2nd Book

Paul's 'mystery, hidden from the beginning' [∞]

Discussion

▸ ± Eph 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

▸ ± Eph 3:3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, [{afore … : or, a little before }]

▸ ± Eph 3:4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

▸ ± Eph 3:9 And to make all [men] see what [is] the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

▸ ± Eph 5:32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

▸ ± Eph 6:19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

▸ ± Col 1:26 [Even] the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

▸ ± Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: [{in: or, among }]

▸ ± Col 2:2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;

▸ ± Col 4:3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:

▸ ± 2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [will let], until he be taken out of the way.

▸ ± 1Ti 3:9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

▸ ± 1Ti 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

▸ ± Re 1:20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

▸ ± Re 10:7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

All Israel shall be saved [∞] Those who believe that the Bible is intended to speak literally invent trouble for themselves. The following verse raises more questions than it answers when taken literally: ▸ ± Ro 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. [{blindness: or, hardness }] ▸ ± Ro 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: Invented problems: 1. Does it speak of a literal or figurative Israel? The literalist cannot concede that it is figurative. 2. Does it speak of: a. the nation of Israel? Does forcing them to get saved violate free will? b. those with the blood of Abraham? Not all who came out of Egypt had the blood of Abraham. c. those of the northern kingdom of Israel? This makes no sense in a modern context. d. those who proclaim a Jewish faith? Which Jewish faith? Pharisees, Saducees Orthodox, Reformed, Ashkenaz or Shephardic? The riddle: 1. It is a mystery to be discerned, not just an unknown fact. 2. The mystery opposes human wisdom. 3. 'Seeing' is a symbol for understanding. Israel does not understand. 4. They will not understand until the kingdom (teaching) is taken from the Gentiles and reverts to a Hebrew teaching. 5. 'Israel' ישראל means 'man יש joined by revelation ר to God אל'. 6. The literal man Jacob is the same as the literal man Israel. But Jacob refers to his flesh, and Israel refers to the Son of the promise. 7. The old nation of Israel was called the Son of God. 8. All those who are joined to God by revelation (Israel) will be saved. 9. Jesus is the deliverer from Sion. 10. and shall rename the fleshly Jacob to Israel 11. All of those joined to God by revelation (teaching) will be saved. The word 'saved' ישע means 'his flesh יע with a heart for the increase of the word ש.
Paul preaching according to the revealed mystery [∞] Many theologians say that Paul's teaching was different from the other apostles. It was; it was not different in substance, but in style. ▸ ± Ro 16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, His use of "my" when referring to the gospel was not intended to distinguish it as different. It was the same as the other gospels but distinguishable in that he had been taught to read the Old Testament by Jesus after the resurrection. The others had been taught before the cross; had forgotten, and were then being reminded by the Holy Spirit. It was distinctly 'his' gospel, since the others had not yet discovered the mystery of the church within the OT writings. In their studies of scripture, they were busy correlating what Jesus had done as fulfillment of OT prophecy. They were attempting to recreate the sermon on the road to Emaus.
Wisdom in the mystery [∞] ▸ ± 1Co 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, [even] the hidden [wisdom], which God ordained before the world unto our glory: When God gave instructions to build his tabernacle, he gave the artists and workers "...he filled [them] with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship;" They were about the business of forming symbols in the architecture and artifacts of the tabernacle. Wisdom is the understanding of God's mystery through the symbols. ; particularly, understanding the mystery of the cross.
Paul reveals not all shall sleep or die [∞] ▸ ± 1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, When Paul reveals a mystery, he teaches doctrine discerned from the mystery. He has Old Testament sources for his teaching. Can you think of people in the OT who did not die? When we think literally, Enoch comes to mind. If we form a doctrine on one verse, we violate the rules for interpretation. We turn to the mystery, to see if Paul's source is there. Paul chides the Hebrews for being children and eating or learning the most simple things. As he starts to teach the 'meat' of the gospel, he dives into the mystery concerning Melchisadek. He uses the absence of the record of the birth of Melchizedek as a symbol of Christ being the Unbegotten Only Son. He uses the absence of his death as a symbol of the resurrection of Christ as the eternal Word. When you understand symbols, you need not try to presume that Melchizadek was a pre-incarnate Christ. This would violate the same rule for interpretation mentioned earlier. This is one source in the riddle that not all die. With the absence of a death record in scripture being the mechanism by which the riddle teaches that not all would die, we can now see many for whom there is no death record.

Re 17:5 And upon her forehead [was] a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. [{harlots: or, fornications }]

▸ ± Re 17:7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.