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fellowship with Jerusalem. This ministry ceased with his apprehension in the temple.
After two years' imprisonment at Caesarea (not the wonders of the coming dispensation)
the apostle sailed for Rome, where he made known for the first time the mystery which
had been hidden since the ages.
Five is the number of Grace, and five times we read the word Gentiles in Ephesians.
Gentiles.
A | 2: 11. What the Gentiles were by nature, aliens from commonwealth.
B | 3: 1. Paul's prison ministry to the Gentiles.
C | 3: 6. The threefold fellowship of the mystery.
B | 3: 8. Paul's special evangel of the unsearchable riches of Christ.
A | 4: 17. What the Gentiles were by practice, alienated from life of God.
Once only does the word occur in Colossians (1: 27), where in a context which
emphasizes the church which is His body, the dispensation of God "given to me for you",
"the mystery which hath been hid from ages and generations", Christ "the hope of
glory". In I Tim. 2: 6, 7 the apostle speaks of Christ, "Who gave Himself a ransom for
all to be testified in due time", and says of himself in connection with this truth,
"whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle (here he feels the necessity of a
strong statement), I speak the truth in Christ and lie not, a teacher of the Gentiles in faith
and truth". The mystery of godliness includes in its rhythmic setting* the line "preached
unto the Gentiles" (I Tim. 3: 16). In his final letter, written in view of martyrdom, the
apostle reiterates his commission, ". . . . . the gospel, whereunto I am appointed a
preacher and an apostle and a teacher of the Gentiles" (II Tim. 1: 11); and the deliverance
which followed upon his first defence is not considered for its own sake, but for the
opportunity for accomplishing his ministry:--
"At my first defence no man stood with me . . . . . notwithstanding the Lord stood with
me, and strengthened me; that BY ME the preaching might be fully known, and that
ALL THE GENTILE might hear; and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion"
(II Tim. 4: 16).
Thus he who standing at the threshold of the dispensation of the mystery counted not
his life dear unto himself, but had just the one desire to finish his course, could say at the
close, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith".
Although we have quoted just a few passages, the number of references which
indicate the Gentile character of Paul's ministry are nearly fifty. Further, such
expressions as, "which is come into all the world", "which was preached to every
creature under heaven" (Col. 1: 6, 23), "A ransom for all", "The Saviour of all men",
"Who will have all men to be saved" (I Tim. 2: 4-6, 4: 10); and "the dispensation of the
grace of God . . . . . TO YOUWARD", "my sufferings FOR YOU", "the dispensation
of God which is given me FOR YOU" (Eph. 3: 2, Col. 1: 24, 25) must not be omitted
from the number of references.
[NOTE: * - Some authorities consider this a quotation from an early hymn.]