Teaching Team
The Mysteries of God
The Master often taught in parables, which was similar to the style of the other sages of His day. In Luke 8 He gives an explanation for this practice:
And He said, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is in parables, ‘so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’” (Luke 8:10)
All kinds of explanations have been offered up for the phrase “mysteries of the kingdom of God.” Chana Safrai a Jewish scholar from Jerusalem offers up that the explanation may be found in a textual variant.* The variant reads:
“To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of God”
In the Hebrew of the Master’s day “mysteries” was used in rabbinic literature to refer to the Oral Torah. Midrash Tanchuma states:
“Oral Torah contains the mysteries of the Holy One blessed be He, and the Holy One blessed be He gives His mysteries only to the righteous.”
It is possible that rather than Yeshua referring here to complex and esoteric secrets, He was referencing the practical application of Torah and its wisdom as it had been passed down from Sinai. In the context then the “Parable of the Sower” (Luke 8:11-15) refers to learning Torah. The Master places emphasis on living out God’s instruction with love. These are the secrets that He has revealed to those with ears to hear.
*Chana Safrai, “The Kingdom of Heaven and the Study of Torah”, Jesus’ Last Week: Jerusalem Studies in the Synoptic Gospels, (2006), 175-176.
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Visitor Feedback:
I knew that when I read this after you had loaned me the book that would only be a matter of time before you posted about it! Great post.
Peace, Jeremiah.
Jeremiah | September 26, 2007 5:19 AM
I read 1 John 5 CHAPTER and it mentions that Ha Shem has given us insight about Him in the midst of world in the power of the advesary. Thank Ha Shem that we are not under His spell or power. Messiah gives us power to overcome this wicked and and Love.
***Toby's Reponse: Amen!***
Yochanan | October 9, 2007 1:54 PM