There are three important Scriptures in which the "great" sacred secret is specially and formally revealed. And there are others, which contain definite teaching concerning it, receiving light from it, and throwing light upon it. We will consider each in due order.
PASSAGES, WHICH FORMALLY REVEAL THE GREAT SACRED SECRET
Col. 1:24-28a "Now, am I rejoicing in the sufferings on your behalf, and am filling up the things that lack of the tribulations of the Christ (i.e., the Christ, of whom the body is composed by the Ecclesia, not the personal), in my flesh, in behalf of his body, which is the assembly, Of which, I, have become minister-- according to the administration of God which hath been given unto me to you-ward, to fill up the word of God, The sacred secret which had been hidden away from the ages and from the generations, but, now, hath been made manifest unto his saints-- Unto whom God hath been pleased to make known what is the glorious wealth of this sacred secret among the nations, which is Christ in you, the hope of the glory,-- Whom we are declaring, admonishing every man, and teaching every man, in all wisdom." In chap. 2:2, the Apostle strives "In order that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, even unto all the riches of the full assurance of their understanding, unto a personal knowledge of the sacred secret of God,--Christ: In whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden away." Here, we learn that this sacred secret had never before been made known, and that to make it known was to "fully preach the Word of God." Hence, today, the Word of God is not "fully proclaimed" unless the Great Sacred Secret be proclaimed.
Rom. 16:25, 26 "Now, unto him who hath power (is able) to establish you, according to my glad-message--even the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of a sacred secret, in age-past times kept silent, But now made manifest (manifested), and through means of prophetic scriptures, according to the command of the age-abiding the Lord, for obedience of faith unto all the nations made known." Here, observe, that the same secret is referred to as being made known by a special revelation, and as having been kept in age-past times silent, not a word having been breathed concerning it before. We get here an additional fact: In Col. 1, it was revealed in the first instance to the Apostle Paul. Here it is made known also by "prophetic writings." There is no article used with either "writings" or "prophets." These were not the Old Testament writings, because they are only "now... made known." They are not the Old Testament prophets, because the word is not propheet**n, but propheetik**n; not the noun but the adjective, and should be rendered "by means of prophetic writings." These writings were given through the prophets in the early days of the Assembly of God. The Lord Jesus had said, "Behold I send unto you prophets" (Matt. 23:34); "I will send them prophets and apostles" (Luke 11:49). This promise was duly fulfilled, for we read in Ephesians 4:8, 11, "When He ascended up on high He lead captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men...and He gave some apostles, and some prophets..."
In 2 Peter 1:19, we have a reference to "the prophetic word" of these prophets, and a contrast also with the Old Testament prophecy in verse 21. In 3:16, also, it may be these writings, which are referred to.
EPHESIANS 3:1-11
This is the scripture which more fully tha any other gives the particulars concerning the revelation of the Great Sacred Secret. "For this cause, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus in behalf of you the nations:- -If at least ye have heard of the administration of the favor of God which hath been given unto me for you, by way of revelation, was made known unto me the sacred secret,--even as I before wrote in brief,-- Respecting which ye can, by reading, perceive my discernment in the sacred secret of the Christ,-- Which, in other generations, had not been made known unto the sons of men, as it hath, now, been revealed by his holy apostles and prophets, in spirit; -- That they who are of the nations should be joint heirs, and a joint body, and joint partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through means of the glad- message,-- Of which I was made a minister, according to the free-gift of the favor of God which was given unto me, according to the energy of his power: Unto me--the less than least of all saints, was given this favor, unto the nations, to announce the glad-message of the untraceable riches of the Christ, And to bring to light--what is the administration of the sacred secret which had been hidden away from the ages in God, who did all things create: In order that now, unto the principalities and the authorities in the heavenlies, might be made known, through means of the Assembly, the manifold wisdom of God,-- According to a plan of the ages which he made in the anointed Jesus our Lord."
