Ephesians 3:1-6 (01/10/09)

Ephesians 3:1-6

The Mystery of the Gospel Revealed

1For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— 2assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. 4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 6This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

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Paul says “assuming that you have heard…” which implies that some being addressed were not personally known to Paul. This makes sense given that this letter was circular (Asian minor churches).

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Mystery

See 1 Cor. 15:51-52

1 Corinthians 15:51-52 (English Standard Version)

51Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.

There are 19 other uses of “mystery” in Paul’s writings and 7 more in the Gospels and in Revelations

mys⋅ter⋅y

[mis-tuh-ree, -tree]

–noun, plural -ter⋅ies.

1.	anything that is kept secret or remains unexplained or unknown: the mysteries of nature.

This is a different meaning than Paul uses here. In Greek the word for mystery is “mysterion” which means something known only to the initiated. It is known – but only to those to whom it is revealed.

Paul uses this word to describe something that was unknown before the coming of Christ but is now revealed fully.

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In Eph. 3 the word mystery is used 4 times – 3 times in v.2-6 and once more in v.9-11.

Paul introduces this topic of “the mystery” in chapter 1 (v.9-10) and sums it up in chapter 5 (v.32).

But chapter 3 is the bulk of where he speaks on this mystery; where he develops this doctrine.

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So what is this mystery? It is that the Gentiles should be made partakers along with the Jews of God’s great blessings in the church.

When we look at the O.T. we see references to God’s plan to include the Gentiles. See Gen 12:3

But before Christ, in order for a Gentile to come under these blessings, they must first become a Jew.

“A Gentile could approach the God of Israel, but only as an Israelite.”

We see this done through circumcision. What was now revealed by Paul is that this is no longer necessary.

“Christ has broken down that wall, making one new people out of two previously divided people. So now both Jew and Gentile approach God equally on that new basis.

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When Paul writes in verse 1 “the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles – “ he is speaking literally.

Paul’s arrest in Jerusalem, which lead to his imprisonment there, and in Caesarea, and his appeal to Caesar, and then his transfer to, and imprisonment in Rome was due to his message to the Gentiles that was opposed by the Jews.

See Acts 21:28

Paul didn’t take Trophimus into the temple, but there first accusation had some merit.

“Paul had been teaching that God had broken down the wall of Jewish tradition and was now making one new people through faith in Jesus Christ.” See chapter 2 for what he was preaching.

Read Acts 22 to where he addresses the crowd. Notice when they get in an uproar…(v.22)

His “faithful espousal (adoption) of the gentile cause”

Jews hated Gentiles and Gentiles hated Jews. These barriers were so absolute, that Paul’s preaching really was a mystery.

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Paul’s main point about the mystery is (v.6) that Jew and Gentile and everyone in Christ hold there salvation blessings jointly.

Paul uses three words here to drive home that thought. Each word in the Greek start with “syn-“ which means “together with”

Kleronomoi – heirs

Soma – body

Metocha – partner, companion, one who shares in

Read NIV translation of v.6

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1. “Heirs” together with Israel

Romans 4:13 – Abraham is the heir of the world, through Christ’s righteousness; a result of God’s promise

Gal. 3:29 – In Christ = Abraham’s seed and heirs

Titus 3:7 – Speaks of the future inheritance

Romans 8:17 – same word for heirs as in Ephesians

“All who are in Christ inherit all God’s blessing. And they inherit jointly! They hold it together in the one body of Jesus Christ.”

2. “Members together of one body”

See chapter 1:22-23 for the introduction to this reference.

In chapter 4 he also refers to “one body” in verse 4 and in v16 says

16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

We must work on this. This is how we should look/act.

“It is to happen only as we grow in the love and knowledge of the One who has brought us together.”

3. “Sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus”

Promise is singular. Speaks of the promise of redemption – first told to Adam & Eve, then to Abraham. We share in the greatest blessing.

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The mystery or open secret of Christ is “the complete union of Jews and Gentiles with each other through the union of both with Christ. It is this double union, with Christ and with each other, which is the substance of the “mystery”.

The mystery is “in Christ Jesus” and is made known “through the Gospel”

Notice in v.2-9 as Paul speaks about this mystery he mentions himself as one who not only received this relevation but also as one entrusted in declaring it.

We have the same responsibility in declaring this revelation to others as Paul did.

Application:

Do we think about our lineage going all the way back to Abraham?

In Christ, our brother/sisterhood. Does this play out in how we relate to one another? Do our interactions with fellow heirs look different than with the world?