What is “The Word of Truth”?
M. FRANKLIN
One of the Apostle Paul’s last instructions to Timothy was to “study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”. Although “rightly dividing” may well be applied to anything Biblical, Paul qualifies the “rightly dividing” with “the word of truth”. What is “the word of truth” that Paul is referring to that Timothy, and obviously us also, are to “rightly divide”?
“Study (spoudazo: make effort, do/give diligence) to shew thyself approved (dokimos: acceptable) unto God, a workman (ergates: figuratively a “teacher”) that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (orthotomeo: make a straight cut, expound correctly) the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2.15).
Paul had constant pushback of his apostleship and the preaching of the/my gospel (1 Corinthians 15.1-4; Romans 2.16) that he had received (Galatians 1.12) from the risen Lord Jesus Christ (see Acts 15 and Galatians 1 & 2). Paul’s instruction to Timothy is straightforward and specific. Be “diligent” as a “teacher” to “correctly expound” the word of truth. But what exactly is the word of truth? We will endeavor to use Scripture to interpret Scripture to define this.
Ephesians 1.13-14
“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory”.
2 Corinthians 6.4-7
“But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, … By the word of truth …”
Galatians 2.5
“To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.”
Colossians 1.5
“For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;”
Why would “the word of truth”, specifically "the gospel" that Paul preached, need to be “rightly divided”? Why did Paul charge Timothy with this exhortation? The answer to this question is “fleshed out” in Luke’s account of the Council of Jerusalem (A.D. 51, Acts 15) and Paul’s subsequent letter to the Galatian “church of God” (A.D. 55-57).
Paul… not one of the Twelve
Paul was not one of the Twelve or a follower of Christ in His earthly ministry. It was the risen Lord Jesus Christ who “saved” (Acts 9) and “commissioned” Paul as “the apostle of the Gentiles” (Romans 11.13) and gave him “the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20.24; Galatians 1.11-12). The risen Lord then revealed doctrines to Paul that He had given no one else. Paul referred to these revelations as “secrets” (KJV:“mysteries”). These very things became a point of contention throughout Paul’s ministry as our apostle, the apostle of “the Church of God”, “the body of Christ”. Time and again Paul had to declared his divine authority as “the apostle of the Gentiles” to preach “the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20.24). Paul’s letters indicate he had to continuously defend his apostleship and his gospel (Romans 2.16, 16.25; Galatians 2.2; 2 Timothy 2.8). Paul had a never-ending fight with Jews (“which believed”, Acts 15.5, 21.20) who wished to put believers of the gospel that he preached (1 Corinthians 15.1-5) under “the Law of Moses” (Acts 15.5). Paul was regularly engaged in correcting erroneous teaching of these legalists (“false brethren”, see 2 Corinthians 11.26; Galatians 2.4) and reminding believers of the gospel that he preached (1 Corinthians 15.1-5) that they were not under the administration of the Mosaic Law (Romans 6.14).
The Twelve
We learn from the Scriptures that the Twelve had no idea about the grace that Paul taught. The Twelve continued to operate under the Mosaic Law long after Pentecost (see Acts 15.5, 21.20). Peter, after he received the vision to go to the house of Cornelius (8-10 years after Pentecost), was still operating under the Law (Acts 10.28):
“Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation (specifically Gentile)”.
At the Jerusalem Council (A.D. 51, Acts 15), the Twelve still followed the Law. As such, they believed that Gentile believers had to keep the Law. Unless they did, they taught they were not “saved” (Acts 15.1, 5). The gospel the Twelve and those who came out of the Jerusalem church preached required keeping the Mosaic Law. The Twelve knew none of what Paul had been preaching among the Gentiles for he had to explain his gospel to them (Galatians 2.2). Had they known the gospel Paul preached to the Gentiles, had they themselves been proclaiming it, Paul would not have had to explain it. Indeed, there would have been no need for a Council. The Twelve knew nothing of the “gospel of the grace of God” until Paul revealed it to them. This is clear from the account in Acts 15 (cf. Galatians 2.7-9). The Twelve knew nothing of salvation by faith “alone”. The Twelve knew nothing of “the Church of God” (1 Corinthians 10.32), “the body of Christ” (1 Corinthians 12.27), in which Jew and Gentile are “one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3.28). God had not revealed it to them. You can read your whole Bible and find no mention of being “members” of “the body of Christ” (1 Corinthians 12.27) by anyone but Paul. Because he was not one of the Twelve, and because Paul taught doctrines completely unknown by the Twelve (Ephesians 3.5), there were believers that regarded him with suspicion.
The showdown: The Jerusalem Council
The Twelve knew none of the gospel, the word of truth, that Paul was preaching. Therefore, they had the “big dust up” at the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15). Paul wrote in Galatians 2.2 that he had to explain his gospel to them. Had they (the Twelve) known the gospel Paul preached to the Gentiles, had they been proclaiming it themselves, Paul would not have had to explain it. Indeed, there would have been no need for a Council. A point should be considered here. If at this point in time (Acts 15) the Twelve had not known the gospel that Paul had been preaching, “what" gospel were they preaching, and to whom? See Matthew 4.23, 9.35; Mark 1.14; Matthew 10.5-6) for the answers. But this was the great issue at the Jerusalem Council in A.D. 51 (Acts 15; Galatians 2). The members of the Council were going behind Paul (Acts 15.1; Galatians 2.4) and teaching his converts that they were not really “saved” by just believing the gospel: "that Christ died for them and arose from the dead"(1 Corinthians 15.1-5). They taught that to be “saved” one must become “circumcised” and “keep the law of Moses”. In this “matter” of salvation, concern and controversy over the gospel Paul preached among the Gentiles came to a head. “Believing” Jews rejected the gospel Paul preached (1 Corinthians 15.1-5) and declared Gentiles had to be “saved” like Jews. They had to be “circumcised” and “keep the law of Moses” (Acts 15.1, 5).
Paul understood their position. Israel had been under the Law for 1,500 years. As a Pharisee, Paul knew the Law backwards and forwards. He had forgotten more Law than the Twelve had learned their entire lives. But the risen Christ had given him a new revelation: members of “the body of Christ” were not under the administration of Law but under new administration: Grace (Romans 6.14). Paul rejected their arguments and objections and argued that according to the gospel he had received from the risen Lord (Galatians 1.1, 11-12) one was “saved” by believing his gospel (1 Corinthians 15.1-5) and nothing else, that is, by faith alone. Fortunately, at the end of the day, the Holy Spirit moved Peter to recall his encounter with Cornelius (Acts 15.7), and Paul carried the day. This was a watershed event. In the conclusion, Peter made a stunning statement…
“But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be saved, even (in like manner) as they (the Gentiles)” (Acts 15.11).
The idea that Jews would now be “saved” in the same manner (“through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ” without “circumcision” and “keeping the Law of Moses”) as the Gentiles, was unthinkable before this time. The conclusion of the Jerusalem Council was a massive paradigm shift in God’s salvation plan towards humanity. After that decision, Paul wrote the Galatians that anyone who preached a different gospel to them, from his gospel (1 Corinthians 15.1-5), was “accursed” (Galatians 1.8-9).
The outcome of the Council of Jerusalem in A.D. 51 is revealing. It proved first off that the Twelve knew nothing of the gospel Paul preached among the Gentiles until he revealed it (Galatians 2.1-2) to them at the Council of Jerusalem. This is clear from the account given in Acts 15. The gospel the Twelve and those who came out of the Jerusalem church preached required “circumcision” and “keeping the law of Moses”. They knew nothing of salvation by faith alone. The outcome of this event settled the issue that Gentiles could be “saved” apart from “circumcision” and “keeping the law of Moses”. Following the Council of Jerusalem, Paul and the Twelve formalized an agreement that they would go to the Jew with “the gospel of the circumcision” and Paul would go to the Gentiles with “the gospel of the uncircumcision” (Galatians 2.7-9).
The damage already done
However, by the time of Paul’s letter to the Church of God in Galatia (A.D. 55-57), the damage by the “false brethren” had already taken its toll…
“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another (different) gospel: Which is not another (the same as) … the gospel of Christ” (Galatians 2.6-7 ).
This seemingly innocent attempt to merge “the gospel of the circumcision” with “the gospel of the uncircumcision” (Galatians 2.7) was to Paul like trying to “mix oil with water”. To Paul, as it should be with us, grace and the Law cannot coexist. However, the poison had already entered the body. Approximately ten years later (A.D. 66-67) Paul makes this sad statement to Timothy…
“This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia (i.e., Galatia) be turned away from me;” (2 Timothy 1.15).
It is in this same last letter to Timothy that Paul emphasizes that “the word of truth” (Ephesians 1.13), “the gospel” (1 Corinthians 15.1-5) that the risen Lord Jesus Christ revealed to him (Galatians 1.12), should be kept “rightly divided” from any “other" gospel.
The present
Today there is still the “Acts 15” treatment of “the word of truth” that Paul admonished Timothy “to rightly divide”. Just randomly inquire “what is the/our present gospel” and take note of the diverse answers. For almost 2,000 years, Paul has been forced into the Gospels and the Gospels have been forced into Paul–and up to now continues. Although the gospel (“the word of truth”) for us is crystal clear (1 Corinthians 15.1-5), it is routinely subjected to an amalgamation of Pauline truth and legalism. These days the demands are not as obvious as “circumcision” and “keep the Law of Moses”. Updated requirements are much more subtle and hidden. The most common are that you must…
confess your sins, be water baptized, keep the Ten Commandments, tithe, speak in tongues, become a member of “our” church, keep the Sabbath, complete catechism, partake of the holy communion, attend church (especially on Christmas and Easter). Quite often these demands are not made in the open but are implied through various religious rites and ceremonies. This is a result of generations not “rightly dividing the word of truth”.
This IS “the word of truth” as Timothy knew it…
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you THE GOSPEL which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen…” (1 Corinthians 15.1-5).
M. FRANKLIN
One of the Apostle Paul’s last instructions to Timothy was to “study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”. Although “rightly dividing” may well be applied to anything Biblical, Paul qualifies the “rightly dividing” with “the word of truth”. What is “the word of truth” that Paul is referring to that Timothy, and obviously us also, are to “rightly divide”?
“Study (spoudazo: make effort, do/give diligence) to shew thyself approved (dokimos: acceptable) unto God, a workman (ergates: figuratively a “teacher”) that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (orthotomeo: make a straight cut, expound correctly) the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2.15).
Paul had constant pushback of his apostleship and the preaching of the/my gospel (1 Corinthians 15.1-4; Romans 2.16) that he had received (Galatians 1.12) from the risen Lord Jesus Christ (see Acts 15 and Galatians 1 & 2). Paul’s instruction to Timothy is straightforward and specific. Be “diligent” as a “teacher” to “correctly expound” the word of truth. But what exactly is the word of truth? We will endeavor to use Scripture to interpret Scripture to define this.
Ephesians 1.13-14
“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory”.
2 Corinthians 6.4-7
“But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, … By the word of truth …”
Galatians 2.5
“To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.”
Colossians 1.5
“For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;”
Why would “the word of truth”, specifically "the gospel" that Paul preached, need to be “rightly divided”? Why did Paul charge Timothy with this exhortation? The answer to this question is “fleshed out” in Luke’s account of the Council of Jerusalem (A.D. 51, Acts 15) and Paul’s subsequent letter to the Galatian “church of God” (A.D. 55-57).
Paul… not one of the Twelve
Paul was not one of the Twelve or a follower of Christ in His earthly ministry. It was the risen Lord Jesus Christ who “saved” (Acts 9) and “commissioned” Paul as “the apostle of the Gentiles” (Romans 11.13) and gave him “the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20.24; Galatians 1.11-12). The risen Lord then revealed doctrines to Paul that He had given no one else. Paul referred to these revelations as “secrets” (KJV:“mysteries”). These very things became a point of contention throughout Paul’s ministry as our apostle, the apostle of “the Church of God”, “the body of Christ”. Time and again Paul had to declared his divine authority as “the apostle of the Gentiles” to preach “the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20.24). Paul’s letters indicate he had to continuously defend his apostleship and his gospel (Romans 2.16, 16.25; Galatians 2.2; 2 Timothy 2.8). Paul had a never-ending fight with Jews (“which believed”, Acts 15.5, 21.20) who wished to put believers of the gospel that he preached (1 Corinthians 15.1-5) under “the Law of Moses” (Acts 15.5). Paul was regularly engaged in correcting erroneous teaching of these legalists (“false brethren”, see 2 Corinthians 11.26; Galatians 2.4) and reminding believers of the gospel that he preached (1 Corinthians 15.1-5) that they were not under the administration of the Mosaic Law (Romans 6.14).
The Twelve
We learn from the Scriptures that the Twelve had no idea about the grace that Paul taught. The Twelve continued to operate under the Mosaic Law long after Pentecost (see Acts 15.5, 21.20). Peter, after he received the vision to go to the house of Cornelius (8-10 years after Pentecost), was still operating under the Law (Acts 10.28):
“Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation (specifically Gentile)”.
At the Jerusalem Council (A.D. 51, Acts 15), the Twelve still followed the Law. As such, they believed that Gentile believers had to keep the Law. Unless they did, they taught they were not “saved” (Acts 15.1, 5). The gospel the Twelve and those who came out of the Jerusalem church preached required keeping the Mosaic Law. The Twelve knew none of what Paul had been preaching among the Gentiles for he had to explain his gospel to them (Galatians 2.2). Had they known the gospel Paul preached to the Gentiles, had they themselves been proclaiming it, Paul would not have had to explain it. Indeed, there would have been no need for a Council. The Twelve knew nothing of the “gospel of the grace of God” until Paul revealed it to them. This is clear from the account in Acts 15 (cf. Galatians 2.7-9). The Twelve knew nothing of salvation by faith “alone”. The Twelve knew nothing of “the Church of God” (1 Corinthians 10.32), “the body of Christ” (1 Corinthians 12.27), in which Jew and Gentile are “one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3.28). God had not revealed it to them. You can read your whole Bible and find no mention of being “members” of “the body of Christ” (1 Corinthians 12.27) by anyone but Paul. Because he was not one of the Twelve, and because Paul taught doctrines completely unknown by the Twelve (Ephesians 3.5), there were believers that regarded him with suspicion.
The showdown: The Jerusalem Council
The Twelve knew none of the gospel, the word of truth, that Paul was preaching. Therefore, they had the “big dust up” at the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15). Paul wrote in Galatians 2.2 that he had to explain his gospel to them. Had they (the Twelve) known the gospel Paul preached to the Gentiles, had they been proclaiming it themselves, Paul would not have had to explain it. Indeed, there would have been no need for a Council. A point should be considered here. If at this point in time (Acts 15) the Twelve had not known the gospel that Paul had been preaching, “what" gospel were they preaching, and to whom? See Matthew 4.23, 9.35; Mark 1.14; Matthew 10.5-6) for the answers. But this was the great issue at the Jerusalem Council in A.D. 51 (Acts 15; Galatians 2). The members of the Council were going behind Paul (Acts 15.1; Galatians 2.4) and teaching his converts that they were not really “saved” by just believing the gospel: "that Christ died for them and arose from the dead"(1 Corinthians 15.1-5). They taught that to be “saved” one must become “circumcised” and “keep the law of Moses”. In this “matter” of salvation, concern and controversy over the gospel Paul preached among the Gentiles came to a head. “Believing” Jews rejected the gospel Paul preached (1 Corinthians 15.1-5) and declared Gentiles had to be “saved” like Jews. They had to be “circumcised” and “keep the law of Moses” (Acts 15.1, 5).
