God's Mystery of Gentile Inclusion: Revealed
Text: Ephesians 3:1–6 ESV
This morning we are continuing on in Ephesians 3. This is still part of the first main section of Ephesians chapters one through three. When we started back in Ephesians 1:1–14 eight weeks ago, we saw that Paul started his letter declaring to the Ephesians that as Christians we are now a new creation in Jesus Christ. You and I should bless God because in Jesus we have been adopted as sons and daughters, we have been redeemed, and we have been united to God through Christ Jesus. This becomes the heading for all of Ephesians chapters one through three: You are God’s new creation!
As Paul continues through Ephesians 1:15–23 he prays that the Ephesians might see that this is true as well. He prays that God would do what only he can do and open their eyes to the glorious work that God has worked in Jesus Christ. This prayer matters, because as Paul reminds the Ephesians in 2:1–10, we were all dead in our sin. Not just resistant to God, but bottom of the ocean, not moving, dead. We need someone to come to our rescue and bring us back to life, and that is exactly what God has done in Jesus Christ and that is an amazing grace.
It’s in Ephesians 2:11–22 that Paul starts discussing one of God’s other purposes in Jesus Christ—his plans to unite Jews and Gentiles in one plan and one body. Those who were once separated in the law are now at peace with one another because they are both saved in Jesus Christ and they are now both part of God’s holy temple, they are fellow citizens, and members of the same household.
Ephesians 3:1–13: Excursus
That brings us to our passage this morning. In Ephesians 3:1, Paul starts out with a familiar phrase:
“For this reason” (Ephesians 3:1 ESV)
Previously, Paul has used this phrase as well in Ephesians 1:15, and it has marked the fact that he is going to pray for the Ephesians and the impetus for his prayer. However, here we see something funny. If we look ahead to Ephesians 3:14, we see this same phrase come up again.
“For this reason” (Ephesians 3:1 ESV)
“For this reason” (Ephesians 3:14 ESV)
What we notice about our sections for these next two Sundays, Ephesians 3:1–6 and 7–13, is that they are an excursus. Paul begins to pray again for the Ephesians in 3:1 but realizes they need a little more information. In particular, about himself. We won’t get back to what Paul actually prays until verse 14.
Paul: Prisoner and Satisfied
Paul starts in 3:1 by saying this about himself:
“For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—”
(Ephesians 3:1)
Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus
This is the first time in Ephesians that Paul talks about himself being a prisoner. He will mention it again later in Ephesians 4:1 and 6:26. It seems that Paul is talking about his imprisonment that we read about at the end of Acts 28. Paul speaks about this imprisonment in his letters to the Philippians, Colossians, as well as to Philemon. We recently just finished a series through Acts, and we saw time and time again the hostile reaction to the gospel of Jesus Christ, so it shouldn’t surprise us that Paul is imprisoned for sharing this message. But he continues on and says something else:
on behalf of you Gentiles
If you or I received a letter from a friend, claiming they were in jail for our sake, unless you have a distinct memory of running from the cops with this person or some other illegal activity you have done with them, this should be a shocking phrase. In prison, on my behalf? What are you talking about?
On the one hand, this is literally a true statement. In Acts 21:26, 28 Paul is arrested because he brought a gentile with him to Jerusalem, and even though Paul himself has done everything correctly—he cleanses himself before going to the temple, he cleanses the men, makes offerings for them—some take it as opportunity to rile up the people against Paul, and he is arrested. Paul eventually makes use of his Roman citizenship and appeals to Caesar so he might have a fair trial. So it was on behalf of his reaching out to the Gentiles that he is arrested.
Paul also likely means this metaphorically. He says again and again, in places like 1 Corinthians 9:19–23 and 10:31–11:1 that he, and others, will and should do anything to reach people with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Be all things to all people for the sake of the gospel. Whether he eats or drinks he wants to do it in a way that brings glory to God. Paul is undoubtedly willing to go to prison if that is what it will take to spread this good news.
