Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Colossians 1:26

"[even] the mystery which hath been hid for ages and generations: but now hath it been manifested to his saints," — Colossians 1:26 (ASV)

The preceding verse has spoken of Paul’s message as “the word of God,” a general term that sums up the oral proclamation of the apostles. Verses 26–27 define the word of God more specifically in terms of a “mystery” (GK 3696), a word used in the NT of truth undiscoverable except by divine revelation (cf. 1 Corinthians 2:6ff.; 14:51); i.e., it denotes something that, though once a secret, has now been fully revealed in the Gospel. In Ephesians it is used six times—more often than in any other book of the NT: in 1:9, where it refers to the mystery of God’s dealing with the world; in 3:3–9 (three times), where it has special reference to the inclusion of Gentiles in the privileges and blessings of the messianic salvation; in 5:22, where it speaks of the spiritual union of Christ and his church; and in 6:19, where it is practically equated with the Gospel. Here in Colossians the word occurs four times (1:26, 27; 2:2; 4:3).

Paul goes on to express two characteristics of this mystery: it was “hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed.” “Ages” and “generations” are used together to refer to people living in former times. Now, however, “to the saints” (i.e., the people of God) the formerly hidden truth is “disclosed.” Paul’s expression here reflects an intense joy that the long silence has been broken.