He has made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he purposed in Christ as a plan for fullness at the opportune time to bring everything together in Christ to the extent of heaven and that to the extent of the earth. (Ephesians 1:9-10)
The word purposed προτίθημι (protithēmi) means to place before, setting forth in advance to achieve a particular purpose. To purpose, determine, design beforehand.* God set forth Christ to achieve a purpose, a plan for the fullness of this time. The word fullness (πλήρωμα (plērōma) has the root meaning to make full, to complete fullness, thus meaning a fullness, a filling up. God had a purpose in Christ, it was plan for fullness to bring all together in him. A mystery hidden in God before he created the world that even the angels desired to look into, and at the opportune time, God set forth his Son to achieve his purpose.
...a plan for fullness at the opportune time...
The ancient Greeks had two words for time; chronos and kairos, kairos meaning at the "opportune time" or at the right, proper time. Paul explains in the next chapter and more when we were dead in our trespasses and sin, apart from God and without hope, at this time when we were far away, we have come near in the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:1-13) "For while we were existing yet weak, at the opportune time Christ died on behalf of the ungodly." (Romans 5:6) We see God set forth Jesus for redemption so that it is by grace through faith we are saved. "Justified freely of his grace through the redemption that in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as an atoning sacrifice in his blood, through faith to the extent to demonstrate his righteousness through passing over previous sin." (Romans 3:24-25) Jesus said "the opportune time is filled and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." (Mark 1:15) The grace of God says, "for saying 'at the opportune time acceptable, I heard you and in the day of salvation I ran to your cry for help.' See, at the present is the acceptable opportune time, look, at the present, the day of salvation!" (2 Corinthians 6:1-2)
He has made known to us the mystery of his will... which he purposed in Christ. (Ephesians 1:9)
Unless the mysteries of the kingdom are revealed, no one can grasp or begin to understand them. (Matthew 13:11) Paul writes he had been chosen to make known this mystery, which he had been given through revelation, to look into a mystery that had been kept secret in the ages past. (Romans 16:25) Now, at the opportune time, God has made known wisdom and revelation, hidden in mystery which he predetermined before the ages to the extent of our glory. (1 Corinthians 2:7) God had ordained this, purposed this in Christ before the ages, the time of man, for our glory. Now, it doesn't say just for God's glory he set forth Christ for his purpose, but for our glory also. Amazingly his purpose was so we share in his glory. His glory is being revealed in us. (1 Peter 4:13) And this is how we should be regarded, like as servants and stewards of God's mysteries. (1 Corinthians 4:1) In fact, Paul equates preaching the gospel to making known the immeasurable riches of Christ. (Ephesians 3:8) The mysteries, the riches in Christ from his grace and glory are related to that which God eternally purposed in Christ.
and to make known what is the arranged plan of the mystery, that hidden for ages in the one God who created all, in order that through the church, the manifold wisdom of God is made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realm, according to that eternally purposed, that he did in Christ our Lord... (Ephesians 3:9-13)
I asked the question "what did God eternally purpose in Christ" to a group of Christians and the response was in general, some things we can not know but we will know in heaven. But that is exactly the opposite of what Paul is saying. It is part of the blessings, "He made known to us," of Ephesians 1. God purposed through Christ to make known what is the arranged plan of the mystery and Paul said this was his mission. If we don't know God's plan to make known his wisdom, to be fulfilled in the church, how can you fulfill it? Paul writes he contended, ran the race, fought the good fight, so that "all the wealth of full assurance of understanding to the extent of the knowledge of God's mystery, that Christ, in whom is hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" would be made known to us and so no one would deceive us through persuasive speech. (Colossians 2:1-4) Though a mystery it is being revealed thus what God eternally purposed in Christ we should know.
"He has made known to us the mystery... as a plan for fullness... to bring everything together in Christ..." and Christ is made head of the church, "which is his body the fullness of Him that fills all in all" and "he ascended far above all the heavens so that he might fill all," where he gives gifts to men so that the work of ministry builds up the body, or fills up the body, "to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" so we are no longer children but grow up into him the head. (Ephesians 1:9-10, Ephesians 1:22-23, Ephesians 4:10-16) Do you see it? Christ ascended to the right-hand of the Father, he is made head of the church, to fill all in all, so that the purpose (the manifold wisdom of God, his plan for the fullness of time) is being accomplished in the church so that we grow up in the head, from whom the whole body grows up, truth in love.
...a plan to bring everything together in Christ...
God has chosen us, before he created the world, to be holy, blameless in his presence in love. He has set forth Christ at the opportune time to fulfill what he purposed beforehand, that he predestined us for adoption, favored us in the Beloved, redeemed us, forgiving our trespasses, all from the riches of his glory and grace, he has blessed us with all spiritual blessings (riches in Christ) in the heavenlies. (Ephesians 1:3-9) And he has made known to us the mystery of His will, that purposed in Christ. (Ephesians 1:10) Here we see the purpose in Christ, "a plan for the fullness of time to bring everything together in Christ" and then we go on to read that Paul is praying that the eyes of our heart would be enlightened, that we may comprehend the hope to which we were called, the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the incomparable greatness of his power to us who believe according to the exercise of his mighty strength which he accomplished in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated Him at the right hand. (Ephesians 1:18-20) Father, we pray, make known to us your will, what you purposed in Christ.
