Unity in Jesus. A study from Ephesians 3 & 4 - Part 1

Introduction

We have already looked at the first two chapters of Ephesians, with particular focus on our identity in Jesus. In this two part study we continue reading the letter and look at the next section; chapter 3 to chapter 4 verse 16, which speaks clearly of our unity in Jesus.

Pause now to read this section.

“The state of being united or joined as a whole.”

(Oxford English Dictionary)

Being joined as a whole is so important, it is often counter-cultural in its expression in the Church. Sure, there are great examples of being united outside of the church but they are all limited. I can think of football team supporters, political party members, work colleagues, and others. None of these have united me with people the way Jesus and the church has. I travel fairly often for work and being a Christian has been an instant point of unity with complete strangers. I’ve walked into churches I’ve never been to before and felt at home, made friends, and been able to spend time socially with people all because we are united in Jesus. No other group or community has this.

This unity is a great strength. When I consider my friends in church I often conclude that I would not have met them anywhere else, yet they are so enriching and I’m so grateful to know them.

Paul is speaking of true unity in the body of believers because it can be so easy to let division creep in. In this letter the context for speaking about unity is that of reconciling Jews and Gentiles. Both believing in and following Jesus, but with some division. It is also worth noting that as Paul wrote this there was only one Church, this is before church streams and denominations were a thing. Yet even in that context there is still division, and Paul must speak strongly about unity

In our local church and across the universal Church division can still creep in. We can split over politics, over sport, over preaching style, or over worship style. There are so many areas where we can, even within our church families, separate into little groups. We need to be wary of this for there is great strength in true unity, and true unity is a great witness too.

Personal Question

• Thank Jesus that He unites all believers.

• Ask for help in building real relationships that express this great unity.

For this reason…

In this first part of chapter three, verses 1-13, we see Paul start and interrupt himself, and he doesn’t seem to pick up his original line of thought until verse 14.

This form of self interruption makes me stop and think; what was so important it had to be said in this manner? To answer that we should look at how the chapter begins.

“For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you gentiles – “

Ephesians 3: 1

This leads us to another question; what reason? Paul uses the phrase, “for this reason” twice; here in 3: 1, and later in 4: 14 when he returns to his original thought. So, what is the reason?

“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”

Ephesians 2: 19-23

To answer the question why does Paul interrupt himself we must look at the reason that precedes his line of thinking. Here we see Paul's great concern – unity. Paul is in prison for the sake of unity, unity in and through Christ.

“Though he might seem helpless in the hands of his Roman custodians, it is “the Christ, Jesus” – Jesus in his capacity as Messiah – who has made him prisoner; in prison he is helping to fulfil the messianic task of bringing unity to a divided humanity.”

(The Interpreter’s Bible vol 10, 1978, p664)

It is this unity that Paul refers to as the “mystery of Christ” (verse 4). The revelation of this mystery points to the trinity.

“In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.”

Ephesians 3: 4-5

In these verses Paul is outlining the mystery and its revelation in terms of the triune Godhead. We see Christ, the Spirit, and God the Father involved, all connected to this mystery. What is this mystery that has been revealed?

“This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.”

Ephesians 3: 6

In his letter to the Church in Colossae Paul puts it slightly differently.

“To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

Colossians 1: 27

Again we see, though not as explicitly, that the trinity is involved in its fullness. We have God choosing to make known Christ dwelling in us by His Spirit. Paul does not spell that out here, but in his letter to Colossae Paul often assigns Christ the role that he elsewhere gives the Spirit. So I think that we can be sure that the fullness of God is involved in revealing the mystery.

From our main passage, and this verse in Colossians, we can see what the mystery is – the promises made to Israel are now shared, God’s family now includes all who believe in Jesus. Through Jesus Jew and Gentile are united, brought together as co-heirs, as equal members of one body, and sharers in the promise.

Where, in our English translations, we have “sharers together”, there is a clever word play in the Greek, “summetochos”, this conveys a greater sense of community of Jew and Gentile as it carries the meanings of co-heirs, co-partners, and companions.

“This new fellowship, in which the ancient and bitter divisions of mankind are transcended is the center of reconciliation about which all elements of the universe will gather to be made one in Christ”

(The Interpreter’s Bible vol 10, 1978, p668)

We are, therefore, a united community, sharers, and co-heirs, companions, and co-partners in the promise.

Personal Question

• Ask God to reveal the importance of unity to you.

• Thank Him that you share in the promise.

The promise

This leads us to one more question; what is the promise? The clues are in these verses, the Gentiles, that is non-Jewish people, share in the promise that was originally given to Israel, God’s chosen people in the Old Testament.

“If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise”

Galatians 3: 29

This idea of sharing in the promise is a consistent theme in Paul’s writing. In Ephesians we have read about unity with Jesus and with one another across whatever barriers and divisions we may have made. Here, in Galatians, it is the same point; if you belong to Jesus, if you are Christ’s, then you share the promise given to Abraham. This is one reason why Matthew opens his gospel with the lengthy genealogy. Matthew takes us from Abraham to Jesus. As we read Paul we see that we are joined to Jesus, and Paul is here taking us back to Abraham. This is why we must read both the Old and New Testament.

In Genesis 12 we have the call of Abram and God’s promise to make him into a great nation.

“I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; and you will be a blessing.”

Genesis 12: 2

We, united in Jesus, are part of the fulfilment of this promise. This promise is repeated in Genesis 15 and 17, I encourage you to read it.

What Paul is doing, by going back to that start like this, is showing his original recipients, and us, that God is fulfilling His promise. When we realise that we realise that each of the promises made to God’s people throughout scripture still apply to us.

What we also must realise, from Genesis 12:2 is that we are to be a blessing. To be a blessing we must be united in Jesus; disunity, in-fighting, and squabbling over minor points blesses no-one. When the Church is united in Jesus there is beauty and power; it is this unity that speaks a strong message of God’s grace, and His manifold wisdom to the world around us.

“His intent was that now through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.”

Ephesians 3: 10-12

Personal Question

• What issues do you face right now that threaten unity with Jesus and His Church?

• Bring those to Him and ask for His peace, and for Him to draw you back to unity.

• Spend some time thinking about the promises of God, and pray them over your life now, perhaps start with Psalm 121.

Back on track

As we reach verse 14 Paul brings himself back to the point he started out on in verse 1.

“For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.”

Ephesians 3: 14

We have already looked at the reason, here we see what Paul is doing for that reason; he is praying. What is interesting here is his position. We may miss it at first, Paul is kneeling to pray. We may miss this because in modern Christianity kneeling to pray is commonplace.

“Among the Jews it was usual to stand to pray (see Matt 6: 5 and Luke 18: 11, 13). Kneeling for prayer, though it has become a regular Christian attitude, was formerly an expression of deep emotion or earnestness, and on that basis we must understand Paul’s words here.”

(Foulkes, F. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, Ephesians, 2008, p 107)

This detail helps us to grasp the great importance of the prayer that is to come. It is also vital to see who Paul kneels before, for in this part of verses 14-15 we get a great summary of the unifying work of Jesus – “... the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.” (verse 14-15)

There is quite a bit to unpack from verses 14 and 15. These verses are an example of one we can read and start to grasp at a surface level, yet if we pause to dig a little deeper there is more to it, more that we can apply to our lives and more that can still impact us today.

Foulkes, in his commentary on Ephesians, looks closely at this. He points out some of the complications and inadequacies of our English translations.

“God is not only Father, but he is also the one from whom alone all the fatherhood that there is derives its meaning and inspiration.”

(Foulkes, F. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, Ephesians, 2008, p 107)

We must also understand the word, ‘pater’ in the Greek, to mean ‘lineage’, or ‘pedigree’ on the fathers side. It also carries a sense of ‘tribe’ or ‘nation’. What we read as ‘Father’ and ‘family’ in English is packed full of meaning, conveying the depth of relationship we have with God as our origin, and as our protector. He is the one we draw our ancestry from, He is the one we can trust and depend upon.

This is who Paul is praying to. What is his prayer? We shall look at that in part 2 of this study.

Personal Question

• Give thanks to God for His perfect fatherhood.

• Ask God to draw closer to you, and to take you into a deeper relationship with Him.

Part Two of this study is available now