Progressive Revelation of the Preaching of Jesus Christ according to the Revelation of the Mystery

Duane Gallentine

When studying the Authorized Version of the Bible, one can examine the underlying Greek text from which it came. This Greek text is known as the Textus Receptus or TR. It is also known as the Received Text. This study can boost your faith in the English translation.

There is something very interesting about this Greek text as you consider what Paul wrote in the following verses:

Eph 3:1-5---For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

COMMENT:
It is clear that to Paul and only Paul, God made known the MYSTERY revelation of Jesus Christ according to hidden knowledge of which the sons of men in other ages did not know.

Titus 1:1-3---Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;

COMMENT:
The hidden truth of this knowledge of the Mystery was [has been] made known through preaching committed unto Paul by God himself. God did it in due times with Paul.

2 Cor 1, 7a---It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations,...

COMMENT:
This preaching of the Mystery that was committed unto Paul was made known over a period of years. God took 30-35 years to give Paul his knowledge of God's hidden Mystery wisdom.

Little by little, God gave the Mystery revelation of Christ to Paul. He wrote it down, lived it, preached it and taught it to others in the One Body of Christ. That is how we have it today!! Paul is our teacher and preacher!!

If one will study the way Paul uses the Greek word for our English words know, known, knowledge, and acknowledge as he writes of the Mystery, a serious student can find that:

BEFORE the close of the Book of Acts [Acts 28] God has Paul use the Greek words gnosis and ginosko when referencing the knowledge he possessed about God's hidden wisdom of this Mystery of Christ.

The words gnosis and ginosko mean to know, have knowledge, to understand. These words do not indicate that a person has complete or full knowledge about a subject or issue.

AFTER the close of the Book of Acts [Paul's two-year house arrest-Acts 28:30] God has Paul use the Greek words epignosis and epiginosko when referencing the knowledge he possessed about God's hidden wisdom of this Mystery of Christ.

The words epignosis and epiginosko mean to know to the fullest, to have complete knowledge, to understand fully. These words show that a person has available the full information or knowledge about a subject or issue.

During the Acts period, Paul knew that he did not possess the full knowledge of Jesus Christ according to God's hidden, secret wisdom called the Mystery. But he did know and write that God was going to give him in due times that full knowledge at some point in his ministry and life.

Consider the following:

1 Cor 13:8-12---Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

When Paul refers to "that which is perfect" most uninformed believers, who will not study the context of this text, have been told and do believe that Paul is speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ's return. Only He is perfect they say. True, He is perfect, but not the only thing that is perfect, complete, full. God the Holy Spirit had Paul use words to describe the progressive revelation of this Mystery. The subject is knowledge, "we know in part" and "prophesy [preach] in part". It is not the return of Jesus Christ.

Again, Paul's subject in the text is knowledge. It is not the person of Jesus Christ and His return. Focus upon verse 12:

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. (1 Cor 13:12)

Notice the usage of the Greek words in the verse:

. arti:G737 . blepo:G991 dia:G1223 . esoptron:G2072 en:G1722 - ainigma:G135 . tote:G5119 prosopon:G4383 . prosopon:G4383 arti:G737 . ginosko:G1097 . meros:G3313 . tote:G5119 . . epiginosko:G1921 kathos:G2531 . kai:G2532 . . epiginosko:G1921 (1 Cor 13:12) [the numbers correspond to the Greek lexicon in Strong's Exhaustive Concordance]

Paul is stating that he partially knows (ginosko) truths about God's love in Christ according to the Mystery. He also states that when the perfect comes, he will know (epiginosko) all about the love of God in Christ Jesus unto us Gentiles in this Dispensation of Grace.

The Love of God displayed for us Gentiles in this Dispensation of Grace is openly commended on Calvary's tree--Rom 5:6-9. This is the preaching of the Cross--1 Cor 1:18. This is the basic foundational knowledge centering upon the good news that Jesus Christ died for our sins. But wait, that is not all. There is more to Gentile salvation in this Dispensation than the Cross. And not to diminish our soul's salvation, there is more to it than being just saved. Look at Paul's prayer in Ephesians:

Eph 3:14-19---For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Paul is praying for the Gentiles that compose the One Body of Christ, the Church which is His Body, that they might be able to comprehend the breath, length, depth, and height [four dimensions] of God's love in Christ. He is laboring so that members of the Body of Christ might come to know the love of Christ and thus be filled with the fullness of God. The purpose of this labored prayer is for Christ's body to manifest the life of God in their mortal bodies. This is called godliness. Godliness....God like- ness....living like God.

In 61-63 A.D. with those post-Acts epistles--Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians--containing the FULL KNOWLEDGE of the Mystery, all saints are so equipped by God through His written Word, that they can live out of the fullness of God, if they so will (2Tim 3:12). This is the idea of being, "filled with all the fullness of God." In order to accomplish Paul's prayer, God had to give the perfect, complete, full knowledge of Jesus Christ according to this Mystery.

For further considerations as to the validity of this article and how it explains the truth of progressive revelation of Paul's preaching of Jesus Christ according to the Revelation of the Mystery, the following verses should be examined from the Textus Receptus:

EPIGNOSIS / EPIGINOSKO

Eph 1:17
Col 1:6
Eph 4:13--perfect man
1 Tim 4:3
Phil 1:9
Col 1:9
Col 1:10
Col 2:2
Col 3:10
1 Tim 2:4
2 Tim 2:25
2 Tim 3:7
Titus 1:1

IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE WHAT YOU BELIEVE!!