Paul, (1) an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the (a) faithful in Christ Jesus: (1) The inscription and salutation, of which we have spoken in the former epistles. (a) This is the definition of the saints, showing what they are.... [ Continue Reading ]
(2) Blessed [be] the God (3) and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, (4) who hath blessed us with (b) all spiritual blessings in (c) heavenly [places] in (5) Christ: (2) The first part of the epistle, in which he handles all the parts of our salvation, setting forth the example of the Ephesians. And h... [ Continue Reading ]
(6) According as he hath chosen us in (d) him before the foundation of the world, (7) that we (e) should (f) be holy and without blame (g) before him in love: (6) He declares the efficient cause, or by what means God the Father saves us in his Son: because, he says, he chose us from everlasting in... [ Continue Reading ]
(8) Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ (h) to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, (8) Another plainer exposition of the efficient cause, and also of eternal election, by which God is said to have chosen us in Christ, that is, because it pleased hi... [ Continue Reading ]
(9) To the (i) praise of the glory of his grace, (10) wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. (9) The uttermost and chiefest final cause is the glory of God the Father, who saves us freely in his Son. (i) That as his bountiful goodness deserves all praise, so also it should be set forth a... [ Continue Reading ]
(11) In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; (11) An expounding of the material cause, how we are made acceptable to God in Christ, for it is he alone whose sacrifice by the mercy of God is imputed to us, for the forgiveness of si... [ Continue Reading ]
(12) (k) Wherein he hath abounded toward us in (l) all wisdom and prudence; (12) Now he comes at length to the formal cause, that is to say, to vocation or preaching of the Gospel, by which God executes that eternal counsel of our free reconciliation and salvation in Christ. And putting in place of... [ Continue Reading ]
Having made known unto us the (m) mystery of his will, (13) according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: (m) For unless the Lord had opened to us that mystery, we could never have so much as dreamed of it ourselves. (13) Not only the election, but also the calling proceeds fro... [ Continue Reading ]
(14) That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might (n) gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; [even] in him: (14) The Father exhibited and gave Christ, who is the head of all the elect to the world, at that time which was convenien... [ Continue Reading ]
(15) In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh (o) all things after the counsel of his own will: (15) He applies respectively the benefit of calling to the believing Jews, going back to the very source, so that they also may not at... [ Continue Reading ]
That we should be to the praise of his glory, who (p) first trusted in Christ. (p) He speaks concerning the Jews.... [ Continue Reading ]
(16) In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the (q) word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were (r) sealed with that holy (s) Spirit of promise, (16) Now he makes the Ephesians (or rather all the Gentiles) equal to the Jews, because even though... [ Continue Reading ]
Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the (t) redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. (t) Full and perfect.... [ Continue Reading ]
(17) Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, (17) He returns to the former account of the good received from God, concluding two things together about those things that went before: the first is that all good things come to us from God the Fath... [ Continue Reading ]
(18) That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of (u) glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the (x) knowledge of him: (18) The causes of faith are God the Father enlightening our minds with his Holy Spirit, so that we may embrace Christ revealed to us in the Gospel... [ Continue Reading ]
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the (y) hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, (y) What blessings they are which he calls you to hope for, whom he calls to Christ.... [ Continue Reading ]
(19) And what [is] the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, (19) The excellency of faith is declared by the effects, because the mighty power of God is set forth and shown in them.... [ Continue Reading ]
(20) Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set [him] at his own (z) right hand in the heavenly [places], (20) The apostle wishes us to behold in our most glorious Christ (with the eyes of faith) that most excellent power and glory of God, of which all the faithful are pa... [ Continue Reading ]
Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every (a) name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: (a) Everything, whatever it may be, or above all things, even if they are of ever so much power or excellency.... [ Continue Reading ]
(21) And hath put all [things] under his feet, and gave him [to be] the (b) head over all [things] to the church, (21) So that we should not think that the excellent glory of Christ is a thing with which we have nothing to do, he witnesses that Christ was appointed by God the Father as head over al... [ Continue Reading ]
Which is his body, the (c) fulness of him that filleth all in all. (c) For the love of Christ is so great towards the Church, that even though he fully satisfies all with all things, yet he considers himself but a maimed and unperfect head, unless he has the Church joined to him as his body.... [ Continue Reading ]