Paul and the Mission to the Gentiles
When the apostle completed his section on the spiritual blessings in Christ (1:3–14), he proceeded to offer a prayer of thanksgiving and petition (1:15–23). After this theological discussion in 2:1–22, it appears that he is once again ready to turn to prayer because the statement, “For this reason” (3:1), refers to what he has just said; furthermore, the actual prayer in 3:14ff. appears to relate to this section and would be a fitting climax to the thoughts that he has developed. But instead of a prayer, the apostle’s thought is diverted to another topic of discussion—one that is related to Paul’s call and mission as a proclaimer of God’s secret. After a rather lengthy presentation of this subject (3:2–13), he returns to his initial intention to pray and subsequently offers one of the most beautiful and comprehensive prayers in the NT.
At first glance, Ephesians 3:2–13 appears to be a rather lengthy parenthesis vindicating Paul’s apostleship to the Gentiles. The author has been discussing the unity of Jews and Gentiles in Christ and how the Gentiles are legitimate heirs of God’s salvation (2:11–22); but for some reason he finds it necessary to define more precisely God’s secret and the human agent through whom it was revealed. His definition of the secret (3:6) also extends previous imagery. In 2:19–22 the Gentiles were considered fellow citizens who are joined and built together into a sacred temple. The theme of unity is reemphasized in 3:6 by a number of similar expressions: “Through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.”
There are many close similarities between Ephesians 3:1–13 and Colossians 1:23–2:2:
Ephesians / Colossians
3:1—I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus / 1:23—I, Paul, have become a servant
3:2—God’s grace that was given to me for you / 1:25—the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God
3:3—the mystery made known to me by revelation / 1:27—God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles … this mystery
3:4—you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ / 2:2—in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ
3:6—through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus / 1:27—this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory
3:8—Although I am … least … this grace was given to me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ / 1:27—God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery
3:9—to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery / 1:26—the mystery … but … now disclosed to the saints
3:10—through the church the manifold wisdom of God should be made known / 1:26—the mystery … hidden for ages and generations, but … now disclosed
3:13—[do not] be discouraged because of my sufferings for you / 1:24—I rejoice in what was suffered for you
In both epistles, the author is in prison and is suffering; he is considered the minister to the Gentiles; the “mystery” has been hidden but is now revealed; this secret is identified as the inclusion of the Gentiles in God’s plan of salvation; it is the message that Paul has been commissioned to preach.
There are, however, some notable differences between these two epistles as well. In Colossians, the call of Paul as a missionary to the Gentiles (1:25, 26) is not as specific as in Ephesians (3:8), where he definitely is identified as a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of the Gentiles, to whom his preaching is directed (cf. Acts 21:17–34; 22:21–24; 26:12–23).
The goal of Paul’s preaching varies slightly also: In Colossians, the proclamation is given “so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ” (1:28); in Ephesians, it is oriented specifically toward the revelation of the “mystery” (“to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery”). Ephesians does not touch upon the aspect of Christian maturity until 4:13.
But the main difference centers upon the nature of this “mystery” that Paul has been called to preach. The brief mention of this in Colossians 1:27 almost goes unnoticed and hardly gives any indication of what the secret is all about. Ephesians, however, definitely is concerned about defining the “mystery” (3:6) and presenting Paul as its chief exponent.
In 3:14–19, the author begins his prayer for spiritual growth and unity. The specific requests include strengthening of the readers’ inner selves by God’s Spirit (3:16), the indwelling of Christ in their hearts through faith (3:17a), a strong grounding in love (3:17b), comprehending the love of Christ (3:18–19a), and being filled with the perfect fullness of God (3:19b). In some ways, these requests are not unlike his earlier mention of wisdom (1:17), knowledge (1:17), and enlightenment for the readers (1:18).
There is no specific reference to the problem of the unity of the church. Mention of the Fatherhood of God (3:14) and the comprehension of Christ’s love by all God’s people (3:18) does, nevertheless, remind the readers that their unity in Christ is to result in a unified Christian fellowship. The writer uses the expression “the saints” (hoi hagioi) on a number of occasions in the sense of belonging or togetherness (1:1, 15, 18; 2:19; 3:18; 6:18).
The concluding benediction (3:20, 21) points out that God is able to do far more than is requested, because the power of Christ is at work within the believer. The mention of the church is significant, for it is the sphere of the outworking of God’s purpose on earth as well as in heaven (3:10). In stating this, Ephesians extends the mission of the church beyond that taught in Colossians.
The new features of this chapter center around the clarification of God’s “mystery,” the prominence of Paul as an exponent of that secret, and the cosmic mission of the church. Beyond that, there is a definite repetition of the ideas used earlier in the epistle, for example:
the mystery as made known by revelation (3:3 = 1:9)
the role of apostles and prophets (3:5 = 2:20)
the inheritance of the saints (3:6 = 1:14)
the grace and power of God (3:7, 20 = 1:19)
God’s eternal plan (3:9 = 1:10; 2:7)
the cosmic scope (3:10 = 1:3, 10)
God’s eternal purpose (3:11 = 1:4)
access to God (3:12 = 2:12)
God the Father (3:14, 15 = 1:17)
the Son (3:11, 17 = 1:3, etc.)
the Spirit (3:5, 16 = 1:13, 14; 2:22)
the fullness of God (3:19 = 1:23)
Presenting the Mystery of the Gospel
3:1 As indicated in the introduction, the phrase for this reason points back to the theological ideas that have been developed in the preceding section and that lead the apostle to prayer. I, Paul, is an emphatic expression designed to draw attention to the apostle and what he has to say (cf. 2 Cor. 10:1; Gal. 5:2; Col. 1:23; 1 Thess. 2:18). What is emphasized is that Paul is the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of the Gentiles. The NIV rightly translates the article before prisoner as the rather than “a” prisoner (RSV). Thus Paul is represented, not as one prisoner among many, but as the prisoner of Christ Jesus, because of the significance of his ministry to the Gentiles (Acts 21:17–34; 22:21–24; 26:12–23). Gentiles is an inclusive term and, as in 2:11, refers not to any one specific congregation but to all Gentiles (Gentiles also is preceded by an article and should read you the Gentiles). Other references to Paul’s imprisonment are found in 6:20, Philippians 1:7, Colossians 4:10, and Philemon 1 and 9.
3:2 The NIV (and GNB) surely you have heard is a better translation than the RSV “assuming that you have heard,” which implies some kind of doubt rather than verification (cf. 4:21; Col. 1:23). The phrase does raise a question about the Ephesian destination of the epistle, but fits the “circular letter theory,” which would include a number of Gentile congregations.
In the process of developing Paul’s role as the missionary to the Gentiles, the author mentions several important things: First, God gave Paul a commission (the administration [oikonomia] of God’s grace that was given to me for you); second, God gave him grace. Though Paul does connect God’s grace with his mission (3:7, 8; 4:7; Rom. 1:5; 12:3; 15:15–16), it is God’s grace and not the work that is given in this context. This is slightly different from Colossians 1:25, where it is the office (oikonomia) that was given (cf. Mitton, pp. 125, 126).
3:3–4 In the next ten verses the author concentrates upon the mystery and how God used Paul to reveal that plan to the Gentiles. He begins by referring to the mystery made known to me by revelation. This follows the connection between revelation and the mystery that was alluded to in 1:9 and 10, but affirms that this revelation is from God and not something that Paul concluded from his studies or received from tradition (cf. Gal. 1:12, 16; 2:2).
Before the meaning of this mystery is developed, the author reminds his readers that he already has written briefly about this. Though a few commentators see an allusion in this phrase to an earlier epistle(s) to a Gentile audience, most take it as a reference to the brief mention of the “mystery” in 1:9–10 and to the outworking of it through the Jews and the Gentiles in 2:11ff. With that as background material, they can go on and understand the apostle’s insight into the mystery of Christ. The author is confident that as they read—probably in a public worship service and then in private meditation—they will be able to appreciate the significance of Paul as a servant of Christ with respect to the mystery. It is unlikely that it refers to a reading of the OT (see Foulkes, P. 92).
Concerning the use of mystery, a number of items should be noted: In Colossians (1:27) the mystery is the rather mystical concept of the indwelling Christ (“Christ in you, the hope of glory”); in Colossians 4:3, the “mystery of Christ” alludes to the fact that the Gentiles are recipients of the gospel (cf. Rom. 16:25, 26); in Ephesians 1:9, the mystery is God’s plan to unite all creation through the agency of Christ; in Ephesians 3:4, along with 3:6, the mystery is the unity between Jew and Gentile. This has partially been explained in 1:9–10 and 2:11–22, but now is made more explicit. Ephesians takes the concept of “the mystery” from a revelation of a gospel that included the Gentiles (Colossians) and develops it into a doctrine on the unity between Jew and Gentile in the church (3:6).
3:5 This verse closely resembles Colossians 1:26, which talks about the mystery that was hidden through all past ages from all humankind but that God has now revealed to his people. There are, however, notable differences: First, there is the nature of the mystery itself. In Colossians, it is the message of the gospel to the Gentiles; in Ephesians, it is the unity between Jews and Gentiles. Second, the revelation is by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets rather than to “all people.” This change is significant in Ephesians because it confirms the emphasis given in the epistle to church leaders and ecclesiastical authorities rather than to all the people. Initially (3:3) the author stated that Paul alone was the recipient of this revelation; now he broadens it to include other inspired leaders in the church (2:20; 4:11).
The opening phrase in this verse ([the mystery] was not made known to men in other generations) raises a question about how much of God’s plan for the Gentiles was revealed before Paul came along. There are some glimpses of this in the OT where references to all the nations who come to the “light” or join the Lord surely includes the Gentiles (Gen. 12:1–3; Isa. 11:10; 42:6; 60:3; Jer. 16:19; Mic. 4:2; Zeph. 2:11). Paul himself uses Isaiah 49:6 to justify his call to the Gentiles when he disputes with the Jews (Acts 13:47). And in Romans 15:9–12, he enlists a series of OT passages to demonstrate that the Gentiles always had a future in God’s plan.
Thus, in a broad sense, one could say that God’s purpose for the Gentiles was made known. But this is far short of the development in Ephesians, which envisions a universal community in which Jew and Gentile have equal share in what is to become known as the church, the body of Christ (cf. Stott, p. 118). The new revelation was made possible by the Spirit, that is, he is the agent who brought the mystery to light.
3:6 Up to this point the author has alluded to the mystery a number of times: now, however, he becomes specific and defines it in a way that will remove any doubt about its content. This mystery is that through the gospel, that is, by way of the proclamation of the word of truth that was believed and accepted (1:13), the Gentiles have been given a completely new status with all of the privileges pertaining thereto. The author describes this with a number of picturesque words prefixed with the preposition syn.
First, the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel. The Greek word synklēronoma is the same one Paul uses on occasions when he talks about believers becoming “heirs” of salvation and of the blessings of God (Rom. 8:17; Gal. 3:29; 4:7). Here the preposition syn gives it the force of “fellow heirs,” indicating that the Gentiles share equally with the Jews all the privileges and blessings of sonship.
Second, they are members together of one body. Since there is no occurrence of this word (syssōma) anywhere in the NT, the Septuagint (the pre-Christian Greek translation of the OT), or classical literature, it becomes obvious that the author coined it in order to describe the intimate relation that Jews and Gentiles have to each other in the body of Christ, the church. Robinson notes that there is no English equivalent and, in order to capture its full meaning, offers this idea: “In relation to the Body the members are ‘incorporate’; in relation to one another they are ‘con-corporate,’ that is, sharers in the one body” (p. 78).
Third, the Gentiles are sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. Once again, the author uses a syn noun (symmetochos) to emphasize that the Gentiles participate equally with the Jews in the promises of God. Their entire relationship with the people of God is established by their incorporation in Christ as it came to them through the gospel. The gospel is the proclamation of all the privileges that Christ has made available to humanity, including the Gentiles. Earlier, the author indicated that God’s ultimate plan was to bring all creation together (1:10). One gets the distinct impression that the unity between Jew and Gentile is but the first step in a broader cosmic unity that is going to include all of creation under the headship of Christ (cf. Rom. 8:19–21).
3:7 Having stated the role of the gospel in bringing this unity about, the author reminds his readers once again that Paul became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace (cf. 3:2). Paul’s ministry was neither a self-chosen nor a self-appointed one but a gift of God’s grace. The ability to carry out that mission came through the working of his (God’s) power and not Paul’s strength (Col. 1:29). Everything that Paul received and achieved was the result of God’s gift of grace and power.
3:8 Readers of the Pauline epistles will recall statements similar to the one made here: I am less than the least of all God’s people. When Paul’s apostleship was being questioned by the Corinthians, he remarked that “I am not in the least inferior to the ‘super-apostles,’ even though I am nothing” (2 Cor. 12:11). And on occasions when Paul is haunted by his former persecution of the church, he reminds himself of his unworthiness and inadequacy (cf. 1 Cor. 15:9; Gal. 1:13; 1 Tim. 1:12–14). In this context, it appears that Paul’s feeling of inferiority comes from reflecting upon the grace of God and how it has worked in his life and among the Gentiles. He is overcome, not by a guilty conscience or questions about his authority, but by a heart that is overflowing with the marvels of God’s grace.
The next phrase indicates that there is a double function to Paul’s apostleship: First, there is his ministry of the proclamation of the gospel to the Gentiles (this grace was given to me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ). Though Paul has commented on his mission to the Gentiles, he appears to be amazed—and thankful—that God’s grace was rich enough to include them and that he was God’s instrument in bringing the message of reconciliation to them. F. Beare draws attention to the article before Christ, thus indicating that “the Christ,” or “the Messiah” who was promised to the Jews, is now proclaimed to the Gentiles as well (p. 669). This could be a conscious thought in the author’s mind, given the context of a passage in which the incorporation of both Jews and Gentiles is stressed.
The translation unsearchable (anexichniastos) riches captures beautifully the idea behind this Greek word (cf. NEB, “unfathomable”). Stott lists ten different English equivalents that he has discovered in various translations and commentaries—all attempting to define the word without confining its meaning (p. 120). Basically, it means “not to be tracked out,” “beyond comprehension,” or “inscrutable.” Paul expresses this idea when he writes to the Romans: “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” (11:33). The same thoughts occur in Job 5:9 and 9:10 with respect to God’s creation and providence: they lie beyond human comprehension and defy description.
A modern analogy may be found in the current attempt to conquer the cosmos. The present universe, as it is known, is accessible and “trackable.” But as one reaches farther and farther into space, one discovers that there are many more universes and galaxies to explore—literally, an infinity in space. And so it is with the riches of Christ! They are unsearchable to the extent that the moment one discovers some of them a new door is opened to God’s treasury, which in turn leads to a supply of riches that is endless and even beyond comprehension. These unsearchable riches are none other than Christ himself.
3:9 The second aspect of Paul’s mission is to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery. Literally, the phrase reads “to enlighten” (phōtisai), or “to bring to light what is the stewardship (oikonomia) of the mystery.” The Greek word for “all people” (pantes) is omitted in some manuscripts, so the emphasis is on bringing God’s mystery plan to light. Although not stated, the intention appears to be that the revelation is to everyone (as the NIV).
The idea of “illuminating,” or making all of humanity see how God’s mystery plan is to be put into effect, suggests something more than proclamation; it conveys the idea that Paul was used specifically to show the world how God publicly disclosed what had been kept secret. Paul accomplished this by explaining the incorporation of the Jews and Gentiles into the body of Christ. Everything that has taken place is part of God’s master plan (oikonomia). The reference to God as the one who created all things is somewhat enigmatic. Does it mean that this mystery/plan of God is part of his creative activity, or does it emphasize that his mystery was hidden from the time of creation and for ages past was kept hidden in God?
The parallel in Colossians 1:26, for example, mentions the mystery hidden “for ages and generations” but without reference to God as the Creator. Beare concludes that the mention of God’s creative activity is “in keeping with the writer’s consistent association of creation and redemption, and his emphasis on the cosmic aspect of the saving work of Christ” (p. 670). It does confirm that God created all things, including that which is momentarily concealed but which, in his eternal plan, is made plain to everyone.
3:10 What had remained hidden “for ages past” (3:9) is now (nyn) made manifest. This verse makes one of the most inclusive statements about the church in the entire NT. Simply put, it announces that the church has a cosmic function in the plan of God.
With this verse, the author reaches the climax of his development on the “mystery/plan of God.” C. L. Mitton calls this “God’s master plan” and outlines the sequence by which this revelation took place: “It was made known first to Paul (3:3), then to the apostles and prophets (3:5), then to all men (3:9). Only then, as God’s reconciling power in Christ became effective in his Church and produced a united fellowship out of elements which in the world had seemed irreconcilable, did the powers of evil realize what God was achieving” (p. 127). This unfolding of God’s plan as presented in Ephesians may be diagrammed in the following way:
Paul (3:3)
Apostles and prophets (3:5)
All mankind (3:9)
Angelic powers and rulers in the heavenly world (3:10)
In this last stage God’s plan comes full circle: What was alluded to in the opening hymn of praise (1:10) is now complete. The grand purpose of the church is that through its agency, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms. These angelic rulers and powers are those beings mentioned in 1:21 and in 6:12. Colossians used similar expressions when it taught Christ’s—and consequently the believer’s—victory over these evil forces (Col. 1:16; 2:15, 20; cf. also Rom. 8:38; 1 Pet. 3:22).
In order to understand this verse it is necessary to realize that the author is assuming an ancient cosmological system. In pre-Copernican times, astronomers believed that the earth was the center of the universe and that it had no motion. The earth was surrounded by a series of spheres that contained celestial bodies, such as the sun, moon, stars, and planets, which revolved around the earth. Beyond these spheres (usually seven) was the highest heaven, where God made his abode. In time, it was believed that these spheres were inhabited by some kind of “heavenly beings,” which acted as sovereign rulers within these spheres. These heavenly powers could be either good and friendly or evil and hostile.
With respect to salvation, some religious systems, such as that of the Gnostics, believed that the human soul had to pass through these spheres as it ascended to its permanent abode with God in the highest heaven. But as it moved upward, it was confronted by the rulers and authorities of these spheres, who, in most cases, were hostile and needed to be placated or appeased in some way so that safe passage through the spheres could be guaranteed. This developed into elaborate systems of magic, sorcery, and astrology, many of which were current during Paul’s time.
The central message in the book of Colossians is that Christ has defeated these evil powers through his death on the cross. Consequently, they no longer have any control or authority over humankind; believers share in that victory by virtue of their faith in Christ and by virtue of their union with his death and resurrection in baptism (Col. 2:20).
Ephesians retains a similar cosmology: Christ is exalted and rules “far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given” (1:21); the Christian is engaged in a battle “against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (6:12); and in 3:10, these forces exist as witnesses to what God has done and is doing through the church. Thus, all forms of life—whether on earth or in the far regions of the cosmos—know about God’s eternal plan and purpose.
Scholarly interpretations vary greatly in their approach to the cosmology presented in Ephesians and Colossians. Some believe that the concepts are obsolete and need to be demythologized, that is, reinterpreted in terms that have meaning for the modern era. A good example is Barth, who understands these concepts as politicoeconomic structures of society rather than as cosmic intelligences (cf. notes on 1:21, 22). At the other extreme there is the position represented by Stott, who takes exception to the kind of interpretation given by Barth and others. Stott does not accept the view that Paul was referring to earthly social structures that are included in the redemptive activity of God. In his book God’s New Society, he provides a short history of the study of the principalities and powers (pp. 267–75) and makes a passionate appeal that readers of the NT understand them as supernatural beings rather than as “structures, institutions and traditions” (p. 273).
It is unclear what effect this revelation of God’s mystery through the church is to have upon these heavenly beings. All the text says is that through the church they might know the manifold wisdom of God. Are they objects of God’s redemptive activity, or are they merely cosmic spectators to a drama that is being worked out on earth through the church? The rest of the NT is silent on this subject, and only a few verses allude to some kind of intelligent activity among the angels (cf. 1 Cor. 4:9; 1 Pet. 1:12).
The author describes the unity of the church as the manifestation of the wisdom of God—wisdom to the extent that God’s divine purposes were being accomplished throughout all the “past ages” down to the present time. Only an all-wise God could bring hostile nations and powers together into a unified whole.
God’s wisdom, the author continues, is manifold. This is a translation of the Greek polypoikilos, which basically means “many-sided” or “varied forms” (NEB). God’s manifold wisdom is like looking through a kaleidoscope that reveals an amazing array of shapes and colors as one turns it gently; it is like beholding a marvelous tapestry that a designer has woven from a variety of different strands (Stott, p. 123). In this verse, the author has a magnificent vision of a triumphant and unified church that demonstrates the entire creative and redemptive purposes of God to all humanity (3:9) as well as to all cosmic powers (3:10).
3:11 The recent disclosure of God’s mystery was something that God had planned to do from eternity. In a way, the apostle is sharing a philosophy of history in which he sees each successive age as a further revelation of the eternal plan that God is working out for humanity. Many Christian writers have suggested that history be spelled His-story (cf. Stott, p. 127). The One who “chose us in him before the foundation of the world” (1:4, RSV) has now made that election possible in Christ Jesus our Lord.
As in the opening hymn, the author indicates that Christ is the agent through whom God accomplishes his purposes. Here he uses three specific titles for Christ: He is “the Christ,” that is, the Messiah for whom the Jews hoped; he is Jesus, the one whom the early Christians believed was historically present with them in the Incarnation; he is the Lord, who through death and resurrection has been exalted to the Father’s right hand.
When this verse states that God’s eternal purpose was accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, it implies that everything Christ did and said was important. The apostle is drawing attention to the entire Christ-event (incarnation-life-death-resurrection-exaltation), for in this, God accomplished his redemptive purpose for humankind. Ephesians 2:1–10 serves as a good commentary on how the apostle views the work of Christ as applied to the believer; 2:11–22 performs a similar function in showing how Jews and Gentiles are united in Christ to form his body. The church is a living testimony to the redemptive and unifying power of God on earth (3:9) as well as to all heavenly beings (3:10).
3:12 Lest the readers conclude that the God who worked out this eternal plan is somehow removed from the everyday affairs of mankind, the apostle turns to a practical concern and reminds them that their union with Christ grants them the privilege of communicating with God (in him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence). The words in Greek are “boldness” (parrēsia), “access” (prosagōgē), and confidence (pepoithēsis). Parrēsia is used in the NT in the context of speaking, such as boldness in proclaiming the gospel (Acts 4:31; Eph. 6:20; Phil. 1:20) and confidence in approaching God (Heb. 4:16; 10:19).
Christians have that boldness in approaching God because their faith and union with Christ have given them confidence. In Christ, all barriers have been removed that would keep the believer from approaching God openly and confidently. Christ has revealed the Father as one who has forgiven his children and who loves them. B. F. Westcott aptly comments that “the right of address and the right of access are coupled together as parts of the right of personal communion with God” (p. 49).
3:13 In this verse there appears to be an abrupt shift in the author’s thought, and he returns to his previous mention of being a prisoner (3:1). By reading between the lines one could get the impression that the Gentile congregations had become discouraged (enkakeō, “become weary,” “despair,” “lose heart,” “be afraid”) because their great spokesman had been imprisoned. Undoubtedly, much prayer went up to God on Paul’s behalf (Col. 4:18). It could be that his discussion on the revelation of God’s mystery and the reminder of the believer’s freedom in approaching God led him to encourage his readers not to become discouraged over the circumstances surrounding his imprisonment.
Most commentators draw attention to the fact that the Greek phrase is capable of a number of translations and meanings because the verb “do not be discouraged” (mē enkakein) does not have a subject. Consequently, it could read (a) “I ask that I may not be discouraged,” or (b) “I ask that ‘you’ not be discouraged.” The context of the passage, together with Paul’s positive attitude toward his sufferings (Rom. 5:3; 2 Cor. 12:10; Col. 1:24), suggests that the author’s concern is with the members of the Gentile congregations who may have become disheartened over Paul’s imprisonment. Consequently, they are once again reminded (cf. 3:1) that Paul is suffering on their behalf; but this time the author adds that it is for your benefit, literally, “for your glory” (doxa). The immediate benefit, or glory, is that through Paul’s ministry and subsequent imprisonment, the Gentiles have become members of Christ’s body. This, in turn, should prevent them from losing heart. It is doubtful that Ephesians is teaching that the sufferings of the martyrs are the glory of the church—a concept that developed in later centuries.
Additional Notes
3:2 For an extended discussion of the “mystery,” see R. E. Brown, The Semitic Background of the Term “Mystery” in the New Testament (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1968); A. E. Harvey, “The Use of Mystery Language in the Bible,” JTS n.s. 31 (1980), pp. 320–36.
3:10 There is additional discussion of these concepts in the commentary on Col. 1:16; 2:15, 20, and Eph. 1:21–22 and 6:12. See the bibliographies listed in notes on Eph. 1:21–22 and 6:12. Cf. also Caragounis, The Ephesians Mysterion, pp. 139–42; Beare, pp. 671–72; Stott, pp. 267–75.
