SEV Biblia, Chapter 1:10
de restaurar todas las cosas por el Cristo, en la dispensacin del cumplimiento de los tiempos, así las que estn en los cielos, como las que estn en la tierra.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Ephesians 1:10
Verse 10. In the dispensation of the fullness of times] eiv oikonomian tou plhrwmatov twn kairwn. The word oikonomia, which is the same as our word economy, signifies, as Dr. Macknight has well observed, "the plan which the master of a family, or his steward, has established for the management of the family;" it signifies, also, a plan for the management of any sort of business: and here it means the dispensation of the Gospel, that plan by which God has provided salvation for a lost world; and according to which he intends to gather all believers, both Jews and Gentiles, into one Church under Jesus Christ, their head and governor. See the note on Matt. xxiv. 45, where the word and the office are particularly explained. The fullness of times - By this phrase we are to understand either the Gospel dispensation, which is the consummation of all preceding dispensations, and the last that shall be afforded to man; or that advanced state of the world which God saw to be the most proper for the full manifestation of those benevolent purposes which he had formed in himself relative to the salvation of the world by Jesus Christ.
That he might gather together in one] anakefalaiwsasqai, from ana, again, and kefalaiow, to reduce to one sum; to add up; to bring different sums together, and fractions of sums, so as to reduce them under one denomination; to recapitulate the principal matters contained in a discourse. Here it means the gathering together both Jews and Gentiles, who have believed in Christ, into one Church and flock. See the preceding note.
All things-which are in heaven, and which are on earth] This clause is variously understood: some think, by things in heaven the Jewish state is meant and by things on earth the Christian. The Jews had been long considered a Divine or heavenly people; their doctrine, their government, their constitution, both civil and ecclesiastical, were all Divine or heavenly: as the powers of the heavens, Matt. xxiv. 29, Luke xxi. 26, mean the Jewish rulers in Church and state, it is very possible that the things which are in heaven mean this same state; and as the Gentiles were considered to have nothing Divine or heavenly among them, they may be here intended by the earth, out of the corruption of which they are to be gathered by the preaching of the Gospel. But there are others who imagine that the things in heaven mean the angelical hosts; and the things on earth believers of all nations, who shall all be joined together at last in one assembly to worship God throughout eternity. And some think that the things in heaven mean the saints who died before Christ's advent, and who are not to be made perfect till the resurrection, when the full power and efficacy of Christ shall be seen in raising the bodies of believers and uniting them with their holy souls, to reign in his presence for ever. And some think that, as the Hebrew phrase rahw ym shamayim vehaarets, the heavens and the earth, signifies all creatures, the words in the text are to be understood as signifying all mankind, without discrimination of peoples, kindreds, or tongues; Jews, Greeks, or barbarians. All that are saved of all nations, (being saved in the same way, viz. by faith in Christ Jesus, without any distinction of nation or previous condition,) and all gathered into one Church or assembly.
I believe that the forming one Church out of both Jews and Gentiles is that to which the apostle refers. This agrees with what is said, chap. ii. 14-17.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 10. That in the dispensation of the fulness of times , &c.] Or according to the dispensation, &c. as the Alexandrian copy reads; the fulness of time appointed by God, and fixed in the prophets; after many times and seasons were elapsed, from the creation of the world; at the most suitable and convenient time, when a new economy or dispensation began, within which all this was to be effected, hereafter mentioned: he might gather together in one all things in Christ ; this supposes, that all things were once united together in one; angels and men were united to God by the ties of creation, and were under the same law of nature, and there were peace and friendship between them; and this union was in Christ, as the beginning of the creation of God, in whom all things consist: and it supposes a disunion and scattering of them; as of men from God, and from good angels, which was done by sin; and of Jews and Gentiles from one another; and of one man from another, everyone turning to his own way; and then a gathering of them together again: the word here used signifies to restore, renew, and reduce to a former state; and so the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions render it; and according to this sense, it may seem to have respect to the times of the restitution of all things, the restoration and renovation of the universe; when there will be new heavens and a new earth, and new inhabitants in them: the word is also used to recapitulate, or sum up the heads of a discourse; and according to this sense, it may intend the meeting together, and summing up of all things in Christ, that had been before; as of all the promises and blessings of the covenant; of all the prophecies and promises of the Old Testament; of all the types and shadows, and sacrifices of the former dispensation; yea, all the sins of Old Testament saints, and all the curses of the law, met on him: the word is likewise used for the collection of numbers into one sum total; and Christ is the sum total of elect angels and men; or the whole number of them is in him; God has chosen a certain number of persons unto salvation; these he has put into the hands of Christ, who has a particular and personal knowledge of them; and the exact number of them will be gathered and given by him: once more, it signifies to reduce, or bring under one head; and Christ is an head of eminence and of influence, both to angels and men: and there is a collection of these together in one, in Christ; by virtue of redemption by Christ, and grace