Ian & Jocelyn Barker

He has given us the gift of gifted and anointed men who are able to help equip us, so that the church is built up until we come into the fullness of Christ. Because of the leadership in the body, we are able to be strong and mature in our walks. We are not children tossed around by the waves of delusion and lies that come against us every day. |inline

As Paul continues to provoke the church in Ephesus to unity, he sets forth a clear statement that is both offensive and beautiful. It is offensive because he uses the word “one”, pointing to exclusivity, seven times in these three verses. But it is beautiful because it demonstrates that God is the only God and He rules over all. |inline

It has often been observed that chapters 1-3 are identifying who we are. Not only individually in Christ, but also as the body of Christ as Jew and Gentile. In chapters 4-6, Paul takes this understanding and shows how we are to live with each other because of who we are. That certainly makes sense since Paul starts chapter 4 by saying, “Therefore.” The classic question is, What is the “therefore” there for? |inline

Paul ends his doxology and prayer by saying, “to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” The Father has chosen to show forth His glory through His church, which is both Jew and Gentile in Christ, and through His Son Christ Jesus. Before He went to the cross, Jesus prayed, “Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was” (Jn. 17:5). Jesus was glorified because He was obedient unto death, and so He has been given the name that is above every other name (Phil. 2:5-11). |inline

Paul often give a doxology, which is a short hymn of praise to God. He does it here in verses 20-21 to express the greatness of God’s power to work that which Paul has just prayed. If you found yourself in disbelief when reading or praying this, do not worry, you have God on your side. |inline

As I’ve been going through Ephesians, and also studying 1 Corinthians, I’ve been struck by how much Paul’s theology revolves around community. Ben Witherington writes, “One of the great challenges to understanding Paul’s thought is the relationship between the one and the many: Paul affirms both, holding them in tension. To be a Christian is to be a member of the body of Christ, not an isolated saved individual.” |inline

Paul has been asking that the Father would strengthen the hearts of His people with faith, so that Christ would dwell in their hearts. He wants the saints in Ephesus and elsewhere to be conformed to the image of the Son. Now he will ask that they would be able to comprehend the greatness and infiniteness of the love of Christ. |inline

Paul has been imprisoned for the mystery of Christ, which is the breaking down of the dividing wall of hostility between Jew and Gentile. Now he begins to pray, “For this reason…” For what reason? You have to go back to 2:19-22. He is kneeling before the Father because Gentiles have now been grafted into the heritage of the Jews, and together they are growing into being “a dwelling of God in the Spirit.” |inline

I’ve been thinking about the wisdom of God because it comes up so prominently in Ephesians 3 and I have been reading 1 Corinthians as well and it’s a big topic in that letter as well. It brings me to question what exactly is the wisdom of God. |inline

Paul was given a special grace, or an assignment, to preach to the Gentiles and to offer to them the way of salvation. He was a Pharisee of Pharisees, which meant that he saw Gentiles as the enemies of God. But now, he has been called to preach to the Gentiles. He is preaching a mystery that was in God’s heart from eternity past, but is now being disclosed in the preaching of Christ. The essence of this mystery is that God is moving towards reconciling all things in His Son. |inline