Ephesians 4:8 Why he said, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men. I. THE EXALTATION OF CHRIST. His work was done, and therefore He ascended up on high in His official capacity. II. THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF CHRIST. "When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive." Look at the expression "captivity." Then it seems that the souls for whom He bled and suffered were "captives;" the prophet calls them "lawful captives, and the prey of the terrible." "What! lead them captives again?" Some may be inclined to say, "Oh, it's only being transferred from one captivity to another." First, He overcomes them by grace, and then He leads them "captive" into His blessed and glorious captivity, and leads them to say, "We were in captivity to Satan's malice once; the old serpent held us fast once, but now we are in captivity to the Lord Jesus Christ, to His love, to His sway, to His sovereignty; with His three-fold cord in our hearts, fixed and twined completely round our affections." III. THE TREASURES THAT CHRIST DISTRIBUTES. How grand and glorious is the catalogue of the gifts He gives to believers! He has given all gifts. He never made a saving or exception of any. There is no limit to His bounty. Everything in Christianity is the free gift of God. "He gave gifts to men." In order to condense here as much as I can, I shall classify a little, and just observe, in the first place, the first gift bestowed after His ascension. "If I go not away, the Comforter will not come; but if I go away, I will send Him to you, and when He is come He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance." So that this is the first ascension gift. Oh, what an amazing gift! There is another gift that we must mention. When He "ascended up on high," He gave the gift of imputed righteousness to those new-created souls of whom the Holy Ghost became the Teacher. (J. Irons.) Parallel Verses KJV: Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.WEB: Therefore he says, "When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men." |
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