We now come to chapter 3 which is a parenthesis, and which is brought in to show Paul as the minister of this great truth revealed to us in this Epistle. At this time he was a prisoner in Rome, but a blessed prisoner of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the Gentiles. Mark how he rises above all his circumstances. He will not allow that he is Nero’s prisoner. Jesus Christ has imprisoned him, and for the sake of the Gentiles. He was filling up the sufferings of Christ for His body’s sake—the Assembly. The Gentiles were to reap the benefit of it all in the truth now administered to them. A dispensation of grace had been committed to Paul. By revelation this mystery had been revealed to him. It was not a dispensation for the government of the world, such as Noah had committed to him after the flood (see Gen. 9:1-71And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. 2And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. 3Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. 4But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat. 5And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. 6Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man. 7And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein. (Genesis 9:1‑7)), nor of promise such as was committed to Abraham (Gen. 12:1-31Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee: 2And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Genesis 12:1‑3)), nor of the law as was committed to Moses (Ex. 20), nor of the kingdom such as John the Baptist and the Messiah preached on earth. All these were useful in bringing out in various ways God’s ways on earth with man, and for the full display of what he was as a guilty creature and a despiser of God’s grace, when Christ came. But this was a dispensation committed to a man who was himself a manifestation of enmity to the last testimony that God had given, namely, the descent of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost, witnessing to the glory and Lordship of Christ at the right hand of God (see Acts 7:54-6054When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. 55But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, 56And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. 57Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, 58And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. 59And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 60And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. (Acts 7:54‑60)). When Stephen was stoned, Saul was standing by, consenting to his death, and holding the garments of Stephen’s murderers.
But Jesus met him on the road to Damascus in the full career of his enmity, and called to him out of heaven, saying, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? The poor enemy looked up in astonishment and said, Who art Thou, Lord? The Lord said, I am Jesus, Whom thou persecutest. Here was the wondrous mystery unveiled to him, that those Christians he was hating and persecuting were so actually one with Jesus at the right hand of God, that they were His members, -that they were part of Himself. United to the glorified Second Man in heaven, they had ceased to exist before God in the flesh. Grace had taken them out of their Adam-state and put them in connection with the Second Man before God, He having forgiven them all their sins; and now, Christ having been exalted, and the Holy Spirit come down, they were united to Him outside all earthly distinctions of Jew and Gentile, and made a new creation -members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. By this revelation he was saved, but more than this, he also had a special commission given him, as a minister to the Gentiles (see Acts 26:16-1816But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; 17Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, 18To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. (Acts 26:16‑18)). For this he himself was delivered entirely from his connection with the Jewish nation, and also from the Gentiles, unto whom he was to be sent. The glory of Christ revealed to him had cut off for him all his connection with the earth. He was no longer to fight for the glory of Israel on the earth, but to live for Christ’s glory, the One who had been rejected of Israel. The time for the restoration of the kingdom to Israel was for the time put off, owing to Christ’s rejection, and the Holy Ghost had come down from heaven to be a witness of this, and to unite Jew and Gentile into one body, finally to be the Bride of the Second Man, and to be seated with Him on His throne. Of this Paul was to be the witness, as well as a minister of the gospel to the Gentiles. The Messiah had come, had offered Himself to Israel as their King. They had rejected Him, crucified Him, and after the descent of the Holy Ghost they had still resisted. Now the Messiah had taken a new position, as the exalted Son of Man in heaven, and had taken a new character as Head of a heavenly body, and the Holy Ghost had come down to gather out of Jew and Gentile the members of this body, to form a Bride for God’s Son. Thus, all distinctions of Jew and Gentile were now broken down. This was a mystery unknown in other ages to the sons of men (vs. 5) but now revealed to the apostles and prophets by the Spirit. The believing Gentiles were now to be joint heirs, a joint body, as well as partakers of God’s promise in the gospel. In the flesh, a Jew was a Jew; in the flesh, a Gentile was a gentile. They were kept apart. But now in Christ, the Gentile has a new nature communicated to him; likewise the Jew. The death and resurrection of Christ put them into a new place before God, closing their former connections. And Christ having been exalted, and the Holy Spirit come down, they were not only made joint-heirs, as having a new position and a new nature given them, but were united in one body, of which Christ was the Head, where all distinctions were absolutely at an end. The Holy Ghost had united them to a dead, risen, and ascended Man. They were now dead and risen with Him, united to Him in heaven by the Holy Ghost. Fellow-heirs; one body! Individually saved for the glory! Such was the wonderful three-fold blessing the mystery of Christ unveiled.
Of this revelation Paul was made a minister (vs. 7) according to the gift of the grace of God given to him by the effectual working of God’s power; to him who was less than the least of all saints was this grace given, that Paul should preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. Thus, was he not only the minister of the mystery of Christ, but of the gospel to the Gentiles (comp. Col. 1:23-2623If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister; 24Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church: 25Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; 26Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: (Colossians 1:23‑26)). Besides, this grace had been given him to make all men see what was the administration of this mystery, which was from the beginning of the world hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in the heavenly places might be known by the Assembly the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus; in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him. Thus, we see that this present time forms an era of Gods’ ways with man. During the interval of Christ’s rejection and His return, the Holy Ghost has come down from heaven, and is gathering out of Jew and Gentile a people for His Name. This people is united to Christ, Head of His body, by the Holy Ghost and is to be finally united to Christ in heaven, on His return, as His Bride to reign with Him and share with Him in His glory. This dispensation was committed to Paul specially as the instrument for making it known. It was before hid in God. the Church only existed in the counsels of God; now it was a visible revealed thing for the display of the manifold wisdom of God to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places.
Thus, the Church exists as a visible thing as the result of Christ’s exaltation as Head, and the descent of the Holy Ghost. This is necessary to its existence. Consequently there was no Assembly before Pentecost—except in the counsels of God. Secondly, it exists by virtue of Jew and Gentile being united in one Body. This could not be before Pentecost, for the middle wall of partition was not broken down yet. Jew and Gentile were separate. If my reader will consider these points all the difficulty as to the Church existing before Pentecost will be at an end. There were individuals born again, but there was no union of believers in one body, which is an additional thing to new birth, and consequent on two things beside redemption: first, the exaltation of the Second Man to the right hand of God; and secondly, the descent of the Holy Ghost from heaven. (See Acts 1-2)
The devil had put Paul in prison, but the effect of it was that all this blessed truth had come out for the Assembly’s benefit. All his sufferings had tended to the breaking up of whatever of the flesh in him would have hindered the outflow of such a testimony. He bore about in his body the dying of the Lord Jesus, so that the life of Jesus flowed out for the benefit of the saints. He was always delivered up to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus might be manifest in his mortal flesh. And so death worked in Paul, but for the life of the Ephesian saints. Thus, he besought them that they might not faint at his tribulations for them, which was really their glory. And this led him to pray for them to the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, of whom every family in heaven and earth was named; that they might be strengthened.
But before I go further, I desire my reader to consider a little as to who this wondrous Being is, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Verses 14-15 contain a most blessed summary of what is contained in the worthy Name of our Father. If it was simply our Father as the Lord once taught His disciples to say, (Matt. 6:99After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. (Matthew 6:9)), we should be inclined to measure the relationship, by what He was to us as our Father; but He is addressed here as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. His dignity then must not be confined to the thought of His being ours, but that He is the Lord Jesus Christ’s Father. Oh, how this elevates in thought this wondrous Being! The Father of Him who created the worlds; the Father of Him who was incarnate, as it was said, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee: the Father of that Man on the banks of Jordan, filled with the Spirit, of whom He said, This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. The Father of Him who said, Therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I may take it again. (John 10:1717Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. (John 10:17).) The Father likewise of the glorified One who said again, Now, Father, glorify Thou Me, with Thine own self, with the glory I had with Thee before the world was; and again the Father loveth the Son, and hath put all things into His hands (John 17:5; 3:355And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. (John 17:5)
35The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. (John 3:35)).
We are introduced here to the Father of Him who has been exalted far above all principality and power, to be head of all things, Head of His body the Church. In fact we have only to think of who the Lord Jesus Christ is, and of His present position and future glory, and our thoughts are elevated to an infinite degree, as to the infinite glory of the Father. He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In the first chapter He is the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the apostle prays that the saints might know all about Him. But here the blessed relationship of Father is introduced to comfort our hearts while walking through this wilderness.
But we have not done yet with the glories of our Father. Verse 15 introduces us to further glories; He is the Father of every family in heaven and earth; and if in Eph. 1:9-109Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: (Ephesians 1:9‑10),. we get the purpose of God, that all things in heaven and earth should be gathered around His Son; here we get the further blessed truth that our God is the Father of all these various families that shall be gathered around His Son, is named. The Church, the heavenly family will then form the central and inner circle of heaven, with the Son as Head and Bridegroom, and the angels the outer circle; Israel then will be the central nation of the earth with Christ as King, Jerusalem as its capital city,—and the nations the outward circle. All these will then reflect the Father’s glory and show the unfoldings of His wondrous purposes. Yes, and not one poor fallen creature of Adam was ever shut out; God’s sovereign grace shuts none out, though it will have some in. His will would be that all might be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, but man has shut himself out; he would not come in, though the Father besought him. How often would I have gathered thee, said the Lord, but ye would not. Such is the title of the wondrous Being before whom the apostle bows his knees. What may we not pray for if we know such a Father, such a glorious One, such a loving One, who never shut any out, but will have an elect family of angels, a heavenly family, a Bride for His Son, a redeemed Israel, and redeemed nations, in whom to display His glory, and to fill His heavenly and earthly habitation. Oh, then, may every knee bow at the Name of the Father of Him, round whom all things in heaven and earth will be finally gathered. The Father of our Redeemer and Saviour!
