Author: Charlie Garrett

Sunday, 7 August 2016

…having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, Ephesians 2:20

Paul now more fully develops the words of the previous verse which noted that the Gentiles are now “members of the household of God.” This household is being built into an edifice. The nature of the edifice will be explained in the next verse, but for now it is noted that this household was “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets.”

The meaning of these words is generally taken as the Old Testament prophets and the apostles, but this is not the full sense of the words. First, if this were so, it would have reversed the order saying, “…the prophets and apostles.” Secondly, Paul uses this same term two more times in this same epistle –

“…which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:” Ephesians 3:5

&

“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers…” Ephesians 4:11

The edifice which is being built is upon a foundation of these two categories. As apostles are a New Covenant concept, they are in the preeminent place, being noted first. However, it would be incorrect to assume that only New Covenant prophets are being designated here by Paul as will be seen.

But this brings in a seeming contradiction to 1 Corinthians 3:11 –

“For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

In that verse, Paul calls Jesus Christ the foundation. How can this be resolved? It becomes discernible by Jesus’ words in Matthew 16:18 –

“And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”

In that verse, Jesus was not referring to Peter as the rock (meaning the foundation). The words of the verse do not agree in gender, and thus it is not Peter who is being referred to. Rather, it is the proclamation that Peter had made in a preceding verse –

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:16

Peter’s declaration that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah) is what the church is built on. Understanding this, the words of Paul become clear. The term “apostles and prophets” is not speaking of the individuals, but rather the proclamation of the individuals. The proclamation of the apostles, and the prophets (of any age) whose words point to Jesus as the Messiah, are what Paul is referring to. The prophets of old anticipated Christ Jesus; the prophets of the church expound upon this truth. Therefore, there is no need to exclude the OT prophets from this verse, even though that is not an unrealistic possibility.

Next Paul says that, “Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone.” This is a concept which goes back to the 118^th Psalm –

“The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.” Psalm 118:22

Jesus ascribed this verse in the psalms to Himself in each of the three synoptic gospels. Peter referred to it in Acts 4:11, and a similar OT verse, which is found in Isaiah 28:16 is used by Peter in 1 Peter 2:6, 7. Paul also refers to this stone in Romans 9:33.

The cornerstone of a building is considered the most important of all. It is the first laid and it is that upon which all else is built. Everything else rests upon its surety as a foundation stone. This stone is that which is most honorable therefore, and it is that which is most evident. Such is Christ in the edifice which God is building.

The chief cornerstone is Christ, and the foundation is the proclamation concerning Christ. From there, everything else will find its proper place within the edifice.

As a final side note, if Peter were the foundation of the church as Roman Catholics incorrectly claim from a misinterpretation and misuse of Matthew 16:18, then Paul would have at least mentioned him in a separate category here. He does not. Peter was one of a select group, but by no means was he elevated to any high place or honor among them.

Life application: Verses like this one need to be carefully considered in order to avoid misinterpretation of them. This verse has been used by some to allege there is a contradiction in Scripture, something which is incorrect. It has also been used by nutty people to make unfounded claims that they are prophets of God, and thus a more important part of the church than others. Again, this is something which is incorrect. It is Christ who alone is to be elevated in the church, and His word is free of contradiction.

Heavenly Father, as we contemplate the marvel of Your creation, how can we come to any other conclusion than that everything is perfectly arranged and everything is interconnected by Your wisdom. All things are leading to a marvelous reconciliation of what You originally intended for Your people. Each thing that occurs brings us a step closer to that coming about. Even the things which seem evil are being used by You for a good end. Your word tells us it is so, and the progression of time and history reveals it to be true. Thank You that all things are coming to a wonderful time of reconciliation and restoration because of Jesus the Lord! Amen.

Saturday, 6 August 2016

Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, Ephesians 2:19

These words take us back to verse 12 –

“…that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.”

After that, Paul explained how both Jew and Gentile have been united into one fellowship. In further explanation of that, he says, “Now therefore…” It is a summary idea of what has been explained in those preceding verses.

