With Revelation is co-ordinated knowledge, prophecy and teaching. 1 Cor.
14:6.
With Revelation is co-ordinated wisdom. Eph. 1:17 (v. supr. p. 158, Dale on Wisdom and Revelation ).
Revelation is always (probably even in Gal. 3:23) in the strictest sense an unveiling of what already exists, not the coming into existence of that which is said to be revealed. (
Hort
on 1 Pet. 1:5.)
On the use of the term
musthvrion
in the N.T.
The word musthvrion (which in the LXX. occurs Judith 2:2, Wisd. 6:24, Ecclus. 22:22, Tob. 12:7, 21, 2 Macc. 13:21 and elsewhere; also in Theodotion's version of Dan. 2:18 ff., Ps. 25:14 and Prov. 20:19) is found, in the Synoptic Gospels in the parallel texts (Matt. 13:11, Mark 4:11, Lk. 8:10) of the Parable of the Sower, but elsewhere in the N. T. only in the Epistles of St Paul and in the Apocalypse.
It is used (1) comprehensively of the Christian Revelation or of the central truth of the universality of the Gospel, (2) of special truths in that revelation.
But always in the N. T. the fact of revelation, actual or imminent, is implied.
(1) In the comprehensive meaning the word is used 13 times by St Paul and once in the Apocalypse.
A. (
a
) 1 Cor. 2:1.
kataggevllwn uJmi'n to; musthvrion tou' qeou'
.
f.
sofivan de; lalou'men ejn toi'" teleivoi"
(those who are fully initiate),
sofivan de; ouj tou' aijw'no" touvtou oujde; k.t.l.... ajlla; lalou'men qeou' sofivan ejn musthrivw/
.
Rom. 16:25 f.
kata; ajpokavluyin musthrivou crovnoi" aijwnivoi" sesighmevnou fanerwqevnto" de; nu'n diav te grafw'n profhtikw'n katj ejpitagh;n tou' aijwnivou qeou' eij" uJpakoh;n pivstew" eij" pavnta ta; e[qnh gnwrisqevnto"
.
( b ) Col. 1:26 f. to; musthvrion to; ajpokekrummevnon ajpo; tw'n aijwvnwn k. ajpo; tw'n genew'n, nu'n de; ejfanerwvqh toi'" aJgivoi", oi|" hjqevlhsen oJ qeo;" gnwrivsai tiv to; plou'to" th'" dovxh" tou' musthrivou touvtou ejn toi'" e[qnesin, o{ ejstin Cristo;" ejn uJmi'n, hJ ejlpi;" th'" dovxh" . (v. Lightfoot's note.)
Col. 2:2. eij" ejpivgnwsin tou' musthrivou tou' qeou' Cristou' ejn w|/ eijsi;n pavnte" oiJ qhsauroi; th'" sofiva" kai; gnwvsew" ajpovkrufoi God's mystery, which is nothing else than ChristChrist containing in Himself all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden away. (Lightfoot, ad loc. )
Col. 4:3 f. i{na oJ qeo;" ajnoivxh/ hJmi'n quvran tou' lovgou, lalh'sai to; musthvrion tou' cristou', dio; kai; devdemai: i{na fanerwvsw aujtov, wJ" dei' me lalh'sai .
Eph. 1:9. gnwrivsa" hJmi'n to; musthvrion tou' qelhvmato" aujtou' the mystery of His willthe Divine counsel now revealed, expressing God's Will.
Eph. 3:3.
kata; ajpokavluyin ejgnwrivsqh moi to; musthvrion
.
. ejn tw'/ musthrivw/ tou' cristou' . The mystery of the Christ was (vs. 6) the truth, revealed to the Apostles, that the Gentiles, by incorporation in Christ, were, equally with Jews, heirs of all the hopes of the people of God, members of one Divine society, and partakers of the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Eph. 3:9. hJ oijkonomiva tou' musthrivou tou' ajpokekrummevnou ajpo; tw'n aijwvnwn ejn tw'/ qew'/ tw'/ ta; pavnta ktivsanti .