This post is Day 16 in a series of studies about “Mysteries and Secrets”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

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Mysteries and Secrets – Day 16

The word mystery is used 4 times in the first few verses of this chapter of Ephesians. The same word appears 7 times in this short epistle. We can get the impression that Paul was feeling that he did not know how to explain everything when he wrote this letter.

Ephesians 3:9

… to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.

The Thought

The word mystery is used 4 times in the first few verses of this chapter, and the same word appears 7 times in this short epistle. We can get the impression that Paul was feeling that he didn’t know how to explain everything when he wrote this letter. Maybe he was finding it difficult to describe to the readers exactly who Jesus was and why He came! Difficult too to explain the differences that knowing Jesus had made to his own life.

But theologically Paul could tell of his own conversion, and explain how this Messiah had totally changed his life, once he had understood the mystery that Jesus came for everyone, not just the Israelites!

Earlier in the chapter Paul explains that the mystery is that through the gospel message, Gentiles and Jews can all be saved. That was the game-changer for him.

Paul is telling us also that to solve a mystery takes time and effort. The whole idea of a mystery in a book or a play is to keep the reader or audience attentive to the end when all will be revealed. In the same way, even for many who have been believers a long time, there is a mystery which will not be fully solved until Christ comes again in victory riding a white horse described for us in Revelation 19.

Action

Read Ephesians 3 today and notice Paul’s use of the word mystery. Think about the things you consider to be mysterious about Jesus.

Are there things you don’t understand? Then ask someone you trust to help you see clearly what they could mean for you today. The same words may mean something different next week, because the word of God is living and active (Hebrews 4:12).

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