The Mystery of Messiah
3: 1-13
The mystery of Messiah DIG: Highlight the various times Paul used the word “mystery” as you read these verses. How does the Gospel message qualify as a mystery? How does the Gospel demonstrate that all people can find a place in Messiah’s Church? Why did Paul describe God’s plan – to offer all people salvation – as a “secret” or a “mystery?” What is the difference between circumstances and willingness to share the Gospel? Why did Paul speak of the mystery that the Gentiles are now welcome in God’s family?
REFLECT: Is sharing the Gospel more of a responsibility or a privilege? Since God’s purposes include using believers to share the Gospel with all people, what roadblocks get in the way of believers fulfilling that purpose? How do Paul’s words address any of those potential roadblocks? Have you pondered your spiritual blessing lately? What have you done to return the blessing to Isra’el and the Jewish people? The secret of God’s salvation is too great for us to understand it. Then what do you base your salvation on?
The mystery of Messiah is not that the Jews will convert to a new culture,
but that Gentile believers will join Jewish believers in partaking of Messiah’s riches.
This passage is largely a parenthesis, which runs from verse 2 through verse 13. Rabbi Sha’ul begins his prayer for believers to understand their resources as one in Messiah, and then decides to reemphasize and expand on some of the truths he had already mentioned. He does not actually get back to the prayer until verse 14, where he repeats the phrase “It is a consequence of this” in order to pick up the thought originally introduced in verse 1. He seems to have felt that the Ephesians were not ready to hear his prayer on their behalf until they better understood – and were therefore better to apply – the truths he wanted to pray about. And it seemed essential for Paul to affirm his authority for teaching such a new and far-reaching truth as the oneness of Jew and Gentile in Messiah, which he does by saying that God Himself gave him the truth and the commission to proclaim it. In 3:1-13 the apostle leads us to focus on five aspects of this divine mystery: its prisoner, its plan, its proclamation, its purpose, and its privileges.119
The prisoner of the mystery (3:1-4): It is a consequence of this that I, Sha’ul, am a prisoner of the Messiah Yeshua (3:1a). The apostle was writing this letter as he was incarcerated in a Roman prison. It was not the only such letter as it is clear that there were several writings that became known as the Prison Epistles (or Letters). Those mentioned specifically are Philippians, Colossians and Philemon. It is interesting that the Rabbi does not state here that he is a prisoner of Rome, or some injustice of a pagan system. He sees God’s purpose even in his time in jail, not unlike Joseph did in Genesis when Pharaoh locked him up. In this case, Sha’ul is convinced that He is a prisoner of Messiah Yeshua because of the message and for the sake of the Lord. Much of this letter of Ephesians can be even more greatly appreciated as one keeps in mind that these are not pious religious platitudes from a rabbi living in comfort. It is clear that Paul strongly believed all that he was teaching was in spite of (or maybe as a result of) his own troubles.
On behalf of you Gentiles (3:1b). From the earliest verses of the Torah the message of blessing first to the Jews, would also expand to all the nations (to see the commentary on Genesis, to see the link click Dt – I Will Bless Those Who Bless You and Whoever Curses You I Will Curse). The prophets of Isra’el continued to confirm that the Gentiles would also receive many blessings from ADONAI because of the Messiah (Isaiah 1:1-10; Amos 9:11-12). The Talmud (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ei – The Oral Law) likewise understood that God would ultimately reach out to the Gentiles as well: “The Holy One, blessed be He, looks to the peoples of the world, hoping that they will repent and so bring them near beneath His wings” (Numbers Raba 10:1). Sha’ul understood the clear call of YHVH on his life as the apostle to the Gentiles (Romans 11:13-14).
