Ephesians 1:10 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

Navigator

Ephesians 1:10

Comments

It is very helpful to us and interesting and challenging to note the order in which the apostle is inspired to present these themes. Remember that he pastored the church at Ephesus which was greatly enlarged through his preaching. The church was started probably by Aquilla and Priscilla, but then Paul visited and was able to linger and preach, and great numbers came into the church. He stayed three years, and now from imprisonment in Rome he writes to the church. And these are the themes – sovereign election, adoption, and the great and final day. In verse 10 we have the heavenly gathering, and over five verses the apostle unfolds this theme. Here is the ultimate goal of adoption, the last day that will come. What is ‘the dispensation of the fulness of time’? Well, we would say, ‘in the administration of events.’ The picture is of a steward administering a large household and paying the wages of the staff and ordering the program of works. But it is particularly the administration ‘of the fulness of times’ – the completion of all time. ‘Times’ there would refer for example to the Old Testament order, and then the New Testament order – the church age or the gospel age. Each of these times has a purpose. And when you read here of the fulness of times you understand the summing up of the times. Those are the literal meanings of the Greek words. In the administration of the summing up of the times.There is a day coming when the main theme and purpose and activity of each age – from Adam to Moses, from Moses to Christ, and then from Christ to the end of the world, the three great ages – will be summed up in the last day. The summing up of all these periods of time will be ‘that he might gather together in one all things in Christ.’ Each age in its own distinctive manner was calling out a people for Christ and bringing them to God through Jesus Christ. And the summing up of each age, when all the ages are fulfilled and finished and the last day comes, will be the gathering together of all people who have ever been saved in Christ – the great gathering of the last day. It is not a gathering for yet another age, for example, as some would tell us, a millennial age of a thousand-year reign of Christ on earth. No, all the ages are finished here.‘Both which are in heaven, and which are on earth.’ That is interesting. What exactly will be gathered together? Saints who have died and are in the paradise of Christ, which is far better, awaiting the last day. Saints on earth, and angels too. All that is in heaven will be gathered together for that grand, eternal fellowship. Angels and saved men. In Christ. In what way are the angels in Christ?

Application

We know how we are in Christ, he has come and died for our sins, he has offered up his perfect righteousness on our behalf. We are under his wing, under his blood. In his righteousness. In what way are the angels in him? Well, they are sealed in him. They have surrendered to him their free will. They cannot fall like the devil and his angels. They are sealed for the everlasting ages in Christ, all the elect under Christ’s love, through transformation of course. We shall be glorified. We shall receive resurrection bodies for the eternal hereafter. The world indeed will be judged and destroyed, and then amazingly reconstituted, particle by particle and so adapted that it becomes fit for heaven, earth and heaven to be combined. There will be a physical earth and yet spiritual like heaven, angels and men dwelling together, men and women in resurrection bodies, bearing recognition, and stamped with the likeness of Christ for eternal glory. It will be so overwhelmingly different from what we know now. A vast, vast concourse of saved men and women, and sealed angels. Here on earth, saved people are a minority. But there will be only saved people, only glorified and embodied, saved people. And we shall see the staggering magnitude of grace. What Christ has accomplished, what he has done for dying for the redemption of such a mighty host. We shall grasp as never before the purchase price.

And what a change for us. Here we are in a rebel society and we have to struggle and strive and we know much disdain and mockery and opposition. All around us, wherever we go and wherever we work, we see things that are offensive to us and sin encroaching; we hear the profanity and the coarseness everywhere. But in that day when we too are purified there will be nothing but wonder and holiness and perfection. What a great difference there will be for us in the eternal glory. Now we swim against the tide, but then it will be all glory and love and adoration.

Questions

Outline

Purpose

Introduction

Ephesians 1:10 Commentary and Bible Study

Explain meaning of Ephesians 1:10