Ephesians 1:1-14
1–14. The title in its earliest form is simplest: πρὸς Ἐφεσίους (אABK); with ἄρχεται prefixed (DEFG). The fuller title (τοῦ ἁγίου� L) Παύλου ἐπιστολὴ πρὸς Ἐφεσίους occurs in LP.... [ Continue Reading ]
1–14. The title in its earliest form is simplest: πρὸς Ἐφεσίους (אABK); with ἄρχεται prefixed (DEFG). The fuller title (τοῦ ἁγίου� L) Παύλου ἐπιστολὴ πρὸς Ἐφεσίους occurs in LP.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ͂ ἸΗΣΟΥ͂ (BDP) better than Ἰ. Χρ. (אAGKL). ἘΝ ἘΦΈΣΩΙ. Omitted in א*B* 424** (= 67**WH)δ78. Tert. states that Marcion used this Epistle under the title ‘To the Laodicenes,’ a title supplied perhaps from Colossians 4:16. Cf. _Argum. ad Col. in Cod. Am_. Basil supports the omission (οὕτω γὰρ κα... [ Continue Reading ]
ΧΆΡΙΣ ὙΜΙ͂Ν ΚΑῚ ΕἸΡΉΝΗ. St Paul’s regular greeting, found also in 1 and 2 Peter. It is strengthened by the addition of ἔλεος in 1 and 2 Tim., 2 John. In Jude we find ἔλεος καὶ εἰρήνη καὶ�. Only in James do we find the usual classical χαίρειν. The source (see Hort on 1 Peter 1:2) is probably to be fo... [ Continue Reading ]
3. ΕΥ̓ΛΟΓΗΤῸΣ Ὁ ΘΕῸΣ ΚΑῚ ΠΑΤῊΡ ΤΟΥ͂ ΚΥΡΊΟΥ ἩΜΩ͂Ν ἸΗΣΟΥ͂ ΧΡ. See Hort on 1 Pet. (pp. 27–33) for a full discussion of the whole phrase, εὐλογητός, sc. ἐστιν ‘Worthy of blessing is’; or ‘Blessed be,’ which gives the meaning in English more exactly. In the Greek Bible (LXX., Apoc. and N.T.) εὐλογητός is... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 1:3-14. AN ASCRIPTION OF BLESSING TO GOD The Epistle opens with an act of adoration in view of the eternal purpose of God now made known to men. The stages in the revelation of that purpose and the office assigned to St Paul in regard to it will be described in chap. 3. Here he is dealing... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΝ�, with preceding sentence (LP vg boh goth Ambst Pelag Cassiod); joined with Ephesians 1:5 (lat-vet syr-vg Orig Chrys Hier). 4. ΚΑΘῺΣ ἘΞΕΛΈΞΑΤΟ ἩΜΑ͂Σ ἘΝ ΑΥ̓ΤΩ͂Ι. This blessing corresponds both in its character and in the manner of bestowing it to an antecedent ‘choosing of us in Him’ which was in... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΡΟΟΡΊΣΑΣ. Cf. Romans 8:29; 1 Corinthians 2:7; Acts 4:28; ‘designating’ or ‘appointing’ beforehand, a further definition of Election. The word is not found in LXX., but see Enoch xxxix. 9. ΕἸΣ ΥἹΟΘΕΣΊΑΝ ΔΙᾺ ἸΗΣΟΥ͂ ΧΡ. ΕἸΣ ΑΥ̓ΤΌΝ, ‘to attain the relation of sonship towards Himself through Jesus Chri... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕἸΣ ἜΠΑΙΝΟΝ ΔΌΞΗΣ ΤΗ͂Σ ΧΆΡΙΤΟΣ ΑΥ̓ΤΟΥ͂. Cf. Ephesians 1:12; Ephesians 1:14; Philippians 1:11; 1 Peter 1:7. See Lightfoot and Hort ll. cc. ‘The glory is the triumphant manifestation of the Divine power and grace. The praise is the recognition of these attributes by men.’ The glory of the Father in an... [ Continue Reading ]
ἔσχομεν (א*D* boh aeth), also a variant in Colossians 1:14, where it is supported by B boh and given a place in margin by WH. 7. ἘΝ ὯΙ ἜΧΟΜΕΝ Κ.Τ.Λ. Cf. Colossians 1:14 ‘In whom we “have and hold” our deliverance by means of His blood, that is, the forgiveness of our transgressions.’ Here first in t... [ Continue Reading ]
