work may seem recent
  in terms of church history, but consider that
  Johnanees Cocceius didnt systematize Covenant
  Theology until 1647.
• Covenant Theology is only 40 years older than
  Dispensationalism as a theological system.

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What Is Dispensationalism?

• History
• John Darby is known as the father of systematized
  Dispensationalism.  A trained lawyer at the age
  of 22, he became an ordained clergy in the Church
  of England in 1826. 
• After only one year, Darby became dissatisfied
  with the state church religion and began seeking
  a closer walk with God that involved more
  intimate bible study. 

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What Is Dispensationalism?

• History
• Darby left the Church and gathered with a group
  of believers in Plymouth, England (1831), a group
  later known as the Plymouth Brethren. 
• He systematized seven dispensations  1)
  Paradisaical state to the Flood 2) Noah 3)
  Abraham 4) Israel 5) Gentiles 6) The Spirit and
  7) The Millennium.  . 

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What Is Dispensationalism?

• History
• Darbys written ministry incorporates some forty
  volumes of six hundred pages each, including a
  translation of the Bible. 
• His works show a breadth of scholarship in his
  knowledge of the biblical languages, philosophy,
  and ecclesiastical history"
• (Ryrie, Dispensationalism), 68.
  . 

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What Is Dispensationalism?

• History
• James Hall Brookes is the father of American
  Dispensationalism.  He was a Presbyterian who
  studied at Princeton Theological Seminary and
  United Presbyterian Seminary at Oxford, Ohio. 
• He was pastor of the Walnut Street Presbyterian
  Church in Saint Louis, Missouri

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What Is Dispensationalism?

• History
• Brookes became a Dispensationalist through
  personal Bible study alone. 
• Brookes was a very popular pastor in America and
  was a featured speaker at the Niagara Bible
  Conference (1857-1900)
• Though the conference was not about
  Dispensationalism, Brookess teaching gained
  popularity through it.

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What Is Dispensationalism?

• History
• Brookes was influential in teaching C.I.
  Scofield, a lawyer turned pastor, who went on to
  develop and publish the Scofield Study Bible in
  1909.
• Brookes was also influential in the life of Lewis
  Sperry Chafer who founded Dallas Theological
  Seminary.

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What Is Dispensationalism?

• Distinctions
• A literal-grammatical-historical hermeneutic
• The dispensational hermeneutical method is
  literal in that it seeks to understand the normal
  or plain sense of each Bible passage.
• Robert Thomas describes this method when he
  states Take each statement in its plain sense
  if it matches common sense, and do not look for
  another sense.1
• 1Robert L. Thomans, Evangelical Hermeneutics
  The New Versus the Old (Grand Rapids, MI Kregel,
  2002), 155

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What Is Dispensationalism?

• Distinctions
• A dispensationalist interprets every Bible
  passage, regardless of genre, according to the
  same method.
• The passage is interpreted normally according to
  the normal laws of human language.
• This hermeneutical approach is unique to
  Dispensationalism.

82
What Is Dispensationalism?

• Distinctions
• The dispensationalist takes the biblical text
  literally, but this does not mean that he ignores
  symbols, figures of speech, or types.

83
What Is Dispensationalism?

• Charles Ryrie states Symbols, figures of
  speech, and types are all interpreted plainly in
  this method, and they are in no way contrary to
  literal interpretation. After all, the very
  existence of any meaning for a figure of speech
  depends on the reality of the literal meaning of
  the terms involved. Figures often make the
  meaning plainer, but it is the literal, normal,
  or plain meaning that they convey to the
  reader.1
• 1 Ryrie, 80-81

84
What Is Dispensationalism?

• Roy Zuck concurs when he states Figurative
  language then is not antithetical to literal
  interpretation it is a part of it.  Perhaps it
  is better not to speak of figurative versus
  literal interpretation, but of
  ordinary-literal versus figurative-literal
  interpretation.1
• 1 Roy B. Zuck, Basic Bible Interpretation, A
  Practical Guide to Discovering Biblical Truth
  (Wheaton, ILVictor, 1991), p. 147

85
What Is Dispensationalism?

• Distinctives
• The dispensational hermeneutical method is
  grammatical in that it pays close attention to
  the normal rules of grammar and communication
  when interpreting the Bible.
• The dispensationalist interprets the Bible as he
  would any other form of written communication.

