Ephesians 3:9

Ephesians 3:9. And to make all men see. Not simply to teach all men, but to enlighten all, which is to be accomplished by means of the gospel. ‘All,' which is not emphatic, refers to the ‘Gentiles' (Ephesians 3:8).

What is the dispensation of the mystery. ‘Fellowship' is poorly supported; ‘dispensation' is used as in Ephesians 3:2: the Divine arrangement of the mystery. The mystery is the union of the Jews and Gentiles in Christ (Ephesians 3:6), not however independently of the wider reference (see Ephesians 3:3). The Gentiles, through his preaching, were to be enlightened as to this Divine arrangement. Such enlightenment was needed, for this mystery was one which from the beginning of the world (lit., ‘from the ages') hath been hid. From the beginning of the periods of time through which the created world (of angels and men) had passed; the phrase occurring in this form only here and in Colossians 1:26. ‘The mystery was decreed “ before the ages” (1 Corinthians 2:7; comp. Ephesians 1:4), but it is conceived of as hidden only since the beginning of the ages, because before that there was no one from whom it could be hidden' (Meyer).

In God who created all things. The great weight of authority is against the addition of ‘through Jesus Christ' The omission of the phrase is conclusive against the view that the spiritual creation is referred to, as in chap. Ephesians 2:10. ‘All things' is to be taken in its widest sense. This mention of God's omnipotence is probably not suggested by the thought of hiding, but serves to indicate that God, as sovereign creator, included in His purpose this ‘mystery' and the arrangement (‘dispensation') by means of which it was carried out.