Ephesians 3:1-3

 

 

Home
Site Index
Inductive Bible Study
Greek Word Studies
Commentaries by Verse
Area Precept Classes
Reference Search
Bible Dictionaries
Bible Maps & Pictures
It's Greek to Me
Bible Commentaries
Discipline Yourself
Christian Biography
Wailing Wall
Bible Prophecy

Search by Verse
Word or Phrase:

 

 

Study Tools

 
 

INDEX
PREVIOUS NEXT
 

COLLECTIONS
Commentaries, Word Studies, Devotionals, Sermons, Illustrations
Old and New Testament.

   
  

   

 

Search Every Word on Preceptaustin
PicoSearch
    Help

 

Ephesians 3:1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles (NASB: Lockman)

Greek: Toutou charin ego Paulos o desmios tou Christou [Iesou] huper humon ton ethnon
Amplified: FOR THIS reason [because I preached that you are thus built up together], I, Paul, [am] the prisoner of Jesus the Christ for the sake and on behalf of you Gentiles—  (Amplified Bible - Lockman)
Barclay: It is for this cause that I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for the sake of you Gentiles (Westminster Press)
NET
: For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles--
(NET Bible)
NLT
:  Paul, am a prisoner of Christ Jesus because of my preaching to you Gentiles  (
NLT - Tyndale House)
Phillips: - It is in this great cause that I, Paul, have become Christ's prisoner for you Gentiles. (
Phillips: Touchstone)
Wuest: On this account I, Paul, the prisoner of the Messiah, Jesus, on behalf of you, the Gentiles (
Erdmans
Young's Literal: For this cause, I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you the nations,

FOR THIS REASON I, PAUL, THE PRISONER OF CHRIST JESUS: Toutou charin ego Paulos o desmios tou Christou [Iesou]:  (2 Corinthians 10:1; Galatians 5:2)  (4:1; 6:20; Luke 21:12; Acts 21:33; 26:29; 28:17-20; 2 Corinthians 11:23; Philippians 1:7; Philippians 1:13-16; Colossians 1:24; 4:3,18; 2 Timothy 1:8,16; 2:9; Philemon 1:1,9; Revelation 2:10)

Why is Paul spending so much time explaining to the Gentiles their "before/after" picture and emphasizing their place of equality with the Jews in one body, the body of Christ? It is because he wants to be sure that the Gentile believers don't take their new found salvation for granted (which has to a large extent occurred in the church in America, some of whom don't even know that Jesus was a Jew, much less that the early church was virtually all Jewish) so that they have a proper appreciation and sense of gratitude for their salvation. Paul knows that when the Gentiles grasp these truths, this truth has the potential to radically impact their conduct, so that they are motivated to walk worth of their new calling in Christ and not according to their former corrupt way as pagans. For many Gentile believers, there is a tendency to "skim over" the doctrinal truths in the first three chapters (except our favorite verses like Eph 2:8-9) so that we can get into the "practical" section of Ephesians 4-6. The problem is that the character of our walk in the last 3 chapters is intimately related to a proper understanding of the doctrinal truth in the first 3 chapters. We love to talk about being filled with the Spirit, but don't spend much time appreciating the mystery of Christ which makes it possible to even be filled with the Spirit!

For this reason - refers back to the building together of the saints - "seeing that you (Jew and Gentile) are being built together". Because you Gentiles are fellow citizens with God’s people, and especially because you Ephesians are included in the temple of God, a dwelling of God.

Ray Stedman explains "for this reason" writing that...

Sometimes it is difficult for those who do not read Greek to see how Paul builds his letters. This is particularly true of this passage, because Paul begins "For this reason ..." -- but he doesn't give the reason toward which he is moving until Verse 13! This is the way the apostle's mind worked. He starts out to say one thing but then is captured by the truth of something else he is going to say. So he begins to bring it in ahead of time. Then he is carried along from one truth to another until finally he gets back to what he started to say in the beginning. If you read it this way: "For this reason..." then skip down to Verse 13: "... I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory," you will understand what he is trying to say in the intervening sentences. (Ephesians 3:1-6: Great Mystery)

William Barclay writes that...

To understand the connection of thought in this passage it has to be noted that verses 2–13 are one long parenthesis. The for this cause of verse 14 takes up again and resumes the for this cause of verse 1. Someone has spoken of Paul’s habit of “going off at a word.” A single word or idea can send his thoughts off at a tangent. When he speaks of himself as “the prisoner of Christ,” it makes him think of the universal love of God and of his part in bringing that love to the Gentiles. (Barclay, W: The Daily Study Bible Series, Rev. ed. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press)

Wayne Barber comments on "for this reason" writing that...

 in 3:1. Paul says, "For this reason I, Paul." I want to stop right there. If you move down to verse 14, he uses the exact terminology: "For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father." Paul starts off to pray in chapter 3, but immediately he backs away. Before he prays, he wants them to understand something. Verses 2-13 could be put in parenthesis. He starts his prayer, suddenly stops, and then starts up again in verse 14. Why does he do that? Well, he wants to tell them of a mystery that has been revealed to his heart. The bottom line is that he is going to pray that what has been revealed to him will be revealed to them. That is what gives us our title, "God’s Divine Mystery." Let me give you a little outline of verses 1-13 that might help you.

   Ephesians 3:1-3: Mystery revealed to him
   Ephesians 3:4-6: Explanation of mystery revealed
   Ephesians 3:7-9: Defense of preaching of revelation of the mystery
   Ephesians 3:10-13: Proclamation of results of preaching the mystery
   Ephesians 3:14-21: Prelude to prayer

You see again that he is going to pray that God would reveal to them what God had already revealed to him. (Ephesians 3:1-3 God's Divine Mystery - 1)

In regard to Ephesians 3:2-13 being a parenthesis note that verse 1 begins with his status as prisoner ("the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles") and that this same thought is picked up again in verse 13 ("my tribulations on your behalf"). This suggests that Paul is continuing the same thought that broke off from verse 1 to verse 2 as he began to elaborate on the mystery in verses 2-12. A number of commentators feel that Paul was on the verge of praying in verse 1 but was inspired to first explain the mystery after which he then returned to his desire to pray. Note that he had just taught about their being built into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. Then he prays that they be strengthened so that Christ might dwell (verb form of the noun "dwelling") in their heart.

The following alliterative outline of Ephesians 3 is modified from John Phillips (Exploring Ephesians)

1. Paul as a Prisoner for the Truth (Eph 3:1)


2. Paul as a Pioneer of the Truth (Eph 3:2-4)

 

     a. The Truth Entrusted to Him (Eph 3:2)


     b. The Truth Enlightening to Him (Eph 3:3-4)

 

               i.  Communicated To Him (Eph 3:3a)


               ii. Communicated By Him (Eph 3:3b-4)


3. Paul as a Partner in the Truth (Eph 3:5-6)


     a. How the Truth Was Concealed (Eph 3:5a)


     b. How the Truth Was Revealed (Eph 3:5b-6)


4. Paul as a Propagator of the Truth (Eph 3:7-9)


     a. The Working of It (Eph 3:7)


     b. The Wonder of It (Eph 3:8a)


     c. The Wealth of It (Eph 3:8b-9)

 

          i.  Its Hidden Resources (Eph 3:8b)

 

          ii. Its Heavenly Resources (Eph 3:9)

Warren Wiersbe nicely alliterates Ephesians 3 as...

A PURPOSE - "For this reason" Ephesians 3:1, 14

A PARENTHESIS - Mystery of the Church Ephesians 3:2-13

A PRAYER - Ephesians 3:14-21

MacDonald adds that "for this reason"...

 looks back to what he had just been saying about the place of privilege into which believing Gentiles are brought as a result of their union with Christ. (MacDonald, W & Farstad, A. Believer's Bible Commentary: Thomas Nelson)

Prisoner (1198) (desmios from desméo = bind from desmos = bind, chain) is a captive or one who is bound or who is in bonds. Prisoners in Paul's day often had time to think, read, write, etc. (see comments below)

Most agree that Paul wrote this epistle during his first Roman imprisonment during which he was under house arrest, and yet he describes himself not as a prisoner of Rome but of Christ Jesus. Paul understood his imprisonment as God's will for him.

