Beta.- There are strange rumours travelling round the churches. Some say that Paul at Rome has announced a

dispensational crisis, and that Israel as a people have been set aside, and their hope suspended.

Gamma.- But, brethren, even though Israel be set aside, and even though we rightly sorrow at such a tragic

happening, why should that plunge us into gloom for ourselves? We were not saved by Israel, but by Israel's Lord.

Alpha.- True, brother, Christ and Christ alone is our rock foundation; upon Him, and upon Him alone, we rest for

our salvation. That is not our problem. It is this. We learned from the apostle to discriminate between `doctrine'

and `dispensation', between that salvation which is `in Christ' and the dispensational position and privilege which

was `with faithful Abraham'. While we were told we were justified by faith and had peace and access, yet we were

also reminded that we were nevertheless `wild olives' grafted into the Olive Tree of Israel. While that Olive Tree

stood our dispensational position was known and accepted. But the disquieting news that we have received of

Israel's rejection, together with the cessation of many evidential signs and miracles, seem to indicate that we can no

longer be joined to Israel, nor partakers of the fatness of the Olive Tree. Our problem is not, Are we still saved? but,

Who or what are we? Are we a distinct company? If so, what is our basis? We possess the Scriptures, and have

searched Moses and the Prophets, and we rejoiced to perceive, that although Israel may fail and be temporarily set

aside, a blessed day of restoration is sure, because God will keep His covenant with Abraham. But, though we have

searched diligently, we can find no word to tell us what God would do, should Israel not repent, or what position the

Gentile believer would occupy if Israel and its hope be set aside. Therefore unless there be granted to Paul or to

some of us a new revelation, we can have no intelligent conception of either our calling or our hope.

Beta.- Brethren, if any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God; we can at least pray, we still have access there, and

surely it will be well-pleasing to the Lord that we enquire of Him for light in our present darkness.

We will not transcribe the prayer that followed, but will give the sequel. As Daniel experienced, so did this little

assembly. `While I was speaking in prayer', said Daniel, the angel came, and while this little company confessed

their ignorance and desired illumination, an `angel', or a `messenger', arrived with a blessed and full answer of

peace. Into the little assembly entered a travel-stained man. His steps were weary, but his heart was light. He was

the harbinger of tidings the equal of which mortal ears had never heard.

Angelos (The Messenger) speaks: Brethren, lift up your heads! Listen to the tidings I bring! Grace has indeed

super-abounded, blessings beyond our dreams have been revealed as ours! The apostle Paul has indeed pronounced

the doom of Israel, and, with their setting aside, the hope and promises belonging to them must go as well. You

must be prepared to lose that you may gain. You must be emptied that you may be filled. Brethren, never again will

the apostle speak to you of Abraham; never again will he minister the New Covenant; never again will his hands

bring healing to the sick or life to the dead. These things you must be prepared to forego, but I will not dwell upon

the negative side - let me advance to my real message. God has revealed to Paul that he is now `The prisoner of

Jesus Christ for you Gentiles'; that to him in that new capacity God has granted a new dispensation! This

dispensation is concerned with a secret, a secret not discoverable in the Scriptures, because it has been `hid in God'

since the ages. Now, since the setting aside of Israel, God has made manifest this secret purpose, and I bring you the

glad message, that God chose, before the overthrow of the world, Gentile believers to be associated with Christ, as

members of His body, and to be seated with Him where He now sits at the right hand of God, blessed with all

spiritual blessings in heavenly places!

But, beloved, I will not stand between you and the real message I bring; here is an epistle sent by the apostle to

the assemblies, and to be read and interchanged with the epistle to Laodicea, which I also am entrusted to deliver.

At this, Angeles produced a letter, the letter which we now call `The Epistle to the Ephesians', which gives us

the basis of the teaching that Paul dispensed in his own house throughout the two years of his imprisonment.

Five epistles bear the mark of prison: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon and 2 Timothy. When,

however, we think of the new revelation and its conveyance to ourselves in the New Testament, we speak of the

`Four Prison Epistles'.

In verse 23 of Acts 28 neither `preaching' nor `teaching' is mentioned, but `exposition', `testimony' and

`persuasion'; in verse 31, however, we have `preaching' and `teaching'.