The apostle Paul used the words mystery and mysteries twenty of the twenty-seven times that they are used in the scriptures. A few other writers refer to mysteries, but Paul clearly puts an emphasis on the mysteries which Christ revealed through him. What does the word "mystery" mean as it is used in the Bible?
The best way to define a Bible word is to: (1) check all the references to it in the Bible; (2) consider the context of the references; and (3) compare and contrast the references. By using this method, every word in the King James Bible (KJB) can be defined by the KJB text itself. The KJB is the inspired word of God for English-speaking people (2 Timothy 3:16; Psalm 12:6-7), and it must be our final authority in all matters of faith and practice.
Most people think that the mysteries referred to in the scripture are things that cannot be understood. However, by considering the twenty-seven references to the word in the Bible, we learn that a mystery in the scripture is a secret that was previously hidden but is now revealed. It is not something we cannot know, but rather something that God wants us to know! The mysteries of the Bible can be divided into two main categories: (1) those related to Israel; and (2) those related to the church which is the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23).
The Mysteries Related to Israel
10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
11 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.
12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. (Matthew 13:10-17)
The kingdom of heaven, which is referred to thirty-two times in the Gospel of Matthew, is the literal and visible reign of Christ over the whole earth for a thousand years (Daniel 2:44; Revelation 20:4). God is an eternal King (1 Timothy 1:17) and his spiritual kingdom is everlasting (Psalm 145:13). But He has also purposed to set up his kingdom literally and visibly on the earth (Jeremiah 23:5; Matthew 6:10).
1. The kingdom of heaven was prepared from the foundation of the world.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: (Matthew 25:34)
God made a covenant with David concerning this kingdom. Jesus Christ will rule the earth (Jeremiah 23:5) from the throne of His father David.
12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. (2 Samuel 7:12-13)
30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (Luke 1:30-33)
2. The kingdom of heaven was the subject of many Old Testament (OT) prophecies spoken to Israel.
21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
24 Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. (Acts 3:21, 24)
3. Jesus Christ confirmed the promises of the kingdom given to the Jewish fathers during His earthly ministry to Israel.
8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: (Romans 15:8)
4. John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, and the twelve apostles all preached the gospel of the kingdom to the nation of Israel (Matthew 3:2; 4:17; 10:7).
By Matthew 13, it is evident that the King was being rejected by the leaders in Israel. In this chapter, Christ revealed mysteries about the kingdom of heaven which are not found written in the OT prophets. He spoke in parables in order to conceal this truth from those that rejected him and to reveal it to his disciples. These mysteries had been kept secret since the foundation of the world but were revealed by Christ. Christ was the great Prophet that Moses said would come to speak God's words to Israel (Deuteronomy 18:15-19). By teaching these mysteries, the Lord was beginning to prepare his disciples for his rejection and departure and the re-offer of the kingdom after his ascension. The doctrine of these mysteries concern the time period covered by the book of Acts, when the kingdom was re-offered to Israel, and the future tribulation period.
34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:
35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world. (Matthew 13:34-35)
The Mysteries Related to the Body of Christ
1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. (1 Corinthians 4:1)
Paul was a faithful steward of the mysteries that Christ committed unto him. The mysteries in Paul’s epistles are distinct from the mysteries related to Israel. The mysteries revealed through Paul concern a body, not a kingdom.
1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
9 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:
10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
(Ephesians 3:1-12)
That Gentiles would be saved was no mystery (Isaiah 49:6), but that believing Jews and Gentiles would be baptized by the Spirit into one body (1 Corinthians 12:13) was a mystery that was not revealed in the OT or Gospel records (Matthew through John). In the body of Christ, there is neither Jew nor Greek (Galatians 3:28), and it is one new man (Ephesians 2:15) with the risen and glorified Christ as its Head (Ephesians 1:22-23).
Let’s contrast some basic truths about this mystery with the basic truths we considered about the mysteries related to Israel:
1. This mystery was ordained before the foundation of the world.
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: (1 Corinthians 2:7)
2. This mystery was hid from the OT prophets.
26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: (Colossians 1:26)
3. The church does not know Christ after the flesh, but as the glorified Head of the body.
16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:16-17)
4. We become members of this body by believing the gospel of the grace of God which was revealed to Paul (Galatians 1:11-12), not the gospel of the kingdom.
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)
24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. (Acts 20:24)
There are other mysteries associated with the mystery of the body of Christ such as the salvation of the Gentiles through the fall of Israel (Romans 11:12, 15, 25) and the rapture of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:51). These mysteries will be considered in later chapters.
The best way to define a Bible word is to: (1) check all the references to it in the Bible; (2) consider the context of the references; and (3) compare and contrast the references. By using this method, every word in the King James Bible (KJB) can be defined by the KJB text itself. The KJB is the inspired word of God for English-speaking people (2 Timothy 3:16; Psalm 12:6-7), and it must be our final authority in all matters of faith and practice.
Most people think that the mysteries referred to in the scripture are things that cannot be understood. However, by considering the twenty-seven references to the word in the Bible, we learn that a mystery in the scripture is a secret that was previously hidden but is now revealed. It is not something we cannot know, but rather something that God wants us to know! The mysteries of the Bible can be divided into two main categories: (1) those related to Israel; and (2) those related to the church which is the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23).
The Mysteries Related to Israel
10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
11 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.
12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. (Matthew 13:10-17)
The kingdom of heaven, which is referred to thirty-two times in the Gospel of Matthew, is the literal and visible reign of Christ over the whole earth for a thousand years (Daniel 2:44; Revelation 20:4). God is an eternal King (1 Timothy 1:17) and his spiritual kingdom is everlasting (Psalm 145:13). But He has also purposed to set up his kingdom literally and visibly on the earth (Jeremiah 23:5; Matthew 6:10).
1. The kingdom of heaven was prepared from the foundation of the world.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: (Matthew 25:34)
God made a covenant with David concerning this kingdom. Jesus Christ will rule the earth (Jeremiah 23:5) from the throne of His father David.
12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. (2 Samuel 7:12-13)
30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (Luke 1:30-33)
2. The kingdom of heaven was the subject of many Old Testament (OT) prophecies spoken to Israel.
21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
24 Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. (Acts 3:21, 24)
3. Jesus Christ confirmed the promises of the kingdom given to the Jewish fathers during His earthly ministry to Israel.
8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: (Romans 15:8)
4. John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, and the twelve apostles all preached the gospel of the kingdom to the nation of Israel (Matthew 3:2; 4:17; 10:7).
By Matthew 13, it is evident that the King was being rejected by the leaders in Israel. In this chapter, Christ revealed mysteries about the kingdom of heaven which are not found written in the OT prophets. He spoke in parables in order to conceal this truth from those that rejected him and to reveal it to his disciples. These mysteries had been kept secret since the foundation of the world but were revealed by Christ. Christ was the great Prophet that Moses said would come to speak God's words to Israel (Deuteronomy 18:15-19). By teaching these mysteries, the Lord was beginning to prepare his disciples for his rejection and departure and the re-offer of the kingdom after his ascension. The doctrine of these mysteries concern the time period covered by the book of Acts, when the kingdom was re-offered to Israel, and the future tribulation period.
34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:
35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world. (Matthew 13:34-35)
The Mysteries Related to the Body of Christ
1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. (1 Corinthians 4:1)
Paul was a faithful steward of the mysteries that Christ committed unto him. The mysteries in Paul’s epistles are distinct from the mysteries related to Israel. The mysteries revealed through Paul concern a body, not a kingdom.
1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
9 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:
10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
(Ephesians 3:1-12)
That Gentiles would be saved was no mystery (Isaiah 49:6), but that believing Jews and Gentiles would be baptized by the Spirit into one body (1 Corinthians 12:13) was a mystery that was not revealed in the OT or Gospel records (Matthew through John). In the body of Christ, there is neither Jew nor Greek (Galatians 3:28), and it is one new man (Ephesians 2:15) with the risen and glorified Christ as its Head (Ephesians 1:22-23).
Let’s contrast some basic truths about this mystery with the basic truths we considered about the mysteries related to Israel:
1. This mystery was ordained before the foundation of the world.
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: (1 Corinthians 2:7)
2. This mystery was hid from the OT prophets.
26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: (Colossians 1:26)
3. The church does not know Christ after the flesh, but as the glorified Head of the body.
16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:16-17)
4. We become members of this body by believing the gospel of the grace of God which was revealed to Paul (Galatians 1:11-12), not the gospel of the kingdom.
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)
24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. (Acts 20:24)
There are other mysteries associated with the mystery of the body of Christ such as the salvation of the Gentiles through the fall of Israel (Romans 11:12, 15, 25) and the rapture of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:51). These mysteries will be considered in later chapters.
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