Ephesians 3:4-6 Whereby, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)… I. ITS BEARING ON THE DIVINE CHARACTER. We must bear in mind — 1. That it was a reserve of grace. What belongs to grace can never be demanded by justice. 2. That the proper appreciation of Divine grace required a preliminary education of the race. 3. That the Author of universal salvation could alone judge of the fitting time for declaring it. 4. Although new in manifestation, God's saving purpose was eternal. II. ITS JUSTIFICATION BY RESULTS. Religious exclusiveness, race hatred, etc., had done their work, and men were weary of the evils they entailed. A distinctly new interest and attraction was given to the gospel by this element in its proclamations. By the very contradiction and dishonour to human nature which had accrued from their rivalries and contempts, men were enabled to appreciate the grandeur and blessing of a universal religion, given, not in word merely, but in a distinctly new experience, to man as man. And to all who heard it it came with a peculiar authority from the very fact that it had not grown out of experience or speculation as a word of man, but had had to be revealed as the word of God. (A. F. Muir, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)WEB: by which, when you read, you can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ; |
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