Application as I Studied
Did you notice that I’ve been practicing what I set out to do? I found significance as I moved through the interpretation process. Once I interpreted verses or ideas from the passage, I took that truth and pressed it into my own heart. How exciting is that? Progress!
As we approach the point where we move on from Ephesians 3:1-13 for now, we want to make sure that we establish a summary for ourselves for the passage and then apply, if we can, from our understanding of the whole.
Summary of Ephesians 3:1-13
Ok, wait a second. Paul transitions to this passage with his usual for this reason. I began the process of writing out a summary but when I see this, I am confronted with the question “why did he say for this reason?” Right before this he talks about two men becoming one man in Christ. But what does that have to do with the passage we are currently in?
Lesson from Philosophy Lectures
Recently, I’ve learned a principle that if you want to understand what a philosopher (or ultimately anyone) is meaning, you have to understand the question they are answering or what problem they are trying to reconcile. What is Paul’s question or problem?
Immediately before, in Ephesians 2, Paul spent some papyrus to address the participation in a new body between Jew and Gentile. Paul has been trying to explain how Jews and Gentiles are no longer enemies. They really never were ultimately supposed to be, if you read through the OT. But in the mind of a Jew, Gentiles were in every way outsiders, as we have previously discussed. Spending lengthy discourse, Paul is attempting to explain the new relationship through the work of Christ on the cross to people who previously were at odds. They are now at peace since the hostility has been killed (Eph 2:14-17).
Always Asking Questions
Why did Paul say for this reason? Why is the gospel presentation at this point highlighting the inclusion of Gentiles into the family (fellow heirs, Eph 3:6), part of the religion (fellow members, Eph 3:6), and included in benefits (fellow partakers of promise, Eph 3:6)? He’s still answering the question of conflict between Jew and Gentile that must have existed in the region. He’s is discussing it; he’s explaining the way it is. Even into the 20th century, conflict between Jew and Gentile has been a real thing.
As I write my summary, keeping Paul’s objective in writing should be in my mind.
Actually Writing the Summary
Draft #1:
The first attempt at writing the summary for Ephesians 3:1-13 looks like this. It doesn’t seem very summary-like. Choppy. In case you can’t read it:
Because the two groups are made into one man, Paul has a responsibility to reveal the mystery that Gentiles are welcomed into God's family through the gospel. In this inclusion, the church functions to reveal God's wisdom. Paul want them to be encouraged as he is in a narrow place on account of the gospel.
Not the flow or summarized content I’m looking for.
Draft #2
Instead of erasing from my structural diagram, I’m going to use a sticky. Once I arrive at a summary that satisfies me, I will erase and record it on my worksheet.
Here is my next effort to streamline the summary.
Because two groups are made into one man, Paul has a responsibility to reveal the gospel which ultimately serves to reveal God's wisdom in all creation. He wants the recipients to be encouraged as he is in a narrow place of account of the gospel.
I do believe that seems more summary-like. I’m including the suffering part at the end because I recognize that Paul’s focus shifts in the next passage to praying that the recipients will be strengthened. I want to keep Paul’s reason for writing in front of my mind.
Finding Significance for Ephesians 3:1-13
My observation worksheet is pretty full so I chose to write some applications on these green stickies. I typed them out in the captions for easier reading. You can rotate through the images to see some of the applications I shared.
Mystery was made known to me. Paul, through the power of △, was minister of gospel. He preached/brought to light the plan. I, through power of △, can preach/bring to light the plan. ✝︎ fulfilled purpose of God perfectly. He suffered for doing his purpose perfectly. In his suffering, he secured access to God for the one new man. Paul says not to lose ♡ over his suffering bc of ✝︎. “So I ask you…” Noah also had the call on his life to speak contrary to what seemed “right” in the culture. Paul had a similar experience. It isn’t abnormal. It is the right. Christ came not only to seek and save the lost, but to provide the possibility of peace between Jew and Gentile. As a “little Christ,” I can mimic and reconcile opposing parties wherever I go.
Explaining Significance I Found
One of the Applications
Up above there, I shared four applications that I found for myself. That last one in the rotation of images of my sticky makes me think of a situation I was in a few months back when the world was still normal. The first application I’m going to talk about is this:
Christ came not only to seek and save the lost, but to provide the possibility of peace between Jew and Gentile. As a "little Christ," I can mimic and reconcile opposing parties wherever I go.
As you know, I usually volunteer at my local soup kitchen. For some reason, one of the women who has worked there has a strong dislike for a particular church group that volunteers once a month. I’d heard this lady a number of times say things about this group that was divisive and non-inclusive with regard to outsiders. Having been the recipient in other groups of such treatment historically, I am fairly sensitive to anyone being excluded.
Testimony
Being an introvert under normal circumstances, I do not often engage with the groups that come into the kitchen. Often the groups are large, they have their own relationships, and they don’t really need the oddball Kristi involved in their group. One day I got a bee in my bonnet and decided to ask one of the ladies of this particular church group if she’d like to get together one morning the following week for a visit. An opportunity to talk Bible study, testimony, and just generally stretch myself. (Terrifying as I approached the event.)
But then, to my surprise, it wasn’t terrible. It was actually fun to visit with this lady. Learning about her technique for study was helpful for just knowing people in general. Also, it was interesting to hear some of her story. A lovely time.
