I N D E X
revealed.  The hope of Israel, being suspended while Israel is blinded, a new
aspect of hope is revealed.  Some of these distinctive blessings have been
before us in the two chapters of Ephesians now studied, and more awaits the
diligent student as he has unfolded before his wondering gaze the exceeding
riches of grace that these prison epistles reveal.
Ethnos
(Gentile)  in  Ephesians
A
Eph. 2:11-12.
Aliens
Dispensational.
B  Eph. 3:1,6.
The Mystery.
A
Eph. 4:17,18.
Alienated
Doctrinal.
An attempt has been made to prove that `Gentiles' in Ephesians 2:11,12
refer to dispersed Jews.  No comment of ours, however, is necessary.  Look for
yourself.  `Search and see'.
The New Dispensation
(Eph. 3:2)
It seems evident that when the apostle made the statement contained in
Ephesians 3:1, he was conscious of having made a very great claim, a claim that
needed some measure of substantiation.  It is easy to make a claim to some
extraordinary vision, revelation or commission, and history provides abundant
evidence of the duplicity of many so-called seers, and the dupability of the
untaught hearer.  When Paul was apprehended, the Roman captain had imagined that
he had laid hold on the Egyptian who led away four thousand men in a.d. 55 (Acts
21:38).  Some years previous a person named `Theudas, boasting himself to be
somebody', led away a number and was afterwards slain (Acts 5:36), and had Paul
made the most fantastic claims to the most preposterous revelations and uttered
the most improbable prophecies he would have found a following.
However many and wonderful the revelations made to him, he nevertheless
spoke `the words of truth and soberness', even though one of his hearers had
said of him `Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad'
(Acts 26:24).  When Moses received his commission to return to Egypt and demand
of Pharaoh the liberation of Israel, his contention was that Israel would
disbelieve his claim and would say `The Lord hath not appeared unto thee'; his
objection was accepted as valid and two great signs were given, the one touching
a serpent, the other leprosy, symbols of Satan and sin (Exod. 4:1-7).
It is not without significance that the words `hath appeared unto thee'
are almost the same as those used in Acts 26, of the appearing of Christ to the
apostle Paul.  Coming nearer to the apostle's time, we have a greater example of
this concession, namely that provided by the Saviour Himself.  In the ninth
chapter of Matthew a man sick of the palsy is brought before the Lord, but
instead of first healing him of his disease, the Saviour forgave the man his
sins.  This caused great feeling among His hearers, who considered any such
claim to be blasphemy.  The Saviour admitted their contention so far as to say:
`Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise,
and walk?' (Matt. 9:5).
Well, obviously, it was easy to `say' thy sins be forgiven thee, for no
physical change would be evident, therefore, in order that the greater claim
should be substantiated, the healing of the sick man followed `That ye may know'
(Matt. 9:5-7).  In like manner the apostle paused, after claiming to be the
prisoner of the Lord for the Gentiles, and broke the thread of his discourse, to
explain and prove his claim:
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