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Ephesians 4:7-10
Paul was beginning to share with his readers just how they were to walk worthy of their calling, as sons of
God, so that God would be glorified in the church. Paul began by addressing the relations that members of
Christs Body have with one another for that is how the love of God would be seen by those on the
outside; love that would draw them, in turn, to God.
If the members were willing to see themselves in right light, as Christs bondservants, submitting to their
Lord, while bearing with one anothers weaknesses, the unity of the Spirit would be maintained within the
Body of Christ through their love for the Lord, and for one another. Love is the glue that forms the bond
of peace. And the result is unity.
Then we saw how Paul illustrated the oneness of the Body of Christ, showing it to be a reflection of the
oneness of the Godhead. The seven spiritual realities of which Paul wrote are each a stitch that knits the
Body of Christ together. Each person in that Body became a member the same way through faith in
Christ. They now have a shared Life, and a shared destiny.
Paul was intent on getting believers in his day, with their diverse backgrounds, to recognize their unity in
Christ. Their differences would tend to divide them.
Only by really fathoming what God has done for them in Christ and believing it would they be enabled
to operate as one; just as the three Persons of the Godhead operate as One. Believers must apprehend this,
or they will never be able to function effectively as a member of Christs Body.
Paul then continued in his letter. In verse 7, what is the first word that we come to? But. Paul is
introducing a contrasting idea, to what he has said before. He had been writing about unity; but now, Paul
will write about diversity. This is not the diversity that is naturally a part of people, which would tend to
divide the Body of Christ. This diversity is imparted to members of the Body by God; a supernatural
diversity, that works for His purposes.
Were just going to look at the beginning of the passage this week, to see the origin of this diversity in the
Body. Lets read through the next section together first.
[Ephesians 4:7-10]
Here is a contrast to the unity which is to bind together the members of the Body of Christ to one another,
and to their heavenly Head. What creates that unity?
We could say several things.
The Spirit; the Spirit is required within each member, to guide them into that unity.
The mind of Christ; which the Spirit reveals to each member; they all have the same mind on things, and so
they have unity.
Love; the thoughts of Christ, put into operation between members of the Body.
Peace; the effect of the Body operating in love.

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So depending on where we look in the operation, we could say that any or all of these create the unity of
the Body of Christ.
Now Paul introduces the idea of diversity, within the Body of Christ; not division, but diversity. Every
believer is a member of the same body, has the same Spirit, the same destiny, and the same Master whom
theyve put their faith in Jesus. Every believer has been baptized in the Holy Spirit into Christs Body,
and has the same Father over them, through them, and in them.
But now, Paul writes of each one; each believer. Not everyone, but each one has been given grace
according to the measure of Christs gift.
The word grace charis in the Greek means unmerited, undeserved favor. In Scripture, God is
generally the giver of grace, and man, the recipient; divine grace.
Paul has already written in this letter about the grace of God; that He bestows salvation upon undeserving
men who simply put their faith in Christ; by grace you have been saved, through faith (Eph 2:8). But
Paul is not using the word grace in that sense, here; hes using it in a similar way to what he expressed
back in chapter 3, concerning himself.
Look back in verse 2 of chapter 3. Paul spoke of the stewardship of the grace of God which was given to
him, for the Gentiles; then in verse 7, that he became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God
given to him by the effective working of His power; finally, in verse 8, that this grace was given to him to
preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.
What was Paul talking about? He was talking about His ministry to preach the gospel among the
Gentiles. He was saying that God graced him with the ability to do this. Accomplishing this ministry was
not something that was within Paul naturally to do; God gifted Paul with the ability to accomplish it.
Paul was speaking of divine enablement its according to the effective working of Gods power. This
divine enablement was graced upon Paul, who thereby became a steward of Gods gift of grace, and
became divinely empowered to fulfill the ministry which the Lord entrusted to him.
This is how Paul is using the word grace in our current verses. As we continue in the passage next week,
we will see that Paul writes of various graces which Christ has given to His Body on earth, to enable them
to fulfill their ministry (4:11-12).
This grace, this divine enablement, has been given to each one of the members of the Body of Christ and
it is according to the measure of Christs gift the gift of Christ.
The word measure in this context means a portion measured off, or allotted. Each member of Christs
Body has been allotted a certain portion of grace of divine enablement. The portion does not refer to
quantity, but quality; each member has a different portion and its according to the measure of Christs
gift.
This word for Christs gift here dorea is in the singular, and emphasizes the fact that the gift is free.
Paul uses a different word for gift in the next verse, where he is quoting an OT passage.