This is the scripture which more fully than any other gives the particulars concerning the revelation of the Great Sacred Secret. "As it hath, now, been revealed." This cannot possibly mean, as some have thought, that it had been revealed before in a certain manner, but not in the same manner as it is now. Because it is distinctly and emphatically declared again and again, here and elsewhere, that it had not been revealed at all. "That they who are of the nations should be joint heirs, and a joint body (sussomos)." Suss**mos is a peculiar ecclesiastical word, which occurs only here. It does not mean that there was a body already previously in existence and that others became afterwards in due time members of it. But that these, with Hebrew believers (2:13-15), should form a joint-body, being made in Christ - "Of twain, one new man." (Eph.2:15).
There can be no doubt from this scripture that we have not a mere reference to the Gospel. The Gospel was never kept a secret. The good news of salvation through Christ alone, the seed of the woman, was revealed from the earliest times (Gen. 3:15), and it was preached unto Abraham (Gal. 3:8). Neither could it have been the mere fact that the Nations were to be blessed with Israel: for this was never kept secret.
The very first blessing that was promised to Israel through Abraham, contained the promise of blessing for the Nations also. "In thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed" (Gen. 12:3). Again, speaking of Abraham (Gen. 18:18), God says: "All the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him." Over and over again is this promise repeated (See Gen. 22:18; 26:4, etc.). The prophets of Israel constantly had this as the burden of their message. They told of the time when "all nations shall call Him blessed" (Psalm 72:14).
"the Lord, be favorable to us and bless us, Cause his face to shine upon us. That thy way may be known throughout the earth, Throughout all nations, thy saving help! (Psalm 67:1, 2).
In Romans 15:8, it is distinctly declared that "For I affirm Christ to have become a minister of circumcision in behalf of the truth of God,--to confirm the promises of the fathers, And that, the nations, for mercy should glorify God:--even as it is written (not as it hath been kept secret !) "Ps. 18:49: For this cause, will I praise thee among the nations (the heathen), O God, and, to thy Name, will I sweep the strings." And again He saith: "Deut 32:43a: Shout for joy O ye nations with his people"; and again Isaiah saith : "Isa 11:10: And there shall come to be, in that day, A root of Jesse, which shall be standing as an ensign of peoples, Unto him, shall nations seek,--And, his resting-place, shall be, glorious." Such passages might be multiplied, but there is one (Is. 49:6) which very solemnly connects the Nations blessing with the atoning work of Christ : -
"Isa 49:6: Yea he said--It is too small a thing, for being my, Servant, That thou shouldest raise up the tribes of Jacob, And, the preserved of Israel, shouldst restore,--So I will give thee to become a light of nations, That, my salvation, may reach as far as, the end of the earth."
No wonder Simeon said (Luke 2:29-32) : -
Lk 2:29: Now, dost thou dismiss thy servant, O Sovereign, according to thy declaration--in peace; Lk 2:30: Because mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Lk 2:31: Which thou hast prepared in face of all the peoples: Lk 2:32: A light for the unveiling of nations, and the glory of thy people Israel.
The Nation's blessing was no more a secret than Israel's blessing. The same word that revealed the one, revealed the other also. It is impossible, therefore, for us to believe that the great sacred secret, specially revealed with so much solemnity, and so formally in the New Testament, referred merely to the Nation's blessing, as such. This was not "hid in God": this was not "hid from ages and from generations": this was not "in age-past times kept silent": it could not be said of this, "in other ages it was not made known."
Language is useless if such expressions can possibly refer to that which was never hidden; never kept in silence; but was "made known" from the earliest times. No ! This was the great sacred secret : that a people should be taken out from among both Hebrews and Nations, who should with Christ be made (suss**mos) a joint-body in Christ (Eph. 3:9); a Body of which Christ should be the glorious head in heaven, and His people - the members of that body on the earth - "one new man." This was the great sacred secret which was revealed to Father's "holy apostles and prophets by the spirit," and which had never entered into the heart or mind of mortal mind, - THE CHRIST.
