John's "Mystery" Thread

[John Reece]

The purpose of this thread is to search out every reference to musthrion (mystery) in the New Testament.

My search tool is Alfred Schmoller’s Handkonkordanz zum Griechischen Neuen Testament.

I will post one reference at a time.

Matthew 13 (parallel passages: Mark 4:11; Luke 8:10)

10 Then the disciples came and said to him, "Why do you speak to them in parables?" 11 And he answered them, "To you it has been given to know the secrets (musthria = mysteries) of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.

From W. F. Albright and C. S. Mann, Matthew (The Anchor Bible):

mysteries. The Kingdom itself, as a Messianic idea, was not only familiar to the disciples, it was known and awaited with eager expectation by the Jews. What was granted to the disciples, through their discipleship, was access to the innermost secrets of the Father’s providence, in much the same way that the prophets claimed access to God’s heavenly council (סוד). . . . This meaning of mystery, as referring to the prior decisions of God, has been put beyond question by the work of Raymond E. Brown, largely based on the Dead Sea scrolls: cf. The Semitic Background of the Term “Mystery” in the New Testament, Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1968.

From R. T. France, Matthew (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries):

11. To know the truth about the kingdom of heaven is to know secrets. The Greek musthrion, used only here in the Gospels, became important for Paul to indicate that God’s truth comes only by revelation, not by natural insight. That is the sense here too – only those to whom it has been given (by God) can understand the nature of God’s kingdom proclaimed by Jesus, and therefore the facts about its growth, membership, demands and privileges which these parables convey. Parables, which to the hostile and the merely curious were simple stories, would yield their riches only within this context, to those who know the secrets. Thus there is an inevitable division between you (the disciples) and them (specified in Mark’s version as ‘those outside’). The carefully antithetical structure of this verse, as of v. 12 and vv. 13 with 16, reinforces the division of men into two groups.

From Frederick Louis Godet, Commentary on the Gospel of Luke:

The term mystery, in Scripture, denotes the plan of salvation, in so far as it can only be known by man through a higher revelation (muew, to initiate). Used in the plural (the mysteries), it denotes the different parts of this great whole. These are the heavenly things of which Jesus spoke to Nicodemus (John iii. 12), and which He contrasted with the earthly things which he preached at the commencement.

From Alexander Balmain Bruce, Expositor’s Greek Testament:

Ver. 11. ta musthria : the word, as here used, might suggest the idea of a mysterious esoteric doctrine concerning the Kingdom of God to be taught only to a privileged inner circle. But the term in the N. T. means truths once hidden now revealed, made generally known, and in their own nature perfectly intelligible. So, e.g., in Ephesians 3:9, Colossians 1:26. Jesus desired to make the truths of the kingdom of God known to all; by parables if they could not be understood otherwise. His aim was to enlighten, not to mystify.

Since Bruce has cross-referenced Ephesians 3, we will take a quick look there now and study it later in due course.

Ephesians 3

The Mystery of the Gospel Revealed

1 For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—2 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, 3 how the mystery (musthrion) was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. 4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery (musthrion) of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 5 This mystery (musthrion) of Christ, 5) is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
7 Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. 8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery (musthrion) hidden for ages in God who created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. 13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith--that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

[John Reece]

Romans 11

25 Lest you be wise in your own conceits, I want you to understand this mystery (musthrion), brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, "The Deliverer will come from Zion,
he will banish ungodliness from Jacob";
27 "and this will be my covenant with them
when I take away their sins."
28 As regards the gospel, they are enemies of God for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 Just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. 32 For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. (ESV)

From Archibald Thomas Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament:

25. This mystery (to musthrion touto). Not in the pagan sense of an esoteric doctrine for the initiated (from muew, to blink, to wink), unknown secrets (2 Thess. 2:7), or like the mystery religions of the time, but the revealed will of God now made known to all (1 Cor. 2:1, 7; 4:1) which includes Gentiles also (Rom. 16:25; Col. 1:26f.; Eph. 3:3f.) and so far superior to man’s wisdom (Col. 2:2; 4:13; Eph. 3:9; 5:32; 6:19; Matt. 13:11 = Mark 4:11). Paul has covered every point of difficulty concerning the failure of the Jews to accept Jesus as the Messiah and has shown how God has overruled it for the blessing of the Gentiles with a ray of hope still held out for the Jews.

[AVmetro]

This ought to be a good one, John :read:

[Solly]

When explaining "mystery" to my people, I use the image of the ocean. We can see into the depths. Sometimes, as around the coast of Britain, not very far; in the tropics where the water is clearer, then much further. But we can't see to the very bottom of it; only so far as God allows. Hence the various mysteries in the Bible, the big one being that of the unity between Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility, and Calvin's injuction that we should not seek to pry beyond that which is opened to us.

[John Reece]

Thanks for your responses, IM and Solly. I enjoy your company.

[John Reece]

Romans 16

Doxology

25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery (musthriou) that was kept secret for long ages 26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—27 to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen. (ESV)

The Greek word in parentheses above is an inflection of musthrion.

I’m resuming this thread now because the above text is a cross-reference to the text we have gotten to in the OIKONOMIA thread.

I started both of these threads without any preconceptions, and in the interest solely of learning by means of the process of presenting the posts and eliciting comment, as well as the research required to prepare the posts. Beyond learning, I have no agenda or theological presuppositions to defend or promote.

What we are into now is too complex to be dealt with the way I have been doing the XSD and Generation threads, and I have a health problem that may sideline me in short order, so don’t expect me to do much but monitor this and the OIKONOMIA thread until I get past the health challenge and learn more than I now understand regarding musthrion and oikonomia.

Blessings,

John

[George Blaisdell]

Hey John -

MUSTERION has a wonderful set of roots - The MU root, and indeed the letter mu in the Greek alphabet, means closed lips, and one of the reasons for this is what you must do to even pronounce it, because if you do not close your lips to pronounce MU, you will pronounce NU...

STER is a root that looks like it can move in two directions - For it in turn comes from hISTEMI, to stand, and in this form [STER] forms the base for the English steroids, the muscle drugs, meaning strength... So you have two ideas at work - standing/strength, and silence...

Pretty mysterious stuff...!!

One of my favorite usages of this term is in Paul, where he writes: "holding the mystery of the faith in a purified conscience."

[1Tim3:9]
econtas to musthrion ths pistews en kaqara suneidhsei.

The "kathara" is from katharsis, meaning purified...

And indeed, in the Apostolic Orthodox Church, all is mystery, the faith, the Church, the incarnation, baptism, confession, communion, and on and on - Virtually the entirety of the faith is mystery, and is entered and received at baptism... And held by confession, repentance and communion...

So you have a couple more cents into the kitty!

geo

[John Reece]

Thanks for the food for thought, geo :thumb: .

[John Reece]

1 Corinthians 2


Proclaiming Christ Crucified

1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony (marturion) {mystery (musthrion) = textual variant} of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

Wisdom from the Spirit

6 Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. 7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom (sofian en musthriw) of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him"--
10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. (ESV)

From The First Epistle to the Corinthians (NIGTC), by Anthony C. Thiseton:

1 The word musthrion, mystery (of God), is ranked by the 4th ed. (1993) of the UBS Greek New Testament as “B,” i.e., as “almost certain,” although the 3rd ed. (1975) has it ranked “C” (which in that edition meant “a considerable degree of doubt”). Mystery has the “probable” support of p46 (technically only a “probable” reading since the MS may be dated c. AD 200 as one of the earliest). It also constitutes the original reading א, B, D, C, Syr P (Peshitta), copbo, and Slavanic VSS (also, e.g., Hippolytus and Ambrose). On the other hand, marturion, witness (of God), is attested by the 2א and by B, D, F, G, 33, syrh, copsa, Vulgate, and readings in Origen, Basil, Chrysostom, Jerome, Cyril, and Pelagious. The 4th ed. UBS reflects Metzger’s note that marturion, witness, is probably to be explained as “a recollection of 1:6,” whereas musthrion [mystery] here “prepares for its usage in vs. 7.” Conzelmann believes that it is “impossible to decide” between the two readings, noting that if marturion (witness) could have been picked up from 1:6, no less could musthrion (mystery) have been picked up from 1:7, and that mystery depends largely on Egyptian MSS. Fee and Wolff ask why any scribe might substitute the less expected witness for the more familiar mystery, unless it was original, also appealing to Zuntz’s view that musthrion here steals the thunder from its use later in the chapter. He rejects Metzger’s arguments “on all counts.” Schrage is far more hesitant than Fee, noting that Fee does not consider a full range of uses of the terms in Paul or in the period of scribal traditions. As the influence of mystery religions spread, this phenomenon provides an explanation for the very point which Fee considers inexplicable, namely, a good reason for Christian scribes “to avoid misunderstanding” about preaching by changing Paul’s musthrion to marturion. No one can exclude either possibility, but with Collins we lean towards mystery. Both words, although more especially mystery, emphasize that what is conveyed in Christian proclamations is truth revealed by God, not human opinions.

7 It is difficult to know whether to gloss en musthriw, in a mystery, as in discourse too profound for merely human discovery. The NIV, REB, and NRSV avoid the word “mystery,” understanding the term as intensifying hidden (apokekrummenhn). Hence NRSV translates, we speak God’s wisdom, secret and hidden, which God decreed . . . NJB changes JB’s we teach in our mysteries to It is of the mysterious wisdom of God that we talk, while REB translates: I speak God’s hidden wisdom, his secret purpose.

