Paul declares to the Ephesian Believers the Purpose
of God’s Mystery Revealed Part 1
Ephesians
3:8 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; KJVAs we declared in the last study, Paul considered himself to be unworthy of such a high calling from God to be an Apostle of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:9-10) we documented his thoughts with these two (2) verses in the last study, but Paul now declares this same estimation of himself to these Ephesian believers when he says, “who am less than the least of all saints” (Ephesians 3:8). This English phrase Paul uses here is translated by one Greek word found nowhere else in the entire New Testament elachistoteros which means far less or very little in dignity. Paul forever felt himself as the lesser Apostle because he saw (by grace given him from our Lord Jesus) the tremendous depth, depravity, and degeneracy of his sin as he declared with these words written to Brother Timothy, “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.” (1 Timothy 1:15). In other words, Paul felt that he was so unworthy of being an Apostle of Jesus Christ, but as we declared in the last study he knew that our Lord Jesus had saved him and then commissioned him for this office in His Body to fulfill the eternal purpose of revealing God’s mystery to the Gentiles and the entire world.
Surely Paul was made aware of these words spoken about him by our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ to Ananias as recorded for us by Dr. Luke, “Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, ‘Ananias.’ And he said, ‘Here I am, Lord.’ And the Lord said to him, ‘Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.’ But Ananias answered, ‘Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your Name.’ But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My Name’s sake.’” (Acts 9-10-16).
Paul armed with the knowledge of these words spoken of him by our Lord Jesus Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit and full of grace set out to acclaim, annunciate, or announce to the entire Gentile world what he describes here as “the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Ephesians 3:8). The English word unsearchable Paul uses here is translated by the Greek word anexichniastos which means not tracked out, that is, (by implication) untraceable or past finding out. In other words, even the passionate Apostle Paul could not plumb or measure the depth lines of the riches of our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ, nor can any man or woman in His Mystical Body the True Church. The Apostle Paul was a Divinely chosen and elected vessel for Christ’ sake, yet we find him speaking of this truth in this manner to the Brothers and Sisters in the Philippian Church when he wrote this to them, “[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope] That if possible I may attain to the [spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body]. Not that I have now attained [this ideal], or have already been made perfect, but I press on to lay hold of (grasp) {and} make my own, that for which Christ Jesus (the Messiah) has laid hold of me {and} made me His own.” (Philippians 3:10-12).
Paul spoke of this fact again when writing to the Roman believers about the truths of the Jewish Nation in the entirety of Romans 11 and he concluded this Chapter with these words speaking of the deepness and profoundness of our God the Lord Jesus Christ, “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unfathomable (inscrutable, unsearchable) are His judgments (His decisions)! And how untraceable (mysterious, undiscoverable) are His ways (His methods, His paths)! For who has known the mind of the Lord {and} who has understood His thoughts, or who has [ever] been His counselor? Or who has first given God anything that He might be paid back {or} that He could claim a recompense? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. [For all things originate with Him and come from Him; all things live through Him, and all things center in and tend to consummate and to end in Him.] To Him be glory forever! Amen (so be it).” (Romans 11:33-36).
My own Personal Note: The mystery hidden is the Church which God the Father through the death of Christ and by the Power of the Spirit would gather all men of every race Jew and Gentile into the Mystical Spiritual Body of Jesus Christ and seat them in heavenly places “in Him” away from Satan’s ability to hurt them eternally. This is why God the Father kept this sacred secret to Himself to completely thwart Satan’s plans against the redemption of man back to Himself. Christ death on the Cross was the Divine Key that unlocked the mystery at the same time locking it from Satan’s knowledge and understanding.
“Those whom God advances to honorable 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 honorably of his sacred function. 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 favor he greatly valued, and looked upon it as an unspeakable honor to him: ‘Unto me is this grace given; this special favor God has granted to such an unworthy creature as I am.’ And it is an unspeakable favor 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 favor 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.” Matthew Henry
“The meaning here is, that there was a “sufficiency” in Christ which could not be traced out or explored. It was wholly incomprehensible. The fullness of the riches in Him could not be appreciated. There is no more emphatic expression in the New Testament than this. It shows that the heart of the Apostle was full of admiration of the sufficiency and glory that was in the Savior; that he wanted words to express it; and that he considered it the highest honor to be permitted to tell the world that there were such riches in the Redeemer.” Albert Barnes
If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...
Sincerely in Christ,
Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…
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