Dispensationalists often point to early rabbinic exegetical method as historical confirmation of their own method. Mal Couch writes: The rabbis as well taught that these two expressions, the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven, refer not to some spiritualized kingdom but to the literal earthly reign of David’s Son. In fact it may [...]
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Ryrie argues for a literalistic hermeneutic based on Christ’s first coming being a literal event. But we find that the NT can see Christ and his kingdom coming spiritually, as well. This undercuts Ryrie’s argument. In the last post I noted that in general. But in this one I will focus on the problem presented [...]
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This literalism argument is one of the most frequently employed and one of the most compelling to the layman. But it also suffers from question-begging. “The Old Testament prophecies concerning Christ’s birth and rearing, ministry, death, and resurrection were all fulfilled literally” (Ryrie, “Dispensationalism,” in Dictionary of Premillennial Theology, 94). J. Dwight Pentecost holds that [...]
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Ryrie argues for a dispensational literalism on three foundations. The first is that literalism is rooted in the philosophy of language. The immediately striking point about Ryrie’s first proof is that it is preconceived. This is quite evident in Ryrie’s statement that “principles of interpretation are basic and ought to be established before attempting to [...]
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Especially since the rise to prominence of dispensationalism in the late nineteenth century (about the same time as the arising of Mormonism), interpretive principles have become a major focus of eschatological discussion. One of the classic dispensationalist’s leading arguments is the claim to consistent interpretive literalism. Charles C. Ryrie sets forth interpretive literalism as a [...]
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Recently a reader named Joel wrote to me asking the following: “I have a question. In trying to have integrity in our work, especially when critiquing another position, we should present the opposite view the way they would. Although I’m definitely not dispensational, I know some pastors who wouldn’t agree with saying that “literalism” is [...]
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In this blog I will review Mark Hitchcock’s What Jesus Says About Earth’s Final Days (2003). I do this in order to illustrate the confusion that reigns in dispensationalism, simultaneously with their enormous sales among their disoriented adherents. That such a system could control the evangelical market amazes one and all. The Marketing Juggernaut Dispensationalism [...]
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Dispensationalists have a strong commitment to a literalistic hermeneutic. In fact, the leading dispensational theologian of the last part of the Twentieth Century, Dr. Charles C. Ryrie, declared “consistent literalism” to be one of the three sine qua non of dispensationalism. Dispensationalists often speak of literalism as “plain interpretation.” Consequently, the average dispensationalist-in-the-pew reflexively (mindlessly) [...]
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Lay defenders of dispensationalism often point to Zechariah 14:4ff as an important component of their literalistic view of the eschatological future. Unfortunately though, this is one of the areas where dispensationalism runs aground with an embarrassing thud as they attempt their literalistic approach to prophecy. You might say that they stumble over the mountains as [...]
Full Story »Dr. Gentry: “You are committed to the Reformed faith, yet you don’t take the historicist approach to eschatology which was widely held among the Reformers. Why do you not follow the Reformers in this part of their theology?” G.K., Minneapolis, Minn. Gentry’s response: Thank you for your inquiry. You are correct that I am committed [...]
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KINGDOM LEAVENThe Parable of the Leaven reads: "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid i...
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