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"THE MYSTERY”
Excerpts from the articles published by the Rev. E. W. Bullinger, D.D. in Things To Come (1895-1896).
[Note: Though appearing in separate installments, each will be found to be complete in itself. Here we start with the Third Paper, then with the Fourth and Fifth Papers, which contain the core of the teaching for the
Preface:
One aspect of "The Mystery" that was well written by the Dr. A.E. Wilder-Smith is the next: "The Bible teaches us that we are the living lessons that God uses to demonstrate His divine wisdom to the angelic beings as He works in us. How God deals with us in this world demonstrates His character to the angels!".
Introductory thoughts taken from the end of the Fifth Paper:
Have we not here a practical subject for our own hearts? What is our condition before God? Are we taken up with "bodies” and divisions, which men have made, and called by their own names, or the names which man has given them? If so, we too are not, spiritually, in a proper condition to hear or receive "the Mystery of God.”
No wonder the blessed truth so early dropped out of the creed of the
Oh, to get back to this primitive truth! Here, and here alone, is the secret of Re-union; for though scattered amongst the sects, and regarded by men as totally separated, the members of this Body are already and really "One in Christ.” This is the only real union that exists in the world, and the more truly believers can now realize their position as "dead with Christ,” "risen with Christ,” and thus "One with Christ,” and "in Christ,” the more real unity will there be amongst the members themselves, one with another.
(Third Paper, Things to Come, Nov. 1895, 2(5):90-92))
2) THE GREAT SECRET.
There are three important Scriptures in which the "great” secret is specially and formally revealed. And there are others which contain definite teaching concerning it, receiving light from it, and throwing light upon it. We will consider each in due order.
(a) Passages which formally reveal the secret.
"Who now rejoice in my sufferings for your shake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking (behind) of the afflictions of Christ (i.e., the Christ, of whom the body is composed by the Ecclesia, not the personal) in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church: Whereof I was (am) made a minister, according to the dispensation (marg. stewardship) of God which is given to me for you (to you-ward), to fulfill (A.V. marg. fully preach) the Word of God; even the mystery (i.e., the secret) which hath been hid from all ages and from generations: but now is made manifest (hath it been manifested) to His saints, to whom God was pleased to (would) make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery (or secret) among the Gentiles; which is Christ in (A.V. marg. among) you, the hope of glory, whom we proclaim (preach), warning (admonishing) every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom.”
In chap. 2:2 The Apostle strives "that they being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding that they may know (or have full knowledge of) the mystery (or secret) of God, even Christ [Note – The Greek here is very confused by different Scribes, owing to their ignorance of the Mystery. All Textual critics agree in rejecting the words "and of the Father and of Christ.” See R.V margin.], in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden.”
Here, we learn that this secret had never before been made known, and that to make it known was to "fully preach the Word of God.” Hence, to-day, the Word of God is not "fully preached” unless the Secret be proclaimed.
Rom. 16:25, 26 (KJV with R.V.)
[Notice that the structure of the epistle to the Romans is an Epanodos, i.e. the end corresponds with the beginning; and the opening words are to be compared with the closing words. A remarkable contrast is thus observed: -
At the beginning, we have "The Gospel of God,” promised before by His prophets in the Holy Scriptures.
At the end, "The Mystery”, which had been kept secret since the world began.]
"Now to Him that is of power (is able) to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery (i.e., the secret), which was (had been) kept secret (in silence) since the world began (through times eternal), but now is made manifest (manifested), and by (margin, through) the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting (eternal) God, is made known (un)to all nations for the (unto) obedience of faith” (i.e. on the principle of faith-obedience).
Here, observe, that the same secret is referred to as being made known by a special revelation, and as having been kept in eternal silence, not a word having been breathed concerning it before.
We get here an additional fact: In Col. 1, it was revealed in the first instance to the Apostle Paul. Here it is made known also by "prophetic writings.”
There is no article used with either "writings” or "prophets.” These were not the Old Testament writings, because they are only "now… made known.” They are not the Old Testament prophets, because the word is not propheetōn, but propheetikōn; not the noun but the adjective, and should be rendered "by means of prophetic writings.”
These writings were given through the prophets in the early days of the Church.
The Lord Jesus had said, "Behold I send unto you prophets” (Matt. 23:34); "I will send them prophets and apostles” (Luke 11:49). This promise was duly fulfilled, for we read in Ephesians 4:8, 11, "When He ascended up on high He lead captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men,… and He gave some apostles, and some prophets…”
[It would take us too far from our subject to go into this question as it deserves. We give the following points as suggestive of further study –
(1) The existence of such an order of ministry, Barnabas, Acts 4:36; Stephen, Acts 6:10, 15; Agabus, Acts 11:28; 21:10; Silvanus, Silas, and Judas, acts 15:32; Manaen and Lucius of Cyrene, Acts 13:1; Thymothy, a "Man of God,” 1 Tim. 6:11; 2 Tim. 3:17 (compare Deut. 33:1, and 2 Kings 4:7, &c.); the daughters of Philip the Evangelist, Acts 21:8; others, Acts 8:17; 10:44-46; 19:6.
(2) The exhortations addressed to and respecting these prophets, "Quench not the spirit; despise not prophesying” (1 Thess. 5:20), i.e., Do not suppress or stifle the workings of the spirit in these prophets. "Prophesy according to the proportion of faith,” (Rom. 12:6. Note also the abuse of prophetic gifts at
(3) The examples of prophetic power: Acts 5:4; 1 Tim. 1:18; Acts 13:2; 1 Cor. 14:24, 25; Acts 21:10-14; 1 Tim. 4:1.
(4) Like Old Testament prophets their great trials were the false prophets (Jer. 5:31). See 1 Cor. 12:3; Col. 2:18; 1 Tim. 4:1; 1 John 4:1-3.]
In 2 Peter 1:19, we have a reference to "the prophetic word” of these prophets, and a contrast also with the Old Testament prophecy in verse 21. In 3:16, also, it may be these writings which are referred to.
Ephesians 3:1-11 (KJV with R.V.)
"For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus (Jesus Christ) for (in behalf of) you Gentiles, -If so be that ye have heard of the dispensation (marg. stewardship) of the (that) grace of God,was) given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he (was) made known unto me the mystery (i.e., the secret); (as I wrote afore, in few words, whereby, when ye read, ye can (may) understand (perceive) my knowledge (understanding) in the mystery (or secret) of (or concerning) Christ); Which in other generations (ages) was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is (hath) now (been) revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets by (as A. V., rather than in) the Spirit(: to wit,); That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and (fellow-members) of the same body (i.e., a joint-body), and (fellow-)partakers of his (the) promise in Christ (Jesus) by the Gospel: Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the (that) grace of God(, which was) given unto me (through the Gospel) by the (according to the) effectual working of His power.
Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is (was) this grace given, that I should (to) preach among (unto) the Gentiles the unsearchable (the untrackable) riches of Christ; And to make all men see (Greek, to enlighten all as to) what is the dispensation (marg. stewardship) (fellowship) of the mystery (the secret), which from the beginning of the world (all ages) hath been hid in God, who created all things, [by Jesus Christ]:
To the intent that now unto the principalities and (the) powers in (the) heavenly places might be (made) known through (by) the Church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose (marg., purpose of the ages) which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” which is (
This is the scripture which more fully than any other gives the particulars concerning the revelation of the Great Secret.
"As it is (hath) now (been) revealed.” This cannot possibly mean, as some have thought, that it had been revealed before in a certain manner, but not in the same manner as it is now. Because it is distinctly and emphatically declared again and again, here and elsewhere, that it had not been revealed at all.
"That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and (fellow-members) of the same body (i.e., a joint-body).” "Fellow members of the body – sussōmos.” This is a peculiar ecclesiastical word which occurs only here. It does not mean that there was a body already previously in existence and that others became afterwards in due time members of it. But that these, with Jewish believers (2:13-15), should form a joint-body, being made in Christ – "Of twain, one new man.” (Eph.2:15).
There can be no doubt form this scripture that we have not a mere reference to the Gospel. The Gospel was never kept a secret. The good news of salvation through Christ alone, the seed of the woman, was revealed from the earliest times (Gen. 3:15), and it was preached unto Abraham (Gal. 3:8).
Neither could it have been the mere fact that Gentiles were to be blessed with
The prophets of
"God be merciful unto us and bless us :
And cause His face to shine upon us,
That Thy way may be known upon earth
Thy saving health among all nations” (Psalm 67:1, 2).