If Paul is using the word in the sense which matches his theology in the four major epistles and in Colossians, as Bockmuehl argues in his recent monograph on the subject, the emphasis falls on revealed mysteries as against human discovery. The problem for modern readers is that mystery tends to convey what is impenetrable not because it necessitates revelation but because it can never in principle become coherent or intelligible. The notion of divine “secrets” seems to verge on trivial anthropomorphism, as if God “keeps back” truth, rather than emphasizing that fallen human capacities cannot penetrate God’s truth without the event of the cross and the work of the Holy Spirit. Outside its technical use in the mystery religions musthrion is that which is too profound for human ingenuity. It surrounds such issues as God’s “hardening” of Israel (Rom 11:25), the resurrection power of the Holy Spirit to transform whole persons at the parousia (1 Cor 15:51), and indeed God’s self-disclosure and identity in Christ (Col 2:2).

NRSV and NIV construe en musthrw, in a mystery, with apokekrummenhn, hidden (secret and hidden), following the syntax assumed by Fee, Schrage, and several others. Some (Meyer, Edwards) construe the phrase with laloumen, “we speak as a mystery . . . . “ There is little difference, however, in the communicative effect. “The use of ‘mystery’ also points out that Christ, our wisdom, surpasses our human understanding (cf. 15:15; Eph. 5:32). Schrage reiterates , “God’s wisdom . . . is nothing other than the crucified Christ.” It is unattainable by “unassisted human reason.”

We cannot dismiss the possibility, however, that vv. 7 and 8 (together with two or three later verses in this chapter) could represent arguments of some at Corinth which Paul cites in order to respond to them. In the writings of Tacitus, the Christian worship gatherings were indeed associated with “secret rites” known only to initiates, as in the mystery religions. The arguments of Weiss, Schmithals, Ellis, and others about “pneumatics” could perhaps apply to this verse. This is why, whereas Barrett translates the Greek adversative alla, but, as “No, we speak . . . ,“ and Collins renders it “Rather we speak . . . , “ a strong adversative, we have left the link open-ended by rendering as equivalent the English, ”Well, we speak . . . “ For well can be used to introduce self-justifying arguments, or, equally, a merely loose connection embodying a minor pause.

If musthrion is used in the sense of initiated elite in a mystery religion or a radically “enthusiastic-charismatic” community, the word would signify a knowledge shared exclusively by “insiders,” as against that which is human by revelation. The former meaning leads to the technical sense of “secret rites and ceremonies” in the mystery religions, and could carry this currency here only if it is a direct quotation form elitist arguments at Corinth, i.e., “when our group meets, we speak . . .” But the issue can only remain speculative, and the triple emphasis falls, at least for Paul, on revelation, on truths beyond intellectual discovery alone, and on God’s wisdom marked out from before all ages.

[John Reece]

1 Corinthians 4

The Ministry of Apostles

1 This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God (oikonomouV musthriwn qeou). 2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy. 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4 I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God. (ESV)

From The First Epistle to the Corinthians (NICNT), by Gordon D. Fee:

1 The new turn in the argument is marked by asyndeton (lack of joining conjunction). But it is not a new topic; rather, Paul is going back to the point of 3:5-9, now by way of vv. 21-23. Paul, Apollos, and Cephas do indeed “belong” to them; but that is to be understood in light of v. 9, where Paul had asserted that they first belong to God. This is how “people” ought to regard us, as servants of Christ.” The plurals in vv.1-2 (us, servants, etc.) must be taken seriously as flowing directly from v. 22 above. Paul is describing not only his own ministry but that of his fellow servants as well. However, as vv. 3-5 and the rest of the chapter reveal, his real concern here is to set forth his own ministry in the context of struggle with the Corinthians.

What is significant for this paragraph is the change of metaphors. In 3:5-9 the word diakonoi was used, emphasizing the servant nature of their task under God, with secondary emphasis on the division of labor. Now the metaphor changes to that of a household. The first word, hyperetas (“servants [of Christ]”), is a more general term, but often refers to one who has the duties of administering the affairs of another. That this was Paul’s intent is verified by the second word, oikonomos, which denotes a “steward” (often a slave) who has been “entrusted with” managing a household. This is a happy change of metaphors for Paul (cf. 9:17); not only is it pregnant with the notion of accountability that is in the forefront of this paragraph, but it inherently conveys the motif of delegated authority as well, the other concern of this chapter. Thus apostles are to be regarded as “servants of Christ,” reemphasizing their humble position and their belonging to Christ alone; at the same time they are “stewards of the mysteries of God” (stewards of the mysteries of God {oikonomouV musthriwn qeou}, emphasizing both their trusted position and their accountability to God.

The “authority” aspect of the metaphor is here brought out in the object of the trust, “the secret things of God.” We have already met this word in the singular in 2:7. Here it is a plural, as also in 13:2 and 14:2; but it seems to carry a more general connotation here than in those two instances. The reason for this choice of words at this point indeed remains a mystery – in our ordinary English sense of the word. Some have seen here an allusion to the pagan mystery cults, wherein Paul has taken a word with which the Corinthians would have been familiar and has given it new meaning, referring to the Christian “mysteries” as over against those of Isis, etc. The problem is complicated by how the Corinthians themselves would have understood it, given their own thoroughly pagan background and environment. Most likely, as in 2:7, it reflects again Paul’s own semitic usage, in which he, as one who has the Spirit, has been given to understand God’s plan of salvation, long hidden to human minds but now revealed in Christ. Thus the “mysteries of God” {musthriwn tou qeou} means the revelation of the gospel, now known through the Spirit and especially entrusted to the apostles to proclaim.

[John Reece]

1 Corinthians 13

1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries (musthria) and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. (ESV)

From The First Epistle to the Corinthians (NICNT), by Gordon D. Fee:

But what did Paul intend by the second item, “fathom all mysteries {musthria} and all knowledge”? These terms appear together as a regular feature of Jewish apocalyptic, especially with regard to the unfolding of God’s final eschatological drama. Paul now uses this language to refer to God’s present revelation of his ways, especially in the form of special revelations by means of the eschatological Spirit whom Christians have received (cf. 14:6). This is most likely how we are also to understand both the “utterance of knowledge” in 12:8 and the “knowledge” that accompanies tongues and prophecy in vv. 8-13 that follow.

[John Reece]

1 Corinthians 14

Prophecy and Tongues

1 Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. 2 For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries (musthria) in the Spirit. 3 On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. 4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. 5 Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up. (ESV)

From The First Epistle to the Corinthians (NICNT), by Gordon D. Fee:

2-4 This argument may best be analyzed in light of its structure. With two balanced pairs (vv. 2-3) Paul first contrasts tongues and prophecy as to who is addressed (in bold) and therefore as to their basic purpose (in italics); the second pair (v. 4) then interprets the first pair in terms of who is being edified. Thus:

…..For
a) The one who speaks in tongues speaks not to people,
…………………………………………….……….….……………but to God.
………………………..Indeed, no one understands him;
……………………………………………he speaks mysteries by the Spirit.

…..On the other hand,
b) The one who prophesies speaks ………………. to people,
…………………………..……………………………….edification,
………………………………..………………………….encouragement,
……………………………………..…………………….comfort.

a) The one who speaks in tongues edifies himself;
…..on the other hand,
b) The one who prophesies…………………. edifies the church.

Paul’s emphasis – and concern – is unmistakable, the edification of the church. The one activity, tongues, edifies the speaker but not the church because it is addressed to God and “no one understands him.” The other activity, prophecy, edifies the church because it is addressed to people and speaks “edification, encouragement and comfort” to them.

Although trying to cool their ardor for congregational tongues-speaking, Paul does not disparage the gift itself; rather, he seeks to put it in its rightful place. Positively, he says three things about speaking in tongues, which are best understood in light of the further discussion on prayer and praise in vv. 13-17: (1) Such a person is “speaking to God,” that is, he or she is communing with God by the Spirit. Although it is quite common in Pentecostal groups to refer to a “message in tongues,” there seems to be no evidence in Paul for such terminology. The tongues-speaker is not addressing fellow believers but God (cf. vv. 13-14, 28), meaning therefore that Paul understands the phenomenon to be prayer and praise.

(2) The content of such utterances is “mysteries” {musthria} spoken “by the Spirit.” It is possible that “mysteries” {musthria} means something similar to its usage in 13:2; more likely it carries here the sense of that which lies outside the understanding, both of the speaker and the hearer. After all, “mysteries” {musthria} in 13:2 refers to the ways of God that are being revealed by the Spirit to his people; such “mysteries” {musthria} would scarcely need to be spoken back to God.

(3) Such speech by the Spirit is further described in v. 4 as edifying the speaker. This has sometimes been called “self-edification” and therefore viewed as pejorative. But Paul intended no such thing. The edifying of oneself is not self-centeredness, but the personal edifying of the believer that comes through private prayer and praise. Although one may wonder how “mysteries” {musthria} that are not understood even by the speaker can edify, the answer lies in vv. 14-15. Contrary to the opinion of many, spiritual edification can take place in ways other than through the cortex of the brain. Paul believed in an immediate communing with God by means of the S/spirit that sometimes bypassed the mind, and in vv. 14-15 he argues that for his own edification he will have both. But in church he will have only what can also communicate to other believers through their minds.

[John Reece]

1 Corinthians 15

Mystery and Victory

50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery (musthrion). We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 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 shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory."
55 "O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?"
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. (ESV)

From The First Epistle to the Corinthians (NICNT), by Gordon D. Fee:

51 The concern of Paul’s argument is with the nature of the body that believers will assume at the resurrection. The contrasts that have been set up, however, are not between the corpses of the dead and their reanimated bodies, but between bodies in their present earthly expression vis-à-vis their transformation into the likeness of Christ’s glorified body. Thus he asserted (v. 50) that the body in its present form cannot “inherit the kingdom.” Even though this may still refer to the body “that is sown,” the logical consequence is that what is true of the dead is equally true of the living. The perishable body, either dead or alive, cannot inherit the imperishable life of the future. Paul, therefore, now turns to emphasize that point with regard to the living. They, too, must be changed before they are fitted for immortality. The Corinthians, of course, would have been plumping for a nonsomatic immortality; but for Paul the resurrection of Christ and his present somatic heavenly existence exclude their option. Hence the solemn asseveration: “Listen, I tell you a mystery {musthrion}.”