Paul evidently wrote this epistle while he was imprisoned in Rome "for the hope of Israel" as Luke records in Acts quoting Paul's defense of his imprisonment before the leading men of Jerusalem writing...

"For this reason therefore, I requested to see you and to speak with you, for I am wearing this chain for the sake of the hope of Israel." (Acts 28:20)

Paul had been a prisoner ever since he was taken captive in Jerusalem at the command of the Jewish leaders, Luke records that...

the commander came up and took hold of him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains; and he began asking who he was and what he had done. (Acts 21:33).

For at least two years, however, he was given a certain amount of freedom Luke recording that Paul...

"stayed two full years in his own rented quarters, and was welcoming all who came to him preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered.  (Acts 28:30-31

As previously discussed it was most likely during this time of "house arrest" that he wrote the letter to the Ephesians.

Clearly Paul was a prisoner of men (probably in Rome) but he viewed his circumstances from a divine perspective. Thus while he was the prisoner of the Romans, in his mind he was really the prisoner of Jesus Christ.  Paul recognized that it is by the sovereignty of God that he was where he was. He was the prisoner of Jesus Christ for the Gentiles. Why was he there? Because God had appointed him an Apostle to bring the ministry of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles. As he explains at the end of this letter he was "an ambassador in chains" because he had proclaimed "the mystery of the gospel" (See notes Ephesians 6:19; 6:20)

Ray Stedman writes that Paul was apparently...

in Rome, a prisoner of Caesar, awaiting trial before Nero. But never once does he say that he is a prisoner of Caesar; it is always "a prisoner of Christ Jesus." The reason is obvious when you read his letters. He saw that Caesar was not the one who had the final say about him; Jesus did. The duration of his confinement was not determined by Caesar, but by the Lord Jesus. As Paul came to understand the One whom he served, he knew that Jesus is in control of history. He saw him as John did in the book of Revelation -- as sitting on his throne, holding the reins of government in his hands. He is the One who opens, and no man shuts, who shuts, and no man opens, who orders, and his will is carried out. Paul knew, therefore, that anytime the Lord Jesus decided Paul's imprisonment would be of no further value, he would be set free, that when the Lord Jesus spoke, Caesar acted. Therefore, he never saw himself as being the prisoner of Caesar. This is a tremendous lesson to us, who sometimes become worried and anxious about what the political powers-that-be are doing in the world today. Would that we had the faith of this mighty apostle who understood so clearly that Caesar was not in control; Jesus is.  (Ephesians 3:1-6: Great Mystery)

Ruth Paxson puts it well writing that...

 Paul was in a Roman prison when he wrote this epistle, but one would never know it. There is no smell of a prison in Ephesians. As you open the book it is just like going into some vast, open expanse and breathing the fresh air of heaven. There is no clank of prison chains to be heard, for Paul is not bound in spirit. He is there as the prisoner of Rome, but this he will not admit, and claims to be "the prisoner of Jesus Christ." What is the secret of such victorious otherworldliness? Paul's spirit is with Christ in the heavenlies though his body languishes in that foul Roman prison.  (Paxson, R: The Wealth of the Christian)

William Barclay in noting that Paul never thought of himself as the prisoner of Rome but of Christ adds this note...

One’s point of view makes all the difference in the world. There is a famous story of the days when Sir Christopher Wren was building St. Paul’s Cathedral. On one occasion he was making a tour of the work in progress. He came upon a man at work and asked him: “What are you doing?” The man said: “I am cutting this stone to a certain size and shape.” He came to a second man and asked him what he was doing. The man said: “I am earning so much money at my work.” He came to a third man at work and asked him what he was doing. The man paused for a moment, straightened himself and answered: “I am helping Sir Christopher Wren build St. Paul’s Cathedral.”

If a man is in prison for some great cause he may either grumblingly regard himself as an ill-used creature, or he may radiantly regard himself as the standard-bearer of some great cause. The one regards his prison as a penance; the other regards it as a privilege. When we are undergoing hardship, unpopularity, material loss for the sake of Christian principles we may either regard ourselves as the victims of men or as the champions of Christ. Paul is our example; he regarded himself, not as the prisoner of Nero, but as the prisoner of Christ. (Barclay, W: The Daily Study Bible Series, Rev. ed. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press)

John Phillips writes that...

