Ephesians 3:10-12

God's Wisdom As Seen in the Mystery

God's wisdom is many sided and can only be understood as he reveals it. This is true for angels as well as men. At the time of Paul's writing, God's great plan for the redemption of man had been made known to men and angels in the church (3:10). God's eternal intent was at last taken to completion in Christ Jesus the master of the church. No last minute revision is found in Paul's thinking. Instead, God's plan unfolds just as he intended before the worlds were formed (3:11).

In the margin of the A.S.V., we have "through the faith of him." Jesus faithfully followed the will of the Father when he gave up his life on the cross of Calvary (1 Peter 2:5-11 : Hebrews 10:5-10; Hebrews 9:11-14; Hebrews 9:22-28). His faithful sacrifice gives us boldness, which Summers says means "freedom to speak," and "access," which he says, "may also be translated 'introduction.' The Greek term expresses the idea of one's being led into the presence of another. It was used in Paul's day of one who was introduced into the presence of royalty." Jesus' sacrifice gives us freedom to speak in the very presence of God through prayer (3:12; Hebrews 4:14-16; 1 Timothy 2:5-6).