Monday Meditation
December 05, 2016
From the desk of A.J. Higgins
Gold from the Grammar
The Points from the Parentheses
“By grace ye are saved” Ephesians 2:5
“Ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ” Ephesians 3:4
“Now that He ascended, what is it but that He first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things.” Ephesians 4:9, 10
Ephesians is significant for a number of the parentheses which occur. Some are quite short, while others are lengthy. There is also a parenthesis within a parenthesis as we shall see in Chapter 3. But these parenthetical statements, rather than being mere clarifications, are filled with wonderful truths.
In considering just the three above, let’s notice some precious truths:
Amidst the great unfolding of the kindness and love of God our Savior to us in Ephesians 2:1-1-10, one of the great truths which stands out is that we are saved by grace. It may seem, at first glance, that this parenthesis in verse 5 is solely to underline this. But notice the flow of thought through the paragraph. We have been made alive with Christ, raised together, and seated together. But for us it is on the basis of grace. Christ was raised and seated in heaven on the basis of His merit, not on the basis of grace. So, the parenthesis is to heighten the contrast between God’s dealings with us and His dealings with His Son.
Throughout the epistle, we stand on the ground of divine mercy and grace. He, in contrast, has been the object of His Father’s eternal purpose based on His worth. As we sometimes sing, “The crown is His and His by right.”
In Ephesians 4, while explaining the distribution of gifts by the ascended Christ, the apostle breaks off to remind us in his parenthesis, that prior to His ascension in glory, He had to descend. His descent here is spoken of as “the lower parts of the earth.” Some have taken this to mean Joseph’s tomb; others have taught that He descended into hell. Several Scriptures help to clear the confusion. Notice two:
“The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable” (Proverbs 25:3).
“My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth” (Psalm 139:15).
In contrast to heaven, earth is seen as the lower parts of the earth. Thus, it is not His descent into the grave so much that is in view, but that He humbled Himself to stoop to planet earth. He descended that He might ascend. Psalm 113:6 tells us that it is an act of self-humbling for God to even behold the things that are in the starry heavens and upon earth; how much more to actually take humanity and live amongst us! The descent embraces all that was involved while here upon earth: His life, death, burial, and resurrection.
In chapter 3, there is a lengthy parenthesis (vv 2-13) which has been called the Grand Digression. Within this parenthesis is a short, two verse parenthesis (vv 3, 4) which tells of Paul’s knowledge in “the mystery of Christ.” In the verses that follow he explains the truth of this mystery which grace has accomplished: Gentiles brought into all the blessings of God on the same footing with Jews. This mystery is further defined as “the unsearchable riches of Christ” (v 8). This embraces far more than the message of how to be saved. It takes in the grand scheme of God for the eternal honor of His Son and all who are linked by grace with him – that would be you and me!
Thus, in these three parenthetical statements, we learn of the worthiness, work, and wealth linked with our Lord Jesus Christ.
Consider:
1. For those who would like to trace all the parentheses in the epistle, here is a list: ch 2:5; 3:2-13; 3:3, 4; 4:9, 10; 5:9;
2. Go through the epistle and collect all the expressions of the work of the Lord Jesus on the cross. For example: 2:13, 14, 16; 5:1, 2, 25 to name a few.
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