Prisoner for Christ Jesus

One terrible night, I feared I would be arrested and taken to jail. There isn’t space here for the full story, but I’ll give a little background. My senior year of high school a co-worker invited me to go to the fair with him and one other guy. I lied to my parents about who I was going with. There is a lot that happened in between my lie and what culminated on our way home around midnight, but at a stoplight, a car that had been harassing us coming home pulled in front of us and stopped. Two guys with a baseball bat got out. One hit our windshield and the side window in the back where I was sitting. My co-worker and his friend got out wielding nun chucks. The threat scared the other two off, but before we could leave, the police arrived.

I had never been so scared in my life. I’d never been that close to violence, and I’d never had the police questioning me. All I could think of was being hauled off to jail, the police waking my parents, and me being caught in my lie. The police didn’t arrest any of us. They didn’t call my parents. My friend drove me home, and I confessed the entire night to my parents.

If the police had arrested us, they would’ve had just cause (even though I was a bystander). I did not walk up to the policeman, hold out my wrists, and offer to be handcuffed. Instead, I prayed silently, fast and furious, that I would not be taken to jail. I did not want to be a prisoner even if was just overnight. As we begin Ephesians 3 today, we will see how Paul was a voluntary prisoner and why.

For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— 2 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. 4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

7 Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. 8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. 13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory. [1]

Ephesians 3:1-13 (emphasis added)

Before we consider verse 1, I have a few notes on this section. It begins as a prayer (vs 1), but Paul breaks off to reemphasize previous truths and affirm his God-given authority to teach these truths (vs 2-13). Paul deemed this an important prelude to his prayer which he picked back up again in verse 14. In these verses, Paul also introduces “the mystery.” Regarding the mystery, John MacArthur breaks this section into five segments: 1) the mystery’s prisoner, 2) the mystery’s plan, 3) the preaching of the mystery, 4) the purpose of the mystery, and 5) the privileges of the mystery. This section helps us understand some of Paul’s character, and how he viewed his identity and mission through a God-perspective on his suffering and imprisonment.

Verse 1 reveals the mystery’s prisoner: “For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles.” “For this reason” – Paul points his readers back to what he had just written (vs 2:11-22). They were far off and without God. They had been brought near by Jesus’ blood. They, along with the Jewish people, had access to God. They were fellow citizens and members of God’s household. They were a holy temple in the Lord, being built into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. Paul repeated “For this reason” when he continues his prayer (vs 14).

Next, Paul identifies himself as a prisoner of Christ Jesus (vs 13; 4:1). With our youth group kiddos, we have been studying through the book of Acts. In Acts 21, Paul is arrested in the temple after Jews sought to lay hands on him. The Roman guards were about to flog Paul when Paul states he is a Roman citizen. From here, Paul goes through several trials and appearances and eventually appeals to Caesar (Nero). Neither the Roman Tribune, Felix the Governor, nor King Agrippa found fault with Paul especially anything deserving of death, but because Paul appealed to Caesar, they had to send him to Caesar, extending his imprisonment (Acts 21:27-28:16).

Paul was innocent. He should have and could have been released. Instead, he chose imprisonment. The prophet Agabus had prophesied that the Jews at Jerusalem would bind Paul’s hands and feet and deliver him to the Gentiles (vs 21:10-11). As his friends tried to persuade him not to go, Paul responded: “I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus” (vs 21:13). After Paul was arrested, the Lord stood by him and said: “Take courage, for as you have testified the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome” (vs 23:11).

From a human perspective, Paul was a prisoner of Rome, but Paul viewed himself as a prisoner of Christ Jesus, a prisoner for the Gospel. The form of the Greek phrase used here indicates that not only was Paul a prisoner of Christ Jesus, but Christ was the cause of his imprisonment. Paul knew God was sovereign. Just as Jesus’ betrayal, arrest, trials, suffering, and death were part of God’s sovereign, good purpose, so was Paul’s imprisonment. He did not belong to Rome; he belonged to Christ. Because he belonged to Christ, Paul was a willing prisoner held by Christ.

We learn a little more about Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus. He was a prisoner “on behalf of you Gentiles.” Paul was set apart by Jesus to carry Jesus’ name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel (Acts 9:15-16). He was not imprisoned because he sinned or broke human laws. He was a prisoner for his faithful obedience in preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles.

Paul’s imprisonment had purpose. He wrote to the Philippian church: “I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ” (Philippians 1:12-13). Because Paul was a willing prisoner of Christ Jesus, God opened doors for him to share the Gospel in Rome, with the imperial guards and others in the city.

We are prone to view trials and suffering as circumstances that have gone wrong. We grumble and complain. We get angry. We question God’s wisdom and goodness. Paul viewed his circumstances from a God-perspective. He knew who God was. He knew God was sovereign and faithful. He knew God was working all things for his good of conforming him to the image of Jesus and for God’s glory (Romans 8:28-29). He knew that he could rejoice in suffering knowing that suffering produced endurance, character, and a hope that does not put us to shame (Romans 5:3-5). He knew that his suffering was so that the life of Jesus would be manifested in him (2 Corinthians 2:8-11). He did not lose heart because he knew his imprisonment, suffering, and trials were light momentary afflictions compared to the eternal weight of glory to come (2 Corinthians 2:16-18).

Paul ended his speech before Agrippa with these words: “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am – except for these chains” (Acts 26:29). Paul gladly bore the human chains on his hands and feet because in Christ he had true freedom. He had life. He was willing to suffer for the sake of the Gospel. Those he stood before were the ones that were in chains, chains of eternal death.

Reflection

1.    If you are a prisoner to Christ, how is that evident in your life? What have you willingly sacrificed for the sake of the Gospel? Or what have you been unwilling to sacrifice?

2.    Paul had a God-perspective on his circumstances. He trusted God and His Word as he viewed his circumstances, trials, and suffering. Because he did, he remained faithful in his testimony. How do you view and respond to your circumstances, trials, and suffering?

3.    I’ve been re-reading New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp. This quote ties to our devotion today: “Your story isn’t an autobiography either. Your story is a biography of wisdom and grace written by another. Every turn he writes into your story is right. Every twist of the plot is for the best. Every new character or unexpected event is a tool of his grace. Each new chapter advances his purpose. “Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the Lord are right” (Hos. 14:9). It is almost a gross understatement to say that God’s ways are better. How could they not be? He is infinite in wisdom and grace!”[2]

Think of a current circumstance. How can you view a turn, plot twist, new character, unexpected event, or new chapter as a tool of God’s grace, His best, His good purpose? How does this change your perspective on your circumstance?

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Eph 3:1–13.

[2] Paul David Tripp. New Morning Mercies. https://books.apple.com/us/book/new-morning-mercies/id942657423