Eph 1:9 "Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself . . ." (Eph 1:9
THE MYSTERY OF HIS WILL MADE KNOWN
Unlike human purposes and determinations, the work of God, particularly as it regards the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory" (2 Tim 2:10), is known within the greater context of the knowledge of God Himself. In fact, if God is not known, it is difficult, if not altogether impossible, to understand His salvation, why it is structured the way it is, and why He requires certain involvements of those desiring to partake of that salvation. It is most unfortunate that this is not generally known, and it is not apt to be known if one insists on exposing themselves to the kind of preaching and teaching that prevails in our time. It is true that at the beginning of new creatureship there is a minimal amount of understanding concerning the nature and will of God. During that beginning stage we are simply to do what we are told, without doubting or questioning. This is confirmed by the conversions recorded in the book of Acts. The direction of earnest inquiries was relatively simplistic: "Repent and be baptized" (Acts 2:38); "Why tarriest thou, arise and be baptized, washing away thy sins, calling upon the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16); "If thou believest thou mayest" [be baptized] (Acts 8:37); "And he commanded them to be baptized" (Acts 10:48); "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:31). However, growing up into Christ in all things (Eph 4:15), growing "in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Pet 3:18), "perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord" (2 Cor 7:1), and being conformed to the image of Christ (Rom 8:29) will require some precise knowledge of God and His ways. A common error of our times is thinking that conformity to Christ takes place by responding to Divine requirements. It is not ordinarily associated with knowledge (Eph 1:17), comprehending (Eph 3:18), and understanding (Col 1:9). One of the primary ministries of Jesus to His people is giving us an "understanding, that we might know Him that is true" (1 John 5:20). What Paul is doing in this passage is bringing to the people a more thorough acquaintance with God Himself, and how His Person is revealed in the totality of our salvation. Once believers begin to comprehend what Paul is here teaching, they will obtain an understanding that will guarantee their growth in Christ, their successful navigation through this world, and their safe arrival in glory. This objective accounts for his fervent teaching.
HAVING MADE KNOWN UNTO US
Eph 1:9a "Having made known unto us . . ."
God has conducted Himself in strict keeping with His own character and purpose. In the development, revelation of, and carrying out of His great salvation, He has never conducted Himself out of character or departed from who He is. Put more simply, when God provided coats of skin for Adam and Eve, it was a perfect expression of His nature. When He promised a coming Seed who would crush the serpents head, He was being Himself. When Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden, God acted in strict accord with His character. The same may be said of His cursing of Cain, the sending of the flood, the dispersion at Babel, the calling of, and promises to Abraham, and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. God acted in precise accord with His unchanging character. Grace, for instance, does not mean that God departs from His fundamental character. Grace is the expression of His character, and His final wrath poured out upon the ungodly is also. The cutting off of some of Israel, the grafting in of some of the Gentiles, and the merging of the two in Christ Jesus are all expressions of the Divine nature.
HAVING. Other versions read, "He has," NRSV "making," ASV "that He might," DOUAY "When He," GWN "He did this," NET "God has," NLT "when," WEYMOUTH "God did," GNB "letting us in on." MESSAGE
This is an elaboration of the expression, "Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence" (1:8). That is, the means through which God abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence took place when the subject of this verse was "made known" to us.
To put it another way, the magnitude of His great salvation was discerned when what follows was made known to us. This is something that occurred in the past. To put it more precisely; it began taking place in the past. A certain unfolding of Himself began to take place when we heard and embraced the Gospel of His grace. That message, coupled with our faith opened the fountain of spiritual understanding.
MADE KNOWN. There are at least two ways a person can view the Gospel of Christ, God's power unto salvation (Rom 1:16). It can be seen as a message that informs of what is required for us to come out from under the domination of sin. There certainly is a sense in which this is true. However, this kind of knowledge is not sufficient to enable a person to fight the good fight of faith and lay hold on eternal life. There is something that must be "known" - for anything that God makes known must be apprehended by the ones to whom it is being made known.
Something that God makes known can be known in no other way. Such things can not be discovered by human searching. Purported scholarship cannot muse upon the truth and arrive at a knowledge of something that only God can make known. For example, he Jews had the facts concerning the Messiah recorded in their Scriptures. They also were confronted with the Messiah Himself, who went about among them, doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil. Yet, when the chiefest among them was confronted with the living Christ, they knew Him not. Thus it is written, "Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory" (1 Cor 2:8). These "princes" included high priests, scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, governors, emperors, key Jews, and key Gentiles. They proceeded in their diabolical deed because of what they did NOT know - even though they had been confronted with the Evidence.
This is the first of five references in Ephesians that speak of God having made something known (1:9; 3:3.5; 6:19,21). The matter that was made known did not pertain to things unique to this world. God did not major on revealing matters pertaining to the governments of the world, unless it touched upon His own purpose.
UNTO US. Every version states clearly that the thing made known was to "us." To whom, does this refer? The word "us" is used seventeen times in the epistle to the Ephesians. God has "blessed us" (1:3), "chosen us" (1:4), "predestinated us" (1:5), "made us accepted" (1:6), "abounded toward us" (1:7), and now "made known unto us" (1:9). He will also affirm that God's power is "to us-ward" (1:19), that God "loved us" (2:4), "quickened us" (2:5), "raised us" (2:6), will show "the exceeding riches of His kindness toward us" (2:7), removed "the middle wall of partition between us" [Jews and Gentiles] (2:14), His might power works "in us" (3:20), "every one of us is given grace" (4:7), and "Christ also hath loved us" (6:2).
Can there be any question about the identity of "us?" This is referring to those who are "in Christ." who are the "household of God," the "brethren" of Jesus, and "the sons of God." What has been revealed, is for "the whole family" of God (Eph 3:15). If, as with Paul, it is something revealed to him, it was made known for the whole house. None of the redeemed are excluded in the dispensing of what God has made known. No leader within the body of Christ who fails to make these things known is bringing honor to God, or doing the work that has been assigned to him. Knowing what has been made known by God is part and parcel of knowing God Himself, for He is chiefly made known in the revelation of what He has purposed to do. When we know such things, we will be able to evaluate whether or not we are accepted by Him.
THE MYSTERY OF HIS WILL
1:9b " . . . the mystery of His will . . ." Other versions read, "secret of His purpose," BBE His secret plan," CJB "mystery of His plan," GWN "mystery of His pleasure," MRD "secret of His will," NET "mystery of His purpose," NJB "His mysterious plan," NLT "His secret reason for sending Christ," LIVING "the secret of what He wanted," IE "the secret purpose of His will," MONTGOMERY "His own mysterious ways," CEV and "the mystery (secret) of His will (of His plan, of His purpose)." AMPLIFIED
"THE MYSTERY." There are a number of references to "the mystery."
As used in the above text, "the mystery" refers to something that has been hidden from previous ages and generations, but is now revealed through Jesus Christ. It is not a mystery that can be unraveled by reading through the prophets, and deciphering the words of Jesus. It is something that has to be made known by God to men. In this case, it was revealed to Paul, who, in turn, made it known to the household of God. The exposition of this mystery is what makes Paul's writings unique. Having received this marvelous revelation, Paul, whom Jesus considered "faithful" (1 Tim 1:12), dispensed what he had been given to see, doing so zealously and faithfully.
"OF HIS WILL." Jesus spoke of "the mysteries of the Kingdom" (Mk 4:11). Elsewhere Paul wrote of "the mystery of Christ" (Eph 3:4; Col 4:3), the "mystery of the Gospel" (Eph 6:19), the "mystery of God the Father and of Christ" (Col 2:2), "the mystery of the faith" (1 Tim 3:9), and the "mystery of godliness" (1 Tim 3:16). That means there are things about "the Kingdom," "Christ," the "Gospel," "God the Father and Christ," "the faith," and "godliness" that cannot be discovered by research or study. This is why men can study earnestly for years, yet missing key aspects of the Truth as it is in Christ Jesus. God has so arranged the Kingdom that those who are novices cannot see the deeper things. They are hidden from the casual and disinterested. Flesh raises an impenetrable wall between the individual and the "mysteries" mentioned above. Jesus thanked God that it is this way: "I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes" (Matt 11:25). Luke says that at that time Jesus rejoiced: "In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight" (Luke 10:21).
The "mystery" under consideration has particularly to do with God's will: "the mystery of His will." This is the "will" that determines what the Lord does (Eph 1:11). What is it that God wills, or desires, to do? That is a subject over which the Christian world is divided. Some say His basic will is to give people what they want. Others, that it is the conversion of souls. Still others see His will as His people walking in an orderly manner. Some think it is to help the poor. Others that it is to see solid families developed.
This is God's will at the foundational level. His desire that we be a holy people is based upon "the mystery of His will." The conversion of souls, assisting needy, and having godly families are all founded upon this deeper aspect of God's will. This is the purpose that drives salvation itself. The promises are founded upon it. Spiritual gifts flow from this as well.
This will is what Paul is going to open up in the letter to the Ephesians. Already he has touched upon some of the facets of this marvelous will. It involved blessing us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places. It is what compelled Him to chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, predestinate us to be sons, and make us accepted in the Beloved. There is a lofty purpose that has driven all of this, and that is what has not been revealed, or made known.
