Bible Books from The Four Gospels to Paul’s Epistles

One of the terms used in describing the books that belong in Scripture is the word ‘canon.’ This comes from the Greek word kanon, meaning reed or measurement. A canonical book is one that measures up to the standard of Holy Scripture. Thus, the canon of Scripture refers to the books that are considered ‘the authoritative Word of God.’

It would be helpful to the Bible student to consider and note the specific order of the books as contained in the Biblical Canon. In their God-ordained order the books of the Bible serve to reveal the unfolding of the ages; uncovering the unique place of Paul’s mystery “gospel of the grace of God” in God’s eternal plan. Paul’s thirteen epistles from Romans to Philemon serve as an insertion of information not found anywhere else in the Bible.

The Holy Spirit Inspired Books (2Tim. 3:16) that are in the Bible are not at all listed according to the chronological order of their writing. They are set in the order of the unfolding of the dispensational ages from “time past,” the present “but now,” unto “the ages to come.”

The index of our Bible (i.e., the Authorized Kings James Version) reveals the uniqueness of Paul’s epistles, and the fact that the present “dispensation of the grace of God” (Eph. 3:2) was given to Paul for the Gentile “body of Christ.” The epistles of Paul appear in our Bibles almost as if they were inserted as a parenthesis, interrupting God’s Prophetic plan with regard to Israel. Some refer to this as new, formerly secret information as ‘vertical truth’ that was handed down from the ascended Lord Jesus Christ in heaven… to Paul directly (cf. Gal. 1:12).

So, God’s eternal plan included this ‘interruption’ in His timeline plan for the fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecy concerning Israel and the promised “Kingdom of Heaven” to come on earth.

After Paul’s thirteen (13) epistles to ‘the church, which is body of Christ,’ come the book of Hebrews. The book of Hebrews picks up from the Gospels, with God’s focus still being set upon Israel, just as though Paul’s Gentile “dispensation of the grace of God” had not occurred.

Only through Paul is the full meaning and purpose of the Cross of Christ revealed (i.e., Romans). But, the Book of Hebrews adds similar Cross-based information from Israel’s historical perspective for Israel’s believing Jewish remnant to better see, receive, and believe in “the ages to come” – that is during “the Day of the Lord” that we call the Tribulation period and Jesus’ subsequent Millennial kingdom on earth.

Let’s now consider the specific order of the books of the New Testament in more detail, noting to whom they are addressed and intended.

• The so-called ‘Four Gospels’ are set in what Paul calls “time past,” while yet under “the Law” in view of the Prophecies of the Old Covenant concerning  Israel. The dispensation of “the Law” is then referred to as “time past” as it is a time before the present day of “the now” of “the dispensation of the grace of God” (Eph. 3:2).

In the so-called Gospels, Jesus of Nazareth says He has come to specifically address “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt. 15:4), not the Gentiles. Jesus spoke of the long-promised “Kingdom of heaven” being “at hand” and much more. He first gathered a small following of Messianic Jewish believers that He called the Father’s “little flock.” “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:32) Yet, as He continued to share truth with them, Scripture says “they understood Him not” (Luke 8:4) until after His death and resurrection when the Spirit would come to reveal “all truth.” (cf. John 16:13)

Among the “little flock” Jesus had “The Twelve” Apostles, meaning they would be His “sent ones.” He explicitly sent them ONLY to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” with the message of and the offer of the Kingdom, as seen in Peter’s preaching the Day of Pentecost in Acts chapters 2 and 3.

“These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go NOT into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: ⁶ But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matthew 10:5-6 (KJV)

• The Book of Acts, written by Luke, begins still in “time past” as a continuation of Luke’s Gospel writing with Israel under “the Law.” A relatively small number responded to the Apostle’s preaching of “the Gospel of the Kingdom” while the religious hierarchy of Israel vehemently opposed their preaching until the killed Stephen a man who at his stoning it says he was ‘filled with the Holy Spirit’ recounting Israel’s history of ‘resisting the Holy Spirit.’ Then the religious leaders of Israel orchestrated his stoning, while Saul of Tarsus (later to be called ‘Paul’) stood by “consenting” while he held the coats of the executioners.   In accord with the Bible’s unfolding of the ages, it is soon after Stephen’s stoning that we note Paul’s calling and conversion (Acts 9). This is the beginning of the transition from “time past” age of Israel under “the Law” to the “but now” dispensational age of “the dispensation of the grace of God” (Eph 3:2).

After the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7 and the salvation of Saul of Tarsus in Acts 9, Paul’s grace-age ministry began to rise to both Jew and Gentile even as the ministry of “the twelve” Apostles of Israel “diminished” (Rom. 11:12). Israel was fully “fallen” with Paul’s declaration of Acts 28:28, saying the salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles. Thus, from then on, Paul went only to the ‘Gentiles,’ a term that then includes those all races without distinction, including Israelites who then are regarded to be nothing special, as lost as any lost Gentile.