86
What Is Dispensationalism?

• Distinctives
• Dispensationalism assumes that Gods revelation
  follows the rules of the human language it
  employs, and he assumes that God communicated his
  word in a way that would be clear and
  understandable to humanity.

87
What Is Dispensationalism?

• Charles Ryrie states If God is the originator
  of language and if the chief purpose of
  originating it was to convey His message to
  humanity, then it must follow that He being
  all-wise and all-loving, originated sufficient
  language to convey all that was in His heart to
  tell mankind. Furthermore, it must also follow
  that He would use language and expect people to
  understand it in its literal, normal, and plain
  sense.1
• 1Ryrie, 81

88
What Is Dispensationalism?

• The dispensational hermeneutical method is
  historical in that it seeks to understand each
  Bible passage in its historical context.1
• The dispensationalist seeks to understand each
  passage as the human writer and the original
  readers would have understood it.
• Using the rules of grammar and the facts of
  history, the dispensationalist looks for a
  singular meaning in each passage that is
  determined by what the human writer intended to
  communicate.2
• 1Thomans, 242
• 2 Ibid., 242

89
What Is Dispensationalism?

• Distinctives
• "The aim of grammatico-historical method is to
  determine the sense required by the laws of
  grammar and the facts of history. Thus, the
  grammatical sense is the simple, direct, plain,
  ordinary, and literal sense of the phrases,
  clauses, and sentences.  The historical sense is
  that sense which is demanded by a careful
  consideration of the time and circumstances in
  which the author wrote.  It is the specific
  meaning which an author's words require when the
  historical context and background are taken into
  account"
• Kaiser, Toward an Exegetical Theology), 88.
•  

90
What Is Dispenstionalism?

• The Old Testament is taken as direct, plain, and
  literal- A dispensationalist understands the Old
  Testament just like the New Testament, that is, 
  literal and historical. 
• Old Testament passages (unless addressed in the
  New Testament) must be believed and understood
  without applying New Testament revelation. 
• Therefore, when the Old Testament speaks of
  eschatology, it is operative and binding. 

91
What Is Dispensationalism?

• Distinctives
• "The most fundamental principle in
  grammatico-historical exposition is that words
  and sentences can have only one significance in
  one and the same connection"
• This does not mean that later revelation cannot
  provide a fuller meaning for Old Testament
  prophecies, but it is to say that later
  revelation doesnt change the original plain
  meaning of the older revelation.
• The principal of a single meaning for Biblical
  passages is also a hallmark of Dispensationalism.
• Kaiser, Toward an Exegetical Theology), 88  

92
What Is Dispensationalism?

• Distinctions
• A dispensationalist interprets the Old Testament
  in the same way that he interprets the New
  Testament. He believes and understands the Old
  Testament on its own merits, and allows it to
  stand on its own as the authoritative word of
  God. Therefore, the dispensationalist takes Old
  Testament prophecies literally and does not see
  the New Testament as a hermeneutical manual for
  interpreting them.1
• 1 Ligon Duncan, Dispensationalism A
  Reformed Evaluation http//www.fpcjackson.org/reso
  urces/apologetics/Covenant20Theology2020Justif
  ication/Ligons_covtheology/09.htm accessed
  4/9/2006

93
What Is Dispensationalism?

• This approach is a hallmark of Dispensationalism.
  
• George Ladd states Here is the basic watershed
  between a dispensational and a nondispensational
  theology.  Dispensationalism forms its
  eschatology by a literal interpretation of the
  Old Testament and then fits the New Testament
  into it. A nondispensational eschatology forms
  its theology from the explicit teaching in the
  New Testament. 1 
• 1George
  E. Ladd, Historic Premillennialism in The
  Meaning of the Millennium, Four Views ed. Robert
  G. Clouse (Downers Grove, IL InterVarsity,
  1977), 28

94
What Is Dispensationalism?

• Distinctions
• A dispensationalist interprets the Old Testament
  in the same way that he interprets the New
  Testament. He believes and understands the Old
  Testament on its own merits, and allows it to
  stand on its own as the authoritative word of
  God. Therefore, the dispensationalist takes Old
  Testament prophecies literally and does not see
  the New Testament as a hermeneutical manual for
  interpreting them.1
• 1 Ligon Duncan, Dispensationalism A
  Reformed Evaluation http//www.fpcjackson.org/reso
  urces/apologetics/Covenant20Theology2020Justif
  ication/Ligons_covtheology/09.htm accessed
  4/9/2006

95
What Is Dispensationalism?

• George Ladd states Here is the basic watershed
  between a dispensational and a nondispensational
  theology.  Dispensationalism forms its
  eschatology by a literal interpretation of the
  Old Testament and then fits the New Testament
  into it. A nondispensational eschatology forms
  its theology from the explicit teaching in the
  New Testament. 1 
• 1George
  E. Ladd, Historic Premillennialism in The
  Meaning of the Millennium, Four Views ed. Robert
  G. Clouse (Downers Grove, IL InterVarsity,
  1977), 28

96
What Is Dispensationalism?

• The New Testament is taken as direct, plain and
  literal- "Christ's own predictions of His passion
  were exactly fulfilled (cf. Matthew 1240, 1621,
  1722-23, 2017-19), and the general pattern of
  fulfillment of Bible prophecy is quite striking
  (John Urquhart, The Wonders of Prophecy, 2 vols),
  1931.

97
What Is Dispensationalism?

• Distinctions
• The second distinction of Dispensational theology
  is the idea that there is an ongoing biblical
  distinction between the Church and national
  Israel.
• In the Old Testament, this distinction stands out
  when one considers the nature of the
  unconditional covenants that God made with
  Israel. God made each of these covenants to the
  physical descendents of Abraham, and promised in
  each covenant literal, tangible blessings.

98
What Is Dispensationalism?

• Distinctions
• That God made the land promise of the Abrahamic
  Covenant to Abrahams physical descendents
  becomes evident in Genesis 1523, where we read
  that Abraham questioned the reality of Gods land
  promise on the basis that he had no physical
  descendents.

99
What Is Dispensationalism?

• Distinctions
• God responded to Abrahams concern in Genesis
  154, by promising that Abraham would indeed have
  an offspring, and ultimately numerous
  descendents, from his own body. It is also clear
  that God made this covenant to Abrahams physical
  descendants because he passed this covenant down
  through Abrahams bloodline. God reaffirmed it to
  Isaac, to Jacob, to the sons of Jacob, and to the
  descendents of the sons of Jacob.

100
What Is Dispensationalism?

• Distinctions
• Likewise, in the land covenant recorded in
  Deuteronomy 2930, God made unconditional
  promises to the ethnic citizens of Israel and to
  their progeny. The Davidic Covenant recorded in 2
  Samuel 71216 is an unconditional promise by God
  to the descendents of David and to the ethnic
  nation of Israel.

101
What Is Dispensationalism?

• Distinctions
• Furthermore, in Jeremiah 3131, God made the New
  Covenant with the house of Israel and the house
  of Judah. Interpreted normally, this promise
  seems to be for the physical descendents of these
  two kingdoms.

102
What Is Dispensationalism?

• Distinctions
• In each of these four covenants, God promised
  physical tangible blessings. For instance, in
  Genesis 151821, God defined his land promise to
  Abraham by giving Abraham specific geographical
  boundaries.

103
What Is Dispensationalism?

• Distinctions
• The Abrahamic Covenant also included Gods
  promise of a son for Abraham, in Genesis 154 and
  a promise of numerous descendents in Genesis
  155. Likewise, in the Davidic Covenant, God
  promised physical, tangible blessings. He
  promised David an everlasting dynastic political
  reign over an actual nation. He also promised
  David in 2 Samuel 7 a physical offspring who
  would build a physical Temple.

