Blood, and the Man of Peace

In the remainder of chapter two of Ephesians, we will look at a more detailed analysis that Paul brings concerning the Great Grace about which he spoke in the first 10 verses of this chapter.  The first 10 verses are so cosmic, almost other-worldly, that it would be (it IS) easy to get caught up in them and forget the very price of that grace, and how we, who are so unmeritorious, might be recipients of it.  Paul brings humility, history, and hermeneutics into the remainder of  chapter 2 of Ephesians (yes, I know, he did not know this would become chapter 2, please humor me ).  I break these verses into two sections: The Blood, verses 11-13, and the Man of Peace, verses 14-22.

You may note that I use different English translations in the studies.  This is intentional and random.  In other words, I do not choose a version that best fits my interpretation, nor is the most contrary to it.  I just pick one.  The Greek New Testament has been translated into English many times, both for good reasons and otherwise, but mostly good, to try and remove denominational influences (such as suffered by the KJV), and get at the real meaning of the text inasmuch the English can extract it.  So please, do not view the translations I use as endorsements, but as a part of the history of textual transmission of God's Word into the native tongues of Its readers.

The Blood
The first part of this section, verses 11 through 13, brings humility into the picture, as Paul reminds the Ephesians from whence they have come, and yet sheds some important and dramatic light on our own salvation, and the grace by which it is wrought.

Ephesians 2:11-13

11 Wherefore, remember, that ye were once the nations in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that called Circumcision in the flesh made by hands, 12 that ye were at that time apart from Christ, having been alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, having no hope, and without God, in the world; 13 and now, in Christ Jesus, ye being once afar off became nigh in the blood of the Christ  (Young's Literal Translation)

 11 διο μνημονευετε οτι ποτε υμεις τα εθνη εν σαρκι οι λεγομενοι ακροβυστια υπο της λεγομενης περιτομης εν σαρκι χειροποιητου 12 οτι ητε τω καιρω εκεινω χωρις χριστου απηλλοτριωμενοι της πολιτειας του ισραηλ και ξενοι των διαθηκων της επαγγελιας ελπιδα μη εχοντες και αθεοι εν τω κοσμω 13 νυνι δε εν χριστω ιησου υμεις οι ποτε οντες μακραν εγενηθητε εγγυς εν τω αιματι του χριστου

After the soaring verses 4-7, Paul calls the Ephesians (and us) back to earth with the imperative verb "remember" (μνημονευετε).  When the 2nd person plural is used in the beginning of a sentence, and not preceded by a subject pronoun (which is never required in Greek), the imperative voice may be assumed:  "Remember, that when you (were) nations (tribes) in flesh...", Paul is pointing them back to their lives without the indwelling Holy Spirit, "in flesh" (εν σαρκι), without the article, referring to the realm in which they existed.  I put the verb "were" in parenthesis because it is implied, and not present in the Greek.  This is used even in modern languages today, for example, Russian has no conjugated present form of the verb "to be" (neither does Hebrew, BTW).  "The tree green", "the green tree", are equivalent to "the tree IS green".  When the description in the predicate position is so strongly identified with the nature of the subject, the use of the ellipsis is obvious, and some would suggest it is so obvious it is not an ellipsis at all.  However, I think (my opinion) the linking of the pronoun with the predicate descriptor without a "be" form constitutes an ellipsis, especially since it would require, by context, a past tense form.

It is good for us to remember from whence we have come; that we, too, were wholly undesirable and our ways could easily have gone the way of the world we now despise.  We must remember that the only thing that separates us (the Redeemed, the Possession) from someone who is a slave to sin today is grace.  That is all.  Nothing more, nothing less than the grace of God.  "There but by the grace of God, go I", is founded upon a great Christian truth.

"...who are called Uncircumcision by that called Circumcision in the flesh made by hands..."  I share the following because it is interesting:  that which is translated "uncircumcision" in the Greek (ακροβυστια) literally references the tip of the male sex organ (an unkind and vulgar slang even used today), while the word "circumcision" (περιτομης) means "a cut around", accurately rendered by its English equivalent.  I hope you get some idea of the harshness of the Jewish bigotry toward non-Jews.  It was not merely, "I am Jewish, and you are something else, and it is OK."  No, it was more, "I am Jewish, and you are something far less, get out of my face."  This is not being Anti-Semitic, just being historical so you can see the significance of what Paul will describe later.  But Paul also reminds the Ephesians that what the Jews have, the Circumcised, is "in the flesh made by hands" (εν σαρκι χειροποιητου).  It is the same "in flesh" phrase (εν σαρκι) used to described the Ephesians' previous condition -- just as absent of the Spirit of God, χειροποιητου, one of those great Koine Greek compound words "of handmade (origin)".  It is in the genitive, alluding to the type of circumcision, one "hand-" (χειρο-) made (ποιητου).  In other words, who were the Jews to be calling the Ephesians vulgar names?  They were both in exactly the same spiritual state.

Verse 12 continues with "that ye were at that time apart from Christ, having been alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, having no hope, and without God, in the world" (οτι ητε τω καιρω εκεινω χωρις χριστου απηλλοτριωμενοι της πολιτειας του ισραηλ και ξενοι των διαθηκων της επαγγελιας ελπιδα μη εχοντες και αθεοι εν τω κοσμω).  The adverb χωρις can be translated as "far off" or "without", and the total strength of that adverb comes into play here.  Paul describes them as being "far off" from Christ figuratively; whatever Christ is and represents they were polar opposites (as are all of the unredeemed, even us), and they were literally "without" Christ.  The only advantage the Jews had over the Gentiles was this: an awareness of "των διαθηκων της επαγγελιας", "the covenants (plural) of the promise (singular)".  "The covenants" refers to the conditions God gave the people of Israel with respect to His one promise: the Redeemer.  Because the Ephesians, as Gentiles, were not a part of the community of Israel, and because of this separation or estrangement, they lived unaware of this promise -- ελπιδα μη εχοντες, "not having hope".  Without the knowledge of the promise of the Redeemer, Paul reckons their lives as without hope, and therefore αθεοι εν τω κοσμω, "godless in this world".  Ironically, the word for "godless" is αθεοι, which is plural and means "without/against the gods", an accusation hurled at Gentile Christians for rejecting the gods of the state.

After Paul helps the Ephesians (and us) to "remember!", he brings us back to grace:

 13 and now, in Christ Jesus, ye being once afar off became nigh in the blood of the Christ 
13 νυνι δε εν χριστω ιησου υμεις οι ποτε οντες μακραν εγενηθητε εγγυς εν τω αιματι του χριστου


νυνι δε,  "...and now...", using the prolonged form of the Greek word for "now", νυν; the -ι is used to bring both emphasis and immediacy to the adverb, and thusly Paul begins to "wrap up" verses 11-12.  εν χριστω ιησου "in Christ Jesus", whatever is to follow, it is "in Christ Jesus", it abides in Him, with Him, a part of His realm, and this holds primacy.  υμεις οι ποτε οντες μακραν εγενηθητε εγγυς, "...when you being far off have become near..."  εγενηθητε comes from the root form γινομαι, "I become", a deponent verb; that is, a verb in the passive form but being active in meaning.  It is a verb indicating a change of state, condition, or status.  Had Paul stopped with εγγυς, or "near", one might think that the Ephesians morphed themselves, but Paul does not risk such a notion, adding the prepositional phrase εν τω αιματι του χριστου "in the blood of Christ", with the phrase εν τω αιματι (in the blood)  indicating and emphasizing the instrument by which this change of state takes place.  It is only because of the blood of Christ that we can be brought near, once and for all.  His blood was the chosen instrument of God the Father whereby the Father's Possession might be brought near to Him for all time, eternity.


Remember your past, remember the grace, remember the blood...


Grace and peace,


Mark

Destiny

This study looks at the destiny of the believer, both in this age and the ages to come, but not in that order.  It is important we understand both, as understanding our destiny should motivate us in the Lord, inspire us, and help us to see things from a heavenly perspective, which the first 6 verses strongly (IMHO) emphasizes.  Seeing things from the heavenly perspective helps us understand the appearances and perspectives of this present age.  Understanding our destiny should give us a stronger sense of purpose and appreciation -- though that is too light a word -- for the grace that has been brought upon us.

Ephesians 2:7-10
 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.  ESV

 7 ινα ενδειξηται εν τοις αιωσιν τοις επερχομενοις το υπερβαλλον πλουτος της χαριτος αυτου εν χρηστοτητι εφ ημας εν χριστω ιησου 8 τη γαρ χαριτι εστε σεσωσμενοι δια πιστεως και τουτο ουκ εξ υμων θεου το δωρον 9 ουκ εξ εργων ινα μη τις καυχησηται 10 αυτου γαρ εσμεν ποιημα κτισθεντες εν χριστω ιησου επι εργοις αγαθοις οις προητοιμασεν ο θεος ινα εν αυτοις περιπατησωμεν

As Paul writes in verse 7 of Ephesians chapter 2, God's purpose for us, our destiny, is that He Himself (ενδειξηται ["he might show"] is in the middle voice, more correctly translated "He might show for Himself [His own benefit and purpose]", emphasizing the personal involvement of God and His desire for us) will show us off to all creation as the testimony of His grace.  Moreover, Paul writes, in the coming ages, which is an interesting notation since it refers you back to chapter 2 verses 1-3, "...following the course of this world..." (the word 'course' is translated from the Greek word αιωνα, which is also 'age', and some translations so represent the word), suggesting there are are perhaps many more ages to come. About such ages we do not know, but in all of them we will be reigning with the Lord and we will serve as a testimony and evidence to the excelling (υπερβαλλον, literally "throw over", over-arching, far reaching above, excelling, excellent)  richness and greatness of His grace in the kindness (χρηστοτητι) that He has for us because of Jesus Christ.

It is amazing, that the Lord of all creation has redeemed us, and we shall reign with Him, and He will use us before all the now seen and yet unseen creation as a demonstration of His great, great love that He demonstrated toward us in Jesus Christ, and this age is just the beginning!

Verses 8-9 are classic among those who have been trained in Evangelism Explosion.  Let's break down, exegetically, anyway:

"...for by grace...", simply the dative is used with noun grace τη γαρ χαριτι, with γαρ, the preposition 'for'.  The use of the dative expresses 'by means of', that grace is the environment of operation of what is to follow.

"...you have been saved...", which uses the perfect passive participle σεσωσμενοι indicating an operation upon them as believers begun in the past but standing complete in the present and evermore.

"...through faith...", indicating that it is the passage through faith that enables one to be saved in the operational environment of grace.

"...and this is not your own doing...", "...this (is) not out of you..." τουτο ουκ εξ υμων, τουτο pointing to the previous prepositional phrase "through faith", and ουκ εξ υμων indicating that this faith does not manifest itself nor is sourced from the carnality of man.

"...it is the gift of God...", "of God the gift", or so it reads in the Greek, θεου το δωρον, which puts emphasis on the source, Who is God, and the realization that even faith itself is a gift and not a manifestation from the mind nor will nor desire of man.

"...not a result of works, so that no one may boast."  "...not out of works in order that no one may boast of himself (middle voice. καυχησηται )

What wonder awaits us in the coming age is all a result of the work of God and His excelling greatness in His grace toward us in Christ Jesus.  We cannot begin to imagine what it all means or what it will be like.  So, rather than leave the believers in Ephesus to sit around and ponder such things, Paul pulls them (and us) back into this present age with verse 10, repeated here:

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
αυτου γαρ εσμεν ποιημα κτισθεντες εν χριστω ιησου επι εργοις αγαθοις οις προητοιμασεν ο θεος ινα εν αυτοις περιπατησωμεν

Once again, all that we are and hope to be is because of Him, "having been created in Christ Jesus" a more literal translation of κτισθεντες εν χριστω ιησου, which is a reminder that Jesus is the first born of those who are being raised, and we shall be like Him -- but we are created, new creatures, not a makeover we can do for ourselves.  And the purpose of our creation, here and now?  "Good works", but not any good works, only the ones which God Himself has prepared for us BEFOREHAND.  God already had a purpose for each of us, and general purposes for all of us, before we were redeemed, while we were dead in our sins and trespasses!  It is not as though we were redeemed and then God said, "Hmmm, let's figure out what to do with you or what you can do...".  He already has it in place.  Do you see the implication here?  We are not to wait on God to decide what He wants of us, He already knows.  We are the weak link here.  If we do not know what He wants, we need to be on our face communing with Him until we do know.  He already knows, He will not play a shell game with you!  He wants you to WALK IN THE GOOD WORKS HE HAS ALREADY PREPARED FOR YOU!

Our destiny is to reign with Him, we begin learning how to do that now.  Commune with Him in prayer, learn of the ways He has prepared for you, walk in them, be ready to reign with Him.

Grace and peace,

Mark

Salvation

There is only one word to describe the manner in which a person is redeemed from a deserved death: grace, unmerited favor.  Above all, this word underscores Ephesians 2:4-6.  There is also something wonderful I find about this passage, and it represents, I think, the whole idea of the Scripture being God-breathed.  These next three verses only make sense when taken in the context of heaven's perspective, and Paul could not have written them, which are harmonious with all of Scripture, without the help of the Holy Spirit to guide his thoughts and pen...

4  But 1 God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus  ESV

4 ο δε θεος πλουσιος ων εν ελεει δια την πολλην αγαπην αυτου ην ηγαπησεν ημας 5 και οντας ημας νεκρους τοις παραπτωμασιν συνεζωοποιησεν τω χριστω χαριτι εστε σεσωσμενοι 6 και συνηγειρεν και συνεκαθισεν εν τοις επουρανιοις εν χριστω ιησου

There are two durative verbs in this passage, and the rest are punctiliar -- the action happened and is not continuing.  The two durative verbs are ων, the present tense participle of the verb "to be", translated "being", and the second one is the accusative voice of the same, οντας, which is translated/interpreted as "when we were".  The first part of verse 5 should more correctly read "and us being dead in trespasses..."  Paul, using the durative form of participle in its present tense, emphasized our everlasting condition prior to what he was about to describe -- just as God being rich in mercy is an everlasting quality of God, so is us being dead in our trespasses and sins our everlasting condition, until something wonderful happens...

I think somewhere along the way of this blog, I spoke of the richness of the Koine Greek, its use of prepositions and creating compound words to add strength to the ideas being conveyed.  What we are about to see are examples of this characteristic of Koine Greek, beginning in the middle of verse 5:

συνεζωοποιησεν τω χριστω

WHAM!  BAM!  There it is -- our salvation, or at least the first of its three elements.  "He made (us) alive together with Christ".  The three words are combined into one: with, life, make.  It is a new verb, in the aorist (punctiliar) form, past tense.  Punctiliar, or aorist, does not automatically mean past tense, rather, the prefix augmenting the verb tells us its time relationship:

συνεζωοποιησεν:  συν ('with', as in side by side), ε (prefix augment indicating past tense), ζωο (from the word ζωη, meaning 'life'), ποιησεν (third person singular active of the verb "to make", punctiliar/aorist by its ending σεν)

τω χριστω literally "the Christ", but in the locative form was would be required of the the preposition συν

One time occurrence of this action, in the past, not repeating.  For me, this is being written from the perspective of heaven: when Christ was made alive, the Body, the Possession, the Called Out Ones, the Elect were made alive with Him in the same action.  Interesting that Paul immediately adds "by grace you are now saved (perfect passive participle of the verb "to save"), as if to underscore this simultaneous "being made alive" was God's work entirely, not ours in any way.

I said there were three elements to our salvation, the first being that we (the Body, the Elect, the Possession, the Called-out Ones, and henceforth hereafter) were made alive together with Christ.  The second element is that we were raised with Him, and thirdly, seated with Him in the heavenly places.  These other two elements are represented by compounded words/verbs in much the same way as the first element:

και συνηγειρεν και συνεκαθισεν εν τοις επουρανιοις εν χριστω ιησου

I think you can recognize similar linguistic characteristics in the words in bold as I previously described.

