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. This mystery has now been revealed through Jesus Christ: we are all one body. Start by asking Him to reveal this mystery to you and let understanding of that be the catalyst of change. The mystery - God's purpose of redemption hidden heretofore in His counsels, but now revealed (cf. The office or stewardship of this mystery. The word mystery in Ephesians highlights a special message revealed to Christians through Paul and the apostles, who received it as revelation from God. So, when God spoke to him, he was a man who was a prisoner. In addition to the language about being dead and now being alive, Paul also uses all kinds of language that makes one think of royalty. Paul was called as a minister to the Gentiles, though he preached to anyone who would listen. What had God’s people not expected the Messiah to bring about? In the previous verses, we are told that we have been redeemed and forgiven in accordance with God’s grace (Eph. The PRISONER of the Lord is the chosen vessel to make known God’s secret purpose. Mystery occurs 6 times in Ephesians. We will talk about what that is in a moment. Paul wrote to the Ephesians telling them exactly what the mystery was: 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 now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. Available in Paperback & eBook. A person can be “spiritually alive” when the Spirit of God dwells within them, but there is no place in Scripture that speaks of being “spiritually dead.” It is as nonsensical as, “Brightly dark.” They are opposite ideas and cannot be paired together in such a way. 6 This mystery is[ a] that the Gentiles are A. While we do not completely experience this now, when the times reach their fulfillment in the millennial reign of Christ, then everything will be subject to Him (1 Cor. A “mystery” in Scripture is a previously hidden truth now divinely revealed, but in which a supernatural element remains unknown despite the revelation. Mystery cannot be conceived apart from that revelation. A verse by verse study of Ephesians 3:1-13, about the mystery revealed in the gospel of Christ. We saw this in Ephesians 1:9-12: “He made … Did you read that? They thought the Messiah would come and give them the land back (as the prophets all seemed to say) and the Jews would live happily under the Messiah’s reign forever. Jews as well as Gentiles. The notion will change our viewpoint and, by proximity, our behavior. What if our redemption was meant only for this world? Everything Jesus accomplished was part of God’s plan since “before the foundation of the world.” But there was one thing that was surprising about the Gospel, one thing that had been a secret or a “mystery” before, but now was revealed by the Gospel. Then Paul mentions that this has been lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding (Eph. But before he enters this prayer, he starts down another valuable road concerning this mystery. There is, first, the secret itself, "the mystery of his will," the hidden purpose of God. In chapter four, Paul transitions from, These are the blessings of being part of God’s royal family, and transitions to, Since you’re part of God’s royal family, here is how you must live. This means that throughout the OT this was being hinted at, but not directly said. But it is the basic one which he comes off of in his ministry. In Ephesians 3 there is emphasis on the communication, the revelation of all of this to man; it is called The Revelation of The Mystery. I’ve always assumed the mystery was something like this: Prior to Jesus, the Jews expected a physical kingdom. This is why God chose us, blessed us with every spiritual blessing, and lavished all wisdom and understanding on us—so we could understand His will and get on board with all that He has been doing since the beginning of time! Since prophecy is history written in advance, we have history’s final chapter in the Book of Revelation. God has an eternal purpose and nothing can thwart it. Which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God. I tried to read the whole Bible with this sort of typology mentality until I realized I was overcomplicating the story and misreading everything. They had been exalted to seats in the “heavenly places” with Jesus. Paul speaks of the Father's Plan for Salvation (Ephesians 1:3-6), that he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Christ. God is bringing everything together under the Lordship of Jesus, and He is setting apart for Himself the Church as a redeemed bride. The first three chapters of Ephesians are spent describing in great detail the glorious blessings that Gentile Christians have received. What was surprising about the Gospel? The first three chapters set the stage for the final chapters of Ephesians. Paul speaks of the mystery or μuστήριον of the Father's will (1:9) and refers to God's dispensation or οἰκονομία (plan, stewardship, administration, economy) in 1:10 … This is an amazing revelation! The mystery is simple, “Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.”. Rather, Paul says that the Ephesians know why he is doing what he is doing. It is in the epistle to the Ephesians that this secret, the Mystery, is made known. the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. What was that “mystery”? Ephesians 3:4; Ephesians 3:9; Ephesians 6:19; Romans 16:25; Colossians 1:26-27). Not life in a metaphorical sense, but literal life. I know I do. Ephesians 3-4 English Standard Version (ESV) The Mystery of the Gospel Revealed. When Jesus returns, our Ephesian brothers and sisters will be raised to live forever “in the kingdom of Christ and God.”. Note Ephesians 3:11, “GOD’S ETERNAL PURPOSE.” In the book of Ephesians, Paul emphasized (as he always seemed to do) that the Gospel of Jesus Christ was not a new idea. Jonh Piper says about that in his Desiring God, Meditations of a Christian Hedonist: The mystery is this: God did not create the union of Christ and the church after … The mystery is not about spiritual versus physical. 