Little tidbit from something I'm working on in the background about the forgotten triumph of Jesus.
A lot of people interpret Ephesians as being about Jesus reconciling Jews and Gentiles, allowing gentiles to enter the family of God, but the real point is about the triumph of Jesus. Here's a crucial clue to the misunderstanding.
Here's the King James
Ephesians 1:9-10(KJV)
9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
Here it seems like the mystery of his will is to gather together in one all things, the usual interpretation of Ephesians. But now look at this, this is from the 1980s version of the NIV no longer available online, displaced by order of the Publisher, Zondervan, by the newer versions, but still available on my computer Bible:
“9 And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfilment–to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.” Ephesians 1:9, 10, NIV.
Now read this note from the NET (New English Translation) Bible about translations of verse 10. First here's the translation:
Ephesians 1:9-10
New English Translation (NET)
9 He did this when he revealed to us the secret of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, 10 toward the administration of the fullness of the times, to head up all things in Christ—the things in heaven and the things on earth.
Here's the note:
" 25 tn The precise meaning of the infinitive ἀνακεφαλαιώσασθαι (anakefalaiwsasqai) in v. 10 is difficult to determine since it was used relatively infrequently in Greek literature and only twice in the NT (here and Rom 13:9). While there have been several suggestions, three deserve mention: (1) “To sum up.” In Rom 13:9, using the same term, the author there says that the law may be “summarized in one command, to love your neighbor as yourself.” The idea then in Eph 1:10 would be that all things in heaven and on earth can be summed up and made sense out of in relation to Christ. (2) “To renew.” If this is the nuance of the verb then all things in heaven and earth, after their plunge into sin and ruin, are renewed by the coming of Christ and his redemption. (3) “To head up.” In this translation the idea is that Christ, in the fullness of the times, has been exalted so as to be appointed as the ruler (i.e., “head”) over all things in heaven and earth (including the church). That this is perhaps the best understanding of the verb is evidenced by the repeated theme of Christ’s exaltation and reign in Ephesians and by the connection to the κεφαλή- (kefalh-) language of 1:22 (cf. Schlier, TDNT 3:682; L&N 63.8; M. Barth, Ephesians [AB 34], 1:89-92; contra A. T. Lincoln, Ephesians [WBC], 32-33)."
Ephesians isn't about the gentiles being accepted into the family of God, though Paul does touch on the fact that the Gentiles, he's writing to gentiles, and he's been sent to the Gentiles, need to understand that they too are part of the family. Ephesians is about, Jesus being made head over all things, Jesus being given all authority in heaven and in earth, being seated at the right hand of power, Jesus becoming Lord, becoming King of Kings, and more specifically the churches part in implementing his reign. That's what Paul is praying the Ephesians will see.
Here's Ephesians 1:10 in a number of English translations. And here it is in some more English translations. (You have to scroll past the Greek versions to get to the English translations.)