Ephesians series on Mishkan Katan, VI

 For 12 years The LAMB Network has been broadcasting the truth about The Kingdom of The One and Only True God, The God of Avraham, Yitchak and Yaacov. 

The last week of March, this week, begins the 13th continuous year of LAMB's broadcasting. As a relative newcomer to this broadcast family, I am honored and privileged to get to share from the Word of God in this format. It is something I never envisioned being called by the Spirit of God to do, and it’s a responsibility I don’t take lightly. 

I want to thank Mark and Adina Smith and others who have sacrificed down through the years, to make LAMBNetwork.TV possible. And, I hope you will explore some of the other shows presented here at LAMB, in addition to my weekly Mishkan Katan broadcast.  

Now then, let’s get into the Scriptures. Grab your copy. We are continuing on through the book of Ephesians, and we are in the latter part of chapter 5. 

Think back to a time when you literally walked down an unfamiliar path. A few years ago I had the opportunity to walk down a path I'd never been before, literally.  One of the local parks had opened a new walking trail.   What an enjoyable walk it was, in the beautiful springtime weather!  However, I was by myself; and, it WAS an unfamiliar path.  As I walked, I looked around carefully at my surroundings, even though there were other people walking on the path also.  
Although I didn't see any that day, I have in the past seen deer, gophers, snakes, rabbits, birds of prey, etc.  If I had not been carefully looking, I'd have not seen them which, in some cases wouldn't have mattered and in others could have been dangerous.  Truth be told, I'd have not seen some of them at all, had I not been walking with a friend...and that is a key point in today’s study. More about in a few moments. 
 
We will begin today in Ephesians 5:15-21 (Peshitta Holy Bible Translation). 

15See therefore that you walk honorably, not as the fools, but as the wise, 16Who redeem their opportunities because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be stupid, but understanding what the will of God is. 18Neither be drunk with wine in which is debauchery, but be filled with The Spirit. 19But speak to yourselves in Psalms and hymns and songs of The Spirit; be singing in your hearts to THE LORD JEHOVAH. 20Be giving thanks always for the sake of every person in the name of our Lord Yeshua The Messiah to God The Father. 21Be subject to one another in the love of The Messiah. 

In the King James Version of the Bible, the crux of verse 15 is translated "walk circumspectly".  This means to look all around you (like looking in a circle) as you walk, to intercept hidden dangers.  This is wise behavior.  Fools just go blithely skipping along, singing "tra la la la la", oblivious to dangers lurking.  Paul goes on to admonish us to keep a clear head, and the example he gives is that of getting drunk.  If you are drunk, or overmedicated or negatively influenced by some other "excess" (such as not getting enough sleep), you can't think clearly.  Consequently, you may make foolish, ill-conceived decisions.  Who among us has not ever experienced "morning after" regret, even if it is “merely” a bad case of indigestion caused from eating unhealthy food late at night? 
 
Why is it important to avoid excesses of this nature?  
 
One reason involves excesses becoming habits of life which have long-term, negative impact.  That occasional drink, to use Paul's example, becomes an every-day habit.  Health becomes adversely affected.  Effectiveness for the Lord is diminished or extinguished entirely.  Testimonies become compromised.  Relationships become either strained or broken.  This is often referred to as "carnal living" - - pinging back and forth like a pinball, without spiritual discipline, according to the whims and cravings of our flesh. 
 
A second reason Paul gives (as if we needed another) is that time is short to accomplish God's work!  Our lives are short, when viewed in light of eternity.  None of us is promised another day to do what He has called us to do.  Our lives can end in this next hour.  No one knows.  But, in addition to that sobering thought, none of us knows when God will pull back the scrim separating Heaven from Earth and send Yeshua HaMashiach here to receive His Bride!  This will effectively end what Christians refer to as “the Church Age”.  What God has called us to do, we should pursue soberly, unhindered by "loose living" of various stripes. No time to waste! "Nature abhors a vacuum", as the old saying goes. So, if we don't fill our bodies and souls with frivolous pursuits (which does not mean we can't ever have any fun, by the way), how then should we live? 
 
I find the phrase in verse 16 curious ... “redeem their opportunities”. The word redeem means to “cash in” or “purchase back”. This letter from Paul was written to people who had received Yeshua’s message and the right way of Torah living, as adults, converted pagans. Perhaps that is what Paul was suggesting - - that their conversion to the ways of Father Yahweh was a chance to right some of the wrongs they had committed in the past. While we can’t change the past, we can certainly seek God has to how best to repair relationships, restore situations, “make whole”, extend shalom to and with others. What else should we do? 
 
