It means being a faithful manager or caretaker of the secret truths God has revealed through Paul.
Paul calls ministers of Christ "stewards of the mysteries of God" (1 Corinthians 4:1) and immediately says that what is required of stewards is faithfulness (1 Corinthians 4:2). Les Feldick teaches that a steward is a caretaker, manager, or overseer, and that believers must first learn the mysteries before they can manage or share them. Once they grasp these mysteries, they are to be faithful in passing them on to those who have never heard or know nothing of them.
1 Corinthians 4:1-2 — This is the passage where Paul directly identifies ministers of Christ as "stewards of the mysteries of God" and states the required quality of a steward.
In 1 Corinthians 4:1-2 Paul writes: "Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful." The passage directly connects the role of a minister of Christ with the office of a steward and identifies faithfulness as the required quality. Paul also writes to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:13-14: "Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us." Here the text speaks of holding fast and keeping a "good thing" that has been committed to a believer.
Les Feldick teaches that a steward is a caretaker, manager, and overseer. In 1 Corinthians 4 Paul puts a responsibility on believers of this age; even though Paul writes in the first person, whatever Paul applies to himself he applies to all his listeners. Les emphasizes that you cannot oversee or manage something you know nothing about, so believers must be studying and learning in order to be ready to administer and manage the mysteries. The one requirement God places on a steward is faithfulness. Once a believer gets a hold on these mysteries, he is to be faithful in passing them on to those who have probably never heard or know nothing of them. Les also explains that the Greek word for mystery is mysterion, which simply means secret. A secret is a mystery and a mystery is a secret. God kept these secrets in His own mind until He revealed them to the Apostle Paul. Throughout Paul's epistles, he constantly returns to this term, and it is distinct from the mysteries of the kingdom in Matthew 13. Paul is the only one who claims to have had the mysteries revealed to him. In 2 Timothy 1:13-14, Paul tells Timothy to hold fast the sound words and keep the good thing committed to him; Les calls this deposit the volume of truth in Paul's letters referred to as the mystery.
The Bible identifies ministers of Christ as "stewards of the mysteries of God" (1 Corinthians 4:1). Les Feldick defines a steward as a caretaker, a manager, and an overseer. He says that Paul applies this responsibility to believers of this age; whatever Paul applies to himself, he applies to all his listeners. Because you cannot manage something you know nothing about, the believer must be studying and learning in order to be ready to administer and manage the mysteries.
Les Feldick explains that in the Greek the word is mysterion, and it simply means secret. God had kept this secret in His own mind until He revealed it to the Apostle Paul. Paul constantly refers to "the mystery" throughout his epistles and is the only one who claims to have had these revelations. These are not the mysteries of the kingdom Jesus mentioned in Matthew 13; they are a totally different setting.
In 1 Corinthians 4:2 Paul writes that it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful. Les Feldick says this means that once we get a hold on these mysteries, we are to be faithful in passing them on to those who have probably never heard or know nothing of them. He also says that whether in a business or a church activity, if we are in charge, God expects us to be faithful.
Les Feldick points to Paul's instruction to Timothy: "Hold fast the form of sound words... That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us" (2 Timothy 1:13-14). In the Greek, the word "thing" is really the deposit, and the deposit was that volume of truth in Paul's letters that we refer to as the mystery. So being a steward means holding fast to the doctrine of the mysteries revealed by the ascended Lord and keeping that deposit by the Holy Spirit.
The Mysteries in Paul's Epistles
Les introduces the term "mystery" as a unique expression in Paul's letters and distinguishes it from the mysteries of the kingdom in Matthew 13.
Steward as Caretaker, Manager, Overseer
Les teaches that a steward is a caretaker, manager, and overseer, and that believers cannot manage mysteries they do not understand, so they need to study and learn.
The Requirement of Faithfulness
Les shows from 1 Corinthians 4:2 that the required quality in a steward is faithfulness, and that faithful stewards pass mysteries on to those who have never heard or know nothing of them.
Stewards Are Responsible for What They Manage
Les teaches that whatever a believer is in charge of, whether a business or a church activity, God requires that person to be faithful.
The Greek Word Mysterion Means Secret
Les explains that "mystery" in Greek is mysterion, meaning secret, and that God kept this secret in His own mind until He revealed it to Paul.
Ministers of Christ Are Stewards of the Mysteries
Les quotes 1 Corinthians 4:1 and calls stewards keepers or managers of the mysteries of God.
Paul Alone Claims Revelation of the Mysteries
Les says Paul is the only one who claims to have had the mysteries revealed to him and that Paul constantly refers to these revelations.
The Deposit of the Mysteries
Les teaches that in 2 Timothy the "good thing" committed to Timothy is the deposit — the volume of truth in Paul's letters called the mystery — which Timothy was to keep by the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 4:1-2: Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
Paul directly defines ministers of Christ as stewards of the mysteries and names faithfulness as the required quality.
2 Timothy 1:13-14: Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.
Paul instructs Timothy to keep the deposit of truth, which Les identifies with the mysteries revealed through Paul.
A steward is a caretaker, manager, or overseer entrusted with the mysteries of God. Paul says ministers of Christ are stewards of the mysteries of God (1 Corinthians 4:1), and Les Feldick notes that a steward must know what he is managing before he can share it with others.
Faithfulness is the essential requirement for a steward. Les Feldick teaches that once a believer understands the mysteries, he is to be faithful in passing them on to those who have never heard or know nothing of them, and God expects this same faithfulness in any responsibility, whether in business or church activity.
Les explains that the Greek word mysterion means secret. The mysteries are divine secrets God kept in His own mind until He revealed them to Paul. Paul constantly refers to them in his epistles, and they are distinct from the mysteries of the kingdom in Matthew 13.
Yes. Les says that although Paul writes in the first person, whatever Paul applies to himself he applies to all his listeners. Believers of this age are expected to study, learn, and be faithful managers of the mysteries.
Watch the Teaching: The Mysteries Paul Revealed — Secrets Hidden Since the World Began