Ephesians 1
Ephesians 1:1
Paul, an Apostle by the Will of God
Paul begins: “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus”. Paul identifies himself first as an apostle of Jesus Christ, and he makes clear that this apostleship was not an office he appointed himself to. He was an apostle “by the will of God”. The will of God is an important subject throughout Ephesians. Paul repeatedly speaks of God’s will, purpose, good pleasure, and counsel (Ephesians 1:1, 5, 9, 11; 5:17; 6:6). However, we should be careful not to immediately read into these statements the idea of an impersonal blueprint in which every action of every person has been mechanically predetermined. God’s will is the will of a living, personal, wise, and purposeful God. He acts, reveals, commands, judges, saves, and calls men to respond to Him. The fact that God has a purpose does not reduce history to fatalism, nor does God’s sovereignty make human obedience meaningless. Ephesians will continually hold God’s purpose and man’s responsibility together.
Jesus the Christ — The Messiah
The word Christ comes from the Greek Christos, meaning Anointed One. It corresponds to the Hebrew concept of the Messiah. Originally, “Christ” was not merely part of Jesus’ name. It was a title identifying Him as God’s Anointed One. The Old Testament prepared Israel for this through its kings, priests, prophets, and promises concerning the coming One whom God would appoint. Peter confessed: “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). Peter later proclaimed: “God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36). By the time Paul wrote Ephesians, “Christ” was naturally being used together with the name Jesus, yet its Messianic meaning should never be forgotten. This becomes especially important in Ephesians because Paul’s message is not that Gentiles have received an entirely separate salvation disconnected from everything God previously promised. Gentile believers have been brought into the salvation that God promised through the Messiah. That theme will become unmistakable in Ephesians 2.
The Saints and the Faithful in Christ Jesus
Paul addresses his readers as “saints”. We sometimes use the word saint as though it describes an unusually holy Christian who has attained some exceptional spiritual status. That is not how Paul ordinarily uses the word. In Scripture, holiness begins with God. Something is holy because it has been set apart unto Him. Under the Old Covenant, Israel was called a holy people because God had separated them unto Himself (Exodus 19:6; Deuteronomy 7:6). Ephesians now applies this language to believers in Christ. This is particularly significant because many of Paul’s readers were Gentiles. Those who had once been outside Israel’s covenant privileges are now addressed using terminology associated with God’s holy people. Paul will explain how this became possible: through Christ. The holiness of the believer does not originate in human worthiness. Neither does it eliminate personal responsibility. Ephesians will later speak of believers walking in good works (Ephesians 2:10), walking as children of light (5:8–9), and serving the Lord faithfully (6:8).
Their position is given by God, but that position is expected to produce a corresponding life.
A Textual Note — “At Ephesus”
The words “at Ephesus” are absent from several important early Greek manuscripts, including early forms of Vaticanus and Sinaiticus, while they are present in the great majority of later manuscripts. This has caused some to suggest that Ephesians may originally have circulated among several churches rather than being written exclusively to the congregation at Ephesus. That possibility does not materially alter the message of the letter. Whether Paul originally addressed Ephesus alone or intended the letter to circulate more broadly, the teaching itself clearly addresses believers, particularly Gentile believers who had been brought into God’s people through Christ. The important expression is: “the faithful in Christ Jesus”. And that introduces one of the most important expressions in the entire epistle.
In Christ
Few expressions are more important to understanding Ephesians than the words: “in Christ”. Paul uses this expression and its variations repeatedly throughout the letter. In Ephesians 1:3–14 alone, the concept appears again and again. It would be a mistake to treat “in Christ” as merely decorative religious language. Paul is describing a real relationship established through Jesus Christ between God and His people. To be in Christ is not simply to possess information about Christ. Neither is it merely to experience a private emotional or mystical feeling. The phrase speaks of identification with, participation in, and inclusion in the Messiah and in what God has accomplished through Him. This becomes extremely important when Paul begins speaking of election, adoption, redemption, inheritance, and the Holy Spirit. Paul does not begin by presenting these blessings independently and then adding Christ afterward. They exist in Christ. Election is in Christ. Adoption is through Christ. Redemption is in Christ. Forgiveness is in Christ. God’s purpose is centered in Christ.
The inheritance is in Christ. Jew and Gentile are brought together in Christ. This Christ-centered structure must control our interpretation of Ephesians rather than allowing a theological system to determine beforehand what these words must mean. Being in Christ also does not eliminate faith or obedience. Paul does not imagine a believer occupying some abstract spiritual position while remaining unchanged. Faith involves trust, loyalty, faithfulness, conduct, hope, suffering, love, and obedience. The life that comes from Christ becomes visible in those who belong to Him. Paul’s theology is not simply about believing certain facts concerning Christ. It is about a new life in Christ.
Ephesians 1:2
Grace and Peace
“Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ”. Paul’s greeting is far more than the polite opening of a letter. The ordinary Greek greeting was closely related to the word meaning “rejoice”. Paul instead uses grace, and he joins it with the familiar Hebrew concept of peace. These two words summarize an enormous portion of the gospel: grace and peace. But Paul immediately tells us where they come from: “from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ”. The value of the gift cannot be separated from the One who gives it.
God Our Father
Calling God Father is central to Paul’s message in Ephesians. Later Paul will explain that believers are adopted as children through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:5), and that through Christ both Jew and Gentile have access by one Spirit unto the Father (Ephesians 2:18). God’s Fatherhood therefore cannot be separated from Christ or from the work of the Holy Spirit. We do not become children of God independently of Christ. We come to the Father through the Son and by the Spirit.
Jesus Christ Is Lord
Paul also identifies Jesus Christ as Lord. In the Greek Old Testament, Kyrios — Lord — is repeatedly used where the Hebrew Scriptures contain the divine name Yahweh. The New Testament can also use lord in ordinary human ways, such as master, owner, or sir. But when Paul joins God our Father with the Lord Jesus Christ as the source of grace and peace, Jesus is plainly placed in an extraordinary position. Paul is not presenting two competing gods. Rather, the blessing of God is revealed and given through Jesus Christ. This relationship between Father and Son becomes even clearer in the verses that follow.
Grace
The biblical idea of grace is larger than forgiveness. Forgiveness is certainly an expression of God’s grace, but grace cannot simply be made synonymous with forgiveness. Forgiveness presupposes sin. Grace does not. God’s gracious character did not begin after mankind sinned. Grace arises from God’s own goodness, favor, generosity, and love. This distinction is important. Grace is not merely God’s solution to human failure. Grace belongs to who God is and to the goodness He freely extends toward His creation. Sin makes forgiveness necessary, but sin did not create grace. Neither should grace be understood as the opposite of judgment. Scripture presents God as both gracious and righteous. God’s judgments do not cancel His grace, nor does His grace mean that He ceases to judge rightly. In Ephesians, grace takes on another important dimension: the inclusion of the Gentiles. People who had once been “strangers from the covenants of promise” and “without God in the world” are brought near through Christ (Ephesians 2:12–13).
Grace is therefore not merely an inward psychological experience. God’s grace changes a person’s standing, relationship, identity, hope, and place among God’s people.
Peace
The biblical meaning of peace is also greater than inward tranquility. Peace carries the idea of wholeness, well-being, reconciliation, and restored relationship. This is why Ephesians will later declare of Christ: “For he is our peace” (Ephesians 2:14). The peace Paul announces in Ephesians 1:2 anticipates what he will explain in Chapter 2. Through Christ, those who were far off are brought near. The dividing wall between Jew and Gentile is broken down. Both are reconciled to God in one body through the cross. The gospel therefore does not simply promise that individuals can feel peaceful inside. It announces peace made through the Messiah. And this peace extends beyond the individual to the creation of a reconciled people in Christ.
Ephesians 1:3–14 — Every Spiritual Blessing in Christ
Beginning with verse 3, Paul launches into one of the richest passages in the New Testament. In Greek, Ephesians 1:3–14 forms one extraordinarily long sentence. English translations divide it into smaller sentences so that we can follow Paul’s thought, but we should remember that Paul originally presents these truths as one sweeping declaration of praise. That matters because these verses were never intended to be pulled apart into isolated theological slogans. Election, adoption, redemption, forgiveness, revelation, inheritance, and the sealing of the Holy Spirit all belong to one unified blessing. And that entire blessing is centered in Christ.
