The gospel message was hidden because God had not yet revealed it - it was a secret kept in His mind until Paul's time.
Les Feldick teaches that the gospel of grace was a mystery or secret that God never made known in the Old Testament or the Gospels. No one could believe or proclaim what had not been revealed. God kept this secret until He revealed it by revelation to Paul, making Paul the one through whom the formerly hidden gospel came to light.
Romans 16:25 — Paul explicitly says his gospel was preached according to the revelation of a mystery kept secret since the world began, which directly answers why the gospel was hidden.
Ephesians 3:5 — Paul says this mystery was not made known in other ages, confirming it was hidden until the appointed time.
Colossians 1:26 — Paul describes the mystery hid from ages and from generations that was now made manifest, showing the gospel was concealed until Paul's ministry.
Paul describes his gospel as "the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began" (Romans 16:25). The word translated "mystery" refers to a secret that has not been made public. In Ephesians 3:5, Paul says this truth "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." Similarly, in Colossians 1:26 he speaks of "the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints." Israel was told in Deuteronomy 29:29 that "the secret things belong unto the LORD our God." The New Testament shows that the gospel preached by Paul belonged to those hidden secret things until God chose to reveal them.
Les Feldick emphasizes that the word "mystery" in Paul's writings means "secret." He points out that the Old Testament knew nothing of the gospel of the grace of God, and Matthew, Mark, Luke and John also know nothing of Paul's gospel that went out to Jew and Gentile alike (Clip 1). Les draws attention to Romans 16:25, where Paul speaks of "the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the secret, which was kept secret since the world began." He explains that God simply had not revealed it, and that is why no one before Paul had heard it (Clips 3, 4, 7). Les also shows from Ephesians 3 and Colossians 1 that these truths were held in the mind of God; Israel never had a concept of them, and the Twelve had no concept of them. It was Saul of Tarsus, the renegade saved by grace, to whom God revealed the secrets that had been hidden from ages and generations (Clips 2, 5, 6).
No, according to Les Feldick. In Peter's sermon in Acts 10, Peter rehearses how Jesus went about doing good within the borders of Palestine and Jerusalem, and he never mentions Gentiles. Peter's message identifies Jesus as the Messiah of Israel, the One who came to fulfill the Abrahamic covenant. The message of salvation through Christ's death, burial and resurrection for the whole human race was not yet revealed to him, so he could not proclaim it.
The gospel came to light when God made the secret known by revelation. Paul says in Ephesians 3 that "by revelation he made known unto me the mystery," and Les emphasizes that this revealing had never happened before. Paul was made a minister to the Gentiles for the dispensation of the grace of God, and the mystery that had been hid from ages and generations was now made manifest to his saints (Colossians 1:25-26).
Scripture simply says it was "kept secret since the world began" (Romans 16:25) and "hid from ages and from generations" (Colossians 1:26). Les's explanation is that God had not yet revealed it; a secret remains silent until God unveils it. Les also reminds his students of Deuteronomy 29:29 - "the secret things belong unto the LORD our God" - showing that God was under no obligation to reveal the gospel in earlier times.
Peter's Ministry Confined to Israel
Les shows that Peter's testimony in Acts 10 had no Gentile mention and stayed within the land of Israel - the message of salvation for the whole world was not yet part of what Peter preached.
Old Testament and Gospels Did Not Contain Paul's Gospel
Les states that the Old Testament and the four Gospels know nothing of Paul's gospel of grace to Jew and Gentile alike, because it was a secret only now revealed.
The Mystery Was Not Made Known in Earlier Ages
Les uses Ephesians 3 to show that these truths were not made known to the sons of men because God had been keeping the secret until He revealed it to His apostles and prophets.
Romans 16:25 Reveals a Secret Kept From Ages Past
Les teaches that Paul's gospel is according to the revelation of the secret which has been kept secret from ages past, and that this is what believers are to trust today.
Mysterion Means Secret
Les explains that Romans 16:25 uses the Greek word mysterion, meaning secret, and that the gospel was kept secret since the age began - explaining why no one could know it earlier.
Paul Received the Mystery by Revelation
Les emphasizes that Paul's knowledge of the gospel came by revelation, revealing something that no one else before had ever had an inkling of, and that the dispensation of grace was given to Paul for the Gentiles.
The Mystery Was Hidden From Ages But Revealed to Paul
Les says all Pauline truths were held in the mind of God; Israel and the Twelve had no concept of them, but God saved Saul of Tarsus and revealed the secrets to him.
Secret Things Belong to God
Les connects Romans 16:25 with Deuteronomy 29:29, reminding readers that secret things belong to the Lord - the gospel was hidden until God chose to show it.
Romans 16:25: Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
This verse is the key text for why the gospel was hidden - it was a secret kept since the world began.
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 the mystery was not made known in previous ages, confirming the gospel was hidden until God revealed it.
Colossians 1:26: Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
This shows the mystery was hid from ages and generations but was now made manifest, directly explaining the timing of the gospel's revelation.
Deuteronomy 29:29: The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
This establishes the principle that secret things belong to God, supporting why the gospel could remain hidden until He chose to reveal it.
No. Les Feldick shows Peter's testimony in Acts identified Jesus as the Messiah of Israel and stayed within the land of Israel, with no mention of Gentiles. The gospel of salvation by Christ's death, burial and resurrection for all was a secret not yet revealed to Peter.
Les Feldick explains that the Greek word mysterion means secret. Paul says his gospel was the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began.
Les Feldick teaches that the Old Testament knew nothing of Paul's gospel of grace. It was hidden in the mind of God until He revealed it through Paul.
Paul received it by revelation. He writes that God revealed the mystery to him and gave him the dispensation of grace for the Gentiles.
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