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Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Ephesians 1:5

5. predestinated—more special in respect to the end and precise means, than "chosen" or elected. We are "chosen" out of the rest of the world; "predestinated" to all things that secure the inheritance for us (Ephesians 1:11; Romans 8:29). "Foreordained." by Jesus—Greek, "through Jesus." to himself—the Father (Colossians 1:20). ALFORD explains, "adoption . . . into Himself," that is, so that we should be partakers of the divine nature (Colossians 1:20- :). LACHMANN reads, "unto Him." The context... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Ephesians 1:3-10

A. Individual calling 1:3-2:10Paul began the body of his letter by revealing the spiritual blessings that God has planned for believers in His Son."The opening section of Ephesians (Ephesians 1:3 to Ephesians 2:10), which describes the new life God has given us in Christ, divides itself naturally into two halves, the first consisting of praise and the second of prayer. In the ’praise’ half Paul blesses God that he has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3-14), while... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Ephesians 1:3-14

1. The purpose: glory 1:3-14In the Greek text Ephesians 1:3-14 are one sentence. The Holy Spirit carried Paul along in his thinking as he contemplated God’s provision so that he moved quickly from one blessing to the next. It is as though he was ecstatically opening a treasure chest, lifting its jewels with his hands, letting them cascade through his fingers, and marveling briefly at them as they caught his eye."Each section ends with a note of praise for God (Ephesians 1:6; Ephesians 1:11;... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Ephesians 1:3-21

II. THE CHRISTIAN’S CALLING 1:3-3:21". . . the first three chapters are one long prayer, culminating in the great doxology at the end of chapter 3. There is in fact nothing like this in all Paul’s letters. This is the language of lyrical prayer, not the language of argument, and controversy, and rebuke." [Note: William Barclay, The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians, p. 76.] read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Ephesians 1:4-6

The selection of the Father 1:4-6The spiritual blessings that have come to us are the work of all three members of the Trinity. God Himself is the basis of these blessings. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Ephesians 1:5

Predestination is the means by which God chose us (cf. Romans 8:30). God chose us by marking us out beforehand (the meaning of proorisas, translated "predestined"). Predestination looks more at the "how" than at the "who" of election. Election emphasizes the people and predestination the means (cf. Ephesians 1:11; Acts 4:25-28; Romans 8:29-30). God predetermined the final destiny of the elect, namely, that we would be His full-fledged sons (cf. Romans 8:15; Romans 8:23; Galatians 4:4-7). Jesus... read more

John Darby

Darby's Synopsis of the New Testament - Ephesians 1:5

1:5 beforehand (d-5) The word translated 'marked out beforehand' involves purpose. It is not 'counsel,' though it is ' according to the good pleasure of his will,' and, in ver. 11, ' according to his purpose,' and ' according to the counsel of his own will.' The word horizo means 'mark out,' 'determine,' as in Romans 1:4 ; here pro (beforehand) is prefixed. It refers generally to persons, but is applied to things as in 1 Corinthians 2:7 . When applied to persons, that to which they are... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 1:1-23

Thanksgiving for Blessings and Prayer for Wisdom1, 2. The salutation. I. In the Salutations to the Colossians and to Philemon, written at the same time, ’Timothy the brother’ is coupled with St. Paul. He is omitted here because of the general character of the letter. At Ephesus was omitted for the same reason (see Intro.). The Apostle takes the whole responsibility of instructing Christians at large respecting ’the whole counsel of God’ (Acts 20:27).2. This is the usual salutation in the... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Ephesians 1:1-23

[1.Introduction to the Epistle (Ephesians 1:1-23).(1) SALUTATION (Ephesians 1:1-2).(2) THANKSGIVING TO GOD FOR—(a)The election of the whole Church before the world began, by the predestinating love of the Father, to holiness, grace, and glory (Ephesians 1:3-6);(b)this election depending on Redemption, in virtue of unity with Christ as the Head of all created Being (Ephesians 1:7-10);(c)and being manifested doubly, in the calling and faith, first of the Jewish, then of the Gentile Christians... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Ephesians 1:5

(5) Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself.—The idea of Election depends on the union of the sense of actual difference between men, as to privilege and spiritual life, with the conviction of God’s universal sovereignty. Hence, in all cases, it leads back to the idea of Predestination, that is, of the conception of the divine purpose in the mind of God, before its realisation in actual fact. On the doctrine of predestination see Romans 9:0. It will... read more

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