Ephesians 81-82_21 Ephesians 4:9-14
Ephesians 1981-82 Corps Teachings. Lesson 18: Ephesians 4:9-14. EPHESIANS 4:9-14 March 24, 1982 All right, Ephesians 4:9 and 10 are a parenthesis in the King James, they are a parenthesis in our work too, but let’s read verse 9. Ephesians 4:9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended…into the lower parts of the earth? I just told you 9 and 10 were both a parenthesis. This verse 9 and 10 explains further the “led captivity” of verse 8 that we handled the last time. And the parenthesis indicates the greatness of the gift of Christ, which then was also given as gifts of men. “…what is it” is a figure of speech, Ero…Erotesis, e-r-o-t-e-s-i-s, is the name of the figure and it’s a question that does not require an answer but is asked for effect. That’s the figure. This “descended” here in this verse caused a lot of people through the centuries to have problems with it, but I believe Bullinger had the handle on it and did it beautifully when he said it’s the genitive of the earth. And that is a Genitive of Apposition, the lower parts, that is to say, the earth. He descended to the lower parts, that is to say, the earth. And I believe that is very, very accurate. The word “first” is omitted in most of the critical Greek texts and it should be omitted. Now the verse 10. Ephesians 4:10a He that descended is the same also… I’m reading King James. Ephesians 4:10b …that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) This “far above” Corps is not just above. It means far above. Now whatever that is, it’s far above. I don’t understand it but I don’t have to fully comprehend it to know that it’s far above. And…the only…the reason I don’t is it isn’t defined any further in the Word, but it’s far above all heavens. So someplace far above is where he ascended to. “…that he might fill”—That word, “all things”; “fill all things,” is to fill with…to capacity, with the gift. The gift is dorea, remember? (You forgot your eye [inaudible]. Where’s your
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verses 12 and 13. Verse 12 reads in the King James. Ephesians 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: And verse 13. Ephesians 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: This word “perfect” in the Aramaic is gmar, g-m-a-r. It means to be finished, completely done, made whole or made a perfect sphere. Now here in Ephesians 4:12 the word is spelled l-a-g-m-a-r-a, translated “for the perfecting.” The gift ministries of verse 11 are for the perfecting of the saints plus the work of the ministry and plus the edifying or building up of the body. That’s why with the gift ministries, Corps, in operation, the saints then can be perfected, made whole, completely done, completely finished. We all know that spi