Ephesians 3:10Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Listen to what the angel says to Joseph: "You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins" (Mt 1:21). He, Paul, was sent to the Gentiles, while the others were sent to the circumcised. Therefore his words are especially wonderful and striking: "To me, the least, was given." Yet this too was the work of grace: that the greatest truths were entrusted to the least, and that he became their herald. For whoever becomes herald of the greatest things thereby becomes great himself. "To preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ." If Christ's riches remain unsearchable even after His manifestation, much more unsearchable is His essence. If even now there is still a mystery here, much more was there a mystery before they came to know it. You call this wealth of Christ's love a mystery because it was known neither to angels nor to anyone else.

Since He created all things by His will alone, they recognized Him as powerful. Since He preserved all things by His wise providence, they considered Him a wise Provider. There is nothing manifold in this, that one thing existed and another He made. But after the Incarnation of God the Word, the opposite arises from the opposite: from death, life; from weakness, power; from dishonor, glory; and from everything seemingly low, what is fitting and noble. In this way the manifold wisdom and power of God became known to the heavenly powers. For when we came to know, they also came to know through us, seeing what good things the Church had been counted worthy to receive, and through her coming to knowledge.

This wisdom had once been appointed according to the purpose of the ancient ages, and now appears fulfilled in Christ. If the manifold wisdom of God, now revealed through the Church, was unknown to the Principalities and Powers in the heavens, by whom we must understand the holy ministers of God, then how much more was it unknown to the patriarchs and prophets.

Some, however, understand here the prince of the air and his angels. Of the patriarchs and prophets we have said above that they knew the mystery of Christ in a certain measure, but not as the Apostles knew it.

Therefore the wisdom of God, which is called by the Greek word polupoikilaj, and is, so to speak, manifold, has now been revealed through the Church of God to the Principalities and Powers. From of old God appointed it in His thought to be. Now, from what we see, we recognize that it has been perfected.

Thus the Cross of Christ was profitable not only for us, but also for the Angels and all the heavenly powers. It revealed the mystery which they did not know. Finally, they marvel at the Lord returning to heaven with His body and say, "Who is this who comes up from Edom, His garments red from Bozrah? Is this He who is majestic in shining apparel?" (Is 63:1). Elsewhere they say, "Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory" (Ps 23:10).

Therefore let us not think that in the Church there is only simple faith. The many-parted and manifold wisdom of God is marked not only by difference, but also by great variety. You look upon the cradle of Christ; look also upon heaven. You contemplate the Infant weeping in the manger; attend also to the Angels singing praises.

Herod raises persecution, but the Magi offer worship (Mt 2). The Pharisees remain ignorant, but the star reveals Him. He receives baptism from a servant, but the voice of God sounds from above (Mt 3). He is immersed in the waters, but the dove descends from heaven, the Spirit in the form of a dove (Mt 3:16).

He goes to His sufferings and fears the sufferings, wishing the cup to pass from Him. Yet He rebukes Peter because he fears the cup of sufferings. What is wiser than this seeming foolishness? What is clearer than this variety? What is more mysterious than this wisdom, which He wrought in Christ Jesus our Lord?

According to the thought of very many interpreters, on the basis of the sequence and connection of the discourse, this passage can be understood in relation to the creation of the Church and to the purpose, proqesij. In Latin we rendered this with the neuter word determination.

Yet the wisdom that was in Christ is indicated here chiefly before anything else, because "the foolishness of God is wiser than men" (1 Cor 1:25). Therefore, if according to the mystical meaning wisdom was in Christ, the Arians boast in vain that this testimony favors them.

They claim that Wisdom was created at the beginning of God's ways, was begotten, and received a beginning. But according to their own thought, She was created and could not have been begotten. If She was begotten, how is it said that She was created and received a beginning?

He may also mean that so many signs and promises were granted, including forgiveness of sins and the promise of the Kingdom of Heaven. Eternal life, glory, co-inheritance with Christ, His resurrection after death, His death itself, and the rest all make up the manifold wisdom of God. Compare: "Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God" (1 Cor 1:24).

One may ask where Saint Paul is leading this whole discourse, and why he speaks at length about the hiddenness of the mystery of the calling of the Gentiles, now only revealed. He does this to dispose the Ephesians more strongly to keep firm remembrance of this mystery, so precious for them. For this reason he said at the beginning of his discourse on it: "remember" (Eph 2:11). With the same aim, he also sets forth this special point: the preaching of this mystery has been entrusted chiefly to him, Paul, and for its sake he suffers and endures bonds (Eph 3:1). What followed from this? The Lord suffered in order to break down the dividing wall and bring you near. The one who called you to participation in this is in bonds. Will you remain inattentive to this, and will you not remember it? Such is the content and meaning of the first thirteen verses of chapter three (Bishop Theophan).

