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with those other writers who speak of "no more" death, curse or pain. If the word
Canaanite had been translated "trafficker" as it is in Isa. 23: 8, or "merchant" as it is in
Hosea 12: 7, or in Job 41: 6, the link with Ezek. 28: and the "traffic in holy things"
would have been apparent. These prophetic associations, moreover, give point to the
Saviour's reprimand "make not My Father's house an house of merchandise"
(John 2: 16).
The declared purpose behind the choice of the church "before the
overthrow of the world" is that it should be "holy", and the contrast which appears to be
intended here, between the church and that company which with Satan fell, through
"trafficking in holy things", enables us to see with clear cut precision what one
characteristic at least, should dominate all others in the estimate of the believer to-day.
We have received a "holy" as well as a "high calling", and the first detailed description of
the walk that should correspond, is given in Eph. 4:, where it is the "keeping" as a
sacred trust, the unity of the Spirit, keeping unsullied from the bribery or corruption of
compromise. When we come to Eph. 1: 18, and enquire as to the meaning of the phrase
"in the saints", we hope to make it plain that this directs our attention to "the holiest of
all", but until we can prove this we must not include it in our present exposition.
The two words "holy" and "blameless" (or "without blame") are repeated in
Eph. 5: 27 and Col. 1: 22.
One passage in Ephesians disposes of any idea that the believer can accomplish the
Father's object, and that is 5: 27. There the blessed and comforting truth is declared,
that the Father's object expressed (Eph. 1: 4) is accomplished by the sacrifice of His Son:
"Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the Church, and gave Himself for it, in
order that He might sanctify (hagiazo, "holy" is hagios) and cleanse it with the washing
of water by the word, in order that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not
having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but in order that it should be holy and without
blemish" (Eph. 5: 25-27).
The words are exactly the same as those rendered "holy and without blame" in
Eph. 1: 4. What fullness! what assurance! The Father's object accomplished by His
Son, our Lord. Oh that the Lord's people could rest here, cease their vain strivings, and
rest in the words of blessing--"it is finished".
Col. 1: 12-22 brings before us this same blessed truth. There again we find the Father
and the Son in perfect accord:
"Giving thanks unto the Father, who hath made us meet (sufficient) unto the portion of
the inheritance of the saints (or holy place, hagion) in the light, Who hath delivered us
from the authority of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His beloved
Son . . . . . You that were sometimes alienated, and enemies in your mind by wicked
works, yet now hath He reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you
holy and unblameable (the same word as used in Eph. 1: 4 and 5: 27) and
unreproveable in His sight."
Meetness for the inheritance, the Father's object (Eph. 1: 4; Col. 1: 12), is the result
of the offering of His Son, our Lord (Eph. 5: 25-27; Col. 1: 22). Positively holy,
negatively without blame or blemish, made meet by the Father, presented perfect by the