THE LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS
Lesson 2: Chapters 3:1-4:25
The World Mission of the Church Continued
Most Holy Father,
St. Paul reminds us of the great privilege of our divine election as
heirs of Christ. Our inheritance is sealed and secured in our baptism by the
Holy Spirit who elicits and develops in us an inward virtue of goodness
grounded in the hope of our ultimate salvation. We are grateful Lord, and at
the same time we are mindful of our obligation to live in holiness as Your
children while we make our journey through this life in the hope of crossing
the threshold into the next life in Your heavenly Kingdom. Please send Your
Spirit, He who is the Spirit of Truth, to guide us in our study of St. Paul's
letter to the Christians in Asia Minor as he reminds them and us that grace and
peace come from the Father, and the Son, and from the Holy Spirit who
sanctifies the faithful. We pray in the name of God the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Spirit. Amen.
+ + +
When Jesus Christ elected Paul and
made him an apostle, he elected him through the Spirit by the will of God for
the power through whom God works his will. Let us therefore understand, as I
often say, that the will of God is the very power, greatness and substance of
the whole divine plenitude. Christ "that is, God's Word which was in Christ "is
the will of God. Those who consider this more closely will find that God and
his will are inseparable.
Marius Victorinus, Epistle to
the Ephesians, 1.1.1
In Lesson 1 did you notice the impersonal tone of the letter that is so unlike the tone of St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians? It was mentioned in the Introduction to this study that two of the reasons Biblical scholars (as far back as the Fathers of the Church) suggest this letter is not addressed to any one community but is an encyclical letter sent to several faith communities is the impersonal tone of the letter and that the place-name "Ephesus" is absent in all the earliest and best manuscripts. For example, in Paul's letter to the Galatians he mentions them by name in Galatians 1:2 and 3:1; in Paul's letter to the Corinthians he mentions them in 1 Corinthians 1:2; 2 Corinthians 1:1, 23 and 6:11; in Paul's letter to the Philippians he mentions them 1:1 and 4:15; and in Paul's letter to the Romans he mentions the Roman Christians in 1:7 and 15. In these other letters, Paul mentions specific strengths and weaknesses in the various communities, sends greetings to the community as a whole, and mentions specific individuals (1 Cor 16:12, 17, 19; Phil 4:18, and in Romans to many specific individuals and their families). All of these aspects found in Paul's other letters are missing in the letter to the Ephesians in which the general tone and subject matter suggests that the letter could be addressed to all Christians.
In this letter, it is important to understand Paul's use of the Greek word charis. It is a word Paul uses frequently in his letters. He has already used it six times in Ephesians 1:2, 6, 7; 2:5, 7, 8; 2:5, and 8 in the first lesson on chapters 1-2, and Paul will use the word charis an additional six times for a total of twelve times (also see Eph 3:2, 7, 8; 4:7, 29; 6:24). St. Paul uses charis to indicate a gift given freely and unearned. In his letters and in the other New Testament letters, the word charis is most often employed to describe the way in which God offers the gift of salvation through Jesus the Son; we translate this word as "grace."
| Jesus' Incarnation was an act of grace. | John 1:14, 17; 2 Corinthians 8:9; Titus 2:11 |
| Jesus' self-sacrificial death was an act of grace "a gift of the Father. | Romans 8:32; 1 Corinthians 2:12; Ephesians 1:6ff; Hebrews 2:9 |
| Through grace we are justified, receive salvation, and the right to eternal life without the works of the Law. | Romans 3:24; 4:4ff; Ephesians 2:5, 8; Titus 3:7; Acts 15:11 |
| It will be an act of grace when we receive everlasting glory. | 1 Peter 1:13 |
| Jesus' Second Advent will be an act of grace. | 2 Thessalonians 1:12 |
It is also possible to receive grace "in vain" (2 Cor 6:1), to "fall from grace" (Gal 5:4); to forfeit grace and insult "the Spirit of grace" (Heb 12:15; 10:29). Above all, grace must be carefully guarded. God's gift of grace must be applied in one's life wisely because it is necessary for grace to increase. In other words, we must continually grow in grace to be strengthen on our faith journey in order to help us obtain our eternal goal of salvation (Acts 13:43; 14:26; Rom 5:2; Heb 12:28; 13:9; 1 Pt 4:10; 5:12; 2 Pt 3:18; 2 Tim 2:1).
It was mentioned in Lesson 1 that St. Paul wrote about salvation as a past event in Ephesians 2:5 and 8 (underlining added to emphasize the past tense):
However, do not misunderstand Paul's statements to suggest that salvation is only a one-time, past event in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, as some Christian denominations misunderstand our goal of salvation in Christ Jesus. In his letters, Paul writes about salvation in the past, present and future as a process with many points of justification along each individual's faith journey to the gates of Heaven and eternal union with the Most Holy Trinity. The following chart provides some examples of Scripture passages that support the past, present, and future dimensions of salvation:
| Past | Present | Future |
| Ephesians 2:5 | 1 Peter 1:8-9 | Romans 13:11 |
| Ephesians 2:8 | 1 Corinthians 1:18 | 1 Corinthians 3:15 |
| Philippians 2:12 | 1 Corinthians 5:5 |
Also see CCC #588, 1256-57, 1277, 1739-42 and 1889 on the three dimensions of salvation as taught by the Church.
The definition of salvation: "In
biblical language the deliverance from straitened circumstances or oppression
by some evil to a state of freedom and security. As sin is the greatest evil,
salvation is mainly liberation from sin and its consequences. This can be
deliverance by way of preservation, or by offering the means for being
delivered, or by removing the oppressive evil or difficulty, or by rewarding
the effort spent in co-operating with grace in order to be delivered. All four
aspects of salvation are found in the Scriptures and are taught by the Church.
[Etym. Latin salvare, to save']" Catholic Dictionary, page 391-2.
Also see CCC 1256-59, 1261, 1277 = baptism is necessary for salvation; CCC 588
= all need salvation; CCC 432, 452, 161, 1507 = Jesus Christ is the only way
to salvation; CCC 776, 780, 816 = the Church is God's instrument of salvation;
CCC 1811, 1949, 2448 = God gives us the grace that is necessary to lead us to
salvation.
That Jesus is the only way to
salvation is affirmed by the Church in CCC 161: "Believing in Jesus Christ and
in the One who sent him for our salvation is necessary for obtaining that
salvation. Since without faith it is impossible to please [God]' and to
attain to the fellowship of his Son, therefore without faith no one has ever
attained justification, nor will anyone obtain eternal life but he who endures
to the end'" (quoting Dei Filius 3; Matthew 10:22; 24:13;
Hebrews 11:6; Council of Trent: DS 1532; also see Acts 4:12).
St. Paul writes that faith is our response to God's grace, and the necessity of faith is the first step in the process of salvation. The journey to salvation lasts one's entire life and also includes the command of obedience to Jesus' teachings and commandments to attain entrance into Heaven, which Paul called "the obedience of faith" (Rom 1:5; 16:26). The inspired writer of the Letter to the Hebrews, believed by many scholars to be St. Paul, wrote about the necessity of obedience in the process of salvation. Concerning Jesus' sacrifice for the sake of our salvation he wrote: Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him ... (Heb 5:8-9, emphasis added; also see Jn 14:15, 21; 15:10; 2 Thes 1:8; 3:14; 1 Pt 3:1; 4:17; 1 Jn 3:22, 24; 2:3; 5:3; 2 Jn verse 6; especially Jesus' command to love others as He has loved us in Jn 15:12). Jesus taught that the Last Judgment will be based on how we demonstrated our obedience in His command to love (Mt 25:31-46).