from him, there is an entire friendship between elect angels and elect men; they are social worshippers now, and shall share in the same happiness of the vision of God and of Christ hereafter: hence it follows, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth , even in him ; by things in heaven are not meant the souls of saints in heaven; though it is true that the souls of departed saints are in heaven; and that the saints in heaven and on earth were gathered together in Christ, and represented by him, when he hung upon the cross; and that they all make up one body, of which Christ is the head; and that they will be all collected together one day; and that their souls which are in heaven, and their bodies which are in the earth, will come together and be reunited, and dwell with Christ for ever; but rather the angels are meant, whose origin is heaven; where they have their residence, and from whence they never fell; and whose employment is in heaven, and of an heavenly nature: and by things on earth, are not intended every creature on earth, animate and inanimate; nor all men, but all elect men, whether Jews or Gentiles, and some of all sorts, ranks, and degrees; whose origin is of the earth, and who are the inhabitants of it: all these angels in heaven, and elect men on earth, are brought together under one head, even in him, in Christ Jesus, and by him; and none but he was able to do it, and none so fit, who is the Creator of all, and is above all; and was typified by Jacob's ladder, which reached heaven and earth, and joined them together, and on which the angels of God ascended and descended.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 9-14 - Blessings were made known to believers, by the Lord's showing to the the mystery of his sovereign will, and the method of redemption an salvation. But these must have been for ever hidden from us, if God ha not made them known by his written word, preached gospel, and Spirit of truth. Christ united the two differing parties, God and man, in his ow person, and satisfied for that wrong which caused the separation. He wrought, by his Spirit, those graces of faith and love, whereby we ar made one with God, and among ourselves. He dispenses all his blessings according to his good pleasure. His Divine teaching led whom he please to see the glory of those truths, which others were left to blaspheme What a gracious promise that is, which secures the gift of the Holy Ghost to those who ask him! The sanctifying and comforting influence of the Holy Spirit seal believers as the children of God, and heirs of heaven. These are the first-fruits of holy happiness. For this we wer made, and for this we were redeemed; this is the great design of God in all that he has done for us; let all be ascribed unto the praise of his glory.
Greek Textus Receptus
εις 1519 οικονομιαν 3622 του 3588 πληρωματος 4138 των 3588 καιρων 2540 ανακεφαλαιωσασθαι 346 5664 τα 3588 παντα 3956 εν 1722 τω 3588 χριστω 5547 τα 3588 τε 5037 εν 1722 τοις 3588 ουρανοις 3772 και 2532 τα 3588 επι 1909 της 3588 γης 1093
Vincent's NT Word Studies
10. That in the dispensation, etc. (eiv oikonomian). The A.V. is faulty and clumsy. EiJv does not mean in, but unto, with a view to. Dispensation has no article. The clause is directly connected with the preceding: the mystery which He purposed in Himself unto a dispensation. For oijkonomia dispensation see on Col. i. 25. Here and ch. iii. 2, of the divine regulation, disposition, economy of things.
Of the fullness of times (tou plhrwmatov twn kairwn). For fullness, see on Rom. xi. 12; John i. 16; Col. i. 19. For times, compare Gal. iv. 4, "fullness of the time (tou cronou), where the time before Christ is conceived as a unit. Here the conception is of a series of epochs. The fullness of the times is the moment when the successive ages of the gospel dispensation are completed. The meaning of the whole phrase, then, is: a dispensation characterized: by the fullness of the times: set forth when the times are full.
To sum up all things in Christ (anakefalaiwsasqai). Explanatory of the preceding phrase; showing in what the dispensation consists. For the word, see on Rom. xiii. 9. It means to bring back to and gather round the main point (kefalaion), not the head (kefalh); so that, in itself, it does not indicate Christ (the Read) as the central point of regathering, though He is so in fact. That is expressed by the following in Christ. The compounded preposition ajna signifies again, pointing back to a previous condition where no separation existed. All things. All created beings and things; not limited to intelligent beings. Compare Rom. viii. 21; 1 Corinthians xv. 28.
The connection of the whole is as follows: God made known the mystery of His will, the plan of redemption, according to His own good pleasure, in order to bring to pass an economy peculiar to that point of time when the ages of the christian dispensation should be fulfilled - an economy which should be characterized by the regathering of all things round one point, Christ.
God contemplates a regathering, a restoration to that former condition when all things were in perfect unity, and normally combined to serve God's ends. This unity was broken by the introduction of sin. Man's fall involved the unintelligent creation (Rom. viii. 20). The mystery of God's will includes the restoration of this unity in and through Christ; one kingdom on earth and in heaven - a new heaven and a new earth in which shall dwell righteousness, and "the creation shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God."
Robertson's NT Word Studies
1:10 {Unto a dispensation of the fulness of the times} (eis oikonomian tou plerwmatos twn kairwn). See #Col 1:25 for oikonomian. In #Ga 4:4 "the fulness of the time" (to plerwma tou cronou) the time before Christ is treated as a unit, here as a series of epochs (kairwn). Cf. #Mr 1:15; Heb 1:1. On plerwma see also #Ro 11:26; Eph 3:19; 4:13. {To sum up} (anakefalaiwsasqai). Purpose clause (amounting to result) with first aorist middle infinitive of anakefalaiow, late compound verb ana and kefalaiow (from kefalaion, #Heb 8:1, and that from kefale, head), to head up all things in Christ, a literary word. In N.T. only here and #Ro 13:9. For the headship of Christ in nature and grace see #Col 1:15-20.