As elsewhere in the Pauline corpus, “mystery” {musthrion} does not refer to what is currently hidden, but to what was once hidden but now has been revealed through Christ. The heavenly existence of Christ in a pneumatikon swma (“supernatural body”) means that yet another “mystery” {musthrion} is now revealed to God’s people. The content of the mystery {musthrion} is found in the pair of clauses that follow, the first of which probably sustains a concessive relationship to the second: “Even though we will not all sleep, nevertheless we will all be changed.” Two further observations need to be made.

First, Paul has already expressed himself similarly in 1 Thess. 4:13-18. There in particular it is difficult to avoid the plain sense of the language, that he expected to be among the living at the Parousia. That does not mean that he lived in intense, eager anticipation of it, as is sometimes maintained, but that he simply expected it to happen within his lifetime. Similar language prevails here, but on an even lower key in terms of expectation. He uses “we” chiefly because nothing else would make sense, especially in the first clause. In a letter where he easily falls in and out of this usage, especially when he wants to include himself with them in the benefits of salvation, it is hardly possible that this clause could have been expressed in either the second or third person. Thus it says very little about Paul’s expectations with regard to the Parousia; what it says is that he is currently among the living.

Second, Paul’s emphasis is on the necessary “change” that will happen to all, both the living and dead. Not all will die since by the nature of things some will be alive at the return of Christ; but all, including those alive at the time of the Parousia, must be transformed so as to bear the likeness of the man of heaven. It is probably this latter reality that is the content of the “mystery {musthrion}.” It may be that Paul is pressing this point as a direct word against the Corinthian point of view; however, it is just as possible that it flows naturally as the logical concomitant of the argument to this point. In either case, such a word is unlikely to be received enthusiastically in Corinth.

[John Reece]

Ephesians 1

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery (musthrion) of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan (oikonomia) for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. (ESV)

From The Letter to the Ephesians (Pillar New Testament Commentary), by Peter T. O’Brien:

Praise for the Mystery – God’s Plan to Sum Up All Things in Christ, 1:9-10

9 God intended that we should understand his saving purpose. He therefore lavished his grace upon us ‘in all wisdom and insight’ by making known to us the mystery of his will, the content of which is the summing up of all things in Christ (see v. 10b). Although v. 9 is syntactically dependent upon and explains the meaning of God’s grace poured upon us (v. 8), with these words about the divine mystery there is a significant development in the eulogy, leading to its climax. God’s saving purposes, planned from eternity, had as their final goal the uniting of all things in heaven and earth in Christ, the details of which are spelled out in what follows.

‘Making known a mystery’ refers to the disclosure of a previously hidden secret. In Paul’s world ‘mystery’ was employed in the ancient pagan cults, philosophy, secular usage, and Gnosticism. Recent biblical scholarship, however, has focused attention on the Old Testament and Judaism, particularly the wisdom literature and apocalyptic material, as the proper background for understanding Paul’s and other New Testament writers’ use of ‘mystery’ language. In apocalyptic writing it normally referred to an event that will be revealed at the end of history (4 Ezra 14:5), although God’s seers may know of it because he has revealed to them ‘the things that must come to pass’ (LXX Dan. 2:28-29). ‘Mystery translates the Aramaic equivalent, frequently found in the book of Daniel (2:18, 19, 27, etc.), and this provides several parallels with its use in Ephesians: it connotes God’s purpose, which is a unified plan with eschatological and cosmic dimensions.

‘Mystery’, which appears twenty-one times in Paul’s letters (out of a total of twenty-seven New Testament occurrences), is used in a variety of ways, though the apostle normally employs the term with a reference to the revelation of what was previously hidden but has now been disclosed by God (Rom. 16:25-26; 1 Cor. 2:10; Col. 1:26-27; Eph. 3:3, 5). The ‘mystery of God’ (1 Cor. 2:2:1 v.l.; cf. v. 7) focuses on salvation through the cross of Jesus Christ. It cannot be understood through human wisdom but comes to be known as God reveals it by his Spirit to those who love him (v. 10) The plural ‘mysteries’ can draw attention to the essential elements of the one mystery (1 Cor. 4:1), or anything that transcends human power of comprehending (13:2; cf. 14:2). In Romans 16:25 there is a correlation between the disclosure of the mystery and Paul’s preaching of Jesus Christ. The connection between the mystery and the salvation of Gentiles is a feature that is developed in Colossians and Ephesians, while in Romans 11:25 an element of new teaching may be in view where the ‘mystery’ points to the salvation of Jews.

In Colossians ‘mystery’ refers to the heart of Paul’s message and has to do with the fulfillment of God’s plan of salvation in Christ here and now (1:26-27). This ‘open secret’ is characterized by ‘riches’ (for in it the wealth of God has been lavished in a wonderful way) and ‘glory’, which suggests that if it shares in the character of God himself. Its content is Christ in you [Colossians], the hope of glory’ (cf. 2:2; 4:3).

The notion in Colossians of the mystery being the eschatological fulfillment of God’s plan of salvation in Christ is similar to the usage in Ephesians 1:9; 3:3, 4, 9; 5:32; and 6:19. Different aspects of this one mystery are unfolded within Ephesians. This key motif refers to the all-inclusive purpose of God which has as its ultimate goal the uniting of all things in heaven and on earth in Christ. At the same time, there is a more limited dimension of the mystery which focuses on Gentiles, along with Jews, being incorporated into the body of Christ and thus participating in the divine salvation. Paul’s making the gospel known to Gentiles plays a key role in achieving this purpose of incorporating them into Christ, and ultimately fulfilling the goal of the mystery itself. It is, therefore, inappropriate to claim that the content of the mystery in Ephesians is defined solely in terms of God’s acceptance of the Gentiles and their union with Jews on an equal footing in Christ (Eph. 3:3-4). Christ is the starting point for a true understanding of the ‘mystery’ with a number of applications.

The words ‘[made known] to us’ show that there is not only a salvation-historical dimension to the mystery but also a personal one. The recipients of this disclosure are the Christian community, who are thus able to praise God for his great kindness lavished on them. They are not some group of initiates but those who have received the word of God, for it is in the effective preaching and teaching of the gospel that the revelation of the mystery takes place (cf. 1 Cor. 2:1, 7; 4:1; Eph. 3:8, 9; 6:19). Later in the eulogy (vv.11-14; cf. 3:2-13) Paul will explain how both Jews and Gentiles are included within the sphere of these blessings related to the mystery. As God’s choice of believers to be adopted as his sons and daughters was in accordance with his pleasure and will (v. 5), so, too, his making known the mystery of his salvation plan was wholly in line with his sovereign and eternal purpose which he had previously determined in Christ. ‘God’s carefully designed strategy to make known the mystery, like the mystery itself, has always been in focus in Christ.

10 The content of the mystery, which is now specified at this high point in the eulogy, is impressively formulated in the explanatory infinitive clause of v. 10b: it is ‘to sum up all things in Christ, things in heaven and on earth’. The increasing consensus among modern scholars is that the usual verb used here derives from a word meaning the ‘main point’, ‘sum’, or ‘summary’ (cf. Acts 22:28; Heb. 8:1) rather than ‘head’, and that its basic meaning is ‘to bring something to a main point’, or ‘to sum up’. In connection with Christ’s eschatological relationship to a multitude of entities (including personal beings), the text suggests that God’s ‘summing up’ of these entities in Christ is his act of ‘bringing all things together in (and under) Christ, i.e. his unifying of them in some way in Christ.

Throughout the rest of the eulogy God’s grand purpose is said to be ‘in Christ’; the same holds true for the finale, the summing up, as the concluding words of v. 10, ‘in him’, emphatically reiterate. Although this expression might be understood as instrumental, suggesting that the Messiah is the means (or instrument) through whom God sums up the universe, it is better to take the phrase as referring to him as the sphere, in line with the earlier instances of this phrase within the paragraph (vv. 3-7, 9). Christ is the one in whom God chooses to sum up the cosmos, the one in whom he restores harmony to the universe. He is the focal point, not simply the means, the instrument, or the functionary through whom all this occurs. The previous examples of ‘in Christ’ and its equivalents within the berakah focused on the Son as God’s chosen one in whom believers have been blessed. Now in vv. 9 and 10 the stress is placed on the one in whom God’s overarching purposes for the whole of the created order are included. The emphasis is now on a universe that is centered and reunited in Christ. The mystery which God has graciously made known refers to the summing up and bringing together of the fragmented and alienated elements of the universe (‘all things’) in Christ as the focal point.

The divine intention to sum up ‘all things’ as whole in Christ is amplified by the following parallel statement, ‘things in heaven and things on earth’. At first glance, these additional words seem to be simply a rhetorical flourish. After all, is it not just a typical way, in biblical terms, of speaking of the whole or totality by referring to ‘things in heaven’ and ‘on earth’? In particular, the opening words of the Bible, ‘in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth’ (Gen 1:1), signify that God made everything. But on closer examination it is evident that the two phrases, ‘things in heaven’ and ‘things on earth’, are not simply a rhetorical flourish to describe some cosmic reality. They represent two important strands running through the epistle which signify two separate spheres or domains. Ephesians has distinctive things to say about ‘the heavenlies’ (1:3, 10, 20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12; cf. 3:15; 4:10; 6:9) as well as about ‘the things’ on earth’ (1:10; 3:15; 4:9; 6:3). A proper understanding of God’s intention of summing up everything in Christ has to do with each of these two spheres and what is represented by them, as well as with the bond between the two. The anakephalaiwsis in Christ has to do with each realm. At the same time there is an inseparable connection between them, so that we may speak of both heaven and earth being summed up as a totality in him.

