At the conclusion of Ephesians 2, Paul developed the concept of a spiritual temple, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, the Lord Jesus being the chief cornerstone. The apostle has made it abundantly clear to his Gentile readers that they are on the same footing as Jewish disciples in this great work: there is no difference; they are all one in the Lord Jesus. It is this final thought of the Gentiles’ place that prompts what he goes on to say in the opening verses of Ephesians 3. It is as though now he wishes to present his credentials to the Gentile part of his readership.
A prisoner
He begins by mentioning that he is a prisoner, not for some felony he has committed but on “behalf of you Gentiles”. Although there were others who preached the gospel in the Gentile world, he, Paul, was pre-eminently their apostle. The full exploration of this claim cannot now detain us, but we can at least remind ourselves of this fact: While the revelation on the Damascus road was primarily to open the way to salvation for a repentant sinner (the common experience of all disciples) — this was associated from the outset with a purpose that was to govern the rest of Paul’s life. The bewildered Ananias received this clear message about the former persecutor:
“He is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel: for I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name’s sake” (Acts 9:15,16).
Digression: “A chosen vessel”
Now there is a remarkable feature of the Damascus episode that appears to have been missed by commentators. This touches upon an important aspect of the early history of the gospel. First, Ananias was told in plain terms that the converted Saul of Tarsus would be a chosen vessel to the Gentiles. Presumably the only conclusion Ananias (not to mention all other Jewish believers) could draw was that the Gentiles who responded to the gospel would need to be circumcised and keep the law of Moses. Such was probably also Saul’s understanding at this stage for, after his conversion, he preached Jesus in the synagogues of Damascus; there is no mention of Gentiles (see Acts 9:20). What was required was the epoch-making revelation to Peter that uncircumcised Gentiles could simply, on the basis of faith, be baptized into the saving name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 10).
Paul himself had to be enlightened on this matter, and it may well be that the period spent in Arabia, after his conversion, was the time when he received this enlightenment (see Gal. 1:17). Despite all the evidence that the law of Moses was now superseded, we know what resistance there was within the Jerusalem ecclesia to the teaching that circumcision and observance of the Mosaic law were no longer necessary (see Acts 15:1).
This resistance continued, and for many years, wherever Paul took the gospel. The problems in the Lycus valley are witness to this. Paul’s First Missionary Journey with Barnabas would not have been possible without the special revelation to Peter and what was revealed to Paul.
When we reflect once more upon the circumstances of the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, we must not miss the fact the Lord Jesus was personally involved. This gave it a special character, though not unique, for Jesus had likewise chosen the Twelve (see Luke 6:12-16). The consciousness of his special mission was constantly present in Paul’s mind (see Acts 22:21; 26:15-19; 1 Tim. 1:11,12). For him, therefore, the grace of God in the Lord embraced not merely his salvation but also his special mission in life. Although Paul concentrated his activities on Ephesus during the Third Missionary Journey (see Acts 19), he was widely known in the province of Asia. Evidence of this can be seen at the end of 1 Corinthians 16:19: “The churches of Asia salute you.”
The dispensation of God’s grace
Nevertheless, Paul now reminds his readers of what they would certainly have known, that he writes from prison (in Rome), and that was a consequence of his total commitment to his Gentile mission. The “if” of verse 2 does not express a condition, but a confident assumption. Thus, we might say to someone, ‘If you knew this, why did you act as you did?’ So Paul refers to the dispensation of God’s grace granted to him specifically for the Gentiles. The term in the RV, “dispensation”, is accompanied by a footnote that gives “stewardship” as an acceptable alternative. This term “dispensation” has given expositors problems; it is used exclusively by Paul except for its occurrence in Luke 16:2,3,4, where it is consistently rendered “stewardship” in the RV. The interpretation adopted here is that of Armitage Robinson: “Both here and in Colossians 1:25 the ‘dispensation’ spoken of is a dispensation in which God is the Dispenser, and not the administration, or stewardship, of any human agent. This is made clear by the parallel use of the word in 1:10…”1
The “mystery” of the Gentiles
Paul then enlarges on the concept of his special mission to the Gentiles. He has already (in Ephesians 2) made clear the equality of Jew and Gentile in the construction of God’s spiritual temple. This, he feels, he has done briefly (“in few words”). Now he has much more to say on this subject so near to his heart. The purpose of these additional words is to provide, especially for his Gentile readers, evidence of his insight into “the mystery of Christ” (v. 4). We have already had occasion to consider the word “mystery” and in this connection we note once more what the Lord said to his disciples:
“Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 13:11).
By this we understand that they were humbly prepared to receive from the Lord insight into the truths of his teaching on various aspects of the kingdom.
What had not been previously understood, and accepted, as now it had been, was that the Gentiles were:
“…fellow-heirs, and fellow-members of the same body, and fellow-partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (v. 6).
Before the coming of the Lord Jesus, the world at large had been ignorant of God’s purpose in Christ. Also, there had been amongst Jews no understanding of how Gentiles would acquire parity with themselves. So it was that Paul, in addressing the Areopagus in Athens, spoke of “the times of ignorance” (Acts 17:30). But now, the RV in verse 6, by the studied use of “fellow”, is alerting us once more to Paul’s use of “sun” compounds (the “together” words), and thus to the equality of Jew and Gentile before God. We encountered this in 2:19, which declared that Gentiles “are fellow-citizens with the saints”. In the case of 3:6, the NIV brings this out thus:
“The Gentiles are heirs together with Israe, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus”.
Here we see an instance, all too common, where a feature of one language is difficult to reproduce in another. The RV use of “fellow” goes some way to achieving this. However, it breaks down in the case of “sussoma”, literally “together-body” [“sun” here in the Greek becomes “sus” because of the following letter s].2When we consult Liddell and Scott’s Greek-English Lexicon, we find the only occurrence of the word is in Ephesians 3:6, an interesting fact in itself. It seems the apostle was constrained to coin a new term in order to bring out the important fact that believers, Jews and Gentiles, form one body, and that is the body of the Lord Jesus. We can be one only in him, and that is a truth every follower of the Lord Jesus must embrace and strive to make true in his or her case. No other form of unity is acceptable.
“A servant of this gospel”
Having thus comprehensively affirmed, and demonstrated by his carefully chosen language, the unity of Jew and Gentile in Christ Jesus, Paul reverts to the subject of his apostleship:
“I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given to me by the working of his power” (v. 7, NIV).
One cannot read Paul’s letters without perceiving the fundamental character of divine grace. Paul felt deeply, in view of his earlier record as a persecutor, that he experienced this in abundant measure. As the result of his call he had become a servant of the gospel. The word here used is “diakonos”.3
As he looks back on his life, and its total transformation on the Damascus road, Paul has a sense of awe — for he regarded himself as less than the least of all saints. This was no posture, no affected humility. What made him thus was the consciousness of the greatness of the Lord Jesus and the reality of the forgiveness he had received (see once more 1 Tim. 1:12-16). It is usual in this connection to turn also to 1 Corinthians 15:9, where Paul declares himself to be the least of the apostles, unworthy even to be called an apostle. Yes, he knew full well that the Twelve had in different ways failed their Lord, but he had been a persecutor, one with blood on his hands. Doubtless this was generally known in Christian circles, and it is possible some of his adversaries exploited the fact. But the Lord Jesus had totally forgiven him, and not only forgiven him but also made him the special apostle to the Gentiles. If this was not grace, what was? The fact of the cross thus possessed for Paul a special meaning: the Lord Jesus lived in Paul, for he had loved him and had given himself for him (see Gal. 2:20).
The unsearchable riches
To return to Ephesians 3:8: we take note how the grace Paul had received was exercised by him: in preaching to the Gentiles “the unsearchable riches of Christ”. We have already met the term “riches”:
(a) Ephesians 1:7: the “riches” of God’s grace, and
(b) Ephesians 1:18: the “riches” of God’s glory.
The concept meets us also in Colossians:
(c) Colossians 1:27: the glorious “riches” of this mystery, and
(d) Colossians 2:2: the full “riches” of this understanding.
In this last passage, Paul’s hope is that the disciples in the Lycus valley may possess a “complete understanding”, so “that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ” (NIV). How easy it is to have a pitifully inadequate view of the gospel and the rich heritage available in the Lord Jesus. We should take note especially of Colossians 2:9:
“For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.”
Each should have the consciousness, shared with the apostle, of the riches of Christ. For him, they are unfathomable, yes, and inexhaustible. Here we can discern an anticipation of the great prayer of this chapter (Eph. 3:14-19).
A mystery kept hidden
In thus preaching the unsearchable riches of Christ, the apostle has the task of declaring the mystery that hitherto had been concealed in God, who “created all things”. This declaration should especially be noted, and it is confirmed in Hebrews 3:4:
“For every house is builded by some one; but he that built all things is God.”
He is the sole great architect of all things. After the fulfilment of the prophecies relating to the Lord Jesus and the preaching of the gospel as recorded in Acts, the way was opened up for an understanding of so much more of the Old Testament. The first who had to be enlightened were the apostles themselves (see Luke 24:45-48).
Digression: Principalities and powers
But what are we to understand by “the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places”? Whatever their identity, we must take account of the fact that they are enlightened by “the church” (v. 10). In the early days of preaching, Peter and the others presented the gospel in clear terms to the multitude, and to the Jewish authorities when they were arraigned before them (see Acts 3,4, and 5). As for Paul, he appeared before various Jewish and Roman authorities and, whatever the circumstances, he preached to the great and lowly alike (see Phil. 1:13). When Peter speaks of a “new heavens and a new earth” (in harmony with Isa. 65:17), we know from the details in Isaiah he is looking for a new world government and a regenerated mankind. The burden of the apostolic message, whether ministered by Paul or others, is to make known God’s wisdom in its manifold aspects.
But is it also possible that “the principalities and powers” might refer to the angels? This possibility at least merits some consideration, in view of 1 Peter 1:12: “Even angels long to look into these things” (NIV).
However, the probability, if not certainty, points primarily to human rulers and authorities.
This is in keeping with the eternal purpose centered in the Lord Jesus (v. 11). God’s redemptive purpose in him was portrayed in the lamb slain to provide a covering for the nakedness of Adam and Eve (a subject explored at an earlier stage in our study of this letter). For those in Christ, who have faith (ever a key word), there is freedom of access to the throne of grace.
“Do not be distressed”
In view of this, adds Paul, you need not grieve about what has happened to me. In varying degrees, many in Asia would be familiar with what happened to Paul in carrying Christ into the heathen world. “Do not be distressed by this”, adds the apostle (in v. 13), “for it is your glory.” This may seem a strange exhortation, but his sufferings are a consequence of his love for his Lord and for them, the readers of his letter. Boasting was foreign to Paul, but we remember how once, reluctantly and to answer his Judaizing critics amongst the Corinthians, he engaged in the foolishness of boasting. None can read 2 Corinthians 11:23-30 without feeling a sense of awe. There is so much to learn from the study of Paul’s letters, and not only from his writings, but also from his example.
In our next study we hope to look at the beautiful prayer the apostle offers for his readers.
- St Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians, London, 1903, p. 76. See also John Carter, The Letter to the Ephesians, The Christadelphian, p. 63: “Here, the idea is that, in God’s administration, His purpose now took in the Gentiles.”
- English has borrowed many words from Greek and in the process the “sun” compounds reflect the variations in the Greek: thus we have “synthesis”, “sympathy”, “symphony”, “system”, etc.
- Paul, in considering his relationship to the Lord Jesus, sometimes calls himself his “doulos” (slave, bondservant); see, for example, Romans 1:1, Philippians 1:1. When he speaks of his work for the Lord, he is a “diakonos” — “one who ministers” (see Col. 1:23).
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One