that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of his promise in Christ Jesus through the Good News,
Parallel Translations
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that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of his promise in Christ Jesus through the Good News,
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that the gentyls shuld be inheritours also and of the same body and partakers of his promis that is in Christ by the meanes of the gospell
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That the Gentiles should be inheriters also, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the Gospel,
Cross-references (14)
Passages linked to Ephesians 3:6 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Galatians 3:26-29 For you are all children of God, through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring and heirs according to promise.
- Romans 8:15-17 For you didn’t receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God; and if children, then heirs: heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him.
- Galatians 3:14 that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
- 1 John 1:3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us. Yes, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
- 1 John 2:25 This is the promise which he promised us, the eternal life.
- 1 Corinthians 12:27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.
- Galatians 4:5-7 that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of children. And because you are children, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!” So you are no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
- Ephesians 2:13-22 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off are made near in the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who made both one, and broke down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in his flesh the hostility, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man of the two, making peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, having killed the hostility through it. He came and preached peace to you who were far off and to those who were near. For through him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God, being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone; in whom the whole building, fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.
- Colossians 2:19 and not holding firmly to the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and ligaments, grows with God’s growth.
- Ephesians 5:30 because we are members of his body, of his flesh and bones.
- Romans 12:4-5 For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members don’t have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another,
- 1 Corinthians 12:12 For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ.
- Ephesians 4:15-16 but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ, from whom all the body, being fitted and knit together through that which every joint supplies, according to the working in measure of each individual part, makes the body increase to the building up of itself in love.
- Ephesians 5:7 Therefore don’t be partakers with them.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (17 sources)
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of…
6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
Ver. 6. Gentiles should be fellowheirs] Co-heirs, concorporate, and consorts; three sweet societies, the former founded upon the two latter.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs; i.e. have…
That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs; i.e. have an equal right to the heavenly inheritance with the believing Jews.
And of the same body; the same mystical body whereof Christ is the Head.
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And partakers of his promise; the great promise of the covenant, which comprehends all the rest under it.
In Christ; in whom all the promises have their accomplishment, 2Co 1:20.
By the gospel; as the means or instrument by which God works faith, whereby they are made partakers of the promise, fellow heirs, &c.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs,.... With the Jews,…
That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs,.... With the Jews, of all the blessings of grace, of lasting salvation, and of the eternal, incorruptible, and never fading inheritance in heaven; that they should be heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ Jesus, and inherit all things: and heirs they are by being Christ's, and on account of their special adoption through him, and their justification by his righteousness; and which appears by their regeneration to a lively hope of the inheritance reserved for them in heaven:
and of the same body: coalesce in one and the same church state, with the believing Jews, under one and the same head, Christ Jesus, and participate of the same grace from him, being all baptized into one body, and made to drink of the same Spirit, and enjoy the same privileges and immunities.
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And partakers of his promise in Christ by the Gospel; as of God, being their covenant God, which is the great promise of the covenant; or of the Spirit, his gifts and graces, called the promise of the Spirit; or of eternal life and happiness, as the gift of grace through Christ. Now all these promises, and all others, are in Christ, yea and amen, safe and secure; and it is through being in Christ that any come to partake of them; and that by the means of the Gospel, as these Gentiles were to do, and did: the Gospel is a declaration of what God has promised in covenant to his people; this was carried among the Gentiles, and was made effectual to their participation of the things contained in it.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain That the gentiles are joint-heirs - Of God. And…
That the gentiles are joint-heirs - Of God. And of the same body - Under Christ the head. And joint-partakers of his promise - The communion of the Holy Ghost.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 6. That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs]…
Verse 6. That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs] This is the substance of that mystery which had been hidden from all ages, and which was now made known to the New Testament apostles and prophets, and more particularly to St. Paul.
His promise in Christ] That the promise made to Abraham extended to the Gentiles, the apostle has largely proved in his Epistle to the Romans; and that it was to be fulfilled to them by and through Christ, he proves there also; and particularly in his Epistle to the Galatians, see Ga 3:14. And that these blessings were to be announced in the preaching of the Gospel, and received on believing it, he every where declares, but more especially in this epistle.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs - Fellow-heirs with…
That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs - Fellow-heirs with the ancient people of God - the Jews - and entitled to the same privileges; see the Rom 8:17, note and Eph 2:13-18, note.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain That the Gentiles should be coheirs, &c. This is…
That the Gentiles should be coheirs, &c. This is the mystery which was heretofore unknown, and now revealed. This is what the greatest part of the Jews could never be brought to believe, that the Gentiles should be equally sharers with them of God’s promises and blessings. They were strangely scandalized that St. Peter should receive Cornelius, an uncircumcised man, into the same communion. On the like account they persecuted St. Paul. (Witham)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain Translate, "That the Gentiles are," &c. "and fellow members…
Translate, "That the Gentiles are," &c. "and fellow members of the same body, and fellow partakers of the (so the oldest manuscripts read, not 'HIS') promise, in Christ Jesus (added in the oldest manuscripts), through the Gospel." It is "in Christ Jesus" that they are made "fellow heirs" in the inheritance of GOD: "of the same body" under the Head, CHRIST JESUS; and "fellow partakers of the promise" in the communion of THE HOLY SPIRIT (Eph 1:13; Heb 6:4). The Trinity is thus alluded to, as often elsewhere in this Epistle (Eph 2:19-20, Eph 2:22).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 6. What this mystery is he now expresses.
6. What this mystery is he now expresses.
The Gentiles—All nations besides the sons of Abraham: for both in language and in action St. Paul showed his wonderful prophetic comprehension of the vastness of his apostleship, as including (Rom_16:26) all nations. This called him east and west, and moved him to make Rome his capital. And this indicates, too, that he understood not that the probationary age was to be closed by a speedy advent of Christ, but believed himself to stand at the threshold of a new dispensation of the universal gospel to mankind for ages.
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Fellow heirs… partakers—Our English feebly represents the apostle’s Greek. We render it, The Gentiles be co-heirs, co-embodied, and co-sharers. The Jews had so interpreted the prophets as to assume that Jerusalem should be imperial instead of Rome, and the subjugated Gentiles should be their subjects and servants. But to Paul is revealed a new and better gospel. There is to be no political conquest. Simply the antagonism of ages is to be removed, and all the world stand equal under the Christ.
Promise—The promise of a universal Saviour, first given in Paradise, repeated to Abraham, and re-echoed by the prophets of old.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 6. That the Gentiles, &c.] It is well to…
6. That the Gentiles, &c.] It is well to pause over a passage like this, and reflect that what seems now to be an axiom of religious thought, the equality of mankind in view of the offer of salvation, was once an immense and long-withheld discovery. See above, on Eph_2:11.
should be] Better, are; in the plan of God, now disclosed.
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fellowheirs] Cp. Rom_8:17; Gal_3:29; Gal_4:7. They are the children of God and brethren of Christ, equally with Jewish believers, and so equally heirs of their Father’s kingdom; “joint-heirs with Christ” of “the better country, that is the heavenly” (Heb_11:16).
of the same body] Better, fellow-members, a version which preserves the likeness of the two Greek words represented by this expression and “fellowheirs” respectively. On “the body,” see notes on Eph_2:16.
partakers] Fellow-partakers, R.V., still preserving the similarities of the Greek.
his promise] See on Eph_2:12. Read, the promise.
in Christ] Only in vital union with Christ was the promise to be inherited. It was inextricably involved in Him.
by the gospel] Better, by means of the Gospel; the instrument by which the Divine Plan of Gentile incorporation is to be made actual. Cp. 1Co_4:15, “I begot you by means of the Gospel.” See also Rom_10:8-15; Rom_16:25-26.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (6) That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs.—More exactly, are…
(6) That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs.—More exactly, are fellow-heirs, admitted already fully in God’s councils, as partially in actual fact to the kingdom of God.
And of the same body, and [fellow-] partakers of his promise.—These three words (of which the last two are peculiar to this Epistle) evidently describe progressive steps in the work of salvation. First comes the acceptance by God to a share in the inheritance, as “heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ” (Rom_8:17); next, incorporation into the mystical body of Christ; lastly, the actual enjoyment of a share in the promise—that is, all the spiritual blessings of the covenant, called “promises” because, though real in themselves, they are only an earnest of the hereafter. At every point stress is laid on their fellowship with Israel in all these gifts. The shoots of the wild olive (Rom_11:17) are first chosen out, then “grafted in,” and lastly “partake with the natural branches of the root and fatness of the olive tree.”
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In Christ by the gospel.—These words should be joined with all the three preceding. Of all the privileges of the new life, the being “in Christ” is the substance, the reception of the gospel in faith the instrument.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain That the Gentiles are fellow-heirs heirs with the Jews…
That the Gentiles are fellow-heirs heirs with the Jews of the same inheritance. (see Eph_1:11) and fellow-members of the body (this figure is repeated and applied in, (Eph_4:4, Eph_4:16, Eph_4:25) and fellow-partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel the promise to Abraham, "In thee and in thy seed shall all the families ofthe earth be blessed." They do not get this blessing indirectly through the Jews, or by becoming Jews, but directly, as Gentiles; and they become fellow-heirs, fellow-members, and fellow-partakers "in Christ Jesus," enjoying all privileges in him, in a state of union and fellowship with him. To this state they are invited and admitted through the gospel; by receiving the glad tidings they enter on these blessings. (comp. Rom_10:15, Rom_10:18) This statement of religious equality between Jews and Gentiles is strong, clear, complete; the more remarkable that Paul himself had bad so strong Jewish prejudices; only one of dearest insight and highest courage could proclaim the truth so emphatically; it is little wonder if many believing Jews, less enlightened and less courageous, shrank from his statements as too strong.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain Eph_3:4; Eph_3:6
Eph_3:4; Eph_3:6
Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge In the mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto His holy apostles.
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The reserve of God in relation to His grace
I. Its bearing on the Divine character. We must bear in mind--
1. That it was a reserve of grace. What belongs to grace can never be demanded by justice.
2. That the proper appreciation of Divine grace required a preliminary education of the race.
3. That the Author of universal salvation could alone judge of the fitting time for declaring it.
4. Although new in manifestation, Gods saving purpose was eternal.
II. Its justification by results. Religious exclusiveness, race hatred, etc., had done their work, and men were weary of the evils they entailed. A distinctly new interest and attraction was given to the gospel by this element in its proclamations. By the very contradiction and dishonour to human nature which had accrued from their rivalries and contempts, men were enabled to appreciate the grandeur and blessing of a universal religion, given, not in word merely, but in a distinctly new experience, to man as man. And to all who heard it it came with a peculiar authority from the very fact that it had not grown out of experience or speculation as a word of man, but had had to be revealed as the word of God. (A. F. Muir, M. A.)
The reserve of God
The reserve which God used for thousand years after thousand years, should suggest to us caution in limiting the purpose of God. God has doubtless unspeakable things still in reserve. The Jewish people were made to feel that there was an awful distance and separation between them and God; but of His nearness to them, under their distance and darkness, they had little suspicion. That the condemning power of sin was the condition of their own nature, that Gods whole heart was towards all nations, that He was resolved, by the Sun of His love, to break through the sin cloud between Himself and them, and to establish with them direct relationship, were more than they could imagine. That, before the foundation of the world, the Son of God had made the difficulty of sin His own, that in the fulness of time, He would come in human nature, to be made sin for men, purge away their sin by His death, and by His glorification become wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption unto all who should receive Him, were impossible conceptions to them. But the special conceit of their self-love was, that they, of all men, were the favourites of God. When, therefore, God disclosed the fact that He is no respecter of persons--that the Gentile world is as dear to Him as the Jewish--that the gospel of His heart is equally for all nations, the Jew took offence, and refused to enter a kingdom, which gave to him no distinction above other men. (J. Pulsford.)
Scripture reading
Seeing that reading is so beneficial, we must be exhorted to set apart some time to spend this way. We are so affected to the writings of our friends, that if a letter come in when we are about to sit down, we will not taste anything till we have read it. These writings are the letter of God to us. If we have anything bequeathed as in some will, we will have, if not all the will, yet the clause of it perfectly in memory and at our fingers ends. These things written are Gods testament, which we cannot without great indignity neglect. Again, why do you desire gold and silver, but because it is so valuable that it will purchase any earthly commodity? Yet what is that in comparison of the Word, which together with the Spirit worketh unto life everlasting? If any of you should this day, walking by himself, hear the voice of God break out of heaven, he would be astonished at the hearing, and perhaps he would easily be persuaded that he should ponder every syllable. But this Word is as great and as much. In this thou hast God speaking by Himself, by men, by angels, by all means to draw thee unto Him. Wherefore, if thou art desirous to hear God speak (as I think some curious spirits are), thou hast Moses and the prophets, the written will of God, which convey God speaking to thee daily. Again, is there any that hopes to gain lands and possessions, and will not acquaint himself with the evidences which may lead him thereunto? In the written Word lies the great grant of that blessed land promised to Abraham and his seed, and from thence how it is entailed unto us of the Gentiles. Naturally we all desire knowledge, as the blind man deprived of his sight; how from the Word flows all knowledge as the river from the seas, and enriches the mind with a quick and sharp capacity. Lastly, we desire to hear tell of strange things: what more strange than to read of that celestial palace beyond the stars, called Paradise, and of the glory thereof? What more strange than to hear tell of the Father of spirits, and all the host of heaven, angels and saints? to hear tell in like manner of the place of darkness and shadow of death, of the prince thereof and his attendants? If all this will not provoke thee to this duty, humble thyself, suspect thyself of some gross iniquity which fills thy stomach to the full. (Paul Bayne.)
