Chapter One

Greeting (1-2). Blessing of God for many blessings granted us in Christ (3-14). The greatness of the Christian hope which believers have in Christ (15-23)

Ephesians 1:1. Paul, by the will of God an Apostle of Jesus Christ, to the holy and faithful ones in Ephesus in Christ Jesus: Ephesians 1:2. grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The greeting with which here the Apostle Paul addresses the readers is similar to those greetings with which he addresses the Corinthians in the 1st and 2nd epistles. - “By the will of God” - see 1 Cor 1:1. - “An Apostle of Jesus Christ” - see 1 Pet 1:1. - “Holy and faithful ones in Christ Jesus.” Christians are called “holy” in the sense that they represent a society set apart from the sinful world. They are “faithful” to God, that is, they stand firm in faith. Both of these they owe to “Christ Jesus” (see Rom 1:1): thanks to His merits, they became holy and with the help of His grace they maintain faithfulness to the God who called them. - “Grace and peace” - see Rom 1:1 and 1 Pet 1:2. - “Our Father” - see Matt 6:9. Eph 1:3-14. Beginning the first, dogmatic, part of his epistle, the Apostle in the form of blessing God gives the readers a general picture of the greatness of Christianity. First of all he says that Christianity has an eternal foundation: we, Christians, are chosen by God before the foundation of the world in Christ Jesus for the closest communion with God. Then the Apostle points out that we are redeemed by the blood of Christ from sins, have received high wisdom from God, and in Christ have already entered into the closest union with God - we have even received the seal that we have become heirs of heavenly bliss.

Ephesians 1:3. Blessed be God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, “Blessed be God and Father...” See 2 Cor 1:3. The Apostle first of all says with Eph 1:3 through Eph 1:6 about what God did for Christians in prehistoric time, or, one might say, from eternity. He “blessed,” that is, appointed for us in Christ - Who is here thought of as having existed before His incarnation, from all eternity - “all,” that is, touching all sides of our existence, “blessings.” - “Spiritual” - that is, belonging to the higher, divine, spiritual realm of being. In the New Testament the word “spiritual” is usually used to designate the higher, divine origin of some phenomenon. - “In the heavenly places.” The very action of blessing took place in heaven (cf. v. 4: “before the foundation of the world”).

Ephesians 1:4. just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him in love, “Blessing” - this is not the first thing for which the Apostle wishes to give thanks to God. At the basis of this “blessing” lies “election” (since in the Greek stands properly: according to as, but here, as can be concluded from the context of the speech, this conjunction has the force of a causal conjunction, cf. Rom 1:28). - “In Him,” that is, in Christ. Christ, the Son of God, was even from eternity chosen by God for the accomplishment of the salvation of people, and we likewise, thanks to this, were even from eternity predestined by God to constitute a society of believers. - “Holy and blameless” - not in the sense of our moral self-improvement, but, as is evident from the context of the speech, in the general sense: we are destined to constitute a society of God’s chosen ones, who are sanctified by the blood of Christ. - “Before Him,” that is, appointed for service to God. - “In love.” Since here the speech is about in general the relation of God to us, it is better to understand here not our love, but the love of God for men. Many ancient and new commentators apply this expression to the 5th verse, which seems more probable, since otherwise this expression would be too far removed from the verb to which it alone could apply (“chose”).

Ephesians 1:5. predestining us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, “Predestining.” At the same time as election, our predestination to adoption by God in Christ was also accomplished. On “predestination” - see Rom 8:29. Here the Apostle adds that this predestination is based on the love of God for us. - “Adopt.” The concept of “adoption” was known in the Old Testament (Exod 4:22; Deut 14:1), but there this adoption was the lot of the people as a single whole, while in the New Testament it is given to each believer individually (Gal 4:7). - “According to the purpose of His will.” According to the interpretation of St. John Chrysostom, by “purpose” one should understand “a strong willing of our salvation.” At the same time, this “willing” or decision is completely free (cf. Luke 2:14). In relation to “willing” the love of God, about which the Apostle spoke at the beginning of the verse, appears to be its inner foundation.

Ephesians 1:6. to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us favored in the Beloved, “To the praise.” One cannot say that God directly made His glorification the purpose of His work in relation to men: this would contradict the motive of God’s actions mentioned earlier, which is love. Here the Apostle only points out what should naturally come about as a completely normal consequence of God’s actions. - “Glory of grace.” The expression “glory” is a definition of the word “grace.” “Grace,” that is, the attitude of God toward men, appears as glorious, magnificent, and we naturally praise it. - “By which He has made us favored.” These words are a transition to the following description of the state in which Christians already find themselves (Earlier the speech was about what God did for them in prehistoric time, or before their actual calling into the Church). God now “favored,” that is, gave us abundantly His grace (cf. John 1:16). According to the interpretation of Chrysostom and some other ancient commentators, here is also given the thought that God by His grace made us lovable or pleasant to Himself, - of course, through the fact that His Son cleansed us with His blood from all sin. - “In the Beloved.” According to the context of the speech, this expression should be understood as a designation of “the beloved by us.” Such an understanding corresponds to the concluding words of the epistle (see Eph 6:24).

Ephesians 1:7. in whom we have redemption through His blood, the remission of trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, From the eternal action of God’s grace the Apostle passes to the description of its action in the present time. - In Christ (“in whom” - refers to the expression Eph 1:5: “through Jesus Christ”) “we have redemption” (on the meaning of this word see Rom 3:24), and the fruit of this redemption, accomplished at once for all people, is “the remission of sins” of each of us individually. This “remission” cannot be understood as only a juridical act, but one must see in it the actual removal of sin from us, the cleansing of sin (cf. Matt 26:28; Luke 1:77; Rom 5:1). But both one and the other correspond (“according to the riches”) to the rich grace of God: the grace of God is this greatest power of God, granting us many spiritual powers.

Ephesians 1:8. which He has lavished upon us, in all wisdom and understanding, “Which He has lavished upon us.” Grace or, as the Apostle Peter expresses it, divine power (2 Pet 1:3) has been given to us in the form of “all kinds of wisdom and understanding.” By “wisdom” one should understand the ability to penetrate with the mind into the very essence and worth of things, and by “understanding” the ability to relate correctly to things, a certain moral tact.

Ephesians 1:9. making known to us the mystery of His will according to His purpose, which He has set forth in Him, New evidence of God’s love for men. God revealed to us what was His own secret - the secret of His will, that which was secretly decided by Him concerning the world. He revealed this secret according to His purpose toward men, which He formed toward them in Christ. From this we can conclude that God now relates to us as to His sincere friends, because secrets are shared only by those who stand in friendly relations with one another.

Ephesians 1:10. for the administration of the fullness of the times, to gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. In what did this secret consist? “For the administration of the fullness of the times,” that is, when the time appointed by God came, when all the periods which were to precede the coming of Christ had passed (the stewardship or divine dispensation of the salvation of men came to completion), God decided to bring everything existing back to the original normal state in which the world was before the fall (“to gather together... under the head - Christ” - properly: to unite, to bring scattered parts to unity, but here, in relation to the work of Christ, this word can mean to restore to the primitive state). This bringing to normal state is the consequence of the redemption accomplished by Christ and, having begun with the founding of Christ’s Church on earth, will continue throughout the entire period of humanity’s existence on earth. Without doubt, this action does not extend to the demonic powers, which are not redeemed: they are not capable of restoration (the concept of complete “restoration” in general is foreign to the New Testament).

Ephesians 1:11. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, Ephesians 1:12. that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. Yet another mercy we have received from God in Christ: we “became heirs,” that is, acquired the right to enter into the glorious kingdom of God and to possess the blessings of this kingdom. We were predestined to receive this high right by the free good will of God. - “That we should be to the praise...” So great is this right of heirs that we should continually glorify the God who granted us this right. - “Who first trusted in Christ.” The Apostle speaks here of all Christians in general and calls them “those who previously trusted” or, more precisely, “those who previously hoped” because he has in mind the circumstance that the full fulfillment of Christian hopes will come only in the future, when we shall be granted the full inheritance (Prof. Bogdashevsky). The participle in the past tense standing here designates not a past fact, but one continuing its existence.

Ephesians 1:13. In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; and after you believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, Here the Apostle addresses those Christians who will read his epistle. - “In Him,” that is, in Christ the readers of the epistle “are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,” after hearing the “word of truth” or “good news” of their salvation, they believed in this good news (“after you believed in Him,” that is, in Christ - the translation is incorrect, because everywhere in Chapter 2 one thought is joined to another, the preceding one, by means of the pronoun who, and here it stands: in whom). The very “sealing,” as is evident from the context of the speech, is an act not only internal but also observable outwardly, by men outside (cf. 1 Cor 9:2). Here the Apostle undoubtedly understands the sending of the grace of the Holy Spirit upon believers on the feast of the first Christian Pentecost (Acts 2) and the subsequent outpouring of spiritual gifts upon those entering the Church. God by these gifts marked Christians as holy men, chosen.

