MYSTERY

befallen Israel.' The institution of marriage viewed as prophetic of the union between Christ and the Church (Eph 5'"), and the bodily transformation of the saints at the Second Advent (1 Co 15»"), are Divine secrets now disclosed; they mark respectively the beginnmg and the end of revelation. These and such matters constitute 'the mysteries' of which the Apostle is 'steward' (1 Co 4'), which enUghtened Christians 'know' (1 Co 132) and dwell upon in hours of rapture (14'). According to the Synoptics, our Lord speaks of His parables as containing, in a similar sense, 'the mysteries of the kingdom' (Mt 13" etc.).

(3) Rev 1^° and 17'- ' afford examples of a narrower reference in the term: 'the seven stars' and 'the harlot woman' are mystical symbols, patent to those who are 'in the Spirit,' of great realities operative in the kingdoms of God and of Satan.

This analysis brings out certain essential differences between the Christian and non-Christian employment of the word in question. In the first place, the new 'mysteries' are no human performances, ritual or dramatic; they are Divine communications embodied in Christ and His redemption, which God's stewards are commissioned to impart. In the second place, they seek publicity not concealment — 'mystery' and 'revelation' become correlative terms. These are not secrets reserved for and guarded in silence by the few; 'the unsearchable riches of Christ,' long concealed from all, is now thrown open to all — 'hidden from the ages

NABAL

and generations,' but to-day 'preached to the nations.' Most emphatic is St. Paul's insistence on the frankness of the gospel revelation; most earnest his disclaimer of any esoteric doctrine, such as the vendors of foreign 'mysteries' commonly professed. Nothing but moral insensibiUty or the false pride of the world's wisdom, he asserts, bars any man from receiving his gospel — it is 'hid amongst the perishing, those whose thoughts the god of this world blinded' (2 Co 48'-; cf. 1 Co 2", Lk 10"). The communication of the gospel mystery is limited by the receptivity of the hearer, not the reserve of the speaker; addressed to all men, it is 'worthy of aU acceptation' (1 "K 1« 2«; cf. Ro 1", Ac 2622 Col 128). 'The mystery of iniquity' (2 Th 2') and that of Israel's 'hardening' (Ro 112«), however, still await solution; these will be disclosed before 'the mystery of God is finished' (Rev 10').

Several other NT words had been associated in Greek usage, more or less definitely, with the Mysteries: illumination (2 Co 4«-, Eph l'*. He 6' etc.); seal (2 Co 122, Eph 1", Rev T etc.); perfect (sell, initiated: 1 Co 2',' Ph 3" etc.); 'I have learnt the secret' ('have been initiated,' Ph 4"); and the original (cognate) words for 'behold' and 'eye-witnesses' in 1 P 2i2 32 and 2 P 1". The association is unmistakable, and the aUusion highly probable, in the last two, as well as in the other instances. In these Petrine passages the thought of the spectators being favoured with the sight of a holy secret was, seem-ingly, in the writer's mind. G. G. Findlat.

N

NAAM.— A Calebite family (1 Ch 415).

NAAMAH.— 1. Sister of Tubal-cain (Gn 422). 2. Mother of Rehoboam (1 K 1421- 3», 2 Ch 12"). 3. A town of Judah in the Shephslah (Jos lS"-«). There is no notice of it elsewhere. Zophar the Naamathite is mentioned in Job (2" etc.), but there is nothing to connect him with this town. Possibly we may identify Naamah with Naneh, a small mud village on low ground 6 miles south of Ludd (Lydda).

NAAMAN (the word means 'pleasantness,' or, as an epithet, as is probable, of Adonis or Tammuz, ' darling ' ; cf. the Adonis plantations referred to in Is 17"" [Heb.]. The Arabs of the present day still call the red anemone, which blooms in the spring, at the time at which one of the Adonis festivals used to be held, the 'wounds of the darUng, or Naaman'; the name of the flower probably comes from 'Naaman'; see W. R. Smith in the English Historical Review, April 1887). — ^1. One of the sons of Benjamin (Gn 462'), though in Nu 26" and 1 Ch S* he is referred to as Benjamin's grandson; in Nu 26<" the 'family of the Naamites' is spoken of, they therefore probably formed a clan belonging to the tribe of Benjamin.

2. A Syrian general who came to Elisha to be healed of leprosy. The story is told in 2 K 5, where it appears in entire independence of the context. Through an Israelite slave-girl Naaman hears of the man of God who works miracles, and in the hope of being cured of his leprosy he comes to EUsha; it is, however, note-worthy that he comes at EUsha's request (v.*) in order that he may learn that 'there is a prophet in Israel.' On his arrival Naaman receives a message to the effect that he is to wash in the river Jordan seven times; his objection that the prophet ought to work the miracle 'in the name of the Lord his God' seems very justifi-able; upon the advice, however, of his servants he dips himself seven times in the Jordan, and is healed. His first words to the prophet, thereupon, are, 'Behold

now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel.' On EUsha's refusing the gift offered to him, Naaman asks for two mules' burden of Israelitish soil upon which to worship the God of Israel; this is in entire accordance with the ideas of the time that a god of a country cannot be worshipped properly excepting upon his own soil (cf. 1 S 26"- 2"). Quite natural, too, according to the beliefs of the time, is his wish to boW down in the house of Rimmon; for apart from the necessity of this on account of his attendance on the king, there is the fact that reUglous syncretism was considered not only permissible, but, under various cir-cumstances, commendable. [For the unworthy conduct of the prophet's servant Gehazi, and the punishment inflicted on him, see Gehazi.] W. O. E. Oesteklet.

NAAMATHITE.— See Naamah, 3.

NAAMITES.— See Naaman, 1.

NAABAH ('girl'). — 1. One of tl^e wives of Ashhur the 'father' of Tekoa (1 Ch 4"). 2. A town of Ephraim (Jos 16'; called in 1 Ch 72' Naaran). It is perhaps the ruin el-' Aujeh, 6 miles N. of Jericho.

NAARAI.— One of David's heroes (1 Ch 11"). In the parallel passage, 2 S 23'', the name is Paarai, who is caUed ' the Arbite.' It is impossible to decide with any confidence between the rival readings.

NAAEAN.— See Naakah, 2.

NAATHTJS (1 Es Q") =Ezr lO^" Adna.

NABAL. — A wealthy but churlish sheep-owner 'in Maon, whose business was in Carmel' (1 S 252 RVm). David, while living as an outlaw and freebooter, de-manded at Nabal's sheepshearing his reward for defend-ing his flocks (1 S 25™-). Nabal, inflamed with wine, returned an insolent answer, and David was prevented from wreaking terrible vengeance only by the timely arrival of Abigail, Nabal's wife, with large gifts and abundant flattery. The word Nabal means 'fool,' and Abigail, with wifely candour, says to David, 'Fool is

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