In Christ, we have obtained an inheritance, predestined according to the purpose of the one working out all according to the counsel of his will, to the extent, we the ones hoping in Christ, exist the praise of His glory. (Ephesians 11:12)
As a pledge of our inheritance, he has sealed us with the promised Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 1:13-14) Do we understand the glorious inheritance we have among the saints? We should as Paul is praying that we do, it is part of what God purposed in Christ. Paul says it is a plan for a fullness, to bring everything together in Christ, and Paul is praying that we get this, as when Christ was raised in the power of God's mighty strength and seated at the right hand of the Father where he is superior to every ruler, authority, power, dominion, and every name that could be named, not only in this age but the age to come, it was for a purpose, "and he placed all under Christ's feet and made him head over all the church, his body," for a purpose, he is filling all in all and the church is "the fullness of the one who fills all in all." (Ephesians 1:17-23)
He has made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he purposed in Christ as a plan for fullness, at the opportune time, to bring everything together in Christ to the extent of heaven and that to the extent of the earth. (Ephesians 1:9-10)
In the church, the manifold wisdom of God is being made known to all the realms, to all the spiritual forces of evil and good, all in the heavens and to the extent of the earth. The manifestation or revealing of the mystery through the church is making known God's purpose to all, including man. Though in times past he spoke to mankind in different ways, in this time he speaks through his Son, "this Son is the radiance of glory and the character of his nature, both sustaining all of the words of his power, having made purification of sin, placed at the right hand of the Majesty in highness." (Hebrews 1:1-3) In Christ, we have bold and confident access through faith in him, so we can approach him, as Hebrews 4:16 says we can boldly approach his throne of grace and receive grace and mercy as needed. In Christ, we have received all the spiritual blessings in the heavenlies. (Ephesians 1:4) God set forth Christ in purpose,
... as a plan for fullness... to bring everything together in Christ... who is head of the church, which is the fullness of the one filling all in all... who ascended into the heavens so he might fill all, and gives gifts to men... to build up the body... to mature adulthood to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
Paul writes according to his purpose he is working out all for our good, so the church is being conformed to the image of Christ. (Romans 8:29-30) In Christ, all these things were brought about because God set forth Jesus for a purpose. Yes, it took his death on a cross, his blood, to bring in a new covenant, to conquer death and the devil, all this and more. But let's make sure we make this connection, God set forth Christ for a purpose, a plan for fullness, to fill all in all through his body, the church. God's eternal purpose that which he purposed in Christ is being manifested through the church, as he ascended on high and sits at the right hand of the Father, head of the church, his body, in which he is filling all in all.
...a plan for fullness at the opportune time...
The ancient Greeks had two words for time; chronos and kairos, kairos meaning at the "opportune time" or at the right, proper time. Paul explains in the next chapter and more when we were dead in our trespasses and sin, apart from God and without hope, at this time when we were far away, we have come near in the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:1-13) "For while we were existing yet weak, at the opportune time Christ died on behalf of the ungodly." (Romans 5:6) We see God set forth Jesus for redemption so that it is by grace through faith we are saved. "Justified freely of his grace through the redemption that in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as an atoning sacrifice in his blood, through faith to the extent to demonstrate his righteousness through passing over previous sin." (Romans 3:24-25) Jesus said "the opportune time is filled and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." (Mark 1:15) The grace of God says, "for saying 'at the opportune time acceptable, I heard you and in the day of salvation I ran to your cry for help.' See, at the present is the acceptable opportune time, look, at the present, the day of salvation!" (2 Corinthians 6:1-2)
He has made known to us the mystery of his will... which he purposed in Christ. (Ephesians 1:9)
Unless the mysteries of the kingdom are revealed, no one can grasp or begin to understand them. (Matthew 13:11) Paul writes he had been chosen to make known this mystery, which he had been given through revelation, to look into a mystery that had been kept secret in the ages past. (Romans 16:25) Now, at the opportune time, God has made known wisdom and revelation, hidden in mystery which he predetermined before the ages to the extent of our glory. (1 Corinthians 2:7) God had ordained this, purposed this in Christ before the ages, the time of man, for our glory. Now, it doesn't say just for God's glory he set forth Christ for his purpose, but for our glory also. Amazingly his purpose was so we share in his glory. His glory is being revealed in us. (1 Peter 4:13) And this is how we should be regarded, like as servants and stewards of God's mysteries. (1 Corinthians 4:1) In fact, Paul equates preaching the gospel to making known the immeasurable riches of Christ. (Ephesians 3:8) The mysteries, the riches in Christ from his grace and glory are related to that which God eternally purposed in Christ.
