Abstract

During my formative years in both the evangelical church and its post WWII missionary movement, I came to understand that the salvation Jesus brought to humanity through his death on the cross was the Gospel. But as God began to lead me into intercultural missions, I began to see that the Missio Dei actually was not primarily centered on a mission to rescue humanity and the rest of creation in Christ, by restoring all that had been lost to humanity and the world through human sinfulness. For I began to gain insight into a revelation of the divine mission as Paul had seen it; and into how this had led him to proclaim a divine work involving a three-theme-gospel—a gospel in which redemption in Christ is still important, but one in which God accomplished and set in motion something much bigger and more challenging than just recovery and renewal. For Paul'sunderstanding of God's mission involves three phases in a family plan for all nations, and for the earth—things that God had ‘purposed in himself’ ‘before the foundation of the world’. And in this plan Paul deals with an element that is found in every human culture and in all intercultural relationships, and yet which was rarely if ever identified within the Western evangelical circles I grew up in—namely social power. Even today, I have found that social power—though an important part of Paul's revelation—still tends to be ‘the elephant in the room’ in most churches and in most intercultural relations.

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the important role social power plays in Paul's understanding of the Missio Dei—particularly as described in Ephesians, Galatians, Colossians, and to some extent Romans. In the early 1980s, I was invited for the first time to teach for a week on the subject of cross-cultural communications. By way of preparation, I took time to reflect on what had helped me most in building cross-cultural relationships and in learning two new languages (Indonesian and Dutch)—during my first term of mission service in Indonesia (almost three years with Mission Aviation Fellowship), and my second term of service in the Netherlands (then, almost five years with Youth With A Mission[1]).

I had grown up in a pioneer missionary family, having spent four of my growing up years (between the ages of four and ten) outside the country of my birth (the United States). And as a young adult, I had graduated from university with a BA in Sociology (1970), having taken several courses in anthropology. But during my university years my most significant experience in intercultural relationships came during the summer I lived in Harlem, New York (1968). For there I learned how I needed to view my role in missions through the lens of a different (sub) culture rather than only through the lens of my own white-evangelical, middle class (sub) culture.

Then, both before and right after completing my BA, I had two more experiences that would later have a major impact on the way I viewed and practiced intercultural relationships and missions. First, when I was granted the status of ‘conscientious objector’ (CO) to the Vietnam War. Since I was not a member of a church community with a committed pacifist theology, it seemed almost impossible—both to me and to everyone I knew—that I would be granted this status. Yet I felt strongly led by God's Spirit to request it. And when the local ‘draft board’ actually granted it, they told me that my case had been a ‘first’. I thus experienced personally how the authority of Jesus was greater than the social power of my own nation and subculture.

Right away, the requirement to do ‘alternate service’ for my nation in place of military service set up a second important experience. For I was then led by the Spirit to accept an invitation from MAF to do my two-year service in Irian Jaya (now West Papua), Indonesia—as the bookkeeper in their aviation program there. After the US government approved this plan, however, I learned that I would not receive the usual six-months language study before taking up my position in Irian Jaya, since a two-year assignment was considered too ‘short term’ for that. Not wanting to be limited to speaking only English in another culture, I was disappointed. When I complained about this to God in a time of personal prayer, his answer was to read again Revelation 7:9-10. As I did so, I actually heard God say these words in my spirit: ‘Indonesian will be used to worship me in heaven’. I then heard my own voice responding, ‘If I can learn Indonesian by whatever means so that I can worship with my Indonesian brothers and sisters, I will already experience a bit of heaven here on earth’.

This experience motivated me to employ a variety of strategies, while working full time, to achieve a rudimentary fluency in Indonesian after only six months. One of these strategies involved joining an Indonesian church youth choir the week after I arrived. But this experience had an even bigger impact in my life. Both in my understanding of God's mission and in the way I read the Scriptures. For I now realized that the end goal of missions was bigger than just bringing salvation to all nations. It was also about ‘redeemed’ nations, tribes, peoples and languages (Rev.5:9-10) worshipping together ‘the One on the throne and the Lamb’—each in their own language. For John not only ‘saw’ this diversity of groups, but he ‘heard’ the diverse languages being used in worship. It seemed that the diversity of culture and language had eternal value and importance in fulfilling God's purposes.

[1] I am currently (2023) in my 49^th year of service in Youth With A Mission (YWAM).

When comparing the ‘expansion’ of the post-WWII missionary movements, between 1946 and 1970 to earlier historical periods, Winter speaks of ‘an astonishing leap forward—in both Catholic and Protestant spheres’: in the ‘increase in financial resources, in personnel, and the sheer elaboration of organizational machinery’ [Winter 1970: 57]. I grew up in the Protestant side of these movements, since my parents joined one of the new organizations (soon to be called the Missionary Aviation Fellowship) just before I was born. And my father, Charles Mellis, quickly became one of its pioneer leaders [Buss & Glasser 1995: 19,46-47]. Being born into this movement (1948), I grew up with the Biblical basis of the MIssio Dei that was shared by all these new evangelical Protestant mission groups. Namely, ‘the Great Commission’ which Jesus gave to his disciples—as recorded by Matthew, Mark and Luke: 

And Jesus... spoke to them, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations [Gr. ethne], baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you. (Matthew 28:18-20a NASB)

And he said..., “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.(Mark 16:15 KJV)

He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and He said to them, “So it is written: that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in his name to all nations [Gr. ethne]... You are witnesses of these things.  (Luke 24:45-48 NASB)

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria and as far as the remotest part of the earth. After he had said these things, He was lifted up while they were watching. (Acts 1:8-9a NASB)

Because of Jesus' emphasis on how this proclamation of the gospel to all nations was based on the earlier Scriptures, most theologians in these post-WWII evangelical movements understood that the ‘story’ in the Bible, of God being ‘a missionary God’, began with his ‘call’ to Abraham [Stott 1981]. Specifically with the divine promise made to him that God would one day bless ‘all tribes’ [Gr. phulai] and ‘all nations’ [Gr. ethne] on earth through him (Genesis 12:1-3; 18:18 LXX)—more specifically, through Abraham's ‘seed’ (Gen.22:18b LXX[2]).

Further, I grew up accepting that the Gospel Jesus' disciples were called to ‘proclaim’ to people of all nations, as his witnesses, was primarily about Jesus' death and resurrection—with his death on the cross being mainly about ‘the redemption for the forgiveness of sins’, and his resurrection being about eternal life. Further, this ‘Good News’ was for every individual man and woman on earth (‘every creature’) who confessed faith in Jesus, who was baptized and who became his disciple in the indigenous churches planted in each nation, as the Scriptures were translated into each human language.

And by 1981, my wife and I had come to understand that our part in the Missio Dei involved bringing this gospel to Muslim people groups living in urban centers, beginning in the city where God had led us to reside and work with Youth With A Mission (YWAM)—Amsterdam.

[2] LXX is the common designation for the Septuagint, the 2^nd century BC translation of the Hebrew Bible [Brenton 1990].

While we were beginning to face this cross-cultural mission challenge, I was soon asked to teach on this subject. As I considered what I had learned from my previous intercultural experiences, I was reminded of the ‘revelation’ God had given me while preparing to leave for Indonesia (see above). Also the one I received at the outset of a summer in Harlem, New York, when I was challenged by one of the African-American elders in the bi-racial church that was hosting me. Affirming my interest in urban missions, he then said I would only be effective if I acknowledged the limitations that came with being ‘white’. For I would only make sense and gain a hearing with African-American residents of Harlem if I could fulfill a role that they considered of value to their community—like by coming as a doctor, a lawyer, a pastor, or even as a compassionate social worker. Otherwise, they would merely see me as a ‘white college boy’ who could leave anytime he wanted to, while they could not.

I didn't fully understand the cross-cultural principle this elder was seeking to teach me[3], but his words revealed a cultural blind spot in my understanding of cross-cultural witness. Without the self-awareness that came with this revelation, my witness in other cultural settings would likely result in unconscious behavior on my part that would pollute the Good News I was seeking to share. This in turn reminded of the story of Peter and the Roman officer, Cornelius. Much like Peter's unconscious behavior would have tainted his cross-cultural witness in Caesarea if God had not intervened with a vision (Acts 10:11-16; 11:4-10). For according to his cultural traditions regarding people of ‘a different tribe’ [Gr. allo-phulo], Peter would not have even entered Cornelius' house. His non-verbal message would thus have been that they were still ‘unclean’ or ‘inferior’ (A.10:28)—even if his verbal message (when delivered outside Cornelius' house) had been the same. And even if the Holy Spirit had still come upon his non-Jewish listeners (A.10:34-44), these new believers would have continued to have a second-class status in a Jewish church. For unless the men submitted to being circumcised, the Jewish believers and their leaders in Judea and Jerusalem would have opposed reciprocal hospitality between Jews and non-Jews in the church (A.10:45; 11:1-2).

Then as I remembered how God had spoken to me through John's revelation of the multi-ethnic and multi-lingual worship gathering around God's throne and the impact this had had on my approach to intercultural relationships with Indonesian brothers and sisters in Irian Jaya. As a result, the need for ‘revelation’ on the part of intercultural workers began to form the basis for my teaching about intercultural communication. This in turn led me to the discovery that ‘revelation’ had also formed the basis for Paul's intercultural ministry. And to a much bigger view of the Gospel itself than the one I had grown up with. So I began meditating on his revelation of ‘the Mystery’. In doing so, I discovered that his understanding of the Missio Dei involves much more than a rescue and renewal mission. Instead, it involves some hidden pre-creation purposes that God had in mind for human beings well before sin and death entered our story.

Thus, after taking time to unpack Paul's revelation of the Mystery (section 3) and the three themes of his gospel (sections 4 and 5), I will look at his understanding of how God's eternal purposes have come to involve three stages instead of two (section 6). Finally, I will suggest four implications that his three-theme gospel holds for us today as we seek to understand and participate in these divine purposes—the Missio Dei—in the current season (section 7).

[3] Namely, that it is not enough for a cross-cultural missionary to seek to identify with people of another culture; for these also need to be able to identify with that foreign missionary [Loewen 1964].

Paul refers to his revelation briefly in his first letter (Galatians), where he connects it to the gospel that he was taught personally by Jesus himself—the gospel God called him to proclaim to ‘the nations’[4] (Gal.1:11-12,15-16). But although he does develop this revelation significantly in his Galatians letter, it is in his more general ‘Ephesians’ letter, written much later,[5] that gives a more detailed description of it and gives it a name: “the Mystery”. Later, I'll come backseveral times to what his Galatians letter has to say about this revelation. But since I was led in 1981 to look first at Ephesians, I will begin with what he writes there.

Surely YOU[6] have heard of the administration of God's grace which was given to me for you: ·how that by revelation he made known to me “the Mystery”—as I already wrote briefly. ·By having read that, you can understand my comprehension of the Mystery of the Messiah[7], ·which in other generations was not made known to human sons as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit— ·that in Christ Jesus, through the Gospel, the nations [Gr. ethne] are heirs-together[8] and of the same body-together, and partakers-together of his promise. ·Of this I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the working of his power in me. ·This grace was given to me—who am the least of all the holy ones—to proclaim the Good News of the unsearchable riches of the Messiah to the nations [Gr. ethne], ·and to enlighten all concerning the administration of “the Mystery”which for ages was kept hidden in God who created all things— ·to the intent that now, through the church, the many-and-varied wisdom of God might be made known to the primal chiefs and authorities among the celestial ones, ·according to the eternal purpose which he accomplished[9] in the Messiah, Jesus our Lord.(Eph.3:2-11)

Why does Paul call this revelation ‘the Mystery (of the Messiah)’? Because it is about something related to God's mission (his ‘eternal purpose’ in sending the Messiah, Jesus) that the Creator had kept hidden ‘for ages’. For although the Scriptures that God gave to Israel had announced the coming of a special ‘Anointed One’ (Messiah), there was something about him that God did not reveal even to those like Paul—who had been Biblically trained (Acts 22:3b)—that is, until God revealed it by the Spirit. Yet if the Spirit had not only revealed it to Paul, but also to the first apostles and prophets in the church, why does he still call it ‘the Mystery’? And why interrupt his train of thought (Eph.3:1),[7]to write more about it?

In the above text, Paul says he has ‘already written’ (Eph.3:3b) at the beginning of his letter about ‘the mystery’ of God's ‘will’—‘an administration’ that he had purposed to bring about ‘in the fulness of the seasons... in the Messiah’ (1:9-10; see section 5). Now he speaks again about it as ‘the administration of God's grace’ given to him (3:2)—as something that involves more than just proclaiming ‘the Good News of the riches of the Messiah to the nations (3:8b). For it also requires ‘the working of God's power within Paul to open people's eyes (‘to enlighten all’) concerning this ‘administration of the Mystery’ (3:7,9a). It seems that even though the Spirit has been given to reveal this Mystery to the church, many early believers and church leaders still aren't ‘comprehending’ it the way Jesus had revealed it to Paul (3:4; Gal.1:12). Perhaps this was because the Mystery had been kept hidden for so long (3:9b). Or perhaps because this aspect of the Messiah's divine mission was so revolutionary (so outside the box, as it were) that it didn't fit any known human cultural or religious system.

So what does this revelation of ‘the (previously hidden) Mystery involve? As Paul explains here (and elsewhere) it is about 4 things.

[4] The Greek word Paul uses here that is usually translated ‘Gentiles’ is simply a form of the word for ‘nations’ [ethne]. For ‘Gentiles’ is just a made up (plural) English word based on the singular Latin word used in the Vulgate to describe a non-Jew [gentilis], while the plural Latin word [gentibus] in Gal.1:16 is exactly the same word translated as ‘nations’ in Rev. 7:9!

[5] I follow the majority of scholars who treat ‘Ephesians’ as a general letter that Paul wrote to the churches in Asia at the time of his house arrest in Rome (Acts 28:16,30), and those scholars who see Galatians as his first letter—written to the ‘churches’ in the four cities of South Galatia that he and Barnabas had recently established (Acts 13:14 – 14:23).

[6] In my own translation of all texts from Paul's letters (from my unpublished ‘harmony’ of the life and letters of Paul, based on the KJV and on the Greek text), I use YOU in small caps to indicate when the 2^nd person pronoun in Greek is plural (since modern English does not make a distinction between a ‘you’ singular and a ‘YOU’ plural).

[7] I render the Greek tou Christou as ‘the Messiah’ (3:4,8,11), but Christo, when linked to Jesus’ name, as ‘Christ Jesus’ (3:6).

[8] see footnote 11.

[9] Most recent translations of this Greek verb [epoieesin] refer to it as something (God’s eternal purpose) that in Christ Jesus has been ‘accomplished’ (NIV, HCSB), ‘achieved’ (GNB) ‘carried out’ (NRSV, NCV, NLT) ‘realized and carried into effect’ (Amp). Thus, ‘the fulfilment of the ages’ that ‘has come’ on us (1 Cor.10:11 NIV), the ‘fullness of the seasons’ (Eph.1:10; Mk.1:15), had its beginning in the anointing (by the Spirit), death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus the Messiah (section 6.3).

[10] In the Greek, verse 3:1 is an incomplete sentence that begins with one phrase (‘For this reason’) that Paul repeats again in 3:14a, and another phrase (‘I, Paul a prisoner’) that he repeats in 4:1a—as if he was initially planning to pray again for his readers (3:14b-21), and then move on to the rest of the letter (4:1b) [Mellis 2016a]

[11] The phrase ‘including Israel’ better represents Paul’s understanding of ‘the Mystery’ as expressed in 3:6. The NIV's misinterpretation of this verse (‘the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel’) not only inserts a phrase that is absent in Greek (‘with Israel’), but also maintains the former two-category division of humanity into Jews and non-Jews—when this ‘dividing boundary wall’, Paul has just said, has been destroyed in Christ (2:14) [Mellis 2016b]. See also footnote 28.

[12] The Greek phrase en tois epouraiois in this verse and elsewhere (like in Eph.1:2) can be translated as either ‘in the heavenlies’ or ‘among the celestial ones’ [https://scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/NTpdf/eph3.pdf]. See section 6.

In the opening to his Ephesian letter, Paul alludes to three ‘spiritual blessings’ that God—who is both ‘our Father’ (Eph.1:2) and ‘the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (1:3)—has conferred on us ‘in Christ’ and ‘among the celestial ones’. These comprise the three themes of Paul's gospel (Eph.1:4-10) [Mellis 2016c]. And his use of the word ‘blessings’ alludes to the fulfilment in Christ of the Abrahamic promise (Genesis 12:1-3; 18:18; 22:18).

As he introduces the first ‘blessing’ (1)—the first aspect of ‘the Mystery’, note that ‘He’ refers to God as ‘Father’ being the main actor in all three themes of Paul's gospel[13]:

(1) He chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and flawless in his presence. In love ·he pre-destined us towards ‘placement as sons’ [Gr. huiothesia] to himself—through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will — ·to the praise of his glorious grace, in which he has favored us in the One he loved. (Eph.1:4b-6)

This text suggests that Paul understands that the human story is comprised of at least two phases[14] in God's purpose (‘will’) for ‘us’. First, before creation (‘before the foundation of the world’) God chose human beings (‘us’) in Christ (‘him’) to be ‘holy’ and ‘flawless’ beings ‘in his presence’. In his address to the Athenians, Paul speaks of the Creator as the ‘Lord of heaven and earth’ who not only gave each individual ‘life and breath’ (Acts 17:24-25; Genesis 2:7), but who also ‘made’ every human nation [Gr. ethnos] (A.17:26; Deuteronomy 26:19 [Mellis 2016d]; Psalm 86:9). And he did this because he is our Father (A.17:28b-29a)—both of us as nations and as individuals (Deut.32:6; Isa.45:11-12; 64:8 [Mellis 2016d]; Jer. 3:19 [Mellis 2016e]—the original ‘Father from whom all earthly fatherhood derives its name’ (Eph.3:14-15).[15]

God, as our Father, not only chose human beings before the creation[16] to spread out over the world in family-based groups (Gen.1:28b; 2:18-24; 10:32-33) in order to ‘cultivate’[17] the earth (Genesis 2:5 NIV), but he ‘pre-destined’ us for a second phase that would also be inaugurated ‘through Christ’. Paul refers to this second phase as the ‘placement as sons’ [Gr. huiothesia]. When Paul uses this word[18], he does not mean ‘adoption’ into God's family, but rather ‘the placing of a child into the position of adult sonship’ [Martin 1971: 726].

