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Ephesians 1-3    Listen   

About the letter to the Ephesians
This epistle was probably written around 63 A.D. while Paul was in prison in Rome. Ephesus was far away from Jerusalem - 700 miles or so by boat over treacherous waters. Paul had previously visited there on his second missionary journey in Acts 18:19-21 (see notes), then again on his third missionary journey (Acts 19:8-10; 20:31, see notes), when he remained there for two years preaching in the synagogue (Acts 19:8,10), in the school of Tyrannus (Acts 19:9) and in private houses (Acts 20:20). The Ephesian church consisted of Gentile Believers as seen in Ephesians 2:11 (see below) and Ephesians 3:1 (see below).

Your standard Pauline introduction (Ephesians 1:1-2)

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, ¶ To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 ¶ Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

These are the typical points we see Paul emphasize at the beginning of his epistles:

• Paul establishes his apostleship as coming from Jesus Christ by the will of God.
  (See notes regarding Paul's apostleship on Romans 1:1)
  
• He directs this letter to the "saints" in Ephesus - also called "faithful."
  Note: The conjunction "and" is translated from the Greek conjunction "kai" which can also be translated "also" or "even." Hence, the "saints" and the "faithful" are references to the same group of people. The noun, "saints" and the verb "sanctify" are derived from the same root. The Greek verb for "sanctify" is "hagiazo," meaning "to dedicate or set apart." The Greek noun form of that root is "hagios," which is often translated "saints." In other words, a Believer is "set apart" for an eternity in Heaven as a "saint" of God.
• Paul extends "grace" and "peace" to his audience acknowledging that both of these come from God and Jesus Christ.
  "Grace" (Greek: "charis") means "unmerited favor." For more on the New Testament usages of "grace" and "peace" see the notes on Romans 5:1.

Our Christian heritage (Ephesians 1:3-14)

3 ¶ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
7 ¶ In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace
8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,
9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,
10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.
11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,
12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
13 ¶ In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

Paul kicks this letter off by establishing who we are and how we got here...and he does it in one looooong Greek sentence that starts in verse 3 and doesn't end until the completion of verse 14.

Let's look at the components of this long sentence that extends from verse 3 to 14:

• We're blessed (verse 3).
  The Greek root "eulog" is used three times in this sentence - first as an adjective ("eulogetos"), then as a verb ("eulogesas") and finally as a noun ("eulogia"). Because God is blessed (to be praised or commended), those in Christ are also blessed (spiritually consecrated for heavenly purposes).
• We are "chosen" in him since "before the foundation of the world" (verse 4)
  God has always known who would receive Jesus as savior (see discussion below).
• "we should be holy and without blame before him in love (verse 4).
  Does this phrase speak of our conduct before the world or position in Christ before God. Of course God desires that we should live our lives before the world in a holy fashion and without blame, but this verse appears to be referencing our set-apart position before God as a result of being chosen. Because Jesus Christ paid our sin debt, as Believers we are, before God, "holy and without blame." On the other hand, Peter uses this same adjective "holy" (Greek: "hagios" means "set apart") in I Peter 1:15-16 (see notes) to indicate a Believer's responsibility to set a Christ-like example before the world. Context only may be used to make the differentiation in intent.
• We are "predestined" (verse 5).
  To what? "...adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself"
  Why? "...according to the good pleasure of His will"
  (see discussion below)
• "to the praise of the glory of His grace" (verse 6)
  This phrase further explains the "predestined" of verse 5 as verse 6 begins in the Greek accusative case, thus providing the object for the end of verse 6. In other words, we are "predestined" because it is "his will" for which he is to be praised because of "his grace" causing him to do so. "Grace" (Greek: "charis" means "unmerited favor")
  For additional information, see "Important Salvation Words."
• The result: "by which He made us accepted in the Beloved" (verse 6).
  This phrase means that we are members of God's family, the Body of Christ.
• "In Him we have redemption through His blood" (verse 7).
  This refers to the mention of "Jesus Christ" in verse 5. Our redemption is through Jesus Christ. The Greek word for "redemption" here is "apolutrosis." In secular Greek writings, the word was used to denote a ransom payment. It is quite appropriate then that this word is used 10 times in the New Testament to specify the means by which God allows us to go to heaven - through a redemptive process. We were lost, but by the shed blood of Jesus on the cross, God redeemed us.
• "the forgiveness of sins" (verse 7).
  This phrase is included to specifically define "redemption through his blood." Because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven.
• "according to the riches of His grace" (verse 7).
  "Grace" (Greek: "charis" means "unmerited favor"). No works for salvation; it's a gift!
  For additional information, see "Important Salvation Words."
• More about the "grace" of verse 7 as Paul adds, "which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence" (verse 8).
  The "grace" by which we were saved "abounded toward us" at salvation resulting in "wisdom and prudence." Two words are used here meaning almost the same thing. The Greek word "sophia" translated "wisdom" can be understood in this context as "knowing the will of God." The Greek word "phronesis" translated "prudent" can be understood as the ability to take the "wisdom" from God and correctly determine how best to apply it. Paul wants us to understand that through "grace," we have both.
• Now let's talk about the results of the "wisdom and prudence" of verse 7 when Paul says, "having made known to us the mystery of His will" (verse 9).
  A "mystery" (Greek: "musterion") means in New Testament rendering "that which cannot be known naturally." In a general sense, the word means "that which was hidden previously." In either sense, the spirit-provided "wisdom and prudence" of verse 7 reveals to Believers the "mystery of his will." By the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit (not actually mentioned until verse 13) we know (or at least should know) God's will.
• Why are Believers now given the opportunity to have previously-hidden "mysteries" revealed? "...according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself" (verse 9).
  It was God's will to provide it to us; it's just that simple."
• that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him (verse 10).
  Here's the "mystery" of verse 9 defined. "Dispensation" (Greek: "oikonomia" means "management") "of the fulness of times" is clear in this verse. The Greek neuter definite article used twice is appropriately translated "things," or more specifically, "the things in heaven and the things on earth." These "things" are only gathered together in one beginning with the millennium when every "thing" is under Christ's rule. No other period of time previous to the millennium meets the criteria. Paul gives some extra detail on this subject in I Corinthians 15:24-28 (see notes).
• "In Him also we have obtained an inheritance" (verse 11). Believers are in the millennium plan (and thereafter) as "heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ" according to Romans 8:17 (see notes).
• And how did we come to be a part of the millennium proposition? "...being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will" (verse 11). It's another feature included with predestination (see discussion below).

• Now for a small Jew-Gentile distinction, "that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory" (verse 12).
  The usage of the Greek plural personal pronoun (translated "we") along with the Greek plural definite article and verb (translated "who first trusted") undoubtedly refers to the Jews rather than to only Paul's personal salvation. Ephesian Gentiles show up in the next verse.
• "In Him you also trusted" (verse 13).
  Notice in the NKJV that "trusted" is italicized. In the Greek text, the thought is there, but the word is not. Here we have a reference to the salvation of the Ephesian Gentiles.
• "after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation" (verse 13).
  "Word of truth" equals "gospel of your salvation."
• "in whom also, having believed" (verse 13).
  The Greek word for "believed" ("pisteuo" means "to exercise faith in") is in the Greek aorist tense indicating a point in time. Because they "believed" (exercised faith in Jesus Christ as their savior) at a point in time in the past, they are saved.
• The result of having "believed" is seen in this phrase, "you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise" (verse 13).
  See the article entitled "The Earnest of the Spirit" in the box to the right of this text. The fact that we are "sealed" by the Holy Spirit guarantees that our eternal security rests in Christ, not ourselves.
• "who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory" (verse 14).
  Our "inheritance" is secured by a deposit (a "guarantee/earnest" payment) until the actual physical redemption (going to Heaven) takes place. See the article entitled "The Earnest of the Spirit" in the box to the right of this text, or you may click here to read it in a separate window.

That brings us to the close of a very long, twelve-verse Greek sentence.

What about election, foreknowledge and predestination?
The following verses from Ephesians 1 have caused concern with some:

3 ¶ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

Some have used this passage of scripture along with others to declare that man has no say whatsoever in his own salvation experience - in his own spiritual birth. The fact is, God is omniscient; it's one of his attributes. He did know from the foundation of the world who would receive Jesus as personal Savior and who would not. This foreknowledge has been misunderstood by many in light of the fact that man is not capable of comprehending how one might have foreknowledge without misusing it. I once heard the late evangelist B. R. Lakin say as he was advancing in years, "If I could know where I was going to die, I would just never go there!" As I said, we can only imagine aggressively acting upon foreknowledge were we to have it - not so with God. He knows, but allows us to take our own course, nonetheless. However, the fact that he knows makes it appropriate for Paul to declare that those who are saved are "predestined." So, the fact that God knows does not alter the fact that he has still given man the choice to receive Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. A fuller discussion of foreknowledge, election and predestination is to be found in the commentary on Romans 9; click here to read.

