9. to make all men see--Greek, "to enlighten all"
(Eph 1:18;
Ps 18:28;
Heb 6:4).
"All" (compare
Col 1:28).
fellowship--The oldest manuscripts read, "economy," or "dispensation"
(compare
Col 1:25, 26;
and see on
Eph 1:10,
above). "To make all see how it hath seemed good to God at this time to
dispense (through me and others, His stewards) what
heretofore was a mystery." ELLICOTT explains it,
"the arrangement," or "regulation" of the mystery (the union of Jews
and Gentiles in Christ) which was now to be humbly traced and
acknowledged in the fact of its having secretly existed in the counsel
of God, and now having been revealed to the heavenly powers by means of
the Church.
from the beginning of the world--Greek, "from (the beginning of)
the ages." Compare
Eph 1:4;
Ro 16:25;
1Co 2:7.
The "ages" are the vast successive periods of time, marked by
successive stages of creation and orders of beings.
in God--"hidden in" His counsels
(Eph 1:9).
created all things by Jesus Christ--God's creation of the world and
all things therein is the foundation of the rest of the "economy," which
is freely dispensed according to the universal power of God
[BENGEL].
AS God created "the whole range of things" (so the Greek), physical
and spiritual alike, He must have an absolute right to adjust all things
as He will. Hence, we may see His right to keep the mystery of
world-wide salvation in Christ "hidden in Himself," till his own good
time for revealing it. The oldest manuscripts omit "by Jesus Christ."
JFB.
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