46. The Mystical Element and the Mysteries

The Mystical Element and the Mysteries

Chapter 45

Mystery has a special sense in the scripture. It means not a realm of thought and knowledge forbidding or defying entrance, but an open secret, a hidden firth, unveiled to the disciple as part of the scheme of grace; something which it is his privilege and duty to know by the Spirit’s revealing power. Biblical mysteries are always the most essential of divine teachings and the grandest unfoldings of His wisdom, power and Love.

Under the general head of “Mystery” may be included:

1. The Mystical—occult or obscure, demanding special study, and spiritual insight and illumination.

2. The Paradoxical, involving seeming contrariety and contradiction, but not inherently inconsistent.

3. The Mysterious, in the proper Biblical sense of “mystery,” hidden from the natural man, but an open secret to the spiritual. The Mystical

It is difficult to express this exact idea, that the Word of God has a peculiar quality of suggesting a far deeper meaning than at first suspected. This has already found illustration in the prophetic element, especially in indirect forecasts of the future; and particularly in the Messianic element, which pervades the entire scripture, cropping out where at first thought it would be least expected. It also appears in the scientific department, an elastic poetic phraseology, obscure and enigmatic, providing for an after accommodation to newly discovered facts. The same general truth is susceptible of far wider illustration, and is continually attracting, on the part of reverent minds, new attention. As in the works of God, every enlargement of powers of vision and observation through the lenses of telescope, microscope, and spectroscope, brings to light new wonders of His creative hand, so every increase of real insight into His Word overwhelms us with evidence that the same Divine Hand has been at work; and, as the “Heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth His handiwork,” so the Law of the Lord is seen to be perfect, in its adaptation to its purpose, converting the soul, making wise the simple, etc. (Psalms 19).

I. This mystical element as we have seen conspicuously appears in parabolic form, of which there are three prominent sorts in Scripture:

(a) Parabolic utterance, as in Luke 15 and John 15.

(b) Parabolic action, as in miracles which have a moral meaning and bearing.

(c) Parabolic picture or object, as in the Tabernacle and its furniture. To our Lord’s spoken parables, generally reckoned as from thirty to forty, His parables in action, or miracles, singularly correspond in number and nature, and might almost be set side by side for comparison. His parables of speech set forth such leading truths, as the Love of God, nature of sin, law of reward and retribution, vital union of the believer with Himself, etc. His parables of action were meant to show His power on earth to forgive sins and to remedy their consequences. So Parabolic pictures or objects set forth the leading facts and truths about Redemption, the Person of the Redeemer and the blessings of the Redeemed; and in two conspicuous forms, namely: The whole system of sacrifices, offerings and feasts; and the construction and furniture of the Tabernacle of Witness, the sacrifices, offerings and feasts, of which the whole New Testament is the exposition; of the Tabernacle especially in Hebrews 9. The Tabernacle has a volume of suggestiveness. From one point of view it presents a picture of the whole work of Christ for the believer; from another, an unusually complete view of the whole life of the believer in Christ. The Tabernacle was in three courts—the outer, with the Brazen Altar of sacrifice and the Laver; the inner, with the Table of Show Bread, the Golden Candlestick, and the Altar of Incense; and the inmost, the Holiest of All, with the Ark of the Covenant surmounted by the Mercy Seat. Here the work of Christ is set forth in order, from His vicarious sacrifice of Himself on the Cross, and the Sending of the Regeneration and Sanctifying Spirit, throughout His human career, as the Light of the World, the Bread of Life, and the Intercessor, to His final appearance within the veil and in the presence of God for us. Or regarded as teaching the believer how to draw near unto God in Christ, the outer court suggests two terms of communion; remission of sins through atoning blood and regeneration, through the Word of God and the Holy Ghost. Then the inner court suggests the three forms of communion: a living light of testimony, the systematic consecration of substance, and a habitual life of prayer. Then the inmost shrine may represent the final goal and ideal of communion, when perpetual obedience is like an unbroken tablet of law, and the beauty of the Lord our God is upon us, and all His attributes and our affections and activities are in perfect harmony. We claim no infallibility in interpreting these parabolic pictures and objects, the very beauty of this form of teaching being in part that it admits of ever increasing clearness of vision and accuracy of insight, as our life and character approach nearer to final perfection. But of this we are sure: that there is here a wealth of meaning yet unexplored and unsuspected by even the children of God, and which only the ages to come will fully unveil and reveal. The Paradoxical A paradox is a statement or expression, seemingly though not necessarily, absurd, self-contradictory, or self-inconsistent. It is doubtful whether such apparent contradictions do not necessarily inhere in a divine book, from the lack of capacity in a finite being wholly to grasp divine ideas; and, in some cases, the paradox, like the parable, may be meant to provoke deeper study, awaken curiosity, and stimulate investigation. In Holy Scripture contradiction and contrariety of teaching and testimony must be of course only apparent. Nevertheless such paradoxes abound, and serve one or all of three ends: First, to present a problem, afterwards to be solved; to arouse attention and challenge discrimination; and to impress the majesty and mystery of the Divine Author, as one whose thoughts are higher than man’s and defy perfect comprehension. The paradoxes, or seeming contradictions, should not be stumbling blocks to faith, but stepping stones to a higher knowledge of God and His truth. If one aspect of which seems to contradict another, as in so many cases, it is because the finite mind is grappling with the infinite. Neander says that God is both self-revealing and self-concealing; He must needs be both. The true rendering of Job 11:6 is: “The secrets of wisdom are double of understanding.” Or as Rotherham phrases it, “The secrets of wisdom are double to that which actually is.” A rhythmical version is:

“And show thee wisdom’s hidden depths, Truth’s twofold form.”

Lange makes Zophar to say that God’s wisdom is “twofold in knowledge.” Perhaps all these are imperfect attempts to convey a great fact, that necessarily, when God speaks to man in human language, truth has more sides and aspects than anyone statement will cover. But the source of contradiction lies deeper than language—in the thoughts of God themselves. Rays of light, emanating from one orb, may at the vast distances suggested by astronomy be so parallel, as that no human instruments can measure their convergence; yet they do meet in their source; they have a common focus, only our measurements are inadequate. The Paradoxes of the Bible are both inseparable from it as the Word of God and confirmatory of its claims as such. The apparent contradiction has its origin, first in the infinite grandeur of the truth expressed; and, secondly, in the finite limits of the understanding addressed. Many a statement in science and art which, to a beginner in study, is mysterious and unintelligible, perhaps even absurd to that same student, when himself a master in those studies, becomes as simple and obvious as a maxim. How can God speak to Man about infinite and eternal verities and not transcend the limits of a finite and temporal experience! Take, for example, Hebrews 2:14. “Mors mortis morti mortem nisi morte tulisset æternæ vitæ Janua clausa foret.” Had not death, by death, borne to death, the Death of Death, the gate of Life Eternal would be closed.” A notable prophetic paradox is found in Jeremiah’s and Ezekiel’s predictions that Zedekiah should be carried captive to Babylon but should not see it (Ezekiel 12:13). When the Chaldeans at Riblah put out his eyes, the deprivation of sight, before he was carried to the capital of the conqueror, explained the paradox.

Some of the most prophetic paradoxes are associated with the Jews, all, thus far, exactly fulfilled in History:

This last is a historical marvel. Palestine is an insignificant country. It has no geographical, historical, commercial or political importance in itself, and contributes but little to the world’s general prosperity. No nation values it but the Jew; and the Jews are rich enough to purchase it at thrice its value, and yet, after all their efforts to possess and colonize it, they cannot yet get control of it. As to ethical paradoxes, the “imprecatory psalms” are needlessly stumbling blocks to many. Those commonly so classed are these four: Psalms 7; Psalms 35; Psalms 69; Psalms 109, all characterized by the invocation of a curse on the foes of God and righteousness. No doubt there is something about them out of tune with the mercy and compassion so pervading the New Testament. But there are a few relieving considerations:

1. In many cases the imperative may be equally well rendered by the future—instead of “let it be so,” “it shall be so”—turning an imprecation or malediction into a prediction—an apparent prayer into a prophecy.

2. These curses were invoked on foes of God, as such; and, in a period, when the mission of believers in the salvation of gentile sinners was so dimly suggested as to form no distinct part of the faith or duty of the body of believers. Hence, they thought of such wicked men as only so many hopeless hindrances to God’s glory and the advance of His cause, and jealousy for Him rather than private animosity prompted these imprecations.

3. The common interpretation now is the impersonal one—that the parties so cursed represent not individuals but systems of wrong—principles of evil; these are names, figures, and emblems of the wicked or of wickedness as such.

4. But beyond all these, we must recognize a righteous and legitimate sentiment of retributive justice and judgment. Wrath in God is not a blemish, but a perfection—only another aspect of love and benevolence. Vengeance is not revenge—it is not vindictive but vindicative—not a personal retaliation, but a governmental and judicial vindication. There is no perfect love without holy hate—mercy must be balanced by justice and compassion by consideration for righteousness. Law must be upheld and penalty follow crime. Otherwise the moral cosmos would fall into chaos.

Many paradoxes however are not hopeless of reconciliation; we see their harmony when we get a right point of view.

Law and grace are not a proper paradox, for they do not pertain to the same economy. Law rests on exact individual obedience; grace, on imputed obedience; law pays wages; grace offers a gift.

Neither do faith and works present a proper paradox. The contradiction is only apparent; the inspired writers perfectly agree. We need to find and hold the balance of truth. The unity and Trinity of the Divine Being present another paradox, but we must remember that the unity is in a common nature, shared by all, and the Trinity is of persons, peculiar to each. No better illustration can perhaps be found than the union of the light, heat and life in the one sunbeam, yet each has its own ray—the light, the yellow; the heat, the red, and the actinic life, the blue; yet all in the white light, and blended in sunshine.

Other seeming contradictions about God vanish when we get a true conception: For example, His ability and inability. Omnipotence is all-power, yet He cannot lie (Matthew 19:26; Hebrews 6:18). But power is to be measured by the gauge of power and within its proper sphere. Moral impossibilities come from ethical conditions; physical impossibilities from physical conditions. God’s incapacity to sin, lie, or forget is not a sign of imperfection but a part of His infinite perfection.

Again, His Love and Wrath. If wrath in God is conceived, not as a passion, subject to capricious changes, but as a changeless principle of eternal hatred and antagonism to evil, it is seen as the other pole of Love—a part of infinite benevolence.

Again, His Immutability and His Mutability. He cannot change, yet He repents and reverses His plans (Malachi 3:6; James 1:17; 1 Samuel 15:10-11; Jonah 3:10, etc.). He is essentially, but not relatively unchangeable. In His attributes and utterances, always consistent; but His attitude relatively changes towards man when man’s attitude absolutely alters toward Himself, somewhat as when we turn about, what was behind is now before, and what we were departing from we are now approaching to. God changes from a retributive Judge to a reconciled Father when we abandon sin and accept salvation.

Other seeming paradoxes equally disappear when we avoid all needless extremes of opinion and prayerfully seek a right point of view. A notable, proverbial paradox is found in the proverb, five times found in our Lord’s sayings:

“For he that hath to him shall be given;

“And he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath” (Matthew 13:12; Matthew 25:29; Mark 4:25; Luke 8:18 to Luke 19:26).

Three times it is applied to hearing, what and how we hear. Twice to receiving entrust from God for use. There seems to be also a discrimination between hearers—those who hear the Word, without understanding; and those who both hear and understand and therefore are under a higher obligation to obey.

There are thus three concentric circles: the outermost, of the multitude of simple hearers; next, the smaller circle of instructed disciples; and yet within and smaller, of those specially endowed. But with all the law is—use or lose. To a dull ear, God ceases to speak; to a rebellious will, He ceases to bestow blessing; to an unfaithful steward, He ceases to confer entrustments. The Mysterious As to the mysteries, we have the clear Scriptural fact to begin with, that the word “mystery,” as Inspiration uses it, has three distinct senses: 1. Something not hitherto revealed, but now disclosed; 2. Something not yet revealed, whether it ever can be, and will be, or not; 3. A meaning compounded of these two—something partly revealed and partly not. In either case it is mystery. The word once meant to Greeks, in a form now slightly changed to us, secret,i.e., explained to the initiated, though still a secret to the uninitiated. Chiefly it denoted theatrical or scenic shows on religious occasions, into which there was an initiation by the priests. In process of time men applied it to all kinds of secrets, even to implements, the uses of which had to be explained by instructed persons or experts. Finally, all matters of knowledge that required any teaching, were, in the gross, mysteries. In some quarters the word even became synonymous with trade, though probably by corruption from mastery or maistery. Phrases, also, of similar import in Scripture, are used in the three senses now distinguished, the discriminating use of which we now exemplify. Difficulties in understanding the mind of the Spirit often disappear with a little attention to the exceedingly and richly varied Scriptural use of words. The “mysteries” proper, need very careful study and there are at least seven: namely, the mystery of:

Looking at these seven, there is about them a singular symmetry and completeness. God incarnate in the Son of Man, and Satan, incarnate in the man of sin, the union of Jew and Gentile in one body, and of Christ and the church in wedlock; the national restoration of Israel and the actual resurrection of believers; and the sevenfold mystery or history of the Kingdom. The other mysteries “of His Will,” “of the Gospel,” “of God,” “of faith,” “of Babylon the great,” “of the woman,” etc., are probably either equivalents for the others or involved and included in them. Compare Ephesians 1:19; Ephesians 6:19; Colossians 1:26-27; Colossians 2:2; 1 Timothy 3:9; Revelation 17:5-7).

There are few if any locked chambers, to which the key is not divinely provided, and hung close by the lock itself. He might have put before us an open door. But it pleased Him both to incite and reward patient study, so he confronts us with closed doors so that truth may challenge study; yet He supplies the key, so that he who will search may not do so in vain.