We move from the Ephesians chapter 2 overview to verses 1-2, where it is revealed how we, once dead in our trespasses, were made alive in Christ, breaking free from the dominion of “.” This passage unveils the astonishing reality of our salvation.

Ephesians 2: 1 – 10

1 At one time you were dead in your sins and evil actions, 2 living your lives according to the ways of the world, under the control of the devil,* whose spirit is at work in those who disobey God. 3 All of us were once like that, our behaviour determined by the desires of our sinful human nature and our evil way of thinking. Like everyone else, in our nature, we were children of anger.*

4 But God in his generous mercy, because of the amazing love he had for us 5 even while we were dead in our sins, has made us alive together with Christ. Trusting in him has saved you! 6 He raised us up with Christ, and in Christ Jesus seated us with him in heaven, 7 so that in all eternity to come he could demonstrate the amazing extent of his grace in showing us kindness through Christ Jesus. 8 For you’ve been saved by grace through trusting in him—it’s not through yourselves, it’s the gift of God! 9 This has nothing to do with human effort, so don’t be proud of yourselves. 10 We’re the product of what God does, created in Christ Jesus to do good, which God already planned that we should do.

Then and Now

Then – You

1 “At one time you were”

Stepping through verses 1 -10, we can see Paul start to unpack everything he outlined in chapter 1. He will do this with particular reference to the believer’s relationship to it before and after being in Christ (Him). He will begin by addressing the Gentiles (“you” or you plural—y’all) as a group.

Zombies (The living dead)

“dead in your sins and evil actions,” 

Notice how death and sin go together. This puts pay to the idea that sin is just our mistakes. God is not overreacting here. We cannot trivialise sin. This is not God descending into barbarism. We know from the Garden of Eden that we were made to reflect God. Both male and female are His image. He is the source of life, true joy, peace, hope and love. Rejecting all that leaves nothing but death to be reflected. When we don’t choose God we, by definition, choose death and corruption. The fact that it does not feel like death is simply a reflection that we prefer to delude ourselves and be deceived. We cannot reflect corruption and life at the same time.

We cannot follow a path of rebellion (sin) in opposition to the path of life, and expect life. How can we expect life if we actively repel against the source of life? If we are not doing what we are made to do, by definition, we are dead. Sin is not just us being fallible it is terminal. If we turn away from the source of life then, by definition, we are choosing to turn to death. Life without God is not living. As soon as we don’t choose God this is a sign that we are choosing corruption and death. 

This is the state of the whole human race. This is not pessimistic; it is good news because we now have a diagnosis. With a correct diagnosis, we can treat the disease. 

The Road Y’all Used To Travel

2. “living your lives according to the ways of the world [ or the Present Age], under the control of the devil [ The Greek here literally says, “the ruler of the power of the air.” – Ed.],* whose spirit is at work in those who disobey God.” 

This verse introduces us to two key elements of Paul’s message to believers:

• Two distinct ages. Places in time and space. You could even call them different dimensions.

And 

• The Power of the Air. The Unseen Ruler of the present age.

Two Ages

“ways of the world” [ or the Present Age]

To Paul, there are two ages. 

1. This present age and the age to come. 
2. This present age is the age of choice. 

The coming age is the age when God sets all things right. But it is not as simple as one or the other. Because, through Jesus, for those of us who are in Him, the age to come has broken through (More on that to come). 

Which age shall we live in? 

If we choose this age we choose the path of death. 

If we choose the age to come we choose the path of life, where all things will be put right.

However, we do not have to choose. Through Jesus, we can live in the new age even though we still live in this present age because Jesus has defeated the powers of this world.

The Power of The Air

The Power of The Air: In Step With Destruction 

This should be very disturbing! Paul is saying that by using our neighbours as the benchmark to live by the world’s standard or use it as our guide for living, we were travelling on the road to death. When we are using the world’s standard as our guide for living we are, actually, keeping in step with destruction. Because that path is under, for the time being, the control of a spirit that is not God’s. Focusing on this power is ideologically and practically focusing on all that is not what our God stands for. Thus, dedicating ourselves to everything that is not what He wants for us.

It is ok to have nice things. But we should consider whatever we have in deference to our journey with God. I admit that is not an easy thing to do. But if we choose to travel towards life, God’s wisdom will be our guide. Our GPS as it were.

The Power of The Air: Not Reflecting God

We are made to reflect God. Doing anything else is not only a poor imitation but deprives us of the fullness of all we are made for. Therefore, if we are not concentrating on life in Him we must, by default, be concentrating on “the power of the air”. Concentrating on “the power of the air” means that we are set on the spirit that is, even now, at work among those whose whole lives consist of disobeying God. Most disturbingly and painfully, of all of God’s creation, especially humanity is heading for decay and death.

The Power of The Air as a Ruler

We have all become aware of this at some time or other. We have all said, “There was something in the air” and everybody knows we are not talking about the weather. That is likely because it was, “the power of the air”. But we are not talking about a one-off erie experience here. When people relentlessly choose Not to go God’s way they are doing much more than just going the wrong way. They are potentially unleashing “the ruler of the power of the air”. “The power of the air,” is “at work in those who” live their lives consistently disobeying God.” “The power of the air” has a “ruler” and that ruler takes a pretty horrible vengeance on the world and humanity.

The Power of The Air: Not To Be Feared

I believe in the devil and I have no problems believing in demons. Christians trying to deny them just confuses me. I don’t understand the fear associated with them, or even with the subject itself.
Recognising that there are a lot of scary movies about the devil and demons is not an admission that there is a correlation between the movies and the devil and demons of the bible. I don’t understand how if we love Jesus and fear God what is the to fear from anything that is not God? In Jesus we have all His authority, how is there any room left to be afraid of anything else, particularly to do with the spiritual?

The Power of The Air – Its Scope

But the “power of the air” is something way more than just the devil or demons. The ‘power of the air” takes in all earthly kingdoms and civil authorities that refuse to acknowledge God’s sovereignty. It takes in all the lies of the ideologies of those who want to enslave others to a way of life that opposes nature and rebels against God’s wisdom. It shows itself in legislation that puts children at risk and tries to remove them from the protection of those who love them. As well as more blatant evils like all forms of forced oppression, human slavery and trafficking, hate crimes devaluing and diminishing people, trying to control the narrative on such things for personal gain and all forms of illicit sex. The crime is that those who go by the name of Christ, Christians are not only not immune but all too often, perpetrators.

“The power of the air” is also misinformation within the Christian community. Things like: it is possible to be a Christian and prioritise things or the world over Christ; that you have to love yourself before you can love others; that you only have to be a good person to be saved and it is ok for you not to be constantly educating yourself in our faith.

These things are things we should be concerned about far more than the scariness of the devil and demons. We may only be able to do a little about most things but what little we can do, we should. Every little bit helps to bring about the kingdom of God and we certainly can control our understanding of our faith. This alone would stop much of the power of the air in its tracks.

The Power of The Air – A Study 

This is a significant subject. If you wish to do further study, you can go to:

The Bible Project classroom Module 6

Use the Dropdown menu for the Teacher Notes on The Powers – Session 16 – 18

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Questions:

1. Paul teaches that we live in the overlap between this age and the age to come and that Jesus is already reigning as King. Is this a new idea for you or not? How do you experience the reality of “this present” or “dark age” in your life now?
2. Every day we are participating in one of two creations: one that is passing away or one that has begun but is not yet fully realized. How do you experience or participate in the reality of the “not yet” or “age to come” in your life now?

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¹English: Free Bible Version Provided by: Free Bible Ministry, Inc. and open.bible, licensed under CC BY ND Published: 07/25/2023 16:08. With 19 – 22 reworded for clarity.

