Ephesians 3:7

Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. WHEREOF - `of which' Gospel. ACCORDING TO - in consequence of, and in accordance with, "the gift of the grace of God." GIVEN - `which (gift of grace) was given to me, according to [ kata (G2596), as Ephesians 3:20; Ephesians 1:19: as the result of, and in proportion to] the effectual working (Greek, 'energy,' or 'in-working') of His power.' Omnipotence alone could convert the persecutor into the 'minister.'...

7._Of which I was made a minister. _Having declared the gospel to be the instrument employed in communicating grace to the Gentiles, he now adds, that he _was made a minister _of the Gospel; and thus applies to himself the general statements which had been made. But, to avoid claiming for himself more than is proper, he affirms that it is_the gift of the grace of God, _and that this gift was an exhibition of divine _power. _As if he had said, “Inquire not what I have deserved; for in the free exercise of kindness, the Lord made me an apostle of the Gentiles, not for any excellence of mine, but by his own grace. Inquire not what I formerly was; for it is the Lord’s prerogative to ‘exalt them of low degree.’” (Luke 1:52.) To produce something great out of nothing, shews _the effectual working of his power. _...

1-7 For having preached the doctrine of truth, the apostle was a prisoner, but a prisoner of Jesus Christ; the object of special protection and care, while thus suffering for him. All the gracious offers of the gospel, and the joyful tidings it contains, come from the rich grace of God; it is the great means by which the Spirit works grace in the souls of men. The mystery, is that secret, hidden purpose of salvation through Christ. This was not so fully and clearly shown in the ages before Christ, as unto the prophets of the New Testament. This was the great truth made known to the apostle, that God would call the Gentiles to salvation by faith in Christ. An effectual working of Divine power attends the gifts of Divine grace. As God appointed Paul to the office, so he qualified him for it....

Verse 7. _WHEREOF I WAS MADE A MINISTER_] διακονος. A _deacon_, a _servant_ acting _under_ and by the _direction_ of the _great_ _Master_, Jesus Christ; from whom, by an especial call and revelation, I received the apostolic gifts and office, and by την ενεργειαντηςδυναμεωςαυτου, the _energy_, the _in-working of his_ _power_, this Gospel which I preached was made effectual to the salvation of vast multitudes of Jews and Gentiles....

WHEREOF I WAS MADE A MINISTER - see the notes at Ephesians 3:2. ACCORDING TO THE GIFT OF THE GRACE OF GOD - It was not by my own seeking or merit; it was a free gift. OF THE GRACE OF GOD - The sentiment is, that throughout it was a mere matter of grace that he was called into the ministry, and that so important an office was entrusted to him as that of bearing the gospel to the Gentiles. BY THE EFFECTUAL WORKING OF HIS POWER - Not by any native inclination which I had to the gospel, and not by any power which I have put forth. It is by “the energy of his power;” compare notes, Galatians 2:8. Locke understands this of the energy or power which God p

EXPOSITION EPHESIANS 3:1 DIGRESSION ON THE ADMISSION OF THE GENTILES TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. EPHESIANS 3:1 FOR THIS CAUSE. The reference is not merely to the last statement or illustration, but to the whole view of the purpose of God toward the Gentiles unfolded in Ephesians it. The apodosis does not come in till verse 14, at the beginning of which this conjunctive clause is repeated. I PAUL, THE PRISONER OF CHRIST JESUS FOR YOU GENTILES. He introduces himself in order to make known the feelings which w

WHEREOF I WAS MADE A MINISTER,.... That is, of the Gospel, not by men, but by God: and he is a true minister of the Gospel who is called of God to the work of the ministry, and is qualified by him with grace and gifts for it; and who faithfully discharges it according to the ability God has given; and such an one was the apostle: ACCORDING TO THE GIFT OF THE GRACE OF GOD GIVEN UNTO ME; not according to his natural capacity, his liberal education, or acquired learning; but according to a gift, a ministerial gift bestowed upon him, for such service: for this gift of grace does not design the grace of God wrought in his soul; nor the doctrines of grace, the subject of the Gospel ministry; nor the efficacious grace of God, which makes that successful and useful to the souls of men; but a gift of interpreting the Scriptures, and of explaining the truths of the Gospel to the edification of me...

3. THE MYSTERY MADE KNOWN Chapter S 2:11-3:21 _ 1. The condition of the Gentiles (Ephesians 2:11)_ 2. But now in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:13) 3. The new and great relationship (Ephesians 2:19) 4. The Mystery made known and Paul's ministry (Ephesians 3:1) 5. The prayer (Ephesians 3:14) 6. The doxology (Ephesians 3:20) With the eleventh verse of the second chapter we reach a new divisio

A DIGRESSION. PAUL THE PRISONER AND HIS RELATION TO THE MYSTERY. A knowledge of Paul's story may be presumed among those who read this letter: they will have heard how he was entrusted with the mission of proclaiming to the Gentiles God's dispensation of grace towards them (Ephesians 3:1 f.); it was by revelation, as aforesaid (_cf. Ephesians 1:17_), that the glorious secret of God was made known to him how fully they can judge for themselves by reading the passage (Ephesians 3:13) in which he has already summed it up (Ephesians 3:3 f.). This secret, hidden from former generations, was now revealed in the Spirit to the apost

It is for this cause that I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for the sake of you Gentiles you must have heard of the share that God gave me in dispensing his grace to you, because God's secret was made known to me by direct revelation. as I have just been writing to you, and you can read again what I have just written, if you wish to know what I understand of the meaning of that secret which Christ brought, a secret which was not revealed to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his consecrated apostles and prophets by the work of the Spirit. The secret is that the Gentiles are fellow-heirs, fellow-members of the same body, fellow-sharers in the promise in Jesus Christ, through the good news of which I was made a servant through the free gift of the grace of God, which was given to me according to the working of his power. When Paul wrote this letter he w...