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That word for gift in the Greek domata is in the plural gifts. Domata emphasizes the gift itself,
not the fact that it is gratuitous. That word domata reflects the grace the divine enablement that has
been given to each believer; in verse 7, we have grace was given; and in verse 8, we have gifts were
given. So these ideas are parallel, in the Greek.
The question is, what does dorea the gift of Christ refer to, in verse 7? I believe Paul is referring, not to
the spiritual graces, but to the Holy Spirit the gift of God. The Holy Spirit is referred to on several
occasions in the NT as a dorea, gift (by Peter: Acts 2:38, 8:20, 11:17; by Luke: Acts 10:45; by Paul: 2 Cor
9:15).
This brings us light on what Paul is saying in verse 7. Each member of Christs Body has been given
divine enablement as allotted to him by the Holy Spirit, who has been given by Christ to His Body as His
free gift to them.
Now, understand that it is not the Holy Spirit who is allotted to each believer. God does not give the Spirit
by measure (Jn 3:34). Each believer is fully indwelt and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Instead, it is the
Spirit who allots the spiritual graces to each member of Christs Body different portions, qualitatively
as needed for the work of ministry.
Paul then cited a passage from the OT Scripture which supports this statement. This verse is from Psalm
68, a psalm of David. Based on what Paul writes in verses 9-11 here, he is saying that this portion of Psalm
68 has been fulfilled by the giving of the spiritual graces by Christ to His Body (through the Holy Spirit).
Were going to look at that verse within the context of the entire psalm, and then consider just how it was
fulfilled, by Christ.
Turn to Psalm 68. David wrote this psalm; it is a song of victory. It was written to commemorate the
occasion when the LORD gave David victory over the Jebusites, and he captured the city of Jebus (2 Sam
5:6-10; 1 Ch 11:4-9); that city became the city of David; the city that the LORD chose as His dwelling place
forever (Ps 132:13-14) Zion; Jerusalem.
Following the victory, David brought up to Jerusalem the ark of God God, whose name is called the LORD
of Hosts, who dwells between the cherubim (2 Sam 6:2). This psalm envisions the triumphant ascent of the
LORD, then, up Mount Zion.
But this psalm also looks ahead; it is prophetic. This entire psalm spells out the victory of Jesus Christ
when He returns to the earth in His Second Coming, to judge His enemies and to set up His kingdom.
And we have seen that in a select portion of the psalm, Paul was inspired by the Holy Spirit to find a
fulfillment of our passage in Ephesians, which focuses on the first coming of Christ to the earth. We will be
doing just an overview of the psalm, gleaning some of its prophetic significance, in order to shed light on
the verse which Paul is citing in Ephesians.
[Psalm 68]
v. 1-2 The idea of God arising in verse one is referring to Gods triumph over His enemies. The enemies
of God are fleeing in disarray, defeated, as God is advancing in victory.
Look at the metaphors which David uses to describe Gods advance. The enemies are like smoke. What
drives away smoke? Wind; a strong, natural force. And the enemies are as wax; what melts wax (right in
the text)? The heat of a fire; another powerful element of nature.