Writing about our future salvation and the necessity of being prepared, St. Peter warned that one should be careful not to misinterpret St. Paul's teachings on salvation: And consider that patience of our Lord as salvation, as our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, also wrote to you, speaking of these things as he does in all his letters. In them there are some things hard to understand that the ignorant and unstable distort to their own destruction, just as they do the other Scriptures (2 Pt 3:15-16). Earlier in the same letter St. Peter gave the warning: Know this first of all, that there is no prophecy of Scripture that is a matter of personal interpretation, for no prophecy ever came through human will; but rather human beings moved by the Holy Spirit spoke under the influence of God (2 Pt 1:20-21). Under the guiding direction of the Holy Spirit, it is the Church that has the power and authority to interpret the meaning of Scripture (Mt 18:18; Jn 20:22-23; CCC 109-119).
CHAPTER 3
The World Mission of the Church
He [Jesus] answered them, "The
mystery of the kingdom of God has been granted to you. But to those outside
everything comes in parables, so that they may look and see but not perceive,
and hear and listen but not understand, in order that they may not be converted
and be forgiven.'"
Mark 4:11
Ephesians 3:1-6 ~ The Mystery of God's Divine Plan
1 Because of this, I,
Paul, a prisoner of Christ [Jesus] for you Gentiles "2 if, as I suppose, you have heard of the
stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for your benefit, 3 [namely, that] the mystery was made
known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly earlier. 4 When you read this you can understand
my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which
was not made known to human beings in other generations as it has now been
revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit, 6 that the Gentiles are coheirs, members
of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the
Gospel.
[] brackets in the translation indicates a word or words that are not
found in the oldest and best manuscripts and are probably glosses added by later
scribes.
1 Because of this, I,
Paul, a prisoner of Christ [Jesus] for you Gentiles ...
Paul identifies himself a second time as the writer of the letter and
includes the information that he is writing from prison because he preaches the
Gospel of Jesus Christ.
2 if, as I suppose, you
have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for your
benefit...
He reflects on his mission to the Gentiles (3:1-2), first announced by
Jesus to the Christian prophet Ananias in Acts 9:14-16.
Question: How is Paul empowered to preach the Gospel to the
Gentiles? See Eph 3:2, 7; Rom 1:5; and 1 Cor 3:10.
Answer: It is the gift of the grace of God that that empowers
him.
Notice that in verse 2 Paul uses the word "grace" as a gift entrusted as a "stewardship" to dispense to others through his teaching and not as a possession.
3 [namely, that] the
mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly earlier.
Paul is referring to the revelation he received in his conversion experience
on the Damascus Road, which St. Luke recorded several times in Acts (Acts 9:1-19;
22:6-21; 26:12-18) and which Paul referred to in his letter to the Galatians in
1:12-16. The word "mystery" applied to God's divine plan by Jesus in Mark 4:11
is repeated by Paul in this letter six times in 1:9; 3:3, 4, 9; 5:32; 6:19
(also in other New Testament letters including Rom 11:25; 16:25; 1 Cor 2:7;
15:51; Col 1:26, 27; 2:2; 4:3; 1 Tim 3:9, 16 and in Rev 10:7).
4 When you read this you
can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to human
beings in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles
and prophets by the Spirit ...
In verse 3 Paul is referring to his appointment to his apostolic office
to carry the Gospel to the Gentiles. He writes that his insight through divine
revelation, the same revelation by the Holy Spirit to the other apostles and
prophets in the Church, has enriched the understanding of the mystery of God's
divine plan of salvation in Christ, which in this case Paul applies to the
inclusion of the Gentiles. The New Covenant prophets that Paul also mentioned
in 2:20 have the fullness of the revelation of God's plan while the Old
Covenant prophets only had an imperfect understanding of the mystery of God's
divine plan in sending the Messiah. Addressing the Old Testament prophet's
obscure knowledge of the Messiah, St. Peter wrote: Concerning this
salvation, prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours
searched and investigated it, investigating the time and circumstances that the
Spirit of Christ within them indicated when it testified in advance to the
sufferings destined for Christ and the glories to follow them. It was revealed
to them that they were serving not themselves but you with regard to the things
that have now been announced to you by those who preached the good news to you
through the Holy Spirit send from heaven, things into which angels longed to
look (1 Pt 1:10-12; also see CCC 1066).
