Stewarding the Mysteries
I Cor 4:1-2 - Let a man so consider us, as servants (hyperetes) of Christ and stewards (oikonomos) of the mysteries (musterion) of God. 2 Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful (NKJV).
Col 1:25 - Of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, 26 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints” (NKJV).
What a remarkable statement by Paul, to the Corinthian church. The words “servant,” “mystery” and “stewardship” are loaded into one verse. Thus, this truly reflects the believer’s life in Christ. There are three main points: (1) the identification as a servant of Christ; (2) the responsibility of a steward, and (3) applying the characteristics of being both a ‘servant’ of Christ and a ‘steward’ of the mystery of God at the same time. Note the following from Stephen Kaung's book, Stewards of the Mysteries of God:
We know the duty of God's servants is to be faithful to the stewardship of God's mysteries. They are to manage God's mysteries. If they can faithfully manage God's mysteries, then they will be regarded as faithful servants. If they fail to manage God's mysteries faithfully, they will be considered as evil servants. We may say it this way: The management of God's mysteries tests our faithfulness to the Lord. Whether or not we are serving God on this earth depends on what we are managing. If our management is not God's mysteries, then we are not considered as doing God's work. If what we manage is God's mysteries, then we are indeed faithful servants of God. In order to manage God's mysteries, we have to first know God's mysteries. We cannot manage what we do not know.
Steward: In Paul’s thought, someone who is a “steward“ (Gr. oikonomos) is literally a manager of a household. Think of this term in the light of Joseph (Gen. 39). He had all authority over Potiphar’s house, goods, and slaves. Even though Joseph was “accountable” to Potiphar for these things, he literally became a guardian of someone else’s possessions. Joseph was appointed to this position. As Christians, we know we are supposed to be accountable for the things that the good Lord has given to us, especially being elected into His family. We are stewards of the mystery of God, and what is that mystery? The mystery is the fulfillment of the Scriptures in Christ. God from time in eternity past had ordained and decreed that He would redeem mankind through His Son. This in the minds of theologians is designated as “salvation history.” The continuity of the OT has a message continuous with the NT: Christ as the Messiah was the fulfillment of the prophetic Scriptures of the Old Testament.
Servant: What does Paul imply with the word “servant” (hyperetes)? A steward is a manager. Paul explained to the Corinthians that Messiah's ministers are appointed by God to reveal, to steward, to safeguard, to dispense and even to manage God's truths in a responsible and faithful way. Paul, Peter, Apollos and every disciple has been entrusted with the very revelations of God Almighty. The management of God's mysteries is our honor and solemn duty. In this verse and context, the Greek word hyperetes is used, unlike the usual word doulos that mean bond-servant, slave, and one who is purchased. The difference is that the word hyperetes is mainly translated as a servant-helper, officer, or attendant. The word literally means an “under-rower” (hyper). In the war ships, two levels of rowers existed--an upper level and a lower level, the most menial level. This designation implies an underling or someone who attends to the needs of a higher official, especially an official who designates some type of judgment, as in a magistrate. Since Christ is our King, we serve Him as an underling, we’ve been appointed to office. The first century underling was someone who made sure that the King’s decrees were being held to a high standard and respected. It becomes clear that Paul’s correlation between the two (steward and servant) have a specific meaning, which are tied together.
Mystery: What is a mystery? Of course, in the biblical sense it's not an Agatha Christie "who-done-it." The Greek word "musterion" means something previously hidden, but now fully revealed. In the New Testament, "mystery" always means any doctrine that has not, in former times, been made fully known to men. This word is found 27 times in the New Testament. It is a truth hidden within God himself.
C. G. Moule described that in a biblical context, a mystery is "'a truth undiscoverable except by revelation…it is a thing only to be known when revealed."
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown: "Mystery" in Scripture means, not what remains always a secret, but that which is for a while hidden, but in due time manifested.
