that mystery of the gospel which it was given to St. Paul for the first time to proclaim in all its
fulness to the Gentile world."
Theme: The church of Christ, the family of God, the fulness of Christ.
Leading Thoughts: God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should
be holy and without blemish before him in love (Eph. 1:4). In him we have our redemption through
his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace (1:7). He purposed
to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth (1:10). God
gave him to be head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth
all in all (1:23). God, being rich in mercy, quickened us together with Christ and raised us up with
him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus (2:4–6). By grace have ye
been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, that no man
should glory (2:8, 9). Christ is our peace, who made both one, and broke down the middle wall of
partition (2:14). Ye are no more strangers and sojourners, but ye are fellow-citizens with the saints,
and of the household of God, being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ
Jesus himself being the chief corner stone (2:19, 20). Unto me, who am less than the least of all
saints, was this grace given, to preach Unto the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ (3:8).
That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded
in love, may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height
and depth, and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all
the fulness of God (3:17–19). Give diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace
(4:3). There is one body, and one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of
all, who is over all, and through all, and in all (4:6). He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets;
and some, pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints (4:11, 12). Speak the truth in love
(4:15). Put on the new man, which after God hath been created in righteousness and holiness of
truth (4:24). Be ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved children, and walk in love, even as Christ
also loved you, and gave himself up for as, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odor of a sweet
smell (5:1, 2). Wives, be in subjection unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord (5:22). Husbands,
love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for it (5:25). This mystery
is great; but I speak in regard of Christ and of the church (5:32). Children, obey your parents in the
Lord (6:1). Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the
devil (6:11).§ 96. Colossians and Ephesians Compared and Vindicated.
Comparison.
The Epistles to the Colossians and Ephesians were written about the same time and transmitted
through the same messenger, Tychicus. They are as closely related to each other as the Epistles to
the Galatians and to the Romans. They handle the same theme, Christ and his church; as Galatians
and Romans discuss the same doctrines of salvation by free grace and justification by faith.
But Colossians, like Galatians, arose from a specific emergency, and is brief, terse, polemical;
while Ephesians, like Romans, is expanded, calm, irenical. Colossians is directed against the
incipient Gnostic (paganizing) heresy, as Galatians is directed against the Judaizing heresy. The
former is anti-Essenic and anti-ascetic, the latter is anti-Pharisaic and anti-legalistic; the one dealsA.D. 1-100.