6:23
Peace – right relationship: God, others and self. This is the beginning of a 3-part benediction, blessing, for the Ephesians and for me. Benediction: good words, words meant to bring certain benefits into the recipients’ lives. Here Paul pronounces peace, love and grace into my life.
to the brothers – fellow believers
and love –words and actions that demonstrate the worth of someone else
with faith – seeing the invisible; touching the non-physical
love with faith from God – confusing phrasing. Love from God with faith? Love accompanied by faith, the latter of which comes from God? Or love and faith both coming from God? Not sure it makes much difference. We know from other Bible passages that both come from God and that all good gifts come from Him. So why does Paul specifically link faith to love? Nancy and I read a couple readings from Oswald Chambers each night. One of the sections last night dealt with loving others as God loves us. Part of his point was that God brings difficult people into my life. This gives me the opportunity to love them as God loves me. He loved me when I was hateful to Him. He loves me in spite of my struggles and weaknesses. He believes (exercises faith) that I will keep growing into the likeness of Christ.
Is that why Paul ties faith to love? Whom do I need to love today? In whom do I need to see with faith-eyes the likeness of Christ fighting to come out?
from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ – My world gives the impression that I can love people and believe in people all on my own. It’s just a matter of how I think, how I train my mind to process data. “We’re all one big family; so let’s all get along and be happy.” Or, “I can do anything I set my mind on; I just have to believe.”
But the love and faith demonstrated by God in Christ involved a hill and a cross, a death and a resurrection. The love and faith expected by God in Christ from me will physically look different from how it looked in Christ Himself. But at its essence it will call for ugly suffering and symbolic death and resurrection. This kind of love and faith in action cannot be manufactured by my willpower. I can only get this from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
6:24
Grace – I am on a long-term campaign to expand our understanding of this term. I am told that Calvin said grace is unmerited favor. (I am not a Calvin scholar; but many people say this.) To this I say: “True, but incomplete.” In recent years, preachers and teachers have introduced the acronym: God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. To this I say: “Cute, but incomplete.” Any adequate definition of grace must take into account Paul’s statement in Titus 2:11-12, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It [grace] teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age….”
In other words, any adequate explanation of grace must include its effect on my lifestyle. In addition to unmerited favor from God, grace impels me to obedience.
to all – the entire fellowship of believers. As at the beginning, this letter is meant for the group, the community of faith. While I have sought to apply it personally, it is written in the context of community—the community of faith in Jesus Christ.
who love our Lord Jesus Christ – again I find myself arrested by this word “love.” My world calls it a feeling, something I fall into. But my Bible demonstrates love as an action: An action that includes pain, death, faith and rebirth. I have asked before about whom there might be to whom I can show love today.
This phrase turns that question on end: How can I demonstrate my love for the Lord Jesus Christ today? What actions can I take that will express His worth, His importance, in my life? True, I can never adequately show His importance in my life. But I can do what I can do.
with an undying love – The love I express for Christ will never end. So after I die, I will have an eternity in which to keep showing Him my love!
08 April 2010
Ephesians 6:21-22
6:21
Tychicus, the dear brother – intimate relations within fellowship of believers
and – 2 descriptives of Tychicus
faithful – reliable, steady, through thick or thin, keep my word, dependable
servant – no need to be in charge, see to the needs of others
of the Lord – belonging to Jesus Christ the Boss; so basically, I am to heed the instructions of Jesus, and His word in the gospels tells me to serve the needs of others.
will tell you everything – fill in the gaps, inform recipients what was happening in Paul’s situation
so that – purpose
you also may know – awareness leads to more informed and therefore more effective prayer
how I am – physically, emotionally, spiritually
and what I am doing – in prison, witnessing, receiving visitors, writing other letters, encouraging other church groups. This all links back to Paul’s command/request in v 19 to pray for him. Application: I need more people to pray for me more often and more fervently. In order for them to pray effectively, I need to communicate clearly and fully.
6:22
I am sending him to you – today I don’t need a Tychicus to relay my prayer requests orally. I have so many other electronic means of doing this. But I need to communicate those needs all the same.
for this very purpose – to accomplish this goal
that you may know how we are – They cared for Paul and with little information fears could grow. But a reliable report from an eyewitness could dispel those fears and turn the fears into prayers.
and that he may encourage you – Update on Paul would encourage, lift their spirits and embolden them in their own witness opportunities. Plus, perhaps Tychicus’s primary gift was encouragement: lift the hopes, point to practical steps of action and solution, and spur into positive activity.
Tychicus, the dear brother – intimate relations within fellowship of believers
and – 2 descriptives of Tychicus
faithful – reliable, steady, through thick or thin, keep my word, dependable
servant – no need to be in charge, see to the needs of others
of the Lord – belonging to Jesus Christ the Boss; so basically, I am to heed the instructions of Jesus, and His word in the gospels tells me to serve the needs of others.
will tell you everything – fill in the gaps, inform recipients what was happening in Paul’s situation
so that – purpose
you also may know – awareness leads to more informed and therefore more effective prayer
how I am – physically, emotionally, spiritually
and what I am doing – in prison, witnessing, receiving visitors, writing other letters, encouraging other church groups. This all links back to Paul’s command/request in v 19 to pray for him. Application: I need more people to pray for me more often and more fervently. In order for them to pray effectively, I need to communicate clearly and fully.
6:22
I am sending him to you – today I don’t need a Tychicus to relay my prayer requests orally. I have so many other electronic means of doing this. But I need to communicate those needs all the same.
for this very purpose – to accomplish this goal
that you may know how we are – They cared for Paul and with little information fears could grow. But a reliable report from an eyewitness could dispel those fears and turn the fears into prayers.
and that he may encourage you – Update on Paul would encourage, lift their spirits and embolden them in their own witness opportunities. Plus, perhaps Tychicus’s primary gift was encouragement: lift the hopes, point to practical steps of action and solution, and spur into positive activity.
05 April 2010
Ephesians 6:19-20
6:19
Pray also – while Paul is telling the Ephesians whom to pray for, he includes himself. Applying that to myself can lead me in 2 directions, both of which are valid: (1) I can approach this as how to pray for my pastors, and (2) I can apply the specifics to myself. Let’s see if I can achieve both.
for me – on behalf of (1) seeking blessings for my pastors, (2) needing others to pray for God’s help in my life
that – specific prayer requests. But I notice that these requests have nothing to do with back pain, or his eyes, or financial needs. These focus on the gospel and Paul’s faithfulness to his calling.
whenever – at any time, in any context; formal teaching, preaching, or casual conversation
I open my mouth – (1) pastors speak; (2) I speak. The tongue is the most difficult body part to tame.
words may be given me – from God. How many times have I kicked myself after the fact for saying things that did not need to be said. What would it look like, sound like, if every time I opened my mouth I could anticipate the effect my words would have on the other person in relation to the Gospel and the kingdom of God? If I saw all my speech vis-à-vis the Gospel, perhaps—probably—it would have a significant impact on my speech. But the other part of the equation involves God supplying the right words at the right time. He knows what is going on in the other person’s life. He can anticipate the effect of my words on the other. So when people pray for me I need them to pray that God will give me the right words at the right time. The corollary (although Paul does not say it here) is to pray that God would be in the heart of each to whom I speak (is that part of the prayer of St. Ignatius?). I think this kind of prayer befits both my pastors as well as me.
so that – with the goal, for the purpose
I will fearlessly – boldly, confidently, in spite of dangers, aware of painful possibilities but proceeding in spite of that
make known – speak, proclaim, broadcast, witness, testify
the mystery – not previously revealed
of the gospel – Good News, essence of God’s dealings with humankind. How can I make known God’s Good News? My society holds religious attitudes very similar to those of Paul’s time. I.e., we seem to believe that anyone can believe whatever he chooses. And I admit that I accept that attitude. But along with it comes the thinking that if someone tries to convert another that is wrong. It violates the right of each person to believe his own way. Strangely, when other religions do this, society calls it enlightenment and interesting and expanding our outlook. But when Christ-followers share our beliefs it seems to me that society calls it proselyting. All of that to say, to admit that I have allowed the fear of that accusation to hold me back from speaking about Christ more openly.
6:20
for which – on behalf of this Good News
I am – present condition
an ambassador – commissioned representative, agent, speaking on behalf of the King of kings
in chains – sitting in prison at the time of dictating this letter. But even in prison, he found opportunities to speak for the King of kings to anyone he encountered
Pray – call on God to give me the help I need
that I may declare it – speak out as distinct from whispering; not a secret but openly confessed
fearlessly – how many fears hold me back?
As I should – If Jesus Christ is my King, then I have an obligation to Him to spread His kingdom, to reveal my loyalty to Him, to find others who will join me in this loyalty. This is my “ought,” my “should”
Pray also – while Paul is telling the Ephesians whom to pray for, he includes himself. Applying that to myself can lead me in 2 directions, both of which are valid: (1) I can approach this as how to pray for my pastors, and (2) I can apply the specifics to myself. Let’s see if I can achieve both.
for me – on behalf of (1) seeking blessings for my pastors, (2) needing others to pray for God’s help in my life
that – specific prayer requests. But I notice that these requests have nothing to do with back pain, or his eyes, or financial needs. These focus on the gospel and Paul’s faithfulness to his calling.
whenever – at any time, in any context; formal teaching, preaching, or casual conversation
I open my mouth – (1) pastors speak; (2) I speak. The tongue is the most difficult body part to tame.
words may be given me – from God. How many times have I kicked myself after the fact for saying things that did not need to be said. What would it look like, sound like, if every time I opened my mouth I could anticipate the effect my words would have on the other person in relation to the Gospel and the kingdom of God? If I saw all my speech vis-à-vis the Gospel, perhaps—probably—it would have a significant impact on my speech. But the other part of the equation involves God supplying the right words at the right time. He knows what is going on in the other person’s life. He can anticipate the effect of my words on the other. So when people pray for me I need them to pray that God will give me the right words at the right time. The corollary (although Paul does not say it here) is to pray that God would be in the heart of each to whom I speak (is that part of the prayer of St. Ignatius?). I think this kind of prayer befits both my pastors as well as me.
so that – with the goal, for the purpose
I will fearlessly – boldly, confidently, in spite of dangers, aware of painful possibilities but proceeding in spite of that
make known – speak, proclaim, broadcast, witness, testify
the mystery – not previously revealed
of the gospel – Good News, essence of God’s dealings with humankind. How can I make known God’s Good News? My society holds religious attitudes very similar to those of Paul’s time. I.e., we seem to believe that anyone can believe whatever he chooses. And I admit that I accept that attitude. But along with it comes the thinking that if someone tries to convert another that is wrong. It violates the right of each person to believe his own way. Strangely, when other religions do this, society calls it enlightenment and interesting and expanding our outlook. But when Christ-followers share our beliefs it seems to me that society calls it proselyting. All of that to say, to admit that I have allowed the fear of that accusation to hold me back from speaking about Christ more openly.
6:20
for which – on behalf of this Good News
I am – present condition
an ambassador – commissioned representative, agent, speaking on behalf of the King of kings
in chains – sitting in prison at the time of dictating this letter. But even in prison, he found opportunities to speak for the King of kings to anyone he encountered
Pray – call on God to give me the help I need
that I may declare it – speak out as distinct from whispering; not a secret but openly confessed
fearlessly – how many fears hold me back?
As I should – If Jesus Christ is my King, then I have an obligation to Him to spread His kingdom, to reveal my loyalty to Him, to find others who will join me in this loyalty. This is my “ought,” my “should”
04 April 2010
Ephesians 6:18
6:18
And – Paul dealt with the 3 constants of our preparedness. And he explained the 3 items to have immediately at hand for use in the moment of attack. Now he adds only one action. There is only 1 thing for me to do in the hour of attack. And until the attack passes, I have no business doing anything else. For that time, there is nothing more important, nothing that cannot wait.
pray – I used to say that prayer is talking with God. And I suppose if a young believer asked me how to pray, I would still give that simple response as a starting point. But lately God has been teaching me so much more. I’m embarrassed to say it has taken so long for me to learn this (I just passed my 46th spiritual birthday). But then, some people never get beyond the “talking to God” stage. What I’m going to say next is very preliminary and rudimentary. But it’s an attempt to look at some of the stages of growth in a believer’s prayer life.
Perhaps the beginning is very childlike: “Daddy, can I have ____?” It is self-centered in many respects. I knew I had grown when I moved beyond my wants to ponder God’s wants. Then a little more growth came when I realized that I could express my views and actually influence God’s plans (His immediate plans; not His ultimate plans). In a respectful and submitting spirit, I can argue that a certain course of action would bring glory to His name. This is what Moses did in the wilderness all those times when he interceded for the Hebrews. This is what Abraham did when God was preparing to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. I can hear my friend L.A. insisting that we must submit to God’s will not ours. And I totally agree. But I enjoy telling God that I think such-and-such course of action would bring Him great glory (which I know is a key driving force for Him). But then I immediately follow that up with confessing that He sees all these things better than I and He sees the end from the beginning. So I submit to His decision (read: “Not my will, but Thine be done). Still, I tell Him, if it’s all the same to Him (yes, I actually use that phrase), if it’s all the same to Him, I would recommend such-and-such course of action.
I take no pride in saying that my prayer life has grown to that point in 46 years. First, the growth came because I kept looking for solutions to my struggles. But second, I should have learned these basics very early in my walk with Christ. This perspective is for an early believer, not brand new, but still young. Of late, God has started opening my eyes to a completely other realm of prayer.
What if mature prayer took me into the realm of spiritual warfare? What if in my prayer time I could influence the spiritual war that rages in the heavenly realms? It is an incredible thought. And I’m just starting to explore its implications. But one thing I see right off is this: It lifts prayer to a whole other realm from what most of us imagine. For most of my life prayer was that “option” that always left me feeling guilty. Guilt came because everyone told me I should pray. But no one ever taught me how or why. If prayer takes me into the inner chambers where the spiritual war is waged, then this becomes the most important thing I can do. If a weak follower of Christ like I am can influence the war between God and the rebellious hosts, I had better get to it.
This possibility also explains why the enemy helps me see so many other things that just have to be done before I pray. They are distractions. And it explains (possibly) why the enemy is not greatly bothered if my prayer shrinks to talking to God while I commute to work. Of course, he would prefer that I not think of God at all. But getting me to talk with God while I face all the distractions of my commute serves as a workable compromise from the enemy’s perspective. But when I set aside all distractions, get on my knees (it helps me focus), and enter the war room, then spirit rulers pay heed. So, I think I had better follow that suggestion right now: I will put down my pen and pray.
in the Spirit – guided by the Counselor, upheld by the Comforter, made to soar by the Wind. This is so much more than speaking in tongues or praying in a heavenly language. (At least I think so, since I have never experienced those.) My occasional experiences of praying in the Spirit have involved an intense awareness that Another had taken charge of the conversation. You know how this happens in human-to-human interactions. I might begin a conversation with someone. But sometimes the other person is more dynamic than I, or feels more passionate about the topic at hand. Suddenly, my friend has taken charge of the conversation. While I have opportunity for input, the flow of the topic will go in the direction my friend has chosen for it to go.
In a similar way, but much more loving and intimate, the Holy Spirit occasionally takes charge of my prayer time. I consistently invite Him to direct my thoughts and my spirit to pray about the things He cares about. And I ask Him to help me pray for the outcomes He wants, which generally boils down to what will bring the most glory to Christ and thereby to God the Father. But sometimes—more frequently of late—He seems to take charge more emphatically. I don’t want to suggest “forcefully,” because that is not my experience with the Holy Spirit. Still, gently yet urgently, He presses me to pray about this or that situation and to pray for this or that outcome. I don’t have a good sense yet of what this is about, because He has only started doing this with me in recent weeks (maybe 2 or 3). So I don’t know if there is more to come in His school of prayer. But to the degree I know God, I suspect there is much more to come.
on all occasions – My first thoughts from this phrase go to all the clichés I have heard connected to it over the years. And if I ever preached from this passage, I’m sure I used some of these also. But now I picture 2 polar opposite scenes: (1) the lowest point in my life. I came home to an empty house—no longer a home. I threw myself prone on the shag carpet. I stretched my arms forward. I clenched my hands as if I were grasping the feet of Jesus. I did not see Him. But suddenly I was aware that He stood at my head. In my spirit I sobbed, “What do I do now?” And His Spirit replied very clearly with a verse of Scripture. The verse applied to my situation, but I never would have expected that statement coming in that setting in response to that question.
(2) Some years later, Nancy and I were praying. I had just read about a Muslim Sheik in Egypt who had declared his faith in Christ. He was soon arrested and sentenced to indefinite imprisonment. At his age this almost certainly meant he would die there. When it came my turn to pray, I lifted this sheik by name. Quickly, my prayer shifted from my concern for this brother in Christ. In short order, it became God’s concern for His newly adopted son. As words began to fail me, I sensed the Holy Spirit assuring me that He was—at that very moment—in the prison cell with that sheik. What an incredible sense of wonder came over me. A few months later, I learned that the sheik had been released from prison—no warning, no explanation. “Here is your cab fare. Go home.”
