In our lesson for today we come to what is the heart of the thesis of the Epistle to the Ephesians. All that Paul has written up to now has been leading up to this Scripture passage; all that follows this passage is by way of expansion and application.

Why did Paul distinguish between "us" and "you" in Chapter One? The reason now comes clear. Why did Paul pray that his readers have their faith and love enlightened by wisdom and revelation? Because he has a new revelation of the plans, purposes, and acts of God which Paul as Apostle has been commissioned to set forth. Why did he lay such emphasis on the sinful background of his readers, whether Gentile OR Jew? It is to stress the greatness of this mighty act of God, which is nothing less than a new creation.

In verse ten of our present Scripture passage we read, "For" (or "because" : the reason for the "not of works" of the preceding verse) "we are his workmanship, created in Messiah Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them."

And lest we miss the point, down in Verse Fifteen Paul expands by declaring, "that he might create in himself of the two one new man."

This is what "Ephesians" is all about: a new creation by God. This, if you please, is the fourth mighty act of the Creator, the Omnipotent One.

PREVIOUS CREATIONS

To appreciate the setting for this, we need to go back to the book of Genesis, the book of beginnings. In Chapter One of Genesis, we read that God, the Omnipotent One (the meaning of "Elohim") performed three acts of creation. (Three, and only three.) First was the creation of our universe: "the heavens and the earth" (Vs. 1). From then on, all the way through verse 20, there is no further reference to a "creation." God was engaged in developing, arranging, designing, fitting, polishing that earth which He had created in Verse One.

Then in Verse 21 we find God again creating. We read that "God created the great sea-monsters, and every living creature that moveth, . . . and every winged bird," etc. Prior to that act of creation, there had been no self-moving life. Yes, there were living trees and grass (vs. 11), but they cannot move. If they sway it is because the wind blows them. They cannot move of themselves. So here we find, as the second great act of creation, the production by God of intelligent moving life.

And as the third great act of creation, in Verse 27 we read that God, the Omnipotent One, produced (created) "Human Being," Man, Adam, both male and female, and in the very image (icon) of Elohim Himself.

But as we know, and as recounted in Chapter Three of Genesis, that Human Being, Adam, (and both male and female) failed in his (their) responsibility to his Creator, and in his failure brought moral delinquency upon all his offspring. Thus it is written, "There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none that understandeth. There is none that seeketh after God; They have all turned aside, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not so much as one." (Romans 3:10-12).

 THE SIGNIFICANCE IF THE NEW, THE FOURTH, ACT OF CREATION.

  This brings us to the "revelation" by God through Paul of a new creation. Whereas Adam, the progenitor of the present physical human race, failed, we read that God is now in process of creating a new human race. And just as the first human race was "in Adam," so this new human race is being created "in Messiah Jesus" (Eph. 2:10), Who is "the last Adam." (See I Corinthians 15:45).

  Thus we see that this Fourth Creation is the holy, the righteous counterpart of the Third Creation (Genesis 1:27). It stands opposite, in contrast, to it.

And although Paul does not take us beyond that point in Ephesians, we may guess that there may be further "creations," opposite to the first two creations in Genesis. And in fact there are intimations of the same. In Romans 8:22-23 we read that, "We know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only so, but ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for our adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body." We also understand that when Jesus returns and our bodily resurrection takes place, even the animal world will experience some sort of renewal, so that "the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together: and a little child shall lead them." (Isaiah 11:6). So this may well be the counterpart of the Second Act of Creation.

  As for a replacement of the first act of creation, that of "the heavens and the earth," we read that eventually that first heaven will have an end. "And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll; and all their host shall fade away." (Isaiah 34:4). Peter expanded upon this, saying (II Peter 3:10), "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief: in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up."

  Then Peter went on to say, (Vs. 13), "But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." This promise he found in Isaiah 65:17, wherein it was written, "For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things shall not be remembered, nor come into mind." (See also Revelation 21:1.)

  So there may well be a total of six creations: 3 in Genesis, the 4th being created now, and two more yet to come; with the last three the counterparts of the first three, but in reverse order.

 But this is getting us far beyond what Paul has written in Ephesians. We cite this, however, to suggest what may well be a grand design of God, and how this passage in Ephesians fits in. So let us return to our Ephesians text, to discover more that Paul has to say.

NOT "OF WORKS" - "FOR GOOD WORKS": THE FOURTH CREATION.

  We have been thoroughly taught that our salvation is by the grace of God. In no way are our works to enter into that salvation, for that would thwart divine grace. We cannot boast, and are not allowed to boast, of any alleged achievement of our own. Even our faith is nothing more nor less than our unreserved acceptance of a gift. This is, of course, the thrust of Ephesians 2: verses eight and nine.

But Paul goes on to suggest we cannot offer our works because we ourselves are the product of God's work. "We are his workmanship." Since we are His workmanship, there is nothing that we are able to do. And therefore if we, children of Adam, are to be saved from our sinful heritage, it must be that God must create anew. And this is what God has begun to do and is doing: creating a new race of mankind. Instead of Adam, Messiah Jesus is to be our progenitor, our parent. So it is written in Isaiah (8:18): "Behold, I and the children whom Yahweh hath given me," quoted in Hebrews 2:13, in a context showing it clearly refers to Jesus and those trusting in Him.

And what does Paul say is the purpose of this new creation? Surprise: it is "for good works"!! Does not this contradict the "not of works" of verse nine?

No, because these are God's "good works," not ours. And furthermore, we ourselves, created anew in Messiah Jesus, are not called upon to do these good works. God has preplanned these works, which are for us like stepping-stones, that we might simply follow the path God has laid out for us. (Important: See Isaiah 35:8.) Do not we all from time to time lay out our schedule for the day, then when unexpected events thwart our plans and good intentions, feel frustrated, bewildered, and upset? Ought we not to reflect that our plans were not the "good works" God had in mind, but rather the unexpected events constituted the ground of His planned "good works" for our conduct that day?

GENTLES AND JEWS, ONCE SEPARATED, NOW UNITED IN THIS NEW MAN IN MESSIAH JESUS. (Verses 11-22.)

At the beginning of Chapter Two Paul had reminded his Gentile readers that they had been "dead." Now in verses 11 and 12, he tells them that they had laboured under the estrangement from all the blessings of Israel (see 1:3-12), being separate from Messiah, alienated, strangers from promise, and "without hope and without God." But then, he adds, by the death of Jesus they are brought near. (Vs 13.) There is reconciliation between Jew and Gentile.

In the Jewish temple in Jerusalem there were special areas and restrictions. The temple building itself was divided into two sections. The inner sanctuary, sacred to the presence of God Himself, could be entered only by the High Priest, and only once a year on Yom Kippur (the day of atonement), and with a blood sacrifice. The front part of the temple building could be entered into daily by the priests (and only by the priests) during the course of their sacred ministry. In front of the building stood the great laver for cleansing and the altar of burnt offering. Jewish men apparently could approach this altar to present their gifts and sacrifices to the priests. Then there was a "court of the women" where Jewish women could congregate.

Outside of this complex there was erected a barrier fence, with signs on it warning uncircumcised Gentiles not to enter upon pain of immediate death. This is referred to in Verse 14 as "the middle wall of partition." You will recall that when Paul was arrested in Jerusalem, described in Acts 21-22, it was over this issue: had he taken Greeks, Gentiles, with him inside the fence? (Of course he had not; but many Jews in the temple thought he had.)

But here in Ephesians, Paul is saying that being "created in Messiah Jesus," both believing Jews and believing Gentiles become one new person. No longer is there "enmity" between them: it has been "slain". The message now is "peace." The spiritual "wall of partition" has been broken down.

Furthermore, Paul uses the metaphor of a building, made up of different elements "fitly framed together." Jews do not cease being Jews, and Gentiles do not cease being Gentiles. The new unity is not uniformity, but unity in diversity: "E pluribus unum." ("Out of many, one.")

This, then, is the glorious message Paul the Apostle has been commissioned to deliver. It is not only individual salvation, but the creation of a new race of mankind, "in Messiah Jesus." It contains many different elements: Jew and Gentile; white men, black men, and others; male and female: but all combined together into one new creation.

It was given to Paul to perceive this new truth. He will call it a "mystery," previously planned by God but concealed until now from the understanding of men. It was given to Paul to perceive, and to teach and proclaim it. The purposes of God are always beyond our ken. But now that it has been revealed to us, let us rejoice in its privileges, and conform our lives and our Christian conduct to carrying out its implications and its privileges.

QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW, STUDY, AND DISCUSSION

1. As you read the text of this lesson, what new understanding of the creativity of God have you learned? How does it help you to a greater appreciation for the work of God in Messiah Jesus?

2. Why does Paul say (in verse 3:1) that he is "a prisoner .... in behalf of you"?

3. In verses 3:3-4 Paul speaks of a "mystery." Write out what you think is a definition of "mystery" as used in Scripture. (Feel free to consult other New Testament Scriptures, e.g.: Matt. 13:11; Romans 11:25; 16:25; I Cor 2:7; 4:1; Eph. 3:9; 5:32; Colossians 1:20; I Timothy 3:9; 3:16; etc.)

4. Why do you think that Paul adds here (in verse 3:8) that he was "less than the least"? What principles of humility and of God's glory does this illustrate?

5. How do you think the "church" can "now" demonstrate to heavenly beings the greatness of Divine wisdom? (See vs. 3:10.) How does this give us boldness?

6. In vss. 14-19 Paul prays for 5 blessings to his readers. Can you list them?

7. What is Paul's aim in his doxology in vss. 20-21?

8. Try to memorize 3:20-21.

 

 

--- Norman L. MacLeod Jr.