THIS WAS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ETERNAL PURPOSE WHICH HE CARRIED OUT IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD: kata prothesin ton aionon en epoiesen (3SAAI) en to Christo Iesou to kurio hemon:  (Eph 1:4,9,11; Isaiah 14:24, 25, 26, 27; 46:10,11; Jeremiah 51:29; Romans 8:28, 29, 30; 9:11; 2Timothy 1:9)

Remember that Ephesians 3:2-13 is a single sentence in the original Greek text and as such represents a "parentheses" in which Paul digresses to explain the origin of the Church composed of believing Jew and Gentile who are now one body in Christ.

This was - is added by the translators in an attempt provide a smoother connection with the previous truths - the mystery itself, its revelation and its making known the wisdom of God before the angels.

Constable writes that...

 God brought this part of His plan to fruition through our Lord’s earthly ministry. Specifically the Jews’ rejection of their Messiah resulted in the postponement of the messianic (Davidic) kingdom and the beginning of the church. (Expository Notes)

In accordance (2596) (kata)

Eternal  (165) (aion) in context refers to an unlimited portion of time, time having an infinite duration. Literally this reads "the purpose of the ages".  The eternal exists outside of and is unaffected by time. Paul is saying that the church is not an afterthought.

Purpose (4286) (prothesis from protíthemi = set before oneself; to purpose or plan from pró = before, forth + títhemi = place) means a setting forth of a thing and then to plan or purpose in advance. God’s purpose runs on through the ages.

His  purpose - God has an eternal purpose for all things. If God is God at all, He is sovereign. He cannot work independently of His own nature, for then He would cease to be God, something that is impossible. He is a wise God; therefore, His eternal purpose is a wise one. He is a powerful God; therefore, He is able to accomplish what He purposes. He is a loving God; therefore, what He purposes will manifest His love. He is an unchanging God; therefore, His purpose is unchanging.

William MacDonald explains God's eternal purpose this way...

The mystery itself, its concealment, its eventual disclosure, and the manner in which it exhibits the wisdom of God are all according to the eternal purpose...Before the world was made, God knew Satan would fall and man would follow him in sin. And He had already prepared a counter-strategy, a master plan. This plan has been worked out in the incarnation, death, resurrection, ascension, and glorification of Christ. The whole program centered in Christ and has been realized through Him. Now God can save ungodly Jews and Gentiles, make them members of the Body of Christ, conform them to the image of His Son, and honor them in a unique way as the Bride of the Lamb throughout eternity. (MacDonald, W & Farstad, A. Believer's Bible Commentary: Thomas Nelson)

McGee explains that...

Another purpose of the mystery is revealed here. God’s created intelligences are learning something of the wisdom of God through the church. They not only see the love of God displayed and lavished upon us, but the wisdom of God is revealed to His angels. (McGee, J V: Thru the Bible Commentary:  Thomas Nelson)

Illustration - A minister was called to the scene of a coal pit disaster. Someone placed in his hands a beautiful piece of embroidery on which the words “God is love” had been wrought. The minister held this up so that the stricken people could see the message which had been so perfectly worked according to a plan. Then he turned the canvas round and all they could see where the tangled ends of thread that certainly did not seem to make any sense at all.

Carried  (4160) (poieo) expresses action either as completed or continued.

God carried out His eternal purpose in Christ some 2,000 years ago, for His death opened the door for the inclusion of believing Jews and Gentiles in one brand new, heretofore unknown body, which is even as we read this sentence still in the process of divinely "being fitted together" and still "growing into a holy temple in the Lord" and still in Christ "being built together (Jew and Gentile believers) into a dwelling of God in the Spirit."

Christ (5547) (Christos from chrio = to anoint, consecrate to office) is the NT counterpart of the Hebrew word transliterated Messiah.

Jesus  (2424) (Iesous) is the NT counterpart of the Hebrew Yeshu'a meaning Jehovah His Help. It corresponds to the OT name Joshua. It is He Who saves.

Josephus on Jesus (note he calls Him "Christ"! and speaks of His resurrection)

3.(63) Now, there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works—a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews, and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ; (64) and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him, for he appeared to them alive again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him; and the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day. (Antiquities of the Jews, Book 18, chapter 3, paragraph 3.)

Lord (2962) (kurios from kuroo = give authority) refers to one who is supreme in authority who has absolute ownership and unrivaled power. In classical Greek, kurious was used of gods, and thus one finds inscriptions applied to different gods (who are really no gods) such as Hermes, Zeus, etc.;

Wiersbe writes that...

This great truth concerning the church is not a divine afterthought. It is a part of God’s eternal purpose in Christ (Eph. 3:11). To ignore this truth is to sin against the Father who planned it, the Son whose death made it possible, and the Spirit who today seeks to work in our lives to accomplish what God has planned. (Wiersbe, W: Bible Exposition Commentary. 1989. Victor)

John Phillips explains God's eternal purpose writing that...

God's plans, which center in the church, are part of His eternal purpose. He made His plans before time began, before the rustle of an angel's wing disturbed the silence of eternity. God was not surprised by Adam's sin or Lucifer's fall. God in His omniscient wisdom foresaw these tragic events that introduced such dimensions as sorrow, suffering, and shame into the universe. His answer was the cross of Christ, reared on a skull-shaped hill on a rebel planet in a remote corner of a galaxy. Through the Cross He displayed His wisdom, love, and power as a means of redeeming fallen man and rebuking fallen angels. How wonderful it is that God had us in mind before He created the stars. He wrote our names on His heart before He created the world...." (Phillips, J. Exploring Ephesians)

MacDonald explains the accomplishment of this eternal purpose in Christ noting that...

Before the world was made, God knew Satan would fall and man would follow him in sin. And He had already prepared a counter-strategy, a master plan. This plan has been worked out in the incarnation, death, resurrection, ascension, and glorification of Christ. The whole program centered in Christ and has been realized through Him. Now God can save ungodly Jews and Gentiles, make them members of the Body of Christ, conform them to the image of His Son, and honor them in a unique way as the Bride of the Lamb throughout eternity.  (MacDonald, W & Farstad, A. Believer's Bible Commentary: Thomas Nelson) (Bolding added)

IN WHOM WE HAVE BOLDNESS AND CONFIDENT ACCESS THROUGH FAITH IN HIM: en o echomen (1PPAI) ten parrhesian kai prosagogen en pepoithesei dia tes pisteos autou: (Eph 2:18; John 14:6; Romans 5:2; Hebrews 4:14, 15, 16; 10:19, 20, 21, 22)

Paul's point is that although God’s eternal plan was accomplished in Christ some two thousand years ago, His past work has a continuing effect in the present for every believer.

We - We, the Gentiles, and Paul, the former persecutor of believing Jews, both have freedom of speech before God and an access or introduction to Him which is made possible in Christ.

Have (2192) (echo) means to possess the capacity to do something. The present tense indicates this is the believer's continual possession - all can now come into the Father's presence at any time, not in self-confidence but in Christ-confidence.

In the Old Testament only the High Priest could go into that Holy of Holies and then only once per year (See Day of Atonement - Lev 16). In the book of Hebrews we read that the veil between the holy place and the holy of holies has been rent, and we can come in with confidence and with boldness because of the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Since therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:19-22)

Boldness (3954) (parrhesia from pas = all + rhesis = speech) literally conveys the idea of freedom to say all. It is that attitude of openness that stem4s from freedom and lack of fear ("shaking" fear - godly, reverential fear is always appropriate). Greeks used parrhesia of those with the right to speak openly in the assembly. It is used here in a more sense of ease of feeling and comfortable self-possession, in our access to God. Boldness is the antithesis of Adam's reaction after becoming dead in his trespasses and sins (eating forbidden fruit), Moses recording...

And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?" And he said, "I heard the sound of Thee in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself." (Genesis 3:8, 9, 10)

And again what a contrast with the attitude of unrepentant men who should be desperately seeking an audience with God, instead seek to hide from Him, John recording...

