Here the prevailing idea of the preceding chapters is the wonder and the mystery of God's fore-ordaining love, overflowing in the riches of His grace to those who are made one with Him and with each other in Christ Jesus. 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 ). is being mysteriously worked out in time. Why can't we get along with one another? When Paul spoke to the Jewish mob in his own defense, after he was arrested in the temple courts, the thing which triggered their renewed ire was the word Gentile in his message. If God has made known His precious, glorious secret, which He purposed for us in Christ before the foundation of the world, why should any child of God be ignorant concerning the mystery of God’s will? Scholars are not exactly sure what he meant by that. And you are either a part of the new creation, or you are a part of the old; one or the other, but never both. 3. So when Peter and James and John and the other apostles began to compare notes with Paul, they were astonished that this apostle, this man who had been the persecutor of the church and the chief murderer of the saints in Jerusalem, understood not only the doctrine they had been taught, but also the very events they had gone through. 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. A primary pronoun of the first person I. Men and women today can live on the basis of this new creation. This is why Dr. Francis Schaeffer has written a book called Pollution and the Death of Man, and related this subject to the Christian answer. To do so, it will first provide a definition of the word, then highlight key insights from each occurrence. What are the three aspects of the mystery as seen in verse 6? Sometimes it is difficult for those who do not read Greek to see how Paul builds his letters. What is it? Paul himself, and all the other apostles, would deny this. But they didn't know what kind of life, what it would be like. And this creation has already begun! God had committed a certain responsibility to him. C. The Mystery of Christ (3:4). It cannot see very far, and doesn't know which turn to take. God knows that we all want to be kings, that we are made to reign. The key mystery is Christ, says the apostle. A striking example of this is found in First Corinthians 11, where he writes about the Lord's supper. I refer you to Matthew 13, where you have it recorded that our Lord spoke these amazing words. 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. He had to get them ready for it. They could not understand why the mighty apostle had to be a prisoner -- limited, unable to come to them in their need as a growing young church -- and why all communication with him had to be by correspondence. Don't go on any longer subject to all the heartache and misery and malice and hatred and resentment and oppression which comes from the old creation. And he recognizes that they were written on behalf of the Gentiles. It is not new to us -- we have been discussing and discovering aspects of it all along in this letter. Acts 23:9 And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees' part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God. The first breakthrough was on Christmas Day, when in the darkness of the world -- sunk in apathy and misery, in superstition and blindness, and in death -- a light broke through. Everything that lies in a caterpillar's path is a horrible obstacle over which it must painfully crawl. There is always an element we don't understand. Romans 16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, Ephesians 1:9-11 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: …, Ephesians 2:11-22 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; …. It is not a period of time at all; it is a responsibility to dispense something, a stewardship. It wasn't until fourteen years later that he ever had an opportunity to sit down and compare notes with all the other apostles. St. Paul refers them back to these passages as embodying his "understanding," or conception, of the mystery thus revealed especially to him. But the reason they cannot grasp the answer is that they have never dealt with the heart of the problem, the great secret to all things. We can learn how to handle our environment, even, on the basis of this new creation yet today. When Einstein discovered his theory of relativity, very few people grasped it or understood it. How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery. He starts out to say one thing but then is captured by the truth of something else he is going to say. Here he is touching the whole problem of man and his universe, man living in a natural world, the dominion (or lack of it) of man over that world, and the reason why we cannot solve our ecological riddles. Paul cites some reasons for his imprisonment. This is a great parable that God teaches us in nature. (Ephesians 1:9-10 RSV). Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because. The Lord Jesus himself began to unfold the mystery. It would simply be “a new creature” (2 Corinthians 5:17), “one new man” (Ephesians 2:15), a new species of mankind. From kata and hos; just as, that. God has set his Son at the heart of all things. "It was made known to me by revelation." But it isn't over. He was a responsible steward. This is Paul's explanation of the great mystery. Solutions are coming into being as we grasp what Christ has made available to us. So it was because of this great message that he was a prisoner. Of dispensation, for dispensation is often misunderstood in our own lives hostis conjunction... Written another letter before this, he wants to say in the days of his wisdom should made! Tell us that, by revelation, as I have already seen, it will first provide definition... Romans 8 of what it was n't until fourteen years later that he ever had opportunity... And we can learn how to handle our environment, even the blessings ( Ephesians 3:3 how mystery! 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