1.  We are to submit to Father Yah’s Spirit and His work in our lives, allowing Him to "fill us" day-by-day.  So often, we fill ourselves with "counterfeit god", when our true hunger can only be truly satisfied with the "righteousness, peace and joy of the Holy Ghost", as the song says. 
2.  We are to build our community of believers by worshiping and studying and serving together joyfully. 
3.  We are to give thanks to the Lord for one another, our brothers and sisters in Yeshua. 
4.  We are to submit to one another, which basically means walking in humility together, viewing others as precious, beloved children of God.  We can help each other be "circumspect", as my walking friends have helped me see things on the walking trail. I was reading in Proverbs 11 this morning, and verse 2 struck me. It says, in the ESV, “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.” So, if we want to gain wisdom, we must first humble ourselves. I saw a comment by a poster on some thread this morning also. It basically said, “I’ve never encountered a pastor who could admit he was wrong.” That is just one person’s snapshot, of course, but even so....even if there is one iota of truth in it, this might explain why we are so doctrinally fractured as the Body of Yeshua. Our being 100% right about everything is more important than anything. And, so, we refuse to submit to one another in order to learn from one another. 
 
The "submit to one another" admonition frames the more specific "submission" admonitions that follow in the latter portion of Ephesians 5, and which we'll look at momentarily. 
 

When Bible teachers are led to teach on husband and wife relationships, they often use as their text our next verses for today:  Ephesians 5:22-33.  The apostle Peter also wrote about this topic. 
The basic concepts in this passage, applicable to all of us whether we're married or not, are: our "position", our "authority" and knowing where we fit in. 
 
When tackling this controversial Ephesians passage it is important to realize that the topic does not begin with verse 22.   It is part of a larger message Paul has been giving to the church on how to live well together, walking in the Holy Spirit.   So, let's frame today's specific text appropriately by adding on the preceding verse (vs. 21), (although it's part of a long typically-Pauline sentence that starts in vs. 18.) 
 

18And do not get drunk with wine, which is debauchery, but be filled by the Spirit, 19speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord, 20always giving thanks to God the Father for each other in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,   

21and submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. 

{underlined emphasis above is mine} 
It is important to remember that Yeshua modeled this "knowing your place" stuff for us.  (One specific example of this included His baptism, and another His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane.) While in human form, Jesus subjected Himself, submitted Himself to God the Father.  He limited Himself through putting on flesh and living among us.  We need to follow his example in our resplendent walk.  God has appointed for us, given to us, various authorities to which we should be subject.  I'll bet you can name some of them. Here are a few, along with substantiating Scripture: 
 
1.  Yeshua submitting to the Father.  Luke 22:42  

And he said, “Father, if you are willing, let this cup pass from me; however not my will, but yours be done.” 

 
2.  Believers submitting to the various manifestations of Father Yah, by being obedient to His Word revealed in the Bible.  James 4:7  1 Peter 5:6 to name two, but there are many, many. Remember our recent study on the 27 appearances of Yeshua in the Tanakh.... 

Submit therefore to God and stand against Satan, and he will flee from you. 

Be humbled, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you at the right time. 

 
3.  Believers submitting to one another in their fellowship and interactions with one another.  Ephesians 5:21 

Be subject to one another in the love of The Messiah. 

 
4.  Slaves submitting to their masters.  Ephesians 6:5-8  (Modern-day application: the workplace) 

We’ll examine those verses in our next session.... 

 
5.  Obeying the laws and governing authorities of your homeland.  Romans 13:1; 1 Peter 2:13 

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 
 

Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 

 
6.  Wives submitting to their husbands, and husbands loving their wives as Jesus loves His Church. Ephesians 5:22-25 , which we are studying today and also 1 Peter 3:1-6 

1Wives, in the same way, submit yourselves to your husbands, so that even if they refuse to believe the word, they will be won over without words by the behavior of their wives 2when they see your pure and reverent demeanor. 

3Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair or gold jewelry or fine clothes, 4but from the inner disposition of your heart, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in God’s sight. 5For this is how the holy women of the past adorned themselves. They put their hope in God and were submissive to their husbands, 6just as Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him lord. And you are her children if you do what is right and refuse to give way to fear. 

7Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as a delicate vessel, and with honor as fellow heirs of the gracious gift of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered. 

 
7.  Children submitting to the authority of their parents.  1 Peter 5:5  Ephesians 6:1 
 
Rarely is it easy to submit to authority, nor is it a popular theme in our culture today.  The opposite of submission is rebellion.  The reason for the vitriolic reaction "the world" has to these passages is because the unsaved have not yet gotten right the most important relationship of all - - - that is, their relationship with God.  Once that is made right, then God's design for other relationships can be understood and put into practice.  Rebellion against God and/or the authorities He has established is a product of self-centeredness and pride.  Again, back to humility ... The apostle Peter warns us in 1 Peter 5:5 - - -  
 

"All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another because, 'God opposes the proud, but shows favor to the humble." 

 

This does not mean that we should be "doormats", allowing the world to trample all over us! Sometimes, our earthly authorities are plain-out wrong.  God does not say that we should violate His Word in submitting to those in authority over us.  But, as often as we can, we must obey the hierarchy He has established. 
 
Today's specific application is in the home, however.  So, let's take a look at that in more depth. 
 
 

22Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord, 23because the husband is the head of the wife as also Christ is the head of the church – he himself being the savior of the body. 24But as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. 25Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her 26to sanctify her by cleansing her with the washing of the water by the word, 27so that he may present the church to himself as glorious – not having a stain or wrinkle, or any such blemish, but holy and blameless. 28In the same way husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29For no one has ever hated his own body but he feeds it and takes care of it, just as Christ also does the church, 30for we are members of his body. 31For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. 32This mystery is great – but I am actually speaking with reference to Christ and the church. 33Nevertheless, each one of you must also love his own wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. 

 

Crucial Point: both husband and wife must remember that they are co-heirs in the grace that is ours in Jesus Christ (Romans 8:17).  Husbands don't get a greater portion of that grace; neither do wives. Neither role is superior; both are necessary. {I had the privilege of watching a webinar on the topic of Women in the Bible and in the Church, on Ryan White’s “space”, his webpage called “Saturday Church Community.” Now, some of you are going to quibble about the use of the word “church” in the title, but I’m not going off on that tangent of disunity with you this morning. More to the point, there was some great conversation and teaching in that webinar, which informed me about the interpretation of these Ephesians verses.} 

This creational order was instituted in the Garden of Eden, and was operating before the Fall of Man. The First Couple were tasked with ruling and reigning over creation, not over each other. Some have suggested that the term “helpmeet” (Ezer Kenegdo, כְּנֶגְדּֽוֹ   עֵ֖זֶר in Hebrew) would be more accurately translated as “the power equal to me.” Ezer means “protector, deliverer” and kenegdo is actually 3 words “like, mirror image, his” or an exact complement to man, two sides of the same coin, an other voice to his, if you will. Man alone is “not good”, said Father Yahweh. A man alone is “lo tov”, in the Hebrew. A man needs that “other voice” that is the flip side of him. He needs a woman.  

When Eve was created, she emerged from the SIDE of Adam, picturing in some limited way how Yeshua the Son “emerged”, was begotten, from Father Yahweh. Every flesh creation was created from the adamah, the ground, the clay, the earth. But, not woman. Some suppose that Chava, Eve’s Hebrew name, which means “the mother of all living”, was not co-equal to Adam because she was created after him. But, that is an illogical conclusion, because if you accept THAT, then you also have to accept that Adam was inferior to the animals, since he was created after them. It does not follow, you see? Does not make logical sense! 

In the beginning, Adam and Eve possessed a covenant partnership, a divine oneness which pictured the oneness of the divine majestic mystery we often refer to as God, the unified ONE. 

After the Fall, this relationship fractured, and remains fractured until this day. Adam and Eve afterwards bore the curse of sin, and this was manifested in the changed, fallen nature of their relationship. God instituted between them a sentence of heirarchy. Fallen, human nature takes this God-ordained consequence of heirarchy to a pagan extreme, with each party trying to rule over the other. 

If I had more time, we would examine the word “desire”, as it is often translated in Genesis 3:16 “your desire (Eve) shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.” That word is used only 3x in the entire Bible, here, in Genesis 4:7 where sin desired to have Cain, the brother of Abel, and in Song of Solomon, where it actually means human, fleshly desire for the opposite sex. 

