Exegetical Basis for Dispensation?

[John Reece]

What is the exegetical basis for the word "dispensation" as used in Dispensational theory?

[Act9_12Out]

John,

I'm not quite sure where you're going with this, but I'll take a stab at it... As I'm sure you're aware, the word dispensation is oikonomia. This word is generally translated "dispensation," "stewardship," "economy," etc. It comes from a combination of oikoV house and nomoV law. Literally, dispensation means "house law." We believe that God is the Steward over His creation. As the Steward, God may change the "house laws" whenever He wishes. This is why we say, "The method of salvation for man has changed," since God sometimes changes the way He deals with man. In short, God asks man to show faith in different ways. Now, every time there is a dispensational change does not always constitute a change in the method of salvation. For instance, before the fall, God was dealing with Adam in his innocence. After the fall, God was dealing with Adam in his conscience. The method of salvation for Adam remained the same. When you wrote,


What is the exegetical basis for the word "dispensation" as used in Dispensational theory?

...I'm sure that was a typo. I think you meant to write, What is the exegetical basis for the word "dispensation" as used in Dispensational theology? :hi:

If this isn't what you wanted, please elaborate...

--Jeremy

[John Reece]

Thanks, Jeremy, that's exactly what I was looking for :thumb: .

No, it was not a typo; but your version is O.K. with me :smile: .

[Jaltus]

ACK!

If oikonomia means house laws then butterfly means a flying stick of butter.

[RevSteve45]

John Reece,

Here is what Vine's Expository Dictionary says about it:

DISPENSATION

oikonomia 3622 primarily signifies "the management of a household or of household affairs" (oikos, "a house," nomos, "a law"); then the management or administration of the property of others, and so "a stewardship," Luke 16:2-4; elsewhere only in the epistles of Paul, who applies it (a) to the responsibility entrusted to him of preaching the gospel, 1 Cor. 9:17 (RV, "stewardship," KJV, "dispensation"); (b) to the stewardship committed to him "to fulfill the Word of God," the fulfillment being the unfolding of the completion of the divinely arranged and imparted cycle of truths which are consummated in the truth relating to the church as the body of Christ, Col. 1:25 (RV and KJV, "dispensation"); so in Eph. 3:2, of the grace of God given him as a stewardship ("dispensation") in regard to the same "mystery"; (c) in Eph. 1:10 and 3:9, it is used of the arrangement or administration by God, by which in "the fullness of the times" (or seasons) God will sum up all things in the heavens and on earth in Christ. In Eph. 3:9 some mss. have koinonia, "fellowship," for oikonomia, "dispensation." In 1 Tim. 1:4 oikonomia may mean either a stewardship in the sense of (a) above, or a "dispensation" in the sense of (c). The reading oikodomia, "edifying," in some mss., is not to be accepted. See STEWARDSHIP.

Note: A "dispensation" is not a period or epoch (a common, but erroneous, use of the word), but a mode of dealing, an arrangement or administration of affairs. Cf. oikonomos, "a steward," and oikonomeo, "to be a steward."
(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words)

In His Service,
Steve

[John Reece]

Today @ 04:03 PM post located here (http://www.theologyweb.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=109971#post109971)
Jaltus:

ACK!

If oikonomia means house laws then butterfly means a flying stick of butter.

Thanks for that :thumb: .

[John Reece]

Today @ 04:23 PM post located here (http://www.theologyweb.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=109987#post109987)
RevSteve45:

John Reece,

Here is what Vine's Expository Dictionary says about it:

