The Apostle Paul emphasizes the need for the Ephesian believers to gain a proper understanding of what he writes, and then also by his prayer for them to receive “the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him (Christ).”

“... When Ye Read, ye may understand my (Paul’s) knowledge in the mystery of Christ) (Ephesians 3:4)

 “Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself” (Ephesians 1:9)

 “I (Paul)… Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; ¹⁷That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit Of Wisdom And Revelation In The Knowledge Of Him (Christ): ¹⁸The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance IN The Saints, (Eph. 1:16-18).

We have so much more reason to read and study the Scriptures now that God’s great “eternal purpose…in Christ Jesus” and God’s eternally secreted plan called “the mystery” has been revealed through the writings of “Paul,” as “THE (one) Apostle to the Gentiles” (Rom 11:13).

We can “understand” the Scriptures intelligently, without contradiction and confusion, as we study the word “rightly divided” (2Tim 2:15) and by adopting a few simple study rules as tools that we will discuss in this study.

How can we believe what the Bible says unless and until we first understand what the Bible says? God would have us to understand what we read and believe it, intelligently. Our Christian life will not work as God intended on the basis of ignorance of the truth. God has never asked that we put our thinking cap aside to believe the fables, distortions and misinterpretations that are so often preached from the pulpits of the church at large today.

A true believer should want to know and understand more and more of God’s Word. One who does not care whether or not he understands what God has said he is not really interested in knowing what God has said at all. His faith is based upon his own will, history, and preconceived ideas rather than on the truth of God’s written words. Regardless of the true meaning of Scripture, some will ignore the words in context or they may take any passage that suits their fancy and use it as they wish. Such a person usually says ‘What I think is…’ As David wrote, the fact is that the Lord has set His ‘word’ above His holy name. “… for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.” (Psalm 138:2)

True and sincere believers should prefer to study the word of God to see what the truth of God is in this day of “the mystery,” as revealed to us and for us by the Apostle Paul during this day of “the dispensation of the grace of God” (Eph 3:2).

As we see by Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians, which I cited above in Eph 1, God Himself puts importance upon understanding. On one occasion, when our Lord Jesus saw the multitudes, He “was moved with compassion toward them because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and He began to TEACH them many things” (Mark 6:34).

Personally, my desire is to help bring Christians to a better understanding of God’s word and His eternal intention as we today live under “the dispensation of the grace of God.” My prayer is that all Christians come to see how it is that God Himself has made a way for us by giving His Son Christ Jesus not only for us at the cross, but also to us, to be our all-sufficient life-supply... that they may enjoy “the fellowship of the mystery,” that is the union among all genuine believers and their union with Christ within them as members of “the body of Christ.”

These truths, with the liberty and enjoyment that these now revealed truths bring, may be seen in His written word as we approach His written word in His way, intelligently receiving the light of “the Spirit of Truth.” I believe also that we can best enter the doorway to understanding these truths by applying this most important instruction we receive from the Apostle Paul with regard to the proper method of study of God’s written word. Since it is Paul who speaks of “the mystery” (musterion, the eternally secreted plan of God)” and to “study” the word, it would be wise to heed his instruction also as to how we should study the word.

2Timothy 2:15 (KJV) Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (Gk., orthotomeo, cut straight) the word of truth.

It takes a King James (Authorized Version) of the Bible to see this verse, but it is key to our understanding of Scriptures. The words “rightly dividing” are from the one Greek word “orthotomeo”; meaning to make one “straight cut.” This then results in dividing the word into two (2) pieces that as we will see concern two different people groups of God’s people; 1) the nation Israel, 2) “the body of Christ” that Paul also called “the church which is His body.” We must divide the Bible into its distinctive parts if we are to clearly see God’s intention and His all-sufficient accomplishment by the offering of Christ at Calvary for all men, seeing “the word of truth” without confusion and without contradiction.

Dividing the word is one thing, but “rightly dividing the word of truth” is quite another. The phrase “rightly dividing the word of truth” implies that there must be ways to wrongly divide the written word. Sadly, much of Christianity travels a path of either no division or wrong division of God’s word of truth. Thus, they miss out on God’s intention and the benefits He has made available to those who see and enjoy the truths put forth in His word. Both the undivided word and wrongly divided word of God can only lead us to misunderstandings of God’s intent and His message for the church that he specifically calls “the church, which is His body” (Eph. 1:22b-23a) today.

There are in fact God ordained major divisions in the Bible.

• These divisions pertain to different relationships (Law vs. grace) in effect at different times (dispensational ages of Law vs. Grace) and with different peoples (Israel, the “body of Christ”), concerning how God deals with them and what is expected of the people involved. These are commonly called “dispensations,” of which there are mainly seven dispensations in the timeline of the Bible.
• There are three kinds of people mentioned in the Bible – “the Jew, the Gentile” and those who are the saved of “the church of God” (1Cor 10:32). We can say that every word given in Scripture pertains to at least one of these three classes of people. Some Scriptures pertain specifically to only one, others to two of these three classes of people.

How can one align themselves with Paul’s instruction to Timothy - “teach no other doctrine” than that which he taught unless we first understand the content and intent and Paul’s unique doctrinal message of grace while recognizing exactly to whom he was writing? Paul received his “my gospel” (Rom 16:25 by direct “revelation” from the ascended Lord (cf., Gal 1:12). Paul’s gospel concerns Christ’s cross and His indwelling relationship with the believing members of “the body of Christ.”

1 Timothy 1:3-4 As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying (building up) which is in faith: so do.

I want to acknowledge at least some of the many sources for the content of learning I’ve gained over the last 25 years of my study of “the word... rightly divided.” My writings of course are built upon the understandings that I have gained over these years through the writings and teachings of many people, as the Lord has enlightened my path by His grace and the “Spirit of Truth.” In my writing I have often borrowed (without specific attribution) information, phrases, paragraphs, terms, bits, pieces and parts, and thoughts from the writings and/or verbal sharing of men such as Richard Jordan, Cornelius Stam, E.W. Bullinger, Charles Baker, Paul Sadler, Ricky Kurth, Russell Miller, Casey Groeneveld, Robert Brock and so many others. In writing this series, I have borrowed heavily from Cornelius Stam. Yet, I do not ascribe the understandings that I put forth in my writings as the exact understanding of these men, since each of us may see certain aspects of these truths in various shades according to the light we each have received. Nevertheless, the Lord has used these and many other men to whom the Lord has led me in my seeking to know Christ “according to the revelation of The Mystery” (Rom 16:25). They have helped open the truth of His word for today to me, as gained only by studying it “rightly divided,” according to its ordained dispensations.

Unless and until we acknowledge and study the word “rightly divided” we will only have the scantest and shallowest understanding of Bible truth mixed with misunderstandings. Otherwise, we cannot fully appreciate the greatness of the grace-filled salvation that we now have and may now enjoy due to the grace we have received in Christ by the work and fruit of His all-sufficient, now empty, cross. 

My prayer is that this study series will help some to gain a better perspective of the importance of proper study and hermeneutics (method of interpretation). We should never play fast and loose with the Scriptures as I myself may have done over my former years in ignorance. We must always let Scripture interpret Scripture in it near and remote context.

God has not been slack in giving us His written words as they have been Holy Spirit inspired and preserved through the years of its writing, beginning with Moses. There’s a need for us to be doggedly consistent in our contextual study of the written word of God as we seek to know ‘the whole counsel of God,’ and as Paul, “the Apostle to the Gentiles,” wrote of it.  

Romans 11:13a For I (Paul) speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles…

 Acts 20:27-30 For I (Paul) have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. ²⁸ Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. ²⁹ For I (Paul) know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. ³⁰ Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

May God richly bless you with enlightenment, revelation and understanding as you read and study His, written, Holy word, rightly divided.

Arthur J. Licursi, updated January, 1, 2016