Ephesians 1:14. who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. “Who is the guarantee of our inheritance.” The Holy Spirit, which Christians received, was only a testimony that they would in time receive all those blessings which Christ promised them (“our inheritance”), that is, heavenly glory 2. - “Until the redemption of the purchased possession.” Here the Apostle has in mind, as can be concluded from the context of the speech, the future redemption or liberation of the “possession” of God or the society of believers 3. For as long as we, Christians, live on earth, we do not yet constitute exclusively the possession of God. But in time, thanks to the powers of grace of the Holy Spirit granted to us, we should free ourselves from the power of earthly circumstances, and then God will be fully glorified. However, this “liberation” will be accomplished not at once, but gradually. Eph 1:15-23. The Apostle knows that the Ephesians have faith and love. Now he asks the Lord to give them also an understanding of the great significance of Christian hope. Let them, with the help of the wisdom and understanding sent to them by God, understand both the very essence of this hope and its foundation and, finally, the way in which it is realized. And in order that this hope itself be more firm in the Ephesians, the Apostle points out what has already been done by God in relation to Christ: what has been accomplished in this regard is so great that Christians can be assured that God will accomplish for them also the comparatively small thing which is the object of their hope.

Ephesians 1:15. Therefore I also, having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love toward all the saints, “Therefore,” that is, in view of the granting to Christians of manifold blessings (see Eph 1:3 and ff.). - “I also” - like you, that is, sharing in your joy and thanksgiving for the above-mentioned benefactions. - “After I heard” - presumably from Christians who came to him from Ephesus. - “For all the saints” - for all Christians.

Ephesians 1:16. I give thanks to God for you without ceasing, making mention of you in my prayers, Ephesians 1:17. that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him, The Apostle gives thanks continually to God that the Ephesians have become partakers of divine blessings. He remembers them also in prayers, that is, prays for them, that God may give them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation. - “God of our Lord,” that is, God of Christ in His human nature. - “Father of glory” - to Whom belongs glory or greatness, as to no one else, from Whom this greatness proceeds (cf. 1 Cor 2:8). - “Spirit of wisdom and revelation.” The Holy Spirit already belongs to Christians (Eph 1:13) and to pray for His giving is not necessary. Therefore the expression: “that He may give...” is better translated as: “that God make the Spirit already dwelling in you a Spirit producing in you wisdom and revelation.” “Wisdom” - see Eph 1:8. - “Revelation” - of course, not revelation of something new in the religious sense, but the removal from our understanding of all veils hindering us from clearly understanding the greatness of Christianity (cf. 1 Cor 2:10). - “In the knowledge of Him” - more precisely: in the knowledge of Him. These words are better applied to the following verse.

Ephesians 1:18. the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, “And the eyes of your understanding being enlightened.” In the realm of knowledge of God (“in the knowledge of Him” - Eph 1:17) let the Ephesians possess “enlightened eyes of the heart,” that is, let them know with completely clear eyes of the soul (“heart” - the central seat and central organ of personal life Rom 10:10) know God. - “That you may know...” First of all, this enlightenment of the eyes of the soul in the realm of knowledge of God is necessary for the Ephesians to know “what is the hope of His calling,” that is, in what the object of Christian hope consists, which is based on divine calling (cf. Rom 8:24). - “What riches of the glory of His inheritance...” Here one determines in what the object of Christian hope consists: this is the “inheritance” of God, extremely magnificent, which is enjoyed and will be enjoyed by the holy ones of God (“in the saints” - more precisely: “among the saints.” “Saints” - here in the proper sense, not Christians in general).

Ephesians 1:19. and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power Finally, enlightened eyes of the heart are necessary for Christians to understand how great is the power of God manifesting itself already at the present time upon us, believers. - “According to the working of His mighty power.” These words naturally refer to the expression of the 20th verse and thus one sees here the thought that the great power of God manifests itself in relation to believers in accordance with that working of God’s mighty power by which God worked in relation to Christ (see the following verse).

Ephesians 1:20. which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, In relation to Christ God’s mighty power manifested itself in the fact that God raised Christ from the dead (see Rom 8:11) and seated Him - as the glorified man (according to His divinity the Lord Jesus Christ never left the divine throne. Chrysostom) - in the heavens on the right hand of Himself (see 1 Sam 20:25; 1 Sam 2:19; Ps 109:1).

