Ephesians 1:9
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And He has made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
"He hath abounded," or "made (grace) to abound toward us" (Eph 1:8), in that He made known to us, namely, experimentally, in our hearts. the mystery--God's purpose of redemption hidden heretofore in His counsels, but now revealed (Eph 6:19; Rom 16:25; Col 1:26-27). This "mystery" is not like the heathen mysteries, which were imparted only to the initiated few. All Christians are the initiated. Only unbelievers are the uninitiated. according to his good pleasure--showing the cause why "He hath made known to us the mystery," namely, His own loving "good pleasure" toward us; also the time and manner of His doing so, are according to His good pleasure. purposed-- (Eph 1:11). in himself--God the Father. BENGEL takes it, "in Him," that is, Christ, as in Eph 1:3-4. But the proper name, "in Christ," Eph 1:10, immediately after, is inconsistent with His being here meant by the pronoun.
Open source ↗In this chapter we have, I. The introduction to the whole epistle, which is much the same as in others (Eph 1:1, Eph 1:2). II. The apostle's thanksgivings and praises to God for his inestimable blessings bestowed on the believing Ephesians (Eph 1:3-14). III. His earnest prayers to God in their behalf (Eph 1:15-23). This great apostle was wont to abound in prayers and in thanksgivings to almighty God, which he generally so disposes and orders that at the same time they carry with them and convey the great and important doctrines of the Christian religion, and the most weighty instructions to all those who seriously peruse them.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began.
In Him we were also chosen as God’s own, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything by the counsel of His will,
I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.
And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.
according to the eternal purpose that He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
By common confession, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was proclaimed among the nations, was believed in throughout the world, was taken up in glory.
to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not rush to consult with flesh and blood,
He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.
When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord, and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.
He was delivered up by God’s set plan and foreknowledge, and you, by the hands of the lawless, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross.