Ephesians 3:1–21
Anchor Passage: Ephesians 3:1–21
Name: ___________________________________ Date: _______________
Scripture quoted from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB) unless otherwise noted.
Every passage of Scripture has one intended meaning — the author's. There may be many applications, but only one meaning. Today's question is: what was Paul trying to say in Ephesians 3 — before we ask what it means to us?
Every author — including Paul — has one thing he is trying to communicate in a given passage. The One-Meaning Guardrail says: find that one intended meaning first. Your personal application is not wrong. But your personal application cannot replace the author's original intention. Faithful Bible reading begins by asking: what was Paul saying to his first readers? Only after we have answered that question are we ready to ask: what does that mean for us?
Before you read the passage, notice something unusual. Paul begins a sentence in verse 1:
"For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles . . ."
He never finishes it. He interrupts himself — for 13 verses — to explain his apostolic calling and the mystery of the gospel. Then, in verse 14, he picks up where he left off:
". . . for this reason I bow my knees before the Father . . ."
The ellipsis (". . .") in the BSB text signals this interruption. Verses 2–13 are a parenthetical — Paul cannot pray the prayer without first explaining who he is and why he is the one praying it. Watch for this as you read. When you see it, you are doing real literary observation.
Part 1 — The Mystery Revealed (3:1–13)
For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles . . .
2 Surely you have heard about the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets. 6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus.
7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace, given me through the working of His power. 8 Though I am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to illuminate for everyone the stewardship of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. 10 His purpose was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to the eternal purpose that He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
12 In Him and through faith in Him we may enter God's presence with boldness and confidence. 13 So I ask you not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.
— Ephesians 3:1–13 (BSB)
My observations from Part 1:
Part 2 — Prayer for Fullness (3:14–21)
. . . for this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I ask that out of the riches of His glory He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. Then you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 will have power, together with all the saints, to comprehend the length and width and height and depth 19 of the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
— Ephesians 3:14–21 (BSB)
My observations from Part 2:
The Greek word Paul uses for "mystery" in Ephesians 3 is mystērion. In the ancient mystery religions of the Greco-Roman world, a mystērion was a secret ritual revealed only to initiated insiders — knowledge hoarded by the few. But Paul uses the word very differently: this mystery was hidden throughout the ages not because God was concealing it, but because the appointed time for its full disclosure had not come. The mystery Paul announces — that Gentiles are co-heirs with Israel in Christ — was not invented in the New Testament. It was the secret embedded in the very structure of the Old Testament covenant and prophecy, waiting for Christ to make it fully visible. What Moses and the prophets shadowed, Paul now names. When you hear "mystery" in the New Testament, think not of a secret kept from you — but of a secret kept for you, until the right moment.
"Paul prays that you would be 'rooted and established in love... able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width, length, height, and depth of Christ's love — and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.' What would it mean for your daily life if you genuinely believed that prayer was already being answered for you — right now, in this room?"
My response:
Before Session 7:
Command words I found in Ephesians 4:1–32: _______