In the dispensation of the fulness of times, to re-establish all things in Christ, that are in heaven and on earth, in him.

“The Church, though dispersed throughout the whole world, even to the ends of the earth, has received from the apostles and their disciples this faith: [She believes] in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are in them; and in one Christ Jesus, the Son of God, who became incarnate for our salvation; and in the Holy Spirit, who proclaimed through the prophets the dispensations of God, and the advents, and the birth from a virgin, and the passion, and the resurrection from the dead, and the ascension into heaven in the flesh of the beloved Christ Jesus, our Lord, and His [future] manifestation from heaven in the glory of the Father "to gather all things in one," and to raise up anew all flesh of the whole human race, in order that to Christ Jesus, our Lord, and God, and Saviour, and King, according to the will of the invisible Father, "every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess" to Him, and that He should execute just judgment towards all; that He may send "spiritual wickednesses," and the angels who transgressed and became apostates, together with the ungodly, and unrighteous, and wicked, and profane among men, into everlasting fire; but may, in the exercise of His grace, confer immortality on the righteous, and holy, and those who have kept His commandments, and have persevered in His love, some from the beginning [of their Christian course], and others from [the date of] their repentance, and may surround them with everlasting glory.”

“Which evidences of ignobility suit the First Advent, just as those of sublimity do the Second; when He shall be made no longer "a stone of offence nor a rock of scandal," but "the highest corner-stone," after reprobation (on earth) taken up (into heaven) and raised sublime for the purpose of consummation, and that "rock"-so we must admit-which is read of in Daniel as forecut from a mount, which shall crush and crumble the image of secular kingdoms.”

“The God of all things therefore became truly, according to the Scriptures, without conversion, sinless man, and that in a manner known to Himself alone, as He is the natural Artificer of things which are above our comprehension. And by that same saving act of the incarnation He introduced into the flesh the activity of His proper divinity, yet without having it (that activity) either circumscribed by the flesh through the exinanition, or growing naturally out of the flesh as it grew out of His divinity, but manifested through it in the things which He wrought in a divine manner in His incarnate state. For the flesh did not become divinity in nature by a transmutation of nature, as though it became essentially flesh of divinity. But what it was before, that also it continued to be in nature and activity when united with divinity, even as the Saviour said, "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." And working and enduring in the flesh things which were proper to sinless flesh, He proved the evacuation of divinity (to be) for our sakes, confirmed as it was by wonders and by sufferings of the flesh naturally. For with this purpose did the God of all things become man, viz., in order that by suffering in the flesh, which is susceptible of suffering, He might redeem our whole race, which was sold to death; and that by working wondrous things by His divinity, which is unsusceptible of suffering, through the medium of the flesh He might restore it to that incorruptible and blessed life from which it fell away by yielding to the devil; and that He might establish the holy orders of intelligent existences in the heavens in immutability by the mystery of His incarnation, the doing of which is the recapitulation of all things in himself. He remained therefore, also, after His incarnation, according to nature, God infinite, and more, having the activity proper and suitable to Himself,-an activity growing out of His divinity essentially, and manifested through His perfectly holy flesh by wondrous acts economically, to the intent that He might be believed in as God, while working out of Himself by the flesh, which by nature is weak, the salvation of the universe.”

