Page 422 - Demo

At the time the Letter to the Ephesians was written, Ephesus was a bustling
seaport on the Mediterranean, in present-day Turkey. Paul certainly visited there, and according to Acts 20:31 he lived there for three years.
1:3 Ephesians begins by giving thanks for God’s unfathomable gifts to us—God has blessed us, chosen us, destined us in love, adopted us. And God has done all this not because we deserved a reward but simply “for the praise of the glory of his grace” (1:6)— because God is God.
* [1:1–2] For the epistolary form used at the beginning of letters, see note on Rom 1:1–7. Twenty-two of the thirty Greek words in Eph 1:1–2 also occur in Col 1:1–2.
* [1:1] [In Ephesus]: the phrase is lacking in important early witnesses such as P46 (3rd cent.), and Sinaiticus and Vaticanus (4th cent.), appearing in the latter two as a fth- century addition. Basil and Origen mention its absence from manuscripts. See Introduction. Without the phrase, the Greek can be rendered, as in Col 1:2, “to the holy ones and faithful brothers in Christ.”
* [1:3–14] While a Pauline letter usually continues after the greeting with a prayer of thanksgiving, as in Eph 1:15–23 below, Ephesians rst inserts a blessing of God for the blessings Christians have experienced, as in 2 Cor 1:3–4 and 1 Pt 1:3–12. The blessing here, akin to a Jewish berakah, is rich in images almost certainly drawn from hymns and liturgy. Many ideas here are also found in Col 1:3–23. Certain phrases are frequently repeated, such as in Christ (Eph 1:3, 10, 12) or in him (Eph 1:4, 7, 9, 11, 13) or in the beloved (Eph 1:6) and (for) the praise of (his) glory (Eph 1:6, 12, 14). Some terms like chose (Eph 1:4) and destined (Eph 1:5) re ect Old Testament theology (Dt 7:7; 9:4–6; 23:5) or Pauline themes (redemption, Eph 1:7, 14; grace, Eph 1:6, 7) or speci c emphases in Colossians (forgiveness, Col 1:14). A triadic structure is discernible in Eph 1:3–14: God the Father (Eph 1:3–6, 8, 11), Christ (Eph 1:3, 5, 7–10, 12), and the Spirit (Eph 1:13–14). The spiritual blessings Christians have
a. [1:1] Rom 1:7; 1 Cor 1:1–2; Col 1:1.
b. [1:2] Col 1:2.
c. [1:3] 2:6; 2 Cor 1:3.
d. [1:4] 5:27; Jn 15:16; 17:24; Rom 8:29; 2 Thes 2:13.
e. [1:5] Jn 1:12; 1 Jn 3:1.
f. [1:6] Mt 3:17; Col 1:13.
g. [1:7] 2:7–13; Rom 3:24; Col 1:14, 20.
received through Christ (Eph 1:3) are gratefully enumerated: the call to holiness (Eph 1:4; cf. Col 1:22); the gift of divine adoption establishing a unique spiritual relationship with God the Father through Christ (Eph 1:5; cf. Gal 4:5); liberation from sin through Christ’s sacri cial death (Eph 1:7); revelation of God’s plan of salvation in Christ (Eph 1:9; cf. Eph 3:3–4; Rom 16:25); the gift of election and faith in Christ bestowed upon Jewish Christians (see note on Eph 1:12, we who rst hoped in Christ); and nally, the same gift granted to Gentiles (Eph 1:13, you also). In the Christ-centered faith and existence of the Christian communities the apostle sees the predetermined plan of God to bring all creation under the nal rule of Christ (Eph 1:4–5, 9–10) being made known (Eph1:9) and carried through, to God’s glory (Eph 1:6, 12, 14).
* [1:3] In the heavens: literally, “in the heavenlies” or “in the heavenly places,” a term in Ephesians for the divine realm.
* [1:9] Mystery: as in Rom 16:25; Col 1:26–27 and elsewhere, a
secret of God now revealed in the plan to save and sum up
all things in Christ (Eph 1:10); cf. Eph 3:3–6.
* [1:12] We who rst hoped: probably Jewish Christians
(contrast Eph 1:13, you, the Gentiles); possibly the people of Israel, “we who already enjoyed the hope of Christ,” or perhaps present hope in contrast to future redemption (cf. Eph 1:14).
* [1:13] Sealed: by God, in baptism; cf. Eph 4:30; 2 Cor 1:22.
* [1:14] First installment: down payment by God on full
salvation, as at 2 Cor 1:22.
h. [1:8] Col 1:9.
i. [1:9] 3:3, 9; Rom 16:25.
j. [1:10] Gal 4:4; Col 1:16, 20.
k. [1:11] Is 46:10; Rom 8:28; Col 1:12; Rev 4:11.
l. [1:13] 4:30; Acts 2:33; Col 1:5–6.
m. [1:14] 2 Cor 1:22; 5:5.
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EPHESIANS 
I. ADDRESS
1Greeting.*
1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the holy ones
*a2
who are [in Ephesus] faithful in Christ Jesus: grace to you and
peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.b
The Father’s Plan of Salvation. 3* Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,c who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens,* 4as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him.d In love 5he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will,e 6for the praise of the glory of his grace that he granted us in the beloved.f
Ful llment Through Christ. 7In him we have redemption by his blood, the forgiveness of transgressions, in accord with the riches of his graceg 8that he lavished upon us. In all wisdom and insight,h 9he has made known to us the mystery* of his will in accord with his favor that he set forth in himi 10as a plan for the fullness of times, to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth.j
Inheritance Through the Spirit. 11In him we were also chosen, destined in accord with the purpose of the One who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will,k 12so that we might exist for the praise of his glory, we who rst hoped* in Christ. 13In him you also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed* with the promised holy Spirit,l 14which is the rst installment* of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s possession, to the praise of his glory.m