The Scofield Bible

SGO · July 10

https://historicist.info/scofield/the-satanic-influence-on-the-scofield-bible/

The Satanic Influence on the Scofield Bible

Posted on March 17, 2024 by historicist

“Certain men, crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation.”
Jude 1:4

Joseph Canfield in The Incredible Scofield provides a clue that helps unravel the mystery surrounding the Scofield Bible. He states that on the second page of the introduction to the first edition published in 1909, Scofield acknowledged that he had been influenced by two Oxford Bible scholars, B.F. Westcott and F.J.A. Hort.¹

Scofield traveled to Oxford University just prior to the publication of his Bible. At the time, these two men were highly regarded authorities on the Greek New Testament. However, the recent controversy over the King James Bible has thrown a flood of light into the dark corners of their lives. The revelations have been shocking.

Westcott was a bishop in the Anglican church and Hort a professor of divinity but both men had abandoned their Christian faith. While an undergraduate at Cambridge, Westcott formed a club called Hermes.² Hermes was a pre-Hellenic Greek deity considered to be bisexual. The club was noted for the intensity of the homosexual relations between its members.³

In 1851, Hort and Westcott started the Ghost Society, which over the years included some of the most noted intellectuals in England including future Prime Minister Arthur Balfour.⁴ Balfour was at the center of an elite group which had inherited great political power, wealth, and social position.⁵ They were leaders in the occult revival of the 19th century and founders of the New Age Movement with Luciferian Helen Blatavsky.⁶

Hort and Westcott were committed Communists.⁷ They hated America and democracy.⁸ There was a close tie between their occult group and Marxism in England;⁹ and under the leadership of Arthur Balfour, they began working on what has become the one world religion and the New World Order.¹⁰

A key strategy in bringing about this one world religion involved replacing the King James verson with a revised text where words were added and removed, and meanings were changed.¹¹ Hort and Westcott’s New Age versions have virtually replaced the King James version today.

Not content with changing God’s word, Scofield’s credit reveals they also worked to change Bible prophecy. Historicism had been the standard for 500 years; but the publication of the Scofield Bible resurrected the old Jesuit futurism with a Zionist twist. Today, the policies of our country are dramatically influenced by futurism and Christian Zionism, while few have even heard of historicism.

During the years they worked on the revised text, they met secretly at night and held séances with their depraved society. These meetings were often held at Arthur Balfour’s residence or townhouse.¹²They are acknowledged today as the fathers of modern channeling.¹³ Channeling involves inviting a familiar spirit or diving demon into one’s body.

Channelers or mediums frequently end up in bondage with the occult. This practice is an abomination to God, who warned that “in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and the doctrines of devils” (1 Timothy 4:1). Men with familiar spirits in the Old Testament were to be put to death.

According to Scofield, the real influences behind the publication of the Scofield Bible were two men who were influenced or possessed by demons. Their motivation was not to glorify God but to bring about a New World Order with a New World Religion based on spiritualism.¹⁴

References

Joseph M. Canfield, The Incredible Scofield and His Book (Vallecito, Ca.: Ross House Books, 1988), page 195. ↩︎
Arthur Westcott, Life and Letters of Brooke Foss Westcott, Vol. I (London: Macmillan and Co., Limited, 1903), p. 47. ↩︎
Alan Gauld, The Founders of Psychical Research (New York: Schocken Books, 1968), pp. 90-91. ↩︎
James Webb, The Occult Underground (La Salle, Illinois: Open Court Press, 1974), p. 8. ↩︎
Carroll Quigley, The Anglo-American Establishment (New York: Books in Focus, 1981), page 32. ↩︎
Webb, page 155. ↩︎
Arthur Hort, The Life and Letters of Fenton John Antony Hort, Vol I (New York: Macmillan and Company, 1896), p.104. ↩︎
Ibid. pp. 458-459. ↩︎
Norman and Jeanne MacKensie, The Fabians (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1977), pages 18, 316. ↩︎
G.A. Riplinger, New Age Bible Versions (Ararat, Va: AV Publications, 1993), pp. 419-421. ↩︎
Ibid., pages 11-13. ↩︎
Gauld, pp. 105, 104, 48. ↩︎
Riplinger, page 402. ↩︎
Gauld, pp. 305-307. ↩︎

hort and westcott, scofield

BrotherTony · July 10

Just shows the KJVO derangement syndrome. May not be a popular opinion here, but my first KJV Bible was an Old Scofield. I still have it 53 years later. I received it when I turned 9. It's always strange to me how the "onlies" try to denegrate anyone and everything they don't agree with, and try to tell the Holy Spirit what Bible translation he's allowed to use. Shameful!

SGO · July 10

https://stephensizer.com/2021/06/cyrus-ingerson-scofield-charlatan-and-heretic/

Cyrus Ingerson Scofield: Charlatan and Heretic

1. Scofield: The Christian Leader with Feet of Clay
2. The Link between Darby and Scofield in the Rise of Dispensationalism
3. Scofield’s Dispensational Hermeneutic: ‘Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth’
4. Scofield, the Brethren and the Bible Prophecy Conference Movement
5. The Significance of the Scofield Reference Bible
6. Scofield’s Seven Dispensations
7. The Denigration of the Church within the Purposes of God
8. The Elevation of National Israel to a Superior Role over the Church
9. Prophetic Promises of a New Covenant with a Restored National Israel
10. Speculations on Armageddon and the Day of the Lord
11. Conclusions: The Legacy of Scofieldism on Christian Zionism

1. Scofield: The Christian Leader with Feet of Clay

While Cyrus Ingerson Scofield may justifiably be regarded as the father of American dispensationalism and its most popular exponent through the various editions and variants of the Scofield Reference Bible¹, his personal life is shrouded in mystery, one of American Fundamentalism’s best kept and perhaps most embarrassing secrets.

Ernest Sandeen insists, “…in the calendar of Fundamentalist saints no name is better known or more revered.”² Yet while writings abound on the early Brethren such as J. N. Darby and other contemporary American dispensationalists such as D. L. Moody, C. I. Scofield remains an illusive and enigmatic figure. Only two biographies have been published, one by a fellow dispensationalist, eulogises Scofield³, the other, from a Reformed perspective, exposes him as morally unfit for Christian ministry.⁴ Reconciliation of these two perspectives is difficult if not impossible. George Trumbull, Scofield’s biographer, writing in 1920, claims,

Dr. Scofield loves all nature-not only men and women and children, but the whole created world, still so beautiful in spite of what Satan and sinners have done to mar God’s work.⁵

Similarly, George W. Truett, speaking at a memorial service for Scofield, held in Dallas, Texas on 27 November 1921, included this tribute,

Every one felt that he was a prince of true men. And what a friend he was. A man who would have friends must show himself friendly. Along with these qualities he was kindly, full of good will and cheer which radiated from him as the light from the sun. When with him you knew you were in the presence of one who knew what he believed. Christ was real to him… a wonderful preacher and a world preacher. He would have been at ease in any congregation where he could have preached. There was about him a positiveness, a definitiveness, a certainty…⁶

Canfield’s detailed investigation of Scofield’s past portrays a very different person. Discrepancies exist between Scofield’s own reminiscences, Trumbull’s biography, family correspondence and actual public records regarding many aspects of Scofield’s life and ministry both before and after his alleged conversion, ordination and association with D. L. Moody. These range from the trivial to the reprehensible.

1. His claim to have fought with General Lee is disputed as is his alleged decoration for service in the Confederate army in 1861.⁷

2. His ‘rank perjury’ in swearing the oath of office to become District Attorney for Kansas in June 1873, denying he had served in the Confederate Army⁸, a post he then had to resign just six months later following well publicised charges of extortion and blackmail.⁹

3. The desertion of his first wife Leontine, and daughters Abigail and Marie-Helene from 1877 and failure to provide for them.¹⁰

4. The unsubstantiated claim that he was admitted to the Bar of St. Louis and practised law.¹¹

5. The discrepancies surrounding his alleged conversion in 1879 in jail and also while practising law.¹²

6. The criminal charges of fraud and embezzlement brought against him between 1877-1879, some following his alleged conversion¹³ resulting in at least one jail sentence.¹⁴

7. His persistent refusal, even as a Christian minister, to make restitution to those he had defrauded.¹⁵

8. The embarrassment of having divorce proceedings initiated against him by his wife Leontine in 1881 while he was pastor of Hyde Park Congregational Church, St. Louis . Her divorce papers charged Scofield with, ‘…gross neglect of duty…’ having, ‘failed to support this plaintiff or her said children, or to contribute thereto, and has made no provision for them for food, clothing or a home…’ ¹⁶ The court decided in favour of Leontine after some delay in 1883 and issued a decree of divorce in December of that year, describing Scofield as, ‘…not a fit person to have custody of the children.’¹⁷

9. His nomination as pastor to the First Congregational Church of Dallas in 1882, by James H. Brookes was apparently without reference to or acknowledgement of any Christian obligation to provide for his family.¹⁸

10. Discrepancies exist in the accounts of his alleged theological training prior to ordination.¹⁹

11. Discrepancies exist in the conflicting length of his courtship and the date of his second marriage to Hettie Van Wark in March 1884, only three months after her arrival in Dallas and his divorce becoming final.²⁰

12. Doubts have been raised as to claims made that Scofield made several visits to London prior to 1903,²¹and claims that he studied and lectured in Rome, Paris, Geneva and Berlin between 1906-1907.²²

13. Scofield apparently conferred a doctorate on himself in 1892.²³ The 1897 Northfield Bible Conference, for example, lists Scofield’s name with a D.D. yet there is no evidence of this award being conferred by a university or college. ‘We are not aware of any degree-awarding institution which in the 1890’s would recognize dispensational accomplishments.’²⁴

14. In 1904, addressing a gathering of Confederate veterans in Dallas, Scofield made pejorative and racist remarks concerning blacks and whites.²⁵

15. Major discrepancies exist in his Who’s Who in America 1912 entry both in terms of misstatements, factual inaccuracies and omissions, including the dates of his marriages, the names of his three children, and subsequent divorce.²⁶

16. In 1909 and 1921, despite significant royalties from the Scofield Reference Bible, he wrote to his daughters Helene and Abbie, explaining his inability to help them financially as he was suffering from chronic ‘Scofielditis’, his euphemism for ‘a purse which has grown dismally empty.’²⁷

Given Scofield’s notoriety in Kansas, following his well publicised conversion and association with D.L. Moody, several newspaper articles attempted to piece together something of his already then chequered career. An article originally in the Atchison Patriot was picked up by the Topeka paper, The Daily Capital on 27 August 1881. It included the following,

Cyrus I. Scofield, formerly of Kansas, late lawyer, politician and shyster generally, has come to the surface again, and promises once more to gather around himself that halo of notoriety that has made him so prominent in the past… Within the past year… Cyrus committed a series of St. Louis forgeries that could not be settled so easily, and the erratic young gentleman was compelled to linger in the St. Louis jail for a period of six months.

Among the many malicious acts that characterized his career, was one peculiarly atrocious, that has come under our personal notice. Shortly after he left Kansas, leaving his wife and two children dependent upon the bounty of his wife’s mother, he wrote his wife that he could invest some $1,300 of her mother’s money, all she had, in a manner that would return big interest. After some correspondence he forwarded them a mortgage, signed and executed by one Chas. Best, purporting to convey valuable property in St. Louis. Upon this the money was sent to him. Afterwards the mortgages were found to be base forgeries, no such person as Charles Best being in existence, and the property conveyed in the mortgage fictitious… A representative of the Patriot met Mrs Schofield (sic) today… As to supporting herself and the children, he has done nothing, said the little woman… I will gladly give him the matrimonial liberty he desires. I care not who he marries, or when, but I do want him to aid me in giving our little daughters the support and education they should have.²⁸

Following the death of D. L. Moody in 1899, when it became known that Scofield had officiated at the funeral, the interest of the secular press was once again aroused and more stories about Scofield were brought to the surface. The following is taken from the Kansas City Journal of 28 December 1899.

The pastor who delivered the sermon and presided at the funeral of Dwight L. Moody, the famous evangelist, was rev. C. I. Scofield… Scofield landed in Nemaha County in 1872, just in time to be nominated on the Republican ticket for member of the legislature. He was elected, and, though ostensibly a supporter of Senator Pomeroy, he became largely instrumental in causing the election of Ingalls… in reward for his services he was made United States district attorney for the state. But he did not hold this office long. He was ousted in disgrace on account of some shady financial transactions which left him indebted in a number of thousands to a score of prominent Republicans… then followed an explosion which compelled Scofield to resign his federal office and leave the state… While in jail he had been visited by a band of Christian women who prayed with him and worked his conversion, and upon his release he entered the Congregational ministry. His first pastorate was at Dallas, Tex., where he built up one of the wealthiest and most aristocratic church organisations in the state… When approached by his Kansas creditors Parson Scofield declares that he is poor and unable to pay, but has never failed to do the right and easy thing by renewing his notes. So far as those who know him best are able to judge, his conversion is of an enduring nature, and, as once remarked by his old friend and supporter, the sarcastic Mr. Ingalls, ‘No man can doubt the efficacy of the scheme of Christian salvation with the record of Scofield in view’.²⁹

Cranfield makes this assessment of these still uncontested contemporary secular reports,

If Scofield had defrauded the leading Republican politicians of Kansas, obviously ‘he had to go.’ But these same Republican leaders could not afford to have it known publicly that they had been involved. This being so, the only course was to have Scofield ‘disappear,’ allowing the scandal to blow over… The story of Scofield’s rather casual extension of notes, which had ostensibly been made to repay funds embezzled, does not surprise. It is entirely congruent with the antinomian nature of Dispensationalism which Scofield inherited from J. N. Darby. Instead of allowing the legal obligation to expire with the statute of limitations, Scofield tolled the statute with the notes even though he could not have any intention of repayment.³⁰

These unsavoury facts regarding Scofield’s life and character have never been adequately answered or explained by his followers. The reason for his sudden acceptance and subsequent integration within a group of wealthy and influential Christian fundamentalists seems inexplicable given their supposed rigid adherence to biblical standards of morality and exacting criteria for Christian leadership. As Canfield rightly insists,

…genuineness in conversion and the accompanying change of heart include restitution. Such was an absolute condition in the Old Dispensation.³¹

Scofield’s behaviour both before and after his alleged conversion are nevertheless consistent with, and illustrative of, the antinomianism inherent in Darby’s rigid dispensationalism which Scofield popularised.³² In a message published in 1893 entitled, “The Purpose of God in This Age”, Scofield seems to come close to describing his own pessimistic, predetermined experience as much as that of dispensationalism generally. Speaking of his seven dispensations, Scofield concludes of each,

As you are aware, they are marked, as to their beginning, by some new probation for man, as to their ending by some act of judgment-for man always fails at last.³³

2. The Link between Darby and Scofield in the Rise of Dispensationalism

As a young and largely ‘illiterate’ Christian, Scofield was profoundly influenced and indeed schooled by the Rev. James H. Brookes, the minister of Walnut Street Presbyterian Church, St. Louis, and known as ‘The Father of American Dispensationalism’³⁴. Brookes introduced Scofield, and probably also Darby to D. L. Moody. Brookes sympathised with J. N. Darby’s dispensational views of a failing Church, corrupt and beyond hope, but it is known they met during five visits Darby made to St Louis between 1864-1865³⁵ and again between 1872-1877.³⁶ Canfield observes,

When convert Scofield in 1879 moved from forgery to Christian work, he found a niche in Christendom off the mainstream of recognized denominations… in the one city in North America which had been singled out by John Nelson Darby for concentrated ‘planting’ of Darby’s special brand of Bible teaching.³⁷

Scofield, serving as Brookes’ disciple, probably did more than anyone else to popularise Darby’s distinctive theological perspective, basing his reference notes on Darby’s own idiosyncratic translation of the Bible. Clarence Bass notes,

The parallel between Scofield’s notes and Darby’s works only too clearly reveals that Scofield was not only a student of Darby’s works, but that he copiously borrowed ideas, words and phrases.³⁸

According to even one of Darby’s own biographers, ‘His perceptions of Scriptural truths are the source from which Scofield Reference Bibles get their characteristic notes.’³⁹ Gerstner says the resemblance between Scofield and Darby ‘is deep and systematic.’⁴⁰ It is significant, however, that neither in the Introduction to his Reference Bible, nor in the accompanying notes does Scofield acknowledge his indebtedness to Darby. In this regard Scofield was merely following the example of his mentor, Brookes. Scofield claimed his ideas to be the fruit of fifty years of Bible study, something which, even by 1917, the date of the second edition of the Scofield Reference Bible published, is hard to explain if he was only converted in 1879 as alleged. One must assume Scofield meant other people’s study.⁴¹

Privately at least, Scofield did acknowledge the influence of Arno C. Gaebelein who is probably responsible for the prophetic writings contained in the Scofield Reference Bible. Like Scofield, Gaebelein was discipled by James Brookes who, he admitted, ‘took me literally under his wings.’⁴² Scofield wrote the foreword to Gaebelein’s, ‘The Harmony of the Prophetic Word’ which he devoured. In a letter to Gaebelein, written on the 2nd September 1905, Scofield acknowledged,

My beloved brother: By all means follow your own views of prophetic analysis. I sit at your feet when it comes to prophecy, and congratulate in advance the future readers of my Bible on having in their hands a safe, clear, sane guide through what to most is a labyrinth. Yours lovingly in Christ, Scofield⁴³

There is also the likely possibility that another unattributed writer influenced Scofield, one much nearer to home, although somewhat more controversial. J. R. Graves, a Southern Baptist minister from Arcadia near Memphis published a work entitled, ‘The Work of Christ Consummated in Seven Dispensations’ in 1883.⁴⁴

It features a dispensational scheme quite similar to one which was later used in the Scofield Reference Bible. For some strange reason, Graves is almost never mentioned by Dispensational writers who are not committed Baptists… Since Graves’ work had its primary circulation in the area Scofield was using as a base, the possibility of an unacknowledged debt to Graves must be considered. With Scofield’s lack of formal training and a need to learn fast, no reasonable source of help would have been overlooked.⁴⁵

It is probable that Graves was not acceptable to dispensationalists since he emphasised the importance of the visible church in the purposes of God, something strongly denied by Brethren with their ‘failing church’ doctrine.

3. Scofield’s Dispensational Hermeneutic: ‘Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth’.

In 1888 Scofield published his first work called Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth. In it Scofield presented the hermeneutic principles of dispensationalism he had allegedly been teaching his Bible classes and which would become the theological presuppositions behind which the notes of his Scofield Reference Bible. Not surprisingly, it was the Plymouth Brethren ‘house’ publishers, Loizeaux Brothers of New York, who printed the first edition,⁴⁶ and continue to do so, a century later.⁴⁷

Scofield began his work quoting from Paul’s second letter to Timothy, part of which was used as the book’s title,

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)⁴⁸

The Word of Truth, then, has right divisions, and it must be evident that, as one cannot be ‘a workman that needeth not to be ashamed’ without observing them, so any study of that Word which ignores these divisions must be in large measure profitless and confusing. The purpose of this pamphlet is to indicate the more important divisions of the Word of Truth…⁴⁹

The Table of Contents lists the lessons as:

The Jew, the Gentile, and the Church of God
The Seven Dispensations
The Two Advents
The Two Resurrections
The Five Judgments
Law and Grace
The Believer’s Two Natures
The Believer’s Standing and State
Salvation and Rewards⁵⁰

The first lesson sets the tone for all future Dispensational teaching offering a novel interpretation of the verse ‘Give no offence, neither to the Jews, nor the Gentiles, nor to the church of God.’ (1 Corinthians 10:32).

Scofield attempts to justify the division of the world into three classes of people, Jews, Gentiles and the church, an idea that is the ‘warp and woof of Dispensational teaching,’⁵¹ yet one that lacks any biblical basis. There are only two classes of people consistently mentioned in the New Testament, those who believe in Jesus Christ and those who do not, irrespective of whether they be Jews or Gentiles.⁵² Paul is simply urging the Corinthians to respect the differing traditions of Jews and Gentiles in their witness for Christ. There is no basis in the New Testament for the idea that the Jews remain special to God outside, or apart from, their membership of the Body of Christ.⁵³

In the second lesson Scofield unfolds the emerging dispensational belief that biblical history should be divided into seven ‘dispensations.’

These periods are marked off in Scripture by some change in God’s method of dealing with mankind, in respect of two questions, of sin, and of man’s responsibility. Each of the dispensations may be regarded as a new test of the natural man, and each ends in judgment – marking his utter failure in every dispensation.⁵⁴

His third lesson, another typical Brethren and Dispensational touchstone, makes a person’s view of the return of Christ and the ‘secret rapture’, the test of orthodoxy. No alternative eschatological schemes are acknowledged. The implication is clear. If a person does not accept a dispensational eschatology they do not believe in the Lord’s return and are not submitting to the authority of scripture.⁵⁵

By the ‘authority of scripture’ Scofield meant his own rigid literalist hermeneutical approach to scripture. So, for example, he insists that,

Not one instance exists of a ‘spiritual’ or figurative fulfilment of prophecy… Jerusalem is always Jerusalem, Israel is always Israel, Zion is always Zion… Prophecies may never be spiritualised, but are always literal.⁵⁶

Scofield’s ‘literalism’ extended even to exact verbal phraseology. This led him to claim there to be seven dispensations, eight covenants, and eleven great mysteries.⁵⁷ James Barr, in his critique of fundamentalism, reserves some of his strongest language for Scofield’s literalist hermeneutic which he describes rather sarcastically as, ‘Mythopoeic fantasy’ comparable with the ‘apocalyptic poems of Blake’.⁵⁸

With the favour and respectability bestowed by the Moody Bible Institute and Dallas Theological Seminary, Scofield’s little book has subsequently gone through numerous editions and been reprinted by several publishers. The Bible Publishers of Dallas, for instance, printed 35,000 copies during the nine year period 1945-1954.⁵⁹

4. Scofield, the Brethren and the Bible Prophecy Conference Movement

In many ways Scofield was merely representative of, but at the same time became a focus for, a growing prophetic and millennial movement in North America influenced by the Plymouth Brethren. The views later popularised by Scofield, were ‘hammered into presentable form ‘⁶⁰ by a series of Bible and Prophetic Conferences held across North America beginning in 1868 which followed the pattern established by Darby and Irving at Albury and Powerscourt from the 1830’s.

Both the method of ‘Bible readings’ and the topics of the conferences strongly suggest that the gatherings were a result of J. N. Darby’s travels in the United States and the influence of the Plymouth Brethren.⁶¹

For example, one of the resolutions adopted by the 1878 Niagara Conference gives clear evidence of the Darbyite dispensationalism, and Christian Zionism into which Scofield was becoming an eager proselyte.

We believe that the world will not be converted during the present dispensation, but is fast ripening for judgment, while there will be fearful apostasy in the professing Christian body; and hence that the Lord Jesus will come in person to introduce the millennial age, when Israel shall be restored to their own land, and the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord; and that this personal and premillennial advent is the blessed hope set before us in the Gospel for which we should be constantly looking: Luke 12:35-40; 17:26-30; 18:8; Acts 15:14-17; 2 Thess. 2:3-8; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; Tit. 2:11-15.⁶²

Scofield first attended the Niagara Conference in 1887, completing his book Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth, during the 1888 conference. Apparently, the manuscript was delivered direct to the Plymouth Brethren ‘house’ publishers, Loizeaux Brothers in New York from the conference. Trumbull, referring to the book commented,

The work of making the little book was a time-consuming and laborious task for him then and “spoiled” his vacation entirely one summer at Niagara. But what a blessing it has been to multitudes of others.⁶³

5. The Significance of the Scofield Reference Bible

According to Oswald Allis, by 1945 more than 2 million copies of the Scofield Reference Bible had been published in the United States alone.⁶⁴ Between 1967 and 1979 a further 1 million copies of the New Scofield Reference Bible had been published.⁶⁵ In a move to make Scofield’s work more accessible, in 1984 a new edition based on the New International Version was published.⁶⁶

Arno C. Gaebelein tells the story of how the Scofield Reference Bible came about from a discussion held with Scofield in 1901.

One night, about the middle of that week, Dr. Scofield suggested, after the evening service, that we take a stroll along the shore. It was a beautiful night. Our walk along the shore of the sound lasted until midnight. For the first time he mentioned the plan of producing a reference Bible, and outlined the method he had in mind. He said he had thought of it for many years and had spoken to others about it, but had not received much encouragement. The scheme came to him in the early days of his ministry in Dallas, and later, during the balmy days of the Niagara Conferences he had submitted his desire to a number of brethren, who all approved of it, but nothing came of it. He expressed the hope that the new beginning and this new testimony in Sea Cliff might open the way to bring about the publication of such a Bible with references and copious footnotes.⁶⁷

Those discussions led eventually to the publication of the Scofield Reference Bible in 1909. The combination of an attractive format, illustrative notes, and cross references has led both critics and advocates to acknowledge the Scofield’s Reference Bible to have been the most influential book among evangelicals during the first half of the twentieth century.

The various millennial currents were most effectively solidified in The Scofield Reference Bible. The significance of the Scofield Reference Bible cannot be overestimated.⁶⁸

James Barr claims that in the 1950’s half of all conservative evangelical student groups were using the Scofield Reference Bible, and that it was,

The most important single document of all fundamentalism… which has been the normal religious diet of many millions of readers. Its name itself makes clear what it is, A private interpretation… Both serious biblical scholarship and the established traditions of the major churches were alike ignored.⁶⁹

Craig Blaising, professor of Systematic Theology at Dallas Theological Seminary, and a dispensationalist, similarly acknowledges,

The Scofield Reference Bible became the Bible of fundamentalism, and the theology of the notes approached confessional status in many Bible schools, institutes and seminaries established in the early decades of this century.⁷⁰

Ernest Sandeen explains some of the reasons for its popularity,

The Scofield Reference Bible combined an attractive format of typography, paraphrasing, notes, and cross references with the theology of Darbyite dispensationalism. The book has thus been subtly but powerfully influential in spreading those views among hundreds of thousands who have regularly read that Bible and who often have been unaware of the distinction between the ancient text and the Scofield interpretation.⁷¹

In his Introduction, Scofield claimed that, over the previous fifty years there had been an ‘unprecedented’ degree of interest in Bible study, ‘…free from merely controversial motive’ and that from this ‘…new and vast exegetical and expository…’ body of literature which was ‘…inaccessible for bulk, cost, and time to the average reader’, Scofield had taken, the ‘…winnowed and attested results…’ of this fifty years of study and that they were now ‘…embodied in the notes, summaries, and definitions of this edition.’ He insisted that ‘Expository novelties, and merely personal views and interpretations, have been rejected.’⁷² In distinguishing his own from previous bible reference systems, which he regarded as ‘…unscientific and often misleading…’ Scofield insisted that in his new system,

…all the greater truths of the divine revelation are so traced through the entire Bible, from the place of first mention to the last, that the reader may himself follow the gradual unfolding of these, by many inspired writers through many ages, to their culmination in Jesus Christ and the New Testament Scriptures. This method imparts to Bible study and interest and vital reality which are wholly lacking in fragmented and disconnected study.⁷³

The footnotes which appear in the Scofield Reference Bible are actually very selective, appearing on less than half of the pages of Scripture. 781 pages lack any comment out of a total of 1,353 so it hardly rates as a comprehensive commentary such as provided by Albert Barnes or Matthew Henry.⁷⁴ Trumball observes that Scofield was convinced people wanted to study the Bible but didn’t know how and,

…saw that if his Bible studies were to be of the widest usefulness they would need to be attached to the Word itself-and in a form not too bulky.⁷⁵

Scofield goes much further than either Barnes or Henry in providing comprehensive headings embedded in the Scriptural text. These not only include chapter and paragraph titles but in many cases, verse by verse headings in chapters deemed significant to dispensationalists that would otherwise prove obscure were it not for such ‘helps’. For example, in Isaiah 11, entitled ‘The Davidic kingdom set up’ additional headings guide readers carefully through the chapter ensuring a dispensational gloss,

(1) The King’s ancestry (11,1); (2) The source of the King’s power, the sevenfold Spirit (11,2); (3) The character of his reign (11,3-5); (4) The quality of the kingdom (11,6-8); (5) The extent of the Kingdom (11,9); (6) How the kingdom will be set up (11,10-16) ⁷⁶

Had Scofield’s notes been published as a commentary separately they would have, in time, probably been forgotten or superceded. The difference is, ‘neither Henry not Barnes had the temerity, guile or gall to get their notes accepted as Scripture itself.’⁷⁷

Scofield’s Reference Bible has undergone significant revision since it was first published in 1909. Scofield completed the first revision in 1917, apparently with the help of seven consulting editors – Henry G. Weston (President, Crozier Theological Seminary); James M. Gray (Dean, Moody Bible Institute); W. G. Moorehead (Professor, Xenia Theological Seminary); Elmore Harris (President, Toronto Bible Institute) William J. Erdman; Arno C. Gaebelein & Arthur T. Pierson, several of whom were D.L. Moody’s colleagues.⁷⁸ Canfield argues that the addition of these names together with their academic qualifications was merely cosmetic, to give an air of respectability⁷⁹ Sandeen goes further arguing,

Just what role these consulting editors played in the project has been the subject of some confusion. Apparently Scofield only meant to gain support for his publication from both sides of the millenarian movement with this device.⁸⁰

In 1945 when a minor revision was published, an eighth consulting editor, William L. Pettingill, was added. However, so wedded to the 1917 edition were some ultra-dispensationalists that strong representations were made to the revision committee to ‘hold the line.’ Cornelius Stam asked,

Would revision neutralize the dispensational distinctions which Dr. Scofield had brought to light? Would it represent a retreat rather than an advance for dispensational truth? Would it impair the Reference Bible which had brougyht so much blessing to so many thousands of people?⁸¹

Despite such reservations, revisions continued to adapt, modify and elaborate Scofield’s dispensational package. The New Scofield Reference Bible was published in 1967 edited by Dr E. Schuyler English. In 1984 a further revision based on the New International Version of the Bible was undertaken by three of the faculty from Philadelphia College of Bible, Clarence Mason, Sherrill Babb and Paul Karleen, and published by the Oxford University Press as The New Scofield Study Bible.⁸² Charles Ryrie, perhaps seeking to emulate Scofield’s success, also published in his own name a more refined dispensational guide, the Ryrie Study Bible.⁸³

6. Scofield’s Seven Dispensations

Scofield defines his dispensations as periods of time, ‘…during which man is tested in respect of obedience to some specific revelation of the will of God…’⁸⁴ In the Introduction to the Scofield Reference Bible, he explains, following mention of the ‘remarkable results of the modern study of the Prophets, in recovering to the church… a clear and coherent harmony of the predictive portions…’ how,

The Dispensations are distinguished, exhibiting the majestic, progressive order of the divine dealings of God with humanity, the ‘increasing purpose’ which runs through and links together the ages, from the beginning of the life of man to the end in eternity. Augustine said: ‘Distinguish the ages, and the Scriptures harmonize.’⁸⁵

Whether Augustine understood ‘ages’ in terms of Scofield’s dispensations is extremely unlikely. Nevertheless, Scofield claimes that seven such dispensations were ‘distinguished’ in Scripture. He believed that his scheme was natural and self evident in Scripture,

there is a beautiful system in this gradualness of unfolding. The past is seen to fall into periods, marked off by distinct limits, and distinguishable period from period by something peculiar to each. Thus it comes to be understood that there is a doctrine of Ages or Dispensations in the Bible.⁸⁶

It is interesting to compare how these ‘distinct limits’ were moved as well as renamed in subsequent editions of the Scofield Reference Bible, as others, especially Schuyler English, sought to refine his scheme.

Scofield Reference Bible (1917)⁸⁷	The New Scofield Study Bible (1984)⁸⁸
1. Innocency (Gen. 1:28)	1. Innocence (Gen. 1.28)
2. Conscience (Gen. 3.23)	2. Conscience or Moral Responsibility (Gen. 3.7)
3. Human Government (Gen. 8.20)	3. Human Government (Gen.8.15)
4. Promise (Gen. 12.1)	4. Promise (Gen. 12.1)
5. Law (Ex. 19.8)	5. Law (Ex. 19.1)
6. Grace (John 1.17)	6. Church (Acts 2.1)
7. Kingdom or Fulness of Times (Eph. 1.10)⁸⁹	7. Kingdom (Rev. 20.4)

Scofield’s rigid adherence to these dispensations required him to make some novel assertions to ensure consistency. So for example, in describing the transition between his fourth dispensation of promise to his fifth dispensation of law, Scofield argues,

The descendants of Abraham had but to abide in their own land to inherit every blessing… The Dispensation of Promise ended when Israel rashly accepted the law (Ex. 19. 8). Grace had prepared a deliverer (Moses), provided a sacrifice for the guilty, and by divine power brought them out of bondage (Ex. 19. 4); but at Sinai they exchanged grace for law.⁹⁰

Similarly, in his introduction to the Gospels, Scofield artificially imposes stark divisions before and after Calvary which lead him to the amazing assertions that,

The mission of Jesus was, primarily, to the Jews… The Sermon on the Mount is law, not grace… the doctrines of Grace are to be sought in the Epistles not in the Gospels.⁹¹

Strangely, Scofield ignores the one division that is self evident between the Old and New Covenants. Mark 1:1 categorically states, ‘The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ’, And Matthew 11:13 further informs us, ‘For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. Yet Scofield places the life and ministry of Jesus within the dispensation of Law along with John the Baptist and the Old Testament Prophets, arguing that the sixth dispensation of grace only ‘begins with the death and resurrection of Christ’.⁹² So, for example, the Lord’s Prayer, and in particular the petition, ‘Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.’ (Matthew 6:12) is not applicable to the church, since it is ‘legal ground’.⁹³ He even suggests the possibility of salvation by works,

As a dispensation, grace begins with the death and resurrection of Christ (Rom. 3. 24-26; 4. 24, 25). The point of testing is no longer legal obedience as the condition of salvation, but acceptance or rejection of Christ… The predicted end of the testing of man under grace is the apostasy of the professing church…⁹⁴

Scofield believed the Gospels were essentially for the Jews and therefore not relevant for the Church. In the note attached to Ephesians 3, he boldly states, ‘In his (Paul’s) writings alone we find the doctrine, position, walk, and destiny of the Church.’⁹⁵ Unfortunately, Scofield seems to impose divisions that do not exist in Scripture and ignores those that do.

This research, however, is not primarily concerned with an evaluation of Scofield’s theological framework, nor even with how he has influenced the rise of dispensationalism. Others have already done sp as on the relationship between law and grace.⁹⁶ It is with Scofield’s more specific prophetic speculations concerning the relationship between Israel and the Church which this research will concentrate on since they have had such a profound effect on much contemporary Christian Zionism.

As has been noted, in ‘Rightly Dividing the Word of God’, Scofield laid out the dispensational presuppositions which determined his theological framework,

These periods are marked off in Scripture by some change in God’s method of dealing with mankind, in respect of two questions, of sin, and of man’s responsibility. Each of the dispensations may be regarded as a new test of the natural man, and each ends in judgment – marking his utter failure in every dispensation.⁹⁷

Such a pessimistic view of human history is no where more evident than in what Scofield teaches about his sixth dispensation, the church-age.

7. The Denigration of the Church within the Purposes of God

Historic Christianity has traditionally seen some form of continuity between the Old and New Covenants, and in the relationship between Israel and the Church, national Israel being in an anti-type and precursor for the Church. Scofield concedes as much, although through his notes, he systematically attempts to prove such a view erroneous in favour of a ‘failing’ church syndrome. Indeed he insists that the Church has not replaced or succeeded Israel as the people of God. In his introduction to the Four Gospels, he argues,

…in approaching the study of the Gospels, the mind should be freed, so far as possible, from mere theological concepts and presuppositions. Especially is it necessary to exclude the notion-a legacy in Protestant thought from post-apostolic and Roman Catholic theology-that the Church is the true Israel, and that the Old Testament foreview of the kingdom is fulfilled in the Church.⁹⁸

Apparently blind to the ‘theological concepts and presuppositions’ of his own dispensational framework, for all his claims to ‘literalism’, Scofield applied an obscure, arbitrary and indeed excessive form of typology to reinforce the belief, no doubt influenced by Darby, that the Church age will ultimately end in failure and apostasy to be replaced by a revived national Israel who will enjoy the blessings of the final kingdom dispensation.⁹⁹

Given that four of his seven dispensations are based around events recorded in the first twelve chapters of Genesis, (and a fifth in Exodus), it is perhaps not surprising that Scofield finds in these texts the basis for his entire scheme. So for example, in a footnote to Genesis 2:23, Scofield asserts that Eve is a ‘type of the Church as bride of Christ.’¹⁰⁰ As with some of his other ‘types’ this one appears arbitrary and speculative. Scofield offers a list of New Testament cross references, presumably in the belief that they validate his teaching. These are John 3:28-29; 2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:25-32 and Rev. 19:7-8. In none of these, however, is there any justification for such an assertion. Eve is not even mentioned. There are only two references to Eve in the New Testament, and only once by way of comparison. In 2 Cor. 11:3 Paul warns the Corinthians that they are in danger of being deceived like Eve. Even this verse therefore does not teach that they, the Corinthians were deceived, still less that Eve could or should be regarded as a type for the universal Church. From Genesis 3:14, Scofield further claims that the,

‘Adamic Covenant conditions the life of fallen man-conditions which must remain till, in the kingdom age, ‘the creation also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God’ (Rom. 8.21).¹⁰¹

The verse quoted actually refers to creation not people. By such typology, in which Eve and the so-called Adamic Covenant represent the state of the Church, Scofield prepares the ground for his teaching that the dispensation of the Church is destined to end in apostasy and failure. Then from Genesis 11:1, Scofield sees the Tower of Babel as yet another striking type for the professing Church.

The history of Babel (confusion) strikingly parallels that of the professing Church… ending in a man-made unity-the papacy… [and] …the confusion of tongues-Protestantism with its innumerable sects. ¹⁰²

Linking Isaiah 13 with Revelation 17, Scofield insists the latter reference predicts the destruction of ‘apostate Christianity’, which he also described as ‘ecclesio-Babylon’¹⁰³ In a speculative but rather confusing footnote to Revelation 17 and the identity of Babylon, Scofield insists that there are actually ‘two’ Babylons.

Two ‘Babylons’ are to be distinguished in the Revelation, ecclesiastical Babylon, which is apostate Christendom, headed up under the Papacy; and political Babylon, which is the Beast’s confederated empire, the last form of Gentile world-dominion. Ecclesiastical Babylon is ‘the great whore’ (Rev. 17. 1), and is destroyed by political Babylon (Rev. 17. 15-18)…¹⁰⁴

But the language of Rev. 18. (e.g. vs. 10, 16, 18) seem beyond question to identify ‘Babylon,’ the ‘city’ of luxury and traffic, with ‘Babylon’ the ecclesiastical centre, viz. Rome.¹⁰⁵

By such typology, Scofield intends his readers to concur that even the dispensation of the Church will end in ‘judgment-marking… utter failure’¹⁰⁶ This is at variance with New Testament teaching which assures of the permanence and ultimate victory of the Church over evil.¹⁰⁷

And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. (Matthew 16:18)

In other places Scofield’s scheme flatly contradicts the New Testament. So in Matthew 13, for example, in the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares, the Lord explains that the wicked will be removed first. Scofield however, insists the believers will be taken out first at the rapture.¹⁰⁸ Likewise his footnote to Acts 1:11 ignores the fact that the Angel promises that all will see Jesus when He returns and not the few in some ‘secret rapture.’

Clearly therefore, those who have subsequently accepted Scofield’s scheme, especially since 1948, such as Hal Lindsey, have been preconditioned to expect the return of Jews to Palestine. They are also generally pessimistic about the role of the Church, and see in the founding of the State of Israel, evidence not only of the fulfilment of Biblical prophecy, but of an impending Jewish revival and the imminent return of Christ.

8. The Elevation of National Israel to a Superior Role over the Church

This process begins for Scofield with his footnote to Genesis 12:1 and the supposed Fourth Dispensation of Promise.

For Abraham and his descendants it is evident that the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 15.18, note) made a great change. They became distinctively the heirs of promise. That covenant is wholly gracious and unconditional. The descendants of Abraham had but to abide in their own land to inherit every blessing.¹⁰⁹

Schuyler English, anxious to expurgate Scofield’s unorthodox views that, ‘The Dispensation of Promise ended when Israel rashly accepted the law (Ex. 19.8)’ ¹¹⁰, makes considerable changes to this footnote and goes much further in the dispensational claims made for Israel.

God’s promises to Abram and his seed certainly did not terminate at Sinai with the giving of the law (Gal 3:17). Both O.T. and N.T. are full of post-Sinaitic promises concerning Israel and the land which is to be Israel’s everlasting possession (e.g. Exo 32:13; 33:1 – 3; Lev 23:10; 25:2; 26:6; Deu 6:1 – 23; 8:1 – 18; Josh 1:2,11; 24:13; Acts 7:17; Rom 9:4). But as a specific test of Israel’s stewardship of divine truth, the dispensation of Promise was superseded, though not annulled, by the law that was given at Sinai (Exo 19:3ff.).¹¹¹

Scofield also applied his distinctive typology to the relationship between Israel and the Church. Starting with a cross-reference from Genesis 11:1 and the story of Babel, he guides his readers to Isaiah 13:1 and the ‘burden of Babylon’ where Scofield claims,

Isa. 3.14 gives the divine view of the welter of warring Gentile powers. The divine order is given in Isa. 11. Israel in her own land, the centre of divine government of the world and channel of divine blessing; and the Gentiles blessed in association with Israel. Anything else is, politically, mere ‘Babel’¹¹²

This notion that Gentiles are ‘blessed in association with Israel’, is the principle motivation for the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) who believe Christians are called to ‘comfort Zion’ rather than bear witness to Jesus as Messiah.¹¹³ Scofield provided Christian Zionists such as the ICEJ with justification when he took the promise made to Abraham in Genesis 12:3 and applied it to Abraham’s descendants,

(5) ‘I will bless them that bless thee.’ In fulfilment closely related to the next clause. (6) ‘And curse him that curseth thee.’ Wonderfully fulfilled in the history of the dispersion. It has invariably fared ill with the people who have persecuted the Jew-well with those who have protected him. The future will still more remarkably prove this principle. (Deut. 30. 7; Isa. 14. 1, 2; Joel 3. 1-8; Mic. 5. 7-9; Hag. 2. 22; Zech. 14. 1-3; Mt. 25. 40, 45).¹¹⁴

To Scofield’s notes on Genesis 12:1 & 3 Schuyler English adds,

There was a promise of blessing upon those individuals and nations who bless Abram’s descendants, and a curse laid upon those who persecute the Jews (Gen 12:3; Mat 25:31 – 46)… For a nation to commit the sin of anti-Semitism brings inevitable judgment. The future will still more remarkably prove this principle.¹¹⁵

The promise given to Abraham actually states,

I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. (Genesis 12:3)

There is no indication in the text that this warning of cursing was ever intended to extend beyond Abraham. The promise, when referring to Abraham’s descendants speaks of God’s blessing them, not other nations blessing the Jews. Ironically, Scofield makes no comment on the passage in Galatians 3:16 and 3:28-29, where the Apostle Paul understands Christ to be the “seed” of Abraham, and that the promise of blessing to the Gentiles comes through faith in Jesus Christ and not on the basis of how well they treat the Jews.