In Romans 15:8, &c. (R.V.), it is distinctly declared that "Christ hath been made a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, that He might confirm the promises given to the fathers, and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy” : as it is written (not as it hath been kept secret !)
"Pss 18:49: Therefore will I give thanks (praise) unto thee, O LORD, among the Gentiles (the heathen), and sing praises unto thy name.”
And again He saith:
"Deut 32:43a: Rejoice, O ye Gentiles (nations), with his people”;
and again :
"Pss 57:9: I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations (Gentiles)”;
and again Isaiah saith :
"Isa 11:10: And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people (He that ariseth to rule over the Gentiles); to it shall the Gentiles seek (hope): and his rest shall be glorious.”
Such passages might be multiplied, but there is one (Is. 49:6) which very solemnly connects Gentile blessing with the atoning work of Christ : -
"Isa 49:6: And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of
No wonder Simeon said (Luke 2:29-32) : -
"Lk 2:29: Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, According to Thy word:
Lk 2:30: For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation,
Lk 2:31: Which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
Lk 2:32: (To be) a light to lighten the Gentiles (R.V. for the revelation of the Gentiles. (marg., the unveiling of the Gentiles)), and the glory of Thy people
Gentile blessing was no more a secret than
Language is useless if such expressions can possibly refer to that which was never hidden; never kept in silence; but was "made known” from the earliest times.
No ! this was the secret : that a people should be taken out from among both Jews and Gentiles, who should with Christ be made (sussōmos) a joint-body in Christ (Eph. 3:9) a Body of which Christ should be the glorious head in heaven, and His people – the members of that body on the earth – "one new man.”
This was the secret which was revealed to God’s "holy apostles and prophets by the spirit,” and which had never entered into the heart or mind of mortal mind, - CHRIST’S BODY.
(Fourth Paper, Things to Come, Dec. 1895, 2(6):102-105))
(IV). THE BODY OF CHRIST
This brings us to consider the "great” secret – "The Body of Christ,” "Christ and the Chruch” – Christ, the glorious Head of the Body in heaven, and His people the members of it on the earth.
Twice it is called "great” – the "great” secret. In Eph. 5:32 and 1 Tim. 3:16. Not a word was heard of this until it was specially revealed to and through the Apostle Paul. We have considered the three great Scriptures wherein this special revelation is contained.
(1) THE CONSTITUTION OF THE BODY.
There are two other scriptures which further develop the special figure under which the secret is presented, viz., a Body. These are 1 Cor. 12 and Rom. 12. In the former of these the subject is most completely set forth, in the following manner :-
A/ 12:1-11. THE CHURCH and the nine spiritual evidences (manifestation) given to it. Nine enumerations.
B/ 12:12-17. THE BODY. Its unity.
B/ 12:18-27. THE BODY. Its members.
A/ 12:28-31. THE CHURCH and nine spiritual matters exemplified.
Here in A and A we have the Church – while in B and B we have the Body – to illustrate the blessed unity which exists betwixt Christ and His people.
"For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ” (or lit. "The Christ”) verse 12. This cannot of course be Christ Personal; it can be only the Body of Christ.
And how do saved sinners become members of this wondrous Body? Not according to the tenets of a Semi-Pelagian and Arminian Gospel, but according to the Free Grace of God: "for in one spirit are we all (i.e., the writer, and the "saints” to whom he wrote, and all of whom it can be said that they are) baptized into one Body,… and have all been made to drink into one spirit.” This is the source whence the unity and oneness of the Body springs.
The members of the Body of Christ are those who have believed God’s testimony (as Abraham believed it), as to their lost condition as sinners, as to the great salvation which is in Christ the Savior; and who have reckoned themselves as having died when He died, and risen again when He rose; thus identified with Christ (not in His incarnation, which is the modern heresy, but) in His death and resurrection. This is the truth which is bound up with the meaning of "the Body of Christ.” One part of a body cannot die, and the rest of the body go on living: one member cannot be amputated, and yet the body be a complete body. Hence, the expression "in Christ’ means to be in Christ’s Body. There is no other way of being "in Christ.” We cannot be in Christ personal, we can be "in Christ” only by being members of His Body. Therefore, if we are "in Him” – when He, the Head, died; then we, the members, must, in the eternal purpose and judgment of God, have died in Him. When He, the Head, rose again; then we, the members, must be risen in Him. If He, the Head, is in Heaven; then we, the members, are seated in the heavenlies in Him.
