_Paul, an apostle by the will of God_ Not by any merit of my own; _to the saints_ Or _holy persons_, as τοις αγιοις properly signifies; _who are at Ephesus_ And in all the adjacent places: for this epistle was not directed to the Ephesians only, but likewise to all the other churches of Asia; _and t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Blessed be God, who hath blessed us_ God's blessing us is his bestowing spiritual and heavenly blessings upon us. Our blessing God is the paying him our solemn and grateful acknowledgments, both on account of his own essential blessedness, and of the blessings which he bestows on us; _with all spir... [ Continue Reading ]
_In_, or by, _whom we have redemption_ By price and by power, are bought and delivered from the guilt and dominion of sin, the tyranny of Satan, and the final displeasure and wrath of God. _Through his blood_ Shed for these purposes; or through what he hath done and suffered; having undertaken the g... [ Continue Reading ]
_Having made known to us_ By his Word and Spirit; _the mystery of his will_ The gracious scheme of salvation by faith, the appointment of which depended on his sovereign will alone; termed _a mystery_, because it was but darkly revealed under the law, is now totally hid from unbelievers, and has hei... [ Continue Reading ]
_In whom also we_ Believing Jews; _have obtained an inheritance_ Namely, that of the promises made to the children of Abraham and of God, even the blessings of grace and of glory, the privileges belonging to the true members of the church militant and triumphant. _Being predestinated_ To it when we... [ Continue Reading ]
_In whom ye_, Gentiles, _also trusted_ Believed and hoped for eternal life; _after ye heard the word of truth_ The word which reveals and attests most important truth, the _faithful saying_, (1 Timothy 1:15,) that Jesus of Nazareth is the true Messiah, the Son of God, who came into the world to save... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wherefore, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus_ That is, of your perseverance and increase therein. For the apostle's manner of speaking does not imply that he received by report an account of their first believing in the Lord Jesus, and therefore that he wrote this epistle to them before... [ Continue Reading ]
_The eyes of your understanding being enlightened_ That is, I pray that God would do this for you by the discoveries of his gospel, and the operation of his grace. Observe, reader, it is by the eyes of the understanding alone that we discern the things of God; and in order hereto these eyes must fir... [ Continue Reading ]
_And hath put_ Greek, υπεταξεν, _hath subjected; all things under his feet_ This is said in allusion to Psalms 110:1, _Till I make thine enemies thy footstool._ The psalm is a prophecy, not only of Christ's exaltation to universal dominion in the human nature, (1 Corinthians 15:27,) but also of the... [ Continue Reading ]