15:24-29; Phil. I get so wrapped up in day-to-day living that I lose track of the bigger picture. Paul E. Billheimer, in his book, Destined for the Throne, observes, “If one wants to know the meaning and purpose of history, he must look at the end, the final outcome, the net result. Ephesians 5:32 (NASB) This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. Was the mystery he is talking about in Ephesians 3 the only mystery? 29:13-14a). Prayer for the day Just as You have guided all who love You in the past, I know my life is being lovingly directed. 1:7). Applying Ephesians to our lives, if we want to be part of the new Israel, the new creation, we also must “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.” If we are in Christ, we are no longer Gentiles, we are part of God’s royal family. Please check your spam folders for confirmation email. Eph 3:6 This mystery is that the Gentiles … This isn’t just part of the future promise, but part of their present reality as Paul is writing them this letter. Don’t we have a narrow view of what was accomplished on the cross? Although all these are not the dispensation of the mystery, they are very closely related. But when the Ephesians put their faith in Jesus and were baptized into him, they were given life. Because of Jesus, death no longer had a claim on them. The Mystery Revealed. Many say, as I have often said before, “Paul means they were ‘spiritually dead.’” But as far as I know, the word “spiritually” is never used in Scripture to describe death. [⇑ See verse text ⇑] The revealing of the mystery in their generation had great implications (Ephesians 3:3–6). In Christ there is no longer any distinction. 1:22-23). That is the part of God’s master plan that was so surprising. 3 For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— 2 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, 3 how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. Turning to the closing pages, what emerges as the finished product of the ages? It also carries the weight … Ephesians 3:10, CSB: "This is so that God's multi-faceted wisdom may now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens." Ephesians 3:1–13 explains Paul's ministry in the context of God's revealed mystery. "Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God." People's Bible Notes for Ephesians 3:9. How that by revelation he made known to me the mystery; (as I wrote before in few words, by. These Gentile Christians, by putting their faith in Jesus, had become part of the ruling class. Paul says that he was given the responsibility as a steward of the gospel of … Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God [to fill up the Word of God, to complete it]; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints. They were dead in the same way Adam and Eve died the day they ate the fruit in the Garden of Eden; driven away from the tree of life, condemned to death. So, take just a second and ask yourself: What is the mystery? Mystērion is used 27 times in the Greek New Testament, 1 Ephesians having the highest occurrence (6 times). Ephesians 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: Paul describes this reconciliation as a mystery that was being unfolded (1:9-10). He said they had been hopeless aliens and strangers, but because of “the blood of Christ,” they had been reconciled and even exalted. God's grace as manifested in redemption is a mystery in virtue of its riches and depth - as the expression of God's very nature. It was demonstrated in his apostleship to the Gentiles. Before Christ, they would have died without any hope of being raised to immortality. No. Here’s the promise, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. They are now part of the new Israel, the new creation, and they must live like it. This is the mystery of the church, which Paul goes on to explain in Ephesians 3–4. Paul begins in Ephesians 3:1 to state a prayer on behalf of the Gentiles. It also carries the weight of the idea, meaning the response is life-changing. WHAT GOD’S MYSTERY IS ALL ABOUT! These Gentiles are actually not Gentiles anymore. You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me. Prior to this calling, however, he had persecuted the church as an unbeliever. Of … The mystery that was hidden in previous generations, but came to light in Christ, was that the people of God who would “acquire possession” of the promised inheritance would be made up of both Jews and Gentiles. 1:10). I always thought the mystery was that the Jews were expecting something “physical,” but God had in mind something “spiritual.” I thought the mystery was that all of the “physical” things in the Old Testament were just pointing forward to “spiritual” things in the New Testament. This royalty language soon gives way to temple language as Paul describes how they are the temple of God where the Holy Spirit dwells. A. This week we tackle Ephesians 3:1-13, which covers God’s great purpose in forming the church from both Jewish and Gentile families in a slightly different way than last week. Eph 3:9 And to make all [men] see. Even the Bible, whose primary purpose is to reveal and testify of Christ, who is the embodiment of the Triune God… The mystery is not that the Jews were hoping for the wrong things. The “fellowship of the mystery” is the Church the Body of Christ, the secret group of believers that God said nothing about until the resurrected, ascended, and glorified Lord Jesus Christ revealed it first to the Apostle Paul, and to us through his epistles, Romans through Philemon. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress. All Rights Reserved. That is the thing the Jews did not expect. What [is] the fellowship of the mystery. The high truth concerning the Church of the One Body is explained and revealed here. This has been the plan from beginning to end. Death had a claim on them. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord” (Jer. And we have a huge role to play both in this age and the one to come. 2:10-11; Rev. Your subscription could not be saved. The first thing to note is that this was never a mystery to God, since He knows all things (1 John 3:20). All of this is the gift of God, and when we receive it by faith, we begin to experience this new reality in this life and on this earth. UNITY IN CHRIST! However, Jesus died and was raised so they could be part of a spiritual kingdom and go up to heaven someday to live with God. Paul described how these Gentiles used to be cut off from God and the promises of Israel. This starts with making Christ the Lord of your life—this aligns you with God’s eternal purpose and will. In Ephesians the mystery refers to God’s secret plan to integrate Jew and Gentile into one body. 1 A Mystery is Revealed Paul is given a revelation which he shares with the Ephesians, so that they may have the same enlightenment that was granted him. The first three chapters of the book of Ephesians are packed tightly with a number of different images that Paul uses to describe our reconciliation with God. It is not something that is in itself incomprehensible but something unknown until God chooses to reveal it. A mystery is that “which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets” (Ephesians 3:5). Copyright © 2020 Juli Camarin, JCBlog.net. 1:9a). Today, will you take a moment to quiet yourself and adjust your heart to His will? Paul wrote to the Ephesians telling them exactly what the mystery was: 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 now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This was something God had purposed in Himself. God's Amazing Story of Redemption & Atonement, Unleashing the Power of Kingdom Perspective, Topical Articles About Whatever's on My Heart, Questions from Readers, Answers from Juli, A Growing List of Short Chapter Summaries, A Verse by Verse Walk Through Hebrews. It is one thing and one alone: the Eternal Companion of Jesus Christ, wholly God and wholly man. Paul describes himself as "the prisoner of Jesus Christ," because this was his circumstance at the time he wrote to the Ephesian church. Paul answers that question in Ephesians. This insight into God’s eternal redemptive plan had never been disclosed before. Don’t we live this way? He wrote, “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.”. We have been redeemed so God could reveal His plan and will to us, and this is it: “…to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ” (Eph. The final and ultimate outcome and goal of events from eternity to eternity, the finished product of all the ages, is the spotless Bride of Christ, united with Him at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb and seated with her heavenly Bridegroom upon the throne of the universe—ruling and reigning with Him over an ever-increasing and expanding Kingdom” (Paul E. Billheimer). In the New Testament, the word mystery appears 27 times, and each time it conveys an idea that was previously unknown and something only known as God reveals it. In addition, this week we are introduced to a new term, “mystery” which forms an integral part of the letter to the Ephesians. It seems that in verse 14 the apostle Paul returns to what he started in verse 1 as he restarts his prayer to God on their behalf. Mystery cannot be conceived apart from that revelation. Paul writes to the Ephesians, “This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 3:6). He is hidden, secret, and seemingly un-knowable. the Mystery in Ephesians by John Pester I n the universe there is no greater mystery than the Tri-une God. This "mystery" is not like the pagan mysteries, imparted only to the initiated few. The Mystery (Ephesians 1:9) Ephesians Bible Study • Study 18 There is a great mystery, hidden from ages and generations, and God has given us the wisdom and … The epistle to the Ephesians reveals a remarkable use of the Greek noun μυστήριον (mystērion), rendered “mystery” or “secret” in most English versions. Please try again. The Mystery. by Wes | Nov 21, 2018 | Books of the Bible. I truly believe he says this so we will understand the next statement, “…and he made known to us the mystery of his will” (Eph. 21:1-4). Therefore, I think it is better to take Paul’s words to mean that before Christ, the Ephesians were “condemned” in their sins. “HAVING MADE KNOWN UNTO US THE MYSTERY OF HIS WILL, ACCORDING TO HIS GOOD PLEASURE WHICH HE HATH PURPOSED IN HIMSELF.” Here the statement is made that God has made known “THE MYSTERY OF HIS WILL,” His purpose. God, in Christ, is creating for Himself the Church as a redeemed bride (Eph. You notice that Paul describes it as a mystery. Paul reminded them that, prior to Christ, they were “dead in their sins and trespasses.” Obviously, they were not dead in a medical sense, so we ought to ask ourselves in what sense they were dead. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. And finally, note his words in Ephesians 3:3–5: The Mystery of His Will (1:9). 1:8). The Lord planned Christ’s redemptive work “before the foundation of the world” ( Ephesians 1:4 ), and has now “made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure” ( Ephesians … We must live like new creation people if we hope to one day “acquire possession” of the inheritance God has promised to his people. What is the thing that was hidden from God’s people before Jesus came and revealed God’s master plan? Ephesians 3, Verses 1-4 Hear more about the mysteries of God in this 15-minute Billy Graham message. My passion is to share as the Word of God [ read more ], This is the MOST IMPORTANT link you'll ever click [ read more ], My mission is spreading the gospel of Jesus [ read more ], Subscribe & receive each post in your inbox [ subscribe now ]. 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