CHRIST CAME UNTO HIS OWN AND HIS OWN RECEIVED HIM NOT. - Pastor J. C. O’Hair
(John 1:11) This Statement In the Light of Romans 5:10 and 11 and Romans 11:30 and 15.
In Romans 5:10 we read that we were RECONCILED to God by the death of His Son. God sent not His Son into the WORLD to condemn the WORLD; but that the WORLD through Him might be saved. (John 3:17). If God wanted the WORLD to be saved while His Son was on earth, as Jesus of Nazareth, why did that Son say, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the House of Israel?” (Matthew 15:24). The lost sheep of the House of Israel were a small part of the WORLD. The Gentiles were in the majority and surely the Gentiles were a part of the WORLD that God loved; but in very plain language the Lord Jesus Christ instructed His twelve apostles, “Go not into the way of the Gentiles.” (Matthew 10:5 and 6). When those twelve messengers had the opportunity to preach the gospel to a Gentile, while Christ was in the flesh, they said to Christ, “send her away.” (Matthew 15:23). This was not because of Jewish prejudice, but because of a positive command from Christ. Christ Himself said to this Gentile, “let the children (Israel) FIRST BE FILLED.” (Mark 7:24 to 30). In Acts 13:23 we read that Christ was born of David’s Seed, to be ISRAEL’S Saviour. In Acts 5:29 to 32 we read that Christ was raised from the dead to be ISRAEL’S Saviour. Christ was of ISRAEL, God over all, blessed forever; the Seed of Abraham. (Romans 9:4 to 6 . . . Hebrews 2:16 and 17). Christ was made under the law; a Minister of the circumcision. (Galatians 4:4 and Romans 15:8). Christ was dedicated according to the law, after He had been circumcised. (Luke 2:39 and 2:21). It was the custom of Christ to go to ISRAEL’S synagogue on ISRAEL’S Sabbath. (Luke 4:16). He commanded His people to obey the law, including the ceremonial law. (Matthew 23:1 to 3 and Matthew 8:3 to 6).
Christ called ISRAEL, believers and unbelievers, “the children of the kingdom.” (Matthew 8:12). Years later the Holy Spirit spoke of ISRAEL as the natural branches and of the Gentiles as the wild olive tree. (Romans 11:17 to 23). Christ called ISRAEL, “the children”; and the Gentiles, “dogs.” (Mark 7:24 to 30 . . . Matthew 15:21 to 28). Seven or eight years after the death of Christ Eleven of the Twelve apostles condemned Peter for preaching to a splendid, religious Gentile, who gave money to ISRAEL and prayed to ISRAEL’S God, a devout, Godfearing, just Gentile. (Acts 11:1 to 4 . . . Acts 10:2 and 22). The disciples of the resurrected Christ, for some years after the death of Christ, preached God’s Word “to none but Jews only.” (Acts 11:19). They even declared that it was unlawful to go to Gentiles seven years after the risen Christ said, “disciple all nations.” (Acts 10:28 and Matthew 28:19 and 20).
After Christ told ISRAEL, in Luke 19:43 to 46, that they did not know the things that belonged to their peace, and did not know the time of their visitation, they crucified Him. (I Thessalonians 2:14 to 16). In the hour of His death Christ prayed for His murderers, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34). So God knew that ISRAEL, in ignorance, had killed the Prince of Life, Whose death was inevitable. (Acts 3:14 to 18 . . . Acts 2:22 and 23 . . . I Peter 1:18 to 20 . . . John 12:27 to 33 . . John 3:13 and 14 . . . Acts 13:27 to 30). Therefore, 3,000 of Christ’s ISRAEL were saved on the day of Pentecost. But John wrote years afterward that Christ’s Own received Him not. In John 2:11, John 2:22 and 23, John 7:31, John 8:30, John 10:42, John 12:11 and 42 we read that many ISRAELITES believed on Jesus. And yet the statement in John 1:11 is, “His Own received Him not.” In Acts 4:4 we read that 5,000 believed on Him. These were Jews. In Acts 9:42 and Acts 11:21 we read of many that believed. They were Israelites and received Christ. But His OWN received Him not.
