The Descent and Ascent of Christ in Ephesians 4:8–10

THE JOURNAL OF MINISTRY AND THEOLOGY 27–47 The Descent and Ascent of Christ in Ephesians 4:8–10 Dr. Gary Gromacki Professor of Bible and Homiletics Baptist Bible Seminary Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania INTRODUCTION Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians focuses on the spiritual warfare between Christ and his followers with Satan and his demons.1 In Ephesians: Power and Magic2 Clinton Arnold views Ephesians as a pastoral letter that shows the power of God over the evil spiritual powers of the cult of Artemis in Ephesus. Paul emphasizes the superiority of the power of God who brings all things under the sovereignty of Christ. Paul blessed God for giving believers every spiritual blessing in Christ (Eph 1:3). Some of those blessings include election, predestination, adoption, redemption, forgiveness of sins, and abounding grace (Eph 1:4–8). The goal of redemptive history is the total exaltation of Jesus Christ through his supreme rule over all in the dispensation of the fullness of times (the millennial kingdom of Christ) (Eph 1:9–10). Paul prayed that the Ephesians would come to know God’s power (Eph 1:15–18). God the Father demonstrated his power by raising Christ from the dead, seating Christ at his right hand in the heavenly places, placing all things under his feet, and giving him as authoritative head of all things This paper was presented at the Northeast Evangelical Theological Society meeting at Gordon–Conwell Theological Seminary on March 19, 2016. 1 Clinton Arnold, Ephesians: Power and Magic (Cambridge, UK: Cambridge UP, 1989). 2 28 THE JOURNAL OF MINISTRY AND THEOLOGY to the church (Eph 1:19–23).3 God the Father worked his same power in regenerating spiritually dead sinners (Eph. 2:1–10). Jesus Christ broke down the dividing wall of the law that separated Jews and Gentiles and created one new man (the church) by providing reconciliation through his death on the cross (Eph 2:11–17). The church is now a new temple built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ being the chief cornerstone (Eph 2:19–22) The apostle Paul revealed the mystery that saved Jews and saved Gentiles are of the same body (the body of Christ) and are partakers of the promise in Christ (the Spirit) through the gospel (Eph 3:1–13). Paul prayed that the Ephesians would be strengthened in their inner man through the Spirit and Christ would be at home in their hearts with the result that they would experience the love of Christ (Eph 3:14–19). Paul ends the first half of Ephesians with praise for God’s incredible power that works in believers and ascribes glory to God in the church and by Christ Jesus (Eph 3:20–21). Paul begins the second half of his epistle to the Ephesians by challenging them to walk worthy of their calling (Eph 4:1–16). Christians need to display Christ-like character and strive to maintain the unity of the Spirit (Eph 4:1–3). Paul then gives the doctrinal basis for that unity (Eph 4:4–6). Paul explains that the ascended Christ has given to each Christian a grace gift: “But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift” (Eph 4:7). Christ has given believers grace for salvation (Eph 2:8–9). Here in Ephesians 4:7 Paul emphasizes that Christ has given believers grace for service. The grace of God is manifested in various gifts of service in the body of Christ (Rom 12:6; Eph 4:7; 1 Pet 4:10). The ascended Christ distributes the grace gifts. Paul alludes to Psalm 68 to show that the victorious Christ has the authority to distribute grace gifts: “Therefore He says: ‘When He ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.’ Now this, ‘He ascended’—what does it mean but 3 Gary Gromacki, “The Plan and Power of God the Father in Ephesians,” JMAT 19, no. 2 (Fall 2015): 9–52. The Descent and Ascent of Christ in Ephesians 4:8–10 29 that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things” (Eph 4:8–10). Richard Taylor explains how Psalm 68 relates to Ephesians 4: Psalm 68 is a communal thanksgiving psalm, and as such it celebrates the victory that Yahweh had provided for His oppressed people. But the psalm is also a historical hymn that traces both Yahweh’s deliverance of Israel from bondage by means of the Exodus and His subsequent provision for the people throughout the difficult days of the wilderness wandering. The overarching message of the psalm is that God is to be praised as the One whose past acts of deliverance and provision for His people give confidence of His continuing care for His people. The message of verse 18 in particular is that in the person of the victorious king God ascended Zion in triumph over his enemies, receiving from submissive peoples congratulatory gifts of honor.4 Psalm 68 was written by David to celebrate God’s conquest of Jerusalem and the triumphal ascent of God up to Mt. Zion when David brought the ark up to Jerusalem (cf. 2 Sam.6; 1 Chron 13) after he had conquered the city (2 Sam 5:6–8). The LXX translates the Masoretic text of Psalm 68:18 with “he received gifts from men.” But Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:8, “He gave gifts to men.” Why did Paul change the words of Psalm 68:18 in Ephesians 4:8? The Aramaic Targums and Syriac version have “gave gifts to men.” It could be that there was an ancient Hebrew text that had “gave gifts to men” instead of “received gifts from men.” Paul referenced the first part of Psalm 68:18 to show that Jesus as the Divine Warrior ascended to heaven and has the authority to give gifts because he won the victory. Richard Taylor, “The Use of Psalm 68:18 in Ephesians 4:8 in Light of Ancient Versions,” BSac 148 (July-September 1991): 321–22. 