 |
What
follows is an
examination of the biblical basis for the belief that all creation will
be
united within Christ. The paper then concludes with a discussion of the
implications of the tension that exists between this belief that God
makes
"all things new" and the doctrine of eternal punishment.
THE
MYSTERY OF CHRIST
AN EXEGESIS
OF EPHESIANS THREE
By
Dean Johnson
"If
I have the gift of prophecy and understand
all mysteries...and have not love it profits me nothing,"
"We
speak a message of wisdom among the
mature"
(1 Corinthians
13:2-3, 2:6)
I INTRODUCTION
II EPHESIAN
DISTINCTIVES
III DEPENDANCY
UPON COLOSSIANS
IV STRUCTURE
The Digression
The Intercession
V
THE
MYSTERY OF CHRIST...The main discussion starts here
VI THE FULNESS
The Church is
Filled
Christ is Filled
VII THE EXEGESIS
VIII
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PASSAGE
IX THEOLOGICAL
CONSIDERATION
X CONCLUSION
____________
INTRODUCTION
Ephesians is an
epistle that stretches the limits of New Testament
theological thought. Salvation is expanded to include a present
reality. God's
grace reaches to new heights. Petitions are prayed that push the limits
of
human imagination. The church, in Christ, is placed in power and
authority
above all enemies and amid all these revelations, the church is
informed of its
inherent unity in Christ, and its role in bringing unity to the rest of
the
cosmos. The church then receives prayer for the power to perform it's
task.
EPHESIAN
DISTINCTIVES
The piling up
of adjectives and the use of eloquent worship language
differs from Paul's usual teaching style of question and answer
argumentation.
Obvious theological shifts in thinking occur in soteriology,
Christology,
eschatology, and ecclesiology. Salvation is pushed toward the present
tense. Christ,
as head, is distinct from the body. The return of Christ is not
emphasized. The
church is universal rather than local. Hostility between Jew and
Gentile are
presented as a problem of the past.
DEPENDENCY UPON
COLOSSIANS
Ephesians 3
appears to be a reworking and explanation of Colossians
1:23- 2:10. Comparing 3:1-13 to Colossians 1:23-29 reveals several
extensive
word for word parallels. It is the slight differences that are most
revealing.
In Colossians
1:23 Paul is a minister. Ephesians 3:1 presents Paul as a
prisoner for the sake of the Gentiles. In Colossians 1:24 Paul suffers
for the
church, Christ's body. Ephesians 3:13 portrays these sufferings as for
the
Gentile believers. Both these changes have the effect of reinforcing a
positive
relationship between the Gentile readers and the apostle Paul which can
be
later drawn upon to enforce ethical exhortations (4:1).
Colossians 1:25
speaks of the "administration of God given" to
Paul. Ephesians 3:2 points out that it is the administration of the
"grace" of God. That grace is emphasized is apparent by the repeated
use of the term and insertion "the grace" in 3:2 which is not found
in the Colossian passage (1:25). This emphasis on grace is especially
appropriate given the Gentile recipients of the letter (2:7-12). The
bestowal
of grace on Paul functions to build a bridge and a bond between Paul
and these
Gentile readers (3:7-8).
In Colossians
1:27 the "riches of the glory of the mystery" is
Christ in the believer. Ephesians 3:8 stresses that these riches in
Christ are
"unsearchable." In Colossians 1:26 the mystery is made known to the
saints. Ephesians points the Gentile believers to the "holy apostles
and
prophets" to whom this mystery is made known. These slight changes
place
the saints in a position of great indebtedness to the apostle Paul who
revealed
this unsearchable mystery.
This mystery in
Colossians 1:26 is hid from "ages and from
generations." This apparently is a reference to time. However, the
Ephesian author, by separating these terms and placing them in new
contexts
brings out new meanings. The "other generations" who did not know the
mystery as it is now made known refer to those in the old order (before
the
resurrection of Christ) which is passing away (3:5). That is not so
new. What
is new is the placing of the ages from which the mystery was hidden, in
the
context of the manifold wisdom of God being made known to the
principalities
and powers (3:9-10). This has the effect of changing the range of
meaning within
Ephesians that "ages" can have. "Ages" can now be included
in the list of the cosmic powers which first century man feared most
(2:2,
6:12).
Within the
intercessory prayer the parallels are less obvious but the
differences in the choice of words are revealing. There is a shift from
the
individual believer to the corporate church. It is no longer the power
"which is at work within me" but the power "which is at work
within us" (3:20, Colossians 1:29). "Every man perfect" becomes
the church "filled with all the fulness of God", or "a perfect
man" which illustrates perfect corporate unity (3:19, 4:13, Colossians
1:28). The fulness of deity dwelling in Christ becomes Christ dwelling
in the
church so that the church "might be filled with all the fulness of
God" (3:17, 19, Colossians 2:19-10). This Ephesian emphasis on
corporate
power, perfection, and unity is specifically done to illustrate in part
God's
promise of universal unity, and the role of the church in bringing it
about.
