Commentary on Ephesians 3.1–3.20

“For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you, brothers.” Since he has shown the disposition of the divine clemency for the salvation of the gentiles, which existed before the world, he now declares that he carries out the embassy of this gift by God's providence, Christ sending him. For after the resurrection the Lord sent his apostles in his stead to preach to the gentiles (Matt 28:19), directing this one to the conversion of the gentiles; for so he said to him: “Go, I will send you far away to the gentiles” (Acts 22:21). He used the Lord's word, then, when he says: “Peace to you who were far off, and to those who were near.”

“If indeed you have heard of the dispensation of God's grace that was given to me for you.” He wants them to know that by God's judgment he was sent by Christ to preach to the gentiles the mystery of God's grace. “According to revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I wrote before briefly, so that, reading, you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ.” He indicates that the revelation of God's mystery was shown to him, about which he recalls that he wrote briefly before, that is, with restraint, as far as they could grasp the Apostle's insight into the sacrament of Christ.

“Which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men as it has now been revealed to his holy ones and prophets in the Spirit: that the gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body and sharers of his promise in Christ Jesus.” He asserts that what was hidden was shown by God in Christ's time: that the gentiles would be sharers in the grace promised in the Law. He says that this was shown to holy preachers and prophets, that is, to apostles and expounders of the Law, not to the prophets of old. For although gentiles were admitted to the Law before, they were ordered to be circumcised; and the prophets knew that the gentiles would be sharers in God's gift (for they indicated this in many places); but this was hidden: that without circumcision and sabbaths and new moons and other such things they would be sharers in God's grace, and would receive the faith of Christ apart from the Law and be saved. This is what he says: that “in the Spirit the gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members and sharers of his promise in Christ.” For one who worships God in spirit has no need of the work of the Law.

“Of which I have been made a minister through his gospel, according to the gift of God's grace that was given me according to the working of his power.” He asserts that through the preaching of his ministry the gift was made known that God appointed for the gentiles according to the working of his power. For the working of his power is that he raised Christ from the dead, death being conquered, in which he saved all. Yet this is the dispensation of his gospel, by which God's will was recognized: that he decreed to save the gentiles without the work of the Law.

“To me, the least of all the saints, this grace was given.” He humbles himself when he calls himself least, knowing that humility brings progress. For he says that so great a grace was given him that he asserts that this gift, unknown to past ages, was granted to him, to make it known to the gentiles. For how can he seem the least of all the saints who before he was baptized was called a vessel of election (Acts 9:15)? “To preach among the nations the inestimable riches of Christ.” He proves that he was chosen to preach the gift of God in the incomprehensible riches of Christ, which he deigned to bestow on the gentiles, now despaired of, so that they might be saved by faith without works. And it is plain that no one sends an outstanding and very great gift through an unworthy person. Showing, then, how much he merits from God, he yet humbles himself, so that his merit may grow.

“And to enlighten all as to what is the dispensation of the mystery hidden from the ages in God, who created all things.” He says he was sent to teach the gentiles in a twofold way the mystery that was in God, from whom are all things: so that through him they might learn and understand that Christ was always in God and with God, and that he determined to save the gentiles without circumcision and the other commandments of the Law. For the Jews alone were found unworthy to have such a teacher; for the Jews believed in Christ in such a way as still to keep the Law, which is hateful to God. Indeed, the apostles say to their fellow apostle Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of believers there are among the Jews, and all these are zealous for the Law” (Acts 21:20). Hence it came about that the vessel of election was sent to teach the gentiles, so that they at least might have full hope of their faith, hoping nothing from the Law but in Christ alone. For when the sacrament of Christ was made manifest, such a gift was given as had the effect of perfect salvation; for as at great festivals the greatest gifts are given, so too, the magnificent mystery being made manifest, for the sake of joy and gladness people were presented with so outstanding a gift that it is enough for them for the fulness of salvation.

“So that the manifold wisdom of God might be made known to the Principalities and Powers in the heavenly places through the church.” God thought so well of this that he gave this teacher not only to the gentiles, but also so that through him the truth of Christ might become known to the spirits in the heavenly places, who are Principalities and Powers. They are Powers because they are more powerful among the other spirits; and Principalities because they rule over the Powers; so that, recognizing through the church, which has been drawn to life in many ways, that the mystery of the one God abides in Christ, they may cease from error. For the aim is that the church's preaching may profit them too, and that they may abandon their assent to the devil's tyranny, by which he has armed himself with impious presumption against faith in the one God. This sense is prefigured in the twenty-third psalm, where God is shown to be Lord of the universe, the Spirit of God saying through David: “The earth is the Lord's and its fulness, the world and all who dwell in it” (Ps 24:1). And in what follows: “Lift up your gates, O princes, and be lifted up, eternal gates, and the King of glory shall enter. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of powers, he is the King of glory” (Ps 24:7–10). It is said, then, to these Principalities who are in error in the heavenly places, or to their ministers on earth, that they should remove the gates of their prince, that is, the devil, from their minds, through which the error of asserting many gods entered. For they are temporal, because all deceit is closed in by time: “For the way of the impious will perish” (Ps 1:6). But they are admonished, at the urging of righteousness, to lift up the eternal gates, because truth endures for everlasting ages. Hence he says in the hundred and seventeenth psalm: “This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter by it” (Ps 118:20). For it is plain that the righteous enter heaven through faith, into the kingdom of God, which is never corrupted, as the prophet Daniel testifies, saying among other things: “Another kingdom shall arise, incorruptible” (Dan 2:44); but the impious, because of unbelief, enter the infernal Tartarus. This King of glory, then, is Christ, who, rising after conquering death, appears to be the Lord and King of glory. For by the strength of his power, with which he subdued the underworld, it is made manifest that he is the Son of God, who preached the kingdom of the one God in heaven and on earth to the condemnation of the devil's tyranny.