This is clearly seen in Paul's use of this word in Galatians (4:1-8). Here he describes how both Jews (‘we’, 4:3) and people of other nations (plural ‘YOU’, 4:8a) are ‘no better than household servants’ as long as they are ‘under-age-children’ [Gr. neepioi], until the ‘time’ comes for the ‘planned-in-advance-placing [Gr. pro-thesmias] by the father (4:1-3). This ‘time’ came when ‘God sent his Son’ into the world so that through him, men and women of all nations and social classes might become adult ‘heirs’, through the ‘placement of sons’ [Gr. huio-thesia] (3:26,28-29; 4:5b): through baptism ‘into Christ’ (3:27) and through God sending ‘the Spirit of his Son into (the) heart (singular)’ of each one (‘you’, singular, 4:6) [Mellis 2016f].

Earlier in this letter, Paul relates this coming of age by the Spirit, through faith, with the ‘blessing given to Abraham’ as ‘a promise’ of ‘the inheritance’ that in the future ‘would come to the nations [Gr. ethne] through Christ Jesus’(Gal.3:14b,18) [Mellis 2016g]. And when he cites this promise to Abraham from the Torah—‘In you, all the nations [Gr. panta ta ethne] shall be blessed’—he represents this as an ‘advance’ proclamation of the Gospel’ (G.3:8b). Now before we look at the first half of this verse (3:8a), we need to see something important about the second half that is often overlooked. While the ending of his citation follows the first version of the promise in the Torah (Gen.12:3b), the opening of his citation follows the second version of it which appears in the Septuagint as follows:

Abram shall become a great and populous nation [Gr. ethnos], and in him shall all the nations [Gr. panta ta ethne] of the earth be blessed. (Gen. 18:18 LXX [Brenton 1990])

Thus, the coming of age by the Spirit in Christ, that was pre-destined for us before the creation, is not only part of the Gospel but also part of ‘the Mystery’ that Paul is referring to in Ephesians 3. And when he writes about it there, describing how ‘the nations’—in Christ and through the Gospel—are now ‘heirs-together’ and ‘partakers together in the promise’ to Abraham (Eph.3:6d), he is including Israel as ‘a...nation’ among ‘all the nations’.[19]

Yet at the same time as Paul writes in Galatians of ‘all the nations’ (including Israel) being blessed through Christ—by receiving the promised Holy Spirit and ‘the inheritance’, as part of his gospel (Gal.3:8b,14b,18)—he connects this to the second theme of his gospel. Namely, that God would first need to ‘justify the nations’ (3:8a); and Israel too (‘us’) would first need to be ‘redeemed’, through Christ becoming as ‘one that hangs on a tree’[20] (3:13-14a, 4:5).

[13] Later in his Ephesian letter Paul associates ‘the Mystery’ directly with ‘the Gospel’ (Eph.6:19); also in Romans (16:25).

[14] It actually turns out that by the time Christ comes, an in-between phase has been added (see section 6.1).

[15] For Paul, human fatherhood is a reflection of our real Father, rather than God's fatherhood being a human metaphor.

[16] God's choice to create men and women in his image [Heb. tselem] and likeness [Heb. demuth] (Gen.1:26-27) is almost immediately reflected in the Torah by how Adam ‘fathered’ a son in his likeness [Heb. demuth] and image’ [Heb. tselem], and ‘fathered other sons and daughters’ (Gen.5:1-4 HCSB) [Mellis 2016d]. Paul (the Torah scholar, Acts 22:3) most likely had these texts in mind when speaking of God as our original Father (Eph.3:14-15).

[17] The Latin words cult (meaning ‘grow’) and cultus (meaning ‘to care for’) are the root of the English word ‘cultivate’ and ‘culture’, though these Latin words do not actually appear in the Vulgate translation of verses 4 and 15 in Genesis 2.

[18] This word does not appear in the Septuagint, and Paul is the only known Jewish writer who uses it—doing so five times!

(2) In him we have redemption through his blood—the forgiveness of offences according to the riches of his grace, ·which he has lavished upon us. (Eph. 1:7-8a)

(3) In all wisdom and understanding, ·he has made known to us the mystery of his will—according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in himself ·towards an administration for the fullness of the seasons—to gather together all things in the Messiah, those in the heavens and those on the earth in him. (Eph. 1:8b-10)

5.1. Paul’s third theme and its connection to ‘the Mystery’ and to his first theme

When Paul refers to ‘the Mystery’ in the third theme of his gospel (3), he also connects it to God (as ‘Father’) and to ‘his good pleasure’ and ‘his will’—like he did with the first theme (1), cited in the previous section (Eph.1:5). And what God (as ‘Father’) ‘purposed’ was ‘towards an ‘administration’ that would take place in a future ‘season’—‘in the Messiah’. Namely, the gathering together in Christ of ‘all things’ that he had created ‘in the heavens and on earth’ —including the nations he had ‘made’ by spreading out humanity into distinct nations, in their respective territories (Acts 17:24-26; Deut.32:8 [Mellis 2016e]).

Like with the first theme of Paul's gospel, God purposed this ‘in himself’—not, that is, in response to anything human beings had done. Thus, both the creation of ethnic diversity of nations and the ingathering of this ethnic diversity are primarily the result of God's purpose, not merely a response to human sinfulness. For his purpose in making ‘all the nations’ [Gr. panta ta ethne] was that all these would one day ‘come and worship’ him, and so ‘glorify’ his name (Psalm 86:9-10). Which is exactly what John ‘saw’ the nations doing together in all their diversity around God's throne and in the New Jerusalem (Rev.7:9-10; 21:26).[21] And when Paul speaks of God's ‘many-and-varied wisdom’ already being ‘made known’ in the multi-ethnic ‘church’, he says this is happening according to God's ‘intent’ and ‘his eternal purpose’ that has been ‘accomplished in the Messiah, Jesus’ (Eph.3:6,10-11).[22]

Footnotes

[21] Notice that when John hears the ‘victorious’ ones singing again, ‘the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb’ (Rev. 15:3-4), the 1^st part of it is drawn from Moses (Dt.32:4), but the 2^nd part is from Ps.86:9-10—about the nations [Gr. ethne] worshipping God—because of what the Lamb has done to redeem them and to bring them together in a new kingdom (Rev.5:6-12).

[22] This fourth aspect of ‘the Mystery’ (see section 3) will be discussed in detail in section 6.

5.2. Paul's second theme and its connection to his other two themes

The second theme (2) of Paul's gospel involves our ‘redemption’ and ‘the forgiveness of sins’ in Christ, through his death on the cross—which he proclaimed alongside ‘the Mystery’.[23] Yet in the opening two chapters of his Ephesians letter, Paul continually presents our ‘salvation’ through the cross as being in support of the other two themes—both of which he connects to ‘the Mystery’, the two-fold mission that God as Father purposed ‘in himself’ from ‘before the foundation of the world’. How does he do so in this letter? Look again at chapter 1, and then at chapter 3 to see whyhe does this.

In chapter 1 he does this twice in the first of two very long Greek sentences[24] (Eph.1:3-14). First, in the way he talks about God's (his) grace towards us (as Father). For in his first gospel theme (1), Paul associates ‘his glorious grace’ and ‘favor’ with his pre-creation choice of human beings to be his sons and daughters[25] with a future destiny to be placed as his adult sons and daughters—also ‘in him’ (the Messiah) (Eph.1:4-6, Section 4). Then, when moving on to his second gospel theme (1:7-8a), Paul speaks of our ‘redemption’ through the blood of Christ as being ‘according to the riches’ of ‘his (our Father's) grace which he lavished upon us’. In other words, God's grace towards us didn't begin at the cross. The cross only shows us just how committed our Father was to being gracious towards human beings by making a way for us to be reconciled to him after we all had chosen to go our own way.[26]

Second, notice the plural pronouns (‘we’, ‘YOU’, and ‘our’) in Paul's conclusion to his first long sentence (1:11-14). Addressing first his fellow Jews (‘we’), he speaks of how Israel had been ‘pre-destined’ as a nation to ‘obtain an inheritance’. Thus, they became the ‘first to hope in the Messiah’ as part of God's ‘purpose’ and ‘will’ for all humanity.[27] Then, in a brief allusion to the ‘salvation’ theme of his gospel (1:7-8), Paul tells his non-Jewish brothers and sisters (‘YOU’) how ‘YOUR salvation’ led to the first theme of Paul's gospel being fulfilled. For the hidden ‘mystery’ finally became a reality when they too were ‘sealed with the Holy Spirit’ that was first ‘promised’ to Israel (1:13-14). For the Holy Spirit, Paul says, now represents the ‘deposit of guarantee on our inheritance’—with diverse ‘nations’ already being brought together now in one body as co[28]-heirs in Christ’ (3:6a). Yet a ‘deposit’ on what? What is the remainder of ‘our inheritance’ that he calls ‘the redemption of the possession’ (1:14b)[29]?

Third, Paul returns to the second ‘salvation’ theme at the beginning of chapter 2. But again, he speaks of it in terms of his third gospel theme. He begins by reminding believers of other nations that they (‘YOU’, pl.) had been dead in their sins because of the way they ‘once walked’ (2:1-2). But he then speaks of himself and his fellow Jews (‘we’) as having ‘once lived’ also under God's ‘indignant anger even as the others’ (2:3)! Hence, ‘we’ all were just as ‘dead’ and in need of the riches of God's ‘mercy’, ‘love’ and ‘grace’ to be ‘saved’, by being ’made alive together [Gr. sun-ezoopoieesen] by the Messiah’ (2:4). Paul then ties this saving act to his first gospel theme. For what God did next involved ‘us’ all being ‘raised-together’ [Gr. sun-eegeiren] and ‘seated together [Gr. sun-ekathisen] in Christ, among the celestial ones—in order to demonstrate forever the full ‘riches of his grace’ towards us in Christ, having now received part of the future destiny for which he initially ‘created’ us in Christ (2:5-10).

Finally, Paul continues to talk about ‘the blood of Christ’ and his death on the cross in the rest of chapter 2, but again he does so in connection with both the first and third themes of his gospel. For the cross is also related to God's eternal ‘purpose’ (2:15b) ‘to create’ in Christ a ‘new humanity’ by bringing people of all nations [Gr. ethne] (2:11) together in ‘one body’—both those ‘close by’ (Israel) and those ‘far away (the other nations). So that all people are now ‘citizens-together’ (theme 3) and fellow ‘members of God's household’ (theme 1), with equal access to him as ‘the Father’ who now dwells with us by ‘the Spirit’ (2:15c-22).[30]

It is precisely at this point that Paul interrupts himself, to relate all this in more detail to his revelation of ‘the Mystery (Eph.3:1-12, section 3), before bowing in worship to ‘the Father’ and praying again for this new multi-ethnic ‘church’ (3:14-21). And it is in this interruption that he explains why he must work so hard to connect our ‘salvation’ in Christ to ‘the Mystery’—to the ‘unsearchable’, ‘full riches of Christ’ for all nations (3:8; Col.1:24-27; 2:1-2). Namely, because so many believers, who are full of faith in Christ and who love one another, have no trouble grasping their need of Christ's death on the cross, yet still need their hearts to be ‘enlightened’ [Gr. pe-photismenous] by a revelation (1:15-18a). Like Paul, and even many Bible scholars, they do not automatically grasp the other two gospel themes about the ‘inheritance’, the ‘power’ and the ‘hope’ that are now ours in Christ (1:18b-19a). They know they are saved by the blood of Christ, and that all peoples need to hear and respond to this second theme of Paul’s gospel. But unless someone ‘enlightens’ [Gr. photisai] them concerning the Mystery that God for so long had kept hidden from everyone, they don't fully comprehend the first and third themes in Paul’s gospel concerning ‘the Mystery’. And this is still true for many Christians today.  

Before considering the implications of these two themes in Paul’s gospel on the Missio Dei in the current season, we need to consider how Paul’s understanding of this season fits into the development of our Father's ‘eternal purpose’ through several phases. Especially concerning how his pre-creation plan for us in Christ—both for us as individuals and as nations—is to be ‘administered’ differently in its current phase, through an increasingly multi-ethnic ‘church’ (3:3-6,9-11).

Footnotes

[23] As in Corinth (1 Cor.15:3), where Paul proclaimed both Jesus as a ‘crucified’ Messiah, and ‘the Mystery of God’ (1 Cor.2:1-2 NRSV)--also proclaiming in Galatia both Christ ‘as crucified’ and each believer as receiving ‘the Spirit’ of Christ (Gal.3:1-5; 4:6), announcing both ‘forgiveness of sins’ and ‘an inheritance’ [Gr. kleeron] in Christ, just as he'd been told to do (Acts 26:18 KJV).

[24] In his second long opening sentence (Eph.1:15-23) [Barclay 1976a: 64], Paul speaks of why many believers still need a revelation to grasp the two themes of his gospel that are related to ‘the Mystery’ (see the last paragraph in this section).

[25] See footnote 16, section 4.

[26] God as ‘Father’ is the main actor in all three ‘blessings’ in Paul's gospel. Yet while the family dimension in the first theme is obvious, the family dimension of our redemption in Christ (theme 2) and the family dimension of the multi-ethnic kingdom—the coming together of all nations in Christ (theme 3) are less obvious (see section 7.1, esp. footnote 69).

[27] Paul understood that along with God's creation of the nations by spreading them out over the earth (Act.17:24-26, section 4), his creation of Israel as a priestly nation to them (Ex.19:5-6) and his revelation of himself to them were important elements of the Missio Dei in the first stage of his plan for humanity [Mellis 2016e] (see also footnote 38).

[28] Paul uses the Greek prefix sun (‘together’) to underscore the joint coming of age of believers of many nations (theme 1 of his gospel). He does so ten more times to highlight the other aspect of ‘the Mystery’—God bringing the nations, including Israel, ‘together’ in one new multi-ethnic body (3:6, 2:5-6; 4:3,16). In ‘Romans’, Paul uses this prefix to show a non-Jewish believer (‘you’, sing.) that Jewish ‘branches’ are co-partakers with him (Rom.11:17) in this new multi-ethnic family (9:23-27) Regarding the phrase ‘among the celestial ones’ (Eph.1:3,20; 2:5; 3:10; 6:12), see footnote 12 and section 6.

[29] See section 6.4.

[30] For by the Spirit, Jesus said, both he and the Father come and make their home with us (Jn.14:16-18,23).

In the third section of this paper, I identified four aspects of ‘the Mystery’ in Paul's revelation. In sections 4-5, I sought to established how Paul incorporated the first three of these aspects into his three-theme-gospel. Also, how the first and third themes of his gospel clearly reveal a divine purpose for humanity planned from before the creation of the world—a plan that implies a developmental process in two phases, both for individual human beings and collectively for nations.

In this section we will examine the fourth aspect of ‘the Mystery’, as well as how Phase 2 in God's initial plan became a two-stage process—which I'll identify as Phase 2A and Phase 2B.

The fourth aspect of ‘the Mystery (identified in section 3) involves God's ‘intent’ to ‘make known ‘through the church’ his many-and-varied wisdom’ to the ‘primal chiefs and authorities among the celestial ones’—according to his ‘eternal purpose... accomplished in the Messiah’ (3:9-11). These verses point to our responsibility in the fulfilment of this aspect of the Missio Dei, for it involves our relationship with these ‘primal chiefs and authorities’.

6.1. The ‘primal chiefs and authorities’ as group Social Powers

But who, according to Paul, are the ‘primal chiefs [Gr. arkais] and authorities [Gr. exousias]’? And what does the Bible tell us about them and their role in the development of the human story in the Bible? How our position and role has changed in relation to these actors since Christ came will be considered below (in sections 7.2 & 7.3).

In three of his letters, Paul refers to the ‘primal chiefs and authorities’ as a pair seven times, either as powerful actorsor as positions of power. On three occasions, this pair of Greek words is listed alongside several other powerful actors or positions of power. In his Ephesians letter—Paul refers to them once alongside ‘dominions’ (1:21) and once alongside ‘the cosmic powers behind the darkness of this age’ and ‘the spiritually wicked things among the celestial ones’ (6:12). According to the standard evangelical interpretation of these two texts, I grew up thinking that the ‘principalities and powers‘ [KJV translation of arkais and exousias] were just another name for demonic powers. Yet this view falters when all seven of Paul's references to this pair are taken as a whole.[31] For in one letter, Paul identifies them with the human social authorities that we should be ‘subject to’ (Tit.3:1). In another, he lists them with ‘powers’, ‘lordships’ and ‘thrones’ as having been created ‘through’ Christ ‘and towards him’—with the possibility of their being ‘reconciled to him’ (Col. 1:16,19).[32] Further, Paul connects them twice (in Col.2:8-10 and 2:15,20) to the ‘elemental powers’ [Gr. stoicheia] (see also Appendix I).