4 30 THE JOURNAL OF MINISTRY AND THEOLOGY THE DESCENT OF JESUS (Ephesians 4:9) 9 τὸ δὲ Ἀνέβη τί ἐστιν εἰ μὴ ὅτι καὶ κατέβη εἰς τὰ κατώτερα μέρη τῆς γῆς; NIV: “What does ‘he ascended’ mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions?” NKJV: “Now this, ‘He ascended’—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?” ESV: “In saying, ‘He ascended,’ what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?” Where did Jesus descend? There are four major views: (1) the incarnation view: Jesus descended to earth (specifically the womb of Mary) at his incarnation; (2) the grave view: Jesus descended into the grave after his death on the cross; (3) the Hades view: Jesus descended into Hades (paradise side) after his death on the cross and before his resurrection; and (4) the Pentecost view: Jesus descended to earth spiritually in the person of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The Incarnation View The incarnation view says that Christ descended to earth at his incarnation. The words “of the earth” (τῆς γῆς) are seen as a genitive of apposition to the “lower parts” (τὰ κατώτερα [μέρη]). This view would say that Christ “descended into the lower parts, that is, the earth.” This is the view of the editors of the English Standard Version of the Bible (see translation above). Daniel Wallace argues for the incarnation view: “Of the earth” is popularly taken to be a partitive genitive. However, it may well be a genitive of apposition, thus, “he descended into the lower parts [of the universe], that is, the earth.” At first glance this second option seems awkward because the noun to which the singular genitive is related is plural. However, it is a common idiom for a singular genitive of apposition to be related to μέρη (plural)– The Descent and Ascent of Christ in Ephesians 4:8–10 31 cf. Isa 9:1 (LXX); Matt 2:22. In such constructions it seems that there is a partitive genitive that needs to be supplied from the context (as seems to be the case in Eph 4:9). For example, in Matt 2:22 we read ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς τὰ μέρη τῆς Γαλιλαίας. The translation might either be “he departed from the regions [of Israel], namely, Galilee” or, “he departed for the regions that constitute Galilee.” Thus since the genitive of apposition occurs in the singular related to the plural μέρη as a geographical term, there is sufficient grammatical evidence to see it used in Eph 4:9. (For other examples of this phenomenon, cf. Matt 15:21; 16:13; Mark 8:10; Acts 2:10). The difference between the partitive genitive and the genitive of apposition in this text is no less than the difference between a descent at the Lord’s death into Hades and a descent at his incarnation to the earth. Grammar certainly will not solve this problem, but it at least opens up the interpretive possibilities.5 Peter O’Brien gives the view that the descent of Jesus at his incarnation also includes his death on the cross: The one who ascended and now fills the universe (and who gives different gifts to us) is the same person who first descended in his incarnation and death for us on the cross (cf. Eph. 2:14–17).… This is the same perspective as that of the descending and ascending of the Redeemer of John’s gospel (3:12; 6:62; 6:33, 38, 50-51; 20:17) and as the humiliation and subsequent exaltation of Christ in Philippians 2:6–11.6 The major problem with the incarnation view is that Paul did not write that Christ descended to the earth. Paul wrote that he descended to the lower parts of the earth. It is a big assumption to believe that Paul implied lower parts of the universe = the Daniel Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament with Scripture, Syntax, and Greek Word Indexes (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), 99–100. Wallace points out that the genitive of apposition is a mark of the author’s style in Ephesians, occurring over a dozen times. 5 6 Peter O’Brien, The Letter to the Ephesians, Pillar NT Commentary (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1999), 295. 