Of the fulness of times (rod tAnpepatos THY Karpov). For Julness, see on Rom. xi. 12; John i. 16; Col.i.19. For témes, compare Gal. iv. 4, “fulness of the time (rod ypévov), where the time before Christ is conceived as a unit. Here the conception is of a series of epochs. The fulness of the times is the moment when the successive ages of the gospel dispensation are com- pleted. The meaning of the whole phrase, then, is: a dispen- sation characterized by the fulness of the times: set forth when the times are full.
To sum up all things in Christ (dvaxeparawcacJa). Ex- planatory of the preceding phrase; showing in what the dis- pensation consists. For the word, see on Rom. xiii. 9. It means to bring back to and gather round the main point (Keparaiov), not the head (xepary) ; so that, in itself, it does not indicate Christ (the Head) as the central point of regathering, though He is so in fact. That is expressed by the following en Christ. The compounded preposition avd signifies again, pointing back to a previous condition where no separation existed. Add things. All created beings and things; not limited to intelligent beings. Compare Rom. viii. 21; 1 Cor. xv. 28.
The connection of the whole is as follows: God made known
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the mystery of His will, the plan of redemption, according to His own good pleasure, in order to bring to pass an economy peculiar to that point of time when the ages of the christian dispensation should be fulfilled—an economy which should be characterized by the regathering of all things round one point, Christ.
God contemplates a vegathering, a restoration to that former condition when all things were in perfect unity, and normally combined to serve God’s ends. This unity was broken by the introduction of sin. Man’s fall involved the unintelligent crea- tion (Rom. viii. 20). The mystery of God’s will includes the restoration of this unity in and through Christ; one kingdom on earth and in heaven—a new heaven and a new earth in which shall dwell righteousness, and “the creation shall be de- livered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.”
11. In Him. Resuming emphatically: in Christ.
We have obtained an inheritance (éxAnpoédInuev). Only here in the New Testament. From «djpos a lot. Hence the verb means literally to determine, choose, or assign by lot. From the custom of assigning portions of land by lot, «Ampos acquires the meaning of that which ts thus assigned ; the posses- sion or portion of land. So often in the Old Testament. See Sept., Num. xxxiv. 14; Deut. iii. 18; xv. 4, ete. An heir («Anpovouos) is originally one who obtains by lot. The A. V. here makes the verb active where it should be passive. The literal sense is we were designated as a heritage. So Rev., cor- rectly, were made a heritage. Oompare Deut. iv. 20, a people of inheritance (Nadv éyxdnpov). Also Deut. xxxii. 8, 9.
12. That we should be. Connect with we were made a heritage.
Who first trusted (rods zpondmixdras). In apposition with we (should be). So Rev., we who had, ete., trusted, more prop- erly hoped ; and jirst trusted is ambiguous. We refers to Jew- ish Christians, and the verb describes their messianic hope before (apo) the advent of Christ. Hence Rev., correctly, we
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who had (have) before hoped. In Christ should be “in the Christ,” as the subject of messianic expectation, and not as Jesus, for whom Christ had passed into a proper name. It is equivalent to in the Messiah. See on Matt. i. 1.
13. Ve also trusted. Gentile Christians. Trusted, which is not in the Greek, is unnecessary. The pronoun ye is nomi- native to were sealed.