What is the mystery of Christ in Colossians 4:3?

Exhorting others to pray led the Apostle to feel his own deep need of the prayers of the Lord's people. Hence he asks for their prayers that God would open to him a door of utterance; and that door being opened, that he might be able to unfold the mystery of Christ, and to do so in a right manner, as he "ought to speak".

Paul enlists the prayers of the Colossians for himself and his fellow-laborers, especially that God will open the door for him to declare the full truth of the mystery of Christ. This mystery of Christ involves both Christ and His body, the Church, which is no longer a mystery now that God has revealed it through the apostle Paul. In Ephesians 3:4-6 Paul speaks of "The mystery of Christ which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets; that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel." Because of Paul's faithfulness in proclaiming this marvelous truth, he was in chains, a prisoner (v.3). For, sad to say, people in the flesh, whether Jews or Gentiles, oppose this wonderful message of the grace of God. But far from being intimidated, Paul recognized his imprisonment as another field for his service, dependent only on God's opening the door for it. In fact, he had the conviction that he ought to speak the truth of God wherever an opportunity presented itself (v.4), yet he felt himself in real need of prayer.

We should also pray for others who are in the Lord's work and it is Paul's desire here that the Lord should open a door for him. Sometimes we listen to news from the Lord's work where someone writes that there are many open doors, but Paul does not ask for many doors, he only asks for one because you cannot pass through many doors at one time. Therefore he requests this prayer that the Lord might open one door for him, so that he might announce the mystery of Christ which comprises the whole Christian truth. We pray for the gospel, and this is important, but it is not all, we should pray that the whole Christian truth is proclaimed. Then Paul speaks of our walk in relation to those without who watch us and we should redeem the time. This does not mean that you must work for twenty-four hours a day but it means that you have to do the right thing at the right time, this must be our exercise in our walk. If there is an opportunity then we should take it under the Lord's guidance, this is the meaning of redeeming the time.

We are to pray, and not only so but to persevere in it, and to watch God's dealings that we may not miss His answers to our requests, nor fail to render thanks to Him for grace received. Moreover our prayers are not to be mainly of a personal or even selfish nature. Paul urged the Colossians to intercession on his behalf, that he might make manifest that "mystery of Christ" to which he had alluded in the epistle. He wanted them to be intercessors on behalf of the work of God, and thus taking a share in the conflict connected with it.

This naturally leads on to what in this day and world is truest service, and as to which Paul had a special commission, the manifestation of the mystery of Christ, against which all the world is, and he who is the usurping "prince of this world;" so that, if it is to have way, God must open a door for it. For this, therefore, the apostle seeks the prayers of the disciples, and in general that they persevere in prayer, watching, as in expectation of answer, and with thanksgiving, which implies the tender and encouraging remembrance of abundant mercy. But indeed the very fact of having such a gospel to pray for may well be the greatest encouragement: how could He, who at such a cost has provided salvation, fail to answer the desire of heart which is so completely in sympathy with His own heart? Here is that as to which we may pray therefore with boldness and confident expectation; and here is the secret of confidence, when we have learned to identify ourselves with Christ's interests upon the earth as our real concern. With Paul himself there certainly was no other, as we well know.

The Apostle here speaks of the mystery of Christ, for which he was in bonds. In general this is the same Gospel of a Christ for the Gentiles according to that which was now revealed, for the first time, of God and formed in part of conscious knowledge, and which was specially entrusted to Paul, that he might make it manifest as he ought to speak. These passages give the just idea of the mystery, that is Romans 16, Ephesians and Colossians, alluded to in 1 Corinthians 2:7.

Among the many secrets of God that Paul was privileged to make known there is one that he calls THE MYSTERY in Romans 16:25, Ephesians 3:3, and Colossians 1:26; and which he also speaks of as “the mystery of the Christ” (Eph. 3:4), “the mystery of Christ” (Col. 4:3), and “a great mystery…concerning Christ and the church” (Eph. 5:32). The apostle tells us that this was a secret, hid in God, until the Lord had gone on high, and the Spirit had come to reveal it. It brought out the relationship in which the church stands to Christ as His body and His bride; and of the uniting of Jew and Gentile believers in one body even now.

There are other mysteries of God unfolded by the Apostle Paul. For example, in 2 Corinthians 5 he brings us into the secret of the judgment seat of Christ; and there also reveals the truth of the “man in Christ.” Then in Ephesians and Colossians, he writes of “The mystery,” of Christ and the church, speaking of it as “The mystery of Christ;” “The mystery of the Gospel;” “The mystery of the Christ;” and “The mystery of God.”

There is a peculiarity "for us Gentiles" in chap. 3 which remains to be noticed - how that by revelation God made known to Paul the mystery of Christ, whereby "the Gentiles should he fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel." He was also to preach among the Gentiles "the unsearchable riches of Christ," who aforetime were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. Moreover, "this mystery of Christ" as Christ (who hath made both one) was not in other ages made known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. He was also to make all men see "what is the fellowship of the mystery," which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God. These precious records lead one to ask, How could there be any oneness, or union, or unity outside man in the flesh except by this mystery of Christ, and only then by His making in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace? and further, that He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, "having slain the enmity thereby." How little this mystery of Christ has been before us Gentiles, as showing us the way, and the only way, by which we could have Christ, and be in Him, who were once without Christ; or have access by one Spirit to the Father, who were once without God in the world, and aliens, strangers, and foreigners, these quotations must plainly tell us. How little "this mystery of Christ" for you Gentiles, and by which we reach "the unsearchable riches of Christ!" or how little this parenthetical chapter (as it is called), which reveals it to us, has stood side by side "with the mystery of God's will" elsewhere, we may well enquire!

In truth, whatever "the mystery of God" may be, or whatever "the mystery of Christ," whether in Colossians or Ephesians or elsewhere, all is revealed by the Spirit, and substantiated by Christ and the Spirit, and kept by us in "the unity of the Spirit." This mission of the Spirit embraces the scope of divine revelation, and these mysteries which were hid in God till Christ had taken His new place on high, and abolished in His flesh the boasted advantages of the Jew, equally with the disqualifications of the Gentile. The Spirit opens out "the mystery of Christ" for to make in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace; for in Christ Jesus where He now is there is neither Jew nor Greek; but Christ is all and in all. "Yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him no more;" so if any one be in Christ he is a new creation, whether Jew or Greek.

First of all, Paul preached that Jesus is the Son of God, which none of the apostles had done. They had preached that God had exalted His servant Jesus, but Paul at once proclaimed the glories of His person, as Son of God, and then revealed the truth of the body of Christ, to which I ask your further attention for a moment. In the epistle to the Ephesians, and in the third chapter, you find the apostle saying, "For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, if ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: how that by revelation he made known to me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)." Let me say, in passing, that the word "mystery" here, does not mean something very mysterious, or occult, and not to be grasped, except by a peculiarly intelligent mind. "Mystery" in Scripture refers to something hidden, till the moment when God is pleased to make it known. And now he adds, "the mystery of Christ; which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel; whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world has been hid in God," not even hidden in Scripture! for you cannot find "the body" in the Old Testament Scriptures.