The “Mysteries” of the Bible (4-6-2018,
D.P. Weary)
The word mystery is used 22 times in the King James Bible and 28
times in the New American Standard Bible. These mysteries are truths that are
in general hidden or secret. They are
hidden from some but revealed to others by the Holy Spirit of God. Even as we
study these mysteries, some “will get it”, but to others they will still be
confusing or unclear. Some will simply reject them as fables. Such is the
“mystery” of the mysteries.
[Mat 13:10-17 NKJV] 10 And the disciples
came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?" 11 He
answered and said to them, "Because
it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to
them it has not been given. 12 "For whoever has, to him more will
be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he
has will be taken away from him. 13 "Therefore I speak to them in
parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do
they understand. 14 "And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled,
which says: 'Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you
will see and not perceive; 15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
[Their] ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they
should see with [their] eyes and hear with [their] ears, Lest they should
understand with [their] hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.' 16
"But blessed [are] your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; 17 "for assuredly, I say to
you that many prophets and righteous [men] desired to see what you see, and did
not see [it], and to hear what you hear, and did not hear [it].
In the Biblical
sense, a mystery is simply a thing to
be understood by spiritual, rather than by merely human perception. Paul will
tell the Corinthian Christians (1 Cor 2)
something they could not have known by reason or research. They could not have
known this unless God revealed it to them.
Guzik
The real mystery of all these “mysteries” is what do these
mysteries have to do with the world we live in today, what do they mean for the
true church today, and what do they mean for you personally? There are truths
in these mysteries that are important to be applied to our lives today. Find
them, apply them, find hope in them, and live by them.
[2Ti 3:16 NKJV] 16 All Scripture [is]
given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness,
We will begin our study by finding all places in the Bible where
something is actually called a “mystery”; places where the Hebrew word rawz is
used and in the New Testament where the Greek word mysterion is used.
In the Old
Testament - Mystery: רָז râz, rawz; (Aramaic) from an unused root probably meaning to
attenuate, i.e. (figuratively) hide; a mystery:—secret.
[Dan 2:18 NASB] so that
they might request compassion from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel
and his friends would not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
[Dan 2:3 NASB] The king said to them,
"I had a dream
(the mystery) and my spirit is
anxious to understand the dream."
[Dan 2:19 NASB] Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a night vision.
Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven;
[Dan 2:27 NASB] Daniel answered before the king and said, "As
for the mystery
about which the king has inquired, neither wise men, conjurers, magicians nor
diviners are able to declare it to the king.
[Dan 2:30 NASB] "But as for me, this mystery has not been revealed to me for any
wisdom residing in me more than in any other living man, but for the purpose of
making the interpretation known to the king, and that you may understand the
thoughts of your mind.
[Dan 2:47 NASB] The king answered Daniel and said, "Surely
your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries,
since you have been able
to reveal this mystery."
1. The first mystery: Dan 2:3, 18-47; the great
image representing Bablyon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, and the 10 king/nation
of the Antichrist.
b. Concerning this secret:
Daniel had confidence that God could do an unprecedented miracle. Joseph had
interpreted dreams with God’s help, but had not reconstructed the dreams.
c. Might not perish: Considering what
was at stake, there is little doubt that their prayers were extremely earnest.
God listens to earnest prayer.
3. (Dan 2:19) God reveals
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and its interpretation to Daniel.
Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So
Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
a. The secret was revealed to Daniel: This was not religion, but revelation. Daniel did not find it out, God revealed it to him.
i. Christianity
begins with the principle of revelation. What we
know about God is what He has revealed to us. We do actively seek Him, but we
seek what He has revealed. Our job
isn’t to figure things out about God, but to understand what He has revealed to
us.
Guzik
In this mystery we can search for the grammatical, literal,
historical events, the story being told, the principles that are presented, the
hints that are there, and then there are the mysteries that the Holy Spirit can
reveal to us. What does this mystery mean for the world today? What does it mean
personally to you today? All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness. So how do we apply the truths in this mystery to our world today
and to each of us personally?
[Dan 4:9
NASB] 'O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, since I know that a
spirit of the holy gods is in you and no mystery baffles you, tell me the visions of my
dream which I have seen, along with its interpretation.
[Dan 4:10 NASB] 'Now these were the visions in my mind as I lay on my bed: I was
looking, and behold, there was a tree in the midst of the earth and its height
was great.
2. The mystery: Dan 4:10-33; Nebuchadnezzar’s
dream of his fall from power and wandering in a wilderness like an ox.
