EPHESIANS Chapter Ephesians 3:1-13 OUTLINE: I. The mystery of Christ now revealed: Ephesians 3:1-13 A. The stewardship given to Paul to proclaim It: Ephesians 3:1-5 B. The specific benefit to the Gentiles: Ephesians 3:6 C. The unmerited nature of this stewardship: Ephesians 3:7-8 D. This mys... [ Continue Reading ]
“FOR THIS CAUSE. PAUL, THE PRISONER OF CHRIST JESUS IN BEHALF OF YOU GENTILES” “For this cause”: Resuming the prayer started in Ephesians 1:15, which will actually be expressed in Ephesians 3:14-19. “THE PRISONER OF CHRIST JESUS”: When Paul wrote this letter he was. prisoner in Rome, awaiting trial... [ Continue Reading ]
“IF SO BE THAT YE HAVE HEARD OF THE DISPENSATION OF THAT GRACE OF GOD WHICH WAS GIVEN ME TO YOU-WARD”. “If so be”: “Surely you have heard” _(Boles p. 242). _“Dispensation”: “Stewardship responsibility” (1 Corinthians 9:17 ‘trust committed to me'; Colossians 1:25 ‘commission God gave me')” _(Boles p... [ Continue Reading ]
“HOW THAT BY REVELATION WAS MADE KNOWN UNTO ME THE MYSTERY, AS. WROTE BEFORE IN FEW WORDS” “By revelation”: “Modern theologians have argued much over whether Paul derived his thinking from Greek philosophers or Jewish rabbis, but Paul clearly states that it came from God” _(Boles p. 243)._ Various... [ Continue Reading ]
“WHEREBY, WHEN YE READ, YE CAN PERCEIVE MY UNDERSTANDING IN THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST” “Whereby”: “By reading what. have written” (TCNT). “And by referring to this” (NASV). “Looking to which” _(Robertson p. 530). _“When ye read”: When ye read the Scriptures (including what Paul wrote and what he had ju... [ Continue Reading ]
“WHICH IN OTHER GENERATIONS WAS NOT MADE KNOWN UNTO THE SONS OF MEN, AS IT HATH NOW BEEN REVEALED UNTO HIS HOLY APOSTLES AND PROPHETS IN THE SPIRIT” “Which”: The above revealed mystery, the gospel revealed to Paul. “IN OTHER GENERATIONS WAS NOT MADE KNOWN UNTO THE SONS OF MEN”: “That God would bless... [ Continue Reading ]
“TO WIT, THAT THE GENTILES ARE FELLOW-HEIRS, AND FELLOW-MEMBERS OF THE BODY, AND FELLOW-PARTAKERS OF THE PROMISE IN CHRIST JESUS THROUGH THE GOSPEL”. “To wit”: “That is to say or namely” _(Coffman p. 169)._ Paul now gives one specific element of this formerly hidden truth. “ARE FELLOW-HEIRS”: “Fully... [ Continue Reading ]
“WHEREOF. WAS MADE. MINISTER, ACCORDING TO THE GIFT OF THAT GRACE OF GOD WHICH WAS GIVEN ME ACCORDING TO THE WORKING OF HIS POWER”. “Whereof”: “For which” (Wms). “Of this Good News. became. minister” (TCNT). “MINISTER”:. servant. “ACCORDING TO THE GIFT OF THAT GRACE OF GOD”: Paul realized that his s... [ Continue Reading ]
“UNTO ME, WHO AM LESS THAN THE LEAST OF ALL SAINTS, WAS THIS GRACE GIVEN, TO PREACH UNTO THE GENTILES THE UNSEARCHABLE RICHES OF CHRIST”. “Unto me”: Over 20 years after his conversion and appointment, Paul still stands amazed that God choose him to be an apostle. “WHO AM LESS THAN THE LEAST OF ALL S... [ Continue Reading ]
“AND TO MAKE ALL MEN SEE WHAT IS THE DISPENSATION OF THE MYSTERY WHICH FOR AGES HATH BEEN HID IN GOD WHO CREATED ALL THINGS”. “And to make all men see”: “And to enlighten all men” (Alf). “And to bring to light” (Rhm). See Acts 26:17. “ALL MEN”: The gospel is for all men (Mark 16:15). No Calvinistic... [ Continue Reading ]
