Some mss omit the word humin `you', some read `us'.  J. N. Darby's note

is sane here.  He says `It is as likely that humin was left out to make it

uniform and as not understood as that it was added to apply it to

Just as Ephesians 1:22 does not say that Christ was given to be Head

over all things, but `Head over all things to the Church which is His Body'

so Ephesians 4:6 is not concerned with the universe, Headship of the universe

is neither affirmed nor denied, it is irrelevant to the subject.  The apostle

says that God the Father is over all things, and through all things, and in

all things `To Us', which is a subject that matters and is in line with

Ephesians 1:22,23, where `Head over all things to the church' forms an

essential item in doctrine and practice.  If the One Who is over all is our

Father, what need we fear?  If by the time any experience becomes ours, we

have grace to see that He is also `through' all things, what can harm us?  If

to us He is `in' all things, what a safeguard!  And if this One Who is our

Father be also our God, what a doctrine to hold fast!

Apart from the opening salutation, the references to the Father in

Colossians are all accompanied by thanksgiving.

`We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying

always for you' (Col. 1:3).

`Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers

of the inheritance of the saints in light' (1:12).

`And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord

Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him' (3:17).

The first reference goes on to speak of the `hope which is laid up for

you in heaven', the second tells of `meetness' for the enjoyment of such a

hope, and the third speaks of the corresponding practice that befits those

thus blessed.  The Father Who is thus thanked three times, is the One Who is

over all, and through all, or in all things `to us'.  Such is the sevenfold

Unity of the spirit.  The opening member One Body, is a part of the great

family of faith, whether their destiny be heaven or earth, and it is balanced

by One God and Father.  The One Spirit Who seals every member of this Body

for the inheritance yet to come, identifies them by One Baptism with the

death, burial and resurrection of Christ.  The One Hope is most intimately

connected with this special calling, and is balanced by the One Faith, the

Unity of the Faith, which is so fully expanded in Ephesians 4:13.  The One

Lord, the One in Whom all these blessings are found, is the member that is

left supreme in the midst.  The Ascended Lord is the focus of all our faith

and hope and apart from Him the Unity of the Spirit is impossible.

(Eph. 4:7 -12)

We have now reviewed each member of the Unity of the Spirit, and in the

course of that consideration we associated the One Faith of Ephesians 4:5,

with the unity of the faith of Ephesians 4:13.  The attaining of this unity

of the faith appears to be the second great step in the walk that is worthy

and before we close this subject it seems only right that we should give heed

to this expansion of our subject.

We find in this great section of the epistle, namely Ephesians 4:1 -17,

that there are three unities, three measures and three ministries, and while