The secret things….

Sometimes it takes a long time, if ever, to connect the dots. This is the challenge of understanding scripture. I have favorite scriptures and have a certain understanding of them that I am comfortable with. But comfort can often hide expanded and deeper meaning.

One such verse is Deuteronomy 29:29…..”The secret things belong to the Lord our God…”. I have always thought that this speaks to the transcendent nature of God….that there are mysteries that we will never know. I still consider that this is valid.

But yesterday I read Matthew 6:6…”But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward you openly.” Now when we connect the dots we can contemplate ourselves as a secret thing that belongs to God. It is our one on one meeting with God…..only the two of us. And that should be when God is most immanent with us. Now the Deuteronomy scripture can represent both the transcendence and the immanence of God for me.

A corollary of this is the familiar verse…”Be still(quiet, secret) and know that I am God”. I can understand this as meaning….’be still so that I can be known by God’. Our stillness before God can be thought of as a signal to God that we are receptive to Him.

Just sharing this to suggest that we can go beyond the literal when we read scripture….

[Miss Hepburn]

’be still so that I can be known by God’

I see it differently ---Be still because God comes in the stillness and silence - we are preparing for a visit from Him .
He already knows us...in the stillness we can know Him.
And may I say from many experiences ---it is a stillness many can not even imagine.

As far as ''knowing', my stunning first reading of this verse changed my life!
From memory: ..but he who does boast let him boast of this...that he knows and understands me ----so saith the Lord....coming thru Jeremiah ...
I think Jer 9:23ish?
We can know the mind of God. Period...but not with all the shatter in our heads.

Secret things - Recall what Jesus said to the disciples at his last supper...
There are many things, I want to tell you but you can not bear them....from memory ...in Mark or Matthew.

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

I see it differently ---Be still because God comes in the stillness and silence - we are preparing for a visit from Him .
.

Just how different is being receptive to God to preparing for him ? I am not as attracted to differences as I am to seeking common ground…….

[sky]

[Quote Mo ] "be still so that I can be known by God".]

Before I formed you in the womb, I knew YOU etc.... (Jeremiah 1:5).

1 OH LORD you have searched me
and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD.

5 You hem me in–behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
(Psalm 139:1-6 NIV)

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

Secret things - Recall what Jesus said to the disciples at his last supper...
There are many things, I want to tell you but you can not bear them....from memory ...in Mark or Matthew.

John 16:12……followed by saying that the Spirit would reveal all……they were not ready…..the reason He said that He must go away…..

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by Molearner

John 16:12……followed by saying that the Spirit would reveal all……they were not ready…..the reason He said that He must go away…..

Oh right in John! ...Matt or Mark I get mixed up which the Transfiguration is in!! thanks.

I thought it was clear - he did not think they were mentally, spiritually mature enough yet,
even after all this time with him to be revealed 'secrets' that they just could not grasp - another translation.

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by Molearner

Just how different is being receptive to God to preparing for him?

They are the same to me.:)
The difference I was referring to was being known by God...He already knows us...it's us, that if still, may know Him.

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

They are the same to me.:)
The difference I was referring to was being known by God...He already knows us...it's us, that if still, may know Him.

Yes…..biblically there is another connotation for ‘knew’ and subsequently known. It refers to planting the seed for reproduction or bringing to life. It is not common usage now but the ancients understood it. I hesitated to mention this so it can be considered as a footnote…..:)

[Maisy]

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

Secret things - Recall what Jesus said to the disciples at his last supper...There are many things, I want to tell you but you can not bear them....from memory ...in Mark or Matthew.

I don't believe Mark would have written anything like that. I think Mark did not see Jesus as a God, but instead as the Messiah, a special one chosen by God who could call on the powers of God. So as the Messiah, and not God, the writer of Mark would not have seen Jesus as "all knowing" or knowing all "secrets" or knowledge. (Moses was also chosen by God as well as were many others in the bible.)

The writer of John was very strong in proclaiming Jesus was God and I think that is the only place where that passage is found. I think that passage is unique to John and not found in Mark, Matthew, or Luke.

John 16:12-13
New International Version
12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

In John 16 Jesus also says to not believe in him is a sin:

John16:8-9 When he (the holy spirit) comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in me;

The writer of John continues to drive home his point that Jesus is God and all things are received through Jesus:

John 16:14 He (the coming holy spirit) will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.

[Maisy]

In contrast to the Gospel of John that has Jesus saying he knows more (all) and will send the Holy Spirit back after he leaves to tell them more things Jesus knows (God knows. The Gospel of John says Jesus has all "things" / knowledge The Father has) the Gospel of Mark says none of that and says instead Jesus is going to be gone and they will no longer have access to his knowledge.

Mark 14:6 “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me.

Mark does not say anything about the Holy Spirit coming back to tell them more things/knowledge from Jesus.

Also in Mark 14 it is stated again Jesus is the Messiah

Mark 14:61 Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”

62 “I am,” said Jesus