Introduction to the Letter (1:1–2)
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus (1:1). Whereas Timothy is named as cowriter of Colossians and Philemon (written just before Ephesians), Paul names himself as the sole author of this letter. It is uncertain if Timothy is still in Rome or has departed to serve in another area. We do know that he becomes a key leader among the churches in Ephesus shortly after this letter is written (see 1 Timothy).
To the saints in Ephesus (1:2). The text of the NIV places a footnote here that reads, “Some early manuscripts do not have in Ephesus.” There are only six manuscripts that omit Ephesus, but three of these are generally regarded as very reliable (Sinaiticus [Å], Vaticanus [B], and a second-century papyrus [
]. This has led some scholars to think that Ephesians was not originally written to believers in the city of Ephesus, but rather was a circular letter intended for a number of churches. This is unnecessary, however, because the vast majority of manuscripts and early translations into other languages support the inclusion of “in Ephesus” and also because there is a reasonable explanation for its omission from 1:2 very early. The contents of Ephesians are especially well-suited to a broad readership. It is likely that a scribe deliberately omitted “in Ephesus” for the purpose of the public reading of Scripture in another location (e.g., in Egypt). A similar omission, likely for the same reason, occurs in Romans, where several manuscripts omit “in Rome” in 1:7. Thus, it is probable that the letter was originally addressed by the apostle Paul to believers residing in the third largest city of the Roman empire, Ephesus.
Praise to God For His Remarkable Plan of Redemption (1:3–14)
Paul begins his letter with a poetically crafted exclamation of praise to the Father. The style of this section is quite different from the rest of the letter and has affinities to the Psalms and Jewish hymns that we know from the Dead Sea Scrolls. The language is designed to evoke an attitude of praise and thanksgiving to our great God and Lord. The apostle Paul could not teach theology in a dry and detached way. To reflect on the plan and work of God provoked an emotional response that led him into praise and worship.
This passage speaks of the overall plan of God, conceived before he created the world and now brought into effect by the Lord Jesus Christ. The passage highlights the overall sovereignty of God. His plan is unfolding just as he purposed.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (1:3). The term “praise” (eulogētos) has often been translated “blessed.” Throughout the Old Testament, the people of God responded to him in praise for delivering them from their enemies and for providing salvation. For instance, in response to God’s marvelous redemption of Israel from bondage in Egypt, Moses’ father-in-law exclaimed, “Praise be to the LORD, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods” (Ex. 18:10–11). Because of his salvation, the psalmist bursts forth in praise: “The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock; And exalted be the God of my salvation” (Ps. 18:46 NASB). Paul cannot contain himself as he ponders the ultimate act of redemption in Christ.
Jesus is named in this verse alongside the Father as both Lord and Messiah. He is the agent of redemption and the focus of God’s eternal plan.
[He] has blessed us in the heavenly realms (1:3). Paul conceives of heaven not only as a place where believers will live after they die, but also as a spiritual realm. It is the place where God and the resurrected Christ currently live (1:3, 20; 2:6) as well as where the powers of darkness continue to operate (3:10; 6:12). Because of Christ’s work of redemption on the cross and their present relationship with him, believers now have access to spiritual power to aid in their struggle against the evil one.
He chose us in him before the creation of the world (1:4). Paul’s teaching here communicates relevant and extraordinary truth about ultimate reality for these believers in Asia. Contrary to popular belief, their fate was not wrapped up in the stars and the planets, but in the one true almighty God, who made the sun and the stars. God had in fact chosen them to be in Christ before he made the heavens and the earth. What a tremendous comfort this teaching must be to new believers still worried about their foul horoscopes or the threat of astral powers to their daily lives.
To be holy and blameless in his sight (1:4). God’s purpose for his people has always been for them to become like him in holiness. When he gave the Israelites the law after delivering them from Egypt, he declared, “I am the LORD who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy” (Lev. 11:45).
