What is the meaning of the following phrase: "He made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ."?
What is the mystery referred in to verse 9? Thanks.
Ephesians 1:9
ESV - 9 Making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ
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Asked September 07 2019
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Anonymous
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Aurel Gheorghe
The mystery that Paul talks about here is the Gospel (Eph 1:9,10, 3:9, 6:19; Col 1:26,27). In the NT the word “mystery” refers to something hidden that has been revealed to believers. The Greek word used here is “musterion” and literally means something that one must be taught before is fully known or understood (Acts 8:30-35. In Ephesians 1:9, Paul is saying that the Gospel has been concealed or has not been fully revealed, but when the doctrine is made known, it will be clear and easy to understand. Such was the Gospel that God charged Paul to preach to the Gentiles, which before that it was hidden to them.
Tim Maas
In my opinion, the specific "mystery" referenced in the verse cited in the question is not the gospel message itself (that is, God making salvation possible by the incarnation, death, and resurrection of His own Son), but the fact that the subsequent scope of that salvation was shown (as in Acts 10:44-48) to apply not only to Jews, but to Gentiles, as well. To me, this meaning of the word is indicated by the fact that Paul was addressing these words to Gentile Christians in Ephesus, and also by the reference in the following verse (Ephesians 1:10) to God bringing unity to all things under Christ.
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