The tools of a mature Believer (Ephesians 1:15-23)

15 ¶ Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,
16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,
18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power
20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
22 ¶ And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,
23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

These 9 verses are packed full as well. In verses 15-16, Paul tells the Ephesians that, after hearing of their faith, he is praying for them. Then...we see another big, long Greek sentence in verses 17-23 that outlines the specifics of Paul's prayer for them.

Let's take special notice of Paul's prayer for the Ephesians:

• That God would give them "the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him" (verse 17)
  Here we see that the Holy Spirit IS the spirit of wisdom and revelation.
  By the Holy Spirit, we acquire our knowledge of God. Likewise, John warned against false teachers spreading false doctrine and declared that the Holy Spirit should be our guide in I John 2:27 (see notes).
• That they would fully understand what accompanies salvation in Jesus Christ (verse 18).
  This is the work of the Holy Spirit as referenced in verse 17. Believers have rights - rights as heirs...thus the accompanying phrase regarding our inheritance as "saints" (aka Believers).
• That they would fully embrace the power of God available "toward us who believe" (verse 19).

Paul's still talking about his prayer for them. If there's any question in anyone's mind about who Jesus Christ is, what he did and what he's doing now, Paul answers it in verses 20-23:

• God raised Jesus from the dead (verse 20). Paul deals extensively with this reality in I Corinthians 15:12-28 (see notes).
• Jesus is at God's right hand now (verse 20).
  Christ at God's "right hand" is based upon the prophetic Psalm 110 (see notes) where verse 1 begins with, "The LORD said to my Lord, 'Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.'"
  This "right hand" reference is used by Paul a number of times in the New Testament. See the notes on Psalm 110 for details.
• Jesus is the ultimate authority in the universe (verses 21-22), also clearly stated in Colossians 2:9-10 (see notes), "For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power."
• Jesus is the head of the church, his body (verses 22-23). This concept is also seen in Colossians 1:18 (see notes), "And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence."
  Paul elaborates on Christ's relationship to the church later in this letter to the Ephesians in Ephesians 5:22-33 (see notes).

By grace through faith (Ephesians 2:1-10)

1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,
2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
4 ¶ But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

So, what was your spiritual condition before you got saved? You were "dead in trespasses and sins." All of us were spiritually dead prior to salvation in Christ. We had no hope of Heaven - no way to redeem ourselves from Hell. You will notice in the NKJV that "He made alive" is italicized. That's to indicate that these words are not placed here in the Greek text, they were added to complete a thought - a thought which is not really completed until verse 5.

And about lifestyle before salvation? Verse 2 says, "in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience." The "course of this world" (i.e. that which comes naturally to the unregenerate mind) is dictated by the "prince of the power of the air" aka Satan. Let's be careful not to see demon or devil possession here. Satan is seen in this verse as orchestrating the "course of this world." As a result, those who reject Christ are seen in verse 2 as those who embrace the "course" dictated by Satan. Paul says, in essence, the same thing to the Corinthians in II Corinthians 4:3-4 (see notes), "whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe..." Verse 3 expands upon the godless lifestyle before salvation, calling it a lifestyle that fulfilled "the desires of the flesh and of the mind." He even refers to the unregenerate as "children of wrath" (i.e. the wrath of God's judgment).

That's the bad news of verses 1-5. We turn the corner in verse 4 with God's mercy and then the good news - that God has "made us alive together with Christ" (verse 5). Here it is a spiritual reference, not physical. In this case, the spiritually dead are made spiritually alive. Notice Paul sneaks a preview into verse 5 when he says, "by grace you have been saved." That's fully developed in verses 8-10. Through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, we are made alive to live with Christ in Heaven. And...it's all done by grace through a faith relationship with God through Christ.

Verses 6-7 give us the essence of our spiritual position in Christ:

• Raised up with Christ (verse 6)
• Already seated with Christ in Heaven (verse 6)
• As such, we are in store for the manifestation of the "exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus." (verse 7)

Again, it should be emphasized that positionally, the resurrection and seat are ours right now. Think about it, when a king is not actually seated on his throne, he's still the king. That's the idea here. As Believers, we are resurrected, seated and to be recipients of blessings through Christ Jesus...because of our relationship with Christ.

Verses 8-9 are popular verses because they state the simplicity of the salvation experience - 100% grace and 0% works. As a matter of fact, the phrase "and that not of yourselves" in verse 8 means that we are unable to do anything to save ourselves whatsoever. Consider the words of Jesus in John 6:44 (see notes), "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day." We are saved when we are drawn by the Holy Spirit to receive Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and subsequently accept the offer. Titus 3:5 (see notes) says, "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit." The Greek word for "renewing" there means "renovation." Lost people need a renovation that can only be done by the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 2:10 adds the role of works, but not in the context of securing one's salvation. Works are what follow after salvation as Believers are indwelled (at salvation), filled and led by the Holy Spirit. For more information on the filling and leading of the Holy Spirit, see the notes on Galatians 5:16-26.

Just in case a reader may be confused about what is involved in salvation in Christ, let's look closely at Ephesians 2:8-9:

• One is "saved" by "grace."
  "Saved" means free from the wrath of God, and "grace" means "unmerited favor" (i.e. we don't deserve to be saved).
  For additional information, see "Important Salvation Words."
• "Through faith" represents the process. The Greek word for "faith" is "pistis" and speaks to the act of exercising complete trust.
• The phrase "and not of yourselves" takes away any notion one might have that somehow eternal life is deserved; it is not.
• Salvation is the free "gift of God" through the process of verse 8.
• Salvation is "not of works." No one in Heaven will ever be able to boast that they deserve to be there.

"What about the works then?" one might ask. Here they are in verse 10, but not for the purpose of acquiring salvation. The Holy-Spirit-led course of the new Believer is to live a life fruitful with "good works" (i.e. godly works). To avoid misunderstanding, it's a good idea to include verse 10 with each and every citation of verses 8-9.

An end to name calling (Ephesians 2:11-22)

11 ¶ Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands—
12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 ¶ For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,
15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,
16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.
17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.
18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
19 ¶ Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,
21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,
22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

So what name did those first-century Jews call the Gentiles? Answer: The Uncircumcision. Ooooo! That hurts. However, in Christ Jesus, both Jews and Gentiles are one in Christ; it looks like the Gentiles catch a break. Previously, Gentiles had no interests in Israel, no citizenship within Israel, the covenants God had made with Israel excluded Gentiles and therefore they were without hope and without God (verse 12). But having been that far away in the past, now the blood of Christ has brought Gentiles near (verse 13). As a matter of fact, he broke down the division between us (Jews versus Gentiles) by his death and resurrection (verse 14). Yeah, but the Jews were very proud of their Law of Moses and took great pride in keeping that Law. But look at verse 15, "having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace." What did Christ do with the Law of Moses when he died on the cross? He abolished it. Afterward, even Gentiles, having been raised from childhood without knowing anything about the Law of Moses, are equally as righteous before God as the Jews. Many Christians incorrectly adopt and hang onto the Law of Moses, and especially the Ten Commandments, as something they are to integrate into their Christian walk after salvation. NOT SO! The Law has been abolished by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. We find the same declaration clearly stated in II Corinthians 3:7-11 and Colossians 2:14. (Click here to see a fuller discussion on these verses regarding the New Testament Believers responsibilities regarding the Law of Moses.)

Verses 16-22 really drive home this point of the uniting of Jews and Gentiles together in Christ.

• Verse 16 - Reconciled (Jews and Gentiles) with the animosity between them put away.
• Verse 17 - The same peace is preached to Jews and Gentiles alike.
  Romans 5:1 (see notes) says, "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
• Verse 18 - The same Holy Spirit gives equal access to God to the Jews and Gentiles who trust Jesus Christ as savior, also seen in I Corinthians 12:13 (see notes).
• Verse 19 - While the Gentiles were strangers to God before, now they are "fellow citizens with the saints."
• Verse 20 - The "cornerstone" reference is based upon the prophetic Psalm 118:22 (see notes). The inclusion of Gentiles is validated by the prophets and apostles.
• Verses 21-22 - Jews and Gentiles together form the strong foundation for the working of the Holy Spirit.