In his monograph dealing with the mystery in Ephesians, Chrys Caragounis claims that as Paul proceeds to amplify and explain throughout the letter the meaning of bringing all things together, he concentrates on the two main representatives of these spheres, namely, the powers representing ‘the things in heaven’, and the church (particularly the unity of Jews and Gentiles in the body of Christ) representing ‘the things on earth’. He further suggests that the two obstacles which need to be overcome before the divine purposes of bringing everything back into unity in Christ can be fulfilled are: (a) the rebellion of the powers, and (b) the alienation of Jews from Gentiles (2:11-22, as well as the estrangement of both from God, 2:16). Much of the rest of Ephesians is given over to explaining, with reference to each of these two spheres, the steps in the process that God has taken in order to achieve this supreme goal.

As to the timing of the anakephalaiwsis, the summing up of all things together in Christ, the text indicates that while the content of the mystery has been revealed (v. 9), the outworking of God’s saving purposes has not been completed. The apocalyptic expression when the times will have reached their fulfillment looks forward to the occasion when this will take place. The important word employed here, which in the Greek world is regularly used of God’s ordering and administration of the universe, has an active sense of his ‘ordering, arranging or implementing’ the mystery, his secret purpose. The term refers to ‘the manner in which the purpose of God is being worked out in human history’, rather than the content of that purpose or saving plan (a technical meaning it has in the second century). ‘The fullness of times’ in apocalyptic literature indicated ‘a sequence of periods of time under God’s direction’ (cf. LXX Dan. 2:21; 4:37; also 1QS 4:18; 1QM 14:14), while the term ‘fullness’ suggests that this sequence of time will come to its appointed climax or full measure. Accordingly, the expression may be rendered ‘for implementing in the fullness of times’. According to Galatians 4:4, ‘when the fullness of time had come’, that is, when the time was ripe for his coming, God sent his Son into the world. When the time is ripe for the ‘consummation of his purpose, in his providential overruling of the course of the world, that consummation will be realized.

The aorist infinitive ‘to bring all things into unity’ points not to the past, but signifies purpose: the summing up of all things is the goal to be achieved. This is not to suggest that the implementation of the divine plan is not already under way. Indeed, the letter makes it quite plain that significant steps have already been taken to set in motion the achievement of this goal: in particular, it is through Jesus’ saving work that the revelation of the mystery’s content has come about (1:7-9), while God’s placing all things under his feet and appointing him to be head over everything for the church (1:22) is an important step towards the fulfillment of this goal. But the summing up awaits the consummation which will occur at the end.

Both Ephesians and the companion Letter to the Colossians presuppose that the unity and harmony of the cosmos have suffered a considerable dislocation, even a rupture, requiring reconciliation or restoration of ‘all things’ to God that has already been effected by the death of Christ, and the particular focus is the reconciliation of human beings to him. The later reference in Colossians to the conquest of the principalities (2:15) is to be understood in the light of God’s mighty reconciliation and pacification (1:20). Ephesians 2:1-3 particularly draws attention to the desperate plight of men and women outside of Christ, and their situation is described in terms of death, condemnation, and bondage to evil, determining influences. Apart from God’s mighty and gracious intervention to save, there could be no hope for rebel sinners in the midst of this profound need (2:4-7). Unlike Colossians, where the reconciliation has already been effected through Christ’s death, Ephesians points to the summing up of the universe in Christ as the final goal of God’s plan which has not yet been realized. The content of the mystery has already been disclosed (1:9), and as a result of his Son’s exaltation God has already placed all things under Christ’s feet and appointed him to be Head over everything. (vv. 20-22).

[George Blaisdell]

Peter O'Brien commentary: [on Eph 1:8] [20th century]

10 The content of the mystery, which is now specified at this high point in the eulogy, is impressively formulated in the explanatory infinitive clause of v. :10b it is ‘to sum up all things in Christ, things in heaven and on earth’.

The mystery which God has graciously made known refers to the summing up and bringing together of the fragmented and alienated elements of the universe (‘all things’) in Christ as the focal point.
______________________________

For another perspective from the 5th century: [John Chrysostom]
http://www.ccel.org/fathers2/NPNF1-13/npnf1-13-08.htm#TopOfPage

Ver. 8, 9. "In all wisdom and prudence , having made known unto us the mystery of His will."

That is to say, Making us wise and prudent, in that which is true wisdom, and that which is true prudence. Strange! what friendship! For He telleth us His secrets; the mysteries, saith he, of His will, as if one should say, He hath made known to us the things that are in His heart. For here is indeed the mystery which is full of all wisdom and prudence. For what will you mention equal to this wisdom! Those that were worth nothing, it hath discovered a way of raising them to wealth and abundance. What can equal this wise contrivance? He that was an enemy, he that was hated, he is in a moment lifted up on high. And not this only,-but, yet more, that it should be done at this particular time, this again was the work of wisdom; and that it should be done by means of the Cross. It were matter of long discourse here to point out, how all this was the work of wisdom, and how He had made us wise. And therefore he repeats again the words,

"According to His good pleasure which He purposed in Him."

That is to say, this He desired, this He travailed for, as one might say, that He might be able to reveal to us the mystery. What mystery? That He would have man seated up on high. And this hath come to pass.
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One sees the mystery as the recapitulation of all things in Christ, and the other sees it as the elevation of the human in Christ to the Godhead... The one wrote his commentary in English, and the other is translated into English from the Koine Greek in which it was written.

geo

[John Reece]

Many thanks for sharing that, George.

I discontinued this thread because of my surgery. I began work on resuming it last night, but happened to think that I should first get the permission of the publisher for the long quotes from O'Brien's commentary. So, as far as I'm concerned it’s back on hold.

But contributions such as the above are always appropriate and very much appreciated.

Thanks again, George.

[John Reece]

Ephesians 3

The Mystery of the Gospel Revealed

1 For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—2 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship (oikonomian) of God's grace that was given to me for you, 3 how the mystery (musthrion) was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. 4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery (musthrion) of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel (einai ta eqnh sugklhronoma kai summetoca thV epaggeliaV en Cristw Ihsou dia tou euaggeliou). 7 Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. 8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan (oikonomia) of the mystery (musthrion) hidden for ages in God who created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. (ESV)

The text speaks for itself: there is one promise and one gospel for both Jews and Gentiles, who are included in one body in Christ Jesus.

This is “the mystery (musthrion) of Christ” (verse 4), which was revealed not only to Paul, but to “his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit” (verse 6).

[George Blaisdell]

John writes:

"The text speaks for itself: there is one promise and one gospel for both Jews and Gentiles, who are included in one body in Christ Jesus.

This is “the mystery (musthrion) of Christ” (verse 4), which was revealed not only to Paul, but to “his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit” (verse 6).

Hi John -

My Orthodox New Testament vol. 2 has a translation you might find useful. And it includes no commentary until 3:11, thus agreeing with you that the text speaks for itself. Yet reading this translation is different from yours...

III:[1] For this cause I, Paul, the prisoner of the Christ Jesus on behalf of you, the nations, - [2] if, indeed, ye heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me in regard to you, [3] that by revelation He made known to me the mystery [even as I wrote before briefly, [4] according to which reading ye are able to perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ], [5] which in other generations was not made known to the the sons of men, as now it was revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit: [6]the nations are to be joint-heirs, and fellow-members of the body, and joint-partakers of His promise in the Christ, through the Gospel, [7] of which I became a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God which was given to me according to the operation of His power. [8] To me, the one who is less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach the Gospel of the unsearchable wealth of the Christ among nations, [9] and to enlighten all as to what is the dispensation of the mystery which hath been hidden from the ages in God, Who created all things through Jesus Christ, [10] in order that now the much-variegated wisdom of God might be made known to the rulers and to the authorities in the heavenlies through the Church,* [11] according to the purpose of the ages which He made in Christ Jesus our Lord,** [12] in Whom we have boldness and access with confidence theough faith in Him.***

So why is he telling them all this?? It is the next sentence that is so striking to me:

[13] Wherefore I ask you not to be faint-hearted at my affliction on behalf of you, which is your glory.****

[The asterisks indicate commentary notes]

Now against your understanding that the text says that the mystery is the sharing of the Gospel with all the nations through the stumbling of the Jews is the parenthetical remark in [3-4]: [even as I wrote before briefly, [4] according to which reading ye are able to perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ]. So that while indeed this sharing of God's grace among the ethnoi was a part of the mystery, it was not the whole of it. And the reason it had to be kept hidden, of course, was that had it been apprehended by the Jews, Christ would never have been crucified to all of creation, and yet this is the plan for the household of God, that through the Jews all the world might be saved...

And it is the Church that makes known this manifold wisdom of God to the rulers in the heavenlies, as the saints in the Church have it revealed to them by God... Not even the angels and archangels knew... Nor Satan and his fallen angels, who are hell-bent on our destruction....

And it is because of Paul's commission that he suffers so greatly FOR the Church, as indeed do all the apostles, and in that suffering they glory... [the justified are glorified, the suffering is great joy - Blessed are the persecuted for righteousness' sake...] The witness of joyful suffering, of course, is martyrdom, and it is apostolic, and even Christ suffered His Cross... Indeed it is Christian...

As well, another difference - In the parenthesis, the translation here affirms "my understanding IN the mystery of Christ"... Paul is telling us the source of his understanding, and not the content of the source, except in part - See the idea? He is telling us FROM WHERE he is giving this understanding, and not that this understanding IS the mystery of Christ...

I can give you the notes too, if you like... The amazement of the angels is part of the Church's making known the much-variegated wisdom of God."

geo

[John Reece]

Greeting, geo.