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These natural forces wind and fire are being used to symbolize the supernatural power of God. Keep
them in mind for later. Now, do the enemies have any power which can overcome the omnipotent power of
God? None; they perish at His presence.
The picture brings us forward in time to the Second Coming of Christ to the earth. In that Day, the Lord
Jesus will come in flaming fire, taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not
obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. His enemies will be punished with everlasting destruction from
the presence of the Lord (2 Th 1:8-10).
v. 3-4 Will the righteous have anything to fear, in that day when Jesus returns? No, for Jesus is their Lord;
His return will signal their deliverance, from their enemies and from the Great Tribulation. The regenerate
nations and the believing remnant of Israel will be praising God, whom David names as YAH, a poetic form
of Yahweh, the personal name of God for God is personal to those who believe in Him.
Notice how David writes that YAH rides on the clouds. That word rides in the Hebrew is a verb that
most often refers to riding on a horse or in a chariot. David uses the noun form of this Hebrew word in
verse 17 the chariots of God. Well talk more about this shortly.
This imagery in both forms is used for the return of Jesus to the earth. Behold, He is coming with clouds
(Rev 1:7); Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called
Faithful and True (Rev 19:11).
v. 5-6 These verses have in view the sovereignty of God in the heavens His holy habitation. The word
rebellious in the Hebrew does not refer to the wicked the decided enemies of God. The word means
stubborn, and reflects those who have not yet made a decision, but are resisting His grace.
What we see is that man on earth is permitted by God to have freedom of choice; but then God in heaven
determines the consequences of mans choosing. The first group is set in contrast to the rebellious, at the
end of verse 6; therefore, it reflects those who submit themselves to God, through believing into His Christ.
The Jews always maintained that God is their Father; therefore, who might the fatherless represent here?
The unregenerate Gentiles; they have no father, God. But unregenerate Israel is as the widow, because their
Messiah has always been dead to them.
For those who are willing to repent Jew or Gentile God sets them in families His own family.
Through belief in His Christ, He sets the prisoners free. This idea is also reflected in verse 18 and our
passage in Ephesians more on that later.
The wicked perish at the presence of God (v. 2). But what happens to the rebellious those who have not
yet yielded to God (v. 6)? They dwell in a dry land. God has His means of gentle persuasion.
We see that this is something prophesied by Zechariah concerning the end times. Turn to Zechariah chapter
14. Zechariah has just given a vivid description of the Second Coming of the LORD and the ensuing
judgment. This is what will take place following that, which places it during the Kingdom Age.
[Zechariah 14:16-19] You can see that the families of the earth refers to the nations (eg, Egypt, v. 18).
What will the punishment be, for those who stubbornly refuse to submit to the LORD? No rain. They have
refused the living water (Jn 4:10).
[Return to Psalm 68]

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The next part is more specific to Israel.

v. 7-10 Of course, we can see the historical significance for Israel in these verses. But is there prophetic
significance, as well? I think there is.
Notice how God is leading His people Israel through the wilderness, and making provision for His
weary people there. In Revelation 12, we learn of the woman, who is the nation of Israel, being persecuted
by the great red dragon Satan.
This persecution is known as the time of Jacobs trouble (Jer 30:7) the last 3 years of the Tribulation.
At that time, the Lord will shelter His nation by causing them to flee into a wilderness (Rev 12:14). This is
referring to a wilderness of peoples, as Ezekiel prophesied (Ez 20:35) a reference to the Gentile nations
that will befriend Israel during her time of trouble (Ruth 2:11).
v. 11-12 The Lord has a timing. When the Lord, Adonai, gives the word which reverberates through His
heavenly host, His army of angels just by His word, the enemy is vanquished.
This immediately brings to mind the King of kings and Lord of lords, at His return; out of His mouth goes
a sharp sword thats His word that with it He should strike the nations (Rev 19:15).
And the kings of the earth will flee theyll hide themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains,
saying, fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the
Lamb; for the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand? (Rev 6:16-17).
In verse 12, she who remains at home is the remnant of Israel, back in her land. To the victor goes the
spoils Israel can now partake of the inheritance of her King and Lord for Jesus will have the victory
over all the earth.
v. 13-14 This part is a bit challenging. The word sheepfolds in the NKJV has been variously translated
here as pots (KJV), campfires (Baker), and hot cooking stones (NASB, note). The theological wordbook
(TWOT) indicates that the meaning is doubtful.
Elsewhere in Scripture, the word refers to double-pronged hooks by which sacrifices will be handled, in the
temple described by Ezekiel (Ez 40:43). Its not unlikely that this is actually the idea here, as well.
The Hebrew word for lie down often means to lie down in death. Though Israel will be pressed from
all sides during the Great Tribulation, virtually unto death think of the double-pronged hooks the
remnant will emerge regenerate, in the image of her Redeemer, whom we can see in the dove. The dove is a
sacrificial animal which pictures Christ in His deity. Here its wings are covered with silver redemption
and with gold the glorified body.
Verse 14 reflects back on verse 12. El Shaddai, the all-sufficient One, is sufficient for Israel, to scatter her
enemies in defeat. This, in part, is how the Lord will cleanse her land; it will be as pure as the snow on a
mountain peak.
v. 15-16 Bashan was the land east and northeast of the sea of Galilee. It was a region where the children of
Israel encountered and fought against enemies as they sought to enter the land of Canaan (Deut 29:7, Num
21:33-35). In our day, the nation of Syria occupies that land; another enemy of Israel.

