Paul's Exhortations & Instructions to Brother Timothy 1st Letter Volume 33

Paul Declares to Timothy the Great Mystery of God (God becomes Eternally His creation Man in Jesus Christ)

1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. KJV

In our last commentary/bible study we used the words written by the Apostle John as he wrote in his epistle in the very first verse when he said, "IN THE beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself." (John 1:1) (Amplified Bible), but also we can go all the way back to the beginning as documented for us by Moses when he wrote these words, "IN THE beginning God (prepared, formed, fashioned, and) created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and an empty waste, and darkness was upon the face of the very great deep. The Spirit of God was moving (hovering, brooding) over the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light; and there was light." (Genesis 1:1-3) (Amplified Bible). Between these two truths you could have some of the most learned and intelligent Bible Scholars engage in a healthy, honest, but heated debate as to which of these two were the greatest truth and greatest miracle and mystery of God, however, Paul writing here to Brother Timothy declares the 'mystery of godliness' to be great as he writes these words, "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." (1 Timothy 3:16) (KJV).

Many believers believe that (John 3:16) is the most powerful and the greatest verse of Scripture in the entire Bible, but I submit to you all that this verse (1 Timothy 3:16) is equal to or even surpasses (John 3:16) in my humble opinion. At the very beginning of this verse Paul uses the little English phrase 'without controversy' and it is translated by the Greek word homologoumenōs (used this one time only in the entire New Testament) which means to assent, that is, covenant, as acknowledged: confessedly: - without controversy. In other words, Paul wants Timothy and all humanity today and of all time to be in agreement with or acknowledge that the Man Jesus Christ was then and is now and forever will be God of very God, that is, the one who said 'let there be light' in the very beginning of Creation. The phrase Paul writes here the 'mystery of godliness' is defined by him with what he writes following this little phrase. First, Paul writes that the 'mystery of godliness' is defined by 'God was manifest in the flesh' and the little English phrase within this phrase 'was manifest' is translated by the Greek word phaneroō which means to render apparent (literally or figuratively): - appear, manifestly declare, (make) manifest (forth), shew (self). The other little English phrase within this phrase 'the flesh' is translated by the Greek word sarx meaning (as it is used here) the body or more specifically a human being.

In other words, then part of the definition of the phrase the 'mystery of godliness' is the fact and reality that God was rendered apparent or showed Himself by becoming a human being, that is, the very creature He made, God has now become in the Person of our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ. After Adam fell in the Garden of Eden, man/woman or humanity was from then on imbibed, infused, and impregnated with sin (all humanity), therefore, the only way God could reconcile Himself back to His dirty/filthy creature man was to become a Man Himself, the sinless, clean, pure, holy, and perfect God put Himself into a human body in order to take on man's filthy sin and paying for said sin eternally as it is written, "It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling {and} restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up {and} holding against [men] their trespasses [but cancelling them], and committing to us the message of reconciliation (of the restoration to favor). So we are Christ's ambassadors, God making His appeal as it were through us. We [as Christ's personal representatives] beg you for His sake to lay hold of the divine favor [now offered you] {and} be reconciled to God. For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in {and} through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness]." (2 Corinthians 5:19-21) (Amplified Bible).

Secondly, Paul writes that the 'mystery of godliness' is defined by the phrase 'justified in the Spirit' and this English word 'justified' is translated by the Greek word dikaioō meaning to render (that is, show or regard as) just or innocent: - to declare righteous, free. Here is what Adam Clarke had to say concerning this, "By the miracles which were wrought by the Apostle in and through the name of Jesus; as well as by his resurrection from the dead, through the energy of the Holy Ghost, by which he was proved to be the Son of God with power. Christ was, justified from all the calumnies of the Jews, who crucified him as an impostor. All these miracles, being wrought by the power of God, were a full proof of his innocence; for, had he not been what he professed to be, God would not have borne such a decisive testimony to his Messiahship." Thirdly, Paul writes that the 'mystery of godliness' is defined by 'seen of angels' and here Paul means simply that the invisible creatures made by God that is, the good and bad angels could see their Creator God in Jesus Christ and they worshipped Him.

Fourthly, Paul writes that the 'mystery of godliness' is defined by 'preached unto the Gentiles' and by this Paul means that God had held unto Himself from the Nation Israel that He planned to reconcile not only the Jews to Himself, but all of humanity, that being the Gentile Nations outside of Jerusalem as it is written by this same Apostle with these words to the Ephesian Church, "[This mystery] was never disclosed to human beings in past generations as it has now been revealed to His holy Apostles (consecrated messengers) and prophets by the [Holy] Spirit. [It is this:] that the Gentiles are now to be fellow heirs [with the Jews], members of the same body and joint partakers [sharing] in the same divine promise in Christ through [their acceptance of] the glad tidings (the Gospel). Of this [Gospel] I was made a minister according to the gift of God's free grace (undeserved favor) which was bestowed on me by the exercise (the working in all its effectiveness) of His power." (Ephesians 3:5-7) (Amplified Bible).

Fifthly, Paul writes that the 'mystery of godliness' is defined by 'believed on in the world' and this Paul means is that it is truly a mystery that the very One who was so brutally beaten and hanged on a Cross as a criminal would be believed to be the very God of all Creation and it is only explanable by the continual ongoing working power of the Holy Spirit then and now. Sixthly, Paul writes that the 'mystery of godliness' is defined by 'received up into glory' and we know this by virtue of the testimony of all the disciples present during Christ Ascension as it is documented for us by Dr. Luke, "And when He had said this, even as they were looking [at Him], He was caught up, and a cloud received {and} carried Him away out of their sight. And while they were gazing intently into heaven as He went, behold, two men [dressed] in white robes suddenly stood beside them, Who said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing into heaven? This same Jesus, Who was caught away {and} lifted up from among you into heaven, will return in [just] the same way in which you saw Him go into heaven." (Acts 1:9-11) (Amplified Bible). Perhaps the most remarkable thing to realize is that Christ had flesh and bone after His Resurrection and this was raised up not only from death, but from earth all the way into heaven.

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…