Introduction
Seen of Angels Preached to the Gentiles Believed on in the World Received up to Glory
Introduction And, without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up to glory.—1 TIM. 3:16.
THERE are two things that God values more than all the world besides—the church and the truth. The church, that is the 'pillar and ground of truth,' as it is in the former verse. The truth of religion, that is the seed of the church. Now the blessed apostle St Paul being to furnish his scholar Timothy to the ministerial office, he doth it from two grounds especially: from the dignity of the church, which he was to instruct and converse in; and from the excellency of the mysteries of the gospel, that excellent soul-saving truth. Hereupon he doth seriously exhort Timothy to take heed how he conversed in the church of God, in teaching the truth of God. The church of God, it
is 'the house of God,' a company of people that God cares for more than for all mankind besides, for whom the world stands, for whom all things are. 'It is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of truth.' And for the truth of God, that must be taught in this church, that is so excellent a thing, that we see the blessed apostle here useth great words, high styles, lofty expressions concerning it. As the matter is high and great, so the holy apostle hath expressions suitable; a full heart breeds full expressions. As no man went beyond
St Paul, in the deep conceit of his own unworthiness and of his state by nature, so there was no man reached higher in large and rich thoughts and expressions of the excellency of Christ, and the good things we have by him; as we see here, setting forth the excellency of the ministerial calling, being to deal with God's truth towards God's people, he sets forth evangelical truth gloriously here. 'Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God manifested in the flesh,' &c.
In these words, then, there is a preface; and then, a particular explication. There is a fountain or spring, and the streams issuing from it, the root and the branches. There is, as it were, a porch to this great house. Great buildings have fair entrances; so this glorious description of the mysteries of the gospel, it hath a fair porch and entry to it. 'Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness.'
Then the fabric itself is parcelled out in six particulars:— God manifested in the flesh.
Justified in the Spirit.
Seen of angels.
Preached unto the Gentiles.