Then he exclaims: "If the angels did not know this and things like it, what is surprising if they did not know the wealth of Christ's love as it was revealed through the gospel?" To this Bishop Theophan adds: "The angels too are now brought into the restored union. It is the most exalted and sweetest object of contemplation for them, since they have for the first time shared in it and beheld it. In this lies the end of the redemptive actions of the God-man. In it the mystery of God's governance of the world is resolved, and the purpose of the creation of the world is attained." "See how great is what has been done for you, O Gentiles. Heaven and earth have been set in motion. Angelic minds are enlightened, delighted, and amazed by the contemplation of it. Therefore remember." Saint Chrysostom asks: "Why are Paul's tribulations the glory of the Ephesians?" He answers: "Because God so loved them that He gave His Only-begotten Son, and delivered the Apostles over to suffering. So great is God's love for them."

Elsewhere the same Apostle speaks of the great mystery of piety, that God was manifested in the flesh. Among its marks of majesty he also places this: He "was seen by Angels." This comes after "preached among the Gentiles" and "received up in glory" (1 Tim 3:16).

The Angels beheld the Head of the Church in all the glory of the God-manhood when He sat down at the right hand of the Father. Then He began to draw all things to Himself, both earthly and heavenly. Then the manifold wisdom of God was revealed to them, in the ordering of the Church and in the recapitulation of all things in Christ.

The Apostle Peter also testifies that not only the prophets searched deeply into the mystery of the salvation of all in the Lord. They wished to clarify its hidden aspects for themselves. Even the Angels desire to look into it (1 Pet 1:12).

Not everything was clearly known even to them, even after it had already been brought to fulfillment. Rather, it aroused their amazement at the manifold wisdom of God. This wisdom is made known to them not by the preaching of a word among them on behalf of the Church, but by the very ordering of the Church.

They see how the Church is ordered and how all things are reunited in the Lord, who is seated at the right hand of the Father. In this they understand the manifold wisdom of God. Theodoret writes: "The invisible powers did not know this mystery, but through the divine economy of the Church they learned the ineffable wisdom of God."

"Let it be," says Chrysostom, "that this was not revealed to men. But do you enlighten Angels, Archangels, Principalities, and Powers? I do enlighten them, he says. For this wisdom was hidden in God, in God who created all things through Jesus Christ. And do you dare to say this? Yes, I dare, he says. But how was this made known to the Angels? Through the Church. And he did not simply say, 'that the diverse wisdom of God might be made known,' but 'the manifold wisdom.' What then? Did the Angels truly not know it? Yes. For if the Principalities did not know it, much more was it unknown to the Angels. Did the Archangels also not know? They did not know either. From where could they have learned it? Who could have revealed this to them? When we learned it, they too learned it through us."

Therefore the knowledge of the Angels grows. Do they take this increase from the earth, from the Church? Did they truly learn from the Church about the redemption and salvation of all, when in the Old and New Testaments they were servants of this mystery?

The answer to this is indicated in the phrase "the manifold wisdom of God." The Angels, existing in blessed contemplation of the Godhead, certainly know many mysteries of God's wisdom. Yet they do not know all, only those that are revealed to them.

The plans of God's wisdom in world-governance and redemption are hidden in God. They are revealed to the Angels insofar as this is necessary for the fulfillment of the commands given to them. Much within these plans remains hidden from them, especially the secret causes, the further aims, and what each thing will be after the plans are fulfilled.

They learn these things from the events themselves. The events disclose to them the mysteries that lie at their foundation. To confirm this, Chrysostom gives the example of how the guardian Angel of the Persians resisted the Archangels Michael and Gabriel, not knowing what concerned the return of the Israelites (Dan 10:13).

He then concludes: "If the Angels did not know this and things like it. What wonder is it that they did not know the riches of Christ's love as it was revealed through the Gospel?" Certainly the Angels knew of God's counsel to save the human race through the Incarnation of the Only-begotten Son of God and His death on the Cross.

Yet in the manner of its realization in the person of the Lord, and further in the Holy Church, much remained unknown to them. They learned it for the first time from the events themselves. Such was also the mystery of the calling of the Gentiles into communion with the Son of God and the recapitulation of all things in His person.

Chrysostom says: "The Angels knew only this: 'the Lord's portion was His people' (Deut 32:9). And what does the Angel say to Joseph? 'You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins' (Mt 1:21). His people, that is, Israel. Here nothing is said of the nations. The Spirit of God reveals them separately."

This passage is one of the most significant passages of the New Testament. It shows that the earth with man, and especially the Church of God, is the chief arena of God's great and wondrous works. It is the spiritual center of the universe.

All ranks of beings take part in her events. The Angels also take part, both by sympathetic contemplation and by acting according to God's direction. "We have become a spectacle," says the Apostle, "to the world, to Angels, and to men" (1 Cor 4:9).

The present Epistle has this distinctive feature: in it the Apostle does not limit God's work in Christ Jesus to the reconciliation of God with man. He extends it to the harmonizing of the whole world by abolishing the division between earthly and heavenly things produced by sin.

The Angels are now also brought into the restored living union. This union is the most exalted and sweetest object of contemplation for them. For the first time they both share in it and behold it. In this lies the end of the redemptive actions of the God-man. In it the mystery of God's world-governance is resolved, and the purpose of the creation of the world is attained.