11 In G1722 whom G3739 also G2532 we have obtained an inheritance, G2820 being predestinated G4309 according to G2596 the purpose G4286 of him who worketh G1754 all things G3956 after G2596 the counsel G1012 of his own G846 will: G2307
And G1161 we know G1492 that all things G3956 work together G4903 for G1519 good G18 to them that G3754 love G25 God, G2316 to them who are G5607 the called G2822 according G2596 to his purpose. G4286
Which G3739 is G2076 the earnest G728 of our G2257 inheritance G2817 until G1519 the redemption G629 of the purchased possession, G4047 unto G1519 the praise G1868 of his G846 glory. G1391
For G1063 if G1487 the inheritance G2817 be of G1537 the law, G3551 it is no more G3765 of G1537 promise: G1860 but G1161 God G2316 gave G5483 it to Abraham G11 by G1223 promise. G1860
Declaring H5046 the end H319 from the beginning, H7225 and from ancient times H6924 the things that are not yet done, H6213 saying, H559 My counsel H6098 shall stand, H6965 and I will do H6213 all my pleasure: H2656 Calling H7121 a ravenous bird H5861 from the east, H4217 the man H376 that executeth my counsel H6098 from a far H4801 country: H776 yea, I have spoken H1696 it, I will also bring H935 it to pass; I have purposed H3335 it, I will also do H6213 it.
And G1161 if G1487 children, G5043 then G2532 heirs; G2818 heirs G2818 of God, G3303 G2316 and G1161 joint-heirs G4789 with Christ; G5547 if so be G1512 that we suffer with G4841 him, that G2443 we may be G4888 also G2532 glorified together. G4888
Knowing G1492 that G3754 of G575 the Lord G2962 ye shall receive G618 the reward G469 of the inheritance: G2817 for G1063 ye serve G1398 the Lord G2962 Christ. G5547
But the LORD H3068 hath taken H3947 you, and brought you forth H3318 out of the iron H1270 furnace, H3564 even out of Egypt, H4714 to be unto him a people H5971 of inheritance, H5159 as ye are this day. H3117
Having predestinated G4309 us G2248 unto G1519 the adoption of children G5206 by G1223 Jesus G2424 Christ G5547 to G1519 himself, G846 according G2596 to the good pleasure G2107 of his G846 will, G2307
To open G455 their G846 eyes, G3788 and to turn G1994 them from G575 darkness G4655 to G1519 light, G5457 and G2532 from the power G1849 of Satan G4567 unto G1909 God, G2316 that they G846 may receive G2983 forgiveness G859 of sins, G266 and G2532 inheritance G2819 among G1722 them which are sanctified G37 by faith G4102 that is in G1519 me. G1691
And G2532 now, G3569 brethren, G80 I commend G3908 you G5209 to God, G2316 and G2532 to the word G3056 of his G846 grace, G5485 which G3588 is able G1410 to build you up, G2026 and G2532 to give G1325 you G5213 an inheritance G2817 among G1722 all G3956 them which are sanctified. G37
For to do G4160 whatsoever G3745 thy G4675 hand G5495 and G2532 thy G4675 counsel G1012 determined before G4309 to be done. G1096
Him, G5126 being delivered G1560 by the determinate G3724 counsel G1012 and G2532 foreknowledge G4268 of God, G2316 ye have taken, G2983 and by G1223 wicked G459 hands G5495 have crucified G4362 and slain: G337
Even he shall build H1129 the temple H1964 of the LORD; H3068 and he shall bear H5375 the glory, H1935 and shall sit H3427 and rule H4910 upon his throne; H3678 and he shall be a priest H3548 upon his throne: H3678 and the counsel H6098 of peace H7965 shall be between them both. H8147
Great H1419 in counsel, H6098 and mighty H7227 in work: H5950 for thine eyes H5869 are open H6491 upon all the ways H1870 of the sons H1121 of men: H120 to give H5414 every one H376 according to his ways, H1870 and according to the fruit H6529 of his doings: H4611
For who hath stood H5975 in the counsel H5475 of the LORD, H3068 and hath perceived H7200 and heard H8085 his word? H1697 who hath marked H7181 his word, H1697 and heard H8085 it?
Who hath directed H8505 the Spirit H7307 of the LORD, H3068 or being his counsellor H376 H6098 hath taught H3045 him? With whom took he counsel, H3289 and who instructed H995 him, and taught H3925 him in the path H734 of judgment, H4941 and taught H3925 him knowledge, H1847 and shewed H3045 to him the way H1870 of understanding? H8394
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Ephesians 1
Commentary on Ephesians 1 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 1
In this chapter we have,
This great apostle was wont to abound in prayers and in thanksgivings to almighty God, which he generally so disposes and orders that at the same time they carry with them and convey the great and important doctrines of the Christian religion, and the most weighty instructions to all those who seriously peruse them.
Eph 1:1-2
Here is,
After this short introduction he comes to the matter and body of the epistle; and, though it may seem somewhat peculiar in a letter, yet the Spirit of God saw fit that his discourse of divine things in this chapter should be cast into prayers and praises, which, as they are solemn addresses to God, so they convey weighty instructions to others. Prayer may preach; and praise may do so too.
Eph 1:3-14
He begins with thanksgivings and praise, and enlarges with a great deal of fluency and copiousness of affection upon the exceedingly great and precious benefits which we enjoy by Jesus Christ. For the great privileges of our religion are very aptly recounted and enlarged upon in our praises to God.
The apostle mentions the great end and design of God in bestowing all these spiritual privileges, that we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ-we to whom the gospel was first preached, and who were first converted to the faith of Christ, and to the placing of our hope and trust in him. Note, Seniority in grace is a preferment: Who were in Christ before me, says the apostle (Rom. 16:7); those who have for a longer time experienced the grace of Christ are under more special obligations to glorify God. They should be strong in faith, and more eminently glorify him; but this should be the common end of all. For this we were made, and for this we were redeemed; this is the great design of our Christianity, and of God in all that he has done for us: unto the praise of his glory, v. 14. He intends that his grace and power and other perfection should by this means become conspicuous and illustrious, and that the sons of men should magnify him.
Eph 1:15-23
We have come to the last part of this chapter, which consists of Paul's earnest prayer to God in behalf of these Ephesians. We should pray for the persons for whom we give thanks. Our apostle blesses God for what he had done for them, and then he prays that he would do more for them. He gives thanks for spiritual blessings, and prays for further supplies of them; for God will for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them. He has laid up these spiritual blessings for us in the hands of his Son, the Lord Jesus; but then he has appointed us to draw them out, and fetch them in, by prayer. We have no part nor lot in the matter, any further than we claim it by faith and prayer. One inducement to pray for them was the good account he had of them, of their faith in the Lord Jesus and love to all the saints, v. 15. Faith in Christ, and love to the saints, will be attended with all other graces. Love to the saints, as such, and because they are such, must include love to God. Those who love saints, as such, love all saints, how weak in grace, how mean in the world, how fretful and peevish soever, some of them may be. Another inducement to pray for them was because they had received the earnest of the inheritance: this we may observe from the words being connected with the preceding ones by the particle wherefore. "Perhaps you will think that, having received the earnest, it should follow, therefore you are happy enough, and need take no further care: you need not pray for yourselves, nor I for you.' No, quite the contrary. Wherefore-I cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, v. 16. While he blesses God for giving them the Spirit, he ceases not to pray that he would give unto them the Spirit (v. 17), that he would give greater measures of the Spirit. Observe, Even the best of Christians need to be prayed for: and, while we hear well of our Christian friends, we should think ourselves obliged to intercede with God for them, that they may abound and increase yet more and more. Now what is it that Paul prays for in behalf of the Ephesians? Not that they might be freed from persecution; nor that they might possess the riches, honours, or pleasures of the world; but the great thing he prays for is the illumination of their understandings, and that their knowledge might increase and abound: he means it of a practical and experimental knowledge. The graces and comforts of the Spirit are communicated to the soul by the enlightening of the understanding. In this way he gains and keeps possession. Satan takes a contrary way: he gets possession by the senses and passions, Christ by the understanding. Observe,
Having said something of Christ and his resurrection, the apostle digresses a little from the subject he is upon to make some further honourable mention of the Lord Jesus and his exaltation. He sits at the Father's right hand in the heavenly places, etc., v. 20, 21. Jesus Christ is advanced above all, and he is set in authority over all, they being made subject to him. All the glory of the upper world, and all the powers of both worlds, are entirely devoted to him. The Father hath put all things under his feet (v. 22), according to the promise, Ps. 110:1. All creatures whatsoever are in subjection to him; they must either yield him sincere obedience or fall under the weight of his sceptre, and receive their doom from him. God GAVE him to be head over all things. It was a gift to Christ, considered as a Mediator, to be advanced to such dominion and headship, and to have such a mystical body prepared for him: and it was a gift to the church, to be provided with a head endued with so much power and authority. God gave him to be the head over all things. He gave him all power both in heaven and in earth. The Father loves the Son, and hath given ALL things into his hands. But that which completes the comfort of this is that he is the head over all things to the church; he is entrusted with all power, that is, that he may dispose of all the affairs of the providential kingdom in subserviency to the designs of his grace concerning his church. With this therefore we may answer the messengers of the nations, that the Lord hath founded Zion. The same power that supports the world support the church; and we are sure he loves his church, for it is his body (v. 23), his mystical body, and he will care for it. It is the fulness of him that filleth all in all. Jesus Christ filleth all in all; he supplies all defects in all his members, filling them with his Spirit, and even with the fulness of God, ch. 3:19. And yet the church is said to be his fulness, because Christ as Mediator would not be complete if he had not a church. How could he be a king if he had not a kingdom? This therefore comes in to the honour of Christ, as Mediator, that the church is his fulness.