Re:

Now against your understanding that the text says that the mystery is the sharing of the Gospel with all the nations through the stumbling of the Jews

You have elaborated on the ESV rendering of the text, and the elaboration is something I would not add to the ESV rendering.

As well, another difference - In the parenthesis, the translation here affirms "my understanding IN the mystery of Christ"... Paul is telling us the source of his understanding, and not the content of the source, except in part - See the idea? He is telling us FROM WHERE he is giving this understanding, and not that this understanding IS the mystery of Christ...

“IN the mystery of Christ” is an accurate rendering of the Greek text, but I do not "see the idea".

What do you mean by "the content of the source?

Blessings,

John

[George Blaisdell]

07-26-2003 @ 09:38 AM
John Reece:

Greeting, geo.



Hi John -


You have elaborated on the ESV rendering of the text, and the elaboration is something I would not add to the ESV rendering.


It is a matter of understanding the meaning of the text, for Biblical texts were written in a matrix of living faith, and that faith entailed both belief and practice, and the written words only have meaning within that faith, within the praxis of the Body of Christ. This is why we are told [by scripture] that the Church is the ground and pillar of truth. We are not told - e.g. it is not written - that the written is the ground and pillar of truth - Nor are we told that the written is Spirit - But we are clearly told that the Spirit gives life, and the written kills....

So that when one approaches the text, at least according to the ancient way, one listens reverently as the text is read in the service of the Church, following the service of prayers, worship and supplications... Just as we do not eat a meal without prayer both before and after the meal, so also do we not just grab the Bible like it was a Big Mac with fries and read it outside of the enclosures of prayer, but instead pray the prayers of the Church both before and after reading it, and especially the Gospels.

Nor do we read it to form our own conclusions about what it means. [And I think this is why you are, at this late stage in your years, just wanting to hear what the Bible says, for you are weary of all the theological debating that characterizes so much of the scene, especially here on this list, of western Christianity. When the end of the road of life nears, listening to a bunch of passionately argued words from lots of differing perspectives is not what anyone finds profitable unto God... So we look to the God-bearing fathers, to our spiritual betters and guides, who have been writing commentaries for 2000 years now, and who have ironed out most of the wrinkles of meaning in scripture in the process, for the meaning of what we hear read, or read ourselves... For the Bereans themselves had to be told what scripture said, and they were the very best of the readers of scripture of their day. And indeed, the meaning of scripture is revealed - In spirit to those who have overcome and are pillars of the Church, and in their words for the rest of us who are but beginning to enter the struggle to overcome, and who rely on them for our understanding, as did the eunich from Ethiopia in his conversion/baptism at the hands of Peter...


“IN the mystery of Christ” is an accurate rendering of the Greek text, but I do not "see the idea".

The ESV you quoted then is not accurate:

4 "When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the musthrion (mystery) of Christ..."


What do you mean by "the content of the source?


The difference, as you can see above, pivots on the two renderings of EN. the ESV translates "into", and the ONT2 renders it "in"... And the "in" rendering carries the sense of "from within", whereas the "into" rendering carries the sense of "concerning"...

So that the ESV translation tells us that this is Pauls understanding of what this 'mystery' actually is [e.g. it's content] - Thereby de-mystifying it...

And the second rendering affirms that Paul is making known a truth from within the mystery [of the faith]. Remember how he writes "We hold the mystery of the faith in a purified conscience."? The faith is a great mystery, to be entered in repentance and baptism, and not to be figured out by reading about it... And arguing with other denominational confessions...

You and I are too dern ancient to be getting ourselves buried in avalanches of words debating the meaning of scripture... God gave us Christ, His holy body the Church, to give us this, where we *receive* the faith, not argue it...

geo

[John Reece]

Geo,

This has gotten so convoluted I don’t know if I can clarify it. But I’ll try.

You addressed this comment to me:

Now against your understanding that the text says that the mystery is the sharing of the Gospel with all the nations through the stumbling of the Jews

My response was this:

You have elaborated on the ESV rendering of the text, and the elaboration is something I would not add to the ESV rendering.

By that, I meant only that I had done nothing other than quote the ESV text, which did not include “that the mystery is the sharing of the Gospel with all the nations through the stumbling of the Jews”. When I said you elaborated on the ESV text, I only meant that you were attributing to me and to the ESV text something that neither I nor the ESV text had said.

I was too subtle in my response to your attributing to me the notion that “the mystery is the sharing of the Gospel with all the nations through the stumbling of the Jews”.

Blessings,

John

[George Blaisdell]

Today @ 08:32 AM
John Reece writes:

Geo,

This has gotten so convoluted I don’t know if I can clarify it. But I’ll try.

Mea culpa!


You addressed this comment to me:

"Now against your understanding that the text says that the mystery is the sharing of the Gospel with all the nations through the stumbling of the Jews."


My response was this:

"You have elaborated on the ESV rendering of the text, and the elaboration is something I would not add to the ESV rendering."

By that, I meant only that I had done nothing other than quote the ESV text, which did not include “that the mystery is the sharing of the Gospel with all the nations through the stumbling of the Jews”. When I said you elaborated on the ESV text, I only meant that you were attributing to me and to the ESV text something that neither I nor the ESV text had said.


Yes, I paraphrased -

ESV: 6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body,...

And I added "through the stumbling of the Jews."


I was too subtle in my response to your attributing to me the notion that “the mystery is the sharing of the Gospel with all the nations through the stumbling of the Jews”.


Far to subtle indeed...

Yet the other issue remains: Is this sharing of the gospel with the ethnoi the μυστηριον?
Or is the μυστηριον the faith?

Much shorter and unconvoluted, yes?

geo

[John Reece]

Today @ 09:18 PM post located here (http://www.theologyweb.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=161262#post161262)
George Blaisdell:

Yet the other issue remains: Is this sharing of the gospel with the ethnoi the musthrion? Or is the musthrion the faith?


Neither.

From The Letter to the Ephesians, by Peter T. O’Brien (Eerdmans, 1999):

To sum up. The mystery or open secret of Christ is ‘the complete union of Jews and Gentiles with each other through the union of both with Christ. It is this double union, with Christ and with each other, which is the substance of the “mystery “’ [the single quote marks indicate a quote of J. R. W. Stott –JR].

[John Reece]

Ephesians 5

Wives and Husbands

22 Wives (ai gunaikeV = nominative plural of gunh), submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife (thV gunaikoV = genitive singular of gunh) even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives (ai gunaikeV = nominative plural of gunh) should submit in everything to their husbands.
25 Husbands, love your wives (taV gunaikaV = accusative plural of gunh), as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives (taV gunaikaV = accusative plural of gunh) as their own bodies. He who loves his wife (thn gunaika = accusative singular of gunh) loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife (thn gunaika = accusative singular of gunh), and the two shall become one flesh." 32 This mystery (musthrion) is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife (thn gunaika = accusative singular of gunh) as himself, and let the wife (h gunh = nominative singular of gunh) see that she respects her husband. (ESV)

The reason for the focus on the number (singular vs. plural) of the word gunh (“wife” in this context) is that I just received on another thread on this forum the following post:


Swordman:

Oh, I forgot to mention one other thing, John: The Greek word "goo' nay" translated as "wife" or "wives" in our English translations can generally be rendered in the singular or the plural without doing any violence to the rules of Greek grammar. The translators were therefore left with the task of providing the least confusing numeric wording they could, with which I have no problem. This is the wind storm that blows away the air castles of those who point at the singular "wife" as opposed to the plural "wives" in key verses within our English translations as being some alleged additional doctrine taught by Christ concerning the number of wives to which a man is limited. If those folks could read Greek, they would know better than to uphold this fallacy.

In Christ Jesus

Dr. Don Dean

Dr. Dean asserts that translators arbitrarily render gunh singular or plural, because the word is inherently ambiguous as to number (singular vs. plural). That assertion is false, as can be demonstrated by examining the form of the word in any context in the Greek New Testament, just as I have done in the text above.

From The Letter to the Ephesians (PNTC), by Peter T. O’Brien (Eerdmans, 1999):

. . . The mystery refers to the relationship between Christ and the church as a typology of marriage . . . Genesis 2:24 has undergirded the paragraph from v. 28 on, and has been applied to human marriage. . . .The quotation from Genesis 2:4 refers directly to the union of Christ and his church. . . The Genesis text, then, affirms that marriage makes husband and wife one body; it also explicates the union between Christ and the church. . . . Mystery is thus used consistently with the other instances in Ephesians. Elsewhere it points to the once hidden plan of God which has now been revealed in Jesus Christ. Different aspects of the mystery can be highlighted in any one context; there are not many mysteries but several aspects of one mystery. . . .In his final comment, ‘but I speak with reference to Christ and the church’ (v. 32b), the apostle is . . . telling us something about himself, his agenda. Just as his responsibility before God is to proclaim the mystery of the gospel which speaks of Gentiles being incorporated into the body of Christ along with Jews (3:29), so, too, he is aware of the burden of declaring this mystery of Christ and the church. . . .

[George Blaisdell]

Today @ 01:44 PM
John Reece wrote:

[geo] Yet the other issue remains: Is this sharing of the gospel with the ethnoi the musthrion? Or is the faith the musterion?


[John] Neither.


Oh you pesky little snot!! ':bunny:'

OK - But from what you write just here below, you affirm the unity of the ethnoi and the Jews as the musterion, and this is on the side of the first option above.


From The Letter to the Ephesians, by Peter T. O’Brien (Eerdmans, 1999):

To sum up. The mystery or open secret of Christ is ‘the complete union of Jews and Gentiles with each other through the union of both with Christ. It is this double union, with Christ and with each other, which is the substance of the “mystery “’ [the single quote marks indicate a quote of J. R. W. Stott –JR].

