Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary

on the Whole Bible

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Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (1721)

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E P H E S I A N S.

CHAP. III.

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This chapter consists of two parts.

I. Of the account which Paul gives the Ephesians concerning himself, as

he was appointed by God to be the apostle of the Gentiles,

ver. 1-13.

II. Of his devout and affectionate prayer to God for the Ephesians,

ver. 14-21.

We may observe it to have been very much the practice of this apostle

to intermix, with his instructions and counsels, intercessions and

prayers to God for those to whom he wrote, as knowing that all his

instructions and teachings would be useless and vain, except God did

co-operate with them, and render them effectual. This is an example

that all the ministers of Christ should copy after, praying earnestly

that the efficacious operations of the divine Spirit may attend their

ministrations, and crown them with success.

The Apostle’s Sufferings; Paul’s Appointment as an Apostle; Paul’s Labours as an Apostle.	A. D. 61.

     

1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you

Gentiles,

  2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God

which is given me to you-ward:

  3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as

I wrote afore in few words,

  4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the

mystery of Christ)

  5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men,

as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the

Spirit;

  6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same

body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

  7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the

grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

  8 Unto me, 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;

  9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the

mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in

God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

  10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in

heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold

wisdom of God,

  11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ

Jesus our Lord:

  12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the

faith of him.

  13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for

you, which is your glory.

     

Here we have the account which Paul gives the Ephesians concerning

himself, as he was appointed by God the apostle of the Gentiles.

     

I. We may observe that he acquaints them with the tribulations and

sufferings which he endured in the discharge of that office,

v. 1.

The first clause refers to the preceding chapter, and may be understood

either of these two ways:–

1. “For this cause,–for having preached the doctrine contained

in the foregoing chapter, and for asserting that the great privileges

of the gospel belong not only to the Jews, but to believing Gentiles

also, though they are not circumcised,–for this I am now a prisoner,

but a prisoner of Jesus Christ, as I suffer in his cause and for

his sake, and continue his faithful servant and the object of his

special protection and care, while I am thus suffering for him.”

Observe, Christ’s servants, if they come to be prisoners, are his

prisoners; and he despises not his prisoners. He thinks never the worse

of them for the bad character which the world gives them or the evil

treatment that they met with in it. Paul adhered to Christ, and Christ

owned him, when he was in prison.–For you, Gentiles; the Jews

persecuted and imprisoned him because he was the apostle of the

Gentiles, and preached the gospel to them. We may learn hence that the

faithful ministers of Christ are to dispense his sacred truths, however

disagreeable they may be to some, and whatever they themselves may

suffer for doing so. Or,

2. The words may be thus understood:–“For this cause,–since

you are no more strangers and foreigners (as

ch. ii. 19),

but are united to Christ, and admitted into communion with his

church,–I Paul, who am the prisoner of Jesus Christ,

pray that you may be enabled to act as becomes persons thus favoured by

God, and made partakers of such privileges.” To this purport you find

him expressing himself in

v. 14,

where, after the digression contained in the several verses

intervening, he proceeds with what he began in the

first verse.

Observe, Those who have received grace and signal favours from God

stand in need of prayer, that they may improve and advance, and

continue to act as becomes them. And, seeing Paul while he was a

prisoner employed himself in such prayers to God in behalf of the

Ephesians, we should learn that no particular sufferings of our own

should make us so solicitous about ourselves as to neglect the cases of

others in our supplications and addresses to God. He speaks again of

his sufferings: Wherefore I desire that you faint not at my

tribulation for you, which is your glory,
v. 13.

While he was in prison, he suffered much there; and, though it was upon

their account that he suffered, yet he would not have them discouraged

nor dismayed at this, seeing God had done such great things for them by

his ministry. What a tender concern was here for these Ephesians! The

apostle seems to have been more solicitous lest they should be

discouraged and faint upon his tribulations than about what he himself

endured; and, to prevent this, he tells them that his sufferings were

their glory, and would be so far from being a real discouragement, if

they duly considered the matter, that they ministered cause to them for

glorying and for rejoicing, as this discovered the great esteem and

regard which God bore to them, in that he not only sent his apostles to

preach the gospel to them, but even to suffer for them, and to confirm

the truths they delivered by the persecutions they underwent. Observe,

Not only the faithful ministers of Christ themselves, but their people

too, have some special cause for joy and glorying, when they suffer for

the sake of dispensing the gospel.

     

II. The apostle informs them of God’s appointing him to the office, and

eminently fitting and qualifying him for it, by a special revelation

that he made unto him.

1. God appointed him to the office: If you have heard of the

dispensation of the grace of God, which is given me to you-ward,
v. 2.

They could not have heard of this, and therefore he does not design to

speak doubtfully of this matter. Eige is sometimes an

affirmative particle, and we may read it, Since you have heard,

&c. He styles the gospel the grace of God here (as in other

places) because it is the gift of divine grace to sinful men; and all

the gracious overtures that it makes, and the joyful tidings that it

contains, proceed from the rich grace of God; and it is also the great

instrument in the hands of the Spirit by which God works grace in the

souls of men. He speaks of the dispensation of this grace given to him;

he means as he was authorized and commissioned by God to dispense the

doctrine of the gospel, which commission and authority were given to

him chiefly for he service of the Gentiles: to you-ward. And

again, speaking of the gospel, he says, Whereof I was made a

minister, &c.,

v. 7.

Here he again asserts his authority. He was
MADE a minister–he did not make himself

such; he took not to himself that honour–and he was made such

according to the gift of the grace of God unto him. God supplied

and furnished him for his work; and in the performance of it suitably

assisted him with all needful gifts and graces, both ordinary and

extraordinary, and that by the effectual working of his power,

in himself more especially, and also in great numbers of those to whom

he preached, by which means his labours among them were successful.

Observe, What God calls men to he fits them for, and does it with an

almighty power. An effectual working of divine power attends the gifts

of divine grace.

2. As God appointed him to the office, so he eminently qualified him

for it, by a special revelation that he made unto him. He makes mention

both of the mystery that was revealed and of the revelation of it.

(1.) The mystery revealed is that the Gentiles should be

fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in

Christ, by the gospel

(v. 6);

that is, that they should be joint-heirs with the believing Jews of the

heavenly inheritance; and that they should be members of the same

mystical body, be received into the church of Christ, and be interested

in the gospel-promises, as well as the Jews, and particularly in that

great promise of the Spirit. And this in Christ, being united to

Christ, in whom all the promises are yea and amen; and by the

gospel, that is, in the times of the gospel, as some understand it;

or, by the gospel preached to them, which is the great

instrument and means by which God works faith in Christ, as others.

This was the great truth revealed to the apostles, namely, that God

would call the Gentiles to salvation by faith in Christ, and that

without the works of the law.

(2.) Of the revelation of this truth he speaks,

v. 3-5.

Here we may observe that the coalition of Jews and Gentiles in the

gospel church was a mystery, a great mystery, what was designed in the

counsel of God before all worlds, but what could not be fully

understood for many ages, till the accomplishment expounded the

prophecies of it. It is called a mystery because the several

circumstances and peculiarities of it (such as the time and manner and

means by which it should be effected) were concealed and kept secret in

God’s own breast, till be an immediate revelation he made them

known to his servant. See

Acts xxvi. 16-18.

And it is called the mystery of Christ because it was revealed by him

(Gal. i. 12),

and because it relates so very much to him. Of this the apostle has

given some hints afore, or a little before; that is, in the

preceding chapters. Whereby, when you read; or, as those words

may be read, unto which attending (and it is not enough for us

barely to read the scriptures, unless we attend to them, and seriously

consider and lay to heart what we read), you may understand my

knowledge in the mystery of Christ; so as to perceive how God had

fitted and qualified him to be an apostle to the Gentiles, which might

be to them an evident token of his divine authority. This

mystery, he says, in other ages was not made known unto the sons

of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by

the Spirit

(v. 5);

that is, “It was not so fully and clearly discovered in the ages before

Christ as it is now revealed unto the prophets of this age, the

prophets of the New Testament, who are immediately inspired and taught

by the Spirit.” Let us observe, that the conversion of the Gentile

world to the faith of Christ was an adorable mystery, and we ought to

bless God for it. Who would have imagined that those who had been so

long in the dark, and at so great a distance, would be enlightened with

the marvellous light, and be made nigh? Let us learn hence not to

despair of the worst, of the worst of persons, and the worst of

nations. Nothing is too hard for divine grace to do: none so unworthy

but God may please to confer great grace upon them. And how much are we

ourselves interested in this affair; not only as we live in a time in

which the mystery is revealed, but particularly as we are a part of the

nations which in times past were foreigners and strangers, and lived in

gross idolatry; but are now enlightened with the everlasting gospel,

and partake of its promises!

