Ephesians 3:1-21

Towards the end of "chapter 2" Paul wrote the following to the people being holy and believing in Christ Jesus: "Consequently you are no-longer strangers and sojourners but you are citizens-together with the holy-people, even God's household-people, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets – Christ Jesus himself being the extreme-corner, in whom all the building joining-together increases into the holy interior-temple in the Lord, in whom also you are being built-together into the dwelling-down-place of God in spirit." Paul continues:

Ephesians 3:1-5:

^3:1For-this-grace I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you, the Gentiles: ^.2since indeed you heard the stewardship of the grace of God, the (grace) having been given to me into you, ^.3(which is that) according to revelation the mystery was made-known to me, according as I wrote-beforehand in a little-amount ^.4towards which reading you are able to mentally-perceive my understanding in the mystery of the Christ, ^.5which (during) different generations was not made-known to the sons of men as now it was revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in spirit,

It is for this grace (in grace of this, because or for the reason of this unmerited or undeserved favor that God bestows in Christ) that I, Paul (me myself) am the prisoner of Christ Jesus (the bound-person belonging-to Christ Jesus) in the interests of you holy-people (sanctified-people, Christians, saints, children of God) who are of the Gentile background.

Paul did not say that he was the "main-man, the number one man for Christ Jesus, the one to whom everybody should be in awe of" – nor did he write that he was a prisoner of the Roman soldiers, see Acts chapter 28! He was the prisoner of Christ Jesus, and by his freedom of will he believed, obeyed, and served his Lord/Master. Also, even though this letter is addressed to the people being holy and believing in Christ Jesus (which includes people both of the Israeli/Judean and the Gentile backgrounds), here Paul specifically points out to the holy-people of the Gentile background that part of his ministry is on behalf of the Gentiles (people of nations other-than Israel).

Paul continues to explain: since indeed you heard what was spoken regarding the stewardship of the grace of God.... "The stewardship of the grace of God" = the duty of house-management, the administration of God's household-matters – God's household affairs include teaching, instructing, caring-for, protecting, nourishing, and helping God's children – here referring to the stewardship pertaining-to God's grace, His unmerited-favor.

Since indeed you heard the stewardship of the grace of God, specifically the grace that has previously been given to me into (with a view to, directed to) you Gentiles who believe what God says, which stewardship is that in accordance with revelation (the process of things being uncovered or revealed as though removing a veil to expose what had previously been hidden), the mystery (secret) was made personally-known to me (a truly active and relative knowing).

The word “mystery” throughout Paul’s letters means “secret.” A mystery contains the details that are known and can be understood by those involved in it and by those to whom it has been revealed – it is not inexplicable to those involved in it.

This is in comparison to what I have already written a little bit about in this letter so far, for the purpose that when you are reading what I have written which pertains-to the mystery, you are presently able (have the able-power, the capability) to mentally-perceive (to observe with your mind, see to the end of knowing mentally) my understanding (what I have put together in my mind gaining insight) into the mystery of the Christ (within the sphere of action of the secret pertaining-to the Anointed-one, the Messiah).

The reason why this information, which was revealed to me, is called a mystery (secret) is because during different generations (other time-periods of race, descent or kind of living-beings) this mystery was not made personally-known to the sons of men (plural - mankind; this does not include the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ who is sometimes called "the son of man"), as at the present time it has been revealed to God's holy apostles and prophets. The present time, now, is this generation which began on the day of Pentecost when the gift of holy spirit was made available to mankind (refer to Acts chapter 2).

The word "holy" means: sanctified, set-apart from the state of being common, defiled or unclean against God, and having come into the state of corresponding to the essence of God. The word "apostles" refers to people sent-forth or sent-away by God and/or by the Lord Jesus Christ on a specific mission or assignment to someone else. The word "prophets" refers to people who speak-forth God's words being revealed concerning the past, present and/or future in front of a person or people.

How has the mystery of the Christ now been revealed to God's holy apostles and prophets? In spirit – within their holy spirit-life, within the sphere of action of their holy spirit, which is the spirit of Christ in them. They did not learn about this mystery of the Christ because they were so intelligent or had such a high IQ or did so much research. God had revealed this information to them via the holy spirit within them.

[Reference: Acts 26:12-23, 28:16-31; Romans 15:15, 16, 16:25-27; I Corinthians 2:6-10, 4:1, 2, 9:17; Galatians 1:11-16, 2:7-9; Ephesians 2:17-20; Philippians 1:7, Colossians 1:25, 4:3.]

