July 17, 2005

Chap.28, verse 28- Paul states that the salvation of God is to be sent to the gentiles, indicating the probationary period of Israel with respect to the Kingdom is terminating.  Under the new era (church age), the gospel is to go, not primarily and first to the Jew, but to the nations.  Those who respond in faith in this gospel are to be placed in the church, which is the body of Christ.

A review of the order of the writing of the Pauline epistles may aid us in under-

standing the transition from ministry to Israel to ministry to the nations and matters related to the church, which is the body of Christ.

1) The earliest Pauline epistles is Galatians—(about 49 AD)- in it Paul vindicates his office of apostle by declaring his gospel is by revelation (1:11-24) and that respective ministries to the Jews by Peter (2:8) and himself to the gentiles (2:8)

were being conducted under the Lord.  He states that blessing on gentiles comes through promises to Abraham (3:8) and his seed, Christ (3:16) made before the Law (3:17) and made by promise (3:18).  Racial, gender and social distinctions are no longer critical (3:28) before God in our new unity in Christ and that believers are recipients of the Spirit (4:6) and are to live in liberty (5:1) and walk in the Spirit (5:16) for personal victory over sin.  Circumcision is not necessary in the new creation (6:15).  What is not mentioned in Galatians is anything about the Body of Christ although local churches are (1:2).

2) The next 2 books (51 AD)  are I and II Thessalonians, where eschatology is emphasized—1:10, 2:19, 3:13, 4:13-18, 5:1-5, 23 and in II Thess. –1:7,

2:1-2, 8.  The Thessalonians are primarily Gentiles who have turned to God from idols (1:9), while Israel is charged with persecution of believers and as objects of God’s wrath (2:15-16).  Gentiles have received God’s Spirit (4:8).  But again,

there is no mention of the Church, which is the body of Christ, but reference to the local church at Thessalonica.

3) In early and late 56 AD, Paul writes I and II Corinthians respectively.  Paul begins with declaring God has chosen (1:27)  the “foolish & weak” things of the world with the gospel as a stumbling-block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles (1:23).  Here, Paul introduces the “Body of Christ” which is said to be “one” with “many members” -12:13 with each member “baptized” into this one body.

4)  Romans is believed to be written in the winter of 56-57 AD and carefully directs the gospel was to go the Jew first and then to the Gentiles (1:16, 2:9).

In Ch.9, Paul cautions that not all that are called “Israel” act in agreement with the faith of Israel (9:6) and that Gentiles will become sons of the living God (9:25-26) and few Israelites will be saved (9:29).  The transition in divine ministry has changed such that the Lord is attentive to the cry of either the Jew or the Gentile (10:12-13), while Israel has become a disobedient people (10:21).

Gentiles are being used to provoke Israel to jealousy (11:11-13) with Paul now the primary apostle to the Gentiles (11:13) and one day Israel will be saved (11:25-26).  Paul then briefly mentions the church, which is the Body of Christ in

12:4-5.  The present positive response of the Gentiles is supported by OT scripture- 15:8-12—but this involves a “mystery”- 16:25-26.

****It is after writing Romans that Acts 28:28 occurs!

5) While imprisoned in Rome (60-62), Paul writes Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon and Philippians—with the mystery of the Body of Christ as that which previously was hidden, but is now revealed through Paul—Eph.3:1-7.  The truth of Christ as the source of all blessing is emphasized (1:3-14) with a view to eternity past (1:4-5).  Gentiles, previously outside the covenants, are now

“made nigh” through the blood of Christ.  The church is the instrument to reveal God’s previously hidden purpose (3:9-11).

Notes:

1)  The church (universal),  which is His body was a truth hidden in times past and not revealed until Paul, the apostle—called a mystery.

2)  The church, which is His body was present before the writing of Ephesians (see I Thess.2:14 for remark “churches of God..in Judea in Christ Jesus);

however it was not known clearly as such until Paul’s letter to Ephesus.

3)  The local church is seen often in Acts and eclipses the truth of the church, which is His body.

4)  Since baptism by the Spirit places believers into the body of Christ, it follows that the church evidently started in Acts 2—although it was not known then.

5)  Other dispensationalists date the starting of the church, which is His body at Paul’s conversion in Acts 9; at the conversion of Cornelius in Acts 10 or some date it after Acts 28.  And a few dispensationalists state that the beginning of the church cannot be known anymore than the end of it—it is a mystery.

6)  The voice of moderation would be that the church, which is His body began in Acts 2, but was not revealed as such until the probation of Israel had ended (Acts 28:28) and the writing of Ephesians under Paul’s imprisonment.