Vs. 24 - Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions.
"rejoice in my sufferings" - Paul counted it as a blessing to be persecuted as Christ was persecuted. (See also: Phil. 2:17, 3:10; 2 Cor. 4:17, 12:15, 1:5; Rom. 8:17-18; 1 Pet. 4:13; John 15:20).
Suffering and martyrdom here in the flesh, for Christ's sake (Matt. 5:11, 12) is building up rewards in Christ's kingdom. See also, Matt. 10:22-28 - And you will be hated by everyone because of my name...
“His body... the church” - This is one of the several metaphors regarding the church. This has an important implication. In one instance Jesus said, “If you have done it to the least of these...”, (Matt. 25:34-46) refering to caring for the needy. God cares for the helpless and expects us to care the same. Where I am going with this: Jesus cares for the helpless, even non-believers; do you think He cares what happens to His family, his children? Of course he does! When it happens to us, it happens to Jesus personally! It is His body that is suffering. It is His body that is feeling the pain. None of the persecution goes unnoticed. It is personal to Jesus! Think of the accounting, think of the punishment, the retribution that will come to those who persecute the church! Nothing can be hidden from God; “but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.“ (Give and account for our actions.) (Heb. 4:12, 13) God knows what we go through in His name. There will be rewards and punishment meted out. We do not suffer in vain. We do not commit any action; we do not suffer any persecution, without it being held in account. Praise God, for His power and love.
"Filling up that which is lacking in Christ's afflictions" - This definitely does NOT mean that Christ's sacrifice was imperfect, or incomplete with respect to redemption or reconciliation, propitiation. Christ's death on the cross completely redeemed all who believe in Him (see: Heb. 9:11-14, 7:25; Rom. 5:18). Christ's church is to be a suffering church. Otherwise the potential is high for it to become complacent, self-satisfied. One way for the church to grow is to suffer persecution, and become strong because it must rely on Him for strength and survival. To spread across the world, there may be sacrifice, maybe even suffering (see: Matt. 10:22-25).
Part of this 'filling up' of Christ's suffering is Satan making us suffer since he no longer can get at Christ.
- Paul was was made (called) an apostle, an evangelist, for the benefit of those who received the message of Christ. Note: saved to serve (see also: 1 Cor. 9:17; Gal. 2:7; 1 Thess. 2:4; 1 Tim. 1:11; Tit. 1:3). Paul realized he was saved for one purpose: to take the gospel to the Gentiles. I think in the Old Testament it was prophesied that people who were once estranged would be called 'my people' - will have to find that.
Vs. 26 - That is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints,- 'Mystery': The word of God is the good news of Christ which is a spiritual truth hidden from our predecessors (therefore, a mystery), but revealed to us. In the NT, mysteries are almost always revealed - mainly about Christ, and His atoning work for all peoples, whether Jew or Gentile. Some mysteries are yet to be revealed, such as exactly what will happen in the end times, and when the end times will happen.
The good news does not just happen to us, but in us. God also blesses the world through believers, in that, the message of salvation in Christ is delivered to the world through us. God revealed Himself, and salvation to the world. But only those who believe in Jesus grasp the import of the message. His salvation is demonstrated in our lives - 'made manifest' - not a one-time event, but an ongoing growth and life.
Vs. 27 - to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
- God decided to let everyone know, Jew and Gentile, just how magnificent the mystery really was, and is. And the true richness of the mystery, the real glory is Christ Himself, who lives inside us. That is Christianity: Christ in us. Christ alone is the hope of glory. (See: 1 Tim. 1:1, and esp. 1 Cor. 15:19). During the dispensation of the Law, God seemingly operated outside of man, or above and remote. He came to act, and do things to and for the Jews, but He didn't seem to be so personally involved (perhaps that was said inelegantly). But Christ came to earth, lived, and dies for our sins. When we accept Him as Lord and savior, He now lives in us.
That is a new spiritual phenomenon. Rarely in the OT did God's spirit live in a person. The Holy Spirit came upon the craftsmen for the tabernacle, some of the judges. But the general mass of believers were not inhabited by the Holy Spirit. That is the 'mystery' - the new thing not seen before (reminds me of the exclamation of Secretariat's groom when Secretariat recovered from the abcess, "You're gonna see something you ain't never seen before!")
"among the Gentiles" - For a while, it seemed the new faith, Christianity, was for the Jews only. Paul and Barnabas were called by Jesus to take the message of salvation to Gentiles. For the Jews this is a big (BIG) step. That anyone else other than Jews were to be the recipients of God's grace was staggering to the Jews. In the typical Jewish orthodoxy Gentiles get nothing. That the salvation message could go directly to the Gentiles was somewhat shocking.
Big conferences were held in the early church, and it was resolved - we Gentiles can be saved!
Note: the meetings were held to figure what God wanted. The decision was not Paul's, nor Peter's, nor James' - it was God's will. God always knew that Gentiles were to benefit - we didn't. Another mystery! God did not reveal this way back when. He revealed it 'now' - to Paul, Barnabas, Peter, the leaders of the church in Jerusalem.
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