Ephesians 1:3
Blessed in Christ
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ”. Paul begins by blessing God because God has blessed us. There is a deliberate relationship between the two ideas. We bless God by praising Him. God blesses us by giving.
“Blessed” — Speaking Well of God
There is an important distinction behind the language Paul uses here. The word translated “Blessed” in the opening statement, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,” is the Greek eulogētos. In the New Testament this word is used of God and carries the idea of One who is worthy to be praised or spoken well of (Mark 14:61; Luke 1:68; Romans 1:25; 9:5; 2 Corinthians 1:3; 11:31; 1 Peter 1:3). This is different from the familiar word makarios, used in passages such as the Beatitudes to describe someone as blessed or fortunate. That distinction helps us see the movement in Paul’s sentence. We bless God by recognizing who He is and speaking rightly of Him. God blesses us by graciously giving what we could never supply for ourselves. Paul therefore begins this great section with worship. Before he explains election, adoption, redemption, inheritance, or the sealing of the Holy Spirit, he directs our attention to the One from whom every blessing comes.
The blessing described here is not a collection of unrelated spiritual benefits. Paul presents God’s blessing in Christ as a unified whole. Everything God has given His people in salvation finds its source and fulfillment in Christ.
His Father and Our Father
Paul calls God “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”. This should not cause us to confuse Christ’s relationship to the Father with ours. Jesus Himself maintained this distinction after His resurrection when He said: “I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God” (John 20:17). Christ is the Son in a unique sense. We do not become sons of God in the same manner that Jesus is the Son of God. Ephesians will shortly explain that we receive adoption through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:5). Our relationship with the Father is therefore given to us through the Son. This makes Paul’s language even more meaningful. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ becomes our Father because we have been brought into relationship with Him in Christ. Notice again the location of the blessing: “in Christ”. Christ is not one blessing among many. He is the One in whom the blessings are found.
“Heavenly Places”
The expression translated “heavenly places” is particularly characteristic of Ephesians. Paul will use it again in connection with Christ’s exaltation (1:20), the believer’s position with Christ (2:6), God’s wisdom displayed to heavenly rulers and authorities (3:10), and spiritual conflict (6:12). The expression therefore does not merely mean a distant location called heaven. It describes the heavenly realm in which Christ presently reigns and in which spiritual realities concerning God’s people are already established. The believer remains physically upon the earth, yet his relationship to God is grounded in the risen and exalted Christ.
Re: Calvinism Use of Ephesians 1:3–14
Ephesians 1:3–14 is one of the most frequently cited passages in support of Calvinism’s doctrine of unconditional election. It contains expressions such as “He chose us,” “having predestined us“, and “according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will“. Because of these statements, the passage has occupied a central place in discussions of election for centuries. Before asking what this passage teaches about election, it is essential that we first understand what Paul intended to communicate to his original audience. As established in Chapter 1, context must determine meaning. Consequently, we begin with the historical setting before examining the individual verses.
Literary Context
Ephesians 1:3–14 forms a single extended sentence in the Greek text. It is a doxology – a hymn of praise celebrating God’s saving work. Paul is not responding to objections about predestination, nor is he attempting to explain every aspect of divine sovereignty and human responsibility. Instead, he is blessing God for the spiritual blessings believers possess in Christ. This observation is significant. The primary purpose of the passage is worship. Theology is certainly present, but it appears within an expression of praise rather than within a formal doctrinal treatise. Consequently, individual phrases should be interpreted within the flow of Paul’s doxology rather than isolated from it.
Observations Before the Verse-by-Verse Study
Several preliminary observations should be noted. First, nearly every blessing described in the passage is repeatedly connected with the phrase “in Christ“, “in Him“, or an equivalent expression. This repeated emphasis will become one of the controlling features of the chapter. Second, Paul consistently speaks to believers as those who already belong to Christ. His purpose is to explain the blessings they now possess, not initially to describe how they first came to belong to Christ. Third, the structure of the passage suggests that Paul’s emphasis is corporate as well as individual. He celebrates God’s redemptive plan that unites Jews and Gentiles together in Christ, a theme that becomes increasingly explicit throughout the epistle. These observations do not settle the theological debate. They simply establish the context within which the verses must be interpreted.
Ephesians 1:4
Chosen in Him
“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”. This verse is among the most frequently quoted passages in discussions of election. For that very reason, we need to slow down and allow Paul to state exactly what he states. Paul does not merely say: “He chose us”. He says: “He hath chosen us IN HIM”. Those two words cannot be treated as incidental. The election being described is explicitly Christ-centered. Before the foundation of the world, God’s purpose was already centered in His Son. The question therefore should not immediately become, Which particular individuals did God secretly select to believe while passing over everyone else? Paul’s own emphasis is different. He tells us where election is located: in Christ. “that we should be holy and without blame before him in love”. Election therefore has a stated destination. Holiness. Blamelessness. Love.
Paul’s emphasis is not merely upon who is chosen but upon what God has determined those who are in Christ are to become. That is different from simply assuming that predestination means God predetermined who would believe. We must allow the object of the predestination to be defined by the text itself.
Before the Foundation of the World
Paul says this purpose existed “before the foundation of the world”. Christ was not Plan B. God’s purpose was already centered in Him before the world came into being. This same Christ-centered principle appears elsewhere: Christ was foreknown before the foundation of the world (1 Peter 1:20). The kingdom was prepared from the foundation of the world (Matthew 25:34). See the following Supplementary Note: God Chose Us For Salvation Before We Chose Him
Holy and Without Blame Before Him in Love
The purpose of God’s choosing is expressed plainly: Paul will spend much of Ephesians explaining what such a life looks like. Election is therefore not merely a statement about privilege. It carries purpose and responsibility. Those chosen in Christ are called to live as those who belong to Christ. The phrase “before him” carries the idea of standing in God’s presence and approval. It describes not merely an abstract legal classification but relationship with God. The final expression, “in love,” can grammatically be associated either with verse 4 or the beginning of verse 5. Either way, love belongs naturally to the entire thought. God acts in love, and His people are called to live in love. Christ Himself perfectly embodies both. He is the beloved Son of the Father, and He is the One who demonstrated love through giving Himself for us.
Re: Calvinism Use of Ephesians 1:4
Click Here: Read Note in Introduction to the Book of Ephesians
“He Chose Us in Him” Paul declares that God “chose us in Him before the foundation of the world” so that we should be holy and blameless before Him. The discussion surrounding Ephesians 1:4 does not center on whether God chose. Paul plainly states that He did. The question is what the apostle intended by this expression. Because this verse has become one of the principal proof texts for unconditional election, it is important to distinguish carefully between what Paul explicitly states and what interpreters conclude from his words.
Key Greek Observations
The verb translated “chose” (ἐξελέξατο, exelexato) refers to God’s act of choosing. The phrase “in Him” (ἐν αὐτῷ) immediately follows the verb and is one of the dominant expressions throughout Ephesians. Paul repeatedly locates every spiritual blessing “in Christ”. The expression “before the foundation of the world” identifies the timing of God’s saving purpose, while the infinitive clause “to be holy and blameless” identifies the purpose of the choosing. These grammatical observations should remain connected as the passage is interpreted.
Before the Foundation of the World
Paul states that God’s choosing occurred “before the foundation of the world” Calvinist interpreters rightly observe that this places God’s saving purpose before creation itself. The timing of God’s purpose is explicit and should not be minimized. The interpretive question, however, is not when God chose, but what He chose and how Paul intended his readers to understand that choice within the flow of his argument. The timing of God’s purpose does not, by itself, identify the object or manner of the election. Those conclusions must come from the surrounding context.
The Calvinist Interpretation
Calvinist interpreters commonly understand this verse, together with the verses immediately surrounding it, to teach that, before creation, God unconditionally chose specific individuals to receive salvation. According to this reading, the choice is not based upon any foreseen response, merit, or action on the part of those chosen. Rather, God’s sovereign will alone determines who will ultimately be saved. This interpretation sees the passage as one of the clearest affirmations of unconditional individual election in the New Testament.
What the Verse Explicitly States
Several truths are stated directly in the text.
• God is the One who chooses.
• The choosing occurred before the foundation of the world.
• The choosing is described as taking place “in Christ”.