32 THE JOURNAL OF MINISTRY AND THEOLOGY earth. How is the earth the lower parts of the universe? The earth is suspended in space. The Grave View The grave view says that Christ descended into the lower parts which belong to the earth. This means that Christ died and was buried in the grave. The words “of the earth” (τῆς γῆς) is a partitive or possessive genitive to the “lower parts” (τὰ κατώτερα [μέρη]). The lower parts of the earth would equal the grave. Hoehner argues for the grave view: The support for this view is first, that it makes good sense of the comparative adjective κατώτερα signifying the earth’s lower part, namely, in the ground. Second, the preposition εἰς could be translated “into” stressing that Jesus went into the earth. Third, there is a parallel between this verse and 1:20 in that the death of Christ (1:20; 2:16; 5:2, 25) is connected with his resurrection (1:20–23; 2:5) and not with his incarnation or to a descent into Hades. Fourth, using the same construction, David refers to the depths of the earth with reference to the grave (Ps. 63:9; LXX 62:10).7 It is true that Jesus died and was buried in a grave (Matt 27:57–61; Mark 15:42–47; Luke 23:50–56; John 19:38–42; 1 Cor 15:4). The focus of the grave view is on the body of Jesus. But the spirit of Jesus did not remain in the grave (as the view of soul sleep teaches). When Jesus died on the cross, he committed his spirit to the Father. Jesus said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46). Where did the spirit of Jesus go when he died on the cross? Jesus told the thief on the cross who believed in him that he would be with him in Paradise (Luke 23:43). When Jesus breathed his last on the cross, his spirit separated from his 7 Harold Hoehner, Ephesians: An Exegetical Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2002), 535–36. The Descent and Ascent of Christ in Ephesians 4:8–10 33 body and went to Paradise. The focus of the grave view is only on the body of Jesus. The Hades View The Hades view says that Jesus descended into Hades after his crucifixion to announce his victory over Satan and then to release the OT saints when he arose from the dead. The words “of the earth” (τῆς γῆς) is a partitive genitive to the “lower parts” (τὰ κατώτερα [μέρη]). William Larkin takes “of the earth” as a partitive genitive and holds to the Hades view: τῆς γῆς, Partitive genitive, not genitive of comparison (“lower regions than the earth”; contra Turner 1965, 171; Wallace, 112, says that syntactically such an understanding is not possible if μέρη is part of the original text). The whole expression is likely a euphemism for Hades. To take this as an epexegetical genitive (Wallace, 99-100), “lower regions, i.e. the earth” and identify the descent as either the incarnation (Best, 386) or Pentecost (W. H. Harris) is not supported by the context.8 The belief in a descensus ad inferos was held by the early church fathers. Polycarp wrote, “To our Lord Jesus Christ, who on behalf of our sins suffered to the point of death, whom God raised from the dead, having loosed the pains of Hades.”9 Irenaeus made mention of Christ’s descent to Hades.10 Tertullian wrote, “Nor did he ascend into the heights of heaven before descending into the lower parts of the earth (in inferiora terrarium), that he might there make the patriarchs and prophets partakers of himself.”11 William Larkin, Ephesians: A Handbook on the Greek Text (Waco, TX: Baylor UP, 2009), 76. 8 9 Polycarp, Letter to the Philippians. 10 Irenaeus, Against All Heresies, 4.27.2; 5:31.1; 5:33.1. 11 Tertullian, On the Soul, 55. 34 THE JOURNAL OF MINISTRY AND THEOLOGY The Apostles’ Creed (AD 390) asserts that Jesus descended into Hades between his death on the cross and his resurrection: I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, Born of the virgin Mary Suffered under Pontius Pilate Was crucified, died and was buried; He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again; He ascended into heaven, He is seated at the right hand of the Father, And will come to judge the living and the dead.12 Augustine believed that Christ literally descended into hell. In his Letter to Evodius he expresses his perplexity about the meaning of 1 Peter 3:19 which says that Jesus preached to those “spirits in prison.” Martin Luther believed that Christ descended to hell.13 John Calvin believed that the descent of Jesus to hell was The Apostles’ Creed was not written by the apostles of Jesus. There are several versions of the Apostles’ Creed. The oldest version of the Apostles’ Creed comes from Bishop Marcellus of Ancyra (AD 337), and it does not contain the clause about Jesus descending into hell. Scholars call this version “The Old Roman Form,” the earliest creed of the Roman Catholic Church. Bird argues that Christ descended into Hades but not hellfire. Bird writes, “The Latin inferus means ‘lower depths,’ ‘underworld,’ or ‘place of the dead,’ while infernos means more properly ‘hell’ or ‘perdition.’” The clause was also found in the writings of Rufinus of Aquileia who included it in his baptismal creed around AD 400. Michael Bird, What Christians Ought to Believe (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2016). 12 In a sermon delivered at Torgau in 1533 Martin Luther stated, “After his burial the whole person of Christ, the God-man, descended into hell, conquered the devil and destroyed the power of hell and Satan” (see Historical Introductions to the Lutheran Confessions. XIX. Controversy on Christ’s Descent into Hell. 218. Luther’s Doctrine, trans. F. Bente <bookofconcord.org/historical-19.php> [accessed 17 March 2016]). 13 The Descent and Ascent of Christ in Ephesians 4:8–10 35 symbolic, pointing rather to Christ’s sufferings at Gethsemane and on the cross.14 Clinton Arnold writes in his commentary on Ephesians: The descent was to the underworld, where Christ proclaimed his victory over the hostile principalities and powers…. The most significant interpretational difficulty in this verse is in deciding what “the lower parts of the earth” refers to. The view of the early church fathers and the consensus view through the centuries has been that it refers to a descent of Christ to the underworld (or, Hades). Although a difficult issue, this view appears to have the greatest amount of evidence to support it. Many theologians refer to it as the decensus ad infernos…. The lower parts of the earth makes the most sense in its first-century religious context if it is interpreted as an expression of the underworld or Hades.15 MacArthur goes too far when he writes, “It should be noted that our Lord’s descent went even beyond the womb, the earth, the grave, and death—to a descent into the very pit of the demons.”16 Jesus did not descend into the abyss (the pit) where demons reside (cf. Rev 9:1, 2). Jesus told the believing thief next to him on the cross, “Assuredly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43). When Jesus died on the cross, his soul went to Paradise. Where is Paradise? Is Paradise located in the third heaven?17 Was Paradise located in Hades prior to the resurrection of Jesus? 14 John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book II, Chapter XVI, Sections 8-12. Clinton Arnold, Ephesians, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010), 254. 15 John MacArthur, Ephesians, MacArthur NT Commentary (Chicago: Moody, 1986), 139-40. 16 Grudem believes that Paradise is located in heaven. He writes, “Christ in his death experienced the same things believers in this present age experience when they die: His dead body remained on earth 17 36 THE JOURNAL OF MINISTRY AND THEOLOGY Peter indicated in his sermon on the day of Pentecost that Jesus went to Hades after his death (Acts 2: 31). After quoting Psalm 16:10, Peter argued that David was a prophet as “he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption” (Acts 2:31; προϊδὼν ἐλάλησεν περὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως τοῦ Χριστοῦ ὅτι οὔτε ἐγκατελείφθη εἰς ᾅδην οὔτε ἡ σὰρξ αὐτοῦ εἶδεν διαφθοράν). This verse would seem to indicate that the soul of Jesus went to Hades (the place of departed spirits) when he died on the cross.18 Acts 2:31 does teach that the soul of Jesus was in Hades prior to his resurrection. Hades had two compartments before the death and resurrection of Christ: torments and Abraham’s bosom (or Paradise). In the story of the rich man and Lazarus, Jesus said that the rich man was in torments in Hades and could see Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom (Luke 16:23). There was a great gulf fixed so that the rich man could not come over to Abraham’s bosom (Luke 16:26). Abraham’s bosom in Hades would have and was buried (as ours will be) but his spirit (or soul) passed immediately into the presence of God in heaven (as ours will). Then on the first Easter morning Christ’s spirit was reunited with his body and he was raised from the dead, just as Christians who have died will (when Christ returns) be reunited to their bodies and raised in their perfect resurrection bodies to new life. That fact has pastoral encouragement for us. We need not fear death, not only because eternal life lies on the other side but also because we know that our Savior himself has gone through exactly the same experience we will go through. He has prepared (even sanctified) the way, and we follow him with confidence each step of the way. This is much greater comfort regarding death than could ever be given by any view of a descent into hell” (Wayne Grudem, “He Did Not Descend Into Hell: A Plea for Following Scripture Instead of the Apostles’ Creed,” JETS 34, no.1 [March 1991]:113). The Greek word ᾅδης refers to “the nether world, Hades as place of the dead” (BDAG, 19). Some verses that refer to Hades in the NT are Matthew 11:23; Luke 10:15; 16:23; Acts 2:27, 31. The gates of Hades will not prevail against the church (Matt 16:18). Christ has the keys to death and Hades (Rev 1:18). 