The Measure Of Christ's Gift

 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he captured captives; he gave gifts to men.” Now what does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower regions, namely, the earth? He, the very one who descended, is also the one who ascended above all the heavens in order to fill all things.” Ephesians 4:7-10 NET

Paul reminds us that God has blessed each one of us with His grace. This grace empowers us to approach Christ, respond to His call, and receive all the blessings He has in store. Amazingly, Paul alludes to the immeasurable nature of Christ's gift, which is as deep as the ocean and as wide as the sea, making it impossible for us to fully comprehend. If we break down the gift itself, it is the restoration of our heavenly identity with the Father, which is a treasure that surpasses all the treasures the world can offer.

Paul references Psalm 68 to support his statement, but a deeper spiritual meaning to the Psalm needs to be understood. Let's consider a few verses to help us understand Paul's point. "God has countless chariots; they number in the thousands. The Lord comes from Sinai in holy splendor. You ascend on high; you have taken many captives. You receive tribute from men, including even sinful rebels. Indeed, the Lord God lives there." (Psalm 68:17-18 NET)

The story in this Psalm unfolds that the Lord is the conquering King seated in the high place where he chooses to dwell. He is also collecting His spoils from those He captured, which in this case are the people He paid for with His blood - humankind who bear the image of God Himself. The King desires nothing in the form of tribute other than the believing loyalty of His subjects. It says that even the sinful rebels can give Him what He wants, which is their believing loyalty. The battle was never against humanity but against the rebellious divine beings who fought against God and His human creations.

The Lord says, “I will retrieve them from Bashan. I will bring them back from the depths of the sea so that your feet may stomp in their blood, and your dogs may eat their portion of the enemies’ corpses." Psalm 68:22-23 NET. This passage talks about a spiritual battle against supernatural forces. The verse mentions "Bashan," which refers to Mount Hermon. Scripture says that angels descended from heaven to Mount Hermon, co-mingled with humans, produced hybrids, and corrupted the holy bloodline, which led to the creation of giants (Nephilim). This was viewed as a direct attack and rebellion against God and his human imagers. The verse in the psalm talks about God retrieving his people from Bashan and bringing them back from the depths of the sea. It also talks about the destruction of enemies, their blood being trampled underfoot, and their bodies being eaten by dogs.

In Ephesians 4:7-10, Paul states that Jesus descended into the lower regions of the earth. This could mean that Jesus boasted to the fallen angels (in the underworld) that He had beaten death, signifying their inevitable fate.  Alternatively, it could suggest that Jesus led captive many who had died in faith but had not received the promise beforehand and are now recipients of God's mercies. Although both of these views are speculative, it is clear that Jesus emerged victorious from death and is now seated at the Father's right hand in heaven.

The statement "He descended and ascended" implies that Jesus can now fill all things. Before coming to earth, He could not do this for creation because He had not experienced it personally. However, by being born as a man, suffering and dying, and then triumphing over death, Jesus has not only experienced all that humanity does but also understands our weaknesses. As a result, He can fill all things, or better phrased, fully perform or consummate all things.

The gospel message is that our God is all-sufficient, knows our every weakness, and fills us with Himself to be our strength when we have none. It is Christ who fights for us and pulls down the strongholds that the enemies of God have held humanity in bondage for generations. Whenever we feel weak, He is strong; whenever we feel helpless, He is our help.

We are saved by grace through the faith of Christ and not by our own works so that no one can boast. This is a gift from God. It's important to note that a dead person cannot have faith or pray, so it's not our faith that is in question, but rather the faith of Christ as a living spirit within us that becomes our salvation.

Stephen Barnett