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In Scripture, mountains are representative of kingdoms; here we see many kingdoms at enmity with Israel;
perhaps an alliance of nations. There appears to be contention for one particular mountain; but God
declares that He will dwell in it forever. That mountain refers to Mount Zion; Jerusalem, the true capital of
Israel.
It is interesting to note that another psalmist, Asaph, prophesies of Arab nations that will surround Israel,
forming a confederacy to cut Israel off as a nation. The psalmist calls on the LORD to preserve Israel: As
the fire burns the woods, as the flame sets the mountains on fire, so pursue them with Your tempest, and
frighten them with Your storm (Ps 83:14-15). It is believed that this war will take place during the last 3
years of the Tribulation.
So we have the theme, in Psalm 68, of God completely vanquishing his enemies, who are also the enemies
of Israel. It is the next part of the psalm that Paul quotes in Ephesians. It is prophetic for victory of Christ
in both of His comings to the earth.
v. 17-18 David paints the scene of the glorious ascent of the LORD up to Jerusalem, where He will take His
rightful place as the King. Remember that historically, David and the children of Israel are escorting the
ark of God up to the city of Jerusalem, which had just been captured from the Jebusites.
In the scene that David paints here, we have the chariots of God remember in verse 4, the verb form of
chariots is rides; rides in a chariot. What are the Lords chariots, here? Twenty thousand actually
means a myriad, or host; thousands upon thousands; clouds of them, you might say.
We then read that the Lord is among them among this heavenly host as in Sinai, in the Holy Place a
reference to the sanctuary in the Tabernacle. What is the psalmist referring to, that the Lord is among?
Angels. In the sanctuary, they were embroidered all over the curtains that surrounded the Holy Place (Ex
26:1). Here, they are a heavenly host of angels, escorting the King to His holy habitation where He will
dwell forever (v. 16).
David continues to paint this scene, portraying the LORD as a glorious conqueror. In that day, after an
enemy army was routed, the victorious leader might take the people of the land as his captives. These
captives would form the train of his procession as the conqueror returned from his triumph in the battle.
In verse 18, the conqueror receives gifts among men, or for men. These might be considered in this context
as the spoils of war, which the conqueror is sharing with His people.
Well look at the prophetic significance of this in terms of our Ephesians passage shortly; but lets consider
for a moment how this, and the remainder of this psalm, prophesies of the Second Coming.
Remember that when the Lord Jesus returns, He will come with the clouds of heaven (Dan 7:13, Rev 1:7)
which I believe is referring to the angelic host, as we see in verse 17. The Lord will ascend on high to
Jerusalem, the city of God. As the LORD prophesied through David elsewhere, Yet I have set My King on
My holy hill of Zion (Ps 2:6). This is the King of glory, the LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in
battle; and the gates of the city will open for Him (Ps 24).
The Lord will have rescued the remnant of Israel from all of her enemies, more literally in verse 18 you
have captivated captivity. And the gifts that the King will receive are offerings from His subjects those
nations of the earth that remain and are willing to submit to His rule over them (Ps 2:11-12). Even the
rebellious the stubborn must submit to the rule of the King, or He will break them with a rod of iron (Ps
2:9).

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Well just look at the rest of the psalm briefly.

v. 19-20 You can see that this will be the position of the remnant; for their Lord will rescue them.
v. 21-23 Remember that Bashan here represents those at enmity with the Lord and His people. Those who
go on in their trespasses set themselves up as the enemies of the Lord, and He will deal with them justly.
v. 24-27 This continues the theme of the victorious conqueror, with those He wrested from the enemy in
His train, citing four of the tribes of Israel. Benjamin reflects Christ in His Second Coming; Judah, Christ
as the King; and Zebulun and Naphtali suggest Christ reaching out to the Gentile nations, allowing those
who befriended Israel to enter into His Kingdom (Mt 25:31-46).
v. 28-31 God will strengthen Israel to be the head nation, in the Kingdom Age. They will teach the other
nations about the Lord. Where the Gentile nations will be partakers of Israels spiritual things, Israel will
be ministered to by the Gentile nations in terms of material things (see Rm 15:27). This is likely the
significance of Kings will bring presents to you.
Remember the portrait of the conqueror, here, who is given tribute, which he shares with his people. The
nations will freely offer of their material blessings to the Lord, who will share them among His nation,
Israel.
Again we see that the Gentile nations will either come into submission under the King, or be destroyed.
The psalm concludes with praise to the Lord.
v. 32-35 You can see this psalm is remarkable, both historically and prophetically.
Well return now to Ephesians, and consider how the verse which Paul quoted from this psalm supports
what he is saying. But hold your place in Psalm 68.
[Return to Ephesians]
First, I want you to compare Pauls quote of the psalm here, in verse 8, to the original verse in the Psalm
68, which is verse 18. There are some differences in pronouns, but this does not change the significance.
There is one significant difference, though. What is it?
In Psalm 68, it says that You have received gifts among men (for men in the KJV); in Pauls letter, he
quotes the psalm as And gave gifts to men. To receive gifts and to give gifts are diametric opposites.
Do you think Paul made a mistake, here? Of course not; Paul wrote this letter by the inspiration of the
Holy Spirit. Clearly, the Spirit had Paul make the alteration. What is interesting to consider is that it can
be said that Christ both received gifts for men and gave gifts to men as we will see shortly.
But the Spirit wanted to emphasize the fact that the gifts were given to men, because He is directing Paul to
write about the purpose of the gifts that were given. The gifts given ties back to the grace given to each one
of the members of the Body of Christ (v. 7). But when were these graces given?
Turn to John chapter 7. Jesus had gone up to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles.
[John 7:37-39]

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v. 37-38 I read this with an alternate punctuation; there is no punctuation in Greek. Most translations have
a period after drink, but that makes it sound as if the rivers of living water flow from the believer; as we
know, everlasting life flows from Jesus.
During the feast of Tabernacles, the priests would ceremonially pour out water at the altar of burnt offering,
which would flow out toward the people. This was done to commemorate the water that the LORD brought
forth from the rock in the wilderness, that the people might drink, and live (Ex 17:1-7).
The last day of this feast was the eighth day. Eight is the number of new beginning. On that day, Jesus
stood, speaking this like a proclamation. It was an invitation to come to Him; the source of living water.
Here was Israels Rock of salvation, who would be smitten in His death. But out of His pierced side would
flow rivers of living water everlasting Life, for all who believe.
v. 39 Here John was equating the rivers of living water that would flow out of the death of Jesus with the
Holy Spirit. The Spirit is the guarantee of Life everlasting, in a body of glory.
Now, when John said that the Holy Spirit was not yet, what did he mean? Well, John did not mean that
the Holy Spirit did not yet exist; He has always existed, because He is God. And John did not mean that the
Holy Spirit had not yet been given to individual believers, because He certainly had.
What John was saying was that the Holy Spirit had not yet been given to the Body of Christ collectively.
Why not? Because that Body did not exist yet; that Body would come out of the death of Jesus His
glorification.
Turn to John chapter 20. Jesus had been crucified, was buried, and on the third day, rose from the dead.
On the night of His resurrection, He came to His disciples in the upper room.
[John 20:19-22] The significance of breathing on the disciples ties back to the LORD breathing into the first
man, Adam, by which Adam became a soul of spirit life. Here, Jesus is breathing on the disciples
collectively; they are collectively receiving the Holy Spirit, as a body the Body of Christ who will now
be collectively enlightened to the mind of Christ.
Turn back to Luke chapter 24. Luke records the same incident in the upper room, bringing out different
details. One detail was that the disciples were terrified when Jesus suddenly stood in their midst. Another
is that they required a bit more convincing, that it was really Jesus, and not a ghost (they had superstitions
back then, too). After they believed that it was really Jesus, He spoke to them.
[Luke 24:44-53]
v. 44-48 So Jesus, having collectively given His disciples the Holy Spirit, then proceeded to enlighten
them as to how He fulfilled all of the OT Scriptures concerning Messiah in His first coming to the earth.
Jesus was teaching them, now that they could understand; preparing them to be His witnesses in the world.
But they werent ready to witness yet.
v. 49 What is the Promise of My Father? Luke records this in his next volume: the book of Acts. The
Promise of the Father is the baptism in the Holy Spirit. They were to wait until the Spirit came upon them
with power.

