the secret of (our) piety

μυστήριον, ου, τό ‘secret, secret rite, secret teaching, mystery’ a relig. t.t. (predom. pl.) applied in the Gr-Rom. world mostly to the mysteries w. their secret teachings, relig. and political in nature, concealed within many strange customs and ceremonies. The principal rites remain unknown because of a reluctance in antiquity to divulge them (Trag.+; Hdt. 2, 51, 2; Diod S 1, 29, 3; 3, 63, 2; Socrat., Ep. 27, 3; Cornutus 28 p. 56, 22; 57, 4; Alciphron 3, 26, 1; OGI 331, 54; 528, 13; 721, 2, SIG s. index; Sb 7567, 9 [III A.D.]; PGM 1, 131; 4, 719ff; 2477 τὰ ἱερὰ μ. ἀνθρώποις εἰς γνῶσιν; 5, 110; 12, 331; 13, 128 τὸ μυστήριον τοῦ θεοῦ. Only the perfected gnostic is τῶν μυστηρίων ἀκροατής Hippol., Ref. 5, 8, 29.—OKern, D. griech. Mysterien d. klass. Zeit 1927; WOtto, D. Sinn der eleusin. Myst. ’40; MNilsson, The Dionysiac Mysteries of the Hell. and Rom. Age, ’57; Kl. Pauly III 1533–42; WBurkert, Antike Mysterien ’90). Also LXX and other versions of the OT use the word, as well as En (of the heavenly secret) and numerous pseudepigr., Philo, Joseph. (C. Ap. 2, 189, 266), apolog. (exc. Ar.); it is a loanw. in rabb. Our lit. uses μ. in ref. to the transcendent activity of God and its impact on God’s people.

① the unmanifested or private counsel of God, (God’s) secret, the secret thoughts, plans, and dispensations of God (SJCh 78, 9; τὸ μ. τῆς μοναρχίας τῆς κατὰ τὸν θεόν Theoph. Ant. 2, 28 [p. 166, 17]) which are hidden fr. human reason, as well as fr. all other comprehension below the divine level, and await either fulfillment or revelation to those for whom they are intended (the divine Logos as διδάσκαλος θείων μυστηρίων Orig., C. Cels. 3, 62, 9: the constellations as δεῖγμα καὶ τύπον … μεγάλου μυστηρίου Hippol. Ant. 2, 15 [p. 138, 7]; Abraham is τῶν θείων … μέτοχος μυστηρίων Did., Gen. 213, 20).

ⓐ In the gospels μ. is found only in one context, where Jesus says to the disciples who have asked for an explanation of the parable(s) ὑμῖν τὸ μυστήριον δέδοται τῆς βασιλείας τ. θεοῦ Mk 4:11; the synopt. parallels have the pl. Mt 13:11 (LCerfaux, NTS 2, ’55/56, 238–49); Lk 8:10.—WWrede, D. Messiasgeh. in den Evv. 1901; HEbeling, D. Messiasgeh. u. d. Botschaft des Mc-Evangelisten ’39; NJohansson, SvTK 16, ’40, 3–38; OPiper, Interpretation 1, ’47, 183–200; RArida, St Vladimar Theol. Qtly 38, ’94, 211–34 (patristic exegesis Mk 4:10–12 par.).

ⓑ The Pauline lit. has μ. in 21 places. A secret or mystery, too profound for human ingenuity, is God’s reason for the partial hardening of Israel’s heart Ro 11:25 or the transformation of the surviving Christians at the Parousia 1 Cor 15:51. Even Christ, who was understood by so few, is God’s secret or mystery Col 2:2, hidden ages ago 1:26 (cp. Herm. Wr. 1, 16 τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ κεκρυμμένον μυστήριον μέχρι τῆσδε τῆς ἡμέρας), but now gloriously revealed among the gentiles vs. 27, to whom the secret of Christ, i.e. his relevance for them, is proclaimed, 4:3 (CMitton, ET 60, ’48/49, 320f). Cp. Ro 16:25; 1 Cor 2:1 (cp. Just., D. 91, 1; 131, 2 al. μ. τοῦ σταυροῦ; 74, 3 τὸ σωτήριον τοῦτο μ., τοῦτʼ ἔστι τὸ πάθος τοῦ χριστοῦ). The pl. is used to denote Christian preaching by the apostles and teachers in the expr. οἰκονόμοι μυστηρίων θεοῦ 1 Cor 4:1 (Iambl., Vi. Pyth. 23, 104 calls the teachings of Pyth. θεῖα μυστήρια). Not all Christians are capable of understanding all the mysteries. The one who speaks in tongues πνεύματι λαλεῖ μυστήρια utters secret truths in the Spirit which the person alone shares w. God, and which others, even Christians, do not understand 1 Cor 14:2. Therefore the possession of all mysteries is a great joy 13:2 (Just., D. 44, 2). And the spirit-filled apostle can say of the highest stage of Christian knowledge, revealed only to the τέλειοι: λαλοῦμεν θεοῦ σοφίαν ἐν μυστηρίῳ we impart the wisdom of God in the form of a mystery (ἐν μυστηρίῳ=in a mysterious manner [Laud. Therap. 11] or =secretly, so that no unauthorized person would learn of it [cp. Cyr. of Scyth. p. 90, 14 ἐν μυστηρίῳ λέγει]) 2:7 (AKlöpper, ZWT 47, 1905, 525–45).—Eph, for which (as well as for Col) μ. is a predominant concept, sees the μ. τοῦ θελήματος αὐτοῦ (sc. θεοῦ) 1:9 or μ. τ. Χριστοῦ 3:4 or μ. τ. εὐαγγελίου 6:19 in acceptance of the gentiles as Christians 3:3ff, 9ff. A unique great mystery is revealed 5:32, where the relation betw. Christ and the Christian community or church is spoken of on the basis of Gen 2:24 (cp. the interpretation of the sun as symbol of God, Theoph. Ant. 2, 15 [p. 138, 8], and s. WKnox, St. Paul and the Church of the Gentiles, ’39, 183f; 227f; WBieder, TZ 11, ’55, 329–43).

ⓒ In Rv μ. is used in ref. to the mysterious things portrayed there. The whole content of the book appears as τὸ μ. τοῦ θεοῦ 10:7. Also τὸ μ. τῶν ἑπτὰ ἀστέρων 1:20; τὸ μ. τῆς γυναικός 17:7, cp. vs. 5, where in each case μ. may mean allegorical significance (so BEaston, Pastoral Epistles ’47, 215).

② that which transcends normal understanding, transcendent/ultimate reality, secret, with focus on Israelite/Christian experience.

ⓐ 1 Ti uses μ. as a formula: τὸ μ. τῆς πίστεως is simply faith 3:9. τὸ τ. εὐσεβείας μ. the secret of (our) piety vs. 16.—τὸ μ. τῆς ἀνομίας 2 Th 2:7 s. ἀνομία 1 (Jos., Bell. 1, 470 calls the life of Antipater κακίας μυστήριον because of his baseness practiced in secret. Cp. also SibOr 8, 58 τὰ πλάνης μυστήρια; 56).—PFurfey, CBQ 8, ’46, 179–91.

ⓑ in Ign.: the death and resurrection of Jesus as μ. IMg 9:1 (τὸ περὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως μ. Orig., C. Cels. 1, 7, 9). The virginity of Mary, her childbearing, and the Lord’s death are called τρία μ. κραυγῆς three mysteries (to be) loudly proclaimed IEph 19:1 (they are mysteries because they go so contrary to human expectation). So also of the annunciation to Mary and her conception GJs 12:2f. The deacons are οἱ διάκονοι μυστηρίων Ἰ. Χρ. ITr 2:3.

