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blessedly true as Eph. 1: 11 reveals, but there is more in this expression than meets the
eye. In No.5 of this series, the distribution and general usage of the words "saints" is
considered, and it was there promised that a more extended examination of the clause "in
the saints" would be given when we reached Eph. 1: 18.
Ton hagion, in the Greek, may be either masculine, feminine or neuter, and it must be
kept in mind that while the English language would not permit us to speak of a "place" as
a "saint", the Greek does. Consequently we read in Heb. 9: 23, 24 of the "Holy Places"
which by a figure known as "the plural of majesty" mean "The Most Holy Place", even
as the better sacrifices can only mean the "infinitely better sacrifice". The following
passages in Hebrews employ the word hagion "saint" in the neuter, and in the plural:
Hagion.
Heb. 8: 2
A minister of the sanctuary.
9: 1
Divine service and a worldly sanctuary.
9: 2
Which is called the sanctuary.
9: 3
Which is called the Holiest of all.
9: 8
The way into the Holiest of all.
9: 12
Entered in once into the holy place.
9: 24
Into the holy places made with hands.
9: 25
Into the holy place every year.
10: 19
To enter into the holiest by the blood.
13: 11
Brought into the sanctuary.
The antitype of these Holy Places is "heaven itself", the true sanctuary pitched by God
and not man. It is where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God, and it is there the
inheritance of the church of the Mystery will be enjoyed. In Eph. 2: 19 we read "now
therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints"
which presents no grammatical problem until we realize that ton hagion should be
rendered "of the saints", and then the question arises "how can we ever become fellow
citizens OF the saints". We can hardly be fellow citizens of one another. If we allow the
lead set us in Hebrews, we shall translate this passage "fellow-citizens of heaven's holiest
of all", and begin to realize "what is the riches of the glory of this inheritance" indeed.
So, when we come to Eph. 4: 12, we shall have to revise the translation "the perfecting
of the saints". Again, Col. 1: 12 which uses this word hagion, should be rendered
"partakers of the inheritance of the Most Holy Place in the Light". The reader who may
not posses copies of Things to Come, may appreciate the following comment written by
Dr. Bullinger in April 1910.
"Now if we take Mr. Welch's interpretation that it means, or at any rate refers to `The
MOST HOLY PLACE' or ` the Holiest of all' into which Christ has entered (Heb. 9:24),
then we can understand and grasp more clearly what is meant by the somewhat special
usage of the word in Ephesians."
Dr. Bullinger then proceeded to translate the passages in Ephesians where the words
"in heavenly places" occur, as follows: Eph. 1: 3 "Blessed be the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings, in the holiest of all, in
Christ" and so on through the remaining passages. "Believers cannot have `saints' for