It is here that Paul pauses. He knows that this comment—his being a prisoner and being satisfied and joyful in God even in that type of situation—requires the Ephesians to know something about him. Look at Ephesians 3:2
‘…assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you’
(Ephesians 3:2 ESV)
Paul believes he has been given something from God, and that it is a grace and it requires stewardship. Now, Paul continues on and is clearer about what he has been given:
“how the mystery was made known to me by revelation” (Ephesians 3:3a ESV)
It was previously in Ephesians 1:9 that Paul mentioned the mystery that God has revealed: namely Christ Jesus and his mission. For Paul, this happened in a very peculiar way. If you remember from Acts 9:3–9 Paul was on the road to Damascus and Jesus himself appeared to Paul. This is why Paul can call it a revelation that brought him this knowledge. This is quite unique, and also why Paul felt he could consider himself an Apostle since it was Jesus himself who revealed this message to Paul. And Paul further defines this mystery that he was given by saying in Ephesians 3:3b
“as I have written briefly.” (Ephesians 3:3b ESV)
Paul is likely referring to all the statements he has made in Ephesians chapters one through two. It is the amazing message we have been looking at that Paul says is part of the revelation he received. It is this message that Paul says he believes is a “stewardship of God’s grace.”
Stewardship of God’s grace
It is obvious that Paul sees everything that God has done for us as grace. This is such a glorious truth for Paul that he has to interrupt himself in Ephesians 2:5 and exclaim:
“By grace you have been saved!” (Ephesians 2:5b ESV)
Paul talks about the praise of God’s glorious grace (Ephesians 1:6) and the riches of his grace (Ephesians 1:7, 2:7). He even summarizes our salvation experience in Ephesians 2:8 like this:
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God”
(Ephesians 2:8 ESV)
If Paul’s understanding of salvation as grace is easy to see right here in Ephesians, what he means by stewardship is a little harder. This is the same word he uses other places to talk about God’s plan:
“as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”
(Ephesians 1:10 ESV)
“and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things,”
(Ephesians 3:9 ESV)
So, is Paul only talking about the plan of God’s grace, and how God revealed that plan to him (and others) and he is bringing it to the Gentiles? Would it be better to just say “assuming that you have heard of the plan of God’s grace that was given to me for you (Ephesians 3:2) Or is there another meaning? Later in Scripture, like in 1 Corinthians 9:17, Paul uses the term stewardship talk about his apostolic office. Perhaps that is what he means—that he has a special calling to take out God’s grace to the gentiles as an apostle of Jesus Christ?
Many have noted the similarities between Colossians 1:24–26 and this section of Ephesians:
“Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.”
(Colossians 1:24–26 ESV)
Here, as in Ephesians, this idea of stewardship/plan seems to have a both-and idea. In both places Paul is talking about his responsibility to share the mystery—the gospel—and about the plan—it’s content. The idea of knowing this plan of God to save all people through Jesus and having a responsibility to it seem to be linked for Paul, beyond just his apostolic calling.
There is an interesting corollary (or comparison) from the French language. There was a phrase regarding the aristocrats, that sadly wasn’t headed and, if you remember their history, didn’t turn out well French nobility in the French Revolution (1784). The phrase is noblesse oblige, meaning “nobility obligates.” It was used to communicate the idea that, if through the providence of God you were born into a noble family, the very fact that you were there obligated you to care for others. Because the nobles had money and means and authority, they were to use it to care for the people around them.
In a similar manner, knowing the very plan of God seems to have an obligation, a stewardship that you must live out. At least that is how Paul seems to understand it. In fact, that is what we have seen him living out by writing Ephesians 1–2 and what he is modeling in his life to those watching him.
As Paul continues on in this section of Ephesians 3, he gives two examples of what this stewardship looks like. First, he believes the Ephesians and others should be able to perceive and examine whether or not he truly knows this mystery or plan, and second, they should be able to know—to explain—what that plan is.
Perceive & Know
Paul starts with this idea of perceiving the mystery and plan of God. He says:
“When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 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.”
(Ephesians 3:4–5 ESV)
Paul is inviting the Ephesians, you and me, to examine him. This idea of “insight” is the same as the knowledge or word the Old Testament prophets had, and the people were always required to examine the prophets to determine if they were really speaking for God.
And Paul is fair. He acknowledges that what he is doing now was not revealed previously in the same way it had been recently for him in the full knowledge of Jesus Christ. But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t revealed at all. When we look back to God’s promise to bless all nations in Abraham (in Genesis 12:3), we see that God’s plan is bigger than just the nation of Israel. In passages like Psalm 67:1–2 we see the Psalmist say:
“May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!”
