This is the final chapter in the theoretical (doctrinal or positional) section of this book. Up to this point the Church (all believers in Christ), which one can only enter by faith alone in Christ alone, has been presented as a body and as a temple. Now Paul informs the readers that the Church has been and is a mystery. The Greek word for “mystery” is musterion, which is not to be understood as an “enigma”—something that is incapable of being understood—but as a “divine secret” that God has kept hidden in the past and is now revealed or being revealed.

In the past, under the Old Covenant, God dealt with the people of Israel. They were chosen by God for the purpose of revealing Himself throughout the world. The Church cannot be seen in the Old Testament, nor is it a continuation of Israel, which is a serious misinterpretation held by many, and their doctrine is called “covenant theology.” This system of error appropriates the promises that God made to Israel and applies them to the Church. It is a doctrine that cannot flourish without denying the literal interpretation of God’s Word. To rightly interpret God’s Word, it must be understood literally except where a figure of speech or allegorical interpretation is clearly presented as a literary device to teach a spiritual truth. Those that believe the Church is an extension of Israel must allegorize most of the doctrine and teachings in the Bible.

The mystery that Paul speaks of in this chapter is not that God has kept hidden the fact that He would bless the Gentiles. This was never a secret within the Old Testament. It is clearly seen in God’s promise to Abram (Abraham) in Genesis 12:3, “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.” This is repeated throughout the Old Testament. God purpose for Israel always included the component of blessings for the Gentiles.

Furthermore, the mystery was not concerning the coming and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This too was a matter of repeated revelation throughout the Old Testament. In Isaiah 53, seven hundred fifty years before it came to pass, Isaiah described this primary focal point of history. In fact, the very first reference to Christ is found in Genesis 3:15. And there are many, many more references to the coming Messiah in the Old Testament. When considering Jesus and His sacrifice it can truly be said, “the New Testament is in the Old Testament concealed as the Old Testament is in the New Testament revealed.”

So what is the mystery Paul writes about in this chapter? It is that between the sacrifice of Christ on Calvary and His coming in glory to set up His Kingdom over Israel, He would administer a New Age (Dispensation) upon the earth, which would be the Age of Grace and which would produce a new entity upon earth—one made up of both Jews and Gentiles united in one body and belonging to the same household of faith—the Church.

After the Church has been completed and is taken home to heaven, God will resume His program with Israel nationally. It will be then that the hands on God’s prophetic clock will move once more. The present Church Age is a parenthesis, which started on Pentecost (Acts 2:4) and will end when Christ returns in the atmosphere above the earth to “snatch away” the Church (1 Corinthians 15:51, 52; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18); after which will be Great Tribulation upon earth, His Second Coming and Christ’s 1,000 year earthly reign (Millennial Kingdom).

In verse one Paul initiates a thought or an intention to pray for his readers, which he abruptly interrupts in verse two with a discussion concerning the mystery of Christ. Verses 2 through 13 form a parenthesis of explanation about this “mystery,” just as the Age of Grace, the Church Age, is a parenthesis in God’s dealings with man. In verse 14 Paul will return to his original thought.

It is generally believed that this epistle was written by Paul during his first Roman imprisonment. Yet he does not call himself a “prisoner of Rome,” an indication of defeat. Rather, he speaks of himself as a “prisoner of Jesus Christ,” a sure sign of victory. The word “prisoner” in the Greek is desmios, meaning “one who is bound or is a captive.” Paul referred to himself often as a “prisoner of Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 3:1; 4:1; Colossians 4:3; 2 Timothy 1:8; Philemon 1, 9; Hebrews 10:34). He took pride and satisfaction in such an honored station in life. Whereas previously he was a Pharisee and a man of position and authority, he now experienced a “fulfillment beyond explanation” by being a captive—a willing captive—of and for the Lord Jesus Christ.

He starts the chapter with the words, “For this reason,” which is a connective phrase referring back to the preceding thoughts about his readers no longer being “strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief Cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”

Now he amplifies this “mystery” of God, which is the Church and the Church Age. After stating that he was a prisoner for Jesus Christ he says, “if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you.” Some have used this verse to support their interpretation that Paul was not writing to the Ephesians, since he had previously been to Ephesus and the believers there would have been cognizant of Paul’s mission to the Gentiles. They hinge their argument on the word, “if,” and suggest that the readers may or may not have heard of his ministry. The Greek word for “if,” in this case, is eige, which carries the meaning of “something that is taken for granted.” The word “since” would have more appropriately conveyed the meaning. Paul is saying “Since you heard of the dispensation of the grace of God . . . .”

The Greek word translated “dispensation” is oikonomia, which speaks of someone who is a steward or manager of a household; therefore, the meaning is better conveyed by the word “stewardship” or “administrator.” Paul was charged with administering or setting forth the great truth regarding the New Testament Church. And this message of truth is one wholly of “grace”—God’s unmerited favor and kindness toward man. It encompasses God’s Gift of grace, Jesus Christ and His atoning work on Calvary’s cross, which makes it possible for all to be saved apart from works. It encompasses all men, be they Jews or Gentiles, no matter how unworthy they may be. It encompasses a heretofore totally foreign concept of combining both Jew and Gentile into one spiritual union—the Body of Christ. Paul was selected to bring this administration of God’s grace to the Gentiles, just as the Apostle Peter was selected to bring it to the Jews.