The prayer at the end of the first chapter was more in reference to the knowledge of the saints’ position and hope, and that founded on the title of the God of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The power that they were called on to know there to carry them through to the inheritance was rather that, measured by the exaltation of Christ as Man, and the saints quickened out of death in union with Him. Here the prayer refers rather to their practical state, and that founded on the title of the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, that they might be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith. It refers to their inward state. They were in danger of fainting. They needed strength. How were they to be strengthened? By the Holy Christ who dwelt in them. He brought all the strength that was manifested in raising Jesus from the dead, and putting him in the glory to be Head over all things to the Church, into their hearts. He had first quickened them into life, then indwelt them, strengthening in this new life as a distinct Person. The inner man is mentioned in two other places; first, in Rom. 7:2222For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: (Romans 7:22), where it is distinctly a new nature communicated, and in conflict with that which is called there the flesh; secondly, in 2 Cor. 4:1616For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. (2 Corinthians 4:16), where it is put in contrast with the outward man, which perishes. The question is, with which is the Christian identified before God? In Rom. 7 he is learning and does not know, and so sighs for deliverance. In 2 Cor. 4 he does know, and looks forward in full assurance to the glory when the flesh, the outward man, will be forever put off. As long as we are merely justified and have a new nature communicated, we do not know where we are; we mix up flesh and spirit, and cry out, I am fleshly and sold under sin; but directly the heavenly Christ is brought into our hearts by the Holy Ghost, we are no longer in the flesh: we are privileged to see ourselves dead and risen with Him, identified wholly with the new man and not with the old. Thus,, besides the inward man, the apostle prays that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith. This as a foundation we see alluded to in Rom. 8:9-109But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 10And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. (Romans 8:9‑10). In Rom. 7:2222For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: (Romans 7:22) it is the inward man without the Spirit. In Rom. 8: 2, 9,10 we have Christ risen brought into our hearts by the Spirit, and putting us into our new state. In verse 16 we see Him as a distinct Indweller, bearing witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. But this is the foundation. Here it is the practice.
If the Spirit was there he prays that they might practically realize His strengthening power. If Christ was in them, he prays that they may realize daily His being three, by faith;
(Footnote: I would notice the contrast between Joshua 1 and this verse. In the former, Joshua is exhorted to be strong in order that he might keep the law of Moses. Here the apostle prays that the saints may be strengthened, that Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith.) and then he takes them back to the love of the Father, that was the source of it all, and prays that they, being rooted and grounded in love, might be able to comprehend with all the saints the breadth, and the length, and the depth, and height, and know the love of Christ that passeth knowledge, that they might be filled with all the fulness of God.
Saints of God, here language fails to describe the glory we are brought into, or rather that is brought into us. If Christ the Center of the divine counsels and purposes, is brought into our hearts by the Holy Ghost, were are we? what are we? How is it that we, mere worms of the dust, creatures that are worthy of nothing but the wrath of God, could be made the receptacles of such glory! Christ in us. Who can measure such words? It is wondrous indeed to have Him, as in Rom. 8, in us, but when we come to add it all the wondrous glory attached to Him in this Epistle, as the Center of the divine counsels, to whom everything shall be gathered in heaven and earth, the Head of His body, the Church, as well as of all things; and then think of Him brought into our hearts by the Holy Ghost, one can only say, it is wonderful! worthy of Him who is Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Suppose we stood in the sun and looked outward, and saw his rays shooting out all around us. Such is but a faint picture of the state we are in. The length, breath, depth, height! Who can scan it? and then to be carried back to the Source, the love of the Father, and then on to the love of Christ which passeth knowledge.
We find relief in that unchanging calm bosom of eternal Love, which put us there, keeps us there, and is able to do for us more than we can either ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever in the Assembly. Amen.
It is the power that worketh in us here and is to be apprehended by simple faith. May the dear saints apprehend it. Again I would have you remember that it is not merely power measured by what God did to Christ outside of ourselves, as also that quickened the Church into union with Himself, as we find in Eph. 1—Eph. 2; but that same power is seen here brought into the Christians by the Holy Ghost and works in us that we might be strengthened by it. Oh, is not this enough to enable a remnant to walk together in these last days, and to separate the whole body of the saints to wait for God’s Son from heaven. Let Satan rage, let the world oppose by its governments and princes, let the flesh work in the saints, here is a power, which if but a few saints take hold of, will enable them to not only to stand fast on their heavenly ground, and be a testimony to the unity of Christ’s body, as well as His future glory, when the Church will abide with Him forever as His spouse, to the glory of God through all the ages, but will also enable them to walk in accordance with that wondrous calling.