Lesson 37 July 13, 2003
Eph 4:4b
- "when you read you can, are able to understand,
How is this to occur?? How are we to understand? By reading and studying the scripture, the word of God!
* Paul's insight [
* Our insight comes from intense reading, study of the written Word! NO shortcuts!
*** Do you realize what this does? What this says about Christianity?
If we don't have proper thinking, belief, if we don't think right, we will not act right.
3:5 The uniqueness of the mystery!
1. "which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men,"
That there was salvation and blessing to the Gentile was known, but no where was it revealed in any way, even in an embryonic form that both Jew and Gentile would become "one" in the Messiah, in Christ.
2. "as" [comparative adverb] wj hosj indicates several points of comparison are being made.
Question is this adverb a comparative of degree or of kind? Or does it matter?
What are the comparisons here?
a. A comparison of time; previous generation versus now!
b. A comparison of the extent of revelation; contrast between what was made known to the sons of men, much was; and the revelation, specific of the mystery truth to the Church.
c. A comparison of the objects of revelation;
3. All this is through the agency of the Holy Spirit!
- en + instr. pneu/ma pneu/ma = by means of the Spirit!
4. Some try to promote that this truth was exclusively given to Paul and no other and that his epistles are the ones to focus on for us today.
3:6 The Nature of the Mystery;
- Here Paul uses three terms to express this new relationship, they are an exposition of what it means to be "one new man."
1. "fellow heirs" sugklhrono,moj sugklhronomoj Romans 8:17 Gal 3:26-29; 4:7
2. "fellow members of the body" su,sswmoj [hapax] susswmoj = "belonging to the same body" ie. the body of Christ; first seen in 1:22-23
3. "fellow partakers of the promise" summe,tocoj; summetocoj was used in the day of those who were joint possessors of a house.
Paul here is emphasizing a truth that he expounded on extensively in Gal 3:6-29;
Means of appropriation; through the gospel dia. tou/ euvaggeli,ou( [gen] the good news [God has done it all, made a total provision through His Son Jesus Christ and all that is required of us is to believe it. That's Grace!!
Summary Observations:
1. Maturity is the ability to see the hand of God in the events of life.
2. The church as the body, the one new man, is uniquely expounded by Paul.
3. Paul's authority resides in revelation not in human reason.
4. The acceptance of the gospel, by faith, makes this new relationship in Christ and all the spiritual blessings that accrue in that relationship a reality in our life.
3:7-13 Paul's ministry
a. 3:7 The origin of his ministry
b. 3:8-13 His responsibilities
a. 3:7 The origin of his ministry;
"of which, [gospel] I was made a minister,
- "minister" dia,konoj diakonosj doesn't mean what we think of today when we hear the word minister;
The how!! That he became a servant of Christ!
"according to the gift of God's grace which was given to me"
Paul states clearly that his ministry was based on God's grace and on God's power!
"according to the working of His power."
"working" evne,rgeia = effective, operational power; [always used of supra human power; power that is related to either God or Satan.]
"His power" du,namij inherent power/strength; speaks of the reservoir of power available to Paul to function; source = God's OmPo
3:8 Begin Paul's responsibilities
"To me, the very least of all saints this grace was given"
What we see here is Paul's evaluation of himself; a deep sense of humility.
* 3 times Paul expresses this humility, this sense of his own unworthiness; and if we place them in chronological order, I believe we will observe a display of increasing and deepening humility.
Genuine humility, one that results as one grows and matures spiritually. True humility is the result of grace orientation and authority orientation not an increasing view of one's sinfulness.
In each of these 3 passages he relates himself to a different group!
#1. 1 Cor 15:9-10 [time = 56 AD.]
Point's out 3 important things here.
1. It was grace that had saved and transformed him.
"By the grace of God I am what I am.."
2. It was grace that motivated Paul. "but I labored even more than all of them, (kopia,w = to labor to the point of exhaustion)
3. It was the grace provision of God that enabled him to minister. "yet not I, but the grace of God with me."
#2. Is our passage Eph 3:8 [60 AD.]
#3. 1 Tim 1:12-15 [64 AD. 4 years before his death] context clearly pointing to his pre-salvation timeframe not that he was increasing in his view of his sinfulness at this late stage in his life.