Interpretation of the Kingdom

“But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep” (II Peter 1:20-2:3).

Every Christian must begin his study of Scripture as an interpreter, because he seeks to interpret what he reads and hears. However, the newly born believer must begin his Christian life understanding the difference between interpretation and inspiration. Since God has spoken, we are obligated to interpret what has been said. The Greek word diermeneutes means interpreter. Paul said, “If anyone speaks in a tongue [language], it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must interpret; but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God” (I Cor. 14:27, 28).

As every believer is responsible to interpret the Scriptures, he is not called to give us God-breathed Scripture. To permit revelation apart from the written word is to deny that the Bible is perfect and complete. That is why Jude said, “Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints” (Jude 3). Thus, the vigor of our spiritual lives will be in the exact proportion to the amount of Scripture we hold in our hearts. Furthermore, we cannot do the following:

1. Hold to inspiration and reject it.

2. Believe in particular redemption and deny it.

3. Hold the doctrine of depravity and talk about the evolution of man.

4. Repair a church which has no foundation.

5. Do right by doing wrong in order to have the opportunity of doing right.

6. Fraternize with these who reject the truth of God.

7. Be base enough to profess one thing and believe another.

II Timothy 2:15 should be studied in connection with II Timothy 3:16 and 17. In the second chapter, Paul said, “Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth” (II Tim. 2:14, 15). In II Timothy 2:19, Paul said, “Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, The Lord knows those who are His, and Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness.” The firm foundation of God stands, because it has stood the ages. It has stood because the seal is the indispensable prerequisite of God’s eternal covenant of grace. The Lord knew the ones who were His, because the seal denotes ownership.

“Inspired” of II Timothy 3:16 and 17 must be understood as a “completed revelation” for the elect of God. To permit revelation apart from the amount of Scripture we hold in our hands, thoughts, and hearts is to deny the Bible in its perfect and complete form. Paul said, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (II Tim. 3:16, 17). Surely, in the light of this text, we see something that startles every chosen person in the eternal covenant of grace. The compound Greek word for “inspired” of II Timothy 3:16 is theopneustos and means God-breathed. Thus, the responsibility of the man of God is to handle the Scriptures correctly. He must prove his subject beyond a reasonable doubt to God-given faith.

God did not merely prepare salvation for man, but also man for salvation. That which was born of the counsel of Divine love in the bosom of eternity rushes down from those everlasting heights into time and traverses its broad plains, until it arrives in the hearts of the elect. “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the LORD, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to Him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen” (Rom. 11:33-36).

When it was said that a rich man shall hardly enter the kingdom of heaven, Christ gave the answer. “And Jesus said to His disciples, Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, Then who can be saved? And looking at them Jesus said to them, With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matt. 19:23-26).

We must become poor in ourselves, that God may fill us with the riches of His grace. When it is said that a rich person shall hardly enter the kingdom, God is pleased to exhibit, in all his fullness, the capabilities of human nature, but at the same time, its limits. As richly as the Athenians were adorned with the loveliest productions of the natural intellect, they could not find salvation and the true God. The God of redemption ever remained to them “An Unknown God” (Acts 17:23). Paul addressed Jews (Acts 13:16-41), Gentiles (Acts 14:15-17), and in Athens, he spoke to the intellects of his day (Acts 17:22-31).

Since God is absolutely sovereign, no power under Him can make a challenge to Him. The supreme power is seen in the cross of Jesus Christ. If ever the super powers of the world could have accomplished their goal, they would have stopped the incarnation. From all eternity, God predestined every detail of that event of all events. Christ’s enemies could not stop His first advent and all the things and persons connected with it. The Old Testament says, “Many plans are in a man’s heart, But the counsel of the LORD will stand” (Prov. 19:21). Solomon also said, “The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He wishes” (Prov.21:1).

Most representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ today teach faith is of human origin. They say that faith is of the same kind as that human trait which causes us to put our money in the bank, or when speaking of the government. Under the emotional stimulus of an eloquent speaker, people are told that all they have to do is to transfer their belief from worldly objects to God, and the result will be salvation. Those people who have joined churches, been baptized, and put to work—most of them become teachers. Who can argue with success? More emphasis has been placed upon the method than upon the Savior, upon self than God, and upon the means than the object in view. The question is whether a person’s faith saves the soul, saves the body, or perfects salvation?

The kingdom is something described by the Lord for us to believe. Therefore, it is not one thing in one dispensation and something different in a subsequent age. The description of the kingdom is unchangeably the same. Therefore, parables may be the outer ornamental fringe but not the main texture of proof. It is from the literal to the figurative, from the clearer to the more obscure, which has ever been recognized as the law of Scripture interpretation.

The student of Scripture is requested to ponder Mark 4:34—“and He did not speak to them without a parable; but He was explaining everything privately to His own disciples.” It is easily discernable in all the “mysteries” that there are some truths connected with them that are concealed, but never is the leading subject concealed. Parables must not be made the first source of doctrine.

The kingdom is one thing, and the mysteries pertaining to it are quite another. Neither covenant nor prophecy presents to us a hidden kingdom. The apostles knew nothing of “a kingdom in mystery.” It is easily discernable in all the “mysteries” that there are some truths connected with them that are concealed, but never is the leading subject concealed. (See Romans 11:25; 16:25; I Corinthians 15:51; Ephesians 1:9; 3:3-9; 5:32; 6:19; Colossians 1:20-27; 2:2; 4:3; II Thessalonians 2:7; I Timothy 3:9, 16; Revelation 1:20; 10:7; 17:5, 17.)

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The NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE—UPDATED EDITION is the source of all Scripture quotations in this message, unless otherwise noted.