Do you know what makes a good teacher or a good instructor? Yes, there are a number of things that we could say to answer that question. We could say compassion, understanding, confidence, knowledge, etc. However, one of the most often overlooked qualities of a teacher is their ability to anticipate confusion. What do I mean by this? Say for example we were going to begin a Sunday School series on a set of very complex or controversial theological topics, I wouldn’t be a very effective teacher if I went into it with the expectation of simply giving you the information one time and expecting you to understand it. I would need to anticipate the difficulties that you might have and make preparations for them. Every teacher (no matter the subject) is knowledgeable, confident, etc., but it’s the ability to anticipate the difficulties and overcome them that separates one from another. Well, that is exactly what Paul is doing here in chapter 3. Think about what he has already dealt with here in this epistle in only two chapters. He’s talked about the work of the Trinity (chosen, redeemed, and sealed), he’s talked about what is granted to us in Christ, how all that is granted to us comes through faith, and that these riches and mercies aren’t just granted to a select nationality, but to all who profess saving faith in Christ. We spent a great deal of time talking last Sunday about how this last item was quite controversial to the people in Ephesus at this time. In fact, Paul was actually in Rome under house arrest at the time of his writing this epistle for teaching that very same thing. When Paul says that he is “a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles” he’s telling the truth. He was currently awaiting trial for speaking about the equality, in God’s eyes, that now existed between Jews and Gentiles. He was currently living the reality that these were some difficult and controversial matters that he was talking about.
Paul knew that he needed to explain a little more all that he had given them (and us) thus far. I’m sure that Paul was anticipating the leaders in the church reading this letter, looking at one another, and saying, “Surely Paul doesn’t mean what he just wrote about Jews and Gentiles being equal? There has to be some lasting difference right?” You see, Paul knew that the Ephesians were going to have some difficulty with this topic, just as numerous other groups had. He knew that there was going to be confusion and head-scratching. He even calls it a “mystery made known to him by revelation.” Now, the meaning of this word mystery isn’t what comes to mind when we hear the word today. This isn’t some Scooby Doo (I’ve got kids) mystery that must be solved. NO! The Greek word that we get the word mystery from actually means “something known or understood only by the initiated.” In other words, the gospel, the Christian faith, is only truly understood by those who have this saving faith. Others may know about Christians, but until they fully become one then there is much that isn’t known. I’ll be honest with y’all, most of the rest of this country looks at south Louisiana and the way of life here as a mystery. It’s not that something has to be solved, but something that until you become one (initiated), then it’s pretty confusing. After almost four years Amy and I are still confused about certain things on a regular basis. Or, and perhaps a better analogy, parenthood. You can’t describe to someone what it’s like to have a child that you’re responsible for. However, there is a sense and a feeling that you get from having a child of your own. In essence, once you’re initiated into parenthood, there is a revealing of the mystery of what it’s like to be a parent. That’s what Paul’s talking about here. He’s saying (and we’ll talk more about this later on) that it’s going to look odd to those outside of professing believers, but that’s normal.
To drive his point home even further, Paul says in verse 6, “This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” So, what is he saying here? And as I answer this, I’m going to substitute the title all Christians for Gentiles. And by all Christians, I mean those who truly profess saving faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Paul is saying that all Christians are heirs with Israel, co-heirs with Christ. He says that all Christians are members of the same body. It’s the same thing that we’ve said before in our look at this epistle about all Christians making up the body of Christ with no one more important than another, but with Christ as the head. And finally, Paul says that all Christians are partakers of the promise in Christ. Now, it’s important that it is promise singular; because that leaves no interpretation other than the promise of redemption that God made with Adam in the Garden and later repeated with Abraham in Genesis 12.
