The Wonder of It All: Mystery and Meaning in Scripture

The Wonder of It All: Mystery and Meaning of Scripture explores the idea that error often appears as pairs of opposites. In this regard, we either minimize the persisting mystery or apparent meaning of Scripture. With this in mind, the present text is an attempt to cultivate a needed balance. Mystery first invites our attention. Paul observes, "We speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began" (1 Cor. 2:7). In the singular, "the term 'mystery' ordinarily refers to something formerly hidden in God and from all human eyes but now revealed in history through Christ and made understandable to his people through the Spirit." As such, mystery is primarily associated with God and his initiatives. We next turn our attention from mystery to meaning, taking a common sense approach to biblical interpretation. This is by way of exploring the implications of inspiration, the significance of salvation history, literary genre, context, general hermeneutics, and ethical implications. We conclude with two case studies concerning Genesis and Luke/Acts.