It’s obvious that some things written in the Word of God are more difficult to ascertain than others, requiring deeper understanding, especially concerning the eschatology of Israel. It’s my belief that God may have been a bit protective concerning teachings that relate to the end times of His people Israel, which answers to the difficulty of Scripture about Israel’s eschatology and their eternal blessings.
NC
It is of prime importance in considering the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus to understand that it was not aimed at the Gentile world, but at the covenant nation of Israel. It took place during the dispensation of law (Gal 4:4). Its purpose was to call “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Mat 10:6; 15:24) back into a right relationship with God through the baptism of repentance for the remission of their sins.
There is a vast difference between calling a backslidden people back into fellowship with God (restoration—NC) and in bringing spiritually dead and alienated sinners into a saving relationship with God (rebirth—NC). As Paul expressed it, Israel was near to God by reason of the covenants of promise (because of the promises to the fathers God always restores Israel back to Himself, which He will do again during the millennium—NC), but the Gentiles were afar off, having no hope, “being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promises” (Eph 2:12 - the Christian Gentiles will not need a “covenant of promises,” as Israel has, but are “partakers” of the “Covenant of Redemption,” which Covenant is between the Father and the Son, and of which only Christians partake - Heb 13:20, 21).
Matthew 4:23 and 10:7, 8 give the content of the Lord Jesus’ earthly ministry: “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.” “And as ye go, preach, saying, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give” (the primary reason for the miracles was to confirm the Word of God that the writers of the Word were bringing. This was by “God also bearing them witness - Act 5:12; Heb 2:4).
John the Baptist has introduced the Lord Jesus’ ministry with the message “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Mat 3:2 – i.e. the kingdom of heaven on earth; heaven itself is never referred to as a kingdom but just “heaven”—NC). Luke tells us that John “came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins” (Luk 3:3 - the Christian repents because of being reborn, which occurs at the moment of faith in Christ. The non-Christian Jew repents for the forgiveness of the Father—NC).
One of the great errors of preaching in the church has been to give to Gentile sinners the message that John the Baptist and the Lord Jesus gave to covenant Israel, thus holding out hope that the Gentiles would be saved by confessing their sins and submitting to water baptism (Christians become reborn by first believing in the Lord Jesus, then repentance, and the rest will certainly follow—NC).
It should be noted that there is not one word in the Gospel that was preached by John and the Lord Jesus of faith in a crucified and risen Savior (though the Lord Jesus often spoke of His death and resurrection, nobody understood this enough to have faith in it until after His resurrection (Luk 24:45; Jhn 20:9; Mark 9:10, 32; Luk 9:45)—NC). Instead, we are told that when the Lord Jesus did mention His impending death, “they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken” (some Jews believed but most did not believe in Christ. It is the Gentile world that many believed in Christ’s resurrection without seeing Him - Luk 24:45; Jhn 20:29—NC).
Not only was the earthly ministry a message of repentance, it was an announcement that the kingdom of heaven was at hand (for unbelieving Israel, not the Jws who would be Christians—NC). The kingdom of heaven is not a kingdom in heaven but a kingdom originating from heaven and ruling over the earth (again, heaven itself is never referred to as a kingdom but just heaven—NC). Accompanying this message of the kingdom of heaven was a ministry of physical healing and restoring of physical life, which was in keeping with God’s promises for that coming time of millennial blessing (for the Jew on the new earth; Christians blessings will be in the new heaven—NC).
Peter in offering this kingdom to Israel after the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus spoke of it as “the times of restitution of all things” (“this is the accomplishment of all promises and prophecies concerning the bringing in the fullness of the Gentiles, and the conversion of the Jews, and so the gathering in all the elect of God” - John Gill—NC), which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21). The OT prophets knew nothing of a Church. The writer of Hebrews speaks of these miracles of healing as tasting of “the powers of the world to come” (Heb 6:5), which is literally the Millennial age.
Since the Millennial kingdom was in view and being offered to the nation of Israel at Pentecost and for some time after thereafter, and since that kingdom will be characterized by deliverance from physical effects of sin, it must be understood that these miracles were credentials of the apostles, proving both that the Lord Jesus was alive from the dead and that His messengers were possessed of power and authority to offer that kingdom to the nation.
The earthly ministry of the Lore Jesus has as its object the fulfilling of the OT prophecies concerning the Messiah and His relationship to the chosen nation of Israel (only the Jews who believed in God were of the “chosen”—NC). There is no mention of God’s purpose to form the Body of Christ—the Church, until the ministry of the apostle Paul. It would thus appear that there is nothing in the earthly ministry which was primarily for the members of the Body.
The important word here is primarily, for there are certain things that all dispensations have in common to themselves, just as they apply such things from the OT Scriptures. Everything in the Gospels may be applied to Israel in relationship to the millennial kingdom, but not everything may be applied to members of the Body of Christ. Likewise, everything in the Pauline epistles may be applied to members of the Body, but not everything in these epistles may be applied to Israel.
