Ephesians 1

Ephesians 1:3-14

In this chapter we have 1. The introduction to the whole epistle, which is much the same as in others, ver. 1, 2. 2. The apostle’s thanksgivings and praises to God for his inestimable blessings bestowed on the believing Ephesians, ver. 3—14. 3. His earnest prayers to God in their behalf, ver. 15—23.

PAUL an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: 2. Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

v. 1, 2. The epistle opens with the apostle’s usual address.

Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ, appointed to this high office and honour by the will of God immediately revealed from heaven, to the saints which are at Ephesus, by profession and practice separated from this present evil world, and sanctified by the Holy Ghost; and to the faithful in Christ Jesus, who by faith are united to him, and approve their fidelity before him: Grace be to you and peace, in all their comprehensive import, from God our Father, the fountain of blessedness; and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the purchaser and bestower of every good and perfect gift. Note, (1.) All true Christians are saints upon earth. (2.) They who have obtained grace to be faithful have need still to look to the same fountain from whence they derive

continual supplies, that their stability may be secured, and their peace be enlarged.

3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in love: 5. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6. To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved: 7. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 8. Wherein he hath abounded towards us in all wisdom and prudence, 9. Having made known unto us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he hath purposed in himself: 10. That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one of all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in him: 11. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things

after the counsel of his own will: 12. That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13. In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14. Which is the earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Deeply impressed with a sense of the inestimable blessings of which in Christ Jesus they had been made partakers, the grateful apostle breaks forth in praise and thanksgiving to the God of all grace.

1. In general. Blessed to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the abhorred Redeemer, in whom he is now become our reconciled and covenant God, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things or places in Christ, blessings descending from above, and leading up our souls to high and heavenly things, till we reach the mansions of eternal blessedness. And for all their rich gifts which we now enjoy, and all the greater glory which we hope for, be everlasting praise, honour, and thanksgiving ascribed to the ever-bellied fountain of mercies. Next, (1.) We cannot bless God as he blesseth us: his blessings are not gifts conferred; ours are only the grateful acknowledgements we owe for them. (2.) In Christ Jesus all spiritual blessings are freely given to us; and though we are not in possession of them all, our title to them is sure.

2. In particular,

(1.) He praises God for the spiritual blessing of election. According to he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, in his own eternal mind having sovereignly fixed upon us as the objects of his love, not for any thing foreseen in us, but as regarded in Christ, our covenant-head and representative, who is most eminently his debt, and in and with whom he hath pre-estimated us to life and salvation; and, as the way therein, hath ordained, that we should be holy, and without honor before him in love, thanked by his Spirit, in sincerity and truth enabled to approve ourselves before him, as acting under the influence of that divine principle of love which he hath shed abroad in our heart: having pre-estimated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto himself, from everlasting, in his eternal purpose, hanging us out from the rest of mankind, and, through union with his own Son, admitting us to the high dignity of children, bestowing on us the Spirit of adoption, and designing us for the eternal inheritance, that we might be thus a people for his praise; according to the good pleasure of his will, not for any worthiness foreseen in us, or any previous obligation lying upon him so to do, but merely out of his own divine sovereignty, that we might be to the praise of the glory of his grace, which is thus magnified in the highest, and all the glory of a complete and finished salvation, from the beginning to the end, to be ascribed to him alone by every redeemed soul.

(2.) He blesses God for the reconciliation and acceptance obtained through Christ Jesus. Whereas he hath made us accepted in the Beloved, in his boundless grace he hath taken us for his own, and, regarding us as we stand united with his dear Son, embraces us with the arms of his everlasting love, accepting both our persons and services for his sake, in whom, being found, we are esteemed complete and perfect, lacking nothing.

(3.) He praises God for the great and inestimable blessings of redemption and remission of him through the abhorred Sermon. In whom we have redemption, an entire deliverance from all evil, and a restoration to all blessedness, in virtue of the inestimable price which he hath paid, through his most precious blood, shed on purpose to satisfy divine justice, and obtain our deliverance from the curse of a broken law, in virtue whereof we have the forgiveness of sins, and are saved from all their deadly consequences in time and eternity, according to the riches of his grace; though it was due to our Substitute, the pardon is absolutely free to us; and that such a Redeemer should be ever provided was itself a matter of the most transcendent grace and favour; wherein he hath abounded towards us in all wisdom and prudence, manifesting the most astonishing depths of wisdom in the contrivance, and prudence in the execution of this wondrous scheme of salvation.