The Jews were infuriated when Paul taught that believing Gentiles were full members of God's family and the fellowship of saints. The Jews' national pride was stung. Even in the church many Jewish believers thought that Gentiles should become Jews in order to be Christians, or at least they should be regarded as second-class citizens in the kingdom. Paul's emancipating gospel annoyed many Jews, even within the church. They disliked his wholehearted acceptance of Gentiles into the church, free from all Jewish laws, traditions, and customs. They resented his vocal and tireless championship of the Gentile believers' cause. They felt threatened by his zealous, far-reaching efforts to bring more and more Gentiles into the church. The vast majority of unbelieving Jews regarded Paul with horror and considered him a dangerous heretic. Paul, however, did not criticize the Jews for opposing him. He knew where they were coming from; he had been there himself. (Phillips, J. Exploring Ephesians)

 FOR THE SAKE OF YOU GENTILES: huper humon ton ethnon: (Galatians 5:11; Colossians 1:24; 1 Thessalonians 2:15,16; 2 Timothy 2:10)

For the sake of (5228) (huper)  means on behalf of or in place of. He explains the reason for his imprisonment - for the sake of you Gentiles. In fact, the event that triggered Paul's arrest and shipment to Rome for trial before Caesar was a false charge that he had taken Trophimus, an Ephesian, into area of the temple area that was out of bounds for Gentiles (Acts 21:29). (See notes on Ephesians 2:18)

Paul was a prisoner because he believed in God’s previously undisclosed and unknown program of uniting believing Jews and Gentiles into one new body, the church. The non-believing Jews in Paul’s day considered the Gentiles ("the Uncircumcision") dogs,” but some of the believing Jews did not have a much better attitude toward their Gentiles brothers in the faith.

At the time of Paul's salvation Christ commissioned him to go to the Gentiles, declaring...

Arise, and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you delivering you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, in order that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.' (Acts 26:16-18)

Paul was a man on mission. He has left an example of single minded determination to fulfill the call of God on his life. We do well to imitate his zeal. Live as you will wish to have lived after you are dead or as Adoniram Judson the great missionary to Burma said

"The motto of every missionary, whether preacher, printer, or schoolmaster, ought to be 'Devoted for life.'” 

We too can end the Christian race well, even if we began late, started slow, or faltered along the way. The secret is to stay true to Christ to the last moment.

Gentiles (1484) (ethnos) refers to non-Jews or the heathen. When ethnos is preceded by the definite article ("the") in the Greek,  it means "the nations" which is synonymous with the Gentiles marking them out as a distinct class. The Gentiles implies those who practice idolatry and are ignorant of the true God.

All of mankind can be divided into Jew and Gentile and thus "Gentile" is a synonym for anyone who is non-Jew, who is not a member of the "chosen people". The Hebrew word corresponding to Gentile is goyim. From Genesis 12 through Malachi 4 the majority of the Scriptures were about God's dealings with the Jews, while Gentiles were mentioned only as they interacted with the Jews. The NT does have more mention of the Gentiles after the formation of the Church but  after the church, Christ's Bride has been raptured to heaven, God will resume His program with Israel nationally.  We find this described in the book of the Revelation (where there is no mention of the church after Revelation 3). Many people are surprised to discover that the Revelation of Jesus Christ has a heavy emphasis on Israel, which explains why there are over 200 OT quotes or allusions to OT passages.

As Wayne Barber reminds us...

We are Gentiles today, and we live in a country that has a Gentile mentality. We think it started with us. It didn’t start with us, we were brought in at the appropriate time. We were shut out until Acts 8 when God singled out the minister named Paul, to preach the message to the Gentiles. The center of evangelism shifted from Jerusalem to Antioch, and then the message went out into all the world that any man, whether Jew or Gentile, can come in through the Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 3:1-9 God's Divine Mystery - 2)

Ray Stedman reminds of the background from Paul's imprisonment writing that...

