And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
And - following up 1 Timothy 3:15: 'AND (that thou mayest know how grand is that truth which the Church, like a pillar, upholds) confessedly (by the universal confession of the members of the Church, which is in this respect "the pillar of the truth") great is the mystery of godliness: (namely) He WHO [so 'Aleph (') A C G, hos (G3739), for Theos (G2316), 'God.' Delta f g, Vulgate, read ho (G3588), 'which mystery'] was manifested in (the) flesh, (He who) was justified in the Spirit,' etc. If Christ were not essentially superhuman (Titus 2:13), how could Paul declare emphatically that He was manifested in (the) flesh? (Philippians 2:7; 1 John 1:2; 1 John 3:5; 1 John 3:8; 1 John 4:2.) Christ is Himself "the mystery of godliness." [Hence, the neuter, to musteerion (G3466), passes into the masculine, hos.] He who before was hidden 'with God' was made manifest (John 1:1; John 1:14; Romans 16:25-26; Colossians 1:26; 2 Timothy 1:10; Titus 2:11; Titus 3:4).
The mystery - the divine scheme embodied in CHRIST (Colossians 1:27), once hidden from, but now revealed to, believers. There are six New Testament mysteries:
(1) The incarnation here;
(2) The mystery of iniquity (2 Thessalonians 2:7);
(3) Christ's marriage to the Church (Ephesians 5:32); (4) The union of Jews and Gentiles in one body (Ephesians 3:4-6);
(5) The final restoration of the Jews;
(6) The resurrection of the body (1 Corinthians 15:51).
Of godliness (note, 1 Timothy 2:10). In opposition to the ungodliness inseparable from, error (departure from the faith, 1 Timothy 4:1; 1 Timothy 4:7: cf. 1 Timothy 6:3). To the victims of error the "mystery of godliness" (i:e., Christ Himself) remains a mystery unrevealed (1 Timothy 4:2). It is accessible only to "godliness" (1 Timothy 4:7-8): in relation to the godly it is termed a "mystery," though revealed (1 Corinthians 2:7-14), to imply the unfathomable excellence of Him who is its subject, and who is "wonderful" (Isaiah 9:6; Ephesians 3:18-19: cf. Ephesians 5:32). Paul now unfolds this great mystery in detail. Probably some generally-accepted confession or hymn existed in the Church, to which Paul alludes-`confessedly great is the mystery,' etc., (to wit,) 'He who was manifested,' etc. (cf. Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16; Pliny, 1: 10, 'Ep.' 97, 'They are wont, on a fixed day, before dawn, to meet and sing a hymn in alternate responses to Christ as God;' and Eusebius, 'Ecclesiastical History,' 1 Tim. 3:28 .) The short unconnected sentences, with words similarly arranged, number of syllables almost equal, and ideas antithetically related, indicate a Christian hymn. The clauses stand in parallelism: each two form a pair, with an antithesis contrasting heaven and earth. The order of this contrast is reversed in each new pair: flesh and spirit, angels and Gentiles, world and glory. The first and the last clause correspond-`manifested in the flesh, received up into glory.'
Justified - evinced to be just (Ellicott). Christ, while "in the flesh," seemed a mere man in the flesh, and in fact bore man's sins; but having died to sin and risen again, He gained for Himself and His people justifying righteousness (Isaiah 50:8; John 16:10; Acts 22:14; Romans 4:25; Romans 6:7; Romans 6:10; Hebrews 9:28; 1 Peter 3:18; 1 Peter 4:1; 1 John 2:1) (Bengel). Rather, as the antithesis requires, He was "justified in the spirit" at the same time that He was "manifest in the flesh" - i:e., vindicated as divine 'in His spirit'-His higher spiritual nature as man (with which the Godhead inseparably united itself: Mark 8:12; Luke 2:40; Luke 10:21; John 11:33; John 13:21), in contrast to "in the flesh," His visible human nature. So Romans 1:3-4, "Made of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead." So "justified" means vindicated in one's true character (Matthew 11:19; Luke 7:35; Romans 3:4).
His manifestation "in the flesh" exposed Him to misapprehension, as though He were nothing more (John 6:41; John 7:27). His justification, or vindication, in respect to His spirit, was effected by ALL that manifested that higher being, His words (Matthew 7:29; John 7:46), His works (John 2:11; John 3:2), His Father's testimony at His baptism (Matthew 3:17) and at the transfiguration (Matthew 17:5), and especially by His resurrection (Acts 13:33).
Seen of angels. He manifested Himself in His incarnation to their vision: answering to "preached unto х en (G1722): among] the Gentiles" (Matthew 28:19; Romans 16:25-26). 'Angels with us saw the Son of God, not having seen Him before' (Chrysostom). 'For the invisible nature of the Godhead not even they had seen, but saw Him when He became flesh' (Theodoret) (Ephesians 3:8; Ephesians 3:10; 1 Peter 1:12: cf. Colossians 1:16; Colossians 1:20). What angels came to know by seeing, the nations by preaching. He is a new message to the one as to the other: in the wondrous union in His person of things most opposite-heaven and earth-lies "the mystery" (Wiesinger). The contrast is between the angels, so near the Son of God, the Lord of angels, and the Gentiles, so utterly "afar off" (Ephesians 2:17).
Believed on in the world - which lieth in wickedness (1 John 2:15; 1 John 5:19). Opposed to "glory" (John 3:16-17). Believing followed His being "preached" (Romans 10:14).
Received up into glory - Greek, 'in glory.' 'Received up (so as now to be) in glory' (Mark 16:19; Luke 24:51; Acts 1:11). His reception in heaven answers to His reception on earth by being "believed on."