He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. Brothers, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case.

The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ. (Galatians 3:14-16)

There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:28-29)

Nevertheless Schuyler English boldly insists,

Both O.T. and N.T. are full of post-Sinaitic promises concerning Israel and the land which is to be Israel’s everlasting possession (e.g. Exo 32:13; 33:1 – 3; Lev 23:10; 25:2; 26:6; Deu 6:1 – 23; 8:1 – 18; Josh 1:2,11; 24:13; Acts 7:17; Rom 9:4)

Just two New Testament cross references are offered. Neither corroborates what he claims.

As the time drew near for God to fulfill his promise to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt greatly increased. (Acts 7:17)

For Luke, the “fulfilment” of the promise made to Abraham was seen to have already been fulfilled through Moses, “as the time drew near…”

Over against Scofield’s distinction between Israel and the Church, the New Testament consistently speaks of there being one true vine or one olive tree, symbols portraying the unity within the one elect people of God made up of both Jews and Gentiles, who by faith are thereby all declared to be children of Abraham. However, in his introduction to the Gospels, Scofield insists,

Do not, therefore, assume interpretations to be true because familiar. Do not assume that ‘the throne of David’ (Lk. 1.32) is synonymous with ‘My Father’s throne’ (Rev. 3. 21), or that ‘the house of Jacob’ (Lk. 1.33) is the Church composed both of Jew and Gentile. ¹¹⁶

Following Darby, Scofield taught that God has two separate plans, one for Israel, another for the Church, each having a separate identity and eternal destiny, Israel’s on earth while the Church’s in heaven. So in commenting on Matthew 16,18, and Jesus’ promise to ‘build my church,’ Scofield claims,

Israel was the true ‘church’ but not in any sense the N.T. church-the only point of similarity being that both were ‘called out’ and by the same God. All else is contrast.¹¹⁷

In a footnote to Acts 7:38, Scofield explains away the term used by Stephen of Israel as ‘the church in the wilderness’.

Israel in the land is never called a church. In the wilderness Israel was a true church (Gr. ecclesia = called-out assembly), but in striking contrast with the N. T. ecclesia (Mt. 16. 18, note).¹¹⁸

In commenting on Romans 11:1, Scofield insists on maintaining this distinction between the Church and Israel. To do so however, he has to distinguish between the ‘earthly’ and ‘heavenly’ fulfilment of Biblical prophecy,

That the Christian now inherits the distinctive Jewish promises is not taught in Scripture. The Christian is of the heavenly seed of Abraham (Gen. 15. 5, 6; Gal. 3. 29), and partakes of the spiritual blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 15. 8, note); but Israel as a nation always has its own place, and is yet to have its greatest exaltation as the earthly people of God.¹¹⁹

So, with reference to Romans 11:5, in which Paul insists a remnant of believing Jews existed in his day, Scofield extrapolates that,

During the church-age the remnant is composed of believing Jews… During the great tribulation a remnant out of all Israel will turn to Jesus as Messiah and will become His witnesses after the removal of the church (Rev. 7.3-8).

The purpose of God during this so called, ‘church age’ then is,

not the conversion of the world, but to, ‘gather out of the Gentiles a people for his name’ After this he ‘will return’ and then, and not before, will the world be converted.¹²⁰

What should the attitude of the Church be to Israel? Scofield uses the description of the final judgement in Matthew 25:31-46 to teach implicitly that Gentiles should bless Israel. Schuyler English in his revision makes this point much more explicitly.

All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. (Matthew 25:32)

In their footnotes to this verse in the 1917 and 1984 editions, it is significant to observe how more overtly Dispensational the latter has become.

Scofield Reference Bible (1917)

The New Scofield Study Bible (1984)

This judgment is to be distinguished from the judgment of the great white throne. Here there is no resurrection; the persons judged are living nations; no books are opened; three classes are present, sheep, goats, brethren; the time is at the return of Christ (v. 31); and the scene is on earth. All these particulars are in contrast with rev. 20. 11-15. The test in this judgment is the treatment accorded by the nations to those whom Christ here calls “my brethren.” These “brethren” are the Jewish Remnant who will have preached the Gospel of the kingdom to all nations during the tribulation.¹²¹

This judgment of individual Gentiles is to be distinguished from other judgments in Scripture, such as the judgment of the Church (2 Cor 5:10 – 11), the judgment of Israel (Ezek 20:33 – 38), and the judgment of the wicked after the millennium (Rev 20:11 – 15). The time of this judgment is “when the Son of man comes in his glory,” i.e. at the second coming of Christ after the tribulation. The subjects of this judgment are “all nations,” i.e. all Gentiles… then living on earth. Three classes of individuals are mentioned: (1) sheep, saved Gentiles; (2) goats, unsaved Gentiles; and (3) brothers, the people of Israel. The scene is on earth; no books are opened; it deals with the living rather than with those translated or raised from the dead. The test of this judgment is the treatment by individual Gentiles of those whom Christ calls “brothers of mine” living in the preceding tribulation period when Israel is fearfully persecuted (cp. Gen. 12:3). The sheep are Gentiles saved on earth during the period between the rapture and Christ’s second coming to the earth.¹²²

To justify this perpetual distinction between Israel and the Church, even under the New Covenant, Scofield insists that Israel is the earthly wife of God and the Church is actually the heavenly bride of Christ. Commenting on Hosea 2:2, Scofield writes,

That Israel is the wife of Jehovah (see vs. 16-23), now disowned but yet to be restored, is the clear teaching of the passages. This relationship is not to be confounded with that of the Church to Christ (John 3.29, refs.). In the mystery of the Divine tri-unity both are true. The N.T. speaks of the Church as a virgin espoused to one husband (2 Cor. 11.1,2); which could never be said of an adulterous wife, restored in grace. Israel is, then, to be the restored and forgiven wife of Jehovah, the Church the virgin wife of the Lamb (John 3.29; Rev. 19. 6-8); Israel Jehovah’s earthly wife (Hos. 2, 23); the Church the Lamb’s heavenly bride (Rev. 19.7)¹²³

In a footnote to the last reference, Revelation 19:7, Scofield insists,

The ‘Lamb’s wife’ here is the ‘bride’ (Rev. 21. 9), the Church, identified with the ‘heavenly Jerusalem’ (Heb. 12. 22, 23), and to be distinguished from Israel, the adulterous and repudiated ‘wife’ of Jehovah, yet to be restored (Isa. 54. 1-10; Hos. 2. 1-17), who is identified with the earth (Hos. 2. 23). ¹²⁴

Scofield reaches this conclusion guided by his literalistic hermeneutic and presupposition that Israel and the Church are separate bodies, therefore, ‘A forgiven and restored wife could not be called either a virgin (2 Cor. 11: 2,3), or a bride.’¹²⁵ Such novel teaching of an ‘earthly wife’ and ‘heavenly bride’ is in plain contradiction to passages such as John 10:16 and Romans 11:24, neither of which, interestingly, warrant any comment by Scofield.

I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. (John 10,16)

After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to

nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree! (Romans 11,24)

Paul is here emphasising how Gentiles share the same privileges as the faithful remnant of Jewish believers. This is neither equated with national Israel, nor with a separate olive tree. At some future time Paul predicts believing Jews will also be grafted in once again. Paul is therefore teaching quite explicitly that there is one olive tree into which both Jews and Gentiles have and will be grafted on the same basis – belief in Jesus Christ. In reply to those who, in Paul’s own day, regarded Gentile believers as inferior and who wished to keep Jewish and Gentile believers separate, he insisted,

There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one

in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3,28-29)

Paul uses similar analogies of ‘one new man’ (Ephesians 2:13-16), and, ‘fellow heirs, and of the same body’ (Ephesians 3:4-6), to emphasise that God has taken two peoples and made them one in Christ. By insisting, however, on arbitrary divisions in biblical history marked off, ‘…by some change in God’s method of dealing with mankind…’ each ending ‘…in judgment’ and ‘…utter failure in every dispensation,’¹²⁶ Scofield sets in tension Old Testament Scripture with New Testament Scripture, divorces Israel from the Church, and thereby confuses the future with the past. This is made more apparent still by the way in which Scofield insists that unfulfilled prophecies concerning national Israel will be fulfilled in the future.

9. Prophetic Promises of a New Covenant with a Restored National Israel

Like Darby, Scofield taught that it was God’s intention to restore the nation of Israel to Palestine, rebuild the Temple, and re-institute the priesthood and sacrificial system. ‘According to the prophets, Israel, regathered from all nations, restored to her own land, and converted, is yet to have her greatest earthly exaltation and glory.’¹²⁷ In a note attached to Hebrews 7:22, Scofield insists the New Covenant contains separate promises for both Israel and the church,

The New Covenant secures the personal revelation of the Lord to every believer (v.11)… And secures the perpetuity, future conversion, and blessing of Israel (Jer. 31.31-40).¹²⁸

Similarly, in the context of the return of Christ, Scofield asserts,

To Israel, the return of the Lord is predicted to accomplish the yet unfulfilled prophecies of her national regathering, conversion and establishment in peace and power under the Davidic Covenant (Acts 15. 14-17 with Zech. 14. 1-9)¹²⁹

So, in his note on Haggai 2:9, Scofield claims, therefore, that there will actually be a fourth and fifth temple built in Jerusalem.

In a sense all the temples (i.e. Solomon’s; Ezra’s; Herod’s; that which will be used by the unbelieving Jews under the covenant with the Beast [Dan. 9.27; Mt. 24. 15; 2 Thes. 2. 3,4]; and Ezekiel’s future kingdom temple [Ezk. 40-47.]), are treated as one ‘house’-the ‘house of the Lord,’ ¹³⁰

Scofield finds evidence for this view in Leviticus 23:23-25 and an unusual typology related to the feast of Tabernacles.

This feast is a prophetical type and refers to the future re-gathering of long-dispersed Israel. A long interval elapses between Pentecost and Trumpets, answering the long period occupied in the Pentecostal work of the Holy Spirit in the present dispensation. Study carefully Isa. 18. 3; 27. 13 (with contexts); 58. (entire chapter), and Joel 2. 1 to 3. 21 in connection with the ‘trumpets,’ and it will be seen that these trumpets, always symbols of testimony, are connected with the re-gathering and repentance of Israel after the church, or Pentecostal, period is ended. ¹³¹

This highly speculative scheme is simply imposed on a series of texts that teach nothing of the sort. For example, Leviticus 23:23-25 reads,

The LORD said to Moses, ‘Say to the Israelites, ‘On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts. Do no regular work, but present an offering made to the LORD by fire.’

It is surprising that Scofield should begin to base his belief in the return of the Jews to Palestine and the rebuilding of the Temple on the basis of passages such as this. In one of the cross references given, Joel 2, Scofield is forced to reinterpret later verses to avoid reversing the chronological order of the chapter. The earlier portion of the chapter, he claims, refers to the future restoration of Israel. However Peter, on the great Day of Pentecost, quotes from the latter part, Joel 2:28-32 to explain how the events predicted were occurring that day. To get round this, Scofield insists,

Acts 2.17, which gives a specific interpretation of ‘afterward’ (Heb. acherith = ‘latter,’ ‘last’). ‘Afterward’ in Joel 2. 28 means ‘in the last days’ (Gr. eschatos), and has a partial and continuous fulfilment during the ‘last days’ which began with the first advent of Christ (Heb. 1. 2); but the greater fulfilment awaits the ‘last days’ as applied to Israel.¹³²

So Scofield teaches that a ‘greater fulfilment’ of this passage refers to a future blessing awaiting Israel rather than that which occurred on the Day of Pentecost at the bestowal of the Holy Spirit on the Church. Once again national Israel is placed in a superior position to that of the Body of Christ, the Church. To perpetuate this artificial division, in the cross-reference to Acts 2:17, Scofield has to distinguish between the ‘last days’ of the Church and the ‘last days’ of Israel.

A distinction must be observed between ‘the last days’ when the prediction relates to Israel , and the ‘last days’ when the prediction relates to the church (1 Tim. 4. 1-3; 2 Tim. 3. 1-8; Heb. 1.1,2; 1 Pet. 1. 4,5; 2 Pet. 3. 1-9; 1 John 2. 18, 19; Jude 17-19). Also distinguish the expression the ‘last days’ (plural) from the ‘last day’ (singular); the latter expression referring to the resurrections and the judgment (John 6. 39, 40, 44, 54; 11. 24; 12. 48). The ‘last days’ as related to the church began with the advent of Christ (Heb. 1. 2), but have especial reference to the time of declension and apostasy at the end of this age (2 Tim. 3. 1; 4. 4). The ‘last days’ as related to Israel are the days of Israel’s exaltation and blessing, and are synonymous with the kingdom-age (Isa. 2. 2-4; Mic. 4. 1-7). They are ‘last’ not with reference to this dispensation, but with reference to the whole of Israel’s history.¹³³

To justify his dispensational scheme and a glorious future for Israel in the Kingdom age, Scofield concedes that the Scriptures speak of two occasions when national Israel returned to Palestine, but insists a third return is also predicted.

The gift of the land is modified by prophecies of three dispossessions and restorations (Gen. 15. 13, 14, 16; Jer. 25. 11, 12; Deut. 28. 62-65; 30. 1-3). Two dispossessions and restorations have been accomplished. Israel is now in the third dispersion, from which she will be restored at the return of the Lord as King under the Davidic Covenant (Deut. 30. 3; Jer. 23. 5-8; Ezk. 37. 21-25; Lk. 1. 30-33; Acts 15. 14-17).¹³⁴

Scofield’s argument for a third return is based on two important deductions that follows from his literalist hermeneutic. First, that Israel had never taken all the land promised to Abraham, and second, that Messianic promises had not been fulfilled during the first advent. In linking these two together, Scofield speculated that the return to the land would follow the return of the Lord,¹³⁵ a chronology that is contradicted in the conflicting notes on Deuteronomy 30:3-5, written with hindsight in the New Scofield Reference Bible published in 1967,¹³⁶ yet reiterated again, without comment in the New Scofield Study Bible of 1984.¹³⁷ In a note on Deuteronomy 30:3, Scofield argues,

The Palestinian Covenant gives the conditions under which Israel entered the land of promise. It is important to see that the nation has never as yet taken the land under the unconditional Abrahamic Covenant, nor has it ever possessed the whole land (cf. Gen. 15. 18 with Num. 34. 1-12). The Palestinian Covenant is in seven parts,

(1) Dispersion for disobedience, v. 1 (Deut. 28. 63-68. See Gen. 15. 18. note).
(2) The future repentance of Israel while in the dispersion, v.2.
(3) The return of the Lord, v. 3 (Amos 9. 9-14; Acts 15. 14-17).
(4) Restoration to the land, v. 5 (Isa. 11. 11, 12; Jer. 23. 3-8; Ezk. 37. 21-25).
(5) National conversion, v. 6 (Rom. 11. 26, 27; Hos. 2. 14-16).
(6) The judgment of Israel’s oppressors, v. 7 (Isa. 14. 1, 2; Joel 3. 1-8; Mt. 25. 31-46).
(7) National prosperity, v. 9 (Amos 9. 11-14)¹³⁸

Far from the Abrahamic covenant being ‘unconditional’, Scofield and his later dispensational revisionists, ignore or minimise the seriousness of the injunctions contained in this very passage of Deuteronomy which plainly teaches that occupation of the land would always be conditional on adherence to her covenantal obligations, a principle Moses was concerned to impress upon Israel before she entered the land, a principle subsequently demonstrated throughout Israel’s history, and in particular under the Assyrian and Babylonian captivities.

Schuyler English, in his 1967 revision of the Scofield Reference Bible, consistently adds to Scofield’s original notes to give a more explicit dispensational reading of key texts. In many cases references to contemporary Israel are appended to verses on which Scofield originally made no comment at all. So, to Genesis 12:7, Schuyler English adds,

(12:7) The verb ‘give’ appears over 1000 times in the Bible, with greatest frequency in relation to God giving the land of Palestine to his people Israel, a truth here announced for the first time but repeated in nearly 150 passages in the O.T…¹³⁹

One may legitimately ask for evidence of the same promise being made in the New Testament. Again, on Deuteronomy 30:5, Schuyler English adds the following innovation,

No passage of Scripture has found fuller confirmation in the events of history than Dt. 28 – 30. In A.D. 70 the Jewish nation was scattered throughout the world because of disobedience and rejection of Christ. In world-wide dispersion they experienced exactly the punishments foretold by Moses. On the other hand, when the nation walked in conformity with the will of God, it enjoyed the blessing and protection of God. In the twentieth century the exiled people were restored to their homeland.¹⁴⁰

No attempt is made to explain the apparent contradiction in Israel’s continued ‘disobedience and rejection of Christ’ and their restoration, ‘to their homeland,’ other than to insist the promises made to Israel have been ‘postponed’ during this church age. Ironically, the attempt by Scofield’s revisers to make Deuteronomy 30:1-6 speak of a final restoration to the land is actually undermined just a few verses further on in Deuteronomy 30:11-20 where Moses reiterates the same warning.

But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. (Deuteronomy 30,17-19)

Not surprisingly, no notes are included in any version of Scofield for this passage. Scofield’s dispensational hermeneutic nevertheless requires a futuristic interpretation of this passage on the grounds that Israel has never yet received all the land allegedly ‘unconditionally’ and literally promised under the Abrahamic Covenant. Therefore, Scofield insists, logically, she must do so one day. So, in paragraph headings to Isaiah 11, he adds the bold assertion that these verses speak of, ‘The vision of the Jewish remnant in the great tribulation’ for vv. 20-27 and, ‘The approach of the Gentile hosts to the battle of Armageddon.’ for vv. 28-34. Then in a footnote to Isaiah 11 Scofield writes,

The order of events in Isa. 10., 11., is noteworthy. Isa. 10. gives the distress of the Remnant in Palestine in the great tribulation (Psa. 2. 5; Rev. 7. 14), and the approach and destruction of the Gentile hosts under the Beast (Dan. 7. 8; Rev. 19. 20). Isa. 11. immediately follows with its glorious picture of the kingdom-age. Precisely the same order is found in Rev. 19., 20…

That nothing of this occurred at the first coming of Christ is evident from the comparison of the history of the times of Christ with this and all the other parallel prophecies. So far from re-gathering dispersed Israel and establishing peace in the earth, His crucifixion was soon followed (A.D. 70) by the destruction of Jerusalem, and the utter scattering of the Palestinian Jews amongst the nations¹⁴¹

Significantly, this dogmatic footnote denying any link with the incarnation of Jesus Christ, is omitted in the New Scofield Study Bible.

The argument concerning God’s possible future purposes for a revived national Israel therefore in part stands or falls on whether the promise made under the Abrahamic Covenant has or has not yet been fulfilled. In Genesis 15:18 we are told,

On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, ‘To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates…

Then, in Deuteronomy 6, Moses says,

See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land that the LORD swore he would give to your fathers–to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob–and to their descendants after them. (Deuteronomy 1,8)

But he brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land that he promised on oath to our forefathers. (Deuteronomy 6,23)

In these passages Moses reminds the Israelites that God had rescued them from Egypt in order to fulfil the promise made to Abraham that his seed would inherit the Promised Land. God reaffirms that same promise to Moses’ successor, Joshua.

Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. (Joshua 1,6)

The question then arises, did Israel do so? While it is true that the Jews have never exercised political sovereignty over all the land between the Nile and the Euphrates, looking back, the writer of the book of Joshua regarded the covenant promise as having already been fulfilled in that generation.

So Joshua took the entire land, just as the LORD had directed Moses, and he gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal divisions. Then the land had rest from war. (Joshua 11,23)

So the LORD gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their forefathers, and they took possession of it and settled there. The LORD gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their forefathers. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the LORD handed all their enemies over to them. Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled. (Joshua 21,43-45)¹⁴²

It is significant that we are told Joshua took ‘the entire land’ because the Lord had given ‘Israel all the land he had sworn to give their forefathers’. To the claim that certain promises have yet to be fulfilled, Joshua is emphatic, ‘Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.’ Likewise, Nehemiah, writing after the second exile, looked back to the first exile and could testify in praise to God for the fulfilment of the promises made to Abraham,

You gave them kingdoms and nations, allotting to them even the remotest frontiers… You made their sons as numerous as the stars in the sky, and you brought them into the land that you told their fathers to enter and possess. (Nehemiah 9,22-23)

These passages record the first re-gathering of the Israelites to the Promised Land and Nehemiah even refers to the metaphorical promise to make Abraham’s descendants ‘as numerous as the stars in the sky’ (cf. Genesis 22:17). It is significant, however, that Scofield gives no footnotes to these passages, nor offers any cross-references to them. Instead he relies on a literalistic interpretation of Genesis 15:18 that leads him to contradict these other passages of Scripture.

This selective approach is not the only occasion on which Scofield mishandles Scripture in order to maintain his dispensational scheme. He does the same with the second exile. The Prophets, while warning of judgement and chastisement also offer, in varying degrees of explicitness, the promise of a second return. After 70 years this was fulfilled under Zerubbabel, and recorded in Ezra and Nehemiah. However, Scofield insists they refer to a third return on the premise that certain Messianic promises have not yet been completely fulfilled literally. An example he gives is Jeremiah 23:5-8,

The days are coming,’ declares the LORD, ‘when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety… ‘So then, the days are coming,’ declares the LORD, ‘when people will no longer say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,’ but they will say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the descendants of Israel up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where he had banished them.’ Then they will live in their own land.

In a footnote to this passage, Scofield asserts,

This final restoration is shown to be accomplished after a period of unexampled tribulation (Jer 30. 3-10), and in connection with the manifestation of David’s righteous Branch (v. 5), who is also Jehovah-tsidkenu (v. 6). The restoration here foretold is not to be confounded with the return of a feeble remnant of Judah under Ezra, Nehemiah, and Zerubbabel at the end of the 70 years (Jer. 29. 10). At His first advent Christ, David’s righteous Branch (Lk. 1. 31-33), did not ‘execute justice and judgment in the earth’ but was crowned with thorns and crucified. Neither was Israel the nation restored, nor did the Jewish people say, ‘The Lord our righteousness.’ Cf. Rom. 10. 3. The prophecy is yet to be fulfilled (Acts 15. 14-17).¹⁴³

Another passage which Scofield insists supports his belief in a ‘third’ return is Ezekiel 37 and the vision of the valley of dry bones.

Having announced (Ezk. 36. 24-38) the restoration of the nation, Jehovah now gives in vision and symbol the method of its accomplishment. Verse 11 gives the clue. The ‘bones’ are the whole house of Israel who shall then be living. The ‘graves’ are the nations where they dwell. The order of the procedure is, (1) the bringing of the people out (v. 12); (2) the bringing of them in (v. 12); (3) their conversion (v. 13); (4) the filling with the Spirit (v.14). The symbol follows. The two sticks are Judah and the ten tribes; united, they are one nation (vs. 19-21). Then follows (vs. 21-27) the plain declaration as to Jehovah’s purpose, and verse 28 implies that then Jehovah will become known to the Gentiles in a marked way. This is also the order of Acts 15. 16, 17, and the two passages strongly indicate the time of full Gentile conversion.¹⁴⁴

It is difficult to conceive how such an entirely futuristic interpretation would have brought comfort to the Jewish exiles in Babylon to whom Ezekiel was sent to minister.

In the footnote to Genesis 15, Scofield offers just two New Testament references to vindicate his claim that there would be a third return to the Land. Luke 1:30-33 and Acts 15:13-17. Significantly there is in fact no reference to “land” in either of these passages. Luke 1:33 states, “and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” Without further comment or footnote to the actual text, Scofield takes Luke 1:30-33 to be an implicit prediction of the return of Israel, a third time, to the Land in which Jesus will therefore “reign” as king for ever. He clearly sees this as specific to Israel rather than as a universal reference to earthly or heavenly rule as other commentators have done.

The second New Testament passage which Scofield claims speaks of a third return is Acts 15:13-17. This contains the quote by James taken from Amos 9:11-12.

After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things’ that have been known for ages. (Acts 15:16-18)

For Scofield, ‘Dispensationally, this is the most important passage in the N.T. It gives the divine purpose for this age, and for the beginning of the next.’¹⁴⁵ since it contains James’ summary of the decision reached by the Apostles and elders that Gentile believers were not required to undergo circumcision or be commanded to keep the law of Moses as some of the Pharisees had insisted (Acts 15:5-6). James appeals to Amos 9:11 as proof that what they had been witnessing since Pentecost, in seeing Gentiles come to faith, had been predicted long ago and was therefore consistent with God’s will.

Scofield reads considerably more into this passage however. So much so that he obscures its most obvious and direct meaning. The reason Scofield believes ‘dispensationally’, this to be ‘…the most important passage in the N.T.’ is because,

It gives the divine purpose for this age, and for the beginning of the next. (1) The taking out from among the Gentiles of a people for His name, the distinctive work of the present, or church-age… Precisely this has been in progress since Pentecost. The Gospel has never anywhere converted all, but everywhere has called out some. (‘After this [viz. the out-calling] I will return.’ James quotes from Amos 9. 11, 12. The verses which follow in Amos describe the final re-gathering of Israel… (3) ‘And will build again the tabernacle of David,’ i.e. re-establish the Davidic rule over Israel (2 Sam. 7. 8-17; Lk. 1. 31-33). (4) ‘That the residue of man [Israelites] may seek after the Lord’ (cf. Zech. 12. 7, 8; 13. 1,2). (5) ‘And all the Gentiles,’ etc. (cf. Mic. 4. 2; Zech. 8. 21, 22). This is also the order of Rom. 11. 24-27.¹⁴⁶

Scofield has interpreted the ‘After this…’ as meaning that ‘after James’ or ‘after Pentecost’, in fact at least 1,900 years ‘after’, God would some day ‘rebuild the tabernacle of David’. In doing so Scofield ignores the fact that James is actually quoting Amos and a chronology seen from Amos’ perspective, to explain what had happened since the time of Amos and the amazing conversion of Cornelius and other Gentiles which had caused such a stir (Acts 15:2-4) and necessitated this potentially divisive meeting between Paul and Barnabas, the Apostles and Elders.

Schuyler English in his revision of Scofield attempts to reinforce this dispensational reading.

With the exception of the first five words, vv. 16 – 18 are quoted from Amos 9:11 – 12. James quoted from the LXX, which here preserved the original text (see Amos 9:12, note). Amos 9:11 begins with the words “in that day.” James introduced his quotation in such a way as to show what day Amos was talking about, namely, the time after the present world-wide witness (Acts 1:8), when Christ will return. James showed that there will be Gentile believers at that time as well as Jewish believers; hence he concluded that Gentiles are not required to become Jewish proselytes by circumcision.”¹⁴⁷

Here Schuyler English presumably believes the promise to “restore David’s fallen tent” refers to the physical return of Israel to the Land rather than the spiritual return of Israel to their Lord. The quotation is taken from Amos 9:11.

In that day I will restore David’s fallen tent. I will repair its broken places, restore its ruins, and build it as it used to be, so that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations that bear my name, ” declares the LORD, who will do these things. “The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman and the planter by the one treading grapes. New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills. I will bring back my exiled people Israel; they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them,” says the LORD your God. (Amos 9:11-15)

“Amos’ single prophecy of future blessing (9:11 – 15) details (1) the restoration of the Davidic dynasty (v. 11); (2) the conversion of the nations (v. 12); (3) the fruitfulness of the land (v. 13); (4) Israel’s return from captivity (v. 14); (5) the rebuilding of the waste cities (v. 14); and (6) Israel’s permanent settlement in the holy land (v. 15).”¹⁴⁸

Whereas Scofield and Schuyler English take James’ quote of Amos as promising a future literal and permanent return to the Land, James, does not actually quote Amos 9:13-15, stopping at, and paraphrasing, verse 12. Instead James dwells on the purpose – the bringing of people to faith in the Messiah, and specifically the explanation of why Gentiles were turning to the Lord. James is simply appealing to the prophets to vindicate the universality of the Gospel and the Gentile mission in particular. If dispensationalists see this as ‘spiritualising’ the Old Testament text, then they should acknowledge that it is James under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit who does so.¹⁴⁹

By using the passage to teach some predetermined chronological and superior futuristic plan for national Israel, however, Scofield and Schuyler English take away the heart of the passage which implicitly focuses on the wonder of Christ’s work at Calvary as the reason Gentiles were turning to God (Acts 15:26). Furthermore, on the basis of Scofield’s logic, and as others have insisted subsequently, the ‘return’ of Israel to the Land could precede her return to the Lord, since this Jewish revival will occur on His ‘return’ thus negating the need for evangelism among the Jews.

It is a simple fact that nowhere is a third re-gathering ‘to the land’ mentioned anywhere in the Bible. Each passage quoted by Scofield refers either to the first or second re-gathering to the land, or as in the case of Amos 9, to the first advent of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is significant that following the rebuilding of Solomon’s temple in 516 B.C. there are no biblical references in either the Old or the New Testament to any return to the Land.

From the perspective of the New Testament, the Land, as much as the nation of Israel, has ceased to have any significance in the future purposes of God. So for example, in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus reinterprets and universalises the promises made to Israel in Psalm 37.

Psalm 37: 11, 22, 29But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace… those the Lord blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be cut off… the righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.

Matthew 5:5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Similarly, when Paul is listing the present benefits that still pertain to Israel in Romans 9, significantly, apart from the indirect reference by way of to ‘the covenants’ he does not explicitly mention the land or kingdom as one of them.¹⁵⁰

…the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen. (Romans 9,4-5)

Probably most conclusive of all, Jesus himself rules out any notion that Israel will enjoy any discrete national identity, as a ‘kingdom’ in the future.

Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. (Matthew 21:43)

Gerstner interprets this as signalling,

…the end of the nation of Israel as the chosen people of God. They have been tried and found wanting. God’s patience has been exausted. If there were any doubts about that being the obvious meaning of the words, the parable on which they are based would utterly eliminate any lingering procrastination.¹⁵¹

Gerstner points out that the Greek word used in verse 43 for nation (ethnos) is invariably used to describe the Gentile peoples, and in context, the parable of the tenants clearly relates to and contrasts with the disobedience of the Jewish nation.¹⁵² Instead of attempting to explain how Jesus might be describing a ‘temporary’ rejection of the Jews, Ryrie reverses the plain intention of the text to fit a dispensational framework, asserting,

The kingdom of God shall be taken from you (leaders of Israel), and given to a nation (Israel) bringing forth the fruits thereof.¹⁵³

Gerstner also notes that Chafer, Walvoord and Gaebelein remain ‘curiously silent’ on this verse.¹⁵⁴ Allis summarises the traditional interpretation that Jesus is here signalling the end of any national identity for Israel within the purposes of God.

Jesus declared to the Jews that the kingdom should ‘be taken from’ them (Matt. xxi. 41f.). The children of the kingdom (the natural and lawful heirs) are to be ‘cast out’ (viii. 11f.). None of those ‘bidden’ are to taste of the marriage supper (Lk. xiv. 24). The vineyard is to be given to ‘other husbandmen’; to ‘a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof’; men are to come from the ‘highways,’ from ‘the east and west and north and south,’ to partake with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob of the marriage supper.¹⁵⁵

Unperturbed by such discrepancies, inconsistencies and omissions Scofield constructs a detailed ‘end-times’ scenario which forms the basis of much contemporary apocalyptic dispensationalism.

10. Speculations on Armageddon and the Day of the Lord

In 1897 when Scofield spoke at the Niagara Prophetic Conference, his commitment to Darby’s doctrine of a ‘failing church’ and imminent rapture were well formulated. His message was entitled, ‘The Return of the Lord.’

The signs and portents of the end-time are now so many and so ominous than men of vision everywhere, and in every walk of life, are taking note of them; and this quite apart from the interpretation of them which prophecy gives. Men like Gladstone and Bismark have said that the catastrophe of present day civilisation is near and cannot be averted; that the destructive agencies are more and mightier than the forces of conservatism, and that no man may predict what form the reconstructed social order will assume after the inevitable cataclysm… We have risen from our study of the Word of God to come up here year by year to utter this warning-that the age ends in disaster, in ruin, in the great, final, world-catastrophe and for this we have been branded pessimists.¹⁵⁶

Scofield followed Darby in describing in detail the events preceding the Great Tribulation and battle of Armageddon. It is interesting to compare the categorical footnotes to Ezekiel 38 found in the 1917 Scofield Reference Bible with the more circumspect notes of the 1984 New Scofield Study Bible.

Scofield Reference Bible (1917)

The New Scofield Study Bible (1984)

That the primary reference is to the northern (European) powers, headed up by Russia, all agree. The whole passage should be read in connection with Zech. 12. 1-4; 14. 1-9; Mat. 24. 14-30; rev. 14. 14-20; 19. 17-21. ‘Gog’ is the prince, ‘Magog.’ his land. The reference to Meshech and Tubal (Moscow and Tobolsk) is a clear mark of identification. Russia and the northern powers have been the latest persecutors of dispersed Israel, and it is congruous both with divine justice and with the covenants (e.g. Gen. 15. 18, note; Deut. 30. 3, note) that destruction should fall at the climax of the last mad attempt to exterminate the remnant of Israel in Jerusalem. The whole prophecy belongs to the yet future ‘day of Jehovah’ (Isa. 2. 10-22; rev. 19. 11-21), and to the battle of Armageddon (rev. 16. 14; 19. 19, note), but includes also the final revolt of the nations at the close of the kingdom-age (rev. 20. 7-9).¹⁵⁷

The reference is to the powers in the north of Europe, headed by Russia. The whole passage should be read in connection with Zech. 12. 1-4; 14. 1-9; Mat. 24. 14-30; rev. 14. 14-20; 19. 17-21. Gog is probably the prince; Magog, his land. Russia and the northern powers have long been the persecutors of dispersed Israel, and it is congruous both with divine justice and the covenants of God that destruction shall fall in connection with the attempt to exterminate the remnant of Israel in Jerusalem. The entire prophecy belongs to the yet future day of the Lord (see notes at Joel 1:15; Revelation 19:19).¹⁵⁸

A similar comparison of the footnotes to Revelation 19:19 in both editions shows how dispensationalist speculations concerning Armageddon have been modified to take account of recent history.

So for example where Scofield, writing at the height of the colonial era, could speculate about “…the coming of the Lord in glory (Rev. 19. 1, 21), until which time Jerusalem is politically subject to Gentile rule (Luke 21. 24).”¹⁵⁹ E. Schuyler English, writing in 1967 takes account of the events of 1948 and revises the note to read somewhat more enigmatically, “Until then Jerusalem will be, as Christ said, “trampled on by the Gentiles.” (Luke 21:24)”¹⁶⁰

Similarly, Scofield sees the purpose of the Lord’s visible return to earth, subsequent to the secret rapture and removal of the saints to heaven, specifically in order to ‘deliver the Jewish remnant besieged by the Gentile world-powers under the Beast and False Prophet’.¹⁶¹ This scheme is not apparently shared by E. Schuyler English who, with the benefit of 20th Century hindsight, sees more significance in the invading chinese army than in the deliverance of Israel.

Scofield Reference Bible (1917)

The New Scofield Study Bible (1984)

Armageddon (the ancient hill and valley of Megiddo, west of Jordan in the plain of Jezreel) is the appointed place for the beginning of the great battle in which the Lord, at his coming in glory, will deliver the Jewish remnant besieged by the Gentile world-powers under the Beast and False Prophet (rev. 16.13-16; Zech. 12.1-9). Apparently the besieging hosts, whose approach to Jerusalem is described in Isa. 10.28-32, alarmed by the signs which precede the Lord’s coming (Mt. 24.29,30), have fallen back to Megiddo, after the events of Zech. 14.2, where their destruction begins; a destruction consummated in Moab and the plains of Idumea (Isa. 63.1-6). This battle is the first event in “the day of Jehovah” (Isa. 2.12, refs.), and the fulfilment of the smiting-stone prophecy of Dan. 2.35.¹⁶²

Armageddon (the name itself is to be found only in 16:16) is the ancient hill and valley of Megiddo, west of the Jordan in the plain of Jezreel between Samaria and Galilee. It is the appointed place where the armies of the beast and false prophet will be destroyed by Christ’s descending to earth in glory (vv. 11,15,19,21), as well as any other forces which will come against the beast in their attack on Palestine (e.g. the remainder of the Far Eastern army of 200 million men), and others (9:13 – 18; 16:12 -14,16; cp. Joel 3:9 – 16; Zech 12:1 – 9; 14:1 – 4; Mat 24:27 – 30). The battle is a fulfillment of the striking-stone prophecy of Dan 2:35… See also Isa 2:12, refs.¹⁶³

As has been shown Scofield divided the world into three classes of people, Jews, Gentiles and the visible church.¹⁶⁴ Consequently he sees the return of Jesus Christ as having a ‘threefold relation: to the church, to Israel, to the nations.’¹⁶⁵ In a most unorthodox manner, Scofield even claims that after the judgment there will be forgiveness and blessing for both Jews and Gentiles long after the church has been raised to heaven.

(a) To the church the descent of the Lord into the air to raise the sleeping and change the living saints is set forth as a constant expectation and hope…

(b) To Israel, the return of the Lord is predicted to accomplish the yet unfulfilled prophecies of her national regathering, conversion and establishment in peace and power under the Davidic Covenant (Acts 15. 14-17 with Zech. 14. 1-9)

(c) To the Gentile nations the return of Christ is predicted to bring the destruction of the present political world-system (Dan. 2.34, 35; Rev. 19. 11, note); the judgment of Mt. 25. 31-46, followed by world-wide Gentile conversion and participation in the blessings of the kingdom (Isa. 2. 2-4; 11. 10; 60. 3; Zech. 8. 3, 20, 23; 14. 16-21).¹⁶⁶

It is interesting to observe how Scofield used passages such as Matthew 24 to make prophetic interpretations fit contemporary events, a pattern developed by subsequent dispensationalists. So, in referring to Allenby’s capture of Jerusalem in December 1917, Scofield wrote to Charles Trumball, his biographer, ‘Now for the first time, we have a real prophetic Sign.’ ¹⁶⁷ A year later, in 1918 Scofield published, What Do The Prophets Say?, a series of studies that had previously appeared in the Sunday School Times in 1916. This included a chapter entitled, ‘Does the Bible Throw Light on This War?’ Scofield speculated,

So far as the prophetic Word has spoken there is not the least warrant for the expectation that the nations engaged in the present gigantic struggle will or can make a permanent peace. It is fondly dreamed that out of all the duffering and carnage and destruction of this war will be born such a hatred of war as will bring to pass a federation of the nations-The United States of the World-in which will exist but one army, and that an international peace, rather than an army.

For once there is some correspondence between a popular dream and the prophetic Word. For that Word certainly points to a federated world-empire in the end-time of the age… It is, of course, possible, nay, probable that some temporary truce may end, or suspend for a time, the present world-war, for ten kingdoms will exist at the end-time in the territory once ruled over by Rome.¹⁶⁸

There are remarkable similarities between Scofield’s views and those written 60 years later by Hal Lindsey who equally dogmatically asserts,

We are the generation the prophets were talking about. We have witnessed biblical prophecies come true. The birth of Israel. The decline in American power and morality. The rise of Russian and Chinese might. The threat of war in the Middle East. The increase of earthquakes, volcanoes, famine and drought. The Bible foretells the signs that precede Armageddon… We are the generation that will see the end times …and the return of Jesus.¹⁶⁹

Dwight Wilson observes,

The premillinarian’s history is strewn with a mass of erroneous speculations which have undermined their credibility… The supposed restoration of Israel has confused the problem of whether the Jews are to be restored before or after the coming of the Messiah. The restoration… Has been pinpointed to have begun in 1897, 1917, and 1948… It is not likely that the situation will change greatly.¹⁷⁰

11. Conclusions: The Legacy of Scofieldism on Christian Zionism

William E. Cox, a former dispensationalist and subsequently a critic of Scofieldism offers this appraisal of his abiding influence.

Scofield’s footnotes and his systematized schemes of hermeneutics have been memorized by many as religiously as have verses of the Bible. It is not at all uncommon to hear devout men recite these footnotes prefaced by the words, ‘The Bible says…’ Many a pastor has lost all influence with members of his congregation and has been branded a liberal for no other reason than failure to concur with all the footnotes of Dr. Scofield. Even many ministers use the teachings of Scofield as tests of orthodoxy! Charles G. Trumball, late editor of the Sunday School Times, spoke of the Scofield Bible in the following terms, in his book, The Life Story of C. I. Scofield: ‘God-planned, God-guided, God-energized work.(p. 114).’¹⁷¹

In 1890 Scofield began his Comprehensive Bible Correspondence Course through which tens of thousands of students around the world were introduced to his dispensational teaching about a failing Church and a future Israel. Scofield directed the Course until 1914 when it was taken over by the Moody Press, associated with the Moody Bible Institute.

In the 1890’s during Scofield’s pastorate in Dallas he was also head of the Southwestern School of the Bible, the forerunner to Dallas Theological Seminary, founded in 1924 by another of his disciples, Lewis Sperry Chafer, who became probably Scofield’s most influential exponent.

Chafer has, in the history of American Dispensationalism, a double distinction. First, he established and led Dispensationalism’s most scholarly institution through the formative years of its existence. Second, he produced the first full and definitive systematic theology of Dispensationalism. This massive eight-volume work is a full articulation of the standard Scofieldian variety of dispensational thought, constantly related to the Biblical texts and data on which it claims to rest. Its influence appears to have been great on all dispensationalist teachers since its first publication, though it is fading today.

All of Chafer’s work and career was openly and obviously in the Scofieldian tradition. A few years before his death, Chafer, faithful to his mentor to the last, was to say of his greatest academic achievement, ‘It goes on record that the Dallas Theological Seminary uses, recommends, and defends the Scofield Bible.’

The major line of dispensational orthodoxy is clear and unbroken from Darby to Scofield to Chafer to Dallas.¹⁷²

For example, Chafer repeatedly defended both Scofield’s and Darby’s foundational assumption that the Bible reveals God is working through two different channels, Israel and the church.

…with the call of Abraham and the giving of the Law and all that followed, there are two widely different, standardized, divine provisions, whereby man, who is utterly fallen, might come into favour with God… These systems [of law and grace] do set up conflicting and opposing principles. But since these difficulties appear only when an attempt is made to coalesce systems, elements, and principles which God has separated, the conflicts really do not exist at all outside these unwarranted unifying efforts… The true unity of the Scriptures is not discovered when one blindly seeks to fuse these opposing principles into one system… Though dispensationalism does… Departmentalize the message of the Word of God according to its obvious divisions, [it] does also discover the true unity of the Bible. The outstanding characteristic of the dispensationalist is… That he believes every statement of the Bible and gives to it the plain, natural meaning its words imply. [Dispensationalism] has changed the Bible from being a mass of more or less conflicting writings into a classified and easily assimilated revelation of both the earthly and heavenly purposes of God, which purposes reach on into eternity to come.¹⁷³

It is perhaps therefore not surprising that these two institutions, the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and Dallas Theological Seminary have since then continued to be the foremost apologists for Scofield’s dispensational views, and Christian Zionism in particular.