“Heavenly things, he means to say, had been severed from earthly. They had no longer one Head. So far indeed as the system of the creation went, there was over all One God, but so far as management of one household went, this, amid the wide spread of Gentile error, was not the case, but they had been severed from His obedience. "Unto a dispensation," saith he, "of the fulness of the times." The fulness of the times, he calls it. Observe with what nicety he speaks. And whereas he points out the origination, the purpose, the will, the first intention, as proceeding from the Father, and the fulfillment and execution as effected by the agency of the Son, yet no where does he apply to him the term minister. "He chose us," saith he, "in Him, having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself;" and, "to the praise of the glory of His grace, in whom we have redemption through His blood,-which He purposed in Him, unto a dispensation of the fulness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ;" and no where hath he called Him minister. If however the word "in" and the word "by" implies a mere minister, look what the matter comes to. Just in the very beginning of the Epistle, he used the expression "through the will of the Father." The Father, he means, willed, the Son wrought. But neither does it follow, that because the Father willed, the Son is excluded from the willing; nor because the Son wrought, that the Father is deprived of the working. But to the Father and the Son, all things are common. "For all Mine are Thine," saith He, "and Thine are Mine." The fullness of the times, however, was His coming. After, then, He had done everything, by the ministry both of Angels, and of Prophets, and of the Law, and nothing came of it, and it was well nigh come to this, that man had been made in vain, brought into the world in vain, nay, rather to his ruin; when all were absolutely perishing, more fearfully than in the deluge, He devised this dispensation, that is by grace; that it might not be in vain, might not be to no purpose that man was created. This he calls "the fulness of the times," and "wisdom." And why so? Because at that time when they were on the very point of perishing, then they were rescued. That "He might sum up" he saith. What is the meaning of this word, "sum up?" It is "to knit together." Let us, however, endeavor to get near the exact import. With ourselves then, in common conversation, the word means the summing into a brief compass things spoken at length, the concise account of matters described in detail. And it has this meaning. For Christ hath gathered up in Himself the dispensations carried on through a lengthened period, that is to say, He hath cut them short. For "by finishing His word and cutting it short in righteousness." He both comprehended former dispensations, and added others beside. This is the meaning of "summing up." It has also another signification; and of what nature is this? He hath set over all one and the same Head, i.e., Christ according to the flesh, alike over Angels and men. That is to say, He hath given to Angels and men one and the same government; to the one the Incarnate, to the other God the Word. Just as one might say of a house which has some part decayed and the other sound, He hath rebuilt the house, that is to say, He has made it stronger, and laid a firmer foundation. So also here He hath brought all under one and the same Head. For thus will an union be effected, thus will a close bond be effected, if one and all can be brought under one and the same Head, and thus have some constraining bond of union from above. Honored then as we are with so great a blessing, so high a privilege, so great loving-kindness, let us not shame our Benefactor, let us not render in vain so great grace. Let us exemplify the life of Angels, the virtue of Angels, the conversation of Angels, yea, I entreat and conjure you, that all these things turn not to our judgment, nor to our condemnation, but to our enjoyment of those good things, which may God grant we may all attain, in Christ Jesus, our Lord, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Ghost, be glory, strength, etc.”

“the whole world has its circumscription in man, because man, as has been frequently stated, is the bond which holds all the world together. When man, therefore, rose again on the same night of the Lord's day, incorruptible and immortal and unchangeable, he gave a pledge to the whole creation visible and invisible that it would obtain like benefits. Wherefore the Apostle saith: To sum up all things in the Christ, both the things that are in heaven and that are in the earth; and: If any one be in Christ he is a new creature. Old things are passed away, behold all things have become new”

“As much as Adam's sin had never tainted Him, we are then truly renewed in Christ. We therefore are cleansed through Christ; His very being is incorruptible, even though He came into corruption, His is eternal, even though He died, and from paradise He came, and left paradise for us. These things proceed from God, therefore to summarize and repeat, and truly on behalf of the Only-Begotten Son of Man, if He has destroyed death, and destroyed corruption, and sin He has cast out, we can truly be born again in Christ. This One, therefore, is in the heavens; This One had the means; for the world's sorrow was great and unceasing, and His message of redemption was for sinners, and by Him being cursed. And I declare it was truly said of the Lord "Grace is born of heaven and comes upon the repentant sinner." It is said, therefore, that when the Lord came, that the whole earth came to life, and the very heavens themselves, that the sorrow of the angels came to and end, and the anguish of mankind went away. It was upon them that God's grace first touched, and healed!”

