Ephesians 4:10 - Printer Friendly

ESV: He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)

NIV: He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)

NASB: He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.)

CSB: The one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, to fill all things.

NLT: And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself.

KJV: He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

NKJV: He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

Paul continues his side-note from verse 9. The fact that Jesus ascended means He had to come to earth, first (Ephesians 4:9; John 1:1), and then return from earth to heaven. The reference to "above all the heavens" may be understood as "above the skies" since the same Greek word is used for sky and heaven. Jesus ascended to the heavenly realms, an area beyond the known physical world (Ephesians 6:12), and now sits at the right hand of the Father (Ephesians 1:20; Romans 8:34).

The final phrase "that he might fill all things" includes the sense of completion (Colossians 1:18–19; 2:9). Proverbs 30:4 poetically asks, "Who has ascended to heaven and come down?" referring to the Holy One, God (Proverbs 30:3). Colossians 1:19 says, "For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell." Jesus is God and could not be any more divine or any "fuller" than He already is.

Ephesians 4:1–10 is Paul's compelling description of Christian unity. Every saved believer, regardless of talent or skill, Jew or Gentile, male or female, is saved by the same faith in the same God. Each Christian, therefore, is part of a single, universal family of believers in Jesus Christ. At the same time, God gives different gifts to different people, so that they can serve the many roles needed to accomplish His purposes here on earth. Rather than being concerned about what gifts we might lack, each Christian can rejoice in our unity, and focus on serving God to the best of our ability.

Truly understanding saving grace, as Paul explained in prior chapters, is the Christian's first motivation for living a godly life. Here, Paul encourages believers to live in way which honors that gift. All saved Christians are part of a single, unified family, part of the ''body'' of Christ. At the same time, different believers are given different talents. Some are called to positions of leadership and authority. All Christians should turn away from the ''old self'' we were prior to being saved. Paul's explanation of the ''new self'' includes some basic, practical steps.

The first half of Ephesians focuses mostly on doctrine, setting up ideas related to the Christian faith. The last half, beginning in chapter 4, puts those theories into practice. Paul begins by emphasizing the ultimate unity of all Christians, regardless of individual spiritual gifts. Paul also begins to explain how knowledge of the truths should translate into action. Chapters 4, 5, and 6 feature specific, real-world applications of Christianity to daily life.

Ephesians follows a theme common in Paul's writings: connecting theory with practice. In this book, however, he goes into greater depth before making the transition. As a letter meant to be read by more than just the believers at Ephesus, this is an important look at how Christian belief should translate into Christian action. The first three chapters lay out spiritual ideas, the last three chapters show how these truths should be applied in the life of a mature believer. Paul focuses heavily on love, the unity of the Christian church, and the incredible value of our salvation through Christ.

Accessed 11/21/2024 10:13:30 AM