¹ For example, The New Scofield Reference Bible ed. E. Schuyler English (New York, Oxford University Press, 1967); The Ryrie Study Bible Expanded Edition (Chicago, Moody Bible Institute, 1994); The New Scofield Study Bible (New York, Oxford University Press, 1984); Scofield Study Notes (Quickverse for Windows, Parsons Technology, 1994)

² Ernest R. Sandeen, The Roots of Fundamentalism, British and American Millenarianism, 1800-1930 (Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 1970), p. 222.

³ Charles G. Trumball, The Life Story of C. I. Scofield (Oxford University Press, New York, 1920)

⁴ Joseph M. Canfield, The Incredible Scofield and his Book (Vallecito, California, Ross House Books, 1988). Canfield refers to a third source by William A. BeVier, A Biographical Sketch of C.I. Scofield: A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Southern Methodist University in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements of the Master of Arts with a Major in History. May 1960. See also Albertus Pieters, A Candid Examination of the Scofield Bible (Grand Rapids, Douma Publications)

⁵ Trumball, Scofield., p. 125.

⁶ cited by Canfield, Incredible., p. 1. as reported in The Dallas Morning News, Monday Nov. 28, 1921, p. 7.

⁷ Canfield, Incredible., pp. 15, 108.

⁸ Canfield, Incredible., p. 48.

⁹ Canfield, Incredible., p. 52.

¹⁰ Canfield, Incredible., p. 54.

¹¹ Canfield, Incredible., p. 55.

¹² Canfield, Incredible., p. 66.

¹³ Canfield, Incredible., pp. 57, 67.

¹⁴ Canfield, Incredible., p. 79.

¹⁵ Canfield, Incredible., p. 80.

¹⁶ From the papers in case No. 2161, supplied by the Atchison County Court, cited in Canfield, Incredible., p. 89.

¹⁷ From the papers in case No. 2161, supplied by the Atchison County Court, cited in Canfield, Incredible., p. 89.

¹⁸ Canfield, Incredible., p. 95.

¹⁹ Canfield, Incredible., p. 98.

²⁰ Canfield, Incredible., p. 100.

²¹ Canfield, Incredible., p. 115.

²² Canfield, Incredible., p. 196.

²³ Canfield, Incredible., p. 135.

²⁴ Canfield, Incredible., p. 148.

²⁵ Canfield, Incredible., p. 181.

²⁶ Canfield, Incredible., p. 231.

²⁷ Canfield, Incredible., pp. 222, 277, 291.

²⁸ From the files of the Kansas State Historical Society, as cited by Canfield, Incredible., pp. 79-80.

²⁹ Newspaper from the files of the Kansas City Public Library, as cited by Canfield, Incredible., pp. 82-83.

³⁰ Canfield, Incredible., pp. 83-84.

³¹ Canfield, Incredible., p. 151

³² Canfield, Incredible., pp. 76, 84.

³³ C.I. Scofield, The Purpose of God in This Age, a sermon preached at First Congregational, Dallas, October 15, 1893, p. 19. Cited by Canfield, Incredible., p. 137.

³⁴ John Gerstner, Wrongly Dividing the Word of Truth (Brentwood, Tennessee, Wolgemuth & Hyatt, 1991), p. 38.

³⁵ Ernest Reisinger, ‘A History of Dispensationalism in America’ (http://www.founders.org/FJ09/article1.html)

³⁶ Ernest Sandeen, The Roots of Fundamentalism British & American Millenarianism 1800-1930 (Chicago, University Chicago Press, 1970), pp. 74-75.

³⁷ Canfield, Incredible., p. 74.

³⁸ Clarence B. Bass, Backgrounds to Dispensationalism (Grand Rapids, Michigan, Eerdmans, 1960), p. 18. See also Loraine Boettner, The Millennium (Grand Rapids, Baker, 1958), p. 369f.

³⁹ W. G. Turner, John Nelson Darby (London, Chapter Two, [1901], 1986), back cover.

⁴⁰ Gerstner, Wrongly., p. 43.

⁴¹ C. I. Scofield, ‘Introduction,’ The Scofield Reference Bible (Oxford, Oxford University Press), 1909.

⁴² Arno C. Gaebelein, Half A Century (New York, Publication Office of Our Hope, 1930), p. 20. Cited in Gerstner, Wrongly., p. 44.

⁴³ Arno C. Gaebelein, The History of the Scofield Reference Bible (Spokane, WA, Living Words Foundation, 1991), p. 33.

⁴⁴ J. R. Graves, The Work of Christ Consummated in Seven Dispensations (Texarkana, Baptist Sunday School Board of Texarkana, 1883)

⁴⁵ Canfield, Incredible., p. 112.

⁴⁶ C. I. Scofield, Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth (New York, Loizeaux Brothers, 1888)

⁴⁷ Canfield, Incredible., p. 122.

⁴⁸ The Authorised Version translates this verses as ‘rightly dividing the Word of Truth.’ Canfield wrongly attributes this to Paul’s first letter to Timothy, Canfield, Incredible., p. 166.

⁴⁹ Scofield, Rightly., p. 3.

⁵⁰ Scofield, Rightly., p. 2.

⁵¹ Canfield, Incredible., p. 166.

⁵² (John 3:16, 18)

⁵³ (1 Corinthians 12:13)

⁵⁴ Scofield, Rightly., p. 18.

⁵⁵ Canfield, Incredible., p. 167.

⁵⁶ C.I. Scofield, Scofield Bible Correspondence Course (Chicago, Moody Bible Institute), pp. 45-46.

⁵⁷ Scofield, Scofield., Index.

⁵⁸ Barr, Fundamentalism., p. 196.

⁵⁹ Canfield, Incredible., p. 112.

⁶⁰ Canfield, Incredible., p. 122.

⁶¹ Bruce L. Shelly, ‘Niagara Conferences’, The New International Dictionary of the Christian Church ed. J. D. Douglas. rev. edn. (Exeter, Paternoster Press, 1978), p. 706.

⁶² Resolution included as Appendix A in Ernest Sandeen, The Roots of Fundamentalism British & American Millenarianism 1800-1930 (Chicago, University Chicago Press, 1970).

⁶³ Charles G. Trumball, The Life Story of C. I. Scofield (Oxford University Press, New York, 1920), pp. 61-62.

⁶⁴ Oswald T. Allis, Prophecy and the Church (Philadelphia, Presbyterian & Reformed, 1945), p. 267.

⁶⁵ Fuller, Gospel., p. 1.

⁶⁶ The New Scofield Study Bible (New York, Oxford University Press, 1984)

⁶⁷ Arno C. Gaebelein, Moody Monthly 43 (1943) p. 278.

⁶⁸ Dwight Wilson, Armageddon Now! (Grand Rapids, Michigan, Baker Book House, 1977), p. 15.

⁶⁹ James Barr, Escaping from Fundamentalism (London, SCM, 1984), p. 6.

⁷⁰ Craig A. Blaising ‘Dispensationalism, The Search for Definition’ in Dispensationalism, Israel and the Church, The Search for Definition ed. Craig A. Blaising & Darrell L. Bock (Grand Rapids, Michigan, Zondervan, 1992) p. 21.

⁷¹ Ernest Sandeen, The Roots of Fundamentalism British & American Millenarianism 1800-1930 (Chicago, University Chicago Press, 1970), p. 222.

⁷² C. I. Scofield, The Scofield Reference Bible (New York, Oxford University Press, 1917), Introduction, p. iii.

⁷³ Scofield, Scofield., p. iii.

⁷⁴ Canfield, Incredible., p. 209. Canfield calculates that comments appear on only 327 out of a total of 970 pages of the Old Testament, and on only 214 out of 352 pages in the New Testament.

⁷⁵ Trumball, Scofield., p. 76.

⁷⁶ Scofield, Scofield., p. 725.

⁷⁷ Canfield, Incredible., p. 209.

⁷⁸ James M. Gray, President of Moody Bible Institute, and William J. Erdman.

⁷⁹ Canfield, Incredible., p. 204.

⁸⁰ Ernest Sandeen, The Roots of Fundamentalism British & American Millenarianism 1800-1930 (Chicago, University Chicago Press, 1970), p. 224.

⁸¹ Cornelius R. Stam, The New Scofield Reference Bible, An Appraisal, (Chicago, Berean Bible Society), p. 12. Cited in Canfield, Incredible., p. 218.

⁸² The New Scofield Study Bible (New York, Oxford University Press, 1984)

⁸³ Charles Ryrie, Ryrie Study Bible, Expanded Edition (Chicago, Moody Bible Institute, 1994)

⁸⁴ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 4, p. 5.

⁸⁵ Scofield, Scofield., Introduction to the Scofield Reference Bible, p. iii.

⁸⁶ C. I. Scofield, Addresses on Prophecy (New York, Chas. C. Cook, 1914), p. 13. Cited in Canfield, Incredible., pp. 216-217.

⁸⁷ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 4, p. 5.

⁸⁸ The New Scofield Study Bible (New York, Oxford University Press, 1984), p. 3.

⁸⁹ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 3, p. 1250.

⁹⁰ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 1, p. 20.

⁹¹ Scofield, Scofield., p. 989

⁹² Scofield, Scofield., fn. 2, p. 1115.

⁹³ Scofield, Scofield., p. 1002. Many other dispensationalists take the same view. See Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology, (Dallas, Dallas Theological Seminary, 1975), vol. 4. p. 221.

⁹⁴ Scofield, Scofield., p. 1115. This footnote is substantially modified in the New Scofield Study Bible, to stress that salvation is always through faith. p. 1094.

⁹⁵ Scofield, Scofield., p. 1252. Here Scofield contradicts Paul himself in 2 Timothy 3:16.

⁹⁶ Daniel P. Fuller, Gospel and Law, Contrast or Continuum. The Hermeneutics of Dispensationalism and Covenant Theology (Grand Rapids, Eerdmans. 1980); Patrick Fairbairn, The Interpretation of Prophecy (Edinburgh, Banner of Truth, reprinted 1964); William Cox, Why I Left Scofieldism (Phillipsburg, New Jersey, Presbyterian & Reformed, n.d.); An Examination of Dispensationalism (Phillipsburg, New Jersey, Presbyterian & Reformed, 1963)

⁹⁷ C. I. Scofield, Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth (Oakland, Western Book and Tract Co. n.d.), p. 18.

⁹⁸ Scofield, Scofield.,. p. 989.

⁹⁹ William E. Cox, Why I Left Scofieldism (Phillipsberg, New Jersey, Presbyterian and Reformed, n.d.) p. 8.

¹⁰⁰ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 1, p. 8.

¹⁰¹ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 1, p. 9.

¹⁰² Scofield, Scofield., fn. 1, p. 18.

¹⁰³ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 1, p. 725.

¹⁰⁴ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 1, p. 1346.

¹⁰⁵ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 1, p. 1347.

¹⁰⁶ Scofield, Rightly., p. 13.

¹⁰⁷ see Ephesians 1:22-23; Matthew 16:18.

¹⁰⁸ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 1, p. 1629.

¹⁰⁹ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 1, p. 20.

¹¹⁰ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 1, p. 20.

¹¹¹ New Scofield Study Bible (New York, Oxford University Press, 1984), p. 18.

¹¹² Scofield, Scofield., fn. 1, pp. 724-725. This is another unpalatable footnote omitted in the New Scofield Study Bible (1984).

¹¹³ International Christian Zionist Congress Proclamation, International Christian Embassy, Jerusalem. 25-29 February 1996; and Colin Chapman, Whose Promised Land? (Oxford, Lion, 1992), p. 280.

¹¹⁴ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 3, p. 25.

¹¹⁵ New Scofield Study Bible (New York, Oxford University Press, 1984), p. 18.

¹¹⁶ Scofield, Scofield., p. 989.

¹¹⁷ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 2. p. 1021.

¹¹⁸ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 1, p. 1158.

¹¹⁹ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 1, p. 1204.

¹²⁰ Cited in Canfield, Incredible., p. 169.

¹²¹ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 1. p. 1036.

¹²² New Scofield Study Bible (New York, Oxford University Press, 1984), p. 1012.

¹²³ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 1, p. 922.

¹²⁴ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 1, p. 1348.

¹²⁵ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 1, p. 1348.

¹²⁶ Scofield, Rightly., p. 18.

¹²⁷ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 1, p. 1206.

¹²⁸ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 1, p. 1297.

¹²⁹ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 1, p. 1148.

¹³⁰ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 2, p. 963.

¹³¹ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 2, p. 157.

¹³² Scofield, Scofield., fn. 1, p. 932.

¹³³ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 1, p. 1151.

¹³⁴ Scofield, Scofield., note, p. 25.

¹³⁵ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 1, p. 250.

¹³⁶ The New Scofield Reference Bible ed. E. Schuyler English (New York, Oxford University Press, 1967)

¹³⁷ The New Scofield Study Bible (New York, Oxford University Press, 1984), p. 217.

¹³⁸ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 1. p. 250.

¹³⁹ The New Scofield Reference Bible ed. E. Schuyler English (New York, Oxford University Press, 1967), p. 19.

¹⁴⁰ The New Scofield Reference Bible ed. E. Schuyler English (New York, Oxford University Press, 1967), p. 217.

¹⁴¹ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 1. p. 723.

¹⁴² emphasis added.

¹⁴³ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 1, p. 795.

¹⁴⁴ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 1, p. 881.

¹⁴⁵ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 1, pp. 1169-1170

¹⁴⁶ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 1. pp. 1169-1170

¹⁴⁷ New Scofield Study Bible (New York, Oxford University Press, 1984), p. 1152.

¹⁴⁸ New Scofield Study Bible (New York, Oxford University Press, 1984), p. 916.

¹⁴⁹ Fuller, Gospel., p. 180. Also James Barr, Fundamentalism (London, SCM, 1977), p. 355.

¹⁵⁰ W. D. Davies, The Gospel and the Land (Berkeley, Los Angeles, University of California), 1974, pp. 166-167, 366ff. [n.b. a subject to be pursued in more detail later]

¹⁵¹ Gerstner, Wrongly., pp. 190-191.

¹⁵² Gerstner, Wrongly., p. 191.

¹⁵³ Ryrie, The Basis of the Premillennial Faith, (Neptune, New Jersey, Loizeaux Brothers, 1953), p. 72.

¹⁵⁴ Gerstner, Wrongly., p. 192.

¹⁵⁵ Oswald Allis, Prophecy and the Church, An Examination of the Claim of Dispensationalists that the Christian Church is a Mystery (Philadelphia, Presbyterian & Reformed, 1945), p. 78.

¹⁵⁶ Truth (periodical), No. 19 (1897), p. 385. Cited in Canfield, Incredible., p.125.

¹⁵⁷ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 1, p. 883.

¹⁵⁸ E. Schuyler English, The New Scofield Study Bible (New York, Oxford University Press, 1984) p. 857.

¹⁵⁹ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 1, p. 1345.

¹⁶⁰ E. Schuyler English, The New Scofield Study Bible (New York, Oxford University Press, 1984) p. 1331.

¹⁶¹ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 4, p. 1348.

¹⁶² Scofield, Scofield., fn. 4, pp. 1348-1349.

¹⁶³ E. Schuyler English, The New Scofield Study Bible (New York, Oxford University Press, 1984) p. 1334.

¹⁶⁴ Scofield, Scofield., p. 1221.

¹⁶⁵ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 1, p. 1148

¹⁶⁶ Scofield, Scofield., fn. 1, p. 1148

¹⁶⁷ Charles G. Trumball, Prophecy’s Light on Today, (New York, Revell, 1937), p. 67, cited in Canfield, Incredible., p. 271.

¹⁶⁸ C. I. Scofield, What Do The Prophets Say? (Philadelphia, The Sunday School Times Co., 1918), pp. 18-19. Cited in Canfield, Incredible., pp. 274-275.

¹⁶⁹ Hal Lindsey, The 1980’s, Countdown to Armageddon, (New York, Bantam, 1981), back cover.

¹⁷⁰ Dwight Wilson, Armageddon Now, (Grand Rapids, Baker, 1977), pp. 216-218.

¹⁷¹ William E. Cox, An Examination of Dispensationalism (Philadelphia, Presbyterian & Reformed, 1974), p. 55-56.

¹⁷² Gerstner, Wrongly., p. 46

¹⁷³ L. S. Chafer, ‘Dispensationalism,’ Bibliotheca Sacra, 93 (October 1936), 410, 416, 446-447. Quoted in Daniel P. Fuller, Gospel and Law, Contrast or Continuum? The Hermeneutic of Dispensationalism and Covenant Theology (Grand Rapdis, Michigan, Eerdmans, 1980), pp. 24-25.

This entry was posted in Bible, Christian Zionism, Dispensationalism, Israel, Palestine, Scofield, Theology and tagged Christian Zionism, Dispensationalism, Scofield on June 30, 2021.

BrotherTony · July 10

The very first thing listed gives me all I need to about this posting. Every human being has "feet of clay." Sounds a lot like the negativity that I see when I get an email from the ever self-sufficient David Cloud. Besides, I have seen this "material" before.

SGO · July 10

https://letgodbetrue.com/sermons/index/year-2013/scofield-lies/

A Few Lies of Scofield

Plain evidence condemning C.I. Scofield (1843-1921) as a liar in spreading one of the most damnable systems of prophetic misinterpretation ever foisted on the saints.

“Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.”

Proverbs 30:5-6

“Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.”

Titus 1:14

Scofield’s Other Sins Against God

He put his own name on God’s inspired scriptures and sold it as his Bible and necessary for learning.
He added his words to the words of God with little or no distinction between them (Rev 22:18).
He added center-column statements that certain verses of the Bible should be deleted and notes casting doubt on other verses – see Acts 8:37 and Mark 16:9, respectively (Rev 22:19; Gen 3:1).
He took a Bible without a copyright, added his words, and sold it as a copyrighted book (Titus 1:11).
His New Scofield Reference Bible (1967) included absurd and unwarranted alterations to the KJV text like the insertion of an ellipsis in I Samuel 13:1 and question marks in Romans 8:33-34.

