The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 118

Vers. 8, 9.-The apost'le's high privilege. Very often does he refer, with·a sori of grate- ful humility, to the Divine favour in attaching him to the senice of the gospel . . J. MARK THE OONTRAST BETWEEN HIS CALL AND HIS SENSE OF PERSONAL NOTHINGNESS. "Less than the least of a.11 saints." The expression is exceedingly emphatic, being a comparative formed upon a superlative. He could never forget his share in the death of Stephen, and his fierce persecutions of the Church of God. This was the sin which though forgiven by God, could never be forgiven by himself. But he was likewise con- scious of his own weakness and sinfulness, as we know by the very forcible phrase, "of sinners I am chief," v.hich he uses as a 1:iresently believing man. l:iuch language of self- abasement i;; a mark of true saint.ship. The highest saints are usually the most distin- guished. by their humility. The term by which he desci:ibes himself illlplies thi,t.t there a.re s.unts in Christ's kingdom-little, less, least; not that there is any dilfei:ence in their title, but a difference at once in their realization of their own unworthiness and in tbe degree of their conformity to him who was ·at once "meek al)d lowly." Now, while the consciousness of his own unworthiness stood out in mal"ked cont{ast to the high function to which he wa.~ ea.lied in God's grace, he does not shrink from asserting his authority as an ambassador of Christ iu the strongest terms, but always with the con- viction of one who ascribes all his success, not to his own merits, but to "the gift of the grace of God." His call to the apostleship involved his conven,ion, and his con- version was "by the effectual working of God's power.I' II. CoNSIDER ms MESSAGE TO THE GENTILES. "The -unsearchable riches of Christ." We read of riches of grace and riches of glory, but the plenitude of all Divine bless- ings is in him. l. The apostle does not specify what is included in the '·' riches of Christ." He who was rich for our sakes became poor that" ye through his poverty might be made rich " (2 Cor. viii. 9). We s,ee the source of all the riche~it is in himself. But Scripture shows that, while in him there was all the fulness of the God- head bodily, with the real design of his filling us eventually with all the fulness of God, "the riches of Christ" are scattered over the whole path of. a believer, from its starting-point in conversion till it is lost in the glories of the eternal inheritance.· He is rich in love, rich in compassion, rich in mercy, rich in grace, rich in peace,:rich in promise, rich in reward, rich in all the blessings of the new and better covenant, as ho must be because he is "made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, redemp- tion.." 2. Tlt1J richea of Christ are "'llln8eOIT'cluible." The word suggests the idea of the difficulty of tracing footsteps. Who Clln trace the .footsteps of God? Whatever of power is infinite power· whatever of wisdom is infinite wisdom; whatever of love is in.finite love. (1) We ~nnot traco the extent of the "riches of Christ." We may apply a double st;andard of measurement, taking account of t~e infinite _altitude of ~he sources whence his salvation has flowed, and of the depths of sm and misery to which salvation had to descend in order to reach its objects. Yet we have not searched out· the riches of Christ. He put forth upon our salvation all the invention of his omni- scient wisdom, applied to it the utmost energies of his omnipotent power, and lavished upon it the exceeding riches of his infinite good?ess-neithe~ mercy_ conflicting wit~ justice, nor love with righteousness, nor compassion for the smner wit? ~a.tred of ?1s sins. (2) The riches of Christ are unsearcha\:>le so far they are undimm1shed with use or time. Who can trace the limits of their application? Millions have drunk of the "water of the wells of salvation," but these wells are still unexhausted and inex.haUBtible. The rivers of the earth may fail; there may bll dry wastes where now there are running streams ; but the riches of Christ can never fail, though thousands of nec-iy souls have drawn from them and twice ten thousand more will yet come to OH, III, 1-21.] THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 115