The Greek word μυϛηριον denotes, 1. Something hidden, or not
fully manifest. Thus, 2 Thess. ii, 7, we read of the mystery of
iniquity,” which began to work in secret, but was not then completely
disclosed or manifested. 2. Some sacred thing hidden or secret, which is
naturally unknown to human reason, and is only known by the revelation
of God. Thus, Great is the mystery of godliness; God was manifest in the
flesh, justified by the Spirit,” &c, 1 Tim. iii, 16. The mystery of
godliness, or of true religion, consisted in the several particulars
here mentioned by the Apostle; particulars, indeed, which it would never
have entered into the heart of man to conceive,” 1 Cor. ii, 9, had not
God accomplished them in fact, and published them by the preaching of
his Gospel; but which, being thus manifested, are intelligible, as
facts, to the meanest understanding. In like manner, the term mystery,
Rom. xi, 25; 1 Cor. xv, 51, denotes what was hidden or unknown, till
revealed; and thus the Apostle speaks of a man’s understanding all
mysteries,” 1 Cor. xiii, 2; that is, all the revealed truths of the
Christian religion, which is elsewhere called the mystery of faith,” 1
Tim. iii, 9. And when he who spake in an unknown tongue is said to speak
mysteries,” 1 Cor. xiv, 2, it is plain, that these mysteries, however
unintelligible to others on account of the language in which they were
spoken, were yet understood by the person himself, because he hereby
edified himself,” 1 Cor. xiv, 4; Acts ii, 11; x, 46. And though in 1
Cor. ii, 7, 8, we read of the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the
hidden wisdom, which none of the princes of this world knew;” yet, says
the Apostle, we speak or declare this wisdom; and he observes, verse 10,
that God had revealed the particulars of which it consisted to them by
his Spirit. So when the Apostles are called stewards of the mysteries of
God,” 1 Cor. iv, 1, these mysteries could not mean what were, as facts,
unknown to them; (because to them it was given to know the mysteries of
the kingdom of God,” Matt. xiii, 11;) yea, the character here ascribed
to them implies not only that they knew these mysteries themselves, but
that as faithful stewards they were to dispense or make them known to
others, Luke xii, 42; 1 Pet. iv, 10. In Col. ii, 2, St. Paul mentions
his praying for his converts, that their hearts might be comforted to
the knowledge of the mystery of God, even of the Father, and of Christ;”
for thus the passage should be translated. But if, with our translators,
we render ἐπίγνωσιν, _acknowledgment_, still the word μυϛηριον can by no
means exclude knowledge; for this is life eternal,” saith our Lord, John
xvii, 3, that they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ,
whom thou hast sent.” And, lastly, whatever be the particular meaning of
the mystery of God,” mentioned Rev. x, 7, yet it was something he had
declared to (or rather _by_) his servants the prophets.” 3. The word
_mystery_ is sometimes in the writings of St. Paul applied in a peculiar
sense to the calling of the Gentiles, which he styles the mystery,” Eph.
iii, 3–6; and the mystery of Christ, which in other generations was not
made known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed to his holy
Apostles and prophets by the Spirit, that the Gentiles should be fellow
heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of Christ by the Gospel,”
Rom. xvi, 25; Eph. i, 9; iii, 9; vi, 19; Col. i, 26, 27; iv, 3. 4. It
denotes a spiritual truth couched under an external representation or
similitude, and concealed or hidden thereby, unless some explanation of
it be otherwise given. Thus, Rev. i, 20, The mystery,” that is, the
spiritual meaning, of the seven stars: The seven stars are the angels of
the seven churches.” So Rev. xvii, 5, And upon her forehead a name
written, Mystery, Babylon the Great,” that is, Babylon in a spiritual
sense, the mother of idolatry and abominations;” and, verse 7, I will
tell thee the mystery” or spiritual signification of the woman.” Compare
Matt. xiii, 11; Mark iv, 11; Luke viii, 10; Eph. v, 32; and their
respective contexts.
