EPHESIANS: Simplicity in Christ

EPHESIANS Number 33:

Moving on to verse two we begin a parenthetical thought that continues all the way down through verse 13.

Ephesians 3:2
“If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward.”

The study note on this verse in the NET Bible* points out “‘If indeed’ [which is the Greek construct here]. The author is not doubting whether his audience has heard, but is rather using provocative language (if indeed) to engage his audience in thinking about the magnificence of God’s grace. However, in English translation, the apodosis (then-clause) does not come until verse 13, leaving the protasis (if-clause) dangling.

*Biblical Studies Press, The NET Bible First Edition Notes, (Biblical Studies Press, 2006), Eph 3:2.

It is also worth noting that in classic Pauline style, Ephesians 3:2–7 constitute a single sentence in Greek.

Before we get too far into this passage, I want to take a moment to talk about this word “dispensation”. I think this is important so that you have some background for the day when someone comes along and starts talking about “rightly dividing” scripture according to dispensations.

This doctrine (invented by people and not articulated in scripture) makes scripture far more difficult to understand and far less unified in its message and purpose.

Scripture speaks of, and points to, Jesus Christ. The Gospel is the simple good news of Jesus Christ—all He is and does. (the simplicity that is in Christ, of which we read in - 2 Cor. 3-4).

Think about it. If the Gospel, scripture, or the plan of salvation, were understandable only to an elite educated few, then God has not done a very good job of revealing Himself to us. Moreover, that would be saying that we are better communicators about who God is and what He does than He Himself.

When things begin to get complex, you should treat that as a red flag to be on your guard looking for false teaching.

This is not to say that there is no real depth in scripture, or that there are not things that are hard to understand, or that there is an end to the ramifications of the truth revealed in scripture. It is not to say that no one can have insight into the word that you or I do not have. We obviously and rightly learn from one another. Some, by virtue of dedication of time to the purpose, come to see things in scripture that the casual or less frequent reader may miss.

But when it comes to the gospel, the necessary concepts are very simple. One need not read scripture in a complex way to understand it. Knowing whether something was before the cross or after the cross, under the law or not, is sufficient.

We’ll look at this more directly in the next segment.