Colossians 1:26

the mystery I.e. as always in N.T., a truth undiscoverable except by revelation, a holy secret;whether or no, when revealed, it is what we can or cannot understand. See our note on Ephesians 1:9. We have this "secret" unveiled and described just below. Lightfoot points out that the Greek word mustêrion, "mystery," is "not the only term borrowed from the ancient mysteries [rites of special and secret initiation, lying, in a sense, apart from and behind the popular heathen worship] which St Paul employs to describe the teaching of the Gospel." He gives instances from Colossians 1:28 below, Philippians 4:12, and perhaps Ephesians 1:14. "There is this difference however, that whereas the heathen mysteries were strictly confined to a narrow circle, the Christian mysteries are freely communicated to all. There is therefore an intentional paradox in the employment of the image by St Paul." And this may have had regard here to the suggestion by the alien teachers at Colossæ that they had esoterictruths to tell to their disciples.

hid Cp. esp. 1 Corinthians 2:7-10; Ephesians 3:9. And see for cognate truth Matthew 11:25; Luke 10:21.

from ages and from generations Cp. "from the beginning of the world," Ephesians 3:9; where lit., "from the ages." Here lit., from the ages, &c., or, as well paraphrased in R.V., from all ages, &c. "From" is here a preposition of time; "ever since ages and generations were;" through all developments of the history of intelligent creation, whether longer (" ages," æons), or more limited (" generations"). See our note on Ephesians 3:9.

now "When the fulness of the time was come," Galatians 4:4. Cp. Ephesians 3:5; Ephesians 3:9-10.

revealed Historically, in the Incarnation, Sacrifice, and Triumph of Christ; personally and spiritually (1 Corinthians 2:10), by the Holy Ghost dealing with the man.