Why the Mystery of Christ Changed the World

“For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles—if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ),” (Ephesians 3:1-4)

Paul’s Mission and the Mystery of Christ

The book of Ephesians 3 is one of several letters Paul wrote while imprisoned in Rome. Paul’s final trip to Jerusalem ended with the Jews assaulting him in the temple. The Roman garrison arrested Paul, and he eventually appealed his case to Caesar. Paul represents himself as the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the Gentiles. Jesus sent him to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, and his association with them sparked the assault in the temple. Therefore, Paul sees himself imprisoned because of his mission and his unique understanding of the mystery of Christ.

Understanding the Grace in the Mystery of Christ

Jesus appointed Paul an apostle under unusual circumstances. Paul became a believer much later than the other apostles, having witnessed the risen Jesus in a vision on the road to Damascus. He was not a disciple during the earthly mission of Jesus and previously opposed the early church. Paul refers to his unusual calling as the dispensation of the grace of God given to him for the Gentiles. This grace allowed him to reveal the mystery of Christ, showing that the gospel was intended for all people, regardless of their background or previous national identity.

A Broader Plan Revealed Through the Mystery

Jesus ordained Paul an apostle and tasked him with converting Gentiles to the faith. Paul told King Agrippa that Jesus appeared to him to appoint him as a servant and witness. He was sent to open the eyes of the Gentiles so they might turn from darkness to light and receive forgiveness of sins. Paul fulfilled this mission by preaching throughout Asia Minor, Greece, and Rome. He did not see himself as a victim of his circumstances. Instead, he saw his imprisonment as part of a broader plan involving the mystery of Christ that God conceived before the world began.