18 The Descent and Ascent of Christ in Ephesians 4:8–10 37 been the place where the souls of OT saints were located and would be equivalent to Paradise. OT saints such as Adam, Eve, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, David, Solomon, Isaiah, Jonah, Daniel, and even John the Baptist would have been in Abraham’s bosom in Hades. Jesus told the thief on the cross, “Today you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43). The Paradise in Hades view proposes that when Christ died, he descended into Hades not to suffer in the place of torments with unbelievers (like the rich man of Luke 16) but to be in Paradise (Abraham’s bosom) until his resurrection. Jesus already suffered for the sins of the world on the cross. Before Jesus died on the cross, he said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). Jesus did not have to suffer in Hades to pay the penalty for our sins. He suffered for our sins on the cross. Jesus did not go to Hades to suffer for our sins. When Jesus ascended into heaven, he took the OT saints with him to heaven at his ascension. In this sense he led those in captivity (to Satan) captive. After the ascension of Jesus, Paradise was relocated to the third heaven. An evidence of this would be 2 Corinthians 12:1–4 where Paul describes what most scholars would see as a possible out-of-body experience when he went up to the third heaven (2 Cor 12:2) which he identifies as “paradise” (2 Cor 12:3). When a Christian dies today, he goes to be “with Christ” in the third heaven (Phil 1:23; 2 Cor 5:1–8). Today when a Christian dies, he or she does not descend to Hades as Jesus did when he died. Today Hades has only one compartment (torments), and it is the place where the souls of all unbelievers currently reside until the resurrection of the lost at the end of the millennial kingdom (Rev 20:11–13). Death and Hades will be thrown into the lake of fire which is the second death and the ultimate destiny of all lost people (Rev 20:14). Andrew Lincoln gives an argument against the Hades view: But the contrast in these verses appears to be between an ascent to heaven and a descent from heaven, while the descent involved in the traditional view of a descent into Hades is not so much from heaven but from earth to the underworld or the realm of the dead. 38 THE JOURNAL OF MINISTRY AND THEOLOGY Besides, if the writer had had three levels in mind and meant that Christ descended to the deepest level just as he ascended to the greatest height, he would have been more likely to have used a superlative than a comparative…. A three story cosmology does not fit the worldview we encounter elsewhere in Ephesians, where the cosmos is seen as simply having two main parts—heaven and earth.”19 But Paul does reference a three-story cosmology in Philippians. He writes, “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth” (Phil 2:10). Who are those under the earth? There must be a place under the earth where unbelievers and demons dwell. Even unbelievers and demons will bow the knee to Jesus in the future. The Pentecost View The Pentecost view proposes that Christ descended when he sent the Spirit on the day of Pentecost and gave gifts to Christians. Jesus ascended after his death and resurrection and gave gifts to men. The phrase “he descended” refers to Christ sending his “Spirit” on the day of Pentecost.20 Just as Moses gave the law on Mt. Sinai and started a new dispensation (the dispensation of law), so Christ gave the Spirit on the day of Pentecost and started a new dispensation (the dispensation of grace). The Spirit 19 Andrew Lincoln, Ephesians, WBC 42 (Dallas, TX: Word, 1990), 245. 20 Hall Harris III, “The Ascent and Descent of Christ in Ephesians 4:9–10,” BSac 151, no. 602 (1994): 198–214. Harris argues that Paul shapes the Midrash in Eph 4:9–10 to correspond to the movement of Moses in Targum Psalms 68. Moses ascends Mt. Sinai to get the law from God and then descends the mountain to give the law to Israel. Harris says that in the same way Jesus ascended to heaven and then descended as his Spirit empowered the church with spiritual gifts. The Descent and Ascent of Christ in Ephesians 4:8–10 39 empowered the apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor– teachers so they could equip the saints by their teaching of the word (Eph 4:11). The main problem with this view is that Paul equates the person who ascended with the person who descended. Ephesians 4:10 says, “He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.” Christ and the Spirit are distinguished in Ephesians. Ephesians 2:18 says, “For through Him (Christ) we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.” In the temple analogy, Christ is the chief cornerstone and believers are viewed as being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit (Eph 2:21). In the prayer of Paul for the Ephesians, Paul distinguishes Hhs Spirit and Christ as he mentions their both indwelling the inner man and the heart (Eph 3:16-17). THE ASCENT OF JESUS (Ephesians 4:8–10) διὸ λέγει· Ἀναβὰς εἰς ὕψος ᾐχμαλώτευσεν αἰχμαλωσίαν, ἔδωκεν δόματα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις. 9 τὸ δὲ Ἀνέβη τί ἐστιν εἰ μὴ ὅτι καὶ κατέβη εἰς τὰ κατώτερα μέρη τῆς γῆς; 10 ὁ καταβὰς αὐτός ἐστιν καὶ ὁ ἀναβὰς ὑπεράνω πάντων τῶν οὐρανῶν, ἵνα πληρώσῃ τὰ πάντα. 