Lexical Summary polupoikilos: Manifold, multifaceted, diverse Original Word: πολυποίκιλος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance manifold. From polus and poikilos; much variegated, i.e. Multifarious -- manifold. see GREEK polus see GREEK poikilos HELPS Word-studies 4182 polypoíkilos (an adjective, derived from 4183 /polýs, "much in number, many" and 4164 /poikílos, "many diverse manifestations") – properly, ultra-diverse, with multitudinous expressions (facets). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom polus and poikilos Definition of differing colors NASB Translation manifold (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4182: πολυποίκιλοςπολυποίκιλος, πολυποικιλον (πολύς and ποικίλος); 1. much-variegated; marked with a great variety of colors: of cloth or a painting; φαρεα, Euripides, Iph. T. 1149; στέφανον πολυποικιλον ἀνθεων, Eubulus ap Athen. 15, p. 679 d. 2. much varied, manifold: σοφία τοῦ Θεοῦ, manifesting itself in a great variety of forms, Ephesians 3:10; Theophil. ad Autol. 1, 6; ὀργή, Sibylline Oracles 8, 411; λόγος, the Orphica, hymn. 61, 4, and by other writings with other nouns. πολυποίκιλος highlights divine wisdom as endlessly rich, intricately varied, and harmoniously integrated. The word evokes a tapestry woven with countless hues, implying not mere diversity for its own sake but an overarching unity in God’s redemptive design. New Testament Usage: Ephesians 3:10 Ephesians 3:10 is the sole occurrence: “so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms”. Paul situates the term within a cosmic disclosure that spans heaven and earth, placing the church at the center of God’s revelatory plan. The Manifold Wisdom of God 1. Christ-centered: The immediately preceding verse speaks of “the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things.” The unveiling of this mystery through Christ frames the “manifold wisdom” as inseparable from the gospel. Relationship to Old Testament Revelations The variegated character of divine wisdom was foreshadowed in: These earlier glimpses reach fullness only after the resurrection, when the church becomes the living exhibition of God’s intricate plan. Implications for Ecclesiology 1. The church as theatre: The congregation, not angels, speaks; angels observe. God places redeemed people on display to demonstrate His wisdom. Missional and Evangelistic Dimensions Each culture reached by the gospel adds another “thread” to the tapestry, showing that God’s wisdom functions cross-culturally without loss of coherence. Evangelism is therefore more than rescue from judgment; it is the expansion of the church’s role as a cosmic testimony. Pastoral and Devotional Applications • Assurance: Believers resting in a wisdom that already accounts for every trial (Romans 8:28). Historical Reception Early fathers (e.g., Chrysostom) marveled that fallen humanity could educate angels. The Reformers appealed to the text to emphasize that God alone ordains the means (Scripture and church) by which His wisdom is manifest. Modern missions movements cite Ephesians 3:10 as warrant for cross-cultural engagement. Doctrinal Connections • Trinitarian harmony: The Father designs, the Son accomplishes, the Spirit applies manifold wisdom. Summary πολυποίκιλος in Ephesians 3:10 portrays divine wisdom as unimaginably rich, displayed through the church to the universe. Every era, culture, and believer adds depth and color to that display, proving that God’s redemptive plan is exhaustive yet unified, personal yet cosmic, temporal yet eternal. |
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