Ephesians 4:8 – an ambiguous quote from the Psalms

Wherefore He is saying, Ascending on high, He captures captivity and gives gifts to mankind

Christ gives grace to all believers individually. And therefore Paul quotes David in Psalm 68: 18. There is foretold how God (in the Messiah) will go up to Sion. How He moves from Sinai (68: 17) to Sion (68: 16. It speaks of the transfer from the old covenant (Sinai) to the new covenant (Sion).

But the going up to Sion is ambiguous. It refers literally to the mountain that the Messiah will climb soon to take his seat. Concealed it refers to how He would ascend to heaven. To Sion as a type of the heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12: 22).

By going up to Sion, Christ captures captivity. Literally this will be fulfilled, when He ends the exile of Israel, to bring the people to the promised land and give them gifts bountiful. But concealed, this refers to the present time. How the ecclesia, (captured) in exile, is taken by Christ to the altitude in the heaven. And in that high place He takes care for the ecclesia and gives gifts!

Delen: