This is one of the most enlightening chapters in this book. It contains a very clear explanation of the "mystery" of God which we all need to understand.

I recall reading a book in which a Christian writer detailed what he thought the mystery of God was all about. As I read, I became convinced that he had no understanding whatsoever of the "mystery," but I had to confess that I, myself, did not know what it meant, either.  I began to seek the Lord for a deeper understanding of the "mystery," and as I studied, it began to come clear.

Jesus had said: "Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given." Matthew 13:11, Mark 4:11.  So let's begin with a prophetic Scripture from Isaiah 42, and unravel this "mystery."

"Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My Chosen One in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the gentiles. He will not cry out or raise His voice, nor make His voice heard in the street, a bruised reed He will not break, and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not be disheartened or crushed, until He has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands will wait expectantly for His law." Isaiah 42:1-4, NASB.

Although this Scripture does not mention the word "mystery," it is a prophecy about that very thing which Paul called the "mystery" of Christ.

Isaiah said in verse one, "He will bring forth justice." The word justice is the Hebrew word "mishpat," which means a particular right or privilege. The word which is rendered "gentiles" is the Hebrew word "goy," which can also be translated "nations," in the sense of massing, or simply, the "masses." So this verse literally says: He will bring forth a particular right or privilege to the masses.  It then goes on to say that He will establish justice (right or privilege) in the earth; and the coastlands will wait expectantly for His law (the perfect law of liberty, James 1:25).

The word coastlands or isles above is from a Hebrew word meaning literally: a habitable spot. Again, this pointed to the masses.

The Chosen One in verse one is obviously Jesus. What the "mystery" shows us is that Jesus came for the specific purpose of making it possible for the masses to obtain access to the kingdom of God: for the "gentiles" to receive the right or privilege of sonship. For this purpose, consider the words "gentiles" and "masses" to have the same meaning.

God had established the old covenant between Himself and a chosen race, Israel. If that covenant had been perfect, through the blood of animal sacrifices, there would have been no necessity for the Son of God, Jesus, the Christ, to have shed His innocent blood to redeem fallen man (Hebrews 8:7).

The fact is, that the old covenant was far from perfect, and was only a type of the new covenant to follow. The blood shed under the old covenant was only temporary, while the work of the blood of the perfect sacrificed Lamb, Jesus, is permanent. Jesus was the sacrificed Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, the focal point of God's redemption of man.

Not only was the old covenant imperfect, but one of its greatest shortcomings was that it excluded the majority of mankind, the masses of the people (gentiles) who were not of the natural nation Israel.

God, in His infinite wisdom, established a plan from the beginning of this world, to destroy the works of the devil. This plan would be God's secret (a mystery) until the proper time, then He would display it openly.

Why would God want to keep a secret? From whom would He hide His plans for man's redemption?

The "Mystery" is, that after giving Israel as a type of chosen people (in the flesh), God fulfilled His original plan which He foreordained before the ages (in the Spirit), but which was kept hidden (secret) until the time of Christ, and that was salvation by grace through faith.

Now let us back that statement up with plenty of Scripture. "For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own conceits, that a hardening in part has befallen [the] Israel, till what time the fullness of the nations [masses] be come in; and so [meaning: "in this way"], all Israel shall be saved: even as it is written." Romans 11:25, NASB. Bracketed information added by author.

That Scripture tells us how all the Israel of God [Abraham's seed and heirs according to promise, Galatians 3:29] will be saved. In the Greek text, the first word Israel is preceded by the definite article, denoting a specific people, and the second usage for all Israel does not use the definite article. This is only a small "clue" which Scripture bears out to be true. It denotes another "Israel" of God, the church.

"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 [hidden] since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen." Romans 16:25-27.

What a power-packed Scripture! The "mystery" was hidden, though prophesied, then it was made manifest according to God's commandment, and it is made known unto all the nations [masses], and it is the gospel of Jesus Christ of salvation by grace through faith.

In I Corinthians, Paul, writing to Greeks (gentiles) said: "but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God foreordained before the ages unto our glory: which none of the rulers of this age has known: for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory: but as it is written, things which eye saw not, and ear heard not, and entered not into heart of man, whatsoever things God prepared for them that love Him." I Corinthians 2:7-10, NENT. This speaks of salvation by grace through faith.

God prepared beforehand this salvation, and Jesus the Christ would bring it to all nations, and to do so, it was necessary for Him to be slain as a sacrifice to forever atone for man's sins, once for all. If the rulers of that age had known what they were doing, they would not have killed Him. Therefore, God had to keep it a "mystery" until it was accomplished. Only through the death of a sinless man could redemption come. There was only one sinless man, Jesus.

"According to the riches of His grace, which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Him unto a dispensation of the fullness of the season, to sum up all in the Christ, those upon the heavens, and those upon the earth; in Him whom also we were made a heritage, foreordained according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things...." Ephesians 1:7-11, NENT.

Again, there is great substance in that Scripture. It speaks of grace (by which we must be saved, through faith) and His good pleasure in making known to us the "mystery." He purposed that the "mystery" would be administered to us at the appropriate time, and that all would be summed up in Christ. We will see in the next Scripture what that summing up means.

"Wherefore remember, that once you, the nations [gentiles] in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by what is call circumcision in the flesh made by hands; that ye were at that season apart from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenant of promise [Abrahamic covenant based on faith], having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus ye that once were far off are become nigh in the blood of the Christ. For He is our peace, who made both one, and break down the middle wall of the partition, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, the law of the commandments contained in ordinances; that He might create in Himself of the two [Israel and the nations], one new man, making peace; and might reconcile both in one body [the church] to God through the cross, having slain the enmity thereby." Ephesians 2:11-17, NENT.

Notice that there are several points presented here:

1. The gentiles were apart from Christ.

2. They were alienated from the commonwealth of  Israel.

3. They were strangers to the covenant of promise, having no hope without God in the world.

Through His sacrificial death, He abolished the law of commandments contained in ordinances, and broke down the wall of partition separating the nations from God and from the commonwealth of Israel. He brought the "masses" into the (Abrahamic) covenant of promise.

So through Christ, all nations are made equal in God. And all must come through the blood of Christ. The two are made oneonly in Him. The enmity (hatred, hostility, animosity) between nations was slain and their reconciliation came about through the His sacrificial death on cross, bringing a "new creation," (Galatians 6:15). This new creation is made up of people from all nations on the face of the earth, but only includes those persons who come through Christ Jesus. For those who have not accepted Jesus, the hostility remains.

"And He came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father." Ephesians 2:17-18. 

Continue with: "A  New Temple"

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