Ephesians 3

The content of this chapter continues the lesson of the last chapter, namely that grace, while given as a gift, should also be understood as a further calling. This chapter uses the example of Paul and talks about how he was so called.

Paul describes himself as being the “prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles,” or that his salvation had a purpose that benefited the Gentiles. This we of course know as his ministry, perhaps the most successful in history. (Of course, Jesus’ calling of all believers is more successful because it includes all Christian efforts in history. I am only speaking of human ministries.) God dispensed his grace to Paul so that he could further dispense it to others.

This is the essence of Paul’s purpose: to tell the Gentiles of God as he had revealed himself to the Jews already. Peter was given the task of preaching to the Jews, and indeed Jesus had already done so. (Not all sermons are preached with words, and the death of God the Son would be a compelling sermon indeed.) Paul was made a minister of the Word by grace, just as he was saved by grace. This was, of course, so that God could dispense grace to many more.

Certainly this was undeserved. Paul was, of course, no friend of Christians at the time of his salvation, and he put that here. Despite his mission, the largest of all of the tasks that Jesus assigned, Paul was hardly worthy. He calls himself “the least of all saints,” and he is truly that. Many modern believers have an idea that we are “more moral” than others, but Paul had no such misconception. He knew perfectly well that he was a murderer and a legalist. His point here was this: if God can use the most despicable to do his greatest and hardest work, certainly he could use the rest of us.

Paul then speaks about his trials. He had been imprisoned for a while, and the Ephesians most certainly knew it. He asks the Ephesians not to be weary because of his suffering, but to press on. Paul knew that they might be discouraged, but he himself asked them to rejoice that God would send him to suffer on their behalf, similar to the joy that we have because Christ suffered. Regarding this passage, Matthew Henry said, “Observe, not only the faithful ministers of Christ themselves, but their people too, have some special cause for joy and glorying, when they suffer for the sake of dispensing the gospel.”

Paul and this church both know that they received a great blessing. Paul prays for them further, asking for power through the Holy Spirit, “according to the riches of his glory.” He also asks that they would better understand the fullness of God’s love. He knows that they cannot fully receive this, for it is too great for us now to comprehend. But we can know that we will know soon.

Editor’s note: Forgive the delay since the last article. I’m still here.