Ephesians 1

Ver. 1. — and to the faithful] Either, ’the believers,’ as the word is elsewhere translated; or the words may particularly relate to such Christians, as kept the doctrine of Christ pure from the corrupt mixture of those Judaizers, who went about ‘corrupting’ and ‘handling the word of God deceitfully.’ Dr. Whitby.

Ephesians 1:2

2. Grace be to you, and peace, &c.] This salutation is the same in all St. Paul’s Epistles, except that in the Epistle to the Hebrews, and in those to Timothy and Titus, he adds ‘mercy.’ Bp. Fell.

2.—according to the course of this world,] In the habitual practice of enormities that were common in the heathen world. Pyle.

—according to the prince of the power of the air, &c.] It was the opinion both of Jews and heathens, that the air was full of spirits, called demons; and that there was a prince over them, called the governour of the world, that is, of the darkness of it; see chap. vi. 12. This evil spirit is here said inwardly “to work in the children of disobedience;” and elsewhere, to “take them captive at his will,” 2 Tim. ii. 26; and their conversion is styled a recovery of them “from the power of Satan,” Acts xxvi. 18. Dr. Whitby.

—is the children of disobedience:] The heathen world. Dr. Whitby. Justly so called, because their life was a course of disobedience to God. Dr. Macknight.

Ephesians 1:3

3. — the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,] He is the former, in relation to Christ’s human nature: and He is the latter, both by eternal generation, and by virtue of the personal union of the two natures in Christ. Burkitt.

— with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places] That is, all spiritual blessings, which may fit us for those heavenly places, provided for us in and by Christ. Bp. Hall.

Or, ‘in heavenly things,’ as the phrase should be rendered, as in the magin, rather than ‘places,’ for they are things which have a manifest relation to heaven, and a tendency to fit us for it. Locke, Dr. Whitby.

3.—we all] Who are Gentile converts. Drs. Whitby and Wells. See the note on chap. i. 4. Pyle.

—fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind:] Fulfilling the sinful desires of our corrupt nature, both in carnal, and in mental or spiritual sins; both in bo-

Ephesians 1:4

4. According as he hath chosen us &c.] It was the opinion of the Jews, that God had elected them from the beginning of the world, and sent the Messiah that none of them should perish. St. Paul therefore, to take from them all cause of boasting against the Gentiles on that account, declares that the Gentiles were thus elected in Christ Jesus, even before the foundation of the world; that is, that He designed them to choose them for His church and people, namely, an holy people to the Lord. Dr. Whitby. St. Paul, being the Apostle of the Gentiles, uses the terms, ‘blessed us,’ ‘chosen us;’ thus in his usual way making himself as one of the Gentile converts, the more to confirm and encourage them to rely upon the Gospel without the ceremonial law. Dr. Wells, Pyle.

Ephesians 1:5

5. Having predestinated] Or ‘fore-appointed us.’ Dr. Whitby. The word signifies God’s predetermination to bestow on the Gentiles the blessings mentioned in this verse. Dr. Macknight.

The election and predestination spoken of in this passage relate to God’s eternal purpose to make known to the Ephesians the mystery of His will in the blessings of the Gospel; and the Apostle calls them ‘saints’ and ‘faithful,’ because of the firmness and constancy with which they hitherto held fast the profession of their faith: but still, instead of representing their salvation as certain, he earnestly exhorts them to ‘walk worthy of the vocation wherewith they were called,’ guards them against those deceits which bring down ’the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience;’ and commands them to ‘put on the whole armour of God, that they may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.’ It was therefore possible for those who were ‘saints,’ ‘faithful,’ ‘chosen,’ and ‘predestinated,’ to walk unworthy, to incur the wrath of God by disobedience, and to yield to sinful temptations, and consequently to fail of salvation. Bp. Tomlins.

— unto the adoption of children] This in the Scripture phrase imports adoption to a blessed resurrection, and to a state of happy immortality both of soul and body. See Luke xx. 36; Rom. viii. 16—19, 23. Dr. Whitby.

— according to the good pleasure of his will,] As if he had said, As it was by the free bounty and favour of God that the Jewish nation should be for a long time His peculiar church and people, so it is the same Divine will now to bring all the Gentile world along with them into this gracious privilege under Christ Jesus. Pyle.

