Category Archives: Christ

Bible, Christ, Church, Husbands, Mystery, Scripture, Wives

DON’T YOU LOVE A GOOD MYSTERY?

EPHESIANS 5:32

“This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.”

I love a good mystery movie. The more mysterious the better. Trying to figure out “who done it” is fun and exciting. Sometimes, that mystery is revealed early and at other times it is revealed at the very end. The mystery keeps you glued to the movie.

In today’s verse, Paul uses a phrase “this mystery is great” which makes you wonder. But then he reveals the mystery in the next phrase, “but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. One scholar, Alford, says this, “the matter mystically alluded to in the Apostle’s application of the text just quoted; the mystery of the spiritual union of Christ with our humanity, typified by the close conjunction of the marriage state.” There you have it. Paul is continuing his analogy of husbands and wives with Christ and the church.

APPLICATION

One cannot explain the mysterious union that occurs in a marriage when the husband and wife truly seek the Lord. I have heard numerous pastors explain it with a triangle. The husband and wife are at the two bottom angles and God is at the top angle. The closer the husband gets to God and the closer the wife gets to God, the closer they get to each other. You may not see that physically, but spiritually they are continually drawing closer. It is truly a mystery.

The Greek word for “mystery” is mustérion which “is not something unknowable. Rather, it is what can only be known through revelation, i.e. because God reveals it. (HELPS Word studies). God is not trying to keep secrets. But neither is He going to give it all to you at once. It would probably literally blow our minds. God’s mysterious knowledge is disclosed to us as we are ready after we seek for it.

Look at this passage from Luke 8:9-10. “9 Now His disciples began asking Him what this parable meant. 10 And He said, ‘To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest they are told in parables, so that while seeing they may not see, and while hearing they may not understand.’” Christ spoke in mysteries so only true seekers would understand. Are you seeking? Or are you still stuck trying to figure this whole God thing out? Ask Him. He will show you.

Father, I will never understand all the mysteries of Your kingdom until I reach Glory. Until then, help me continue to seek.

Standard
Bible, Christ, Only, Scripture

THE CHRIST

EPHESIANS 4:20

“But you did not learn Christ in this way,” 

I have been studying Swahili for a while now, and there are no definite articles in that language. But definite articles are important in English grammar. If I want to point out a specific dog, I would say “the dog” instead of “a dog.” That implies I have one particular dog in mind. Okay, let’s look at today’s verse and you will see why I bring this up.

Paul points the Ephesians back to their day of salvation when he says, “you did not learn Christ in this way.” The verb “learn” is in the Aorist tense which points back to a specific moment. When they learned Christ at salvation, they were taught to leave the old behind (the things he had just mentioned in verse 17-19) and to walk with Christ in a new way. You don’t see the definite article in our translation, which I think is sad. The Greek says ton Christon. Ton is the definite article which points to Jesus being The Christ.

APPLICATION

Maybe Ellicott’s Commentary can tell us more about this verse. “‘To learn the Christ’ is to enter into the true meaning of His office as the Anointed Priest, Prophet, and King, or, in one word, as the Mediator, in whom we as Christians escape from the guilt and bondage of the sins described above. Such learning—like the ‘knowing’ of 2 Corinthians 5:14—is not ‘after the flesh,’ by the mere hearing of the ear, but ‘after the Spirit,’ writing Christ upon the heart.”

When Paul uses the definite article in today’s verse, it was purposeful. These Ephesian believers lived in a pagan society where there were numerous gods the people worshipped. None of them were real, but they still worshipped them. Paul says “the Christ” to point out to them that there was only one, true Savior, Jesus Christ.

Let me ask you a question. Is Jesus The Christ to you? Is He number one, numero uno, the only One? He is, you know. Peter knew that when he said in Matthew 16:16, “‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’” Today, make sure Jesus is the Christ to you. Follow only Him in whatever you do today.

I give You praise, O God, for giving us The Christ.

Standard