The church is the body and bride of Christ. It occupies an exceptional place in God’s dealings, being heavenly in calling, and differs from everything related to or foretold in the Old Testament. Not only did the church not exist in Old Testament times, but it was not foretold. Though God’s purposes about it were formed “before the foundation of the world,” they were hidden “from ages and from generations” till His own time for revealing them.
These secret counsels of God are called mysteries in Scripture. In the language of the New Testament, a mystery is simply a secret revealed only to initiated persons. God had reserved a secret to be communicated to us — a secret which He had not made known even to the most favored ones in past ages. How sweet to see this! God has adopted us as His children, Christ has purchased us as His bride, and the secrets, hidden even from the most honored of His servants and friends, are now breathed into the ear and heart of the church.
This Mystery
These mysteries relate partly to the kingdom and partly to the church. That there would be a kingdom of the heavens, in which evil would be allowed during its formation, was a secret unknown to the prophets. This is the mystery disclosed in the parable of the wheat and the tares. But there is also a secret connected with the church or assembly. We read that God “did visit the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name” (Acts 15:1414Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. (Acts 15:14)), for He had announced by the prophets that His name would be called upon by the Gentiles. But the Scriptures are quoted here only to prove that God had never intended to confine His blessings to Israel. In writing to the Romans, the Apostle says, “I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in” (Rom. 11:2525For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. (Romans 11:25)). It had been revealed that God would be merciful to the Gentiles, but that God was setting aside the Jews for the very purpose of gathering a people out of the Gentiles, and that until this was fully accomplished the blessing of Israel must be postponed, was a “mystery” on which the Old Testament Scriptures were wholly silent.
Israel’s Blessing
The Old Testament, which unfolds God’s plans concerning the world, shows the converse of this. There God is dealing with His earthly people Israel, and the Gentiles are used to provoke them to jealousy. But the New Testament reveals God’s heavenly purposes. The gathering of the church, instead of occupying a mere gap in God’s earthly designs, is the grand object of all His counsels. In the Old Testament, Gentile blessing is named, but as waiting upon God’s thoughts about Israel. In the New Testament, Israel’s blessing is named, but as waiting upon God’s thoughts about the church. The Old Testament shows a people who were the objects of God’s counsels “from the foundation of the world,” but the New Testament shows a people who were the objects of God’s counsels “before the foundation of the world” (Matt. 25:3434Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: (Matthew 25:34); Eph. 1:44According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: (Ephesians 1:4)). In God’s earthly plans, everything yields to the former; in His heavenly plans everything yields to the latter. But as the heavenly people had the first and highest place in God’s thoughts, the earthly people must stand aside until His purposes concerning these are fully accomplished.
The Dispensation of God
In writing to the Colossians, Paul speaks of “the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill [complete] the word of God, even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to His saints; to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in [or among] you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:25-2725Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; 26Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 27To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: (Colossians 1:25‑27)). The mystery was therefore needed “to complete the word of God.” It was the presence of Christ in or among believers, as the hope of glory. The word does not say that the mystery was the presence of Christ among the Gentiles, but “among you” — that is, in the church. Christ’s presence among the Jews was foretold, but now His presence is revealed in an assembly outside Judaism, where Jew and Gentile were unknown.
More than this, Christ’s presence, foretold by the prophets, was not a hope of glory, but glory itself. When Christ reigns among the Jews, He will be their glory — “a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel” (Luke 2:3232A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. (Luke 2:32)). Now, however, instead of glorifying those among whom He has taken His abode, He only gives them “the hope of glory.” At present they are members of His body. But the sufferings of that body are not yet filled up, and believers are now called out to fellowship with His sufferings, though with the blessed and assured hope of soon sharing His glory. This is another feature of the mystery now revealed to the saints.
Fellow-Heirs — One Body
In Ephesians the mystery is thus described: “That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel” (Eph. 3:66That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: (Ephesians 3:6)). This is called “the mystery of Christ.” What, then, does it teach? We learn from the immediate context what this body is, in which Jew and Gentile are incorporated, and find that it is none other than the body of Christ Himself. “He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances, for to make in Himself of twain one new man” (Eph. 2:14-1514For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; (Ephesians 2:14‑15)). Both Jew and Gentile are taken out of their old condition and brought into an entirely new one. The two classes of Jew and Gentile still exist in the world, but God has taken a number out of each and has formed a new class, the body of Christ, in which all distinctions are done away. The three divisions which God now owns are the Jew, the Gentile and the church of God (1 Cor. 10:32).
Afterwards, in the same epistle, Paul writes, “We are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery; but I speak concerning Christ and the church” (Eph. 5:30-3230For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. (Ephesians 5:30‑32)). Here, then, the mystery is expressly stated to be the union of Christ and the church, so that they are “one flesh,” and so that believers are “members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.”
Distinguishing Features
of the Mystery
In whatever light, therefore, the church is regarded, it is spoken of as a mystery. Whether as the thing which God is now doing among the Gentiles during the time of Israel’s rejection, as the place in which Christ now makes His spiritual abode, as the body in which Jew and Gentile are alike incorporated on an entirely new ground, or as the bride, joined in one flesh with Christ Himself, it is a new thing, a secret “hid from ages and from generations.” This mystery is outside the sphere of God’s earthly dealings and reserved for the ear of those whom God has brought into relationship with His Son in heavenly glory.
Such, then, was the mystery now revealed to the church. Doubtless there are other mysteries disclosed in the New Testament also. There is “the mystery of iniquity,” “the mystery of godliness,” and the mystery of Christ’s special and separate return for His saints. In these as in other cases where the word is used, it is some new revelation suited to the heavenly character of the church, or to the present nature of God’s dealings viewed as an interruption of the course of earthly events foretold in the old prophets.
Heavenly and Earthly
But this special mystery committed to the Apostle Paul — why was it kept a secret? Because it is a heavenly thing — the subject of God’s heavenly counsels, whereas the purpose of the Old Testament prophecies is to make known His earthly counsels. This is of great importance as showing how completely the church lies outside the world. It has a different origin, it is revealed at a different time, it cherishes a different hope, it belongs to a different sphere. Instead of inheriting the Old Testament promises and fulfilling the Old Testament prophecies, it forms the most absolute contrast with them that the mind can conceive. So different are they that the two cannot exist together. While God’s purposes about the earth were being unfolded, the mystery of the church was hidden. When the mystery of the church was unfolded, the purposes about the earth were suspended. The church is associated with Christ in heaven; Israel is associated with Him on earth. The church knows Him in His sufferings and patience; Israel will know Him in His exaltation and power. The church rejoices in Him as the bride in her bridegroom; Israel will rejoice in Him as a nation in her sovereign. The church looks for Him to take her to heaven; Israel looks for Him to establish her in the earth. Such is our heavenly portion in contrast with even the most favored of the earthly people.
Paul’s Ministry
Earnest as Paul was in seeking souls, this magnificent subject of “the mystery of Christ” was never absent from his heart. If he prayed for the establishment of saints, it was according to the mystery. If he would have them “knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding,” it is “to the acknowledgment of the mystery.” If he requests their prayers, it is “that God would open unto us a door of utterance to speak the mystery.” If he would have the real character of the truth committed to him understood, it is that God had by revelation made known unto him the mystery. Surely if our hearts were more in tune with the mind of God and with the affections of Christ, this wondrous theme would fill us with never-ceasing worship and delight.
T. B. Baines, adapted