Verses 6 and 7:

^.6(which is) the Gentiles to be inheritors-together and people-bodied-together and sharers-together of the promise in Christ Jesus by means of the good-message, ^.7of-which I was caused-to-become a minister according to the free-gift of the grace of God, the (grace) having been given to me according to the in-working of His ability,

The mystery of the Christ, which is now made-known, is that:

…the Gentiles (people belonging to nations other-than Israel, a different ethnic group to the descendants of Israel) have the availability to presently and actively be:

inheritors-together (people who inherit together, joint heirs, those who have the inheritance, the assigned lot, the allotted-portion, together, co-heirs), and
people-bodied-together (people who body together, having the joint body, co-bodied), and
sharers-together (people who share together, joint partakers in association with one-another)...

…of the promise in Christ Jesus (God's own proclamation of His own intention within the sphere of action of Christ Jesus). This does NOT say 'with the group of people who are descendants of Israel' nor does it say 'as an extension to Israel' – because the resurrected Christ has created a new body, a new man, as previously explained in Ephesians 2:15-18. How would the Gentiles become inheritors-together and people-bodied-together and sharers-together of the promise in Christ Jesus? By means of the good-message (through the gospel, evangel).

It is by the hearing of the good-message which is heralded-forth to the Gentiles that gives them the opportunity to believe what they hear and so receive the gift of holy spirit (refer to Romans 10:8-18). This holy spirit is the spirit of Christ, which is the same holy spirit-life that the Israelites/Judeans receive when they hear and believe the same good-message, thus becoming inheritors-together and people-bodied-together and sharers-together of the same promise in Christ Jesus (Acts 2:1-4, 10:34-46).

God had always told the descendants of Israel who received the law of Moses that they would be blessed in the Christ – this was no secret. And, it had previously been known that the Gentiles would be blessed in Abraham and therefore also in the Christ, but the fullness of the totality of this promise in Christ Jesus had not been known until it was revealed as Paul has written. All holy-people are part of the fulfillment of the covenant that God made with Abraham.

Paul continues that: it is pertaining-to and consisting-of this good-message that I was caused to become a minister - I came to be a person who serves to benefit others, not one who is subject to the others but doing work to bring them profit, a person who carries-out my day-by-day ministerial-duties, I have been given the function or duties of service pertaining to the good-message.

It is of the good-message that I was caused-to-become a minister in accordance with the free-gift (present) consisting-of the grace proceeding-from God – the grace that has been given to me in accordance with the in-working of God's ability (the inner-working in action, the active energy, the powerfully active work being done within, effectual work, of God's able-power, His capability). The word translated "free-gift" emphasizes the fact that the gift is freely given, even though the actual gift is a valuable quality item.

[Reference: Genesis 12:1-3, 22:18; John 10:16; Romans chapter 4, 8:17, 9:6-9, 10:17, 12:4 and 5; I Corinthians 6:13(b)-16, 10:17, 12:12-14, 27; Galatians 3:7-9 and 27-29; Ephesians 1:23, 2:16-18; Colossians 1:25-29; Hebrews 11:8-10.]

Verses 8 and 9:

^.8to me the more-least of all-people this grace was given to good-message to the Gentiles the un-trackable wealth of the Christ ^.9and to lighten all-people what (is) the stewardship of the mystery, the (mystery) having been hidden-away² from the ages in God, the (One) having created all-things,

Having just written about the free-gift of the grace of God, the grace having been given to him according to the in-working of God's ability, Paul repeats that it was given "to me" - as though he were a little shocked or surprised that God would be so gracious towards him, and this also impresses the truth of what he is writing into the minds of the readers of this letter.

And, Paul calls himself "the more-least of all-people" – "more-least" is a comparative of the superlative of the word 'less.' This is a figure of speech whereby he belittles himself even below other people, in order to magnify the great degree of God's grace given to him. Paul was well aware of what he had done against God and the Lord Jesus Christ prior to his becoming a holy-person.

For what reason was this grace (bestowed unmerited favor) given to Paul?

To good-message (gospelize, evangelize) to the Gentiles the un-trackable wealth of the Christ (Christ's richness is without footprints to follow; it cannot be traced by going after and upon his footsteps as tracks in the snow). Nobody or no spirit can track the wealth of the Christ without God's and/or the Lord Jesus Christ's help which the Gentiles received via Paul's preaching of the good-message to them. And...
To lighten all-people (pour light upon, give light on, cause light to shine on and thereby give all-people the opportunity to see the object) – to see what? The stewardship of the mystery (the duty of house-management, the administration of God's household-matters pertaining-to the mystery/secret within which we presently live).

This mystery (secret regarding the one spiritual body of Christ – see verse 6 above) had been hidden away (completely or fully concealed and protected, and this truth has not changed) from the ages (the durations of life, lifetimes), other-than the age we are living in at the moment. The present age is the duration between the day of Pentecost (Acts chapter 2) and the coming of Christ to gather all holy-people together with him (I Corinthians 15:51-57, and I Thessalonians 4:13-17). Where was this mystery hidden away from all people and spirits throughout the ages so that it could not be found-out by anyone until God revealed it? It was kept a secret within God Who is the One Who has created all-things (brought all-things into-being, established all-things and they are still in progress).

[Reference: Genesis 1:1; John 1:3; Acts 9:1-22, 26:9-23; Romans 11:33, 16:25-27; I Corinthians 2:6-16, 4:1, 2, 15:9, 10; Galatians 1:13-16, 2:8; Ephesians 1:18; Colossians 1:25-29, 2:2, 4:3; Revelation 4:11.]

Verses 10-12:

^.10in order that the much-variegated wisdom of God now may be made-known to the rulerships and to the authorities in the heavenlies by means of the church ^.11according to (the) purpose of the ages which He made in Christ Jesus our Lord, ^.12in whom we have the boldness and access in persuasion by means of the belief of him –

This is for the purpose and result that the much-variegated wisdom of God (God's multifarious, many-manifold, big-amount of various skillful or expert application of personal-knowledge) at the present time would be made personally-known to the rulerships (first-placed, chief or dignified-hierarchical positions – which some spirits have been given or have taken for themselves) and to the authorities (authoritative-powers or permitted-rights – which some spirits have been given or have taken for themselves). Where? In the heavenlies (within all that pertains-to the heavenly-realm). The plural word "heavenlies" gives great emphasis and expansive greatness to what is being referred to; literally anywhere above the earth, all that is upon and pertaining-to heaven, but in this context it is used figuratively referring to the whole spirit realm, as opposed to the earthly/worldly/physical realm.

How? By means of the church – through the assembly of all of us holy-people who have received the gift of holy spirit. We have the spirit of Christ in us! It is the church, the one body of Christ (refer to Ephesians 1:21-23), that makes known the much-variegated wisdom of God to the rulerships and to the authorities in the heavenlies, referring to the spirit realm (which includes God's angels, and the devil/satan and his angels which are the unclean, unholy, demons/devil spirits). This is excluding the only true God and the Lord Jesus Christ, of course, because they already knew this truth when they made it available on the day of Pentecost (Acts chapter 2).

Paul wrote: ...in order that the much-variegated wisdom of God now may be made-known to the rulerships and to the authorities in the heavenlies by means of the church in accordance with the purpose of the ages (the proposal, that-which God put before Himself to do, the plan which He had set throughout the durations of life, the lifetimes, in advance of it actually occurring on the day of Pentecost) which God made within Christ Jesus our Lord! God did or made this purpose within the sphere of action of Christ Jesus who is our (all holy-people's) Lord, our Master.

God made His plan in Christ Jesus our Lord who was and still is the efficient and instrumental cause of this being able to come to pass. All holy-people have been caused by God to sit-down-together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6), and God purposed this a long time before it was first made available on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). The first record of God's promise in Christ is in Genesis 3:15. Now we have holy spirit-life within us, we have the spirit of Christ in us – what a great privilege we Christians have been given!

And, it is in Christ Jesus our Lord that we holy-people presently and actively have (hold): the boldness (freedom, frankness and openness of speech) and access (the one and only leading or bringing towards, the approach into being with God, our Father) within persuasion (conviction, confidence, certainty and reliance) by means of the belief of him, Christ Jesus our Lord!

The words translated "the boldness and access in persuasion" are a figure of speech whereby "boldness" and "access" join together and they both work-together within persuasion. All limbs of the one body of Christ, who is the head, have the bold-access into the presence of God in persuasion (being convinced of the words, etc, that we have heard) through the belief pertaining-to him (the belief that God has given us to believe, to have faith-in, to trust, pertaining-to Christ Jesus our Lord)!

[Reference: John 14:6; Romans 5:1 and 2, 8:28-39, 10:17; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:18; Colossians 1:25-29; Hebrews 4:16; I Peter 1:10-12.]

Verse 13:

– ^.13on-which-account I ask (you) for-myself not to despond in my pressures on your behalf, which is your glory.

On account of all that God has graciously done to/for us in Christ Jesus our Lord, I ask you for-myself (as an inferior asks a superior for something to be given to him) not to be despondent (not to lose-courage, give-up as a coward would give-up when faced with trial or evil, not to lose-heart) in my pressures (compressions, stress that afflicts me, whatever may be pressing-upon or squeezing me, whether it be physical or mental or spiritual) on behalf of you as I carry-out my assignments for God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Why not? Because what I say and do during my ministry is your glory (the importance, splendor and renown which you holy-people have spiritually now and also in the future).

Some Greek texts have the word "our" instead of "your" in the phrase above translated "on your behalf." This also would make sense: on-which-account I ask you for-myself not to despond in my pressures on our behalf (in the interests of all of us holy-people), which is your glory.

[Reference: Luke 18:1; Ephesians 1:17; Colossians 1:23-29; I Timothy 2:8-10.]

Verses 14-19:

^.14For-this-grace I bend my knees towards the Father, ^.15from Whom all paternal-lineage in (the) heavens and on earth is named, ^.16in order that He may give to you according to the wealth of His glory: to be caused-to-be-strong with ability by means of His Spirit into the inside man, ^.17Christ to dwell-down by means of belief in your hearts having been rooted² and having been founded² in love¹, ^.18in order that you may be strong-out-from (inside) to comprehend together with all holy-people what (is) the width and length and height and depth ^.19and to know the love¹ of Christ (which is) super-throwing of the knowledge, in order that all the fullness of God may be fulfilled;

Again, as in verse 1, Paul refers to grace: it is for this grace (in grace of this, because or for the reason of this unmerited or undeserved favor that God bestows in Christ) that I bend my knees (curving the knees bowing in homage and prayer) towards the Father.... God is the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Father of all holy-people because we have the spirit of Christ in us, we are the Father's children.

And it is out-from the Father that all paternal-lineage (every line of family-descent from the father's side – here the Father is God) within the heavens (literally referring to the areas above the earth, figuratively referring to God's spirit realm) and upon earth (literally referring to the area of earth, figuratively referring to the dignity and power of those in God's family on earth) presently is named (being given a name, being called and pronounced with the name out-from God the Father).

The word "name" incorporates the fullness of everything involved with the one named; and 'to be named' includes all that the given name represents and stands-for. Adam, the first man who named the animals, has not named us (holy-people, Christians), but we are presently named out-from (originating in motion from the interior of) the only true God, our Father! We are children of God our Father because we have the spirit of Christ in us. God is also our Lord Jesus Christ's Father.

Paul writes: for this grace I bend my knees towards the Father, from Whom all paternal-lineage in the heavens and on earth is named:

A. for the purpose and result that God our Father would give to you holy-people in accordance with (in conformity and proportion to) the wealth of His glory (the richness of His importance, splendor, renown):

1. to be caused-to-be-strong (made to exert-force, have powerful-strength, power-in-effect, exerted-strength) with/by ability (able-power, capability) by means of His Spirit (through God Who is Spirit) into the inside (inner, inward) man,…

The phrase "His Spirit" could also be translated "the Spirit of Him" or "the Spirit Itself." God is Spirit. Today people tend to think of "spirit" as being male, whereas in the Greek the word "spirit" is neuter, it is neither male nor female. God Who is our Father is Holy Spirit. All holy and spiritual strength with ability originates from God Who gives it to the inside man. The "inside man" is the holy spirit within us – it is one part of our present three-part being. Our holy spirit-life is figuratively referred to here as the "inside man" because it lives inside of us. The gift of holy spirit is not made-up of nor does it consist of soul/breath-life nor a physical-body, nor is it dependant upon the physical outward-appearance of the living human-being.

2. Christ to permanently dwell (settle-down, fixedly house or inhabit) by means of belief (through our belief of what God gives us to believe) within your hearts (the center of your beings)…having been rooted and continuing rooted (as a tree's root spreads all around the earth underneath it to receive the nourishment it needs to sustain itself and to remain where it is situated to receive sunlight, etc) and having been founded and continuing founded (put or laid as fundamental, as the foundation of a building having been laid) within love¹,

All of us holy-people already have the spirit of Christ within us, but our close-fellowship relationship in the walk/behavior category between ourselves and God and our Lord Jesus Christ is dependant upon our believing of what God says, which includes information communicated to us via our holy spirit. Also, the word "love¹" or the verb "to love¹" comes from the Greek word agape which is God's kind of love. To love with His love means to love the same way as God loves, to manifest God's love towards another, whether it is towards God Himself, the Lord Jesus Christ, yourself, your Christian neighbor, or towards anyone else. God tells His children today (all who have the spirit of Christ within us) how to Godly-love by means of His previously-revealed written Word and also via our holy spirit-life whereby we receive information from Him regarding how to love in different specific situations. It is the carrying out of God's commandments, His Word, which is the correct usage or way to manifest God's kind of love according to His will (refer to I Corinthians chapter 13 and I John 5:1-3). It is not the same as the brotherly or friendly kind of love, nor is it the same as the emotional/feelings/sexual kind of love.

1. you may be strong (would have inherent strength) out-from inside you (from the spirit of Christ is within you)…

2. to comprehend... - this verb is in the middle voice and therefore means: to receive in a downward motion seizing or overtaking this information which is presented to you from your holy spirit-life into your mind with eagerness and take-hold of it - ...to comprehend in conjunction with all holy-people (the whole church which is the one spiritual body of Christ) what is the width and length and height and depth (these four cover the entire area of all that God has made available by means of the Lord Jesus Christ – including the mystery)…and internally related to these four is to personally-know (with a truly active and relative knowing) the love¹ of Christ which is super-throwing of the knowledge.

Christ's Godly-love is described as: super-throwing of (pertaining-to, consisting-of, containing) the knowledge, i.e. the knowledge that God wants us to know (refer to Colossians 2:2 and 3). The Godly-love of Christ is presently and actively surpassing (being extreme to a great-degree, as if throwing or casting itself for an extreme distance or measure beyond the limits of any other knowledge already attained). Christ's Godly-love is super-throwing of the knowledge, and this may be known by us (Paul did not write that Christ's Godly-love has gone past knowledge for then we could not know it!),

B. for the purpose and result that all the fullness of God (God's filling, the result of His action of filling, His full-contents, the fulfillment belonging-to and proceeding-from God) would be fulfilled (filled-up, accomplished) for/with/to/in all of us holy-people now as we await the coming of Christ.

Paul wrote: for-this-grace I bend my knees towards the Father, from Whom all paternal-lineage in the heavens and on earth is named, in order that He may give to you according to the wealth of His glory: to be caused-to-be-strong with ability by means of His Spirit into the inside man, Christ to dwell-down by means of belief in your hearts having been rooted and continuing rooted and having been founded and continuing founded in Godly-love, in order that you may be strong-out-from inside you to comprehend together with all holy-people what is the width and length and height and depth and to know the love¹ of Christ which is super-throwing of the knowledge, in order that all the fullness of God may be fulfilled….

[Reference: Isaiah 43:3-7, Acts 3:25; Romans 7:22; I Corinthians chapters 12 and 13; II Corinthians 4:6, 7, and 16; Ephesians 1:19-21; Philippians 2:9-11; Colossians 1:27, 2:2, 3, 6, 7.]

Verses 20 and 21:

^.20but to the (One) being able to super-exceedingly do all-things of-which we ask-for-ourselves or we mentally-perceive according to the ability, the (ability) being caused-to-in-work in us – ^.21to Him (is) the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus into all generations of the age of the ages, with-certainty.

Paul ends this prayer-section with words of praise towards God: to the One (God Who is our Father) Who continues presently being able (having able-power, being capable) to super-exceedingly do all-things (to perform all-things superly out-from excess, to do beyond and over the abundance which is above the number or measure already attained regarding all-things). What are the "all-things"? All things pertaining-to or consisting-of which we ask for ourselves (as an inferior asks a superior for something to be given to him) or which we mentally-perceive (observe with our minds, see to the end of knowing mentally).

To the One being able to super-exceedingly do all-things of-which we ask-for-ourselves or we mentally-perceive in accordance with (in proportion and conformity to) the ability (the able-power, capability – referring to God's ability via our holy spirit-life, see verse 16 above) that continues presently being caused to in-work (being caused to do work within, produce effects by being in work, being energized) within us, all of us holy-people...

To Him (emphasis is drawn to the One being able - to God Who is our Father) is the glory (the importance, splendor, renown). Where? In the church and in Christ Jesus – continuing within the sphere of action of the church (which is the one spiritual body of Christ consisting of all holy-people) and continuing within the sphere of action of Christ Jesus (the head of his spiritual body, the church). For how long? Into all generations (every one of the time-periods of race, descent or kind of living-beings) of the age of the ages (pertaining-to and consisting-of the duration of life, lifetime, of/for/throughout the durations of life, lifetimes – the entirety, for eternity, forever), and this is with-certainty! Amen! Truly! Surely! There is no doubt about this.

[Reference: Galatians 1:5; Ephesians 1:19-23; Colossians 1:26-29. Note: verbs with a superscript 2 (²) immediately following them indicate the "perfect" tense - details are provided in the "Relevant Notes" link of this study.]

Ephesians Chapter 4