“Having set forth the benefits conferred commonly on all, here the Apostle sets forth the benefits conferred specially on the apostles. Now this part is divided into two, because first he sets forth the benefits conferred singularly on the apostles; second he shows their cause, at the place in whom we also were called by lot, etc. Concerning the first he does three things: first he sets forth the singular benefits of the apostles as to the excellence of wisdom; second, as to the special revelation of the hidden mystery, at the place that he might make known, etc.; third he explains what that mystery is, at the place according to the good pleasure, etc. He says therefore first: I say that according to the riches of his grace all the faithful in common, both you and we, have redemption and remission of sins through the blood of Christ; and this grace indeed abounded exceedingly in us, that is, it was more abundant than in others. From which it appears the rashness of those — not to say error — who presume to compare certain saints to the apostles in grace and glory. For it is manifestly clear from these words that the apostles have a greater grace than any other saints, after Christ and the Virgin Mother. But if it should be said that other saints could merit as much as the apostles merited, and consequently have as much grace, it must be said that this would be well argued if grace were given for merits; but if that were so, it would no longer be grace, as it is said in Romans 11:6. And therefore, just as God preordained certain saints to greater dignity, so also he poured into them a more abundant grace — just as he conferred a singular grace upon Christ as man, whom he assumed to unity of person; and upon the glorious Virgin Mary, whom he chose as mother and filled with grace both as to soul and as to body — so also he called the apostles to a singular dignity, and thus endowed them with the privilege of a singular grace; on account of which the Apostle says in Romans 8:23: we ourselves having the firstfruits of the spirit. The Gloss: earlier in time, and more abundant than the rest. It is rash, therefore, to compare any saint to the apostles. The grace of God, therefore, abounded exceedingly in the apostles in all wisdom. For the apostles were set over the Church as shepherds. Jeremiah 3:15: I will give you shepherds according to my heart, and they will feed you with knowledge and doctrine. Now two things pertain to shepherds, namely that they be lofty in the knowledge of divine things, and diligent in the practice of religion. For subjects must be instructed in the faith, and for this wisdom is necessary, which is the knowledge of divine things; and as to this he says in all wisdom. Luke 21:15: I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries will not be able to resist or contradict. Likewise, subjects must be governed in external matters, and for this prudence is necessary; for it directs in temporal things, and as to this he says prudence. Matthew 10:16: be therefore prudent, etc. Thus, then, appears the benefit of the apostles as to the excellence of wisdom. There follows their benefit as to the excellence of revelation, at the place that he might make known the mystery, etc., as if to say: our wisdom is not that we should know the natures of things and the courses of the stars and things of this kind, but is in Christ alone. 1 Corinthians 2:2: for I did not judge myself to know anything among you, except Jesus Christ, etc. Hence here he says that he might make known the mystery, that is, the sacred secret, namely the mystery of the incarnation, which was hidden from the beginning. Now he adds the cause of this hidden mystery, saying of his will. For future effects are not known unless their causes are known, just as we do not know a future eclipse except by knowing its cause. Since, then, the cause of the mystery of the incarnation is the will of God — because on account of the exceeding charity which God had toward men, he willed to become incarnate, John 3:16: for God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son — and the will of God is most hidden, 1 Corinthians 2:11: the things that are of God, no one knows, except the spirit of God — the cause of the incarnation was therefore hidden, except to those to whom God revealed it through the Holy Spirit, as the Apostle says in 1 Corinthians 2:10. He says therefore that he might make known the mystery, that is, the sacred secret, which is a secret precisely because it is of his will. Matthew 11:25: I confess to you, Lord, Father of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them to little ones. Likewise Colossians 1:26: the mystery, which was hidden from ages and generations, but now has been made manifest to his saints, to whom God willed to make known the riches of the glory of this mystery. But what this mystery is, he explains, saying according to the good pleasure, etc. This statement indeed is intricate, and must be construed thus: that he might make known, etc., which mystery indeed is to re-establish all things in Christ, that is, through Christ. All things, I say, which are in the heavens and on the earth. To re-establish, I say, in him, namely Christ, with the dispensation of the fullness of times, and this according to his good pleasure. Here he touches on three things, namely the cause of the mystery, the fittingness of the time, and the usefulness of the mystery. He touches on the cause in a certain way when he says according to the good pleasure. Now although whatever pleases God is good, nevertheless this good pleasure of God is called good by antonomasia, because through it we are led to the perfect enjoyment of goodness. Psalm 146:11: the Lord's good pleasure is upon those who fear him, etc. Romans 12:2: that you may test what is the good, and well-pleasing, and perfect will of God. The fittingness of the time was in the dispensation of the fullness, concerning which it is said in Galatians 4:4: but when the fullness of time came, God sent his Son, made of a woman. Hence the Apostle here excludes a frivolous question, which the gentiles were accustomed to ask. For as it is said in Job 24:1, the times are not hidden from the Almighty; hence, just as he orders and dispenses all things, so also the times, dispensing and adapting them to the effects which he produces according to their fittingness. Now just as times were ordained for the other effects produced by him, so also he preordained from eternity a definite time for the mystery of the incarnation. Which time indeed, according to the Gloss, was after man had been convicted of his folly — before the written law, namely when he worshipped creatures as the Creator, as it is said in Romans 1:22: saying that they were wise, they became fools; and of his powerlessness through the written law, which he was not able to fulfill. So that thus men, not presuming on their own wisdom and virtue, would not despise the coming of Christ, but, as if weak and in a certain way ignorant, would desire Christ more eagerly. And the effect of this mystery is to re-establish all things. For insofar as they were made on account of man, all things are said to be re-established. Amos 9:11: I will raise up the tabernacle of David which has fallen, and I will rebuild the breaches of its walls, and the things that had fallen I will re-establish. All things, I say, which are in the heavens, that is, the angels: not that Christ died for the angels, but because by redeeming man, the ruin of the angels is made whole again. Psalm 109:6: he has filled up ruins, etc. Here the error of Origen must be guarded against, lest through this we believe that the damned angels are to be redeemed by Christ, as he himself imagined. And the things which are on earth, insofar as it pacifies heavenly things with earthly things. Colossians 1:20: making peace through the blood of his cross, whether the things that are on earth, or the things that are in heaven; which is to be understood as to sufficiency, even though not all things are restored as to efficacy.”

