From: Busy Teacher’s Guide to Ephesians Return to
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The Fact of the Ultimate
Divine Goal
Being To Unite Faithful Jews
and Gentiles
Into One Spiritual Body Had
Only Been
Clearly Revealed Through the
Apostles
And Contemporary Prophets
(3:1-6)
1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles 2 if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 that by revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I wrote before briefly. 4 When reading this, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ 5 (which was not disclosed to people in former generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit), 6 namely, that through the gospel the Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus. --New English Translation (for comparison)
3:1 For
this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles—.
The “reason” Paul has in mind is that the true followers of
Jehovah—whether Jew or Gentile—have now been united together in one spiritual
body (
Even within the church itself, Paul sometimes refers to Judaizers who were willing to accept Gentiles but only
if they were circumcised. In such minds
was not circumcision of far greater importance than full obedience and loyalty
to God Himself?
Note the paradox in Paul’s
words: He describes himself as “the
prisoner of Christ Jesus” yet it was the Romans who had jailed him and
threatened his life. However much that
was true, it was even more true that he counted himself as “the prisoner
of Christ Jesus” because it was due to faithful teaching about the Lord that
caused the false charges that led the Romans to arrest him. He was a loyal Roman; he was even more a
loyal Christian.
And it was, indeed, “for you
Gentiles” because his teaching the gospel to them had resulted in the false
accusations that had gotten him imprisoned by the Romans in the first place.
3:2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the
grace of God which was given to me for you.
Paul’s gospel message (verse 3) was “the dispensation of the grace of
God” . . . it was a “dispensing” . . . a giving to Paul of the knowledge of
God’s generosity that he proceeded to offer to one and all. Indeed shared with everyone who would listen.
Even though we can get to that intended point, the word “dispensation”
is far from the word we would normally associate with what was happening—we are
far more likely to use it in connection with a period of time—“the
Jewish (or Christian) dispensation.”
Hence modern translations often try for a substitute for the core idea
of “dispensing.” The ESV prefers “the
stewardship of God’s grace;” the CEV suggests “God’s gift of undeserved grace;”
the ISV prefers “the responsibility of administering God’s grace.”
This responsibility of teaching
about access to Divine grace was given to benefit others. Not as an intellectual treasure to be
meditated upon by Paul alone for his inner pleasure and edification. Instead it was given “for you”—to
benefit by it being shared with them and with all other Gentiles willing to listen.
Paul speaks of “if indeed you
have heard” of this role of his. That
sounds like something theoretical rather than certain . . . which was an
obvious absurdity. Today we might
outright, “You know full well that this is true and that this is what I’ve been
doing!” Reading his words, they would
automatically recognize that his very verbal “restraint” is actually his way of
stressing the point.
3:3 how that by revelation He
made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already. Paul was not a philosopher or theologian
who supposedly “reasons” himself to a deeper insight into an existing truth or
fact. Rather it was Divine “revelation”
that “made known to me” the truths involving the world encompassing reach of
the gospel.
Next we learn a fundamental New Testament truth. A Divine “mystery” is not something
mysterious or obscure. In Biblical usage
it means truth previously hidden from humankind that is finally being made
known to them. The particular truth he
has in mind is that “the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same
body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel” (3:5-6). It was revealed “to me,” Paul, by nothing
short of “revelation” and that new reality Paul has already shared with them
and continues to in this epistle (verse 4).
He had “briefly written” about part of it earlier
and was now to add more. No one epistle
of Paul provides the entirety of what God had given him but only those parts
most relevant and germane to their particular circumstances at the time. In all fairness, he specifically might
have in mind the elements of the Divine “mystery” that he had already touched
on in this very epistle (1:9-10).
The description “briefly” would unquestionably fit the shortness of that
text! (And the one in
3:4 by which, when
you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ). You want to be “as
smart as the apostle Paul?” Then “read”
what he has to say for it is that which causes us to “understand [Paul’s] knowledge
in the mystery of Christ.” He didn’t
keep it hidden just for his personal enlightenment; he did as God intended and
shared it . . . taught it . . . to all who were
willing to listen.
He did this with the confidence
that, with reasonable effort, they could “understand” what was being said. Hence if we do not understand the Bible, it
is a failure on our part—and not on that of God or Paul.
That does not mean that it is always easy to
understand; in some cases it may take a goodly amount of work. The apostle Peter concedes of Paul’s letters
that there are “some things hard to understand” in them. Then he stresses the danger of bending them
all out of their intended meaning: “untaught and unstable people twist to their own
destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures” (2
Peter
3:5 which in other
ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the
Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets. Again note how the “mystery” of verses 3 and
4 was a now revealed truth. In
the past (“other ages”) it was not taught—at least not in anything but the
broadest sketch such as the universal nature of God’s kingdom (Isaiah 2:1-4,
especially verses 3-4). Now there was
substance—“meat and bone,” so to speak—attached to that information. Now they could comprehend what previously had
only been hinted at.
The Divine revealer is the Holy
Spirit (as in John
Note that both “apostles and prophets” are described by the
word “holy.” Their character was
expected to be exemplary, in accordance with the moral message they
taught. They proved they genuinely
believed the high ethical standards they advocated by living it where everyone
could see it happening.
3:6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same
body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel. Three inter-related
truths were taught: (1) Converted Gentiles would be “fellow
heirs” of the same blessings that would come to Jewish Christians. (2)
They would be in “the same body,” with all that implies about past
barriers being removed and no longer relevant.
The original small and narrow spiritual “body” of Jews alone had now
been vastly expanded and access made available to all. (3)
They were all “partakers of His promise in Christ”—the blessing of
purification, salvation, and a place in heaven.
“It would have been difficult indeed to have piled together three
expressions more eloquent of the absolute equality of privilege and blessing to
be shared and shared alike by Jews and Gentiles in Christ.” (James B. Coffman)
It was “the gospel” that made this new reality known and
available for all to share in its blessings.
Or as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 4:15, “in Christ Jesus I have begotten
you through the gospel.” It was no
longer Sinai where one went--where the Divine truths were specifically for the
Jewish people alone; now the revealed truths were for the entire human
race.
The Spiritual Unification Of Jew
And Gentile Was Part Of
God’s “Eternal Purpose”
(3:7-13)
7 I became a servant of this gospel according to the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by the exercise of his power. 8 To me—less than the least of all the saints—this grace was given, to proclaim to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ 9 and to enlighten everyone about God’s secret plan—the mystery that has been hidden for ages in God who has created all things. 10 The purpose of this enlightenment is that through the church the multifaceted wisdom of God should now be disclosed to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly realms. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and confident access to God by way of Christ’s faithfulness. 13 For this reason I ask you not to lose heart because of what I am suffering for you, which is your glory. --New English Translation (for comparison)
3:7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of
the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.
Paul “became a minister” of the gospel (verse 6). Since “minister” is colloquially equivalent
today to “preacher” or “pulpit teacher” a broader term is quite appropriate and
the consensus choice is unquestionably “servant.”
Just as Paul preached the redemptive
power of “grace,” his being given this responsibility was counted as such an
honor that he describes it as being “the gift of the grace of God.” It was not viewed as a burdensome
responsibility but as constituting a unique Divine blessing and opportunity to
serve.
That this was something to be proud of he also shows by
describing the appointment as “the effective working of His power.” A Divine decision lay behind it. How could he count it anything but an honor
and a tribute to his own potential for service when others might have been
chosen instead?
3:8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints,
this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. Rather than be puffed up with conceit—and
this is always a human danger when granted an unusually great honor—Paul kept
it in perspective. He was all too well
aware of his background as a persecutor rather than a friend of the new faith. Compared to so many others, he was
“the least of all the saints.”
Even so God chose him as the best man for the
responsibility and provided him the “grace” of appointment to apostle and
preacher. That language shows that he
views it in terms of being a blessing rather than just a responsibility. It is very easy for preachers to become so
involved in the things that go with their work that they forget that they have
been given a major honor in being able to regularly preach the gospel.
To express how vast and profound and deep are our
blessings through the Messiah, Paul describes them as “the unsearchable
riches of Christ.” They are beyond our
full understanding and ability to grasp how varied, numerous, and useful they
can be. We may well receive them,
but fully comprehend is a far different matter.
Other
renderings translate this as a reference to the vastness of spirituality
that is available through the Lord: “the
boundless riches of Christ” (NIV), “the immeasurable wealth of Christ” (GW),
and “the exhaustless wealth of Christ” (
3:9 and to make all see what is the fellowship
of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God
who created all things through Jesus Christ. Paul’s injunction was not just to preach
the profound grace of Christ (verse 8) but also to “make all see” (=
comprehend, grasp) what it means to join in with others who share ready access
to that grace. He calls it the
“fellowship [sharing] of the mystery” which he once again tells us means
something previously hidden . . . in this case “from the beginning of the
ages.” That means carrying the origin of
the plan all the way back to when God “created all things.”
Textual
note:
The addition of “through Jesus Christ” is retained by only a modest few
translations due to inadequate attestation in ancient manuscripts. The truth of His involvement however is
clearly indicated in texts not subject to this objection (John 1:1-3;
Colossians
Although it is their responsibility
and honor to share the gospel (Matthew 28:18-20), in the current context that
is not the point. Instead it is that the
existence and actions of “the church” is a demonstration and vindication
“to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places” of God’s
success.
Is there the hint here that some in heaven had reservations
that this would actually work? Not that
they would defy God, but that is not the same thing as quietly wondering. Remember that the working out of this ultimate
revealing of God’s plan had waited all the centuries from the original creation
until the time of Paul . . . a vast period of time.
Some
see here simply a completion of the imagery begun in the previous verse: just as “all see” the success on earth (verse
9), in heaven it is also “made known.” In other words a rhetorical flourish to
stress that everyone, everywhere can see the successful working out of God’s
plans. Not some fine theological point
but simply a way of making the truth even more emphatic.
It
is easy to take “manifold wisdom of God” as a way of stressing its
profoundness, its depth, its insight.
But the Greek here is easily rendered as a referenced to the varied
forms it can take. Hence “multifaceted wisdom” (Holman, NET),”
“wisdom in all its different forms” (GNT), or “the innumerable aspects of God’s
wisdom” (
And
we have excellent reason to: We have
full “confidence [that] through faith in Him [i.e., Christ]” that we will have
“access” to the help of God. Since it is
a matter of “access” to God, the idea must be that our prayers will be
carefully considered rather than shunned aside like those who reject God’s
authority and standards. Christians are
in a very different category.
Even
though Paul’s difficulties were “for you” (= grew out of his work for them and
other Christians) they should not feel guilty.
In their own way the hardships Paul suffered actually brought honor
(“glory”) upon them because they were “tribulations for you,” i.e., to prove
that one could remain faithful to the Lord no matter what might happen. Hence he was determined to set the right
personal example for them.
Paul Prays For Their
Spiritual Development and
Insight
(3:14-21)
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every
family in heaven and on earth is named. 16 I
pray that according to the wealth of his glory he will grant you to be
strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person, 17 that Christ will dwell in your
hearts through faith, so that, because you have been rooted and grounded in
love, 18 you will
be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and
height and depth, 19 and
thus to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you will be
filled up to all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who by the power that is working within us is able to do far beyond all that we ask or think, 21 to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. --New English Translation (for comparison)
Manuscript
note: Although “of our Lord Jesus
Christ” is unquestionably found after the word “Father” in Ephesians 1:3, the
manuscript evidence for its inclusion here is so modest that the bulk of
translations omit it.
