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Ephesians Chapter One
Commentary by Ron Beckham
Verse 1. “Paul, an apostle of
Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are at
Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus:”
Paul is writing to
the “saints” (the “called-out
ones” – a people, not a building) “at
Ephesus,” but if you have placed (or will place) your
trust, your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, this letter is
also written personally to you. The phrase “AND
who are faithful in Christ Jesus,” turns this into a
“circular letter,” written also to those in places outside
the city of Ephesus, in Asia Minor, and it is extended to
all those who will ever read these words. The letter called
“Ephesians” is to the “FAITHFUL in
Christ Jesus.”
Notice that Paul
does not identify himself by the time he spent with the
people of Ephesus, as reflected in Acts 19. He does not
puff out his chest and refer to his great experience in
sharing the gospel. He does not tell us about his many
gifts, his profound study first under Gamaliel (Acts 22:3)
and then in the gospel. Instead he is simply Christ’s “apostle”
(“sent one”), thereby
identifying his Lord as the Head of the church and its only
source of authority.
Verse 2. “Grace to you and peace
from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
In this letter, as
in most of Paul’s epistles, “grace”
is the key theme. The word “grace,”
as he uses it, refers to free, undeserved mercy, manifesting
itself in various forms in each believer, each work of God
in the body of Christ. This letter has been called the “Epistle
of Grace.” There is even more emphasis on the grace
of God in this letter than there is in the Book of Romans.
“Peace”
is often joined with grace in the mind and letters of Paul.
The equivalent word in Hebrew is “shalom,”
which translates as “peace,”
except that it literally means “wholeness.”
“Peace” (“eirene”
in the Greek) as Paul used it, meant in its varying
contexts, harmony between people and an end to conflict with
God. Paul uses the phrase “the God of peace” in several places, such as Romans 15:33,
indicating, as in this verse, that true peace only comes
from the Lord. He IS our peace.
Verse 3. “Blessed be the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with
every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,”
The Greek word for
“blessed” in this verse is a
form of “eulogeo,” which
literally means “to speak well
of, to praise, to acknowledge that which is positive”
(W. E. Vine). Is there any good thing in your life? God is
the Author of it and you should reasonably praise Him
for what He has done. The tendency of so many is to dwell
on the “negative,” forgetting that the mercy and the
blessings of God surround us all.
The greatest
blessing in your life and mine is not merely physical, for
anything in this world is literally “here today, gone
tomorrow.” His “spiritual blessing”
(“eulogia pneumatike”) is
infinitely more important, and His Blessing pours through us
into every aspect of our lives. Our physical limitations
are real and our need is very great, but you have ground for
joy right now because of Jesus Christ. He IS your
blessing. You have a place in eternity because of what He
has done for you and me. Thank Him – often!
Verse 4. “just as He chose us in
Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be
holy and blameless before Him. In love”
Do you remember
when we were little and they were choosing a group of us to
play on the opposing teams? I had recently spent years in a
wheelchair and was not only overweight, but also had never
learned to play those games. As a result, I was always
among the last to be chosen. “You take him,” followed by,
“No, YOU take him,” are words that none of us wanted to
hear.
I have good news
for you – God Himself has chosen YOU for His team, and you
were among the FIRST He chose, “before
the foundation of the world.” Notice that He chose
us “in HIM,” in Christ,
responding to our simple willingness to be among the “faithful
in Christ Jesus”. He did not choose us because we
ARE “holy and blameless,”
but instead that we will BECOME “holy
and blameless” in Christ, in His love for you and me.
Verse 5. “He predestined us to
adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according
to the kind intention of His will,”
There is an
assumption by some (not supported in Scripture) that there
is good in all of us, and if you are nice enough to us, we
will become nice, too. It’s a lie. All you have to do is
read a daily newspaper or watch the news on TV, to discover
that “all have sinned and come
short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). And yet,
God “predestined us to adoption as
sons.” In the culture of that time, the eldest son
would inherit the blessings, and yet you and I, scruffy
beggars outside the Master’s house, are welcomed inside to
become His own!
Are you glad? –
You should be! Instead of wondering all the time, “How
could God do this to me?” look at these verses and REJOICE,
for you can be or are the adopted son of God through Jesus
Christ, heir to everything. Notice His “kind
intention” toward you: He has taken you to court, not
to condemn you, but to SAVE you from disgrace. It was His
predetermined will, before you could walk, crawl or speak,
that you would be legally adopted and given EVERYTHING in
His Son.
Verse 6. “to the praise of the
glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the
Beloved.”
Few, probably NONE
of us have any real idea of the nature and extent of God’s
grace (unearned FAVOR with Him). As a race, we have failed
God, and as individuals our lives have not in any way
pleased Him. Our human attempts at “perfectionism” are so
IM-perfect that it would be laughable, except it really is
very sad. That’s why His amazing grace is so utterly and
completely GLORIOUS, when we begin to comprehend what was
done for us in Christ.
Notice the phrase,
“in the Beloved.”
Literally, it is in the Greek, “in
the One having been loved,” and is a reference to the
Son of God. The love between the Father and the Son is
infinite. During the time the Son of God became our
Substitute by dying in our place, the Father’s love for Him
remained complete to an extent that is far beyond our
ability to even imagine it. And that love is extended,
through Christ, to you and me. Surely we should praise Him
for the glory of His infinite grace.
Verse 7. “In Him we have
redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our
trespasses, according to the riches of His grace”
No one wants to
think of themselves as on the road to sin and death, but
that’s where we are, except for the “blood”
of Christ. What happened to Him is awful, but we need to
see more – OUR SIN is terrible in the sight of God! We
truly have been slaves to “trespasses”
against the Law of God. The word for “redemption”
is “apolutrosis,” which
literally is “a releasing on
payment of ransom.” There is nothing of value in
this world that could ever buy us back from sin, except the
infinitely precious blood of Christ.
We are FORGIVEN
because of what He (Jesus) has done. If you have ever had a
bad thought or done even one bad thing, you are a sinner and
have no place with God. And once that bad thought or action
has occurred, you can’t go back and change it! If you try
to convince yourself you have not sinned, you are guilty of
pride and indeed have sinned. But we are FORGIVEN in
Christ! In Him, through the blood He shed on our behalf,
you are given His grace. Your part in this is to TRUST in
Him and what HE has done.
Verse 8. “which He lavished on us.
In all wisdom and insight”
It is amazing that
many people are angry at God. “How could He have done
this?” is a question asked far too often. It’s like you
have ill-gotten money clutched in your hand as you sleep,
but in the morning find that it is gone. Then you see next
to you a letter from the King, written in the blood of His
Son, guaranteeing you a full pardon for all your crimes and
lavishing great riches upon you. Will you pick up that
letter? Or will you continue to complain about your missing
“money?” The letter has the Great Seal of the King upon
it. Will you believe? Will you ACT upon its contents?
Surprisingly few do.
“Wisdom”
in the Greek is “sophia,”
referring to a true understanding of the nature of reality.
“Insight” is “phrounesis,”
denoting the ability to discern what should be done about
the understanding you have been given. One is theoretical
in nature and the other is a practical application. Wisdom
reveals that trusting in Jesus Christ (as we see in these
verses) is the only way you can ever be made right with
God. The practical application is to receive Him as your
Lord and Savior – to have FAITH in the Lord.
Verse 9. “He made known to us the
mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which
He purposed in Him”
Are you curious?
Would you like to know something that few others have ever
perceived? You have your opportunity! You can understand
God’s “will,” which is often
discussed, but seldom understood. You don’t have to guess
or make something up like many have done. His will is for
you to receive, to trust in God’s Son and be made right with
God “in Christ” (verse 10).
The Greek word for “mystery”
in this verse is “musterion.”
It is not something “eerie” that can’t be fully understood
(like the English word). In the Greek it is something very
real, though outside our natural understanding, but it can
be KNOWN by Divine revelation.
And notice the
character of God in this verse. Note His intentions toward
you. He is not against you. It is US who have been against
Him because of our sins. But even though ALL of us fall
short of the glory of God; in Christ we are shown that God
has infinitely KIND intentions (good will) toward you and
me. TRUST in Him now – and you’ll be glad you did, for He
has good in store for you!
Verse 10. “with a view to an
administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that
is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the
heavens and things on the earth. In Him”
Verses 9 and 10
are one sentence and they are best understood together. In
Christ, in God’s Word, through His Holy Spirit, “according
to His kind intentions” (verse 9), He has shown us
wonders we could not otherwise even imagine. This verse
speaks of the UNITY we are supposed to have with the
universe, with one another, in Him. Have you noticed the
selfishness that fills this world? Even though it seems to
be getting worse and worse, God in Christ, is busy changing
our hearts one-by-one from the hardness of stone to the
softness of His love.
The Christian who
goes to a different church, or loves the Lord, but does not
go to church; he is your brother if he is in Christ. You
both are summed up in Christ TOGETHER. To “sum up” in the
Greek is to “gather up,”
to “present as a whole.”
We are to be one with each other, “in
Christ.” And this is much more than just the visible
church. As W. E. Vine said about this verse: this is “a
consummation extending beyond the limits of the church,
though the latter is to be a factor in its realization.”
All who love the Lord are to be ONE – “In
Him!”
Verse 11. “also we have obtained
an inheritance, having been predestined according to His
purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,”
The Greek
expression for “we have obtained an
inheritance,” says much more than merely that WE have
an inheritance, though that is also true. Actually, in the
original language this verse indicates that WE are HIS
inheritance. The implication is that, in Him, we amazingly
have been made His, and we are precious to Him like an
inheritance is to the one who receives it. Considering that
He values us so much, you can be sure that He will PROTECT,
IMPROVE and bring GLADNESS to you, giving all you need
and much more.
Almost everybody
has a plan for their lives, or at least a hope that things
will turn out well. God has a plan for each of us and His
plan supersedes yours and mine. Some (probably a LOT) of
your difficulties in life are caused because of a conflict
between His blueprint and yours. His blueprint for you was
written in eternity and is predestined for you.
Comparatively speaking, your plan is the whim of the
moment. You might as well relax and let Him win the contest
to determine who runs your life, because He “works
all things after the counsel of HIS will.” And if He
wins, you win, too!
Verse 12. “to the end that we who
were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of
His glory.”
“The
first to hope in Christ”
were the apostles, like Paul, along with the Lord’s
disciples, both men and women, who lived 2000 years ago as
the events of the New Testament were unfolding. These were
people who were astonished at the grace and love of God,
freely given in Christ Jesus. For them, it was not some
kind of religious ritual, but the power of God expressed
through His Holy Spirit!
Most in the world pride themselves
on their accomplishments, effectively giving themselves the
glory. Those in the Early Church had seen the risen Lord
and trusted in Him for - everything! They personally knew
the grace of God and rejoiced continually at the wonders of
His love. They became models for us, hoping in HIM, “to
the praise of HIS (God’s)
glory.”
Verse 13. “In Him, you also, after
listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your
salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with
the Holy Spirit of promise,”
Here in this verse
is the wonderful progression, the process that blesses all
who truly place their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. You
LISTEN to the Word of God, you HEAR the words of the
evangelist who tells us about the gospel (good news) of
God. You RECEIVE the truth - that Jesus died in your
place. Further, He is ALIVE and extends that LIFE - to
you! The “gospel” (“good news”) is salvation for you, when
you place your faith in the Lord. And there’s even more.
In times gone by,
the king would write a letter, an edict or a set of other
instructions and then the document would be rolled-up and
SEALED with the signet ring of the king. Only the recipient
could open the document (anyone else would be subject to
death). The gospel of Jesus Christ was written to you - and
you ARE the recipient. “Open” that “letter” by placing your
trust in Him and the Holy Spirit of God will be given to
you. And when that happens, YOU become “sealed”
safely within the Lord - forever. That is the good “promise”
of His Holy Spirit to you.
Verse 14. “who is given as a
pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of
God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.”
The Holy Spirit in
you is discernible. You can KNOW He is there in your own
heart. Even if you don’t “feel” His presence, you can see
the evidence that He is with you. Much like footprints on a
beach suggest you are not alone (even when the beach seems
deserted), He will make His presence known. You will be
changed and will not be the same as you were before. You
will gradually begin to understand and believe His Word.
You’ll find yourself beginning to love, in a new and better
way.
Not only will the
Holy Spirit help you immensely during this life, but He
gives you great hope for even more. Because He is in your
heart, you can KNOW you have been redeemed (bought back)
from sin and death by the blood of Jesus Christ. His
presence will reveal to you that you are “God’s
own possession,” and like the disciples who came
before, you will be drawn to “praise”
Him, for He is indeed glorious in all His ways.
