Eph 1:1-4

• Background:
  
  • Prison epistle (w. Colossians, Philemon, and Philippians)
    
  • First imprisonment in Rom (62 AD). Acts 28-16-31
    
  • Second imprisonment (2 Timothy)
    
  • Strong emphasis on "mystery" and the church, and love
    

  Outline (reference, Constable, 2010 -- here and throughout the notes)
  

• Salutation 1:1-2
  
• The Christian's calling 1:3—3:21
  
  • Individual calling 1:3—2:10
    
    • The purpose: glory 1:3-14
      
    • The means: knowledge 1:15-23
      
    • The motive: grace 2:1-10
      
  • Corporate calling 2:11-3:19
    
    • Present unity 2:11-22
      
    • Past ignorance 3:1-13
      
    • Future comprehension 3:14-19
      
  • Doxology 3:20-21
    
• The Christian's conduct 4:1—6:20
  
  • Spiritual walk 4:1—6:9
    
    • Walking in unity 4:1-16
      
    • Walking in holiness 4:17-32
      
    • Walking in love 5:1-6
      
    • Walking in light 5:7-14
      
    • Walking in wisdom 5:15—6:9
      
  • Spiritual warfare 6:10-20
    
• Conclusion 6:21-24
  

  Eph 1:1-2 (NIV) Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
  

  To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:
  

  2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
  

• The term "apostle" has a general meaning and a specific meaning.
  
  • It means "sent one"
    
  • It also refers to the 12 or Paul, those who had seen the risen Christ
    
• Paul calls the recipient "saints" (Gr, hagiois, meaning holy ones)
  
  • While the letter here is addressed to Ephesus, there is some argument that the letter was meant to be circulated among the churches
    
  • Very little personal information
    
• Grace and peace were common in Paul's greetings
  
  • Grace, Gr charis, meaning God's unmerited favor
    
  • Peace, Gr eiren,is our condition resulting from God's grace
    

  Eph 1:3-10 (NIV) Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9 And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment — to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
  

• Verses 3-14 are one sentence in the Greek text.
  

God and Father	Blessed us in heavenly realms	Every spiritual blessing in Christ
	Chose us before the creation of the world	To be holy and blameless in his sight
	Predestined us	To be adopted as his sons
In Him (the son)	Redemption (through his blood)
	Forgiveness of sins
	Lavished on us (the riches of God's grace)	With all wisdom and understanding
	Made known to us	The mystery of his will

• What does it mean he chose us?
  
  • "It [election] involves a paradox that the New Testament does not seek to resolve, and that our finite minds cannot fathom. Paul emphasizes both the sovereign purpose of God and man's free will." (Francis Foulkes)
    
  • Here is a vast host of people hurrying down the broad road with their minds fixed upon their sins, and one stands calling attention to yonder door, the entrance into the narrow way that leads to life eternal. On it is plainly depicted the text, 'Whosoever will, let him come.' Every man is invited, no one need hesitate. Some may say, 'Well, I may not be of the elect, and so it would be useless for me to endeavor to come, for the door will not open for me.' But God's invitation is absolutely sincere; it is addressed to every man, 'Whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely' (Rev. 22:17). If men refuse to come, if they pursue their own godless way down to the pit, whom can they blame but themselves for their eternal judgment? The messenger addressed himself to all, the call came to all, the door could be entered by all, but many refused to come and perished in their sins. Such men can never blame God for their eternal destruction. The door was open, the invitation was given, they refused, and He says to them sorrowfully, 'Ye will not come unto Me, that ye might have life.' (H A Ironside)
    
• What does it mean to be predestined?
  
  • Predestination is the mean by which God chose to save us. Election emphasizes the people, and predestination the means
    
  • God predetermined the final destiny of the elect, namely, that we would be His full-fledged sons (cf. Rom. 8:15, 23; Gal. 4:4-7). Jesus Christ was the agent who made that adoption possible by His death. Sons adopted in Roman culture received the same rights and privileges as children born into the family. Likewise our adoption does not imply an inferior status in relation to God. God predestined us to adoption because He delighted to bless us in this way. (Constable)
    
• What is redemption? (Chart from Constable, Notes on Ephesians, 2010)
  

  
  

  • New testament uses 6 different words for redemption. We were bought back (interesting concept) by a ransom price. The price was blood, representative of life, from a perfect sacrifice
    
    • Immediate result is forgiveness
      
    • Adoption gives us immediate access to our inheritance
      
• What is the mystery of his will?
  
  • First, what is a mystery? The NT uses the term "mystery" to refer to a truth previously hidden but now made known by divine revelation
    
  • The mystery is that God's purpose is to bring everything into submission to the son
    
  • When does this happen?
    
    • The word for administration is oikonomia, and is not translated in the NIV, means dispensation, arrangement, or administration
      
      • Eph 1:9-10 (NASB) He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him 10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth.
        
    • Word for times is kairos, meaning particular times, rather than the passage of time
      

  Eph 1:11-14 (NIV) In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession — to the praise of his glory.
  

• In this section, there is a "we" and a "you." Any thought as to what Paul was referring?
  
  • "We" could be Jewish believers
    
  • "You" could be Gentile believers
    
  • The "also" shows continuity while also marking the discontinuity
    
• So, given that understanding, what would predestined being referring to?
  
  • God chose the Jews to believe first because they were always part of his plan to take the message to the world
    
  • Acts 3:25-26 (NIV) And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, 'Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.' 26 When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways."
    
  • Rom 1:16 (NIV) I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
    
• This is a strong statement (vs 11) about the sovereignty of God. What does sovereignty mean to you?
  
  • He allows
    
  • He intervenes when appropriate to his will
    
  • He lets people experience the consequence of their sin AND
    
  • He lets people experience the general effect of sin (so that they repent or seek God)
    
• What is the result of believing?
  
  • Being sealed by the Holy Spirit
    
• When does the sealing occur?
  
  • At the same moment of belief, and not a separate event
    
  • Whereas "filling" is a repeatable event (not a single event)
    
    • Eph 5:18 (NIV) Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
      
  • Are only Gentile believers "sealed?" No, it says "you also"
    
• Deposit, Gr word arrabon, was a regular feature of the Greek business world. The arrabon was a part of the purchase price of anything paid inadvance as a guarantee that the rest of the price should in due time be paid."(Barclay)
  
• The nine spiritual blessings Paul identified in verses 3-14 are election, predestination, adoption, grace, redemption, forgiveness, knowledge, sealing, and inheritance. Stott summarized them as three: past election, present adoption, and future unification.