seven times elsewhere in the NT (Matt 13:11; Mark 4:11; Luke 8:10; Rev 1:20; Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, It consists of this great truth: That the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and joint partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. He was Caesar's prisoner. I enjoy helping people learn and live the Bible. If we begin to understand what Christ is, who he is, what he does, how we can lay hold of him -- we will begin to see the solutions of these problems unfold, as they are indeed unfolding in many of our lives. The NT word refers to material wholly unknown unless God reveals it. In the closing verses of Romans 16 there is a very clear statement on the unveiling of this mystery: Now to him who is able to strengthen you, according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed and through the prophetic writings [i.e., the Scriptures] is made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith -- to the only wise God be glory for evermore through Jesus Christ! [13] Apart from Paul making this connection, we would never have considered it. Look at the following verses. The answer, as is detailed in other places in Scripture, is that the old creation which has existed since the beginning of time is gripped by an unbreakable law, which Paul calls "the law of decay" in Romans 8. Ephesians 5:32 Parallel Verses [⇓ See commentary ⇓] Ephesians 5:32, NIV: "This is a profound mystery--but I am talking about Christ and the church." It is a breakthrough, a new and marvelous way of life which has already begun in our experience, and which, ultimately, will solve all the problems facing humanity. Read Ephesians 2:1-3 Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, This is a picture of life in the flesh, the natural human life. He had to get them ready for it. His concern for these people was such that he would have gone to them had he been free. And he sums it up in these words: "the mystery of Christ" -- Jesus Christ, at the heart of all things. "to make all people see what is the fellowship of the mystery" - Ep 3:9 a. "It was made known to me by revelation." He was a responsible steward. Think of this! The Apostle Paul describes the greatest mystery of life to the Ephesians in these words: For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles -- assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. 8977-8979. A striking example of this is found in First Corinthians 11, where he writes about the Lord's supper. You may live your life as a member of the new creation -- in the midst of the old, but not part of it any more -- "no longer strangers, no longer foreigners," says the apostle. Paul was charged with enlightening everyone possible, “all” (πάντας), about this new revelation. We don't know how to break loose from this syndrome. (verses 3 & 5) To Paul Solutions are coming into being as we grasp what Christ has made available to us. What was the ministry? 1For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—. Paul tells us that, “beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great.” Then he records what may be an early hymn of the church: “He [Jesus] appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory” (1 Timothy 3:16). If you and I had been in Rome with Paul as he wrote this letter, and could have stood in the room of the hired house where he was living, chained day and night to a Roman soldier, and watched as he dictated to his amanuensis, his secretary, watched him as he paced the floor, perhaps, with the soldier having to walk along with him, stopping now and then to make corrections, we would have understood something of Paul's concern for the recipients of this letter. This is the great mystery. And we cannot break this law. The word mystery in Ephesians highlights a special message revealed to Christians through Paul and the apostles, who received it as revelation from God. Ryrie explains this as special, divine knowledge beyond the reach of humans. "Stop going on in the old way. Paul discusses a “mystery” four times in Ephesians. That is, "You can understand that I have great grasp and understanding of what this mystery is, that it is really the secret of all things, touching everything in life. In fact, perhaps the best definition of this word mystery is Paul… Scholars are not exactly sure what he meant by that. Therefore, live life as members of a new race," is his exhortation. He had a crucial administrative role (οἰκονομία) in propagating this message of the “ethnically inclusive nature” of God’s new spiritual creation, which is the church. It divulges a crucial aspect of God’s will, that he would form a new, comprehensive union from all kinds of people, Gentile or Jew (cf. Paul himself, and all the other apostles, would deny this. The answer is, in Jesus Christ. The whole experience of life is transformed, right now. He may have to do that with some of us, too. This is where we get our understanding of the authority of this great apostle. This may seem like old stuff to you, for unfortunately these words have come so frequently to our ears that we've lost the impact of them. Hoehner says, “Paul’s mission [had] no place for secrecy; it [was] to be openly shared.”