συνηγειρεν συν ('with'), η (since the word 'to raise' begins with a noun, the past tense augment merely lengthens the vowel), (ε)γειρεν (third person singular active of the verb "to raise", punctiliar/aorist by its ending εν)

συνεκαθισεν συν ('with'), ε (past tense augment), καθισεν (third person singular active of the verb "to sit", punctiliar/aorist by its ending σεν)

Note the use of the aorist past tense in these verbs, meaning these actions are already completed, and they occurred for the Redeemed, the Elect as the events occurred for Christ.  Being raised up and being seated with Christ are not things to which a believer must "hope" will happen, from Heaven's perspective, it has already happened!

Our salvation, by grace -- unmerited -- is solely the work of God in every way: He is the One Who made us alive when we were lifeless; He is the One Who raised us up with Christ into a new life; He is the One Who seated us in the heavenly places with Him: all of these things are already done, finished, completed for the Body, His Possession.  What a great love with which He has loved us!

Grace and peace, my brothers and sisters,

Mark

Death, Salvation, Destiny

Ephesians 2:1-10

We are about to embark on my favorite passage in Scripture.  Now, I am not saying it is the best, because all Scripture is God-breathed and share the same status.  I am just saying it is my favorite, so bear with me as we begin to study this passage.

Verses 1-10 can broken into three main points: 1) our dead condition (1-3); 2) our salvation (4-6); 3) our destiny (7-10).

Death

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.     ESV

1 και υμας οντας νεκρους τοις παραπτωμασιν και ταις αμαρτιαις υμων 2 εν αις ποτε περιεπατησατε κατα τον αιωνα του κοσμου τουτου κατα τον αρχοντα της εξουσιας του αερος του πνευματος του νυν ενεργουντος εν τοις υιοις της απειθειας 3 εν οις και ημεις παντες ανεστραφημεν ποτε εν ταις επιθυμιαις της σαρκος ημων ποιουντες τα θεληματα της σαρκος και των διανοιων και ημεθα τεκνα φυσει οργης ως και οι λοιποι

He/she/it is dead.  We use that phrase to describe the condition of a lot of things: the radio is dead; the battery is dead; the car is dead; the computer is dead.  What do we mean?  It means those objects are not responding to our stimulation.  They need to be restored to their original responsiveness and capabilities.  This requires intervention; they cannot resuscitate themselves, nor restore life to themselves.

Moving on to animated things: the bug is dead; the bird is dead; the dog is dead.  What do we mean?  These creatures have no life in them any longer.  Life is absent from their beings.  It cannot be brought back.  I held my first border collie in my arms as the vet tearfully injected the "pink juice" to put him down, as he was suffering from an aggressive lymphoma sarcoma strain.  We were weeping as well, and had been for days as we knew this moment was approaching.  Dillon (Faithful and True) fell against my chest as the barbiturates did their deed.  Oh, such a beautiful, intelligent, and loving creature!  Even now it pains me.  The vet listened for a heartbeat.  He heard nothing.  There was one last test, a test of the involuntary nervous system activity: the cornea test.  The cornea test is simple.  Touch the cornea.  If there is any nervous system response remaining, there would be a reaction to touch.  There was none.  Dillon was dead.  Life had left him.  Dead. Incapable of response to anything.

Paul could have used a variety of words to describe the former spiritual condition of the Ephesians: θανατος, which means killed or destroyed; πτωμα, which means corpse; νεκρος, which means lifeless.  He chose to use the word  νεκρος to emphasize the exhaustion of any presence of life:  "You, being dead/lifeless in your trespasses and sins..."  The Ephesians (and us by later assimilation) had no spiritual life within them, and was incapable of any auto-response of the same.  The ESV speaks of "trespasses and sins", and indeed, they represent two different words in the Greek: τοις παραπτωμασιν (locative form) means "the acts of falling along corruption", deliberate misdeeds; while ταις αμαρτιαις means "the acts of you falling short as a part of your nature".  So while some may claim it is unfair that those who have not heard the Gospel should die and spend eternity in Hell, it is just since, as Paul points out, our sinning is deliberate.  Both "types" of sins have them same force: they condemn and take life away.

As there was no life so far as heaven was concerned, Paul reminds the Ephesians of their previous life, "...walking after the age of this world, according to the prince of authority of the air..."  Paul cites that they did whatever this world offered them, but that it was not merely them acting, they were also subjected to Satan.  Sometimes I hear well-meaning people say, "...cast your vote, are you going to got with Jesus or the devil?"  There is no vote!  Until one is redeemed, that one already belongs to the Enemy.  Moreover, until one is redeemed, they are lifeless to do anything to help themselves...

Continuing, "...the spirit now working in the sons of disobedience..."  Paul points the Ephesians to "the world and age not seen with human eye" as he speaks of their former condition.  He is bringing forth a reality perhaps they had not considered: their sins were also the result of a condition in the spiritual realm from which they had to be delivered.  Paul does not point the finger at them for judgement, instead, he then includes himself and his band with them: "...we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind...like the rest..."  There are no exceptions to this condition of lifelessness toward God.  Nothing in our innate affections, our mind, our blood, our heritage that creates an exception.  Everyone is incapable of any auto-response to God, the same being true of the Body, the Elect, the Possession before God...

