"With Him"; or, Studies in the Epistle to the Ephesians

Contents

CHAPTER PAGE

I. Introductory Foreword 9

II. The Crisis and Christ 14

Chapter I Introductory Foreword

K<r>/ REE from all apologetics of human reason and A Lu speech, the Word of God in its opening statement jjy^ authoritatively declares :

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Thus we are introduced to the Creator and His creation and are instructed concerning the scope and the twofold sphere of this creation, namely, "the heavens and the earth" (R. V.). These two spheres are again brought before us in later Scriptures, the Epistles of Paul (Colossians, Philippians), where we see them related not only to the creation but to redemption. Things concerning the firstmentioned sphere, "the heavens," is not the subject of the Bible, for the major portion of the Bible is concerning the "earth," not the "heavenlies." Credit has been given a great astronomer for a pertinent remark that "the Bible was not written to tell how the heavens go, but to tell how to go to heaven."

Whatever truth this statement may include, it is quite sure the Bible, in the body of its writings, is not concerned with affairs in the heavens, but rather with events related to the earth. Dr. Sir Robert Anderson, in his "Coming Prince," says :

"The Bible is far more than a text-book of theology and morals, or even than a guide to heaven. It is a record of the progressive revelation God has vouchsafed to man and the Divine history of our race in connection with that revelation."

From the first and faithful record of the original creation (Gen. 1 :1) to the recreation and restoration of the original creation (Gen. 1 :1 to 2:1), and forward on to the consum-

10 EPHBSIANS

mation recorded in the Book of Revelation, the Scriptures hold constantly before us the one great and principal truth that God has chosen the earth on which to enact an earthly program, with an earthly people, the same issuing in earthly blessing. The world that now is, took order and organization to become the home of man, who is created in the image of God, and who at the proper time is placed in dominion over it (Gen. 1 :26, 28). Its fullness and fruit is at his disposal and its plentitude placed at his hand (Gen. 1:29,31).

Man has come for a long tenure, and the successive seasons, occurring, concurring and recurring, are guaranteed and assured by God in the terms of the lease granting man possession for a period of great extent.

When sin enters the world (Rom. 5:12) and the federal head falls, entailing racial calamity and involving all his offspring beyond human reparation and restoration, the earth and creation send up a groan which continues to the present, for the groaning creation is destined to deliverance and to the display of God's purpose in the coming days of the regeneration.

When the fallen sons of Adam, by natural corruption and supernatural irruption, fill the earth with violence, God in mercy and justice sends deluge and destruction to preserve His purpose and His people in the earth (Gen. 6 — 8).

Upon the cleansed earth Noah and his sons go forth and at the conclusion of Genesis 10, which is the Ethnological and Historical Record of the Nations (Delitozch says "Roll-Call") we read:

"These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations ; and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood" (Gen. 10:32). Then follows the scattering of the nations to their places on the habitable earth (Deut. 32:8), after which follows the

INTRODUCTORY FOREWORD 11

CALL OF ABRAHAM

From the twelfth chapter of Genesis we have unfolded in detail the manner in which God called a solitary man out from the rest of the world "to become the head of an elect nation, destined throughout the long course of the world ages never again to mingle on equal terms with the rest of the world's stream." And this choice in Abram of Israel as the One Nation peculiar to His purpose was not a display of favoritism, of which there is none with God, but rather His choice in Israel was an object to a Divine end in view, for we read

"Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew you; and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee and make thy name great, and thou shalt be a blessing; and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed" (Gen. 12:1-3).

Thus our attention is still held to the earth and God's purpose in the earth.

After God's choice of the One Nation, Israel, we find choice after choice within this nation. "If Abram is called to give up his nationality, God will make of him a great nation ; if his family, it is that all families may be blessed through him, and if he gives up his descent line and name, God will begin a new line in him and make his name great."

The tribe is chosen, the family within the tribe, the house and the virgin within the house, and when the Old Testament is brought to its close the Law and the Prophets are awaiting fulfillment in the coming of Him who was the burden of their promise and prophecy.

Four hundred years of silence covering the period from Malachi to Matthew is broken by the advent of the promised Messiah to the House of David and the Nation of Israel. He was sent to bless Israel and through them the nations. His coming to them was God's plan for the world. Indeed, His coming- to Israel was the Divine and destined way outlined in the program of prophecy by which the nations of the earth are blessed and the sovereignty of the earth passes into the hands of the Son of man.