Verse 15. “For this reason I too,
having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists
among you and your love for all the saints,”
Paul the Apostle
had personally been in Ephesus. We see him visiting the
place in Acts 18:19, but he did not stay long (Acts 18:21).
He returned to Ephesus (Acts 19:1) and this time stayed for
more than two years (Acts 19:8, 10). After a great “uproar”
(19:40) which was so typical of this man’s ministry, he left
(20:1), embracing the Lord’s beloved disciples in that
place. He did not return except to stop nearby and send for
the elders of Ephesus (20:17). He instructed them once more
and then left again, after expressions of great love among
those men of God (verses 37-38).
Some have taken
this verse in Acts as evidence that Paul was never actually
in Ephesus (he “HEARD” of their faith), but we know from the
Book of Acts that he indeed WAS there. Paul loved them
greatly and had invested much in them. This verse
(Ephesians 1:15) expresses the curiosity and concern that
you would expect from one who had personally taught them,
but was no longer present with them. He had heard they were
doing well and their faith in the Lord Jesus had continued.
They were ALIVE in the Lord. And real faith will express
itself in love. Paul was pleased with them and so was God -
just like He is pleased with you when you trust in His Son
and express God’s love to those around you.
Verse 16. “do not cease giving
thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers;”
Are you thankful
for those around you that God has placed into your life? He
DID place them there, you know: co-workers, neighbors,
parents, relatives – even the ones who don’t like you.
Perhaps sometimes, they are in your life BECAUSE they don’t
like you! You would not be so challenged to be more than
you are, except for the opportunity to love those who don’t
approve of you. Do you pray for them? Jesus said we are
to love our enemies and do exactly that - pray for them
(Matthew 5:44). Paul prayed like that. He prayed for his
brothers and for those who treated him badly.
Kind responses to
spiteful words and actions from your enemies are really
impossible without the Lord. Even if we don’t clearly see
the Lord’s hand in the forgiveness that is in our lives, He
is the Author of that forgiveness. And He can (and will) do
what we cannot. He is ready and willing to forgive that
person who hurt you, and He will enable you to do the same,
in His strength. Go ahead and keep on praying for everyone
you know – God loves it when you pray!
Verse 17. “that the God of our
Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a
spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.”
How do you know
WHAT to pray? How do we know what to ask for others? For
our enemies? Our friends? Well, here in this verse is a
model prayer for everyone we know: That they may receive
God’s wisdom, the wisdom that only comes from His Holy
Spirit. That God in all His wonders may be revealed to
them. That they may KNOW Him through His Son, Jesus
Christ.
Your enemy may
have hurt you and inside you may decide it would be “fair”
if they “got what they deserved!” – In other words, a part
of you may want harm to come to your enemies, just like they
hurt you. But if any of us got what we deserve, we would
ALL go straight to hell. The judgment of God fell on Jesus
Christ. It’s God’s mercy that ANY are saved, and we show
something of Him in us by praying even for our enemies that
(as in this verse), they will receive GOOD from the hand of
God.
Verse 18. “I pray that the eyes of
your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is
the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of
His inheritance in the saints,”
This world has
poor values, or rather, it’s even more correct to say that
we have insufficient values. If we see it or smell it,
taste it, touch it or hear it, we believe in it. Paul is
taking us to a better, more profound type of understanding
through faith, where we can KNOW “what
is the hope of (God’s)
calling” and “what are the
riches” that are “the glory
of His inheritance.”
We have received
many emails from a young gentleman in another country who
wants an end to “poverty”
in his life, and he is convinced “money”
will accomplish that goal. Here in this verse we are
promised something (Someone) infinitely more precious to us
than money – the Holy Spirit of God. Humanity is in poverty
because we have mostly lacked God’s Spirit, who can enable
us to truly SEE for the first time. We will KNOW God’s
purpose for our lives and what is in store, for He will SHOW
us what is to come.
Verse 19. “and what is the
surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.
These are in accordance with the working of the strength of
His might”
Paul is continuing
to reveal to the Ephesians his prayer for them, which he has
been continuing to do since verse 16. These verses are also
the Lord’s hope for your life and mine: That we would
FINALLY understand “the surpassing
greatness of His power toward us” and live a life in
which we “BELIEVE” that the
Lord and His power will be expressed in us and through us,
not only as to ourselves, but also into the lives of other
people.
