Paul has spoken in general terms in the first chapter but is now going to apply these teachings to the Ephesians. Mercy and grace are not being used interchangeably but rather as part of a package. The best way to distinguish these is to repeat the old adage: Mercy is when we don’t get what we deserve and grace is when we receive what we don’t deserve. As to love, God didn’t wake up one Read more…
Ephesians 2:1 You were made alive when you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the children of disobedience; NHEB We know from the experience of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, to disregard what God wants leads to death. Thus our spiritual status Read more…
Ephesians 1:19 and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to that working of the strength of His might NHEB Although quite common throughout the Roman Empire, magic and other dark powers were especially noteworthy in Ephesus as it was the home of the Temple of Artemis. (There is some confusion out there regarding her role but Artemis is a rather multi-faceted goddess who oversees the crossroads or transition. Read more…
Ephesians 1:17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in your knowledge of Him. 18 I ask that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know the hope of His calling, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and the surpassing greatness of His power to us who believe. These are in accordance with Read more…
Ephesians 1:13 And when you heard the word of truth (the gospel of your salvation)–when you believed in Christ–you were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory. NET 2Corinthians 12:1 Now it is God who establishes both us and you in Christ. He anointed us, 22 placed His seal on us, Read more…
Ephesians 1:11 In Christ we too have been claimed as God’s own possession, since we were predestined according to the one purpose of Him who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of His will 12 so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, would be to the praise of his glory. 13And when you heard the word of truth (the gospel of your salvation) – when you believed in Read more…
There are dozens of things that God has done for us through Christ. Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8 that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9 And He has made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ 10 as a plan for the Read more…
Ephesians 1:6 to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the Beloved One. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8 that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. BSB These verses are bracketed by grace with redemption and forgiveness in the middle. This grace is not limited as it is both freely Read more…
Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ; NHEB The blessings are spiritual because they come from the spiritual dimension. The Greek word translated here as “heavenly places” will appear four more times in Ephesians. The Adam Clarke Commentary explains it this way: “Some think the word should be understood as signifying blessings of the most Read more…
On their second journey Paul and company wanted to go to Asia, in particular the provincial capital of Ephesus, since it was such a strategic and important city in the Roman Empire (only surpassed by Rome and Alexandria). They tried to come in from the south and were forbidden to do so by the Holy Spirit. They also tried to come in from the north and were again denied. Paul meets Priscilla and Aquila (who Read more…