Ephesians 3 – Page 2 – Ministry of Grace Church

Category: Ephesians 3

Ephesians 3:11 – Eternal Plan – Accomplished!

Posted on October 2, 2015 by Will

according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,

Truth to Learn

God has already accomplished His eternal plan.

Behind the Words

“Eternal” is from the Greek word aiōn, which we have seen several times recently. It refers to “an indefinitely long period of time.” The most literal translation of this word into English is “age.” The form used in this verse literally translates to “of the ages.” So, Paul is talking about God’s “purpose of the ages” or His “eternal purpose” as we have in this translation.

The word “purpose” is from prothesis, which is based on the verb protithēmi. This is made up of pro, meaning “before, in time or position” and tithēmi, meaning “to place.” Thus, prosthesis refers to a “setting forth” or “determining ahead of time.” This could also be translated as “plan.”

“Accomplished” is translated from poieō, meaning “to make” or “to do.” It is expressed in the aorist tense and indicative mood indicating action that was completed at a point in time in the past.

Meaning Explained

Paul began a statement in verse one that was then interrupted in verse two, and he won’t resume his original thought until verse fourteen. What appears in verses two through thirteen is a sort of parenthesis that talks about the mystery of the church age in which Gentiles and Jews are united in the body of Christ, co-heirs of God’s estate, and joint partakers of the promise of salvation through the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

One fascinating thing about this parenthesis is that it closely parallels the parenthesis that we refer to as the church age. Before Christ’s first coming, God was dealing almost exclusively with the Jews. In fact, from Genesis chapter twelve through the remainder of the Old Testament, the focus is on the descendants of Abraham. However, when the Messiah (Jesus) came and was rejected by the Jews, God turned to the Gentiles. This church age (time of the church) will continue until the rapture, when the church will be removed from this earth. Then, God’s focus will once again be on the Jews as He ushers his faithful ones through “… great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever shall be.” (Matthew 24:21)”

During the parenthesis, the church age, God is revealing His mystery to us (His church) and to the spirit beings in heaven through us (His church). In today’s verse we learn that this is not just by accident. This is all part of God’s plan of the ages. Before He created anything, God (that is, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit), put together a plan. This plan included the choosing of every member of the church, according to the fourth verse of the letter to the Ephesians. That plan included the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as payment for our sins so that we can live in His presence eternally. And, according to today’s verse, He has accomplished His plan in Jesus Christ.

Application

Let me urge you to take a few minutes to mentally “step away” from the world system and all of its distractions. Do you realize that you are part of God’s eternal plan, and you have been part of that plan since before He created this physical world? Not only was your salvation part of His plan, but He has completely accomplished His plan in Jesus Christ. Now – what are you going to do with this knowledge?

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 3:10 – Angelic Observers

Posted on October 1, 2015 by Will

so that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known to the rulers and powers in the heavenly places through the church,

Truth to Learn

Angels learn about God by watching you and me.

Behind the Words

The word translated “manifold” is an interesting Greek word that appears nowhere else in the New Testament. It is the word polupoikilos, which is made up of polus, meaning “much” or “many” and poikilos, literally meaning “multi-colored” or “various.” Polupoikilos means “greatly diversified” or “that which abounds in variety.”

The word “wisdom” is from the Greek noun sophia, which does in fact refer to “wisdom.” It is used in the New Testament to refer to both earthly and heavenly (spiritual) wisdom.

“Might be made known” is translated from the verb gnōridzō, meaning “to declare” or “to make known.” It is expressed in the rare subjunctive mood, indicating the possibility or probability of it happening. In Greek, word order is often used to indicate the importance of ideas and gnōridzō appears before any other of these words. Thus we see that the focus of this verse is on how the rulers and powers learn about God’s wisdom.

“Rulers” is translated from archē, which literally refers to “the beginning point.” Metaphorically, it is used to refer to the highest in position or power. As we will see below, this is a reference to the rulers of the angelic beings.

“Powers” is from dunamis (from which we get our English word dynamite), meaning “a powerful force.” It is used here as a reference to other powerful angelic beings.

Meaning Explained

Beginning back in verse three of this chapter, Paul explained how the mystery of the Gospel was revealed to him. This included the fact that the Gentiles are now co-heirs with the Jews and partakers of God’s promises regarding the Messiah and salvation.

In the past couple of verses he declared how he has been given the responsibility of revealing this mystery to the church. This mystery, which has been hidden from the beginning of time, is now being revealed to us. In today’s verse he tells us that part of the reason for revealing this mystery to the church is so that it can now be revealed to the angelic beings in Heaven. The Jews had the Old Testament which revealed the God of righteousness and judgment. Today, we have the New Testament which reveals the God of grace and mercy to us undeserving sinners.

The angelic beings, however, do not learn about God’s righteousness, judgment, or grace from the written word. Angels are each individually created beings, however we are procreated, that is, we are descendants of the man, Adam, whom God created. In order for angels to be redeemed, they would each one have to have someone die to pay the price of their rebellion against God. Mankind, on the other hand, can be redeemed as an entire body through faith in the blood of one perfect sacrifice. Since there was only one perfect Lamb of God who was sacrificed, His blood could only be applied to mankind. Therefore, the angels can’t experience or comprehend God’s grace experientially. They learn about God’s multi-faceted wisdom by observing the church.

The Apostle Peter, in his first general epistle, said it this way:

… the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into. (1 Peter 1:12)

The heavenly angels learn about God by observing Him in action. Therefore, the only way they can understand the wisdom of His actions, particularly His grace toward sinners like you and me, is to observe us!

Application

Do you ever have those times when you feel like someone is watching you, even when you’re all alone? It could be the angels watching you to learn what God’s grace and mercy are all about. You and I are heavenly object lessons. That’s something to think about! Now, let’s also show them what gratitude and thanksgiving are all about!

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 3:9 – New Truths

Posted on September 30, 2015 by Will

and to enlighten all, what is the administration of the mystery, hidden from eternity past in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;

Truth to Learn

God has revealed new truths during the church age.

Behind the Words

The words “to enlighten” are translated from the Greek verb photidzō, which is based on phos, meaning “light.” Photidzō means “to give light to;” that is, “to illuminate,” to bring to light,” or “to make known.”

The word “administration” is written as “fellowship” in some translations. “Fellowship” is from the noun koinōnia, which is related to the verb koinōneō, meaning “to share.” Koinōnia refers to communal sharing, fellowship, or participation. In the better manuscripts, however, the Greek word oikonomia is used. In verse two we learned that oikonomia refers to “administration” or “stewardship.”

“Hidden” is from apokruptō, which is made up of apo, meaning “from” or “away from” and kruptō, meaning “to hide.” Thus it means “to hide away.” It is expressed here as a perfect participle, indicating past completed action with an ongoing effect, with emphasis on the effect.

The words “from eternity past” are translated from “apo tōn aiōnōn.” Apo means “from” and tōn is the definite article (the). The word aiōnōn is a form of aiōn, meaning “an indefinitely long period of time.” It is often translated “age” and sometimes translated “eternity.” Paul’s meaning here is “from eternity past” or “from the beginning of time.”

Ktidzō is the Greek word translated “created.” In the writings of Homer the word is used to describe the founding of a city. Here it refers to the creation of something where nothing previously existed.

The words “through Jesus Christ” do not exist in the best manuscripts, although it is clearly taught elsewhere in Scripture that Jesus Christ was the instrument of creation.

Meaning Explained

As you can see from our discussion above, the major Greek manuscripts differ in a couple of places in this verse. However, as with nearly all textual variants, the truth being taught here is not significantly different between them.

Since verse three Paul has been talking about a mystery. You may recall that the word translated “mystery” refers to something that has previously been hidden but now is revealed. We learned a few verses back that the mystery he is talking about is the fact that the Gentiles and the Jews are jointly part of God’s holy temple. That is, the Gentiles now share in the promises made to the Jews, they are part of the same body, and they are fellow heirs of God’s eternal estate.

