When we think of the word “mystery” we may think of a type of story,book or movie. Typically, we refer to a mystery as something that is unknown or difficult to understand, even beyond understanding. However, when the word “mystery” appears in the New Testament, particularly in Paul’s letters something very different is meant.
In the New Testament, Paul tied the concept of mystery to revelation and to the Gospel Paul preached (Romans 16:25-26). Paul explained that previously this mystery had not been revealed and was hidden, but in the Gospel it had been revealed. Paul used the term, mystery, to indicate something that had been previously unknown, even unimaginable, that now has become known.
What was the mystery that had been revealed? Paul explained that it was the salvation message in the Gospel. To the Greeks and the Jews, Jesus who had been crucified as a criminal could in no way be understood as Savior. The Savior/Messiah could not ever have been humiliated in such a manner. The Jews, even Jesus’ disciples, were expecting him to come as a conquering king and overcome their enemies, the Romans. To the Romans it was absurd to think that a criminal that they had crucified could ever be a savior. After all, if he could not save himself from the power of Rome, how could he save or help anyone else? However, this is the mystery that Paul declared had been revealed. God had orchestrated the salvation of mankind through the death and humiliation of his son. A concept that was utter foolishness to the “might makes right” of the ancient world. It is why the Gospel was foolishness to the Greeks and blasphemy to the Jews. Nevertheless, Paul wrote that through Jesus God has brought forth a new man from believing Gentiles and Jews. This mystery, that had never been revealed before was now being proclaimed through Paul and the other apostles’ message. The proof that what Paul and the other apostles said was true was the resurrection and the empty tomb, which neither the Jews nor the Romans could explain.
So when Paul referred to a mystery in his writings, he was not referring to something that was currently unknown, but something that had been made known. Previously it had been unknown, but through the Gospel it was now known and revealed.
From time to time, it’s helpful to reflect on the unusual ways God works in the world. Two thousand years ago no one could have imagined that God would bring victory and salvation through the humiliating death of Jesus. It was so unusual, that even the disciples had trouble accepting that Jesus was truly alive after his resurrection. Matthew commented in the final words of his Gospel, that prior to Jesus giving the Great Commission the eleven disciples gathered and worshiped Jesus, but some still doubted (Matthew 28:17). This was forty days after Jesus’ resurrection and after numerous physical appearances of Jesus. The ways of God are so utterly unbelievable that we cannot even imagine them before God acts, but after the fact we ask ourselves why we didn’t see it before. To many now Jesus’ death on the cross does not seem to be that big of a problem to overcome, but for the early Christians it was of utmost importance to explain. It doesn’t seem so mysterious because we have gotten used to what God did. However, keeping in mind what God has done in the past, we should not be surprised when we discover the unusual solutions God has for overcoming the obstacles in our life.
David Freitag 