Section 197
15In Col. 1:19; 2:9 the πλήϱωμα (of deity) resides in Christ; in Eph. 1:23 it is commonly held that the church is the πλήϱωμα of Christ. But see the exposition and notes on the latter passage (pp. 275-77); in any case, πλήϱωμα has a wide range of meaning and need not be tied to one technical sense. As for μυστήϱιον, the μυστήϱιον of God is Christ (Col. 2:2), who is the substance of the gospel (Eph. 6:19). Distinct, but related, aspects of this μυστήϱιον are expounded in the two letters: in Col. 1:27 the truth that the indwelling Christ is the hope of glory for his people (Gentile as well as Jewish); in Eph. 3:2-12 the truth that in Christ Gentiles are fellow-heirs (of glory) with Jewish believers. See the discussions in E. Percy, Die Probleme der Kolosser- und Epheserbriefe (Lund, 1946), pp. 384-86 (on πλήϱωμα), 379-80 (on μυστήϱιον); C. L. Mitton, The Epistle to the Ephesians (Oxford, 1951), pp. 94-97, 245 (on πλήϱωμα), 86-91, 245 (on μυστήϱιον).