Taking all seven references as a whole, alongside Paul's references to the ‘elemental powers’, a number of scholars, like Berkhof and Newbigin, have concluded that Paul is referring to the ‘Social Powers’ that we must ‘wrestle against’, even as at the same time we must ‘wrestle against’ demonic powers (Eph.6:12). Both authors find that Paul's references to the ‘elemental powers’ are important for understanding what he has in mind when he writes about the ‘primal chiefs and authorities’ [Berkhof 1977: 20; Newbigin 1989: 203]. Further, both connect the ‘elemental powers’ to ‘structural power’ in human societies. Newbigin speaks of these Social Powers as ‘serving God's purpose’ by providing the ‘necessary’ structures that ‘guide and protect human life’ by ‘law, custom and tradition’ [Newbigin 1989:205, see Col. 2:8-10]. Berkhof speaks of ancient clan and tribal structures that have ‘for centuries’ given ‘form and content’ to human social life [Berkhof 1977: 34].

These perspectives seem to describe well the role these Social Powers have played, from the beginning, in relation to human beings—according to the way Paul speaks of the relationship of the ‘primal chiefs and authorities’ to Christ in his letter to the Colossians. Namely that they were created ‘through’ Christ and ‘towards him’—the one who ‘is before them’ and who holds them and indeed ‘everything’ else together, and who is now the ‘primal chief’ [Gr. arkai]’[33] (Col.1:15-18a) as ‘the head of the church’ and ‘firstborn out of the dead’. And since Paul connects these divinely ordained Social Powers to the ‘elemental powers’ [Gr. stoikheia] in this letter (Col.2:8-10), his references to the ‘elemental powers’ in Galatians help clarify God's social purpose for them during Phase 1 of his plan (section 6.2).

But why must we ‘wrestle against’ these Social Powers if they were created as part of God's plan for us? The Torah speaks of ‘the sons of God’ who became complicit in human ‘wickedness’ when they ‘came to the daughters of mankind’ (Gen.6:1-5 HCSB). When Jude seems to refer to this incident, he seems to indicate an abuse of power by speaking of angelic beings ‘who did not keep their positions of authority [Gr. arkeen] but abandoned their dwelling’[34] (Jude 6 NIV). And when the psalmist refers to these ‘gods’ in the divine assembly (Psalm 82:1-8), he speaks of these and their human counterparts coming under God's judgment—‘like every other ruler’ over ‘all the nations’ on earth—for the misuse of the social power he committed to them (see Appendix I, section 1.4) .

Footnotes

[31] In my contribution for a Dutch academic publication, I was specifically requested by the editors to add more to what I had already written about these social powers [Mellis 1997].

[32] I have yet to find any NT text suggesting that Satan and the demonic powers were created with Christ's coming in mind, or that they can eventually be reconciled to him. So while Paul sees Christ as the head of these social powers (Col.2:10), he also sees that they are not currently in right relationship to him, just like most human beings. So while the ‘devil’s schemes’ (6:11) can include him using ‘fallen’ social powers against us, this does not mean Paul sees them as demonic.

[33] This Greek word can mean either ‘beginning’ or ‘primal chief’, but because of the context, I choose the latter meaning.

[34] Lit. ‘their own home-place’ [Gr. idion oikeeteerion].

6.2. The Social Powers related to the original two phases in God's plan (e.g., Psalm 8)

Paul also speaks of these ‘elemental powers’ as being ‘destitute’ (Gal.4:9), yet he still sees them as having functioned like ‘guardians and household administrators’ over human societies until ‘the planned-in-advance-placement by the father’; for both Israel (‘we’) and the other nations (‘YOU’) were at that time like ‘under-age-children’.[35] Thus, during Phase 1 of God's plan, Israel's ‘guardians and household administrators’ included both the Law and the human social leaders—like parents, teachers, priests and elders—who administered it (Gal.4:2-4). Paul also seems to include other people with social power—like a Jewish ‘messenger’ [Gr. angelos] or two (Gal.1:7-8) who are trying to reimpose the ‘elemental powers’—in the form of the Jewish Law and Jewish customs—on other nations (‘YOU’) (4:9-10; 6:12; 2:14).[36] But in the main text about the ‘elemental powers in this letter (Gal.4:8-9) he is associating them with ‘those’ who had previously acted as ‘guardian powers’ over people of other nations—namely, ‘those that (while associated with gods) are not by nature gods’.[37]

Here Paul seems to have in mind texts in the Tanakh (OT) that speak of God assigning god-like beings (‘gods’ or the ‘sons of gods’) to other nations—usually in parallel with God assigning himself to the nation of Israel (e.g. Dt.32:8 LXX; 4:7,19-20; Mic.4:5; etc.).[38] Note that in another letter, Paul seems to understand that such ‘gods and lords’ exist (1 Cor.8:5-6). And when he speaks of ‘the primal chiefs and authorities among the celestial ones’ (Eph.3:10), he may have in mind the ‘heavenly council’ of god-like beings referred to in the Old Testament. (Ps.89:6-7; Job 1:6; 2:1; 1 Kings 22:19; Jer. 23:18). Yet he may also have in mind one other text that seems to refer to a connection between this heavenly council and ‘human rulers’ (Ps.82:1,7-8), or to human rulers claiming a ‘god-like’ status as part of a divinely established guardianship structure during Phase 1 of God's plan (e.g. Ezk.28:1-2,9).[39] Keep in mind that Paul does identify the ‘primal chiefs and authorities’ on one occasion with human rulers (Tit.3:1). So, when he speaks inclusively of ‘every primal chiefdom and authority’ (Eph.1:21; Col.2:10), he most likely has in mind both a heavenly council and those human beings with positions of social power in every clan and nation.

At any rate, Paul seems to relate human subjection under ‘heavenly beings’ to the first phase of God's original creation purposes for us by citing the following text. As does the author of Hebrews. For this Psalm text speaks of how God ‘made’ human beings ‘for a little while less than angels’ [Gr. angelos in the Septuagint; Or elohim in Hebrew, which can mean either ‘less than gods’ or ‘less than God’].[40] (NOTE: the lines in Psalm 8 quoted in Hebrews 2 appear in a darker font, and the line from Psalm 8 omitted in Hebrews 2, appears in a lighter font.)

Paul cites Psalm 8 twice. First in Ephesians where he relates it to what Jesus' death, resurrection and ascension have already powerfully accomplished ‘for us’, ‘for the church’ (Eph.1:19b-22). When he cites this text in another letter, however, he ties the final line from this Psalm[44] with events still in the future—namely, when Jesus returns (1 Corinthians 15:23b-27a). So for Paul, Phase 2 of God's original plan for human beings appears to now be divided into two stages—with Jesus' ascension ushering in a kind of Phase 2A, and his return a Phase 2b. Interestingly though, each time Paul cites the last line of Psalm 8, he speaks about how both Jesus' ascension (following his death and resurrection) as well as his return bring about changes in our relationship to the ‘primal chiefdoms and authorities’ (section 7.2)—the Social Powers under whom human beings initially had been subject during Phase 1.

But before we can understand what has changed for human beings in the new Phase 2A (see section 7.2) and what for us will only change in the phase 2B (see section 6.4), we must also consider what else the author of Hebrews says about the above text from Psalm 8. For after quoting most of it, he goes on to show how it was first fulfilled in Jesus on our behalf, so that through his incarnation, death, resurrection and ascension he might ‘bring many sons to glory’ as his ‘brothers and sisters’ [Gr. adelphuos][44] (Heb.2:8b-18 NRSV). Perhaps this is why Paul says in another letter that we are not only ‘reconciled’ to God by the ‘death of his Son’, but that our full and final salvation is also connected to ‘his life’ (Rom.5:10).

Footnotes

[35] See section 4, beginning with paragraph 5.

[36] Paul also refers to the Law as Israel's (‘our’) ‘childhood tutor [Gr. paidagogos] towards Christ’ (Gal.3:24). Israel's experience demonstrates how a religious text, along with those who ‘administer’ it (either formally or informally), can continue to serve as a guardian power over individuals in a particular ethno-religious group and over minority groups in a multi-ethnic church. On translating the Greek word, angelos as ‘messenger’, see footnote 46. To understand my differentiation between 'social power' and 'the Social Powers' (capitalized beginning in Section 6.1), see definitions of each in Box 7 (Section 7.2).

[37] Lit. ‘those ones not by nature being gods’. Or as the Jerusalem Bible puts it, ‘gods who aren't really gods at all’.

[38] Israel played the role of a priestly nation in the Missio Dei during Phase 1 of God's plan (footnotes 27 & 40)—as custodians of the Scriptures, the temple, the covenant, the promises, and as the nation in which the Messiah grew up (Rom.3:2; 9:4-5).

[39] Many human kings and emperors have claimed god-like status—from ancient Egypt and Rome to 20^th century Japan.

[40] This double meaning of the Hebrew word elohim may actually point to ‘the nations’ being created initially to be subject to ‘gods’ or ‘the sons of God’, while Israel was created to be in subjection to God and his Law (see previous paragraph). And the Greek verb elattosas (‘You have made less/lower') implies being created initially in an inferior position to heavenly beings.

[41] Since the Greek word brachu can mean either ‘a little (distance)’ or ‘for a little while (time)’, most translations of Heb.2:7 use the latter since it better reflects the author's application of these verses from Psalm 8.

[42] Though the author of Hebrews cites the Greek version of the Psalm exactly, he omits this line in order to make his application of the Psalm clearer—by changing the Hebrew parallelism into a succession of the two phases in God's plan for humanity, with line 3 [Phase 1] being followed only by lines 4 and 6 [Phase 2] (Heb.2:6-8a).

[43]  When introducing his citation from Psalm 8, the author of Hebrews says that the ‘world of people [Gr. oikoumenee]’ that is coming (after Phase 1) will no longer be subjected to ‘angels’ (Heb.2:5).

[44] In Jewish practice, the citation of one line from a text usually indicates that the speaker has in mind the whole text.

6.3. All stages in God's plan (1,2A and 2B) fulfilled first in the life of Jesus as a human being

To fully understand the implications of our current role in the Missio Dei, we first need a much larger view of the Good News of Jesus than the one I grew up with. That view focused almost exclusively on the implications for us of Jesus' death and resurrection. Paul, however, like the author of Hebrews, calls us to focus on the Good News of his whole life on our behalf. For Jesus first passed through Phase 1 of God's plan for us, so that he could lead us into the fulfilment of the next two stages (Phase 2A and 2b) in that plan—as the ‘pioneer [Gr. arkeegon] ...of our faith’ and as the ‘firstborn’ (Heb.12:2; 1:6a; Col.1:15) ‘among many brothers and sisters’ [Gr. adelphois][45] (Rom.8:29). Paul speaks of ‘the Mystery of Christ’ (Eph.3:4) in another letter as ‘the Mystery of the faith...that is in Christ Jesus’ (1 Timothy 3:9,13b)—preceding then to connect ‘the Mystery of being devout’ (3:16) to the following events in his earthly life:

According to both the author of Hebrews and Paul, Jesus was ‘made like us in every way’: sharing our ‘flesh and blood’ (Heb.2:11,17a,14a) by being ‘born of a woman under (the guardianship of) the Law’[48] (Gal.4:1-2,4; Luke 2:41-42,46). And according to Paul's co-worker, Luke, he first walked in subjection to his parents (Lk.2:51,43a), such that his relationship with his heavenly Father was still that of a human under-age ‘child’ [Gr. pais] (Lk.2:43b,49) [Mellis 2016h]. Only at about age thirty did he enter into Phase 2A in God's plan for us until he was about age thirty—when he was ‘anointed with the Holy Spirit and power’ (Act.10:38) on the day that the Voice from heaven declared, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; in you I delight’ (Lk.3:22b). The second half of this declaration fulfils the word of Isaiah (42:1), which as cited by Matthew (12:18[49]) reads:

See my servant, the one I have chosen—my Beloved, in whom my soul delights. I will place [Gr. theeso] my Spirit upon him, and he will announce justice to the nations.

The first half of the above declaration, though, fulfills the two versions of the Messianic promise given to David—which, as cited by the author of Hebrews, read:

You are my Son, today (this day) I have become your Father. (Ps.2:7; Heb.1:5a HCSB)

I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. (1 Chr.17:13; Heb.1:5b ESV).

Notice that the Greek word Matthew uses (above) to speak of Isaiah's prophecy—about how God ‘will place’ his Spirit on his Beloved—is the same as that found in the second part of the Greek word Paul uses to describe our ‘placement as sons’ [huio-thesia] in relation to God as our Father. And have you ever noticed how Paul uses the plural ‘YOU’ to apply the third of these Messianic texts also to us? And he specifically applies it to women as well as to men!

‘I will be a Father to YOU and YOU shall be my sons and daughters’, says the Lord Almighty.   (2 Cor.6:18)

The ‘placing upon’ Jesus of the ‘Spirit without limit’ (Jn.3:34-35) thus represents a coming of age in his earthly life in which the Father conferred on him the ‘authority and power’ of an adult Son (Lk.4:4,36; Mat.9:8; Mk.1:22)—the ‘authority’ (Jn.1:12-13) and ‘power’ by the Spirit (Acts 1:8) that would also be given to those who believe in him, exactly as God had revealed to John the Baptist that would first happen with Jesus and then with us (Jn.1:32-34; Lk.3:16).

Thus, on entering Phase 2A of God's plan for us, Jesus began to act and speak in partnership with his Father as an adult human son (Jn.5:17,19-20; 8:28b-29)—carrying out his role in the Missio Dei here on earth. And in this new authority he immediately stood up to the social power of his family (Jn.2:1-4) and that of the Jewish religious leaders (Jn.2:14-19). And throughout his life he refused to be intimidated either by them (Mark 3:21,31-35) or by the political authorities (Lk.20:19-20ff[50]; 23:8-9; Jn.19:6b-11). Nevertheless, Jesus remained subject to all our human temptations (Rom.8:3b; Heb.4:15): to abuse his new power, to take spiritual shortcuts and to live outside his human limitations (Lk.4:3-12) [Mellis 2016i]. He was also subject to all our physical vulnerabilities: to hunger, to cold, to tiredness, to disappointments, to grief and even to death, even though ‘all the fullness of the Deity’ had begun to dwell in him ‘in bodily form’—just as this ‘fullness’ would also be given to all who are ‘in Christ’ (Col.2:8-10). He used his authority to do only what he saw the Father doing (Jn.5:19) while refusing to act from a position of social power (Jn. 6:15; 13:3-5; 18:36; Mat.20:25-28; 26:52-54).

Finally, Paul understood that when Jesus was ‘taken up in glory’ (1 Tim.3:16) in a resurrected, transformed body, he was being ‘ordained Son of God’ in a second way

God's good news... ·concerning his Son—who came from the seed of David according to the flesh, ·...who with power was ordained Son of God: according to the Spirit..., by the resurrection from the dead—Jesus Christ our Lord. (Rom.1:1,3-4)

After being born as a descendant of David and growing up like each of us (Phase 1), and after being ordained by God as ‘My Son’ when he was empowered by the Spirit (Phase 2A), Jesus was ordained as ‘Son of God’ with full authority and power—when he rose from the dead (Acts 13:32-33) and ascended to God’s ‘right hand among the celestial ones’. There, far above every primal chiefdom and authority’, with ‘all things subjected under his feet’ (Eph.1:19-23; 2:6; Ps.8:6b), he entered the final phase of our Father's original plan for us (Phase 2B).

Footnotes

[45] The Greek word adelphos has both a male and female form, its plural form can refer to both brothers and sisters.

[46] Greek: angelois, lit. ‘messengers’: often supernatural ones (‘angels’), but also human ones: like John's disciples (Lk.7:24), and also Jesus' disciples (Lk.9:52)—his chosen witnesses’ to all nations throughout the world (Acts 1:8; 10:39,41, Mat.24:14).  

[47] Phase 2A for us as disciples of Jesus (section 7.2). Note that the word Paul uses here for ‘world’ is not just the inhabited world of people [Gr. oikoumenee] (Acts 17:31; Rom.10:18), but the world as a whole system [Gr. kosmos]. Paul uses this same word when he speaks of the ‘new creation’ and God, in Christ, reconciling ‘the world’ to himself (2 Cor.5:17-19).

[48] Jesus entered the world in the context of Israel's role as a priestly nation in Phase 1 of the Missio Dei (footnotes 27 and 38).

[49] This citation (along with others from the Gospels) is taken from my harmony of these NT books [Mellis 2014: 60].

[50] In this text, Luke quotes Jesus as referring to the ‘primal rule [Gk. arkee] and authority [Gk. exousia] of the governor’.

6.4. The final consummation phase of God's eternal plan for human beings (Phase 2B)

In section 4, we saw that Paul connects our coming of age as adult heirs of God by the Spirit (theme #1 of his gospel) with the ‘blessing’ of an inheritance that was first promised to Abraham for all nations [Gr. ethne] (Gal.3:8,14,18). And so with the coming of the Spirit (Phase 2A), ‘the nations’ now are already ‘partakers-together’ of this promise and ‘heirs-together’ in one ‘body-together’ in Christ, through theme #3 of Paul's gospel (Eph.3:6). And for us, as individual believers, the Spirit represents ‘a deposit on our inheritance until the redemption of the possession’ (Eph.1:14; 2 Cor.1:21-22). What then comprises the full inheritance that Paul envisions will be ours in the future? —when in Christ, humanity (‘man’) is also ’crowned with glory and honor’ with ‘all things placed under his (man's) feet’ (Phase 2B).