• The stated purpose is that those chosen should be holy and blameless before Him.
These statements are not matters of inference; they are the explicit claims of the passage.
What Must Be Demonstrated
The passage does not explicitly say that God chose certain individuals apart from Christ and later placed them into Christ. Neither does it explicitly state that God’s choice was based upon foreseen faith. Those conclusions belong to larger theological discussions and therefore must be demonstrated from the context rather than assumed. The interpreter’s responsibility is to determine whether the surrounding context requires either conclusion or whether Paul’s emphasis lies elsewhere.
The Central Question
As the examination proceeds, each conclusion should be tested by the same question: Does this conclusion arise from Paul’s argument, or does it depend upon assumptions introduced from outside the immediate context? Only by maintaining that discipline can the interpreter allow the text to speak with its own voice.
Supplementary Note: Did God Not Choose Us For Salvation Before We Chose Him?
Chosen in Christ Before the Foundation of the World
Ephesians 1:4 is unquestionably about God’s saving purpose: “For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence.” The question is not whether God chose before the foundation of the world. Scripture plainly says that He did. The question is what God chose and what Paul means when he says that He “chose us in Him.”
Calvinism commonly understands this passage to mean that before creation God selected particular individuals from among fallen humanity to receive salvation while passing over the rest. But that conclusion goes beyond what Paul actually says. Paul does not say that God chose certain individuals to be placed into Christ. He says that God “chose us in Him.” Christ is not incidental to the choosing; He is at the very center of it.
Before the foundation of the world, God knew that humanity would fall. Redemption was therefore neither an afterthought nor God’s reaction to an unforeseen disaster. Before man ever sinned, God had already determined the means by which fallen humanity could be reconciled to Himself: Jesus Christ. God chose the Redeemer, the means of redemption, that those in Christ would belong to Him, and the destiny appointed for those who are in Christ—to be “holy and blameless in His presence” and ultimately perfected and glorified in Christ.
This allows us to say something very important without diminishing God’s initiative in salvation: God chose us before we chose Him. The believer cannot claim to have invented the Gospel, provided the sacrifice, established the covenant, or determined the way of salvation. Long before any of us existed, God graciously chose that salvation would be available through His Son. We enter a saving purpose that originated entirely with God.
But God’s prior choice does not necessarily mean that He predetermined which particular individuals would believe and which would remain in unbelief. Those are two different propositions. God can sovereignly establish whom He will save—those who are in Christ—without thereby determining which individuals will choose to receive or reject His gracious provision. The category and its saving destiny are God’s choice; entering that provision through faith does not make the provision man’s accomplishment.
This distinction also helps explain Paul’s repeated language throughout the opening chapter: “in Christ,” “in Him,” “through Jesus Christ,” and “in the Beloved.” The emphasis is not upon an abstract list of individuals secretly selected apart from Christ, but upon God’s eternal redemptive purpose centered in Christ. Ephesians 1:4 therefore tells us something magnificent about the priority of God’s grace: before there was a sinner needing redemption, God had already chosen the Redeemer and determined what would become of those who are His.
So when a Christian says, “God chose me before I chose Him,” I believe that statement can be entirely biblical. The crucial question is what we mean by it. It need not mean, “Before creation God irresistibly determined that I personally would believe while determining that another person would not.” It can mean something equally—and perhaps more fully—God-centered: “Before I existed, before I sinned, and certainly before I ever believed, God chose to provide salvation in Christ, opened that gracious provision to fallen humanity, and determined beforehand the inheritance and destiny of everyone who would be found in His Son.”
That leaves God with all the glory for salvation without requiring us to make Ephesians 1:4 say something it does not explicitly say.
Ephesians 1:5
Predestined Unto Adoption
“Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will”. Here Paul introduces another word that has become central to theological debate: predestinated. But once again, we should first ask what Paul actually says was predestined. Paul does not say: God predestinated certain individuals to believe. He says: “Having predestinated us UNTO THE ADOPTION OF CHILDREN”. The object or destination of the predestination is stated. Adoption. Those who are in Christ have a predetermined destination: they are to be God’s children. This is consistent with Romans 8:29, where those whom God foreknew are predestined “to be conformed to the image of his Son”. Predestination in these passages points toward what God has determined concerning the destiny of those who are in Christ. It is therefore important that we do not stop at the word predestinated and import a theological definition into it before reading what follows. Paul tells us what the destination is. Here it is: adoption through Jesus Christ.
Adoption Through Jesus Christ
Adoption is one of Paul’s characteristic ways of describing salvation. The believer does not merely receive forgiveness. He is brought into God’s household. He receives the privileges of sonship and ultimately the inheritance that belongs to God’s children. And once again this occurs: “by Jesus Christ”. Sonship does not exist independently of the Son. Those who belong to the Son are brought into relationship with the Father through Him.
According to the Good Pleasure of His Will
Paul says this adoption takes place: “according to the good pleasure of his will”. The expression translated “good pleasure” carries the sense of favor, desire, delight, or gracious intention. The picture is not that of a cold divine decree mechanically executed by an impersonal sovereign. Paul is praising a Father who delights in bringing children to Himself through His Son. This distinction matters. God’s will is sovereign, but Scripture does not describe His will as detached from His character. His will expresses His wisdom, goodness, holiness, justice, mercy, and love.
Re: Calvinism Use of Ephesians 1:5
Predestined to Adoption Notice who is predestined. The “us” that Paul is speaking of is “us” who are believers “in Christ”. The text does not explicitly say that individuals were predestined to become believers. Rather, believers are predestined unto adoption.
• Adoption.
• Inheritance.
• Sonship.
These covenant blessings are the predetermined destiny of those who are in Christ. Whether Paul is also addressing how individuals entered Christ remains a separate question requiring careful examination. At this point, we simply observe Paul’s actual wording.
The Greek Term
The Greek verb translated “predestined” is προορίζω (proorizō). It is a compound word formed from πρό (“before“) and ὁρίζω (“to determine,” “to appoint“, “to mark out“, or “to set a boundary“). At its most basic level, the verb describes determining or appointing something beforehand. The word itself does not identify who is being predestined, why they are predestined, or to what they are are predestined. Those questions must be answered by the immediate context rather than by the lexical meaning alone.
Lexical Meaning and Context
Lexicons are valuable because they establish the possible range of a word’s meaning. They do not determine which meaning an author intended in a particular passage. Context always performs that task. Accordingly, the interpreter should resist building an entire doctrine upon the etymology of προορίζω. The crucial question is not merely what the word can mean but how Paul uses it in Ephesians 1. Paul uses προορίζω twice in this chapter (Ephesians 1:5, 11). In verse 5 believers are predestined to adoption through Jesus Christ. In verse 11 believers have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to God’s purpose. In both occurrences Paul explicitly identifies the destination or outcome. Adoption and inheritance stand at the forefront of his discussion. The emphasis falls upon God’s predetermined purpose for those who are in Christ.
Contextual Evaluation
At this stage of the passage, Paul has established several truths beyond dispute:
• God’s saving purpose existed before creation.
• Every saving blessing described is located in Christ.
• God’s purpose includes making His people holy and blameless.
• Adoption comes through Jesus Christ according to God’s gracious purpose.
These conclusions arise directly from the text. Whether the passage also teaches the unconditional selection of particular individuals before creation remains the question under examination. That conclusion cannot simply be assumed because the doctrine of election is present; it must be demonstrated from Paul’s argument.
Ephesians 1:6
Accepted in the Beloved
“To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved”. The result is praise. Paul repeatedly returns to this refrain throughout the passage: “to the praise of his glory”. Salvation ultimately displays the character and glory of God. The expression translated in the KJV as “made us accepted” comes from a Greek word built upon the word for grace. The thought is that God has graciously favored us or bestowed His grace upon us. And where has He done this? “in the beloved”. The Beloved is Christ. The designation recalls the Father’s testimony concerning Jesus: “This is my beloved Son”. Christ is not merely one among many who are loved by God. He is uniquely the Beloved Son. This again places Christ at the center of the passage. God’s grace toward us is inseparably connected with His relationship to His Son. We are accepted in the Beloved.