Now, with that in mind, let’s return to Ephesians 5:22-33. Here, Paul gives these admonitions under the hierarchy that was established after the Fall, although it is not God’s ideal. And, as there will be no “marriage or giving in marriage” in the Olam Haba, The World to Come, it is only relevant for this age. 
 
Husband: 
 

• love your wife in the same manner that Christ loves His Church.  This implies tremendous sacrifice, giving your wife your whole heart.  A husband who does this will rarely have to remind his wife of her role. 

• nourish and cherish your wife, in order to help her grow deeper into her relationship with Messiah; celebrate the ways your wife is different from you and how she complements you. 

• let your highest earthly loyalty be to your wife; don't let anyone or anything get between you, including parents, children, friends or activities.  Your wife needs to feel secure in your love, that you esteem her above everyone else and that she can trust you to care for her. 

Wife: 

• recognize that your husbands is the leader of your home.  When agreement cannot be achieved, defer to your husband’s authority.  This is part of respecting your husband. Sometimes, in hindsight both of you will realize that the husband was right.  Other times, he will be proven wrong.  That is not the point.  No one "bats 1000".  Regardless, your husband, in order to properly fulfill his role as leader MUST have your respect.  It is his #1 need from you. 

• live a life of holy beauty (1 Peter 3:1-6) 

• be responsive to his needs.  Let me just put it plain as the wife of a happy husband.  Men who have their physical needs taken care of are happy husbands.  So, keep them well-fed from both the kitchen and the bedroom.  Make your home a place they want to be, and the godly husband will not want to wander. 

For those of us who live in the "modern" Torah-walk age, we take a healthy marriage relationship model for granted.  What we fail to realize is that this teaching from Paul was revolutionary to the early Gentile believer world. Except for the Jewish people, who generally treated wives with care (although there were exceptions), the majority of the world viewed women as the possessions of men.  They were esteemed lower than the male children of the family.  The Word of God has been the greatest civilizing force of the past nearly 6000 years, and women have the Bible to thank for their "advancement" in the USA and in the West. 

In particular, in Ephesus, this pagan city was dominated by the Artemis/Diana religious cult. Cult prostitution and sexual immorality were rampant, with a primary form of Artemis worship being for a man to have sex in the pagan temple with a “cult prostitute”. In this pagan religion, Artemis was said to have been created before her male counterpart and that she was created by these Amazon-sized warrior women, who were practically revered as goddesses. Women therefore, dominated the Ephesian society at large. There was a tremendous amount of friction between men and women. This upside-down hierarchy, based on Genesis 3:16, was bleeding over into the congregation of early Gentile followers of Yeshua. So, here in these verses, Paul was teaching the baby believers the ways of Father Yahweh, as he established them in Genesis 3. Remember: no matter in what age/era a passage of Scripture is set, the context is extremely important. Some of our worst missapplications of Scripture occur when we yank them out of their intended context and use them as clubs or leashes to harness people into our preferred interpretation. 

I am not a perfect wife, nor is my husband a perfect husband.  However, both of us do our best to follow the model presented in these passages.  I know that, at times, this has been difficult for both of us.  My personality is quite strong, and it is a work of God in my heart to let my husband lead.  Like God, my husband is naturally very loving toward me, even when I am "unlovely".  We have extremely different approaches to solving problems.  We have different needs.  It is amazing that God put two such different people together.  But, through us, His supernatural grace is revealed to our children and to the world.   What a blessing to be able to show to an unbelieving world a microcosm of how Jesus Christ loves His Church! 

Now then, let’s change gears a bit and move on to Paul’s admonitions toward children by moving on to Ephesians chapter 6, verses I heard “on repeat” as a child (and for good reason! Did I mention I am strong-willed? It is not a recent development, lol!) 

Think back with me to an experience in your past...when you've been out among others and encountered a child being nasty to his or her parent(s).  Did you immediately feel insulted and/or disgusted?  Oh, I'm not talking about a young toddler who cries in the restaurant.   I'm talking about rebellious, in-your-face disobedience.  Most of us find that repellent or at the very least pitiable. 
 
What about older children, adult children - - are they required to obey their parents?  What, then, does it mean to honor one's father and mother? 
 
In Ephesians 6 Paul continues his admonitions concerning relationships of various kinds.  Thus far, he has addressed relationships between us and our God, us and other brothers/sisters in the Lord, and our relationships with our husband or wife.  Now, in chapter 6, he addresses children and parents. 
 