(Psalm 67:1–3 ESV)
Isaiah, in Isaiah 66:18, prophecies that all the nations will be brought in:
“For I know their works and their thoughts, and the time is coming to gather all nations and tongues. And they shall come and shall see my glory”
(Isaiah 66:18 ESV)
In Israel’s history we see people like Ruth, Naaman, and Rehab come into the people of God. Passages like Deuteronomy 22:3–4 seem to imply this will happen and gives some boundaries for it. Yet, God’s people don’t know exactly how it will happen. And, even worse, they rebel against God’s plan. That is how we can get someone like Jonah who does everything he can to not go to Nineveh because he doesn’t want someone from outside the nation to come in. He knows God is gracious to those outside. He says to God in Jonah 4:2
And he prayed to the LORD and said, “O LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. (Jonah 4:2, ESV)
Paul is now proclaiming this message completely. He is telling both Jews and Gentiles that God is indeed gracious, merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and he has saved them through grace in faith in Jesus Christ. He expects that the Ephesians can examine him—his words, his life, his actions—and see that he has accepted this plan of God.
Even more, he expects they have seen it so clearly that they can know exactly what the plan is. Paul has spent two chapters sharing the glory of Jesus with the Ephesians, and he now, in Ephesians 3:6 rephrases it succinctly:
“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.”
(Ephesians 3:6 ESV)
Each of these are what he has said previously: fellow heirs, part of the same temple, family and citizens, all through Jesus Christ.
Revelation Requires a Response
This is one of those sections that would be easy to just see the surface point and go on. We could say to ourselves, “I am so thankful that Paul followed God’s command and call for him to reach out to the Gentiles. I likely wouldn’t know the gospel of Jesus Christ if he and others hadn’t seen God’s purpose in including the Gentiles.” That is obviously the main point of this section, for Paul to reveal his call to spread the mystery of the gospel to everyone, but especially the Gentiles.
Yet, before we go to next week and see how Paul understands his commission better, I think it is important to realize one fact that Paul just takes for granted and states here: Revelation requires a response. We have noted throughout Ephesians 1–2 how revelation requires a response for those hearing the message. It has been easy to preach those weeks because each week came with an easy gospel call to accept Jesus. But knowing this revelation also requires a response from you after you have accepted it. Knowing and accepting the plan of God, for Paul, means that he must steward it in Ephesians 3:1–6. And that applies to you and me as well.
Now, on one level, I think you already know this. In high school, giving a pop-quiz as a teacher was usually only effective for one or two periods. After that, the revelation that a quiz was coming was out, and usually grades would get increasingly better as the day wore on.
I remember driving with my dad across the state on time as a young kid. Late one night I noticed that truckers were double-flashing their lights at the other trucks as we drove past the, so I asked my dad why they did this. He told me this was their way to let other truckers know there was a police officer coming up somewhere (back in the 1980s before scanners!). And sure enough, after we made the next turn, there the officer was in the median looking for speeders.
Responding to a revelation is usually normal for us. We Snap, Tweet, TikTok or do anything to get the message out when we hear of good news or a good deal. But do you believe that same should be true about the revelation of your salvation in Jesus Christ? Paul is inviting people to investigate him: to look at his words, his actions, to see and judge if he rightly perceives what God has told him and to walk away with clarity into his conviction.
What would you think if others looked into your life in the same manner? Do you carry both the plan of God and the responsibility to share it equally? I think it is much easier to treasure what God has done for me than to be clear about it to others and to expect, if they really examined my life, would they see that truth? If someone thought carefully about my words and my actions, would they see this plan of God oozing out of my conversations?
Now, don’t get me wrong, my goal isn’t to guilt you. In fact, I think that wouldn’t work. I believe that when Paul says that he has a “stewardship of God’s grace” it matters that he sees it as grace. What motivates Paul, what helps him to walk in the “good works which God prepared beforehand” (Ephesians 2:10) is that he sees what an amazing grace he has been given. Knowing God’s grace makes the stewardship joyful and not a burden. I pray that is exactly what you are seeing in Ephesians 1–2. That you are seeing the same Joy in Paul through his encouragement of the Ephesians, and that you, in accepting this revelation, are wanting to respond in the same way as Paul here in Ephesians 3:1–6.