8 NIV: “This is why it says: ‘When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.’ What does ‘he ascended’ mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions. He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.” NKJV: “Therefore He says: ‘When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.‘ Now this, ‘He ascended’—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens that He might fill all things.” 40 THE JOURNAL OF MINISTRY AND THEOLOGY ESV: “Therefore it says: ‘When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.’ In saying, ‘He ascended,’ what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.” The Ascension of Jesus to a Place Above All the Heavens He who descended (Jesus Christ) is the same one “who ascended far above all the heavens” (ὁ ἀναβὰς ὑπεράνω πάντων τῶν οὐρανῶν) (Eph 4:10). Acts 1:9–11 describes the bodily ascension of the risen Jesus into heaven. The risen Jesus left earth from the Mount of Olives outside of Jerusalem (Acts 1:12). The bodily ascension of Jesus happened forty days after his resurrection from the dead. The ascension of Jesus was gradual and visual. The disciples watched Jesus leave earth and go up in a cloud. Where did the risen Jesus ascend to? Paul identified the place. The risen Jesus ascended far above all the heavens (Eph 4:10). He ascended through the atmosphere (first heaven). He ascended through outer space (second heaven). He ascended to the highest place above all the heavens. He then sat down at the right hand of the Father (Eph 1:20–21). Why did Jesus ascend? Jesus ascended in order to fill all things (Eph 4:10). There are two main views on this phrase: (1) Lenski holds the ubiquity of Christ view which says that now as God–man, Christ fills all things with his presence.21 (2) Hoehner writes, “The object of Christ’s ascension was to allow him to enter into a sovereign relationship with the whole world, and in that position he has the right to bestow gifts as he wills.”22 Ephesians R. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. Paul’s Epistles to the Galatians, to the Ephesians, and to the Philippians (Columbus, OH: Wartburg, 1937), 524–25. 21 22 Hoehner, Ephesians: An Exegetical Commentary, 537. The Descent and Ascent of Christ in Ephesians 4:8–10 41 1:23 identifies the church “which is His body, the fullness of Him who fill all in all.” Christ is head over his body, the church. The church is the fullness of Christ who fills all in all. The word “fill” refers to Christ empowering his church. He has given his church spiritual gifts and spiritually gifted leaders to equip the saints to do the work of ministry (Eph 4:7, 11–12). The Identity of the Captives Taken by Jesus to Heaven (Ephesians 4:8) When Jesus ascended into heaven he led captivity captive. Who are the captives? There are several different views on the identity of the captives: (1) spiritual enemies (demons) view, (2) all believers in Christ view, (3) spiritual leaders view, and (4) released OT saints view. Spiritual Enemies (Demons) View The captives in Ephesians 4:8 could refer to spiritual enemies that Christ defeated at the cross. Christ defeated the principalities and powers (demons) at the cross. Colossians 2:15 says that Christ “disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them.” Colossians 2:15 alludes to a historical Roman triumphal march. After winning an important battle, a Roman general would lead his victorious Roman army through the streets of Rome. At the end of the procession would be the defeated enemy in chains. Colossians 2:15 teaches that Christ did defeat and disarm principalities (demonic powers) at the cross. Clinton Arnold argues for the captives being demonic powers: Just as the Divine Warrior led his vanquished foes in procession, so also Christ has “captured a host of captives.” The best explanation for the identity of these hostile warriors that Christ has defeated is the principalities, power and authorities. They hold a prominent place in Ephesians as the enemies of Christ and the people of God. 42 THE JOURNAL OF MINISTRY AND THEOLOGY They are the foes that Paul names as defeated and put into subjection by his resurrection in 1:20-22. In Colossians 2:15, Paul specifically says that by the cross and resurrection, Christ stripped them of their power and authority, publicly exposed them and led them in a triumphal procession.23 Harold Hoehner defends this view as well: Who then are the captives? From Psalm 68 it is clear that they were the enemies of Israel who were defeated when Jerusalem was captured. In Ephesians some have interpreted the captives: (1) as the enemies of Christ, namely Satan, sin, and death; or (2) as the people who have been the captives of Satan, sin and death, and who are now taken captive by Christ in redemption. The first interpretation seems to be more fitting. Christ had victory over Satan, sin, and death, and gives gifts of the Spirit to those who have been identified with him.24 Klyne