104
What Is Dispensationalism?

• Distinctions
• In the New Covenant, recorded in Ezekiel
  342530, God again made physical tangible
  promises. He promised the people of Israel that
  he would drive the wild beasts from their land,
  that He would make them able to dwell in safety,
  and that He would give them good weather and good
  crops.

105
What Is Dispensationalism?

• Distinctions
• Interpreting these passages normally, one sees
  that they contain physical, tangible promises to
  a specific ethnic nation. One has to allegorize
  or spiritualize these promises to make them
  applicable to the New Testament Church.

106
What Is Dispensationalism?

• Distinctions
• David Larsen agrees when he states The Old
  Testament prophecies, if literally interpreted,
  cannot be regarded as having been fulfilled or as
  being capable of fulfillment in this present
  age.1
• 1David Larsen, Jews, Gentiles, and the Church,
  (Grand Rapids, MI Discovery House, 1995), 39

107
What Is Dispensationalism?

• Distinctions
• These four covenants show that Israel and the
  Church are not the same entity and should not be
  confused. Seeing the eternal promises given to
  Israel, one cannot help but to conclude that the
  Church has not replaced Israel or become a
  spiritual Israel, but rather that it is a
  distinct national group that still stands to
  inherit literal, tangible, blessings from God.

108
What Is Dispensationalism?

• Distinctions
• In the New Testament, the distinctions between
  Israel and the Church become evident when we
  consider the teachings of Jesus and Paul.
• For instance, in Matthew 161819, when Jesus
  spoke of establishing the church he did so in the
  future tense.

109
What Is Dispensationalism?

• Distinctions
• In Colossians 11824, Paul explained that the
  Church is the Body of Christ. In 1 Corinthians
  1213, Paul wrote that God makes people a part of
  the Body of Christ through the baptism of the
  Holy Spirit. During his earthly ministry, Jesus
  made it clear in John 167 that the baptism of
  the Holy Spirit had not yet come and would not
  come while he was on earth.

110
What Is Dispensationalism?

• Distinctions
• On the day of his ascension into heaven, Jesus
  commanded his disciples to wait for the baptism
  of the Holy Spirit (Acts 145).
• In Acts 214, we read that God gave the Baptism
  of the Holy Spirit ten days later on the day of
  Pentecost.

111
What Is Dispensationalism?

• Distinctives
• The book of Acts also gives us further evidence
  that the Israel and the Church are distinct.
  Arnold Fruchtenbaum observes In the Book of
  Acts, both Israel and the church exist
  simultaneously.  The term Israel is used twenty
  times and ekklesia (church) nineteen times, yet
  the two groups are always kept distinct.1
• 1Arnold Fruchtenbaum, Israelology The Missing
  Link in Systematic Theology, (Tustin, CA Ariel
  Ministries Press, 1993), 118

112
What Is Dispensationalism?

• Distinctions
• In Ephesians 220, Paul wrote that the Church is
  built on the foundation of the apostles and
  prophets. Since the apostles did not exist in
  Old Testament times, it seems unlikely that the
  Church did. It seems illogical that God would
  build his Church in the Old Testament, but not
  lay a foundation for it until New Testament
  times.

113
What Is Dispensationalism?

• Distinctives
• In Colossians 126, Paul describes the Church as
  a mystery which has been hidden from ages and
  from generations, but now has been revealed to
  His saints.

114
What Is Dispensationalism?

• Paul's passionate argument in Romans 9-11 that
  God has not rejected His people (Romans 111-2)
  reflects a sensitivity to Israel's place and
  purpose in the plan of God.
• God's honor (Jeremiah 3017) and God's fidelity
  to His promises, both then and now, are on the
  line in the resolution of this issue" (Larsen,
  Jews, Gentiles, the Church), 47.

115
What Is Dispensationalism?

• Distinctions
• Weve already spent time discussing the
  distinctive of dispensationalism sees that God
  has managed humanity in different ways at
  different times
• The fourth distinction of dispensationalism that
  that Gods ultimate purpose for history is His
  own glory.

