Ephesians 3:10

Those who are wise in mind have a certain attribute of nature peculiar to themselves; and they who have shown themselves capable, receive from the Supreme Wisdom a spirit of perception in double measure. For those who practise the common arts, are in what pertains to the senses highly gifted: in hearing, he who is commonly called a musician; in touch, he who moulds clay; in voice the singer, in smell the perfumer, in sight the engraver of devices on seals. Those also that are occupied in instruction, train the sensibility according to which the poets are susceptible to the influence of measure; the sophists apprehend expression; the dialecticians, syllogisms; and the philosophers are capable of the contemplation of which themselves are the objects. For sensibility finds and invents; since it persuasively exhorts to application. And practice will increase the application which has knowledge for its end. With reason, therefore, the apostle has called the wisdom of God "manifold," and which has manifested its power "in many departments and in many modes" -by art, by knowledge, by faith, by prophecy-for our benefit. "For all wisdom is from the Lord, and is with Him for ever," as says the wisdom of Jesus.

For the apostle goes on to infer (from his own statement): "in order that unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might become known through the church the manifold wisdom of God." Whose principalities and powers does he mean? If the Creator's, how does it come to pass that such a God as He could have meant His wisdom to be displayed to the principalities and powers, but not to Himself? For surely no principalities could possibly have understood anything without their sovereign Lord.

His expression through the church means through all the members of God and through every soul that has put on his mysteries and has hope in him. From this we understand what has been given to humanity. The powers and principalities in heaven are learning the wisdom of God through a human mediator.

Paul briefly touches on all the parts of the mystery that we have spoken of above when he speaks of the "manifold wisdom of God," whether this be that he sent his Son or that such great majesty assumed the form of a slave or that greater gifts were given. The promises are so great: the forgiveness of sins, the promise of heaven, eternal life, glorification and our inheritance together with the same Christ in his resurrection after death and even his death itself. This is what makes up the manifold wisdom of God.

So abundant was God's wisdom that he not only gave this teacher (Paul) to the Gentiles but also caused the truth to be-come known to the angelic spirits in heaven, who are the principalities and powers. They are powers because they have more power among the other spirits and are principalities because they are the principal powers.… The goal of all this is that the preaching of the church should be profitable to the Gentiles also. They are called to forsake their allegiance to the devil's tyranny.

True, to man it was not revealed; and art thou enlightening Angels and Archangels and Principalities and Powers? I am, saith he. For it was "hid in God," even "in God who created all things." And dost thou venture to utter this? I do, saith he. But whence hath this been made manifest to the Angels? By the Church. Again he saith, not merely the manifold but the much-manifold wisdom, that is, "the multiplied and varied." What then is this? Did not Angels know it? No, nothing of it; for if Principalities knew it not, much less could Angels ever have known it. What then? Did not even Archangels know it? No, nor even they. But whence were they going to know it? Who was to reveal it? When we were taught it, then were they also by us. For hear what the Angel saith to Joseph; "Thou shalt call His Name Jesus, for it is He that shall save His people from their sins."

In speaking of "principalities" and "powers," he speaks both of those above and those beneath.

And again the Apostle testifies that the angels are taught the things that pertain to God by the dispensation under which man has been placed, for he says: To the intent that now unto the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places might be made known, through the Church, the manifold wisdom of God: thus clearly showing that they are taught through the Church the wisdom of God.

To the intent that now unto the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places might be made known through the Church the manifold wisdom of God. Clearly has he again signified that they are not only here, but he also says that they had been taught by those things which had been dispensed to man. For by using the expression through the Church, he evidently signified through men.

Neither the principalities and powers on high, nor those below, knew the mystery of the glorification of the Gentiles. For both angels and archangels knew only that Israel was the Lord's portion and His people. And Gabriel likewise knew only that He (the Messiah) would save His people from their sins. But that the Gentiles too would attain such honor — this the powers both on high and below have now learned through the Church, that is, through the benefactions bestowed upon us. For the benefactions toward us were their teachers of the wisdom of God. And he calls this "wisdom" not simply diverse, but "manifold," pointing to its extraordinary excellence and incomprehensibility. And Gregory of Nyssa says that before the incarnation the heavenly powers knew Divine wisdom simply, namely: since He created all things by His will alone, they acknowledged Him as mighty, and since He preserved all things by His wise providence, they considered Him a wise provider. And in this there is nothing manifold, that is, that one thing existed and He made another. But after the incarnation of God the Word, from opposites arise opposites: from death — life, from weakness — power, from dishonor — glory, and from all that seemed lowly — what is fitting. In this way the manifold wisdom and power of God became known to the heavenly powers. For when we came to know, then they too — through us, seeing what blessings the Church has been deemed worthy of, and through her coming to knowledge.

