To whom God would make known the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ, in you the hope of glory.

“For there is an instruction of the perfect, of which, writing to the Colossians, he says, "We cease not to pray for you, and beseech that ye may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye may walk worthy of the Lord to all pleasing; being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might according to the glory of His power." And again he says, "According to the disposition of the grace of God which is given me, that ye may fulfil the word of God; the mystery which has been hid from ages and generations, which now is manifested to His saints: to whom God wished to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the nations." So that, on the one hand, then, are the mysteries which were hid till the time of the apostles, and were delivered by them as they received from the Lord, and, concealed in the Old Testament, were manifested to the saints. And, on the other hand, there is "the riches of the glory of the mystery in the Gentiles," which is faith and hope in Christ; which in another place he has called the "foundation."”

“Let not others therefore deceive you, for they know not. Why to them alone? "To whom He was pleased," he saith. See how everywhere He stops the mouth of their questions. "To whom God was pleased to make known," he saith. Yet His will is not without reason. By way of making them accountable for grace, rather than allowing them to have high thoughts, as though it were of their own achieving, he said, "To whom he was pleased to make known." "What is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles." He hath spoken loftily, and accumulated emphasis, seeking, out of his great earnestness, for amplification upon amplification. For this also is an amplification, the saying indefinitely, "The riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles." For it is most of all apparent among the Gentiles, as he also says elsewhere, "And that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy." For the great glory of this mystery is apparent among others also, but much more among these. For, on a sudden, to have brought men more senseless than stones to the dignity of Angels, simply through bare words, and faith alone, without any laboriousness, is indeed glory and riches of mystery: just as if one were to take a dog, quite consumed with hunger and the mange, foul, and loathsome to see, and not so much as able to move, but lying cast out, and make him all at once into a man, and to display him upon the royal throne. They were wont to worship stones and the earth; but they learned that themselves are better both than the heaven and the sun, and that the whole world serveth them; they were captives and prisoners of the devil: on a sudden they are placed above his head, and lay commands on him and scourge him: from being captives and slaves to demons, they are become the body of The Master of the Angels and the Archangels; from not knowing even what God is, they are become all at once sharers even in God's throne. Wouldest thou see the countless steps they overleaped? First, they had to learn that stones are not gods; secondly, that they not only are not gods, but inferior even to men; thirdly, to brutes even; fourthly, to plants even; fifthly, they brought together the extremes: that not only stones but not earth even, nor animals, nor plants, nor man, nor heaven; or, to begin again, that not stones, not animals, not plants, not elements, not things above, not things below, not man, not demons, not Angels, not Archangels, not any of those Powers above, ought to be worshiped by the nature of man. Being drawn up, as it were, from some deep, they had to learn that the Lord of all, He is God, that Him alone is it right to worship; that the virtuous life is a good thing; that this present death is not death, nor this life, life; that the body is raised, that it becomes incorruptible, that it will ascend into heaven, that it obtains even immortality, that it standeth with Angels, that it is removed thither. But Him who was there below, having cleared at a bound all these steps, He has placed on high upon the throne, having made Him that was lower than the stones, higher in dominion than the Angels, and the Archangels, and the thrones, and the dominions. Truly "What is the riches of the glory of this mystery?" Just as if one should show a fool to be all at once made a philosopher; yea rather, whatsoever one should say, it would be as nothing: for even the words of Paul are undefined. "What is the riches," he saith, "of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you?" Again, they had to learn that He who is above, and who ruleth Angels and dominions, and all the other Powers, came down below, and was made Man, and suffered countless things, and rose again, and was received up. All these things were of the mystery; and he sets them down together with lofty praise, saying, "Which is Christ in you?" But if He be in you, why seek ye Angels? "Of this mystery." For there are other mysteries besides. But this is really a mystery, which no one knew, which is marvelous, which is beside the common expectation, which was hid. "Which is Christ in you," he saith, "the hope of glory, whom we proclaim," bringing Him from above.”

“After he has commended Christ in comparison to God and to the whole creation, to the whole Church and to the Colossians themselves, here he commends him in comparison to himself, showing himself to be his minister. And first he sets down the ministry; second he shows his fidelity in ministering, at the words "who now rejoice"; third the greatness of the ministry, at the words "of which I was made." He says therefore: I say that it has been preached in all creation, of which — namely of the Gospel — I was made a minister, of preaching, not by my own authority, but exhibiting a ministry to the preaching. 1 Cor. 4:1: "let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ, and the dispensers," etc. But he is a faithful minister, which is clear, because he does not shrink from suffering dangers without diligently carrying it out. Hence first he shows with what affection he sustains sufferings; second with what fruit, at the words "I fill up," etc. With a joyful affection indeed, because "now I rejoice," etc., "for you," that is, on account of your benefit. 2 Cor. 1:6: "whether we be in tribulation, it is for your exhortation and salvation," etc. And on account of the joy of eternal life which he expects from it, which is the fruit of his ministry. James 1:2: "count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various temptations, knowing," etc. Phil. 2:17: "if I be immolated upon the sacrifice of your faith, I rejoice and congratulate," etc. And also with this fruit, "that I may fill up those things that are wanting of the sufferings of Christ," etc. These words, according to the surface, could have a bad understanding, namely that the passion of Christ was not sufficient for redemption, but that the sufferings of the saints were added to complete it. But this is heretical, because the blood of Christ is sufficient for redemption, even of many worlds. 1 John 2:2: "he is the propitiation for our sins," etc. But it must be understood that Christ and the Church are one mystical person, whose head is Christ, and the body all the just; and each just person is as it were a member of this head, 1 Cor. 12:27: "and members of a member." But God ordained in his predestination how much of merits ought to be throughout the whole Church, both in the head and in the members, just as he also predestined the number of the elect. And among these merits, the sufferings of the saints are especially. But the merits of Christ, namely of the head, are infinite, while each saint exhibits some merits according to his own measure. And therefore he says "I fill up those things that are wanting of the sufferings of Christ," that is, of the whole Church, whose head is Christ. "I fill up," that is, I add my own measure. And this "in my flesh," that is, I myself suffering. Or, whatever sufferings are wanting in my flesh. For this was wanting, that just as Christ had suffered in his own body, so he might suffer in Paul his member, and likewise in others. And "for the body," which is the Church, which was to be redeemed through Christ. Eph. 5:27: "that he might present to himself a glorious Church, not having spot nor wrinkle." Thus also all the saints suffer on account of the Church, which is strengthened by their example. The Gloss: sufferings are still wanting, because the storehouse of the merits of the Church is not yet full, nor will it be filled up, until the world has been ended. Now a "paritoria" is a vessel, or a house, where many things are brought in together. Then when he says "of which I am," etc., he shows the dignity of the ministry in three ways: first from the matter of adoption; second from the end to which it is directed, at the words "that you may be filled," etc.; third from the use, at the words "because you, when," etc. But someone might say: is this ministry great? And he responds saying: it is so, because it was delivered to me according to the dispensation. Which can be explained in two ways, namely actively; and thus the sense is: that is, that I may dispense to you divine things, faithfully delivering them, and this power was given to me. Or passively, and then the sense is: that is, according to what has been dispensed to me by God. Eph. 4:11: "he gave some indeed as apostles, some as prophets," etc. Acts 13:2: "separate me Barnabas and Paul for the work to which I have taken them," etc. Behold what the end is — certainly not money, nor one's own glory, but something great, for which I received it, because "that I may fulfill," etc. And first he shows the dignity of that for which he received it; second he shows what that is, which is Christ. Again, first he commends its greatness from the widespread preaching and from its concealment and its manifestation. It is taken, however, for the conversion of the Gentiles. Hence "that I may fulfill the word," not of preaching, but the eternal dispensation of God, that is, that by my preaching I may show fulfilled the word of God, that is, the dispensation of God, and the preordination and promise concerning the word of God to be made incarnate; or the eternal dispensation of God, by which he disposed that the Gentiles should be converted through Christ to the faith of the true God. And this had to be fulfilled. Num. 23:19: "has he said, then, and will he not do it? has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?" Isa. 