THE REMNANT AND THE REST OF ISRAEL
Some years later the Holy Spirit, by the pen of the apostle Paul, wrote concerning ISRAEL: “At this present time also (about 60 A.D.) there is a remnant according to the election of grace.” “Israel hath not obtained that which He seeketh for; but the election hath obtained and THE REST WERE BLINDED.” (Romans 11:5 to 7). God blinded them. (Romans 11:8 and 9). That blindness from God upon Israel is to continue until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. (Romans 11:25). In this same Eleventh Chapter of Romans where we learn of Israel’s blindness, we read of Israel’s unbelief, Israel’s fall and Israel as being cast away. With every one of these terrible things that happened to Israel we read that God’s judgment upon Israel brought to the Gentiles the most wonderful blessing that the Nations of the earth ever received, “Salvation,” “Reconciliation” and “Divine Mercy.” (Romans 11:11 . . . Romans 11:15 and Romans 11:30).
Christ’s OWN received Christ not, in incarnation, that Christ might go to Calvary and put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. (Acts 3:18 . . . Acts 2:23 . . . Matthew 26:24 . . . John 12:27 to 33). God’s OWN received Him not, in resurrection; that God might conclude all in unbelief; “THAT HE MIGHT HAVE MERCY UPON ALL.” (Romans 11:32).
Thus we learn why Christ’s OWN received Him not. This is the Lord’s doing and it is marvelous in our eyes. (Matthew 21:42 and Acts 4:24 to 29). “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!” (Romans 11:33). The Greek “PAST FINDING OUT” is the same Greek word, translated, in Ephesians 3:8, “UNSEARCHABLE,” referring to the “UNTRACEABLE” Riches of Christ for Gentiles, when and because of Israel’s unbelief, blindness and fall.
GOD’S UNPROPHESIED GRACE PROGRAM
All through the Old Testament Scriptures God’s inspired prophets foretold wonderful blessings for all NATIONS, through the one NATION, ISRAEL, blessings spiritual and physical. These blessings were to come upon the other NATIONS when the one NATION is enjoying the prophesied KINGDOM blessings of God. For this reason this message is called, in the Bible, “THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM.” In connection with the UNSEARCHABLE Riches of Christ for Gentiles, the apostle Paul wrote of the MYSTERY OF THE GOSPEL. (Ephesians 6:19 and 20). The Gospel for the NATIONS, mentioned in Romans 16:25 and 26, is according to the revelation of the mystery, but not so the prophesied GOSPEL of the KINGDOM.
Now let us again read and believe Romans 11:30, that the Gentiles, who in times past did not believe God, received mercy BECAUSE OF ISRAEL’S UNBELIEF. There is, perhaps, no more important verse of Scripture to teach us the dispensational aspect of God’s message and program of grace. Certainly there is nothing in the socalled ‘great commission’ of Matthew 28:19 and 20, “disciple all nations,” that contemplated such a message and program; namely, that God’s mercy would not be extended to the other nations until the mutual rejection of God and Israel should first take place, and then, by the fall of Israel, salvation would come to the Gentiles to provoke Israel to jealousy; when and because God would cast away Israel, reconciliation would be offered the WORLD. (Romans 11:11 and Romans 11:15). Surely we see how very important it is to understand the Eleventh Chapter of Romans before we can understand Paul’s words in Ephesians 3:1 to 11, in which verses we are told that Christ, by revelation, made known unto him “the dispensation of the grace of God for Gentiles,” “the unsearchable riches of Christ for Gentiles,” “the fellowship (dispensation) of the mystery hid in God from before the foundation of the world,” “God’s eternal purpose in Christ.” We are never ready to receive the “mystery” of Ephesians 3:1 to 11 until we understand the “mystery” of Romans 11:25, “that a blindness in part is happened unto Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.”
As we think of the statement of John 1:11, “Christ came unto His own and His own received him not,” in the light of the Eleventh Chapter of Romans, let us also think of Paul’s allimportant statement to Israel, in Acts 13:46: “it was necessary that the Word of God should FIRST have been spoken to you (ISRAEL); but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we TURN TO THE GENTILES.” More than twelve years before this declaration the resurrected Christ instructed the apostles to disciple ALL NATIONS. (Matthew 28:19 and 20). But in God’s eternal purpose the Gentiles were not to receive the GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD (Acts 20:24) until Israel rejected Christ, in resurrection (Acts 13:30 to 37 . . . Acts 5:31), as they had rejected Him, in incarnation. Therefore, after the resurrection of Christ, Peter and the Eleven said unto Israel, “you FIRST” (Acts 3:26); and Paul said unto Israel, “you FIRST.” (Acts 13:46 . . . Acts 18:5 and 6).
CASTAWAY ISRAEL—RECONCILED GENTILES
Then followed the truth that all spiritual, intelligent students of the Bible believe; truth that they must understand, if they are to obey Ephesians 3:9 and know how to be “GRACE” evangelists or “GRACE” Bibleteachers . . . “The casting away of them (ISRAEL) the RECONCILING OF THE WORLD.” (Romans 11:15).
