Unravelling a Mystery

Friday, July 3, 2026

KEY VERSE

“How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words” (Ephesians 3:3).

Bible Reading

Ephesians 3:1-7 (KJV)
1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
5 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;
6 That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

The Message

There are many diseases that doctors know very little or nothing about. They are mysteries. One of such mysterious diseases is “the mysterious epidemic that swept the world from 1917 to 1928. Half a million people were afflicted with a ghastly condition that could be part of the plot line of a horror film. The victims— very much alive and conscious—found themselves in inexplicably frozen states. This sickness first appeared in Europe and quickly spread around the world, reaching epidemic levels in North America, Europe, and India by 1919. About a third of those stricken with the illness, died. Of the survivors, nearly half eventually found themselves unable to interact physically with the world around them, all the while fully aware of their surroundings.

From today’s text, Paul begins to speak of the great ‘mystery’ that was the central calling of his life. But it wasn’t a ‘mystery’ in the sense that people typically think. This is not a ‘mystery’ that any human being can figure out and solve by good detective or guesswork. Rather, a ‘mystery’—as the word is being used in the New Testament — is an aspect of God’s redemptive plan for humanity that is known only to Him, revealed in due time by Him to humankind. This is something that is only known by God, but graciously, He allowed it to be revealed to Paul the apostle in due time. “That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel.” This became the nucleolus of Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles.

Consequently, Paul the apostle needed to convince his Jewish brethren that it was God’s will that the gospel message of salvation be taken to the Gentiles and indeed the world. But the Jewish religious hardliners, who were patently engrossed in the doctrine of Jewish exclusive right to salvation, would not understand. His fellow citizens became an albatross to his missionary work in the old Roman Empire and Asia Minor, where he undertook several missionary journeys.

When it comes to delivering a God-revealed mystery to sinful humanity, it can’t be done in human power. Paul was, of course, unique — and he was uniquely suited by God’s providence to minister this mystery in such a pioneering and authoritative way. However, he saw it as a mystery of which he became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to him by the effective working of His power (Ephesians 3:7). God has one mystery that we all should be aware of – that salvation is not only for an exclusive or predetermined set of people. We need to take the same message to everyone in the world because Christ died for the whole world.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

The reality of our salvation proves the veracity of divine revelation.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Genesis 7–10

ODM Daily Commentary

Let’s be honest: the world loves a good mystery. From unsolved crimes to medical enigmas, we are fascinated by the unknown. The devotional opens with a chilling example—the mysterious epidemic that left its victims frozen and conscious, a real-life horror story that baffled doctors. But the Apostle Paul is not talking about that kind of mystery.

He is talking about a mystery that is not meant to remain unsolved. It is a mystery that God has chosen to reveal. And the content of that mystery is explosive: “That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel.”

Here is the scandal of the early church: the idea that salvation was not a Jewish exclusive. The religious hardliners were outraged. They had spent generations believing they were the chosen few, the sole recipients of God’s favour. And now Paul was telling them that God’s plan was bigger than their narrow nationalism. God’s grace was for everyone.

This is the mystery that Paul was willing to die for. He became “the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles.” He saw his suffering as part of the revelation. He was not just a preacher; he was a living demonstration of the gospel’s power to break down walls.

The devotional makes a crucial point: “When it comes to delivering a God-revealed mystery to sinful humanity, it can’t be done in human power.” Paul was uniquely suited for this task, but he still relied on “the gift of the grace of God” and “the effectual working of His power.” In other words, even the greatest apostle knew that the revelation of God’s mystery required God’s power.

And here is the application for us: the mystery has been revealed. We are not living in the days of hiddenness. We are living in the days of proclamation. The gospel is not a secret to be guarded; it is a message to be shared. The “Thought for the Day” is a powerful challenge: “The reality of our salvation proves the veracity of divine revelation.” Your salvation is not just a personal experience; it is evidence that God is still revealing His mystery to the world.

So, what does this mean for you? It means you have a responsibility. You are not a spectator in God’s redemptive plan. You are a participant. You have been entrusted with the mystery that Paul gave his life to proclaim. You have the message that can set people free from the frozen state of sin and death.

The world is full of mysteries that will never be solved. But God’s mystery has been solved, and the answer is Jesus. And we are the ones who get to tell everyone.

God’s mystery is revealed. Now it’s your turn to be the messenger.

— ODM Daily