"Misquotes" in the New Testament—Ephesians 4:8
April 17, 2006
Dear Friends
This week we would like to consider another apparent misquote of the Old Testament in the New Testament. As we suggested last week, these changes in the text are intentional to both compare and contrast what is said in the Old Testament. We can think of these misquotes almost like a Biblical highlighter. The writer is highlighting the text by misquoting it to draw our attention to the change. These changes inevitably have significant meaning for us if we will take the time to investigate.
This week we will look at a quote in Ephesians. Paul writes “Therefore it is said, ‘When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.’” (v. 8, RSV) This is a quote from Psalm 68 which reads “Thou didst ascend the high mount, leading captives in thy train, and receiving gifts among men.†(v. 18 RSV) The Psalmist says that the gifts were being received and the Apostle Paul says the gifts were being given. As with last week, this will not be resolved without looking at the reference in Psalms and determining what it is talking about first.
If we study Psalm 68, we will discover that the psalm concerns David victoriously bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. It is peppered with allusions likening the victory of David over the surrounding nations to God bringing the children of Israel out of Egypt. Immediately following bringing in the ark to Jerusalem, David begins to plan the building of the temple. The fact that David is preparing for the building of the temple with his spoils from war hearkens back to the children of Israel spoiling the Egyptians in the Exodus and providing the materials for the tabernacle.
The purpose of the misquote is this; there are at least two occasions when God received gifts from men in the building of the Tabernacle and Solomon’s Temple. Yet, the antitype or reality of those buildings is the body of Christ or the ecclesia. “Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.†(Heb. 8:1,2) In the building of this tabernacle, God gave gifts to men. The former houses were designed by God but built by man. The latter house was both designed and built by God. It is His gift to us.
Paul goes on in Ephesians to explain exactly what gifts he was referring to. It is our brethren. “He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. (Eph. 4:11,12) God gave us brethren who can and do minister to our needs, who build us up and teach us. We strengthen one another. The gifts of the first two buildings were the materials of its construction – gold, silver, linen, etc.. Similarly, the gifts of the true tabernacle are the materials of its construction – us.
“I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.†(Mark 14:58).
Have a great week!
P.S. Many requests have been made to print the TFTW in book form. Since this has been a community effort, I would like to make this book a community effort as well. If there is any particular TFTW that has touched you or that you would like to write a preface for, please contact Kyle Tucker. We will include some of these comments in the book, Lord willing.
