Ephesians 1:1-14

Ephesians 1:1

1:1  Παῦλος ἀπόστολος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ διὰ θελήματος θεοῦ τοῖς ἁγίοις τοῖς οὖσιν ἐν Ἐφέσῳ καὶ πιστοῖς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ

NIV Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:

NASB95 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:

NLT This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus.

I am writing to God’s holy people in Ephesus, who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus.

ESV Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:

Paul an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God

What first must be noted is the opening statement of the author of this letter. It is certainly Paul writing this letter or at least dictating its content. He notes his apostleship with Jesus with whom the Ephesians would have been familiar with that title of Paul. He also says he is an apostle because God willed it. Jesus came to Paul and called him personally as he does for us all, though our calling might not be as dramatic. Paul is establishing his authority to write such a letter also proving it is really him writing to them. 

To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:

As noted above, the NIV and NLT seem to mesh together that the people in Ephesus are holy and faithful, making it seem this letter has one audience. Other translations, including the original Greek, use a phrase “and to faithful”, alluding to the fact that this letter was for others who follow Jesus as well. Following Paul’s history of writing letters that circulate, this would be the most likely circumstance. 

 “Holy people” – hagios– “saint or holy thing”

Ephesians 1:2 

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη- “grace to you and peace”

Paul greets them with grace and peace from the Father and Jesus. Paul repeats this phrase “grace and peace to you” 10 times in his letters, including this one. It’s a signature phrase as evidence it is really Paul. Peter uses this phrase also in his two letters. Also note the distinction between the Father and the son, Jesus.   

Ephesians 1:3 

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

Paul then praises God who gives us spiritual blessings. This phrase of “spiritual blessings” is rather vague as Paul uses it here but can mean benefit or blessing of things relative to our spirit or God’s Spirit. These blessings are given in relation to things of heaven where God resides. The other note of receiving these blessings is Paul is writing to those “in Christ” or relating to the Anointed One. The spiritual benefits in heaven are given to those who are considered in Christ. Later in this letter, Paul clarifies what being “in Christ” means (vv.13-15). Paul then writes about the spiritual blessings in the next few verses. These spiritual blessings are God choosing us and deciding to make us his own children through His Son. We will experience the full reality of these blessings in heaven where we will fully be in God’s presence.   

Ephesians 1:4-6 

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

This section is very dense even in the English language. This is all one thought in the Greek text (from verse 4 til the first half of verse 6) so I included the entire text here. 

Two big ideas come from verse 4 and 5. God chose and God predestined. He chose us before time was even ordered to be a people living for Him. He also predestined us to become His children through Jesus because that is what God wanted.  

Chose– “pick out”, “choose”

There is a discrepancy in some versions about the phrase “in love” referring to God choosing or the predestination. Did God choose us in love or did he predestined us in love? According to the Greek, there is no pause as this whole section is one complete thought. Therefore, it could refer to both of God’s actions and I suggest it should be taken that way. God chose us in love and predestined us in love through Jesus. 

Predestined (προορίζω proorizō)-  predetermine, decide beforehand 

adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ- phrase which means adopted. By this wording, we can understand that God decided to bring us to himself (or adopt) through the actions and Spirit of Jesus Christ. 

accordance with his pleasure and will- phrase that renders a kind intention, delight or desire behind the action of adopting us to Himself. God wanted to bring us back to him, that was His will. God had already decided that he would send Jesus to bring us back to Him or adopt us. His will to do this was delightful in His eyes. 

Some have suggested this is evidence for predestination (the act of God determining which person receives salvation and which does not before they live their life). This is not what Paul is referring to. Paul is referring to God’s plan of salvation through Jesus. God’s will was to bring us back to Himself. Thus, he decided to send Jesus so that we could be brought to Him through Christ as his own. God decided long before Jesus came that He would be the one through which we would be adopted into the eternal family. It is not individual human predestination Paul is referring to but rather the plan itself is what God predestined and thought out before Jesus came and the time of Paul’s writing.

to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

The point of this phrase is to give praise to God for his grace that he graciously gave us in the person of love, or Jesus. Because God did all the things Paul mentioned previously (choosing and adopting of believers), Paul gives praise to God for his grace. Paul considers these things as God showing grace to humanity. Since these are the spiritual blessings Paul referred to in verse 3, they are evidence of God’s grace.   

Ephesians 1:7-8a

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. 

Redemption– apolytrōsis- “deliverance or releasing made possible by a ransom”. In Jesus we have liberation, a freedom or releasing from sin and death. This is what redemption is all about. A ransom must be paid for the release of captives, usually this was done in the form of money. However, no amount of money could free us from sin. A life had to be given. It was the life of Jesus that was given as a payment on the cross so that we could be freed. 

“Through his blood”– a reference to the blood that was shed on the cross in his death. It was only through his death that we have freedom. As Paul explains in other letters, this blood symbolizes immense power and represents the reconciliation of humanity back to Yahweh.  

