“However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ. That is why the Scriptures say, ‘When he ascended to the heights, he led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to his people.’ Notice that it says ‘he ascended.’ This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world. And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself.”
Paul winds his way into a side point in these verses that is a bit confusing to follow. Recall from yesterday that he was writing about how there is one God and one faith. We all share one calling. But you know as well as I do that we are not all exactly the same. God has given us each different spiritual gifts, and Paul will get back to describing them in verse 11, which we will read tomorrow.
Paul references Psalm 68:18, and I would encourage you to read all of Psalm 68 in order to understand why Paul would quote this here. This psalm describes the victories of God, including his final victory in which he crushes the head of his enemy. In verse 18, it talks about God receiving gifts from people when he ascended, but Paul mentions God giving gifts. How does this make sense? Remember where Paul began this letter to the Ephesians: a description of how God has adopted us and is giving us an inheritance. In Psalm 68 when God receives gifts and conquers his enemies, how does he divide his spoils? That’s right, he gives it to us as his children.
Here’s your freedom for today: everything God has is yours. When the kingdom of God has come in full, we will be able to walk freely as sons and daughters of God. He will not withhold any good thing. Jesus came and walked among us, stooping down far below his royal position, in order to rescue us. He ascended back up to the throne in victory, having crushed Satan as he overcame death. It’s all his. We’re his. And he loves to give good gifts to his children. We Americans may jump right to thinking about material possessions, but God’s eternal gifts are far greater. We’ll explore this more tomorrow!