TWO GREAT BODIES OF TRUTH
Following his conversion, Saul of Tarsus (later to be known as Paul) received, by direct communication from the ascended Christ, a continuum of revelation. This revelation came in progressive increments. (He describes these increments as "revelations"—in the plural—in 2 Corinthians 12:7.) He received them over a long period of time—perhaps thirty years or more. Paul conveyed to Agrippa that Christ had made it clear to him at his conversion that the Lord would continue to appear to him and disclose information:
"But arise and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you…" (Acts 26:16)
This continuum of revelation diverged into two basic categories, or bodies, of truth: The Gospel of the Grace of God, and the Revelation of the Mystery. The principle of these two revelations is described eloquently by Lewis Sperry Chafer:
"Unquestionably the greatest religious crisis in human history was experienced when, immediately following the death of Christ, the divine purpose was changed from the limitations of Judaism to the world-wide proclamation to Jew and Gentile alike of the infinite grace of God in and through Christ Jesus. The demand then was for a man who, under God, could receive the new divine revelation, formulate its doctrines, and contend for its claims. Saul of Tarsus was God’s chosen instrument and to him were given two distinct revelations. The first was of the gospel of the saving grace through Christ, which is stated thus: ‘But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ’ (Gal. 1:11, 12).
"The second was of the divine age in the out-calling of the Church which, so far from being a continuation of any previous plan for Jew or Gentile, is said to be a mystery or sacred secret which was hid in past ages. This new purpose was not merely that a blessing was determined for Israel or for the Gentiles—each of which has a large place in unfulfilled prophecy—but rather that out from both Jews and Gentiles a new heavenly company was to be formed. The Scripture states, ‘For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, if ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward; how that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; … which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel’ (Eph. 3:1-6). The Ephesian letter is a revelation of God’s plan in and for the Church and is thus a development of the second revelation given to the Apostle Paul."[1]
THE GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD
The first revelation, that of Christ’s work on the cross for eternal salvation, is referred to as "the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24), "the word of the cross" (1 Corinthians 1:18), and "the word of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5:19). Sometimes Paul just called it "the gospel" (Romans 1:16; Philippians 1:12). At times, Paul emphasized the fact that it had been uniquely committed to him, using the first person singular personal pronoun, calling it "my gospel" (Romans 2:16; 16:25; 2 Timothy 2:8).
This gospel was a new development in the good news of salvation for man—a development which could only be proclaimed after the cross! It is all about how the human race had been expiated, and how God had been propitiated, by the work of Christ on the cross. It is about how that work is the basis by which the righteousness of God is freely imputed to the believing sinner—and how this imputation is formally declared by a divine verdict (justification).
We must recognize that, though this message is the newest and most advanced development of the saving work of Christ, it is firmly anchored to the Old Testament predictions and types. This is why Paul wrote that the gospel message that he preached was about how Christ had died for our sins, was buried, and was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Although the ascended Christ had revealed this gospel message directly and exclusively to Paul (Galatians 1:11-12), its roots are in the Old Testament. It is the full revelation of what the Old Testament had only pointed to. But it is a revelation of the same Person—and His work—alluded to in the Hebrew Scriptures. That is why eternal salvation has always been absolutely by grace through faith; totally apart from any works whatsoever.
THE REVELATION OF THE MYSTERY
On the other hand, the great mystery which was revealed to Paul was not according to previous Scripture! It was something new and altogether different from what had previously been conveyed to man about the plan of God. Paul summarizes this mystery in the third chapter of Ephesians:
For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles--
if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace which was given to me for you; (Ephesians 3:1-2)
"Stewardship" is oikonomia, a dispensation, or administration. Paul was the one who was chosen by God to receive the details of this entirely new spiritual economy and to impart them to the members of Christ’s Body. The Apostle Paul is to this present dispensation what Moses was to the dispensation of the Law!
