Ephesians 3.4c-Mystery Doctrines Taught in Paul's Writings in Relation to Jesus Christ
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Saturday April 6, 2024
Ephesians Series: Ephesians 3:4c-Mystery Doctrines Taught in Paul’s Writings in Relation to Jesus Christ
Lesson # 142
Ephesians 3:1 For this reason, I myself, Paul, the prisoner owned by and under the authority of the one and only Christ who is Jesus for the benefit of each and every one of you as a corporate unit, who are Gentiles—2 if and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument that each and every one of you as a corporate unit have surely heard about the stewardship, which is unique to the grace, which originates from the one and only God, which was given to me for the benefit of all of you as a corporate unit without exception. (Of course, every one of you have in fact heard about it.) 3 Namely that, the mystery was made known for the benefit of myself as revelation as I wrote beforehand in a concise manner. 4 Concerning which, that is, by each one of you making it your habit of hearing read publicly, all of you will for your own benefit become able to comprehend my insight into this incomparable mystery, which is produced by your unique union and identification with Christ. (Lecturer’s translation)
Now, some expositors argue that the content of the mystery of Christ here in Ephesians 3:4 is the same as in Colossians 1:26, 27, 2:2 and 4:3.
However, this is not the case.
In fact, the content of the mystery of Christ here in Ephesians 3:4 refers to one of several doctrines which are described by Paul in his writings as a “mystery,” i.e. not known to the Old Testament prophets of Israel but revealed by the Spirit to the apostles and New Testament prophets.
Namely, that Gentile and Jewish church age believers are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and union and identification with Him.
In the New Testament, the church is never actually called a mystery but we know it is a mystery because its major elements are specifically designated as mysteries.
For example, the first major element is the body concept of Jewish and Gentile believers united into one body to form one “new man” or “new humanity.”
This is described a mystery in Ephesians 3:1-12.
The second major element is that the church is the Bride of Jesus Christ which is taught in Ephesians 5:22-32.
The third element is the rapture or resurrection of the church which is described as a mystery as well in First Corinthians 15:51-52.
Lastly, the fourth and final major element is the concept of Jesus Christ indwelling each and every church age believer which is taught here in Colossians 1:24-27 and also in 2:10-19; 3:4 and 11.
Colossians 1:24 I am presently rejoicing because of my sufferings on behalf of each and every one of you. In fact, I am supplementing that which remains of the one and only Christ’s intense sufferings by means of my physical body on behalf of His body which is, as an eternal spiritual truth, the church. 25 Of which I myself became a servant because of the stewardship which is from God (the Father) which was given to me on behalf of each and every one of you in order to fulfill the task of communicating the message originating from God (the Father). 26 Specifically, the mystery which has been concealed from past ages, in other words from past generations but now has been revealed to His saints. 27 For the benefit of whom, God (the Father) wanted to make known what is of infinite value, namely the glorious revelation of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is, as an eternal spiritual truth Christ in each and every one of you, who is the confident expectation of glory. (Lecturer’s translation)
“The mystery” speaks of a truth which was not known to Old Testament saints but has now revealed by the Father through the Spirit during the church age to the apostles who communicated it to the church.
This mystery is identified in Colossians 1:27 as Jesus Christ permanently indwelling each and every Gentile church age believer and not just Jewish church age believers exclusively.
Paul then defines what he means by this mystery by asserting that the Father caused this mystery to remain unknown to mankind.
Therefore, Paul is defining this “mystery” as something that has been concealed from mankind by God.
The apostle states that this mystery has been concealed by God the Father “from past ages” which refers to the period of time beginning with the creation of the time, matter, space continuum and continuing throughout human history up to the church age.
He is saying that human beings who lived during the ages prior to the beginning of the church age were kept from knowing the mystery of Jesus Christ permanently indwelling both Jewish and Gentile church age believers.
Paul then defines for the reader specifically what he means by this prepositional phrase “from the past ages.”
The Father concealed this mystery of Jesus Christ permanently indwelling both Jewish and Gentile church age believers specifically from past generations of human beings who lived during these past ages.
These past generations refer to generations of human beings extending from Adam up to the church age.
