Biblical Mysteries
The term mystery in connection with the kingdom of God is found in three parallel passages in the Gospels (Matt. 13:11; Mark 4:11; Luke 8:10). Early readers of the Gospels would have perked up at the connection between mystery and God’s kingdom. The word mystery was associated in Paul’s time with a variety of religions, collectively referred to as “mystery religions.”
In general, these religions promised salvation to those who joined them and learned a set of secret rituals and doctrines intended as channels of spiritual power or salvation. The secrets of the mystery religions were carefully guarded, largely unknown except to the initiated insiders.
Different meaning
The New Testament’s multiple use of the term mystery carries a different meaning. Rather than referring to what is largely hidden or kept secret from outsiders, the word in the Bible refers to truths made known by God. These are not discovered by people but disclosed by divine revelation.
So, as Theology 101 continues for several weeks to explore some of the truths in the Bible referred to as mysteries, we are thinking about truths God has made known through His servants and His Son.
This week, we consider the mystery of the kingdom of God. As revealed in the Bible, God’s kingdom is spiritual in nature. It is not presented as a realm with carefully defined boundaries that might be drawn on a map.
Rather, the idea is that of God’s reign over human lives wherever they might happen to be. God’s kingdom is found wherever He is allowed to reign in a person’s life.
Within each believer
One day the religious leaders asked Jesus when God’s kingdom would come. His reply was, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20–21).
With Christ’s coming, this spiritual kingdom was inaugurated. What Jesus announced and inaugurated has continued to advance across the centuries. Missions and evangelism are the twin strategies for advancing God’s kingdom reign in human hearts.
The Bible reminds us what has been inaugurated and advancing will one day reach its consummation. This glorious future of God’s perfect reign is the blessed hope of believers everywhere.
In the wording of 1 John 3:3, “Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”
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