Paul cites some reasons for his imprisonment. The first is that he was a prisoner on behalf of the Gentiles. This refers not only to the fact that his arrest had come about because he was preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, but also to the fact that it benefited the Gentiles. Do not forget that the reason Paul was charged by the Jews with sedition against the emperor was because they were so angry that he would carry any message from God to the Gentiles. Jewish scruples and prejudices were terribly offended by the fact that Paul had the nerve, the effrontery, to say to the Jews that the Gentiles were received by God equally as they, that the Gentiles could have equal standing before him. When Paul spoke to the Jewish mob in his own defense, after he was arrested in the temple courts, the thing which triggered their renewed ire was the word Gentile in his message.

(Ed note: Luke 22:21-23  records Paul's statement of what Jesus told him to do "'Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'" And they [Jewish audience] listened to him up to this statement, and then they raised their voices and said, "Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he should not be allowed to live!" And as they were crying out and throwing off their cloaks and tossing dust into the air...)

They had been listening carefully to him as he spoke of his conversion, of how he had been called by God, until he stated that he had been sent out unto the Gentiles. Then all hell broke loose again. They mobbed him and would have lynched him on the spot had it not been for the intervention of the Roman guard. So it was because of this great message that he was a prisoner.  (Ephesians 3:1-6: Great Mystery)

><> ><> ><>

Our Daily Bread devotional "Whose Prisoner?"...

A story is told of Scottish minister Alexander Whyte, who was able to look at the bleakest situation and yet find something to be thankful for. On a dark Sunday morning when the weather was freezing, wet, and stormy, one of his deacons whispered,

“I am sure the preacher won’t be able to thank God for anything on a day like this. It’s absolutely horrible outside!”

The pastor began the service by praying,

“We thank Thee, O God, that the weather is not always like this.”

The apostle Paul also saw the best in every situation. Consider his circumstances as he wrote to the church in Ephesus while he awaited trial before the Roman emperor Nero. Most people would have concluded that he was a prisoner of Rome. But Paul saw himself as a prisoner of Christ. He thought of his hardship as an opportunity to bring the gospel to the Gentiles.

These words of Paul should challenge us:

“To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Ephesians 3:8).

Paul, a prisoner of Christ, saw himself as being given the privilege to serve God and present the “riches of Christ” to many.

Whose prisoner are we? —Albert Lee (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

Afflictions may test me,
They cannot destroy;
One glimpse of Thy love
Turns them all into joy. —Willett

The trials that imprison you need not limit God’s work in you.

 

Ephesians 3:2 if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace which was given to me for you (NASB: Lockman)

Greek: ei ge ekousate (2PAAI) ten oikonomian tes charitos tou theou tes dotheises (APPFSG) moi eis humas
Amplified:  Assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace (His unmerited favor) that was entrusted to me [to dispense to you] for your benefit,  (Amplified Bible - Lockman)
Barclay: you must have heard of the share that God gave me in dispensing his grace to you, (Westminster Press)
KJV: If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
NET: If indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you,
(NET Bible)
NKJV: if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you,
NLT: As you already know, God has given me this special ministry of announcing his favor to you Gentiles. (
NLT - Tyndale House)
Phillips: For you must have heard how God gave me grace to become your minister (
Phillips: Touchstone)
Wuest: assuming that you heard of the administration of the grace of God which was given to me for you,   (
Erdmans
Young's Literal:  if, indeed, ye did hear of the dispensation of the grace of God that was given to me in regard to you,

IF INDEED YOU HAVE HEARD OF THE STEWARDSHIP OF GOD'S GRACE WHICH WAS GIVEN TO ME FOR YOU: ei ge ekousate (2PAAI) ten oikonomian tes charitos tou theou tes dotheises (APPFSG) moi eis humas: (Eph 4:21; Galatians 1:13; Colossians 1:4,6; 2 Timothy 1:11)  (8; 4:7; Acts 9:15; 13:2,46; 22:21; 26:17,18; Romans 1:5; 11:13; 12:3; Romans 15:15,16; 1 Corinthians 4:1; 9:17-22; Galatians 1:15,16; 2:8,9; Colossians 1:25-27; 1 Timothy 1:11; 2:7; 2 Timothy 1:11)

Beginning in Ephesians 3:2 Paul begins a new sentence which does not end until verse 7. The thought continues to verse 13 and thus this section (verses 2-13) seems to serve as a "parenthesis" or digression. As an aside Paul had 8 very long Greek sentences in this letter.

