Ephesians 3:7

Ephesians 3:7. Whereof, of this gospel, I became a minister. The word was applied to a ‘servant,' and is several times so translated in the E. V. The word usually rendered ‘servant' (comp. Romans 1:1, etc.) suggests the personal relation to the master; this one the obligation to service. (Our word ‘deacon' is a corruption of the Greek term, which was the title of this class; comp. Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:8-12, and also Romans 16:1.)

According to the gift of the grace of God. The ‘gift' consisted of the ‘grace,' and this was doubtless the apostolic office. Comp. Ephesians 3:8. His becoming a minister of the gospel was in accordance with this gift of God's grace.

Which was given to me. The better established reading joins this with ‘grace,' not with ‘gift.' The sense is not altered, but tautology is avoided.

According to the working of his power. ‘ By' is incorrect. The clause belongs to ‘which was given to me' not to ‘became.' The giving was in accordance with God's efficiency, not with Paul's desert. Thus Saul became Paul; the persecuting Pharisee was transformed into the minister to the Gentiles.