Daily Bible Reading 23rd September 2024 // Ephesians 1:15-22
15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love towards all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power towards us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
We must next consider what Paul means when he says that Christ was made head over all things to the Church. He means that all that Jesus did, in His atoning and redeeming work was for the church, for us, His people. All that the Spirit wrought in Him was for our sakes, and the Spirit now comes to work in us, and make Christ's victory ours in experience.
He died for us - and the Spirit comes to make that death our death, His death to sin our death to sin.
He rose for us - and the Spirit comes to make that risen life our risen life.
He ascended for us - and the Spirit comes to make that ascension our ascension to the heavenly places.
He assumed power for us - and the Spirit comes to make that power and authority ours in experience.
This is why Paul can speak as he does about our being raised together in Christ and made to sit with Him in heavenly places (2:6). This is what the seal of the Spirit, mentioned in 1:13, is for and is about. And when we come to chapter 2 we shall see that it is the exposition of the death/resurrection/exaltation process as it took place in the experience of the Ephesian believers.