by the apostle, and a church with elders flourished at the time when Paul had

revealed to them that he was about to enter a new phase of ministry.  He had

spent, subsequent to Acts 20, two years in Caesarea and probably one year in

Rome before this epistle to the Ephesians was written.  Yet he prays that they

may perceive `what is the hope of His calling'.  Had he said that he hoped they

would remember what he had already told them, had he said to them, as he had

earlier to the Thessalonians `For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the

Lord so cometh as a thief in the night', it would be understandable; but here he

appears to be approaching this question of hope as though it were something new.

We trust the reader appreciates the fact that this is exactly the state of

the case.  Something new had been revealed.  A calling going back before the

foundation of the world (Gen. 1:2), and up above the firmament of Genesis 1:6,

to the heaven of Genesis 1:1.  No calling had ever been associated by Prophet or

Apostle in Old Testament or New with such remote spheres.  Now hope is the

anticipation of the fulfilment of the promises that make up any particular

calling, and because hope and calling are so related, we find the two positive

references to hope in Ephesians linked with calling:

`What is the hope of His calling' (Eph. 1:18).

`Called in one hope of your calling' (Eph. 4:4).

This, of course is the true order.  Unless He had called us, we have no hope.

There may be no intentional connection, but the use of the interrogative tis in

Ephesians 1 to 3 is suggestive:

is

(Eph. 1:18).

is

(Eph. 1:18).

is

(Eph. 1:19).

is

(Eph. 3:9 R.V.).

What is the breadth?

(Eph. 3:18).

Most certainly is it true, that only as we comprehend these four great subjects,

shall we comprehend what is the breadth, length, depth and height of the mighty

purpose of grace.

What is the hope of His calling?  Hope looks forward in expectation, but

it is intimately related with faith.  Coming for a moment to another calling,

namely the heavenly calling of Hebrews 3:1, we learn that all they who

entertained this calling and its hope died, not having received the fulfilment

of the promises; they died in `faith' (Heb. 11:13), so we read in verse 1:

`Now faith is the substance of things hoped for'.

This must not be construed as a definition of faith, as though Paul were writing

a doctrinal treatise.  He is speaking to those who had suffered the loss of

their goods, and needed encouragement to persevere.  Faith, he says, is the

`substance' of things hoped for.  The Greek word translated `substance' is

hupostasis, a word which has come into English in connection with scientific,

philosophic and theological statements.  In medicine it means a sediment.  In

theology it means personality, especially when speaking of the three Persons in