Ephesians – Part 6

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Revelation of God’s Mystery

When sharing your faith in public and facing skepticism, recall how Ephesians 4 emphasizes the importance of truth spoken in love. Instead of arguing, please take a moment to listen to their concerns deeply. This week, initiate a respectful dialogue with someone who holds different beliefs. Share your faith journey honestly, demonstrating that love and understanding are at the center of your beliefs, which can open up meaningful conversations.

Spiritual Gifts for Achieving Unity

⁷ Each one of us, however, has been given grace to be measured by the Messiah’s bounty. ⁸ This is why it says,

“After He went up into the heights,

He led captivity captive

and He gave gifts to mankind.” (Psalm 68:19(18))

The essence of the Psalm is that a military victor has the right to receive gifts from the people he has conquered and who are now his subjects. Sha’ul suggested that Yeshua has conquered His enemies (unredeemed sinners) and has given gifts to them, with Sha’ul himself being the perfect example. As a victor over sin and death, Yeshua gives gifts to His new devoted followers, His captives.

⁹ Now this phrase, “he went up,” what can it mean if not that he first went down into the lower parts, that is, the earth?

The lower parts, that is, the earth. The Messiah was a pre-existent being, the Word, co-equal with God, who, for the sake of humanity, came to earth as a man (Yochanan 1:1, 14; Philippians 2:5–8). It would be less to the point if Sha’ul were saying here that Yeshua descended into Sh’ol after his death (Acts 2:27, 31; Romans 10:7; 1 Kefa 3:18–20); but if this is indeed what He means, the phrase should be rendered “the lower parts of the earth” (as opposed to its upper parts).

¹⁰ The one who went down is himself the one who also went up, far above all of heaven, in order to fill all things.

In any case, the Messiah died. Saying He went up implies that He was resurrected. Then he went up, far above all of heaven, that is, to the very presence of God (compare Philippians 2:9–11, Co 1:16–20). All this assures that we Believers, too, will be resurrected in the future and that the Spirit is at work in our lives now (Yn 14:26, 15:26; 1C 15:1–58).

¹¹ Furthermore, he gave some people as emissaries, some as prophets, some as proclaimers of the Good News, and some as shepherds and teachers. ¹² Their task is to equip God’s people for the work of service that builds the body of the Messiah, ¹³ until we all arrive at the unity implied by trusting and knowing the Son of God, at full manhood, at the standard of maturity set by the Messiah’s perfection.

These are Yeshua’s gifts to the Messianic Community. Because the Greek is ambiguous, some take the two terms “shepherds” (pastors) and “teachers” to be speaking of one office—“shepherd-teachers.” Pastoring and teaching are overlapping yet distinguishable skills. Emissaries (apostles) found congregations. Prophets speak God’s word. Proclaimers of the Good News (evangelists) communicate the Good News so that people turn from sin and accept God’s forgiveness through the Messiah. Pastors carry on from there, discipling and counseling new and old believers in living the Messianic life. Teachers communicate and apply biblical truth. None is to boast about his position but to “equip God’s people,” as explained in vv. 12–13.

Maturing As A Body

¹⁴ We will then no longer be infants tossed about by the waves and blown along by every wind of teaching, at the mercy of people clever in devising ways to deceive. ¹⁵ Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in every respect grow up into him who is the head, the Messiah. ¹⁶ Under his control, the whole body is being fitted and held together by the support of every joint, with each part working to fulfill its function; this is how the body grows and builds itself up in love. ^[1]

In our next post, we continue to examine Sha’ul’s Letter to the Ephesians.

 

 

 

 

 

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[1] Ephesians 4:7-16.