The Hidden Wisdom of God and the Mystery of the Kingdom of God (Part 1)
Paul’s Hidden Wisdom
Paul's epistles, particularly in 1 Corinthians 2:6-10, introduce the concept of God's hidden wisdom. Paul speaks of a wisdom that is not of this age or of the rulers of this age, but a wisdom that God predestined before the ages for our glory. This wisdom is characterized by its mystery and is revealed only to the mature. It is a wisdom that confounds the worldly wise and the powerful, highlighting God's strength manifested in human weakness.
In essence, Paul’s hidden wisdom encapsulates the transformative power of suffering and death in conformity with Christ’s crucifixion. This wisdom is esoteric, reserved for those who can perceive beyond the literal and obvious, to grasp the deeper spiritual realities that Paul teaches.
The Mystery of the Kingdom in Mark
Similarly, the Gospel of Mark introduces the theme of the mystery of the kingdom of God, particularly in chapters 4 to 8. Mark’s use of mystery parallels Paul’s hidden wisdom, offering profound insights into the nature of the kingdom that are veiled in parables and understood only by a select few.
In Mark 4:11-12, Jesus tells his disciples, “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those outside, everything is in parables, so that they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand; lest they should turn and be forgiven.” This statement sets the stage for a recurring theme in Mark: the blindness and lack of understanding of both the disciples and the crowds.
The Blindness of the Disciples
Throughout the Gospel of Mark, the disciples repeatedly fail to understand the true nature of Jesus and his mission. This theme begins as soon as those around Jesus, along with the Twelve, question him about the parables. Jesus responds by emphasizing that the mystery of the kingdom is revealed to them but remains hidden to outsiders (Mark 4:11-12). Despite this, the disciples themselves struggle to grasp the implications of Jesus’ teachings and miracles.
For instance, after Jesus calms the storm, the disciples are filled with great fear and question, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mark 4:41). Similarly, when Jesus walks on water, they are utterly astounded because they did not understand about the loaves, and their hearts were hardened (Mark 6:51-52).
This reference to the hardening of the disciples’ hearts connects to Isaiah 6:9-10, where the Lord commissions Isaiah to deliver a message that will harden the hearts, deafen the ears, and blind the eyes of the people. By alluding to this passage, Mark suggests that the disciples, despite being given the mystery of Jesus, are as blind as the outsiders for whom everything is in parables.
Parabolic Miracles and Progressive Revelation
The theme of the disciples’ blindness reaches its climax in the episode where they worry about having no bread. Jesus, exasperated, asks them, “Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember?” (Mark 8:17-18). He then recounts the feeding miracles, emphasizing the numbers involved, before asking again, “Do you not yet understand?” (Mark 8:21).
Immediately following this, Jesus heals a blind man, the first of two such miracles that frame what scholars call the central section of Mark’s gospel (Mark 8:22-26; 10:46-52). These healings are symbolic, indicating the progressive revelation of Jesus’ identity and mission to his disciples. Within this central section, Jesus begins to open the eyes of his disciples to the reality of his messiahship and the necessity of his suffering.
The Three Passion Predictions
In three cycles of teaching, Jesus predicts his passion and resurrection (Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:33-34). Each prediction is followed by the disciples’ misunderstanding (Mark 8:32-33; 9:32-34; 10:35-41), and then by Jesus’ corrective teaching on discipleship (Mark 8:34-9:1; 9:35-37; 10:42-45). These cycles occur as Jesus and his disciples are “on the way” (ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ), emphasizing the journey of understanding that the disciples are on.
The Hidden Wisdom and the Mystery
The parallel themes of hidden wisdom in Paul and the mystery of the kingdom in Mark converge on the idea that divine truth is often hidden beneath the surface, accessible only to those who are spiritually mature or enlightened. Paul’s wisdom is esoteric, intended for the mature, and involves a deep understanding of the transformative power of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. Similarly, Mark’s mystery of the kingdom involves a progressive revelation of Jesus’ identity and mission, understood fully only by those whose eyes have been opened.
Both Paul and Mark emphasize that this wisdom or mystery is predestined by God and hidden from the worldly wise and powerful. It is a wisdom that inverts conventional notions of power and glory, revealing God’s strength in weakness and his glory through suffering and death.
Conclusion
The hidden wisdom of Paul and the mystery of the kingdom of God in Mark highlight the profound and often paradoxical nature of divine truth. This truth is not immediately apparent but is revealed through spiritual insight and maturity. For Paul, this wisdom involves a transformative process of becoming conformed to the image of the risen Christ through suffering and death. For Mark, it involves understanding the true nature of Jesus and his mission through a progressive unveiling of his identity.
By exploring these themes, we gain a deeper appreciation of the rich theological insights embedded in the New Testament. These insights challenge us to look beyond the surface and seek the deeper, often hidden, truths of God’s kingdom and his redemptive plan for humanity.
This blog post is based on content from Scott Brown's paper, L'esoterismo in Paolo: La sapienza nascosta di 1 Cor 2,6-3,4.
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