ÉphésiensChapitre 3

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For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—

for surely you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you,

how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote earlier in brief.

By reading this, you can grasp my insight into the mystery of Christ,

which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets:

that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

Of this gospel I became a servant according to the gift of God's grace, given me through the working of his power.

To me, the very least of all the saints, this grace was given: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

and to bring to light for everyone the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things,

so that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God might be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places,

according to the eternal purpose that he carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord,

in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in him.

So I ask you not to lose heart over my sufferings for you, for they are your glory.

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,

from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,

that out of the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, and that you, rooted and grounded in love,

have power together with all the saints to grasp how wide and long and high and deep it is,

and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do far beyond all that we ask or imagine, according to the power at work within us,

to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

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Résumé2

Chapitre 3

Main Theme: Paul reveals the mystery of the full participation of the Gentiles in Christ and prays that the church may comprehend the boundless love of Christ.

Content: Paul, a prisoner for Christ, explains how God has shown him by revelation the mystery: that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, one body with the Jews, and sharers in the promise in Christ. He has been given grace to proclaim the unsearchable riches of Christ, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God may now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. Paul prays that believers may be strengthened by the Spirit, rooted and grounded in love, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, which surpasses all knowledge. The chapter concludes with a doxology to God who is able to do far more than we ask or understand.

Key Words/Images:

Mystery (μυστήριον): God's plan of salvation now revealed—the Gentiles are fully included in Christ together with the Jews.
Manifold wisdom of God (πολυποίκιλος σοφία): The rich and varied wisdom of God made known through the church to the heavenly powers.
Unsearchable riches of Christ (ἀνεξιχνίαστον πλοῦτος): The infinite and unfathomable riches of the gospel that Paul is called to proclaim.
Width, length, height, and depth: A poetic image of the incomprehensible dimensions of Christ's love into which believers are invited to explore.

Contexte historique

Historical and Cultural Context for Ephesians 3

People

Paul introduces himself in this chapter with two specific designations: "a prisoner for Christ Jesus" (v. 1) and "the very least of all the saints" (v. 8). The term "δέσμιος" (prisoner) points to his actual imprisonment, likely house arrest in Rome. His self-description as "least" (ἐλαχιστοτέρῳ, an unusual comparative form of a superlative) may reflect his past as a persecutor of the church, but also serves as a rhetorical device to highlight the greatness of grace.

Key Terms

Μυστήριον (mystērion – "mystery/hiddensecret"): This term appears three times in the chapter (vv. 3, 4, 9) and is central to Paul’s argument. In Greco-Roman culture, "mysteries" were secret religious rituals (such as the Eleusinian mysteries) known only to initiates. Paul radically redefines the concept: God’s mystery is now revealed and must be proclaimed publicly. Its content is that Gentiles are "fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise" (v. 6).

Συγκληρονόμα, σύσσωμα, συμμέτοχα (v. 6): Paul uses three compound words with the prefix "συν-" (together with), which may be his own coinages. These terms emphasize the complete equality between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians—they are "fellow heirs", belong to the "same body", and are "joint partakers". In a culture marked by sharp ethnic and religious divisions, this was revolutionary.

Οἰκονομία (oikonomia – "stewardship/administration"): The term (vv. 2, 9) comes from "oikos" (house) and "nomos" (law/order) and originally referred to the management of a household. Paul uses it to describe God’s plan of salvation and his own role as steward of that plan. In the Roman world, an "oikonomos" was often a trusted slave with great responsibility.

Πολυποίκιλος σοφία (v. 10 – "the manifold wisdom of God"): The adjective "polypoikilos" literally means "many-colored" or "highly varied" and was used to describe embroidered fabrics with many colors and patterns. Ephesus was known for its textile production, which may have made this image especially vivid for the readers.

Events and Customs

Paul’s posture of prayer, "I bow my knees" (v. 14), was unusual in Jewish tradition, where standing prayer with raised hands was the norm. Kneeling expressed special reverence or intensity. Romans and Greeks also rarely knelt in prayer; it was more associated with submission to a superior power. Paul’s word choice thus signals deep awe and earnest prayer.

The term "προσαγωγή" (v. 12, "access") has its background in court ceremony, where a foreigner needed an introducer to gain access to the king. In Persian and Hellenistic courts, this was a formalized procedure. Paul uses this image to show that believers have direct access to God through Christ, without human intermediaries.

Personnages3

God1 Paul1 Jesus4

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Mots-clés

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Chronologie1