116
What Is Dispensationalism?

• Distinctives
• Other systems of biblical interpretation limit
  Gods purpose for history to be merely a
  redemptive one.1
• Dispensationalism correctly recognizes that God
  gets glory through all things that he has made.
  1Showers, 50-51

117
What Is Dispensationalism?

• Distinctives
• For instance, God gets glory through nature
  (Psalm 191)
• God gets glory through his rule over the nations
  (Ezekiel 391721)
• God gets glory through His headship over human
  kings and authorities (Daniel 428-36)
• God gets glory through Israel (Isaiah 6013).
• God gets glory through the Church, and through
  individual members of the Church Ephesians
  (32021).
• God gets glory through the eternal punishment of
  those who are not elect (Romans 91718).

118
What Is Covenant Theology?

• Covenant Theology also has four essential
  elements.
• First, Covenant theology employs a
  grammatical-historical-theological
  hermeneutic.1
• 1Thomas, 66

119
What Is Covenant Theology?

• When studying the Old Testament, especially Old
  Testament prophecies, a covenant theologian does
  not ignore grammar or history, but he does not
  allow them to be the ultimate determining factor
  in his interpretation.1 Instead, he filters the
  results of a grammatical and historical exegesis
  through a set of theological pre-understandings.2
  
• 1Duncan, Dispensationalism A Reformed
  Evaluation
• 2Thomas, 66

120
What Is Covenant Theology?

• This theological method assumes that Christ or
  the New Testament Church has brought fulfillment
  to every Old Testament prophecy.1 Therefore,
  the covenant theologian does not see the original
  contextual meaning of the Old Testament author as
  conclusively authoritative. He believes that the
  New Testament often changes the clear contextual
  meaning of Old Testament passages.2
• 1Duncan, Dispensationalism A Reformed
  Evaluation
• 2Thomas, 66

121
What Is Covenant Theology?

• "In Covenant Theology there is the tendency to
  impute to a passage a meaning which would not be
  gained merely from their historical and
  grammatical associations
• (Daniel P. Fuller, The Hermeneutics of
  Dispensationalism), 147.

122
What Is Covenant Theology?

• In other words, the covenant theologian gives the
  New Testament hermeneutical control over any
  interpretation of the Old Testament.1 Covenant
  theologian, Ligon Duncan, affirms this when he
  states Later revelation, by definition,
  controls the final Systematic Theological
  understanding of earlier revelation.2 
  1Duncan, Dispensationalism A Reformed
  Evaluation
• 2Ibid.

123
What Is Covenant Theology?

• Since covenant theologians see all Old Testament
  prophecies as ultimately fulfilled in either
  Christ or the church, their theological
  hermeneutical method frequently forces them to
  spiritualize Old Testament promises to
  Israel.1
• 1Showers, 24

124
What Is Covenant Theology?

• Covenant theologian, Anthony Hoekema, affirms
  this when he states The Old Testament must be
  interpreted in light of the New Testament and
  that a totally and exclusively literal
  interpretation of Old Testament prophecy is not
  justified.1
• 1Anthony A. Hoekema, An Amillennial Response
  to Dispensational Premillennialism, in The
  Meaning of the Millennium, Four Views, ed. Robert
  G. Clouse (Downers Grove, IL InterVarsity,
  1977), 55

125
What Is Covenant Theology?

• Covenant theologian Lorraine Boettner provides an
  excellent example of what it means to
  spiritualize an Old Testament prophecy when he
  gives his commentary on Isaiah 1169.
• A normal literal-grammatical-historical
  interpretation of this passage would conclude
  that this is a prophecy about the restoration of
  creation to a pre-fall state that will take place
  during the yet future millennial reign of Christ
  on the earth. However, using his theological
  presuppositions to interpret this text, Boettner
  says that it refers to a spiritual
  transformation as in Saul of Tarsus, who was
  changed from a vicious wolf-like persecutor to a
  lamb-like follower of Christ.1
• 1Lorraine Boettner, The Millennium (Grand
  Rapids, MI Baker Book House, 1958), 90

