Q27. The Mystery

[gricha1]

The mystery is that in Christ Jews and Gentiles will be brought together in one body.

This was very pleasing and encouraging to Gentile Christians as they were made to feel second class citizens when around Jewish Christians.

[Renson gona]

Q 2. (i) Just what is the mystery that

Paul is talking about?

>The mystery is that Gentiles

and Jews are equally Gods

People.

>Gentiles are heirs together

with Israel.

( ii ) Why was it important in

Gentile christian in Pauls day ?

>It was important to Gentile

christians as at times they were

made to feel they were 2nd

Class citizens of heaven.

[lighthouse2014]

Q2. (Ephesians 3:6) Just what is the "mystery" that Paul is talking about? Why was it important to the Gentile Christians in Paul's day?

The mystery Paul is speaking of is that through the gospel (Jesus words and actions conveyed to us by apostolic teaching) is that the gentiles are heirs, sharing together with the Jews, is one body in the promise of Jesus Christ. 

The mystery of the gospel was important to the Gentile church in Paul's day because now the moral and spiritual wall had been torn down that existed between the Jews and Gentiles. Suffering, as Paul did for preaching the gospel for their belief and being sharers of Gods promises, they were to have salvation and hope in the Lord Jesus Christ.    

[JoanG]

I feel that Paul is talking about God's acceptance of Gentiles as equals to Jewish people. I believe that it was a great mystery that the death of Jesus could and should unite enemies into one common faith and congregation. In Paul's day, this would have been very important to the Gentiles. They would be accepted into a community that was once closed to them. There would be the right to pray to God and to know that God was going to pay attention to you as well as the Jews.

[Karen11]

On 7/29/2006 at 6:57 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q2. (Ephesians 3:6) Just what is the "mystery" that Paul is talking about? Why was it important to the Gentile Christians in Paul's day?

That the Gentiles are co heirs with the Jews, that God loves them all the same.

Because the Gentile's were looked down on by the Jewish people.

[hanks]

Q27. (Ephesians 3:6) Just what is the "mystery" that Paul is talking about? Why was it important to the Gentile Christians in Paul's day? 
It was the complete union of Jew and Gentile with each other, that God had revealed specifically to Paul. Besides their union with each other, they were all also united with Christ. It was a new revelation that was not made known in other generations (3:5); hidden for ages (3:9). It was hinted at in the OT (Isa 49:6b) that the Gentiles would receive salvation, but it was the complete union of Jews, Gentiles, and Christ which was basically new. The Gentiles are to be co-heirs with God’s chosen people, the Jews. But it was only revealed now by Paul that all Gentile and Jewish believers would become equal in the body of Christ; Jews and Gentiles would comprise one body, the church. In Paul’s day Gentiles were despised and looked down upon, now they would be accepted as fellow believers. 
 

[haar]

Q27. (Ephesians 3:6) Just what is the "mystery" that Paul is talking about? Why was it important to the Gentile Christians in Paul's day?

Salvation that includes non-Jews or Gentiles was actually planned by God right from creation but kept secret. [see: "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)]

[Krissi]

The mystery, as you wrote, is/was that the chosen people now included anyone who believed in Him, that the Jews were no longer exclusively chosen. At the time of Paul, new Christians suffered under Jewish anti-Christian bigotry so this message was heard clearly by the Gentiles as "mysterious."

I do wonder why Paul described this as a  mystery. He could have said it was good news, but chose the noun mystery instead. And he didn't use mystery as an adjective -- mysterious -- but intended to say that the inclusion of gentiles was a mystery (to him?).  Perhaps God's expansion of the salvation franchise was a more of a mystery to Jews like Paul, than gentiles. 

[Janzie]

On 7/29/2006 at 6:57 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q27. (Ephesians 3:6) Just what is the "mystery" that Paul is talking about? Why was it important to the Gentile Christians in Paul's day?

"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)

It was important to Gentile Christians in Paul's day because Gentile believers, were sometimes made to feel like second-class citizens around Jewish Christians.

 

[Jonathan Edwards]

God from eternity had a purpose to put both Jews and Gentiles on the same footing, but concealed it for many ages, until He revealed it in the Apostolic age. GOD wanted to enlighten the principalities and powers of heaven in the manifold wisdom of God. This mystery of Christ was kept hidden until the establishment of the NT church.  The NT church is this mystery; earthly distinction of Jew and Gentile disappears.

For the Ephesians, this whole teaching was such a blessing.  For centuries, Gentiles were deemed as a group in a bad light.  For the Jewish Christians, this prejudice couldn't remain in their hearts.  The Ephesians were set free from the idolatry and licentious behavours connected with the centuries' old worship of Diana.   

 

  

[Old Jerry]

The “mystery” that Paul is talking about is that the Jews and the Gentiles are one in Him. In Paul’s day the Gentile Christians were out casts because they weren’t Jews.