I was listening to Alistair Begg on the radio speak of the encounter on the road to Emmaus. ^[1]

He emphasized that it is not by clever preaching; not by intellect, that we understand the scriptures. ^[2]

The disciples on the road needed their eyes opened to understand that the scriptures had hidden meaning which prophesied of Christ.^[3]

1. ↑ Lu 24:13-32
2. ↑ 1Co 2:1 ¶ And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
3. ↑ Lu 24:31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

From the beginning (May your heart burn)

From the beginning (Dinner Theater in the Dietary Law)

The riddles concerning Christ were hidden until after the cross.

While Jesus ministered, he showed his disciples the riddles, but they did not understand them. ^{[1] [2]}

Only after the cross could he open their eyes to the prophesies and make them understand. ^[3]

1. ↑ Mt 16:21 ¶ From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
2. ↑ Mr 8:17 And when Jesus knew [it], he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened?
3. ↑ Lu 24:31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

Jesus had opened the eyes of his disciples, their hearts burned. ^[1]

The 'burning bosom' is not the testimony of the Holy Spirit, but a fulfilled prophecy. God would write the law on the hearts of his people. ^[2]

When God gave his word to Israel on stone tablets the mountain burned. ^[3]

Now when he gives his word to you, your hearts burn and you can begin to understand his mysteries.

1. ↑ Lu 24:32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
2. ↑ Jer 31:33 But this [shall be] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
3. ↑ De 4:11 And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness.

A good preacher or teacher desires to teach God's word; his intended meaning, not merely his own opinion of scripture. Paul calls it prophesying. ^[1]

In the sermon on the road, Jesus revealed the mysteries which had been hidden in all the prophets. ^{[2] [3]}

As the disciples thereafter studied the scriptures, they remembered what Jesus taught before the cross, and coupled it with what he taught on the road. The Gospels are snapshots of their learning, over time, of the progress in their understanding. ^[4]

The Gospels are 'updates' of the current teaching in the Jewish churches at ten to fifteen year intervals, given to the Gentile churches which did not study the Hebrew for themselves. ^[5]

1. ↑ 1Co 14:1 ¶ Follow after charity, and desire spiritual [gifts], but rather that ye may prophesy.
2. ↑ Lu 24:25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
3. ↑ Lu 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
4. ↑ Solution to the 'Synoptic problem'
5. ↑ Gentiles did not study the Hebrew Bible

When a man buys a new tool, he may 'put it away where it is not visible' (this is called 'hiding' by some judgemental people) for months before using it. Then when his wife sees him using it and asks if it is new, he can say that it is not new and he has had it a long time. ^[1]

The 'new thing' that God speaks about is just like this. He has put it away where it was not visible, and brought it out after the cross. ^[2]

The new thing was not recognized by the religious experts. They had not yet seen it in the scriptures. ^[3]

1. ↑ I disavow any firsthand knowledge of this practice
2. ↑ Isa 43:19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, [and] rivers in the desert.
3. ↑ Mr 1:27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine [is] this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.

The new thing was contained and hidden in the old thing. The new teaching is a new view of the Old Testament as seen through the eyes of those whose eyes had been opened. ^[1]

Jesus was the first one whose eyes were opened to the scriptures and he did what he did in obedience to what he saw in the Old Testament. ^{[2] [3]}

If you wish to understand scriptures, you must search. ^[4]

And you must be aided by the Holy Spirit. ^[5]

1. ↑ Lu 1:3 It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,
2. ↑ Joh 8:28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am [he], and [that] I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.
3. ↑ Joh 8:38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
4. ↑ Joh 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
5. ↑ Joh 14:26 But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Paul was a trained theologian of the Pharisees and was zealous of the Old Testament scriptures. ^[1]

Using a parable, Jesus said that Paul would be a good teacher if he was taught the Gospel. ^[2]

Paul taught the new thing from the old thing and the Bereans checked his doctrine from the old thing. ^[3]

1. ↑ Php 3:5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, [of] the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
2. ↑ Mt 13:52 Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe [which is] instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man [that is] an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure [things] new and old.
3. ↑ Ac 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

The Hebrew word for 'east' also means 'ancient'. When the wise men saw a star in the east, they saw a star in the ancient Hebrew texts. ^{[1] [2]}

Even if they had seen a physical star in the east, it would have no meaning without the ancient text. We know that a star did not lead them to Bethlehem since they went to Jerusalem and had to ask where to go next. They understood some of the riddles of the Old Testament, but not all. ^[3]

Paul preached from the same ancient riddles as he taught the 'new thing'.

1. ↑ Mt 2:2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
2. ↑ Nu 24:17 I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
3. ↑ Mt 2:5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

There are hundreds of works purporting to teach the mystery or hidden teachings of Jesus. They are generally nothing more than free-for-all allegory in an attempt to disqualify Jesus as God incarnate and make him out to be nothing more than a charismatic Gnostic teacher.

We reject all such writings as heretical nonsense. The true mystery speaks of Christ, the cross, and his bride. It speaks in agreement with the New Testament because the New Testament is the proper commentary on the mystery in the Old.

A small defense for this work is necessary in sharing the boundaries of this 'eye opening' hermeneutic. Without explaining how free-for-all allegory is eliminated, many will claim that these teachings are nothing but.

Rules prevent free-for-all allegory. Some will read them and say that the rules are impossible to meet. Exactly so. No man-made system could impose meaning on the scripture and adhere to the rules. The rules make the meaning of scripture self-correcting, verifiable and reproducible. The rules change Bible debate into Bible collaboration.

Chapter 2 investigates observations from the mystery which color common doctrines. They are shared in a simple way and minimize the tedious proofs of a more scholarly work.

It is a risk to me to teach it this way. Some will use their own 'knowledge' as the test for truth and will judge this work based on how well it agrees with them.

By sharing these upfront, they can quickly put the work down and go about their merry lives. The very purpose of the mystery is to bring the body together in collaboration to solve the prophetic riddles and make the invisible Father known through the works, words, life, death, resurrection and indwelling Spirit of the Son.

Perhaps as you read, your eyes may be opened and your heart made to burn.