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Chapter 1.
Greetings.
1. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus.
First of all Paul clearly identifies himself as the writer of the letter and of his appointment according to the will and purpose of God as an apostle, special messenger, of Jesus Christ and thus of the Gospel message. He then identifies who the letter is being sent to, the saints, those set-apart and consecrated to God who have placed their whole hearted trust in Jesus Christ.
2. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
His greeting to them follows the normal Jewish one Grace ! the unmerited favour of God be with you. Peace ! spiritual peace, which means peace, harmony with God be yours.
The source of this grace and peace is God, who we can call our Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
God's Eternal Purpose.
3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.
He commences this section by giving praise to God, which means His power, the eternal one, the all sufficient - the Father, in His relationship with Jesus and through Christ those born again of the Spirit. The reason for this praise is because we have received all the spiritual blessings that God has purposed for us. These are spiritual blessings for we are blessed in the heavenly realms.
4. Just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before Him in love.
Before God created the world, in love He chose us that we should be holy , consecrated, set-apart, and blameless, "to stand before covered by His love." (Living Bible)
5,6. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
In His foreknowledge of us He had planned and purposed to make us His own children. Not because of any merit or worthiness of ours but according to His own will and pleasure. So that we might be to His praise and the glory of His grace through which He has accepted us as His own Beloved.
7. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.
We have been redeemed through the blood of Christ, the ransom price for our souls, bought back - we have forgiveness of sins, through the blood. Again not through anything that we have done but according to the abundant wealth of His grace.
8. That he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight.
He has showered this upon us in His wisdom and understanding of us, for He knows what is best for us.
9,10. He has made known to us the mystery of His will, according to his good pleasure that He set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth.
He has made known to us the mystery, that which was hidden, of His will and purpose to send His only begotten Son into the world to obtain salvation and that in the age to come the fullness of God's purpose will come to be. Jesus Christ will bring together all things as one, in heaven and earth in which He shall be acknowledged head (Phil. 2: 10 -11).
11. In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of Him who accomplishes all things according to His counsel and will.
In Jesus Christ we also are made to be God's heritage, portion (Deut. 32: 9) and through Him we have obtained an inheritance (1 Pet. 1: 3 -4). In accordance with God's foreordained eternal plan and purpose for us.
12,13. So that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit.
First trusted, refers to the Jews who first accepted Christ as Saviour to the praise of His glory. Then he includes all, Jew and Gentile who have heard and accepted the Gospel of salvation. Those having believed are sealed with the Holy Spirit. As an owner of property seals it with his signet to show that it now belongs to him so Christ has sealed His own by the Holy Spirit.
14. Who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
The Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance, (the pledge, foretaste, the down payment. Amplified N.T.) In expectation of the full redemption which we shall take complete possession of when we are with Christ. To the praise of His glory.
Prayer for Spiritual Growth.
15,16. I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.
Paul was motivated to pray for the believers at Ephesus when he heard of their faith in Christ and their love for God's people and continually gave thanks for them.
17 - 20. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know Him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which He has called you, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power for us who believe, according to the working of His great power. God put this power to work in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places.
His desire was that they should continue to grow in Christ and he therefore prays that God would give them:
- a knowledge of Him and of His will and purpose, revelation.
- the spiritual wisdom handle this knowledge in a right way.
- open eyes of the heart to be filled with His light.
- to understand the hope which we have in Jesus Christ e.g. conformed to His image, the realisation of our salvation, to see and be with Him.
- to realise the value that He has placed on us - riches of the glory of His inheritance.
- to know the immeasurable greatness of His power which was demonstrated when He raised Christ from the dead.
- to know that God has set Jesus Christ at His right hand, the place of power and authority, in the heavenly realm.
Christ's Position.
21. Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come.
Christ stands far above all rule and authority and powers, He has been given dominion over all things, earthly and otherwise. He has a name above all other names (above every title that can be conferred) kings, queens, bishops, popes etc. This is His position in this present age and world and in that which is to come.
22. And He has put all things under His feet and has made Him the head over all things for the Church.
All things are under His control. More importantly perhaps for believers, He has been appointed the universal supreme head of the church.
23. Which is his body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
The church which is His body, which is the fullness of Him who fills it. The body is complete in Him who is the head. Without the head the body can do nothing, it is dead. It is through the body that the Head, Christ, plans to accomplished all that He has purposed. All who believe in Christ are part of His body (Rom. 12: 5) and we are complete in Him (Col. 2: 10).
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