Ephesians 4:9-10
(Now that he ascended,
what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of
the earth? He that descended is the
same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all
things.)
This has to do with the issue of the
cross-work of the Lord Jesus Christ. He
left the heavenly places where he was Head; he came down to the earth and died
on the cross and went down into Paradise.
This all illustrates his humbleness.
Philippians
2:8
And being found in
fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death,
even the death of the cross.
He died, was buried and rose again.
1 Corinthians
15:3-4
For I delivered unto you
first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins
according to the scriptures; And that he
was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the
scriptures:
He left heaven’s glory for our sakes. This is where Christ started; but he didn’t stay in the
heavenly places.
Philippians
2:7
But made himself of no reputation,
and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
2 Corinthians
8:9
For ye know the grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes
he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
He is the Lord of glory but the princes
of this world would not have crucified him had they known who he was.
1 Corinthians
2:8
Which none of the princes
of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the
Lord of glory.
He came as a man to die. When he was
buried, his soul descended to the lower parts of the earth. He went to the
lowest of the low.
Hebrews 10:5
And being found in
fashion as a man, he humbled himself [that
is the issue], and became
obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him,
and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of
Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth,
and things under the earth [the lower parts of the earth, even lower than we
are];
That is the point of Paul’s mentioning that the Lord
descended into the lower parts of the earth.
This
is his ascension…
Ephesians
4:10
He that descended is the
same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all
things.)
This is not the same event as when he
ascended with the Old Testament saints into Paradise; that already
happened. This is talking about his position as Head of the heavenly
places. There is structure in the
heavens.
Philippians
2:9
Wherefore God also hath
highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
Ephesians
1:20-23
Which he wrought in
Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand
in the heavenly places,
Again, this is that ascension; it is a positional
thing. Paul explains what he means by ascending up far above all heavens.
Far above all
principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named,
not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet,
and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his
body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
That is why Paul says
in Ephesians 4:10 that Christ ascended far above the heavens to
fulfill all things. That is
what Christ accomplished through his death, burial, resurrection and
ascension. He was to be the Head over
all things to the church. We receive an
inheritance because of his death. We will rule in the heavenly places with him
and in his stead because his actual glorified body will be here on the earth in
the New Jerusalem.
Colossians
3:24
Knowing that of the Lord
ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the
Lord Christ.
He will use the church,
his body, to rule in the heavenly places; we are his body.
Ephesians
5:30
For we are members of
his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
1 Corinthians
12:12
For as the body is one,
and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many,
are one body: so also is Christ.
He will use us to fill
all things in the heavenly places while he is physically down here on the
earth.
+ + + +
In an answer to a
previous question I dealt with the meaning of Ephesians 4:8 (which precedes
today’s passage) that speaks of Christ leading captivity captive.
Ephesians 4:8
Wherefore he saith, When he
ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
More light is shed on
this verse in Ephesians’ sister epistle:
Colossians
2:15
And having spoiled
principalities and powers [Satan and his angels
who held the heavenly places],
he made a shew of them openly,
triumphing over them in it.
What are those gifts he gave to men?
Ephesians
4:11-12
And he gave some, apostles;
and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors
and teachers; For the perfecting
of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of
Christ:
All that was happening as the Lord
Jesus was building the church the body of Christ back in Paul’s day.
1 Corinthians
12:18
But now hath God set
the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
Hopefully this helps...Maranatha!
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