THE MYSTERIES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
I.
MYSTERIES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
MYSTERY – – (MUSTERION); a secret into which one must be initiated and instructed (from mueo as in Phil. 4:12
where Paul says “I have learned the secret” or “I have been initiated”). The incarnation of Christ is a mystery (1 Tim.
3:16). Christ Himself (Col. 2:2), the church (Eph. 3:4-6), the kingdom of the heavens (Matt. 13:11), the gospel (Eph.
6:19), the indwelling of Christ (Col. 1:26-27), and the coming resurrection and transfiguration of the saints (1 Cor.
15:51-52) are all mysteries which were hidden in times of the ages (Rom. 16:25; Eph. 3:5; Col. 1:26).
An Exposition of New Testament Words, pp. 181-182, W.L.
A.
THE MYSTERY OF INCARNATION
1 Timothy 3:16
And confessedly, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the
Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory.
B.
THE MYSTERY OF GOD
Romans 16:25-26
25.
26.
Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel, that is, the proclamation of Jesus
Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which has been kept in silence in the times of the
ages
But has now been manifested, and through the prophetic writings, according to the command of the
eternal God, has been made known to all the Gentiles for the obedience of faith;
1 Corinthians 4:1
A man should account us in this way, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
Colossians 2:2
That their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love and unto all the riches of the full
assurance of understanding, unto the full knowledge of the mystery of God, Christ,
Revelation 10:7
But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel when he is about to trumpet, then the mystery of God is
finished, as He has announced the good news to His own slaves the prophets.
The mystery of God kept silent in the ages is mainly of two aspects:
1. one is the mystery of God (Col. 2:2) which is Christ, Who is in the believers (Col. 1:26-27) as
their life and their everything, that they may become the members of His Body;
2. another is the mystery of Christ (Eph. 3:4-6) which is the church as His Body to express His
fullness (Eph. 1:22-23). Therefore, Christ and the church are the great mystery (Eph. 5:32)
An Exposition of New Testament Words, pg.182, W.L.
C.
GOD'S WISDOM IN A MYSTERY
1 Corinthians 2:7
But we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom which has been hidden, which God predestined before
the the ages for our glory,
D.
THE MYSTERY OF GOD'S WILL
Ephesians 1:9
Making known to us the 2mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Himself,
In eternity God planned a will. This will was hidden in Him; hence, it was a mystery. In His wisdom and
prudence He has made this hidden mystery known to us through His revelation in Christ, that is, through
Christ's incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension.
Ephesians 1:9, Footnote 92, W.L.
E.
THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST
Ephesians 3:3-6
3.
4.
5.
6.
That by revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I have written previously in brief,
By which, in reading it, you can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ,
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 spirit,
That in Christ Jesus the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the Body and fellow
partakers of the promise through the gospel,
In Ephesians 3:4 Paul speaks of the mystery of Christ. The mystery of God in Colossians 2:2 (Gk.) is Christ,
whereas the mystery of Christ here is the church. God is a mystery, and Christ, as the embodiment of God to
express Him, is the mystery of God. Christ is also a mystery, and the church, as the Body of Christ to express
Him is the mystery of Christ.
Life-Study of Ephesians, Message 29, pg. 255, W.L.
Colossians 4:3
Praying at the same time for us also, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of
Christ (because of which also I am bound),
F.
THE GREAT MYSTERY
Ephesians 5:32
This mystery is great, but I speak with regard to Christ and the church.
G.
THE MYSTERY OF THE KINGDOM
Matthew 13:11
And He answered and said to them, Because to you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom
of the heavens, but to them it has not been given.
Mark 4:11
And He said to them, To you it has been given to know the 1mystery of the kingdom of God, but to those
outside, all things are in parables,
Luke 8:10
And He said, To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest they are
in parables, in order that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.
God's economy concerning His kingdom was a hidden mystery, which has been unveiled to the SlaveSavior's disciples. Yet since the nature and character of the kingdom of God are wholly divine, and the
elements through which it is brought forth are the divine life and the divine light (see notes 3(1), 26(1), and
21(1)), the kingdom of God, especially in its reality as the genuine church in this age (Rom. 14:17), is still
entirely a mystery to the natural man. Divine revelation is required to understand it.
Mark 4:11, Footnote 111, W.L.
H.
THE MYSTERY OF THE GOSPEL
Ephesians 6:19
And for me, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known in boldness the
mystery of the gospel,
I.
THE MYSTERY OF THE FAITH
1 Timothy 3:9
Holding the 1mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
The faith here, as in 1:19 and 2 Tim. 4:7, is objective, referring to the things we believe in, the things that
constitute the gospel. The mystery of the faith is mainly Christ as the mystery of God (Col. 2:2) and the
church as the mystery of Christ (Eph. 3:4). A deacon in a local church should hold the mystery of the faith
with full understanding in a pure conscience for the Lord's testimony.
1 Timothy 3:9, Footnote 91, W.L.
J.
THE MYSTERY OF THE INDWELLING CHRIST
Colossians 1:26-27
26.
K.
The mystery which has been hidden from the ages and from the generations but now has been
manifested to His saints;
27.
To whom 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,
THE MYSTERY OF THE COMING RESURRECTION AND TRANSFIGURATION OF THE
SAINTS
1 Corinthians 15:51-53
51.
52.
53.
Behold, I tell you a 1mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead
will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed.
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
The transfiguration, including the resurrection, of our corruptible body into an incorruptible one (Phil. 3:21).
This is mysterious to human understanding.
1 Corinthians 15:51, Footnote 511, W.L.
L.
THE MYSTERY OF LAWLESSNESS
2 Thessalonians 2:7
For it is the mystery of lawlessness that is now operating, but only until the one now restraining goes out of
the way.
Copyrights © 2001-2002. Christian Websites. All Rights Reserved