^*2:3.  The Greek is literally, “Children in nature of anger.” Following the previous thought about human nature, this could mean we are “naturally angry” or rebellious towards God. Or we could view ourselves as the object of divine anger.

Ephesians 2 Overview

Ephesians Chapter 2

The letter to the Ephesians Chapter 2 has two overarching parts: you were zombies and you were foreigners. Inside these themes are many other themes clustered. 

You Were Zombies

1 At one time you were dead in your sins and evil actions, 2 living your lives according to the ways of the world, under the control of the devil [the ruler of the power of the air – Ed], whose spirit is at work in those who disobey God. 3 All of us were once like that, our behaviour determined by the desires of our sinful human nature and our evil way of thinking. Like everyone else, in our nature, we were children of anger [wrath].*

4 But God in his generous mercy, because of the amazing love he had for us 5 even while we were dead in our sins, has made us alive together with Christ. Trusting in him has saved you! 6 He raised us up with Christ, and in Christ Jesus seated us with him in heaven, 7 so that in all eternity to come he could demonstrate the amazing extent of his grace in showing us kindness through Christ Jesus. 8 For you’ve been saved by grace through trusting in him—it’s not through yourselves, it’s the gift of God! 9 This has nothing to do with human effort, so don’t be proud of yourselves. 10 We’re the product of what God does, created in Christ Jesus to do good, which God already planned that we should do.

You Were Foreigners 

11 So you who are “foreigners” humanly speaking, called “uncircumcised” by those who are “circumcised”* (which is only a procedure carried out by human beings), you need to remember 12 that once you had no relationship to Christ. You were barred as foreigners from being citizens of Israel, strangers to the agreement [covenant] God had promised. You had no hope and you lived in the world without God. 13 But now, in Christ Jesus, you who were once a long way off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

14 Christ is our peace. Through his body he made the two into one and broke down the separating wall of hostility that divided us, 15 freeing us from the law with its requirements and regulations. He did this so he could create, in Himself, one new person out of the two. Hence making peace, 16 and completely reconcile both of them to God through the cross as if they were just one body, having destroyed our hostility towards each other.

17 He came and shared the good news of peace with those of you who were far away, and those who were nearby, 18 because through him we both gain access to the Father through the same Spirit. [19 That means you are no longer strangers and foreigners; you are fellow citizens of God’s people and belong to God’s family. 20 God is building this family on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone. 21 In Him, the whole building joins together, growing into a holy temple for the Lord. 22 You too are being built together in Him as a place for God to live by the Spirit.]¹

Ephesians Chapter 2 Overview

Important Note: whenever we see the words “Foreigners”, “Gentiles” or”Nations” are interchangeable terms.

In the 22 verses of Chapter 2, Paul has designed two passes through the same story as two paragraphs from different perspectives:

1. Verses 1 through 10, from a cosmic perspective, cover the transition from zombies, “You all were the living dead.” to new humans.
2. Verses 11 through 22, from a covenantal perspective. using the language of foreigners and exiles and strangers. Thus the transition is from covenant outsiders to fellow family members in God’s covenant family. 

The following chart shows the design of both paragraphs side by side. 

Eph.2 Overview Chart

(Chart From Tim Mackie’s Classes on Ephesians- The Bible Project)

Both Paragraphs of Ephesians Chapter 2 Begin With “Remember When” 

• The beginning of verses 1-10, 

“You were dead in transgressions and sins, in which at that time you walked  doing the desires of the flesh.” 

1 “… you were dead in your sins and evil actions, 2 living your lives [you walked] according to the ways of the world [desires of the flesh]…”

• At the beginning of verses 11-22, 

11 “So you who are “foreigners” humanly-speaking, called “uncircumcised” by those who are “circumcised”* (which is only a procedure carried out by human beings) [estranged from citizenship in Israel]…”

In both cases, he will identify something significant. Something that powerfully contributes to preventing them and us, from entering into the new creation. 

Enslaved 

It’s something to which they were enslaved or captive. 

• In verses 1 – 10, Paul calls this captor the ruler of the authority of the air. 
• In verses  11 – 22, this captor was the Torah (the Law), an idea difficult for the first generations of the Jesus movement to process. 

The Torah was one of God’s beautiful gifts to Israel. It was God’s good will that simultaneously brought death and curse because of Israel’s inability to fulfil its role as the covenant. 

It also generated hostility between Israel and outsiders. Making this a challenging issue in Paul’s view of the law or the Torah. 

God Intervened both now and not yet

God intervened in both cases.

• He’s rich in mercy. We were Zombies, but He made us alive, together with the Messiah (verses 1 – 10).
• You were far away and have now been brought near in Messiah Jesus (verses 11-22).

In both cases, Paul talks about a new creation, both now and “not yet”. 

• In the first paragraph, He made you alive together (the now) and raised you together (the not yet). However, Messiah Jesus has recreated you, so the language reflects new creation (verses 1-10).
• In the second paragraph, He made two groups into one to create a new humanity. verses  11 – 22

Paul’s view of salvation is the creation of a new humanity in the Messiah. 

Ephesians Chapter 2:1 – 10 Logical Flow

Eph.2 Logical Flow Overview Chart

Ephesians Chapter 2: The Human Condition, Enslavement To Evil and Death

See in verses 1-3, particularly in the Logical Outline translation (above), the “you” (The “you” here is plural and is referring to the Gentiles. Tim Mackie prefers the southern American term Y’all.) and the “we”. If  “y’all” are the Gentiles then the “we” are Israel. 

Paul says that ‘you’ Gentiles were lost, dead in transgressions and sins, but ‘we,’ the covenant people, were also lost. Any reading of the Old Testament makes it very clear that the covenant people didn’t have their act together either. 

So all of us used to live by the passions of our flesh and had the mindset of doing the will of the flesh yielding to our base desires and passions. Paul uses the plural noun for passions here (verse 3). He is making clear that there are many mindsets that you can choose, all of which, lead to death. All of them, and consequently all of us, remain enslaved to The Powers outside the apocalyptic mindset.

Mercy 

Paul has two main focus points in this paragraph. 

1. The state of we and y’all which is dead, captive to flesh, captive to mindsets under slavery, under the authority of the ruler and 
2. The contrasting portrait of God in response to the we, the dead, rebellious, self-destructing humans is Mercy!

God’s activity of new creation in the resurrection and enthronement language of the exalted Messiah expresses mercy. The Messiah raised and rules heaven and earth in chapter 1, now offers a more complete portrait of “ourselves” exalted with Jesus. We are already, currently reigning together “In Him”. 

Ephesians Chapter 2: Paul’s Theology of Grace

Every Christian’s Favourite Verse

“8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast” Ephesians 2:8–9 (KJV 1900).

The above is one of Paul’s most classic statements of Paul’s theology of grace. 

Where Paul says that it’s by grace, he has a couple of angles:

1. Grace and the Individual 

Typically, we tend to read this in an individualist fashion. That is, my effort alone does not generate grace. I’m a mortal human. I’m going to die unless somebody who has power over death can help me with that. This is very clear; we must receive it as a gift. Paul is famous, for the phrase: “It’s not from works.” It is, highly, focused and applied in his letter to the Galatians and Romans about works and the observances of the Torah. Observance of the Torah, he believes is good, but cannot earn God’s mercy. Many Protestant traditions emphasize that work, grace, gift, and avoiding boasting apply only to individuals seeking to merit God’s favour personally.

2. Grace and Us

However, the other aspect of this statement is something few ever notice. Something that the grace/gift of the new creation creates. He is talking about the social implications of grace.

Paul will be passionate about applying this to how this affects social relationships within a church community. 

He is not just saying that boasting is not good for relationships. It isn’t but he is saying much more than that. He is applying, nobody being able to boast, in terms of male and female, and slave and free and barbarian and Scythian and Greek and Jew. It’s a social concept for Paul. God gave us grace as a corporate gift for everyone in Him.

