Chapter 1

Theophylact of Ohrid, Exposition of the Epistle to the Ephesians — Chapter One

¹ Argument of the Epistle to the Ephesians. Ephesus is the metropolis of Asia; and it venerated Artemis, whose temple also was in it, most beautiful and most great, honored both by all the Greeks and especially by Ephesus, so that this city was even said to be the temple-keeper of Artemis, as is written in the Acts. And in Ephesus the evangelist John spent the greater part of his time, having been exiled thither, where also he dies. And Paul left Timothy there as a teacher; and those of the philosophers who most flourished passed their lives in it. Since, therefore, the city was thus so given over to superstition, and prided itself on such wise men, Paul employed much diligence in writing to people of this sort, and entrusted to them the deeper and loftier of his thoughts, inasmuch as they had already been catechized. And he writes this Epistle, laden with these surpassing thoughts, from Rome, in bonds. We too, then, have need of much attentiveness toward the understanding of the mysteries in it.

² Chapter One. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God. Behold, he has assigned the word through to the Father; and mark this on account of the Arians.

³ To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus. See how great was the virtue in those days, when he calls saints and faithful men who lived in the world, having wives and children; but now, not even in mountains and caves are there such men.

⁴ Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. Having said grace, he adds, of God our Father, that he may show what grace has wrought for us—namely, to make the Master and God our Father. But the Lord also, that is, the Son, by the grace shown toward us became both Jesus and Christ, having been made flesh for our sake, and called Jesus, and having anointed the manhood with the Godhead.

⁵ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Behold, he is both God and Father of one and the same Christ: God, inasmuch as he was made flesh; and Father, inasmuch as he is God the Word.

⁶ Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. By way of contrast with the Jewish blessing, he said the word spiritual; for that blessing was more bodily. For may God bless, he says, the offspring of your womb; and, May he bless your coming in and your going out. But here every blessing is spiritual, and nothing is lacking to us. For we have become immortal, and sons of God, and joint-heirs with Christ, and our firstfruits are worshiped by the powers on high. With reason, then, he said, With every blessing; for all things divine and spiritual have been freely given to us.

⁷ In the heavenly places. As though he were explaining how our blessing is spiritual, he says, In the heavenly places. For the blessing of the Jews was upon the earth, and for this reason bodily: For you shall eat the good things of the land; and, A land flowing with honey and milk; and, The Lord shall bless your land. But here there is nothing earthly, but all things heavenly. For this reason also our blessing is spiritual. For the kingdom of heaven is promised to the poor, and to those who are persecuted there is great reward in the heavens.

⁸ In Christ Jesus. That is, the blessing is ours through Jesus Christ, not through Moses, as it was for the Jews. So that we differ from them not only in the quality of the good things, but also in the mediator.

⁹ According as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world. He blessed us, he says, through Christ, just as he also chose us through him—that is, through faith in him. And he chose us before the foundation of the world. For from above our affairs were foreordained, and they are not recent, but ordered from the beginning. And well did he say foundation, that he might show that from some height of God’s power the world was laid down and established as on a foundation. And the word he chose makes plain both the love of God for mankind and their own virtue; for he chooses all who are going to prove approved.

¹⁰ That we should be holy and blameless before him. Lest, having heard that he chose us, you should thereafter grow slothful, as though already chosen, he says: For this he chose us, that we might be holy and blameless, abiding in the holiness which he gave us when we were baptized, and having a virtuous life. For the holy man is he who partakes of the faith; and the blameless, he who in his life is beyond reproach. And he seeks holiness and blamelessness not simply, but, Before him. For there are many who are holy before men, like the Pharisees, but not before God. This David also says: According to the cleanness of my hands; what cleanness? That which is before his eyes. And Isaiah: Wash yourselves, and put away your wickednesses before my eyes.

¹¹ In love having predestined us unto adoption through Jesus Christ unto himself. Having said that he chose us, he gave us to understand that he chose us as approved on account of our virtue. But since salvation is not from our virtue alone, he added that In love he predestined us—that is, Out of his own love for mankind, having loved us, he predestined us. Moreover, the believing and the drawing near is ours, though it belongs also to God who called; but to deem us, once we have drawn near, worthy of adoption, belongs to his love and benevolence alone. Wherefore he added, Having predestined us unto adoption. What adoption? That which leads our race up unto him, and makes us his own; and this too, Through Jesus Christ. For the Father predestined, but Christ brought us near. For through the Son come all good things, not through any of the servants; wherefore the bounty is the more splendid.

¹² According to the good pleasure of his will, unto the praise of the glory of his grace. For this reason, he says, he predestined us unto adoption—willing, and earnestly purposing, and desiring it (for this is good pleasure)—that the glory of his grace and of his benefaction might be displayed. But does God crave glory? God forbid; for the Divine is without need. Rather, he wills to be glorified by us, that we may love him the more. For he who marvels at the benefactions done toward him will be eager not to offend his benefactor; and as often as he calls the good things to remembrance, the more will he love the giver. Good pleasure, then, is the antecedent will of God. As, for instance: the first will of God is that no one perish; the second will, that those who have become evil perish; for not by necessity does he punish, but willingly. The good pleasure, therefore, is the antecedent will of God.

¹³ Wherein he graced us in the Beloved. He did not say, He bestowed a favor, but, He graced; that is, he made us gracious and lovely. Just as if someone, taking a scabby old man, wasted with hunger and unseemly, should straightway make of him another, comely and younger, having graced him in all respects—so also God, taking us who were filled with every deformity and unseemliness, showed us forth gracious and beautiful. For the king, he says, shall desire your beauty. And he graced us in the beloved Son—that is, through the Beloved.

¹⁴ In whom we have redemption through his blood, the remission of trespasses. In the Beloved, he says, we have redemption. What redemption? The remission of trespasses. How brought to pass? Through the blood. For this is the most awesome thing: that, having slain the very one who was beloved, he redeemed us who were hated, giving as price and ransom the blood of the Beloved. And see that this is even greater than the adoption—not to have spared even the Son for our sake. For after speaking concerning the adoption, he says this, ascending from the lesser to the greater.

¹⁵ According to the riches of his grace, which he made to abound toward us. And this he did, he says, in the riches of his grace. And see the superabundances: riches were given to us, and the riches of God, and riches of grace. And not simply of grace, but, Which he made to abound toward us—that is, he poured out ungrudgingly.

¹⁶ In all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of his will. That is, he poured out his grace upon us, so that, having made us wise and prudent, he made known to us the mystery of his will; as though he were saying: The things in his heart he made known to us. Or also thus: That he might make known to us the mystery which is in all prudence and wisdom—that is, the mystery laden with all wisdom and prudence. For that he should deem the enemies, the outcasts, worthy of so great things—and this at the end of the times, and this through the cross—how is this not of great wisdom?

¹⁷ According to his good pleasure, which he purposed in himself. And he did this according as he willed, and according as he purposed and predestined in himself—in Christ, that is.

¹⁸ Unto a dispensation of the fullness of the times. And this good pleasure and this will he purposed and predestined unto a dispensation, and administration, and ordering of the fullness of the times. For the fullness of the times, that is, the last seasons, demanded chastisement and punishment, since the wickedness of men had multiplied in them. But the coming of the Son rather dispensed salvation in these last times—which is a thing of inconceivable wisdom.

¹⁹ To gather up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth, in him. The heavenly things, he says, had been severed from the earthly; they had not one head. For even if, according to the principle of creation, there was one God for all, yet according to the principle of close kinship it was no longer so. The Father, then, purposed to gather up the heavenly things and the earthly—that is, to set one head over all, namely Christ: over the angels, according to his incorporeal nature; over men, according to the flesh. A gathering-up is also said to be the speaking concisely of things that come about at length. In Christ, then, the Father gathered up all things—that is, he cut short the things dispensed over a long time, finishing the account and cutting it short in righteousness.

²⁰ In whom also we were made an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will. He said above that he chose us; now again, that we were made an inheritance in Christ—that is, through Christ. But since the lot is a matter of chance, and not of virtue, nor of choice, he corrects this, and says: Having been predestined according to the purpose of God. For he would not have predestined had he not known us to be worthy. For God, who works all things, foresaw us before we came to be, and made us an inheritance, and set us apart for himself; so that, having himself wrought our election and inheritance, he did not err. And to be made an inheritance is a thing of blessedness, as coming to us without toil and by divine grace, even though it came upon the worthy. And according to the counsel, he says, of his will, that he might show that not as though the Hebrews had been disobedient were the Gentiles called in passing, but that these things were foreordained from above, and that this was an ancient counsel of God, and his will. For even if Christ said, Go not into the way of the Gentiles; and, I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel; yet these things were said for the sake of urging on the Jews, and of drawing them in, being coaxed like children; since in truth the calling of the Gentiles was foreordained from above.

²¹ That we should be unto the praise of his glory, who had first hoped in Christ. So that, he says, we who had first hoped in Christ should be unto his glory—that is, those who believed in Christ, and even before the age to come is at hand, hope for the things that shall then be ours. For it is a glory and a praise of the goodness of God to save those who were thus estranged.

²² In whom you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Gospel of your salvation. That is, through whom, namely Christ. So also to the Hebrews he says, He spoke to us in a Son. And he says the word of truth, by way of contrast with the typical and shadowy law; and, the Gospel of salvation, by way of contrast with the law that kills, and with the chastisement to come. For the proclamation of the first coming was unto salvation; but the trumpet of the second is unto chastisement.

²³ In whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of the promise. Having believed in the Gospel, he says; or, In Christ; that is, Through the grace of Christ, having believed, you were sealed; so that it is plain that you are God’s portion and inheritance. But the Jews were sealed with circumcision, as the irrational beasts are, receiving a fleshly seal; whereas we, as sons of God and above the flesh, were sealed with the Spirit. And he calls it the Spirit of the promise because it was given out of promise (for indeed through Joel also God promised, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh. And Christ said, You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit is come upon you), or because the Spirit confirms the promise of the good things to come. For having been already given to us, it makes the things to come also trustworthy; wherefore it is called an earnest. For hear what follows:

²⁴ Who is the earnest of our inheritance. God purchased our salvation from us, and gave us for the present the Spirit as an earnest, giving assurance that he will give also the inheritance of the unspeakable good things. And those who truly partake of the Spirit, even from this present already know that it is an earnest of the perfect inheritance—such a one as Paul; wherefore he also groaned, and sought to receive the perfect, and to be with Christ; whereas we neither have the earnest as we ought, nor do we crave the perfect, being without taste of it.

²⁵ Unto the redemption of the possession. By “possession” he means God’s diligence and care concerning us. He says, then, that this earnest leads unto the perfect redemption and the pure possession of us, and was given for its sake. For then shall be the perfect freedom, when sin is wholly done away; when the saints are also loosed from dwelling together with sinners, and there appear those who have been made a possession and acquired by God, so as to be his people. But some have understood the “possession” to be ourselves. Unto the redemption of the possession, then—that is, of us, who are a possession, and an acquisition, and God’s own treasure.

²⁶ Unto the praise of his glory. Continually he subjoins this, giving full assurance that the things promised shall assuredly come to pass. For if he were doing it for our sake, there might be room to doubt; but now, since it is for the sake of the manifestation of his own goodness that he is about to do these things, who shall gainsay that he will not do them? So also the Scripture: Do for us for your name’s sake; and, Not unto us, but unto your name give glory.

²⁷ For this cause I also, having heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and the love which is toward all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you. For this cause. What cause? Because, having believed, you were sealed with the Spirit, and received an earnest of the good things to come and of the perfect redemption, and are about to attain the things laid up for those who rightly believe and live, I cease not to give thanks for you. Do you see the bowels of compassion—how he gives thanks on behalf of all, as though he himself were the one benefited? For not to these alone, but to all, does he write this. It is fitting, then, to give thanks to God both for all the other things of which we have been deemed worthy; and fitting also on behalf of the faith of those who believe, that they were thus enlightened, that they were added to the cross of the Savior, having departed from him who destroys; for this is a mark of brotherly love. Having heard, he says, of your faith in the Lord Jesus. And not only the faith, but also the love—that is, the merciful and brotherly and humane disposition toward all, and not toward the local saints only, that is, the faithful poor. And everywhere he joins love to faith, the love that gives birth to the virtuous life. For without it the other is idle—faith, I mean, without work and life; just as also a life without faith.

²⁸ Making mention of you in my prayers. Consider how many he held in his mind, how many he remembered in his prayers; whereas we do not so much as remember ourselves, as we ought.