Saul Paulus was commissioned by the resurrected Christ from heaven in His celestial ministry to be “Paul… the Apostle to the Gentiles.” With that Paul progressively received “revelations” concerning the details of “the mystery [the formerly secret plan of God].” These truths produced “the gospel of the GRACE of God” (Acts 20:24) which is built upon the full meaning of the substitutionary work of Christ’s Cross for the “but now” age of “the dispensation of the grace of God” (Eph. 3:2). Paul received direct “revelations” from the ascended Christ for the Gentile “body of Christ” of which he writes in his thirteen epistles.

“For I neither received [the grace gospel] it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of [from] Jesus Christ.” (Galatians 1:12 (KJV), cf. v11)

• Paul’s Thirteen (13) Epistles to the members of the church called “the body of Christ” (Romans through Philemon):

These epistles explain the delay in Israel’s coming Kingdom (cf. Rom. 11:10-11, 15, 25) as accounted for in the transition from the Israel’s Prophetic Program of God to … the new Pure Grace ‘Mystery [God’s formerly secret) Program’ of Christ’s Cross-based “Grace of God” for the Gentiles as recorded in Mid-Acts and Paul’s thirteen epistles.

Again, the epistles of Paul reveal “the mystery [the formerly secret plan of God].” God had kept this information “hid from ages and generation” until He revealed to Paul, then to be ‘inserted’ into our Bible as the parenthetical grace-age for us today. Thus, this grace age interrupts God’s eternal plan for Israel. It only delays the fulfillment of His plan for Israel.

These Pauline epistles, for the members of “the body of Christ” present the entirety of the new truth concerning a new God and man relationship that is built upon the grace of the Cross-work of Jesus Christ. This dispensation is called “the mystery [Grk. musterion, the former secret],” which “had been kept secret since the world began.” Thus, Paul wrote here of this formerly “hidden” plan of God;

“Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my [Paul’s] gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, According to The Revelation of The Mystery [the God planned secret],” which Was Kept Secret Since The World Began,” (Romans 16:25 (KJV)

The Bible Books From “Hebrews to Revelation” are NOT Pauline. They are written by Jesus’ Apostles to Israel, i.e., Peter, John, James, and Jude.

(See “The Bible Without Paul”: http://www.artlicursi.com/series/bible-without-paul )

These Hebrews to Revelation books concern God’s provision for meeting Israel’s needs during the Tribulation, Millennium unto the eternal Kingdom on “the new earth” as Israel’s position changes in “ages to come.” God knew these truths would be needed to teach, encourage, and guide Israel’s believing end-time remnant in their reliance upon God, so as to equip them, such that they may endure the Tribulation.

“The body of Christ” will by then have already been “raptured” to be with the Lord forever in heaven (1Thes. 4:13-17, 1Cor. 15:51-55).

• Some say the Epistle to the Hebrews may have been written by Paul but it is uncertain. It clearly presents the truth of the cross of Christ as only Paul was first to receive it as revealed in his ministry and in the book of Romans. This critical information concerning the full meaning of the Cross of Christ will be needed by Israel’s end time believers as they endure the Tribulation period and in the Millennial kingdom reign of Christ, and for eternity on the new earth. Both Romans and Hebrews reveals the meaning of the cross, the blood, the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ; but Hebrews additionally cites many of Israel’s historical events and Patriarchs as allegory or metaphor to support these truths. Hebrews is written in a way that the Hebrews could better come to understand the truths of the cross.

The law including “conditional blessing” (Heb 3:6, 14, 6:6, 10:26, 12:25) for Israel is still present in Hebrews, which is entirely contrary to the pure 100% grace of “the dispensation of the grace of God” for today. This distinction clearly disqualifies Hebrews from being a book written to the grace believers of “the body of Christ,” Yet, we today may learn from much of it.

Thus, God’s clock will then have moved ahead from “time past” to Paul’s “but now” the Gentile “body of Christ (Eph 2:13) and onto “the ages to come” (Eph 2:7) that focuses upon Israel.

Confusion and insecurity can occur among members of “the body of Christ” today when Christians try to apply these Jewish conditions of blessing given to Israel. Israel’s law requirements do not fit the grace dispensation for “the body of Christ.” Paul says;

“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” (Romans 6:14 (KJV)

Before we look at the remainder of the books from Hebrews to Revelation, we need to note that, as recorded in Gal. 2:7-9, whereby “James, Cephas (Peter), and John” realized Paul’s unique calling, gospel and ministry to the Gentiles.