…that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief. (Ephesians 3:3)
The phrase, "…as I wrote before in brief…" refers to what he had written about this unique administration earlier in the epistle to the Ephesians, or perhaps even what he had written in earlier letters. Even Paul’s early epistles contained components of mystery doctrine (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:51; Romans 11:25).
By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,
which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit… (Ephesians 3:4-5)
Notice that while Paul said this dispensation was given to him—and that the mystery was revealed to him—it has now (at the time Paul was writing to the Ephesians) been revealed to the apostles and other New Testament writers "…in the Spirit." "Spirit" is locative of sphere. They received the information, not by direct revelation from Jesus Christ as had Paul (Acts 26:16)—but by the time Paul wrote Ephesians, the other apostles and New Testament prophets were receiving mystery doctrine in the sphere of the Holy Spirit—that is through the teaching ministry and writings of Paul as illuminated by the holy Spirit—just like you and I receive Bible doctrine! Or, because "Spirit" is anarthrous (without the article), it is possible that Paul had the sphere of the human spirit in mind, which is also essential in the process of the illumination of God’s Word.
…to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel… (Ephesians 3:6)
At the heart of this great revealed secret is the blessing of the Gentiles in a completely new and different way. It was never a secret that God would bless the Gentiles. That is an important feature of the prophetic Word. The Gentiles will be blessed through the overflow of blessings to Israel under the New Covenant. But that Gentiles would be blessed on an equal footing with Jews—not through Israel’s agency—that is something without precedent in the Old Testament and even in the four Gospels.
…of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God's grace which was given to me according to the working of His power.
To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ… (Ephesians 3:7-8)
"Unfathomable" is anexichniastos, an adjective which means "untrackable" or "untraceable"—something the source of which cannot be searched out. The word is from the negative particle a, plus the preposition ex; "out from," plus ichnos; "a footprint." This mystery is "not out from footprints"—that is, it cannot be traced: There is no precedent for the mystery of Christ which Paul is describing! There is no place in the Old Testament Scriptures, or in the Gospels, where you can go to find something that points to, or even relates to, what Paul is writing about. The mystery cannot be traced to anything in the Word of God before Paul.
…and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things... (Ephesians 3:9)
Paul’s burning desire was not only that members of the human race would be saved, but that they would, after being saved, be enlightened as to the mystery which had been hid for ages and generations! Regeneration makes each believer of the present dispensation a candidate for the enlightenment of mystery doctrine—which is a radical departure from anything previously revealed by God to members of the human race. Because the great mystery is so radically different from what believers had been used to under the covenant program for hundreds of years is, perhaps, why people have such a hard time with the teaching of Paul. Since many Christians look to the Law of Moses, or the Sermon on the Mount, or Pentecost, as the basis of the spiritual life, they, quite understandably, do not see how Paul’s writings can possibly “fit in.” Brian J. Dodd illustrated this well when he wrote:
"An American bishop recently told me about a fellow bishop who proudly retired without having ever preached a single sermon from the writings of 'that Paul.'"[2]
After sharing his burden for the human race regarding the dispensation of the mystery, Paul affirms something which is quite wonderful—and which should cause every believer to pause and ponder:
…so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 3:10)
Mystery doctrine has great impact on the angelic theatre! In past times, angels have been involved in the teaching of human beings (e.g. Daniel 8:16; 9:21-22; 10:14; Luke 1:26-28)—but during the present dispensation, mystery doctrine is taught to angels through human beings who learn it as they fulfill the spiritual life.
Footnotes:
1. Lewis Sperry Chafer, The Epistle to the Ephesians (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1991), pp. 13-14.
2. Brian J. Dodd, The Problem with Paul (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1996), p.11.
Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. www.lockman.org
This article is a revised excerpt from “Then the Proconsul Believed: A study of the Acts of the Apostles, Volume I—Acts Chapters 1—13,” by Lee Griffith, available free of charge, upon request.
Copyright © 2006 Lee Griffith. All rights reserved.
