SACRED

(The word mystery has MYSTERIES. been by some traced to the Hebrew ")np> to hide, whence mystar, a thing concealed; formed from which is the Gr. /zvo-Tvi^iov, old French mestier — English mystery, and old English mistar, a trade or craft, the learning of which was something occult and mysterious; but the more direct derivation appears to be from the Gr. y^-mu.) The word mystery is primarily used in speaking of certain truths set forth in the Old and New Testament, to the full understanding of which human reason cannot attain. Thus all the Old Testament figures and prophecies were mysteries to the greater part of the Jews, until they received their accomplishment in Christ. Among the mysteries set forth in the New Testament the most prominent are, the doctrine of the satisfaction of Christ, the forgivene of sins for the sake of his sufferings, and eternal life in a future world; the spiritual union between Christ and his church; the grace of Jesus Christ in its operation on our hearts; and the resurrection from the dead. But the greatest of sacred or scripture mysteries is doubtle the incarnation of the Son of God:— the advent of Christ in the fulne of time, of the seed of Israel, and his participation in our nature, according to the flesh; "being in the likene of man," and "found in fashion as a man," but " very God of very God," " God over all, ble ed for ever." "The Word was ivithGoA. and was God," says John; " and the Word was made flesh." This is the mystery, and, " without controversy, great is the mystery of godline " (or Qiodi-likene ), God, manifest in the flesh," or " God was manifest in the flesh," as the most correct reading is held to be — 05*? i(pa.iii^ci)d'/i iv o'o.^xi. These are some of the numerous mysteries scattered throughout the Old and New Testament, and which rightly come under the denomination of sacred mysteries. For an account oi profane mysteries, see infra. MYSTERIES, [s. 815]