The story of Messiah's reception by Israel is quickly told. "He came to His own (Israel), but His own received Him not." He was delivered by them into the hands of Gentiles and without human cause He is put to death. It was the terrible death of the cross !

He arose from the dead and in this resurrection from the dead it is found He is not yet beyond Israel's call, and on the memorable day of Pentecost Peter is selected and sent to call upon Israel to repent of this murder of Messiah. Peter assures them in the great power of the Holy Ghost, that the "sure mercies of David" guarantees to them His return and their restoration and the restitution of all their national hopes (Acts 3:19,21). Here, as often before, they would not.

Their ears are heavy, hearts dull, eyes blind, they will not convert and be healed.

Stephen's address in Acts 7 brings the national climax and crisis ! They have not only slain Messiah, but all that are "sent unto them." The blood of another son of Abraham is required of them ! Unbelief has come to its full in this nation of the long-suffering God.

"As your fathers did, so do ye," is the terrible indictment ! It is all over ! We have but to await till the record of the Acts comes to a conclusion to behold the nation judicially and temporarily set aside. God now turns attention to the Gentiles, and is the official notice, as proclaimed in Acts 28 :28 :

"Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it."

Until this time we have been tracing God's purpose for the earth through and in Israel.

We have not considered the "heavenlies ;" indeed, since the mention of that sphere away back in Genesis, we have

INTRODUCTORY FOREWORD 13

not thought of looking that way, so concerned have we been with God's purpose for the earth.

To be sure, there has been an occasional glance directed towards the heavens, but as a place of contemplation and hope, and as a position to which our eyes are lifted, hearts centered and our destinies concerned — such has not been our consideration. We have now and then lifted our eyes to the aerial and stellar heavens, but to heavenly places far above all principality and power and might, and dominion, where Christ is raised and seated, this is a new sphere ! It is all new and divergingly different !

Yet this is the place to which our attention is directed for the first time in the Scriptures and the direction comes to us from the Book of Ephesians.

What does it all mean? Why are we thus taken from the earth and God's purpose therein and turned toward the heavenlies? Has God cast off His people whom He foreknew and abandoned His purpose on the earth? God forbid. There is a parenthesis in His purpose to be filled in and this is the subject of the Ephesian Epistle.

Before we approach this "Alps of the New Testament" (Pierson) the writer greatly desires that each pray the prayer of the Apostle as recorded in Ephesians. Let us pray in humility:

"That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. And what is the exceeding greatness of His power, to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. And hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the Head over all things to the Church" (Eph. 1:17-23).

Chapter II The Crisis And The Christ

"There might have been agitation, anxiety and terrible perturbation of spirit when the claims of Christ were first presented and brought into sharp conflict with previous convictions and traditionary prepossessions, but the turmoil had subsided into quiescent and immovable confidence in the Son of God." — John Eadie, D.D., L.L.D., in "Ephesians."

**%^3H'E day of Pentecost was fully come! CQ\ The Holy Ghost from heaven ! *****& The Gospels open with the advent of the Son of God from heaven and the Book of Acts with the advent of the Holy Ghost from heaven. The Holy Spirit of God had come down to the earth because the Son of God had gone up to heaven. The One came out because the Other had gone in. Pentecost was what Dr. Gordon has beautifully and significantly called — "The birthday of the Holy Ghost."

As the Son of God had a day of coming into the world, so also the Spirit of God.

When the fullness of time was come God sent His Son (Gal. 4:4).

When the "day of Pentecost was fully come" God sent His Holy Spirit. And certainly it is true that "as the presence of the Son, exalting and revealing the Father, is the great fact of the Gospels, so the presence of the Spirit, exalting and revealing the Son, is the great fact of Acts." And the method and ministry of the Son and the Spirit are likewise similar. As the Son, who came to reveal the Father, offered Himself first to Israel, so also the Spirit, who came to reveal the Son, offers Him first to Israel. This was the Divine order; "to the Jew first and also to the Greek."

THE CRISIS AND CHRIST 15

In the Gospels it is to the nation of Israel first, then the nations (Matt. 10:6; 15:24).

In John's Gospel we behold the Son of God coming to His own people Israel, who reject Him (John 1:11,12), and at the close of His ministry He is sought by the Greeks (John 12:20). .

In the Acts, as in the Gospels, the offer is to the Jew first, then to the Gentiles.

