Ephesians- Chapter 3- Lesson 1- Verses 1-5- For This Cause

Chapter 3
Verse 1
I) For this cause- Paul has been discussing the making of one new man in Christ Jesus, it is for this that the apostle is grateful.  Though he loved his fellow Israelites and longed to preach to them and see them saved, he knew God had specifically given him the duty of carrying the gospel to the Gentiles.  Now he says this duty (and no doubt love) demands action which will be mentioned in verse 14-19.
II) I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
A) Indeed Paul was a prisoner, he was in a Roman prison at the time of writing this epistle.
B) He was indeed in prison for the Jesus Christ, for it was the preaching of the resurrection that lead to this imprisonment.
C) He was indeed in prison because he had reached out to the Gentiles and thus accused in the Temple of trying to destroy the Law of Moses. Acts 21: 27-31.
D) Yet he was a prisoner in a far deeper sense, in Acts 9 while on the road to Damascus to persecute the Christians there, he was conquered by Jesus Christ and taken captive by the power of mercy and grace.
E) God in saving Paul had a purpose for his life found also in Acts 9, to bear the gospel to the Gentiles.  God showed mercy to one bitterly opposed to the gospel with the purpose of showing mercy to those who for so long had sat in darkness, hated by the one who now brought them the good news.
III) For you Gentiles- One cannot help but think of the words written to the Philippians, in chapter 1, verse 12 Paul tells them that these things (imprisonment) had happened to him for the furtherance of the gospel.
Let us learn 3 lessons from this statement.
1) God does allow bad things to happen even when we are serving Him faithfully.
2) That bad things that happen to us can be beneficial to us and others.
3) Knowing the first 2 truths should help us to rejoice in all things.
a) One reason to rejoice for Paul, was that the Gospel of Christ was laid open for inspection (as the word manifest suggests) in the palace there in Rome. Philippians 1: 13
b) Paul’s boldness in bonds gave others courage to speak out and proclaim the Gospel. Philippians 1: 14
c) The bonds may have stopped a busy preaching campaign but they opened an opportunity to write.  Many of the great truths we enjoy today recorded in the Word of God would have never been penned if God had not at some point stopped the Apostle’s busy schedule and given him time to ponder deeply these things and thus record them.
Verse 2
I) If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given me to youward. Now begins a digression that continues to verse 14.
A) If ye have heard, many in Ephesus no doubt had been saved since Paul’s visit and may not know the testimony of Christ’s appearance to him on the road to Damascus and thus his calling to the Gentiles.
B) For this reason Paul reminds them that he had written before of this, see verse 3 (as I wrote afore in a few words).
C) Dispensation has to do with the administration of a household. Things are carried out in a certain way.  While man has always been saved by faith, the approach to God has not always been the same.
1) Before the law each man as head of his household brought an offering of blood.
2) During the law each individual brought his offering to the priest who interceded for them as God’s representative to the people.
3) In this dispensation of grace, each individual comes by the merits of Jesus Christ who is the fulfilment of the types of the first two.
4) While this may be an over simplification to the dispensations, it give us an idea of what they are.
II) Given to you-ward- cf 1 Corinthians 9: 16-17. Here Paul states a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto him. Another idea in the word dispensation is that of stewardship.  In the running of a household each servant has certain duties. His failure to be faithful to his task is an embarrassment to his master.  This same idea is in the word “called” which is often used of the saints.  The thought being that we are summonsed to both the privileges and duties of sainthood. Being a child of royalty carries a certain amount of responsibility.
Verse 3
I) How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery.
A) This revelation may be hinted at in Galatians 1: 15-17.
B) This revelation is not the Gospel, but the church of which he spake in chapter 2, the making of one new man, and the building of a temple for God’s habitation.
C) Mystery; a hidden truth, it has always been in the plan of God, but is only revealed when its time has come.
II) As I wrote before- Unless he here refers to what we call the Epistle to the Galatians, this letter is lost.  These letters would most likely be circulated among the churches. See Colossians 4: 16.
Verse 4
Whereby when you read… Paul wanted his readers to be sure he was not just pumping their morale, so he refers them to a previous testimony that will give them understanding of how he came to these truths.  It was not deduced, but revealed.
Verse 5
I) Which in other ages (generations) was not made known unto the sons of men. To each generation God revealed certain truths and man was expected to respond to the light given them.
II) As it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.
A) This is not a progressive revelation. 1 Corinthians 13 speaks of that which is perfect, the Word of God. With the canonization of the Scripture and really before (as all the books included in the canon were completed long before they were recognized as such by the churches) the revelation was completed and the gift of knowledge vanished. Today we are commanded to study. 2 Timothy 2: 15.
III) By the Spirit- Jesus promised that the Comforter or Holy Ghost would guide them into all truth. John 16: 13.