Question: Is the mystery of God's divine plan fulfilled in the
Resurrection and Ascension of the Christ or is there more to come? See 1 Thes 4:16 and Rev 10:7
Answer: God's divine plan is not completely fulfilled until the
Second Advent of Christ, as an angel told St. John in the Book of the
Revelation of Jesus Christ: "At the time when you hear the seventh angel
flow his trumpet, the mysterious plan of God shall be fulfilled, as he promised
to his servants the prophets."
Question: According to Paul in verse 6, what is an important
aspect of the mystery of God's divine plan?
Answer: The newly revealed part of the mystery of God's plan is
that the Gentiles are part of God's plan for mankind.
Question: What does God's divine plan include that is new for
the Gentiles?
Answer:
Ephesians 3:7-13 ~ Paul Commissioned to Preach God's Plan
7 Of this I became a
minister by the gift of God's grace that was granted me in accord with the
exercise of his power. 8 To
me, the very least of all the holy ones, this grace was given, to preach to the
Gentiles the inscrutable riches of Christ, 9
and to bring to light [for all] what is the plan of the mystery
hidden from ages past in God who created all things, 10 so that the manifold wisdom of God
might now be made known through the Church to the principalities and
authorities in the heavens. 11 This
was according to the eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our
Lord, 12 in whom we have
boldness of speech and confidence of access through faith in him. 13 So I ask you not to lose heart over my
afflictions for you; this is your glory.
In verses 7-8 St. Paul writes that it is his life's mission to be God's special herald of this new promise to the Gentiles. Then in verse 8 Paul expresses a humility that is lacking in his earlier letter to the Galatians, declaring himself "the very least" of the "holy ones." St. Paul makes a similar humble statement in 1 Corinthians 15:9, For I am the least of the apostles, not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God.
Notice that in Ephesians 3:2, 7 and 8 St. Paul again uses the Greek word charis, which Christians define as God's freely given favor. God has given Paul the favor of His grace to effectively preach the Gospel of salvation to the Gentiles. This is the ninth of twelve times Paul has used the word "grace" in this letter: 1:2, 6, 7; 2:5, 7, 8; 3:2, 7, 8; 4:7, 29 and 6:24. See the comments on the meaning of "grace" in the introduction to this lesson.
8b this grace was given,
to preach to the Gentiles the inscrutable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light [for all] what is
the plan of the mystery hidden from ages past in God who created all things, 10 so that the manifold wisdom of God
might now be made known through the Church to the principalities and
authorities in the heavens.
As in 3:3 Paul mentions the "mystery" of God's divine plan concerning
the Gentile peoples that has kept hidden from his covenant people in past ages.
It has always been God's resolve to bring Gentiles who were separated from Him
as well as the Israelites/Jews who were in covenant with Him to salvation. Paul
also mentioned the principalities and authorities in the heavens in
1:15-23, and he is again referring to the angelic spirits who reside with God
in Heaven and who are also subject to Christ.
11 This was according to
the eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness of speech and
confidence of access through faith in him. 13
So I ask you not to lose heart over my afflictions for you; this
is your glory.
The fulfillment of God's divine plan in Christ for a united Church and
the exercise of His divine authority over all creation should give all
Christians more confidence through faith in God (verse 12). Paul writes that
their confidence should increase despite any afflictions they or other
Christians may experience, including the news of Paul's sufferings. Even
Paul's sufferings are part of God's plan and are no reason for being
discouraged; rather it is "your glory" "something his readers should be glad
about because his imprisonment reflects the fact that he has fulfilled his
mission to the Gentiles as God intended. Paul's point is that God is the
Master of His plan and nothing on earth or in Heaven can conflict with His
"eternal purpose." It is a message that is as important to us today when we
worry about what the future will bring as to the concerned Christians in Paul's
time.