55:11: "the word that shall go forth from my mouth shall not return to me void, but it shall do whatsoever I have willed, and shall prosper," etc. But he disposed this to be fulfilled through the ministry of Paul. Hence he says "that I may fulfill this mystery," namely insofar as it is a hidden thing; because the mystery which is hidden is this word. Isa. 24:16: "my secret to myself," etc. Which was hidden from ages, that is, from the beginning of the ages, and from all the generations of men, who were not able to know this. Eph. 3:9: "what is the dispensation of the mystery hidden from ages in God." For even if the ancient philosophers seem to have said certain things about the deity of Christ, whether properly or by appropriation, just as Augustine found in the books of Plato — "in the beginning was the Word," etc. — nevertheless that the Word was made flesh, no one was able to know. But you say: was it not known through the prophets? I respond. It must be said that yes, yet only insofar as it pertained to the Gospel, or not so openly as the apostles knew it. Then when he says "but now," etc., he treats of its manifestation, and first he shows to whom it has been manifested; second he shows why it has been manifested to them, at the words "to whom he willed." He says therefore: it has been manifested now, namely in the time of grace. 2 Cor. 3: "behold now is the acceptable time, behold now is the day of salvation." This, however, is the knowledge of the saints. Wis. 10:10: "he gave him the knowledge of the saints," etc. Job 36:33: "he declares concerning it to his friend," etc. But this not on account of their merits, but on account of his own good pleasure. Hence he says "to whom God willed," etc. John 15:15: "the things which I have heard from my Father, I have made known to you." And he adds: "you have not chosen me, but I have chosen you," etc. Matt. 11:26: "so it was pleasing before you." "To make known the riches of the glory of this mystery," because by the fact that these things were hidden, God appears abundantly glorious. For formerly God was known in Judea, but through this mystery of the conversion of the Gentiles the glory of God is made known through the whole world. John 17:4: "I have glorified you," etc. And this "among the Gentiles," namely that it is fulfilled in them. Rom. 5:2: "we glory in the hope of the glory of the sons of God." And Rom. 11:33: "O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God." "This word is Christ," that is, that which we obtain through Christ, namely the hope of glory, which formerly seemed to be promised to the Jews alone. Acts 10:45: "they marveled that grace was poured out also upon the nations," etc. Rom. 5:1: "being justified by faith, let us have peace," etc. And afterward: "and we glory in the hope of the glory of the sons of God," etc. Isa. 11:10: "the root of Jesse, who stands as a sign of the peoples," etc. Thus therefore the origin of the ministry and its end are shown. But he adds its use, when he says "whom we," etc. And concerning this he does three things: for first he shows its use; second the fruit, at the words "that we may present"; third the help granted to him for attaining it, etc.; the use, at the words "in which also I labor." Its use is to announce Christ. And he sets forth the use and the manner of using it. Ps. 9:11: "declare among the Gentiles his pursuits," etc. 1 John 1:1: "what we have seen and heard, we announce to you," etc. The manner is set down at the words "reproving," etc., which is a perfect Announcement, because to every man, not only to the Jews. Matt., last chapter: "teach all nations," etc. Its manner also is to teach the truth, and to refute falsity. And therefore he says "reproving every man," or the unfaithful in life. 2 Cor. 10:4: "the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty to God unto the destruction of fortifications, destroying counsels," etc. And "teaching every man in all wisdom," namely which is the knowledge of God. Wis. 15:3: "for to know you is perfect justice, and to know your justice and truth is the root of immortality," etc. And 1 Cor. 2:6: "we speak wisdom," etc. The fruit, however, here is that men are led to the perfect. Hence he says "that we may present every man," namely of whatever condition, "perfect," not in the law, but in Christ. Matt. 5:48: "be perfect," etc. But is everyone bound to perfection? No, but the intention of the preacher ought to be directed to this. Now there is a twofold perfection of charity: one of the necessity of precept, namely that one admit nothing in the heart contrary to God. Matt. 22:37: "you shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart," etc. The other of the necessity of counsel, that one abstain even from things lawful, and this is the perfection of supererogation. But for this he had help from God. Hence he says "in which I labor," contending against the unfaithful and sinners. 2 Tim. 2:3: "labor as a good soldier of Christ," etc. Again, of the same, 4:7: "I have fought the good fight," etc. "And this according to his working." 1 Cor. 15:10: "the grace of God with me." Which he works in me — because God does this in me, in the power of miracles, namely by furnishing power. Luke, last chapter: "sit in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."”