While writing about the ‘placement of sons’ [Gr. huiothesia] by the Spirit in Romans (Rom.8:15-17a), Paul describes this as only ‘the first fruits’ of the full ‘placement of sons’ [huiothesia], that will be ours when our body is redeemed (Rom.8:23; see also 2 Cor.5:1-5). For in another letter Paul cites the creation story to speak of how our original ‘natural’ body—a 'mortal' one created out of ‘the dust of the earth’[51]—would one day be transformed into an immortal, ‘spiritual’ body (1 Cor.15:42-49; Gen.2:7). The story of the Tree of Life that God planted in the center of the garden, alongside the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Gen.2:9; 3:22,24), suggests that weight from the beginning he intended an eventual physical transformation from mortal bodies to immortal bodies—through eating the fruit of this tree that was not forbidden instead of eating the forbidden fruit of the other tree. This choice, first put before Adam and Even in the Garden, is perhaps illuminated by these words of Jesus:

The one faithful in a little thing is also faithful in much, but the one unrighteous in a little thing is (will be) also unrighteous in much. (Lk.16:10)

Because of our ‘unrighteousness’, the first human beings and everyone since became subject to death (Rom.5:12). Yet through Jesus, all who put their faith in him will one day experience the same physical transformation that he did through his resurrection (1 Cor.15:20-22). Though, at his return, there will be some faithful ones still alive who will be able to experience this transformation without needing to die (15:51-53).[52] Then in our immortal bodies we will ‘appear’ in our glory with Jesus, with even greater glory than what is currently growing in us by the Spirit (Col.3:4; 2 Cor.3:18; 4:17).

This future transformation (now in Phase 2B) also relates to the kingdom that Jesus came to inaugurate. For Paul says that although all believers have already been ‘brought into’ it (in Phase 2A)—having now been ‘qualified’ for a share in this ‘inheritance’ (Col.1:12-13)[53]—we cannot fully ‘inherit the kingdom’ until our ‘flesh and blood’ bodies have been ‘changed’ (1 Cor.15:50-51), in Phase 2B. Paul seems to have this in mind when he warns believers that if they again allow certain sinful behavior patterns to persist in their lives—behavior patterns that are not ‘worthy’ of the kingdom (2 Thes.1:5)—they will fail to ‘inherit’ the kingdom (Gal.5:19-21; Eph.5:3-5; 1 Cor. 6:9-10), unless they repent (1 Cor.4:18-5:11). As Jesus himself said:

If then YOU are unfaithful with the unrighteous money and material things, who will entrust to YOU the true riches?  (Lk.16:11)

Yet it is not just individual believers who will ‘inherit’ this kingdom when Jesus returns. For he said that 'from before the foundation of the world’, God as a ‘Father’ has prepared the kingdom—to be inherited by ‘ethnic groups’ [Gr. ethne] of believers (Mat.25:31-34).[4] Namely, those that belong to his multi-ethnic ‘body’ as ‘co-heirs’ through the gospel (Eph.3:6, section 4). This group dimension of Phase 2B, says Paul, cannot begin until Jesus returns and hands over ‘the kingdom to God, even the Father’, when at his return ‘he will have abolished every primal chiefdom and every authority’ [Gr. arkhais kai exousias]—whatever Social Powers over tribes and nations (section 6.1) that continue to oppose him (15:23b-24).

All these comprise ‘the hope’ to which our Father is ‘calling’ us in Christ. Yet this hope is only part of the ‘revelation’ that Paul prays that the readers of the Ephesians letter will receive (Eph.1:3,17b-18a). He also prays that by ‘the Spirit of wisdom and revelation’ they will already come to ‘fully know’ their ‘glorious Father’ and ‘(know) what are the riches of his glorious inheritance’ plus ‘what is the exceeding greatness of his power for us who believe’ (1:18b-19). For even now, the kingdom we've received is about ‘power’, not just words (1 Cor.4:20).

Further, according to both Paul and Jesus, there is already a transformational family dimension to this kingdom (section 7.1)—one that involves a change in our relationship to the Social Powers (section 7.2). This change is intended to send a message to them because of the way all our relationships are being impacted as each one grows to maturity in Christ (section 7.3)—including our relationship to the creation (section 7.4).

Footnotes

[51] Like human beings, animals were also created with mortal (perishable) bodies ‘out of the ground’ (Gen.2:19).

[52] That this was also the exceptional experience of both Enoch (Gen.5:24; Heb.11:5) and Elijah (2 Kings 2:11) demonstrates further that this was God’s ultimate plan for human beings right from the beginning.

[53] See also Hebrews 12:28; Luke 22:29.

[54] ‘When the Son of man comes in his glory..., before him will be gathered all the nations[Gr. ethne] and he will separate them [Gr. autous]... Then the King will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for YOU from the foundation of the world’ (Mat.25:31-34RSV). Note that in Greek, both the pronoun ‘them’ and ‘those’ refer back to the groups of people (‘the nations’) gathered that are being separated. In individualistic cultures, like the one I grew up in, many readers (initially, me too) and even some translations have completely overlooked this!

Paul's revelation of ‘the Mystery’ involves two gospel themes (section 3) that were part of the Creator's ‘purpose’ for humanity from the beginning (before sin entered the world). We thus need a new paradigm for God's mission, especially in the current phase of his eternal plan. Instead of the ‘three-act’ view of history that I grew up with (‘creation-fall-redemption’) [e.g. Pearcey 2018: 139], we need a four-act view of the human story in the Bible. Namely, creation-fall-fulfilment-redemption. For the fulfilment of the first theme of Paul's gospel—our placement as adult sons (and daughters)’ by the Spirit (sections 4)—was actually inaugurated by Jesus during his life on earth, before he died on the cross for our redemption (section 6.3). For the ‘fullness’ we received through Jesus is the same ‘fullness’ of the Spirit that was first given to him (Col.2:9-10, Jn.1:12-17, 32-33). Likewise, the third theme of Paul's gospel—the promised messianic ‘kingdom’, the coming together of all nations in one new humanity in ‘the fulness of the seasons’ (sections 5.1 and 5.2)—was already being proclaimed by Jesus as being present (‘at hand’) after he received the Spirit (Mk.1:15; Mat.12:28; Lk.22:29).

Thus, part of Paul's understanding of the Missio Dei involved ‘proclaiming’ the advent of this kingdom as ‘good news’ to all people everywhere, beginning among his own people. Yet from his revelation of ‘the Mystery’, he understood that ‘proclaiming the unsearchable riches of the Messiah’ meant that there were previously hidden aspects of this ‘Good News’— ‘the mystery of the Gospel’ (Eph.6:19b)—that most people don't automatically grasp, including many of those who, like Paul, knew the Scriptures. Indeed, everyone would have to receive a revelation of how these previously hidden things would need to be administrated in order for God’s eternal purposes to be fulfilled (Eph.3:7-9,11[55]).

In this section we will look at four implications of Paul's three-theme-gospel revelation that he learned from Jesus. First, the kingdom is a multi-ethnic family kingdom (7.1). Second, our relationship with the Social Powers (and social power) has changed (7.2). Third, this kingdom must be sought alongside the practice of God's relational righteousness, with maturity-for-all as its goal. And this, in turn, implies sharing in the Messiah's suffering (7.3). Fourth, our altered relationship with the Social Powers links us in a new way to the rest of creation (7.4).

Footnote

[55] See section 3 for the full citation these verses in the context of Paul’s ‘revelation’ of the Mystery (Eph.3:1-11), and specifically footnote 9 on how Paul sees it has having been ‘accomplished’ in Christ, beginning during his earthly life.

7.1. God's ‘new creation’ of a family kingdom (with a divine family mission)

Paul, in his letters, did not speak directly about the kingdom of God as often as Jesus is quoted as doing (in the four gospels). Nevertheless, the advent of both the promised kingdom of God and his anointed King (Messiah) was part of Paul's initial Gospel proclamation. Not only with a mainly Jewish audience (Act.19:8; 28:23) but also with audiences that would have included other ethnic groups [Gr. ethne] (Act.14:21-22; 20:25; 28:31), also in Thessalonica (Acts 171-4; 1 Thes.1:5; 2:8,12). With one mixed audience (Act.13:16,26), Paul quotes from Psalm 2 where God speaks of installing his ‘King’ in ‘Zion’, declaring: that he will have a Father-Son relationship with this ‘Anointed One’ and that ‘nations’ to ‘the ends of the earth’ will become his ‘inheritance’ (Ps.2:6-8,2[56]).

And Paul goes on to speak of how this promise, made to Israel's ancestors concerning this kingdom, has now been ‘fulfilled for us’—according to the ‘holy promises made to David’[57] that God would ‘give to YOU’ (Act.13:32,34b NRSV). By citing this text from Isaiah in connection with the one from Psalm 2, Paul is emphasizing to both the Jews and the God-fearers in his audience that although the messianic ‘promises made to David’ point to Jesus, and have been ‘fulfilled’ in him, these promises about his kingdom are now being ‘given to YOU (plural) as well. Thus, in Jesus, they are also ‘for us’! For just as Jesus was anointed by the Spirit at his baptism into this Father-Son relationship promised to David, even so, God also ‘anoints’ with the Spirit all who believe in Jesus (2 Cor.1:21). And he declares us also to be ‘my sons and daughters’ (2 Cor.6:18, see citation in section 6.3). Note the family language (bold font) that Paul uses to describe this new kingdom in his letter to the Colossians:

 Giving thanks to the Father...: who has qualified YOU towards the share of the inheritance of the holy ones in light;·... and who has moved us into the kingdom of his beloved Son—in whom we have redemption, ... ·who is... all creation's Firstborn. (Col.1:12-13,15)

Paul again highlights the promised Father-Son relationship of God with the promised Messiah (Jesus). But he also speaks of God as ‘our Father’ (1:2b)—as the Father who qualified ‘YOU’ (the ‘brothers and sisters at Colossae’, 1:2a) along with all the other ‘holy ones’ for a share of the family ‘inheritance’; and as the Father who moved all of us into this family kingdom of our family-Redeemer[58] and Eldest-Brother (the ‘Firstborn’). A divine family kingdom that will come ‘on earth’ is a totally new kind of kingdom. It is thus a ‘new creation’ (2 Cor.5:17; Isa.43:18-19), not merely an extension of God's rule as described in the Tanakh (OT). Theologians who focus on the kingdom of God as primarily about God's rule, or Jesus' rule as King, seem to totally miss this family dimension of the promised kingdom.[59]

Now remember! Paul learned his ‘gospel’ directly from Jesus (Gal.1:11-12), who also refers to the kingdom several times as a family kingdom. Like when he is teaching his disciples not to be anxious about having adequate food or clothing.

YOUR Father in heaven is aware that YOU need all such things. ·But seek first his[60] kingdom and his relational righteousness... (Mat.6:32b-33a)

The kingdom Jesus calls us to seek is our Father's kingdom, and he intends that seeking to imitate our Father's ‘relational righteousness’ will be a prime characteristic of this family kingdom. Not only in how we relate to our Father, but also in how we relate to people.[61] Further, the kingdom Jesus taught us to pray for is a family kingdom—our Father's kingdom.

Our Father in heaven, ... ·may your kingdom come, your will be done on earth in the same way as in heaven.  (Mat.6:9b-10; Lk.11:2)

Yet in a book published by my own mission group, that draws its title from this text (His Kingdom Come), the editor introducing the book makes no mention of the family dimension of the kingdom [Stier, et.al. 2008: 23-27].[62] Not only did Jesus teach us to pray to ‘our Father’ that his kingdom would come, but that our Father's will would be done here on earth too.  

Perhaps the most telling picture Jesus gave us of this new kind of family kingdom is found in his parable of “the wheat and the tares”—which should rather be called “the parable of the Father's kingdom” (Mat.13:24-30). For in it, the ‘Son of Man’ sows ‘the sons of the kingdom’ into ‘the world [Gr. kosmos]’ (13:37-38a), so that at ‘the end of the age [Gr. aionos]’ (Phase 2A), the world-system will finally be transformed into ‘their Father's kingdom’ (13:39b,40b,43)—in spite of the ‘sons of the evil one,’ that ‘the devil’ had also sown into the world (13:38b-39a) [Mellis 2016m]. Unlike earthly kingdoms, the members of this kingdom are no mere ‘subjects’ of it. Rather, they are ‘sons’ (and daughters[63]) of a family kingdom with a mission—as agents of transformation in the world system [Gr. kosmos], as they learn to walk with and work with their Father like Jesus did (Jn.5:19-20; 1 Jn.2:6).[64]

Before Jesus gave this explanation of the parable to his disciples, he spoke of why he used such parables. Namely, because an understanding the ‘mysteries’ (or ‘mystery’) of the kingdom was not something given to everyone (Mat.13:11-16; Lk.8:9-10; Mk.4:10-12). For there were ‘things’ about the kingdom that had been ‘kept secret from the foundation of the world’ (Mat.13:34-35; Ps.78:2). And one of the ‘mysteries’ of this new kingdom involved how it would differ from all known earthly kingdoms as a family kingdom—an aspect of the promised kingdom that many Christians, even Bible teachers, still don't seem to recognize.

Another ‘thing’ about this new kind of kingdom that many Christians still don't grasp is the absence of status differences in this new family kingdom. At his last Passover meal on earth, Jesus acted out a kind of living parable to demonstrate how his family kingdom differs from all earthly kingdoms in this way—as can be seen in his explanation of what he had just done.

‘The kings of the nations [Gr. ethne] lord it over them; and the ones exercising authority over them are called “benefactors”. ·But not so with YOU! Instead: Let the greatest among YOU become like the youngest, and the one leading like the one who serves. ·For who is the greater: ...Is it not the one reclining at table? Yet here am I in YOUR midst as the one who serves! Now I confer on YOU a kingdom just as my Father conferred it on me—so that YOU may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom. (Lk.22:25-27,29-30a)

Note the continuity between the family-kingdom given to Jesus by the Father and the family kingdom that he gives to us.[65] Also note that in washing his disciples' feet, Jesus was not primarily demonstrating servant-leadership—i.e., a new way for Christian leaders to act like ‘Benefactors’ to those they lead. Rather, he was illustrating how this new kind of family kingdom would be characterized by servant-everyone [Mellis 2016n]. For in this new kingdom, the only one with the position of ‘Lord’ and ‘Teacher’ that counts for anything is Jesus, and he too came to ‘serve’ (Jn.13:12-17).[66] Thus for us as his disciples, the only status that counts for anything is the equal place at table with Jesus that we all share together. And the only One with the position of ‘father’ is ‘the One in heaven’ (Mat.23:8-12) [Mellis 2016o].

In another picture of this kingdom table fellowship, Jesus adds a multi-ethnic dimension to what he and the Father expect of us in this new kind of kingdom. For the ‘many’ who will come ‘from east and west’ to share his table will include not only Jews but also non-Jews, like the Roman officer whose servant Jesus had just healed (Mat.8:11). Jesus draws this image from two texts in the prophet Isaiah. The first speaks of the ‘feast’ that God is preparing ‘for all peoples’ (Is.25:6), and the other speaks of God not only bringing Israel's children from the east and the west, but also all God's ‘sons and daughters’—that is, ‘everyone called by my name whom I created for my glory’. For he plans to ‘do a new thing’ and gather ‘all nations’ (Is.43:5-9,19 [Mellis 2016p])—not only so that these may ‘see’ his glory but also that many of these may join in proclaiming it further among other nations (Is.66:18b-19).

In a third picture, Jesus envisions himself as ‘the good shepherd’ calling disciples (his ‘sheep’) out from many nations (‘sheepfolds’)—not just from Israel (‘this fold’ [Gr. aulee])—into one multi-ethnic ‘flock’ (Jn.10:14-16 [Mellis 2016q]). And it is to this ‘flock’ of disciples (who will come from all nations) that their Father is giving this family kingdom, according to Jesus.

Do not be afraid, little flock; it delights YOUR Father to give YOU the kingdom. (Lk.12:32)

This image of a ‘flock’ belonging to Jesus is used by both Paul (Act.20:28) and Peter (1 Pet.5:2; 1:1-2) to refer to the ‘church’ [Gr. ekklesia]. The text also helps us understand how the church of God (his ‘flock’, his ‘household’) and the kingdom are different and yet connected. And for Paul, the church is the multi-ethnic ‘body’ of adult ‘co-heirs’ in his household who are also ‘fellow-citizens’ in their Father's kingdom[67] (Eph.2:11-19; 3:6). 

Footnotes

[56] While Luke only refers to Ps.2:7 (Act.13:33), Paul's Jewish audience would have known that he had the whole Psalm in mind.

[57] The text that Paul cites from the prophet Isaiah (55:3 NRSV) refers to the holy promises God made to David concerning a special Father-son relationship God would establish with one of David's descendants, who in turn would reign over an eternal worldwide kingdom (2 Sam.7:12-16; 1 Chr.17:11-14; 22:10; Ps.89:19-20,26,27,29) [Mellis 2016k].

[58] For Paul sees Jesus not only as an Eldest Brother (Rom.8:29b), but also as a n­ew ‘family Redeemer’ for all humanity, including the people of Israel (‘us’), with Jesus as the new Passover Lamb (1 Cor.5:7b) for all (see section 7.1, footnote 69).

[59] It is not only a new kind of kingdom because it doesn't come with the ‘visible cues’ people usually associate with a kingdom (Lk.17:20-21), or because it doesn't have an earthly origin (Jn.19:36; Dan.2:44-45).

[60] Following the early manuscripts that use the pronoun ‘his’ to connect the kingdom to our Father (as also in Lk.12:31).

[61] See section 7.3. The Greek word dikaio-sunee literally means ‘righteousness with’. So it's about a relational righteousness with God, not just a righteous status with him [Barclay 1975a: 5,23]). And about relational righteousness with people (Eph.5:9 [Barclay 1976a: 164]; 1 Tim. 6:11 [Barclay 1975b: 134]—also as demonstrated by God and by Jesus (Ps.111:2-4 LXX; Rom.3:21-26).