Ephesians 3:14-21 ~ Paul's Intercessory Prayer for the Readers of His Letter
14 For this reason I
kneel before the Father, 15 from
whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that he may grant you in accord with
the riches of his glory to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the
inner self [anthropos], 17 and
that Christ dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, rooted and grounded
in love, 18 may have
strength to comprehend with all the holy ones what is the breadth and length and
height and depth, 19 and to
know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled
with all the fullness of God. 20 Now
to him who is able to accomplish far more than all we ask or imagine, 21 by the power at work within us, to him
be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and
ever. Amen.
In verses 14-21 Paul writes that he kneels in prayer for those who read his letter "his prayer also includes us as we read his letter in this study. This is his second prayer for those who read his letter; the first was in 1:15-23 or perhaps this is a continuation of the first prayer.
The three parts of St. Paul's prayer:
Part I the Introduction: 14 For
this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from
whom every family in heaven and on earth is named ...
Jews often stood to pray, but they also knelt. Kneeling is a position
of submission that acknowledges the authority of earthly rulers and God the
divine King; it is also an act of worship that expresses the inner attitude of
humility and obedience. This is why we both stand and kneel when we pray in
the sacrifice of the Mass (2 Chr 6:13b-14; Dan 6:10; Ps 95:6-7; Mk 1:40; 15:19;
Acts 20:36; CCC 2702-3).
Paul makes a word play on the relationship between two Greek words: pater, the word for "father," and patria, the word for family that is derived from pater/father. Paul is expressing the concept that every family owes its origin and existence to its progenitor (human father) just as God is the divine Father and Creator of every Jewish and Gentile family on earth as well as the family of spiritual beings in Heaven. Angels are regarded as part of God's family. They are rational spiritual beings who also owe their existence and identity to their Creator.
Part II: Paul's five petitions for the readers of his letter:
The first petition: 16 that
he may grant you in accord with the riches of his glory to be strengthened with
power through his Spirit in the inner self ...
Paul prays that his readers might receive inner strength and power, as
much as God's infinite resources (glory) can make that possible, through the
ministry of the Holy Spirit. The place where this strengthening is to take
place is the "inner person" (anthropos).
Question: Why does Paul specifically mention the inner self
rather than the physical self?
Answer: The choices we make that lead to works of holiness or the
temptation to do evil come from within.
The second petition: 17 and
that Christ dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, rooted and grounded
in love ...
The second petition is similar to the first, but Paul adds another
dimension with the request that the risen Savior dwells within our hearts so
that we are rooted in love because Christ/God is Himself the definition of love
(1 Jn 4:7-8). In our modern concept, we think of the heart as being the
expression of our feelings and emotions. However, for the ancients, the heart
was the center of the total essence of a person and the seat of one's moral
expression for good or for evil (Lev 19:17;
Dt 4:29; Dt 8:17; 9:4-5;
Ps 7:10; 9:1; 13:5; 24:4;
Pro 4:4; 6:18;
Mt 5:8; 11:29; 12:35; 15:8, 18-19;
Heb 3:10, 12; 10:22; 13:9;
Rev 17:17).
The third petition: 18 may
have strength to comprehend with all the holy ones what is the breadth and
length and height and depth ...
The word "strength" is a synonym for "power." Paul prays that God will
give the readers of his letter the power to understand, in union with the other
"holy ones" of the united Body of Christ that is the Church, what is the
breadth and length and height and depth ... Paul does not define exactly what
he means by those dimensions, but they seem to suggest what encompasses
everything. Biblical scholars have suggested:
We can combine the three interpretations to suggest that Paul petitions the Lord that the mystery of His divine plan, which reflects His infinite wisdom, will reveal to the reader and the other "holy ones" of the Church, the true knowledge of Christ's gift of salvation to the world from His throne of the Cross.
The fourth petition: 19a and
to know the love [agape] of Christ that surpasses knowledge ...
