Ephesians 3:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

But now, when he has been completely corrected, still to humble himself and call himself less than all is truly great and extraordinary modesty. "To me, the least of all the saints." He did not say, "less than the Apostles," but used an expression still more humble than that. Elsewhere he said, "I am not worthy to be called an Apostle" (1 Cor 15:9). Here he even calls himself less than all the saints: "To me," he says, "the least of all the saints, was this grace given." What grace? "To preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the divine economy of the mystery hidden from the ages in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ, so that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known through the Church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places."

Yet having received the command to turn the worse men to the gospel, he thereby becomes great, though he seemed small. Therefore this work belongs to grace. If the riches of Christ remain unsearchable even after His manifestation, how much more unsearchable is His essence? How, then, could Eunomius boast that he had comprehended it?

Paul fulfilled this in deed and said, "I think that God has displayed us, the last apostles, as men condemned to death" (1 Cor 4:9). He says, "I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain. I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me" (1 Cor 15:9-10).

Because of such humility, though he was less than all, grace was given to him among the Gentiles. It was given so that he might preach the unsearchable riches of Christ and teach the fulfillment of what had been hidden from eternity in God, who created all things.

The words incomprehensible and hidden must be understood in two ways. Either the riches once incomprehensible have now been revealed after the sufferings of the Lord. Or what was incomprehensible by nature has become known through revelation from God.

For it is one thing to comprehend a hidden thing through one's own curiosity. Once discovered, it ceases to be unsearchable. It is another thing not to understand by one's own reasoning, but to know by the grace of God.

"To me, the least of all the saints, was this grace given, to preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to enlighten all concerning the dispensation of the mystery hidden from eternity in God, who created absolutely all things."

I do not think that the Apostle Paul was at variance with his secret thoughts when he says that he is truly the least of all the saints. He means, for example, those in Ephesus, in Corinth, in Thessalonica, or all believers throughout the world.

To call oneself the least of all the saints is proof of humility. Yet he would also be guilty of a certain falsehood if he had one thing in his soul and uttered another with his lips. Therefore we must find proof that he truly was the least of all the saints, and nevertheless did not fall away from apostolic dignity.

The Lord says to His disciples, "Whoever among you wishes to be great, let him be least of all, and whoever wishes to be first, let him be last" (Mt 20:26-27). Paul fulfilled this in deed: "I think that God has set us forth last, as men appointed to death" (1 Cor 4:9).

Therefore Paul was weaker than all, and for that reason greater than all who wished to be weak for Christ's sake. He says, "I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me" (1 Cor 15:10).

Because of such humility, though he was less than all, grace was given to him among the Gentiles. It was given so that he might preach the unsearchable riches of Christ and teach the fulfillment of what had been hidden from eternity in God, who created all things.

But if the riches of Christ are unsearchable, how are they preached among the nations? If the mystery was hidden from eternity in God, how is it handed on through Paul to the nations? The words unsearchable and hidden must be understood in two ways.

The riches once unsearchable have now been revealed after the suffering of the Lord. Or, what was unsearchable by nature became known through revelation from God. For it is one thing to comprehend a hidden thing by one's own curiosity. Once discovered, it ceases to be unsearchable.

It is another thing not to understand by one's own reasoning, but to know by the grace of God. What you know and show to others nevertheless remains unsearchable, because the hidden thing was first shown to you only according to the measure accessible to your powers.

The riches of Christ are unsearchable. The Psalmist also bears witness to this, addressing Christ Himself: "How great is the multitude of Thy goodness, which Thou hast laid up for those who fear Thee" (Ps 30:20). This richness of His goodness was hidden from all past ages in God, who is the Creator of all.

Where are Marcion and Valentinus, and all the heretics who assert that one being is Creator of the world, that is, of visible things, and another of invisible things? They call this latter one good. What they call the former, always unknown, I do not know. They call only Him who is Father of Christ good.

Yet God is proclaimed the Creator of all. In Him the mystery of Christ had been hidden from all former ages. By this it is shown that the God of the Old and New Testaments is one and the same.

The mystery hidden from the ages may also be understood otherwise. The ages themselves, that is, all spiritual and rational beings who lived through them, did not know it. For the word age is often understood as meaning the people who live during an age.

Paul speaks in this way in the Epistle to the Galatians: "That He might deliver us from this unrighteous age" (Gal 1:4). Elsewhere it is said, "That He might show in the ages to come" (Eph 2:7), meaning all those who will live in the following ages.

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).

But now, after being completely corrected, still to humble himself and call himself the least of all is truly great and extraordinary modesty." "This too was the work of grace, that the greatest truths were entrusted to the least, so that he might become their herald." "The calling of the Gentiles was known. But that they would sit upon the throne of God, no one expected or imagined." "The Apostle did well, when remembering creation, to say, 'through Jesus Christ.' For He who created all things through Him also revealed this through Him. It is said: 'Without Him nothing was made' (Jn 1:3)" (Chrysostom).

Therefore the power of God had room to act in them and through them. The fruits of their action were astonishing even to themselves. It was natural for them to see how small they were in comparison with the greatness of the work being accomplished through them. Therefore there is no doubt that the Apostle's speech is full of sincerity. Saint Chrysostom says: "Listen to what Saint Paul says. Intending to speak of the greatness of God's grace, he says, 'To me, the least of all the saints, was this grace given.' He showed much humility by mourning former sins, even after they had been corrected. He always remembered them and was so modest that he called himself a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man. Yet nothing can be compared with what he says now. Formerly, he says, I was such a one, and he calls himself one untimely born. But now, after being completely corrected, still to humble himself and call himself the least of all is truly great and extraordinary modesty. 'To me, the least of all the saints.' He did not even say, 'the least of the Apostles,' but 'of all the saints,' that is, of all Christians. For him to consider himself less not only than the Apostles, but than all the saints, means that he humbles himself exceedingly. In one place he said: 'I am not worthy to be called an Apostle' (1 Cor 15:9). Here he even calls himself less than all the saints." "Grace was given" to preach the unsearchable riches. The riches are incomprehensibly great, while their distributor is so small. Who will not see here the finger of God? "This too was the work of grace, that the greatest truths were entrusted to the least, so that he might become their herald" (Chrysostom). By the words "grace was given," he repeats what he expressed above: that he is a minister of the gospel according to the gift of grace. "To preach among the Gentiles" is the same as saying that the grace of God chose me as Apostle of the nations. The unsearchable riches of Christ are the salvation of all mankind through the death on the Cross of the God-man. God did not spare His own Son. And not only this, but He delivered Him up to death. This is incomprehensible. Yet when all seemed to have been lost in this way, it turned out that by this path forgiveness of sins, grace of rebirth, sonship to God, eternal inheritance, and enthronement at God's right hand were given to all. Truly, these are riches, and unsearchable riches. The Apostle wants to say that the riches of Christ are not for Jews alone, but for all nations. He, the least of all, has been chosen as their distributor. What he here called the riches of Christ, he earlier expressed in the words that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, of the same body, and fellow partakers of the promise. "To preach among the Gentiles," and "to enlighten all," means not only the Gentiles, but all men, and even all creatures that possess reason and can receive enlightenment through knowledge, as the following verse shows.