Ephesians
Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians
Lesson 8
Gifts
Ephesians Chapter 4:8-10
Prayer
Father, as we grow further in your word,
we ask for clarity in vision and understanding in our minds,
so that we might rightly use the principles you have given to us.
Teach us Father for your honor and glory.
We ask for the humbleness of mind that will help us
to follow your word towards completion of our task here on this earth.
We wish to find ourselves standing around your throne
giving you the praise that is due to you,
and we sense in the heaviness of your presence,
the glory of your essence, which is our greatest gift from you.
Keyword: Gifts
The following section of Scriptures has, by far and away, been the most difficult to understand in the entire book of Ephesians for some folks. There are questions about the necessity of these verses even being in this chapter, its meaning for the chapter, the relationship to the Incarnation of Christ and other questions.
Our goal here is to reach out to the common man with a beginning of an in depth, word by word, sometimes, translation of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. With the exception of the word fill in verse 10 the Greek is no help to our study here; all the words seem to express in English the same as in the original Greek.
Ephesians 4:8-10
8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave
gifts unto men. [Wherefore he saith] The word he is not in the original Greek; and it may mean the Scripture saith, or God saith, or the Holy Spirit saith. When Jesus ascended to heaven, He obtained certain "gifts" for people, and these gifts are bestowed upon his people accordingly. Paul quotes this passage from Ps 68:18, and applies it to the ascension of our Redeemer Jesus Christ.As a triumphant conqueror distributes the material goods of foes as gifts among his people, so Christ, after Calvary spreads his gifts to His saints, while ascending to his seat of authority. The impartation of the gifts of the Spirit depended on Christ's ascension. (John 7:39; 14:12). While the Incarnation started the entire process of our Salvation, and the crucifixion paid our debt for sin, it was the resurrection that validated Christ’s plan for our eternal reward.
Previous gifts of the Spirit were but a security deposit at Pentecost (Acts 2:33).
We must interject a note here about this concept of Scripture authentication. We feel that the apostle Paul had the equivalent of a Th.D degree at the feet of the Rabbi Hillel probably the most astute and learned scholar of all time. Since their studies were based upon an oral tradition of learning their need for mnemonics is thought to be more developed than ours.
Their memorization of Old Testament was a necessity.
Since it is our belief that most of the Bible was written by the Holy Spirit through the hands of the Apostle Paul and others, we have the preconceived notion, when reading and interpreting Scripture, that the Holy Writ is inspired. Every word of the Scripture is given to us for our edification, or building up of our most holy faith.
It is our duty then to find the reason why the Apostle Paul gives the impression that King David was a prophet, prophesying about Jesus as the Messiah.
Psalm 68 was composed during the event of removing the ark of the covenant from Kirjath-jearim to Mount Zion as recorded in 2 Sam 6:1 ff. Psalm 68:18 is a song of triumph, celebrating the victories of YAHWEH, and particularly the victories which had been achieved when the ark was at the head of the army. It appears to have no relation to the Messiah; nor would it probably occur to anyone upon reading Psalm 68, that it referred to Christ’s ascension, unless it had been so quoted by the apostle Paul here in Ephesians the fourth chapter.
9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
Actually this is a rhetorical question. Paul is stating here that in order to arise from the lowest parts, it is first necessary to go down into the lower parts of the earth. What does Paul mean here in this verse though? Does Paul mean the lowest parts such as the earth’s core or the actual descent from the cross to the grave? We believe it was the trip of death Jesus undertook to set at liberty those captives who had died before the gates of heaven were opened before the cross and resurrection had been accomplished
10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) KJV
The word fill in this verse is an interesting one in the Greek. It means to fill to the rim … to cram as much as possible…into a small case or bowl. If indeed Our Lord Jesus was to sit at the right hand of the Father then He is as omnipresent as the Heavenly Father is at this very moment. It would also stand to reason that all the characteristics of the Trinity are available to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ so He is …all in all.
In our next lesson we shall see the best practical lessons for daily living that the bible teaches. Oh what a teacher the Holy Spirit is!!