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This week, in Ephesians 3, Paul feels the need to "establish his credentials" for what he's trying to teach them. He started by talking about God's plan that He is working out for us. Then, Paul went to what that means FOR us- and that it means that Jew and Gentile, and any other man-made division, are to be brought together in one Church body. Today, he wants to pray for them, but as he starts...
Eph 3:1 For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles--
Eph 3:2 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you...
...he sees that he has made an assumption that the Jews in the congregation might just be asking- what gives Paul the right to teach us? And when you look at how he answers the unspoken question, at least I see that it is the classic way you run a journalistic investigation, He gives who, what, where, why, when, and how before returning some 13 verses later to his "For I..."
Now, here, maybe I need to 'establish my credentials'. One of my Catholic friends in SM posted something recently, a list of what his church is (the way it is supposed to be) versus what it isn't (or what the Protestant churches are). And it started with something like, "A Catholic Mass is not a Bible study, or a worship service..." But here's the thing, it SHOULD be! Despite his love for posting that they follow what the "early Church did", Bible study and worship is exactly what churches like the one Paul is writing to DID do.
Act 17:2 And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
Act 17:3 explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ."
Act 17:10 The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue.
Act 17:11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
Now, let's look at Paul's "credentials..."
WHO: Eph 3:7 Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power.
Eph 3:8 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,
Eph 3:9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things,
Paul is the who, the who that was given the revelation of the Gospel he preaches.
WHAT: Eph 3:6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
The what is what he taught them last chapter, a fact that although they should have known from their own scriptures...
Isa 42:5 Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it:
Isa 42:6 "I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations,
Isa 42:7 to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.
...but had decided to ignore in favor of a "just me" faith.
HOW: We've covered that throughout, but let Paul explain again:
Gal 1:11 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel.
Gal 1:12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
WHERE: Eph 3:13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.
This refers back to the fact he is writing from a Roman prison. So if HE still has faith, so should they.
WHEN: Eph 3:4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ,
Eph 3:5 which 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.
This could also be a 'why' for the Jews- WHY hadn't we heard this before? Fact of the matter is, they had- but no one had gone in depth with this before Jesus. But now, it's a fact that stares them right in the face.
WHY:Eph 3:9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things,
Eph 3:10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
Now verse 10 could lead us on a bunny trail to unpack- let me just briefly say that angels, not being affected by God's plan for us, had only one way of understanding it- by watching it unfold in us. Thus, we gave them a reason to praise God all the more.
So now, they get Paul's credentials in teaching the first two chapters. And so, he loops back to "For I..."
Eph 3:14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,
Eph 3:15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named...
And here I slam on the breaks because I saw an insight on v15 from John Wesley's commentary:
Of whom - The Father. The whole family of angels in heaven, saints in paradise, and believers on earth is named. Being the "children of God," (a more honourable title than "children of Abraham,") and depending on him as the Father of the family.
This is key. Paul is trying to explain to the Jews it was time to translate from "Children of Abraham'- a title that was both their blessing, and because of pride, their downfall- to 'Children of God.' Just as we come to a point in our lives that we need to look at God as Our Father, instead of our physical father.
Paul continues on to pray for these people- and what he prays is basically faith, hope, and love.
Eph 3:16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
Eph 3:17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith--that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
Eph 3:18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
Eph 3:19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Hope- that comes from being strengthened through the Holy Spirit.
Faith- that connects your walk to that of Christ.
Love- here we get back to what Paul has been saying for three chapters- that we can't begin to grasp HOW MUCH God loves us. And he then closes all three with his following benediction:
Eph 3:20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,
Eph 3:21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
In a way, his prayer is asking them- especially the Jews to get past, "But this is been bred into us for generations, we'll NEVER be able to see us and them as equals", and show them they CAN come to see this through Jesus. What's your 'never'? Do you fight it tooth and nail, like I do? Do you fight and fail, like I do? Do you have to get back up every day and have to decide whether to just say, "It's impossible", or remember that God renews His mercy every morning? Thankfully we have this- that Paul showed us how to pray about the battle.
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