The Twelve Mysteries of Scripture: Kept in Silence Through Eternal Times, Now Manifested to His Saints

By W. E. Vine

In ordinary speech a "mystery" implies knowledge withheld. In Scripture a "mystery" is truth that can be made known only by divine revelation at a time appointed by God and to those who are illumined by His Spirit. This modest ebook explains twelve mysteries in the Word of God:

* The Mystery of the Faith
* The Mystery of the Godhead of Christ
* The Mystery of Godliness
* The Mystery of the Gospel
* The Mystery of the Kingdom of God
* The Mystery of the Seven Stars and Lampstands
* The Mystery of the Transformation of the Bodies of the Saints at the Resurrection
* The Mystery of the Hardening of Israel
* The Mystery of Babylon
* The Mystery of Lawlessness
* The Mystery of God's Purpose in Judgment
* The Mystery of God's Will

In addition, this ebook contains a fascinating historical overview of "How the World was Prepared for the Gospel," which includes how God used the Nation of Israel, the ambition of Alexander the Great, and the domination of the Roman Empire to prepare the world for "the separation of men out of the world unto Christ, Whose kingdom is not of this world. . . . Happy are they who by faith receive Him Whom the Gospel proclaims."

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Feb 24, 2023
• ISBN: 9781912149568

Book preview

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Contents

Foreword

Publisher’s Preface

The Twelve Mysteries of Scripture

Preface

1.The Mystery of the Faith

2.The Mystery of the Godhead of Christ

3.The Mystery of Godliness

4.The Mystery of the Gospel

5.The Mystery of the Kingdom of God

6.The Mystery of the Seven Stars and Lampstands

7.The Mystery of the Transformation of the Bodies of the Saints at the Resurrection

8.The Mystery of the Hardening of Israel

9.The Mystery of Babylon

10.The Mystery of Lawlessness

11.The Mystery of God’s Purposes in Judgment

12.The Mystery of God’s Will

How the World was Prepared for the Gospel

W. E. Vine: The Theologian By F. F. Bruce

Other eBooks By W.E. Vine

Copyright

Foreword

W.E. Vine wrote The Twelve Mysteries of Scripture and his other books in the early part of the twentieth century—about 100 years ago. The Bible is God’s Word, but its interpretation is frequently influenced by the time and culture of the interpreter. And W.E. Vine is no exception.

He has harsh words in this book, for instance, for the Roman Catholic Church. The circumstances by which the harlot Church, disloyal to Christ, and in unholy union with the world’s religion and the world’s political affairs, found its headquarters in Rome, are well known to readers of history. Vine is by no means the first to make such comments. Martin Luther and the pope did not get along. The pope described Luther as a drunken German who when sober will change his mind, and Luther said the pope was the real Anti-Christ of whom all Scripture speaks.

In another book Vine states that, following the teaching of Paul, women should keep silence in the churches and keep their head covered with long hair and with a head covering. Let those, therefore, who would stand in awe of the Word of God, give no heed to arguments which, advocating broadmindedness and large-heartedness, promulgate that which is contrary to the plain commandment of the Lord. For those women, who, walking in the fear of God, observe the Lord’s precepts for them in the churches, in acknowledgement of the tokens of their honorable subjection, and thus maintain their testimony to its significance, there is surely the present consciousness of His approval and the assurance of His reward hereafter.

Such comments by W.E. Vine on these and other issues may sound old fashioned or contrary to today’s thinking. But rather than dismiss them out of hand, be like the Bereans who were more open-minded than the people in Thessalonica and studied the Scriptures to see if what Paul said was really true.

Some readers may decide W.E. Vine is too harsh or narrow in his thinking, but his being out of step with modernity is not a suitable reason to come to that conclusion.

Publisher’s Preface

‘‘Qualified in Many Fields, Narrow in None"

Undoubtedly William Edwy Vine was qualified in many fields. As well as being a theologian and a man of outstanding academic intellect, he had a heart for all humanity that made him a master of communication.

Born in 1873, at the time when C. H. Spurgeon, D. L. Moody, and F. B. Meyer were enjoying popularity on both sides of the Atlantic, Vine was brought up in a boarding school owned by and governed by his father, who was its headmaster. This was a major contribution to his interest in teaching. At the age of 17 he was a teacher at his father’s school while attending the University College of Wales in preparation for his London University M.A. in classics.

At the age of twenty-six he spent an Easter vacation at the home of a godly couple, Mr. and Mrs. Baxendale, where he met their daughter Phoebe; a few years later, they married. It was a marriage made in heaven. They had five children: Helen, Christine, Edward (O.B.E.), Winifred, and Jeanette. During the time of their engagement, Vine’s reputation as a clear Bible expositor was growing, and before long he accepted the joint headmastership of the school with his father. In 1904, after his father died, his brother Theodore became joint headmaster with him.

It was during this time, in conjunction with Mr. C. F. Hogg, that he produced three classic works: commentaries on 1 and 2 Thessalonians, followed by Galatians. These display the full scope of Vine’s scholarship.

While Vine was teaching in the school, preparing for his M.A. and writing in-depth commentaries, he also developed a lifetime habit of teaching classes in New Testament Greek grammar. This laid the foundation for his classic work, An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, and later, An Expository Dictionary of Old Testament Words. More than three million copies were sold worldwide, and they are available today in Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, published by Thomas Nelson Publishers. His scholarship and clarity of expression is as relevant today as when first published.

A Bridge Builder between Missionaries Overseas and Local Churches at Home

When Vine was in his early thirties he felt God calling him to accept an invitation to share in the responsibility of a missionary work called Echoes of Service, a project that is still strong today as Echoes International. At the time of Vine’s appointment, Echoes of Service linked 600 missionaries overseas with independent churches known as The Open Brethren. He continued this work for forty years.

This responsibility inevitably meant writing tens of thousands of letters between local churches and the missionaries overseas. Many of the letters—beside being of a practical nature—involved answering theological questions. Because of the vastness of the work, the monthly magazine called Echoes of Service was one of the many means of linking overseas missionaries with the Christians and churches at home. This magazine gave news that would stimulate prayer and support for the missionaries as well as Bible teachings. At the time of W.E. Vine’s death the magazine’s circulation had nearly doubled. He also wrote regular articles for other magazines, and many of his written works grew out of these articles, including his famous Dictionaries.

Vine also did much traveling, especially to annual missionary conferences. He was well-suited to public teaching and stimulating missionary enterprises.

A Bridge Builder between Theologians and Pastors and Bible Teachers

Spurgeon, Moody, and Meyer were devotional preachers and teachers who appealed to the heart and conscience, but at the time the Bible was under attack by a new wave of critics. There were qualified theologians who were able to combat this criticism; however, many did not have Vine’s common touch. He was a theologian who understood the current academic issues but could communicate in a popular way without wasting words. Many writers in the early twentieth century were known for the number of words they used and the weight of the books they produced. To have a writer who could be simple, direct, theologically sound, and yet practical, was most welcome.

A Bridge Builder between Traditional Bible Translations and New Ones

Professor F. F. Bruce’s article introducing Vine as a theologian underscores that W.E. Vine was as familiar with the Greek manuscripts that formed the basis of the King James Version as he was with the manuscripts that were used in translating the American Revised Version and, later, the New International Version. This means that no matter which translation you use for personal study, you will find Vine’s scholarship applicable.

Expository Commentaries. Vine applies a microscopic approach to expository teaching—a word approach that takes into consideration every reference to that word in the Bible as well as its use in contemporary and classic Greek. Vine’s verse-by-verse exposition reveals a depth of understanding that commentaries many times their size fail to give. He explains the meaning of the key words in each verse and links them with the complete passage.

Analytical Outlines. The high standard of Vine’s analytical outlines are skeletons to which you can add your own Bible studies, or you can use them to form the base for group studies or sermons.

Prophetic Exposition. While many will agree with Vine’s insight into the value and meaning of prophecy, we have to realize that prophecy is a subject with varied interpretations. However, even if your own beliefs are different from Vine’s, you will appreciate his openness to God’s truth and his sense of excitement in seeing God’s prophetic will revealed. He is not an extremist, but he conveys a genuine love for the prophetic teaching of Scripture.

A Bridge Builder between Mind and Heart

Concerning the man himself, I have come to know more of him through knowing two of his daughters as well as from the local church that he and his wife attended for so many years. Many of the members still remember the Vines and their hospitality, humor, hard work, and commitment to the Word of God and missionary enterprise. The writings of W. E. Vine come from the finest intellect in combination with a devoted missionary heart, truly a rare combination.

As F.F. Bruce said, The Scriptures’ chief function is to bear witness of Christ, and the chief end of their study and exegesis is to increase our inward knowledge of Him, under the illumination of the Spirit of God. Mr. Vine, in all his study and writing, would not be content with any lower aim than this, for himself and for his readers alike.

Robert F. Hicks

Bath, England

W.E. Vine (left) and Phoebe (second from right)

and four of their five children.

The Twelve Mysteries of Scripture

Kept in silence through eternal times,

Now manifested to His saints

Preface

The following pages open up in a very helpful way the Mysteries of Scripture, and as they one by one are brought before us, there rests upon us, surely, no light responsibility, when we consider that God is thus dealing with us as His