Teaching Ephesians – The Gospel of Your Salvation (Part 19)

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Teaching Ephesians – The Gospel of Your Salvation (Part 19)

Courtesy of D. Osseman library

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Courtesy of D. Osseman library

We are sharing a special series about teaching the Book of Ephesians in small groups. If you haven’t read the Introduction to the series, we invite you to read it here.

Whether you are interested in studying Ephesians for the purpose of teaching it to small groups or for your own personal study, we believe you will find this series helpful.

We are currently in the middle of Chapter Three.

Basic Premises for Studying Scripture

God is worth knowing
His Word is worth learning and obeying
Because God is worth knowing and His Word is worth learning, we will follow a proven method of knowing Him and learning His Word.
We will use the I – M – D – I method of Bible study:
Inductive – Methodical – Direct – Independent
Inductive study – “logical, objective, impartial reasoning” … examining specifics of Scripture before reaching conclusions
Methodical study – “a way or path of transit” (Greek – methodos) … focused on taking the proper path to gaining knowledge about God
Direct study – “relying on Scripture as the primary tool for learning”
Independent study – “original thinking combined with Spirit insight”
Observe (See and Record)
Question (Ask and Answer)
Interpret (Determine the Holy Spirit’s Intent)
Apply (How God’s Truth applies to your life)

Bible Study – The Group Process

We invite you to model the process of observing, asking questions for interpretation, interpreting for meaning, and applying for discipleship for your small group. This process may be new to some of the people in your group, so going through it with them for awhile may help them feel comfortable with how to do it.

One of the biggest mistakes people make in reading the Bible is trying to interpret the meaning of individual verses before observing everything in the verses. Studying in context also helps keep us from making incorrect interpretations. That means starting the observation process at the beginning of each Bible book.

The challenge in studying alone or with the group is trying to determine the meaning of passages in the Bible before assuring that we’ve observed everything in the passages and asked every possible question. We carefully answer all of the questions before reaching a conclusion to the meaning.

Read the Scripture and go through each step with your group. You may be able to cover observation, questions, interpretation and application in one meeting, but don’t rush the process. It takes time to see everything in a text, ask good questions, get good answers to those good questions, interpret the meaning of the text and apply the meaning to life. If it takes two or three meetings to do that for each text, that’s fine! The goal is to rightly divide God’s Word, not finish by a certain date.

Observe – Write what you see

Ephesians 3 is primarily about the “mystery” (mustérion) that the Apostle Paul preached to the Gentiles and Jews. He used the word six times in Ephesians and first mentioned it in chapter one:

… having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ. Ephesians 1:9-10

Paul used the word “dispensation” (oikonomia) three times in Ephesians, twice in chapter three.

Dispensation of the fullness of the times
Dispensation of the grace of God
Dispensation (fellowship) of the mystery

The New King James Bible divides Ephesians into three sections concerning the mystery:

The Mystery Revealed (3:1-7)
Purpose of the Mystery (3:8-13)
Appreciation of the Mystery (3:14-21)

Paul wrote in verses eight and nine that God gave him grace to preach the “unsearchable riches of Christ” to the Gentiles. Paul wrote that his purpose was “to make all see what is the fellowship [dispensation] of the mystery.” The purpose of the mystery was “that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places.” That refers back to what Paul wrote in chapter one and what he would write in chapter six. Paul wrote that this purpose was “according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

We come now to verse 13.

Ephesians 3:13

Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

Ephesians 3:13 in Greek

Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you … διο αιτουμαι μη εκκακειν εν ταις θλιψεσιν μου υπερ υμων

One of my mentor professors used to say that whenever we saw the word “therefore” in the Bible, we should ask this question: “What is the therefore there for?” Paul presented clearly in the previous verses of Chapter 3 that God had given him a special calling to preach the Gospel to Gentiles and Jews — especially the Gentiles.

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles—if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you. Ephesians 3:1-2

Jesus Christ gave Saul of Tarsus (Paul) a specific ministry to the Gentiles — one that would be different from that of the other apostles (e.g. Acts 15; Galatians 2). Jesus gave Paul something called “the dispensation of the grace of God” that was a mystery until Jesus revealed it through Paul.

