{"id":29191,"date":"2022-09-24T13:10:27","date_gmt":"2022-09-24T18:10:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/exegetical-and-hermeneutical-commentary-of-ephesians-33\/"},"modified":"2022-09-24T13:10:27","modified_gmt":"2022-09-24T18:10:27","slug":"exegetical-and-hermeneutical-commentary-of-ephesians-33","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/exegetical-and-hermeneutical-commentary-of-ephesians-33\/","title":{"rendered":"Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ephesians 3:3"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3 align='center'><b><i> How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, <\/i><\/b><\/h3>\n<p> <strong> 3<\/strong>. <em> by revelation<\/em> ] Probably at or about the time of his conversion. <span class='bible'>Act 26:17-18<\/span>, indicates that the Lord then and there gave him the special commission, and it is likely that a period of special and direct Divine instruction followed, perhaps in &ldquo;Arabia&rdquo; (<span class='bible'>Gal 1:17<\/span>). See <span class='bible'>Gal 1:11<\/span>, &amp;c. for the positive assertion that &ldquo;his gospel&rdquo; was a direct revelation, and the connexion of this with events at and just after the conversion. Perhaps visions such as St Peter&rsquo;s (<span class='bible'>Acts 10<\/span>) entered into the process. It is a wonderful paradox, yet deeply truth-like, that the great champion of Pharisaism should have been chosen to be <em> the<\/em> Apostle of the heathen. For the phrase, &ldquo;by revelation,&rdquo; cp. <span class='bible'>Rom 16:25<\/span> (Greek); <span class='bible'>Gal 2:2<\/span>; and for St Paul&rsquo;s claim to be a recipient of revelations, <span class='bible'>2Co 12:1<\/span>; <span class='bible'>2Co 12:7<\/span>; <span class='bible'>Gal 1:16<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p><em> he made known<\/em> ] Better, <strong> was made known<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><em> the mystery<\/em> ] Explained below, <span class='bible'>Eph 3:5-6<\/span>, as being the long-kept secret of the absolutely equal welcome to Christ of the Gentile with the Jew. On the word &ldquo; <em> mystery<\/em>,&rdquo; see note on <span class='bible'>Eph 1:9<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p><em> as I wrote afore<\/em> ] The reference is to previous passages in this Epistle; <span class='bible'>Eph 1:9<\/span>, &amp;c., <span class='bible'>Eph 2:11<\/span>, &amp;c. English idiom would say, <strong> as I have written afore<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p><P STYLE=\"text-indent: 0.75em\"><B>How that by revelation &#8211; <\/B>see the notes at <span class='bible'>Gal 1:12<\/span>. He refers to the revelation which was made to him when he was called to the apostolic office, that the gospel was to be preached to the Gentiles, and that he was converted for the special purpose of carrying it to them; see <span class='bible'>Act 9:15<\/span>; <span class='bible'>Act 22:21<\/span>.<\/P> <P STYLE=\"text-indent: 0.75em\"><B>Unto me the mystery &#8211; <\/B>The hitherto concealed truth that the gospel was to be preached to the Gentiles; see the notes, <span class='bible'>Eph 1:9<\/span>, on the meaning of the word mystery.<\/P> <P STYLE=\"text-indent: 0.75em\"><B>As I wrote afore in few words &#8211; <\/B>Margin, a little before. To what this refers commentators are not agreed. Bloomfield, Doddridge, Rosenmuller, Erasmus, Grotius, Locke, and others, suppose that he refers to what he had written in the two previous chapters respecting the plan of God to call the Gentiles to his kingdom. Calvin supposes that he refers to some former epistle which he had written to them, but which is now lost. Hc remarks in regard to this, If the solicitude of Paul be rightly considered; if his vigilance and assiduity; if his zeal and studious habits; if his kindness and promptitude in assisting his brethren, it is easy to suppose that he wrote many epistles publicly and privately to this place and to that place. But those only which the Lord saw necessary to the welfare of his church has he taken care to have preserved. In this opinion there is nothing in itself improbable (compare introduction to Isaiah, section 5 (1)), but it may be doubted whether Paul here refers to any such epistle. The addition which he makes, whereby, when ye read, etc., seems rather to imply that he refers to what he had just written.<\/P><\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Albert Barnes&#8217; Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p><span class='bible'>Eph 3:3<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em>How that by revelation He made known unto me the mystery.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>Revelation of Gods mystery<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>1<\/strong><strong><em>. <\/em><\/strong>Those whom God sends, He also teaches.<\/p>\n<p><strong>2. <\/strong>We have by nature a veil before our eyes, that we cannot see spiritual matters till they be revealed.<\/p>\n<p><strong>(1)<\/strong> Wherefore we must all pray that the veil may be removed from these points of the gospel, that the spirit of liberty may be given us, which brings light and understanding wherever it comes.<\/p>\n<p><strong>(2)<\/strong> See what we must impute our not profiting to, viz., this, that we have not got that eyesight of the Spirit, wherewith our eyes should be cleared. Many of us are like the woman who, going to bed seeing and in the night taken blind, waking in the morning, complained of the curtain; for, not discerning our spiritual blindness, we complain of the curtain&#8211;strange manner of teaching, obscure speaking, perplexed sentences, I know not what in the teacher&#8211;when the fault is nearer home; we are too much in our own light, not knowing ourselves.<\/p>\n<p><strong>3. <\/strong>The doctrine of salvation is a hidden thing to the world. Things are lightsome or obscure in themselves, or to us. To be made lightsome in themselves, there needs but the light of the sun to shine upon them; but to make them lightsome to us, we must have inward light in the eye whereby to discern them: thus the counsel of God is for the nature of it light itself.<\/p>\n<p><strong>4. <\/strong>It is made sensible or visible, the light of revelation shining on it.<\/p>\n<p><strong>5. <\/strong>It is so discerned where there is the supernatural eye of the Spirit, by benefit of this external light to discern it. We need to pray with David, Lord, open our eyes, that we may see the wonders or hidden things of Thy law. You see, we are all of us men of clay, and living here as it were in the bottom of the ship, walking upon clay; and therefore, if we would know the will of God, concerning us men here below, either God must be revealed from heaven extraordinarily, whereof we have no warrant, or ordinarily, and that is by these books written and indited by the Spirit of God, to be seen, read, and understood. Now this must stand by great reason, for if a man were in a mineral or coal pit, infinite fathoms toward the centre of the earth, it were impossible he should know the will of us men here above, unless we either descend ourselves, or send, or at least throw in a letter of our mind, which notwithstanding will be never the nearer unless we convey light to read the same: so I say, either God must call to us in an audible voice, or send His angels, or raise up afresh some extraordinary means of revealing His will, or else send His letter of His mind to us His loving friends, redeemed by the blood of Christ, yea, and reach us light also for the perusing of the same, or surely we shall never as long as we live attain to the knowledge of His will. Now I grant that the books of Scripture contain the Divine will of God, but such is the darkness of our understanding, that we cannot conceive thereof unless the outward means of the preaching of the Word be joined with the inward working of the Spirit, as fire to enlighten the whole house. Not that the Word in itself is obscure and dark, but that it lighteth into those hands of such blind expositors, in whom is nothing but darkness, as the bright silver lying in a dark chest. (<em>Paul Bayne.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>Revelation<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>No revelation can be adequately given by the address of man to man, whether by writing or orally, even if he be put in possession of the truth itself. For all such revelation must be made through words: and words are but counters&#8211;the coins of intellectual exchange. There is as little resemblance between the silver coin and the bread it purchases, as between the word and the thing it stands for. Looking at the coin the form of the loaf does not suggest itself. Listening to the word, you do not perceive the idea for which it stands, unless you are already in possession of it. Speak of ice to an inhabitant of the torrid zone, the word does not give him any idea, or if it does, it must be a false one. Talk of redness to one who cannot distinguish colours, what can your most eloquent description present to him resembling the truth of your sensation? Similarly in matters spiritual, no verbal revelation can give a single simple idea: for instance, what means justice to the unjust&#8211;or purity to the man whose heart is steeped in licentiousness? What does infinitude mean to a being who has never stirred from infancy beyond a cell, never seen the sky or the sea, or any of those occasions of thought, which, leaving vagueness on the mind, suggest the idea of the illimitable? It means, explain it as you will, nothing to him but a room: vastly larger than his own, but still a room terminated by four walls. Talk of God to a thousand ears, each has his own different conception of the Almighty Being who rules all. The sensual man hears of God, and conceives one idea; the pure man hears, and pictures another. Whether you speak in metaphysical or metaphorical language; in the purest words of inspiration, or the grossest images of materialism; the conceptions conveyed by the same word are essentially different, according to the soul which receives them. (<em>F. W. Robertson, M. A.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>Accepting the mysteries of God<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The decree of God is a sealed book, and the names in it are secret; therefore thy part is to look to Gods revealed will&#8211;namely, to make thy calling and election sure by making thy regeneration sure. Dost thou not know that secret things belong to God, but revealed things, to us and to our children? Oh tis dangerous to meddle with the secrets of princes!<em> <\/em>(<em>G. Swinnock.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>The gospel a revelation<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It is an historical fact which has not been sufficiently noticed, that human nature is always below revelation. This fact indicates the Divine origin of revelation. Great discoveries are usually the product of preceding ages of thought. One mind develops the idea; but it is the fruit of the age ripened in that mind. A pearl is found, but the location had been indicated by previous researches. But revealed religion is something different from this. It is separate from and superior to the thought of the age. It calls the wisdom of the world foolishness, and introduces a new standpoint, and starting point, around which it gathers what was valuable in the old, and destroys the remainder. (<em>J. B. Walker.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>Few words<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Very wisely does an American writer say, There is a mighty difference between preaching the everlasting gospel and preaching the gospel everlastingly. There is no end to the truth, but there should be an end to the sermon, or else it will answer no end but that of wearying the hearer. A friend who occasionally visits the continent always prefers the passage from Dover to Calais, for a reason which we commend to the notice of certain prosy speakers&#8211;it is short. If you speak well, you will not be long; if you speak ill, you ought not to be so. We commend to the verbose brother the counsel of a costermonger to an open-air preacher&#8211;it was rather rude, but peculiarly sensible&#8211;I say, old fellow, cut it short. (<em>C. H. Spurgeon.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p><P>  Verse <span class='bible'>3<\/span>. <I><B>By revelation he made known unto me<\/B><\/I>] Instead of , <I>he made known<\/I>, , <I>was made known<\/I>, is the reading of ABCD*FG, several others, both the <I>Syriac, Coptic,<\/I> <I>Slavonic, Vulgate<\/I>, and <I>Itala<\/I>, with <I>Clemens, Cyril, Chrysostom,<\/I> <I>Theodoret, Damascenus<\/I>, and others: it is doubtless the <I>true<\/I> reading.<\/P> <P> <\/P> <P>  The apostle wishes the Ephesians to understand that it was not an opinion of his own, or a doctrine which he was taught by others, or which he had gathered from the ancient prophets; but one that came to him by immediate revelation from God, as he had informed them before <I>in a few words<\/I>, referring to what he had said <span class='bible'>Eph 1:9-12<\/span>.<\/P><\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Adam Clarke&#8217;s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p><P> <B>By revelation; <\/B>not by man, but immediately, <span class='bible'>Act 9:15<\/span>; <span class='bible'>Gal 1:12<\/span>. <\/P> <P><B>He made known unto me the mystery; <\/B>viz. of calling the Gentiles to salvation by faith in Christ, without the works of the law, <span class='bible'>Eph 3:6<\/span>. <\/P> <P><B>As I wrote afore; <\/B>in the two former chapters of this Epistle. <\/P> <\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p><P><B>3. he made known<\/B>The oldestmanuscripts read, &#8220;That by revelation <I>was<\/I> the mystery(namely, of the admission of the Gentiles, <span class='bible'>Eph 3:6<\/span>;<span class='bible'>Eph 1:9<\/span>) <I>made known<\/I> untome (<span class='bible'>Ga 1:12<\/span>).&#8221; <\/P><P>       <B>as I wrote afore<\/B>namely,in this Epistle (<span class='bible'>Eph 1:9<\/span>;<span class='bible'>Eph 1:10<\/span>), the words of which hepartly repeats.<\/P><\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown&#8217;s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p><strong>How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery<\/strong>,&#8230;. Or &#8220;is made known unto me&#8221;: so the Alexandrian copy, and some others, and the Vulgate Latin version. The Gospel, which is sometimes called a mystery, the mystery of the Gospel, the mystery of godliness, and the mystery of faith: the several doctrines of the Gospel are the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven; such as a trinity of persons in the Godhead, the union of the two natures in Christ, the saints&#8217; union to Christ, and communion with him, the resurrection of the dead, and the change of living saints, and the whole doctrine of salvation by Christ, of justification by his righteousness, pardon by his blood, and atonement by his sacrifice; and this was made known to the apostle, not in a mere notional and speculative way, but in a spiritual and saving manner; not by men, for he was not taught by men, nor did he receive it from them, but had it by the revelation of Jesus Christ, and by the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:<\/p>\n<p><strong>as I wrote afore in few words<\/strong>: in the two first chapters of this epistle, which are a compendium of the mystery of the Gospel, in its several parts; as predestination, election, redemption, regeneration, and salvation by free grace.<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: John Gill&#8217;s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p><P> <B>By revelation <\/B> (<span class='_800000'><SPAN LANG=\"el-GR\"> <\/SPAN><\/span>). Not essentially different from <span class='_800000'><SPAN LANG=\"el-GR\">&#8216; <\/SPAN><\/span> (<span class='bible'>Gal 1:12<\/span>). This was Paul&#8217;s qualification for preaching &#8220;the mystery&#8221; (<span class='_800000'><SPAN LANG=\"el-GR\"> <\/SPAN><\/span>. See <span class='bible'>1:9<\/span>).<\/P> <P><B>As I wrote afore <\/B> (<span class='_800000'><SPAN LANG=\"el-GR\"> <\/SPAN><\/span>). First aorist active indicative of <span class='_800000'><SPAN LANG=\"el-GR\"><\/SPAN><\/span> as in <span class='bible'>Ro 15:4<\/span>, not picture forth as <span class='bible'>Ga 3:1<\/span>. But when and where? Epistolary aorist for this Epistle? That is possible. A previous and lost Epistle as in <span class='bible'>1Co 5:9<\/span>? That also is abstractly possible. To the preceding discussion of the Gentiles? Possible and also probable.<\/P> <P><B>In few words <\/B> (<span class='_800000'><SPAN LANG=\"el-GR\"> <\/SPAN><\/span>). Not = <span class='_800000'><SPAN LANG=\"el-GR\"> <\/SPAN><\/span>, shortly before, but as in <span class='bible'>Ac 26:28<\/span> &#8220;in brief space or time&#8221; = <span class='_800000'><SPAN LANG=\"el-GR\"><\/SPAN><\/span> (<span class='bible'>Ac 24:4<\/span>), &#8220;briefly.