In referring to "love" Paul uses the Greek word agape, in Greek
"spiritual love" but a word to which Christians gave a distinctive Christian
meaning of "self-sacrificial love" "the way Christ loved us. Not only does Paul
pray for our knowledge to comprehend but to know the love of the Savior that
"surpasses knowledge" "probably referring to the love of Christ which is a
reality that exceeds our human capacity to explain in words. Yet, it is his
prayer that despite our limitations in understanding that we may have a
personal experience of His unique agape, self-sacrificial love.
It is the Cross that stands as the proof of Jesus' love for us that can never fail and from which nothing can separate us, as Paul writes in his letter to the Romans: What can separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecutions, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword... No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, no angels, or principalities, nor present things, no future things , nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our lord" (Rom 8:35-39).
The fifth petition: 19b so
that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
In his last petition Paul sums up all that he has asked in the last
four petitions. He compares the lives of the holy ones who read his letter
with containers filled to the maximum level "infinitely filled with God's divine
life and love.
Part 3: Paul's doxology: 20 Now
to him who is able to accomplish far more than all we ask or imagine, 21 by the power at work within us, to him
be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and
ever. Amen.
A doxology is a short hymn of praise to God in various
forms of Christian worship, often added to the end of canticles, psalms, and
hymns, as it is to the "Our Father" prayer.1 The tradition derives
from a similar practice in the Jewish worship, especially in the synagogue
where a version of the Kaddish serves to terminate each section of the service.2
In Latin doxologia, comes from the Greek term doxa,
meaning "opinion" or "glory," and the suffix -logia, which refers to
oral or written expression; it literally means "glory-word." The Gloria in
Excelsis and the Gloria Patri are two of the best-known and most often sung
doxologies in contemporary Christianity.
In the doxology that is address to God, Paul expresses confidence that God will answer his prayer because He is capable of doing so much more than Paul has asked: 20 Now to him who is able to accomplish far more than all we ask or imagine...
21 by the power at work
within us, to him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus to all
generations, forever and ever. Amen.
The "glory" directed to God refers to the praise and
worship given Him in the assembly of the Church of Jesus Christ for all
generations until Christ's return at which time the praise and worship of the
Church on earth will be united forever with the Church in Heaven.
Biblical scholar Peter Williamson writes that the petitions of St. Paul's prayer "points to our ultimate goal as Christians, what some of the Church Fathers daringly describe as divinization' or deification' (theosis)" (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture: Ephesians, page 101). It is what St. Peter wrote in 2 Peter 1:3-4, His divine power has bestowed on us everything that makes for life and devotion, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and power. Through these, he has bestowed on us the precious and very great promises, so that through them you may come to share in the divine nature, after escaping from the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire (also see 1 Jn 3:3).
CHAPTER 4
The World Mission of the Church Continued
Ephesians 4:1-6 ~ Unity in the Body that is the Church
1 I, a prisoner for the
Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with
patience, bearing with one another through love, 3 striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the
bond of peace: 4 one body
and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over
all and through all and in all.
St. Paul urges the Jewish and Gentile Christians reading his letter to persevere in unity "united in the Spirit as One Body in Christ despite tensions that threaten to disrupt their unity. The virtues that Paul lists in verses 2-3 are all different aspect of charity (love in action) which "binds everything together in perfect harmony" (Col 3:14) and is the mark of the true disciple of Jesus Christ (Jn 13:35). The "bond of peace" (verse 3) that unites Christians is the peace which Jesus brings, or rather, it is Jesus Christ Himself (Eph 2:14). By having the same faith and the same Spirit, "all find themselves", says St. John Chrysostom, "brought together in the Church "old and young, poor and rich, adult and child, husband and wife: people of either sex and of every condition become one and the same ... However, this unity is maintained only by the bond of peace'. It could not exist in the midst of disorder and enmity" (Homilies on Ephesians, 9).
4 one body and one
Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over
all and through all and in all.