Human beings who lived during the ages prior to the beginning of the church age were kept from knowing the mystery of Jesus Christ permanently indwelling both Jewish and Gentile church age believers.
Then, Paul asserts that this mystery has now been revealed for the benefit of the saints.
Specifically, it has now been revealed during the church age which began on the day of Pentecost in June of 33 A.D. and is recorded in Acts 2 and ends with the rapture which is the resurrection of the church.
The apostle asserts in Colossians 1:27 that this mystery of Jesus Christ permanently indwelling both Jewish and Gentiles church age believers has been revealed by the Father to the saints.
The noun musterion, “mystery” appears in Romans 16:25 where it refers to the plan of salvation for both Jew and Gentile.
It is now fully revealed during the church age by the Spirit through the apostles to the church and was not fully known to the Old Testament prophets of Israel and the content of this mystery is Jesus Christ and His death and resurrection for both Jew and Gentile.
The “hidden” nature of the gospel is not that it was totally unknown since the Old Testament prophets, all the way back to Abraham, were told that salvation would be provided for both Jew and Gentile through the Jewish Messiah.
What Paul means by mustērion in Romans 16:25 is that through the Spirit, God the Father has “fully” disclosed the gospel in the person of Jesus Christ and in the proclamation of the gospel by the apostles.
So the “mystery” in Romans 16:25 refers to the proclamation of Jesus Christ’s victory over sin and Satan through His death and resurrection and that faith in Him for salvation would be proclaimed to both Jew and Gentile.
It refers to the manifestation of the divine decree eternity past.
It is a secret known only by God but has now been revealed to the church by the Spirit through the apostles.
The resurrection of the church is a mystery (1 Cor. 15:51-53).
In First Timothy 3:9, the term “mystery” refers to the plan of salvation for both Jew and Gentiles and is now fully revealed during the church age by the Spirit through the apostles to the church and was not fully known to the Old Testament prophets of Israel.
It refers to the proclamation of Jesus Christ’s victory over sin and Satan through His death and resurrection and that faith in Him for salvation would be proclaimed to both Jew and Gentile and it refers to the manifestation of the divine decree eternity past.
In First Timothy 3:16, the term “mystery” speaks of Jesus Christ who is the content of the gospel fully disclosing God’s plan of salvation through His death and resurrection and His earthly life, His First Advent and it speaks of the fact that He fully revealed what godly living is all about.
Colossians 2:1 In fact, I want each and every one of you to know for certain how great a struggle I am experiencing on behalf of each and every one of you as well as for those who are located in Laodicea, yes in fact, for all those who have never seen my face in the flesh. 2 The purpose of this struggle is that their hearts would be encouraged. Specifically by being united by means of divine-love. Also, for a wealth which is absolute which is produced by that which is conviction which produces that which is discernment. For the purpose of knowing experientially the mystery which originates from God (the Father), namely the Christ. (Lecturer’s translation)
The term “mystery” describes Jesus Christ in relation to those who do not exercise faith in Him as Savior in order to be declared justified by the Father.
Jesus Christ is a mystery to those are not initiated which is accomplished by being declared justified by the Father through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone.
So this word is an attack at the Essence branch of Judaism which possessed an incipient form of Gnosticism.
Jesus Christ is also “the mystery originating from God” in the sense that Jesus Christ is the content of the gospel who fully disclosed God’s plan of salvation through His death and resurrection, through His earthly life, His First Advent.
Colossians 4:3 Also, each of you at the same time continue to make it your habit of occupying yourselves with prayer on behalf of each one of us. Specifically, that the Father would make possible for each of us an opportunity for our unique message, namely, to communicate the mystery, which is concerning the one and only Christ because of which, I am in fact imprisoned. (Lecturer’s translation)
In Colossians 4:3, “mystery” does not mean that Jesus Christ was not known to Old Testament saints since His person and work were prophesied about by the Old Testament prophets of Israel.
Rather, the word describes Jesus Christ in relation to the unsaved or unregenerate.
Jesus Christ is a mystery to those who are not initiated into the Christian way of life, which is accomplished by being declared justified by the Father through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone.