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Eph_3:11. Κατὰ πρόθεσιν τῶν αἰώνων ] belongs neither to πολυποίκιλος (Holzhausen) nor to σοφία (Koppe, Baumgarten-Crusius), nor does it relate to Eph_3:9 (Michaelis), nor yet to all that precedes from Eph_3:3 or Eph_3:5 (Flatt, comp. Zanchius, Morus), but to ἵνα γνωρισθῇ κ . τ . λ ., giving information important in its bearing on this ἵνα : in accordance with the purpose of the world-periods, i.e. in conformity with the purpose which God had during the world-periods (from the commencement of the ages up to the execution of the purpose); for already πρὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου it was formed, Eph_1:3, but from the beginning of the world-ages it was hidden in God, Eph_3:9. On the genitive, comp. Jud_1:6; Psa_145:13; Winer, p. 169 [E. T. 234]. Others, incorrectly, take it as: the purpose concerning the different periods of the world, according to which, namely, God at first chose no people, then chose the Jews, and lastly called Jews and Gentiles to the Messianic kingdom (Schoettgen, comp. Chrysostom, Theophylact, Estius, Cornelius a Lapide, Baumgarten, Semler); for it is only the one purpose, accomplished in Christ, that is spoken of. See what follows. According to Baur, κατὰ πρόθεσιν τῶν αἰών . means: according to what God ideally proposed to Himself in the aeons (that is, the subjects of the divine ideas, constituting as such the essence of God). According to the Gnostic view, this returns, after it has been accomplished in Christ, as the realized idea back into itself.
ἣν ἐποίησεν ἐν Χ . Ἰ .] applies not to σοφία (Jerome, Luther, Moldenhauer), but to πρόθεσιν , and means: which He has fulfilled in Christ Jesus. So Castalio, Vatablus, Grotius, Zachariae, Koppe, Rosenmüller, Holzhausen, Matthies, Olshausen, de Wette, Bleek, and others. Comp. τὸ θέλημα ποιεῖν (Eph_2:3; Mat_21:31; Joh_6:38), τὴν γνώμην ποιεῖν (Act_17:17). Others: which He has formed in Christ Jesus. So Beza, Calvin, Estius, Michaelis, Morus, et al., including Flatt, Rückert, Meier, Harless, Baumgarten-Crusius; also Hofmann, Schriftbew. I. p. 230. Linguistically admissible. Comp. Mar_3:6; Mar_15:1; Isa_29:15; Herod. i. 127. But the context tells in favour of the first-named interpretation, since what follows is the explanation assigning the ground of the purpose not as formed, but as carried into effect; hence not merely ἐν Χριστῷ is said, but ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ (comp. Eph_1:5), since not the forming of that purpose, but its accomplishment, took place in the historically manifested Messiah, Jesus—in Him, in His personal self-sacrifice is the realization of that divine purpose contained.