 |  |
the grace of God to the Gentiles. The mystery, therefore, is manifested through the
ministry of Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus.
This ministry was not a call to work that lasted but for a while and then was changed
or laid aside. It was the Apostle's charge until he had finished his course and sealed his
testimony with his blood. Consequently he follows up his statement concerning his
prison ministry with, "If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God, which is
given me to you-ward" (Eph. 3: 2). As we have seen in other studies, the word
"dispensation" refers not to a period of time, as does the word "age", but rather to a
"stewardship"; some part of God's great purpose; some trust for which the Apostle was
responsible. He calls it the dispensation of the grace of God, to you-ward, which is
parallel with the opening words of Eph. 3:
The third statement which concludes the argument opened by the Apostle is, "how
that by revelation He made known unto me the mystery". The mystery, therefore, has
been manifested, through the Apostle Paul, as the prisoner of Christ Jesus, to whom the
dispensation of the grace of God to the Gentiles had been given, and to whom the
mystery was made known by revelation. The use of the word "revelation" in the
Scriptures precludes all idea of attainment by search, by study, or by intuition. None
could have discovered this secret. God alone could make it known. This is revelation in
its simplest and truest meaning.
In verses 7, 8, and 9, the Apostle enlarges upon this ministry through which the
mystery has been manifested, and there is in the passage a delightful blending of
conscious unworthiness and confident assurance:
"Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto
me by the effectual working of His power. 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 enlighten all as to what is the dispensation (R.V.) of that secret
which hath been hidden from the ages in that God Who created all things" (Eph. 3: 7-9).
The manifestation of the mystery is not confined to Gentiles, for the Apostle goes on
to tell of a vast unseen company to whom, also, this marvelous secret is being unfolded:
"To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be
known by the church the manifold wisdom of God" (Eph. 3: 10).
The mystery has much to do both with "heavenly places" and with "principalities and
powers" (Eph. 1: 3, 20, 21), and it is therefore reasonable that these mighty beings, with
whom the church of the One Body is blessed, and over whom Christ is Head (Col. 1: 10),
should have the mystery manifested to them, so that they too may take their place in the
purpose of the ages intelligently and thankfully. Whereas the church learned the mystery
through the ministry of Paul, the principalities and powers learn it through the church.
The mystery, moreover, is called in this place, "the manifold wisdom of God", and
"wisdom", or the title "the only wise God" is used in connection with the dispensational
dealings of God with man. Here therefore we have another aspect of the subject under
consideration.