… how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ). Ephesians 3:3-4

As you might imagine the revelation of this mystery and Paul’s preaching of it did not make him popular with Gentiles or Jews. Paul spent almost as much time in prisons across the Roman Empire as he did in preaching the Gospel of Grace in cities and towns as he traveled. Paul knew that his imprisonments caused grief among Christians who knew him. That’s why he wrote from prison – “Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you…” Paul didn’t want Christians to “lose heart” because of his imprisonments.

The Greek words for “do not lose heart” are mē enkakein. The definition of is enkakein “faint, be weary.” Paul did not want Christians to become “weary” about the tribulations (thlipsesin – persecution, affliction, distress) he was facing. Paul had brought the Gospel of Christ to them, so they loved him. It was natural for them to be concerned, especially after months and even years in Roman prisons. Christians would become weary, even to the point of losing heart, knowing how Paul was suffering for the Gospel.

which is your glory … ητις εστιν δοξα υμων

Paul put everything in perspective when he wrote – “which is your glory.” This is an important lesson for Christians today, even as it was almost 2,000 years ago. We misunderstand the idea of “glory” and how it impacts believers. “Glory” (good opinion, praise, honor) to a Christian is different than to an unbeliever. The world views glory in the sense of celebrity, wealth, prestige, renown, “distinction extended by common consent” (Merriam-Webster), etc. The Bible views glory as something belonging to God.

The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Psalm 19:1

Give unto the Lord, O you mighty ones, Give unto the Lord glory and strength. Psalm 29:1

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; Let Your glory be above all the earth. Psalm 57:5

After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belongto the Lord our God! Revelation 19:1

The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. Revelation 21:23

So, if all glory is to go to God – then why would Paul say that his tribulations for them would be their glory?

A Life of Tribulation

The life God planned for His people includes tribulation. That may sound strange to many people in the Western part of the world because tribulation (persecution, affliction, distress) is not something most of us have experienced in our lives. Christians in many other parts of the world are quite familiar with tribulation, but those in United States (for example) are not.

That, I believe, is naiveté on our part. If we read the Bible and actually believe what it says, then we should know that persecution follows those who believe in Jesus Christ. Paul made that very clear when he spoke to new believers during his first missionary journey.

And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, ‘We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.’ So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed. Acts 14:21-23

Notice that Paul told them they would enter the Kingdom of God “through many tribulations.” Not one or two or a few – “many tribulations.” The word “many” is polus and means “much, multitudinous, plenteous, great in amount, often.” Without doubt, Christians are headed for the Kingdom of God and we will get there through “many tribulations.”

Paul gives us even more insight into this mysterious “glory” that comes with “tribulations” in the Christian life in his letter to the Romans.

And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:3-5

Here’s the secret of tribulations and why Paul told the Ephesians that his tribulations where to their glory. Tribulations produce something very special in our lives:

tribulation produces perseverance
perseverance, character
character, hope

Paul told the Ephesians not to lose heart because of his tribulations because he knew that would build them up in their faith. They would develop perseverance, character, and hope. The unbelieving world hates and persecutes us because it hates and persecutes Jesus Christ (e.g. John 15:18-20). This is not something easy for human to go through, but we can glory in tribulations because we know the purpose God has for them in conforming us to the image of His Son (e.g. Romans 8:28-30). That is the goal and in that we can glory.

Observe – Write what you see

Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. Ephesians 3:13

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Question – Ask and answer questions based on observations

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Interpret – What is the Holy Spirit’s intent in these verses?

Apply – How can you apply these spiritual truths to your life?

Next Time

We will look at Ephesians 3:14-16 in the next part of our series, Teaching Ephesians.

Apostle PaulBible StudyBook of EphesiansChristianityGod's GloryJesus ChristTeaching Ephesianstribulation

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Founder & Director of GraceLife Ministries View all posts by gracelifethoughts