Now, before Paul simply says that things have changed and moves on to something else, he takes some time to reemphasize the importance of what he has just been teaching them about. He doesn’t want to give the impression that what he has said is only for informational purposes. Back when I taught high school biology my students would always ask me, “Coach Robinson, why do I need to know all this stuff? Why is it important that I know what role the mitochondria plays in the cell? What use is it for me to learn the steps of photosynthesis?” What made matters even worse was when they went home to their parents and their parents or grandparents would say they didn’t have a clue. They would come back and say, “My grandfather worked for 45 years and he said he’s never even heard of photosynthesis.” Well, Paul is trying to make sure that these Christians don’t just simply say, “Why does any of this matter? Why are we wasting time over this issue?” Think about what many folks like to do today. We like to say, “Well, God will sort all that out so I’m just not going to worry about it. I don’t know how I feel about it so I’m just going to push it aside and go about my business.” We tell ourselves that we’re just not getting bogged down, but in all honesty it’s more like we’re afraid of offending someone so we run and hide from questions and difficulties. I’m not talking about wrestling with difficult and complex issues, I’m talking about just not caring enough to put in the effort to try and gain some understanding. Paul’s not giving this information just to have something written down. He’s giving them this information because it is of use and importance to their spiritual growth.
Paul is telling these folks that this distinction (or should I say the abolition of this distinction) is something that is of such importance that his entire ministry is based on it. His entire ministry is about proclaiming the good news of Christ’s resurrection to those who were once thought to be outside of God’s covenant people. He says that not only is it his calling but that it is to be the calling of the Church as well. “Through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.” And I don’t want you to miss this ever so subtle use of the word manifold here in verse 10. God’s manifold wisdom, says the biblical scholar and precursor to the reformation, Erasmus, “regulates all things by amazing plans, through death bestowing life, through ignominy (disgrace) conducting to glory, through abasement (lowering) displaying the majesty of God.” God’s manifold wisdom, i.e. His plan of salvation, is now no longer for only a select nation, but is to be known world-wide. It’s no longer known by a small number, but has been made known to the entire world. In fact, it is to be known even beyond the ends of this world, in the heavenly places.
Paul is encouraging these Christians to not lose hope. Again, this might seem a little strange because as we’ve said before, things were going really well there at the church in Ephesus. The church was growing and there wasn’t really much strife that existed within the church. However, there did exist the possibility for strife and potential problems. Remember that I said a good teacher can anticipate the problems before they even arise. Paul’s brought up both the doctrine of predestination and the concept of God’s covenant promise being just as much for the Gentiles now as it is for the Jews. If there weren’t problems beforehand, Paul is doing a fine job of creating them isn’t he? I mean, if I wanted to start an argument within the church and I didn’t want it to be about paint colors or room temperatures then predestination and the non-exclusivity of the gospel are pretty good options. However, we can take Paul’s bringing these topics up along with his words about this epistle being for the benefit of the church and glean one thing from it. It is for our own good and our own benefit that we seek to gain an understanding of how God works. Don’t misunderstand what I’m saying, we will never fully know how and why God works the way that He does, at least not in this life, and maybe not after that. However, that should not stop us from striving to gain an understanding to the method in which He works.
We, Bible-believing, Christ-professing, God-fearing Christians, are part of this initiated group. We are, like Paul, one’s who have had this mystery revealed to us. Now, it may not have happened in a singular moment like we see with Paul. Maybe you’re like me and you just kind of realized after years and years of hearing someone teach or preach on the gospel, maybe the importance of what was being said finally dawned on you. However you came to know Christ, you are the possessor of a great gift. You are someone who has received the greatest and most precious gift that anyone could ever receive. Don’t waste it. Don’t just file your faith away and keep it as some dusty box that you only pull out during a time of trial or hardship. Let it be something that you use so often that it becomes part of you. Spend so much time growing in your relationship with God through prayer and Scripture reading and other wonderful resources, that your faith isn’t a part of who you are but is who you are. Your growth shouldn’t stop upon this mystery being revealed to you, but this mystery being revealed to you ought to cause your desire for growth to become insatiable.
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