READINGS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS (2)
READINGS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS (2)
JT According to Acts 19:1, the apostle traversed the “upper districts” in reaching Ephesus. His epistle to the Ephesians is on an elevation. I think it might be well to point out that this epistle bears the marks of the official, whereas his epistle to the Philippians is more mutual. Ephesians is a letter treating of the counsels of God, just as the letter to the Romans treats of the gospel, but it is based on their being faithful in Christ Jesus, and having love to all saints.
FL That is a very important point — love to all saints, as well as faithfulness.
JT I think therefore that they were qualified to receive intelligently and sympathetically a letter like this. It was not beyond them. I believe the formation of the Ephesian assembly indicates that it was to occupy a representative place in the assembly. The apostle arriving at Ephesus found certain ones who had been instructed only in the ministry of John the baptist. They gave heed to Paul’s teaching, and received the Spirit through the laying on of his hands. Then we are told that the number of men was twelve. Twelve men instructed at the same time by Paul and receiving the Spirit at the same time afforded a basis of unity there that is not found elsewhere.
FL On the same lines as the administrative thought in the Old Testament economy, there is the suggestion of administrative completeness in the assembly.
JT It is not said twelve disciples, or twelve Christians, but twelve men. The foundation at Philippi was rather connected with women and households,
but Ephesus begins with “twelve men” receiving at the same time Paul’s ministry.
FL I think what you say in regard to John’s ministry has its bearing, because the element of repentance was introduced through it, and this was important in the foundation. It was a foundation of repentance, and that was fitting for the work of the Spirit. We are often very lacking in that.
JT I think that perhaps what local companies lack is men such as are seen here. In them you get intelligence and permanence, marked by unity.
CHB The light was received by twelve men, and we may receive it likewise as men.
JT These twelve men were promptly separated by the apostle, and they met in the school of Tyrannus, in which Paul reasoned daily for a long time, a space of two years or over, and it says, “All that were in Asia heard the word”. It was not merely dogmatic statements there, but a reasoning of things, so that Christianity as established at Ephesus was enforced through reasoning; the superiority of it was enforced in power. Hence the whole fabric of human literature came to nothing. The books were all burned. That was what marked the foundation of things at Ephesus.
ARS I do not quite get hold of this thought about reasoning in the school of Tyrannus. Is your idea that the truth was put before these men in an intelligent way and they took it up intelligently?
JT That is it. The mind and soul are convinced.
ARS The mind wrought on by the Spirit. The natural man does not receive the things of God. They are foolishness to him.
JT Then in verse 8 we read: “And entering the synagogue, he spoke boldly during three months, reasoning and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God”. And further, “But when some were hardened and disbelieved, speaking evil of the [p. 169] way before the multitude, he left them and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus, and this took place for two years, so that all that inhabited Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks”. But they heard it through reasoning, not simply by preaching, so that the mind was convinced of it.
ARS I want to get clear the difference between this reasoning and the ordinary reasoning of man. Now when Paul was preaching before Festus he reasoned of righteousness, temperance and judgment to come. What did he appeal to in Festus?
JT I think he appealed to the intelligence of the man. He appealed also to his conscience. Surely temperance and judgment to come should appeal to his conscience, but the mind also is taken into account.
ARS In Festus’ case he did not get his convert, but in these twelve men the reasoning evidently did its work.
JT The twelve men were secured before the reasoning began. He did not have to reason with them. They were secured first as a basis. They were with him in the school. They would support him no doubt, but the effect of the reasoning daily was that all that inhabited the province, not only the city, but the province, heard the word.
FL Where it is a question of what we speak of as “convincing people” the apostle in his answers to contentions always includes that which pierces the conscience. We see it before Festus and Agrippa, and at Athens. The truth of the kingdom and of the assembly was unfolded and established at Ephesus through Paul’s ministry.
JT The effect was to bring about faithfulness and love. The elders that Paul called over from Ephesus fell on his neck and kissed him. There was a distinct evidence of love, both for him and, as we [p. 170] read here, for all the saints; the Ephesian Christians were universal in their affections. In this first chapter of the epistle Paul says “Wherefore, I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is in you and the love which ye have towards all the saints”. Their affections embraced all the saints. They were not simply local. We are apt to love the local ones only. Of course it is very happy if we do love the local ones, but the nearer you get to God, and the more you enter into His thoughts, the more your heart is expanded in taking in all the saints. Hence the epistle in that way presents the assembly in its universal bearing.
