The main purpose of the following pages is to place before the reader the Parables, Miracles, and Signs both

of the Gospel of Matthew and also of John, so that their dispensational significance may be both demonstrated

and appreciated - with the hope that such a recognition may prove to be a stepping stone to the Mystery

entrusted to the apostle Paul, and made known in the epistle to the Ephesians.

In order that every reader may understand what is intended by the term `dispensational significance' we

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adopt the following extract from chapter 2 of the book entitled Dispensational Truth.

THE WORD `DISPENSATION'.

The Greek word translated `dispensation' is oikonomia, and signifies the act of administering. Oikonomia is

a compound made up of oikos (a house), and nemo (to dispense, to deal out as a steward or housekeeper). The

Greek word is preserved in our English tongue in the words `economy' and `economics'. Let us consider the

occurrences of this word. In Luke 16:2-4 it is rendered `stewardship'. In 1 Corinthians 9:17; Ephesians 1:10;

3:2,9 (R.V.); Colossians 1:25, and 1 Timothy 1:4 (R.V.), it is rendered `dispensation'. These are all the

passages in which the word oikonomia occurs, nine in all, and those who are acquainted with the significance

of numbers will recognize that nine, the number of finality of judgment both in relation to God and man, is in

part explanatory of the goal of the various dispensations of God.

By dispensational truth we mean that particular revelation of God's will to man during some particular

administration or economy, and specially appertaining thereto. When we speak of some teaching or practice

as being undispensational, we mean that owing to the introduction of a new administration, certain things that

obtained under a previous regime have become obsolete. By the term undispensational teaching, therefore, we

mean that the teaching peculiar to one dispensation has been imported into another and differing dispensation,

where the conditions of divine dealing render the practical application of such teaching quite inadmissible.

If the above definition is accepted, it follows that should the parables, miracles and signs of the Gospels

prove to be associated with `that particular revelation of God's will' which pertains to the kingdom of Israel or

to a company other than the Church of the One Body, then the hope and the calling of the Church must be

sought elsewhere. What that calling is, where it is revealed, what is its sphere of blessing, and wherein does it

differ from that revealed in the Gospels, is not our present study; all we can say here is that it is the exclusive

privilege of Paul as `The prisoner of the Lord' for us Gentiles to make this new dispensation known, and that it

lies quite outside of the revelation of God's purposes that fill the Gospels with their blessed message.

Seeing that the parables form an integral part of the Gospel that records them, and knowing what mischief

attends the attempt to expound Scripture apart from its context, and moreover being certain that if our point of

view is the true one, then it will stand the severest examination, we preface our study of the parables with a

survey of the salient features of the Gospel according to Matthew, in order that the two sets of parables may be

seen in their relation to the twofold scope of that Gospel. Similarly, before we examine the Eight Signs of the

Gospel according to John, we again examine that Gospel in order to understand its dispensational place in the

divine purpose.

Neither parable, miracle, nor sign are found in the epistles of the Mystery (Ephesians, Philippians,

Colossians and 2 Timothy) but a clear understanding of the true import of these wondrous words and deeds has

many times proved the portal to the attainment of a fuller knowledge as to `What is the hope of His calling'

today. We accordingly, with this hope in mind, commend the following pages to the reader, praying that above

all things that such may manifest that true nobility of mind that earned the commendation of the Lord by the

`Bereans' of old, in that they `searched' the Scriptures `to see' that these things were `so'.

Do not use this file for printing out the book. Use only the Indexes at the end. 25/11/95

Use PMS001.doc to PMS006.doc for the book.

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Dispensational Truth, or the place of Israel and the Church in the purpose of the ages, by the same author

and publisher.