A good scavenger hunt depends on mystery. If you’re handed the exact location of the prize right at the start, the excitement is gone.
In one sense, Paul tells us a mystery in Ephesians, chapter 3, that is no longer mysterious. God has already revealed it. Through the apostles and prophets, inspired by the Holy Spirit, the secret has been made known and written down for us. We are not left guessing about God’s plan.
And the mystery Paul describes sounds surprisingly simple: Through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:6). Jews and Gentiles are brought together . . . . as one in Christ. That’s the mystery?
Yes. In Paul’s day, it was shocking. Centuries of separation and suspicion stood between these groups. Yet the gospel of Jesus Christ tore down those barriers. In the early church, people of many nations were united by a shared hope in the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection from the dead, and new life in Christ.
The gospel remains a mystery to many today. It’s a mystery to those who believe salvation must be earned, who keep certain people “outside” the reach of God’s Word because of race or lifestyle, or who expect Jesus to always look impressive by human standards.
But truly knowing the mystery means something different. It means recognizing that we are all in the same “sinner boat,” all outsiders who are brought in by grace alone. It means resting in the peace that if Christ’s promise is for the world, then it is also for you.
You know the mystery. Now, like the apostle Paul, make it known.
This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 3:6