That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
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George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
That the Gentiles should be coheirs This is the mystery which was heretofore unknown, and now revealed. This is what the greatest part of the Jews could never be brought to believe, that the Gentiles should be equally sharers with them of God's promises and blessings. They were strangely scandalized that St. Peter should receive Cornelius, an uncircumcised man, into the same communion. On the like account they persecuted St. Paul. (Witham)
Now the meaning of fellow heirs is this: Just as there are many members in one body … and these, though in one body, have their differences and feel their own joy and grief in turn, so those who have believed in Christ, even if they have different gifts, are bonded together in the one body of Christ. .
The Gentiles are fellow heirs with Israel. Put more precisely, they are fellow heirs with Christ. … It is not that some possession is divided among us but that God himself in his fullness is our inheritance and possession. .
* That the Gentiles are fellow-heirs, and fellow-members of the body and fellow partakers.
What is this; fellow-heirs, and fellow-partakers of the promise, and fellow-members of the body? This last is the great thing, that they should be one body; this exceeding closeness of relation to Him. For that they were to be called indeed, that they knew, but that it was so great, as yet they knew not. This therefore he calls the mystery. Of the promise. The Israelites were partakers, and the Gentiles also were fellow-partakers of the promise of God.
* In Christ Jesus through the Gospel.
That is, by His being sent unto them also, and by their believing; for it is not said they are fellow-heirs simply, but through the Gospel. However, this indeed, is nothing so great, it is in fact a small thing, and it discloses to us another and greater thing, that not only men knew not this, but that neither Angels nor Archangels, nor any other created power, knew it. For it was a mystery, and was not re...