ⓒ Quite difficult is the saying about the tried and true prophet ποιῶν εἰς μυστήριον κοσμικὸν ἐκκλησίας who acts in accord with the earthly mystery of (God’s) assembly D 11:11. This may refer to celibacy; the prophet lives in such a way as to correspond to the relation betw. Christ and the people of God; cp. Eph 5:32 (so Harnack, TU II 1; 2, 1884, 44ff; HWeinel, Die Wirkungen d. Geistes u. der Geister 1899, 131–38; PDrews, Hdb. z. d. ntl. Apokryphen 1904, 274ff; RKnopf, Hdb. ad loc.—Differently CTaylor, The Teaching of the Twelve Apost. 1886, 82–92; RHarris, The Teaching of the Ap. 1887; FFunk, Patr. Apostol.² 1901 ad loc.; Zahn, Forschungen III 1884, 301).

ⓓ μ. occurs oft. in Dg: τὸ τῆς θεοσεβείας μ. the secret of (our) piety 4:6 (what Dg means by μ. is detailed in ch. 5). Likew. of Christian teaching (cp. Ps.-Phocyl. 229 and comments by Horst 260–61) πατρὸς μυστήρια 11:2; cp. vs. 5. Hence the Christian can μυστήρια θεοῦ λαλεῖν 10:7. In contrast to ἀνθρώπινα μ. 7:1. οὗ (sc. τ. θεοῦ) τὰ μυστήρια whose secret counsels 7:2 (the divine will for orderly management of the universe). Of God keeping personal counsel κατεῖχεν ἐν μυστηρίῳ … τὴν σοφὴν αὐτοῦ βουλήν 8:10.—Lghtf., St. Paul’s Ep. to the Col. and Phlm. p. 167ff; JRobinson, St. Paul’s Ep. to the Eph. 1904, 234ff; GWobbermin, Religionsgesch. Studien 1896, 144ff; EHatch, Essays on Bibl. Gk. 1889, 57ff; HvSoden, ZNW 12, 1911, 188ff; TFoster, AJT 19, 1915, 402–15; OCasel, D. Liturgie als Mysterienfeier⁵ 1923; JSchneider, ‘Mysterion’ im NT: StKr 104, ’32, 255–78; TArvedson, D. Mysterium Christi ’37; KPrümm, ‘Mysterion’ v. Pls bis Orig.: ZKT 61, ’37, 391–425, Biblica 37, ’56, 135–61; RBrown, The Semitic Background of ‘Mystery’ in the NT, ’68; cp. KKuhn, NTS 7, 61, 366 for Qumran parallels to various passages in Eph and Ro; ABöhlig, Mysterion u. Wahrheit, ’68, 3–40; JFruytier, Het woord M. in de catechesen van Cyrillus van Jerusalem, ’50; ANock, Hellenistic Mysteries and Christian Sacraments, Essays on Religion and the Ancient World II, ’72, 790–820; AHarvey, The Use of Mystery Language in the Bible: JTS 31, ’80, 320–36.—DELG s.v. μύω. M-M. EDNT. TW. Sv.

εὐσέβεια, ας, ἡ (s. next entry and σέβομαι; Pre-Socr., Aeschyl. et al.; ins, pap as ‘piety, reverence, loyalty [exhibited towards parents or deities], fear of God’; opp. πονηρός Diod S 5, 79, 2; cp. Diog. L. 3, 83: the pious follow sacrificial custom and take care of temples; hence Aeneas is repeatedly called ‘pius’ in Vergil’s Aeneid, s. AMichels, ClJ 92, ’97, 399–416) in our lit. and in the LXX only of awesome respect accorded to God, devoutness, piety, godliness (Pla., Rep. 10, 615c εἰς θεούς [w. γονέας]; X., Cyr. 8, 1, 25; Posidon. 87 Fgm. 59, 107 περὶ τὸ δαιμόνιον; Diod S 4, 39, 1 εἰς τὸν θεόν; 7, 14, 6; 19, 7, 3; Epict., Ench. 31, 1 περὶ τ. θεούς; Herm. Wr. 4, 7 πρὸς τ. θεόν; ins [SIG and OGI indices]; UPZ 41, 10 [161/160 B.C.] πρὸς τὸ θεῖον; PHerm 52:19; PTebt 298, 45; PGiss 66, 10; LXX, esp. 4 Macc.; TestSol 8:9; TestJud 18:5; TestIss 7:5; EpArist 2; 42 πρὸς τ. θεὸν ἡμῶν al.; Philo, Deus Imm. 17 πρὸς θεόν; 69, Poster. Cai. 181; Jos., Ant. 18, 117, C. Ap. 1, 162 περὶ τὸ θεῖον [Ath. 28, 2; cp. 30, 3 περὶ αὐτούς]; Just., Ath. W. ἀνδρεία and σοφία Orig., C. Cels. 8, 17, 16; Theoph. Ant., Hippol.) ἰδίᾳ εὐσεβείᾳ by our own piety Ac 3:12; cp. διὰ τ. ἡμετέρας εὐ. 1 Cl 32:4. ἐν πάσῃ εὐ. in all piety 1 Ti 2:2; cp. 4:7f; 6:5f, 11. μετʼ εὐσεβείας in godliness (cp. 2 Macc 12:45) 1 Cl 15:1. τὰ πρὸς εὐσέβειαν what belongs to piety 2 Pt 1:3 (cp. Jos., Ant. 11, 120 τὰ πρὸς τ. θρησκείαν). ἔχειν μόρφωσιν εὐσεβείας have the outward form of godliness=be devout only in appearance 2 Ti 3:5 (cp. Philo, Plant. 70 εἰσί τινες τῶν ἐπιμορφαζόντων εὐσέβειαν). W. φιλοξενία 1 Cl 11:1. Godliness as a result of steadfastness and cause of brotherly love 2 Pt 1:6f (on the list of virtues cp. Lucian, Somn. 10; OGI 438, Dssm. LO 270 [LAE 322]). ἡ ἐν Χριστῷ εὐ. Christian piety 1 Cl 1:2. περὶ τὴν εὐ. φιλοπονεῖν show a concern for piety 2 Cl 19:1.—Respect for deity, devotion (Diod S 16, 60, 3; Jos., C. Ap. 1, 60) ἡ κατʼ εὐσέβειαν διδασκαλία teaching that is in accordance with godliness 1 Ti 6:3; ἡ ἀλήθεια ἡ κατʼ εὐ. Tit 1:1. τὸ τῆς εὐ. μυστήριον the key to our piety or the secret of our devotion to God 1 Ti 3:16 (s. MMassinger, Biblioth. Sacra 96, ’40, 479–89).—Pl. godly acts 2 Pt 3:11 (cp. PGM 13, 717; Just., D. 47, 2).—OKern, D. Rel. der Griechen I 1926, 273–90; FBräuninger, Unters. zu d. Schriften des Hermes Trismeg., diss. Berlin 1926, esp. on εὐσέβεια and γνῶσις; FTillmann, Past. Bonus 53, ’42, 129–36; 161–65 (‘Frömmigkeit’ in den Pastoralbr.); WFoerster, NTS 5, ’59, 213–18 (Pastorals). S. ὅσιος, end.—B. 1462. Larfeld I 496. DELG s.v. σέβομαι. M-M. TW. Sv.

δαιμόνιον, ου, τό (substant. neut. of the adj. δαιμόνιος [s. 2 below δαιμόνιον πνεῦμα], quotable since Homer; OGI 383, 175; Herm. Wr. 10, 19; Ps.-Phoc. 101; En 19:1; TestSol; GrBar 16:3; Philo; Jos., Bell. 1, 373; 6, 429) in Gk. lit. the δαιμον-family refers in general to powerful entities that transcend ordinary experience. After Homer’s time, the adj. δαιμόνιος means anything ‘sent from heaven’ or ‘that which is divine’ and the subst. τὸ δ. comes to mean ‘divine manifestation’ or ‘heaven’, as in our expression ‘what heaven decrees’ (Hdt. 5, 87, 2; cp. SIG 601, 15; Jos., Bell. 1, 69); or simply ‘the divine’ (Eur., Bacch. 894); cp. SIG 545, 14 (of religious piety). In our lit. the subst. gener. denotes a malevolent force.

① transcendent incorporeal being w. status between humans and deities, daemon (as distinguished from demon, which in Eng. gener. connotes inimical aspect), semi-divine being, a divinity, spirit, (higher) power, without neg. connotation. The subst. was freq. used by Hellenes in a gener. sense esp. of independent numinous beings or divinities, as distinguished from a more personalized θεός, e.g. nymphs, Panes, and Sileni (Pla., Symp. 23 p. 202e πᾶν τὸ δαιμόνιον μεταξύ ἐστι θεοῦ τε καὶ θνητοῦ=‘every δ. is between a god and a mortal’; cp. Philo, Mos. 1, 276; UPZ 144, 43; 50 [164 B.C.]; Vett. Val. 355, 15; Ps.-Lucian, Asinus 24 p. 592 οὐδὲ τὰ δ. δέδοικας; ‘aren’t you afraid of the spirits [powers]?’ The term is common in adjurations, e.g., δαιμόνιον πνεῦμα, w. ref. to the spirit of the departed as possessing extraordinary powers: lead tablet fr. Hadrumetum [Dssm., B 26, 35 (BS 271ff)]; PGM 4, 3038; 3065; 3075). ξένων δ. καταγγελεύς a preacher of strange divinities Ac 17:18 (cp. Pla., Apol. 26b; X., Mem. 1, 1, 1 καινὰ δαιμόνια εἰσφέρειν).

