The Mystery Revealed (1 Timothy 3:14-16)

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Paul has been telling Timothy about how the church at Ephesus is to be run. Now he comes to summarise the message of the Church.

  1. Our plans for the future are provisional.
    • 3:14-15; note 4:13; 1 Cor.4:19; 1 Thess.2:17-18; 3:1, 5-6, 9-10. We are meant to plan for the future, but our plans are provisional.
  2. The Church is the pillar and buttress of the truth.
    • 3:15; Eph.2:19-22. The temple was the house of God (2 Chron.5:14), and the New Testament Church is the house of God (Heb.10:21; 1 Pet.4:17), so it is a house of Christ (Heb.3:6) and a house of the Spirit (1 Pet.2:5).
    • Augustine: ‘For my part, I should not believe the gospel except as moved by the authority of the Catholic Church.’ What did he mean? He meant that it was the testimony of the Church that led him to the gospel.
  3. The mystery revealed.
    • 3:16; a contrast to Acts 19:34. These truths are beyond all question (NIV) or without controversy (NKJV).
      1. Christ was manifested in the flesh. The NKJV has ‘God was manifested in the flesh’. Christ became flesh – John 1:14.
      2. Christ was vindicated (or justified) by the Spirit. H. P. Liddon says this was the divine Spirit of Christ, but more likely the Holy Spirit. God vindicated His Son – Acts 2:23-24.
      3. Christ was seen by angels. See Matt.28:2-7. The heavenly world witnessed to Christ, especially His defeat of death.
      4. Christ is proclaimed among the nations. Paul and Timothy are part of this mission, as is any Christian who evangelises.
      5. People in the world have believed in Christ. See Gen.12:3; Ps.72:8-11; Micah 4:2.
      6. Christ was taken up in glory. See Acts 1:9; Phil.2:9-11.