Everyone together in a relationship with each other. It’s you and me and them. As long as we remain in Him, He binds us together, and the gift belongs to us corporately. Not as I but as we, us not me, not as individuals but as a group.

It’s the same thing undergirding Galatians. Different contexts, different debates but the same theology comes out. “Y’all are sons of God through faith in Messiah, Jesus.” Y’all. All of you who were baptized into Messiah have clothed yourselves with Messiah. 

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¹English: Free Bible Version Provided by: Free Bible Ministry, Inc. and open.bible, licensed under CC BY ND Published: 07/25/2023 16:08. With 19 – 22 reworded for clarity.

^*2:3.  The Greek is literally, “Children in nature of anger.” Following the previous thought about human nature, this could mean we are “naturally angry” or rebellious towards God. Or we could view ourselves as the object of divine anger.

The Prayer

Having established a foundation of praise Paul launches into this magnificent prayer. that establishes the power and authority of Christ forming the foundation of the Christian faith and emphasizing His supremacy over all creation. This authority elevates Him to God’s right hand and offers believers hope and inheritance as part of His body, the church. Understanding this dynamic relationship invites us to embrace the wisdom and strength that is from being “in Him.”

Ephesians 1:17-23 

17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you a spirit of wisdom to see and know him as he really is. 18 May your minds be enlightened so you can understand the hope he’s called you to— the glorious riches he promises as an inheritance to his holy people. 19 May you also understand God’s amazing power 20 that he demonstrated in raising Christ from the dead. God seated Christ at his right hand in heaven, 21 far above any other ruler, authority, power, or lord, or any leader with all their titles—not only in this world, but also in the coming world too. 22 God has made everything subject to the authority of Christ, and has given him the responsibility as head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, filled full and made complete by Christ, who fills and brings everything to completion.¹“

The Prayer Begins

17 …I pray that

This is what Paul does. He becomes a role model for us to follow and places himself in the prophetic role of intercessor, standing at the intersection of Heaven and Earth, holding these people before God.

God and Jesus

1:17 (cont.)… the God of King Jesus our Lord

Is this saying, King Jesus our Lord’s God or King Jesus our Lord God? I have always taken this to mean both. It is a mystery that Paul wants you to accept as he does not attempt to explain how Jesus who is God could have God as his God. The doctrine of the Trinity had not yet formed, but Jewish scripture did not depict God as singular.

 

1:17 (cont.) …the glorious Father (or the father of glory)

This is Temple language and it repeats throughout the entire letter. When Paul prays “the glorious Father” in verses 17-19, this is temple language, as in the glory in the temple – 1 Kings 8:10 & 11 – gives the gift of the spirit of wisdom to see and know him as he truly is, It is an “apocalypse” (being able to see Heaven’s reality here on Earth) so that their innermost being (“eyes of the heart”) would come to grasp three things:

This is a wonderful title of God. God is the father of Jesus and Jesus is Glory. And we read elsewhere that his glory is the cross. It was through the cross that he was glorified. As Christians, we should constantly remember that the master gained glory through the cross. True glory is through sacrifice.

Glory and The Temple 

When God’s glory shows up in the temple, it’s a physical manifestation of Him as creator and ruler of all through cloud and fire and that comes with it.

While Jesus gained glory by being raised on the cross, God’s glory is Jesus. God previously revealed His glory in the temple, but now it is in Jesus. He is the new temple. We in turn are also that temple if we are in Him. If you want to see God’s glory look at Jesus.

Glory, The Reversal of The Honour / Shame System

Whenever Paul talks about churches he established and Glory, such as he does later in Ephesians 3:13, he says, “I’m the one who started your community. I’m your founder. And instead of my imprisonment being a status of shame, it’s your glory. You can be proud that your founder is in prison. It’s your honour and glory because your God was crucified as a Roman criminal. That is your glory.

God has his glory and it is everything. He made the universe and everything in it but is also the father of glory. He created glory itself. (Cf. Ex.14:4, Ex. 24:17, Ex. 29:43). But as impossible as it seems, that glory pails by comparison to the Glory that is Jesus through his death and resurrection. Yet this was, in the mind of the world of the time, originally intended as shame.

This is the kind of wealth and inheritance that is available to us. The Glory that is so vast and wonderful that not even shame can blemish it. Not that we could make use of all of it but we can tap into it. We make use of it like the bird that comes once every year to Uluru to give a single peck and know that it will never be warned down. But that is the vastness of God’s glory and our inheritance.

Wisdom – Potential Gift For an Apocalypse

1:17 (cont.) …may give you

Paul wants this gift, to become an intimate part of our very Christian being. Inseparable to the point that we can’t live without it. Like a transplant that if it doesn’t take we die as Christians.

This gift is another use of the word “charis”, unmerited favour. This is part of God’s unfathomable riches made available to us. Not because we deserved it or earned it in any way but for no other reason than The Father, wants us to have it.

But whilst it comes from the same generosity, this is a different Gift from the Graces above.

Wisdom of God

1:17 (cont.) …a spirit of wisdom

Scripture integrates wisdom throughout, and God’s gift of wisdom is the intended vocation for every human. Proverbs express this wisdom as a woman. God’s wisdom, incarnated in Jesus, is the wisdom by which the world was created. By an act of grace, God forced humans to leave the garden because they relied on their wisdom instead of His. Paul draws on the wisdom tradition of the Bible.

The Jews and the Greeks have all been seeking this wisdom but this gift is given to help us understand the Apocalypse Paul wants us to have. It can only truly be revealed (an Apocalypse) in God’s Glory that is Christ himself.

Apocalypse

Apocalypse and Knowing Him

1:17 (cont.) “…to see and know him as he really is”

Or

“a revelation (Apocalypse) of God”

The Greek for revelation (“of seeing things people can’t normally see”) is Apocalypse (Grk. apokalupsis) which in Paul’s time, did not mean the end of the world. Instead, it means revealing something that has been hidden. Things are shown (revealed – Apocalypse)  that were always there but were not seen. Things that are unexpected and surprising and sometimes shocking.

According to Paul, growth involves always discovering (having an apocalypse, revelation) about God and Our faith.

He prays that believers would experience a “revelation”, an unveiling to see what can only be seen with the eyes of faith, the exaltation of the crucified and risen Messiah.

That is they would know and continue to come to know Him and the exaltation of the crucified and risen Messiah as they (we) grow closer to Him and as God reveals Himself and that exaltation of the crucified and risen Messiah.

Enlightened Minds

18 “… and to have the eyes of your inmost self opened to God’s light.” ²

18 “May your minds (Literally – “the eyes of your hearts”) be enlightened” ³

You will see with your heart what your understanding has revealed. That is your understanding will be enhanced by your heart, your spirit by your true self. This is about a transformation of our personality and through that coming to know God’s wisdom.

These are the eureka moments, that it took God’s direct intervention to reveal. We can claim no contribution whatsoever. This gift, reveals that which we do not see without it. To have our eyes of our innermost self open to God’s light.

Apocalypse and The Introduction The Call: Knowing Hope

18 (cont.) so you can understand the hope he’s called you to— the glorious riches he promises as an inheritance to his holy people.

True hope is an integral part of being called by God. Without the call, there is no hope, without hope being called is meaningless. God calls us to hope.

It is this hope that we inherit. It is our true wealth. But it cannot be explained or codified. There aren’t enough words to do it. It can be outlined as Paul does here but as Paul himself says it has to be experienced to be understood and you cannot experience it without responding to God’s call.

Apocalypse and God’s Glory and Power

The question is now, what does this mean, what sort of things will be revealed (Apocalypse) and what will we come to know?

Paul goes on to say as if to answer this very question. There are three things that you will come to know as God’s glory is revealed (Apocalypse) to you: the call, Hope, inheritance

1. Hope

This is not just the hope of being with our Lord when we die but that we will be part of the new creation. Humans will, in the new earth, rule as they were intended to in the garden, in the new creation. This requires us to experience now a revealing, however small, of what that will be like.

This is where artists of all ilks play such an important role. They help us express through painting, photos, sculpture, drama, music, poetry, writing etc. the many things of God’s glory that are otherwise hard to express. They give us a vehicle we can all use to communicate these hidden things and what they will be like. We get to know God’s glory, an “apocalypse” where we will get to peel back the curtain and begin to see and experience the excitement of the hidden things, our hope. Our eyes and imagination need to be opened and enhanced. What will this new earth be like? What will we be doing in it?

This does not diminish the idea of continuously singing praises. No matter how some try to disparage that, such will not and can never be boring. I once had a dream in which I was taken to heaven (hence before the new creation). I resisted and fought because I was afraid of being bored. But the moment I got there all such fears fell away. It was indisputably wonderful. But there will be work to get on with in the new creation. As I said we will rule as intended in the garden. This is what we can hope for. Let your God-guided spirit and imagination run while with that.

2. Experiential True Wealth 

This wealth is not just that of material things, although it may be functionally expressed in that way. True wealth, is the joy of experiencing all the beautiful things of this world. Things that are not corrupted by selfishness and sin. It is experiential wealth. Available only to those set aside by God. That’s what “holy people” means those that are set aside. In the sense of a calling, not in the sense of predestination. Without this call, we could not come to God. But now God is calling us through Jesus.

Have you noticed that Paul expresses, at least in part, this wealth and inheritance and glory as people? All these things are relational. The way we relate to God’s people “is wealth and our inheritance” and glory that Paul is talking about. Thus we will be able to see that our wealth is not in worldly things but true wealth is in the relationship we have with Jesus and each other as God’s children. This is not a picture of fine clothes expensive cars or large houses. This is not about the extent of our possession. Not even close. Our wealth is in our relationship with Jesus and each other who are “in Him”.

This is not to say one should have thoughts stuck in everything heavenly. In Self-defence classes, I say, “We walk with our heads in a natural position. Not always and continuously looking down or always looking up so that we miss the beauty around us and missing that which may trip us up.”

3. Loyal To Him in Faith Strength and His Power 

19 “May you also understand God’s amazing power”

19 “and what the exceeding greatness of His power to us who are believing according to the working of the power of His might” ⁴– 

19 “and you will know the outstanding greatness of his power towards us who are loyal to him in faith, according to the working of his strength and power.” ²

Paul takes great pains to explain this power. It is not just ὑπερβάλλον μέγεθος – exceeding greatness, but he also uses 4 different words for power to describe it.

19 καὶ τί τὸ ὑπερβάλλον μέγεθος τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ εἰς ἡμᾶς τοὺς πιστεύοντας κατὰ τὴν ἐνέργειαν τοῦ κράτους τῆς ἰσχύος αὐτοῦ – Michael W. Holmes, The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition (Lexham Press; Society of Biblical Literature, 2011–2013)

1. ἐνέργειαν – Energy (Greek = energous) Dynamite
2. δυνάμεως – Dynamo (Greek = dinomus) 
3. κράτους – The Greek word Kratos (Devine might)
4. and the Greek word ἰσχύος – Iskuos meaning referring to God’s superabundance to make things happen and happen the way he wants them to.

When you learn the above, ” according to the working of the power of His might” takes on a massively new emphasis. This is not just ordinary power. The power and authority of Christ is a true, ultimate, all-encompassing power, available to all those “loyal to him in faith”. Gained through our understanding of the apocalypse it is God’s gift.

Grace: A Power

This power is a gift to all “ïn Him”. A Grace that isn’t a gift that is just a transaction. It’s like an ongoing source of energy and inspiration and personal love and presence to him. Several times Paul uses the word “grace”, where you could put in the word Holy Spirit, and you wouldn’t miss a beat. It is as if the sheer abundance and mismatch of his worth in God’s generosity become vital power.

God’s Power

20 “…[Power] that he demonstrated (Literally ‘worked’) in raising Christ from the dead (Literally ‘dead ones’).“

Here Paul gives us an expression of God’s power. He not only brought someone back from the dead, like Lazarus, but he brought Jesus, God incarnate, who died for our sins, who had our sins so permeate him that, for a time, he felt abandoned by God the Father. God’s power, is so great that he still brought Jesus back from the dead. More than that he did it through the power and authority of Christ Jesus himself.

Now there is a mystery for you. If you want to see the greatness of God and His power, contemplate that. Try and work it out. His power is so great, vast and so inscrutable you can’t. No other god had ever done that. Certainly, no person, no matter how much power, authority, strength, magic or secret knowledge has ever come near to it. That is the level of God’s power. That is true power.

All Power is Available To All in Christ But It is Not Magic

Now, to all who are “in Him”, the power and authority of Christ is available. But it is not about us gaining super or magic powers. Remember, always, that our power is in Jesus. Any attempt to take the power and authority of Christ for ourselves will not end well. Sooner or later, Christ will judge any gift, authority, or strength if it is not subservient to Him. This power is unlike the power of the gods that pagans try to tap into for their benefit alone.

Notice that this power was worked in Christ, “in the King” (messiah, Jesus). God’s power, Paul declares is in Jesus himself. Thus God…

The Sovereign Ruler

20 (cont) “God seated Christ at his right hand in heaven,”

He is drawing on two scriptures. One is Danial 7 (see above), not quoted directly here but hovering in the background as it does in 1 Cor. 15:20-28. Daniel 7 is about the victory of God over all the powers and principalities. Seating someone at the king’s right hand is always about the Inauguration of a kingdom. Christ carries the power and authority.

Jesus as Cosmic Ruler

The resurrection and exultation of Jesus as cosmic ruler was the inauguration of the New Kingdom, the new creation that now rules over the current age (Ps.110 see above & Daniel 7 see above).

21 far above any other ruler, authority, power, or lord (literally “Lordship”), or any leader with all their titles—not only in this world (literally “age”), but also in the coming world (literally “age to come”) too.

Jesus is the ruler and administrator of everything and everyone, everywhere, in heaven and earth. The power and authority of Christ is over all the cosmos and all dominions; natural, human, inhuman and spiritual. All of time and space. Everything is at his feet and nothing is left out.

The Sovereign Ruler of Present and Future – Both the present age and the age to come

This is the common evangelical view of “both in the present age and also in the age to come.” 

22 “God has made everything subject to the authority of Christ,”

Jesus is the victor and ruler over all evil, all the Good rulers and the corrupt rulers and their corruption, spiritual and political. A true and just government brings all the monsters of society that have wreaked havoc to heal.

Sin is still present in this world but it has no power. Its long-term consequences have subjugated those “in Him.” The government of God “The Father” through Jesus has defeated the power of sin.

This is now Apocalyptic language. Jesus, in which God has expressed His glory is God’s fellow ruler. His right-hand man, yes but so much more. This is an awesome, incredible, unexplainable, mystery. God incarnate, king of all creation, saviour of the universe (flash Gorden eat your heart out) inherits His kingdom. A Kingdom that was already His. Additionally, scripture expresses this in terms of God’s glory. God’s son elevated to the status of God’s Son is now elevated to the status of God’s right-hand man who we now know scripture has always declared Him as being at.

We may not be able to get our heads around it. But everybody has to acknowledge that the power and authority of Christ is power on a scale of magnitude that no other being or god has ever demonstrated.

Praise to Jesus!

Temple of Artemis

Paul may be doing apologetics here. He targets the temple of Artemis in Ephesus (Acts 19) because people saw it as the centre of spiritual, cultural, and political power. He declares that Jesus is the true authority to which all other powers are accountable, not the god or the temple of Artemis.

The Sovereign Ruler Given as Head of His People 

“…and has given him the responsibility as head over everything for the church”. (Literally – has given him the responsibility “Gave Him and gave him as head over all to the church,”)

God gives Jesus, not as a grace or gift, but as a King to rule over His people, the church. Unlike King David and certainly not like King Saul or any other king in the history of the people of Israel. This King will be the King that King David held all the promise of (2 Sam.7:16). This King will serve as the promised Moses-type leader who takes Moses’ place. (Deut. 34:10 – 12)

Christ with the power and authority, sits on the throne. Head of His people. All that is “in Him” are subject to Him. He gives Himself to His people as their sovereign King. A King who is not only ruler over His people but rules everything that was and is and ever will be in the cosmos.

But much more than that.

The Church His Body 

23 “…[Church] which is his body,”

“In Him” we are unified with Him and each other. We are one. The Song of Solomon 2:4 and 16 express this better than any other way:

“He bought me to his banqueting house and his banner over me is love … My beloved is mine and I am his”.

There is a potential euphoria about it. We can express it as young love expresses itself. We belong together and that is now possible “in Him”. 

Filled with The Spirit

23 (cont.) “filled full and made complete by Christ, who fills and brings everything to completion”

23. (cont.) it is the fullness of the one who fills all in all.” ²

Don’t get sidetracked here on discussions of being “filled with The Spirit”, “baptised in The Spirit” or any other discussion to do with The Spirit prompted by this verse. Such discussions are not resolvable. You cannot box the Holy Spirit. No matter how hard you try God’s Spirit is not reducable to any system. It may even be blasphemous to try. This is not about that. This is about getting to know King Jesus, Messiah, and Lord, ruler of all. Do that and all that other stuff will take care of itself. Together we are complete.

Power And The Spirit

Redefine power. God reinstates us as the rulers we were meant to be in Eden if we are “in Him”. Those “in Him” sit at God’s right hand because they are His body.

Being “in Him” is not just a theological mystery, it is a gigantic honour and responsibility. We desperately need to be mindful of this when we act as God’s instruments in this world. We carry the power and authority of Christ.

“‘Jesus’ cosmic lordship is focused on one particular place in the present overlap of the ages, the ekklesia (The church, literally “the called out ones”), over which his authority is acknowledged and manifested in their worship and corporate life which is “filled up” by the one who “fills all things. – Tim Makie in his class on Ephesians

How extraordinary!

Take Heed

This is so important!

People have committed so much shame in the name of the church, God the Father, and Jesus Himself. However, none of it has happened “in Him.” We carry the power of His name and those who have tried to corrupt that name historically will receive Judgement.

With all the wonderful things this passage tells us, it comes with an implicit warning. God will not tolerate mockery, and Jesus carries all authority. Authority to judge and he will judge believes. Most passages that people love to quote about punishment refer to believers, not unbelievers. The only way to avoid this judgment is to be “in Him”.

Don’t get me wrong this is not about judging mistakes. Mistakes will have consequences but they do not attract judgment. We can learn from our mistakes. Sin is a deliberate act. Judgment falls on those deliberate acts. So rejoice that if we are “in Him”. Jesus seats us with Him at God’s right hand. But heed this warning: you cannot escape His judgment without being “in Him.”.

The takeaway: if we are “in Him” we have been restored. We carry the power and authority of Christ.

Praise Him!

Praise Him!

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¹English: Free Bible Version Provided by: Free Bible Ministry, Inc. and open.bible, licensed under CC BY ND Published: 07/25/2023 16:08

²Extract From THE KINGDOM NEW TESTAMENT: A CONTEMPORARY TRANSLATION by N.T. WRIGHT.
Copyright (c) 2011 by Nicholas Thomas Wright. Courtesy of HarperCollins Publishers.

³W. Hall Harris III et al., eds., The Lexham English Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012), Eph 1:18.

⁴Robert Young, Young’s Literal Translation (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 1997).

Ephesians 1:15-16

In exploring the themes of faithfulness and love for God’s people, we uncover the deep connections that unite believers. These principles reflect God’s character and invite His followers into a shared experience of His holiness and grace.

15″ That’s the reason, because I’ve heard of your trust in the Lord Jesus and the love that you have for all Christians, 16 why I never stop thanking God for you and remember you in my prayers.¹

Because of All What?

1: 15 That’s the reason, (or “therefore)

Wherever you see a “therefore” in your reading, you have to ask what it is there for, the question is: because of all what?

The answer from verses 1- 14, is: that we have been “Chosen in him” because of all the things God has done “in him”. Because we are made to be holy, foreordained, adopted, delivered, forgiven, lavished with wealth and grace are poured on us and everything else from the exhaustive list in the preceding verses. Yet like a perfect sales pitch, there is more: We shall see, His plan, our Inheritance, the guarantee, the first hope, the counsel of his purpose, the praise of his glory, the word of truth, the gospel of our salvation, the spirit of promise, the holy one being the people who are God’s special possession, faithfulness and love for God’s people who are reclaimed and freed.

And there is still more to find in the proceeding verses.

Not A Sales Pitch But A Reality

What makes it even better is this is not a sales pitch. It is a reality.

As you read and find more reasons you should be standing up clapping and cheering like true fans at a football match where your team has just won the grand final. Is it not better than any talk show personalities Christmas special giving out gifts? Our praise should be irrepressible!!!

Have you noticed that none of these things are material?

None are a promise of prosperity or life without trouble. Our inheritance in this life is none material and after death peace. Only after our resurrection will everything become more concrete.

Loyal and Faithful

1:15 (cont.) …because I’ve heard of your trust (you are loyal and faithful) in the Lord Jesus 

Paul defines “faith” as our beliefs, loyalty, and faithfulness to what God has entrusted us. The church at Ephesus got on with each other. They disregarded social statuses, cultures and gender gaps. Thus they were loyal by being God’s representatives on earth—priests before the world. God commissioned the people of Israel at Mt. Sinai and commissioned the disciples during the Great Commission. Hence, they participate in the role God always called the people of Israel to do. People set apart, people commissioned. God calls all His people, Jews and Christians, to fulfil this role together.

When we see this happen we know that God has been at work in people’s lives.

Holy People (Holy Ones, Saints) – Two Families 

1:15 (cont.) …and the love that you have (are showing) for all Christians (God’s holy people)

Translators often render the word “Christians” or “holy people” as “Saints.” However, English readers may miss the full theological significance of this term. Holiness (Hebrew קדשׁ “qadosh” / Greek ἁγιος – “hagios”) is first and foremost an attribute of God. We define it as His unique, one-of-a-kind otherness, His status as the Creator and the source of all reality. See Isaiah 6:3: “Holy, holy, holy is Yahweh God the mighty, the whole land is the fullness of his glory.”

He has two families in parallel in God’s twin realms of Heaven and Earth. Both image-bearing representatives:

1. human rulers on the land (Gen 1:26-28).

and

1. spiritual beings (“the host of heaven” in Gen 2:1)

Both Families

God invites both families into proximity to His presence and allows them to share in His holy status.

1. Israel is in the human realm and is called to be a “holy nation” (Exod 19:6). So when they are faithful to the covenant and have access to God’s presence in the temple, they become “holy ones.” “I am Yahweh your God and you will make yourselves holy, and you shall be holy ones for I am a holy one” (Lev 11:44; also 19:2; 20:7, 26; Num 15:40).

1. Spiritual beings as “holy ones”: Zech 14:5; Psalm 89:6, 8; Dan 8:24

• Psalm 89:5: “The heavens will praise your wonders, Yahweh, even your faithfulness, in the assembly of the holy ones”
• Psalm 89:7: “God is greatly feared in the council of his holy ones.”

Paul assigns the terminology of God’s divine heavenly council to those who trust the Messiah. Of course, God exalted Jesus, the human Messiah, over the divine council to rule Heaven and Earth (Eph 1:19-21), and He granted that same status to His people (Eph 2:5-6).

This then to Paul is a sign that God has already been working in God’s people to bring about faithfulness and love.

Praise God and Prayers 

16 “… I never stop giving thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers”.

Here we see Paul at work where prayer is the heart of his work. Work that cannot be successfully done without the interface with God. As Christians, we live or should live in this interface between God and the world through prayer.

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¹English: Free Bible Version Provided by: Free Bible Ministry, Inc. and open.bible, licensed under CC BY ND Published: 07/25/2023 16:08

Forgiveness and Holiness

With the immediate attraction of the controversial theology of predestination and election, in the first part of Ephesians 1:4, it is far too easy to miss the rest of the verse and its vital importance in our understanding of forgiveness and its relationship to being holy and without fault.

In Ephesians 1: 4 Paul continues,

“so that in love we could be holy and without fault before him”.

This serves as a reminder of the Law, which outlines how a person presents themselves in the Tabernacle before the Lord. Before entering, one must make restitution to their neighbour where appropriate. One approaches the Lord with a sacrifice to restore fellowship within the community of God. Now, “in Him,” we no longer require sacrifices to enter sacred space because He has completed all the sacrifices. “In Him,” we become sacred space.

Understanding the Purpose of Sacrifices in Ancient Worship

In ancient Israelite culture, the practices prescribed in the Law served a complex purpose extending beyond mere sin management. The sacrifices outlined in texts such as Leviticus encompass various aspects of life, emphasizing the ritual cleansing of sacred spaces rather than solely addressing sin. For instance, events like childbirth, menstrual cycles, bodily discharges, and even diseases invoke specific ritual responses but do not inherently indicate sinfulness. These practices underline the distinction between ritual impurity and moral wrongdoing.

Sacred Space and Community

The concept of sacred space plays a crucial role in ancient worship rituals. When someone experiences bodily changes or comes into contact with unclean substances, they create a barrier between themselves and the divine presence because these things are associated with death, while God is life. In these cases, the sacrifices aimed to restore that sacred space, making it safe for the worshiper and the community. Proximity to God was inherently dangerous; the burnt offering symbolizes the worshiper’s desire to be accepted in God’s presence. Making an offering was seeking forgiveness so much as a contrite heart; it was about ensuring one could safely approach God.

Restitution and the Tabernacle

When a worshiper sinned against a neighbour, repair was essential before seeking reconciliation with God. The Law emphasizes that one must make restitution for wrongful acts. This process stresses the importance of communal harmony and ethical living, reinforcing that interpersonal relationships matter in the spiritual realm. Only after addressing these issues could the offender approach the Tabernacle, seeking to restore their access to the divine.

The Role of Sacrifices

Sacrifices serve as a means to achieve acceptance within the sacred community. They facilitate reconciliation between the worshiper and God while purifying the imperfect space around them. The burnt offering, in particular, was a voluntary act of devotion, reflecting a renewed commitment to living by God’s will. This sacred act transforms the offerer’s relationship with God, reinforcing that they can confidently dwell within His presence.

Proximity to God was inherently dangerous; the burnt offering symbolizes the worshiper’s desire to be accepted in God’s presence. Rather than merely an obligation, these rituals encapsulate a desire for profound connection, acceptance, and communal harmony within the sacred framework of their society.¹

Understanding Ephesians 1:4 in Light of Forgiveness and Holiness

Ephesians 1:4 states, “ … just as he chose us to be in him* before the beginning of this world, so that in love we could be holy and without fault before him.” This verse encapsulates profound theological themes about divine choice, holiness, and the nature of love within the framework of Christian understanding, especially as it relates to the concepts of forgiveness and reconciliation. It is forgiveness – holy and without fault.

Divine Election and Purpose

Paul establishes that God chose believers “in Him” before He created the world. This divine election does not involve selection for salvation alone; it also includes a purpose. Forgiveness expresses itself as “holy and without fault.” Reflecting God’s intention to create a people set apart for Himself—a theme rooted deeply in both the Levitical system and the New Testament.

In the Old Testament, God called Israel to be a holy nation (Exodus 19:6), emphasizing that their conduct should reflect His holiness. The Levitical law focuses on purity and the ceremonies were integral to this aim. Yet they were incomplete since they depended on external observances rather than internal transformation.

Holiness and Love

The phrase “in love” highlights the relational aspect of God’s plan. Unlike the Levitical system, which often felt transactional, the New Testament emphasizes a loving relationship with God. Holiness was never merely about following rules; it originates from being in a loving relationship with Him. Paul emphasizes that it is through love that believers can achieve the holiness and blamelessness God desires.

This aligns with the teachings of Jesus, who repeatedly underscored the importance of love in fulfilling the law (Matthew 22:37-40). For Paul, the love of God is not just the foundation for holiness but also the motivation for transformation. When believers recognise their choice in love, they feel inspired to live lives that reflect that love—becoming holy and without fault in a relational context.

Transformation through Forgiveness

The transformation to a holy and blameless life is intimately linked to forgiveness. In the New Testament, forgiveness through Christ’s sacrifice frees individuals from the guilt and shame that can hinder their relationships with God and others. The process of receiving forgiveness redefines one’s identity. Rather than being defined by past sins or failures, believers are called to embody their new identity as chosen and loved individuals.

Through Jesus’ sacrifice, believers are invited into a new state. They can boldly stand before God without fault. This is not to say that believers achieve perfection on their own; rather, it reflects the imputed righteousness of Christ. The living out of this identity involves ongoing renewal and transformation, cultivating a holiness that reflects God’s character.

Living Out Holiness

Forgiveness as an integration of holiness, being “holy and without fault”, and love as outlined in Ephesians 1:4 invites believers to see their lives as an ongoing response to God’s love. It challenges them to engage in relationships—with God and each other—that reflect the forgiveness and grace they have received. This unity and mutual edification are testimony of their identity as loved, chosen, and called to be holy.

 

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¹Naked Bible 63: Introducing Leviticus

Love and Prayers Lay the Foundation in Ephesians 15 – 16

15 – 16: Paul will set out some key themes for this epistle. But first, he acknowledges the reader’s foundation of “trust” (often translated as faith – πίστιν is persistent trust, faithfulness or as N.T Write translates it: believing loyalty) and love (agape ἀγάπην) and lets them know of his care and concern in his prayers. 

Key Themes and Ideas in Ephesians 1:17-23

17: Growing awareness of the future (hope)to which God has called his people, to manifest the divine glory by ruling creation in the love and power of God.

18: Growing awareness of the future “inheritance”. The glory of the new creation ruled by God’s holy people.

19: Awareness of God’s life-creating power available to those of believing loyalty.

20-23: An exposition on the divine power of resurrection life

20: The resurrection and exaltation of Jesus as cosmic ruler was the inauguration of God’s Kingdom, the new creation (“heaven”) which now rules over our current age [Psalm 110 and Daniel 7 see below].

21-22a: Jesus is exalted as the true divine-human ruler of the cosmos, dethroning the “rulers, authorities, powers, and dominion.”

22b-23: Jesus’ cosmic lordship is focused on one particular place in the present overlap of the ages, the ekklesia (“the called out ones”), over which his authority is acknowledged and manifested in their worship and corporate life which is “filled up” by the one who “fills all things.”

Kingdom Power

This Power Trumps All Other Power Including Ephesus And The Temple of Artemis

Paul surely has in the forefront of his mind, the great temple of Artemis in Ephesus (Acts 19). This was the place where they rioted, insisting that their pagan god of that temple was supreme. 

