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severed from the "one body" and the "one Spirit", for they are linked by the words
"even as ye are called--in one hope of your calling".
There is no actual mention of the second coming of the Lord in Ephesians, but one or
two statements are given that look forward to the end, and we must consider the evidence
which they provide. "The dispensation of the fullness of times" when all things shall be
gathered up in Christ, whether things in heaven or in earth, may refer to the great
consummation towards which the purpose of the ages moves, but if it does, nothing is
said as to the Lord's coming from heaven to earth.
The prior hope.
In Eph. 1: 12 we read: "That we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted
in Christ." The word for "first trusted" is, in the original, proelpizo, and does not occur
elsewhere in either the N.T. or the LXX--its literal meaning is "pre-hoped". The passage
is in correspondence with the words of verse 6, as shown in the structure:--
Eph. 1: 5, 6. | A | Predestinated as children.
B | According to the good pleasure of His will.
C | To the praise of glory of His grace.
D | Highly favoured in the Beloved.
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Eph. 1: 11, 12. | A | Predestinated as to inheritance.
B | According to purpose . . . . . will.
C | To praise of His glory.
D | Who fore-hoped in Christ.
Pro in composition indicates place, time or preference. Instances of the third meaning
are found in Rom. 3: 9 and 12: 10: "Are we better than they?" and "In honour
preferring one another". And this meaning harmonizes with the parallel, "highly
favoured", of verse 6. The hope of Ephesians is "prior" not only and not so much in the
sense of time, although this is undoubtedly true, but rather in the sense of high favour and
dignity--indeed, "far above all principality". "The exceeding riches of His grace" follow
closely upon the statement of our being "made to sit together in the heavenlies in Christ
Jesus" (Eph. 2: 6, 7).
It must be acknowledged that positive teaching concerning the second coming of the
Lord does not enter into the revelation of the mystery in this epistle. If, however, we
believe that "the hope of Israel was entertained by the apostle up to the time of his visit to
Rome and his all-day conference with the leaders of the Jews there, then we are faced
with two alternatives: either we must believe that the one hope concerning which the
apostle prayed so deeply in Eph. 1: was a hope known to all familiar with those O.T.
passages considered in this series, or we must believe that with the revelation of the
mystery was made known a new and corresponding hope. If the latter of these
alternatives is not true, then the character of our hope is not, after all, distinctive or
unique, and our calling, associated with a mystery hitherto unrevealed (Eph. 3:) and a