&#8221; <\/P> <\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Robertson&#8217;s Word Pictures in the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p><strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>1) <strong>&#8220;How that by revelation&#8221;<\/strong> (hoti kata apokalupsin) &#8220;That by way or according to the media of revelation.&#8221; The mystery disclosed to Paul by revelation was that the gospel should be preached to all men through the church, the one new assembly body called from among the Gentiles, not through Jewish -synagogue worship, <span class='bible'>Eph 3:9-10<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>2) <strong>&#8220;He made known unto me the mystery&#8221;<\/strong> (egnoristhe moi to musterion) &#8220;Was made known to me the mystery.&#8221; This refers to the same mystery-body as that of the phrase &#8220;kingdom of heaven,&#8221; in the seven kingdom-of- heaven parables in <span class='bible'>Mat 13:1-58<\/span>. Each referred to the church in action in various eras of God&#8217;s plan, <span class='bible'>Gal 1:12<\/span>; <span class='bible'>Gal 1:15-16<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>3) <strong>&#8220;As I wrote afore in few words&#8221;&#8216;<\/strong> (kathos proegrapsa en oligo) &#8220;Just as I previously wrote in a brief form.&#8221; This perhaps refers not to a previous letter he had written, but to the previous references in this letter in <span class='bible'>Eph 1:9-10<\/span>, and <span class='bible'>Eph 2:11-22<\/span>, where the body of Christ &#8212; the church-body <span class='bible'>Eph 1:21-22<\/span>, should be an occasion and body agency, purchased by the blood of Christ, through which both Jews and Gentiles might equally worship and serve the Lord without &#8220;inner&#8221; or &#8220;outer&#8221; court barriers, <span class='bible'>Act 20:28<\/span>; <span class='bible'>Eph 5:25<\/span>; <span class='bible'>Eph 3:21<\/span>; <span class='bible'>Eph 4:4-5<\/span>.<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p> 3.  That by revelation.  Some might imagine, that, in attempting to discharge the office of an apostle, he had acted rashly, and was now paying the penalty of his rashness. It was this that made him so earnest in pleading the Divine authority for all his transactions. The present instance, on account of its novelty, had few supporters; and therefore he calls it a  mystery.  By this name he endeavors to remove the prejudice which the general displeasure at the event was fitted to excite. His own personal interest in the matter was less regarded than that of the Ephesians, who were deeply concerned in the information, that, through the settled purpose of God, they had been called by Paul&#8217;s ministry. Lest what is little known should forthwith become the object of suspicion, the word  mystery  places it in opposition to the perverse judgments and opinions which were then prevalent in the world. <\/p>\n<p> By revelation he made known to me the mystery.  Paul draws the line of distinction between himself and those fanatics, who ascribe to God and to the Holy Spirit their own idle dreams. The false apostles boast of revelations, but it is a false boast. Paul was persuaded that his revelation was true, could prove it to others, and speaks of it as a fact of which no doubt could be entertained. <\/p>\n<p> As I wrote a little before.  This refers either to a rapid glance at the same subject in the second chapter, or &#8212; which appears to be the general opinion &#8212; to another Epistle. If the former exposition be adopted, it will be proper to translate,  as I wrote before in few words;  for the subject had received nothing more than a passing notice; but the latter being, as I have said, the prevailing opinion, I prefer translating,  as I wrote a little before.  The phrase, ( &#7952;&#957; &#8000;&#955;&#8055;&#947;&#8179;,) which Erasmus has translated  in a few words,  appears rather to refer to time. On this supposition there would be an implied comparison between the present and the former writings. But nothing would be more unlike the fact, than to contrast them on the score of brevity; for a more concise mode of expression than this passing glance can hardly be imagined. The phrase,  a little before,  seems purposely to be used as an appeal to their remembrance of a recent occurrence, though I do not insist on this point. There is more difficulty in the next verse. <\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Calvin&#8217;s Complete Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p>(3) <strong>How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery.<\/strong>The words by revelation are doubly emphatic. By revelation, not by the wisdom of man (as in <span class='bible'>1Co. 2:7-16<\/span>): for God hath revealed them to us by His Spirit. By direct revelation to St. Paul himself, as in <span class='bible'>Gal. 1:12<\/span>, not of man or by man, but by revelation of Jesus Christ, and in <span class='bible'>Rom. 16:25<\/span>, according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery. (See also <span class='bible'>2Co. 12:17<\/span>.) This revelation we may refer especially to the time when, after his conversion, he was in a trance while praying in the Temple, and saw Christ Himself, saying unto him, Depart, for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles (<span class='bible'>Act. 22:17-21<\/span>).<\/p>\n<p><strong>As I wrote afore in few words.<\/strong>The reference is to the brief notice in <span class='bible'>Eph. 1:10-14<\/span>, and to the further explanation in <span class='bible'>Eph. 2:11-22<\/span>. Hence, in English, the idea would be more clearly expressed by I have written above. St. Paul refers them back to these passages as embodying his understanding, or conception, of the mystery thus revealed especially to him. The reference is one of those parenthetical remarks, which, to those remembering how St. Pauls Epistles were dictated, almost irresistibly suggest insertion on the reading over of the Epistle.<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Ellicott&#8217;s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p>(3) <span class='bible'>Eph. 3:20-21<\/span> sum up the whole in a doxology to God the Father through Christ Jesus. It may be compared with the other more solemn doxologies in the New Testament: as <span class='bible'>Rom. 16:25<\/span>; <span class='bible'>1Ti. 5:15-16<\/span>; <span class='bible'>Jud. 1:24-25<\/span>; <span class='bible'>Rev. 1:6<\/span>. Each has its distinctive character. Here the prevailing idea of the preceding chapters is the wonder and the mystery of Gods fore-ordaining love, overflowing in the riches of His grace to those who are made one with Him and with each other in Christ Jesus. Hence, God is here described as He who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, and to do all by His power dwelling and working in us.<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Ellicott&#8217;s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p> <strong> 3<\/strong>. <strong> <\/strong> <strong> By revelation<\/strong> At his powerful conversion, as narrated in Acts ix; but the revelation is detailed in his own statement, in <span class='bible'>Act 26:16-20<\/span>. <\/p>\n<p><strong> The mystery<\/strong> The fact heretofore held, undisclosed, in only the foreknowledge of God. <\/p>\n<p><strong> Wrote afore<\/strong> Above wrote, in <span class='bible'>Eph 3:11<\/span>. <\/p>\n<p><strong> In few words<\/strong> In brief. The same phrase,   , as used by Agrippa and by Paul, (<span class='bible'>Act 26:28<\/span>,) and means smallness of amount.<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Whedon&#8217;s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p><strong><em><span class='bible'>Eph 3:3<\/span><\/em><\/strong><strong>. <\/strong><strong><em>The mystery <\/em><\/strong><strong>(<\/strong><strong><em>as I wrote afore, <\/em><\/strong><strong>&amp;c.<\/strong> Though St. Peter was by a vision from God sent to Cornelius, a Gentile, <span class='bible'>Acts 10<\/span> yet we do not find that this purpose of God&#8217;s calling the Gentiles to be his people equally with the Jews, without any regard to circumcision or the Mosaical rites, was revealed to him, or any other of the apostles, as a doctrine which they were to preach and publish in the world; neither indeed was it needful that it should be any part of their commission to mix that in their message to the Jews, which would make them stop their ears, and refuse to hearken to the other parts of the gospel which they were more concerned to know and be instructed in. It may be asked, &#8220;To what purpose is that contained in the parenthesis in this and the following verse concerning himself?