THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS, Chapter 3, Paul’s Stewardship

 

THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS, Chapter 3

Paul’s Stewardship.

The book of God, through the Book of Genesis tells us that we have been made in the image of God. God is three persons in One God. We have been made, likewise, body (soma), soul (psyche – mind, will, emotions) and spirit (pneuma). This is important because Paul is speaking about how God by His grace has empowered us to live by the power of His Spirit, rooted in love as He accomplishes more than we could humanly imagine through our mortal bodies, souls and spirit.

Ephesians chapter three centers on the “mystery” of God’s plan: that through Jesus Christ, Gentiles and Jews are now united together as one people of God. The chapter also reveals Paul’s calling, the wisdom of God displayed through the Church, and closes with one of the most profound prayers in the New Testament.

Paul’s Stewardship

Ephesians3:1, For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles— verse 2, if indeed you have heard of the administration of God’s grace which was given to me for you; verse 3, that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before briefly. Verse 4. By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, verse 5, which in other generations was not made known to mankind, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; verse 6, to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, verse 7, of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power.

(Commentary Break): Paul’s words are dramatic and powerful as he describes his calling, mission and God’s promise: “a prisoner of Christ Jesus”, “the mystery of Christ”, “the working of His power”. This is a continuation of his explanation of the seismic shift from the Old Covenant of the Law to the New Covenant in Christ, and what it means to the believer: “to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel”. The implications are nothing less than staggering when understood and applied to your life. (End Commentary Break).

Verse 8. To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, verse 9, and to enlighten all people as to what the plan of the mystery is which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things; verse 10, so that the multifaceted wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. Verse 11. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, verse 12, in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.

(Commentary Break): Paul rightly calls himself “the very least of all saints” considering his record as having been a Pharisee of Pharisees, a hunter and a former murder of Christians. But now his transformation is complete having been made an Apostle of the Gospel of Christ and a slave and prisoner of Jesus and soon to be a martyr on in service to and on behalf of Jesus and the Gentile world. The message is clear: we now have boldness and confident access through faith in God the Father through Christ Jesus our Lord! (End Commentary Break).

Verse 13. Therefore, I ask you not to become discouraged about my tribulations in your behalf, since they are your glory.

Verse 14. For this reason I bend my knees before the Father, verse 15, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, verse 16, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner self, verse 17, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, verse 18, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth, verse 19, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled to all the fullness of God.

(Commentary Break): Disclaimer: The words in Paul’s prayer are too rich, too deep and too profound for me to properly and adequately express. (Therefore, I would encourage you read more on the BibleHub.com topical lexicon).

First, Paul is praying that God would grant us to be strengthened with power (dunamis) through His Spirit in the inner self – rooted and grounded (rhizoo – firmly planted and stable) in love; he is actually asking that we be supplied with the dynamic, explosive power in achieving Jesus’ inherent abilities – which supply and exceed the riches of wealth of all the earth.

When you, as a Christian understand this, as to embrace this truth, then as the Bible says, for you, “with God all things are possible” and for you, “with God, nothing is impossible” – all in the context of the works, mission and calling of Christ Jesus.

Secondly, that “Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith; and that we, being rooted and grounded in love and may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled to all the fullness of God”. Through this we gain peace, purpose, courage, and boldness – and indeed, nothing is impossible for those of us who love God and are called according to His purpose. (End Commentary Break).

Verse 20. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, verse 21, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

(Commentary Break): There is just no way to improve upon nor to adequately explain the depth of Paul’s words here. (End Commentary Break).

(End chapter 3).

Jesus has done and continues to do “far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think”, and that is the power that is working within us as Christ followers. Grasp it. Embrace it. Apply it. Now, do it – and nothing will ever be the same.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

Next: (coming soon) – THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS, Chapter 4, Unity of the Spirit, The Christian’s Walk.

Previous: THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS, Chapter 2, Made Alive in Christ.

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