“According to the purpose of the ages in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have freedom in confidence through faith in him.” He says that Christ was made manifest in the age in which God purposed to show his mystery for human salvation, so that the knowledge of God's mystery might bring salvation to mortals; so that, as at the dedication of Christ's kingdom, he might bestow this grace on believers as festival gifts. For although it was done long ago, it yet seems new to the ignorant creation.

“Therefore I ask that you not lose heart in my tribulations for you, which are your glory.” Having made manifest the hope that is in the mystery of Christ, he admonishes them not to take offence because of the tribulations inflicted on the saints by the faithless. For it pertains to their glory if the disciples are not made to stumble by their teacher's tribulation, strengthened by this hope: that the afflictions of the faithful will be raised up by the glory of the age to come; for this is the proving of the faithful, if they attend to the hope of their faith. “For this reason I bend my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom all fatherhood in heaven and on earth is named, that he may grant you, according to the riches of his majesty, to be strengthened with power through his Spirit.” He says he prays on bended knees that, since God deigned to call the gentiles to know the mystery of his will, he would also grant this, because he is rich: that by his will they may be strengthened in the Spirit, that is, that the fleshly deaths inflicted by the faithless may not disturb them, but that they may be steadfast, awaiting in the future the reward of this.

“That Christ may dwell in the inner man through faith in your hearts.” In this he asks that they be strengthened more, so that they may not doubt but rather believe that Christ, whom they do not see with these eyes, dwells in them; so that the Spirit who has been given may pour this into them by God's gift, so that they may be certain about Christ, that he lives and is the Son of God and dwells through faith in our hearts; so that when we have faith in him in our hearts, we may be seen to have him himself. This serves to make us secure of his help, because he does not desert us but is always present because of the faith in him that he sees in us; since for this reason his Spirit, who is also God the Father's, is given to us, so that in his stead he may keep us safe, if we assent to him, and may also reveal hidden things; through whom we certainly ought not to doubt that Christ himself dwells in us. For this is the other Paraclete, between whom there is a distinction of persons, not of nature; because he both receives from him and proceeds from God (John 15:26). For those in whom there is unity of nature are each other's; hence the Lord says: “All things of the Father are mine, and all mine are the Father's” (John 16:15).

“So that, rooted and founded in love, you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth.” He says that Christ, or the Spirit, dwelling in us brings this about: that we are founded in the love of God, bound by his benefits, and can with the saints, who are the apostles and prophets, know God to be immense and inestimable, exceeding all things by the majesty of his power. For when he says “breadth and length and height and depth,” he certainly signifies this: that as in a sphere the length is as great as the breadth, and the height as great as the depth, so too in God all things are equal in the immensity of his infinity. For a sphere is enclosed within a defined measure; but God not only fills all things but also exceeds them; for he is not enclosed, but has all things within himself, so that he alone is held ineffable and infinite; and thanks are rendered to him inadequately, because, though he is so great, he deigned through Christ to visit man, subject to sins and death.

“To know also the love of Christ, which surpasses knowledge.” After the infinite and incomprehensible knowledge of God the Father and his unspeakable clemency, he wants us to recognize the love of Christ too, because it surpasses knowledge, and human knowledge is understood; so that the love of Christ is held to be above the knowledge of human beings. For who can gather the reason of the mystery of this love: that God should be born man for man's sake, then die for men, the Lord for slaves, the Creator for the creature, the holy one for the impious? Why did he so love us? Or what could he have of ours, who needs nothing? Is not this love above human knowledge? Or what human being could show this love to anyone, even an unequal one? And therefore it surpasses human imaginings. He wants us to know this, then: that our mind cannot attain nor see into the depth of Christ's benefits toward us; so that accordingly we may always be suppliant and devoted to him, and, since we can in no way pay our debts, may at least persevere in faith in him until death. For he, in the magnificence of his majesty, did for us things unworthy of himself, so that we too, as far as we can, may serve him. “That you may be filled unto all the fulness of God.” Because faith is not complete in the Father alone, nor perfect in the Son alone, he therefore added, “that you may be filled unto all the fulness of God”; so that in confession and thanksgiving honour may be kept for the Son as for the Father, and that all things that are from God the Father may be believed made and restored through the Son, so that there may be the full perfection of divinity in the profession of believers. For nothing will be lacking to a Christian when he knows God the Father to be in all things immense, and professes the love of Christ to be unspeakable and surpassing human knowledge.

“Now to him who is able to do all things, and more abundantly than we ask or understand, according to the power that works in us, to him be glory in Christ Jesus and in the church, for all ages of ages. Amen.” He refers these things to the person of the Father, so that, since he knows better what is to be asked and what is not, and when to give, and of what kind and how much is needed, he himself may govern by his providence and power those who trust in him. To him, therefore, is glory in Christ Jesus, because through him he grants all things to us; and because the Father's honour is in the Son and in the church, that is, in the people whom he deigned to adopt for himself. For in the brightness of the children is the father's glory, as the Lord says (Matt 5:16): “So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” “For ages of ages. Amen,” that is, truly for ever.