BTF As far as the spiritual history of the Ephesians at the beginning is concerned, it is described to us in verse 13. “Having heard the word of the truth, the glad tidings of your salvation, in whom also, having believed, ye have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the earnest of our inheritance to the redemption of the acquired possession to the praise of his glory”.
JT They were sealed. God’s stamp was upon them. The apostle had doubtless seen evidences of love while with them, but he is writing here in verse 15 on the basis of what he had heard, the report that followed him as to them.
FL This epistle suggests to me Exodus 40; that is, it is the completed tabernacle, set up in all the perfection of its detail in glory. We do not get the same fulness in Acts 2.
WHF It is the general character of the assembly here. It is not confined to Ephesus.
JT Well, the first chapter opens up to us what was in the heart of God as to us before the foundation of the world. And then it proceeds to speak about the good pleasure of His will, the mystery of His will, and the counsel of His will. So the first chapter is largely stamped in that way by the will of God, the [p. 171] good pleasure of it, and the mystery of it, and the counsel of it. Then verse 15 shows Paul’s concern that the Ephesian Christians should have the eyes of their understanding opened by the Father of glory, and that they might have the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God. That was a great point, because what he had in his heart to unfold depended on their being capable of receiving it, and that begins a section that runs on to the end of verse 10 of chapter 2. It runs on in that way uninterruptedly, firstly speaking about what had been wrought in Christ, and secondly, what He had wrought in the assembly so that the assembly was placed in heaven in correspondence with Christ. Then in verse 11 of chapter 2 he comes down to what they were historically. They were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers to the covenants of promise, but God had wrought to bring them into the house down here. They were fellow citizens of the saints and of the household of God.
Then in chapter 3 he is “the prisoner of Jesus Christ”; and in chapter 4 he is “the prisoner of the Lord”. Chapter 3 is to unfold to the saints his ministry; and in chapter 4 as the Lord’s prisoner, he enjoins upon the saints what would be fitting to their calling, the chapter is really built up on that. Then chapter 5 is a question of what God is. We are to be according to God’s nature.
The exhortations begin in chapter 4 in that way, and chapter 5 is a continuation. They were to be imitators of God. He speaks of the danger that always threatens us, Satan’s getting in at the weak point; the intimation is that Satan would get in through the woman, through the child, and through the servant. Hence you find the woman is mentioned before the husband, the child before the parent, and the servant before the master. Satan would attack the weak point. As to conflict we are to be guarded at the [p. 172] vital points especially. We are to have on the whole armour of God.
ARS As a result of the will of God being accepted you get faith and love. You are brought into a circle of faith, which has been the result of light from God. You are brought into a circle where divine affections are.
JT In chapter 1 verses 3 to 6 inclusive, you see what is in the heart of God on account of His love. We are before Him in love. That is according to the good pleasure of His will. If you take that in you are prepared for the will of God as regards what is outside. The mystery of His will refers to the dispensation of the fulness of times; it is not a question of what is before the foundation of the world. All things are to be headed up in Christ in heaven and earth. All that is according to the counsel of His will. I think the first six verses would apply expressly to ourselves. Then you are prepared for the mystery of His will, which goes beyond ourselves, because His will must prevail as regards heaven and earth. Our place is secured in the first six verses, but the mystery of His will refers to all things.
ARS We are here in a scene where the will of man is paramount. That means hatred and it means lawlessness and the very opposite of what the will of God brings you into, so that when you accept this reasoning you step out of darkness into light.
JT You see what it is. It is not simply God’s will for your path here, it is His will as regards the heavens and the earth.
FL The acceptance of this, and being built up in it, really makes spiritual statesmen of us.
WHF The apostle had the heavenly city in view.
JT The assembly shall be the great centre of all administration. “The good pleasure of his will” has reference to the place the saints have as formed in Christ before Him. “The mystery of his will” has reference to the dispensation of the fulness of times, taking in the things in the heavens and the things on the earth, to head them all up in Christ. Now being in the secret of this, we take our part in it. Our peculiar place is in the first six verses; “having marked us out beforehand for adoption through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he has taken us into favour in the Beloved”. That is our place.
Rem That is the highest point.
JT Yes; taken into favour in the Beloved for God’s pleasure.
FL I suppose that is the highest point that is reached, and really it includes the eternal state. The highest point in respect of the ages is in the end of chapter 3; that is, glory to God in the assembly.
JT That is the full result.
FL That is “the age of ages”. The first six verses really take in the eternal place with God, but the other climax is at the end of chapter 3, glory to God in the assembly throughout the ages.
Rem In this time the answer comes to the Lord’s prayer: “thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).
JT In the mystery of God’s will you have a political idea. It is a question of administration. I do not know of anything more important for us now, as showing where our politics are, than what we have here. It is a question of the mystery of God’s will. It is not everyone that is initiated into it.
FL Here upon earth it is understood only by the initiated, but in the heavenlies all principalities and authorities see the all varying wisdom of God at this present moment in the assembly. It is not a mystery in heaven, but on earth.
JT The administration of the fulness of times [p. 174] is already seen in the order of the assembly. The thing is there in mystery.
WB-w Fulness of times — what does this refer to?
JT The fulness of times is the millennium, I apprehend.
WB-w All things are headed up in Christ in the millennium.
JS How things are done is seen now in the assembly.
JT That is it, and it is in that connection the word “mystery” stands.
Rem The first six verses give our heavenly portion, whereas the seventh verse refers more to what we are on earth now.
JT Redemption is the solid footing which we need while here on earth, but our blessings are in heaven; we are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ. The dispensation of the fulness of times includes others; but we have our part in it too.
BTF Why does the apostle distinguish in verses 12 and 13? In verse 12 he says; “we should be to the praise of his glory who have pre-trusted in the Christ”, and in verse 13 he says “in whom ye also trusted”.
JT I suppose verse 12 refers to the Jews. The “ye” in verse 13 would be the Gentiles.
FL I would suggest a very simple thought, that up to the end of chapter 2 the Jew and the Gentile are seen as being on parallel lines. Then at the end of chapter 2 these two lines merge into one. Their separate and parallel existence is recognised up to the end of chapter 2. Then they merge into one, to become the one new man in Christ, and together we have access by one Spirit to the Father.
WB Will you say a little on verse 17? Is the thought that we should now know [p. 175] God?
JT Yes, that we should have the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God. It is not simply that we are to have light, we are to have the spirit of wisdom and revelation. It is hard to define the spirit of wisdom and revelation, but it plainly marks those who have it. We must get it direct from God. Paul could impart knowledge, but he could not impart this. He prays for it on the behalf of the Ephesians.
WB In Romans 12 you are transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. That is more in connection with our path on earth?
JT Romans is initial, and certain things are spoken of as new. You have newness of life, newness of spirit, and newness of mind. The principle of newness is introduced. That is most important, because you have to begin that way, you have to begin anew. That is a point in Romans. When you come to Ephesians it is not simply that you look at things in a new way, you have a good deal more than that. It is a question now of God and His wisdom and His counsels. Well, who is equal to that? One who has the spirit of wisdom and revelation. It is a new man in a new place.
FL This is connected with “the eyes of the heart”, which suggests spiritual affection. Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus listening to Him, is very much on the line of Romans. Then she passes through death and resurrection with Jesus. Then in John 12 the eyes of her heart are enlightened, and she does things in the spirit of wisdom and revelation. But I doubt if she could have told exactly what she was doing and why she was doing it. The Lord could interpret it. She did the right thing, in the right way, at the right time, in the spirit of wisdom and revelation, and it was because the eyes of her heart were [p. 176] enlightened.
JT The principle is seen also in Luke 24. The two disciples at Emmaus had the presentation of headship in their own house by the Lord. What are they going to do now? They go back to Jerusalem. In other words, you might say they come to Ephesians. No one will understand Ephesians unless he apprehends the Head. It is dependent upon your apprehension of Christ as the Head.
WB I am sure that is right. Ephesians is often taken up without much profit because headship is not understood.
JT Yes. The two from Emmaus come back to Jerusalem and they find the eleven and those that were with them, and they tell them what had happened, and the point emphasised was that He was made known to them in the breaking of bread. His headship was acknowledged, but they were not in the right spirit yet, so when the Lord came into their midst, “they were terrified and affrighted” (verse 37). They were not equal to it, and He calms them by saying “It is I myself”. So they sit down in the presence of the Man that fills the sphere of divine counsels. The soul is set at rest in the presence of that Man, and He talks and eats before them. It was a real Man in whose presence they were, and one who was the centre of all the divine counsels. It was a great thing for them to have their hearts set at rest in the presence of that Man. To understand Ephesians the heart must be at rest in the presence of Christ. “It is I myself”, He said; a real Man who is the centre of all the divine thoughts. The passage in Luke goes on to show that He opened their understandings. That is the idea of the spirit of wisdom and revelation. I believe that is the line on which we shall understand Ephesians.
WLP Is the spirit of wisdom distinct from the Spirit of God?
JT It is. Of course it is brought about by [p. 177] the Spirit of God, but the believer is to have it just as you have an ordinary faculty.
FL Yes. It is not the Person of the Spirit. We ought to distinguish that.
JT So it comes to a question of spiritual ability, but it is through the affections, as you remarked.
AFM I suppose such a passage as this excludes the mind of man from entering into these things?
JT Yes, mere mental ability is entirely outside of it. What is spoken of here is a divine gift. God acts sovereignly in the believer in giving him his faculties.
FL The line of the inheritance is interesting. It is His inheritance in the saints. It is not what we have, but what He has.
JT I suppose it is what God has in the saints. It is His calling, His inheritance, His power.
PHP These things comprise what is to be known on our part.
FL Then the presentation of the raising of Christ here is not the ordinary presentation of resurrection. What He wrought in Christ in raising Him from among the dead is in view of exaltation.
JT What you were remarking last night, that resurrection involves a new sphere, is important, but that is not the point in Ephesians. Here we have the fulness of the divine thought, so it goes right on to exaltation. “Set him down at his right hand in the heavenlies, above every principality, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name named, not only in this age, but also in that to come; and has put all things under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the assembly, which is his body, the fulness of him who fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:20 - 23). It does not open up the new platform of resurrection, as Romans, on which God effects things for man, but is rather to show His power in raising [p. 178] Christ and placing Him up there. This power the saints are to know.
FL “Has raised us up together, and has made us sit down together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus”, is the carrying out in His body what was effectuated in Christ.
JT Yes. What is so interesting about chapter 2 is that it is on account of God’s “great love”, and that in carrying out the thoughts of His great love in regard of us it is on the principle of association. While working in us He puts us in association with others, hence there is always an incentive for the activity of the affections. So “God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love wherewith he loved us, we too being dead in offences, has quickened us with the Christ ... and has raised us up together and has made us sit down together”. “His great love wherewith he loved us” has placed us in association with Christ and with one another. We are always together.
PR Is that Jew and Gentile together?
JT Yes, Jew and Gentile, but the thought of association with others is prominent.
FL The dignity of all this comes like a weight of glory on one’s spirit. In the first chapter it is for the praise of His glory. In this chapter it is with the end in view that in the coming ages the surpassing riches of His grace in His kindness towards us in Christ Jesus might be displayed. We think of things in an incidental and very haphazard way, but we get an indication here that God has ordained things. He has before ordained good works that we should walk in them.
JT It is very remarkable that the works should be ordained before.
ARS In Revelation 2:2 it says: “I know thy works”. Works were still there, but love was gone.
JT That is “thy works”. No doubt they were [p. 179] good works, but here it is the works that God has ordained before, that we should walk in them.
ARS That is not the good works in saints.
JT Here it is from the divine height. I have no doubt it refers to certain features of the Lord’s walk and ministry. “He went about doing good” (Acts 10:38).
FL “God was with him”. I would like to get away from the spirit of restless activity, and to fall in line with what God has already arranged in connection with my day and the day of every saint. That is the thing I would covet.
JT Yes, it brings about a state of soul of waiting on God. “I have set before thee an open door” (Revelation 3:8). God has opened it and you go in and walk in good works.
Ques Is that a result of new creation?
JT Yes, we are created in Christ Jesus for good works. The word “walk” conveys the idea of deportment.