Mark 4:11

4:11 He said to them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those outside, everything is in parables,


tn Grk “the mystery.”

sn The key term secret (μυστήριον, musthrion) can mean either (1) a new revelation or (2) a revealing interpretation of existing revelation as in Dan 2:17-23, 27-30. Jesus seems to be explaining how current events develop old promises, since the NT consistently links the events of Jesus’ ministry and message with old promises (Rom 1:1-4; Heb 1:1-2). The traditional translation of this word, “mystery,” is misleading to the modern English reader because it suggests a secret which people have tried to uncover but which they have failed to understand (L&N 28.77).

tn This is an example of a “divine passive,” with God understood to be the source of the revelation (see ExSyn 437-38).