Snodgrass writes, “The ‘captives in his train,’ his victory parade, can be either believers (2 Cor 2:14), or principalities and powers (Col 2:15). In light of Ephesians 1:20– 23 on the Lord’s exaltation over spiritual forces, evil powers are probably in view.”25 The problem with this view is that the book of Ephesians teaches that demons are not captives, but they are engaged in spiritual warfare with believers today. Ephesians 6:10-20 challenges believers to put on the armor of God to stand against Satan’s attacks. Christians are involved in wrestling against demonic powers “in the heavenly places.” These demonic powers Clinton Arnold, Ephesians, 251. Others who hold to this view are Lincoln, Ephesians, 242; Rudolf Schnackenburg, The Epistle to the Ephesians: A Commentary (Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1991), 179. 23 24 Hoehner, Ephesians: An Exegetical Commentary, 529–30. 25 Klyne Snodgrass, Ephesians, NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan), 201. The Descent and Ascent of Christ in Ephesians 4:8–10 43 are not captives but are loose and fight against Christians today (Eph 6:12). All Believers in Christ View A second view would interpret the captives as being all believers in Christ. They had been the captives of Satan, sin and death, but they were set free through Christ’s death on the cross.26 The freed captives then would refer to all believers, those who were once dead in trespasses and sins and who walked under the power of Satan (Eph 2:1–10). Second Corinthians 2:14 says, “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.” Christians have experienced redemption in that they were once enslaved to sin and Satan but now have been set free (Eph 1:7). The main problem with this view is that Christians on earth were not taken to heaven as “captives” when Jesus ascended. Christians continue to live on the earth and they are engaged in spiritual warfare with Satan and his demons (Eph 6:12). Spiritual Leaders View A third view says that the captives refer to the spiritual leaders. Gary Smith writes, “The captives are the gifts. Captives are taken and gifts are given, but both the captives and the gifts are the Levites.”27 Smith believes that the psalmist was thinking of Numbers 8 when he wrote Psalm 68. The Levites were taken from among the sons of Israel (Num 8:6), they were separated from among the sons of Israel (Num 8:4), for “the Levites shall be mine” (Num 3:45; 8:14). The purpose for which the Levites were 26 MacArthur, Ephesians, 138. Gary Smith, “Paul’s Use of Psalm 68 in Ephesians 4:8,” JETS 18, no. 3 (1975): 186. 27 44 THE JOURNAL OF MINISTRY AND THEOLOGY taken captive by the Lord was so “that they might be able to perform the service of the Lord” (Num 8:11), and “to do the work for the children of Israel in the tabernacle of meeting, and to make atonement for the children of Israel” (Num 8:19). In the same way Christ has taken Christian leaders (apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastors and teachers) captive to do the work of the ministry (Eph 4:8, 11–12). Harold Hoehner argues for this view in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: “The essence of the psalm is that a military victor has the right to give gifts to those who are identified with him. Christ, having captivated sinful people by redeeming them, is Victor and gives them as gifts to the church. Whereas Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 speak of gifts given to believers, Ephesians 4:7 speaks more of gifted believers given to the church (cf. v.11).”28 The major problem with this view is that nowhere are the Levites viewed as captives in Numbers 8. They were taken from the nation of Israel to serve Israel, but they were not taken as captives. In the same way, it seems strange to refer to spiritual leaders in the church as captives in Ephesians 4:8. Old Testament Saints View A fourth view says that the captives refer to released OT saints. This view says that the captives refer to the released souls of OT saints who were held captive by Satan in Hades before Christ’s death and resurrection. The risen Christ set the captives (OT saints) free and led them (their spirits) to heaven in his ascension to glory. Paradise, which was once located as a compartment in Hades, is now located in heaven (Luke 16; Ps 16:6–11; Acts 2:29–36). OT saints will experience their bodily resurrection from the dead at the second coming of Christ to the Harold Hoehner, “Ephesians,” in Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament, ed. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck (Wheaton, IL: Victor, 1983), 634. 28 The Descent and Ascent of Christ in Ephesians 4:8–10 45 earth at the end of the tribulation period and before the establishment of the millennial kingdom (Dan 12:13). John MacArthur argues for the captives being OT saints: Early church dogma taught that the righteous dead of the Old Testament could not be taken into the fullness of God’s presence until Christ had purchased their redemption on the cross, and that they had waited in this place for His victory on that day. Figuratively speaking, the early church fathers said that after announcing His triumph over demons in one part of Sheol, He then opened the doors of another part of Sheol to release those godly captives. Like the victorious kings of old, He recaptured the captives and liberated them and henceforth they would live in heaven as eternally free sons of God.29 CONCLUSION Ephesians 4:7–10 is probably the most difficult text to interpret in the book of Ephesians. Scholars give various arguments for their different interpretations in their commentaries and journal articles. Paul emphasizes that after Christ descended into the lower parts of the earth, he ascended above all the heavens to fill all things. Paul quotes from Psalm 68 to show that a conquering king has the power (authority) to gives gifts to his followers. Scholars differ on the place of Christ’s descent in Ephesians 4:9. Peter O’Brien and Daniel Wallace believe that Christ descended to earth at his incarnation. Harold Hoehner says that Christ descended into the grave after his death on the cross. Hall Harris III and Andrew Lincoln believe that Christ descended in the person of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Clinton Arnold, John MacArthur, and I believe that Christ descended into Hades after his death on the cross. Greek grammar can be used to argue for this view (“of the earth” would be viewed as a partitive genitive). Rather than saying that Jesus descended to the earth Paul wrote that he descended into the lower parts of the earth. The early 29 MacArthur, Ephesians, 140. 46 THE JOURNAL OF MINISTRY AND THEOLOGY church fathers (Polycarp, Irenaeus, Tertullian) as well as Augustine and Luther held to the view that Jesus descended into Hades. The Apostles’ Creed states that Jesus descended into hell (Hades). I believe that Christ descended into Hades (Ps 16:10; Acts 2:31) after his death on the cross. He did not go there to preach the gospel and give a second chance to unbelievers. Rather Christ went to the Paradise side (Abraham’s bosom) of Hades between his death on the cross and his resurrection. There Jesus waited for his resurrection day and announced his victory over Satan to the demons imprisoned from the time of Noah.30 Paul refers to Psalm 68 in Ephesians 4:8. Psalm 68 celebrates the victory of God over the enemies of Israel when Jerusalem was captured by David. When Jesus ascended, he led captivity captive. Scholars differ on the identity of the captives that Jesus took when he ascended into heaven. Arnold, Hoehner and Snodgrass believe that the captives refer to the spiritual enemies of God: the principalities and powers defeated by Jesus at the cross. The ascended Christ has been given a position over every principality and power and might and dominion (Eph 1:20–21). But Ephesians emphasizes that these principalities and powers (demons) are not captives but are fighting against Christians today (cf. Eph 6:10–12). Snodgrass says that the captives could refer to believers in Christ. Smith says that the captives are spiritual leaders (Levites in the OT and the apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastors and teachers in the NT) who are captives to do the ministry of God. When Jesus descended to Hades, he preached to the spirits in prison (1 Pet 3:18–20). These “spirits in prison” could be a reference to the fallen angels called the sons of God in Genesis 6 who disobeyed in the time of Noah by taking wives. Jude refers to these fallen angels in Jude vv. 6–7: “And the angels who did not keep their proper domain but left their abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.” 30 The Descent and Ascent of Christ in Ephesians 4:8–10 47 I agree with the early church fathers that the captives were OT saints that were once held captive by Satan in Hades but then set free to follow Christ to the highest heaven at his ascension. The context of Ephesians 4:7–10 is the ascension of Jesus to heaven. Whom did Jesus take with him when he ascended? The risen Jesus took the souls of OT saints who once were captives in Hades (paradise side). Jesus holds the keys of death and Hades because he lived, died, and rose again from the grave (Rev1:18). After his resurrection Jesus used those keys to open Hades and the souls of the OT saints went with Jesus to heaven at his ascension. Today Paradise is located in the third heaven (cf. 2 Cor 12:1–4). Today when a Christian dies, the soul of that Christian separates from the body and goes to be with Jesus in the third heaven (Phil 1:21– 23; 2 Cor 5:1–8). TIME OR PLACE OF CHRIST’S DESCENT IN EPHESIANS 4:9 Incarnation View: Wallace Grave View: Hoehner Hades View: Arnold, Gromacki, MacArthur Pentecost View: Harris, Lincoln IDENTITY OF CAPTIVES IN EPHESIANS 4:8 Demons: Arnold, Lincoln Spiritual Leaders: Gary Smith, Hoehner All Believers: MacArthur Old Testament Saints: Early Church Fathers, Gromacki