Daily Meditations on the Bible / We stand with Israel
As for you, you were dead …
Summary: The meanings of “alive” and “dead” are easy to see when we are talking about physical bodies. When the subject is a spiritual body, the definitions of “dead” and “alive” change. The words remain the same, but the meanings are different.
Continue reading “Ephesians 2:1a (Part 2) – The Big Door”As for you, you were dead …
Summary: Understanding the meaning of words is important. When the document we are reading is a matter of life and death, correctly understanding the words becomes even more important. Today we explore the meaning of the word “dead.”
Continue reading “Ephesians 2:1a (Part 1) – Dead Reckoning”… the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Summary: Making sense of Paul’s sentences can be a challenge. Today’s passage is one of those challenges. What is Paul talking about and what does he mean? The answer is found in a closer look at what Paul wrote.
Continue reading “Ephesians 1:23b – Deconstruction”… which is his body,
Summary: God’s math is a bit different than our math. To understand spiritual things, we have to be willing to accept that spiritual matters don’t have to follow the same rules we have in the physical world.
Continue reading “Ephesians 1:23a – Heavenly Math”… and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,
Summary: The church that is the body of Christ has grown considerably since Jesus ascended into heaven.
Continue reading “Ephesians 1:22b – Growing Up”And God placed all things under his feet …
Summary: Paul’s perspective on Jesus is different than the disciples who lived with Jesus. Paul knows Jesus as the risen Lord, and this perspective comes through in his teachings about Jesus.
Continue reading “Ephesians 1:22a – Underfoot”… not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
Summary: Looking into the details of God’s Word is always interesting. Mediating on how Paul came to know things about Jesus is also interesting.
Continue reading “Ephesians 1:21b – Coming of Age”… far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked,
Summary: Paul’s reference to Jesus’ position of authority is a good place to stop and reflect on Jesus’ love and concern for his Creation.
Continue reading “Ephesians 1:21a – Stepping Up”… and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms …
Summary: Old expressions often convey old truths. Being someone’s “right hand man” is akin to being seated at the right hand of the king.
Continue reading “Ephesians 1:20b – Right-Hand Man”That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead …
Summary: Paul’s words take us to a place where we can consider what it means to think of God’s strength and power. It is a place beyond the realm of physics and human imagination.
Continue reading “Ephesians 1:19b-20a – Power Play”