THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. PAUL CHAPTER I. 1 an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, PAUL, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faith- of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and the ful in Christ Jesus: 1 Some very ancient authorities omit at Ephesus. Ch. 1: 1, 2. THE SALUTATION. 1. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ. Of the authors of these apostolical communications to churches, to individuals, or to "the faithful" in general, Paul and Peter alone name themselves as apostles. James styles himself simply "the servant of Jesus Christ"; Jude employs the same form of personal introduction, while John, save in his first epistle, where no form of the kind is employed, is "The Elder." The difference in this particular may be without significance save in the case of Paul, whose relation to the apostleship was peculiar by reason of the fact that he was not of the original twelve, and who had found occasion, especially in writing to the Galatians, to claim with emphasis his right of recognition in this regard. He opens each of his epistles, accordingly, save those to the Philippians and the Thessalonians, with the same formula as here, more or less varied. We find also, in repeated instances, as in First and Second Corinthians, the Colossians, in Second Timothy, and here, the accompanying phrase, by the will of God, while in First Timothy this becomes, "according to the commandment of God our Saviour and Christ Jesus, our hope." The still more emphatic form used at the opening of Galatians is especially deserving of notice. Sometimes, too, in the body of the Epistle, mention is made of the writer's official position in this particular, as in Rom. 11: 13; 1 Cor. 9: 1; 2 Cor. 12: 12; 1 Tim. 27. Of this peculiarity we need only say that it was very essential to the purpose of his mission that his full apostleship should have due recognition, as being "through the will of God" in his special call, not less than as if he had been of those who "companied with" the original apostles, from the beginning. To the saints which are at Ephesus. As to the question whether this Epistle shall be viewed as addressed originally to the B Ephesian Church, or to them in association with other churches in their neighborhood, we refer the reader to the "Introduction." Assuming the correctness of the conclusion there stated, we find no necessity for treating the text here as if, in the form of a circular letter, it must read, "to those who are saints," etc. The Epistle was undoubtedly sent to the church at Ephesus, as one of those to be addressed, and probably, from the importance of that city and the position of the church as founded by Paul himself and the scene of his labors for three eventful years, that to which it was first of all communicated. The word 'saints' is in the epistles, especially of Paul, used so often as to suggest that it may then have been well nigh as commonly employed to designate believers in Christ, as the word "Christian" is now. This latter word occurs but three times in the New Testament, and only once as used by an apostle (1 Peter 4: 16), "if any man suffer as a Christian," the two other instances of its use being in the Acts (11: 26; 26: 28), and in both cases by persons who were themselves not Christians. The medieval sense of the word "saints" must not be allowed to confuse its meaning here. It means simply consecrated persons; those given to the Lord as offerings of the sanctuary were anciently made, and in the same sense "holy" (àyio), save that, as will be noticed more fully hereafter, the character proper to such personal consecration is implied. And to the faithful in Christ Jesus. The Greek word for 'faithful,' Ellicott thinks, is "not here, in its general and classical sense, qui fidem præstat," equivalent to fidelity. "but its particular and theological sense, qui fidem habet," faith itself in exercise: a meaning," he adds, "which it indisputably bears in several passages in the New Testament." Upon the other hand, Thayer, in his "Lexicon of the New Testament," instances numerous places where the word is employed 17 66 2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 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: 2 faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spirit 86 66 1 Or, God and the Father. in the sense of "trusty,' "faithful," one of them in this same Epistle (6:21) "faithful minister in the Lord"; although he quotes our present passage as an example of the meaning, believing," confiding,' trusting." The Revised Version, as will be seen, retains the translation faithful'; this, also, Alford prefers. The words 'in Christ Jesus' do not appear to make it necessary that we dismiss this latter meaning as inadmissible; the same form of expression, with the Greek preposition (èv, translated in), being frequently used in this Epistle, as in the place already noted (6:21), faithful minister in the Lord," to indicate "the element, the life sphere," that relation, in other words, in which fidelity is exercised and shown. We own to a preference for this rendering of the word, and partly because of its more full expression of the apostle's meaning in characterizing those to whom he writes. The omission in Greek of the article before the word for 'faithful' brings the two clauses, 'saints which are at Ephesus' and 'faithful in Christ Jesus,' into close relation with each other. Perhaps, however, we may take the latter as comprehending along with those immediately addressed all those faithful in Christ Jesus' into whose hands the Epistle should come. 2. Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Eadie calls attention to the Christian element in this "cordial and comprehensive" apostolical salutation, as "far more expressive than the ancient classic formula." Claudius Lysias (Acts 23: 26) "unto the most excellent governor" sends greeting; Paul to the Ephesians, 'Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ'; a salutation and a benediction in one. Ellicott, in his note, while saying that "the suggestion of Stier," that the "grace" may refer to "saints" and "peace" to "faithful," does not seem tenable," still thinks these words should "not be diluted into mere equivalents of the ordinary forms of salutation." Attention should be given, also, to the association of 'the Lord Jesus Christ' with God our Father' as equally with him the source of grace and peace; benefits which, of the nature here intended, can be looked for, or expected, from no source less than divine. 3-8. THANKSGIVING FOR THE ELECTION OF GRACE, AND FOR REDEMPTION IN CHRIST JESUS THROUGH FAITH. 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. A possible construction is: Blessed be God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and this would perhaps on doctrinal grounds be preferred by those who find a difficulty in the expression, The God of our Lord Jesus Christ." Yet this latter form unmistakably occurs in ver. 17 of this chapter, and is quite in harmony with words of our Lord in John 20: 17: "I ascend unto my Father and to your Father, and to my God and your God"; also in his cry from the cross: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" In both these places our Lord speaks distinctively in his human nature, and the form used need in no way embarrass our conception of him 'as also divine. What seems the more natural construction may therefore be retained without doctrinal difficulty. Dr. Boise, in his note on the passage, seems to accept the usual rendering, though he quotes Meyer and Ellicott as preferring the other. Taking the words as they stand, they may be quoted as an example of that usage, alike by our Lord and by his apostles, which makes available to us all the preciousness of that fellowship with us in suffering and in service, into which our Lord is brought by his real participation with us in our human nature. Who hath blessed us. The juxtaposition of these two clauses,' Blessed be God' and 'who hath blessed us,' brings to view a twofold usage of the emphatic word here that is somewhat difficult of clear discrimination. As applied to God, the word can only express the thanksgiving and the praise due to him from those who are made to know the perfections of his character, and are the recipients of his bounty. This is using 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: 46 4 ual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ: even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blem the word (evλoyntós) “blessed” in its more exact | govern the conception in the same degree. meaning. It is a strong and fervent expres- Earthly things," those of which Jesus had sion of praise (evλoyía), whence our word been speaking to Nicodemus, concerning the "eulogy." The verb, however (evλoyéw), has new birth, etc., are by him put in contrast for one of its remoter meanings "to bestow with "heavenly things," by which seems to blessings on," "to prosper," "to make hap- be meant that higher range of revealed truth py." (Thayer's "Lexicon of the New Testa- which concerns itself more with things more ment.") Thus the two clauses, 'Blessed be distinctively heavenly." The heavenly God,' 'who hath blessed us,' have a corre- kingdom" of which Paul writes to Timothy spondence in meaning which justifies their is that kingdom which has heaven for its censignificance in the present usage. They ex-tre, and God as the Sovereign. Christ, at press that reciprocal interchange in which God's people bring to him their offerings of praise and thanksgiving, having received from him gifts of such a nature as that in the possession and enjoyment of these they, in their degree, come to share in that which makes him the object of their praise. For these blessings so bestowed are spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. The expression 'heavenly places' should first be explained. No word for 'places' appears in the Greek, and so it is printed as supplied, alike in the Common Version and the Revision. Whether it is the true word for completing the sense may be doubtful, although to find a better one is not easy. The Greek word here and elsewhere in this Epistle rendered 'heavenly places' (énovρavíos) is the same word which is found in John 3: 12, where our Lord says to Nicodemus: "If I have told you earthly things and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things (ra érovpávia)?" Again we find the word in Matt. 18: 35, "my heavenly Father"; again in 2 Tim. 4: 18, "unto his heavenly kingdom." Again, almost singularly, the word occurs near the close of our present Epistle (6:12), "spiritual wickedness in high places," as given in the Common Version; "the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places," as in the Revised Version. Other occurrences of the word in our Epistle are at 1: 20, "at his right hand in the heavenly places"; 2:6, "made us sit with him in the heavenly places"; 3: 10, "principalities and powers in the heavenly places." A local meaning seems clearly implied in all these instances. This local meaning, however, does not in all appear to God's right hand in the "heavenly places," involves an idea more strictly local. But "spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" must surely be understood in a way not to imply that there may be wickedness in heaven. Influenced by this variety of usage, apparently, Farrar and Maurice prefer the rather vague rendering, "the heavenlies," for all these instances in our present Epistle; while the writer in Schaff's "Commentary," Dr. M. B. Riddle, concludes that the word must have "a local sense, but a broad and comprehensive one"; and for the passage now immediately under consideration quotes Braune, as follows: Every spiritual blessing which we have received springs from a higher world, is to be sought in a heavenly region, and thence to be obtained." This expansion of the local sense so as to comprehend the whole sphere of what is meant by 'spiritual blessings,' as found and realized ‘in Christ,' may perhaps be accepted upon the whole as the best form in which to paraphrase a usage in the Greek for which we seem to have in English no entirely adequate expression. 