Again, as stated in my previous study, Paul is attempting to begin a prayer for believers here....but he does not actually get to the prayer until verse 14 where he repeats the phrase that he began this chapter with...for this cause It is best to see verse 2-13 as a parenthesis wherein Paul speaks once again of the truths he wrote about in Ephesians 2:11-22....that the Jew and Gentile are one in Christ...that there is no longer any distinction between them. The Gentiles are now fellow heirs, of the same body and partakers of His promises in Christ by the gospel.
Verses 5-6: 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; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: This truth...that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel....was not made known to anyone prior to the church age. It was given to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit and not to any other persons before or after them. The meaning of several passages in the Old Testament were not clearly understood until Paul revealed them through the inspiration of the Spirit of God in his letters. John MacArthur mentioned a couple examples in his commentary on Ephesians Chapter 3.
Genesis 12:3 - God's promise to Abraham: I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” No one knew the full meaning of this which is explained in Galatians 3:8:
And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.”
Likewise no one knew the full meaning of Isaiah 49:6: Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
Acts 13:46-47 explains it to mean that the gospel would be offered to the Jew and the Gentile alike.
Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us: I have set you as a light to the Gentiles that you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.
Bringing the Jew and the Gentile together in one body, the church, was something the Old Testament saints could not have even imagined...even the Jews in the early church...even Peter to whom the revelation was also given (Acts 10) had difficulty with it. John MacArthur likens it to saying that lepers were no longer to be isolated, that they were now free to intermingle and associate with everyone else as normal members of society. In the mind of the Jew, their separation from the Gentile was so true and so right that the thought of equality before God was inconceivable. For this reason, Paul explains, states and restates this same truth many times.
Verse 7-8: 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. 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;...Paul understood that he was who he was by the grace of His God. No one can make themselves a minister of God because the grace, calling and the power to fulfill are all from Him. Paul considered himself the chief of sinners and the least of all the saints. And yet...to him...it was given to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ to the Gentiles! It was God who made Paul a minister and it was God who always led Paul into triumph and diffused the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.
Verse 9: and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;...the Jew and the Gentile are one in Christ...much was written on this. See Ephesians 2:11-22
Verse 10-11: to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,...The church is to glorify God...we are to show His wonderful works and manifold wisdom not only to the people of the world but to the angels...holy and unholy...to powers and authorities because all have been made subject to Him. There is joy among the angels of God the Gospel of Luke says, when even one sinner repents. Let the angels praise Him when they see the glory of God in the church!
1 Peters 1 says this:
Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.
Verse 12: in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. We have access to God in Christ! Read Hebrews 4:14-16
Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
We can come boldly to His throne to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need!
Verse 13: Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. Paul tells them not to lose heart because of the tribulations he faces...they are for their glory...his tribulations are being used to bring them to Christ and to glory! Paul rejoiced in his sufferings knowing that God was doing exceedingly abundantly above all he could ask or think in bringing the Jew and the Gentile together as one in the body of Christ. God produces glory through trials and suffering! They are not for nought. He uses them mightily in each believer's life. Paul understood what he wrote in the Book of Romans...For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Next up...Paul's prayer.
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