[12] In doing so, he shared something that had been hidden from previous generations entirely. This union together with Christ would be profoundly intimate and widely publicized. This is an apt description of the way we live our lives as natural human beings. This is what began at Bethlehem. Even physicists tell us that, hidden away in every physical manifestation of the world and universe around us, is mystery. THE MYSTERY WAS REVEALED EXCLUSIVELY TO PAUL, THE PRISONER. The internal evidence in Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 2 Timothy, and Philemon designate that they were the Apostle’s writings while he was a “prisoner of Jesus Christ.” Paul also states that he is a prisoner for you Gentiles” (Eph. This is what they never understood. Ephesians 3:9 Context. This was hidden from them. The "mystery" referred to in Ephesians concerns. Therefore, eventually, he was remanded to the care of the palace guard, the personal bodyguard of the emperor. In fact, perhaps the best definition of this word mystery is Paul… They had been listening carefully to him as he spoke of his conversion, of how he had been called by God, until he stated that he had been sent out unto the Gentiles. —Rather, This mystery is a great one. Nobody has yet ever found out what goes on inside a cocoon that transforms a caterpillar into a butterfly. It is the only hope you will ever have of living according to the glory God designed for man when he created him in the beginning. Rather, break loose and be free in Jesus Christ.". “He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth.” (1:9-10) [3] By Paul’s time, it meant “a secret.”[4] Mounce says it was “a matter to the knowledge of which initiation is necessary; a secret which would remain such but for revelation.”[5] The word differs from the modern word mystery, which refers to a known but difficult problem that people try solve. Why are there so many family breakups? MARE: PAUL'S MYSTERY IN EPHESIANS 3 79 In the canonical Old Testament the only book where the Septuagint • translate s the original by µÌÛÙÁÒÈÔÌ is in the Aramaic section of Daniel. Two other passages in the New Testament use the word in this sense, Colossians 1:24-29 and Rom. Paul wrote Ephesians as a rough draft for Colossians, but it was mistakenly inserted into the collection of Paul's letters. We struggle constantly trying to understand what are the great realities they represent. He is the One who opens, and no man shuts, who shuts, and no man opens, who orders, and his will is carried out. There is the mystery: The first thing he says about it is that it has been hidden in the past. You are a new creation in Jesus Christ. This is the struggle of humanity which is answered by our becoming "joint-members of one body." Rapids: Zondervan, 2006), 1215. As Paul came to understand the One whom he served, he knew that Jesus is in control of history. This is true in every area of our lives. We can learn how to handle our environment, even, on the basis of this new creation yet today. Well, the mystery was not about whether the Lord would reach out to the Gentiles, since Isaiah had made it clear that the Messiah would bring His salvation to all nations (Isaiah 49:5-6). We are being swamped by our own inventions. (32) This is a great mystery. It revealed that God, through Christ, would join believing Jews and Gentiles into a new spiritual entity called the church. As Paul looks back upon these great men of the past -- Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and others -- he says that though they understood much, though they looked into the future far beyond our own day and God showed them what the end of all things would be, nevertheless they did not understand this mystery. Ephesians 5:32, ESV: "This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church." with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament) (Oak Harbor: Logos Research There is something about human beings which causes us to be fascinated by something hidden, secret, by cryptic truth which needs to be discovered and revealed. When did it begin to open up? And, as Paul himself says here, it was made known to all the apostles and prophets, i.e., the writers of the Scriptures, such as Luke and James and others who were not apostles, but who were prophets. God commissioned him. ... "Realized eschatology" refers to the idea that the blessings of the end times can only be realized after Christ's second coming. As we saw in Ep 1:3-14 2. Thielman observes, “No amount of exegetical study of the Scriptures would have yielded this insight; God had to make it known to Paul personally.”