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THE K ING ’S BUSINESS
2:33; John 7:39; 14:12), and the gifts were the result o f this bestowal o f the Spirit. The “He” (or, “Thou” ) in the Psalm (Ps. 68:17, 18J clearly refers to Jehovah, and is correctly applied to Christ, for it was in Christ that Jehovah descended and ascended. Paul quotes the Psalm as say ing “ He gave gifts unto men,” but the Psalmist says, “Thou has received gifts for (or, among) men." But the Holy Spirit through Paul has given a true inter pretation-, . for Jesus at His ascension “ received” the Holy Spirit to give Him (and His gifts) to men (Acts 2:33); But what is referred to by the words, “He led (a) captivity captive.” These words refer to a band of captives that Jesus took captive with Him at His ascension. But who were they? Some interpret it to mean Christ’s enemies whom He led, as it were, in a truimphal procession at His ascension. But it was not at 'His ascension that He led His enemies in triumphal procession. That was at the cross. It was in the cross He tri umphed over them (Cob 2:14, 15). The most probable explanation o f these words is that Jesus Christ at His ascensoin led out o f Hades a captivity, i. e., the dead saints there held captive. Certainly Paradise at thè time o f Christ’s death was a part of Hades (Luke 23 :43 ; c f .,Matt. 12 :40); and it is equally certain that since Christ’s ascension Paradise iS' in heaven (2 Cor. 12:2, 4), so a change was made at Christ’s ascension when He emptied the subter ranean Paradise by taking the dead saints to heaven with Him and thus establishing a heavenly Paradise. It is not wise, how ever, to be dogmatic about a view which has only an inferential basis in the Word. Thursday, July 25 . Eph. 4 : 9 , 10 . Paul here tells us that the ascension of Christ was preceded and prepared for by a descent “ into the lower parts o f the earth.” By “the lower parts o f the earth” is meant the subterranean world, i. e., Hades' (cf. Ps. 63:9; Matt. 12:40; 1 Peter 3:19). Hades, according to the Old Testament representa tions, and/according to the words o f our
Lord Jesus Himself (Matt. 12 :40), was in “the heart o f the earth.” The head of one o f our well known theological sem inaries has seen fit to caricature, in a recent tract, this conception, -and to speak o f it as “ the unbelief o f the earfy' Chris tians.” It was more than that, it was the clear teaching o f our Lord Jesus Himself, and to any one who believes in Jesus Christ, His teaching will have more weight than the speculations o f even the head of a theological seminary. This representation o f Christ descending “ into the lower parts o f the earth” rather strengthens the view given above o f the captivity which Christ led captive. It was one and the same per son, Jesus Christ, who descended into the lowest parts, Hades, and who ascended into the highest parts, above all the heavens (cf. Heb. 4:14, R. V .; 7:26). The purpose for which Christ descended into the lower parts o f the earth, and “ascended far above all the heavens” was “that He might fill all things (i. e., with His presence).” Every part o f the universe, heaven, earth and hell, has had the presence o f Jesus Christ, and every part will ultimately be under His sway. Friday, July 26 : Eph. 4 : 11 . Pafil now returns to the gifts that Christ bestows in the church. The “ He” in verse 11 is emphatic. The thought is that He, Jesus Himself, gave the gifts that follow. The Holy Spirit is the immediate giver (1 Cor. 12: 8 -11), but the Spirit is Himself the gift o f Christ (Acts 2:33), and the Spirit acts as a representative o f Christ. What He gives Jesus Christ gives. Paul mentions a variety o f gifts, “ some to, be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; etc.” As usual apostles and prophets are put first (cf. 1 Cor. 12:28), then follow “evangel ists,” a sort o f itinerating class o f pro claimed o f the gospel (cf. Acts 21: 8 ) who went frOm place to place and laid the foun dations for churches with their settled ‘‘pastors and teachers.” These “ evangelists” in ,the early church were very much like our modern evangelists, only they seem to
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