Ephesians 2:19-3:13 -- The Mystery of the Church

Verse by Verse Commentary of the Letter to the Ephesians

The “one body” theme is important, for the new identity we are urged to grasp is not found in isolation. We are to see ourselves as “fellow citizens with God’s people” (Ephesians 2:19).  As members of God’s household, we are “being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives.”

This last theme is one that Paul developed carefully in both Ephesians and Colossians. We have been given new life and have been given power to live it. But we do not live isolated lives. We grow to full stature in Christ as members of a household. It is in the fellowship of other believers that individuals are formed into a living, growing organism that “rises to become a holy temple in the Lord” (Ephesians 2:21). (Bob Damon’s Ephesians Commentary, pg 5).

Metaphors for the Church

Ephesians 2:

¹⁹Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

²⁰having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,

• Citizens and subjects to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Our national identity is not tied to our birth place, but our Savior and our Father.
• We are saints (From hagios; sacred, physically pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially consecrated:- holy), set aside for God’s purposes.

²¹in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 

²²in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

• “Being built” – a process for believers, a growth or growing together.
• Metaphor of the church has been described as “the body of Christ”, “a family”, and a “holy temple”.

Ephesians gives us three images...of who we are as Christ’s church: a body, a family and a holy temple. The three images share a common emphasis. Each reminds us that we are one with our brothers and sisters, even as we are one with Christ. The church is people…not organizations or buildings or programs. The Greek word ecclesia means “congregation”, and more specifically a “called-out congregation”.

As the “body of Christ”, all believers are members together of one body and sharers together in the promise of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 3:6). We who have been “created in Christ Jesus to do good works” (Ephesians 2:10), carry out God’s hidden plans.    Christ reveals Himself in human flesh, the human flesh of His living church.

As the “family", we are all “members of God’s household” (Ephesians 2:19). The “whole family of believers…derives its name” (Ephesians 3:14) from God the Father. That name is “family”, and from God’s name as Father, we learn that we are children together.

As the “holy temple”, we are a building being raised, with the Foundation and Cornerstone clearly – Jesus Christ. And we see the process – stone is joined to stone by the Master Builder. As the building grows, we discover that it is a temple (Ephesians 2:21). This too is the church – fallen humanity, re-created by God, and now in Christ, a fitting expression of the holiness of God.

Now, the church is described as a “mystery revealed”. The “mystery” here is the fact that the Gentiles would be “heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise of Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 3:6) … Paul, as the Apostle to the Gentiles, had been called by God to reveal this unexpected aspect of God’s eternal plan. Paul reminded us that the plan expressed the “manifold” (that is, complex or multifaceted) plan of God…and God is still at work in the church, doing far more than we may imagine. (Bob Damon’s Ephesians Commentary, pg 14-16).

Ephesians 3:

¹For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles—

²if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 

³how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 

⁴by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ),

• Paul reveals this information to us, the church, so that we may understand the mystery of Christ. We are to be stewards of this mystery: 

1 Corinthians 4:11 Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

⁵which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:

• This mystery was revealed to the apostles and prophets, while not being limited to Paul, it was Paul’s privilege to explain this to the Gentiles.  While hinted at in the Old Testament, this secret was not known in past times.   These are found in Isaiah 11:10, Isaiah 60:3, Isaiah 42:6, Zechariah 2:11 & Malachi 1:11.
• The Holy Spirit revealed this, as promised in John 16:15 by Christ.

⁶that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel,

⁷of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.

• The gospel, or good news of our salvation is the method God uses to incorporate us into His family. 

Galatians 3:27-28 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

⁸To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 

⁹and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;

• Paul consistently does this – see 1Timothy 1:12, 13 and 1 Corinthians 15:9

¹⁰to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 

¹¹according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,

• This mystery was revealed to the ranks and orders of the heavenly beings.

¹²in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. 

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

• As children in God’s family, we can approach Him with confidence.

Application Questions

• As citizens and saints of the family of God, how are we to view our responsibility toward the growth and life of the Body? 
• Can a “Christian” live and grow apart from the body of Christ, and her Head?
• If Paul were speaking to your congregation about reconciliation, would his words by ones of praise or disappointment?
• Who revealed the mystery of Christ to Paul? How did Paul reveal this mystery of Christ? 
• How did God accomplish His plan? 
• In light of this, what is our responsibility toward knowing and speaking the gospel?

The Mystery of the Christ and the Church

Throughout the Bible, there are many mysteries that are described, including:

• Jeremiah 12:1 – the mystery of the prosperity of the wicked
• John 3:8 – the mystery of the New Birth
• Roman 11:33 – the mystery of divine providence
• 1 Corinthians 15:51 – the mystery of transformation to glorified bodies
• 1 Timothy 3:16 – the mystery of the Incarnation
• Hebrew 12:11 – the mystery of temporal suffering

And, of course, as mentioned in Ephesians 3:6, the union of Jews and Gentiles into one body through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The church is distinct from the Jewish nation in many ways:

• Earthly versus Spiritual - The covenants, promises and provision for Israel was earthly; for the church, blessings and covenant are spiritual. (Romans 8:14, Galatians 3:26, Ephesians 1:3)

• Natural Birth versus Spiritual Birth - Israel was recognized as the “seed of Abraham” (Genesis 13:16), while the church members are recognized as sons of God, adopted into His family, and co-heirs of Christ (Ephesians 1:5, Romans 8:17).

• Two versus One - There are no longer nationalities or races, Jew and Gentile, but all who belong to the church are one. (Ephesians 1:10, 2:13, Galatians 3:28).

• “Dwelling In” versus “Indwelling” - while Israel looked for the Messiah, the church has the Messiah dwelling in each and every member already! 

Colossians 1:7 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Perhaps the most difficult mystery to comprehend is the mystery of the union of Christ with the Church. 

Ephesians 5:32 “This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church 

• That the church is Christ’s body on earth, even as Christ is in heaven, we on Earth, even as sinners, yet reconciled and washed, make up part of a heavenly entity now. This spiritual concept is too often overlooked or ignored.

Proverbs 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

The mystery of the union of the Church with Christ is described in several ways:

• As a bride 
• Romans 7:4 Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.

• As the body of Christ 
• 1 Corinthians 6:15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? 
• Ephesians 5: 30 For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.

• As adopted sons 
• John 1: 2 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 
• John 1:13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

• As something "hidden" for the ages
• 1 Corinthians 2:7-8 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
• Colossians 1: 26-27 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

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Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.