Time for another deep read, this time Ephesians 1:3-6. (if you are curious about my methodology, please check the bottom of this post.)
Ephesians was written by Paul, around 62AD (though this has been challenged in recent years. It still seems likely that Paul did, in fact, author this.) The Halley’s Bible Handbook (ref 1) notes that his was a circular letter to the Asian Churches, with blank spaces, so each city could insert its name. This is the reason for the lack of personal greeting. (It is, however, worth noting that the author does not give citation for this.)
I enjoy the poetic outlook that writer John Cassidy has on the letter, where he states its general point as being:
Salvation brought about through the death and resurrection of Jesus will bring about unity and harmony on a cosmic scale
(ref 2)
With this framing in place, it is the following specific verses of Ephesians which I am looking at today:
3 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 for adoption to sonship 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.
(NIV)
Thoughts.
After reading these verses repeatedly every day for the last week, I have come to the conclusion that they are direct and uncharacteristically simple for Paul. Not that I don’t think they are wonderful and have profound meaning, but the meaning isn’t encrypted or behind a layer of theology. They are a simple (by Pauline standards) statement about who we are and what God has planned for us. I don’t see a hidden layer behind them, as I do with so many of Paul’s writings.
In verse three, we have acknowledgement of the trinity, which I always enjoy. It also says that these blessings are ‘in Christ’ which to me says that God is praised, and accessible to us through Jesus. Without being followers of Jesus, we are not invited to praise. This is, at least, the way I interpret these words. We are also thanking him for the spiritual blessings we have received. I am not sure if I have any spiritual blessings, but I do feel blessed by Jesus, so maybe that’s the same thing.
I have never considered that God planned me before the creation of the world. This is comforting to me. It goes on to say that we will be blameless in his sight, in love. I was planned and chosen and loved, and blameless to him, even at this planning stage. Wow. There’s a thing to think about, isn’t it.
Now we see that he planned for us, and planned to make us his children, through Jesus. Again, we have this implication that accepting Jesus is the way we get the things which were planned for us.
Verses three, four, and, five speak to me about what is desired and planned for me. Reminding me that it is through Jesus which this comes, but, in verse six, we again come full literary circle and Paul praises. He is thanking God for that which he is giving us, freely. There is a condition though, isn’t there, the condition that we accept Jesus as our saviour. But, then again, I suppose it is freely given, isn’t it. Why would someone not accept Jesus once they know what he did for us, and what rewards he secured for us in doing so?
If Halley’s Bible Handbook is correct in the assertion that it was not actually written to a specific church, but to a general collection of churches, then there is something to notice. Paul doesn’t directly tailor it with deeper and relevant meanings, as his audience is wider than it usually is.
Wider reading
As I said in my previous scripture study post — I try to read the passage without wider influence, and, have the above opinions before moving on. In this case, though, I was literally reading Halley’s when the suggestion to study this passage came up; I couldn’t resist a peek at the section. All of the above notes were made before moving on to wider sources and commentary. The below were written after my study.
Chuck Smith’s C-2000 Commentry. (ref 3)
Below is a summary of things I learned through reading this. You should read it too… Or listen to it if you like, it’s a transcript after all.
- Paul is thanking God for spiritual blessings, not physical ones. This is in direction opposition to the prosperity movement, thankfully.
- If you continue reading, Paul spends three chapters telling you what God has done for you.
- Chuck touches on the Doctrine of Election here. When he speaks about being chosen by God and Chuck, like many people, feels it’s unfair to be simply selected. He thinks he had a choice though, and that is something he is grateful for. I am not sure if I think he’s right about that, but, it’s a complicated point. Glad he touched on it.
- He mulls over the idea of being selected before the beginning of time. He mentions that he likes the idea that God selected him before he had ‘cleaned up his act,’ which, I too, find comforting. I was selected, back when I was drinking too much, worshiping false gods and generally not being a nice person. Nice to know that God still wanted me, even then.
- When talking about being adopted through/in Jesus. Chuck says something so wise, so wonderful, that I have to just quote it directly here. —“One of these days my name is going to be called, and I am going to stand out, and God is going to look at me, and Jesus is going to step up and say, “Father, one of mine.” In Christ, holy, without blame. “He is innocent Father. He is without blame. He is faultless.” He is going to present me faultless. How? Because He is going to present me in Him. It is in Christ that I have this standing before God of faultless, without blame, holy. That isn’t me, that isn’t my works, that isn’t my efforts; that is the way God is going to receive me in Christ Jesus.” I’m not going to gloss over this, I had a very manly tear in my eye when I read that (and the next three times I read it too.)
Actually… I wanted to take a moment here — Chuck Smith is Awe inspiriting. If you get a chance, read his biography, it really moved me. His commentary is, I feel, one of the most insightful out there. Also, there’s a movie about him. It’s called Jesus Revolution. Chuck he is played by Kelsey Grammer.
Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (ref 4)
Mr Henry is very wordy, and as such, my bullet points will be insufficient to truly capture his points.
- Writing in something like 1706, Mr Henry was not too focussed on capitalistic perils. But he does say, rightly so, that spiritual blessings are the best blessings. Which I enjoyed.
- One of the Spiritual blessings which he postulates we have received is salvation though Christ. Which is something I didn’t consider earlier.
- He muses that adopted children have all the rights of born children and then goes on to say that in his opinion more meaning and weight is extracted because this was all decided before creation. He speaks of it as being part of eternal council, which is something I need to unpack in a proper study one day.
There you go. That’s everything I could glean from this passage. As usual, I would like to remind you that there are an infinite number of commentaries at this point and there are many ways to interpreting the words of the Bible. This is a chronicle of what I read. I am sure, when I revisit this in a year or so, there will be far more to add, as I grow and learn. But for now, I do not have anything additional to say.
Thank you for reading.
References used
I have used in reference the following sources, as well as the NIV and NKJV bible printings (via eSword.)
- The Halley’s Bible Handbook - page 614. 24th edition, printed in 1965, ISBN 0-310–25720-4
- A brief introduction to Ephesians by Ron Cassidy, 2008. Archived on the wayback machine in 2015. Originally published by Virginia Theological Seminary.
- Chuck Smith’s C2000 bible commentary series. Available in original Audio, for free.
- Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible - Available to read online, but I believe its in the Public Domain.