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one body, and the headship of the principalities and powers, are passages which are
linked together. The time when this heading up takes place is given in Eph. 1: 10 as
"The dispensation of the fulness of the seasons." We must note that it is a dispensation,
secondly, that it is characterized as being a fulness, thirdly, that it is of the seasons. The
word "dispensation" is the rendering of the Greek word oikonomia; literally the word
means the administration of a household, and is translated "stewardship" in
Luke 16: 2, 3, 4. The word occurs three times in Ephesians, "The dispensation of the
fulness of the seasons" (1: 10), "The dispensation of the grace of God which was given
me to you-ward (3: 2), and "The dispensation of the mystery" (3: 9 R.V.). A careful
comparison of these three passages yields the following parallel lines of teaching.
In each case we have the verb "to make known." The mystery of His will is made
known to us (1: 9), the mystery was made known by revelation to Paul (3: 2), and the
manifold wisdom of God is made known by the church to the principalities and powers
(3: 10). In each case we have a mystery. The mystery of His will, the mystery . . . . .
that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, etc., and the dispensation of the mystery. The
first and third references seem to complement one another, and what is brought together
in one place in Col. 1:, is divided into two sections in Ephesians. In Col. 1: the
reconciliation follows hard upon the statements regarding the creation, the fulness and the
pre-eminence. Col. 1: gathers up the lines of truth dealt with separately in the various
passages in Ephesians. This may be seen more clearly if we put the reference together.
Colossians.
Ephesians.
"In whom (the beloved) we have redemption
"In Whom (the Son of His love) we have
through His blood, the forgiveness of trespasses,
redemption, the forgiveness of sins; Who is the
according to the riches of His grace which He cause
image of the invisible God, firstborn of all
to abound unto us. In all wisdom and prudence
creation; because by Him were created the all
having made known unto us the mystery of His will
things, in the heavens and upon the earth, the
according to His good pleasure (eudokia) which He
visible and the invisible, whether thrones, or
purposed in Himself, unto a dispensation of the
dominions, or principalities or authorities, the
fulness of the seasons, to head up the all things in
all things have been created through Him and
the Christ, those upon the heavens and those upon
unto Him, and He is before all, and the all
the earth, in Him."
things by Him are compacted. And He is the
* * * * * * *
"The exceeding greatness of His power. . . .
Head of the body the church, Who is the
which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him
beginning, firstborn from among the dead, that
from among the dead, and set Him at His own right
in all things He might have pre-eminence. For
hand in the heavenlies, far above every principality
it was well pleasing (eudokeġ) that in Him all
and authority and power and dominion and every
the fulness should dwell, and through Him to
name that is named, not only in this age, but also in
reconcile the all things unto Himself, having
the coming one, and hath put all things under His
made peace by the blood of His cross, through
feet, gave Him to be Head over all things to the
Him, whether the things upon the earth, or the
church which is His body, the fulness of Him that
things in the heavens, and you that were
filleth all in all, and you, being dead by trespasses
sometime alienated and enemies in mind by
and sins. . . . hath He quickened. . . . that at that
time ye were. . . . aliens. . . . reconciled unto
wicked works, yet now He hath reconciled in
God in one body through the cross. . . . since ye
the body of His flesh through death. . . .
heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which
according to the dispensation of God which is
was given to me for you, that by revelation He made
given to me for you to fill full the Word of
known unto me the mystery. . . . the dispensation
God, the mystery which hath been hidden from
of the mystery which hath been hidden from the
the ages and from the generation"
ages by God Who created the all things."