Ephesians 3:1-6
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-it really is remarkable, Jews and Gentiles who were enemies are now one in the body of Christ, how is that? It is a mystery, it is something that was not fully revealed
-One of my favorite shows of all time is the Andy Griffith show, the setting of the show is in a little town called Mayberry. Everyone knows everybody. One thing is for sure. You cannot keep a secret in Mayberry. You could call it a gossip town. I call Franklinton Mayberry, there are no secrets and the gossip train runs rampant
-Paul expressed that the mystery has been revealed v.3, 4, 6, 9
-They mystery is that Jews and Gentiles are one in Christ why is this a mystery? Jews and Gentiles who are human enemies become one, individuals who normally hate one another are equal in Christ
-Numerous times throughout this letter Paul expressed how we are in Christ and if we are in Christ then we are in a community, multi-racial
-For this reason - what reason?
-access in one Spirit v. 18
-fellow citizens v. 19
-household of God v. 22
-connect to v. 14 - Paul praying - a prayer for the church - being strengthened in Christ, grounded in love, Paul saw the need to explain, Paul starts the prayer in v. 1 but then sees the need to explain why he prayed - this section is an explanation of the mystery - how God has saved Jews and Gentiles and placed them in one body
-Has Paul already explained this? Yes, the Gospel has been explained eph 1 -2, but before Paul prayed he wanted to be sure they understood
Prisoner of the Mystery (1-4)
Prisoner of the Mystery (1-4)
-I Paul, his personal calling to preach the gospel, his personal connection with the readers, his calling to instruct them
2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you.
1 I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away!—
23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.
-notice how Paul described himself - prisoner
-would we be willing to be called prisoner? perhaps we like to be called child of God
-why did Paul call himself prisoner of Christ?
he was imprisoned for 5 years part of it in Caesarea and the rest in Rome, but Paul was not a prisoner of Rome, he was a prisoner of Christ
1 Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved fellow worker
8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God,
-Dont you know that specifically Paul was highlighting that he was a prisoner for preaching that Jew and Gentile are one in Christ
-Perhaps Paul remembered how it was appointed for him to suffer
15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.
16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”
-Think about Paul’s perspective: I am a prisoner for Christ according to His sovereign will, v.13 Phil. 1:12
12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel,
-Paul wanted the Ephesians to know that he is suffering so that they many know the Gospel and Paul was glad to suffer
24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church,
-Can I ask you: would you be willing to suffer so that the Gospel would go forth?
-Perhaps you could say that many us have suffered for trying to stand on the truth of Scripture, even though our suffering is not comparable to Paul’s
-Too often we are more concerned about the temperature in the building, how long we may have to wait in line to get our plate, this is not about our comfort it is about denial of self, pursuing Christ and making Him known
Alistair Begg - It’s all about God. May He forgive us for every time we start to think it’s actually about us.
-Paul was thankful to suffer for the Gentiles sake
13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.
-Would we be as eager to rejoice in our sufferings?
-v. 2 - Paul assumed they had heard of the grace of God, the grace Paul had been made a steward, the grace God had made known
-Paul simply said that it is well known God has given me this task
-I think Paul has in mind here that it is God’s grace for the Gentiles to hear the gospel through his preaching, but also that it is God’s grace that Paul has the privilege to preach the gospel to the Gentiles
-v.3 Paul explained that he had the responsibility because God had made known the mystery to him
-written briefly - perhaps some other communication Paul had with the Ephesians, some scholars say it could be in reference to chap 1:9 or what he has just written in 2:11-22
-v. 4 - basically they will agree with Paul after reading the letter that yes he has been given this responsibility by God’s grace
-insight into the mystery of Christ - the unity of Jew and Gentile one in Christ
-Paul was a prisoner for this task, he was willing to suffer so that Gentiles could know this great mystery
Privileges of the Mystery (5-6)
Privileges of the Mystery (5-6)
-not previously known
-it appears that prophets knew of the inclusion of Gentiles so what could this mean?
-it was not realized until after pentecost and the spread of the gospel
-perhaps Paul was expressing the gratitude the Ephesians should have that they have experienced the mystery
-it has not been made known to previous generations as it was realized with the current generation
26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.
6 Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away.
7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.
8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
9 But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—
10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.
-apostles and prophets - those who first received the gospel to proclaim and preach, peter, john, Paul
-three adjectives to describe the Gentiles privilege:
-heirs together with
-one body together with
-sharers together with
-fellow heirs
-heir - inheritance Ephesians 1:11
11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,
-not just that Gentiles have been included but are equal with Jews in the body of Christ
-one body
-partakers = sharers of the promise, what promise?
13 For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.
-What’s the point? The truth that Jews and Gentiles are one in Christ are worth suffering for, they are worth Paul being poured out as a drink offering, and
Those who understand God’s sovereignty have joy even in the midst of suffering, a joy reflected on their very faces, for they see that their suffering is not without purpose.
R. C. Sproul
it should also bring us to a point of rejoicing that the Gospel is for all nations
There is no permanent distinction for all eternity between Jew and Gentile; that is gone once and for ever.
Great Doctrines of the Bible (3), 207
David Martyn Lloyd-Jones
- the mystery of Christ is where Jew and Gentile are equal in Christ as we are united with Christ