ἯΣ ἘΠΕΡΊΣΣΕΥΣΕΝ, attr. for ἣν ἐπ. ΠΕΡΙΣΣΕΎΩ is transitive as in 2 Corinthians 4:15; 2 Corinthians 9:8; 1 Thessalonians 3:12 This construction is peculiar to St Paul in the Greek Bible. ἘΝ ΠΆΣΗΙ ΣΟΦΊΑΙ ΚΑῚ ΦΡΟΝΉΣΕΙ, ‘in all wisdom and prudence.’ In Colossians 1:9 the corresponding phrase is ἐν πάσῃ σ... [ Continue Reading ]
ΓΝΩΡΊΣΑΣ ἩΜΙ͂Ν Κ.Τ.Λ., ‘by making known to us the secret of His will.’ The communication of this knowledge of the ultimate purpose of God, as a consequence of the favour that God has towards us, is the root from which the faculties of ‘wisdom’ and ‘prudence’ are developed in us. In Colossians 1:9, c... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕἸΣ ΟἸΚΟΝΟΜΊΑΝ ΤΟΥ͂ ΠΛΗΡΏΜΑΤΟΣ ΤΩ͂Ν ΚΑΙΡΩ͂Ν, ‘with a view to a dispensation or stewardship appropriate to the fulness of the seasons.’ οἰκονομία, see Additional Note. The treasures to be dispensed are the treasures of wisdom and knowledge contained in the ‘secret’ which God has at last made known to... [ Continue Reading ]
11–14. The outline of the whole plan is now before us. The details so far as they affect Christians are filled in (Ephesians 1:11-14), first as regards Jewish Christians (Ephesians 1:11-12), then as regards Gentiles (Ephesians 1:13-14). The act of adoration began from the thought of spiritual blessi... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΚΛΗΡΏΘΗΜΕΝ (אBKLP); ἐκλήθημεν (ADG). Ephesians 1:1-2. THE SALUTATION 11. ἘΝ ὯΙ ΚΑῚ ἘΚΛΗΡΏΘΗΜΕΝ, ‘in whom also we were made God’s portion.’ κλῆρος has lost all sense of the method of distribution and become virtually a synonym for κληρονομία (= settled possession), both words being used freely and... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕἸΣ ΤῸ ΕἾΝΑΙ Κ.Τ.Λ. ‘So that the contemplation of us who of old time as members of the Christ have been full of hope might lead men to give praise for His glory.’ At this point for the first time in the Epistle the distinction of Jewish and Gentile Christians comes to the front; cf. Ephesians 2:1; E... [ Continue Reading ]
13. ἘΝ ὮΙ ΚΑῚ ὙΜΕΙ͂Σ� … ἘΝ ὯΙ ΚΑῚ ΠΙΣΤΕΎΣΑΝΤΕΣ ἘΣΦΡΑΓΊΣΘΗΤΕ. St Paul marks three distinct stages by which the Gentiles passed into their assured position in Christ, hearing, believing, and being sealed. But these stages, though distinct, are organically connected, and the whole process is conceived... [ Continue Reading ]
Ὅ ἘΣΤΙΝ�, ‘who is the earnest of our inheritance.’ The Spirit is the earnest (cf. 2 Corinthians 1:22); not that the full inheritance can contain anything that is not virtually contained in the gift of Him, but our capacity to receive is not yet perfected. ἀρραβὼν is strictly ‘a deposit on account pa... [ Continue Reading ]