A Repeated Refrain of Praise
Verse 6 also introduces a refrain that helps us follow the structure of this entire doxology: “to the praise of the glory of his grace”. Paul returns to the same thought in verse 12 — “to the praise of his glory” — and again in verse 14 — “unto the praise of his glory”. That repetition is not accidental. Ephesians 1:3–14 is moving toward praise from beginning to end. God’s eternal purpose, the work of Christ, the inheritance of His people, and the sealing work of the Holy Spirit are all presented as reasons to glorify God. This is another reason we should be cautious about reducing this passage to a theological argument over predestination. Paul certainly teaches theology here, but he teaches it while worshiping. His purpose is not merely to tell us what God has determined. It is to cause us to praise the God who has acted graciously in Christ.
Christ as the Chosen and Beloved One
There is something important here that can easily be overlooked. Before Ephesians speaks at length about the election of believers, the entire passage is already centered upon Christ. He is the Beloved. He is the One through whom adoption comes. He is the One in whom election exists. He is the One in whom redemption is possessed. He is the One in whom God’s purpose will ultimately bring all things together. This gives us good reason to understand Christ Himself as central to God’s election. Scripture elsewhere identifies Jesus as God’s chosen One: “Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth” (Isaiah 42:1). At the Transfiguration the voice from heaven declares Him God’s Son, and Luke records: “This is my beloved Son: hear him” (Luke 9:35 KJV), with an important textual tradition reading “my Chosen One”. Peter likewise writes that Christ was: “foreordained before the foundation of the world” (1 Peter 1:20).
The biblical pattern therefore begins not with an abstract decree concerning isolated individuals, but with God’s purpose centered in His Son. Those who are chosen are chosen in Him.
Ephesians 1:7
Redemption Through His Blood
“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace”. the death of Jesus Christ. We have redemption: “through his blood”. Whatever else we may say about God’s eternal purpose, it cannot be separated from the cross. The means of redemption is not a hidden decree. It is the shed blood of Christ.
Redemption
The Greek term translated redemption carries the idea of liberation or release secured by payment. Paul says: “we have redemption”. Notice the present possession. He does not merely say redemption will someday become available. Those who are in Christ already possess it. Yet Ephesians will later use redemption in connection with something still future (Ephesians 1:14; 4:30). This illustrates an important feature of salvation throughout the New Testament. Some aspects are already possessed. Others await their final fulfillment. The believer has been saved, is being transformed, and awaits the completion of what God has promised.
Forgiveness of Sins
Redemption includes: “the forgiveness of sins”. The underlying Greek term carries the thought of falling, failing, or stepping aside from the proper path. Sin must never be trivialized, but neither should we misunderstand Paul’s emphasis. Grace is greater than sin. Paul’s theology does not begin with sin and then attempt to discover whether God can overcome it. He begins with God. God’s grace precedes our sin. Christ’s purpose stands before the foundation of the world. Sin enters the story as the terrible corruption from which man must be redeemed, but sin does not define God and does not defeat His purpose. In Christ there is forgiveness.
Ephesians 1:8
Wisdom and Prudence
God’s grace is described as something: “Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence”. God’s grace is not reckless generosity without purpose. His actions reveal wisdom. The biblical concept of wisdom involves more than possessing information. Wisdom knows what should be done, how it should be done, and when it should be done. Prudence likewise involves understanding applied properly. God therefore does not merely save; He reveals. He gives His people understanding concerning what He is doing. This prepares us for the next statement.
Ephesians 1:9
The Mystery of His Will
The word translated mystery does not mean something mysterious merely because it is difficult to understand. In Paul’s writings, a mystery is generally something that was previously hidden but has now been revealed. God has: “made known” the mystery. Therefore, whatever Paul means by mystery, his emphasis is upon revelation rather than concealment. God is making His purpose known. And once again, that purpose centers in Christ.
Ephesians 1:10
God’s Purpose Centered in Christ
“That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him”. This verse gives us one of the broadest descriptions anywhere in Scripture of God’s purpose in Christ. God’s goal is to bring all things together: “in Christ”. The Greek word translated “dispensation” is oikonomia. It is related to the management or administration of a household. It can describe stewardship, administration, or the carrying out of a responsibility. That is important because the word should not automatically be understood as referring to an impersonal timetable or cosmic blueprint. The emphasis can be upon administration—the carrying out of God’s purpose.
How Ephesians Uses Oikonomia
The safest way to understand a biblical word is not to begin with a theological system that later adopted the word, but to examine how Scripture itself uses it. The noun oikonomia appears three times in Ephesians:
• Ephesians 1:10 — the oikonomia of the fullness of times.
• Ephesians 3:2 — the oikonomia of the grace of God given to Paul.
• Ephesians 3:9 — the oikonomia connected with the mystery that had been hidden and was now being made known.
The underlying picture is that of managing or administering a household. From that comes the broader idea of stewardship, administration, or the orderly carrying out of a responsibility. This is important because the English word dispensation can easily cause the reader to think first of a particular period of history. A period of time may certainly be involved in an administration, but time itself is not the basic meaning of oikonomia. Paul’s emphasis here is upon God’s administration of His purpose as history moves toward its fulfillment in Christ. The word by itself does not establish a particular dispensational system, nor should a later theological use of the word be read backward into Paul’s sentence. Ephesians itself should tell us what Paul means. Christ is not merely the passive location in which God’s plan exists. He is the One through whom that purpose is accomplished.
The Fullness of Times
The expression “fulness of times” points to the fulfillment of God’s appointed purposes. Biblically, fullness does not merely describe the final second on a clock. It describes the point at which what God has promised reaches fulfillment and a new stage of His purpose begins. Paul says that God’s great administration of the fullness of times centers in Christ.
Gather Together All Things in Christ
The Greek expression translated “gather together in one” has been understood in several ways. It can carry the idea of summing up, bringing together, or gathering under one head. The context of Ephesians strongly favors the idea of Christ’s headship. Paul will shortly say that God: “gave him to be the head over all things to the church” (Ephesians 1:22). Later he will speak of believers growing: “into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ” (Ephesians 4:15). The point therefore appears to be that God’s purpose is to bring all things under the headship of Christ. This includes: “both which are in heaven, and which are on earth”. Christ’s authority is not confined to the church. It extends to the entire created order. What has been divided, disordered, alienated, and subjected to hostile powers will ultimately come under the rightful rule of Jesus Christ. This is the scope of God’s purpose. Not merely the salvation of disconnected individuals. Not merely the creation of a religious institution.
God’s purpose is cosmic in scope and Christ-centered from beginning to end.
Ephesians 1:11–12 — “We Who First Trusted in Christ”
These verses introduce a distinction that becomes extremely important in verse 13. Paul speaks first of: “we”. Then in verse 13 he will say: “ye also”. Who are these two groups? Verse 12 gives us an important clue: “we… who first trusted in Christ”. The natural historical distinction is between the Jews who first hoped in the Messiah and the Gentiles who were subsequently brought into the same salvation. This distinction will become explicit in Ephesians 2, where Paul directly addresses Gentiles as those who had once been: “aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise”. The great message of Ephesians is that these two groups have been brought together in Christ. That should influence how we read the pronouns in Ephesians 1. Paul is not merely speaking about an undefined collection of independently selected individuals. He is unfolding God’s purpose in Christ through which those who first hoped in the Messiah and the Gentiles who afterward believed are brought together into one people.
Predestinated According to His Purpose
Verse 11 again uses the language of predestination. But as before, we should not isolate the word from its sentence. Paul says: God has a purpose. That purpose is not uncertain. He is accomplishing what He determined to accomplish. But what has the passage already identified as the great purpose? Verse 10 told us: to bring all things together in Christ. Verse 5 identified adoption. Verse 4 identified holiness and blamelessness. Verse 12 identifies another purpose: “that we should be to the praise of his glory”. Predestination therefore has an object and a destination. Paul consistently tells us what God’s people are predestined unto. It is dangerous to turn the word itself into a theological conclusion while ignoring the destination Paul attaches to it.
Re: Calvinism Use of Ephesians 1:10
Inheritance and the Counsel of His Will Verse 11 states that believers have obtained an inheritance, “having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will” Calvinist interpreters frequently appeal to this statement as evidence that every event in history has been eternally decreed by God. It is certainly true that Paul presents God as sovereignly accomplishing His purpose. The question, however, is what Paul means by “all things” within the flow of this chapter.
