Everyone loves a good mystery. We all enjoy watching the thrill and suspense of the unknown, whether it’s a murder plot, a spooky thriller, or a relational conflict. We totter on the edge of our seats, eyes widened, knuckles clenched, jaw tightened, caught up in the tension of the moment. What makes a mystery a mystery is the unknown. As the unknown grows and is magnified over time, the mystery deepens. As the mystery deepens, the tension rises and continues to rise to a crescendo until finally there is resolution, and the unknown becomes known. And once the unknown is made known, the mystery is no more.
God loves a mystery too. In fact, He tells us that it was His eternal purpose to predestine (1 Cor 2:7) the mystery of the gospel (Ephesians 6:19) to be hidden for ages (Ephesians 3:9). And like our mysteries, God's mystery also had people sitting on the edge of their seats, eyes widened, knuckles clenched, jaw tightened, caught up in the tension of the moment not knowing “the mystery that was kept secret for long ages” (Romans 16:25)
The Bible most often uses the term, “mystery” to refer to a secret, for ages hidden by God from the understanding of man, especially something hidden in the past, but was later revealed and made known to man.
This hidden mystery was what all the prophets, kings, righteous people and even angels longed to look into, and see, and understand (1 Peter 1:12, Luke 10:24). This mystery was undisclosed and hidden by God all through Old Testament history, but later in New Testament history was “manifested to His saints.”(Colossians 1:26)
It is very interesting to note that in Paul's writings, he tells us in Ephesians 3:9 that “this mystery had been hidden for ages,” but also had been “predestined before th(os)e [hidden] ages.” 1 Cor 2:7
From the above information, are we safe to conclude that it has been God’s plan from the beginning of time to predestine the gospel to be hidden through the ages even before those ages occurred in history? It seems so, just as it has been His plan to make the mystery known in a later time thereafter.
In the context of Colossians 1:24-29, (“the mystery had been the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints”,) is the reference in verse 26, to “the saints” a reference to the New Testament church? If so, can we conclude then that the “now” can be understood to refer to a New Testament timeline since the "now" clearly modifies "the saints," and "the saints," in the context of Colossians, is clearly a New Testament historical reference? Likewise then, can we conversely conclude that the “ages and generations” can be understood to refer to an Old Testament history timeline, thus creating an Old Testament-New Testament historical dichotomy delineating two historical eras of God's mystery, one era in which the mystery is hidden, i.e. the Old Testament history timeline, and the other era in which the mystery is revealed, i.e. the New Testament timeline?
Is this Old Testament-New Testament historical dichotomy in view in Matthew 13:17 when Jesus states, “many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it?” The "prophets" of the Old Testament timeline who did not see and hear Jesus, and the "you" (disciples) of the New Testament timeline who did see and hear Jesus.
Is this Old Testament-New Testament historical dichotomy also in view in 1 Peter 1:10-12 when Peter comments on the salvation offered through Jesus in the gospel?
“Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.”
Is this mystery also what Paul refers to in his Romans 9-11 section of his letter to the Romans? Is the mystery of the gospel related to the nation of Israel rejecting the gospel of Jesus and therefore Paul offering the gospel to the Gentiles? (Acts 13:46) Is this mystery “the hardening of Israel” (Romans 11:25) thus providing “the time of the Gentiles (Luke 21:24) until the full number of Gentiles has come in?” (Romans 11:25)
There is consistency here and it does make sense, especially in light of Paul’s declaration that through the New Testament era “preaching of Jesus Christ, the revelation of the mystery is no longer kept hidden as it had been in long ages past.” (Romans 16:25)
Also, Paul tells us in Colossians 4:3 and Ephesians 3:9 that his New Testament era ministry is to “declare the mystery of Christ” in order to “bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God.”
In fact, Paul also tells us that he was specifically given the New Testament era stewardship of preaching and declaring the revelation of this mystery, a stewardship that was given to him by God’s grace. Ephesians 3:1-11 is a foundational theological text for the basis of such thinking.
“Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus
It is this “mystery of [God's] his will, according to His purpose, which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time” that unites all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. (Ephesians 1:10)
If so, can we also conclude that this mystery then unites both Old Testament and New Testament histories; the one history, referring to Old Testament saints who have died in faith and are now in heaven, and the other, referring to New Testament saints who are currently alive on earth through faith. Is the secret that was hidden during the Old Testament period revealed now in the New Testament?
Perhaps the purpose and plan of God’s mystery is the reason that Paul is so exuberant with his doxology punctuating his Romans 9-11 section? In Romans 11:33-36, Paul writes,
Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?”
“Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?” For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.
If so, then are Paul’s opening remarks in Romans 1:16 also an indicator of this Old Testament-New Testament historical dichotomy? Rather than being ashamed of the hardening of the Jews, who are God's elect, could it be that Paul is precisely excited about this revelation of the mystery in the New Testament era…that now, by the power of the gospel, God is also able to save the Gentiles during their own specific time (Luke 21:24) by the same faith offered to the Jews in the Old Testament, albeit after the Jews who were the first to hope in Christ (Ephesians 1:12).
This secret, i.e., that the Gentiles have always been part of God’s plan for salvation, even though hidden during the Old Testament era, is now revealed in the New Testament era. This is the biblical use of the term, “mystery.”
One final thought to consider is both Luke’s and Simeon’s response to the baby Jesus as he is presented to Simeon for consecration to the Lord. (Luke 2:25-32)
Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss[d] your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”
Luke prefaces Simeon’s response to seeing the baby Jesus for the first time by setting up a Messianic context by describing Simeon as man waiting for “the consolation of Israel,” a definite Messianic reference. Then Luke goes on to describe Simeon even more clearly as a man who “would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.” So we are definitely in a discussion about the Messiah in the context of the baby Jesus.
The background that Luke prepares for the reader is a definite and purposeful indication that Simeon is a man who is waiting for a revelation of the Messiah. The question to be asked here is why the wait? What does the wait indicate? The answer to that question could be right there in the context of Luke’s story. Twice in this short section, both Luke and Simeon use the word “revelation”, an indication of something being hidden or a “mystery” not yet revealed. Could it be that Simeon is waiting for the revelation of the Messiah?
Does Luke purposely set up his story to indicate that what is currently hidden from Simeon is about to be revealed? That is exactly what Luke says about Simeon, (It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah), and what Simeon says about Jesus, (For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”)
The revelation of this mystery is ultimately on behalf of the Gentiles. Simeon who was first and foremost a Jewish worshipper, is now conferring Messianic status onto the baby Jesus as the one to be a light to the Gentiles. First to the Jew and then to the Gentile.
Does not Luke’s account of this story indicate yet another illustration of this Old Testament-New Testament historical dichotomy?
If one adopts this understanding of The Mystery Hidden For Ages, with its Old Testament-New Testament historical dichotomy, then this understanding lends additional weight to the biblical interpretation that God's ultimate plan and purpose is reaching the nations (Gentiles), who were the focus of all Old Testament history (as the Jewish nation was specifically chosen to be a light for all the nations. - Deuteronomy 7:7-8, Isaiah 49:6)
If so, then I too exuberantly say, “Amen.”