“The forgiveness of sins”– aphesis paraptōma– aphesis means “release or pardon” and paraptoma means “to fall or lapse”. In other words, we have been released from our fall or forgiven of our sins. Again this is only made possible by the sacrifice of Jesus which Paul has made clear and by being in Christ. 

in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. 

This redemptive act is all because of God’s abundant grace and gift that abounds and overflows on us. Paul is again referring to the grace of God which he has referred to 3 times up to this point. Paul realizes that it is by God’s provision and gifts that Jesus came and that we receive him. 

Ephesians 1:8b-10

With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

As with the last phrase “in love” the beginning of the second half of verse 8 “with all wisdom and understanding” probably refers to what is attached with what comes before it. Therefore, God’s grace was kindly given to us with God’s own wisdom and understanding. However, a case can be made for its role in God giving us the mystery in the plan of salvation through Jesus Christ. 

he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure

he made known- to make known or gain a knowledge of 

Mystery- mystery, hidden, secret thing

Purposed- set before, exposed

God allowed us to know the plan of salvation that was hidden from so many people for so long. Jesus came and revealed and was God’s plan to all people. 

10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

This verse is packed with language that can sometimes be confusing. This plan about Jesus was to be made known at the right time. In Greek it is most literally, “management of the filled times”, meaning when the time was fulfilled or when the time was right. In our English translations sometimes there is a dash but the word in Greek there means “again” or “to summarize”. In other words, the plan of Jesus was to at the right time bring together things in the sky and things on the land in Jesus himself. What Paul is saying is that this plan has been revealed to us through the person and spirit of Jesus. Christ is to be the head of all things created on earth and all things in heaven. This was fulfilled when he ascended into heaven after his resurrection. 

Ephesians 1:11

11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,

Paul again summarizes the choosing and determining of God’s plan. This word “chosen” klēroō is different from the one previously used. It more represents a casting by lots or a possession by use of lots. This word can give the sense of our obtaining or gaining of inheritance or salvation. 

There is a reminder in this verse that this has happened because of or according to God’s working of all things to His will. 

Ephesians 1:12

12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 

This verse continues the statement from the previous verse. More translated “to the end” gives the effect that God’s plan is continually working until the end or towards the end. The Greek has this phrase written the other way around: that they would be the praise of his glory because they (meaning the apostles) were the first to hope in Jesus. In other words, the apostles and followers of Jesus bring praise to God because of their faith in Jesus.  

We must also not neglect this wording could render the meaning that they should be praising God because they were the first to believe in Christ. Although I believe this less to be the case in this instance, it is a true statement. I think the former is more accurate because it follows the pattern of Paul’s praise to God in the beginning of this letter and his praise of God’s grace in verse 6. 

Ephesians 1:13-14

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

Paul continues his thought of being chosen “in Him” with another aspect of being “in Christ”. Upon hearing the good news about Jesus and his saving grace, these people believed in what they were hearing. Upon believing in Jesus they were “sealed” with the Holy Spirit. 

“Sealed”- sphragizō- to mark, to seal, to prove

The Holy Spirit came upon believers according to Paul when they believed. The Spirit resonating within them proved their belief was genuine and true. Since the Spirit is described as a seal, it seals to prove something. In this instance, it comes upon believers to prove they really believed the message they heard. Also notice that Paul mentions they heard the truth, a true message. They did not hear a false teaching and believed in a false teaching. The Spirit comes to believers who hear and listen to the true message of Jesus. 

This word “listen” used here acknowledges a sort of perceiving and thinking about what is being heard. This is not a word that induces a sense of hearing and rejection. This is as Jesus described in his parable of the Sower and the Seeds. Some who hear the gospel will not believe and be like those who fall on a hard surface. Others will hear the gospel and respond to it. These people are like the seeds that fall on good soil and respond to the gospel by believing. This is when the Spirit comes upon people. When they hear the true message, they believe, and thus receive the Spirit. 

Paul then goes on to describe the aspects of the Spirit. He claims the Spirit is first a deposit. In the Greek this is the word arrabōn which indicates something, usually money, being given as a downpayment. What is the Spirit a pledge or guarantee of? Paul answers next by mentioning the inheritance, which in Pauline letters and others is a token for eternal life and heavenship. The Spirit acts as a pledge that we will receive our eternal reward when the time comes for us to inherit it. He then mentions the redemption of God’s possession. This phrase corresponds to his statement about when we receive our inheritance. We will receive our inheritance when God’s possession, that is us, since we were chosen as stated earlier, is redeemed. Being redeemed or released is happening now in believers through Jesus’ death on the cross. We will not fully be released until we are released from this physical body and changed into our immortal, spiritual bodies as Paul mentions in his letter to the Corinthians. Since this statement corresponds to our inheriting eternal life, the latter release of being changed at the resurrection seems more likely here. Paul is not giving a definitive time stamp on when these things occur, but rather a cause and effect chain of what will happen in order. The order is as follows: 

Hear-Belief-Receive Spirit-Resurrected-Eternal Life

Paul praises God for choosing and giving us the Spirit, both of which we do not deserve but God’s grace allows us to participate in.