EXEGESIS AND EXPOSITION OF EPHESIANS 3:5 Pastor William E. Wenstrom Jr. WENSTROM BIBLE MINISTRIES Huntsville, AL 35801 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries Exegesis and Exposition of Ephesians 3:5 Original Text of Ephesians 3:1-5 Ephesians 3:1 Τούτου χάριν ἐγὼ Παῦλος ὁ δέσμιος τοῦ Χριστοῦ [Ἰησοῦ] ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν τῶν ἐθνῶν 2 — εἴ γε ἠκούσατε τὴν οἰκονομίαν τῆς χάριτος τοῦ θεοῦ τῆς δοθείσης μοι εἰς ὑμᾶς, 3 [ὅτι] κατὰ ἀποκάλυψιν ἐγνωρίσθη μοι τὸ μυστήριον, καθὼς προέγραψα ἐν ὀλίγῳ, 4 πρὸς ὃ δύνασθε ἀναγινώσκοντες νοῆσαι τὴν σύνεσίν μου ἐν τῷ μυστηρίῳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, 5 ὃ ἑτέραις γενεαῖς οὐκ ἐγνωρίσθη τοῖς υἱοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὡς νῦν ἀπεκαλύφθη τοῖς ἁγίοις ἀποστόλοις αὐτοῦ καὶ προφήταις ἐν πνεύματι. (NA28) The Mystery was Not Disclosed in Previous Generations Ephesians 3:1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles— 2 if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 that by revelation the divine secret was made known to me, as I wrote before briefly. 4 When reading this, you will be able to understand my insight into this secret of Christ. 5 Now this secret was not disclosed to people in former generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. (NET) “Now this secret was not disclosed to people in former generations” is composed of the following: (1) nominative neuter singular form of the relative pronoun hos (ὅς), “this” (2) dative feminine plural form of the adjective heteros (ἕτερος), “former” (3) dative feminine plural form of the noun genea (γενεά), “in generations” (4) emphatic negative adverb ou (οὔ), “not” (5) third person singular aorist passive indicative conjugation of the verb gnōrizō (γνωρίζω), “was disclosed” (6) articular dative masculine plural form of the noun huios (υἱός), “to people” (7) articular genitive masculine plural form of the noun anthrōpos (ἄνθρωπος), “to people.” We begin our exegesis and exposition of Ephesians 3:5 by noting the nominative neuter singular form of the relative pronoun hos (ὅς), which pertains to a relative reference to any entity, event, or state, either occurring overtly in the immediate context or clearly implied in the discourse setting. The referent of this word is the articular nominative neuter singular form of the noun mustērion (μυστήριον), “the mystery,” which appears in Ephesians 3:3-4, which is indicated by the fact that they agree in gender (neuter) and number (singular). The content of this mystery is that Gentile and Jewish church age believers are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise with Jewish church age believers because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and union and identification with 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 1 Him. So therefore, notice that this mystery or divine secret not known to Old Testament prophets not only refers to the doctrine that Gentile and Jewish church age believers are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise with Jewish church age believers but also it refers to the reason why this is the case, namely, because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and union and identification with Him. Now, in Ephesians 3:5, we have the noun genea (γενεά), which is related to the verb ginomai and primarily means “coming into existence or birth” and is derived from the root gen-. From the meaning of ginomai the idea of “that which is born” or “family” developed. With reference to persons, genea refers to a “race” or “family.” Thus it has many associated definitions depending upon the context such as “generation, descendant, offspring.” It is also used in connection with time or place meaning “birthplace,” or with the preposition ek, “from,” it can denote “time of birth.” The noun genea (γενεά) in its general usage means “birth, descent” 1 It can mean “race” in the sense of those bound by common descent. 2 The word can be translated “generation.”3 Those born at the same time constitute a generation (“three generations of men are a hundred years,” Herodotus 2, 142). Associated with this is the meaning: the body of one’s contemporaries, an age. The noun genea (γενεά) appears 221 times in the LXX and is used primarily to translate the Hebrew terms dor and dar. It appears in such formulas as “this is an ordinance for the generations in the dispensations to come” (e.g., Lv. 3:17; 6:18 [LXX 6:11]; Nm. 10:8; 15:15; cf. Esther 10:3). In another temporal understanding, genea, in the phrase “from generation to generation” (especially in the Psalms), suggests “continuity” or “steadfastness” either of God (e.g., Ps. 33:11 [LXX 32:11]; 45:17 [44:17]; cf. Ps. 78:8 [LXX 77:8]) or of individuals (Ps. 72:5 [LXX 71:5]). A generation in Israel was the current population (or past). On numerous occasions an entire generation was indicated by God and fell under divine discipline (e.g., Ps. 78:8 [LXX 77:8]; Jer. 8:3). The noun genea (γενεά) occurs 43 times in the Greek New Testament. It appears 34 times in the Synoptic Gospels alone, five times in the book of Acts (Acts 2:40; 8:33; 13:36; 14:16; 15:21), and five times in the Pauline corpus (Eph. 3:5, 21; Phil. 2:15; Col. 1:26; Heb. 3:10). Louw and Nida list the following NT meanings for the word: (1) people living at the same time and belonging to the same reproductive age-class. 4 (2) an ethnic group 1 Homer Iliad 23, 471: apo geneas, “from birth,” Xenophon Cyrop. I, 2, 8; “what is born, progeny, descendant.” 2 Polybius XX, 6, 6 3 Homer Iliad 6, 146 Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains volume 2 page 121 4 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 2 exhibiting cultural similarities.5 (3) successive following generations of those who are biologically related to a reference person.6 (4) an indefinite period of time, but in close relationship to human existence and in some contexts, a period of time about the length of a generation.7 BDAG, Third Edition lists the following meanings: ① those exhibiting common characteristics or interests, race, kind gener. as in Lk 16:8 εἰς τὴν γ. τὴν ἑαυτῶν the people of the world are more prudent in relation to their own kind than are those who lay claim to the light (difft. GBeasley-Murray, A Commentary on Mk 13, ’57, 99–102). ② the sum total of those born at the same time, expanded to include all those living at a given time and freq. defined in terms of specific characteristics, generation, contemporaries (Hom. et al.; BGU 1211, 12 [II B.C.] ἕως γενεῶν τριῶν); Jesus looks upon the whole contemp. generation of Israel as a uniform mass confronting him ἡ γ. αὕτη (cp. Gen 7:1; Ps 11:8) Mt 11:16; 12:41f; 23:36; 24:34; Mk 13:30; Lk 7:31; 11:29–32, 50f; 17:25; 21:32 (EGraesser, ZNW Beih. 22,2 ’60). S. also 1 above. This generation is characterized as γ. ἄπιστος καὶ διεστραμμένη Mt 17:17; Mk 9:19 D; Lk 9:41; ἄπιστος Mk 9:19; πονηρά Mt 12:45; 16:4 D; Lk 11:29; πονηρὰ κ. μοιχαλίς Mt 12:39; 16:4; μοιχαλὶς καὶ ἁμαρτωλός Mk 8:38 (JGuillet, RSR 35, ’48, 275–81). Their contemporaries appeared to Christians as γ. σκολιὰ καὶ διεστραμμένη (the latter term as Mt 17:17; Mk 9:19 v.l.; Lk 9:41, the former Ac 2:40; cp. Ps 77:8) Phil 2:15 (Dt 32:5).—Cp. Wsd 3:19. A more favorable kind of γ. is mentioned in Ps 23:6; 111:2; 1QS 3:14.—The desert generation Hb 3:10 (Ps 94:10). ἰδίᾳ γ. ὑπηρετήσας after he had served his own generation Ac 13:36; γ. ἡμῶν 1 Cl 5:1; αἱ πρὸ ἡμῶν γ. 19:1; πρώτη γ. the first generation (of Christians) Hs 9, 15, 4 (Paus. 7, 4, 9 τετάρτῃ γενεᾷ=in the fourth generation). ③ the time of a generation, age (as a rule of thumb, the time between birth of parents and the birth of their children; since Hdt. 2, 142, 2; Dionys. Hal. 3, 5 6 7 Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains volume 2 page 112 Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains volume 2 page 115 Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains volume 2 page 648 . as in gener. gener. = generally . GBeasley-Murra difft. difft. = different(ly) y, A Commentary on Murray Murray = JM. et al., A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles—List 6 . defined in terms of specific freq. freq. = frequent(ly) m. et al Hom Hom , VIII B.C.—List 5 .; BG et al. et al. = et alii (and others) U 1211, 12 [II BGU BGU = Aegyptische Urkunden aus den Museen zu Berlin: Griechische Urkunden—List 4 . Gen 7:1; Ps 11:8) cp. cp. = compare, freq. in ref. to citation fr. ancient texts W Beih. 22, ZNW ZNW = Zeitschrift für die ntl. Wissenschaft—List 6 D; D D = Didache, except that in a list of manuscripts or as textual variant D refers to Codex Bezae—List 1 D; D D = Didache, except that in a list of manuscripts or as textual variant D refers to Codex Bezae—List 1 R 35, RSR RSR = Recherches de science religieuse—List 6 .; v.l. v.l. = varia lectio (variant reading) . Ps 77:8) cp. cp. = compare, freq. in ref. to citation fr. ancient texts S 3:14. 1QS 1QS = The Manual of Discipline—List 2, end l 5:1; 1 Cl 1 Cl = 1 Clement—List 1 s 9, 15, 4 (Pau Hs Hs = Similitudes s. 7, 4, 9 Paus Paus , perieg., II A.D.—List 5 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 3 15; Gen 50:23; Ex 13:18; 20:5; EpJer 2; Philo, Mos. 1, 7; Jos., Ant. 5, 336; SibOr 3, 108). Here the original sense gradually disappears, and the mng. ‘a period of time’ remains. ⓐ of periods of time defined in terms of a generation: age, generation Mt 1:17 (a similar list of numbers in Hellanicus [400 B.C.]: 323a, Fgm. 22a Jac. ἐννέα γενεαῖς ὕστερον … ἓξ γενεαῖς ὕστερον … τρισὶ γενεαῖς ὕστερον; Just., D. 92, 5 γενεαὶ ἀνθρώπων; Tat. 41, 1 μιᾷ τῶν Τρωϊκῶν προγενέστερος … γενεᾷ [of Heracles]); Lk 1:48; 1 Cl 50:3; ἐν γενεᾷ καὶ γ. (Ps 44:18; 89:1) in one generation after the other 7:5. ⓑ of an undefined time period of time gener. εἰς γενεὰς καὶ γενεάς (Ps 48:12; 88:2 al.; Just., D. 92, 2 μετὰ τοσαύτας γ.) to all ages Lk 1:50 (v.l. εἰς γενεὰς γενεῶν and εἰς γενεὰν καὶ γενεάν); cp. 1 Cl 61:3; εἰς πάσας τὰς γ. (Ex 12:14) to all generations Eph 3:21; ἀπὸ τῶν γ. from earliest times Col 1:26 (for the combination αἰῶνες and γενεαί cp. Tob 1:4; 8:5 S; 13:12; Esth 10:3k). ἐκ γενεῶν ἀρχαίων fr. ancient times Ac 15:21 (cp. Sir 2:10); ἀπὸ γενεᾶς εἰς γ. (Ex 17:16; Ps 9:27) fr. generation to g. Lk 1:50 v.l.; MPol 21; ἐν πάσαις ταῖς γ. in all generations 1 Cl 60:1; GJs 6:2; 7:2; cp. 1 Cl 11:2; ἐν πάσαις ταῖς γενεαῖς τῆς γῆς GJs 12:1 (TestJob 4:6); ἑτέραις γ. at other times Eph 3:5 (cp. Jo 1:3; Ps 47:14); ἐν ταῖς παρῳχημέναις γ. in past ages Ac 14:16. ④ in the quot. fr. Is 53:8 τὴν γ. αὐτοῦ τίς διηγήσεταὶ Ac 8:33; 1 Cl 16:8 γ. is prob. to be taken in the sense of family history.— . 2, 142, 2; Dionys. Hal. 3, 15; Gen 50:23; Ex 13:18; 20:5; EpJer 2; Phil Hdt. Hdt. = Herodotus, V B.C.—List 5 o, Mos. 1, 7; Jos Philo Philo = P. of Alexandria, I B.C.–I A.D.—List 5 ., Ant. 5, 336; SibO Jos. Jos. = Josephus. This abbr. used when follow by title; I A.D.—Lists 5 r 3, 108). Here the original sense gradually disappears, and the mng SibOr SibOr = Oracula Sibyllina, II–III A.D.—List 5 . mng. mng. = meaning(s) . 22a Jac Fgm. Fgm. = fragment, fragmentary . Jac. Jac. = Die Fragmente der griechischen Historiker, ed. FJacoby—Lists 5, 6 t., Just Just , II A.D.—List 5 D. 92, 5 D D = Didache, except that in a list of manuscripts or as textual variant D refers to Codex Bezae—List 1 t. 41, 1 Tat Tat , II A.D.—List 5 l 50:3; 1 Cl 1 Cl = 1 Clement—List 1 . gener. gener. = generally .; Jus al. al. =alibi (elsewhere), aliter (otherwise), alii (others) t., Just Just , II A.D.—List 5 D. 92, 2 D D = Didache, except that in a list of manuscripts or as textual variant D refers to Codex Bezae—List 1 . v.l. v.l. = varia lectio (variant reading) . 1 C cp. cp. = compare, freq. in ref. to citation fr. ancient texts l 61:3; 1 Cl 1 Cl = 1 Clement—List 1 . Tob 1:4; 8:5 S; 13:12; Esth 10:3k). cp. cp. = compare, freq. in ref. to citation fr. ancient texts . ancient times fr. fr. = from . Sir 2:10); cp. cp. = compare, freq. in ref. to citation fr. ancient texts . generation to g. fr. fr. = from .; MPo v.l. v.l. = varia lectio (variant reading) l 21; MPol MPol = Martyrdom of Polycarp; after II A.D.—List 1 l 60:1; GJ 1 Cl 1 Cl = 1 Clement—List 1 s 6:2; 7:2; cp GJs GJs = Gospel of James (Protevangelium Jacobi), II A.D.—List 1 . 1 C cp. cp. = compare, freq. in ref. to citation fr. ancient texts l 11:2; 1 Cl 1 Cl = 1 Clement—List 1 s 12:1 (TestJo GJs GJs = Gospel of James (Protevangelium Jacobi), II A.D.—List 1 b 4:6); TestJob TestJob = Testament of Job—List 2 . Jo 1:3; Ps 47:14); cp. cp. = compare, freq. in ref. to citation fr. ancient texts . fr quot. quot. = quotation . Is 53:8 fr. fr. = from l 16:8 1 Cl 1 Cl = 1 Clement—List 1 . to be taken in the sense of prob. prob. = probable, probably 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 4 MMeinertz, ‘Dieses Geschlecht’ im NT, BZ n.F. 1, ’57, 283–89.—DELG s.v. γίγνομαι p. 222. M-M. TW. Sv.”35 Depending on the context of the passage genea (γενεά) can refer to: (1) The human race in general (Phil. 2:15; Lk. 1:48, 50) (2) The dispensations of human history (Eph. 3:5, 21). (3) The generations of human beings (Acts 14:16; Col. 1:26). (4) King David’s Jewish contemporaries (Acts 13:36). (5) Christ’s Jewish contemporaries (Mt. 11:16; Mk. 8:12, 38; Lk. 9:41; 11:31). (6) Genealogy of the humanity of Christ (Mt. 1:17). Now, in Ephesians 3:5, the dative feminine plural form of the noun genea (γενεά) means “generations” referring to generations of human beings extending from the creation of Adam up to the church age. In other words, the referent of this word is the dispensations prior to the church age. This noun genea (γενεά) is modified by the dative feminine plural form of the adjective heteros (ἕτερος), which means “previous, former” since the word pertains to being distinct from some other item implied or mentioned. 8 In other words, it pertains to certain things previously mentioned. Here it refers to the dispensations that came before the church age. The noun genea (γενεά) functions here as a dative of time, which expresses a point of time and sets up a contrast with the adverb of time nun (νῦν), “now,” which appears in the comparative clause, which follows this relative pronoun clause. The latter refers to the present dispensation, namely the church age. Therefore, the contrast is between the church age and the dispensations, which came before it. As was the case in Ephesians 2:2, the articular dative masculine plural form of the noun huios (υἱός) here in Ephesians 3:5 does not mean “the sons” but rather “the offspring” since the word pertains to the offspring of human beings without reference to gender. It refers to the offspring of the human race who lived during the dispensations prior to the advent of the church age. The articular genitive masculine plural form of the noun anthrōpos (ἄνθρωπος) means “human beings, mankind” since it is used in a generic sense for the human race. Thus, it is distinguishing the human race from the angelic race. The articular construction of the noun huios (υἱός) is monadic, which is indicated by its genitive adjunct which is tōn anthrōpōn (τῶν ἀνθρώπων). This indicates that this particular group of human beings are in a class by themselves in that they belong T, B NT NT = New Testament Z n.F. 1, BZ BZ = Biblische Zeitschrift—List 6 G s.v DELG DELG = PChantraine, Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue grecque—List 6 . s.v. s.v. = sub voce (under the word, look up the word) M. T M-M M-M = JMoulton/GMilligan, Vocabulary of Greek Testament—Lists 4, 6 W. S TW TW = Theologisches Wörterbuch zum NT; tr. GBromiley, Theological Dictionary of the NT—List 6 v. Sv Sv (at the end of entries)=HSieben, Voces—List 6 35 Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., & Bauer, W. (2000). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature (3rd ed., pp. 191–192). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 8 Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., Bauer, W., & Gingrich, F. W. (2000). In A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature (3rd ed., p. 399). University of Chicago Press. 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 5 to the human race. Therefore, the articular construction of this word indicates that these offspring are unique to the human race and thus distinct from the angelic race. The noun anthrōpos is in the genitive case and functions as a genitive of apposition or epexegetical genitive, which means that the word stands in apposition to the articular dative masculine plural form of the noun huios (υἱός). Therefore, the former is identifying what race these offspring belong to, namely the human race as distinguished from the angelic race. The third person singular aorist passive indicative conjugation of the verb gnōrizō (γνωρίζω) means “to disclose, to make something known to others, to cause a particular thing to be known to others” since the word pertains to causing information to become known to others. This verb is emphatically negated by the emphatic negative adverb ou (οὔ), which means “never” since the word expresses an absolute, direct, full negation. The nominative neuter singular form of the relative pronoun hos (ὅς), “this” functions as a nominative subject, which means that it receives the action indicated by this verb. Therefore, this indicates that this mystery doctrine of the church age that Gentile and Jewish church age believers are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise with Jewish church age believers because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and union and identification with Him never received the action of being disclosed or made known to the sons or offspring of the human race during dispensations prior to the church age. The aorist tense of this verb gnōrizō (γνωρίζω) whose meaning is emphatically negated by the emphatic negative adverb ou (οὔ) is a constative aorist, which describes in summary fashion this mystery doctrine of the church age that Gentile and Jewish church age believers are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise with Jewish church age believers because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and union and identification with Him as never receiving the action of being disclosed to the sons or offspring of the human race during the dispensations prior to the church age. The passive voice of this verb means that the subject receives the action of the verb from either an expressed or unexpressed agency. Here the agency is expressed here in Ephesians 3:5, namely, the prepositional phrase en pneumati (ἐν πνεύματι), “by the Spirit.” Therefore, this is a divine passive. This indicates that this mystery doctrine never received the action of being made known to members of the human race who lived in the dispensations prior to the church age through the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit as it has now been made known during the church age. The indicative mood of this verb is declarative meaning that it is presenting this assertion as a non-contingent or unqualified statement. 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 6 The Mystery Has Now Been Revealed to the Holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit Ephesians 3:1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles— 2 if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 that by revelation the divine secret was made known to me, as I wrote before briefly. 4 When reading this, you will be able to understand my insight into this secret of Christ. 5 Now this secret was not disclosed to people in former generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. (NET) “As it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit” is composed of the following: (1) comparative particle hōs (ὡς), “as” (2) adverb of time nun (νῦν), “now” (3) third person singular aorist passive indicative conjugation of the verb apokalyptō (ἀποκαλύπτω), “it has been revealed” (4) articular dative masculine plural form of the adjective hagios (ἅγιος), “to holy” (5) articular genitive masculine plural form of the noun apostolos (ἀπόστολος), “the apostles” (6) genitive third person masculine singular form of the intensive personal pronoun autos (αὐτός), “his” (7) conjunction kai (καί), “and” (8) genitive masculine plural form of the noun prophētēs (προφήτης), “prophets” (9) preposition en (ἐν), “by” (10) dative neuter singular form of the noun pneuma (πνεῦμα), “the Spirit.” The comparative particle hōs (ὡς) means “as, like” since it is functioning as a marker of comparison. Here it is used to mark a comparison between members of the human race living in the dispensations prior to the church age and those living during the church age. The adverb of time nun (νῦν) pertains a point of time simultaneous with the event of the discourse itself. 9 The two points of time which are simultaneous with each other are Paul composing in writing this epistle and the dispensation of the church age. The verb apokalyptō (ἀποκαλύπτω) is a compound verb and is composed of the preposition apo, “from” and the verb kalupto, “to conceal, hide.” It’s cognate noun is apokalypsis, “revelation, disclosure, manifestation.” This verb in classical Greek means “to reveal, disclose, uncover.” It is a principal verbal bearer of the concept of “revelation,” especially in Biblical and ecclesiastical writings. It carries the idea of unveiling something previously hidden. The Greek language has many expressions for revelation, but rather oddly these do not include apokalyptō (ἀποκαλύπτω). It is usual to speak of God’s epideixis or semainein. This suggests that the concealment removed by revelation is not regarded as essential. This chiefly so, perhaps, in the case of the chthonic deities, among whom we may reckon Dionysus. Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). In Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 633). United Bible Societies. 9 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 7 In general the Greek regard the gods as basic forms of reality. They are as open and hidden as being itself. One may either see this or miss it. Which we do will be disclosed in the mainly tragic future. Yet is also of the essence of deity to reveal itself. Sometimes we have the thought of step-like progress as in Xenophon. 10 But there is no question of a unique and central act of revelation. The Greek has no knowledge of any facts of salvation. In general, the god does not manifest himself. Certain hints are given, and these have to be deciphered by human reason, which must be free from hybris for this purpose. Deity making itself known is a phenomenon characteristic of religious history in general, including popular Greek religions, mysticism and gnosticism. The verb apokalyptō (ἀποκαλύπτω) appears in the writings of Herodotus meaning “to uncover.” 11 Plato uses the word in the same sense of a doctor asking his patient to uncover themselves so that he might inquire into their health.12 Plutarch employs the word in the sense of “revealing one’s whole mind.”13 Diodorus Siculus used the verb in the sense of “letting one’s designs upon a thing become known.” 14 The verb apokalyptō (ἀποκαλύπτω) appears approximately 88 times in the LXX. Almost without exception, it represents forms of the Hebrew galah, in particular the niphal, “to strip,” and piel, “expose, uncover.” The Old Testament knows and uses many means of revelation similar to those in other religions: (1) Signs and intimations (Gn. 24:12 ff.; 25:21 ff.; Ju. 6:36 ff; 1 S. 15:27 ff). (2) Art of the spiritually endowed man of God and prophet (1 S. 9:6 ff.; 9:15 ff.; 2 S. 24:11; 1 K. 22:6 ff.). (3) Dreams and their interpretation, incubation, the oracle of the Urim and Thummim (1 S. 14:37 ff.). (4) Oracular sayings (Gn. 25:23). (5) Priestly directions (Dt. 17:9, 12). (6) Ecstatics and prophecy. Under these forms, and to some extent bursting and transcending them, a new and unique revelation is given to Israel. The Old Testament finds the distinctive point in the fact that Yahweh, the God of Israel, is the living God (Jos. 3:10; Is. 37:4; Dt. 5:23; Jer. 10:10 etc. in distinction from empty idols Is. 2:8; Ps. 96:5; 97:7). The verb apokalyptō (ἀποκαλύπτω) is used literally in Gen. 8:13 of removing the roof of the ark. The verb is used in Num. 5:18 of the uncovering of the head. It is a term used for sexual intercourse (Lv. 18:6; 20:11; Ezek. 16:36; 22:10). Ezekiel used of the sexual immorality in Israel. In a figurative but still everyday use apokalyptō means “to reveal, to make known.” It is used of human speech in Jos. 2:20; 1 Sm. 20:2, 13; 22:8, 17), of human plans (1 Macc. 7:31). 10 Fr. 18 [I, 61, 10f. Diels] 11 I, 119 12 Protagoras, 352 13 Alexander 55, 2.88oe 14 17.62 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 8 On the whole apokalyptō (ἀποκαλύπτω) is found relatively rarely in the LXX with a theological significance. The secular use is dominant. The word is used of Balaam’s prophetic experience where God unveiled the invisible to the prophet as he was shown the angel of the Lord, namely the preincarnate Christ and revealed knowledge of the Lord so that he could hear and speak His Word (Num. 22:31; 24:4, 16). The verb is used of the Lord revealing Himself to Samuel (1 Sm. 3:1-4:1). Samuel did not receive a vision but only heard the voice of the Lord. 1 Samuel 2:27 looks back to the revelation of God’s deeds in Egypt at the time of Israel’s slavery. Isaiah 52:10 and 53:1speak of the revelation of the “arm” or omnipotence of the Lord. Isaiah 56:1 speaks of the unveiling of the Lord’s compassion, His righteousness and salvation. The language of the LXX gives a clear picture of God’s activity in revealing Himself, His modus operandi and plan for Israel and the Gentile nations. The use of the apokalyptō (ἀποκαλύπτω) word-group is rare in Judaism apart from the LXX. As true God, He is the hidden God (Is. 45:15). He is the God of mystery who reveals Himself only when He wills to do so. This revelation is worked out supremely in three directions: (1) Yahweh reveals Himself as the Lord of history. (2) Yahweh reveals Himself as holy and gracious. (3) Yahweh reveals Himself as the Creator and Sustainer of the world. The Greek thought and Biblical thought have totally opposite views concerning God’s revelation of Himself: (1) Greek thought contends that man unveils God. (2) Biblical thought states that God reveals Himself to man. The distinction between the Greeks idea of revelation and that of the OT is most clearly expressed in its reference to the future. The Greek idea of revelation refers to that which is at all times, even though concealed behind empirical being. The OT belief in revelation is directed to that which is to be. In general Judaism does not expect any direct revelation from God in its own day since the canon of Scripture was closed by 425 B.C. The verb apokalyptō (ἀποκαλύπτω) appears 26 times in the Greek New Testament. Louw and Nida define apokalyptō (ἀποκαλύπτω), “to uncover, to take out of hiding, to cause something to be fully known, to reveal, to disclose, to make fully known, revelation.” 15 15 Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains volume 2, page 339 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 9 BDAG list the following: ⓐ in a gener. sense (Appian, Syr. 5 §18) pass. be revealed (opp. καλύπτω) Mt 10:26; Lk 12:2; J 12:38 (in act. sense) and 1 Cl 16:3 (Is 53:1); Ro 1:17 (cp. Ps 97:2), 18; Lk 2:35 (cp. Josh 2:20; Sir 27:16f; Ezk 16:57; 1 Macc 7:31; AcPlCor 1:8). ⓑ esp. of divine revelation of certain transcendent secrets (Ps 97:2; Da 2:19, 22 [both Theod.], 28; 1 Km 2:27; 3:21; Is 56:1) ἀ. τινί τι reveal someth. to someon e (TestJos 6:6; Jus t., D. 100, 2) Mt 11:25; 16:17; Lk 10:21; Phil 3:15; IEph 20:1; w. ὅτι foll. (TestLevi 1:2) 1 Pt 1:12. The revealers are Christ Mt 11:27; Lk 10:22, and the Holy Spirit 1 Cor 2:10; 14:30; Eph 3:5. For Gal 1:16 s. ἐν 9 and s. ADenis, RB 64, ’57, 335–62; 481–515. Abs. (w. φανεροῦν) ἀ. διά τινος Dg 8:11. τὰ ἀποκαλυφθέντα ἡμῖν the revelations that have come to us 11:8. ⓒ of the interpr. of prophetic visions ἀ. τινί Hv 2, 2, 4; 2, 4, 1; 3, 3, 2ff; 3, 4, 3; 3, 8, 10; 3, 13, 4. ἀ. τινὶ ἀποκάλυψιν impart a revelation to someone 3, 12, 2. ἀ. τινὶ περί τινος give someone a revelation about someth. (TestReub 3:15) 3, 10, 2. ἀπεκαλύφθη μοι ἡ γνῶσις τῆς γραφῆς a knowledge of the scripture was disclosed to me 2, 2, 1. ⓓ of the revelation of certain pers. and circumstances in the endtime (Da 10:1 Theod.): of the Human One (Son of Man) Lk 17:30. Of the Lawless One 2 Th 2:3, 6, 8. Of the final judgment 1 Cor 3:13. ἡ μέλλουσα δόξα ἀποκαλυφθῆναι the glory that is about to be revealed Ro 8:18; cp. 1 Pt 5:1. σωτηρία 1:5. πίστις Gal 3:23. The disciples say to the risen Lord ἀποκάλυψον σοῦ τὴν δικαιοσύνην ἤδη reveal, now, your righteousness ending of Mk in the Freer ms .—RBultmann, D. . sense (Appia gener. gener. = generally n, Syr Appian Appian , I–II A.D.—List 5 . 5 Syr. Syr. = Syriac . pass. pass. = passive (either of grammatical form or of passive experience); also used in reference to literary portion=passage . opp. opp. = opposed to, opposite . sense) and 1 C act. act. = active l 16:3 1 Cl 1 Cl = 1 Clement—List 1 . Ps 97:2), cp. cp. = compare, freq. in ref. to citation fr. ancient texts . Josh 2:20; Sir 27:16f; Ezk 16:57; 1 Macc 7:31; AcPlCo cp. cp. = compare, freq. in ref. to citation fr. ancient texts r 1:8). AcPlCor AcPlCor = Acts of Paul: correspondence with Corinthians (a.k.a. Third Corinthians), text according to PBodmer X—List 1 . of divine revelation of certain transcendent secrets (Ps 97:2; Da 2:19, 22 [both Theod esp. esp. = especially .], 28; 1 Km 2:27; 3:21; Is 56:1) Theod. Theod. = Theodotion, revision of Greek OT, II A.D.—List 2, beg. . to someone someth. someth. = something s 6:6; Just TestJos TestJos = Testament of Joseph, s. Test12Patr—List 2 ., D. 100, 2) Just. Just(in) , II A.D.—List 5 h 20:1; w IEph IEph = Ignatius to the Ephesians—List 1 . w. w. = with . (TestLev foll. foll. = followed, following i 1:2) TestLevi TestLevi = Testament of Levi, s. Test12Patr—List 2 B 64, RB RB = Revue Biblique—List 6 . w. w. = with g 8:11. Dg Dg = Letter of Diognetus, attributed to an unidentifiable apologist; II A.D.—List 1 . of prophetic visions interpr. interpr. = interpreted, interpretation v 2, 2, 4; 2, 4, 1; 3, 3, 2ff; 3, 4, 3; 3, 8, 10; 3, 13, 4. Hv Hv = Visions . someth. someth. = something b 3:15) 3, 10, 2. TestReub TestReub = Testament of Reuben, s. Test12Patr—List 2 . and circumstances in the endtime (Da 10:1 Theod pers. pers. = person(s) .): of the Human One (Son of Man) Theod. Theod. = Theodotion, revision of Greek OT, II A.D.—List 2, beg. . cp. cp. = compare, freq. in ref. to citation fr. ancient texts . ms. ms. = manuscript(s) 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 10 Begriff d. Offenbarung im NT 1929. EFScott, The NT Idea of Rev. ’35. ESelwyn, I Peter, ’46, 250–52; HSchulte, D. Begriff d. Offenbarung im NT, diss. Heidelberg ’47; WBulst, Offenbarung: Bibl. u. Theolog. Begriff ’60; BVawter, CBQ 22, ’60, 33–46.—M-M. TW. Spi cq.” 16 The verb apokalyptō (ἀποκαλύπτω) is used in the eschatological sense by our Lord in reference to the evil of the Pharisees, which will be revealed at the Great White Throne Judgment (Mt. 10:26; Lk. 12:2). It is used of Christ revealing His doctrines to those who are humble and will receive them in comparison to those who won’t believe in Him as Messiah (Mt. 11:25, 27; Lk. 10:21-22). The word was used in Matthew 16:17 where the Father revealed to Peter that Jesus was the Son of God and thus the Christ. It was used by Simeon who prophesied to Mary of her son Jesus that He would reveal the hearts of the human race (Lk. 2:35). The verb apokalyptō (ἀποκαλύπτω) is used of the revealing of the Lord Jesus Christ at His Second Advent (Lk. 17:30). John records the Lord using the word in quoting Isaiah where “the arm” (i.e., omnipotence) of the Lord or His power to save is revealed in the unique Person of Jesus Christ, the God-Man (Jn. 12:38). Paul employs the verb in Romans 1:17 of God’s righteousness being revealed through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is used in the eschatological sense in Romans 1:18 of the wrath of God being revealed from the Supreme Court of Heaven during the Tribulation and 2nd Advent of Christ. He utilizes the verb in the eschatological sense again in Romans 8:18 of the incomparable glory that will be revealed to the overcomer who endured undeserved suffering throughout his life on earth. The verb apokalyptō (ἀποκαλύπτω) is used in 1 Corinthians 2:10 of the work of God the Holy Spirit revealing the privileges in the millennium and eternal state that God the Father has prepared for those who personally love Him. It is used of the Lord Jesus Christ’s evaluation of the believer’s works at the Bema Seat Evaluation when He reveals their quality, whether divine good or human good (1 Co. 3:13). Paul employed the word of interpreters during the pre-canon period of the church age revealing what was said by a prophet (1 Co. 14:30). The verb apokalyptō (ἀποκαλύπτω) is used Galatians 1:16 by Paul of God the Father revealing Christ through the apostle Paul’s conduct. It is used again by Paul of the revealing of the Lord Jesus Christ, the God-Man as the object of faith for salvation (Ga. 3:23). In 2 Thessalonians 2:3, the verb means “to be revealed” since T 1929. EFScott, The N NT NT = New Testament T Idea of Rev. NT NT = New Testament T, diss NT NT = New Testament . Heidelberg diss. diss. = dissertation Q 22, CBQ CBQ = Catholic Biblical Quarterly—List 6 M. T M-M M-M = JMoulton/GMilligan, Vocabulary of Greek Testament—Lists 4, 6 W. Spic TW TW = Theologisches Wörterbuch zum NT; tr. GBromiley, Theological Dictionary of the NT—List 6 q. Spicq Spicq = CS., Lexique théologique du Nouveau Testament—Lists 6 16 Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., Bauer, W., & Gingrich, F. W. (2000). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature (3rd ed., p. 112). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 11 the word pertains to someone becoming known to the public and is used in relation to the revelation of the antichrist. It appears in 1 Peter 1:5 of the revealing of the sons of God at the resurrection of the church when church age believers receive their resurrection bodies. The verb is used again by Peter in 1 Peter 1:12 where he writes that it was revealed to the Old Testament prophets that they were in fact serving church age believers with their prophecies concerning the future Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. Lastly, Peter uses the word of the future glory of the church that will be revealed during the millennium and eternal state (1 Pe. 5:1). Now, in Ephesians 3:5, the verb apokalyptō (ἀποκαλύπτω) means “to be revealed” since the word pertains to something becoming known to the public and specifically information that was previously unknown to people. The nominative neuter singular form of the relative pronoun hos (ὅς), “this” functions as the nominative subject of this verb, which means that it receives the action indicated by this passive verb. Therefore, this indicates that this mystery doctrine of the church age that Gentile and Jewish church age believers are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise with Jewish church age believers because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and union and identification with Him received the action of being revealed to members of the church through the apostles and New Testament prophets by the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit. At this point in our exegesis, we must note a textual issue since B and itb omit αποστολοις (“apostles”), which could have been omitted by a scribe in order to conform it Colossians 1:26, which serves as a parallel with Ephesians 3:5. However, it is more likely that it was accidentally omitted due to homoeoteleuton: τοις αγιοις αποστολοις.” Now, as was the case in Ephesians 2:20, the noun apostolos (ἀπόστολος) here in Ephesians 3:5 is employed as designation for the temporary spiritual gift assigned to the twelve men Jesus Christ sovereignly chose and delegated authority to exercise over the church. Here it refers to the exercise or function of the spiritual gift of apostle. As was the case in Ephesians 2:20, the noun prophētēs (προφήτης) here in Ephesians 3:5 refers to the exercise of the temporary or discontinued spiritual gift of being a prophet, which is no longer existent since it existed during the pre-canon period of the church to fill the void until the New Testament canon had been completed (See 1 Corinthians 12:10; 13:2; 14:22; Ephesians 2:20; 3:5; 4:11). The conjunction kai (καί) is adjunctive which means that the word which it is introducing, namely, prophētēs (προφήτης), “prophets” is an addition to the noun apostolos (ἀπόστολος), “the apostles.” 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 12 The articular construction of the noun apostolos (ἀπόστολος) binds or joins together the exercise or function of the temporary spiritual gifts of apostle and prophet signifying that together they constitute the foundation of the church. It also indicates that both nouns, apostolos (ἀπόστολος), “apostles”prophētēs (προφήτης), “prophets” are modified by the articular dative masculine plural form of the adjective hagios (ἅγιος). The latter of course means “holy” since the word pertains to someone who is dedicated to God or in other words, it pertains to someone who is set apart to serve and worship God exclusively. Therefore, this word describes the apostles and New Testament prophets as dedicated to God and His purposes in the sense that they have been set apart from the rest of the human race in order to serve and worship Him. The articular construction of this adjective hagios (ἅγιος) is in the first attributive position (article-adjective-noun) which indicates that the adjective receives greater emphasis than these two nouns. The referent of the genitive third person masculine singular form of the intensive personal pronoun autos (αὐτός) is the articular genitive masculine singular form of the proper name Christos (Χριστός). This is indicated by the fact that the latter which appears in Ephesians 3:4, agrees with the former in gender (masculine) and number (singular) as well as case (genitive). The intensive personal pronoun autos (αὐτός) emphasizes Jesus Christ’s identity and is the demonstrative force intensified. The articular construction of the adjective hagios (ἅγιος) is also employed with the genitive third person masculine singular form of the intensive personal pronoun autos (αὐτός) in order to denote possession or ownership indicating that the apostles and New Testament prophets are the “possession” of Jesus Christ. Both the noun apostolos (ἀπόστολος), “apostles” and prophētēs (προφήτης), “prophets” function as a dative of agency which takes place when the dative substantive is used to indicate the personal agent by whom the action of the verb is accomplished. Therefore, both these nouns identify the apostles and New Testament prophets as the personal agencies employed by the Holy Spirit to reveal the mystery doctrine that Gentile and Jewish church age believers are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise with Jewish church age believers because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and union and identification with Him. The referent of the dative neuter singular form of the noun pneuma (πνεῦμα), “the Spirit” is of course the Holy Spirit and also contains the figure of metonymy, which means that the person of the Holy Spirit is put for the exercise of His divine omnipotence. The dative neuter singular form of the noun pneuma (πνεῦμα), “the Spirit” is the object of the preposition en (ἐν), which functions as a marker of means, which means it marks this word as the means by which the action of the apokalyptō (ἀποκαλύπτω) 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 13 is accomplished. Therefore, this indicates the omnipotence of the Spirit is “the means by which” members of the body of Christ received the revelation of the mystery or secret doctrine that Gentile and Jewish church age believers are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise with Jewish church age believers because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and union and identification with Him. The aorist tense of this verb apokalyptō (ἀποκαλύπτω) is a constative aorist, which describes in summary fashion this mystery doctrine of the church age receiving the action of being revealed to members of the church through the apostles and New Testament prophets by means of the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit. The passive voice of this verb apokalyptō (ἀποκαλύπτω) means that the subject receives the action of the verb from either an expressed or unexpressed agency. Here the agency is expressed in Ephesians 3:5 by the prepositional phrase en pneumati (ἐν πνεύματι), “by means of the omnipotence of the Spirit.” Therefore, the passive of this verb indicates that this mystery doctrine received the action of being revealed to members of the church through the apostles and New Testament prophets by means of the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit. The indicative mood of this verb is declarative meaning that it is presenting this assertion as a non-contingent or unqualified statement. Translation of Ephesians 3:1-5 Ephesians 3:1 For this reason, I myself, Paul, the prisoner owned by and under the authority of the one and only Christ who is Jesus for the benefit of each and every one of you as a corporate unit, who are Gentiles—2 if and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument that each and every one of you as a corporate unit have surely heard about the stewardship, which is unique to the grace, which originates from the one and only God, which was given to me for the benefit of all of you as a corporate unit without exception. (Of course, every one of you have in fact heard about it.) 3 Namely that, the mystery was made known for the benefit of myself as revelation as I wrote beforehand in a concise manner. 4 Concerning which, that is, by each one of you making it your habit of hearing read publicly, all of you will for your own benefit become able to comprehend my insight into this incomparable mystery, which is produced by your unique union and identification with Christ. 5 This mystery was by no means made known to members of the human race in previous generations as it has now been revealed through the personal agency of His holy apostles as well as prophets by means of the omnipotence of the Spirit. (Author’s translation) 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 14 Expanded translation of Ephesians 3:1-5 Ephesians 3:1 For this reason, I myself, Paul, the prisoner owned by and under the authority of the one and only Christ who is Jesus for the benefit of each and every one of you as a corporate unit, who are Gentiles—2 if and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument that each and every one of you as a corporate unit have surely heard about the stewardship, which is unique to the grace, which originates from the one and only God, which was given to me for the benefit of all of you as a corporate unit without exception. (Of course, every one of you have in fact heard about it.) 3 Namely that, the mystery was made known for the benefit of myself as revelation as I wrote beforehand in a concise manner. 4 Concerning which, that is, by each one of you making it your habit of hearing read publicly, all of you will for your own benefit enter into the state of being able to comprehend my insight into this incomparable mystery, which is produced by your unique union and identification with Christ. 5 This mystery was by no means made known to members of the human race in previous generations as it has now been revealed through the personal agency of His holy apostles as well as prophets by means of the omnipotence of the Spirit. (Author’s translation) Exposition of Ephesians 3:5 We noted in our introduction that Ephesians is divided into two main sections. Chapters 1-3 contains the “indicatives of the faith” while chapters 4-6 contain the “imperatives.” Therefore, the latter presents the practical application of the former. The prologue or preface of the letter appears in Ephesians 1:3-14. There are also two magnificent intercessory prayers offered by Paul to the Father for the recipients of the epistle. The first appears in Ephesians 1:15-23 and serves as a hinge to chapters two and three. Its purpose is for the recipients of the letter to gain understanding regarding the contents of the first two chapters. The second intercessory prayer for the recipients of the letter appears in Ephesians 3:14-21 and serves as a hinge to the final three chapters. It presents the practical application of the first three chapters. The letter begins with Paul’s customary present greeting in the first two verses. He notes that he is an apostle of Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:1) and that grace and peace originated not only from the Father but also the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:2). As we noted, the preface of the letter appears in Ephesians 1:3-14. Paul begins by asserting that along with the Father, the Lord is worthy of praise and glorification (Eph. 1:3). The apostle then states that the Father chose the Ephesian Christian community “in Christ” before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4) because of their union and identification with Christ which took place at the moment of their 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 15 justification through the baptism of the Spirit. Paul then teaches that the Father predestined them for adoption as His sons through their union and identification with Christ (Eph. 1:5). He asserts that they received the Father’s grace through His Son, Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:6). Not only this, but they have received redemption through the blood or death of Jesus, namely the forgiveness of our trespasses (Eph. 1:7). The Father did this when He revealed to the church the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure that he set forth through the person of Christ (Eph. 1:9-10). Paul teaches that all things will be summed up in Christ, namely the things in heaven and the things on earth. The Christian has been claimed as the Father’s own possession because of their union and identification with Jesus Christ because they were predestined according to the Father’s purpose (Eph. 1:11). They were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit because they trusted in Jesus Christ at their justification (Eph. 1:13). The first prayer, which we noted appears in Ephesians 1:15-22, teaches that the omnipotence of the Father was manifested when He raised His Son Jesus Christ from the dead (Eph. 1:20). The Father also put all of creation and every creature under the authority of His Son who He gave to the church as head over all creation and every creature (Eph. 1:21-23). In chapter two, Paul teaches that despite the fact that the recipients of the epistle were spiritually dead in their trespasses and sins and as a result were children of wrath as the rest of the human race prior to their justification, God the Father raised them up and seated them with His one and only Son, Jesus Christ because of His great love (Eph. 2:1-7). He asserts that the Father raised the church age believer up with Christ and seated them with Him at the moment of their justification through the baptism of the Spirit (Eph. 2:5-6). They were saved from the wrath of God by grace through the object of their faith, namely Jesus Christ and absolutely not on their own meritorious actions (Eph. 2:8-9). The believer is the Father’s workmanship who has been created through their union and identification with Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so they would perform them (Eph. 2:810). Paul then asserts that the Father reconciled Jews and Gentiles through the person and work of His Son (Eph. 2:11-22). Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone of this spiritual temple. Now, in chapter three, the apostle Paul teaches the Christian community regarding the mystery of Christ, which is that Gentile believers are fellow-heirs with Jewish believers, fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus (Eph. 3:1-6). Paul teaches that the Father’s eternal plan was accomplished through His Son (Eph. 3:7-11). The believer has confident access to the Father in prayer because of their union and identification with Jesus Christ (Eph. 3:12). The apostle also asserts that he prayed to the Father that Christ would dwell 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 16 in the hearts of the Christian community in the Roman province of Asia and that they would know experientially Christ’s love for them (Eph. 3:14-21). In Ephesians 3:1, the referent of the genitive neuter singular form of the immediate demonstrative pronoun houtos (οὗτος), “this” is the contents of the Ephesians 2:11-22 since this word is put in the neuter gender indicating the writer is not referring to a particular word in Ephesians 2:11-22 but rather the entire contents of this pericope. The genitive neuter singular form of the immediate demonstrative pronoun houtos (οὗτος), “this” is the object of the improper preposition charin (χάριν), which always appears after its object. It can express purpose or cause. Here it is marker of reason indicating that the contents of Ephesians 2:11-22 are the basis or the reason for Paul’s intercessory prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21. It does not function as a marker of purpose, which would indicate that the contents of Ephesians 2:11-22 are the purpose for which Paul intercedes in prayer to the Father on behalf of the recipients of this epistle. This is indicated by the fact that these verses are not an object or end to be attained or the intended result Paul communicating this mystery of Christ. In other words, these verses do not constitute the intended result of Paul communicating this mystery because in Ephesians 3:2 he asserts that the reason why he communicates this mystery, i.e., the gospel is that the Father gave him this stewardship to do this. Rather, the contents of Ephesians 2:1122 serve as the basis for Paul interceding in prayer on behalf of the recipients of this epistle since they constitute the new humanity, which along with Jesus Christ, will rule over the works of God’s hands during the millennial reign of Jesus Christ. Therefore, this expression Toutou charin (Τούτου χάριν), “for this reason” is anaphoric rather than kataphoric. The former means that it is pointing to the immediate preceding context and specifically, the contents of the Ephesians 2:1122, which serves as the basis for the intercessory prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21. The latter means that it is pointing forward to the contents of Ephesians 3:2-13, which is autobiographical. Specifically, it is a digression in that Paul does not communicate his intercessory prayer on behalf of the recipients of this letter until Ephesians 3:1421 in order to remind them that he is a communicator of the mystery of Christ, which he also identifies as the gospel in Ephesians 3:7. Paul interrupts himself and digresses in order to provide the reader with more insight into the church as a mystery and his responsibility to communicate this mystery to the Gentiles. He describes it as a mystery because it was not known to Old Testament prophets but has now been revealed by the Spirit through the teaching of the apostles and specifically himself. In Ephesians 3:2-6, he defines this mystery by asserting that Gentile believers are fellow-heirs with Jewish believers, fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus. Then in Ephesians 3:7-11, he asserts that the Father’s eternal plan was accomplished through His Son. In 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 17 Ephesians 3:12, he teaches that the believer has confident access to the Father in prayer because of their union and identification with Jesus Christ. Lastly, in Ephesians 3:13, he asks the recipients of this letter to not lose heart because of this imprisonment, which was for their glory. Therefore, the contents of Ephesians 2:11-22 could not possibly be the basis for the digression in Ephesians 3:2-13 because the church composed of both Jewish and Gentile Christian communities and permanently indwelt by the Holy Spirit is not the reason why Paul’s has a stewardship to communicate the mystery of Christ. In fact, he asserts in Ephesians 3:2 that the reason why he possesses this stewardship is that the Father gave it to him. Rather, the contents of Ephesians 2:11-22 are the basis for Paul’s intercessory prayer recorded in Ephesians 3:14-21. Lastly, the expression Toutou charin (Τούτου χάριν), which appears in Ephesians 3:1, appears again in Ephesians 3:14 indicating that Paul is resuming his thought which began in Ephesians 3:1 and interrupted with an autobiographical digression in Ephesians 3:2-13. This is not the first time in Ephesians that Paul has begun a thought but breaks it off temporarily but then resumes it again since he does this in Ephesians 2:1-5. The thought begun in Ephesians 2:1 is not completed until Ephesians 2:5-6, which thus creates an “anacoluthon” in Ephesians 2:2-4, which means that there is a break in the grammar. In Ephesians 2:1-3, the main verb and the subject have not been mentioned until Ephesians 2:4 where the subject God the Father is mentioned and the main verb is mentioned in Ephesians 2:5, which we noted is the third person singular aorist active indicative conjugation of the verb syzōopoieō (συζωοποιέω), “made alive together” (NET). Ephesians 2:1-4 is one incomplete sentence in order leave the readers in suspense as to how God the Father would solve the dilemma the recipients of this epistle were in prior to their justification. To mark the resumption of this thought Paul employs almost the same identical protasis of a concessive clause, which appears in Ephesians 2:1. If you recall, in Ephesians 2:5, Paul asserts ontas hēmas nekrous tois paraptōmasin (ὄντας ἡμᾶς νεκροὺς τοῖς παραπτώμασιν), “Even though each and every one of us as a corporate unit were spiritually dead ones because of our transgressions.” (Author’s translation). The only difference between the two is that the one in Ephesians 2:1 employs the accusative second personal plural form of the personal pronoun su (σύ), which refers to the recipients of the Ephesian epistle. On the other hand, the one in Ephesians 2:5 employs the accusative first person plural form of the personal pronoun ego (ἐγώ), which refers to both Paul and the recipients of this epistle. Therefore, the conjunction kai (καί) in Ephesians 2:5 introduces a concessive clause, which resumes and completes the one it introduces in Ephesians 2:1 but with a slight difference in subject. Therefore, in Ephesians 3:1-14, Paul once again employs the figure of anacoluthon and in Ephesians 3:14, he marks the resumption of his thought by 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 18 repeating the exact same expression Toutou charin (Τούτου χάριν), which begins Ephesians 3:1. Thus, the evidence within Ephesians itself indicates that the expression Toutou charin (Τούτου χάριν) in Ephesians 3:1 is anaphoric rather than kataphoric. This expression appears in only one other place in Paul’s writings, namely, Titus 1:5. Therefore, in Ephesians 3:1, the expression Toutou charin (Τούτου χάριν), “for this reason” is anaphoric, which means that it is pointing to the immediate preceding context and specifically, the contents of the Ephesians 2:11-22, which serves as the basis for the intercessory prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21. Now, in Ephesians 3:1, the nominative first person singular form of the personal pronoun ego (ἐγώ), “I myself” serves to emphasize with the reader that the apostle Paul is a prisoner of Christ Jesus Christ on behalf of the Gentile Christian community in order to proclaim this mystery of Christ. The use of the nominative first person plural form of the personal pronoun ego (ἐγώ) here in Ephesians 3:1 is unnecessary in Greek since the form of a finite verb in this language indicates the person, number and gender of the subject. In context, the finite verb appears in Ephesians 3:14 and is the first person singular present active indicative conjugation of the verb kamptō (κάμπτω), “I kneel” which indicates the person, number and gender of the subject, which we noted is nominative first person singular form of the personal pronoun ego (ἐγώ) and refers to Paul. This is what makes Greek an “inflectional” language. When the personal pronoun is used therefore, it may serve to clarify the subject or contrast the subject with someone else or for emphasis. Here it is used for emphasis since it serves to emphasize with the reader that the apostle Paul is a prisoner of Christ Jesus Christ on behalf of the Gentile Christian community in order to proclaim this mystery of Christ. It is also used to mark a contrast between the apostle Paul who was Jewish Christian and the recipients of this epistle who were Gentile Christians. The referent of the nominative first person singular form of the personal pronoun ego (ἐγώ) is the apostle Paul, which is indicated by the nominative masculine singular form of the proper name Paulos (Παῦλος), “Paul,” which means “little” or “short.” He uses this name to refer to himself when he is communicating to or living among the members of the Gentile Christian community. When living among the Jews, he used his Jewish name Saul. In fact, the Lord Jesus Christ authorized him to be the apostle to the Gentiles (cf. Acts 9:15; 22:21; Romans 11:13; 15:16; Galatians 1:15-16; 2:2, 7-9). The proper name Paulos (Παῦλος), “Paul” is further evidence in the Ephesian epistle that the apostle Paul was the author of Ephesians. As we noted in our introduction of this letter, the traditional view of the church from its inception is that the apostle Paul wrote Ephesians. However, in modern times, this view has been 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 19 challenged. Some of the modern critics contend that the vocabulary, style and teaching differ from the writings which are universally accepted as Pauline. They also argue that the letter is “pseudonymous.” The term “pseudonymity” refers to the practice of publishing one’s writings under a revered person’s name. Ephesians was extensively, indisputably and universally accepted throughout the Roman Empire in the early church as a letter written by the apostle Paul. Church fathers such as Ignatius, Polycarp, Clement of Rome, and Origen all regarded the epistle as written by Paul. Both Marcion and the Muratorian canon list it as Pauline. Furthermore, as in Ephesians 3:1, Ephesians 1:1 identifies Paulos, “Paul” as the author of the epistle to the Ephesians. The letter itself contains Pauline language including words that appear not only in this letter but also in the undisputed letters of Paul and yet these words do not appear anywhere else in the Greek New Testament. In typical Pauline fashion, Paul ascribes his apostolic authority to the will of God (cf. Eph. 1:1; cf. 2 Cor. 1:1; Gal. 1:1; Col. 1:1). Paul’s name is even found in Ephesians 3:1 just as it does in his so-called undisputed letters (cf. 2 Cor. 10:1; Gal. 5:2; Col. 1:23; 1 Thess. 2:18). The structure of the Ephesian epistle is in accordance with the rest of the Pauline corpus. It follows the usual structure of a Pauline letter in that it begins with a salutation followed by a thanksgiving section, then the body of the letter and ending with final remarks and a benediction. The entire letter is in line with Pauline theology found in his other letters. The Ephesian epistle is not a “pseudonymous” letter since this practice was frowned upon by the early church. This is supported by the fact that Paul would guarantee the authenticity of his letters to protect against forgeries or someone posing as him in a letter by putting his own distinguishing mark at the end of the letter. (cf. 2 Thess. 3:17-18; Gal. ; Col. 4:18). Furthermore, as we noted, Paul identifies himself as the author of this letter, which bears his name and there is no evidence whatsoever that this epistle was written by someone else. The existence of the practice of pseudonymity in the ancient world is not disputed since it is well documented. It was used in Greco-Roman cultures as a literary means of drawing on ancient authorities to address contemporary situations. This process was accepted and understood and was not consider something that was deceptive. However, this cannot be applied to Christianity. Tertullian describes an elder who has falsely written under the name of Paul in an attempt to increase Paul’s fame because he loved him. However, he was removed from his office (On Baptism). The early church was very much concerned about receiving authentic Pauline epistles and would totally reject the practice of pseudonymity. The early church was very concerned with problems of literary fraud and Paul was too as we can see in 2 Thessalonians 2:2 and Galatians 6:11. 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 20 Some critics contend that Ephesians is pseudonymous because the contents are impersonal in nature. They argue that we would expect that Paul’s lengthy stay in Ephesus would prompt him to send personal greetings in this epistle. However, the absence of personal greetings and specific issues and conditions supports the idea that the Ephesian epistle is a circulatory letter intended for all the various house churches in the Roman province of Asia. Lastly, the scholars who reject Pauline authorship of Ephesians because of the close relationship between this letter and Colossians. They argue that it could not be possible for one person to write two letters which resemble each other so strikingly (cf. Eph. 6:21-22; Col. 4:7-8) and yet have significant differences (cf. Col. 2:2; Eph. 3:3-6). Guthrie answers by asserting “that two minds could not have produced two such works with so much subtle interdependence blended with independence.” 17 In the final analysis, the epistle of Ephesians should be regarded as written by the apostle Paul because the authenticity of this letter cannot be disproven. In Ephesians 3:1, the nominative masculine singular noun desmios (δέσμιος), “the prisoner” is used of Paul’s first Roman imprisonment because of the gospel. Acts 28 indicates that Paul was under house arrest during his first Roman imprisonment while awaiting his appeal before Caesar. However, in Second Timothy 1:8, the word is used of Paul’s second Roman imprisonment. The articular construction of the noun desmios (δέσμιος) is monadic, which expresses the “uniqueness” of Paul being a prisoner of the Roman civil authority despite the fact that he is owned by Jesus Christ and under His authority. As we noted in our introduction to the Ephesian epistle, where Paul was imprisoned has been debated by scholars in recent years. The traditional view of the church is that the Ephesian epistle was written while Paul was under house arrest in Rome awaiting his appeal before Caesar. This view went unchallenged for eighteen centuries. However, in modern times, there are those who dissent. Two locales have been put forth by scholars, namely Ephesus and Caesarea. The burden of proof rests with an Ephesus and Caesarea origin since church tradition holds to Paul writing Ephesians, Philemon and Colossians while under house arrest in Rome. A critical factor in a Roman origin of this epistle is that Luke is with Paul during his imprisonment (see Colossians 4:14; Philemon 24). This is supported by Acts since it makes clear Paul’s Ephesian ministry does not occur in the “we” section of Acts. The traditional view, that Paul was in Rome when he wrote Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon, is still by far the best view because of the obvious connection between Colossians and Ephesians. This is indicated by the fact that Tychicus is named the courier of both letters (cf. Col. 4:7-8; Eph. 6:21-22), thus 17 Guthrie, 511 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 21 both letters were written at the same place and time, namely during his first Roman imprisonment, which we noted took place from approximately 60-62 A.D. Paul had two Roman imprisonments: (1) A.D. 60-62: Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians and Philemon (2) A.D. 68: 2 Timothy, Hebrews. The apostle Paul wrote Philippians, Ephesians, Colossians and Philemon during his first Roman imprisonment while he was awaiting his appeal before Caesar and he was actually permitted to have his own rented quarters in Rome with a Roman soldier guarding him (See Acts 28). As was the case in Ephesians 1:2, the proper nouns Iesous (Ἰησοῦς), “Jesus” and Christos (Χριστός), “Christ” here in Ephesians 3:1 are used by Paul to describe the incarnate Son of God as well as His person and work and what He has accomplished in history through this work as well as His status in relation to creation and every creature. Thus, they also describe His relationship to the church. The word Christos (Χριστός) denotes the Messiahship of Jesus of Nazareth; thus He is the Deliverer of the human race in three areas through His death, resurrection, ascension and session: (1) Satan (2) Cosmic System (3) Old Sin Nature. The Lord’s Messiahship has a four-fold significance: (1) Separation unto God. (2) Authorization from God. (3) Divine enablement. (4) The coming Deliverer. It also signifies the uniqueness of Jesus of Nazareth who is the God-Man. Christos (Χριστός) signifies that Jesus of Nazareth served God the Father exclusively and this was manifested by His execution of the Father’s salvation plan which was accomplished by His voluntary substitutionary spiritual and physical deaths on the cross. The word signifies that Jesus of Nazareth has been given authority by God the Father to forgive sins, give eternal life, and authority over all creation and every creature as a result of His execution of the Father’s salvation plan. It denotes that Jesus of Nazareth was perpetually guided and empowered by God the Holy Spirit during His First Advent. Lastly, Christos (Χριστός) signifies that Jesus of Nazareth is the promised deliverer of the human race from the bondage of Satan, his cosmic system and the old Adamic sin nature. The articular construction of this word indicates that the referent of this word is in a class by himself and the only one deserving of the name since there were many individuals in the first century A.D. who claimed to be the Christ or were proclaimed to be the Christ. Thus, this construction emphasizes the “incomparability” of Jesus Christ. The genitive masculine singular form of the proper name Christos (Χριστός), “Christ” functions as a possession, which indicates that Jesus Christ “possesses” or Paul or we could say that the Lord “owns” him. This word also functions as a genitive of subordination, which would indicate that Paul was under the authority of Jesus Christ. This expression ho desmios tou Christou Iēsou (ὁ δέσμιος τοῦ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ), “the prisoner, owned by and under the authority of Christ, who is 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 22 Jesus” is not only used by Paul in Ephesians 3:1 to describe himself but also he used it in Philemon 1 and 9. He uses the expression ho desmios en kyriō (ὁ δέσμιος ἐν κυρίῳ), “prisoner of the Lord” in Ephesians 4:1 to describe himself. In each instance, he was under house arrest during his first Roman imprisonment awaiting his appeal before Caesar. The proper noun Iēsous (Ἰησοῦς), “Jesus” refers to the human nature of the incarnate Son of God, Jesus of Nazareth and functions as a genitive of simple apposition, which indicates that it clarifies who is Christ here, namely Jesus of Nazareth since there were many in the first century who made the claim. The genitive second person plural form of the personal pronoun su (σύ) means “each and every one of you as a corporate unit” or “all of you without exception” since the word not only refers to the recipients of this epistle as a corporate unit but is also used in a distributive sense emphasizing no exceptions. As we have noted throughout our study of the first two chapters of Ephesians, the referent of the second person plural form of the personal pronoun su (σύ) are Gentile Christians according to the contents of Ephesians 2:11. The articular genitive neuter plural form of the noun ethnos (ἒθνος), “who are Gentiles” pertains to persons from an ethnic group or nation not allied with and trusting in the God of Israel who is Jesus Christ and is used in a collective sense for these people. Thus, this word is used of those members of the human race who are not of Jewish racial descent and thus not members of the covenant people of God, Israel. The articular construction of the word is “generic” which means that the article is distinguishing the Gentile race from the Jewish race. This word functions as a genitive of simple apposition, which means that it is identifying specifically who the referent of the former is. Thus, this indicates that they are Gentiles racially. The genitive second person plural form of the personal pronoun su (σύ) is the object of the preposition huper (ὑπέρ), which means “for the benefit of, on behalf of” since the word functions as a marker of benefaction or advantage expressing the idea that it was “for the benefit of” these Gentile Christians that Paul was a prisoner of the one and only Christ. This interpretation is supported by the contents of Ephesians 3:2, which asserts that the stewardship of God’s grace, i.e., being a communicator of the mystery of Christ, i.e., the gospel, was given to Paul for the benefit of the Gentile Christian community. It is also indicated by the contents of Ephesians 3:8, which asserts that this grace which was given to Paul by God the Father in order to preach the unfathomable riches of Christ to the Gentiles. Therefore, this prepositional phrase reveals that Paul did not consider himself a prisoner of the Roman civil authorities but rather a prisoner of Jesus Christ. Thus, he views his imprisonment as a part of the Father’s sovereign plan for his life as an apostle to the Gentiles. Consequently, he is comforted in his imprisonment by this 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 23 fact. In fact, Paul was imprisoned because of the opposition of unregenerate Jews possessed with regards to him communicating the gospel to the Gentiles. Therefore, in Ephesians 3:1, the apostle Paul informs the recipients of this epistle, who we noted were Gentile Christians that he was suffering persecution because of his ministry on behalf of the Gentiles. References to persecution abound in Paul’s letters. The apostle Paul taught Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:12 that every believer who does at any time desire to live a godly life by means of fellowship with Jesus Christ will certainly be persecuted. Second Timothy 3:12 Now, in fact, each and every one who does at any time desire to live a godly life by means of fellowship with the Christ, who is Jesus, will certainly be persecuted. (Author’s translation) Persecution can take various forms in different countries and at different ages. Some persecution is blatantly overt and some persecution is very subtle taking the form of rejection which can include being ignored, patronized or mocked. It can take the form of condescension as well. Both forms express the hostility of those who are enslaved to sin and Satan and his cosmic system. Ephesians 3:2 is composed of a protasis of a first class condition that indicates the assumption of truth for the sake of argument and begins a sentence, which ends in Ephesians 3:7. The apodosis is not introduced until Ephesians 3:13, which leaves the protasis dangling. It is introduced explicitly in Ephesians 3:13 with the inferential use of the conjunction dio (διό). The first class condition is a tool of persuasion in that the writer uses it to persuade his audience to come to his conclusion in the apodosis. The idea behind the first class condition is not “since” but rather, “if-and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument that, then...” Here in Ephesians 3:2-12, the protasis of this first class conditional statement is designed to persuade the recipients of this epistle, who we noted were Gentile Christians, to follow a particular course of action, which in our context is obedience to the command in the apodosis to not become discouraged by Paul’s Roman imprisonment. Now, the protasis is not only contained in Ephesians 3:2 but also in Ephesians 3:3-12 with the latter explaining in greater detail the contents of the former. In other words, in Ephesians 3:3-12 explains in detail what Paul means by the expression “the stewardship of God’s grace,” which he also asserts was given to him for the benefit of the recipients of this epistle who are Gentile church age believers. The idea of the protasis is “if and let assume that it is true for the sake argument that all of you as a corporate unit without exception have heard about the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for the benefit of each and every one of you as a corporate unit.” This is a responsive first class condition indicating that the recipients of this letter, whom Ephesians 2:11 identifies as Gentile church age believers, would all agree 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 24 with the protasis. This is indicated by the fact that these Gentile Christians are the direct result of Paul communicating the gospel to them. Specifically, they are the result of him communicating the mystery doctrine that Jewish and Gentile church age believers are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and union and identification with Him as a result of their obedience to the gospel. In fact, Paul affirms in Ephesians 3:3-12 that this stewardship of God’s grace, which was given to him for the benefit of these Gentile church age believers was communicated to these Gentile church age believers by Paul through the Holy Spirit. As noted, “the stewardship of God’s grace” is then explained in greater detail in Ephesians 3:312. The apodosis, which we noted, is in Ephesians 3:13 and is “I ask each and every one of you as a corporate unit to not lose heart because of what I am suffering on behalf of all of you without exception, which is for the glory of each and every one of you as a corporate unit.” So therefore, as we noted the protasis is introduced in Ephesians 3:2 but explained in detail in Ephesians 3:3-12. In Ephesians 3:3-5, the apostle Paul defines this stewardship of God’s grace as the revelation of the mystery and asserts that he was given insight into this mystery of Christ, which was not known to Old Testament saints but has now been revealed to the apostles and New Testament prophets by the Spirit. In Ephesians 3:6, he defines this mystery of Christ as Gentile church age believers being fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and union and identification with Him as a result of their obedience to the gospel. Then, in Ephesians 3:7-8, Paul asserts that he became a servant of the gospel according to the gift of God’s grace that was given to him by the exercise of God’s power to proclaim to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ and to enlighten everyone about God’s plan concealed from the saints in living in past dispensations. Thus, the implication is that Paul enlightened the recipients of this letter regarding God’s secret plan to have Jewish and Gentile believers being fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and union and identification with Him with the Jewish church age believers as a result of their obedience to the gospel. In Ephesians 3:10, Paul asserts that the purpose of this enlightenment is that through the church the multifaced wisdom of God would be disclosed during the church age to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly realms, which is a reference to Satan and his fellow evil spirits. Then, in Ephesians 3:11, he asserts that this was according to the eternal purpose that the Father accomplished by means of the Lord Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session at the right hand of the Father. 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 25 Therefore, in this first class condition in Ephesians 3:2-12, Paul is persuading these Gentile church age believers to not lose heart because he was imprisoned unjustly because they have heard about his stewardship of God’s grace, which was given to him on their behalf. He is attempting to engage them in dwelling upon God’s amazing grace, i.e., unmerited blessing, which God bestowed upon him at his conversion. This stewardship is the mystery of Christ, which was communicated through the gospel by the apostles and prophets of Jesus Christ. The content of this revelation is that Jewish and Gentile church age believers are now fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus. It was a mystery in the sense that it was a secret plan not known to Old Testaments but now communicated during the church age through the apostles and prophets of Jesus Christ. Paul became a servant of this gospel according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given to him by the exercise of God’s power in order to proclaim to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ. He also was given this gift in order to enlighten everyone in the Christian community about God’s secret plan that was hidden for ages in God. The purpose of this enlightenment we also noted was to disclose to Satan and his kingdom in the heavenly realms through the church the multifaceted wisdom of God. The implication is that they were not to lose heart because his imprisonment was the result of Satan and his kingdom persecuting him because of proclaiming this mystery that Jewish and Gentile church age believers are now fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus. Now, in Ephesians 3:2 and 13, the relationship between the protasis and the apodosis is “cause-effect.” The cause appears in the protasis, which we noted appears in Ephesians 3:2-12. The effect appears in the apodosis, which we noted appears in Ephesians 3:13. Therefore, this indicates that the Gentile Christian living throughout the various cities and towns in the Roman province of Asia must not be discouraged by Paul’s imprisonment because the purpose of this stewardship was for him to disclose to Satan and his kingdom in the heavenly realms through the church the multifaceted wisdom of God. The implication is that they were not to lose heart because his imprisonment was the result of Satan and his kingdom persecuting him because of proclaiming this mystery that Jewish and Gentile church age believers are now fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus. In other words, these Gentile Christians should never be discouraged by his imprisonment because Paul’s proclamation of this mystery doctrine is an affront and presents a threat to Satan and his kingdom. Thus, it is no surprise that Satan and his fellow evil spirits, who temporarily govern 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 26 the earth, attacked him to the point of causing him to be imprisoned unjustly by his own people, the Jews. Why was Satan upset by Paul communicating the gospel throughout the Roman Empire? Because the message of the gospel meant the demise of his kingdom on the earth. As we noted in our study of Ephesians 2:11-22, both Jewish and Gentile church age believers constitute the new humanity which will dispossess Satan and his fellow evil spirits when Jesus Christ returns with the church at His Second Advent, which brings to an end the times of the Gentiles and the seventieth week of Daniel. The Son of God had to become a human being in order to restore the human race to rulership over the earth (cf. Heb. 2:5-13). The Father placed His incarnate Son Jesus Christ as ruler over the earth as a result of His Son voluntarily suffering a spiritual and physical death on the cross as a substitute for the entire human race (Phil. 2:6-11; Heb. 2:9-11). When He ascended into heaven and was seated at the right hand of the Father, He was given the title deed to the earth and rulership over it (Rev. 5:1-5). At His Second Advent, He will bodily assume rulership over the earth (Rev. 19:11-20:4). At that time, He will imprison Satan for a thousand years (Rev. 20:1-3). He will along with the church assume rulership over the earth for a thousand years. Satan was instrumental in the fall of Adam and Eve because he tempted Eve to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in disobedience to God’s prohibition to not do so. Consequently, Adam did so as well as a result of his wife’s prompting. Thus, the entire human race was not only enslaved to sin but also to Satan and his kingdom. However, the incarnation of the Son of God, Jesus Christ destroyed his works according to 1 John 3:8 as a result of His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session at the right hand of the Father. Those sinners who trust in Him as their Savior are delivered from not only eternal condemnation, i.e., the wrath of God but also delivered from enslavement to sin and Satan and his cosmic system. At His Second Advent, the Lord Jesus Christ and His bride the church will dispossess Satan and his angels from the rulership of the earth and will restore the human race to the rulership over the earth. God’s plan from the beginning was that Adam and Eve would rule over the works of His hands according to Genesis 1:26-27. However, they lost this rulership because of their disobedience. However, Jesus Christ, and His bride, the church will restore the human race to its rightful place as rulers of the earth (Heb. 2:5-9). The sentence of Satan and his angels to suffer eternal condemnation in the lake of fire will be executed at the end of human history according to Revelation 20:10-15. Therefore, no wonder Paul was imprisoned unjustly because the god of this world, Satan was unhappy about this mystery doctrine of the church age, which asserts that Jewish and Gentile church age believers in resurrection bodies will dispossess him and his fellow evil spirits as rulers of planet earth. The proclamation 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 27 of the gospel and in particular this mystery doctrine that Jewish and Gentile church age believers are now fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and their union and identification with Him meant the end of Satan’s kingdom on earth. The second person plural aorist active indicative conjugation of the verb akouō (ἀκούω) pertains to learning or becoming aware of something, conceived of as hearing about it. The referent of the second person plural form of this verb is the recipients of this letter, who were Gentile Christian community living throughout the Roman province of Asia. The word not only speaks of them as a corporate unit but is also used in a distributive sense emphasizing no exceptions. Therefore, in context, this verb speaks of these Gentile church age believers who lived in the various cities and towns in the Roman province of Asia receiving information about Paul’s stewardship to communicate the mystery doctrine of the church age by hearing him and other teachers and prophets communicating it to them. The enclitic particle ge (γέ), “in fact” emphasizes that each one of the recipients of this letter without exception, who were Gentile church age believers, heard about the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to Paul for the benefit of each and every one of them. In other words, in relation to the first class conditional statement, it is an emphatic confirmation that they have heard about his stewardship to the gospel and in particular the mystery doctrine of the church age that Jewish and Gentile church age believers are now fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and their resultant union and identification with Him through the baptism of the Spirit at justification. Now, as we noted in our study of Ephesians 1:10, the noun oikonomia is derived from oikos, “house” and the verb nemo, “to administrate,” thus the word literally means “to administrate a household.” From the time of Xenophon and Plato, the word represented household administration, the management of a household or of household affairs. It was generally used for the administration of the state and was eventually used to designate every type of activity that accrued from the position.18 So it takes on the meanings “direction, provision” or “administration.” It appears only twice in the Septuagint where it retains its original meaning of “office, administration” (Isaiah 22:19, 21). The noun oikonomia occurs 9 times in the Greek New Testament (Luke 16:2, 3, 4; 1 Corinthians 9:17; Ephesians 1:10; 3:2, 9; Colossians 1:25; 1 Timothy 1:4). In Ephesians 3:9, oikonomia means “dispensation” and refers to the church age. However, in the remaining passages, it refers to a stewardship entrusted to someone. In 1 Timothy 1:4, the noun oikonomia means “administration of a household” and 18 The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, Colin Brown, General Editor, volume 2, page 253; Regency, Reference Library, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1967, 1969, 1971 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 28 refers to these unidentified individuals in Ephesus fulfilling their stewardship as pastor-teachers. Specifically, it refers to “the administration” of God’s household, which is the church. In 1 Corinthians 9:17, Ephesians 3:2, and Colossians 1:25, the word is a reference to the stewardship that God gave to Paul as an apostle. In Ephesians 1:10, the noun oikonomia (οἰκονομία) means “dispensation” since the word pertains to “a distinguishable economy in the outworking of God’s purpose.” 19 Specifically, it refers to the millennial reign of Jesus Christ when the Father’s kingdom will be visibly present on planet earth under the rulership of Jesus Christ and His bride. They will also be accompanied by Old Testament saints, tribulational martyrs in their resurrection bodies as well as the elect angels. However, here in Ephesians 3:2, the noun oikonomia (οἰκονομία) means “stewardship” because it pertains in this context to Paul’s responsibility as an apostle to communicate the gospel. Also, it speaks of his responsibility to communicate God’s secret plan that Gentile and Jewish church age believers are now fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus. In other words, it speaks of his responsibility to communicate this mystery doctrine of the church age. The idea of this word is two-fold: (1) It speaks of the office or spiritual gift of apostle. (2) It speaks of the activity of an apostle. Thus, the word not only speaks of Paul’s apostleship but also the responsibility he was given to communicate the Father’s secret plan to make Jewish and Gentile church age believers fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and their resultant union and identification with Him through the baptism of the Spirit at justification. Acts 26:15-18 records Paul recounting to King Agrippa the Lord bestowing upon him this stewardship to proclaim the gospel to the Gentiles. Acts 26:15 So I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But get up and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this reason, to designate you in advance as a servant and witness to the things you have seen and to the things in which I will appear to you. 17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you 18 to open their eyes so that they turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ (NET) The apostle Paul employs the noun charis (χάρις), “grace” for the seventh time in this epistle (cf. 1:2, 6, 7; 2:5, 7, 8) and in each instance, the word refers to God the Father’s grace policy towards unregenerate sinners, which manifests His attribute of love. Grace is also a major theme in this epistle since the noun charis 19 Dispensationalism Today, page 29 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 29 (χάρις), “grace” appears 12 times in this epistle (Eph. 1:2, 6, 7; 2:5:, 7, 8; 3:2, 7, 8; 4:7, 29; 6:24). It is all that God the Father is free to do in imparting unmerited blessings to those who trust in Jesus Christ as Savior based upon the merits of Christ and His death on the cross. It is God treating the sinner in a manner that they don’t deserve and excludes any human works in order to acquire eternal salvation or blessing from God. Grace means that God saved us and blessed us despite ourselves and not according to anything that we do but rather saved us and blessed us because of the merits of Christ and His work on the Cross. It excludes any human merit in salvation and blessing (Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5) and gives the Creator all the credit and the creature none. By means of faith, we accept the grace of God, which is a nonmeritorious system of perception, which is in total accord with the grace of God. Grace and faith are totally compatible with each other and inseparable (1 Tim. 1:14) and complement one another (Rom. 4:16; Eph. 2:8). Grace, faith, and salvation are all the gift of God and totally exclude all human works and ability (Eph. 2:8-9). However, here in Ephesians 3:2, the noun charis (χάρις), “grace” is employed by the apostle Paul to describe the stewardship the Lord Jesus Christ bestowed upon him at his justification as being an “unmerited blessing.” Thus, it is not only describe his spiritual gift of apostleship as an unmerited blessing but also the responsibility and task the Lord called or commissioned him to perform on behalf of the Gentiles. This interpretation is supported by the contents of Ephesians 3:8. Ephesians 3: 8 To me—less than the least of all the saints—this grace was given, to proclaim to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ (NET) Now, in Ephesians 3:2, the referent of the articular genitive masculine singular form of the noun theos (θεός), “the one and only God” is God the Father. The articular construction of the noun theos (θεός) expresses the idea that there were many gods in the world, but the God Jewish and Gentile Christians worshipped was the one and only true God in contrast to unregenerate humanity in the first century A.D. which worshipped the pantheon of Graeco-Roman gods. The noun charis (χάρις), “grace” functions as a genitive of apposition or epexegetical genitive, which indicates that the noun charis (χάρις), “grace” is identifying or describing the noun oikonomia (οἰκονομία), “the stewardship” as God’s grace. Specifically, it identifies this stewardship as an unmerited blessing given to Paul, which originates from God the Father. In other words, Paul did not earn or deserve this stewardship but rather it was a gift from God the Father. The noun theos (θεός) functions as a genitive of source, which expresses the idea that this grace or unmerited blessing bestowed upon Paul “originates from” God the Father. When Paul describes himself in Ephesians 3:8 as “less than the least of all the saints,” he is alluding to the fact that his stewardship was manifestation of God’s grace in the sense that the task the Lord gave him to communicate the gospel to the 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 30 Gentile was an unmerited blessing. In other words, he certainly did not earn or deserve it. As we noted in our exegesis of Ephesians 3:2, the verb didōmi (δίδωμι) means “to bestow as a gift” since the word pertains in this context of giving someone something as an expression of generosity. The referent of the feminine singular form of this verb is the noun oikonomia (οἰκονομία), “the stewardship,” which we noted is modified by the genitive adjunct tēs charitos tou theou (τῆς χάριτος τοῦ θεοῦ), “God’s grace.” The dative first person singular form of the possessive personal pronoun egō (ἐγώ), “to me” and refers of course to the apostle Paul. The word functions as a dative indirect object, which indicates that the apostle Paul received this stewardship, which was an unmerited blessing originating from God the Father. The accusative second person plural form of the personal pronoun su (σύ) means “each and every one of you as a corporate unit” or “all of you as a corporate unit without exception” because it not only refers to the recipients of this letter but is also used of them in a distributive sense emphasizing on exceptions. The referent of this word we noted is the Gentile Christian community living throughout the Roman province of Asia. This word is the object of the preposition eis (εἰς), which functions as a marker of benefaction or advantage expressing the idea that the stewardship of God’s grace, which was given to Paul, was “for the benefit of” each and every Gentile church age believer without exception. The aorist tense of this verb didōmi (δίδωμι) is a constative aorist, which describes in summary fashion Paul receiving as a gift the stewardship of communicating the Father’s secret plan to make Jewish and Gentile church age believers fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise because of the faith in Christ Jesus at justification and their resultant union and identification with Him. If you recall, the noun oikonomia (οἰκονομία), “the stewardship” not only speaks of Paul’s apostleship but also the responsibility he was given to communicate the Father’s secret plan to make Jewish and Gentile church age believers fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and their resultant union and identification with Him through the baptism of the Spirit at justification. Therefore, the aorist tense is not only describing the moment Paul received this stewardship at justification but also describes Paul receiving the revelation of the content of this mystery after justification. The passive voice of this verb means that the subject receives the action of the verb from either an expressed or unexpressed agency. Here the agency is expressed in Ephesians 3:5, which asserts that this mystery or God the Father’s secret plan to make Jewish and Gentile believers fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 31 Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus during the church age was revealed to the apostles and prophets en pneumati (ἐν πνεύματι), “by the Spirit.” Therefore, the passive of this verb didōmi (δίδωμι) indicates that the stewardship of God’s grace receives the action of being given to Paul when he received the gift of apostleship through the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit at justification and after justification when he received the revelation of the content of this mystery from the Holy Spirit. The participle conjugation of this verb is in the genitive case and functions as a genitive of apposition or epexegetical genitive, which indicates that the participle conjugation of this verb didōmi (δίδωμι) is identifying or describing the noun oikonomia (οἰκονομία), “the stewardship” as being given to Paul at justification for the benefit of the Gentile Christian community and after justification when he received the revelation of the content of this mystery. In Colossians 1:25, the apostle Paul also mentions this same stewardship from God. Colossians 1:24 Now, I am presently rejoicing because of my sufferings on behalf of each and every one of you. In fact, I am supplementing that which remains of the one and only Christ’s intense sufferings by means of my physical body on behalf of His body which is, as an eternal spiritual truth, the church. 25 Of which I myself became a servant because of the stewardship which is from God (the Father) which was given to me on behalf of each and every one of you in order to fulfill the task of communicating the message originating from God (the Father). 26 Specifically, the mystery which has been concealed from past ages, in other words from past generations but now has been revealed to His saints. 27 For the benefit of whom, God (the Father) wanted to make known what is of infinite value, namely the glorious revelation of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is, as an eternal spiritual truth Christ in each and every one of you, who is the confident expectation of glory, 28 whom we make it our habit of proclaiming everywhere. Specifically, by making it our habit of instructing each and every person, yes by making it our habit of providing authoritative instruction for each and every person by means of a wisdom which is absolute. The purpose of which is to present each and every person as mature in the presence of the Christ. 29 For which purpose, I in fact continue making it my habit of working hard. Specifically, by making it my habit of striving for my own benefit in the face of opposition because of His activity which is regularly made effective through me by means of power. (Author’s translation) Ephesians 3:3 is composed of the following: (1) hoti (ὅτι) epexegetical clause hoti kata apokalypsin egnōristhē moi to mystērion (ὅτι κατὰ ἀποκάλυψιν ἐγνωρίσθη μοι τὸ μυστήριον), “Namely that, the mystery was made known for the benefit of myself as revelation” (Author’s translation) (2) comparative clause proegrapsa 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 32 en oligō (προέγραψα ἐν ὀλίγῳ), “as I wrote beforehand in a concise manner.” (Author’s translation) The hoti (ὅτι) epexegetical clause explains the noun oikonomia (οἰκονομία), “the stewardship” and specifically, it explains the nature of this stewardship, namely it is being a steward of the mystery or the divine secret that was made known to Paul by revelation from the Holy Spirit. As was the case in Ephesians 1:17, the noun apokalypsis (ἀποκάλυψις) here in Ephesians 3:3 means “revelation” since the word in both instances pertains to communication of knowledge which was previously hidden to man by a divine or supernatural agency. However, in Ephesians 1:17, it refers to the revelation the Holy Spirit provided Paul and his fellow apostles regarding the Father’s plan for the church age believer, which now appears in the Greek New Testament. But here in Ephesians 3:3, it refers to the revelation the Holy Spirit (Eph. 3:5) provided Paul in relation to his stewardship, which he describes in Ephesians 3:2 as unique to the grace, which originates form the one and only God which is a reference to the Father. As we noted in our study of Ephesians 3:2, the protasis is introduced in Ephesians 3:2 but explained in detail in Ephesians 3:3-12. In Ephesians 3:3-5, the apostle Paul defines this stewardship of God’s grace as the revelation of the mystery and asserts that he was given insight into this mystery of Christ, which was not known to Old Testament saints but has now been revealed to the apostles and New Testament prophets by the Spirit. In Ephesians 3:6, he defines this mystery of Christ as Gentile church age believers being fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and union and identification with Him as a result of their obedience to the gospel. Then, in Ephesians 3:7-8, Paul asserts that he became a servant of the gospel according to the gift of God’s grace that was given to him by the exercise of God’s power to proclaim to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ and to enlighten everyone about God’s plan concealed from the saints in living in past dispensations. Thus, the implication is that Paul enlightened the recipients of this letter regarding God’s secret plan to have Jewish and Gentile believers being fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and union and identification with Him with the Jewish church age believers as a result of their obedience to the gospel. In Ephesians 3:10, Paul asserts that the purpose of this enlightenment is that through the church the multifaced wisdom of God would be disclosed during the church age to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly realms, which is a reference to Satan and his fellow evil spirits. Then, in Ephesians 3:11, he asserts that this was according to the eternal purpose that the Father accomplished by means of the Lord Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session at the right hand of the Father. 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 33 Therefore, in Ephesians 3:3, the noun apokalypsis (ἀποκάλυψις), which we noted means “revelation” refers to Paul’s stewardship, which we also noted, he defines as the mystery of Christ, which was communicated through the gospel by the apostles and prophets of Jesus Christ by the agency of the Holy Spirit. The content of this revelation is that Jewish and Gentile church age believers are now fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus. It was a mystery in the sense that it was a secret plan not known to Old Testaments but now communicated during the church age through the apostles and prophets of Jesus Christ. The purpose of this enlightenment we also noted was to disclose to Satan and his kingdom in the heavenly realms through the church the multifaceted wisdom of God. There has been much conjecture as to when Paul received this revelation. It could refer to Paul’s Damascus road experience at his conversion (Acts. 9:3-8; 22:6-11; 26:12-18),or the teaching of Ananias in Damascus (Acts 9:10-19), or the vision in Jerusalem Paul received (Acts 22:17) or lastly, his training by God in Arabia (Gal.1:12,17-18). However, none of these accounts reveals or suggests that Paul received this revelation that Jewish and Gentile Christians are now fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus. Now, in Ephesians 3:3, the prepositional phrase kata apokalypsin (κατὰ ἀποκάλυψιν), “as revelation” not only modifies to the hoti epexegetical clause egnōristhē moi to mystērion (ἐγνωρίσθη μοι τὸ μυστήριον), “the mystery was made known for the benefit of myself” but also corresponds to it. Specifically, the former corresponds to the latter in that both speak of Paul receiving revelation from the Holy Spirit. In other words, they are equivalent to each other in that they both refer to the same thing. Namely, this divine secret or mystery was made known to him by the Spirit is “equivalent” to receiving revelation from the Holy Spirit. As was the case in Ephesians 1:9, the noun mustērion (μυστήριον) here in Ephesians 3:3, the word means “mystery, divine secret” since the word pertains to the content of that which has not been known before but which has been revealed to an in-group or restricted constituency. 20 It pertains to a secret whose concerned party is a deity alone and those to whom he chooses to share the information; especially concerning the method and history of God’s redemption or other supernatural information.21 In Ephesians 1:9 and 3:3, the noun mustērion (μυστήριον), “mystery” speaks of a truth which was not known to Old Testament saints but has now been revealed by Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). In Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 344). United Bible Societies 20 21 Logos Bible Software Bible Sense Lexicon 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 34 the Father through the Spirit during the church age to the apostles who communicated it to the church. In Ephesians 1:9, this word refers to the divine secret or mystery of the Father’s will for church age believers. Ephesians 1:3 The God, namely the Father of the Lord ruling over us, who is Jesus Christ, is worthy of praise. Namely, because He is the one who has blessed each and every one of us by means of each and every kind of Spirit appropriated blessing in the heavenlies in Christ. 4 For He chose each and every one of us for His own purpose because of Him alone before creation in order that each and every one of us would be holy as well as uncensurable in His judgment. 5 He did this by predestinating each and every one of us for the purpose of adoption as sons because of His love through Jesus Christ for Himself according to the pleasure of His will. 6 This was for the purpose of praising His glorious grace, which He freely bestowed on each and every one of us because of the one who is divinely loved. 7 Because of whom, each one of us are experiencing that which is the redemption through His blood, namely the forgiveness of our transgressions according to His infinite grace. 8 This He provided in abundance for the benefit of each and every one of us because of the exercise of a wisdom, which is absolute and divine in nature resulting in the manifestation of an insight, which is absolute and divine in nature. 9 He did this by revealing the mystery of His will for the benefit of each and every one of us according to His pleasure, which He planned beforehand because of our faith in and union and identification with Himself. (Author’s translation) In Ephesians 1:9, the noun mustērion (μυστήριον), “mystery” speaks of a truth which was not known to Old Testament saints but has now been revealed by the Father through the Spirit during the church age to the apostles who communicated it to the church. This mystery is identified by the word’s genitive adjunct which is tou thelēmatos autou (τοῦ θελήματος αὐτοῦ), “of His will.” This mystery of the Father’s will is identified in Ephesians 1:3-4 as the Father electing church age believers by predestinating them for the purpose of adoption as sons for His purpose because of His love through Jesus Christ. Thus, it was according to His will to elect church age believers by predestinating them for the purpose of adoption as sons for His purpose alone because of His love through Jesus Christ. This mystery is developed further in Ephesians 3:5-6 in that it asserts that the Gentile believers are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus with Jewish Christians. Both groups compose those who have been elected by the Father which was accomplished by predestinating them for the purpose of adoption as sons for Himself alone because of His love through their faith in and union and identification with Jesus Christ. Therefore, the development of this mystery in Ephesians 3:5-6 is that these verses are identifying 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 35 that not only Jewish Christians are elected and predestinated and in union with Christ and identified with Him but also Gentile Christians. This development was necessary since the promise of the Holy Spirit was originally given to His apostles and disciples who were all Jewish since this promise was given to the Jewish people under the New Covenant (cf. Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:27) and the recipients of the Ephesian epistle were Gentile Christians. So therefore, in Ephesians 3:3, the referent the noun mustērion (μυστήριον), “mystery” is that Gentile and Jewish church age believers being fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and union and identification with Him as a result of their obedience to the gospel. Ephesians 3:3 expands or explains in greater detail or provides more information about the Father’s will for the church age believer in Ephesians 1:9. Namely, that it also involves Gentile and Jewish church age believers being fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and union and identification with Him as a result of their obedience to the gospel. Therefore, in each instance, the word has the same referent because the Father’s will for the church age believer, which was not known to the Old Testament prophets, is that Gentile and Jewish church age believers are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and union and identification with Him. Some commentators argue that this comparative clause alludes to Colossians 1:25-27. However, this very unlikely since Tychicus not only delivered Ephesians to the Christian community in the Roman province of Asia but also Colossians (Col.4:7). He also delivered what we know as “Philemon” to Philemon since it can be inferred that Philemon lived in Colossae because the Onesimus mentioned in Philemon 10 is Philemon’s slave is the same Onesimus who appears in Colossians 4;9. Now, therefore, in Ephesians 3:3, the statement kata apokalypsin egnōristhē moi to mystērion (κατὰ ἀποκάλυψιν ἐγνωρίσθη μοι τὸ μυστήριον), “Namely that, the mystery was made known for the benefit of myself as revelation” means that the divine secret or mystery that Gentile and Jewish church age believers are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and union and identification with Him was made known for the benefit of Paul as revelation. As we noted in our exegesis of Ephesians 3:3, the aorist tense of this verb gnōrizō (γνωρίζω) is a constative aorist, which is describing in summary fashion the action of Paul receiving this divine secret or mystery that Gentile and Jewish church age believers being fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 36 partakers of the promise because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and union and identification with Him being made known for the benefit of Paul. There is nothing in Scripture which would indicate that this is a consummative aorist which is used to stress the cessation of an act, which would thus indicate that Paul received this revelation at the moment of justification or at some other point of time after his conversion. The Scriptures also do not indicate if he received this revelation in stages over a period of time. Therefore, it is better to take the aorist tense of this verb as a constative aorist which takes no interest in the internal workings of the action of the verb. It simply describes in summary fashion without focusing on the beginning or end of the action. The passive voice of the verb gnōrizō (γνωρίζω) indicates that this mystery or divine secret about Jewish and Gentile church age believers receives the action of being made known to Paul by revelation from the Holy Spirit. The comparative clause proegrapsa en oligō (προέγραψα ἐν ὀλίγῳ), “as I wrote beforehand in a concise manner” which follows this hoti epexegetical clause refers to Paul writing about this mystery concerning Jewish and Gentile church age believers in Ephesians 1:3-14 and 2:11-22. The adverb kathōs (καθώς) functions as a marker of comparison which means that it is marking a comparison between the hoti (ὅτι) epexegetical clause hoti kata apokalypsin egnōristhē moi to mystērion (ὅτι κατὰ ἀποκάλυψιν ἐγνωρίσθη μοι τὸ μυστήριον), “Namely that, the mystery was made known for the benefit of myself as revelation” (Author’s translation) and the comparative clause proegrapsa en oligō (προέγραψα ἐν ὀλίγῳ), “as I wrote beforehand in a concise manner” (Author’s translation), which follows it. The latter refers to the contents of Ephesians 1:9, which we noted speaks of mystery of the Father’s will for church age believers, which is explained in greater detail in Ephesians 3:2-13. Therefore, this adverb kathōs (καθώς) is marking a comparison between the contents of Ephesians 3:2-13 with the contents of Ephesians 1:3-14 and 2:11-22. In this comparative clause, the verb prographō (προγράφω) means “to write beforehand or previously, to write in advance or in anticipation of” and is modified by the prepositional phrase en oligō (προέγραψα ἐν ὀλίγῳ), which identifies Paul as writing about this divine secret or mystery in a brief manner in Ephesians 1:9. The aorist tense of the verb prographō (προγράφω) is used of Paul writing in Ephesians 1:3-14 and 2:11-22 about this mystery not known to Old Testament prophets that Jewish and Gentile church age believers are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and union and identification with Him. This author not only believes that this comparative clause in Ephesians 3:3 refers to Paul’s teaching in Ephesians 1:3-10 but also to his teaching in Ephesians 2:11-22. This is indicated by the fact that these verses develop the idea of these Gentile 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 37 Christians being elected by being predestinated in eternity past to adoption as son of the Father, which is taught in Ephesians 1:3-14. Ephesians 2:11-22 teaches that Gentile church age believers are united with Jewish Gentile believers because of their faith in Jesus Christ at justification and their union and identification with Him accomplished through the baptism of the Spirit at their justification. Thus, the election and predestinated of church age believers to adoption as sons of the Father taught by Paul in Ephesians1:3-14 also involves Jewish and Gentile church age believers being united together to form the new humanity led by Jesus Christ which will dispossess Satan and his fellow evil spirits in order to rule over the works of God’s hands during Jesus Christ’s millennial reign. Thus, the comparative clause proegrapsa en oligō (προέγραψα ἐν ὀλίγῳ) is emphasizing that Paul wrote about this mystery or divine secret about Jewish and Gentile church age believers briefly in Ephesians 1:3-14 and 2:11-22 before writing about it in detail in Ephesians 3:2-13. Ephesians 3:4 is composed of the participial clause dynasthe anaginōskontes noēsai tēn synesin mou (δύνασθε ἀναγινώσκοντες νοῆσαι τὴν σύνεσίν μου), “that is, by each one of you making it your habit of hearing read publicly, all of you will for your own benefit become able to comprehend my insight” and is modified by two prepositional phrases. The first is pros ho (πρὸς ὃ), “Concerning which” and the second is en tō mystēriō tou Christou (ἐν τῷ μυστηρίῳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ), “into this incomparable mystery, which is produced by your unique union and identification with Christ.” These two prepositional phrases serve as bookends to this participial clause with the first placed in the emphatic position in the clause and the second completing the clause. In the participial clause, we noted in our exegesis that the nominative masculine plural present active participle conjugation of the verb anaginōskō (ἀναγινώσκω) pertains to having a particular piece of literature read publicly or aloud to people and thus involves verbalization. The referent of the masculine plural form of this verb is the Gentile Christian community living in the various cities and towns throughout the Roman province of Asia. This is indicated by the fact that Paul identifies the recipients of this epistle in Ephesians 2:11 as Gentile Christians and this is a circular letter written. Therefore, this verb in Ephesians 3:4 refers to the contents of Ephesians being read publicly to each member of the Gentile Christian community in the Roman province of Asia who were the recipients of this epistle by their lectors and pastorteachers. In other words, it describes these Gentiel Christians hearing read publicly the contents of this epistle, which explains in detail this mystery doctrine of the church age. As we noted in our exegesis, this word anaginōskō (ἀναγινώσκω) functions as a nominative in simple apposition which means that it describes the recipients of this 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 38 epistle hearing the contents of this epistle read to them publicly by their lectors and pastors in the public worship service and which contents explains in detail this mystery doctrine for the church age. The present tense of this verb is a customary present, which is used to describe these Gentile Christians as “making it their habit of” hearing read publicly in the public worship service this mystery doctrine. This verb anaginōskō (ἀναγινώσκω) also functions as a participle of means which indicates the means by which the action of a finite verb is accomplished. This type of participle defines the action of its controlling verb and makes more explicit what the author intended to convey with the verb. This type of participle usually follows the main verb. In this context, the finite verb is the second person plural present middle indicative conjugation of the verb dunamai (δύναμαι), “you will be able” whose thought is completed by the aorist active infinitive conjugation of the verb noeō (νοέω), “to understand.” Also, in this context, the verb anaginōskō (ἀναγινώσκω) follows the main verb, which we noted is the verb dunamai (δύναμαι), “you will be able.” Therefore, the participle conjugation of the verb anaginōskō (ἀναγινώσκω) is describing the means by which the recipients of this letter will be able to comprehend Paul’s insight into this mystery of Christ. Namely, by making it their habit of hearing read publicly the contents of this letter by their lectors and pastors in the public worship service, which explains in detail this mystery doctrine for the church age. Some interpret the participle conjugation of this verb anaginōskō (ἀναγινώσκω) as a temporal participle, which in relation to its controlling verb, answers the question, “when?” Therefore, this type of participle would be expressing the idea of the recipients of this letter will be able to comprehend Paul’s insight into this mystery of Christ “while” hearing read publicly the contents of this letter read in the public worship service. Though a participle might have a temporal force, one must determine if a more specific semantic value is intended by the writer before interpreting the participle as being temporal. This is the case here where anaginōskō (ἀναγινώσκω) has a more specific semantic value, namely means. The second person plural aorist middle indicative conjugation of the verb dunamai (δύναμαι) pertains to possessing the capacity to understand a particular subject. We noted that the referent of the second person plural of this verb is of course the recipients of this epistle who were members of the Gentile Christian community living in the various cities and towns in the Roman province of Asia. The middle voice of this verb is an indirect middle, which means that the subject acts for himself or herself. Therefore, this would express the idea that it would be “for the benefit of” the recipients of this epistle to be able to comprehend Paul’s insight into the mystery of Christ. 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 39 The aorist active infinitive conjugation of the verb noeō (νοέω), “to understand” pertains to understanding, or comprehending on the basis of careful thought and consideration and speaks of grasping the meaning of a particular subject intellectually. It functions as complementary infinitive which means that it is completing the thought of the second person plural present middle indicative conjugation of the verb dunamai (δύναμαι) because it identifies for the reader what they will be able to do by reading the contents of this epistle. The aorist tense of this verb noeō (νοέω) is an ingressive aorist, which emphasizes the entrance into a particular state or condition. Therefore, this indicates that the recipients of this epistle will be able to “enter into the state of” comprehending Paul’s insight into the mystery of Christ by making it their habit of hearing the contents of this epistle read to them publicly by their lectors and pastors. The noun sunesis (σύνεσις), “insight” pertains to possessing the ability to understand the meaning and importance of something. As was the case in Colossians 1:9, 2:2 and 2 Timothy 2:7, the noun sunesis (σύνεσις) here in Ephesians 3:4 pertains to the result of apprehending the inner nature of things or of seeing intuitively. It pertains to the quality of being able to grasp and comprehend what is obscure, skill in discerning, and the power to see what is not evident to the average mind. The nominative first person singular form of the personal pronoun ego (ἐγώ) means “my” and its referent is of course Paul. The articular construction of the noun sunesis (σύνεσις) is employed with this personal pronoun in order to denote possession indicating that this insight or discernment is the possession of the apostle Paul. Now, in the first prepositional phrase pros ho (πρὸς ὃ), “concerning which,” we noted in our exegesis that the referent of the accusative neuter singular form of the relative pronoun hos (ὅς) is the articular nominative neuter singular form of the noun mustērion (μυστήριον), “the mystery,” which appears in Ephesians 3:3. This mystery refers to revelation Paul received from the Holy Spirit and was not known to the Old Testament prophets of Israel. The content of this revelation is that Gentile and Jewish church age believers are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and union and identification with Him. As we noted in our study of Ephesians 3:3, this verse expands or explains in greater detail or provides more information about the Father’s will for the church age believer in Ephesians 1:9. Namely, that it also involves Gentile and Jewish church age believers being fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and union and identification with Him as a result of their obedience to the gospel. Therefore, in each instance, the word has the same referent because the Father’s will 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 40 for the church age believer, which was not known to the Old Testament prophets, is that Gentile and Jewish church age believers are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and union and identification with Him. We also noted in our exegesis that the accusative neuter singular form of the relative pronoun hos (ὅς) is the object is the object of the preposition pros (πρός), which marks this mystery doctrine of the church age as being the connection between what he wrote about it in the first two chapters and what he is going to write about in Ephesians 3:5-13. The second prepositional in Ephesians 3:4, which completes this verse contains the noun mustērion (μυστήριον) means “mystery, secret, divine secret” since it pertains to revelation that was not known to the Old Testament prophets of Israel but has been given to the apostles and New Testament prophets by the Holy Spirit. As was the case in Ephesians 3:3, here in Ephesians 3:4 the referent of this word is the revelation that Gentile and Jewish church age believers being fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and union and identification with Him as a result of their obedience to the gospel. The articular construction of this word is monadic, which means that this mystery is “unique” or “one of a kind” because the content of this mystery is that Gentile and Jewish church age believers being fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and union and identification. Thus, this mystery is unique because never before in history were Gentile believers on equal footing with Jewish believers. The noun mustērion (μυστήριον) is the object of the preposition en (ἐν), which marks the content of what Paul possessed insight into, namely, this unique mystery or secret, which is produced by union and identification with Christ, which is unique to those Jewish and Gentile sinners who have been declared justified through faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior. The proper name Christos (Χριστός), “Christ” contains the figure of metonymy which means that the one and only Christ is put for the church age believer’s union and identification with Him through the baptism of the Spirit at their justification. This interpretation is indicated by the contents of Ephesians 3:5-13 reveal the content of this mystery, namely that Gentile and Jewish church age believers are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and union and identification with Him. Gentile Christians were entered into a relationship with God the Father and with His covenant people Israel by being declared justified through faith in Jesus Christ. Simultaneously, through the baptism of the Spirit, they were placed in union with Jesus Christ and identified with Him in His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 41 and session at the Father’s right hand. Through the baptism of the Spirit, they were united with Jewish Christians. Consequently, they benefit from the four unconditional covenants that God established with His covenant people, namely the Abrahamic, Palestinian, Davidic and New covenants. They received the gift of the Spirit and the forgiveness of sins because of benefiting from the New covenant, which promises these two benefits. The articular construction of the proper name Christos (Χριστός), “Christ” is monadic emphasizing that Jewish and Gentile church age believer’s union and identification with Jesus Christ as being unique in history. This is indicated by the fact that unlike the church age, Gentile believers in previous dispensations have never been on equal footing with Jewish believers in the sense that Gentiles have never given the privilege of entering into a covenant relationship with God as Jewish believers. At the moment of justification, Gentile church age believers have been entered into a covenant relationship with God because through the baptism of the Spirit, not only have they been united with Christ and identified with Him but they have also been united with Jewish church age believers as well (cf. Rom. 11:16-21; Eph. 2:11-22). The articular construction of the proper name Christos (Χριστός) functions as a genitive of production, which takes place when the genitive substantive “produces” the noun to which it stands related, which in our context is the noun mustērion (μυστήριον), “mystery.” Therefore, this construction expresses the idea that this mystery or secret doctrine that Gentile and Jewish church age believers being fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise with each other is “produced by” their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and union and identification with Him. Notice, in Ephesians 3:4 that Paul speaks of this mystery being read publicly to the recipients of this epistle who we noted were Gentile Christians living in the various cities and towns in the Roman province of Asia. The public reading of Scripture is commanded by Paul since he instructed Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:13 to be occupied with the public reading of Scripture. The public reading of Scripture is mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 5:27 in that Paul commanded the Thessalonian Christian community to have the contents of First Thessalonians read to each person in their community. Now, some expositors argue that the content of the mystery of Christ here in Ephesians 3:4 is the same as in Colossians 1:26, 27, 2:2 and 4:3. However, this is not the case. In fact, the content of the mystery of Christ here in Ephesians 3:4 refers to one of several doctrines which are described by Paul in his writings as a “mystery,” i.e., not known to the Old Testament prophets of Israel but revealed by the Spirit to the apostles and New Testament prophets. Namely, that Gentile and Jewish church age believers are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 42 and fellow partakers of the promise because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and union and identification with Him. In the New Testament, the church is never actually called a mystery but we know it is a mystery because its major elements are specifically designated as mysteries. For example, the first major element is the body concept of Jewish and Gentile believers united into one body to form one “new man” or “new humanity.” This is described a mystery in Ephesians 3:1-12. The second major element is that the church is the Bride of Jesus Christ which is taught in Ephesians 5:22-32. The third element is the rapture or resurrection of the church which is described as a mystery as well in First Corinthians 15:51-52. Lastly, the fourth and final major element is the concept of Jesus Christ indwelling each and every church age believer which is taught here in Colossians 1:24-27 and also in 2:10-19; 3:4 and 11. Ephesians 3:5 is composed of the following: (1) relative pronoun clause ho heterais geneais ouk egnōristhē tois huiois tōn anthrōpōn (ὃ ἑτέραις γενεαῖς οὐκ ἐγνωρίσθη τοῖς υἱοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων), “This mystery was by no means made known to members of the human race in previous generations.” (Author’s translation) (2) comparative clause hōs nyn apekalyphthē tois hagiois °apostolois autou kai prophētais en pneumati (ὡς νῦν ἀπεκαλύφθη τοῖς ἁγίοις °ἀποστόλοις αὐτοῦ καὶ προφήταις ἐν πνεύματι), “as it has now been revealed through the personal agency of His holy apostles as well as prophets by means of the omnipotence of the Spirit.” (Author’s translation) We noted in our exegesis that the referent of the nominative neuter singular form of the relative pronoun hos (ὅς) is the articular nominative neuter singular form of the noun mustērion (μυστήριον), “the mystery,” which appears in Ephesians 3:4, which is indicated by the fact that they agree in gender (neuter) and number (singular). As we also noted in our study of this verse, the latter means “mystery, secret, divine secret” since it pertains to revelation that was not known to the Old Testament prophets of Israel but has been given to the apostles and New Testament prophets by the Holy Spirit. As was the case in Ephesians 3:3, here in Ephesians 3:4 the referent of this word is the revelation that Gentile and Jewish church age believers are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise with Jewish church age believers because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and union and identification with Him. In Ephesians 3:4, we also noted Paul asserts that this mystery is “produced by” these Jewish and Gentile church age believer’s faith in Jesus Christ at justification and union and identification with Him. Therefore, the referent of the nominative neuter singular form of the relative pronoun hos (ὅς) here in Ephesians 3:5 is the articular nominative neuter singular form of the noun mustērion (μυστήριον), “the mystery,” which Paul asserts is produced by the church age believer’s union and identification with Jesus Christ. 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 43 In our study of Ephesians 3:3-4, we noted that this verse expands or explains in greater detail or provides more information about the Father’s will for the church age believer in Ephesians 1:9. Namely, that it also involves Gentile and Jewish church age believers being fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and union and identification with Him as a result of their obedience to the gospel. Therefore, in each instance, the word has the same referent because the Father’s will for the church age believer, which was not known to the Old Testament prophets, is that Gentile and Jewish church age believers are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and union and identification with Him. This mystery about Jewish and Gentile church age believers is not only alluded to in Ephesians 1:3-14 and Ephesians 3:2-13 but is also alluded to in Ephesians 2:1122 because the latter develops the idea of these Gentile Christians being elected by being predestinated in eternity past to adoption as son of the Father, which is taught in Ephesians 1:3-14. Ephesians 2:11-22 teaches that Gentile church age believers are united with Jewish Gentile believers because of their faith in Jesus Christ at justification and their union and identification with Him accomplished through the baptism of the Spirit at their justification. Thus, the election and predestination of church age believers to adoption as sons of the Father taught by Paul in Ephesians1:3-14 also involves Jewish and Gentile church age believers being united together to form the new humanity who along with Jesus Christ dispossess Satan and his fellow evil spirits as rulers over God’s creation in order to rule over the works of God’s hands during Jesus Christ’s millennial reign. F. F. Bruce writes “This is a mystery in the sense that it was not made known to human beings in other generations. Similar language is used in the doxology at the end of the letter to the Romans, where Paul’s gospel, ‘the preaching of Jesus Christ,’ is said to be ‘the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret for long ages’ (Rom. 16:25),22 and in Col. 1:25–27, where ‘the word of God’ which Paul is commissioned to make known is called ‘the mystery which has been concealed for ages and generations.’23 In Col. 1:27 this mystery is summed up in Christ, dwelling in the hearts of Gentile believers as their hope of glory. Elsewhere Paul insists that his gospel is no innovation. It was promised in advance through the prophets in the holy scriptures (Rom. 1:2); it was preached beforehand to Abraham (Gal. 3:8). That faith was the principle by which God would justify men and women, Gentiles as well as Jews, was not a truth concealed in earlier generations. It is a truth attested, according to Paul, in the Law, the Prophets, and the The provenance of the doxology of Rom. 16:25–27 is a matter of debate; see C. E. B. Cranfield, The Epistle to the Romans (Edinburgh, 1973– 79), pp. 5–11, 808–09; E. Käsemann, Commentary on Romans, E.T. (Grand Rapids, 1980), pp. 421–28. 23 See pp. 84–86. 22 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 44 Writings.24 He adduces evidence from the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings25 to establish that Christ came not only ‘to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs’ regarding their descendants but also ‘in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy’ (Rom. 15:8–12), and in this evidence he finds the scriptural basis for his own Gentile mission. That God would bless the Gentiles, then, was not a new revelation. What then was the new revelation, the mystery hitherto concealed? It was this: that God’s blessing of the Gentiles would involve the obliteration of the old line of demarcation which separated them from Jews and the incorporation of Gentile believers together with Jewish believers, without any discrimination, in the new, comprehensive community of God’s chosen people. This had not been foreseen; this was now ‘revealed in the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.’ In Rom. 16:26 what had long been kept secret was ‘now disclosed and through prophetic writings … made known to all the nations.’ In Col. 1:26 the previously hidden mystery was ‘now made manifest to his saints.' It was made known now to all the nations in the worldwide preaching of the gospel; it was made known to God’s holy people because they were the natural recipients of his revelation; it was made known to the apostles and prophets because they were the ministers through whom the truth of God was communicated to their fellowbelievers. It emerges almost immediately that among those ministers it is Paul himself who holds the primacy.”23 Peter O’Brien writes “The ‘mystery of Christ’ had not been made known to human beings in earlier generations. 24 It was wholly inaccessible to human understanding until the time when God 25 chose to reveal it. In essence the same point is affirmed in the concluding doxology of Romans (16:25–27), where Paul’s gospel is said to be ‘the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret for long ages’, and in Colossians 1:25–27, where ‘the word of God’ which the apostle is to complete is ‘the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations’. This is not to suggest, however, that Paul’s gospel is an innovation.26 Quite the reverse. The apostle insists elsewhere that it was promised beforehand through the prophets in the holy scriptures (Rom. 1:2), that it was witnessed to by the law and the prophets (3:21) in fact, that the gospel was preached beforehand to Abraham Cf. his citation of Gen. 15:6 (Rom. 4:3; Gal. 3:6), Hab. 2:4b (Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:11), and Ps. 32 (LXX 31):1–2 (Rom. 4:7–8). From the Law: Deut. 32:43; from the Prophets: Isa. 11:10; from the Writings: Pss. 18 (LXX 17):49; 117 (LXX 116): 1. 23 Bruce, F. F. (1984). The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians (pp. 313–315). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. 24 ἑτέραις γενεαῖς (‘other generations’) is a way of indicating the past and contrasting it with the present (Schlier, 149; C. C. Caragounis, Mysterion, 101; cf. A. T. Robertson, Grammar, 523; and BDF §200[4]), which is here portrayed by νῦν (‘now’). For a discussion of the ‘once—now’ contrast here, see H. Merklein, Das kirchliche Amt, 181–87 (against F. J. Steinmetz, Protologische Heils-Zuversicht, 51–67, esp. 66, who argues that the contrast here is not basically temporal but theological). 25 The two passive verbs, οὐκ ἐγνωρίσθη (‘was not made known’) and ἀπεκαλύφθη (‘has been revealed’) emphasize that it is God alone who unfolds the mystery of Christ. On a possible distinction in meaning between γνωρίζω and ἀποκαλύπτω, see Schnackenburg, 133. 26 Note the important discussion of J. D. G. Dunn, ‘How New Was Paul’s Gospel? The Problem of Continuity and Discontinuity’, in Gospel in Paul: Studies on Corinthians, Galatians and Romans for Richard N. Longenecker, ed. L. A. Jervis and P. Richardson (Sheffield: Academic Press, 1994), 367–88. 24 25 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 45 (Gal. 3:8). Furthermore, evidence of God’s intention to bless Gentiles through this gospel may be found in the law, the prophets, and the writings,27 passages which Paul takes up in Romans 15:8–12 to show that Christ came not only for Jews and their descendants but also for Gentiles, who would ‘glorify God for his mercy’, and to set forth the Old Testament basis for his Gentile mission. In what sense, then, could it be said that this ‘mystery’ was a new revelation if the prophets of the Old Testament had already looked forward to the saving purpose of God in which Gentiles along with Israelites would be embraced within its scope? The manner in which that purpose would come to fruition—by incorporation of both Jews and Gentiles into the body of Christ—was not made known. This had remained a mystery until the time of its fulfilment, and Paul, as the apostle to the Gentiles and first steward of this mystery, has the privilege of unfolding its wonder to his readers. So now28 there has been a dramatic turn of events. What was previously hidden has now been disclosed by God. This revelation has occurred in the immediate present, according to Ephesians 1:9, after the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Again the parallel passages in Romans 16 and Colossians 1 affirm the same truth in slightly different wording. In the former what had previously been kept secret was ‘now disclosed and through the prophetic writings … made known to all the nations’ (Rom. 16:26), while in the latter the previously hidden mystery was ‘now made manifest to his saints’.” 29 Now, in Ephesians 3:5, the dative feminine plural form of the noun genea (γενεά), “generations” refers to generations of human beings extending from Adam up to the church age. In other words, the referent of this word is the dispensations prior to the church age. We noted in our exegesis that this noun genea (γενεά) is modified by the dative feminine plural form of the adjective heteros (ἕτερος), “previous” which refers to the dispensations that came before the church age. These dispensations, which preceded the church age, would include the dispensation of the Gentiles and Israel. The dispensation of the Gentiles begins with the Edenic period, which can be divided into four periods: (1) Edenic: Adam to the Fall (Gen. 1:26-3:6). (2) Ante-Diluvian: Fall of Adam to the Flood (Gen. 3-9). (3) Post-Diluvian: Noah Leaving Ark to Call of Abraham (Gen. 9-12). (4) Patriarchal: Call of Abraham to Giving of Law on Sinai (Gen. 12-Ex. 19). The dispensation of Israel is broken into six periods: (1) Theocratic Kingdom: Exodus to Samuel (B.C. 1441-B.C. 1020) (2) United Kingdom: Saul to Rehoboam (B.C. 1020-926 B.C.) (3) Northern Kingdom: Jeroboam to Hosea (B.C. 926-B.C. 721). (4) Southern From the law: Deut. 32:43; from the prophets: Isa. 11:10; from the writings: Ps. 18:49; 117:1 (Bruce, 314). ὡς νῦν should not be read comparatively, ‘in the same degree as’ or ‘not so clearly as’ (as C. C. Caragounis, Mysterion, 102–3, argues in detail; cf. Caird, 64). Instead, the contrast is definite, as in v. 9, indicating that ‘the adoption of the Gentiles into God’s people through the Messiah is a novel fact’ (Barth, 334; cf. Schlier, 150; Schnackenburg, 133; and Best, 307; cf. M. N. A. Bockmuehl, Revelation, 201: ‘The point is not one of degrees of revelation’). 29 O’Brien, P. T. (1999). The letter to the Ephesians (pp. 231–232). W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. 27 28 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 46 Kingdom: Rehoboam to Zedekiah (B.C. 721-B.C. 586) (5) Babylonian Captivity: (B.C. 586-536 B.C.) (6) Restoration of Israel as a nation: Judah (B.C. 536-B.C. 4). Lastly, the last dispensation before the church age is the dispensation of the hypostatic union of Jesus Christ or in other words, His First Advent, which of course began with the birth of Christ and culminated in His death, resurrection, ascension and session at the right hand of the Father. Harold Hoehner writes “The dative of ἑτέραις γενεαῖς is temporal,30 thus speaking of the times before Paul’s generation. The reason for the plural is to signify that since it was not revealed before Paul’s day (indicated by νῦν, “now”), it refers to all previous generations. Furthermore, the adjective ἑτέραις connotes that the generations were of a different kind 31 to that of Paul’s day. The word γενεά occurs 236 times in the LXX and it appears 184 times in the canonical books. Over 150 times it is translated from ‫דֹּ ור‬/‫דֹּ ר‬, meaning ‘period, age, generation’ (Gen 7:1; 9:12; Exod 3:15).32 It is frequently used of the period covered by a generation of humans (Gen 15:16; Exod 1:6). In the NT it occurs forty-three times, thirty-three times in the Synoptics, and only four times in Paul’s writings (Eph 3:5, 21; Phil 2:15; Col 1:26) with the same basic meaning of ‘age’ or ‘generation.’ 33 This matches well with the parallel passage in Col 1:26 where it states that the mystery was hid from the ages (αἰώνων) and the generations (γενεῶν).”34 Now, as was the case in Ephesians 2:2, the articular dative masculine plural form of the noun huios (υἱός) here in Ephesians 3:5 does not mean “the sons” but rather “the offspring” since the word pertains to the offspring of human beings without reference to the gender. It refers to the offspring of the human race who lived during the dispensations prior to the advent of the church age. The articular genitive masculine plural form of the noun anthrōpos (ἄνθρωπος) is used in a generic sense for the human race. It functions as a genitive of apposition or epexegetical genitive, which means that the word stands in apposition to the articular dative masculine plural form of the noun huios (υἱός), which indicates that it is identifying what race these offspring belong to, namely the human race as distinguished from the angelic race. Therefore, this expression huioi tōn anthrōpōn (υἱοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων) literally means “the sons of men or human beings” and is a Semitic idiom designating members of the human race (Ps. 107:8, 15, 21, 31; 144:12; Ezek. 2:1, 3, 6, 8; Mk. 3:28). 82F Robertson, Grammar, 523; BDF §200 (4); MHT 3:243; Moule, Idiom Book, 43. BAGD 315; BDAG 399; cf. also Hermann W. Beyer, “ἕτερος,” TDNT 2 (1964): 702–3. LXX Septuaginta. Edited by Alfred Rahlfs. Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1979 32 BDB 189–90; D. N. Freedman, J. Lundbom, and G. J. Botterweck, “‫ דּוֹר‬dôr,” TDOT 3 (1978): 169–81. 33 Friedrich Büchsel, “γενεά,” TDNT 1 (1964): 663. 30 31 34 Hoehner, H. W. (2002). Ephesians: An Exegetical Commentary (pp. 437–438). Baker Academic. 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 47 Now, the reader must understand that this expression does not refer to unregenerate humanity but rather regenerate humanity because this mystery doctrine can only be understood by those who have received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ since the Spirit inspired this revelation and gives illumination with regards to its application and significance (cf. 1 Cor. 2; Eph. 1:1718). Therefore, in context the referent of this expression is church age believers who have received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit when they were declared justified through faith in Jesus Christ and were consequently placed in union with Jesus Christ and identified with Him in His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session at the right hand of the Father through the baptism of the Spirit, which they received at justification. The third person singular aorist passive indicative conjugation of the verb gnōrizō (γνωρίζω) pertains to causing information to become known to others and is emphatically negated by the emphatic negative adverb ou (οὔ), which expresses an absolute, direct, full negation. The passive voice of the verb gnōrizō (γνωρίζω) means that the subject receives the action of the verb from either an expressed or unexpressed agency. Here the agency is expressed here in Ephesians 3:5, namely, the prepositional phrase en pneumati (ἐν πνεύματι), “by the Spirit.” Therefore, this is a divine passive. This indicates that this mystery doctrine never received the action of being made known to members of the human race who lived in the dispensations prior to the church age through the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit as it has now been made known during the church age. Now, in the comparative clause which completes Ephesians 3:5, we have the comparative particle hōs (ὡς), “as,” which is used to mark a comparison between members of the human race living in the dispensations prior to the church age and those living during the church age. Benjamin Merkle writes “The conj. ὡς can be taken in two ways: (1) as a comp . of degree (which would indicate that the mystery was partially revealed in the OT), or (2) as a comp . of kind (which would indicate that no revelation concerning the mystery was revealed in the OT). While most commentators argue for the second view, this does not mean that there were no references to the blessings that would come to the Gentiles (see Gen 12:3; 22:18; 26:4; 28:14) or to the future inclusion of the Gentiles within Israel (see Lev 19:34; Deut. 10:18–19; 1 Kgs 8:41–43). And yet conj. conjunctive, conjunction comp. comparative, comparison OT Old Testament comp. comparative, comparison OT Old Testament 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 48 there was still no indication that the Jews and Gentiles would be joined together into the body of Christ.”35 Harold Hoehner writes “A problem centers around the adverbial conjunction ὡς, ‘as,’ and results in two different views. First, some take this comparative conjunction as restrictive (a comparison of degree), which means that the mystery was partially revealed in the OT but now has been fully revealed in the church age.36 Second, some scholars consider this comparative conjunction ὡς to be descriptive (a comparison of kind), which means that no revelation of this mystery was given in the OT but that it was revealed for the first time in the NT era. 37 The second view is a better interpretation for the following five reasons. (1) Although the restrictive sense for ὡς is more common, 38 the descriptive sense is also used. In the English language we use both the restrictive sense (“I am not as good a teacher as you are”) and the descriptive sense (“I am not a teacher as you are”). An example of the restrictive use in the NT occurred at Pentecost. The Jews accused the disciples of being drunk. Peter responded that they were not drunk as those Jews thought, since it was only the third hour (Acts 2:15). It does not refer to a degree of drunkenness but rather a lack of it. Furthermore, there is a causal use of ὡς in the NT,39 which would fit the present context. Matthew 6:12 states, ‘And forgive our debts because we also have forgiven our debtors’ (parallel passage in Luke 11:4 has γάρ). John 19:33 says, ‘But when they came to Jesus, they did not break his legs because they saw that he was already dead.’ In the present context it would mean that the mystery was not made known in other generations because only now has it been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. Although the causal use is possible, the descriptive use best fits the context. (2) The context would support the descriptive sense, for Paul wrote in verse 9 that this mystery was hidden (ἀποκεκρυμμένου) for ages in God. (3) The verb ἀπεκαλύφθη in verse 5 means ‘to uncover, unveil’ something that has previously been completely covered or hidden. There is no indication of a partial uncovering of the mystery in the OT. If then, it was hidden from view, it could only be made known (γνωρίζω) after it was unveiled. (4) The parallel passage in Col 1:26 does not use the adverbial conjunction ὡς but Merkle, B. L. (2016). Ephesians (A. J. Köstenberger & R. W. Yarbrough, Eds.; p. 89). B&H Academic. Chrysostom Eph 3:5 (PG 62:45); Theophylact Eph 3:5 (PG 124:1068–69); Aquinas, chap. 3, lec. 1, vv. 1–6 (122–23); Calvin, 160; Hodge, 163; Eadie, 217; Moule, 89; Meyer, 159; Abbott, 82; Salmond, 304; Robinson, 77; Westcott, 45; Hendriksen, 145; Caird, 64; Caragounis, Ephesian Mysterion, 102 n. 24. This apparently is the view of Origen and Jerome, see Ronald E. Heine, “Recovering Origen’s Commentary on Ephesians from Jerome,” JTS, n.s., 51 (October 2000): 489–98, 506–10. 37 Masson, 173; Schlier, 150; Gaugler, 132; Gnilka, 167; Mitton, 121–22; Barth, 333–34; Schnackenburg, 133; Bruce, 313–15; Lincoln, 177; Best, 305–6; O’Brien, 232 n. 30; Adai, Der Heilige Geist als Gegenwart Gottes, 151; Bockmuehl (Revelation and Mystery, 201 n. 39) states: “The point is not one of degrees of revelation”; Peter T. O’Brien, “Paul’s Missionary Calling within the Purposes of God,” in In the Fullness of Times: Biblical Studies in Honour of Archbishop Donald Robinson, ed. David Peterson and John Pryor (Homebush West, Australia: Lancer, 1992), 138–39; Mauerhofer, “Der Brief an de Epheser,” 19; cf. also Günter Klein, Die Zwölf Apostel: Ursprung und Gehalt einer Idee, FRLANT, ed. Rud. Bultmann, vol. 77 (Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1961), 69–71. 38 Mare assumes that because the restrictive sense is more common, it must have that meaning here. See W. Harold Mare, “Paul’s Mystery in Ephesians 3,” Bulletin of the Evangelical Theological Society 8 (spring 1965): 83–84. One must consider the context rather than frequency of use to determine the interpretation for any given passage. 39 Cf. BDF §453 (2); Robertson, Grammar, 963–64; MHT 3:320; Wallace, Greek Grammar, 674. 35 36 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 49 rather the adversative conjunction δέ and reads, ‘the mystery which has been hidden for ages and for generations but now was made manifest to his saints.’ This corresponds with Rom 16:25–26 where Paul states that the mystery was kept secret for ages but (δέ) now has been manifested. (5) The emphatic position of the temporal adverb νῦν, ‘now,’ agrees with Col 1:26 and Rom 16:26 in the use and position of the same temporal adverb which marks the contrast between the past and present ages. 40 The same temporal adverb in Eph 3:10 further substantiates this: ‘In order that the manifold wisdom of God (which is the mystery of Jews and Gentiles united in one body) might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places through the church.’ If the heavenly hosts in OT times did not know of this mystery, it is most unlikely that the people of that era would have known about it. In fact, the heavenly hosts learned of the mystery through the church (which was formed after the death of Christ, 2:11–22). In conclusion, it seems best to interpret the adverbial conjunction ὡς as descriptive. Accordingly, the mystery that was known to no one before the NT era is now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets. Accepting this view does not exclude the fact that there were no references to Gentile blessings (Gen 12:3; 22:18; 26:4; 28:14) or Gentile inclusion within Israel (Lev 19:34; Deut 10:18–19; 1 Kgs 8:41–43). However, in all these passages there was never the suggestion that Jews and Gentiles were one body. On the contrary, a Gentile had to become a Jew to be fully accepted within Israel. There are many passages which allude to Gentiles being blessed along with Israel (Isa 2:1–4; 11:10; 49:6; 60:1–3; 61:5–6; Jer 3:17; Zech 8:20–23; 14:16–19), but they do not refer to the past but rather to the future kingdom (cf. Acts 3:18–20). Again, there is no portrayal of one body; rather Israel and the Gentiles remain distinct, though both will enjoy God’s blessing. The body of believers is an entirely new concept in the NT. A discussion of the concept of the body is also found in 1 Cor 12:12–25. The two distinct features of the body of Christ given in 1 Cor 12:13 are: (1) that Jews and Gentiles are not distinguished from one another and (2) that entrance into the body is by the baptism of the Spirit, a ministry of the Spirit which began after the death of Christ. 41 These two features were absent in OT times. Hence, the mystery of Jews and Gentiles as one body was entirely hidden in God (v. 9) and only revealed in the NT era.”42 Frank Thielman writes “If Paul believed that the death of Christ set in motion the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophetic expectations (see commentary on Eph. 2:13–17 above), then Paul’s comments on how God revealed this fulfillment in 3:1–13 pose a problem for the interpreter. Here Paul seems to say that the inclusion of the 40 Steinmetz thinks the “now” in contrast to the “then” is strictly theological and not chronological (Protologische Heils-Zuversicht, 66). However, the whole context denotes a chronological change from former times to the present time (2:11–13). With the chronological change there is also a theological change, namely, the Gentiles were formerly in the flesh and now in Christ Jesus. 41 Charles C. Ryrie, “The Mystery of Ephesians 3,” BSac 123 (January–March 1966): 27. 42 Hoehner, H. W. (2002). Ephesians: An Exegetical Commentary (pp. 439–441). Baker Academic. 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 50 Gentiles within the eschatological people of God as he has described it in 2:11–22 came to him and other NT apostles and prophets as a new “revelation” (3:3, 5) or ‘mystery’ (3:3–4, 9). This ‘mystery,’ he says, ‘was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as [hōs] it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit’ (3:5). It was “hidden for ages in the God who created all things” (3:9b), but God has now entrusted it to Paul so that he might openly proclaim it to the Gentiles (3:8–9a). Is the contrast between former ignorance and present insight in this passage too stark to allow the kind of promise-and-fulfillment scheme for Paul’s thinking that I have argued is present in 2:13–17? Many interpreters think that it is. Barth (1974: 332) believes that in 3:5 Paul has used a hymnic fragment that varies from his own understanding of the OT. Best (1998: 306) thinks that the author may have overemphasized the element of discontinuity between the testaments in 3:5, but that he corrects this exaggeration in other passages. Lincoln (1982: 44–47 [cf. 1990: 178]) maintains that despite the author’s linguistic echoes of Isaiah in 2:13, 17, he was relatively uninterested in the question of how the inclusion of the Gentiles with God’s people fulfills prophetic expectations. A more promising line of interpretation focuses on Paul’s use of the conjunction ‘as’ (hōs) in 3:5. Some scholars argue that Paul does not use this conjunction to compare a complete lack of knowledge in previous generations with the present revelation. Instead, he uses it to describe a comparison of degree: the mystery was not made known in former generations ‘to the extent’ that it has now been revealed (see Caragounis 1977: 102). This leaves room for the notion that whereas the OT prophets did not see God’s plan for the inclusion of the Gentiles with the same clarity as did the N T apostles and prophets, they did understand its basic outline. Two considerations, however, weigh against this otherwise attractive reading of 3:5. First, where Paul uses similar expressions elsewhere, he leaves out the critical hōs on which this view depends (Grindheim 2003). In 3:9 he speaks simply of ‘the mystery hidden for ages in the God who created all things,’ with no indication that the mystery was only partially hidden. Similarly, in Col. 1:26, a text that closely parallels both Eph. 3:5 and Eph. 3:9, Paul again speaks only of ‘the mystery hidden for ages and for generations, but now manifested to his saints.’ The hōs is missing here, and with it any idea that the revelation recently given to God’s people was illumined more clearly only in recent times. Second, Paul’s use of the terms ‘revelation’ (apokalypsis [3:3]), ‘reveal’ (apokalyptō [3:5]), and ‘mystery’ (mystērion [3:3–4, 9; cf. 1:9; 5:32; 6:19]) in Eph. 3:1–13 seems closely related to the use of similar terms in Daniel 2. There, the dream NT New Testament OT Old Testament OT Old Testament NT New Testament 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 51 of Nebuchadnezzar remains utterly inaccessible to the wise men of Babylon, including Daniel and his three Jewish friends, but Daniel and his friends seek the mercy of God concerning this ‘mystery’ (LXX: mystērion). ‘The God in heaven who reveals mysteries [LXX: ho anakalyptōn mystēria]” then provides Daniel both with the details of the king’s dream and with its interpretation (2:18–19, 27–30, 47; cf. 4:9). The dream’s interpretation reveals God’s sovereignty over the course of history (2:29, 36–45). For Paul too, God’s willingness to reveal the ‘mystery’ of his purposes in history to believers arose from ‘the wealth of [God’s] grace’ (1:7–10). It seems likely that, as with Daniel’s use of the term, so also with Paul, the revelation of these purposes involved giving information that was utterly inaccessible apart from God’s gracious revelation of it to Paul and others who lived after Christ’s crucifixion. How, then, can we explain Paul’s implied appeal to Isa. in 2:13–17 in light of his claim in 3:5, 9 that the truths that he explains in that passage were hidden from previous generations? The answer lies in understanding the specific nature of the mystery as Paul describes it in 3:6. The mystery is that ‘the Gentiles are fellow heirs [sygklēronoma] and one body [syssōma] and sharers [symmetocha] in the promise in Christ Jesus.’ As the piling up of words compounded with syn (“with”) shows, the mystery is the equal footing that Gentiles and Jews now have together in the people of God (see Bruce 1984: 314; O’Brien 1999: 232; Hoehner 2002: 440–41). It is true that many OT texts, particularly in Isaiah, speak of the inclusion of Gentiles in the worship of God during the days of Israel’s eschatological restoration (e.g., Isa. 2:2– 4; 25:6–10; 56:6–8). It is also true that some Jews during the Second Temple period valued this hope (Tob. 13:11; 1 En. 90:33; 2 Bar. 72:4). It is not clear from these texts, however, that Gentiles would occupy a place of equal importance with Jews in those days (pace Donaldson 1997: 69–74), and this is precisely what Paul implies in 3:6 (cf. Grindheim 2003). In conclusion, Paul’s implicit claim in 2:11–22 that the unity of Jews and Gentiles in Christ fulfilled Isaiah’s expectations for the eschatological inclusion of the nations in the worship of God is not inconsistent with his claim in 3:5 that this mystery was withheld from previous generations only to be revealed to NT apostles and prophets in the present. The mystery of 3:3–4, 9 is not the entire argument of 2:11–22, but rather one element within that argument. Now that the eschatological age has begun, Jews and Gentiles do not merely worship together; they are united with each other, occupying the same level of privilege before God.”43 LXX Septuagint LXX Septuagint OT Old Testament 1 En. 1 Enoch (Ethiopic Apocalypse) 2 Bar. 2 Baruch (Syriac Apocalypse) NT New Testament 43 Thielman, F. S. (2007). Ephesians. In Commentary on the New Testament use of the Old Testament (pp. 818–819). Baker Academic; Apollos. 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 52 Clinton Arnold writes “The conjunction ‘as’ (ὡς) is critical to the interpretation of this passage. Does the term indicate an absolute disjunction between the past and the present so that nothing about the mystery was known prior to the coming of Christ?44 Or does the conjunction take on comparative significance and indicate that some of the content of the mystery was known previously, but not to the degree that it is now?45 In support of the latter view, Robinson speaks of the ‘half light’ of revelation in the OT and says that this passage ‘seems to leave room for those glimpses of the Divine purpose.’ 46 The difficulty with this view is that the once/now language and conceptuality of this passage suggest an absolute distinction between the two ages. The introductory blessing of 1:3–14 also suggests this disjunction by making the coming of Christ the radical turning point of history. It is also important to note that the fact that this mystery required divine revelation for it to be seen and understood also supports the notion that this plan of God was unknown prior to Christ. Just as Nebuchadnezzar could not understand and interpret his dream because God revealed it to no one but Daniel, so God’s plan of uniting Jews and Gentiles into one body on an equal basis through the work of Christ was beyond the apprehension of anyone in the OT era. In affirming this distinction, however, one needs to be cautious not to overstate the discontinuity. It is clear in the OT that God planned to extend his blessings to the Gentile nations (see Gen 12:3; 22:18; 26:4; 28:14). There are also many prophetic texts that speak of Gentiles coming to worship God as well as references to Israel’s vocation to be a light to the Gentiles (see Isa 2:1–4; 11:10; 49:6; 60:1–3; Jer 3:17; Zech 8:20–23; 14:16–19). There was also the expectation of a descendant of David who would come and reign as an anointed King (2 Sam 7:11–16; Ps 89:20–29). So, in what sense is this plan of God previously unknown, thus requiring divine revelation and insight to grasp its significance? There are at least four ways. 1. The means by which God’s purpose would be realized was new and unexpected. The fact that the Messiah would pour out his blood (2:13, 14, 15) to accomplish God’s redemptive purposes was unanticipated. Rather than coming as a shattering stone to destroy the human kingdoms, Jesus came to demolish the dividing wall by offering his flesh on the cross. His blood was the means by which he conquered the greatest enemy of all—the power of sin (1:7; 2:1–3). 2. A second unforeseen way by which God accomplished his redemptive purpose was through the abrogation of the Mosaic law.47 No one could have Thus Hoehner, Ephesians, 439–41; O’Brien, Ephesians, 232; Best, Ephesians, 305; Lincoln, Ephesians, 177–78; Barth, Ephesians, 1:334; Schnackenburg, Ephesians, 133. 45 So Caragounis, Ephesian Mysterion, 102–3; Abbott, Ephesians, 82; Eadie, Ephesians, 217. 44 46 47 Robinson, Ephesians, 77. Sigurd Grindheim, “What the OT Prophets Did Not Know: The Mystery of the Church in Eph 3, 2–13,” Bib 84.4 (2003): 531, 543–48. 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 53 anticipated that God would lay aside the conditions imposed by the Mosaic law for entering a relationship with him and being counted as his people. Because the Mosaic code separated Gentiles from the Jews and required a Gentile essentially to become a Jew to be saved, it could not serve as the basis for a plan that gave Jew and Gentile access to God on an equal footing. 3. The manner in which God’s purpose would be realized was new and unexpected. 48 The incorporation of Jews and Gentiles into one body with equal access to God on an equal footing is entirely new (2:14–18). On the basis of OT revelation, one would not have been able to discern this way that God would create a new people for himself. 4. Finally, the new covenant ‘entails a degree of nearness to the Lord that exceeds the expectations of the old covenant.’49 The concept of nearness is brought out strongly in Paul’s discussion of this new dispensation in 2:11–22, especially in the theologically central text of the passage: “but now in Christ Jesus you who once were far have become near by the blood of Christ” (2:13).”50 The adverb of time nun (νῦν) “now” indicates that Paul composing in writing this epistle and the dispensation of the church age take place simultaneously. The verb apokalyptō (ἀποκαλύπτω) pertains to something becoming known to the public and specifically information that was previously unknown to people. Now, as was the case in Ephesians 2:20, the noun apostolos (ἀπόστολος) here in Ephesians 3:5 is employed as designation for the temporary spiritual gift assigned to the twelve men Jesus Christ sovereignly chose and delegated authority to exercise over the church. Here it refers to the exercise or function of the spiritual gift of apostle. This word contains the figure of metonymy, which means that the apostles are put for their communication of the gospel to the members of the church. As was the case in Ephesians 2:20, the noun prophētēs (προφήτης) here in Ephesians 3:5 refers to the exercise of the temporary or discontinued spiritual gift of being a prophet, which is no longer existent since it existed during the pre-canon period of the church to fill the void until the New Testament canon had been completed (See 1 Corinthians 12:10; 13:2; 14:22; Ephesians 2:20; 3:5; 4:11). This word also contains the figure of metonymy, which means that these New Testament prophets are put for their communication of the gospel to the members of the body of Christ prior to justification and which communication resulted in their justification as a result of them exercising faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior. As was the case in Ephesians 2:20, the articular construction of the noun apostolos (ἀπόστολος) here in Ephesians 3:5 does not signify that the Granville O’Brien, Ephesians, 232. Grindheim, “Mystery,” 531. 50 Arnold, C. E. (2010). Ephesians (pp. 189–190). Zondervan. 48 49 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 54 Sharp rule is in effect, which would signal that the prophets and apostles are one in the same. The Granville Sharp rule is as follows, “When the copulative και connects two nouns of the same case, [viz. nouns (either substantive or adjective, or participles) of personal description, respecting office, dignity, affinity, or connexion, and attributes, properties, or qualities, good or ill], if the article ὁ, or any of its cases, precedes the first of the said nouns or participles, and is not repeated before the second noun or participle, the latter always relates to the same person that is expressed or described by the first noun or participle: i.e. it denotes a farther description of the first-named person. Dan Wallace writes “Although Sharp discusses here only personal substantives in the singular, it is not clear from this statement whether he intended to restrict his rule to such. However, a perusal of his monograph reveals that he felt the rule could be applied absolutely only to personal, singular, non-proper nouns. 51 In other words, in the TSKS construction, the second noun 52 refers to the same person mentioned with the first noun when: (1) neither is impersonal; (2) neither is plural; (3) neither is a proper name.53 Therefore, according to Sharp, the rule applied absolutely only with personal, singular, and non-proper nouns. The significance of these requirements can hardly be overestimated, for those who have misunderstood Sharp’s principle have done so almost without exception because they were unaware of the restrictions that Sharp set forth.”54 Therefore, as was the case in Ephesians 2:20, the presence of the article before the noun apostolos (ἀπόστολος) here in Ephesians 3:5 does not indicate that the Granville Sharp rule is in effect. If it was in effect, this would indicate that the nouns apostolos (ἀπόστολος) and prophētēs (προφήτης) are one in the same. However, as Wallace points out, this rule does not apply to plural nouns but only singular nouns since both these nouns are in the plural. Rather, the articular construction of the noun apostolos (ἀπόστολος) is simply used by Paul to tie both the temporary spiritual gifts of apostles and prophets together as being the recipients of the doctrine that was a mystery or secret to the Old Testament prophets. This mystery asserts that Gentile and Jewish church age believers are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise because of their faith in Christ Jesus at 51 See Wallace, “The Article with Multiple Substantives,” 47–48, for documentation. 52 By “noun” we mean what Sharp meant: substantival adjective, substantival participle, or noun. A proper noun is defined as a noun which cannot be “pluralized”—thus it does not include titles. A person’s name, therefore, is proper and consequently does not fit the rule. But θεός is not proper because it can be pluralized—thus, when θεός is in a TSKS construction in which both nouns are singular and personal, it fits Sharp’s rule. Since θεοί is possible (cf. John 10:34), θεός is not a proper name. For a detailed discussion on the grammatical use of θεός in the NT, cf. B. Weiss, “Der Gebrauch des Artikels bei den Gottesnamen,” TSK 84 (1911) 319-92, 503–38; R. W. Funk, “The Syntax of the Greek Article: Its Importance for Critical Pauline Problems” (Ph.D. dissertation, Vanderbilt University, 1953) 46, 154– 67; Wallace, “The Article with Multiple Substantives,” 260–63. 53 Wallace, D. B. (1996). Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics - Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament (pp. 271–272). Zondervan Publishing House and Galaxie Software. 54 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 55 justification and union and identification with Him. Specifically, the article simply binds these two temporary spiritual gifts together signifying that the exercise of both of these discontinued communication spiritual gifts constitutes the recipients of this mystery or secret doctrine and agencies which communicated this mystery doctrine to the members of the church. Therefore, this author interprets the articular construction of the noun apostolos (ἀπόστολος) as simply joining both the temporary spiritual gifts of apostle and prophet together identifying them as the recipients of this mystery doctrine. Specifically, the article simply binds them together signifying that the exercise of both of these discontinued communication spiritual gifts constitutes the recipients of this mystery or secret doctrine that Gentile believers are by no means second class citizens in relation to Jewish believers. It also binds them together signifying that the exercise of both of these discontinued communication spiritual gifts constitutes the personal agencies, which the Holy Spirit employed to communicate this mystery doctrine to the members of the body of Christ. Dan Wallace writes “In Eph 2:20 Paul declares that the church is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets (τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ προφητῶν). If these prophets are OT prophets, as some have affirmed,55 Paul may be saying that the church was prophesied in the OT. Since the construction is noun + noun, such a possibility has some syntactical support. However, Paul uses the same construction just a few verses later, in 3:5 (τοῖς ἁγίοις ἀποστόλοις αὐτοῦ καὶ προφήταις), indicating that the same men are in mind. There he clearly puts the prophets in the present dispensation. 56 On the other hand, to see the apostles and prophets as identical should also be suspect: (1) this would be the only noun + noun construction which fits the identical category, and (2) in 4:11 Paul separates the two groups (notice especially the μὲν…δέ construction). What is the relation of apostles to prophets, then? In all probability, the first is a part of the second; that is, we should understand Eph 2:20 and 3:5 to be referring to the apostles and other NT prophets.57” 58 S. M. Baugh writes “While it is possible (but not preferred above) to take ‘prophets’ who were allied with the apostles as the foundation of the church in 2:20 as the prophets of the OT era, here in 3:5 it seems clear that Paul can only be referencing NT prophets, since the revelation occurs now (ὡς νῦν ἀπεκαλύφθη, hōs nyn apekalyphthē). This also fits with Paul’s teaching in 4:11, where Christ gives See in particular I. J. Habeck, “Who Are the Prophets of Ephesians 2:20?” Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly 71 (1974) 121-25. This assertion does not have to rest on the view that ὡς in 3:5 makes a comparison of kind rather than of degree (though I believe this to be the case; cf. Col 1:26), for the prophets are recipients of the revelation made ‘now’ (νῦν ἀπεκαλύφθη). 57 There are solid grounds for this view biblico-theologically as well as semantically. Habock dismisses this view because the term prophet is not used of any of the apostles (Habeck, “Ephesians 2:20, ” 121), but he errs in making a conceptual-lexical equation. As David Hill ably points out, our concept of NT prophecy must not be restricted to the προφητ- word-group (David Hill, New Testament Prophecy [Atlanta: John Knox, 1979], 2–3). Certainly we cannot deny that Paul or John or Peter prophesied! 58 Wallace, D. B. (1983). The Semantic Range of the Article-Noun-Καί-Noun Plural Construction in the New Testament. Grace Theological Journal, 4(1), 82. OT Old Testament NT New Testament 55 56 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 56 ‘some as apostles, some as prophets,’ to his church along with others in this new covenant era (cf. 1 Cor 12:28). Hence, people like Agabus or the four daughters of Philip (Acts 2:17; 11:28; 21:8–10) are the prophets in view as recipients of new covenant—era divine revelation along with the apostles.”59 The articular construction of the noun apostolos (ἀπόστολος) also indicates that both nouns, apostolos (ἀπόστολος), “apostles” and prophētēs (προφήτης), “prophets” are modified by the articular dative masculine plural form of the adjective hagios (ἅγιος). The articular dative masculine plural form of the adjective hagios (ἅγιος) means “holy” since the word pertains to someone who is dedicated to God or in other words, it pertains to someone who is set apart to serve and worship God exclusively. Therefore, this word describes the apostles and New Testament prophets as dedicated to God and His purposes in the sense that they have been set apart from the rest of the human race in order to serve and worship Him. Harold Hoehner writes “First, it is necessary to identify the nouns ‘apostles’ and ‘prophets’ and then the modifiers. A study of these words has already concluded that an apostle is an official delegate of Jesus Christ (see 1:1; 2:20; cf. also 4:11), commissioned for the specific tasks of proclaiming authoritatively the message in oral and written form and of establishing and building up the churches. A prophet is one who is endowed by the Holy Spirit with the gift of prophecy for the purpose of edification, comfort, encouragement (1 Cor 14:3, 31), and the enablement to understand and communicate the mysteries and revelation of God to the church (12:10; 13:2; 14:22–25, 30–31) and his prophecy may include a predictive element (1 Thess 3:4; 4:6, 14–18; Gal 5:21). Best thinks that the use of the plural for the apostles and prophets may indicate that they received revelation as a group rather than individually.60 However, in verse 3 Paul, one of the apostles, personally received the revelation of the mystery (κατὰ ἀποκάλυψιν ἐγνωρίσθη μοι τὸ μυστήριον). Consistently in the NT revelation was given to individuals, such as Cornelius (Acts 10:3–7), Peter (10:13–16), Agabus (11:28; 21:11), and Paul (18:9–10). The plural nouns indicate, rather, that the revelation, believing Jews and Gentiles united into one body, was given to many and not just to Paul. Again here, as in Eph 2:20, the one article for both nouns does not mean that they are identical. The groups may well be distinct but are treated as one for the purpose of discussion. 61 Furthermore, it is proposed that the prophets here are NT prophets, as in 2:20 (where it is discussed more fully), for the following reasons. First, the same order is used in listing apostles before prophets, as in 2:20, where it speaks about the foundation of the new temple, the church. Second, in 4:11 the apostles and prophets, again listed in the same order, cf. confer, compare 59 Baugh, S. M. (2015). Ephesians (p. 230). Lexham Press. 60 Best, “The Revelation to Evangelize the Gentiles,” 24–25. 61 Robertson, Grammar, 787; cf. Wallace, “Semantic Range of the Article-Noun-καί-Noun Plural Construction,” 82. 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 57 were given as foundational gifted people for the purpose of preparing saints for ministry and building up this new body, the church. Third, the present verse talks about the revelation of the mystery which has been revealed in the NT era and not OT times (note νῦν earlier in this verse). Furthermore, there is no indication that the OT prophets received revelation to evangelize the Gentiles.62 The imagery here is of prophets who were contemporaries of the apostles, thus, NT prophets.”63 Peter O’Brien writes “The adjective holy has caused some difficulty, for this is thought to reflect a later ‘early Catholic’ limitation of the term ‘saints’ which Paul had employed for all Christians. But ‘saints’ appears frequently in the broader sense throughout Ephesians. 64 Furthermore, ‘holy’ as an adjective has a different nuance from its use as a substantive in the plural when it denotes the people of God in general, the ‘saints.’ By calling them holy Paul is not specially venerating apostles at the expense of other believers, for in v.8 he speaks of himself as the least of all the saints. The language of Colossians 1:26–27, where the mystery is said to have been revealed to the saints, is close to the wording of Ephesians. It is quite possible that Paul has employed the earlier expression here (retaining the word ‘holy’) but has changed the focus, because he is discussing his apostolic commission to Gentiles. So ‘holy’ describes the ‘apostles’ as separated to God for their ‘distinctive role as recipients of the central revelation.’65” 66 Harold Hoehner writes “The designation ‘holy’ given to the apostles and prophets signifies that they were set apart to receive God’s message from the Holy Spirit and consequently pass it on to all.” 67 The referent of the genitive third person masculine singular form of the intensive personal pronoun autos (αὐτός) is the articular genitive masculine singular form of the proper name Christos (Χριστός). This is indicated by the fact that the latter which appears in Ephesians 3:4, agrees with the former in gender (masculine) and number (singular) as well as case (genitive). The intensive personal pronoun autos (αὐτός) emphasizes Jesus Christ’s identity and is the demonstrative force intensified. The articular construction of the adjective hagios (ἅγιος) is also employed with the genitive third person masculine singular form of the intensive personal pronoun autos (αὐτός) in order to denote possession or ownership indicating that the apostles and New Testament prophets are the “possession” of Jesus Christ. Both the noun apostolos (ἀπόστολος), “apostles” and prophētēs (προφήτης), “prophets” function as a dative of agency. Therefore, both these nouns identify the apostles and New Testament prophets as the personal agencies employed by the Ernest Best, “Ministry in Ephesians,” IBS 15 (October 1993): 148. Hoehner, H. W. (2002). Ephesians: An Exegetical Commentary (pp. 441–442). Baker Academic. 64 Eph. 1:1, 4, 15, 18; 2:19; 3:8, 18; 4:12; 5:3; 6:18. See the Introduction, 36. 65 Turner, 1234. Note the discussions of Snodgrass, 26–27; and K. O. Sandnes, 231–36. 66 O’Brien, P. T. (1999). The letter to the Ephesians (p. 233). W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. 67 Hoehner, H. W., Comfort, P. W., & Davids, P. H. (2008). Cornerstone biblical commentary: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1&2 Thessalonians, Philemon. (Vol. 16, p. 66). Tyndale House Publishers. 62 63 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 58 Holy Spirit and sent by the Son to reveal the mystery doctrine of the church age that Gentile and Jewish church age believers are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and union and identification with Him. The referent of the dative neuter singular form of the noun pneuma (πνεῦμα), “the Spirit” is of course the Holy Spirit, who is the third member of the Trinity in the sense that He proceeds from both the Son as well as the Father. This word also contains the figure of metonymy, which means that the person of the Holy Spirit is put for the exercise of His divine omnipotence. The dative neuter singular form of the noun pneuma (πνεῦμα), “the Spirit” is the object of the preposition en (ἐν), which functions as a marker of means, which means it marks this word as the means by which the action of the apokalyptō (ἀποκαλύπτω) is accomplished. Therefore, this prepositional phrase indicates the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit is “the means by which” members of the body of Christ received the revelation of the mystery or secret doctrine that Gentile and Jewish church age believers are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and union and identification with Him. The passive voice of this verb apokalyptō (ἀποκαλύπτω) means that the subject receives the action of the verb from either an expressed or unexpressed agency. Here the agency is expressed in Ephesians 3:5 by the prepositional phrase en pneumati (ἐν πνεύματι), “by means of the omnipotence of the Spirit.” Therefore, the passive of this verb indicates that this mystery doctrine received the action of being revealed to members of the church through the apostles and New Testament prophets by the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit. Harold Hoehner writes “The mystery is revealed ἐν πνεύματι, ‘by the Spirit.’ To what this prepositional phrase refers back grammatically is disputed among the commentators. There are three views. First, some think it modifies only the prophets, so ‘prophets in the Spirit’ parallels ‘holy apostles.’68 But this is superfluous because they would not have been prophets if they had not revealed the mystery by means of the Spirit. Second, others see this as a prepositional phrase modifying both the holy apostles and prophets, since they are joined by one article. 