Ephesians · Chapter 1

V. 1. By the will of God-Not by any merit of my own.

To the saints who are at Ephesus-And in all the adjacent places. For this epistle is not directed to the Ephesians only, but likewise to all the other churches of Asia.

Verse 1. To the saints which are at Ephesus] As some learned men think that this epistle was written to the Church of the Laodiceans, and that the words en efesw, in Ephesus, were not originally in this epistle, the consideration of the subject has appeared to be more proper for the preface; and to that the reader is referred for a particular discussion of this opinion. By the term saints we are to understand those who in that place professed Christianity, and were members of the Christian Church. Saint properly signifies a holy person, and such the Gospel of Christ requires every man to be, and such every true believer is, both in heart and life; but saint appears to have been as ordinary a denomination of a believer in Christ in those primitive times, as the term Christian is now. Yet many had the name who had not the thing.

The faithful in Christ Jesus] pistoiv. the believers-the persons who received Christ as the promised Messiah, and the Saviour of the world, and continued in the grace which they had received.

Verses 1, 2. Paul, an apostle by the will of God — Not by any merit of my own; to the saints — Or holy persons, as toiv agioiv 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 to the faithful in Christ Jesus — Or the believers, as the word pistov is rendered Acts 10:45; 2 Corinthians 6:15; and 1 Timothy 4:3, 10, 12. There seems to be no reason to suppose that the apostle gave the Christians at Ephesus this title on account of their being remarkably faithful to Christ, in relying on him alone for salvation, without that attachment to the Mosaic law, which was found in some other churches, and particularly among the Galatians. For we find he uses the same title when addressing the Colossians, (Colossians 1:2,) whom yet he reproves on this very account, Ephesians 2:16. Grace be to you, &c. — See on Romans 1:7.

1. Paul—Note, Romans 1:1. Apostle of—Of, importing belonging to, rather than sent by. By the will—As Paul anticipates no opposition to his apostleship, he does not, as in the case of his letter to the Galatians, (Galatians 1:1,) emphatically assert it, but gracefully assumes it. Saints—Properly the ordinary title of all Church members. Faithful— Importing both first belief and a continued fidelity.

Verse 2. Grace be to you] See Clarke’s note on “Romans 1:7”.

Verses 1, 2. Paul, an apostle by the will of God — Not by any merit of my own; to the saints — Or holy persons, as toiv agioiv 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 to the faithful in Christ Jesus — Or the believers, as the word pistov is rendered Acts 10:45; 2 Corinthians 6:15; and 1 Timothy 4:3, 10, 12. There seems to be no reason to suppose that the apostle gave the Christians at Ephesus this title on account of their being remarkably faithful to Christ, in relying on him alone for salvation, without that attachment to the Mosaic law, which was found in some other churches, and particularly among the Galatians. For we find he uses the same title when addressing the Colossians, (Colossians 1:2,) whom yet he reproves on this very account, Ephesians 2:16. Grace be to you, &c. — See on Romans 1:7.

2. Grace—The first of all blessings. And peace—The blessed result. God—The first fountain of grace. Christ—The great maker of peace. The benediction is the beautiful precursor of the delightful sunshine reigning through the whole epistle. Though a prisoner’s chain was on his arm, the rapture of blessing was in the apostle’s heart. THE DIVINE SIDE OF THE PROCESS OF FOUNDING A HOLY, GLORIOUS CHURCH, Ephesians 1:3-3:21.

V. 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us-God's blessing us is his bestowing all 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 upon us. He is the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, as man and Mediator: he is his Father, primarily, with respect to his divine nature, as his only begotten Son; and, secondarily, with respect to his human nature, as that is personally united to the divine.

With all spiritual blessings in heavenly things-With all manner of spiritual blessings, which are heavenly in their nature, original, and tendency, and shall be completed in heaven: far different from the external privileges of the Jews, and the earthly blessings they expected from the Messiah.

Verse 3. Blessed be the God] See Clarke’s note on “2 Corinthians 1:3”, where the same form is used.

With all spiritual blessings] With the pure doctrines of the Gospel, and the abundant gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost, justifying, sanctifying, and building us up on our most holy faith.

In heavenly places] en toiv epouranioiv. In heavenly things, such as those mentioned above; they were not yet in heavenly places, but they had abundance of heavenly things to prepare them for heavenly places. Some think the word should be understood as signifying blessings of the most exalted or excellent kind, such as are spiritual in opposition to those that are earthly, such as are eternal in opposition to those that are temporal; and all these in, through and by CHRIST. We have already seen, on Galatians 4:26, that the heavenly Jerusalem, or Jerusalem which is from above, is used by the Jews to signify the days of the Messiah, and that state of grace and glory which should follow the Levitical worship and ceremonies; and it is possible that St. Paul may use the word epourania, heavenly things, in this sense: God hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things, or in this heavenly state, in which life and immortality are brought to light by the Gospel. This is apparently the preferable sense.

Verses 3-6. 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 spiritual blessings — The spiritual blessings here spoken of are such as are necessary to the perfection and happiness of our spirits; namely, the light of the gospel, the influences of the Spirit of God, the pardon of sin, adoption into God’s family, the sanctification of our nature, and eternal life. These blessings are here opposed to the earthly blessings which were promised to the natural descendants of Abraham, the ancient church of God, which consisted in the possession of Canaan, in victory over their enemies, fruitful seasons, &c, as described Deuteronomy 28. To these, and such like blessings, Abraham’s seed, by faith, were entitled by the promise, In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. In heavenly places — Or rather, In heavenly things, as en toiv epouranioiv, it seems, ought to be here translated. Certainly, we must enjoy spiritual blessings in heavenly things, before we can enjoy them in heavenly places; namely, blessings which are heavenly in their nature, original, and tendency, and shall be completed in heaven; far different from the external privileges of the Jews, and the earthly blessings they expected from the Messiah. According as he hath chosen us in him — Both Jews and Gentiles, whom he foreknew as believing in Christ, 1 Peter 1:2. That he speaks of such, and of such only, is evident from verses 12-14, where see the notes. Indeed, none but true believers in Christ, none but those whose faith in him works by love, are ever termed, in the New Testament, God’s chosen, or elect. For the election spoken of in the New Testament is not the election of individuals, out of the mass of mankind, to repent, believe, and obey, passing by the rest; but it is the election of such as are already possessed of faith, love, and a new nature, to be the people and children of God; which election it behooves them to make sure, by aspiring after a larger measure of these, and of all other graces and virtues, and by enduring to the end, 2 Peter 1:10. Before the foundation of the world — Or, before the world began. This, as Macknight observes, “being said of the Ephesian brethren in general, it cannot be an election of the whole of them as individuals” [unconditionally] “to eternal life;” but must be that election, which, before the foundation of the world, God made of true believers, of all nations, to be his children and people, and to enjoy the blessings promised to such. That we should be holy — Dedicated to God, employed for him, and transformed into his image; and without blame — As to our whole spirit and conduct; before him — Or in his sight, who searches the heart, and observes all our ways. As the election here spoken of is an election of believers to be holy, all such ought continually to keep in mind this end of their election, that they may press on toward it more and more. In love — To God, his people, and all mankind, the source of all true holiness; Having predestinated, or fore-appointed, us — Who do now, or shall hereafter, believe in him with our heart unto righteousness; unto the adoption of children — For those who receive Christ, namely, in all his offices and characters, or who believe aright in him, enjoy the dignity of being his children and heirs, and joint heirs with Christ. See on John 1:12; Galatians 3:26. According to the good pleasure of his will — According to his free, fixed, and unalterable purpose to confer these blessings on all those who believe in Christ, and those only. Of the word proorizw, here, and frequently elsewhere, rendered to predestinate, see the notes on Romans 8:29, 30. To the praise of the glory of his grace — His glorious, unmerited, and free love, without any desert on our part; wherein he hath made us accepted — Greek, ecaritwsen, he hath taken us into favour, namely, his peculiar favour; in the Beloved — In Christ, his beloved Son, through whom, though in ourselves we are so unworthy of them, we receive these inestimable blessings.

I. ITS ETERNAL DIVINE ORIGINATION IN PURPOSE, 3-23.

1. An eternal election of all believers, 3-8.

St. Paul opens by an affirmation of God’s abounding goodness in that he has chosen us to, (verse 4,) predestinated us to, (5-8,) and made revelations to us of, (8, 9,) the grand final summation of all things in Christ (ver. 10).

3. Blessed—First emphatic word and keynote to the rich and joyous tone of the whole paragraph. As the Greek word in both the New Testament and Septuagint is applied to God alone, so it signifies blessed, as God alone is blessed, divinely blessed. This eucharistic word the apostle uses to indicate, with holy gratitude, that the election for which he gives thanks is based in the eternal nature of God. For God does eternally, by his very nature and affinity, prefer and elect that which is holy, or freely consents to become so. See our note on “the true doctrine of the Church” touching election, vol. iii, p. 349. God… of… Christ—Ellicott decides that most probably Father is only applied to Christ, and not God… God and the Father of, etc. Blessed us—Alford well says, that “God’s blessing is in facts, ours only in words.” Heavenly places—Places is not in the original, but is supplied by the translators, as is shown by the italics. The Greek adjective epouranioiv, signifying pertaining to the heavenly regions, may imply either places or things: in verse 20, 2:6, 3:10, and 6:12, places is required. The same Greek adjective in Matthew 18:35 (which in the Lord’s prayer, Matthew 6:9, is rendered “who art in heaven”) includes the entire comprehension of God’s omnipresence. In <502910> Philippians 2:10, it implies the heavenly inhabitants, the angels. In 1 Corinthians 15:48 it twice designates those from heaven—who are heavenly in nature. In 2 Timothy 4:18, it denotes the heavenly kingdom, and in Hebrews 3:1, heavenly calling. So in Hebrews 6:4; 8:5; 9:23, the adjective presupposes things heavenly in nature, origin, or relation, yet earthly in place.

The adjective may, therefore, imply place, that is, the heavenly region; or it may mean things on earth that are redolent of that place. As place, the word as variously used by St. Paul is very generic in its applications, embracing, if we collect all its uses, the entire spirit-world, all that is super-mundane or superhuman. So ver. 20, it implies the highest heavens, the right hand of God. In Ephesians 3:10, the angelic abodes. In Ephesians 6:12, it takes in the aerial battlefield with demoniac powers: that is, the air of Ephesians 2:2, where see note. In this verse it means clearly things on earth which are heavenly in quality. Hence, differing from Alford, Ellicott, and others, we think that here the phrase should be rendered heavenly things. For surely it was not in supermundane localities that the Ephesians enjoyed their spiritual blessings. They lived and enjoyed on earth.

EPHESIANS

DIVISION I

DOCTRINE.

CHAPTERS 1:3-3.

SECTION 2. PRAISE FOR GOD’S ETERNAL

PURPOSE OF MERCY TO JEWS AND GENTILES.

CH. 1:3-14.

Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, according as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before Him, in love having foreordained us to adoption through Jesus Christ for Him, according to the good pleasure of His will, for praise of the glory of His grace, which grace He gave to us in the Beloved One.

In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to the good pleasure which He purposed in Him, for the dispensation of the fulness of the seasons, to gather up together all things in Christ, those in the heavens and those on the earth; in Him, in whom also we were made a heritage, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we should be for praise of His glory who had before hoped in the Christ. In whom also ye, having heard the word of the truth, the Gospel of your salvation-in whom also having believed ye were sealed with the Spirit of promise, the Holy Spirit, which is an earnest of our inheritance for redemption of the possession, for praise of His glory. Section 2 contains three clearly marked divisions, each closing with a solemn refrain: Ephesians 1:3-6; Ephesians 1:7-12; Ephesians 1:13, 14.

Ver. 3. An outburst of praise, beginning word for word as in 2 Corinthians 1:3.

God, the Father: or more literally God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Object of Paul’s praise unites in Himself two titles: He is God and He is also the Father of Christ. See under Romans 15:6. Christ, our Master, spoke constantly of God as His Father: and thus gave to men a new conception of God, and to God a new name among men. Blessed: literally spoken-good-of: see under Romans 1:25. Paul desires that the goodness of God be recognized by the praises of His creatures. The word blessed introduces a song of praise.

We bless God because He first has blessed us. The meaning of blessing from God to man may be learnt from the O.T. where the phrase is frequent; a good example in Deuteronomy 28:36. It there denotes enrichment with the highest good, especially with such good as only God can give. The form of the Greek word bless reminds us that these benefits are conveyed to us by the speaking voice of God.

Spiritual: pertaining to the Spirit of God; the usual meaning of the word. See under Romans 1:11.

Spiritual blessing: enrichment wrought by the Holy Spirit and therefore pertaining to the realm of spiritual things.

Every spiritual blessing: suggests variety of such benefits, and asserts that no kind of spiritual enrichment is wanting to us.

Heavenly-places or heavenly-things, literally the heavenlies: same word in 1 Corinthians 15:40, 48, 49 where evidently it denotes things pertaining to heaven. So <502910> Philippians 2:10.

In the heavenly places: Ephesians 1:20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12, denoting in each case the supramundane world, and in all but the last the world of heavenly blessedness. And this gives good sense here. The good things with which God has enriched us belong to heaven, and will be there enjoyed. And since already (Philippians 3:20) our citizenship and (Matthew 6:20) our treasure are in heaven, Paul could say that God has already blessed us in the heavenly places. By forming the purpose expounded in Ephesians 1:4, 5, He has already enriched us: and the riches thus given are laid up for us amid the good things in heaven, where neither accident nor decay can destroy or lessen them.

To the locality of this blessing, viz. in heaven, Paul adds its personal element: in Christ. Our spiritual enrichment is a result of events which took place in the personality of Christ, His birth, death, resurrection, and ascension, a result conditioned by inward spiritual contact with Him. Cp. 2 Corinthians 5:19, God was, in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself.

It is needless to ask whether Paul refers here to blessing given to men once for all when God gave Christ to die, or given when each one appropriates by faith the various blessings resulting from the events of His human life. For both personal faith and the historic facts are essential links of the chain of blessing: and therefore in Paul’s thought they were indissolubly joined.

V. 4. As he hath chosen us-Both Jews and Gentiles, whom he foreknew as believing in Christ, 1 Peter 1:2.

Verse 4. According as he hath chosen us in him] As he has decreed from the beginning of the world, and has kept in view from the commencement of the religious system of the Jews, (which the phrase sometimes means,) to bring us Gentiles to the knowledge of this glorious state of salvation by Christ Jesus. The Jews considered themselves an elect or chosen people, and wished to monopolize the whole of the Divine love and beneficence. The apostle here shows that God had the Gentiles as much in the contemplation of his mercy and goodness as he had the Jews; and the blessings of the Gospel, now so freely dispensed to them, were the proof that God had thus chosen them, and that his end in giving them the Gospel was the same which he had in view by giving the law to the Jews, viz. that they might be holy and without blame before him. And as his object was the same in respect to them both, they should consider that, as he loved them, so they should love one another: God having provided for each the same blessings, they should therefore be agiouv, holy-fully separated from earth and sin, and consecrated to God and amwmouv, without blame-having no spot nor imperfection, their inward holiness agreeing with their outward consecration. The words are a metaphor taken from the perfect and immaculate sacrifices which the law required the people to bring to the altar of God. But as love is the fulfilling of the law, and love the fountain whence their salvation flowed, therefore love must fill their hearts towards God and each other, and love must be the motive and end of all their words and works.

Verses 3-6. 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 spiritual blessings — The spiritual blessings here spoken of are such as are necessary to the perfection and happiness of our spirits; namely, the light of the gospel, the influences of the Spirit of God, the pardon of sin, adoption into God’s family, the sanctification of our nature, and eternal life. These blessings are here opposed to the earthly blessings which were promised to the natural descendants of Abraham, the ancient church of God, which consisted in the possession of Canaan, in victory over their enemies, fruitful seasons, &c, as described Deuteronomy 28. To these, and such like blessings, Abraham’s seed, by faith, were entitled by the promise, In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. In heavenly places — Or rather, In heavenly things, as en toiv epouranioiv, it seems, ought to be here translated. Certainly, we must enjoy spiritual blessings in heavenly things, before we can enjoy them in heavenly places; namely, blessings which are heavenly in their nature, original, and tendency, and shall be completed in heaven; far different from the external privileges of the Jews, and the earthly blessings they expected from the Messiah. According as he hath chosen us in him — Both Jews and Gentiles, whom he foreknew as believing in Christ, 1 Peter 1:2. That he speaks of such, and of such only, is evident from verses 12-14, where see the notes. Indeed, none but true believers in Christ, none but those whose faith in him works by love, are ever termed, in the New Testament, God’s chosen, or elect. For the election spoken of in the New Testament is not the election of individuals, out of the mass of mankind, to repent, believe, and obey, passing by the rest; but it is the election of such as are already possessed of faith, love, and a new nature, to be the people and children of God; which election it behooves them to make sure, by aspiring after a larger measure of these, and of all other graces and virtues, and by enduring to the end, 2 Peter 1:10. Before the foundation of the world — Or, before the world began. This, as Macknight observes, “being said of the Ephesian brethren in general, it cannot be an election of the whole of them as individuals” [unconditionally] “to eternal life;” but must be that election, which, before the foundation of the world, God made of true believers, of all nations, to be his children and people, and to enjoy the blessings promised to such. That we should be holy — Dedicated to God, employed for him, and transformed into his image; and without blame — As to our whole spirit and conduct; before him — Or in his sight, who searches the heart, and observes all our ways. As the election here spoken of is an election of believers to be holy, all such ought continually to keep in mind this end of their election, that they may press on toward it more and more. In love — To God, his people, and all mankind, the source of all true holiness; Having predestinated, or fore-appointed, us — Who do now, or shall hereafter, believe in him with our heart unto righteousness; unto the adoption of children — For those who receive Christ, namely, in all his offices and characters, or who believe aright in him, enjoy the dignity of being his children and heirs, and joint heirs with Christ. See on John 1:12; Galatians 3:26. According to the good pleasure of his will — According to his free, fixed, and unalterable purpose to confer these blessings on all those who believe in Christ, and those only. Of the word proorizw, here, and frequently elsewhere, rendered to predestinate, see the notes on Romans 8:29, 30. To the praise of the glory of his grace — His glorious, unmerited, and free love, without any desert on our part; wherein he hath made us accepted — Greek, ecaritwsen, he hath taken us into favour, namely, his peculiar favour; in the Beloved — In Christ, his beloved Son, through whom, though in ourselves we are so unworthy of them, we receive these inestimable blessings.

Verse 4, 5. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in love. What words of consolation! The full soul of the apostle flows without restraint, while he opens the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. Having predestinated us to the adoption of sons, the heavenly Father blesses his family with all the treasures of grace and glory. St. John opens his epistle to the seven churches with the same eulogies: “Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests to God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever.” St. Peter consoles the churches scattered through proconsular Asia in the same manner, (though cursed and excommunicated by the jews) calling them “Elect, according to the foreknowledge of God, through sanctification of the Spirit to obedience; a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, to show forth the praises of him who had called them out of darkness into marvellous light.” What better could they do than to give a suffering people the plenitude of Abraham’s covenant, and Israel’s hope? But it could not be supposed that the serpent would allow the churches to enjoy these sweet fruits of the tree of life, without endeavours to empoison their food with endless disputations about providence and grace; subjects far surpassing the ken of mortals. Oh the depth! “Lucifer — sat apart, and reasoned high

On providence, foreknowledge, will and fate,

Free-will, fixed fate, foreknowledge absolute,

And found no end, in wandering mazes lost.

MILTON.

Augustine, a father who often changed his opinions, when writing against the Pelagians, regards mankind as lost in a common mass, and affirms “that God predestinated some to eternal life, not by a foresight of their merit, but of his own good pleasure to show his mercy; but the rest in the same mass, he has reprobated from the celestial kingdom, not by a foresight of their personal demerit, but for his own good pleasure, to show his divine righteousness in leaving them in the perdition to which they were justly adjudged.” Cæteros vero in eadem massa reliquit à cœlesti regno probatos, non ex eorum suæ voluntatis beneplacito ad ostensionem divinæ justiæ perditos in sua perditione justo judicio deserentis. These are the doctrines now called Calvinism, which disturbed the peace of the church in the fifth century, and still divide the communion of christians. When St. Hilary became acquainted with the effects of those doctrines, he wrote most respectfully to acquaint Augustine, that many were publishing in different parts of France those novum et inutile, novel and useless doctrines, as he is pleased to call them.

PROSPER, about the same time, admonished Augustine of the same things; adding, that though many fathers had written against the Pelagian heresy, yet they had never consigned any man to the hatred of God without assigning reasons. FAUSTUS, a French bishop, and after him St. Jerome, speak to the same effect.

James Sodolet, another bishop of that age, says in his comment on Romans 8:30, Deus neminem ex solo divinæ voluntatis arbitrio aut elegit, aut reprobat, sed hunc elegit, quia prænovit eum non aspernaturum divinum vocationem, et fidei lumen non aversaturum: illum verò reprobat, quia prævidit ipsum oppositurum obicem divinæ vocationi, et divimam gratiam repudiaturum. “God of his mere good pleasure neither elects nor reprobates any man; but one he elects, because he foreknows him, as not despising his divine vocation, nor receding from the light of faith. Another he reprobates, because he foresees him about to oppose the end of his calling, and repudiate the attractions of grace.”

Thus it was that one controversy arose out of another, and so serious were the disputations about predestination in the fifth century that the council of Chalons took up the subject, and condemned the opinions of those who had made a wrong use of Augustine’s doctrine of grace. The fathers of that council were horrified at the idea, that God should reprobate any man for his mere good pleasure, and make him as miserable as sin and hell can make a rational being, once bearing the image of his Maker, and blessed in Adam. Such an idea is revolting to all the moral feelings of the heart, and hostile to the gracious cares of Him whose tender mercies are over all his works.

4. According as—The blessing of us by the blessed One is in full accordance with his eternal choice of us. But who are this us? This is a most important question in determining the meaning of this epistle. The objects of choice must present to the Chooser the proper qualities, either seen or foreseen, in order to being intelligently chosen. They cannot be mere characterless blanks. Nor are they personal or impersonal entities in which exist no qualities, conditions, or suitableness for being chosen rather than not, for that makes the Chooser act without a wise reason. But they are those who present the proper rational conditions of the divine choice, namely, submitting and believing men.

We may say that in the section 3-12 St. Paul uses the first person plural of the personal pronoun, namely, we, us, and our, thirteen times in all, which, while it explicitly includes himself and the Ephesians, it also, by implication, takes in all believers. With verse 13 commences the second person, used mainly throughout the epistle. It applies specially to the Ephesians, with much that is inferentially true of all believers. In verse 14 the our refers to the Ephesians and himself directly, and all other believers inferentially.

Hath chosen—The Greek is a word full of force—chose out for himself. The prefix ek, out from, implies an unchosen remainder really or conditionally left, which remainder constitutes the anti-Church of chapter Ephesians 5:1-21. This choice was part of the grand divine ideal, the universal restoration of verse 10. In him—In Christ; as the mystical embodiment of the redemption in whom it was the divine idea and purpose of God’s mercy that all should be gathered, verse 10. Before the foundation of the world—The world is here figured as a building; and the builder as laying his plans for the transactions in the house before he lays its foundations. And as the builder is no less than the Eternal, so this before sends our thoughts back into the deep, dim, anterior eternity. And, then, Paul’s glad thought is, that salvation and the Church being gathered from out the world, is not a human thing of to-day, but a divine thing from eternity. The choice of a sinner conditioned upon his faith, now first objectively performed, is traced far back into the divine mind, as in a mirror; the mind that, foreseeing all things, and precognizing the evil to result from the misdirected freewill of finite man, provides and adjusts them with the good, so that the highest good is ultimately attained. The fact that God chooses—chooses us from all eternity, chooses us out from the world, chooses us from his divine good pleasure—does not in the slightest degree countenance the inadmissible idea that God does not know and foreknow what he is choosing, as well as the reasons both without the man and within the man on account of which he is chosen. Scripture most decisively shuts out from the text such an idea. The apostle puts foreknowledge as antecedent to predestination. “Whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate,” Romans 8:29, where see our notes. So also 1 Peter 1:2: “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God.” And this election is made definite, individual, and sure by our performance of the human condition: 2 Peter 1:10, “Give diligence to make your calling and election sure.” So that this elective purpose, as ideal purpose in eternity, becomes objective and real divine act in time.

In this present paragraph, Paul says little about conditions, and nothing to exclude them. He says little about them because it is not the human but the divine side of this election upon which he is now, with grateful rapture, expatiating. The human side comes in at Ephesians 2:4. Preaching to unconverted men, he would make the condition the main topic, calling upon them to enter, by faith and repentance, into the range of God’s eternal conditional purpose, by which he, from all eternity, chooses all who truly believe.

That we should be holy—As faith is the condition upon which we are elected, so holiness, blamelessness, and eternal life, are the results for which and to which we are elected. See note on Romans 8:29. Holy and without blame—”The positive and negative aspects,” says Ellicott, “of true Christian life.” Before him—Blameless even under His dread scrutiny. In love—Meyer, Ellicott, and others, join this to predestinated; making a predestination in love. To this Afford objects, conclusively, that all the three leading verbs, chosen, predestinated, made known, being co-ordinate with each other, have no qualifying phrase prefixed, but lead and give the drift of what follows. Love is the element in which the forgiven soul is held before God as without blame, not justice or innocence in the past; love, as from God and reciprocated to God.

Ver. 4. According as He chose us etc.: traces up this blessing, given by God to men in time, to its eternal source and counterpart, viz. a corresponding purpose of God before time began.

Chose us, or more fully, selected for-Himself: He took a smaller out of a larger number. See note under Romans 9:13.

Us: further defined in the fundamental Gospel of Paul, Romans 1:16, 17; 3:21, 22, as those who believe the Gospel. Not that their foreseen faith in any way moved God to save them; but that, moved only by pity for lost man, God resolved to save men by means of the good news announced by Christ, and to save those who should believe it.

In Him; expounds and justifies in Christ in Ephesians 1:3. Before the foundation of the world: same words in John 17:24; 1 Peter 1:20; instructive parallels. Before God began to make the great platform on which have lived the successive generations of men, all future ages were present to His thought: and in view of the sin and ruin which He foresaw, He resolved to save men; not all men indiscriminately, but those who should believe the Gospel; and to place these in special relation to Himself as His own. An interesting parallel in 2 Timothy 1:9. Of that eternal purpose, the salvation of each man is a corresponding realization in time: according as etc. And, inasmuch as this purpose could be accomplished only through the agency and the death of Christ and by spiritual contact with Him, it has special reference to Him. In this sense, God chose us for Himself in Christ.

Holy: subjectively holy, as in 1 Corinthians 7:34; see note under Romans 1:7. For it describes here God’s purpose touching what we are to be, viz. unreservedly loyal to Himself; not, as in Ephesians 1:1, a character already possessed, viz. that of men whom God has claimed for His own and who, by that claim, whatever their actual conduct may be, are placed in a new relation to God. Cp. Ephesians 4:27, Colossians 1:22; 1 Peter 1:15, 16; 1 Thessalonians 5:23. In each case, whether used objectively or subjectively, the word holy denotes a special and sacred relation to God.

And blameless: same word and connection and meaning as in Colossians 1:22. It is the negative side of holiness. For all sin opposes God; and is therefore inconsistent with unreserved devotion to God. Before Him: i.e. God, who chose us for Himself, formed for us this purpose of holiness and purity, and watches its accomplishment. Same words in Colossians 1:22.

In love: may belong either to Ephesians 1:4, asserting that love to our fellows is the surrounding element of the holiness which God designs for His chosen ones, or to Ephesians 1:5 asserting that God’s love to man is the element and source of his predestination of believers to sonship. The latter exposition is the more likely. For there is nothing in the context suggesting, or seeming to require mention of, Christian love. Whereas, in praise to God for blessing received, mention of His love as the ultimate source of all blessing is specially appropriate. By placing these words first, Paul throws into great prominence the love which prompted the predestination to sonship.

V. 5. Having predestinated us to the adoption of sons-Having foreordained that all who afterwards believed should enjoy the dignity of being sons of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.

According to the good pleasure of his will-According to his free, fixed, unalterable purpose to confer this blessing on all those who should believe in Christ, and those only.

Verse 5. Having predestinated us] proorisav. As the doctrine of eternal predestination has produced much controversy in the Christian world, it may be necessary to examine the meaning of the term, that those who do use it may employ it according to the sense it has in the oracles of God. The verb proopzw, from pro, before, and orizw, I define, finish, bound, or terminate, whence orov, a boundary or limit, signifies to define beforehand, and circumscribe by certain bounds or limits; and is originally a geographical term, but applied also to any thing concluded, or determined, or demonstrated. Here the word is used to point out God’s fixed purpose or predetermination to bestow on the Gentiles the blessing of the adoption of sons by Jesus Christ, which adoption had been before granted to the Jewish people; and without circumcision, or any other Mosaic rite, to admit the Gentiles to all the privileges of his Church and people. And the apostle marks that all this was fore-determined by God, as he had fore-determined the bounds and precincts of the land which he gave them according to the promise made to their fathers; that the Jews had no reason to complain, for God had formed this purpose before he had given the law, or called them out of Egypt; (for it was before the foundation of the world, Ephesians 1:4;) and that, therefore, the conduct of God in calling the Gentiles now-bringing them into his Church, and conferring on them the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit, was in pursuance of his original design; and, if he did not do so, his eternal purposes could not be fulfilled; and that, as the Jews were taken to be his peculiar people, not because they had any goodness or merit in themselves; so the Gentiles were called, not for any merit they had, but according to the good pleasure of his will; that is, according to his eternal benevolence, showing mercy and conferring privileges in this new creation, as he had done in the original creation; for as, in creating man, he drew every consideration from his own innate eternal benevolence, so now, in redeeming man, and sending the glad tidings of salvation both to the Jews and the Gentiles, be acted on the same principles, deriving all the reasons of his conduct from his own infinite goodness.

This argument was exceedingly conclusive, and must silence the Jews on the ground of their original, primitive, and exclusive rights, which they were ever ready to plead against all pretensions of the Gentiles. If therefore God, before the foundation of the Jewish economy, had determined that the Gentiles, in the fulness of time, should be called to and admitted into all the privileges of the Messiah’s kingdom, then the exclusive salvation of the Jews was chimerical; and what God was doing now, by the preaching of the apostles in the Gentile world, was in pursuance of his original design. This same argument St. Paul repeatedly produces in his Epistle to the Romans; and a proper consideration of it unlocks many difficulties in that epistle. See the notes on Romans 8:29, 30; and elsewhere, in the course of that epistle, where this subject is handled. But why is the word proorisav, fore-determined, limited, or circumscribed, used here? Merely in reference to the settlement of the Israelites in the promised land. God assigned to them the portions which they were to inherit; and these portions were described, and their bearings, boundaries, vicinities to other portions, extent and length, as exactly ascertained as they could be by the most correct geographical map. As God, therefore, had dealt with the Jews in making them his peculiar people, and when he divided the earth among the sons of Noah reserved to himself the twelve portions which he afterwards gave to the twelve tribes; (see Clarke on “Deuteronomy 32:8”;) and as his dealings with them were typical of what he intended to do in the calling and salvation of the Gentiles; so he uses the terms by which their allotment and settlement were pointed out to show that, what he had thus designed and typified, he had now fulfilled according to the original predetermination; the Gentiles having now the spiritual inheritance which God had pointed out by the grant made of the promised land to the children of Israel. This is the grand key by which this predestination business is unlocked. See Clarke on “Ephesians 1:11”.

Verses 3-6. 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 spiritual blessings — The spiritual blessings here spoken of are such as are necessary to the perfection and happiness of our spirits; namely, the light of the gospel, the influences of the Spirit of God, the pardon of sin, adoption into God’s family, the sanctification of our nature, and eternal life. These blessings are here opposed to the earthly blessings which were promised to the natural descendants of Abraham, the ancient church of God, which consisted in the possession of Canaan, in victory over their enemies, fruitful seasons, &c, as described Deuteronomy 28. To these, and such like blessings, Abraham’s seed, by faith, were entitled by the promise, In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. In heavenly places — Or rather, In heavenly things, as en toiv epouranioiv, it seems, ought to be here translated. Certainly, we must enjoy spiritual blessings in heavenly things, before we can enjoy them in heavenly places; namely, blessings which are heavenly in their nature, original, and tendency, and shall be completed in heaven; far different from the external privileges of the Jews, and the earthly blessings they expected from the Messiah. According as he hath chosen us in him — Both Jews and Gentiles, whom he foreknew as believing in Christ, 1 Peter 1:2. That he speaks of such, and of such only, is evident from verses 12-14, where see the notes. Indeed, none but true believers in Christ, none but those whose faith in him works by love, are ever termed, in the New Testament, God’s chosen, or elect. For the election spoken of in the New Testament is not the election of individuals, out of the mass of mankind, to repent, believe, and obey, passing by the rest; but it is the election of such as are already possessed of faith, love, and a new nature, to be the people and children of God; which election it behooves them to make sure, by aspiring after a larger measure of these, and of all other graces and virtues, and by enduring to the end, 2 Peter 1:10. Before the foundation of the world — Or, before the world began. This, as Macknight observes, “being said of the Ephesian brethren in general, it cannot be an election of the whole of them as individuals” [unconditionally] “to eternal life;” but must be that election, which, before the foundation of the world, God made of true believers, of all nations, to be his children and people, and to enjoy the blessings promised to such. That we should be holy — Dedicated to God, employed for him, and transformed into his image; and without blame — As to our whole spirit and conduct; before him — Or in his sight, who searches the heart, and observes all our ways. As the election here spoken of is an election of believers to be holy, all such ought continually to keep in mind this end of their election, that they may press on toward it more and more. In love — To God, his people, and all mankind, the source of all true holiness; Having predestinated, or fore-appointed, us — Who do now, or shall hereafter, believe in him with our heart unto righteousness; unto the adoption of children — For those who receive Christ, namely, in all his offices and characters, or who believe aright in him, enjoy the dignity of being his children and heirs, and joint heirs with Christ. See on John 1:12; Galatians 3:26. According to the good pleasure of his will — According to his free, fixed, and unalterable purpose to confer these blessings on all those who believe in Christ, and those only. Of the word proorizw, here, and frequently elsewhere, rendered to predestinate, see the notes on Romans 8:29, 30. To the praise of the glory of his grace — His glorious, unmerited, and free love, without any desert on our part; wherein he hath made us accepted — Greek, ecaritwsen, he hath taken us into favour, namely, his peculiar favour; in the Beloved — In Christ, his beloved Son, through whom, though in ourselves we are so unworthy of them, we receive these inestimable blessings.

Verse 4, 5. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in love. What words of consolation! The full soul of the apostle flows without restraint, while he opens the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. Having predestinated us to the adoption of sons, the heavenly Father blesses his family with all the treasures of grace and glory. St. John opens his epistle to the seven churches with the same eulogies: “Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests to God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever.” St. Peter consoles the churches scattered through proconsular Asia in the same manner, (though cursed and excommunicated by the jews) calling them “Elect, according to the foreknowledge of God, through sanctification of the Spirit to obedience; a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, to show forth the praises of him who had called them out of darkness into marvellous light.” What better could they do than to give a suffering people the plenitude of Abraham’s covenant, and Israel’s hope? But it could not be supposed that the serpent would allow the churches to enjoy these sweet fruits of the tree of life, without endeavours to empoison their food with endless disputations about providence and grace; subjects far surpassing the ken of mortals. Oh the depth! “Lucifer — sat apart, and reasoned high

On providence, foreknowledge, will and fate,

Free-will, fixed fate, foreknowledge absolute,

And found no end, in wandering mazes lost.

MILTON.

Augustine, a father who often changed his opinions, when writing against the Pelagians, regards mankind as lost in a common mass, and affirms “that God predestinated some to eternal life, not by a foresight of their merit, but of his own good pleasure to show his mercy; but the rest in the same mass, he has reprobated from the celestial kingdom, not by a foresight of their personal demerit, but for his own good pleasure, to show his divine righteousness in leaving them in the perdition to which they were justly adjudged.” Cæteros vero in eadem massa reliquit à cœlesti regno probatos, non ex eorum suæ voluntatis beneplacito ad ostensionem divinæ justiæ perditos in sua perditione justo judicio deserentis. These are the doctrines now called Calvinism, which disturbed the peace of the church in the fifth century, and still divide the communion of christians. When St. Hilary became acquainted with the effects of those doctrines, he wrote most respectfully to acquaint Augustine, that many were publishing in different parts of France those novum et inutile, novel and useless doctrines, as he is pleased to call them.

PROSPER, about the same time, admonished Augustine of the same things; adding, that though many fathers had written against the Pelagian heresy, yet they had never consigned any man to the hatred of God without assigning reasons. FAUSTUS, a French bishop, and after him St. Jerome, speak to the same effect.

James Sodolet, another bishop of that age, says in his comment on Romans 8:30, Deus neminem ex solo divinæ voluntatis arbitrio aut elegit, aut reprobat, sed hunc elegit, quia prænovit eum non aspernaturum divinum vocationem, et fidei lumen non aversaturum: illum verò reprobat, quia prævidit ipsum oppositurum obicem divinæ vocationi, et divimam gratiam repudiaturum. “God of his mere good pleasure neither elects nor reprobates any man; but one he elects, because he foreknows him, as not despising his divine vocation, nor receding from the light of faith. Another he reprobates, because he foresees him about to oppose the end of his calling, and repudiate the attractions of grace.”

Thus it was that one controversy arose out of another, and so serious were the disputations about predestination in the fifth century that the council of Chalons took up the subject, and condemned the opinions of those who had made a wrong use of Augustine’s doctrine of grace. The fathers of that council were horrified at the idea, that God should reprobate any man for his mere good pleasure, and make him as miserable as sin and hell can make a rational being, once bearing the image of his Maker, and blessed in Adam. Such an idea is revolting to all the moral feelings of the heart, and hostile to the gracious cares of Him whose tender mercies are over all his works.

5. Having predestinated—That neither election nor predestination is identical with foreknowledge, see shown in our note on Romans 8:29. Predestination here, as in that passage, is a destination to a particular thing—namely, to sonship in the image of Christ. If election is to be considered as preceding predestination, it does not follow (as Alford) that election and foreknowledge are to be identified; but that it is an intermediate step between foreknowledge and predestination. Unless we suppose the deity blindly to elect and predestinate, foreknowledge must lie in the divine nature as an attribute back of all acts. Election is the preference for the conditioned object, lying in the eternal divine nature; predestination, the specific direction of the object to its particular blessed destiny. It is the divinely established connexion between the conditioned object and his final salvation, never being affirmed of the wicked. Adoption of children—The Greek word is simply sonship, and should have been so rendered. The phrase is parallel to conformed to the image of his Son, in Romans 8:29. It therefore more properly expresses regeneration than adoption; regeneration, in its fullest sense, including restoration to Christ’s glorified likeness in the resurrection. Good pleasure—The Greek word eudokia may signify either beneficence, or an absoluteness of purpose which must not be questioned. Thus, taking it in the latter sense, Bengel says, “Beyond this good pleasure it is lawful for us neither to go prying into the causes of our salvation nor into any other of the works of God.” But the very peremptoriness of such language is at entire discord with the flowing and joyous current of the apostle’s thought while reviewing the free grace of God in our salvation. His boast is not in God’s repressive reserve, but in his open revelation of the mystery of his will according to his beneficence, verses 9, 10. In regard to the two disputed meanings of the term, all the reasons seem to be for the former, but the majority of commentators favour the latter. 1. As to its philology, it is conceded that in the Septuagint it is used in the former sense in every case; in the New Testament clearly in every case but two. This settles the question, unless the present context excludes that meaning. But, 2. The context requires the meaning. The whole paragraph is almost a hymn of grateful rapture. Every adverse point, such as the reprobacy of the persistently impenitent, or the conditions of salvation, is omitted or postponed. An insertion, therefore, of the stern, repressive absolutism of the divine counsels is wholly out of time and tune. 3. As already intimated, the same term in verse 9 must have the same meaning. This will clearly appear, we think, in our note upon this verse, showing that it designates the divine beneficence of God’s ideal of a universal restoration of all men, through Christ, to holiness and heaven. 4. The parallelism between this and the following clause requires this meaning: according to the beneficence of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace. Beneficence and grace here, are to be held as different, but cumulative, designations of the same thing.

Ver. 5. A participial clause, describing in further detail the foregoing statement, He chose us. A similar participial clause in Ephesians 1:9. Foreordained, or predestined: marked out beforehand a path along which, and a goal to which, He would have the chosen ones go. See under Romans 8:29. The syllable fore-denotes a destination before the time when it can be accomplished. So ‘before’-hoped in Ephesians 1:12. For adoption: the marked out goal, viz. reception into the family of God as His sons. See under Romans 8:15.

Through Jesus Christ: expounded in Galatians 4:4, 5. Through the agency of the Eternal Son we become sons.

For Him: probably, for God. It denotes the intimate relation to God, the Father of the whole family of heaven, in which as His sons, God designs the predestined ones to stand. Notice that adoption is the immediate aim of this divine purpose, holiness is its ultimate aim: He chose us to be holy, having foreordained us to adoption. And the Agent of holiness is the Spirit of adoption.

We have here in close connection election and predestination. The former marks out the objects of salvation; the latter, the goal to which God purposes to bring them.

Good-pleasure: same word in Philippians 1:15; 2:13, where see notes. In the case of God, the two senses of benevolence and free choice coalesce. Perhaps here the latter is more conspicuous.

Of His will; represents God contemplating and approving His own resolve. According-to: a favourite word of Paul to describe a correspondence between action and some underlying principle. This clause traces up to the divinely-approved will of God the foregoing predestination to adoption. Paul remembers with gratitude that this purpose of mercy seemed good in His sight.

V. 6. To the praise of the glory of his grace-His glorious, free love without any desert on our part.

Verse 6. To the praise of the glory of his grace] doxhv thv caritov autou. The glory of his grace, for cariv endoxov, his glorious or illustrious grace, according to the Hebrew idiom. But the grace or mercy of God is peculiarly illustrated and glorified in the plan of redemption by Christ Jesus. By the giving of the LAW, God’s justice and holiness were rendered most glorious; by the giving of the GOSPEL, his grace and mercy are made equally conspicuous.

Wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved] This translation of en h ecaritwsen hmav en tw hgaphmenw) is not clear; with which he has graciously favoured us through the Beloved, is at once more literal and more intelligible. Whitby, Macknight, and Wakefield translate the passage in nearly the same way.