[62] I've not read all the articles in this ‘reader’, yet I find no significant reference in it to the kingdom as our Father's kingdom. The same is true of the references to the kingdom in another ‘reader’ (e.g. in [Ladd 1981: 51-69].

[63] Though women are never called ‘disciples’ in the gospels, many women are mentioned who followed him along with the Twelve (Lk.8:1-3; 23:55; Mark 15:40-41). So, the phrase ‘sons [Gr. huios] of the kingdom’ and ‘sons of God’ does not refer only male disciples but to both male and female disciples as adult ‘heirs’ of the kingdom by the Spirit (Act.2:18; Gal.3:26-28; 4:7).

[64] See section 7.3 for more on how this transformation takes place.

[65] After his resurrection, Jesus will also speak of the continuity between the mission the Father sent him to do and the mission he sends us to do—also in the power of the Holy Spirit (Jn.20:21-22; 17:18).

[66] See how Jesus taught the same thing on at least one other occasion (Mk.10:35-45; Mat.20:29-28). 

[67] An ‘assembly’ of citizens in a Greek city-state, like Ephesus, were called an ‘ekklesia’ (Act.19:32,39,43).

[68] Gal.3:26-29; 4:5-7; 6:14-15 [Mellis 2016g] and 2 Cor.5:17 – 6:1-2,18 [Mellis 2016r], with the last verse (1 Cor.6:18, cited in section 6.3) being an adaptation by Paul of God's promise to David (e.g., 1 Chr.17:13 [Mellis 2016k]).

[69] In both Eph.1:7-8 (Paul’s 2^nd gospel theme, section 5) and in Col.1:12-14, Paul suggests that our redemption in Christ is a family redemption for all, also for Jews (Eph.2:1-5; Rom.1:16-2:24; 3:9-18,23-24). He may be referring to the family dimension of the Hebrew words goël and gaal, used of God as Israel’s ‘family redeemer’ in connection with their initial deliverance from Egypt (Ex.6:6b; Is.63:7-9,11-13) and with their need for him to be this for them again (Is.63:16b) [Mellis 2016p].

7.2. Confronting the threat of the Social Powers to the Multi-ethnic Family Kingdom

In two of his letters, Paul specifically connects the multi-ethnic nature of both ‘the kingdom’ and ‘the church’ to the previously hidden ‘mystery’ he proclaimed. And in both cases, he speaks of how this aspect of being in Christ in the family kingdom has changed our relationship to the Social Powers under which we grew up in our kinship and ethnic groups.

At the beginning of Paul's letter to the believers in Colossae, notice all the family language. He addresses them as ‘brothers and sisters’ and speaks of how God as ‘our Father’ (Col.1:2 NRSV) has ‘qualified’ them (‘YOU’) for ‘a share in the inheritance’. Also, how the Father has moved all believers (‘us’) into ‘the kingdom of his Son’, the ‘Firstborn’ (1:12-13,15).[70] That the church in Colossae is a multi-ethnic one can be seen in the way Paul identifies their former way of viewing and speaking about people of different ethnic and social groups with ‘the old humanity‘ [Gr. anthropon]—which they have ‘put off’ along with its ‘passions’ [Gr. pathos] and ‘practices’ [Gr. praxesin], when in Christ they ‘put on the new (humanity)‘ (3:5,7-11).  

Further, when he speaks of ‘the (previously hidden) mystery’ that God ‘wants to make known among the nations [Gr. ethne]’ through them, Paul identifies another aspect of it. Namely: ‘the unique wealth of the glory of... Christ in YOU, the hope of glory’. Though he addresses them as a group (‘YOU’ pl.), he actually has in mind how Christ is now in each of them, so that ‘every person’ (sing.) might become mature in him (1:26-28[71])—having ‘their hearts knit together in love’ with all their brothers and sisters, and having ‘full confidence’ in a new relationship with their Father God through the riches of Christ (2:2-3).[72] Yet this growth in maturity depends on them not becoming ‘captive’ again to the various kinds of social power that once governed their perspectives, practices and passions (sections 6.1 and 6.2).

I say this in order that no one by persuasive words may deceive YOU... ·— that no one takes YOU captive through the philosophy and empty deception drawn from human tradition—drawn from the elemental powers [Gr. stoikheia] of this world and not drawn from Christ. ·For in him all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form; ·and YOU have been given fullness in him who is the head of every primal chiefdom [Gr. arkhas] and authority [Gr. exousias]. (Col.2:4,8-10)

Even though these believers of different cultures have received ‘Christ (Messiah) Jesus as Lord’, many of them are no longer ‘walking’ like he is their Lord—no longer being ‘rooted in him and being built up in him’ (2:6-7). Instead, many are allowing themselves to be ruled again by the same kind of social power under which they grew up. In one of two ways. Certain individuals (‘no one’), consciously or unconsciously, are drawing on the ‘elemental powers’ [Gr. stoikheia] of a more dominant ethnic, social or religious position to treat believers with less social power as inferior. Either by the way they speak about them (3:8-9a,11) or by the way they judge their practices and perspectives as needing to line up with their own ways of seeing and doing things (3:16; Gal.6:12; 2:12-14). At the same time, many who come from less powerful ethnic and social groups are giving in to this pressure—to conform to the rules, ideas and traditional practices being taught by someone with more social power or by members of a dominant ethnic or religious group in the church (Col.2:16-18,20-23, Gal.5:2; 4:8-10,21). Paul reminds them that ‘in Christ’ our relationship to any kind of former guardianship social power has changed, ever since he has become ‘head’ over both the church (Eph.1:23) and over ‘every primal chiefdom and authority [Gr. arkhees kai exousias]. 

For just as ‘the fulness of God’, by his Spirit, dwelt in Jesus in a human body to inaugurate the new kingdom (section 6.3), even so that same fulness now indwells the body of every believing man and woman. For the Spirit of Christ both indwells the heart of each one (Col.1:27), through the ‘placement of sons’ (Gal.4:5-7, section 6.2), and  makes believers of every nation adult ‘co-heirs’ of the Father (Eph.3:6; 2:18; section 4). Only when both these aspects of ‘the Mystery’ are included in ‘the administration’ of the church will God's intended message be communicated to the Social Powers that the old Phase 1 order is on its way out. And that the new order of a ‘many and varied’, multi-ethnic family kingdom is on the way in, according to God's ‘eternal purpose’ (Eph.3:8-11)[74]—as Spirit-filled men and women of more and more nations are added to it, and as these are subsequently ‘sown into the world’ as adult sons and daughters of their Father's kingdom (Mat.13:38a, section 7.1).

The second reason that there is no room for the Social Powers or social power—in either the kingdom or in the church—is the Cross of Christ. For Jesus did not only die to forgive ‘all our offenses’, but also to ‘blot out’ all the ‘handwritten rules’ that were ‘opposed to us’ by ‘nailing’ these to the cross. And it was also through the cross that Christ ‘triumphed over’ the primal chiefs and authorities’ [Gr. arkhas kai exousias] and ‘made a public show’ of the weakness of their social power. In a cosmic act similar to circumcision, God thus set us apart under the authority of Christ by ‘stripping the Social Powers off of us even as he did this with our sins (Col.2:11,13-15). Through his death on the cross he also ‘broke down’ the social power of traditional ‘dividing boundaries’ and long-standing ‘enmity’ between different religious and ethnic groups [Gr. ethne]. (Eph.2:11-16).

In these ways, the Spirit of Christ and his death on the cross both change our relationship to the Social Powers. On the one hand, all (‘YOU’, pl.) who have been ‘buried-together’ [Gr. sun-taphentes] with Christ by baptism—and who have been ‘raised-together’ [Gr. sun-eegertheete] by the One who raised [Gr. egeirantos] Christ from the dead—have ‘died away from the world’ and from the ‘elemental powers’ [Gr. stoikheia] (Col.2:12,20a). Believers no longer need to be governed or tutored by the rules and traditions of any human culture, no matter how ‘biblical’ a particular culture might claim to be (Gal.3:25; 4:9-10,21; 5:1-2). At the same time, however, Paul tells us that outside the church, in the broader society, we still need to respect and submit to the people who occupy positions of social power and authority—the primal chiefs [Gr. arkhais] and authorities [Gr. exousias] (Tit.3:1). For until Jesus returns (section 6.4), these still have an important role to play in a fallen world (Rom.13:1-7). Though we must not allow ourselves to be intimidated by them or by their ‘deceptive philosophies’ into disobeying our Father God or our Lord Jesus Christ (Col.2:8; Mat.23:1-10; Lk.12:11-12; Acts 4:18-19).[75] 

This new relationship to the elemental powers [Gr. stoikheia] can also be seen in the way Paul uses the verb form of this word [Gr. stoikheo-], which means ‘to proceed in a row as the march of a soldier’[76]—i.e., to walk under the social power of someone or some principle. Having first used the noun form in his Galatian letter to speak of our former ‘guardians’ (4:2-3,8-9), Paul goes on to use its verb form to speak of how believers now need to ‘line up’—or ‘walk in a line’—under ‘the Spirit’, ‘the cross’ and the multi-ethnic ‘new creation’:

Those who belong to the Messiah, Jesus, have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ·If we live in the Spirit, let us also line up under [Gr. stoikhomen] the Spirit—·not becoming conceited (by) badgering one another, (or) acting out of envy towards one another... ·But I will never boast in anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world. ·For neither “Circumcised” nor “Foreskin”[77] is anything compared to a new creation! ·And to all who line up under [Gr. stoikheesousin] this principle: peace and mercy be upon them. (Gal.5:24-25; 6:14-16a)

Paul experienced deep ‘passions’ and ‘desires’ towards people of his own ethnic group—his ‘kinfolk by the flesh’ (Rom.9:2-4a; 10:1), and he valued many practices and treasures related to his Jewish heritage (3:1-2; 9:4b-5). Yet more important to him than these practices were: his identification with Jesus’ suffering and with those Israelites who joined him in following Jesus, ‘the Israel of God’ (Gal.6:16b; Phil.3:1-10). And his identification with the believers of other nations who also shared a greater passion for God's ‘new creation’ in Christ—the new multi-ethnic family kingdom—than they did for the practices and treasures of their own ethnic groups.

In another letter, Paul speaks again about cultural ideas and practices in the context of kingdom responsibilities in the multi-ethnic ‘Body of Christ’ (Rom.12:5).[78] Here he says that even when such ideas, practices and gut feelings (‘passions’) of group identity are ‘good’ within the context of a particular ethnic or social group, they can end up becoming evil in the context of the new multi-ethnic family kingdom—because of their effect on fellow believers of other groups. Notice Paul's use of family language as well as his use of you (singular) and YOU (plural).

You are no longer walking in love if by (your) food your brother is distressed... ·You must not let evil be attributed to what for YOU is good; ·for the kingdom of God is not (about) food and drink, but relational righteousness [Gr. dikaiosunee], peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. ·The one who serves the Messiah in these things pleases God and is approved by people. ·Let us pursue the things which make for peace and...are upbuilding each towards the others,...·Let each of us be pleasing ‘the neighbor’ in that which is good... ·...in line with Christ Jesus, ·that with the same passion... YOU may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ... ·for even the Messiah did not please his own[79]... ·Welcome one another even as the Messiah welcomed YOU. ...·Christ became a minister of the “circumcised (nation)” to confirm the promises made to the fathers..., ·and made about the nations [Gr. ethne] glorifying God for the sake of his mercy. (Rom.14:16-19; 15:2,5b-6,3,7-9a)

Because modern English no longer distinguishes between ‘you’ singular and ‘YOU’ plural, most English readers miss the nature of the inter-group problem that Paul is challenging. Among the believers in Rome, group ‘divisions’ have formed and ‘offenses’ have been caused by ‘those’ who are no longer ‘serving our Lord Christ but their own belly’ (Rom.16:17-18). In the above text, Paul identifies these divisive ‘belly’ issues as group ideas and practices regarding ‘food and drink’, circumcision, and the gut feeling (‘passion’) of a social identity shared by a group (‘YOU’, plural). And he makes it the responsibility of each believer (‘you’, sing.) to not allow even good group ideas and practices—or gut feelings of group identity—to ‘distress’ a brother or sister of a ‘neighbor(ing)’ group. For these can ‘tear down’ the new multi-ethnic family kingdom[80] that ‘God the Father’ and ‘our Lord Jesus’ are building. Instead, Paul admonishes ‘each of us’ to follow Jesus' example of not ‘pleasing his own’ group, but rather doing only ‘good’ things that build up ‘the others’ in the family kingdom.

To do this, each of us must learn to act out of a greater shared ‘passion’ for ‘God the Father’ and for his mercy towards all ethnic groups, and for Jesus—who has not only welcomed believers of each ethnic group (‘YOU’ plural) but has made them all co-heirs in this new multi-ethnic kingdom (Col.1:12-13; Eph.3:6). And the main building blocks in this new kingdom are not only peace and joy (section 7.4), but also relational righteousness [Gr. dikaiosunee].[81] For according to Jesus, we cannot ‘seek his (YOUR Father's) kingdom’ without also seeking ‘his relational righteousness’(Mat.6:32-33) [Mellis 2016u]. Otherwise, the divine kingdom we seek to establish will only be about exercising religious social power over others, making it no more than a religious version of every other earthly kingdom. And our Father's ‘relational righteousness’ includes showing mercy (Ps.111:2-4 [110:2-4 LXX]), also to people of other ethnic groups. For this is one of his character traits that Jesus calls us to imitate (Lk.6:35-26).

Footnotes

[70] Text cited in section 7.1.

[71] Text cited in section 7.3. Also: 'The Spirit' of Christ in 'you (sing.)' (Gal.4:6-7) with 'maturity' for all as the goal (Eph.4:13)

[72] KJV. Though the earliest manuscripts do not specifically mention God as ‘Father’ this text, some very early manuscripts do, supported by the parallel passages about ‘the Mystery’ in Ephesians, likely written at the same time [Mellis 2016s].

[73] In the context of 3:29-4:11, concerning the ‘elemental powers’ and all believers being co-heirs, Paul is referring to social power hierarchies. He is not saying that either ethnic identities or male and female differences cease to exist [Mellis 2016f].

[74] The full text (Eph.3:2-11) is cited (in section 3) concerning this ‘administration of the Mystery’.

[75] Like Jesus. When brought before them (Lk.20:20), he did not allow himself to be intimidated (Jn.18:20-23,33-37; 19:11; Mk.14:55-61a; Lk.23:67-70; 23:8-9). Christ is now not only head over them, but over us as well—as already stated above.

[76] See https://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Lexicon.show/ID/G4748/stoicheo.htm.

[77] In the Septuagint, ‘foreskin’ is the literal meaning of the Greek word, akrobustia (Gen.17:11). And both this word (in Gen.34:14) and also 'un-circumcised' [a-peritmetos (in 1 Sam.14:6) are used by Jews as derogatory terms for non-Jews. In the NT, Luke uses each word once (Acts 11:3; 7:51). Yet Paul uses only the ‘foreskin’ term (also in Col.3:11), presumably in a sarcastic way opposite the term of superiority that Jews used for themselves ‘Circumcision’ (Eph.2:11). With the same irony, he also uses “sinners” (Gal.2:15,17), another Jewish epithet for non-Jews and for Jews who did not keep the Law [Barclay 1976a: 20].

[78] The believers in Rome represented many ethnic groups (implied in Rom.1:5-6,13) [Mellis 2016t].

[79] The Greek word heauto, usually translated as ‘(him)self’ can also be translated as ‘(his) own’ (group). See also footnote 92.

[80] In this text, Paul uses the noun ‘Circumcision’ [Gr. peritomees] to speak of how his own nation is now sharing in this multi-ethnic family kingdom alongside ‘the (other) nations’ [Gr. ethne]. And he cites three texts to emphasize its multi-ethnic character: one where a Jew (David) is praising God ‘among the nations’ [Gr. ethne] (2 Sam.22:50); another (Dt.32:43 LXX) calling believers of other ‘nations’ [Gr. ethne] to praise God with Jews (‘his people’); and a third (Ps.117:1) calling ‘all nations [Gr. ethne]’, including his own nation, to join in praising God together (Rom.15:9b-11).

[81] This Greek word is about ‘relational righteousness’ not only with God, but also with people (see footnote 61).