126
What Is Covenant Theology?

• The second essential feature of Covenant Theology
  is the belief that two or three covenants unify
  and give meaning to the whole message of the
  Bible.1
• 1Ryrie, 183-184

127
What Is Covenant Theology?

• Many covenant theologians believe that there was
  a covenant of redemption made before Creation.
• This covenant was instituted between God the
  Father and God the Son. The Father promised to
  redeem an elect people. In turn the Son
  volunteered to earn the salvation of this people
  by becoming incarnate...by acting as surety of
  the covenant of grace for and as mediator of the
  covenant of grace to the elect.

128
What Is Covenant Theology?

• There are a few problems with believing in a
  covenant of redemption
• There is no such covenant mentioned anywhere in
  Scripture.
• The oneness in nature, essence, and will
  possessed by the members of the Trinity would
  seem to negate the need for a covenant. The idea
  of a covenant between the Father and the Son
  could lead some to tri-theism.

129
What Is Covenant Theology?

• There are a few problems with believing in a
  covenant of redemption
• The authority for this teaching is our inference
  (it could be that something akin to this covenant
  took place) and not Gods stated Word. This
  submits the Bibles teaching to us, instead of us
  submitting to the Bibles teaching.

130
What Is Covenant Theology?

• Beyond the Covenant of Redemption, most Covenant
  Theologians believe in two additional covenants-
  the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace.
• Covenant theologians consider every covenant made
  after Adams sin to be a different administration
  of the covenant of grace. For instance, the
  covenant theologian sees the Mosaic Covenant as a
  new administration of the Abrahamic Covenant, and
  as an earlier administration of the New
  Covenant.1 1Robert L. Reymond, Five
  Arguments for the Unity of the Covenant of Grace,
  http//www.gospelpedlar.com/articles/Bible/five_ar
  guments.htm accessed 4/9/05

131
What Is Covenant Theology?

• This theological presupposition also serves to
  bias their interpretations of Old Testament
  passages. Since they see the sum and substance of
  the covenant of grace to be salvation through
  faith in Christ, the covenant theologian must
  spiritualize many historical details of the Old
  Testament covenants to give them New Testament
  meanings. For instance, Covenant theologians
  believe that the original meaning of
  unconditional land promises made by God to Israel
  in the Old Testament are changed by the New
  Testament into spiritual promises to all
  believers. To the covenant theologian the land
  promise to Abraham is a mere shadow or type of
  the eternal state.1
• 1Ibid.http//www.gospelpedlar.com/articles/Bible
  /five_arguments.htm accessed 4/9/05

132
What Is Covenant Theology?

• The Covenant of Works.- Ostensibly, this covenant
  was enacted between God and Adam in Genesis
  between Adams creation and Fall.
• In the Covenant of Works God required perfect
  obedience from Adam.
• Adam was placed on probation temporarily in order
  to determine if he would willingly subject his
  will to Gods.

133
What Is Covenant Theology?

• Covenant theologians say that God promised Adam
  eternal life (not natural life) in return for
  perfect obedience. If Adam disobeyed, he and his
  progeny would receive eternal spiritual death.
• There are also problems with believing in the
  covenant of works

134
What Is Covenant Theology?

1. The covenant of works is not mentioned in
   Scripture and there is no covenantal language
   recorded between God and Adam.
2. It seems that this covenant would be issued in
   bad faith by God, because the New Testament tells
   us that it was decreed for Christ to die before
   the foundations of the earth were laid.

