Displaying the Wisdom of God
A Devotional Commentary on Paul's Letter to the Ephesians
by
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God's purpose in all of this (the special ministry of Paul) was "to bring to light for everyone what is the plan for the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things" (3:9). That God had a purpose in all his dealings with men Paul mentioned three times in the initial section of this epistle (1:5, 9, 11) God's election, predestination and all that followed had a specific purose. Paul now identifies that purpose that in this age "through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the "heavenlies" (3:10) And Paul adds "this was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord" (vs. 11).
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About the Book
This commentary on Ephesians offers a somewhat different approach to its interpretation. God has a specific purpose in the believer's election, and the blessings he experiences as a result of believing are for a purpose. To fulfill this purpose, Paul, in chapters one through three, explains what the believer needs to know and in chapters four through six explains what he needs to do.
The emphasis is on God's eternal purpose and His plan for accomplishing it. Understanding His purpose and experiencing His blessings and equipping ought to be plenty of incentive in getting personally involved.
About the Author
After serving as a paratrooper toward the end of WWII, the author took advantage of the GI Bill and graduated from Taylor University in 1951. From January 1955 until September 1963, he served as a missionary in Germany with the International Child Evangelism Fellowship. Having moved to Berlin in 1957, he had a ringside seat during the erection of the infamous Berlin Wall in 1961. During the years in Berlin, he carried on an active ministry with children’s workers in East Berlin and East Germany.
His wife's health necessitated a return to the United States in 1963. In 1969, he received an MTh degree from Dallas Theological Seminary with a major in New Testament studies. The book of Ephesians has been a major focus of his study for some time.