Readings:
Ezekiel 29-30
Ephesians 1

Ezekiel 29-30

A regular foe of Israel from the time of Moses until the later stages of the divided kingdom, Egypt is now in the spotlight for the prophet’s denunciations through oracles from God. The kings of Judah turned to Egypt for help, rather than turn to God. This was one of the final straws for Judah, that lasted a couple hundred years longer than Israel, but it eventually fell to sin and corruption too.

Ephesians 1

Paul is writing this Letter in the early 60s to the Christians in the city of Ephesus in Asia Minor. This city was a commercial hub and a large metropolis for its day. There’s some debate if the letter was intended for just the church in Ephesus as it says in the first verse, or for all churches in the area, and this is based on early manuscripts missing the words “in Ephesus” in the opening of the letter.

Either way, the destination isn’t as important as other Pauline epistles. This is because the majority of the letter is a doctrinal exposition and not addressing specific moral lapses or false teachings like we see in Corinthians.

The opening of the letter is a longer than usual blessing that essentially says we are blessed beyond all measure just by belonging to Jesus Christ. Anything else is bonus, because the ultimate blessing in life is to be cleaned by the blood of the lamb and washed in the water that flowed from his side.

Paul says that the incarnation happened “in the fullness of time” meaning at the exact moment when all the preparations had been made, the mountains flattened and the roads straightened, as John the Baptist said. At this moment in history, when the birth of the savior would have its greatest impact, God the son was born in Bethlehem.

Paul also says something interesting about the Holy Spirit here. He says the spirit is the “guarantee” of the life we will be given in heaven. This term basically equates to a down payment to act as portion of what is due when a contract is fully executed. The small amount of graces we receive from the Holy Spirit in this life pales in comparison to the fullness of what we’ll receive in heaven.

We close todays portion of Ephesians by reading Paul’s pray from the church. In this prayer he hits on the supremacy of Christ over all of creation, and is very similar to what we now celebrate in the solemnity of Christ the King.

It is an awesome fact that the whole power of creation will bow before a man, in whom is the divine Word

Saint John Chrysostom

Tomorrow’s Readings:
Ezekiel 31-32
Ephesians 2