EPHESIANS CHAPTER 3 Ephesians 3:1-6 Paul, in bonds for preaching Christ to the Gentiles, showeth that the mystery of their calling, heretofore hidden, had been revealed to him, Ephesians 3:7-12 that by his ministry God's gracious purpose might be universally known, and the Gentiles be assured of their acceptance by faith. Ephesians 3:13 He desireth his Ephesian converts not to be discouraged at his sufferings on their account, Ephesians 3:14-19 and prayeth that God would strengthen their faith and knowledge of the infinite love of Christ. Ephesians 3:20,21 He giveth glory to God for his power in the church by Christ Jesus. For this cause; i.e. that ye may be further confirmed in the faith of Christ, and more and more built up in him as an habitation of God, Ephesians 2:22. The prisoner of Jesus Christ; for Christ's sake, for asserting his cause and honour: see 2 Timothy 1:8 Philemon 1:1,9. For you Gentiles; for your cause and salvation; having preached and declared the grace of God to be free, and to belong to you Gentiles as well as to the Jews, (the middle wall of partition being taken away), and so equalled you with them. There is no small difference among expositors about the connection of these words: the fairest and easiest seems to be, either:
1. That the substantive verb am be here supplied, and the word read, I Paul am the prisoner of Jesus Christ; q.d. I have for some time been and still am the prisoner of Jesus Christ. Or:
2. That this verse be joined to the Ephesians 3:14, (all the rest, Ephesians 3:2-13, being included in a parenthesis), where he begins with the same words as here; and so we may read it thus, Ephesians 3:1: For this cause I Paul, the prisoner, & c.; and then, Ephesians 3:14, I say: For this cause I bow my knees, &c., viz. praying that ye may be strengthened with might hy his Spirit, &c.; i.e. that they might be more and more built up on Christ, on whom they were founded, and had begun to be built.