Mystery of God's Plan Revealed in Scripture
The concept of the mystery of God's plan is rooted in biblical teachings, particularly in the Pauline epistles. According to 1 Corinthians 2:7, Paul speaks of "the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory" [4]. This mystery refers to God's plan of salvation, which was hidden in the past but revealed through the Gospel.
The biblical basis for this concept is found in various passages. In Daniel 2:19, Daniel praises God for revealing a secret or mystery to him in a vision [1]. The Psalms also touch on this theme, with Psalm 44:21 asking if God would not discover the secrets of the heart [2]. The idea is that God's wisdom is beyond human comprehension, described as "unsearchable" and "infinite" [3].
In the New Testament, Paul elaborates on this concept, particularly in his letters to the Ephesians and Colossians. In Ephesians 1:8-10, Paul discusses God's "mysterious will" regarding Christ, which involves bringing everything together under Christ's authority [8]. Similarly, in Colossians 2:2-3, Paul refers to "the mystery of God, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" [10].
Different Christian traditions interpret this concept in their own ways. For instance, John Gill, a Baptist/Reformed commentator, understands the "mystery" in Ephesians 1:9 to refer to the Gospel, which contains hidden truths about God and Christ [9]. Adam Clarke, a Methodist/Wesleyan commentator, sees the mystery as the Gospel plan, which is a scheme of salvation devised by God's wisdom and accomplished by his power and mercy [10, 11].
The understanding of God's mysterious plan is closely tied to the doctrine of predestination or election, which is discussed in various biblical passages and theological traditions [5]. According to Easton's Bible Dictionary, predestination refers to God's sovereign plan or purpose of salvation, which is considered a "secret thing" of God [5].
The revelation of God's plan is attributed to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, who guides ministers and reveals future events and the mysteries of God [7]. The Scripture is seen as a means to perpetuate God's revealed will, with the collection of sacred writings being enlarged over time as God saw necessary [6].
The mystery of God's plan remains a complex and multifaceted concept, with various interpretations across Christian traditions. However, at its core, it refers to God's sovereign plan of salvation, which is revealed through the Gospel and is considered a profound and wonderful mystery [3].
Sources
- Daniel “Then was the secret revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. -- Daniel 2:19”
- Psalms “Psalms 44:21 (LEB) — would not God discover this, for he knows the secrets of the heart?”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Wisdom of God, The — Is one of his attributes -- 1Sa 2:3; Job 9:4. Described as Perfect. -- Job 36:4; 37:16. Mighty. -- Job 36:5. Universal. -- Job 28:24; Da 2:22; Ac 15:18. Infinite. -- Ps 147:5; Ro 11:33. Unsearchable. -- Isa 40:28; Ro 11:33. Wonderful. -- Ps 139:6. Beyond human comprehension. -- Ps 139:6. Incomparable. -- Isa 44:7; Jer 10:7. Underived. -- Job 21:22; Isa 40:14. The gospel contains treasures of -- 1Co 2:7. Wisdom of saints is derived from -- Ezr 7:25. All human wisdom derived from -- Da 2:1. Saints ascribe to him -- Da 2:20. Exhibited in His works. ”
- King James Version “[KJV] 1 Corinthians 2:7 — But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Predestination — This word is properly used only with reference to God's plan or purpose of salvation. The Greek word rendered "predestinate" is found only in these six passages, Acts 4:28; Rom. 8:29, 30; 1 Cor. 2:7; Eph. 1:5, 11; and in all of them it has the same meaning. They teach that the eternal, sovereign, immutable, and unconditional decree or "determinate purpose" of God governs all events. This doctrine of predestination or election is beset with many difficulties. It belongs to the "secret things" of God. But if we take the revealed word of God as our guid”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Scripture — Invariably in the New Testament denotes that definite collection of sacred books, regarded as given by inspiration of God, which we usually call the Old Testament (2 Tim. 3:15, 16; John 20:9; Gal. 3:22; 2 Pet. 1:20). It was God's purpose thus to perpetuate his revealed will. From time to time he raised up men to commit to writing in an infallible record the revelation he gave. The "Scripture," or collection of sacred writings, was thus enlarged from time to time as God saw necessary. We have now a completed "Scripture," consisting of the Old and New Testa”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Inspiration of the Holy Spirit, The — Foretold -- Joe 2:28; Ac 2:16-18. All Scripture given by -- 2Sa 23:2; 2Ti 3:16; 2Pe 1:21. Design of To reveal future events. -- Ac 1:16; 28:25; 1Pe 1:11. To reveal the mysteries of God. -- Am 3:7; 1Co 2:10. To give power to ministers. -- Mic 3:8; Ac 1:8. To direct ministers. -- Eze 3:24-27; Ac 11:12; 13:2. To control ministers. -- Ac 16:6. To testify against sin. -- 2Ki 17:13; Ne 9:30; Mic 3:8; Joh 16:8,9. Modes of Various. -- Heb 1:1. By secret impulse. -- Jdj 13:25; 2Pe 1:21. By a voice. -- Isa 6:8; Ac 8:29; Re 1:10. By visions”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 1:8: 1:8-10 Wisdom and understanding come from the revelation of God’s mysterious will regarding Christ. In Paul’s writings, mysterious will (traditionally mystery) often refers to a divine truth formerly hidden but now revealed in the Good News (see 3:9). Here it refers to how God will bring everything together under the authority of Christ, so that he may be universally recognized and respected as Lord (see Phil 2:9-11; Col 1:16-20, 26-27; 2:2, 19; 4:3). Ephesians focuses specifically on the inclusion of Gentiles as well as Jews in God’s redeemed people (see Eph 3:”
- Ephesians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ephesians 1:9: Having made known unto us the mystery of his will,.... The Gospel, which is a mystery, a hidden mystery, the mystery of God and of Christ, and the mystery of the Gospel; the several doctrines of it are called the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven; such as are concerning the trinity of persons in the Godhead, the union of the two natures in Christ, his sonship and incarnation, the saints' union and communion with him, the work of the Spirit of God upon the soul, the calling of the Gentiles, and the conversion of the Jews, the resurrection of the dead, and the change”
- Colossians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Colossians 2:3: In whom are hid - Or rather in which; referring to the mystery mentioned above. In this glorious scheme of Christianity all the treasures - the abundance and excellency, of wisdom and knowledge are contained. No scheme of salvation, or Divine knowledge, ever equalled in its depth and excellency the Gospel plan. A scheme which the wisdom of God alone could devise, and which his power and infinite mercy alone could accomplish.”
- 1 Corinthians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 2:7: The wisdom of God in a mystery - The Gospel of Jesus Christ, which had been comparatively hidden from the foundation of the world, (the settling of the Jewish economy, as this phrase often means), though appointed from the beginning to be revealed in the fullness of time. For, though this Gospel was, in a certain sense, announced by the prophets, and prefigured by the law, yet it is certain that even the most intelligent of the Jewish rulers, their doctors, scribes, and Pharisees, had no adequate knowledge of it; therefore it was still a mystery to them and ot”