Paul burden is described here. “And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: (Ephesians 3:9 (KJV).

Paul preached “Christ according to the revelation of the mystery” (Rom 16:25), which Christ is indwelling the believers - “the mystery which is Christ in you the hope of glory” (Col 1:27b). Paul did not write about Jesus of Nazareth’s earthly walk; Paul never referred to any miracle Jesus of Nazareth did or anything Jesus of Nazareth said. I know that this statement sounds unbelievable but check it out for your self.

Rather, Paul did preach “the hidden wisdom of God in a mystery” that was given to him by the ascended, celestial, Christ. That revelatory information concerned “Christ crucified” (1Cor 2:1) “risen” (1Cor 15:14), and coming again when “the body of Christ” is caught up (raptured) to meet Him “in the clouds” (1Thes 4:17).

The Apostle Paul was given this “hidden wisdom,” this new information that none of the Old Testament writers or prophets, or four Gospel writers had previously seen.

“We (Paul and his other apostles; Barnabas, Silas, etc) speak the WISDOM of God in A MYSTERY, THE HIDDEN WISDOM. “Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect (complete in Christ); yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought; But we (Paul and his grace apostles) speak THE WISDOM OF GOD IN A MYSTERY, even the HIDDEN (apokrypto, concealed) WISDOM, WHICH GOD ORDAINED BEFORE THE WORLD UNTO OUR GLORY (1Cor 2:6-7).

“The hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory,” was first made known unto the Apostle Paul by “revelation of (from) Jesus Christ” (Gal.1:11, 12). Paul’s epistles are filled with the glorious truths of this “wisdom.”

Such wisdom included also the meaning and purpose of suffering in the believer’s life.  1 Timothy 1:16 Howbeit for this cause I (Paul) obtained mercy, that IN ME (Paul) FIRST JESUS CHRIST MIGHT SHEW FORTH ALL LONGSUFFERING, FOR A PATTERN to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

2 Corinthians 4:15-18 (AMP) For all [these] things are [taking place] for your sake, so that the more grace (divine favor and spiritual blessing) extends to more and more people and multiplies through the many, the more thanksgiving may increase [and redound] to the glory of God. ¹⁶ Therefore we do not become discouraged (utterly spiritless, exhausted, and wearied out through fear). Though our outer man is [progressively] decaying and wasting away, yet our inner self is being [progressively] renewed day after day. ¹⁷ For our light, momentary affliction (this slight distress of the passing hour) is ever more and more abundantly preparing and producing and achieving for us an everlasting weight of glory [beyond all measure, excessively surpassing all comparisons and all calculations, a vast and transcendent glory and blessedness never to cease!], ¹⁸ Since we consider and look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are visible are temporal (brief and fleeting), but the things that are invisible are deathless and everlasting.

Having received “the revelation of (from) Christ,” Paul delivered it to “the church, which is His body” (Eph 1:22b-23a), he “laid the foundation…which is Christ”

1 Corinthians 3:10-11 According to the grace of God which is given unto me (Paul), as a wise masterbuilder, I (Paul) HAVE LAID THE FOUNDATION, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. ¹¹ For other FOUNDATION can no man lay than that is laid, WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST.

If only more believers today recognized this heretofore hidden “mystery” given to Paul for the Gentiles, they would then know “what is the RICHES OF THE GLORY of this MYSTERY among the Gentiles” (Col.1:27a). Paul plainly and succinctly defines the subjective aspect of “the mystery” as being “THE MYSTERY WHICH IS CHRIST IN YOU the hope of Glory” (Col.1:27b). The Spirit of the resurrected Christ abiding within the believer’s spirit as the believer’s new life is the believer’s total sufficiency for life on this earth and for eternity.

This indwelling of “the Spirit of Christ” (Rom 8:9-10, 1John 4:13) brings to note a major distinction between the time before the cross and that after the cross.  It was only after the cross that Jesus breathed on His disciples and said this.

John 20:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, RECEIVE YE THE HOLY GHOST:

Paul tells us exactly who the Spirit is. Paul says; “Now “the Lord” is that Spirit…” (2Corinthians 3:17a).

Paul then also tells us exactly where the Lord’s Spirit dwells. “But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit” (1Corinthians 6:17).

In the Old Testament and in the four Gospels before the cross “the Spirit of the Lord” had only come “upon” men transitorily, never coming to take permanent residence until after Christ’s resurrection from death of the cross. Paul clearly said “the mystery which is CHRIST IN YOU” is the hope of glory.

Paul clearly stated that there is “none righteous, no not one” (Rom 3:10), meaning none of the Gentiles and none of Israel are counted righteous – meaning all stand at the foot of the cross on the very same level ground of being lost in sin and separated from God. And, until it was first revealed to Paul, the meaning of the cross had not been explicitly revealed by God as the ultimate means of reconciliation, redemption, and justification for ALL men, both Jew and Gentile; the nation “Israel” will one day accept their Messiah (Zechar 12:9) and be saved by the Christ-work of the cross. You see, many, but not all, of the truths of the cross that Paul received and shared are also to and for the nation Israel as well as the Gentiles. Israel will one day receive the truth of reconciliation, redemption, and justification of “the cross” in the Tribulation and in the Millennium. This understanding of the redeeming cross no doubt is what Peter refers to when Peter, only later, says he learned this “wisdom” from “our brother Paul” (2Per 3:15-16).