Ephesians 3:9

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 certain Fathers (Hil., Jer., Aug., etc.). It is rejected by Tisch., accepted by RV in the text, and dealt with by WH as a secondary reading. The κοινωνία of the TR, which has the slenderest possible authority, must give place to the οἰκονομία of the RV with LTTrWH, which is the reading of [274] [275] [276] [277] [278] [279] [280] [281], etc. If the πάντας is omitted the sense becomes, as it is given in the margin of the RV, “to bring to light what is” the dispensation. If it is retained, the idea will be that of the enlightenment of all as to what the dispensation is. The πάντας, however, which occupies an unemphatic position here, after the verb (in contrast with the emphatic position of τοῖς ἔθνεσιν before its verb) can scarcely bear the absolute sense of all men, Jew and Gentile alike, but refers to all the ἔθνη previously mentioned. The verb φωτίσαι is more than διδάξαι or κηρύξαι. It means to illuminate. Paul was not only to deliver his Apostolic message, but also to spiritually enlighten those who heard it, so that they should understand it. The particular thing in that message which is here in view is the οἰκονομία (on which see under Ephesians 1:10), that is, the dispensation or arrangement of the mystery, to wit the admission of the Gentiles on equal terms with the Jews; the μυστήριον here having the same application as in Ephesians 3:6. The formula ἀπὸ τῶν αἰώνων occurs in the NT only here and in Colossians 1:26; the forms ἀπὸ αἰῶνος and ἐκ τοῦ αἰῶνος also occur, the former in Luke 1:70 and Acts 3:21, the latter in John 9:32. It means literally “from the ages,” “from the world-periods,” that is, from the beginning, or since the world began. It is to be distinguished from πρὸ τῶν αἰώνων (1 Corinthians 2:7). The Divine decree was formed before the ages of the world began; the keeping of that decree hidden was since the ages of the world began, i.e., “from the commencement of the ages when intelligent beings from whom it could be concealed were called into existence” (Ell.). In Romans 16:25 we have the similar description of the μυστήριον as χρόνοις αἰωνίοις σεσιγημένου. ἐν τῷ Θεῷ τῷ τὰ πάντα κτίσαντι διὰ Ἰησοῦ χριστοῦ : in God who created all things [through Jesus Christ]. The “mystery” had its place of concealment in God Himself, in the Divine mind. And God is designated specially in respect of His creative power “God who created all things” (not “ inasmuch as He created all things,” which would require the omission of the τῷ). The τὰ πάντα, which also occupies a somewhat emphatic position here, is not to be restricted either to the physical creation (Chrys.), or to the spiritual (Calv.), but has the absolute sense of all that exists. The TR adds διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ to the κτίσαντι (with [282] [283] [284], etc.); but these words must be omitted, as the best authorities ([285] [286] [287] [288] [289] [290], 17, etc.) do not give them. But why is this reference to God as the Creator of all things introduced at this point? By way of confirmation, say some, of what has just been said of the “mystery” as having been hidden from the beginning in God; the point being that He who created all things must have had the contents of this “mystery” in His eternal plan (Mey.). To “enhance the idea of His omnipotence,” say others; He who created all things having “ ordained the mystery itself in the exercise of His undoubted prerogative of sovereign and creative power” (Ell.). Or, as others put it more precisely, its object is to take the wonder from the idea of the “mystery” having been so long unrevealed; the creation of all things by God being a fact which involves His perfect right to adjust all things as He will” (Alf.) the Creator of all being “free to make what arrangements He pleased as to the concealment and revelation of His purpose” (Abb.). None of these interpretations can be said to be either very clear or very adequate. This designation of God as the Creator of all that exists is intended rather to express the greatness of the “mystery” that is now disclosed and of which Paul is to be a preacher. The main thought in the verse in question is the thought with which it starts, viz., the marvel of that Apostolic commission of which Paul had been put in trust by the grace of God; and the majesty and the wonder of that commission are made the greater by the grandeur of the “mystery” the Divine disposition of which he was appointed to declare to all men. This “mystery,” though long hidden, had been in the Divine mind from the first, and it had been there in such a sense that the whole scheme of created things had it in view, and in such wise that the knowledge of it was to be imparted even to the angelic world (cf. Haupt). Or, as it may be better put, the “mystery” now at last revealed by God and proclaimed by Paul to all men in all the sovereign and surpassing wisdom of the Divine dispensation by which it was hidden long and in the fulness of time at last disclosed, was one of God's own eternal secrets, one of His unsearchable thoughts, a thing that had its place from the beginning in His creative plan, a reserve in the Eternal mind that purposed and formed all that exists. And to Paul's hands did the surpassing grace of God commit the proclamation of a truth of such magnitude, the illumination (φωτίσαι) of so unsearchable a disposition of the Divine wisdom!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[280] 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[290] 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.