Notes on the Epistle to the Ephesians.

(Introductory, and on i. 1, 2.)

By W. J. Habens.

hese notes are intended to supply a brief exposition, such as may enable the reader to trace the course of thought through the Epistle. The doctrines expressed or implied will be rather indicated than illustrated and enforced. To most of those whose love for Holy Scripture will induce them to read it in the manner suggested by this exposition, the doctrines themselves are familiar and precious. The new interest which may be aroused in looking over the Epistle now will be chiefly that which springs from a discovery of the relations between the several parts of Christian truth as they are here exhibited.

We are in the way for finding the key to the whole Epistle when we carefully observe what prominence is given in it to the idea of the Church. The first three chapters may be regarded as constituting the three sections of the doctrinal part of the Epistle, and the three remaining chapters the practical part; although this distinction of doctrinal and practical is a very rough one and apt to mislead. Now, in every section the Church is prominently introduced; at the close of the first (i. 22, 23—"The Church, which is His body"); at the close of the second (ii. 21—"All the building [which is being] fitly framed together, groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord"); and in the third (as iii. 10—"Known by [i.e., by means of] the Church the manifold wisdom of God"); and, once more, the first section of the more practical part sets forth our duties as members of the Church, rather than as mere individuals. Nor are these the only references to the Church; there are many of them—some seen at a glance (as iii. 21, and v. 23—27, 32), others becoming manifest as the whole argument is understood (as ii. 14, iii. 6, &c.)

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But if we fix our thoughts on the Church alone we shall lose the clue we had laid hold of. In Scripture "Christ is all and in all." In the Church also "Christ is all, and in all;" and indeed it is with regard to the Church that this phrase is used (Col. iii. 11). Just as, when Christ's office of Mediator is fulfilled, such an order of things will be established "that God may be all in all;" so now, while His mediation continues, Christ is all, both in the life of the Church, and in the writings which reveal His redemption. In the first chapter of this Epistle, for example, the name of Christ, or some pronoun standing for it occurs, just as many times as there are verses. In fact, the subject of the Epistle is not so much the Church as Christ and the Church.

One other word occurs so often as to invite the inquiry whether it also may not be a key-word. The word is "mystery." We use it as meaning something inexplicable; but its true meaning is a revealed secret. The Latin New Testament sometimes translates it by "sacrament," and so obscures the sense, and sometimes leaves it in effect untranslated, as we leave the word "baptize." That in our Epistle "mystery" means "revealed secret" is plain to any one who will look at chapter i. 9 ("made known, to us the mystery of His will"), and at chapter iii. 3, 4 ("the mystery . . . which in other ages was not made known . . . as it is now revealed.") From the 9th verse of the first chapter it appears that the mystery of God's will is to be the theme of the Epistle. For after a statement of the gospel, such a statement as, however grand, is not at all peculiar to this place and occasion, it is said that God in His grace has abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence—"having made known unto us the mystery of His will." We are now prepared to find that the design of the Epistle is to unfold the mystery of God's will concerning Christ and the Church. In the third chapter (verse 4) the mystery which is the theme of the Epistle is expressly called "the mystery of Christ." The three key-words appear together in the fifth chapter (verse 32)—"This mystery is great: but I speak concerning Christ and the Church." Further to confirm the position here taken in combining these three words into one thought, let us turn to Colossians^* i. 26, 27, where we read—"God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."

And now, what is the "mystery?" An answer might be given rashly (by reference to Col. i. 27), that the mystery is Christ. But such an answer is not based on a full consideration of the passage relied on. That passage says, "Christ in you." The true answer seems to be this: the mystery is the union of Christ page 5 with His Church. Observe how often that union, and the unity which consequently is an attribute of the Church, is set forth in the Epistle: "Head over all things to His body" (i. 22, 28); "made nigh by the blood of Christ. For He is our peace, who hath made both one" (ii. 13, 14); "to make in Himself of twain one new man" (ii. 16); "the chief corner stone, in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth" (ii. 21); "the Gentiles fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ" (iii. 6); "the unity of the Spirit . . one body . . one head," &c. (iv. 3, 4, 5); "the head, Christ, from whom the whole body . . maketh increase" (iv. 15, 16); and see the whole passage in the fifth chapter from the 23rd verse to the 32nd.

The mystery of the union of Christ with His Church is a comprehensive theme, and is not treated exhaustively in the Epistle. The letter professes to be only a letter and not an essay. As Pascal wrote: "The order which Jesus Christ and Saint Paul observe is the order of love, not of mind; for they desired to warm, not to instruct. St. Augustin the same. This order consists principally in digressions upon each point that has relation to the end in view, in order always to exhibit that"^† So we have no special reference to the Incarnation, nor any statement of the manner in which Christ and His people are united; only the glorious fact of the union and the unity is declared and reiterated, and its practical inferences drawn and applied, The theme is not regarded from every possible point of view. There is, however, one point which the circumstances of the Church at that time made it necessary to set in a clear light, viz., that the union of all believers with Christ in one body had put an end to the religious disabilities of Gentiles. This consequence of the union of Christ and the Church was so present to the mind of the Apostle of the Gentiles, and of such moment in those days of Judaising tendency, and of such value to lately converted heathen, that we cannot wonder at the prominence assigned to it. Only we must be careful not to put this part for the whole. The mystery is the union of Christ with His Church, and the consequent union of all the members in one body.

The impression made upon the mind of one who earnestly studies the Epistle in all its bearings is not unlike that which is produced by the revelations of astronomy, as space beyond space stands revealed, and everywhere harmony and order appear. No part of Scripture surpasses this in height and depth and length and breadth. It opens up suggestive glimpses of truths not yet grasped; it moves with ease among the most stupendous difficul- page 6 ties of thought; it reveals its own character as a true revelation, an articulate voice from the Infinite. It pierces to the heart of all things, and into the eternal past, and reads the counsels of God; it rises to the heights of the heavenly places, and contemplates principalities and powers gleaning new knowledge of God's ways from His dealings with man; it perceives the subtle yet mighty bonds by which a scattered Church is united as one body to its head in heaven; it sees in every detail of common duty the principle that connects it with the universe of truth and holiness.

The more doctrinal part of the Epistle falls naturally into three sections, exactly corresponding with the three chapters into which it has been divided. The Will of the Father, the Work of the Son, the Power of the Holy Ghost; each of these is the leading idea of a chapter, neither as excluding the other, yet each in turn receiving more immediate consideration as concerned in the mystery.

The first two verses are occupied with the usual salutation. To recall the relations of Paul to the Church at Ephesus, and to investigate the question raised by the omission of "at Ephesus" from some MSS., is beside the present purpose. Three things, however, should be noticed. 1. The true members of the Church are "saints," and "faithful in Christ Jesus." They are "saints," as counted holy for Jesus' sake, as renewed by the Holy Ghost, as separate from the world. They are "faithful," that is, believing; they believe on Jesus as their Saviour, they trust in him for pardon secured by his death, and they receive strength for a holy life by "looking unto Jesus." They are "in Christ Jesus," bound to him by ties spiritual and beyond the perception of sense and of reason, yet as strong as they are tender, as influential as they are inseparable. 2. A good prayer for those we love is that they may have "grace and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ;" not only his favour and bounty manifested in outward gifts, not only circumstances of peace with all around; but grace pardoning, sanctifying, permitting communion; and peace, as cessation of enmity against him, as assurance of his love, as confidence before him, as comfort in all distress. 3. The real origin of Paul's apostleship was in the Will of God. Historically it originated in the vision of Christ near Damascus. But Paul sees beyond that. As in this chapter the whole work of redemption is traced to the Will of God (i. 9), and the work of salvation in the individual soul is referred to that will (i. 4, 5), so it was Paul's happiness to believe that his position as a minister of Christ, of the Church, of the Gospel, had been fixed by the same will; being not simply by permission of God, but by his determinate counsel. When this is understood, all the preparatory discipline by which he was in some measure fitted for his office appears to be part of a far-reaching design. page 7 How firm a support this knowledge of the Will of God must have been to him under discouragement, depression, and persecution can perhaps be fairly estimated only by those who, occupying posts of service in the Church, and feeling their own insufficiency, yet have evidence clear, though not as in his case miraculous, that by the Will of God they were selected, appointed, and called to the exercise of their ministry.