Paul continues, “how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets.” Paul had already touched on the subject, but now he calls it the mystery of Christ. It bears repeating that this “mystery” is not something that cannot be understood. It could be well understood, once it was exposed. But God chose not to reveal it until the proper time. The Old Testament was not the proper time or format for revealing it. The Church Age or the concept of the Church was simply not in the Old Testament.

But the mystery of the Church and the parenthetical age known as the Church Age or the Age of Grace was not only made known to Paul, but was made known by the Spirit of God to all New Testament apostles and prophets. This argues against those who teach that only Paul was privy to such knowledge.

Paul’s referral to the mystery as the mystery of [the] Christ has more significance than simply the union of all believers as the Church. Here he refers to the spiritual union between Jesus Christ and each and every believer, the composite being the Body of Christ. For another reference of Jesus Christ that includes both Him and His people, see 1 Corinthians 12:12: For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. (cf. Colossians 1:24) The meaning is clear. A proper concept of Jesus Christ now must include both Him and all who have by faith alone in Christ alone become a permanent member of His body.

Paul confirms this by concluding in the reference passage, “that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the Gospel, of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.” In other words, converted Gentiles now enjoy the same title and privileges with converted Jews. They are (1) “fellow heirs”—heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ with all the redeemed, both Jews and Gentiles; (2)“of the same body”—they are just as spiritually linked with Jesus Christ as are the converted Jews and (3) “partakers of His promise in Christ”—this encompasses all of the grace-promises that come to a person who has accepted Christ as Savior (see the lists of these in the commentary on chapter 2).

And all of this comes by the faith-acceptance of the Gospel—the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and what all these historical events stand for. This sharing of this good news, Paul declares, was his ministry, which came to him as a grace-gift from God by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Paul continues with a self-evaluation, “To me, who am less than the least of all the saints.” Here Paul uses a comparative superlative to express how little he thought of himself. This may seem like false humility, but it is actually the true self-estimate of one who is filled with (controlled by) the Holy Spirit. A true (realistic) picture of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross of Calvary can only lead a person to see his own sinfulness and uselessness. In Paul’s case there were the added memories of his wicked life before his conversion in which he persecuted and murdered so many Christians, which meant he was doing this to (the body of) Jesus Christ (Acts 9:4; 1 Corinthians 15:9; Galatians 1:13; Philippians 3:6; 1 Timothy 1:12, 13).

But although Paul knew he wasn’t worthy he also knew the following, “ this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 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.” God’s preferred way to deal with mankind is by and through grace, His unmerited favor and kindness. This indeed is how He dealt with the Apostle Paul. Not only did He most graciously save Paul, but He also just as graciously gave Paul a two-fold ministry most specifically, but not exclusively, to the Gentiles, as follows:

Paul continues, “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, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.” Paul informs the reader that there are other outcomes or effects from God’s grace-work toward and with man. They follow:

Paul’s final thought in this passage is his request, “that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.” The readers, instead of being discouraged or despondent over Paul’s tribulations, should rejoice to think of the benefit his tribulations have produced for them and other Gentiles. They should glory in his imprisonment, not see it as a disgrace. (Acts 14:22; 2 Corinthians 1:6; Ephesians 3:1; Philippians 1:14; and 1 Thessalonians 3:3)

Paul now returns to the thought he introduced in verse 1, but which he interrupted with the parenthetical section of verses 2-13 regarding the mystery of (the) Christ. He was about to declare a prayer in verse 1 and now he continues with it. He indicates a posture normally associated with prayer, “I bow my knees,” a position which conveys humility and reverence. Kneeling (physically) is never required for one to pray, for one may pray in any position, but it should always be the posture of one’s soul and spirit when one prays.

He prays “to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.” The family to which Paul is referring may be all created beings, all who have been saved by faith alone in Christ alone during the Church Age or all saints of God prior to, during and after the Age of Grace. This writer believes it refers specifically to all who are in Christ, since this is the mystery with which he has been preoccupied during the course of this epistle and because of the specific words, “from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.”

Paul proceeds to ask the Father that “He would grant you [those at Ephesus], according to the riches of His glory,” which indicates the vastness of Paul’s request. It is notable that he asks the Father to grant to the Ephesian believers according to and not out of the riches of His glory. The first is a flood, whereas the second may only be a trickle.

Paul makes several requests of the Father for the Ephesian believers. They are:

This chapter ends with a doxology as Paul ends his prayer. It is a grand and inspiring praise to God. Paul’s preceding requests have been vast, bold and all encompassing. But Paul confirms that God is:

able

able to do

able to do exceedingly

able to do exceedingly above

able to do exceedingly above all

able to do exceedingly above all that we ask or think

God does this according to the power that works in us, which is to confirm the residency of the Holy Spirit within every believer—the utmost source of power in the universe and beyond. Note that Paul again confirms the Trinity by including the God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit in the last several verses. God ends his prayer with ascribing glory to God in the Church by Jesus Christ, which is the mystery of Christ (vs. 4), to all generations, forever and ever.

This concludes the first main division of this epistle. From chapter 4 onward Paul leaves the theoretical (doctrinal or positional) portion of his epistle and addresses more practical issues.