Ephesians 1

Tuesday, 28 June 2016

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,  Ephesians 1:3

This verse, although divided with periods in the English, is actually one continuous thought which ends at the close of verse 12. In the thought, he begins with the words, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The word “be” is inserted in the English for our clarity. And the word “blessed” is different than the word which is used in the beatitudes which is also translated as “blessed.” It is the word eulogétos, and it literally indicates, “worthy of praise.” It is where the term “eulogize,” or “eulogy” comes from. It is only used of God the Father and Christ (meaning God the Son). Thus it shows that the Godhead is worthy of all praise.

The term, “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” in no way negates the deity of Christ. In fact, it highlights it. As there is One God and He is the Father of Christ, then it shows that there is more to the character of God than just being a monad. Rather, it shows that the two are one, but are yet different persons within the Godhead. The Spirit, although not mentioned here, is the third member of the Godhead.

His next words are “who has blessed us.” The “us” is not referring to the world at large, because the world at large has not been blessed with the spiritual blessings which he will next refer to. Nor is it specifically speaking of the Gentiles, because Paul uses the term “us,” and he is a Jew. Therefore, “us” must be referring to “the saints” mentioned in verse 1, of whom Paul includes himself. All saints, meaning believers in Christ, are included in the words of this epistle which Paul now sets forth for us.

It is the saints of the ages who have been blessed “with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.” These spiritual blessings include peace with God, pardon from sin, redemption through the blood of Christ, adoption as sons of God, the sealing of the Holy Spirit, etc. These are those spiritual blessings that are unique to the follower of Jesus Christ.

The word “places” is not in the Greek, but is inserted for clarity by the translators. Rather, it says more literally, “in the heavenlies.” It can mean “heavenly places,” “heavenly things,” etc. The intent is that all that relates to heavenly matters (things related to or pertaining to heaven) is what the believer is endowed with. It is through the work of Christ that these things are made available, and are also guaranteed.

Paul will refer to these “heavenlies” five times in this epistle; in 1:3, 1:20, 2:6, 3:10, and 6:12. Nowhere else will he speak of such things using this particular form of the word. Thus, the letter of Ephesians is especially directed toward an understanding of the spiritual matters which lead to our heavenly inheritance because of our position “in Christ.”

From the moment that we call on Him, we are termed “in” Him, and the benefits to be derived from this exalted position will never be taken away. Paul will confirm this as he winds his way through the epistle. It is remarkable that the very tone of the entire epistle, that of “spiritual blessings,” is that which is highlighted at this introductory moment. His words will follow naturally and specifically from the words of this verse.

Life application: If you want to have a fuller understanding of our position in Christ, and the spiritual blessings which accompany that glorious state, stay tuned as we follow Paul’s thoughts through to the end of this marvelous letter.

O God, it is the most exciting thing to open Your word and to study it, finding the true intent of what You have revealed to us there. Help us to take each thing in context, to never manipulate the intent which You have set out for each verse, and to be careful stewards of this precious gift which You have bestowed us with. Grant us this so that we will never bring discredit upon Your word and thus upon You who have granted this word to us. Amen.

Monday, 27 June 2016

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:2

In his initial words of verse 1, Paul identified himself, his position as an apostle, his calling by the will of God, and to whom he was addressing. Now he gives the standard greeting which is found in most of his epistles, “Grace to you and peace to you.

Grace is unmerited favor which cannot be earned. This is the common greeting among the Greek people. Peace however is the common greeting among the Hebrew people. In their language, the word is shalom. This is more than a greeting for calm or quiet, but is a state of wholeness and completion in all ways. Paul unites the two terms just as the church is being united between Jew and Gentile during his time. This grace precedes the peace because only after receiving the grace of God can a person experience the peace of God.

Paul extends this wonderful blessing to them “from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” It is a greeting from the eternal God – both the unseen Father and His Son who reveals the Father to us. Rather than being an argument against the divinity of Jesus Christ, it is an argument for it. He is tying the two in as one – Jesus being a member of the Godhead. He is not making some type of great division, but a harmonious blending of the two.

Throughout Paul’s letters, as with the entire Bible, the deity of Jesus Christ is a concept and a precept which simply can’t be missed. It is the very heart of what God has done for the reconciliation of the people of the world.

Life application: Outside of God’s creation, which reveals Him in a general way, we cannot comprehend Him except through His special revelation. One way we receive special revelation is through the mouths of His prophets. But these prophets all testified to the same thing – Jesus Christ (John 5:39). The most magnificent special revelation of God that we have received is the incarnation of Jesus. But for us, even this isn’t sight, it is found in the testimony of those who have recorded what they knew into the New Testament. So, in order to understand God, one must know Jesus Christ, and one cannot understand Jesus Christ unless they know their Bible. Today’s life application…. know your Bible.

Heavenly Father, how grateful we are that we can fellowship with You personally. We can read Your word and know who You are. We can have personal talks with you as we pray in a quiet place or on a bustling city street. And we can feel Your presence as we attend church and fellowship with others, praising You and giving thanks to You for Your wonderful care of us. Thank You for allowing us to fellowship with You, O God, in such intimate ways. Amen.

Sunday, 26 June 2016

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God,
To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus: Ephesians 1:1

Welcome to the book of Ephesians! It is comprised of 155 verses, and so it will take us (one day at a time, just like your vitamins) about one half a year to analyze it. I hope you will be blessed as each day unfolds with new insights into this beautiful epistle from the mind of God and through the hand of Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles.

He begins by introducing himself right off the bat. The letter bears his name and though many have challenged the authenticity of his authorship in this and in all of his letters, there is no valid reason to suggest that he is not the true author. He is the Apostle to the Gentiles, and the letter is written to a Gentile-led church.

He next identifies his apostleship with the words, “an apostle of Jesus Christ.” He is a messenger of the Lord, having been called by Him personally to perform this weighty duty which has been so amazingly fruitful for the past two thousand years. This is his one claim to the authority of writing a letter of doctrine to them, and it is with this authority that he thus writes.

After this, he notes that his apostleship is “by the will of God.” This is the same phrase as is seen in 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Colossians, and 2 Timothy. It is what further defines his calling and which affirms his authority. It also is a note of humility in that he was selected, and therefore it was not of his own merits. Instead it was by the sovereign decision of God that he is so designated an apostle.

In his letter to the Romans, he gave a more formal declaration of his commission, and in Galatians the opening statement was considerably more direct and even abrupt. In other letters, the opening varies as well. The opening statement is given in each epistle to set the tone for the rest of the letter.

Finally, he states that the letter is written specifically “To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus.” They are to be the initial recipients of this beautiful letter of doctrine, and they are to be blessed with having been the first to read the subject matter of which Paul felt it necessary to put into writing for the instruction and edification of those in the church.

However, the intent of Paul’s letters is not that they would be read and then secreted away for only the Ephesians to refer to. Rather, the anticipation is that it would be circulated among the churches, having copies made and having sessions where the content could be repeated and analyzed. This is seen in the words, “…and faithful in Christ Jesus.” The Ephesians are the main addressee, but all who are faithful in Christ are also included in the words from Paul’s hand.

This is seen in the truth that we have, in fact, a copy of the letter before us now. It became well known enough to be considered for inclusion in the Bible, and its contents made it rightly selected for that same purpose. Each step of the process was guided by the Holy Spirit to ensure that we have the sure and perfect word of God to refer to.

Life application: As Paul wrote, he probably didn’t think that we would be reading his words two thousand years later, but the personal nature of the note includes us in the epistle nonetheless. It is a letter directed to each person as an individual who would pick it up and read it. Consider this as you read it, or truly any portion of Scripture.

Heavenly Father, it is so welcoming to know that Your word was written through the hands of the prophets and apostles, speaking to people thousands of years ago; and yet it was also written to each one of us who is willing to pick it up, read it, and cherish the content which comes directly from Your heart into our minds. Help us to hold it in reverence, to refer to it often, and to cherish the precepts that it contains. Help us in this, O God! Amen.