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understood. Thus it is that the present dispensation "fills up" the gap that would
otherwise have existed between the setting aside of Israel and their repentance and
restoration.
The apostle had already referred to "this mystery" of Israel's blindness in Rom. 11: 25,
but it is not until after Acts 28: that he enters into his special ministry of the present
dispensation. In Col. 1: 26 he adds one more term, "Hidden away from the ages and the
generations." A reference to Col. 1: 6 and 9 will show that apo with the genitive can be
translated "since." "Since the ages and the generations" would be a good translation of
Col. 1: 26. The generations will be found to commence in Gen. 2: 4. "The generations
of the heavens and the earth." The mystery with its promise and blessings is connect
with the period "before the foundation (or overthrow) of the world" (Eph. 1: 4), or as in
the passages to which we now turn, "before age-times." In order to help the reader see
the connection between these passages we place them side by side:--
II Tim. 1: 9-11.
Titus 1: 1-3.
"Who hath saved us and called us with an holy
"Paul, a servant of God, but an apostle of Jesus
calling, not according to His own peculiar purpose
Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the
and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus
knowledge of the truth which is according to
before age-times (chronġn aiġniġn), but hath now
godliness, upon hope of eternal life which God, who
been made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour
cannot lie, promised before age-times (chronġn
Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath
aiġniġn), but hath manifested in its own peculiar
shed light on immortal life through the gospel,
seasons His Word by means of the heralding
whereunto I (`I' emphatic) have been appointed
(kerugmata), wherewith I (`I' emphatic) am
herald (kerux) and apostle and teacher of the
entrusted, according to the commandment of our
Gentiles."
Saviour God."
With these two passages should be read Rom. 16: 25:--
"Even the heralding (kerugma) of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the
mystery which was kept secret during age-times (chronois aiġniois)."
By comparing the two passages quoted above, we see the "promise" made before
age-times paralleled by the "purpose and grace given us in Christ Jesus before the
age-times," which is none other than Eph. 1: 3, 4 in other words. We shall also observe
how the period before the age-times is linked with the present dispensation and the
apostle's peculiar and exclusive ministry. "Now" is the interpretation of "its own
peculiar seasons." If we had continued our quotation from II Tim. 1: we should have
found that immediately the apostle mentioned his peculiar ministry, he spoke of suffering
in II Tim. 1: 12:--
"For which cause also I suffer these things; but I am not ashamed (no, indeed, for he
rightly divided the Word, 2: 15). For I know Him whom I have believed, and am
persuaded that He is able to guard my deposit (i.e. the dispensation entrusted to Paul)
unto that day."
This same opposition to the special appointment of Paul is manifest in the way in
which he interjects almost an oath in I Tim. 2: 6, 7:--