`The mystery of the faith'

(1 Tim. 3:9).

`The mystery of godliness'

(1 Tim. 3:16).

This makes a total of twelve references to the subject after Acts 28,

and an examination of these, together with their contexts, should, under God,

prove a means of help and blessing in the appreciation of the high and holy

calling of the Church of the One Body.

Let us observe the use of the word mystery in Ephesians.  We find that

the six references fall into two sections of three each, the second section

supplementing and explaining more fully the first:

A

Eph. 1:9,10.

The Mystery of His Will ... a dispensation.

B

Eph. 3:3.

The Mystery.

C

Eph. 3:4.

The Mystery of Christ.

A

Eph. 3:9 (R.V.).  The dispensation of the Mystery.

B

Eph. 5:32.

The great Mystery,

Christ and His Church.

C

Eph. 6:19.

The Mystery of the gospel.

The first mystery mentioned in Ephesians is `the Mystery of His will'

which has in view a `dispensation of the fulness of the seasons' when Christ

is to head up all things, `both which are in heaven and which are on earth'.

We have already seen that the corresponding reference to this is Ephesians

3:9, which we here quote from the R.V.: `and to make all men see what is the

dispensation of the Mystery, which from all ages hath been hid in God Who

created all things'.  We have quoted the Revised Version because it

recognizes the reading `dispensation' instead of `fellowship'.  The

expression `all ages' is a free rendering -- the `all' is not to be taken as

though it existed in the original.  Paul uses the word oikonomia

`dispensation' five times.  It may be as well to see the references together.

We give Conybeare and Howson's translation, which, though it is a little

free, seems to convey the intention of the apostle:

`For although I proclaim the glad tidings, yet this gives me no ground

of boasting; for I am compelled to do so by order of my Master.  Yea,

woe is me if I proclaim it not.  For were my service of my own free

choice, I might claim wages to reward my labour; but since I serve by

compulsion, I am a slave entrusted with a stewardship (dispensation)'

(1 Cor. 9:16,17).

To this selfsame `bond -slave of Jesus Christ' a further dispensation or

stewardship was granted upon the failure of Israel at Acts 28:

`For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,

if ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given

me to you -ward: how that by revelation He made known unto me the

Mystery' (Eph. 3:1 -3).

Here we have a series of statements that put the new dispensation in a

clear light: