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Ephesians Chapter Three

 
Chapter Three General Review
 
OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THE CHAPTER
 
1) To understand the "mystery" so long hidden that is now revealed, and
 the role of the church
 
2) To examine Paul's prayer for the Ephesians' enablement, what it 
 means for us today
 
SUMMARY
 
In this chapter Paul reminds his readers of God's grace that has been
shown him regarding the revelation of the "mystery". By reading what
he had written earlier, they would understand how the "mystery"
pertained to Gentiles becoming fellow heirs in Christ, and Paul felt
privileged to preach among the Gentiles what for ages had been hidden.
Knowing that what he did was part of God's eternal purpose in Christ to
make His manifold wisdom known by the church, he asked his brethren not
to be discouraged by any tribulations he experienced on their behalf 
(1-13).
 
The chapter also contains Paul's second prayer for the Ephesians. He 
prays for their enablement, that the Father would strengthen them by 
His Spirit, that Christ might dwell in their hearts through faith, that
they be able to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, and so 
be filled with all the fullness of God. He concludes his prayer and 
this chapter by ascribing that glory be given to God in the church by 
Jesus Christ for all eternity (14-21).
 
OUTLINE
 
I. THE REVELATION OF THE MYSTERY (1-13)
 
 A. A MYSTERY ONCE HIDDEN, NOW REVEALED (1-7)
 1. Interrupting himself, Paul makes mention of God's grace (1-2)
 a. A measure of grace given to him
 b. Given for the benefit of his readers
 2. That by revelation God made known to Paul the "mystery" (3-4)
  a. Concerning which he wrote previously
 b. Which as they read, they will understand his knowledge in
 the mystery of Christ
 3. A "mystery" once hidden, but now revealed (5)
 a. In other ages it was not made known to men
 b. But has now been revealed
 1) By the Spirit
 2) To God's holy apostles and prophets
 4. The "mystery" involved the Gentiles (6)
 a. That they should be fellow heirs, of the same body
 b. That they should be partakers of God's promise through the
 gospel
 5. Paul's role as a minister of this "mystery" was a gift from
 God (7)
 a. A gift of God's grace
 b. A gift given to him by the effective working of God's power
 
 B. PAUL'S TASK AS A MINISTER OF THIS "MYSTERY" (8-13)
 1. To preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ
 (8)
 a. Even though he was "less than the least of all the saints"
 b. Yet this grace was given to him
 2. To make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery (9-13)
 a. Which from the beginning was hidden in God who created all
 things
 b. But with the intention of now making God's wisdom known
 1) Made known by the church
 2) Made known to principalities and powers in heavenly
 places
 c. According to God's eternal purpose which He fulfilled in
 Christ Jesus
 1) In whom we have boldness and confident access through
 faith in Him
 2) For which Paul does not want them to lose heart over his
 tribulations in their behalf, which was for their glory
 
II. PAUL'S SECOND PRAYER: FOR THEIR ENABLEMENT (14-21)
 
 A. HIS INVOCATION (14-15)
 1. In view of God's grace to the Gentiles, Paul bows his knees in
 prayer (14a)
 2. He addresses the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom
 the whole family in heaven and earth is named (14b-15)
 
 B. HIS PETITION (16-19)
 1. That they would be strengthened by the Spirit of God (16-17)
 a. According to the riches of His glory
 b. With might through His Spirit in the inner man
 c. So Christ may dwell in their hearts through faith
  2. That they might comprehend the love of Christ (18-19a)
 a. Being rooted and grounded in love
 b. To know the love of Christ which passes knowledge
 3. That they might be filled with all the fullness of God (19b)
 
 C. HIS DOXOLOGY (20-21)
 1. Glory to God, for what He is able to do! (20)
 a. Able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or
 think
 b. According to the power that works in us
 2. Glory to God, in the church! (21)
  a. By Christ Jesus
 b. Throughout all ages, world without end
 
REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER
 
1) What are the main points of this chapter?
 - The revelation of the mystery (1-13)
 - Paul's second prayer: for their enablement (14-21)
 
2) How does Paul identify himself as he begins this chapter? (1)
 - As the prisoner of Jesus Christ for the Gentiles
 
3) What dispensation, or measure, of grace was shown by God toward
 Paul? (2-3)
 - That by revelation God made known to him the "mystery"
 
4) What did Paul say we can have by reading what he had written? (3-4)
 - We can understand his knowledge in the mystery of Christ
 
5) What does Paul reveal concerning the revelation of this mystery? (5)
 - In other ages it was not made known, but has now been revealed by
 the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets
 
6) What is the "mystery" that has now been revealed? (6)
 - That Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and
 partakers of His promise through the gospel
 
7) Though viewing himself as "less than the least of all the saints",
 what gracious task was given to Paul? (8-9)
 - To preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ
 - To make all see with is the fellowship of the mystery which was
 hidden from the beginning
 
8) What was the intent for proclaiming the revelation of this mystery?
 (10)
 - That the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church
 to principalities and powers in the heavenly places
 
9) According to what was all this being done? (11)
 - The eternal purpose or plan which God accomplished in Christ Jesus
 
10) What has Christ therefore made possible for us? (12)
 - Boldness and access to God with confidence through faith in Him
 
11) In view of God's grace given to Paul, what does he therefore ask?
 (14)
 - For them not to lose heart over his tribulations on their behalf
 
12) In Paul's second prayer for the Ephesians, for what does he ask?
 (14-19)
 - That they would be strengthened by the Spirit of God
 - That they might comprehend the love of Christ
 - That they might be filled with all the fullness of God
 
13) What does Paul say God is able to do? How? (20)
 - Exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think
 - According to the power that works in us
 
14) In what entity does Paul seek to ascribe glory to God? How? For
 how long? (21)
 - In the church
 - By Christ Jesus
 - Throughout all ages, world without end
 
The Revelation Of The Mystery (3:1-13)
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. In the last half of the second chapter...
 a. Paul expounded upon "How The Gentiles Became Fellow Heirs" (Ep
 2:11-22)
 b. In which those who once were "far off" are now "made near" by the
 blood of Christ - Ep 2:13
 
2. As a result of the work of Christ on the cross, Gentiles can now 
 become "one body" with the Jews in Christ (Ep 2:14-18), and 
 therefore can be:
 a. "Fellow citizens with the saints" - Ep 2:19a
 b. "Members of the household of God" - Ep 2:19b
 c. "A holy temple in the Lord...a habitation of God in the Spirit" 
 - Ep 2:20-22
 
3. When you compare Ep 3:1 with Ep 3:14, it becomes clear in verse 
 one that Paul was about to express a prayer in behalf of the 
 Ephesians
 
4. But the mention of himself as "the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you 
 Gentiles" prompts Paul to interrupt himself...
 a. From Ep 3:13, where Paul concludes his brief interruption, it 
 appears Paul is concerned that his reference to his imprisonment 
 (i.e., his tribulations) should not be taken as a call for pity
 b. For Paul considers that all he endured for the sake of the 
 Gentiles (including his present imprisonment in Rome) as just part
 of the wonderful grace of God that had been shown to him, "who am
 less than the least of all the saints" (Ep 3:8)
 
5. What was this wonderful grace of God that was shown to Paul?
 a. It pertains to the revelation of a mystery that for ages had been 
 hidden
 b. But was now being revealed through apostles and prophets, 
 including Paul
 
6. In this lesson, we shall examine Paul's "interruption", and answer 
 the following questions...
 a. What is this mystery that had been hidden?
 b. How was it being revealed?
 
[Our second question is actually answered first, for before Paul defines
"the mystery" he speaks of God's grace towards him and...]
 
I. THE REVELATION OF THE MYSTERY (1-5)
 
 A. A MYSTERY NOW REVEALED... (1-4)
 1. By the grace of God, this "mystery" was made known to Paul 
 - Ep 3:2-3a
 2. Paul, in turn, made known the "mystery" through his writings 
 - Ep 3:3b
 3. The Ephesians, by reading Paul's words, could then have his 
 understanding of this "mystery of Christ" - Ep 3:4
 4. This passage tells us several things:
  a. How "we" come to know this "mystery"
 1) It is not through direct revelation, though Paul may have
 received it this way
 2) It is through reading his words, i.e., through reading 
 the Word of God!
 b. The Word of God is understandable!
 1) Some people say it is not, or that it is too hard to be 
 understood
 2) But clearly Paul intended for people to understand his 
 "knowledge in the mystery of Christ"!
 3) The problem some people have is that they misunderstand 
 Paul's use of the term "mystery" and think the Bible is 
 still a mystery; but notice...
 
 B. CALLED A "MYSTERY", BECAUSE IT WAS ONCE "HIDDEN"... (5)
 1. It is important to appreciate this fact: this "mystery" is 
 called such, not because it REMAINS a mystery, but because that
 is what it was for so long in times past!
 2. Just as certain novels are still called "mysteries"...
 a. Even though you may have read them and know the ending, you 
 still refer tothose novels as "mysteries"
 b. So it is with the "mystery of Christ", it is called such 
 because it had been one for so long, though now we know the 
 "ending" (or what had been a "secret")
 3. That such is the case here, consider these passages:
 a. "...according to the revelation of the mystery which was 
 kept secret since the world began but now has been made 
 manifest," - Ro 16:25-26
 b. "having made known to us the mystery of His will..." - Ep 
 1:9
 c. "which in other ages was not made known...as it has been 
 revealed" - Ep 3:5
  d. "the mystery which as been hidden from ages and from 
 generations, but now has been revealed to His saints." - Co
 1:26-27
 
[So we know that this "mystery" has now been revealed, but WHAT, 
exactly, is the "mystery"? Paul explained it earlier in this epistle 
(cf. Ep 3:3b-4a), but now he summarizes...]
 
II. THE "REVEALED" MYSTERY EXPLAINED (6-12)
 
 A. IT INVOLVES THE "GENTILES"... (6)
 1. I.e., those that we saw in chapter two, who at one time were:
 a. "aliens from the commonwealth of Israel"
 b. "strangers from the covenants of promise"
 c. "having no hope and without God in the world"
 2. The mystery now revealed is that these Gentiles can be:
 a. "fellow heirs"
 b. "of the same body"
 c. "partakers of His (God's) promise in Christ"
 3. This is what Paul wrote about in Ep 2:11-22, and to which he 
 refers in Ep 3:b-4a
 a. That Gentiles, who for ages were not included in God's 
 special dealings with the Israelites...
 b. ...could now become part of God's spiritual family and heirs
 to the wonderful blessings that God makes available through 
 Jesus Christ!
 
 B. AS "APOSTLE TO THE GENTILES", PAUL'S TASK WAS... (7-12)
 1. "to preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of 
 Christ" - Ep 3:7-8
 a. This Paul did, even in letters like this one to the 
 Ephesians
 b. As we saw in Ep 1:3-14
 2. "to make all people see what is the fellowship of the mystery" 
 - Ep 3:9
 a. Again, Paul used epistles like Ephesians, and also 
 Colossians
 b. As we saw in Ep 2:11-22
 3. "to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be 
 known" - Ep 3:10-12 - Here Paul expands his thoughts...
 a. This wisdom of God is being made known "by the church"
 1) Paul, of course, was doing his part as an apostle
 2) But the whole church, as "the pillar and ground of the 
 truth", is involved in proclaiming the wisdom of God - 
 cf. 1 Ti 3:15
 3) The church does this, both by what it "is" and by what it
 "teaches"
 a) It's very "existence" proclaims the wisdom of God
 b) As well as the "message" it proclaims
 b. This wisdom of God is being made known to "principalities 
 and powers in the heavenly places"
 1) Not just to "the Gentiles" (Ep 3:8) and to "all people"
 (Ep 3:9)
 2) But as the church carries out its mission, even spiritual
 entities are being enlightened - cf. 1 Pe 1:10-12 
 (where even angels were once "in the dark" about the 
  salvation now being offered in Christ)
 c. Making known the wisdom of God "by the church" was part of 
 God's "eternal purpose"
 1) The church was not an afterthought, but part of God's 
 plan for eternity!
  2) From the beginning, it was to play an important role in 
 God's scheme of redemption for mankind!
 3) This verse has serious ramifications for some
 a) For there are those who say the church was an 
  "afterthought", established only after Christ and His 
 kingdom were rejected
 b) But this verse clearly indicates that the church was 
 part of God's plan from the beginning!
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. Knowing that his work as an apostle, and the work of the church, was 
 all part of God's "eternal purpose" being carried out in Christ 
 Jesus, Paul had great boldness and confidence of continued access to 
 God - Ep 3:12
 
2. Therefore, he did not want his mention of imprisonment to be a source
 of concern...
 a. For even the tribulations it might have caused him was glory for 
 the Gentiles! - Ep 3:13
 b. How? Because in imprisonment Paul was "an ambassador in chains" 
 - Ep 6:19-20
  1) As such he could "make known the mystery of the gospel"
 2) And whenever the "mystery" is made known, the exalted position 
 God now has for Gentiles is also known!
 
3. We, too, should have "boldness and access with confidence through 
 faith in Him", knowing that...
 a. We are part of God's "eternal purpose" being carried out!
 b. We who are Gentiles are but a demonstration of that wonderful 
 "mystery of Christ", in which Gentiles can be:
 1) "fellow heirs"
 2) "of the same body" 
 3) "partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel"
 -- with the faithful of Israel (such as Peter, Paul, and many 
 others who have accepted Jesus as the Messiah)
 
Are you in this "body", which we learn in Ep 1:22-23 is the church of 
Jesus Christ? The Lord adds the saved to His church (cf. Ac 2:47).
How can one be saved and thus "added" by the Lord to His church?
Consider carefully Ac 2:36-41...

Paul's Second Prayer For The Ephesians (3:14-21)
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. In the previous lesson we saw where Paul was about to start his
 second prayer for the Ephesians in Ep 3:1...
 a. However, he interrupts himself when describing himself as "the
 prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles"
 b. Lest they be troubled at whatever tribulations he endured as a
 prisoner (Ep 3:13), Paul stresses the fact that:
 1) His apostleship to the Gentiles (even with its tribulations)
 was a gift to him through the wonderful grace of God - Ep
 3:2-7
 2) His purpose was to "preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable
 riches of Christ" - Ep 3:8-11
 3) That in Christ he had "boldness and access with confidence
 through faith" in Christ - Ep 3:12
 
2. Having completed his brief interruption, in Ep 3:14-21 Paul now 
 continues with his second prayer for the Ephesians (the first having
 been in Ep 1:15-23)
 
3. The phrase "For this reason..." (Ep 3:14; also 3:1) indicates 
 that Paul expresses his prayer in response to those things mentioned 
 earlier, such as:
 a. The wonderful salvation by grace through faith - Ep 2:1-10
 b. The work by Christ on the cross whereby Gentiles can now become 
 "fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise" 
 - Ep 2:11-22; 3:6
 
[With gratitude in his heart for God's grace toward the Gentiles, Paul 
now prays in their behalf, starting with...]
 
I. THE "INVOCATION" (14-15)
 
 A. POSTURE IN PRAYER...
 1. In this prayer, Paul "bows the knee", a posture in prayer 
 commonly found throughout the Scriptures - cf. Lk 22:41; Ac 
 9:40; 20:36; 21:5
 2. However, there does not appear to be an "official posture" when 
 it comes to prayer...
 a. Solomon "stood" when he prayed to dedicate the temple - 1
 Kin 8:22
 b. David "sat" before the Lord when he prayed about the future 
 of his kingdom - 1 Chron 17:16
 c. Jesus "fell on His face" when He prayed in Gethsemane - Mt 
 26:39
 
 B. THE ADDRESSEE IN PRAYER...
 1. The pattern and example of prayer in the New Testament church 
 was:
 a. "To" the Father - Ep 3:14; 5:20
 b. "In the name of" or "through" the Lord Jesus Christ - Ep 
 5:20; Co 3:17
 c. And "in" the Spirit - Ep 6:18; Ju 20; cf. Ro 8:26-27
 2. There is little evidence of anyone praying "to" Jesus, and even
  less of praying "to" the Holy Spirit; clearly it is the Father
 to whom we are to address our prayers - cf. Mt 6:9
 
[To the Father, then, Paul addresses his prayer. The prayer itself is
divided into three parts (indicated in the Greek by the word "hina"),
and is like a staircase with three steps, each step leading to the
next...]
 
II. THE "PETITION" (16-19)
 
 A. TO BE STRENGTHENED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD... (16-17)
 1. Paul had mentioned earlier about God's power "toward us who
 believe" - Ep 1:19
 2. Now he prays that the Ephesians might be "strengthened with
 might"
 3. Such strength is "according to the riches of His glory"
 4. God's strength is administered "through His Spirit in (lit.,
 into) the inner man"
 a. A Christian's body is "the temple of the Holy Spirit who is
 in you" - cf. 1 Co 6:19
 b. One design of the indwelling Spirit is to help one "put to
 death the deeds of the body" - cf. Ro 8:11-13
 5. But the purpose of such "strengthening" by the Spirit in our
 text is for a different purpose, first hinted at in verse
 17...
 a. First, that "Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith"
 1) To the degree God strengthens (by the Spirit) the
 believer's "inner man", so it is said that Christ Himself
 indwells the heart of the believer
 2) Thus the Spirit is the instrumental agent by which Christ
 indwells the believer, just as Ep 2:22 suggests the
 Spirit is instrumental agent by which God inhabits His
 church
 b. Second, that they may be "rooted and grounded in love"
 1) One work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer
 is to instill the love of God in the heart - cf. Ro 5:5;
 Ga 5:22
 2) When strengthened by God through the Spirit in the inner
 man, one becomes "rooted and grounded in love"
 
 [Strengthened by God through His Spirit, so that Christ is dwelling
 in our hearts and we are well-established "in love", the next step
 is ...
 
 B. TO COMPREHEND THE LOVE OF CHRIST... (18-19a)
 1. "may be ABLE..."
 a. The word "able" means "to be eminently able; to have full
 strength"
 b. Thus the prayer for strength in the first part of the prayer
 - Ep 3:16
 2. "...to comprehend"
 a. I.e., to understand, to grasp
 b. As Paul says later in verse 19, "to know..."
 3. It is the "love of Christ" that Paul is praying that we be 
 strong to grasp...
 a. He wants us to know everything about this wonderful love 
 ("width and length...")
 b. But this love of Christ is something which "passes 
 knowledge"!
 1) How is it possible for us to "know" the love of Christ, 
 if it "passes knowledge"?
 2) Only in the sense that no matter how much we learn about 
 Christ's love, even with the strength God's Spirit 
 provides, there is always much more to grasp!
 3) "...there is a real knowledge of Christ's love possible 
 to us, a knowledge that is capable of increase as we are
  the more strengthened by power in the inner man, while a 
 complete or exhaustive knowledge must ever remain beyond 
 our capacity." (The Expositor's Greek Testament, W. 
 Robertson Nicoll, editor, vol. 3, p. 316)
 
 [It is only as we begin to know the love of Christ that passes 
 knowledge that we are beginning to experience the last step for which
 Paul is praying...]
 
 C. TO BE FILLED WITH ALL THE FULLNESS OF GOD... (19b)
 1. This is the objective, the goal, of all that was said 
 previously
 2. One begins to be filled with "all the fullness of God"...
 a. As they are strengthened by God (i.e., the Father)
 b. Which is through His Spirit (i.e., the Holy Spirit)
  c. Whereby in their hearts may dwell the Christ (i.e., the Son)
 3. With the help of the all members of the Godhead, then, one is
 "filled" the more they begin to comprehend the wonderful "love
 of Christ" ("For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead
 bodily" - cf. Co 2:9)
 
[Such is the petition that Paul makes on behalf of the Ephesians...
 
 1. That they be strengthened by the Spirit of God
 2. So they can comprehend the love of Christ
 3. And thus be filled with all the fullness of God
 
Is God "able" to fulfill this petition? There is no doubt in Paul's
mind, as we see how he closes the prayer...]
 
III. THE "DOXOLOGY" (20-21)
 
 A. GLORY TO GOD, FOR WHAT HE IS ABLE TO DO! (20)
 1. As Paul ascribes praise to God, he does so for what he 
 confident God is able to do
 2. As expressed by Paul, God's "ability to do" is...
 a. "exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think" (far
 beyond our imagination!)
 b. "according to the power that works in us" - cf. Ep 1:19; 
 3:16
 
 B. GLORY TO GOD, IN THE CHURCH BY CHRIST JESUS FOREVER! (21)
 1. Paul sees "the church" as the means by which much glory can be 
 given to God
 2. Certainly if Paul's prayer is answered...
 a. That "all the saints" may be able to comprehend the love of 
 Christ - Ep 3:18
 b. That they may all be 'filled with all the fullness of God" - 
 Ep 3:19
 ...the church will have the potential to bring much glory to
 God! - cf. 2 Th 1:11-12
 3. Of course, such potential is to come only "by Christ Jesus";
 but if it does, then it will be "throughout all ages, world
 without end"!
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. Do we desire to give God glory throughout all ages, world without
 end?
 a. We ought to, in view of all things we have considered in Ep 1-3
 b. If so, then it must be "by Jesus Christ", and that can be only as
 we...
 1) Come to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge
 2) Allow ourselves to "be filled with all the fullness of God"
 
2. How can we be sure to be filled with all the fullness of God?
 a. For one who is already a Christian, we should follow Paul's
 example and start with prayer (such as the one in our text)...
 b. For one who is not a Christian, then one needs first to become a
 child of God - cf. Ga 3:26-27
 
In our next lesson, we will begin to consider how we can "walk" so as to
bring glory to God...

－－《Executable Outlines》