With this calling came a tremendous amount of risk as he traveled to distant lands and proclaimed a controversial message, both within the Jewish community and also within the Gentile community, for different reasons. While the Jews needed to come to grips with the messianic claims of Yeshua, the Gentiles also needed to deal with the rebuke of paganism and rampant immorality in their society. Nevertheless, Sha’ul persisted, and boldly brought this message of hope throughout the Roman Empire at great risk to his own personal safety. How ironic it was to see a traditional Jewish rabbi under arrest for his loving ministry to those outside his own people, Isra’el. This is a reminder to all Gentile believers that they owe a debt of gratitude to the early Jewish believers who brought the Gospel to them (Romans 15:27).120
I assume that you have heard of the work God in His grace has given me to do for your benefit, and that it was by a revelation that this mystery (Greek: musterion) was made known to me. I have already written about it briefly, and if you read what I have written, you will grasp how I understand my insight into the mystery of Messiah (3:2-4). The word mystery in the Bible has a different meaning than generally in our society. It doesn’t mean something that is difficult or impossible to explain, like “the mysteries of outer space.” No, a mystery in the Bible is something that was once hidden, but now has been revealed. And Paul uses an interesting phrase to describe the revelation of this truth – the Greek word apokalupsis, meaning revealing or unveiling. This concept is reminiscent of part of the Jewish wedding ceremony.
A distinctive element of the ceremony is the veiling of the bride by the groom just before the actual ceremony. This dates back to the tricky wedding of Jacob, where he didn’t check carefully under the veil of his bride and ended up with a surprise marriage to Leah (see the commentary on Genesis Hg – Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel). Since that time, Jewish grooms make sure to veil their bride just before the wedding ceremony to confirm that he had the right one! During the ceremony the veil is lifted to reveal the identity of the bride as they start their new life together as husband and wife. This truth would seem to apply to the “mystery” to which Sha’ul alludes. The identity of this truly, that is, God’s plan through the Messiah, has now been revealed much the same as a Jewish bride unveiled on her wedding day.121
The plan of the mystery (3:5-6): In past generations it was not made known to mankind, as the Spirit has now been revealed to His apostles and prophets (3:5). The Greek behind has . . . been revealed is in the aorist tense, which refers to specific acts or events. Coupled with now, it indicated immediate revelation during Paul’s day, which was given exclusively to the apostles and prophets of the B’rit Chadashah, and not to anyone else before or after them. The giving of new revelation through the living prophets in the first century was intended only for the foundation of the Church. Sha’ul stated with absolute certainty in Ephesians 2:20 that the Church was built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets.
That in Messiah, and through the Good News, the Gentiles were to be joint heirs, a joint Body and joint sharers with the Jews in what God has promised (3:6). It is difficult for us to realize how revolutionary this was in Paul’s day and most Jews then and now do not accept it. The mystery of God is, in the larger sense, the plan of redemption through the work of Messiah. An important subset of that plan is the Gentiles will be equally accepted in this plan of Messianic blessing. Rabbi Sha’ul again is quite careful to be abundantly clear with his readers. Gentile believers do not replace the Jewish believers in this plan but shares in their spiritual blessings. He does not say they have become sole heirs, but that they are jointly receiving these blessings along with the Jewish remnant.122
Gentile believers are not described as starting a new religion or new exclusive community, but that they are now jointly part of an eternal plan of one spiritual Body with their Jewish brothers and sisters. Neither are the Gentiles said to be taking over the promises of YHVH, but jointly sharing these blessings with the Messianic Jews. But it is also important to understand that this does not include aspects of the physical covenant. The Land of Isra’el is promised to Abraham and His descendants (see the commentary on Genesis Eg – I AM the LORD, Who Brought You Out of Ur of the Chaldeans). Only the spiritual blessings associated with the other aspects of the covenants are shared with the Gentiles.