And against this, of course, I affirm that the mystery is the faith itself, because as you will find example after example, there are "many mysteries", and each of them different, yet each of them is easily understood as a part of and as proceeding from the mystery that is the faith. I mean, Christ crucified, hanging dead on the cross, is itself a great mystery. To the unbeliever, it is agonized death and defeat - To the believer, it is life... Such is the hiddenness of the faith - It is hidden right out in the open, for all to see, but for few to be given to see... Two people looking at the same thing, both seeing differently, one according to the world [perception and intellect] and the other perceiving according to revelation of the mystery received by faith...

This is why that translation matter is pivotal - "in" vs "into" of EN. Is Paul speaking his understanding from the mystery of the faith given by revelation to him? Or is he revealing the mystery itself with his understanding?

And I think you side with the idea that the mystery itself is being revealed, rather than things true of it being revealed from within that mystery, which is the faith.

I hope I am not getting all muddy here again!

geo

[George Blaisdell]

Today @ 01:51 PM
John Reece writes:

Ephesians 5

Wives and Husbands

From The Letter to the Ephesians (PNTC), by Peter T. O’Brien (Eerdmans, 1999):
[list]
. . . The mystery refers to the relationship between Christ and the church as a typology of marriage . . . Genesis 2:24 has undergirded the paragraph from v. 28 on, and has been applied to human marriage. . . .The quotation from Genesis 2:4 refers directly to the union of Christ and his church. . . The Genesis text, then, affirms that marriage makes husband and wife one body; it also explicates the union between Christ and the church. . . . Mystery is thus used consistently with the other instances in Ephesians. Elsewhere it points to the once hidden plan of God which has now been revealed in Jesus Christ. Different aspects of the mystery can be highlighted in any one context; there are not many mysteries but several aspects of one mystery. . . .In his final comment, ‘but I speak with reference to Christ and the church’ (v. 32b), the apostle is . . . telling us something about himself, his agenda. Just as his responsibility before God is to proclaim the mystery of the gospel which speaks of Gentiles being incorporated into the body of Christ along with Jews (3:29), so, too, he is aware of the burden of declaring this mystery of Christ and the church. . . .

Against the first sentence - eg the relationship between Christ and the church as a typology of marriage - I should think that the reverse is the case - That marriage between man and woman is a typology of the relationship between Christ and the Church. There is no great mystery about men and women becoming one flesh, but there is "great mystery" about Christ becoming one flesh with His one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church, His spotless Bride, the New Jerusalem, yes? Now THAT is a union, of which earthly marriage is but a pale and hintish foretaste... A "type"... But not the real thing... Which is why he uses the mystery to inform the norms of relationship between husband and wife, and not vice versa...

And have you noticed the plethora of multiplication of all the various 'mysteries'? Yet how it is that they are all but a part of the mystery of the faith? There is no mystery to logic, yes?

'nuff!

geo

[John Reece]

Thanks, geo :thumb: .

Blessings,

John

[John Reece]

Ephesians 6

The Whole Armor of God

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel (to musthrion tou euaggeliou), 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. (ESV)

From The Letter to the Ephesians, by Peter T. O’Brien (Eerdmans, 1999):

God has graciously ‘made known’ to all believers the mystery of his will, particularly his intention to sum up all things in Christ (1:9-10). This mystery was also ‘disclosed’ by revelation to the apostle, and his task is now to enlighten all about it (3:3-6, 9). Central to this mystery is the reconciliation of Jews and Gentiles in the one body of Christ (Eph. 1-3).

[John Reece]

Colossians 1

Paul's Ministry to the Church

24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery (to musthrion) hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery (musthrion), which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. (ESV)

From Saint Paul’s Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon, by J. B. Lightfoot (MacMillan and Company, 1879):

26. to musthrion : This is not the only term borrowed from the ancient mysteries, which St. Paul employs to describe the teaching of the Gospel. In Phil. 4:12 again we have the verb memuhmai : and in Ephes. 1:14 sfragizesqai is perhaps an image from the same source. So too the Ephesians are addressed as Paulou summustai in Ign. Ephes. 12. The Christian teacher is thus regarded as a ierofanthV (see Epict. 3:21. 13 sq.) who initiates his disciples into the rites. There is this difference however; that, whereas the heathen mysteries were strictly confined to a narrow circle, the Christian mysteries are freely communicated to all. There is therefore an intentional paradox in the employment of the image by St. Paul.

Thus the idea of secrecy or reserve disappears when musthrion is adopted into the Christian vocabulary by St. Paul : and the word signifies simply ‘a truth which was once hidden but now is revealed;’ ‘a truth which without special revelation would have been unknown.’ Of the nature of the truth itself the word says nothing. It may be transcendental, incomprehensible, mystical, mysterious, in the modern sense of the term (1 Cor. 15:51, Eph. 5:32) : but this idea is quite accidental, and must be gathered from the special circumstances of the case, for it cannot be inferred from the word itself. Hence musthrion is almost universally found in connection with words denoting revelation or publication; e.g. apokaluptein, apokaluyiV, Rom. 16:25, Ephes. 3:3, 5, 2 Thess. 2:7; gnwrizein Rom. 16:26 , Ephes. 1:9, 3, 10, 6:19; faneroun Col. 4:3, Rom. 16:26, 1 Tim. 3:16; lalein 4:3, 1 Cor. 2:7, 14:2; legein, 1 Cor. 15:51.

But the one special ‘mystery’ which absorbs St. Paul’s thoughts in the Epistles to the Colossians and Ephesians is the free admission of the Gentiles on equal terms to the privileges of the covenant. For this he is a prisoner; this he is bound to proclaim fearlessly (4:3, Ephes. 6:19); this, though hidden from all time, was communicated to him by a special revelation (Ephes. 3:3 sq.); in this had God most signally displayed the lavish wealth of His goodness (ver. 27, 2:2 sq., Ephes. 1:5 sq., 3:8 sq.). In one passage only throughout these two epistles is musthrion applied to anything else, Ephes. 5:32. The same idea of the musthrion appears very prominently in the thanksgiving (added apparently later than the rest of the letter) at the end of the Epistle to the Romans, 16:25 sq. musthriou . . . eiV upakohn pistewV eiV panta to eqnh gnwrisqentoV.

[John Reece]

Colossians 2

1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery (musthrion), which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5 For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. (ESV)

From Colossians, Philemon (WBC), by Peter T. O’Brien (Word, 1982):

o estin CristoV en umin. . . . the content of this mystery Paul assures his readers is “Christ is in you, [Colossians], the hope of glory.” These words add to what has previously been asserted: (a) Christ is at the center of God’s mystery. The musthrion focuses on him as its content. (b) While the mystery has been proclaimed or made known among the Gentiles (en toiV eqnesin) it has been believed by the Colossians (cf. 1 Tim 3:16 where the “mystery” refers to Christ not only preached among the Gentiles but also “believed in the world”). Christ had been preached to them by Epaphras, and they had received him as Lord (2:6). Christ therefore was “in them” (not simply “among them” which is an appropriate translation of the preposition en in the clause gnwrisai . . . en toiV eqnesin; but here the en umin is more specific than en toiV eqnesin, having peculiar reference to the Colossian readers and with the verb estin points to Christ indwelling in them as Gentile believers. As members of his body they had his life within them. They therefore had a sure hope that they would share in that fullness of glory yet to be displayed on the day of “the revealing of the sons of God” (Rom 8:19; cf. 5:2; Col 3:4; 1 Thess 2:12; 2 Thess 1:10; 2:14). (The “mystery” of Ephesians is not different from Colossians . . . it is not simply God’s acceptance of the Gentiles, but also includes their incorporation, along with Jewish believers, into the community of the Messiah, cf. v 24.)

[George Blaisdell]

So John, are you beginning to see how it is that the musterion is not the revelation of all these hidden things and making them known to all in plain ol' KJV English, but instead is Christ in you[pl], which is, after all, the summation of the faith. Christ in you[pl] is T.H.E. Mystery... It is the mystery of the faith, held in a purified conscience...

The faith is a mystery - simple as that...

geo

[John Reece]

Today @ 03:47 AM post located here (http://www.theologyweb.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=163244#post163244)
George Blaisdell:

So John, are you beginning to see how it is that the musterion is not the revelation of all these hidden things and making them known to all in plain ol' KJV English, but instead is Christ in you[pl], which is, after all, the summation of the faith. Christ in you[pl] is T.H.E. Mystery... It is the mystery of the faith, held in a purified conscience...

The faith is a mystery - simple as that...

geo

:smile:

Blessings, George.

[John Reece]

Colossians 4

Further Instructions

2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery (to musthrion) of Christ, on account of which (di o) I am in prison—4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. (ESV)

From Saint Paul’s Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon, by J. B. Lightfoot (MacMillan and Company, 1879):

to musthrion : i.e. the doctrine of the free admission of the Gentiles. . . . di o : St Paul might have been still at large, if he had been content to preach a Judaic Gospel. It was because he contended for Gentile liberty, and thus offended Jewish prejudices, that he found himself a prisoner.

From Colossians, Philemon (WBC), by Peter T. O’Brien (Word, 1982):

Once again in Colossians the word “mystery” is used to denote God’s plan of salvation centered in Christ and which has special reference to Gentiles (cf. 1:26; 2:2 and see on these verses here as in Rom 16:25 and Col 1:26 “mystery is closely related to the message or Word of the gospel, for it is in the effective preaching and teaching of the gospel that the mystery is made known; cf. Brown, Background, 55; the genitive tou Cristou, “of Christ,” could be either epexegetic indicating that Christ himself is the mystery [so Feuillet, Christ, 292], or objective meaning “the mystery as it is revealed in the Messiah” : Zeilinger, Der Erstgeborene, 113, claims both are possible).

