thing in short, which renders him the satisfying por- tion of the soul.
V.9. It was Paul’s first duty to preach the un- searchable riches of Christ among the Gentiles, for he was especially the “ apostle of the Gentiles.” But his duty was not confined to them. He was commissioned both to preach to the Gentiles, and to make all see, &e. This is the common interpretation of the passage. Others, however, insist that the αὐ is here limited by the context to the Gentiles. But the force of and, which marks the accession of a new idea, is thus in a great measure lost. And the following verse favours the widest latitude that can be given to the words in question.
The word φωτίζειν properly means, to shine, as any luminous body does, and then ¢o aluminate, to impart light to, as a candle does to those on whom it shines, and as God does to the minds of men, and as the Gos- pel does, which is as a light shining in a dark place, and hence the apostle, 2 Cor. 4, 4, speaks of the φω- τισμὸς τοῦ εὐωγγελίου. Utitur apta similitudine, says Calvin, quum dicit, φωτίσαι πάντας, quasi plena luce effulgeat Dei gratia in suo apostolatu. The Church is compared to a candlestick, and ministers to stars. Their office is to dispense light. The light imparted by the Gospel was knowledge, and hence to illuminate is, in fact, to teach ; which is the idea the word is intended here to express.
The thing taught was, ἡ οἰκονομία τοῦ μυστηρίου τοῦ ἀποκεκρυμμένου, the economy of the mystery which