the (sometimes to be supplied · article — accusative plural neuter
Gentiles
ἔθνηethnē
G1484
a race (as of the same habit) · noun — accusative plural neuter
be
εἶναιeinai
G1511
to exist · verb — present active infinitive
fellowheirs
συγκληρονόμαsugklēronoma
G4789
a co-heir · adjective — accusative plural neuter
and
καὶkai
G2532
and · conjunction
body
σύσσωμαsussōma
G4954
of a joint body · adjective — accusative plural neuter
and
καὶkai
G2532
and · conjunction
partakers
συμμέτοχαsummetocha
G4830
a co-participant · adjective — accusative plural neuter
his
αὐτόςautós
G846
the reflexive pronoun self
promise
ἐπαγγελίαςepangelias
G1860
an announcement (for information · noun — genitive singular feminine
in
ἐνen
G1722
"in · preposition
Christ
ΧριστῷChristō
G5547
anointed · noun — dative singular masculine, a title
by
διὰdia
G1223
through (in very wide applications · preposition
gospel
εὐαγγελίου,euangeliou
G2098
a good message · noun — genitive singular neuter
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
Galatians 3:26-29 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:15-17 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Galatians 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
1 John 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father…
1 John 2:25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
1 Corinthians 12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
Galatians 4:5-7 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Ephesians 2:13-22 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Ephesians 3:1-13
Here we have the account which Paul gives the Ephesians concerning himself, as he was appointed by God the apostle of the Gentiles.
I. We may observe that he acquaints them with the tribulations and sufferings which he endured in the discharge of that office, Eph 3:1. The first clause refers to the preceding chapter, and may be understood either of these two ways: - 1. "For this cause, - for having preached the doctrine contained in the foregoing chapter, and for asserting that the great privileges of the gospel belong not only to the Jews, but to believing Gentiles also, though they are not circumcised, - for this I am now a prisoner, but a prisoner of Jesus Christ, as I suffer in his cause…
Translate, "That the Gentiles are," &c. "and fellow members of the same body, and fellow partakers of the (so the oldest manuscripts read, not 'HIS') promise, in Christ Jesus (added in the oldest manuscripts), through the Gospel." It is "in Christ Jesus" that they are made "fellow heirs" in the inheritance of GOD: "of the same body" under the Head, CHRIST JESUS; and "fellow partakers of the promise" in the communion of THE HOLY SPIRIT (Eph 1:13; Heb 6:4). The Trinity is thus alluded to, as often elsewhere in this Epistle (Eph 2:19-20, Eph 2:22).
Adam Clarke on Ephesians 3:6
That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs - This is the substance of that mystery which had been hidden from all ages, and which was now made known to the New Testament apostles and prophets, and more particularly to St. Paul.
His promise in Christ - That the promise made to Abraham extended to the Gentiles, the apostle has largely proved in his Epistle to the Romans; and that it was to be fulfilled to them by and through Christ, he proves there also; and particularly in his Epistle to the Galatians, see Gal 3:14. And that these blessings were to be announced in the preaching of the Gospel, and received on believing it, he every where declares, but more especially in this epistle.
John Gill on Ephesians 3:6
The Church Fathers
The Gentiles are fellow heirs with Israel. Put more precisely, they are fellow heirs with Christ. … It is not that some possession is divided among us but that God himself in his fullness is our inheritance and possession.
Now the meaning of fellow heirs is this: Just as there are many members in one body … and these, though in one body, have their differences and feel their own joy and grief in turn, so those who have believed in Christ, even if they have different gifts, are bonded together in the one body of Christ.
What is this; "fellow-heirs, and fellow-partakers of the promise, and fellow-members of the body?" This last is the great thing, that they should be one body; this exceeding closeness of relation to Him. For that they were to be called indeed, that they knew, but that it was so great, as yet they knew not. This therefore he calls the mystery. "Of the promise." The Israelites were partakers, and the Gentiles also were fellow-partakers of the promise of God. "In Christ Jesus through the Gospel." That is, by His being sent unto them also, and by their believing; for it is not said they are fellow-heirs simply, but "through the Gospel." However, this indeed, is nothing so great, it is in fact a small thing, and it discloses to us another and greater thing, that not only men knew not this, but that neither Angels nor Archangels, nor any other created power, knew it. For it was a mystery, and was not revealed. "That ye can perceive," he saith, "my understanding." This alludes, perhaps, to what he said to them in the Acts, that he had some knowledge that the Gentiles also were called. This, he says, is his own knowledge, "the knowledge of the mystery," which he had mentioned, viz., "that Christ will in Himself make of the twain one new man." For by revelation he was instructed, both he and Peter, that they must not spurn the Gentiles; and this he states in his defence.
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Dictionary and topics
Adoption · SPIRITUAL — SPIRITUAL
Gentiles · CONVERSION OF — CONVERSION OF
Promises Of God, The · Made in Christ — Made in Christ
Titles And Names Of Saints · Fellow-heirs — Fellow-heirs
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs,.... With the Jews, of all the blessings of grace, of lasting salvation, and of the eternal, incorruptible, and never fading inheritance in heaven; that they should be heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ Jesus, and inherit all things: and heirs they are by being Christ's, and on account of their special adoption through him, and their justification by his righteousness; and which appears by their regeneration to a lively hope of the inheritance reserved for them in heaven:
and of the same body: coalesce in one and the same church state, with the believing Jews, under one and the same head, Christ Jesus, and participate of the same grace from him…
Ephesians 3:1-6
1. For this cause, I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
1. Hujus rei gratia ego Paulus, vinctus Iesu Christi, pro vobis Gentibus legatione fungor;
2. (If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
2. Siquidem audistis dispensationem gratiae Dei, mihi erga vos datae,
3. How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; as I wrote afore in few words;
3. Quod per revelationem mihi patefecerit arcanum, quemadmodum scripsi paulo ante.
4. Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ,
4. Ad quod potestis attendentes intelligere cognitionem meam in mysterio Christi,
5. Whic…
God’s plan that has now been revealed to Paul is that the Gentiles are now included in God’s family, the body of Christ, just as Jews are. They share equally in God’s eternal blessings.