66 4. According as he hath chosen us in him. The two first words the Revised Version renders even as. Inasmuch as is sometimes preferred. The connection of the thought is very close. The apostle, in speaking of the 'spiritual blessings' given and possessed 'in Christ,' looks back into the eternity past, before the foundation of the world, and finds the bestowment of these blessings as secured for us in that act of electing grace by which Christ is 'chosen' for his own high office, and his people 'in him' as their Representative and Head. The full force of the word for 'chosen,' is chosen out, making the act of choice more 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, ō ish before him in love: having foreordained us into adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 2 Or, him: having in love foreordained us. emphatic, and also individualizing it, as when | unacceptable by the wide separation between our Lord chose his twelve apostles, one by one. · That we should be holy and without blame before him. The word for 'holy' is to be taken here in a stronger sense than where it is used for a general designation of Christians as saints. The accompanying clause, before him,' plainly implies that divine scrutiny which looks for perfection in character as alone pleasing to God. At the same time 'holy' and without blame' are not of identical meaning. They are, as Ellicott says, "positive and negative aspects of true Christian life." Of the word for 'holy,' Trench says ("New Testament Synonyms, 'p. 182) that, as we have already seen, "its fundamental idea is separation, and, so to speak, consecration and devotion to the service of Deity. . . . But the thought lies very near, that what is set apart from the world and to God, should separate itself from the world's defilements, and should share in God's purity." Holiness implies, therefore, more than that we should be without actual fault, and so is the "positive aspect" of perfect character. The "negative aspect," or freedom from fault, is implied in the phrase ' without blame.' What 'holy' and 'without blame' thus imply unfallen man would have been. That he may become this, redeemed man has been "chosen." It is, therefore, the ideal of our Christian profession. In love. Where to place these words, either in the pointing of the Greek text or in the translation, is among critics apparently undecided. Tischendorf so arranges the text as that 'in love' is connected with the words which begin the next verse: "Having in love predestinated us." The Revision, it will be seen, following the text of Westcott and Hort, connects them with the words immediately preceding, 'holy and without blame.' This Alford also prefers. Bengel, Meyer, Ellicott, Eadie, and others decide with Tischendorf. Others still, with much less reason than in either of these cases, place the two words in connection with 'hath chosen,' at the beginning of ver. 4, making the meaning to be, hath chosen us . . . in love.' This construction is made wholly the verb at the beginning of the verse and the qualifying words at the close. The objections to the arrangement in the Revised Version do not seem to be weighty. Adopting this, we find in the words 'in love' indication of that which is to be the distinguishing element in Christian character and in Christian life. If the other be preferred, then "in love predestinated us," etc., will direct attention to that originating motive in God which is so emphatically set forth in John 3 : 16. It will also be anticipatory of what is said below of the near relation to God into which believers are brought in the act of divine adoption. 5. Having predestinated us. Foreordained the Revisers prefer, alike here and in that place in Romans (8: 29) of which this may remind us. "Predestinate" may be thought to imply a fatalistic idea which should not enter into our conception of God's electing grace. Thayer, however, in his "Lexicon," gives to the Greek word the strong meaning "to predetermine, decide beforehand." The foreordaining of ver. 5 is by the structure of the passage put in close relations with the choosing of ver. 4. As to which is the prior act, it is surely needless to inquire. Unto the adoption of children. Of sons is the true rendering. A further, or rather a co-ordinate purpose of the election. 'Chosen that we might be holy and without blame' expresses character; 'unto the adoption of sons' expresses relationship. By Jesus Christ to himself-that is, to God. Here the mediatorship of our Lord again enters in. It is necessary to distinctly recognize this mediatorship in the great transaction as described. No lower view of the office and mission of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, whether that lower view of him be as teacher, or as our pattern in righteousness, can satisfy the clear sense of the words here employed. In him the elect of God are 'chosen'; through him, by reason of their relation to him, they are brought into this new relation of sons by adoption. One fact it is also important to notice in this relation. It is a relation of sons by adoption; distinct from that which exists in the case of all men by virtue of their com |