Ephesians 1:6

6. To the praise of the glory of his grace,] He created all for the glory of His power, He governeth them for the glory of His wisdom, He punisheth the obstinate for the glory of His justice, and He saveth others for the glory of His mercy and grace. So that the end of His electing and adopting us through Christ is, that angels and men might more glorify His grace and bounty in accepting us through Christ the Son from eternity: not through or for the sake of others, who were at the best but faithful servants, and themselves also accepted through Him. Bp. Fell.

— in the beloved,] That is, in Jesus Christ His beloved Son. Dr. Wells.

Anno DOMINI 64. Or, things. Adoption by grace the true fountain of man’s salvation. Anno DOMINI 64.

Ephesians 1:7

7. — through his blood.] The Apostle here assures us, that believers obtain the blessings specified in this verse, through the shedding of Christ’s blood; and his intention in mentioning this was to convince the Ephesians, that the Judaizing teachers could promise them no advantage through the observation of the law, which they could not more effectually obtain by obeying the Gospel. Dr. Macknight.

— according to the riches of his grace; &c.] As Christians, we have received a clear discovery of our duty, and of a future state, a promise of Divine assistance in time of need, through the whole course of our lives; of forgiveness upon our amendment, and of eternal happiness upon our perseverance, not in faultless obedience, but in sincere endeavours to improve in knowledge and virtue, and to perform the reasonable service which is required from us. The advantages of Christianity are here stated in few words, but they are such as no heart can duly conceive, no tongue can fully utter. The writers of the New Testament seem to labour for expressions, and to have found themselves unable to convey to us in proper language the sentiments of a heart overflowing with joy and gratitude, when they speak of the love of God manifested in Jesus Christ. Whosoever rightly understands, and duly considers this Divine love, will in some degree be affected like them, will be sensible that he can be no good Christian who returns not frequent thanks to God that he is a Christian, and will wish that he were like one of these active creatures mentioned in the Revelation, who rest not day and night, and are occupied in giving “blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.” Dr. Jorvis.

Ephesians 1:8

8. Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;] Wherein His infinitely wise disposal hath eminently appeared in this, of all others the most probable and powerful means, of bringing home sinners to new life and bliss. Dr. Hammond.

Ephesians 1:9

9. — the mystery of his will.] The whole doctrine of the Gospel, taken together, is called “the wisdom of God in a mystery,” 1 Cor. ii. 7. The same appellation is given to particular discoveries made in the Gospel; as in Rom. xi. 25; xvi. 25; 1 Cor. xv. 51; 2 Thess. ii. 7; and in other places. Dr. Macknight. It is sometimes applied by St. Paul, as here, in a peculiar sense to the calling of the Gentiles. Parkhurst. So called, as having long been kept a secret, of which neither Jews nor Gentiles had any conception, all it was revealed by the Holy Spirit to the Apostles. Dr. Doddridge.

Ephesians 1:10

10. That in the dispensation of the fulness of times] In this last and great dispensation of the Gospel. Pyle.

— both which are in heaven, and which are on earth;]

“Heaven and earth” are sometimes a Jewish phrase to express the whole world. But they seem in these Epistles to the Ephesians and Colossians, with relation to Christ’s government, to include the angels and heavenly spirits along with mankind: the phrase of “visible and invisible,” in Col. i. 16, being hardly capable of any other sense; as likewise that of “thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers.” See also and compare chap. iii. 15; Col. i. 20; Phil. ii. 9. Pyle. Both angels and men were at first in harmonious subjection to the Son of God, the great Creator of both; but man having broken himself off from the society, the Son of man by His humiliation and sufferings recovers all who believe in Him, and in His human nature presides over the kingdom, to which in the world of glory they and His angels belong. Dr. Doddridge.

It plainly appears, that men are by no means the only beings interested in our blessed Lord. The Scripture teaches that, as “by Him, and for Him, were created all things that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, and by Him all things consist; so by Him also was God pleased, having made peace through the blood of His cross, to reconcile all things to Himself; whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven,” Col. i. 16—20: “that in the dispensation of the fulness of times, He might gather together in one all things in Christ; both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in Him,” chap. i. 10. Such hints as these, of a scheme of Providence amazingly extensive, were not given either to gratify or excite our curiosity; but to admonish us, that in the religious administration of the universe, there are particulars not designed to be comprehended by us at present, but by some other part of the creation; things done “to the intent,” (as the Apostle more explicitly informs us), “that now unto principalities and powers in heavenly places might be made known by the church, the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Well then may it become us to be modest in judging of a plan so much too great for us; and to reverence, without expecting to search out fully, that “mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ,” wherein, we are expressly told, “are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,” Col. ii. 2, 3. Abp. Secker.

Ephesians 1:12

12. — we — who first trusted in Christ.] The 11th and 12th verses are to be applied to the Jews, who were first called by Christ and His Apostles, and first trusted in Christ for salvation, before the conversion of the Gentiles: and the 13th and 14th verses relate generally to the Gentiles, and recount the favours and privileges, to the participation of which they, in common with the Jews, were admitted on their believing in Christ. Burkitt.

Paul prayeth for them, and declareth the exaltation of Christ. Anno DOMINI 64.

inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 1:13

13. — ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.] This is an Hebraism for the promised Spirit. Dr. Macknight.

Ephesians 1:14

14. Which is the earnest of our inheritance] An earnest or pledge is part of the price, which is paid beforehand to confirm a bargain. It is here spoken figuratively of the Holy Spirit, which God hath given to the Apostles and believers in this present life, to assure them of their future and eternal inheritance. See also 2 Cor. i. 22. Parkhurst. At this passage St. Jerome exclaims, ‘If the earnest is so great, how great must the possession be?’ Dr. Macknight.

— until the redemption of the purchased possession.] That is, of the people acquired or purchased to Himself as His peculiar property; ’the church which He hath purchased with His own blood,’ Acts xx. 28. Parkhurst.

Ephesians 1:15

15. — of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints.] That is, that the faith and love, wrought in you, continue steadfast and abound. For a dangerous and almost epidemical apostasy from the purity of the Christian faith having happened amongst the Jewish churches in Asia, the Apostle had great reason, after eight years’ absence, to give thanks to God for the stedfastness in the faith, which he had heard of in the rest. See 1 Thess. iii. 6. Dr. Whitby.

Ephesians 1:17

17. — the spirit of wisdom and revelation] The revelation of the Spirit, as St. Paul elsewhere asserts, being necessary, ’that we may know the things that are freely given to us of God,’ they being not naturally to be perceived, 1 Cor. ii. 12. Dr. Whitby. ‘Revelation’ is used here by St. Paul for such truths as could not have been found out by human reason, but had their first discovery from revelation, though men afterwards come to the knowledge of those truths by reading them in the sacred Scriptures, where they are set down for their information. Locke. The Apostle did not pray that God would give to all the Ephesians the knowledge of the doctrines of the Gospel, by an immediate revelation made to themselves; but that He would enable them to understand the revelation of those doctrines, which was made to the Apostles, and which they preached to the world. Dr. Macknight.

The Holy Spirit is here called ’the Spirit of wisdom and revelation,’ because He is the author of all that knowledge in the mysteries of religion, to which we can attain, and it is His proper work and office to reveal to us the will of God for our salvation. Burkitt.

Ephesians 1:18

18. — what is the hope of his calling.] What is the benefit of His calling us to Christianity. Dr. Hammond. What high and glorious hopes He hath called us to. ‘Hope’ is here taken for the object of hope. Burkitt.

— and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.] That is, how great and glorious is the

Ephesians 1:19

19. And what is the exceeding greatness of his power &c.] That is, how excellent is the power, which God would shew in raising us up from the dead, as He had done Christ, to the enjoyment of our future inheritance. Dr. Whitby. That the Apostle hath here in view the resurrection of believers from the dead, is evident from ver. 20. The resurrection of the whole human kind from the dead, is an amazing instance of the infinite power of God; but having been exemplified in the resurrection of Christ, it cannot be doubted. Dr. Macknight.

Ephesians 1:20

20. — and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.] And exalted Him in His human nature to the participation of His infinite glory and majesty in the highest heavens. Bp. Hall. This is a declaration by inspiration of the fact recorded, Mark xvi. 19. In both passages there is an allusion to Ps. cx. 1. And since Christ sat at the right hand of God after His resurrection and ascension, it implies that He was thus exalted in the human nature, and that in the human nature He exercises all the power belonging to His high dignity, agreeably to the description given of it in the next verse. Dr. Macknight.

He which came down from heaven, and descended into the lowest parts of the earth, is ascended far above all heavens; that, sitting at the right hand of God, He might from thence fill all things with the gracious and happy fruits of His saving presence. Ascension into heaven is a plain local translation of Christ, according to His manhood, from the lower to the higher parts of the world. Session at the right hand of God, is the actual exercise of that regency and dominion wherein the manhood of Christ is joined and matched with the deity of the Son of God. Not that His manhood was before without the possession of the same power, but because the full use thereof was suspended till that humility, which had been before as a vail to hide and conceal His majesty, were laid aside. After His rising again from the dead, then did God set Him at His right hand in heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not in this world only, but also in that which is to come; and hath put all things under His feet, and hath appointed Him over all the Head to the church, which is His body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all. The sceptre of which spiritual government over us in this present world, is at length to be yielded up into the hands of the Father which gave it; that is to say, the use and exercise thereof shall cease, there being no longer on earth any militant church to govern. Hooker.

Ephesians 1:21

21. Far above all principality, &c.] Far, infinitely far above all those rulers and potentates, that have but

Anno DOMINI 64. might of his power. The exaltation of Christ. EPHESIANS. The Ephesians’ former corrupt state. Anno DOMINI 64.

power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

Ephesians 1:22

22. And hath put all things under his feet,] This is said in allusion to Ps. cx. 1, “until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool.” Compare 1 Cor. xv. 25, 27. Dr. Macknight.

—head over all things to the church,] That is, to the benefit of the church. Dr. Whitby.

Ephesians 1:23

23. Which is his body,] The church is the body of Jesus Christ in the following manner: 1st, He formed it by Himself, and by the ministry of His Apostles; He drew it not out of the dust of the earth, but which was as difficult, out of a state of darkness, error, and corruption. 2dly, He quickened it by His power, and by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. 3dly, He purchased it with His own blood, having yielded Himself up to death for its sake. Lastly, he hath collected, and united, and tied together all its members by the same laws, the same faith, the same sacraments, the same hopes of a resurrection to life eternal, and above all, by mutual charity, which St. Paul calls the bond of perfection. Dr. Jorlin.

—the fulness of him that filleth all in all,] For He ascended up on high, that He might fill the members of His church with all gifts necessary for the edification of His saints, till they should “come to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ,” chap. iv. 10—13. In Him all fulness dwells, and we are filled full in Him, who is the head of principalities and powers, Col. ii. 9, 10. Dr. Whitby.

The things here asserted by the Apostle, if duly considered, will be found to have as great influence upon our minds and actions, as any articles of our faith whatsoever. For is Christ our Saviour exalted at the right hand of God? Are all things put under His feet? What a glorious, what a mighty Saviour then have we in heaven! How well may we believe and trust on Him for all things necessary to our salvation!—Is Christ given to be Head over all things to the church? How then can the gates of hell ever prevail against it, or against any sound member of it? What can we want, what need we fear, who have Him, that hath all things under Him, always ready to supply and help us? What can He not do for us, that He will? And what will He not do for us, that He can?—Is the church the body of Christ, “the fulness of Him that filleth all in all?” What love and care then must Christ needs have for His church, nourishing and cherishing it even as His own flesh! And what love should all the members of the church have for Him, as well as for one another! What care to serve, honour, and obey Him! How soberly, how righteously, how godly should they live, who

are so nearly related to Him, that is Head over all things in the world! And who would not be in the number of them? Bp. Beveridge.

Chap. II. In this chapter the Apostle shews, 1st, That when all men, both Jews and Gentiles, were dead in their sins, God saved them by Jesus Christ; and he observes particularly, that they were indebted for this great benefit to the sole mercy of God, who had delivered them from a state of condemnation and corruption, and had given them a capacity of doing good works. 2dly, He puts the Ephesians in mind that they were formerly heathens, and excluded from the covenant of God; and speaks of the favour God had shewn them, in removing the distinction which was between them and the Jews, and in uniting them so as to be lost one people, and from thenceforward to compose all of them together but one family and one temple, holy to the Lord. Ostervald.

Ver. 1. And you hath he quickened,] The words “hath He quickened” are not in the original, but are supplied from the 5th verse; “you who were dead,” in the first verse, so directly answering to “us who were dead,” in the fifth, as to make it very plain that both must refer to the phrase, “He hath quickened together with Christ.” Dr. Doddridge.

—who were dead in trespasses and sins:] So as never to have come to a sense of your miserable state without the quickening grace of the Gospel, “has He quickened,” or enabled to live a godly life. Dr. Wells.