Mankind’s Quest for Meaning-Part 2

Contents

Introduction

In our previous article we began to present the necessary elements of a valid exposition of the biblical philosophy of history. First, we noted that a valid exposition must contain an ultimate purpose or goal for history toward the fulfillment of which all history moves. Sec­ond, we noted that it must recognize distinctions or things that differ in history. We began to examine, as an example of such a distinction, the fact that the New Testament presents two distinct gospels that were to be preached – the gospel of the kingdom and the gospel defined by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:1-5. We saw that those two gospels had distinct contents.

This present article will do three things: note two other distinctions between these gos­pels, give examples of other distinctions or things that differ in history, and present more necessary elements of a valid exposition of the biblical philosophy of history.

Two More Distinctions Between The Two Gospels

The second distinction between the two gospels is as follows: Christ gave two distinct commissions to His apostles in conjunction with the two gospels. When He sent them out to preach the gospel of the kingdom, He gave them a restricted commission. He forbade them to preach the gospel of the kingdom to the Gentiles and the Samaritans. He ordered them to preach it exclusively “to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (to the Jews) (Matthew 10:5-7).

In contrast with this restricted commission, after Christ died and rose from the dead He gave the apostles a universal commission in conjunction with the gospel that the Apostle Paul defined in 1 Corinthians 15:1-5. He ordered His apostles to go “into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:14-15) and to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20). The fact that this universal commission was associated with the gospel that the Apostle Paul preached and defined in 1 Corinthians 15 is demonstrated by the following: Paul indicated that the gospel that he preached and defined focused on Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection and “is the power of God unto salvation” to “every one that believeth,” whether Jew or Gentile (Romans 1:15-16; 1 Corinthians 1:23-24).

The third distinction between the two gospels is the fact that they had distinct prepara­tions for ministry associated with them. When Christ commissioned the apostles to preach the gospel of the kingdom exclusively to Israel, He ordered them not to take extra provi­sions (money, a bag, two tunics, sandals, staff) with them for their ministry (Matthew 10:9- 10). By contrast, when it became obvious that Israel would reject Christ and His gospel of the kingdom, and, therefore, the Gospel of 1 Corinthians 15:1-5 about His death, burial, and resurrection was about to become reality, He commanded the apostles to take extra provisions (a bag, a purse, and even a sword) for ministry (Luke 22:35-36).

Examples Of Other Distinctions Or Things That Differ In History

The Bible presents distinctive ways of God’s dealing with people guilty of adultery. Before God gave the Mosaic Law to the nation of Israel He did not require adulterers and adulteresses to be put to death. While Israel was under the Mosaic Law (from the time the Law was given to that nation at Mount Sinai [Exodus 19-20] to the time that Christ died on the cross [Matthew 27:50-51]) God commanded the Jews to put people guilty of adultery to death (Leviticus 20:10). Since the death of Christ, God does not require the death penalty for adultery (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

Throughout history God has also had distinctive ways of dealing with murderers. Before the Noahic flood God did not command the death penalty for murderers (Genesis 4:1-15), but since the flood He has ordered murderers to be executed (Genesis 9:5-6; Romans 13:1-7).

During the course of history God has employed different dietary laws. Prior to the flood God permitted only a vegetarian diet (Genesis 1:29). After the flood He permitted mankind to eat the flesh of all forms of animal life (Genesis 9:3). While the Mosaic Law was in effect God forbade the Jews to eat the flesh of certain kinds of animals (Leviticus 11). Since the death of Christ God permits mankind to eat all forms of animal life (Romans 14:2-3, 14; 1 Timothy 4:1-5).

These and all other biblical distinctions must not be ignored, watered down, or ex­plained away if an exposition of the biblical philosophy of history is to be valid.

More Necessary Elements Of A Valid Exposition Of The Biblical Philosophy Of History

A third necessary element is a proper concept of the progress of revelation. The Bible indicates that God did not give all of His revealed truth to mankind in one lump sum at the beginning of history. Instead, He revealed His truth in stages at different points of time. For example, He did not reveal the fact that there would be a Redeemer until after the fall of man (Genesis 3:15). He did not reveal the required practice of capital punishment until after the flood (Genesis 9:5-6). During His first coming Christ did not reveal all that He wanted His apostles to know (John 16:12). He indicated that the Holy Spirit would reveal the additional truth to them after Christ’s ascension (John 14:26; 16:13). Paul talked about truth that had been hidden from mankind in past ages of history being revealed to apostles and prophets in New Testament times (1 Corinthians 2:6-10; Ephesians 3:2-6). In light of this progress of revelation, in order for an exposition of the biblical philosophy of history to be valid, it dare not read the content of later revelation back into earlier revelation.

A fourth necessary element is a unifying principle which ties the distinctions and progressive stages of revelation together and directs them toward the fulfillment of the purpose of history. A valid exposition of the biblical philosophy of history must be able to tie the distinctions and stages of revelation together into one, unified whole in a sensible way. It also must demon­strate how these things contribute to the fulfillment of history’s purpose or goal.

A fifth necessary element is a valid explanation of why things have happened the way they have, why things are the way they are today, and where things are going in the future. An exposition of the biblical philosophy of history must be able to explain how, when, and why such things as murder, false religions, capital punishment, human government, different languages, different nations, anti-Semitism, the Church, Roman Catholicism, Islam, the Renaissance, and the Reformation began. It must be able to explain why the Holocaust of World War II hap­pened, why a modern state of Israel exists, and why a Middle East crisis takes place.

A sixth necessary element is appropriate answers to mankind’s three basic questions: where have we come from? Why are we here? Where are we going?

For an example of an attempt to develop a valid exposition of the Bible’s philosophy of history obtain the following book: Renald E. Showers, What On Earth Is God Doing? (Loizeaux Brothers Publishers. Telephone: 800-526-2796. Mailing address: P.O. Box 277, Neptune, NJ 07754-0277).
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