These verses make a paragraph by themselves. Their main subject is the call of the Gentiles and Paul's Apostolic vocation in relation thereto. He reminds his readers of the mystery of that call, its revelation to the Apostles and prophets, his own destination to the ministry of preaching among the G... [ Continue Reading ]
τούτου χάριν ἐγὼ Παῦλος ὁ δέσμιος τοῦ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ : _for this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus_. The τούτου χάριν is referred by some (Mey., etc.) to the immediately preceding sentence; the fact that they are destined to make a habitation of God, and are being built together with a view... [ Continue Reading ]
εἴγε ἠκούσατε τὴν οἰκονομίαν τῆς χάριτος τοῦ Θεοῦ τῆς δοθείσης μοι εἰς ἡμᾶς : _if so be that ye did hear of the dispensation of the grace of God that was given me to you-ward_. The comp. particle εἴγε, or εἴ γε (according to LTrWH), makes a supposition which is taken for granted, = “if, indeed, as I... [ Continue Reading ]
ὅτι κατὰ ἀποκάλυψιν ἐγνώρισέ μοι τὸ μυστήριον : _how that by way of revelation he made known_ (was made known) _to me the mystery_. The ὅτι is omitted by [207] [208] -lat., Ambros., etc., and is bracketed by [209] and WH, but is retained by most. The ἐγνώρισε of the TR (supported by [210] [211] [212... [ Continue Reading ]
πρὸς ὃ δύνασθε ἀναγινώσκοντες νοῆσαι τὴν σύνεσίν μου ἐν τῷ μυστηρίῳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ : _in accordance with which, when ye read, ye can perceive my understanding in the mystery of the Christ_. The ὅ refers to the προγεγραμμένον indicated in the προέγραψα the πρός with acc. expressing here, as often, the i... [ Continue Reading ]
ὃ ἐν ἑτέραις γενεαῖς οὐκ ἐγνωρίσθη τοῖς υἱοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων : _which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men_. The TR inserts ἐν before ἑτέραις, as in Syr.-Phil. and Copt. But the insertion is due probably to the double dative, and the ἐν (which is not found in [219] [220] [221] [2... [ Continue Reading ]
εἶναι τὰ ἔθνη συλκληρονόμα : [to wit], _that the Gentiles are fellow-heirs_. The εἶναι = _are_, not _should be_, the “mystery” or secret revealed being a _fact_, not a purpose. The _obj. inf._ expresses the _contents_ or _purport_ of the ἀποκεκαλυμμένον (Win.-Moult., p. 400). συγκληρονόμα (or συνκλη... [ Continue Reading ]
οὗ ἐγενόμην διάκονος κατὰ τὴν δωρεὰν τῆς χάριτος τοῦ Θεοῦ : _of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God_. The TR reads ἐγενόμην (with [239] [240] [241] [242], etc.). The less usual form ἐγενήθην, however, is given by [243] [244] [245] [246], 17, etc., and is to be preferr... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐμοὶ τῷ ἐλαχιστοτέρῳ πάντων τῶν ἁγίων ἐδόθη ἡ χάρις αὕτη : _to me, who am less then the least of all saints, was given this grace_. The τῶν inserted by the TR, on slender documentary evidence, before ἁγίων must be omitted as wanting in [256] [257] [258] [259] [260] [261] [262] [263], etc. The though... [ Continue Reading ]
καὶ φωτίσαι πάντας τίς ἡ κοινωνία τοῦ μυστηρίου τοῦ ἀποκεκρυμμένου ἀπὸ τῶν αἰώνων : _and to make all see what is the fellowship (dispensation) of the mystery which from all ages hath been hidden_. The πάντας which the TR inserts after φωτίσαι is omitted by some MSS. (including [272] 1 [273]) and cer... [ Continue Reading ]
ἵνα γνωρισθῇ νῦν ταῖς ἀρχαῖς καὶ ταῖς ἐξουσίαις ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις : _in order that now unto the principalities and the powers in the heavenlies might be made known_. To make the manifold wisdom of God known where formerly it was not understood is now declared to be the _object_ in view. But the ob... [ Continue Reading ]
