Epistle
6
January 2018
The
Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ Ephesians 3:1-12
This is the reason that I Paul am a
prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles – for surely you have
already heard of the commission of God's grace that was given me for you, and
how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few
words, a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the
mystery of Christ. In former generations this mystery was not made known to
humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the
Spirit: that is, the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same
body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Of this
gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God's grace that was
given me by the working of his power. Although I am the very least of all the
saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the
boundless riches of Christ, and to make everyone see what is the plan of the
mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; so that through the
church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the
rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was in accordance with the
eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we
have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him.
Paul’s message is a reminder that the Gospel is for
Gentiles as well as Jews. That should be
rather obvious given that Paul is writing here to Gentiles. It is a fitting message as Epiphany is the
feast of the Manifestation of Jesus to the Gentiles. That is where the connection to this day
ends. There is something to this reading
that may be lost in the midst of Epiphany.
Paul pays a price for taking the Gospel to the Gentiles. In today’s world in which we don’t speak of “Jews
and Gentiles,” we should remember that what all this means is that in the
Epiphany, the revealing of Christ, all persons have access and a divine
invitation to the Kingdom. And when we
say that all persons are welcome, or rather than God has revealed the Kingdom
for the purpose of the salvation and inclusion of all, we mean it, chiefly
because God means it first.
Father Timothy+
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