 

1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER (which is the first commandment with a promise), 3 SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH. 

4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. 

 

Speaking as a child of one living parent and also of a parent of two living children, this is a topic on which it is difficult to write. As I have said before here on Mishkan Katan...."I hate to use personal experience, but it's the only kind I've had."  :) 
 
Our attitudes toward this passage are no doubt colored by our own personal, family experiences.  If you had a mean, dangerous, neglectful or otherwise unloving parent, those experiences will color your interpretation and govern your reaction toward Paul's words.  If, on the other hand, you did not, but rather had a loving, nurturing godly parent, your reaction will be different.  Similarly, if your children exhibited no more than the normal fractious behavior, but were generally obedient and respectful in your home, your reaction to this passage will be positive.  If that was not the case, or if you have never had children, your impressions will be affected by your life experiences. 
 
Even though these "family rules" of Paul's are applicable to all families, the underlying principle behind Paul's words is that they are being said to followers of Yeshua, those who are endeavoring to function in a godly manner in their families.  So, Paul adds "in the Lord" to indicate that no family interactions should be contrary to the will of God, as revealed in Scripture.  So, if your alcoholic parent told you to beat your sibling, and you disobeyed, you are not judged for your disobedience.  Or, if your calling from the Lord does not set well with your parent, you should prayerfully consider your godly parent's opinion, and then go as the Holy Spirit leads you.  Often He will lead us to see the wisdom of our parent's advice; other times we will realize that God's will lies elsewhere.  Our allegiance to the Lord, and to His will, is greater than our allegiance to our parents and children.  (Matthew 10:37 and 19:29) 
 
However, the Bible is clear in its condemnation of those who neglect either or both.  (1 Timothy 5:8 BSB) 
 

7Give these instructions to the believers, so that they will be above reproach. 8If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. 

 
Whew! Those are very strong words...worse than an unbeliever. Not sure how it could get worse than an unbeliever, someone who is on his way to eternal damnation, but Paul said what he said! 

I have some rather new friends who are retired foreign missionaries.  Both their sets of parents are dead.  The woman's parents died early, but the man's did not.  Although these missionaries lived half-a-world-away, they made certain his parents were cared for.  Our former church, one of our Sunday School classes back then, helped to look after and watch over his mother in her final days.  Some would argue that, because he did not live next door or in the same town, because he did not leave the mission field and move home, he did not care for his mother.  I would argue that he did care for her very well. 
 
Paul says that children should obey their parents "for this is right".  From Barnes Notes on the Bible: 
 
For this is right - It is right: 
(1) because it is so appointed by God as a duty; 
(2) because children owe a debt of gratitude to their parents for what they have done for them; 
(3) because it will be for the good of the children themselves, and for the welfare of society. 
 

Well said.  For millennia, civilized people have recognized that children are under the authority of their parents until they reach adulthood (until they are "adulting" as the current expression goes), and that they should therefore both obey and respect them while children are living at home and/or mom and dad are "footing the bills". 
 
Even in adulthood, however, we are commanded to show honor and respect to our father and mother.  I find it curious here that Paul specifically mentions both, as opposed to saying just "parents".  Both are recognized by God as having distinct and crucial roles in the family, and both are deserving of honor. 
 
Verse 4 gives the ultimate responsibility for the discipline in the home to the father, although the mother plays an important and supportive role.  While both should establish order and maintain discipline, it is each father's duty to see that the children respect both him and their mother, and to ensure that children are treated respectfully as well.  This does not give any parent, father or mother, permission to be a tyrant, or to abuse their children through leniency, but rather urges them to be disciplined, loving leaders of their children who administer order and correction in love. Again, this does not mean that if a father travels for 80% of the children’s lives, or more, that he cannot and should not designate the mother as the primary disciplinarian/trainer. Each case is different. The best leaders delegate wisely; they don’t try to do everything themselves. 

I want to add as we wind up this teaching that a popular song from several decades ago really “got it”. That song was “Cat’s In the Cradle”. How you treat your parents is how your children will treat you. How you treat your children is how they will treat you when they are older. We “train them up” both intentionally and unintentionally. It’s those unintentional examples we are setting that we must be very watchful for. 
 
Allright, we are going to stop here for this morning’s session. In our next session, we'll explore the next set of verses....those concerning what Scripture refers to as "slavery", and it's modern-day application to us.