In yesterday’s verse, Paul said that he, being less than the least of all the saints, was granted the privilege and responsibility of preaching the Gospel message to the Gentiles. In that verse he referred to the message he is commissioned to proclaim as “the unsearchable riches of Christ.” The riches that he referred to are an expression of how precious this salvation by faith really is. There is not enough money in the entire world to purchase this salvation. Therefore, it can’t be purchased; it can only be received as a gift.

In the current verse he tells us that he also has been given the responsibility of enlightening all of mankind about the stewardship of this mystery. In other words, Paul’s task is to proclaim the Gospel and explain how the Jews and Gentiles are now one in Christ. The remainder of this verse is best explained along with verse ten.

Application

We are living in an age (period of time since the death of Jesus Christ) in which new truths about God have been revealed. Most of the world, however, is ignoring these truths and living in ignorance. How are you living in light of what you have learned?

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 3:8 – A Living Oxymoron?

Posted on September 29, 2015 by Will

This grace was given to me, being less than the least of all the saints, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

Truth to Learn

There is no reason for pride in the body of Christ.

Behind the Words

The words “less than the least” are translated from a single Greek word, elachistoteros. This is a very unusual word. It is based on the Greek word mikros, meaning “small.” The comparative of mikros is elassōn, meaning “smaller.” And, the superlative of mikros is elachistos, meaning “the smallest or the least.” But the comparative of this superlative (elachistos) is elachistoteros, meaning “less than the least.”

“To preach” is translated from euangelidzō. This verb is made up of eu, meaning “good” or “well” and angellō, meaning “to tell” or “to announce.” Thus, euangelidzō means “to tell the good news;” that is “to preach the gospel” or “to evangelize.”

“Unsearchable” is from the adjective anexichniastos. This is made up of the privative a, meaning “not” or “without” and a form of the verb exichniadzō, meaning “to explore.” Therefore, anexichniastos refers to something that is “unexplorable,” “untraceable,” or “unsearchable.”

Meaning Explained

In yesterday’s verse we talked about the fact that the apostles of the church in the first century had a common characteristic of downplaying the importance of their position in the church. Perhaps it is because each one of them witnessed the humbleness of Jesus. Upon finally believing that He is the Son of God, each of them must have been struck by the magnitude of His humility given who He really is.

Compared to the Son of God, the Christ, the Messiah, each of these men realized that they were nothing but sinners deserving of eternal Hell, saved by the grace of God. In today’s verse Paul declares himself to be “least-er” (less than the least) than all Christians. Before we scoff at his improper grammar (even in Greek this would be improper and almost never used except for poets), let’s see what he said about himself elsewhere:

The one formerly being a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insulter; but I was shown mercy because being ignorant I did it in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Faithful is the saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:13-15)

Paul (formerly Saul, the persecutor of the church) considered himself the greatest of sinners, and he considered himself less than even the least of all Christians. This man who wrote more of the New Testament than anyone else, who proclaimed salvation to every sinner who would listen (and even to some who wouldn’t listen), did not have a puffed-up opinion of himself. Few if any Christians have ever lived who were more abundantly and effectively used by God than the Apostle Paul, yet in his own mind, he was the lowest of all.

Application

One thing I find most irritating is when any Christian thinks of himself or herself as “hot stuff” in the body of Christ. A proud Christian is a living oxymoron. How can anyone be proud of himself or herself when he or she recognizes what they deserve compared to what God has given them by His grace? Are you a proud Christian or a humble servant?

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 3:7 – Humble Building Block

Posted on September 28, 2015 by Will

of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me according to the working of His power.

Truth to Learn

God places each of us in the temple of God and gives us the gifts we need to perform the function He has placed us into.