From the depths to the pinnacles, the Holy Spirit of Christ breathes through our prayers when we allow Him. I don’t want to suggest that this happens constantly with me. It does not. The fact that I remember these events so vividly testifies that they are the exception for me. But I can attest that the sense of the Spirit’s empowering and inspiring my prayers—that is increasing in frequency.
with – accompanied by, or by means of
all kinds of prayers – Two nights ago a friend asked some of us to pray for her daughter for a certain difficulty. Yesterday, her daughter’s situation came to mind about 6 different times while I was busy with other activities. So I spoke to God about her while I was doing those other things. I think that is more than the cliché “arrow prayer.” But it is one kind of prayer. Other kinds of prayers: alone, family prayer, couple prayer, home Bible study group prayer, all church prayer time, community prayer services. Those are contexts for prayer, and the contexts influence how I pray in each respective setting.
Other means of identifying different kinds of prayer: (1) Casual on-the-go prayer that responds to a reminder from the Holy Spirit; (2) Regular, scheduled, daily prayer that is intentional and focused as I stop other activities. This would include praise, worship, confession, requests and thanksgiving. (3) Paul referred elsewhere to carrying the burdens of the churches. This is another kind of prayer that I find myself doing for a handful of people and their ministries. I just have them in/on my heart throughout the day and night. Maybe I could call this “carrying prayer.” (4) Intercession takes on myself the struggles of the other. This is far more difficult, and therefore rarer, than we are usually led to think. (5) Fasting and prayer: again difficult and rare, at least in the Western church. (6) Season of prayer, when a person gets away from distractions for a few days or a week and spends/invests that time in focused prayer, often intercession and perhaps with fasting. I’m sure there are other kinds of prayer. But I remain such a novice in this discipline that I don’t know what they might be.
and requests – What kinds of requests? Clearly the list could be exhausting. But these things come to mind from mundane to celestial, but none are trivial: Physical provision (food, clothing, etc.), health, another person’s needs, salvation for someone else, life issues (e.g. marriage, career, etc.), political issues, government leaders, nations, suffering populations, the persecuted church, demonic sway over the nations.
With this in mind – I see the word “this” reflecting back to the entire word picture painted starting at v 10. Taking into account (1) the spiritual war in which I am engaged; (2) The importance of living in truth, righteousness and peace; (3) The preparedness involved in my at-hand equipment of faith, assurance of salvation and knowing the Word of God; (4) God’s command to pray. With this picture in mind of a spiritual warrior, dressed and armed for battle, Paul has a twin command:
be alert – on guard, watchful, with physical and spiritual eyes, listening with physical and spiritual ears to clues from either God’s enemy or from God’s Holy Spirit. Mindful, careful, giving special attention to areas of vulnerability. Initially, I think of my personal issues of vulnerability. But to the degree that I mature and serve within the body of Christ, I must also guard the group’s area(s) of weakness(es). That is a completely new and other direction of thought that I cannot explore right now.
and – second part of twin command. I don’t know if it is accurate to call these twin commands. Really, he is telling me to pray, pray, pray. And in order to pray, I must stay alert to the flow of the spiritual battle around me.
always keep on praying [NLT: be persistent in your prayers] – I think I’ve said about all I have to say on the topic of prayer, for now. However, I notice this repetition, again, as a means of emphasis: All in the same verse, pray, prayers, requests, and praying. When I first saw NLT’s “persistent,” I felt uncomfortable. Granted, Jesus told the parable of the persistent widow. But that doesn’t seem to fit here. That story carries the lesson to persist with God, to keep after God, until He answers my prayer. But the sense I get here is different. Now thinking about persistence a little more I see this: persist in my fight against evil, stick to it; not an occasional flurry of prayer, but ongoing, non-stop. God’s enemies will not stop; neither should we; neither should I. I have read about great men of God who prayed for hours every day. I am still far from that, and I’ll probably never get to that point. But God is helping me grow in that area. Currently, my time of focused, on-my-knees prayer lasts about 20 minutes, moving toward 30. I know that is not very long. But it is focused and intense. And it is infinitely more than I prayed just a few months ago. In addition, it seems that my days have increasingly become an ongoing conversation with the Boss.
for – on behalf of
all the saints – I need to break this down more:
all – not just the believers in my local fellowship, or those in my denomination, or fellow evangelicals, or fellow Protestants. I need to include in my prayers all those who claim to follow Christ. How can I pray for the entire world wide church? I get hung up with the Western church and how far we have drifted. And I end up shedding tears for the Western church (cf. II Chr. 7:14). And occasionally I pray for the churches in other countries. But I have never gone full circle to pray for all the followers of Christ.
saints – no halos, no special category of believers. These are all of us called and set apart by and for God. The fact that He chose me and sanctified me makes me a saint. And I need to see those around me in the same light.
And – Paul dealt with the 3 constants of our preparedness. And he explained the 3 items to have immediately at hand for use in the moment of attack. Now he adds only one action. There is only 1 thing for me to do in the hour of attack. And until the attack passes, I have no business doing anything else. For that time, there is nothing more important, nothing that cannot wait.
pray – I used to say that prayer is talking with God. And I suppose if a young believer asked me how to pray, I would still give that simple response as a starting point. But lately God has been teaching me so much more. I’m embarrassed to say it has taken so long for me to learn this (I just passed my 46th spiritual birthday). But then, some people never get beyond the “talking to God” stage. What I’m going to say next is very preliminary and rudimentary. But it’s an attempt to look at some of the stages of growth in a believer’s prayer life.
Perhaps the beginning is very childlike: “Daddy, can I have ____?” It is self-centered in many respects. I knew I had grown when I moved beyond my wants to ponder God’s wants. Then a little more growth came when I realized that I could express my views and actually influence God’s plans (His immediate plans; not His ultimate plans). In a respectful and submitting spirit, I can argue that a certain course of action would bring glory to His name. This is what Moses did in the wilderness all those times when he interceded for the Hebrews. This is what Abraham did when God was preparing to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. I can hear my friend L.A. insisting that we must submit to God’s will not ours. And I totally agree. But I enjoy telling God that I think such-and-such course of action would bring Him great glory (which I know is a key driving force for Him). But then I immediately follow that up with confessing that He sees all these things better than I and He sees the end from the beginning. So I submit to His decision (read: “Not my will, but Thine be done). Still, I tell Him, if it’s all the same to Him (yes, I actually use that phrase), if it’s all the same to Him, I would recommend such-and-such course of action.
I take no pride in saying that my prayer life has grown to that point in 46 years. First, the growth came because I kept looking for solutions to my struggles. But second, I should have learned these basics very early in my walk with Christ. This perspective is for an early believer, not brand new, but still young. Of late, God has started opening my eyes to a completely other realm of prayer.
What if mature prayer took me into the realm of spiritual warfare? What if in my prayer time I could influence the spiritual war that rages in the heavenly realms? It is an incredible thought. And I’m just starting to explore its implications. But one thing I see right off is this: It lifts prayer to a whole other realm from what most of us imagine. For most of my life prayer was that “option” that always left me feeling guilty. Guilt came because everyone told me I should pray. But no one ever taught me how or why. If prayer takes me into the inner chambers where the spiritual war is waged, then this becomes the most important thing I can do. If a weak follower of Christ like I am can influence the war between God and the rebellious hosts, I had better get to it.
This possibility also explains why the enemy helps me see so many other things that just have to be done before I pray. They are distractions. And it explains (possibly) why the enemy is not greatly bothered if my prayer shrinks to talking to God while I commute to work. Of course, he would prefer that I not think of God at all. But getting me to talk with God while I face all the distractions of my commute serves as a workable compromise from the enemy’s perspective. But when I set aside all distractions, get on my knees (it helps me focus), and enter the war room, then spirit rulers pay heed. So, I think I had better follow that suggestion right now: I will put down my pen and pray.
in the Spirit – guided by the Counselor, upheld by the Comforter, made to soar by the Wind. This is so much more than speaking in tongues or praying in a heavenly language. (At least I think so, since I have never experienced those.) My occasional experiences of praying in the Spirit have involved an intense awareness that Another had taken charge of the conversation. You know how this happens in human-to-human interactions. I might begin a conversation with someone. But sometimes the other person is more dynamic than I, or feels more passionate about the topic at hand. Suddenly, my friend has taken charge of the conversation. While I have opportunity for input, the flow of the topic will go in the direction my friend has chosen for it to go.
In a similar way, but much more loving and intimate, the Holy Spirit occasionally takes charge of my prayer time. I consistently invite Him to direct my thoughts and my spirit to pray about the things He cares about. And I ask Him to help me pray for the outcomes He wants, which generally boils down to what will bring the most glory to Christ and thereby to God the Father. But sometimes—more frequently of late—He seems to take charge more emphatically. I don’t want to suggest “forcefully,” because that is not my experience with the Holy Spirit. Still, gently yet urgently, He presses me to pray about this or that situation and to pray for this or that outcome. I don’t have a good sense yet of what this is about, because He has only started doing this with me in recent weeks (maybe 2 or 3). So I don’t know if there is more to come in His school of prayer. But to the degree I know God, I suspect there is much more to come.
on all occasions – My first thoughts from this phrase go to all the clichés I have heard connected to it over the years. And if I ever preached from this passage, I’m sure I used some of these also. But now I picture 2 polar opposite scenes: (1) the lowest point in my life. I came home to an empty house—no longer a home. I threw myself prone on the shag carpet. I stretched my arms forward. I clenched my hands as if I were grasping the feet of Jesus. I did not see Him. But suddenly I was aware that He stood at my head. In my spirit I sobbed, “What do I do now?” And His Spirit replied very clearly with a verse of Scripture. The verse applied to my situation, but I never would have expected that statement coming in that setting in response to that question.
(2) Some years later, Nancy and I were praying. I had just read about a Muslim Sheik in Egypt who had declared his faith in Christ. He was soon arrested and sentenced to indefinite imprisonment. At his age this almost certainly meant he would die there. When it came my turn to pray, I lifted this sheik by name. Quickly, my prayer shifted from my concern for this brother in Christ. In short order, it became God’s concern for His newly adopted son. As words began to fail me, I sensed the Holy Spirit assuring me that He was—at that very moment—in the prison cell with that sheik. What an incredible sense of wonder came over me. A few months later, I learned that the sheik had been released from prison—no warning, no explanation. “Here is your cab fare. Go home.”
From the depths to the pinnacles, the Holy Spirit of Christ breathes through our prayers when we allow Him. I don’t want to suggest that this happens constantly with me. It does not. The fact that I remember these events so vividly testifies that they are the exception for me. But I can attest that the sense of the Spirit’s empowering and inspiring my prayers—that is increasing in frequency.
with – accompanied by, or by means of
all kinds of prayers – Two nights ago a friend asked some of us to pray for her daughter for a certain difficulty. Yesterday, her daughter’s situation came to mind about 6 different times while I was busy with other activities. So I spoke to God about her while I was doing those other things. I think that is more than the cliché “arrow prayer.” But it is one kind of prayer. Other kinds of prayers: alone, family prayer, couple prayer, home Bible study group prayer, all church prayer time, community prayer services. Those are contexts for prayer, and the contexts influence how I pray in each respective setting.
Other means of identifying different kinds of prayer: (1) Casual on-the-go prayer that responds to a reminder from the Holy Spirit; (2) Regular, scheduled, daily prayer that is intentional and focused as I stop other activities. This would include praise, worship, confession, requests and thanksgiving. (3) Paul referred elsewhere to carrying the burdens of the churches. This is another kind of prayer that I find myself doing for a handful of people and their ministries. I just have them in/on my heart throughout the day and night. Maybe I could call this “carrying prayer.” (4) Intercession takes on myself the struggles of the other. This is far more difficult, and therefore rarer, than we are usually led to think. (5) Fasting and prayer: again difficult and rare, at least in the Western church. (6) Season of prayer, when a person gets away from distractions for a few days or a week and spends/invests that time in focused prayer, often intercession and perhaps with fasting. I’m sure there are other kinds of prayer. But I remain such a novice in this discipline that I don’t know what they might be.
and requests – What kinds of requests? Clearly the list could be exhausting. But these things come to mind from mundane to celestial, but none are trivial: Physical provision (food, clothing, etc.), health, another person’s needs, salvation for someone else, life issues (e.g. marriage, career, etc.), political issues, government leaders, nations, suffering populations, the persecuted church, demonic sway over the nations.
With this in mind – I see the word “this” reflecting back to the entire word picture painted starting at v 10. Taking into account (1) the spiritual war in which I am engaged; (2) The importance of living in truth, righteousness and peace; (3) The preparedness involved in my at-hand equipment of faith, assurance of salvation and knowing the Word of God; (4) God’s command to pray. With this picture in mind of a spiritual warrior, dressed and armed for battle, Paul has a twin command:
be alert – on guard, watchful, with physical and spiritual eyes, listening with physical and spiritual ears to clues from either God’s enemy or from God’s Holy Spirit. Mindful, careful, giving special attention to areas of vulnerability. Initially, I think of my personal issues of vulnerability. But to the degree that I mature and serve within the body of Christ, I must also guard the group’s area(s) of weakness(es). That is a completely new and other direction of thought that I cannot explore right now.
and – second part of twin command. I don’t know if it is accurate to call these twin commands. Really, he is telling me to pray, pray, pray. And in order to pray, I must stay alert to the flow of the spiritual battle around me.
always keep on praying [NLT: be persistent in your prayers] – I think I’ve said about all I have to say on the topic of prayer, for now. However, I notice this repetition, again, as a means of emphasis: All in the same verse, pray, prayers, requests, and praying. When I first saw NLT’s “persistent,” I felt uncomfortable. Granted, Jesus told the parable of the persistent widow. But that doesn’t seem to fit here. That story carries the lesson to persist with God, to keep after God, until He answers my prayer. But the sense I get here is different. Now thinking about persistence a little more I see this: persist in my fight against evil, stick to it; not an occasional flurry of prayer, but ongoing, non-stop. God’s enemies will not stop; neither should we; neither should I. I have read about great men of God who prayed for hours every day. I am still far from that, and I’ll probably never get to that point. But God is helping me grow in that area. Currently, my time of focused, on-my-knees prayer lasts about 20 minutes, moving toward 30. I know that is not very long. But it is focused and intense. And it is infinitely more than I prayed just a few months ago. In addition, it seems that my days have increasingly become an ongoing conversation with the Boss.
for – on behalf of
all the saints – I need to break this down more:
all – not just the believers in my local fellowship, or those in my denomination, or fellow evangelicals, or fellow Protestants. I need to include in my prayers all those who claim to follow Christ. How can I pray for the entire world wide church? I get hung up with the Western church and how far we have drifted. And I end up shedding tears for the Western church (cf. II Chr. 7:14). And occasionally I pray for the churches in other countries. But I have never gone full circle to pray for all the followers of Christ.
saints – no halos, no special category of believers. These are all of us called and set apart by and for God. The fact that He chose me and sanctified me makes me a saint. And I need to see those around me in the same light.
03 April 2010
Ephesians 6:16-17
6:16
In addition – I have applied the 3 essentials, things I never go without, whether in spiritual battle or not. Now there are more items needed when the battle actual flares up. As Paul sat in prison and watched the Roman soldiers, he recognized that there were 3 things that they always had in place: belt, breastplate and footwear. He paralleled these with 3 things that should characterize my life regardless of circumstances. Now he turns to the next phase of preparation. While the soldier never appeared without those 3 essentials, he also always kept near at hand 3 other items: shield, helmet and sword. In case of attack, he immediately took these up.
to all this – i.e., truth, righteousness and peace. These should characterize my life as a Christ-follower, whether or not I am immediately involved in the crisis of spiritual attack.
take up – the attack is on! Shift into action! It’s not that I don’t already have these in my life. I do. But when Satan’s slaves attack, I must immediately put these to use.
the shield – stop an attack to the body, protect against the enemy’s sword or as Paul says shortly the enemy’s flaming arrows. In hand-to-hand combat it could also be used in a semi-offensive function. But basically it is a defensive tool.
of faith – seeing the invisible; touching the intangible; requires action, not just words or reciting a creed, but doing something that demonstrates my trust in Christ
with which – the function or benefit of the faith shield is…
you can – I am able to…
extinguish – smother, dowse, quench
all – not just some or even most, but every single one
the flaming – fire, burning
arrows – through the air, coming out of nowhere, sudden onslaught of hundreds of arrows on fire, intended to spread within me like fire spreads. Somehow, by doing faith I do the possible for which I am responsible. That clears the way for God to do the impossible as He stops the arrows and puts out the fire. Lord, help my unbelief.
of the – belonging to
evil one – the accuser, the adversary, the opponent, the trickster, the father of lies
6:17
Take – Second piece of equipment always kept near at hand, immediately ready in time of attack
the helmet – protect the head, by extension: my thoughts
of salvation – Tied to ‘the helmet,’ this is not talking about getting saved. Paul addressed that in the first 3 articles: truth, righteousness, and peace. These came as constants when I accepted Christ as Savior and Lord. But in the hour/day of spiritual attack, part of the accuser’s strategy involves the lie that God is no longer with me. He tells me God gave up on me long ago. He reminds me of all the sins and crimes in my history. These are the lies that invade my thinking. The helmet of salvation protects me when those thoughts come. It reminds me of certain basic “faith facts.” Fact #1: Yes, I did those things and deserve eternal punishment, because I am a sinner. Fact #2: Jesus Christ came to earth and died as a substitute for sinners, of whom I am the worst. Fact #3: When I trusted Christ for salvation, the record of my sins and crimes was expunged, sealed and buried. Fact #4: In the years since then, He continues to forgive me when I repent of more recent disobedience. Those are the facts; the helmet of salvation fends off the lies.
and – tacit ‘take’ indicating a third item that I must always keep immediately available
the sword – an attacking, offensive tool; take the fight back to the enemy; it slashes and pierces
of the Spirit – all scripture is God-breathed; it is alive and still breathing after all this time. The same Spirit who breathed, inspired, the writers to pen the Bible now meets with me every time I open it. And in the time of attack He proves faithful.
which is – present tense, current condition after all these centuries
the word – okay, I checked the Greek. This is not logos but hrema. And I don’t know the nuances of that term. So I’m stuck with the English word “word.” If I give my word, I have promised to follow through with a given commitment. My reputation is at stake. And the person to whom I gave my word can depend on my keeping my word only to the degree to which he trusts me as a person. I.e., my reliability affects the other person’s confidence. Now, in this case, God has given His word. How far, how fully, can I trust Him? How fully am I willing to trust Him?
of God – He who is the only Perfect and Holy One gave His word. He who cannot lie promised me. He in whom there is no shadow of turning or inconsistency swore on oath for me. He is trustworthy. Will I trust Him?