In the Beloved must certainly mean in Christ, who is termed God’s beloved Son, Matthew 3:17; but several excellent MSS., such as D*EFG, the later Syriac, the Æthiopic, Vulgate, Itala, with several of the fathers, add, uiw autou, his beloved Son. This is the meaning, whether the reading be received or rejected.

Verses 3-6. 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 spiritual blessings — The spiritual blessings here spoken of are such as are necessary to the perfection and happiness of our spirits; namely, the light of the gospel, the influences of the Spirit of God, the pardon of sin, adoption into God’s family, the sanctification of our nature, and eternal life. These blessings are here opposed to the earthly blessings which were promised to the natural descendants of Abraham, the ancient church of God, which consisted in the possession of Canaan, in victory over their enemies, fruitful seasons, &c, as described Deuteronomy 28. To these, and such like blessings, Abraham’s seed, by faith, were entitled by the promise, In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. In heavenly places — Or rather, In heavenly things, as en toiv epouranioiv, it seems, ought to be here translated. Certainly, we must enjoy spiritual blessings in heavenly things, before we can enjoy them in heavenly places; namely, blessings which are heavenly in their nature, original, and tendency, and shall be completed in heaven; far different from the external privileges of the Jews, and the earthly blessings they expected from the Messiah. According as he hath chosen us in him — Both Jews and Gentiles, whom he foreknew as believing in Christ, 1 Peter 1:2. That he speaks of such, and of such only, is evident from verses 12-14, where see the notes. Indeed, none but true believers in Christ, none but those whose faith in him works by love, are ever termed, in the New Testament, God’s chosen, or elect. For the election spoken of in the New Testament is not the election of individuals, out of the mass of mankind, to repent, believe, and obey, passing by the rest; but it is the election of such as are already possessed of faith, love, and a new nature, to be the people and children of God; which election it behooves them to make sure, by aspiring after a larger measure of these, and of all other graces and virtues, and by enduring to the end, 2 Peter 1:10. Before the foundation of the world — Or, before the world began. This, as Macknight observes, “being said of the Ephesian brethren in general, it cannot be an election of the whole of them as individuals” [unconditionally] “to eternal life;” but must be that election, which, before the foundation of the world, God made of true believers, of all nations, to be his children and people, and to enjoy the blessings promised to such. That we should be holy — Dedicated to God, employed for him, and transformed into his image; and without blame — As to our whole spirit and conduct; before him — Or in his sight, who searches the heart, and observes all our ways. As the election here spoken of is an election of believers to be holy, all such ought continually to keep in mind this end of their election, that they may press on toward it more and more. In love — To God, his people, and all mankind, the source of all true holiness; Having predestinated, or fore-appointed, us — Who do now, or shall hereafter, believe in him with our heart unto righteousness; unto the adoption of children — For those who receive Christ, namely, in all his offices and characters, or who believe aright in him, enjoy the dignity of being his children and heirs, and joint heirs with Christ. See on John 1:12; Galatians 3:26. According to the good pleasure of his will — According to his free, fixed, and unalterable purpose to confer these blessings on all those who believe in Christ, and those only. Of the word proorizw, here, and frequently elsewhere, rendered to predestinate, see the notes on Romans 8:29, 30. To the praise of the glory of his grace — His glorious, unmerited, and free love, without any desert on our part; wherein he hath made us accepted — Greek, ecaritwsen, he hath taken us into favour, namely, his peculiar favour; in the Beloved — In Christ, his beloved Son, through whom, though in ourselves we are so unworthy of them, we receive these inestimable blessings.

6. Praise of the glory of his grace—The glory, is the quality of the grace; the praise, is the response of all God’s glorified ones in the contemplation of the glory of that grace. Perhaps praise of the gloriousness of his grace, gives the exact meaning. The beloved—Perhaps an allusion to David, the type of the Messiah, whose name signifies beloved.

Ver. 6. Further and final aim of the predestination: viz. in order that the splendour which belongs to the free undeserved favour of God may evoke recognition and praise.

Glory: as in Philippians 1:11.

Grace: see under Romans 1:5.

Which grace He gave, or which He graciously gave; lays stress by repetition on the undeserved favour of God.

In the Beloved One: parallel with chosen in Him in Ephesians 1:4. Cp. Colossians 1:13, Son of His love.

Paul here represents Christ as a special object of the eternal love of God, and ourselves as united to Christ and therefore sharers of the love with which God regards Him. Thus the love of God to Christ becomes undeserved favour towards those who are united to Christ. God purposed that the grandeur or glory of this grace should appear, and thus evoke praise. To this end, acting in harmony with a divine resolve approved by Him, and in infinite love, God marked out for us, to be appropriated by faith, an entrance into His family as His sons. In this way He chose us for Himself, that we may stand before Him as sacred and spotless men.

V. 7. By whom we-Who believe.

Have-From the moment we believe.

Redemption-From the guilt and power of sin. Through his blood-Through what he hath done and suffered for us. According to the riches of his grace-According to the abundant overflowings of his free mercy and favour.

Verse 7. In whom we have redemption] God has glorified his grace by giving us redemption by the blood of his Son, and this redemption consists in forgiving and delivering us from our sins; so then Christ’s blood was the redemption price paid down for our salvation: and this was according to the riches of his grace; as his grace is rich or abundant in benevolence, so it was manifested in beneficence to mankind, in their redemption by the sacrifice of Christ, the measure of redeeming grace being the measure of God’s own eternal goodness.

It may not be useless to remark that, instead of thv caritov autou, his grace, the Codex Alexandrinus and the Coptic version have thv crhstothtov, his goodness.

Verses 7, 8. 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 great and awful work of making an atonement for us by the sacrifice of himself, by which we obtain, what is an introduction to all the other blessings here mentioned, the forgiveness of sins — For, being pardoned, God’s wrath is removed from us; we are taken into his favour; adopted into his family; born of his Spirit; love him who hath thus first loved us; and, through this love, become holy, and without blame before him. And by these blessings in heavenly things, we are qualified to receive blessings in heavenly places; according to the riches of his grace — According to the abundant overflowings of his free, undeserved mercy and favour, to such sinful and guilty creatures; wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom — Manifested by God in the whole scheme of our salvation; and prudence — Which he hath wrought in us, that we may know and do all his acceptable and perfect will.

Ver. 7. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins. The Greek apolutrwsin is equivalent to full redemption. Our ransom is by the atoning sacrifice, as stated in Leviticus 16:20. Such also is the current language of the scriptures. Romans 3:25. Hebrews 9:14. The consequent pardon of sin, and remission of punishment, is couched in the most healing and balmy forms of speech that language can devise. Our sins shall be blotted out as a cloud, and cast into the depths of the sea, and be remembered no more. The pardon shall be accompanied with comfort: the moment that the fire of the altar touches the heart, remission is sealed with the ernest of our inheritance.

7. In whom—Having mentioned Christ under the endearing title of the Beloved, that blessed name becomes the hinge upon which verses 7-10 turn, being a climax of blessedness culminating in the final restitution of verse 10. The successive steps of the climax are, redemption, forgiveness, grace, revelation, beneficence, universal restitution. Redemption—Release from a bondage to sin and death for a ransom price. Through his blood— The price of the ransom. Forgiveness—The immediate shape which the redemption takes. Riches—Parallel to glory in verse 6: glory accruing to God, riches flowing down upon man.

Ver. 7. Second part of § 2. It is a further exposition of the grace given in the Beloved One.

We have: actual incipient accomplishment of God’s purpose of mercy. In whom… redemption: as in Colossians 1:14.

Through His blood: as in Colossians 1:20, through the blood of His cross: practically the same as Romans 5:9, justified in His blood. These words assert in the clearest manner that our liberation from the penalty and bondage of sin comes through Christ’s death upon the cross. The need for this costly means of redemption, Paul expounds in Romans 3:26. Notice that liberation was wrought out for us in the personality of Christ, and is ours by inward union with Him; and that His violent death is the channel through which it comes forth from God to us. Forgiveness of sins: as in Colossians 1:14. It is in harmony with, and must be measured by, the abundance which characterizes God’s favour towards us: according to the riches etc. Cp. Colossians 1:27; 2:2; Romans 11:33; 2 Corinthians 8:2: favourite phraseology of Paul. Thus God has made us (Ephesians 1:6) objects of His grace. Notice the emphatic repetition of this last word, after its use twice in Ephesians 1:6. It is the source of all blessing from God to us.

V. 8. In all wisdom-Manifested by God in the whole scheme of our salvation.

And prudence-Which be hath wrought in us, that we may know and do all his acceptable and perfect will.

Verse 8. Wherein he hath abounded] That is, in the dispensation of mercy and goodness by Christ Jesus.

In all wisdom and prudence] Giving us apostles the most complete instructions in heavenly things by the inspiration of his Spirit; and at the same time prudence, that we might know when and where to preach the Gospel so that it might be effectual to the salvation of those who heard it. Nothing less than the Spirit of God could teach the apostles that wisdom by which they were to instruct a dark and sinful world; and nothing less than the same Spirit could inspire them with that prudence which was necessary to be exercised in every step of their life and ministry. Every wise man is not a prudent man, and every prudent man is not a wise man. Wisdom and prudence may be expected in an apostle who is constantly living under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. “Wisdom,” according to Sir William Temple, “is that which makes men judge what are the best ends, and what the best means to attain them; and gives a man advantage of counsel and direction.” “Prudence is wisdom applied to practice; or that discreet, apt suiting as well of actions as words, in their due place, time, and manner. Every minister of Christ needs these still; and if he abide not under the influence of both, not only his prayers but his ministerial labours will be all hindered,

Verses 7, 8. 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 great and awful work of making an atonement for us by the sacrifice of himself, by which we obtain, what is an introduction to all the other blessings here mentioned, the forgiveness of sins — For, being pardoned, God’s wrath is removed from us; we are taken into his favour; adopted into his family; born of his Spirit; love him who hath thus first loved us; and, through this love, become holy, and without blame before him. And by these blessings in heavenly things, we are qualified to receive blessings in heavenly places; according to the riches of his grace — According to the abundant overflowings of his free, undeserved mercy and favour, to such sinful and guilty creatures; wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom — Manifested by God in the whole scheme of our salvation; and prudence — Which he hath wrought in us, that we may know and do all his acceptable and perfect will.

8. Wherein—Namely, in grace. Abounded—Has been aboundingly liberal. Prudence—Rather, understanding, namely, of the mystery of the next verse.

2. This eternal election is according to a divine ideal of an ultimate reconciliation of all mankind, through the headship of Christ, unto God, 9, 10.

Ver. 8. Further elucidation of the grace of God, showing the specific form it took.

Which grace He made to abound towards us: i.e. gave to us in abundant measure, or so as to work in us abundant results. Same phrase in 2 Corinthians 9:8: cp. Romans 5:15. It expounds the riches of His grace in Ephesians 1:7.

All wisdom: every kind of wisdom: see under Colossians 1:9. Prudence: a practical faculty enabling men to select, in the various details and emergencies of life, the most profitable line of action. The connection of the two words reminds us that in Christ acquaintance with the eternal realities has practical worth as a guide in the details of life; and that among these details we can choose our steps aright only in the light of the eternal realities. Evidently this wisdom and prudence are God’s gift, making us wise and prudent, as we learn from Ephesians 1:9 where the knowledge imparted is specified. Paul here asserts that the undeserved favour of God given to us so abundantly has been clothed with every kind of wisdom and discretion. These are the forms in which the grace of God was manifested. Cp. Colossians 1:9: all wisdom and spiritual understanding.

V. 9. Having made known to us-By his word and by his Spirit. The mystery of his will-The gracious scheme of salvation by faith, which depends on his own sovereign will alone. This was but darkly discovered under the law; is now totally hid from unbelievers; and has heights and depths which surpass all the knowledge even of true believers.

Verse 9. Having made known unto us the mystery] That the Gentiles should ever be received into the Church of God, and have all the privileges of the Jews, without being obliged to submit to circumcision, and perform the rites and ceremonies of the Jewish law was a mystery-a hidden thing which had never been published before; and now revealed only to the apostles. It was God’s will that it should be so, but that will he kept hidden to the present time. A mystery signifies something hidden, but it ceases to be a mystery as soon as it is revealed. See Clarke’s note on “Matthew 13:11”; and particularly that on, See Clarke “Romans 11:25”.

Good pleasure] thn eudokian. That benevolent design which he had purposed in himself, not being induced by any consideration from without.

Verses 9, 10. 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 heights and depths in it which surpass all the knowledge even of true believers. “The whole doctrine of the gospel, taken complexly, is called the wisdom of God in a mystery, 1 Corinthians 2:7; not because any part of it is unintelligible, but for the reasons mentioned in the note on that verse.” “The same appellation is given to particular discoveries made in the gospel. For example, the salvation of the Gentiles through faith, without obedience to the law of Moses, is called a mystery. Romans 11:25; 16:25. So likewise is the great discovery, that such of the saints as are alive on the earth at the coming of Christ, shall not die, but be changed, 1 Corinthians 15:51; and 2 Thessalonians 2:7, we have the mystery of iniquity; and Revelation 1:20, the mystery of the seven stars; and Revelation 10:7, the mystery of God; and Revelation 17:5, 7, mystery, Babylon, the woman, the beast, and the false prophet. To this latter group, the appellation of mystery is given with singular propriety. For as the initiated [into the heathen mysteries] were instructed by having certain mystic shows set before them, the visions in the Revelation of the seven stars, and of the woman, and the beast, and the false prophet, representing the future state of the church, are all very aptly termed mysteries.” That in the dispensation of the fulness of times — When that time was fully come, which he, in his wise appointment and distribution of things, had judged most suitable and eligible; or in this last administration of his fullest grace, in which all the former dispensations terminated, which took place at the time most proper for it. “The word oikonomia, here rendered dispensation, signifies the plan which the master of a family, or his steward, has established for the management of the family. Also it signifies a plan formed for the management of any sort of business. In this passage it signifies the plan which God had formed for accomplishing the salvation of believers.” — Macknight. He might gather together in one — Greek, anakefalaiwsasqai, he might recapitulate, or unite again under one head; all things in Christ — All persons, whether angels or men, whether living or dead, with all things that are connected with or concern them; both in heaven and on earth — This is considered by some as a Jewish phrase, to express the whole world; and Locke thinks it may be equivalent to Jews and Gentiles, which is the meaning adopted also by Macknight, who says, “According to this interpretation, the gathering of all things under Christ, means both the forming of believing Jews and Gentiles into one catholic church, and the bringing of them both into the heavenly country through the mediation of Christ.” Beza, by things in heaven, understands the saints in heaven, who died before Christ came into the world, and who are not to be made perfect till the resurrection. But the interpretation adopted by Whitby, Chandler, Doddridge, Wesley, and many others, seems more probable, namely, that by things in heaven, both in this passage and Colossians 1:20, the angelical hosts are to be understood; and by things on earth, believers of all nations, who, with the angels, shall at length be joined in one great society, or church, for the purpose of worshipping God through all eternity, agreeably to Hebrews 12:22. “Both angels and men were at first in sweet and harmonious subjection to the Son of God, the great Creator of both; but man having broken himself off from this society, the Son of man, by his humiliation and sufferings, recovers all who believe in him, and in his human nature presides over the kingdom to which, in the world of glory, they and his angels belong. This interpretation presents so noble a view, that no other will bear a comparison.” — Doddridge.

Ver. 9. Having made known to us the mystery of his will, by opening the eyes of our understanding, as in ver. 18, to penetrate the shadows of the law, — and discern the plenitude of the prophetic spirit, that Christ should gather the gentiles to his fold, and make the whole earth the family of God. He treats us no longer as servants, but as friends, and as sons, that we might see the great things he hath prepared for them that love him.

9. Having made known—This making known is a revelation in time of a mystery which was in eternity; namely, the revelation by the gospel. It is a disclosure to the world of what was designed before the foundation of the world. Mystery—The matter covered by the mystery, namely, the gracious designs of God which truly lie in his eternal holy nature. Hence mystery of his will means the hitherto unrevealed beneficent restorative purpose by God willed in the past eternity; that is, the divine ideal of God for the restoration of all men, through the divine Son of man, to oneness with God. According to his good pleasure—Literally, according to the beneficence of his which he hath purposed. The beneficence consisting in the summation, in Christ, of verse 10.

In rendering eudokia beneficence, we differ from Meyer, Alford, Ellicott, and others, and agree with Olshausen and Eadie. The former are obliged to render in substance: Having revealed… according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed. But to purpose a good pleasure is a solecism. Having revealed… according to the beneficence of his, which he purposed, makes sense. And then Paul goes on to tell what the purposed beneficence is.

The phrase according to, is used five times in the section. God’s blessing accords with his choice of us: his predestination with beneficence of his will: forgiveness with riches of grace: revelation with beneficence: predestination with purpose.

Ver. 9. A participial clause explaining the assertion in Ephesians 1:8. By making known to us the mystery, God gave to us in abundant measure His undeserved favour clothed in wisdom and prudence.

Mystery: as in Colossians 1:26.

Of His Will: the contents of this mystery. It is further described in Ephesians 1:10. This will of God was kept secret during long ages, and is known now only by those to whom God reveals it. It is therefore the mystery of His will. Cp. Romans 16:25.

To us: to Christians generally: Colossians 1:26. Another aspect of the same revelation is given in Ephesians 3:3. It was made known to Paul and through him to his hearers and readers.

According to His good pleasure: as in Ephesians 1:5. It is not clear whether this refers to the mystery or to the making-known of it. But, since both are included in the same divine purpose, possibly in Paul’s thought they were not distinguished.

He purposed: as in Romans 8:28; 9:11; important parallels. That which was well-pleasing to God He deliberately purposed to effect. In Him: either in Christ or in God. In the former case it would be rendered (R.V.) in Him: in the latter (A.V.) in Himself. Although the foregoing possessive pronouns refer to the Father, a comparison with Ephesians 1:4, chosen in Him, suggests that Paul refers here to Christ. Moreover, to say that God’s purpose was formed in God, is tautology: to say that it was formed in Christ, adds an important thought kept before us in Ephesians 1:10, viz. the relation of this divine purpose to the Son of God.

V. 10. That in the dispensation of the fullness of the times-In this last administration of God's fullest grace, which took place when the time appointed was fully come.

He might gather together into one in Christ-Might recapitulate, re-unite, and place in order again under Christ, their common Head. All things which are in heaven, and on earth-All angels and men, whether living or dead, in the Lord.

Verse 10. In the dispensation of the fulness of times] eiv oikonomian tou plhrwmatov twn kairwn. The word oikonomia, which is the same as our word economy, signifies, as Dr. Macknight has well observed, “the plan which the master of a family, or his steward, has established for the management of the family;” it signifies, also, a plan for the management of any sort of business: and here it means the dispensation of the Gospel, that plan by which God has provided salvation for a lost world; and according to which he intends to gather all believers, both Jews and Gentiles, into one Church under Jesus Christ, their head and governor. See Clarke’s note on “Matthew 24:45”, where the word and the office are particularly explained.

The fulness of times-By this phrase we are to understand either the Gospel dispensation, which is the consummation of all preceding dispensations, and the last that shall be afforded to man; or that advanced state of the world which God saw to be the most proper for the full manifestation of those benevolent purposes which he had formed in himself relative to the salvation of the world by Jesus Christ.

That he might gather together in one] anakefalaiwsasqai, from ana, again, and kefalaiow, to reduce to one sum; to add up; to bring different sums together, and fractions of sums, so as to reduce them under one denomination; to recapitulate the principal matters contained in a discourse. Here it means the gathering together both Jews and Gentiles, who have believed in Christ, into one Church and flock. See the preceding note.

All things-which are in heaven, and which are on earth] This clause is variously understood: some think, by things in heaven the Jewish state is meant and by things on earth the Christian. The Jews had been long considered a Divine or heavenly people; their doctrine, their government, their constitution, both civil and ecclesiastical, were all Divine or heavenly: as the powers of the heavens, Matthew 24:29, Luke 21:26, mean the Jewish rulers in Church and state, it is very possible that the things which are in heaven mean this same state; and as the Gentiles were considered to have nothing Divine or heavenly among them, they may be here intended by the earth, out of the corruption of which they are to be gathered by the preaching of the Gospel. But there are others who imagine that the things in heaven mean the angelical hosts; and the things on earth believers of all nations, who shall all be joined together at last in one assembly to worship God throughout eternity. And some think that the things in heaven mean the saints who died before Christ’s advent, and who are not to be made perfect till the resurrection, when the full power and efficacy of Christ shall be seen in raising the bodies of believers and uniting them with their holy souls, to reign in his presence for ever. And some think that, as the Hebrew phrase xrahw שמים shamayim vehaarets, the heavens and the earth, signifies all creatures, the words in the text are to be understood as signifying all mankind, without discrimination of peoples, kindreds, or tongues; Jews, Greeks, or barbarians. All that are saved of all nations, (being saved in the same way, viz. by faith in Christ Jesus, without any distinction of nation or previous condition,) and all gathered into one Church or assembly.

I believe that the forming one Church out of both Jews and Gentiles is that to which the apostle refers. This agrees with what is said, Ephesians 2:14-17.

Verses 9, 10. 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 heights and depths in it which surpass all the knowledge even of true believers. “The whole doctrine of the gospel, taken complexly, is called the wisdom of God in a mystery, 1 Corinthians 2:7; not because any part of it is unintelligible, but for the reasons mentioned in the note on that verse.” “The same appellation is given to particular discoveries made in the gospel. For example, the salvation of the Gentiles through faith, without obedience to the law of Moses, is called a mystery. Romans 11:25; 16:25. So likewise is the great discovery, that such of the saints as are alive on the earth at the coming of Christ, shall not die, but be changed, 1 Corinthians 15:51; and 2 Thessalonians 2:7, we have the mystery of iniquity; and Revelation 1:20, the mystery of the seven stars; and Revelation 10:7, the mystery of God; and Revelation 17:5, 7, mystery, Babylon, the woman, the beast, and the false prophet. To this latter group, the appellation of mystery is given with singular propriety. For as the initiated [into the heathen mysteries] were instructed by having certain mystic shows set before them, the visions in the Revelation of the seven stars, and of the woman, and the beast, and the false prophet, representing the future state of the church, are all very aptly termed mysteries.” That in the dispensation of the fulness of times — When that time was fully come, which he, in his wise appointment and distribution of things, had judged most suitable and eligible; or in this last administration of his fullest grace, in which all the former dispensations terminated, which took place at the time most proper for it. “The word oikonomia, here rendered dispensation, signifies the plan which the master of a family, or his steward, has established for the management of the family. Also it signifies a plan formed for the management of any sort of business. In this passage it signifies the plan which God had formed for accomplishing the salvation of believers.” — Macknight. He might gather together in one — Greek, anakefalaiwsasqai, he might recapitulate, or unite again under one head; all things in Christ — All persons, whether angels or men, whether living or dead, with all things that are connected with or concern them; both in heaven and on earth — This is considered by some as a Jewish phrase, to express the whole world; and Locke thinks it may be equivalent to Jews and Gentiles, which is the meaning adopted also by Macknight, who says, “According to this interpretation, the gathering of all things under Christ, means both the forming of believing Jews and Gentiles into one catholic church, and the bringing of them both into the heavenly country through the mediation of Christ.” Beza, by things in heaven, understands the saints in heaven, who died before Christ came into the world, and who are not to be made perfect till the resurrection. But the interpretation adopted by Whitby, Chandler, Doddridge, Wesley, and many others, seems more probable, namely, that by things in heaven, both in this passage and Colossians 1:20, the angelical hosts are to be understood; and by things on earth, believers of all nations, who, with the angels, shall at length be joined in one great society, or church, for the purpose of worshipping God through all eternity, agreeably to Hebrews 12:22. “Both angels and men were at first in sweet and harmonious subjection to the Son of God, the great Creator of both; but man having broken himself off from this society, the Son of man, by his humiliation and sufferings, recovers all who believe in him, and in his human nature presides over the kingdom to which, in the world of glory, they and his angels belong. This interpretation presents so noble a view, that no other will bear a comparison.” — Doddridge.

Ver. 10. That he might gather together in one; or rather, receive in one, all things in Christ, which indicates the great delight which Christ takes in his church. The fulness of time is the gospel age for calling the gentiles, as in Galatians 4:4; but the gathering of things in heaven, an idea of frequent occurrence in Paul’s epistles, cannot import less than that our redemption is intimately connected with the augmentation of angelic knowledge, and the encrease of celestial happiness.

10. Eiv oikonomian tou plhrwmatov twn kairwn, a very difficult clause, being in the English translation in the dispensation of the fulness of times. There is no Greek for the that.

We can best attain an explanation by taking the last word first, and going backwards. Kairwn, times, signifies the ages, aeons, or time-periods, in each of which a system of events is completed, and from which transition is then made to the next. Plhrwmatov is the filling full, or rounding out, the events of one given time-system: hence of the time-periods the fulfilling with events. Ellicott perplexes matters by rendering plhrwmatov “that moment that completes, fills up,” the time-period; whereas it may be (see Rob. Greek Lex. N.T.) a verbal noun, (equivalent to plhrwsiv,) and signify the process of fulfilling. Oikonomian, dispensation, is the management, administration, or control of the fulfilling of the time-periods, extending over the whole series. Most dubious of all is the eiv, into, a preposition signifying motion to, or into, a place or thing, and impossible to be rendered simply in. The rendering of Erasmus, Calvin, and others, even to, Alford condemns justly as unintelligible. His own in order to, is, perhaps, just as unintelligible. So seems his entire rendering: “According to his good pleasure which he has purposed in himself, in order to the economy of the fulfilment of the seasons to sum up all things in the Christ.” Ellicott’s rendering of the preposition, with a view to, for, is better, making it signify mental motion toward a thing.

We apprehend, however, that commentators have not noticed in this connexion the force of the preposition eiv in the phrases eiv aiwnav, unto, or into, ages; where eiv signifies not only into, but throughout, or in the course of; the preposition running through the whole line of the ages, and so making forever. And so here the force of the preposition is, we think, fully expressed by in the course of. Our own rendering, then, would be: the beneficence which he purposed in himself (namely) in the course of the management of the filling up of the time-periods, to sum up together all things in the Messiah. So, as the final summing up of all is one in the series of the time-periods, the purpose runs through the whole series. Gather together—The Greek a very full compound,

re-gather-for-himself. Same as to reconcile in Colossians 1:20, where see notes. The two passages, written at the same time in epistles sent by the same messengers to the same region of country, must be held as strictly parallel, the clearer defining the less clear. This summing up, or gathering together, is unto the redemption of verse 7, just as the reconcile of Colossians 1:20 is unto the redemption of verse 14 of that chapter. The nature of the reconciliation in Colossians is made clear by the result of the peace made being by the cross; and so also the fact that you hath he reconciled, in Colossians 1:21, shows, by specimen, that it is reconciliation by conversion and pardon. This disproves the construction given by Meyer, Alford, and other commentators, that the gather together is compositely a reconciliation of the penitent, together with a subjection of the impenitent to a discordant unity under Christ, as in 1 Corinthians 15:28, where see note. Beyond all question, we think, a reconciliation by redemption to peace, through the blood of his cross, of all things in heaven and on earth, is what the apostle means.

Is, then, the doctrine of the actual final restoration of all men to holiness true?

Of all our commentators, Olshausen and Turner express, we think, the truth. Such a restoration is the full divine IDEA of God’s beneficence in the cross. Such is the complete fulness which it pleased the Father there should be in Christ. God is in Christ reconciling the world unto himself. And hence the apostle beseeches, in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled. Christ is officially the lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world: the Saviour of all men; the propitiation for the sins of the whole world. Thus the divine idea in Christ is a universal salvation through a universal reconciliation; a gathering together of all things in him. Why is this ideal not realized? A large body of Scriptures lays the fault upon men. On the divine side the idea is sincere, the provisions are ample; on the human side the powers, natural and gracious, are ample; but the fulness of Christ is rejected. The ideal of God’s mercy is universal; but the eternal ideal of his holy choice, election, or predestination, is circumscribed by human perversity; since it can embrace only those who fully accord with it by consenting to be holy. “This is the condemnation, that… men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” And this is the reason why, in the foreknowledge of God, foreseeing men’s persistent evil, they cannot, in time, be elected to himself by a holy God; yet he, accepting the future facts as they appear to his prescience, nevertheless triumphantly so works all things after the counsel of his own will, as, perhaps, to bring out of this world even a higher result than could have accrued from a sinless world. This last fact may, perhaps, be the divine justification in the non-prevention of the responsible sin his wisdom foresees. All things… in heaven… on earth—But not in hell. God and man, Christ and man, angels and man, but not God and devils, are brought to peace through the blood of his cross. The only obstacle was man’s enmity and sin, and the consequent holy opposition of all righteous beings to man. When man accepts the cross, the reconciliation becomes complete, and man comes into the happy number of the elect—of elect men with elect angels. The making heaven and earth signify Jews and Gentiles, adopted by some commentators, (Dr. Clarke included,) produces a meaning far below the grandeur of St. Paul’s language. Nothing but the fullest meaning of the terms is here admissible. In him—Repeated in joyful emphasis; for Christ is the predominant topic ever since his naming as the Beloved in verse 6.

3. In which reconciliation we (Paul and brethren) have obtained lot, 11-12.

In this universal divine ideal of restoration, his brethren and self (inferentially including all believers) have realized a happy lot by faith. Their ideal election in eternity past has become a real election in the present. They have come within the scope of that predestination that infallibly connects trust in Christ to a real share in the divine reconciliation.

Ver. 10. Exposition of the foregoing.

With-a-view-to etc.: in forming this purpose God was looking forward to the time of Christ.

Dispensation: same word as stewardship in Colossians 1:25; 1 Corinthians 9:17. It denotes the management of a house. And, since this was frequently committed to a superior servant, or steward, it denotes frequently the office of a steward. So always elsewhere in the N.T. It cannot be so here. For, evidently, God is represented as administering His own household. The word falls back therefore on its original meaning of house management. It is the government of God represented as a householder managing his property and servants.

Seasons: portions of time, looked upon not as periods passing by but as opportunities for action. Same word in Ephesians 5:16: also 1 Thessalonians 5:1; 1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 3:1, etc. The plural suggests that in the Gospel age several ages had their consummation. Fulness: see under Colossians 1:19.

The fulness of the seasons: the time in which the various ages of the kingdom of God find their end and goal, and the accomplishment of the purpose which underlays them. And this can be no other than the Gospel age, and the glorious ages to follow it. Consequently, the dispensation of etc. is the mode of divine government which belongs to that age. All this God had in view in forming His purpose of salvation.

To-sum-up-again (same word in Romans 13:9) all things in Christ: God’s purpose touching the final administration of His kingdom. All things: men and things, as in Colossians 1:20. God resolved to unite together in Christ the dissevered elements of His universe, thus making Him the centre and circumference of all.

Sum-up-again; suggests an original harmony. This, God purposes to restore. [The middle voice suggests that God will do this to work out His own pleasure.] All things include the things upon the heavens and those upon the earth. So 1 Corinthians 1:20; a close parallel. In the one passage Christ is an instrument of universal reconciliation; in the other, a centre of universal harmony.

This verse teaches that the eternal purpose which prompted, as the means of its accomplishment, the mission of the Son of God embraced both earth and heaven; that God has resolved to unite into one whole the various elements in these realms of His empire; and to make Christ the surrounding element and the centre of this all-embracing union. In other words, God’s purpose to save man is part of a purpose earlier in time, and wider in extent, than the human race.

In Him: emphatic repetition of in Christ, as a transition to the relative sentence following in which the same idea is again prominent.

V. 11. Through whom we-Jews.

Also have obtained an inheritance-The glorious inheritance of the heavenly Canaan, to which, when believers, we were predestinated according to the purpose of him that worketh all things after the counsel of his own will-The unalterable decree, "He that believeth shall be delivered;" which will is not an arbitrary will, but flowing from the rectitude of his nature, else, what security would there be that it would be his will to keep his word even with the elect?

Verse 11. In whom] Christ Jesus; also we-believing Jews have obtained an inheritance-what was promised to Abraham and his spiritual seed, viz. the adoption of sons, and the kingdom of heaven, signified by the privileges under the Mosaic dispensation, and the possession of the promised land, but all these privileges being forfeited by the rebellion and unbelief of the Jews, they are now about to be finally cut off, and the believing part to be re-elected, and put in possession of the blessings promised to Abraham and his spiritual seed, by faith; for without a re-election, they cannot get possession of these spiritual privileges. Being predestinated] God having determined to bring both Jews and Gentiles to salvation, not by works, nor by any human means or schemes, but by Jesus Christ; that salvation being defined and determined before in the Divine mind, and the means by which it should be brought about all being according to his purpose, who consults not his creatures, but operates according to the counsel of his own will, that being ever wise, gracious, and good.

The original reference is still kept up here in the word proorisqentev, being predestinated, as in the word proorisav Ephesians 1:5. And as the apostle speaks of obtaining the inheritance, he most evidently refers to that of which the promised land was the type and pledge. And as that land was assigned to the Israelites by limit and lot, both of which were appointed by God so the salvation now sent to the Gentiles was as expressly their lot or portion, as the promised land was that of the people of Israel. All this shows that the Israelites were a typical people; their land, the manner of possessing it, their civil and religious code, &c., &c., all typical; and that in, by, and through them, God had fore-determined, fore-described, and fore-ascertained a greater and more glorious people, among whom the deepest counsels of his wisdom should be manifested, and the most powerful works of his eternal mercy, grace, holiness, goodness, and truth, be fully exhibited. Thus there was nothing fortuitous in the Christian scheme; all was the result of infinite counsel and design. See Clarke on “Ephesians 1:5”.

Verses 11, 12. 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 became true believers, and as long as we continue such, see on verse 5; according to the purpose of him — Of God; who worketh all things — As he formed and governs all things; after the counsel of his own will — The unalterable decree, He that believeth shall be saved: which is not an arbitrary will, but a will flowing from the rectitude of his nature; otherwise what security would there be that it would be his will to keep his word even with the elect? The apostle seems to have added this clause with a view to convince the believing Jews that God would bestow on them, and on the believing Gentiles, the inheritance of heaven through faith, whether their unbelieving brethren were pleased or displeased therewith. That we — Believing Jews; should be to the praise of his glory — Should give men occasion to praise God for his goodness and truth; who first trusted — Or hoped, as prohlpikotav signifies; in Christ — That is, believed in him, and hoped for eternal salvation from him, before the Gentiles did. And this was the case, not only in Judea, but in most places where the apostles preached; some of the Jews generally believing before the Gentiles. Here is another branch of the true gospel predestination: he that believes is not only elected to eternal salvation if he endure to the end, but is fore-appointed of God to walk in holiness and righteousness, to the praise of his glory.

11. Obtained an inheritance—The Greek verb for this phrase, eklhrwqhmen, is derived from a root (klhrov) signifying lot, and radically means to acquire by lot, and thence to acquire by inheritance, or any other mode of allotment or distribution. And being in the passive form here, it might be rendered have been inherited. The sense would then be, not that the elect has obtained an inheritance, but that the elect is itself the inheritance of Christ in the restitution. That would make an impressive and truly biblical idea; Acts 20:28, Titus 2:14, and in the Old Testament, Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 7:6; 14:2; 26:18. This construction is adopted by Afford, Ellicott, and many others. But it is certainly wrong; being contradicted, as we may show, at several subsequent points, and especially in vv. 13, 14, where unquestionably it is the elect who are sealed over as obtainers of the inheritance, and not as being inherited. Meyer has shown that the active meaning of the word is admissible.

According to some commentators (see Meyer) the lot, as meaning a die, indicates here the pure groundlessness of an individual election, “because in the elect themselves there is no cause why they should be elected rather than others.” That is, our holy God decides the eternal salvation or damnation of immortal souls without reason, with a fortuity imaged by the casting of a die or the tossing of a copper! Such an interpretation sinks both the divine character and the authority of Scripture below the level of moral respect. The glory of our election, forsooth, is due to the chance that turned us up heads! All this is contradicted by the words purpose and counsel, indicating a divine fore-deliberated choice in view of the proper conditioned quality of the object chosen. It is as gratuitous an interpretation as it is abhorrent; for the word is used abundantly, without any reference to chance, to signify inheritance, estates, lands. The reference to the allotment of the tribes in Canaan, the land of promise, is not to be held as subsidiary, but as a key to all that follows. The restitution of verse 10 is unto God’s Canaan, which we have by him inherited. It is to this restitution-land that we believers, having inherited, are predestinated, sealed over by the Spirit of promise—promise, namely, of the restitution-land; which Spirit is our first instalment (earnest) thereof (namely, of the land) until the completed redemption (initiated at ver. 7) of the originally purchased possession. The entire body of commentators, ancient and modern, so far as we know, seem to have failed to grasp this clew, and so appear to miss the meaning. Predestinated—Being fore-destinated to the gracious rewards of faith. See on verse 5. The rewards to which they are destined is the allotment into the restoration as partakers of the inheritance from Jehovah. All things, must not be limited either to Jews and Gentiles, or to the things of the kingdom of Christ; for it is Paul’s purpose to trace the origin of the holy Church back to God, the almighty Ruler of all things. It does not thence follow that physical events and free volitions are worked alike. In the former, God’s immanent energy originates and directs all action by such uniformity as assumes to us the aspect of necessary law; but in the free agent God supplies the energy for action, while it is the very property of the freedom of the agent that within—in the area of his freedom—he directs his own actions. Yet these free actions it is the prerogative of Infinite Wisdom to take into his plan, and work them in accordance with his own counsel to his own glorious ends. Note on Matthew 11:25, and on Romans 9. Counsel belongs to the deliberative intellect, and the word here denotes the final conclusion attained by the deliberation, and adopted by the will. God’s counsel, therefore, in full view of all possible results, from all possible courses, results in a choice of absolute wisdom.

Ver. 11. A new thought: in Christ we have also been-made-heirs. This last word is the passive form of a verb denoting to allot something to some one, and especially to allot as an inheritance. In Greek, such a passive may mean either to be allotted as an inheritance, or to receive such an allotment. The latter sense is the more likely here. For, that believers are themselves an inheritance is not taught elsewhere in the N.T. In Ephesians 1:14 they are represented as God’s own possession, but not as an inherited possession. But, that they are heirs, is plainly asserted in Ephesians 1:14; Romans 8:17; Galatians 3:29: and some are said in Colossians 1:12 to have been made partakers of the allotted portion of the saints. And this allotment of inherited blessing has been made to us in Christ. For, only through His agency and by inward union with Him is the inheritance ours.

The participial clause following traces this allotment of an inheritance to a definite and eternal purpose of God.

Having-been foreordained: passive form of the word used in Ephesians 1:5. We have been made heirs in time because before time began we were in the mind of God marked out for heirship. According to purpose: same words in same sense in Romans 8:28. They give prominence to the chief element in the foreordination, viz. purpose, and tell us that it was a purpose of Him whose deliberate resolve controls and moulds all things.

Works: as in <503813> Philippians 2:13.

Works all things: same words in 1 Corinthians 12:6. Counsel: a deliberate purpose taking into account ways and means. This deliberate purpose has its source in the will of God. The idea of deliberation distinguishes this phrase from the similar phrase in Ephesians 1:5 where God’s satisfaction with His own purpose is more prominent.

V. 12. That we-Jews.

Who first believed-Before the Gentiles. So did some of them in every place. Here is another branch of the true gospel predestination: he that believes is not only elected to salvation, (if he endures to the end,) but is fore-appointed of God to walk in holiness, to the praise of his glory.

Verse 12. That we] Jews, now apostles and messengers of God, to whom the first offers of salvation were made, and who were the first that believed in Christ.

Should be to the praise of his glory] By being the means of preaching Christ crucified to the Gentiles, and spreading the Gospel throughout the world.

Verses 11, 12. 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 became true believers, and as long as we continue such, see on verse 5; according to the purpose of him — Of God; who worketh all things — As he formed and governs all things; after the counsel of his own will — The unalterable decree, He that believeth shall be saved: which is not an arbitrary will, but a will flowing from the rectitude of his nature; otherwise what security would there be that it would be his will to keep his word even with the elect? The apostle seems to have added this clause with a view to convince the believing Jews that God would bestow on them, and on the believing Gentiles, the inheritance of heaven through faith, whether their unbelieving brethren were pleased or displeased therewith. That we — Believing Jews; should be to the praise of his glory — Should give men occasion to praise God for his goodness and truth; who first trusted — Or hoped, as prohlpikotav signifies; in Christ — That is, believed in him, and hoped for eternal salvation from him, before the Gentiles did. And this was the case, not only in Judea, but in most places where the apostles preached; some of the Jews generally believing before the Gentiles. Here is another branch of the true gospel predestination: he that believes is not only elected to eternal salvation if he endure to the end, but is fore-appointed of God to walk in holiness and righteousness, to the praise of his glory.

12. We—The same we as in the preceding verses, meaning Paul and his Ephesians directly, including all believers inferentially. Most commentators (including Meyer, Ellicott, and Riddle) make who in apposition with we, and to… glory, the main predicate; reading thus: that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of his glory. (!) It seems sufficient to refute this to note, that to the praise of his glory, however pregnant in meaning, is, in every instance, a subordinate clause, and not the main predicate of the sentence, vv. 6, 14; none the less so in the last instance because brought so emphatically at the close of the sentence. The meaning of the verse is: we are predestinated, the glory being God’s, to be fore-hopers in Christ. First trusted—Literal Greek, the ones having fore-hoped in Christ. It does not mean that we trusted (or, more correctly rendered, fore-hoped) before somebody else, or that we are by God designed to be the earliest believers; but we, like all believers, hoped for the restitutive inheritance in Christ before its realization. As vv. 9, 10 describe the restitution, verse 11 says we have an inheritance therein, being predestinated; verse 12 now tells us to what we are predestinated, namely, to being fore-hopers in Christ for attaining the inheritance in the restitution.

All the commentators we have examined here seem, we think, to miss the true meaning. The we they take to be Jews, and ye Gentiles; the distinctive of the Jews being, that they fore-hoped in the Christ, that is, the Messiah. Alford thinks it a proof of this meaning that Christ has here the article before it, and so signifies the Messiah. It seems enough to reply that Christ has the article before it in ver. 10, where it signifies the Messiah, not as specifically fore-hoped by the Jews, but the Messiah of our race, as its great restorer. The we of verse 12 must, then, be the we of verse 11, and that of all the previous wes, or first persons plural, of the paragraph; so that it would follow that Paul is, forsooth, all the time speaking about Jews until verse 13! If not, let we of verse 11 be the universal elect, and of verse 12 the Jews; then what is the meaning? It would then mean we, the universal Church, are predestinated in order that we, Jews, expecting the Messiah, may be to the praise of his glory!

But what is the meaning of the Greek word (rendered incorrectly in the English version first trusted) prohlpikotav, the ones having fore-hoped—fore-hopers? It means those who hoped before the attainment of the object of hope; hoped for a distant restitution. The objection of Alford, that fore-hope is, then, nothing more than hope, is nugatory. One might as well say that to predestinate, that is, to fore-destine, is nothing more than to destine. But in both cases the prefix serves to rest the mind on the anterior state of the hoping man, as looking to, and waiting for, the future result.

4. Into which predestination ye Ephesians have entered by faith, 13-14.

Ver. 12. A refrain marking the close of the second part of § 2, similar to that in Ephesians 1:6 at the close of the first part. This fuller refrain tells us that God intended us to be a means of evoking praise of His splendour; and that this praise is an aim of the purpose described in Ephesians 1:11. God resolved so to bless us that in us others should see and acknowledge His grandeur.

Up to this point Paul’s words have been true alike of Jews and Gentiles. He now mentions the two great divisions of mankind which were ever present to his thought. In Ephesians 1:12 the Jews, and in Ephesians 1:13, 14 the Gentiles, are specified.

Before-hoped: i.e. before the Christ came. This hope of a coming deliverer was a distinguishing feature of the Jews: Acts 26:6, 7; 28:20; Luke 2:25, 38. It was a bond uniting together the scattered members of the nation; and an inspiration moulding the piety of the more devout. The Gentiles had no such hope: Ephesians 2:12. The word Christ is both a designation of the hoped-for Deliverer (Daniel 9:25; John 1:20; 4:25) and a proper name of the Incarnate Son. The latter is naturally the usual use of the word. But here the mention of a hope earlier than the incarnation suggests the former use. The Messiah, who was the great object of Jewish hopes, is represented as the ground of their hope: so 1 Corinthians 15:19; <505619> Philippians 2:19. For, long before He appeared, the Jews clung to the hoped-for Deliverer and built upon Him their expectations.

V. 13. In whom ye-Gentiles.

Likewise believed, after ye had heard the gospel-Which God made the means of your salvation; in whom after ye had believed-Probably some time after their first believing.

Ye were sealed by that Holy Spirit of promise-Holy both in his nature and in his operations, and promised to all the children of God. The sealing seems to imply, 1. A full impression of the image of God on their souls. 2. A full assurance of receiving all the promises, whether relating to time or eternity.

Verse 13. In whom ye also trusted] Ye Gentiles, having heard from us the word, ton logon, the doctrine, of the truth, which is the Gospel, or glad tidings, of your salvation, have believed, as we Jews have done, and received similar blessings to those with which God has favoured us. In whom also, en w, through whom, Christ Jesus, after that ye had believed, viz. that he was the only Saviour, and that through his blood redemption might be obtained, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise; that is, The Holy Spirit, which is promised to them who believe on Christ Jesus, was given to you, and thus you were ascertained to be the children of God, for God has no child who is not a partaker of the Holy Ghost, and he who has this Spirit has God’s seal that he belongs to the heavenly family. It was customary among all nations, when a person purchased goods of any kind, to mark with his seal that which he had bought, in order that he might know it, and be able to claim it if mixed with the goods of others; to this custom the apostle may here allude but it was also customary to set a seal upon what was dedicated to God, or what was to be offered to him in sacrifice. See this proved in the note on “Joh 6:27”. The Jews themselves speak of the seal of God, which they term tma emeth, truth, and which they consider as a representation of the unoriginated and endless perfections of God. As the apostle is here speaking of the doctrine of truth, which came by the Holy Spirit, and is sealed on the souls of believers by this Spirit, he may have in view the Jewish notion, which is at once both correct and elevated. This Spirit of truth, John 14:17, who leads into all truth, John 16:13, and teaches all things, John 14:26, makes the impression of his own eternal purity and truth in the souls of them who believe, and thus they bear the seal of God Almighty. And they who in the day of judgment are found to bear this seal-TRUTH; truth in the inward parts, having truly repented, truly believed, and having been in consequence truly justified, and truly sanctified; and having walked in truth and sincerity towards God and man; these are sealed to the day of redemption; for, having this seal, they are seen to have a right to eternal life.

Verses 13, 14. 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 sinners; the gospel of your salvation — Which brings the good tidings of salvation to you as well as others: or, which God has made the means of your salvation; in whom after ye believed — Or rather, as pisteusantev signifies, having believed; ye were sealed — Probably immediately after believing; with that Holy Spirit of promise — Holy both in his nature and in his operations, and promised to all true believers, to all the children of God. Of the seal and earnest of this Spirit, see the note on 2 Corinthians 1:22, where the apostles are said to have been sealed by the Spirit, and to have the earnest thereof in their hearts. As applied to them, the expressions undoubtedly signified their having received the extraordinary gifts, as well as the sanctifying graces of the Spirit. But here being applied to all the Gentile believers, but few of whom certainly were endowed with these extraordinary gifts, the words can only mean those ordinary influences of the Spirit, whereby they were assured of their adoption and regeneration, were stamped with the image of God, and thereby constituted heirs of the heavenly inheritance, and prepared for the enjoyment of it. This sealing of the Spirit produces, in every man that possesses it, a new nature, whereby he is marked, or declared to be, the son of God; a mark which, as Macknight observes, is to him a stronger evidence of his title to eternal life, than if he possessed the miraculous gifts. See on Matthew 7:22; 1 Corinthians 13:2. How earnest then ought we to be in our endeavours to obtain this important blessing! See also Ephesians 4:30, where believers are said to be sealed with the Holy Spirit to the day of redemption. When this sealing of the Spirit is enjoyed in the most perfect manner, it seems to imply, 1st, A full impression of the image of God on a man’s soul; 2d, A full assurance of his receiving all the promises, whether relating to time or eternity. Which is the earnest — Both a pledge and a foretaste; of our inheritance, in heaven, until the redemption of the purchased possession — Till the church, which he has purchased with his own blood, shall be fully delivered from all sin and sorrow, and advanced to everlasting glory. As the redemption here spoken of includes the redemption of the bodies of Christ’s purchased people from death, by the resurrection, (Romans 8:23,) the earnest of the Spirit, which is to remain in the church, that is, in the hearts of its true members, till that glorious event is accomplished, must be principally those ordinary influences of the Spirit, which produce in believers that holiness which is necessary to fit them for heaven, and that happiness which is an anticipation thereof.

13. Ye—From the we of the general elect St. Paul now makes transition to the ye of the Ephesian elect, (which ye is mostly maintained through the epistle,) tracing the brief history of their hearing the gospel, believing, and being sealed over by the Spirit, to the final restitution of verse 10. As founder of the Ephesian Church, St. Paul’s memory naturally recurs to the blessed process in which, by faith, they came into the glorious scheme of the divine election. He begins at these three verses the history of the inclusion of the Ephesians into the predestination unto the inheritance, but suspends it through vv. 16-23, and then he resumes it at Ephesians 2:1. That is, he veers from completing that history here, because at vv. 16-19 his mind is carried away by the thought of his prayer for their realizing their lot in Christ’s headship; and then, at vv. 20-23, his mind is borne upward by the thought of the glory of that headship. When these two successive raptures have passed, Paul resumes, in 2:1, the thread of history commenced at vv. 13-15. Overlooking these two parenthetic digressions, the reader should tie this verse fast to 2:1, as forming one narrative. In whom ye—Ephesians, parallel to in whom… we, ver. 11. We understand the two whoms of the present verse to be parallels, and the whole verse to be one sentence: In whom also ye, having heard, in whom also having believed: ye were sealed, etc. Faith came upon hearing; actual election came upon faith; and then sealing came upon their election. The first in whom, referring to Christ, implies that it is in him, as Lord and embodiment of the gospel, that men hear the gospel. Sealed—As heirs of your inheritance. In ordinary cases it is the title-deed that is sealed; but the regenerate nature, wrought by the Spirit, is the true title-deed of the elect. Holy Spirit—The impressive Greek phrase is, the Spirit of promise, the Holy. Why called the Spirit of promise? Meyer replies: “The term promise is a qualifying characteristic of the Holy Spirit, for it is promised in the Old Testament. Joel 2:28, 29; Zechariah 12:10; Isaiah 44:3; Ezekiel 36:26, and onward; 39:29; compare Galatians 3:14.” And so the body of commentators. All this is good, and prepares us for the true point; but the point itself, as we are obliged to understand it, they fail to give. He is the Spirit of promise, not as promised, but as promising. He is the Spirit of promise because, being to us who are sealed an earnest, he promises to us our inheritance; that same inheritance which we have obtained in verse 11, (where see note,) identical with the gather together of verse 10, procured by the redemption both in verse 14 and verse 7, which are, in fact, identical. It is to this inheritance (identical with the gather together of verse 10) that the predestination, not only of verse 11 but of verse 5, is made, and into that predestination the ye of verse 13 entered by the faith named in verse 15.

Ver. 13.-14. Third part of § 2.

In whom: parallel with the same words in Ephesians 1:7 at the beginning of the second part.

Also ye: the Gentile Christians at Ephesus, as well as the Jews referred to specially in Ephesians 1:12.

Having heard etc.: means by which salvation had reached the Ephesian Christians, viz. the word spoken and heard.

The word of the truth: as in Colossians 1:5. It is a verbal expression corresponding to the eternal realities.

The Gospel of your salvation: the good news which has been and is the means of your salvation. So 1 Corinthians 15:2. The word preached was an assertion of the truth: it was also the good news which had been the means of rescuing the Ephesian Christians from the penalty and power of sin.

After the participial clause we expect a finite word. But instead of this we have another participial clause: in whom also having believed. Apparently the construction of the sentence is broken off. The relative, in whom or in which, is repeated, disturbing the orderly course of the sentence. But the irregularity throws into prominence the truth that the sealing afterwards mentioned was in Christ. Paul wishes to say that in Christ the Gentile Christians, having heard the Gospel, and having also believed it, were sealed etc. This surrender of grammar to emphasis is a conspicuous feature in Paul: so Ephesians 2:1-5; Romans 5:12; Galatians 2:6. The Spirit of promise: the gift of the Spirit foretold by the prophets, e.g. Joel 2:28, 29; Ezekiel 36:26, 27. The Spirit of promise is then identified as the Holy Spirit. With this Spirit as an instrument the Gentile Christians had been sealed: close parallel to 2 Corinthians 1:21, 22. Paul asserts that his readers, whom he distinguishes from the Jews, had heard the Gospel and had believed it; that through faith they had received the Holy Spirit as foretold by the ancient prophets; and that the Spirit thus received was a seal, i.e. a divine attestation of the word believed. And he declares with emphatic repetition that this sealing had taken place in virtue of their inward union with Christ. He thus joins the believing Gentiles to those who when Christ came were waiting for His appearance. Notice that the gift of the Spirit proves that the Gentiles are sharers of the blessings brought by Christ: Acts 11:17, 18. This proof is strengthened by the word promise, which reminds us that the Holy Spirit given to the Gentiles was a fulfilment of ancient Jewish prophecy.

This verse is in close harmony with the constant teaching of Paul that they who believe the Gospel are justified, and adopted into the family of God, and receive the Holy Spirit: e.g. Galatians 2:16; 3:2, 26.

V. 14. Who, thus sealing us, is an earnest-Both a pledge and a foretaste of our inheritance.

Till the redemption of the purchased possession-Till the church, which he has purchased with his own blood, shall be fully delivered from all sin and sorrow, and advanced to everlasting glory.

To the praise of his glory-Of his glorious wisdom, power, and mercy.

Verse 14. Which is the earnest of our inheritance] This Holy Spirit, sealing the soul with truth and righteousness, is the earnest, foretaste, and pledge of the heavenly inheritance. And he who can produce this earnest-this witness of the Spirit, in the day of judgment, shall have an abundant entrance into the holiest. On the arrabwn, or earnest, see Clarke’s notes on “Genesis 38:13”, &c., and see Clarke on “2 Corinthians 1:22”.

The redemption of the purchased possession] That is, till the time when body and soul are redeemed from all their miseries, and glorified in the kingdom on heaven.

The redemption of the purchased possession-apolutrwsiv thv peripoihsewv is variously understood; and indeed the original is variously translated. Dr. Whitby has observed that the verb peeipoieiv signifies to save alive; and he refers the peripoihsiv, here, to the redemption of the body from corruption, and to its final glorification with the soul.

All those who believe in Christ Jesus are considered as his peculiar people and property, and to them eternal glory is promised. The Spirit of promise, which is given them, is a pledge that they shall have a resurrection from the dead, and eternal blessedness; the redemption, or bringing to life of the body, cannot take place till the day of judgment, but the Holy Spirit promises this redemption, and is now in their hearts an earnest or pledge of this complete restoration at the great day, which will then be, in an especial manner, to the praise of his glory, viz. of Christ, who has bought them by his blood.

Verses 13, 14. 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 sinners; the gospel of your salvation — Which brings the good tidings of salvation to you as well as others: or, which God has made the means of your salvation; in whom after ye believed — Or rather, as pisteusantev signifies, having believed; ye were sealed — Probably immediately after believing; with that Holy Spirit of promise — Holy both in his nature and in his operations, and promised to all true believers, to all the children of God. Of the seal and earnest of this Spirit, see the note on 2 Corinthians 1:22, where the apostles are said to have been sealed by the Spirit, and to have the earnest thereof in their hearts. As applied to them, the expressions undoubtedly signified their having received the extraordinary gifts, as well as the sanctifying graces of the Spirit. But here being applied to all the Gentile believers, but few of whom certainly were endowed with these extraordinary gifts, the words can only mean those ordinary influences of the Spirit, whereby they were assured of their adoption and regeneration, were stamped with the image of God, and thereby constituted heirs of the heavenly inheritance, and prepared for the enjoyment of it. This sealing of the Spirit produces, in every man that possesses it, a new nature, whereby he is marked, or declared to be, the son of God; a mark which, as Macknight observes, is to him a stronger evidence of his title to eternal life, than if he possessed the miraculous gifts. See on Matthew 7:22; 1 Corinthians 13:2. How earnest then ought we to be in our endeavours to obtain this important blessing! See also Ephesians 4:30, where believers are said to be sealed with the Holy Spirit to the day of redemption. When this sealing of the Spirit is enjoyed in the most perfect manner, it seems to imply, 1st, A full impression of the image of God on a man’s soul; 2d, A full assurance of his receiving all the promises, whether relating to time or eternity. Which is the earnest — Both a pledge and a foretaste; of our inheritance, in heaven, until the redemption of the purchased possession — Till the church, which he has purchased with his own blood, shall be fully delivered from all sin and sorrow, and advanced to everlasting glory. As the redemption here spoken of includes the redemption of the bodies of Christ’s purchased people from death, by the resurrection, (Romans 8:23,) the earnest of the Spirit, which is to remain in the church, that is, in the hearts of its true members, till that glorious event is accomplished, must be principally those ordinary influences of the Spirit, which produce in believers that holiness which is necessary to fit them for heaven, and that happiness which is an anticipation thereof.

Ver. 14. Till the redemption of the purchased possession. Here the versions vary. “Till the redemption of what will be obtained; or, till the acquisition of the redemption; or, till the redemption of the adoption; or, till the acquisition of the possession.” Beza, Piscator, and Zanchius add other glosses, but they seem wide of the mark. Suffice it to say, the Lord’s portion is his people; and our portion, or inheritance, is the enjoyment of God in glory. The earnest of the Spirit is explained in 2 Corinthians 1:22, and Romans 8:16.

14. The earnest—See note, 2 Corinthians 1:20. The blessed Spirit is a first instalment, a small portion, of our inheritance already given us to assure us that it will be finally bestowed in fulness. Our inheritance—Not God’s, or Christ’s inheritance of the elect, but the elects’ inheritance of the final reconciliation in Christ. See note on verse 11. This pledge looks to the completed redemption (see verse 7) of the purchased possession, namely, the possession purchased through his blood, (verse 7,) which possession takes place at and in the reconciliation of verse 10 and Colossians 1:20.

Paul showed in the previous paragraph a picture of the final reconciliation in Christ, the glorious head, and of the blessedness of an election through faith to that inheritance. He now prays that the minds of those addressed may be raised to a full conception of that blissful consummation, and then gives a second picture of Christ in his glorious redeeming headship. The three transcendent passages (vv. 10, 19-23, and Colossians 1:14-19) should be read together as correspondent parts of the same sublime portraiture.

4. Paul’s thanksgiving for the Ephesians, and prayer for their realization of Christ’s glorious headship, 15-23.

Ver. 14. Further teaching about the Holy Spirit, and about God’s purpose in sealing us.

Earnest: a part of the price paid at the time of purchase as a pledge of the whole. See under 2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5: close and important parallels.

Our inheritance: the benefits of the New Covenant looked upon as coming to us in virtue of our relation to God our Father. Close parallels in Romans 8:17; Galatians 3:29; Colossians 3:24. Of these benefits, the gift of the Spirit is a part given to us when we are received into the family of God. And inasmuch as this gift is a proof that we are children of God, it is also a pledge that the entire inheritance will some day be ours. The word rendered possession denotes in 1 Thessalonians 5:9; 2 Thessalonians 2:14 the obtaining of salvation and of the glory of Christ; and in Hebrews 10:39 the preserving of the soul. But in Malachi 2:17 and in a quotation in 1 Peter 2:9 from Exodus 19:5 it represents a Hebrew word denoting a peculiar possession or treasure. God declared that Israel, if faithful, should be His own peculiar treasure. And such are they who believe in Christ. They will be God’s own for ever.

Redemption; includes the ideas of liberation and price, and is therefore not complete till actual liberation is effected. Cp. Ephesians 4:30, the day of redemption; Luke 21:28; Romans 8:23: see under Romans 3:24. An aim of the gift of the Spirit is the liberation in the great day from the bondage of death of those whom God has chosen to be specially His own.

For praise of His glory: nearly word for word as in Ephesians 1:12. It is a third refrain closing the third part of § 2. Each refrain represents, as the final purpose of man’s salvation in its various parts, an admiring recognition by God’s creatures of His essential grandeur. Cp. 1 Peter 2:9. The threefold refrain makes this final purpose very conspicuous. REVIEW. Section 2 is throughout a song of praise for blessings given by God to Paul and his readers, a song rising in each of its three parts till it seems to lose itself in the eternal song of earth and heaven. In the first part we have blessing from man to God for blessing given by God to man in fulfilment of an eternal purpose that men should be sons of God. In the second part we are reminded that the objects of this purpose are sinners. Consequently, God’s favour towards them took the form of rescue, through the death of Christ, from the penalty and bondage of sin. Moreover, His favour came to them clothed in a gift of wisdom revealing God’s long-hidden purpose to bring men into His family and to make them His heirs, this being part of a wider purpose to unite the creatures of God in heaven and earth into one great whole of which Christ is to be the Head and Centre and Circumference, a purpose of Him whose counsels rule and mould the universe.

Up to this point, in the light of a divine purpose wide as the universe and earlier than time, all human distinctions have been forgotten. But at the close of the second part of the section, we meet the all-important distinction of Jew and Gentile so deeply interwoven into the thought of Paul. The above purpose of God embraces the Jews, who before Messiah came had built their hopes on His expected appearance. And it embraces the Gentiles: for they have not only heard and believed the Gospel but have received the seal of the Holy Spirit promised to ancient Israel, who is Himself a pledge that they will share the inheritance of the sons of Abraham and the deliverance which awaits those who are the peculiar treasure of God. This specific mention of the Gentiles as sharers of the heritage of Israel forms the third and last division of the section. Each division concludes by pointing to the eternal recognition of the greatness of God as the ultimate aim of the blessing and favour so richly poured upon man.

In this section we have a restatement of Paul’s teaching in Romans 8:28, 29; 9:11 that salvation is an accomplishment of a divine purpose and choice and predestination. The restatement has the emphasis of conspicuous repetition. The purpose to save man is traced back to eternity; is shown to be part of a purpose embracing both earth and heaven; and is placed in closest relation to Christ. In other words, Paul’s earlier teaching has received rich and harmonious development. We have again his favourite thought that the Gospel contains a secret known only to the initiated; as in Romans 16:25; 1 Corinthians 2:7; Colossians 1:26. The gift of the Spirit is again appealed to as a proof of the favour of God and as a pledge of a share in the inheritance awaiting the sons of God; in close harmony with Romans 8:16,17; Galatians 3:29; 4:6, and with Acts 11:17, 18. A marked feature of this section is the occurrence in it ten times of the phrase in Christ or its equivalents, noting an inward union with Him as the all-embracing and all-pervading element both of salvation and of the eternal purpose to save. This we have already noticed as a conspicuous feature of the writings of Paul, a feature not found elsewhere in the N.T. except, in a peculiar form, in the Gospel and First Epistle of John. Its presence here in so great frequency, but never without meaning, is a clear indication of genuineness: as are the coincidences noted above. We notice the word redemption used to describe the deliverance wrought through the death of Christ, as in Romans 3:24; and with special reference to the final deliverance, as in Romans 8:23. Also the word wealth, as in Romans 2:4; 9:23; 11:33; Colossians 1:27; and the word earnest, as in 2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5. As we rise from the study of this section we are conscious that we have heard the tones of a familiar voice, and have learnt from the lips of a revered teacher new lessons equal to the most valuable we had learnt before.

