GOD'S INHERITANCE PROVISION

EPHESIANS 1: 1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: pauloV apostoloV cristou ihsou dia qelhmatoV qeou toiV agioiV toiV ousin [en efesw] kai pistoiV en cristw ihsou 2 Grace be to you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. cariV umin kai eirhnh apo qeou patroV hmwn kai kuriou ihsou cristou 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: euloghtoV o qeoV kai pathr tou kuriou hmwn ihsou cristou o euloghsaV hmaV en pash eulogia pneumatikh en toiV epouranioiV en cristw 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: kaqwV exelexato hmaV en autw pro katabolhV kosmou einai hmaV agiouV kai amwmouV katenwpion autou en agaph 5 Having predestinated us to the adoption of children to himself by Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, proorisaV hmaV eiV uioqesian dia ihsou cristou eiV auton kata thn eudokian tou qelhmatoV autou 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, in which he hath made us accepted in the beloved: eiV epainon doxhV thV caritoV autou hV ecaritwsen hmaV en tw hgaphmenw Verse 1 Of Christ Jesus (Cristou Ihsou).  So B D, though Aleph A L have Ihsou Cristou. Paul is named as the author and so he is. Otherwise the Epistle is pseudepigraphic. By the will of God (dia qelhmatoß qeou). As in 1 Corinthians 1:1; 2 Corinthians 1:1; Romans 1:1. At Ephesus (en Epeswi). In Aleph and B these words are inserted by later hands, though both MSS. give the title Proß Epesiouß. Origen explains the words toiß agioiß toiß ousin as meaning "the saints that are" (genuine saints), showing that his MSS. did not have the words en Epeswi. The explanation of the insertion of these words has already been given in the remarks on "The Destination" as one copy of the general letter that was preserved in Ephesus. It is perfectly proper to call it the Epistle to the Ephesians if we understand the facts.

Verse 3 Blessed (euloghtoß).  Verbal of eulogew, common in the LXX for Hebrew baruk (Vulgate benedictus) and applied usually to God, sometimes to men (Genesis 24:31), but in N.T. always to God (Luke 1:68), while euloghmenoß (perfect passive participle) is applied to men (Luke 1:42). "While euloghmenoß points to an isolated act or acts, euloghtoß describes the intrinsic character" (Lightfoot). Instead of the usual eucaristoumen (Colossians 1:3) Paul here uses euloghtoß, elsewhere only in 2 Corinthians 1:3 in opening, though in a doxology in Romans 1:25; Romans 9:5; 2 Corinthians 11:31. The copula here is probably estin (is), though either estw (imperative) or eih (optative as wish) will make sense. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (o qeoß kai pathr tou Kuriou hmwn Ihsou Cristou). Kai is genuine here, though not in Colossians 1:3 . The one article (o) with qeoß kai pathr links them together as in 1 Thessalonians 1:3; 1 Thessalonians 3:11,13; Galatians 1:4. See also the one article in 2 Peter 1:1,11. In Ephesians 1:17 we have o qeoß tou Kuriou hmwn Ihsou Cristou, and the words of Jesus in John 20:17. Who hath blessed us (o euloghsaß umaß). First aorist active participle of eulogew, the same word, antecedent action to the doxology (euloghtoß). With (en). So-called instrumental use of en though in is clear. Every spiritual blessing (pash eulogiai pneumatikh). Third use of the root eulog (verbal, verb, substantive).  Paul lovingly plays with the idea.  The believer is a citizen of heaven and the spiritual blessings count for most to him. In the heavenly places in Christ (en toiß epouranioiß en Cristwi).  In four other places in Eph. (John 1:20; John 2:6; John 3:10; John 6:12). This precise phrase (with en) occurs nowhere else in the N.T. and has a clearly local meaning in John 1:20; John 2:6; John 3:10, doubtful in John 6:12, but probably so here. In John 2:6 the believer is conceived as already seated with Christ. Heaven is the real abode of the citizen of Christ's kingdom (Philippians 3:20) who is a stranger on earth (Philippians 1:27; Ephesians 2:19). The word epouranioß (heavenly) occurs in various passages in the N.T. in contrast with ta epigeia (the earthly) as in John 3:12; 1 Corinthians 15:40,48,49; Philippians 2:10, with patriß (country) in Hebrews 11:16, with klhsiß (calling) in Hebrews 3:1, with dwrea (gift) in Hebrews 6:4, with basileia (kingdom) in 2 Timothy 4:18.

Verse 4 Even as he chose us in him (kaqwß exelexato hmaß en autwi).  First aorist middle indicative of eklegw, to pick out, to choose. Definitive statement of God's elective grace concerning believers in Christ. Before the foundation of the world (pro katabolhß kosmou). Old word from kataballw, to fling down, used of the deposit of seed, the laying of a foundation. This very phrase with pro in the Prayer of Jesus (John 17:24) of love of the Father toward the Son. It occurs also in 1 Peter 1:20. Elsewhere we have apo (from) used with it (Matthew 25:34; Luke 11:50; Hebrews 4:3; Hebrews 9:26; Revelation 13:8; Revelation 17:8). But Paul uses neither phrase elsewhere, though he has apo twn aiwnwn (from the ages) in Ephesians 3:9.  Here in Ephesians 1:3-14. Paul in summary fashion gives an outline of his view of God's redemptive plans for the race. That we should be (einai hmaß). Infinitive of purpose with the accusative of general reference (hmaß).  See Colossians 1:22 for the same two adjectives and also katenwpion autou.

Verse 5 Having foreordained us (Proorisaß hmaß).  First aorist active participle of proorizw, late and rare compound to define or decide beforehand. Already in Acts 4:28; 1 Corinthians 2:7; Romans 8:29. See also verse Ephesians 1:11.  Only other N.T. example in verse Ephesians 11. To be taken with exelexato either simultaneous or antecedent (causal). Unto adoption as sons (eiß uioqesian). For this interesting word see Galatians 4:5; Romans 8:15; Romans 9:4. Unto himself (eiß auton). Unto God. According to the good pleasure of his will (kata thn eudokian tou qelhmatoß autou). Here eudokian means purpose like boulhn in verse Romans 11 rather than benevolence (good pleasure). Note the preposition kata here for standard.