All Articles
“The "Fullness of Times"”
ln Ephesians the first chapter, Paul makes an interesting observation in refering to God's eternal purpose: 'Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him' (Ephesians l:8-10).
I am interested in the phrase 'in the fullness of times.' Experts are divided as to the actual meaning, but in the context it seems to refer to the time God judged right for the administration of Jesus Christ to begin. Certainly it is 'according to His good pleasure'. And His nature would demand that the revelation of the final mystery, that dispensation wherein the Messiah reigns, would be at the time he deemed best, the time when everything was just right for its coming.
Scholars say that everything was just right for the coming of Jesus and, thus, the gospel age. There were Jewish synagogues all over the civilized world; there were Roman roads crisscrossing the land; there was free trade worldwide. And there was a common language, Greek.
Until about 3,000 years ago writing was pictographic. It was complicated. So much so that only the very affluent or intelligent could be trained to do it. Egyptian hieroglyphics, Mesopotamian cuneiform, the many-faceted writing of the Chinese, required that thousands of individual symbols be memorized, thus reserving writing for a select few.
About that time, the Greeks began to trade with the Phoenicians. They were soon impressed with their form of written communication. 'The writing system of the Phoenician traders, which the early Greeks borrowed, was based on a direct relationship between the individual sounds of the spoken language and the marks used to represent them' (Wm. F. Zachmann). It was a much simpler way of expressing thoughts in writing. This uncomplicated phonetic script made it possible for the common people to read and understand, to have access to written materials of all kinds. Information became easily transmitted, easy to learn. Education became possible for almost everyone.
God unraveled the 'mystery of His will'at precisely the right time. He gave us His revealed mind when it was 'the fullness of times'. And He gave it so that all might share in it (Ephesians 1:10).
The Bible is not meant for a select few. Its principles are for the masses, for everyone who has an ear to hear. It is not reserved for the learned, but for all who need it. When it is chained to the pulpit to be interpreted only by the clergy, it loses its influence, and thereby its effectiveness.
Preachers are to preach it (2 Timothy 1:1-2), but the Bible is not reserved for preachers. It belongs to the people (Acts 8:4). Preachers are not apostles. They are preachers-men who have certain abilities as public proclaimers and motivators to help the people understand and do the will of God. But they are not the final authority. The Bible is meant to be read and understood by all the people (Ephesians 5:17). Let all people everywhere learn it, love it, live it.
