QT 07/03/2025 Fri. Ephesians 3:1–13. Big shock to outsiders. 带给外邦人的巨大震惊。

QT 07/03/2025 Fri. Ephesians 3:1–13. Big shock to outsiders.
READ http://www.esvbible.org/eph3:1-13

First, the big shock was that the Gentiles are to be included in this new body through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 3:6 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. (ESV)

Animosity runs deep, runs wide and runs long? Segregation extended not only to different areas of social activity and worship, it also extended to the segregation of non-visitation between neighbours and even separate restrooms and toilets. The idea of "you are prohibited" and "you are unclean" ran deep in history. But Paul now revealed the mystery of long ago that God's ultimate intention was for Gentiles to stand in the same standing as "fellow heirs", same quality of membership and enjoying the promises of God through Jesus Christ in the same degree.

The second shock was that the lead proponent of this News was none other than "the very least of all the saints" (3:8)—Paul himself. He was on the other side of the fence to the greatest degree—opposing believers of Jesus Christ to their death. Yet God in His sovereign choice chose Paul "to bring light for everyone" (3:9), not only to Jews.

Ephesians 3:9–13 [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. (ESV)

The third shock relates to the choice of instrument to bring this about—it would be "through the church" (3:10). Much negatives had been said of the church—(1) they made the mistake of claiming that the centre of the universe was the earth (geocentric model). Even though humans were important to God's creation, it did not mean that their residence (the planet earth) was at the centre of the universe. (2) Not only that, Copernicus in the 16th Century proposed that the earth was not even the centre of the Solar System, let alone the universe. This proposal was endorsed by other astronomers like Galileo and Kepler and led to the founding of modern astronomy. (3) The church Crusades of the 11th to 13th century led to much killings in their attempt to take the Holy City back, interpreting the future Jerusalem as the same physical one as in the Holy Land, without clear spiritual benefits. (4) I guess you yourselves can add to the myriad of shortcomings of the church.

Yet the LORD chose no other organisations to fulfill this plan of His. Jesus Christ chose the Twelve, which were people that would never be considered by any scholarship awarding committee in any reputable institution today—they do not have grades to show nor were they "certified professionals". In the same vein, Jesus commissioned the church, who would make known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places this manifold wisdom of God (3:10).

REFLECTION: That last shock is that believers like you and I might see no kick in this high calling, privilege and responsibility. Let us, the church, carry out this hidden for ages mystery of God, won't we?

QT 07/03/2025 星期五. 以弗所书3:1–13 带给外邦人的巨大震惊。
阅读 http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/eph/03

首先，外邦人将通过耶稣基督的福音被纳入这个新的肢体，这一点让人大跌眼镜。

以弗所书 3:6 这奥秘就是外族人在基督耶稣里，借着福音可以同作后嗣，同为一体，同蒙应许。

敌意在历史上源远流长。隔离不仅延伸到不同的社会活动和敬拜领域，还延伸到邻里之间的互不来往，甚至是单独的洗手间和厕所。"你们是被禁止的" 和 "你们是不洁净的" 这种观念在历史上根深蒂固。但保罗现在揭示了很久以前的奥秘，即上帝的最终意图是让外邦人站在 “同作后嗣” 的同等地位上，拥有同等的成员资格，并通过耶稣基督在同等程度上享受上帝的应许。

第二个令人震惊的是，这个消息的主要倡导者不是别人，正是 “比圣徒中最小的还小”（3:8）的那一位--保罗本人。他在最大程度上站在了栅栏的另一侧--反对耶稣基督的信徒们要他们去死。然而，神以祂的主权选择了保罗，“使众人明白那奥秘” (3:9)， 为众人带来亮光，而不仅仅是为犹太人。

以弗所书 3：9-13 并且使众人明白那奥秘的救世计划是什么（这奥秘是历代以来隐藏在创造万有的　神里面的），10 为了要使天上执政的和掌权的，现在借着教会都可以知道　神各样的智慧。11 这都是照着　神在我们主基督耶稣里所成就的永恒的旨意。12 我们因信基督，就在他里面坦然无惧，满有把握地进到　神面前。13 因此，我恳求你们，不要因着我为你们所受的苦难而沮丧，这原是你们的光荣。

第三个冲击是关于实现这一目标的工具的选择--“借着教会”（3:10）。对教会的负面评价很多--（1）他们错误地宣称宇宙的中心是地球（地心模式）。尽管人类对上帝的创造很重要，但这并不意味着他们的居所（地球）就是宇宙的中心。(2) 不仅如此，哥白尼在 16 世纪提出，地球甚至不是太阳系的中心，更不用说宇宙的中心了（日心说模式）。这一提议得到了伽利略和开普勒等其他天文学家的赞同，并导致了现代天文学的创立。(3) 11 至 13 世纪的十字军东征导致了大量杀戮，他们试图夺回圣城，将未来的耶路撒冷解释为与圣地一样的实体耶路撒冷，而没有明确的属灵利益。(4) 我想你们自己也可以为教会的无数缺点添砖加瓦。

然而，耶和华没有选择其他组织来实现祂的这一计划。耶稣基督拣选了十二个人，而这十二个人是今天任何著名机构的奖学金评定委员会都不会考虑的--他们没有成绩，也不是 “经过认证的专业人士”。同样的，耶稣委托教会向天上执政的和掌权的宣传神 百般的智慧（3：10）。

反思：最后的震惊是，你我信徒们可能都没有看到这个崇高的呼召、特权和责任，也不在乎呢。让我们教会来执行上帝这个隐藏多年的奥秘，好吗？