He then follows with, “…you are no longer strangers and foreigners.” The word for “stranger” signifies “an alien.” The word “foreigners” is more closely aligned with someone who lives in an area, but is not a member of the culture of that area. Abraham, for example, lived in Canaan. However, he was not a Canaanite. Instead he was a pilgrim or a sojourner. He had free movement in the land and was friendly with those of Canaan, but he could not really have been called a citizen as they were.

Next Paul gives the contrasting thoughts by stating the word “but.” Instead of being apart from the commonwealth of Israel as strangers and foreigners, the Gentiles are now “citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.” We have been brought into that commonwealth, and we have full rights as citizens of the nation, and we have full membership in the household of God. The contrast is seen in the two words of each category. Those who were “aliens” now have citizenship; those who were sojourners now have a household.

Through the work of Christ, all people are entitled to these benefits if they will but reach out and receive what He has done.

Life application: Paul’s words again show us that through the work of Christ, we have a new status. He doesn’t say that we now have the right to citizenship (as if it is something future and which could be lost), nor does he say that we now are accepted in order to be welcomed into God’s household (as if we could do something which would cause that door to be shut). Rather, he states that the transaction is complete in Christ. The deal is done!

Lord God, Your word tells us that because of what Christ did, we are brought into full citizenship with the saints. We too now share in the commonwealth of Israel. Your word also says that we are now members of Your household. Our sojourning is over and we have come home to You. Help us to keep this in mind as we pass through this life which continues to seem contrary to that. The world truly is not our home. We have come to the heavenly Mount Zion and are destined for eternal glory because of Christ  our Lord. Amen!

Friday, 5 August 2016

For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. Ephesians 2:18

This is one of the “Trinitarian” verses found in Paul’s writings. Here we have the work of Christ which results in our being conducted by the Spirit into the presence of the Father. Access to the Father is the subject of the verse. There is an emphatic structure in the sentence – “Through Him we have the access, both of us in one Spirit, to the Father” (Charles Ellicott).

It is through the work of Christ that both Jew and Gentile are granted this access. In reception of His work, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13, 14) and thus the access becomes assured. The word for “access” is prosagógé. It means to “come towards (near); have access (approach), with intimate (face-to-face) interaction (note the prefix pros). All three occasions of prosagōgḗ (‘interactive access’) refer to ‘having audience (direct access) with God’ (J. B. Lightfoot, MM)” (HELPS Words Studies).

The word is a technical one which gives the idea of being conducted into the presence of royalty. When this occurs, it is through a trusted officer of that court. In this case, it is the Holy Spirit who testifies that, “This one is mine; he has received the work of Christ and is now allowed full and unfettered access.”

This concept fully supports the words of Jesus in John 14:6. He is the way to obtaining access, and there is no other way. Through His work, we are granted this right.

Life application: If you are in a slump and feel that God has left you, come back to Ephesians and read what Christ has done for you. In your reception of Him and His work, you are sealed with the Spirit of promise and you are granted full access to the throne of grace. Lift yourself up and press on with the full assurance that you were, are, and will continue to be accepted by Him.

Lord God, Your word says that when we receive the work of Christ, we are granted the seal of assurance that we belong to You. The Spirit of promise is sealed upon us, and He conducts us to Your very presence when we need to come to You with our prayers and petitions. What an honor! What a blessing! You have given us everything to stand approved in Your royal court. Thank You for what You have done. Praises and honor and glory and power belong to our God. Amen.

Thursday, 4 August 2016

And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. Ephesians 2:17

The word “He” here is speaking of Christ Jesus, and yet, it cannot be said that Christ “preached peace” directly to the Gentiles, represented here by the Ephesians. He had ascended to the Father by this time. And so we see the Oneness of God hinted at in the Trinity. It is the Holy Spirit who transmitted the message (and continues to do so through the word) after Christ’s ascension. Jesus even spoke of this to the disciples concerning His peace –

“These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. ²⁶ But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. ²⁷ Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:25-27

Therefore, though it is the Holy Spirit who is directly speaking, it is still in Christ Jesus’ name that He does so. Understanding this, we see that “He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.” The word “peace” is eiréné. It properly means, “wholeness, i.e. when all essential parts are joined together; peace (God’s gift of wholeness)” (HELPS Word Studies). In other words, the peace here speaks of our being reconciled to God. There is no longer a state of enmity between the two parties. Instead, there is peace.