Deep spiritual knowledge is conditional
We know not Christ aright till we are conformed to what we know of Him. The pure in heart see the pure and holy God. When the lady said to Mr. Turner (the painter), Sir, I have seen that spot many times, but I never saw that which you have pictured. No, maam, he replied, I dare say you have not; but dont you wish you could? The artists eye sees what another eye cannot, and the pure in heart can see in God what no one else can see, because they are like to God. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Spiritual insight
My own experience is that the Bible is dull when I am dull. When I am really alive, and set in upon the text with a tidal pressure of living affinities, it opens, it multiplies discoveries, and reveals depths even faster than I can note them. The worldly spirit shuts the Bible; the Spirit of God makes it a fire, flaming out all meanings and glorious truths. (Horace Bushnell, D. D.)
Progressive revelation
1. God does not in all ages give the same measure of light to His Church.
2. By degrees He revealed the Messiah to His people.
3. The whole will of God is made known to us.
(1) How foolish are those who will believe no more than their fathers believed.
(2) How thankful should we be, that we have so much greater light than those under the law.
4. Since Christ came to declare to us the will of God, we have the mystery of salvation more fully opened; we must therefore yield the greater obedience.
5. The things of God are revealed to us by the Spirit. Let us then seek His aid--
(1) By prayer.
(2) By attendance on the Word and Sacraments.
(3) By a Christian course of obedience. (Paul Bayne.)
Need of Divine revelation
Varro, a Roman writer of the first century B.C. states, that, in his day, he had been at the pains to collect the various opinions on the question, What is the true object of human life? in other words, What is the supreme good? He had reckoned up as many as three hundred and twenty answers. How needful is Divine revelation l And how essential to those who are starting in life, that a heavenly guide should teach them the true end and purpose of earthly existence! (Biblical Treasury.)
Christ partially revealed to the prophets
I was visited by a very distinguished young Israelite who had seen me distributing the sacred volume, and I proposed that we should read a portion of Scripture together. He agreed, on the condition that it should be from the Old Testament, and I read the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah. But, said he, that is in the New Testament. No, no, I replied. There, take the book. Read it with that true heart which I perceive in you, and you will find what you seek. He has found his Saviour, has accepted Him, and confesses Him with joy. (Pasteur Hirsch.)
The Holy Spirit and preaching
Charles G. Finney used to discover that sometimes his preaching was mighty in its influence to convict and convert sinners. At other times he seemed to be firing only blank cartridges. The results depended entirely upon his own spiritual condition, upon his nearness to or his absence from God. When he was in close communion with God the currents of power were mighty and irresistible. When his connection with the Lord ceased, either through unbelief or unworthy living, his lifting power was gone. Drawing nigh to God was invariably the most effectual way to draw the impenitent. (T. L. Cuyler, D. D.)
The gospel inheritance
1. The condition to which it is Gods intention that the Gentiles should be brought.
(1) They should be joint heirs with Christ.
(2) They should be of the same body with Christ and His Church; for first we must become beloved children in Christ the Beloved, before we can be inheritors.
(3) They should be partakers of the promise; for by faith in the word of promise, we come to have fellowship with Christ.
2. The means. By the gospel. It is the gospel which brings us to faith, and to our heavenly inheritance.
(1) We are not to be discouraged from following the Word;
(a) either by the unworthiness of the preachers;
(b) or by the consciousness of our own unworthiness;
(c) or by our not profiting to our mind.
(2) Ministers must not give over preaching;
(a) either upon conceit of their ignorance;
(b) or of the small good they see come of it;
(c) or for want of feeling in themselves the power of what they preach;
(d) or upon sense of temptations contrary to it. (Paul Bayne.)
Sharing the privileges
One incident gives high proof of the native generosity of Turners nature. He was one of the Hanging Committee, as the phrase goes, of the Royal Academy. The walls were full when Turners attention was attracted by a picture sent in by an unknown provincial artist by the name of Bird. A good picture! he exclaimed; it must be hung up and exhibited. Impossible! responded the committee of academicians. The arrangement cannot be disturbed. Quite impossible! A good picture, iterated Turner; it must be hung up; and finding his colleagues to be as obstinate as himself, he hitched down one of his own pictures, and hung up Birds in its place. Would to God that in far more instances the like spirit ruled among servants of the Lord Jesus. The desire to honour others and to give others a fair opportunity to rise should lead ministers of distinction to give place to less eminent men to whom it may be of essential service to become better known. We are not to look every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
The union of Jews and believing Gentiles in Christ
The topic of the early portion of the first chapter of this Epistle, is that good men have been the subjects of Divine thought and predestination in Christ from everlasting ages. The topic of the latter portion of the first chapter is, that their future destiny runs parallel throughout eternity with that of the Son of God, raised from the dead and glorified. The subject of the second chapter and the early portion of the third, is the close union of believing Jews and Gentiles in all this grace and glory forever. It is worth while to describe the state of things between Jews and heathen in the days of the apostles, and to show the bearing of those facts on the present and future position of the Israelites in the world.
1. Let us, then, note first, that in former ages God had established a discipline of marvellous complexity for the separation of the Abrahamic people.
(1) They were thus separated from the nations, in order that they might be delivered from the contamination of surrounding paganism, and might preserve in ever-increasing strength a zeal for their own religion, which was, so far as it went, the only true one on earth.
(2) The object of their separation was to enable them to transmit with intensity the rays of that lighthouse of truth, placed on the heights of Zion, over the dark and troubled sea of surrounding paganism, so that the nations might more effectually learn the verities which Judaism enshrined.
(3) Their separation was a necessary preliminary for a future mission as the missionaries and evangelists of the whole world.
2. The next point to notice is that the Hebrew prophets, ages before the coming of Christ, had foretold that when the Messiah appeared this middle wall of partition between Jews and Gentiles would be broken down, so that all who served God would be brought into one church of the true worshippers (see Isa_2:2-3; Isa_43:1; Isa_49:6; Isa_51:5; Jer_3:17; Zec_8:22).
3. But this mystery of the future worship of Jehovah to be rendered by united Jews and Gentiles was hidden from the eyes of the Jewish people until it was proclaimed and asserted by Christ (Joh_10:16).
4. Although the gospel of Jesus has established the spiritual union of all believing Jews and believing Gentiles in one spiritual Church, so that they form one body in Christ, still so long as the earth lasts, this spiritual union of Jew and Gentile has not abolished the nationality of the Jews, any more than it has annihilated the nationality of the Englishman, the Spaniard, the German, or the Dane. (E. White.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain 6. That. The mystery long hidden, but at last…
6. That. The mystery long hidden, but at last revealed, is now given. The Gentiles should be fellow-heirs. The wall of partition broken down, Jews and Gentiles equally received, heirs alike of the gospel, fellow-members of the church, fellow-partakers of the gospel promises. Compare Acts 10:34; 11:18; 13:46–48.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain That the Gentiles
That the Gentiles
That the Gentiles were to be saved was no mystery Rom 9:24-33; Rom 10:19-21. The mystery "hid in God" was the divine purpose to make of Jew and Gentile a wholly new thing--"the church, which is his Christ’s body," formed by the baptism with the Holy Spirit 1Co 12:12; 1Co 12:13 and in which the earthly distinction of Jew and Gentile disappears; Eph 2:14; Eph 2:15; Col 3:10; Col 3:11. The revelation of this mystery, which was foretold, but not explained by Christ Mat 16:18 was committed to Paul. In his writings alone we find the doctrine, position, walk, and destiny of the church.
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 the Gentiles are fellow heirs ... through the gospel
the Gentiles are fellow heirs ... through the gospel
This is the hidden truth Paul began to explain in the previous verse. The Gentiles who receive Christ also receive the same things as the Jewish believers.
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fellow members of the body
The church is often referred to as the body of Christ. (See: Metaphor)
in Christ Jesus
"In Christ Jesus" and similar expressions are metaphors that frequently occur in the New Testament letters. They express the strongest kind of relationship possible between Christ and those who believe in him.
through the gospel
Possible meanings are 1) because of the gospel the Gentiles are fellow sharers in the promise or 2) because of the gospel the Gentiles are fellow heirs and members of the body and fellow sharers in the promise.
translationWords
Gentile
heir
body
promise
in Christ
Christ
Jesus
good news
servant
gift
God
grace
power
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 3:6 God’s plan that has now been revealed to…
3:6 God’s plan that has now been revealed to Paul is that the Gentiles are now included in God’s family, the body of Christ, just as Jews are. They share equally in God’s eternal blessings.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.