Ephesians, set out under the figure of a great house.

by Charles H. Welch

With this present book we present another attempt to set forth the general disposition of the subject matter of this great epistle, this time in the form of a great mansion, having two wings, one on either side of the central tower, each wing having seven rooms, to correspond with the sevenfold character of the doctrinal and practical sections of the epistle as exhibited earlier.

This mansion is conceived of as being under the care of a steward, Paul, who as surely has the keys of the Church as Peter had the keys of the kingdom of heaven.

Let us, in imagination, put ourselves under the care of the apostle Paul, while he conducts us round the building, and gives us some indication of the purpose of each chamber that we shall visit.

The Doctrinal Portion

Chamber 1 — The Muniment Room*

(Eph. 1:3-14)

In this room is deposited the deeds, the will, the title to the inheritance, the documents that reveal the basis of our emancipation, all sealed with the seal of the holy Spirit of promise ‘until the redemption of the purchased possession’. The manuscripts in this chamber are priceless. Some go back to a period before human history, and some will not be effective until we reach the day of redemption. In a later epistle Paul charges Timothy to keep that good deposit which had been entrusted to him (2 Tim. 1:14) which would include the documents so jealously guarded in this muniment room.

*A muniment room is where documents are kept as evidence of rights or privileges etc.

Chamber 2 — The Chapel of Acknowledgment

(Eph. 1:15-19)

Here, the great threefold theme of Ephesians 1:3-14 is the subject of prayer, and much turns upon the word translated ‘knowledge’ in verse 17, which we render ‘acknowledge’. When we come to the exposition of this passage we shall see that ‘the spirit of wisdom and revelation’ is given to the believer ‘in the acknowledgment of Him’. The fact that the Chapel of Acknowledgment adjoins the Muniment Room is therefore timely and of supreme importance.

Chamber 3 — The Throne Room

(Eph. 1:19 to 2:7)

The supreme exaltation of Christ ‘far above all’ is sufficiently stupendous to fill this chamber with its glory, but the overwhelming fact emerges, that the Lord shares that throne with His redeemed people. Some have resisted such an idea out of loyalty to the pre-eminence of the Saviour, but Revelation 3:21 would still remain true, and ‘joint heirship’ with Christ is as clearly taught in Romans 8:17. We shall find much to ponder over in this chamber but the greatest feature of all will be the overwhelming consciousness of abounding grace that can so link the Church with the Lord, as to invest it with the title ‘the Fulness of Him that filleth all in all’.

Chamber 4 — The Almonry

(A room in which gifts were distributed to the poor)

(Eph. 2:8-10)

This is the smallest section of this epistle, for it deals with the gospel of salvation, and those to whom Ephesians was written are already saints and faithful in Christ Jesus. Nevertheless in this small chamber priceless treasures are stored, in particular ‘salvation by grace through faith’ which we shall discover is ‘the gift of God’. This is among the unique things of this epistle, for while this particular word ‘gift’ doron is found elsewhere, it is always a gift brought by man to God or by man to man, in this place alone is the case reversed, here it is God coming forward and bringing His gift to man. Associated with this salvation by grace is a worthy walk, but as this belongs to the practical section, its full development is deferred until we come to the longest section of the whole epistle, namely Ephesians 5:1 to 6:9.

Chamber 5 — The Audience Chamber

(Eph. 2:11-19)

In most houses of the great, where audience is sought, there are often many humiliating restrictions. Here, the Gentile who was by nature so very far off, so alien, so strange, is made nigh and given an access that is without compare in any other dispensation. Here we are in the presence of a new creation, ‘of the twain’ He has ‘created’ (ktizo) one new man. Here the atmosphere is one of peace, peace by the blood of His cross, peace that is the consequence of ‘reconciliation’. Here the enmity that is evident in such passages as Acts 15 is for ever banished.

Chamber 6 — The Living Room

(Eph. 2:19-22)

The title of this section may at first seem misleading and appear to belittle the glorious figure that is here introduced, namely that of a holy temple. We shall miss the essential truth, however, of this passage if we intrude into its teaching the imagery of Ark, Altar, Incense, Cherubim, Lampstand, Priest and Levite. These were shadows all of which are absorbed, fulfilled and replaced by the finished work of Christ. The ultimate purpose of the tabernacle of Moses, and the temple of Solomon, was that it should be possible for God to ‘dwell’ among His people, and this is the expressed purpose in Ephesians 2:22 ‘an habitation of God (Christ, Revised texts) in spirit’.