• So, in accord with the binding and loosing authority Jesus gave Peter in Matt. 16:19, they restricted or ‘bound’ their “gospel of the kingdom” ministry limiting it “to the circumcision [Israel ONLY],” and
• they loosed Paul to go to “the heathen (Gk. ethnos, Gentiles)” called “the uncircumcision” with his new “gospel of the grace of God.” The title ‘Gentiles’ then and today applies to ALL races, including those of lost and fallen Israel (cf. Gal 3:28).

Note Below Peter and Paul’s Two Different Gospels as seen ONLY in the KJV.

“But contrariwise, when they saw that…

the gospel of the UNcircumcision [for the Gentiles] was committed unto me [Paul], as

the gospel of the circumcision [for Israel] was unto Peter;

⁸ (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision [Israel],

the same was mighty in me [Paul] toward the Gentiles:)

⁹ And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me [Paul] and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship;

that we should go unto the heathen [Gentiles], and they unto the circumcision [only].” (Galatians 2:7-9 (KJV)

This explains why we have Jesus words of Matthew 10:23 telling His Apostles that “ye will not get beyond the cities of Israel” before I return at the 2^nd coming.

See; http://www.artlicursi.com/series/god%E2%80%99s-two-fold-plan-purpose for explanation.

It is obvious then that the epistles of “James, Cephas (Peter), and John” would be addressing “the circumcision [Israel]” as seen in their letters or epistles as noted here below.

• James’ epistle is plainly addressed to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (James 1:1).
• Peter’s 2 epistles are addressed to Israel’s diaspora – Israel’s “strangers [in the world] scattered [sowed]” abroad (1Pet 1:1). 1Peter 2:12 speaks of them being “among the Gentiles,” therefore the recipients of these epistles must not be Gentiles, but Jews. (1Pet 2:9-10 quotes Ex 19:5-6, a promise of God to Israel.) Peter referred to Paul's writings also as “Scripture” in 2 Peter 3:15-16, telling his Jewish audience they need to “listen to our brother Paul”

“And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; ¹⁶ As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest [twist], as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.” (2 Peter 3:15-16 (KJV)

• John’s 3 epistles are addressing Israel’s diaspora – the scattered of Israel.

• Jude’s epistle concerns Israel. Jude was “the brother of James” (v1) and Jude was one of “the twelve” Apostles of Israel who were told by Jesus to go only to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt 10:5-6). Jude in verse 17 refers the recipients to “words spoken by the twelve.” This does not include “Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles.” Paul’s calling to the Gentiles with a new gospel of pure grace alone, apart from works of “the Law” (cf. Rom. 11:6).
• The Book of Revelation, written by John, concerns Jesus Christ’s appearing unto Israel at His 2^nd coming to earth. It reveals the happenings of the time of “the ages to come” when Christ will return to set up the physical, literal, earthly, kingdom of heaven on the earth as was promised to Israel.

Revelation is about Israel and her Messiah and His Kingdom on earth, reigning from the New Jerusalem forever. This occurs after the Rapture of “the church which is His body” to dwell “eternal in the heavens” (2Cor 5:1b, Philip. 3:20).

There is no mention of the Rapture or of “the body of Christ” in the book of Revelation at all. Only Paul writes of the rapture or catching away of “the body of Christ” to dwell “eternal in the heaven” (1Thes 4:13-18, 1Cor 15:51-55, 2Cor 5:1b, Philip. 3:20).

We of “the body of Christ” will co-reign with Christ dwelling “eternal in the heavens” (cf. 2Tim. 2:12,) yet we Gentiles will never be ‘priest’ as Israel will be on earth.

“If we [the members of “the body of Christ”] SUFFER [Grk. epitrepō, ‘Permit,’ Or Accept And Endure Limitations by Christ’s life in us],

we shall also REIGN with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us [from reigning as our reward]:” (2 Timothy 2:12 (KJV)

Thus, Paul wrote of ‘accepting our sufferings’ in many places; “For I reckon [count] that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory [the expression of His life] which shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18 (KJV)

Why does Paul say this? It is because, while we as believers remain on earth, we are being trained in faith, in the midst of the normal trials of life in this fallen world. We are learning to endure “all things” (Rom. 8:28) by Him who loves us and nourishes us. This qualifies us in knowing and accepting His will, which readies us for reigning in the government “the heavenly places.” Paul also wrote of suffering and glory.

“… if [His] children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with [and by] him [in us], that we may be also glorified together.” (Romans 8:17)

By contrast, the dead faithful of Israel will be resurrected from their sleep in their graves in spirit-bodies (just as Jesus was) at His 2^nd coming. They will immediately be renewed to forever dwell on the new earth, co-reigning with Christ forever as “Priests of God.”

“And hast made us [Israel] unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5:10 (KJV)

“Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they [the faithful of Israel] shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” (Revelation 20:6 (KJV)