Those “who were afar off” is speaking of the Gentiles; “those who were near” is speaking of the Jews. This is a quote from Isaiah 57:19 –

“I create the fruit of the lips:
Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near,”
Says the Lord,
“And I will heal him.”

A few things are of interest in this. One is that the Gentiles are mentioned first. This points to the scope of the “peace” which has come through Christ. The number of Gentiles far exceeds that of the Jews. Though the message is “to the Jew first” in chronology, it is the opposite in scope. Secondly, the fact that “peace” was preached to the Jews signifies that until the work of Christ was complete, the enmity between God and Jew still existed. The work of Christ was anticipated in the rituals of Israel, but the peace truly only came when that which was anticipated was fully accomplished. The repetition of “peace” toward both Jew and Gentile shows this to be true. This peace is not only something realized between Jew and Gentile (as verses 11 & 12 show), but it is also peace between each category and a third party, meaning God.

Life application: People want to believe that they are at peace with God through their good attitude, charities, etc. This is a lie. The only way to have peace with God is through accepting the work of Jesus Christ as Lord. The most moral, decent, and giving person in human history is no closer to God without Jesus than the greatest sinner of all. Only Christ! Only Christ can bring the peace we need. Spread the word!

Lord God, the world speaks of “having peace with God” because of having a good attitude, being a nice person, giving away things to charity, and the like. It is as if we can buy Your love through our efforts. But Your word shows this to be untrue. We have no peace with You because we already have sin which puts up a wall between us. You took care of that sin-debt on Jesus’ cross. Only through His shed blood can we get the sin-debt out of the way. Help us to think this through and to first be reconciled to You. And then our relationship really begins. Help us to not miss this most important point. Thank You for Jesus and His cross! Amen.

Wednesday, 3 August 2016

…and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. Ephesians 2:16

This verse explains and builds on the thought of the previous verse. Together they read –

“…having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶ and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.”

The “one new man” of verse 15 precedes the thought of reconciliation which is given in verse 16 in the order of Paul’s statement; but actually the reconciliation comes first, thus the new man is created. The verb from which “reconcile” comes is apokatallassó. It is used only here and in Colossians 1:20 and 1:22. It means more than bringing about conciliation, but reconciliation. In other words, there was once unity, but that was lost. Now in Christ, and through His cross, there is harmony once again. As Vincent’s Word Studies Notes, “This brings out the profound idea, which so especially characterizes these Epistles, of a primeval unity of all created being in Christ, marred and broken by sin, and restored by His manifestation in human flesh.”

The Pulpit Commentary shows this thought in a marvelous way. They say, “If Christ had only to proclaim God’s friendship toward sinners, why should he have suffered on the cross? The cross as a mere pulpit is hideous; as an altar it is glorious.” In other words, God didn’t just proclaim reconciliation to fallen man as with a trumpet, but as an offering. In the crucified body of Christ, the enmity that existed has ended.

It needs to be remembered that this enmity is speaking first and foremost of that which existed between Jew and Gentile.  It is true that the cross does this between God and man, and this will be noted in the coming verse in exactly this context, but it was the Jew who had access to God through the temple worship. Now, the cross of Christ offers it to all. The “middle wall of separation” no longer stands between Jew and Gentile. The enmity which existed is put to death.

Life application: Do you have a secret prejudice or bias against a person of a certain color or national heritage? If so, you are not seeing that person as God does. All people are descended from one man, Adam. Thus all are related. Now, in Christ, there is even more reason to not have enmity towards such a person. If they are “in Christ,” they are truly one with you in Christ as well. Put away your prejudices and see your fellow Christians as true brothers in the Lord.

Heavenly Father, Christ Jesus came to give His life a ransom for many. This includes people of every nation, tribe, and tongue. If He has done this for all of these categories, then why should we be dividing up our love by those same categories? Rather, help us to see humanity with Your eyes. Help us to reach across all barriers in love, sharing the message of Christ with any and all who will but receive it. Amen.