EPHESIANS

W. J. Franklin

Chapter 3:1-8

A DIVINE MYSTERY UNFOLDED

“For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles”—V. 1. What Paul declared in the following, the mystery that he unfolded, is now truth, and had never been fully revealed in other Scriptures.

The “Cause,” which also means “Grace,” refers back to the fact that Paul taught, as he himself was taught of God, that the Gentiles were as near the Lord as the Jews in every sense of the word. Different versions translate this in a way that makes Paul say he was a prisoner because he maintained the rights of the Gentiles.

The Jews claimed to represent God, but they were permitted of God to put His chief representative in prison. The earthly center for the propagation of the Gospel at this time was a prison house in Rome. Note that Paul never gave Satan credit for his position in the Roman jail. He was just an instrument in the hands of God. Paul was the Lord’s prisoner.

“If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward”—V. 2. The words “If ye have heard” might be better translated, “Since ye have heard,” as they had from his own lips, and were now learning from his epistle.

Paul had a dispensation of the Gospel committed to him.—I Cor. 9:17. He was steward of the mysteries of God—I Cor. 4:1. The deep, sweet truths of God for this age and for the church were given into his keeping. They were not made known in other ages nor to other men. One need not look for them in the Old Testament. Only Paul’s writings contain the truths for the age in which we live. These were given him for us Gentiles. They set all things in right relationship for the age.

“How that by revelation He made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)”—Vs. 3,4. This mystery was hid in God. No man knew it before God revealed it to Paul. It could be known only as God chose to make it known. He chose to reveal it through the apostle Paul. This man did not glean his knowledge from the other apostles, nor did Israel’s prophets give these present truths to him, nor was it just his opinion. God unfolded the mystery to him. His “Few words,” written aforehand, are found in Eph. 1:9; 2:11-22. These concern the mystery and the oneness of Jew and Gentile in Christ.

“When ye read, ye may understand.” This is God’s way of giving us knowledge. Note Matt. 24:15; I Tim. 4:13. This is why all basic knowledge for the age is written, so it can and will be available for all God’s people. Paul had special knowledge that no other man before him possessed. By reading, they could come to know and appreciate his knowledge.

The mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow-heirs and joint-partakers of Christ and His promise. This is in the most absolute sense. We come behind the Jew in nothing. All God’s promises in the Gospel are for us.

“Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit”—V. 5. That God would bless the Gentiles was taught in the Old Testament, but that the Gentiles would come into the things of God on an equal footing with the Jews was not revealed. In fact, such teaching would have destroyed Judaism, as that was a separate religion given to a distinct race. The Gentiles could come to God under the law, but was forever aware that he was a Gentile with few of the privileges of the Jew. And though the blessing of the Gentile was found in the prophets, it was more of a kingdom blessing with the Jew at the head of things. But here, the details of blessings of the Gentile for this age are given with no blessing or position for the Jew that is in any way superior to the Gentile. The Spirit of God brought these truths to Paul, and through him to others.

“That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ by the Gospel”—V. 6. The three blessings of position in this verse all have the same Greek prefix, “Sun,” meaning, together with, to be a colleague. It might be translated properly,” Joint-heirs, and in a joint-body, and joint-partakers” or sharers in His promise. The heirship is something different than that of the Old Testament, which had to do largely with the land of Israel. We are heirs of heavenly things. As members of the same body, we are subject to Christ as the head of the body. As partakers of the promise of the Gospel, we have experienced salvation and shall be blessed in all that is to come.

In the past age Israel and the Gentiles were separated peoples. Also, in the age to come they are to be in separate positions with Israel at the head of the nations. But at the present time, there is no distinction. All who are saved are one in blessing and one in position in Christ.

“Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of His power”—V. 7. Paul was made God’s chief messenger for this age, and of this revealed mystery, he was made a minister or servant. God in grace made him an effectual minister of the new covenant, but especially the truths in his epistles. God worked in him effectually and energetically.

THE MESSAGE PREACHED TO THE GENTILES

“Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ”—V. 8. Grammatically, one cannot be “Less than the least.” According to Marshal’s translation, Paul coined a new word, and said, not less than, but “Leaster.” Note, he did not say, the least of the apostles, but the least of all saints, and that included the saints with no public gift or ministry or office. Paul took a little place, and also, he thought of his beginning, and said, “I am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God and wasted it.” These are the ways he was little. Others accepted Jesus and His message when He came, but not so Paul. He persecuted and despised everything connected with the name of Jesus. He knew that he had no claim. All that he was, he was by the grace of God. Though he was God’s special messenger, he knew that he had the treasure in an earthen vessel.

Grace was given Paul, the little, to herald the message of the inexhaustible riches of Christ among the Gentiles. Romans one gives the moral history of the Gentile, and Ephesians two gives his religious condition apart from Christ. Also, Paul was totally a subject of pure grace. What he preached among the unworthy Gentiles was all of Grace.

The “Unsearchable riches of Christ” cannot be exhausted nor fully searched out by angels nor men. They are a lifetime, and an eternal income, spiritually speaking. They are wells of living waters that cannot run dry, a mine of treasures that just keep yielding more riches.