Bible Commentaries
Ephesians 1

Verse 1

Eph 1:1. Unlike the preceding epistle, this one is addressed to a single congregation, which was located in the city of Ephesus. It is the same congregation that is mentioned in Revelation 11, which had its start in Act 18:19. Saints and faithful in Christ Jesus are not different people. The second term is just one description of the first.

Verse 2

Eph 1:2. Grace and peace are commented upon at Gal 1:3. In every instance of this kind of passage the point is emphatic that God and Christ are the source of these good things.

Verse 3

Eph 1:3. When, man blesses God it means he gives Him the credit for all blessings or happiness. It is important to note that God is called the Father of Christ. This refutes the doctrine of Rome which is followed by most of the denominational world, that God and Christ are one and the same person. It is foolish to imply that a father and his son could be the same person. All spiritual blessings denotes that no blessings of that kind can be obtained from any source but God and Christ. Places has no word in the original and and it is not useful in this connection. Heavenly is an adjective and used to describe the kind of blessings that are enjoyed in. Christ. They are called heavenly because they originated in Heaven, and are unlike the favors produced on earth.

Verse 4

Eph 1:4. From this verse through 12, the passages have special reference to the apostles. This truth should be kept in mind in order to avoid confusion on the subject of predestination. God never decreed that any certain person should be saved, but He has predetermined what kind of character would be given salvation, then left it to the individual to qualify for the favor. However, God has predestinated certain official facts to be accomplished, and has selected certain ones to be His instruments in bringing about the predestined results. Among the persons who were chosen beforehand for special work were the apostles, referred to here by the pronoun, us, whom Paul says God has chosen in him, meaning Christ. This foreordained plan was formed before the foundation of the world, which means the inhabitants of the earth. The work for which they were previously selected will be named in the next verse, but this one tells the kind of character the apostles must have before they would be permitted to go on with the work. They must be holy and without blame, which pertains to their personal character. This may sound like the doctrine of salvation by predestination, but it is not since they were left as their own agents as to those qualities. If they chose not to qualify for the work they were put out of the plan as was done in the case of Judas.

Verse 5

Eph 1:5. The pronoun us stands for the apostles, whose work (not personal destiny) had been foreordained by the Lord. That work is designated by the phrase adoption of children. The term adoption is proper, since becoming children by birth can be accomplished only by the actions of the prospective parents. But it is possible for "outside" parties to work upon the individuals concrened, in persuading and arranging for them to be adopted into a family. The apostles did such work through the prospective Elder Brother, Jesus Christ. Good pleasure of his will. Sometimes a man will adopt an orphan from a humane motive or feeling for an unfortunate. But God has a pleasure in adopting the needy ones hence He willed it to be done according to the divine plan,

Verse 6

Eph 1:6. The grace or favor of being adopted into the family- of God is a glory to Him as well as a credit of praise for His great benevolence. Receiving men into the close relationship of members in the divine family is an unspeakable blessing to man, but the Lord ordained that such a situation was to be fully acceptable to all parties concerned, and not merely one that was tolerated through a spirit of pity.

Verse 7

Eph 1:7. Whom is a pronoun that stands for the beloved in the preceding verse, who is Christ. The blood of Christ not only made men free from the bondage of the old law, but it brought forgiveness of sins to all who appropriated it through obedience to the Gospel. It is true that the servants under the law received forgiveness of their sins when they offered their sacrifices or animals, but that favor was given them on the merits of the one and final offering of the body of Christ. Hence when a man obtains the forgiveness of sins under the system put forth by Christ, that favor is done by virtue actually invested in the blood so applied. That is why Paul says it is according to the riches of Ms grace.

Verse 8

Eph 1:8. At verse 4 it is stated that many of these verses have special application to the apostles and their official work. It is also noted that even they had to develop certain personal qualifications in order to be retained for that special work. If they chose to maintain such traits (all of whom did except Judas), then the special and miraculous powers necessary for the work were given to them. Hence we have the statement here that God hath abounded toward us [the apostles] in all wisdom and prudence.

Verse 9

Eph 1:9. A mystery is anything not known, whether that is due to its never having been revealed to anyone, or that the story has not yet reached the ears of those to whom it is said to be a mystery. Hence the word does not necessarily mean something that is complicated or made up of ideas that cannot be understood by the human mind. The Gospel is a plain document, and its terms of salvation are within reach of the most ordinary understanding. But it was a mystery as far as the complete system is concerned, until it was made known by the Lord. He chose the apostles as the ones through whom the revelation was to be made, and it was done by giving them the Holy Spirit in great measure. All of this was according to God's good pleasure, and it was a purpose which He formed in himself tong before it was revealed to man.

Verse 10

Eph 1:10. Dispensation of the fulness of times means when the time has fully come for the final dispensation of religion. Gather together in one all things in Christ. God has always had people on earth that were His from a religious standpoint, some of them under the Partriarchal Dispensation and some under the Jewish Dispensation. It was the divine plan to discontinue both of these systems and form a new one in Christ. Which are in heaven. Angels are not required to obey the commands of the Gospel as men are, but they are called upon to recognize Christ as the King and spiritual Ruler through the centuries of the final Dispensation; in this way they are a part of the body of Christ and in that sense are in Christ. (See Mat 28:18; Php 2:9; Col 1:20; Rev 5:13.)

Verse 11

Eph 1:11. The inheritance has special reference to the honorable work of extending the knowledge of the Gospel to all mankind. This was the work for which the apostles were predestinated. Worketh all things. God is powerful enough to accomplish anything that is right, hence whatever he predestines he can bring to pass. Counsel means purpose and advice, and when God formed his purpose concerning the plan of salvation through his Son, his own will was that it should be carried out.

Verse 12

Eph 1:12. The pronoun we represents the apostles, who were chosen beforehand to be the instruments of God in making known to the world the Gospel. Even the decree that the apostles were to be these special agents of God, would not have been completed through them had they not personally become believers in Christ to begin with. This explains why Paul was not given the commission as an apostle until he had first trusted in Jesus, (See Act 9:6 Act 26:16-18.)

Verse 13

Eph 1:13. Ye also refers to the Ephe-sian brethren in general, to whom the apostle is writing this letter. What he says to them as Christians applies to all others in contrast with the apostles. This italicized phrase is proof that what has been said so far in this epistle applies to the apostles officially, and hence does not teach predestination of any man's personal salvation. There are some truths that can be said of all Christians, whether they are apostles, elders, deacons or unofficial members of Christ's body. That is why it will be well for the reader to go back and again take note of all that has been said in the comments on this chapter from the first verse on, then resume his study of the present verse, etc. Trusted has no word in the original at this place, but it is implied in the preceding verse and is therefore justified here. Note the brethren trusted after they heard the truth of the Gospel. This shows that becoming a disciple of Christ is not done by any miracle, except that the whole scheme of salvation is a miracle. In whom is a pronoun standing for Christ (last word of verse 12), in whom only is a Christian sealed (furnished with assuring evidence) by the Spirit which reveals the truth of salvation, by having dictated to the chosen writers (the apostles) the revelation of the Truth. The outward proof of being in the Spirit is the fruit borne by disciples (Gal 5:22).

Verse 14

Eph 1:14. This verse is an illustration drawn from a familiar business transaction involving a considerable value, in which one party makes a "down" payment as an evidence of good faith. It binds the parties to the contract until the time when full payment is to be made and the contract completed. God has promised eternal life to all who enter into this covenant with Him, which is to be bestowed in fact at the day of judgment. This, of course, is on condition that both parties fulfill all the terms of the agreement until the final time comes. This "down" payment is here called the earnest, which literally means a pledge. The pronoun which means that God's earnest or pledge payment is the favor bestowed through the Spirit as shown in verse 13. When the time arrives and God delivers the crown of eternal life to all the faithful "signers" of the agreement, all praise and glory will go to Him.

Verse 15

Eph 1:15. Heard of your faith does not indicate that Paul had never had personal knowledge of these brethren, for Act 18:19 shows he was present when they began their service to Christ. But some time had gassed since he saw them, and hence his present knowledge of their continued faithfulness would come through some reliable report. Love unto all the saints. Faithfulness to Christ includes love for his people (Joh 13:35). Saints is another name for disciples or Christians. because the word means those who have been made holy or spiritually clean by obedience to the Gospel.

Verse 16

Eph 1:16. Paul was thankful for the encouragement of faithful brethren, for that was of more value than temporal favors. Making mention of you. It is a common thing for brethren to specify to God the "objects of their prayers" when asking for divine favors on their behalf, but it is seldom that personal mention is made of those for whose services we should be thankful. Paul's example should have our careful consideration, in which he not only thanked God for the faithfulness of these brethren, but also prayed for the continued favors of the Lord upon them as we shall soon see.

Verse 17

Eph 1:17. This verse states some of the things Paul requested of God on behalf of the brethren at Ephesus. The Almighty is called the God of our Lord Jesus Christ. This statement is not favorable to the heresy that God and Christ are the same person, for it would be nonsense to say anyone could be his own god. Father of glory means that God is the originator and protector of all true glory. Spirit of wisdom. Those were the days of spiritual gifts (chapter 4:7-11), and the gift of wisdom was one of them (1Co 12:8). Revelation was another gift (1Co 14:26) , and Paul wished the brethren to receive it to the extent that it would Increase their knowledge of him, meaning God.

Verse 18

Eph 1:18. Eyes is used figuratively because the physical body gets its light through those organs. It is used to compare the understanding or mental man as being enlightened by the sources of information mentioned in the preceding verse. With such enlightenment the brethren would know or realize the value of their hope that was held out for them by his calling, which means the Gospel call to salvation. On the same principle, they would see how rich is the glory that the saints (this word is explained at verse 15) may inherit in Him.

Verse 19

Eph 1:19. A fundamental thought in this verse is that God's power is great to usward who believe. The power of God does not mean anything to a man who is an unbeliever in the Gospel, which rests upon the resurrection of Christ; but it has saving power to one who does believe (Rom 1:16).

Verse 20

Eph 1:20. The particular working to which the preceding verse refers is here explained to be the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. But the mighty work did not stop with the resurrection; others had been raised from the dead previously. In the case of Jesus, he was raised to die no more (Rom 6:9; Act 13:34), and then was placed in a position of great honor and power at the right hand of his Father.

Verse 21

Eph 1:21. Principality is from a Greek word that has virtually the same meaning as our word "seniority," and is used of Christ because he existed before all other beings or things except his Father. Power especially means "authority," and Jesus said in Mat 28:18 that all "power" (same Greek word) was given to him in heaven and in earth. Might is a little stronger word in the original than the one for power, meaning not only the right or authority to do things, but also the ability to accomplish them., Dominion has special reference to the extent of territory over which one may rule. The statement of Jesus just cited in Mat 28:18 shows that His territory is heaven and earth. This world means this age or the Gospel Dispensation. Jesus will not rule as king after this age closes (1Co 15:24-25), but He will always be exalted above angels and men while the eternal ages roll.

Verse 22

Eph 1:22. This verse is virtually a repetition (in different words) of the thoughts expressed in the preceding verse. All things under his feet means that Christ was made superior to all things. The original word for head is used both for fleshly and spiritual things. When used for the latter, Thayer defines it, "supreme, chief, prominent, master, lord." All things is from one Greek word that is equivalent in meaning to "everything." All things that rightfully is connected with the church is subject to or is regulated by Him. Any movement or work or organization that cannot be shown to be directed by Jesus, has no scriptural relation to His church.

Verse 23

Eph 1:23. Which is his body. This is a fundamental statement, showing that the church of Christ and the body of Christ are one and the same. Fulness of him means that all the spiritual blessings of God are offered to man through the body of his Son.