Some of the moral and spiritual principles contained in the Sermon on the Mount may be applied to the Body of Christ, but it would be a mistake to teach that members of the Body will inherit the earth (Mat 5:5 – new earth - notice it doesn’t say the meek will inherit heaven; one must be Christian to inherit heaven—NC). It would surely be a mistake to apply Matthew 8:12 to members of the Body: “But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness” (this is in reference to Jews who do not believe in God and will be condemned—NC). While the principle of being reconciled to one’s brother before trying to serve God may be applied to members of the Body (Mat 5:23, 24), it would be wrong to tell them to bring sacrifices to the alter (Those who are reborn will always want to obey God - Phl 2:13, and have no need of an altar. The Jews salvation depended on obedience, but the Christian’s salvation is dependent upon Christ through the Spirit - Gal 5:23. For example, one reborn will not commit adultery in his heart - Mat 5:28, nor willingly commit any sin – Heb 10:29 - Num 15:30—NC).
It would also be wrong to tell members of the Body to preach, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand,” and to instruct them to go only to Israel, and to make no provision of food or clothing for themselves, as the Lord Jesus taught them in Matthew 10. Although the Church of Rome tries to apply Matthew 16:19 and John 20:23 to its priests, Protestants deny that preachers in this dispensation have the power to forgive sins or retain them (Jhn 20:23 – The power to remit or forgives sin is God’s prerogative only. What is meant is that when the Apostles saw those who would not believe in Christ, they proclaimed their sins unforgiven—NC). It is only by applying the dispensation principle to such Scriptures that the true meaning and application of them may be maintained and at the same time the distinctions are seen and understood.
— Charles Boulter (1815-Unknown)
MJS daily devotional for May 21
“As to the Gospel and the work of the Lord Jesus, I do not find that it is adequately apprehended that the benefit conferred by the Father is far beyond the need of the sinner. You cannot measure the benefit by the need. You may ask, ‘Does it not cover the need?’ It does; but you get no clue to the benefit from the measure of the need. You cannot find it in your own thoughts or expectations; it cannot be found anywhere save in our Father’s heart. It is ‘above all that we ask or think. . . . ‘
“How little, indeed, do we enter into the fullness of the benefits of the Gospel! The elder brother in Luke 15 did not object to his brother being forgiven, but it was unwelcome to him to see the wonderful excess of grace bestowed on him by the Father. ‘Thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.’ Many have the sense of forgiveness without the knowledge of His abundance.” -J.B.S.
“We shall never be able to glorify God, if we only take what we need.” –MJS
NC
His Earthly Ministry
It is of prime importance in considering the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus to understand that it was not aimed at the Gentile world, but at the covenant nation of Israel. It took place during the dispensation of law (Gal 4:4). Its purpose was to call “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Mat 10:6; 15:24) back into a right relationship with God through the baptism of repentance for the remission of their sins.
There is a vast difference between calling a backslidden people back into fellowship with God (restoration—NC) and in bringing spiritually dead and alienated sinners into a saving relationship with God (rebirth—NC). As Paul expressed it, Israel was near to God by reason of the covenants of promise (because of the promises to the fathers God always restores Israel back to Himself, which He will do again during the millennium—NC), but the Gentiles were afar off, having no hope, “being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promises” (Eph 2:12 - the Christian Gentiles will not need a “covenant of promises,” as Israel has, but are “partakers” of the “Covenant of Redemption,” which Covenant is between the Father and the Son, and of which only Christians partake - Heb 13:20, 21).
Matthew 4:23 and 10:7, 8 give the content of the Lord Jesus’ earthly ministry: “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.” “And as ye go, preach, saying, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give” (the primary reason for the miracles was to confirm the Word of God that the writers of the Word were bringing. This was by “God also bearing them witness - Act 5:12; Heb 2:4).
John the Baptist has introduced the Lord Jesus’ ministry with the message “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Mat 3:2 – i.e. the kingdom of heaven on earth; heaven itself is never referred to as a kingdom but just “heaven”—NC). Luke tells us that John “came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins” (Luk 3:3 - the Christian repents because of being reborn, which occurs at the moment of faith in Christ. The non-Christian Jew repents for the forgiveness of the Father—NC).
One of the great errors of preaching in the church has been to give to Gentile sinners the message that John the Baptist and the Lord Jesus gave to covenant Israel, thus holding out hope that the Gentiles would be saved by confessing their sins and submitting to water baptism (Christians become reborn by first believing in the Lord Jesus, then repentance, and the rest will certainly follow—NC).
It should be noted that there is not one word in the Gospel that was preached by John and the Lord Jesus of faith in a crucified and risen Savior (though the Lord Jesus often spoke of His death and resurrection, nobody understood this enough to have faith in it until after His resurrection (Luk 24:45; Jhn 20:9; Mark 9:10, 32; Luk 9:45)—NC). Instead, we are told that when the Lord Jesus did mention His impending death, “they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken” (some Jews believed but most did not believe in Christ. It is the Gentile world that many believed in Christ’s resurrection without seeing Him - Luk 24:45; Jhn 20:29—NC).
