In Chapter 3 it
seems as if Paul is intending to pray for the Ephesian Church. He begins his
sentence,“For this reason, I Paul…”
– and then he interrupts himself, and you will see that he does not begin his
prayer until he reaches 3:14.
What is it that interrupts him? Clearly, his mind is held captive by that
great revelation or mystery, which he has received from God concerning the
nature of the church (see 3:2,3). He
had not only received an understanding,
but also a responsibility to
make this revelation (mystery)
known to others. In 3: 2 – 6 he makes this
mystery from God known. You see him
using this word 4 times in this text (3,4,6,9).
The Greek word for mystery indicates “a truth which has been hidden from human
understanding, but which has now been revealed by God”. Unlike the English ‘mystery’
(i.e. an obscure, puzzling, secret matter) this word has no secret elements in
it. It is actually an ‘open secret’ - intended to shed light on something that
has previously not been understood. The
substance of this revelation or mystery relates to the fact that Jews and
Gentiles together through the gospel are (i) fellow heirs (ii) fellow members
(iii) fellow partakers in the promise of Christ Jesus. (3:6). Gentiles are no longer
strangers and aliens to the things of
God, but they now are citizens with all
the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundations of the
apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself
being the cornerstone (2:19,20).
This fact was hidden to previous generations (3:5). It was kept “hidden for
ages in God, who created all things”
(3:9).
We need to stop and process this for a moment because this
statement is somewhat puzzling. Surely, the O.T. does reveal that God always had
a purpose for the Gentiles? The Old
Testament affirms that all nations would be blessed through Abraham’s
offspring (Gen. 12:1-3).The OT
affirmed that the Messiah would receive the nations as His inheritance (Ps. 2:8). The OT affirmed that Israel
would be given as a light to the nations (Isa. 42:6 ; 49:6). The Lord Jesus spoke about the inclusion of the
gentiles in His saving mission, and commissioned His disciples to make disciples
of all nations (Matt 28:19).
That is true, but what was not very clear was just how
radical God’s renewal of an old, tired structure would be! God had instituted the
theocracy (The Jewish nation under God’s rule) but like the temple it would be
terminated and replaced by a new international community- called the ekklesia (literally the called out ones, ‘church’, ‘the body of Christ’). This new body
is composed of living stones[1]
and built on the living Christ – the cornerstone
(2:20), in an organic connection of
the church (body) with Christ (the head).
We see then in 3:6
that this mystery, the church, is the result of the preaching of the gospel. Through
the embracing of this gospel people enter into the mystery – this one new body
of Christ which consists of all nations, and the apostle Paul was God’s chief
instrument through which this new era was made known. Take
note of 3:7
& 8: “Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s
grace given me by the working of his power. 8 To me, though I am the very least
of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the
unsearchable riches of Christ”. Please
note that Paul is not at the heart of this message. He is simply the messenger
boy (an apostle) of Christ Jesus (1:1).
He is a man who knows himself to be
utterly unworthy- “the least of all the
saints“ (3:8 also 1 Tim 1:13). But he knows that he carries a huge message, and
so tells us that he, an unworthy servant has received this privilege to preach the
life-changing gospel to the Gentiles
(3:8) who
were formerly separated from all
these privileges (see 2:12). In fact this gospel he not only
preaches to the gentiles, but to “everyone“
(3:9).
But that is not all. The message he proclaims is even larger
than that. He tells us in 3:10 that this mystery (i.e. all
God’s chosen, holy, blameless, holy, loved, predestined, adopted people-
see Chapter 1- the church) also conveys a huge message to ‘the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places‘. What
does this mean?
As the gospel is preached throughout the world, so the church
spreads and develops. Nation after nation hears the gospel, and churches are
planted everywhere. But guess who is
watching all this? The rulers and authorities in the heavenly places (3:10). This refers to the unseen realm,
of both, the angels of God and also
the realm of Satan and his demons.
The church is built as sinners turn from darkness to the
light of Christ. Heaven rejoices when one sinner repents (Lk.15:7,10) and when they believe and are baptized and when they
joined to the church. On the other hand all
hell and all demons shudder since another one of their subjects has been lost
in the great battle! We see then that
the outcome of the gospel message not only tells us something about the building
of the church, but it is also a message to heaven’s angels, and also to the
sworn enemies in the fallen realm. Do
you see that the church is the central and visible manifestation of God’s
kingdom and power on earth and also in the heavenly realms? The powers above
are watching the church below with bated breath! And on earth, the church is
the great manifestation of the advancing kingdom of God. Do you still have small thoughts about the
church? The central lesson in this
passage is the biblical centrality of the church. She is central in the history of the world. She
is central to the purposes of the gospel and therefore the church is the central
expression of Christian living.
(i) She is central in
history: 3:11 refers to the eternal
purpose of God. Ever since the
beginning God has been working out His
plan to gather to Himself ONE redeemed people,
out of this mess called
‘civilisation’ , and to reconcile
through Jesus this people to Himself. So History is His
Story, God’s story. God is at work in history, bringing His purposes to
pass. Secular history concentrates on
kings and presidents, on politicians and generals. This history is full of venerable and important people. The Bible focuses on the
saints, who in this world are insignificant
and unknown, but known to God. Secular
history concentrates on wars and peace treaties, followed by more wars and
peace treaties. The Bible focuses on the war between good and evil; on the war
won by Jesus on the cross against the powers of darkness. The Bible focuses on freedom
and forgiveness for all rebels against God who will repent and believe. The
secular world focuses on the changing geographic boundaries as one nation falls
and another takes its place. The Bible focuses on a multi-national community
called the church. It has no borders. It claims the whole world for Christ,
whose kingdom shall never end. The church and not political kingdoms is central
to God’s purposes.
(ii) The church is
central to the gospel: It is evident
from Eph. 3 that the gospel concerns Christ and the mystery of Christ – i.e.
His One body. The church is the outcome of the gospel. The gospel produces the church.
(iii) The church is
central to Christian living: If the church is
central in history and central to the gospel, then she is central to the life
of the Christian. And if this is so, how
can we take lightly what God takes so seriously? Let us then be responsible
church members in our local churches, which are expressions of this great
church. Let us be done with low standards in churchmanship. Let us keep the
vision of the church as the apple of God’s eye – the centre of His love, His
family, His dwelling place and His instrument in the world. Do not be
discouraged by the high price that it often costs to be a Christian and a
church member. Like the apostle Paul in
conclusion to this section (3:13)
know that your temporary sufferings and discomforts will ultimately be your
glory.
3:14-20 An Amazing Prayer for the Church
We end now with the prayer that Paul began in 3:1, when his thoughts momentarily
interrupted him in 3:2-13. Thank God
for that interruption. It really amplifies the prayer and which overwhelms
Paul and he kneels (bows) down in prayer before
the Father, from which every family in heaven (the church triumphant
– the
church at peace) and on earth (the church militant - the church at war) is named.” Even though these two parts of the church are
presently separated by death, they are nevertheless ONE in God’s eyes.
1. 3:16-19: 3 Aspects in
Paul’s Prayer to God the Father
for the Church
(i) 3:16-17. Paul is praying here for a corporate sense
of power in the inner being. Why? Because our inner being is weak, feeble,
easily compromised and needs to be strengthened from without. Now notice the
source of power is not self-effort, but the Holy Spirit! (see also Gal. 2:20) who attaches our hearts to the Lord Jesus Christ. Our faith is in
Jesus ALONE. Paul is asking God for the church to lead a God sustained life.
(ii) 3: 17b-19a “That you being rooted and grounded (established) in love may have strength to comprehend with all the saints (the
church) what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses
knowledge…”. Here we find a botanical metaphor and a building metaphor.
Churches need to be like well rooted trees (Psalm 1). They need to be like well-built houses (Matt. 7:24,25). Churches need deep
roots and firm foundations, rooted and grounded
in the soil of God’s love! The depth and the solidness of a church is not
measured by her gifts, but by her love (1
Cor. 13). The church becomes truly great, when she lives in the love of God.
She then becomes an evangelistic draw-card. Jesus said in John 13:35, “By this all men
will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another“. Love, (NB. not gifts) is the defining mark of
the church. Paul presses us towards the
experiential knowledge of the love of Christ. Let’s pray for the practical
demonstration of this love as provided in 1
Corinthians 13: 4-7. Paul boldly
prays that the church would be empowered with the knowledge of the full
spectrum of the love of Jesus. And please note that Paul envisages this truth
to be comprehended “with all the saints“
(3:18) i.e. the whole church- not just an individual.
(iii) 3:19b “… that you may be filled with all the fullness of God”. Paul envisages here a continual filling. The
Christian life is not a once off experience, but an ongoing
process. As much as we are to ‘go
on being filled with the Spirit‘ (Eph.
5:18) , so we are to ‘grow up into
Him’ (Eph.4:13-16).
2. 3:20,21 Conclusion- Two Convictions
i. God is able to do. God is not idle, not apathetic, nor dead. He is presently the ‘doing God‘ , because He is the living God.
ii. He is able to do far more abundantly (Gk. ‘huperekperissou’ – lit. exceedingly more abundantly) than all we ask or think. We must have no small thoughts of God’s willingness to answer our prayers for a church after His own will.
This is the work for which the apostle prays in the Ephesian church – that they (we) may know it and comprehend it. And what is the result? (3:21)
“Unto Him be glory in
the church in every generation (past, present, future) and
for ever and ever.” A church made
up from people of different ethnicities (Jew and gentile- all nations), and at
all times in history, united under the gospel, and in love … such a church
truly glorifies God. May we be the local manifestation of this. Unto Him be glory in the church, and in Christ
Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
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