μυστήριον: Difference between revisions

|txtha=μυστηρίου, τό ([[μύστης]] ([[one]] [[initiated]]; from [[μυέω]], [[which]] [[see]])), in classical Greek a [[hidden]] [[thing]], [[secret]], [[mystery]]: [[μυστήριον]] [[σου]] μή κατειπης τῷ φιλῶ, [[Menander]]; plural [[generally]] mysteries, [[religious]] secrets, confided [[only]] to the [[initiated]] and [[not]] to be communicated by [[them]] to [[ordinary]] mortals; (cf. K. F. Hermann, Gottesdienstl. Alterthümer der Griechen, § 32). In the Scriptures:<br /><b class="num">1.</b> a [[hidden]] or [[secret]] [[thing]], [[not]] [[obvious]] to the [[understanding]]: a [[hidden]] [[purpose]] or [[counsel]]; [[secret]] [[will]]: of men, τοῦ βασιλέως, τῆς [[βουλῆς]] [[αὐτοῦ]], μυστήρια Θεοῦ, the [[secret]] counsels [[which]] [[govern]] God in dealing [[with]] the [[righteous]], [[which]] are [[hidden]] from [[ungodly]] and [[wicked]] men [[but]] [[plain]] to the [[godly]], ἐν, I:5f.); τοῦ θελήματος [[αὐτοῦ]] added, τοῦ Θεοῦ, [[which]] God formed, WH [[text]]); τοῦ Χριστοῦ, [[respecting]] Christ, τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, [[which]] is contained and announced in the gospel, ἐτελέσθη τό [[μυστήριον]] τοῦ Θεοῦ, said of the [[consummation]] of [[this]] [[purpose]], to be looked for [[when]] Christ returns, τά μυστήρια τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν or τοῦ Θεοῦ, the [[secret]] purposes [[relative]] to the [[kingdom]] of God, Lightfoot on τοῦ Χριστοῦ added, οἰκονόμοι μυστηρίων Θεοῦ, the stewards of God's mysteries, i. e. those intrusted [[with]] the [[announcement]] of God's [[secret]] purposes to men, τῆς πίστεως, τῆς εὐσεβείας, [[which]] [[faith]] and [[godliness]] [[embrace]] and [[keep]], τό [[μυστήριον]] τῆς ἀνομίας the [[mystery]] of [[lawlessness]], the [[secret]] [[purpose]] formed by [[lawlessness]], seems to be a [[tacit]] [[antithesis]] to God's [[saving]] [[purpose]], רָזָא and סוד in rabbinic writers, it denotes the [[mystic]] or [[hidden]] [[sense]]: of an O. T. [[saying]], Theod.) Sept. so renders רָז. (The Vulg. translates the [[word]] sacramentum in B. D. American edition [[under]] the [[word]] Smith's Bible Dictionary, Mystery; Lightfoot on Colossians 1:26.)