Bible Study

The Gift of Eternal Life Berean Bible Study Course

Part IV--The Family Of God / The Body Of Christ

A. Lesson 19--The Nature Of Christ's Body

9. READ: EPHESIANS 3:1-21

a. What is the mystery of Christ?

Answer: The mystery of Christ is that through the Gospel, the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus, (verse 6).

MORE INFORMATION AND/OR OTHER SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:

• In this verse, three related terms occur. They all begin with the same prefix, but this is obscured in most English translations. The first Greek word is synkleronoma, which is translated in the King James Version as "fellow-heirs" (or "fellowheirs"), and in the New International Version as "heirs together with." The second Greek word is synsoma, which is translated in the KJV as "of the same body," in the Revised Standard Version as "members of the same body" and in the NIV as "members together of one body." The third Greek word is synmetocha, which means "joint partaker." The simple form, metachos, means "partaker" or "partner." This word is translated in the KJV as "partakers" and in the NIV as "sharers together."

  Notice in all three of the original Greek words that they begin with the prefix syn. This is a preposition "expressing association, fellowship and inclusion" and means "with, together with."

  This mystery of Christ is that through the Gospel, all of mankind are heirs together, members together and sharers together. Note that this is accomplished THROUGH THE GOSPEL, which leads us to an obedient faith, thereby putting us IN Christ--IN His church. The American Standard Version of the Bible shows the common prefix of these three Greek compound words by translating them as "fellowheirs, fellow-members of the body, and fellow-partakers."

• That the Gentiles would turn to the God of Israel and be saved was prophesied in the Old Testament :

  Romans 15:7-12: "Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God's Truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs so that the Gentiles may glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: 'Therefore I will praise You among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to Your Name [2 Samuel 22:50; Psalm 18:49].' Again, it says, 'Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people [Deuteronomy 32:43].' And again, 'Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and sing praises to Him, all you peoples [Psalm 117:1].' And again, Isaiah says, 'The Root of Jesse will spring up, One Who will arise to rule over the nations; the Gentiles will hope in Him [Isaiah 11:10].'"

• Consider these Scripture references, that through the Gospel we are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. Unity IN Christ is key to glorifying God. God is One, in perfect unity:

  John 17:11, 20-23: [Jesus prayed,] "I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, protect them by the power of Your Name--the Name You gave Me--so that they may be one as We are One...My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. I have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they may be one as We are One: I in them and You in Me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me."

  Romans 8:16-17: "The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory."

  Romans 10:8-13: "But what does it [the righteousness that is by faith] say? 'The Word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,' that is, the Word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, 'Anyone who trusts in Him will never be put to shame.' For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him, for, 'Everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved.'"

  Romans 15:5-6: "May the God Who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."

  Galatians 3:26-29: "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

  Ephesians 2:14-22: "For He Himself is our peace, Who has made the two [Jews/Israel and non-Jew/Gentile] one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in His flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in Himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body [the church] to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which He put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away [Gentiles] and peace to those who were near [Israel]. For through Him we both have access to the Father by One Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets [the teachings/written Word inspired by the Holy Spirit of God, the Word of God, the Gospel], with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone. In Him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit."

  Ephesians 4:11-13: "It was He [Christ] Who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ [the church] may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."

  Colossians 3:11: "Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all."