1. God reveals to men what they need to know. 5-9. Men have ever had revealed to them all things necessary for salvation. Other aspects of God’s will have been revealed in due season. Things concealed from angels, 1 Peter 1:12; Daniel 12:8-9; John 16:12; 21:18-22; 1 Cor 13:12.
2. What a revelation has been known to us. Verse 6.
3. How humble was Paul despite the high office he filled. Vs 7-8. Pride does not go with high office in God’s work. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, 1 Peter 5:6.
Paul, the Jew, laboured and suffered and died that he might be faithful to his Saviour and the task him by the Lord to bring the gospel to the Gentiles. If there is one servant of Christ we should love, it is Paul the Apostle. We owe our gospel liberties to him, under God. He was given the stewardship of the grace of God toward the Gentiles nations. He endured all that he did in order to faithful carry out his stewardship. Consider what he tells us here about this matter.
I. THE GATHERING OF THE GENTILES WAS A MYSTERY WITHHELD FROM MEN UNTIL PAUL’S DAY
1. Of course, God’s word in its entirety is a mystery to men. Mark 4:11; Rom 16:25; 1Cor 2:7; Eph 4:18. The gospel is the “mystery of Christ”, verse 4-5. Even angels were mystified, 1 Peter 1:12.
2. Some aspects of God’s truth remain a mystery to some believers. The calling of the Gentiles was a truth revealed from the beginning, Genesis 3:15, “her seed” must include Gentile nations. Gen 12:3-Gal 3:8. When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life, Acts 11:18.
3. The revealing of the mystery is by divine grace. Verses 3, 5. Revealed = unveiled. Note the chain of revelation, verses 5, 7-9.
4. God has preserved the revelation of the mysteries of grace in His Word. Verses 3-4. It is not in the “traditions of the Church” but in the inspired writings. Paul had preached in Ephesus for 3 years. He did not refer to their memories of what he said but to what he wrote. The Bible is a book of “few words,” verse 3. Read it to understand it.
The sentence that begins here does not end until verse 14 where you have a reiteration of this these opening phrase.
In this verse 1 we are given a miniature portrait of Paul. His words are well worth our consideration.
I. THE WONDERFUL CHANGE THAT GRACE MAKES
The persecutor has become the persecuted. Acts 8:1-3; 9:1-2. For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it, Gal 1:13.
Thus God manifests His mercy, His grace and His power.
II. THE LORD SOMETIMES PERMITS HIS SAINTS
TO SUFFER
Paul was a prisoner in Rome and of course, he was later put to death for the gospel.
1. Such would be the constant state of affairs did not God intervene. Acts 9:31. The world is at war with God and His people.
2. The fierce of opposition of the world does not absolve ministers from their duty. Paul did not remain silent in the face of opposition but preached Christ. When he could not preach, he wrote.
3. God is often pleased to give the church its greatest advances in the midst of opposition. He is thus all the more glorified through the weakness of the instruments He uses.1Cor 1:27-29.
4. Paul considered himself the “prisoner of Jesus Christ.” It was for the love he bore to Christ that he was a prisoner. He was a captive of the Saviour before he became a prisoner in Rome. But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison, Genesis 39:21. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king, Daniel 3:17.
III. PAUL DEEMS HIS SUFFERINGS TO BE AN HONOUR
He does not hide the fact that he is in prison. He calls himself “the prisoner.” John Bunyan in like fashion gloried in his reproaches.
IV. HIS IMPRISONMENT INDICATED HIS DEEP LOVE FOR SOULS
Such devotion to the souls of men indicate how precious the soul is and how important it is that men and women repent.
Paul in prison is a pale reflection of Christ on the cross. Both testify of the value of the soul.
