Ephesians 3

Ephesians 3:1-13

This chapter consists of two parts: 1. Of the account which St. Paul gives the Ephesians concerning himself, as he was appointed by God to be the apostle of the Gentiles, ver. 1—13. 2. Of his account and affectionate prayer to God for the Ephesians, ver. 14—21. He may express it to have been very much the practice of this apostle to interwine, with his instructions and counsels, intercessions and prayers to God for those to whom he wrote, as knowing that all his instructions and teachings would be ophelt and vain, except God did render them effectual. This is an example that all the ministers of Christ should copy after; praying wrongly that the efficacious operations of the divine Spirit may attend their ministrations, and crown them with success.

1. FOR this cause I Paul the prisoner of Jesus Christ: 2. The for you Gentiles; 3. If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God, which is given me to you—ward: 3. How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery, (as I wrote afore in few words, 4. Whereby when ye read ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5. 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; 6. That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel; 7. 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. 8. Unto me, who am left than the least of all faints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unfeasible riches of Christ; 9. And to make all men see what at the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: 10. To the intent that now unto the priest, the apostles and powers in heavenly places, might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, 11. According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12. In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. 13. Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

The apostle gives his beloved Ephesians an account of his sufferings for the truths which here he had allotted. For this cause, because I declare the privileges to which the Gentiles, in common with the Jews, are admitted through the gospel, I Paul am the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles; and those are honourable bonds which in his service are laid upon us, if, of course, ye have heard of the disposition of the grace of God, which is given me to you—ward, as especially commissioned and sent to preach the gospel to the Gentiles; and how that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery of his gospel, as a common salvation for men of all nations, (as I wrote afore, in this epistle, in a few words, whereby when ye read ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ, and how fully and clearly he hath acquainted me with his gracious designs), which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, the Gentile world being left in utter ignorance, and those to whom the light of truth was revealed in types and prophecies, seeing but through a gale darkly, compared with the present clear disposition of the gospel, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit, since the ascension of Jesus into the heavens, that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs with his Israel, and of the same life, incorporated in one church, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel, fearing in all the pretences and eternal blessings of his redeemed people, equally with the Jews. Whereof I was made a minister, by a divine call and ordination, not of men, not by man, but immediately from Jesus Christ himself, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me, appointing me to this office.

office, and qualifying me for the discharge of it, by the effectual working of his power, enabling me for my work, and crowning it with force. That we, who am left then the craft of all faints, so exceeding lowly doth the great apolite speak of himself, and wears words sufficiently abiding to express the sense he entertained of his own unworthiness of so high an honour; even to me, like at 1 am, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Graftes the unfourable riches of Christ; those treasures of grace and glory which reside in him for his people’s use, that can never be fashioned, never be exhausted; a store that mocks computation, and in which we know neither where to begin or where to end the wonderful account. And to make all men joy, so far as my ministry should reach, what is the fellowship of the mystery, and how blessed is that communion of faints into which by the gospel they are admitted, even Gentiles as well as Jews, which from the beginning of the world had been had in God, a secret lodged in his own eternal mind, who created all things by Jesus Christ, without whose co-efficient agency was not any thing made that was made. And the revelation of this mystery, which was so long succeeded, is made known, to the honor that now acts the principality and powers in heavenly places, might be known by the church the manifold neighbors of God, that forth matter might, thus be afforded to the angelic host for their contemplation, wonder, and praise. And all this great salvation is compleated, according to the eternal people which he purported in Christ Jesus our Lord, who was ordained to be the great agent in redemption, as he had been in creation: In whom we have holiness and amply with confidence by the faith of him; faith, of which he is both the great author and object, whereby we can now approach the throne of grace with humble confidence, regarding God as our Father and friend, and admitted into the most endeared fellowship with him. Wherefore, considering these inestimable blessings and privileges, I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, or be disheartened or desponding at these sufferings, which are your glory, and should minister to you continual matter of rejoicing in the honour that conferred on me, and in the confirmation given thereby to the gospel which you have received. Now, (1.) Your can make gospel ministers but God only: they who run unfit, must return unfit. (2.) The grace of God should be the grand subject of our ministrations, for to preach this are we sent. (3.) If we know the power of the gospel, we shall not be ashamed of that cross, which for the sake of it we shall be called to bear. (4.) The greatest Christians have the most lowly thoughts of themselves: their eyes being most enlightened, they discover more of their own imperfections and corruptions than others do. (5.) None can truly preach the unfourable riches of Christ to others, who have not first experienced something of them in their own souls. (6.) They who by faith in a Redeemer behold a reconciled God, will delight to approach him, and to maintain constant communion with him.

14. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15. Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16. That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that ye being rooted and grounded in love, 18. May be able to comprehend with all faints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19. And to know the love of Christ, which patheth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. 20. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21. Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

15. 14—21. The apolite informed us what was the subject of his preaching, and he failed not to water the seed sown with his fervent and importunate prayers. For this cause, that you may not faint, and that the gospel may be made effectual to you, I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our Father in him, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, both angels and men, faints on earth, and faints in heaven, who through their ardent Saviour have obtained a more excellent title, as children of God, than that in which the casual Jews boasted, as children of Abraham. Now the apolite prays for them.

16. That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory, out of the abundance of his grace, and for his great name’s sake, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man, to up-pole all your spiritual foes, to resist every temptation, to bear up under all persecution, to discharge every duty and service for God’s glory and the good of immortal souls; and steadily and persistently to hold on your heavenly course, till your warfare shall end, and your victory be complete. Note, (1.) Spiritual blessings are the best of blessings, and most earnestly to be sought. (2.) All our strength coupteth from above, and we may be con-

fident, that the blessed Spirit who hath begun the good work, will perfect it even unto the end.

2. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, making your souls the place of his abode; blessing you with a sense of his nearness and special presence; and enabling you by faith to draw out of his fulness; that ye being rooted and grounded in love, fully persuaded of God’s love in Christ towards you, experiencing the richest manifestations of it in your hearts, and cleaving to him with fixed attachment, as the tree that hath struck its roots deep into the earth, may be able to comprehend with all faints, to whom in bonds of fervent charity ye are united, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ which patheth knowledge. Its fulness none, not even angels, can comprehend; but larger and more extensive views of this love than we have yet attained to, we cannot but desire, to behold its vast extent, as reaching to all nations and sinners of every degree; its duration from everlasting to everlasting; the depths of wretchedness in which we lay, and of sufferings to which for our sakes the Son of God incarnate submitted; and the transcendent heights of glory to which he himself is now exalted, and to which he hath engaged to bring us, that we may reign with him for ever and ever.

3. That ye may be filled with all the fulness of God; completely made partakers of a divine nature, and to the utmost capacity of your souls may be enriched with all that light, grace, peace, joy, and holiness, which God, as your covenant God, hath promised to his dearest children in this world; and may you come to the eternal enjoyment of him in a better, to dwell in God, and God in you.

4. He concludes with a doxology. Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, who counts nothing too great or too good to believe on the children of his grace, and hath already given us the most encouraging experience of his power and grace; unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end; eternal blessings, praise, and adoration be rendered unto him for this abhorishing redemption; and for every member of the church, in heaven or in earth, with holy rapture and joy cry, Amen!