Paul understood their position. Israel had been under the Law for 1,500 years. As a Pharisee, Paul knew the Law backwards and forwards. He had forgotten more Law than the Twelve had learned their entire lives. But the risen Christ had given him a new revelation: members of “the body of Christ” were not under the administration of Law but under new administration: Grace (Romans 6.14). Paul rejected their arguments and objections and argued that according to the gospel he had received from the risen Lord (Galatians 1.1, 11-12) one was “saved” by believing his gospel (1 Corinthians 15.1-5) and nothing else, that is, by faith alone. Fortunately, at the end of the day, the Holy Spirit moved Peter to recall his encounter with Cornelius (Acts 15.7), and Paul carried the day. This was a watershed event. In the conclusion, Peter made a stunning statement…
“But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be saved, even (in like manner) as they (the Gentiles)” (Acts 15.11).
The idea that Jews would now be “saved” in the same manner (“through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ” without “circumcision” and “keeping the Law of Moses”) as the Gentiles, was unthinkable before this time. The conclusion of the Jerusalem Council was a massive paradigm shift in God’s salvation plan towards humanity. After that decision, Paul wrote the Galatians that anyone who preached a different gospel to them, from his gospel (1 Corinthians 15.1-5), was “accursed” (Galatians 1.8-9).
The outcome of the Council of Jerusalem in A.D. 51 is revealing. It proved first off that the Twelve knew nothing of the gospel Paul preached among the Gentiles until he revealed it (Galatians 2.1-2) to them at the Council of Jerusalem. This is clear from the account given in Acts 15. The gospel the Twelve and those who came out of the Jerusalem church preached required “circumcision” and “keeping the law of Moses”. They knew nothing of salvation by faith alone. The outcome of this event settled the issue that Gentiles could be “saved” apart from “circumcision” and “keeping the law of Moses”. Following the Council of Jerusalem, Paul and the Twelve formalized an agreement that they would go to the Jew with “the gospel of the circumcision” and Paul would go to the Gentiles with “the gospel of the uncircumcision” (Galatians 2.7-9).
The damage already done
However, by the time of Paul’s letter to the Church of God in Galatia (A.D. 55-57), the damage by the “false brethren” had already taken its toll…
“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another (different) gospel: Which is not another (the same as) … the gospel of Christ” (Galatians 2.6-7 ).
This seemingly innocent attempt to merge “the gospel of the circumcision” with “the gospel of the uncircumcision” (Galatians 2.7) was to Paul like trying to “mix oil with water”. To Paul, as it should be with us, grace and the Law cannot coexist. However, the poison had already entered the body. Approximately ten years later (A.D. 66-67) Paul makes this sad statement to Timothy…
“This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia (i.e., Galatia) be turned away from me;” (2 Timothy 1.15).
It is in this same last letter to Timothy that Paul emphasizes that “the word of truth” (Ephesians 1.13), “the gospel” (1 Corinthians 15.1-5) that the risen Lord Jesus Christ revealed to him (Galatians 1.12), should be kept “rightly divided” from any “other" gospel.
The present
Today there is still the “Acts 15” treatment of “the word of truth” that Paul admonished Timothy “to rightly divide”. Just randomly inquire “what is the/our present gospel” and take note of the diverse answers. For almost 2,000 years, Paul has been forced into the Gospels and the Gospels have been forced into Paul–and up to now continues. Although the gospel (“the word of truth”) for us is crystal clear (1 Corinthians 15.1-5), it is routinely subjected to an amalgamation of Pauline truth and legalism. These days the demands are not as obvious as “circumcision” and “keep the Law of Moses”. Updated requirements are much more subtle and hidden. The most common are that you must…
confess your sins, be water baptized, keep the Ten Commandments, tithe, speak in tongues, become a member of “our” church, keep the Sabbath, complete catechism, partake of the holy communion, attend church (especially on Christmas and Easter). Quite often these demands are not made in the open but are implied through various religious rites and ceremonies. This is a result of generations not “rightly dividing the word of truth”.
This IS “the word of truth” as Timothy knew it…
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you THE GOSPEL which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen…” (1 Corinthians 15.1-5).
