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but once in this epistle, namely, in Eph. 4: 18, "the life of God". It does not appear to
be used in any form in any other part of the epistle, except in Eph. 2: 5 where it is a
compound and translated "quickened together". In case any reader should think that we
have overlooked Eph. 6: 3 we would point out that the word there is not zoe.
How are we to understand this alienation from the life of God? The parallel passage
in Col. 1: 21 connects this alienation with "wicked works". We cannot "live unto God"
without the "life of God", and that life can only be ours as we are "made alive together
with Christ".
The sphere of resurrection life is "the truth", even as sin and death are part of the
province of "the lie". The Gentiles, we are told in Rom. 1: 25, "changed the truth of God
for the lie", and this led to their alienation. Here in Eph. 4: we are to read of putting
away the lie and of putting on the truth:--
"Ye however have not thus learned the Christ--if at least it is Him ye have heard, and
by Him ye have been taught, even as truth is in Jesus" (Eph. 4: 20, 21).
The presence here of the name "Jesus" instead of the more usual "The Lord Jesus
Christ" demands an explanation. While the personal name of the Lord is constantly used
in the Gospels, its use without some added title in the Epistles is the exception rather than
the rule. Writing to the Hebrews the apostle uses the name "Jesus" eight times (this
includes Heb. 4: 8 which does not refer to our Lord but to Joshua). The references are
Heb. 2: 9; 4: 14; 6: 20; 7: 22; 10: 19; 12: 2, 24; 13: 12.
In the church epistles the apostle uses the name eleven times in all, three of these
references however deal either with unbelievers or the testing of spirits, leaving another
series of eight with direct teaching for the church. The references are Rom. 3: 26;
8: 11; II Cor. 4: 5, 10, 11, 14; Eph. 4: 21; and Phil. 2: 10. If these facts stood alone
we might feel that there was no spiritual significance in the number of the 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 II Pet. 2: 5 and I Pet. 3: 20; "the eighth
person" and "eight souls"), then the introduction of the name "Jesus" here in Eph. 4:
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 last man and the second 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. This therefore is the
subject that must occupy our attention in our next paper.