Ephesians 3:8-10

Day 23

“To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 3:8-10

The Message of Paul
In Ephesians 3:8-10, Paul identified two main facets to his preaching ministry.  First, he preached in order to disclose to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ.  Paul detailed these riches in chapters 1 and 2.  We are chosen in Christ to be holy and blameless.  We are predestined in Christ to be adopted into the family of God.  Christ redeemed us through His death, thus providing for the forgiveness of sins.  Christ also secured our inheritance.  We have the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit to authenticate the work of Christ in our lives.  We were dead but God made us alive by grace through faith in Christ.  We were once alienated from God, but in Christ we have been brought into a close relationship with God and have continuous access to Him.  We have also been brought into one family, the church.  These glorious benefits dominated the preaching ministry of Paul, just as they dominated much of his letters like Ephesians.  Beyond his preaching concerning the riches that are ours in Christ, he also preached in order to reveal the previously unknown, mystery of God.  Paul preached to reveal the once hidden mystery of God that has now been disclosed, that Jews and Gentiles are one in Christ, united together in one church, with one authority, Jesus Christ. 

The reason Paul preached both of these messages was “so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.”  The wisdom of God runs deep and wide.  Paul preached these two fundamental messages to the Gentiles so that God’s incredible wisdom, displayed in His plan of salvation and His design of the church, would become known.  In particular, Paul’s preaching had the effect of displaying the innumerable aspects of the wisdom of God seen in salvation and the church.  God glorified His name through the incredible plan to unveil His wisdom through the gift of salvation, especially salvation for both Jews and Gentiles. 

The phrase “to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places” gives us a bit of theological challenge.  Who are these rulers and authorities?  Earthly rulers and authorities seem unlikely given the prepositional phrase “in the heavenly places.”  A second option, it could be angelic beings.  If so, the revelation of the divine plan of God in salvation and the church was being disclosed to the angels through the ministry of Paul.  However, a similar statement can be found in chapter 6 when Paul discussed spiritual warfare.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.  (Ephesians 6:12)  The third option: Paul’s preaching revealed the wisdom of God to demonic forces.  The language would invoke Ephesians 2:1-2 when Gentiles used to live “according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.”  What would be the motive of declaring such amazing truths to demonic foes.  “These evil spiritual forces that stand in opposition to God will come to know the reality of God’s multifaceted wisdom.  His wisdom does not spell only the blessings of the nations, but God’s outsmarting and outmaneuvering of these competing powers.”  (Pillar New Testament Commentary, Ephesians, Campbell)

Suggested Prayer:  God, Your wisdom is on display all around us.  The creation displays Your wisdom as the Master designer.  Your salvation displays Your amazing plan of grace in kindness toward us.  Your church reflects Your wisdom of bringing all people into Your family through faith in Your Son.  Help me to see, know, understand, and enjoy these truths.  Amen.

Ephesians