Adopted as his sons (1:5). The adoption of a child was a practice that everyone in the Greco-Roman world would have been familiar with. Under Roman law, an adopted child acquired all of the legal rights of a natural born child and lost all rights held in his former family. The child also received the adopting parents’ family name and shared in the status of the new family.7 The most decisive influence on Paul’s thought, however, is in the promise of adoption God made to David by Nathan the prophet: “I will be his father, and he will be my son” (2 Sam. 7:14). Jesus himself has fulfilled this promise as the descendant of David who sits on the throne. By virtue of union with Jesus, believers share in this adoption and truly become children of God.
To the praise of his glorious grace (1:6). Variations of this refrain of praise punctuate this passage at three intervals (1:6, 12, 14). Reflecting on the awesome and gracious plan of God involving Jesus, Paul exults in the same way as the psalmist who exclaimed, “My tongue will speak of your righteousness and of your praises all day long” (Ps. 35:28). (On grace, see comments on 2:7.)
In him we have redemption through his blood (1:7). The people of Israel were once delivered from oppressive slavery to corrupt rulers and taskmasters in Egypt. The Old Testament repeatedly refers to this as Israel’s redemption (see Deut. 7:8; 9:26; 13:5). Now God has delivered his people from the much more deadly and enslaving power of sin. He has done this by Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross—a costly ransom price. Believers can therefore experience the forgiveness of sins.
He made known to us the mystery of his will (1:9). “Mystery” was a term widely known in the ancient world. Many of the Gentile converts in the Ephesian churches have probably experienced ritual initiation into one or more of the mystery cults, such as the cult of Artemis, Isis, Cybele, or Dionysus. They are called “mysteries” because the adherents were sworn to secrecy about what they experienced. The mystery Paul is talking about here is substantially different from this. He is speaking about God’s plan that can only be known through revelation. This same use of the word occurs in the book of Daniel to describe Nebuchadnezzar’s divinely inspired dream about God’s plan for the ages.8 The word Paul uses for “made known” (gnōrizō) also occurs in Daniel for God’s revelatory activity.9
ARTEMIS ADORNED WITH THE ZODIAC
When the times will have reached their fulfillment (1:10). The Greek and Roman world generally thought of time as unending. The world will continue on and on. The Old Testament, by contrast, is clear that time is measured and fixed (see Dan. 9:24–27). At some point in time history as we know it will be drawn to a conclusion. This period of fulfillment will represent the climax of God’s redemptive plan.
To bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ (1:10). There has been a significant rupture in God’s creation. Angels in heaven have rebelled against the Lord. Sin has emerged as a power that not only enslaves God’s creation, but also causes people to revolt against him and his purposes. Paul declares here that this condition will not continue forever. All of creation—both heavenly principalities and every person—will someday be forced to submit to the righteous and all-powerful reign of the Messiah. All will be brought under the universal “headship” of Jesus. The initial realization of this plan has already taken place in Jesus’ incarnation, proclamation of the kingdom, death, and exaltation to the right hand of God. Believers now await the complete fulfillment.
The word of truth, the gospel of your salvation (1:13). First-century Ephesus had nearly fifty gods and goddesses claiming to be true. There were also a wide variety of philosophies that laid claim to providing knowledge of the truth. In this environment, Paul does not shrink back from insisting that the good news of Jesus as the revelation of ultimate reality is the truth (the Greek text has the article). This was not just a matter for the satisfaction of intellectual curiosity. Jesus revealed insight into the plight of humanity and their need for deliverance.
You were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit (1:13). Seals were used widely in the ancient world as the primary way of indicating ownership. They were typically made of hard stones or precious metals and had a distinctive image engraved on them (usually the representation of a favorite deity, a hero, or a portrait). All of a person’s significant possessions were marked with the impression of the seal. Even slaves and livestock were marked by the owner.10 In some cases, people declared themselves the possession of a deity by the imprint of a seal.11 The one true God has also marked his possessions by means of a seal, yet his seal does not leave a physical impression. He has given his people the gift of the Holy Spirit as a sign of their belonging to him.
