THE MYSTERIES MENTIONED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT – WHAT ARE THEY ABOUT?
This study today is looking at the word “mystery” in the New Testament. It contains verses from the NASB. This will not be a full development of any of the themes but enough to introduce them. You may like to take up the study and look further into some of them. It will be rewarding to see what we have in Christ, and what lies ahead for us and what is in store for the world in the Tribulation that happens after the Rapture.
[1]. Mark 4 v 11 - Mystery of the kingdom of God
{{Mark 4 v 11 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.”}} Parables need enlightenment and interpretation, and the Holy Spirit does that, and certainly does it for His own, His children in His family. The Author of the bible will interpret the bible for us. We can praise God that His will is not a mystery to us.
[2]. Romans 11 v 25. Mystery of Israel being grafted back into the olive tree
{{Romans 11 v 25 “Brethren, I do not want you to be uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.”}} This mystery is God’s working with His people, the Jews, and with the Church. He never works with both at the same time. At present, a hardening and disbelief falls over the Jew while He works with the Gentiles. When the time of the Gentiles is complete at the Rapture, then in the Tribulation God again takes up Israel and many will be saved – the Jewish Tribulation saints.
[3]. Romans 16 v 25. Mystery of the gospel & preaching of Jesus Christ
{{Romans 16 v 25-26 “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 v 26 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.”}} The gospel is the good news of the salvation of mankind, once held secret but now revealed to the nations. For a long time God knew all this but at the First Advent God began to reveal the whole through Jesus Christ and His sacrifice. All this message was contained in the prophets of the Old Testament but it was concealed until the time of revelation.
[4]. 1Corinthians 2 v 7. Mystery of God’s wisdom, the hidden wisdom
{{1Corinthians 2 v 6-7 “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, 1Cor 2 v 7 but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God predestined before the ages to our glory”}} – The gospel is nonsense and foolishness to the perishing, but it is true wisdom and life to the believers. The mystery of this gospel is that believers are wise in God’s will but the unsaved treat it as rubbish. Paul explained the foolishness of the wise and wisdom of the foolish (us). There is always a strong contrast as in light, darkness.
[5]. 1Corinthians 15 v 51. Mystery of not sleeping (continual death) but of being changed (resurrected)
{{1Corinthians 15 v 51 “Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed . . .”}} This great Rapture passage was certainly a mystery to the Old Testament believers, and the New Testament ones right up to the time of Paul, who was elected by God to reveal the blessed hope to the Church at Corinth. Before that time the Rapture was a mystery. Jesus did not teach the Rapture but the Second Coming. Now it is revealed to us in great promise and victory.
[6]. Ephesians 1 v 9. Mystery of His will being made known to us
{{Ephesians 1 v 9 “He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him.”}} God’s will is a huge mystery to us, but it is not all mysterious. He has revealed to us in the word of God, many really wonderful promises and intentions He has for us. God is so kind to His believers and has revealed something of the future when all things will be wrapped up in Jesus Christ as shown in the Revelation. There is so much of God’s will to be revealed in heaven.
[7]. Ephesians 3 v 3. Mystery of the Gentiles being heirs and fellow members of the Body
{{Ephesians 3 v 3 “that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief,”}} This mystery came about through revelation from God to Paul who shares it with the Church. To the Jewish mind it was inconceivable that God would have anything to do with the Gentiles. Gentiles are made heirs with Christ and members of His Body, the Church. We need to consider the next mystery –
[8]. Ephesians 3 v 4. Mystery of Christ which is similar to the last one above
Let us look at it with more scripture – {{Ephesians 3:1-7 “For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles - Eph 3:2 if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace which was given to me for you, Eph 3:3 that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief, Eph 3:4 and by referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, Eph 3:5 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 - Eph 3:6 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, Eph 3:7 of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power - God declares through Paul that there is no difference between Jew and Gentile when it comes to one’s eternal destiny and membership of the Church. The mystery is that in the Old Testament days, this fact was hidden (though there are lots of hints for it in the Prophets) but now clearly, all saved Gentiles are on the same plane as saved Jews. The middle wall of partition has been broken down.
[9]. Ephesians 3 v 9. Bringing to light the administration of the mystery
{{Ephesians 3 v 9 “and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things,”}} Paul is focussing on the distribution and world-wide proclamation of the mystery which is the gospel. To define somewhat the meaning of the phrase; the great Truth in question was hidden in comparative secrecy, from the starting point of the progress of the developments (“ages”) of the Divine dealings for man, up to the actual Advent of the Messiah. Now it is all revealed.
[10]. Ephesians 5 v 32 The great Mystery – Christ and His Church
{{Ephesians 5 v 32 “This mystery is great but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.”}} This is one of the two great mysteries and it is so profound. In this Ephesian passage, Paul has been teaching of Christ and the Church, Christ and His Bride, and all the wonderful cleansing and blessings He has for her, and that she will be presented to Him holy and blameless. The subject is large and is covered in another message.
[11]. Ephesians 6 v 19. Mystery of the gospel that Paul proclaims
{{Ephesians 6 v 19-20 “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 Eph 6:20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”}} The mystery of the gospel here encompasses all the features we have already considered. What is the Gospel? Well, the good news of Jesus Christ that through Calvary we have forgiveness of sins and everlasting life.
