I'm going to post here a lecture outline about Darby I've just finished preparing for my class next semester in "Dispensational Theology." The formatting will largely disappear when I post it, but hopefully it will be a help.
Lecture 4
John Nelson Darby
INTRODUCTION: John Nelson Darby was largely responsible for the modern theology of dispensationalism. While others before him believed in and taught that there are dispensations, he was the first to systematize the theology and teach it that way. As such, he is a primary target for those who hate and oppose dispensationalism. Therefore, we should understand what we can about this seminal theologian.
I. The Life and Ministry of John Nelson Darby (1800-1882)
A. Darby was born in London and educated at Trinity College in Dublin.
B. Graduating with a law degree, he practiced it for a while, but then abandoned law to serve God in the Church of Ireland. Interestingly enough, the same was true of C. I. Scofield, who later on spread dispensational doctrine extremely effectively.
C. Darby trusted Christ as Savior in 1820 or 1821, he was not sure. He left the established church in 1927 when he began to have doubts about established religion.
D. “Darby wrote voluminously on a wide range of subjects, including doctrinal, controversial, devotional, practical, apologetic, and metaphysical” (Who Was Who in Church History, by Elgin Moyer, p. 112). However, his writing style was turgid and difficult to read.
E. Beginning in the 1860s he visited America and began the Plymouth Brethren movement there, with many churches being started.
F. “He was a hymn-writer and edited the hymnbook generally used by the Brethren” (Moyer, p. 112).
G. “Darby translated the New Testament into both German and French, as well as doing an English translation. He also assisted in translating the Old Testament into both German and French” (ibid). His translations are still available in software packages and on the Internet.
II. Darby the Plymouth Brethren Founder
A. This branch of the Brethren movement had their largest congregation in Plymouth, England, hence the name. It was lead by Darby among others.
B. Darby’s ecclesiology rules various groups of the Plymouth Brethren to this day.
1. “They recognized no division of clergy and laity, insomuch as they held that they were ‘a priesthood of all believers” (Handbook of Denominations, 6th ed., by Frank S. Mead, p. 69)
2. “Plymouth Brethren hold that the true church includes all regenerated believers. There are no specific requirements for membership, but all candidates are expected to give satisfactory evidence of the new birth” (ibid).
3. One of the branches, the Plymouth Brethren I, continues to follow Darby. It practices closed communion even with other Brethren members, and “does not accept members from other groups unless and until they renounce all affiliation with those groups” (ibid, p. 70).
C. Though the Plymouth Brethren are certainly not Baptists, there are many similarities, since they do their best to follow the New Testament in their faith and practice. At a minimum, they are far closer to the Biblical model than the Anglicans which Darby left. We should honor their love for the Bible while disagreeing with them on ecclesiology.
III. Darby the Dispensational Theologian
A. A number of the teachings of Darby were innovative for the time, and changed millenialism for the better while laying the groundwork for dispensational theology: a secret rapture, a parenthetic church age, distinguishing clearly between the church and Israel, etc.
B. “Darby believed that when it appeared in the Bible, the new covenant always referred to Israel and consequently had nothing to do with God’s heavenly people. Chafer followed Darby as closely as possible, but had to recognize that the New Testament did speak of a ‘new covenant’ which was in force for the church in this dispensation” (Progressive Dispensationalism, by Craig Blasing and Darrel Bock, pp. 28-29).
C. Darby was also influential in founding the Christian Zionist movement, which lobbied for the return of the Jews to their Promised Land. This was a direct result of Darby’s dispensationalism, which taught that God’s promises to the Jews were still in force.
IV. The Character and Legacy of Darby
A. The brilliance of his theology is hard to deny. The fact that so many today
seek to disparage him shows his influence.
B. Unfortunately, his manner was such that he often offended people, and
this is what some commentators on his life and ministry focus on.
1. In a dispute with another leader, Benjamin W. Newton, “Darby first accused Newton of attempting to dominate the Plymouth meeting, to impose his will upon a group of special followers, and to create a separate sect; but within a few months he added a charge of heresy in respect to the doctrine of Christ. Although there was a good deal of truth in these charges, the vindictive and violent manner in which they were brought and the persistence with which they were pursued…create the impression that Darby was unable to tolerate rivals to his leadership” (The Roots of Fundamentalism, by Ernest Sandeen, p. 61).
2. Darby was quite dismissive of any group but his own. “Darby, in combination with all the Plymouth Brethren, believed that the church could not be identified with any of the denominational and bureaucratic structures which historically had made and presently were making that claim. The true church, the bride of Christ as Darby often referred to it, could only exist as a spiritual fellowship” (ibid, p. 62).
3. “Like many of the millenarian scholars of his time, Darby had little patience or respect for other students of prophecy. His intolerant nature combined with confidence in the direction of the Holy Spirit to prevent Darby from appreciating how much his theology reflected the millenarian tradition from which he attempted to separate it” (ibid, p. 67).
4. Darby and his followers sometimes gained converts from good people in established evangelical churches rather than winning the lost, and for this they were justly criticized.
C. In spite of the negative aspects of his ministry and character, Darby is to be
commended for his insistence on a premillennial and pretribulational secret
rapture of the church. More than any other millenarians of his day, he was
responsible for the spread of these blessed premillenial doctrines.
D. Also, his development of dispensational theology prepared the way for the
stand fundamentalists take for the literal interpretation of Scriptures and
against covenant theology.
E. Again, he was quite fundamental in doctrine and believed in ecclesiastical
separation, so in this way also he prepared the way for modern
fundamentalism. “Darby made his greatest impact in the United States,
however, outside of the Brethren congregations in a few large cities…. It is
in just these centers that dispensationalist theology had the most effect
upon American denominations and won its foremost champions among
denominational leaders” (ibid, p. 74).
F. He led the way in opposing two heresies of his day, both of which are still
common: the perfectionism of the Weslyans and the annihilationism of the
Seventh Day Adventists.
G. Perhaps the most famous adherent of the Plymouth Brethren has been
Harry A. Ironside (1876-1951, a great preacher, author and pastor. Despite
being one of the Brethren, he was called as pastor of Moody Memorial
Church in Chicago, where he preached from 1930 to 1948, spreading
dispensational theology there. Ironside was a close friend of fundamentalist
leader John R. Rice, even writing the forward to Rice’s book, Bible Facts
About Heaven.
CONCLUSION: Though they are not Baptist, the Plymouth Brethren have always been quite fundamental. Though Darby is somewhat of a historical mystery, since little research has been done on his life, he clearly influenced such centers of dispensational theology as Dallas Theological Seminary, and such authors as C. I. Scofield and Charles Ryrie. His spiritual legacy is undeniable, and we owe him a debt of gratitude, and should give thanks to God for raising him up.
