All Scripture is for our Learning But All Scripture is not Addressed to Everyone: Administrations

Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, (2Ti 3:16 WEB)

Scripture is the Greek word graphe (Strong’s G1124) which just means writing. Of course, this verse is not saying that everything that has been written in the world is God-breathed. That would be ridiculous, everything in the local library is not God-breathed. Every here just means every writing that is part of the word of God. But look what this verse says about those writings. It uses the figure of speech “God-breathed” to emphasize these words emanated from God even though they had human writers. And it lists three different uses or profits. The first is to teach us. Some versions use the word doctrine, but doctrine just means teaching. The second is reproof which is to tell us when we’re doing something wrong. And the third is correction, which is what to do instead of what we are doing wrong.

The biggest point above is that God is the source of his word which can teach us, reprove us, and correct us. Next, we’ll start to see that everything written, even though we can learn from it, is not written to us.

For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that through perseverance and through encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. (Rom 15:4 WEB)

This verse says that the things written before, before meaning before Christ died and paid the price for our sins, were for our learning. They were not written to us, even though there’s a lot of things we can learn from them, and even some things that are universal principles of God. But we shall see that, specifically, things like the law were written only to the children of Israel, and not to us.

Let’s look at another example:

Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” (Mat 19:21 WEB)

This is not a command for everyone to sell everything they have and give what money they receive to the poor!  Jesus gave this instruction to a young ruler who had great possessions.  How do I know that? Because we read it in the following verse.

But when the young man heard the saying, he went away sad, for he was one who had great possessions. (Mat 19:22 WEB)

Jesus was teaching here that it is difficult for people with earthly riches to be part of the kingdom of God. How do I know that? Because of these verses.

Jesus said to his disciples, “Most certainly I say to you, a rich man will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven with difficulty. Again, I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into God’s Kingdom.” When the disciples heard it, they were exceedingly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” Looking at them, Jesus said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Mat 19:23-26 WEB)

Jesus taught here that it’s hard for someone with wealth to enter into God’s kingdom. But he didn’t say it was impossible, in fact, here is where he says that with God all things are possible. Now I’m not saying that Jesus only said that this one person has to sell what he has and give to the poor. That message has probably been given to people via the spirit to people on a regular basis who have great wealth and are not able to enter the kingdom of God because their wealth is controlling them. But here Jesus is just not saying it to everyone.  He just said it to that one man although others might profit from following suit.  The point is it’s not written to everyone.  All Christians are not called to give everything away.

Here’s an important concept in Scripture; the Law and who it was given to.

who are Israelites; whose is the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service, and the promises; (Rom 9:4 WEB)

The above verse says that the law was given to the children of Israel.

Now, Israel, listen to the statutes and to the ordinances, which I teach you, to do them; that you may live, and go in and possess the land which Yahweh, the God of your fathers, gives you. (Deu 4:1 WEB)

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel. After those days,” says the Lord; “I will put my laws into their mind, I will also write them on their heart. I will be their God, and they will be my people. (Heb 8:10 WEB)

The above verse refers to the fact that God gave the Law as a start, afterward he would put a law in the hearts of his people.  But first, the children of Israel were given the Law.

The children of Israel were bound to all the penalties, and rituals specified in the law.  It is important to remember that much of the law was the civil law of a sovereign nation in the world. Whether or not we agree with some of the strict penalties today we have civil authorities that inflict punishment for crimes but the children of Israel were a theocracy, a nation-state where priests rule the state in the name of God with the laws given by him. Our laws of retribution, lex talionis, are founded on the eye for an eye component of the Law. As barbaric as some of the law may seem modern legal education teaches that lex talionis as outlined in the Law actually changed the practice of lawful punishment in the world.  It introduced a policy of proportional restraint in punishment.[1]

The Law had civil, ceremonial, and moral components. The civil law had that eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth, lex talionis, basis.  The ceremonial law included circumcision, as well as offerings and feasts. The moral law included the 10 Commandments, you shall not murder, lie, steal, covet, etc. And while the law is fulfilled, it’s impossible to walk by the spirit of God today, and not honor the moral law of God even though we are no longer bound to the Law of Moses.