[10] This mystery centered on Christ as the agent who would unite believing Gentiles and Jews through the gospel. This request pertained not to the gospel in general, but to the “mystery,” which was a key component and result of the gospel. We don't really know what it is. Particularly in Ephesians chapter 3, he speaks of the mystery that has been revealed. No, the word "mystery" in Ephesians 3 means – something that was hidden, but has now been revealed. There, in very brief form, is his statement of the mystery which lies at the heart of all life. The paragraph falls very simply into two divisions. It is not something that is in itself incomprehensible but something unknown until God chooses to reveal it. But I hope you can go back, perhaps during this Christmas season, and think again of the breathless wonder of this great mystery which Paul declares to us -- how in Jesus Christ we can step out of the old, already, into the new creation. Message transcript and recording © 1972 by Ray Stedman Ministries, owner of sole copyright by assignment from the author. Mystērion is used 27 times in the Greek New Testament, 1 Ephesians having the highest occurrence (6 times). Put in these terms, this means that the present "civilization" we are living in secular life, with its politics, its education, its legislative system, its reportage of news events can be likened to a cocoon, clinging lifelessly to the branch of history. We don't know what to do about these things. But Paul says this is not true. In conclusion, it will summarize the concept of “mystery” within Ephesians, offering implications and applications for believers in churches today. In response to this reality, believers should “submit to one another” (5:21) as we learn to submit ourselves to Christ in the church (Eph 5:22-24). What is it? Randy, thanks for posting your input here. Writing these letters is the greatest thing the apostle ever did, for it is these which have changed our lives. The reader should do much homework on this subject, MYSTERY. 4 By reading my letters you will understand the mystery of Christ as I do” (Ephesians 3:1-4). They are, literally: joint-heirs, joint-bodies, and joint-partakers. The profound mystery of becoming one flesh and giving up our individual freedom and being supernaturally bound with our spouse highlights the profound mystery of becoming one with Christ and being supernaturally bound to him. Why? May God help us to make it personal in our own lives. This is what Paul said was given to him. The duration of his confinement was not determined by Caesar, but by the Lord Jesus. God had to prepare this race to be able to grasp that fact and to be ready to believe it. In Colossians Paul puts it this way: "Christ in you, the hope of glory," (Colossians 1:27b). This refers not only to the fact that his arrest had come about because he was preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, but also to the fact that it benefited the Gentiles. What is he talking about? Paul tells us that, “beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great.” Then he records what may be an early hymn of the church: “He [Jesus] appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory” (1 Timothy 3:16). None of us can help but be aware that this is an extremely troubled time in which we are living: We do not know how to solve the problems which are overwhelming us. The promise was of the giving of the Holy Spirit -- that God's Spirit himself would live in us, and empower us to do everything God wants us to do. The first paragraph in Chapter 3 is, in many ways, the key to this great letter of Paul to the Ephesian Christians. This is particularly true of this passage, because Paul begins "For this reason ..." -- but he doesn't give the reason toward which he is moving until Verse 13! What we are to inherit from God, ultimately, is the world. You are no longer part of the old but part of that new program which, looking into the future, is waiting for the dawn of a new world, a new life, and a new day, when all God's people shall be one over all the earth, and no harm or heartache will occur in all the world. They died in hope, but that hope was not very well defined. When you read this you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that is, how the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. [6] Remarkably, Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, through the following six references, reveals such knowledge which would have remained unknown otherwise. As we will see, this is the greatest secret ever presented to the minds of men. This mindset will enable us to manifest our spiritual reconciliation with Christ and one another in a practical, visible way. Rather, it is something that is drastically and terribly and deeply wrong. The words apply to the type, as well as to the Antitype. And we can live in that new creation right now. And I wonder if sometime the Lord isn't going to lock me up to give me a chance to write some of the things he has laid on my heart. The origin of μυστήριον is obscure. There are a few references -- just enough to teach the truth, so that the Old Testament believers knew there was life beyond death. 5. Who carries and delivers the letter to the Ephesians? It cannot see very far, and doesn't know which turn to take. The “mystery” of Colossians 1:27 is explained in the two previous verses. When we begin to "walk in the Spirit," as we understand what that phrase really means, then we can love, forgive, begin to reach out to others. Men and women today can live on the basis of this new creation. And the effects of it can be felt in our relationships with others, in our attitudes within, in our treatment of the environment around, in our enjoyment of the world of nature which is already present around us, and ultimately, in the power of the Holy Spirit imparted to us to make us live as we ought to live, in the fullness of joy and peace and life and glory and rejoicing before God. [8] Peter T. O’Brien, “Mystery,” ed. Y do God showing up on faith takes too long. Therefore the understanding of this great mystery is the key to the ultimate solutions for which men are seeking today. And even then he had not fully revealed this mystery. The third element of his stewardship, Paul says, is that it has given him great insight: "... the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly." Every now and then we run across someone who says, usually in defense of Women's Liberation, that Paul was a crusty old bachelor whom no one can really trust, and that we must understand that he was conditioned by the culture of his time, and that therefore one must pick and choose among his writings. Read Acts 9:1-15 (as background for this section of Ephesians) Note the relationship between Paul’s commission in Acts and his explanation of his ministry in Ephesians 3:1-13. RayStedman.org/permissions. What is the "great mystery" that the apostle Paul refers? writings (Rom 11:25; 16:25; 1 Cor 2:7; 4:1; 13:2; 14:2; 15:51; Eph 1:9; 3:3-4, So he begins to bring it in ahead of time. Knowledge of this mystery is a result of God’s grace to believers revealed to the church. ... As used by Paul, the term "mystery" refers to a theological truth. a. hidden from unbelievers but revealed to believers. "A people who sat in darkness saw a great light," (Isaiah 9:2 RSV). This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet:   "I will open my mouth in parables,   I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world." It will also show all people that the gospel of Christ is the means of genuine ethnic and social reconciliation. A quick note on the term mystery as used by Paul: it is something that was hidden but is now revealed in Christ. 9; 5:32; 6:19, Col 1:26-27; 2:2; 2 Thess 2:7; 1 Tim 3:9; 3:16). God knows that we all want to be kings, that we are made to reign. In other words, Jesus himself had appeared to Paul and had told him all that went on in the Upper Room. Christians have the answer to the ecological crisis. He already picks up that theme of mystery in Ephesians 1: 9 and 10 where he says that in Christ all things have been summed up. Some of you have learned truth you ought to write down and pass along. It has already begun. All Right Reserved. It is mystery which makes life entrancing, fascinating. We do not know anything fully. Gen 2:24). And then he saw only James, the Lord's brother, and they didn't talk about doctrine. To present the word of God to the Gentiles 2. Systems, 1997). Christ working in and thru Paul has made it possible for you and me to know this gospel today. A little was revealed in the past, but the great secret was kept hidden. (Ephesians 3:1-6 RSV). "That you'll die, that you'll come to the end, that somehow all your old life as a caterpillar will decay and you will be left lifeless and dead, in a cocoon of your own spinning, hanging on a limb, and apparently it will all be over." What is interesting is that the word "mystery," in Paul's writings, occurs in close proximity to the word "stewardship" that Paul used in verse 2. What was the ministry? So he was writing to settle their fears and to show them what it was all about. But how much more are there great riches in store for us who will give some time and thought and effort to grasping this great secret which Paul sets forth before us here -- the ultimate secret behind all things: the mystery of Christ. To us is committed this responsibility. The profound mystery of becoming one flesh and giving up our individual freedom and being supernaturally bound with our spouse highlights the profound mystery of becoming one with Christ and being supernaturally bound to him. Then all hell broke loose again. Paul tells us, "All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future, all are yours;" (1 Corinthians 3:21b-22 RSV). Also, try to pick out the word “mystery” in these verses and see how Paul is defining this term. The word mystery occurs about twenty-eight times in the New Testament, twenty-one of which are found in Paul’s writings (six in Ephesians). But this is what the apostles were teaching -- that God has already broken through the old creation, and, right in the midst of the old, he is creating a new. The Mystery of His Will—Ephesians 1:9-10 Juli Camarin March 24, 2015 Ephesians 1. Much depended on his faithfulness and ability to make it known. When you do, you will understand the practical import