Jottings on Ephesians

I find it helpful, in probing the meaning of the passages of Scripture to do so with a pencil in hand and a pad on the desk. That helps me focus and to follow the lead of the Spirit as I move through a passage.

I will share some of my jottings on reading Paul's mighty letter to the believers at Ephesus. Join me if you wish.

Or you might be interested in this kind of Bible Study for yourself. In any case, for a few days I will be sharing my jottings on Ephesians here.

May the Spirit of the Lord enlarge Jesus Christ as we read, think, write and live.

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Eph. 1:1 Paul. Greek name used as he ministered among Greeks.

Apostle, “One of” the apostles. He was not unique in that regard. Furthermore, even though he was not a disciple of Jesus as were many others he met Jesus Christ and was instructed by him in things pertaining to salvation.

Jesus Christ. He center of Paul’s affection, dedication and hope. Jesus is the human name, common among Jews at the time, actually Joshua, and Christ the one from God, came to earth..

By the will of God. Paul did not choose to follow Jesus. He was chosen by God, it was God’s will, and Paul said, “Yes, Lord.” Those to whom Paul is writing have that same calling, all servants of the same mighty Lord Jesus.

Saints in Ephesus. IN EPHESUS
Faithful in Christ Jesus. IN CHRIST

Paul, in these couplets, is laying out the context of his letter. How do followers of Jesus in right where they are? How do they announce the kingdom and invite people into it?

2. “Grace and peace to you.” To receive grace is to know peace because where grace does its good work because of the atoning work of Jesus, peace simply follows. There is no other foundation for peace except to fully receive the full work of God’s grace in our hearts.

The source of grace and truth are, of course, “God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” As I unpack this I am impressed with Paul’s testimony. God is our Father and He is also Father of Jesus Christ. We are brothers with Christ, co-heirs, in fact, of all the promises of God.

Lord Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Paul can declare without a doubt that God is the source of peace and grace.

3. First, “praise be to God.” This not necessarily Christian. It is a universal virtue, to thank the creator and sustainer God. Paul is not generic but specific. God is Jesus Christ’s Father! In more than a symbolic sense, certainly. He is real! God is Jesus’ heavenly Father. I can only begin to fathom what that means. Jesus is not a worshipper of God, He is God. Jesus is not inherited. He and His Father have the same genes, so to speak. Beyond all that is the fact that they are one ontologically as well as one in virtue. This is at the core of my faith. Who is Jesus? Paul takes us way beyond biology and essence and introduces us to a relationship that is perfect.

God, the Father, has blessed us... “Has” is an important word, it is finished, it is done. I think Paul is expansive here, because what Jesus accomplished in the Father is available to all, everywhere.

Blessed. A marvelous word, not a reward for a job well done, but a gift of grace. God decides to bless me. I can desire or even pray for that but it is God that initiates all blessing.

What kind of blessing? In OT the promise was usually for personal and communal well=being like health, wealth, and property. Little attention to the spiritual side. Here Paul speaks in certain terms, spiritual blessings. These are the kind of blessings that are won for us by Jesus himself. They do not result from God’s abundant largess, but are the result of the mighty atoning work of Jesus that gives God the opening to pour out his storehouse full of blessings. This is why the work of Jesus is so important for out welfare.

“Every spiritual blessing.” Not every “material blessing.” Jesus tells us to seek first his kingdom and then our needs will be met. If we seek our kingdom first and then get interested in his kingdom, self will still be the center and then we are in jeopardy.

“In Christ.” It is all in Christ Jesus. He is the Lord of all, with his Father and the Holy Spirit.

4. “For he chose us.” Both Jews and Gentiles. This is the mystery that Paul happily shared with everyone; Jesus’ atoning work opens the door to God for everyone who comes through Christ, the covenant in Christ’s blood has no reference whatsoever to Israel or an other nation or culture.

4. “Before the creation of the world.” Some may think that God planned that only through the people called Israel could people truly know God. Then when Israel failed to be an instrument of God’s purposes he had to abandon that plan and institute another. No, Paul asserts, the work of Jesus Christ to give himself so that all people everywhere could enjoy the fulness of life with God is not plan B, but was already accomplished in the heavenlies before the first stara was hurled int space. Jesus is the answer.

“In him.” That means “in Jesus.” As it was determined that Jesus make it possible for sins to be forgiven, then everyone who comes to God is in fact “in Him.”

4. The purpose of God’s calling is not primarily to work for him or even to serve him but the calling of God, the choosing of God, is that we might be “holy and blameless” in his sight. Our calling is the call of a lover to come, walk closely with him. It is a call of love, prompted by love, made possible by love, fulfilled in love. It is not perfection of character, holiness is a love relationship that is so strong and firm that all of life revolves around that relationship.

Of course, it is impossible to be holy and blameless by our own strength and determination. Whom to hide. He becomes our holiness, our blamelessness. Jesus was holy and blameless, now it is up to us to exhibit that same character, flawed though it may be.

“In love he predestinated us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ.” Again, it all flows from God’s love; unfathomable yet as real and essential as anything can be.

It is difficult to try to describe the love of God because all we have are human, earth-bound words and concepts. We will need to wait until we are lifted into a realm with “divine” vocabulary to describe the virtues of our wonderful God. In the meanwhile we use weak terms, like father/son, to tell of the wonders of God’s love.

“He predestined us....” It all begins in his loving his loving heart. We can not choose, we can only accept or reject. God does the choosing.

The more I think about this the more I am convinced that Paul is describing the nature of the Kingdom of Christ, the door is completely open to anyone and that we enter because of an through the atoning work of Jesus.

This choosing does not imply another side, rejection. Jesus made it very clear that all who believe in Jesus are received, by grace. In a way God chooses every person to believe in Jesus but not all do. I think I must abandon the thought that Jesus, God in his love, rejects people simply because he wills it so. That is contrary to all scripture. The choosing, I am convinced that Paul is referring to here has to do with God leveling the ground by the atoning work of Jesus so that both Jews and Gentiles enter in precisely the same way, through the finished work of Jesus. There is no other merit.

4b. “In love he predestinated us.” I find this theme of God’s love again and again. It is all rooted in his powerful love. Because he is love he did it all. And because he loves me, and that is even more astounding, he made plans to make it possible to have fellowship with him, and did everything necessary to make that love do its wonderful work!