Was Jesus Christ a Dispensationalist During His Earthly Ministry

Was Jesus Christ a Dispensationalist During His Earthly Ministry?

Article by Shawn Brasseaux

Opening Statement

Dispensational Bible study has its critics—and that is no secret. Allegedly, we who “rightly divide the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15) are “Bible choppers,” “church splitters,” “troublemakers,” among other names. Additionally, we are told, “I do not follow some man such as the Apostle Paul, I follow Jesus!” Immediately after stating thus, our opponents flee to Matthew through John, the Lord Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry (which they assume is Christianity for today), and proceed to denounce us as “heretics” for “taking away” from Jesus’ words. They have made some serious accusations against us, so do we have Biblically-based answers for them? In this, our special-edition 900th Bible Q&A article, we examine this matter in light of God’s Word. “For what saith the Scriptures?”

See the full article on Shawn's site here, including the opening statement, the conclusion, and 3 conclusive proofs that Jesus Christ divided the scriptures during His earthly ministry.

Conclusion

Indeed, the Lord Jesus during His earthly ministry was a dispensationalist. He knew what parts of Scripture were valid for that time, and which portions were not. Instead of mindlessly quoting Scripture like so many Christians today—“If God’s Word says it, I can do it!”—the Lord Jesus Christ handled the Holy Bible ever so carefully. Verses that applied to His Second Coming could not be forced into His First Coming. To think otherwise would be doubt not faith. Psalm 91 was Scripture, but not for Him to fulfill during His earthly ministry. Isaiah chapter 61 was Scripture, but not all of it was to be accomplished during His First Coming; the vengeance (for the lost) and comfort (for the saved) would be at His return! Second Kings chapter 1 was entirely appropriate behavior for the Prophet Elijah, but not for the Apostles James and John. It is not enough to be Scriptural; we must also be dispensational. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself understood that, and practiced it. For all those who like to point out they “follow Jesus in His earthly ministry,” we believe they would do well to follow Him when He used the Scriptures rightly divided, quoting verses in their dispensational contexts. They would therefore learn what Father God is doing today (Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon), and what He is not doing today (the rest of Scripture).