We have seen that the imprisonment of Paul was very vitally connected with his

ministry to the Gentiles after the setting aside of Israel. That ministry he called "the

dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward".

Before going further into this chapter, let us see whether we can realize a little more

just what the apostle meant by the word "dispensation". The word is a translation of

oikonomia, which occurs nine times in the New Testament. Every reference is found

either in Paul's writings, or in those of his companion, Luke. In Luke 16: 2, 3, 4 the

word is rendered "stewardship". In I Cor. 9: 17; Eph. 1: 10, 3: 2, 9 (R.V.); Col. 1: 25

it is rendered "dispensation", and in I Tim. 1: 4 (A.V.) "edifying" occurs instead of

"dispensation", owing to a variant reading in MSS.

The cognate word oikonomos occurs ten times. Of these occurrences four are in Luke,

five in Paul's Epistles, and one in I Pet. 4: 10.  It is mostly translated "steward".

Luke 12: 42; 16: 1, 3, 8 render it thus. So do I Cor. 4: 1, 2; Gal. 4: 2 (R.V.);

Tit. 1: 7; I Pet. 4: 10. Rom. 16: 23 uses it of "Erastus, the chamberlain of the city".

The steward is variously connected with charge over household goods and affairs, the

municipal oversight of a city, Paul's stewardship of the mysteries of God, the charge of

young children, the responsibility of a bishop, and the stewardship of the manifold grace

of God.

The Septuagint uses the word oikonomia in Isa. 22: 19, 21 to speak of the "station"

and "government" of Shebna who was the "treasurer; and it frequently uses oikonomos in

the expression, "that was over the household", as in Isa. 37: 2. Heb. 3: 1-6 in the

light of these references evidently has stewardship or a dispensation in view.

Coming back therefore to Eph. 3: 2 with these facts in mind we read again the

words, "Since ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to

you-ward". The dispensation was given to Paul as a steward of the mystery of God

(I Cor. 4: 1). The household over which he was placed is clearly defined in Eph. 2: 19.

His treasurership was to do with greater treasures than ever Shebna dreamed--they were

"the unsearchable riches of Christ"; "the riches of the glory of this mystery."

The dispensation which was given to Paul is called "the dispensation of the grace of

God". The dispensation given to Moses was that of law. What mysteries have been

made out of the "keys of the kingdom of heaven" which were given to Peter! Read in the

light of Isa. 22: 15-25 it is seen to be the symbol of stewardship. The trusted servant

who is "over the household", like Joseph in the house of Potiphar, had the keys. He shut

and no one opened, he opened and no one shut (Isa. 22: 22). Peter therefore had the

dispensation of the kingdom of the heavens committed to him. Paul and Apollos were