59
The Benediction: The Glory of
Grace
Eph.
6:21-24
But
that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do,
Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the
Lord, shall make known to you all things: Whom I have
sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know
our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts.
Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God
the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all
them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.
Amen.
As we come to the end of
this grand, glorious, and gracious letter, we observe
two closing emphases: A Personal Touch and The
Permeating Truth.
A Personal Touch (vs. 21-22)
But
that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do,
Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the
Lord, shall make known to you all things: Whom I have
sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know
our affairs, and that he might comfort your
hearts.
Tychicus was Paul’s
personal representative not only to the church at
Ephesus but also to Colosse, as Colossians 4:7-8 is
virtually identical to the text here. Besides these two
references, Tychicus is mentioned only three other times
in the New Testament.
The first mention is in
Acts 20:4, along with Aristarchus, Secundus, Gaius,
Timothy, and Trophimus, who all accompanied Paul into
his ministry in Asia. As verse 1 indicates, this mention
immediately follows the riot in Ephesus caused my
Demetrius the silversmith’s complaint against Paul’s
teaching, which had caused the people to stop buying
idols of the goddess Diana. This would seem to indicate
that Tychicus witnessed the riot and supported Paul
regardless of the dangers. This means he would also have
been with Paul when he returned to Jerusalem and was
there finally arrested. Upon that arrest, Tychicus no
doubt then accompanied Paul on his journey to Rome, with
all its hazards and dangers, and stayed with him as he
awaited trial. Paul also sent Tychicus on ministry
trips. He’s named along with Artemus as a possible
relief for Titus in Crete (Titus 3:12), and was soon
afterwards dispatched to Ephesus (II Tim.
4:12).
As all those verses
clearly indicate, therefore, while Tychicus wrote this
letter as Paul dictated it and then delivered it, he was
also far more to Paul than just a stenographer and mail
man. Paul, indeed, had a three-fold regard for this
man.
First, he was
a beloved brother. Beloved, of course, is
the Greek agapetos, which we
first saw back in 5:1, where Paul encourages the
Ephesians, “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear
[agapetos]
children.” As we’ve noted before (2:4),
the Lord Jesus transformed the originally
colorless word agape
into the deeper meaning of being totally
sacrificial. Being an adjective, then, agapetos here a “loved brother,” a brother, among
all brothers in Christ, who
is loved sacrificially by the
Savior.
It is the word
brother, however, that truly captures our
attention here, for this is its only appearance in
Ephesians. It translates adelphos (English
“Philadelphia,” city of brotherly love), a compound made
from delphus (not in the NT), “a womb,” and the
prefix a, which is used here
in a “collative” manner, signifying unity.
The picture
in adelphos, then, is “one born from the
same womb.” Originally, it referred to a physical
brother (or sister with the feminine adelphe,
79). Later it came to refer to any near relative, such
as a nephew or even a brother-in-law. Finally, there are
several examples in the Septuagint where
adelphos is used to refer
even to fellow Israelites (e.g., Ex. 2:11; Lev. 19:17),
showing a close relationship without any physical
heritage.
Besides the obvious
physical meaning (e.g., Peter and Andrew, Matt. 4:18),
it’s that very practice of brother being used to refer to fellow Israelites that
was carried over into the New Testament. As one
authority observes, the idea of fellow Christians being
brothers appears some thirty times in Acts and 130 times
in Paul’s Epistles,[i] so
this concept carries tremendous importance. Let’s
meditate on the significance of being a brother
(or sister, 1 Cor. 7:15) in
Christ.
1.
It means we have the same parentage. The Christian has
been “born again” (literally, “born from above,” Jn.
3:3, 7) and has been “born of God” (1 Jn. 3:9).
We now see the deeper principle that we all have the
same Father, the Sovereign God of the Universe. As
Malachi asked, “Have we not all one father? hath not one
God created us?” (2:10). Likewise, Paul often mentioned
God being “our Father,” that
is, all Christians collectively (Rom. 1:7; Gal. 1:4; 1
Cor. 1:3; Eph. 1:2; etc.).
2. Being brothers in
Christ shows a family relationship. In such verses as
Romans 16:14 (and context) and 2 Timothy 4:21, Paul
speaks collectively of several Believers, wonderfully
illustrating the family that every Local Church should
be.
3. Being brothers in
Christ shows closeness. So close is the relationship of
Christian brothers that each would lay down his life for
another (1 Jn.
3:16).
4.
Being brothers in Christ means future inheritance. While
earthly siblings might receive different portions when
the father’s will is read, all Christians have the same
“riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints”
(Eph. 1:18). So as Paul and
Tychicus were brothers in Christ, so are each of us, and
we should, therefore, act like it.
Second,
Tychicus was a faithful minister. Here is some of
the highest praise for a person in all the Bible. As we
studied back in 3:7, minister is the Greek
diakonos, which in secular usage was “a server of
tables, a waiter.” The majority of its twenty-nine
occurrences, however, go much deeper into spiritual
service and how all believers
are to minister (i.e. be of service) to the needs of
other believers, as in I Peter 4:10: “As every man hath
received the gift, even so minister the same one to
another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of
God.”
As we also studied
way back in 1:1, the Greek pistos
(faithful) involves two
things. While it’s primary meaning is “exercising
faith,” that is, the act of putting our faith and trust
in Christ for salvation, it also means
“trustworthy.” Not only has a Christian put his
faith in Christ, but he is now one who is trustworthy,
consistent, constant, reliable, and faithful.
Tychicus, therefore,
was a consistent,
reliable servant of God and God’s people. I
believe that it is safe to assume that when he got to
glory, Tychicus heard the best words that a Christian
can hear: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant”
(Matt. 25:21, 23). Let us each desire that alone, and
the only way to assure that is to be a faithful
minister.
Third,
Tychicus was a “comforter of the saints” (that he
might comfort your hearts). In other words, Paul
sent Tychicus to be an encouragement to the Ephesians.
Comfort translates parakaleo, another
word we’ve seen before (4:3). As it originally spoke of
summoning someone and at times “to summon to one’s aid
for help,” Tychicus is pictured as one who came
to the aid of the Ephesians, to encourage them. Because
of Paul’s sufferings, he feared people would become
discouraged, so it would encourage them to know that
Paul was free to teach those who visited him (Acts
28:17-31). And what greater comfort could their be in
tell those believers of their wealth in Christ
(chapters 1-3) and their walk
in Christ (chapters 4-6)?
This challenges each of us
to be an encouragement to other Believers. In light of
the context about the warfare we are engaged in, we
should realize that we’re not fighting alone. All
Christians are in the war, so each should encourage
others to keep on fighting.
The
Permeating Truth (vs. 23-24)
Peace
be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all them
that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.
Amen.
The three blessings
that figure most prominently in Ephesians (peace,
love, and faith) occupy the first half of
the benediction. But the thing we need to see is that
this benediction is much more than a farewell greeting.
It’s a prayer for reconciliation. Paul longs to see the
whole brotherhood of believers at peace with each other
in the one Body of Christ. Once again we see the
emphasis of peace and unity, both of which are desperately needed and which
come only by mutual love (self-emptying, self-sacrifice;
1:15; 3:17; 4:2, 16).
But it is the theme
grace that is the hallmark of all Paul’s
benedictions, and it’s a recurring theme throughout
Ephesians (1:2, 7; 2:5, 7, 8; 3:2, 8; 4:7; 6:24). As we
know, Paul says more about grace in Ephesians
than in any other New Testament book, even Romans. Paul
has often been called “the Apostle of Grace.” The term
appears twice as often as in all the rest of New
Testament. Some twenty-two times he speaks of “the Grace
of God” and “His Grace.” Additionally, he speaks of “the
Grace of Christ” or the “Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ”
some fifteen times. Grace is the first word of
greeting and the last word of farewell in Paul’s
letters. Paul, indeed reveled in this word, and so
should we. As we close our study, let us take one last
look at thirteen principles of grace.
The Meaning of Grace
As we said, Paul
begins and ends with this glorious theme, but what is
it? The basic meaning of charis in Classical Greek was “that which affords joy,
pleasure, delight.” From this several meanings were
derived: grace, favor, thankfulness, gratitude, delight,
kindness, etc. Originally, then, the word didn’t carry
the idea of something “unmerited”. Why? Greek philosophy
believed in human merit and self-sufficiency. Even in
that, however, the Greeks thought they needed “a little
help” from time to time, so they prayed to their gods
for favors and gifts. But this is still far from the New
Testament principle of God’s unmerited favor toward
totally helpless men.
The New Testament
transformed this word. Some of the meanings from the
classical Greek are found, but overall the New Testament
usage is completely new and unique. Why? Because
grace is coupled with the person and work of
our Lord Jesus Christ. As we’re told in John
1:17: “Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” The
definition of grace, therefore is: The
unmerited favor of God toward man, manifested primarily
thru the person and work of Jesus Christ, apart from any
merit or works of man.
The Nature of Grace
As 2:8-9 declares,
grace is the direct opposite of law and human merit.
Salvation is all of grace; it
is grace plus nothing! It is a misunderstanding of grace
that is at the very root of all false doctrine
concerning salvation. All such teaching tries to mix
grace with works, which immediately negates
grace.
The Holiness of Grace
God’s holiness demands
holiness in others. Through His grace, He provides
holiness for us. This is the end and purpose of
election: “According as he hath chosen us in him before
the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and
without blame before him in love” (1:4), which is “to
the praise of the glory of his grace” (v. 6).
The Glory of
Grace
Paul’s love for
superlatives is very evident in Ephesians. Grace is a
marvelous word in itself. But again we underscore Paul’s
declaration, “To the praise of the glory of his grace.”
This tells us something very important: While God’s
essential nature is manifested in His
holiness, His essential glory is best
manifested in His grace. His
almighty power is declared chiefly in the revelation of
pity and mercy.
The Riches of
Grace
Think of it, as Paul
reveals in 1:7-8, God has provided redemption, adoption,
and forgiveness according to the riches of His unmerited
favor alone. And as we studied there, He gave all these
not “out of” His riches, rather “according to” His
riches. He has lavished them upon, piled one upon the
other, making us spiritually wealthy beyond
calculation.
The Salvation of Grace
There are three
points to remember according to (2:4-6): God’s
mercy has made us alive, God’s love has
raised us up, and God’s grace
has placed us in the heavenlies. It is all because of
grace that we are saved and kept in the state of
salvation.
The Purpose of Grace
There is a two-fold
purpose of grace according to 2:7: To glorify God
and to show kindness to man. Think of this: we are to be
God’s display cabinet. We are to show forth the
surpassing riches of God’s grace.
The Channel of
Grace
As 2:8 declares,
that salvation is not only by GRACE, but it is
through FAITH. Grace is the cause; faith
is the channel. As Spurgeon
put it, “Grace is the fountain and the stream: faith is
the aqueduct along which the flood of mercy flows down
to refresh the thirsty sons of men.”[ii]
The Dispensation of Grace
As we studied in 3:1-14, a
“dispensation” is a period of time during which man is
tested in respect of obedience to some specific
revelation of the will of God.[iii] There has never
been a greater display of God’s grace than in this
dispensation. God has progressively come closer and
closer down through the ages, but never has He been as
close as He is in this age, for He is now
IN us.
The Minister of Grace
As we learned in 3:5-8,
while other Apostles had knowledge of the Dispensation
of Grace, Paul was given the greatest amount of
knowledge and responsibility concerning this
dispensation. So he was, indeed, the “minister” of this
age, the greatest minister, in fact. In a day of total
“selfism,” what an indictment it is to read what a
humble view Paul had of himself, calling himself “less
than the least [literally, ‘leaster’] of all saints” (v.
8). Further, Paul, nor other “full-time” workers, are
the only ones who are “ministers.” There is a sense in
which all believers are ministers; they minister (serve)
to the needs of other believers. As Paul, we do so
humbly, not self-centeredly or self-assertively as is
popular today.
The Recipients of Grace
(4:7)
As 4:7 declares: “unto
every one of us is given grace according to the measure
of the gift of Christ.” It is God’s elect, those He has
known “before the foundation of the world” (1:4), who
are the recipients of His wondrous grace.
The Life of
Grace
As we learned in 4:25-31,
there are five sins that most easily creep into the
believer’s life: lying; anger; stealing, corrupt
communication (language), and bitterness. The obligation
of the recipients of Grace is to live a life that
manifests grace. Grace becomes a state in which we live,
move, speak, and act.
The Benediction of
Grace
We note finally in
6:24 that Paul’s wish for continued grace upon believers
is conditioned: with all them that love our Lord
Jesus Christ in sincerity. The word sincerity
is the Greek aphtharsia, which literally means
“incorruption, the incapacity for corruption.” Some
commentators see an exegetical problem here; they
maintain that since in sincerity (or “in
incorruptibility”), we can’t be sure what’s actually
incorruptible. Is it grace, love, or even
Jesus that’s incorruptible?
But as most commentators agree,[iv] the most natural
sense is, indeed, love. Grace and peace are,
therefore, promised to those who truly love the
Lord Jesus with a love that
doesn’t decline, diminish, or deteriorate.
So as Charles Hodge puts
it, our love for Him is “deathless [and] immortal.” R.
Kent Hughes adds, “A mighty, surging, growing love for
the Savior keeps wide the floodgates of his grace and
spiritual riches.” But perhaps John Eadie says it
best:
This love to Jesus—filling the
entire nature, burning with pure and quenchless fervor,
proving itself a holy instinct, unmixed with baser
motives and attachments, one and indivisible—is “in
incorruption.”[v]
Let us each ask
ourselves, “Does that describe my love for the Lord?”
This brings us to
the close of our three-and-one-half year journey through
the brightest jewel of Paul’s Epistles. Dear Christian
Friend, when you find yourself forgetting the
wealth you have in Christ, return to chapters 1-3
of Ephesians. On the other, when you need to be reminded
of what your walk in Christ
should be, return to chapters 4-6. In either situation,
there is no better foundation for the Believer than the
Epistle to the Ephesians.
It is, therefore, with the
Apostle Paul that we say:
Amen.
[i] Kittel, Vol. I, p.
145.
[ii] Faith: What Is
It? How Can It Be Obtained? (Metropolitan
Tabernacle Pulpit, Vol. 27,
1881).
[iv] E.g., see Eadie’s
discussion (pp. 483-5).
