Honest, prayerful study of the Word brings us to spiritual maturity and understanding. But does it not require superior intellectual powers to understand these βdeep things of Godβ? No indeed. Superior intellects among unsaved men are unable to appreciate even the βsimpleβ truths of the Word, for βthey are spiritually discernedβ (I Corinthians 2:14). And as to the βmysteryβ made known to Paul by the glorified Lord, the Apostle declares that it is now βrevealed unto His holy apostles and prophets by the Spiritβ (Ephesians 3:5).
The mystery is not merely something more difficult to grasp intellectually, for the Apostle specifically states that it is βnot the wisdom of this worldβ but βthe wisdom of Godβ (I Corinthians 2:6-7), and that only by the Spirit of God can it be understood and appreciated. This explains why many of the humblest believers rejoice in the mystery and understand it so clearly, while so many great theologians and religious leaders fail to grasp it and keep confusing it with Godβs prophesied program regarding the kingdom of Christ.
The mystery is not βhard to be understoodβ because men are slow of mind to understand, but because they are βslow of heart to believe,β because the devil, who βhath blinded the minds of them that believe notβ also seeks to keep Godβs people from seeing and rejoicing in the truth of the mystery with its riches of grace, its βone bodyβ and its βone baptism.β This is why the Apostle prayed so fervently that the believers to whom he ministered might be given βspiritual understandingβ to take in the glorious message he was commissioned to proclaim (See Ephesians 1:16-19; Colossians 1:9-10). source
