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#8.
The Muniment Room (1: 3 - 14).
"In heavenly places", "where Christ sitteth".
pp. 21 - 24
The believer in the dispensation of the mystery is blessed with every blessing that is
spiritual. No limits are set to the extent of these blessings, only to their character. We
now leave one subject of wonder, but to exchange it for another of equal marvel. These
spiritual blessings are linked with a sphere "in heavenly places".
IN HEAVENLY PLACES En tois epouraniois.
We have said elsewhere that this phrase is unique, that it occurs in the epistle to the
Ephesians and nowhere else. The unwary can easily be moved when they read that, in
spite of what we have said, epouranios occurs in fifteen other places outside of
Ephesians, as widely distributed as Matthew, John, I Corinthians, Philippians,
II Timothy and Hebrews. We have been accused of misleading God's people and of
misquoting scripture, and yet, in spite of all that has or can be said we repeat that the
phrase "in heavenly places" en tois epouraniois is unique, occurring nowhere else than in
the epistle to the Ephesians. The word "heavenly" epouranios most certainly occurs
elsewhere, this we have never denied, we read in Matt. 18: 35 of "My heavenly
Father" and in John 3: 12 of "heavenly things", in I Cor. 15: 40 of "celestial bodies"
and in Hebrews of those who "tasted of the heavenly gift". No one, so far as our
knowledge permits us to say, has ever maintained that those Hebrews who had tasted of
the heavenly gift, had actually ascended up to heaven itself in order to taste it! Many
things may be heavenly in origin and in character that are not enjoyed "in heaven", and
this is the point, it is this feature that is unique.
First let us consider the implications of this term "in heavenly places". What
justification is there for the added word "places". The reader will agree that the word
"places" answers the question "where?" and our first consideration must be to examine
the scriptures to see whether "this is so".
Hou is an adverb of place, and is used elliptically instead of the full expression eph
hou topou "in what place". We read in Col. 3: 1 "seek those things which are above
WHERE Christ sitteth at the right hand of God". Presently we shall see that "heavenly
places" is synonymous with "where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God", and that it is
moreover allied with the word ano "above", which also is directly connected with these
heavenly places.
This one passage, Col. 3: 1, establishes that Christ is represented as being
someWHERE, and if He is said to be seated at the right hand of God in heavenly places
in Ephesians, no more need be said on that score. That such a statement is true every
reader is aware, for Eph. 1: 20, 22 directs our wondering attention to the exalted position
of Christ, Who being raised from the dead was set "at His own right hand in the heavenly