Levend Water
The Apostle of the Reconciliation - Charles H. Welch
Index - Page 151 of 159
APPENDIX Õ STRUCTURE OF ACTS151
There are however some great contrasts, and these contrasts express the character of the dispensational crisis
more than do the parallels. When Paul seeks to persuade the chief of the Jews, he speaks of `Jesus'. To the student
of the New Testament the usage of the names of the Lord will be no new theme. Throughout the Gospels the name
`Jesus' is frequent, but in the Epistles the name occurs but rarely; the fuller title `Jesus Christ', `Christ Jesus', or `The
Lord Jesus Christ' is used. This marks one important distinction in the teaching of Paul to the Jews and to the
Gentiles. He still had the one grand theme, the kingdom of God, to unfold, but that kingdom is all-embracive,
including within its mighty sovereignty Jew, Gentile, church and creation, heaven, earth and the super-heavens, past,
present and future. That section which was associated with the hope of Israel was associated with Jesus, but that
section which was connected with the Gentile dispensation was associated with The Lord Jesus Christ.
A further contrast is seen in that when Paul is speaking to the chief of the Jews he founds his argument upon the
Old Testament Scriptures, but when he ministers the salvation of God which was sent to the Gentiles, the old
Testament Scriptures do not contain the revelation of the section of the kingdom of God which he then opens up.
This section is spoken of as a `mystery' that had been hidden by God since the ages, and therefore is not revealed in
the Old Testament Scriptures. The absence of quotation from Old Testament in the Epistles to the Ephesians,
Philippians, Colossians and 2 Timothy is both explained and reflected here.
The crisis is reached and culminates in the `one word' of Isaiah 6:10 quoted by the apostle before Israel as a
nation were `dismissed' (departed, verse 25). This passage from Isaiah had been quoted by the Lord in Matthew 13
when the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven were for the first time revealed. These parables of the mysteries were
not uttered until it became evident that Israel would not repent (see Matt. 13:20-27), and that Christ would be
rejected (see Matt. 12:6,41,42). It is here, too, that the wider ministry of Christ among the Gentiles is spoken of (see
Matt. 12:16-21). Now, in Acts 28, Israel of the dispersion adopt the same attitude. When this is manifest, the words
quoted by the Lord in Matthew 13 are again quoted by Paul and for the same reason. The mysteries that follow this
quotation in Acts 28 are not the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but the added revelation of the mystery of
Christ, and the altogether unknown mystery of the favour of God to the Gentiles under the terms of the one body and
heavenly places.
The first thing said of Israel is to do with `hearing'. In contrast the apostle places the Gentiles:
`Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they
WILL HEAR IT'
(Acts 28:28).
When Peter spoke to Cornelius, the Gentile, he said:
`The word which God SENT unto the children of ISRAEL ... was published throughout all Judaea ... the land of the
Jews, and in Jerusalem ... commanded us to preach unto the people' (Acts 10:36-42).
Paul, however, does not tell the Gentiles that word which God sent to Israel, but he declares that the salvation of
God is sent unto the Gentiles, and thereby indicates a new development in the purpose of the ages.
The prison ministry of the apostle Paul is a blessed one. The epistles written from prison form a distinct group
by themselves.  In them is revealed grace beyond thought to those who by nature were aliens from the
commonwealth of Israel. These epistles, however, are outside the scope of the present Volume.
We have sought to show the general trend of the Acts, and the basic theme of the reconciliation that covers the
greater part of it and the epistles of the period. These epistles of the reconciliation must be understood before the
teaching relative to the dispensation of the mystery, the church of the one body, the blessings in the super-heavens,
can be appreciated. The closing words of the epistle to the Romans, the last words of the dispensation which ended
with Acts 28:28, lead us to the higher ground reached by that revelation given to the apostle Paul before the prison
ministry began. They will form a fitting close to the present Volume:
`Now to Him Who is able to establish you according to MY GOSPEL, and the proclamation of Jesus Christ
ACCORDING TO the revelation of the mystery, which has been hushed in aionion times, but now has been made
manifest; and through prophetic writings, according to the appointment of the aionion God, has been made
known to all nations, in order to the obedience of faith; to God only wise, through Jesus Christ, to Him be glory
for the ages (aion). Amen' (Rom. 16:25-27 Author's translation).