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The first part of the letter to the churches in Galatia speaks to the different Gospel that Christians from a jewish back ground were trying to impose on Christians from a Greek or non-jewish background… namely circumcision.
In other words the Greeks would be baptized then there would be a knife and a minor surgical procedure waiting to be performed on them.
Then there seems to be a transition to the “works of the flesh” and the “fruits of the Spirit” Is it really a transition or is it a continuation of the same subject?
Let me suggest that the “works of the flesh” actually describes the works of the judaizing Christian teachers. The purveyors of circumcision.
Note the parallel beginning in Galatians 5: 16… the desires of the Spirit vs. the desires of the Flesh and if “led by the Spirit” not “under the Law”
It shifts from Flesh to Law and then defines the works of the flesh (implied Law)
Keep in mind under the Mosaic Law all those “works of the flesh” could be solved by merely sacrificing an animal. That would not be the case under the New Law. The New Law required and requires spiritual perfection because of the superiority of God’s perfect sacrifice… Jesus Christ. It starts in the mind and the heart.
If judaizing Christian teachers could require circumcision then as the holy text explains they would be logically obligated to practice the whole of the Mosaic Law and could continue to practice the “works of the flesh” claiming that the blood of Jesus Christ allowed it just like the blood of animal sacrifices did.
The Galatian letter has a reference to the “fruits of the spirit” I asked my High School class if they saw a tree with oranges on it what kind of tree would that be? They correctly said… an Orange Tree.
Then I asked them if they saw a tree whose fruit was love, joy, peace, etc. what kind of tree would that be?
Conversely if they observed a tree whose fruit was sorcery, immorality, anger, etc. What kind of tree would that be?
Here’s a tough one. What if they saw a tree with mixed fruit… love, joy, peace but also anger and strife and trouble making?
That tree might be a newborn Christian in the faith who still has some work to do in the fruit department but is making progress.
Or it might be a mature tree that has become stunted and is not growing nor is it fulfilling the spiritual directive to become full, complete, blameless and pure… the very spiritual image of Jesus Christ himself.
From time to time we need to take a critical look at ourselves and see ourselves as others see us. Lets be one of the prettiest and most productive trees in God’s garden because… He deserves it.
The phrase “In heavenly places” only occurs six times in the entirety of the New Testament and all those occurrences are in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Probably significant.
In fact, the epistle starts with “spiritual blessings in heavenly places” and ends with a war against “spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places” That is super significant.
First, what are the spiritual blessings in heavenly places? They are iterated in the Holy text as… being chosen, being pre-destined for adoption, being redeemed and forgiven, having God’s mysteries made known, inheriting an inheritance and finally and dramatically being “sealed” with the Holy Spirit.
Contrast “spiritual blessings in heavenly places” with “physical blessings in earthly places. We have both from God… good health, prosperity, families and Christian fellowship (to name a few)… all earthly and physical.
What are the differences between spiritual blessings and earthly blessings? Earthly blessings are temporary while spiritual blessings are permanent.
Why would Paul lead this letter talking about spiritual blessings? Because knowing and understanding those blessings are the first step in preparing us to be Christian warriors in the great battle against cosmic powers.
Have you ever heard the phrase, its not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog? Imagine a confident Chihuahua backing down a German Shepherd… it happens.
Understanding the permanent, unshakeable gifts God has given us builds confidence in our Faith and with even a little bit of faith (and no doubt) we can move mountains, we can walk on water and we can defeat the greatest of enemies.
Remember David and Goliath.
The Ephesian letter has seven references to “mystery”. More than any other New Testament letter.
The first use of the mystery is identified in Ephesians 3… the Gentiles are fellow heirs and members of the Church and share in the promises of the grace of God.
That would certainly be a mystery to most Jews who thought that they would forever be God’s chosen people and nation and that the non-Jews (Gentiles) would be nothing better than step-children of God.
This mystery was also mysterious to the “rulers and authorities in heavenly places” and if they weren't already mystified when God became flesh and allowed himself to be crucified this new mystery certainly added to their astomishment.
