What is the "mystery of His will" mentioned in Ephesians 1:9? Definition of Key Terms The Greek term translated “mystery” is mystērion—something once hidden that God must disclose (cf. Daniel 2:28 LXX). “Will” renders thelēma, God’s settled, purposeful desire. Thus, “the mystery of His will” (Ephesians 1:9) is the formerly concealed, now-revealed, redemptive program proceeding from God’s deliberate intention. Immediate Literary Context Paul writes from prison (Acts 28) to predominantly Gentile believers in Ephesus. Verses 3-14 form a single 202-word Greek sentence praising the Father (vv. 3-6), the Son (vv. 7-12), and the Spirit (vv. 13-14). Verse 9 sits in the Christ-centered portion: “He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ” (Ephesians 1:9). The next verse defines the mystery’s content: “to bring all things in heaven and on earth together in Christ” (v. 10), reiterating in 3:6 that “the Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” . Old Testament Foreshadowing Genesis 12:3 promised Abraham that “all families of the earth shall be blessed.” Isaiah 49:6 foretold a Servant who would be “a light for the Gentiles.” Yet the mechanics remained veiled. Daniel saw “a kingdom that shall never be destroyed” (Daniel 2:44-45), but the timing and manner awaited disclosure. Christological Fulfillment In Christ’s incarnation, crucifixion, and bodily resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-8), the concealed plan became historical fact. First-generation creedal material, dated by most scholars to within five years of the cross (Habermas & Licona, 2004), testifies that Jesus rose and appeared, validating His messianic identity and unlocking the mystery: reconciliation by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). Jew-Gentile Unity and Cosmic Reconciliation The mystery functions on two axes: horizontal (Jew-Gentile) and vertical (heaven-earth). Horizontally, the dividing wall (literal in Herod’s Temple and metaphorical in the Law) is torn down (Ephesians 2:14). Vertically, all creation—“things in heaven and things on earth”—will be summed up under Christ’s headship (1:10; Colossians 1:20). Archaeological confirmation of first-century Gentile inclusion appears in the inscription at Delos naming a “synagogue of the Most High” attended by proselytes, and in the Ephesian inscription where a Gentile benefactor donated to a Torah-reading community, illustrating a transitional period now completed in the gospel. Eschatological Consummation The phrase “administration of the fullness of times” (Ephesians 1:10) points forward. Just as a household steward (oikonomos) executes the master’s agenda, so God will consummate history in Christ’s return (Revelation 11:15). A young-earth timeline (c. 4000 BC creation; Ussher, 1650) compresses human history into a brief prologue before this climactic restoration, underscoring the urgency of the gospel. Summary “The mystery of His will” is God’s once-hidden, now-revealed plan to effect cosmic, covenantal, and communal unity under the lordship of Jesus Christ—accomplished through His death and resurrection, embracing Jew and Gentile alike, and awaiting full realization at His return. The manuscript tradition preserves the phrase with remarkable fidelity; archaeology, fulfilled prophecy, and the evidence for the resurrection corroborate its truth; and the observable design of creation echoes its purposeful Author. To comprehend the mystery is to enter it by faith, glorifying God and enjoying Him forever. |
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