Ephesians 3:1-12

Epiphany - Years A, B, C

3:3 Mystery is used four times in this section. Originally a Greek military term from Ptolemaic Egypt, “mysteries” were plans drawn up by the royal family and kept secret even from the generals before battle. In Greco-Roman religious practice, “mysteries” were the secret information shared with initiates to lead them to immortality. In the Qumran scrolls, the word is used in connection with God’s wise providence, the mystery of salvation previously hidden in God but revealed to the Teacher. –NISB

Here is an interesting mystery: Paul’s commission of highlighting grace was given for others, for us as well as for others. It does seem to take a revelation behind our vocation for us not to measure ourselves and our work against the usual standards of the day. This insulates us from everything being about “me”. As we go where we go and do what we do, it turns out that we build up the community by our little part or we reduce community by our little part. One way of predicting which way it will go has to do with gifts we have been given. Give a gift away, whether gold, frankincense, or myrrh, and community is strengthened; others are included in. Keep a gift and its interest, and community is weakened; others are excluded.

This mystery is not about victory, eternity or prosperity. Mystery is about giving—giving a child, giving a safe trip to Egypt, giving gold/frankincense/myrrh, or giving grace. As we approach a day that is traditionally associated with giving, what will you give (not resolve to give, but actually give)?

As found in Wrestling Year A: Connecting Sunday Readings with Lived Experience

Paul as a child of the Magi (who knows whom they "visited" along the way):

Mystery was made known to me by revelation. Generations before the Magi, interpretation of mystery was not known. Now it is known that even before his birth the Gentiles knew of someone beyond kings, power, and privilege. This knowledge is worth a long and dangerous journey.

As a descendant of the Magi, I, too, have been given a gift — grace to share — no one is outside the boundless experience of grace. My responsibility for my gift of grace is to share it that it not remain a secret. A mystery continues, why did it took so long for us tackle service, offering oneÕs self, which opens a bold and confident access to creation and G*D.

As a seeker, a descendent of the Magi, a spiritual scientist, what gift is revealed in you and through you? Are you willing to give it away?

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2013/01/ephesians-31-12.html

Note from The New Interpreter's Study Bible:

[ 3:3 Mystery is used four times in this section. Originally a Greek military term from Ptolemaic Egypt, "mysteries" were plans drawn up by the royal family and kept secret even from the generals before battle. In Greco-Roman religious practice, "mysteries" were the secret information shared with initiates to lead them to immortality. In the Qumran scrolls, the word is used in connection with God's wise providence, the mystery of salvation previously hidden in God but revealed to the Teacher. ]

Here is an interesting mystery, Paul's commission of highlighting grace was given for others, for us, for others. It does seem to take a revelation so involved with our vocation that we don't measure ourselves and our work against the usual standards of the day. It is not a question of ending up with everything being about "me". We go where we go and do what we do and it turns out that we build up the community by our little part or we reduce community by our little part. One way of predicting which way it will go has to do with a gift we have been given. Give the gift away, whether gold, frankincense, or myrrh, and community is strengthened, others are included in. Keep a gift, and its interest, and community is weakened, others are excluded.

The mystery is not about victory, eternity or prosperity. Mystery is about giving — giving a child, giving a safe trip to Egypt, giving gold/frankincense/myrrh, or giving grace. As we approach a day that is traditionally associated with giving, what will you give (not resolve to give, but actually give)?

http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2005/january2005.html

There is still a passion to save souls that makes a huge difference in the energy of a congregation. While admitting that such energy has gone astray by emphasizing a passing on of accumulated cultural norms, the power that is available in the phrase, "for the sake of . . ." is amazing. A trick here is to have that desire be in relationship and a willingness to be as changed as one is looking for change in another. A one-way "for the sake of" becomes tyranny.

I'm not holding my breath for a congregation to claim the name of For the Sake of . . . Church, but I would hope that such a sentiment would be more imaginatively held by congregations than automatically forcing "Jesus" to be the ". . .". Usually we would say, for the sake of Christ we do . . . . Here we can say, for the sake of lesbians we will . . . , for the sake of immigrants we will . . . , for the sake those uncovered by health insurance we will . . . , and find this specificity to lead us to a larger community that receives and offers prevenient justice and redeems violence already committed.

There can be real and artificial humility in seeing oneself as "the least". A measure of it is how adamant one is about imposing guilt on another when they don't respond to what-I-have-done-for-their-sake. To simply be persistent in living/loving for another's sake is a worthy humility. To demand they act on our timeline turns that humility sour.

Paul reminds the Ephesians that they have access to G*D in boldness and confidence through faith in Jesus. That is one pole of the double great commandment – to boldly and confidently love G*D with all of one's heart, soul, mind, and strength.

The line about "for the sake of . . ." is our entry into the other pole – to boldly and confidently love our neighbor as we love our self. If we need to we can also ground this in having faith in Jesus.

Here Jesus again acts as a catalyst in binding our life to that that of G*D and Neighbor. It may be that faith is best seen as a catalyst that enters as leaves situations as trust.

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2008_01_01_archive.html

Is there a mystery in your life that would make you stand for the sake of someone ordinarily seen as outside the love of G*D? In this capitalist country it might be for the 99% or those with inadequate health insurance. In this patriarchal and narcissistic country it might be for same-gender marriage or immigrants.

Paul’s mystery would not let him go. Is it related to some “thorn” or “revelation”?

Paul’s mystery insisted, like an eagle with its claws in the back of his neck, on facing and sharing the “boundless”.

Paul’s mystery is every much as significant as tangible gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

And your mystery is too. May you face and share the boundless with the bound.

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2012/01/ephesians-31-12.html

The commission of passing on G*D’s grace is an important task.

To fulfill it takes a discerning eye. A sign is sighted indicating where hope is needed. Provisions for travel and a gift to be given are laid in. These acts take time and resources. We must be in the presence of another who is to receive our recognition and gift. When push comes to shove we have to actually let go of the gift we bring for it to truly be a gift. To hold strings that gold or grace must be used according to the givers direction directly negates the gift as gift.

When we have given our gift, we need to further act to protect the one who received the gift that they might grow into the gift, make it their own, and live/share it in their own way.

Being commissioned to gift, whether myrrh or mercy, is no easy commission with a rulebook for how to carry out your commission. We are either confident in our commission and able to freely give, or we are insecure and look around for the safest route.

May you implement your commission to gift frankincense and fairness.

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2014/01/ephesians-31-12.html