Explanation	Scofield	Scripture
An essential pillar of premillennialism is the Jewish fable that physical Jews must yet possess physical land in the Middle East to fulfill the promises of God. First, and let it be known to all men, Israel already did possess all the land according to the conditional covenant by which God gave it to them, for He is righteous! Second, from Abraham onward, the spiritual seed knew that heaven was the real fulfillment of any land promises, for none of them were seduced by the desert in Palestine (Acts 7:5; Heb 11:8-16). No true Jew would worry about the strip of sand beside the Mediterranean called Israel, when he has already come into union with mount Sion, the city of the living God, and the heavenly Jerusalem above (Heb 12:22-24; Gal 4:21-31).	Scofield, page 250 “The Palestinian Covenant gives the conditions under which Israel entered the land of promise. It is important to see that the nation has never as yet taken the land under the unconditional Abrahamic Covenant, nor has it ever possessed the whole land.”	Joshua 21:43-45 “And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein.” Nehemiah 9:7-8 “Thou are the LORD the God, who didst choose Abram … and madest a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites ... and hast performed thy words; for thou art righteous.” See also: Josh 11:23; 23:14-15; I Kgs 8:34,56; Neh 9:22-25; Ex 23:2 7-31; Num 34:1-15; Deut 11:22-25; Ps 44:1-3; 105:43-45; 135:10-12; Acts 7:4 5; Josh 2:24; 3:9-11; 22:4; 24:13; II Chron 6:25; Jer 32:21-23. Compare also: Deut 7:22; II Sam 8:1-6; I Kgs 4:20-21; I Sam 27:8-9.
The New Testament uses “kingdom of heaven” and “kingdom of God” as clear synonyms, but Scofield divided them to preserve the Jewish fable of a future kingdom on earth under the Messiah’s reign in Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit’s expressions are wise synonyms, for it was the God of heaven that set up the kingdom, justifying both names (Dan 2:44). John and Jesus used both names to announce the time was fulfilled and Messiah’s kingdom was at hand at the same time. There is only one kingdom, set up by the God of heaven, and it is here to stay (Heb 12:28-29)! Scofield’s fable of a future visible kingdom on earth for Jews is entirely a lie.	Scofield, page 1003 “The kingdom of God is to be distinguished from the kingdom of heaven in five respects.”	Matthew 19:23-24 “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” Compare also: Mat 4:17 cp Mark 1:15; Matt 10:7 cp Luke 9:2; Matt 5:3 cp Luke 6:20; Matt 8:11-12 cp Luke 13:28-29; Matt 11:11 cp Luk e 7 :28; Matt 11:12 cp Luke 16:16; Matt 13:11 cp Mark 4:11; Matt 13:31 cp Mark 4:30 cp Luke 13:18; Matt 19:14 cp Mark 10:14 cp Luke 18:16.
Scofield presumed the kingdom of heaven to be a future reign of Jesus Christ on earth; but John and Jesus announced the time had been fulfilled, the kingdom was then at hand, men were entering it, and it required conditions of obedience by those entering it. This glorious event of His first advent is now 2000 years past. Glory! The kingdom is here, and you should be part of it! Scofield is not just confused; he blasphemes by denying the King of the kingdom His rightful place at the right time!	Scofield, page 1010 “John Baptist was as great, morally, as any man ‘born of woman,’ but as to the kingdom, he but announced it at hand. The kingdom did not then come, but was rejected, and John was martyred, and the King presently crucified.” Scofield, page 999 “Whenever the kingdom of heaven is established on earth ….”	Luke 16:16 “The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom o f God is preached, and every man presseth into it.” Matthew 11:12 “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.” Compare also: Matt 16:19; 18:1-4; 19:12; 23:13; 25:1,14; Heb 12:28-29.
God foretold Elijah would come with a preparatory ministry for the Messiah in the final words of the Old Testament, and Jesus confirmed him as John the Baptist (Mal 4:5-6). Scofield denied Jesus Christ’s plain doctrine and promoted the well-known Jewish fable that Elijah would literally return (Matt 16:14; 17:10; John 1:21). Babes with hearing ears easily see the fulfillment, as Jesus plainly declared, but Scofield revealed his depraved thinking and rebellion against scripture. He further corrupted this prophecy to make Elijah one of the two witnesses of Revelation 11:3-6, though Elijah fits it no better than Jonathan and his armor bearer, Jacob and Esau, or Haggai and Zechariah! https://www.letgodbetrue.com/questions/elijah.php	Scofield, page 984 “Elijah to come again before the day of the LORD. (Cf. Rev. 11.3-6.) Scofield, page 1023 “Christ confirms the specific and still unfulfilled prophecy of Mal. 4.5,6: ‘Elias shall truly first come and restore all things.’”	Matthew 11:14-15 “And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” Matthew 17:12-13 “But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.” Luke 1:17 “And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children , and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
Jesus promised to take the kingdom from the Jews and give it to the Gentiles, and Paul declared that both Jews and Gentiles make up the body of Christ (Eph 2:11-22; 3:1-13; Gal 3:28; Col 3:11). Nowhere is an earthly kingdom offered, especially to Jews! When Paul wrote to Israel, he told them the gospel kingdom was all they could expect (Heb 12:22-29). And Abraham declared total disdain for any such Scofield fable of an earthly kingdom (Heb 11:8-16).	Scofield, page 1206 “According to the prophets, Israel, regathered from all nations, restored to her own land and converted, is yet to have her greatest earthly exaltation and glory.” Scofield, page 1204 “Israel as a nation always has its own place, and is yet to have its greatest exaltation as the earthly people of God.	Matthew 21:43 “Therefore I say unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.” Hebrews 12:28-29 “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire.”
The prophecies of David’s son sitting on David’s throne forever were fulfilled in Jesus Christ at His ascension into heaven, where He was highly exalted and sat down on the throne of David as the blessed and only Potentate (Heb 1:1-9; 2:5-13). Peter declared unequivocally that David’s prophecy was fulfilled at the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, which all the hearing Jews understood. There is not a reason in the world to think there is any difference between Jesus Christ’s throne and God’s throne in Revelation 3:21, since Jesus and His Father are one, as He declared repeatedly. What was the glorified Christ doing with the key of David, if He had no right to his throne (Rev 3:7)? What were the apostles building up the tabernacle of David for through the gospel, if the throne over the kingdom was empty (Acts 15:14-16)? The sure mercies of David, a king on his throne forever, were realized at Christ’s resurrection (Acts 13:33)!	Scofield, page 1334 “This passage [Rev 3:21], in harmony with Lk. 1.32,33; Mt. 19.28; Acts 2.30,34,35; 15.14-16, is conclusive that Christ is not now seated upon His own throne. The Davidic Covenant, and the promises of God through the prophets and the Angel Gabriel concerning the Messianic kingdom await fulfillment.”	Acts 2:30-36 “Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn wit h an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake o f the resurrection of Christ, that h is soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou o n my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
James, inspired by the Holy Ghost, declared that the conversion of the Gentiles fulfilled the prophets, and he applied Amos 9:11-12 to prove that David’s kingdom was being rebuilt by Gentile converts. It is profane heresy for Scofield to take this inspired fulfillment of the first century and throw it into the distant future, and to take a spiritual fulfillment in Christ and pervert it for a carnal kingdom on earth. His perversion of this passage totally destroys James’ argument and the true fulfillment of Amos. As promised earlier, Jesus Christ transferred the kingdom from the Jews to the Gentiles (Mat 21:43).	Scofield, page 1169 “Dispensationally, this is the most important passage in the N.T…. ‘After this [viz. the outcalling] I will return .’ James quotes from Amos 9.11,12. The verses which follow in Amos describe the final regathering of Israel, which the other prophets invariably connect with the fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant (e.g. Isa.11.1,10-12; Jer. 23.5-8). ‘And will build again the tabernacle of David,’ i.e. re-establish the Davidic rule over Israel (2 Sam. 7.8-17; Lk. 1.31-33).”	Acts 15:14-18 “Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all t h e Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.”
Abraham understand God’s covenant with him far better than Scofield ever dreamed. He rejoiced to see Jesus Christ (John 8:56), and he sought heaven, not the sandy wasteland by the Mediterranean (Heb 11:8-16). Paul told the Gentiles of Galatia that they were the true seed of promise of Abraham and that physical Jews were to be connected to the rejected Hagar and Ishmael (Gal 4:21-31). Jesus told the Jews trusting in Abraham that they were the children of the devil (John 8:44; Rev 2:9; 3:9).	Scofield, page 1204 “That the Christian now inherits the distinctive Jewish promises is not taught in Scripture.”	Galatians 3:16 “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.” Galatians 3:27-28 “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 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. And if y e be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
Scofield assigned Israel’s salvation to a future work of Jesus coming out of Zion; but Paul quoted Isaiah 59:20, where the future tense is Isaiah’s, not Paul’s! Jesus Christ finished the work of salvation in 30 A.D., and He immediately took the news to the Jews. Only part of the nation will be saved anyway, the elect remnant within the nation (Rom 9:6-8,24).	Scofield, page 1204 “The promised Deliverer will come out of Zion and the nation will be saved (vs. 25-29).”	Matthew 1:21 “And she shall bring forth a so n , an d thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” Acts 3:26 “Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.”
Scofield’s “great tribulation” is a perversion of the 70th week of Daniel (Dan 9:24-27). There is not a word in the Bible about Jewish missionaries coming out of it. Consider! The “great tribulation” was fulfilled in 70 A.D. according to our Lord! And the robed multitude that came out of great tribulation were Gentiles – out of the nations (Rev 7:9-14)!	Scofield, page 1205 “During the great tribulation a remnant out of all Israel will turn to Jesus as Messiah, and will become His witnesses after the removal of the church (Rev. 7.3-8).”	Matthew 24:21 “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” Matthew 24:34 “Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.”
Here is another example of Scofield’s blasphemy against Jesus Christ. The great mystery of godliness is God’s manifestation in human nature in the person of Jesus Christ (Is 9:6; Col 2:9; etc.). But Scofield presumes to identify the great mystery as the processes by which men are restored to godlikeness?! When were men ever like God? And when shall they ever be like God again? What in the world is this heretic talking about from this text?	Scofield, page 1014 “A ‘mystery’ in Scripture is a previously hidden truth, now divinely revealed, but in which a supernatural element still remains despite the revelation. The greater mysteries … the mystery of the processes by which godlikeness is restored to man (1 Tim. 3. 16).”	I Timothy 3:16 “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” John 1:14 “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
The blessed God of heaven shook the religious world in the time of reformation (Heb 9:10), the days beginning with John and ending with the apostles (Luke 16:16), when He replaced Old Testament worship with New Testament worship (John 4:20-24). Paul declared plainly that God had shaken away the Old Testament and the New was now in place to never be shaken or removed. The future tense was Haggai’s, not Paul’s (Heb 12:26- 27). The event was past to Paul and the Hebrews, leaving a kingdom which would never be altered!	Scofield, page 963 “[Haggai] Verse 7: ‘I will shake all nations,’ refers to the great tribulation and is followed by the coming of Christ in glory, as in Mt. 24. 29, 30.”	Hebrews 12:26-29 “Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only , but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain . Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire.”
There are only two Jerusalem temples – Solomon’s and Zerubbabel’s. They are called the former and the latter by Haggai. They are called the first house and this house by Ezra. Scofield is wrong for an evil purpose, because he must have a temple in some imagined future tribulation period. But God has already sent the Desire of all Nations to Zerubbabel’s temple in the person of Jesus Christ, Who made peace with God in that place and tore the temple veil in two from top to bottom! Glory!	Scofield, page 963 “In a sense all the temples (i.e. Solomon’s; Ezra’s; Herod’s; that which will be used by the unbelieving Jews under covenant with the Beast [Dan. 9. 27; Mt. 24. 15; 2 Thes. 2. 3,4]; and Ezekiel’s future kingdom temple [Ezk. 40.-47.]), are treated as one ‘house’ – the ‘house of the Lord,’ since they all profess to be that.”	Haggai 2:9 “The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.” Ezra 3:12 “But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy:”
Any child, especially a God-fearing one, knows the 70th week began right after the end of the 69th! Scofield fusses that the length of a “week” must be seven years based on the other weeks, but he inserts a 2000-year gap, though there were no other gaps! Since 69 weeks only brought us to Messiah, all His works were in the 70th! Jesus Christ confirmed the covenant with many for one week, and He died in the midst of that 70th week for others – even the elect, ending the sacrificial system and bringing in everlasting righteousness (Dan 9:24-27)! Glory!	Scofield, page 914 “When the Church-age will end, and the seventieth week begin, is nowhere revealed. Its duration can be but seven years. To make it more violates the principle of interpretation already confirmed by fulfillment.”	Mark 1:15 “And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” Luke 2:25 “And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.” Luke 2:38 “And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.”
The prophecy says nothing about ending national chastisement or re-establishing the nation in everlasting righteousness, but it does describe in six phrases the salvation work of the Lord Jesus Christ, Whose death on the cross made an end of sins, made reconciliation for iniquity, and brought in everlasting righteousness, among other glorious results (Dan 9:24). And when was Messiah cut off for others to accomplish these things? In the 70th week, of course! Shame on Scofield and his dupes!	Scofield, page 914 “Within these ‘weeks’ the national chastisement must be ended and the nation re-established in everlasting righteousness (v. 24).”	Hebrews 10:12 “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;” Colossians 1:20 “And, having made peace through t he blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself.” II Cor 5:21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
Scofield’s confusion here is beyond comprehension. There is nothing in Matthew 12:1-7 about a rejected Saviour or a rejected King. There is an object lesson of the true Lord of the Sabbath (12:8), and there is the defense of His disciples’ eating on the Sabbath by David’s example of eating the shewbread on the basis of God’s greater love of mercy than sacrifice!	Scofield, page 1012 “Jesus’ action (Mt. 12. 1-7) is highly significant. ‘What David did’ refers to the time of his rejection and persecution by Saul (1 Sam. 21. 6). Jesus here is not so much the rejected Saviour as the rejected King; hence the reference to David.	Matthew 12:3-4 “But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?”
There is no point of change in the ministry of our Lord at this time, let alone a pivotal point! John and Jesus announced the kingdom, and men pressed into it throughout their ministries (Luke 16:16). The kingdom message of the gospel was not interrupted at any point in time, for our Lord continued to preach the kingdom, and His apostles took it to the whole world after He ascended into heaven (Matt 22:1-7; 25:14; Luke 22:16,29-30; John 18:36; Acts 1:3; 14:22; 19:8; 20:25; 28:23,31; Rom 14:17; I Cor 15:24; Heb 12:28; Jas 2:5; Rev 1:9; etc. etc.)!	Scofield, page 1011 “The new message of Jesus. The rejected King now turns from the rejecting nation and offers, not the kingdom, but rest and service to such in the nation as are conscious of need. It is a pivotal point in the ministry of Jesus.”	Matthew 24:14 “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” Matthew 24:34 “Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.” Acts 8:12 “But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.”
C.I. Scofield held to the “gap theory.” God created the heavens and the earth in the distant and undated past, and then there was an indeterminate gap of time until He created the things expressly stated as created in Genesis chapter 1. This is heresy for all young-earth Bible believers based on what the Holy Spirit declared in other places. Whatever is intended by the heaven and earth of Genesis 1:1 was created or made in the six days of creation and no more.	Scofield, page 1 “Scripture gives no data for determining how long ago the universe was created. “The first creative act refers to the dateless past.”	Exodus 20:11 “For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day : wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.” Exodus 31:17 “It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
Once a person concocts a manmade scheme of prophecy, he must alter the word of God to agree with it, as Scofield does here by adding an unknown concept to the Bible of a third coming of Jesus after His second coming! The Bible order of events is very plain – first, there must be a great falling away, or apostacy (I Tim 4:1-3); second, the man of sin would be revealed; third, Jesus would come the second time for His own and to pour out vengeance on the wicked (II Thess 1:7-10). https://www.letgodbetrue.com/bible/prophecy/which-comes-first.php	Scofield, page 1294 “The theme of Second Thessalonians has, unfortunately, been obscured by a mistranslation in the KJV of 2:2, where ‘day of Christ is at hand’ should be ‘day of the Lord is present.’ “The present letter, then, was written to instruct the Thessalonian Christians that ‘our gathering together unto him [Christ]’ will precede the Day of the Lord.”	II Thessalonians 2:1-3 “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

SGO · July 10

Scofield: Legacy of Works [C.I. Scofield Documentary]

BrotherTony · July 11

Does the "King James" version of the Bible have the name of the monarch on it? Hmmm.... Christians spend so much time being destructive towards one another instead of trying to accomplish their given mission. Shameful.

SGO · July 11

Sevenfold Errors of "Dispensationalism"

These last days are to be marked by multiplied deceptions in regard to the manner of Christ's coming.

By VARNER J. JOHNS, Professor of Bible, College of Medical Evangelists, Loma Linda

It is significant that the very first words of Jesus in answer to the question, "What shall be the sign of Thy coming ?" were, "Take heed that no man deceive you." The last days were to be marked by multiplied deceptions in regard to the manner of Christ's coming. The one word that marks every deception is the word "secret." The second coming of our Lord is with open "power" and "great glory," as the "lightning" which streaks across the heavens.

In recent years a most dangerous deception known as the "secret rapture" has captivated many foremost ministers and teachers of the popular churches. This heresy is grouped with other pernicious teachings, equally dangerous and deceptive, in what is known as "modern dispensationalism." Many of the so-called Fundamentalist Bible schools sponsor the sevenfold errors of dispensationalism. The chief agency in its promulgation is the Scofield Reference Bible.

Near the beginning of the present century, this new and "strange" doctrine was first brought to America by Malachi Taylor, one of the Plymouth Brethren. Among those captivated by it was Dr. C. I. Scofield, who became its leading exponent. He prepared a new edition of the Bible, and with notes, headings, subheadings, and summaries, imposed upon the Bible a system of error as subtle and Satanic as any that has ever been invented by the master deceiver. The very fact that these errors are bound together in one volume with the Scriptures of truth, may account for the rapidity with which the fire of evil has spread.

SEVEN SO-CALLED DISPENSATIONS

The Scofield Bible divides the history of the world into periods of time, known as "dispensations :" (I) Innocence, (2) Conscience, (3) Human Government, (4) Promise, (5) Law, (6) Grace, (7) Kingdom.

In each of these periods, the Lord "deals with man upon a plan different from the plan of the other dispensations." For example, the period from Sinai to Calvary was "the dispensation of Law;" from the cross to the second coming, "the dispensation of grace;" and from the second coming to the close of the millennium, "the dispensation of the kingdom." There is no "mingling" of methods of salvation during these periods, according to the Scofield scheme. There was "no grace" in the dispensation from Moses to the cross; "no law" in our present period of "grace." Moreover, our era is the era of the church, and has nothing to do with the kingdom. The age to come ushers in the kingdom. This "kingdom" belongs to the Jewish nation, which will be restored and its people converted during the millennium.

These seven dispensations are fittingly labeled as "arbitrary, fanciful, and destitute of Scriptural support." There is no Scriptural mention of a dispensation of human conscience during the period before the flood. Neither is there mention of the reign of human government during the period from the flood to Abraham. And while promises were made to Abraham, precious promises are likewise made to the children of Abraham, who are the blood-bought of the ages. But the most serious evils are found in the so-called fifth, sixth, and seventh dispensations. Every lover and teacher of truth ought to know the magnitude of these errors and battle against them, using the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. The seven principal errors of the Scofield Reference Bible may be listed as follows:

1. Dispensationalism.

2. Antinomianism.

3. False ideas of the antichrist.

4. The "secret rapture."

5. The return of the Jew to Jerusalem.

6. False teachings in regard to the kingdom.

7. False hope of a second chance.

It is impossible to give an exhaustive study of these errors in The Ministry. More complete study was given them in a series of articles in the Review and Herald, starting Nov. 13, 1941. An exposure of the heresy in all its aspects is given by Philip Mauro, noted Fundamentalist, member of the bar of the United States Supreme Court, in his book, "The Gospel of the Kingdom, With an Examination of Modern Dispensationalism." We are limited here to but a few comments and texts on each of the seven points, as an incentive to further study.

1. Meaning of Dispensationalism. — In the Bible the word "dispensation" never refers to a period of time. Invariably its meaning is "a stewardship," "the act of dispensing," "an administration." Read the four New Testament texts in which the word "dispensation" is found: 1 Corinthians 9:17; Ephesians 1:10; 3:2; and Colossians 1:25. Weymouth's translation of 1 Corinthians 9:17 reads: "A stewardship has nevertheless been entrusted to me."

The plan of the ages is a gospel plan. God's dealings with man have been ever the same. Faithful Abel and Enoch, Abraham and Moses, were all "saved by grace." Their lives were marked by obedience to God's commandments. By "faith," they obeyed So, today God's remnant church is a church which keeps the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

2. The Antinomian Error.—Says the Scofield Bible, "The law is a ministry of condemnation, death, and the divine curse." ( See note on Gal 3:24.) But your Bible and mine says that the "law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good." Three times Paul, exclaims "God forbid," as he guards against the error of antinomianism (Rom. 3:31; Gal. 3:21; Rom. 7:7). When the Holy Spirit declares that "the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul," how dare anyone call it a "ministry of condemnation"? Says Mr. Mauro:

"Here is where some of the most serious evils of dispensationalism come clearly into view; for the aspersions which the teachers of that system cast upon the holy law of God constitute in their totality a complete and grievous misrepresentation thereof."

3. Misconception of Antichrist.—The dispensationalist has reversed the historic Protestant position in regard to the antichrist, and is teaching the error that was invented by the doctors of the Catholic Church in order to combat the Reformation. Protestantism pointed the finger of prophecy at the Papacy; but Rome declared that the antichrist was a man yet to come who would rule for three and one-half years at a future period of "tribulation." Dispensationalists are the proponents of this papal error.

4. "Secret Rapture" Fallacy.—The teaching regarding "secret rapture," or the silent taking away of the church before the time of trouble, is a most serious error. Note well the sequence of events in verses 30 and 31 of Matthew 24. The gathering of the elect (verse 31) follows the coming of Christ in glory and power (verse 30). Do not be misled by the false use of the words "parousia" and "apokalupsis." The very word translated "coming" in Matthew 24:27 and 1 Thessalonians 4:15 is the Greek word "parousia." "Lightning," "voice," "shout" are words which describe the "parousia."

5. Return of Jews Illusion.—The illusory hope of the restoration of the Jewish nation at Jerusalem is destined to lure millions into the desert of destruction. The promises to the Jewish nation were all conditioned on obedience. God did all that He could ever do for the Jews in sending them His prophets and finally His Son. He did not cast away His people. The very first Christian churches in apostolic times were made up almost entirely of Jews. The Israel of God, to whom the promises are made, is spiritual Israel. To Abraham and his seed belong the promises. "If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

Read Romans 4:13; 9:6-8; Galatians 3:29; Romans 4:8-12, 17; Galatians 3:7-9. Then read Hosea 13:9, 10, 14, and other Old Testament prophecies, to see that the hope of the ages for Israel was through the resurrection from the dead.

6. Postponement of the Kingdom.—More than one hundred times did the Lord Jesus refer to the kingdom; only twice to the church. His message was a kingdom message. "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. 3:2) was the message of John the Baptist. It was also the burden of Jesus, of the twelve, and of the seventy who were sent forth as the ministers of Jesus (Matt. 4:17; 10:7; Luke 10:9). The door of entrance into the kingdom is not through racial inheritance, but through the new birth (John 3:3, 5). Citizenship in the kingdom of grace belongs to Gentiles as well as to Jews. (Eph. 2:19). Even now we are translated into the kingdom of grace (Col. 1:13).

At the second coming, the saints enter the kingdom of glory (Dan. 7:27). The Scofield Bible, adding error to error, postpones the "kingdom" to an age to come and makes it a possession of natural Jews.

7. "Second Chance" Heresy.—If one error could be greater than another, then the doctrine of a more favorable opportunity for salvation during the millennium is the greatest of all. "Behold, now is the accepted time." The world is now having its "second chance." Beyond the grave there is no hope of salvation (Isa. 38:18). Before the second coming of Christ, probation's hour will have closed for eternity (Matt. 13: 38-43; 25:31-46; Rev. 22:11, 12). Truly, the heresy of a "second chance" is the capsheaf of error.

Many are not aware of the magnitude of the error of modern dispensationalism. Nor do they realize how widespread is the influence of the Scofield Reference Bible. Many teachers of truth are not alert to the trend of the times in the religious world. New issues must be faced. New errors must be exposed. Some of these errors are as old as sin, but clothed in new garb. This borrowed garment of "Fundamentalism" must be torn from the dark form of dispensational error. The Scofield Bible must be unmasked for what it is—a tree of knowledge of good and evil, with the good as the words of Scripture; the evil, the heretical notes of C. I. Scofield. There are thousands of earnest Christians who, like Philip Mauro, may be saved from error if the truth is brought home to their hearts.

SureWord · July 12

The heart of the issue many Christians have with Scofield is his teaching that God isn't finished with the nation of Israel.

Napsterdad · July 12

8 hours ago, SureWord said:

The heart of the issue many Christians have with Scofield is his teaching that God isn't finished with the nation of Israel.

God is finished with Israel? Really?

Romans 11:1-2a I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew.

Romans 11:25-29 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. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. 28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. 29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

SureWord · July 12

33 minutes ago, Napsterdad said:

God is finished with Israel? Really?

Romans 11:1-2a I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew.

Romans 11:25-29 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. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. 28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. 29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

They say God is finished with Israel as a NATION. They'll say these verses just mean that Jewish people can get saved and become part of the Church just like any Gentile and we all make up the "Israel of God" (i.e. spiritual Jews). Any special dealing with them as a corporate, physical nation is over with. All those national promises in the OT have been spiritualized and passed off to the body of Christ.

Scofield's teaching opposed this idea thus he's a step away from being Satan himself in their deluded minds.

BrotherTony · July 12

3 minutes ago, SureWord said:

They say God is finished with Israel as a NATION. They'll say these verses just mean that Jewish people can get saved and become part of the Church just like any Gentile and we all make up the "Israel of God" (i.e. spiritual Jews). Any special dealing with them as a corporate, physical nation is over with. All those national promises in the OT have been spiritualized and passed off to the body of Christ.

Scofield's teaching opposed this idea thus he's a step away from being Satan himself in their deluded minds.

Please prove he's a step away from "being Satan himself." Sure, he has come to several conclusions that many don't agree with, but, that is FAR FROM MAKING HIM IN LEAGUE WITH THE DEVIL. However, those who are divisive in the Body of Christ fit the description. Do you have any original thoughts, SGO? Or do you have to cut and paste long swathes of other's work? I know of very few Christians who believe that God is finished with Israel, and I've been preaching and teaching for over 50 years. Out of all those years I believe I've only come across one or two who believe this.

SGO · July 12

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/373101848_The_Legacy_of_the_Scofield_Reference_Bible_in_Christian_Zionism

The Legacy of the Scofield Reference Bible in Christian Zionism

August 2023

August 2023

DOI:10.13140/RG.2.2.29799.01441

Authors:

Douglas C Youvan

Abstract

The Scofield Reference Bible, published in the early 20th century, has left an indelible mark on the world of Christian thought, particularly concerning the role of Israel in biblical prophecy and modern geopolitics. Its influence, manifested in the rise of Christian Zionism, has had profound implications not just for the faithful but also for the political landscapes of the Middle East. Through an exploration of its annotations and their ripple effects, this essay seeks to shed light on Scofield's legacy, its intersection with global events, and the challenges of interpreting ancient prophecies in contemporary contexts. Keywords: Scofield Reference Bible, Christian Zionism, Israel, biblical prophecy, geopolitics, Middle East, dispensationalism, theological interpretation, Mike Pence, interfaith dynamics, ancient prophecies, modern contexts, evangelicalism, eschatology, religious influence, theological divergence. Note: The Epilogue specifically focuses on former Vice President Mike Pence as a Christian Zionist. GPT-4 refused to use the term “ZioNazi” indicative of post-corpus human training. - DCY

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1

The Legacy of the Scofield Reference Bible in Christian

Zionism

Douglas C. Youvan

*****@*****.tld

August 13, 2023

The Scofield Reference Bible, published in the early 20th century,

has left an indelible mark on the world of Christian thought,

particularly concerning the role of Israel in biblical prophecy and

modern geopolitics. Its influence, manifested in the rise of

Christian Zionism, has had profound implications not just for the

faithful but also for the political landscapes of the Middle East.

Through an exploration of its annotations and their ripple effects,

this essay seeks to shed light on Scofield's legacy, its intersection

with global events, and the challenges of interpreting ancient

prophecies in contemporary contexts.

Keywords: Scofield Reference Bible, Christian Zionism, Israel,

biblical prophecy, geopolitics, Middle East, dispensationalism,

theological interpretation, Mike Pence, interfaith dynamics,

ancient prophecies, modern contexts, evangelicalism,

eschatology, religious influence, theological divergence.

Note: The Epilogue specifically focuses on former Vice President

Mike Pence as a Christian Zionist. GPT-4 refused to use the term

“ZioNazi” indicative of post-corpus human training. - DCY

2

1. Introduction

Israel, with its ancient landmarks and profound religious

significance, stands as a testament to millennia of faith, conflict,

and prophecy. As the birthplace of monotheistic religions such as

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, its land tells a story that

transcends its physical boundaries. Within Christianity, Israel

represents not only historical roots but also a stage upon which

end-time prophecies, as some believe, are destined to unfold.

Amid the complex tapestry of Christian beliefs about Israel's role

in divine history, the 20th century heralded a particularly influential

voice: Cyrus I. Scofield. Through his Scofield Reference Bible,

first published in 1909, he offered an interpretative lens that

framed Israel as central to end-time events, an interpretation

deeply aligned with the emerging Christian Zionist movement.

This perspective found resonance among several evangelical

leaders over the years, from Dwight L. Moody and A. C.

Gaebelein in the early days to Jerry Falwell and John Hagee in

more recent times.

In the 21st century, this theological perspective has not remained

confined to the pulpit. It's made its way into the corridors of

power, influencing policy decisions and international relations.

Notable figures such as Mike Pence, former Vice President of the

United States, have openly spoken about their support for Israel,

drawing connections between their political stances and faith-

based convictions regarding the land and its people.

As we explore further, we aim to dissect the interplay between

theology, politics, and the real-world implications of the Scofield-

inspired interpretations of Israel's role in biblical prophecy. The

nuances of these beliefs, and their effects on global politics,

particularly in the context of Israel and Palestine, warrant a

comprehensive and critical examination.

3

2. The Historical Context: Early 20th Century Evangelicalism

The dawn of the 20th century was a time of profound social,

political, and technological change. The Western world,

particularly the United States, experienced significant shifts in its

religious landscape. These shifts set the stage for the influence of

Cyrus I. Scofield and the broader rise of fundamentalism within

evangelical circles.

The Religious Climate:

1. Modernism and Liberal Theology: The late 19th and early

20th centuries saw the influence of modernist thinking

permeate various sectors of society, including religious

institutions. Higher criticism of the Bible, which questioned

traditional beliefs about its authorship and historicity, gained

ground. Theological seminaries and mainline Protestant

denominations began to embrace more liberal theological

views, often allegorizing scriptural narratives and

downplaying the miraculous.

2. Social Gospel Movement: Parallel to the theological shifts

was the rise of the Social Gospel movement, which

emphasized the application of Christian ethics to social

reform and justice, sometimes at the expense of personal

salvation and evangelism.

3. Revivalism and Holiness Movements: In reaction to these

changes, many Christians gravitated towards revivalism and

holiness movements. These groups stressed personal piety,

the literal interpretation of Scripture, and the imminent return

of Christ.

Rise of Fundamentalism:

1. Defending Orthodoxy: As modernist and liberal ideas grew

in popularity, many conservatives felt a need to rigorously

defend orthodox Christian beliefs. This defensive stance

4

crystallized into what came to be known as Christian

fundamentalism, a term derived from a series of essays titled

"The Fundamentals" (published between 1910 and 1915).

These essays, written by various theologians, defended

foundational Christian beliefs against modernist

interpretations.

2. Key Tenets: Fundamentalists staunchly upheld the

inerrancy of the Scriptures, the virgin birth and deity of

Christ, His substitutionary atonement, physical resurrection,

and imminent return. They also firmly believed in a literal

Hell and the need for personal salvation through Christ.

3. Battles and Separatism: The 1920s, in particular, were

marked by intense "Bible Battles" where fundamentalists and

modernists vied for control of denominations, seminaries,

and mission boards. Over time, many fundamentalists chose

to separate from mainline denominations, forming their own

institutions and churches.

4. Scofield's Niche: Within this religious milieu, the Scofield

Reference Bible found a receptive audience. Its

dispensational framework and futurist interpretation of

prophecy provided a systematic understanding of the Bible,

reinforcing fundamentalist views about the centrality of Israel

in God's plan and the imminent return of Christ.

In conclusion, the early 20th century was a time of theological

tumult, with various Christian movements seeking to define or

defend their understanding of the faith. Against this backdrop,

Scofield's annotations offered clarity and structure for many,

making his Bible a cornerstone text for those within the

burgeoning fundamentalist movement.

5

3. Scofield's Theological Foundations

In the midst of the theological turbulence of the early 20th century,

Cyrus I. Scofield carved out a distinct niche with his unique

theological framework, rooted in dispensationalism. A system

that, while not entirely novel, gained significant traction through

his annotated Bible.

Dispensationalism Defined:

1. Distinct Eras of Divine Revelation: At its core,

dispensationalism posits that history is divided into distinct

epochs, or "dispensations", during which God reveals

specific expectations and standards to humanity. In each

dispensation, humanity is tested on their obedience to God's

revelation, invariably failing, leading to judgment and the

inauguration of a new dispensation.

2. Seven Dispensations: While various dispensationalist

thinkers might delineate history differently, Scofield outlined

seven dispensations: Innocence (Adam in Eden),

Conscience (from the Fall to the Flood), Human Government

(post-Flood to Abraham), Promise (Abraham to Moses), Law

(Moses to Christ), Grace (the Church Age), and the Kingdom

(a future millennial reign of Christ).

Divergence from Covenant Theology:

1. Covenant Framework: Covenant theology, another

dominant Protestant system of interpreting the Bible's

structure, sees history primarily through the lens of two or

three covenants (depending on the specific branch): the

Covenant of Works (with Adam), the Covenant of Grace

(extending from post-Fall to the end of time), and sometimes

the Covenant of Redemption (within the Trinity before the

world's foundation).

6

2. Israel and the Church: One of the most significant

divergences between dispensationalism and covenant

theology concerns the relationship between Israel and the

Church. Dispensationalists, Scofield included, insist on a

sharp distinction between the two. They assert that God's

promises to Israel are literal and remain to be fulfilled.

Covenant theologians, on the other hand, tend to see the

Church as the 'spiritual Israel' or the continuation and

fulfillment of God's promises to Israel.

Implications of Scofield's Dispensationalism:

1. Futurist Eschatology: Dispensationalism, as presented by

Scofield, adopts a largely futurist perspective on end-times

prophecies. This viewpoint asserts that many biblical

prophecies, especially from books like Daniel and

Revelation, remain unfulfilled and will come to pass literally

in the future.

2. The Rapture and Tribulation: Central to Scofield's

eschatology is the belief in a pre-tribulation rapture—where

the Church is miraculously removed from the world before a

seven-year tribulation period, culminating in Christ's return

and a literal thousand-year reign (the Millennium).

3. Central Role of Israel: Perhaps most pertinent to our

discussion is dispensationalism's emphasis on Israel's

central role in God's redemptive plan. Scofield's notes

underscore the belief that God's covenants with Israel are

unconditional and literal, ensuring Israel's future national

restoration and prominence during Christ's millennial reign.

In sum, Scofield's dispensationalism offered a structured, literal,

and Israel-centric interpretation of the Bible, contrasting with other

prevailing theological systems. This framework not only

influenced individual believers but also played a role in shaping

7

the political and cultural attitudes of segments of Christianity

towards the modern State of Israel and the broader Middle East.

4. The Promised Land: Genesis 12:1-3 and Genesis 15:18

The Book of Genesis provides foundational narratives for the

three major Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Two passages in particular, Genesis 12:1-3 and Genesis 15:18,

are seminal in discussions about Israel and its claim to the land.

Scofield's dispensational framework, and his subsequent

interpretation of these verses, placed them at the heart of

Christian Zionist beliefs. To understand the depth and implications

of Scofield's annotations, it's necessary to juxtapose them against

broader theological understandings.

Genesis 12:1-3:

"Now the Lord said to Abram, 'Go from your country and your

kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.

And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and

make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless

those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and

in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.'"

Scofield's Interpretation:

• Scofield emphasized the unconditional nature of God's

promise to Abram (later renamed Abraham). The promise of

land, national greatness, and universal blessing were seen

as distinct and literal covenants.

• He posited that the promise would find its ultimate fulfillment

in the future, especially regarding Israel's national

prominence.

8

Broader Theological Understandings:

• Many theologians interpret the Abrahamic Covenant as a

prelude to the broader unfolding of salvation history. While

the land promise is acknowledged, the focus often shifts to

the final phrase: "in you all the families of the earth shall be

blessed", seeing in Abraham's seed—Christ—a spiritual

promise that transcends national or territorial boundaries.

• Covenant theologians often understand the promises as

having both a near and far fulfillment, with the spiritual

dimension (blessing to all nations through Christ) taking

precedence over the physical (land).

Genesis 15:18:

"On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, 'To

your descendants, I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the

great river, the Euphrates.'"

Scofield's Interpretation:

• Scofield posited this as a reaffirmation of the unconditional

and literal land promise made to Abraham and his

descendants. The boundaries specified were taken to mean

a future expansion of Israel's territory, which has yet to be

fully realized.

• The emphasis on the literal territorial boundaries reinforced

the dispensationalist view that modern-day Israel is a

precursor to a divinely orchestrated restoration.

Broader Theological Understandings:

• Many theologians see this covenant as a precursor to the

Mosaic Covenant, where the Israelites receive the law and

formalize their relationship with God. The land promise is

part of God's broader commitment to Abraham's

9

descendants, with conditions attached (as later expounded

in Deuteronomy).

• The territorial boundaries, while acknowledged, are often

seen in light of the historical conquest under Joshua and the

united monarchy under David and Solomon. The emphasis

might shift from a future physical restoration to a spiritual

inheritance for all believers in Christ.

In conclusion, while the promises in Genesis to Abraham are

universally recognized in Christian thought, interpretations vary

based on theological frameworks. Scofield's emphasis on the

literal and unconditional nature of the land promise has deeply

influenced Christian Zionist thought, while other theological

traditions offer nuanced or alternative readings that might

prioritize spiritual over territorial promises.

5. The Everlasting Covenant: Genesis 17:7-8

Genesis 17 stands as one of the most crucial chapters in the

Abrahamic narrative. The passage underscores the solemnity and

gravity of God's promises to Abraham. The verses 7-8 read:

"And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your

offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting

covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. And I

will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your

sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession,

and I will be their God."

These verses, laden with the weight of "everlasting" promises,

have been pivotal in discussions surrounding the land, God's

faithfulness, and the nature of the covenant. Here's an exploration

of the implications of reading this as a yet-to-be-fulfilled promise:

10

Scofield's Interpretation:

• Literal and Everlasting Promise: Scofield, in line with his

dispensationalist perspective, viewed the covenant

promises, particularly the land promise, as literal and

everlasting. The "land of Canaan" was not only a historical

possession but an eternal right of Abraham's physical

descendants.

• Future Fulfillment: Scofield posited that the fullness of this

covenant—especially in terms of land—has yet to be

completely realized. This perspective aligns with his views

on the end times, wherein Israel will occupy a central role,

and the land promise will find its ultimate fulfillment.

Implications of the Yet-to-be-fulfilled Reading:

1. Israel's Modern Day Significance: The belief in a future

fulfillment of Genesis 17:7-8 often bolsters the theological

case for modern-day Israel's existence and expansion. The

nation's re-establishment in 1948, its victories and

expansions in subsequent wars, are seen as divine

orchestrations leading to the complete realization of the

Abrahamic covenant.

2. God's Faithfulness: This interpretation underscores the

immutable nature of God's promises. If God's covenant with

Abraham regarding the land remains unfulfilled, then its

eventual fulfillment serves as a testament to His unwavering

faithfulness.

3. Eschatological Implications: Reading Genesis 17:7-8 as a

pending promise reinforces pre-millennial eschatological

views, where Israel plays a central role in end-time events.

This includes the belief in a future national conversion of

Jews, the rebuilding of the temple, and the physical reign of

Christ from Jerusalem.

11

4. Tension with Current Realities: Accepting this promise as

yet-to-be-fulfilled invariably introduces tension with the

present political and demographic realities of the region. It

can influence political stances, alliances, and policy

decisions, especially for nations and groups that hold this

theological perspective.

Broader Theological Views:

• Spiritual Fulfillment: While many theologians recognize the

historical significance of the land promise, they often argue

its ultimate fulfillment is spiritual. Through Christ, the true

seed of Abraham, believers—whether Jew or Gentile—are

partakers of the Abrahamic blessings, inheriting a spiritual

Canaan, or "promised land".

• Everlasting, but Realized: Some theologians argue that

while the covenant is everlasting, its primary facets were

realized during specific historical periods. For instance,

Israel's monarchy under David and Solomon could be seen

as a pinnacle of the land promise.

In synthesizing, Genesis 17:7-8 carries profound theological,

historical, and political implications. How one interprets the

"everlasting" nature of the covenant and the specificity of the land

promise influences not only personal beliefs but can also shape

broader national and international narratives and policies.

6. Restoration Promises: Deuteronomy 30:3-5 and Jeremiah

16:14-15

The theme of Israel's restoration is recurrent in both the

Pentateuch and the Prophets. The verses in Deuteronomy and

Jeremiah serve as touchstones in this narrative, pointing to times

12

when God would restore His people after periods of exile and

dispersion.

Deuteronomy 30:3-5:

"Then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have

mercy on you, and he will gather you again from all the peoples

where the Lord your God has scattered you. If your outcasts are

in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there the Lord your God will

gather you, and from there he will take you. And the Lord your

God will bring you into the land that your fathers possessed, that

you may possess it. And he will make you more prosperous and

numerous than your fathers."

Jeremiah 16:14-15:

"Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when

it shall no longer be said, 'As the Lord lives who brought up the

people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,' but 'As the Lord lives

who brought up the people of Israel out of the north country and

out of all the countries where he had driven them.' For I will bring

them back to their own land that I gave to their fathers."

Scofield's Futurist Interpretation:

• Unfulfilled Restoration: Scofield, consistent with his

dispensationalist framework, posited these verses as

references to a future, fuller restoration of Israel. While he

acknowledged the historical returns from Babylonian exile,

he believed these prophecies pointed to a grander, more

complete gathering of Jews in the end times.

• Tied to End Times Events: In Scofield's view, these verses

also align with his pre-millennial eschatology, where the

complete restoration of Israel is a precursor to the

Tribulation, the rise of the Antichrist, and eventually Christ's

millennial reign from Jerusalem.

13

Comparisons:

1. Historicist Views:

• Historical Fulfillments: Historicists typically interpret

these restoration promises as primarily fulfilled in the

return of the Jewish exiles from Babylon, as described

in books like Ezra and Nehemiah.

• Cyclical Understanding: While recognizing specific

historical fulfillments, historicists may also see a cyclical

pattern where Israel's dispersion and restoration occur

multiple times throughout history.

2. Preterist Views:

• Past Fulfillment: Preterists argue that many of the

prophecies, including the restoration promises, found

their fulfillment in past events, particularly the First

Century AD, around the time of the Jewish-Roman War

and the subsequent destruction of the Temple in 70 AD.

• Spiritual Israel: Many preterists also lean towards a

view that perceives the Church as the "new" or

"spiritual" Israel, suggesting that many of the blessings

and promises to Israel have been transferred to the

Church.

Conclusion:

Interpretations of the restoration promises in Deuteronomy and

Jeremiah are as varied as they are profound. While Scofield's

futurist lens places these promises in a yet-to-be-realized

eschatological context, historicists and preterists ground them

more firmly in historical and spiritual realizations. The verses,

regardless of interpretation, highlight God's enduring commitment

to His people and offer hope and assurance in the face of

dispersion and despair. The divergent views also underscore the

multi-faceted nature of biblical interpretation and the intricate

tapestry of beliefs within Christianity.

14

7. Prophetic Declarations: Psalm 102:16 and Isaiah 2:1-4

Prophetic texts within the scriptures frequently combine both

immediate and distant horizons, with some messages speaking to

the prophet's contemporaries and others echoing promises meant

for future generations. The verses from Psalms and Isaiah

referenced here are central to discussions about the future of

Jerusalem and Israel's role in the world.

Psalm 102:16:

"For the Lord will rebuild Zion and appear in his glory."

Isaiah 2:1-4:

"The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and

Jerusalem. It shall come to pass in the latter days that the

mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the

highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills;

and all the nations shall flow to it, and many peoples shall come,

and say: 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the

house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and

that we may walk in his paths.' For out of Zion shall go forth the

law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge

between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples;

and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears

into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation,

neither shall they learn war anymore."

Scofield's Future, Literal Restoration Emphasis:

• Zion's Literal Rebuilding: In the context of Psalm 102:16,

Scofield saw this not merely as a rebuilding after the

Babylonian exile but as a nod to a future era where Zion

(Jerusalem) would be gloriously reestablished in conjunction

with the return of Christ.

15

• Golden Age of Peace: Isaiah 2:1-4, with its vivid imagery of

global peace and Jerusalem's primacy, fits well within

Scofield's dispensational framework. He understood this to

be referencing the Millennial Kingdom—a future, literal

1,000-year reign of Christ on Earth post the Tribulation

period. During this time, Jerusalem would be the epicenter of

world governance and spirituality.

Analysis:

1. Contrast with Symbolic Interpretations: Many

theologians, especially those with allegorical or spiritualizing

tendencies, have seen passages like these as symbolic of

spiritual truths rather than prognostications of literal events.

For example, the elevation of "the mountain of the house of

the Lord" might be seen as an exaltation of God's spiritual

truth over worldly wisdom rather than a physical supremacy

of Jerusalem over other cities.

2. Contextual Interpretation: Critics of Scofield's futurist

interpretation might argue that these texts, especially Isaiah

2:1-4, speak more directly to the socio-religious contexts of

their respective authors. Isaiah, writing in a turbulent

geopolitical time, offers hope and reassurance that Israel's

God would ultimately triumph over the chaos.

3. Universal Peace and Role of Jerusalem: While

interpretations differ, the verses underscore a longing for

universal peace and justice and emphasize the significant

role Jerusalem plays in these aspirations. Scofield's

perspective—grounded in a pre-millennial eschatology—

amplifies the centrality and future glory of Jerusalem.

4. Influence on Christian Zionism: Scofield's emphasis on

the future, literal restoration of Jerusalem has notably

impacted Christian Zionism. Many Christian Zionists,

influenced by such interpretations, ardently support Israel

based on the conviction that its modern-day restoration

16

aligns with biblical prophecies heralding the imminent return

of Christ.

In sum, Psalm 102:16 and Isaiah 2:1-4 encapsulate the scriptural

tension between immediate context and distant prophecy.

Scofield's firm emphasis on a future, literal restoration reflects his

broader theological stances and showcases how varied biblical

interpretations can lead to distinct perspectives on contemporary

issues, especially regarding Israel and Jerusalem.

8. New Testament Reinforcement: Romans 11:1-29

Romans 11 is a pivotal chapter in the New Testament, particularly

concerning the apostle Paul's discussion about the relationship

between Jews and Gentiles in God's salvation plan. The chapter

speaks to Israel's "hardening" and eventual salvation, while also

emphasizing the inclusion of the Gentiles.

Romans 11 (key verses):

"I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I

myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of

the tribe of Benjamin... Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do

not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial

hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles

has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is

written, 'The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish

ungodliness from Jacob'..."

Scofield's Interpretation:

• Israel's Spiritual Restoration: Scofield, being a

dispensationalist, interpreted Romans 11 to mean that God

has not permanently set aside the Jewish people. While the

Gentiles are currently in a period of grace (the "Church

17

Age"), there will come a time when God will turn His

attention back to Israel, leading to their widespread

conversion and spiritual restoration.

• Distinction between Israel and the Church: A cornerstone

of dispensationalism is the clear distinction between Israel

and the Church. While the Church is predominantly

composed of Gentiles and exists during this 'parenthesis'

(the Church Age), Israel remains God's elect nation,

destined for future glory and restoration.

Analysis:

1. Mainstream Christian Theology:

• Supersessionism or Replacement Theology: This is

the belief held by many Christians that the Church has

"replaced" or "superseded" Israel as God's chosen

people. Proponents argue that the promises and

covenants made to Israel in the Old Testament are now

fulfilled in the Church.

• Spiritual Israel: Some theologians propose that "all

Israel" in Romans 11 refers to a combined body of

believing Jews and Gentiles, collectively making up the

true spiritual Israel.

2. Alignment and Divergence with Scofield:

• Alignment: Both mainstream Christian theology and

Scofield agree on the importance of Romans 11 and its

discussion of Israel and the Gentiles.

• Divergence: The primary divergence lies in the

interpretation of Israel's future. While Scofield saw a

literal, future restoration of Israel, many mainstream

theologians view these promises as spiritually fulfilled in

the Church. Furthermore, Scofield's sharp distinction

between Israel and the Church is not universally

accepted.

18

3. Paul's Perspective: The apostle Paul's primary concern in

Romans 11 was to address the arrogance of some Gentile

believers towards Jews. He emphasized the intertwined

destinies of Jews and Gentiles, warning Gentiles against

pride and reassuring Jewish believers of their irrevocable

call and gifts from God.

In conclusion, Romans 11 is a rich tapestry of theological insights

concerning God's plans for both Jews and Gentiles. While

Scofield's interpretation underscores a clear demarcation

between the Church and Israel, anticipating a future restoration of

Israel, mainstream Christian theology tends to embrace more

spiritual or symbolic readings. Both perspectives, however,

recognize the profound depth and complexity of Paul's teachings

in this chapter.

9. The Eschatological Perspective: Zechariah 12:10 &

Revelation 7:1-8

Eschatology is the study of end-time events, and both Zechariah

and Revelation provide rich imagery and prophecies regarding the

culmination of history. Zechariah's prophecies revolve around

Israel's role in the end times, while Revelation offers a more

expansive, cosmic perspective, detailing events leading up to the

return of Christ.

Zechariah 12:10:

“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of

Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me,

the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one

mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves

for a firstborn son.”

19

Revelation 7:1-8:

Describes the sealing of 144,000 servants of God, enumerating

12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel.

Scofield's Interpretation:

• Future Repentance and Recognition: For Zechariah

12:10, Scofield believed this to depict a future moment when

the Jewish nation would recognize and mourn the piercing of

their Messiah (interpreted as Jesus Christ). This recognition

would mark a pivotal moment of national repentance and

turn toward God.

• 144,000 Jewish Evangelists: Regarding Revelation 7:1-8,

Scofield understood the 144,000 to be literal Jewish

individuals—12,000 from each tribe—who would play a

unique role during the Tribulation period, evangelizing the

world about Christ.

Analysis:

1. Historical and Futuristic Interpretations:

• Historical: Some theologians interpret Zechariah 12:10

as referring to Israel's past or current trials and their

turning towards God. This interpretation doesn't

necessarily see this as a prophecy about recognizing

Jesus as the Messiah.

• Futuristic: Scofield, in line with his dispensationalism,

sees these prophecies as future events that haven't yet

occurred. This aligns with his broader interpretation of a

future, literal role for Israel in end-time scenarios.

2. Symbolic vs. Literal:

• Symbolic Interpretation of 144,000: Many theologians

believe the number 144,000 is symbolic, representing

the entirety of God's people or a specific spiritual

remnant.

20

• Scofield's Literalism: Scofield's perspective treats this

number as literal, emphasizing a distinct role for ethnic

Israel in the end times.

3. Confluence with Christian Zionism: Scofield's

interpretations, emphasizing Israel's pivotal role in end-time

events, align with and influence Christian Zionist beliefs.

Such beliefs often lead to staunch political and moral support

for the state of Israel, as they see it fulfilling biblical

prophecy.

In summation, Zechariah 12:10 and Revelation 7:1-8 serve as

touchstones for eschatological discussions, particularly

concerning Israel's role. Scofield's literal and futuristic

interpretations underscore his broader theological positions and

have left an indelible mark on segments of evangelical

Christianity. Whether seen as symbolic representations or future

prophecies, these passages highlight the enduring significance of

Israel in eschatological discourses.

10. Critical Examination of the Scofield Legacy

C.I. Scofield's influence, particularly through the Scofield

Reference Bible, cannot be underestimated when examining

modern evangelical thought and the development of Christian

Zionism. The annotations in the Scofield Bible provided readers

with a systematic theological approach, deeply rooted in

dispensational premillennialism. This section will delve into the

widespread influence of the Scofield Reference Bible and the

critical voices that have arisen in response.

Influence and Spread:

1. Evangelical Popularity: Scofield's Bible, first published in

1909, became a staple in many evangelical circles,

21

especially within the United States. Its annotations, providing

"user-friendly" guides to complex theological issues, made it

a popular choice for many.

2. Dispensationalism's Rise: The Scofield Reference Bible

played a significant role in popularizing dispensationalism.

This approach emphasized the distinction between Israel

and the Church and heralded a pre-tribulation rapture.

3. Christian Zionism: The notes in the Scofield Reference

Bible, particularly those emphasizing a future role for

national Israel and the necessity of the Jewish people's

return to the Holy Land, significantly contributed to the

development and spread of Christian Zionism.

4. Bible Institutes and Seminaries: Institutions such as the

Dallas Theological Seminary, founded by Lewis Sperry

Chafer, a disciple of Scofield, have perpetuated Scofield's

teachings, training generations of pastors and theologians in

dispensational thought.

Criticisms and Concerns:

1. Biblical Literalism: Many critics argue that Scofield's

approach excessively emphasizes a literal interpretation,

especially of prophetic passages, potentially missing deeper

spiritual or allegorical meanings.

2. Replacement Theology: Some theologians believe that the

New Testament teachings indicate that the Church has

taken over the role of Israel as God's chosen people—a

stance entirely contrary to Scofield's annotations.

3. Political Implications: Critics have expressed concerns

about the political ramifications of Christian Zionism,

influenced by Scofield's teachings. The unwavering support

for the state of Israel, based on theological grounds, has

been criticized for potentially perpetuating the Israeli-

Palestinian conflict.

22

4. Theological Rigidity: Some believe that the Scofield

Reference Bible, by providing notes directly alongside

Scripture, can lead readers to accept Scofield's interpretation

as being as authoritative as the Bible text itself.

5. Historical-Critical Perspective: From a scholarly viewpoint,

many believe that Scofield's annotations don't adequately

consider the historical and cultural context of the scriptures.

His notes are seen as interpreting ancient texts through a

modern lens.

In conclusion, while the Scofield Reference Bible has undoubtedly

had a profound influence on evangelical Christianity, shaping

beliefs and political attitudes, it has also been a source of

contention. Scofield's legacy, thus, remains a complex tapestry of

theological innovation, enduring influence, and critical debate.

11. Christian Zionism: Origins and Implications

Christian Zionism is the belief among some Christians that the

return of the Jews to the Holy Land, and the establishment of the

State of Israel in 1948, is in accordance with biblical prophecy.

This belief has gained significant traction in the past century,

especially among American evangelical Christians. The

connection between Scofield's interpretations and the rise of

Christian Zionism is undeniable. This section will explore the

origins of this movement and the multiple implications it carries.

Origins of Christian Zionism:

1. Historical Precursors: Even before Scofield, there were

elements within Christianity that supported the restoration of

Jews to Israel. These views were often influenced by various

interpretations of biblical prophecy.

23

2. Scofield's Influence: The Scofield Reference Bible

dramatically accelerated the spread of Christian Zionist

beliefs. Scofield's annotations, with their clear pro-Israel

stance, found resonance among a significant portion of

American evangelicals.

3. Evangelical Theology: Dispensationalism, which

differentiates between God's plans for Israel and the Church,

provided a theological foundation for Christian Zionism. The

belief that Israel must exist and prosper for end-time

prophecies to be fulfilled gained traction.

4. 20th Century Events: The Balfour Declaration in 1917,

which supported the establishment of a "national home for

the Jewish people" in Palestine, and the subsequent

foundation of Israel in 1948, were seen by many Christian

Zionists as the fulfillment of biblical prophecies.

Implications of Christian Zionism:

1. Political Impacts:

• US-Israel Relations: Christian Zionists have

significantly influenced American foreign policy towards

Israel. This unwavering support has played a role in

ensuring continued U.S. aid and political backing for

Israel.

• Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: The theological

commitment of Christian Zionists to a Jewish state in

the Holy Land can sometimes overshadow the rights

and concerns of Palestinian people, thus complicating

peace efforts.

2. Ethical Concerns:

• Selective Biblical Interpretation: Critics argue that

Christian Zionists often focus on specific biblical

passages that support their views while neglecting

other passages that emphasize justice, mercy, and

reconciliation.

24

• Human Rights: The theological position of some

Christian Zionists can lead them to overlook or

downplay alleged human rights abuses in the Israeli-

Palestinian conflict.

3. Theological Implications:

• Future of Israel: Christian Zionism holds specific

beliefs about the future of Israel, including its role in

end-time events, which may differ from other

theological perspectives.

• Judaism and Christianity: The relationship between

Jews and Christians under Christian Zionism is

complex. While there's support for the Jewish state,

there's often an underlying eschatological belief in the

eventual conversion of Jews to Christianity.

In summary, Christian Zionism, with its origins rooted partly in the

Scofield Reference Bible, has become a significant force in

shaping religious, political, and ethical perspectives on Israel. The

implications of this movement are far-reaching, affecting

international relations, theological understandings, and ethical

considerations surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

12. Broader Impacts on Christian-Jewish Relations

The relationship between Christianity and Judaism has been

marked by millennia of complex theological debates, social

interactions, and, unfortunately, periods of outright hostility. In the

20th century, one of the factors reshaping this dynamic was the

spread of Scofield-inspired teachings. The influence of the

Scofield Reference Bible and its annotations, emphasizing the

unique role of Israel and the Jewish people in biblical prophecy,

has had both positive and negative repercussions on Christian-

Jewish relations.

25

Positive Impacts:

1. Counteraction to Historical Anti-Semitism: For centuries,

various Christian denominations held supersessionist or

replacement theological views, believing that the Church had

replaced Israel as God's chosen people. Scofield's

teachings, which emphasized the ongoing covenantal

relationship between God and the Jewish people, countered

such beliefs. This served as a theological barrier to anti-

Semitic attitudes and promoted positive sentiments towards

Jews.

2. Support for Jewish Restoration: Christian Zionism,

influenced heavily by Scofield, championed the cause of

Jewish return to the Holy Land and later the establishment

and defense of the State of Israel. This political support was

perceived by many Jews as a sign of goodwill and a shift

from historical Christian adversities towards Jews.

3. Interfaith Collaborations: The shared belief in the

significance of Israel has led to collaborations between

Jewish and Christian Zionist organizations. This partnership

has sometimes extended beyond just political support for

Israel to encompass interfaith dialogues and cultural

exchanges.

Challenges and Concerns:

1. Conditional Support: While many Christian Zionists support

the Jewish state, the theological underpinnings of this

support often hinge on eschatological beliefs that foresee a

mass conversion of Jews to Christianity in the end times.

This can be perceived by Jews as a form of proselytization

or as conditional support based on apocalyptic outcomes.

2. Differing Interpretations: While Scofield's annotations

underscored the literal promises made to Abraham and his

descendants, Judaism and Christianity possess various

26

interpretations about the nature of these promises and their

implications. The Scofield-influenced perspective may

sometimes be at odds with Jewish theological views.

3. Political Pressures: The unwavering support of Israel by

Christian Zionists can lead to situations where political

actions, taken in the name of fulfilling biblical prophecy, put

pressure on Israel or overshadow the diverse voices within

the Jewish community.

4. Oversimplification of Complex Issues: Scofield's

theological emphasis on Israel's restoration can lead some

Christian Zionists to oversimplify or overlook the intricate

social, political, and religious dynamics within Israel and

between Israel and its neighbors.

In conclusion, the Scofield Reference Bible's impact on Christian-

Jewish relations is multifaceted. While there have been

considerable positive developments in terms of support for the

Jewish people and Israel, there also exist nuanced challenges

that arise from differing theological interpretations and political

beliefs. As with any religious doctrine or teaching, the true

measure of its impact lies in the lived experiences of those it

influences, calling for continuous dialogue and understanding

between the two faith communities.

13. Contemporary Relevance

Over a century after its publication, the Scofield Reference Bible

continues to be relevant, influencing various Christian movements

and having implications in global geopolitics. The modern world,

with its intricate web of religious beliefs, political aspirations, and

global interactions, still feels the ripple effects of Scofield's

annotated teachings.

27

Lasting Influence in Christian Movements:

1. Evangelical Theology: Within American evangelicalism,

dispensationalism remains a significant theological

framework, with many believers upholding the distinct roles

for the Church and Israel in God's redemptive plan. This

theological stance is a direct legacy of Scofield's teachings.

2. Mega-Churches and Televangelism: Many influential

pastors of large congregations and televangelists propagate

views aligned with Scofield's interpretations. Their reach,

enhanced by media platforms, amplifies the dissemination of

these ideas to vast audiences globally.

3. Christian Education: Some Christian schools, especially

those leaning towards fundamentalism, use curricula that

resonate with Scofield’s eschatological perspectives,

ensuring that new generations are introduced to these

interpretations.

4. Christian Zionist Organizations: Entities like Christians

United for Israel (CUFI) reflect the teachings espoused by

Scofield, advocating for unwavering support for Israel based

on theological convictions. These organizations often have

significant political clout.

Geopolitical Implications:

1. US-Israel Relations: The United States' robust support for

Israel is not solely based on strategic interests; there's a

significant religious dimension to it. Christian Zionists,

influenced by Scofield’s annotations, play a pivotal role in

shaping American foreign policy towards Israel.

2. Middle East Peace Process: The unwavering support of

Israel by Christian Zionists, rooted in Scofield’s teachings,

can sometimes complicate peace efforts. By viewing the

Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a theological lens, some

28

Christian Zionists might prioritize biblical prophecy over

diplomatic pragmatism.

3. Global Evangelical Movements: Beyond the U.S.,

Scofield's influence resonates in various parts of the world

where evangelical movements are growing, like in parts of

Africa, South America, and Asia. In these regions, political

stances towards Israel might be shaped, in part, by

theological convictions reminiscent of Scofield.

4. Interfaith Dynamics: As previously discussed, Scofield’s

interpretations have significant implications for Christian-

Jewish relations. However, they also affect Christian-Muslim

dynamics, especially considering the contentious history and

present of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

In sum, the contemporary relevance of the Scofield Reference

Bible is evident in both religious circles and global political arenas.

While Scofield's annotations are but one voice among many in

Christian theology, their impact, magnified by geopolitical realities

and the reach of modern media, remains substantial in shaping

beliefs and policies related to Israel and the broader Middle East.

14. Conclusion

The Scofield Reference Bible stands as a monumental work in the

annals of Christian literature, casting long shadows over the

religious landscape of the 20th and 21st centuries. Its

annotations, carefully penned in the margins of sacred scripture,

have stirred the hearts and minds of countless believers, guiding

them in their understanding of prophecy, Israel, and the unfolding

of God’s redemptive plan. However, with the power of influence

comes the responsibility of discernment.

29

The Dual-edged Sword of Interpretation:

Scofield's approach was groundbreaking in many respects. By

providing a structured framework through dispensationalism, he

offered many Christians a way to make sense of the diverse and

sometimes contradictory nature of biblical prophecies. Yet, the

very strength of his work—the rigidity and clarity of his

interpretations—became its potential weakness. Like any

interpretation, it bore the stamp of its time, reflecting the cultural,

political, and theological milieu of early 20th-century America.

Ancient Prophecies in a Modern World:

The challenge of interpreting ancient texts in contemporary

contexts is a task fraught with difficulties. Prophecies, often

wrapped in poetic language and symbolic imagery, defy simplistic

readings. When these ancient words are used to inform modern

geopolitics, the results can be both profound and problematic.

The State of Israel, a modern political entity, gets intertwined with

Israel, the theological concept, leading to complexities in both

religious belief and international relations.

Furthermore, while the Scofield Reference Bible emphasized a

literal and futuristic interpretation of prophecies related to Israel,

other theological perspectives—preterist, historicist, allegorical—

offer alternative readings. Each approach, with its merits and

shortcomings, reminds us of the vastness of the biblical

landscape and the humility needed in claiming interpretative

certainty.

Legacy in Perspective:

It's undeniable that Scofield's work has been instrumental in

shaping Christian Zionism and, indirectly, the geopolitics of the

Middle East. Yet, it is but one voice among a cacophony of

theological discourses spanning centuries. While it offers clarity to

30

some, it presents challenges to others. The legacy of the Scofield

Reference Bible underscores the enduring power of religious

texts, not just in shaping personal beliefs but in molding the very

course of history.

In closing, the journey through the pages of Scofield's annotations

serves as a reminder: interpretations, no matter how influential,

remain human endeavors to grasp the divine. In a world that

changes with each passing day, the challenge remains—to

engage ancient scriptures with respect, discernment, and an

acknowledgment of their multifaceted depth.

Epilogue: The Echoes of Scofield in Contemporary Voices

One of the most notable reflections of the enduring influence of

Christian Zionism, informed in part by the Scofield Reference

Bible, can be seen in the words and actions of several modern

politicians and public figures. One such figure is Mike Pence, the

48th Vice President of the United States. Pence’s Christian faith

has been a cornerstone of his public life, and his beliefs have

often intersected with his political decisions, especially regarding

Israel.

Pence has consistently been an advocate for Israel during his

political career. His speeches frequently make mention of Israel

not just as a key ally of the United States but also as a significant

entity in the biblical narrative.

In his address to the Israeli Knesset in January 2018, Pence

stated:

“The Jewish people held fast to a promise through all the ages,

written so long ago, that 'even if you have been banished to the

most distant land under the heavens,' from there He would gather

and bring you back to the land which your fathers possessed.”

31

This acknowledgment of biblical prophecy in relation to the

modern state of Israel underscores Pence's Christian Zionist

beliefs.

Moreover, in the same speech, he noted:

“We stand with Israel because we believe in right over wrong, in

good over evil, and in liberty over tyranny...The bond between our

peoples is woven together in the fabric of our hearts. And so it

shall always be.”

Mike Pence’s words serve as a testament to the ways in which

the beliefs propagated by Scofield and other Christian Zionist

thinkers continue to echo in the corridors of power in the 21st

century. The interweaving of biblical prophecy, theological

conviction, and geopolitical strategy remains as potent today as it

was during the early days of the Scofield Reference Bible. The

implications of these beliefs, as they play out on the global stage,

continue to be a subject of discussion, debate, and discernment.

Napsterdad · July 12

3 hours ago, BrotherTony said:

Do you have any original thoughts, SGO? Or do you have to cut and paste long swathes of other's work?

Not only has he no original thoughts on the matter, but he has also now taken to copying and pasting in super large font.

You know, SGO, a simple link to your sources would be sufficient. Or do you feel it is necessary to YELL at everyone here? You don't like Scofield, I get it, so don't read Scofield then. As for me, I'm tuning out your message. Not that you are necessarily wrong, but your delivery is atrocious.

BrotherTony · July 12

1 minute ago, Napsterdad said:

Not only has he no original thoughts on the matter, but he has also now taken to copying and pasting in super large font.

You know, SGO, a simple link to your sources would be sufficient. Or do you feel it is necessary to YELL at everyone here? You don't like Scofield, I get it, so don't read Scofield then. As for me, I'm tuning out your message. Not that you are necessarily wrong, but your delivery is atrocious.

I can agree with that! The moderators got onto someone not too long ago for posting long cut and paste segments. I'm not a huge Scofield fan, and probably NEVER will be. But, a lot of the attacks in this diatribe are about events rhat occurred before or right around the time Scofield became a Christian. His first wife had already filed for a divorce before he came to know the Lord. His issues with money, etc were before his conversion. I'm thankful that people like SGO aren't my judge and that Christ forgave all my sins, and that my past as an unsaved person doesn't have to define me in the eyes of the Lord. Praise be to God!

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The Scofield Bible

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The Legacy of the Scofield Reference Bible in Christian Zionism

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