Ephesians 3 - The Audience of Angels in the Theater of the Church!

Ephesians 3 - NIV 

Enduring Word Commentary

"His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord."

As I mentioned before, Ephesians focuses more than other New Testament on the Church. Paul describes how a healthy church functions to make known the mystery of Christ. The Church is the vehicle by which God's eternal salvation is made known to the world in the power of the Spirit. Paul's letter to the Ephesians will also say, "The Church is the bride of Christ!" 

In today's passage Paul says something that I had not picked up on before. One of the advantages of reading the bible many times is that each time you pick up new things. In this case Paul says, "Through church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms." 

Who are the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms? 

"Rulers and authorities in the heavenly realm are unseen spiritual beings, cosmic forces, and hierarchical powers described in biblical texts like Ephesians." Bible Hub

They would include both loyal angels and fallen demonic angels and powers. Although the world does not always see in the church like this, in the spiritual realm the Church displays God's manifold wisdom. Though sometimes the church doesn't make sense on earth, it makes sense in heaven. 

“The Angels are instructed in God’s wisdom… by the fact of the great spiritual body, constituted in Christ, which they contemplate, and which is to them the theatre of the glory of God.” (Alford) “The history of the Christian church becomes a graduate school for angels.” (Stott, quoting Mackay)

What I love about Ephesians is that by teaching about the Church, we see the bigger picture of what God is doing in his eternal purpose. Sometimes we focus on ourselves, and our relationship with Christ, but the Church is God's chosen instrument to accomplish God's purposes on the earth. The Church displays and reveals who God is to the world. The church proclaims the mystery of the gospel kept hidden for ages, God came in human flesh to save the same world He created. 

Sometimes people get down on the church, or focus on the division in the church. But we should focus more on unity in the church. We need to focus less on denominational and doctrinal distinctives, and more on the oneness we have in Christ. As the Church dwells in the unity we already have in Christ, we become the theater to glory of God!

Jesus, thank you for the Church, Your bride which you created and sent out to proclaim the kindness and riches of God's grace. Help us to be united in our purpose to put on full display God's wisdom and power. May we proclaim to the world, and to angels and demons the mystery which was hidden for all the ages, but is now revealed in Christ through the Church! Amen. 



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