Not only was the earthly ministry a message of repentance, it was an announcement that the kingdom of heaven was at hand (for unbelieving Israel, not the Jws who would be Christians—NC). The kingdom of heaven is not a kingdom in heaven but a kingdom originating from heaven and ruling over the earth (again, heaven itself is never referred to as a kingdom but just heaven—NC). Accompanying this message of the kingdom of heaven was a ministry of physical healing and restoring of physical life, which was in keeping with God’s promises for that coming time of millennial blessing (for the Jew on the new earth; Christians blessings will be in the new heaven—NC).
Peter in offering this kingdom to Israel after the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus spoke of it as “the times of restitution of all things” (“this is the accomplishment of all promises and prophecies concerning the bringing in the fullness of the Gentiles, and the conversion of the Jews, and so the gathering in all the elect of God” - John Gill—NC), which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21). The OT prophets knew nothing of a Church. The writer of Hebrews speaks of these miracles of healing as tasting of “the powers of the world to come” (Heb 6:5), which is literally the Millennial age.
Since the Millennial kingdom was in view and being offered to the nation of Israel at Pentecost and for some time after thereafter, and since that kingdom will be characterized by deliverance from physical effects of sin, it must be understood that these miracles were credentials of the apostles, proving both that the Lord Jesus was alive from the dead and that His messengers were possessed of power and authority to offer that kingdom to the nation.
The earthly ministry of the Lore Jesus has as its object the fulfilling of the OT prophecies concerning the Messiah and His relationship to the chosen nation of Israel (only the Jews who believed in God were of the “chosen”—NC). There is no mention of God’s purpose to form the Body of Christ—the Church, until the ministry of the apostle Paul. It would thus appear that there is nothing in the earthly ministry which was primarily for the members of the Body.
The important word here is primarily, for there are certain things that all dispensations have in common to themselves, just as they apply such things from the OT Scriptures. Everything in the Gospels may be applied to Israel in relationship to the millennial kingdom, but not everything may be applied to members of the Body of Christ. Likewise, everything in the Pauline epistles may be applied to members of the Body, but not everything in these epistles may be applied to Israel.
Some of the moral and spiritual principles contained in the Sermon on the Mount may be applied to the Body of Christ, but it would be a mistake to teach that members of the Body will inherit the earth (Mat 5:5 – new earth - notice it doesn’t say the meek will inherit heaven; one must be Christian to inherit heaven—NC). It would surely be a mistake to apply Matthew 8:12 to members of the Body: “But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness” (this is in reference to Jews who do not believe in God and will be condemned—NC). While the principle of being reconciled to one’s brother before trying to serve God may be applied to members of the Body (Mat 5:23, 24), it would be wrong to tell them to bring sacrifices to the alter (Those who are reborn will always want to obey God - Phl 2:13, and have no need of an altar. The Jews salvation depended on obedience, but the Christian’s salvation is dependent upon Christ through the Spirit - Gal 5:23. For example, one reborn will not commit adultery in his heart - Mat 5:28, nor willingly commit any sin – Heb 10:29 - Num 15:30—NC).
It would also be wrong to tell members of the Body to preach, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand,” and to instruct them to go only to Israel, and to make no provision of food or clothing for themselves, as the Lord Jesus taught them in Matthew 10. Although the Church of Rome tries to apply Matthew 16:19 and John 20:23 to its priests, Protestants deny that preachers in this dispensation have the power to forgive sins or retain them (Jhn 20:23 – The power to remit or forgives sin is God’s prerogative only. What is meant is that when the Apostles saw those who would not believe in Christ, they proclaimed their sins unforgiven—NC). It is only by applying the dispensation principle to such Scriptures that the true meaning and application of them may be maintained and at the same time the distinctions are seen and understood.
— Charles Boulter (1815-Unknown)
MJS daily devotional for May 21
“As to the Gospel and the work of the Lord Jesus, I do not find that it is adequately apprehended that the benefit conferred by the Father is far beyond the need of the sinner. You cannot measure the benefit by the need. You may ask, ‘Does it not cover the need?’ It does; but you get no clue to the benefit from the measure of the need. You cannot find it in your own thoughts or expectations; it cannot be found anywhere save in our Father’s heart. It is ‘above all that we ask or think. . . . ‘
“How little, indeed, do we enter into the fullness of the benefits of the Gospel! The elder brother in Luke 15 did not object to his brother being forgiven, but it was unwelcome to him to see the wonderful excess of grace bestowed on him by the Father. ‘Thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.’ Many have the sense of forgiveness without the knowledge of His abundance.” -J.B.S.
“We shall never be able to glorify God, if we only take what we need.” –MJS
Thanks!
