THE
SACRED
SECRET!
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THE SACRED SECRET
In the books, articles, videos, and audio teachings of Spirit & Truth
Fellowship we call the administration in which we live "the
Administration of the Sacred Secret," and we translate the Greek word
musterion as "Sacred Secret." We believe that "Sacred Secret" is
the best translation of the Greek word musterion, a Greek word that
most Bible versions translate as "mystery." For years we have
translated musterion as "secret," but noticed that in Rotherham's
Emphasized Bible, Joseph B. Rotherham, who was a biblical scholar of
the first rank, translated musterion as "sacred secret." We studied the
subject and have come to agree with Rotherham, and our reasoning for
using "sacred secret" as the translation of the Greek word musterion is
presented below.
Although many Bible versions render the Greek word musterion as
"mystery," that is not a good translation. In fact, "mystery" is a
transliteration of the word musterion, not a translation of it.
"Transliteration" is when the letters of a word in one language are
brought across into another language. The prefix "trans" means
"across," and the Latin littera means "letter." Thus, transliteration
is literally "bringing across the letters." In contrast, "translation"
is bringing the meaning of a word in one language across into another
language. If we are going to have the meaning of the Greek brought into
English, we must translate, not transliterate.
The English word "mystery" means something that is incomprehensible,
beyond understanding, unknowable. Thus it is common in religious
circles to speak of things such as the "Trinity" as "mysteries" because
they cannot be understood. In contrast, a "secret" is something that is
known by someone but unknown by others. A surprise birthday party is a
"secret" to the person having the birthday, but known by those who will
attend it. The Greek word musterion does not mean "mystery," it means
"sacred secret," that is, a secret in the sacred or spiritual realm
that must be made known by God. That musterion refers to a secret, and
not to our standard meaning of "mystery," is well documented by Greek
scholars, and because this point is vital to the thesis of this
article, we will cite a number of sources.
Numerous other sources give the same information, and the point is that
the word musterion does not mean "mystery," and should not be
translated that way. Although God kept His Sacred Secret a secret for
years, it has now been made known. There are a number of verses
showing that a musterion can be revealed by God and understood by
mankind. Because it is important to understand this point, I will quote
quite a few of them.
Now that we have established that musterion does not mean "mystery,"
and that a musterion can be revealed and understood, we will show why
we translate it as "sacred secret" and not just "secret." The Greek
language uses musterion for secrets in the religious sphere, but has
another word, kruptos, for secrets that are in the secular realm.
The word kruptos appears in many places in the New Testament. For
example, Jesus said to give alms in secret (Matt. 6:4-KJV); he taught
that every secret thing will be brought to light (Mark 4:22-KJV); he
went to Jerusalem in secret (John 7:10-KJV); God will judge men's
secrets (Rom. 2:16); and, prophecy reveals the secrets of the heart (1
Cor. 14:24 and 25).
The verb krupto also appears many times in the New Testament. Examples
include: a city on a hill cannot be hidden (Matt. 5:14); the wicked
servant hid his talent in the ground (Matt. 25:25); a Christian's new
life is hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3); and, Moses' parents hid
him after he was born (Heb. 11:23).
From the above information we see that translating musterion as
"secret," which some versions do in some places, does not bring out the
true meaning of the Greek text. Anyone reading the Greek New Testament
immediately understands whether God is speaking of a secular secret
(kruptos) or a sacred secret (musterion), and a good translation brings
out that difference. When a version translates both words as "secret,"
the truth that God so clearly communicated in the Greek text is lost.
When translators use "secret" for kruptos and "mystery" for musterion,
the words are not confused, but the English Bible is made to say
something that it just does not say-that the things of God are
mysterious.
Is there a way to translate kruptos and musterion such that the meaning
of the Greek words is communicated clearly into English? Yes, there is.
There is not one time in the New Testament where musterion cannot be
fittingly translated as "sacred secret." If we translate kruptos
as "secret," and musterion as "sacred secret," the meaning of the Greek
is communicated clearly, and we English-speaking people are in a better
position to know and understand what God has said in His Word.
The Sacred Secret!
FROM:
Sacred Secret!
2 Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God,
a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth.
May you, and all those you love,
be so blessed and fortunate
as to stand approved before God,
unashamed of your workmanship.
May God Always Bless You and Yours As
You Stand Steadfast on His Word Of Truth!
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