“To whom God would make known,.... The spring and cause of the manifestation of the Gospel to the saints, and chosen of God, is not their works, for God does not call them with an holy calling according to them, but according to his own grace; nor any preparations and dispositions in them before such manifestation, towards the Gospel and the truths of it, for there are none such naturally in men, but all the reverse; nor a foresight of their better improvement of it, when made known, for this is not the method of divine grace, witness the instances of Sodom and Gomorrha, Tyre and Sidon; nor any holiness in them, or because they were sanctified, for they became so by the power of divine grace, through the Gospel revelation; but it is the pure sovereign good will and pleasure of God; see Eph 1:9; as appears from what they were before the Gospel came unto them, what is made known to them in it and by it; and from this, that they and not others, equally as deserving, are favoured with it: what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles. The apostle, besides calling the Gospel a "mystery", as before, ascribes "glory" to it; it is a glorious mystery, there is a glory in all the mysteries of it; it is a glorious Gospel, as it is often called, in its author, subject, matter, use, and efficacy: and also "riches" of glory, or glorious riches; containing rich truths, an immense treasure of them, comparable to gold, silver, and precious stones; rich blessings of justification, pardon, reconciliation, adoption, and eternal life; and rich promises, relating both to this life, and that which is to come; all which were opened and made known, not to the Jews only, but "among the Gentiles" also; who before were aliens, enemies, exceeding wicked, poor, blind, and miserable, but now, through the Gospel, were become rich and glorious, wise, knowing, and happy: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory; this is to be connected with all that goes before: Christ is the riches of the Gospel; the riches of the divine perfections, which the Gospel more clearly displays than the works of creation or providence, are all in Christ, the fulness of them dwells in him; and this is the grace the Gospel reveals, that he, who was rich with all these, became poor to make us rich; the rich promises of the Gospel were all made to Christ, and are all yea and "Amen" in him; the rich blessings of it are all in his hands, righteousness, peace, and pardon, the riches both of grace and glory; the rich treasures of its divine truths are hid in him; and he is the substance of everyone of them: Christ is also the glory of the Gospel, inasmuch as he is the author, preacher, and subject of it; it is full of the glory of his person, both as the only begotten of the Father, and as the only Mediator between God and man; it is the glass through which this is seen: moreover, the glory of God in him is expressed hereby; the glory of his wisdom and power, of his truth and faithfulness, of his justice and holiness, of his love, grace, and mercy, and every other perfection, is eminently held forth in the Gospel; as this is great in the salvation and redemption of his people by Christ, which the Gospel brings the good news of; add to this, that that glory which the saints shall have with Christ, and will lie in the enjoyment of him to all eternity, is brought to light in the Gospel: Christ is also the mystery of the Gospel; he is one of the persons in the mystery of the Trinity; the mystery of his divine sonship, of his divine person, being God and yet man, man and yet God, and both in one person, and of his incarnation and redemption, makes a considerable part of the Gospel: and Christ, who is the sum and substance of it, is "in" his people; not only as the omnipresent God, as the author of the light of nature, as the Creator of all things, in whom all live, move, and have their beings, but in a way of special grace; and the phrase is expressive of a revelation of him in them, of their possession of him, of his inhabitation in them by his Spirit and grace, particularly by faith, and of their communion with him, in consequence of their union to him; and being so, he is the ground and foundation of their hopes of glory. There is a glory which the saints are hoping for, which the glories of this world are but a faint resemblance of; which is unseen at present, and which the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared unto; what is eternal, and which Christ has entered into, and took possession of; and what will greatly consist in beholding his glory, and in everlasting communion with him; this through grace saints have a good hope of, and are waiting for, and even rejoice at times in the hope of it; of which hope Christ is the foundation; for not only the promise of it is with him, but the glory itself is in his hands; the gift of it is with him, and through him; he has made way by his sufferings and death for the enjoyment of it, and is now preparing it for them, by his presence and intercession; his grace makes them meet for it, his righteousness gives them a title to it, and his Spirit is the earnest of it, and the substance of it will be the fruition of himself.”