Grace et la paix,

Mark

A Model Prayer by Paul

Ephesians 1:15-23

15 Wherefore *I* also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is in you, and the love which ye have towards all the saints, 16 do not cease giving thanks for you, making mention of you at my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, would give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the full knowledge of him, 18 being enlightened in the eyes of your heart, so that ye should know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 and what the surpassing greatness of his power towards us who believe, according to the working of the might of his strength, 20 in which he wrought in the Christ in raising him from among the dead, and he set him down at his right hand in the heavenlies, 21 above every principality, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name named, not only in this age, but also in that to come; 22 and has put all things under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the assembly, 23 which is his body, the fulness of him who fills all in all: (Darby)

 15 δια τουτο καγω ακουσας την καθ υμας πιστιν εν τω κυριω ιησου και την εις παντας τους αγιους 16 ου παυομαι ευχαριστων υπερ υμων μνειαν ποιουμενος επι των προσευχων μου 17 ινα ο θεος του κυριου ημων ιησου χριστου ο πατηρ της δοξης δωη υμιν πνευμα σοφιας και αποκαλυψεως εν επιγνωσει αυτου 18 πεφωτισμενους τους οφθαλμους της καρδιας [υμων] εις το ειδεναι υμας τις εστιν η ελπις της κλησεως αυτου τις ο πλουτος της δοξης της κληρονομιας αυτου εν τοις αγιοις 19 και τι το υπερβαλλον μεγεθος της δυναμεως αυτου εις ημας τους πιστευοντας κατα την ενεργειαν του κρατους της ισχυος αυτου 20 ην ενηργηκεν εν τω χριστω εγειρας αυτον εκ νεκρων και καθισας εν δεξια αυτου εν τοις επουρανιοις 21 υπερανω πασης αρχης και εξουσιας και δυναμεως και κυριοτητος και παντος ονοματος ονομαζομενου ου μονον εν τω αιωνι τουτω αλλα και εν τω μελλοντι 22 και παντα υπεταξεν υπο τους ποδας αυτου και αυτον εδωκεν κεφαλην υπερ παντα τη εκκλησια 23 ητις εστιν το σωμα αυτου το πληρωμα του τα παντα εν πασιν πληρουμενου

In Ephesians chapter 1, beginning in verse 15 and following to the end of the chapter, we have Paul's prayer for the Ephesians. It is interesting that we take note of this prayer, and how different it is to the prayers we usually hear among ourselves as a community of believers, that we hear corporately, and even some of the naysaying about such prayers that we encounter among ourselves.

Paul opens this section by commending the Ephesians for their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and the faith they have demonstrated toward all the saints.

15 Wherefore *I* also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is in you, and the love which ye have towards all the saints, 16 do not cease giving thanks for you, making mention of you at my prayers

15 δια τουτο καγω ακουσας την καθ υμας πιστιν εν τω κυριω ιησου και την εις παντας τους αγιους 16 ου παυομαι ευχαριστων υπερ υμων μνειαν ποιουμενος επι των προσευχων μου

Darby translates "faith in the Lord Jesus", and adds his own interpretation with "and the LOVE which ye have..." (the all caps are mine).  In fact, in the Greek text there is no noun to go with the article την in the oldest manuscripts (but there were in later ones, which Darby referenced), which means the noun is implied by a grammatical tool called "ellipsis", a Greek word for 'omission' and representing in our language by three dots: '... '  To illustrate with a quote that will be familiar to some, "We hold these truths to be self-evident...life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."  The ellipsis means something has been omitted.  In composition as we have here, the article typically references the most recent befitting noun, in this case, 'faith'.  'Faith' is the same noun gender as the the article requires, and it is closest to the obvious ellipsis.  Paul is citing the faithfulness of the Ephesians toward all believers.

He says that because of their faith, he is motivated to give thanks without ceasing in always making mention of them in his prayers. It is not as though he would not pray for them had they not demonstrated such faithfulness, but that he is encouraged all the more to pray for them because he sees the Lord's fruit bearing out in their lives. Our human side wants to neglect or put away negativity in our lives, even the negativity of those close to us will lead us to push them away, to distance ourselves from them. But when there is positive workings in our relationship with others, our concern for them is heightened and energizes us. It does impact our motivation, and to work with them is restorative to us. So do not find Paul's words to be cause and effect, that the Ephesians had earned his constant vigil of prayer on their behalf, but rather, in seeing the Lord's work among them, Paul was reminded and energized all the more to pray for them. It was the Lord's way of encouraging is faith, by him seeing the faith of the Ephesians (remember, this epistle was written from a Roman prison).  We should of course pray for all our brothers and sisters, those who are flourishing in the faith, and those who are struggling in the faith.

We must keep in mind that these people experienced the same maladies that we experience. I know this because my travels to Third World countries, I see a common thread among the people I meet. They are concerned for their families, that the children will have a better future; they're concerned about jobs, crops, provisions. They are concerned for their health, and the wellness of those they love, and they deal with injuries, some of which are debilitating. It is doubtful that the pressures of life were any different in the day of Paul's writings. Yes, they have different manifestations in many places of the world, such as the United States and Europe, but the same source of these pressures remain the same. Yet, as we are about to discover, Paul's prayer for the Ephesians covers none of these topics.

17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, would give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the full knowledge of him

17 ινα ο θεος του κυριου ημων ιησου χριστου ο πατηρ της δοξης δωη υμιν πνευμα σοφιας και αποκαλυψεως εν επιγνωσει αυτου

Paul writes that the first thing for which he prays for them is that God of our Lord Jesus Christ. the Father of glory give to them spiritual wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. The word for knowledge is επιγνωσει (dative form), meaning, due to the compounding with the preposition επι, to "move toward deeper knowledge" of God.  When was the last time we heard such a prayer offered on our behalf, or that we offered such a prayer on behalf of someone else? Yet, Paul considers this prayer for them to be preeminent. One could argue that offering such a prayer ignores the realities of the conditions these people were facing; that Paul is being so heavenly minded he is of no earthly good. I have encountered such challenges even from within the body of believers. I was told that I should not be teaching so much on spiritual things, like the spiritual nature of our relationship to God, and His to us, that I needed to be more practical in my teaching. I guess this means that I should have been teaching more topically than exegetically. The problem with such limited focus is that our study of the Word becomes a how-to session, a group therapy session, rather than a session where we open the word of God and find Him in it. It is impossible for us to know the wide variety of topics we might encounter in our day-to-day lives, but to grow in our knowledge and understanding of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, enables us to face anything that this life throws at us. Therefore, having spiritual wisdom in the revelation of the knowledge of God, our Christ, should be preeminent in our study of the Word, in our time in prayer, and in the execution of our ministry.

18 being enlightened in the eyes of your heart, so that ye should know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 and what the surpassing greatness of his power towards us who believe, according to the working of the might of his strength, 

18 πεφωτισμενους τους οφθαλμους της καρδιας [υμων] εις το ειδεναι υμας τις εστιν η ελπις της κλησεως αυτου τις ο πλουτος της δοξης της κληρονομιας αυτου εν τοις αγιοις 19 και τι το υπερβαλλον μεγεθος της δυναμεως αυτου εις ημας τους πιστευοντας κατα την ενεργειαν του κρατους της ισχυος αυτου

Continuing in verse 18, now my brothers and sisters, I ask you, what is practical about the purpose and Paul's prayers for them? The "hope of his calling", what is the practical about this? And what is the practical about knowing "the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints"? And how useful is it, day to day, to know "the surpassing greatness of his power towards us who believe"? Is not Paul ignoring the humanity of the Ephesians, and their obvious day-to-day sufferings? Is Paul being "so very heavenly minded, that he is of no earthly good at all"? We know that we can bring any concern or need to the throne of grace in which Jesus Christ Himself sits. Yet, if we treat this as a model prayer, and pray daily for these things that Paul desires for the Ephesians, would we find it to be enough? Have we become so "practical" in our Christianity that we are of no heavenly good? That we are so focused on what is happening to us, around us, and among us, that we no longer see the practicality of seeking spiritual wisdom and revelation?

20 in which he wrought in the Christ in raising him from among the dead, and he set him down at his right hand in the heavenlies, 

20 ην ενηργηκεν εν τω χριστω εγειρας αυτον εκ νεκρων και καθισας εν δεξια αυτου εν τοις επουρανιοις

In verse 20, Paul's referencing the power that is working within all believers, saying that this is the same power, the exact same power, that was at work in raising Jesus from the dead and seating Him (Jesus) at His (God's) right hand in the heavenly realms. In the Greek, this verb is ενεργω, the noun form being from which we get our word "energy".  The verb means to be "in-working, operative from within".  We see this verb at the end of verse 19 and referenced again in verse 20.  We see the Koine advancement of reinforcing the effect of a word by using its compounding preposition: ην ενηργηκεν εν τω χριστω εγειρας αυτον εκ νεκρων, "...which He inwardly worked in Christ Jesus when raising Him out of a dead (state)..." We marvel at the resurrection, we are amazed by the resurrection, we understand it's significance for the Christian, but do we also appreciate that the power, the exact same power that raised Jesus from the dead, is at work within us as believers? It is the same power. It is a power to be marveled, in which to be amazed, and a power for us to exhibit confidence in God and His plan, His path for our lives (more on this in chapter 2).

21 above every principality, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name named, not only in this age, but also in that to come; 22 and has put all things under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the assembly, 23 which is his body, the fulness of him who fills all in all: 

21 υπερανω πασης αρχης και εξουσιας και δυναμεως και κυριοτητος και παντος ονοματος ονομαζομενου ου μονον εν τω αιωνι τουτω αλλα και εν τω μελλοντι 22 και παντα υπεταξεν υπο τους ποδας αυτου και αυτον εδωκεν κεφαλην υπερ παντα τη εκκλησια 23 ητις εστιν το σωμα αυτου το πληρωμα του τα παντα εν πασιν πληρουμενου

Continuing, Paul writes that this power also gave Jesus all authority over every authority in every realm, and over all names, but also that this power is transcendent, not for a temporal season nor a spatial domain, but  ου μονον εν τω αιωνι τουτω αλλα και εν τω μελλοντι ",,,not only in this age, but also in the one about to come..."  This power is already given to Jesus, and all domains are subject to Him.  In verse 22, και παντα υπεταξεν υπο τους ποδας αυτου "...and all things He subjected (be under the command of) under His feet...", again seeing the reinforced preposition υπο in υπεταξεν (1st aorist of υποτασσω), adding greater emphasis to the depth of Jesus' authority.  Further, God made Jesus the head of the "called out ones", αυτον εδωκεν κεφαλην υπερ παντα τη εκκλησια.  We, those who have been born-again into the New Life, are collectively referred to as η εκκλησια, which means "the ones assembled, the called out ones".  It is always singular, just like the word "the possession" from verse 14, and refers to all believers throughout all time.  It never references an organization, but each of us as a part of His Body.  The power that did all these things for Christ is also at work within us as we are part of Him, the Body of Christ.

In this prayer, Paul does not address any physical needs whatsoever the Ephesians were experiencing. He does not even mention their daily bread. But what he did desire for them, was for them to understand who they are in Jesus Christ, and who He is in them and in relation to them. Armed with such understanding and intimate knowledge, Paul knew that whatever this fallen world, whatever Satan and his enemies, whatever God had in mind for their lives, all of these things could best be handled with spiritual wisdom and the revelation of intimate, growing knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Our (un)Common Salvation

Ephesians 1:13-14

13 in whom ye also, having heard the word of the truth, the [1] gospel of your salvation,—in whom, having also believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

14 which is an earnest of our inheritance, unto the redemption of God’s own possession, unto the praise of his glory. (ASV)

εν ω και υμεις ακουσαντες τον λογον της αληθειας το ευαγγελιον της σωτηριας υμων εν ω και πιστευσαντες εσφραγισθητε τω πνευματι της επαγγελιας τω αγιω, ο εστιν αρραβων της κληρονομιας ημων εις απολυτρωσιν της περιποιησεως εις επαινον της δοξης αυτου

In these last two verses of Paul's opening herald, he brings the believers back to the one thing that binds us together -- our salvation; a salvation without which all words are merely words and offer no hope, only platitudes.

"In whom" refers back to the prepositional phrase which concluded verse 12: "to the end that we should be unto the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ", therefore referencing Christ. In actuality, that which is translated in the ASV "in whom" twice in verse 13 could also be translated "in which", as the Greek for both "in whom" and "in which" are exactly the same: "εν ω". If the opening preposition in verse 13 is "in which", then it is referencing "the end" of verse 12. Both interpretations work effectively in transitioning from 12 to 13, in my humble opinion. The second "εν ω" of verse 13, however, I think is more accurately translated "in which", as it points to "the word of truth" (τον λογον της αληθειας), which is neutral in gender per the English language. The translators of this passage may have interpreted this phrase as a reference to Jesus, and thus the "in whom", but as the object of a participial phrase linked to the believers in Ephesus, I think "in which" is more appropriate. While Jesus calls Himself "The Truth", the title "word of truth" is never applied to Him. I have found many places in the NT where the phrase "the word of God" (ο λογος του θεου, τον λογον του θεου) is used, and one could very easily replace that phrase with "Jesus" or "Christ" and the verse would still work, but I do not think this is the case here.

Moving on, we find two participles referencing the activities of the recipients of this letter (and us, as well). "having heard/after hearing" (ακουσαντες), and "having believed/after believing" (πιστευσαντες). Paul wrote in Romans 10:17 "So belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ". The believer becomes so because the message is heard, and then believed. This is God's chosen process, and we as believers must grasp it and be responsible for it. Peter says we (all of us) are a nation of priests -- those who stand between God and man. We have Him in our hearts, His message for all men on our tongues, and we must declare with our lips. Paul writes that we are ambassadors for Christ, His representatives to all men, and we are therefore the communicators of His will and intent, that people everywhere repent and believe the Gospel. It is not the job of some overworked, highly schooled, professional clergyman -- such a thing did not exist in the first 200 years of the Body's presence -- the proclamation of the Gospel, God's chosen plan whereby people everywhere might be saved, is the responsibility of those who have been born-again -- redeemed persons.

After hearing and believing, Paul declares "(you) have been sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise". The pronoun is implied in the verb construction (εσφραγισθητε), and Paul has made it sufficiently clear who the implied "you" is by context. Besides, adding the pronoun directly would have brought inappropriate emphasis to something that is clearly the work of someone else, that "someone" being the Holy Spirit. You see, we are not partners with God in achieving this seal -- it is something He has done for us through the agency of the Holy Spirit, the One which had been promised from the days of old. This sealing happens after hearing, after believing, but not after testing and evaluation. It is an act of grace, unmerited in any way. It is God's chosen way, His selected means.

Paul then describes the significance of this sealing, drawing himself and his band back into the company of the believers in Ephesus:

which is an earnest of our inheritance, unto the redemption of God’s own possession, unto the praise of his glory

ο εστιν αρραβων της κληρονομιας ημων εις απολυτρωσιν της περιποιησεως εις επαινον της δοξης αυτου

The word αρραβων can be translated as "earnest, guarantee, pledge", and all three meanings are co-joined in its use in verse 14. The Holy Spirit's presence in us is the earnest, the down payment of something greater to come; it is our guarantee, for the Holy Spirit's work cannot be undone, which includes our being sealed in salvation; it is our pledge from God, that we are His own and He will be ever present with us.

Paul states the purpose of these amazing acts of grace: "unto the redemption of God's own possession..." That we might be found fully redeemed. The Greek word translated "God's own possession", περιποιησεως, is an interesting one. The verb root is ποιεω, or "I make/do", so in the noun form used here means "a making, a doing, a performance", but not "that which is made", which would have the form ποιημα. In the feminine gender it refers to the process. The beauty of Koine Greek is its compounding of words to bring stronger, more explicit meanings to root words. Whether it is compounding nouns, or of greater importance in the Greek NT, the combining of prepositions with nouns to bring emphasis: "out-rigger" is descriptive of the substantive phrase "rigged on the outside", and when we want to strengthen the noun further, we might precede it with the same preposition which forms the word itself, "in the inside", as an example. The Koine Greek introduced such tools to the Greek language, and one of the reasons the Koine is the most expressive of all forms of the Greek language. In the word under discussion, περιποιησεως, it is the combination of περι and ποιησεως (in this case I am maintaining the genitive form for the reader's sake). The preposition περι means "about, around, concerning, etc." depending on the voice of the noun with which it is being used, and in composition, such as we have here, it means "all around, round about, surround, beyond, through". So how do we go from a word referencing the "process of making" to "God's own possession"? We first visit the verb companion, περιποιεω, and see its meaning as "I make to reserve/to keep safe (the around about or surrounding meaning of the preposition)/to lay by". The general idea of the verb is to make a surrounding/a protection/a reservation for something or someone. It is not unlike the idea of οριζω, which means "I draw a border around/apply a limit in extent", a verb which, when combined with the Greek preposition προ (before, in time or space), we get προοριζω, which is translated in Romans 8:29 as "predestined, foreordained".

The noun form we have in verse 14, περιποιησεως, therefore is rightly interpreted as "the possession, with the ASV adding implication. Literally, "the redemption of the possession". "The possession" reference to the Body of Christ, all those who were bought with His blood, the elect of God. The Possession, The Body, The Elect all refer to all believers at once, transcendent of time. The redemption of the possession, once again as we have already seen, brings praise and glory to God and our Lord Jesus. Everything God has done for our salvation and in saving us individually brings Him and Him alone glory and praise. May it ever be, Amen.

Our shared purposes and blessings, verses 8-12

Ephesians 1:8-12 (NASB)

8 which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight

9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him

10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him

11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,

12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.

Before we begin this passage, let me say it is good to be back after a tumultuous time of getting setup here in France. As crazy as it all seemed to me, fellow ex-pats made me realize such tomfoolery was "normal".

8 ης επερισσευσεν εις ημας εν παση σοφια και φρονησει

We see very clearly and distinctly what Paul views as important -- significant for the believer: wisdom and understanding abundantly given by God through Jesus Christ. Where does Paul EVER equate our physical and material to the "quality" of our faith? Certainly not here, nor in his other contributions to the New Testament. Rather, Paul says the two things 'lavishly' given to the believer are wisdom and understanding. The Greek verb translated "lavished" by NASB is επερισσευσεν, which is in the aorist past tense, that is to say, it is in the punctiliar past tense. The root of the verb, περισσευω, means to "give in excess, over and above what is measured or required, excessively, abundantly such that there is no lacking". Further, being in the past tense, this is something that one does not wait to gain or earn, neither in total nor degree. Upon our redemption in Christ, He pours ALL wisdom and understanding upon us -- more than we know with what to do.

Wisdom is the coupling of knowledge and just/right judgement. Understanding, per the Greek noun φρονησις, embodies the notions of thinking, processing, perception. It begs the question, does it not? If wisdom and understanding has been given to each believer in inexhaustible abundance, why do we so often act as though we have none at all? Any talent, skill, ability or opportunity can be wasted, so is the testimony of our humanity.

9 γνωρισας ημιν το μυστηριον του θεληματος αυτου κατα την ευδοκιαν αυτου ην προεθετο εν αυτω

Again, we see what Paul values and what we should value: knowing the mystery of His will, according to His pleasure. And again, we note that God is generous in His blessings, with the use of aorist past participle in γνωρισας "having made known"; there is no hint of achievement, no idea of secretive access to this mystery, except in the hands of God "according to His pleasure". This is the manner of access and revelation into the mysteries of the will of God: He avails His mystery to us on the basis of grace, and blesses us further as it is His pleasure to do so: a pleasure that cannot be guilefully gained, nor indebted to anyone. He gives, on the basis of His pleasure and His purpose, in the realm of the work of Jesus Christ.

10 εις οικονομιαν του πληρωματος των καιρων

Literally, "in the management of the fullness of time", with εις being used with the accusative οικονομιαν indicating a dynamic 'management' as opposed to εν with the dative, which would have suggested something more passive, and things "managed as time unfolded". Indeed, God is in control!

11 εν αυτου εν ω και εκληρωθημεν προορισθεντες κατα προθεσιν του τα παντα ενεργουντος κατα την βουλην του θεληματος αυτου

Only the 1901 American Standard Version translates εκληρωθημεν, a past tense verb in the passive voice, correctly "we were made a heritage (inheritance)" [parenthesis are mine], whereas its more recent incarnation, the NASB (above) states "we have obtained an inheritance, clearly in the active voice". We, those redeemed by Christ, are an inheritance, a heritage unto Him; His salvation is not an inheritance for us. What great security lies within this phrase, correctly translated! Further, it it is harmony with the participle that follows, also in the past passive voice: προορισθεντες "having been predetermined/ordained". A more literal translation of this verse would read:

"In Him in Whom also we have been made an inheritance having been predetermined according to the purpose of the One Who is working all things according to the counsel/advice of His will"

This same "will" is a part of the mystery He also makes known to us, that we are already partakers in eternity, and if we are listening and obedient, already participating actively in the seen and unseen realms of the age that is and the age to come.

12 εις το ειναι ημας εις επαινον δοξης αυτου τους προηλπικοτας εν τω Χριστω

To what end is His will for us? That we might be the praise of His glory, those who hoped in Christ beforehand (before-hoped). He predestined us to be saved in Christ, and in turn, we "pre-hoped" in Him, but all of this is to His praise, the praise of His glory.

Summary

After all of the above, what are the purposes and blessings we all share?

• We have been given, abundantly, wisdom and understanding
• We have had the mystery of His will revealed to us, according to His pleasure and purpose
• We were made an inheritance unto Christ
• We are the praise of His glory, by His will, His counsel, His purpose -- His grace

May we live in all with which He has blessed us.