The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 52

I. THE HIGHEST OFFICE IN THE WORLD. "An apostle of Jesus Christ." 1. He was a muse11gcr of tlie gre,atest Person. How great was his Master I Messengers of inferior personages are often but little esteemed, whilst those of illustrious ones are held in high ~onour. He w~o represents a kin:g receiv~ some~hing of kingly homage. An" apostle" IS a representative of" Jesus Christ," who is the ::son of God, the Creator of the universe an2 the Head of all " principalities and powers." But what was his message? 2. H~ was the bearer of tM grandest 'IMS$Gfle. He who bears an important message-a r.:e&,age on which the interest of a neighbourhood or the destiny of a nation depends , wi:; sts.mp the hearts of men with awe. An apostle of Christ delivers the highest r.:essage-pa.rdon to the guilty, light to the benighted, freedom to the slave, immortality t0 the dying, salvation t-0 the lost. 3. He was a messenger of Christ by the "will of Goo." Many go out in the name of Christ, but not according to the Divine will. The Eternal has never called them to missions so holy and momentous, and hence they misrepresent the doctrines and the genius of his blessed Son. This was not Paul's case. He was called to be an "apostle," "separated unto the gospel of God" (Rom. i. 1). He felt this. "When it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by grace," etc. What office in the world approaches this in sublimity? A messenger of Christ by the "will of God" I He who by the" will of God" bears Christ's message to the hearts of men sustains a position, compared with ,vhich the most elevated offices amongst men sink into contempt. • IL THE HIGHEST CHARACTERS IN TBE WORLD. "To the saints," etc. "Saints" and • faithful" Who are they ? They are those who are consecrated in soul to truth, and love and God, and this because they are faithful They are made holy through their faith in Christ.. All moral, excellence in man is derived in this way and in no other. Philosophy, history, and the Bible show this. Notice, these saint.'! resided at "Ephesus." This, the chief city in .Asia Minor, was the centre and stronghold of paganism; it had the temple of Diana, one of the greatest wonders of the world. It.'! influence upon millions was immense., and its appeal was to men's snperstition, sensualism, and selfishness. .Albeit there were Christians there, holy and believing men. This shows : 1. Man i.s not neai;sa,ri/,y the creature of circumstances. 2. Thu.I, with the possession of the gospd,, a reUgious life is practi,cable everywhere. What characters in society are equal t-0 those of genuine" saints"? None. They are "lights;" without them the social heavens would be midnight. They are "living stones;" without then1 the social temple wonld fall to ruins. They are " salt; " without them the social body would become putrescent and pestilential Ill. THE HIGHEST BLESSINGS IN TBE WORLD. "Grace and peace." Here are two blessings. 1. Divine favour. "Grace." The love, the benediction, the approbation of God. What a boon this I 2. Spiritual peace. "Peace," not. inse_nsibility, not starnation, bnt a repose of the soul in God. Men through sin have Jost peace. "The wic"ked are like the troubled sea." Sinners are at war with themselves, society, the universe, God. But through God's love,. through Christ souls are at one with all. "Peace "-sweet word, blessed thing l To the mariner after a storm, to·a nation after a war how blessed! But far more blessed to the soul aft.er a life-war with self and its Mak~. "He will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed upon God." Who will say that there are any higher things on earth than are found in this tut? And these highest thin,,us, thank God, we may all possess. We may all, in a sense, be apostles of Ghrist.. We may be all" saintB and faithful." We may all partake of the .. grace• of God and possess the blessed" Elpf/"'l,"-D. T. ,ers. 3-6.-Tne mlemptive predestination of God a reason for 'fTIO/ll,'a ecmdtanl gratitude. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed w with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ t-0 himself, according t-0 the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved." The leading subject of these words is the redemptive predestination of God a reason for man's exultant gratitude. . "Blessed_ be _the God and !ather of . our_ Lo~d Jesus Christ," etc. We say redemptive predestmat1on, for there 1s predestination 1n every OIL I. 1-23.] THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS.