THREE SPHERES
BLESSING
67
OF
There are three spheres of blessing set out in the Scriptures, each being clearly marked off from the other, yet
repeating, within its own domain, similar features, such as citizenship, pre-eminence, and adoption. By more lines
of teaching than one, these three spheres have been proved to be:
(1) THE EARTH.- Israel. Kingdom.
(2) THE NEW JERUSALEM.- Abraham's seed. Heavenly calling.
(3) THE MYSTERY.- The Church which is His body. In heavenly places.
We have a peculiar and personal interest in the third sphere of blessing, revealed in the prison ministry of the
apostle Paul, and must therefore give special attention to its distinctive characteristics.
It is not the unique character of Paul's ministry as the prisoner of Christ Jesus that we are to examine, but the
unique sphere of blessing to which that ministry points.
The distinctive place, `where', and the time, `when', the Church of the Mystery shall enjoy its blessings, and was
chosen in Christ by the Father, are given in Ephesians 1:3,4 :
`Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in
heavenly places in Christ' (Eph. 1:3).
As the phrase en tois epouraniois is exclusive to Ephesians, and as every other occurrence of epouranios has
reference to the character of the `heavenly' thing concerned, but not the place where it will be enjoyed, a mere list
of the occurrences of epouranios would have only the appearance of argument, while lacking validity.
`In heavenly places' is the translation of the Greek words en tois epouraniois. The word epouranios occurs six
times in the epistle to the Hebrews, but there it speaks of a heavenly calling, a heavenly gift, heavenly realities, and a
heavenly country or city. There can be no comparison between a `heavenly gift', enjoyed on earth, and `the
heavenly places' of Ephesians 1:3: the one refers to character, the other to sphere. The occurrences of epouranios in
Ephesians must be segregated, for they form a group by themselves. We reiterate, the phrase en tois epouraniois
occurs only in Ephesians, and nowhere else in the New Testament.
The second occurrence of the phrase is found in Ephesians 1:20,21, where we learn that this sphere is `where
Christ sitteth' at the right hand of God. Whether we continue the use of the phrase `far above all heavens', or
whether we exchange it for a more limited rendering, nothing is more certain than that there can be no conceivably
higher position in the whole universe than the right hand of God. Such is the height of this exaltation of Christ that
the passage continues:
`Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this
world, but also in that which is to come' (Eph. 1:21).
Quite apart from the words `far above', there can be no denial of the fact that there is here indicated a sphere
without compare in the whole range of Scripture.
To conclude the first part of our examination, we turn to Ephesians 2:6, where we have a categorical statement
that there, where Christ sits, is the sphere of blessing for every member of the Church which is His body.
In these three passages (Eph. 1:3,20,21 and 2:6) we have indubitable evidence of a sphere of blessing that differs
entirely from anything hitherto revealed.
We must now establish the relation of this sphere, `far above all heavens' and `far above all principality and
power', to the `heavens' of Genesis 1:1 as distinct from `the firmament' which, according to Genesis 1:6, was made
on the second day.
First we must consider the two words that are both translated `heavenly'. In the original of the New Testament,
these are (ouranios and epouranios). The added word epi signifies upon or over, and refers to the heavens that are
above the firmament and beyond the limitations of the present creation (compare Gen. 1. with Psa. 148:4; 1 Kings
8:27; Heb. 7:26).