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 Right Division In Practice - Articles 6 thru 10
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RIGHT DIVISION IN PRACTICE #6
THEN shall the kingdom of heaven be likened to ten virgins (Matt 25:1). One
cannot rightly divide the Scriptures until he has first of all learned to read. Illiteracy is prevalent today, especially among theologians. They are unable to read with understanding.
The word THEN is usually overlooked in this parable. It refers to a future day. And the parable refers to
the kingdom, so it cannot be for today, the church age. The lesson of the parable is, for those who expected the King, to watch.
The parable of the talents, Matt 25:14-30, is another parable of the kingdom and has nothing to do with the church.
It is about servants of the kingdom and their responsibilities. All three were servants, not one of them being an enemy or
even a tare. The unprofitable servant is punished for his laziness. He is cast out among the Gentile nations during the
millennium and so misses the inheritance, the Promised Land. Compare this with others who missed the inheritance in the times of Moses.
The judgment of the nations, Matt 25:31-46, again, read very carefully. There is nothing about resurrection here
. There are two classes of people in this judgment, but they are dealt with as nations, not as individuals. They are sheep
and goats, both belong to the shepherd. Everlasting is age abiding; that is, for the duration of the millennium. Some nation
will be preserved as such. Others will be done away with without the loss of a single life. If in that judgment the United
States were a goat nation, she might be divided up between Mexico and Canada and so lose her identity as a nation. But
that does not mean that all the people would have to be killed off! Israel ceased to be a kingdom at the captivity, and ceased
to be a nation at Acts 28:28. But neither event resulted in the killing of all the people.
Matt. 26:17:30 is an account of the last Passover. This is nowhere called the Lord’s Supper. It was a Jewish feast
in which no uncircumcised could have any part whatsoever (Ex 12:43-50). The singing of the hymn (Hallel) ended the Passover meal.
Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled (Matt 26:56). I have sinned in that I have betrayed the
innocent blood (Matt 27:4). The latter was Judas’ testimony to the chief priests and elders. But the 11 had fled and
forsaken the Lord. Let us give credit where credit is due. Judas had a bishopric, the same as the rest, but he lost his.
Notice in Matt 27:38 that two thieves were brought up and executed after the parting of the garments by the 4
soldiers. These are not the malefactors who were led out with Him. Rightly divide. Read carefully.
Bodies of the saints arose. Matt 27:51-54. It does not say that saints arose or that the dead arose. This is
different. And they arose after His resurrection, not at the crucifixion. So evidently they were saints who had recently
died and were restored to their families as Lazarus was in John 11. Note here the use of the term HOLY CITY. It is never
used of the New Jerusalem, in spite of song and tradition. Note that these saints slept, a figure of speech.
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RIGHT DIVISION IN PRACTICE #7
The Great Commission of Matt 28:18-20. If there ever was a passage that needed right division and careful
reading, this is it. Little attention has been paid to whom it was spoken, under what circumstances, and the time it is to be carried out.
It starts with a tremendous statement. All power is given unto me in heaven and earth. Remember that
these disciples knew nothing of the mystery. They did not know about a ministry to principalities and powers in the heavenlies. They knew very little about what is out in space. They did know
that there were angels and that they came from some place called heaven. Daniel was told about some princes who held sway over the nations from strongholds out in space. So the statement in this
place about heaven would not be noticed very much by these men. And you will note that the Lord goes on to tell them about their own ministry which is connected wholly with the earth, not with heaven.
Compare with Gen. 1:1 where both the heavens and the earth are mentioned and then the following verses and chapters are about the earth.
Upon the basis of and because of this statement about His power in heaven and earth, He goes on to say, Go ye
therefore. Do not miss the therefore. This is the key. But when we look about us today, we see no evidence that He has taken up this power yet. So these apostles are still
waiting for the signal.
They are to tech all nations. Did that man the nations scattered over the earth at that time, or did it mean the
nations that are left after the judgment of Matt 25:31-46? This will bear looking into. It may be that people have missed something here.
Then comes the order to baptize the nations in the triune name. This they have never yet done. In fact the
12 never did go out among the nations. It was Paul that was given this commission during Acts. And because this was done before the time that Israel under the 12 were to do it, Paul says that he is
as one born out of due time. Now we have a key.