“The riches of the glory - God manifests to these how abundantly glorious this Gospel is among the Gentiles; and how effectual is this doctrine of Christ crucified to the salvation of multitudes. Which is Christ in you, the hope of glory - In this and the following verse there are several remarkable particulars: - I. We find here the sum and substance of the apostle's preaching. 1. He preached Christ, as the only Savior of sinners. 2. He proclaimed this Christ as being in them; for the design of the Gospel is to put men in possession of the Spirit and power of Christ, to make them partakers of the Divine nature, and thus prepare them for an eternal union with himself. Should it be said that the preposition εν should be translated among, it amounts to the same; for Christ was among them, to enlighten, quicken, purify, and refine them, and this he could not do without dwelling in them. 3. He preached this present and indwelling Christ as the hope of glory; for no man could rationally hope for glory who had not the pardon of his sins, and whose nature was not sanctified; and none could have pardon but through the blood of his cross; and none could have glorification but through the indwelling, sanctifying Spirit of Christ. II. We see the manner in which the apostles preached. 1. They warned every one - they showed every man his danger; they proved that both Jews and Gentiles were under sin; and that the wrath of God was revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men; that time and life were uncertain; and that now was the day of salvation. 2. They taught every man in all wisdom - they considered the world in a state of ignorance and darkness, every man being through sin ignorant of himself and God; and the apostles taught them to know themselves, viz., that they were sinners, wretched, helpless, and perishing; and they taught them to know God, in his purity, justice, and truth, and in his mercy through Christ Jesus. Thus they instructed men in all wisdom; for the knowledge of a man's self and his God constitutes all that is essentially necessary to be known for present and eternal happiness. III. The end which the apostles had in view in thus preaching Christ: to present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. The words τελειον εν Χριστῳ, perfect in or through Christ, signify two things: 1. That they should be thoroughly instructed in the doctrines of Christianity, so that they should know the truth as it is in Jesus. 2. That they should be made partakers of the grace of the Gospel, so that they might be saved from all their sins, and be filled with His fullness. The succeeding chapter amply proves that nothing less than this entered into the apostle's design. Men may dispute as they please about Christian perfection, but without it no soul shall ever see God. He who is not saved from all sin here, cannot, to his joy, see God hereafter. This perfection of which the apostle speaks, and to which he labored to bring all men, was something to be attained in and through Christ. The apostles preached Christ in the people; and they preached him as crucified for mankind. He who died for them was to live in them, and fill their whole souls with his own purity. No indwelling sin can be tolerated by an indwelling Christ; for he came into the world to save his people from their sins. IV. We see who were the objects of the apostle's ministry: the Jews and Gentiles; παντα ανθρωπον, every man, the whole human race. Every man had sinned; and for every sinner Christ had died; and he died for them that they might be saved from all their sins. The apostles never restrained the offers of salvation; they made them frankly to all, believing that it was the will of God that all should believe and be saved: hence they warned and taught every man that they might, at the day of judgment, present every man perfect in Christ Jesus; for, although their own personal ministry could not reach all the inhabitants of the earth, yet it is by the doctrines which they preached, and by the writings which they have left on record, that the earth is to be filled with the knowledge and glory of God, and the souls of men brought to the enjoyment of the fullness of the blessing of the Gospel of peace.”

“would--rather as Greek, "willed," or "was pleased to make known." He resolves all into God's good pleasure and will, that man should not glory save in God's grace. what--How full and inexhaustible! the riches of the glory of this mystery--He accumulates phrase on phrase to enhance the greatness of the blessing in Christ bestowed by God on the Gentiles. Compare Col 2:3, "all the treasures" of wisdom; Eph 3:8, "the unsearchable riches of Christ"; Eph 1:7, "riches of His grace." "The glory of this mystery" must be the glory which this once hidden, and now revealed, truth makes you Gentiles partakers of, partly now, but mainly when Christ shall come (Col 3:4; Rom 5:2; Rom 8:17-18; Eph 1:18). This sense is proved by the following: "Christ in you the hope of the (so Greek) glory." The lower was the degradation of you Gentiles, the higher is the richness of the glory to which the mystery revealed now raises you. You were "without Christ, and having no hope" (Eph 2:12). Now you have "Christ in you the hope of the glory" just mentioned. ALFORD translates, "Christ among you," to answer to "this mystery among the Gentiles." But the whole clause, "Christ IN you (Eph 3:17) the hope of glory," answers to "this mystery," and not to the whole sentence, "this mystery among the Gentiles." What is made known "among you Gentiles" is, "Christ in you (now by faith as your hidden life, Col 3:3; Gal 2:20) the hope of glory" (your manifested life). The contrast (antithesis) between "CHRIST IN YOU" now as your hidden life, and "the hope of glory" hereafter to be manifested, requires this translation.”