“TO THE INTENT THAT NOW UNTO THE PRINCIPALITIES AND THE POWERS IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES MIGHT BE MADE KNOWN THROUGH THE CHURCH THE MANIFOLD WISDOM OF GOD” “To the intent”: “And His reason?” (Tay). “In order that now” (Rhm). “The purpose is” (Phi). “A special kind of manifestation has been declared by... [ Continue Reading ]
“ACCORDING TO THE ETERNAL PURPOSE WHICH HE PURPOSED IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD”. “According”: “This was in accordance” (NASV). “This was according to” (RSV). “In conformity to that timeless purpose which He centered in Christ Jesus” (Phi). “THE ETERNAL PURPOSE WHICH HE PURPOSED IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LO... [ Continue Reading ]
“IN WHOM WE HAVE BOLDNESS AND ACCESS IN CONFIDENCE THROUGH OUR FAITH IN HIM”. “In whom”: In Christ. Again, Christ is the only access to God (John 14:6; Ephesians 2:16; 1 Timothy 2:5). “BOLDNESS”: “Christian boldness is revealed as being at least partially the responsibility of the Christian himself... [ Continue Reading ]
“WHEREFORE. ASK THAT YE MAY NOT FAINT AT MY TRIBULATIONS FOR YOU, WHICH ARE YOUR GLORY” “Wherefore”: In view of all the blessings available to Christians, including the Christians in Ephesus. “I ASK”: Paul could not keep Christians from fainting or giving up, rather all he can do is exhort them wit... [ Continue Reading ]
“FOR THIS CAUSE. BOW MY KNEES UNTO THE FATHER”. “For this cause”: “With this in mind” (Knox). (Ephesians 1:15; Ephesians 3:1). Here Paul is “resuming his train of thought where he had left it in verse What ‘reason' is in his mind? What is it that moves him to pray? Surely it is both the reconciling... [ Continue Reading ]
“FROM WHOM EVERY FAMILY IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH IS NAMED”. “From whom”: From the Father. “After whom” _(Vincent p. 382)._ Denoting source and origin. “EVERY FAMILY”: Side reference NASV, “the whole family”. This letter has already informed us that God has only one family, composed of both Jewish and... [ Continue Reading ]
“that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, that ye may be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inward man” “THAT HE WOULD GRANT YOU”: The word "grant" simply means to "give". God wants us to have wisdom, confidence, boldness, spiritual maturity, spiritual strength,... [ Continue Reading ]
“THAT CHRIST MAY DWELL IN YOUR HEARTS THROUGH FAITH; TO THE END THAT YE, BEING ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN LOVE” “May dwell”: To house permanently, to reside or inhabit. “That Christ may take up residence in your hearts” _(Bruce p. 327)._ “To make one's home, to be at home” _(Robertson p. 533)._ “Settle... [ Continue Reading ]
“MAY BE STRONG TO APPREHEND WITH ALL THE SAINTS WHAT IS THE BREADTH AND LENGTH AND HEIGHT AND DEPTH” “We observe that the apostle now passes from our love (in which we are to be rooted and grounded) to Christ's love (which he prays we may know” _(Stott p. 137). _“May be strong”: “May be able to com... [ Continue Reading ]
“AND TO KNOW THE LOVE OF CHRIST WHICH PASSETH KNOWLEDGE, THAT YE MAY BE FILLED UNTO ALL THE FULNESS OF GOD” “And to know the love of Christ”: “Paul wished for brethren to realize what it means to love Him, and what it means for Christ to love us, and what it means to love others because of Him” _(Ca... [ Continue Reading ]