Ephesians 3:8

The apostle declares that to himself, "less than the least of all saints, was the grace given" of enlightening all men as to "what was the fellowship of the mystery, which during the ages had been hid in God, who created all things." The heretic erased the preposition in, and made the clause run thus: ("what is the fellowship of the mystery) which hath for ages been hidden from the God who created all things.

Was work given before grace? Or did grace come before any works? That which is working is God's power. So grace had already been given. When it is said that Paul was made a minister according to the gift of God, we understand that the gift of being a minister was given before his working to make him a minister, and his being a minister is the gift and grace of God.

"To preach unto the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ."

If His "riches are unsearchable," and that too after his appearing, much more is His essence. If it is still a mystery, much more was it before it was made known; for a mystery he calls it on this account, because neither did the Angels know it, nor was it manifest to any one else.

They who go to the physician's have not merely to go there and nothing further; they have to learn how to treat themselves, and to apply remedies. And so with us then who come here, we must not do this and nothing else, we must learn our lesson, the surpassing lowliness of Paul. What? when he was about to speak of the vastness of the grace of God, hear what he saith, "Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, was this grace given." Lowliness indeed it was even to bewail his former sins, although blotted out, and to make mention of them, and to hold himself within his true measure as where he calls himself "a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious;" yet nothing was equal to this: for "formerly," saith he, such was I; and again he calls himself, "one born out of due time." But that after so many great and good deeds and at that time he should thus humble himself, and call himself "less than the least of all," this is indeed great and surpassing moderation. "To one who am less than the least of all saints;" he saith not, "than the Apostles." So that that expression is less strong than this before us. There his words are, "I am not meet to be called an Apostle." Here he says that he is even "less than the least of all saints;" "to me," saith he, "who am less than the least of all saints was this grace given."

Paul himself was sent to the Gentiles, the other Apostles to the Circumsion. So that the more marvellous and astonishing commission was given, saith he, "to me, who am less than the least." And this too was of grace, that he that was least should have the greatest things entrusted to him; that he should be made the herald of these tidings. For he that is made a herald of the greater tidings, is in this way great.

Although it is a token of humility to call oneself "the least of all the saints," one is guilty of deceit if one conceals the truth in the heart and says something else with the tongue. We must therefore look for an argument showing how Paul truly was "the least of all the saints" and yet did not fall from the rank of an apostle. The Lord says in the Gospel. "He who would be great among you, let him be less than all." … Paul demonstrates this in his actions. … Therefore the apostle Paul was meekest of all who sought to be weak on Christ's account.… Because of this humility, amazing grace was given to him. In this way he became "the least of all the saints" in order "to preach the unsearchable mysteries of God."

Unsearchable and hidden can be given two senses. The riches were previously unable to be searched out. They are now laid open after the Lord's passion. Another sense, perhaps even better: Those things which by nature were unsearchable to humanity are the ones that have been made known by God's revelation.

The divine apostle says not only that Christ's nature is divine but also that "his riches are unsearchable." "And how does one preach if his riches are indeed unsearchable?" "I preach this very thing," he says, "that they are unsearchable."

Intending to speak about the greatness of Divine grace, see with what humility he speaks of himself. For after such glorious deeds he calls himself the very least, not among the apostles, but among all the saints, that is, the believers. And this, as an expression of humility, is higher than the words: "I am not worthy to be called an apostle" (1 Cor. 15:9). What grace, he says, was given to me? "To preach the Gospel to the Gentiles." For others were sent to the circumcised, but he to the Gentiles. Therefore he has need of grace, because to the least was entrusted the greatest. But having received the command to convert the worst to the Gospel, through this he becomes great, although he seemed small. So then, this work belongs to grace. If the riches of Christ remain unsearchable even after His manifestation, then how much more unsearchable is His essence? How then after this did Eunomius boast of comprehending it?

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.

Next (v. 8), he speaks of the duty entrusted to him; the grace of such a commission has three qualities to recommend it:

First, the condition of the person himself [to whom it is entrusted].
Secondly, the greatness of what is confided to him (3:8b).
Thirdly, the good that results as its fruit (3:10 ff.).

The office confided to him is recommended from this person's condition. For if some king entrusted an important office to a great and high-ranking prince, he would not be doing him a very great favor since he would be placing an important person in an important position. But if he entrusts a great and exceedingly difficult duty to an insignificant person, he would greatly honor him and do him a considerable favor; the more so in proportion as the eminence of the office exceeds him. In this fashion Paul praises the gratuity of the office confided to himself: To me, the least of all the saints, is given this grace. He calls himself the least, not because of the power granted him, but in recognition of his former state: "For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God" (1 Cor. 15:9). "The least shall become a thousand, and a little one a most strong nation" (Is. 60:22). This [duty was to be fulfilled] among the Gentiles, that is, throughout the nations. "For he who wrought in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision wrought in me also among the Gentiles. And, when they had known the grace that was given to me, James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the Gentiles, and they unto the circumcision" (Gal. 2:8-9).

In the second place (3:8b), the grace of his mission is commended by reason of the magnitude of his task: to reveal and clarify the great and hidden secrets of God. Think of the greatness of Christ and of the salvation of those who believe which he accomplished. The entire Gospel concerns these two.

Regarding the first he says to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ, as if to assert: To proclaim the good is the grace given me. "Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel" (1 Cor. 1:17). "Woe unto me if I preach not the gospel" (1 Cor. 9:16). This good is the unsearchable riches of Christ which are true wealth. "God who is rich in mercy... hath quickened us together in Christ" (Eph. 2:4); "Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and patience, and longsuffering?" (Rom. 2:4); "The same is Lord over all, rich unto all that call upon him" (Rom. 10:12). These riches are unsearchable indeed, he affirms, since they are as great as his mercy which can be neither understood nor analyzed. "Riches of salvation, wisdom and knowledge: the fear of the Lord is his treasure" (Is. 33:6), referring to Christ since reverence of the Lord found its most plentiful expression in Christ. "And he shall be filled with the spirit of the fear of the Lord" (Is. 11:3).

In Christ "are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Col. 2:3). They are unsearchable because Christ's wisdom and knowledge cannot be analyzed. "Peradventure thou wilt comprehend the steps of God, and wilt find out the Almighty perfectly?" (Job 11:7). The implied answer is, No. For creatures, in whom a trace of their Creator is visible, do not provide us with a perfect understanding of Him. Struck by the wonder of these riches, the Apostle exclaimed: "O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are his judgments, and how unsearchable his ways!" (Rom. 11:33). "Who hath searched out the wisdom of God that goeth before all things?" (Ecclus. 1:3).