Ephesians: Understanding the Mystery

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.