Behind the Words

“Minister” is translated from the Greek noun diakonos, from which we get our English word “deacon.” The Greek word is probably derived from the verb diakō, meaning “to run an errand.” Technically, diakonos refers to “an attendant,” “an errand boy,” “someone who waits on tables” or “someone who performs menial duties.” In the New Testament, deacons are seen as those who help or serve the elders and bishops.

The word “gift” is from dōrea, which is derived from the verb didōmi, meaning “to give.” Thus, dōrea refers to “that which is gratuitously given” or “a gift.”

“Working” is translated from energeia. This is the word from which we get our English word “energy.” It refers to “the energetic work, active work, or effective work.”

“Power” is from dunamis, which refers to “ability or power.”

Meaning Explained

Today’s verse starts with “of which,” so we need to determine specifically what this is referring to. The previous verse ended with, “and fellow partakers of His promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,” Thus, we see that “of which” refers to the gospel, or good news of salvation through Jesus Christ.

In this verse, Paul tells us that he became an errand boy of the gospel as a gift of grace from God. In our Christian churches today there is much confusion over the titles minister, preacher, pastor, elder, and bishop. Thus, these words are often used interchangeably. However, in the Greek language they are significantly different words. The Greek word most often translated preacher is a form of the word kērussō meaning “to proclaim.” And the word most often translated elder is presbuteros meaning “an older man,” while the word most often translated bishop is episkopos, meaning “an overseer.” In the New Testament these three words describe different functions of the senior pastor of a local church. It’s interesting that Paul did not use any of these three words to describe himself in today’s verse; instead, he calls himself “a minister;” that is, “an errand boy” of the gospel.

This is a characteristic which seems to be common in the apostolic writings. Even though these men were called to an extremely important office in the building of the church (remember, they’re part of the foundation of the building), they often refer to themselves as servants, slaves, or errand boys of the Gospel of Christ.

Paul recognizes that he didn’t put himself into the position he has in the temple of God. God is the one who places each stone. God is the one who places each one of us in the temple. And God gives us the gifts and abilities we need to perform that functions assigned to us in accordance with His will.

Application

In the temple of God, the body of Christ, there is no place for pride or arrogance. No matter what function we are performing within the body, we have no reason to consider ourselves any better than anyone else. In fact, we should not be comparing ourselves with each other. We should be comparing ourselves with Christ, and compared to Him, the best we can hope to be is a faithful servant or errand boy. What are you in the temple of God, and are you performing your assigned duties?

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 3:6 – Together, Together, Together

Posted on September 25, 2015 by Will

for the Gentiles to be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and fellow partakers of His promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,

Truth to Learn

All those who believe God’s promise share in God’s gifts.

Behind the Words

The words “fellow heirs” is translated from sunklēronomos. This is a compound word made up of sun, meaning “together with” and klēronomos, meaning “an heir.” Klēronomos is made up of klēros, meaning “a lot” (a die indicating participation), and a form of nemō, meaning “to have in one’s possession.”

The Greek word sussōmos, is translated here as “of the same body.” It also contains the Greek word sun, meaning “together with” and, in this case, soma meaning “a body.” So, we see that sussōmos literally means “together, of the same body.”

“Fellow partakers” is translated from summetochos, which also has the prefix sun meaning “together with” added to metochos, meaning “a partaker” or “a participant.” Thus, summetochos refers to someone as “a fellow partaker” with someone else.

The word “promise” is from epangelia which is made up of epi used as an intensifier and a form of the verb angellō meaning “to tell” or “to declare.” Epangelia is a legal term indicating a summons or a promise to do or give something. In the New Testament this word is used only of the promises of God, except Acts 23:21 where it refers to a promise (order or command) from the commander of the guard holding Paul as a prisoner.

Some manuscripts do not contain the word Jesus (iēsou), although the best manuscripts do.

Meaning Explained

Under earlier Greek law, when a father passed away, his children would cast lots to determine who got what portion of the estate, thus explaining the derivation of klēronomos as “an heir” (one who has a lot in his possession). Under Jewish law only the sons inherited their father’s possessions and the eldest son inherited a double portion. But, under Roman law all children were eligible as well as close friends and loyal servants and distribution was usually made according to a will.

