7 Whereof G3739 I was made G1096 a minister, G1249 according G2596 to the gift G1431 of the grace G5485 of God G2316 given G1325 unto me G3427 by G2596 the effectual working G1753 of his G846 power. G1411
And G2532 what G5101 is the exceeding G5235 greatness G3174 of his G846 power G1411 to G1519 us-ward G2248 who G3588 believe, G4100 according to G2596 the working G1753 of his G846 mighty G2479 power, G2904
Yea, before the day H3117 was I am he; and there is none that can deliver H5337 out of my hand: H3027 I will work, H6466 and who shall let H7725 it?
And G1161 the grace G5485 of our G2257 Lord G2962 was exceeding abundant G5250 with G3326 faith G4102 and G2532 love G26 which G3588 is in G1722 Christ G5547 Jesus. G2424 This is a faithful G4103 saying, G3056 and G2532 worthy G514 of all G3956 acceptation, G594 that G3754 Christ G5547 Jesus G2424 came G2064 into G1519 the world G2889 to save G4982 sinners; G268 of whom G3739 I G1473 am G1510 chief. G4413
If G1489 ye continue G1961 in the faith G4102 grounded G2311 and G2532 settled, G1476 and G2532 be not G3361 moved away G3334 from G575 the hope G1680 of the gospel, G2098 which G3739 ye have heard, G191 and which G3588 was preached G2784 to G1722 every G3956 creature G2937 which is under G5259 heaven; G3772 whereof G3739 I G1473 Paul G3972 am made G1096 a minister; G1249 Who G3739 now G3568 rejoice G5463 in G1722 my G3450 sufferings G3804 for G5228 you, G5216 and G2532 fill up G466 that which is behind G5303 of the afflictions G2347 of Christ G5547 in G1722 my G3450 flesh G4561 for G5228 his G846 body's G4983 sake, G5228 which is G3603 the church: G1577 Whereof G3739 I G1473 am made G1096 a minister, G1249 according to G2596 the dispensation G3622 of God G2316 which G3588 is given G1325 to me G3427 for G1519 you, G5209 to fulfil G4137 the word G3056 of God; G2316
By G1223 whom G3739 we have received G2983 grace G5485 and G2532 apostleship, G651 for G1519 obedience G5218 to the faith G4102 among G1722 all G3956 nations, G1484 for G5228 his G846 name: G3686
That I G3165 should be G1519 G1511 the minister G3011 of Jesus G2424 Christ G5547 to G1519 the Gentiles, G1484 ministering G2418 the gospel G2098 of God, G2316 that G2443 the offering up G4376 of the Gentiles G1484 might be G1096 acceptable, G2144 being sanctified G37 by G1722 the Holy G40 Ghost. G4151
Make G2675 you G5209 perfect G2675 in G1722 every G3956 good G18 work G2041 to G1519 do G4160 his G846 will, G2307 working G4160 in G1722 you G5213 that which is wellpleasing G2101 in his G846 sight, G1799 through G1223 Jesus G2424 Christ; G5547 to whom G3739 be glory G1391 for G1519 ever G165 and ever. G165 Amen. G281
For this G5124 cause G1223 also G2532 thank G2168 we G2249 God G2316 without ceasing, G89 because, G3754 when ye received G3880 the word G3056 of God G2316 which ye heard G189 of G3844 us, G2257 ye received G1209 it not G3756 as the word G3056 of men, G444 but G235 as G2531 it is G2076 in truth, G230 the word G3056 of God, G2316 which G3739 effectually worketh G1754 also G2532 in G1722 you G5213 that believe. G4100
From G1537 whom G3739 the whole G3956 body G4983 fitly joined together G4883 and G2532 compacted G4822 by G1223 that which every G3956 joint G860 supplieth, G2024 according G2596 to the effectual working G1753 in G1722 the measure G3358 of every G1538 part, G1520 G3313 maketh G4160 increase G838 of the body G4983 unto G1519 the edifying G3619 of itself G1438 in G1722 love. G26
(For G1063 he that wrought effectually G1754 in Peter G4074 to G1519 the apostleship G651 of the circumcision, G4061 the same G2532 was mighty G1754 in me G1698 toward G1519 the Gentiles:) G1484
(For G1063 the weapons G3696 of our G2257 warfare G4752 are not G3756 carnal, G4559 but G235 mighty G1415 through God G2316 to G4314 the pulling down G2506 of strong holds;) G3794 Casting down G2507 imaginations, G3053 and G2532 every G3956 high thing G5313 that exalteth itself G1869 against G2596 the knowledge G1108 of God, G2316 and G2532 bringing into captivity G163 every G3956 thought G3540 to G1519 the obedience G5218 of Christ; G5547
But G1161 by the grace G5485 of God G2316 I am G1510 what G3739 I am: G1510 and G2532 his G846 grace G5485 which was bestowed upon G1519 me G1691 was G1096 not G3756 in vain; G2756 but G235 I laboured G2872 more abundantly G4054 than they G846 all: G3956 yet G1161 not G3756 I, G1473 but G235 the grace G5485 of God G2316 which G3588 was with G4862 me. G1698
For G1063 I will G5111 not G3756 dare G5111 to speak G2980 of any G5100 of those things which G3739 Christ G5547 hath G2716 not G3756 wrought G2716 by G1223 me, G1700 to make G1519 the Gentiles G1484 obedient, G5218 by word G3056 and G2532 deed, G2041 Through G1722 mighty G1411 signs G4592 and G2532 wonders, G5059 by G1722 the power G1411 of the Spirit G4151 of God; G2316 so G5620 that from G575 Jerusalem, G2419 and G2532 round about G2945 unto G3360 Illyricum, G2437 I G3165 have fully preached G4137 the gospel G2098 of Christ. G5547
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Ephesians 3
Commentary on Ephesians 3 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 3
This chapter consists of two parts.
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.
Eph 3:1-13
Here we have the account which Paul gives the Ephesians concerning himself, as he was appointed by God the apostle of the Gentiles.
Eph 3:14-21
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, etc., or, rather, the apostle is here resuming what he began at the first verse, from which he digressed in those which are interposed. Observe,
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 him 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.