&#8221;And indeed, without having an eye on the <em>design <\/em>of this epistle, it is difficult to give an account of it; but <em>that <\/em>being carried in view, there is nothing plainer nor more pertinent and persuasive: for what could be of more force to make them stand firm in the doctrine he had taught them, of their being exempt from circumcision and the observances of the law? If you have heard,and I assure you in my epistle that this mystery of the gospel was revealed in a particular manner to me from heaven,the very reading of this is enough to satisfyyou that Iam well instructed in that truth, and that you may safely depend upon what I have taught you concerning this point, notwithstanding I am in prison for it; which is a thing wherein you ought to glory, since I suffer for a truth wherein you are so nearly concerned. See ch. <span class='bible'>Eph 6:19-20<\/span>. <\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p> <span class='bible'>Eph 3:3<\/span> . In this more detailed specification of the  meant in <span class='bible'>Eph 3:2<\/span> ,   has the emphasis: <em> by way of revelation<\/em> , expressing the <em> mode<\/em> of the making known, in accordance with a well-known adverbial usage (Bernhardy, p. 241). In substance the   of <span class='bible'>Gal 1:12<\/span> is not different. According to the history of the conversion in <span class='bible'>Act 26<\/span> (not according to <span class='bible'>Act 9:22<\/span> ), we have here to think not merely of the disclosures that followed the event near Damascus (as <span class='bible'>Gal 1:12<\/span> ), but also of the revelation connected with this event itself; for the contents of what is revealed is here the blessing of the <em> Gentiles<\/em> , and with this comp. <span class='bible'>Act 26:17-18<\/span> , as also <span class='bible'>Gal 1:16<\/span> ; hence from   . we may not infer a post-apostolic time of composition (Schwegler).<\/p>\n<p> ] namely, on the part of <em> God<\/em> ; comp. <span class='bible'>Eph 3:2<\/span> ; <span class='bible'>Eph 3:5<\/span> .<\/p>\n<p>  ] see on <span class='bible'>Eph 1:9<\/span> ; it applies here, however, not to the counsel of redemption in general, but to the inclusion of the <em> Gentiles<\/em> in it. It is not until <span class='bible'>Eph 3:6<\/span> that the apostle comes to express this special contents which is here meant.<\/p>\n<p> <em> down to the end of <span class='bible'>Eph 3:4<\/span><\/em> , is not to be treated as a parenthesis, inasmuch as  , <span class='bible'>Eph 3:5<\/span> , attaches itself to the    .  .  . immediately preceding.<\/p>\n<p>    ] <em> as I before wrote in brief<\/em> , refers not to   , but to  .    ., as is shown by <span class='bible'>Eph 3:4<\/span> , where Paul characterizes that which was before written as evidence of his <em> knowledge<\/em> of the mystery, but not as evidence of the <em> revelation<\/em> by which he has attained to this knowledge. Groundlessly, and at variance with the subsequent present  , Calvin, Hunnius, and others have (although it was already rejected by Theodoret) referred  . to an epistle <em> which has now been lost<\/em> , in support of which view the passage in Ignatius    (see Introd.  1) has been made use of. See Fabric. <em> Cod. Apoc<\/em> . I. p. 916. It applies (not to <span class='bible'>Eph 1:9-10<\/span> , as many would have it, but), as is proved by the here meant special contents of the  (<span class='bible'>Eph 3:6<\/span> ), to the section last treated of, concerning the Gentiles attaining unto the Messianic economy of salvation, <span class='bible'>Eph 2:11-22<\/span> . Comp. already Oecumenius.<\/p>\n<p>  ]   , Chrysostom:  is <em> instrumental<\/em> . [167] See <span class='bible'>Act 26:28<\/span> . Comp. the classical   , Plat. <em> Phil<\/em> . p. 31 D, <em> Legg.<\/em> vi. p. 778 C,   and   (Dem. 592, 8). The same is expressed by  , <span class='bible'>Act 24:4<\/span> , <em> summarily<\/em> . Wetstein well puts it: &ldquo;pauca tantum attigi, cum multa dici possent.&rdquo; Following Theodoret, Beza (with hesitation), Calvin, Grotius, Estius, Erasmus, Schmid, Koppe, and others have taken it as a more precise definition of the  : <em> paulo ante.<\/em> But in a <em> temporal<\/em> sense   means nothing else than <em> in a short time<\/em> (see on <span class='bible'>Act 26:28<\/span> ; comp. Plat. <em> Apol<\/em> . p. 22 B; Dem, xxxiii. 18; Pind. <em> Pyth<\/em> . viii. 131:        ), which is not suitable here;   must have been used (<span class='bible'>Act 5:36<\/span> ; Act 21:38 ; <span class='bible'>2Co 12:2<\/span> , <em> al.<\/em> ; Plat. <em> Symp<\/em> . p. 147 E, <em> al.<\/em> ). Comp.    , Herod, iv. 81.<\/p>\n<p style='margin-left:3em'> [167] Yet it may also be conceived of <em> locally<\/em> , as Thuc. iv. 26. 2; 96. 2 (see Krger); <em> in small space<\/em> , in a concise passage.<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer&#8217;s New Testament Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p> (3) How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, (4) Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) (5) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; (6) That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p> The Apostle, no doubt, when speaking of having written to them before, alludes to the first Chapter particularly in this Epistle, in which he hath treated of those mysterious doctrines, of election, predestination, the acceptation of the Church in Christ, before the foundation of the world; together with redemption by Christ, and regeneration by the Spirit, during the time-state of the Church. But, what I would yet more particularly desire the Reader to regard, in this statement of Paul, is, what he saith in relation to, the mystery of these grand things being kept secret in times past, compared to the revelation now made, unto the Apostles, and Prophets, by the Spirit. The Jews knew nothing of God&#8217;s design, in relation to the Gentiles. Though, had they understood their own Scriptures, they would have discovered, that, from the beginning, the Church of God was One, and that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs of the same body. Christ&#8217;s Church could be but one. And Christ himself the One Head, and Husband of his body the Church; and Jehovah&#8217;s salvation to the ends of the earth. <span class='bible'>Isa 49:6<\/span> ; <span class='bible'>Son 6:9<\/span> . But, until the ascension of Christ, and the descension of the Holy Ghost; these glorious truths, were not so openly revealed, as they, were then by the Spirit.<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Hawker&#8217;s Poor Man&#8217;s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p> 3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, <strong> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/strong><\/p>\n<p> Ver. 3. <strong> As I wrote before in few<\/strong> ] <em> sc.<\/em> <span class='bible'>Eph 1:9<\/span> ; <span class='bible'>Eph 2:3<\/span> , &amp;c. Fulness of matter in fewness of words. This is the Scripture&rsquo;s precellency above all human writings. <\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: John Trapp&#8217;s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p> <strong> 3<\/strong> .] <strong> that<\/strong> (epexegesis of the fact implied in    . &lsquo;viz. of the fact that:&rsquo; as we say, &lsquo;how that&rsquo;) <strong> by revelation<\/strong> (see reff.; the stress is on these words, from their position) <strong> was made known to me the mystery<\/strong> (viz. of the <em> admission of the Gentiles<\/em> ( Eph 3:6 ) to be fellow-heirs, &amp;c. See ch. <span class='bible'>Eph 1:9<\/span> , directly referred to below) <strong> even as I before wrote<\/strong> (not, &lsquo;have before written,&rsquo; though this perhaps better marks the reference. &lsquo;Before wrote,&rsquo; viz. in ch. Eph 1:9 if.) <strong> briefly<\/strong> (   , Chrys.: &ldquo;Habet locutionem hanc Aristoteles rhet. iii. 2, p. 716, ubi de acuminibus orationis, qu ex unius aut plurium vocum similium oppositione oriuntur, dicit, ea tanto elegantiora esse,    , quanto brevius proferantur, et id ideo dicit sic se habere,    ,      ,        , quoniam ea ob oppositionem eo magis, ob brevitatem vero eo celerius percipiantur.