In order
that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men: Nebuchadnezzar heard these words in his dream. In light of
this, the dream wasn’t hard to interpret – it clearly dealt with the humbling
of a great king. No wonder none of Nebuchadnezzar’s counselors wanted to
interpret the dream for him.
i. Like most kings – ancient and
modern – Nebuchadnezzar wanted to believe that he ruled
instead of God or anyone else. “Both the Assyrian and the Babylonian kings
thought of themselves as rulers over all the earth, so describing themselves in
their inscriptions.” (Wood)
Nebuchadnezzar
was given the opportunity to humble himself, and he did not. Now God humbled
him, and the experience was much more severe than it would have been had Nebuchadnezzar
humbled himself.
i.
“Great men and princes are often represented, in the language of the prophets,
under the similitude of trees, see Ezekiel 17:5-6; 31:3 and following; Jeremiah 22:15; Psalm 1:3; 37:35.” (Clarke)
What are the secrets in this mystery that are important to us
today; to you today?
Now we turn
to the New Testament.
In the New
Testament - Mystery: μυστήριον mystḗrion, moos-tay'-ree-on;
from a derivative of μύω mýō (to shut the mouth); a secret or "mystery"
(through the idea of silence imposed by initiation into religious
rites):—mystery.
[Mar 4:11
NASB] And He was saying to them, "To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God,
but those who are outside get everything in parables,
3.
The mystery:
The parable of the sower.
b. To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: Jesus would answer the disciples’ question about the parable,
but first He would teach them why He used parables.
i. The disciples,
who wanted the things of God, were given to know the mystery of the kingdom – they could be
spoken to plainly. But others were often taught with parables.
ii. In the Bible, a mystery isn’t something you can’t figure
out. It is something that you would not know unless God revealed it to you. In
the Biblical sense of the idea, you may know exactly what a mystery is, yet it
is still a mystery because you would not have known unless God revealed it.
3. (Mar 4:13-20) Parable of the
sower explained.
And He said to them,
“Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the
parables? The sower sows the word. And these are the ones by the wayside where
the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the
word that was sown in their hearts. These likewise are the ones sown on stony
ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and
they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when
tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they
stumble. Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the
ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of
riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it
becomes unfruitful. But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear
the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some
sixty, and some a hundred.”
Guzik
Again, what are the secrets in this mystery that are important to
us today; to you personally today?
[Rom 11:25
NASB] For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery--so that you will
not be wise in your own estimation--
4.
The mystery:
that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the
Gentiles has come in.
[Rom 11:26 NASB] and so all Israel will be
saved; just as it is written, "THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL
REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB." [Rom 11:27 NASB] "THIS IS MY COVENANT
WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS." [Rom 11:28 NASB] From the
standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the
standpoint of God's choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; [Rom
11:29 NASB] for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
b. Blindness in part has happened to Israel: Paul summarizes his point from Romans 11:11-24. God’s
purpose in allowing blindness in part to come upon Israel is so that the fullness of the Gentiles can come in.
i. In part has the idea of
“temporary”; Israel’s blindness is temporary. “One
day the Jews will realize their blindness and folly. They’ll accept Jesus
Christ, and the glorious national restoration of these people will bring in the
Kingdom Age.” (Smith)
c. Until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in: At that time, God will once again turn the attention of His
plan of the ages specifically on Israel again, so that all Israel will be saved.
God’s plan of the ages does not set its attention on everyone equally through
all ages.
Guzik
How does this mystery affect you today?
[Rom 16:25
NASB] Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel
and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has
been kept secret for long ages past, [Rom 16:26 NASB] but now is manifested,
and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the
eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of
faith; [Rom 16:27 NASB] to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the
glory forever. Amen.
5. The mystery: The plan of redemption through
Jesus to both Jew and Gentile.
b. According to the revelation of the mystery: Paul means this as the whole plan of redemption through Jesus
Christ. Though God announced much of the plan previously through prophecy, its
final outworking wasn’t evident until revealed by God through Jesus.
i. Now that the mystery has been revealed
through the preaching of the gospel, God calls all nations to obedience to the faith.
c. To God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever: In this conclusion Paul reflects on the wisdom of God’s plan
in the gospel and the fact that such wisdom is beyond man. God had a plan no
man would come up with, but the wisdom and glory of the plan is evident.
i. If there is
anything that the Book of Romans explains from beginning to end, it is the greatness and glory of
this plan of God that Paul preached as a gospel – as good news. It’s entirely fitting
that Paul concludes this letter praising the God of such a gospel.
ii. The good news
Paul preached presented the God who chose to glorify Himself through the person
and work of Jesus Christ, and who will glorify Himself that way forever. Amen!
Guzik
How does understanding this mystery affect you today?
[1Co 2:6
NASB] Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom,
however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away;
[1Co 2:7
NASB] but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined
before the ages to our glory;
6. The mystery: God’s hidden wisdom.
[1Co 2:8 NASB] the wisdom which none of
the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the
Lord of glory;
[1Co 2:9 NASB] but just as it is
written, "THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND which
HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM."
