What is a Dispensation?

Dispensationalists have listed varying numbers of dispensations ranging from as few as three to as many as twelve. Charles Ryrie traced the difference to definition. Both Ryrie and Elliot Johnson have done excellent word studies showing the biblical meaning of the Greek οικονομ- word group to consist of four basic elements; a master, a steward, a stewardship, and an evaluation. Yet, when they come to definition they differ. Consequently, the number of dispensations they see differs. 

Ryrie defined a dispensation as "A distinguishable economy in the outworking of God's purpose." He admits that this is a theological rather than biblical definition. He justifies the theological approach by comparing it to what we commonly do when we discuss the substitutionary blood atonement in relation to Christ's finished work, even when the word atonement is not used of Christ's finished work. The result of his definition is that he sees seven dispensations; innocence, conscience, human government, promise, law, grace, and kingdom.

Johnson defined a dispensation as "God's entrusting His revelation to elect stewards in service on behalf of the world." This is a biblical definition. The result of his definition is that he sees four dispensations; promise, law, grace, and kingdom. Johnson's approach was more interested in the overall biblical narrative, so he discussed the setting, plot-conflict, and resolution of the story, placing the dispensations within the narrative.  

Consequently, the dispensations did not cover the entire Bible from cover to cover. This contrasted with Ryrie's view that the dispensations must cover the entire Bible from cover to cover. 

While it is often stated that the number and names of the dispensations are "relatively minor matters," the differences add up and make a difference. Are we to view the Bible more theologically, as Ryrie suggested, and divide the entirety of biblical history into dispensations? Or are we to view the Bible more narratively, as Johnson suggested, and establish the setting, plot-conflict, and resolution, placing dispensations within that narrative structure?

​In the next post I'll discuss the difference it makes...