Albert Barnes Commentary Ephesians 1:13

"in whom ye also, having heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation,-- in whom, having also believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise," — Ephesians 1:13 (ASV)

In whom ye also trusted. This stands in contrast with those who had first embraced the gospel.

Heard the word of truth. The gospel; called the word or message of truth, the word of God, etc. . The phrase, "the word of truth," means "the true word or message." It was a message unmixed with Jewish traditions or Gentile philosophy.

The gospel of your salvation. The gospel bringing salvation to you.

In whom also. In the Lord Jesus. A slightly different rendering of this verse will convey its meaning more clearly: In whom also ye, having heard the word of truth (the gospel of your salvation), in whom having also believed, ye were sealed, etc. The sealing was the result of believing, and that was the result of hearing the gospel. .

Ye were sealed. On the meaning of the word seal, see the comments on John 3:33.

See also the comments on John 6:27.

With that holy Spirit of promise. With the Holy Spirit that was promised. (See John 16:7-11, 13; John 15:26; John 14:16–17).

I think it is not improbable that the apostle here refers particularly to the event recorded in Acts 19:1-6. Paul, it is said there, having passed through the upper provinces of Asia Minor, came to Ephesus. He found certain people who were disciples of John, and he asked them if they had received the Holy Ghost since they believed (Ephesians 1:2).

They replied that they had not heard whether there was any Holy Ghost, and that they had been baptized into John’s baptism. Paul taught them the true nature of John’s baptism, explained the Christian system to them, and they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then the Holy Ghost came upon them, and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. They were thus sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, after they had believed, (Ephesians 1:13); they had the full evidence of God’s favor in the descent of the promised Holy Spirit and in His miraculous influences.

If this is the true interpretation, it constitutes a striking coincidence between the epistle and the Acts, of such a nature as to constitute the arguments in Paley’s Horae Paulinae (though he has not referred to this), which shows that the epistle was not forged. The circumstance is such that it would not have been alluded to in this manner by one who would forge the epistle; and the mention of it in the epistle is so slight that no one, from the account there, would think of forging the account in the Acts.

The coincidence is just such as would occur on the supposition that the transaction actually occurred and that both the Acts and the epistle are genuine. At the same time, there is a sealing of the Holy Spirit which is common to all Christians. (See the comments on 2 Corinthians 1:22).