Is the gospel a mystery?

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Did the Apostle Paul say the gospel was a mystery not revealed in other ages?

Does this verse mean the gospel is a mystery that was hidden from previous generations?

How that by revelation he made known unto me  the mystery;  (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in  the mystery of Christ) 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; (Ephesians 3:3-5)

No, the gospel was not a mystery. This would go against almost everything in the Bible. The gospel had been promised by the prophets in the holy scriptures. When Jesus Christ revealed himself to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, he rebuked them for being slow to believe all that the prophets had spoken. Then, he explained to them everything Moses and all the Prophets had said concerning himself (Luke 24). I can’t wait to hear that podcast in heaven.

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,  (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;  And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: (Romans 1:1-6)

  • Are you a child of Abraham by promise?
  • What is the gospel?
  • Search the Scriptures … they give you eternal life (John 5:39)
  • Read the Scriptures (John 7:52)
  • The Berean Jews … received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day (Acts 17:11)
  •  The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us (Deut 29:29)
  • All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, (2 Tim 3:16)
  • When you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it [as] the word of God (1 Thess 2:13)
  • Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. (Rom 10:17)
  • The promises didn’t do them a bit of good because they didn’t receive the promises with faith. (Heb 4:2)
  • For the word of God is living and active. (Heb 4:12)
  • They have divine power to demolish strongholds (2 Cor 10:4)
  • Is not My word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that smashes a rock?” (Jer 23:29)
  • Stand Your Ground (in the Full Armor of God)

What was the mystery?

When in doubt, always read the context of a passage. Always read what comes before. Always read what comes after. This will solve almost every enigma in the Bible. In this case, the very next verse makes it abundantly clear. What was the mystery?

 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:  Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. (Ephesians 3:6-7)

sunklēronomos (4789): coheirs.
This noun means a person inherits something along with someone else, often with the sense that the coheir is included as a gracious gift. The second party is a full participant in the inheritance, receiving the same benefit as the original heir.
see Rom 8:17; Eph 3:6; Heb 11:9; 1 Pet 3:7 (New Living Translation (NLT) Study Bible Notes)

The mystery was a truth so stupendous, so incredible, so amazing, that the Jews couldn’t believe it. God was going to make one church with both Jew and Gentile fellowheirs together.

  • Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you. (Habakkuk 1:5)
  • Stop and be astonished; blind yourselves and be sightless; be drunk, but not with wine; stagger, but not from strong drink. (Isaiah 29:9)
  • Therefore I will again confound these people with wonder upon wonder. The wisdom of the wise will perish, and the intelligence of the intelligent will be hidden. (Isaiah 29:14)
  • Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish; for I am doing a work in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.'” (Acts 13:41)
  • O LORD, I have heard the report of You; I stand in awe, O LORD, of Your deeds. Revive them in these years; make them known in these years. In Your wrath, remember mercy! (Habakkuk 3:2)
  • For in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak a message and bring it to pass, declares the Lord GOD.'” (Ezekiel 12:25)
  • What is the One True Church?
  • Don’t Blame God for Religious Confusion

Are you living the mystery?

If we believe this, how can there be divisions among Christians? How can one Christian say to another Christian, I don’t need you? Even if we disagree on fundamental doctrinal issues, don’t we worship the same God, don’t we belong to the same body, aren’t we going to be together forever?

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2 Replies to “Is the gospel a mystery?”

  1. If Paul was preaching the unsearchable hidden in God mystery of Ephesians 3 during Acts why did Paul say in Acts 26 that he spoke NONE OTHER THINGS THAN MOSES AND THE PROPHETS SAID WOULD COME?

    • Greetings Tim,

      Thank you for taking the time to ask such an interesting question. I hope this short answer helps.

      The apparent discrepancy between the Apostle Paul’s preaching of the “mystery” revealed in Ephesians 3 and his assertion in Acts 26:22 that he spoke “none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come” can be understood in the context of the unfolding revelation of God’s plan throughout biblical history.

      1. Promise of a Prophet like Moses: In Deuteronomy 18:15, God promises to raise up a prophet like Moses, who the people should listen to. Jesus is the fulfillment of this prophecy, as He came to teach, lead, and mediate a new covenant between God and humanity, much like Moses did for the Israelites.
      2. Faith to the Gentiles: The promise that the Gentiles would come to faith is woven throughout the Old Testament. Notably, the prophet Isaiah speaks frequently of the inclusion of the Gentiles. Isaiah 42:6 and 49:6, for instance, describe the servant of the Lord as a light to the Gentiles, indicating that God’s salvation will reach to the ends of the earth. This inclusion is not seen as a replacement of Israel but as an extension of God’s grace and covenant with Abraham, which promised that through him all the nations of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:3).
      3. Provoking Israel to Jealousy: This theme is explicitly articulated by Paul in Romans 11:11, where he states that one of the outcomes of Gentile salvation is to provoke Israel to jealousy. This idea can be traced back to Deuteronomy 32:21, where God says He will provoke Israel to jealousy with a “non-nation” and anger them with a “foolish nation.” Paul sees the acceptance of the Gospel by the Gentiles as fulfilling this prophetic warning, serving as a divine strategy to reawaken Israel to the fidelity of God and His promises.
      4. Paul’s Commission: Jesus commissioned Paul to preach to the Gentiles, revealing the mystery that had been hidden for ages—that in Christ, Jews and Gentiles would be united in one body, the church, as co-heirs and partakers of the promise (Ephesians 3:6).
      5. Paul’s Affirmation: When Paul says in Acts 26:22 that he was not teaching anything beyond what Moses and the prophets had foretold, he is emphasizing the continuity of his message with the Hebrew Scriptures. The “mystery” of the church, while not explicitly detailed in the Old Testament, is not contrary to it. Instead, it is the culmination of the promises made to Abraham, that through his offspring, all nations on earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:3). The Old Testament laid the groundwork for this revelation, through prophecies and symbols that pointed to a future where God would extend His salvation beyond the borders of Israel.

      Therefore, Paul’s assertion is not a contradiction but rather a declaration that his teachings about the church and the inclusion of the Gentiles in God’s plan are in harmony with the overarching narrative of Scripture. The mystery of the church was indeed hidden in previous ages but was always part of God’s plan, hinted at throughout the Old Testament and fully revealed in Christ and through the apostles.

      The Apostle Paul’s teachings, as he explains in Acts 26:22, align with the messages of Moses and the prophets, emphasizing continuity with the Hebrew Scriptures. This includes the mysterious inclusion of Gentiles, as revealed in Ephesians 3, which, though previously hidden, was always part of God’s plan hinted throughout the Old Testament. Key themes include the promise of a prophet like Moses (Jesus), the extension of God’s blessings to the Gentiles, and the unity of Jews and Gentiles in the church. Paul’s mission to the Gentiles and his message of their inclusion in God’s salvation were intended to provoke Israel to jealousy, as foretold in Deuteronomy 32:21, ultimately fulfilling God’s promise to bless all nations through Abraham and rekindling Israel’s zeal for God.