covered the period of the early epistles of Paul, and that new dispensation is ushered in

by the epoch-making words: "The salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and they

will hear it" (Acts 28: 28).

Since the days of Abraham there is no record of any Gentile being "saved"

independently of Israel. We say advisedly "There is no record". We do not limit the

Holy One of Israel, but we are rightly and necessarily limited by the written word. The

apostle in Gal. 1: 9 made a staggering statement. Having made it he still seemed to fear

that it would not be taken literally, so he repeated it: "As we said before, so say I now

again." We have just made the statement, "Since the days of Abraham there is no record

of any Gentile being saved independently of Israel" and lest the reader should miss the

challenge to orthodoxy that such a statement makes, we ask for one reference from the

O.T. or the N.T. to disprove it.  If it cannot be disproved, then we must perforce

acknowledge the great change indicated in Acts 28: 28.

In Acts 13:, at the commencement of his separate ministry, the Apostle introduced

the great doctrine of justification by faith, without works of law, with the words, "Be it

known unto you therefore" (Acts 13: 38). At the commencement of his new and

separate ministry (that of the mystery) he introduced the key thought once again with the

self-same words, "Be it known unto you therefore" (Acts 28: 28).  In Acts 13:,

moreover, we have a warning, "Beware therefore, lest that come upon you which is

spoken of in the prophets" (Acts 13: 40).  In Acts 28: 23-27 that warning is

On the ground that Paul had earlier announced that he was turning away from the Jews

to the Gentiles, there are some who refuse to admit that Acts 28: 28 marks a

dispensational crisis.  Before Acts 28: 28 can be proved to be THE CRISIS, the

passages which record this turning to the Gentiles must therefore be considered. After

Paul had spoken in the synagogue at Antioch, the Gentiles who were attached desired that

they might hear the message the following Sabbath. This however provoked the envy of

the Jews, and they spoke against the testimony of Paul and Barnabas, who then boldly

But this was merely a local action, as is proved by continuing our reading until we

come to the words, "And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the

synagogue of the Jews" (Acts 14: 1). Again, the Jews assaulted the apostles and, again,

they turned to the Gentiles, for in Lystra his hearers were idolators. Here also the nature

of their action was as local as at Antioch. When the Apostle returned to Antioch in Syria,

he did not report the setting aside of the Jew and the introduction of a new dispensation

for the Gentile, but "rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how He had opened

the door of faith unto the Gentiles" (Acts 14: 27). This is the inspired interpretation of

Acts 13: and 14: