EPHESIANS 3:5

In this part of Ephesians chapter three Paul is in the midst of explaining to us the mystery of grace and of Christ and of the church that was revealed to him. Concerning the mystery Paul wrote in Ephesians 3:5, “Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.” In this verse we are told very plainly that Paul is calling these truths a mystery because they used to be hidden from the sons of men, but they no longer are. How privileged we are to live in the age in which we live! What great truths have been revealed to us about Christ and His body, the church!

Another thing to notice about this verse is the use of the phrase “apostles and prophets.” This phrase “apostles and prophets” is used three times in the book of Ephesians, and by looking at all three places we are able to determine what Paul was talking about when he mentioned “apostles and prophets.” Look first at Ephesians 2:19-20. It says, “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.” The foundational teachings for Christianity come from the apostles and prophets: not just the apostles, but the apostles and prophets.

We know who the apostles were, but who were the prophets? Undoubtedly, the prophets were the associates of the apostles whom God also used in the writing of the New Testament scriptures and in the teaching of the foundational truths of the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostles did not write all of the New Testament books. They wrote some of them, but the direct associates of the apostles wrote the others, such as the gospels of Luke and Mark.

The apostles and prophets are mentioned together a second time in Ephesains 3:5 when Paul is explaining the fact that the great mystery of the teaching about the church of Christ is now revealed. He wrote, “Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.” One of the things to look closely at in this verse is the fact that it says “is now revealed unto the holy apostles and prophets.” By emphasizing the present tense in that way, we know that Paul was speaking of the time in which he lived in the first century. In that time both the apostles and prophets were present, receiving the revelation that God was giving them concerning Christ and the church. This revelation came to them by the Spirit. This sounds just like the inspiration of the scriptures. “Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” I Peter 1:21. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God.” II Timothy 3:16.

The third and last time that the apostles and prophets are mentioned together is in Ephesians 4:11 where gifts are listed that Christ gave when He ascended up on high. It says, “And he gave some apostles and some prophets; and some evangelists; and some pastors and teachers.” (Note that the punctuation is mine.) We know that the gift of being an apostle was for the first century only. Once the original apostles went off the scene, there were no more apostles. They did their work. Their purpose was fulfilled. They laid the foundation with Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone. The same can be said about the prophets because of the fact that they are listed with the apostles in Ephesians 2:20 and in Ephesians 3:5. The gift of being a prophet was evidently given to certain individuals in the first century for the purpose of assisting the apostles in laying the foundation with Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone. Therefore, the gifts of apostles and prophets are no longer given. Their work is done. If you want to build upon the work of the prophets, then take the things that they said about the Lord Jesus Christ that are found written in the Word of God and expound these things. The gifts that are now used for the furthering of the gospel of Christ are that of evangelists, pastors and teachers.

Paul wrote in Ephesians 3:6, “That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the Gospel.” Three things are said about the Gentiles: they are fellowheirs, they are of the same body, and they are partakers of his promise. The Gentiles who believe are fellowheirs with whom? They are fellowheirs with the Jews who believe in Christ, of whom Paul himself was one. Those who believe in Jesus are going to inherit something. They are going to inherit the wonders of heaven. What a day that will be when our Jesus we shall see. Everyone who has saving faith with Jesus is a fellowheir with everyone else who has been saved by Jesus. Remember that when you deal with other believers. It just might change the way that you treat them or that you speak about them, knowing that you will be with them forever in heaven; and you will be there on the same basis that they will be there. Start with this foundation: Jesus is the chief cornerstone, everyone else who believes in Jesus is going to inherit the same eternity that we are going to inherit, and we are what we are because of the grace of God that is in Christ Jesus. Always start with this foundational truth. Yes, there is such a thing as church disciple and separation from false doctrine. But do not start with the doctrine of separation. Start with the doctrine of the unity and commonness of all believers and then let that truth give you the correct attitude to do the other things that you must do in regards to the exhortation, the reproving, and the rebuking of other believers. Always remember that they are your fellowheirs.

They are also members of the same body, the body of Christ. That is interesting that we are called the body of Christ. The believers united together are called the body of Christ. One reason that we are called the body is because a body is made up of many members. Each member has its own function. What does God want you to do? He wants you to participate as a member in the body. Find out what your gift is and then find opportunities to put that gift into practice for the sake of the body. You are a member in the body, not primarily for your sake, although you will benefit greatly from being in the body; but you are a member in the body so that you might help the body be all that it can be for the glory of Christ. The church is the body of Christ.

According to Ephesians 3:6 everyone who believes in Jesus, Jew or Gentile, is a fellowheir; a member of the same body and is a partaker of “his promise.” What promise is being spoken of here? We know that God has made many great and precious promises, but this verse is referring to one particular promise: one very important promise. Because this passage of scripture is emphasizing the fact that the Gentiles in Christ have come into the same situation as the Jews, we know that the promise being referred to here is the great promise that was made to Abraham. That promise was first given in Genesis 12:2-3. God promised to Abraham, “And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” God keeps his promises. God appeared to one man hundreds of years before the time of Christ, and God made him a promise. God keeps His promises. Find out what are the promises of God. Wait patiently on those promises because they absolutely will be fulfilled: every one of them.

