The mystery of the Kingdom of God
Notice these verses from Mark ch 4:
"......some sixty, and some an hundred.
9 And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let
him hear.
10 And when he was alone, they that were about him
with the twelve asked of him the parable.
11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know
the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are
without, all these things are done in parables:
12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and
hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any
time they should be converted, and their sins should be
forgiven them.
13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and
how then will ye know all parables?
14 The sower soweth the word.
15 And these are they by the way side,........"
Note, v11, "Unto you it is given to know
the mystery of the kingdom of God" (emphasis added).
His disciples were able to know the mystery of
the kingdom of God. Also, note John 3v3: "Jesus
answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto
thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see
the kingdom of God." (emphasis added). Here,
Nicodemus is told how the mystery is only perceived by
those "born again".
In Mark ch 4, Jesus is telling his disciples of the
sad fact that those "that are without" do not
know the mystery of the kingdom of God.
Eastern's Revised Bible Dictionary comments on the
word "mystery" used in the bible:
Mystery: The
calling of the Gentiles into the Christian
Church, so designated #Eph
1:9,10 3:8-11 Col 1:25-27 a truth
undiscoverable except by revelation, long hid,
now made manifest. The resurrection of the dead #1Co 15:51 and other
doctrines which need to be explained but which
cannot be fully understood by finite intelligence
#Mt 13:11 Ro 11:25 #1Co
13:2 the union between Christ and his
people symbolized by the marriage union #Eph 5:31,32 comp. #Eph 6:19 the seven stars
and the seven candlesticks #Re
1:20 and the woman clothed in scarlet #Re 17:7 are also in this
sense mysteries. The anti-Christian power working
in his day is called by the apostle #2Th 2:7 the "mystery
of iniquity."
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