Ephesians 1



Ephesians 1

Here we read how the same grace which has wrought redemption and forgiveness for His people, has also caused us to abound “in all wisdom and knowledge.
Ephesians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
  • An apostle "by the will of God".
  • He was chosen by God to be an apostle of Christ to his Christian brothers.
2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
  • Or, because you believe in Christ and accept Jesus Christ, God blesses you in all these things.
4 According as He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
  • He talking about the first earth age.
  • Long ago before the foundations of this world ever were, God chose us to be His servants without blame.
  • Now understand the predestination indicated here.
  • He chose the very elect in the spiritual world before the foundations of this world were lain.
  • Many deep scholars find it very difficult to understand that He chose this group of people, but the very  elect are wise enough to understand that this is written to two levels.
  • We take that of it that pertains to us, and let them that of it which they can accept.
  • It will fall in place as we go along.
  • The phrase "foundation of the world" in the Greek language is "katabole". "Katabole" means overthrow. Satan rebelled against God in the first earth age, and he was overthrown.
  • The chosen, God's very election, stood with God. They weren't deceived then, and they won't be deceived in the future.
  • They know that antichrist is Satan.
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
  • He chose you not by the good deeds or the great things you did, but according to His will.
  • Before we go further however, let's clarify one thing.
  • God chose you because you earned the right in that spiritual war in which Satan rebelled against God and a third of God's children followed him.
  • At that time, the very elect stood firm and loyalty remained with God.
  • They stood with Michael and earned the right to be the elect, to be the chosen on this earth.
  • You will not understand this epistle unless you totally see that.
  • Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
    • 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
    Justified, or He judged that they were worthy because of their loyalty and the stand that they had taken.
    31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
  • We see beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is foreordained or predestined.
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
  • The Beloved is Christ, making us the first fruits with Him.
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
  • You have heard this many times, but don't skip over it.
  • And should you ask now why the very elect, if they be saints, need redemption. It is because on this earth, they are in the flesh and therefore subject to the sins of the flesh.
  • Hebrews 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
  • The tabernacle here is His body, the actual temple.
  • 12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
  • 13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
  • 14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
  • Just prior to  verses 9-15, it is talking about the altar.
  • Hebrews 9:5 And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercy seat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.
  • Now Paul is saying here, I cannot go into deeper detail at this time.
  • The mercy seat (being mercy or salvation) meaning the seat of Christ, and what or who was that protecting cherub that covers the mercy seat?
  • Ezekiel 28 tells us the protecting cherub that covereth  the mercy seat, was Lucifer.
  • It is part of that mystery, hidden from the foundations of the world, that you fought against him and earned the right to understand these things.
8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
  • He has given us great wisdom.
  • Prudence in the Greek means mental activity.
  • Probably a better word in the English would be insight.
  • He has given us wisdom and insight to know who that cherub is, to know God's perfect plan and our place and duties in it.
9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
  • This word will is God's plan and God's pleasure
  • Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
  • The devil... the same cherubim we spoke of in verse 7.
10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
  • This is the entire purpose.. to gather all back to Christ and God. Because all souls that accept Him shall have an everlasting peace under His kingdom.
  • All souls that do not accept Him will be destroyed, after the millennium.
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
  • Again the word "predestinated". We are chosen for His purpose.
  • All things happen exactly as He decided a long time ago.
  • Make no mistake; it is saying He sent Jesus Christ to gather His servants, who were chosen along time ago before the foundations of this world, and together they will bring all beings that will believe on Him into His kingdom.
  • It shall happen.
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
  • The elect were the first that trusted in Christ and they shall always hold that place, but the next verse show the magnitude of God love.
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
  • Paul is speaking to the Gentiles and the deceived Israel.
  • He says, you also believed and so you came into your own inheritance of the kingdom of God.
  • If you break the word promise back to the Greek, it is "inheritance".
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
  • This is put awkwardly in the English.
  • What is means is that, Christ came to us thereby, fulfilling is what God has promised.
15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
  • Note that Paul is talking here to the Gentiles about the elect of Israel.
  • There is a great difference between these two.
16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
  • We see now that Paul's primary purpose was to spread the gospel to the Gentiles as well as the lost sheep of the house of Israel, that were mixed in with them.
  • It is a two-fold message.
  • That's why people (even deep scholars) say these are the three hardest chapters of Paul's writing to understand.
  • They do not realize it is written to two totally diverse peoples.
18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
  • Now again, the saints or the very elect.
  • They were teachers.
  • They were the holy ones.
  • What does Paul mean by the "eyes of your understanding being enlightened"?
  • He is saying, I hope your hearts will be flooded with light and that God will relate this wisdom to you.
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
  • Do not overlook the magnitude of that miracle, Christ's resurrection!
  • Our Father took Christ back Himself.
21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
  • Above everything and everyone.
  • Do you see the power involved in this?
22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
  • The church is His body, or all the people on this earth and in heaven.
 
• Exactly 2520 years from the exile of Benjamin, Iceland became an independent nation.
 
•  The first tribe to be conquered by the Assyrians was Manasseh, in 745 B.C. Exactly 2520 years later America became a nation on July 4, 1776.
 
• Study the book: Abrahamic Covenant, (A study outline of the identity of God's people) By E. Raymond Capt - page 25
 
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