1:1 Paul, {1} an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the {a} faithful in Christ Jesus:(1) The inscription and salutation, of which we have spoken in the former epistles.(a) This is the definition of the saints, showing what they are. read more
1:3 {2} Blessed [be] the God {3} and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, {4} who hath blessed us with {b} all spiritual blessings in {c} heavenly [places] in {5} Christ:(2) The first part of the epistle, in which he handles all the parts of our salvation, setting forth the example of the Ephesians. And he uses various exhortations, and begins after his manner with thanksgiving.(3) The efficient cause of our salvation is God, not considered generally, but as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.(4)... read more
1:4 {6} According as he hath chosen us in {d} him before the foundation of the world, {7} that we {e} should {f} be holy and without blame {g} before him in love:(6) He declares the efficient cause, or by what means God the Father saves us in his Son: because, he says, he chose us from everlasting in his Son.(d) To be adopted in him.(7) He expounds the next final cause which is twofold, that is, sanctification and justification, of which he will speak later. And by this also two things are to... read more
1:5 {8} Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ {h} to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,(8) Another plainer exposition of the efficient cause, and also of eternal election, by which God is said to have chosen us in Christ, that is, because it pleased him to appoint us when we were not yet born, whom he would make to be his children by Jesus Christ. So that there is no reason for our election to be looked for here, except in the free mercy of God.... read more
SALUTATION (vs.1-2) As an apostle of Jesus Christ, Paul writes this epistle as an authoritative communication from God. Indeed, his apostleship is "by the will of God." Nothing of his own or of any other person's activity is involved in this at all. God gave Paul this place: he must simply accept it and act for God in it. No other could possibly substitute for him here. The epistle is not addressed to the Ephesian assembly as such, but to the saints at Ephesus, for assembly order is not the... read more
THE BELIEVER ’S BLESSINGS IN CHURCH This is the first of what are called the “prison” epistles, because written by Paul while a prisoner at Rome, (Compare Ephesians 3:1 ; Ephesians 4:1 ; with Acts 28:0 ). The others are Colossians, Philippians, and Philemon. The apostle wrote these with the chain upon his wrist. This also (with Colossians) contains the profoundest truth God has been pleased to reveal to His people, even that of the church considered as the body of Christ, “the... read more
CONTENTS The Apostle opens the Epistle with his usual Salutation. He then at once enters upon the great Subject he had in View, and traces all the Mercies of the Church, to God's eternal Purpose in Christ, before the Foundation of the World. Ephesians 1:1 (1) ¶ Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: I admire the very opening of this blessed Scripture. Paul gives his name and Apostolic authority, by way of... read more
(2) Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I detain the Reader at this verse only to remark, that when the Apostle pronounceth this blessing of grace and peace, it will be proper for us to consider, that the latter is the fruit of the former. Grace is the source and cause of all our blessings, because this is the free, unpurchased, everlasting love and favor of Jehovah, in his threefold character of Persons, towards the Church in Christ, and from whence... read more
(3) ¶ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: (4) 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: (5) Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, (6) To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the... read more
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Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Ephesians 1:1-23
Analysis and Annotations I. THE MASTERWORK OF GOD (1-3) 1. The Godhead at Work CHAPTER 1 1. The introduction (Ephesians 1:1-2 ) 2. The great doxology (Ephesians 1:3 ) 3. The work of the Father (Ephesians 1:4-6 ) 4. The work of the Son (Ephesians 1:7-12 ) 5. The work of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14 ) 6. The parenthetical prayer to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory (Ephesians 1:15-23 ) In the brief introductory words to this Epistle, Paul speaks of himself as an... read more