Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians
Part 13
In the first three verses of chapter 4, Paul lists the seven characteristics (graces) that will be present in the believer in order to preserve the unity of the Spirit…Humility, Gentleness, Patience, Tolerance, Love, Diligence and Peace. In our study, we are calling this the Grace of Unity.
Why do we call these characteristics "graces"?
Because they are given to us by Jesus…He brings them into us when He comes to dwell in us…apart from Him we would never be able to cultivate these characteristics.
In verses 4-6, Paul outlines the Ground of Unity by listing the seven basic spiritual realities that unite all Christians:
There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.
The words there is are not in the original text and have been added buy the translators to make the idea flow more smoothly.
What is the one body?
It is the body of Christ, of which every believer is a member, placed there by the Holy Spirit at conversion. In 1Corinthians 12:12-31, Paul expounds more completely his idea that the entire group of those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ are like one human body:
For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of
the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one
Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether
slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. For the body is not
one member, but many. If the foot says, "Because I am not a hand, I am not a
part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.
And if the ear says, "Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body," it
is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. If the whole body were
an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the
sense of smell be? But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the
body, just as He desired. If they were all one member, where would the body be?
But now there are many members, but one body. And the eye cannot say to the
hand, "I have no need of you"; or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of
you."
On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be
weaker are necessary; and those members of the body which we deem less
honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable
members become much more presentable, whereas our more presentable members have
no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to
that member which lacked, so that there may be no division in the body, but that
the members may have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers,
all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members
rejoice with it. Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it. And
God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third
teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various
kinds of tongues. All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are
they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they?
All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do
they? All do not interpret, do they? But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And
I show you a still more excellent way.
And what is that still more excellent way?
The way of love as described in chapter 13 that follows…
What is the one Spirit?
It is of course, the Holy Spirit that is the Life Source of every believer.
What is the one hope of your calling?
This refers to the return of Jesus to take His church (bride) to heaven. Ephesians 1:13-14 says that the Holy Spirit living inside us is our guarantee of this great promise:
In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your
salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of
promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the
redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.
Who is the one Lord?
It is Jesus Christ who died for us, lives in us and will one day come to take us home with Him. Christians understand that He died for us, but if they understood that He lives in us…that He is our Life, others would see the unity that Jesus prayed for in John 17 instead of the disunity so apparent in the Christian community today. Someone once ask Gandhi, "What is the greatest hindrance to Christianity in India?" "Christians," he replied.
What is one faith?
Several commentators believe it’s the essential foundational doctrines of Christianity, others, and I agree with them, believe Paul is simply saying that both Jews and Gentiles are saved by the same faith…one faith appropriates salvation for both groups.
What is one baptism?
This is one of those interesting places where many commentators and translators have taken some liberty with the original text. In these verses, every other word is translated, with the exception of our English word baptism, which has been transliterated. Translation, in the strictest sense is taking the literal meaning of a Greek word and using an English word with the same meaning. Dynamic translation is taking the idea or thought of the Greek converting it into the equivalent idea or thought in English. Transliteration is simply writing the Greek word using the English alphabet. Alpha in Greek would be "A" in English…Beta in Greek would be "B" in English…etc. The result is the assembly of a group of letters that become a "word" that is given a definition by the transliterator.
A literal translation of the Greek words used here is "one placing into" and describes the work of the Holy Spirit when he "places into" the body of Christ an individual at conversion. Paul is simply saying that there is only "one placing into" for both Jews and Gentiles…each group has the same experience.
One God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.
Paul likes to emphasize God as Father (Eph. 1:3, 17; 2:18; 3:14; 5:20).
The word "all" is used four times in this verse…to whom does it refer?
I believe that in the first two instances it refers to everybody…all humans. In the second two instances, it refers to believers. God is not through and in unless He is invited, but He is the Father of all and over all because He is God the Creator. The overriding thought is that God the Father is the supreme Unifier!