ACCORDING TO THE GOOD PLEASURE OF HIS WILL
1:9c " . . . , according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself . . ." When we talk about the will of God, it is important that we know what moves God to want to do something. Here it is spelled out for us.
ACCORDING TO. What follows is the source out of which God's "will" comes to light. It has to do with what pleases Him, and what He purposes to do. When it comes to what God does, especially in the Lord Jesus Christ, it is what He wants to do, which perfectly accords with what pleases Him, what He has purposed in Himself, and who He is. God will not act in contradiction of these things: His will, His good pleasure, and what He has purposed in Himself.
HIS GOOD PLEASURE. Other versions read, "kind intention," NASB "according to His purpose," RSV "in agreement with the design," BBE "In accord with His favor," NAB and "merciful intention." AMPLIFIED The words "good pleasure" are translated from a single word that means, "in particular, good-will, kindly intent, benevolence . . . delight, pleasure, satisfaction." THAYER
God's intentions are not to damn people - although some will be damned (Mk 16:6; 2 Thess 2:12). In the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, God is revealing His grace. He is not basically revealing His wrath, although that is involved (Rom 1:17). When it comes to what was done to Jesus, God's wrath was made known. Having laid on Him the iniquities of us all (Isa 53:6), His own sword was awakened against Christ, His "Shepherd" and His "Fellow" (Zech 13:7). Indeed, in the flesh of Jesus God "condemned sin in the flesh" (Rom 8:3), making Him "to be sin for us" (2 Cor 5:21), then making Him a curse because of it (Gal 3:13).
But let it be clear, from the viewpoint of our text, the driving objective of God was not to smite Jesus, curse Him, and awaken His sword against Him. That was a means to an end, but was not the end itself.
What are the implications of this truth? It is that our primary purpose for embracing Christ is not to escape condemnation, although that is involved, for we have "fled to Him for refuge" - but it was not to escape condemnation, but to "lay hold upon the hope set before us" (Heb 6:18). There is a "wrath to come," to be sure, and we aim to flee from it by coming to Christ (Lk 3:7). However, that is not all that is coming. There is coming a time when the saints will be like their Savior (1 John 3:2). There is coming a time when the saints "will take the Kingdom" (Dan 7:18,22,25). There is coming a time when an abundant "entrance" shall be ministered to those in Jesus (2 Pet 1:11). There is also coming a time when the saints will receive praise from God (1 Cor 4:5), and "inherit the Kingdom" prepared for them from the foundation of the world (Matt 25:34). The time is coming when the saints will judge the world, judge angels, and inherit the earth (1 Cor 6:2-3; Matt 5:5). All of these are aspects of the expression of God's "good pleasure." He takes great delight in conferring these benefits upon those who believe the record He has given of His Son.
The need for knowing these things is seen in the fact that lower motives will not sustain the soul. There is a view running about among believers that sees God as well pleased because they manage not to be immoral or harmful. This is driven by a Law mentality. On the surface, it appears to be wholly right, but it actually obscures the good things God has determined for His people. You will not find one person so motivated that rejoices in the Person of God, or finds great delight in obtaining the "spiritual blessings" that are hidden in the heavenly places. Such people rarely, if ever speak of the Father praising them, or reigning with Christ, or being made acceptable in the Beloved. They do not know much about God's "good pleasure." This is because God has purposefully hidden these things from those who do not rejoice in Christ Jesus.
PURPOSED IN HIMSELF. Other versions read, "purposed in Christ," NIV "set forth in Christ," NRSV "the design which He had in mind, to put into His hands," BBE "that He planned in Him," CSB and "He had before determined in himself to accomplish." MRD
The intent of the verse does not appear to be the means by which God would carry out His purpose - "in Christ" - but the fact that He determined this plan Himself. First He determined what He would accomplish, then the means through which it would be accomplished. Therefore, when Jesus thanked God for hiding these things from the wise and prudent, but revealing them to babes, He added, "for so it seemed good in Thy sight" (Matt 11:26).
Thus the objective, according to God's purpose, is said to be the conformation of the [predestinated ones (Rom 8:28-29). The purpose of God is also said to stand "according to election" - what it pleased the Lord to do (Rom 9:11). Even our "calling "was "not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began" (2 Tim 1:9). As soon as men become self-centered and self-serving, they are outside of God's will, and at variance with His purpose. However, when they seek to prove and know "what is the good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God" (Rom 12:2), they are standing in the center of God's will, and will surely be blessed by Him.