_THE HIDDEN MYSTERY, THAT THE GENTILES SHOULD BE SAVED, WAS MADE KNOWN TO ST. PAUL BY REVELATION: AND TO HIM WAS THAT GRACE GIVEN, THAT HE SHOULD PREACH IT: HE DESIRETH THEM NOT TO FAINT FOR HIS TRIBULATION, AND PRAYETH THAT THEY MAY PERCEIVE THE GREAT LOVE OF CHRIST TOWARD THEM._ _Anno Domini 62.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THIS CAUSE, &C.— This chapter throws back a great light on those which precede, and more clearly opens the design of this epistle: for St. Paul here in plain words tells the Ephesians that he was by particular favour and appointment ordained a preacher of the doctrine which was a mystery till no... [ Continue Reading ]
IF YE HAVE HEARD— _Since,_ or _forasmuch as ye have heard._... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MYSTERY (_AS I WROTE AFORE,_ &C.— Though St. Peter was by a vision from God sent to Cornelius, a Gentile, Acts 10 yet we do not find that this purpose of God's calling the Gentiles to be his people equally with the Jews, without any regard to circumcision or the Mosaical rites, was revealed to h... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREBY WHEN YE READ,— _By attending to which._ It has been observed, that what follows is the highest encomium made by the Apostle on any of his own writings; and thence it has been concluded, that this is the richest and noblest of all the epistles; which it is thought was peculiarly intended to b... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH IN OTHER AGES WAS NOT MADE KNOWN.— The following verse so plainly determines this passage to the calling of the Gentiles, that there can be no controversy as to the general sense of it. It was, indeed, known long before that the Gentiles were to be added to the church; but it was not known tha... [ Continue Reading ]
PARTAKERS OF HIS PROMISE,— Namely, of the Spirit. Comp. Galatians 3:14. The phrase, Δια του ευαγγελιου, rendered _by the gospel,_ signifies _in the time of the gospel._... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREOF I WAS MADE A MINISTER, &C.— Though St. Paul does not, in express words, deny others to be made ministers of this doctrine, (for it neither suited his modesty, nor the respect he had for the other apostles, to do so;) yet his expression here will be found strongly to imply it, especially if w... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO AM LESS THAN THE LEAST— The Apostle here makes a new word, which, as grammarians would speak, is the comparative degree of the superlative,— ελαχιστοτερω, which no translation can fully equal, or very happily express. No doubt he refers to what he had been formerly, when he persecuted the church... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH—HATH BEEN HID IN GOD,— It is evident that here is an allusion to the burying of a treasure in some secret place; (comp. Matthew 13:44 where the same word is used;) as there may also be in the word ανεξιχνιαστον, _unsearchable,_ Ephesians 3:8 which properly signifies, _what cannot be traced out... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PRINCIPALITIES, &C.— The prophesies of the Old Testament gave strong intimations, at least, of the intended calling of the Gentiles into the church; and the angels seem expressly to refer to it in what they said to the shepherds, and in their anthem at the nativity of Christ. Luke 2:10; Luke 2:1... [ Continue Reading ]
ACCORDING TO THE ETERNAL PURPOSE— Mr. Locke would render the Greek, _According to that pre-disposition of the ages,_ or _several dispensations which he made in Christ Jesus:_ which, by the pre-ordination of God's purpose, were all regulated and constituted in him: and Dr. Whitby, taking it in the sa... [ Continue Reading ]
IN WHOM WE HAVE BOLDNESS, &C.— _"Through whom we have freedom of speech_ in our approaches to the throne of grace, _and_ have access with confidence of being heard, as being assured of audience and acceptance, _through faith in him."_... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTO THE FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST,— In the foregoing chapter, Ephesians 3:19. St. Paul tells the Ephesians, that now they believe in Christ, they are no longer _strangers_ and _foreigners,_ but _fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God._ Here he goes on, and tells them, th... [ Continue Reading ]
OF WHOM THE WHOLE FAMILY— As Christ is the last person mentioned before the words, _of whom,_ it seems reasonable to interpret this clause as referring to him; though others rather choose to understand it of the Father, who isthe principal subject of the foregoing sentence. The word _heaven_ may be... [ Continue Reading ]
THE RICHES OF HIS GLORY,— _His glorious riches:_ the glorious abundance of graces which he has to bestow.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BREADTH, AND LENGTH, AND DEPTH, AND HEIGHT;— It has often been observed, that this text is extremely emphatical. —Bodies are well known to have only three dimensions, _length_ and _breadth,_ and _thickness;_ but the Apostle divides this last into its depth downwards, and its height upwards, meas... [ Continue Reading ]
AND TO KNOW THE LOVE OF CHRIST,— There seems to be no reason why we should confine the interpretation of this text merely to the love of Christ in calling the Gentiles. Well may we recollect, on this occasion, all that _love_ which Christ has displayed in redeeming his faithful saints, out of every... [ Continue Reading ]
THROUGHOUT ALL AGES, &C.— The original contains one of St. Paul's self-invented, and most expressive phrases, which we may defy any version fully to express;—_through all the successions of an endless eternity,_ may come something near it; but even this, emphatical as it may seem, falls very short o... [ Continue Reading ]