I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily. The New King James Version (Col 1:24–2:1).
At the beginning of this passage, Paul clarifies that God chose him to serve as a minister for the Colossians to fulfill God's word. Paul explains that he has been given a ministry hidden from previous generations. This is a revelation that's both fascinating and significant - Paul is essentially saying that God had a previously unknown mystery, but it has now been revealed.
Paul employs the term "mystery" in his writing, yet its exact meaning may remain unclear to the reader. The Greek word used in the text is "mysterion," which serves as the origin of English words such as "mystery" and "mysterious." This term has taken on various meanings throughout history, including mystical and spiritual connotations. Nonetheless, the inquiry here is precisely what Paul intends by utilizing this term.
Interestingly, Paul uses the word "mystery" many times in the New Testament. However, we can't assume he means the same thing every time he uses it. We must examine biblical evidence to understand his meaning of "mystery" in a particular context. For example, in 1 Corinthians 2:7-8 and Romans 16:25-26, Paul refers to the mystery of God's plan of salvation for everyone, which was hidden for ages but has now been revealed through prophetic writings. Ephesians 5:32 talks about the mystery of the relationship between Christ and the church. And in Romans 11:25, he mentions the mystery of Israel's hardening of the heart. By examining these passages and others, we can better understand what Paul meant by "mystery" in different contexts.
The question is the meaning of "mystery" in the text under consideration. Contextually, both the Old and New Testaments suggest that Paul revealed that Gentiles now share the same promise as Jews, which would have been a significant revelation to the Jews.
In examining this text, several points are worth considering. First, Paul acknowledges that he lived during a time of prophetic fulfillment. Secondly, He states that he was a vessel for that prophetic fulfillment.
Through the prophets, God predicted that Gentiles would be included in His plan of salvation, and there would no longer be a division between Jews and Gentiles. This is supported by Old Testament texts such as Isaiah 11:10.
“And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, who shall stand as a banner to the people; For the Gentiles shall seek Him, And His resting place shall be glorious.” Isaiah 11:10,
Thirdly, passages in the New Testament, such as Acts 15:7-9, record the fulfillment of this prophecy through Jesus Christ. Peter speaks of God's inclusion of Gentiles, making no distinction between them and Jews and purifying their hearts through faith.
While Paul uses the word "mystery" to refer to various concepts in different contexts, in our text this morning, he refers to the unity of Jew and Gentile in Christ as a single mystery. Other New Testament passages record this prophecy's fulfillment through Jesus Christ. Consider Acts 15:7-9:
And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: “Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
The Colossian church was unique in that it was composed of Jews and Gentiles, despite the hostility between these groups during the first century, as evidenced by passages in the Gospels.
The Gospels provide several examples of this hostility, including the disciples' initial reluctance to help a Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:22-28), the surprise expressed by a Samaritan woman that Jesus would even speak to her (John 4:9), and James and John's request to call down fire from heaven to destroy Samaritans who refused to welcome them (Luke 9:51-56). Additionally, the Pharisees and scribes criticized Jesus and his disciples for not following Jewish customs and traditions in Mark 7:1-23, highlighting the tension between the two groups.
Paul, recognizing the potential for division, emphasized the unity of all believers in Christ in his letter to the Colossians. This emphasis on unity was significant given the hostility between Jews and Gentiles at the time.
To emphasize the unity of believers in Christ, Paul reaffirms that Jews and Gentiles are one in Christ, despite examples of hostility. In his letter to the Colossians, Paul refers to the "mystery" to indicate that this unity was foreordained by God and prophesied by the prophets.
By emphasizing this unity, Paul sought to prevent divisions or animosity within the Colossian church based on cultural or ethnic differences. This message is relevant to the Colossian church of Paul's day and believers today as we struggle with cultural and ethnic divides in our churches and communities.
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