The promise that was made to Abraham was that in Abraham “shall all families of the earth be blessed.” Ephesians 3:6 speaks of “his promise in Christ”. The promise made to Abraham is fulfilled in Christ. One of the reasons that Christ came was to fulfill the promise. One of the reasons that Christ died on the cross was to fulfill the promise made to Abraham and to make the fulfilling of the promise possible? God promised to bless all the families of the earth, including your family and my family. But we are such great sinners. How can we expect to be blessed by God? Because the beloved Son of God died in our place and because Jesus purchased for all of us the favor of God. For that reason and that reason alone we enter into the blessings, the great and wonderful spiritual blessings. The Gentiles who believe in Christ enter into the same blessings that were once considered to be only for Israel, and this is possible because of Jesus. We owe Jesus everything. If it was not for Him, we would be forever outside of the family of God.

In the last phrase of Ephesians 3:6 the Bible says that the Gentiles who believe in Jesus are “partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel.” The gospel is the message of good news that is proclaimed to all the world. In order to have this message proclaimed, there must be someone to proclaim it. Paul was one who was chosen of God to proclaim the gospel of Christ. Concerning his calling, Paul wrote in Ephesians 3:7, “Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.” The word minister means “servant.” If you are called to do something, then above all you are called to serve. In order to fulfill the calling of God, find out whom you are supposed to serve and serve them. Be their servant.

Notice that this service that Paul was called to do he called “the gift of the grace of God.” In no way did Paul put the attention on himself or give the credit to himself for what he was involved in doing in regards to the preaching of the gospel. He did not say that it was because of how smart he was, or because of how diligent he was, or because of his great personality. It was not because of how close he was to God: none of that. The ministry that Paul had was the gift of the grace of God. This phrase sounds just like a phrase you would use to describe salvation. Salvation is a gift that comes entirely from the grace of God. Salvation cannot be earned or deserved in any way. The same is true concerning whatever service that the Lord asks you to do for Him. It is a privilege and an honor to be given a service, a ministry, to perform for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ; and if you are given one, be very thankful for it, but remember this: you do not deserve it. Look at it the same way that Paul looked at it. Look at it as “the gift of the grace of God.”

Paul actually says four different things in Ephesians 3:7 to emphasize the fact that the ministry that he had was from God in every sense of the word and in no way was from himself. He calls his ministry a “gift,” he calls it “grace,” and Paul says it was “given to me.” And then Paul says that the ministry that he had was “by the effectual working of His power.” Paul knew that whatever was accomplished in his ministry was by the power of God. Whatever good effects came out of it were by the power of God. God had to do it and God would do it. Notice once again that Paul said at the start of Ephesians 3:7 that he was “made” a minister. Paul did not make himself a minister: Christ made Paul a minister. If Jesus had not done what Jesus did in the life of Paul, Paul would never have become a minister. It was the work of Christ: a gracious work and a gift that made Paul a minister.

Paul continues on the same theme in Ephesians 3:8 stating his own opinion of himself. By the way Paul was not just saying this to sound humble. He really meant it, and he really believed it. Paul wrote, “Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.” Paul called himself “less than the least of all saints.” In First Timothy 1:15 Paul said that he was the chief of sinners. In First Corinthians 15:9 Paul wrote, “For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle.” The only reason that Paul could say that he was less than the least of all saints was because you and I had not yet been born. You must believe the same thing about yourself. Pride goes before a fall. God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble. Jesus said that you are evil. He said, “If you being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children…” Jesus said that you are evil and I am evil. He would know. Paul knew.

Paul said that he was less than the least of all saints, and yet in the next breath Paul said “is this grace given.” Jesus gives His grace to those who do not deserve it and who know that they do not deserve it. As a matter of fact it is a requirement to know that you do not deserve it. God resisteth the proud but giveth grace unto the humble. That is why His strength is made perfect in weakness. Grace comes from faith in Christ. True faith in Christ comes from the belief that He is everything and I am nothing.

Paul was given grace and he knew what the purpose of that divine enabling was. He said, “that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.” The word that is translated “preach” in this verse is the word to evangelize. It emphasizes the message that is preached, and the message that is preached is the good news of Jesus Christ. Jesus died for your sins. Jesus rose from the dead, and Jesus is alive and you can call upon Him and find forgiveness and salvation. You can find grace in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul said that he preached the “unsearchable riches of Christ.” The principle thing that Paul preached about was the person of Christ. That is one of the reasons that it is good to preach out of the gospels. Always have a series of messages out of the gospels. If you preach four sermons a week, it probably is a good idea to preach at least one of them from one of the gospels. Take the gospel according to Matthew and preach your way through the book, and then when you have finished Matthew do the same thing with Mark, and then Luke and John. Stay in the gospels a great deal of the time for this purpose: to help insure that your messages will truly be about the Lord Jesus Christ. We do not preach ourselves: we preach Christ Jesus and Him crucified. Paul said that he preached the unsearchable riches of Christ. Paul called the things of Christ “riches” because of their value. To know the things of Christ is more valuable, more wonderful, and more important than anything money can buy. Do you value the things of Christ? Are the things that you know about Christ your riches? Where your treasure is, there shall your heart also be.

Paul called the riches of Christ the “unsearchable riches.” That is because there is so much to know and to experience about the Lord Jesus Christ that you will never come close to finding it all out. Whatever you know about Jesus and His love, and His power, and His grace, and His divinity, you only know a very small amount of all that there is to know. It will take an eternity to continue seeking Him out and to learn more. Notice what Paul said in Ephesians 2:19, “And to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge.” Notice what Paul said in Philippians 3:7 concerning his desire to know more about Christ: “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.” And Paul also wrote in Philippians 3:10, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.”

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