It might be tempting to say it refers to the “new name”
believers receive in heaven (Revelation
John Wesley considered this a reference to God’s people wherever
they are in this world or the next, i.e., “The whole family of angels in
heaven, saints in Paradise, and believers on earth is named (of the Father),
being ‘the children of God,’ a more honorable title than children of Abraham,
and depending on Him as the Father of the family.” (As quoted by Coffman.) They are “named” as part of the saved not
because of their physical location but because of their obedience.
Where they would be “strengthened” is identified as “the inner man;” “inner being” has been used as substitute (ESV, NIV). The human soul or spirit seems the frame of reference; that part of us that clearly exists but is not part of our flesh and blood.
The tool accomplishing this result is identified as “His Spirit.” It does so not to convert us—for we have already been by this point—but to make us spiritually stronger. That hinges upon our utilizing the additional emotional reserves God has provided. He provides “gas” for our “gas tank,” so to speak; but it is up to us whether we step on the gas pedal.
Compare the language of God in
Isaiah describing the inner power He is willing to give to His people: 40:29-31; 41:10. Then there is Paul’s own reassurance in
Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Our inner strengthening is to help us to be well “rooted and
grounded in love.” Love not as in
emotion anywhere near as much as in constructive and beneficial behavior
toward others. The image alluded to is
that of a living entity such as a tree or bush being planted firmly and soundly
in good soil. But in our case as human
beings, it is placed and “planted” firmly in the soil of “love” where the
virtues can grow ever stronger, larger, and more beneficial to ourselves and others.
He did not wish only a select minority to understand
these matters; He wished “all the saints”--all those set apart to God’s
service--to be able to do so. It was an understanding that
would benefit them all.
The “size” or “dimensions” of Christ’s love is so
vast that it can only be described vaguely:
note the scope implied by “the width and length and depth and height” .
. . surely carrying the inevitable implication of huge amounts in all directions! When the Psalmist (103:11-18)) similarly tries to find a
way to meaningfully convey the depth and inter-generational availability of the
Father’s love, he writes in these terms:
11 For as the heavens
are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
12 As far as the east is from
the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions
from us.
13 As a father
pities his children,
So the Lord pities those who fear Him.
14 For He knows our frame;
He remembers that we are dust.
15 As
for man, his days are like grass;
As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
16 For the wind passes over
it, and it is gone,
And its place remembers it no more.
17 But the mercy of
the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting
On those who fear Him,
And His righteousness to children’s children,
18 To such as keep His
covenant,
And to those who remember His commandments to do
them.
Unquestionably Paul would have readily embraced that
last remark: the profoundness and
thoroughness of God’s love is readily available to every single human being . .
. who is His loyal servant. Oddly a good
number wonder what is the subject matter of our current Ephesian verse. In
light of the reference to “being rooted and grounded in love” in the
preceding one (verse 17) and the reference to “know[ing]
the love of Christ” in the next (verse 19), it strikes me that the Divine love
toward God’s people surely must be in mind.
By their understanding of “the love of Christ”—that which He
has toward His people and which He perfectly exhibited in life—we can be
“filled with all the fullness of God” . . . see it perfectly reflected in His
Son’s nature and actions. By imitating
these things we, in turn, are filled with God’s moral nature and intents . . .
His passionate love and loyalty.
3:20 Now to Him who is able to do
exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to
the power that works in us. We would like to have God do
many things for us. But that does not
always mean that He does so in place of ourselves. What we easily forget is that God can also
provide us with the opportunity and talents that are far beyond our
imagination—to do “exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.” How more emphatically could he make the point
of how profound is the scope of what He can do—both personally and through
human agents?
It is God’s “power that works in us” and not
our own power by itself: He gives us the
strength, the energy, the motivation, to do that which far exceeds what we
would normally expect was even possible.
And if that doesn’t do it, He has other ways of intervening on
our behalf as well.
The promise of glorifying God for His assistance (verse 20)
applied not just to those currently alive but “to all generations
forever and ever” . . . this aid would be permanently available to all whether then
living or yet unborn. That last fact
should be carefully noted. Many times
those passages that speak as if the final coming of Christ might be in their
near future are magnified and those, like this one, that refer to the fact that
“generations” could (or would!) pass are ignored. The truth is that the timing was unknown to
the first century apostles and prophets so it is natural that they speak in
language embracing both possibilities since they didn’t have the foggiest when
the Lord would act (Matthew 24:36, 44; 25:13; Acts 1:7).
They Have The
Duty Of
Treating Each Other
Constructively
(4:1-6)
1 I, therefore, the prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live worthily of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, putting up with one another in love, 3 making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you too were called to the one hope of your calling, 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. --New English Translation (for comparison)
4:1 I, therefore,
the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the
calling with which you were called.
Although Paul is actually a
prisoner of the Romans, anti-Christian agitators were behind his arrest and the
Romans landed up dragged into the situation (Acts
If he has paid so much for loyalty
to God’s cause, he is obviously in a position to rightly urge them (“beseech
you”) to live in a manner “worthy” of being Christians. This Divine “calling” to obedience and
loyalty continued to exist just as much as the day when they were first
converted. The admonition carries with
it the idea of a consistent and persistent honorable lifestyle worthy of their
convictions.
References in other passages: Paul describes this dedicated
loyalty to Christ as “conduct . . . worthy
of the gospel of Christ” (Philippians
1:27), “walk[ing]
worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful
in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:10), and “walk[ing] worthy of God
who calls you into His own kingdom and glory” (1 Thessalonians 2:12).