② a hostile transcendent being w. status between humans and deities, spirit, power, hostile divinity, evil spirit, the neg. component may be either specific or contextual, and w. the sense commonly associated w. the loanword ‘demon’ (δ. φαῦλα: Chrysipp. [Stoic. II 338, 32, no. 1178]; Plut., Mor. 1051c. φαῦλ. δ.: Plut., Mor. 277a, Dio 2, 5. Vett. Val. 67, 5; 99, 7. Herm. Wr. 9, 3; PGM 4, 3081; 5, 120; 165; 170; LXX; En 19:1). Beings of this type are said to enter into persons and cause illness, esp. of the mental variety (GrBar 16:3 ἐν μαχαίρᾳ … ἐν δαιμονίοις as punishment; Jos., Bell. 7, 185 [of the spirits of deceased wicked people], Ant. 6, 166ff; 211; 214; 8, 45ff): δ. εἰσέρχεται εἴς τινα Lk 8:30; δ. ἔχειν Mt 11:18; Lk 7:33; 8:27; J 7:20; 8:48f, 52; 10:20. ἔχων πνεῦμα δαιμονίου ἀκαθάρτου who was under the control of an unclean power Lk 4:33. ῥῖψαν αὐτὸν τὸ δ. vs. 35; cp. ἔρρηξεν 9:42. Hence the healing of a sick person is described as the driving out of malignant forces ἐκβάλλειν (τ.) δ. (Jos., Ant. 6, 211) Mt 7:22; 9:34; 10:8; 12:24, 27f; Mk 1:34, 39; 3:15, 22; 6:13; 7:26; 9:38; 16:9, 17; Lk 9:49; 11:14f, 18ff; 13:32. Pass. Mt 9:33. ἐξουσίαν ἐπὶ πάντα τὰ δ. Lk 9:1. τὰ δʼ ὑποτάσσεται ἡμῖν 10:17. ἐξέρχεται τὸ δ. (s. ἐξέρχομαι 1aβב.—Thrasyllus [I A.D.] in Ps.-Plut., Fluv. 16, 2 ἀπέρχεται τὸ δαιμόνιον) Mt 17:18; Mk 7:29f; Lk 4:41; 8:2, 33, 35, 38. Some live in deserted places 8:29, hence a ruined city is a habitation of (malevolent) powers Rv 18:2 (cp. Is 13:21; 34:11, 14; Bar 4:35). Their ruler is βεελζεβούλ (q.v.) Mt 12:24, 27; Lk 11:15, 18f. Erroneous instruction is διδασκαλίαι δαιμονίων (subj. gen.) 1 Ti 4:1. The ability of such beings to work miracles is variously described J 10:21 and Rv 16:14. They are objects of polytheistic worship 9:20 (Dt 32:17; Bar 4:7; cp. Ps 95:5; 105:37; En 19:1; 99:7; Just., Tat.; SibOr Fgm. 1, 22. Likew. among Persians and Babylonians: Cumont³ 305, 97) 1 Cor 10:20f (w. satirical reference to the secondary status of these members of the spirit-world relative to deity); B 16:7. On Js 2:19 s. φρίσσω.—Of the evil spirit of slander Hm 2:3; of vengeance Hs 9, 23, 5; of arrogance Hs 9, 22, 3.—The δ. can appear without a tangible body, and then acts as a phantom or ghost ISm 3:2.—JGeffcken, Zwei griech. Apologeten 1907, 216ff; JTambornino, De Antiquorum Daemonismo 1909; RWünsch, D. Geisterbannung im Altertum: Festschr. Univ. Breslau 1911, 9–32; WBousset, Z. Dämonologie d. späteren Antike: ARW 18, 1915, 134–72; FAndres, Daimon: Pauly-W. Suppl. III 1918, 267–322; MPohlenz, Stoa ’49 (index).—HDuhm, D. bösen Geister im AT 1904; GBarton, EncRelEth IV 1911, 594–601; AJirku, Die Dämonen u. ihre Abwehr im AT 1912; ALods, Marti Festschr. 1925, 181–93; HKaupel, D. Dämonen im AT 1930; Bousset, Rel.³ 1926, 331ff; Billerb. IV 1928, 501–35; TCanaan, M.D., Dämonenglaube im Lande der Bibel 1929 1–20.—WAlexander, Demonic Possession in the NT 1902; JSmit, De Daemonicis in Hist. Evang. 1913; RBultmann, Gesch. d. Syn. Tradition² ’31, 223ff; HEberlein, NKZ 42, ’31, 499–509; 562–72; FFenner, D. Krankheit im NT 1930; ATitius, NBonwetsch Festschr. 1918, 25–47; GSulzer, D. Besessenheitsheilungen Jesu 1921; HSeng, D. Heilungen Jesu in med. Beleuchtung² 1926; WWrede, Z. Messiaserkenntnis d. Dämonen bei Mk: ZNW 5, 1904, 169–77; OBauernfeind, D. Worte d. Dämonen im Mk-Ev. 1928; AFridrichsen, Theology 21, ’31, 122–35; SMcCasland, By the Finger of God ’51; SEitrem, Some Notes on the Demonology in the NT: SymbOsl, Suppl. 12, ’50, 1–60; JKallas, The Satanward View (Paul), ’66; GTillesse, Le Secret Messianique dans Mk, ’68, 75–111; RAC IX 546–797; RMacMullen, VigChr 37, ’83, 174–92; G. Francois, Le polythéisme et l’emploi au singulier des mots ΘΕΟΣ ΔΑΙΜΩΝ ’57 (lit.); GRiley, Demon: DDD 445–55. S. also the lit. s.v. ἄγγελος.—B. 1488. DELG s.v. δαίμων. M-M. TW.