7.3 Relational righteousness in the multi-ethnic family kingdom and social power

Earlier in his letter to the Romans, Paul links the Greek word for ‘relational righteousness’ [Gr. dikaiosunee] both to the nations [Gr. ethne] (Rom.1:13) and to social power—in two interesting and different ways. First, by linking it to the Gospel itself (1:17), he applies it to both ‘Greeks and Barbarians’ (‘the wise’ versus ‘the foolish’), and to ‘both Jew and Greek’[82] (1:14-16). The social power dimension of the first of these relational pairs is more obvious than it is with the second pair. The ‘Greeks’ are those indigenous Italians and upper-class expatriates who have been educated in the Greek language and culture (‘the wise’). As a result, these normally saw themselves as superior to the riff-raff in Greco-Roman societies. Namely, the uneducated masses (‘the foolish’) and the ‘uncivilized’ foreigners (‘Barbarians’) who were difficult to understand because they didn't speak good Greek and were always ‘babbling’ in their own exotic languages.[83]

The social power dimension of the second pair, ‘both Jew and Greek’ (1:16), is less obvious. Mainly because of translations like ‘first for the Jew and then for the Gentile’ (NIV). Yet the Greek word Paul uses opposite ‘Jew’ here is ‘Greek’ [Helleeni]—the same word he just used in its plural form opposite ‘Barbarians’ (1:14). And when he uses ‘Greek and Jew’ several more times, he does so to challenge social ideas about ‘favoritism’ (2:9-11) and about ‘superiority’ (3:9). For just as ‘Greeks’ were used to seeing themselves as superior to others because of their education, level of civilization and their language, many Jews were used to seeing themselves as religiously superior to people of all other nations and ethnic groups because of their biblical education and their being divinely entrusted with God's Law (2:17-20). Also, by switching to the singular ‘you’ several times in the early part of this letter, Paul appears to be challenging leading members of both groups for bringing their sense of social power and privilege into the church in Rome in a kind of power struggle for dominance.[84]

The second time Paul connects the Greek word dikaiosunee to social power in this letter, it's about the way God reveals his ‘relational righteousness’ towards ‘everyone who believes’ the proclamation of the Gospel (1:16-17). He does so again when he cites the text about Abraham being ‘the father of many nations’ (4:17; Gen.17:5) by his faith. Abraham is ‘father’ to ‘all those’ that the Jews refer to as ‘the Foreskin’ [Gr. tee akrobustia], because ‘relational righteousness (with God)’ is now being reckoned to people of these nations based on their faith too (4:11b). Just as it was reckoned to Abraham because of his faith when he was still ‘in a foreskin-state’ [Gr. en akrobustia] (4:3,10b, Gen.15:6). Yet Paul also calls Abraham:

...the father of those of “the Circumcised”, who (are so) not only out of circumcision but who also line up with [Gr. stoikhousin] the footsteps of the ‘in-a-foreskin-state’ [Gr. en akrobusita] faith of our father Abraham. ·For the promise to Abraham and to his seed—that he would be the heir of the world—came not through the Law but through the ‘of-faith’ relational righteousness (with God). ·For if the heirs are those ‘out of’ the Law, faith is nothing and the promise is void... ·...He is the father of us all! ·...Standing before God, he believed him—the One who gives life to the dead and who calls things which are not as though they are. ·Beyond hope he believed... that which was spoken: “So shall your seed be!” ..., ·...his own body already ‘dead’... ·Through this “It was reckoned to him towards relational righteousness (with God)” [Gen.15:5-6]. ·...not for his sake alone... ·but also for us—those... who put their faith in the One who raised up Jesus, our Lord, from the dead. (Rom.4:12-14,16b-19,22-24)

Employing the pejorative Greek word used by Jews for non-Jews, akrobustia[85], Paul takes their sense of religious superiority over people of other nations and turns it on its head. First, by tying it to Abraham's ‘foreskin-state’ when he first believed God's promise regarding his offspring (‘seed’). Then by using the verb form of the Greek word for ‘elemental powers’ [stoikheia], he identifies the fulfilment of the promise to Abraham as being limited to those of the Jewish nation (‘the circumcised’) who now know ‘relational righteousness (with God)’ because they ‘line up with [Gr. stoikhousin] the in-a-foreskin-state’ [Gr. en akrobusita] faith of Abraham—the faith he also went on practicing after he was circumcised (Gen.17:11 LXX).[86]

In this text, therefore, Paul is identifying a fourth way that adult sons and daughters in the new family kingdom step out from under their previous subservience to the Social Powers of their own culture. Besides lining up now under the Spirit, the cross, and the principle of the new creation (section 7.2), they now also line up under faith in God, as his way of ‘relational righteousness’—both with God and with people. At the same time, they are relying on ‘the faith of Jesus’,[87] modeled in his life and ministry here on earth. This means we no longer can rely on the legalistic ‘relational righteousness’, based on a joyless rule-keeping, under which Paul grew up, as do many from religious cultures still today (Phil.3:2-9; Rom.9:31; 10:2-3).

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul uses the verb form of the Greek word for ‘elemental powers’ a fifth time. This time he again links it to both ‘relational righteousness’ and to joy. After admonishing these ‘brothers and sisters’ to ‘rejoice in the Lord’ (repeated five times), he warns them against ‘harmful teachers’ who push circumcision on non-Jewish believers. For these rely ‘on the flesh’, and on having their ‘own relational righteousness, which comes from the Law’, like Paul had done. Now, though, we—like him—must rely on the joyful ‘relational righteousness’ that comes from God’ and is through ‘the faith of Christ’[87] (Phil.3:1-9):

...so that I may know him and the power of his resurrection—and the fellowship of his suffering—... ·that... I might come into the resurrection of the dead. ·Not that I have already obtained (that), nor have already become fully mature [Gr. te-teleiomai]...,  ·...but I am single mindedly letting go of the things that are behind and straining forward to the things that are before (me)... ·... –the envisioned goal...of the higher calling of God in Christ Jesus. ·Let this be our focus, as many as are mature ones [Gr. teleioi]. ... ·Only let us be lining up under [Gr. stoichein] that towards which we have come. Brothers and sisters, imitate me together [Gr. sum-mimeetai moi], and take note of those who walk according to the example YOU have in us. (Phil.3:10-17)

Paul here is addressing ‘mature ones’ who like himself have ‘obtained’ both the redemption in Christ and the coming of age as adult sons and daughters in him through the Spirit. Yet these need to continue to ‘line up under’ all that goes with the process of pursuing full maturity in Christ, humbly aware that they still are not yet ‘fully mature’. Notice, though, how aware Paul is that this process—of coming out from under subservience to social powers and growing to full maturity as a co-heir with Christ, and with brothers and sisters of other ethnic groups (Eph.3:6)—will not be an easy road. For ‘lining up under’ the principle of growing to maturity is linked to ‘lining up under’ the cross through sharing in ‘the fellowship of Christ's suffering (Phil.3:10; Rom.8:15-17; Gal.6:14). And this means choosing, like Jesus, to not ‘please his own’ self or his own group. But to say instead to those in a ‘weak’ physical or social position, ‘The insults of those insulting you fell on me’ (Rom.15:3; Ps. 69.9 LXX; section 7.2).[88] This is another reason why ‘the Mystery’ of the multi-ethnic family kingdom only became possible under the headship of a Messiah who is also a ‘Crucified One’—something ‘the mature’ are able to grasp by the Spirit while the Social Powers of this age, in both Jewish and Greek cultures, are not able to do so (1 Cor.1:23-25; 2:6-10).

Sharing in Jesus' sufferings, according to the author of Hebrews, is doable because we remember that he, as a flesh and blood human being, also went through the process of being ‘made fully mature’ [Gr. teleiosai] through suffering (Heb.2:10,14,17; 5:8) [Mellis 2016v]. For this reason, we are told to treat our sufferings and hardships as training by our Father-coach,[89] and to fix our eyes on Jesus, who became the pioneer and the maturer [Gr. teleioten] of our faith by facing his suffering with forward-looking joy (12:2). Thus, we too, as Paul says, may ‘rejoice in our sufferings’ (Rom.5:3-5). Yet for many Christians, this will mean embracing a very different theology of suffering than what they've been taught.

The text from Philippians cited above, recalls another one from Paul's Colossians letter (referred to in section 7.1). I cite his words here in full because of how they express his goal for each believer of every ethnic group—now that through ‘the gospel’ (1:20), ‘the Mystery’ of becoming co-heirs in the multi-ethnic family kingdom (Col.1:12-13) has been revealed. 

I Paul..., ·the one now rejoicing in my sufferings for YOU..., ·became a minister according to God's administration..., to fulfill the Word of God— ·the mystery which has been hidden for ages..., but is now revealed...— ·... to make known among the nations the unique wealth of the glory of this mystery which is Christ in YOU the hope of glory. ·Him we proclaim: admonishing every human being, and... teaching each one so that we might present every person mature [Gr. teleion] in Christ. (Col.1:23b-28)

In the light of Paul's three-theme gospel, the fulfilment of God's administration of the Mystery (the current Missio Dei) involves making known among the nations ‘the unique (glorious) wealth of the Mystery’. For Paul, ‘the good news of the unsearchable riches of Christ’ (Eph.3:8-9) was about much more than proclaiming redemption through his blood. ‘God's good news’ (Rom.1:1) also involved admonishing and teaching ‘every person’, so that each one might become ‘mature’ by being ‘in Christ’—with ‘Christ in’ each one by the Spirit, as an adult son or daughter of our Father God in his multi-ethnic family kingdom (Gal.4:6-7[90]; Jn.14:20-21,23). And to fully ‘administer the Mystery’ among the nations with authority, we (like Paul) must demonstrate it by the way we live it—in the power of the Spirit in our intercultural relationships as fellow adult co-heirs (Eph.3:6,9). Only then will ‘the many and varied wisdom of God be made known through us to the primal chiefs and authorities’ in line with God's ‘eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord’ (Eph.3:10-11).

And this means teaching and admonishing people out of the authority of the Spirit without relying on social power. For when Christian leaders admonish and teach while relying on the symbols of social power and religious position, instead of on the power of the Spirit, many believers will not be able to grow to maturity. Further, relational righteousness among believers  may also suffer when some of them experience religious, financial and sexual abuse perpetrated by leaders with social power (Deut.17:17; 1 Kings 11:1-3; 12:1-4). Further, such abuses when brought to light will likely be ignored, denied or covered up by other leaders (1 K.12:14-15a).

In his letters to the Corinthians, Paul speaks of ‘super-super [Gr. huper lian] apostles’ who rely on symbols of social power (2 Cor.11:5-21,29); and he contrasts their approach to church leadershipwith his own evangelism, discipleship and mentoring styles, which he speaks of as being ‘weak’ by the world's standards (1 Cor.2:1-5; 2 Cor.1:23-24; 13:4,9). The message God intends to send to the Social Powers will not be ‘made known’ wherever cultural status differences are emphasized in the church (consciously or unconsciously)—whether these are between spiritual leaders and ordinary members, ethnic groups or social classes, or between men and women (Gal.3:28-29[73]). For this is a denial of the ‘unique wealth’ of the now revealed ‘Mystery of Christ’ (Eph.3:4-11; Col.1:27-2:4).[91]

In Romans, Paul speaks of how we are to challenge the social power of status differences in how we relate to others, especially in the church. And he highlights the importance of patient endurance and maintaining the joy of our hope in Christ, especially when facing social pressure to not seek such family-kingdom change.

Let love be without hypocrisy... ·in brotherly-sisterly affection... with honor for one another leading the way..., ·in hope rejoicing, in pressures patiently enduring... ·having the same regard towards each other; not focusing on those of ‘high status’ but associating with those of low status; not being conceited among YOUR OWN[78]. (Rom.12:9-10,12-13,16)

He then speaks about ‘peace’, the third characteristic of the kingdom that he later refers to in Rom.14:1 (cited in section 7.2). Part of our growth in maturity involves aligning with a family kingdom that is based on ‘peace’ and an abhorrence of the 'necessary' evils associated with the social power of ‘the higher authorities’ of the state.

...repaying no one evil for evil, ·...giving forethought to what is good in the sight of all people; ·living peaceably with all people, if possible from YOUR side, ·“not avenging YOUR OWN”[92](Lev.19:18a). ·...Do not be overcome by the evil but overcome the evil by doing good. ·Let every soul be subject to the higher authorities... ·...Would you not be afraid of the authority, do that which is good..., ·seeing it exists as God's minister to you for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid, for It does not bear the sword in vain... ·Hence the necessity of being subject (to the higher authorities), ...also because of conscience ...·YOU should therefore render...tax to the tax official; custom duty to the customs officer, fear to the one due fear, honor to the one due honor. (12:17-19a, 21; 13:1,3b,4b,7)

Here he interrupts his admonishments to all believers (‘YOU’, pl.) in Rome, and turns his focus again toward individual responsibility (using ‘you’ [sing.])—i.e., ‘every soul’, each one's ‘conscience’ [sing.] (12:1-5). He actually seems to be addressing a particular individual (or individuals) who are teaching that belonging to God's kingdom means that believers are no longer ‘subject’ to the Roman authorities. Perhaps these come from an ethnic group that has suffered a lot at the hands of Roman soldiers and now seek to influence fellow believers of other ethnic groups who have had a similar painful experience [Mellis 2016t].

What is noteworthy in Paul's train of thought is the contrast he offers between the ongoing responsibility God has given to the state with the responsibilities he now gives to members of his new multi-ethnic family kingdom. While it is still the prerogative of the state to use violence to curb ‘evil’, it is not so with members of the Father's kingdom. Our responsibility is always to ‘live peaceably’ with all people as far as we are concerned and to eschew taking vengeance—either on behalf of ourselves or our own social group.[93]  While we remain subject to state authority with some obligations to it, Paul highlights our primary obligation toward ‘the other’, who is also our ‘neighbor’ by citing the second great commandment.

Owe no one anything except the debt of loving one another. He who loves ‘the other’ [Gr. ton heteron] has fulfilled the Law, ·...summed up... in: “Love your neighbor as yourself” [Lev. 19:18b,34][93]. ·Love engages in no evil towards a neighbor. (12:8-10a)

Note further the context of these kingdom responsibilities. Namely, how these follow on from what Paul has just said about ‘the Mystery’—which includes God's desire to bring in ‘the fullness of Israel’ as well as ‘the fullness of the nations’ (Rom.11:12,25). With this in mind, Paul then worships God for the riches and depth of his wisdom—even though his judgments and ways are often difficult for us to grasp (11:33-36). After which he issued the following challenge to all citizens of the new multi-ethnic family kingdom:

Brothers and sisters, ...·you must not by this age [Gr. aioni] be molded-together, but by the renovation of YOUR thinking be transformed—that YOU may be able to discern what is the good and well pleasing and mature [Gr. teleion] will of God. (12:1-2)

When we take Paul's challenge seriously, we may find that the ‘good and well pleasing and mature will of God’—Our Father's will regarding his kingdom, which we pray will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Mat.6:9b-10)—sometimes involves us standing up even to the Social Powers of the state by refusing an order to participate in certain acts of state-sponsored violence. It was this verse that led the way for me to do this as a young American man, when faced with obligatory military service during the Vietnam War [Mellis 2016z].

This text also affirms what has already been discussed about the new multi-ethnic family kingdom. Namely, how it is to be ‘molded-together’ in a different way than is the case with the social groups and kingdoms of ‘this age’—where human social power is exerted in various ways to achieve group cohesion and conformity. In the ‘body of Christ’, however, group cohesion is achieved through each individual member from each different ethnic group (12: 12-13) employing a ‘variety of gifts’ and ‘ministries’ at the direction of the one Spirit, in a variety of ways (1 Cor.12:4-6; Eph.4:7-8) towards a common ‘calling’ under ‘one God and Father’ and one Lord, the Messiah, (Eph.4:1,6). Namely, that each son and daughter of God ‘grows up’ in ‘stature’ towards ‘mature adulthood’ in ‘the fullness of the Messiah’—both in the ‘together-bond of peace’ [Gr. sun-desmo] with one another (4:4,13-16), and in the way we imitate our Father’s character in the world ‘as sons and daughters of light’ (5:1-13).[94]

Paul’s gospel is thus about growing in making spiritually adult choices—focusing not on having control or lacking it, but on taking responsibility to do the will of the Father (Mat.7:15-23)–while considering possible consequences to their actions.

Footnotes

[82] The Greek construction te... kai, can here mean ‘both... and’, as in both Rom.1:12 and 1:14 [Mellis 2016t].

[83] The word barbarois had a linguistic connotation—for foreigners who could not speak Greek well or not speak it at all (see 1 Cor. 14:11). So I use quotation marks with ‘Greeks’ & ‘Barbarians’, to show that Paul is describing a status and language distinction based on being educated or civilized—i.e. educated ‘Greek-speakers’ and ‘Barbarians’—rather than a distinction in ethnic identities. 

[84] Paul does this first to challenge the superior attitude of a Jewish individual (2:1-27 and 9:19-20), and then does the same with a non-Jewish individual, probably a Greek (11:17-24) [Mellis 2016t]. This is missed by most English readers since modern English doesn't distinguish between the 2^nd person singular and plural, as does the Greek and the KJV.

[85] See footnote 77.

[86] By referring to Abraham's faith in response to God’s promise (‘You will be the father of many nations’, Gen.17:4), and to his faith in God as the one who raises the dead, Paul is also referring to Abraham's faith in becoming circumcised ‘in the flesh of your foreskin’ [Gr. akrobustias] (Gen.17:11 LXX)—long before Moses was given the Law. Also, to his faith later in obeying God's command to sacrifice Isaac (Gen.22:1-2), believing that God would raise him from the dead if necessary (Gen.22:5-8a; Heb.11:17-19). Thus, for Paul, circumcision still had value for Jewish believers if practiced ‘by the Spirit’ (Rom.3:1-2; 2:28-29) and in imitation of Abraham's faith. Hence, not just as a religious requirement or as a sign of superiority and (continued) separation from other nations (see also Rom.14:16-22). This must have been the basis for two of Paul's choices recorded by Luke. Namely, having Timothy circumcised (Act.16:1-3) and Paul's willingness to show his support for Jewish believers ‘aligning with [Gr. stoikheis] the Law’ by circumcising their male babies—i.e., as long as the Jerusalem Accord was upheld regarding believers of other nations not needing to be circumcised (Act.21:20-26; 15:1,23-29).

[87] See Rom.3:21-26 for how Paul speaks of ‘the faith of Jesus’ [Gr. ton ek pisteos Ieesou] twice (3:22,26) when talking about how ‘God’s relational righteousness [Gr. dikaiosunee]’ has now been revealed ‘separate from the Law—yet attested by the Law and the Prophets’—in a way that removes the ‘distinction’ between ‘Jew and Greek’ so that neither can claim superiority over others (3:9). Paul also uses the Greek phrase ‘pisteos Ieesou’’ or pisteos Christou in other letters (Gal.2:16; 3:22; Phil.3:9; Eph 3:12). And John speaks twice of how Jesus is the model for how we too should ‘walk’ (1 Jn.2:6; 4:16-17).

[88] This text with its context cited in section 7.2. Note that in Psalm 69, a social group is treating an individual as an alien and a stranger (69:8). I once used this verse as part of the liturgy in a multi-ethnic church in Amsterdam (see [Mellis 2016y]).

[89] The imagery in Hebrews 12:1,5-12 represents God as a Father-coach of adult sons and daughters running a race in front of a great crowd. For even though the author quotes Prov.3:11-12 that speaks of an under-age ‘son’ being both punished and disciplined by his Father, the word for ‘punishes’ is never repeated in the verses that follow. However, the word for ‘discipline’, as referring to our divine ‘training’ [Gr. ge-gymnasmenois] is repeated six times (!) [Mellis 2016w].

[90] Note that in verse 6 the word ‘heart’ is singular as is the ‘you’ in verse 7.

[91] See also my ten meditations on various New Testament texts in ‘The Father, Social Power and Church leadership’ [Mellis 2016x] (also Rom.12:16; Jas.2:1-7).

[92] While the text Paul cites was stated in the Septuagint in the singular: (‘thy hand shall not avenge thee’ [Gr. ouk ekdikatai sou ee kheir]), Paul restates it in the plural [me heautous ekdikountes] so that it is not just about refusing to avenge yourself as an individual, but also about refusing to avenge ‘YOUR own (selves), i.e., your own group.

[93] Jesus affirms this as the ‘second’ great commandment (Mat.22:38-40), reminding one Jewish legal scholar that this commandment also applied to Samaritans as well as to Jews, i.e., neighbors who were ‘foreigners’ (Lk.10:25-37; Lev.19:34)

[94] How do ‘handicapped people’ in the church express Spirit-led gifts and grow to ‘mature adulthood’ in Christ? Ponder this meditation on 1 Peter 4:10, by Henri Nouwen. ‘More important than our talents are our gifts. We may have only a few talents, but we have many gifts... to offer to each other: friendship, kindness, patience, forgiveness, gentleness, love, hope... Coming to live in a community with mentally handicapped people, I have rediscovered this. Few, if any, of those people... are able to earn money, compete on the open market, or win awards. But how splendid are their gifts!’ [from Henri Nouwen Society, Daily Meditation, August 17, 2023]. Here too you may need a transforming ‘renovation of your thinking’.

7.4. An altered relationship with the Social Powers links us in a new way to the rest of creation

Many Bible teachers, focusing on the responsibility of Christians in relation to the creation, refer primarily to the Genesis account—where human beings were given power to ‘rule’ over the creatures and the eco systems of the earth as they spread out over it (Gen.1:26,28). And these teachers rightly point out that this ‘rule’ has always been about stewardship not ownership, since ‘the earth and everything in it’, as well as everything in outer space (‘the heavens and the highest heavens’) still belong to the One who created these (Ps.24:1-2; Dt.10:14 NIV). God alone can grant stewardship, not ownership, over any of these (Jer.27.5).

As a Torah scholar, Paul would have agreed with this (Act.22:3b; 14:15; 17:24a). The first theme of his gospel, however, gave him another way of looking at creation. For we, as our Father's adult sons and daughters, now share more with the rest of creation than just being fellow creatures and created things. Having now come into a ‘glorious liberty’ in Christ—out of ‘bondage’ to the Social Powers through the ‘placement of sons’ by the Spirit (Rom.8:14-16; Gal.4:1-11; 5:1-2)[95]—Paul suggests a link now between this experience and the ‘deliverance’ that the rest of creation is ‘intensely anticipating’. For on the day that our ‘sonship’ is fully revealed, and our mortal bodies are finally redeemed from a ‘perishable form’ [Gr. phthora] into an ‘imperishable form’ [Gr. a-phtharsia] (1 Cor.15:42,54), the whole creation too will be ‘delivered’ from ‘the bondage of the perishable’—the 'frailty' to which it also was ‘subjected’. Until that day, our own physical suffering in ‘this present season’ is not only linked to the suffering of Christ, but also to the ‘birth-pangs’ that the rest of the planet is groaning under!

We are... ·...indeed heirs of God and heirs-together with Christ if it be so that we suffer together in order that we also might be glorified together. ·...The sufferings of this present season are nothing compared to the glory that will be revealed in us, ·for with intense anticipation the creation awaits the revelation of the sons of God. ·For the creation was subjected to frailty [Gr. mataioteeti][96]—not voluntarily but through the hope of the One who subjected it, ·because the creation itself will also be delivered from the bondage of the perishable [Gr. phthoras] into the glorious liberty of God's sons and daughters. ·...The entire creation groans-together and experiences-“birthpangs”-together until now. ·Yet... we also, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we groan in ourselves awaiting the placement as sons—that is, the redemption of our body. (Rom.8:16b-23)

Thus, if the land, water, plants, animals and atmosphere of the earth are suffering, we should ‘groan-together’ with these fellow creatures and created things, as we would over the bodily suffering that we, or those we love are experiencing. Having ourselves already experienced liberation from the Social Powers, we should not remain indifferent when areas of our planet are suffering due to abusive exploitation by the social power of money.[97] Instead, we should pray and do what we can to alleviate such suffering. Not only because we are bodily identified with this current suffering of the earth, but also because our own glorious future is linked to the glorious future of all creation. Consider the following texts:

The earth [Heb. erets] will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.(Hab.2:5b,14 RSV)

For yet a little while and the wicked shall not be... ·But the meek shall inherit the earth [Heb. erets] and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. (Ps.37.10a,11 KJV)

Notice the family language in our linkage to the earth in the second text, which was quoted by Jesus (Mat.5:5). According to Paul, God has always had a future hope and plan for this earth. By linking the current suffering of the earth to that of our bodies, which are going to be redeemed and resurrected, Paul seems to say something similar is going to happen with the new earth and the new heavens. In other words, God values the earth and will hold us accountable for how we treat it. He does not plan to destroy it and start over. For according to Jesus, the earth is linked to us as part of our future inheritance along with the new multi-ethnic family kingdom (section 7.1). And since the earth still belongs to him—and not to any human being, tribe, nation or power—our partnership with our Father and his mission (the Missio Dei in the current season) also involves our relationship to the earth. As Jesus said:

If YOU did not prove faithful with the things of another, who will give YOU that which is YOUR own? (Lk.16:12)

Footnote

[95] The ‘liberty’ Paul speaks of in both texts (Gal. 4:1-5:2 and Rom. 8:14-17a,21b) is related to the placement of sons as adult heirs of our Father, in Christ and by the Spirit, that we have already received—i.e. liberty from bondage to the ‘elemental powers’ of either our own ethnic group or those of another dominant one (Gal.4:3,8; 5:1-2; 2:3-5). See sections 6.2 and 7.2.

[96] One possible meaning for the use here of this Greek word in this text  [Thayer 1977: 393]. For Paul sees both our ‘perishable’ condition and that of the rest of creation as a form of bondage from the beginning, with both awaiting an ultimate transformation to ‘imperishability’ in Phase 2 of God's plan. Yet when he subdivided this phase into Phases 2A and 2B (section 6.2), we were freed first by Jesus in Phase 2A from our initial ‘bondage’ to the Social Powers (section 7.2). But since both our bodies and the rest of creation will only put on imperishability (section 6.4) in Phase 2B, Paul seems to suggest that both our initial ‘subjection’ to the Social Powers (section 6.1) and the creation's original ‘subjection’ to ‘the perishable’ were not just a result of human sinfulness but part of God's plan for Phase 1. Thus, Paul calls us now to view both our ‘suffering’  and that of the rest of creation—including that added due to sin (Gen.3:14-19)—as temporary “birthpangs” of the new creation (section 6.4, also Mat.24:8).

[97] According to Jesus, money is not evil in itself (Lk.16:9 JB). What makes it ‘tainted’ is that it is a social power that easily becomes a ‘master’ to people (often unconsciously) such that they are unable to serve God (Mat.6:24 NIV).

As I was beginning to write this conclusion, I came across and read Simply Good News by Tom Wright, which also challenges contemporary Christians with how the Gospel is about something different than what many of them have been led to believe. For it is not just ‘good advice’ about how to get to heaven, but rather ‘good news’ about something that has happened which changes everything because of Jesus, even though some of these changes will only happen in the future [Wright 2015: 16-17].  A very good book, as far as it goes. Yet if you have read it, you will find still a limited exposition of Paul's gospel, which Wright rightly acknowledges ‘is probably the earliest written record we have of the good news’ [Wright 2015: 16]. As he approaches his conclusion, he writes: ‘No doubt there is more, much more, to be said. This book is just a beginning’ [Wright 2015: 151]. There is indeed ‘more, much more’ to Paul's gospel; and my hope is that this paper will be read as an important supplement to what Wright has written.

First, Paul's gospel—revealed to him directly by Christ himself—had three themes [Box 2]. And Paul identifies two of these themes (themes 1 and 3) as part of ‘the Mystery of Christ’ or ‘the Mystery of the Gospel’. The main reason he describes these themes as a ‘mystery’ is because God had kept them mostly hidden until the coming of Christ and the Spirit. Yet he has another reason for referring to these two themes in this way. Namely, because ‘the administration’ of the Missio Dei given to him involved more than proclaiming to all nations the second theme of his Gospel—of redemption and forgiveness of our sins through Jesus' death on the cross. For the Missio Dei also involved opening the eyes of ‘everyone’ to the two previously hidden themes and how these are to be ‘administered’, ‘now, through the church’ [Eph.3:2,8-10] (section 3). Still today, such a revelation is needed since many Christians throughout the world only understand the Good News of Jesus in terms of his death on the cross. As a result, the full ‘riches of the Messiah’ for all nations revealed in the other two themes of the Paul's Gospel remain a mystery to them. And they can then easily miss seeing the way these two themes give us a more complete picture of how Jesus' death on the cross accomplished more than just redemption and the forgiveness of sins (section 5.2).

Second, the two ‘Mystery’ themes of Paul's gospel both point to a two-phase plan that God made for human beings from the very beginning [Box 3], before evil and sin became part of the human story, and the story of this world. When that happened, God did not give up on his original plan. Paul's understanding of ‘the Mystery’ shows us that that Missio Dei has always been about more than simply rescuing and restoring God’s original creation. Rather God subdivided Phase 2 of his plan (into a Phase 2A and a Phase 2B [Box 5])—in order to get both us and the creation ‘back on track’ with his original plan [Wright 2015: 98].[98] And Jesus himself, during his life on earth, inaugurated both parts of Phase 2, after first walking through Phase 1 for about thirty years (sections 6.2 and 6.3).

Thus, according to Paul, the first theme of the ‘good news’ is that in Christ the time has come for human beings to receive the ‘planned-in-advance-placing’ as God's adult sons and daughters—for which we were ‘pre-destined’ ‘before the foundation of the world’ (section 4). The other ‘Mystery’ theme of his gospel is that God, who made the nations by dispersing them into separate territories, is now bringing them together in one body in Christ as co-heirs—in ‘the fullness of the seasons’, according to his original will and purpose (section 5.1).

Thirdly, redemption in Christ through the cross (theme 2 of Paul’s gospel) is good news not only because we receive forgiveness of sins. But along with the two ‘Mystery’ themes, redemption through the cross is also ‘good news’ because of the way it brings about, in Christ, a significant change in our relationship to the Social Powers. Paul identifies this change as part of ‘the Mystery’ because God only revealed it by his Spirit after the coming of Jesus. Yet because the Social Powers played such a significant role in the lives of all human beings during Phase 1 of God's plan [Box 4], Paul found that most Christians still need a revelation concerning how this part of the ‘good news of the kingdom’ is to be ‘administered’—‘now through the church’ during Phase 2A of our Father's plan (sections 3 and 7.3). For while many Christians might understand that the kingdom Jesus came to inaugurate is totally different from all other earthly kingdoms [Wright 2015: 94], they don't automatically comprehend the family nature of this new multi-ethnic kingdom—which Jesus said was prepared as an inheritance for ‘the nations’ ‘from the foundation of the world’ (section 7.1).

Nor do they grasp how this changes our relationship to the Social Powers and to the old way of exercising social power—especially in the church. According to Paul, an important part of the Missio Dei in Phase 2A of the divine plan involves God's intention that all our relationships in the church send a message to the Social Powers that their days are numbered, because of Jesus and the gift of the Spirit. For in the final Phase 2B of God's plan, any Social Powers still refusing to be reconciled to him through Christ will be destroyed, when Christ returns (section 6.4).

Until then, though, we must continue to respect the current ongoing phase-one role of the Social Powers in the broader society. Yet among ourselves, we may no longer reproduce the social hierarchies of one ethnic or social group over another; of men over women; and of church leaders exercising dominion over the faith of everyone else [Box 8]. Nor the violence allowed to the Social Powers due to the presence of evil in the world. Instead, we all must choose to ‘line up under’ the Spirit, the cross, the new creation, the goal of maturity for every believer and the faith of Abraham (sections 7.2 and 7.3). For like Abraham, we have faith that our influence as adult sons and daughters of the kingdom,sown into all parts of human societies throughout the world by Jesus, will ultimately transform it—as we follow him in doing only what we see our Father doing, without relying on any traditional forms of social power associated with Phase 1 [box 7]. And since our liberation from the Social Powers links us with the rest of creation in a new way, we must choose to act in sympathetic ways towards it, and not go along with the abusive or indifferent ways that many in the world act towards it (section 7.4).

Ironically, the ‘good news’ that is connected to all three themes of Paul's gospel, is actually ‘bad news to those who are heavily invested in the old ways’ [Wright 2015: 142]. That is, to all those who depend on the exercise of social power and control in order to maintain group cohesion and order, whether these are in the church or in the broader society. Thus, people with social power will continue to find reasons to either reject or resist Paul's three-theme-gospel and its implications for the Missio Dei in the current season—in the new Phase 2A of God's eternal plan.

Footnote

[98] The main redemptive player in the Missio Dei during Phase 1 of God’s plan soon became the nation of Israel, that God created as a priestly nation to the other nations [Mellis 2016e], subjecting it to his Law as its guardian power and 'childhood tutor' (Gal.4:3-4; 3:24) [Mellis 2016f] (see footnotes 27,36,38,40 and 48).

Paul uses the Greek words arkee and exousia together eight times, as does his co-worker Luke on two occasions [Wigram & Winter 1978: 744, 1848-1849]. I will identify these as A&E 1 through A&E 10. Further, Paul uses the noun stoikheia four times (Sn1 - Sn4) and its verb form stoikheo he uses four times and Luke once (Sv1 - Sv5) [Wigram & Winter 1978: 450]. To help visualize his understanding of these Social Powers, I will cite these texts in this appendix and place them in Hiebert’s 1977 religious worldview model (see Appendix II). I will do the same with several texts from the Tanakh (OT 1 – OT 8) that most likely served as a scriptural foundation for his view of the Social Powers; and also with the five texts in which the verb stoikheo is used. I will also use colored fonts to highlight the placement (into Hiebert’s model) of references to the Social Powers in each text. 

1.1. Created ‘through’ Christ and ‘towards’ him: on 2 levels (celestial and earthly)—as both positions (or forces) and persons [Figure 1].

