Ephesians

A mountain of ideas and principles in this chapter, a fire-hose of thought.

Big Bad? Predestination

 

The word "will" is thelēma, "a desire which proceeds from one’s heart or emotions. "...Election and God’s fore

ordination of us unto adoption are not due to any desert in us or anything outside God Himself, but are acts of His own pure goodness, originating wholly in the freedom of His own thoughts and loving counsel."-Wuest

Eph 1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 

"...even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him." Ephesians 1:4

God rules the world to save it.-Vincent's Word Studies

"In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory." Ephesians 1:13-14

The Church is His body.

Eph 1:22  And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 

Eph 1:23  which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. 

Put under" is hupotassō, a military term, "to put in subjection under one."

The Greek has it, "and gave Him as Head over all things to the Church." Christ is therefore God’s gift to the Church. 

The word "church" is ekklēsia, "a body of called out individuals."

It refers to the invisible Church, composed of only saved individuals, not to the visible, organized Church on earth.

The relation between Christ and the Church, therefore, is not an external relation, or one simply of Superior and inferior, Sovereign and subject, but one of life and incorporation. 

he Church is not merely an institution ruled by Him as President, a Kingdom in which He, is the Supreme Authority, or a vast company of men in moral sympathy with Him, but a Society which is in vital connection with Him, having the source of its life in Him, sustained and directed by His power, the instrument also by which He works."

The Church is described as that "which is His body." The word "which" is hētis, "which is of such a nature as," and has a qualitative nature to it. Of the word "body," sōma, Expositors says: "The word sōma, which passes readily from its literal meaning into the figurative sense of a society, a number of men constituting a social or ethical union (compare Eph_4:4), is frequently applied in the N.T., epistles to the Church, . . . as the mystical body of Christ, the fellowship of believers regarded as an organic spiritual unity in a living relation to Christ, subject to Him, animated by Him, and having His power operating in it. 

The relation between Christ and the Church, therefore, is not an external relation, or one simply of Superior and inferior, Sovereign and subject, but one of life and incorporation. The Church is not merely an institution ruled by Him as President, a Kingdom in which He, is the Supreme Authority, or a vast company of men in moral sympathy with Him, but a Society which is in vital connection with Him, having the source of its life in Him, sustained and directed by His power, the instrument also by which He works."  Wuest's 

It is this supreme idea of the Church as a spiritual order, the essence of which is a living relation to Christ, that receives further expression in the profound sentence with which the paragraph closes." wuest

Eph 1:8  He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. 

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7/11/20

After spending weeks in Ephesians 1, Ephesians 2 and now 3 have come much easier comparatively.  I've gained a greater sense of Paul's style and burden.  He's tasked with expressing the inexpressible somehow, communicating God's truth from ages past into today.

At times he comes across as groveling or unmoored. You just long for the man to pause and break it all down. But, he's Paul. He feels deeply.  He's analytical. He's compelled by Christ. He's tenacious.

Today, I have paused at this:

Eph 3:7  Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. 

From Wuest's Word Studies:

The word "minister" is diakonos, "a servant seen in his activity." Our word "deacon" comes from this Greek word. The Greek word refers to one who serves. The word "minister" is misleading, since it is the technical word used today to designate the pastor of a church. Paul merely meant that he became one who ministered the gospel, served God in that capacity.

I love the implications of  "a servant seen in his activity." 

From Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries:

G1249

διάκονος

diakonos

dee-ak'-on-os

Probably from διάκω diakō (obsolete, to run on errands; compare G1377); an attendant, that is, (generally) a waiter (at table or in other menial duties); specifically a Christian teacher and pastor (technically a deacon or deaconess): - deacon, minister, servant.

Total KJV occurrences: 3

"...and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds." Eph 4:23

The renewal takes place, not in the mind, but in the spirit of it. ’The change is not in the mind psychologically, either in its essence or in its operation; and neither is it in the mind as if it were a superficial change of opinion on points of doctrine or practice: but it is in the spirit of the mind; in that which gives mind both its bent and its material of thought. It is not simply in the spirit as if it lay there in dim and mystic quietude; but it is in the spirit of the mind; in the power which, when changed itself, radically alters the entire sphere and business of the inner mechanism’ (Eadie)."

Eph 4:30  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 

’ The Spirit is here seen as capable of feeling, and so as personal. In Isa_63:10 we have a similar idea, following the statement that Jehovah was afflicted in all His people’s afflictions. These terms, no doubt, are anthropopathic, as all terms which we can use of God are anthropomorphic and anthropopathic. (Gentle reader, these two enormous words mean "a representation or conception of God under human form or with human attributes." K.S.W.) But they have reality behind them, and that as regards God’s nature and not merely His acts. Otherwise we should have an unknown God and One who might be essentially different from what we are under the mental necessity of thinking Him to be. What love is in us points truly, though tremulously, to what love is in God. But in us love, in proportion as it is true and sovereign, has both its wrath-side and its grief-side; and so must it be with God, however difficult for us to think it out."

1 Corinthians 1

"Through him, God has enriched your church in every way—with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge. This confirms that what I told you about Christ is true."  1 Corinthians 1:5-6

In what specific ways has God enriched New Life?  Eloquent words? knowledge?

Big concern: "This confirms that what I told you about Christ is true."

1Co 1:10  I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. 

Be of one mind.

United in thought and purpose.

Roadblocks.

"No religious truth, then, is held rightly “as a spiritual man” should hold it, which is held as a mere external dogma positively accepted. It is held only then in a way worthy of our personal responsibility when it is held with active personal apprehension, as that which is an indelible and irrefutable part of our own deliberate conviction, in the light of all the facts of experience."

"Many things that are doubtful become simple when we ask, What would the example and spirit of Christ lead us in this case to say and do?" -J. Ker, D. D.

"This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful." 1 Corinthians 4:

King David

I'm still on my "Bible in a Year" plan although I'm falling behind. I like the push of a plan, but my goal is contemplation, understanding, transformation, not speed.

This time through King David's narrative, I've been intrigued with the brutal nature of his culture.

I'm impressed by his just, even-handedness in dealing with other nations, but also by his equally quick retribution.

He spares Saul because he respect the government of God. His best friend is one of Saul's sons and after Saul and Jonathan's death, he honors the relationship through his care of Methiposheth.

He marries repeatedly, a custom of the culture but not of God.  This gives me pause when considering all of the sexual expressions of our current society--sex outside of marriage, cohabitation without marriage, homosexuality, bisexuality, remarriage, the list goes on. My quick thought is to leave judgement to God and get on with more productive ways of serving and loving. I know it's more complicated than that, but it feels like step one.

And, outside of the multiple marriages, David is getting ready to meet Bathsheba.  So he'll soon add adultery of another man's wife and premeditated murder to his list. Yet, David was also repentant--humble--took his hits when he knew they were due.

Like every person, David disappoints. We want a hero, and yes, we get that in areas. But we also get a real man, imperfect, vulnerable to sin, fatigue, the flesh, and time. It gives me great hope and comfort.

It's also one of the aspects of scripture that I love and find reassuring--these are not "pretty" narratives cleaned up for audiences.  They are a log and narrative that reads like life.

Character Studies:

Absalom
Weighs his hair
no flaw from head to toe