     

III. The apostle informs them how he was employed in this office, and

that with respect to the Gentiles, and to all men.

     

1. With respect to the Gentiles, he preached to them the

unsearchable riches of Christ,
v. 8.

Observe, in this verse, how humbly he speaks of himself, and how highly

he speaks of Jesus Christ.

(1.) How humbly he speaks of himself: I am less than the least of

all saints. St. Paul, who was the chief of the apostles, calls

himself less than the least of all saints: he means on account

of his having been formerly a persecutor of the followers of Christ. He

was, in his own esteem, as little as could be. What can be less than

the least? To speak himself as little as could be, he speaks himself

less than could be. Observe, Those whom God advances to honourable

employments he humbles and makes low in their own eyes; and, where God

gives grace to be humble, there he gives all other grace. You may also

observe in what a different manner the apostle speaks of himself and of

his office. While he magnifies his office, he debases himself. Observe,

A faithful minister of Christ may be very humble, and think very meanly

of himself, even when he thinks and speaks very highly and honourably

of his sacred function.

(2.) How highly he speaks of Jesus Christ: The unsearchable riches

of Christ. There is a mighty treasury of mercy, grace, and love,

laid up in Christ Jesus, and that both for Jews and Gentiles. Or, the

riches of the gospel are here spoken of as the riches of Christ: the

riches which Christ purchased for, and bestows upon, all believers. And

they are unsearchable riches, which we cannot find the bottom of, which

human sagacity could never have discovered, and men could no otherwise

attain to the knowledge of them but by revelation. Now it was the

apostle’s business and employment to preach these

unsearchable riches of Christ among the Gentiles: and it was a

favour he greatly valued, and looked upon it as an unspeakable honour

to him: “Unto me is this grace given; this special favour God

has granted to such an unworthy creature as I am.” And it is an

unspeakable favour to the Gentile world that to them the

unsearchable riches of Christ are preached. Though many remain

poor, and are not enriched with these riches, yet it is a favour to

have them preached among us, to have an offer of them made to us; and,

if we are not enriched with them, it is our own fault.

     

2. With respect to all men,

v. 9.

His business and employment were to make all men see (to publish

and make known to the whole world) what is the fellowship of the

mystery (that the Gentiles who have hitherto been strangers to the

church, shall be admitted into communion with it) which from the

beginning of the world hath been hid in God (kept secret in his

purpose), who created all things by Jesus Christ: as

John i. 3,

All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made

that was made; and therefore no wonder that he saves the Gentiles

as well as the Jews; for he is the common Creator of them both: and we

may conclude that he is able to perform the work of their redemption,

seeing he was able to accomplish the great work of creation. It is true

that both the first creation, when God made all things out of nothing,

and the new creation, whereby sinners are made new creatures by

converting grace, are of God by Jesus Christ. The apostle adds, To

the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly

places might be known, by the church, the manifold wisdom of God,
v. 10.

This was one things, among others, which God had in his eye in

revealing this mystery, that the good angels, who have a pre-eminence

in governing the kingdoms and principalities of the world, and who are

endued with great power to execute the will of God on this earth

(though their ordinary residence is in heaven) may be informed, from

what passes in the church and is done in and by it, of the manifold

wisdom of God; that is, of the great variety with which God wisely

dispenses things, or of his wisdom manifested in the many ways and

methods he takes in ordering his church in the several ages of it, and

especially in receiving the Gentiles into it. The holy angels, who look

into the mystery of our redemption by Christ, could not but take notice

of this branch of that mystery, that among the Gentiles is preached the

unsearchable riches of Christ. And this is according to the eternal

purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord,
v. 11.

Some translate the words kata prothesin ton aionon thus

According to the fore-disposing of the ages which he made, &c.

So Dr. Whitby, &c. “In the first of the ages,” says this author, “his

wisdom seeing fit to give the promise of a Saviour to a fallen Adam: in

the second age to typify and represent him to the Jews in sacred

persons, rites, and sacrifices: and in the age of the Messiah, or the

last age, to reveal him to the Jews, and preach him to the Gentiles.”

Others understand it, according to our translation, of the eternal

purpose which God purposed to execute in and through Jesus Christ, the

whole of what he has done in the great affair of man’s redemption being

in pursuance of his eternal decree about that matter. The apostle,

having mentioned our Lord Jesus Christ, subjoins concerning him, In

whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of

him

(v. 12);

that is, “By (or through) whom we have liberty to open our minds freely

to God, as to a Father, and a well-grounded persuasion of audience and

of acceptance with him; and this by means of the faith we have in him,

as our great Mediator and Advocate.” We may come with humble boldness

to hear from God, knowing that the terror of the curse is done away;

and we may expect to hear from him good words and comfortable. We may

have access with confidence to speak to God, knowing that we have such

a Mediator between God and us, and such an Advocate with the

Father.

The Apostle’s Prayer.	A. D. 61.

     

14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord

Jesus Christ,

  15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

  16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his

glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner

man;

  17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye,

being rooted and grounded in love,

  18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the

breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

  19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge,

that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

  20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above

all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in

us,

  21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout

all ages, world without end. Amen.

     

We now come to the second part of this chapter, which contains Paul’s

devout and affectionate prayer to God for his beloved Ephesians.–For

this cause. This may be referred either to the immediately

foregoing verse,

That you faint not, &c., or, rather, the apostle is here

resuming what he began at the

first verse,

from which he digressed in those which are interposed. Observe,

     

I. To whom he prays–to God, as the Father of our Lord Jesus

Christ, of which see

ch. i. 3.

     

II. His outward posture in prayer, which was humble and reverent: I

bow my knees. Note, When we draw nigh to God, we should reverence

him in our hearts, and express our reverence in the most suitable and

becoming behaviour and gesture. Here, having mentioned Christ, he

cannot pass without an honourable encomium of his love,

v. 15.

The universal church has a dependence upon the Lord Jesus Christ: Of

whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. The Jews were

wont to boast of Abraham as their father, but now Jews and Gentiles are

both denominated from Christ (so some); while others understand it of

the saints in heaven, who wear the crown of glory, and of saints on

earth who are going on in the work of grace here. Both the one and the

other make but one family, one household; and from him they are

named CHRISTIANS, as they really are such,

acknowledging their dependence upon, and their relation to, Christ.

     

III. What the apostle asks of God for these his friends–spiritual

blessings, which are the best blessings, and the most earnestly to be

sought and prayed for by every one of us, both for ourselves and for

our friends.

1. Spiritual strength for the work and duty to which they were called,

and in which they were employed: That he would grant you, according

to the riches of his grace, to be strengthened, &c. The inner

man is the heart or soul. To be strengthened with might is

to be mightily strengthened, much more than they were at present; to be

endued with a high degree of grace, and spiritual abilities for

discharging duty, resisting temptations, enduring persecutions, &c. And

the apostle prays that this may be according to the riches of his

glory, or according to his glorious riches–answerable to that

great abundance of grace, mercy, and power, which resides in God, and

is his glory: and this by his Spirit, who is the immediate worker of

grace in the souls of God’s people. Observe from these things, That

strength from the Spirit of God in the inner man is the best and most

desirable strength, strength in the soul, the strength of faith and

other graces, strength to serve God and to do our duty, and to

persevere in our Christian course with vigour and with cheerfulness.

And let us further observe that as the work of grace is first begun

so it is continued and carried on, by the blessed Spirit of God.

2. The indwelling of Christ in their hearts,

v. 17.

Christ is said to dwell in his people, as he is always present with

them by his gracious influences and operations. Observe, It is a

desirable thing to have Christ dwell in our hearts; and if the law of

Christ be written there, and the love of Christ be shed abroad there,

then Christ dwells there. Christ is an inhabitant in the soul of every

good Christian. Where his spirit dwells, there he swells; and he dwells

in the heart by faith, by means of the continual exercise of faith upon

him. Faith opens the door of the soul, to receive Christ; faith admits

him, and submits to him. By faith we are united to Christ, and have an

interest in him.

3. The fixing of pious and devout affections in the soul: That you

being rooted and grounded in love, stedfastly fixed in your love to

God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to all the saints, the

beloved of our Lord Jesus Christ. Many have some love to God and to his

servants, but it is a flash, like the crackling of thorns under a pot,

it makes a great noise, but is gone presently. We should earnestly

desire that good affections may be fixed in us, that we may be

rooted and grounded in love. Some understand it of their being

settled and established in the sense of God’s love to them, which would

inspire them with greater ardours of holy love to him, and to one

another. And how very desirable is it to have a settled fixed sense of

the love of God and Christ to our souls, so as to be able to say with

the apostle at all times, He has loved me! Now the best way to

attain this is to be careful that we maintain a constant love to God in

our souls; this will be the evidence of the love of God to us. We

love him, because he first loved us. In order to this he prays,

4. For their experimental acquaintance with the love of Jesus Christ.

The more intimate acquaintance we have with Christ’s love to us, the

more our love will be drawn out to him, and to those who are his, for

his sake: That you may be able to comprehend with all saints,

&c.

(v. 18, 19);

that is, more clearly to understand, and firmly to believe, the

wonderful love of Christ to his, which the saints do understand and

believe in some measure, and shall understand more hereafter.

Christians should not aim to comprehend above all saints; but be

content that God deals with them as he uses to do with those who love

and fear his name: we should desire to comprehend with all

saints, to have so much knowledge as the saints are allowed to have

in this world. We should be ambitious of coming up with the first

three; but not of going beyond what is the measure of the stature

of other saints. It is observable how magnificently the apostle speaks

of the love of Christ. The dimensions of redeeming love are admirable:

The breadth, and length, and depth, and height. By enumerating

these dimensions, the apostle designs to signify the exceeding

greatness of the love of Christ, the unsearchable riches of his love,

which is higher than heaven, deeper than hell, longer than the

earth, and broader than the sea,
Job xi. 8, 9.

Some describe the particulars thus: By the breadth of it we may

understand the extent of it to all ages, nations, and ranks of men; by

the length of it, its continuance from everlasting to everlasting; by

the depth of it, its stooping to the lowest condition, with a design to

relieve and save those who have sunk into the depths of sin and misery;

by its height, its entitling and raising us up to the heavenly

happiness and glory. We should desire to comprehend this love: it is

the character of all the saints that they do so; for they all have a

complacency and a confidence in the love of Christ: And to know the

love of Christ which passeth knowledge,
v. 19.

If it passeth knowledge, how can we know it? We must pray and endeavour

to know something, and should still covet and strive to know more and

more of it, though, after the best endeavours, none can fully

comprehend it: in its full extent it surpasses knowledge. Though the

love of Christ may be better perceived and known by Christians than it

generally is, yet it cannot be fully understood on this side heaven.

5. He prays that they may be filled with all the fulness of

God. It is a high expression: we should not dare to use it if we

did not find it in the scriptures. It is like those other expressions,

of being partakers of a divine nature, and of being perfect

as our Father in heaven is perfect. We are not to understand it of

his fulness as God in himself, but of his fulness as a God in covenant

with us, as a God to his people: such a fulness as God is ready to

bestow, who is willing to fill them all to the utmost of their

capacity, and that with all those gifts and graces which he sees they

need. Those who receive grace for grace from Christ’s fulness may be

said to be filled with the fulness of God, according to their

capacity, all which is in order to their arriving at the highest degree

of the knowledge and enjoyment of God, and an entire conformity to

him.

     

The apostle closes the chapter with a doxology,

v. 20, 21.

It is proper to conclude our prayers with praises. Our blessed Saviour

has taught us to do so. Take notice how he describes God, and how he

ascribes glory to him. He describes him as a God that is able to do

exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think. There is an

inexhaustible fulness of grace and mercy in God, which the prayers of

all the saints can never draw dry. Whatever we may ask, or think to

ask, still God is still able to do more, abundantly more, exceedingly

abundantly more. Open thy mouth ever so wide, still he hath wherewithal

to fill it. Note, In our applications to God we should encourage our

faith by a consideration of his all-sufficiency and almighty power.

According to the power which worketh in us. As if he had said,

We have already had a proof of this power of God, in what he hath

wrought in us and done for us, having quickened us by his grace, and

converted us to himself. The power that still worketh for the saints is

according to that power that hath wrought in them. Wherever God gives

of his fulness he gives to experience his power. Having thus described

God, he ascribes glory to him. When we come to ask for grace from God,

we ought to give glory to God. Unto him be glory in the church by

Christ Jesus. In ascribing glory to God, we ascribe all excellences and

perfections to him, glory being the effulgency and result of them all.

Observe, The seat of God’s praises is in the church. That little rent

of praise which God receives from this world is from the church, a

sacred society constituted for the glory of God, every particular

member of which, both Jew and Gentile, concurs in this work of praising

God. The Mediator of these praises is Jesus Christ. All God’s gifts

come from his to us through the hand of Christ; and all our praises

pass from us to him through the same hand. And God should and will be

praised thus throughout all ages, world without end; for he will

ever have a church to praise him, and he will ever have his tribute of

praise from his church. Amen. So be it; and so it will certainly

be.

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