Texts in Conversation
The Dead Sea Scrolls and Ephesians both describe a hidden plan revealed by God at the right time. In the scrolls, this mystery concerns future restoration shown to the faithful. In Ephesians, it refers to God’s plan centered on Jesus, now revealed.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
1QHa 17:23
The Thanksgiving Hymns
Dead Sea Scrolls, Prayers, Hymns, and Liturgy
21 to me. And you … […] my adversary prevails against me, as a stumbling block to … [… to] all 22 the men who make war [on me and to those who dispute with me, shame] of face and disgrace to those who grumble against me. 23 For you, my God, at the appointed time […] you plead my cause. For in the mystery of your wisdom you have reproved me, 24 and you hide the truth for the time […] its appointed time. And your reproof has become joy and gladness for me, 25 and my afflictions an [eternal] healing [and] everlasting [peace], and the contempt of my adversaries a crown of glory for me, and my stumbling eternal 26 might. For by your insight [you have made me know,] and in your glory my light has shone. For light out of darkness
Date: 150–100 BCE (based on scholarly estimates)
Ephesians 1:9
New Testament
4 For he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him in love. 5 He did this by predestining us to adoption as his legal heirs through Jesus Christ, according to the pleasure of his will— 6 to the praise of the glory of his grace that he has freely bestowed on us in his dearly loved Son. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our offenses, according to the riches of his grace 8 that he lavished on us in all wisdom and insight. 9 He did this when he revealed to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, 10 toward the administration of the fullness of the times, to head up all things in Christ—the things in heaven and the things on earth.
Date: 90–100 CE (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... In the Qumran texts one generally finds rvz (mostly in the plural), and occasionally std (usually singular) with the sense of 'mystery'. The marvelous mysteries of God (1QH 4:27f; 1QpHab 7:8; 1QM 14:14), frequently qualified as mysteries of wisdom (1QH 9:23), of insight (1QH 13:13), of knowledge (1QS 4:6), of truth (1QH 9:18), refer to the created order (1QH 3:15-25), the preservation of Israel in the community of Qumran through the forgiveness of sins (CD 3:18f), as well as the last days ... In Ephesians, the 'mystery' lacks the eschatological element. In Ephesians 1:9 the 'mystery' is the realization of God's creative and saving will on a cosmic scale in the bringing together of all thing in Christ, which is then elaborated in Ephesians chapter 3. In Ephesians 3:3 the insight, granted by God, into the mystery of Christ, as in Col 1:26f, refers to the incorporation of Gentiles into the body of Christ, the Church (Ephesians 3:6). In Ephesians 5:31 the 'mystery' ecclesiologically refers to the bond between Christ and the Church ..."
Surip Stanislaus, “The Mystery of God in Ephesians 1:3-13,” LOGOS, Jurnal Filsafat-Teologi 2.1 (2003): 64–81.
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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