We must not stop to follow out this wondrous truth, but we must surely be arrested by the thought, and ask, Are all who "profess and call themselves Christians” really members of Christ’s Body? Have they by faith reckoned themselves to be dead and risen with Christ? Do they all know that having died with Christ they need not die at all? Do you rejoice in the fact that death and judgment are past and over for the members of Christ’s Body? Are they aware that the end of the Body of Christ is that the body will be "received up in glory” – to meet the descending Lord? Is this the hope of the great multitude of professors? It is not for us to judge individuals, but this we know as a fact, that the "gathering together with Christ on the clouds” (the, so called "Rapture”) is a truth which concerns only the Body of Christ! and therefore whether all Christians will be taken up when Christ comes forth into the air; or whether any will be left, becomes a most solemn question, demands a searching consideration, and calls for a serious answer.
The day is drawing near when the Body will be completed, and the members gathered together as one. But now they are in tribulation. Oh what grief and bitterness and murmuring and discontent is manifested as to the position which the members occupy in the Body! They forget that it does not say, they have been placed "as it hath pleased them,” but it is written "God hath set the members, every one of them in the Body, as it hath pleased Him” (verse 18).
Now, the members judge one another, some they "think to be less honorable” than others. Ah! Foolish thinkers. It matters not what "we think,” but what they are in God’s esteem.
And then, what a precious lesson we lose through our selfishness. We read (verse 26) "if one member suffer all the members suffer with it,” and we restrict this to the mutual sympathy of the members, to the exclusion of the Head. The truth is, He suffered, and we suffered with Him. He is honoured, and we are honoured in Him. "It is a faithful saying: for if we be dead with Him, we shall also live with Him. If we suffer with Him, we shall also reign with Him” (2 Tim. 2:11, 12). And what is more – there is that precious truth in 1 Cor. 12:21. The Head cannot say to the feet, "I have no need of you.” How wonderful that the great and glorious Head in heaven cannot say to the weakest, feeblest, humblest, member upon earth, "I have no need of you.” It is too wonderful for us to comprehend; but so it is, and we can only bow our heads, and worship.
(2) THE GROWTH OF THE BODY.
We read in Eph. 1:22, 23, that this all comes from the Head in heaven. He has been exalted by God who "gave Him to be the Head over all things to the Church which is His Body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all,” i.e., all [the members of His Body] with all [spiritual gifts and graces]. This is exactly what is expressed in 2 Cor. 12:6 "There are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all [these gifts] in all [the members of His Body].” There is not force in the expression "all in all” unless we supply the necessary words of this elliptical term from the immediate context.
The Head of the natural body is physiologically the source of all feeling and influence to the whole natural body. The brain is not confined to the head. The nerves (though slightly different in structure, the chief difference being that the nerve fibers are insulated by a sheath in the members, but not in the brain) are the continuation of the brain, and they keep up a mysterious connection between the head and all the members of the body. And when a member is injured or in pain, a message is at once sent up to the brain, and succor and sympathy are immediately given. It is probably this connection that is referred in those physiological verses which, whatever be their meaning, we believe to be in advance of human science. IT is this which causes the present renderings to be so unintelligible, and which renders their correct translations so difficult. We will try and make it clear by giving our own version. The first is
Ephesians 4:16.
The subject is "the building up of the Body of Christ” (verse 12), "unto a perfect man” (verse 13), that the members "may grow up into Him in all things which is the Head, even Christ, from whom the whole body continually fitted together and compacted by every sensation of the supply, according to a working corresponding to the measure of each individual part, brings about the growth of the body with a view to the building up of itself in love.”
"Fitted together and compacted by every sensation”. The Greek word haphee, a touching, Lat. Junctura, occurs only here and in the other passage (Col. 2:19). It is not a "joint,” but a nexus, or connection, by which supply is passed on from one organ to another! And not so much the parts in contact, not so much the actual touching of the parts as the mutual relation between them. Galen (second century, B.C.) says the body "owes its compactness partly to the articulation (arthron), and partly to the attachment (sumphusis, symphosis).” Aristotle (A.D. 356) speaks of two kinds of union, contact and (symphusis) cohesion. So that it is the contact between the various parts which conveys the necessary supply, with special reference to the adaptation and mutual sympathy and influence of the parts in contact. Aristotle speaks of this as patheetika (full of feeling, or sensitive), and we have tried to express it all by the word "sensation.”