Notice that the
Christian life is not based on our strength. It is not that
we are effective in the creation of boards, committees,
programs and services, although the Lord CAN use our human
efforts. But our programs are meaningless unless the Spirit
of God is working in us and through us. We must “BELIEVE”
in God and recognize that HE has the “strength”
and the “might” to carry the
day. We do not have that “power”
– but He does!
Verse 20. “which He brought about
in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him
at His right hand in the heavenly places,”
Physically, Jesus
Christ was RUINED on the cross. The Bible says that they
pierced His hands and his feet (Psalm 22:16). All His bones
went out of joint (Psalm 22:14). There was no way He could
HUMANLY do ANYTHING after He was taken down from the cross
and placed into the tomb – His body was destroyed and He was
very dead. Except that the power of God raised Him from the
dead and restored Him to LIFE! Jesus was PERFECTLY
restored. He was ALIVE with the life of God!
THAT power is what
Paul was talking about when he said that he wanted the
Ephesians to have the “surpassing
greatness of HIS (God’s)
power” (verse 19). And
that is precisely the POWER that God wants for YOU. The
very power that God used in raising Jesus Christ from the
dead is the power that God has in mind for your life and
mine. The fact that we often fall short of His goal in our
lives is not in any way His fault – it’s time for us to “believe”
(verse 19) – in Him.
Verse 21. “far above all rule and
authority and power and dominion, and every name that is
named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.”
If you give your
heart and life to someone, you want them to be WORTHY of
your love. You think your spouse-to-be is the BEST and
that’s why you want to marry them. Which is why you need to
know just WHO Jesus Christ is. Isaiah the Prophet called
Him, “Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty
God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah
9:6). Notice that Paul the Apostle says Jesus is “far
above… every name that is
named…” not only when this verse was written, but
also right now and – forever!
These verses tell
us that Jesus is “far above”
Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha), who preceded Jesus in
time. He is “far above”
Mohammed, who came after Him. He is far above everyone,
including you and me. There is no “rule”
or “authority” or so-called
“power” or “dominion,”
except He is far greater than them all. You can TRUST in
Jesus Christ – He is WORTHY of your trust and He is ABLE to
bring you through.
Verse 22. “And He put all things
in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all
things to the church,”
It’s
understandable that Jesus Christ is the “Head”
over His people (those who have faith in Him). It is more
difficult for us to see that Jesus is in charge of –
everyone and everything! He is your Owner, Lord, Maker and
God, whether you believe in Him or not. He created us and
we are His. As a race we stupidly ran away from Him, and He
rescued us by dying for our sins on the cross. We are His
because He is our Creator and we are His because He died for
our sins.
If your faith has
been placed in yourself, or in some other person, or in an
organization or perhaps an idea (like a philosophy), Jesus
Christ is still your “Head”
and you are legally His. Your unbelief makes you a rebel,
but sooner or later He will literally place all such persons
“in subjection under His feet.”
Your “freedom” is an illusion and it will not last. Note
that if you say “no” to Jesus Christ, you are denying
reality, for He is indeed “Head
over all things.”
Verse 23. “which is His body, the
fullness of Him who fills all in all.”
“All
things” in verse 22, include those who DO have faith
in the Lord Jesus. Everyone who has ever lived has been
given the potential to have faith in the Lord, and to do so
is to become part of “His body”
of believers. Do you like the good feeling after just the
RIGHT amount of a satisfying meal? He (the Lord) is like
that – He is the Completeness we have always sought. The
word “fullness’ (pleroma) in
the original Greek carries the meaning “complete.”
We are “His body” and
become complete at last when we trust in Him.
There is abundance
in the Lord. The Chapter in Ephesians you have been
studying is FULL of praise to the Lord, who chose us and
made us blameless (verse 4), predestined us to adoption as
sons (verse 5) and accepted us as His beloved (verse 6). He
bought us back through His blood and forgave us (verse 7),
making us all ONE in Christ (verse 10). And more – He
indeed “fills” us with His
love. We are COMPLETE in Him.
Ron
Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
The First Church On The Net
www.FridayStudy.org
www.FirstChurchOnTheNet.org
"While
we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
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