(4.) He blesses God for the knowledge he had communicated to them of his will. Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, which was laid from former ages, or but thereby made known, but now is revealed to us, both by an external revelation of it clearly in his word, and by the internal illumination of his Spirit, according to his good pleasure, which he hath perused in himself, flowing from his own sovereign determination, without the least inducement whatever thereunto moving him in those who were the objects of his choice; that in the differentiation of the fishes of times under the gospel, the last dissemination of grace which will be vouchsized to the final sons of men, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, reducing things again to order from the conclusion which his had introduced, recovering his elect, whether Jews or Gentiles, from the mis-

VOL. II.

ries of their fallen state, and, under Christ as their living head, uniting them in one body; hath which are in heaven and which are so earth, angels as well as saints being formed into one glorious company; even in him, who is their centre of union, whom they acknowledge as their common Lord, and alike owe to him their stability and eternal blessedness.

(5.) He blesses God for the glorious inheritance obtained for them in Christ. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, holding a title to eternal life on his complete obedience to death, and virtually published of it through him who, as our forerunner, is for us entered into heaven itself; being pre-estimated to this glorious portion, according to the purpose of him who warrants all things with irresistible efficacy (everyday) after the benefit of his own will, that we, to whom the word was first preached, should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ, and embraced his gospel. In whom ye Gentiles also trusted, and obtained a like inheritance with us, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and became thereby obedient to the faith, and partakers in common of all our blessings.

(6.) He blesses God for the zeal and affluence which they had received of their interest in the everlasting promises. In whom also, after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which, flaming on his own work, converted the highest evidence to your conferences of your particular interest in the salvation of the gospel, which is the veracity of our inheritance, a pledge and foretake of the glory which shall be revealed, until the redemption of the purchased possession, when we, whom he purchased with his own blood, shall be brought to the perfection of holiness and happiness above, and the work be completed in the resurrection of a glorified body at the last day, unto the praise of his glory, when to eternity his great name shall be exalted by all the redeemed that shall surround his throne with never-ending praises.

15. Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16. ‘Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, in the knowledge of him: 18. ‘The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19. And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe,’ according to the working of his mighty power; 20. Which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead, and ‘set him at his own right hand in the heavenly saints, 21. ‘Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come; 22. And ‘hath put all things under his feet, and gave him ’to be the head over all things to the church, 23. ‘Which is his body, the fulness of him that filled all in all.

Ephesians 1:15-23

The apostle accompanies his grateful thanksgivings with his affectionate prayers. Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, shewn by the most genuine proofs, rests not to give thanks for you at every approach to the throne of grace, making mention of you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our covenant God in him, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, making a more clear and experimental discovery to you of the glorious truths of his word, and manifesting with greater energy his love to your souls, that you may know, chute, and delight in him as your God, the eye of your understanding, which by nature were darkened, being now enlightened, that ye may know, (1.) What is the hope of his calling, assured with the utmost certainty of the solid foundation on which it is built, and seeing the unutterably glorious privileges which it comprehends. And, (2.) What the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, at present in all the inestimable precious gifts and graces which he bestows, and hereafter in the complete and everlasting blessedness which he hath provided for them. (3.) And what the exceeding greatness of his mighty power to us-ward who believes, have surpassing marvellous, that we, who were dead in time, should ever be quickened to the life of faith and grace, preserved amidst all the carcasses, spiritual and temporal, without and within, which light spread us, and our bodies at last raised from the dust in glory, according to the working of his mighty power, are not of omnipotence nor less than that which he thought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, leading captivity captive, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, triumphant over all his foes, and exalted to the throne of Mostly on high, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come, whether angels of light, or demons of darkness.

or earthly potentates and primates, by whatever name or title distinguished, all are made subject unto him; and hath put all things under his feet, as the exalted Mediator, and gave him to be head over all things to the church; to govern, protect, and preserve it from all love, and to order every event, as that in its office it shall conduce to the spiritual and eternal benefit of the whole and every individual believer; whilst he, as their living head of vital influence, actuates, quickens, and strengthens every member of his church, which is his body mystical, and in that sense they are the fulness of him; for if the least member were wanting, the body would be incomplete; though in himself Christ is intimately perfect, and needed is not, whilst we receive our all out of him, that filled all in all, supplying every want of his people, and bestowing on them the abundance of his grace, that they may grow up into him in all things, and be conformed to him their head. Note, (1.) Prayer is the constant duty we owe to each other. (2.) The prospect of the glorious inheritance before us should quicken our desires after it. (3.) Every believer is as much an influence of omnipotent power, as if a dead body were raised from the death. (4.) Christ hath all power committed to him for the good of his people, and they may be confident of his care and support in every time of need, nor shall any be able to pluck the means of his people out of his hands.