John Calvin Commentary Ephesians 3:15

"from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named," — Ephesians 3:15 (ASV)

Of whom the whole family. The relative pronoun, ἐξ οὗ, of whom, may apply equally to the Father and to the Son. Erasmus restricts it entirely to the Father. I do not approve of this, because readers should have been allowed a liberty of choice; indeed, the other interpretation seems far more probable.

The apostle alludes to the relationship that the Jews had with each other through their father Abraham, from whom they trace their lineage. On the contrary, he proposes to remove the distinction between Jews and Gentiles. He tells them not only that all people have been brought into one family and one race through Christ, but also that they are enabled to claim kinship even with angels.

Applying it to God the Father would not be equally defensible, as it is liable to this obvious objection: God formerly passed by the Gentiles and adopted the Jews as his own special people. But when we apply it to Christ, Paul’s entire statement aligns with the facts, for all come and blend together as one family and, related to the one God the Father, are brothers to one another.

Let us therefore understand that through the mediation of Christ, a relationship has been established between Jews and Gentiles because, by reconciling us to the Father, he has made us all one. Jews no longer have any reason to boast that they are the descendants of Abraham or that they belong to this or that tribe—to despise others as profane and claim the exclusive honor of being a holy people.

There is only one relationship that should be considered, both in heaven and on earth, both among angels and human beings—union with the body of Christ. Apart from him, all will be found scattered. He alone is the bond by which we are united.