“One Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all, and in us all. But to each one of us has been given grace according to the measure of the gift of the Christ. Wherefore He says, Having ascended up on high, He has led captivity captive, and has given gifts to men. But that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same who has also ascended up above all the heavens, that He might fill all things; and He has given some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some shepherds and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints; with a view to the work of the ministry; with a view to the edifying of the body of Christ” (verses 5-12, JND).
The subject of the unity that belongs to the saints of God in Christ now, is still before us. The fourth verse is one character of unity; the fifth another, and the sixth a third. They form concentric unities which enlarge respectively. Nobody enters the first except those who are born and sealed of the Holy Spirit, but in verse 5 we have a more outside unity, and area of profession, larger than that of real spiritual power. Here “the Lord” is made prominent. I recall from childhood hearing a young woman, who at the time had a position in our household, saying something about “our Lord,” and heard my mother’s quick but kindly expressed response, “Is He truly your Lord and Saviour, Harriet?” The Bible tells us that in the day of judgment many who are unsaved will say, “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works?” And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from Me, ye that work iniquity (Matt. 7:21-23). (See also Matt. 25:11-42).
In like manner, we read here of “one faith,” —the common faith that all Christians profess; thus we distinguish it from the religion of the Jews, and the idol worship of the heathen. This is not the faith that receives Christ and is saved.
“One baptism” follows because that is a mark of Christian profession. Thus verse 5 tells us of just that—the Christian profession, the unity of it, not necessarily a real, holy and eternal thing, since there is much that is unreal, profession and not possession, in it.
And now we reach the sixth verse, giving the last unfolding of unity in and around Christ our Lord. We acknowledge “one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all;” a personal God, and not a number of divinities, as the Gentiles did, and many still acknowledge. As it is said, the bulk of men have gone on with their idols, in spite of Old Testament law or New Testament gospel. The Christian revelation shows God in an infinitely larger character and for us far more intimately known than as the Jew knew Him. “In us all” speaks of the Father’s special relationship to the Christian.
The Holy Spirit next turns to the consideration of the special ways in which the Lord calls upon the various members of His body to serve Him, for “to each one of us has been given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.” All of us have a common position as belonging to Him, but what is now brought out here is what is peculiar in privilege and responsibility on the part of each individual member of Christ.
It should be noted that there is a plain distinction in the point of view in which the Spirit presents Christian ministry in Ephesians and in the Corinthian epistles. Of course, Christ is seen above all His servants in every case, and as Head and Lord He gives certain gifts. In Corinthians, the Holy Spirit is more prominent than Christ, but in Ephesians the reverse is true. Both aspects are necessary to God’s glory, and equally perfect in their place.
But we must leave further consideration of this most interesting subject to another occasion, if the Lord will.