Another revealed “mystery” was how God’s church was in fact the wife of Jesus and how He was “One flesh” with her. Similar but not the same as the “one flesh” between a husband and wife.
In fact, this “mystery” is called a “great mystery” A greater mystery presumably than the mystery of the Jews and Gentiles becoming one.
It makes sense that the Jews and Gentiles had to become one people in Christ, because Jesus couldn’t have two wives… a jewish wife and a gentile wife.
Paul prays (Ephesians 3:18-19) that we the church (as a wife) would be able to know and comprehend the love of Jesus offers (as a husband). Presumably because that kind of love and the understanding of it is transformative and we become better wives. Just as an earthly husband's love through “nourishment and cherishment” transforms his wife.
Thanks you Paul for explaining that to us.
The Ephesian letter begins with Paul high lighting the gifts or blessings that God has given them. And if that were not enough Paul tells them some specific gifts/blessings that he personally asked God to give them.
Paul does does this presumably to stimulate their gratitude and encourage them on to spiritual maturity and “oneness” There was a problem with Jewish and Gentile Christians not fully assimilating with each other… a divided church.
Paul uses three figures to help their understanding of what they must do and be.
First (chapter two) he identifies them as each being a building and the buildings (Jew and Gentile) are assembled together to make a Holy Temple that God through the Holy Spirit can live in. God can’t live in a partially built or divided Temple... it would not be worthy of Him.
Secondly (chapter four) he tells them that they need to grow into the “stature and fullness” of Jesus Christ. That is accomplished by the “work of ministry” and “speaking truth in love” That work builds up each of them individually and collectively as Christ’s body… the church.
Thirdly (chapter six) Christians are supposed to strap on the armor and equipment of a soldier because we are in a war with Satan. We armor ourselves by following the preceding instructions on how to live our lives… eliminating sin and replacing sin with righteousness. Once that is done we are fully equipped to battle and conquer Satan.
The text is also heavy on the the attributes and work of the Holy Spirit and growing into the fullness of deity.
“His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue” John 9:22
The occasion of this verse was Jesus returning the sight of a fellow who was blind from birth. The Jewish leaders were doing everything they could do including questioning the parents to take this miracle away from Jesus.
The parents were afraid to give the credit where it truly belonged because the consequences were they would be kicked out of the Synagogue. Shame on them.
The Synagogue is roughly equivalent to our assemblies… the Church. Yes you can get kicked out of Church (the magnificent and beautiful bride of Jesus Christ) but you have to try really hard to do that. Usually some obvious sin that you don’t want to give up. It happens.
In the Church today the threat of being kicked out carries little weight for some because they just don’t care. If they want to they can find another church and just hop from church to church to church. Or just watch church on the Livestream.
Like spiritually handicapped little children. Content to continually nurse on the breast of superfical Christianity.
But for some it would be heart wrenching. You see for some the church and the relationships developed among the faithful at church are some of the most precious relationships we have.
It is imperative that churches help build those relationships.
Those things are usually accomplished by wonderful worship, breathtaking Bible study and remarkable resilient relationships.
In fact, if you are not feeling those things at the church you attend, there may be a problem and frequently we can see the problem when we look in the mirror.
Treasure and value the Beautiful bride of Jesus Christ and all she has to offer.
Jesus of course instituted the Lord’s Supper and represented himself as the lamb chosen by God to be sacrificed for the sins of the world… sins past, sins present and sins future. In so doing he represents himself as weak and humble allowing himself to be abused by creatures lessor than himself. Jesus the Lamb of God.
Jesus is represented in an entirely different manner in the Revelation… eyes like a flame of fire, a roaring voice, a sword coming out of his mouth. Jesus the Lion of God.
At the end of time we’ll see Jesus the warrior King coming back to earth and on that day it will be the last time that we participate in the Lords Supper and eat the bread which represents the broken body of the Lamb of God.
Until then we faithfully assemble and humbly eat the bread that represents Christ’s body and drink the cup which is his blood.