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v. 50-53 So Jesus ascended back into heaven. Here is the first part of our verse in Ephesians When He
ascended on high. His ascension also includes His resurrection out from among the dead, because that
was the beginning of His exaltation (Phil 2:9-10).
Meanwhile, the disciples returned to Jerusalem to await the promised anointing.
Turn to Acts chapter 1. We looked at these verses a couple of weeks ago, while considering the power of
God in the life of believers. Here were looking again to review what Luke says about the promised Spirit.
This slightly overlaps the action at the end of Lukes gospel. Jesus was speaking to His disciples before He
ascended back to heaven.
[Acts 1:4, 5] It is not with the Holy Spirit, but in the Holy Spirit that the collective Body of Christ will
be baptized. This baptism will be their anointing for their ministry.
Jesus qualified this baptism a little further.
[Acts 1:8,9]
v. 8 This baptism in the Holy Spirit will empower the members of Christs Body for their witness to Jesus,
to the uttermost parts of the earth.
v. 9 Notice that its a cloud that receives Jesus; that catches Him up. Is it not likely that this is no mere
cloud, but the host of heaven the chariot of Psalm 68 that has come to escort the Lord back to His
heavenly home? I believe that is so.
The disciples waited in Jerusalem for 10 days, and then the promise of the Father was made good.
[Acts 2:1-6, 11]
Notice the manifestations of the Spirit that are given: a sound, as of a mighty rushing wind; and divided
tongues, as of fire. Wind and fire the same elements that David was inspired to select in Psalm 68, when
he spoke of the victory of God over His enemies. The power that would now be manifest in the Body of
Christ collectively would continue the victory of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Rev 5:56, 9-10).
The sound fills the house, signaling the baptism of the household of Christ, in the Holy Spirit.
v. 4 So they are baptized in the Spirit and now the Spirit fills them in a new way with power for their
witness. This power is the spiritual graces, known as charismata in the Greek. It is a divine enablement
above and beyond ones own natural abilities that will serve to confirm the testimony that the believers
give concerning Jesus.
The Body of Christ was baptized in the Spirit only once on this day of Pentecost, in fulfillment of the
feast. At that time, the Body received all of the charismata. Thereafter, as individuals believe and are
added to that Body, they receive that baptism and are allotted spiritual graces given to that Body as
determined by the Holy Spirit.

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10

Notice that one of these graces was manifest right away the speaking in other tongues known foreign
languages. Each believer spoke a different language, as the Spirit gave him utterance. Notice also that it
immediately served the intended purpose of the charismata to confirm the testimony that Peter will give,
concerning Jesus.
v. 5-6 Again, these are known languages, but they are unknown to the speaker; this is not gibberish. And
what were the disciples saying, in these different languages? Verse 11 they were declaring the wonderful
works of God. Could this be anything other than the work of God, in sending Jesus?
Peter then gave his testimony which demonstrated that Jesus fulfilled the Scriptures concerning Israels
Messiah. As Peter speaks about His resurrection, notice what he then says.
v. 32-33 Jesus received the Holy Spirit from the Father and in so doing, received gifts for men; the
charismata, with which the Spirit would empower them. And then Jesus poured out the Holy Spirit on His
Body on earth, baptizing them in the Spirit. In doing this, He gave gifts to men as our text in Ephesians
declares.
[Return to Ephesians]
So we have looked at the ascension of Jesus, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Body of Christ.
We can see how Paul was showing that this fulfilled Psalm 68:18, He ascended on high, And gave gifts
to men. But in what sense did Paul mean of Jesus that He led captivity captive? Remember this means
the captives were captivated by Jesus.
The captives are believers. Once they were sons of disobedience; born in Adam, born dead and in the dark
to God. As sons of disobedience, Sin and Death reigned over them. But Jesus came, and defeated those
captors.
By becoming our Substitute on the cross, Jesus loosed us from our sins in His own blood (Rev 1:5); Sin no
longer has dominion over us (Rm 6:14). And then Jesus rose from the dead, conquering Death through His
resurrection. Death was swallowed up in victory (1 Cor 15:54).
Those who believe into Jesus have been freed from sin and death, which held them captive. They have
now been captivated by the love of Christ, freely giving themselves to Him as their Lord their Master.
They are now the bondslaves of the Lord the free response of love to Love.
Lets read the last two verses again.
v. 9-10 In this and the ensuing passage, Paul pulls two threads out of the verse that he quoted, to show how
Jesus fulfilled these in His first coming. Well look at the first right now: He ascended. Next week,
well delve a little deeper into gave gifts (v. 11).
We have already seen that the ascent of conqueror was fulfilled in Jesus ascension into heaven. But Paul
show that that ascent required for Jesus to first descend. Although commentators differ on what the descent
really entailed, I dont think theres really any question.
Some maintain it is strictly speaking of Jesus incarnation, based on symmetry of language, with the ascent.
But if we consider what Pauls point is: that Jesus might fill all things, the descent must absolutely
include His descent into death. It is because Jesus died and rose again, that sin and death were conquered.

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The beginning of Him filling all things is with Him ascending back into heaven and pouring out the Holy
Spirit on His Body of believers on earth; we are filled with the Spirit of Jesus.
And as we saw in Ephesians chapter 1, in time, all things will be reconciled to God (Col 1:19); gathered
together in one, in Christ Eph 1:10); then God will be all in all (1 Cor 15:28). That is the fullness of Jesus,
our conquering hero, filling all things.