Cor. 12:3), leaving another series of twelve with direct teaching for the

church.  The references are Romans 3:26; 8:11; 2 Corinthians 4:5,10, 11 (twice),

14; Ephesians 4:21; Philippians 2:10 and 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 4:14 (twice).  If

these facts stood alone we might feel that there is no spiritual significance in

the position in the sequence of occurrences, but when we know that the numerical

value (gematria) of the Greek letters of the word `Jesus' is 888 (a pointed

contrast to the number of the name of the Beast which is 666), and that the

number 8 has the significance of resurrection (a fresh start, as for example

Noah and those with him in the Ark -- see 2 Peter 2:5 and 1 Peter 3:20; `the

eighth person' and `eight souls'), then the introduction of the name `Jesus'

here, in Ephesians 4, in the eighth place of the sequence of twelve, assumes

definite meaning.

Most if not all of the references given above are found in contexts of

resurrection, and it is because the truth which the apostle is about to teach is

vitally related to the Lord as the Head of the new creation, the second Man and

the last Adam, that he uses this name.

All is now ready for the expansion of `the truth in Jesus'.  The old man

in its total alienation from God necessitates the new man and the new creation.

By the contemplation of the utter alienation of the Gentiles from the life

of God, and the significance of the name `Jesus', we have been led to expect the

introduction of a new creation.  Such is indeed the fact, and without it we

should be left without the least hope of ever throwing off the dreadful dominion

of the old man.  Let us observe the disposition of the subject matter before we

go into details.

A

Truth in Jesus.

Head of new creation.

B

Put off the old man.

B

Put on the new man.

A

Truth (righteousness and holiness of)

Sphere of new creation.

`The truth in Jesus' is the truth of the New Creation.  The old man

belongs to `the lie', the new man to `the truth'.  The old man is corrupt, the

new man is renewed and holy.  The words `put off' are to be referred to the word

`taught', and the passage reads:

`And by Him ye have been taught ... to put off ... the old man'.

We are in the practical section of the epistle and so are not instructed

as to how the old man was put off by Christ, but our attention is directed

rather to the outworkings of that doctrine.  We are to put off `as regards the

former conversation' the old man, or as Colossians puts it:

`Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his

deeds' (Col. 3:9).