DISPENSATION

oikonomia 3622 primarily signifies "the management of a household or of household affairs" (oikos, "a house," nomos, "a law"); then the management or administration of the property of others, and so "a stewardship," Luke 16:2-4; elsewhere only in the epistles of Paul, who applies it (a) to the responsibility entrusted to him of preaching the gospel, 1 Cor. 9:17 (RV, "stewardship," KJV, "dispensation"); (b) to the stewardship committed to him "to fulfill the Word of God," the fulfillment being the unfolding of the completion of the divinely arranged and imparted cycle of truths which are consummated in the truth relating to the church as the body of Christ, Col. 1:25 (RV and KJV, "dispensation"); so in Eph. 3:2, of the grace of God given him as a stewardship ("dispensation") in regard to the same "mystery"; (c) in Eph. 1:10 and 3:9, it is used of the arrangement or administration by God, by which in "the fullness of the times" (or seasons) God will sum up all things in the heavens and on earth in Christ. In Eph. 3:9 some mss. have koinonia, "fellowship," for oikonomia, "dispensation." In 1 Tim. 1:4 oikonomia may mean either a stewardship in the sense of (a) above, or a "dispensation" in the sense of (c). The reading oikodomia, "edifying," in some mss., is not to be accepted. See STEWARDSHIP.

Note: A "dispensation" is not a period or epoch (a common, but erroneous, use of the word), but a mode of dealing, an arrangement or administration of affairs. Cf. oikonomos, "a steward," and oikonomeo, "to be a steward."
(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words)

In His Service,
Steve

Thanks, Steve.

I started this thread to ascertain whether or not the basis for the use of the word "dispensation" in Dispensational theology is indeed the Greek word oikonomia.

Is that the sum of it?

Blessings,

John

[doogieduff]

Today @ 09:03 AM post located here (http://www.theologyweb.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=109971#post109971)
Jaltus:

ACK!

If oikonomia means house laws then butterfly means a flying stick of butter.

Explain yourself, then what does it mean?

[Jaltus]

Stewardship (technically they call it "managment"), plan, or training according to BDAG.

Not "house rules."

I recommend using appropriate dictionaries instead of such things as Strong's and Vine's, no offense intended RevSteve45.

[doogieduff]

Today @ 05:27 PM post located here (http://www.theologyweb.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=110505#post110505)
Jaltus:

Stewardship (technically they call it "managment"), plan, or training according to BDAG.

Not "house rules."

I recommend using appropriate dictionaries instead of such things as Strong's and Vine's, no offense intended RevSteve45.

People usually manage by "rules" do they not?

[Jaltus]

No, they do not.

They manage by being there and telling people what to do. As in "managing my portfolio" or "managing a baseball game," neither of which has assumed rules.

[Bib Lit Major]

Jaltus is right in pointing what he did out. A word does not mean what its root(s) mean necessarily. It does mean what the people in that time, culture, and area used it as. In other words, the question on what οικονομια means should not be answered by "what root does it come from," but "How does, Paul, Peter, John, other writers of that time period, etc. use it in their own writings?" This is probably what John Reece is going to analyze in his thread.

Kevin

[John Reece]

Today @ 07:52 AM post located here (http://www.theologyweb.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=111212#post111212)
Bib Lit Major:

Jaltus is right in pointing what he did out. A word does not mean what its root(s) mean necessarily. It does mean what the people in that time, culture, and area used it as. In other words, the question on what oikonomia means should not be answered by "what root does it come from," but "How does, Paul, Peter, John, other writers of that time period, etc. use it in their own writings?" This is probably what John Reece is going to analyze in his thread.

Kevin

Thanks for all the comments.

Yes, Kevin, that's what I hope to do.

Blessings,

John

[RevSteve45]

I recommend using appropriate dictionaries instead of such things as Strong's and Vine's, no offense intended RevSteve45.

Jaltus,

So what dictionaries do YOU use?? I was under the impression that Vine's was a highly respected work. At least the publishers of my PC Study Bible seem to think so.

In His Service,
Steve

[Jaltus]

BDAG for Greek (sometimes backed up by TDNT) and BDB for Hebrew.

BDAG is:


Bauer, Danker, Gingrich, and Arndt Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd edition.

It is the standard Greek dictionary throughout the world (the German version which the English is based on is in its 7th edition I believe) for both scholars and layman alike.

Another decent dictionary, though it deals more with classical Greek than Koine, is Liddell, Scott, Jones Greek-English Lexicon, just make sure you get the intermediate or the large one, the short one is overly truncated.

[Bill the Cat]

Hey Jaltus, how about Thayer? What thinks ye of Mr Thayer's work?