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Ephesians 4:10 – Not Worth Arguing

Posted on November 28, 2011 by Will

He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

Truth to Learn

Some Biblical truths are very important to understand correctly, others are not worth arguing about.

Behind the Words

Both the words translated “descended” and “ascended” are expressed here as aorist participles. Thus, we could translate the first part of this verse as “the one having descended is also the one having ascended.” Although some translations say “came down” or “went down” and “went up,” the direction of travel (came or went) is not indicated by the Greek text.

“Far above” is translated from the Greek word huperanō. This word is made up of huper (or hyper), meaning “over” or “above” and the adverb anō, meaning “upward” or “on top.” So we see that huperanō literally means “above upward” or “above on top.” The best translation of this word into English is probably “high above” or “far above.”

The word “heavens” is from ouranos, which is probably based on the verb orō, meaning “to rise.” According to Jewish beliefs, there are three distinct heavenly regions. The first is the atmosphere of the earth (where the birds fly and the clouds exist). The second is the universe (where all the celestial bodies exist). The third is God’s abode, or God’s throne room, to which only God and the angelic beings have access today.

“Fill” is from the verb plēroō, which means “to cram completely full, such that no more can be added.”

Meaning Explained

As we pointed out in yesterday’s verse, there are some who believe that the statement in verse nine that He “descended into the lower parts of the earth” means the He “descended into the lower earthly regions.” In other words, they argue that it is a reference to Christ coming to earth as a man. Others, adhering to a more literal translation, believe it is a reference to Christ’s descent into Hades (Paradise) as we explained yesterday.

No matter which of these two views you prefer, today’s verse is clearly a statement regarding Christ’s resurrection. But, as scholars are wont to do, there is even disagreement as to what Paul meant in today’s verse when he referred to “the One who ascended far above all the heavens.” As we noted above, the Jewish concept of plural heavens pictures three heavens: the atmosphere, the universe, and God’s abode. Does today’s verse mean that He ascended above the atmosphere and the known universe, into His own realm (the third heaven), or does it mean that he ascended even above that? Again, a literal interpretation indicates that He ascended above “all the heavens,” which implies more than two.

But let’s not get distracted by such minor concerns. Paul’s message in these verses is not so much about where Christ descended to and where He ascended to, but the fact that when He did, He gave spiritual gifts to men. Some of these gifts are described in the next verse.

Application

Some Biblical teachings are foundational to our beliefs and how we relate to God. Others are less important. Let’s focus our attention on the important matters and not get hung-up on unimportant matters. Whatever we believe and do, let us do it so that God will get the glory and honor.

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 1:23 – Spiritual Body Life

Posted on September 1, 2011 by Will

Ephesians 1:23 – Spiritual Body Life

which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Truth to Learn

All Christians are part of the body of Christ. As members of that body we each have a function to perform in the church.

Behind the Words

The word “which” is translated from hostis, a double relative pronoun that most literally translates to “which some.” In this case the meaning seems to be “seeing it is.”

“Body” is translated from the Greek noun soma, which refers to “the body” as a whole. It is used both literally and figuratively in the New Testament. Here it refers to the spiritual body of the resurrected Jesus.

The word “fullness” is from plēroma, a derivative of the verb plēroō, meaning “to fill full” or “to cram full.” It means to fill so completely that there is no room left to add any more. Plēroma refers to “the condition of fullness or completion.”

“Fills” is from the verb plēroō, which we just looked at. It is expressed here as a participle in the middle voice (the subject acting on himself).

Meaning Explained

Back in verse nineteen we learned that one of the things the Apostle Paul prays for is for all believers to understand the exceeding greatness of God’s power. Through that power, the Father raised Jesus from the dead and elevated Him to the highest position of honor and authority. And in yesterday’s verse he told us that the Father made Jesus to be the head over all things with regard to the church. Now, to get the full impact of the current verse, let’s look at it along with the previous verse.

And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:22-23)

God the Father made the risen Jesus to be the head of the church, which Paul tells us here is His body. The church universal is the body of Christ. It serves as His arms, hands, eyes, ears, nose, and feet. In his first letters to the Corinthian church and his letter to the Roman church, Paul explained a little more about the functioning of the body of Christ.

For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ … But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. (1Cointhians 12:12, 22)

so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: (Romans 12:5-6a)

All Christians have a part to play in the body of Christ. We each have abilities and spiritual gifts given specifically to us by God. We need to be using those gifts to build up the body.

Application

Do you know what your gifts are? Are there abilities that you have that others don’t? Are you using your talents and spiritual gifts to make your fellow Christians stronger in their faith?

In God’s service, for His glory,

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Romans 15:13 – Hopeful Expectation

Posted on May 4, 2011 by Will

Romans 15:13 – Hopeful Expectation

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Truth to Learn

Christians can have joy, peace, and hopeful expectation.

Behind the Words

The word translated “hope” in this verse is a form of the Greek word elpis, which means, “the desire of something good with full expectation of obtaining it.” It is different than the English word “hope,” which implies simply a desire for something but not knowing whether it will happen or not. Paul calls our God the God of hope because we know that His promises will definitely come true.

“Fill” is from the verb plēroō, which means “to fill.” Actually, it means more than just filling something; it means to cram it as full as possible. It is expressed here in the Optative mood, indicating a wish, or desire on the part of the Apostle Paul.

The word translated “all” is the Greek word pas, which means “all, the whole, completely, with nothing missing.”

“Joy” is translated from the Greek noun chara, meaning “cheerfulness” or “calm delight.”

The noun “peace” is from eirēnē, which means “peace or tranquility.” It is a state in which there is no perceived threat or cause for worry present.

The word translated “abound” is the Greek word perisseuō, which means “to be in excess in number or measure.”

Meaning Explained

Having finished his treatise on the unity of Jew and Gentile in Christ, Paul closes this section with a benediction. He starts off invoking the benediction from the “God of hope.” In all that Paul has been teaching us since the first verse of chapter fourteen, it is hope which, among other things, unites us. It is to both the Jew and Gentile the hope of the return of the Messiah, and it is also to both the Jew and the Gentile the hope of the resurrection and salvation that He promised. Not just empty hope, but expectant hope.

In this benediction Paul asks that God will fill us “with all joy and peace” in our believing faith. That is, Paul is asking that God cram us completely full with all possible joy and peace. Not just a lot of it, but all of it, with nothing missing!

And, as a result of that joy and peace that we have in our saving faith, we can thus abound in hope. Because of the joy and peace that we have in our faith, we can be filled to overflowing with expectant hope.

Our salvation is not a salvation of worry or fear (worrying or being afraid that we might lose it), but a salvation of hope, with full expectation and assurance that God will deliver on His promises.

Application

If you have submitted yourself to the lordship of Jesus Christ and have accepted the sacrificial offering of His blood as full payment for your sins, then God will save you according to His promises! This is the greatest truth ever proclaimed to man. Even though none of us is righteous, all of us are sinners, and even though God demands righteousness, we can avoid the penalty of our sinfulness through the blood of the Lamb of God who was sacrificed to pay the penalty of our sins! Praise God!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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Romans 8:4 – Fulfilled Through Him

Posted on May 23, 2010 by Will

Romans 8:4

that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Truth to Learn

The righteousness that God demands of us is fulfilled for us through the righteousness of Christ.

Behind the Words

The words “righteous requirement” are a translation of the Greek word dikiōma, which is from the verb dikaioō, meaning “to render as just, righteous, or innocent.” Dikaiōma refers to “an equitable deed” and by implication to “a decision or statute.”

“Fulfilled” is from the Greek word plēroō, which means “to fill-up completely” or “to make complete.” As it is used in this verse it means “to completely satisfy.”

The word “walk” is translated from peripateō, which is made up of peri, meaning “around” and pateō, meaning “to walk.” Hence, it literally means “to walk around.” Metaphorically, it refers to the manner in which we live our life.

Meaning Explained

In order to get the full impact of this verse we have to go back and join it with the second half of the previous:

God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

The reason that God sent His son was to fulfill the Law and to make a judgment against sin so that the righteousness of the Law might be completely satisfied in us.

But, how does Christ’s fulfilling the Law translate into the righteousness of the law being fulfilled in us? Back in Romans 3:21-28 Paul talked about the righteousness that is imputed by grace upon all those who believe, and he concluded:

Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.

The only way that God can satisfy his own justice, which requires that sin be penalized (and we know that the wages of sin is death), is for someone who has perfectly fulfilled the righteousness of the Law to then offer His life as a substitution for ours. This is precisely what Christ did when he came in the “likeness of sinful flesh.” And, it is by faith that we receive the grace of God through which He credits Christ’s righteousness to our account. By faith we believe that Christ died to pay the penalty for our sins, and by grace God then imputes Christ’s righteousness to us. Hence, the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us.

The final phrase of this verse is again a statement of fact, not a condition. It is a description of Christians, we who have received that grace and, therefore, walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Application

Let us demonstrate the righteousness that has been imputed unto us by living our lives characterized by things of the Sprit of God rather than the things of our flesh. After all, we have been bought with a price, the precious blood of the sinless Lamb of God!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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