Surprising Turn in Conversation
Near the end of our visit, she started talking about this woman that worked at the soup kitchen who I knew didn’t like her church group. My new friend was all about singing the worker lady’s praises. The worker lady was so organized. So creative with whatever ingredients were on hand. Knowledgeable about a variety of subjects. So many experiences.
I sat and nodded my agreement. In my opinion, the lady who worked at the soup kitchen was a sweet and lovely lady with many experiences and much knowledge. And towards me, she had a kind and generous heart. Since I knew this worker lady did not have a relationship with Jesus, she was even more a person who was on my heart. A special person to watch out for, pray for, and in whatever way I could I tried to bless her.
Well, the next time I went to the soup kitchen and that church group was scheduled to come in to volunteer, the lady who worked at the soup kitchen started talking about how much she didn’t really care for this group. Details aren’t important, but there were specific things she was saying about this particular lady I’d come to know a little. I decided to speak up about the situation and let the worker lady know how much the lady in the group really appreciated her. That I had sat with her and listened to all the praises the one lady had for the other.
I didn’t realize the impact it would have on the relationship. When the volunteer lady came in, the worker lady was gracious to her and seemed to enjoy having her around for the morning. Quite different to how it had gone in the past.
The Application
As I was discovering significance for Ephesians 3:1-13 for myself, I saw this situation as something that had happened in my past which seemed like it was a minuscule mimicry of what Christ came to accomplish. Not Jew vs Gentile as of old, but a modern scenario of Christian vs non-Christian. It was a beautiful experience to see the balm of peace which Jesus brought to earth applied to a strained relationship.
I realize this isn’t a salvation experience, but who knows where such a bridge in a relationship might lead?
My Intention in this Significance
Having observed Paul reveal the mystery of the gospel which reconciles opposing groups into the unity of God’s family, I will effort to copy that unifying force and help others to reconcile. In that reconciliation, I have hope that perhaps there will be further interaction not only by me but by others to bring to light for everyone what is the gospel. A first step, not just in the situation I described above, but in whatever situation I find myself. Can I ease tensions between “rival” groups? Who knows if they will evermore be rival? Maybe there will be salvation and the ultimate peace forged in the future.
Another of My Applications
On the second sticky in the rotation of stickies up above I recorded this as significance for me:
Christ fulfilled the purpose of God perfectly. He suffered for doing his purpose. In his suffering, he secured access to the Father for the one new man. Paul says not to lose heart over his suffering, and it's at least in part because of Jesus. "So I ask you..."
When I suffer for doing good, why am I surprised? Have you ever thought about that? When we say something like “it isn’t fair” or ask “why is this happening to me?” When these complaints fall from my soul, I need to remember that I’m not perfect like Jesus is and he wasn’t treated fairly. Why wouldn’t bad things happen to me? Do I actually think that I deserve better treatment in the world than Jesus?
I see Paul asking his readers to avoid these kinds of questions on his behalf as well. If you remember, the NET Bible has a translator note that says, “Or who is your glory?”1 Remembering that God is sovereign over Jesus’ treatment, and sovereign over Paul’s treatment, and he’s sovereign over anyone’s treatment will help me to not lose heart. Aware that there was persecution all over the Roman Empire, Paul wanted the readers to be encouraged and strengthened. Which is why he wrote the next passage which we will start next time.
The Application
As I continued to seek to discover significance for myself from our current passage, remembering that Jesus is the one to consider first, as Paul did. “This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord…”2 Paul doesn’t articulate the suffering of Christ here in our passage, but if we’ve been walking with Jesus for even a little while, we know that he did suffer. And that God accomplished an eternal purpose as Jesus did his appointed tasks perfectly. Jesus trusted in his Father in it. Paul is trusting the Father in his suffering too.
Although, that didn’t mean that there was not a question of “Um, excuse me, could I please get out of this?” Jesus asked and Paul asked. Paul even appealed to the authorities in his apologias throughout his life down to the end in Acts 28:23-28.
My Intention in this Significance
When there is suffering on account of truth generally and the gospel specifically, I will trust in the sovereignty of God. While I trust, I will also follow within the parameters of my own culture (I’m an American) and dissent when there are boundaries crossed, just like Paul did within the parameters of his culture.
As you know, I have been listening to the lecture series by R.C. Sproul called “Apologetics of the Early Church.” In this lecture, I learned about Justin Martyr who sent his apologia to the ruling authority of his time stating that civically, the emperor couldn’t have any better citizen than a citizen who loves Jesus. However, if the emperor crossed into the “jurisdiction” of the spiritual, the follower of Jesus will not comply. “We will obey God and not man.”
Even choosing to not comply with the governing authorities when they are at odds with commands of God is trusting in sovereignty of God. I will obey God and not man. I will choose not lose heart in suffering either for myself or for someone else, remembering that Jesus has gone before us and shown us how to suffer. Asking to be removed from the situation while trusting his Father.
Wrap Up
Our Bible Study Bite for today is to remember that our search for significance is personal. It needs to flow from the actual meaning that the biblical author intended, but within the scope of meaning, we can assign our application.
Have you ever heard that there is only one interpretation but myriad applications? That is exactly what I’m trying to explain. Paul only meant one thing when he wrote what he wrote, but implications and applications are almost infinite.
The next time we meet, we will determine our next passage and begin work on it.
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- Biblical Studies Press. (2005). The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible. Biblical Studies Press.
- Ephesians 3:11 (ESV)