The Mystery Revealed

Paul’s ministry was to reveal to all men the mystery of the fellowship.

The Apostle Paul taught that everyone within the church is united in one body, there would be no racial, social, or spiritual distinctions.

1 Corinthians 10:16–17 ESV

16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.

The Lord’s Supper, is an occasion when members of the church declare their unity with each other because of their common unity with Christ.

The Context of 1 Corinthians 10 is to flee from sexual immorality and idolatry.

The point toward that Paul is making is that the Corinthian cannot participate in idolatry and then think that they will receive eternal life on the last day.

Participation (Gk. koinōnia) sometimes refers to fellowship with Jesus Christ

Koinonia can also mean aligning oneself with someone else’s plight or cause.

Paul is expressing to the church of Corinth that those who eat the Lord’s Supper align themselves with Jesus, share his sufferings and benefit from his death.

In verse 10:17, the phrase one bread … one body, refers back to the last supper when Jesus gave thanks for and broke the bread, he said, “This is my body which is for you.”

The church is also Christ’s body.

Main Text

Ephesians 3:1–13 ESV

1 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. 4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into 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. 6 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. 7 Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. 8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. 13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.

The Church was not revealed during the Old Testament time frame.

There were many truths hidden and later revealed in the NT that are called mysteries.

It was a mystery to the prophets.

But it was revealed to Paul.

Paul’s ministry was to reveal to all men the mystery of the fellowship.

Jew and Gentile brought together in one body in the Messiah.

Paul revealed a truth that not even the greatest prophets understood.

Paul disclosed that within the church, composed of all the saved since Pentecost in one united body, there would be no racial, social, or spiritual distinctions.

In his Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament, G.K. Beale writes. “Paul’s use of the terms “revelation” (apokalypsis, “reveal” (apokalyptō, and “mystery” (mystērion, in Eph. 3:1–13 seems closely related to the use of similar terms in Daniel 2. There, the dream of Nebuchadnezzar remains utterly inaccessible to the wise men of Babylon, including Daniel and his three Jewish friends, but Daniel and his friends seek the mercy of God concerning this “mystery.” “The God in heaven who reveals mysteries” then provides Daniel both with the details of the king’s dream and with its interpretation. The dream’s interpretation reveals God’s sovereignty over the course of history. For Paul too, God’s willingness to reveal the “mystery” of his purposes in history to believers arose from “the wealth of [God’s] grace.” It seems likely that, as with Daniel’s use of the term, so also with Paul, the revelation of these purposes involved giving information that was utterly inaccessible apart from God’s gracious revelation of it to Paul and others who lived after Christ’s crucifixion.” - G.K. Beale

The Mystery Hidden For Ages.

Colossians 1:24–29 (ESV)

24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church,

25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,

26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.

27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.

29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

Ages and Dispensations

Age - A period of time on earth from one major geological change or upheaval of the earth’s surface to the next.

Dispensation - Periods of time when God dealt with man in a particular way as to sin and salvation.

Dispensations occur within a certain/specific age.

The dispensation that were in (currently) is the dispensation of grace.

Also known as the dispensation of the church/spirit.

This dispensation began with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 and will end when the rapture occurs.

And why is this relevant to the body of Christ?

Because in KJV, Colossians 1:25 uses the term dispensation, rather than stewardship.

The term dispensation comes from the greek term oikonomian.

Which can also mean administration or management.

Paul knew that this powerful revelation was canceled until this time period.

He also recognized that not only was he was called to steward this revelation, but he was called to fulfill it.

This mystery was hidden from ages and generations.

It was the greatest mystery of the history of man.

And now it has reveled to the saints!

It’s the revelation of the body of Christ!

The Church was not revealed during the Old Testament time frame.

There were many truths hidden and later revealed in the NT that are called mysteries.

It was a mystery to the prophets.

But it was revealed to Paul.

Jew and Gentile brought together in one body in the Messiah.

Paul revealed a truth that not even the greatest prophets understood.

Conclusion:

1 Timothy 3:16 ESV

16 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.