_THE RELATION OF HUMAN CONDUCT TO THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS._
"These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly;
but if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how men ought to behave
themselves in the house of God, which is the Church of the living
God, the pillar and ground of the truth. And without controversy
great is the mystery of godliness; He who was manifested in the
flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached among the
nations, believed on in the world, received up in glory"--1 TIM.
iii. 14-16.
St. Paul here makes a pause in the Epistle. He has brought to a close
some of the principal directions which he has to give respecting the
preservation of pure doctrine, the conduct of public worship, and the
qualifications for the ministry: and before proceeding to other topics
he halts in order to insist upon the importance of these things, by
pointing out what is really involved in them. Their importance is one
main reason for his writing at all. Although he hopes to be with Timothy
again even sooner than might be expected, he nevertheless will not allow
matters of this gravity to wait for his return to Ephesus. For, after
all, this hope may be frustrated, and it may be a long time before the
two friends meet again face to face. The way in which Christians ought
to behave themselves in the house of God is not a matter which can wait
indefinitely, seeing that this house of God is no lifeless shrine of a
lifeless image, which knows nothing and cares nothing about what goes on
in its temple; but a congregation of immortal souls and of bodies that
are temples of the living God, Who will destroy him who destroys His
temple (1 Cor. iii. 17). God's house must have regulations to preserve
it from unseeming disorder. The congregation which belongs to the living
God must have a constitution to preserve it from faction and anarchy.
All the more so, seeing that to it has been assigned a post of great
responsibility. Truth in itself is self-evident and self-sustained: it
needs no external support or foundation. But truth as it is manifested
to the world needs the best support and the firmest basis that can be
found for it. And it is the duty and privilege of the Church to supply
these. God's household is not only a community which in a solemn and
special way belongs to the living God: it is also the "pillar and ground
of the truth." These considerations show how vital is the question, In
what way ought one to behave oneself in this community?[52]
For the truth, to the support and establishment of which every Christian
by his behaviour in the Church is bound to contribute, is indisputably
something great and profound. By the admission of all, the mystery of
the Christian faith is a deep and weighty one; and the responsibility of
helping or hindering its establishment is proportionately deep and
weighty. Other things may be matter of dispute, but this not. "Without
controversy great is the mystery of godliness."
Why does St. Paul speak of the Truth as "the mystery of godliness"? In
order to express both the Divine and the human aspects of the Christian
faith. On the Divine side the Gospel is a mystery, a disclosed secret.
It is a body of truth originally hidden from man's knowledge, to which
man by his own unaided reason and abilities would never be able to find
the way. In one word it is a revelation: a communication by God to men
of Truth which they could not have discovered for themselves. "Mystery"
is one of those words which Christianity has borrowed from paganism, but
has consecrated to new uses by gloriously transfiguring its meaning. The
heathen mystery was something always kept hidden from the bulk of
mankind; a secret to which only a privileged few were admitted. It
encouraged, in the very centre of religion itself, selfishness and
exclusiveness. The Christian mystery, on the other hand, is something
once hidden, but now made known, not to a select few, but to all. The
term, therefore, involves a splendid paradox: it is a secret revealed to
every one. In St. Paul's own words to the Romans (xvi. 25), "the
revelation of the mystery which hath been kept in silence through times
eternal, but now is manifested, and by the scriptures of the prophets,
according to the commandment of the eternal God, is made known unto all
the nations." He rarely uses the word mystery without combining with it
some other word signifying to reveal, manifest, or make known.[53]
But the Christian faith is not only a mystery but a "mystery of
godliness." It not only tells of the bounty of Almighty God in revealing
His eternal counsels to man, but it also tells of man's obligations in
consequence of being initiated. It is a mystery, not "of lawlessness" (2
Thess. ii. 7), but "of godliness." Those who accept it "profess
godliness"; profess reverence to the God who has made it known to them.
It teaches plainly on what principle we are to regulate "how men ought
to behave themselves in the household of God." The Gospel is a mystery
of piety, a mystery of reverence and of religious life. Holy itself, and
proceeding from the Holy One, it bids its recipients be holy, even as He
is Holy Who gives it.
"Who was manifested in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of
angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, received
up in glory."
After the text about the three Heavenly Witnesses in the First Epistle
of St. John, no disputed reading in the New Testament has given rise to
more controversy than the passage before us. Let us hope that the day is
not far distant when there will be no more disputing about either text.
The truth, though still doubted, especially in reference to the passage
before us, is not really doubtful. In both cases the reading of the A.V.
is indefensible. It is certain that St. John never wrote the words about
the "three that bear witness in heaven": and it is certain that St. Paul
did not write, "_God_ was manifest in the flesh," but "_Who_ was
manifested in the flesh." The reading "_God_ was manifested in the
flesh" appears in no Christian writer until late in the fourth century,
and in no translation of the Scriptures, earlier than the seventh or
eighth century. And it is not found in any of the five great primary
MSS., except as a correction made by a later scribe, who knew of the
reading "God was manifested," and either preferred it to the other, or
at least wished to preserve it as an alternative reading, or as an
interpretation. Even so cautious and conservative a commentator as the
late Bishop Wordsworth of Lincoln declares that "the preponderance of
testimony is overwhelming" against the reading "_God_ was manifested in
the flesh." In an old Greek MS., it would require only two small strokes
to turn "Who" into "God"; and this alteration would be a tempting one,
seeing that the masculine "Who" after the neuter "mystery," looks harsh
and unnatural.[54]
But here we come upon a highly interesting consideration. The words that
follow look like a quotation from some primitive Christian hymn or
confession. The rhythmical movement and the parallelism of the six
balanced clauses, of which each triplet forms a climax, points to some
such fact as this. It is possible that we have here a fragment of one of
the very hymns which, as Pliny the Younger tells the Emperor Trajan, the
Christians were accustomed to sing antiphonally at daybreak to Christ as
a God.[55] Such a passage as this might well be sung from side to side,
line by line or triplet by triplet, as choirs still chant the Psalms in
our churches.
"Who was manifested in the flesh,
"Justified in the spirit,
"Seen of angels,
"Preached among the nations,
"Believed on in the world,
"Received up in glory."
Let us assume that this very reasonable and attractive conjecture is
correct, and that St. Paul is here quoting from some well-known form of
words. Then the "Who" with which the quotation begins will refer to
something in the preceding lines which are not quoted. How natural,
then, that St. Paul should leave the "Who" unchanged, although it does
not fit on grammatically to his own sentence. But in any case there is
no doubt as to the antecedent of the "Who." "The mystery of godliness"
has for its centre and basis the life of a Divine Person; and the great
crisis in the long process by which the mystery was revealed was reached
when this Divine Person "was manifested in the flesh." That in making
this statement or quotation the Apostle has in his mind the Gnostics who
"teach a different doctrine" (i. 3), is quite possible, but is by no
means certain. The "manifestation" of Christ in the flesh is a favourite
topic with him, as with St. John, and is one of the points in which the
two Apostles not only teach the same doctrine, but teach it in the same
language. The fact that he had used the word "mystery" would be quite
enough to make him speak of "manifestation," even if there had been no
false teachers who denied or explained away the fact of the Incarnation
of the Divine Son. The two words fit into one another exactly.
"Mystery," in Christian theology, implies something which once was
concealed but has now been made known; "manifest" implies making known
what had once been concealed. _An historical appearance of One Who had
previously existed, but had been kept from_ _the knowledge of the
world_, is what is meant by, "Who was manifested in the flesh."
"Justified in the spirit." Spirit here cannot mean the Holy Spirit, as
the A.V. would lead us to suppose. "In spirit" in this clause is in
obvious contrast to "in flesh" in the previous clause. And if "flesh"
means the material part of Christ's nature, "spirit" means the
immaterial part of His nature, and the higher portion of it. His flesh
was the sphere of His manifestation: His spirit was the sphere of His
justification. Thus much seems to be clear. But what are we to
understand by His justification? And how did it take place in His
spirit? These are questions to which a great variety of answers have
been given; and it would be rash to assert of any one of them that it is
so satisfactory as to be conclusive.
Christ's human nature consisted, as ours does, of three elements, body,
soul, and spirit. The body is the flesh spoken of in the first clause.
The soul (=psychê=), as distinct from the spirit (=pneuma=), is the seat
of the natural affections and desires. It was Christ's soul that was
troubled at the thought of impending suffering. "My soul is exceeding
sorrowful, even unto death" (Matt. xxvi. 38; Mark xiv. 34). "Now is My
soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour"
(John xii. 27). The spirit is the seat of the religious emotions: it is
the highest, innermost part of man's nature; the sanctuary of the
temple. It was in His spirit that Christ was affected when the presence
of moral evil distressed Him. He was moved with indignation in His
spirit when He saw the hypocritical Jews mingling their sentimental
lamentations with the heartfelt lamentations of Martha and Mary at the
grave of Lazarus (John xi. 33). It was in His spirit also that He was
troubled when, as Judas sat at table with Him and possibly next to
Him,[56] He said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall
betray Me" (John xiii. 21). This spiritual part of His nature, which was
the sphere of His most intense suffering, was also the sphere of His
most intense joy and satisfaction. As moral evil distressed His spirit,
so moral innocence delighted it. In a way that none of us can measure,
Jesus Christ knew the joy of a good conscience. The challenge which He
made to the Jews, "Which of you convicteth Me of sin?" was one which He
could make to His own conscience. It had nothing against Him and could
never accuse Him. He was _justified_ when it spake, and clear when it
judged (Rom. iii. 4; Ps. li. 4). Perfect Man though He was, and
manifested in weak and suffering flesh, He was nevertheless "justified
in the spirit."[57]
"Seen of angels." It is impossible to determine the precise occasion to
which this refers. Ever since the Incarnation Christ has been visible to
the angels; but something more special than the fact of the Incarnation
seems to be alluded to here. The wording in the Greek is exactly the
same as in "_He appeared to_ Cephas; then _to_ the twelve; then _He
appeared to_ above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater
part remain until now, but some are fallen asleep; then _He appeared to_
James; then _to_ all the Apostles; last of all, as _to_ one born out of
due time, _He appeared to_ me also" (1 Cor. xv. 5-8). Here, therefore,
we might translate "_appeared to_ angels." What appearance, or
appearances, of the incarnate Word to the angelic host can be intended?