“That in the dispensation of the fulness of times,.... Or "according to the dispensation", &c. as the Alexandrian copy reads; the fulness of time appointed by God, and fixed in the prophets; after many times and seasons were elapsed, from the creation of the world; at the most suitable and convenient time, when a new economy or dispensation began, within which all this was to be effected, hereafter mentioned: he might gather together in one all things in Christ; this supposes, that all things were once united together in one; angels and men were united to God by the ties of creation, and were under the same law of nature, and there were peace and friendship between them; and this union was in Christ, as the beginning of the creation of God, in whom all things consist: and it supposes a disunion and scattering of them; as of men from God, and from good angels, which was done by sin; and of Jews and Gentiles from one another; and of one man from another, everyone turning to his own way; and then a gathering of them together again: the word here used signifies to restore, renew, and reduce to a former state; and so the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions render it; and according to this sense, it may seem to have respect to the times of the restitution of all things, the restoration and renovation of the universe; when there will be new heavens and a new earth, and new inhabitants in them: the word is also used to recapitulate, or sum up the heads of a discourse; and according to this sense, it may intend the meeting together, and summing up of all things in Christ, that had been before; as of all the promises and blessings of the covenant; of all the prophecies and promises of the Old Testament; of all the types and shadows, and sacrifices of the former dispensation; yea, all the sins of Old Testament saints, and all the curses of the law, met on him: the word is likewise used for the collection of numbers into one sum total; and Christ is the sum total of elect angels and men; or the whole number of them is in him; God has chosen a certain number of persons unto salvation; these he has put into the hands of Christ, who has a particular and personal knowledge of them; and the exact number of them will be gathered and given by him: once more, it signifies to reduce, or bring under one head; and Christ is an head of eminence and of influence, both to angels and men: and there is a collection of these together in one, in Christ; by virtue of redemption by Christ, and grace from him, there is an entire friendship between elect angels and elect men; they are social worshippers now, and shall share in the same happiness of the vision of God and of Christ hereafter: hence it follows, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in him; by things in heaven are not meant the souls of saints in heaven; though it is true that the souls of departed saints are in heaven; and that the saints in heaven and on earth were gathered together in Christ, and represented by him, when he hung upon the cross; and that they all make up one body, of which Christ is the head; and that they will be all collected together one day; and that their souls which are in heaven, and their bodies which are in the earth, will come together and be reunited, and dwell with Christ for ever; but rather the angels are meant, whose origin is heaven; where they have their residence, and from whence they never fell; and whose employment is in heaven, and of an heavenly nature: and by things on earth, are not intended every creature on earth, animate and inanimate; nor all men, but all elect men, whether Jews or Gentiles, and some of all sorts, ranks, and degrees; whose origin is of the earth, and who are the inhabitants of it: all these angels in heaven, and elect men on earth, are brought together under one head, even in him, in Christ Jesus, and by him; and none but he was able to do it, and none so fit, who is the Creator of all, and is above all; and was typified by Jacob's ladder, which reached heaven and earth, and joined them together, and on which the angels of God ascended and descended.”

