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Mysteries and Revelations

The Bible contains many mysteries – mysteries that it literally calls “mysteries.”

Matt 13:11 Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven…”

1 Cor 4:1 Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

The Bible’s mysteries can also be called riddles. A riddle is an apparent contradiction, but that can be shown to not be contradictory if understood in the proper way. Even children can appreciate them. (“What word contains 26 letters but only has three syllables? Alphabet.”)

Mysteries are revealed, and riddles have answers. Here’s what they have in common: God gives no mysteries that He doesn’t ultimately plan to reveal, nor does He pose riddles for which He will not give the answer – sooner or later. That is, each of God’s mysteries (riddles) has a corresponding revelation (answer) to come. Like a very good riddle, it is almost impossible to predict the revelation of God’s mystery ahead of time.

People read mystery novels, and they watch mystery television shows. Would they continue to do either of these things if the mystery was not revealed at the end? Of course not – though, with the Bible, sometimes the wait is long. For example, consider the following riddle from the Psalms which were written roughly a thousand years before Christ (the Messiah):

Ps 118:22 The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief corner stone.

The cornerstone was the most important part of an ancient building. How could a rejected stone become its most important stone? The answer came in the rejection (crucifixion) and acceptance (resurrection) of the Messiah.

Some prophecies of Messiah spoke of his suffering, others spoke of his glory. Before Christ, people were confused by this and often thought the prophecies were describing two separate people. As with a riddle, once the answer became known (the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus), the mystery was revealed.

Why did God so often prophesy in mystery? Because His enemies would otherwise thwart His plans. For example, if God had prophesied explicitly and literally that Jesus was going to be nailed to a cross, His enemies would have killed him by some other means – such as, beheading, stoning, poisoning – just to prove to others that Jesus “couldn’t have been the Messiah.” Therefore, we get prophecies in mysteries and riddles.

The Old Testament verse most commonly quoted in the New Testament was a riddle that Jesus presented to the Pharisees just a day or so before they sentenced him to death.

Matt 22:41 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question:
Matt 22:42 “What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?” They said to Him, “The son of David.”
Matt 22:43 He said to them, “Then how does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying,
Matt 22:44 ‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD,
“SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND,
UNTIL I PUT YOUR ENEMIES BENEATH YOUR FEET”‘?
Matt 22:45 “If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his son?”
Matt 22:46 No one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question.

Jesus was presenting a riddle that the Pharisees could not answer…but circumstances would make the answer obvious that very week to anyone willing to recognize it. The ancestor (David) was senior to his descendent (Messiah) in life, but the descendant (being the first to rise from the dead) would be senior to His ancestor (who would not be raised until the dead were raised at the Second Coming.

Mysteries and their revelations were essential elements of the Messianic project. Jesus said:

Mark 4:22 “For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it would come to light.”

Bible Study Notes (BSN) on “Mysteries and Revelations”

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11/09/25