and to make known what is the arranged plan of the mystery, that hidden for ages in the one God who created all, in order that through the church, the manifold wisdom of God is made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realm, according to that eternally purposed, that he did in Christ our Lord... (Ephesians 3:9-13)
I asked the question "what did God eternally purpose in Christ" to a group of Christians and the response was in general, some things we can not know but we will know in heaven. But that is exactly the opposite of what Paul is saying. It is part of the blessings, "He made known to us," of Ephesians 1. God purposed through Christ to make known what is the arranged plan of the mystery and Paul said this was his mission. If we don't know God's plan to make known his wisdom, to be fulfilled in the church, how can you fulfill it? Paul writes he contended, ran the race, fought the good fight, so that "all the wealth of full assurance of understanding to the extent of the knowledge of God's mystery, that Christ, in whom is hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" would be made known to us and so no one would deceive us through persuasive speech. (Colossians 2:1-4) Though a mystery it is being revealed thus what God eternally purposed in Christ we should know.
"He has made known to us the mystery... as a plan for fullness... to bring everything together in Christ..." and Christ is made head of the church, "which is his body the fullness of Him that fills all in all" and "he ascended far above all the heavens so that he might fill all," where he gives gifts to men so that the work of ministry builds up the body, or fills up the body, "to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" so we are no longer children but grow up into him the head. (Ephesians 1:9-10, Ephesians 1:22-23, Ephesians 4:10-16) Do you see it? Christ ascended to the right-hand of the Father, he is made head of the church, to fill all in all, so that the purpose (the manifold wisdom of God, his plan for the fullness of time) is being accomplished in the church so that we grow up in the head, from whom the whole body grows up, truth in love.
...a plan to bring everything together in Christ...
God has chosen us, before he created the world, to be holy, blameless in his presence in love. He has set forth Christ at the opportune time to fulfill what he purposed beforehand, that he predestined us for adoption, favored us in the Beloved, redeemed us, forgiving our trespasses, all from the riches of his glory and grace, he has blessed us with all spiritual blessings (riches in Christ) in the heavenlies. (Ephesians 1:3-9) And he has made known to us the mystery of His will, that purposed in Christ. (Ephesians 1:10) Here we see the purpose in Christ, "a plan for the fullness of time to bring everything together in Christ" and then we go on to read that Paul is praying that the eyes of our heart would be enlightened, that we may comprehend the hope to which we were called, the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the incomparable greatness of his power to us who believe according to the exercise of his mighty strength which he accomplished in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated Him at the right hand. (Ephesians 1:18-20) Father, we pray, make known to us your will, what you purposed in Christ.
In Christ, we have obtained an inheritance, predestined according to the purpose of the one working out all according to the counsel of his will, to the extent, we the ones hoping in Christ, exist the praise of His glory. (Ephesians 11:12)
As a pledge of our inheritance, he has sealed us with the promised Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 1:13-14) Do we understand the glorious inheritance we have among the saints? We should as Paul is praying that we do, it is part of what God purposed in Christ. Paul says it is a plan for a fullness, to bring everything together in Christ, and Paul is praying that we get this, as when Christ was raised in the power of God's mighty strength and seated at the right hand of the Father where he is superior to every ruler, authority, power, dominion, and every name that could be named, not only in this age but the age to come, it was for a purpose, "and he placed all under Christ's feet and made him head over all the church, his body," for a purpose, he is filling all in all and the church is "the fullness of the one who fills all in all." (Ephesians 1:17-23)
He has made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he purposed in Christ as a plan for fullness, at the opportune time, to bring everything together in Christ to the extent of heaven and that to the extent of the earth. (Ephesians 1:9-10)
In the church, the manifold wisdom of God is being made known to all the realms, to all the spiritual forces of evil and good, all in the heavens and to the extent of the earth. The manifestation or revealing of the mystery through the church is making known God's purpose to all, including man. Though in times past he spoke to mankind in different ways, in this time he speaks through his Son, "this Son is the radiance of glory and the character of his nature, both sustaining all of the words of his power, having made purification of sin, placed at the right hand of the Majesty in highness." (Hebrews 1:1-3) In Christ, we have bold and confident access through faith in him, so we can approach him, as Hebrews 4:16 says we can boldly approach his throne of grace and receive grace and mercy as needed. In Christ, we have received all the spiritual blessings in the heavenlies. (Ephesians 1:4) God set forth Christ in purpose,
... as a plan for fullness... to bring everything together in Christ... who is head of the church, which is the fullness of the one filling all in all... who ascended into the heavens so he might fill all, and gives gifts to men... to build up the body... to mature adulthood to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
Paul writes according to his purpose he is working out all for our good, so the church is being conformed to the image of Christ. (Romans 8:29-30) In Christ, all these things were brought about because God set forth Jesus for a purpose. Yes, it took his death on a cross, his blood, to bring in a new covenant, to conquer death and the devil, all this and more. But let's make sure we make this connection, God set forth Christ for a purpose, a plan for fullness, to fill all in all through his body, the church. God's eternal purpose that which he purposed in Christ is being manifested through the church, as he ascended on high and sits at the right hand of the Father, head of the church, his body, in which he is filling all in all.