EPHESIANS CHAPTER 3

MacCorkle's Full Outline and Bible Translation Text
From: God’s Special Secret

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(Douglas B. MacCorkle [1])

Dr. MacCorkle’s personal translation is distinguished by a designed slant toward basic exegesis. He intends that a smooth reading style might at times be sacrificed for greater literary accuracy and for the greater prominence of contexts. This makes it a study translation. It is both expanded (includes interpretive helps, and exegetical (explanative) or even an expository (describes and informs) translation. It does not violate an accurate literal understanding of the text. Dr. MacCorkle writes, “We hope all of our alleged biases are clearly stated without apology so that readers may make their own evaluations, under the Holy Spirit and the correlated Word of God….”


I.         CHAPTER THREE - The Church As God's Top Secret

A.        The Description of the Original Gift of the Secret 3:1-5

1.        The Description is Related to a Special People 3:1

2.        The Description is Related to a Special Dispensation 3:2

3.        The Description is Related to a Special Revelation 3:3

4.        The Description is Related to Christ's Special Secret 3:4

5.        The Description is Related to the Spirit's Contemporary Ministry 3:5

1 By reason of this new creation I, Paul, am the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the benefit of you Gentiles. 2 You certainly have heard about the dispensation springing from the grace of God that was given to me with you in mind. 3 That this secret was made known to me by revelation as I wrote briefly above. 4 So when you read it you can perceive my insight into Christ's special secret. 5 This secret was not made known to the sons of men in other generations, al it has been revealed by the Spirit just now, in this generation, to His set apart apostles and prophets.

B.        Definition of the Revealed Secret 3:6-13

1.        The Secret is the Promise in Christ Through the Good News 3:6

2.        The Secret is an Operation of Grace and Power that Includes the Gentiles 3:7-8

3.        The Secret is to be Dispensed Now that it has been Revealed 3:9-12

4.        The Secret is on Trial that its Benefits may Display its Brilliance 3:13

6 The secret is this — the Gentiles are to be fellow heirs, fellow members of the Body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the good news. 7 I was made an administrator of this good news in accord with the gift springing from God's grace. This gift was given to me to correspond with the internal operation of His power. 8 This special grace was given to me, the very least all the set apart ones. It was given: first, to proclaim to the Gentiles the good news about the untrackable wealth of Christ. 9 Second, to inform all men as to what the dispensation of this secret is, which stood hidden from the people of the ages in God — Who created all things. 10 God's ultimate purpose in this is that the colorful spectrum of God's wisdom might be made known to the governments and the authorities in the heavenly places through the agency of the Church. 11 This is compatible with the purpose for the ages which He designed and has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 We are enjoying freedom of speech and confident access to God in Him through His faithfulness. 13 This is the reason I am asking you not to lose heart over my trials on your behalf, seeing they are in your honor.

C.        The Dynamic of the Open Sacred Secret 3:14-21

1.        Basic Statement of the Father's Control 3:14-15

a)        The Cause Resident in the Long-Concealed Secret 3:14a

b)        The Attitude of the Dispensing Steward 3:14b

c)         The Jurisdiction of the Father 3:15

14 For this cause I bend my knees toward the Father, 15 from Whom every family in heaven and on earth is named.

2.        Basic Holy Spirit Dynamism in the Inner Man 3:16-17

a)        A Legitimate Object of Intercessory Prayer 3:16a

b)        A Primary Spiritual Need 3:16b

c)         A Divine Spiritual Operation 3:16c

d)        A Divine Standard for Enablement 3:16

e)        A Divine Settlement of Believers' Hearts 1:17a

f)          A Divine Soil of Godly Love to Stand In 3:17b

 

16 I pray that He might cause you all to be strengthened with power by means of His Spirit's operation in the inner man — all in a manner equal to the wealth of His glory — 17 so that Christ may develop His home in your hearts through faith, as you stand rooted and grounded in godly love.

3.        Basic Statement of Spiritual Purpose Involved 3:18-19

a)        Believers to be Strengthened to Grasp the Dimensions of this New System of Divine Grace 3:18

b)        The Need to be Strong

c)         The Four Dimensions of Grace

18 The purpose is: first, that you, with all set apart people, might be strong enough to grasp for yourself what is the breadth, length, depth, and height.

 

D.        Believers to Come to Know the Fullness God Provides for All 3:19

1.        Knowledge-excelling Love of Christ for Us

2.        Heart-filling Fullness from God

19 Second, that you all might come to experience the knowledge-excelling love of Christ for us. Third, that you all might be filled up to all the fullness God provides.

E.        Basic Salute to the Father's Brilliant Execution of His Purposes 3:20-21

1.        His Unlimited Capacity 3:20

2.        His Unending Glory 3:21

 20 Now to Him Who is able to work in a way that is beyond all measurement, even far beyond everything we ask or consider asking, in keeping with His power which operates among us, 21 to Him be the glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus into all the generations of eternity. Amen!


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[1] The Writings of Douglas B. MacCorkle

Dr. MacCorkle's Books and Study materials in this series are made available here free, through the generosity of Judith and Ray Naugle, and may be copied for use in Bible study groups, in limited numbers, providing that no charge is made for them.  No further distribution or use of these materials is allowable under U.S. or International Copyright Law without express permission. 

The Outline and Expanded Translation Text presented in this study is from Dr. MacCorkle's God's Special Secret - The Case Paul Argues in the Epistle to the Ephesians, Copyright 1993 by Douglas B. MacCorkle. Printed and bound in the United States of America. Published by the not-for-profit MacCorkle bible Ministries, Inc. Books, P.O. Box 320909, Cocoa Beach, Fl. 32932-0909. 

God's Own VIPS,  - How God uses Election, Foreknowledge, Predestination, Calling, Justification, and Glorification for our good. Copyright 1987 by Douglas B. MacCorkle. MacCorkle Bible Ministries, Inc., Printed in the United States of America. Published by the not-for-profit MacCorkle Bible Ministries, Inc. Books. P.O. 320909, Cocoa Beach, Fl 32932-0909. The complete text of God's Own VIPS is available on this website. 

Prophetic Peaks, Exposition of the Olivet Discourse. Copyright 1968 by Douglas B. MacCorkle. Third Printing 1972. Printed by Careers with Christ Press, Philadelphia College of Bible, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Printed in the United States of America. Published by the not-for-profit MacCorkle Bible Ministries, Inc. Books. P.O. 320909, Cocoa Beach, Fl 32932-0909. The complete text of Prophetic Peaks is available on this website. 

Additional copies of Dr. MacCorkle's books are available from Judy Naugle, 2201 Harmony Hill Dr, Lancaster PA  17601


The Book of Ephesians, Bible Study, J. Deering, AncientPath.net, study materials are a ministry of AncientPath.net, and may be copied for use in Bible study groups, in limited numbers, providing that no charge is made for them.  No further distribution or use of these materials is allowable under U.S. or International Copyright Law without the express permission of AncientPath.net. ©2014 AncientPath.net, All rights reserved.


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2025-01-02 update