1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Spiritual Blessings in Christ
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
Dig Deeper
A few years ago, I was very excited to take some students to a relatively new exhibit at the museum. I had gone to it once briefly a few months earlier and was now going to stay with the few students who actually wanted to walk around with the teacher to see what I had seen. The exhibit was a collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts, especially ones that related to tombs and mummies in Egypt. The problem came up when I realized that I could not find the exhibit. We went all up and down the area where it had been but it was simply not there anymore. What was weird was that the door to go into the exhibit didn’t even seem to exist in the hallway anymore. After becoming convinced that the exhibit must be gone, I found out from a museum worker that the problem was not with the exhibit. The problem was I was on the wrong floor. I was in the wrong location and would never have been able to enter into the exhibit from where I was at. I needed to switch locations in order to enter in.
In the book of Ephesians, Paul addresses the issue of location more than in any other book. In a sense, he climbs to the top of the mountain and describes the whole breathtaking view of many different aspects of the Christian life. They all boil down, however, to location. Either one has died to themselves and entered into the life of Christ or they are simply in the wrong location, unable to enter into the wonderful inheritance that God is storing in His realm for His people. Paul makes reference in one form or another to being in Christ 164 times throughout his writings, but no book deals with the topic more directly than the book of Ephesians.
Before we begin, though, let’s do a little house cleaning. There are many so-called Bible critics and experts that don’t believe that Paul wrote the book of Ephesians. On top of that, we really don’t know when he wrote this letter, from where he wrote it, and to whom he wrote it. So, why don’t people think Paul wrote it? The primary reason is that there are some style differences from many of Paul’s other letters. As theologian H.J. Cadbury put it, though, "Which is more likely—that an imitator of Paul in the first century composed a writing ninety or ninety-five percent in accordance with Paul’s style or that Paul himself wrote a letter diverging five or ten percent from his usual style?" We should also note that many of the claims that Ephesians differs theologically than his other letters go away rather quickly if Romans and Galatians are interpreted and understood properly. It does appear that "in Ephesus," in verse 2, was added later and was probably not in the original letter. It is quite likely that Paul’s letter was written from a prison in Ephesus around 55 AD (although Caesarea in 58 AD and Rome in 60 AD are possibilities) and that this phrase was added later by a well-meaning scribe. We know that Paul wrote letters that were intended to be circular letters, traveling to many churches (see Colossians 4:16; in fact it is speculative but a possibility that this is the letter to which Paul was referring). It seems that this present letter, rather than being a letter to a specific church, dealing with specific issues, is a circular letter, which would account for many of the style changes and the fact in a couple of places, Paul seems to be addressing various people who are not familiar with him or his ministry.
As he usually does, Paul begins his letter in a fairly traditional style for that time and place in the world. He says that he is an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God. Paul had many detractors who questioned his apostleship, but none of that is in sight here. Here it simply a self-description and an emphasis on the authority given to Paul to write such a letter. If he is an apostle, then he is such because God called him to be. Paul addresses this letter to the saints, which emphasizes their call to be the set-apart people of God more than it is a specific description of their conduct. When Paul referred to someone as a saint, then, the focus was on the action of God not the actual character or performance of the individual. They are the ones who, according to the grace and peace of God, have placed their faith in Christ Jesus. For Paul, remaining faithful was not so much about one’s actions as one’s location. If you remain in Christ, then you are faithful.
In verse 3, Paul begins what is a rather long prayer that extends at least through verse 20 (verses 3-14 are a praise and blessing, 15-16 are a thanksgiving, and 17-20 is an intercessory prayer). It should be noted, however, that the first three chapters move in and out of a tone of prayer so seemlessly that it is difficult to tell what is prayer and worship, and what is straight doctrine and theology, to the point that New Testament scholar, John Mackay, says it is virtually "doctrine set to music." In most translations, verses 3-14 are split into several sentences, but in the original language, it is one long and complex sentence.
Paul begins this prayer by giving praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, he says, has blessed those who are already in the heavenly realms. The heavenly realms is not a location but is a reference to the age to come of God. It is the future redeemed world of God made available in the present age by entering into the death and life of Jesus Christ through baptism (Rom. 6:3-4). Every element of Paul’s teaching when it comes to the Christian life flows from his understanding about the union that believers have with Christ. Here he says that Christians have every spiritual blessing because of their union with and status in Christ. Be sure to notice how central the thought of being in Christ is in this opening prayer. God’s will, purpose, plan, and election take place in Christ (v. 4, 9, 11). God’s grace and redemption are found in Christ (v. 6-7). All things on heaven and in earth are in submission to and summed up in Christ (v. 10). Hope and inclusion in the people of God that accompany believing in the gospel come in Christ, and by faith we are sealed in Christ (v. 12-13). In the context of this being a prayer of praise and worship to God, we realize that the focus of this prayer is what God has done in Christ by making the life of His son available to those who would choose it. All Christian life and activity flow from true worship of the true God who has done all of this. True worship of God, then, cannot help but speak of the incredible spiritual blessing that has been given to those who have entered into the life of the Messiah.
Devotional Thought
Paul begins this prayer of praise to God by counting off many of the blessings available to those who are in Christ. When is the last time you spent significant time praying and praising God for what He has done for you in Christ. What does it mean for you, specifically, to be in Christ?
No comments:
Post a Comment