69 Third, it is thought by most commentators to refer back to the verb to indicate that it was revealed by the Spirit. 70 This is the best view. This corresponds to the Spirit of revelation in 1:17. The preposition ἐν is instrumental, expressing the means by which the Spirit reveals the mystery to the holy apostles and prophets. This emphasizes the divine aspect in Eadie, 218–19; Schlier, 150–51; Gaugler, 134; Merklein, Das kirchliche Amt nach dem Epheserbrief, 189. Alford, 3:104; Ellicott, 60. 70 Meyer, 160; Abbott, 82; Salmond, 305; Robinson, 78; Masson, 173–74; Gnilka, 167; Barth, 334; Bruce, 314–15; Lincoln, 180; Best, 308; Kendell H. Easley, “The Pauline Usage of Pneumati as a Reference to the Spirit of God,” JETS 27 (September 1984): 305; Hui, “The Concept of the Holy Spirit in Ephesians,” 296–97. 68 69 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 59 the revelation of the mystery as opposed to human ingenuity. As elsewhere in Ephesians (1:4–14, 17; 2:18, 22; 3:4–5, 14–17; 4:4–6; 5:18–20), the three persons of the Trinity are mentioned: The Father reveals the mystery of Christ by the Holy Spirit.” 71 Colossians 1:26 echoes the contents of Ephesians 3:5. Colossians 1:24 I am presently rejoicing because of my sufferings on behalf of each and every one of you. In fact, I am supplementing that which remains of the one and only Christ’s intense sufferings by means of my physical body on behalf of His body which is, as an eternal spiritual truth, the church. 25 Of which I myself became a servant because of the stewardship which is from God (the Father) which was given to me on behalf of each and every one of you in order to fulfill the task of communicating the message originating from God (the Father). 26 Specifically, the mystery which has been concealed from past ages, in other words from past generations but now has been revealed to His saints. (Author’s translation) In Colossians 1:25, Paul asserts that he was given a stewardship by the Father to communicate the message originating from God. Now, here in Colossians 1:26 Paul is clarifying and defining specifically what he means by this statement. “The mystery” speaks of a truth which was not known to Old Testament saints but has now revealed by the Father through the Spirit during the church age to the apostles who communicated it to the church. This mystery is identified in Colossians 1:27 as Jesus Christ permanently indwelling each and every Gentile church age believer and not just Jewish church age believers exclusively. This “mystery” refers to the manifestation of the divine decree eternity past. It is a secret known only by God but has now been revealed to the church by the Spirit through the apostles. It is a revelation of the divine decree, which is God’s eternal and immutable will, regarding the future existence of events, which will happen in time and regarding the precise order and manner of their occurrence. The decree of God is the chosen and adopted plan of all God’s works. Therefore, “the mystery” is the revelation of the chosen and adopted plan that both Jewish and Gentile church age believers would be permanently indwelt by Jesus Christ. This was the Father’s eternal purpose according to the counsels of His own will, whereby for His own glory He has foreordained whatever comes to pass. Paul then defines what he means by this mystery by asserting that the Father caused this mystery to remain unknown to mankind. Therefore, Paul is defining this “mystery” as something that has been concealed from mankind by God. The apostle states that this mystery has been concealed by God the Father “from past ages” which refers to the period of time beginning with the creation of the time, 71 Hoehner, H. W. (2002). Ephesians: An Exegetical Commentary (p. 444). Baker Academic. 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 60 matter, space continuum and continuing throughout human history up to the church age. He is saying that human beings who lived during the ages prior to the beginning of the church age were kept from knowing the mystery of Jesus Christ permanently indwelling both Jewish and Gentile church age believers. Paul then defines for the reader specifically what he means by this prepositional phrase “from the past ages.” The Father concealed this mystery of Jesus Christ permanently indwelling both Jewish and Gentile church age believers specifically from past generations of human beings who lived during these past ages. These past generations refer to generations of human beings extending from Adam up to the church age. Human beings who lived during the ages prior to the beginning of the church age were kept from knowing the mystery of Jesus Christ permanently indwelling both Jewish and Gentile church age believers. Then, Paul asserts that this mystery has now been revealed for the benefit of the saints. Specifically, it has now been revealed during the church age which began on the day of Pentecost in June of 33 A.D. and is recorded in Acts 2 and ends with the rapture which is the resurrection of the church. The apostle asserts in Colossians 1:27 that this mystery of Jesus Christ permanently indwelling both Jewish and Gentiles church age believers has been revealed by the Father to the saints. “His saints” describes church age believers as the Father’s possession and from the perspective that they have been set apart through the baptism of the Spirit at the moment of justification in order to order serve God exclusively. They are the Father’s possession because He redeemed them out of the slave market of sin through His death and resurrection. They are His possession because He sanctified them through the baptism of the Spirit at the moment of justification. Paul says that the saints benefitted from having this mystery of Jesus Christ permanently dwelling them revealed to them. J. Hampton Keathley III writes “The following is a synopsis of the various aspects of this mystery as it is revealed in the New Testament. (1) The mystery of the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 13). The mystery of the interim program of God between Christ’s first and second advents. (2) The mystery of the blindness of Israel and God’s purpose with Israel’s blindness (Rom. 11:1-25). (3) The mystery of the rapture, the departure of the church at the end of this age (1 Cor. 15:51-57; 1 Thess. 4:13f). (4) The mystery of the church as the body of Christ where Jew and Gentile become one new man in Christ where Jews and Gentiles would be equal heirs in the one body of Christ (Eph. 3:1-11; 2:11f). (5) The mystery of the church as the bride of Christ (Eph. 5:25-32). (6) The mystery of the indwelling of Christ as the hope of glory or spiritual deliverance by the power of the indwelling Christ (Col. 1:26-27; 2:2). (7) The mystery of lawlessness—the continuation and gradual buildup of the state of lawlessness that will culminate in the man of lawlessness (2 Thess. 2:7-8). Lawlessness is not necessarily confusion and disorder or even the absence of law, 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 61 but rather the presence of rebellion against God’s established rule and purposes. It speaks of the aim of Satan and his hosts of wickedness to overthrow the divine government and established ordinances of God as He designed them. (8) The mystery of godliness, or the process by which man becomes God-like in character through the person, work, and life of Jesus Christ as He is faithfully proclaimed and defended by the church of Jesus Christ (1 Tim. 3:16). (8) The mystery of the church as the seven stars (Rev. 1:20). (9) The mystery of God, the answer to the age-old question, why has God allowed Satan and evil to continue to exist (Rev. 10:7). Please note that the answer to this is found in Scripture, it was revealed to God’s New Testament prophets. There are two key parts to this answer: (a) To resolve the angelic warfare—to answer and demonstrate that Satan, the accuser and slanderer of God’s character, is wrong in his accusations and that he is worthy of God’s judgment for his sin. (b) To demonstrate God’s patience and love and to provide ample opportunity for men to come to Christ (2 Pet. 3:9). So when the angel of Revelation 10:7 says ‘the mystery of God is completed’ he means that once the seventh trumpet is sounded, this time of demonstrating God’s character and of demonstrating man and Satan for what they are, this time of allowing Satan and rebellion to continue, will be over; God will act swiftly now to establish His rule of righteousness on earth. This period of the patience of God will be over. (11) The mystery of Babylon, the truth regarding the source of the ancient and godless mother-child cult (Rev. 17:5, 7).”72 So in Colossians 1:26-27, Paul is asserting with these faithful Christians in Colossae that the Father assigned him the task of communicating the mystery of Jesus Christ permanently indwelling each and every Jewish and Gentile church age believer and this mystery was not known prior to the church age. The indwelling of Jesus Christ is therefore totally unique to the church age since it has never taken place prior to the church age. It serves as a sign that the Christian is a child of God. The indwelling of Jesus Christ serves as assurance for the Christian that he or she is eternally secure. It also serves as encouragement to the Christian when he or she endures underserved suffering. The indwelling of Jesus Christ serves also as motivation for the Christian to grow to spiritual maturity. It is the basis for the Christian to give number one priority to his relationship with God rather giving it to people. The indwelling of Jesus Christ serves as a reminder to the Christian that they have divine omnipotence available to them to grow to maturity and to endure undeserved suffering. It is also a guarantee that the Christian possesses eternal life and will live with God forever. The indwelling of Jesus Christ serves as a guarantee that the Christian will receive a resurrection body. 72 Keathley, J. Hampton III, Paul’s Letter to the Colossians: An Exegetical and Devotional Commentary; page 99; Biblical Studies Press 2002 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 62 The main purpose for the indwelling of God the Holy Spirit is to provide a temple for the indwelling of Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ was the “Shekinah” glory in the Old Testament. The term “Shekinah” is a transliteration of a Hebrew word meaning “the one who dwells” or “that which dwells.” This word is not used in Scripture but the root word shakan (to dwell) and the related word mishkan (tabernacle) are used often. Both are associated with the presence of God dwelling with man. The meaning of the word “Shekinah,” “the One Who dwells” emphasizes that God seeks to live with man and not vice versa (cf. Ex. 25:8-9). The term “Shekinah” originally was used in the Jewish Targums (Aramaic translation of Hebrew Bible) and rabbinic literature whenever the Hebrew text would mention the presence of God. So the term “Shekinah” was used to describe the visible manifestation of God’s presence. The Shekinah glory appeared to Moses in the burning bush (Ex. 3:1-6). This visible manifestation of God’s presence appears in Israel’s wilderness wanderings through a pillar of cloud during the day and the pillar of fire at night, which was for guidance and assurance of God’s presence with Israel (cf. Ex. 13:21-22). The angel of God is associated with this visible manifestation and is a theophany, a visible and auditory manifestation of the preincarnate Christ (cf. Ex. 14:19-20). The Shekinah glory appeared on Mount Sinai (Ex. 24:16-18). The Shekinah glory appeared in the Tabernacle in Israel (Ex. 33:911, 18-23; 40:34-38). The Shekinah glory would dwell between the cherubim above the mercy seat on the Ark of the Covenant in the Tabernacle (2 Sam. 6:2; 2 Kings 19:15; 1 Chron. 13:6; Ps. 80:1; 99:1; Is. 37:16). Ezekiel 8-11 records the departure from Israel of the Shekinah glory. Therefore, we can see that the glory of the Lord had initially dwelt in the tabernacle in the wilderness (Ex 40:34 Ex 30:34-38). It departed when the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant, which God allowed because of Israel’s sin. The glory of God came into the temple of Solomon upon completion and consecration (1 Kings 8:10). Then, it progressively departed the Temple, in preparation for the destruction of the nation of Israel which had turned irrevocably to the worship of abominable idols (First step: Ezekiel 8:3-4; Second: Ezekiel 9:3; Third: Ezekiel 10:18-19; Fourth: Ezekiel 11:22-23). The Temple that was rebuilt after Judah’s seventy years of exile in Babylon did not possess the Shekinah glory of the LORD. Many in Israel wept over this fact that the Shekinah glory had departed (Ezra 3:12). The Shekinah glory appeared in Israel for thirty-three and a half years in the Person of Jesus Christ but departed when they crucified Him. It will return to the millennial temple in the Person of the resurrected, glorified incarnate Son of God, Jesus Christ (Haggai 2:9; Isaiah 4:5; 35:1-3). In John 1:14, the apostle John draws the parallel between the Shekinah glory in Old Testament Israel and the incarnation of the Son of God. Hebrews 1:3 teaches that Jesus Christ is the “Shekinah” glory. In 1 Corinthians 10, Paul alludes to the fact that Jesus Christ is the Shekinah glory that 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 63 was with Exodus generation of Israel. Paul calls the Lord Jesus Christ, “the Lord of glory” (1 Cor. 2:7-8). This same Shekinah glory indwells the body of a believer in the church age according to Colossians 1:26-27). The body of the church age believer is now a temple of God (1 Cor. 3:16; 2 Cor. 6:16). The indwelling of God the Holy Spirit and Christ provides a base of operations for the use of divine omnipotence. The Christian executes the Father’s plan for the church age believer by appropriating by faith the divine omnipotence made available through the indwelling of Christ and the Spirit. The indwelling of Jesus Christ is a reminder and a guarantee that the Christian is eternally united to the Trinity and members of the royal family of God, a child of God. The indwelling of Jesus Christ signifies the close intimate union that the Christian has with Jesus Christ and in addition that He is working in the Christian’s life. The first time that the Lord Jesus Christ taught His disciples that they would be indwelt by Him was in His Upper Room Discourse recorded in John 14:20 and 17:23 and 26. Paul mentions the indwelling of Christ in 2 Corinthians 13:5, Galatians 2:20 and now in Colossians 1:26-27. The indwelling of Jesus Christ is presented from three perspectives: (1) Positional (2) Experiential (3) Ultimate. First of all, the Christian is indwelt by Christ in a “positional” sense meaning that it is an eternal spiritual truth and objective fact of bible doctrine that the Christian is indwelt by Christ. Secondly, the indwelling of Christ is to be “experiential” in the sense that God desires that the Christian “experience” the indwelling of Christ and this is accomplished by faith in the Word of God. Lastly, the indwelling of Christ is viewed in an “ultimate” sense in that Christ will indwell the Christian’s resurrection body forever throughout eternity. In Colossians 1:27, Paul speaks of the indwelling of Christ in a “positional” and “ultimate” sense. He also speaks of Christ indwelling him in an “experiential” sense in Galatians 2:20. Geisler writes “He was a God-ordained servant of the precious truth of the Word of God in its fullness (cf. 1:9; 2:9). The Colossian heresy boasted of a ‘fullness’ of knowledge possible only through their mystical experience. But Paul declared that the fullness of the mystery is found only in Christ. By ‘mystery’ he meant something once concealed but then revealed. This contrasted with the Colossian heretics’ notion that a mystery was a secret teaching known only to an exclusive group and unknown to the masses. The church was unknown in the Old Testament because it had been kept hidden for ages and generations. In fact, said Paul, it is only now disclosed to the saints. Since the church is Christ’s body, resulting from His death on the cross, it could not possibly have been in existence in the Old Testament. Indeed, Jesus, when on earth, said it was yet future (Matt. 16:16–18). Since the church is Christ’s body, welded together by the baptism of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13), the church’s 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 64 birthday occurred when this baptism took place (Acts 1:5; 2). Soon Saul recognized that this mysterious body of Christ, the church, was in existence and that he was persecuting it (Acts 9:4; cf. Gal. 1:13). The ‘mystery’ of the church, however, does not mean that Gentile salvation and blessing was unforeseen before Christ (cf. Luke 2:29–32; Amos 9:11–12). The mystery was not that Gentiles would be saved but how they could be ‘fellow-heirs’ (Eph. 3:6, KJV), on the same level with Jews, with no middle wall of partition between them (Eph. 2:12–14). In the Old Testament Gentiles who believed and became a part of Judaism were still considered lower than Jews. This special union in which there ‘is neither Jew nor Greek’ (i.e., Gentile, Gal. 3:28) was nonexistent before Christ died and the Spirit descended to baptize all believers into this new body.” 73 Andrew Lincoln commenting on the similarities and differences between Ephesians 3:5 and Colossians 1:25 has the following comment, he writes “Colossians and Ephesians have in common at this point the basic contrast between a period in which the mystery was not revealed and the present period of its revelation. But instead of ‘hidden for ages and generations’ the writer of Ephesians has ‘was not made known in other generations,’ adds ‘to people’ (literally, “to the sons of men”) and does not use ‘hidden for ages’ until v 9. In the second half of the contrast Ephesians adds ὡς, replaces φανεροῦν by ἀποκαλύπτειν, restricts τοῖς ἁγίοις αὐτοῦ with the addition of apostles and prophets, and includes a mention of the means of revelation, ἐν πνεύματι.” 74 The contents of Ephesians 3:5 helps to explain the content of Paul’s intercessory prayer in Ephesians 1:15-23. Ephesians 1:15 For this reason, after I myself heard about the faith among each and every one of you in the one and only Lord Jesus as well as you are practicing divine-love, which is on behalf of each and every one of the saints, 16 I never permit myself to cease regularly expressing thanks to the one and only God because of each and every one of you. I do this while disciplining myself to make it my practice of remembering each and every one of you during my prayers. 17 I make it a habit of occupying myself with praying that God, that is, the glorious Father of the one and only Lord ruling over each and every one of us as a corporate unit, who is Jesus Christ, would cause each and every one of you to receive divine wisdom, specifically, divine revelatory wisdom provided by the one and only Spirit with respect to an experiential knowledge of Himself. 18 Namely, that the eyes of your heart are enlightened in order that each and every one of you would possess the conviction of what constitutes being the confident expectation of blessing produced by His effectual call, what King James Version Geisler, N. L. (1985). Colossians. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 675). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. 74 Lincoln, A. T. (1990). Ephesians (Vol. 42, p. 177). Word, Incorporated. V KJV 73 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 65 constitutes His inheritance, which is characterized by glorious wealth, residing in the person of the saints. 19 Also, what constitutes being His incomparable, great power on behalf of each one of us who believe which is equivalent to the exertion of His sovereign, omnipotent power to overcome. 20 This He caused to enter into the state of being exerted on behalf of the incomparable Christ. Specifically, by causing Him to be raised out from the dead ones. Then, by causing Him to be seated at His right hand in the heavenlies 21 above each and every sovereign ruler, authority, power exercised, dominion as well as each and every designated rank, by no means only during this age but in fact also during the one certain to come. 22 In other words, He caused each and every animate and inanimate object to be placed in subjection under His feet. Correspondingly, He gave Him as a gift as head over each and every animate and inanimate object for the benefit of the church, 23 which uniquely is His body, specifically, which is being brought to completion by the one who is bringing each and every animate and inanimate object to completion for the benefit of each and every member. (Author’s translation) Ephesians 3:5 helps to explain the contents of this intercessory prayer because Paul’s intercessory prayer on behalf of these Gentile church age believers in Ephesians 1:15-23 was a mystery or secret doctrine not known to Old Testament prophets but rather revealed to the apostles like himself and New Testament prophets by means of the omnipotence of the Spirit. Thus, Paul interceded to the Father for these Gentile church age believers that the Holy Spirit who gave him this mystery or secret doctrine would give them enlightenment with regards to this revelation. Not only does the contents of Ephesians 3:5 help to explain the contents of Paul’s intercessory prayer in Ephesians 1:15-23 but it also helps to explain the reference to the teaching of the apostles and prophets as the foundation of the church in Ephesians 2:20. Ephesians 2:11 Therefore, each and every one of you as a corporate unit must continue to make it your habit of remembering that formerly each of you who belong to the Gentile race with respect to the human body, specifically, those who receive the designation “uncircumcision” by the those who receive the designation “circumcision” with respect to the human body performed by human hands, 12 each one of you used to be characterized as without a relationship with Christ. Each one of you used to be alienated from the nation of Israel’s citizenship. Specifically, each of you used to be strangers to the most important promise, which is the product of the covenants. Each of you used to not possess a confident expectation of blessing. Consequently, each one of you used to be without a relationship with God in the sphere of the cosmic world system. 13 However, because of your faith in and your union and identification with Christ Jesus each and every one of you as a corporate unit who formerly 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 66 were far away have now been brought near by means of the blood belonging to this same Christ. 14 For He Himself personifies our peace. Namely, by causing both groups to be one. Specifically, by destroying the wall, which served as the barrier, that is, that which caused hostility (between the two and the two with God). 15 In other words, by nullifying by means of His human nature the law composed of the commandments consisting of a written code of laws in order that He might cause the two to be created into one new humanity by means of faith in Himself at justification and union and identification with Himself through the baptism of the Spirit at justification. Thus, He caused peace to be established (between the two and the two with God). 16 In other words, in order that He would reconcile both groups into one body to God (the Father) through His cross. Consequently, He put to death the hostility (between the two and the two with God) by means of faith in Himself at justification and union and identification with Himself through the baptism of the Spirit at justification. 17 Correspondingly, He as a result came proclaiming peace for the benefit of each and every one of you, namely, those who were far off likewise peace to those were near. 18 Consequently, through the personal intermediate agency of Himself each and every one of us as a corporate unit, namely, both groups are experiencing access by means of the omnipotence of the one Spirit to the presence of the Father. 19 Indeed therefore, each and every one of you as corporate unit are no longer foreigners (to the covenants of promise), that is, foreign citizens. But rather each and every one of you as a corporate unit are fellow citizens with the saints, that is, members of God’s household 20 because each and every one of you as a corporate unit have been built upon the foundation, which is the communication of the gospel to each one of you by the apostles as well as prophets. Simultaneously, He Himself, namely, Christ Jesus is the cornerstone. 21 On the basis of its being continually fitted inextricably together by means of justification by faith and union and identification with Him, the whole building is growing into a holy temple by appropriating by faith your union and identification with the Lord. 22 In other words, by appropriating by faith your union and identification with Him, all of you without exception are being built together into God’s dwelling place by means of the omnipotence of the Spirit. (Author’s translation) The contents of Ephesians 3:5 help to explain Paul’s reference to the teaching of the apostles and prophets as the foundation of the church in Ephesians 2:20 because this mystery or secret doctrine that Gentile and Jewish church age believers are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body of Christ, and fellow partakers of the promise because of their faith in Christ Jesus at justification and union and identification with Him was given to the apostles and New Testament prophets by the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit in order to communicate to the church. 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 67 2024 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 68