²⁹ That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory. Why do you make request and entreaty on our behalf? That God may make you wise. And “God of the Lord Jesus”—that is, of the man who is like us according to the flesh. “The Father of glory”—that is, he who has given us great and glorious good things. For he always names him from the matter at hand, as in, the Father of mercies, and God of all comfort; and the prophet, The Lord is my strength and the horn of my salvation. And here too, then, since he bestowed great and glorious things upon us, he calls him Father of glory—that is, the cause of it. For he has no other way to call him than from the name most splendid among us. But Gregory the Theologian understood “glory” to be the Godhead of the Only-begotten, so that of one and the same Christ there is both a God and a Father: of Christ, that is, of the human, a God; but of the glory, that is, of the Godhead, a Father.[1]

³⁰ May he give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him; the eyes of your heart being enlightened. That is, May he furnish you a gift of grace, so that you may be enlightened through the Spirit. For unless the Spirit reveal the hidden mysteries, it is impossible otherwise to learn them. For it alone—not an angel, nor an archangel—searches all things, even the depths of God. But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit. When, therefore, the mysteries are revealed to us by the Spirit, then we also come to be in the knowledge of God, and our eyes are enlightened, and we no longer doubt and say that this and that is impossible to come to pass; but we see all things as they are.

³¹ That you may know what is the hope of his calling. That is, upon what hopes we were called. And it is plain that it is unto adoption, and the enjoyment of the heavenly good things, and the having of Christ as our head. For since this is yet to come, it needs a spiritual revelation in order to learn it.

³² And what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. And this too, being yet unseen, needs the revelation from the Spirit—namely, what things the saints are about to inherit; for they are great. Wherefore also he calls these things a riches of glory—that is, an unspeakable and surpassing glory. And he calls them an inheritance, as things about to be given to sons.

³³ And what is the surpassing greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of the might of his strength, which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead. The things foretold were concerning matters yet to come; but now he speaks of what has already come to pass, that from this he may give assurance also of that. And what is this? Our believing, he says; for this too needs revelation, that you may learn it more clearly. What then? Did the Ephesians not know that they had believed? They knew indeed, but not in the way Paul now says. For it is not easy to know that it is a work of great power to change a soul’s persuasion, and to remove it from error—a power so great that not even the raising of a dead man equals it. For the dead the Lord raised by a single word alone; but the Jews he did not persuade even by long discourses and marvelous works. He says, then, that for this also we need the revelation of the Spirit, that we may learn that our believing came to pass by the great power and working of God; and that, just as he raised Christ from the dead, so also he raised us who were dead through unbelief. Wherefore he called this a surpassing greatness of power, and a might of strength. For when the prophets accomplished nothing, and all creation—both the visible, teaching through its good order, and the invisible, through the guiding and sustaining angels—then, marvelously, we were saved. And the words, He wrought in Christ, understand to be said with respect to the human; for that which was raised was man, even though it was united to God.

³⁴ And he seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion. He did not say, Above, but, Far above, that he might show the utmost height. For from the lowest degree to the highest he led up the human nature in Christ. For it is concerning this nature that he discourses—the nature that both died and was raised; since the divine nature neither died, nor was raised, nor was exalted, being ever above all height. Above all angelic power, then, was seated the nature that once was abominated.

³⁵ And every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come. If anything, he says, is in heaven, it is lower than that which was assumed and exalted, and he himself is higher than all. And we learn that there are certain powers now unnamed, but then to be revealed.

³⁶ And he put all things under his feet. Lest, having heard that he was seated far above, you should suppose that he was merely preferred, he shows that he also made him Master of all. And he did not subject them simply, but with the utmost subjection: For under his feet.

³⁷ And gave him to be head over all things to the Church. Wonderful! He seated the Church also upon his very throne; for where the head is, there also is the body. And the words, Over all things, make this plain: that he gave a head exalted and above all things, above angels, above archangels.

³⁸ Which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. Lest, having heard “head,” you should suppose that some rule and authority is signified (for the head signifies these things also), he says that Christ is head of the Church as of a body, and thus akin to it and united with it; and the Church is his fullness. For just as the body is the fullness of the head, completing it through its own members, so also the Church is the fullness of Christ, who fills all in all. For Christ is filled, and as it were replenished in all his members, in all the faithful: as, for instance, he is filled out as to the hand in the merciful man, and in him who otherwise takes hold of the weak; he is filled out as to the foot in him who travels abroad for the word’s sake, in him who visits the brethren; and another member in another of the faithful. And thus all the members are filled out in all the faithful—that is, through all the faithful, each contributing his own grace. For then is our head, Christ, filled—that is, he receives the body in its perfection—when we are all together united and joined fast.