These verses express one of Paul's most profound statements,
summarizing our Christian faith in only a very few words, the focus of which is
the theological basis of our unity—the Most Holy Trinity. This unity is
expressed in one of our oldest Eucharistic prayers from the Church’s first Catechism,
the "Teaching of the Twelve Apostles," also called the "Didache":
9:4 "As this broken bread was scattered over the hills
and then, when gathered, became one mass,
so may Thy Church be gathered
from the ends of the earth into Thy Kingdom."
"For Thine is the glory and the power
through Jesus Christ for evermore."
It is the Trinity who is at work in the Church and who keeps it together in the "seven unities" of the Church "one Body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father. Verses 5-6 may be a quote from an acclamation from an early Christian baptismal liturgy:
The Seven Unities of the Church:
We, like the community in Ephesus, celebrate our unity when we celebrate the Eucharist. We come together as One Body to receive Christ's Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in our sacred meal made present by the power of the Holy Spirit on Catholic altars across the world. In our miracle feeding, there is always enough, and everyone leaves nourished spiritually by the very life of Christ, which He shares with all who come to His altar-table.
When Jesus communicated His glory to us, He joined us to God the Father by giving us a share in the supernatural life of the Godhead. This divine life is the source of the holiness of Christians united in the seven unites of Christ's Body, the Church.
Ephesians 4:7-16 ~ The Diversity of Spiritual Gifts
7 But grace was given to
each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. 8 Therefore, it says: "He ascended on
high and took prisoners captive; he gave gifts to men." 9 What does "he ascends" mean except that
he also descended into the lower [regions] of the earth? 10 The one who descended is also the one
who ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things. 11 And he gave some as apostles, others
as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the holy ones for the work of
ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge
of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the extent of the full stature of
Christ, 14 so that we may no
longer be infants, tossed by waves and swept along by every wind of teaching
arising from human trickery, for their cunning in the interests of deceitful
scheming. 15 Rather, living
the truth in love, we should grow in every way into him who is the head,
Christ, 16 from whom the
whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, with the
proper functioning of each part, brings about the body's growth and builds
itself up in love.
In verses 7-16 St. Paul focuses on the different graces associated with ecclesial offices (see verse 11 and CCC 913). Every Baptized and Confirmed Christian receives spiritual gifts (also called charisms) to be put to use for the good of the Church. St. Peter wrote about these gifts of grace in 1 Peter 4:10-11, As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace. Whoever preaches, let it be with the words of God, whoever serves, let it be with the strength that God supplies, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen (also see what St. Paul wrote in 1 Cor 12:4-11).
8 Therefore, it says: "He ascended on high and took prisoners captive; he gave gifts to men." Verse 8 is a quote from Psalm 68:19ab and refers to the Exodus liberation and the theophany at Mt. Sinai when the former Israelite slaves were freed from their captivity, led by God to Mt. Sinai, and received the gift of nationhood and divine Law in covenant with Yahweh.
9 What does "he ascends"
mean except that he also descended into the lower [regions] of the earth? 10 The one who descended is also the one
who ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.
There are two interpretations of verse 9:
11 And he gave some as
apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and
teachers, 12 to equip the
holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ ...
Every Baptized and Confirmed Christian receives unique spiritual gifts
for special ministries for building up the body of Christ. All the
different kinds of service are necessary, and all are for the good of the
Church as a whole.
13 until we all attain
to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to
the extent of the full stature of Christ, 14
so that we may no longer be infants, tossed by waves and swept
along by every wind of teaching arising from human trickery, for their cunning
in the interests of deceitful scheming.
Question: What does Paul write is the goal of the ministry of
the Church's apostles, prophets, evangelists, and all pastoral ministries and
teachers?
Answer: The goal of all the Church's ministries is to help the
faithful to reach maturity of faith and true knowledge so that false teachers
will not easily lead members of the community astray.
15 Rather, living the truth in love, we should grow in every way into him who is the head, Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, with the proper functioning of each part, brings about the body's growth and builds itself up in love. Paul returns to his image of Christ the "Head" of the Body that is the Church (see Eph 1:22). Notice that Paul describes Christian maturity first positively in verse 13 and then negatively in what "we may no longer be" in verse 14, and then positively again in verse 15a ""living in the truth in love." Finally Paul sums up what should be the goal of the Church's ministry and the result of Christian maturity in 15b-16. The "supporting ligaments" that hold together the Body probably refer to leaders of the Church that provide structural support and that the strength of the whole depends on the supporting parts. In other words, the goal of the various ministries of the Church is to build up the Body of Christ, this results in the unity of faith that produces works of love within and outside the community, as every member of the Body lives in imitation of Christ who is the "Head" of the Body.
Ephesians 4:17-24 ~ New Life in Christ
17 So I declare and testify in the Lord that you must no
longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds; darkened in
understanding, alienated from the life of God because of their ignorance,
because of their hardness of heart, they have become callous and have handed
themselves over to licentiousness for the practice of every kind of impurity to
excess. 20 That is not how
you learned Christ, 21 assuming
that you have heard of him and were taught in him, as truth is in Jesus, 22 that you should put away the old self
of your former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your
minds, 24 and put on the new
self, created in God's way in righteousness and holiness of truth.
St. Paul contrasts the Christian's "new life in Christ" with the former sinful lives of the pagan Gentiles that was far from the holiness of Christ and without a relationship with God. It is the "old self" (verse 22) that must be put away and the "new self" (verse 24) that must take hold to make the Christian a new creation in the image and likeness of God. Christians "put on" the new self (verse 24) in the Sacrament of Baptism, when they die to their sinful old selves to be reborn as a new creation in Christ Jesus, as Paul wrote in Galatians 3:27 ~ For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
Question for reflection or group discussion:
How can you apply the five petitions of St. Paul's prayer
in Ephesians 3:14-21 to your life?
Endnotes:
1. The doxology that the Church
prays the end of the "Pater Noster/Our Father" prayer from Matthew 6:9-13 is
not found in the oldest Greek texts. It is inserted at the end of Mt 5:13:
"For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen." The
earliest occurrence of the addition of a doxology to the Lord's Praer is found
in copies of the Church's first Catechism, "The Teaching of the Twelve
Apostles" also called the "Didache" (Teaching), dating to between 50 and 120 AD
(Didache 8.1). This is why in the Mass we repeat the "Our Father" or
"Lord's Prayer" up to the last petition "and deliver us from evil," and don't
add the doxology until after the priest's short prayer.
2. The Jewish Kaddish is a hymn of
praise to God found in the Jewish prayer service. The central theme of the Kaddish
is the magnification and sanctification of God's holy name. In Jewish Synagogue
liturgy different versions of the Kaddish are used functionally as separators
between sections of the service.
Michal Hunt, Copyright © 2016 Agape Bible Study. Permissions All Rights Reserved.
| 3:4 | CCC 1066* | 4:3 | CCC 814 |
| 3:8 | CCC 424 | 4:4-6 | CCC 172*, 249*, 866, 2790*, 1278 |
| 3:9-12 | CCC 221* | 4:7 | CCC 913 |
| 3:9-11 | CCC 772* | 4:8-10 | CCC 661* |
| 3:9 | CCC 1066 | 4:9-10 | CCC 611, 2795* |
| 3:12 | CCC 2778* | 4:9 | CCC 633*, 635* |
| 3:14 | CCC 239*, 2214*, 2367* | 4:10 | CCC 668* |
| 3:16-17 | CCC 1073, 2714 | 4:11-16 | CCC 749* |
| 3:16 | CCC 1996 | 4:11-13 | CCC 669* |
| 3:18-21 | CCC 2565* | 4:11 | CCC 1575* |
| 3:20-21 | CCC 2641* | 4:13 | CCC 674, 695, 2045 |
| 4 | CCC 1454*, 1971* | 4:16 | CCC 798* |
| 4:2 | CCC 2219 | 4:19 | CCC 2518* |
| 4:3-5 | CCC 866*, 1272 | 4:23 | CCC 1695 |
| 4:24 | CCC 1473*, 2475, 2504 |