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(3) This dispensation is called "the dispensation of the grace of God".--Grace is the
characteristic of the whole administration, and legalism in any shape or form is an
intruder. One has but to read Eph. 2: 11 and 12 to get some idea of the utter necessity of
grace if those there described are to saved and blessed.
(4) This stewardship is primarily the stewardship of "The mystery".--This term is
explained both in Eph. 3: and Col. 1: as that section of God's age-purpose that had not
been made a part of the Scriptures, or even alluded to in them, but was kept entirely a
secret until Israel's defection was seen to be complete at Acts 28:
(5) Finally, this mystery, which is the grand theme of this dispensation, was made
known to Paul by "revelation".--Neither the wit nor the imagination of man could have
foreseen what God intended to do when Israel, the appointed channel of blessing to the
nations, so signally failed. Unless God had made known His purposes of grace "by
revelation" we should all still be as much in the dark as ever.
"Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should
preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men see
what is the dispensation of the mystery, which has been hidden from the ages in (or by)
that God Who created all things . . . . . according to the purpose of the ages" (Eph. 3: 8,
9, 11).
Here again are items that challenge investigation:--
(1) One of the characteristics of this dispensation of the mystery is the making known
of those riches of Christ which are "unsearchable". This is the very essence of a mystery,
and should shut the mouths of those who oppose and say that they can discover this
"so-called mystery" in the Old Testament or the Gospels.
(2) Another similar feature of this dispensation of the mystery is that it is hidden
"from the ages" or "since the ages": known unto God, but unrevealed since before the
foundation of the world.
(3) While not forming a part of Scripture up to this time, the fact that it was
"according to the purpose of the ages" shows that there will be perfect harmony between
this ministry and all other ministry that is of God as soon as each is seen, rightly divided,
in its allotted place.
The third reference to Paul's stewardship of the mystery is found in the passage before
us (Col. 1: 25, 26):--
"His body, which is the church, of which I became a dispenser, according to the
dispensation of God, which was given me for you, to fill up the Word of God, the
mystery which has been hid from the ages and from the generations, but now is made
manifest to His saints."
The additional items that come to light in this passage are:--