Paul means the unveiling of a secret that had been kept hidden since the world began and was now made known through the preaching of Jesus Christ in his gospel.
Romans 16:25 defines the mystery as that which 'was kept secret since the world began.' Les teaches that revelation means an unveiling and that mystery comes from the Greek word mysterion, meaning secret. God kept the secret until the time of Paul, and once it was revealed it became human responsibility to believe it.
Romans 16:25 — Contains the exact phrase 'revelation of the mystery' and states the mystery was kept secret since the world began.
Ephesians 3:3-5 — Paul describes the same mystery as made known to him by revelation and not made known in other ages.
Deuteronomy 29:29 — Shows the biblical principle that secret things belong to God until He reveals them.
John 13:7 — Jesus tells Peter he will understand later, illustrating that some truths are kept secret until God's time of revealing.
Romans 16:25 says Paul's gospel is 'according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began.' The verse connects the preaching of Jesus Christ with the unveiling of that secret. Ephesians 3:3-5 reinforces this by saying the mystery was made known to Paul by revelation and 'in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.' Deuteronomy 29:29 gives the underlying principle: 'The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever.' John 13:7 also shows a secret that would only be understood later: 'What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.'
Les points to Romans 16:25 and says Paul's gospel is 'part and parcel of these revelations of secret things that had never been revealed before' (Clip 6). He explains that 'mystery' comes from the Greek word mysterion, meaning 'secret' (Clip 4), and that 'revelation' means 'an unveiling' — something kept under wraps is suddenly unveiled (Clip 5). Les emphasizes that the mystery was 'kept secret since the world began,' so Paul was preaching something God had kept secret, and Peter did not know it because it had not yet been revealed (Clips 1, 2, 4). He connects this with Ephesians 3, where the mystery was not made known in other ages (Clips 3, 5). Les also teaches that God has the prerogative to keep things secret until the time to reveal them, and that once God reveals a secret, it becomes the human responsibility to believe it (Clips 6, 7).
Les teaches that 'mystery' in Romans 16:25 comes from the Greek word mysterion, which means 'secret' (Clip 4). He defines 'revelation' as 'an unveiling' — something kept under wraps is suddenly unveiled (Clip 5). The phrase therefore means the secret is now being made known through Paul's gospel.
Romans 16:25 says the mystery was 'kept secret since the world began.' Les prefers the thought 'since the age began' (Clip 4). Paul also says in Ephesians 3 that the mystery 'in other ages was not made known' (Clips 3, 5). Because it had been kept secret, Les says Paul was preaching something God had kept secret, and Peter did not know it because it had not been revealed yet (Clip 2).
Les points back to Deuteronomy 29:29, where secret things belong to God (Clips 1, 6). He teaches that God has the prerogative to keep things secret and hidden until it is time to reveal them (Clip 7). Once God reveals it, it becomes the human responsibility to believe it (Clip 6).
Jesus and Peter's Future Understanding
Les introduces John 13 as an example of something kept secret now and understood later, which sets the pattern for how the mystery was finally revealed.
Romans 16:25 and Deuteronomy 29
Les quotes Romans 16:25 and connects it to the principle that secret things belong to God.
A Secret Kept Since the World Began
Les says Romans 16:25 plainly shows that Paul preached something God had kept secret, and Peter did not know it because it had not been revealed yet.
Ephesians 3 and the Mystery
Les ties Romans 16:25 to Ephesians 3, where Paul says the mystery was not made known in other ages.
Mysterion Means Secret
Les explains that the Greek word behind 'mystery' is mysterion, meaning secret, and that it was kept secret since the age began.
Revelation Means Unveiling
Les defines revelation as an unveiling of something that had been kept under wraps, and applies this to the mystery.
Paul's Gospel and the Revealed Secret
Les says Paul's gospel is connected to revelations of secret things that had never been revealed before, and once revealed it becomes our responsibility to believe it.
God's Right to Keep Secrets
Les teaches that God can keep secrets hidden until it is time to reveal them, and that these secrets were kept in God's mind until revealed to Paul.
Romans 16:25: Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
This is the verse that defines the phrase being asked about and shows the mystery was kept secret from the beginning.
Ephesians 3:3-5: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
This parallel passage says the mystery was made known by revelation and was not made known in earlier ages.
Deuteronomy 29:29: The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
Les uses this verse to show that secret things belong to God until He chooses to reveal them.
John 13:7: Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
Jesus' words to Peter illustrate that some truth is kept secret until a later time of revealing.
The mystery is a secret, from the Greek word mysterion, that had been kept secret since the world began. In Romans 16:25 it is now revealed in the preaching of Jesus Christ and Paul's gospel.
Yes. Les says revelation means an unveiling — something kept under wraps is suddenly unveiled. It was not something previously understood, but was now made known.
Les says Peter did not know it because it had not yet been revealed. Paul says in Ephesians 3 that the mystery was not made known in other ages to the sons of men.
Les points to Deuteronomy 29:29: secret things belong to God. God has the prerogative to keep things hidden until it is time to reveal them.
Watch the Teaching: Why Did God Hide Secrets in the Bible Until Now?