&rdquo; Kypke, obss. sacr, ii. p. 293),<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Henry Alford&#8217;s Greek Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p> <span class='bible'>Eph 3:3<\/span> .        : <em> how that by way of revelation he made known<\/em> (was made known) <em> to me the mystery<\/em> . The  is omitted by [207] [208] -lat., Ambros., etc., and is bracketed by [209] and WH, but is retained by most. The  of the TR (supported by [210] [211] [212] , etc.) must give place to  , which is the reading of [213] [214] [215] [216] [217] [218] 17, Lat., Syr., Copt., etc., and is adopted by LTTrWHRV. On  see under <span class='bible'>Eph 1:9<\/span> . Here it is the particular  or &ldquo;secret&rdquo; of the admission of the Gentiles on equal terms with the chosen people a disclosure of the Divine purpose which so often calls forth Paul&rsquo;s adoring wonder. The sentence explains and develops the preceding statement, giving what they heard (  ) of the peculiar dispensation made by God with Paul; and the prominent thing here, as indicated by the emphatic position of   , is the way in which the &ldquo;mystery&rdquo; was made known to him, <em> viz.<\/em> , the way of <em> revelation<\/em> .     : <em> as I wrote afore in few words<\/em> . The   is wrongly taken by some as =   , &ldquo;a short time before&rdquo;. It is equivalent to the   or the   ,   , of classical Greek and means <em> briefly<\/em> ( <em> cf.<\/em> <span class='bible'>Act 26:28<\/span> and the  in <span class='bible'>Act 24:4<\/span> ). But what is the writing referred to? It might be a previous letter now lost (Chrys., Calv., etc.). The <em> aor.<\/em> might so far favour this, and the  of <span class='bible'>Eph 3:4<\/span> , which Meyer thinks excludes it, is not necessarily inconsistent with it. The    need not be limited to the reading of the present Epistle, but might equally well apply to the act of reading any other letter, and the terms might suggest indeed a fuller statement of the &ldquo;mystery&rdquo; in question than is given anywhere in the first part of this Epistle. The reference, however, might also be to something already said in the present letter, in which case the  would have the force of &ldquo;I <em> have<\/em> written already above&rdquo;. This is the generally accepted interpretation, the particular statement in view being that in chap. <span class='bible'>Eph 1:9-10<\/span> , or rather (so Mey., etc.) that in chap. <span class='bible'>Eph 2:11-22<\/span> , in which the inclusion of the Gentiles is the special topic.<\/p>\n<p style='margin-left:3em'> [207] Codex Vaticanus (sc. iv.), published in photographic facsimile in 1889 under the care of the Abbate Cozza-Luzi.<\/p>\n<p style='margin-left:3em'> [208] Codex Claromontanus (sc. vi.), a Grco-Latin MS. at Paris, edited by Tischendorf in 1852.<\/p>\n<p style='margin-left:3em'> [209] Codex Angelicus (sc. ix.), at Rome, collated by Tischendorf and others.<\/p>\n<p style='margin-left:3em'> [210] Codex Claromontanus (sc. vi.), a Grco-Latin MS. at Paris, edited by Tischendorf in 1852.<\/p>\n<p style='margin-left:3em'> [211] Codex Mosquensis (sc. ix.), edited by Matthi in 1782.<\/p>\n<p style='margin-left:3em'> [212] Codex Angelicus (sc. ix.), at Rome, collated by Tischendorf and others.<\/p>\n<p style='margin-left:3em'> [213] Codex Vaticanus (sc. iv.), published in photographic facsimile in 1889 under the care of the Abbate Cozza-Luzi.<\/p>\n<p style='margin-left:3em'> [214] Codex Sinaiticus (sc. iv.), now at St. Petersburg, published in facsimile type by its discoverer, Tischendorf, in 1862.<\/p>\n<p style='margin-left:3em'> [215] Codex Alexandrinus (sc. v.), at the British Museum, published in photographic facsimile by Sir E. M. Thompson (1879).<\/p>\n<p style='margin-left:3em'> [216] Codex Ephraemi (sc. v.), the Paris palimpsest, edited by Tischendorf in 1843.<\/p>\n<p style='margin-left:3em'> [217] Codex Claromontanus (sc. vi.), a Grco-Latin MS. at Paris, edited by Tischendorf in 1852.<\/p>\n<p style='margin-left:3em'> [218] Codex Augiensis (sc. ix.), a Grco-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.<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p>revelation. App-106. <\/p>\n<p>He. All the texts read &#8220;was&#8221;. <\/p>\n<p>unto = to. <\/p>\n<p>mystery. See Eph 5:32. 1Ti 3:16. App-193. <\/p>\n<p>as = even as. <\/p>\n<p>wrote afore. See Rom 15:4. <\/p>\n<p>in (App-104.)<\/p>\n<p>few words = briefly. See Rom 16:25, Rom 16:26. <\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p>3.] that (epexegesis of the fact implied in   . viz. of the fact that: as we say, how that) by revelation (see reff.; the stress is on these words, from their position) was made known to me the mystery (viz. of the admission of the Gentiles (Eph 3:6) to be fellow-heirs, &amp;c. See ch. Eph 1:9, directly referred to below) even as I before wrote (not, have before written, though this perhaps better marks the reference. Before wrote, viz. in ch. Eph 1:9 if.) briefly ( , Chrys.: Habet locutionem hanc Aristoteles rhet. iii. 2, p. 716, ubi de acuminibus orationis, qu ex unius aut plurium vocum similium oppositione oriuntur, dicit, ea tanto elegantiora esse,   , quanto brevius proferantur, et id ideo dicit sic se habere,   ,     ,       , quoniam ea ob oppositionem eo magis, ob brevitatem vero eo celerius percipiantur. Kypke, obss. sacr, ii. p. 293),<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: The Greek Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p>Eph 3:3.  , by revelation) Gal 1:12; Act 9:3-4.- , made known to me) God, by His grace.- , the mystery) of Christ; see the following verses.-  ) I wrote before in a few words. He refers to Eph 1:9-10, and he repeats the words from that passage here.<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p>Eph 3:3<\/p>\n<p>Eph 3:3<\/p>\n<p>how that by revelation was made known unto me the mystery, as I wrote before in few words,-Christ revealed the purpose to Paul when he first called him, saying: To this end have I appeared unto thee, to appoint thee a minister and a witness both of the things wherein thou hast seen me, and of the things wherein I will appear unto thee; delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I send thee, to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me. (Act 26:16-18).<\/p>\n<p>[Of this Paul had already told them in few words. (Eph 1:9-10; Eph 2:18). He was not indebted for his knowledge of the gospel to the instruction of others. Hence he says: For I make known to you, brethren, as touching the gospel which was preached by me, that it is not after man. For neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ. (Gal 1:11-12). As the apostles were witnesses, their knowledge must be direct and not founded on hearsay. This was one of the indispensable qualifications for the apostleship.]<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p>mystery <\/p>\n<p>(See Scofield &#8220;Mat 13:11&#8221;). <\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p>by: Eph 1:17, Act 22:17, Act 22:21, Act 23:9, Act 26:15-19, 1Co 2:9, 1Co 2:10, Gal 1:12, Gal 1:16-19 <\/p>\n<p>the mystery: Eph 3:9, Rom 11:25, Rom 16:25, Col 1:26, Col 1:27 <\/p>\n<p>as I: Eph 1:9-11, Eph 2:11-22 <\/p>\n<p>afore: or, a little before <\/p>\n<p>Reciprocal: Mat 13:11 &#8211; mysteries Mat 21:42 &#8211; and it is Luk 8:10 &#8211; Unto Act 13:41 &#8211; for 1Co 2:16 &#8211; But 1Co 4:1 &#8211; mysteries 1Co 4:7 &#8211; who 1Co 14:2 &#8211; howbeit 1Co 15:51 &#8211; I show Gal 1:11 &#8211; that Eph 6:19 &#8211; the mystery 1Ti 3:16 &#8211; the mystery 1Pe 5:12 &#8211; I have Rev 1:1 &#8211; Revelation Rev 10:7 &#8211; the mystery<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p>(Eph 3:3.)        -How that by revelation was the mystery made known to me.  is the reading of the Received Text, on the authority of D111, E, J, K, and many minuscules, and is received by Knapp and Tittmann; but  has the preponderant authority of A, B, C, D1, F, G, etc., the Syriac and Vulgate, and is adopted by Lachmann, Hahn, and Tischendorf. The relative particle , as the correlative of , introduces an objective sentence. Donaldson, Greek Gram.  584. It leads to further explanation, and the clause is a supplementary accusative connected with the previous verb. The mystery itself is unfolded in Eph 3:6; for, as we have seen under Eph 1:9, mystery is not something in itself incomprehensible, but merely something unknown till God please to reveal it-something undiscoverable by man, and to the knowledge of which he comes by Divine disclosure- , the emphasis lying on the phrase, as is indicated by its position. Gal 2:2. In Gal 1:12, the genitive with  is employed. Grammarians, as Bernhardy (p. 241) and Winer ( 51), show that , with the accusative, has sometimes an adverbial signification; so Meyer renders offenbarungsweise. The difference is not material; but   would refer to the means or method of disclosure, whereas   may describe the shape which it assumed. The general spirit of the statement is, that his mission to the Gentiles was not created by the expansive philanthropy of his own bosom, nor was it any sourness of temper against his countrymen that prompted him to select, as his favourite sphere of labour, the outfield of heathendom. He might have been a believer, but still, like many thousands of the Jews-&amp; ldq uo;zealous of the law. It was by special instruction that he comprehended the worldwide adaptations of the gospel, and gave himself to the work of evangelizing the heathen-the mystery being their admission to church fellowship equally with the Jews. He alludes, not perhaps so much to the first instructions of the Divine will at his conversion (Act 9:15), as to subsequent revelations. Act 22:21; Gal 1:16. And he adds- <\/p>\n<p>   -as I have just written in brief; or, as Tyndale renders-as I wrote above, in feawe wordes; Eph 1:9, Eph 2:13. The parenthetical marking of some editors commencing with this clause, and extending to the end of Eph 3:4, is useless; and the relative  in Eph 3:5 belongs to the antecedent  in Eph 3:4. There is no occasion, with Hunnius, Marloratus, Chrysostom, and Calvin, to make the reference in the verb to some earlier epistle. Theodoret says well-   ,    . See under Eph 1:12. Such is the view of the great body of interpreters. The apostle refers to what he had now written in the preceding paragraph-from Eph 3:13 to the end of the second chapter-and apparently not, as Alford says, to Eph 1:9; nor, as Ellicott says, to the fact contained in the immediately preceding clause. <\/p>\n<p>And he had written  -in brevi (Vulgate), in brief-in a few words. See Kypke, Observat. ii. p. 293, in which examples are given from Herodotus, Thucydides, and Aristotle. Theodoret-followed by Erasmus, Camerarius, Calvin, Grotius, Estius, Koppe, Baumgarten-Crusius, and many others-proposes that   should be taken as explanatory of the &#8211; in , and that the phrase signifies , or paulo ante. Bodius conveniently combines both views. But such a construction cannot be admitted; to express such an idea   would have been employed. And the apostle has not intimated simply that such a mystery was disclosed to him, but that he has also noted down the results or contents of the disclosure, and for this purpose- <\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Commentary on the Greek Text of Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians and Phillipians<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p>Eph 3:3. According to the lexicon, the word revelation means &#8220;a disclosure of truth, instruction, concerning divine things before unknown&#8211;especially relating to the Christian salvation&#8211;given to the soul by God himself, or by the ascended Christ.&#8221; An outstanding thought in the meaning of the word is that the communication was done by addressing the intelligence of the apostle, and not by some impression made upon his emotions. By this intellectual method, God made known to Paul the truths of the Gospel, that he might be able to tell them to the Ephe-sians and others. It is called a mystery because that word merely means anything not known, whether that be something that is complicated or simple in its nature. (See the definition of the word at chapter 1:9.) Wrote afore refers to chapter 1:9 and 2:11-13, where the apostle wrote about the call of the Gentiles to share in the benefits of the Gospel.<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p>Eph 3:3. That by (lit., according to) revelation the mystery was made known to me. The best authorities support the passive form. This verse explains the substance of what they heard, hence of the dispensation, etc. The mode by which the mystery was made known to him is put first, for emphasis: by revelation; comp. Eph 3:5. That evidently it was God who made known to him the mystery. This term has two meanings: (1.) Such matters of fact, as are inaccessible to reason, and can only be known through revelation; (2.) Such matters as are patent facts, but the process of which cannot be entirely taken in by the reason (Tholuck). In the latter sense the calling of the Gentiles was a mystery, and many commentators restrict the reference here to that matter, finding a wider application in Eph 3:4; Eph 3:9. But this requires us to accept the parenthetical construction, which cannot be defended. Moreover it seems unlikely that the sense of the term would vary frequently in so brief a passage. It seems better to maintain that the mystery is the same throughout; but in view of the universalism of the Epistle and the current of thought in this section, it here appears as complex, precisely as the notions of enmity and peace in the preceding section: the mystery of redemption, whose centre is the Person of Christ, whose object and purport is Christ, taking that term as including the Body of which He is the Head, which He has redeemed, and in which the Gentiles are fellow-members (Eph 3:6); the latter thought being the special reference throughout, though never to the exclusion of the wider thought, since Eph 3:6, with its compound terms, compels us to think, even in that most special definition of the mystery, of the one inheritance, the one body, and the one promise presented in the gospel. With this thought as the ruling one, the special reference to the union of Jews and Gentiles comes in naturally and without disturbing the more general one.<\/p>\n<p>As I have written before. The parentheses are unnecessary; the construction flows on, as usual in Pauls writings. The English perfect is not a literal reading, but brings out the force of the thought expressed in the Greek. What he has written in this Epistle (comp. chaps. Eph 1:9-17; Eph 2:4-11, etc.) confirms the statement that this mystery had been made known to him.<\/p>\n<p>In few words. In comparison with the wealth of the truth revealed, its fulness, its wide-reaching, deep-moving efficiency, what he writes is to him always little and brief (Braune).<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p>God Made Known the Mystery<\/p>\n<p>Christ revealed both the plan of salvation and his plan for Paul to tell others about it ( Gal 1:11-17 ; Act 26:15-18 ). Paul says he wrote a few words before about the mystery. He may be referring to his earlier mention of the mystery in this book (1:9), or another letter we do not have. Paul&#8217;s purpose in telling them about the plan of salvation, which once was covered but now had been revealed, was that they might understand the ultimate meaning of the inspired writings when they studied them (3:3-4).<\/p>\n<p>God uncovered his plan part by part. The inspired men who received God&#8217;s messages longed to know their full meaning. However, that was reserved for those of the Christian age ( 1Pe 1:10-12 ). The apostles and prophets of the New Testament were inspired by the Holy Spirit. They knew of God&#8217;s plan to save all men, both Jew and Gentile, through Jesus Christ (3:5).<\/p>\n<p>The Jews had long considered themselves God&#8217;s people. Now that the mystery was made known, Paul could also tell the Gentiles who obeyed that they were God&#8217;s people in Christ Jesus. In fact, this was a great part of the mystery revealed to the inspired apostles and prophets. &#8220;Fellow heirs&#8221; means the Gentiles were now considered part of God&#8217;s family. Of course, the body is the church, as was observed in Eph 1:22-23 . The great promise in Christ is a new life because of his shed blood which purchased the remission of our sin (3:6; Rom 6:3-4 ; Act 2:38 ).<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p>Verse 3 <\/p>\n<p>The mystery; the hidden truth that the kingdom of the Messiah was to be extended to the Gentiles, as stated particularly in Ephesians 3:6.&#8211;As I wrote afore, referring perhaps to what he had said in Ephesians 1:3-13.<\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Abbott&#8217;s Illustrated New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p>How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) <\/p>\n<p>Paul asserts that his information was revealed directly from God. This is about as straight from the source as you can get. God revealed it directly to Paul. In fact some manuscripts translate this &#8220;by revelation was the mystery&#8230;.