The Meaning of ‘All Things’
The expression “all things” (τὰ πάντα, ta panta) is broad by itself, but broad expressions always receive their practical meaning from context. Throughout Scripture, phrases such as “all“, “every“, and “the whole world” often derive their scope from the subject under discussion rather than functioning as unlimited abstractions. Therefore, the interpreter should first ask: What “things” has Paul been discussing throughout this doxology? The surrounding verses consistently describe God’s saving purpose in Christ. Nothing in the immediate paragraph explicitly shifts the discussion to a philosophical treatment of exhaustive causation or determinism.
The Calvinist Reading
Many Reformed theologians understand this verse as teaching that God sovereignly ordains every event that occurs in history. They argue that if God works “all things” according to His will, then every human decision and every historical event ultimately falls within His eternal decree. This interpretation emphasizes God’s absolute sovereignty and seeks to preserve the certainty of His eternal purposes.
At the same time, this interpretation exposes what appears to be an inconsistency in the application of universal language. Calvinists insist that the word all in “works all things according to the counsel of His will” must be understood universally, extending to every human choice and every event in history. Yet when confronted with passages stating that Christ “draws all men” to Himself (John 12:32), or that God “desires all people to be saved” (1 Timothy 2:4), the same word is frequently redefined to mean all kinds of people or only the elect. Consequently, all is interpreted as exhaustive when it supports exhaustive divine determinism, but as limited when it appears to support God’s universal salvific desire. This contrast does not by itself prove either interpretation wrong, but it does place the burden on the interpreter to demonstrate from the immediate context why the same universal term should be understood so differently in these respective passages.
Redemptive Purpose as the Governing Theme
From Ephesians 1:3 through verse 14, every major movement of Paul’s doxology returns to God’s purpose in Christ. Election, adoption, redemption, forgiveness, inheritance, and the sealing ministry of the Holy Spirit are all presented as parts of one unified saving plan. For that reason, the immediate literary evidence favors reading verse 11 within the same redemptive framework unless the text itself signals a broader shift in subject. No such shift is explicitly introduced.
Predestination in Ephesians 1:11
Paul uses προορίζω (proorizō) twice in this chapter (Ephesians 1:5, 11). In verse 5 believers are predestined to adoption through Jesus Christ. In verse 11 believers have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to God’s purpose. In both occurrences Paul explicitly identifies the destination or outcome. Adoption and inheritance stand at the forefront of his discussion. The emphasis falls upon God’s predetermined purpose for those who are in Christ. At this point the text clearly identifies what has been predetermined: adoption, inheritance, holiness, and the blessings secured through union with Christ. The passage does not explicitly explain the mechanism by which individuals come to be in Christ. Calvinist theology offers one explanation. Other theological traditions offer different explanations. Before adopting any of them, the interpreter should first ask whether Paul himself is attempting to answer that question in this chapter or whether his concern is to celebrate the blessings already possessed by those who belong to Christ.
What the Passage Clearly Affirms
At this stage several conclusions may be stated with confidence.
• God’s purpose preceded creation.
• God’s purpose is accomplished in Christ.
• God actively works to bring His purpose to completion.
• Believers possess an inheritance because God’s purpose cannot fail.
These truths arise directly from the text itself and do not depend upon a particular theological system.
Questions Remaining
Other questions require additional argument before firm conclusions may be drawn.
• Does ‘works all things’ necessarily mean that God causally determines every human decision?
• Does the passage distinguish between God’s sovereign purpose and human moral choices?
• Does Paul’s argument require exhaustive determinism, or does it simply celebrate the certainty of God’s redemptive plan?
These questions cannot be answered by verse 11 alone. They must be considered alongside the broader witness of Scripture.
Preliminary Conclusion
Ephesians 1 unquestionably presents a God whose eternal purpose cannot fail. The passage celebrates His sovereign initiative, His gracious plan, and His successful accomplishment of redemption in Christ. Whether the chapter also teaches the unconditional election of particular individuals before creation remains a matter that must be established from the entire argument rather than from isolated phrases. As our study continues, the remaining verses of Ephesians 1 and related passages will be examined to determine whether they strengthen, modify, or qualify the conclusions reached thus far.
Ephesians 1:13
“You Also” Were Included in Christ
The movement of Paul’s thought becomes especially clear here. First: “we”. Then: “ye also”. The Gentiles are not described as receiving another gospel or entering another people of God. They too are brought: “in whom” —that is, in Christ. And notice the sequence Paul gives: They heard the word of truth. That word was the gospel of their salvation. They believed. Then they were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. The gospel is proclaimed. It is heard. They believe. They are sealed with the Holy Spirit. The proclamation and hearing of the gospel are part of God’s ordained means. Paul says: “after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation”. Compare Romans 10:17: “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”.
Sealed With the Holy Spirit of Promise
After believing, they were: “sealed with that holy Spirit of promise”. A seal carried the ideas of ownership, identification, authentication, and security. The Holy Spirit therefore marks those who belong to God.
The Holy Spirit of Promise
Paul does not merely call Him the Holy Spirit. He calls Him: “that holy Spirit of promise”. The coming of the Spirit had been promised long before Pentecost. The prophets anticipated the day when God would pour out His Spirit upon His people (Isaiah 44:3; Ezekiel 36:26–27; Joel 2:28). Jesus likewise promised His disciples that the Father would give the Holy Spirit (John 14:16–17, 26; 16:7, 13), and shortly before His ascension He told them to wait for “the promise of the Father” (Acts 1:4–5). The Spirit is therefore not an unexpected addition to God’s saving work. His coming belongs to the fulfillment of God’s promise. The imagery of a seal also deserves attention. A seal could identify ownership, authenticate what belonged to someone, and mark something as secured under the authority of the one who placed the seal. Paul later returns to this language when he tells believers that they were “sealed unto the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30). Compare also 2 Corinthians 1:21–22.
The point is not that believers place God’s seal upon themselves. God seals those who have heard the gospel and believed, and the seal He gives is the Holy Spirit Himself. Paul’s language also connects the Spirit with promise. This is particularly significant for Gentile believers. The promises of God were historically given through Israel, but through Christ the blessing reaches the Gentiles. Paul makes the same connection in Galatians: Once again the pattern is Christ-centered. The Gentile is not saved apart from God’s previous promises. He participates in their fulfillment through Christ.
Ephesians 1:14
The Earnest of Our Inheritance
The Holy Spirit is called the earnest of our inheritance. An earnest is a pledge, deposit, or guarantee. It is a present possession that guarantees something greater still to come. This again shows the already and not yet character of salvation. “redemption of the purchased possession”. The Holy Spirit is God’s pledge that what He has begun will reach its intended completion. The word translated “earnest” (arrabōn) was used for a pledge or down payment — something of real value given in advance as a guarantee that the remainder would follow. Paul uses the same idea in 2 Corinthians 1:22 and 5:5. That makes the image especially powerful. God does not merely tell the believer that an inheritance is coming. He gives the Holy Spirit as the present pledge of that future inheritance. The believer therefore lives between possession and expectation. We already have the Spirit, but we have not yet received everything God has promised. The down payment is present; the full inheritance still awaits its completion.
And Paul ends exactly where this great blessing has repeatedly led us: “unto the praise of his glory”.
The Structure of Ephesians 1:3–14
God’s purpose is not centered upon an abstract doctrine. It is centered upon Christ. We are blessed in Christ. We are chosen in Him. We are adopted through Jesus Christ. Grace is given in the Beloved. We possess redemption in Him. God’s mystery is revealed concerning His purpose in Christ. All things will ultimately be brought under one head in Christ. Those who first hoped in Christ received an inheritance in Him. The Gentiles who heard and believed the gospel were also brought in Him. And having believed, they were sealed with the Holy Spirit as the pledge of what is still to come. This is why Ephesians 1 should not first be approached as a debate between Calvinism and Arminianism. And Paul’s framework is unmistakably: IN CHRIST. Election is Christ-centered. Predestination has stated destinations. Grace flows through Christ. Redemption comes through His blood. The gospel is heard and believed. The Spirit seals those who believe. Jew and Gentile are being brought into one purpose.
And everything ultimately points toward the headship and glory of Jesus Christ. That is the foundation upon which the remainder of Ephesians is built.