Wisdom appears as manifold in the mysteries of divine Scriptures. This multiformity of the mysteries is shown in the Apostle's letter to the Ephesians: "To me, the very least of all saints, there was given this grace, to announce among the Gentiles the good tidings of the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to enlighten all men as to what is the dispensation of the mystery which has been hidden from all eternity in God, who created all things; in order that through the Church there be made known to the Principalities and the Powers in the heavens the manifold wisdom of God." And so this wisdom is called manifold because there are many ways of expressing it. Hence it was necessary that wisdom be shown under many figures, many sacraments, many signs, in order also that it be hidden to the proud and revealed to the humble. These veils cover Christ, hiding wisdom from the wise and impure.

And thus it is clear how the manifold wisdom of God, which is clearly handed down in sacred Scripture, lies hidden in all knowledge and in all nature. It is also clear how all branches of knowledge serve theology; and therefore theology itself takes up examples and uses terms pertaining to every kind of knowledge. It is also clear how broad the illuminative way is, and how in every thing that is sensed or that is known, God Himself lies hidden within.

And this is the fruit of all the sciences: that in all things faith may be built up, God may be honored, morals may be ordered, consolations may be drawn, which are found in the union of the bridegroom and the bride, which union is indeed brought about through charity, to which the entire intention of Sacred Scripture is directed, and consequently every illumination descending from above, and without which all knowledge is vain, because one never arrives at the Son except through the Holy Spirit, who teaches us all truth: who is blessed forever and ever. Amen.

Once he has set forth the dignity of his office that arises from the magnitude of what it entrusts to him (3:8), the Apostle here gives evidence of his office's worth from the utility of its effect. This consists in the revelation of great realities to eminent persons. Three points are to be considered regarding this:

First, to whom the revelation is directed (3:10a).
Secondly, through whom it is made known, at through the church (3:10b).
Thirdly, what is revealed, namely, the manifold wisdom of God (3:10a).

The Apostle touches on four points in his description of this wisdom:
First, its many facets (3:10).
Secondly, how it is so manifold (3:11a).
Thirdly, the source of this multiplicity (3:11b).
Fourthly, the effect of its coming from that source (3:12).

The wisdom which is revealed is manifold. Job 11 (5) briefly speaks of this diversity: "And I wish that God would speak with thee, and would open his lips to thee, that he might shew thee the secrets of wisdom, and that his law is manifold." "For in her," namely, divine wisdom, "is the spirit of understanding: holy, one, manifold" (Wis. 7:22). Manifold that is, in her effects, yet one in her essence.

He discusses those to whom the manifold wisdom of God is revealed: that it may be made known to the principalities and powers, from which its greatness is evident. And, since there are also princes and potentates on earth, he adds in heavenly places meaning in heaven, where we shall be. Note here that Principalities and Powers are two ranks which, by their very names, designate a preeminence in action. The rank of Powers is ordered to check any hindrances to salvation, while the rank of Principalities takes the lead and gives commands that [salvation] might be carried into effect properly. The regulative function of the Principality rank is evident from that text of Psalm 67 (26-28): "Princes went before joined with singers... The princes of Juda are their leaders." The repressive function of the Powers is clear in Romans 13 (3-4): "Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good; and thou shalt have praise from the same. For he is God's minister to thee, for good. But, if thou do that which is evil, fear; for he beareth not the sword in vain. For he is God's minister; an avenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil."

Hence, those to whom [the mystery] is made known are eminent; the holy angels by whom the saints are directed and protected.

The means through which the manifold wisdom of God is made known to them is designated by his saying through the church. This presents no small problem. For a Gloss has "That is, through the Apostles preaching in the Church."

This is one way it could be understood, the angels are taught by the Apostles, and this seems to have some grounds to it. For we notice that in heaven the higher angels, who are enlightened immediately by God, illumine and teach the lower angels who are not enlightened immediately by God. Therefore, it does not seem unreasonable that the Apostles should teach the angels since they were taught immediately by God according to John 1 (18): "The only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him."

However, another factor upsets the sufficiency of this [interpretation]. For there are two natures in Christ, the divine and the human. The Apostles were taught immediately by Christ in his human nature; but the angels immediately intuit the divine nature—even the lower angels, otherwise they would not be happy, since the beatitude of a rational creature can consist in the vision of the Divine Essence alone.

It certainly would be unseemly and absurd for us to maintain that the saints in the fatherland could be taught by even the most perfect of those still on their way [to heaven]. Although among men born of women none greater than John the Baptist has arisen, yet "he that is the lesser in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he" (Lk. 7:28). To hold that the demons could be instructed by men is, at first glance, credible. But that the blessed could be educated by pilgrims when they immediately behold the Word, the spotless mirror reflecting all being, this should not be held and does not appear proper.

Therefore, it must be asserted that the angels are instructed through the church, that is, through the apostolic preaching, as the Gloss maintains, in such a way that they are not taught by the Apostles, but in them. Augustine remarks, in his Super Genesim ad Litteram, that before God created [material] beings, he impressed on the angelic minds the intelligible patterns of natural realities. The "before" designating the order of nature and not of time, since from the standpoint of time everything was created together. As a result, angels know natural things in two ways. They know them in the Word, and this is termed their morning knowledge; and they know them in their own proper natures, this is referred to as their evening knowledge.

Further, there exist certain intelligible patterns [operative in] the mysteries of grace which transcend the whole of creation. These intelligible patterns are not impressed on the angelic minds but are hidden in God alone. Thus the angels do not grasp them in themselves, nor even in God, but only as they unfold in the events [which the mysteries] effect. Now, the intelligible patterns relative to God's manifold wisdom belong to this category. They are hidden in God and gradually unfold in external effects. Clearly, therefore, the angels will understand them neither in themselves, nor in the Word, nor by the Apostles or any other wayfarer. Rather, they know [the mysteries of grace] hidden in the Divine Mind as they unfold in the Apostles themselves. This is like the case of a house, or the concept of a house to be built, in the mind of an architect. As long as it remains in his mind it can be known to no one—except God who alone penetrates into human souls. However, once the concepts are realized externally in the construction, in the house after it is built, anyone can learn from the building what previously was concealed in the architect's mind. Yet, they are not taught by the house but in the house.

There is still another interpretation of that it may be made known to the principalities and powers in which the conjunction that is not taken causally, but in a certain way, consecutively. Thus it would read: To make known what is the dispensation of the mystery hidden for ages in God who has created all reality; hidden, nonetheless, in such a way that it was made known to Principalities and Powers. The sacrament was concealed in God in such a manner that he later revealed it to the Principalities and Powers, not from eternity but from the time they began to exist, for every creature has a beginning.

This was not through the earthly Church but through the heavenly one—the true Church who is our mother and to whom we tend; on her is our militant Church patterned. Thus the through signifies only a natural sequence, [the mysteries] are made known "through the heavenly Church" in the sense that it is passed on from one to another. As when it is said: That fact is known throughout a whole realm or city because the news travelled from one person to another in their conversations. Acts 9 (42) uses this figure of speaking in reference to St. Peter's raising of Tabitha: "And it was made known throughout all Joppe; and many believed in the Lord."

On the other hand, the Teacher comments on the text of Augustine in such a way that "to enlighten all men, that they may see what is the dispensation of the mystery which hath been hidden from eternity in God" (Eph. 3:9) occurs through the Church, that is, to all men who are in the earthly Church. But this is not in accord with Augustine's thought. Here it could be asked whether the angels knew of the mystery of the Incarnation from the beginning of the world. The Teacher replies that it was known to the higher angels but not the lower ones. So the lower angels ask: "Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bosra?" (Is. 63:1). This opinion contradicts that of Blessed Dionysius who sees in the Holy Scriptures two questions asked by the angels about Christ.

The first is from Psalm 23 (8): "Who is this King of Glory?" and the other is from Isaias 63 (1): "Who is this that cometh from Edom?" According to Dionysius, the first is asked by the lower angels and the second by the higher. He bases this on the fact that God does not reply to the first, but someone else says: "The Lord of hosts, he is the King of Glory" (Ps. 23:10). Whereas the second is answered by God immediately: "I, that speak justice and am a defender to save" (Is. 63:1). Hence, Dionysius prefers to say that both were ignorant of some [aspects of the mystery] and knew others. From the beginning all knew the mystery of the Incarnation in a general fashion, but as time passed—or in the temporal process—they learned its detailed intelligible patterns when they were explicated in external events.