[John Reece]

2 Thessalonians 2

The Man of Lawlessness

1 Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery (musthrion) of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (ESV)

Being an ex-premillennialist as well as a preterist, I am aware of both preterist and premillennialist rejoinders to the following comment. But I think its interesting.

From Commentary on 1 & 2 Thessalonians (NIGTC), by Charles A. Wanamaker (Eerdmans, 1990):

Much of the language found in various Jewish and Christian apocalypses from the period is highly symbolic and does not purport to be prophetic. 2 Thes. 2:3f., however, reads like prophecy about historical events to come, and it is almost certain that this is how Paul and his readers would have understood it. The passage can no longer be understood as valid, since the temple was destroyed in AD 70 without the manifestation of the person of lawlessness or the return of Christ occurring. In order to maintain the continuing validity of the passage, some deny the obvious reference to the historical temple at Jerusalem, as does Marshall (191f.; he mentions others who do so for less plausible reasons than his own). A more straightforward way of treating the problem is to admit that the passage meant something very different to Paul and his original readers than it can mean for us today. Once this is acknowledged, Marshall’s conclusion (192) that the imagery of vv. 3f. expresses “the reality and menace of the power of evil which attempts to deny the reality of the power of God” offers us a meaningful interpretation of the passage, since it is as true today as it was in Paul’s day.

We have come to this context only because the word musthrion occurs in it. So, regarding the occurrence here:

From Wanamaker (op. cit.):

Probably “the mystery of rebellion” is an ad hoc construction and denotes the secret hidden workings of rebellion against God (cf. v. 3 on the meaning of anomia). The process of rebellion was known to be at work already by the community of faith, but it would only become manifest with the revealing of the person of rebellion (cf. G. Bornkamm, TDNT IV, 823).

From 1 & 2 Thessalonians (WBC), by F. F. Bruce (Word, 1982):

7. to gar musthrion hdh energeitai thV anomiaV, “for the mystery of lawlessness is already active.” The distinctive NT usage of musthrion relates to the hitherto concealed but now disclosed purpose of God, with special reference to the fulfillment of his purpose (cf. Mark 4:11; Rom 11:25; 16:25; 1 Cor 15:51; Eph. 1:9; 3:3, 4). . . . In the NT the divine musthrion is bound up with Christ, differing little indeed from the apokaluyiV Ihsou Cristou (Gal 1:12; 1 Pet 1:7; Rev 1:1); in Col 2:2, the mystery of God is Christ.

The “mystery of lawlessness” (formally antithetic to thV eusebeiaV musthrion, “the mystery of our religion,” 1 Tim 3:16) is a satanic counterpart to the mystery of God’s purpose; at present it works beneath the surface but when due time comes for its disclosure it will find its embodiment in the manifested “man of lawlessness.”

I get the impression that Bruce is a premillennialist. But just as he promoted his preterist protégé, R. T. France, I have to problem letting the above comment stand without preterist comment.

[George Blaisdell]

From John Chrysostom: http://www.ccel.org/fathers2/NPNF1-13/npnf1-13-78.htm#TopOfPage

2 Thessalonians ii. 6-9.-"And now ye know that which restraineth, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season. For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work: only there is one that restraineth now, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of His mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of His coming: even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan."

One may naturally enquire, what is that which withholdeth, and after that would know, why Paul expresses it so obscurely. What then is it that withholdeth, that is, hindereth him from being revealed? Some indeed say, the grace of the Spirit, but others the Roman empire, to whom I most of all accede. Wherefore? Because if he meant to say the Spirit, he would not have spoken obscurely, but plainly, that even now the grace of the Spirit, that is the gifts, withhold him. And otherwise he ought now to have come, if he was about to come when the gifts ceased; for they have long since ceased. But because he said this of the Roman empire, he naturally glanced at it, and speaks covertly and darkly. For he did not wish to bring upon himself superfluous enmities, and useless dangers. For if he had said that after a little while the Roman empire would be dissolved, they ing and warring to this end. And he did not say that it will be quickly, although he is always saying it-but what? "that he may be revealed in his own season," he says,

"For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work." He speaks here of Nero, as if he were the type of Antichrist. For he too wished to be thought a god. And he has well said, "the mystery"; that is, it worketh not openly, as the other, nor without shame. For if there was found a man before that time, he means, who was not much behind Antichrist in wickedness, what wonder, if there shall now be one? But he did not also wish to point him out plainly: and this not from cowardice, but instructing us not to bring upon ourselves unnecessary enmities, when there is noting to call for it. So indeed he also says here. "Only there is one that restraineth now, until he be taken out of the way," that is, when the Roman empire is taken out of the way, then he shall come. And naturally. For as long as the fear of this empire lasts, no one will willingly exit himself, but when that is dissolved, he will attack the anarchy, and endeavor to seize upon the government both of man and of God. For as the kingdoms before this were destroyed, for example, that of the Medes by the Babylonians, that of the Babylonians by the Persians, that of the Persians by the Macedonians, that of the Macedonians by the Romans: so will this also be by the Antichrist, and he by Christ, and it will no longer withhold. And these things Daniel delivered to us with great clearness.

"And then," he says, "shall be revealed the lawless one." And what after this? The consolation is at hand. "Whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of His mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of His coming, even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan."

For as fire merry coming on even before its arrival makes torpid and consumes the little animals that are afar off; so also Christ, by His commandment only, and Coming. It is enough for Him to be present, and all these things are destroyed. He will put a stop to the deceit, by only appearing. Then who is this, whose coming is after the working of Satan, "With all display all power," but nothing true, but for deceit. "And lying wonder," he says, that is, false, or leading to falsehood.

[John Reece]

That is very interesting, George.

The Roman Empire is the restrainer.
When the Roman Empire falls, the Antichrist will appear.

Is that what Chrysostom meant by what he wrote?

Rome fell in AD 476.

And the Antichrist . . . ?

Have I missed or misunderstood something?

Blessings,

John

[John Reece]

1 Timothy 3

Qualifications for Deacons

8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 9 They must hold the mystery (musthrion) of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. 11 Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. 13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

The Mystery of Godliness

14 I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, 15 if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of truth. 16 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery (musthrion) of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh,
vindicated by the Spirit,

seen by angels,
proclaimed among the nations,
believed on in the world,

taken up in glory. (ESV)

From The First and Second Epistles to Timothy (The Expositor’s Greek Testament: Eerdmans, Reprint 1967), by Newport J. D. White:

Ver. 9. to musthrion thV pistewV : the faith as revealed, is the same as thV eusebeiaV musthrion, ver. 16. In the earlier epistles of St. Paul to musthrion is a revealed secret, in particular, the purpose of God that Jew and Gentile should unite in one Church. The notion of a secret is still prominent, because revelation of it was recent; but just as revelation passes from a phase of usage in which the content or substance of what has been revealed is alone thought of, so it was with musthrion ; in the Pastorals it means the revelation given in Christ, the Christian creed in fact.

[George Blaisdell]

Today @ 04:07 PM
John Reece wrote:

That is very interesting, George.



Well, Glory to God! - I finally got a sniff outta ya!



The Roman Empire is the restrainer.
When the Roman Empire falls, the Antichrist will appear.

Is that what Chrysostom meant by what he wrote?

Rome fell in AD 476.

And the Antichrist . . . ?

Have I missed or misunderstood something?


The basic idea is that the Orthodox Catholic Church was protected by the power of the State, and indeed had the State in an important way 'under' it, in that when Constantine converted, the very unholy Roman empire, replete with gladiators, feeding Christians to lions, Nero, and on and on - After Constantine this unholy power of the state became the holy Patron of Christianity.

Now Church and state were never separated in these times of yore... And our western separation in the modern era is a very new idea, whose basis is indeed individual self interest, and the results culturally are not hard to discern - "Self-everything" rules... Is protected by law...

So that as long as the Church had the patronage of the state, Satan was held at bay - And the fact that Rome fell only resulted in Rome moving [east] to Constantinople, the New Rome... And when Constantinople fell [to the Turks after the sack by the "holy crusaders", and their looting and then abandonment of the empire], then Russia, again to the east, arose, and when Russia fell, we now have Orthodoxy moving to the last place east, where east meets west in the USA -

And there is no state patronage of Church in the west... And the decline of western Christianity is not hard to discern...

geo

[George Blaisdell]

1 Tim 3:9
εχοντας το μυστηριον της πιστεως εν καθαρα συνειδησει.

And especially:
εν καθαρα συνειδησει.

So what is your take on this, John? The literal rendering is:

"Holding the mystery of the faith in a purified conscience."

What is this "mystery of the faith"? Is it the union of the Jews with the Ethnoi? [as your commentator was suggesting earlier.] And if yes, why would it require a pure conscience to hold THAT?

And what is this "conscience"??

συνειδησει.

Have you looked at the roots? What does this mean?

"Together-see-knowing"

As in con-science?

Together with Whom?

How does it relate to homologion?

And what manner of purity?

Purity from what?

How cleansed?

Is repentance involved?

I have lots of questions on this one!!

geo

[John Reece]

Hi George,

I hope those were rhetorical questions :smile: .

Etymology is not the way I study biblical words.

I study biblical words by looking at usage in context.

"Mystery" does not mean just one single thing in every context in which it is used.