&#8221; A few observations. <\/p>\n<p>a. It is the real thing. <\/p>\n<p>b. It is God&#8217;s direct wish for us. <\/p>\n<p>c. It is something very important. <\/p>\n<p>d. It is something to be listened to. <\/p>\n<p>e. It is something to be believed. <\/p>\n<p>f. It is something to be acted upon. <\/p>\n<p>He reminds them that he had written of these things at a prior time as well. This may have been a personal letter or maybe a lost letter that he had sent. It might also have been in a circulatory letter to several churches. Some relate this, and they may well be correct, to the statement of the apostle in chapter one verses nine and ten. See, it is important to remember what the preacher says from week to week, he may call on you to remember something sometime. <\/p>\n<p>This thought of revelation is of great importance in our day. Many are questioning the validity of the Bible. Even in formerly evangelical and now in some evangelical circles the total validity of the Word is suspect. They question if ALL the Word is without error. They suggest that only in the area of salvation is it valid. If invalid in all areas but salvation, why in the world would anyone trust it for their eternal soul? <\/p>\n<p>To question part of the Word is to question all of it. If part is faulty then all is possibly faulty. <\/p>\n<p>Revelation states that God gave us the Word in a manner in which we can trust it completely and unquestionably as it was given in the original manuscripts. For further study see my theology and check the index for &#8220;revelation.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p>Paul wants them to understand all the knowledge he has about this subject. The person that is trained in sharing the word, in sharing his knowledge of the word is of utmost importance to them. What we know, we want to share with others so that they may know. <\/p>\n<p>This is the natural way of things. There are some that glory in the knowledge that they have and that you do not have. I worked with an organization that was functioning on this principle. If I know something you don&#8217;t know I have power you don&#8217;t have. The revelation of that knowledge always was made known only when it would profit the person that held that knowledge most. <\/p>\n<p>What foolishness for Christians to act this way but many there are that function this way in schools, in church boards and even in families. The norm is to desire to share your knowledge with others not keep secrets and use knowledge as a tool to make gain. <\/p>\n<p>Another application of this might be the frustration that knowledgeable people have in churches. They sit Sunday after Sunday desiring to share their knowledge with others in the church, but are not allowed to. Classes are often structured for the pastor to preach a second sermon for the day. Others are structured so tightly that any outside &#8220;new&#8221; thought is not allowed for it would confuse and distract the teacher. <\/p>\n<p>There are many very knowledgeable people in churches that are not allowed to teach for one reason or another. I know personally of many believers that are well qualified to teach but their exclusion has caused them to stop attending services. There are other reasons why they stop but because they are refused by the church, they sit idle with all that knowledge that God has instilled for the edification of the saints. <\/p>\n<p>Pastors that teach Sunday school in their own church often are control freaks and are afraid to allow anyone else to talk with their people for fear they will teach truth and find the pastor in error. Others don&#8217;t allow it so that they can be the focal point of everyone&#8217;s attention, and still others just don&#8217;t want anyone teaching anything except what they want to be taught. <\/p>\n<p>Share your knowledge of God with others. If not in the church in your family, at work, at play. Even some unsaved people enjoy hearing of God and His word. They are interested &#8211; may have little knowledge and weak understanding, but then that is true of all believers before we believed. <\/p>\n<p>When God shows you something neat from the Word, share it with others as soon as you can. Don&#8217;t hide what you know, share it. Don&#8217;t hide your light under the bushel, but let it shine brightly to glorify God and what He has done. <\/p>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Mr. D&#8217;s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n<p>Paul&rsquo;s duty involved receiving revelation not previously given (i.e., the mystery, secret), specifically that Gentiles and Jews were equal partners in the church (Eph 2:16; Eph 3:6). Paul had written of this mystery before in this epistle (Eph 1:9-10; Eph 2:11-22).<\/p>\n<table cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0pt\" style=\"width:364pt;border-collapse:collapse;margin-left:68pt\">\n<colgroup>\n<col width=\"485\" \/><\/colgroup>\n<tr align=\"left\" valign=\"top\">\n<td style=\"width:356pt;padding-right:2.5pt;padding-left:2.5pt;border-top: 1.5pt solid #000000;border-right: 1.5pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1.5pt solid #000000\">\n<p style=\"text-align:center\"><span style=\"font-weight:bold\">New Testament References to &quot;Mysteries&quot;(things previously unknown but now revealed) [Note: Adapted from The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament, p. 48. See also the excursus in Hoehner, Ephesians, pp. 428-34.] <\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<table cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0pt\" style=\"width:364pt;border-collapse:collapse;margin-left:68pt\">\n<colgroup>\n<col width=\"149\" \/>\n<col width=\"336\" \/><\/colgroup>\n<tr align=\"left\" valign=\"top\">\n<td style=\"width:104pt;padding-right:3.25pt;padding-left:2.5pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1.5pt solid #000000\">\n<p>Mat 13:11<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width:244pt;padding-right:2.5pt;padding-left:3.25pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1.5pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1pt solid #000000\">\n<p>The secrets of the kingdom of heaven<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr align=\"left\" valign=\"top\">\n<td style=\"width:104pt;padding-right:3.25pt;padding-left:2.5pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1.5pt solid #000000\">\n<p>Luk 8:10<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width:244pt;padding-right:2.5pt;padding-left:3.25pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1.5pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1pt solid #000000\">\n<p>The secrets (mysteries) of the kingdom of God<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr align=\"left\" valign=\"top\">\n<td style=\"width:104pt;padding-right:3.25pt;padding-left:2.5pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1.5pt solid #000000\">\n<p>Rom 11:25<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width:244pt;padding-right:2.5pt;padding-left:3.25pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1.5pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1pt solid #000000\">\n<p>Israel experiencing a hardening of heart<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr align=\"left\" valign=\"top\">\n<td style=\"width:104pt;padding-right:3.25pt;padding-left:2.5pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1.5pt solid #000000\">\n<p>Rom 16:25-26<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width:244pt;padding-right:2.5pt;padding-left:3.25pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1.5pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1pt solid #000000\">\n<p>The plan of salvation through Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr align=\"left\" valign=\"top\">\n<td style=\"width:104pt;padding-right:3.25pt;padding-left:2.5pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1.5pt solid #000000\">\n<p>1Co 4:1<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width:244pt;padding-right:2.5pt;padding-left:3.25pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1.5pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1pt solid #000000\">\n<p>New Testament revelation<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr align=\"left\" valign=\"top\">\n<td style=\"width:104pt;padding-right:3.25pt;padding-left:2.5pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1.5pt solid #000000\">\n<p>1Co 