'Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed
unto His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;'
(Eph 3:4-5)
Hello @PloughBoy,
As I read your words my mind goes to Paul's words in Ephesians 3, (quoted above) when he speaks of, 'The Mystery of Christ': which was the subject of the Old Testament Prophets in type and shadow; but which was revealed unto the 'Holy Apostles and Prophets' of the N.T. 'by The Spirit'; for in other ages it was not made known unto, 'the sons of men'.
'And He turned Him unto His disciples, and said privately,
Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:
For I tell you, that
many prophets and kings
have desired to see those things which ye see,
and have not seen them;
and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.'
(Luke 10:23)
'And He said unto them,
These are the words which I spake unto you,
while I was yet with you,
that all things must be fulfilled,
which were written in the law of Moses,
and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning Me.
Then opened he their understanding,
that they might understand the scriptures,'
(Luke 24:44-45)
* He opened His disciples 'understanding' that they might understand the Scriptures. He also brought to their remembrance, by the Holy Spirit, all that He had spoken unto them while with them.
* Paul had received that same knowledge of the Mystery of Christ , that the other Apostles and Prophets had received (Ephesians 3), but he was also given a further revelation concerning 'The Mystery' itself, which pertains to the establishment of the Body of Christ: following the departure into the darkness of unbelief of the unbelieving of the nation of Israel, their scattering abroad; and salvation having been '
sent to the Gentiles' (Acts 28:28). This 'Mystery' was not the subject of the Old Testament Prophets, or of the rest of Scripture, Old or New: For they are the 'unsearchable' riches of Christ. (Ephesians 3:9) that Paul was called upon to make known, as 'The Lord's Prisoner', and which he did make known via the epistles written from prison, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 2 Timothy, Titus and Philemon.
* In the light of this He prayed for the Ephesian believers,
'That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him:' (Eph 1:17) the eyes of their understanding.' having been, '
enlightened'. That enlightenment and this spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ as the Head of the One Body is vital.
* If this goes beyond your subject heading, forgive me please, but to me it has it's place here, for it speaks of the fulfillment of God's purposes in relation to both the Jew and the Gentile and the household of God, both in Heaven and on Earth.
Within the love of Christ our Saviour,
our Lord and Head.
Chris