God gave the doctrine of grace to the Gentiles through the apostle Paul by direct revelation.
The doctrine of grace was a secret kept in the mind of God until He revealed it to Paul, who then received 'the dispensation of the grace of God' for the Gentiles (Ephesians 3:1-2). Les emphasizes that Peter and the Twelve knew nothing of this message because God had not yet made it known. No one can believe what God has not said.
Ephesians 3:1-2 — Paul states that he is a prisoner of Jesus Christ for the Gentiles and that the dispensation of grace was given to him for them.
Colossians 1:25-26 — Paul describes the mystery that was hidden from ages and generations, now made manifest to his saints.
In Ephesians 3:1-2, Paul writes, '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.' He goes on to say that by revelation God made known unto him the mystery (Ephesians 3:3). Paul explains that this mystery 'in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit' (Ephesians 3:5). Paul again connects his ministry to this hidden truth in Colossians 1:25-26: 'Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints.'
Les Feldick emphasizes that the doctrine of grace is strictly a Pauline revelation. He notes that the Old Testament knew nothing of the gospel of grace, and even the Gospel accounts (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) know nothing of Paul's gospel that went out to Jew and Gentile alike. God kept this message hidden in His mind through human history until He revealed it to Paul (clips [3], [4]). Les points out that while Peter was still rehearsing who Jesus was as the Messiah of Israel at the time of Cornelius (Acts 10), 'everything concerning what we call the gospel is still hid in the mind of God.' Peter knew no more than that because no one can believe something that God has never said (clip [0]). Les also draws a parallel between Moses and Paul: just as God gave the law to Moses on Mount Sinai and Moses delivered it to Israel, so Paul went to Sinai in Arabia, and the revelations of grace which had been kept secret since the age began were given to him (Ephesians 3:2-5). Paul then became the minister of the dispensation of grace for the Gentiles (clips [1], [7]).
Les explains that at the time of Acts 10, Peter knew Jesus only as the Messiah of Israel, the One who was to be the Redeemer and King of the chosen people. The gospel of grace was still hidden in the mind of God. Peter said nothing about Christ dying for them, His blood, or His resurrection as a means of salvation. 'You cannot believe something that someone has never said.' Since God had not yet said how Gentiles would be saved by grace, Peter could not preach it. The Twelve had no concept of these Pauline truths (clips [0], [2]).
Les uses the analogy: God gave the law to Moses on the mountain, Moses came down and gave it to the people. Paul went to Sinai in Arabia, and where Moses received the law, Paul received the revelations of grace that had been kept secret since the age began. Paul says, 'How that by revelation He made known unto me the mystery' (Ephesians 3:3). The doctrine of grace was given to Paul for the Gentiles just as the law was given through Moses for Israel.
Les repeatedly states that all Pauline truths were held in the mind of God. The mystery 'which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men' was now revealed to Paul and other holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit (Ephesians 3:5). The unsearchable riches of Christ were to be preached among the Gentiles, making all see the fellowship of the mystery that from the beginning of the world had been hid in God (Ephesians 3:8-9). Les notes that Paul says 'I show you a secret' when introducing these truths (1 Corinthians 2:7).
Peter's Limited Knowledge at Acts 10
Les uses Peter's preaching in Acts 10 to show that the gospel of grace had not yet been revealed; Peter knew Jesus only as Israel's Messiah, not as the One who died for all. No one can believe what God has not yet said.
The Dispensation of Grace Given to Paul
Les reads Ephesians 3:1-2 to show that the dispensation of God's grace was given directly to Paul for the Gentiles, and that God had kept this salvation by grace through faith hidden through human history.
The Mystery Hidden from Ages
Les explains from Colossians 1:25-26 that all Pauline truths were held in the mind of God; Israel and the Twelve had no concept of them, but God revealed the secrets to Saul of Tarsus after saving him by grace.
The Secret Wisdom of God
Les emphasizes that the Old Testament and the Gospels know nothing of Paul's gospel of grace; Paul introduces it as a secret or mystery that has come out of hiding (1 Corinthians 2:7).
Paul's Private Training in the Mysteries
Les points to Paul's three years in solitary seminary training in Arabia, where God revealed the mysteries that became the whole sphere of grace doctrine. This shows the doctrine was given by revelation, not human teaching.
Grace Given to Paul for the Gentiles
Les reads Ephesians 3:8-9: Paul, though less than the least of all saints, was given grace to preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, making all see the mystery that from the beginning of the world had been hidden in God.
The Mystery Revealed by Revelation
Les walks through Ephesians 3:1-5 to show that by revelation the mystery was made known to Paul, and that in other ages it was not made known to the sons of men as it was now revealed to God's holy apostles and prophets.
Moses and Paul: Law and Grace
Les compares Moses receiving the law on Sinai with Paul receiving the revelations of grace, showing that the grace given to Paul had been kept secret since the age began and was now revealed by direct revelation.
Ephesians 3:1-2: 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:
This establishes that the grace doctrine was given to Paul for the Gentile believers.
Ephesians 3:5: Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
This shows that the content of the grace mystery was hidden in earlier ages and now revealed.
Ephesians 3:8-9: 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 hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
Paul says the grace to preach to the Gentiles was given to him, and the mystery was hidden in God from the beginning of the world.
Colossians 1:25-26: Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
Paul describes his ministry as the dispensation given to him, revealing the mystery hidden from ages.
1 Corinthians 2:7: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
Paul calls the gospel of grace the hidden wisdom of God, now spoken as a mystery.
Les says the Old Testament knew nothing of what we call the Gospel of the grace of God. It was kept secret in the mind of God and was not made known to the sons of men until it was revealed to Paul and the New Testament apostles and prophets.
No. Les emphasizes that God revealed the mysteries to Paul during three years of solitary seminary training in Arabia. Paul received the doctrine of grace by revelation, not by human education or from theologians.
Les argues that faith comes by hearing what God has revealed. Since the grace doctrine had been hidden, no one in earlier ages could believe it. Once it was revealed to Paul, it could be heard and believed.
It is the administration of grace that God gave specifically to Paul to carry to the Gentiles (Ephesians 3:2). Les likens it to the giving of the law, but now it is grace revealed through Paul.
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