Ephesians 3:6

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 συνκληρονόμα, LTTrWHRV) = fellow-heirs with the Jews; the only occurrence of the word in the NT in this application (for other applications cf. Romans 8:17; Hebrews 11:9; 1 Peter 3:7). καὶ σύσσωμα : and fellow-members. σύσσωμος (σύνσωμος, LTTrWHRV) in the NT occurs only here and is unknown to classical Greek, although Arist. uses συσσωματοποιεῖν (De Mundo, iv., 30). It was probably constructed by Paul for his present purpose. It means belonging jointly to the same body. καὶ συμμέτοχα τῆς ἐπαγγελίας : and fellow-partakers of the promise. συμμέτοχος (συνμέτοχος, LTTrWHRV) is found in the NT only here and in Ephesians 5:7. It occurs also in Joseph. (Jew. Wars, i., 24, 6), and in Justin (Apol. ii., 13). The verb συμμετέχω, however, is used in classical Greek (Eurip., Supp., 648; Plato, Theaet., 181 c, etc.), although it is not found in the NT. τῆς ἐπαγγελίας, not specifically the promise of the Spirit, but, as undefined, the promise of Salvation, the Messianic promise in its length and breadth. The three terms describe the Gentiles, therefore, first generally as heirs together with the believing Jews in all things, and then more particularly as belonging equally with them to the same corporate body and sharing equally with them in the Messianic promise. The TR inserts αὐτοῦ after ἐπαγγελίας, It is wanting, however, in the best documents ([227] [228] [229] [230] [231], 17, etc.) and is to be omitted. ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ διὰ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου : in Christ through the Gospel. For the τῷ Χριστῷ of the TR (with [232] [233] [234] [235], etc.) read Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ (with [236] [237] [238], 17, etc.). These words are best taken as qualifying all the three former terms. The joint-heirship, membership, and participation had their objective ground and reason in Christ Jesus, and were made the actual possession of these Gentiles by the medium or agency of the Gospel that was preached to them.

[227] Codex Vaticanus (sæc. iv.), published in photographic facsimile in 1889 under the care of the Abbate Cozza-Luzi.

[228] Codex Sinaiticus (sæc. iv.), now at St. Petersburg, published in facsimile type by its discoverer, Tischendorf, in 1862.

[229] Codex Alexandrinus (sæc. v.), at the British Museum, published in photographic facsimile by Sir E. M. Thompson (1879).

[230] Codex Ephraemi (sæc. v.), the Paris palimpsest, edited by Tischendorf in 1843.

[231] Codex Claromontanus (sæc. vi.), a Græco-Latin MS. at Paris, edited by Tischendorf in 1852.

[232] Codex Claromontanus (sæc. vi.), a Græco-Latin MS. at Paris, edited by Tischendorf in 1852.

[233] Codex Augiensis (sæc. ix.), a Græco-Latin MS., at Trinity College, Cambridge, edited by Scrivener in 1859. Its Greek text is almost identical with that of G, and it is therefore not cited save where it differs from that MS. Its Latin version, f, presents the Vulgate text with some modifications.

[234] Codex Mosquensis (sæc. ix.), edited by Matthæi in 1782.

[235] Codex Angelicus (sæc. ix.), at Rome, collated by Tischendorf and others.

[236] Codex Vaticanus (sæc. iv.), published in photographic facsimile in 1889 under the care of the Abbate Cozza-Luzi.

[237] Codex Sinaiticus (sæc. iv.), now at St. Petersburg, published in facsimile type by its discoverer, Tischendorf, in 1862.

[238] Codex Ephraemi (sæc. v.), the Paris palimpsest, edited by Tischendorf in 1843.