An Exposition of Pauls Epistles, Letter 5 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
IN this Chapter the Apostle exhorts the Ephesians, that having overcome the scandal of the Cross of Christ, for the defence of the Gospel, they should constantly persevere in maintaining the Grace of God, that is, that they should stedfastly beleeve, openly confess, and in all streights exactly defend, that wee, elected in Christ through Grace, redeemed through Grace, called through Grace, justified through Grace, indued with Faith through Grace, regenerated through Grace, have all things perfected in us through Grace, that wee are saved by Grace alone, and shall hereafter bee glorified in Christ through Faith, and not by Works; and that Faith is not of our selves, but is the gift of God, that in the whole business of our salvation Gods Grace alone might have glory. The summe of all is, that they should live without offence, and make proficiency in the Faith of the Gospel.
There are two parts of this Chapter: In the first, lest the Ephesians should bee offended at the scandal of the Cross, and of the Apostles captivity, hee shews them the glory of his Ministery, and of his bonds, to vers. 14. In the second part wee have the Apostles prayer for the Ephesians perseverance and progress in the Faith, unto the end.
The chief matter of the first is comprehended in this Enthymeme. My Ministery and my bonds are a great glory to mee▪ I intreat you therefore bee not offended at my afflictions: The Antecedent reaches to vers. 13. the consequent wee have in vers. 13.
Vers. 1. For this cause, I Paul, the prisoner of Iesus Christ for you Gentiles,
Hee alledges twelve Arguments for the commendation of his Ministery.
For this cause] Argum. 1. Because I am bound to preach the Truth before described, that the Gentiles as well as Jews may obtain salvation by Faith in Christ, and therefore I am the captive of Christ, or for maintaining the glory of Christ, and of you Gentiles, or for maintaining your right unto salvation with the Jews▪ Therefore you at least should esteem my Ministry.
Vers. 2. If you have heard of the dispensation of the Grace of God, which is given mee to you-wards:
Argum. 2. I am peculiarly appointed by Christ to bee an Apostle of the Gentiles, if yee have rightly understood the dispensation of Grace, or the Evangelical Doctrine, which was committed to mee, that I should preach it unto you: Therefore my Ministery should bee had in estimation by you.
Vers. 3. How that by revelation hee made known unto mee the Mystery (as I wrote afore in few words;
Argum. 3. The knowledge of the Gospel with which I am endued, was most certain, for I received it by extraordinary revelation immediately from God, and not from men: Therefore, &c.
Vers. 4. Whereby, when you read, yee may understand my knowledge in the Mystery of Christ.)
Argum. 4. The measure of my understanding and knowledge, by which I know the revealed Mystery of Grace, is not ordinary, as will manifestly appear to those who attentively read what I have writ in the first and second Chapters of this Epistle: Therefore, &c.
Vers. 5. Which in other ages was not made known to the Sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit.
Argum. 5. The Mystery of this Gospel hath not been made known to many, nor so plainly to any age before us, as it is now revealed by the Holy Ghost to us Apostles and Prophets; to whom God hath extraordinarily granted the knowledge of the Scriptures, and of his will touching mans salvation: Therefore, &c.
Vers. 6. That the Gentiles should bee fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his Promise in Christ, by the Gospel.
Argum. 6. That part of the Mystery, which is touching the accomplishment of all the Promises of Grace in Christ, and touching the calling of the uncircumcised Gentiles into the fellowship of the heavenly Inheritance, that they should bee admitted by God equally with the Israelites themselvess into the union of the Israelitish Church, and the participation of Christ by the Faith of the Gospel, without circumcision and other ceremonies; I say, this part was not before manifested: Therefore, &c. Nay, Peter himself who was an Apostle also did not admit this, till hee was taught it by a special revelation, Act. 10.
Vers. 7. Whereof I was made a Minister, according to the gift of the Grace of God given unto mee, by the effectual working of his power.
Argum. 7. The authority committed to mee to dispense this Grace of God, is joyned both with gifts necessary to an Apostolical function, and with the effectual blessing of God, wheresoever and whensoever I have opportunity of preaching: Therefore, &c.
Vers. 8. Unto mee, 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.
Agum. 8. The Grace … mee in calling mee to the Apostleship is so much the more excellent, by how much the more deadly an enemy I was to the Church, and in this respect I am inferiour to all Saints, and by how much the greater the number of the Gentiles is, and lastly by how much the more glorious the matter which I preach. viz. the unsearchable riches of the Grace of Christ: Therefore, &c:
Vers. 9. And to make all men see, what is the fellowship of the Mystery, which from the beginning o… the world, hath been hid in God, who created all things by Iesus Christ.
Argum. 9. The ends of my Ministry are glorious, (1.) That the secret things which lye hid in the counsel of God, should bee brought to light. (2.) That the blinde may bee illuminated to see and understand things revealed. (3.) That all men may know they are to be made partakers of salvation onelyonly by the faith of Jesus Christ, without Circumcision, and the works of the Law. (4.) That all men may evidently see the excellency of Christ, not only as Redeemer, but also as the Creator, by whom as the Church is redeemed, so the world, and all things therein are created: Therefore, &c.
Vers. 10. To the intent that now unto the Principalities and Powers in heavenly places, might bee known by the Church the manifold wisdome of God,
Argum. 10. The use of my Ministry is glorious, because by it the manifold wisdome of God, in declaring his counsel touching the gathering of a Church out of the circumcised, and uncrcumcised, is more clearly laid open then ever before, even to the holy Angels in heaven, much more to men on earth: Therefore, &c. For the Angels know nothing of the mystery of mans salvation but by the revelation of it to the Church.
Vers. 11. According to the eternal purpose which hee purposed in Christ Iesus our Lord:
Argum. 11. And all this is not come to pass by chance, but according to the eternal purpose of God, which as at first hee determined and established in Christ, so at length hee hath compleated and perfected it in him. Therefore, &c.
Vers. 12. In whom wee have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
Argum. 12. The fruit of this Ministry is glorious, because by the preaching of the Gospel to Jews and Gentiles beleeving on Christ, there is equally afforded liberty in Christ, of going to God in confidence, and of freely pleading with him, for all our necessities, as with a most loving Father: Therefore my Ministry ought to bee accepted with you.
Vers. 13. Wherefore I desire that you faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
From all these fore-going things, as from one antecedent, the Apostle infers this consequent conclusion, That they should not bee offended in his bonds or captivity, that is, they should not faint, nor become weary, or slothfull in the cause of faith for his afflictions, but rather constantly persevere, and make proficiency therein. To which Exhortation, hee adjoyns two Reasons, (1.) Because hee suffered these afflictions for them, that is, for vouching their priviledges in Christ, and for the confirmation of their faith. (2.) Because his afflictions were a glory to the Ephesians; for from hence … did appear how much God esteemed them, in that hee had sent Apostles to them, who should not onelyonly teach them the way of salvation, but also undergo afflictions for to witness the truth they preached, and for the confirmation of their faith.
The Second Part.
Vers. 14. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ.
The second part of this Chapter contains the Apostles prayer for the Ephesians perse…rance and progress in the faith of the Gospel: Which prayer doth, and that not obscurely, include an exhortation to perseverance and constancy in faith, there being twelve Arguments couched in it tending to that purpose, every one whereof proving that they ought stedfastly to continue in the faith.
For this cause] Argum. 1. To this end I pray every day upon my bended knees, that yee may continue in the faith without offence: Therefore you should cheerfully proceed therein.
Unto the Father] Argum. 2. The God which gives us this grace is propitious and easie to bee intreated, hee is the Father of our Lord, and the Father of all us that are the servants of Jesus Christ, and hee will not refuse to bestow perseverance on us if we pray for it: Therefore you should proceed upon the account of this hope.
Vers. 15. Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.
Argum. 3. Our God, the giver of perseverance, is the Master of the houshold of the Catholick Church adopted in Christ, who equally favours beleeving Gentiles and Jews, and imbraces you his houshold servants who are militant in earth, with the same Fatherly affection, as hee doth the triumphant in heaven, and will have you as well as they named his Sons, not being ashamed to receive your weakness and unworthiness into his imbraces: Therefore you should couragiously proceed in the faith.
Vers. 16. That hee would grant you according to the riches of his glory to bee strengthned with might, by his Spirit in the inner man.
According to the riches] Argum. 4. The mercy of God is rich and glorious, and rejoyceth to advance its glorious greatness, in plentifully bestowing the grace of continuance in faith to those that ask it: Therefore you should boldly seek grace, and hold on in faith.
Strengthened] Argum. 5. Though you are weak and unable to resist the difficulties in the way, yet there is sufficient strength to bee communicated to you from your Father, who is most willing of, and inclinable to your confirmation, wee do not then in vain pray to God for this grace: Therefore, &c.
In the inner] The Apostle intimates by the way…, that there is not so much as in the inner man and inmost faculties of the new-begotten soul, any strength of freewill, any merit of good work, or any efficacy and power, which will bee sufficient for our perseverance, but that they have need of the Holy Ghost, who must give them both to will and to do, who must furnish them with strength and power to persevere, and of his rich grace, passing by their sins, must constantly maintain, and put forward his own work in them.
Vers. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that yee being rooted and grounded in love,
Argum. 6. Though you are weak, and the Devil who fights against you bee powerful, yet Christ is more powerful dwelling in you by faith, fashioning you to his own Image, confirming you, and ruling you to the obedience of his own will; and our desires and prayers to God shall not bee wanting, that hee may constantly, and more fully dwell in you. Therefore.
Vers. 18. May bee able to comprehend with all Saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height.
Argum. 7. The love of God towards you is immutable, being firmly laid as a living root, and sure foundation of the perfecting of your faith, whence therefore you may derive both stability to increase, being perswaded of this love, yee may bee able to persevere most stedfastly in the faith, and I will pray that this perswasion may bee given you: Therefore press forward.
The breadth] Argum. 8. The grace of God offered in the Gospel to bee comprehended by you, in its immense length reaches from eternity to eternity; in its breadth it extends it self to all ages and orders of men; in its depth it descends to the abyss of sin and misery, that it may hale men out: And lastly, in its height it rayseth it self to the highest happiness in heaven; yea this offered grace doth already comprehend you, whereof I wish you a fuller knowledge, that yee may bee more stedfast in faith, till at length in a perfect happiness with all other beleevers yee may by experience fully know and comprehend this love of God: Therefore hold on, and proceed daily in the obedience of faith.
Vers. 19. And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that yee might bee filled with all the fulness of God.
Argum. 9. So great is Gods love towards you in Christ, and so great is Christs love towards all his, and towards you, that it can never bee known enough, for it surmounts the understanding of both men and Angels, and of this I wish you a more full knowledge, that yee may persevere stedfast in the Faith.
That yee might bee filled] Argum. 10. All the fulness of God which sufficeth to fill you, and fully to perfect salvation, is opened and communicated to you in the Gospel, that yee might bee more and more united to God in Christ by Faith, might more and more partake of holiness, or the divine Nature, and might become more and more blessed, by a more abundant in-dwelling of Christ, till at length yee bee filled with it in the world to come, in which God will bee all in all to your compleat holiness and happiness: which I continually beg of God for: Therefore, &c.
Vers. 20. Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly above all that wee ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us:
Hee concludes his prayer with a thanksgiving, adding Argum. 11. God is both able to give more than wee ask, yea and abundantly more than wee can ask or desire, and also so good and free that hee wills what hee can do; yea hee hath already exercised both his power and his good will in converting us, and also in preserving us: Therefore you should bee encouraged to a stedfast continuance in Faith.
Vers. 21. Unto him bee glory in the Church by Christ Iesus, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
Argum. 12. The everlasting praise of the effectual good will and power of God, to the perfecting of Beleevers salvation by Christ, shall bee for ever celebrated in the Church: And you are bound to subscribe and say AMEN with mee unto this Truth: Therefore you should continue and make progress in Faith, glorifying God, unto the end. Some of these Arguments prove that the Saints perseverance is sure and certainly established.