Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Ephesians 1

As in his other letters, Paul adopts the conventional form of address used in letters of the period. Usually a writer identified himself, named the prospective recipients, and added some expressions of greeting. Paul freely expanded or contracted these three items as circumstances required.

Each phrase of this salutation can be paralleled in other Pauline letters. Paul usually refers to his apostleship at the opening of his letters. “Apostle” (GK 693) is a comprehensive term for one who bears the NT message. It was applied first to the original disciples (Matthew 10:2; Acts 1:2) and then to other Christian missionaries (Acts 14:14; Romans 16:7). Paul claimed that, like that of the Twelve, his commission came directly from Christ (Acts 26:16–18; 1 Corinthians 9:1). This title stresses the authority of the sender and the accountability of the one sent. Paul alludes to “the will of God,” not in order to draw attention to his own status but to reflect his awareness that his mission did not arise from any qualifications he himself might possess.

Paul regularly addresses “the saints” (GK 41) in the church to which he writes. This word is the normal NT designation for Christians; it denotes inward, personal consecration to God. As in Col 1:2, he describes them as “faithful... in Christ.”“Faithful” (GK 4412) combines the ideas of trust and fidelity. This exercise of faith with its matching faithfulness is possible only “in Christ Jesus.” On the particular question whether “in Ephesus” belongs in this letter, see the introduction.

“Grace” (GK 5921) and “peace” (GK 1645) reflect the standard greetings in Greek and Hebrew (cf. Romans 1:7b). Paul prefers to replace the Greek chaire (“rejoice”) by charis (“grace”) as embodying the essence of the gospel. For “peace” (Heb. shalom; Gk 8934), see Ezr 4:17; 5:7; 7:12; Daniel 4:1; 6:25, et al. Paul associates “the Lord Jesus Christ” with “God our Father” as the originator of these blessings. The name of Christ appears in each of the three clauses in this opening salutation. What follows in the body of Ephesians has to do with the relationship between “the saints” and their living Lord.

The focus of praise in vv.3–14 is what God has done in Christ. Christian faith and life have their center in God’s Son, and the letter therefore opens with an expression of gratitude for all that is found in him. It is cast in the form of a Jewish blessing. Its structure is poetic and is ruled by parallelism, though scholars are not agreed as to how its stanzas are to be grouped.

“Praise be to” (or “blessed be”; GK 2329) is used exclusively of God (Father or Son) in the NT to indicate the One who alone is worthy of worship. “Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” is a distinctively Christian addition arising out of a unique relationship. God who is to be blessed has already blessed all his people in Christ through the saving events of his life, death, and resurrection. A blessing in the OT denotes the bestowal of good; it is often material and invariably specific. God’s blessings for us in Christ are more exclusively spiritual but nonetheless definite. These benefits are “spiritual” (GK 4461) in nature because they are communicated to us through the Holy Spirit, whose function is to transfer to believers all that God has achieved in Christ. They have already been secured “in the heavenly realms” (cf. 1:20: 2:6; 3:10; 6:12) where Christ now reigns, having triumphed over “the spiritual forces of evil” (6:12) that threatened to usurp control. Their value is measured by the price that was paid to obtain them when on the cross the Son of God fought satanic opponents and disarmed them (Colossians 2:15).

Paul now traces the spiritual blessings of v.3 to their ultimate source in the eternal purpose of God. Christians have been selected in Christ prior to the work of creation. The verb “chose” (GK 1721) is the usual one employed in LXX in connection with God’s choice of Israel. Before the foundations of the world were laid, God had determined that all who believed on his Son should be saved.

Election in Christ has a moral aim in view: to be “holy” (GK 41) and “blameless” (GK 320). “Holy” means to be set apart for God in order to reflect his purity; “blameless” means “free from blemish,” like the sacrificial animals presented on the altar in the old dispensation. The latter word is applied to Christ himself (Hebrews 9:14), to the ideal church (Ephesians 5:27), and to Christians at the end of the age (2 Peter 3:14;Jude 24) and also now .

The NIV takes “in love” (v.4) as starting a new sentence, thus emphasizing the loving nature of predestination. Any interpretation of this mysterious doctrine that detracts from the love of God is rightly suspect. It has to do with those who through Christ are to be received into God’s family by adoption. Under Roman law, an adopted son enjoyed the same status and privileges as a real son. Christ is God’s Son “by nature”; believers are so by adoption and grace, yet they are co-heirs with him (Romans 8:17). The basis of this gracious action is in the character of God himself—his “pleasure” (GK 2306) and “will” (GK 2525).