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`To make all men see what is the fellowship (dispensation R.V.) of the
Mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God'
(Eph. 3:9).
The words `to make all men see' are obviously synonymous with `to make
manifest to His saints'. Now the word thus translated in Ephesians 3:9 is
photizo, translated in Ephesians 1:18 `enlighten', and in Hebrews 10:32
`illuminated'. It is therefore made abundantly clear, that whether we use
the word `manifest' or `appear' the underlying thought of illumination must
never be absent from our thoughts.
Phaino, the root which
supplies phaneroo means `to appear' and is
derived from phos, `light'.
There are far too many occurrences of the words
that are derived from phaino
to attempt an extended concordance, but we feel
it would be right to give at
least one example of each.
Phaino and its derivatives
Phaino
`appear' (Matt. 2:7); `shine' (2 Pet. 1:19).
Phaneros
`openly' (Matt. 6:4); `outward' (Rom. 2:28); `manifest' (1 Cor.
3:13).
Phaneroo
`appear' (Mark 16:12); `manifest' (John 17:6); `show' (Rom.
1:19).
Phaneros
(adverb) `openly' (John 7:10); `evidently' (Acts 10:3).
Phanerosis `manifestation' (1 Cor. 12:7; 2 Cor. 4:2).
Phantazo
`sight' (Heb. 12:21); phantasia `pomp' (Acts 25:23).
Phantasma
`spirit', (`phantom') (Matt. 14:26; Mark 6:49).
Epiphaino
`to give light' (Luke 1:79); `appear' (Tit. 2:11).
Epiphaneia `brightness' (2 Thess. 2:8); `appearing' (2 Tim. 4:1).
Epiphanes
`notable' (Acts 2:20).
Emphanes
`openly' (Acts 10:40).
Emphanizo
`declare plainly' (Heb. 11:14).
Exaiphnes
`suddenly' (Acts 22:6);
Exapina
`suddenly' (Mark 9:8).
Katepheia
`heaviness' (Jas. 4:9);
Prophasis
`pretence' (Phil. 1:18); `cloak' (1 Thess. 2:5).
Huperephaneia
`pride' (Mark 7:22);
Huperephanos
`proud' (Luke 1:51), and seven other combinations with `a'
the negative.
Let us return now to Colossians 3. The reference to `appearing with
Christ in glory' is preceded by a statement equally wonderful. `For ye are
dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God' (Col. 3:3). The R.V. more
correctly reads `For ye died'. To say `ye are dead', to modern ears, is
almost the same as saying, `Ye are at this moment dead and will never be
other than dead'. To say `ye died' points back to an act, and leads the mind
to that blessed doctrine of identification `with Christ' whereby the believer
is said to have been `crucified with Christ', `died with Christ', `buried
with Him', quickened, raised and seated together with Him, and here at last
`manifested with Him in glory'.
`Your life is hid with Christ in God'. The word `with' demands
that the verb `hid' shall be true of both `your life' and `Christ'. The
passage does not say `your life is hid in Christ' but assuredly affirms that
Christ is hid in God as much as your life is hid in God. Both your life and
Christ are at this moment `hid', the day of the manifestation of both is
about to dawn, and then comes the glorious change: