What job is important enough that you would go to prison for it? In Ephesians 3:1–6, Paul writes about his role as one who administers God’s grace in the church, prefacing it with the reminder that he is a prisoner.
Look at how God’s grace has come to you. Paul’s calling was to administer God’s grace. Various peple work together to make a home, a household work. Paul has just spoken of the household of God. In a large household there was need for an administrator. And some of that function, especially as it concerned the Gentiles, fell to Paul. “For this reason” looks back to Ephesians 2:19–22. It is not enough that your salvation was planned from eternity (as Paul has mentioned in Ephesians 1), or that you were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. It is not enough that Christ died and was raised for your salvation. That salvation needs to be applied to you. You need to stand, not outside Christ, but in Christ. That is the work of the Holy Spirit. But what tools, what means does the Spirit use? The ordinary means of grace, usually administered through the church.
This administration of grace to the Gentiles is the reason for Paul’s imprisonment. Paul, from the time of his conversion, had been told that he would have to suffer for the sake of Christ (Acts 9:15–16). Now he reminds the Ephesians of his status as a prisoner, beginning a plea in Ephesians 3:1 that is interrupted, and is resumed in 4:1. Our text today (and for the next couple of Lord’s Days) is bracketed by that reference. In Ephesians 6:19–20, he agin brings up his imprisonement. The union between Christ and his people is so close, that to suffer for Christ’s people is to fill up what remains of Christ’s suffering. Paul deals with, but does not apologize, for his imprisonment.
“Catholicity must be precious to Christians, for it means submission to the Lord of the church. He alone can build it, and he chooses for his living stones not many wise, powerful, or wealthy. It is composed of losers — those who have lost everything for Christ’s sake, but have found everything in him.”
Edmund P. Clowney, The Church, p. 98
Live in the grace that Paul administered. God’s grace has brought you into his family. Grace is a free, unmerited gift. Paul talks about your having been dead in sin, not primarily to make you feel bad, but rather to appreciate the riches of God’s grace in Christ. He underlines that your salvation is by grace, through faith, not by works. Christ has broken down the wall of partition, and has made former enemies and aliens part of God’s family. This is mysterious, a mystery, as Paul keeps emphasizing. It is something that was concealed, not totally, but hinted at, but now has been made known. Isaiah 19 speaks of God’s judgment on Egypt, one of the traditional enemies of God’s people (remember that the Exodus from Egypt is the great picture of redemption n the Old Testament), but a judgment that resolves into Egypt being called blessed and joining Israel in worshiping the true God! The Ephesians had been enemies of God and his people, but now have been brought into his household. As an aside, note, as Steve Baugh points out, Paul’s statement that the Ephesians will be able to read (or listen to) what he has written. Apparently they will have a copy of this letter to keep for reference and future study.
Rejoice in the mystery of Christ, now revealed. The mystery had been hidden, but now has been made known. It has been made known by revelation. The Spirit revealed it to the holy apostles and prophets. To the church as been given the task of administering this mystery, of making the good news known. You have been made one body in Christ–that is worth celebrating.
“Biblical revelation has an essential unity: It has divine origin (2 Tim 3:16; Heb. 1:1–2), through the Spirit (Acts 1:16; Heb 10:15–16; 2 Pet 1:21), about Christ and his redemptive work (John 5:46; 1 Pet 1:10–12; Gal 3:8), and was sufficient to give the saints of old genuine faith into eschatological events Christ has inaugurated and guaranteed (Gal 3:9; Heb 11:13–16). Yet this revelation is not static because it is tied to redemptive accomplishment in history. As the history of God’s dealing with the human race unfolds, so does redemptive revelation. For this reason there is true development in revelation, and 3:5–6 is a demonstration of this. Until the Son of God came to unite all his people from the ends of he earth into a new human race, this union was clearly hinted at in previous generations but effectively hidden from ‘the sons of men’ (1 Cor 2:6–10;1 Pet 1:10–12 again).”
S. M. Baugh, Ephesians, p. 229
The administration carried out by Paul is good news, for as the church has continued that task, God’s grace has brought Christ to you, and you to Christ.