Ephesus is a centre of power. Spiritual, cultural and political power [Psalm 8]. The power is concentrated because so many are drawn to this pagan temple of Artemis (Diana in one translation). 

Paul declares that Jesus is the true authority to which all rulers are accountable, the power available to us. The ultimate power. This power is above all power. It is The power of The creator God. Such power trumps all other power, forces and systems in the universe. This power is now available to us if we would understand it. 

This Power and Wisdom Come From Understanding Not Emotion

It is possible to live as a Christian, for a time, on emotions. For example: hearing a great sermon; having a wonderful spiritual experience or a charismatic gift bestowed on us. At those times it is easy to think that power is available to us. But we cannot maintain such an experience.

To live a Christian life long-term, we need kingdom power. We obtain such power by deepening our understanding. This only happens through wisdom and God’s revelation (apocalypse) of himself.

A Prayer For The Church Verses 17 – 19 

As part of his love and prayers, Paul prays for the body. That, as a body and each person that is part of that body (you), the church (see Eph.1:22), would be given a gift of wisdom and come to have insights and understand things that they (you) have not understood before (that has an ongoing Apocalypse – mind-blowing epiphany) in their (your) spirit. “To see and know him as he really is… May your minds be enlightened (literally: “the eyes of your hearts having been enlightened” – πεφωτισμένους τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς τῆς καρδίας)” as a result of and in the process of coming to know King Jesus (The) Christ, Messiah better.

This is not a one-time thing. Paul is expecting this to be an ongoing thing where you are constantly experiencing new wisdom as an ongoing Apocalypse of God in your spirit. 

Never Stop Meditating 

The body and all of its parts (you), His church, is called to meditate continually on:

• What our hope is: “that we who were the first to hope in Christ could praise his glory” (verse 12) and the hope he’s called you to“ (verse 18).

• How much the glorious riches he promises as an inheritance to his holy people (Literally: “riches of the glory of his inheritance among the saints” – τίς ὁ πλοῦτος τῆς δόξης τῆς κληρονομίας αὐτοῦ ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις) implying, not just the riches available to us but that we are His riches.

And 

• “God’s amazing power ”

Key Hebrew Scripture Texts of verses 1: 20 – 22

Paul models his description of the crucified Lord’s exaltation and enthronement in Ephesians 1:20-21 after several key texts in the Hebrew Scriptures.

“God has made everything subject (under His feet) to the authority of Christ” – EPHESIANS 1:22

“What is man that You take thought of him, 

And the son of man that you care for him?

Yet You have made him a little lower than God,

And you crown him with glory and majesty! 

You make him to rule over the works of your hands;

You have put all things under his feet”

PSALM 8:4-6

‘Yahweh said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand,

until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” 

Yahweh will stretch forth your strong sceptre from Zion, saying,

“Rule in the midst of your enemies.”‘

PSALM 110:1-2

“raising Christ … God seated Christ (The Messiah) at his right hand in heaven, far above any other” – EPHESIANS 1:20-21

“I kept looking in the night visions,

And behold, with the clouds of heaven

One like a Son of Man was coming,

And he came up to the Ancient of Days

And was presented before him.

And to him was given dominion,

Glory and a kingdom,

That all the peoples, nations and languages,

Might serve him.

His dominion is an everlasting dominion”

DANIEL 7: 13-14. 

God’s Son

People misunderstand the term God’s Son and, frankly, always have. This is not a term of the paternity of God. Jesus and the Father are and always have been one. It is a declaration of the inheritance that always belonged to Jesus, confirmed through His death and resurrection.

The firstborn inherited full authority over the father’s estate by birthright, but the father had to confirm it. Typically, a rite of passage or ceremony marked this confirmation. Someone could steal the birthright before its confirmation. As was the case of Jacob and Esau in Genesis 27.

Jesus is the Son by both birthright and confirmation.

Something To Ponder

Why were so many chosen to carry forward the biblical story that led to the blessing that led to Jesus, not firstborn?

Did Jesus’ status as firstborn affect this choice? 

Question: 

What form should this wisdom and Apocalypse take?

How do you express your love and prayers for His church 

Is this a prayer (verse 17 ff) that we all should be praying when we pray for God’s church, our congregation?

If the church is to receive wisdom and Apocalypse in spirit, how does it guard against apostasy?

Grace: Through Our Own Passover & Exodus

Having introduced the theme of Grace as a Passover Narrative, the theme is developed into Grace Through Passover – Exodus.

Ephesians 1: 7 – 14

1:7 “Through him we gain salvation through his blood, the forgiveness of our sins as a result of his priceless grace 8 that he so generously provided for us, together with all wisdom and understanding.

9 He revealed to us his previously-hidden will through which he was happy to pursue his plan 10 at the appropriate time to bring everyone* together in Christ—those in heaven and those on the earth. 11 In him—we were chosen beforehand, according to the plan of the one who is working everything out according to his will, 12 for the purpose that we* who were the first to hope in Christ could praise his glory. 13 In him—you* too have heard the word of truth, the good news of your salvation. In him—because you trusted in him you were stamped with the seal of the Holy Spirit’s promise, 14 which is a down-payment on our inheritance when God redeems what he’s kept safe for himself—us, who will praise and give him glory!” ¹

Or

1:7. “In the king, and through His blood, we have deliverance—that is, our sins have been forgiven—through the wealth of his grace” ²

This references the Grace of the Passover and the Exodus. The blood brings to mind the blood on the doorposts of the Israelites that allow death to pass over them and thus give them deliverance (Ex.12: 6-11). The parallels are clear. God’s Grace has been at work from the beginning. As it was when the angel of death once Passed over in Egypt now it has again. Only this time it is once and for all.

New Exodus of The New Covenant Family 

Here is a chart from The Bible Project classroom notes on Ephesians:

Grace: Deliverance And Exodus Complete 

1:7 “Through him (the king) we gain salvation (deliverance)”

The word “deliverance” is an Exodus word.

This echoes the book of Deuteronomy. God chose Israel not because they were anybody special but because He had a purpose He wanted to carry out through them. Now, those in Christ are carrying forward this purpose.

This is something that Paul in Romans and Galatians traces back to Abraham. He doesn’t do that here but there’s no doubt he has that in mind.

Here we have the theme of “deliverance”. The people of the Exodus were redeemed from Egypt. We have been redeemed through Christ.

The Greek word that is transliterated as salvation (deliverance or redemption), is ἀπολύτρωσιν (apolutrosin), a word used for a slave that has been bought at the slave market and then set free.

It is about setting the people free as with the Exodus. But now, unlike the Exodus, this is about forgiveness of sins.

Grace: His Blood; It’s About Life 

1:7 (cont.)”through his blood,”

“His blood” is, of course, referring to the death of Christ on the cross. It is through the gift (Grace) of “His blood” that we are united “in the King”. But this is not a reference to death. It’s about life.

Leviticus 17:11 when referring to sacrifices, says, “Indeed the flesh’s life is in the blood and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your lives because it is the blood with the life that makes atonement” (LEB).

His “blood” makes it possible for us to enter the most sacred space—the Holy of Holies—freely, something only possible for the High Priest under the Law. It delivers us from potentially being outcasts, from death itself. Instead, we have life in Jesus the “King.”

Grace: Deliverance And Exodus Complete Through Sin Forgiven

1:7 (cont.) “the forgiveness of our sins”

We see Paul drawing on his Jewish education (called the Second Temple theology because this was the theology of the period of the Second Temple). He draws on the exile of Babylon caused by sin and the Garden of Eden because humans were also exiled from there.

The original grace of the Passover – Exodus and Babylon and Eden had become one Exodus in the minds of the second temple thinking. Thus the building of the second temple after the return from Babylon was so that there was some place where there could be purification sacrifices. But as said above, the deliverance never seemed complete because the Jews were still under occupation.

