HOMILY IV.] HOMILIES ON EPHESIANS. That " He hath raised us up together," is plain. But that He " hath made us sit with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus," how does this hold ? It holds as truly, as that He hath raised us together. For as yet no one is actually raised, * excepting that inasmuch as as the Head hath risen, we also are raised, just as in the history, when Jacob did obeisance, his wife also did obeisance to Joseph. (Gen. xxxvii : 9, 10.) And so in the same way " hath He also made us to sit with Him." For since the Head sitteth, the body sitteth also with it, and there fore he adds " in Christ Jesus." Or again, if it means, not this, it means that by the laver of Baptism He hath " raised us up with Him." How then in that case hath He made " us to sit with Him?" Because, saith he, "if we suffer we shall also reign with Him," (2 Tim. ii : 12.) if we be dead with Him we shall also live with Him. Truly there is need of the Spirit and of revelation, in order to understand the depth of these mysteries. And then that ye may have no distrust about the matter, observe what he adds further. Ver. 7. " That in the ages to come, He might show the exceeding riches of His grace, in kindness towards us, in Christ Jesus." Whereas he had been speaking of the things which concerned Christ, and these might be nothing to us, (for what, it might be said, is it to us, that He rose) therefore he shows that they do moreover extend to us, inasmuch as He is made one with us. Only that our concern in the matter he states separately. " Us," saith he, " who were dead through our trespasses He raised up with Him, and made us sit with Him." Wherefore, as I was saying, be not unbelieving, take the demonstration he adduces both from former things, and from His Head ship, and also from His desire to show forth His goodness. For how will Heshow it, unless this come to pass ? And He will show it in the ages to come. What? that the blessings are both great, and more certain than any other. For now the things which are said may to the unbelievers seem to be foolishness ; but then all shall know them. Wouldest thou understand too, how He hath made us sit together with Him ? Hear what Christ Himself saith to the disciples, " Ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." (Matt, xix : 28.) And again, "But to sit onMy right hand and on My left hand is not Mine to give, but it is for them for whom it hath been 1 [This is Meyer s view. He says : " By virtue of the dynamic connection of Christ with believers as the head with its body their revivification is objectively comprehended in His." Ellicott says ; " Though the simple meaning of crvvrjyeipfv and trvv(icaflto-evseems to confine their reference to what is future and objective ; still as <7vveoOTroaicrei> though primarily spiritual and present may have a physical and future reference, so here a present spiritual resurrection and enthronement may be alluded to." G. A.] prepared of My Father." (Matt, xx: 23.) So that it hath been prepared. And well saith he, " in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus," for to sit on His right hand is honor above all honor, it is that beyond which there is none other. This then he saith, that even we shall sit there. Truly this is surpassing riches, truly surpassing is thegreatness of His power, to make us sit down with Christ. Yea, hadst thou ten thousand souls, wouldest thou not lose them for His sake ? Yea, hadst thou to enter the flames, oughtest thou not readily to endure it ? AndHe Himself too saith again, "Where I am, there shall also My servant be." (John, xii : 26.) Why surely had ye to be cut to pieces every day, ought ye not, for the sake of these pro mises cheerfully to embrace it ? Think, where He sitteth ? above all principality and power. And with whom it is that thou sittest ? With Him. And who thou art? One dead, by nature a child of wrath. And what good hast thou done ? None. Truly now it is high time to ex claim, " Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God ! " (Rom. xi =33-) Ver. 8. "For by grace," saith he " have ye been saved." 2 In order then that the greatness of the bene fits bestowed may not raise thee too high, ob serve how he brings thee down : " by grace ye have been saved," saith he, Through faith ; Then, that, on the other hand, our free-will be not impaired, he adds also our part in the work, and yet again cancels it, and adds, "And that not of ourselves." Neither is faith,3 he means, "of ourselves." Because had He not come, had He not called us, how had we been able to believe? for "how," saith he, "shall they believe, unless they hear? " (Rom. x: 14.) So that the work of faith itself is not our own. "It is the gift," said he, "of God," it is "not of works." Was faith then, you will say, enough to save us ? No ; but God, saith he, hath required this, lest He should save us, barren and without work at all. His expression is, that faith saveth, but it is because God so willeth, that faith sav eth. Since, how, tell me, doth faith save, without works? This itself is the gift of God. Ver. 9. " That no man should glory." That he may excite in us proper feeling 3 [" Confirmatory explanation of the truth and justice of the ex pression, the exceeding riches of His grace by a recurrence to the statement made parenthetically in verse 5." Ellicott. G. A.] 3 [Meyer objects to this interpretation saying : " How violent is this taking to pieces of the text, since OVK ef v^wi- and OVK t fpyiay present themselves in a. manner alike natural and weighty as ele ments belonging to one flow of the discourse ! The TOVTO refers to the salvation just designated as regards its specific mode." So substantially Ellicott. G. A.]