The Doxology Ends Where It Has Been Leading
The doxology closes exactly where its repeated refrain has been leading: “unto the praise of his glory”. Verse 6 praised the glory of God’s grace. Verse 12 spoke again of the praise of His glory. Verse 14 closes with the same purpose. The entire movement from the Father’s purpose, through the Son’s redemptive work, to the Spirit’s sealing and guarantee ends in worship. Whatever conclusions we draw from the individual expressions in this passage, we should never lose sight of that destination. Paul wants the church not merely to analyze God’s saving purpose, but to stand in wonder before the God who has accomplished it in Christ.
Ephesians 1:14
Re: Calvinism Use of the Guarantee of Our Inheritance
Paul describes the Holy Spirit as the guarantee, or pledge, of the believer’s inheritance until the final redemption of God’s possession. Once again, Paul’s emphasis is pastoral and doxological. He is assuring believers that the God who planned their redemption before the foundation of the world will certainly bring that redemption to its consummation.
Integrating the Biblical Usage of προορίζω with Ephesians 1
Having examined the occurrences of προορίζω (proorizō) in Ephesians 1, we can now consider more closely what Paul explicitly identifies as predetermined within this chapter. Rather than allowing later theological systems to define the term, we have allowed the immediate context of Ephesians 1 to establish how Paul uses it here. This observation should now inform our reading of the chapter as a whole. In Ephesians 1, Paul explicitly identifies several predetermined realities: adoption through Jesus Christ (v. 5), an inheritance in Christ (v. 11), and the holy and blameless destiny of God’s people (v. 4). Each of these blessings is inseparably connected to union with Christ. At the grammatical level, Paul repeatedly explains the destination and blessings appointed beforehand. He does not pause to explain the entire order of salvation or every aspect of divine sovereignty. His purpose remains doxological: to praise God for His eternal saving plan accomplished in Christ.
Distinguishing the Explicit from the Inferred
At this point it is helpful to separate what the passage clearly states from conclusions that require additional inference. The text explicitly teaches that God’s saving purpose existed before creation, that believers were predestined to adoption through Christ, and that their inheritance forms part of God’s eternal purpose. The text does not explicitly state the precise logical order by which individuals come to be united with Christ. Whether one concludes that union with Christ results from an unconditional decree, from God’s foreknowledge of faith, or from another theological explanation requires arguments extending beyond the explicit wording of Ephesians 1 itself.
Synthesis and Evaluation of Ephesians 1:3–14
At the beginning of this chapter we asked a simple question: What did Paul intend to communicate in Ephesians 1:3–14? Throughout our study we have intentionally postponed broader theological conclusions until the text itself had been examined. We have considered the historical setting, literary structure, key Greek expressions, the repeated emphasis upon being “in Christ,” Paul’s use of predestination, and the closing verses describing the sealing of the Holy Spirit. We are now in a position to summarize what the chapter clearly teaches and to distinguish those conclusions from interpretations that require further argument.
What Ephesians 1 Clearly Teaches
The passage plainly teaches that God’s saving purpose was established before the foundation of the world. It teaches that every spiritual blessing is found in Christ, that believers have been chosen “in Christ” (it does not say chosen “to be in Christ“), predestined to adoption through Christ, redeemed through His blood, forgiven according to His grace, granted an inheritance, and sealed by the Holy Spirit. The chapter repeatedly emphasizes God’s initiative, His grace, His purpose, and the certainty that His redemptive plan will succeed. These truths are explicit and should be affirmed without hesitation.
What the Chapter Does Not Explicitly State
The passage does not explicitly define the philosophical relationship between divine sovereignty and human responsibility. Neither does it explicitly explain the logical order by which an individual comes to be united with Christ. Paul does not pause to address every question later raised in debates over unconditional election, irresistible grace, or the order of salvation. Those doctrines may or may not be supported by other passages, but they should not be treated as explicit teachings of Ephesians 1 unless they can be demonstrated from Paul’s own argument.
Evaluating the Calvinist Interpretation
The Calvinist interpretation rightly emphasizes God’s sovereign initiative and the certainty of His eternal purpose. Those emphases are firmly grounded in the text. The point requiring further demonstration is the conclusion that Paul’s language necessarily describes God’s eternal selection of particular individuals apart from every other interpretive possibility. Because Paul’s repeated emphasis is upon God’s purpose in Christ and the blessings enjoyed by those who are in Christ, careful interpreters should distinguish between what the chapter unquestionably affirms and what is inferred from it. This observation is not a refutation of Calvinism. It is simply an application of the interpretive principles established in Chapter 1: conclusions should be stated with no greater certainty than the text itself provides.
Ephesians 1:15–16 — Faith That Can Be Seen
“Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers”. Paul now moves from praise into prayer. The prayer has a clear movement. Paul wants his readers to know God more fully, to understand what God has given His people, to recognize the power He displayed in His Son, and finally to see what Christ’s exaltation means for His church. The passage therefore moves from the God of glory, to the hope and inheritance of His people, to the power displayed in the risen Son, and finally to Christ as Head over His body, the church. Keeping that movement before us helps prevent verses 15–23 from becoming a collection of disconnected statements. Paul is showing how the believer’s hope is grounded in what God has already accomplished in Christ. The important point is that this faith is not presented as something purely private or invisible. It is something Paul can hear about. Faith has become visible in the life of the congregation.
The Greek word pistis can carry the ideas of faith, trust, and faithfulness. That fuller sense is worth keeping in mind here. Paul is not merely praising them for intellectually believing certain facts about Jesus. Their faith is being demonstrated in their relationship to Christ and in the way they live among God’s people. The original commentary rightly notices that Paul’s wording permits faith to be understood as more than an inward feeling; it has an ethical and observable character. This fits Paul’s teaching elsewhere. In Galatians 5:6 he speaks of: “faith which worketh by love”. In Galatians 5:22, faithfulness appears among the fruit of the Spirit. James likewise insists that genuine faith does not remain invisible. Faith that never produces anything is not the kind of faith Scripture presents as living faith.
Love Unto All the Saints
Paul also speaks of: “love unto all the saints”. The Christian life is never presented as an isolated relationship between the individual believer and God. Those who are brought into Christ are brought into a people. Love therefore becomes one of the clearest manifestations that the gospel has actually taken root. Jesus said: “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35). Paul does not suggest that Christians have no responsibility toward those outside the church. Galatians 6:10 explicitly tells believers to do good unto all men. “especially unto them who are of the household of faith”. Christian love begins close enough to become real. It is easy to speak abstractly of loving humanity.
Paul Gives Thanks Before He Corrects
Paul says: “I cease not to give thanks for you”. There is something important in Paul’s pattern here. He is not blind to weakness in the churches. His letters make that clear. He can rebuke error, confront sin, correct doctrine, and warn believers very strongly. Yet when he sees evidence of God’s work, he gives thanks. That is worth remembering when we evaluate churches and other believers. Discernment is necessary. Correction is sometimes necessary. Paul is capable of both. He gives thanks for what God has accomplished while praying for what still needs to grow. That becomes the substance of the prayer that follows.
Ephesians 1:17
The Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation
Paul does not pray merely that these believers receive more information. He prays for wisdom, revelation, and knowledge of God. The phrase “Father of glory” presents God as the source of glory. Scripture frequently connects God’s glory with light and revelation. That connection becomes even clearer in the next verse when Paul speaks of the eyes of the heart being enlightened.
The Spirit of Wisdom
The word Spirit here should not be reduced merely to a human attitude of wisdom. Paul’s language points to the Holy Spirit working within the believer and producing wisdom and understanding. The same Spirit who knows the things of God is the Spirit who enables believers to understand what God has revealed. Paul develops this in 1 Corinthians 2:10–12: “The Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God”. And: Knowledge of God is therefore not presented as man’s independent intellectual achievement. God reveals. The Spirit gives understanding. Man receives, learns, and responds.
Revelation
The word revelation also needs care. Paul is not necessarily praying that every believer will receive new doctrine independent of what God has already revealed through Christ and His apostles. The context concerns understanding what God has made known. The original commentary emphasizes that wisdom and revelation are not merely theoretical; they enable the believer both to receive what God has revealed and to make it known to others. That distinction matters. The Spirit does not merely make believers collectors of hidden knowledge. This agrees with the larger movement of Ephesians. God makes known His mystery. The apostles proclaim it. The church receives it. Revelation therefore produces mission.
Knowledge of Him
Paul’s prayer is: “in the knowledge of him”. The Greek term carries the idea of knowing a particular object or person, and in some contexts may suggest fuller or more definite knowledge. But biblical knowledge is rarely merely academic. To know God is not simply to know facts about God. Scripture uses knowledge relationally. Jesus says: “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3). Knowing God involves recognition, relationship, obedience, trust, and life. This is why knowledge and conduct cannot ultimately be separated in Ephesians. A person who claims to know God while living as though God does not exist has not understood biblical knowledge. Paul wants these believers to know God more deeply because such knowledge changes the way they live.
Ephesians 1:18
The Eyes of Your Understanding Being Enlightened
“The eyes of your understanding being enlightened”. Some manuscripts and translations render this: “the eyes of your heart”. Either expression points to the inner person. Paul uses the language of sight to describe spiritual understanding. There are things a person may physically see and yet fail to understand. Jesus repeatedly confronted this problem: “Having eyes, see ye not?” (Mark 8:18). Paul therefore prays not simply for more evidence but for the ability to perceive what God has already revealed. The original commentary makes an important observation here: illumination is not best understood as a one-time event after which no further enlightenment is needed. The believer continues to depend upon the Spirit for understanding. This fits Christian experience. Conversion does not mean we instantly understand every truth of Scripture. We grow. We learn. We are corrected. The Spirit’s illumination should therefore produce humility.
Three Things Paul Wants Them to Know
Paul’s prayer now focuses upon three great realities: the hope of God’s calling, the riches of His inheritance, and the exceeding greatness of His power. These are not three unrelated theological topics. They describe the believer’s future, identity, and present confidence.
The Hope of His Calling
“That ye may know what is the hope of his calling”. Biblical hope is not wishful thinking. That is not the primary sense here. Christian hope rests upon God’s promise. The emphasis is not merely upon the emotional experience of feeling hopeful but upon the thing hoped for. There is something ahead to which God has called His people. Earlier Paul spoke of adoption, inheritance, redemption, holiness, and God’s purpose to bring all things under Christ. Those realities give content to hope. The believer’s hope therefore has an object. It is not optimism for optimism’s sake. It is confidence in what God has promised in Christ.
Calling Has a Purpose
Paul speaks of: “his calling”. Throughout Paul’s letters, calling is connected with God. God calls through the gospel. That call places people into a new relationship and carries with it a new way of life. Paul will later say: “I therefore… beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called” (Ephesians 4:1). The calling therefore has both privilege and responsibility. God does not call someone merely to possess a theological status. He calls them into a life. And the call opens a future. The believer has been called toward something. That future is part of the hope Paul wants them to understand.
The Riches of the Glory of His Inheritance in the Saints
Paul continues: “and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints”. There is some ambiguity in the expression. It may speak of the inheritance believers receive from God, or it may emphasize God’s people themselves as His inheritance. Both ideas appear elsewhere in Scripture. Earlier, Ephesians 1:14 spoke of the believer’s inheritance. But the Old Testament also repeatedly speaks of Israel as God’s possession or inheritance. That gives the phrase considerable depth. God gives an inheritance to His people. But God also acquires a people for Himself. Salvation is not entirely man-centered. God is doing something for His own glory. This is why Ephesians 1 repeatedly says: “to the praise of his glory”. God is not merely rescuing isolated individuals from punishment. He is creating a people who belong to Him and through whom His character is displayed. The original commentary particularly emphasizes that the Gentile believers are being brought into an inheritance already associated with God’s saints and His covenant people. That again anticipates Ephesians 2.
The Gentiles were once strangers. Now they are fellow citizens. They were once outside the covenants. Now they are members of God’s household. The inheritance therefore has both an individual and a corporate dimension.
Ephesians 1:19
The Exceeding Greatness of His Power
“And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power”. Paul piles word upon word to describe God’s power. The Greek text uses several closely related terms for power, energy, strength, and might. The effect is almost overwhelming. Paul wants the reader to understand that he is not describing ordinary strength. He is describing a power against which every competing power is ultimately inadequate. The original commentary notes that Paul’s various Greek terms together emphasize ability, effective energy, overcoming strength, and power actually exercised. Paul is not interested in power as an abstraction. He immediately tells us where this power has been demonstrated.
Ephesians 1:20
The Power Revealed in the Resurrection
“Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead”. Here Paul identifies the supreme demonstration of God’s power: the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The resurrection is not simply an encouraging symbol that life can continue after hardship. Paul treats it as an actual act of God. God raised Jesus from the dead. And this act reveals something about God Himself. He is: “God, who quickeneth the dead” (Romans 4:17). Death is not beyond His power. The same God who raised Christ is the God upon whom the believer’s hope rests. This is why the resurrection becomes foundational to Christian confidence. If Christ remains dead, the gospel collapses. Paul says exactly that in 1 Corinthians 15:17: “And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain”. The resurrection is therefore not an optional appendage to Christianity. It is central.
The Same Power Works Toward Believers
Paul does not speak of the resurrection as though it concerned Christ alone. He says this power is: “to us-ward who believe”. The power demonstrated in Christ’s resurrection is the same power operating toward God’s people. That connection becomes explicit in the opening verses of Chapter 2. Christ was raised. Then Paul will say: “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins”. And again: “hath raised us up together”. The resurrection of Christ therefore establishes the pattern and power of the believer’s new life. Romans 8:11 makes the connection directly: The resurrection is both Christ’s victory and the believer’s hope.
Resurrection Power and Grace Belong Together
Power can be frightening when separated from character. A ruler with unlimited power but no goodness would be terrifying. But Paul’s God is not powerful instead of loving. His power serves His love. The same God whose purpose is repeatedly described in terms of grace and love is the God who possesses the power to accomplish what He has promised. That matters. Love without the ability to act could amount to little more than good intention. God’s love is not helpless. His grace has power behind it. The original commentary captures this well: the power described in Ephesians 1:19 is the power by which God carries through the purposes made in love.
Ephesians 1:20
Seated at His Right Hand
Paul continues: “and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places”. The language draws upon Psalm 110:1: “The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool”. The right hand is the place of honor and authority. Jesus is not merely alive again. He is exalted. Resurrection is followed by enthronement. The One who was rejected, crucified, and placed in a tomb has been raised and installed in supreme authority. This is royal language. Christ is King.
Ephesians 1:21
Above Every Principality and Power
“Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named”. Paul now describes the extent of Christ’s authority. Jesus is above: principality, power, might, dominion, and every name that is named. Attempts have been made to identify exactly what each term means and to arrange these powers into some precise hierarchy. Paul does not appear interested in doing that. The point is much simpler and much greater: whatever powers exist, Christ is above them. The original commentary makes this observation forcefully. Paul’s list is not exhaustive; “every name that is named” prevents us from limiting the statement to four neatly defined classes. Whatever authority can be named— visible or invisible, earthly or heavenly, political or spiritual, angelic or demonic— Christ’s authority exceeds it.
What Are the Principalities and Powers?
We should be careful here. Paul clearly believes in genuine spiritual powers. Ephesians 6:12 will speak explicitly of: “spiritual wickedness in high places”. At the same time, Paul’s vocabulary can overlap with words used for earthly rulers, authorities, structures, and dominions. The original commentary spends considerable time exploring this and reaches a useful conclusion: Paul’s language may embrace both visible rulers and invisible powers, together with the larger structures and forces through which human life is governed. That is a reasonable way to understand the breadth of Paul’s statement. Political authority is a power. Economic systems exercise power. Governments exercise power. Traditions exercise power. Ideologies exercise power. Social structures exercise power. Nature itself contains forces beyond man’s control. Death exercises power. And Scripture also identifies personal spiritual beings who exercise power. Paul need not be reducing all of these things to demons. His point is comprehensive.
Everything that exercises authority over human life remains beneath Jesus Christ.
Not Every Power Is Evil
This also requires balance. Paul does not teach that all authority or structure is inherently evil. Romans 13:1 says: “the powers that be are ordained of God”. Government can serve a legitimate function. Angels can serve God. Created structures can serve good purposes. The problem arises when created powers rebel against God, become corrupted, or are elevated into the place that belongs to God. Idolatry turns created things into objects of ultimate allegiance. Political authority becomes idolatrous when it demands what belongs to God. Religious authority becomes corrupt when it places itself above God’s Word. Money becomes a master when it ceases to serve and begins to rule. Human tradition becomes dangerous when it is treated as though it possesses divine authority. Paul’s answer is not that every structure must disappear. His answer is that every power must be subordinate to Christ.