This time however the grace of the passover – Exodus includes “our sins forgiven”. It is not what the original Exodus was about. The old Covenant was never capable of forgiving moral sin. The old Covenant was only ever conceived as a way of forgiving ritual uncleanliness. This is why the words of Jesus in the sermon on the mount (Matt. 5 – 7) were so revolutionary. He equated moral sins to things that had never had that connection before. Things that had no way of being forgiven under the sacrificial system before the Lord Jesus’ death and resurrection, are now forgiven.

Grace: Such Wealth 

1:7 (cont.) “as a result of his priceless grace”

The measure of the extent of the wealth of this grace is that it comes with life and deliverance and it is still not even close to being spent.

Paul goes on in verses 8, 9 and 10, that now in Christ the Exodus is complete!

1:8. “…that he so generously provided for (lavished on) us, ”

This grace is no trivial thing. Put into monetary terms, this grace was outlandishly opulent and extravagant. And was not just given frugally. The Greek grammar is clear, it was “lavished on us”. So great is God’s love. Yet it is still in play and shows no sign of diminishing. Not in the slightest.

Grace: Not Random 

Introducing The Secret 

1:8 (cont.) “together with all wisdom and understanding.”

This grace/gift comes with a complete set of instructions. Unfortunately, too few of His people have chosen to take advantage of them.

1:9 “He revealed to us his previously-hidden will through which he was happy to pursue his plan 10 at the appropriate time to bring everyone (all things) together in Christ—those in heaven and those on the earth.”

Paul is saying, Jesus is the Messiah in which all scripture is fulfilled. As he says in 2 Cor 1:20: “All the promises of God find their yes in him”

God planned this gift from the very beginning. The time and the place were all part of His plan. This was a plan on a cosmic scale. Everything was designed to happen so that it would culminate in one end. Pre-determined with a single outcome in mind. The enthronement of the King of the cosmos. Thus bringing together everything in the cosmos including us in Him.

If that is not something to marvel at I don’t know what is!

When Paul says “grace”, it isn’t just theology. It is his life experience. In verse 10 he says that because we are His handiwork and we are in the Messiah, we are created in Him. God in His grace has done the work. We have had nothing to do with it. The return that we can give will always pale compared to His abundance. But we reciprocate because we want to and we are in Him.

The Secret‘s Definition 

It is worth noting the introduction to “the secret” (“previously-hidden“ – Grk. μυστήριον – Mysterion, the mystery). There will be much said on this later but for now, we are just tantalised with a mystery being here.

Grace: The Inheritance 

The Inheritance of Mount Sinai

1:11 “In him—we were chosen (received the inheritance) beforehand according to the plan of the one who is working everything out according to his will,” 

This “Inheritance” was “according to the plan of the one who is working everything out according to his will”. That is the Lord Jesus Himself was, from the beginning, to be for all those who would and will be in Him.

An “Inheritance” that is not the inheritance of the gift of heaven after death. Rather an inheritance of commissioning the people of Israel on Mount Sinai.

The Inheritance Comes With Expectation of Reciprocation (could – might exist for)

1:12 “for the purpose that we who were the first to hope in Christ could (might exist to) praise his glory.”

With this “Inheritance” comes an expected reciprocation. The commission is intended to become their purpose for existing. Their meaning in life (“might exist for“). The Jews (“we”) who first put their trust in God (“we who were the first to hope in Christ – the king”), when they first gained “deliverance” from Egypt, via the grace of the Passover – Exodus, to minister to the rest of humankind and to worship to “praise his glory”.

The Inheritance Includes Everyone In Him

1:13 “In him—you too have heard the word of truth, the good news of your salvation. In him—because you trusted in him you were stamped with the seal of the Holy Spirit’s promise,”

Now (“you too”) everyone else who is “in Him” has the same “inheritance”, the same “deliverance”. Everyone else “who heard the word of truth, the good news of your salvation (“deliverance” from their own Egypt, the tyranny of of ”the Powers” – see below), and “trusted in him”. These now come into Him as a whole new creation.

The inheritance we have “in him” is a whole new creation, Gentiles included. Now all have God’s word, as do the people of Israel. Everyone “in Him” is “stamped”. Given the Seal of the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of this promise.

Grace: The Guarantee

The Gift of The Spirit 

1:14 “…which is a down-payment (guarantee)”

I don’t like the translation of “down-payment” as it can imply there is more required. I much prefer the term “guarantee”.  We have The Holy Spirit as the seal on the contract. Like the traditional understanding of an engagement ring being the sealing of a promise of marriage and not going through with it was a breach of promises.

Today much of the meaning of this concept is lost. Let me give a modern version. When someone wants to buy a home the bank may sometimes ask for a guarantor for the loan (never actually agree to this arrangement by the way you could lose both houses). The guarantor becomes responsible if the loan defaults. This is exactly the situation allowed for in the Old Testament. Someone may leave their coat as a guarantee that they will return to honour their promises. If they do not honour the agreement they lose their coat. A coat doesn’t seem much to most in the first world but it may be the only thing someone had of value in biblical times. Thus we have a “guarantee”, a “seal” a “stamp“. The Holy Spirit is our guarantor. Could there be anything more secure?

The Holy Spirit is now the guarantee. This is not something that belongs to us. It is proof that we will receive the promised “inheritance”. An “inheritance” that is vastly more than life after death.

Grace: To Give Praise And Glory

1:14 (cont.) “us, who will praise and give him glory!”

This is the sense of hearing a wonderful rendition of some music or song. People can’t refrain from leaping to their feet and applauding. The people are caught up in this wonderful event. The gift of The Holy Spirit is such an event and is worthy of praise and getting excited about.

Paul here outlines some of the things that we can give praise for the…:

• Spirit is the guarantee, 
• Spirit of our inheritance, 
• Time when the people who are God’s special possession (“what he’s kept safe for himself”), are finally reclaimed and freed. 
• People who are God’s special possession

Grace: To Give Praise of His Glory

This worship retells the story of “deliverance” (“redemption”) that happened at Mount Sinai. It is also the redemption that has now happened in and through the Messiah. This is the same “Inheritance” offered to the Jews. It comes with the same expected reciprocation and the same commission. To minister to the rest of humankind and to worship through praise of his glory.

This praise for our “inheritance” is in addition to the gift of “Deliverance” and the preceding list of things that are worthy of “praise” that “give him glory”. This additional list Includes praise of his glory for the..:

• Grace of Accepting The Gift
• Gift as A Power
• Grace of Going Through Our Own Passover and Exodus
• Gift of God’s Work
• Grace of His Blood – and how it is About Life
• Gift That Is Not Random
• Grace of The Inheritance of Mount Sinai
• Gift of Deliverance – the story of redemption retold
• Grace of Deliverance and The Exodus Being Complete
• Gift of Deliverance. The Exodus is Complete Through the Forgiven of Sin.
  
• Gift of Such Wealth

This is not a complete list of the gifts/graces God offers. As you will see as you read on there is also:

• The Gift of Wisdom

and

• The Gift of Apocalypse
• To name a few.

Questions

1. Does our praise service include these things?
2. Should they?
3. What other things should they include?
4. If part of our purpose in life, our meaning, is to “minister to the rest of humankind and to worship” are we doing enough?
5. Should we include more ministers in our worship services?
6. If so what form would that take?

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¹English: Free Bible Version Provided by: Free Bible Ministry, Inc. and open.bible, licensed under CC BY ND Published: 07/25/2023 16:08

²Extract From THE KINGDOM NEW TESTAMENT: A CONTEMPORARY TRANSLATION by N.T. WRIGHT.
Copyright (c) 2011 by Nicholas Thomas Wright. Courtesy of HarperCollins Publishers.