Ephesians 1:7

Ephesians 1:7. In whom we are having. In Christ, as the living sphere of redemption, the purpose already set forth (Ephesians 1:4-5) finds its present accomplishment ‘He it is without whose Person and work we were not redeemed' (Meyer). ‘Are having' points to the continued possession; it should not be weakened into, ‘there is for us.'

Our redemption, lit,. ‘the redemption,' but in this connection ‘our' is the proper rendering. ‘Redemption' means literally, ransoming from, and is here to be understood of our being ransomed from the punishment our sins deserve (including all the results of sin) by the payment of a ransom price by our Redeemer. What that ransom price is, clearly appears; the redemption is through his blood. The expiation set forth in the types of the Mosaic ritual, is really made through the shedding of His blood. Comp. on Romans 3:25, where ‘in His blood' occurs in connection with the same thought. There, however, the reference is more to the objective atonement; here to the redemption accomplished by means of it; hence ‘through' instead of ‘in.' ‘Not the death of the victim, but its BLOOD was the typical instrument of expiation. I may notice that in Philippians 2:8, where Christ's obedience, not His atonement, is spoken of, there is no mention of His shedding His blood, only of the act of His death' (Alford).

The forgiveness of our trespasses. On the word translated ‘forgiveness' as compared with that meaning ‘pretermission,' or ‘passing over,' comp. on Romans 3:25; on the word ‘trespass,' comp. on Romans 5:15. Ellicott distinguishes the two words translated ‘trespasses' and ‘sins,' by taking the former as pointing more ‘to sins on the side of commission, sinful acts; the latter to sins as the result of a state, sinful conditions.' This ‘forgiveness' is the essential part of the redemption.

According to the riches of his grace. God's grace is the ultimate ground of our redemption; that grace has other forms of manifestation, but none greater than that of the atonement through the blood of the Beloved.