V. 15. Since I heard of your faith and love-That is, of their perseverance and increase therein.

Verse 15. Faith in the Lord Jesus] Cordial reception of the Christian religion, amply proved by their love to all the saints-to all the Christians. Perhaps love here implies, not only the kind affection so called, but also all the fruits of love-benevolence, and kind offices of every description.

Verses 15-17. 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 he had been at Ephesus in person, or was personally acquainted with them. He wrote in the same terms to the Thessalonians, who were his converts, (1 Thessalonians 3:4, 6,) and to his convert Philemon, verses 4, 5. Therefore, as his saying that he heard of the faith and love of the Thessalonians and of Philemon, does not mean that he was ignorant of these things till they were reported to him, but only that he had heard of their persevering in the true faith of the gospel, and in their love to the saints; so the faith of the Ephesians, which he says he had heard of, was not their first faith, or their conversion to Christianity, but their continued and increasing faith, evidencing itself by the fruit here spoken of. Love unto all the saints — Namely, whether circumcised or uncircumcised. For, by praising the Ephesians for their love to all the saints, the apostle seems to intimate that they were free from that narrow, bigoted spirit, which prevailed in some other churches, where difference in opinion about the necessity of circumcision had interrupted love. I cease not — In all my solemn addresses to God; to give thanks for you — On account of your perseverance in the true faith of the gospel, and in your love to all Christ’s disciples; making mention of you in my prayers — So he did of all the churches, Colossians 1:9. That the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory — Of which he is eternally and immutably possessed; from whom all glory proceeds, and to whom it returns; and whose glory shines in the face of Christ his beloved Son; or, as the expression might have been rendered, the glorious Father; may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation — This Spirit, termed the Spirit of promise, (verse 13,) they had already received, in a great measure, for he had sealed them, as is there signified, and was an earnest of their inheritance in their hearts; but the apostle here prays that the same Spirit might be still more largely communicated to them, revealing more fully the deep things of God, and rendering them still more wise in all matters that concerned their own salvation, and the salvation of others. In the knowledge of him — Of Christ, of his person and offices, of his wonderful process in accomplishing the work of man’s redemption; of his humiliation and exaltation, his grace and glory, which he termed, (Philippians 3:8,) the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus his Lord, for whom he had willingly suffered the loss of all things, and accounted them despicable, in comparison of this knowledge of him. Some commentators understand the clause as signifying the acknowledgment of him, namely, by professing faith in him and his gospel, whatever persecution such a profession might expose them to.

15. Wherefore—In view of your thus being happily sealed to this inheritance, verses 13, 14. I also—In response to ye, verse 13. My prayers are for the sealing which is to result in possession, verse 14. Heard—He probably had not seen them in four or five years.

EPHESIANS

SECTION 3. — PRAYER THAT THE READERS

MAY RECOGNISE IN THEMSELVES THE GREAT

POWER WHICH RAISED CHRIST FROM THE

DEAD. CH. 1:15-23.

For which cause also I, having heard the faith among you in the Lord Jesus, and the faithfulness towards all the saints, do not cease giving thanks on your behalf making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, in the knowledge of Him having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, in order that ye may know what is the hope of your calling, what the riches of the glory of His inheritance among the saints, and what the surpassing greatness of His power towards us who believe, according to the working of the might of His strength which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and set Him at His right hand in the heavenly places beyond and above all principality and authority and power and lordship and every name named not only in this age but also in that which is to be. And He subjected all things under His feet; and gave Him, as Head above all things, to the Church, which is His body, the fulness of Him who fills all things in all.

Paul began his Epistles to the Philippians and Colossians, after a few words of greeting, with thanks to God for his readers’ Christian life. The Epistle before us, he begins with a glorious psalm of praise for blessings given to the whole people of God, which he expounds at some length, followed by specific mention of Jewish and Gentile Christians. The mention of these last suggests now definite thanks to God on his readers’ behalf, thanks which pass easily into a wonderful prayer for their further progress. His thanks and prayer occupy this section.

Ver. 15. For which cause: because you have been sealed by the Spirit as heirs of the inheritance of God.

Also I: Paul placing himself alongside these Gentiles, as interested in their welfare.

Having-heard: cp. Colossians 1:4, to a Church Paul has never visited; and contrast Philippians 1:3, where the absence of this word suggests that he writes from personal knowledge. That Paul speaks only of having heard about people among whom (Acts 20:31) he laboured three years, is certainly remarkable. It can hardly be explained by tidings received since he left Ephesus four or five years before. For it was nearly as long since he was at Philippi; and after leaving Philippi he met the Ephesian elders at Miletus. More likely is the suggestion (see under Ephesians 1:1) that this letter was written to other Churches besides that at Ephesus, Churches which Paul had never visited; and that chiefly to tidings about these last, together with later tidings about the Ephesians, the word have-heard refers. This word therefore supports the suggestion just mentioned.

The faith among you: differs very slightly from your faith, by making faith and the believer distinct objects of thought.

Faith in the Lord Jesus: similar phrase in 1 Timothy 3:13; 2 Timothy 3:15. It represents Christ, the personal object and ground of our faith, as also its surrounding element.

The word love, omitted from the text of the R.V., is not found in any Greek copy earlier than the Clermont MS. in the sixth century, and in a correction of the Sinai MS. made perhaps in the seventh century. It is absent entirely from the Vat. and Alex. MSS. and from the Sinai MS. as originally written; and seems to have been unknown to the early Biblical scholars, Origen and Jerome. But it is found in the Latin, Syriac, and Coptic Versions. If spurious, the insertion of the word is easily accounted for as a reminiscence of Colossians 1:4. But, if genuine, its omission is very difficult to explain. This likelihood of insertion and unlikeliness of omission, together with the united testimony of the ancient Greek MSS., our best witnesses for the text of the N.T., testify strongly that the word was not written by Paul. And that without it the sentence gives a good meaning, I shall endeavour to show.

In the sense in which Paul writes faith in the Lord Jesus, we cannot possibly have faith… in all the saints. Certainly these last cannot be the object or element of Christian faith. But the common classic meaning which I have given to the same word in Philemon 1:4, and which is found in a few places in the N.T., viz. faithfulness, would give a good meaning here. That one word would then be used in the same sentence in two senses, need not surprise us. For each use of the word was common, the first in the N.T. and the other in the Greek spoken everywhere in Paul’s day. And the context makes quite clear that the word cannot have in the second clause the meaning which it undoubtedly has in the first. In such cases the mind passes almost unconsciously from one sense of the word to another. Moreover, faith and faithfulness have much in common. They who rest with confidence upon the word and character of God become themselves a rock on which others rest. Hence, in Greek the same words, substantive and adjective, denote faith and faithfulness, believing and trustworthy. Between these meanings it is frequently difficult to decide: e.g. Colossians 1:2; 4:9. An example of transition from one to the other, we have in Romans 3:3. ‘What if some did not believe? Shall the want of faith make of no effect the faith (or faithfulness) of God?’ We may therefore accept this meaning as not unlikely. And it enables us to accept also the reading so strongly supported by the best ancient copies. But since no English word combines the two meanings of the Greek word, we can reproduce Paul’s full sense only by using two words. The passage may fairly be reproduced, faith in the Lord Jesus and faithfulness towards all the saints. The assurance of which Christ was the personal Object and Ground and Sphere produced as its natural result trustworthiness towards all the saints. These last words as in Colossians 1:4.

V. 16. I cease not-In all my solemn addresses to God. To give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers-So he did of all the churches, Colossians 1:9.

Verse 16. Cease not to give thanks] The apostle intimates, so fully satisfied was he of the genuineness of their conversion, and of their steadiness since their conversion, that it was to him a continual cause of thanksgiving to God, who had brought them into that state of salvation; and of prayer, that they might be preserved blameless to the end. Making mention of you] While praying for the prosperity of the Christian cause generally, he was led, from his particular affection for them, to mention them by name before God.

Verses 15-17. 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 he had been at Ephesus in person, or was personally acquainted with them. He wrote in the same terms to the Thessalonians, who were his converts, (1 Thessalonians 3:4, 6,) and to his convert Philemon, verses 4, 5. Therefore, as his saying that he heard of the faith and love of the Thessalonians and of Philemon, does not mean that he was ignorant of these things till they were reported to him, but only that he had heard of their persevering in the true faith of the gospel, and in their love to the saints; so the faith of the Ephesians, which he says he had heard of, was not their first faith, or their conversion to Christianity, but their continued and increasing faith, evidencing itself by the fruit here spoken of. Love unto all the saints — Namely, whether circumcised or uncircumcised. For, by praising the Ephesians for their love to all the saints, the apostle seems to intimate that they were free from that narrow, bigoted spirit, which prevailed in some other churches, where difference in opinion about the necessity of circumcision had interrupted love. I cease not — In all my solemn addresses to God; to give thanks for you — On account of your perseverance in the true faith of the gospel, and in your love to all Christ’s disciples; making mention of you in my prayers — So he did of all the churches, Colossians 1:9. That the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory — Of which he is eternally and immutably possessed; from whom all glory proceeds, and to whom it returns; and whose glory shines in the face of Christ his beloved Son; or, as the expression might have been rendered, the glorious Father; may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation — This Spirit, termed the Spirit of promise, (verse 13,) they had already received, in a great measure, for he had sealed them, as is there signified, and was an earnest of their inheritance in their hearts; but the apostle here prays that the same Spirit might be still more largely communicated to them, revealing more fully the deep things of God, and rendering them still more wise in all matters that concerned their own salvation, and the salvation of others. In the knowledge of him — Of Christ, of his person and offices, of his wonderful process in accomplishing the work of man’s redemption; of his humiliation and exaltation, his grace and glory, which he termed, (Philippians 3:8,) the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus his Lord, for whom he had willingly suffered the loss of all things, and accounted them despicable, in comparison of this knowledge of him. Some commentators understand the clause as signifying the acknowledgment of him, namely, by professing faith in him and his gospel, whatever persecution such a profession might expose them to.

16. Cease not—This implies three things: 1. That the apostle was incessant in prayer. 2. That individual objects dear to his heart were specially introduced into his prayers; and, 3. That his Ephesians were, after his hearing of their faith had aroused his interest and hope, among those special objects.

Ver. 16. Do not cease giving thanks: cp. Philippians 1:3; Colossians 1:3, 9; Romans 1:8, 9. Paul’s constant attitude of mind, since he heard about his readers, has been thankfulness to God for them. For he knew that their faithfulness was God’s work and gift.

V. 17. That the Father of that infinite glory which shines in the face of Christ, from whom also we receive the glorious inheritance, Ephesians 1:18,

may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation-The same who is the Spirit of promise is also, in the progress of the faithful, the Spirit of wisdom and revelation; making them wise unto salvation, and revealing to them the deep things of God. He is here speaking of that wisdom and revelation which are common to all real Christians.

Verse 17. That the God of our Lord Jesus] Jesus Christ, as man and mediator, has the Father for his God and Father: and it is in reference to this that he himself says: I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God; John 20:17.

The Father of glory] The author and giver of that glory which you expect at the end of your Christian race. This may be a Hebraism for glorious Father, but the former appears to be the best sense.

The Spirit of wisdom and revelation] I pray that God may give you his Holy Spirit, by whom his will is revealed to men, that he may teach and make you wise unto salvation, that you may continue to acknowledge him, Christ Jesus, as your only Lord and Saviour.

Verses 15-17. 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 he had been at Ephesus in person, or was personally acquainted with them. He wrote in the same terms to the Thessalonians, who were his converts, (1 Thessalonians 3:4, 6,) and to his convert Philemon, verses 4, 5. Therefore, as his saying that he heard of the faith and love of the Thessalonians and of Philemon, does not mean that he was ignorant of these things till they were reported to him, but only that he had heard of their persevering in the true faith of the gospel, and in their love to the saints; so the faith of the Ephesians, which he says he had heard of, was not their first faith, or their conversion to Christianity, but their continued and increasing faith, evidencing itself by the fruit here spoken of. Love unto all the saints — Namely, whether circumcised or uncircumcised. For, by praising the Ephesians for their love to all the saints, the apostle seems to intimate that they were free from that narrow, bigoted spirit, which prevailed in some other churches, where difference in opinion about the necessity of circumcision had interrupted love. I cease not — In all my solemn addresses to God; to give thanks for you — On account of your perseverance in the true faith of the gospel, and in your love to all Christ’s disciples; making mention of you in my prayers — So he did of all the churches, Colossians 1:9. That the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory — Of which he is eternally and immutably possessed; from whom all glory proceeds, and to whom it returns; and whose glory shines in the face of Christ his beloved Son; or, as the expression might have been rendered, the glorious Father; may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation — This Spirit, termed the Spirit of promise, (verse 13,) they had already received, in a great measure, for he had sealed them, as is there signified, and was an earnest of their inheritance in their hearts; but the apostle here prays that the same Spirit might be still more largely communicated to them, revealing more fully the deep things of God, and rendering them still more wise in all matters that concerned their own salvation, and the salvation of others. In the knowledge of him — Of Christ, of his person and offices, of his wonderful process in accomplishing the work of man’s redemption; of his humiliation and exaltation, his grace and glory, which he termed, (Philippians 3:8,) the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus his Lord, for whom he had willingly suffered the loss of all things, and accounted them despicable, in comparison of this knowledge of him. Some commentators understand the clause as signifying the acknowledgment of him, namely, by professing faith in him and his gospel, whatever persecution such a profession might expose them to.

Ver. 17, 18. The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory. Under the term Father, the whole deity is understood. Christ himself is styled “the Lord of glory;” and the word is equivalent to this, that God, the Father of glory, is also our Father. The mercy desired is, the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, the only true God, and of Jesus Christ whom he hath sent. The natural man cannot attain to this knowledge. It is the Spirit which illuminates the mind, and opens the earnests of heaven in the heart. Then it is we read the scriptures with new eyes, and love with new affections. The apostle prays thus also for the Colossians, that they might be filled with the knowledge of his will: chap. 1:9-18. And for Timothy, that the Lord would give him understanding in all things. Such a knowledge opens a fountain of life and heaven in the soul; and without it no man can be a minister of the new covenant.

17. The particular object for which Paul incessantly prayed in their behalf, namely, their elevation of view to take in this grandeur of the redeeming Christ, of which he gives a picture in vv. 20-23. God of… Christ—In the entire passage, 20-23, St. Paul describes Christ rather in his manhood raised by process to a divine exaltation, just as in <501706> Philippians 2:6-8 he describes his divinity as gradually humanized and humiliated. The reason for the former view here is to furnish basis for the parallelism in 2:4-7, identifying our exaltation with Christ’s, produced by our divine identification with him. This exaltation of both Christ and his elect finds its glorious cause in him who is God of both. For, as Meyer says, “God hath sent Christ, given him to death, raised and exalted him.” Father of glory— See note on Acts 7:2. The glory, sometimes made visible to human eyes in the old dispensation, represented the divine splendour which our thoughts necessarily attribute to God, like the light we attribute to the sun. And such visible glory also represents that moral glory we attribute to the divine actions and character. From such glory in both kinds, the Trinity, or the Father primarily, is called from his power, God of glory, Psalms 29:3Psalm 29:3; and from his supremacy, King of glory, Psalms 24:7Psalm 24:7. As origin and generator of all this gloriousness he is now here called Father of glory, as he is called “Father of lights,” James 1:17. So, Father of mercies, 2 Corinthians 1:3. Christ is Lord of glory, 1 Corinthians 2:8; and so there are cherubim of glory, Hebrews 9:5. It is of the moral glory made visible in our redemption to the eyes of your understanding, when enlightened by this Father of glory, that St. Paul specially here speaks; the glory, glory, glory, of verses 6, 12, and 14. This glory can break upon their view through the mists of earthliness only by the double process of verbal revelation to them and of quickening their inner powers to behold and realize it. For this they need wisdom, revelation, enlightened eyes. Spirit—A divinely communicated spirit, by which revelation is made.

Ver. 17. As ever, Paul’s thoughts pass imperceptibly into prayer for further blessing. The good he hears prompts him, while giving thanks, to ask for more.

In order that etc.: matter of the prayer, given as its aim and purpose. So frequently: cp. Philemon 1:6. For Paul’s prayer is a means to a definite end. Knowing that God answers prayer, he prays in order that God… may give.

The God of our Lord Jesus Christ: who on earth addressed Him as My God, John 20:17; Matthew 27:46. The word God here notes a relation of the Father, not only to men, but to Christ. And the entire teaching of Paul and John assures us that this relation extends, not only to the Incarnate, but to the Eternal, Son. As supreme in the Godhead, the Father occupies, even to the Eternal Son, a relation suitably described by the word God. Hence this word is the frequent title of the Father even as distinguished from the Son: see under 1 Corinthians 3:23; 8:6. For to Him, as God, the Son is and ever will be subject: 1 Corinthians 15:28. A genitive following the word father usually describes his children. But the abstract term glory cannot do this. It is evidently a characterizing quality of the Father of Christ and of us. So 2 Corinthians 1:3, Father of compassions; Acts 7:2, God of glory, 1 Corinthians 2:8, Lord of glory. Paul prays to Him to whom the divine Head of the Church bows as God, to the Father, clothed in infinite grandeur, of Christ and of us. Spirit of wisdom: the Holy Spirit, as an animating principle possessing and imparting wisdom. See under 1 Corinthians 4:21, Spirit of meekness; 2 Corinthians 4:13; Romans 8:2, 15. For the word cannot denote here a human spirit: nor does it ever, apparently, denote mere disposition of mind. [The absence of the Greek article is frequent even when the one Holy Spirit is indisputably referred to: e.g. Romans 8:9-11, 14, 15. For where a word is in itself sufficiently definite, the Greeks frequently omitted the article, in order to direct attention to the qualities implied in the anarthrous word; in this case, to the Holy Spirit as an animating principle characterized by wisdom.]

Wisdom and revelation: see under 1 Corinthians 2:5; Romans 1:17. It is a characterizing, prerogative of the Spirit of God to impart a knowledge of eternal realities; and, more definitely, to lift a veil which no hand but that of God can lift and which hides from us the unseen things of God. The former term is general: the latter specific. Paul prays that the Father who is characterized by infinite grandeur, who has already (Ephesians 1:13) sealed his readers with the Spirit of promise, may give to them the same Spirit as an inward source of wisdom and as One who reveals the things unseen. His prayer reminds us that each new influence and work of the Spirit is a fresh gift from God. Knowledge: literally, full-knowledge; as in Colossians 1:9, 10; 2:2; 3:10.

Of Him: of God, to whom here Paul prays. The Spirit of wisdom comes to us clothed in a deep and real knowledge of God; and makes Himself known to us by imparting such knowledge. For God is Himself the great Reality, and the great Object which appears when the veil is lifted.

V. 18. The eyes of your understanding-It is with these alone that we discern the things of God.

Being first opened, and then enlightened-By his Spirit. That ye may know what is the hope of his calling-That ye may experimentally and delightfully know what are the blessings which God has called you to hope for by his word and his Spirit. And what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints-What an immense treasure of blessedness he hath provided as an inheritance for holy souls.

Verse 18. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened] The understanding is that power or faculty in the soul by which knowledge or information is received, and the recipient power is here termed the EYES of the understanding; and we learn from this that oper o ofqalmov en tw swmati, touto o nouv en th yuch, as Philo expresses it: What the eye is to the body, the understanding is to the soul; and that as the eye is not light in itself, and can discern nothing but by the means of light shining, not only on the objects to be viewed, but into the eye itself; so the understanding of man can discern no sacred thing of or by itself, but sees by the influence of the Spirit of wisdom and revelation; for without the influence of God’s Holy Spirit no man ever became wise unto salvation, no more than a man ever discerned an object, (no matter how perfect soever his eye might have been,) without the instrumentality of light. Instead of thv dianoiav, of your understanding, thv kardiav, of your heart, is the reading of ABDEFG, and several others; also both the Syriac, all the Arabic, the Coptic, the Æthiopic, Armenian, Sahidic, Slavonian, Vulgate, and Itala, besides several of the fathers. The eyes of your HEART is undoubtedly the true reading.

The hope of his calling] That you may clearly discern the glorious and important objects of your hope, to the enjoyment of which God has called or invited you.

The riches of the glory of his inheritance] That you may understand what is the glorious abundance of the spiritual things to which you are entitled, in consequence of being made children of God; for if children, then heirs, heirs of that glorious inheritance which God has provided for the saints-for all genuine Christians, whether formerly Jews or Gentiles. On the chief subject of this verse, see the notes on Galatians 4:6, 7.