We now can see that the 12 are to begin this ministry of the great commission when they see the Lord take over His
power and rule in heaven and in earth. That will be when He comes again to earth.
Then in the final verse we have His promise to be with them personally and supervising them during that time when they
are to carry on this ministry. He says that He will be with them unto the end of that age, that is, the millennium.
This fits in with other facts told the apostles here and there. It was at his time they were to sit on 12 thrones
(denoting authority), judging the 12 tribes, leading them in this great missionary effort. Also this was the very commission that was in view when Israel were chosen as a priestly nation to make known the
name of Jehovah to the nations.
So the apostles knew these facts and that is why they never baptized in the triune name during
Acts. It was not yet time. They understood what was meant. But in Christendom today, where they do not know the difference between kingdom and church, this command is wrongly applied. The
church never had any such commission. Rightly divide!
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RIGHT DIVISION IN PRACTICE #8
So far in this series, we have been taking up examples from Matthew. Most of the quotes we have made are to be found in Mark and Luke also. But the Author of the Book has seen
fit to make some right division too. It has to do with the birth of Christ.
Matthew, Mark, and Luke wrote especially to and for Jews. Much was made of the signs and the prophecies concerning Christ. They speak of the virgin birth and tell many
details of the Lord’s activities here on earth.
But John’s gospel, to and for Gentiles, does not speak of the Lord’s birth in Bethlehem. Gentiles were not interested in signs, nor were the sings for them.
John’s theme was not that Jesus of Nazareth was of the seed of Abraham and David, not even of Adam, but that He was the Son of God. After spending 18 verses of the first chapter on this theme, then
the 8 signs are given to show that He came to His people, was rejected and crucified. There is no denial of the virgin birth, which was very important to Israel, but it is passed over and it is emphasized
that He was deity, the maker of heaven and earth, and the only hope of all mankind, Jew and Gentile.
Doubtless, few have particularly noticed the above truth. And fewer yet have noticed that the apostle Paul, in his post-Acts epistles, does not mention the birth of Christ and His
life here on earth, except to state that God was manifest in flesh and that He was of the seed of David. The life of Christ and His ministry here on earth ahs no part in the dispensation of the
mystery. We are not interested so much in the sermon on the mount as we are in what the ascended Lord has to say to us today through His great peace that finally comes between Jew and Gentile (Eph
2:17). All that Matthew, Mark, and Luke could offer a Gentile believer was crumbs from the Jews’ table (Matt 15:27). But Paul has the good news that they could be seated with Christ in heavenly
places, a table far better than the Jews ever had!
And since John wrote his gospel after Acts 28:28, he has something to offer the Gentile believers that the other gospel writers did not know. For John tell s us that after the
Lords’ own people received Him not, then as many (Gentiles) as received Him were given the right to be called children too (John 1:11, 12). And Paul preaches to these children the gospel of the
dispensation of the mystery, and as many as believe (Eph. 2:8-10) are placed as sons and become firstborn and have an inheritance of their own as well as the blessing, blest with every blessing that is spiritual
in the holiest of all in Christ Jesus.
This article is simply a little preface to those that follow, which will be taken from Acts. Right division has
probably been neglected more in the study of Acts then any other book in the Bible. Yet, Acts is the key to truth for today. Without it, there is a gap between the gospels and the prison epistles that
could not be very well explained.
It is true that right division never saved anyone, but it has saved many a person a lot of
confusion and doubt about the Scriptures.
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RIGHT DIVISION IN PRACTICE #9
In the gospels we have learned about the birth of Christ, His earthly ministry, His credentials for His Kingship
manifested, His rejection, and finally His murder by the Jews. Mark recorded what the immediate commission of the Apostles was to be and states that it was accomplished with the promised signs following.
Matthew goes a bit farther and records the great commission of the apostles in the age to come, the great millennium. Mark and Luke speak of the ascension.
It is strange, but there is a popular idea that the four gospels were a sort of diary and published day by day as the
events happened. This idea, lurking in the back of people’s minds have brought out some very strange ideas and teachings.
Believe it or not, Matthew was the first gospel published, and that not till about 12 years after Pentecost. Why
should Matthew publish his gospel at such a time? It comes out 2 years before Mark’s gospel and John’s Revelation. If the church began at Pentecost, as tradition says, how can this book be
valid at such a time?