Blessings,

John

[John Reece]

Revelation 1

Vision of the Son of Man

9 I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet 11 saying, "Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea."
12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hairs of his head were white like wool, as white as snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. 19 Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. 20 As for the mystery (musthrion) of the seven stars that 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. (ESV)

From Biblical Apocalyptics (New York: Eaton & Mains, 1898), by Milton S. Terry:

Verse 20 gives an explanation of the mystery of the stars and the candlesticks. The word mystery here means the mystical significance or symbolical meaning of these objects in the vision. The candlesticks or lamp stands (lucnia ; compare מנורה in Zech. 4:2) are symbols of the churches. As organized bodies of Christian confessors the churches receive the light of the Lord and reflect the same so as to be the light of the world (compare Matt. 5:14, 16; John 8:12; 9:5). But a deeper mystery seems to conceal the exact meaning of seven stars ; for, though said to be angels of the seven churches, the import of the word angels in such a definition is as difficult to determine as that of stars. We reject as unsatisfactory all those explanations which make the angels either messengers, delegates, officers, presbyters, or bishops of the churches. There is no evidence that the word angel was ever so employed in the early church, and what especially bears against this view is the fact that the addresses to the several churches are unsuitable for a mere officer, or bishop, or any one individual representative of the church. The responsible and characteristic personnel, embracing the church itself in the main body of its membership, seems to be contemplated in every address to the angel of the church designated. For this reason also we reject the notion that the guardian angel of each particular church is to be understood, for why praise or blame such and angel as personally guilty of the acts of the church itself? The old view of Andreas and Arethas that the angel of the church is the church itself seems on the whole to be best supported, and in accord with the angel of the alter, the angel of the fire,, and the angel of the waters (compare chapter 14:18; 16:5, 7). The assumption of Alford that “as the church is the objective reality, so must the angel be, of whatever kind,” is a fallacy in apocalyptic interpretation. One might as well maintain that the seals, and the trumpets, and the bowls of wrath are objective realities. That they have symbolic significance is clear, but that the angels that blow the trumpets have objective reality is as far from the truth as to say that all John’s visions had objective reality. To discriminate between the symbol and the thing signified is the task of the interpreter, whose critical judgment should discern what is essentially real and what is mere drapery or sign. The angels of the churches are best explained as an apocalyptic title for the churches, conceived no so much as organized bodies as the characterizing personal elements and life which distinguish one church from another. So when the Living One says to a church, “I know thy works, thy zeal, thy patience, thy failures, thy poverty and nakedness,” the reference is to no one individual, least of all to a bishop or a guardian angel, but to the body of the church itself. Every member of a church so addressed is to feel himself intended, and to know that he personally, as well as the whole body associated with him in fellowship, is held in the right hand of him who also holds the keys of death and Hades.

The following are footnotes to Terry’s comment:

So Dusterdieck: “The angel of the church appears as the living unity of the one organism of the church, which, as it were, in mass clings to the Lord.”

Hence the angel of a church is not to be explained as an “ideal reality,” or an abstraction of thought, or a personification of the spirit of a community. The word angel here, as in analogous passages cited, is a mere apocalyptic title, a symbolical appellative ; but it denotes something that is real and conspicuous in each church addressed. “The angel of the church,” says Gebhardt, “represents it as a unity, an organized moral person, a living whole, in which one member depends upon and affects the others, in which a definite spirit reigns, and by which one church is distinguished from another.” – Doctrine of the Apocalypse, p. 39.

[John Reece]

Revelation 10

The Angel and the Little Scroll

1 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. 2 He had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land, 3 and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded. 4 And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down." 5 And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven 6 and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay, 7 but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery (musthrion) of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets. (ESV)

From Biblical Apocalyptics, by Milton S. Terry:

7. The days of the voice of the seventh angel – That is, the days immediately preceding the blast of the seventh angel; the last days of the old dispensation, when the last trumpet is about to sound, and (when) the mystery of God is finished. This mystery of God is the “gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which hath been kept in silence through times eternal, but now is manifested, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, is made known unto all the nations unto obedience faith” (Rom. 16:25, 26). This [I]mystery is further defined in Eph. 1:9; 3:3-9; and Col. 1:26, 27. The verb etelesqh, was finished, is in the aorist tense, and this conveys the idea that when the seventh angel sounds the last trumpet the mystery of God is to be thought of as a definite revelation of God in the past. The seventh trumpet, as we understand this book, is the symbolic signal of the end of the old dispensation and the consequent beginning of the new era of the kingdom of Christ on earth (compare 11:15). But the Old Testament prophets contemplated the appearance of the Messiah and the going forth of the new word of יהוה as occurring “in the end of the days” – that is, the last days of the eon or dispensation under which they were living (compare Isa. 2:2; Micah 4:1; and for the like use of the phrase, Gen. 49; Num. 24:14; Dan. 10:14). In the same manner the New Testament writers consider themselves as living near the end of the age, and making known the mystery of God in Christ, “who was manifested at the end of the times” (1 Peter 1:20). This “end of the times” belongs, not to the era of the new dispensation, but to the concluding days of the old. So God spoke in fulfillment of Messianic promises “in the end of these days in his Son (Heb. 1:1). The appearance of Christ and the first preaching of his Gospel are thus uniformly represented as occurring at a certain “fullness of times”(Gal. 4:4; Eph. 1:10). Christ was manifest by the sacrifice of himself “once for all at the end of the ages” (Heb 9:26). Paul understood that he and his contempories were they “upon whom the ends of the ages have come” (1 Cor. 10:11). It is a serious error, therefore, when learned exegetes persist in assuming that the phrase “the last days,” as employed in the Scriptures, means the period of the new Christian dispensation. Current chronology helps to perpetuate this error by dating the Christian era from the birth of Christ ; but our current chronology is no competent interpreter of the language or concepts of the prophets and apostles.

[John Reece]

Revelation 17

The Great Prostitute and the Beast

1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk." 3 And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. 5 And on her forehead was written a name of mystery (musthrion): "Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth's abominations." 6 And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I marveled greatly. 7 But the angel said to me, "Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery (musthrion) of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her. 8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come. 9 This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated; 10 they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while. 11 As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction. 12 And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast. 13 These are of one mind and hand over their power and authority to the beast. 14 They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful."
15 And the angel said to me, "The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages. 16 And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, 17 for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth." (ESV)

From Milton S. Terry’s Biblical Apocalyptics:

5. A name written, a mystery – That is, a name that involved mystical significance symbolic of the woman’s character. Mother of harlots – Allusion to Hosea’s symbolical portraiture of the apostate Israel of his day. Compare Hosea 1:2; 2:1-5.

Here are those scriptures:

Hosea 1

Hosea's Wife and Children

2 When the LORD (יהוה) first spoke through Hosea, the LORD (יהוה) said to Hosea, "Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the LORD (יהוה)."

Hosea 2

Israel's Unfaithfulness Punished

1 Say to your brothers, "You are my people," and to your sisters, "You have received mercy."
2 "Plead with your mother, plead--
for she is not my wife,
and I am not her husband--
that she put away her whoring from her face,
and her adultery from between her breasts;
3 lest I strip her naked
and make her as in the day she was born,
and make her like a wilderness,
and make her like a parched land,
and kill her with thirst.
4 Upon her children also I will have no mercy,
because they are children of whoredom.
5 For their mother has played the whore;
she who conceived them has acted shamefully.
For she said, 'I will go after my lovers,
who give me my bread and my water,
my wool and my flax, my oil and my drink.' (ESV)

Back to Terry’s commentary:

Abominations of the land – All the evils of the land of Israel were the offspring of the people’s apostasy from the Lord that bought them. The Lord Jesus came to the house of Israel and the men of Judah, and, as in the time of Isaiah, “looked for judgment, but behold oppression ; for righteousness, but behold a cry” (Isa. 5:7).

6. Drunken with the blood of the saints – No clearer or more conclusive comment on these words could be asked than is furnished in the language of Jesus in Matt. 23:29-39; Luke 13:33-35.

Here are those words of Jesus:

Matthew 23

29 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, 30 saying, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' 31 Thus you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. 33 You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell? 34 Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, 35 so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of innocent Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. 36 Truly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.

Lament over Jerusalem

37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! 38 See, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'" (ESV)

Back to Terry’s commentary:

Witnesses of Jesus – To be understood as a direct reference to the martureV in 11:3. For these witnesses are no other than those slain by “the beast that cometh up out of the abyss,” and whose dead bodies were exposed “in the street of the great city . . . where their Lord was crucified” (11:7, 8). I wondered with a great wonder – Because he did not understand the mystery of the vision, and the mystery seemed so very great. In this he was like Daniel, who confesses his astonishment in Dan. 8:27.

7. I will tell thee – All this is modeled much after the manner of Dan. 8:15-19. It is designed to introduce an angel interpreter to make known the mystery.

9. Here is a mind that hath wisdom – An admonition that he is speaking in enigmas and furnishing occasion and subject-matter on which the wise mind may exercise its skill. Compare 13:18. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth – This statement has led interpreters to believe that the woman must be Rome, the great city of the Tiber, because that city is said to have been builded on the seven hills, known as the Palatine, Capitoline, Quirinal, Viminal, Aesquiline, Coelian, and Aventine. But such a specific designation of Rome is not in harmony with the enigmatical character of the angel’s interpretation. Glasgow well remarks : “The mountains are, like other terms, to be understood symbolically. If the woman is not literal why should the mountains be so thought? And to call the woman a literal city, built on seven hills, is equally gratuitous, whether a Protestant says it of Rome or a Romanist of Constantinople.” And, we may add, if literal mountains are to be understood, we may find them at Jerusalem as well as at Rome. There were Zion, Moriah, Acra, Bezetha, Millo, Ophel, and the rocky eminence fifty cubits in height (see Josephus, Wars, 5:5, 8) on which the tower of Antonia was erected. But these seven heads of the beast no more represent literal mountains than do the seven heads of the dragon in 12:3. And unless we insist on understanding the waters in verses 1 and 15 and the scarlet-colored beast of verse 3 as literal waters and a literal beast we cannot consistently maintain that the mountains must be understood literally. For the woman sitteth on many waters, on a beast, and on seven mountains. Rather do mountains symbolize seats of power and political and governmental resources. This great Babylon had her seats of power and resources of various kinds and in various places, as well as did the beast on which she was seated, so that for dependence and support, as far as she needed, the heads of the beast were her heads. She rested on them.