47
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
February, 1935
munity before giving it to the Gentiles o f the same locality. In order that we may ascertain which position is correct, it becomes necessary for us to understand the circumstances under which the apostle’s statement was made. As has al ready been stated, Paul wrote the Roman letter in a . d . 58. At that time he declared that the gospel had already been given to the entire world. About that fact there can be no question. According to our Lord’s instructions and the rec ord found in the Acts o f the Apostles, the gospel was first preached to the Jews and then later to the Gentiles. In the light of these facts, we conclude that the gospel had already been given to the Jewish nation by a . d . 58. Nevertheless, Paul in this epistle declared that the gospel is to the Jew first. A glance at this passage shows that he was not talk ing about something in the past, but rather o f the situation which lay before him. In order that we may confirm this position, let us look at the context in which this statement occurs. He told this church that he had oftentimes purposed to come to them but had been hindered. The reason which he assigned for desiring to visit them was that he might
and applied the passage to the gospel record. In the light of this fact we may be certain that the gospel had flowed out to all the world in the first twenty-eight years o f the Chris tian era. In a . d . 63, Paul wrote by inspiration the Colos- sian letter. In chapter 1, verses 6 and 23, we see state ments that the gospel had been preached in all creation under heaven and was bearing fruit in all the world. Thus in one generation the apostolic church was faithful to our Lord’s instructions and gave the gospel to the entire world. Bits o f confirmatory evidence are found imbedded in be liefs and superstitions o f the various nations. Additional testimony in the form o f traditions comes to us from the first century. What nationality constituted the major part of the church o f God during the first generation of its existence ? Every well-informed person will immediately answer, “ Jews.” Thus the Hebrew Christian church gave the gos pel to the world in the first century. In a . d . 70 came the collapse o f the Jewish nation when Jerusalem fell and the people were dispersed among the nations. Misunderstand ing that calamity, the Jews interpreted it as evidence of divine disfavor upon the nation because it had not extermi nated the sect o f the Nazarene, pulling it up root and branch. Incensed by this misunderstanding, the Jews from that time onward bitterly opposed Christ and His religion. The church quickly changed its complexion from that o f a Hebrew institution to a Gentile organism. During the Sub sequent centuries, the Gentiles have predominated in the church. The gospel has never one time during these nine teen hundred years been given to all nations. Let not the reader think that in making this statement I am launching a criticism against any one, for such is not the case. Noble work has been accomplished by faithful missionaries who have laid all upon the altar o f sacrifice and have aban doned everything for Christ and. the gospel. Neverthe less, the fact remains that the gospel since a . d . 70 has never been given in any one generation to every nation upon the face o f the globe. Such a situation was to be ex pected in view of the Old Testament forecast. A s t h e C h a n n e l i n t h e T r ib u l a t io n Since the gifts and the calling o f God are not repented of, we may be certain that God will yet bring Israel back into line with His program. Then the chosen people will become the channel o f world blessing. Confirmation of this position is found in the seventh chapter o f Revelation. The first vision there recorded is that of one hundred forty- four thousand Hebrew servants o f God who in the midst o f the Tribulation are serving God faithfully. Immediately after this vision appears another which shows us the result o f their labors— namely, the conversion o f an innumerable host of people from every nation, tribe, tongue, and lan guage. That these people are blood-bought and are saved during the time o f the Great Tribulation is evident from a glance at this passage. In the light o f these facts, we are driven to the conclusion that Israel will yet carry out the plan announced to Abraham. When we study the Old Tes tament forecasts of the great millennial age, we see that the saved remnant at that time will become the great mission aries of the world. T h e G ospel for t h e J e w F ir st In Romans 1 :16, Paul declared that the gospel is to the Jew first. What does this passage mean ? Two interpre tations are placed upon it : first, that it was God’s will for the gospel to be given to the Jewish nation at the beginning o f the dispensation, and that since the accomplishment o f that task He no longer is interested in its being given to them while He is taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name; second, that God wishes the gospel to be given to the Jew o f every generation and o f every com
Courtesy, Jewlsb Federation. 9 The Hebrew University at Jerusalem, Palestine, is constantly increas ing in popularity and prestige, being recognized as the center of na tional Jewish culture. The library of the university contains copies of Dr. Cooper's books on Messiah. In the group pictured above— a class in philosophy— various types of listeners are evident. Unified by a fervent nationalism, the children of Abraham flock to Palestine. When such love of "the land" is one day linked with allegiance to the now rejected Messiah, the Jews, oft scorned, will be the greatest preachers of righteousness that the world has ever known. May that day quickly come! have some fruit among them, for he realized that he was indebted both to the Greeks and to the barbarians. Feeling very keenly his responsibility, he declared that he was at that time ( a . d . 58) ready to preach the gospel to those who were at Rome. The context here shows that Paul was looking into the future when he wrote these words. Let us remember clearly that the gospel had already been given to the Jewish nation when Paul penned these words; therefore his statement that the gospel is to the Jew first applies not to the past, but to the entire dispensation. ^ This interpretation is confirmed by Paul’s practice. (I t one will read the latter half o f the Acts o f the Apostles, he will see that Paul invariably upon reaching a community where there were Jews, went to his brethren first. After having given the gospel to them, he turned to the Gentiles of that community; therefore we must interpret Paul’s lan guage in Romans in the light o f his practice. The conclu sion to which these facts bring us is that in every generation and in every place it is the will o f God that the gospel, should be given to the Jews first, then to the Gentilesr) It is1 my firm conviction that if one desires to be in the center of God’s holy, directive will, he must place the Jew in his pro gram where God located him. When one follows this di vine plan, he will find that the blessings o f God will rest upon him. [ On every hand we see evidence that this age is closing. [Continued on page 49]
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker