CHRIST—THE PATTERN HEAVENLY MAN—IN ALL HIS RELATIONSHIPS
The temporary earthly relationships given to us in the Ephesian letter are written in the light of our eventual role as rulers of the universe with Christ. This rule is bitterly contested by Satan who resents any erosion of his own authority. He is still "the ruler of the authority of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience" 2:2. Satan is opposed to the will of God, which is the keynote to the Ephesian letter. To emphasize the theme of the will of God certain subjects are prominent in Ephesians, while others we might have thought important are ignored. Why is it, for example, that Church rule is found in Corinthians and ignored here in the epistle of the Church? Or why is our obedience to government in the world not mentioned when the Lord Himself told us to render to Caesar the things which are Caesar's? The answer is that these subjects are treated in their proper place. Here Paul's subject is the warfare of the heavenly man against Satan and his hosts. Only trained soldiers can wage war and the beginning of every soldier's training is obedience to the orders of his commanding officer.
Our obedience must be tested. How can we rule others if we are rebellious ourselves? "For be sure of this, that none guilty of unchastity or of impurity or of greed which is idolatry enjoys inheritance in the kingdom of the Christ and God" 5:5. Those who would rule with Christ must first demonstrate submission and obedience in this world. If I am a married woman I am to submit to the order of the natural creation and acknowledge my husband as my head. If I am a child I am to obey my parents in the Lord. If I am a husband I am to love my wife and educate my children in divine things. If I am an employee I am to obey my supervisor. If I am an employer I am to rule my subordinates in the Lord. If I do these things well I will receive the future approval of the Lord and present persecution of men, who unwittingly are mere agents of Satan. This is because we have obeyed Christ's marching orders, and Satan is opposed to Christ. Also we tend to look at the visible, which is a mistake. We look at men, who are rewarding us evil for good, failing to see the real source of the persecution spiritual forces of evil headed by Satan, who use men as tools. This is why Peter warns us not to be surprised "at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in Christ's sufferings, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed" 1 Peter 4:12, 1312Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. (1 Peter 4:12‑13). That is the key Christ has been there before us. The best trained soldiers depend on the strategy and experience in war of their Commanding General to crown their warfare with victory. Christ is our Commanding Officer. The Ephesian relationships which we are called upon to acknowledge and honor are ones He Himself has fulfilled some actually, some figuratively. As the pattern Heavenly Man He does not ask us to do what He did not do Himself. He is the Captain of our salvation the Commanding Officer in our warfare against Satan. In World War 2 The Royal Air Force had a top bombing squadron known as "the pathfinders" whose task was to locate a target for following bombers, marking it with flares. Its Commanding Officer was dubbed "the King of the Pathfinders." So it is with the Lord, who has marked the path out for us. He is truly "the King of the Pathfinders" in our war with Satan.
“All the path the saints are treading
Trodden by the Son of God
All the sorrows they are feeling
Felt by Him upon the road.
All the darkness and the sorrow
From around and from within
All the joy and all the triumph
He passed through apart from sin.”
The Perfect Submission and Love of Christ. Christ's first great act of submission was to become a Man. Although equal to the Father in the Godhead, He subjected Himself to His God and Father when He became a Man. He was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death see Heb. 2:99But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (Hebrews 2:9) for man ranks lower than the angels in the order of creation. Now if the woman is asked to submit herself to her husband in this world, how little God is asking of her compared to Christ's submission. "A body hast Thou prepared Me" Heb. 10:55Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: (Hebrews 10:5). It was a body in which He should suffer and die supreme humiliation supreme suffering but supreme submission.
In Ephesians husbands are told to love their own wives. This is a pale figure of the immeasurable love of Christ for the Church the love of Jesus Christ the Same yesterday and today and forever Heb. 13:88Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. (Hebrews 13:8). Yesterday He gave Himself for it v.25 today He sanctifies and cleanses it with the washing of water by the Word v.26 forever He shall enjoy the Church as His spotless bride after her presentation to Himself. So we have the Church in three time aspects past, present and future. Christ seeking her in love so great that He gave Himself is the first consideration He poured Himself out in all the richness of His divine eternal being. The Lord Himself gave us an illustration of this in the merchant who sold everything he owned to buy one pearl of great price. The pearl was the Church, the great price was the cost to Himself He gave Himself. This is the past, and how we rejoice that grief can never more be His portion for He is risen from the dead.
“Came from Godhead's fullest glory
Down to Calvary's depth of woe
Now on high we bow before Thee
Streams of praises ceaseless flow.”
But what of the present? What does Christ do now for the Church? Well, He sanctifies and cleanses it with the washing of water by the Word applying the Holy Scriptures to our needs. To sanctify is to set apart in holiness. The Lord anticipated 5:26 in His prayer to the Father in John 17:1919And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. (John 17:19) "and for their sakes I sanctify Myself that they also might be sanctified through the truth." Finally the future of the Church is given us in 5:27 "that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and blameless." "Holy and blameless" these are the words used in 1:4 where we are seen in heavenly places in the Father's presence in love. Here God's purpose is realized holy and blameless, Christ presents the Church to Himself where she can be seen. Later Christ and the Church will be publicly displayed when the time comes to make war on our enemies Rev. 19:7-147Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 9And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. 10And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. 11And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. (Revelation 19:7‑14). But here the beauty of the Church as the result of Christ's work for her, and in her, is our subject. The brown spots and creases which show up as our skin ages and which disfigure the beauty of an earthly bride "or any such thing" will never be found in the bride of Christ. Instead she will be "holy and blameless" which as already pointed out was God's thought in choosing us in Christ before the foundation of the world 1:4.
“Savior come, Thy saints are waiting
Waiting for the nuptial day
Thence their promised glory dating
Come and bear Thy saints away
Come Lord Jesus
Thus Thy waiting people pray.”
The Lord Jesus, then, in His deep love for the Church, is the pattern for husbands to love their wives. The love revolves around our union with Christ. As the woman is united to the man the Church is united to Christ. "This is a great secret but I speak concerning Christ and the Church" v.32 must be connected with v.30 "for we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones." There could be no unity in flesh and blood which cannot inherit the kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15:5050Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. (1 Corinthians 15:50). The Lord shed His blood and is now a Man of flesh and bones Luke 24:3939Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. (Luke 24:39). Paul is directing our thoughts back to how Adam secured his bride and Adam is the figure of Him who was to come Rom. 5:1414Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. (Romans 5:14). "And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept and He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh in its stead" Gen. 2:2121And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; (Genesis 2:21). In figure this is the death of Christ the purchase price of His bride. The rib was removed this would come out of Adam's side (it was the side of Christ which was pierced on the cross when He was already dead fulfilling the type of Adam's 'deep sleep'). Then the Lord God built the rib He had taken from man into a woman. No other female creature ever came into being that way. It was His sovereign act in creation to show how Christ the last Adam was to receive His bride union with Christ based on His death and the blood which flowed from His pierced side. Woman in Hebrew (Isha) means "out of man" (Ish), so Adam exclaims "this time" (he is contrasting Eve with the animal creation which passed before him with which union was impossible) "it is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh this shall be called woman because this was taken out of man." How perfect this type is Adam, no doubt instructed by God as to what had taken place, does not call Eve his flesh and blood. He speaks of bone and flesh as Christ the Last Adam did in resurrection Luke 24:4040And when he had thus spoken, he showed them his hands and his feet. (Luke 24:40) and as His Apostle Paul does here. The blood of Christ was shed in redemption when the Roman soldier pierced His side. Even as he is a Man of flesh and bone so shall we be when we receive our glorified bodies. In Ephesians we are viewed as "members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.”
Such are God's thoughts of us. Now what are our thoughts of God? Have our meditations deepened our understanding of the love of Christ to His bride the Church, or have we merely acknowledged the truth intellectually? God the Father would have us worship Him in spirit and in truth John 4:2323But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. (John 4:23). He has given us the Holy Spirit and to the extent we find joy in the love of Christ He touches the strings of the harp of the renewed heart to respond to that love in praise worship and adoration. Well did J.G. Deck the hymn writer pen the following lines:
“Lord Jesus are we one with Thee
O height, o depth of love
And crucified and dead with Thee
Now one in heaven above.
Such was Thy grace that for our sake
Thou didst from heaven come down
With us of flesh and blood partake
and make our guilt Thine own.
Our sins, our guilt, in love divine
Confessed and borne by Thee
The gall the curse the wrath were Thine
To set Thy ransomed free.
Ascended now in glory bright
Life-giving Head Thou art
Nor life, nor death, nor depth, nor height,
Thy saints and Thee can part.
And soon shall come that glorious day
When seated on Thy throne
Thou shalt to wondering worlds display
That we with Thee are one.”
The Perfect Obedience and Rule of the Lord Jesus
Having submitted to the will of God to become a Man, Christ became perfectly obedient to His Father. "I came down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me" John 6:3838For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. (John 6:38). He learned obedience by the things which He suffered see Heb. 5:88Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; (Hebrews 5:8). This means that He experienced obedience as a blessed Man passing through a hostile world something He could not learn until He became a Man.
He learned obedience in Ephesian relationships our subject here the relationship of a child to His earthly parents in the relationship of servants and masters.
Children and parents His Apostle's injunctions are "children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother" 6:1, 2. As a child of twelve the Lord went down to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover, and remained behind with doctors of the law in the Temple, discoursing with them over the Scriptures. When His mother told Him how distressed she and Joseph were He replied "did you not know that I ought to be occupied in My Father's business?" Luke 2:4949And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? (Luke 2:49). Having satisfied the higher claims of God He then returned to Nazareth and was subject to His parents. Here we find a beautiful blend of submission accepting the role of a child to parents in the order of creation and obedience to His Father's will, whose business occupied Him in the Temple. A closing thought on this phase of the Lord's earthly relationships is that the Savior not only obeyed His parents in the Lord but also honored them. At the end of His life, on the cross, He provided a home for Mary in the Apostle John's house John 19:26-2726When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! 27Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. (John 19:26‑27).
Servants and masters When the Creator of the universe came to dwell with man He did not choose to be a renowned architect and leave great works behind. Instead He became a lowly carpenter like His earthly father Matt. 13:5555Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? (Matthew 13:55) Mark 6:33Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. (Mark 6:3). A carpenter must execute the designs of others submit to their will. Amazing grace that God would so humble Himself before His creatures. If we are called to do the same thing perhaps working for a man of lesser capabilities than our own let us think of Christ our example and glorify God in the midst of our humiliation. "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God. But made Himself of no reputation and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a Man He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" Phil. 2:5-85Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:5‑8).
He is the perfect Master as well as the perfect servant. Masters were to do "the same things toward them" i.e. toward the servants. The Lord told us to do to others as we would have them do to us see Matt. 7:1212Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. (Matthew 7:12). And there is no respect of persons with Him. He will reward us with administrative office in His coming kingdom according to our faithfulness to Him in this world where He is rejected. While even the least of Christians will sit on His throne Rev. 3:22Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. (Revelation 3:2)1 That is, share the reign of the universe with Christ they won't share equally. High office, positional distinction in the kingdom, is awarded to the faithful. This is a searching thing for all of us. The Lord Himself told us it will be so. "He said therefore, a certain high born man went to a distant country to receive for himself a kingdom and return. And having called his own ten bondmen he gave to them ten minas and said to them Trade while I am coming. But his citizens hated him, and sent an embassy after him saying we will not that this man should reign over us." Here we will pause and comment that this was the stoning of Stephen. To continue "and it came to pass on his arrival back again, having received the kingdom, that he desired these bondmen to whom he gave the money to be called to him in order that he might know what everyone had gained by trading. And the first came up saying My Lord, your mina has produced ten minas. And he said to him Well done, you good bondman, because you have been faithful in that which is least, be you in authority over ten cities. And the second came saying My Lord, your mina has made five minas. And he said also to this one, And you be over five cities. And another came saying My Lord, lo, there is your mina which I have kept laid up in a towel. For I feared you because you are a harsh man...He says to him. Out of your mouth will I judge you, wicked bondman...why did you not deposit my money in the bank and I should have received it at my coming with interest? And he said to those who stood by, Take from him the mina and give it to him who has ten minas" Luke 19:12-2412He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. 13And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. 14But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. 15And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. 16Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. 17And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. 18And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. 19And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities. 20And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: 21For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. 22And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: 23Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury? 24And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds. (Luke 19:12‑24).
The great lesson in this parable is that the Lord gives us administrative positions in His coming kingdom (in figure rule over cities) in proportion to what we have done with the gifts we have received from Him. He gives us the interest we earned on his capital if we are faithful. If we are unfaithful we lose the capital itself. It goes to the most productive servant, who knew how to invest it. He who has ears to hear, let him hear that warning.