“For the sake of His body, which is the Church, I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness—the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints” (Colossians 1:24)
St. Paul is writing to the Colossian Church. It’s comprised mostly of Gentiles. He reveals his insight concerning a mystery that he is imparting to them. Most mysteries are about secret knowledge kept hidden. This mystery found in the Bible concerns truth that God intends to expose to the world. The apostle understands his life’s purpose is to carry out God’s commission to him by comprehending and communicating the mystery especially to Gentiles.
The mystery concerns the awareness that what the Old Testament prophets predicted would come to pass in God’s good time, the Messiah [Greek Xristos Christ] who came in his time and whose name is Jesus, was in the world even before His birth, from the very beginning of creation. He is the unique Son of God, second Person of the Holy Trinity. Together with the Holy Spirit “Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made” as the gospel of John makes clear (John 1:2-3). He is the Word of God [Logos]. When in our holy icons we find depicted such obscure images as the Ancient of Days, or a fourth person in Nebuchadnezzar’s fiery furnace with the three Hebrew lads, the believers understand it to be none other than the Son of God perhaps in the form of an angel.
When God spoke to the patriarchs and prophets, it was the Word-Logos communicating to them in a special way. The Psalms and Proverbs affirm the joy of “God with us,” and since the Word of God appeared in the flesh and “dwelt among us, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14), the time has arrived to share that glorious message with all people throughout the world. The plan of God to save the world’s people from sin and from themselves was the major theme of the prophets. Part of the plan was to include the Gentiles, which St. Paul states in other places: “the promises made to the patriarchs so that the Gentiles may glorify God for His mercy…” (Romans 15:9ff). But that both Jews and Gentiles would combine into a common life as the Body of Christ was not revealed. It remained a mystery. St. Paul understood his role as the apostle to the Gentiles inviting them into all the glory of the living Lord Jesus.
In the brilliant mind and heart of that great apostle, St. Paul envisioned a Church without racial or ethnic barriers. He took for granted that Jesus Christ came for his people, but for many Jews of his time there was the conviction that all non-Jews were a breed different from them. The gospel—the “good news”—had various meanings for each group. To the Jews it meant that the long-awaited time had arrived, and in Jesus God fulfilled His promise to send His Messiah and their Redeemer. To all Gentiles their special apostle announced the good news that “the glorious riches of this mystery which is Christ in you” (v. 27). His supreme joy was to proclaim that all of you, Jews and non-Jews, all have His life in you without waiting any longer for something to happen. It has come about with His life, ministry, death on the cross and resurrection. You are not second-class citizens of God’s heavenly Kingdom; you have a full portion of the grace and glory that He promises to those who empty themselves of “self” and fill themselves with godliness.