As we have learned that for two reasons the Gentiles obtained mercy from God; because of Christ’s death on the cross, and because of the unbelief of Israel, we learn in Romans 5:10 and 11 and Romans 11:15 the two reasons why RECONCILIATION was preached unto the Gentiles. Let us carefully note Romans 5:10 and 11 and Romans 11 :15:
“For if, when we were enemies, we were RECONCILED to God by the DEATH OF HIS SON, much more, being RECONCILED, we shall be saved by His life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom we have now received the RECONCILIATION.”
“For if the casting away of them (ISRAEL) be the RECONCILING of the WORLD.”
The Gentiles then were RECONCILED because of the DEATH of Christ; and also when and because ISRAEL was cast away. This ISRAEL’S Old Testament prophets never contemplated. The Gentiles obtained MERCY because of ISRAEL’S unbelief. (Romans 11:30). This suggests the question, what would have happened to the Gentiles, if Israel had believed, if Israel had not been cast away? Do we believe Romans 11:26, that when the fulness of the GENTILES be come in, “ISRAEL SHALL BE SAVED.” At that time where will the Gentiles be, the Gentiles who are now being saved by grace and made members of the Body of Christ? After ISRAEL SHALL BE SAVED what about the millions of Gentiles, the heathen, who will be living on this earth? Surely this age of grace is not the last age when God will be dealing with ISRAEL and the GENTILES. Many times the future earthly glory of Israel is guaranteed in God’s sure Word of Prophecy. (II Peter 1:19). The Bible speaks of ISRAEL as the HEAD and ISRAEL as the TAIL; the RISE and FALL of ISRAEL. (Deuteronomy 28:13— Deuteronomy 28:44). When ISRAEL is the HEAD the saved Gentiles are in subjection to Israel. But today we are living in “THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES,” both politically and spiritually. ISRAEL is now the TAIL. Politically, “THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES” began about 600 B.C. in the days of Nebuchadnezzar. (The last chapters of Jeremiah and 2 Kings). Spiritually, “THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES” began when God blinded ISRAEL after He elected the remnant. So we read in Luke 21:24 that “THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES WILL BE FULFILLED,” and we read in Romans 11:25, “THE FULNESS OF THE GENTILES BE COME IN”; one refers to the end of the political subjugation of the Jews and the other to their spiritual subjugation. This marks the end of God’s special favor for the Gentiles, known as “THE DISPENSATION OF THE GRACE OF GOD FOR GENTILES.” (Ephesians 3:1 to 4). This will end with the UNITY and PERFECT MAN of Ephesians 4:13. Then follows God’s Kingdom age on earth—ISRAEL will RISE and again be HEAD.
So we say that all intelligent, spiritual students of the Scriptures believe that ISRAEL’S FALL brought God’s reign and dispensation of grace for Gentiles. And it is so important that we know that this FALL of ISRAEL had not taken place when Peter preached to Israel, in Acts 2, or when he preached to Cornelius, the Gentile, in Acts 10. Peter certainly did not preach to Cornelius to provoke Israel to jealousy. Cornelius did not receive God’s mercy, because of Israel’s unbelief. This new program was not inaugurated until God sent Barnabas and Saul and they warned ISRAEL of the impending judgment, which had not yet fallen. (Acts 13:2 and Acts 13:40 and 41).
In the ministry of Peter and the Eleven, from Israel’s Pentecost until the Twelve, some years later, rejoiced in the salvation of the household of Cornelius (Acts 11:18), we have a pattern of God’s “KINGDOM OF HEAVEN” program, which is to be after the close of this present economy and program of GRACE.
Two of the most important Scriptures for the understanding of the beginning and end of the dispensation of grace, we repeat, are John 1:11 and Romans 11:30 . . . “Christ came unto His OWN and His OWN received Him not.” Because they received Him not, in resurrection as well as in incarnation, because of ISRAEL’S UNBELIEF the Gentiles obtained mercy. Because ISRAEL was cast away RECONCILIATION was preached to ALIENATED HEATHEN (Ephesians 4:18 . . . Colossians 1:21). They experienced something a little different from the new birth: they were made A NEW CREATION. (Galatians 6:15 . . . Ephesians 2:10 . . . II Corinthians 5:17). ALIENATION in Adam. RECONCILIATION and the NEW CREATION in Christ. (II Corinthians 5:16 to 21).
Tags: Bible Studies, Dispensational, Grace for You, J. C. O'Hair, O'Hair, Salvation, Truth-For-Today