4:2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering,
bearing with one another in love.
Their behavior was to be marked by a lack of being overbearing
and needlessly annoying to others. To
recognize their own strengths and virtues was one thing (Romans 12:3), but to
become arrogant because of them was something else entirely! They were going to make their own share of
mistakes and misjudgments. Hence they
needed to be humble in their relationships with others (= have “lowliness”)
rather than domineering.
This was to be accompanied with a “gentleness”
in dealing with others. (The Douay-Rheims has a good reading in its use of
“mildness.”) In our interactions with
others, conflicts and tensions inevitably arise but we should go out of our way
not to make them worse.
Although minimalist revisions of the KJV often still retain
“meekness”—as did the “mainstream” Revised Standard Version as recently as
1952—vernacular usage reads into the term the element of timidity and perhaps
even of weakness . . . neither of which is intended by Paul. The “gentle” person isn’t displaying his or
her weakness but revealing their self-control even when annoyed.
Hence they needed to be “longsuffering” rather than demanding
that things be rectified to their preferences right this minute. Likewise they were to “bear with one another
in love” rather than flying off the handle and responding to annoyances—even genuine
and legitimate ones—by demanding an immediate correction. Some things simply take time to work out to a
satisfactory solution.
4:3 endeavoring to
keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
The willingness to take time to work things out with others (verse 2) is
a practical means of trying to preserve two important things.
The first is “to keep the unity of
the Spirit.” If this is the Holy Spirit
(note the capitalization), then the idea is the unity of Christians taught by
and demanded by the Divine Spirit.
(Remember the Spirit’s role of providing the Divine will to the apostles
and prophets? In light of the next two
verses this is the most probable frame of reference.)
If the language refers to the human spirit, it refers
to the preservation of a shared framework of thought and action rather
than dividing the congregation into divisive cliques. Remember Paul’s criticism of the Corinthian
church for such? Today we might call
“keep[ing] the unity of the spirit” as equivalent to
“being on the same wave length.” In
either approach to the meaning of “spirit” in our text, if there is to be
division in the Lord’s church it should not be at our hands (cf. 1
Corinthians
The second value to allowing time to
work out tensions with others is that it enables the preservation of “the bond
of peace” that should exist between Christians.
Needless annoyances and the escalation of tensions can easily produce
mini-wars between believers. In turn
that encourages further escalation and efforts to recruit other members for one
faction or the other. This is neither
good for the individuals involved nor for the unity of
the congregation. There will be enough real
problems rather than creating needless additional ones!
4:4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you
were called in one hope of your calling. All of God’s people are in the same Divine
institution, the church. He calls it
“one body” because it is supposed to be united and working toward the same
goals. Likewise there is only one
“[Holy] Spirit;” that understanding of the meaning seems required because in
the next two verses he emphasizes how there is only one Christ and one God. Otherwise the idea would be that there is
supposed to be one shared “spirit”—as in disposition, attitude, commitment to work together in regard to the same
goals. The divisive mentality is to be
absent.
Finally, all Christians
were “called” to the Lord in the shared conviction (= “one hope”) of what “your
calling” would produce—i.e., eternal salvation.
4:5 one Lord, one faith, one
baptism. There would be varied people claiming to be
the Messiah in the first century—some still pop up today!--but there was only
one who was truly such . . . Jesus of Nazareth, our mutually shared
“Lord.” There is only one system of
religious conviction recognized by God (= “one faith”), the description coming
from the fact that everyone is supposed to be sharing the same set of convictions
. . . the same set of things they believe in.
There is only “one baptism” to get into the Lord’s church: it is a one time event and not one
periodically repeated. It has the same
intent and purpose for everyone—redemptive (Acts
A virtually synonymous way of
approaching this: we have here a concise
description of how we gain salvation:
There is “one Lord” and when we accept Him we share “one [= the same]
faith” as everyone else, resulting in the “one [and only] baptism” we ever
need. A conceptual parallel can easily
be found in Mark 16:15-16 where hearing the message about our one Lord
(Christ), produces faith, and a one time only baptism. The three, obviously, are intimately tied
together.
4:6 one God and Father of all, who is above
all, and through all, and in you all.
The Old Testament defiantly cried out to all competitors that there was
only “one God” and that remained just as much true as it had centuries
before. That “one God” is the physical
(so to speak) “Father of all” because He created the entire universe; He was
the spiritual “Father of all” because He was the one who prescribed what
Jesus was to preach and teach and expect His earthly followers to imitate (John
16:13-15).
He is “above all” because He truly exists; He isn’t a
“pretend god” like His competitors. He
is “above all” because as Creator of the universe He has—and has exercised—full
authority over all of creation. He is
“through all”—universally present and able to accomplish anything He wants in
the created universe. His power is
applicable everywhere. And, finally, He
is “in you all” through how His word brought them salvation and drastically
reshaped their lives.
(It is hard to resist adding this remark: people often speak of the “personal
indwelling of the Holy Spirit” but, oddly, they never seem to go to passages
like this to argue “the personal indwelling of the Father Himself” as
well. Could it be that the indwelling of
neither takes the form that is assumed when talking about the Divine
Spirit but that both do it through the inspired message?)