135
What Is Covenant Theology?

• The Covenant of Grace- Covenant theologians say
  that after Adam sinned, God made a new covenant
  with Adam and with all the elect. They call this
  covenant the covenant of grace.
• In this covenant of grace, God promises the elect
  salvation through faith in Christ.1 Covenant
  theologians are not unanimous when asked when
  they believe God made this covenant. Some argue
  that God made this covenant in Genesis 315,
  while others argue that God did not establish it
  until his covenant with Abraham in Genesis.
  1Showers, 11

136
What Is Covenant Theology?

• Again believing in covenant of works is
  problematic because there is no universal
  agreement on where in the Bible this covenant can
  be found.
• While it is correct to say that God is always
  gracious in His dealings with humanity- the
  concept of a unifying covenant of grace serves to
  blur the distinctions between the various Old
  Testament covenants. The distinct meaning and
  promise of each separate covenant is lost.
• t

137
What Is Covenant Theology?

• Furthermore, the specific revelation of the Old
  Testament is washed over or changed by New
  Testament revelation.
• A unifying covenant of grace blurs the
  distinction the New Testaments teaching on the
  nature of the church.

138
What Is Covenant Theology?

• A third distinction of Covenant Theology is
  states that covenant theologians see the church
  as the continuing covenanted community of God's
  people throughout history.1 Furthermore, they
  believe that the New Testament Church has
  replaced the nation of Israel in Gods
  covenants.2
• 1Showers, 23
• 2Ibid.

139
What Is Covenant Theology?

• Since covenant theologians see all Old Testament
  prophecies as ultimately fulfilled in either
  Christ or the church and since they see Gods
  unconditional Old Testament covenants to be
  merely different administrative forms of a
  covenant of grace (that has as its substance
  salvation by faith in Christ) they do not
  recognize the clear biblical distinctions between
  Israel and the Church.

140
What Is Covenant Theology?

• They believe that Old Testament saints are part
  of the Church.1 Most of them see the Church
  beginning in Genesis with the inauguration of the
  Abrahamic Covenant.2
• 1Duncan, Dispensationalism A Reformed
  Evaluation
• 2Showers, 13

141
What Is Covenant Theology?

• The fourth essential element of Covenant theology
  is the belief that Gods overarching purpose for
  history is the redemption of his elect.1 While
  covenant theologians admit that God ultimately
  gets glory in all things, they are convinced that
  Gods redemption of the elect should be a theme
  looked for in virtually every passage of
  Scripture.2 1Ibid., 20-21
• 2O Palmer Robertson, Old Testament Biblical
  Theology, http//www.angelfire.com/nt2/paulasteven
  son/BT01.html accessed 4/9/06

142
What Is Covenant Theology?

• This biases their hermeneutic. Covenant
  theologian Roderick Campbell admits this when he
  states Everything in history and life is
  subservient to spiritual redemption.1
• 1Roderick Campbell, Israel and the New
  Covenant, (Phillipsburg, New Jersey Presbyterian
  and Reformed Publishing Company, 1954), 14

143
The Major Biblical Covenants

• Though not totally foreign to present-day
  vocabulary, the English term covenant is seldom
  used. Outside of legal documents and marriage
  ceremonies, the word is absent from normal
  conversation.
• Webster defines it as a binding and solemn
  agreement made by two or more individuals or
  parties to do or keep from doing a specified
  thing a compact.
• The term derives from the Latin covenire, meaning
  to convene, meet together, to assemble for a
  common purpose.

144
The Major Biblical Covenants

• The Hebrew word translated covenant in the Old
  Testament is berit.
• The English word covenant may not be the best
  word to convey what is happening between God and
  man in the Old Testament covenants.
• All but one of the major Old Testament covenants
  lacks any kind of mutual agreement.

145
The Major Biblical Covenants

• In the Noahic Covenant- God promises never again
  to destroy the earth with water and gives the
  rainbow as a sign. God places no conditions on
  Noah or humanity.
• In the Abrahamic Covenant, God places no
  conditions on Abram.
• In the Davidic Covenant, no responsibilities are
  placed upon David. To keep the covenant in force.

146
The Major Biblical Covenants

• Likewise, humans are not expected to fulfill any
  obligations to ensure that God will keep the New
  Covenant.
• For this reason, some theologians have suggested
  it would be more accurate to think of these
  covenants as grants. God is simply committing
  Himself to bless in a certain way.

147
The Major Biblical Covenants

• In the Mosaic or Sinai Covenant, God places
  demands upon the nation of Israel. They must keep
  His laws