Spiritual Blessings in Christ

‘’Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places IN Christ.” — Eph. i. 3.

AM’N no other portion of St. Paul’s writings do y his favourite words occur more frequently than in the glowing utterances of the “Great Encyclical” — that ‘circular letter’ which, we have good reason to believe, was not intended exclusively for the Church of Ephesus, but for “the saints” (at all events in three other cities of proconsular Asia — Colosse, Hierapolis, and Laodicea), who had never “seen his face in the flesh” (Col. ii. i ), or listened to his burning words. Erom the frequent allusions, indeed, contained in it to Him who was emphatically his “Beloved,” it has been well called “the Song of Songs” of the New Testament Scriptures.’

See, in this one chapter alone, from which our

The question for whom the (so called) Epistle to the Ephesians was intended, is discussed in “Howson and Cony beare,” vol. ii. pp. 405-410. The theory of the “circular letter” now accepted by a majority of the best critics, originated with Archbishop Usher.

motto-text is taken, how the Apostle loves, for himself and others, to be served heir “m Christ “to” all spiritual blessings “(ver. 3). Is it the opening dedication? (ver. I ) — he speaks of believers as” the faithful in Christ Jesns.” Does he impart in the same sentence the apostolic benediction? The grace and peace invoked, are “from God the Father “conjoined with ‘Uhe Lord Jesus Christ” (ver. 2). Does he speak of their election? (ver. 4.) They are “chosen in Him before the foundation of the world.” Does he speak of their adoption? (ver. 5.) It is the adoption of children “by Jesus Christ to Himself.” Is it their justification and acceptance in the sight of God? (ver. 6.) “He hath made us accepted in the Beloved.” Is it the free gift of redemption and forgiveness? (ver. 7.) “In whom we have redemption through His blood.” Does he advert to the grandeur of the future dispensation? (ver. I o.) It is that “He might gather together in one all things in Christ.” Is it the purchase of the eternal heritage of the saints? (ver. 11.) “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance.” Is it the sealing of the Holy Ghost? (ver. 13.) “In whom” (i.e., in Christ) “ye are sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.” Does he speak of the revelation of “the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints?” (ver. 1 8.) It is “according to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ” (vers. 19, 20). We see thus, in glancing over the contents of one chapter, independent of those which follow, how the

Apostle loved to sit under that same gracious shadow. Hopes, promises, blessings, prayers, the privilege of grace here, and the boundless prospects of glory hereafter, focus and centre in the Person of his adorable Lord. To some of these passages just quoted, we may recur for more special meditation afterwards. Meanwhile, surely it is remarkable to trace, within this brief compass, so many successive and unbroken links in the one golden chain — “Christ all and in all.”

In the verse selected above, we have Jesus brought before us as the great channel for the conveyance of spiritual blessings to the souls of His people. Moreover, a peculiar phrase is employed descriptive of these blessings. They are spoken of, as we noted in a previous meditation, as “in heavenly places.” The same expression occurs five times in the epistle (i. 3, 20; ii. 6; iii. 10; vi 12). It is no part of this volume to enter into exegesis; but it may be well to observe that, in the original Greek, there is nothing corresponding to the substantive which is added in our own authorised version.^ Many Commentators, ancient and modern, have considered that there is an ellipsis — a word or words which require to be supplied. Hence, some have suggested “heavenly things;” others, as in the English Bible — “places.” *

* ‘Ev TOts iTovpavlois.

2 Such as Chrysostoin and Theodoret, Luther and Michaelis. This rendering is supported, among others, by Jerome and Bengel, Grotius and Olshauscu.

Peculiar, however, as the idiom is, it seems, viewed in the light of the Apostle’s monogram, to require neither of the additional nouns, and to be better without either; simply retaining the intransferable beauty and energy of the plural original — “In the heavenlies” ‘In Christ,’ Paul and all believers have reached a higher spiritual sphere. In Him, “things in heaven and things in earth “are one; heaven ’ brought nigh * IN Christ; — heaven within, heaven above, heaven around. His assertion, elsewhere, is the best comment and interpretation on this disputed phrase in the Ephesus letter,” Our citizenship is in heaven “(Phil. iii. 20); or yet in that other noble description of the Christian’s franchise, and his immunities as an inhabitant of the heavenly Zion: —” Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God” (Eph. ii. 19). Heaven to the believer consists not in locality, but in the conscious enjoyment of Christ’s nearness and love: — “In whom, though now we see Him not, yet believing, we rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory (i Pet. i. 8). Chrysostom and Luther, in further rendering the two concluding words of our motto-verse, “heavenly places through Christ,” would to us despoil it of its distinctive meaning and significance. True, doubtless, it is through Christ, and through Christ alone, that “the heavenlies” are attained. But is it not more in harmony surely with our Pauline formula — the dominatinf]: tliouoht of his creed and life — to retain, as in the original, “heavenly places IN Christ “? It is in Him that we live in this “land Beulah.” It is in Him we are bathed, so to speak, in the glory of the heavenly atmosphere, — that atmosphere replete and luminous with His presence; — “We walk in the light, as He is in the light” (i John i. 7)y

While thus magnifying “the unsearchable riches of Christ” let us at the same time join with the Apostle in tracing all these up to the love of God the Father.” Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus

Dr. Eadie, in his scholarly commentary, has the following excellent observations on the phrase to which we have just been making reference. “It does not denote heaven proper, but is the ideal locality of the Church on the earth as ’ the kingdom of heaven ’ — above the world in its sphere of occupation and employment.... * The heavenly places ’ are in Christ. Union to Him brings us into them. His glory is their bright canopy, and His presence diffuses joy and hope.... Our life, resurrection, and enthronement folloAV one another, as in the actual history of the great Prototype. But this ’ sitting with Jesus ’ is as spiritual as the life, and it indicates the calmness and dignity of the new existence. The quickened soul is not merely made aware that in Christy as containing it and all similar souls, it is enlivened, and raised up, and elevated; but, along with this, it enjoys individually a conscious life, resurrection, and session with Jesus. It feels these blessings in itself through its union with Him. It lives, and it is sensible of this life; it has been raised, and it is aware of its change of spiritual position. Nay, it feels itself in the meantime ‘sitting with Jesus,’ not solely because of its relation to Him in His representative character, but because of its o joyous and personal possession of royal elevation, purity, and honour: — ‘He hath made us kings ’ (Rev. i. 6). What is more peculiar to the spirit in this series of present and beatific gifts shall at length be shared in by the entire humanity. The body shall be quickened, raised, and glorified, and the redeemed man shall, in the fulness of his nature, enjoy the happiness of heaven” (pp. 135, 136).

Christ who hath blessed us.” “It hath pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell” (Col. i. 19).

The Father! that precious ISTame and word which specially belongs to the Gospel dispensation. Not the God of a false and a harsh theology, armed alone With the thunderbolt; — some grim Avenger delighting to exact terrible retribution; or else some mythical Phantom existing in cold, unsympathetic, unpitying isolation; but the Living, personal “God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to His abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away” (i Pet. i. 3, 4). Nay, how near is His paternal character and love brought to us from the region of the abstract and ideal! “My Father, and your Father” (John xx. 1 7). “All things are yours,” says Paul, in that triumphant passage which we may well call the charter of the believer’s privileges, “All are yours,... and ye are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s” ( i Cor. iii. 21,23). The Holy Spirit, moreover, the third Person of the blessed Trinity, is represented, in a subsequent portion of the epistle from which the verse preceding this meditation is taken, as associated with the Father and the Son in covenant for our salvation; “For through Him” {i.e., Christ) “we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father” (Eph. ii. 1 8). God the Father pours the anointing oil of the Holy Ghost on the head of the true Aaron; and the sacred unguent flows down to the very skirts of His garment. Each of His people are thus made participators and recipients of “abounding grace;” yea, the lowliest and humblest receive the most.

That Father-God IN Christ is further revealed, as waiting, and willing, to bless us with “all spiritual blessings.” He gives us, so to speak, a blank cheque, saying, ‘Fill it up as you please; fill it up, not for a feiu things, but for all things; — pardon, peace, grace, holiness, strength for daily duty, light for perplexing paths, comfort in sorrow, support and victory in death.* “My God,” says the Apostle in another passage we shall come subsequently to consider, (giving glory to the Father; and yet, too, seeming as if he never could mention the Father’s love apart from that of the Son and his interest in Him); “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus “(Phil. iv. 1 9). It reminds us of the gushing river of Ezekiel’s Temple-vision, bordered with trees of unfading leaf and perennial fruit; and regarding which it is said —” Everything lives whither the river Cometh.” But while it issued out “from under the threshold of the house,” it flowed by “the south side of the altar “(of sacrifice) — (Ezek. xlvii. i). Or, it recalls John’s kindred Apocalyptic figuration — strikingly suggestive alike of the Father’s love and the Son’s sacrificial offering — the” pure river of the water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God

AND OF THE Lamb “(Rev. xxii. i). It brings to remembrance a yet diviner word of Truth and Inspiration from the lips of One more infallible than the chiefest and most favoured of prophets and apostles. He who is emphatically” the Christ of God,” thus speaks in the Great Prayer preceding the agony — “Now they have known that all things whatsoever Thou hast given Me are of Thee. And the glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them, that they may he one, even as we aee one (John xvii. 7, 22).