Dispensation

The message on August 3, 2025 was on the word “Dispensation” or stewardship and enlightened us on the Greek (οἰκονομία, ας, ἡ ) used to make up that biblical word and we looked up the seven places in scripture where it was used. The Friberg Lexicon definition says “19463 οἰκονομία, ας, ἡ (1) literally, relating to the task of an οἰκονόμος (steward) in household administration stewardship, management (LU 16.2); (2) figuratively; (a) of the apostolic office in God’s redemptive work task, responsibility, trusteeship (CO 1.25); (b) of God’s arrangements for mankind’s redemption plan, arrangement, purpose (EP 3.9); 1T 1.4 may mean (divine) training, but (divine) plan is also possible”. When studying a word, you must first use scripture to find where it is used, in what context, and then use the principles of right division to get the proper interpretation. In this case, it has been use in these seven passages: Lk. 16:2,3,4: 1 Cor. 9:17; Eph. 1:10;3:2 and Col. 1:25 KJV. Wayne pointed out that the Companion Bible is a great reference and he taught us how it helped with the interpretation of Luke 16 in how it pointed out in verse 9 that it should read “Do I say unto you” vs. “And I say unto you”. We ended looking at the steward, PAul the Prisioner, and his stewardship of The Mystery that was hidden in God, before the foundation of the world, and given specifically to him for us. If you don’t see The Mystery, your biblical cup is not complete or full.

The scripture reading was from Luke 16:1-9 KJV “1 And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods. 2 And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward. 3 Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed. 4 I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. 5 So he called every one of his lord’s debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord? 6 And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. 7 Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore. 8 And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light. 9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.”