"Rooted...in him" becomes "Rooted...in love" (3:17,
Colossians 2:7). Therefore, for the Ephesian author Christ is love.
Therefore
it is Christ's love that the readers must be grounded in and must know
to be
filled with this fulness of God.
STRUCTURE
Paul, the
imprisoned apostle for the Gentiles reveals the mystery of
Christ. The mystery is explained more fully and the church is informed
of its'
role in making the mystery known. Prayer is made on behalf of the
church that
it would understand and be empowered to fulfill its' task.
The contents of
this chapter develop on the interconnections from
preceding texts; especially 2:11-22. The three-fold syn compounds,
joint-heir,
joint- body, and joint-partaker of 3:6 which describe the new community
to
which Gentile believers belong is foreshadowed in the terminology found
in
chapter 2: fellow-citizens, fitted together, and built together
(2:19-22). As
well, the mention in 2:18 of the direct access of the Gentile community
to God
prepares the reader for the boldness of the intercessory prayer (3:12).
Other
reoccurring ideas from previous sections are inheritance, mystery,
wisdom,
revelation, body, and grace.
"For this
reason" (3:1) reminds the reader of "For this
cause" (1:15) and suggests that the author intends to continue the
prayer
of 1:15-19 which was left unfinished because of the digression of
1:20-23.
However, the mention of his imprisonment (3:1) sends the author off on
another
digression to explain his ministry (3:2-13). The prayer is finally
continued in
3:14 again beginning with the words "For this reason."
The inclusio
"For you" at both 3:1 and 3:13 suggests that this
section deals mainly with Paul's suffering for the Gentiles. The second
inclusio "For this cause" at 3:1 and 3:14 in conjunction with the
previous inclusio suggests that the reason the author prays is for the
benefit
of the Gentiles. The prayer closes with a mind stretching doxology
which
prepares the way for the exhortations which follow.
Here is the
Ephesians three text.
Ephesians 3 :
1-21
THE DIGRESSION
For this
reason, I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ
for the sake of
you Gentiles
Assuming you
have heard about the stewardship of God's grace,
that was given
to me for you,
that by
revelation he made known to me the mystery,
(as I have
already written briefly so that you will be able to
understand my
insight into the mystery of Christ,
which was not
made known to people in other generations as it
has now been
revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.
That the
Gentiles are
joint-heirs and
joint-body and
joint-partakers
in the promise
in Christ Jesus through the gospel,
of which, I
became a servant
according to
the gift of God's grace,
which was given
me through the working of his power,
to me, less
than the least of all the saints
this grace was
given
to preach to
the Gentiles
the good news
of the unsearchable riches in Christ;
and to make
plain to all
the
administration of the mystery
which was
hidden for (from) ages in God
who created all
things,
in order that,
now, through the church,
to the
principalities and authorities in heavenly places,
should be made
known the manifold wisdom of God
according to
the purpose of the ages
which he
accomplished
in Christ Jesus
our Lord.
In whom we have
boldness and confident access
through faith
in him.
I beg you
therefore, not to be discouraged
because of my
suffering for you
which is your
glory.
THE INTERCESSION
For this reason
I kneel before the Father,
from whom every
family in heaven and earth
derives its
name,
In order that
according to the riches of his glory
he might
strengthen you with power
through his
Spirit in the inner
being, so that
Christ might dwell
in your hearts
by faith,
that you being
rooted and grounded in love
may have power
together with all
the saints, to
grasp what is the
breadth and
length and height and depth,
and to know the
love of Christ
which surpasses
knowledge,
that you may be
filled up to all the fulness of God.
Now to him who
is able to do
immeasurably
more than all we ask or imagine
according to
his power that is at work within us,
to him be glory
in the church and in Christ Jesus
throughout all
generations and forevermore.
THE MYSTERY OF
CHRIST
The mystery is
defined in 1:10. This secret that has now been revealed
is that it is God's intention "to bring all things in heaven and on
earth
together under one head, even Christ." God has purposed that the
beginning
and the end of creation are found in Christ (1:10, Colossians 1;16).
Colossians
declares that the mystery is Christ in you, the hope of glory
(Colossian 1:27).
Other Pauline writings reveal that "Christ in the believer" will
eventually lead to "all in Christ." Romans declares that Christ in
the believer will lead to the redemption of the purchased possession or
the
restoration to life of our mortal bodies.
This in turn
will lead to the liberation of all creation which the
Ephesian author declares is given to the believers as their inheritance
(Romans
8:11, 23, 21, 4:13, Ephesians 1:13-14). Therefore, Christ in the church
becomes
the evidence that God will bring all into Christ. The church in Christ
becomes
the means through which Christ will be in all, and rule over all, and
God will
become all in all (1:18-23, 1 Cor. 15:28).
