Meaning of "mystery of His will"?
What does "the mystery of His will" mean in Ephesians 1:9?

Setting the Scene

“ And He has made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:9)


What “mystery” means

• Greek mustērion: not a puzzle for clever people to solve, but a divine secret once hidden, now revealed by God Himself

• Always unveiled on God’s timetable (cf. Romans 16:25-26; Colossians 1:26-27)


Unpacking “the mystery of His will”

• God’s long-concealed plan centers on Christ—His life, death, resurrection, and exaltation

• It brings together:

– Redemption through His blood (Ephesians 1:7)

– Adoption as sons and daughters (1:5)

– Unity of Jews and Gentiles in one body (Ephesians 3:3-6)

– Future cosmic harmony under Christ’s headship (Ephesians 1:10)


Linked Passages that Illuminate the Mystery

Ephesians 3:8-11—“to enlighten everyone about the administration of this mystery… according to the eternal purpose that He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Colossians 1:27—“Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

1 Corinthians 2:7—“We declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.”


Key Features of the Mystery

• Christ-centered: He is both the revealer and the content of the secret

• Grace-driven: made known “according to His good pleasure,” not human merit

• Time-spanning: conceived “before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4) yet revealed “in the fullness of time” (Galatians 4:4)

• All-inclusive: embraces every believer, regardless of ethnicity or background


Practical Implications

• Confidence—God’s plan is not ad-hoc; it was lovingly crafted before history began

• Unity—believers share one body and one future, eliminating barriers (Ephesians 2:14-16)

• Mission—because the mystery is now disclosed, we proclaim it boldly (Colossians 4:3)

• Hope—Christ will ultimately “bring all things in heaven and on earth together in Him” (Ephesians 1:10)


Takeaway Truths

• The “mystery of His will” is God’s age-old plan to redeem and unite all things through Christ.

• What was hidden is now plainly revealed in the gospel.

• Every believer stands as evidence that the mystery is real, active, and unstoppable.

How does Ephesians 1:9 reveal God's purpose for our lives today?
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