Ephesians 1:9,10 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Having made known to us By his Word and Spirit; the mystery of his will The gracious scheme of salvation by faith, the appointment of which depended on his sovereign will alone; termed a mystery, because it was but darkly revealed under the law, is now totally hid from unbelievers, and has heights and depths in it which surpass all the knowledge even of true believers. “The whole doctrine of the gospel, taken complexly, is called the wisdom of God in a mystery, 1 Corinthians 2:7; not because any part of it is unintelligible, but for the reasons mentioned in the note on that verse.” “The same appellation is given to particular discoveries made in the gospel. For example, the salvation of the Gentiles through faith, without obedience to the law of Moses, is called a mystery. Romans 11:25; Romans 16:25. So likewise is the great discovery, that such of the saints as are alive on the earth at the coming of Christ, shall not die, but be changed, 1 Corinthians 15:51; and 2 Thessalonians 2:7, we have the mystery of iniquity; and Revelation 1:20, the mystery of the seven stars; and Revelation 10:7, the mystery of God; and Revelation 17:5; Revelation 17:7, mystery, Babylon, the woman, the beast, and the false prophet. To this latter group, the appellation of mystery is given with singular propriety. For as the initiated [into the heathen mysteries] were instructed by having certain mystic shows set before them, the visions in the Revelation of the seven stars, and of the woman, and the beast, and the false prophet, representing the future state of the church, are all very aptly termed mysteries.” That in the dispensation of the fulness of times When that time was fully come, which he, in his wise appointment and distribution of things, had judged most suitable and eligible; or in this last administration of his fullest grace, in which all the former dispensations terminated, which took place at the time most proper for it. “The word οικονομια, here rendered dispensation, signifies the plan which the master of a family, or his steward, has established for the management of the family. Also it signifies a plan formed for the management of any sort of business. In this passage it signifies the plan which God had formed for accomplishing the salvation of believers.” Macknight. He might gather together in one Greek, ανακεφαλαιωσασθαι, he might recapitulate, or unite again under one head; all things in Christ All persons, whether angels or men, whether living or dead, with all things that are connected with or concern them; both in heaven and on earth This is considered by some as a Jewish phrase, to express the whole world; and Locke thinks it may be equivalent to Jews and Gentiles, which is the meaning adopted also by Macknight, who says, “According to this interpretation, the gathering of all things under Christ, means both the forming of believing Jews and Gentiles into one catholic church, and the bringing of them both into the heavenly country through the mediation of Christ.” Beza, by things in heaven, understands the saints in heaven, who died before Christ came into the world, and who are not to be made perfect till the resurrection. But the interpretation adopted by Whitby, Chandler, Doddridge, Wesley, and many others, seems more probable, namely, that by things in heaven, both in this passage and Colossians 1:20, the angelical hosts are to be understood; and by things on earth, believers of all nations, who, with the angels, shall at length be joined in one great society, or church, for the purpose of worshipping God through all eternity, agreeably to Hebrews 12:22. “Both angels and men were at first in sweet and harmonious subjection to the Son of God, the great Creator of both; but man having broken himself off from this society, the Son of man, by his humiliation and sufferings, recovers all who believe in him, and in his human nature presides over the kingdom to which, in the world of glory, they and his angels belong. This interpretation presents so noble a view, that no other will bear a comparison.” Doddridge.