Thus, it is significant that Paul would use sunklēronomos in reference to Gentiles being fellow heirs of God along with the Jews. We each hold a “lot” in the form of righteousness, which is given to us as a gift by God when we believe His promise.

But Paul does not stop there. This verse describes in detail what the mystery is that he has been talking about for the past few verses. The mystery is not just that we are fellow heirs with the Jews, but that we are of the same body (sussōmos). Today, all who believe, whether Jew or Gentile, are part of the body of Christ. This is what Paul tells us in his first letter to the Corinthians:

Now you [plural] are the body of Christ, and members individually. (1 Corinthians 12:27)

But he still doesn’t stop there, for there is a third Greek word in this verse made up as a compound of sun. Along with the Jews, we are joint partakers (summetochos) of God’s promise. Beginning with Abraham, the Jews were promised that a Messiah would come to rescue them. That Messiah has come. His name is Jesus, the Christ, and through faith in His sacrifice on the cross we, too, are saved. And this promise is the essence of the Gospel message.

Application

All of us who believe in the Gospel are fellow heirs and will inherit our Heavenly Father’s estate when we arrive there. All believers in the Gospel are now part of the body of Christ. And, all believers are partakers of His promise of salvation and eternal life. Skin color doesn’t matter, ancestry doesn’t matter, gender doesn’t matter, age doesn’t matter, education level doesn’t matter, and wealth doesn’t matter. Only faith in Christ matters!

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 3:5 – God’s Revealed Word

Posted on September 24, 2015 by Will

which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations, as it now was revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit:

Truth to Learn

We have the Word of God in our possession.

Behind the Words

“Made known” is from gnoridzō, which we saw a couple of verses earlier. It means “to become known.” It is expressed here in the passive voice (action done to the subject). And, it is expressed here in the aorist tense, indicating action that occurred at a point in time in the past.

The words “the sons of men” are a literal translation of the Greek words, “tois huiois tōn anthrōpōn.” It is a reference to those who are men by nature. It is contrasted to the apostles and prophets to whom the mystery was revealed by the Holy Spirit.

The word translated “other” is heteros, which means “another of a different kind.” There is another Greek word, allos, which means “another of the same kind.” The use of heteros implies that the age we live in is different from previous ages.

“Generations” is from the Greek noun genea. It is derived from the verb ginomai, meaning “to become” or “to begin to be.” The original meaning of genea was that of “a generation,” but in New Testament Greek it sometimes refers simply to “a period of time.”

Apostolos is the word from which we get “apostles.” As you can see it is a transliteration (a word brought over directly from one language to another). It is made up of apo, meaning “from” or “away from” and a form of the verb stellō, meaning “to send forth.” Apostolos means “one who is sent forth from God.”

The word “prophets” is also a transliteration. It is transliterated from the Greek word prophetēs, which is made up of pro, meaning “before, in place or time” and a form of phēmi, meaning “to tell.” Thus, a prophet is “someone who declares God’s message before the people or before it happens.”

Meaning Explained

Previously, Paul told us that the mystery that he is talking about was revealed to him, not by a human teacher, but by God Himself. Now he informs us that through his ministry this mystery is also being revealed to us in the church age. This mystery (that Gentiles and Jews are both part of God’s chosen people) was unknown before Paul’s preaching.

If you read through the third chapter of his letter to the church in Rome, you will see that before the church age, the Jews had a great advantage over the Gentiles. Here’s what he said:

What, then is the superiority of the Jew? Or what is the profit of circumcision? Much in every way! Chiefly because they were entrusted with the oracles of God. (Romans 3:1, 2)

The word translated “oracles” here is logion, which refers to “an utterance.” So, what Paul is saying is that the advantage the Jews had was that God spoke directly to them. His laws and commandments were given to them and not to anyone else.