fully manifest. Thus, 2 Thess. ii, 7, we read of the mystery of
iniquity,” which began to work in secret, but was not then completely
disclosed or manifested. 2. Some sacred thing hidden or secret, which is
naturally unknown to human reason, and is only known by the revelation
of God. Thus, Great is the mystery of godliness; God was manifest in the
flesh, justified by the Spirit,” &c, 1 Tim. iii, 16. The mystery of
godliness, or of true religion, consisted in the several particulars
here mentioned by the Apostle; particulars, indeed, which it would never
have entered into the heart of man to conceive,” 1 Cor. ii, 9, had not
God accomplished them in fact, and published them by the preaching of
his Gospel; but which, being thus manifested, are intelligible, as
facts, to the meanest understanding. In like manner, the term mystery,
Rom. xi, 25; 1 Cor. xv, 51, denotes what was hidden or unknown, till
revealed; and thus the Apostle speaks of a man’s understanding all
mysteries,” 1 Cor. xiii, 2; that is, all the revealed truths of the
Christian religion, which is elsewhere called the mystery of faith,” 1
Tim. iii, 9. And when he who spake in an unknown tongue is said to speak
mysteries,” 1 Cor. xiv, 2, it is plain, that these mysteries, however
unintelligible to others on account of the language in which they were
spoken, were yet understood by the person himself, because he hereby
edified himself,” 1 Cor. xiv, 4; Acts ii, 11; x, 46. And though in 1
Cor. ii, 7, 8, we read of the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the
hidden wisdom, which none of the princes of this world knew;” yet, says
the Apostle, we speak or declare this wisdom; and he observes, verse 10,
that God had revealed the particulars of which it consisted to them by
his Spirit. So when the Apostles are called stewards of the mysteries of
God,” 1 Cor. iv, 1, these mysteries could not mean what were, as facts,
unknown to them; (because to them it was given to know the mysteries of
the kingdom of God,” Matt. xiii, 11;) yea, the character here ascribed
to them implies not only that they knew these mysteries themselves, but
that as faithful stewards they were to dispense or make them known to
others, Luke xii, 42; 1 Pet. iv, 10. In Col. ii, 2, St. Paul mentions
his praying for his converts, that their hearts might be comforted to
the knowledge of the mystery of God, even of the Father, and of Christ;”
for thus the passage should be translated. But if, with our translators,
we render ἐπίγνωσιν, _acknowledgment_, still the word μυϛηριον can by no
means exclude knowledge; for this is life eternal,” saith our Lord, John
xvii, 3, that they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ,
whom thou hast sent.” And, lastly, whatever be the particular meaning of
the mystery of God,” mentioned Rev. x, 7, yet it was something he had
declared to (or rather _by_) his servants the prophets.” 3. The word
_mystery_ is sometimes in the writings of St. Paul applied in a peculiar
sense to the calling of the Gentiles, which he styles the mystery,” Eph.
iii, 3–6; and the mystery of Christ, which in other generations was not
made known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed to his holy
Apostles and prophets by the Spirit, that the Gentiles should be fellow
heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of Christ by the Gospel,”
Rom. xvi, 25; Eph. i, 9; iii, 9; vi, 19; Col. i, 26, 27; iv, 3. 4. It
denotes a spiritual truth couched under an external representation or
similitude, and concealed or hidden thereby, unless some explanation of
it be otherwise given. Thus, Rev. i, 20, The mystery,” that is, the
spiritual meaning, of the seven stars: The seven stars are the angels of
the seven churches.” So Rev. xvii, 5, And upon her forehead a name
written, Mystery, Babylon the Great,” that is, Babylon in a spiritual
sense, the mother of idolatry and abominations;” and, verse 7, I will
tell thee the mystery” or spiritual signification of the woman.” Compare
Matt. xiii, 11; Mark iv, 11; Luke viii, 10; Eph. v, 32; and their
respective contexts.