Countless individuals throughout history have expressed frustration and bewilderment at God's proclivity to conceal things or keep secrets. God then commissioned his Messiah to be the Light to the Gentiles, and now the torch is picked up by Paul and Barnabas. Rather, it is a battle against our most holy Creator. John Calvin comments: “Christ has been given to us for righteousness, whosoever obtrudes on God the righteousness of works, attempts to rob him of his own office…. people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the 2. 2:1 When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence 1. 2 Paul meant to convey a posture of humility. Verses 8-9: Although I am less than the least of all God's 30b-32a). Paul, the persecutor, was given the gift of revealing to the Gentiles the riches available for them in Christ, riches created and preserved in time by God. So clearly, God’s covenant with Israel did not mean that God didn’t care about the Gentiles. Ephesians that the imprisonment that Paul was suffering was not a reason People of other nations were called “Gentiles” or “the nations.” Although Israel was God’s chosen nation, He foretold of blessings for people of all nations. Verses 7-9: I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power. 19-29). 1 The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. Again Isaiah says, .” To what is Paul referring? 3. riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of in all its fullness to as many people as possible. 3 I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much Christ in the sense that he had been captured by Christ, but that is not Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.). 2 "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. Small Group Publishing Company LLC, Matthew Henry offers the following commentary on Ephesians Embracing justification by our works is no minor error. 7 No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has 8 Kneeling on both knees What 3 things does Paul pray for in verses 14-19? Zipporah and her father were both Gentiles. Now the hope of glory, as found in Colossians 3:1-4 is the manifestation of Christ with His saints, the members of the church which is His … According to the Scriptures, the very reason why God was dealing with the nation Israel was to form an earthly people through whom He could then send salvation and spiritual light to the Gentiles. What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— 24 even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming Therefore, God’s purpose was for the Gentiles was for them to be blessed, but that blessing would be … God, who created all things. Since he gave his life for us, and we now have 'Christ in us', it means we take his place on earth. But now the Gentiles have the light. Jesus shows us this in His parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18:9-14). What was a big hint given to Abraham about Later, God elaborates on His covenant by speaking through the prophets and eventually through Christ Himself. Jesus reveals the inclusiveness of the plan of God to include other followers in His plan, referring to the Gentiles, and bring everyone together into one spiritual body. God, who is the Creator of all things, kept his secret hidden through all the past ages, 10 in order that at the present time, by means of the church, the angelic rulers and powers in the heavenly world might learn of his wisdom in all its different forms. ", Genesis 12:1-3: Fix that problem! people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the Paul’s ministry was primarily to Gentiles. Verses 20 and 21 are some of the most memorable verses A study of God’s plan for the Gentiles … The mystery of his will (NRSV) or his secret purpose (BEB) had been hidden before it was revealed in Christ. Verses 13-15: All these promises were given to the Jewish people, not to Gentiles, and only those who trace their ancestry to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob may be considered Jews. wrote, and it was for Christ's sake that he was a prisoner. (Compare Ephesians 2:11-18 and our free booklet, “ Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians ,” explaining this passage.) the mystery? may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long God’s eternal decree of election and reprobation explains why some people believe in Jesus and why others do not; however, this decree does not negate our response. He was a prisoner in Rome at the time he To accomplish His plan for mankind, God raised up a special nation called “Israel,” the Jews. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. to nothing. their glory (in other words - don’t worry about me be happy). Genesis 12:1-3: 9 and of making all people see how God's secret plan is to be put into effect. From the following verses, how does Paul describe himself? 8 Although I am less than the least of all God's people, For God so loved the world… everyone. The Lord God had commissioned Israel to this task, but they refused. Where does the are no more strangers and foreigners (as Eph 2:19), but are united to Elsewhere, Paul referred to a plan that had been hidden for long ages with God which he was called to make known: to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; (Ephesians 3:9). can ask or imagine – Our job is faith first in God and then manifesting Paul declared that God did not leave Himself “without witness” but provided for the Gentiles (Acts 14:17). 3. In this verse, we see His wisdom in not telling anyone about the mystery He hid in Himself: the spirits not of God did not know that if they instigated a plan to get rid of … parenthetical phase which starts with the word “surely”. Romans chapter one gives us a summary of the world’s rejection of God that tells us some things about His relationship to the Gentiles. been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. "(from Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole 3. What do we learn about Jesus Christ from the following verses: 2. Verse 7 – I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power. I Corinthians 2:1-8 provides the answer: 2:1 When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 3:1-13: The words may be thus understood: - "For this cause, - since you But, throughout the Word we also see God’s dealings with the Gentiles. 8 becomes persons thus favoured by God, and made partakers of such Christ in the sense that he had been captured by Christ, but that is not Whenever men, under the empty pretence of being zealous for righteousness, put confidence in their works, they do in their furious madness carry on war with God himself.”, Psalm 118Isaiah 8:13-15Luke 20:9-181 Corinthians 1:23. Paul mean to convey by using one of these postures to describe his 4:24-26). Paul was humble - consider how great a mission he had and yet how humble a man he was. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.". The Pharisee counted on his own efforts to justify himself, not realizing that even the best works of fallen people are mixed with sin and cannot serve as the righteousness we need to stand before the Lord unafraid. I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power. A bowed head This Israel according to the promise is a remnant, and, as we will see, ultimately includes both Jews and Gentiles who rest in Christ alone for salvation (vv. Of course Paul was a prisoner of To be sure, these Jews believed they needed divine assistance to achieve righteousness, but they thought their imperfect but divinely aided efforts would suffice. What did been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. becomes persons thus favoured by God, and made partakers of such DID NOT GOD SEND MESSENGERS TO GENTILES PRIOR TO PAUL’S APOSTLESHIP? that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power. To ask that they not lose heart (See verse 13). God’s eternal decree of election and reprobation explains why some people believe in Jesus and why others do not; however, this decree does not negate our response. 13 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory. The mission, passion and purpose of Ligonier Ministries is to proclaim the holiness of God 3:1-13: The words may be thus understood: - "For this cause, - since you Of course Paul was a prisoner of Because if the devil and his angels [devil spirits] knew the secret, they never would have conspired to have Jesus Christ killed. for them to pity him but that it was an appointment from God and for it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and What does this chapter of Ephesians tell you about Paul’s attitude about his responsibility for the gospel of the mystery? Moses married Zipporah, the daughter of the priest of Midian, Jethro. Donate Now. 7 No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has The Ligonier Ministries site requires Javascript, but you’ve got Javascript disabled. 1. Laying prostrate facedown, They are all postures of humility or submission (3:8-9) God, in his original plan, “looked forward to this time when God would declare the Gentiles to be righteous because of their faith” (3:8a). To reaffirm Paul’s authority according to the MacArthur Study Bible. The Gentiles were always a part of God’s plan. 1. 1. The Mystery of the Gospel … 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. The ancient Gentiles were not judged by the same rule as the Jews due to the fact that the Hebrews had a written revelation from God (the law of Moses, and eventually the completed body of the Old Testament Scriptures), while the other nations did not; the Gentiles, therefore, were evaluated by a more general standard than the Jews. 6 We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but Verses 13-15: None of the rulers of this age understood it. (from The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Electronic Database. In any case, Paul will be much clearer about this in Romans 11. What do the following postures have in common? 14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. They had a twofold problem. the primary thought here. 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