But now, because of the preaching of the Apostles and Prophets since the time of Christ, all nations of the world can hear and understand God’s truth. And, it is through this truth, now written in the New Testament, that we all have an opportunity to hear and believe God’s promise of salvation.

Application

Do you recognize how precious the truths in the Bible are? Both the Old Testament and the New Testament contain information directly from God. That’s why it is often called “the Word of God.” Treasure it – and thank God for it!

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 3:4 – Uncovering the Mystery

Posted on September 23, 2015 by Will

by the reading of which, you are able to understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ),

Truth to Learn

Mysteries are revealed in the Bible.

Behind the Words

“The reading” is translated from anaginōskō. This word is made up of ana, used as an intensifier and ginōskō, which means “to know.” Initially this word meant “to perceive accurately.” Later it came to mean “to recognize” and in some cases “to read.” In the New Testament it is always used in reference to reading. It is expressed here as a present participle.

“Are able” is the translation of the word dunamai, which means “to be able” or “to have power.”

The Greek word translated “understand,” is noieō. This word means “to exercise the mind,” that is “to comprehend” or “to understand.”

Sunesis is the Greek word translated “knowledge.” This word is made up of sun, meaning “together” and a form of the verb heimi, meaning “to send” or “to put.” This sunesis literally means “that which is put together;” that is to say, “perception” or “knowledge.”

Meaning Explained

This is one of those verses which has very little meaning without the verses surrounding it. You may recall that in the previous verse Paul talked about the fact that a mystery had been revealed to him. He also alluded to the fact that he had previously written to the Ephesians about this mystery. That previous writing is probably a reference to what he said in Ephesians 1:9-12.

He goes on to explain that this mystery is the gathering together in one place (heaven) of all created things which belong to Christ (both those things in heaven and those things on earth). This mystery also includes the fact that Gentiles, who had previously been alienated from God’s chosen people (the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob), are now part of the same family, the family of God. We also learned recently that this mystery was not revealed to Paul by a human teacher, but by God, Himself. Now, because of what Paul has already written concerning this mystery, the readers of this letter are able to understand the mystery also.

Application

Today it is in vogue to declare that all people are part of God’s family. And, there are some churches which teach that we will all go to heaven. After all, a loving God wouldn’t really send some people to Hell where they would suffer eternally with no possibility of being rescued from it, would He? The answer is a resounding yes!

All of us have sinned and deserve eternal hell because we don’t measure up to God’s standard of righteousness. But He has provided a way for us to obtain His righteousness. All we have to do is believe that the blood of Jesus Christ is the payment for our sins. Those who believe that Jesus died to pay for their sins will be gathered to Heaven someday. Those who reject His blood sacrifice will die in their sins and will be condemned by God to spend eternity in Hell. Have you accepted the blood of Jesus as payment for your sins?

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 3:3 – Special Revelation

Posted on September 22, 2015 by Will

that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I briefly wrote before,

Truth to Learn

Paul received special revelation from God regarding the salvation of the Gentiles.

Behind the Words

The word “revelation” is translated from the Greek noun apokalupsis. This word is made up of apo, meaning “from” or “away from” and a form of kaluptō, meaning “to hide” or “to cover up.” Thus, apokalupsis refers to the uncovering or revealing of something. The last book of the Bible is called Revelation and that word comes from this Greek word, apokalupsis. Thus, the last book of the Bible is a book that uncovers, or reveals, Jesus Christ in the last days.

The Greek word gnōridzō is translated here as “made known.” The word literally means “to become known” or “to gain knowledge.” It is written here in the aorist tense (action done at a point in time in the past) and the active voice (action done by the subject). Some of the better manuscripts have this word written in the passive voice (action done to the subject). So, the first part of this verse could be translated, “that by revelation the mystery was made known to me.”

“Mystery” is transliterated from musterion (or mysterion), which refers to something that has previously been unknown but now is revealed.

“Briefly” is from the Greek word oligos which means “little.” It can refer to a small quantity, a short time span, or of small degree. In this case, it most likely refers to a small quantity.

