[1. Introduction to the Epistle (Ephesians 1:1). (1) SALUTATION (Ephesians 1:1). (2) THANKSGIVING TO GOD FOR — (_a_) _The election of the whole Church before the world began, by the predestinating love of the Father, to holiness, grace, and glory_ (Ephesians 1:3); (_b_) _this election dependi... [ Continue Reading ]
BY THE WILL OF GOD. — This phrase, used in 1 Corinthians 1:1; 2 Corinthians 1:1; Colossians 1:1; 2 Timothy 1:1 (comp. the equivalent expression of 1 Timothy 1:1), appears to be St. Paul’s ordinary designation of the source of his apostolic mission and authority; used whenever there was nothing pecul... [ Continue Reading ]
GRACE BE TO YOU, AND PEACE. — On this, St. Paul’s all but invariable salutation in every Epistle (found also in the Epistles of St. Peter, 2 John, and Apocalypse), see Note on Romans 1:7. (2 _a._) In Ephesians 1:3, the first section of the Introduction, the Epistle ascends at once into “the heavenl... [ Continue Reading ]
It may be noted, as bearing on the question of the general or special character of this Epistle, that (with the single exception of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians, which may be looked upon as virtually a continuation of the First Epistle) all St. Paul’s Epistles addressed to particular church... [ Continue Reading ]
ACCORDING AS (_i.e., inasmuch as_) HE HATH CHOSEN US IN HIM BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD. — Again it should be, _He chose us for Himself._ The eternal election of God is inseparably connected with the blessing of the Spirit. This passage stands alone in St. Paul’s Epistles in its use of this w... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVING PREDESTINATED US UNTO THE ADOPTION OF CHILDREN BY JESUS CHRIST TO HIMSELF. — The idea of Election depends on the union of the sense of actual difference between men, as to privilege and spiritual life, with the conviction of God’s universal sovereignty. Hence, in all cases, it leads back to t... [ Continue Reading ]
TO THE PRAISE OF THE GLORY OF HIS GRACE. — That is, for the acknowledgment by all God’s creatures of the gloriousness of His grace; or, in other words, for the acknowledgment that God’s essential glory is best manifested in His grace — that He “declares His almighty power most chiefly in showing mer... [ Continue Reading ]
IN WHOM WE HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD, THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. — This passage is identical in sense and expression with Colossians 1:14, except that the word here used for “sins” means, properly, “separate acts of transgression,” while the word there is the more general word for sin in the a... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREIN HE HATH ABOUNDED TOWARD US IN ALL WISDOM AND PRUDENCE. — It should be, _which He made to overflow to us in all wisdom and prudence_ — the word “overflow” having an emphasis which our word “abound” has lost, and signifying here that the richness of God’s grace not only fills the soul with the... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVING MADE KNOWN UNTO US THE MYSTERY OF HIS WILL. — In the same connection we read in 1 Corinthians 2:7, “we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery.” The word “mystery” properly signifies a thing which (see Ephesians 3:5; Colossians 1:27) “was hid from all ages, but is now made manifest.” So our Lord... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT IN THE DISPENSATION OF THE FULNESS OF TIMES. — The connection marked in our version seems certainly erroneous. The words should be connected with the previous verse, and translated thus: _which He purposed in Himself for administration_ (or _disposal_)_ of the fulness of the_ (_appointed_)_ sea... [ Continue Reading ]
EVEN IN HIM: IN WHOM ALSO WE HAVE OBTAINED AN INHERITANCE. — We have here (in the repetition, “even in Him”) an emphatic transition to the truth most closely concerning the Apostle and his readers. The word “we” is not here emphatic, and the statement might be a general statement applicable to all C... [ Continue Reading ]
(2 c.) Ephesians 1:11 form the third part of the Introduction, applying the general truth of election by God’s predestination in Christ, first to the original believers (the Jews), and then to the subsequent believers (the Gentiles).... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT WE... WHO FIRST TRUSTED IN CHRIST. — That the reference here is to the first Christians, in contradistinction to the Gentiles of the next verse, is clear. But the meaning of the phrase “who first hoped” (or, more properly, _who have hoped beforehand_) is less obvious. Our version seems to inter... [ Continue Reading ]
IN WHOM YE ALSO TRUSTED... IN WHOM ALSO AFTER THAT YE BELIEVED, YE WERE SEALED. — The insertion of the word “trusted” (suggested by the word “trusted” in the previous verse) is probably erroneous, nor is it easy to find any good substitute for it. It is far better to refer the whole to the one verb,... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH IS THE EARNEST OF OUR INHERITANCE. — On the word “earnest” (_arrhabôn_)_,_ a precious gift, as surety for a fuller gift hereafter, see 2 Corinthians 1:22. The word “inheritance” has a correspondent meaning. It is a present possession (as in Acts 7:5), which shall be developed into a more preci... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER I HEARD OF YOUR FAITH IN THE LORD JESUS, AND LOVE UNTO ALL THE SAINTS. — These words have an almost exact parallel in Colossians 1:4, addressed there to a church which St. Paul had not seen, and have been quoted in support of the belief that this Epistle cannot have been addressed, properly an... [ Continue Reading ]
CEASE NOT TO GIVE THANKS FOR YOU, MAKING MENTION OF YOU IN MY PRAYERS. — Almost all St. Paul’s Epistles are introduced by this union of thanksgiving and prayer, which is, indeed, characteristic of the right harmony of all Christian worship. (See Romans 1:8; Philippians 1:3; Colossians 1:3; 1 Thessal... [ Continue Reading ]
THE GOD OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. — See John 20:17, “I ascend unto My Father and your Father; and to My God and your God.” It has been noted that, while on the cross, our Lord, in the cry, “My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” adopted the common human language of the Psalmist, He here, after His resu... [ Continue Reading ]
THE EYES OF YOUR UNDERSTANDING. — The true reading is _of your heart,_ for which the words “of your understanding” have been substituted, so as to yield a simpler and easier expression. The heart is similarly spoken of in relation to spiritual perception in Romans 1:21; 1 Corinthians 2:9; 1 Corinthi... [ Continue Reading ]
ACCORDING TO THE WORKING OF HIS MIGHTY POWER. — More correctly (see margin), _the working of the might of His strength._ The word “power” is a general word for force, which may be latent, and, in fact, often describes force which is latent, in contradistinction to the word here used for working or e... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH HE WROUGHT IN CHRIST. — The reality of the work of God upon us is insured by the reality of that work upon the true Son of Man, whose members we are, in His resurrection, His ascension, His exaltation over all things at the right hand of God, and His headship of the Church. It is notable that,... [ Continue Reading ]
FAR ABOVE ALL PRINCIPALITY, AND POWER, AND MIGHT, AND DOMINION. — The words here used are intended to include all possible forms of power, corresponding to the exhaustive enumeration in Philippians 2:10, “of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth.” The words rendered “prin... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HATH PUT ALL THINGS UNDER HIS FEET. — See 1 Corinthians 15:25, where St. Paul deals with the quotation from Psalms 8:6, in application to our Lord’s Mediatorial kingdom. In this passage these words fill up the picture of our Lord’s transcendent dignity, by the declaration of the actual subjugati... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FULNESS OF HIM THAT FILLETH ALL IN ALL. — The word _pleroma, “_fulness,” is used in a definite and almost technical sense in the Epistles of the Captivity, and especially in the Epistle to the Colossians, having clear reference to the speculations as to the Divine Nature and the emanations from... [ Continue Reading ]