In this article I explain what “the mystery” is that Paul mentioned in Ephesians 3, 5 and Colossians 1.
Understanding “the mystery” is crucial to understanding Christ’s relationship with the Church, the relationship we have with each other as members of his “body” and the very nature of New Testament Salvation.
It’s no wonder Paul so zealously preached and defended “the mystery” when dealing with both Jews and Gentiles, he called it “the truth of the gospel” (Gal. 2:5).
Understanding “the mystery” also dispels the dispensationalist view of the book of Revelation, being a description of literal future events as opposed to signs and symbols pointing to present spiritual realities ie millennial reign and marriage of the lamb.
I hope this article, at the very least, inspires you to study and meditate upon “the mystery” for yourself.
Ephesians 3
1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
God, by grace, opened Paul’s eyes to “the mystery”.
What is “the mystery?”
Ephesians 3
6 That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body and partakers of his promise IN Christ by the gospel
This is the mystery! That both Jews and Gentiles could be joined together in one body as partakers of the promise…
What is his promise?
Ephesians 2
13 …in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
The holy Spirit is the promise and in receiving him we become members of Christ’s body.
Ephesians 5
30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
The fact that under New Testament salvation, Christ and the church are joined together and become one flesh like husband and wife is a great mystery but one that Paul understood
Colossians 1 contains very similar language to Ephesians 3
Colossians 1
25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
“Christ in you” and “you in Christ” is the mystery Paul understood and preached to the Gentiles.
The fact that God, by grace, revealed this mystery to Paul, made him a minister to the Gentiles.
Ephesians 3
7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery…
The mysterious fellowship we have with Christ and each other through the Spirit is the riches in Christ we can now enjoy.
Whilst Ephesians 3 uses the image of a body, Ephesians 2 uses the image of a building. Compare the following verses:
Ephesians 3
6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel
Ephesians 2
9 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Wether described as a body, a building or the Church, under New Testament salvation WE are an habitation of God, for the Holy Spirit inhabits his people.
Revelation 21 contains very similar language to that in Ephesians 2
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
Ephes. 2:20 and Rev. 21:14 are almost identical!
Both speak of a temple/tabernacle with twelve foundations representing the twelve apostles.
Furthermore Rev. 21:3 states that the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them which is very similar language to that used in
Ephes. 2:3 an holy temple…an habitation of God through the Spirit.
The notion that God no longer dwells in a literal temple rather he dwells in his people via the Spirit was a “mystery” that was not made known in other ages
Ephesians 3
5…in other ages was not made known…
9…from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God…
Colossians 1
26 …hath been hid from ages and from generations…
In Hebrews 11 it says
10… (Abraham) looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
However he
13… died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off…
The city that Abraham looked for and saw afar off has come!!! Under New testament salvation WE are that city.
Notice how Rev. 21:1 the holy city, New Jerusalem prepared as a bride adorned for her husband ties in perfectly with the description of the church in Ephesians 5?
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
The New Jerusalem in Rev. 21:2 is the New Testament Church, the bride of Christ mentioned in Ephesians 5.
When did the New Jerusalem descend from heaven prepared as a bride?
When did Jesus present the church to himself for marriage, a glorious church without spot or wrinkle?
Well, when did God inhabit his people?
At Pentecost the holy Spirit came down and filled all those waiting in the upper room, this is when the New Testament church was established! This is when the marriage was consummated through the Spirit!
What was the result of this marriage? The apostles descended from the upper room, preached the gospel and 5000 were born of the Spirit, Children of promise.
Gal 4
22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.
28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
The New Testament church is not a physical building, a sect or denomination, it is a spiritual entity which continues to bear children through the preaching of the gospel.
In conclusion-
The “mystery” that was revealed to Paul by God was “Christ in you” meaning God no longer dwells in a literal temple, rather he dwells in his people via the Spirit.
We, his people are the church, the NEW Jerusalem. When did the NEW Jerusalem of Revelation 21 descend? At Pentecost, for it was then that God began dwelling in his people.
Through the Spirit we are joined to Christ and one another thus together, we become members of his body. Through the Spirit we, the church, are “one flesh” with Christ like husband and wife are “one flesh”, hence it was at Pentecost that the "marriage of the lamb" took place.
Just as no building will literally descend from the sky to hover over the earth in the future, the marriage of the lamb (Rev. 19:7-9) is not a future event, it happened at Pentecost when the New Testament church was established!
As a result of that marriage many “children of promise” were born and continue to be born through the Word (preaching of the gospel) and the Spirit.
Eph3:3 "...(as I wrote afore in few words)"...I find relating back to Eph1:9-10....the first mention of 'mystery' in this epistle. Perhaps that could have been included also, otherwise the remark in 3:3 is sort of strange if not.
ReplyDeleteYes, many believers, those who even understand coming to the cross, seem not to really comprehend the Spiritual manifestation of the Kingdom of God already established! They are simply still seeking a physical one, and regrettably their post cross understanding is flawed.
You view touching on Preterism, which is where I now stand. God the Father and the Lamb returned to be IN believers by receiving the Holy Spirit! Our obligation in the world is to be Lights to those still in darkness, while we are temporarily here.
God bless
Thanks Daniel, Yes, Ephes. 1:9 and the surrounding verses do shed light on the subject. This article really stemmed from my study of Ephesians 3. There are lots of verses that explain how the New Jerusalem is the Church and how the marriage between Christ and the Church has already taken place. I have these up my sleeve and they may become articles in the future. I, like you, used to be a dispensationalist and I understand how people assume the book of revelation is depicting future events. Therefore they don’t connect the marriage (Rev. 19:7-9) with becoming ONE with Christ via the Spirit under the New Covenant. Paul said that being made conformable unto Christ’s death and resurrection was to KNOW him (Phil. 3:10). Genesis tells us that to KNOW someone “Adam knew his wife” (Gen. 4:25) means to be ONE with them “they shall be one flesh” (Gen. 2:24). Just as Eve was taken out of Adam’s side “bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” (Gen. 2:23), the Church was taken out of Christ’s side on the cross, then presented to him a spotless bride, washed by the water of the Word (Ephes. 5:25-27). Through the Word and Spirit we are “members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones” (Ephes. 5:30) depicting a marriage like covenant. It is really quite simple and makes sense to me. Thanks again for your feedback.
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