ΔΙᾺ ΤΟΥ͂ΤΟ. Because this is our true Christian position. ἈΚΟΎΣΑΣ. Cf. Colossians 1:4; Colossians 1:9, and (virtually) Romans 1:8. This language would be unnatural if the letter were exclusively addressed to the Ephesians. There is nothing corresponding to it in the letters to the Churches of his ow... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 1:15 to Ephesians 2:10. THANKSGIVING PASSING INTO PRAYER FOR SPIRITUAL INSIGHT This section corresponds to the section of thanksgiving which in all St Paul’s Epistles except Gal., 1 Tim. and Tit. follows directly after the salutation. Such a section (see Robinson’s Excursus, pp. 275 ff.) i... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕΥ̓ΧΑΡΙΣΤΩ͂Ν. As Robinson points out (p. 279 note), fresh illustrations of this use of the word as of μνείαν ποιούμενος are to be found in the papyri.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἽΝΑ. See Moulton, _Proleg._ p. 206. Ὁ ΘΕῸΣ ΤΟΥ͂ ΚΥΡΊΟΥ ἩΜΩ͂Ν Ἰ. Χ. Cf. on Ephesians 1:3. Ὁ ΠΑΤῊΡ ΤΗ͂Σ ΔΌΞΗΣ. The Father from whom comes every manifestation of the Divine presence in the world, whether in the history of Israel, in ‘the face of Jesus Christ,’ or in the Church here and hereafter. Cf.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΕΦΩΤΙΣΜΈΝΟΥΣ. Agreeing with ὑμῖν by a not uncommon irregularity, cf. Acts 15:22. The condition out of which they have been delivered is regarded as ‘darkness,’ cf. Ephesians 5:8; Ephesians 4:18 : cf. φωτισθέντας Hebrews 6:4; Hebrews 10:32, and the use of φωτισμὸς of Baptism. ΤΟῪΣ ὈΦΘΑΛΜΟῪΣ ΤΗ͂Σ ΚΑΡ... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑῚ ΤΊ ΤῸ ὙΠΕΡΒΆΛΛΟΝ ΜΈΓΕΘΟΣ Κ.Τ.Λ. For the realization of this hope and the manifestation of this glory we need the constant support of a power not our own. This, too, is supplied with an abundance sufficient to overwhelm all opposing forces. ΕἸΣ ἩΜΑ͂Σ ΤΟῪΣ ΠΙΣΤΕΎΟΝΤΑΣ. This power operates upon an... [ Continue Reading ]
ἫΝ ἘΝΉΡΓΗΚΕΝ ἘΝ ΤΩ͂Ι ΧΡΙΣΤΩ͂Ι. This need not mean more than that God’s power was seen in operation in the case of the Christ, but (see Additional Note, p. 128) it is at least possible that, as in Galatians 3:5, ἐνεργῶν δυνάμεις ἐν ὑμῖν means ‘sets miraculous power to work in you,’ i.e. makes you cen... [ Continue Reading ]
ὙΠΕΡΆΝΩ ΠΆΣΗΣ�.Τ.Λ. Cf. Ephesians 3:10; Colossians 1:16; 1 Peter 3:22. St Paul is using names that were current in Rabbinic speculation with regard to different orders of Angels. See esp. Enoch lxi. 10; the Slavonic Enoch 20; _Test. XII. Patr., Levi 3_, quoted by Thackeray _St Paul and Jewish Though... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑῚ ΠΆΝΤΑ ὙΠΈΤΑΞΕΝ ὙΠῸ ΤΟῪΣ ΠΌΔΑΣ ΑΥ̓ΤΟΥ͂. The phrase is taken from Psalms 8:7, where it describes man’s place in creation (cf. Genesis 1:27-30). The relation between the exaltation of Jesus and the ultimate realization of this part of the eternal purpose is indicated in Hebrews 2:9. The same passag... [ Continue Reading ]
ἭΤΙΣ ἘΣΤῚΝ ΤῸ ΣΩ͂ΜΑ ΑΥ̓ΤΟΥ͂, Ephesians 4:16; Colossians 1:18. This figure is used of the single local Ecclesia, 1 Corinthians 12:12; Romans 12:5. See Hort, _u. s._, p. 161. ΤῸ ΠΛΉΡΩΜΑ ΤΟΥ͂ ΤᾺ ΠΆΝΤΑ ἘΝ ΠΑ͂ΣΙΝ ΠΛΗΡΟΥΜΈΝΟΥ, ‘the fulfilment (perfect expression) of Him who is being fulfilled (perfectly e... [ Continue Reading ]