THE PLEROMA OR
FULNESS
A discussion of
"fulness" will be helpful in understanding the
working out of the mystery as described in chapter three. Since fulness
can
refer to Christ or the church, and the filler can be God or Christ,
"the
fulness of him who fills all in all" seems to be deliberately worded in
such a way that several meanings are appropriate (1:23). First, all
things are
brought together in Christ by God, who fills Christ, who is the fulness
(1:10
Colossians 1:19). Second, the church as Christ's body is the fulness of
Christ
which Christ himself fills. Third, the church is the fulness of God
because God
fills it with the Spirit of God (2:21 - 22, 3:19).
In Ephesians
the lines between church, Christ and God are deliberately
fuzzy. Therefore, the church is both that which is filled and completed
by
Christ, and that which fills and completes Christ. Both of these views
can be
seen in Ephesians chapter three.
THE CHURCH IS
FILLED (3:19)
The goal of the
author's intercessory prayer is that the church might be
filled with all the fulness of God. The fulness of God is the aggregate
of the
Divine attributes, virtues and powers. This fulness of God dwells in
Christ
(Colossians 1:19, 2:9 - 10). Therefore, the church is filled with this
same
fulness of God as it is filled with Christ.
CHRIST IS
FILLED (EPH. 3:10. 21)
The reason the
author intercedes for this fulness is so that the church
will be empowered to fill up and complete Christ. This task of the
church is
what is described in the first half of chapter three. "According to his
power that is at work within us" God is revealing and accomplishing his
eternal purpose (3:21, 10-11, 1:10).
This power is
first given to apostles and prophets like Paul to reveal
the mystery of Christ to the church (3:5, 7). Christ has given these
ministries
to the church so that the church can reach to and attain to the full
measure of
the filling up or the completion of Christ (4:11, 13). This is done by
the
gathering together of all things into Christ, by God, through the
church.
Now that the
mystery of Christ has been made known to the church, that
same power that Paul had is given to the church (3:19-20). The church
now has
the role of making known God's wisdom and eternal plan to the
principalities
and powers. God has reconciled even these things to himself (Colossian
1:16,
20). God's eternal purpose to unite them in Christ, and for them to
take their
place in the filling up of Christ is an accomplished reality in the
mind of God
(3:11).
As Christ is
filled up the church grows. As the church grows Christ is
filled up. In the ages to come God will include even the rebellious
powers
(2:7, 1:10). All begins in Christ. All ends in Christ. Given such an
inspired
imagination it is a wonder that the author could end his theological
discourse
by suggesting that God is able to do even more than has been imagined.
To him
be glory in the church!
THE EXEGESIS
3:1
The phrase "the
prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles" is
closely intertwined with the thought within the phrases "was made a
servant according to the gift of God's grace" (3:7) and "am less than
the least of all saints" (3:8). They all reveal aspects of Paul's role
in
the fulfilling of God's plan for creation.
In Colossians,
Paul suffers to fulfill or complete the word of God, the
mystery. Such language, given the Ephesian understanding that the
mystery is that
God intends to fill Christ, suggests that Paul's suffering is for the
purpose
of accomplishing God's will, the summing up of all things in Christ. To
accomplish this the Gentiles must know the mystery. Paul is presented
as the
prisoner of Jesus Christ, of his will and His purpose, to bring the
Gentiles in
line with God's plan that they might reveal the manifold wisdom of God
to the
rest of the cosmos.
That Paul was
made a servant is significant. After Jesus took on the
form of a servant. God exalted him promising that every knee would bow
and
every tongue would confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. The author is
saying, be
imitators of me even as I am of the Lord (1 Cor. 11:1). In so doing the
Gentiles will partake in the universal dominion of Christ (1:22), for
God's
plan in creation was to give man dominion [ 1 ].
The third
description of Paul reveals the pattern of God's plan. When
Paul describes himself as the least of the apostles he sets himself up
as an
example of an apostolic ministry. He says, as the least, I worked
harder than
all the other apostles at preaching the gospel (1 Cor. 15:9-11).
Therefore by
calling the Gentile readers the least of all saints the author is
suggesting
that they should set the example by working harder than all the other
saints
(perhaps the Jewish believers) in proclaiming the gospel [ 2 ].
Paul's
place as both
prisoner and "less than the least of all saints" (3:8) positions him
as an example to the Gentile believers as one who suffers to make the
gospel
known. Paul suffers under the Roman guard. The Roman guard really had
no
dominion over him, however Paul made the gospel known to them (Phil.
1:12-14).
The believers suffer under the powers of the air. The powers really
have no dominion
over the believers, however the believers following Paul's example,
make the
manifold wisdom of God known to these powers.
In an even more
subtle way Paul as "less than the least of all
saints" is set up as a "spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as
well as to men" (1 Cor. 4:9),[3]. The "least of all saints" can
refer to the Gentiles. The "saints", in this case, can refer to the
aeons or the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, (Daniel
4:17),[4].
Suggesting that
Paul is less than these powers is even more dramatic
than suggesting he is the worst of sinners (1 Tim. 1:15). However, just
as the
"worst of sinners" (Paul) was a pattern to those who would later
believe, so also here, the "less than the least of all saints" (Paul)
becomes a pattern for the "least of all saints" (the Gentiles). Then
both Paul and the Gentiles become a display piece to "the saints" or
holy ones (the aeons), the principalities and powers in the heavenly
places.
3:2
At the
beginning of this digression Paul reminds the readers of the
commission, administration, and management of the knowledge and insight
into
the mystery that has been given to him for the Gentiles. This
emphasizes Paul's
special vocation which God uses to fulfill his plan.
3:3
This mystery
was not arrived at by human reasoning, but by "the
spirit of wisdom and revelation so that (they) might know him better"
(1:17).
Given the
linguistic parallels between Colossians 1:23-29 and Ephesians
three, Colossians one is quite likely the brief writing being referred
to. If
the readers were not familiar with Colossians, which is unlikely given
the
dependency on the epistle, then 1:9-10 and possibly 2:11-22 could be
the
previous writing.
3:4
This previous
writing needs to be read so that the readers can understand
Paul's insight into the mystery. The book of Ephesians is a deeper
elaboration
and interpretation of the insights described in Colossians.
Specifically, the
mystery of Christ is explained more explicitly.
3:5
The mystery was
a completely new revelation. It had just now, in that
generation, been revealed to the holy apostles and prophets. This
reminds the
Gentile readers of the foundational role of these leaders (2:20). The
author
thereby points out that all subsequent teaching must be built upon that
foundation if it is to survive (1 Cor. 3:13-14).
3:6
The mystery
that all will be brought into Christ is clarified and
explained. The mystery now revealed is that the Gentiles are being
included in
a completely new community in Christ that transcends old labels,
barriers and
divisions. The author uses three terms to explain this secret: joint
heir,
joint body, and joint partaker. The syn-prefix "joint" is common
within Ephesians and functions to link the ideas of several passages to
the
mystery. In Christ, the Gentiles have been made citizens together
(2:19) and
therefore joint heirs. They are fitted together (2:21, 4:16) and
therefore
joint body. They are built together (2:22) as the
This new
community is also made alive together, raised up together, and
seated together in Christ connecting the new life, resurrection, and
position
with fulfillment of the mystery, the filling up of Christ (2:5-6).
Therefore,
it is only by being delivered from death and the dominion of the prince
of the
power of the air (1:7, 2:1-2, 5, Colossians 1:13, 14), and by being
raised up
together in Christ, and by being seated in Christ in heavenly places,
far above
these powers of the air, that this new community is able to display the
unsearchable riches of Christ (2:7), and make known the manifold wisdom
of God
to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, that they
might take
their place in the body of Christ (3:10, 1:10).
In these ways
the use of the syn-prefixes reveal much about the manner
in which the mystery (or the administration of the mystery) is worked
out. As
well, the three terms in 3:6 are loaded with meaning. Joint-heirs can
imply
both an inheritance with
Joint body
refers to the body of Christ (2:16). The author appears to
have coined this new word to express this revolutionary new unity
between Jews
and Gentiles that is created in Christ Jesus (2:13-22). It is in this
body that
Jews and Gentiles are reconciled to God by the cross (2:16). The use of
body
terminology is also a reminder of the body which Christ himself fills
with all
things (1:10, 23). As well it prepares the reader for the mixing of
metaphors
in the husband and wife analogy. The author declares that this is a
great
mystery (5:32). Christ loved the church and suffered on a cross,
separated from
his Father, that he might sanctify and cleanse the church by the
washing of the
word, that he might present the church to himself in marriage. Christ
and the
church then become one perfect man. Christ is the savior of the body
(5:23).
This is such a great mystery, but it becomes even greater when one
remembers that
all things must eventually be joined in the body [ 5 ] '.This perfect
man
(4:13) who is every man perfect in Christ Jesus (Col. 1:27) becomes the
means
of sanctifying and cleansing the rest of creation in much the same way
that
Paul had to fill up that which was lacking in the sufferings of Christ
for the
Gentiles (Col. 1:24-25). This perfect man shall leave father (the
Heavenly
Father) and mother (the Heavenly
Joint partakers
of the promise is also a loaded term. The word promise
occurs several places in Ephesians each revealing the meaning of the
term
(1:13, 2:12, 3:6, 6:3). Chapter six verse three is a quotation of
Exodus 20:12.
"Honor your father and your mother so that you may live long in the
land
the Lord your God is giving you." In 6:3 the promise is that you may
enjoy
long life on the earth. The author is suggesting that the land God is
giving
his children is the entire earth. The Gentiles will be partakers or
enjoyers of
the promise that to Abraham and his descendants would be given the
entire world
(Rom. 4:13). This is what it will mean to share in the covenants of
promise
(2:12). The Holy Spirit of promise has sealed the believers
guaranteeing this
inheritance of the earth (1:13). The riches of our inheritance becomes
all
things in Christ.
This new
humanity in Christ that is described by these three terms is
replacing the old humanity in Adam (2:15, 4:22, 24). This new humanity
makes it
possible for man to rule the universe as God had designed it (1:22, Ps.
8), and
for the universe to share in the glorious liberty of the sons of God
(Rom.
8:21). It is in these ways that joint-heirs, joint-body, and
joint-partakers of
the promise explain the mystery.
3:7
This calling to
make the mystery known is portrayed as a high honor.
This ministry is not only given by God's grace but its effectiveness
was
dependant upon God's power. This calling and power is now given to the
saints
to accomplish more than they could ask or think (3:10, 20).
3:8
The
unsearchable riches of Christ are the riches of our inheritance in
Christ (1:18, 3:6). All things are included in these riches. These
unsearchable
riches are closely linked to the manifold wisdom of God (3;10) which is
also
unsearchable (Rom. 11:33). In Colossians the riches of the glory of the
mystery
is Christ in you (Col. 1:27). Therefore it would not be incorrect to
say that
Christ is both this wisdom and these riches, but that is not the
emphasis of
this epistle. However, given that Christ is the wisdom of God, the
wisdom
literature is most revealing. Wisdom says, "With me are riches and
honor,
enduring wealth and prosperity" (Prov. 8:18). All things came into
being
through Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 8:6). The works of his hands are the
riches. This
will be discussed more fully in the consideration of the manifold
wisdom of God
(3:10).
3:9
Paul's
commission was to make plain to everyone the administration of
this mystery. This is a task that must be completed. In answer to
Paul's prayer
that utterance may be given to him to open his mouth boldly, to make
known the
mystery of the gospel (6:20), the church must now respond. Now through
the
church all men will see the message of Paul.
This message
has been hidden for ages and from the ages (aeons). It was
completely hidden in God. The close proximity in the text of aeons to
principalities and powers in 3:10 suggests that these aeons are also
celestials. The designation of God as the one who. "created all things
by
Jesus Christ" suggests that God is powerful and able to fulfill his
plan
of salvation for all creation which includes the rebellious powers (see
also
Col. 1:16, 20).
3:10
"Through the
church" suggests that by viewing the unity
created amongst Jews and Gentiles the celestials will see in germ God's
plan of
ultimate reconciliation. The church becomes an object lesson of the
wisdom of
God. "Through the church" also implies that the church will be the
means through which the ultimate reconciliation and universal lordship
of
Christ is brought about.
These
principalities and powers, that are also mentioned in 6:12, will
be defeated and brought into submission by truth, righteousness, the
gospel of
peace, and by salvation. The church will accomplish this through the
word of
God and prayer for all the holy ones (6:12-18).
That these
celestials participate in salvation rather than a mere
domination by Christ is clear. The display of kindness, grace, and
salvation
rather than mere domination is evident throughout Ephesians (1:3, 2:7,
3:10,
6:11, 12). This can be seen especially well in the churches' battle
with these
forces. What does it mean for the church to subdue these forces with
the gospel
and by salvation [ 8 ]? Therefore given the declared reconciliation of
all
things, and the uniting of all in Christ, submission must also involve
salvation.
The "Wisdom of
Solomon" prepares the reader for God's plan of
salvation for the powers. The author of Wisdom explains that God
created all
things that they might exist and the creative forces of the earth are
good.
There is no destructive poison in them, nor in the kingdom of hell on
earth
(Wisdom 1:14). Nevertheless through the envy of the devil, death came
into the
world; the shameful death of the Son of God (Wisdom 2:18-20, 24).
Explaining
this, Paul declares that the princes of this world would not have
crucified the
Lord of glory had they understood God's secret wisdom and understood
what God
had prepared for them (1 Cor. 2:8-9). Nevertheless, those who served
the devil
in crucifying the Lord of glory experience death (Wisdom 2:25). That is
the bad
news. The good news is that God has a plan of salvation.
This salvation
is brought out more clearly by a simple study of the
multi- faceted wisdom of God which is described in Wisdom 7:22. For in
Wisdom
is "an understanding spirit, holy, manifold, subtle, lively, active,
undefiled, plain, not subject to hurt, loving the thing that is good,
quick,
irresistible, ready to do good, kind to man, steadfast, sure, free from
care,
having all power, overseeing all things, and containing all spirits,
intelligible, pure and perceptive" (Wisdom 7:22).
The writer of
Wisdom asks "who is there among men who can know the
counsel of God, or who can think what the will of the Lord is?" (Wisdom
9:13). Wisdom declares of God, "You can show your great strength at all
times, and who will withstand the power of your arm, for the whole
world before
you is as a little grain...but you have mercy on all the things that
are made,
for never would you have made any thing if you hated it. And how could
anything
have endured if it had not been your will? Or been preserved if not
called by
you. But you spare all for they are yours. Oh Lord (Wisdom 11:22-27).
This wisdom
which the Ephesian author interprets to be Christ [ 9 ] is
described within Wisdom as the "unspotted mirror of the power of God
and
the image of his goodness... she can do all things...she makes all
things new:
and in all ages entering into holy souls, and makes them friends of
God"
(Wisdom 7:26-27). In Colossians Christ is the image of the invisible
God
through whom all powers are created and reconciled (Colossian 1:15-16,
20).
What is this
manifold wisdom that the church declares to the
principalities and powers? It is that Christ the wisdom of God is
overseeing
all things. He has reconciled all to God and is all-powerful and
irresistible.
He makes all things new and will make them the friends of God. He would
not
have made them if that had not been His will. God intends to and will
spare
them by uniting them in Christ, by including them in His body.
God has also
ordained through wisdom that humankind should have dominion
over all the creatures that were made and that humankind should order
the world
according to equity (Wisdom 9:2). It is the church's duty to inform the
principalities of this wisdom. All of this is according to the eternal
purpose
of God that He accomplished in Christ Jesus (3:11).
3:11
"The
purpose of the
ages" suggests that God is working out his purpose throughout the ages
to
bring his plan to fulfillment in the fulness of time (1:10). This
purpose
though yet to be fully worked out has been already accomplished in the
mind of
God through Jesus Christ and his death on the cross (1:7, 11, 14,
Colossians
1:13-14, 22, 20) [ 10 ].
3:12
Having finished
the digression, the author now begins to prepare the
reader for the immensity of the intercession about to be prayed. The
one
article shared by boldness and access may be a hendiadys suggesting
that the
meaning could be bold access. Bold access suggests a freedom before God
to say
all that is in one's heart because of an assurance of God's favor [ 11
].
"Through faith in him" could be translated "By the faith of
him" or also "by his faithfulness." Each has quite a different
meaning but all are allowed and perhaps even intended by the author.
Our faith
in Christ seals us with the Holy Spirit through whom we have access to
God
(1:13, 15). This is the primary meaning. However, the life we now live
in the
heavenly places far above all principality and power with easy access
to God
through Christ, we now live through the faith of the Son of God. This
life is not
of ourselves it is through the faith of the Son of God (2:5-6, 8, 18) [
12 ] .
"By the faithfulness of Christ" suggests that our access to God was
dependant upon Christ's obedience to God unto death, even the death of
the
cross (Phil. 2:8). Through his death on the cross we have peace with
God and
with one another, and can therefore come boldly to the throne of grace.
3:13
Since we have
this bold access toward God and all is being transformed
into his image Paul encourages his readers to not lose heart. His
sufferings
are for the glory of the Gentiles. "Your glory" refers to the glory
of the inheritance that is all things in Christ which is given to the
saints.
The implication is that the Gentiles' suffering will also be for the
glory of
those they reach [13]. The use of the word glory also has
eschatological
overtones suggesting that the fulness of this glory may yet be in the
ages to
come [14].
3:14-15
Kneeling is
used in Paul's writing only three times [15]. Two of these
refer to an eschatological bowing of the knee to a universal king.
These
references should be in the back of the readers mind as they read this
prayer.
In this way the universal scope of salvation is not forgotten.
Every family in
heaven and on earth is full of meaning. The families in
heaven can refer not only to the church triumphant who have gone before
but
also to the families of angels [16]. The families on earth refer first
of all
to the household of faith (2:19-22), but also to the rest of mankind in
the
sense that God the Father is the creator of all (Acts 17:24, 28).
Family
(patria) can refer to both fatherhood and family. Therefore every
father and
every family comes from the "God and Father of all (4:6) who "created
all things" (3:9). This extends the Fatherhood of God to cosmic
proportions. It is the Father who blesses his children with all
spiritual
blessings and opens their understanding to know what it is they are
called to
(1:3, 18, Wisdom 11:26).
Naming is
important within Ephesians [ 17 ]. "Derives its'
name" could imply submission to the One who gives the name. Such
submission is depicted by Adam naming Eve and the animals (Genesis
2:19-20,
3:20). However, within this subjection the giving of a name also
implies the
bestowal of certain powers (1:21). Therefore this phrase implies that
all power
in heaven and on earth is under the control of God the Father [ 18 ].
3:16
The author
continues the prayer, interceding that the knowledge of the
riches of the glory of our inheritance, which is all things in Christ,
would
strengthen us with power in the inner being. To be strengthened with
might is
the first of a string of requests that depend on the fulfillment of the
requests that went before. Therefore to be strengthened and to
understand that
strengthening is of primary importance to the author (3:16, 1:19).
3:17
This
strengthening makes it possible for Christ to take up permanent
residence in their inner being. The church is that dwelling. It is
being built
together as a dwelling place for God in the "heart" or "spirit
of the mind" of the corporate church " [ 19 ]. It is also available
to individual believers since the individual believer is complete in
Christ [
20 ].
"That you may
be rooted and established in love" are images of
the corporate church. The metaphors describe biological growth (4:16)
and
building (2:20-21). Just as the church is built on the foundation of
Christ the
cornerstone who is love, so also the church must bury its roots deep
within
that love so that they may be able to grasp the extent of the salvation
of Christ
which is based on love.
3:18
This is a
prayer for Gentile Christians to understand the entire
revelation of God. Strength is needed so that the inner being can be
stretched
to comprehend the full dimensions of Christ's love and salvation.
Theories and
speculations concerning the exact meaning of "breadth and length and
depth
and height" abound. Suggestions have been made that these dimensions
refer
to the cross, magic rituals to pull down the deity, and even to the
ability of
the human spirit to spread itself throughout the universe. These are
unlikely.
Linguistically all four dimensions are governed by one article which
suggests
that they are a unity representing one idea. This one idea that the
author
wants us to grasp is probably a reference to the universe and Christ's
love for
it. Just before the description of the multifaceted wisdom of God the
author of
Wisdom declares that God had given him "a true understanding of all the
things that exist, to know how the world was made, and the activity of
the
elements, the beginning and the end..." (Wisdom 7:17-21). Therefore the
author's prayer is that we might comprehend the beginning and the end
of the
universe given the love of Christ. All was created in him. All will be
united
in him.
The wisdom
literature seems to have provided the vocabulary for this
phrasing. Wisdom is described as higher than heaven..., deeper than
sheol...,
its measure is longer than the earth and broader than the sea" (Job
11:8-9). The depth refers to sheol and the fulness of Christ bringing
salvation
to this realm (4:9-10). The height refers to the dominion of Christ in
the
heavens (1:20-21), and of his filling also this realm (4:9-10). To
understand
the sea to which the breadth refers, a closer examination of an
apocalyptic
text will be useful. Revelation twenty-one includes ideas about the
sea, the
bride of Christ, the dwelling of God, all things made new, the
inheritance, the
apostles, angels, the temple, and the nations. Since all these ideas
are also
found in Ephesians it is reasonable to look here to understand the
meaning of
the sea. In Revelation 21:1 "there was no longer any sea" when the
New Jerusalem came down out of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for
her
husband (Christ). This sea appears to refer to the lake of fire or the
people
of the realm of the dead where confusion reigns (mentioned in the
previous
verses, Rev. 20:13-15). The sea is an interesting part of this mystery.
The sea
or lake of fire is emptied of its dead and there is no more sea
(Revelation
21:1). There is a new creation. There is no more confusion in people
but rather
wisdom. They are brought into Christ who is the wisdom of God. All
things are
made new (Revelation 21:3-5). Christ and the church shall be one flesh.
This is
a great secret (5:32).
The length of
the earth is a reference to the rest of the nations as
well as
3:19
For the church
to be rooted and grounded and grasp this love is
necessary if it is to know this love experientially.
The culminating
purpose behind all these prayers is so that the saints "might
be filled with ALL THE FULNESS OF GOD." All the fulness of God already
dwells in Christ establishing his divinity (Col. 2:9). This fulness is
now
prayed to be in the saints. When this prayer is fulfilled "the Lord God
almighty and the Lamb are the temple" (Rev. 21:22). This could, I write
with fear and trembling, be the divinization of the church.
This fulness of
God is first in Christ (Col. 1:19, 2:9), then in the
church, (1:23, 4:13 - 16), and finally in all the cosmos which unites
in the
church (4:10, 1:23). God then becomes all in all (1 Cor. 15:28).
3:20
Try to imagine
all of this. And yet God is able to do even more than
this by the power that is at work within us.
3:21
These final
words sum up the entire theological discovery. They could be
restated as: To Christ be brought the glory of the inheritance which is
all
things united in the church and in Christ Jesus to all the generations
of the
age of the ages. The
SIGNIFICANCE OF
THE PASSAGE
Today's church
system to a large extent appears oblivious to the plan of
God. Yet Paul suffered so dearly to make it known to the saints and
prayed for
the saints that they would understand it. How brightly could the body
of Christ
burn if she is empowered to understand the full extent of Christ's
love? Where
are the saints who will pray as Paul prayed? Finally, where are the
saints who
will suffer the loss of all things to see the church experience the
fulness?
THEOLOGICAL
CONSIDERATION
Christ died to
reconcile all things to himself. However, how is this
doctrine of ultimate reconciliation to be reconciled with the doctrine
of
eternal punishment?
What are the
possibilities?
1. Given the
progressive nature of revelation, are we to assume that
this epistle takes precedence over earlier revelations that seem to
proclaim
eternal separation from God?
2. Are we to
assume an annihilation of the wicked so that only that
which remains is united in Christ?
3. Perhaps
those passages, which have often been interpreted to teach
eternal punishment, should rather be understood as referring to limited
ages of
punishment and discipline.
4. Or maybe
eternal punishment is a serious threat of which God will
repent himself at the repentance of mankind.
5. Or refusing
all these possibilities should we attempt to hold two
obviously contradictory doctrines together in tension, choosing to deny
neither
one?
Perhaps this
tension is the very thing that prevents the widespread
acceptance of this great mystery. However, the church desperately needs
to hear
this message. For the sake of the church an answer needs to be found.
If the
mystery is going to be proclaimed then it must be proclaimed boldly.
CONCLUSION
One desire
hidden in the mind of God revealed at the right time with the
recipients bathed in prayer results in the realization of that which is
accomplished.
One desire in
the heart of the recipient expressed at the right time
with all prayer and supplication ushers in the fulfillment of the
mystery.
Oh, the depth
of the riches of the mystery and knowledge of God! [21 ].
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Barth, Markus.
Ephesians, The Anchor Bible. Garden City,
Brown, Colin,
ed. The New International Dictionary of New Testament,
Theology, Volume 1.
Caird, G.B.
Paul's Letters From Prison.
Friedrich,
Gerhard, ed. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament,
Volume VI.
Kittel,
Gerhard, ed. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Volume
VI.
Lincoln,
Andrew. Ephesians, Word Biblical Commentary. Edited by Ralph P.
Martin.
Schnackenburg,
Rudolf. Ephesians, A Commentary. Translated by Helen
Heron.
ENDNOTES
[ 1 ] 2 See
also 1:18, 22, 2:7, 3:6 fellow heirs, Wisdom 8:18, 9:2,
Psalm 8, 110:1, Genesis 1:26.
[ 2 ] Notice
that the apostle to the Gentiles called himself the least
of the apostles because he was born much later than the other apostles,
having
seen Christ only in a vision after the resurrection. Perhaps the author
is
suggesting that the Gentile believers could be called the least of the
saints
because they did not receive their calling till much later after it had
been
offered to
[ 3 ] Holy ones
can refer to angels (see Daniel 4:17).
[ 4 ] In the
Septuagint saints or holy ones can refer to the celestial
being's that surround the throne (Ps. 89:3-18).
[ 5 ] To
include imagery of Christ as head, and Church as body fits the
mystery images more completely than to suggest that Christ only marries
a
limited portion of mankind. It also allows the successive ages of
fulfillment
of the mystery to be revealed more fully. God's plan is worked out in
Christ,
then the Gentile church, then the rest of mankind, then the universe.
[ 6 ] Notice
that in Rev. 21:1-5 the first mention of the bride places
the emphasis on God dwelling- with men. The second mention of the bride
centers
around the involvement and interest of an angel (21:9, 15). Note also
that John
points out that at this point he did not see a temple in the city
because the
Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple (Rev. 21:22). This points
to the
divinization and oneness of the church with God in Christ (3:19, 1 Cor.
15:28).
[ 7 ] Christ
will be joined to the church which has been filled (5:31).
[ 8 ] The image
of the warrior left standing- suggests a final victory
(6:11, 13, 14).
[ 9 ] See also
1 Cor. 1:24.
[ 10 ]
Salvation must be worked out (Phil. 2:11-12).
[ 11 ] 2:18,
6:19.
[ 12 ]
Ephesians two suggests that those who serve the devil experience
death (Wisdom 2:25). Through the faith of the Son of God we are given
life
(Gal. 2:20).
[ 13 ] See also
2 Cor. 3:18-4:1-2, Eph. 6:19).
[ 14 ] See 2
Cor. 4:17, 2 Cor. 1:6, Rom. 8:17-18, 2 Tim. 2:10, Eph.
2:7).
[ 15 ] Romans
11:4, 14:11, Phil. 2:10.
[ 16 ] Gen.
6:2-4, 1 Enoch 69:3-4, 71:1, 106:5).
[ 17 ] 1:21,
3:15, 5:3, 5:20.
[ 18 ] "of our
Lord Jesus Christ" is often a rejected reading'
despite 1:3.
[ 19 ] 3:17,
4:23.
[ 20 ]
Colossians 1:28, 2:9.
[ 21 ] Rom.
11:33
In
Christ "dwelleth
all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and ye are complete in him."
Will
All
Mankind Eventually Be Saved?
Email Dean Johnson
Dean
Johnson Ministries