Christ Gives Individuals
Different
Abilities and
Responsibilities In The Church
To Assure Its Spiritual
Development
(4:7-13)
7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he captured captives; he gave gifts to men.” 9 Now what is the meaning of “he ascended,” except that he also descended to the lower regions, namely, the earth? 10 He, the very one who descended, is also the one who ascended above all the heavens, in order to fill all things. 11 And he himself gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, that is, to build up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God—a mature person, attaining to the measure of Christ’s full stature. --New English Translation (for comparison)
4:7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the
measure of Christ’s gift. What Divine “grace” we have
received is identical with that of every other Christian—unlimited . . . for
how could a mere “droplet” of grace (so to speak) have possibly been enough to
remove our sin? We were, so to speak, “baptized
in grace”—the Divine favor we receive through penitent baptism (Acts
The standard for this was “the
[unlimited] measure of Christ’s gift.”
He gave everything He had, His very physical life in order to
obtain us salvation. Furthermore that
“gift” of His life purchased everything we needed in order to obtain
permanent eternal life. In addition, it
provides us with everything we need in the current life. All our spiritual needs.
A fair number of people believe that
Paul is discussing the giving of supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit—speaking
in tongues, etc. If so, it is an
incredibly indirect method of doing so since in this verse it is specified
that what is received are gifts of “grace” rather than the Holy Spirit.
4:8 Therefore
He says: “When He ascended on high, / He led
captivity captive, / And gave gifts to men.” Paul quotes here
Psalm 68:18 as one example of the prophetic Old Testament texts Jesus brought
to fulfillment. However he alters it
from having “received gifts” to having given gifts. Unless working from a different textual
tradition, Paul’s point would be that just as in the Old Testament He took
“gifts” from humanity, He now gives them instead. (Even in the traditional Old Testament text,
however, what Paul describes would be expected to happen as well: the rewarding of loyal supporters. Paul makes explicit what they would have
taken for granted.)
At His
resurrection from the dead Christ definitively broke the power of death and
took it, so to speak, as His defeated foe back to heaven. He had demonstrated that the power of death
could be broken on His behalf and that, trusting in Him, created a rational
confidence that He could free others as well from those chains of
enslavement. In doing this, He
vindicated His ability to “give gifts to men”—some of which are church offices
and duties and are discussed in verse 11.
Only one of them (“prophets”) can rightly be considered as involving an
action(s) by the Holy Spirit, but all of them can be considered generous
gifts of “grace” (Divine favor) as specified in the preceding verse.
4:9 (Now this, “He ascended”—what
does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the
earth? For Jesus to have
“ascended” to heaven, it is quite reasonable to argue that this was after
He had first “descended” into the earth—i.e., had died and been buried. There are only two people we read of who ascend into heaven without first being buried: Enoch (Genesis
However the wording is not
“descended into the earth” but “descended into the lower parts of the
earth.” This could refer to His coming to the
earth in the first place, emphasizing the huge gap in nature between the
two. The NET seems to take it in this sense: He “also
descended to the lower regions, namely, the earth” itself. Compared to heaven we surely are “the
lower regions!”
Some find here a reference to
preaching “to the [disobedient] imprisoned spirits” in the unseen world (Hades)
after His death (1 Peter
Of these three options the second
strikes me as the strongest.
First were the “apostles”—set apart to be the top
authority figures. Cf. Matthew
Second, there were inspired teachers. Although called “prophets” (implying in
modern usage being predictors of future events), the office involved--far more
often--Divinely guided teaching rather than predictions of the future.
Third, there were “evangelists”—ones who would proclaim
the good news of what Christ had done and continued to do . . . bringing the
opportunity of salvation to all who are willing to obey His will. If you take this in terms of doing this with outsiders
then the term would describe “missionaries” (CEV, GW). But does an “evangelist” really stop being an
“evangelist” when the bulk of his work is with existing church members? In that case the “missionary” gloss needlessly
narrows the scope of the term.
Fourthly,
there were “pastors.” The term implies
offering leadership to church members and is distinguished from the other
offices. The implicit leadership
function in the term is recognized by those who translate it as “shepherds”
(ESV, WEB), i.e., elders. If
elders performed the role of teachers they were worthy of doubt respect: “Let the elders who
rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the
word and doctrine” (1 Timothy
He
might perform in the supplemental role of teacher, but the “skill set” that
makes one a good leader is far less often combined with those that make one a
fine “teacher” as well. (Or vice versa!)
Probably that is why Paul argues that the one who is able to
successfully carry out both responsibilities is “worthy of double honor.”
That
is why I am uncomfortable with the idea that we find here the reference to only
four rather than five distinct church offices.
The required skills are typically so uncommon in the same person, it would seem illogical to do so. If you did, you could not function as a
pastor-teacher without unusual skill level in both.
Which
leads us to the final entry, that of “teachers”--those who could instruct
others in a way that they could learn and apply more spiritual truth. A challenging position since it requires both
a grounding in the actual text as well as the skill of being able to
make its meaning understandable to others as well.
Likewise
“the saints”—not some but all Christians—need to be equipped for “the
work of ministry” (= ministering / developing their spirituality to its fullest
possible degree . . . as seen in the results of such successful ministering
given in the next verse). Since the
Biblical meaning of “saints” far less comes to immediate mind rather than the
Medieval one, some translations prefer to render with its actual meaning, “His
people” (CEV, NIV, Weymouth) or “God’s people” (GNT, GW).
Walking hand-in-hand with this is the spiritual building
up (“edifying”) of the entire congregation (= “the body of Christ” in their
city). Since “edifying” is another
Biblical expression whose meaning is little understood, a number of
translations prefer to substitute its meaning, “build up the body of
Christ” (Holman). The result of a
successful “ministry/ministering” is this kind of spiritual upbuilding
. . . the hard work has born its hoped for fruit.
It is first described as “com[ing]
to the unity of the faith.” As the
result we have “unity in the faith” (Holman); “oneness in faith” (
It’s second purpose is to
provide a well developed understanding of Christ’s nature and teaching—“the
knowledge of the Son of God.” If you
wish to make the intent of the idea more complete, we could well word it “our understanding
of the knowledge of the Son of God” (CEV).
Not a “little of this” and a “little of that,” but an over all,
comprehensive development of the entire spectrum of data about the Lord.
Then there is to be the development of each of us into a
“perfect man.” Not “sinless,” but in the
proper sense of fully developed.
This obviously requires that we become “a full grown man” (WEB) and that
we “become mature” (GW, NIV) . . . “mature people” (GNT) . . . we achieve
“mature manhood” (ESV,
Fourthly there is to be an understanding of His will so
comprehensive that it can be fairly described as “the measure of the stature of
the fullness of Christ.” We allow the
gospel to develop us into as Christ like in mind and behavior as it possibly can. We settle for no less. Although we may never fully reach that point,
we never cease trying to. That
persistence keeps us from collapsing into something far less while never
stopping our spiritual growth attempt.
By Being Spiritually Mature,
They Will Be Religiously
Stable Rather Than
Constantly Changing Their
Convictions
(4:14-16)
14 So we are no longer to be children, tossed back and forth by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching by the trickery of people who craftily carry out their deceitful schemes. 15 But practicing the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ, who is the head. 16 From him the whole body grows, fitted and held together through every supporting ligament. As each one does its part, the body builds itself up in love. --New English Translation (for comparison)
It can get a lot worse than that even in religious
matters. There’s a famous exchange from Alice
in Wonderland when
As children we get “tossed to and fro and carried about”
with things that aren’t really important.
But when we mature and become Christians we had best have repressed that
mentality. Otherwise our spiritual
“convictions” become subject to radical and irresponsible change. “Every [new] wind of doctrine” may enchant
us. Since it is new surely it
must represent an increased insight!
It
can just as easily be wasted time. If
you ever do a “deep dive” into the intricate theorizing of PhD scholars when
they are in need of new publishing credits, you can discover how many
“intellectually mature words” can be moved around and produce little of real
insight. And it is fascinating to see
how often when something “new” is produced it represents a denial of
what various Biblical texts actually meant in the first place!
The type of people I’m describing are
usually quite sincere, but there is another class of religious innovator who is
centered on advancing his or her own stature, reputation, and
authority. The shenanigans
of such individuals are furthered by “the trickery of men” and is
developed through the “cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting”--intended to
deceive us into eventually supporting them.
That word “plotting” is more usefully translated by a term that makes
their dishonorable intentions even more emphatic: terms as “schemes” (ESV) or “scheming” (NIV).
However
the language could also suggest that such people are quite capable of using a
“two track” deception scheme according to who they are dealing with. “Trickery,” if taken by itself,
could suggest some relatively simple and direct method to spiritually seduce
us. In contrast, “cunning craftiness of
deceitful plotting” would argue for a longer term strategy to eventually
accomplish the same end. In that case it
would convey the idea of “clever
strategies that would lead us astray” (ISV) or “making use of every shifting
device to mislead” (
The
imagery Christ gave fits them well: “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst
of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves” (Matthew
Appearing in this context, the instruction clearly encourages
Christians to retain “love” in what and how they speak not only to faithful
Christians but also to those being tempted by the “new thinking.” First it does no good to growlingly
antagonize those we are trying to change.
It won’t encourage them to change and will only drive them further away
from reconsidering their path. Secondly,
how would we want to be treated if we were the ones stumbling
into foolish error? Shouldn’t we
remember the words in the Sermon on the Mount?
“Whatever you want
men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the
Law and the Prophets” (Matthew
By using love as our lodestone for behavior we become
more and more Christ-like (= “grow up in all things into Him who is the
head—Christ”). “It has been well said
that some men find love the easier precept, some truth; but that the Gospel
enjoins the harmony of both.” (A.
E. Humphreys,
4:16 from whom the
whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to
the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the
body for the edifying of itself in love. Christ set the example of love in coming to
earth, dying for us, and forgiving our sins.
Our responsibility is to cultivate that example of love in our behavior
and that covers behavior toward everyone in the congregation--from the “most
important” to the “least important” member.
Indeed all of us have a role to play in this growth
and not just the preacher or elders:
note the reference to “knit together by what every joint provides.
“Every joint supplies” (or should!) love and benefit to
the rest. Because “every part [of
the church] does its share,” there is spiritual “growth of the [entire church]
body” . . . as it strengthens itself by “edifying of itself” in and through
“love.” We received love and we
are to share it with each other.
The mindframe is clearly the
opposite of domineering and intimidation.
In such a congregation, there may indeed be conformity and agreement but
only because no one dares present a question that may make others
uncomfortable. And that
lamentable situation is most likely to exist when a
conformity by silence rather than by shared knowledge has been imposed.
They Must Not Act As Gentiles
Typically Did,
Making Sensuality the God
They Followed Everywhere
(4:17-19)
17 So I say this, and insist in the Lord, that you no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts. 19 Because they are callous, they have given themselves over to indecency for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. --New English Translation (for comparison)
4:17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you
should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the
futility of their mind. “Therefore” tells us that this
is a conclusion based on what he has already said and that, initially, sounds a
bit strange a connection. However in
verses 14-16 he had pled that they be spiritually mature and stable rather than
easily changing their convictions in various exotic directions. The “therefore” should be taken as implying
that spiritual instability had been characteristic of Gentile society
and that this led to intellectual blindness in pursuit of some supposed
alternative “truth” (verse 18). This
also caused their sense of personal responsibility to be removed in the quest
for some new sexual thrill (verse 19).
To “testify in the Lord” means to
speak His will . . . assuring them that what he is saying is exactly what the
Lord wants said. If you wish, “affirm together
with the Lord” (NASB)—again my words match what the Lord wants said.
That they “should no longer walk” as
other Gentiles currently live carries a recognition that because their
adopted lifestyle is so different from that favored by the strong majority,
there will be an ongoing temptation to return to it. They are a modest sized minority facing a
vastly larger society rooted in self-indulgence. What these people do is legal, smiled upon,
and even encouraged while they are looked upon as ignorant prudes.
No matter how large their number,
current society represents people living (“walk[ing]”)
in ways that produce no genuine good for their souls (= “in the futility of
their mind”). “Their
minds are set on worthless things” (GW) or “thinking worthless thoughts” (ISV). How can that do anything else than produce a
lifestyle equally destitute?
Due to a constant lifestyle of moral
self-indulgence, they have become habitually “alienated from the life of God” .
. . the kind of life God demands we have.
Note how “alienated” implies hostility and rejection and not mere
ignorance. Even when they know
the moral principles of Christianity they reject them.
The reason they are in such a shape
is “because of the [spiritual and moral] ignorance that is in them.” They have either not sought enlightenment or,
having heard it, rejected it because it is so contrary to their preferences.
Being physically blind we can’t see
where we are walking or what the results could be from our next step. Similarly “the blindness of their heart”
hides the eternal consequences of their conduct--“surely God can’t do that
if He is truly loving!”—as well as the more immediate
catastrophic results that can unexpectedly overwhelm us. You can almost say, “You can justify any sin
. . . it’s just that some may take a little longer.” But human rationalization is far from
synonymous with Divine approval.
Some find here a reference to what
is said in Romans 1:18-32 about how God washed His hands of earliest society because
of its deeply embedded evils and refusal to change. What Paul says here in Ephesians certainly
implies that the same Divine revulsion that existed in antiquity,
is still in existence. And it
emphatically applies to contemporary society.
Even the Romans passage ends with the warning: “knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of
death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them” (verse 32).
In other words, even there he is describing the reason for Divine
rejection of the bulk of society . . . not just in the far earlier world but in
his own as well. “History repeats
itself”—in a societally destructive manner.
This is the result of overindulgence in evil (“hav[ing] given themselves
over to lewdness”). It has become so
repeated that any minor inklings of impropriety are fully repressed. They “have abandoned themselves to
sensuality” (ISV). Nothing stops or
hinders them. Note that it is their
action; no one has coerced them into it.
As the result, they carry out every evil with enthusiasm no
matter how extreme it may be: “work all
uncleanness with greediness.” “With a
desire for more and more” (Holman); “without restraint” (GNT).
When They Converted,
They Learned And Adopted
A New Lifestyle
(4:20-24)
20 But you did not learn about Christ like this, 21 if indeed you heard about him and were taught in him, just as the truth is in Jesus. 22 You were taught with reference to your former way of life to lay aside the old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires, 23 to be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and to put on the new man who has been created in God’s image—in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth. --New English Translation (for comparison)
It is hard to see why he hits so hard on this unless he has heard a report that some were being tempted back into their old style of living. Either that or a recognition that even after a few years of exposure to Christianity, the moral norms of their society would still remain in their memory. “It hadn’t really done me that much harm back then, did it? How could an occasional aberration today be dangerous? Especially if other church members are not aware of it!”
That person was not stagnant: it “grows [more and more] corrupt” because they were motivated by “the deceitful lusts” that were being unleashed. Those desires (“lusts”) are deceitful because they look pleasant and desirable but result in the disaster of personal alienation from the Redeemer who wishes them to enter heaven when they die. Not to mention living an honorable life in the current world!
Indeed
“created according to God” is often translated with something along the lines
of “created to be like God” (CEV, NIV); “has been created in God’s image” (NET)
. . . to imitate His moral essence. The
pagan gods were unholy and vile; those humans imitating the only true God’s
image were pure and virtuous.
Their New Lifestyle Centered
On
Honesty And
Self-Restraint
(
25 Therefore, having laid aside
falsehood, each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, because
we are members of one another. 26 Be
angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on the cause of your
anger. 27 Do not give the devil an opportunity. 28 The one who steals must steal no longer; instead he
must labor, doing good with his own hands, so that he
will have something to share with the one who has need.
29 You must let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but only what is beneficial for the building up of the one in need, that it would give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 You must put away all bitterness, anger, wrath, quarreling, and slanderous talk—indeed all malice. 32 Instead, be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you. --New English Translation (for comparison)
Again the personal emphasis, “let each
one of you speak truth with his neighbor.”
Fundamental moral standards are absolute; they are for all
members of the spiritual community and not just some. Although logically applicable to everyone
we come into contact with, in this context “neighbor” is spiritualized
as a synonym for all fellow Christians since Paul proceeds to justify
the expression on the grounds that “we are members of one another.” That fits fellow church members far better
than mere next door residents. With the
former we share deep spiritual concerns together and meet at least once weekly
(Acts 20:7). Obviously we have come into
a close contact and bond and have regular interaction.
The words make full sense as a Pauline statement but if one
regards it as a quotation—and the NKJV translation (by quotation marks) and
some others (by different means of emphasis) do so as well—the most likely Old
Testament reference would be Zechariah 7:16, “Speak each man truth to his
neighbor.” This is especially true
because the following words (and next verse as well) emphatically continue the
emphasis.
“We are members of one another”
conveys the image of our being “part” of each other because of our joint
membership within the Lord’s church—we are individual parts of that
collectivity. It is a unique family; we
are spiritual kin of each other. Of
course the truth telling demand and other moral injunctions also apply in
dealing with those who are our physical “next door” neighbors as well, but if
it is to exist anywhere surely it must be within this group of our spiritual
kin . . . where the linkage is—or should be—the closest of all.
Paul clearly implies that “be[ing] angry” is inevitable. We will be given occasion to get seriously annoyed by others. So it is imperative that we keep that annoyance on a tight leash and not allow it to make the situation even worse. Hence what we respond, how we say it . . . and what we do in reaction must be kept under tight rein lest we ourselves become guilty of sin. Nor are we to brood on it day after day: “do not let the sun go down on your wrath.” It only embitters us and lays the groundwork for long term conflict.
This principle is also true of marital relationships. And we can do vast harm if we dare forget it. I recall an elder once telling me, “My wife and I don’t go to sleep without telling each other ‘I love you.’ ” Then he added, “Of course some nights we have to stay up real late.”
If the introductory words “Be angry and do not sin” be regarded as a quotation—as it normally is--it would surely be citing Psalms 4:4, “Be angry and do not sin.” Paul is affirming that the wise words of the ancient king make just as good a standard of behavior today as when they were written.
Hence the admonition to replace it with self-support. This involves “labor,” toil and sweat. In that pre-technological age—and even in our own technological one!--“working with his hands” is essential to produce goods, transport goods, or otherwise provide honorable income. The addition of “what is good” tells us that only work for an ethical and honest purpose is in mind.
Although
the primary purpose of our labor is always for ourselves (and our families if
we are married), Paul does not even bother to mention such obvious facts. Instead he stresses the ability to provide
charitable assistance to others who are unable to provide for themselves (i.e.,
“him who has need”). In the Old
Testament it was warned, “the poor will never cease from the land” (Deuteronomy
The maximalist interpretation of the term would be “foul language” (Holman); “filthy talk” (ISV). There is no particular reason that the language wasn’t intended to cover both.
The language
we use is to be “what is good,” i.e., beneficial to the listener and honorable
to the speaker. That inference is
conveyed by the two ways Paul describes the result of such words. First comes
“necessary edification.” People need
spiritual building up (“edification”) so it is naturally called “necessary
edification”—something that is not only desirable but outright essential.
The second description of our speech patterns is “that it may impart grace to the hearers.” When applied to God, “grace” refers to His unmerited favor being given—“unmerited” because there is no way to actually deserve or earn it. It is strictly an act of mercy. When “grace” is used of human actions, it refers to how we “benefit” others (NIV), what “will help those who hear you” (GW). This would include things like good advice and counsel when they stand in need of it. Preeminently it refers to using our abilities to lead them to the Lord and to deepen the faith of those who already have that faith.
Because of their very destructive nature, they are things to
be removed from our lives (“put away from you”) even if it takes strong and
persistent effort. And it might just
require that since twice (in both “all bitterness” and “all
malice”) he stresses that these things should be totally removed. Does anyone seriously think that Paul meant
anything less about the other attitudes?
Six evils are singled out and each
concerns how we treat other people.
(1) “Bitterness.” We have gone beyond being upset . . . being annoyed . . . we are outraged at the other person. We hold it against them and it is reflected in our language and actions. When our attitudes have gone that far, the other things on this list are natural outgrowths of our (barely controlled?) indignation.
(2) “Wrath” covers our “rage” (NIV) and “hot tempers” (GW) aimed at our foe.
(3) “Anger” naturally walks hand-in-hand with our
rage, interacting with each other and refueling the other if it eases off. It is far more than just “passionate feeling”
(
(4) “Clamor” is expressed in such things as
“shouting” (GNT, Holman), “yell[ing] at one another”
(CEV), and “loud quarreling” (GW, ISV).
(5) “Evil speaking” covers all the varied means by which we try to cut to ribbons the self-respect others have or gut their (legitimate) good reputation. Many translations understandably take these feuds as resulting in “slander” (ESV, Holman, ISV, NASB, WEB) or, at the least, “insults” (GNT). If we assume—and we all know what this is often the case—that vulgarity is commonly involved as well, then to render the term as “cursing” (GW) or “curs[ing] each other” (CEV) also makes sense. Even so the other substitutions seem more comprehensive and better cover all the forms that “evil speaking” may take.
(6) “Malice” covers “hateful feelings” (GNT) and “hatred” (GW, ISV). It is not a mere superficial attitude. By this time it has become deep rooted and been brewed into contemptuous “malice.”
(1)
“Be kind to one another.”
Negatively presented, this means “don’t have the outlook of always
seeking something to complain about.” From
the positive standpoint, it means always being on the alert to find some way to
help others who need assistance. It can
be something as simple as not having a convenient way to church. I’ve been on the receiving end of such
assistance for months at a time; likewise I’ve had the opportunity to provide
months of rides to help others who have faced such difficulties. “Earth shaking” it certainly isn’t; but it is
down to earth needed helpfulness.
(2)
“Be[ing] tenderhearted” includes recognizing
“low intensity needs” that occur but which are not so dramatic that they cry
out for immediate attention. They are
there and the person(s) are not going to go for so long without things getting
worse. So you act to help deal with it
while it is still on a manageable level.
Some translations prefer the rendering of “sympathetic” (GW), but it
strikes me as far better to speak in terms of being “merciful” (CEV) or
“compassionate” (Holman, ISV, NIV). These convey better the lesson that not only
do you feel “tenderhearted” but that you do something about it .
. . act “tenderhearted” . . . as well.
(3)
“Forgiving one another:” not holding grudges. When the attempt has been made to resolve a
breach we accept the attempt rather than rejecting it. In doing such we are reflecting the example
Deity has set for us. After all “God in
Christ forgave you” and there was absolutely no one else who had the
ability. We should never forget Jesus’
forceful lesson given in the parable of the unforgiving servant (Matthew