The word Mystery is seen in 22 verses of the New Testament, 0 in the Old
The word Mysteries is seen in 5 verses of the New Testament, 0 in the Old.
The mysteries for the Jews
· Mat 13:11 you [the disciples] to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Ø Parables: [13:10,53]
· Mark 4:11; the mystery of the kingdom of God:
· Luke 8:10 the mysteries of the kingdom of God:
Ø Parable: The sower and the seed [Mark 4:10, Luke 8:9]
The mysteries for the Church begins with
Rom 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.
· The blindness of the Jews will end
· Their own conceits: The heresy of teaching that Gentile Christians have replaced the nation of Israel and the church could lay claim to the promises made by God to the Jews. Do not believe you Gentile Christians have become God’s chosen people.
1Cor 4:1-2 ¶ Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
· Minister - representative, trusted servant
· Steward - over a household, distributes provisions, similar to treasurer who cares for and distributes what is put in his care.
· Those around us must conclude that we are ministers of Christ
· Those around us must conclude that we are faithful stewards of the mysteries of Christ.
· Faithfully pass them on or teach them.
The mysteries of God are not to remain a mystery to those chosen by God through Jesus Christ.
· Jesus chose and called the apostles [Mat 4:18]
· We are the chosen in Christ today. [Eph 1:4]
Ephesians 3:8-12; 2Tomothy 1:8-11; Titus 1:2-3
Note “before the world began” and “from the beginning of the world” : The meaning of mysteries were hidden until Christ came.
There were things hidden from the prophets and the angels.
1Peter 1:10-12
1Cor 6:2-3