Colossians i. 26–28
“Even the mystery which
hath been hid from all ages and generations: but now hath it been
manifested to His saints, to whom God was pleased to make known what is
the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is
Christ in you, the hope of glory: whom we proclaim, admonishing every
man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every
man perfect in Christ.”
said what we have come to, and showed the lovingkindness of God
and the honor, by the greatness of the things given, he introduces yet
another consideration that heightens them, namely, that neither before
us did any one know Him. As he doth also
in the Epistle to the Ephesians, saying, neither Angels, nor
principalities, nor any other created power, but only the Son of God
knew. (Eph. iii. 5, 9, 10.) And he said, not
simply hid, but “quite hid,” and that even if it hath but
now come to pass, yet it is of old, and from the beginning God willed
these things, and they were so planned out; but why, he saith not yet. “From the ages,” from the beginning, as one might say. And with reason he calleth that a mystery, which none knew, save God. And where hid? In Christ; as he saith in the Epistle to the Ephesians (Eph. iii. 9.), or as when the Prophet saith, “From everlasting even to everlasting Thou art.” (Ps. xc. 2.) But now hath been manifested, he saith, “to His saints.” So that it is altogether of the dispensation of God. “But now hath been manifested,” he saith. He saith not, “is come to pass,” but, “hath been manifested to His saints.” So that it is even now still hid, since it hath been manifested to His saints alone.