Now Paul details his role in God’s plan as one through whom God made known the truth of the church (vv. 1-13) and then in response to this prays for the Ephesians (vv. 14-21).
Paul was Christ’s prisoner (v. 1), a steward of God’s grace (v. 2), and one that God gave truth to and through (vv. 3-7). Paul was responsible to proclaim the riches of Christ’s redemption primarily to the Gentiles so that God would be glorified (vv. 8-13).
Paul then prayed that the full blessings of Jesus Christ through the gospel would be known to and experienced by the Ephesians so that they would glorify God (vv. 14-21).
Truths to Nail Down and Meditate On
- The truth of the church—believers of every nationality spiritually united together in Christ—had been concealed but was now revealed through the apostles (this is what “mystery” means; note vv. 5-6, 9-10). This truth was part of God’s eternal plan (v. 11), not a “plan B.” There isn’t a hint in the Old Testament about the church; this was truth God sovereignly chose to conceal to OT saints.
- God’s wisdom is made known by the church to all creation (v. 10). This is the church’s reason for existence, so the church must be occupied with that and not get distracted into doing things it shouldn’t.