A&E 1: For in him (Christ) were created all the things... in the heavens and...on the earth, visible and invisible—whether thrones, lordships, primal chiefdoms or authorities. All things were created through him and towards him. ·He is before all things and in him each and every thing has held together. ·He... is THE primal chief [Gr. arkee]... that in all things he might become preeminent; ·for all the Fullness (of God) delights to dwell in him ·and, through him—...his making peace through the blood of his cross—to reconcile all things towards him, whether... on the earth or in the heavens. (Col.1:16-19 PH⁶)

A&E 2: The Mystery of the Messiah ·…has now been revealed… ·…which for ages was kept hidden in God who created all things— ·to the intent that now, through the church, the many-and-varied wisdom of God might be made known to the primal chiefs and authorities among the celestial ones. (Eph.3:4b-5a,9b-10 PH)

A&E 3: Remind them: to be submissive to primal chiefs and authorities —to be ready to yield for every good work, ·to defame no one; to be peaceful, considerate, showing gentleness to all human beings. (Titus 3:1-2 PH) 

A&E 4: To watch (Jesus) they sent out spies…in order that they might seize on some word of his, enabling them to hand him over to the primary rule and authority of the governor. (Luke 20:20 Mellis 2014: 207])

Sn 3/ A&E 5: Watch out that no one takes YOU captive through philosophy and the empty deception drawn from human tradition—drawn from the elemental powers of this world and not…from Christ. ·For in him all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form; ·and YOU have been given fullness in him (Christ) who is the head of every primal chiefdom and authority.[99] (Col.2:8-10 PH)

1.2. Paul’s sources for the Social Powers over nations in the Tanakh (OT) [Figure 2]

OT 1: When the Most High assigned nations their lands…, he assigned to each nation a heavenly being[100], but Jacob’s descendants he chose for himself. (Deut.32:8 GNT) 

OT 2: He said: …·Where where you when I laid the earth’s foundations... ·when…the Sons of God were chanting praise? (Job 38:4a,7 JB)

OT 3: The LORD… ·...will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations he has made, and that you (Israel) will be a people holy to the LORD your God. (Deut.26:19 NIV)

OT 4: When you look up to the heavens…, all the ‘host of heaven’, do not…bow down…and serve them that… God has allotted to all the peoples… ·But the LORD has taken YOU (Israel)… to become a people of his very own very own possession… ·What other great nation has… this entire Law that I am setting before YOU today? Deut. 4:19-20,8 (NRSV)

OT 5: One day the heavenly beings[101] came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. The LORD said to Satan, ‘Where have you come from?’ (Job 1:6-7 NRSV)

…Then Michael, one of the chief princes [Heb. e-sharim e-rashnim], {YOUR prince}, came to help me because I was detained…with the king [Heb. melek; Gr.  arkontos] of Persia’.[104] (Dan.10:1,5-6,11-13,{21b} NIV)

OT 8: The Lord said to me: ‘…·Send word to the king of Edom, the king of Moab, the king of the Ammonites, the king of Tyre and the king of Sidon… ·…“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel says…: ·It is I who by my great power…made the earth with the people…on the earth, and I give it to whomever I please.[105] ·Now I have given all these lands into the hand of King Nebuchadnezzar, my servant… ·All the nations shall serve him and his son and his grandson until the time of his own land comes; then many nations and great kings will make him their slave. (Jer.27:2-7 NRSV)

1.3. Phase 2: In Christ Jesus, an altered relationship with the Social Powers [Figure 3]

A&E 6/Sn 4: The handwriting of the rules pertaining to us, that was opposed to us, he took out of the center, nailing it to the cross—·stripping off the primal chiefs and authorities; triumphing over them in it, he made a public show of them...·Therefore, let no one judge YOU in the area of food or drink, or for taking part in a festival—whether New Moon or Sabbaths. ·These are but a shadow of the things to come (with) the embodiment of the Messiah. ·Let no one arbitrate against YOU, insisting on a humbling of the mind and a worshipping of the messengers[106]—whose intrusion he (or she) has experienced... ·If, together with the Messiah, YOU have died away from the world—away from its elemental powers[99]—why as though YOU are still living in it, are you being dictated by rules? ·“Do not touch! Do not taste! Do not handle!” ·The usefulness of all such things in accord with human regulations and teachings is ultimately perishable! ·Any one of these—even if holding an expression of wisdom in voluntary piety or in a humbling of the mind or in control of the body—is of zero value to stop the gratification of the flesh. (Col.2:14-18a,20-23 PH)

A&E 7: The glorious Father… ·raised (Christ) from the dead and seated him at his own right hand among the celestial ones, ·far above every primal chiefdom and authority and power and lordship, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come; ·and he…has made him head over all things to the church, ·which is his body... ·He has blessed us with... ·...placement as sons to himself through Jesus... ·and in Christ Jesus has raised us together and seated us together among the celestial ones... ·for by him we both (Jew and non-Jew) have access in one Spirit to the Father. (Eph.1:17,20-22,3-4; 2:6,18 PH)

Sv 1: Those who belong to the Messiah Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ·If we live in the Spirit let us also line up under the Spirit— ·not becoming conceited (by) badgering one another, (or) acting out of envy towards one another. (Gal.5:24-26 PH

Sv 2: The circumcising ones..., so that they may boast in YOUR flesh, desire YOU to be circumcised. ·But I will never boast in anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified to me and I to the world. ·For neither “Circumcised” nor “Foreskin” is anything compared to a new creation! ·And to all who line up under this principle: peace and mercy be upon them, including the Israel of God. (Gal.6:13-16 PH)

 A&E 2 [repeated]: The administration of God’s grace…,· the Mystery of the Messiah… ·…as it has now been revaled (is): ·that in Christ Jesus, through the Gospel, the nations [Gr. ethne] are heirs-together and of the same body-together and partakers-together of his promise…— ·to the intent that now, through the church, the many-and-varied wisdom of God might be made known to the primal chiefs and authorities among the celestial ones (Eph.3:2,4-6,10 PH) 

Sv 3: Not that that I... have already become fully mature! But... ·I am in pursuit of the goal... of the higher calling of God in Christ Jesus. ·Let this be our focus, as many as are mature ones... ·Let us be lining up under that towards which we have come. (Phil.3:12,14-16 PH) 

the nations through his ministry. Those listening glorified the Lord ·but also said to him, ‘…Many thousands among the Judeans believe, and all remain zealots of the Law. ·Yet these have been indoctrinated... that you teach all the Diaspora Jews to forsake Moses—saying not to circumcise their sons and not to walk any longer according to the customs. ·…They will…hear that you have come. We suggest…, therefore, that you take (these) four men… under a vow, ·…purifying yourself together with them, and pay for them them… that they may shave their heads. Then all may know that nothing of what they have been indoctrinated about you is true, but that you yourself are aligning with the Law and guarding it. Then purifying himself with them…, Paul took the men… into the temple {for seven days}...—until the offering should be offered there for each one of them.[109] (Acts 21:18-26,{27} PH)

Sv 5: Abraham’s faith was reckoned towards relational righteousness, ·...not in a ‘circumcised-state’, but in a ‘foreskin-state’ ·...towards his being the father of all...who have faith...— ·(also) those of ‘the Circumcised’ who are so not only out of circumcision but who also line up with the footsteps of the ‘in-a-foreskin-state’ faith of our father Abraham. (Rom.4:9-12 PH)

1.4. Phase 3: After the Social Powers and all other powers abolished, and Death destroyed 

 A&E 10: At his coming, ·...comes the end, when he will have given over the kingdom[110] to God ...the Father—when he will have abolished every primal chiefdom and authority and power. ·For he must reign until he has put all enemies under his feet. ·The final enemy destroyed will be Death. ·For: “He has subjected all things under his feet” [Ps.8:6b]. Now when it says, ‘all things’ are ‘subjected’, this clearly excludes the One who subjected (these) to him. ·And when all things have become subordinate to him, then the Son himself will also be subordinate to the One who put all things under him, so that God may be all in all. (1 Cor.15:23b-28 PH)

Footnotes (Appendix 1)

[99] The ‘elemental powers’ in this text seem to be linked to every ‘primal chiefdom’ and ‘authority’ as positions.

[100] Or ‘the gods’ (NRSV), or ‘the Sons of God’ (one DSS reading), or ‘the angels of God’ (LXX) [footnote to Dt.32:8 in HCSB].

[101] Or ‘the Sons of God’ (Heb. beni elohim). Note that both the author and the Lord treat Satan as not being an actual member of this divine council, as some translations suggest.

[102] Note that when Jesus cites this verse (Jn.10:34-35), he is addressing human beings—namely Judeans in Jerusalem with social power to initiate a public execution (10:22-24,31-33).

[103] This word used by the Greek translation (LXX) of this Psalm is also used by Paul and Luke to identify earthly rulers (Rom.13:3; 1 Cor.2:6; Acts 13:27; 14:5; 23:5). See also how the Hebrew word for ‘princes’ is used in the next text from Dan.10.

[104] The ‘prince’ [Heb. shar; Gr. arkon] over the Persian kingdom (celestial level?) resists a Christ figure (Rev.1:6,13-15) who’s busy with Cyrus, the earthly ‘king of Persia’ (Is.45:11-13; Ez. 1:1-4), suggesting that celstial and earthly Social Powers don’t always act in unison.

[105] Compare this text to Paul’s words (Acts 17:24-2). Also, to how it contradicts Satan’s claim in Luke 4:5-6.

[106] The Greek word angelon can refer to either human beings or angels bringing a powerful message.   

[107] Because of how Paul uses these two words in and Titus 3:1 (A&E 1 & 3), Paul is describing our need to ‘wrestle’ with two kinds of non-flesh-and-blood powerful beings and forces ‘among the celestial ones’: Social Powers (arkee and exousia) and Demonic Powers (kosmo-kratoras and pneaumatika tees poneerias]. If Satan and other demonic powers are fallen 'angels', then Paul has both kinds of celestial beings in mind when he says that neither 'angels' [angeloi] nor 'primal chiefs' [arkee]—nor any other 'powers' [dunameis]—can separate us from God's love for us in Christ (Rom.8:38-39).

[108] Luke is with Paul when he arrives in Jerusalem

[109] Paul does not have a problem 'aligning' himself with the Law, with temple worship and with circumcision as a Jew in the context of fellow Jewish believers (see Acts 18:18; 16:1-3; Rom.3:1-2; 9:4-5)—those who like him ‘line up under’ the principle of ‘relational righteousnss’ by faith and not just by the Law (Sv 5).

[110] At Jesus’ return, the full coming of the Father’s multii-ethnic family kingdom that we have been taught to pray for (Mat.6:9-10) will finally be an earthly reality (Mat.13:41-43).

FOOTNOTES

[111] Based on Mellis’ class notes, 1977 Summer Institute of International Studies, Boulder Colorado (USA). See also [Hiebert 1982: 40]; and for an application of Hiebert’s model to a Folk-Islamic worldviews, see [Musk 1989: 192].

[112] Evolution as a trans-empirical creative force in a secular Western world view (my own comment).

[113] Evolution as an empirical adaptive ‘force’ (my own addition)

Barclay, William (His commentaries also online at: https://www.dannychesnut.com/Bible/WilliamBarclay.htm)

1975a   The Letter to the Romans (Revised), Philadelphia (USA), Westminster Press.

1975b   The Letters to Timothy, Titus and Philemon (Revised), Philadelphia, Westminster.

1976a   The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians (Revised), Philadelphia (USA), Westminster Press.

1976b   The Letter to the Hebrews (Revised), Philadelphia (USA), Westminster Press.

Berkhof, Hendrik

1977     Christ and the Powers. Scottsdale (USA), Herald Press.

Brenton, L.C.L. (translator) available online at: https://www.ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/septuagint/default.asp

1990    Elpenor’s Bilingual (Greek/English) Old Testament (Septuagint),     

Buss, Dietrich G. and Glasser, Arthur F.

1995    Giving Wings to the Gospel: The Remarkable Story of Mission Aviation Fellowship. Grand Rapids (USA), Baker Books.

Hiebert, Paul G.

1982    ‘The Flaw of the Excluded Middle’ in Missiology: An International Review, Vol.X, No.1, (https://web.archive.org/web/20150207083930/http://www.michaelsheiser.com/UFOReligions/FlawofExcludedMiddle.pdf).

Ladd, George Eldon

1981    ‘The Gospel of the Kingdom’, in Winter, Ralph D. & Hawthorne, Steven C., Perspectives on the World Christian Movement: A Reader, Pasadena (USA), William Carey Library, pp.51-69.

Loewen, Jacob A.

1964    ‘Reciprocity in Identification’, in Practical Anthropology, July-August, Volume 11 Number 4, pp.145-160. Also available in Culture and Human Values: Christian Intervention in Anthropological Perspective (Selections from the Writings of Jacob A. Loewen. Pasadena (USA), William Carey Library, pp.27-42. And at the following link: https://books.google.nl/books?hl=en&lr=&id=XUYrjyhxtm0C&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=Loewen+reciprocity+in+identification&ots=fMq3hFyH31&sig=aNvrjq8Ez9Hb_7hwz_zhFp4JSdo#v=onepage&q=Loewen reciprocity in identification&f=false

Martin, Alfred

1971    ‘Epistle to the Ephesians’ in The New Testament and Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Chicago (USA), Moody Press, pp.722-753.

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1997    ‘De Wil van de Vader in een pluralistische samenleving tot uitvoering brengen’, in Drogers, André et.al (e.a.), De stereotyperingen Voorbij: Evangelischen en oecumenischen over religieus pluralisme. Zoetermeer (NL), Boekencentrum. For the English version of this article and the section on ‘The Stoicheia’ see: https://fathermeditations.com/resources/articles/doing-the-fathers-will-in-a-pluralist-society/

2014    The Good News of the Messiah, by the Four Witnesses. Geldermalsen (NL), Goël Publishing (2^nd edition planned for 2023)

2016    Father Meditations. https://fathermeditations.com

2016a  ‘The glorious grace of God’s purpose and will’. https://fathermeditations.com/meditations/1-introductory-meditations/8-the-glorious-grace-of-gods-purpose-and-will-8/

2016b  ‘The Mystery of the Messiah, https://fathermeditations.com/meditations/1-introductory-meditations/6-the-mystery-of-the-messiah-6/

2016c   ‘Access to the Father, Peace and Authority in Christ’ https://fathermeditations.com/meditations/6-jesus-resurrection-and-our-relationship-with-the-father/44-access-to-the-father-peace-and-authority-in-christ-44/

2016d  ‘God is our Father because he wanted us and made us in his image’, https://fathermeditations.com/meditations/appendix-the-father-in-the-tenakh/god-is-our-father-because-he-wanted-us-and-made-us-in-his-image/

2016e  ‘A Father to Israel before the coming of the Messiah’, https://fathermeditations.com/meditations/appendix-the-father-in-the-tenakh/a-father-to-israel-before-the-coming-of-the-messiah/

2016f   ‘The time of inheritance (coming of age) has come’, https://fathermeditations.com/meditations/1-introductory-meditations/4-the-time-of-inheritance-coming-of-age-has-come-4/

2016g  ‘The Father’s grace and the guardian powers’, https://fathermeditations.com/meditations/4-human-guardian-powers-and-the-father/30-the-fathers-grace-and-the-guardian-powers-30/

2016h  ‘Learning to Know the Father as Children and Teenagers’, https://fathermeditations.com/meditations/4-human-guardian-powers-and-the-father/25-learning-to-know-the-father-as-children-25/

2016i   ‘Beginning to exercise authority as an adult son or daughter’, https://fathermeditations.com/meditations/4-human-guardian-powers-and-the-father/26-beginning-to-exercise-authority-as-an-adult-son-or-daughter-26/

2016j   ‘The Spirit: the First Fruits of our Coming of Age’: https://fathermeditations.com/meditations/1-introductory-meditations/5-the-spirit-the-first-fruits-of-our-coming-of-age-5/

2016k   ‘Fathering the Messiah-King of a Worldwide Kingdom’, https://fathermeditations.com/meditations/appendix-the-father-in-the-tenakh/fathering-the-messiah-king-of-a-worldwide-kingdom/

2016m ‘The parable of the Father’s kingdom, https://fathermeditations.com/meditations/3-the-father-in-the-parables-of-jesus/17-the-parable-of-the-fathers-kingdom-17/

2016n  ‘When significance and authority depend on holding a position’, https://fathermeditations.com/meditations/8-barriers-to-knowing-the-father-from-johns-gospel/67-when-significance-and-authority-depend-on-holding-a-position-67/ 

2016o  ‘Relationships in a family kingdom’, https://fathermeditations.com/meditations/9-the-father-social-power-and-church-leadership/68-relationships-in-a-family-kingdom-68/

2016p  ‘The Father of Israel, with the Messiah, is about to do Something New’, https://fathermeditations.com/meditations/appendix-the-father-in-the-tenakh/the-father-of-israel-and-the-messiah-is-about-to-do-something-new/

2016q  ‘Jesus’ Model for Discipling Families and Nations—with the Father’, https://fathermeditations.com/meditations/3-the-father-in-the-parables-of-jesus/23-jesus-model-for-discipling-families-and-nations-with-the-father-23/

2016r   ‘A Mature Approach to Holiness’, https://fathermeditations.com/meditations/4-human-guardian-powers-and-the-father/32-a-mature-approach-to-holiness-32/

2016s   ‘Why Many Christians Retreat from Adult Freedom in the Spirit’, https://fathermeditations.com/meditations/4-human-guardian-powers-and-the-father/31-why-many-christians-retreat-from-adult-freedom-in-the-spirit-31/ 

2016t   ‘Dealing with Divisive Ethnic Group Leaders in the Church in Rome, https://fathermeditations.com/members/other-resources/additional-articles-and-other-materials/dealing-with-divisive-ethnic-group-leaders-in-the-church-in-rome/

2016u  ‘Chief Temptations that come to us in the Father’s kingdom’, https://fathermeditations.com/meditations/2-the-father-in-the-sermon-on-the-mount/15-chief-temptations-that-come-to-us-in-the-fathers-kingdom-15/

2016v   ‘For a Little While Lower than the Angels’, https://fathermeditations.com/meditations/1-introductory-meditations/7-for-a-little-while-lower-than-the-angels-7/

2016w  ‘Faith and Obedience under our Father’s Training, https://fathermeditations.com/meditations/5-suffering-in-the-lives-of-the-fathers-sons-and-daughters/33-faith-and-obedience-under-our-fathers-training-33/

2016x   ‘The Father, Social Power and Church Leadership’ https://fathermeditations.com/meditations/9-the-father-social-power-and-church-leadership/ 

2016y   ‘Overcoming Group Social Power in a Multi-ethnic Church’, https://fathermeditations.com/meditations/9-the-father-social-power-and-church-leadership/70-overcoming-group-social-power-in-a-multi-ethnic-church-70/

2016z   ‘War and Peace versus The Lordship of Christ: A Tale of Two Molds, https://fathermeditations.com/members/other-resources/additional-articles-and-other-materials/a-tale-of-two-molds/

Musk, Bill A.

1989    The Unseen Face of Islam: Sharig the Gospel with Ordinary Muslims, Tumbridge Wells (UK), Monarch Publications.

Newbigin, Lesslie

1989     The Gospel in a Pluralist Society. Grand Rapids (USA), Eerdmans Publishing.

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2018    Love Thy Body: Answering Hard Questions about Life and Sexuality. Grand Rapids (USA), Baker Books.

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2009    His Kingdom Come: An Integrated Approach to Discipling the Nations and Fulfilling the Great Commission. Seattle (USA), YWAM Publishing.

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1981    ‘The Living God is a Missionary God’, in Perspectives on the World Christian Movement: A Reader. Pasadena (USA), William Carey Library.

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1978     The Word Study Concordance, Pasadena (USA), William Carey Library.

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1970     The 25 unbelievable years: 1945-1969. Pasadena (USA), William Carey Library.

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2015     Simply Good News. London, SPCK (and New York, HarperCollins).