1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles— 2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.
Paul begins this chapter with calling himself a prisoner. During the writing of this letter, Paul was in fact a prisoner of the Roman government. The reason he was imprisoned was because of his preaching to the Gentiles. Remember, the part of the world Paul lived and preached in was ruled by the Romans. The Roman government allowed religious affiliations to continue as they did before Rome’s oppression, but did not allow figures to speak out against the government. Paul’s actions were viewed as subversive to the nationwide worship of Jupiter, and therefore he was arrested and sentenced to go before Nero for trial (Acts 21:39-22:22).
But Paul is quick to make the distinction about who he truly is a prisoner of. He is a bondservant, a loyal servant to Jesus Christ. In bondage to him alone. His point is not for the followers to feel sorry for him due to the arrest, but to understand that even as he is imprisoned, he still has the ability to do God’s work and understand who his true allegiance is to.
This is striking, because in our daily life, do we allow out circumstances to dictate how we behave? Usually, when a circumstance rolls over us, our mindset is to concentrate on the circumstance, devote our time, energy and thought to it until it is gone. Paul takes the opposite approach. His circumstance is background noise to what the message is. He uses it as a way to reach more people.
In that, Paul begins to justify why he has the insight to deliver the message of God to the people. First, the word of God came to him through revelation. He did not invent it himself, he did not construct a plan and a way to carry it out. God revealed the mysteries to him. But what is the mystery? The union of the Jews and the Gentiles.
6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. 7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power.
Paul’s assertion is this: The Jews and the Gentiles will be united under God through Christ. The Gentiles, formerly not part of the covenant between God and Israel, now have a place in God’s family. This can only take place through the gospel. He is an example of this power. Through grace, Paul, a Jew, found his footing in Christ and was used powerfully to administer to the Gentiles.
8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.
Paul is amazed at the grace God has given him. The announcement of the good news, which in the Old Testament was kept hidden, is now something that all men can hear, understand and bring into their life. The gospel and its principles isn’t just information to be ingested but to be lived daily. But why was it hidden? Why would God not allow this from the beginning? The covenant of old, between God and Israel, left something lacking in humanity. No man could ever live up to the law. To follow it perfectly was impossible. But when Christ came, he changed the process. The world would not be under the auspices of the law, but under the mercy of grace. This free gift, if accepted, freed the sinner of his sins and brought the entire world into a New Covenant, where relationship was the primary focus. This was only achievable through Christ.
10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
God’s intention is to reveal his wisdom through the church. This manifold wisdom (Polupoikilous) is a wisdom of intricate beauty. This wisdom is to be made known through the work of the church, of which Christ is the head. Because of this wisdom, we can approach God with confidence. There is no need for intermediaries. God is the God of relationship.
13 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.
Paul did not want people to be discouraged by his current situation.
A Prayer for the Ephesians 14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.
Paul kneels in prayer. This is a position of humility. He prays with purpose. He knows God’s eternal plan and submits to it.
16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians is prayer of strength. First, he prays that God’s glory will strengthen them in their core. The foundation must be strengthened first. The only way to do that is to first establish Christ there.
Second, he reminds them that love is the foundation of all things they do. The love must be rooted in Christ as well. But once rooted in Christ, it is important to bind themselves to each other. Together, Christ’s love is magnified. The love, when magnified, surpasses knowledge. This fills us all with the depth of love that God desires to fill us with.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
The power of God resides in us today. When we as individuals, and part of the body of Christ, walk with the intention of fulfilling God’s purpose, an amazing thing happens: God meets us there, in our willingness and through his power, and we can achieve more than we ever thought possible. But it has to begin meeting God there, in the depth of our being, submitting, trusting, growing, believing.