Ephesians 1:21. far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come, No doubt, here the speech is not about earthly authorities, but about angelic orders: in the preceding verse it was already said that God seated Christ in the heavens. Of course, here are meant only the good angels, because here the Apostle speaks of the exaltation of Christ, not of His victory over the powers of hell. Some commentators (for example, Prof. Bogdashevsky) suppose that the enumeration of the orders of angels goes here in an ascending order. - “And every name that is named not only in this age but also in that which is to come.” The Apostle wishes to say that Christ is higher than all orders of angels about whose existence we know already, and any others about which we shall learn only in the future life (Blessed Theodoret). - “This age” - the time until the second coming of Christ, and “the age to come” - the future life.

Ephesians 1:22. and put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, See Ps 8:5-7. - “And gave Him to be head over all things to the church.” It is more correct to translate from the Greek thus: “and Him He gave, as head over all, to the church.” Only, of course, in this case it is necessary to add that Christ is given to the Church not only as a gift (Rom 5:15), but also as the Head. The Church is especially exalted by the fact that it is given such a Head, which is the head of all existing. 4

Ephesians 1:23. which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. To show the special closeness of the Church to Christ, the Apostle calls it “the body of Christ.” Christ is the head, and the Church is the body. If from the head go all the nerves governing the movements of the body, then from Christ the Church receives all the powers for its life 5. - “The fullness of Him who fills all in all.” Some commentators (Chrysostom, Blessed Theophylact) understand this expression as a designation of the significance of the Church - (fullness - in an active sense), saying that the Church supplements Christ, although Christ Himself fills all. Others (for example, Prof. Bogdashevsky) understand this expression in a passive sense (“fullness” - that which is filled or is being filled. Parallel expressions to “fullness” are expressions “proclamation,” “proclamation,” also having a passive sense). The latter opinion seems more correct, because everywhere in the chapter considered the speech is about what the Church has received, not about what it itself gives. - “Who fills all in all.” According to the more widely spread interpretation, the Apostle speaks here of the fact that the Church is the fullness of Him who fills the whole world with all the objects found in the world. But such an interpretation is difficult to reconcile chiefly because with its acceptance we shall diminish the significance of the Church. Indeed, what will be special in the fact that the Church is filled by Christ, as the whole world is? It is better therefore to accept the expression (masculine gender) and see here an indication of individual persons - of the members of the Church, and under the expression “all” understand all aspects of the activity of these “all” persons. Thus, the whole expression can be conveyed as: “Filling or fulfilling all members of the Church in all aspects of their inner life.” The whole expression “the fullness of Him who fills...” most naturally, together with Bogdashevsky, should be explained thus. The Church is complete perfection in all respects. But such is her idea, and the realization of this idea is accomplished only gradually in the life of believers, through the action of Christ. Christ (by His grace-giving powers) fills all believers, from the fullness of His Church we all receive what we need to attain “the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph 4:13). * * * “Guarantee” - earnest money, as security that the whole amount of the debt will subsequently be paid “Possession” - can mean: a) obtaining; b) estate. Having in mind the use of this term in the latter sense by the Apostle Peter (1 Pet 2:9), we give it here the meaning of “the possession” of God, which is the society of believers Some commentators find it unfortunate to call Christ the head of the Church as a body. It would be better in their opinion if the Apostle had used instead of the term “head” the term “soul,” since it is the soul that moves the body. But according to biblical psychology the head itself is presented as a synonym of life, of psychic activity (Matt 5:36; Luke 21:28). We should not be troubled by the fact that the head, properly, is one of the members of the body: nevertheless, as the source of life and movement of the body, it appears as if separate from the body. Christ is the Head of the body of the Church, not being, of course, Himself a member of the body (Bogdashevsky p. 154) The definition of the Church as “the body of Christ” is very important in that it gives an idea of the character of the inner life of the Church. As an ordinary body grows, increases, so the body of Christ is built up (Eph 4:12), makes increase (Eph 4:16). As in the body each member has its own special purpose, serving the whole, so the body of the Church is constituted and joined together “at the activity in measure of each member” (Eph 4:16). As in the body there is no strife, and all members form one whole, so in the Church of Christ we are all reconciled in one body (Eph 2:16), form one body, animated by one spirit (Eph 4:4). As in the body there are its connections, its system of nourishment, so they exist also in the Church of Christ (Eph 4:16, cf. Col 2:19)” (Bogdashevsky p. 151). It should be noted that the Apostle does not directly call the Church the body of Christ in his earlier epistles, but nevertheless even there are thoughts that all believers constitute the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:27) In such a sense (all things in all) is found also in 1 Cor 12:6; 1 Cor 15:28; Col 3:11