of this fantastic mystery which is at the heart of all life, and which God will begin to unfold to us more and more as we go on, until it simply 'blows our minds' with the wonder of what is waiting for us. Paul refers to the mystery of Christ in Ephesians 3:4–5 that “has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets.” The first thing to note is that this was never a mystery to God, since He knows all things ( 1 John 3:20 ). [/q] We all love mysteries. This is the mystery, as Paul describes it to us, and as God wants us to understand it. [6] Charles Caldwell Ryrie, Basic Theology (Chicago: It is The Second Law of Thermodynamics, if you want the scientific term for it, the law of entropy. In verses 3-6 Paul again talks about the “mystery of Christ”. Now, you can't wait till that time to get on the bandwagon; it has already started. Ephesians 5:32, KJV: "This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church." Gerald F. Hawthorne, [14] In fact, he “goes beyond analogy” by claiming “we are (ἐσμέν) members of [Christ’s] body (Eph 5:30).”[15] This underscores the profound spiritual closeness and union we share with Christ and one another in the church. 2Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you, 3that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. Paul is concerned first about his role as a teacher of this mystery, and then about the mystery itself, about what it is he teaches. This Paul did, even in letters like this one to the Ephesians b. The apostle was concerned that the Christians to whom he was writing at this time in his life, the Ephesians, Philippians, and others, would understand why he was going through the struggles he was. Here was a man who spoke with direct authority, commissioned by the Lord Jesus himself. See also Colossians 1:25 and Galatians 2:7. Who gave Paul this ministry? When they come to Christ, Jews and Gentiles together are joint heirs, joint members of one body, and joint partakers of the promise. Our Lord, then, began to unfold this mystery, to tell us things that were hidden from the very foundation of the world. To do so, it will first provide a definition of the word, then highlight key insights from each occurrence. The key mystery is Christ, says the apostle. [8] Though the Old Testament (OT) revealed that Gentiles would share in God’s redemption (Gen 12:3; Isa 42:6-7), it did not reveal that Jews and Gentiles would form a new spiritual entity.[9]. Married to Sarah and father to five sons and one daughter, I shepherd Faith Baptist Church in Queens, New York City. He saw him as John did in the book of Revelation -- as sitting on his throne, holding the reins of government in his hands. They mobbed him and would have lynched him on the spot had it not been for the intervention of the Roman guard. developed in Ephesians. 2 You heard about the stewardship of God’s grace given to me for you, 3 and how by revelation the mystery was made known to me. But when people began to operate on its basis, even though they didn't fully understand it, they began to change the world. This insight into God’s eternal redemptive plan had never been disclosed before. It is at the heart of all human existence. You will never find that taught in the Old Testament in those terms. [16] Though this message enabled true social reconciliation, it was not always well received. (Ephesians 1:9-10 RSV). Paul in Ephesians 6:18b-20 (ESV) writes: [q] To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. This is the biblical idea behind the word dispensation. One day there will be a reversal of the law of decay, and all things will begin to pick up energy again and be renewed, revitalized, in tremendously increasing degree. This is Paul's explanation of the great mystery. (verses 3 & 5) To Paul Paul asked the Ephesians to pray "also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel" (Ephesians 6:19)." Some propose one solution and some another; some are partially right, and some are almost totally wrong. But it isn't over. It appears THE MYSTERY WAS REVEALED EXCLUSIVELY TO PAUL, THE PRISONER. The quantum theory, upon which much of modern physics is based, and which has unleashed the whole realm of nuclear fission, has at its heart, say the physicists, a principle of indeterminism, a hidden principle. Ah, but in the realm of the Spirit the breakthrough has already occurred. In the Old Testament there is very little reference to the resurrection of the body. Grove: InterVarsity, 1997), 782. The epistle to the Ephesians reveals a remarkable use of the Greek noun μυστήριον (mystērion), rendered “mystery” or “secret” in most English versions. The secret was hidden to men of past ages. 2010), 194. This is God's lesson regarding what he is doing now. Then he is carried along from one truth to another until finally he gets back to what he started to say in the beginning. 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Of his Will—Ephesians 1:9-10 Juli Camarin March 24, 2015 Ephesians 1 is something that was hidden men.

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