Peter's sermon at Pentecost follows this Divine order. Hear his first word :

"Ye men of JUDEA and all that dwell at JERUSALEM, be this known unto YOU" (Acts 2:14).

and again:

"Ye men of ISRAEL hear these words" (Acts 2:22; 2:36).

Read again the record of Peter's second sermon and hear the conclusion. Addressing "ye men of Israel" (Acts 3: 12), he says: "Unto you FIRST, God, having raised up His Son Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away everyone of YOU from his iniquities" (Acts 3 :26).

Again a little later after the Gentiles had received and believed, we read :

"But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, it was necessary that the Word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth" (Acts 13:45-48).

But while the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the Acts is to the Jew first, it is also to the Greek, and at chapter 10 we behold the kingdom of heaven opened unto the Gentiles. This is what Scofield calls "Peter's second use of the keys." (See Scofield Bible, Acts 10.) This order in Acts is the Divine order. Blessing for the Gentiles succeeds the blessing of Israel. God has chosen Israel that in them He may bless the nations. Thus we see the ministry of the Book of Acts, which is divided unto Peter and Paul, is twofold, viz. :

I. To the Covenant People Israel, — the Circumcision.

II. To the Strangers to the Covenants, the Gentiles, — the Uncircumcision.

God had raised up an Apostle whose office He magnified that they might minister to both the Circumcision and the Uncircumcision. This the early Church recognized.

"When they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision w?.a unto Peter; (for he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles : ) and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision" (Gal. 2:7-9).

This subject will be further considered in this our study of Ephesians under a division entitled, "The Liabilities of Israel" and "The Disabilities of the Gentiles."

But it must be remembered that "the birthday of the Holy Ghost was also the birthday of the Apostolic Church. Here, again, the order was the Jew first and then the Gentile. The first members of the Church were Jews The Gentiles were called afterward.

Throughout the Book of Acts we see a company of believing Jews and believing Gentiles, but nowhere in the Book of Acts do we see national reception of Christ by any of the nations. Only individuals of the Circumcision and individuals of the Uncircumcision. In fact but a remnant of either believed and received. This opportunity was afforded them both.

Dr. James H. Brookes had clear vision here, and in his invaluable work, "Israel and the Church," recently issued by the Bible Institute Colportage Association, he says :

"If Israel had repented and turned to God in obedience to the apostolic summons, their sins would have been blotted out, the millennial glory would have set in, the Lord Jesus would have returned

THE CRISIS AND CHRIST 17

from heaven, and restored the kingdom to Israel as the center of His earthly empire, and the channel of blessing to all other nations. This is what Peter taught, and what the Holy Spirit said through his mouth, as God lingered in tender mercy over Jerusalem, like the slowly departing glory in the days of Ezekiel. But Israel still rejected Him, and so heaven still received Him, and will continue to receive Him until the times of the restitution of all things.

"There is another passage, however, so perfectly clear in the light it throws upon the two already quoted, that it must remove every shadow of doubt concerning the future of Israel. For some time after the disclosure to which allusion has just been made, Peter was unable to look beyond the conversion of his own countrymen, in his zeal to hasten the crowning day of Christ, and it required a vision to convince him that his ascended Lord wished him to carry the Gospel to the Roman Centurion and to the Gentiles (Acts 10). Paul's commission, on the other hand, from the date of his remarkable conversion on the road to Damascus, embraced both divisions of the human race, for Jesus said of him to Ananias, 'He is a chosen vessel unto Me, to bear My name before the Gentiles, the kings, and the children of Israel,' the distinction between Jew and Gentile being still observed (Acts 9:15)."

THE CRISIS AND THE CHRIST

It was at this point a seeming crisis was reached and a predicament presented. But God has never faced a crisis for He has always trusted in Christ ! If we may say it reverently, God has never come to a panic for He has always worked to a purposed plan ! No surprises have ever overtaken God in the administration of the ages that He should find it necessary to suddenly make contrivance to relieve Himself of sudden embarrassment. He is a sovereign God and in Him is all sufficiency!

From the time the Son took the first step in His humiliation and became the "first-born of all creation," He became the responsible trustee unto the Father, who placed the affairs of the ages in His hands !

The situation summarized is this: The Jew and the Gentile are distinct. This distinction is Divinely placed by God and what God has put asunder let no man join together. It is an offense not to distinguish between the Jew, Gentile and Church of Christ (I Cor. 10:32).

It is equally an offense to each of them and the stuc^nt should study to show himself "approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the

Word of Truth" (II Tim. 2:15), so as to avoid giving offense to either or any of this triple division which God Himself has made.

The blessing of the Gentile nations depends upon Israel. Apart from Israel there is nothing for the nations. If Israel be set aside and a dispensation of judgment measured unto them, resulting in their removal from the land and the city, with David's throne in ruins, what can the believing Jew and the believing Gentile do? To whom shall they look? A remnant from the nation of Israel has believed and received Christ, but the nation is set aside for an age time judgment. A remnant from the Gentiles has believed and received but the nations must await Israel's recovery and blessing before they may have their portion, so dependent upon Israel.

What will be done? O! the plenitude of God's purpose! They are to be joined into one Body in which they will neither be recognized as Jew nor Gentile, but as one in Christ Jesus. The middle wall of partition, which God Himself placed between them, is taken away. He abolished the enmity to make in Himself one new man and the foundation of this reconciliation of God into one Body, was the work of the cross (Eph. '2:14-16).

THERE IS NO CRISIS WHERE THERE IS CHRIST!

The situation which seemed to be a crisis is not a crisis, lo, it is but a climax! A way was made for the dispensation now present without doing violence to former purpose or future performance!

It is not to be lightly considered that in bringing about this hitherto unheard-of union between the Jew and the Gentile in the Church, was without the abrogation of God's former purpose in Israel and through them the blessing of the nations, according to the original promise to Abram, in the coming age!

THE CRISIS AND CHRIST 19,

His purpose in the future is unchanged, but here His program for the present is proclaimed. We are not a little grieved when now and then we hear persons who know nothing of the prophetic program, say : "God will have no special dealings with Israel in the future. He has included their national blessing in the Church as well as the rest of the nations."

The Church is not a movement for national blessing of either Jew or Gentile. It is an election from the nations. It does not include in its scope universal blessing, it is individual. Universal blessing for the earth is promised in Israel. The present dispensation is distinctive and any attempt to make it other, leads to a confusion and a tangle which can be cleared and corrected only by strict adherence to God's revealed purpose in this dispensation.

I tell you, the "but now in Christ Jesus" of Ephesians, does not set aside the "then shall the ransomed of the Lord return and come to Zion," of Isaiah !

Though the Ephesian Epistle leads us to the breadth and length and height and depth of God's purpose in the Church, we must turn aside to speak a word in behalf of Israel ! The people of our prayers ! While we contemplate our position in Christ we will not forget the people now in dispersion, whose scattering made possible our gathering!

God bless the nation which is now bearing Thy judgments while we are enjoying Thy grace, Amen!

We shall trace the triumph of God in the dispensation now present and shall behold the priority of God's purpose in the Church. Ephesians is the Book of the grace of God, and we will discover that the merits of the Jew and the demerits of the Gentile do not interfere with God's display of grace, for grace is apart from either !

CHAPTER in THE STRUCTURE OF THE BOOK

"One of the mountain peaks of Revelation, disclosing the ultimate and crowning purposes of God in Christ and in the Church. As usual with Saint Paul, the great division is Doctrinal (1 — 11), and Practical (4 — 6), the latter following as the necessary and inevitable consequence of the former." — Dr. W. H. Griffith-Thomas in "Methods of Bible Study." (Marshall Bros.)

w gn^N the preceding chapter we considered The Crisis and Christ, and came to the assurance that there is no crisis where there is Christ! Though Israel was at a national crisis and because of their default the Gentile nations were with them, placed on the waiting list for final and full blessing, notwithstanding this very crisis, gave opportunity for the publication of a number on the program of God, hitherto unpublished, viz., The union of Jew and Gentile in one body— "builded together for an habitation through the Spirit."

"Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world," but this purpose had its origin "in Him" before the foundation of the world. Praise be to the Lord ! This is too high for our vision and too deep for comprehension but are the certain facts of revelation.

Before beginning the Exposition of the Book of Ephesians we shall study its Structure, that we may better understand its Subject and Scope. The following outline is a suggestive summary of the Book:

THE CONFLICT OF THE CHURCH.

6:10-18.

Conclusion

6:19-24.

The three main Divisions of the Book may be seen at a glance, and each of the three Divisions are to be interpreted in the light of the sphere revealed in 1 :3, viz. : "the heavenlies." A "Heavenly Calling" demands "Heavenly Conduct" and assures "Heavenly Conflict."

For those who study Bible Books by chapters we furnish the following KEY WORDS :

Chapter I Key Word: Redemption (vss. 1-7).

Chapter II Key Word: Reconciliation (vs. 16).

Chapter VI Key Word: Warfare (vss. 11, 12)

Under the subject of Redemption as found in the first chapter, the student may make note in margin of Bible as follows :

Persons "us" (vs. 3 )

Position "in Christ" (vs. 3)

Place "the Heavenlies" (vs. 3)

Purpose "Eternal" (vs. 4)

Pleasure "His will" (vs. 5)

Praise "Glory of His grace" (vs. 6).

Power "Mighty power" (vs. 19).

Point "far above all" (vs. 21).

In Chapter 2 there are certain interesting notations also, namely :

Dead in sins (vs. 1 ).

Disobedience to God (vs. 2).

Deliverance by grace (vss. 4, 5).

Display in ages to come (vss. 9, 10).

We behold here, (1) The Old Condition (vss. 1-3); (2) The New Position (vss. 5, 6) ; (3) The Future Exhibition (vs. 7); (4) The Present Admonition (vss. 8-10).

Notice, "in times past GENTILES IN THE FLESH" (2:12), in contrast with "but now IN CHRIST JESUS" (2:13).

The Second Chapter of Ephesians may be divided after this manner:

The Condition of the Jew and Gentile (vss. 1-10).

The Position of the Jew and Gentile (vss. 11,22).

These notations and alliterations are given but for meditation, but will be found true to interpretation.

Chapter 3, the Key Word of which is Revelation, shows us first :

Paul the l

Prisoner and the l (3:1-3).

Purpose )

r

We are introduced to the Messenger and inducted into the Mystery and in the following manner this may be impressed on, and retained by the memory :

Messenger (3

Message (3

Mystery (3

Measurements (3

1,7). 6). 8,9). 18).

THE STRUCTURE OF THE BOOK 23

Chapter 4. Phibbs and Trench give unto Chapters 4, 5 and 6 the following titles : 4. Endowment, 5. Enduement, 6* Equipment. The student will do well to note these excellent words summarizing successfully the contents of this division of Ephesians.

We suggest to the student the occurrence of the word "Not."

Walk "not"

(vs.

Conduct.

Talk "not"

(vs.

Conversation.

Sin "not"

(vs.

Circumspection.

Grieve "not"

(vs.

Provocation.

Notice the word "Let :"

Let him that stole steal no more, but rather

Let him labor (vs. 28).

Let no corrupt communication proceed from mouth

(vs. 29).

Let bitterness and wrath be put away (vs. 31). The contents of Chapter 4 may well be summed up as follows :

The W ° rthy of the Heaven1 ^

Walk Hope.

Chapter 5 : Key Word, "Worship." This Chapter has for its general subject, Christ and the Church. There are seven things He has done and does for the Church :

loved

gave Himself for sanctifies CHRIST cleanses CHURCH

washes presents preserves Ephesians, chapter 5, verses 25 to 27.

Chapter 6. The Key Word of this chapter is "Warfare." In verses 1 to 5, we are still with the "Family" and are receiving instruction for children, for fathers, reaching in the household to the inclusion of servants. At verse 10 we reach the Apostle's "Finally" and at verse 11 we enter the "Fight." It is in this chapter we are equipped with "AR- MAMENT" and advised of our "ADVERSARY." The Place of the Conflict is in the Heavenlies and the People of the Conflict ; "We" and "Principalities and Powers" (vs. 12).

We behold the Divine Panopoly for Protection. W r e are Prepared for the Contest and Assured of the Conquest.

A splendid summary of this chapter may be thus displayed :

^, Sphere of the , , Weapons of the

The I and the _.. *

Struggle Warfare.

Thus we have supplied the student with Key Words and Contents Phrases which we believe will prove very suggestive. We do not urge chapter study of any Book of the Bible, for we well know that the chapter divisions are not inspired of God and are only an arrangement for convenience. Unhappy are many of the chapter divisions, and they who are determined to study the Bible by chapters will oftentimes lose sight of the Spirit's design and division of the Book. There is spiritual symmetry in the scope of each Book of the Bible, as there is in the sum total of all the Books into one Book, the Bible !

CHAPTER IV THE CALLING OF THE CHUBCH

The Epistle overflows with lofty thoughts and doctrines. He writes it from prison at Rome. THINGS WHICH HE SCARELY ANY- WHERE ELSE UTTERS, he here expounds. — St. Chrysostom, Preamble to his Homilies on Epistle to the Ephesians.