The longest single sentence in our English translations is Ephesians 1:3-15. It is significant to recognize the focus on the personal pronouns in this section. We read “us” through verse 11 that describes the Jewish Christian, i.e., those who “first trusted in Christ” (Eph. 1:12). When the text reads, “He predestinated ‘us’, he’s not referring to the “us Christians“, but to “us, the Jewish Christians.” Paul explains this in Romans 9 to his Israelite kinsmen, according to the flesh, who “belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship and the promises” (Rom. 9:4), and “from their race is the Christ” (9:5). Even though the children of God through Christ are no longer identified according to the flesh but through promise, the Jews were the “natural branches”, while the Gentiles were the wild olive shoot that was grafted into the tree (Romans 11:13-21). The Jews were the first to receive the gospel (Romans 1:16-17), redemption (cf. Isa. 62:11-12), and all the blessings in accordance with it. In Acts 13:46, Paul explains that it was “necessary to preach to you (Jews) first” but they had thrust the message aside as unimportant and Paul gives his attention to the Gentiles, who were receptive to his preaching. Then, Paul quotes Isaiah 49:6 that this switch was according to God’s plan. It reads, “I have made you (the Jew) a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.
This switch brought much tension between Jews and Gentiles. A casual reading of the New Testament leaves the reader impressed with this strain. So, when Paul speaks of “we,” who were the first to hope in Christ, might be the praise of His glory, he is referring to the purpose of God to use the Jews to bring salvation to the Gentiles. This is done not only through the physical line through which the Christ would be born but also through the Jew’s rejection of the gospel and the Messiah. It seems when salvation is offered to Gentiles as in the case of Antioch of Pisidia (Acts 13), the Jews harden themselves against the will of God in the same way that Pharoah hardened his heart. This repeats itself throughout the New Testament. A good example is a case of Paul in Jerusalem, recorded in Acts 21:27-32. The NIV reads,
When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, shouting, “Fellow Israelites, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.” (They had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple.)
The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul, they dragged him from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut. While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. He at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.
These Asian Jews in Jerusalem thought he took Trophimus, a Gentile, into the temple. When Roman soldiers intervened, Paul is given a brief defense for his actions. He tells them that God had called him to the Gentiles. At that point there was pandemonium, as they shout out, “he is not worthy of living.” In writing to Rome, Paul describes the hardening of the Jewish heart and explains, “through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous” (Romans 11:11, cf. 14-16). Of course, whether Jew or Gentile, you can be a part of the “olive tree.” You can be natural branches that remain or you can be grafted in, like the Gentiles. If they are broken off because of unbelief, the same can be grafted in, again (v. 23). Similarly, he writes to Rome that “a partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:25-26). Speaking to the Gentiles in Ephesians 1:13, Paul writes, “In Him, YOU ALSO, when you heard the word of truth…” The “you” are the Gentile Christians in Ephesus. This marvelous work of bringing both Jews and Gentiles into the one body of Christ was the mystery that reveals absolute wisdom and glory (cf. Eph. 3:10-11).
1. Heavenly Places
The phrase, “heavenly places” is mentioned five times in this epistle. Those who are described as being “in Christ” belong to this realm and enjoy every spiritual blessing. Therefore, there are two separate realms of existence that form a tension for the child of God; namely, the temporary physical existence on earth and spiritual existence with Christ. In the four other times, the phrase is used, it is also the sphere to which the risen Christ has been exalted and sits enthroned at the Father’s right hand (Ephesians 1:20), where those who have been risen with Christ sit with Him (2:6), where principalities and powers see the manifold wisdom of God through the called out, and where forces of evil are defeated by saints who equip themselves with the armor of God (6:12).
One of the most fundamental truths of the gospel is the spiritual nature of New Covenant teaching. Even now, our lack of understanding is often because we are looking through the lens of the physical realm. Focused on this realm, we fail to see so much going on around us and look for promises that relate to the physical eye. The spiritual blessings are not of this world and have nothing to do with physical health or wealth. Those who teach and preach otherwise, are yet carnal.