Ephesians 1:9 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

The mystery of his will,— St. Paul's so often terming God's purpose of calling the Gentiles a mystery, and so emphatically declaring it to be concealed from ages, and particularly revealed to himself, (as we find in this Epistle, where it is so called five times, and four times in that to the Colossians) cannot be by chance, or without some particular reason. The question was, "Whether the converted Gentiles should hearken to the Jews,—who would persuade them that it was necessary for them to submit to circumcision and the law,—or to St. Paul, who had taught them otherwise?" Now there can be nothing of more force to destroy the authority of the Jews, in this case, than the shewing thatthey knew nothing of the matter;—that it was a perfect mystery to them, concealed from their knowledge, and made manifest in God's good time, at the coming of the Messiah, and particularly discovered to St. Paul by immediate revelation; to be communicated by him to the Gentiles, who therefore had a reason to continue steadfast to this truth, and not to be led away from the gospel which he had taught them. See ch. Ephesians 3:9.