Vincent agrees writing that "Here begins a long digression extending to Eph 3:14".

If (1487) (ei) is a particle of conditionality (in this case referred to as a "first class conditional" statement) which when used with the indicative mood (as in this verse) indicates no doubt in the mind of his readers about the truth that Paul goes on to explain - that he was on special mission to the Gentiles. The idea is one of assurance. One could render it..."Surely you have heard" or "Since you have heard". They really had heard about Paul's stewardship of God's grace for them.

Regarding "if indeed" the Net Bible Notes comments that...

The author is not doubting whether his audience has heard, but is rather using provocative language (if indeed) to engage his audience in thinking about the magnificence of God’s grace. However, in English translation, the apodosis (“then”-clause) does not come until v. 13, leaving the protasis (“if”-clause) dangling. Eph 3:2–7 constitute one sentence in Greek. (The NET Bible Notes. Biblical Studies Press)

Heard (191) (akouo) means to hear with attention or with the ear of the mind. The Phillips paraphrase accurately conveys Paul's thought...

For you must have heard how God gave me grace to become your minister 

Stewardship (3622) (“administration,” “dispensation,” “commission”) (oikonomia from oíkos = house + némo = manage, distribute) in referred to the office of a steward or administrator in God's house. It is an administration,  a management or an oversight one was given over a household.  The steward was responsible and accountable to the owner for how he managed the property.

God had entrusted Paul with great truths. Paul was their custodian, their steward. He was under obligation to communicate them to others. He discharged this trust nobly through his preaching and writing.

Regarding the meaning of oikonomia in Ephesians Vincent writes that...

In Ephesians 3:2, the word is used of the divine arrangement or economy committed to Paul. In Ephesians 1:10 of the divine government or regulation of the world. (Word Studies in the NT)

Ray Stedman explains the KJV translation as "dispensation" writing that...

 the Revised Standard Version translates this word stewardship instead of dispensation, for dispensation is often misunderstood in our day. But if we see it as a stewardship we will understand it. A steward was a servant to whom a certain responsibility was committed, certain goods were given, that he might dispense them, might give them out to other people. This is the biblical idea behind the word dispensation. It is not a period of time at all; it is a responsibility to dispense something, a stewardship.

Wayne Barber explains that regarding "stewardship"...

There are two aspects we need to consider -- One is somebody managing a household. The secondary meaning is that of being a steward itself. A steward is one who manages something that is not his own. He manages somebody else’s household or business. Paul is saying, "This ministry to the Gentiles that God has appointed me to was not my idea. It is not something that is of me. It is not something that came from my schooling with Gamaliel. It is something that God raised up. God, who is the great family steward, gave it to me. I’m the one now assigned with this ministry."... God assigns ministries. God begins them. God ends them. Whatever happens, God does it. (Ephesians 3:1-3 God's Divine Mystery - 1)

Wuest explains that...

Paul was given the responsibility of having oversight or management over the grace of God in the sense that he was to administer it in its publicity. He was given the revelation of the grace of God and the responsibility of properly preaching and teaching it. This grace given Paul for the Gentiles... (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Eerdmans)

Paul was a steward of God's grace which parallels his statement in 1Corinthians where he writes...

Let a man regard us (apostles) in this manner, as servants of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. (1Cor 4:1)

Grace (5485) (charis) in simple terms is God's unmerited favor and supernatural enablement and empowerment for salvation and for daily sanctification. Grace is everything for nothing to those who don't deserve anything. Jowett defined grace as "holy love on the move".

Trench wrote that

"it is hardly too much to say that the Greek mind has in no word uttered itself and all that was at its heart more distinctly than in this."

