How to "rightly divide the word of truth"

2 Timothy 2:15 says "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." There are divisions in the Bible. Some books of the Bible are not written directly to us. The Bible is written to different audiences--particularly Jews, Gentiles, and the body of Christ (the church). 

1 Corinthians 10:16-17
"The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread."

1 Corinthians 10:18
"Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the alter?"

1 Corinthians 10:20
"But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils."

1 Corinthians 10:32
"Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:"

As you can see, the "one body" is the "church of God". God has had many churches, Israel in the Old Testament was a church (Acts 7:38). The Bible uses "church" and "congregation" synonymously (Heb. 2:12 with Ps. 22:22-28). However, God has a distinct church in this present dispensation that is called "His body". The body of Christ is made up of believers that are assembled in heavenly places in Christ.

Ephesians 1:
[22] And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
[23] Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Ephesians 2:
[5] Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
[6] And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

We get into this church by believing the gospel and being baptized by the Spirit into Christ. Once the Holy Spirit does this, we are no longer considered Jew or Gentile and we are all one in Christ.

Ephesians 1:13 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,

1 Corinthians 12:
[12] For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
[13] For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
[14] For the body is not one member, but many.

Galatians 3:
[26] For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
[27] For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
[28] There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 3:
[10] And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
[11] Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

Knowing these facts about the body of Christ will help us "rightly divide" the Bible.

Here is an outline of identifying which books of the Bible were written directly TO whom.

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John: Written to Jews according to Matthew 10:5-7, 15:22-26, and Romans 15:8.

Matthew 10:5-7 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 15:22-26 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. Romans 15:8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: 

The twelve apostles, Acts 1-8, Hebrews-Revelation: Written to the Jews according to Galatians 2. (example: James 1:1 "...to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad..")

Galatians 2:
[7] But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
[8] (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)
[9] And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.

Paul, Acts 9-28, Romans-Philemon: Written to Gentiles in the dispensation of grace while Israel has been blinded.

Romans 11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:

Romans 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

Galatians 2:
[7] But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
[8] (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)
[9] And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.

Ephesians 3:
[1] For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
[2] If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to youward:
[3] How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
[4] Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
[5] Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
[6] That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
[7] Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
[8] Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
[9] And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

2 Timothy 1:
[8] Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
[9] Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
[10] But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:
[11] Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

Colossians 1:
[24] Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:
[25] Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
[26] Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
[27] To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
[28] Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

1 Corinthians 4:1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.


"Rightly diving" the word of truth in this manner often offends people. Someone recently told me "I like your stance on the KJV. But... why chop it up so much (meaning why say some NT books ain't for us? )"

I do not "chop up" anything, I just "rightly divide the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15). There is no verse in the Bible that says you should take the entire Bible and keep it as one big blob. That simply will not work.....

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them....."(Matt. 28:19)

"For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel...." (1 Cor. 1:17)

"Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began," (Romans 16:25)

"Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:" (1 Pet. 1:9-10)

Those are two sets of contradictory statements. If we do not "rightly divide" Paul and Peter's ministries then we have contradictions in the Bible--that is why we are told to rightly divide.

What verse says that the entire Bible is written to us and about us? None.

What verse tell us to rightly divide the Bible? 2 Timothy 2:15

What verses says that Paul was the one that Christ revealed the present dispensation to? Romans 11:25, Romans 16:25, 1 Corinthians 2:7, 1 Corinthians 4:1, Ephesians 1:9, Ephesians 3:1-9, Ephesians 5:32, Ephesians 6:19, Colossians 1:26-27, Colossians 4:3, 1 Timothy 3:9

What verse says that since Paul's conversion that he was the pattern for believers? 1 Timothy 1:16

What verse says that Peter did not understand the revelations given to Paul? 2 Peter 3:15

What verses tell us to follow Paul? 1 Corinthians 4:16, 1 Corinthians 11:1, Philippians 3:17

Rightly dividing the word of truth does not mean that we neglect parts of the Bible. Paul made these statements:

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Tim. 3:16)

"For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." (Romans 15:4)

I do not believe in "chopping up" the Bible, but I do believe in studying the Bible in context (rightly divided).

--Eli "Hoss" Caldwell