ANCIENT SEALS
Hebrew signet rings from the seventh or eighth century B.C.
A deposit guaranteeing our inheritance (1:14). The Spirit is also represented as a down payment on the full future inheritance believers will receive. The word arrabōn, here translated “a deposit guaranteeing,” is familiar to Paul’s readers from the context of business and trade. In much the same way that we put a down payment on a car or a home, in the ancient world someone could put a down payment on an item to secure a legal claim on it. Although believers have nothing to offer but themselves, God so values his people that he has put down a deposit and will complete the transaction in the future. The Spirit, then, is a guarantee of the full experience of salvation—the inheritance—that believers have yet to receive.
A Prayer for an Increased Awareness of God’s Power (1:15–23)
Following immediately after his sentence of praise, Paul expresses thanksgiving to God for his Asia Minor converts and reports how he and his companions have been interceding for them.
Ever since I heard about your faith (1:15). About five to seven years have passed since Paul was last with the Ephesians. He engaged in further mission work, was arrested in Jerusalem, spent nearly two years in prison in Caesarea, experienced a harrowing voyage and shipwreck on his way to Rome, and is now imprisoned in the capital city. A lot has happened in Asia Minor since he was with them. Nevertheless, he has received word from his coworkers that their faith is growing and their love is abounding. Probably many others have become Christians in this period of time and their faith is flourishing. For this, Paul gives thanks to God.
The Spirit of wisdom and revelation (1:17). The heart of Paul’s request for these dear people is for their knowledge of God to increase. Paul knows that this is not just a matter of intellectual apprehension. The Holy Spirit needs to be operative in their lives to impress the truths about God and his plan of salvation onto their minds and into their hearts.
This is also necessary because “the ruler of the kingdom of the air” is still at work, endeavoring to disrupt what God is doing in the lives of these people. Paul speaks of the work of the Spirit in terms similar to how Isaiah prophesied that the Spirit would work in the Messiah: “The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD” (Isa. 11:2).
The eyes of your heart (1:18). This is a fascinating (and somewhat humorous) metaphor because hearts do not have eyes, yet the intent is clear. It appears that Paul himself has created this image since it does not appear in any literature prior to him. The closest statement comes from the Dead Sea Scrolls: “May he illuminate your heart with the discernment of life.”12 In the Old Testament and Judaism, “heart” was used metaphorically as the place of a person’s intellectual and spiritual life. Paul is here using colorful language to pray for the people to receive a deep-seated awareness of God.
The hope (1:18). This is the first of three specific requests Paul reports praying for the Ephesians. Given their previous background in non-Christian religions largely devoid of future hope as well as their previous deep-seated beliefs about astral fate, this was very important.
His glorious inheritance in the saints (1:18). This is Paul’s second request. He has already mentioned the future inheritance of the Ephesians in 1:14, which consists of their hope, but here he speaks of them as God’s valuable inheritance. The love of God is a significant theme in this letter. How wonderful it must feel to these people, accustomed as they have been to worshiping capricious and self-serving gods and goddesses, now to be in a relationship with a God who dearly loves them and values them as his choice inheritance.
His incomparably great power (1:19). This letter has more to say about power than any of Paul’s other letters. His final request is for the Ephesians to be able to grasp the vastness of the one true God’s mighty power at work in their lives. Why does he pray for this? Because spiritual power is a huge issue for these people. They are accustomed to seeking spiritual power through their magical practices. Based on Luke’s account we know it has been difficult for many of these people to let loose of their magical incantations and formulas. With language that is emphatic, Paul assures them that God’s power is beyond that of any competing spirit power, god, or goddess. Not only do they serve the most powerful God, but he manifests his power in their lives for protection, growth, and service.
Seated him at his right hand (1:20). Jesus not only died for our sins and rose from the dead, but he has been installed at God’s right hand on the heavenly throne. This was an important conviction of the early Christians, evidenced in part by the fact that Psalm 110:1—cited here as fulfilled in Christ—is quoted more than any other Old Testament passage by New Testament writers.