[12]. Colossians 1 v 26. Mystery hidden now made manifest to the saints
{{Colossians 1 v 25-26 “Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, Col 1:26 that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations but has now been manifested to His saints,”}} Paul testifies that he preaches this mystery according to God’s stewardship (he is under obligation to do so). Again he speaks of the gospel of Jesus Christ, a hidden gospel in ages past. A mystery in the New Testament is a truth unknown in the past but is revealed by God at the appropriate time, most of them through Paul.
[13]. Colossians 1 v 27 Mystery is glorious – Christ in us the hope of glory.
{{Colossians 1 v 27 “to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”}} Importantly, this connects with the previous two verses and this explains more fully the mystery in verse 26. A little more is added here – the riches of His glory. God gives the hope of glory among the Gentiles. “The hope of glory” is massive, that we can share in God’s glory, the recipients of the divine Majesty and the heavenly presence of Christ.
[14]. Colossians 2 v 2. Mystery is Christ Himself and the knowledge of Him
{{Colossians 2 v 2-3 “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 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”}} Now there is this great revelation that God’s mystery is actually Christ, Himself, who contains all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. It was only when the time was right, that is, in the fullness of time, that some of these treasures were made known in the New Testament. All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ and we only share the tiniest fraction. Can you imagine what it will be like when all is revealed!
[15]. Colossians 4 v 3. Mystery of Christ that Paul speaks; for which he is imprisoned.
{{Colossians 4 v 2-4 “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving, Col 4:3 praying at the same time for us as well, that God may 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, Col 4:4 in order that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak.”}} The mystery of Christ is not a mysterious thing, but it is the release of the good news of Jesus Christ in the gospel that has come to light in the New Testament. Paul’s prayer is that God might open the door for him to preach this gospel even in his imprisonment so he can share all the greatness of the mystery of Christ.
[16]. 2 Thessalonians 2 v 7. Mystery of lawlessness is already working
{{2Thessalonians 2:7-8 “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, 2Thess 2:8 and then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming.”}} Paul is speaking of the Antichrist or the coming world leader after the Rapture of the Church. He is the lawless one, but lawlessness is already at work, and we have some idea of it in our time, as the days are more uncertain and crime is seen everywhere, but it still actually remains a mystery/riddle in that sense of the word. Lawlessness is permeating all aspects of man’s world. Satan is working behind the scenes bringing it all together.
[17]. 1Timothy 3 v 9. Mystery of the faith is to be held on to with a clear conscience
{{1Timothy 3:8-9 “Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain, 1Tim 3:9 but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.”}} The mystery of the faith is the declared elements of the faith entrusted to faithful men who stand before God to preach and declare the whole gospel. In this case it applies to the deacons who will be held accountable for their faithfulness in what was entrusted to them.
[18]. 1Timothy 3 v 16. Mystery of godliness is great. Great Mystery. Aspects given in the verse
{{1Timothy 3 v 16 “By common confession great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh was vindicated in the Spirit, beheld by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.”}} The whole revelation of Jesus Christ is both mysterious and a revealed mystery. The New Testament teaches us of His incarnation; of His being led by the Spirit; being seen by angels; proclaimed to the Gentiles; believed by people who were being saved; and ascended into glory. This is the second and last of the “great mysteries”. The Bible has declared how God the Son came to this world, but all of His work here we know, because God revealed it to us, but still, we know only in part. How God could die for His own creation is really a great mystery in the other sense of the word. It is way beyond human understanding.
[19]. Revelation 1 v 20. Mystery of the 7 stars and the 7 lampstands in Christ’s right hand
{{Revelation 1 v 20 “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.”}} This was indeed a mystery until the Lord explained it. These 7 stars in the Lord’s right hand are the messengers of each of the 7 churches in chapters 2 and 3 who received letters from the Apostle John; and the 7 lampstands are the churches themselves. Once the Lord revealed the answer it was no longer a mystery as in riddle. Revelation is a mighty book.
[20]. Revelation 10 v 7. Mystery of God is about to be finished
{{Revelation 10 v 7 “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.”}} What this is saying is that at this time in human history in the Tribulation on earth, from the time this 7th angel sounds, then the whole mystery of God is going to be revealed relating to the affairs of men. The end of the age happens at the Second Coming and that will be the end of human government and empires forever. What remains for human history is going to be revealed.
[21]. Revelation 17 v 5. Mystery name written on her forehead – Babylon the Great
{{Revelation 17 v 5 “and upon her forehead a name was written, a mystery, “BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”}} This vile religious system centred on Rome in the Tribulation has a mystery name. In this case it is the riddle meaning of the word, mystery. It involves also the mystery of the working of iniquity. The whole evil system in the world and in some churches goes back to Babel and Nimrod and Semi-ramus.
[22]. Revelation 17 v 7. Mystery of the woman carried by the beast
{{Revelation 17 v 7 The angel said to me, “Why do you wonder? I shall tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her which has the seven heads and the ten horns.”}} From that point the angel explained to John what all this mysterious vision meant. The mystery then became clear – it was revealed to him, though still complex. This is far too involved to do this here. The Jezebel like system in league with Satan and the Antichrist is another study.
These mysteries in the NT make a great study. Today, I have only just touched on them. God bless you all
ronaldf@aapt.net.au