Dake's Annotated Reference Bible explains the phrase "stewards of the mysteries of God" as "administrators of Gospel truths of God." We are supposed to be administrators of Gospel truth. In order to be administrators of Gospel truth, we must first be apt to teach; we must be able to correctly divide the Word because the Scriptures dwell in us richly!
When Paul proclaims that people “should regard us” in a certain way, he was making a point that the Christian walk is separate from the world’s way. In the Greek, Paul utilizes the word logizomai (regard), this word can be translated meaning; to keep a mental record, reason or think about, or have an opinion.
“Mystery” in some passages has reference to a symbol, allegory, or parable, which conceals its meaning from those who only take it in a literal, physical sense and they miss the spiritual or metaphoric meaning, the hidden or mystical sense (Mark 4:11; Revelation 1:20; 17:5, 7). From this it follows that Christianity has no secret doctrines, for what was once hidden has now been revealed. But here arises a seeming contradiction. The mystery revealed to some would seem to be still concealed from others.
Jesus spoke in parables and symbolic forms to veil the concealed truth from those outside the kingdom, but those with a kingdom mindset would discover the key to its inner meaning (Matt 13:35; John 16:29). There is no esoteric doctrine or intentional holding things in reserve in the New Testament. On the one hand, the doctrines of Christ and of His Kingdom are hidden from the worldly wise and the prudent (Matt 11:25; 1 Cor 2:6 ff), and from all who are outside the kingdom (Matt 13:11-15). There are truths withheld even from Christians while in an elementary stage of development (1 Cor 3:1ff; Heb 5:11-14).
On the other hand, there are many passages in which the truths of revelation are said to be freely and unreservedly communicated to all (Matt 10:27; 28:19; Acts 20:20, 27; 2 Cor 3:12 f; Eph 3:9, 6:19ff; Col 1:28; 1 Tim 2:4). The explanation is that the communication is limited, not by any secrecy in the gospel message itself, but by the receptive capacity, or incapacity, of the hearer. In the case of the carnally-minded, moral obtuseness or worldliness may make them blind to the light which shines on them (2 Cor 4:2-4). In the case of the “babe in Christ,” the apparent gap may be due to immaturity in the word, and also to the teaching principle of adapting God’s truth to the increasing receptivity of the disciple (John 16:12ff).
The most common meaning in the New Testament is that which is so characteristic of Paul, namely, a divine truth once hidden, but now revealed.
Rom 16:25-26 - 25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began 26 but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith(NKJV).
What, then, is the content of the Christian "mystery"? In a wide sense it is the whole gospel, God's world-embracing purpose of redemption through Christ (e.g. Rom 16:25; Eph 6:19; Col 2:2; 1 Tim 3:9). In a special sense it is applied to some specific doctrine or aspect of the gospel, such as the doctrine of the Cross (1 Cor 2:1,7), of the incarnation (1 Tim 3:16), of the indwelling of Christ as the pledge of immortality (Col 1:27), of the temporary unbelief of the Jews to be followed by their final restoration (Rom 11:25), of the transformation of the saints who will live to see the Second Advent (1 Cor 15:51), and of the inclusion of the Gentiles in the gospel of salvation (Eph 3:3-6).
Mystery: Two Becoming One
In the New Testament, the unique nature of the “mystery” as taught by the apostles was that of two entities becoming one. Mystery has to do with things that were previously veiled, but have now been revealed, and things that are diverse coming supernaturally together.
1) The incarnation is a mystery because the two natures – deity and humanity – have been conjoined in one person (1 Tim. 316).
2) Marriage is a mystery because the two – husband and wife, or Christ and the church – become one flesh (Eph. 5:32).
3) The church is a mystery as well (Eph. 3:8) because in it the two people groups of the old world – Jew and Gentile – are married together into Christ. They become one flesh, one body, one new man.
Thus, the “mystery” of the kingdom in view has to do with the transition from Old Covenant to New Covenant and with the exalted status of the Gentiles (along with the remnant of believing Israel) in the new age. The kingdom mystery is the uniting of believing Jew and Gentile into a new covenant community that fulfills the prophetic vision.
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