Ephesians 1:3

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 normally applied to God, as having an intrinsic right to the worship of His creatures, εὐλογημένος being used of men as the recipients of the bounty of God. Both words in LXX. represent בָּרוּךְ. In classical Greek εὐλογέω means ‘to praise.’ εὐλογητός: cf. doxologies in Psalms 41:13; Psalms 72:18; Psalms 89:52; Psalms 106:48, and the Song of Zacharias, Luke 1:68. ‘The “blessing” of God by men is no mere jubilant worship, but an intelligent recognition of His abiding goodness as made known in His past or present acts. The use of the same word, whether in Hebrew or in Greek, for what is called the “blessing” of God by man and for what is called the “blessing” of man by God is probably founded on a sense of the essentially responsive nature of such “blessing” as man can send on high.’ (Hort loc. cit. p. 28 b.) So here, εὐλογητὸς … ὁ εὐλογήσας; cf. 1 Chronicles 29:10. ὁ θεὸς καὶ πατὴρ, ‘He, who is at once God and Father’ of our Lord. For the constr. ὁ θεὸς τοῦ κυρίου see Ephesians 1:17; for the combination cf. John 20:17; 2 Corinthians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 11:31; 1 Peter 1:3; Colossians 1:3; Romans 15:6.

‘To Jews and Greeks alike the idea expressed by the name God would be more comprehensive than the idea expressed by the name Father: summing up all such subordinate ideas as those of Maker and Ruler, it would suggest God’s relation to the universe and all its constituent parts, not to that part alone which is capable of sonship. Now the revelation of Fatherhood which was given in the Son of God was assuredly not meant to supersede the more universal name. He whom men had securely learned to know as their Father did not cease to be their God, or to be the God of the world of which they formed a part and in which they moved; and this relation was a primary and fundamental one, independent of the intrusion of evil. It is therefore difficult to see how either relation could have been absent from a Perfect Manhood.’ (Hort loc. cit. p. 29 b.)

τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. See on Ephesians 1:2.

εὐλογήσας. The relation of God to the whole creation from the first (Genesis 1:28) is marked by blessing. But the main thought of the whole section is so deeply coloured by the analogy between the present position of the ‘Israel of God’ and that of the ancient Israel that there can be no doubt that the chief source of St Paul’s language is to be found in ‘the Blessing of Abraham’ (Genesis 12:2 f., Genesis 22:17) which the Gentiles were to inherit; cf. Galatians 3:8; Galatians 3:14. The aorist, as in Ephesians 2:5 f., refers probably to the time of admission to the Covenant.

ἐν, ‘with.’ This instrumental use is not a Semitism. See Moulton, Prol. pp. 61, 103, on the evidence of the papyri.

πάσῃ εὐλογίᾳ πνευματικῇ, ‘every kind of spiritual blessing.’ St Paul has just prayed that they might receive the characteristic blessings of the New Covenant, ‘grace’ and ‘peace.’ His outburst of gratitude marks that not ‘grace’ and ‘peace’ only, but every other spiritual blessing, is already theirs. He selects wisdom and prudence for special mention in Ephesians 1:8.

πνευματικῇ, included in and springing from the gift of the Spirit which they had received (Ephesians 1:13). Contrast the temporal and material blessings characteristic of the old dispensation.

ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις. Phrase peculiar to this Epistle. It occurs Ephesians 1:20; Ephesians 2:6; Ephesians 3:10; Ephesians 6:12. It denotes the home of the Risen and Ascended Lord (Ephesians 1:20) which is now the true sphere of action for the Christian (Ephesians 2:6), whose life in consequence is in continuous relation to spiritual forces both of good (Ephesians 3:10) and evil (Ephesians 6:12). See Intr. pp. xlviii.–lii.; cf. John 14:2; cf. John 12:26.

ἐν Χριστῷ. This pregnant phrase conditions both the giving and the receiving of the blessing. On the one side as God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself (2 Corinthians 5:19), and as Christ Jesus became to us wisdom from God, both righteousness and sanctification and redemption (1 Corinthians 1:30), so this blessing comes to us from God ‘in Christ.’ It is all included in the gift of Christ. On the other hand it is only as we are ourselves personally united with Christ, alive in Him, that we can enjoy any part of the blessing. See Intr. pp. lxii–lxxvi.