The Manifold Wisdom Of God

In the first two chapters of Ephesians, the Apostle Paul summed up an astounding amount of the New Testament information that had been revealed through the apostles and a few others in the first generation of people living under the New Covenant.

Ephesians 2:19–20: So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, . . .

The last part of chapter 2 elaborated on the glorious truth that the gospel broke down the barrier of the dividing wall between Jews and Gentiles and we are all one body in Christ. Paul is about to launch into a magnificent prayer for all of us to be filled up to all the fullness of God. But when He back to write the prayer, he sidetracked onto talking about the glories of all the mysteries about the eternal plan of God that have been unfolded in Christ. That's what occupies 3:2-14. We started with this last week, and took the side trip to see all the New Testament uses of mystery.

Ephesians 3:1–3: For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace which was given to me for you; that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief.

Look at the results of this imprisonment:
4 New Testament books
An evangelistic trip to Rome at government expense Souls won to Christ
A bold testimony throughout Rome
The Gospel preached to all the Roman officials who examined Paul at various stages of his trial

1. The Mystery Stated (4-6)
2. The Man Sent (7-9)
3. The Manifold Sophistication (10-13)