EPHESIANS 1:3 -A DISPENSATIONAL BEATITUDE

Ephesians 1:3-14 is one entire sentence. The consideration given to Eph. 1:3 is some times ( according to this writer ) given undue emphasis. After all, the words 'blessed', 'hath blessed' and 'blessings' are only found here and not in any other part of Ephesians.. Even so, they are not found in any other prison epistle of Paul, either. Just as in heavenly places is found only in Ephesians in 1:3, 20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12 and again not in any of the other prison epistles. Since Colossians also teaches the same truths that Ephesians does, it is distinctive, that Colossians can do this without using "spiritual blessings" and "in heavenly places".

The three words, 'blessed', 'hath blessed' and 'blessings' all come from the same root word. Our word, eulogy, is a transliteration. Much like the word baptize, rather than a translation, we have the Greek words brought over into the English with the alphabetic equivalents. The word 'blessed' actually means good speaking or speaking well of. This good speaking in Eph. 1:3, first, is concerning God. Paul begins this long sentence (1:3-14) with good words concerning God. Paul says to eulogize, speak well of, praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Next, this good speaking concerns the believers. The very God who is to be well spoken of and eulogized and praised is the same God that has spoken well of them, so much so, that God speaks well with every/all spiritual good saying……. in the heavenly places in Christ. So, here then is the beatitude :

Eulogize the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Who has eulogized us in the heavenly places with every

spiritual eulogy in Christ, ……………….

So, the God who is to eulogized, is in the heavenly places, as he speaks, and eulogizes concerning believers, with every spiritual eulogy speaks He, these good words having meaning to the believer who are found to be in Christ. But the verse has no period, but a comma, since it is a one part whole from verse three until verse fourteen.

Thus, the verse is not talking about spiritually blessed things or entities in the verse itself as some would have us to understand. The spiritual 'good words' are found in the following verses. One can not just quote Eph. 1:3 and place a period after it. You really do not give a complete thought. You haven't said anything YET, because you stop before arriving at the description of what these good words are all about.

By the same token, this is not a verse to be used to compare and contrast the Church, which is Christ's Body with the nation Israel. Certainly, there is little warrant to say that the Church has spiritual 'blessings' while Israel had only earthly or physical blessings. It would be more accurate to say that Israel had spiritual AND earthly or physical blessings.

Paul mentions in Romans that Israel's Law was spiritual. 7:14 Gentile believers in the Body were to share their fleshly, carnal 'things' with the saints in Jerusalem, who had the Gentiles partake of their spirituals (things ) Rom. 15:27 The People of Israel ate a spiritual meat and drank a spiritual drink. I Cor. 10:3-4. In I Cor. 12, Paul speaks about 'spiritual gifts'. Did the Body have Apostles ? So did Israel. Did the Body have prophets? So did Israel. Did the Body have teachers ? So did Israel. Did the Body have miracles ? So did Israel. Need we go on ? We drift from Paul's points when we launch out in areas that we create and are not suggested by Paul and/or his writings.

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