From the beginning of the world hath been hid in God. The common text in this clause reads κοινωνία, fellow- ship, but all the corrected editions of the New Testa- ment, on the authority of the ancient MSS., read οἰκο- νομία, plan, or, economy. The mystery or secret, is not the simple purpose to call the Gentiles into the church, but the mystery of redemption. This mystery, ἀπὸ τῶν αἰώνων, from ages, from the beginning of time, had been hid in God. Compare Rom. 16, 25, “The mystery which was kept secret since the world began.” 1 Cor. 2, 7, “The wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world.” Col. 1, 26, “The mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations.” In all these places the mystery spoken of is God’s purpose of redemp- tion, formed in the counsels of eternity, impenetrably hidden from the view of men until revealed in his own time. It was this plan of redemption thus formed, thus long concealed, but now made known through the Gospel, that Paul was sent to bear as a guiding and saving light to all men.
Who created all things by Jesus Christ. The words διὰ ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ, (by Jesus Christ,) being wanting in the great majority of oldest MSS., are generally regarded as spurious. The al/ things here referred to are by some restricted to every thing pertaining to the Gospel dispensation. For this interpretation there is no necessity in the context; and it is contrary to the common usage and force of the terms. There must be some stringent necessity to justify making “ creator
επ- ae
CHAP. m1. vs. 9. 10. 171
of all things,” mean “author of the new dispensation.” Others restrict the terms to all men: ‘ He who created all men now calls all.’* This however is arbitrary and uncalled for. The words are to be taken in their natural sense, as referring to the universe. It was in the bosom of the Creator of all things that this purpose of redemption so long lay hid. The reference to God as creator in this connection, may be accounted for as merely an expression of reverence. We often call God the Infinite, the Almighty, the Creator, &c., without intending any special reference of the titles to the sub- ject about which we may be speaking. So Paul often calls God, blessed, without any special reason for the appellation. Some however think that in the present case the apostle uses this expression in confirmation of his declaration that the plan of redemption was from ages hid in God—for he who created all things must be supposed to have included redemption in his ori- ginal purpose. Others suppose the association of the ideas is—he who created, redeems—the same God who made the universe has formed the plan of redemption. None but the creator can be a redeemer.
V.10. 70 the intent that now might be made known, ἵνα γνωρισθῇ νῦν. If this clause depend on the imme- diately preceding, then the apostle teaches that creation is in order to redemption. God created all things ἐπ order that by the church might be made known his
* Unus Deus omnes populos condidit, sic etiam nunc omnes ad se vocat. Brza.