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The Ephesian letter has seven references to “mystery”. More than any other New Testament letter.
The first use of the mystery is identified in Ephesians 3… the Gentiles are fellow heirs and members of the Church and share in the promises of the grace of God.
That would certainly be a mystery to most Jews who thought that they would forever be God’s chosen people and nation and that the non-Jews (Gentiles) would be nothing better than step-children of God.
This mystery was also mysterious to the “rulers and authorities in heavenly places” and when the mystery was revealed the celestial beings were de-mystified.
Another revealed “mystery” was how God’s church was in fact the wife of Jesus and how He was “One flesh” with her. Similar but not the same as the “one flesh” between a husband and wife.
In fact, this “mystery” is called a “great mystery” A greater mystery presumably than the mystery of the Jews and Gentiles becoming one.
It makes sense that the Jews and Gentiles had to become one people in Christ, because Jesus couldn’t have two wives… a jewish wife and a gentile wife.
Paul prays (Ephesians 3:18-19) that we (as a wife) would be able to know and comprehend the love of Jesus (as a husband). Presumably because that kind of love and the understanding of it is transformative and we become better wives. Just as an earthly husbands love through “nourishment and cherishing her” transforms his wife.
Thanks you Paul for explaining that to us.
The Ephesian letter begins with Paul high lighting the gifts or blessings that God has given them. And if that were not enough Paul tells them some specific gifts/blessings that he personally asked God to give them.
Paul does does this presumably to stimulate their gratitude and encourage them on to spiritual maturity and “oneness” There was a problem with Jewish and Gentile Christians not fully assimilating with each other… a divided church.
Paul uses three figures to help their understanding of what they must do and be.
First (chapter two) he identifies them as each being a building and the buildings (Jew and Gentile) are assembled together to make a Holy Temple that God through the Holy Spirit can live in. God can’t live in a partially built or divided Temple... it would not be worthy of Him.
Secondly (chapter four) he tells them that they need to grow into the “stature and fullness” of Jesus Christ. That is accomplished by the “work of ministry” and “speaking truth in love” That work builds up each of them individually and collectively as Christ’s body… the church.
Thirdly (chapter six) Christians are supposed to strap on the armor and equipment of a soldier because we are in a war with Satan. We armor ourselves by following the preceding instructions on how to live our lives… eliminating sin and replacing sin with righteousness. Once that is done we are fully equipped to battle and conquer Satan.
The text is also heavy on the the attributes and work of the Holy Spirit and growing into the fullness of deity.
“His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue” John 9:22
The occasion of this verse was Jesus returning the sight of a fellow who was blind from birth. The Jewish leaders were doing everything they could do including questioning the parents to take this miracle away from Jesus.
The parents were afraid to give the credit where it truly belonged because the consequences were they would be kicked out of the Synagogue. Shame on them.
The Synagogue is roughly equivalent to our assemblies… the Church. Yes you can get kicked out of Church (the magnificent and beautiful bride of Jesus Christ) but you have to try really hard to do that. Usually some obvious sin that you don’t want to give up. It happens.
In the Church today the threat of being kicked out carries little weight for some because they just don’t care. If they want to they can find another church and just hop from church to church to church. Or just watch church on the Livestream.
Like spiritually handicapped little children. Content to continually nurse on the breast of superfical Christianity.
But for some it would be heart wrenching. You see for some the church and the relationships developed among the faithful at church are some of the most precious relationships we have.
It is imperative that churches help build those relationships.
Those things are usually accomplished by wonderful worship, breathtaking Bible study and remarkable resilient relationships.
In fact, if you are not feeling those things at the church you attend, there may be a problem and frequently we can see the problem when we look in the mirror.
Treasure and value the Beautiful bride of Jesus Christ and all she has to offer.