15:51<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width:244pt;padding-right:2.5pt;padding-left:3.25pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1.5pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1pt solid #000000\">\n<p>The Rapture<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr align=\"left\" valign=\"top\">\n<td style=\"width:104pt;padding-right:3.25pt;padding-left:2.5pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1.5pt solid #000000\">\n<p>Eph 1:9<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width:244pt;padding-right:2.5pt;padding-left:3.25pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1.5pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1pt solid #000000\">\n<p>God&rsquo;s will<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr align=\"left\" valign=\"top\">\n<td style=\"width:104pt;padding-right:3.25pt;padding-left:2.5pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1.5pt solid #000000\">\n<p>Eph 3:2-3<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width:244pt;padding-right:2.5pt;padding-left:3.25pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1.5pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1pt solid #000000\">\n<p>The administration of God&rsquo;s grace<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr align=\"left\" valign=\"top\">\n<td style=\"width:104pt;padding-right:3.25pt;padding-left:2.5pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1.5pt solid #000000\">\n<p>Eph 3:4<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width:244pt;padding-right:2.5pt;padding-left:3.25pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1.5pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1pt solid #000000\">\n<p>Christ<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr align=\"left\" valign=\"top\">\n<td style=\"width:104pt;padding-right:3.25pt;padding-left:2.5pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1.5pt solid #000000\">\n<p>Eph 3:9<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width:244pt;padding-right:2.5pt;padding-left:3.25pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1.5pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1pt solid #000000\">\n<p>The church<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr align=\"left\" valign=\"top\">\n<td style=\"width:104pt;padding-right:3.25pt;padding-left:2.5pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1.5pt solid #000000\">\n<p>Eph 5:32<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width:244pt;padding-right:2.5pt;padding-left:3.25pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1.5pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1pt solid #000000\">\n<p>Christ and the church<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr align=\"left\" valign=\"top\">\n<td style=\"width:104pt;padding-right:3.25pt;padding-left:2.5pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1.5pt solid #000000\">\n<p>Col 1:26<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width:244pt;padding-right:2.5pt;padding-left:3.25pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1.5pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1pt solid #000000\">\n<p>Christ in us, the hope of glory<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr align=\"left\" valign=\"top\">\n<td style=\"width:104pt;padding-right:3.25pt;padding-left:2.5pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1.5pt solid #000000\">\n<p>Col 1:27<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width:244pt;padding-right:2.5pt;padding-left:3.25pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1.5pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1pt solid #000000\">\n<p>Christ in us<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr align=\"left\" valign=\"top\">\n<td style=\"width:104pt;padding-right:3.25pt;padding-left:2.5pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1.5pt solid #000000\">\n<p>Col 2:2<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width:244pt;padding-right:2.5pt;padding-left:3.25pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1.5pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1pt solid #000000\">\n<p>Christ<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr align=\"left\" valign=\"top\">\n<td style=\"width:104pt;padding-right:3.25pt;padding-left:2.5pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1.5pt solid #000000\">\n<p>Col 4:3<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width:244pt;padding-right:2.5pt;padding-left:3.25pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1.5pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1pt solid #000000\">\n<p>Christ<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr align=\"left\" valign=\"top\">\n<td style=\"width:104pt;padding-right:3.25pt;padding-left:2.5pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1.5pt solid #000000\">\n<p>2Th 2:7<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width:244pt;padding-right:2.5pt;padding-left:3.25pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1.5pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1pt solid #000000\">\n<p>The secret power of lawlessness already at work<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr align=\"left\" valign=\"top\">\n<td style=\"width:104pt;padding-right:3.25pt;padding-left:2.5pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1.5pt solid #000000\">\n<p>1Ti 3:9<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width:244pt;padding-right:2.5pt;padding-left:3.25pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1.5pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1pt solid #000000\">\n<p>The deep truths of the faith<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr align=\"left\" valign=\"top\">\n<td style=\"width:104pt;padding-right:3.25pt;padding-left:2.5pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1.5pt solid #000000\">\n<p>1Ti 3:16<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width:244pt;padding-right:2.5pt;padding-left:3.25pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1.5pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1pt solid #000000\">\n<p>Godliness<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr align=\"left\" valign=\"top\">\n<td style=\"width:104pt;padding-right:3.25pt;padding-left:2.5pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1.5pt solid #000000\">\n<p>Rev 1:20<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width:244pt;padding-right:2.5pt;padding-left:3.25pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1.5pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1pt solid #000000\">\n<p>The seven stars (angels)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr align=\"left\" valign=\"top\">\n<td style=\"width:104pt;padding-right:3.25pt;padding-left:2.5pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1.5pt solid #000000\">\n<p>Rev 10:7<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width:244pt;padding-right:2.5pt;padding-left:3.25pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1.5pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1pt solid #000000;border-left: 1pt solid #000000\">\n<p>The details of the Tribulation<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr align=\"left\" valign=\"top\">\n<td style=\"width:104pt;padding-right:3.25pt;padding-left:2.5pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1.5pt solid #000000;border-left: 1.5pt solid #000000\">\n<p>Rev 17:5<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width:244pt;padding-right:2.5pt;padding-left:3.25pt;border-top: 1pt solid #000000;border-right: 1.5pt solid #000000;border-bottom: 1.5pt solid #000000;border-left: 1pt solid #000000\">\n<p>Babylon the great<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<h4 align='right'><i><b>Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 3. by revelation ] Probably at or about the time of his conversion. Act 26:17-18, indicates that the Lord then and there gave him the special commission, and it is likely that a period of special and &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/exegetical-and-hermeneutical-commentary-of-ephesians-33\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ephesians 3:3&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29191","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29191","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29191"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29191\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29191"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29191"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29191"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}