The Real History of Dispensationalism

Frankly, I have grown tired of people who cast off Dispensationalism solely on the grounds
that they believe it to be a recent development, with its supposed founder, C. I. Scofield. If
this were true, the argument might have some merit, however it can be easily shown that
Dispensationalism has roots that date back to Justin Martyr.

Before I go any further in this article, I'd like to acknowledge two books that have provided
me with much of the information used and highlighted in this brief article:
1. Dispensationalism Today, by Charles C. Ryrie (Chicago: Moody, 1965)
2. The Moody Handbook of Theology, by Paul Enns (Chicago: Moody, 1989)

The above mentioned two books have provided a great amount of necessary and truthful
information. Unfortunately, this will likely not matter to some how much evidence is
provided regarding the actual history and longevity of dispensationalism. For them, it will
remain a "new" formula and therefore it should be seen with a jaundiced eye at best and
discarded at worst. The most difficult part of discussing any "system" of interpretation
within Christendom is that emotions run high due to the fact that they are based on an
individual's personal beliefs. No one likes it to be suggested that they could very well be
wrong about something they have held for some time. It is the rare individual who can
discuss differences of theological opinion without the intensity most often seen in people
who object to one another's political viewpoints. Of course, what I'm not referring to is the
difference between actual Christianity and a cult. It is important for the Christian to be able
to defend the faith against the heresies that cults espouse. However, within Christendom,
there will likely always be differences of opinion, this side of eternity. If those differences do
not affect a person's theology of salvation (Soteriology), then there is little to no harm. If
however, a system of theology or interpretation begins to stray from Scripture so that it
finds itself diametrically opposed to a portion of Scripture, then it should be left. What we
are talking about here though is the difference between Covenant Theology and
Dispensationalism essentially. While both systems belief that salvation is by grace alone and
that it comes through faith which is a gift of God, the method of interpreting Scripture is in
question. While the former interprets prophecy in an allegorical way, the latter tends to use
a literal method here and elsewhere in Scripture.

In spite of these differences and in spite of the fact that this particular article will not solve
the issue, I would like to present evidence that shows that dispensationalism, far from being
the "newbie" on the religious block, has deep historical roots.

Early Developments
In order to gain an accurate picture of dispensationalism, it is necessary to turn back the
hands of time to A. D. 110-165, during the life of Justin Martyr. In his book Dialogue with
Trypho, he recognizes "several differing economies in the Old Testament."[1] It is clear
that for Martyr, there are distinct ages or eras; one prior to circumcision and the law, then
one after God's revelation to Abraham in which circumcision became necessary, then after
the law was given to and through Moses, in which it was found necessary to keep the
Sabbath. One can clearly see that Martyr held to a form of dispensationalism since he
recognized different economies within God's progressive revelation.

The next individual to maintain and further clarify the dispensations that God has used was
Irenaeus (A. D. 130-200). Irenaeus "refers in his writings to four principal covenants given
to the human race, particularly drawing a distinction between three covenants of the Old
Testament and the gospel. This distinction is typical of dispensationalism."[2]

We then move onto Clement of Alexandria (A. D. 150-220) who "identified four
dispensations: Adamic, Noahic, Abrahamic, and Mosaic."[3]

Augustine (A. D. 354-530) comes along next and refers to changes from one economy in
God's plan to another as "the changes of successive epochs."[4]

While Ryrie is quick to point out (and on this Enns agrees) that it would not be correct in
referring to these men as Dispensationalists as we think of Dispensationalism today, it is
obviously clear that they "enunciated principles which later developed into
dispensationalism, and it may be rightly said that they held to primitive or early
dispensational concepts."[5]

Developments in the Middle Ages

Having stated all of this, our real starting point in the modern era begins with Pierre Poiret
(1646-1719). Pierre was a French mystic and philosopher who wrote a six-volume
systematic theology which was titled L'O Economie Divine. This is purely a modified
Calvinistic approach and a premillenial work in which he lists a seven-fold dispensational
scheme, which included Infancy, Childhood, Adolescence, Youth, Manhood, Old Age,
Renovation of All Things. Each of these specific economies or dispensations referred to a
specific biblical period, all of which culminated in a literal Millennium.

John Edwards (1637-1716) followed Poiret, publishing two volumes called A Compleat
History or Survey of All the Dispensations. In this work, he attempted to show how God had
dealt with the creation until the end of the world. His outline for dispensationalism was far
more involved than Poiret's.

We then move onto Isaac Watts (1674-1748), who was really the precursor to Scofield's
system of dispensationalism. Watts' identification of dispensationalism was more
defined. His outline closely resembles Scofield's, with the exception of the Millennial
Kingdom. Watts included six separate dispensations, which are as follows:

1. Innocency
2. Adamical Dispensation of the Covenant of Grace
3. Noahical Dispensation
4. Abrahamical Dispensation
5. Mosaical Dispensation
6. Christian Dispensation
Modern and Recent Developments
John Nelson Darby (1800-1882) is the next scholar in systematizing dispensationalism. In
short, Darby's system included seven separate economies:

1. Paradisaical state to the Flood

2. Noah
3. Abraham
4. Israel
1. Under the law
2. Under the priesthood
3. Under the kings
5. Gentiles
6. The Spirit
7. The Millennium

Darby's contribution beyond this systematizing was that in each of the individual economies,
Darby believed that man was placed under certain conditions, with the resultant
responsibility before God.

C. I. Scofield (1843-1921) is the next biblical scholar and proponent of dispensationalism

and probably the most well known, by today's standards. As has been mentioned, it is
normally asserted that dispensationalism had its start with Scofield, when in point of fact, it
has been clearly shown that a form of dispensationalism has been in effect since Justin
Martyr.

Scofield systematized dispensationalism to include seven categories:

1. Man Innocent
2. Man Under Conscience
3. Man in Authority Over the Earth
4. Man Under Promise
5. Man Under Law
6. Man Under Grace
7. Man Under the Personal Reign of Christ

Summing Things Up
It is likely that Scofield tends to be seen as the starting point of dispensationalism due to
the Scofield Reference Bible, published in the early 1900s. However, it is abundantly clear
from history that dispensationalism has roots that predate Scofield by at least eighteen
centuries. Far from being a recent development, dispensationalism can be found in some
form during the first century, which is only shortly after the last apostle died. The system of
Dispensationalism bears serious consideration and is certainly worthy of our attention.

[1]Paul Enns, The Moody Handbook of Theology (Chicago: Moody 1989), 513
[2] Charles C. Ryrie, Dispensationalism Today (Chicago: Moody 1965), 70