The other passage is
COLOSSIANS 2:19.
"The Head, from which (or from Whom) all the body through the junctures and ligaments being bountifully supplied, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God,” i.e., the increase wrought by God.
"Ligaments”. Galen uses the word generally to denote any connecting muscles, or tendons, and of ligaments properly so-called.
It is not merely unity which is taught here, but growth. This is the ultimate result of the intermediate processes. The origin of al is God, who hath given Christ to be the Head over all things to this wondrous Body. Christ, the Head, is the source of all, but the members of the Body are made and used as deliverers of communication in their mutual relation to Him and to one another.
The discoveries of modern physiology both give and receive light from the marvelous accuracy of these divine words. But the words of the holy spirit here are connected directly with spiritual truth. He goes on at once to teach the important truth and to draw the practical conclusion in the next chapter (Col. 3).
"If ye died with Christ,” why are ye subject to the ordinances of man? Why do you allow men to bind you with vows and pledges and badges, saying to you, "Touch not, taste not, and handle not”? All these things perish, as man’s commandments and doctrines perish. And if this be so, if ye died jointly with Christ from the elements of the world; if ye were raised (not have been raised) jointly with Christ, what follows? Why then, as the Head of the Body is in heaven, the members of the Body are there "in Christ.” Our aims, and mind, and thoughts, will be heavenly not earthly. For (I say it again) "ye died” and you are now, as to your standing before God, living in another sphere, and on another plane where all is spiritual. Carnal rules and ordinances do not enter into the growth of this Body at all. All is spiritual, heavenly, and eternal.
[There is nothing that so exposes the awful design of satan that the blasphemous assumption of the Church of Rome. He has indeed travestied this great Mystery in making the Pope the visible head of a visible body, of which the "faithful” are the visible members. Thus completely nullifying and perverting this precious truth. At the Annual Conference of the "Catholic Truth Society” held at
THE END OF THE BODY.
And if this be the growth of the Body, what of its end? What will be "the perfect man?” When will this Body be completed and what will happen? The natural end of the natural body is dissolution: Will that be the end of this Body? What is its revealed end? It is all a matter of Revelation.
The secret of the Body has so far been revealed, as to its place in the purposes of God, as to its constitution, and as to its growth. And now, as to its end, another special revelation is needed; and it is given. It flows naturally from its relation to Christ as shown in Col. 3.
Seeing that the members died jointly in Christ, and rose in Christ, our life is in Christ. Though we may fall asleep our "life is hid with Christ in God.” Therefore, the next thing is "when Christ who is our life shall be manifested, then shall ye also be manifested in glory” (Col. 3:1-4).
It were impossible to be otherwise, inasmuch as the Head and members cannot be separated. Hence, the secret is revealed in 1 Cor. 15:51: "Behold, I show you a Mystery,” i.e.,
"BEHOLD, I TELL YOU A SECRET!”
What is it? "We shall not all sleep.” What? Not though it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this the judgment” (Heb. 9:27)? Must we not die? No! blessed be God. It is not necessary! The members of the Body were judged with the Head, and were "crucified with Christ,” and therefore there is no reason why they should ever die at all, and no reason why they should ever come into judgment (
"I would not have you ignorant concerning them which are asleep.”… For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so we are to believe that them also which have fallen asleep, will God, through Jesus, bring again with Him from the dead (i.e., as He brought Jesus again from the dead. Heb. 13:20). "For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord, that we, which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not get before them which are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with an assembling shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first (i.e., before the living are changed), and then we, which are alive and remain. Shall be caught up together (i.e., at one and the same time) with them in clouds for the purpose of meeting the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:13-18).
Oh! What a blessed truth to be initiated into. Well, may He say, "Behold I tell you a secret.” "I would not have you ignorant” of it.
This, then, is the end of the Body of Christ on earth. "The perfect man” is formed; the Body is complete, and when it becomes completed, it is received up in glory!
We have already considered the three great passages which reveal it. But there is a fourth, and it sums up the whole round of doctrine contained in the revelation of it, with special reference to the end of the Body of Christ.
Go to part 2: http://fdocc.ucoz.com/index/0-51