Verses 18-21. 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 first be opened, and then enlightened, by the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, spoken of in the former verse. That ye may know what is the hope of his calling — That ye may know, experimentally and delightfully, what are the blessings which God, by his word and Spirit, has called you to hope for. For hope seems to be put here chiefly for the objects of hope, as it is likewise Colossians 1:5; Titus 2:13. The apostle, however, may also include the grounds of this hope; with which, in order to their further establishment, the apostle wished them to be more fully acquainted. And what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in his saints — How great the blessings of his grace are, conferred on his saints here, and what an immense treasure of blessedness and glory he hath provided for them hereafter. And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward, who cordially believe — Both in raising our souls from the death of sin, and preserving them in spiritual life; influencing our hearts in such a manner as effectually to conquer all our prejudices against Christianity, and against true religion in every form, and so as to make us new creatures in Christ Jesus; according to the working of his mighty power — Greek, kata thn energeian tou kratouv thv iscouv autou, expressions, the strong emphasis and admirable force of which, as Bishop Pearson has observed, are scarcely to be paralleled in any author, and are superior to what our language can reach. Doddridge renders them, according to the energy of the power of his might, a translation which, however, falls very short of the original. See also Blackwall’s Sacred Classics, vol. 1. p. 307. Which he wrought in Christ — By the same almighty power whereby he raised Christ from the dead, for no less would suffice; and set him at his own right hand — That is, he hath exalted him in his human nature, as a recompense for his sufferings, to the quiet, everlasting possession of all possible blessedness, majesty, and glory. Far above all principality and power, and might and dominion — That is, God hath invested him with uncontrollable authority over all demons in hell, and angels in heaven, and all the princes and potentates on earth; and every name that is named — Name is here, by a usual figure, put for the person who possesses the authority signified by that name. We know the king is above all, though we cannot name all the officers of his court: so we know that Christ is above all, though we are not able to name all his subjects; not only in this world, but also in that which is to come — The invisible world, in which the potentates mentioned in the former part of the verse rule, is called the world to come, not because it does not yet exist, but because it is to come to us, not being yet visible. We may observe here, that of the four different names given to good angels in this verse, the two first arcai, principalities, and exousiai, powers, are given to evil angels, (Ephesians 6:12,) and to men, Luke 12:11. From this we learn, that there are different orders and degrees of government and subordination among good and bad angels in the invisible world, as among men in the visible world. It is observed by Chandler, that arch, the first word, signifies empire of the largest extent, being used by Greek writers to denote the empire of Alexander, after he had conquered the East, and the empire of the Romans; and that kuriothv, the last word in the verse, signifies the lowest degree of power, power of the smallest extent. So that although we do not know precisely what kind or degree of power is marked by these different names, when applied to good and bad angels, yet we perceive the meaning in general to be, that to our Lord, in his human nature, are subjected the highest, the intermediate, and the lowest orders of beings in the universe; having power, whether among angels or men. According to this view of Christ’s dominion, he is placed above every created nature, however excellent it may be. See Macknight, and Colossians 1:16.

Ver. 17, 18. The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory. Under the term Father, the whole deity is understood. Christ himself is styled “the Lord of glory;” and the word is equivalent to this, that God, the Father of glory, is also our Father. The mercy desired is, the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, the only true God, and of Jesus Christ whom he hath sent. The natural man cannot attain to this knowledge. It is the Spirit which illuminates the mind, and opens the earnests of heaven in the heart. Then it is we read the scriptures with new eyes, and love with new affections. The apostle prays thus also for the Colossians, that they might be filled with the knowledge of his will: chap. 1:9-18. And for Timothy, that the Lord would give him understanding in all things. Such a knowledge opens a fountain of life and heaven in the soul; and without it no man can be a minister of the new covenant.

18. A series of three whats now, in order of climax, unfold the grandeur which it is Paul’s prayer that the Ephesians may know. The climax is indicated by the terms hope, riches, power. They are to realize how cheering their present hope, how rich their future inheritance, and how stupendous the power exerted by God in executing the vast work of preparing and securing that inheritance. Hope of his calling—That is, the hope of that to the enjoyment of which God calls you. See note, Romans 1:1; and 8:30; 1 Corinthians 7:20-22. Eadie mistakenly says: “Man’s calling is often slighted, but God’s is effectual calling.” Scripture frequently declares, in very intense language, that God’s call “is often slighted.” Proverbs 1:24. In increasing vigour St. Paul adds, the riches of the glory of his inheritance—For the inheritance, consult notes on verses 14, 7. Of this inheritance they should realize not only the glory, but the unbounded affluence, the riches of that glory. They must enlarge their understandings to conceive how rich is the glory of the inheritance. His—God’s to bestow on us. Note on verse 14. In the saints—As this glory is to take place in the great day of accomplished reconciliation of verse 10, namely, at the advent, and is a reconciliation of all in holiness, we might render this, among the holy ones. Nevertheless, since it is plain that it is the Church (verse 22) particularly whose share in this glory is now in Paul’s view, saints may be the true rendering.

Ver. 18. Enlightened: as in Hebrews 6:4; 10:32.

The heart: the inmost centre of human life, and the source of action: see under Romans 1:21.

The eyes of the heart: the faculty by which knowledge enters into and illumines this inmost chamber.

Having the eyes of your heart enlightened: connecting link between the gift of the Spirit and the personal knowledge which Paul desires for his readers. [The accusative case puts these words in apposition, not as we might have expected to the preceding words give to you, but to those following that ye may know: in order, apparently, to suggest that only by enlightenment of the heart can we receive this desired knowledge. This use of the accusative is made somewhat the more easy by the occasional use of the accusative absolute, as in Romans 8:3.] Before expounding the ultimate aim of his prayer, viz. knowledge of three things pertaining to the Christian life, Paul states conspicuously a condition on which alone this aim can be attained, viz. the entrance of light, ever the condition of knowledge, into the inmost chamber of our nature. This light he hopes for as a result of the gift of the Spirit of God whose special work is to impart wisdom and to unveil mysteries. For He is the one principle of spiritual life. And, always, life is an essential condition of sight.

That ye may know etc.: ultimate aim of the gift of the Spirit, and of inward enlightenment. So Philippians 1:9; Colossians 1:9. This earnest prayer reveals the infinite importance of knowledge as a condition of Christian life. Three matters, Paul desires his readers to know: two in Ephesians 1:18, and a third in Ephesians 1:19. His calling: a favourite word of Paul, Romans 1:6; 8:28, 30; 1 Corinthians 1:9,26; 7:18,20-22, etc; the high calling of God, Philippians 3:14. It is the Gospel summons to salvation, to the service of God, and to eternal glory. To this calling belongs hope: for it gives to those who hear and obey it an expectation of infinite blessing to come. Paul desires that his readers may know how great these blessings are. And to this end be has already prayed that they may receive the Spirit of wisdom. For only the Spirit of God can reveal the greatness of the blessings awaiting the sons of God: cp. 1 Corinthians 2:10, 12. And what etc.: second matter which Paul desires His readers to know. It is also the object of the hope just mentioned.

His inheritance: the good things of God which will pass to the saints as His children. For they are heirs of God, Romans 8:17. Of these good things the Spirit of Adoption is the first: cp. Ephesians 1:14. This inheritance has an abundance of splendour which will make truly rich all who receive it. Paul desires his readers to know how great is the abundance of this splendour.

Among or in the saints: cp. Colossians 1. 27, among the Gentiles. The saints are represented as standing round their own inheritance. Heirship to the wealth of God is located by God in and among the sacred people of the New Covenant.

V. 19. And what the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe-Both in quickening our dead souls, and preserving them in spiritual life.

According to the power which he exerted in Christ, raising him from the dead-By the very same almighty power whereby he raised Christ; for no less would suffice.

Verse 19. The exceeding greatness of his power] As the apostle is here speaking of the glorious state of believers after death, the exceeding greatness of his power, or that power which surpasses all difficulties, being itself omnipotent, is to be understood of that might which is to be exerted in raising the body at the last day; as it will require the same power or energy which he wrought in Christ, when he raised his body from the grave, to raise up the bodies of all mankind; the resurrection of the human nature of Christ being a proof of the resurrection of mankind in general. According to the working of his mighty power] kata thn energeian tou kratouv thv iscuov autou. According to the energy of the power of his might. We may understand these words thus: MIGHT, iscuv, is the state or simple efficiency of this attribute in God; POWER, kratov, is this might or efficiency in action; ENERGY, energeia, is the quantum of force, momentum, or velocity, with which the power is applied. Though they appear to be synonymous terms they may be thus understood: passive power is widely different from power in action; and power in action will be in its results according to the energy or momentum with which it is applied. The resurrection of the dead is a stupendous work of God; it requires his might in sovereign action; and when we consider that all mankind are to be raised and changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, then the momentum, or velocity, with which the power is to be applied must be inconceivably great. All motion is in proportion to the quantity of matter in the mover, and the velocity with which it is applied. The effect here is in proportion to the cause and the energy he puts forth in order to produce it. But such is the nature of God’s power in action, that it is perfectly inconceivable to us; and even these astonishingly strong words of the apostle are to be understood as used in condescension to human weakness.

Verses 18-21. 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 first be opened, and then enlightened, by the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, spoken of in the former verse. That ye may know what is the hope of his calling — That ye may know, experimentally and delightfully, what are the blessings which God, by his word and Spirit, has called you to hope for. For hope seems to be put here chiefly for the objects of hope, as it is likewise Colossians 1:5; Titus 2:13. The apostle, however, may also include the grounds of this hope; with which, in order to their further establishment, the apostle wished them to be more fully acquainted. And what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in his saints — How great the blessings of his grace are, conferred on his saints here, and what an immense treasure of blessedness and glory he hath provided for them hereafter. And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward, who cordially believe — Both in raising our souls from the death of sin, and preserving them in spiritual life; influencing our hearts in such a manner as effectually to conquer all our prejudices against Christianity, and against true religion in every form, and so as to make us new creatures in Christ Jesus; according to the working of his mighty power — Greek, kata thn energeian tou kratouv thv iscouv autou, expressions, the strong emphasis and admirable force of which, as Bishop Pearson has observed, are scarcely to be paralleled in any author, and are superior to what our language can reach. Doddridge renders them, according to the energy of the power of his might, a translation which, however, falls very short of the original. See also Blackwall’s Sacred Classics, vol. 1. p. 307. Which he wrought in Christ — By the same almighty power whereby he raised Christ from the dead, for no less would suffice; and set him at his own right hand — That is, he hath exalted him in his human nature, as a recompense for his sufferings, to the quiet, everlasting possession of all possible blessedness, majesty, and glory. Far above all principality and power, and might and dominion — That is, God hath invested him with uncontrollable authority over all demons in hell, and angels in heaven, and all the princes and potentates on earth; and every name that is named — Name is here, by a usual figure, put for the person who possesses the authority signified by that name. We know the king is above all, though we cannot name all the officers of his court: so we know that Christ is above all, though we are not able to name all his subjects; not only in this world, but also in that which is to come — The invisible world, in which the potentates mentioned in the former part of the verse rule, is called the world to come, not because it does not yet exist, but because it is to come to us, not being yet visible. We may observe here, that of the four different names given to good angels in this verse, the two first arcai, principalities, and exousiai, powers, are given to evil angels, (Ephesians 6:12,) and to men, Luke 12:11. From this we learn, that there are different orders and degrees of government and subordination among good and bad angels in the invisible world, as among men in the visible world. It is observed by Chandler, that arch, the first word, signifies empire of the largest extent, being used by Greek writers to denote the empire of Alexander, after he had conquered the East, and the empire of the Romans; and that kuriothv, the last word in the verse, signifies the lowest degree of power, power of the smallest extent. So that although we do not know precisely what kind or degree of power is marked by these different names, when applied to good and bad angels, yet we perceive the meaning in general to be, that to our Lord, in his human nature, are subjected the highest, the intermediate, and the lowest orders of beings in the universe; having power, whether among angels or men. According to this view of Christ’s dominion, he is placed above every created nature, however excellent it may be. See Macknight, and Colossians 1:16.

Ver. 19. And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe. This power is displayed in the work of our redemption, in despoiling principalities and powers, in removing the guilt and power of sin, in changing the curse for a blessing, in vanquishing death by immortality and life, and in giving us a heavenly kingdom far surpassing the terrestrial paradise which Adam lost. To know this is life everlasting.

19. The apostle completes his threefold climax by unfolding the stupendous power exerted by God to produce this glory. Us… who believe—And this believe, that is, faith, is the condition performed by us. Note, verse 8. We have already said that as Paul here is unfolding the riches of the glory of the divine side of our redemption, so he says little of our condition from the human side. But nevertheless the objects of the whole election of God are viewed as possessing certain objective qualities by which they, rather than others, are eligible to choice. Those who deny this are in a dilemma, falling sometimes upon one horn and sometimes on the other. Sometimes we are told by them that absolutely there is no reason in one, rather than another, for God’s preference; and that makes it an irrational volition. It is an act not only without a rational motive, but a volition without any motive at all; which most Calvinists pronounce to be an impossibility. At other times we are told that there is a reason, but the reason is not revealed to us. But if there be a reason for preferring one object to another, why may not that reason just as reasonably be faith as any other? The reason must be some preferability in one above another. To say there is no reason, no preferability, in the object for an act so stupendous, and in which St. Paul recognizes so transcendent a glory, is to make Omniscience an idiot. And if any preferability in the object exists, beyond all question it is faith in the man underlying the divine choice resting upon him. And this is Paul’s declaration. Us… who believe are the objects of the efficient action of redemption. These are the us whom he hath chosen verse 4: the us whom he has predestinated, verse 5; the us whom he hath made accepted, verse 6; and the us to whom he hath made known the mystery of his will, verse 9. Hereby is harmonized the glorious supremacy of God with the free choice of the creature. God, in infinite and eternal power and goodness, provides the entire system of redemption into which man, by his empowered but not necessitated faith, is graciously and gloriously comprehended and embodied. See our notes on Romans 8:28-30, and 9:1-33. The working of his mighty power—An elaborate clause in the apostle’s Greek, thn energeian tou kratouv thv iscuov autou, the working of the force of his strength. Taking the last first, iscuov is personal strength or vigour inhering in a person; kratouv is the force or momentum with which it can go forth; energeian is the objective working, or action of the personal strength in its full force or efficiency. We are not to concede to adverse criticism that this is a mere wordy accumulation of terms. In the grandeur of this movement the apostle’s eye presents every successive stage. From the working he travels through its momentum up to the might inherent in the divine PERSON. Calvin, quoted by Alford, ingeniously says: “The might is the root, the momentum is the tree, the working is the fruit.”

Verse 19b.-20. According to etc.: a standard by which they may measure it.

Working: or energy: see under Philippians 3:21. Notice the accumulation of synonyms representing different sides of one conception. The word rendered power denotes ability to produce results. That rendered might is the last part of the words autocrat, democrat; and suggests a controlling influence. The word rendered strength is frequently used of muscular force. It suggests the inherent capacity of God for breaking down obstacles and working out His will. The energy of the might of His strength is the activity of the all-controlling and inherent capacity for action which dwells in God. Same words together in Ephesians 6:10. Which he wrought: specific activity of the power of God to which Paul has just referred as a measure of the power at work in us. Wrought or energized: cognate to working in Ephesians 1:19. It is used in Galatians 3:5; Matthew 14:2 for the putting forth of miraculous power.

In Christ: objectively and historically, in the personality of the God-Man. Similarly, Romans 3:24; cp. 1 Corinthians 15:22, in Adam all die.

When He raised Him etc.: specific manifestation of the energy of God. Close parallel in Philippians 3:10, the power of His resurrection. Notice that, as ever, Christ is said to have been raised by the power of the Father: so Colossians 2:12; Galatians 1:1; Romans 4:21; 8:11; 10:9.

At His right hand: see under Colossians 3:1. Christ’s session in glory is here represented as being, like His resurrection, a work of God. In the heavenly places: word for word as in Ephesians 1:3. It depicts further the surroundings of the Risen Lord.

V. 20. And he hath seated him at his own right hand-That is, he hath exalted him in his human nature, as a recompence for his sufferings, to a quiet, everlasting possession of all possible blessedness, majesty, and glory.

Verse 20. Set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places] Gave him, as mediator between God and man, the highest honours and dignities, <502609> Philippians 2:9; in which state of exaltation he transacts all the affairs of his Church, and rules the universe. The right hand is the place of friendship, honour, confidence, and authority.

Verses 18-21. 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 first be opened, and then enlightened, by the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, spoken of in the former verse. That ye may know what is the hope of his calling — That ye may know, experimentally and delightfully, what are the blessings which God, by his word and Spirit, has called you to hope for. For hope seems to be put here chiefly for the objects of hope, as it is likewise Colossians 1:5; Titus 2:13. The apostle, however, may also include the grounds of this hope; with which, in order to their further establishment, the apostle wished them to be more fully acquainted. And what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in his saints — How great the blessings of his grace are, conferred on his saints here, and what an immense treasure of blessedness and glory he hath provided for them hereafter. And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward, who cordially believe — Both in raising our souls from the death of sin, and preserving them in spiritual life; influencing our hearts in such a manner as effectually to conquer all our prejudices against Christianity, and against true religion in every form, and so as to make us new creatures in Christ Jesus; according to the working of his mighty power — Greek, kata thn energeian tou kratouv thv iscouv autou, expressions, the strong emphasis and admirable force of which, as Bishop Pearson has observed, are scarcely to be paralleled in any author, and are superior to what our language can reach. Doddridge renders them, according to the energy of the power of his might, a translation which, however, falls very short of the original. See also Blackwall’s Sacred Classics, vol. 1. p. 307. Which he wrought in Christ — By the same almighty power whereby he raised Christ from the dead, for no less would suffice; and set him at his own right hand — That is, he hath exalted him in his human nature, as a recompense for his sufferings, to the quiet, everlasting possession of all possible blessedness, majesty, and glory. Far above all principality and power, and might and dominion — That is, God hath invested him with uncontrollable authority over all demons in hell, and angels in heaven, and all the princes and potentates on earth; and every name that is named — Name is here, by a usual figure, put for the person who possesses the authority signified by that name. We know the king is above all, though we cannot name all the officers of his court: so we know that Christ is above all, though we are not able to name all his subjects; not only in this world, but also in that which is to come — The invisible world, in which the potentates mentioned in the former part of the verse rule, is called the world to come, not because it does not yet exist, but because it is to come to us, not being yet visible. We may observe here, that of the four different names given to good angels in this verse, the two first arcai, principalities, and exousiai, powers, are given to evil angels, (Ephesians 6:12,) and to men, Luke 12:11. From this we learn, that there are different orders and degrees of government and subordination among good and bad angels in the invisible world, as among men in the visible world. It is observed by Chandler, that arch, the first word, signifies empire of the largest extent, being used by Greek writers to denote the empire of Alexander, after he had conquered the East, and the empire of the Romans; and that kuriothv, the last word in the verse, signifies the lowest degree of power, power of the smallest extent. So that although we do not know precisely what kind or degree of power is marked by these different names, when applied to good and bad angels, yet we perceive the meaning in general to be, that to our Lord, in his human nature, are subjected the highest, the intermediate, and the lowest orders of beings in the universe; having power, whether among angels or men. According to this view of Christ’s dominion, he is placed above every created nature, however excellent it may be. See Macknight, and Colossians 1:16.

Ver. 20. And set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places: in supercœlestibus. Perhaps the plural number is used in reference to the thrones promised to the disciples, and the seats of celestial powers. The inauguration of Christ into the Mediatorial throne is the sublimest subject of revelation. The throne denotes, as at the close of the Lord’s prayer, the kingdom, the power, and the glory of Christ. It is the throne of grace, before which the angels, and the church adore. <19A319>Psalm 103:19. 45:5. Zechariah 6:13. The apostle’s ideas seem to be comprised in five views.

(1) The Father, Son, and Spirit; the unity of deity discovered in the cloud of glory.

(2) Archv, the thrones of the supreme hierarchy, cherubim and seraphim.

(3) The mediate hierarchy, dominions, principalities, powers; for the plural number is used in Ephesians 3:10.

(4) The lower hierarchy, archangels, angels, virtues or powers.

(5) The hierarchy of the church, apostles, prophets, saints; for the humblest believer is a member of the body of Christ. Revelation 3:21.

Thus Christ has a name above every name, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. In him the whole family of heaven and earth is named. He is head of the church, which is his body, being composed of many members; and as the soul fills the body with life, and power, and motion, so Christ is the fulness of deity, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

20. St. Paul now pictures the stupendous working of this power, beginning with Christ’s resurrection, and finishing (verse 23) with his glorious supremacy. No human machineries—nay, no catastrophes in geology, no forces in astronomy—furnish to the eyes divinely enlightened so sublime and so gracious a display of the omnipotence of the Father of glory as the work he hath wrought in Christ. And the glory of this work has the profoundest interest for us, as we are identified with Christ through all the stages here traced. So the apostle will show in 2:1-7. This work was in Christ, but for us who believe. From the dead—From deads, or dead ones; being the Greek genitive plural without the article. See note on Luke 20:35. Right hand—See notes on Acts 7:55, 56. The spirit eyes of the martyr Stephen were so enlightened and vivified as to see the realities of God and Christ in the supernal world; namely, Christ at the right hand of God. See our note, Romans 8:34. In heavenly places— In those superterrene domains which our eyes of flesh cannot see unless, like Stephen’s, supernaturally quickened. See note on verse 3.

Verse 19b.-20. According to etc.: a standard by which they may measure it.

Working: or energy: see under Philippians 3:21. Notice the accumulation of synonyms representing different sides of one conception. The word rendered power denotes ability to produce results. That rendered might is the last part of the words autocrat, democrat; and suggests a controlling influence. The word rendered strength is frequently used of muscular force. It suggests the inherent capacity of God for breaking down obstacles and working out His will. The energy of the might of His strength is the activity of the all-controlling and inherent capacity for action which dwells in God. Same words together in Ephesians 6:10. Which he wrought: specific activity of the power of God to which Paul has just referred as a measure of the power at work in us. Wrought or energized: cognate to working in Ephesians 1:19. It is used in Galatians 3:5; Matthew 14:2 for the putting forth of miraculous power.

In Christ: objectively and historically, in the personality of the God-Man. Similarly, Romans 3:24; cp. 1 Corinthians 15:22, in Adam all die.

