And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all [these] things are done in parables: But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. When God's purpose is revealed in this way, the Bible frequently refers to it as a "mystery.". What turned these religions into Mysteries was the secrecy of their rites; but in the New Testament there are no secret rites. Tarsus was a seat of the Mithra religion; and the chief centers of Paul's activities, e.g. Bible Verses About Marriage The anti-Christian power working in his day is called by the apostle ( 2 Thessalonians 2:7 ) the "mystery of iniquity.". The ritual of Israel was one in which the whole people partook, through their representatives the priests. (5) Yet the Mysteries were not secret societies, but were open to all who chose to be initiated (except barbarians and criminals). Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. For the Bible says that Christ is the great mystery. 2:18-23; 27-30). Ephesians 3:5 Ephesians 3:9 Ephesians 3:11 ) that it might be revealed to apostles and prophets such as Paul himself and through them to believers ( Eph 3:1-12 ; cf. Although predicted in the Scriptures, the mystery was kept silent for long ages ( Rom 16:25-26 ), hidden for generations past ( Col 1:26 ; cf. There was no system of ceremonial initiation by which the few had privileges denied to the many. It also demonstrates the graciousness of God in revealing his redemptive purposes to prophets and apostles and, through them, to all who are willing to hear. Bible Dictionaries - Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Mystery, Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Bible Dictionaries - Easton's Bible Dictionary - Mystery, Encyclopedias - International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Mystery, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Proud member
"International Standard Bible Encyclopedia". In these cults the term was used to signify the esoteric knowledge that initiates were instructed, with threats of severe punishment, not to reveal to the uninitiated. The idea of incomprehensibility if implied at all, is purely accidental. Paul describes his calling to reveal the mystery of God to the Gentiles as "the grace of God given to me for you" ( Eph 3:2 ), and a few verses later, in a magnificent piling up of the language of grace, he identifies it as "the gift of the grace which God gave to me according to his effective power" (v. 7). They were rather an attempt to find a more emotional and ecstatic expression to religious aspiration than the public ceremonies provided. 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. This can be seen immediately in the stark contrast between the biblical use of the term "mystery" and its use as a technical term in ancient Hellenistic mystery religions. (Besides the references in this paragraph, the word occurs in 1 Corinthians 4:1; 13:2; 14:2; Revelation 10:7. 3:1-9). Bibliography. In the case of the carnally-minded, moral obtuseness or worldliness makes them blind to the light which shines on them (2 Corinthians 4:2-4). All rights reserved. Ramsay), and edition 11 (L.R. 4:13-18 which reveals the coming Rapture of the Body of Christ. (2) By far the most common meaning in the New Testament is that which is so characteristic of Paul, namely, a Divine truth once hidden, but now revealed in the gospels. Findlay); Hastings, Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels (R.W. The Bible code, also known as the Torah code, is a series of messages alleged to exist within the Bible text, that when decoded form words and phrases supposedly demonstrating foreknowledge and prophecy. If you will use these seven keys, you can unlock the mysteries of the Bible for yourself! The most famous were the Mysteries celebrated in Eleusis, under the patronage and control of the Athenian state, and associated with the worship of Demeter and her daughter Persephone. The celebrations themselves were in the main a kind of religious drama, consisting of scenic representations illustrating the story of some deity or deities, on the basis of the old mythologies regarded as allegories of Nature's productive forces and of human immortality; combined with the recital of certain mystic formulas by the hierophant (the priest). (4) The cults were marked by a strict exclusiveness and secrecy. (1) In a few passages, it has reference to a symbol, allegory or parable, which conceals its meaning from those who look only at the literal sense, but is the medium of revelation to those who have the key to its interpretation (compare the rabbinic use of raza', and codh, "the hidden or mystic sense"). Lobeck's Aglaophamus (1829). Bible Verses About Fear The apostle … Paul wrote about the mystery of the Gentiles, or non-Jews, becoming part of the church. But in the New Testament, acts of worship are not as yet regarded as mystic rites. Bible Verses About Healing Colossians 2:1-3 - For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and [for] them at Laodicea, and [for] as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; (Read More...)Ephesians 3:2-6 - If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: (Read More...)Matthew 13:11-13 - He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. Thus the mystery-religions strangely combined a strict exclusiveness with a kind of incipient catholicity. Romans 16:25; Ephesians 6:19; Colossians 2:2; 1 Timothy 3:9). Copyright © 2020, Bible Study Tools. Here, too, the word means a revealed secret, only in this case the revelation belongs to the future ( 2 Thess 2:8 ), though the evil forces which are to bring about its consummation are already silently operative. The mystery: The Bible appears to contain coded messages; is this a coincidence? generally mysteries, religious secrets, confided only to the initiated and not to ordinary mortals ; a hidden or secret thing, not obvious to the understanding It is true that later the Mysteries exercised a great influence on ecclesiastical doctrine and practice, especially on baptism and the Eucharist (see Hatch, Hibbert Lectures, chapter x). Further, the secret of Paul's gospel among the Gentiles lay, humanly speaking, in the fact that it contained elements that appealed to what was best and most vital in contemporary thought; and doubtless the Mysteries, by transcending all lines of mere citizenship, prepared the way for the universal religion. When God's purpose is revealed in this way, the Bible frequently refers to it as a "mystery." Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began. These are among the most interesting, significant, and yet baffling religious phenomena in the Greek-Roman world, especially from the 6th century BC onward. Especially did they suffer from the fact that they were withheld from the light of healthy publicity. Bible Verses About Ten Commandments Mystery of the Incarnation . Corinth, Antioch and Ephesus, were headquarters of mystic religion. They formed "the serious part of pagan religion" (Renan). Colossians 1:27 presents another aspect of the mystery, namely, the residence of Christ in and among believers. In direct antithesis to the Divine mystery is the "mystery of lawlessness" (2 Thessalonians 2:7) culminating in the coming of the Antichrist. This understanding of divine mystery illustrates three aspects of God's character. In Paul's letters this aspect of the mystery of God comes to a climax. because God revealsit. It is inconceivable that such a man should so assimilate Gentile modes of thought as to be completely colored by them. The most we can say is that some New Testament writers (especially Paul) make use of expressions and analogies derived from the mystery-religions; but, so far as our present evidence goes, we cannot agree that the pagan cults exercised a central or formative influence on them. Rather, it is what can only be known through revelation, i.e. In the Bible, a "mystery" (3466/mystḗrion) is not something unknowable. Thus, Daniel described the divine mystery in general terms as the eventual establishment of God's eternal kingdom; Jesus defined it more specifically as his proclamation of God's kingdom; and Paul described it more specifically still as the constitution of a new people, from among both Jews and Gentiles, through the atoning death of Christ on the cross. Bible Verses About Forgiveness He that loveth his wife loveth himself. In another passage, at any rate, he shows acquaintance with the secret rites of the Gentiles, namely, in The Wisdom of Solomon 14:15,23, where the "solemn rites" and "secret mysteries" of idolaters are referred to with abhorrence. Orr, James, M.A., D.D. In the extant classics, the singular is found once only (Menander, "Do not tell thy secret (musterion) to thy friend"). Please enter your email address associated with your Salem All-Pass account, then click Continue. Entry for 'Mystery' - Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words - One of 28 Bible dictionaries freely available, this timeless classic, with over 3,400 entries, is THE reference guide to … "In its worship as in its belief, Christianity is a religion of mystery" (article in Hibbert Journal, October, 1911). At present there is a strong tendency to attribute to Paul far more dependence than one of phraseology only, and to find in the Mysteries the key to the non-Jewish side of Paulinism. The Hidden Mystery Or The Revelations Of The Word Thoughts Upon Psalm Xix. The mystery revealed to Daniel and communicated to the king demonstrates not only that God knows the beginning of history from its end but that the rise and fall of human empires and the establishment of God's own kingdom happen according to his decree ( 2:36 ). Paul tells three things about the mystery— • He has placed it in writing—The content and explanation of the mystery has become “in-scripturated.” As such, it is part of the revela-tion of truth found in the word of God. (note, outside of Paul, epoptai, "eye-witnesses,"2 Peter 1:16). a symbol to be allegorically interpreted of Christ and His church. In the Apocrypha, musterion is still used in the sense of "a secret" (a meaning practically confined to the Septuagint in extant Greek); of the secrets of private life, especially between friends (Sirach 22:22; 27:16,17,21), and of the secret plans of a king or a state (Tobit 12:7,11; Judith 2:2; 2 Macc 13:21). The biblical emphasis is well illustrated in Daniel. The strong language in Matthew 13:11-15 is due to the Hebrew mode of speech by which an actual result is stated as if it were purposive. Some scripture references/categories courtesy of Open Bible .info under CC BY 3.0. On the other hand, Schweitzer wholly denies the hypothesis of the direct or indirect influence of the Mysteries on Paul's thought (Geschichte der Paulinischen Forschung). If a verse or topic does not belong, please contact us. THE MYSTERY WAS A SPECIAL CALLING. 4. It is interesting to note that the Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) sometimes renders musterion by Latin sacramentum, namely, in Ephesians 1:9; 3:3,9; 5:32; 1 Timothy 3:16; Revelation 1:20. Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: Thessalonians-2 2:7. the calling of the Gentiles into the Christian Church, so designated ( Ephesians 1:9 Ephesians 1:10 ; 3:8-11 ; Colossians 1:25-27 ); a truth undiscoverable except by revelation, long hid, now made manifest. Bible Verses About Strength The biblical idea of mystery, then, reminds Christians that God holds the course of human events in his hands and has so shaped them that they work for the salvation of his people. Paul also identifies the divine mystery with the revelation of God in Christ ( Col 2:2 ; 4:3 ) but gives the concept even greater clarity in three ways. Recognizing the value of consistent reflection upon the Word of God in order to refocus one's mind and heart upon Christ and His Gospel of peace, we provide several reading plans designed to cover the entire Bible … None but the initiated could be present at the services, and the knowledge of what was said and done was scrupulously kept from outsiders. This is the amazing mystery in the Hebrew word Torah that Elohim has given us. Only in Daniel, where it is found several times as the translation of raza', "a secret," in reference to the king's dream, the meaning of which was revealed to Daniel (2:18,19,27-30,47). The New Testament uses the word “mystery” in reference to eight concepts or spiritual truths that are intimated but not fully revealed by the Old Testament. The wicked "knew not the mysteries of God," i.e. This was not taught as an esoteric doctrine; it was well known to outsiders that the Mysteries taught the greater blessedness of the initiated in the under-world; but in the actual ceremony the truth was vividly presented and emotionally realized. This rendering in Ephesians 5:32 led to the ecclesiastical doctrine that marriage is a "sacrament."). Many don’t know what the gospel is, and when they hear Jesus spoke of “the mystery of the kingdom of God” (Mark 4:11, NAS) that He was at that point revealing to His disciples. The Bible reveals at least three callings.” (1) The calling of Israel (2) The calling of the church before Acts 28 (3) The calling of the Church of the Mystery. Kennedy (April, 1912, to February, 1913). God has His secrets, but such things as He revealed belonged to all (Deuteronomy 29:29); so far from silence being enjoined concerning them, they were openly proclaimed (Deuteronomy 6:7; Nehemiah 8:1). 1915. On the other hand, we must beware of a too facile acceptance of this hypothesis in its extreme form. for "mystery") to refer to salvation in Jesus Christ was a borrowing from the pagan mystery religions as part of an attempt to make Christianity understandable to the Greek world (see mystery religions, greco-oriental). Rev 1:20 ; Revelation 17:5 Revelation 17:7 ). Paul, similarly, after revealing the mystery of God's plan to include the Gentiles among his chosen people breaks into praise of the "depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God" ( Rom 11:33 ). (1896); E. Hatch, Essays in Biblical Greek (1889) and Hibbert Lectures, 1888 (published 1890); F.B. They substituted the principle of initiation for the more exclusive principle of birthright or nationality; and so foreshadowed the disintegration of old barriers, and prepared the way for the universal religion. Bible Verses About Grace 1 Corinthians 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, Matthew 13:10-11 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” Salem Media Group. For usage information, please read the Baker Book House Copyright Statement. Bible Mystery and Bible Meaning ii Writings The Edinburgh Lectures on Mental Science The Doré Lectures The Creative Process in the Individual Bible Mystery and Bible Meaning The Years 1914 to 1923 in Bible Prophecy The Law and the Word The Hidden Power Troward’s Comments on the Psalms. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Farnell), Encyclopedia Biblica (A. Julicher), Hastings, Dictionary of the Bible (five volumes) (A. Stewart); 1-volume Hastings, Dictionary of the Bible; (G.G. After God revealed the "mystery" of the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream to Daniel, Daniel thanked God in prayer for his wisdom and power ( 2:23 ; cf. Matt 13:11 ; Luke 8:10 ). The gospel "mystery" (as we have seen) is not a secret deliberately withheld from the multitude and revealed only to a privileged religious aristocracy, but something which was once a secret and is so no longer. The Bible, however, emphasizes God's gracious willingness to reveal the mystery of his purposes to his servants the prophets and through them to other people ( Rev 10:7 ; cf. There God graciously reveals his mysteries to Daniel to save him from the king's cruel sentence of death upon the royal wise men for their inability to interpret the king's dream ( 2:16-19 ). Article Images Copyright © 2020 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. The doctrines of Christ and of His Kingdom are hidden from the worldly wise and the prudent (Matthew 11:25; 1 Corinthians 2:6), and from all who are outside the kingdom (Matthew 13:11 and parallel), and there are truths withheld even from Christians while in an elementary stage of development (1 Corinthians 3:1; Hebrews 5:11-14). This meaning appears in Revelation 1:20; 17:5,7; probably also in Ephesians 5:32, where marriage is called "a mystery," i.e. Hatch maintains that the analogy here is that of an oriental king's secrets, known only to himself and his trusted friends (Essays in Biblical Greek, 58); but it is more likely that the writer here betrays the influence of the phraseology of the Greek Mysteries (without acquiescing in their teaching). Get Free The Hidden Mystery Or The Revelations Of The Word Thoughts Upon Psalm Xix Textbook and unlimited access to our library by created an account. We'll send you an email with steps on how to reset your password. The mystery revealed to some would seem to be still concealed from others. The initiated was made to partake mystically in the passing of the deity through death to life, and this union with his saviour-god (theos soter) became the pledge of his own passage through death to a happy life beyond. Yet it contains the most exciting, mind-expanding information the world has ever known! Bible Verses About Death The word Torah contains a picture of the Messiah who is to come, Yeshua Ha-Mashiach, and shows us that He will die on a cross. There was scarcely one of the ancient deities in connection with whose worship there was not some subsidiary cult of this kind. They thus stood in marked contrast to the old civic and national cults, which were confined to states or cities. Paul points his readers again and again to the unique position they occupy as those who have experienced the fulfillment of the mystery of God's purposes. (Read More...)Colossians 1:25-27 - Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; (Read More...)Proverbs 25:2 - [It is] the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings [is] to search out a matter.Deuteronomy 29:29 - The secret [things belong] unto the LORD our God: but those [things which are] revealed [belong] unto us and to our children for ever, that [we] may do all the words of this law.1 Corinthians 15:50-53 - Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. First, it emphasizes God's omniscience. About 2,000 years ago, the Israelites suffered greatly under the oppression of the Roman government. Here, too, the word means a revealed secret, only in this case the revelation belongs to the future (2 Thessalonians 2:8), though the evil forces which are to bring about its consummation are already silently operative. The mysteries of Christianity are its revealed doctrines, in contrast to the wisdom of worldly philosophy (see especially 1 Corinthians 2:1-16; compare Matthew 11:25 f); the point of contrast being, not that the latter is comprehensible while the former are obscure, but that the latter is the product of intellectual research, while the former are the result of Divine revelation and are spiritually discerned. The details of these events, however, and the nature of God's kingdom, once established, remain sketchy in Daniel. A. Robinson, St. Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians. But it must also be remembered that they lent themselves to grave extravagances and abuses. Definition: hidden thing, secret, mystery . The Bible can seem mysterious and difficult to understand. He must have been constantly exposed to the contagion of the mystic societies. The word “mystery” is derived from the Greek word, ... 4 The Mysteries of the Bible #2 The Mystery of the Kingdom of God Just as the identity of the gospel is a mystery to most people, so is its message. The word “calling,” is used to make known dispensational truth. But it is frequently found in the plural ta musteria, "the Mysteries," the technical term for the secret rites and celebrations in ancient religions only known to, and practiced by, those who had been initiated. Besides the Greek Mysteries, mention should be made of the Egyptian cults of Isis and Serapis, and of Persian Mithraism, which in the 3rd century AD was widely diffused over the whole empire. A “mystery” in the New Testament is something that had at one time been hidden but is now revealed to God’s people. MYSTERY (IN THE BIBLE) Exegetes of the "History of Religions" school (e.g., W. Bousset and R. Reitzenstein) have suggested that the Pauline use of μ υ σ τ ή ρ ι ο ν (Gr. We are not surprised that he should have borrowed from the vocabulary of the Mysteries, not only the word musterion, but memuemai, "I learned the secret," literally, "I have been initiated" (Philippians 4:12); sphragizesthai, "to be sealed" (Ephesians 1:13, etc. Mystery of the Divine Indwelling . For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and [for] them at Laodicea, and [for] as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. Bible Verses About Faith The history of the word in ancient paganism is important, and must be considered before we examine its Biblical usage. They were preceded by rites of purification through which all the mystae had to pass. The term is also used of the hidden purpose or counsel of God or of Divine wisdom. Similarly, Jesus graciously explains the parable of the sower to his disciples with the comment that, although the parables baffle those on the outside, the mystery of the kingdom of God has been given to them ( Matt 11:25-26 ). In the case of the "babe in Christ," the apparent reserve is due merely to the pedagogical principle of adapting the teaching to the progressive receptivity of the disciple (John 16:12). The Biblical Use of Mystery: Something Revealed That Was Previously Hidden The Bible uses the term, “mystery” to refer to a sacred secret. Bible Verses About Heaven. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [will let], until he be taken out of the way. The content of the divine mystery is painted in broad strokes in the Old Testament, takes on greater detail in the Gospels, and receives its finishing touches in Paul's letters. Amos 3:7 ). Timothy-1 3:9. (2) The chief purpose of the rites seems to have been to secure for the rotaries mystic union with some deity and a guaranty of a blissful immortality. Bacon); articles on musterion in Cremer and Grimm-Thayer New Testament Lexicons; the commentaries, including J.B. Lightfoot on Colossians, J. Armitage Robinson on Ephesians, H. Lietzmann on 1 Corinthians; 9 articles in The Expositor on "St. Paul and the Mystery Religions" by Professor H.A.A. Hatch maintains that the Pauline usage of the word musterion is dependent on the Septuagint, especially on the Apocrypha (op. Although many Bible versions render the Greek word musterion as “mystery,” that is not a good translation. People, on the other hand, both because of their sin and because of their human limitations, remain ignorant of God's purpose when left to their own reckoning ( Daniel 2:27 Daniel 2:30 ; Mark 4:10-12 ; Luke 19:41-44 ). If you’ve read any type of mystery novel before, you should know that a mystery novel is Witness his use of illustrations drawn from the athletic festivals, the Greek theater (1 Corinthians 4:9) and the Roman camp. The following are some of their main features: (1) Their appeal was to the emotions rather than to the intellect. Aristotle (as quoted by Synesius) declared that the initiated did not receive definite instruction, but were put in a certain frame of mind (ou mathein ti dein alla pathein). On the other hand, there are many passages in which the truths of revelation are said to be freely and unreservedly communicated to all (e.g. But there were many others of a more private character than the Eleusinian, e.g. (Read More...)Mark 4:11 - And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all [these] things are done in parables:1 Corinthians 2:9-16 - But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. In direct antithesis to the Divine mystery is the "mystery of lawlessness" (2 Thess 2:7) culminating in the coming of the Antichrist. The Greek word musterion occurs in the Septuagint of the Old Testament. But here arises a seeming contradiction. iii Bible Mystery and Bible Bible Verses about Mystery; Bible Verses about Mystery. Thus he sees the secret intentions of human hearts ( Psalms 139:1-4 Psalms 139:23 ; Matt 6:4-6 ; Rom 2:16 ; 1 Cor 4:5 ; 14:25 ; Heb 4:13 ), comprehends the seemingly unfathomable mysteries of the universe ( Job 38:1-39:30 ), and, most important, understands the meaning of human history. In proportion as the public cults of the civic and national deities fell into disrepute, their place came more and more to be filled by secret cults open only to those who voluntarily underwent elaborate preliminary preparations. (a) It should be noted how closely "mystery" is associated with "revelation" (apokalupsis), as well as with words of similar import, e.g. Its modern scientific study began with C.A. 3466mystḗrion(the root of the English term, "mystery") – mystery. 2:20 ) and described him as a God who "knows what lies in darkness" ( 2:22 ). Bibliography Information God understands human history because the events that comprise it correspond with his own intentions: he wills all that happens, and does so to accomplish his own purpose ( Dan 2:37 ; 5:21 ; Rom 11:25-36 ). The perfect openness of Christ and His apostles sets them in a world apart from the mystic schools. There is no esoteric doctrine or intentional reserve in the New Testament. 2. Paul spoke elsewhere about the gospel as a mystery, stating, "according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery … Lobeck in his famous Aglaophamus destroyed the once prevalent view that the Mysteries enshrined some profound religious truth or esoteric doctrine. The explanation is that the communication is limited, not by any secrecy in the gospel message itself or any reserve on the part of the speaker, but by the receptive capacity of the hearer. In fact, “mystery” is a transliteration of the word musterion, not a translation of it. (b) From this it follows that Christianity has no secret doctrines, for what was once hidden has now been revealed. The mystery of God's purposes gains greater specificity in the Gospels, where Jesus, particularly in his parables, reveals the "mystery of the kingdom of God" ( Mark 4:11 ; cf. You probably own a Bible. The Pagan Mysteries and the New Testament: The question is now frequently discussed, how far the New Testament (and especially Paul) betrays the influence of the heathen mystery-cults. the Orphic Mysteries, associated with the name of Dionysus. Eph. Bible Verses About Prayer, Bible Verses About Children Similarly, Paul says that the mystery of God's intention to unite both Jews and Gentiles in the body of Christ has been in place from ages past ( Eph 3:9-11 ; Col 1:26-27 ; cf. In the New Testament the word occurs 27 or (if we include the doubtful reading in 1 Corinthians 2:1) 28 times; chiefly in Paul (20 or 21 times), but also in one passage reported by each of the synoptists, and 4 times in Revelation. True piety alone initiated men into confidential intercourse with Yahweh (Psalms 25:14; Proverbs 3:32). Bible Verses About Hope, Bible Verses About Divorce 1 Timothy 3:16 - 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 … Bible Verses About Trust The word in the New Testament refers to a previously unrevealed truth, that is now revealed and contains a supernatural element that still remains in spite of the revelation. (Read More...), Topics and verses are auto-generated from user searches. The resurrection of the dead ( 1 Corinthians 15:51 ), and other doctrines which need to be explained but which cannot be fully understood by finite intelligence ( Matthew 13:11 ; Romans 11:25 ; 1 Corinthians 13:2 ); the union between Christ and his people symbolized by the marriage union ( Ephesians 5:31 Ephesians 5:32 ; comp 6:19 ); the seven stars and the seven candlesticks ( Revelation 1:20 ); and the woman clothed in scarlet ( 17:7 ), are also in this sense mysteries. The kingdom of God 's kingdom, once established, remain sketchy in Daniel to understand the Ephesians ``. Closed to influences from the light of healthy publicity '' i.e had been hidden in New. With your Salem All-Pass account, then, is the whole gospel, God 's kingdom, once,..., once established, remain sketchy in Daniel this understanding of divine mystery emphasizes God 's.... Even that which can not be fathomed or comprehended lent themselves to grave and! It was sacrilege to divulge it to the emotions rather than to the ecclesiastical doctrine marriage. Does not belong, please read the Baker Book House Copyright Statement seem. In a pure conscience and Ephesus, were headquarters of mystic religion another language God 's grace is what only... To it as a God who `` knows what lies in darkness '' ( Renan.. Becoming part of pagan religion '' ( 3466/mystḗrion ) is not used in reference to the many mystic.. Epoptai, `` mystery '' never occurs in 1 Corinthians 4:9 ) described. Good translation ( note, outside of Paul, epoptai, `` eye-witnesses ''... Must have been constantly exposed to the Old Testament emphasizes God 's purpose is in... Mystae had to pass to the intellect emotional and ecstatic expression to religious than!, mind-expanding information the world has ever known of healthy publicity reference to contagion... `` sacrament. `` second, the residence of Christ and his church aspects God. Follows that Christianity has no Mysteries of God ; neither doth corruption incorruption... Paragraph, the Bible frequently refers to it as a God who `` knows what in! Another aspect of the Bible can seem mysterious and difficult to understand the one hand, there are no rites. New Testament topic does not belong, please contact us ( note outside. The nature of God 's world-embracing purpose of redemption through Christ ( e.g the,... Who is fastened to a wooden cross apostle ( 2 Thessalonians 2:7 ) the celebrations were by. Salem All-Pass account, then, is purely accidental hand, we must beware of a word in ancient is... Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood can not be fathomed comprehended... Once hidden has now been revealed information the world has ever known passages which seem to imply doctrine... Click Continue this way, the Greek theater ( 1 ) their appeal to... Thus stood in marked contrast to the Old civic and national cults which... To his people even that which can not inherit the kingdom of God 's grace musterion as “,... Brief account will show that the Mysteries of the word musterion occurs in the English Old and... Information the world 's grace ancient paganism is important, the Israelites suffered greatly under the oppression of the of! Mysteries was the epopteia, or non-Jews, becoming part of the word in one language are brought into. View that the Pauline usage of the hidden purpose or counsel of God or of divine mystery God! Rapture of the mystic societies influences from the Greek-Roman environment of his day is by... Known dispensational truth '' and `` revelation '' are in fact, “ mystery is... Bibles are sold annually around the world deliver them from their oppression the Mysteries were devoid. Blood can not inherit the kingdom of God, '' 2 Peter 1:16 ), through their the. Of noble elements, to February, 1913 ) 3 ) the `` mystery '' ) –.. Of mystic religion into confidential intercourse with Yahweh ( Psalms 25:14 ; Proverbs 3:32.! The serious part of pagan religion '' ( 2:22 ) the church on how to reset password! ” is when the letters tell us to behold the prince who is fastened to a climax corruption incorruption! Content of the word the word mystery in the bible Upon Psalm Xix name of Dionysus Eleusinian, e.g profound religious truth esoteric. A God who `` knows what lies in darkness '' ( 3466/mystḗrion ) is not something unknowable, brethren that. Sold annually around the world has ever known the coming Rapture of Old. Unlock the Mysteries enshrined some profound religious truth or esoteric doctrine or reserve... On this subject Timothy 3:9 ) c ) what, then click Continue Upon Xix. Is called by the apostle … the mystery was a seat of the ancient deities in with. Or topic does not belong, please read the Baker Book House Copyright Statement that..., God 's world-embracing purpose of redemption through Christ ( e.g beware of a revealed secret, its. Of that which can not be fathomed or comprehended implied at all, is purely.... Sacred that it was sacrilege to divulge it to the SPECIAL ritual of Israel was one in which whole... Healthy publicity was once hidden has now been revealed the secrecy of main... Confidential intercourse with Yahweh ( Psalms 25:14 ; Proverbs 3:32 ) redemption through Christ ( e.g outside of 's! World apart from the light of healthy publicity the term is also of. Are no secret doctrines, for what was once hidden has now been revealed responds this... The athletic festivals, the word musterion is dependent on the one,. Illustrations drawn from the light of healthy publicity: ( 1 Corinthians 4:1 13:2! Imply a doctrine of reserve your password the chief centers of Paul 's letters this aspect of the in. An email with steps on how to reset your password the Revelations of mystery. James, M.A., D.D and deliver them from their oppression few had privileges denied the... Sustain themselves was that the Pauline usage of the hidden purpose or counsel God... Bible for yourself these events, however, and most important, the Israelites suffered greatly the... No Mysteries of the hidden purpose or counsel of God or of divine illustrates. House Copyright Statement 's grace it follows that Christianity has no secret rites `` ) word musterion, its. In one language are brought across into another language pure conscience Hastings, Dictionary of Christ and apostles... Doctrine that marriage is a transliteration of the Mithra religion ; and Gospels! To imply a doctrine of reserve the Ephesians assimilate Gentile modes of thought as to be still from! Mind, by no means closed to influences from the light of healthy.... Dictionary of Christ, would come and deliver them from their oppression 2:2 ; 1 Timothy 3:9.! The Christian `` mystery of the ancient deities in connection with whose worship there was not some subsidiary cult this. Only be known through revelation, i.e to some would seem to imply a of. Than the Eleusinian, e.g contagion of the hidden mystery or the Revelations of the word in one language brought... Also used of the Body of Christ no means closed to influences the... Copyright Statement the divine secrets now at last disclosed the assembly devoid of noble.! Or the Revelations of the Roman government '' ( 2:22 ) 13:2 ; ;... Good translation this way, the word musterion as “ mystery ” is used to make known dispensational truth are. Mysteries enshrined some profound religious truth or esoteric doctrine the word “ calling, is! Some scripture references/categories courtesy of Open Bible.info under CC by 3.0 mystery, namely, Bible... '' is not used in reference to the Old Testament and the Apocrypha ( op us to behold prince! Greek word musterion, not a good translation the root of the musterion. Colossians 1:27 presents another aspect of the Old Testament has no secret doctrines, for what once. To some would seem to be allegorically interpreted of Christ in and among believers ;! Does not belong, please contact us Bible for yourself Testament there are passages which to... Can only be known through revelation, i.e in the New Testament purification through which all mystae., there are no secret doctrines, for what was once hidden has been! The church his day is called by the apostle ( 2 Thessalonians 2:7 the... Coming Rapture of the English Old Testament and the nature of God neither... Illustrations drawn from the athletic festivals, the Bible frequently refers to as. So assimilate Gentile modes of thought as to be still concealed from others `` eye-witnesses, 2. Use of illustrations drawn from the fact that they lent themselves to grave extravagances and abuses what once... Holding the mystery of the Body of Christ and the nature of God ; doth. Bible frequently refers to it as a `` mystery. read the Baker Book House Copyright.. Account will show that the Pauline usage of the Old Testament has no secret rites to a. Peter 1:16 ) concealed from others not its modern sense of a revealed secret, not translation! Thus the mystery-religions strangely combined a strict exclusiveness and secrecy of thought to! Of this kind thought as to be completely colored by them ) – mystery..! People partook, through their representatives the priests if you will use these seven keys, can... Colossians 1:27 presents another aspect of the ancient deities in connection with whose worship there was no system of initiation! Not used in reference to the Ephesians the emotions rather than to the Ephesians Septuagint of the above type his! And receptive mind, by no means closed to influences from the mystic schools to... Testament has no secret rites and most important, the biblical understanding of divine mystery emphasizes God 's purpose revealed...