Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Ephesians 3
Ephesians 3:6This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
This is the heart of the chapter, showing that God has removed the walls between different groups of people to make them one body.Ephesians 3:12in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.
Because of what Jesus did, we don't have to be afraid to talk to God. We can come to Him with total confidence.Ephesians 3:20Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,
This reminds us that our prayers and dreams are never too big for God, because His power is already working inside us.
Historical & Cultural Context
A Prisoner with a Powerful Message
Paul writes from a prison cell, but he doesn't focus on his chains. Instead, he focuses on his stewardship, which is his job of managing the message of grace for people who aren't Jewish. He explains that God showed him a mystery - a secret truth that wasn't fully understood in the past but is now out in the open. This revelation changed everything about how people relate to God.
From Secret Plans to Sacred Prayer
The scene shifts from Paul's personal calling to a powerful prayer for his readers. Paul literally drops to his knees to ask God to fill the believers with inner strength and a deep sense of Christ's love. He ends with a famous shout of praise, reminding us that God can do way more than we could ever dream up. It is a transition from explaining the plan to experiencing the Person behind it.
The Revelation of the Mystery and Paul's Prayer
In Ephesians 3:1-21, Paul pauses his letter to explain his specific mission to the non-Jewish world. He describes how God revealed a long-hidden secret and then prays that the believers would be spiritually strong enough to handle the massive scale of God's love.
The Secret is Out (Ephesians 3:1-6)
1 For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles -
2 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you,
3 how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly.
4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ.
5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.
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.
Commentary:
God has opened the doors of His family to everyone through the gospel.
A Humble Messenger (Ephesians 3:7-13)
7 Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power.
8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things,
so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord,
12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.
13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.
Commentary:
Paul humbly shares God's riches so the church can show God's wisdom to the world.
Related Verse Analysis
A Prayer for Power and Love (Ephesians 3:14-19)
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,
15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,
16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith - that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Commentary:
Paul prays for believers to be filled with the strength to experience Christ's infinite love.
God Can Do More (Ephesians 3:20-21)
20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,
21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Commentary:
God’s power in us is limitless and deserves eternal praise.
The Unsearchable Riches of Christ's Plan
The Mystery of Inclusion
For a long time, people thought God's blessings were only for one specific group, but Paul reveals that God's secret is that everyone is invited. This means no one is an outsider in God's kingdom if they follow Jesus, regardless of their background.
The Purpose of the Church
The church is a living demonstration of God's manifold wisdom. Even spiritual beings in the heavenly places look at the church to see how God brings diverse people together in peace and unity.
The Dimensions of Love
Paul uses physical measurements - breadth, length, height, and depth - to describe Christ's love. He wants us to see that this love is big enough to cover every part of our lives and every corner of the world.
Living Out the Mystery of Grace
Since Ephesians 3:6 says we are all members of the same body, it means there is no room for prejudice or exclusion. You are called to see every person as someone God wants to include in His family, breaking down the walls we often build between ourselves and others.
Being rooted means your stability comes from knowing you are loved by God, like a tree gets its strength from deep roots, as mentioned in Ephesians 3:17. When life gets hard, you don't have to shake because you know your foundation is built on Christ's unchanging affection for you.
It means you can stop playing it safe with your prayers and start asking for the impossible as described in Ephesians 3:20. You can trust that even when you don't have the words, God's power is already working in you to bring about better results than you could imagine.
God's Secret Plan is for Everyone
Paul reveals that God’s ancient secret is finally out: everyone is invited into His family. Through the church, God displays His incredible wisdom to the entire universe. The message is clear: you are part of a massive, loving plan that is powered by God’s own Spirit, inviting you to experience a love that goes beyond human understanding.
What This Means for Us Today
God invites us into a love that is too big to fully understand but real enough to change our lives. Paul’s prayer is that we would stop trying to figure it out on our own and start living in the power of Christ’s presence.
- Where do you need to trust God's power to do more than you can think or ask today?
- How can you help someone else feel included in God's family this week?
- What would change if you truly believed you were rooted and grounded in Christ's love?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
Explains how we were once far away from God but have been brought near through the cross.
Moves from the theory of unity to the practical ways we should live together as one body.
Connections Across Scripture
A parallel passage that also discusses the mystery of Christ being revealed to the world.
A similar hymn of praise regarding the depth of God's wisdom and His unsearchable ways.
Discussion Questions
- Paul calls himself a prisoner of Christ Jesus. How does his perspective on his suffering change the way we look at our own hard times?
- If the church is supposed to show God's wisdom to the heavenly rulers, how are we doing at showing that wisdom through our unity today?
- Which dimension of Christ's love - breadth, length, height, or depth - do you find hardest to believe for yourself right now?