And the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb for the great day of their wrath has come; and who is able to stand?" (Revelation 6:15-17)

Confident (4006) (pepoithesis from peítho = to persuade, come to a settled conviction) expresses a belief in someone or something to the point of placing one's trust or reliance in them - the idea is having been persuaded and remaining persuaded. It is a belief that one can rely on someone or something.

Pepoithesis is derived from the perfect tense which refers to a past process of being completely persuaded, with the present result that we are in a confirmed and settled state of utter confidence.  

Wuest adds that pepoithesis...

comes from the perfect participial form which refers to a past process of being completely persuaded, with the present result that we are in a confirmed and settled state of utter confidence. (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Eerdmans)

Paul explains this confidence writing...

And such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.  (2Cor 3:4-6)

Access (4318) (prosagoge from pros = toward + ago = bring) literally means "a bringing near" or providing access (freedom, permission and/or the ability to enter). It describes a continuous and unhindered approach to God, One Whom we could never approach in our unredeemed, unholy, sinful state.

Prosagoge was used to describe the introduction to or audience which one is permitted to have with a king or other person of high rank. This introduction or audience must be effected through an officer of court to whom the duty is entrusted.

Prosagoge carries the idea not of possessing access in our own right but of being granted the right to come to God with boldness, knowing we will be welcomed. It is only through our Savior’s shedding of His blood in sacrificial death on Calvary and by faith in Him that we have union in His Holy Spirit and have access to the Father. The Spirit is at work to draw us continually to God (Ro 8:15, 16, 17; Gal. 4:6, 7). Both and one spirit emphasize again the commonality of Jew and Gentile.

MacArthur sums up the significance of prosagoge writing that...

Those who once were socially and spiritually alienated are in Christ united with God and with each other. Because they have Christ they have both peace and access in one Spirit to the Father. They have an Introducer who presents them at the heavenly throne of God, before whom they can come at any time. They can now come to God as their own Father, knowing that He no longer judges or condemns but only forgives and blesses. Even His discipline is an act of love, given to cleanse and restore His precious children to purity and spiritual richness. (MacArthur, J: Ephesians. Chicago: Moody Press)

Notice that prosagoge always refers to the believer’s access to God through Christ. What was unthinkable to the Old Testament Jew is now available to all who come to Christ by grace through faith.

Through faith in Him  - We believe in Jesus as the Propitiation, as our Peace, as the Reconciler, and we go before God with confidence.

Have you ever had a friend who knew some very famous or distinguished person. You would never have had any right to enter into that person’s presence, but in your friend’s company you had the right of entry and were able to meet the distinguish personality and converse with them. That is what our Friend Jesus does for us with the most distinguished of all, Almighty God. In the presence of our Redeemer there is an open door into God’s very throne room.

The writer of Hebrews emphasized this same point to the Jewish believers whose faith was being severely tried...

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need. (See notes Hebrews 4:15; 4:16)

Since therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:19-22)

Through (1223) (dia) signifies the channel through which God's grace flows, here speaking of faith and remembering that this free flow of grace is based on the object of that faith, Christ Jesus our Lord. Faith is never the basis or the reason for justification, but only the channel through which God works His redeeming grace. Faith is simply a convicted heart reaching out to receive God’s free and unmerited gift of salvation. 

S Lewis Johnson agrees writing that the expression "Through faith in Him"

shows us the means by which we come into the glorious position whereby we who are Gentiles stand on this same basis in the body of Christ as the Jews, through the faith of Him. (Ephesians 3:1-13 Dispensation of Grace Audio/Pdf)

Through the perfect, once for all sacrifice of Christ and through receiving His gift of righteousness, we have access to God in both daily prayer and eternal salvation (See note Ephesians 2:18; see note Romans 5:2; Heb 4:16, see note 2 Peter 1:11).Every person who comes to Christ in faith can come before God at any time, not in self-confidence but in Christ-confidence.

My Faith Looks Up to Thee
by Ray Palmer
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