Matthew is strictly a kingdom book. The Magna Charta of the kingdom, the Sermon on the Mount, takes up chapters
5,6, and 7. Were these chapters valid when published? Why would Matthew be proclaiming the kingdom 12 years after the church began?
As we said, about 2 years after Matthew, Mark came out with his publication. But Luke held back his gospel till 17
years after Matthew wrote. That means that Luke waited till 29 years after the death of Christ and Pentecost before writing his gospel. Why? If the church had begun at Pentecost, what validity
would his gospel have at such a late date?
But about 5 years after Luke, John finally comes out with his gospel. And we discover that it is much different
from the other three. It is written to and for Gentiles? Why? Was the sermon on the mount still valid and good news when John wrote his gospel?
Shortly after Matthew and Mark wrote, Paul began writing his epistles. Galatians and Hebrews were published about
10 years after Matthew and Mark. Were there any changes in that period? We might add that Matthew was written about 3 years after Peter began to graft Gentiles into Israel at the house of
Cornelius. But Matthew does not give any gospel or hope for Gentile believers except that they might receive some of the blessings of Israel as crumbs from the Children’s table.
But the events of the Acts period of time were not published till about 3 years after they had all happened. It
is also very strange, that all that is recorded in Acts in the way of sermons and doctrinal preaching before the last 4 verses, were not valid when written and are not valid yet today. You may ask why
anyone can come to such a conclusion. It is only by minding what God has said about right division (2 Tim. 2:15). This will clear it all up.
When one finally realizes that Acts is still about the kingdom, and not the church, the all these
strange questions are answered. In answer to the prayer on Calvary, Israel was forgiven and the kingdom re-offered. That is the key. Try it.
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RIGHT DIVISION IN PRACTICE #10
The Acts of the Apostles
The preceding article may have been a little confusing to some in the matter of times and dates. The
little chart here appended may help with the problem. The dates given are by no means authentic or final, but as near as we can guess with all the data we can at this time find. Compare with the
table on page 30 of Vol. 18 of Truth For Today and with Appendix 180 in the Companion Bible.
A.D. Book Acts
41 Matthew 9:30
43 Mark, Revelation 11:22
45 James 11:28
46 Jude 12:24
52 Galatians, Hebrews 15:35
53 1 & 2 Thessalonians 15:35
55 1, 2, & 3 John 18:23
57 1 & 2 Corinthians 20:1
58 Luke, Romans 20:3
59 1 & 2 Peter 23:33
The events recorded in Acts probably cover a time period from A.D. 29 to 64 which would include the 2 years
mentioned at the end. The reader may desire to mark in the margin of his Bible these points in Acts so as the have an approximate idea of when the books were written in relation to the history given in the
Acts. This helps a great deal in right division.
It might be a surprise to some, but really the book of Acts was not written till all the events had become history, had
happened. So this would put the date of the book at about 64. This would be after the time John’s gospel was written. You will find the crisis of Acts 28:28 mentioned in John
1:11,12. Acts also was quite likely written after Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.
Then the question is going to arise; why was Acts written? If the Lord’s Prayer of Luke 23:34 had not been
answered and the request granted, there would not have been this book of the Acts. The nation was forgiven for their deed of ignorance and so the kingdom was again offered to them for a period of about 35
years. Israel rejected the kingdom. God rejected Israel. And at that point is where the mystery began.
The 4 gospels give us a record of the proclamation of the kingdom to the Jews, its rejection, and the murder of the
King. The message was, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. This was preached by John the Baptist, the Lord Himself, the 12, and the 70. There was ample opportunity for Israel
to know.
But the truth did not fit in with tradition, so Truth was rejected and killed.
The rest of the books written after the resurrection of the lord and during Acts have the same theme, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at
hand. The return of the Lord to set up His kingdom is set forth in glowing terms and much prophecy quoted by the various writers. Both John and Paul go into much detail concerning the coming of
the Lord to set up His millennial kingdom. It is well to compare much of the material. For example, compare Matt 24 with the opening of the seals in Revelation, or the rapture in John 11, Revelation
11, 1 Corinthians 15, and 1 Thessalonians 4. There is wonderful unity in the witness.
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