Chapter 3
These verses:
4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. [Eph 3:4-6 ESV]
In ancient times, under the Old Law, they just didn't understand that Jesus would come to fulfill the law, and through that fulfillment remove the restriction of the Covenant to those physically descended from Abraham and so marked, to the entire world, since we, in Him, are spiritually circumcised. We become partakers in this New Covenant, not by taking on the requirements of The Law, but through the gospel. Through belief in Jesus.
2022 - This verse:
5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. [Eph 3:5 ESV]. Interesting that he does not say it is made known to all men, but to apostles and prophets. These are proclaiming the mystery to everyone else. This is the second time in this book that Paul has said something implying a hierarchy of those who believe. One way to look at this is to note that apostles and prophets - in the sense that Paul meant prophet - are both gone. So he is saying that originally, this mystery - and he's told us specifically what mystery he is referencing - was revealed only to a certain few. He is not including the false teachers at Ephesus in this group. I think it is likely that this is how Paul meant the "hierarchy" in both places he talks about it. (This was back in Eph 1:1-14. I went back today, as I read vs 3, and made some additional notes there.) Paul is claiming here to have been given information directly from God that was not previously inspired in the OT books. I think in one sense this is about clarity and about putting together scriptures previously misinterpreted - as in no one previously saw the church/Gentile age - but which now have their true meaning revealed...to Paul, to the "holy apostles and prophets". Revealed by the Spirit - also a new concept for the NT church. Indwelling had not previously been a thing, and Paul says this indwelling Spirit is a source of revelation to a select few.
I haven't heard it preached this way that I can remember. I am not sure, but I could be reading a lot more into this than is really there. But it's there twice, in Eph 1 and Eph 3, and in Eph 3 it seems abundantly clear, and if you take all those early verses in Eph 1 as a package, it is pretty clear there also. And in vs 6, Paul tells us specifically what the mystery previously unseen was:
This verse:
6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. [Eph 3:6 ESV] So...Paul here defines in words the mystery of which he has been speaking, and it really has little to do with a strategy to refute the prevailing philosophy and worldview of the Greeks at that time. The mystery that the Jews never saw, never appreciated - or at least one of those mysteries - was that the Gentiles would be brought into the kingdom with the same rights and privileges - as sons adopted - as the descendants in the flesh - the Jews, the blood descendants of Abraham - to which they themselves looked forward. So...Here is a verse to use as a proof text that the church is now Israel, and heir to the promises made to Abraham. I disagree, but this is a verse that could well be used for that, and one needs a ready reply.
2022 - To use this as a proof text for the "land" promises going to the church, you have to establish what exactly is meant by "the promise". This word is singular. Only one promise is in view. I would say it is the promise that Gentiles are included in God's plan to reconcile all things to himself. I would not say it is the promise that all of Israel/Canaan/the land between the rivers will belong to Abraham's descendants. After all, the gospel never talks about a reward of land on earth, but reward in heaven.
This verse:
7 Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. [Eph 3:7 ESV] Paul says he is made minister to the Gentiles. Doesn't say he is the only, but I think he is clearly implying that he is the primary. And yet, all through Acts, Paul invariably went first to the synagogues of the Jews and preached to them, and only when they rejected him stubbornly and openly did he turn his back on them and go to the Gentiles. This is a difficulty.
Paul was made a minister of the gospel TO THE GENTILES. His purpose is detailed here:
9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. [Eph 3:9-10 ESV]
This is the purpose behind all of history. God created to set in motion this revelation to the rulers and authorities of His own manifold wisdom. This is all about God proving that He alone is worthy of worship. Why would you do something for eternity, with never a doubt, if it weren't proven to be deserved in every way.
2022 - Paul uses the word "ekklesia" - translated "church" - in connection with this mystery and with his assignment as apostle to the Gentiles. This "vehicle" of God's invention, this church not made with stones but of spirit, is here to demonstrate to those "in the heavenlies" the magnanimous plan of God to include all men in His reconciliation of all creation to himself.
2023 - This verse 9 is Paul's understanding of the purpose of the church. Reworded, the purpose of the church is to make know to the rulers and authorities in the heavenlies the manifold wisdom of God. I don't see any way to get around the purpose of the church being about those in the heavenlies, and not about those of us on earth at all. The church is the conduit - the manifestation in the created world - through which Christ unites all men, thereby demonstrating the those in the heavenlies that his plan is perfect. It leave out nothing, it leaves out no one. These "rulers and authorities in heaven" are mentioned elsewhere, in the OT as I recall. We see a number of heavenly assemblies in the OT where decisions are being made. I need to start tagging those - and this reference - so I can get them all together. I'll tag it "rulers and authorities in heaven".
This vs:
11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, [Eph 3:11 ESV] Jesus was the culmination, the realization, of God's plan and purpose in the world.
2023 - Here is what God did that shows him to be not only God, but the only heavenly power and authority who COULD be God. Satan could not have done this, though he considers himself equal with God. What if the whole Satan elevating himself to God status all occurred BEFORE God created anything at all, and all of creation is here in order to PROVE that God is greater than all. And the mysteries of Christ incarnated, of a way for a perfect and immortal God to die in one sense and so reconcile fallen creation to himself - a way for God not only to redeem his creation, but to do it by making a way for Him to do what he cannot do - and that is to die! This is "why" the Trinity! God is immortal, must be immortal. The only way to reconcile the "crimes and offenses" of fallen man is by a perfect sacrifice, which fallen man can never be. Only God is perfect. So how can God sacrifice himself, how can God die himself, and yet still be God? He can be the Trinity. He can die and yet not die. He can be with us through the Spirit and yet remain in heaven. He can be present with sinful man, and yet refuse to allow sin into his presence. All these impossible things are the mind and plan of God to reconcile fallen man, and through man all of fallen creation, back to himself.
vss 14-20 are Paul's prayer, again, for the church in Ephesus. And it is a prayer for their growing, expanding, maturing understanding of just who Christ is. He links this understanding not to the teachers and preachers in that church - some of whom were just plain false - but to the power of the Holy Spirit in their own inner being. He seems to be encouraging the rank and file to trust the Spirit within them to "test" what they are being taught.
Chapter ends with "Amen". This is the end of the theological section, and now we turn to the practical.
2021 - Just going to plunge through the last three chapters as much as I can, and focus on them next year.
2021-2, Not much time this year either because I am reading Isaiah concurrently and it takes much time and effort. I know I should slow down, or read the Ephesians chapter first, but Isaiah is very compelling.
2022 - Reading Ephesians first, and then Isaiah this time through. Ephesians has gone better.
2023 - Ephesian first again this year, and even so, I am getting a LOT from Isaiah that I had not seen before. And still more from Ephesians.