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The following extract from an article contributed to The Palestine Exploration
Quarterly for Jan.-April 1953 by Sir J. L. Myres, writing on the relationship of Persia,
Greece and Israel and particularly dealing with the concept of the POLIS or City, has a
note that may prove suggestive to the reader after studying the threefold fellowship of
Eph. 3: 6:
"Fundamental principles of such an association of hereditary groups, not originally or
necessarily related by blood, were
ISONOMAI, equality of assignment in material and social amenities,
ISEGORIA, equality of utterance,
ISOTELEIA, equality of function and responsibility.
The results was literally ELEUTHERIA, `grown-up-ness' (to translate the Greek word
for freedom); every member was his own master, so long as he was master of himself, of
his own behaviour (that is) toward the others."
No.61.
The Secret Chamber
(3: 1 - 13).
Unsearchable Riches.
pp. 41 - 43
With the opening words of Eph. 3:, the Apostle has used extraordinary language,
and made exceedingly high claims. His prison is not described in terms of bondage or
affliction, but as of a place of signal honour. He claims to have received the highest
stewardship revealed in the Scriptures, namely the Mystery, and supports that claim by an
appeal to his superior knowledge of the associated mystery of Christ, which the sons of
men in earlier days saw but dimly in comparison. The threefold fellowship of this
Mystery which was revealed through him is unlike anything before made known, and he
declared that he had been made a minister of this special set of good news, according to a
gift of grace, and inworking of Divine power.
Knowing the Apostle as we do by acquaintance with his other epistles, we are not
surprised at the sudden change introduced by verse 8. He still says `unto me' as he did in
verses 2, 4 and 7, but now he continues "Unto me . . . . . less than the least of all saints".
Whenever great feeling influences human language, we generally find the speaker or
writer resorting to figures of speech. Two such figures can be seen in the writing of the
Apostle here. First, the figure known as Meiosis or a Belittling, "By this figure one thing
is diminished in order to increase another thing" (Dr. E. W. Bullinger, Figures of
Speech). Examples of this figure are found in both the Old and New Testaments, `dust
and ashes' (Gen. 18: 27), `as grasshoppers' (Numb. 13: 33), `unprofitable' (Phile. 11).
The other figure discernible here is called Oxymoron or wise-folly. "This is a figure in
which what is said at first sight appears to be foolish, yet when we come to consider it,
we find it exceedingly wise" (Figures of Speech). "Stripping" the naked of their
"clothing" (Job. 22: 6); "When I am weak, then am I strong" (II Cor. 12: 10) are
examples from each Testament.