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If "M." had been more concerned to find the truth than to beat his fellow servants and
had paid that "proper attention to the language" which is its due, he would not have made
such a public exhibition of his "inability to find a trace" of the unique character of Paul's
ministry.
"M." quotes Eph. 3: 4, 5 in the second paragraph and Col. 1: 26 in the last
paragraph but one of the excerpt given beforehand:--
"The mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of
men as it is now--in this age--revealed unto His holy Apostles and prophets by the
Spirit" (Eph. 3: 4, 5).
"Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and generations, but now is
manifest to His saints" (Col. 1: 26).
Now had "M." followed his own advice, he would have seen in the original this
FACT. The word translated "ages" in Eph. 3: 5 should be rendered "generations" and
is exactly the same word as that which is so translated in Col. 1: 26, where we read of
both "ages" and "generations". The "meaning" is now "quite evident". Having given
"proper attention to the language" we shall be able to find much more than a trace of the
idea of Paul's exclusive ministry. Eph. 3: 5 speaks of something which had been
revealed "now" in a fuller measure than it had been in "other generations", which brings
to light one FACT that the "other generations" did have the subject "made known" to
them in a degree. Col. 1: 26 however adds another FACT, and that HIDDEN instead of
being made known to the generations. Inasmuch as there can be no contradiction
conceived in the statements of Eph. 3: 5 and Col. 1: 26 they must of necessity be
speaking of two distinct things, and the argument of "M." is found worthless and without
foundation. We feel sure that if he will only give the language of these wonderful
passages proper attention he will have to revoke a good deal of his recent publications.
The pity of it is, he will not be able to undo the harm that his methods of study and his
untenable "Facts" have done.
We cannot do more than touch upon the positive side of the question in these papers;
this we must reserve until later.