Ephesians 1:9

Having made known An aorist participle. The time-reference is to the actual revelation of the Gospel. Cp. e.g. Romans 3:21; Romans 16:25-26; 2 Timothy 1:10. And see last note.

unto us the believing Church; as throughout this passage. No special reference to St Paul, or other Apostles, is intended. The "us" of Ephesians 1:9 must be identical with the "we" of Ephesians 1:11-12.

the mystery I.e., as always in N. T., a truth undiscoverable except by revelation; never necessarily (as our popular use of the word may suggest) a thing unintelligible, or perplexing, in itself. In Scripture a "mystery" may be a fact which, when revealed, we cannot understand in detail, though we can know it and act upon it; such a fact as that of 1 Corinthians 15:51, where we have it revealed that an inconceivable change will take place, at the last day, in the bodily condition of the then living saints; a change quite beyond the inferences of reason and alsobeyond the reach of imagination. Or it may be, as here, something much more within our understanding. But in both cases it is a thing only to be known when revealed. What this "mystery" is will be seen just below.

which he had purposed in himself Better, which He purposed in Him, i.e. in the Son. The "purpose" of the Father was "in the Son," inasmuch as it was to take effect through the Son, incarnate, sacrificed, and glorified; and further, as it concerned a Church which was to be incorporated "into Christ." The whole context illustrates this phrase. For the "purpose," cp. Ephesians 1:11; Romans 8:28; Rom 9:11; 2 Timothy 1:9.