Perhaps he had informed them of it by some persons, or had not long before been writing to them. Here he is pointing out that the whole is of God, that we have contributed nothing. For what? I ask, was not Paul himself, the wonderful, he that was so versed in the law, he that was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel according to the most perfect manner, was not he saved by grace? With good reason too does he call this a mystery, for a mystery it is, to raise the Gentiles in a moment to a higher rank than the Jews. “As I wrote afore,” says he, “in few words,” i.e., briefly,
Ver. 4. “Whereby, when you read, you can perceive.”
Amazing! So then he wrote not the whole, nor so much as he should have written. But here the nature of the subject prevented it. Elsewhere, as in the case of the Hebrews and the Corinthians, the incapacity of the hearers. “Whereby, when you read, you can perceive,” says he, “my understanding in the mystery of Christ,” i.e., how I knew, how I understood either such things as God has spoken, or else, that Christ sits at the right hand of God; and then too the dignity, in that God “has not dealt so with any nation.” And then to explain what nation this is with whom God has thus dealt, he adds,
Ver. 5. “Which in other generations was not made known unto the sons of men, as it has now been revealed unto His holy Apostles and Prophets in the Spirit.”
What then, tell me, did not the Prophets know it? How then does Christ say, that Moses and the Prophets wrote “these things concerning Me?” And again, “If you believed Moses, you would believe Me.” And again, “You search the Scriptures, because ye think that in them you have eternal life, and these are they which bear witness of me.” His meaning is this, either that it was not revealed unto all men, for he adds, “which in other generations was not made known unto the sons of men, as it has now been revealed;” or else, that it was not thus made known by the very facts and realities themselves, “as it has now been revealed unto His holy Apostles and Prophets in the Spirit.” For reflect. Peter, had he not been instructed by the Spirit, never would have gone to the Gentiles. For hear what he says, “Then has God given unto them the Holy Ghost, as well as unto us.” That it was by the Spirit that God chose that they should receive the grace. The Prophets then spoke, yet they knew it not thus perfectly; so far from it, that not even did the Apostles, after they had heard it. So far did it surpass all human calculation, and the common expectation.
Ver. 6. “That the Gentiles are fellow-heirs, and fellow-members of the body and fellow partakers.”
What is this; “fellow-heirs, and fellow-partakers of the promise, and fellow-members of the body?” This last is the great thing, that they should be one body; this exceeding closeness of relation to Him. For that they were to be called indeed, that they knew, but that it was so great, as yet they knew not. This therefore he calls the mystery. “Of the promise.” The Israelites were partakers, and the Gentiles also were fellow-partakers of the promise of God.
“In Christ Jesus through the Gospel.”
That is, by His being sent unto them also, and by their believing; for it is not said they are fellow-heirs simply, but “through the Gospel.” However, this indeed, is nothing so great, it is in fact a small thing, and it discloses to us another and greater thing, that not only men knew not this, but that neither Angels nor Archangels, nor any other created power, knew it. For it was a mystery, and was not revealed. “That ye can perceive,” he says, “my understanding.” This alludes, perhaps, to what he said to them in the Acts, that he had some knowledge that the Gentiles also were called. This, he says, is his own knowledge, “the knowledge of the mystery,” which he had mentioned, viz., “that Christ will in Himself make of the two one new man.” For by revelation he was instructed, both he and Peter, that they must not spurn the Gentiles; and this he states in his defence.
Ver. 7. “Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of His power.”
He had said, “I am a prisoner;” but now again he says, that all is of God, as he says, “according to the gift of His grace;” for according to the power of the gift is the dignity of this privilege. But the gift would not have been enough, had it not also implanted in him power.
Moral. For a work indeed it was of power, of mighty power, and such as no human diligence was equal to. For he brought three qualifications to the preaching of the word, a zeal fervent and venturous, a soul ready to undergo any possible hardship, and knowledge and wisdom combined. For his love of enterprise, his blamelessness of life, had availed nothing, had he not also received the power of the Spirit. And look at it as seen first in himself, or rather hear his own words. “That our ministration be not blamed.” And again, “For our exhortation, is not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile, nor a cloke of covetousness.” Thus you have seen his blamelessness. And again, “For we take thought for things honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.” Then again, besides these; “I protest by that glorying in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.” And again; “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution?” And again; “In much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in watchings.” Then again, his prudence and management; “To the Jews I became as a Jew, to them that are without law as without law, to them that are under the law as under the law.” He shaves his head also, and does numberless things of the sort. But the crown of all is in the power of the Holy Ghost. “For I will not dare to speak,” says he, “of any things save those which Christ wrought through me.” And again, “For what is there wherein you were made inferior to the rest of the Churches?” And again, “For in nothing was I behind the very chiefest Apostles though I am nothing.” Without these things, the work had been impossible.
It was not then by his miracles that men were made believers; no, it was not the miracles that did this, nor was it upon the ground of these that he claimed his high pretension, but upon those other grounds. For a man must be alike irreproachable in conduct, prudent and discreet in his dealings with others, regardless of danger, and apt to teach. It was by these qualifications that the greater part of his success was achieved. Where there were these, there was no need of miracles. At least we see he was successful in numberless such cases, quite antecedently to the use of miracles. But, now-a-days, we without any of these would fain command all things. Yet if one of them be separated from the other, it henceforth becomes useless. What is the advantage of a man's being ever so regardless of danger, if his life be open to censure. “For if the light that is in you be darkness,” says Christ, “how great is that darkness?” Again, what the advantage of a man's being of an irreproachable life, if he is sluggish and indolent? “For, he that does not take his cross, and follow after Me,” says He, “is not worthy of Me;” and so, “The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” Again, what is the advantage of being both these, unless a man is at the same time prudent and discreet in “knowing how he ought to answer each one?” Even if miracles be not in our power, yet both these qualities are in our power. Still however, notwithstanding Paul contributed so much from himself, yet did he attribute all to grace. This is the act of a grateful servant. And we should never so much as have heard of his good deeds, had he not been brought to a necessity of declaring them.
Source: Homilies on Ephesians (New Advent)