When He raised Him etc.: specific manifestation of the energy of God. Close parallel in Philippians 3:10, the power of His resurrection. Notice that, as ever, Christ is said to have been raised by the power of the Father: so Colossians 2:12; Galatians 1:1; Romans 4:21; 8:11; 10:9.

At His right hand: see under Colossians 3:1. Christ’s session in glory is here represented as being, like His resurrection, a work of God. In the heavenly places: word for word as in Ephesians 1:3. It depicts further the surroundings of the Risen Lord.

V. 21. Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion-That is, God hath invested him with uncontrollable authority over all demons in hell, all angels in heaven, and all the princes and potentates on earth.

And every name that is named-We know the king is above all, though we cannot name all the officers of his court. So we know that Christ is above all, though we are not able to name all his subjects. Not only in this world, but also in that which is to come-The world to come is so styled, not because it does not yet exist, but because it is not yet visible. Principalities and powers are named now; but those also who are not even named in this world, but shall be revealed in the world to come, are all subject to Christ.

Verse 21. Far above all principality] The difficulty in this verse does not arise from the words themselves, the meaning of each being easily understood, but from the sense in which the apostle uses them. Some think he has reference here to the different orders among good and evil angels; he is superior to all the former, and rules all the latter. Others think he refers to earthly governments; and as apch, principality, the first word, signifies the most sovereign and extensive kind of dominion; and kuriothv, lordship, the last word, signifies the lowest degree of authority; hence we are to understand that to our Lord, in his human nature, are subjected the highest, the intermediate, and the lowest orders of beings in the universe.-Chandler. Others imagine that the apostle has in view, by whatsoever is named in this world, all the dignitaries of the Jewish Church; and by what is named in the world to come, all the dignities that should be found in the Christian Church.

Schoettgen supposes that the “apostle’s arch (for arcontev, the abstract for the concrete) means the same as the µyaycn Nesiim among the Jews, whose chief business it was to clear and decide all contentions which arose concerning traditions and legal controversies.

“That exousia, power, is the same as abrwx tsorba, he who possesses authority to propound, expound, persuade, convince, and refute.

“That dunamiv, might, answers to twnbr rabbanoth, signifying all the class of rabbins, whose office it was to expound the law, and teach the people generally.

“And that kuriothv, dominion, answers to rm mar, which signifies a person above the lower orders of men. And he observes that Jesus Christ, after his resurrection, called fishermen, publicans, and men from the lowest orders of the people, to the work of the ministry; and made them instruments of confounding and overturning all the Jewish rulers, rabbins, and doctors. And that in the world which is to come-the successive ages of Christianity, he should ever be exalted above all those powers and authorities which Antichrist might bring into the Christian Church; such as popes, cardinals, wicked archbishops, bishops, deans, and canons; and all those who among the schoolmen were termed seraphic doctors, angelic doctors, most illuminated, most perfect, and irrefragable doctors. And although Wiclif, Huss, Luther, Melancthon, and the rest of the reformers, were men of little or no note when compared with the rulers of the popish Church, so eminently did the power of Christ work in and by them, that the pope and all his adjutants were every where confounded, and their power and authority annihilated in several entire regions.”

It is certain that the apostle means that all created power, glory, and influence, are under Christ; and hence it is added:

Verses 18-21. 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 first be opened, and then enlightened, by the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, spoken of in the former verse. That ye may know what is the hope of his calling — That ye may know, experimentally and delightfully, what are the blessings which God, by his word and Spirit, has called you to hope for. For hope seems to be put here chiefly for the objects of hope, as it is likewise Colossians 1:5; Titus 2:13. The apostle, however, may also include the grounds of this hope; with which, in order to their further establishment, the apostle wished them to be more fully acquainted. And what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in his saints — How great the blessings of his grace are, conferred on his saints here, and what an immense treasure of blessedness and glory he hath provided for them hereafter. And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward, who cordially believe — Both in raising our souls from the death of sin, and preserving them in spiritual life; influencing our hearts in such a manner as effectually to conquer all our prejudices against Christianity, and against true religion in every form, and so as to make us new creatures in Christ Jesus; according to the working of his mighty power — Greek, kata thn energeian tou kratouv thv iscouv autou, expressions, the strong emphasis and admirable force of which, as Bishop Pearson has observed, are scarcely to be paralleled in any author, and are superior to what our language can reach. Doddridge renders them, according to the energy of the power of his might, a translation which, however, falls very short of the original. See also Blackwall’s Sacred Classics, vol. 1. p. 307. Which he wrought in Christ — By the same almighty power whereby he raised Christ from the dead, for no less would suffice; and set him at his own right hand — That is, he hath exalted him in his human nature, as a recompense for his sufferings, to the quiet, everlasting possession of all possible blessedness, majesty, and glory. Far above all principality and power, and might and dominion — That is, God hath invested him with uncontrollable authority over all demons in hell, and angels in heaven, and all the princes and potentates on earth; and every name that is named — Name is here, by a usual figure, put for the person who possesses the authority signified by that name. We know the king is above all, though we cannot name all the officers of his court: so we know that Christ is above all, though we are not able to name all his subjects; not only in this world, but also in that which is to come — The invisible world, in which the potentates mentioned in the former part of the verse rule, is called the world to come, not because it does not yet exist, but because it is to come to us, not being yet visible. We may observe here, that of the four different names given to good angels in this verse, the two first arcai, principalities, and exousiai, powers, are given to evil angels, (Ephesians 6:12,) and to men, Luke 12:11. From this we learn, that there are different orders and degrees of government and subordination among good and bad angels in the invisible world, as among men in the visible world. It is observed by Chandler, that arch, the first word, signifies empire of the largest extent, being used by Greek writers to denote the empire of Alexander, after he had conquered the East, and the empire of the Romans; and that kuriothv, the last word in the verse, signifies the lowest degree of power, power of the smallest extent. So that although we do not know precisely what kind or degree of power is marked by these different names, when applied to good and bad angels, yet we perceive the meaning in general to be, that to our Lord, in his human nature, are subjected the highest, the intermediate, and the lowest orders of beings in the universe; having power, whether among angels or men. According to this view of Christ’s dominion, he is placed above every created nature, however excellent it may be. See Macknight, and Colossians 1:16.

21. All principality, and power—See our note on Romans 8:38. The entities named by the apostle as those over whom Christ is exalted are abstract dignities, not real personal beings. His person is over all other personal beings, because his rank is above all other ranks. Personal natures are often mentioned in Scripture, as cherubim, seraphim, angels, and archangels. And in all scenic or apocalyptic representations these personal beings appear. No commentator has given any clear distinction between the entities of this verse. The apostle mentions these entities simply as indicating that such varied supernal dignities do exist, but that in what they consist he does not claim to personally know, or find it in his inspiration to reveal. Every name—Whatever name you utter, the name of Christ is its superior. This world—This time-world. So that through all future aeons, or time-worlds, Jesus is the supreme name.

Ver. 21. Further delineation of the position of the Risen One. Beyond and above: movement upwards going beyond even the most exalted.

All principality and authority: word for word as in Colossians 2:10. Same words in the plural in Colossians 1:16; where see note. They evidently describe successive ranks of angels.

Power: same word as in Ephesians 1:19. In 1 Peter 3:22 we have angels and authorities and powers, made subject to the Risen Saviour. Lordship: same word in Colossians 1:16, but there placed immediately before principalities or authorities. This change of order makes it impossible to determine whether the order here given is ascending or descending. All that we can infer with certainty is that Paul’s faith saw the Risen and Rising One passing through and beyond and above successive ranks of angelic powers until there was in heaven no grandeur which He had not left behind. Then, after naming heavenly powers known to him, he uses a universal phrase covering not only those known by men living on earth in the present age, but also those names which will be needed and used to describe men and angels throughout the eternal future. Whatever may be thus designated, Christ has already passed. Every name named: a close parallel in <502609> Philippians 2:9. It includes every kind of character and position as recognised by intelligent persons. Not only etc.; emphasises the universal expression by specifying two component parts of it. So Colossians 1:16. Same division of time in Matthew 12:32.

This age: same words in Romans 12:2; 1 Corinthians 2:6; Galatians 1:4; where see notes. It is the present course of things. That which is to come: the new course of things to be introduced by the coming of Christ, this looked upon as one definite whole.

V. 22. And he hath given him to be head over all things to the church-An head both of guidance and government, and likewise of life and influence, to the whole and every member of it. All these stand in the nearest union with him, and have as continual and effectual a communication of activity, growth, and strength from him, as the natural body from its head.

Verse 22. And hath put all things under his feet] All beings and things are subject to him, whether they be thrones, dominions, principalities, or powers, Colossians 1:16-18; 2:10; for he, God the Father, has given him to be head-chief, and supreme, over all, to the Church, the Church having no ruler but Jesus Christ; others may be officers in his Church, but he alone is head and supreme.

Verses 22, 23. And hath put — Greek, upetaxen, hath subjected; all things under his feet — This is said in allusion to <19B001>Psalm 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 entire subjection of all his enemies, 1 Corinthians 15:25. For in ancient times conquerors put their feet on the necks of their enemies in token of their subjection, Joshua 10:23,

24. And gave him to be head over all things to the church — As it is here declared that Christ is raised to universal dominion for the sake of his church, that is, for the noble purpose of erecting and establishing it, and uniting the angels who are in heaven, and all the good men, who have lived and are to live on earth, in one harmonious society, that they may worship and serve God together, and be happy in one another’s society to all eternity, it was necessary for accomplishing this grand purpose, that the evil angels should be subjected to him; and even that the material fabric of the world, with every thing it contains, should be under his direction, that he might order all the events befalling his people, in such a manner as to promote their holiness, and prepare them for heaven. Add to this, he is in such a sense made head over all things to his church, as to cause even its enemies, however undesignedly by them and unwillingly, to serve its interests; and all events, whether apparently prosperous or adverse, and all persons and things, to work together for the good of its members. To these he is a head, not merely of government, but likewise of guidance, life, and influence, as is implied in the next clause. Which is his body — The church is called the body of Christ, to signify that the true and living members thereof are united to, and animated by him; that they are under his direction, and the objects of his care, and that they are united to one another in love, after the manner of the members of the human body, which are governed by the head, and united to one another by various joints, ligaments, nerves, arteries, veins, and other vessels of communication and intercourse. The fulness of him that filleth all in all — This expression may mean that his church, that is, the spiritual part of it, is completed, or completely filled by him, namely, with all sorts of gifts and graces. So Locke understands it. Thus believers are said to receive out of Christ’s fulness, grace for, or upon grace. Macknight, however, takes the clause in a different sense, observing, that by calling the church to plhrwma, the fulness of Christ, the apostle intimates, that he who is universal Lord would want a principal part of his subjects, if the church among men on earth were not united and subjected to him as its head. Who filleth all in all — That is, who filleth all his members with all their spiritual gifts and graces, according to the place and office in his body which he hath assigned them.

22. The last previous verse declares the superiority of Christ’s rank; this declares that all inferiors are directly subjected to his rule. Put… feet— The words are evidently run in from Psalms 8:6Psalm 8:6, where they are spoken of man as the supreme of the earth. Christ is the supreme ideal man. And here is a peaceful supremacy different from the subjection of all things by conquest specified in 1 Corinthians 15:27. Gave him… to the Church—But while this supremacy embraces all in its benign sway, there is one object over which and to which he is a special donation. He is ruler over all; but he is given head, even in his universal supremacy, to the Church. God gave him head, while over an things, to the Church.

Ver. 22a. Further delineation of the exaltation of Christ. For greater emphasis, it is added as an independent sentence.

All-things; keeps up the idea of universality already expressed by the words all and every.

All things He subjected under His feet: word for word as in 1 Corinthians 15:27, which is almost word for word from (LXX.) Psalms 8:6Psalm 8:6. What the Psalmist asserts of man, in poetic ideal, Paul claims in each passage to have been fulfilled in Christ. And rightly. For, as Son of man, He is heir of whatever belongs to man.

Verse. 22b. The exalted Saviour’s relation to the Church. Notice also a fuller statement of His relation to the universe, this including evidently the angelic powers just mentioned. Christ is not only above the angels, but above all created things as their Head, i.e. as the seat of supreme authority: see under Colossians 1:18.

Above or rather beyond all things: recalling Ephesians 1:21, above and beyond all principality etc. We have here the historic exaltation of the human body and nature of the Son, and His original relation to the universe: see Colossians 1:16-18. In this supreme dignity, raised above and controlling all things, God gave Him to the Church; evidently in order that the Head of the universe may be also Head of the Church, thus making the universe an ally of the Church.

V. 23. The fulness of him that filleth all in all-It is hard to say in what sense this can be spoken of the church; but the sense is easy and natural, if we refer it to Christ, who is the fulness of the Father.

Verse 23. Which is his body] As he is head over all things, he is head to the Church; and this Church is considered as the body of which he is especially the head; and from him, as the head, the Church receives light, life, and intelligence.

And is the fulness of him] That in which he especially manifests his power, goodness, and truth; for though he fills all the world with his presence, yet he fills all the members of his mystical body with wisdom, goodness, truth, and holiness, in an especial manner. Some understand the fulness or plhrwma, here, as signifying the thing to be filled; so the Christian Church is to be filled by him, whose fulness fills all his members, with all spiritual gifts and graces. And this corresponds with what St. John says, John 1:16: And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. And with what is said, Colossians 2:9,10: Ye are complete in him; kai este en autw peplhrwmenoi. And ye are in him filled full; i.e. with gifts and grace.

How, in any other sense, the Church can be said to be the fulness of him who fills all in all, is difficult to say. However, as Jesus Christ is represented to be the head, and the Church, the body under that head, the individuals being so many members in that body; and as it requires a body and members to make a head complete; so it requires a Church, or general assembly of believers, to make up the body of Christ. When, therefore, the Jews and Gentiles are brought into this Church, the body may be said to be complete; and thus Christ has his visible fulness upon earth, and the Church may be said to be the fulness of him, &c. See Ephesians 1:10. EPHESIANS

Verses 22, 23. And hath put — Greek, upetaxen, hath subjected; all things under his feet — This is said in allusion to <19B001>Psalm 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 entire subjection of all his enemies, 1 Corinthians 15:25. For in ancient times conquerors put their feet on the necks of their enemies in token of their subjection, Joshua 10:23,

24. And gave him to be head over all things to the church — As it is here declared that Christ is raised to universal dominion for the sake of his church, that is, for the noble purpose of erecting and establishing it, and uniting the angels who are in heaven, and all the good men, who have lived and are to live on earth, in one harmonious society, that they may worship and serve God together, and be happy in one another’s society to all eternity, it was necessary for accomplishing this grand purpose, that the evil angels should be subjected to him; and even that the material fabric of the world, with every thing it contains, should be under his direction, that he might order all the events befalling his people, in such a manner as to promote their holiness, and prepare them for heaven. Add to this, he is in such a sense made head over all things to his church, as to cause even its enemies, however undesignedly by them and unwillingly, to serve its interests; and all events, whether apparently prosperous or adverse, and all persons and things, to work together for the good of its members. To these he is a head, not merely of government, but likewise of guidance, life, and influence, as is implied in the next clause. Which is his body — The church is called the body of Christ, to signify that the true and living members thereof are united to, and animated by him; that they are under his direction, and the objects of his care, and that they are united to one another in love, after the manner of the members of the human body, which are governed by the head, and united to one another by various joints, ligaments, nerves, arteries, veins, and other vessels of communication and intercourse. The fulness of him that filleth all in all — This expression may mean that his church, that is, the spiritual part of it, is completed, or completely filled by him, namely, with all sorts of gifts and graces. So Locke understands it. Thus believers are said to receive out of Christ’s fulness, grace for, or upon grace. Macknight, however, takes the clause in a different sense, observing, that by calling the church to plhrwma, the fulness of Christ, the apostle intimates, that he who is universal Lord would want a principal part of his subjects, if the church among men on earth were not united and subjected to him as its head. Who filleth all in all — That is, who filleth all his members with all their spiritual gifts and graces, according to the place and office in his body which he hath assigned them.

23. His body—So that he and the Church are one conceptual person. He unifies, vivifies, inspires that body with which, as its head, he is identical and one. All in all, is expressly limited in the parallel passage. 1 Corinthians 15:28. (see note,) to God the Father, or the whole Trinity. That the passages are parallel is clear from the same quotation from the Psalm being used in both. Him, therefore, refers not, we think, to Christ, but to God. Paul’s words regarding Christ in Ephesians 4:10, “fill all things,” are by no means equivalent, as Alford quotes them, to this repeated all in all of God. Besides, through this whole chapter and the next, the eternal origination of the Church is ascribed to God. Filleth, in the Greek, is passive in form, and most properly signifies is filled; or, (as the same word is rendered in Colossians 4:12; John 3:29, and elsewhere,) filled in the sense of complete, perfected, filled-out. Hence we understand that while the Church is Christ’s body, it is also the fulness of God, who is the full-orbed all in all. It is a question whether Paul intends fulness as imparted to Christ, or fulness as ever dwelling in God. By a comparison of the word as occurring in Ephesians 3:19, and Colossians 1:19, it seems to include both God’s fulness as indwelling, and as overflowing, by impartation, unto Christ. It is by that fulness, from God imparted, that the Church becomes Christ’s body. And so throughout both these chapters Christ is presented in his glorious subordination to God.

Ver. 23. Two important relations of the Church to Christ. Which is, or, more fully, inasmuch as it is: a reason why God gave Christ to the Church.

His body: as in Colossians 1:18. See note under 1 Corinthians 12:30. In Ephesians 1:20-22 we saw the mighty power of God raising Christ from the grave in which He lay dead and raising Him through the successive ranks of angels until He sits in glory at the right hand of God. We now learn that the Risen and Enthroned One is God’s gift to the Church, to be its Head, i.e. to be Himself a part of the Church and occupying in it a unique and supreme place as that part which directs the whole and is essential to the vitality of the whole. In other words, He who is above everything created is in closest union with the Church. The fulness etc.: farther description of the Church. It is the body of Christ, an outward and visible form consisting of various and variously endowed members all animated by the one Spirit of Christ, of which body He is Himself the Head, the supreme and controlling member.

It is also His fulness: see under Colossians 1:19. Him who fills all things with all things: Christ, who gives to the universe in its various parts the fulness with which every part is full. Fills, or more accurately fills for Himself or from Himself: Christ being enriched by the fulness with which He makes the universe fall. This keeps before us the similar relation of Christ to the universe and to the Church. In what sense are these words true? The Church can hardly be the fulness with which Christ is Himself full as in the ordinary use and construction of the word. Rather it is that which Christ makes full; according to a less common classic use in which a fully manned ship is sometimes called a fulness, as though in its full equipment the idea of a ship found its full realisation. He who fills the universe and by its abundant contents reveals Himself as one who fills all things with all things, fills also the Church, making it a receptacle of every blessing which proceeds from Him. Somewhat similar is the common use of the same word by the Gnostics, as quoted frequently by Irenæus, in a local sense to describe the abode of blessedness, which they called the fulness in contrast to the void or abode of darkness. Also closely akin to the word before us is the verb in Colossians 2:10, ‘in Him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, and ye are made-full in Him.’ He who has so joined to Himself the Church as to make it His body, the visible organ of His self-manifestation, and Himself its Head, has also made it His fulness, the receptacle and embodiment of His own abundance, of the infinite blessings He is able to bestow.

REVIEW. That his readers have been sealed by the Holy Spirit and that He is an earnest of the inheritance awaiting them, moves Paul, on hearing of their faith in Christ and their faithfulness towards all Christians, to give ceaseless thanks on their behalf in his approaches to God in prayer. His thanks pass imperceptibly into prayer that God would give to them that Spirit who is the Bearer of the wisdom of God and the Agent of His revelations to men, this gift assuming the form of imparted knowledge of God, in order that they, receiving light where the heart sees things unseen, may know what blessings await those who have heard and obeyed the Gospel summons, how abundant is the splendour of the inheritance which already belongs to the saints, and how surpassingly mighty is the power which is already at work upon them and will ultimately realise their hopes. Paul gives them a measure by which they may estimate the greatness of this power, viz. the power which raised Christ from the dead to the throne of God, far beyond the shining ranks of heaven and beyond whatever dignity is known in the age now passing or will be known in the ages to come. The exaltation of Christ rivets the Apostle’s wondering gaze. He remembers that not only is Christ raised above all angelic powers, but that all things good and bad, personal and impersonal, are put under His control; that the humanity of Christ, itself a part of the created universe, holds in it a place of unique dignity as the supreme part which controls all else; that this supreme Ruler of the universe has been given to the Church to be a part of it, viz. the one supreme and controlling member without which the others cannot live; and that the Church is both His body, the visible organ of His self-manifestation, and His fulness, the receptacle of the effulgence and wealth which ever flow from Him.

Notice carefully that, in consequence of the close relation between Christ and His peoples the splendour given to Him and the power which rescued Him from death and gave Him that splendour are a measure of the splendour awaiting His people; and that the power which raised Christ is already at work in those who believe, and will ultimately raise them to the throne of their Risen Lord. A similar argument in Philippians 3:21. This exaltation above even the highest created beings assures us that no created power will prevent or lessen the glory awaiting us. Notice also the appropriateness here of Paul’s favourite metaphor of the Church as the body of Christ. If we are members of His body, where the Head is we must some day be. Therefore, since the Head cannot descend, the exaltation of Christ is a pledge that we shall reign with Him. The Church is also the self-development of Him who fills the universe with His own life; as though apart from the Church our conception of Christ would be incomplete.