The setting of Psalm 110 was the enthronement of a king. The right hand of God occurs frequently in the Old Testament as a way of describing a position of power (see Ex. 15:6) and favor (Ps. 80:17). The enthronement of Christ establishes his identity as the messianic king and highlights his sovereignty over all of creation. The enemies that this victorious king has subjugated are not the Romans or any other physical army, but the spiritual forces of evil.
Far above all rule and authority, power and dominion (1:21). Paul now elaborates on these spiritual enemies by listing a few of them. These labels are just a few of many possible terms Paul could have used to describe demonic spirits. Although these terms do not occur in the Old Testament, they were well known in the Judaism of the time.13 They had become part of the common vocabulary for spirit powers not only in Judaism, but to some degree also in the Greco-Roman world. The terms may indicate some kind of hierarchy within the demonic realm, but there is no way of determining this. The texts outside of the New Testament that use these terms make no attempt at classifying these angelic powers. Paul uses these words here to convey the fact that these are powerful supernatural forces. They serve to highlight the superiority of Christ because his is “far above” these forces in power and sovereignty.
NAMING POWERFUL NAMES
Someone wrote the names of five deities on this potsherd (ostracon): Sambathis, Artemis, Koura, Dionysus, and Demo.
Every title that can be given (1:21). This phrase (lit., “every name that is named”) is loaded with significance for people who have been converted out of a background of participation in magical practices. Discerning and using the names of spirit powers was central to the use of magic. Note the calling of names in lines from three magical papyri:
• “I conjure you by the great names.”
• “You, these holy names and these powers, confirm and carry out this perfect enchantment.”
• “A phylactery, a bodyguard against demons, against phantasms, against every sickness and suffering, to be written on a leaf of gold or silver or tin or hieratic papyrus. When worn it works mightily, for it is the name of power of the great god and his seal, and it is as follows: . . . [fourteen magical names are given]. . . . These are the names.”14
Paul wants to assure these new believers they that need not concern themselves with discerning the names of spirit entities or with worrying about some being that may rival Christ in power and authority. There is no conceivable spiritual force outside of the dominion of Christ. The name of Jesus alone, not his name in addition to others, is sufficient for them.
Not only in the present age but also in the one to come (1:21). Paul sees history as divided into two ages—this present evil age and the age to come (see Gal. 1:4). This perspective is one of the standard features of Jewish theology and appears in the book of Daniel. The age to come corresponds to the time when God will restore David’s kingdom on the earth.15
Head over everything (1:22). The metaphor of headship clearly indicates the sovereignty of Jesus. As the exalted Lord, he possesses ruling authority over everything. Particularly meaningful for the Ephesian readers is the fact that Jesus reigns as supreme over all the supernatural powers that they so deeply feared.
EPHESUS
The façade to the library of Celsus.
EPHESUS
Marble Street.
The church, which is his body (1:22–23). Jesus also is “head” in relationship to his “body,” which Paul here identifies as the church. Head-body imagery abounded in the ancient world, especially in the medical writers and in some of the philosophers. In these texts, this image stresses a person’s function of giving leadership and providing for his people. This image flows naturally out of the observation of human anatomy, where the head coordinates the movements of the members of the body and provides nourishment as well.
The fullness of him who fills everything in every way (1:23). Under the old covenant, God manifested his presence in the temple. The Shekinah—the essence, glory, power, and presence of God—filled the temple. Biblical writers could therefore exclaim, “Behold, the house of the Lord is full of his glory.”16 Under the new covenant, God now fills believers directly with his presence through the promised Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13–14).
This verse also indicates that believers have a mission. God is setting out to fill all of creation with the good news of redemption available in the Messiah Jesus. “In every way” is perhaps better translated “totally” or “in all parts.” God manifests his presence in believers so they can move out to reach every corner of the world with the gospel of Christ and then to help each of these new believers grow and mature in every way before God.