The words “I .. wrote before” are translated from the verb prographō, which is made up of pro, meaning “before, in place or time” and graphō, meaning “to write.”

Meaning Explained

There are two things that we want to take a look at in this verse. The first is, “How did Paul learn about the mystery?” and the other is, “What did he mean by ‘as I briefly wrote before’?”

Before his conversion Paul, then called Saul, was an avid student of the Scriptures (the Old Testament). He was schooled by one of the greatest teachers of his day, a Pharisee by the name of Gamaliel. But, his greatest understanding of the doctrines of salvation by grace through faith, was not taught to him by human teachers. Here’s how Paul explained it:

But I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which was preached by me, that it is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1:11-12)

This mystery was revealed to Paul by our Lord, Himself. That is what he is referring to in the first part of today’s verse.

Now, what does Paul mean by the statement that he has already written briefly about this mystery? Some think that Paul is referring to a previous letter that he wrote to the Ephesians; however, there is no evidence of any such letter. The other possibility is that he is referring to what he wrote in verses nine through twelve of the first chapter of this letter, the mystery of God’s will regarding the salvation of the Gentiles.

Application

Unlike Paul, we have no need to receive special revelation from God, because we have His written word, the Bible. But, in order to understand God’s will for our lives, we need to read and study it daily.

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 3:2 – Administrator of Grace

Posted on September 21, 2015 by Will

if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you,

Truth to Learn

All Christians are commissioned to preach the Gospel.

Behind the Words

The word “if” is translated from ei. This is a conditional particle which introduces a conditional clause. In New Testament Greek (Koinē Greek) there are four types of conditional clauses, although only three of them appear in the Bible. The first class condition assumes the “if” clause to be true. The second class condition assumes the “if” clause to be false and the third class condition makes no assumption. In today’s verse we see a first class condition, so Paul assumes that his readers have heard of the dispensation.

“Indeed” is from ge, which is a particle of emphasis or qualification. It serves to strengthen or render more emphatic the word to which it is appended (if). It can be variously translated as “besides, doubtless, indeed, at least, or yet.”

The word translated “dispensation” is oikonomia, which is made up of oikos, meaning “house” and a form of nemō, meaning “to distribute or apportion.” In the first century, it was not uncommon for a land owner to have one slave who was steward (in charge) of his household. The word oikonomia refers to this position of household administrator, the work done by an administrator, or the process of administration. In today’s verse it refers to the “administration” or “stewardship” of the grace of God.

The word “for” is from the Greek word eis, which literally means “into” or “toward.” In this verse it refers to a direction of the mind. In other words, this information was given to Paul to relay it to us. In this sense, it was given to him “for” us.

Meaning Explained

Paul, like every believer in Jesus Christ, has been the recipient of God’s grace as he described it in the previous chapter:

For by grace you are saved through faith, and this not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, (Ephesians 2:8)

However, that’s not what he is specifically referring to in today’s verse. Here he is talking about “the dispensation of the grace of God” or the administration of the grace of God. God chose the Apostle Paul to be the administrator of His grace for the Gentiles. What he means by this is that God has entrusted him with the message of salvation by grace, through faith, and it is his responsibility to deliver it to the Gentiles. In Acts chapter twenty-six Paul described to King Agrippa how he received this responsibility directly from the Lord, who said:

But rise up and stand on your feet; for it is for this reason I appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness both of the things which you saw and of the things which I will yet reveal to you, delivering you from the Jewish people, and the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, (Acts 26:16, 17)

In fact, he told the believers in Corinth that he now has no choice but to preach the Gospel message:

For if I proclaim the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! (1 Corinthians 9:16)

Paul recognized his responsibility to administer the grace of God by proclaiming the Good News to people throughout the known world, and he performed that task until the day he died.

Application

We, too, have been given a commission to preach the Gospel message. Are you carrying out that commission? Are you sharing the Good News with those around you?

In God's service, for His glory,