In its use among the Gentiles charis referred to a favor done by one Greek to another out of the pure generosity of his heart, and with no hope of reward. When it is used in the NT, it refers to that favor which God did at Calvary when He stepped down from His judgment throne to take upon Himself the guilt and penalty of human sin. In the case of the Greek, the favor was done to a friend, never an enemy. In the case of God it was an enemy (see note Romans 5:10), the sinner, bitter in his hatred of God, for whom the favor was done. God has no strings tied to the salvation He procured for man at the Cross.

Given (1325) (didomi) means to grant someone an opportunity or occasion to do something. Note the use of passive voice indicating God is the Giver.

Barclay writes...

It is one of the great facts of the Christian life that we have been given the precious things of Christianity in order to share them with others. It is one of the great warnings of the Christian life that if we keep them to ourselves we lose them. (Barclay, W: The Daily Study Bible Series, Rev. ed. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press)

For you - i.e., for your benefit or literally unto you. You Gentiles.

God had specifically called Paul to preach to the Gentiles and subsequent developments recorded by Dr Luke in Acts demonstrate the fulfillment of Paul's calling...

Acts 9:15 But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he (Paul) is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; 16 for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's sake."

Acts 13:46 (Context: At Pisidian Antioch in Asia Minor, the Jews saw the crowds listening to Paul and were filled with jealousy and so began contradicting the things Paul spoke and blaspheming) And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, "It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first (to the Jews first); since you repudiate (literally push it aside, thrust it away from, reject, refuse to listen to) it, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47 "For thus the Lord has commanded us (the Jewish Nation), 'I HAVE PLACED YOU AS A LIGHT FOR THE GENTILES, THAT YOU SHOULD BRING SALVATION TO THE END OF THE EARTH.'" (Comment: Quoting Isaiah 49:6, Paul showed that he clearly understood God's intention for the Jewish nation to be a light to the Gentiles. Instead of quoting his own commission to the Gentiles given to him on the road to Damascus, he chose to quote God's commission of all Jews as found in the Old Testament. In rejecting that commission, the Jewish leaders who listened to Paul not only rejected the Gentiles and Paul; they rejected God Himself. As a result, Paul turned to the Gentiles, who immediately "began rejoicing and glorifying the work of the Lord." The result? "The Word of the Lord spread through the whole region." Yes, the nations are responsive to the gospel, if we will only bring it to them!)

Acts 18:6 (Context: At the Jewish synagogue in Corinth) And when they resisted (literally "arrayed themselves against"! Oppose as one who draws together a host for battle!) and blasphemed, he shook out his garments and said to them, "Your blood be upon your own heads! I am clean. From now on I shall go to the Gentiles."

Acts 22:21 "And He said to me, 'Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'"

Acts 26:17 (Jesus speaking to Paul declared "I will appear to you") delivering you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, 18 to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, in order that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.'

Acts 28:25 (Paul in Rome meeting with the Jewish leaders at the time of his first imprisonment = a "house arrest") And when they (Jewish leaders) did not agree with one another, they began leaving after Paul had spoken one parting word, "The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers, 26 saying, 'GO TO THIS PEOPLE AND SAY, "YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND; AND YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE; 27 FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL, AND WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES; LEST THEY SHOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES, AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN, AND I SHOULD HEAL THEM."' 28 "Let it be known to you therefore, that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will also listen."

In Romans Paul writes...

I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14 if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them. (See notes Romans 11:13;  11:14)

But I have written very boldly to you on some points, so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given me from God, 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, that my offering of the Gentiles might become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. (See notes Romans 15:15; 15:16)

In the epistle to the Galatians Paul explained his calling to the Gentiles writing that...

"you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure, and tried to destroy it; 14 and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions. 15 But when He who had set me apart, even from my mother's womb, and called me through His grace, was pleased 16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus. 18 Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him fifteen days. (Galatians 1:13-18)

In Jerusalem Paul met with those Jewish leaders "who were of high reputation" who concluded that Paul...

"had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised 8 (for He who effectually worked [energeo - English energy, energetic, etc] for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked [energeo] for me also to the Gentiles), 9 and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we might go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. 10 They only asked us to remember the poor-- the very thing I also was eager to do. (Galatians 2:7-10)