“In the dispensation of the fullness of times - Εις οικονομιαν του πληρωματος των καιρων. The word οικονομια, which is the same as our word economy, signifies, as Dr. Macknight has well observed, "the plan which the master of a family, or his steward, has established for the management of the family;" it signifies, also, a plan for the management of any sort of business: and here it means the dispensation of the Gospel, that plan by which God has provided salvation for a lost world; and according to which he intends to gather all believers, both Jews and Gentiles, into one Church under Jesus Christ, their head and governor. See the note on Mat 24:45, where the word and the office are particularly explained. The fullness of times - By this phrase we are to understand either the Gospel dispensation, which is the consummation of all preceding dispensations, and the last that shall be afforded to man; or that advanced state of the world which God saw to be the most proper for the full manifestation of those benevolent purposes which he had formed in himself relative to the salvation of the world by Jesus Christ. That he might gather together in one - Ανακεφαλαιωσασθαι, from ανα, again, and κεφαλαιοω, to reduce to one sum; to add up; to bring different sums together, and fractions of sums, so as to reduce them under one denomination; to recapitulate the principal matters contained in a discourse. Here it means the gathering together both Jews and Gentiles, who have believed in Christ, into one Church and flock. See the preceding note. All things - which are in heaven, and which are on earth - This clause is variously understood: some think, by things in heaven the Jewish state is meant and by things on earth the Christian. The Jews had been long considered a Divine or heavenly people; their doctrine, their government, their constitution, both civil and ecclesiastical, were all Divine or heavenly: as the powers of the heavens, Mat 24:29, Luk 21:26, mean the Jewish rulers in Church and state, it is very possible that the things which are in heaven mean this same state; and as the Gentiles were considered to have nothing Divine or heavenly among them, they may be here intended by the earth, out of the corruption of which they are to be gathered by the preaching of the Gospel. But there are others who imagine that the things in heaven mean the angelical hosts; and the things on earth believers of all nations, who shall all be joined together at last in one assembly to worship God throughout eternity. And some think that the things in heaven mean the saints who died before Christ's advent, and who are not to be made perfect till the resurrection, when the full power and efficacy of Christ shall be seen in raising the bodies of believers and uniting them with their holy souls, to reign in his presence for ever. And some think that, as the Hebrew phrase שמים והארץ shamayim vehaarets, the heavens and the earth, signifies all creatures, the words in the text are to be understood as signifying all mankind, without discrimination of peoples, kindreds, or tongues; Jews, Greeks, or barbarians. All that are saved of all nations, (being saved in the same way, viz. by faith in Christ Jesus, without any distinction of nation or previous condition), and all gathered into one Church or assembly. I believe that the forming one Church out of both Jews and Gentiles is that to which the apostle refers. This agrees with what is said, Eph 2:14-17.”

“In the dispensation of the fulness of times. It may perhaps be translated, at the appointed fulness of time, which is generally expounded to signify at the time decreed from eternity. — To establish (or restore) all things in Christ. [3] The Greek is to recapitulate, or, as the Protestant translation, to gather together all things in Christ; which St. Jerome expounds, by a fulfilling at once in Christ all the ancient figures and prophecies of the former law. (Witham)”

“Translate, "Unto the dispensation of the fulness of the times," that is, "which He purposed in Himself" (Eph 1:9) with a view to the economy of (the gracious administration belonging to) the fulness of the times (Greek, "fit times," "seasons"). More comprehensive than "the fulness of the time" (Gal 4:4). The whole of the Gospel times (plural) is meant, with the benefits to the Church dispensed in them severally and successively. Compare "the ages to come" (Eph 2:7). "The ends of the ages" (Greek, Co1 10:11); "the times (same Greek as here, 'the seasons,' or 'fitly appointed times') of the Gentiles" (Luk 21:24); "the seasons which the Father hath put in His own power" (Act 1:7); "the times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the prophets since the world began" (Act 3:20-21). The coming of Jesus at the first advent, "in the fulness of time," was one of these "times." The descent of the Holy Ghost, "when Pentecost was fully come" (Act 2:1), was another. The testimony given by the apostles to Him "in due time" ("in its own seasons," Greek) (Ti1 2:6) was another. The conversion of the Jews "when the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled," the second coming of Christ, the "restitution of all things," the millennial kingdom, the new heaven and earth, shall be severally instances of "the dispensation of the fulness of the times," that is, "the dispensation of" the Gospel events and benefits belonging to their respective "times," when severally filled up or completed. God the Father, according to His own good pleasure and purpose, is the Dispenser both of the Gospel benefits and of their several fitting times (Act 1:7). gather together in one--Greek, "sum up under one head"; "recapitulate." The "good pleasure which He purposed," was "to sum up all things (Greek, 'THE whole range of things') in Christ (Greek, 'the Christ,' that is, His Christ)" [ALFORD]. God's purpose is to sum up the whole creation in Christ, the Head of angels, with whom He is linked by His invisible nature, and of men with whom He is linked by His humanity; of Jews and Gentiles; of the living and the dead (Eph 3:15); of animate and inanimate creation. Sin has disarranged the creature's relation of subordination to God. God means to gather up all together in Christ; or as Col 1:20 says, "By Him to reconcile all things unto Himself, whether things in earth or things in heaven." ALFORD well says, "The Church of which the apostle here mainly treats, is subordinated to Him in the highest degree of conscious and joyful union; those who are not His spiritually, in mere subjugation, yet consciously; the inferior tribes of creation unconsciously; but objectively, all are summed up in Him."”