“Not Only in This World, but Also in That Which Is to Come”
Paul adds: “not only in this world, but also in that which is to come”. Christ’s authority is not temporary. He is not merely the Lord of one era. His name is above every competing name in the present age and in the age to come. This prevents us from reducing Christ’s kingship either to something entirely future or entirely present. He reigns now. Yet the full manifestation of that reign still lies ahead. Ephesians repeatedly contains this already and not yet dimension. Christ is already exalted. Believers are already raised with Him. The Spirit is already given. Yet redemption still awaits completion. The church still faces evil days. The powers still resist. The believer still awaits the fullness of the inheritance. Christ’s reign is established. Its final manifestation is still coming.
Ephesians 1:22
All Things Under His Feet
“And hath put all things under his feet”. Paul now draws upon Psalm 8:6: “Thou hast put all things under his feet”. The imagery is unmistakably royal. To place something beneath the feet of a king means subjection. Paul’s language therefore moves beyond saying that Christ is spiritually important. He is declaring universal authority. All things are placed under Him. This connects directly with Ephesians 1:10, where God’s purpose was to bring all things together under Christ. What was announced there as God’s purpose is now grounded in Christ’s resurrection and enthronement.
Christ’s Rule Is Cosmic
The phrase “all things” should not be restricted to church matters. Paul has just mentioned principalities, powers, dominions, and every name that can be named. The context is universal. The original commentary is especially strong here: Christ’s headship over the church is grounded in His larger authority over all creation, not the other way around. The church does not possess a private Jesus who rules only within Christian gatherings. The One who is Head of the church is also Lord over the world. That changes how we understand Christian allegiance. Jesus Christ does not merely rule our “religious” life. There is no area in which some other authority becomes ultimate. Government is under Christ. Culture is under Christ. The family is under Christ. The church is under Christ. Angelic beings are under Christ. Demonic powers are under Christ. Death itself will ultimately be brought under Christ. Paul writes elsewhere: “For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death” (1 Corinthians 15:25–26).
Ephesians 1:22
Head Over All Things to the Church
Paul continues: “and gave him to be the head over all things to the church”. The word head carries the idea of authority and leadership. In the Old Testament, the head of a tribe or people is its ruler or leader. Paul uses that same basic concept here. Christ is not elected by the church to be its Head. God: “gave him”. His authority does not originate in congregational approval, ecclesiastical office, denomination, tradition, council, bishop, pastor, pope, theologian, or government. Christ is Head because God appointed Him. This establishes the proper order of the church. Every human teacher serves beneath Christ. Every church leader serves beneath Christ. Every theological system remains beneath Christ. And every interpretation must ultimately be tested against the Word of the One who is Head.
Head Over All Things — For the Church
There is also something deeply reassuring here. The One given as Head to the church is the One who has already been declared above every principality and power. The church’s Head is not struggling to attain authority. He possesses it. The One who watches over His people is the One before whom every competing power is subordinate. This does not mean believers will never suffer. The New Testament says the opposite. But it does mean no hostile power exists outside the authority of Christ. That is the ground of Christian confidence.
Ephesians 1:23
The Church, Which Is His Body
“Which is his body”. Here Paul introduces one of his most important descriptions of the church: the body of Christ. The church is not merely an organization formed around common religious beliefs. It is organically related to Christ. He is the Head. The church is His body. This imagery will become much more important later in Ephesians. Ephesians 4 will speak of the body growing from the Head. Ephesians 5 will speak of Christ nourishing and cherishing the church. The relationship therefore includes: authority, unity, life, direction, provision, and dependence. A body separated from its head cannot live. The church likewise has no independent life apart from Christ.
Christ Is Not the Church
The church belongs to Christ. It is united to Christ. It receives life from Christ. But the church is not Christ Himself. The Head and body are joined, yet they remain distinguishable. That prevents two opposite errors. One error treats the church merely as a voluntary human association. The other practically identifies the church with Christ and gives human institutions an authority that belongs only to Him. Paul does neither. Christ remains the Head. The church remains His body.
“The Fulness of Him That Filleth All in All”
The final phrase is one of the most difficult expressions in the chapter: “the fulness of him that filleth all in all”. The Greek wording allows more than one possible understanding. Does the church somehow constitute Christ’s fullness? Or does Christ fill the church? Or is Paul describing Christ as the One who fills all things completely? However, the context gives us an important guide. Paul has just emphasized Christ’s universal authority. He is above every power. Everything is under His feet. He is Head over all. For that reason, the interpretation that best fits the flow is that Christ is the One who fills His body and, beyond the body, fills all things. The original commentary ultimately leans in this direction as well: Christ’s relationship to the church must be understood within His universal rule, and the church is filled by the One who fills all things.
Christ Fills His Body
To say that Christ fills the church means more than that He occupies space within it. He supplies what the body needs. He gives life. He gives gifts. He gives direction. He gives unity. He gives growth. Paul will later say: “from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted… maketh increase of the body” (Ephesians 4:16). The body grows from the Head. Christ therefore does not merely rule externally. He supplies life internally. This is why the church cannot be understood primarily through its buildings, programs, institutions, traditions, or denominations. Those things may serve useful purposes. But none of them are the source of the church’s life. Christ is.
The Resurrection Changes Everything
When we step back from Ephesians 1:15–23, Paul’s thought becomes remarkably coherent. He begins with believers whose faith has become visible. He gives thanks for them. He prays that the Spirit will give them wisdom and understanding. He wants the eyes of their hearts enlightened. He wants them to know: their hope, their inheritance, and God’s power. Then he tells them where that power has been demonstrated: in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christ has been raised. Christ has been enthroned. Christ is above every principality and power. All things are under His feet. Christ is Head over all things. Christ is Head of the church. The church is His body. And Christ fills His people. The entire passage therefore moves from knowledge of God to confidence in Christ’s supremacy. Paul does not want believers merely to know that Christ died for their sins. He wants them to understand who the risen Christ now is. He is Lord. He is King. He is Head. He is above every power. And the same power that raised Him from the dead is at work toward those who believe.
That is the hope of the believer.
Christ’s Victory and the Conflict Still Before Us
This also prepares us for the spiritual conflict Paul will describe in Ephesians 6. When Paul later speaks of principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, and spiritual wickedness in heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12), he is not introducing forces that threaten Christ’s throne or leave the outcome uncertain. Chapter 1 has already told us where Christ stands: far above every principality, power, might, and dominion. The believer therefore enters spiritual conflict under the authority of a Christ whose resurrection, exaltation, and supremacy have already been established. We are not waiting to discover whether Christ will ultimately overcome the powers opposed to Him. Paul has already placed every power beneath His feet. That does not make the conflict imaginary. Ephesians 6 will tell believers to put on the whole armor of God, to stand, to pray, and to remain watchful. But they stand beneath the authority of the victorious Christ.
Chapter 1 therefore gives us the foundation for Chapter 6. Before Paul ever tells the believer to stand against spiritual opposition, he first shows us the One in whom we stand.
Scholarly Acknowledgment
In preparing this commentary I have consulted a number of technical and exegetical works on Ephesians. Among the works particularly helpful for grammatical, historical, lexical, textual, and exegetical observations has been Markus Barth’s Ephesians: Introduction, Translation, and Commentary on Chapters 1–3, Volume 34 of the Anchor Bible series. His detailed treatment of the Greek text, textual questions, historical background, and competing interpretive possibilities has provided useful material for consideration throughout this study.
These observations have not been adopted merely because they appear in a recognized scholarly commentary. They have been weighed against the biblical text, compared with the broader witness of Scripture, and retained, modified, or rejected according to the strength of the evidence. At several points this commentary reaches conclusions different from Barth’s, particularly where grammatical or historical observations intersect with larger theological questions.
Accordingly, while technical and exegetical scholarship has helped inform portions of this study, the exposition, organization, theological evaluation, application, and conclusions presented here represent the work of Clark’s Anchored in Christ. As with every secondary source, the commentary itself remains subject to the authority of Scripture and should be tested by it.