Chamber 7 — The Secret Chamber

(Eph. 3:1-13)

In many ancient houses there is to be found secret chambers, secret passages, places designed to facilitate escape from military search or religious inquisition. Here, however, though the ‘mystery’ is the central feature, there is nothing mysterious about the truth, it simply means that until God revealed this phase of His purpose it was a complete secret which no amount of searching and pondering could discover.

This concludes the inspection of the doctrinal wing of the building. Under the guidance of the apostle we cross the vestibule over which the central tower is erected — which corresponds with Ephesians 3:14-21, and to which we return at the close of this tour of inspection — and make our way to the practical wing where once again seven chambers await our presence.

The Practical Portion

Chamber 1 — The Guard Room

(Eph. 4:1-6)

The sevenfold doctrinal teaching of Ephesians 1 to 3 is balanced by the sevenfold practical response of Ephesians 4 to 6, and the exhortation which covers the whole practical section is ‘walk worthy’. The first practical effort is not directed to ministry, preaching or other forms of service, but of ‘keeping’ as a sacred trust, the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. This unity is itself sevenfold, the central member being the ‘one Lord’.

Chamber 2 — The Ministry of Measures

(Eph. 4:7-19)

After the exhortation to keep the unity of the spirit, the apostle proceeds to personal ministry, which embraces ‘every one’ as well as including those gifts to the church as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. It will be discovered that there are three ‘measures’ spoken of in this section relating ministry to the gift of Christ, to the stature of the fulness of Christ, and to every member of the body.

Chamber 3 — The Robing Room

(Eph. 4:20-32)

Clothing in the Scriptures is used as a symbol of Salvation, of Righteousness, as also indicating an office or a frame of mind. We read of the garments of salvation, of the robe of righteousness, of the garments of glory and of beauty worn by the High Priest of Israel, of filthy garments, of garments of shame, of mourning and of humility. The words ‘put off’ and ‘put on’ employed by the apostle here imply the putting off and putting on of clothing. Here are garments of glory and beauty indeed, nothing second hand, all made to measure and all provided as freely as was the wedding garment of the parable.

Chamber 4 — Ambulatory and Social Room

(Eph. 5:1 to 6:9)

This is the largest portion of the epistle, and this chamber occupies proportionately more space than others. There is ample room for ‘walking’, and here wives and husbands, children and parents, servants and masters, may mingle and learn how in their several spheres they may shadow forth the relationship and love of Christ in the Church, sanctifying the home and daily business, placing all human relationships on this higher plane.

Chamber 5 — The Power House

(Eph. 6:10-13)

The words ‘having done all’ katergazomai of Ephesians 6:13 literally mean ‘to work out’ as they do in Philippians 2:12. They are the practical outcome of the mighty power ‘worked in’ which is explained in Ephesians 1:19 to 2:7. It is nothing less than the power both of resurrection and of ascension. It is the only power that is provided and, in view of the nature of the calling of this church, its position, its ministry, and its foes, no other power is of any service.

The fact that we are free to translate katergazomai literally in Ephesians 6:13 shows what a valuable instrument of translation and of interpretation the ‘structures’ can be, for the structure forces the relation of the two passages into prominence.

Chamber 6 — The Armoury

(Eph. 6:14-18)

This chamber is unlike most armouries that are on exhibition today where the armour exhibited is ancient and no longer of use. The weapons of warfare change with the changing years, and with them, the defensive armour provided. This is not the case however in this chamber where up-to-date armour is provided. The one weapon ‘The Sword of the Spirit’ is the only effective weapon in the fight of truth, the shield of faith bears a guarantee that it will quench every form of incendiary aimed by the foe. There is a notice in this chamber which indicates the nature and character of the enemy, and there is also a notice drawing attention to ‘the evil day’ for which this armour is provided.

Chamber 7 — The Room of Remembrance

(Eph. 6:19,20)

Here is the balance of the chapel of acknowledgment found in the other wing. There Paul prayed for the Ephesians, here he asks prayer for himself that he may with all boldness make known the wondroustruth entrusted to his care, on account of which he said, literally, ‘I conduct an embassy in a chain’. This leads to the central tower, which is also a great prayer:

The Central Tower — The Pleroma

(Eph. 3:14-21)

Here by three stages (indicated by the Greek particle hina ‘in order that’) we climb up into the glorious light of the mystery, and attain its goal, ‘that we may be filled unto (not "with") all the fulness of God’. This tower is a prayer, and upon examination we shall find much to learn as we compare it with the petition given in Ephesians 1:15-19.

This brings our tour of inspection to a close — but if it be true that after a day’s conducted tour around such places as The British Museum, The Tower of London, South Kensington Museum and the like, we are very conscious that much if not most of the exquisite detail, the enthralling interest, the beauty and the significance of all that has passed before us, still await hours of the most painstaking scrutiny, how much more may we not believe that a survey such as this of these sections of such an epistle can be but the prelude only of revelation that will be sufficient to occupy every hour of our waking thoughts, every ounce of our renewed energy, and call forth our utmost adoration as we bow in the presence of Him Who quietens the protests of our overwhelmed hearts by assuring us that He is ‘able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us?’

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(From IN HEAVENLY PLACES, page 20).

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The Pleroma (18) - Charles H. Welch

No.18. The title Head, and 

its relation to the Fullness. 

The largest section of the Epistle to the Ephesians is in the practical portion, and occupies the whole of chapter v., and nine verses of chapter vi. This great section falls into two parts. (1) A threefold walk; (2) A threefold relationship. 

       The threefold walk 

a | v. 2. Walk in love. 

   b | v. 8. Walk as children of light. 

      c | v. 15. Walk circumspectly. 

       The threefold relationship 

a | v. 22, 23. Wives and husbands. 

   b | vi. 1-4. Children and parents. 

      c | vi. 5-9. Servants and masters. 

The first thing to observe is that if Eph. v. 22-33 teaches that the church is “The Bride” or “The Wife”, then by parity of reasoning, w must continue the analogy and say that the church is also a ‘child’ and a ‘servant’, but that would be untrue in this connection, for while individuals believers are ‘children of God’ and many of the Lord’s children are also His ‘servants’ that is very different from teaching that the church in its dispensational aspect is itself either child or servant. This is not true. The church of the Mystery is categorically called in the doctrinal section “The Church which is His Body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all”, and to forget that Eph. v. and vi. deals with the practical outworking of the truth in the daily life of the individual believer is to make an initial mistake, the consequences of which are far reaching. While we are dealing with this aspect of the subject, let us deal with another, which is allied. It is sometimes taught that seeing that the word ‘Church’ is feminine that Eph. v. 25 should be translated ‘As Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for HER’, but this is to confuse gender with sex. In many languages both ancient and modern, things are often expressed in either the masculine or the feminine gender, but this is in reference to the language employed, not the thing itself. The very word we have before us “The Head” is the Greek kephale which is feminine, consequently the same argument that demands ‘her’ in Eph. v. 25 would demand that we use ‘she’ when speaking of Christ the Head! Peace and forgiveness are feminine, but blessings and will are masculine. This has reference only to their grammatical form. The reference to “The Head” which is the reason for turning to Eph. v. is found in verse 23: 

“For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church; and He is the saviour of the body.” 

It is evident that this passage is part of an argument, an argument that develops from the closing statement of verse 21: 

“Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God (or of Christ).” 

Observe that it does not say, wives submit to husbands, or husbands submit to wives, but ‘submitting yourself one to another’. This ‘submission’ flows out of the position of the Lord and the Church’s relationship with Him. The Greek word hupotasso ‘to submit’ or ‘to be subject’ is used in Eph. i. 22 where we read ‘And hath put all things under His feet’. It is evident, however, from the same passage that the Church which is His Body, is not put in subjection under His feet, for the near context speaks of this same company as ‘seated together’ in the heavenlies. The first occurrence of the Greek word hupotasso is Luke ii. 51, where it speaks of Christ as a lad of twelve years of age, who returned with His parents to Nazareth ‘and was SUBJECT unto them’. Can we not enter into the next sentence “But His mother kept all these sayings in her heart”? The last reference to hupotasso so far as fulfillment is concerned is I Cor. xv. 28: 

“And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him that put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.” 

Between the first occurrence and the last, we have the death, resurrection and ascension of Christ, with all things being placed under His feet, first as Head of the Church of the one Body (Eph. i. 22, 23), then over ‘the world to come’ whereof Paul speaks in Hebrews (Heb. ii. 5-8), of which the heavenly section is dealt with in this epistle, and the earthly in such prophecies as Psa. ii. and Psa. cx., and Rev. xi. 15. These successive subjections were set forth in type when Adam was created, given dominion, and commanded not only to replenish the earth but to ‘subdue’ it (Gen. i. 28). In the light of the age-purpose, in the light of the submission of the Son of God Himself, all resentment, all sense of humiliation, all argument concerning equality or rights or any other objection that arises in the human breast, falters and dies in the presence of such utter devotion to the glorious purpose of redeeming love. What husband or what wife, having seen such a grace and condescension manifested for their salvation and peace, would not gladly and willingly co-operate with such love that passes knowledge, and count it a joy and a privilege to have the smallest place in the outworking of such a purpose? Both the husband and the wife are in the first place types and shadows. The husband is a type of the Headship of Christ, the wife a type of the Church which is His Body. Neither the one nor the other is superior or inferior, both are essential to the completion of the figure. Wives are called upon to submit themselves unto their own husbands ‘as unto the Lord’. Husbands are called upon to love their wives ‘even as Christ loved the church’. This is an entirely different plane than that of human affection. In the ordinary way of life one expects a husband to love his wife, and where there is such love, there is usually no argument as to who is head of the family. This is taken for granted in Eph. v. The Apostle is not instructing husbands and wives in things they already know and feel, he is concerned with the type ‘as unto the Lord’, ‘As Christ also loved’. In verse 23, there is an addition or clause. After the parallel is complete “for the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church” the Apostle adds “And He is the Saviour of the body”. There is but one reference to the Saviour in Ephesians, and but one in Philippians, and both deal with the Body. In Ephesians, the Body, the Church is in view; in Philippians (iii. 21) the transfiguration of the body of the believer in resurrection is in view. The words appear to be added in Eph. v. 23 for several reasons: 

(1) No human husband can be called ‘The saviour of the body’ whether ‘the body’ refers to himself, his wife, the church, or the resurrection. 

(2) The reference to ‘the body’ seems to be included here, and in verses 28 and 30, to prevent the idea forming in the mind that the church here can be looked upon as the ‘wife’. The husband is to love his wife as his own body. 

(3) The quotation from Gen. ii. 24 follows, but lest we should think that Gen. ii. is speaking of that which was a mystery at that time ‘hid in God’ and so be self contradictory, the Apostle adds: 

(4) “This is a great mystery”, i.e. the fact that in true marriage a man and wife become ‘one flesh’. 

(5) This he differentiates from the relationship of Christ in the Church by saying immediately ‘But I speak concerning Christ and the church’. Then leaving once again the type, the Apostle returns to the obligations which devolve upon both husband and wife saying ‘Nevertheless, let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself, and the wife see that she reverence her husband’. 

The fact that the exhortation to husband and wives are an integral part of a threefold exhortation that includes children and parents, servants and masters, must be kept before the mind throughout the reading of this chapter. Even if there had been no revelation which indicated the relationship of the church with Christ, it would still have been necessary to remind husband and wives of their relationship one to another, and to the need to express in their mutual love and relationship the doctrine already given. That relationship having been given as that of a ‘Body’ with the ‘Head’ cannot be altered simply because some believers in that company happened to be married, any more than the constitution of the one Body could be modified, simply because other believers in that company were masters or slaves. The blessed truth which can easily be lost sight of in this argument is that the highest revelation of doctrine, the highest of all callings, the most wonderful of all spheres of blessing, are not too high but that they may be exemplified in the daily life in home and business of the humblest member. The exhortations of Eph. v. and vi. are but a part of the demand made by the Apostle that all believers should walk worthy of the vocation wherewith they had been called, the ‘walk in love’ with which Eph. v. opened, being most clearly exemplified by the love of the husband to the wife. If every Christian home could but be run on these lines what a witness it would be both to men and to angels. In the light of the Saviour’s own selfless love, and subjection for our sakes, such relationships should be nothing more than our ‘reasonable service’. 

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(From The Berean Expositor vol. 43, page 157).

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