Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Ephesians 6:24

"Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ with [a love] incorruptible." — Ephesians 6:24 (ASV)

“Grace” is the hallmark of all Paul’s benedictions. It is a recurring theme throughout Ephesians (1:2, 7; 2:5, 7–8; 3:2, 8; 4:7). Paul uses the article here (“the grace”), perhaps in order to emphasize that this grace is from “the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 13:13; Galatians 6:18) or to refer to the grace he has already written so much about in this letter.

“All who love our Lord Jesus Christ” means all believers (cf. Acts 5:14; 1 Timothy 4:12), for love is a necessary corollary of belief. Those who fail to love the Lord are anathematized in 1 Corinthians 16:22 as having no place in the church. Finally, Paul invokes grace on all who love our Lord Jesus Christ “with an undying love.” That is the last and sealing word of the letter. The adjective in this phrase means “imperishable” or “unfading” and seems to indicate that Christian love will never die. An alternate meaning to this phrase signifies that lovers of the Lord are guaranteed, and indeed already enjoy, eternal life and immortality (cf. 1:13). As Christians put on the “new self” (4:24), they are recreated and assigned a seat in the heavenly realms (2:6).

This letter began with an ascription of praise “to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (1:3). On this interpretation, it ends with a benediction invoking God’s grace on all who love our Lord Jesus Christ in incorruption, because they are sealed with the Holy Spirit for the day of redemption (1:13–14; 4:30).