There is no room to see Sha’ul as an advocate of replacement theology (see the commentary on Acts Ag – Replacement Theology and Acts), or supersessionism as is common in some religious groups today. Some teaching even appropriates the blessings for Christians while leaving the curses for the Jews! When clearly understood, the teaching of Rabbi Sha’ul reinforces the unity between Jew and Gentile. It also explains that Gentile believers now get to share in the Jewish blessings, except for the Land Covenant as seen above.123
The proclamation of the mystery (3:7-9): I became a servant (Greek: diakonos) of this Good News by God’s gracious gift. In a similar line of thought in First Corinthians, Paul emphasized this calling of grace, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove to be in vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with Me” (First Corinthians 15:10). Which He gave me through the operation of His power (3:7). The Lord is the power behind the servant. To the Colossians, the apostle said: I labor, striving according to His power, which mightly works within me (Colossians 1:29).124
To me, the least important of all God’s holy people, was given this privilege of announcing to the Gentiles the Good News of the Messiah’s unfathomable riches (3:8). As the apostle reflected on the wondrous mystery of Messiah, he could not help but remember God’s gracious call in his own life. It would have been enough for this Jewish man to come to the realization that Yeshua was the Jewish Messiah. Yet, Sha’ul was not your average Jew. As one of the zealous rabbinical students of Gamaliel, he had risen to lead the “Anti-Yeshua Committee” to snuff out this perceived heretical Jewish sect. But an amazing thing happened on his way to Damascus when he encountered the risen Yeshua! Going from a persecutor to a proclaimer, Sha’ul had a deep appreciation for God’s grace (see Acts Bc – Sha’ul Turns from Murder to Messiah)! He humbly admits that he clearly did not deserve such an honor of being part of Messiah’s Kingdom
Rabbi Sha’ul also rejoiced in his calling to bring that same Good News to the Gentiles. And of letting everyone see how this secret plan is going to work out. This plan, kept hidden for ages by God, the Creator of everything (3:9). In an amazing way, ADONAI called this traditional Jew to bring the light of salvation and the Scriptures to the dark pagan world. It is not so strange, however, when you consider the many promises of the TaNaKh that the light of the God of Isra’el would ultimately be shared worldwide through the Jewish people (Genesis 12:3; Isaiah 49:6). This secret plan (mystery) was therefore nothing new, but Paul rejoiced in the fact that this plan was being realized through the work of Messiah Yeshua.125
The purpose of the mystery (3:10-11): is for the rulers and authorities in heaven, namely, the angels, to learn how the manifold wisdom of God is seen through the existence of the eternal, universal, unseen Church made up of all the believers through the ages (3:10). Consequently, there will be a multitude of cultural expressions in this universal Body and all cultures are to be respected. Yet, it is ironic that many people today fail to understand that Jewish followers of Yeshua usually desire to maintain their God-given heritage through the expression of a messianic synagogue. The mystery of the Church is not that the Jews will convert to a new culture, but that the Gentiles will join the Jewish believers in partaking of Messiah’s riches. In reflecting on these truths, Sha’ul rejoiced in the eternal wisdom of God’s plan.126
The Rabbi continues to explain that this was in accordance with God’s eternal purpose, accomplished in the Messiah Yeshua, our Lord (3:11). Everything God has ever done has had the ultimate purpose of giving Himself glory. As Paul declares elsewhere: There is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Yeshua Messiah, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him (First Corinthians 8:6), and all things have been created by Him and for Him (Colossians 1:16). Therefore, in the classroom of God’s universe, He is the Teacher, the angels are the students, the Universal Church is the illustration, and the subject matter is many-sided wisdom of God.127
The privilege of the mystery (3:12-13): In Messiah and through faith we can now approach God with boldness and confidence (3:12). This incredible truth has a practical application in the life of the believer. For the Gentiles, there was a newfound access to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, now their heavenly Father. What was so remote in the pagan religions is not a reality through Isra’el’s Messiah. They have been brought near to God and have a new confidence as they trust in the redemptive work of Yeshua. Not only that, but contemporary Bible-believing Christians should also have a heart of gratitude for this truth.
By using the first-person plural, the Rabbi also acknowledges that even those who are Jewish enter a new reality through the work of Messiah. There were always some barriers that kept even the most religious Jews at a distance from their God (Isaiah 59:1-2). The early Messianic community included tens of thousands of Jews. At the festival of Shavu’ot about three thousand were saved (Acts 2:41). Many years later, however, tens of thousands of Jewish believers were still zealous for the Torah (Acts 21:20). Therefore, they experienced a new, closer walk with ADONAI and confidence not previously experienced. In Yeshua’s own words: I have come so that they may have life, and have it more abundantly (John 10:10 ESV).128
So I ask you not to be discouraged over my afflictions on your behalf – it is all for your glory (3:13 CSB). Rabbi Sha’ul began Chapter 3 by referencing his imprisonment for the Gospel and then concluded by addressing the subject with his readers. He mentioned to them his afflictions on their behalf, referring to his Gentile ministry. Perhaps they saw in Paul’s difficulty the world’s growing hostility toward the Gospel. Perhaps we feel the same at times, watching a culture that is increasingly becoming more hostile to God and His truth (John 17:17). Regardless of the reception they found and that we might find, we have great reason to continue faithfully sharing our witness. Rejection and suffering in this world are not the end of the story, for there waits for Messiah’s children a glory beyond comprehension.129
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