Eph 3:2-3 | KingComments | STEP | Chapter 3 is a kind of parenthesis. You will understand what I mean by that if you compare of this chapter with the first verse of chapter 4 ( ). After having written about God’s counsels in chapter 1 and about the way God made us partakers of them, you might expect that Paul is going to tell us now what that means for your practice, your walk. It looks like he wanted to start with that in chapter 3. Yet, that only happens in chapter 4. There he begins with nearly the same words with which he begins chapter 3, and then the admonitions follow which belong to his teachings he gave in chapter 2. Yet the Holy Spirit leads him, however, to first write chapter 3. Why? To explain that to him, Paul, was entrusted this particular service to make known “the mystery of Christ” ( ). That mystery was not an idea or invention of his own, but it was revealed by God ( ). This mystery is about the fact that Jew and Gentile together form the church and that they are connected to Christ as one body. The difference between Jew and Gentile has disappeared. . He begins with “I, Paul” and thereby stresses the absolutely unique truth that was only revealed to him. He was the first man, who was informed of this by God. It also stresses the apostolic authority with which he now passes on this revelation. What Paul is teaching is totally apart from what the Jews read in the Old Testament. That is right indeed, as we cannot find there the things we saw in chapters 1-2. The preaching of this truth has made him a “prisoner”. That’s why he writes that he was a prisoner “for the sake of you Gentiles”. When he spoke of God wanting him to go to the Gentiles in Acts 22, the Jews became furious and wanted to kill him ( ). That did not happen, but the whole story – you can read it in Acts 23-28 – ends with him being a prisoner in Rome. Yet he does not regard himself a prisoner of Caesar, but a “the prisoner of Christ Jesus”. What we can learn from this is, that whatever happens in our life, we can see everything in relation to the Lord Jesus. That will protect us against bitterness. Then we shall indeed be able to cope with disappointments. Paul could have been mourning about not being active anymore for his Lord. But what do you see? Exactly in his imprisonment he writes some letters we read in the Bible. The letter to the Ephesians is one of them. . Paul stayed for three years in Ephesus ( ). In that time the Ephesians became familiar with “the stewardship” that was entrusted to Paul. The word ‘stewardship’ is derived from the word economist – literally: a house manager. An example of such a person is Joseph, who was the manager of ‘the house(hold)’ of Potiphar and to whom all persons and goods of Potiphar’s house were entrusted. This fact connects to the previous chapter, in which the household of God is being spoken about. To Paul God entrusted the goods of that household, the wonderful truths of that household. He is allowed to present the goods of God’s house in their glory to those who are members of that household. Paul is very impressed by that. His amazing service, however, doesn’t make him proud. He points out that this service that was given to him for the sake of the church, flows forth from “God’s grace”. Also the whole content of what is entrusted to him consists of this grace. It is important to continuously be aware of this if you may do something for the Lord. You may do it because you know His grace; this grace is also what you pass on to others in your service. . “The mystery” that God made known to Paul “by revelation” is hidden in the Old Testament. There are two conceivable misconceptions concerning this mystery. The first one is to suppose that it was present in the Scriptures of the Old Testament but hidden, and that now the Holy Spirit shows Paul where to find it. But that is not right. It was not something that was hidden in the Old Testament. He could never ever have discovered it either, for it was simply not present in it. The second misconception is to suppose that it is also for us still a mystery. If we think that, we ignore the revelation of it. It is often also an excuse not to deepen yourself too much in this matter, for it is not possible to understand it; it is a mystery after all. Sometimes even 1 Corinthians 2 is being referred to ( ), while the next verse ( ) is being ignored for convenience’s sake. It is really true that on the one hand it is something that was hidden in God from eternity ( ) and on the other hand it is now made known, first to Paul and afterward through him to you and me and every other member of the church! Paul “wrote before in brief” about this. He is referring here to what he wrote in the previous chapters about this. . He presents what he just said to the readers to consider. They could conclude that he writes as one who is fully informed. It sounds easy, but you can only form a view of what Paul writes, if you read what he writes. That is what he says to the Ephesians, and also to us. Reading therefore means more than just seeing letters. Reading is receiving the message, trying to understand what the writer says. In this case a right spiritual mind is an absolute condition. Note: it is not about an intellectual capacity, but about a heart that desires to receive and understand the mystery ( ). It is about nothing less than the “mystery of Christ”. You might have expected that he is now going to speak about the ‘mystery of the church’ as that is the subject here. After all it is about the particular character of the church wherein Jew and Gentile have been made one. Yet that doesn’t happen and Paul writes about ‘the mystery of the Christ’, as it literally says. In fact this detail shows us the core of the mystery. It is not only that the believers from the Jews and Gentiles are related to each other, but that they have been made one body. The issue is the unity between the Head in heaven and the members on earth. God had the purpose to unite us together, but above all to unite us with the Head. It was His counsel to give a body to Christ. In chapter 5 we see another picture of that mystery: “This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church” ( ). So when ‘the Christ’ is spoken of, then it is because God wants to have all emphasis on Him. You and I consent to that heartily! It is about Him. Now read Ephesians 3:1-4 again. Reflection: What does the ‘stewardship’ of Paul mean and what is ‘the mystery’?

‏ Ephesians 3:2-3

The Mystery of Christ

Chapter 3 is a kind of parenthesis. You will understand what I mean by that if you compare Eph 3:1 of this chapter with the first verse of chapter 4 (Eph 4:1). After having written about God’s counsels in chapter 1 and about the way God made us partakers of them, you might expect that Paul is going to tell us now what that means for your practice, your walk.

It looks like he wanted to start with that in chapter 3. Yet, that only happens in chapter 4. There he begins with nearly the same words with which he begins chapter 3, and then the admonitions follow which belong to his teachings he gave in chapter 2.

Yet the Holy Spirit leads him, however, to first write chapter 3. Why? To explain that to him, Paul, was entrusted this particular service to make known “the mystery of Christ” (Eph 3:4). That mystery was not an idea or invention of his own, but it was revealed by God (Eph 3:3). This mystery is about the fact that Jew and Gentile together form the church and that they are connected to Christ as one body. The difference between Jew and Gentile has disappeared.

Eph 3:1. He begins with “I, Paul” and thereby stresses the absolutely unique truth that was only revealed to him. He was the first man, who was informed of this by God. It also stresses the apostolic authority with which he now passes on this revelation. What Paul is teaching is totally apart from what the Jews read in the Old Testament. That is right indeed, as we cannot find there the things we saw in chapters 1-2.

The preaching of this truth has made him a “prisoner”. That’s why he writes that he was a prisoner “for the sake of you Gentiles”. When he spoke of God wanting him to go to the Gentiles in Acts 22, the Jews became furious and wanted to kill him (Acts 22:21-23). That did not happen, but the whole story – you can read it in Acts 23-28 – ends with him being a prisoner in Rome. Yet he does not regard himself a prisoner of Caesar, but a “the prisoner of Christ Jesus”.

What we can learn from this is, that whatever happens in our life, we can see everything in relation to the Lord Jesus. That will protect us against bitterness. Then we shall indeed be able to cope with disappointments. Paul could have been mourning about not being active anymore for his Lord. But what do you see? Exactly in his imprisonment he writes some letters we read in the Bible. The letter to the Ephesians is one of them.

Eph 3:2. Paul stayed for three years in Ephesus (Acts 20:31). In that time the Ephesians became familiar with “the stewardship” that was entrusted to Paul. The word ‘stewardship’ is derived from the word economist – literally: a house manager. An example of such a person is Joseph, who was the manager of ‘the house(hold)’ of Potiphar and to whom all persons and goods of Potiphar’s house were entrusted.

This fact connects to the previous chapter, in which the household of God is being spoken about. To Paul God entrusted the goods of that household, the wonderful truths of that household. He is allowed to present the goods of God’s house in their glory to those who are members of that household. Paul is very impressed by that.

His amazing service, however, doesn’t make him proud. He points out that this service that was given to him for the sake of the church, flows forth from “God’s grace”. Also the whole content of what is entrusted to him consists of this grace. It is important to continuously be aware of this if you may do something for the Lord. You may do it because you know His grace; this grace is also what you pass on to others in your service.

Eph 3:3. “The mystery” that God made known to Paul “by revelation” is hidden in the Old Testament. There are two conceivable misconceptions concerning this mystery. The first one is to suppose that it was present in the Scriptures of the Old Testament but hidden, and that now the Holy Spirit shows Paul where to find it. But that is not right. It was not something that was hidden in the Old Testament. He could never ever have discovered it either, for it was simply not present in it.

The second misconception is to suppose that it is also for us still a mystery. If we think that, we ignore the revelation of it. It is often also an excuse not to deepen yourself too much in this matter, for it is not possible to understand it; it is a mystery after all. Sometimes even 1 Corinthians 2 is being referred to (1Cor 2:9), while the next verse (1Cor 2:10) is being ignored for convenience’s sake.

It is really true that on the one hand it is something that was hidden in God from eternity (Eph 3:9) and on the other hand it is now made known, first to Paul and afterward through him to you and me and every other member of the church! Paul “wrote before in brief” about this. He is referring here to what he wrote in the previous chapters about this.

Eph 3:4. He presents what he just said to the readers to consider. They could conclude that he writes as one who is fully informed. It sounds easy, but you can only form a view of what Paul writes, if you read what he writes. That is what he says to the Ephesians, and also to us. Reading therefore means more than just seeing letters. Reading is receiving the message, trying to understand what the writer says. In this case a right spiritual mind is an absolute condition. Note: it is not about an intellectual capacity, but about a heart that desires to receive and understand the mystery (Eph 1:17-18).

It is about nothing less than the “mystery of Christ”. You might have expected that he is now going to speak about the ‘mystery of the church’ as that is the subject here. After all it is about the particular character of the church wherein Jew and Gentile have been made one. Yet that doesn’t happen and Paul writes about ‘the mystery of the Christ’, as it literally says.

In fact this detail shows us the core of the mystery. It is not only that the believers from the Jews and Gentiles are related to each other, but that they have been made one body. The issue is the unity between the Head in heaven and the members on earth.

God had the purpose to unite us together, but above all to unite us with the Head. It was His counsel to give a body to Christ. In chapter 5 we see another picture of that mystery: “This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church” (Eph 5:32). So when ‘the Christ’ is spoken of, then it is because God wants to have all emphasis on Him.

You and I consent to that heartily! It is about Him.

Now read Ephesians 3:1-4 again.

Reflection: What does the ‘stewardship’ of Paul mean and what is ‘the mystery’?