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a term. Kingdom, Firstborn, Church, Bride, Wife, Flock, these and other terms had been
necessitated by the unfolding of the purpose of the ages, but not until the revelation of the
Mystery was there necessity to use such an expression as "joint-body". The equality in
the body is opened up in Eph. 4: 16. There is but One Head and the rest of the body are
members one of another.
The third item is "joint-partakers", but such an expression does not convey the truth
until the statement is completed:--
"Joint-partakers of the promise in Christ, through the gospel of which I became
minister."
The better readings omit the words "of Him", and give the title "Christ Jesus".
"The promise in Christ Jesus."--Paul, when writing to Timothy his last "prison
epistle", calls himself:--
"An apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life, which
is in Christ Jesus" (II Tim. 1: 1).
Writing to Titus between the two imprisonments he speaks of the :--
"hope of aionian life which God, that cannot lie, promised before age times, but hath
in due times (or, its own particular seasons) manifested His word through a proclamation
with which I (egō) was entrusted" (Titus 1: 2, 3).
The Gentiles, here called and blessed, may indeed have been "strangers from the
covenants of promise" while "in flesh", but "in spirit" they are "joint-partakers" of a
promise which goes back before the age times, and before the overthrow of the world.
Such is the sphere and character of the unity created by the Lord during this time of
Israel's blindness.
We rejoice at the testimony of "All Scripture" to the joys and blessings which are
stored up for Israel, the nations, the groaning creation, and the church of God.
nevertheless, we, according to His promise, look for higher things than Abraham hoped
or the Prophets dreamed.
"There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the
stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory" (I Cor. 15: 41).