The mystery of the Gospel revealed (Ephesians 3:1-13)

1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles—
2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you,
3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already,
4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ),
5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:
6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel,
7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.
8 ¶ To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;
10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places,
11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,
12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.
13 Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

In verse 1 Paul makes an interesting statement. He's in jail because of his insistence on taking the Gospel to the Gentiles. After all, his arrest in Acts 21 (see notes) came about because the Jews were infuriated with him; he had the audacity (in their minds) to take their sacred religion and mix it in with a Gentile offering. Paul made a considerable sacrifice to preach the Gospel to Gentiles. So, exactly what was this new revelation that Paul was willing to even die for? Look at verse 6, "that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs..." That's the revelation that makes our salvation possible, but it's also the revelation that threatened the special place with God the Jews were so proud of. The Jews and even many Jewish Christians in the first century disregarded the numerous Old Testament prophecies regarding entrance of Gentiles into complete and equal communion with Jews. See the notes on Isaiah 49 for a fuller discussion.

This brings us to the discussion of a theological term known as "dispensationalism." Bible students frequently ask one another, "Are you a dispensationalist?" The term has been severely misused and taken out of context by many. Without dealing with that misuse, let me just point out that Paul declares himself to be a dispensationalist in Ephesians 3:2, "if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you." In verse 3 Paul goes on to explain, "...by revelation He made known to me the mystery." A "mystery" in this context is that which cannot be known by the natural mind - which was previously hidden (verse 5). But...this mystery was supernaturally revealed to Paul through "revelation" directly from God. And what was this mystery? Again, there it is in verse 6, "that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel."

So, to summarize, God committed to Paul the "dispensation of the grace of God" which was given him by revelation (direct word from God). This mystery (that which cannot be known by the natural mind) was revealed to Paul declaring salvation through the atonement of Christ on the cross to everyone, Jews and Gentiles alike. Paul categorizes this revelation as a dispensation. The word "dispensation" comes from the Greek word "oikonomia" and means "administration" or "management." So, the dispensation given to Paul was a new administration between God and man. That's not to say that favor with God was not always a matter of faith. It was, and we see that all the way back to the clear statement of Genesis 15:6 (see notes) in reference to Abraham's relationship with God, "And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness." However, the atonement of Jesus on the cross as our redeemer causes Paul to categorize the period after the cross as a distinct "dispensation." Incidentally, Paul indicates in verse 5 that he's not alone in this doctrinal coup when he says, "...it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets." Although he had doctrinal allies, Paul was the one in jail for spreading his doctrine of Jew/Gentile equality as Believers in Jesus Christ.

Notice Paul's additional comments regarding this "dispensation" which had been committed to him:

• Verse 7 - God directed him to this controversial ministry to the Gentiles; he "became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God."
• Verse 8 - Paul says, "I don't deserve the honor, but I've been given the responsibility of preaching to the Gentiles."
• Verses 9-10 - The church of God fulfills the long-hidden mystery of fellowship among Jews and Gentiles alike. While prophesied in the Old Testament that Jews and Gentiles would one day come together as one (Isaiah 49, see notes), Paul is the one to reveal that it is through the New Testament church.
• Verse 11-12 - That was the eternal design for Jesus Christ...all along. Now Paul expresses that we have "boldness" and "access" to God because of our relationship with Jesus Christ.
• Verse 13 - Paul is writing this from jail. He's in jail because of his ministry to Gentiles...infuriating to the Jews. He does not want them to feel undo anguish as Gentiles for his imprisonment.

Paul's prayer for them (Ephesians 3:14-21)

14 ¶ For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,
17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—
19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 ¶ Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Here's another prayer for the Ephesians which goes down through verse 21. In verses 14-15 Paul emphasizes that Jesus Christ is the savior of the world for all time - past and present.

Paul briefly deals here with a vital part of Christian living. Notice what he says in the following two verses:

16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,
17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

The power of the Christian life is achieved by the Holy Spirit dwelling within each Believer. That's the key to victorious Christian living. (Click here to see the summary on Galatians 5:16-25 regarding the power of the Holy Spirit in Believers.)

With the power of the Holy Spirit working within, the Believer is able to experience the victory and confidence found in verses 18-21. Don't take too much time trying to break those verses down; it's one very strong statement intended to overwhelm the Ephesians with the sense of the power and authority of Jesus Christ. Notice the key in verse 19, "...that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." Jesus Christ IS the fulness of God. Paul writes in Colossians 2:9-10 (see notes), " For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power."

Paul is, in the strongest words possible, emphasizing how comprehensive God's power is within the Spirit-led Christian. That being the case, Paul concludes his prayer by expressing the greatness of Jesus Christ in verse 20 by acknowledging that Jesus Christ, "is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us." And then Paul's equivalent at the end of his prayer (verse 21) to our "Amen;" he extends his "amen" by saying, "to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." That's just one more plug for the eternal sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.