Ephesians 3:8-12

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8 To me, the least of all the saints, is given this grace, to preach among the Gentiles, the unsearchable riches of Christ,
9 And to enlighten all men, that they may see what is the dispensation of the mystery which hath been hidden from eternity in God, who created all things:
10 That the manifold wisdom of God may be made known to the principalities and powers in heavenly places through the church,
11 According to the eternal purpose, which he made, in Christ Jesus our Lord:
12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

How is St. Paul defining the Church in these key verses? This is the question posed to me in my bible study on St. Paul and i am a little lost here. Any help would be most appreciated.
 
I don’t see Paul “defining” the Church here. Ambrosiaster says, “The powers are those who are more powerful than other spirits, and the principalities are so called because they rule over the powers. They are meant to recognize, through the Church which has been drawn to life in so many different ways, the mystery of the one God which dwells in Christ and so turn away from their error. This happens that the preachers of the Church is of benefit to them as well and that they renounce their allegiance to the Devil’s tyranny, by which he has armed himself by ungodly presumption against belief in the one God.”
 
jamesdunnaway said:
8 To me, the least of all the saints, is given this grace, to preach among the Gentiles, the unsearchable riches of Christ,
9 And to enlighten all men, that they may see what is the dispensation of the mystery which hath been hidden from eternity in God, who created all things:
10 That the manifold wisdom of God may be made known to the principalities and powers in heavenly places through the church,
11 According to the eternal purpose, which he made, in Christ Jesus our Lord:
12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

How is St. Paul defining the Church in these key verses? This is the question posed to me in my bible study on St. Paul and i am a little lost here. Any help would be most appreciated.
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I agree with Copland, I don’t see the Church defined here.
 
maybe thats why im having such a problem finding the answer to the question:shrug:
 
COPLAND_3 said:
I don’t see Paul “defining” the Church here. Ambrosiaster says, “The powers are those who are more powerful than other spirits, and the principalities are so called because they rule over the powers. They are meant to recognize, through the Church which has been drawn to life in so many different ways, the mystery of the one God which dwells in Christ and so turn away from their error. This happens that the preachers of the Church is of benefit to them as well and that they renounce their allegiance to the Devil’s tyranny, by which he has armed himself by ungodly presumption against belief in the one God.”
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None of the fallen angels can ever renounce their allegiance to the Devil’s tyranny. They are damned forever.

2 Peter 2:4-9
For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; 5 and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; 6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; 7 and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked 8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)— 9 then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment,

This passage Ephesians 3:8-12 is speaking of the good/saved members of the choirs of angels who will augment their knowledge through the Church’s teachings.

1 Peter 1:10-12
Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.
 
jamesdunnaway said:
8 To me, the least of all the saints, is given this grace, to preach among the Gentiles, the unsearchable riches of Christ,
9 And to enlighten all men, that they may see what is the dispensation of the mystery which hath been hidden from eternity in God, who created all things:
10 That the manifold wisdom of God may be made known to the principalities and powers in heavenly places through the church,
11 According to the eternal purpose, which he made, in Christ Jesus our Lord:
12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

How is St. Paul defining the Church in these key verses? This is the question posed to me in my bible study on St. Paul and i am a little lost here. Any help would be most appreciated.
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It possible that the point the study is trying to get to is that even the angels learned of the plan of God as it has been revealed by Jesus through His Church - Paul says in a couple of places that the Incarnation was revelation to the heavenly host as well as to humanity, and that by virtue of the Incarnation humanity is raised to a level superior to that of the angels, because Jesus has shared our nature.
 
NHInsider said:
It possible that the point the study is trying to get to is that even the angels learned of the plan of God as it has been revealed by Jesus through His Church - Paul says in a couple of places that the Incarnation was revelation to the heavenly host as well as to humanity, and that** by virtue of the Incarnation humanity is raised to a level superior** to that of the angels, because Jesus has shared our nature.
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We will be like angels. I do not see that we humans will all be superior to them.

Matthew 22:30
For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven.

Mark 12:25
For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
**
Jesus and Mary are superior to all the angels of heaven.** The rest of us will be equal to the angels in heaven which means that some are higher in perfection than others and some are lower in perfection than others and this “status” in heaven for humans is dependent upon each person’s personal sanctity. Perhaps St. Joseph and others are also higher in sanctity than all the other angels. The Seraphim are the highest angels in heaven. We on earth simply do not know the level of sanctity of each angel and human in heaven. We will find out when we join them in heaven. 🙂

Luke 20:35-37
But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; 36 nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. 37 But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’

More info at: catholictradition.org/Angels/angels50-4.htm
 
The Church is Christ’s mystical body. Elsewhere Paul portrays the Church as a pillar that upholds the truth for all to see (1 Tim 3:15)
 
8 To me, the least of all the saints, is given this grace, to preach among the Gentiles, the unsearchable riches of Christ,

Haydock commentary =
To me, the least of all the saints, (i.e. of the faithful) is given this mission by the grace of God, and power from the Almighty of working miracles, and other miraculous gifts from him, who created all things in order to enlighten [4] or bring light to all men, that they may know and be convinced of the dispensation and manner in which God will have this mystery now made known and preached to all the world. Wi.

9 And to enlighten all men, that they may see what is the dispensation of the mystery which hath been hidden from eternity in God, who created all things:

Haydock commentary =
The Lord has commanded me to teach and declare his wisdom, displayed at this time in the mystery of our redemption; a mystery, which for so many ages, nay even from all eternity, has been locked up in the breast of the Almighty, but which he has at length vouchsafed to reveal. Menochius.

10 That the manifold wisdom of God may be made known to the principalities and powers in heavenly places through the church,
11 According to the eternal purpose, which he made, in Christ Jesus our Lord:
12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

Haydock commentary =
That the manifold wisdom of God, and his other divine perfections of mercy, of justice, &c. may be more known, and seen executed by the coming of his Son, according to his eternal decrees of sending a Redeemer, in whom they are to believe, and have a hope and confidence of their eternal salvation. Wi.

I am sorry but i fail to see the link between this and our status compared to angels, not that you are wrong but that one flew right over me. According to the priest at my parish, his take on it is one of the Church’s purposes is to make God’s will known. What you guys take on that one?
 
The relation is that God is the supreme Father of men and angels (Eph 3:15). The mystery that was once hidden from the angels is that Christ continues to teach, heal, and save the world through his mystical body the Church. The blessed angels see this as a glorious vision of an ever-expanding family. The fallen angels see it as a frightful spectacle of their own achievements toppling over.
 
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