The question cannot be answered with any certainty; but with some
confidence we can venture to say what can _not_ be intended. "Appeared
to angels" can scarcely refer to the angelic appearances which are
recorded in connexion with the Nativity, Temptation, Agony,
Resurrection, and Ascension of Christ. On those occasions angels
appeared to Christ and to others, not He to angels. With still greater
confidence we may reject the suggestion that "angels" here means either
the Apostles, as the angels or _messengers_ of Christ, or evil spirits,
as the angels of Satan. It may be doubted whether anything at all
parallel to either explanation can be found in Scripture. Moreover,
"appeared to evil spirits" is an interpretation which makes the passage
more difficult than it was before. The manifestation of Christ to the
angelic host either at the Incarnation or at the return to glory is a
far more reasonable meaning to assign to the words.
The first three clauses of this primitive hymn may thus be summed up.
The mystery of godliness has been revealed to mankind, and revealed in a
historical Person, Who, while manifested in human flesh, was in His
inmost spirit declared free from all sin. And this manifestation of a
perfectly righteous Man was not confined to the human race. The angels
also witnessed it and can bear testimony to its reality.
The remaining triplet is more simple: the meaning of each one of its
clauses is clear. The same Christ, who was seen of angels, was also
preached among the nations of the earth and believed on in the world:
yet He Himself was taken up from the earth and received once more in
glory. The propagation of the faith in an ascended Christ is here
plainly and even enthusiastically stated. To all the nations, to the
whole world, this glorified Saviour belongs. All this adds emphasis to
the question "how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God" in
which such truths are taught and upheld.
It is remarkable how many arrangements of these six clauses are
possible, all making excellent sense. We may make them into two triplets
of independent lines: or we may couple the two first lines of each
triplet together and then make the third lines correspond to one
another. In either case each group begins with earth and ends with
heaven. Or again, we may make the six lines into three couplets. In the
first couplet flesh and spirit are contrasted and combined; in the
second, angels and men; in the third, earth and heaven.
Yes, beyond dispute the mystery of godliness is a great one. The
revelation of the Eternal Son, which imposes upon those who accept it a
holiness of which His sinlessness must be the model, is something awful
and profound. But He, Who along with every temptation which He allows
"makes also the way of escape," does not impose a pattern for imitation
without at the same time granting the grace necessary for struggling
towards it. To reach it is impossible--at any rate in this life. But the
consciousness that we cannot reach perfection is no excuse for aiming at
imperfection. The sinlessness of Christ is immeasurably beyond us here;
and it may be that even in eternity the loss caused by our sins in this
life will never be entirely cancelled. But to those who have taken up
their cross daily and followed their Master, and who have washed their
robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, will be granted
hereafter to stand sinless "before the throne of God and serve Him day
and night in His temple." Having followed Christ on earth, they will
follow Him still more in heaven. Having shared His sufferings here, they
will share His reward there. They too will be "seen of angels" and
"received up in glory."
FOOTNOTES:
[52] To take the "pillar and ground of the truth" as meaning Timothy
makes sense, but not nearly such good sense: moreover, it is almost
certain that if St. Paul had meant this, he would have expressed himself
differently. There is no intolerable mixture of metaphors in speaking of
Christians first as a house and then as a pillar, any more than in
speaking of any one as both a pillar and a basis. In vi. 9 we have the
covetous falling into a _snare_ and hurtful lusts such as _drown_ men.
[53] 1 Cor. ii 1, 7, xv. 51; Eph. i. 9, iii. 3, 9, vi. 19; Col. i. 26,
27, ii. v. 3, comp. Rom. xi. 25, and see Lightfoot on Col. i. 26.
[54] Cf. Col. i. 27, which throws much light on this passage; and also
Col. ii. 2. In some MSS. and Versions the "Who" has been changed into
"which," in order to make the construction less harsh.
[55] Carmen Christo quasi deo dicere secum invicem (Plin., _Ep._ x. 97).
[56] St. John reclined on our Lord's right; Judas seems to have been on
His left. He must have been very close to be able to hear without the
others hearing.
[57] Cf. the partly parallel passage 1 Pet. iii. 18: "Put to death in
the flesh, but quickened in the spirit." But "flesh" and "spirit" have
no preposition in the original Greek in 1 Pet. iii. 18: here each has
the =en=.