The third chapter of Ephesians builds on the closing ideas of chapter two, running all the paces through the mystery of the grafted Gentile church, the unity of Jew and Gentile in Christ, Paul's assignment as the minister of the grace of God to the Gentiles, and Paul's prayers for saved Gentiles. "In Christ" and "by Christ" continue to be used throughout as they were in the first two chapters.
The mystery, as it is addressed here, helps us understand the necessary transition that occurs in Acts, and the distinct differences in the Jewish epistles that simply do not fit in the Church Age. This whole age, though pre-planned, is not part of the Jewish plan! For a plain statement that establishes exactly what the mystery is, refer to Colossians 1:27.
1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, 2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: 3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; 6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: 7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
Here, Paul refers to himself as a prisoner of Christ, which is interesting language, much like other references using "servant" (Ephesians 6:6, Romans 1:1, Galatians 1:10, Philippians 1:1, Titus 1:1). Such terms are used when your life is not your own, and also when you are not free to leave; when applied with Christ as the acting authority over the person, then the salvation, service, and security of the believer are all implied. We are bought with a price (I Corinthians 6:20 and 7:23), expected to serve (Ephesians 2:10, Romans 6:18), and eternally belong to Him without a means of “escape” (John 10:27-30, I John 5:13).
The reference to a dispensation here is different from that in chapter one. Although the meaning of the word remains the same, the dispensation being referred to is not. Ephesians 1:10 speaks of something yet to come (Christ's second advent), while Galatians 4:4 uses "fulness of time" to refer to something past (Christ's first advent). The reference here in verse two is to the present dispensation. In essence, this dispensation is a pause in God’s dealings with Israel; it is the comma in Isaiah 61:2 and Luke 4:19. Paul speaks of it as a mystery because the gospel he is commissioned to preach to the Gentiles “in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men.” It is the gospel by which we are saved in this dispensation (Romans 16:25) and is distinct from the gospel of the kingdom that was preached early in the book of Acts. The transition to the current dispensation is chronicled throughout the book of Acts with several key events (Acts 8-10) before the Jewish apostles collectively understood the mystery. The exposition of this mystery is a significant part of Paul’s purpose for writing this epistle to the Ephesians (1:17-18). The central idea of 3:1-7 is echoed in Colossians 1:25-28.
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