But the Law was imperfect, just a shadow of the things to come.

For the law, having a shadow of the good to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect those who draw near. (Heb 10:1 WEB)

But Christ fulfilled the law and ushered in the administration of grace.

For Christ is the fulfillment of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. (Rom 10:4 WEB)

if it is so that you have heard of the administration of that grace of God which was given me toward you; (Eph 3:2 WEB)

For sin will not have dominion over you. For you are not under law, but under grace. (Rom 6:14 WEB)

What we have here are verses that show that the law is fulfilled and has been replaced with a grace administration. Note that it is called an administration in scripture (Eph3:2). The grace administration, which replaced the Law administration, is the administration we are in. Adam and Eve had their own administration which ended when they were cast out, and the Patriarchal administration, the time of the patriarchs with their lax rules, began.  Whenever the rules change for believers, that marks the change of administration.

Grace is divine favor.  Even though we don’t deserve it we have been saved.  We got forgiveness for the sins in our past when we accepted the Lord.  And we can get forgiveness for our sins by acknowledging them to the Lord.  We aren’t subject to the penalties of the Law anymore.  That’s amazing.  We still are charged, commanded to do things, but we are not bound to the rituals, precepts, and penalties of the law.

Of, course, that doesn’t mean we can do anything we please although seeing some of the people in different churches it may look like it.  That’s why Paul wrote this:

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? May it never be! We who died to sin, how could we live in it any longer? (Rom 6:1-2 WEB)

And later Paul expands on the spiritual reality of the freedom we have in Christ.

What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under law, but under grace? May it never be! Don’t you know that when you present yourselves as servants and obey someone, you are the servants of whomever you obey; whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?  (Rom 6:15-16 WEB)

Now there’s a lot more to this. But, at the very least you can see that there’s an old covenant and a new covenant. And our administration is marked by grace, but that is not a license to sin. But, even more than that, there have been different administrations throughout the Scriptures. For example, in the garden of Eden there was only one rule. The rule was that you could eat out of anything in the garden except for the tree of life in the middle of the garden. That was the rule. That rule no longer exists, that passed with the garden of Eden. After the garden of Eden, we have the time of the patriarchs, from Adam to Moses. The Law was not given yet, so this time period or administration had a different set of rules which were fairly loose.

Right now, we are in the age, the administration, of grace as we read above in Ephesians 3:2. But that time will pass and we will enter into administrations that see the tribulation, the return of Christ, and the age to come.

The important concept is that each time period, each administration has different sets of rules.  But righteous living is living godly in every time period.  This set of laws span the different administrations.

Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” (Mat 22:37-40 WEB)

Loving God with all of our hearts, souls, and minds along with loving our neighbors as ourselves is right living, righteousness, no matter what the administration is.

Let’s look at more examples of things written to certain people in the Scripture. Who are the Corinthian letters to? Just the Corinthians?  Let’s read.

Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, to the assembly of God which is at Corinth; those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints, with all who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, both theirs and ours: (1Co 1:1-2 WEB)

There is a salutation in this letter. It says it is written to the assembly of the saints of God at Corinth, right?  But, is that all it says? No, it says that it also is written to “all who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place”.  Whoa, that means that it is written not just to Corinth, it is written to all of us.  Look at some other salutations.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus: (Eph 1:1 WEB)

Paul specifies Ephesus here, but adds “the faithful in Christ Jesus”.

Of all the writings in the Scriptures, the church epistles are the ones that are actually written to us. Not only that but we are commanded to follow the traditions of the apostles, as contained in their letters, also called epistles.

So then, brothers, stand firm, and hold the traditions which you were taught by us, whether by word, or by letter. (2Th 2:15 WEB)

The above verse emphasizes the importance of the apostles’ letters as the church is charged to follow what they say.  And here we see the same thing.

