Ephesians 3:7-8
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. 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,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Paul's ministry wasn't about his own strength or qualifications, but was entirely dependent on God's gracious enablement. The "working of His power" wasn't just a general force, but specifically the dynamic energy that transformed him from a persecutor into the apostle to the Gentiles. This highlights that God’s equipping is always a supernatural work, not a human achievement.
Paul is explaining his unique role as an apostle to the Gentiles, emphasizing that this calling wasn't based on his own merit but was a divine appointment. He's detailing how God's grace and power transformed him from a persecutor into a minister of the very gospel he once opposed, setting the stage for his profound prayer in the following verses.
Paul wasn't born an apostle; he was made one. How did his past as a persecutor shape this monumental calling?
Paul declares he was "made a minister" of the gospel. This wasn't a job he applied for or earned. It was a divine appointment. He emphasizes that this ministry came to him "according to the gift of God’s grace."
Think about who Paul was before this. He was actively trying to destroy the church! His transformation from Saul the persecutor to Paul the apostle is a testament to God’s grace completely overriding human merit or past actions. This wasn't about Paul's own potential; it was about God's unmerited favor at work.
Paul’s ministry wasn't just a gift; it was powered by an incredible force. What does this 'working of his power' mean for us today?
The verse doesn't just say the gift was given; it specifies how it was given: 'by the working of his power.' This points to God’s active, dynamic energy. It wasn’t a passive endowment but an ongoing, powerful impartation.
This means Paul’s effectiveness as an apostle wasn’t reliant on his own strength or natural abilities. It was God’s power flowing through him. The same divine energy that transformed him and empowered his ministry is available to believers today for whatever God calls them to do.
Understand the original words
diakonos · Greek Noun
One who serves, specifically an appointed servant of the gospel or the church, emphasizing humble service under the authority of Christ.
charis · Greek Noun
The unmerited, gracious favor of God, whereby He bestows blessings and salvation upon those who deserve judgment.
hagios · Greek Noun/Adjective
Those set apart for God; a common New Testament designation for all true believers who have been sanctified and belong to Christ.
Paul's self-understanding as an apostle wasn't based on his own merit or prior standing, but on a direct divine appointment and the overwhelming power of God that transformed him from a persecutor to a preacher of the very gospel he once fought against.
c. AD 34— this verse
Saul's Conversion
Saul of Tarsus, a fervent persecutor of early Christians, has a dramatic encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus, leading to his radical conversion and calling to be an apostle to the Gentiles.
c. AD 34-37
Paul's Early Ministry and Retreat
Following his conversion, Saul (now Paul) spends time in Arabia and Damascus before traveling to Jerusalem. He later retreats to Tarsus, his hometown, for a period of several years, likely continuing to develop his understanding of the gospel and his calling.
c. AD 46-48
First Missionary Journey
Barnabas and Paul embark on their first major missionary journey, traveling through Cyprus and Asia Minor, establishing churches among both Jewish and Gentile communities and facing significant opposition.
c. AD 49
Jerusalem Council
A pivotal council convenes in Jerusalem to address the issue of Gentile inclusion in the church, particularly whether they must follow Jewish law. The apostles affirm that salvation comes through grace by faith, not by adherence to the Law, validating Paul's ministry to the Gentiles.
Paul directly recounts his transformation and ministry, stating 'I am the least of the apostles... but by the grace of God I am what I am,' which echoes the sentiment of being made a minister by God's grace and power.
Galatians 1:15-16Paul explains that God revealed His Son in him so that he might preach Christ among the Gentiles, highlighting how his apostleship was a divine appointment by grace, not human effort.
Colossians 1:29This passage describes Paul's ministry as a struggle and work energized by Christ's power working within him, mirroring the 'effectual working of his power' mentioned in Ephesians.
2 Corinthians 4:7Paul uses the analogy of having a treasure in earthen vessels to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us, emphasizing that his ministry's effectiveness comes from God's power, not his own.
cambridgeEphesians 3:7: "Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power."
7 . a minister ] Diâconos , a worker, helper. Cp. Colossians 1:23 . The word implies activity and subordination.—“I” here is not emphatic. according to the gift , &c.] See above on Ephesians 3:2 . The “gift” includes the commission and the inspiration. His “ministry,” both in field and in effect, was “according to” this great gift. given ] I.e. (by the b…
vincentEphesians 3:7: "Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power."
Gift of the graceThe gift in which the grace of God consisted, the apostleship to the Gentiles.By the effectual working of His power (κατὰ τὴν ἐνέργειαν τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ)Rev., better, according to the working, etc. The gift was bestowed in accordance with that efficiency which could transform Saul the persecutor into Paul the apostle to the Gen…
Paul's ministry wasn't about his own strength or qualifications, but was entirely dependent on God's gracious enablement. The "working of His power" wasn't just a general force, but specifically the dynamic energy that transformed him from a persecutor into the apostle to the Gentiles. This highlights that God’s equipping is always a supernatural work, not a human achievement.
Paul is explaining his unique role as an apostle to the Gentiles, emphasizing that this calling wasn't based on his own merit but was a divine appointment. He's detailing how God's grace and power transformed him from a persecutor into a minister of the very gospel he once opposed, setting the stage for his profound prayer in the following verses.
Paul is explaining his unique role as an apostle to the Gentiles, emphasizing that this calling wasn't based on his own merit but was a divine appointment. He's detailing how God's grace and power transformed him from a persecutor into a minister of the very gospel he once opposed, setting the stage for his profound prayer in the following verses.
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c. AD 50-52
Second Missionary Journey
Paul, accompanied by Silas, travels extensively through Asia Minor and into Greece, founding churches in cities like Philippi, Thessalonica, and Corinth, and continuing his work of spreading the gospel to the Gentiles.
c. AD 53-57
Third Missionary Journey
Paul spends an extended period in Ephesus, a major center in Asia Minor, where he further establishes the church and confronts pagan practices. He continues his ministry, reinforcing churches throughout the region.
c. AD 60-62
Paul's Imprisonment in Rome
Paul is arrested in Jerusalem and eventually sent to Rome to stand trial. During his house arrest, he continues to write letters, including Ephesians, to guide and encourage the churches he established.
"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. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchabl…" — Paul's ministry wasn't about his own strength or qualifications, but was entirely dependent on God's gracious enablement. The "working of His power" wasn't just a general force, but specifically the…