κατὰ πρόθεσιν τῶν αἰώνων : _according to the eternal purpose_. Literally, “according to the purpose of the ages” or “world-periods”; but represented with substantial accuracy by the “eternal” of the AV and the other old English Versions with exception of Wicl. and the Rhemish. The term πρόθεσις must... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐν ᾧ ἔχομεν τὴν παρρησίαν καὶ τὴν προσαγωγήν : _in whom we have boldness and access_. The second τήν, which is inserted by the TR, has the support of some good authorities, [301] [302] 3 [303] [304] [305], Chrys., etc.; but is not found in [306] [307] [308] 17, etc., and is to be omitted (with LTTrW... [ Continue Reading ]
διὸ αἰτοῦμαι μὴ ἐγκακεῖν ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσί μου ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν : _wherefore I ask that ye lose not heart in my tribulations in your behalf_. The διό is referred by some (Mey., etc.) to the immediately preceding verse, the possession of these great privileges of “boldness and access” on the part of the Ephes... [ Continue Reading ]
τούτου χάριν : _for this cause_. The sentence begun at Ephesians 3:1 and interrupted at Ephesians 3:2 is now taken up again. The τούτου χάριν, therefore, refers to the great statement of privilege in the latter part of the previous chapter. The ideas which came to expression in the digression in Eph... [ Continue Reading ]
A paragraph containing an earnest prayer for the inward strengthening of the readers, the presence of Christ in them, their enlargement in the knowledge of the love of Christ, and the realisation in them of the Divine perfections.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐξ οὗ πᾶσα πατριὰ ἐν οὐρανοῖς καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς ὀνομάζεται : _from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named_. The ἐξ οὗ denotes the _origin_ of the name, the _source_ whence it is derived (_cf._ Hom., _Il_., x., 68; Xen., _Mem._, iv., 5, 8; Soph., (_Œd. R._, 1036). The verb ὀνομάζομαι is also fol... [ Continue Reading ]
ἵνα δῴη ὑμῖν κατὰ τὸν πλοῦτον τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ : _that He would grant you according to the riches of His glory_. The ἵνα introduces the subject of the prayer, representing it, however, also as the thing which he had _in view_ in praying and which made the _purpose_ of his prayer (see under Ephesians... [ Continue Reading ]
κατοικῆσαι τὸν Χριστὸν διὰ τῆς πίστεως ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν : _that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith_. The presence of Christ, His _stated_ presence (κατοικεῖν as contrasted with παροικεῖν = sojourn, _cf._ Genesis 37:1), the taking up of His _abode_ in them (_cf._ the use of κατοικεῖν... [ Continue Reading ]
ἵνα ἐξισχύσητε καταλαβέσθαι σῦν πᾶσι τοῖς ἁγίοις : _that ye may be fully able to comprehend with all the saints_. The “may be strong” of the RV is a less happy rendering than usual, as it obscures the fact that the verb is different from that expressing the _strengthened_ in Ephesians 3:16. The stro... [ Continue Reading ]
γνῶναί τε τὴν ὑπερβάλλουσαν τῆς γνώσεως ἀγάπην τοῦ Χριστοῦ : _and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge_. Literally, “the knowledge-surpassing love of Christ”. The gen. γνώσεως is due to the ὑπερβάλλουσαν having the force of a _comparative_ (_cf._ Aesch., _Prom._, 944; Hom., _Il._, xxii... [ Continue Reading ]
τῷ δὲ δυναμένῳ ὑπὲρ πάντα ποιῆσαι ὑπερεκπερισσοῦ ὧν αἰτούμεθα ἢ νοοῦμεν : _Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think_. So both AV and RV; as also the old English Versions, excepting Wicl. (“more plenteously than we axen”), Cov. and Rhem. (“more abundantly th... [ Continue Reading ]
A fervent ascription of praise to God evoked by the thought of the great things which His grace has already wrought in these Gentiles, and the greater things of the future which the same grace destines for them and would have them attain to.... [ Continue Reading ]
αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ : _unto Him be the glory in the Church in Christ Jesus_ (better, “and in Christ Jesus”). In the αὐτῷ the great Subject of the ascription is named the second time with rhetorical emphasis, and as it stands first in the sentence εἴη (not ἐστί) is to be suppli... [ Continue Reading ]