Now I praise you, brothers, that you remember me in all things, and hold firm the traditions, even as I delivered them to you. (1Co 11:2 WEB)

The salutation in 1 Corinthians affirms that these words are written to all of us.

Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, to the assembly of God which is at Corinth; those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints, with all who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, both theirs and ours: (1Co 1:1-2 WEB)

All who call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in every place are charged to follow the apostles’ traditions, the beliefs and practices they set up. They will give us the greatest insight into our life here and now as it pertains to life and godliness.

The point of emphasis here is that not everything in the Scriptures is written to every person. That’s an important part of understanding how to interpret the word of God. It’s also important in explaining what looks like at first glance as contradictions.  Does God forbid people from eating pork? Jews were not allowed to eat pork, Christians are. Are men supposed to be circumcised?  Circumcision was a sign of agreement to the Old Covenant. So, Jews had to be circumcised, but Christians don’t, these are examples of different administrations.

Circumcision is a classic example of to whom it is addressed is important.  Only the children of Israel were told to circumcise.

This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you. Every male among you shall be circumcised. (Gen 17:10 WEB)

The new believers in the church were not to be circumcised.

Behold, I, Paul, tell you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing. (Gal 5:2 WEB)

Another example is dietary restrictions

Leviticus chapter 11 lists the dietary restrictions.

“Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘These are the living things which you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth. Whatever parts the hoof, and is cloven-footed, and chews the cud among the animals, that you may eat. “‘Nevertheless these you shall not eat of those that chew the cud, or of those who part the hoof: the camel, because he chews the cud but doesn’t have a parted hoof, he is unclean to you. The cony, because he chews the cud but doesn’t have a parted hoof, he is unclean to you. The hare, because she chews the cud but doesn’t part the hoof, she is unclean to you. The pig, because he has a split hoof, and is cloven-footed, but doesn’t chew the cud, he is unclean to you. Of their meat you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch; they are unclean to you. “‘These you may eat of all that are in the waters: whatever has fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, that you may eat. All that don’t have fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of all the living creatures that are in the waters, they are an abomination to you, and you shall detest them. You shall not eat of their meat, and you shall detest their carcasses. Whatever has no fins nor scales in the waters, that is an abomination to you. “‘These you shall detest among the birds; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the vulture, and the black vulture, and the red kite, any kind of black kite, any kind of raven, the horned owl, the screech owl, and the gull, any kind of hawk, the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl, the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey, the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe, and the bat. “‘All flying insects that walk on all fours are an abomination to you. Yet you may eat these: of all winged creeping things that go on all fours, which have legs above their feet, with which to hop on the earth. Even of these you may eat: any kind of locust, any kind of katydid, any kind of cricket, and any kind of grasshopper. (Lev 11:2-22 WEB)

There is more but you get the point.  Compare that to:

Now on the next day as they were on their journey, and got close to the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray at about noon. He became hungry and desired to eat, but while they were preparing, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and a certain container descending to him, like a great sheet let down by four corners on the earth, in which were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, reptiles, and birds of the sky. A voice came to him, “Rise, Peter, kill and eat!” But Peter said, “Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” A voice came to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed, you must not call unclean.” This was done three times, and immediately the vessel was received up into heaven. (Act 10:9-16 WEB)

So, we see that under the Law males were circumcised but that was done away after Pentecost.  Likewise, under the Law, there were many strict dietary laws that were done away within the church of Grace.

When we read scripture, we need to ask to whom the verses are addressed, and if not to us, what can we learn from them. And, before we say the Scriptures contradict themselves, we need to ascertain whether we have correctly interpreted the scriptures including this principle of to whom the scripture is addressed understanding that part of the word of God is that different people were given different directions individually at times and also as groups in the different administrations.

[1] An Eye for an Eye: Proportionality as a Moral Principle of Punishment, Oxford Journal of Legal Studies, Vol. 28, No. 1 (Spring, 2008), pp. 57-71, https://www.jstor.org/stable/20185360

Last revised 2/3/2022

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