2 Tim. 2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
The phrase, "rightly dividing" is translated from the Greek, "ὀρθοτομέω" orthotomeo, and is defined as, "to make a straight cut, that is, (figuratively) to dissect (expound) correctly (the divine message)," (Strong's).
Many, many people have not learned how to rightly divide the scriptures. It's actually not that difficult; take a simple math equation as an illustration: (3 + 4) x 7 = ?
Someone might look at this and say, "4 x 7 = 28 + 3 = 31, the answer is 31."
No, that's incorrect.
"Why? Doesn't 4 x 7 = 28?"
Yes it does.
"And 28 + 3, doesn't that equal 31?"
Yes, it does.
"Then why is my answer of 31 incorrect?"
Because you didn't follow the standard rules of Math, which say that you must first solve the parenthetical portion of the equation, and even though 4 x 7 does in fact equal 28, and even though 28 + 3 does equal 31; even though both of those statements separately are true, your mistake is that you ignored the parenthesis. The proper procedure to follow is, (3 + 4) = 7: then, 7 x 7 = 49. The correct answer is 49.
"But 4 x 7 = 28."
Yes, it is, but you ignored the parenthesis.
"But 4 x 7 = 28."
Yes, it is, but as I just pointed out, you ignored the parenthesis. In order to ascertain the correct answer you must follow the standard rules of Math.
"But 4 x 7 = 28..."
This is where people are stuck at today on the ideology of every convert receiving the baptism of the Holy Ghost with speaking in tongues as proof of salvation: they are essentially "ignoring the parenthesis" i.e., they either don't understand, and/or are ignoring the basic rules of grammar, and they end up, "handling the word of God deceitfully," (2 Cor. 4:2).
1) It is a rule of grammar that a pronoun takes the place of a noun, e.g., Jesus said, " I came down from..." In this phrase, "Jesus" is the noun and "I" is the pronoun, which takes the place of the noun. "Jesus" (the noun) is the "antecedent" for the pronoun, "I" in this phrase.
2) Another rule of grammar states that a singular pronoun must have a singular noun for its antecedent, and like wise, a plural pronoun must have a plural noun for its antecedent, which also means that a singular pronoun cannot have a plural noun for its antecedent.
Now, let's apply these rules to the scriptures and connect the pronouns to their corresponding antecedents via the color coding throughout.
Mat. 28:16 "Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them."
Mat. 28:17 "And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted."
Mat. 28:18 "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth."
Mat. 28:19 "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:"
Mat. 28:20"Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."
Mar. 16:12 "After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country." (them here is referring to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, Luk. 24:13)
Mar. 16:13 "And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them."
Mar. 16:14 "Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen." (them here could also include the women in Luk. 24:10).
Mar. 16:15 "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."
Mar. 16:16 "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."
Mar. 16:17 "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;"
Mar. 16:18 "They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."
Mar. 16:19 "So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God."
Mar. 16:20 "And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs following. Amen."
Following the basic rules of grammar and connecting the pronouns to their corresponding antecedents, we see that the singular pronoun "he" in verses 15&16 cannot have a plural antecedent because, "if an antecedent is singular, then any pronoun referring to it must be singular," (grammar.com); therefore, the singular pronoun "he" must refer to a singular antecedent, i.e., the noun "creature." Likewise, the plural pronouns them, they, their, and ye cannot have the singular noun creature as their antecedent, but being plural pronouns they must have plural nouns as antecedents. Furthermore, Jesus appeared to the apostles and upbraided them for their "unbelief," then He says these signs will follow them (the apostles) that "believe."
Mat. 28:20 "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.";
Notice the distinction between teaching all "nations," and the Lord saying, "...lo, I am with 'you' (the apostles) alway, even unto the end of the world." This phrase is synonymous with Mark's statement, "...these signs shall follow them (the apostles) that believe...And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following." The plural pronoun, them can only be referring to the apostles, which is further corroborated by the Hebrew writer: "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?"
Lk. 24:1 "Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them."
Lk. 24:2 "And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre."
Lk. 24:3 "And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus."
Lk. 24:4 "And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:"
Lk. 24:5 "And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?"
Lk. 24:6 "He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,"
Lk. 24:7 "Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again."
Lk. 24:8 "And they remembered his words,"
Lk. 24:9 "And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest."
Lk. 24:10 "It was Mary Magdalene, and Johanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles."
Lk. 24:13 "And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs."
Lk. 24:18 "And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas... (Cleopas aka. Alpheus was the father of the apostle James, Mar. 3:18 and the husband of the sister of the virgin Mary, John 19:25).
Lk. 24:33 "And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,"
Lk. 24:34 "Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon."
Lk. 24:35 "And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread."
Lk. 24:36 "And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you."
Lk. 24:37 "But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit."
Lk. 24:38 "And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?"
Lk. 24:39 "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have."
Lk. 24:40 "And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet."
Lk. 24:41 "And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?"
Lk. 24:42 "And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb."
Lk. 24:43 "And he took it, and did eat before them."
Lk. 24:44 "And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me."
Lk. 24:45 "Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,"
Lk. 24:46 "And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:"
Lk. 24:47 "And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."
Lk. 24:48 "And ye are witnesses of these things."
Lk. 24:49 "And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high."
Lk. 24:50 "And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them."
Lk. 24:51 "And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven."
Lk. 24:52 "And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:"
Lk. 24:53 "And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen."
When a person takes an unbiased look at the account surrounding Luke 24:33, it's patently obvious that Jesus was talking directly to His apostles, because verse 40 says, "And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet." To WHOM did Jesus show the scars? WHO did the women go and tell that Jesus had risen? WHO did not believe the testimony of the women who had seen Him? "Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen," (Mar. 16:14). WHO? The apostles! WHY would Jesus need to stand in the midst of the women and show them His scars to verify His identity when they had already seen Him and believed? It was the apostles who needed to be convinced!
Question: If Holy Spirit intended to convey the idea that Jesus was going to administer Holy Ghost baptism to the group of disciples numbering about 120 mentioned in Acts 1:15, why does Jesus' statement (recorded by Luke who had perfect understanding of all things, Lk.1:3) sound definitively like He was speaking to, and promising the baptism of the Holy Ghost only to the apostles? It seems reasonable to expect that in revealing something of this magnitude, it would be imperative that it be simple to understand. It seems that He could have said something like, "You and all My disciples back at the house will be baptized with the Holy Ghost a few days from now, so go on back to the house where they're waiting for you," just so His statement wasn't so misleading and difficult to comprehend. Why does it require an uninspired person(s) some 2000 years after the fact to decipher the words of Holy Spirit into a doctrine which castigates the text?
One aspect of this text which is confusing to the unstudied Bible student, and especially those who "handle the word of God deceitfully" (2 Cor. 4:2), is that Mat. 28, Mar. 16, Luk. 24 and John 20 &21 all cover a period of 40 days. When you follow the chronological order of events in Luke 24, the phrase "them that were with them" (verse 33) is at best, ambiguous. This occasion takes place in Galilee, at evening, on the resurrection day. The event recorded in Acts 1:15 takes place 39 days later (ascension day) on Mount Olivet, from which the apostles return to Jerusalem, who then Luke specifically gives the names of each one of the 11 apostles, and says they (the 11 apostles) continued with one accord with the 120 group.
Furthermore, we see that verse 44 begins with, "And he said unto them..." So how do we contextually determine who the pronoun them is referring to? Did Jesus say unto "them - the 120 group," or "them - the 120 group + the 500 brethren Paul spoke of in 1 Cor.15:6," or is Jesus speaking to, "them - the apostles?" Notice the words in verse 44, "And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, 'while I was yet with you...' " [i.e., before His crucifixion] "...that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me." Now, do we have a record of just exactly what Jesus is referring to by His statement referencing 'something' He said to them prior to His crucifixion? YES, we do in fact have that record, so allowing scripture to interpret scripture, and listening to what the Bible says, we can accurately and assuredly ascertain the corresponding antecedent to the pronoun them here in verse 44. "Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, "Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. 32 For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: 33 And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again," (Luk.18:31-33).
Jesus "took unto him the twelve" i.e., the 12 apostles and told them that His crucifixion and resurrection was about to take place, but they didn't understand His words until He reminds them (the apostles) here in Lk.24:44 of what he told them (the apostles) before He was crucified, and Luke even says that Jesus opened their understanding, and in the same breath, He says "behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you..." (the apostles). This is so elementary to an honest heart that refuses to be blinded by preconceived suppositions, and is fraught with episodic emotionalism! False doctrines can never be sustained by what the Bible actually says; rather, they must be skillfully crafted by the sophists behind the curtains of obscurity and coddled in ignorance and emotionalism. One will only arrive at the truth on this subject when they are willing to exegete all the information we have recorded, allow scripture to interpret scripture, and reject man's ideologies which are forged in the abyss of opinionated assumption, and built upon vague and ambiguous statements like "them that were with them."