[1Co 2:10 NASB] For to us God revealed
them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.
[1Co
2:11 NASB] For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of
the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the
Spirit of God.
[1Co 2:12 NASB] Now we have received, not the spirit of the world,
but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to
us by God,
[1Co 2:13 NASB] which things we also
speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit,
combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.
d. Why
did the rulers of this age fail to recognize God’s wisdom? Because it came in a mystery; a
“sacred secret” that could only be known by revelation. It is the hidden wisdom that is now
revealed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which Paul preaches. (Guzik)
How has this wisdom of God affected you today?
[1Co 15:51
NASB] Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,
7. The mystery: The rapture and the new immortal
bodies of believers.
[1Co 15:49 NASB] Just as we have borne
the image of the earthy, we
will also bear the image of the heavenly.
[1Co 15:50 NASB] Now I say this,
brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the
perishable inherit the imperishable.
[1Co 15:51 NASB] Behold, I tell you a
mystery; we will not all
sleep, but we will all be changed,
[1Co 15:52 NASB] in a moment, in the
twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised
imperishable, and we will be changed.
[1Co 15:53 NASB] For this perishable
must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.
[1Co 15:54 NASB] But when this
perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on
immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "DEATH IS
SWALLOWED UP in victory.
c. I tell you a mystery: In the Biblical
sense, a mystery is simply a thing to
be understood by spiritual, rather than by merely human perception. Paul will
tell the Corinthian Christians something they could not have known by reason or
research. They could not have known this unless God revealed it to them.
d. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed: Since sleep is a softer way of
describing the death of a believer, Paul tells us that not all Christians will
die, but there will be a “final generation” who will be transformed into
resurrection bodies at the return of Jesus before they ever face death.
e. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet...
the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed: In a single moment, Jesus will gather His people (both dead
and on the earth) to Himself, for resurrection.
i. Paul expressed
the same idea again in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18.
This remarkable, instant gathering of Christians unto Jesus in the clouds has
been called the rapture, after
the Latin word for caught up in1 Thessalonians 4:15-18.
ii. There will come a day when in God’s eternal plan, He gives
those dead in the Lord their resurrection bodies, and then in an instant He
gathers all His people to meet Jesus in the air. All the redeemed on the earth
at that time will rise up to meet the Lord in the clouds, and will receive
their resurrection bodies.
iii. What of the
dead in Christ before that day? Are they lying in the grave, in some kind of
soul sleep or suspended animation? No. Paul made it clear that to be absent from the body means to be present with the Lord(2 Corinthians 5:8). Either
the present dead in Christ are with the Lord in a spiritual body, awaiting
their final resurrection body; or because of the nature of timeless eternity,
they have received their resurrection bodies already because they live in the
eternal “now.”
Guzik
This mystery is the hope set before many, is viewed very
skeptically by some, and is ridiculed by others. What it is to you today?
[Eph 1:9
NASB] He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which
He purposed in Him
8. The mystery: Eph 1:9-12 – The gathering
together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on
the earth.
a. Having made known to us the mystery of His will: Part of what belongs to us under the riches of His grace is
the knowledge of the mystery of His will,
God’s great plan and purpose which was once hidden but is now revealed to us in
Jesus. Through the Apostle Paul, God called us to consider the greatness of
God’s great plan for the ages and our place in that plan.
i. “In the New Testament sense a mystery is something which is
hidden to the heathen but clear to the Christian.” (Barclay)
ii. The idea behind
the word dispensation also reflects a plan
or a strategy. “The plan which the master of a family, or his steward, has
established for the management of the family… it signifies, also, a plan for
the management of any sort of business.” (Clarke)
b. That… He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both
which are in heaven and which are on earth; in Him: God’s ultimate plan is to bring together — to ultimately
resolve — all things in Christ, either through Jesus as a Savior or Jesus as a
Judge; this will happen in thefullness of the times.
Guzik
What does this “gathering together in one all things in Christ”
mean to you personally?
[Eph 3:3 NASB] that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote
before in brief.
[Eph 3:4 NASB] By referring to this, when you read you can
understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,
[Eph 3:5 NASB] which in other generations was not made known to
the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets
in the Spirit;
9. The mystery: Eph 3:3-11; that Gentiles would
be fellow heirs with the Jews of the covenants and promises of God.
[Eph 3:6 NASB] to
be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise
in Christ Jesus through the gospel,
2. (Eph 3:6-7) The mystery
described.
That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and
partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, of which I became a
minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective
working of His power.
a. That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body: This describes the mystery itself – that believing Jews and
believing Gentiles are joined together into one body of Christ, into one
Church, and no longer separated before God as such.
b. Partakers of His promise in Christ: The truth of this mystery means that Gentiles are now full partakers of His promise.
This was a privilege no longer reserved only for the believing Jewish person.
c. Through the gospel: This could only
happen through the gospel, where all men have
an equal standing in Jesus. This is the same gospel Paul is a servant of,
because of the gift of grace given to him by the
working of God’s power.
i. Paul says he is a minister, but that is a
title of service, not exaltation. In classical literature of ancient Greece,
the minister (diakonos) “is a table
waiter who is always at the bidding of his customers.” (Wood)
Guzik
What Jewish “covenants and promises of God” are personally important
to you today?
[Eph 3:9
NASB] and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages
has been hidden in God who created all things;
10. The mystery: The fellowship of the mystery;
all believers united in Christ without any separation such as existed between
Jew and Gentile.
(Eph 3:8-9) Paul’s
presentation of the mystery.
To me, who am less
than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach
among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the
fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden
in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;
e. Fellowship of the mystery:
We should carefully consider what this phrase means. It demonstrates that these
are not only facts to know but also a life to live, united in Jesus with other
believers, without any separation such as existed between Jew and Gentile.
f. Which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God: This great truth – the fellowship of the mystery – was hidden before it was
revealed after the finished work of Jesus on the cross. This reinforces the
idea that there is genuinely something new in the New Covenant, and that it is
wrong to consider Israel simply the Old Testament Church and the Church the New
Testament Israel.
i. “This statement settles the question once for all concerning
the existence of the church, the body of Christ, in and during the Old
Testament dispensations. Yet it is one of the most widespread views that the
church existed from the beginning of creation and the words of promise
contained in the Old Testament prophetic Word are the promises of the church,
and its glorious future on the earth, in reigning over the nations.”
(Gaebelein)
4. (Eph 3:10-12) The purpose of
the mystery.
To the intent that
now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the
principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to
the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we
have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.
How does this mystery affect your view of Jews and of Israel in
general?
[Eph 5:32
NASB] This mystery
is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.
11. The mystery: Eph 5:21-33; marriage likened to
the relationship between Christ and the Church.
c. This
is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church: It would be easy to think that
the Genesis 2:24 passage (also quoted by Jesus in Matthew 19:5) only speaks about marriage. Paul wants us to
know that it also speaks about the relationship between Christ and the church.
i.
This is true in regard to the pattern of the first man and the first woman.
“Woman was made at the beginning as the result of an operation which God
performed upon man. How does the church come into being? As the result of an
operation which God performed on the Second Man, His only begotten, beloved Son
on Calvary’s hill. A deep sleep fell upon Adam. A deep sleep fell upon the Son
of God, He gave up the ghost, He expired, and there in that operation the
church was taken out. As the woman was taken out of Adam, so the church is
taken out of Christ. The woman was taken out of the side of Adam; and it is
from the Lord’s bleeding, wounded side that the church comes.” (Lloyd-Jones)
ii.
It is also true in regard to the pattern of marriage in general.
· It
shows us that Jesus wants more than just an external, surface relationship.
· It shows us that Jesus wants us to be one with
Him.
· It shows us that there is a sense in which Jesus is incomplete
without us. Adam was incomplete without Eve; we can say that Eve makes up the “fullness”
of Adam and makes up that which was lacking in him. And that is exactly what
the church does for Jesus; Ephesians 1:23 says of the church, which
is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
iii. It shows the common connection of unity and oneness in
the two relationships. “Unity, mark you for that is the essence of the
marriage-bond. We are one with Christ, who made himself one with his people.”
(Spurgeon)
Guzik
Does this mystery affect your view of earthly marriage, and/or of
the “marriage between Jesus and His Bride, the Church?
[Eph 6:19
NASB] and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the
opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel
12. The mystery: Salvation and the forgiveness of
sin through the death and resurrection of Jesus
(The Gospel).
d. Boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel: Paul could have asked prayer for many things, but he wanted
his readers to pray for this. He probably had in mind his upcoming defense
before Caesar.
i. We could imagine
Paul asking for many things, such as relief from his imprisonment or for other
comforts. But his heart and mind were fixed on his responsibility as an ambassador of the gospel.
e. That utterance may be given to me: The idea behind utterance is clear speaking.
Added to boldly, Paul asked for
prayer that he might proclaim the gospel both clearly and with a fearless power.
It is easy to neglect one or the other.
Guzik
This is the Great Mystery, the mystery of the sacrifice of God’s
own Son, and eternal life found only in the name of Jesus. The path to eternal
life is narrow and the path to destruction wide, many will never find a
revelation of the Great Mystery.
[Mat 7:13-14
NKJV] 13 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide [is] the gate and broad [is]
the way that leads to
destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 "Because narrow [is] the gate and difficult [is] the way
which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
[Col 1:26
NASB] that is, the
mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but
has now been manifested to His saints,
[Col 1:27 NASB] 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.
13. The mystery: Christ in you, the hope of glory;
the indwelling of the Holy spirit in believers, the earnest or down payment of our
inheritance, immortality with a new, immortal body.
b. The word of God, the mystery which has been hidden: In the Biblical sense, a mystery is not a riddle. It
is a truth that can only be known by revelation and not by intuition. Now it
can be known, because it now has been revealed to His saints.
i. Hidden from ages and generations: This reminds us that there are aspects to God’s plan that were not clearly
revealed in the Old Testament. The specific mystery Paul refers to here
deals with many aspects of the work of Jesus in His people, but especially the
plan of the church, to make one body out of Jew and Gentile, taken from the
“trunk” of Israel, yet not Israel.
ii. “The mystery is
this: that God had designed to grant the Gentiles the same privileges with the
Jews, and make them his people who were not his people. That this in what Paul
means by the mystery, see Eph 3:3, etc.” (Clarke)
3. (Col 1:27) Part of the mystery: that Jesus would actually indwell
believers.
To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory
of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
a. This mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you: The wonder and glory of the abiding, indwelling Jesus was not
clearly revealed in the Old Testament, especially that He would abide in the Gentiles. Therefore, this
aspect of the work of Jesus in His people was a mystery that wasn’t revealed
until the time of Jesus and the apostles.
i. “This is the crowning wonder to Paul that God had included
the Gentiles in his redemptive grace.” (Robertson)
ii. This means that
God is revealed to us in Jesus. Classic theologians use the Latin term deus absconditus to
refer to the “hidden God,” the God than cannot be clearly seen or known. The
Latin theological termdeus revelatus refers
to the “revealed God.” In Jesus, the deus absconditus has become the deus revelatus.
b. Christ in you, the hope of glory: This is the Christian’s hope of glory. It isn’t our own
hard work or devotion to God, or the power of our own spirituality. Instead, it
is the abiding presence of Jesus: Christ in you.
Guzik
This mystery marks the distinction between the
“true church”, those that come to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior by
faith, are born again, and are filled with His Spirit, and coved by Christ’s
righteousness, and others that are considered “righteous” by God because of their
“works”. These would include the OT Saints judged “righteous” because they
pleased God like Enoch (Heb. 11:5), and Noah who did all that God commanded him
(Gen 6:8-22), and Abraham who “believed God, and it was accounted to him for
righteousness” (Gal 3:6). Then there were Daniel and Job who deliver themselves
by their righteousness.
[Eze 14:14, 20 NKJV] 14 “Even [if] these three
men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver [only] themselves by
their righteousness,” says the Lord GOD. ... 20 “even [though] Noah, Daniel,
and Job [were] in it, [as] I live,” says the Lord GOD, “they would deliver
neither son nor daughter; they would deliver [only] themselves by their
righteousness.”
Consider
this: Jesus was born of a human women (Mary) and the Holy Spirit (Mat 1:20). He
was fully human, but born of the Holy Spirit. In a similar way, believers in
Jesus are “born again of the Spirit” (Jn 3:3, 7; Pet 1:23). Jesus died on the
cross as a human, but when He walk out of that grave He was transformed into
something new, a new creation never seen before. He had a body, He could be
touched, He ate, yet He walked through walls, could change His appearance,
transport Himself for one place to another, and could just appear and disappear
at will. Believers in Jesus when they are born again by the Spirit are given the Holy Spirit to
indwell them as an earnest of their full salvation which is a new and
incorruptible body like Jesus’ new body (we will be like Him – 1 Jn 3:2). They
will be “new creations” like Jesus (2 Cor 5:17). This is indeed a great mystery
that seems to make the Church, believers by faith in Jesus from the day of the
first Pentecost to the day of the rapture (the church age), very unique, new
creations like the resurrected Jesus Himself (Rom 8:29) to become “one with Him”
(Jn 17:21-23, Eph 5:30-32).
Also it seems
that the Jews saved during the 7 years of tribulation find themselves in
Abraham’s Bosom along with all of the OT saints. Then, at the end of the 7
years, at Christ’s return, there is another reaping, a reaping of these Jewish saints, another
“resurrection” (Rev 14:13-16).
It is possible
that at this point the Jewish saints of God from before the Church age and
after the Church age (after the fullness of the Gentiles has come in) are
resurrected and given new imperishable bodies.
This is
confirmed in Daniel 12:1-2 where we are told that during the great time of
trouble (the 7 years of tribulation) Israel (Jews) will be delivered because
their names are found written in a book.
These resurrected Jews who are not a part of the Church ( the
Bride of Christ the King, the Queen) make up administrators in Jesus’ court of the
Kingdom of His 1000 year reign on earth. Some make up a sort of Supreme Court
(a heavenly Sanhedrin who are teachers of the Law and Judges), some are the priests
who keep charge of the temple, for all its work, and for all that has to be
done in it. Many are to sit on thrones of judgment (Rev 20:4) and King David of
old who sits as the Prince and rules over all Israel. (Isaiah 2:3–4, 11:1–5;
Zechariah 14:9; Jeremiah 30:9; Ezekiel 34:23–24, 37:24, 44:10-24)
Also consider that the nation Israel is
unlikely to be the Lamb’s bride because she has already been wed. God the
Father is Israel’s husband (Isa 54:1-5). Even though Israel proved to be an
unfaithful wife which God put away by divorce, He promises to remain faithful
to her in His relationship as husband. Moreover, in order to divorce her, she
had to first be married (Hos 2:2, 7). As unfaithful as Israel has been, God
promises to stand by her. Their husband-wife relationship will be reestablished
(Hos 2:16, 19, 20). The LORD’s accomplished purpose in Israel’s chastening also
will result in the reestablishment of her original husband-wife relationship to
the LORD (Hos 2:15). Israel in her land was the wife of Jehovah (Jer. Jer. 3:14-20; Isa. Isa. 54:1), but the wife was divorced
because of her iniquity. Israel, however, is to be reinstated in Jehovah’s
favour. But a divorced wife can never again be a virgin, and it is not a
divorced wife but a virgin whom the Lord marries (Lev. Lev. 21:14).
In the OT, God is the bridegroom of
Israel (cf. Isa. Isa. 54:6; Isa. 62:5; Jer. Jer. 31:32; Eze. Eze. 16:7-14; Hos. Hos. 2:16, Hos. 2:19), and in the NT, Christ is the
bridegroom of the church (cf. 2Cor. 2Cor. 11:2; Eph. Eph. 5:25 ff.; Rev. Rev. 3:20+; Rev. 19:9+; Rev. 21:2+, Rev. 21:9+; Rev. 22:17+). In the gospels,
Christ is the bridegroom a number of times (cf. Mtt. Mat. 9:15; Mark Mark 2:19-20; Luke Luke 5:34-35; John John 3:29) and parables about marriage
occur in Mtt. Mat. 22:2-14; Mat. 25:1-13; Luke Luke 14:15-24. (BibleStudyTools Commentary)
What do you think? Is the Bride of Christ (the
Church) unique among those that God considers “righteous”?
[Col 2:2
NASB] that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in
love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of
understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself,
[Col 2:3 NKJV] in whom are
hidden all the treasures
of wisdom and knowledge
14. The mystery: The character and person of God.
d. To the
knowledge of the mystery of God: The term mystery of God is used in a few different ways in the New Testament.
Here, Paul uses the term regarding the character and person of God – something
we could not know unless it was revealed by Him.
i.
“The word ‘Christ’ is in the same case as ‘mystery,’ placing it in apposition
with it. The mystery is Christ.” (Wuest)
ii.
“Others might lead them astray with specious talk of mysteries; but there was
one mystery above all others – the mystery of God’s loving purpose, disclosed
in Christ alone – and Paul’s concern was that they should come to know this
all-surpassing mystery, and know it as an indwelling presence.” (Bruce)
Paul
wrote, “You will only find all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge in Jesus. He has them all.” It’s
not wrong to seek after wisdom and knowledge; but we must seek it all in Jesus. (Guzik)
Jesus said, “He who has seen me, has seen the Father”, and “if you
had known Me, you would have known My Father also”. God is revealed in and by
Jesus, this is the great mystery.
[Jhn 14:7, 9 NKJV] 7 "If you had
known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and
have seen Him." ... 9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so
long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the
Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
Do you know Him today? Have you seen God?
[Col 4:3
NASB] praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to
us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have
also been imprisoned;
15. The mystery is the Gospel of salvation through
Jesus’ death and resurrection.
If we do not know and understand this mystery, then we cannot know
and understand the fullness of any of the mysteries of the Bible.
[2Th 2:7
NASB] For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who
now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way.
16. The mystery: Rebellion and lawlessness,
especially against God and His people. The mystery seems to be that this
lawlessness is in the end a work of Satan himself, the lawless one that will be
destroyed at the Lord’s coming.
d. The mystery of lawlessness is already at work: This great principle of evil is already present in the
world. It will be ultimately unveiled in the man of sin, but he does not
introduce a new wickedness into the world, only an
intensity of prior wickedness.
i. Right now, this lawlessness is a mystery – that it is, it can
only be seen and understood by revelation. Otherwise it is hidden. “It is not
open sin and wickedness, but dissembled piety, specious errors, wickedness
under a form of godliness cunningly managed, that is here meant.” (Poole)
b. And now you know what is restraining: For now, Satan and the man of sin are being restrained. The principle of
their working is now present (the mystery of lawlessness is already at work). But at the right time, the Holy Spirit (He who restrains) who restrains their full revelation will be taken out of the way.
e. And then the lawless one will be revealed: Paul states two certain facts about the man of sin, here
called the lawless one.
First, it is certain that thelawless one will be revealed when the Holy Spirit removes His restraint. Second, it is
certain that the lawless one will be destroyed by the merebrightness of Jesus at His coming.
Guzik
The understanding of this mystery is the believer’s strength and
hope in dealing with the world we are living in today. There is a mighty battle
raging all around us in the spiritual realm and we are caught up in this
battle. This battle is over the souls of men and the establishing of a kingdom
on the earth, either Satan’s or God’s. Spiritual warfare is real and we need to
be taught and equipped to deal with it.
[1Ti 3:9 NASB] but holding
to the mystery of the
faith with a clear conscience.
17. The mystery: 1 Ti 3:1-13, qualifications for
deacons.
c. Holding the mystery of the
faith: Those
who can adhere to proper doctrine, out of sincere
conviction.
Understanding this mystery is
essential if one seeks, or is asked, to be in a position of leadership in God’s
Kingdom.
[1Ti 3:16
NASB] By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in
the flesh, Was vindicated in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Proclaimed among the
nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory.
18. The mystery: Jesus, revealed in the flesh,
vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations,
believed on in the world, and taken up in glory.
i. “Observe that the comprehensive summary of the gospel here
given is contained in six little sentences, which run with such regularity of
measure in the original Greek, that some have supposed them to be an ancient
hymn; and it is possible that they may have been used as such in the early
church.” (Spurgeon)
b. God was manifested in the flesh: This is the essence of the incarnation; that God the Son, the
Second Person of the Holy Trinity, added to His deity humanity – and was thus manifested in the flesh.
c. Justified in the Spirit:
We can say that Jesus was justified by the Spirit not
in the sense that He was once sinful but made righteous, but in the sense that
He was declared to be, by the Holy Spirit, what He always was – completely
justified before the Father.
i. This declaration
was made at His baptism (Matthew 3:16), and at His
resurrection (1 Peter 3:18; Acts 2:32-33).
d. Seen by angels: The ministry of
Jesus, both on earth and through the Church, is of great interest to angelic
beings. There were many instances when Jesus was seen by angels (Mark 1:13; Luke 22:41-43), and
especially at the resurrection (Matthew 28:2-7).
i. “The apostle mentions this to show the greatness of our
religion, since the noblest intellects are interested in it. Did you ever hear
of angels hovering around the assemblies of philosophical societies?”
(Spurgeon)
ii. “The Godhead was seen in Christ by angels, as they had never
seen it before. They had beheld the attribute of justice, they had seen the
attribute of power, they had marked the attribute of wisdom, and seen the
Prerogative of sovereignty; but never had angels seen love, and condescension,
and tenderness, and pity, in God as they saw these things resplendent in the
person and the life of Christ.” (Spurgeon)
e. Preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world: Paul himself did his best to fulfill these statements. He was busy preaching Jesus among the
Gentiles and bringing the world to belief.
i. “God’s way of creating faith in men’s hearts is not by
pictures, music, or symbols, but by the hearing of the word of God. This may
seem a strange thing, and strange let it seem, for it is a mystery, and a great
mystery, but a fact beyond all controversy; for ever let the church maintain
that Christ is to be preached unto the Gentiles.” (Spurgeon)
f. Received up in glory: This reminds us of
Jesus’ ascension (Luke 24:51), His finished
work on our behalf (Hebrews 1:3), and His
present intercession for us (1 John 2:1).
i. “He was so received because his work is finished. He would
never have gone into his glory if he had not finished all his toil. He would
have accepted no reward had he not fully earned it.” (Spurgeon)
ii. Received up in glory: Jesus ascended
into heaven in a resurrection body; yet it was a body that still retained the
marks of His great work of love for us. It still had the nail prints in His
hands and feet, the wound in his side, all marks of His suffering on our behalf
(John 20:24-29).
iii. Paul’s
description of Jesus after the passage speaking of Christian character reminds
us of the key to our own character transformation – beholding Jesus. It is just
as Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 3:18: But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory
of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory,
just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
iv. Jesus is the
perfect fulfillment of these descriptions of Christian character. We trust that
Jesus will transform our life according to the same character, as we put our
focus on Him. We sometimes want religion to
build this character in us; but truly, relationship with Jesus is what really does it.
Guzik
This mystery is basically a concise summary of the Gospel. It is
knowing Jesus and believing that indeed He was, and is, the Son of God, and that
His death and resurrection is the only way to get one’s name written in the
Book of Life.
[Rev 1:16 NASB] In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of
His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining
in its strength.
[Rev 1:20 NASB] "As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My
right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of
the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
19. The mystery: The seven “angels” of the seven
churches and the seven lampstands.
c. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the
seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches: Jesus kindly interprets His own images. The stars in His hand
represent the angels of the seven churches. The lampstands represent the seven churchesthemselves.
i. We note that each
church had its own angel, and Jesus held
theseangels in His hand. Some believe
these angels are the pastors of
these seven churches. This idea is based on a literal understanding of the
ancient Greek word translated angel, aggelos. That word
literally means “messenger,” and certainly pastors are “messengers” to
churches. Others think the angels might be “guardian
angels” over each congregation. Some suggest that the angels are not literal
beings at all, but they just represent the prevailing spirit of each church.
There are strengths and weaknesses to any of these interpretations, but we do
know that in some way, these angels are representatives of
each congregation.
ii. Adam Clarke
believed the angel of each church was
its pastor. “Angel of
the Church here
answers exactly to that officer of the synagogue among the Jews called... the
messenger of the Church, whose business it was to read, pray, and teach in
the synagogue.” (Clarke)
iii. It is more
important to notice where the angels are: the right hand of Jesus. This is a
place of safety and strength. Even the problem churches that will be described
in the next chapters are in the right hand of Jesus.
Guzik
The revelation of this mystery gives us a glimpse into the
relationship between the churches of God and the heavenly realm. It sets the
stage for understanding of Revelation chapters 2 and 3.
How does this mystery affect your church and you personally?
[Rev 17:5
NASB] and on her forehead a name was written, a mystery, "BABYLON THE GREAT, THE
MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH."
[Rev 17:7 NASB] And the angel said to me, "Why do you wonder?
I will tell you the
mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the
seven heads and the ten horns.
20. The mystery: This is the mystery of Satan’s
infrastructures down through the ages. All areas of government, commerce,
religion, entertainment, sports, morality, and education are affected. It is
also the mystery of “the beast that carries here”; Satan’s kings and kingdoms
down through the ages.
a. I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that
carries her: The focus of the explanation is on the beast. It appeared that
the harlot ruled (rode)
the Antichrist’s system, but he is the dynamic factor, using her as tyrants
have always used religion – as a mere tool to accomplish their purposes.
2. (Rev 17:8) The beast carrying the woman is plainly connected with
the beast ofRevelation 13.
Guzik
Does the revelation of this mystery help you understand the
history of the world, and specifically the world we find all around us today?
[Rev 10:7
NASB] but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is
about to sound, then the
mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets.
21. The mystery: We could well say “mysteries”
here.
b. The mystery
of God would be finished: What mystery?
One important aspect of this mystery is that it has been declared to His servants the prophets.
i. In Biblical vocabulary, a mystery isn’t something no one
knows. Amystery is something no one could know
unless it was revealed to him. If you could know it by intuition or personal
investigation, it isn’t a mystery, because mysteries must be revealed.
Therefore, something can beknown and still be a mystery in the Biblical sense.
c. The mystery of God: It’s hard to say what this
precise mystery of God is, because the phrase – or its equivalent – is used for a many
different aspects of God’s plan.
d. The mystery of God: In this context, the mystery of God probably refers to the unfolding of His resolution of all things,
the finishing of His plan of the ages.
i. “The
mystery of God which is declared as subject to fulfillment is unfolded
therefore in the Old Testament in the many passages which speak of the establishment of the kingdom
of God on earth.” (Walvoord)
ii. Possibly, the mystery also regards the great question “Why
does God allow Satan and man to rebel and go their own way?” The idea may be
that this question, this unanswered mystery, is
coming to an end under rule of Jesus. God is beginning the end, the resolution
of all things, the gathering together (resolution, summing up) of all things in
one in Jesus (Ephesians 1:10).
iii.
God freely acknowledges that life today is full of mysteries; but it will not
always be so. A day will come when all questions of this age will be answered.
Guzik
These mysteries of the Bible can only be understood by revelation
from God Himself through the agency of the Holy Spirit. But I suspect that the
true depth of these mysteries can never fully be understood because like God
Himself, they are infinite in depth and scope. What we are to do is to
continually seek after Jesus who in the end is the revelation of God and His
Mysteries to us, His children, and His Bride.
Our prayer:
Give us eyes to see and ears to hear what the Spirit is saying.
[Rev 2:11 NKJV] "He
who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who
overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death." '
[Rev 2:17 NKJV] "He who has an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the
hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new
name written which no one knows except him who receives [it]." '
[Rev 2:29 NKJV] "He who has an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit says to the churches." '
[Rev 3:6 NKJV] "He who has an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit says to the churches." '
[Rev 3:13 NKJV] "He who has an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit says to the churches." '
[Rev 3:22 NKJV] "He who has an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit says to the churches." ' "
[Mat 7:7 NKJV] "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and
you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
[Luk 11:9 NKJV] "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given
to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