What has He promised me? I will never leave you nor forsake you. Lo, I am with you always even to the end of the age. Come unto me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. For as high as the heavens are above the earth; so great is his love for those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed all my transgressions. Nothing in all creation shall be able to separate me from the love of God whch is in Christ Jesus my Lord. Etc., etc., etc.
In addition – I have applied the 3 essentials, things I never go without, whether in spiritual battle or not. Now there are more items needed when the battle actual flares up. As Paul sat in prison and watched the Roman soldiers, he recognized that there were 3 things that they always had in place: belt, breastplate and footwear. He paralleled these with 3 things that should characterize my life regardless of circumstances. Now he turns to the next phase of preparation. While the soldier never appeared without those 3 essentials, he also always kept near at hand 3 other items: shield, helmet and sword. In case of attack, he immediately took these up.
to all this – i.e., truth, righteousness and peace. These should characterize my life as a Christ-follower, whether or not I am immediately involved in the crisis of spiritual attack.
take up – the attack is on! Shift into action! It’s not that I don’t already have these in my life. I do. But when Satan’s slaves attack, I must immediately put these to use.
the shield – stop an attack to the body, protect against the enemy’s sword or as Paul says shortly the enemy’s flaming arrows. In hand-to-hand combat it could also be used in a semi-offensive function. But basically it is a defensive tool.
of faith – seeing the invisible; touching the intangible; requires action, not just words or reciting a creed, but doing something that demonstrates my trust in Christ
with which – the function or benefit of the faith shield is…
you can – I am able to…
extinguish – smother, dowse, quench
all – not just some or even most, but every single one
the flaming – fire, burning
arrows – through the air, coming out of nowhere, sudden onslaught of hundreds of arrows on fire, intended to spread within me like fire spreads. Somehow, by doing faith I do the possible for which I am responsible. That clears the way for God to do the impossible as He stops the arrows and puts out the fire. Lord, help my unbelief.
of the – belonging to
evil one – the accuser, the adversary, the opponent, the trickster, the father of lies
6:17
Take – Second piece of equipment always kept near at hand, immediately ready in time of attack
the helmet – protect the head, by extension: my thoughts
of salvation – Tied to ‘the helmet,’ this is not talking about getting saved. Paul addressed that in the first 3 articles: truth, righteousness, and peace. These came as constants when I accepted Christ as Savior and Lord. But in the hour/day of spiritual attack, part of the accuser’s strategy involves the lie that God is no longer with me. He tells me God gave up on me long ago. He reminds me of all the sins and crimes in my history. These are the lies that invade my thinking. The helmet of salvation protects me when those thoughts come. It reminds me of certain basic “faith facts.” Fact #1: Yes, I did those things and deserve eternal punishment, because I am a sinner. Fact #2: Jesus Christ came to earth and died as a substitute for sinners, of whom I am the worst. Fact #3: When I trusted Christ for salvation, the record of my sins and crimes was expunged, sealed and buried. Fact #4: In the years since then, He continues to forgive me when I repent of more recent disobedience. Those are the facts; the helmet of salvation fends off the lies.
and – tacit ‘take’ indicating a third item that I must always keep immediately available
the sword – an attacking, offensive tool; take the fight back to the enemy; it slashes and pierces
of the Spirit – all scripture is God-breathed; it is alive and still breathing after all this time. The same Spirit who breathed, inspired, the writers to pen the Bible now meets with me every time I open it. And in the time of attack He proves faithful.
which is – present tense, current condition after all these centuries
the word – okay, I checked the Greek. This is not logos but hrema. And I don’t know the nuances of that term. So I’m stuck with the English word “word.” If I give my word, I have promised to follow through with a given commitment. My reputation is at stake. And the person to whom I gave my word can depend on my keeping my word only to the degree to which he trusts me as a person. I.e., my reliability affects the other person’s confidence. Now, in this case, God has given His word. How far, how fully, can I trust Him? How fully am I willing to trust Him?
of God – He who is the only Perfect and Holy One gave His word. He who cannot lie promised me. He in whom there is no shadow of turning or inconsistency swore on oath for me. He is trustworthy. Will I trust Him?
What has He promised me? I will never leave you nor forsake you. Lo, I am with you always even to the end of the age. Come unto me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. For as high as the heavens are above the earth; so great is his love for those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed all my transgressions. Nothing in all creation shall be able to separate me from the love of God whch is in Christ Jesus my Lord. Etc., etc., etc.
02 April 2010
Ephesians 6:15
6:15
and with – the third “with.” I see these 3 as the bottom-line, merest of essentials. As a soldier in God’s war against Satan and his forces, I cannot go anywhere without these 3 basics securely in place, and daily refreshed.
your feet – my movements, where I go, by extension my interactions with other people. I draw this inference from the fact that walking was the primary mode of travel for the common person in that day. And certainly for the average soldier this would be true. If I sit in isolation at home, my footwear is less important. But if I go out, I need the right footwear for today’s conditions. That footwear needs to transport me safely and comfortably through the various events of the day as I interact with others.
fitted – minimal slipping as I walk; avoid blisters or chaffing but also not pinching the feet
with the readiness – preparation, on alert, available for immediate deployment, always attuned for the call-up notification from my Commander-in-Chief
that comes from – source, origin, supply
the gospel – Good News
of peace – Right relationships with God and others. A new friend pointed out
recently that this peace also includes right relations with myself. This is the Good News: Because of Christ Jesus, I can live in right relations with God, others and myself.
So this raises 2 questions: (1) What does it look like to have my feet protected and supported by right relations? As I suggested above, feet were the primary means of transportation at that time. They still represent at least one aspect of our movement through daily life. So this portion of my preparation has to do with moving through society—interacting with others. Part of what it would look like to have peace in my interactions would include not fearing whom I would meet during the day. I have sought forgiveness from those I can ask. I am prepared to ask forgiveness from others I have offended, if/when I meet them again. And I have forgiven those who have “trespassed against me.” So I have done and am doing all I can to obtain and maintain right relations with others. Prior to that and more importantly, because of Christ and my faith in Him, because of His grace in calling me, I live in right relationship with God. And finally, I continually seek to forgive myself. For years, forgiving others was the issue. No more. Now I seek to forgive myself. So the short answer to the first question is: It looks like living with confidence instead of fear: Confidence because of the right relations in all 3 directions.
That leads me to my second question: How does this help me in my struggle against the evil beings in power on earth and in the heavenly realms? How does this help me stand in the midst of a spiritual battle? First, if God is for me (because I am at peace with Him, i.e. we are reconciled in Christ), then who can be against me? Some may BE against me, but none can STAND against me. Second, since no one remains who can jump out of hiding and accuse me of some secret sin or offense (peace with others), I am not distracted by the hurts of the past. Old battles are gone. I can focus on this current battle and the efforts of the evil beings to cause me to fall. Third, by forgiving myself and living at peace with myself, I rid my life of the traitor within. So I suppose the real question—rhetorically speaking—is, how can I expect to stand in the time of battle if I am not carried along with peace?
and with – the third “with.” I see these 3 as the bottom-line, merest of essentials. As a soldier in God’s war against Satan and his forces, I cannot go anywhere without these 3 basics securely in place, and daily refreshed.
your feet – my movements, where I go, by extension my interactions with other people. I draw this inference from the fact that walking was the primary mode of travel for the common person in that day. And certainly for the average soldier this would be true. If I sit in isolation at home, my footwear is less important. But if I go out, I need the right footwear for today’s conditions. That footwear needs to transport me safely and comfortably through the various events of the day as I interact with others.
fitted – minimal slipping as I walk; avoid blisters or chaffing but also not pinching the feet
with the readiness – preparation, on alert, available for immediate deployment, always attuned for the call-up notification from my Commander-in-Chief
that comes from – source, origin, supply
the gospel – Good News
of peace – Right relationships with God and others. A new friend pointed out
recently that this peace also includes right relations with myself. This is the Good News: Because of Christ Jesus, I can live in right relations with God, others and myself.
So this raises 2 questions: (1) What does it look like to have my feet protected and supported by right relations? As I suggested above, feet were the primary means of transportation at that time. They still represent at least one aspect of our movement through daily life. So this portion of my preparation has to do with moving through society—interacting with others. Part of what it would look like to have peace in my interactions would include not fearing whom I would meet during the day. I have sought forgiveness from those I can ask. I am prepared to ask forgiveness from others I have offended, if/when I meet them again. And I have forgiven those who have “trespassed against me.” So I have done and am doing all I can to obtain and maintain right relations with others. Prior to that and more importantly, because of Christ and my faith in Him, because of His grace in calling me, I live in right relationship with God. And finally, I continually seek to forgive myself. For years, forgiving others was the issue. No more. Now I seek to forgive myself. So the short answer to the first question is: It looks like living with confidence instead of fear: Confidence because of the right relations in all 3 directions.
That leads me to my second question: How does this help me in my struggle against the evil beings in power on earth and in the heavenly realms? How does this help me stand in the midst of a spiritual battle? First, if God is for me (because I am at peace with Him, i.e. we are reconciled in Christ), then who can be against me? Some may BE against me, but none can STAND against me. Second, since no one remains who can jump out of hiding and accuse me of some secret sin or offense (peace with others), I am not distracted by the hurts of the past. Old battles are gone. I can focus on this current battle and the efforts of the evil beings to cause me to fall. Third, by forgiving myself and living at peace with myself, I rid my life of the traitor within. So I suppose the real question—rhetorically speaking—is, how can I expect to stand in the time of battle if I am not carried along with peace?
31 March 2010
Ephesians 6:14
6:14
Stand firm – imperative, but also carries the feeling of exhortation and encouragement. The opposite is described by James: tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine, half-hearted, unstable
then – logical connection, but this time the logic points in reverse, because Paul is getting ready to enumerate for me how I can stand firm. I.e., what follows explains the previous.
with – 3 “with’s”: belt, breastplate, and shoes; or truth, righteousness, and the gospel of peace. [If anyone ever reads this: I have no intention of exploring the full function of Roman military equipment, except in the most rudimentary fashion. Others much more knowledgeable than I have already done that.]
the belt – I think this item was more than a thin strap to keep my pants from falling down. I picture a broad, thick piece that protected the stomach-abdomen area. Whether that is accurate or not, I need to apply it: How many people can I recall whose double lives suddenly jumped up and punched them in the gut? What kind of nausea did they feel when this happened? God, You know my secrets. You know where truth is lacking and I feel vulnerable. I know that my standing firm comes from our partnership: me doing the possible and You doing the impossible. Right now, I need Your help just to do the possible.
of truth – honesty, integrity, living in private as I appear in public
buckled – securely fastened as opposed to loosely draped. Firmly in place as the bedrock of my armor, ergo the essence of my character. How do I get there?
around – encircling, no part left exposed
your waist – stomach, abdomen, intestines; I feel my emotions revealing themselves in this region. Angry, joyful, conflicted, peaceful, anxious, or trusting: All these emotions run straight to my abdominal region to make their presence known and felt. I need to encircle all those emotions with honesty and integrity.
with – second item
the breastplate – by definition, a covering for the upper torso. I know that popular society ties the heart to the emotion of love (which I reject as an emotion). I do not. I think of the heart as the seat of my will, my intentions, or my motivation. And I really cannot think of any logical explanation for making that connection. But I do. So that sets the backdrop for whatever application comes next:
of righteousness – two sides to righteousness: On one side, God declares me righteous, simply by grace through faith—established fact; I believe it; I no longer question it; that righteousness is securely wrapped around my heart. But there is another side because the Bible uses this term in another sense. I.e., righteousness also refers to my behavior. When I speak of a righteous man, I’m not thinking of his standing with God but of his lifestyle, his behavior. The OT often links this with justice, e.g., Micah’s question: “What does the LORD require of you … but to do justice…?”
So Paul tells me to wrap righteousness around my upper torso, the cardio-pulmonary region. He tells me to let righteousness guard, protect, defend my heart—the center of my will and motives and intentions. This is an important caution for me, one made in the likeness of Jacob and Laban. Was it Kierkegaard who said, “Purity of heart is to will one thing”?
But now another application comes to mind: It is true that God declares me righteous because of the completed work of Christ. It is equally true that God calls me to live a righteous life, characterized by the pure heart that seeks only to honor God
And it is equally true (on the third hand if anyone is counting) that the only truly Righteous One is Jesus Christ. So when I wrap righteousness around my will/motives/intentions, I wrap the Righteous One, Jesus Christ, around me. He guards and defends my will, et al. This does not release me from responsibility. But it does demonstrate the partnership between Jesus Christ and me to guard my heart against any evil intentions.
in place – Wouldn’t it be tragic irony to know all this about righteousness but forget or neglect to apply it? Neglect wrapping Jesus Christ and His righteousness around me? How tragic. And yet there are occasions when I act as if I have left the breastplate behind as I enter the struggles of a new day.
Stand firm – imperative, but also carries the feeling of exhortation and encouragement. The opposite is described by James: tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine, half-hearted, unstable
then – logical connection, but this time the logic points in reverse, because Paul is getting ready to enumerate for me how I can stand firm. I.e., what follows explains the previous.
with – 3 “with’s”: belt, breastplate, and shoes; or truth, righteousness, and the gospel of peace. [If anyone ever reads this: I have no intention of exploring the full function of Roman military equipment, except in the most rudimentary fashion. Others much more knowledgeable than I have already done that.]
the belt – I think this item was more than a thin strap to keep my pants from falling down. I picture a broad, thick piece that protected the stomach-abdomen area. Whether that is accurate or not, I need to apply it: How many people can I recall whose double lives suddenly jumped up and punched them in the gut? What kind of nausea did they feel when this happened? God, You know my secrets. You know where truth is lacking and I feel vulnerable. I know that my standing firm comes from our partnership: me doing the possible and You doing the impossible. Right now, I need Your help just to do the possible.
of truth – honesty, integrity, living in private as I appear in public
buckled – securely fastened as opposed to loosely draped. Firmly in place as the bedrock of my armor, ergo the essence of my character. How do I get there?
around – encircling, no part left exposed
your waist – stomach, abdomen, intestines; I feel my emotions revealing themselves in this region. Angry, joyful, conflicted, peaceful, anxious, or trusting: All these emotions run straight to my abdominal region to make their presence known and felt. I need to encircle all those emotions with honesty and integrity.
with – second item
the breastplate – by definition, a covering for the upper torso. I know that popular society ties the heart to the emotion of love (which I reject as an emotion). I do not. I think of the heart as the seat of my will, my intentions, or my motivation. And I really cannot think of any logical explanation for making that connection. But I do. So that sets the backdrop for whatever application comes next:
of righteousness – two sides to righteousness: On one side, God declares me righteous, simply by grace through faith—established fact; I believe it; I no longer question it; that righteousness is securely wrapped around my heart. But there is another side because the Bible uses this term in another sense. I.e., righteousness also refers to my behavior. When I speak of a righteous man, I’m not thinking of his standing with God but of his lifestyle, his behavior. The OT often links this with justice, e.g., Micah’s question: “What does the LORD require of you … but to do justice…?”
So Paul tells me to wrap righteousness around my upper torso, the cardio-pulmonary region. He tells me to let righteousness guard, protect, defend my heart—the center of my will and motives and intentions. This is an important caution for me, one made in the likeness of Jacob and Laban. Was it Kierkegaard who said, “Purity of heart is to will one thing”?
But now another application comes to mind: It is true that God declares me righteous because of the completed work of Christ. It is equally true that God calls me to live a righteous life, characterized by the pure heart that seeks only to honor God
And it is equally true (on the third hand if anyone is counting) that the only truly Righteous One is Jesus Christ. So when I wrap righteousness around my will/motives/intentions, I wrap the Righteous One, Jesus Christ, around me. He guards and defends my will, et al. This does not release me from responsibility. But it does demonstrate the partnership between Jesus Christ and me to guard my heart against any evil intentions.
in place – Wouldn’t it be tragic irony to know all this about righteousness but forget or neglect to apply it? Neglect wrapping Jesus Christ and His righteousness around me? How tragic. And yet there are occasions when I act as if I have left the breastplate behind as I enter the struggles of a new day.
30 March 2010
Ephesians 6:12-13
6:12
For – reason for preceding is found below
our struggle – my wrestling, difficulty, battle(s), warfare
is not – simple present tense, does not consist of
against – opposition, attackers
flesh and blood – human, physical forces
but – contrast
against the rulers – this starts a list of 4 categories of evil spiritual authority. I think I have to break my rule and consult a commentary or 2 to sort this out. [Next day:] I’m getting some general sense of differentiation between the various terms. One item of interest is that the first 2 terms are also used in 1:21. As I noted there, Paul is trying to address the variety of evil spirits who oppose us.
against the authorities – To my thinking each of these terms refers to an increased level of authority in Satan’s army of evil. So those identified as “authorities” hold sway over “rulers.”
against the powers – The Greek is KOSMOKRATORAS, viz. “KOSMO” = world; “KRATORAS” = rulers. I am very much a novice regarding spiritual warfare. But it seems (from my little reading and more contemplation) that perhaps “rulers” refers to the princes of certain countries (e.g., the “prince” of Persia who opposed God’s messenger in Daniel 10). Then possibly “authorities” would oversee the national spirits; so they would influence events in a region. That leads me to “kosmocrats,” world rulers, which I think becomes self-explanatory.
of this dark world – cannot see where I/we are going, confusion, mishaps, easy growth of evil
and – fourth in the series of powerful evil beings
against the spiritual forces – This is one word in Greek. My Western outlook quickly forgets the non-physical forces that influence me and all around me. I get so wrapped up in the physical processes of living that I often ignore the “spiritual forces,” the non-physical beings at work all around me, and seeking to influence my decisions and actions, and not just mine but the processes of our society and world.
of evil – all that opposes God. Often I assume that evil has to be gross or sensual or cruel or something extreme and obvious like those things. But everything that opposes God is by default evil.
in the heavenly realms – The first 3 terms—rulers, authorities and powers—are connected to this dark physical world. But this final term refers to those who work evil in the heavenly realms. Again, my Western mind set at first wants to ask, “What is that to me?” But the Bible’s perspective is that there remains a vital link between the physical and the non-physical realms of activity. Each influences the other. Animists get this. We sophisticates of modern civilization remain generally ignorant of this interplay.
Perhaps I need to personalize this a bit more: Paul identifies rulers, authorities, powers and spiritual forces against whom we struggle. As I picture it, these beings influence nations, regions, et al. But I cannot forget that there are spirit beings working much closer to home. I don’t know what terms might apply to them. But it makes sense that if a ruler is assigned to a country, then some being under him would be assigned to each state/province in that nation. Others would focus on increasingly narrower segments of the population. It seems sensible that there would be a spirit focusing on my community. Does he have a specialty? How about my home state? How can I cooperate with God in defeating the spirit rulers of my community and state today?
6:13
Therefore – Because my struggle involves mighty spirit beings…. Because these beings operate in an ever-increasing hierarchy of power and evil…. Because their realms affect both the physical world and the heavenly realms…. Because I want and need to take my stand against the devil’s schemes…. As a result of all these, Paul gives me one clear command [post script: actually, after living in 6:18 for a week, I see this a little differently. The instructions to “put on” and “take up” are preparations for the singular command in verse 18, vis-à-vis, “pray.” With that caveat, I continue…]:
put on – clothing, protection, attire, equipment, preparation
the full [NLT: every piece] – don’t leave anything out, protect every part of my being
armor – protection against attack; it must take considerable time for a soldier to put on all his gear. Even today, I would guess, most of his equipment is defensive/protective and a minority portion is for actually attacking and offensive purposes.
of God – belongs to the Almighty, it reflects His nature and character; really we’re talking about being clothed completely with God. But it’s not as simple as that.
so that – for the purpose, with the goal in mind
when – not if; this is a certainty that I will be attacked, not just a possibility
the day of evil – Since Paul uses the definite article, he could refer to the final, climactic conflict that ends all time. But if I spend all my time looking for that ultimate day of evil, I will miss all the days of evil that precede it.
day – particular time, season, period
of evil – opposition to God, the absence of good breeds increasing corruption and calamity
day of evil (redux) – seasons of life, not all my walk with Christ is a struggle. Times of joy, bliss and refreshing. Just as the soldier remains on alert at all times, so must I, because the season of attack will return.
comes – the attack approaches me. It acts the aggressor. But in fact, God’s Kingdom marches on. His Kingdom always takes new territory. So these attacks from God’s enemies originate from a defeated foe.
you – I. This picks up the thought from earlier in the verse: “so that…you”
may be able – not that I have the ability, but God who clothes me completely enables me
to stand – Choose any war scene from any movie (or from real life if you have that memory). I see the hero standing in victory at the end of the battle. The one who is still standing in the field of battle when that day’s conflict stops, he is the victor. Another day of conflict will come. Another time, he will strive and pray to be standing at the close of another battle. But for today, he stands because today he conquered. At the end of the day yesterday, I was sanding victorious, by God’s grace. Today, another battle awaits.
your ground – my assignment. My wife’s cousin has a completely different task, given him by our Commander-in-Chief. I admitted to Jerry that I could never do what he does. I could not stand in that field of battle. He laughed (on line). He loves that arena. God has equipped him for that setting. And God keeps me where He can best employ me. I have been given this little territory to defend, with God’s covering. At the end of today’s battle, I pray I will be standing in victory, with Christ. Tomorrow will be another battle. Today, I am called to stand this ground.
and – this succeeding phrase seems just kind of for emphasis
after – time connector, suggests a cause-and-effect relationship between putting on the full armor of God leading to standing my ground.
you have done – I have responsibility, a function to fill, in this struggle against evil powers. It is not enough for me to put on the armor of God; He leaves things for me to get done—past tense, accomplished, achieved, completed
everything – all that I can with the armor God provides
to stand – 3 times in 2 lines (plus the earlier use in v. 11), Paul uses this word “stand”: firmness, “here I stand, I can do no other, so help me God,” resolve, commitment, make a decision and stick with it; the victor after a contest, wrestling match, stands and raises his hands in victory.
For – reason for preceding is found below
our struggle – my wrestling, difficulty, battle(s), warfare
is not – simple present tense, does not consist of
against – opposition, attackers
flesh and blood – human, physical forces
but – contrast
against the rulers – this starts a list of 4 categories of evil spiritual authority. I think I have to break my rule and consult a commentary or 2 to sort this out. [Next day:] I’m getting some general sense of differentiation between the various terms. One item of interest is that the first 2 terms are also used in 1:21. As I noted there, Paul is trying to address the variety of evil spirits who oppose us.
against the authorities – To my thinking each of these terms refers to an increased level of authority in Satan’s army of evil. So those identified as “authorities” hold sway over “rulers.”
against the powers – The Greek is KOSMOKRATORAS, viz. “KOSMO” = world; “KRATORAS” = rulers. I am very much a novice regarding spiritual warfare. But it seems (from my little reading and more contemplation) that perhaps “rulers” refers to the princes of certain countries (e.g., the “prince” of Persia who opposed God’s messenger in Daniel 10). Then possibly “authorities” would oversee the national spirits; so they would influence events in a region. That leads me to “kosmocrats,” world rulers, which I think becomes self-explanatory.
of this dark world – cannot see where I/we are going, confusion, mishaps, easy growth of evil
and – fourth in the series of powerful evil beings
against the spiritual forces – This is one word in Greek. My Western outlook quickly forgets the non-physical forces that influence me and all around me. I get so wrapped up in the physical processes of living that I often ignore the “spiritual forces,” the non-physical beings at work all around me, and seeking to influence my decisions and actions, and not just mine but the processes of our society and world.
of evil – all that opposes God. Often I assume that evil has to be gross or sensual or cruel or something extreme and obvious like those things. But everything that opposes God is by default evil.
in the heavenly realms – The first 3 terms—rulers, authorities and powers—are connected to this dark physical world. But this final term refers to those who work evil in the heavenly realms. Again, my Western mind set at first wants to ask, “What is that to me?” But the Bible’s perspective is that there remains a vital link between the physical and the non-physical realms of activity. Each influences the other. Animists get this. We sophisticates of modern civilization remain generally ignorant of this interplay.
Perhaps I need to personalize this a bit more: Paul identifies rulers, authorities, powers and spiritual forces against whom we struggle. As I picture it, these beings influence nations, regions, et al. But I cannot forget that there are spirit beings working much closer to home. I don’t know what terms might apply to them. But it makes sense that if a ruler is assigned to a country, then some being under him would be assigned to each state/province in that nation. Others would focus on increasingly narrower segments of the population. It seems sensible that there would be a spirit focusing on my community. Does he have a specialty? How about my home state? How can I cooperate with God in defeating the spirit rulers of my community and state today?
6:13
Therefore – Because my struggle involves mighty spirit beings…. Because these beings operate in an ever-increasing hierarchy of power and evil…. Because their realms affect both the physical world and the heavenly realms…. Because I want and need to take my stand against the devil’s schemes…. As a result of all these, Paul gives me one clear command [post script: actually, after living in 6:18 for a week, I see this a little differently. The instructions to “put on” and “take up” are preparations for the singular command in verse 18, vis-à-vis, “pray.” With that caveat, I continue…]:
put on – clothing, protection, attire, equipment, preparation
the full [NLT: every piece] – don’t leave anything out, protect every part of my being
armor – protection against attack; it must take considerable time for a soldier to put on all his gear. Even today, I would guess, most of his equipment is defensive/protective and a minority portion is for actually attacking and offensive purposes.
of God – belongs to the Almighty, it reflects His nature and character; really we’re talking about being clothed completely with God. But it’s not as simple as that.
so that – for the purpose, with the goal in mind
when – not if; this is a certainty that I will be attacked, not just a possibility
the day of evil – Since Paul uses the definite article, he could refer to the final, climactic conflict that ends all time. But if I spend all my time looking for that ultimate day of evil, I will miss all the days of evil that precede it.
day – particular time, season, period
of evil – opposition to God, the absence of good breeds increasing corruption and calamity
day of evil (redux) – seasons of life, not all my walk with Christ is a struggle. Times of joy, bliss and refreshing. Just as the soldier remains on alert at all times, so must I, because the season of attack will return.
comes – the attack approaches me. It acts the aggressor. But in fact, God’s Kingdom marches on. His Kingdom always takes new territory. So these attacks from God’s enemies originate from a defeated foe.
you – I. This picks up the thought from earlier in the verse: “so that…you”
may be able – not that I have the ability, but God who clothes me completely enables me
to stand – Choose any war scene from any movie (or from real life if you have that memory). I see the hero standing in victory at the end of the battle. The one who is still standing in the field of battle when that day’s conflict stops, he is the victor. Another day of conflict will come. Another time, he will strive and pray to be standing at the close of another battle. But for today, he stands because today he conquered. At the end of the day yesterday, I was sanding victorious, by God’s grace. Today, another battle awaits.
your ground – my assignment. My wife’s cousin has a completely different task, given him by our Commander-in-Chief. I admitted to Jerry that I could never do what he does. I could not stand in that field of battle. He laughed (on line). He loves that arena. God has equipped him for that setting. And God keeps me where He can best employ me. I have been given this little territory to defend, with God’s covering. At the end of today’s battle, I pray I will be standing in victory, with Christ. Tomorrow will be another battle. Today, I am called to stand this ground.
and – this succeeding phrase seems just kind of for emphasis
after – time connector, suggests a cause-and-effect relationship between putting on the full armor of God leading to standing my ground.
you have done – I have responsibility, a function to fill, in this struggle against evil powers. It is not enough for me to put on the armor of God; He leaves things for me to get done—past tense, accomplished, achieved, completed
everything – all that I can with the armor God provides
to stand – 3 times in 2 lines (plus the earlier use in v. 11), Paul uses this word “stand”: firmness, “here I stand, I can do no other, so help me God,” resolve, commitment, make a decision and stick with it; the victor after a contest, wrestling match, stands and raises his hands in victory.
28 March 2010
Ephesians 6:10-11
6:10
Finally – nearing the end
be – continuous condition
strong – powerful, able to lift or move heavy objects, above average physical fitness; obviously preparing to applying this to my spiritual health
in the Lord – transfer above physical attributes into my walk/relationship with Christ, i.e., my spiritual health: (1) Am I powerful as I partner with Christ to combat evil? (2) Am I able to bear heavy burdens? Or do those burdens drag me down and weary me in my spiritual pilgrimage? (3) While not yet perfect, am I above average in spiritual health? Endurance, stress test, appetite, etc.? Am I at least healthier than I was this time last year?
and – companion phrase: strong in 2 aspects…
in his – Christ’s, God’s
mighty power – redundant for re-emphasis, this clarifies that my strength comes from the strength of Christ living in me. It is not a matter of my revving up my will power and determination. Rather, I must continually learn how to employ God’s power for my victory and then apply that into my practice.
6:11
Put on – dress in clothing, attire, covering, protection
the full – all that is offered, everything available to me; or from another direction: it will cover me completely
armor – warfare protection. I am involved in a war. How foolish of me to go about unprotected. Many have commented that most of the items listed below are defensive pieces. Perhaps one reason is because the accuser, the opponent can and does attack from so many different directions.
of God – belonging to the Almighty King of kings; His protection not mine; His weaponry, not mine
so that – with the intended goal or result
you can – I will be able to
take your stand – hold the ground that the Commander has given me to hold. Even my standing is not about me. Even this comes back to Christ and His kingdom. As the kingdom takes more and more of the opponent’s spiritual territory, Jesus Christ my Commanding Officer orders me to hold this outpost against the attacks of our enemy. He expects me to take and keep my stand.
against – resisting, opposing; conquering instead of being conquered
the devil’s – opposer, accuser, father of lies
schemes – I can never out trick him. But the full armor God provides me—when employed, applied and put to use—can protect me and enable me to hold the ground. For me, this is a statement of faith, because I still am learning to wear and employ this armor consistently.
Finally – nearing the end
be – continuous condition
strong – powerful, able to lift or move heavy objects, above average physical fitness; obviously preparing to applying this to my spiritual health
in the Lord – transfer above physical attributes into my walk/relationship with Christ, i.e., my spiritual health: (1) Am I powerful as I partner with Christ to combat evil? (2) Am I able to bear heavy burdens? Or do those burdens drag me down and weary me in my spiritual pilgrimage? (3) While not yet perfect, am I above average in spiritual health? Endurance, stress test, appetite, etc.? Am I at least healthier than I was this time last year?
and – companion phrase: strong in 2 aspects…
in his – Christ’s, God’s
mighty power – redundant for re-emphasis, this clarifies that my strength comes from the strength of Christ living in me. It is not a matter of my revving up my will power and determination. Rather, I must continually learn how to employ God’s power for my victory and then apply that into my practice.
6:11
Put on – dress in clothing, attire, covering, protection
the full – all that is offered, everything available to me; or from another direction: it will cover me completely
armor – warfare protection. I am involved in a war. How foolish of me to go about unprotected. Many have commented that most of the items listed below are defensive pieces. Perhaps one reason is because the accuser, the opponent can and does attack from so many different directions.
of God – belonging to the Almighty King of kings; His protection not mine; His weaponry, not mine
so that – with the intended goal or result
you can – I will be able to
take your stand – hold the ground that the Commander has given me to hold. Even my standing is not about me. Even this comes back to Christ and His kingdom. As the kingdom takes more and more of the opponent’s spiritual territory, Jesus Christ my Commanding Officer orders me to hold this outpost against the attacks of our enemy. He expects me to take and keep my stand.
against – resisting, opposing; conquering instead of being conquered
the devil’s – opposer, accuser, father of lies
schemes – I can never out trick him. But the full armor God provides me—when employed, applied and put to use—can protect me and enable me to hold the ground. For me, this is a statement of faith, because I still am learning to wear and employ this armor consistently.
Ephesians 5:21; 6:9
[NOTE: I started to merge verse 9 with the preceding verses directed to slaves/employees. But I recall a pastor preaching a mini-series aimed at employees, taken from this passage. But he never once addressed the employers/managers/bosses, even though there were many such in his congregation. Being an employee myself, I was displeased. Therefore, as before, I am repeating my thoughts on 5:21, where Paul calls me to submit in all of the following relationships. First was the marriage relationship; then parent/child; now employee/employer, with this entry focusing on the employer/manager/boss/owner.]
5:21
Submit – yield, give preference to; this does not suggest a lower value on me as the submitter; rather with my full value intact, I choose to give preference to you, to let go of my rights for the sake of yours.
to one another – two-way street. I submit to you; you submit to me. The trick is in submitting without keeping score. If I keep a running tally of who submitted last time, then I’m not really submitting.
out of – as a result of, evidence of, motive
reverence – respect, recognition of worth. Our submitting to each other somehow reflects on Him. Conversely, my pride or clinging to my rights reflects poorly on Him.
for Christ – the Anointed One
6:9
And – Paul approaches the conclusion of his 3 illustrations of relationships in which we believers must practice mutual submission
masters – boss, employer, anyone in authority on the job
treat – actions, attitudes, speech and wages
your slaves – employees or underlings. Never having been the boss and rarely being in authority at a work place, I don’t see much to apply to myself when Paul talks about masters. But the principle is the same either way: Treat each other as if the other were Christ Himself.
in the same way – reflects back to verse 7, “as if you were serving the Lord”
Do not – prohibition
threaten them – take advantage of one’s positional authority to scare employees with dire consequences
since you know [NLT: remember] – established in and through Christian teaching and mentoring
that he who is – present tense
both their Master and yours – perhaps one of the best demonstrations that (L)lord, (M)master, and (B)boss all fill the same function. If I am ever in a position of leadership again, I pray You will keep m mindful that the leader demonstrates Christ as I treat those with me as if they are Christ.
is in heaven – present tense, position of ultimate superiority and authority
and – connected to previous
there is no favoritism with him – established in chapter 2, that the walls have been torn down and divided groups have been united into one. Thus, whatever our position in society, as followers of Christ all that has changed. Christ favors neither the boss nor the laborer. He calls us to submit to each other and that essentially means to treat the other as I would treat Christ. For some reason I “have to” throw in this added thought: While God does not show favoritism, He does require justice, mercy, and humility. And to the degree that I violate these latter principles in any of my relationships, I have violated the Christ who lives (or wants to live) in that other person.
5:21
Submit – yield, give preference to; this does not suggest a lower value on me as the submitter; rather with my full value intact, I choose to give preference to you, to let go of my rights for the sake of yours.
to one another – two-way street. I submit to you; you submit to me. The trick is in submitting without keeping score. If I keep a running tally of who submitted last time, then I’m not really submitting.
out of – as a result of, evidence of, motive
reverence – respect, recognition of worth. Our submitting to each other somehow reflects on Him. Conversely, my pride or clinging to my rights reflects poorly on Him.
for Christ – the Anointed One
6:9
And – Paul approaches the conclusion of his 3 illustrations of relationships in which we believers must practice mutual submission
masters – boss, employer, anyone in authority on the job
treat – actions, attitudes, speech and wages
your slaves – employees or underlings. Never having been the boss and rarely being in authority at a work place, I don’t see much to apply to myself when Paul talks about masters. But the principle is the same either way: Treat each other as if the other were Christ Himself.
in the same way – reflects back to verse 7, “as if you were serving the Lord”
Do not – prohibition
threaten them – take advantage of one’s positional authority to scare employees with dire consequences
since you know [NLT: remember] – established in and through Christian teaching and mentoring
that he who is – present tense
both their Master and yours – perhaps one of the best demonstrations that (L)lord, (M)master, and (B)boss all fill the same function. If I am ever in a position of leadership again, I pray You will keep m mindful that the leader demonstrates Christ as I treat those with me as if they are Christ.
is in heaven – present tense, position of ultimate superiority and authority
and – connected to previous
there is no favoritism with him – established in chapter 2, that the walls have been torn down and divided groups have been united into one. Thus, whatever our position in society, as followers of Christ all that has changed. Christ favors neither the boss nor the laborer. He calls us to submit to each other and that essentially means to treat the other as I would treat Christ. For some reason I “have to” throw in this added thought: While God does not show favoritism, He does require justice, mercy, and humility. And to the degree that I violate these latter principles in any of my relationships, I have violated the Christ who lives (or wants to live) in that other person.
27 March 2010
Ephesians 6:7-8
6:7
Serve – supply, provide the other’s needs and/or wants
wholeheartedly – sincerely, gratefully, without resentment, focused on the task at hand instead of distractions
as if – imagine this…
you were serving the Lord – picture Christ sitting where my boss is. If that were Christ in the corner office, how would I behave?
not men – There is a sense in which my physical employment is in fact service to the Lord rather than to men. On the one hand, the others know my claim of following Christ. So how I behave at work reflects on Him. At the same time, this is the task God has placed before me at this time. By doing it well for my earthly master, I am also pleasing my heavenly Master.
6:8
because – reason for the foregoing
you know that – this was part of the common catechism, which is why Paul could assume that they already knew this
the Lord – heavenly Boss, Master
will reward – some branches of modern Christianity have so emphasized free salvation that they have forgotten or neglected that God has a plan of rewards as well. And rewards require some measure of effort or performance. As I teach and as I live, I must keep both principles in balance: Salvation is free; performance brings reward.
everyone – only followers of Christ? Or everyone who does good?
for whatever good he does – I have to leave the previous questions alone and let God take care of that issue. My application is: What good have I done? What good will I do today? What good can I do in the coming days?
whether – conditional connector
he is slave or free – no matter my status in the eyes of society
Serve – supply, provide the other’s needs and/or wants
wholeheartedly – sincerely, gratefully, without resentment, focused on the task at hand instead of distractions
as if – imagine this…
you were serving the Lord – picture Christ sitting where my boss is. If that were Christ in the corner office, how would I behave?
not men – There is a sense in which my physical employment is in fact service to the Lord rather than to men. On the one hand, the others know my claim of following Christ. So how I behave at work reflects on Him. At the same time, this is the task God has placed before me at this time. By doing it well for my earthly master, I am also pleasing my heavenly Master.
6:8
because – reason for the foregoing
you know that – this was part of the common catechism, which is why Paul could assume that they already knew this
the Lord – heavenly Boss, Master
will reward – some branches of modern Christianity have so emphasized free salvation that they have forgotten or neglected that God has a plan of rewards as well. And rewards require some measure of effort or performance. As I teach and as I live, I must keep both principles in balance: Salvation is free; performance brings reward.
everyone – only followers of Christ? Or everyone who does good?
for whatever good he does – I have to leave the previous questions alone and let God take care of that issue. My application is: What good have I done? What good will I do today? What good can I do in the coming days?
whether – conditional connector
he is slave or free – no matter my status in the eyes of society
Ephesians 5:21; 6:5-6
[NOTE: As before, I am repeating my thoughts on 5:21, where Paul calls me to submit in all of the following relationships. First was the marriage relationship; then parent/child; now employee/employer.]
5:21
Submit – yield, give preference to; this does not suggest a lower value on me as the submitter; rather with my full value intact, I choose to give preference to you, to let go of my rights for the sake of yours.
to one another – two-way street. I submit to you; you submit to me. The trick is in submitting without keeping score. If I keep a running tally of who submitted last time, then I’m not really submitting.
out of – as a result of, evidence of, motive
reverence – respect, recognition of worth. Our submitting to each other somehow reflects on Him. Conversely, my pride or clinging to my rights reflects poorly on Him.
for Christ – the Anointed One
6:5
Slaves – Beginning of the third pair of relationships, illustrating what it looks like for believers to practice mutual submission. Slaves: employees of whatever position on the ladder of success
obey – do what I am told, meet the expectations my employer has for an outstanding employee
your – my
earthly masters – as distinct from my heavenly Master. In part, what Paul is leading to is that I should work for this physical, cold-hard-cash employer just as diligently as I would if that were Jesus Christ sitting in that corner office.
with – NIV lists 3 qualities or attitudes that should accompany my obedient service to my earthly master:
respect – honor, deference, give my input but defer to his/her decision, no bad talk or back-talking behind his/her back
and fear – he/she signs my paycheck, has authority to fire me; in the physical sense, my well-being depends on him/her
and with – NIV repeats the preposition ‘with’ presumably because it is in the original. In that case, Paul gives some emphasis to this third attitude:
sincerity of heart – we have all seen our boss walk into a room when we were lazing about. And we suddenly find something to do to look busy while he/she is around. We recognize that as false and Paul says that I as a follower of Christ must not act like that.
just as – comparison, in the same manner as
you would obey – I would seek to exceed the expectations of…
Christ – Promised One, Anointed One. Early in my working career, I heard the admonition that a follower of Christ should save his verbal witnessing for non-work times. When I am on the clock, my best witness comes from diligent, respectful, sincere service to my employer.
6:6
Obey them – Slaves are not the only ones who must obey. In fact, we are all under authority, whether I realize it or not. And most of us have more than one authority to whom we owe obedience and loyalty.
not only to win – avoid ulterior motives
their favor – I find it curious as I review my employment history with this in mind. With no pride or false motives, I can say that loyalty is one of my strongest qualities. So it has never occurred to me to put on a show for my bosses, to try to win their favor. I was loyal; I worked diligently. It made no difference. Some fired me; some wanted me never to leave.
when their eye is on you – I need to apply this to my relationship with Christ. Intellectually, I know that God is always watching. But sometimes I act as if He might not see. But that is becoming increasingly rare. More and more I talk with Him on the trail and in the car. But still I occasionally have a “Romans 7 moment.” Those are becoming rarer and my asking forgiveness is coming more promptly.
but – contrast; instead of the half-hearted service above…
like – in the same manner; or because I am…
slaves – bound, required to do another’s bidding
of Christ – belonging to the Promised, Anointed One
doing the will of God – Paul makes no distinction between obeying God and obeying my earthly master. It appears that he intends for the one to equal the other—obeying my earthly master IS the will of God for me.
from your heart – sincerely, whether being watched or not
5:21
Submit – yield, give preference to; this does not suggest a lower value on me as the submitter; rather with my full value intact, I choose to give preference to you, to let go of my rights for the sake of yours.
to one another – two-way street. I submit to you; you submit to me. The trick is in submitting without keeping score. If I keep a running tally of who submitted last time, then I’m not really submitting.
out of – as a result of, evidence of, motive
reverence – respect, recognition of worth. Our submitting to each other somehow reflects on Him. Conversely, my pride or clinging to my rights reflects poorly on Him.
for Christ – the Anointed One
6:5
Slaves – Beginning of the third pair of relationships, illustrating what it looks like for believers to practice mutual submission. Slaves: employees of whatever position on the ladder of success
obey – do what I am told, meet the expectations my employer has for an outstanding employee
your – my
earthly masters – as distinct from my heavenly Master. In part, what Paul is leading to is that I should work for this physical, cold-hard-cash employer just as diligently as I would if that were Jesus Christ sitting in that corner office.
with – NIV lists 3 qualities or attitudes that should accompany my obedient service to my earthly master:
respect – honor, deference, give my input but defer to his/her decision, no bad talk or back-talking behind his/her back
and fear – he/she signs my paycheck, has authority to fire me; in the physical sense, my well-being depends on him/her
and with – NIV repeats the preposition ‘with’ presumably because it is in the original. In that case, Paul gives some emphasis to this third attitude:
sincerity of heart – we have all seen our boss walk into a room when we were lazing about. And we suddenly find something to do to look busy while he/she is around. We recognize that as false and Paul says that I as a follower of Christ must not act like that.
just as – comparison, in the same manner as
you would obey – I would seek to exceed the expectations of…
Christ – Promised One, Anointed One. Early in my working career, I heard the admonition that a follower of Christ should save his verbal witnessing for non-work times. When I am on the clock, my best witness comes from diligent, respectful, sincere service to my employer.
6:6
Obey them – Slaves are not the only ones who must obey. In fact, we are all under authority, whether I realize it or not. And most of us have more than one authority to whom we owe obedience and loyalty.
not only to win – avoid ulterior motives
their favor – I find it curious as I review my employment history with this in mind. With no pride or false motives, I can say that loyalty is one of my strongest qualities. So it has never occurred to me to put on a show for my bosses, to try to win their favor. I was loyal; I worked diligently. It made no difference. Some fired me; some wanted me never to leave.
when their eye is on you – I need to apply this to my relationship with Christ. Intellectually, I know that God is always watching. But sometimes I act as if He might not see. But that is becoming increasingly rare. More and more I talk with Him on the trail and in the car. But still I occasionally have a “Romans 7 moment.” Those are becoming rarer and my asking forgiveness is coming more promptly.
but – contrast; instead of the half-hearted service above…
like – in the same manner; or because I am…
slaves – bound, required to do another’s bidding
of Christ – belonging to the Promised, Anointed One
doing the will of God – Paul makes no distinction between obeying God and obeying my earthly master. It appears that he intends for the one to equal the other—obeying my earthly master IS the will of God for me.
from your heart – sincerely, whether being watched or not
26 March 2010
Ephesians 5:21; 6:1-4
[NOTE: As before, I am repeating my thoughts on 5:21, where Paul calls me to submit in all of the following relationships. First was the marriage relationship; now parent/child; then employee/employer.]
5:21
Submit – yield, give preference to; this does not suggest a lower value on me as the submitter; rather with my full value intact, I choose to give preference to you, to let go of my rights for the sake of yours.
to one another – two-way street. I submit to you; you submit to me. The trick is in submitting without keeping score. If I keep a running tally of who submitted last time, then I’m not really submitting.
out of – as a result of, evidence of, motive
reverence – respect, recognition of worth. Our submitting to each other somehow reflects on Him. Conversely, my pride or clinging to my rights reflects poorly on Him.
for Christ – the Anointed One
6:1
Children – Second pair of relations in which we live out mutual submission; offspring, younger than I, start out totally dependent
obey – do what you are told, follow instructions
your parents – adults who have authority and responsibility for you
in the Lord [NLT: because you belong to the Lord] – Easy to wiggle out of the command with the NIV, because that puts the burden of proof on my parents to demonstrate (a) that they are in the Lord and (b) that their instructions to me honor the Lord. But the NLT version puts the burden on me: I obey because I belong to the Lord, not because of anything particularly special about my parents. I’m tempted again to start a mini-sermon. Instead, I praise God. Our children went through the same phases as virtually all others in our society experience. If their obedience hung on my faithfulness to the Lord, it would have been a lost cause from very early in their lives. Instead, generally speaking, they honored our Lord Jesus Christ by obeying their parents. The pride I felt then and still enjoy today is purely the result of God’s miraculous work in their lives in spite of my issues.
for – because, logical reason to follow
this – obedience
is right – correct, straight, erect; by extension, doing right honors the Lord
6:2
“Honor your father and mother…” – respect, live in a way to contribute to others speaking well of your parents
“which is … with a promise – benefit tied to honor our parents
6:3
“that – in order that
“it – life events
“may go well – smoothly, minimize hardships, have enough of life’s basic necessities
“with you – in my life, although if I recall originally the context indicates a group ‘you’; so this original promise was intended for the people of God as a group and not so much just for me
“and that – second part of the promise
“you may enjoy – I can find pleasure in…
“long life on the earth” – Original quote in Exodus makes a clearer point that honoring parents—as a group ethos, part of their mores—would result in the Hebrews living in God’s promised land for a long time and living well as a community. Here in this verse, Paul tries to apply that principle on a narrower scale. On one hand, I know exceptions to the rule. On the other hand, the principle remains generally true.
6:4
Fathers – flip side of the second relationship illustrating or applying the command for mutual submission. Fathers = parents, responsible for providing for children the physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual elements needed for them to grow to mature, responsible adults.
do not – command
exasperate [NLT: provoke… to anger] – frustrate, irritate, stir up, pique. Some frustration, et al., is unavoidable. This seems to point to intentionality. Now the word that comes to mind is “bully.” I need to feel secure enough in myself that I don’t need to bully my children in repeated attempts to prove my positional authority. Complimenting that is the notion that my children are people of worth in their own right. Their requests and suggestions are not automatically worthless. Rather, they may prove very worthwhile. Exasperating or provoking would immediately dismiss their input to a family discussion. Mutual submission by parents calls on me to encourage my children to contribute their input. This gives value to their ideas and thus imputes worth to the contributor.
your children – mine are in their 30s. But this principle never stops.
instead – contrast; replace the negative above with the positive below...
bring them up – raise them, physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually
in the training [NLT: discipline] – tutor, mentor, “this is how you do it.” Our home did fairly well on the “do not exasperate” part. But we did not do well in the intentional training. I set an example in daily Bible study. But I never took the proactive approach to intentionally guide them in finding their own preferred method of Bible study and/or quiet time with God. Even now, I am not certain if they do so regularly.
and instruction – I think of training in terms of behavior patterns and positive habits to develop. I think of instruction as information, concepts, and foundational beliefs that I can pass along.
of the Lord – does this prepositional phrase modify both “training” and “instruction”? Or just the latter? I think it could tie in with both. [NIV: “discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.”] So much that could be said about these terms [training/discipline and instruction] vis-à-vis “of the Lord.” But I keep trying to apply this exercise personally. And the fact is that my children are grown and gone. If I exasperated them, that was long in the past. I will just add the observation that the phrase “of the Lord” sets this discipline and instruction in a completely different category from other disciplines and instructions.
5:21
Submit – yield, give preference to; this does not suggest a lower value on me as the submitter; rather with my full value intact, I choose to give preference to you, to let go of my rights for the sake of yours.
to one another – two-way street. I submit to you; you submit to me. The trick is in submitting without keeping score. If I keep a running tally of who submitted last time, then I’m not really submitting.
out of – as a result of, evidence of, motive
reverence – respect, recognition of worth. Our submitting to each other somehow reflects on Him. Conversely, my pride or clinging to my rights reflects poorly on Him.
for Christ – the Anointed One
6:1
Children – Second pair of relations in which we live out mutual submission; offspring, younger than I, start out totally dependent
obey – do what you are told, follow instructions
your parents – adults who have authority and responsibility for you
in the Lord [NLT: because you belong to the Lord] – Easy to wiggle out of the command with the NIV, because that puts the burden of proof on my parents to demonstrate (a) that they are in the Lord and (b) that their instructions to me honor the Lord. But the NLT version puts the burden on me: I obey because I belong to the Lord, not because of anything particularly special about my parents. I’m tempted again to start a mini-sermon. Instead, I praise God. Our children went through the same phases as virtually all others in our society experience. If their obedience hung on my faithfulness to the Lord, it would have been a lost cause from very early in their lives. Instead, generally speaking, they honored our Lord Jesus Christ by obeying their parents. The pride I felt then and still enjoy today is purely the result of God’s miraculous work in their lives in spite of my issues.
for – because, logical reason to follow
this – obedience
is right – correct, straight, erect; by extension, doing right honors the Lord
6:2
“Honor your father and mother…” – respect, live in a way to contribute to others speaking well of your parents
“which is … with a promise – benefit tied to honor our parents
6:3
“that – in order that
“it – life events
“may go well – smoothly, minimize hardships, have enough of life’s basic necessities
“with you – in my life, although if I recall originally the context indicates a group ‘you’; so this original promise was intended for the people of God as a group and not so much just for me
“and that – second part of the promise
“you may enjoy – I can find pleasure in…
“long life on the earth” – Original quote in Exodus makes a clearer point that honoring parents—as a group ethos, part of their mores—would result in the Hebrews living in God’s promised land for a long time and living well as a community. Here in this verse, Paul tries to apply that principle on a narrower scale. On one hand, I know exceptions to the rule. On the other hand, the principle remains generally true.
6:4
Fathers – flip side of the second relationship illustrating or applying the command for mutual submission. Fathers = parents, responsible for providing for children the physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual elements needed for them to grow to mature, responsible adults.
do not – command
exasperate [NLT: provoke… to anger] – frustrate, irritate, stir up, pique. Some frustration, et al., is unavoidable. This seems to point to intentionality. Now the word that comes to mind is “bully.” I need to feel secure enough in myself that I don’t need to bully my children in repeated attempts to prove my positional authority. Complimenting that is the notion that my children are people of worth in their own right. Their requests and suggestions are not automatically worthless. Rather, they may prove very worthwhile. Exasperating or provoking would immediately dismiss their input to a family discussion. Mutual submission by parents calls on me to encourage my children to contribute their input. This gives value to their ideas and thus imputes worth to the contributor.
your children – mine are in their 30s. But this principle never stops.
instead – contrast; replace the negative above with the positive below...
bring them up – raise them, physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually
in the training [NLT: discipline] – tutor, mentor, “this is how you do it.” Our home did fairly well on the “do not exasperate” part. But we did not do well in the intentional training. I set an example in daily Bible study. But I never took the proactive approach to intentionally guide them in finding their own preferred method of Bible study and/or quiet time with God. Even now, I am not certain if they do so regularly.
and instruction – I think of training in terms of behavior patterns and positive habits to develop. I think of instruction as information, concepts, and foundational beliefs that I can pass along.
of the Lord – does this prepositional phrase modify both “training” and “instruction”? Or just the latter? I think it could tie in with both. [NIV: “discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.”] So much that could be said about these terms [training/discipline and instruction] vis-à-vis “of the Lord.” But I keep trying to apply this exercise personally. And the fact is that my children are grown and gone. If I exasperated them, that was long in the past. I will just add the observation that the phrase “of the Lord” sets this discipline and instruction in a completely different category from other disciplines and instructions.
25 March 2010
Ephesians 5:31-33
5:31
“For this reason – start of quote from Genesis 2:24. God’s act of bringing our first parents together provides the reason for…
a man will leave his father and mother – go from home; establish some independence
and be united to his wife [NLT: is joined to his wife] – marriage covenant
and – this conjunction is used 3 times in close proximity. The first time simply separates father and mother. But the other 2 indicate a sequence of events: First, I established some identity or independence distinct from my parents. Second, I enter into a covenant with my wife. Third, after those 2 steps then we unite in the flesh.
the two will become one flesh.” – Physical union, intercourse, usually represented in the resulting offspring who are genetically part of each.
5:32
This is a profound – deep, multifaceted
mystery – difficult to understand, not immediately obvious
but – contrast
I am talking about – Does Paul mean that the quote from Genesis refers to God the Son leaving His home to covenant Himself to His bride? Without going too far into theology, I would contend that it only partially applies. Yes, God the Son left His home. But no, He did not establish independence; rather He remained intimately One with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
Christ and the church [ NLT: it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one.] – pattern, example for me and Nancy. As Christ gave Himself up for the church, so I need to give myself up for Nancy. Similarly, as the church is to Christ, Paul calls wives to live in the same attitude and behavior toward their husbands.
5:33
However – although talking about Christ and the church, nevertheless…
each one of you – no exceptions
also – in addition to Christ and His bride
must – imperative, demand, insistent; above he said "ought," but here he switches to demand
love – demonstrated value and intimacy
his wife – my precious gift from God, my completer
as – in the same way that
he loves himself – I’m not sure I demonstrate this very well. But certainly I value myself and I’m very intimate with myself.
and – in addition
the wife – she who makes me complete
must – here is the demand again
respect – I don’t know how to define it. But I know it when I see it. Honor, value, significance
her husband – God’s gift to her and the one who makes her complete.
“For this reason – start of quote from Genesis 2:24. God’s act of bringing our first parents together provides the reason for…
a man will leave his father and mother – go from home; establish some independence
and be united to his wife [NLT: is joined to his wife] – marriage covenant
and – this conjunction is used 3 times in close proximity. The first time simply separates father and mother. But the other 2 indicate a sequence of events: First, I established some identity or independence distinct from my parents. Second, I enter into a covenant with my wife. Third, after those 2 steps then we unite in the flesh.
the two will become one flesh.” – Physical union, intercourse, usually represented in the resulting offspring who are genetically part of each.
5:32
This is a profound – deep, multifaceted
mystery – difficult to understand, not immediately obvious
but – contrast
I am talking about – Does Paul mean that the quote from Genesis refers to God the Son leaving His home to covenant Himself to His bride? Without going too far into theology, I would contend that it only partially applies. Yes, God the Son left His home. But no, He did not establish independence; rather He remained intimately One with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
Christ and the church [ NLT: it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one.] – pattern, example for me and Nancy. As Christ gave Himself up for the church, so I need to give myself up for Nancy. Similarly, as the church is to Christ, Paul calls wives to live in the same attitude and behavior toward their husbands.
5:33
However – although talking about Christ and the church, nevertheless…
each one of you – no exceptions
also – in addition to Christ and His bride
must – imperative, demand, insistent; above he said "ought," but here he switches to demand
love – demonstrated value and intimacy
his wife – my precious gift from God, my completer
as – in the same way that
he loves himself – I’m not sure I demonstrate this very well. But certainly I value myself and I’m very intimate with myself.
and – in addition
the wife – she who makes me complete
must – here is the demand again
respect – I don’t know how to define it. But I know it when I see it. Honor, value, significance
her husband – God’s gift to her and the one who makes her complete.
Ephesians 5:28-30
5:28
In the same way – parallel truth, or take the truth from the relation above and apply it to the relation below
husbands – submitting leaders
ought – curious that Paul’s instruction to wives appears more direct. No “ought” there but “be to the Lord.” Here however I see obligation instead of command.
to love – let my actions demonstrate how pricelessly precious she is to me; let my actions and words express how deeply she abides in my soul.
their wives – the one who completes me, who makes me whole
as – in the same way
their own bodies – not sure this is the best analogy, considering how I and many other husbands treat our bodies. But what if Paul means something akin to what I just said above: My wife has become so much a part of me that in many ways we have become one—so that what I do to myself, how I treat my body, I am also doing to her.
He who – If I…
loves his wife – demonstrates the priceless treasure she is…
loves himself – that expression of intimate adoration returns, echoes back to me
5:29
After all – This is self-evident
no one ever – generally true, but nowadays at least there are some who seem to hate their own bodies. Still it is generally true.
hated – despised, mistreated, abused, wanted it to go away, wished it never existed
his own body – my physical existence
but – contrast
he feeds – I nourish my body
and cares for it – I tend to any problems that arise in my body. I give my body enough food to keep it functioning, enough exercise and rest to keep some balance.
just as – similar to, in the same way
Christ – Anointed One, Messiah
does the church – He feeds the church and cares for the church. He gives us pastors and teachers to feed us so we can grow and remain healthy. He finds ways to exercise our faith and at other times He allows periods of rest and refreshment. Yes, He does this for me individually; but He also does this for the church.
5:30
for – reason for the above is found below
we – the bride of Christ, the church, the called-out community
are – present tense
members of – belonging to, a part of
his body – the body of Christ
In the same way – parallel truth, or take the truth from the relation above and apply it to the relation below
husbands – submitting leaders
ought – curious that Paul’s instruction to wives appears more direct. No “ought” there but “be to the Lord.” Here however I see obligation instead of command.
to love – let my actions demonstrate how pricelessly precious she is to me; let my actions and words express how deeply she abides in my soul.
their wives – the one who completes me, who makes me whole
as – in the same way
their own bodies – not sure this is the best analogy, considering how I and many other husbands treat our bodies. But what if Paul means something akin to what I just said above: My wife has become so much a part of me that in many ways we have become one—so that what I do to myself, how I treat my body, I am also doing to her.
He who – If I…
loves his wife – demonstrates the priceless treasure she is…
loves himself – that expression of intimate adoration returns, echoes back to me
5:29
After all – This is self-evident
no one ever – generally true, but nowadays at least there are some who seem to hate their own bodies. Still it is generally true.
hated – despised, mistreated, abused, wanted it to go away, wished it never existed
his own body – my physical existence
but – contrast
he feeds – I nourish my body
and cares for it – I tend to any problems that arise in my body. I give my body enough food to keep it functioning, enough exercise and rest to keep some balance.
just as – similar to, in the same way
Christ – Anointed One, Messiah
does the church – He feeds the church and cares for the church. He gives us pastors and teachers to feed us so we can grow and remain healthy. He finds ways to exercise our faith and at other times He allows periods of rest and refreshment. Yes, He does this for me individually; but He also does this for the church.
5:30
for – reason for the above is found below
we – the bride of Christ, the church, the called-out community
are – present tense
members of – belonging to, a part of
his body – the body of Christ
19 March 2010
Ephesians 5:21, 25-27
[NOTE: I have intentionally repeated verse 21 here because the command to submit to one another applies to all the ensuing applications. Unfortunately, our society has distorted the instructions to wives and husbands. So I chose to include this verse before discussion either the exhortation to wives or that to husbands.]
5:21
Submit – yield, give preference to; this does not suggest a lower value on me as the submitter; rather with my full value intact, I choose to give preference to you, to let go of my rights for the sake of yours.
to one another – two-way street. I submit to you; you submit to me. The trick is in submitting without keeping score. If I keep a running tally of who submitted last time, then I’m not really submitting.
out of – as a result of, evidence of, motive
reverence – respect, recognition of worth. Our submitting to each other somehow reflects on Him. Conversely, my pride or clinging to my rights reflects poorly on Him.
for Christ – the Anointed One
5:25
Husbands – tender leaders
NLT inserts “this means” – clarifies that this is how submission will look in a Christian husband
Love – showing preference for the needs and desires of my wife through my actions and attitude. This counterbalances the exhortation to wives. She is urged to submit to—yield to the rights and leadership of—her husband. At the same time, I am told to love her—to act on behalf of her needs and desires. These seem to contradict each other. But in fact they function in a dialectical tension. Each of us seeks the best for the other rather than scheming for my own advantage.
your wives – my wonderful gift from God
just as – another comparison. Previous verse draws on the same imagery: i.e., the relation between Christ and the church (ideally) sets the standard and example for the relation between the husband and wife. Specifically, tis means each seeks the well-being of the other.
Christ loved – surprisingly this is in the past tense; don’t know what if anything is to be made of that detail
the church – aka the bride of Christ
and – His love was not really known as love until he…
gave himself up – I’m tempted to preach here. But in fact, I still struggle with this. How do I give myself up and provide leadership at the same time? There must be something about the way in which Christ gave himself up and still provides loving leadership. There must be a pattern or example for me. At first thought, this phrase seems to refer to his crucifixion. But God the Son gave himself up also by surrendering His rights to be called equal with God (Philippians 2). Perhaps that is the example for me to follow. I can surrender my rights in order to effect the best for my wife.
for her – Christ did not simply surrender His rights. More than that, He did this for His bride. On her behalf, for her benefit
5:26
to – first of 2 intended consequences of Christ giving himself up. By extension, recommended as 2 worthwhile goals for me to seek to effect for my wife, as I give myself up.
make her holy – righteous, godly, clean, set apart, owned by God for His service
cleansing – remove all dirt, scrubbing, scouring, burning or searing a diseased area
her – the church, the bride of Christ. But I have to keep in mind that Paul will apply all of this to my relationship with Nancy: Somehow my giving myself up for her will lead to her being made holy, cleansed…
by – the means of achieving the cleansing and holiness
the washing – scrubbing, bathing
with – agency
water – Is he thinking of baptism? I don’t see any other interpretation
through – means or agency
the word – Scriptural teaching connected to baptism. NLT = “washed by the cleansing of God’s word.” Granted, this omits reference to water which is almost certainly in the Greek. But perhaps Paul was not thinking baptism. Maybe he was thinking that the Word of God would have the effect of bath water in making the bride of Christ holy and clean. Wow! I could go for some time on the power of God’s word to affect change. It has certainly done that in my life. But increasingly—or maybe persistently is a more accurate word—Americans think our puny minds can pass judgment on God’s word. Over the years, His word has gradually been able to bend and mold my stubborn will. The only reason is because He graced me to submit to the authority of God’s word. I do not pass judgment on God’s word; it passes judgment on me. The extent to which a church—local, denominational, national, universal—allows God’s word to pass judgment on us will directly determine the degree to which that portion of the bride of Christ is being made holy, cleansed by the washing through the word.
5:27
and to – Second of 2 intended results of Christ loving the church and giving Himself up for her
present her – A couple thoughts occur: First, the imagery used employs the context of a wedding. In other words, Christ gave himself up so that when He consummates the marriage at the marriage supper of the Lamb, His bride will be holy, cleansed, radiant, etc. But I am already married. It is too late to present my wife on our wedding day in comparably glowing terms (although she was indeed radiant and beautiful and pure!). Still, Paul challenges me to give myself up—not as groom but as husband—in order to facilitate my wife Nancy becoming all that God can make of her.
Second thought: This takes me back to the puzzle I have already mentioned. What is there about my giving up of myself that effects these changes in my wife? And I suppose there is another question lurking inside that one: Why did it not work in my first marriage?
to himself – In every culture I know of there comes a time for some kind of ceremony, which we call marriage. And in those ceremonies, there comes a moment when the groom sees his bride. Assuming his love for her is pure, then as she approaches him, she appears to be the most beautiful creature on earth. Of course, when the mortal groom espies his mortal bride he masses a finite assessment on her beauty. But when the eternal Groom presents his bride to himself, his eternal perspective renders absolute Truth. And He will proclaim her holy, cleansed, and radiant—in fact not opinion.
as – in the appearance of
a radiant – glowing, sparkling, gleaming; a radiant bride glows from within
church – called-out community. Christ is still in the process of making the church holy so that He can present her radiant
without – not having either of these
stain – spot that has not been removed; not referring to stain on our reputation or our history; but no stain, no spot, on the church’s character
or wrinkle – sign of aging; if the church shows no sign of aging, then she has joined Christ in being immortal. Is this what Paul means?
or any other – whatever other fault or imperfection might be imagined
blemish – the church will be perfect. Don’t get me started on how far we have yet to go on that goal. But then, Paul is not talking about the humanly created, social organization called “Christianity.” He is referring to the fellowship of believers that transcends the lines of denomination. But even among this supra-denominational fellowship of believers, this bride has a long way to go before she is free of any fault. Certainly true as long as I am part of this bride.
but – contrast, instead of the negatives—stain, wrinkle, or blemish—this bride is characterized by the positives:
holy – set apart for God’s ownership and use. I can never be called ‘holy’ in my own right; I am only ‘holy’ in relation to God. He along is Holy in character; I am holy as He attaches me to Himself.
and blameless – difference between perfection and blamelessness. The former says we do everything in exactly the right way, never make a mistake or miss the mark. The latter suggests that our performance, our actions, may fall short of our intentions or motives. Christ is creating a bride, the fellowship of believers, set apart from the world, whose only motive is to glorify God in our lifestyle. Still got a ways to go on that one!
5:21
Submit – yield, give preference to; this does not suggest a lower value on me as the submitter; rather with my full value intact, I choose to give preference to you, to let go of my rights for the sake of yours.
to one another – two-way street. I submit to you; you submit to me. The trick is in submitting without keeping score. If I keep a running tally of who submitted last time, then I’m not really submitting.
out of – as a result of, evidence of, motive
reverence – respect, recognition of worth. Our submitting to each other somehow reflects on Him. Conversely, my pride or clinging to my rights reflects poorly on Him.
for Christ – the Anointed One
5:25
Husbands – tender leaders
NLT inserts “this means” – clarifies that this is how submission will look in a Christian husband
Love – showing preference for the needs and desires of my wife through my actions and attitude. This counterbalances the exhortation to wives. She is urged to submit to—yield to the rights and leadership of—her husband. At the same time, I am told to love her—to act on behalf of her needs and desires. These seem to contradict each other. But in fact they function in a dialectical tension. Each of us seeks the best for the other rather than scheming for my own advantage.
your wives – my wonderful gift from God
just as – another comparison. Previous verse draws on the same imagery: i.e., the relation between Christ and the church (ideally) sets the standard and example for the relation between the husband and wife. Specifically, tis means each seeks the well-being of the other.
Christ loved – surprisingly this is in the past tense; don’t know what if anything is to be made of that detail
the church – aka the bride of Christ
and – His love was not really known as love until he…
gave himself up – I’m tempted to preach here. But in fact, I still struggle with this. How do I give myself up and provide leadership at the same time? There must be something about the way in which Christ gave himself up and still provides loving leadership. There must be a pattern or example for me. At first thought, this phrase seems to refer to his crucifixion. But God the Son gave himself up also by surrendering His rights to be called equal with God (Philippians 2). Perhaps that is the example for me to follow. I can surrender my rights in order to effect the best for my wife.
for her – Christ did not simply surrender His rights. More than that, He did this for His bride. On her behalf, for her benefit
5:26
to – first of 2 intended consequences of Christ giving himself up. By extension, recommended as 2 worthwhile goals for me to seek to effect for my wife, as I give myself up.
make her holy – righteous, godly, clean, set apart, owned by God for His service
cleansing – remove all dirt, scrubbing, scouring, burning or searing a diseased area
her – the church, the bride of Christ. But I have to keep in mind that Paul will apply all of this to my relationship with Nancy: Somehow my giving myself up for her will lead to her being made holy, cleansed…
by – the means of achieving the cleansing and holiness
the washing – scrubbing, bathing
with – agency
water – Is he thinking of baptism? I don’t see any other interpretation
through – means or agency
the word – Scriptural teaching connected to baptism. NLT = “washed by the cleansing of God’s word.” Granted, this omits reference to water which is almost certainly in the Greek. But perhaps Paul was not thinking baptism. Maybe he was thinking that the Word of God would have the effect of bath water in making the bride of Christ holy and clean. Wow! I could go for some time on the power of God’s word to affect change. It has certainly done that in my life. But increasingly—or maybe persistently is a more accurate word—Americans think our puny minds can pass judgment on God’s word. Over the years, His word has gradually been able to bend and mold my stubborn will. The only reason is because He graced me to submit to the authority of God’s word. I do not pass judgment on God’s word; it passes judgment on me. The extent to which a church—local, denominational, national, universal—allows God’s word to pass judgment on us will directly determine the degree to which that portion of the bride of Christ is being made holy, cleansed by the washing through the word.
5:27
and to – Second of 2 intended results of Christ loving the church and giving Himself up for her
present her – A couple thoughts occur: First, the imagery used employs the context of a wedding. In other words, Christ gave himself up so that when He consummates the marriage at the marriage supper of the Lamb, His bride will be holy, cleansed, radiant, etc. But I am already married. It is too late to present my wife on our wedding day in comparably glowing terms (although she was indeed radiant and beautiful and pure!). Still, Paul challenges me to give myself up—not as groom but as husband—in order to facilitate my wife Nancy becoming all that God can make of her.
Second thought: This takes me back to the puzzle I have already mentioned. What is there about my giving up of myself that effects these changes in my wife? And I suppose there is another question lurking inside that one: Why did it not work in my first marriage?
to himself – In every culture I know of there comes a time for some kind of ceremony, which we call marriage. And in those ceremonies, there comes a moment when the groom sees his bride. Assuming his love for her is pure, then as she approaches him, she appears to be the most beautiful creature on earth. Of course, when the mortal groom espies his mortal bride he masses a finite assessment on her beauty. But when the eternal Groom presents his bride to himself, his eternal perspective renders absolute Truth. And He will proclaim her holy, cleansed, and radiant—in fact not opinion.
as – in the appearance of
a radiant – glowing, sparkling, gleaming; a radiant bride glows from within
church – called-out community. Christ is still in the process of making the church holy so that He can present her radiant
without – not having either of these
stain – spot that has not been removed; not referring to stain on our reputation or our history; but no stain, no spot, on the church’s character
or wrinkle – sign of aging; if the church shows no sign of aging, then she has joined Christ in being immortal. Is this what Paul means?
or any other – whatever other fault or imperfection might be imagined
blemish – the church will be perfect. Don’t get me started on how far we have yet to go on that goal. But then, Paul is not talking about the humanly created, social organization called “Christianity.” He is referring to the fellowship of believers that transcends the lines of denomination. But even among this supra-denominational fellowship of believers, this bride has a long way to go before she is free of any fault. Certainly true as long as I am part of this bride.
but – contrast, instead of the negatives—stain, wrinkle, or blemish—this bride is characterized by the positives:
holy – set apart for God’s ownership and use. I can never be called ‘holy’ in my own right; I am only ‘holy’ in relation to God. He along is Holy in character; I am holy as He attaches me to Himself.
and blameless – difference between perfection and blamelessness. The former says we do everything in exactly the right way, never make a mistake or miss the mark. The latter suggests that our performance, our actions, may fall short of our intentions or motives. Christ is creating a bride, the fellowship of believers, set apart from the world, whose only motive is to glorify God in our lifestyle. Still got a ways to go on that one!
Ephesians 5:21-24
5:21
Submit – yield, give preference to; this does not suggest a lower value on me as the submitter; rather with my full value intact, I choose to give preference to you, to let go of my rights for the sake of yours.
to one another – two-way street. I submit to you; you submit to me. The trick is in submitting without keeping score. If I keep a running tally of who submitted last time, then I’m not really submitting.
out of – as a result of, evidence of, motive
reverence – respect, recognition of worth. Our submitting to each other somehow reflects on Him. Conversely, my pride or clinging to my rights reflects poorly on Him.
for Christ – the Anointed One
5:22
Wives – God’s gift to me, the one who makes me complete
submit – This word is not in the Greek. Instead, it simply says “wives to your husbands as to the Lord.” But the effect is the same: release your rights. Wives are told to place their rights after their husbands’ rights, just as they would the rights of Christ. But this is said in the immediate context of all of us Christ-followers submitting to each other. In fact, this actually starts a series of 6 examples in which Paul illustrates how a Christ-follower will live out the principle of mutual submission.
to your husbands – I think this is obvious enough. What occurs to me, however, is this: In each of these illustrations I need to remember that this is not the only relationship in which I need to submit. Paul illustrates with husband-wife relations, employer-employee relations, and parent-child relations. But I have other interactions with other Christ-followers. In those contacts also, I must demonstrate the spirit of submission. (PS: Whether or not the other person practices mutual submission)
as to – in the same way as you would to …
the Lord – the Boss
5:23
For – because; give preference to him because…
the husband is – present tense
the head – This is a term of leadership, not dictatorship nor superiority. I am called to lead while (?), by (?) submitting (see v. 25ff)
of the wife – God’s gift to make me complete
as – in the same way
Christ – the Promised and Anointed One
is – simple present tense
the head – leader, not dictator. To see His leadership style, refer to verses 25-27
of the church – the called-out community. We are supposed to be different, to do community differently, to relate with each other differently. Sadly, this is too often not the case.
his – we, the Christ-followers, belong to Him
body – unity in diversity, working for a common goal
of which he is – still present tense
the Savior – He lifted me out of the miry pit. He has every right to demand and dictate my obedience. Instead, He leads me and us by giving Himself up, surrendering Himself in my stead. Now, I/we are called to follow such a leader. Similarly, wives are called to follow the leadership of their husbands. I choose not to explore all the “what ifs.” I keep trying to make each passage applicable to me. And clearly those “what ifs” do not apply to me.
5:24
Now – Transitional word, leading to an illustration or explanation
as … so also – comparison
the church – called-out community that exists and functions differently than the world at large
submits – giving preference to the rights of another over one’s own rights
to Christ – Promised Anointed One, God in the flesh
wives – God’s gift to make me whole
should submit – exhortation rather than command?! I don’t recall any instances as yet in this letter when Paul recommends a behavior instead of commanding it. For some reason, both here and in v 28, talking to husbands, he recommends this lifestyle. But he stops short of commanding it.
to their husbands – the one God gave them to provide spiritual leadership
in everything – This actually puts a heavy load of responsibility on me as the husband. If my wife submits to me in everything, then I had better make sure I provide wise, godly leadership for her to follow.
Submit – yield, give preference to; this does not suggest a lower value on me as the submitter; rather with my full value intact, I choose to give preference to you, to let go of my rights for the sake of yours.
to one another – two-way street. I submit to you; you submit to me. The trick is in submitting without keeping score. If I keep a running tally of who submitted last time, then I’m not really submitting.
out of – as a result of, evidence of, motive
reverence – respect, recognition of worth. Our submitting to each other somehow reflects on Him. Conversely, my pride or clinging to my rights reflects poorly on Him.
for Christ – the Anointed One
5:22
Wives – God’s gift to me, the one who makes me complete
submit – This word is not in the Greek. Instead, it simply says “wives to your husbands as to the Lord.” But the effect is the same: release your rights. Wives are told to place their rights after their husbands’ rights, just as they would the rights of Christ. But this is said in the immediate context of all of us Christ-followers submitting to each other. In fact, this actually starts a series of 6 examples in which Paul illustrates how a Christ-follower will live out the principle of mutual submission.
to your husbands – I think this is obvious enough. What occurs to me, however, is this: In each of these illustrations I need to remember that this is not the only relationship in which I need to submit. Paul illustrates with husband-wife relations, employer-employee relations, and parent-child relations. But I have other interactions with other Christ-followers. In those contacts also, I must demonstrate the spirit of submission. (PS: Whether or not the other person practices mutual submission)
as to – in the same way as you would to …
the Lord – the Boss
5:23
For – because; give preference to him because…
the husband is – present tense
the head – This is a term of leadership, not dictatorship nor superiority. I am called to lead while (?), by (?) submitting (see v. 25ff)
of the wife – God’s gift to make me complete
as – in the same way
Christ – the Promised and Anointed One
is – simple present tense
the head – leader, not dictator. To see His leadership style, refer to verses 25-27
of the church – the called-out community. We are supposed to be different, to do community differently, to relate with each other differently. Sadly, this is too often not the case.
his – we, the Christ-followers, belong to Him
body – unity in diversity, working for a common goal
of which he is – still present tense
the Savior – He lifted me out of the miry pit. He has every right to demand and dictate my obedience. Instead, He leads me and us by giving Himself up, surrendering Himself in my stead. Now, I/we are called to follow such a leader. Similarly, wives are called to follow the leadership of their husbands. I choose not to explore all the “what ifs.” I keep trying to make each passage applicable to me. And clearly those “what ifs” do not apply to me.
5:24
Now – Transitional word, leading to an illustration or explanation
as … so also – comparison
the church – called-out community that exists and functions differently than the world at large
submits – giving preference to the rights of another over one’s own rights
to Christ – Promised Anointed One, God in the flesh
wives – God’s gift to make me whole
should submit – exhortation rather than command?! I don’t recall any instances as yet in this letter when Paul recommends a behavior instead of commanding it. For some reason, both here and in v 28, talking to husbands, he recommends this lifestyle. But he stops short of commanding it.
to their husbands – the one God gave them to provide spiritual leadership
in everything – This actually puts a heavy load of responsibility on me as the husband. If my wife submits to me in everything, then I had better make sure I provide wise, godly leadership for her to follow.
17 March 2010
Ephesians 5:18-20
5:18
Do not – One more ban that reflects our life in Christ
get drunk – allow a substance to control me, leads to losing judgment, doing foolish things, possibly violent acts, regret the next day
on wine – or any other substance that takes control of me
which leads – consequence
to debauchery [NLT = ruin your life] – def.: “extreme indulgence in sensual pleasures; dissipation.” The only time I drank too much happened in a restricted context where I was not driving. I knew I had come under the influence when I heard myself laughing too loudly at “jokes” that weren’t funny. I stopped drinking alcohol for that night at that point. But, as evidence that one’s judgment becomes impaired, I started contemplating doing things I normally would not consider. Fortunately, those ideas never materialized.
Instead – another instance of replacing the negative with the positive
be filled – the antidote for being controlled by a substance is found in being filled—sated, saturated, absorbed, overflowing…
with the Spirit – I think the imagery is supposed to suggest that I should allow the Spirit to control me. The problem with that is: He will not control me as I understand the word. He will lead, guide, advise, counsel and seek to influence my choices. But that falls short of how I understand control, because ultimately I must make the decisions. That leaves me still in control.
I have heard preachers expound this. Friends extol it, i.e., yielding to the control of the Spirit. I have said those words more times than I recall. I even meant those words sincerely some of those times. But when I opened my eyes and stood from my knees, I still had to make the decisions myself. And, too often, my decisions were not the choices that the Holy spirit would have made—had He been in control.
The other, another, approach to this statement suggests some kind of emotional state that sounds to me like euphoria. Now, I have enjoyed many occasions when the Holy Spirit made His presence known and felt within me. A few of those times could be described as euphoric. I recall a few times when I stood (I think I happened to be standing on each such occasion), I stood with my hands in the air, tears streaming down my face, unable to voice a sound except that of my sobbing for joy.
When I think of “filled with the Spirit,” that is another of the images that come to mind. But I cannot stay there any more than He can rob me of my will. Theoretically these 2 scenarios could be imagined. But given God’s commitment to my free will and given my/our human emotional construct, neither of these conditions can or will last.
Being filled with the Spirit, then, must mean something other than His controlling my choices as well as something other than the euphoria of His intimacy. But what that “other” might be, still eludes me.
5:19
Speak – Let the words of my mouth … be acceptable in Your sight.
To one another – I thought this phrase referred to one-on-one interactions. That’s how I’ve seen similar usage in other passages, in other words, whenever I am talking with anyone. And it probably can apply in that way. But the words that follow here seem to place it in the context of the gathering of believers. Thinking of that setting, I have already addressed the terrible sin we commit at church when we spread rumors, gossip and criticism. Often our conversation rates no better than that in any work site in society. The only improvement is in our avoiding obscenities and swearing. But to counterbalance that, our words can be even more cutting. In the work place, I expect offensive, hurtful words. But stinging speech from my “brother” or “sister” pains all the more because it comes from a family member. If I rate above average by not gossiping, it is mostly because I have been stabbed so many times and so deeply. As I’ve mentioned previously, that has hyper-sensitized me to such speech.
with – list of 3 modes of expression. Curious that Paul says “speak” but he lists musical forms. My mentor has many spiritual songs memorized. Often in our weekly meeting, he will quote one in its entirety for my benefit.
psalms – I suppose this does not have to be a musical expression. But originally the psalms were meant to be sung. In order for me/us to speak with psalms, I have to have hidden them in my heart. I need to immerse myself in the psalms so that they will create, form the foundation of my speech. Perhaps I will go to the Book of Psalms for my next intensive study.
hymns – “O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing,” “Holy, Holy, Holy,” “A Mighty Fortress,” “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name,” et al. Definition: “a song or ode in praise or honor of God, a deity, a nation, etc.”
and – of equal importance. Don’t get me started on people who want to restrict the music at church to “the way church is supposed to be.” That is code for “my favorite style” and “the way I grew up.” Paul endorses 3 very different styles of musical expression and exhorts us to use all 3. If he had known of additional modes of worship and praise, Paul would have listed them also.
spiritual songs – Not sure what Paul had in mind here. I connect it with songs that focus more on our personal experience with Christ. E.g., “Victory in Jesus,” “When We All Get to Heaven,” and a wide range of others. These tend to give more emphasis to my/our experience, whereas hymns focus more on who God is and what He has done and his greatness. I also include in this category the myriad praise choruses that have flooded us in recent years. Writing with broad strokes, these generally focus on our feelings rather than God’s achievements.
Sing and make music – seems redundant after the previous, but the next phrase clarifies
in your heart – a merry, joyful heart serves as good medicine. The first half of the verse addresses conversations and interaction with other believers. This second half refers to our “self-talk.” The messages I give myself about God, about myself, about my standing with God, and about the relationship between God and me: All of these topics of “self-talk” should be characterized by the cheerful spirit I sense in the phrase “sing and make music.”
to – directed to? In regard to? At least, with the awareness of…
the Lord – the Boss, the “Captain of the Lord’s army,” etc.
5:20
always – continues the thought from previous; continuously, without end or interruption, through thick and thin
giving thanks – easy to give thanks when special blessings come to me; so the issue comes to a point when trouble and difficulties come. I’ve started hearing an inadequate response to troubles. People often say, “God has a reason” (or something similar). That is not thanksgiving; that is resignation. Paul wants me to give thanks. But how can I give thanks when a church rejects me? Or when a wife leaves me? Or when I get fired? We talked last night with a lady whose granddaughter died suddenly and mysteriously just before her 10th birthday. The lady’s son is still bitter at God. I cannot blame him. How could I give thanks for such things?
This next is not pointed at that father or grandmother. It is for me: Paul—or God through Paul—instructs me to give thanks always. I must train my will to obey. I must learn, practice and cultivate the habit of giving thanks always.
to God the Father – indescribable Light, unimaginable Purity, King of kings and Lord of lords and Boss of bosses. Every good and perfect gift comes down from God the Father of Light, in whom is no variation. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.
for everything – So I think back to those rejections. I still do not see much prospering or hope or future that has come from those. But I would have done well—it would have been wise for me and probably beneficial—to give thanks right at that time. God calls me to give thanks to Him even for and even during, always and in everything, the rejection. As to my friend whose granddaughter died: I cannot go there. God has not given me the grace to face that trial. All I can say is that God through Paul makes a blanket statement, instructing all followers of Christ in all times and for all situations to give thanks to God the Father.
in the name – in accordance with the character of
of our Lord – my Boss
Jesus Christ – Anointed/Promised Savior
Do not – One more ban that reflects our life in Christ
get drunk – allow a substance to control me, leads to losing judgment, doing foolish things, possibly violent acts, regret the next day
on wine – or any other substance that takes control of me
which leads – consequence
to debauchery [NLT = ruin your life] – def.: “extreme indulgence in sensual pleasures; dissipation.” The only time I drank too much happened in a restricted context where I was not driving. I knew I had come under the influence when I heard myself laughing too loudly at “jokes” that weren’t funny. I stopped drinking alcohol for that night at that point. But, as evidence that one’s judgment becomes impaired, I started contemplating doing things I normally would not consider. Fortunately, those ideas never materialized.
Instead – another instance of replacing the negative with the positive
be filled – the antidote for being controlled by a substance is found in being filled—sated, saturated, absorbed, overflowing…
with the Spirit – I think the imagery is supposed to suggest that I should allow the Spirit to control me. The problem with that is: He will not control me as I understand the word. He will lead, guide, advise, counsel and seek to influence my choices. But that falls short of how I understand control, because ultimately I must make the decisions. That leaves me still in control.
I have heard preachers expound this. Friends extol it, i.e., yielding to the control of the Spirit. I have said those words more times than I recall. I even meant those words sincerely some of those times. But when I opened my eyes and stood from my knees, I still had to make the decisions myself. And, too often, my decisions were not the choices that the Holy spirit would have made—had He been in control.
The other, another, approach to this statement suggests some kind of emotional state that sounds to me like euphoria. Now, I have enjoyed many occasions when the Holy Spirit made His presence known and felt within me. A few of those times could be described as euphoric. I recall a few times when I stood (I think I happened to be standing on each such occasion), I stood with my hands in the air, tears streaming down my face, unable to voice a sound except that of my sobbing for joy.
When I think of “filled with the Spirit,” that is another of the images that come to mind. But I cannot stay there any more than He can rob me of my will. Theoretically these 2 scenarios could be imagined. But given God’s commitment to my free will and given my/our human emotional construct, neither of these conditions can or will last.
Being filled with the Spirit, then, must mean something other than His controlling my choices as well as something other than the euphoria of His intimacy. But what that “other” might be, still eludes me.
5:19
Speak – Let the words of my mouth … be acceptable in Your sight.
To one another – I thought this phrase referred to one-on-one interactions. That’s how I’ve seen similar usage in other passages, in other words, whenever I am talking with anyone. And it probably can apply in that way. But the words that follow here seem to place it in the context of the gathering of believers. Thinking of that setting, I have already addressed the terrible sin we commit at church when we spread rumors, gossip and criticism. Often our conversation rates no better than that in any work site in society. The only improvement is in our avoiding obscenities and swearing. But to counterbalance that, our words can be even more cutting. In the work place, I expect offensive, hurtful words. But stinging speech from my “brother” or “sister” pains all the more because it comes from a family member. If I rate above average by not gossiping, it is mostly because I have been stabbed so many times and so deeply. As I’ve mentioned previously, that has hyper-sensitized me to such speech.
with – list of 3 modes of expression. Curious that Paul says “speak” but he lists musical forms. My mentor has many spiritual songs memorized. Often in our weekly meeting, he will quote one in its entirety for my benefit.
psalms – I suppose this does not have to be a musical expression. But originally the psalms were meant to be sung. In order for me/us to speak with psalms, I have to have hidden them in my heart. I need to immerse myself in the psalms so that they will create, form the foundation of my speech. Perhaps I will go to the Book of Psalms for my next intensive study.
hymns – “O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing,” “Holy, Holy, Holy,” “A Mighty Fortress,” “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name,” et al. Definition: “a song or ode in praise or honor of God, a deity, a nation, etc.”
and – of equal importance. Don’t get me started on people who want to restrict the music at church to “the way church is supposed to be.” That is code for “my favorite style” and “the way I grew up.” Paul endorses 3 very different styles of musical expression and exhorts us to use all 3. If he had known of additional modes of worship and praise, Paul would have listed them also.
spiritual songs – Not sure what Paul had in mind here. I connect it with songs that focus more on our personal experience with Christ. E.g., “Victory in Jesus,” “When We All Get to Heaven,” and a wide range of others. These tend to give more emphasis to my/our experience, whereas hymns focus more on who God is and what He has done and his greatness. I also include in this category the myriad praise choruses that have flooded us in recent years. Writing with broad strokes, these generally focus on our feelings rather than God’s achievements.
Sing and make music – seems redundant after the previous, but the next phrase clarifies
in your heart – a merry, joyful heart serves as good medicine. The first half of the verse addresses conversations and interaction with other believers. This second half refers to our “self-talk.” The messages I give myself about God, about myself, about my standing with God, and about the relationship between God and me: All of these topics of “self-talk” should be characterized by the cheerful spirit I sense in the phrase “sing and make music.”
to – directed to? In regard to? At least, with the awareness of…
the Lord – the Boss, the “Captain of the Lord’s army,” etc.
5:20
always – continues the thought from previous; continuously, without end or interruption, through thick and thin
giving thanks – easy to give thanks when special blessings come to me; so the issue comes to a point when trouble and difficulties come. I’ve started hearing an inadequate response to troubles. People often say, “God has a reason” (or something similar). That is not thanksgiving; that is resignation. Paul wants me to give thanks. But how can I give thanks when a church rejects me? Or when a wife leaves me? Or when I get fired? We talked last night with a lady whose granddaughter died suddenly and mysteriously just before her 10th birthday. The lady’s son is still bitter at God. I cannot blame him. How could I give thanks for such things?
This next is not pointed at that father or grandmother. It is for me: Paul—or God through Paul—instructs me to give thanks always. I must train my will to obey. I must learn, practice and cultivate the habit of giving thanks always.
to God the Father – indescribable Light, unimaginable Purity, King of kings and Lord of lords and Boss of bosses. Every good and perfect gift comes down from God the Father of Light, in whom is no variation. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.
for everything – So I think back to those rejections. I still do not see much prospering or hope or future that has come from those. But I would have done well—it would have been wise for me and probably beneficial—to give thanks right at that time. God calls me to give thanks to Him even for and even during, always and in everything, the rejection. As to my friend whose granddaughter died: I cannot go there. God has not given me the grace to face that trial. All I can say is that God through Paul makes a blanket statement, instructing all followers of Christ in all times and for all situations to give thanks to God the Father.
in the name – in accordance with the character of
of our Lord – my Boss
Jesus Christ – Anointed/Promised Savior
15 March 2010
Ephesians 5:15-17
5:15
Be very – extra, beyond normal bounds
careful – watching out, alert, paying attention, look for warning signs of danger
then – therefore. Because I am light and because I want the Light to keep shining in and through me, therefore …
how you live – lifestyle, thought patterns, habits, routines. It takes much concerted effort to break out of a rut, a routine. God of Light, help me.
not … but – short contrast between opposite alternatives
as unwise – First alternative: not paying attention, following the crowd or following my own routine, my rut. Oblivious to dangers, warning signs, of ultimate result of this routing. Living for today. This is folly.
as wise – Second option: paying attention, mindful of tomorrow’s consequences or benefits for today’s actions. Aware of God’s presence in all my choices and behavior.
5:16
making – energy, effort, personal investment; the increase of good is not exclusively God’s responsibility. I must invest in this project as well.
the most – maximizing, get all I can
of every – don’t be lazy, keep focused, don’t miss a single …
opportunity – sounds like a training course for a sales job. Always go for a sale. Close the deal. What opportunity(ies) does Paul have in mind? Doing good, advancing the Kingdom, shining God’s light. I guess this third thought fits the context best, although the first two could be connected.
because – reason for maximizing opportunities
the days – this present period of time
are – present tense; still true today
evil – darkness, secrecy, harming others, using others, self-centered “using people and loving things”
5:17
Therefore – as a result of: (1) Light exposing disobedience, and (2) The prevalence of evil…
do not be – warning against, instruction to avoid
foolish – acting in a way I will regret tomorrow; live to have fun now with no thought of the consequences
but – contrast, replace “foolish” with…
understand – be aware, pay attention to what is happening and what will or could happen, ask the hard “why” questions, seek God’s perspective on the evil and the light
what the Lord’s will is – What does the Boss want done? Many believers like to use the phrase, “Lord, have Your will.” This sounds very spiritual and they defend the practice by quoting Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Not my will, but Thine be done.” At least two problems with that appear:
First, that statement of submission came at the end of the prayer. Jesus had already wrestled with the Father over the pending crisis. In contrast, many today simply list a problem and immediately say (in effect) “have your will.”
The second problem was suggested in the first: Jesus wrestled, contended with the Father, seeking a different solution to the problem of the sins of the world. This is consistent with His entire ministry. Daily—even hourly—He consulted with God the Father to sense what the Father was doing. Then He acted accordingly.
If my boss called me to his office and mentioned a certain problem in the company, what would I do? Would I just say, “Well, boss, whatever you want to do is okay with me. Just have your will, boss.” No. He and I are meeting to exchange views and discuss solutions. Obviously, as the boss, he has the final say. But I, as part of the team, can influence his decision.
I contend that we act most like Jesus and most like the great servants of God when first, we seek to understand God’s will. Then second we venture suggested solutions. And finally when we submit to His decision. But jumping immediately to the last step: (1) short circuits the process; (2) constitutes false submission; and (3) robs both God and me of the intimate relationship He wants and I need.
Be very – extra, beyond normal bounds
careful – watching out, alert, paying attention, look for warning signs of danger
then – therefore. Because I am light and because I want the Light to keep shining in and through me, therefore …
how you live – lifestyle, thought patterns, habits, routines. It takes much concerted effort to break out of a rut, a routine. God of Light, help me.
not … but – short contrast between opposite alternatives
as unwise – First alternative: not paying attention, following the crowd or following my own routine, my rut. Oblivious to dangers, warning signs, of ultimate result of this routing. Living for today. This is folly.
as wise – Second option: paying attention, mindful of tomorrow’s consequences or benefits for today’s actions. Aware of God’s presence in all my choices and behavior.
5:16
making – energy, effort, personal investment; the increase of good is not exclusively God’s responsibility. I must invest in this project as well.
the most – maximizing, get all I can
of every – don’t be lazy, keep focused, don’t miss a single …
opportunity – sounds like a training course for a sales job. Always go for a sale. Close the deal. What opportunity(ies) does Paul have in mind? Doing good, advancing the Kingdom, shining God’s light. I guess this third thought fits the context best, although the first two could be connected.
because – reason for maximizing opportunities
the days – this present period of time
are – present tense; still true today
evil – darkness, secrecy, harming others, using others, self-centered “using people and loving things”
5:17
Therefore – as a result of: (1) Light exposing disobedience, and (2) The prevalence of evil…
do not be – warning against, instruction to avoid
foolish – acting in a way I will regret tomorrow; live to have fun now with no thought of the consequences
but – contrast, replace “foolish” with…
understand – be aware, pay attention to what is happening and what will or could happen, ask the hard “why” questions, seek God’s perspective on the evil and the light
what the Lord’s will is – What does the Boss want done? Many believers like to use the phrase, “Lord, have Your will.” This sounds very spiritual and they defend the practice by quoting Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Not my will, but Thine be done.” At least two problems with that appear:
First, that statement of submission came at the end of the prayer. Jesus had already wrestled with the Father over the pending crisis. In contrast, many today simply list a problem and immediately say (in effect) “have your will.”
The second problem was suggested in the first: Jesus wrestled, contended with the Father, seeking a different solution to the problem of the sins of the world. This is consistent with His entire ministry. Daily—even hourly—He consulted with God the Father to sense what the Father was doing. Then He acted accordingly.
If my boss called me to his office and mentioned a certain problem in the company, what would I do? Would I just say, “Well, boss, whatever you want to do is okay with me. Just have your will, boss.” No. He and I are meeting to exchange views and discuss solutions. Obviously, as the boss, he has the final say. But I, as part of the team, can influence his decision.
I contend that we act most like Jesus and most like the great servants of God when first, we seek to understand God’s will. Then second we venture suggested solutions. And finally when we submit to His decision. But jumping immediately to the last step: (1) short circuits the process; (2) constitutes false submission; and (3) robs both God and me of the intimate relationship He wants and I need.
Ephesians 5:13-14
5:13
But – contrast to secret
everything – no exceptions
exposed – revealed, cf. above
by the light – truth, openness, transparency; comes looking for, searching out and exposing the secrets. Light is the active agent in this construction. We do not bring the secrets to the light, but the light exposes them.
becomes – changes status
visible – seen, obvious, openly known
5:14
for – because, reason
it is light – sunbeams, candles, lamps, light bulbs, head lamps, lasers, spotlights; this phrase uses a truism to make a good point about openness and transparency in our relationships with God and people
that makes … visible – causes/enables to be seen. Dirt, dust and cobwebs hide until a light shines on them
everything – strong enough light, shining in enough areas of my life, will expose, bring into the open, all the secrets I protect.
This is why – explanatory reason
it is said – citing another source. NLT footnote suggests, “This quotation may be a portion of an early church liturgy. It also appears to be loosely based on Isaiah 26:19 and 60:1.”
“Wake up – become aware, pay attention, come out of dreamland regain consciousness
O sleeper – life goes on while I remain unaware. If I remain asleep when it is time to awaken, that is called sloth.
rise – come up, stir, revitalize
from the dead – insensate. The dead people are those who are beyond hope. This calls me to leave the hopeless crowd. While God initiates my redemption, clearly I have a role, a part, in the events, by the choices I make. I can choose to remain asleep, opt to remain with the hopeless who are insensitive to God’s call. Or I can awaken and rise.
and – in response to my awakening and rising…
Christ – the Promised, Anointed One
will shine – cause His light to focus…
on you – on me. The light of Christ will reveal—and by extension remove and cleanse—the dust and cobwebs I try to hide.
But – contrast to secret
everything – no exceptions
exposed – revealed, cf. above
by the light – truth, openness, transparency; comes looking for, searching out and exposing the secrets. Light is the active agent in this construction. We do not bring the secrets to the light, but the light exposes them.
becomes – changes status
visible – seen, obvious, openly known
5:14
for – because, reason
it is light – sunbeams, candles, lamps, light bulbs, head lamps, lasers, spotlights; this phrase uses a truism to make a good point about openness and transparency in our relationships with God and people
that makes … visible – causes/enables to be seen. Dirt, dust and cobwebs hide until a light shines on them
everything – strong enough light, shining in enough areas of my life, will expose, bring into the open, all the secrets I protect.
This is why – explanatory reason
it is said – citing another source. NLT footnote suggests, “This quotation may be a portion of an early church liturgy. It also appears to be loosely based on Isaiah 26:19 and 60:1.”
“Wake up – become aware, pay attention, come out of dreamland regain consciousness
O sleeper – life goes on while I remain unaware. If I remain asleep when it is time to awaken, that is called sloth.
rise – come up, stir, revitalize
from the dead – insensate. The dead people are those who are beyond hope. This calls me to leave the hopeless crowd. While God initiates my redemption, clearly I have a role, a part, in the events, by the choices I make. I can choose to remain asleep, opt to remain with the hopeless who are insensitive to God’s call. Or I can awaken and rise.
and – in response to my awakening and rising…
Christ – the Promised, Anointed One
will shine – cause His light to focus…
on you – on me. The light of Christ will reveal—and by extension remove and cleanse—the dust and cobwebs I try to hide.
Ephesians 5:11-12
5:11(Jan 1, 2010)[No particular reason; but in my notes, I observed that this was the date for this entry.]
Have – start of another command, instruction. Does this continue the list started in v. 8? Or does it answer what it means to find out what pleases the Lord? Either way, Paul gives another example of leaving darkness and being light (v. 8)
Have nothing to do with – completely avoid, don’t come close, don’t even watch (as on TV in my case)
the fruitless – pointless, no benefit, futile, empty, waste of time
deeds – activity, energy; investing time, thought and involvement
of darkness – “Men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” Darkness: obscure, hidden, secret. How many “fruitless deeds of darkness” do I participate in vicariously by watching them on TV? How much adultery and immorality do I condone through the TV programs I watch? What does God want me to do about that this new year? Today?
but rather – strong contrast, instead of silently watching and thereby tacitly approving and vicariously participating…
expose – shine light upon, bring into the open, draw attention to, reveal, name names
them – the fruitless deeds of darkness; and their "doers"?
5:12
For – reason for avoiding and exposing
it is shameful – embarrassing, humiliating, disgraceful, stain on my character, loss of face
even to mention – just talking about it, much less watching it performed on the tube
what – fruitless deeds of darkness
the disobedient – the dichotomy has switched from “Jew versus Gentile.” It is now between “the disobedient versus the obedient.” Disobedient: Those who choose to make their own rules, who do not follow the Boss/Lord.
do – “sow a deed, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a lifestyle; so a lifestyle, reap a destiny.”
in secret – hidden from public view; but not hidden from God. [Added, Jan 26: I really need to work on my secret life. Lord keep me sensitive to Your presence and how my secrecy hurts You.]
Have – start of another command, instruction. Does this continue the list started in v. 8? Or does it answer what it means to find out what pleases the Lord? Either way, Paul gives another example of leaving darkness and being light (v. 8)
Have nothing to do with – completely avoid, don’t come close, don’t even watch (as on TV in my case)
the fruitless – pointless, no benefit, futile, empty, waste of time
deeds – activity, energy; investing time, thought and involvement
of darkness – “Men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” Darkness: obscure, hidden, secret. How many “fruitless deeds of darkness” do I participate in vicariously by watching them on TV? How much adultery and immorality do I condone through the TV programs I watch? What does God want me to do about that this new year? Today?
but rather – strong contrast, instead of silently watching and thereby tacitly approving and vicariously participating…
expose – shine light upon, bring into the open, draw attention to, reveal, name names
them – the fruitless deeds of darkness; and their "doers"?
5:12
For – reason for avoiding and exposing
it is shameful – embarrassing, humiliating, disgraceful, stain on my character, loss of face
even to mention – just talking about it, much less watching it performed on the tube
what – fruitless deeds of darkness
the disobedient – the dichotomy has switched from “Jew versus Gentile.” It is now between “the disobedient versus the obedient.” Disobedient: Those who choose to make their own rules, who do not follow the Boss/Lord.
do – “sow a deed, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a lifestyle; so a lifestyle, reap a destiny.”
in secret – hidden from public view; but not hidden from God. [Added, Jan 26: I really need to work on my secret life. Lord keep me sensitive to Your presence and how my secrecy hurts You.]
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