However, we have not yet concluded our examination.  Christ is said to be in

"heaven" (Heb. 9: 24) in the self same epistle that says He "passed through the heavens".

How can this be? The Hebrew reader acquainted with the first chapter of Genesis would

need no explanation. The heaven, which is "at the right hand of God" is the heaven of

Gen. 1: 1. The heavens through which Christ "passed" and above which He ascended is

called the "firmament" or "expansion" in Gen. 1: 6. This "heaven" spread out during the

ages "as a curtain" and "as a tent to dwell in" is to pass away. The Lord is far above this

limited "heaven" and so is the sphere of blessing allotted to the church of this

dispensation.  (EPHESIANS36, pp.21-24)

Here then are two unique features of this high calling of Ephesians.

It is not possible, nor even desirable, that we should take notice of every difference of

opinion that is current, but in the present instance silence could be misinterpreted and

damage done to the cause of truth. An honoured teacher who has stood for the great

principle of right division for many years has published his findings in the matter of

"heavenly places" in a booklet that is headed:

"The Earth, not Heaven, is the future home of God's redeemed".

"This is what I believe.  It is a belief that is not based upon

tradition, upon emotion, or upon wishful thinking. It is not

a conclusion that I have arrived at hurriedly."

This brother's contention is that the words translated in Eph. 1: 3 "in heavenly

places" should be rendered "among heavenly beings".

In the first place if the addition of the word "beings" be permissible so also can the

addition of the word "places".  If Eph. 1: 3 were the only occurrence of the Greek

phrase thus translated, we should have to admit that there was just as much reason to

accept one translation as the other. This however is not so. We turn to the second

occurrence of this phrase, namely in Eph. 1: 20.

There the reference is to the Ascension which, as Eph. 4: 10 shows, placed the Lord

"far above all heavens", that He might fill all things, even as Eph. 1: 20-23 reveals that

Christ our Head is seated at the right hand of God "far above all principality and power".

Christ is not represented here as being seated AMONG these heavenly beings but

ABOVE them. The apostle even goes so far as to include "every name that is named"

either now or in the future and clinches his argument by the quotation "and hath put all

things under His feet". Paul has not left us in doubt as to what this quotation implies.