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Verse Commentaries:
Chapter Level Commentary: A B D E F G K à , min. have the shorter and older superscription: πρὸς Ἐφεσίους . I, min.: τοῦ ἁγίου ἀποστόλου Παύλου ἐπιστολὴ πρὸς Ἐφεσ .
Eph_1:3. ἐν before Χριστῷ is wanting only in some min.,—an omission, which, although followed in the editions of Erasmus, Steph. 3, and Beza, and approved of by Mill, is not at all deserving of notice as a various reading.
Eph_1:6. ἐν ᾗ ] A B à * min. Chrys. (alic.) have ἧς . Recommended by Griesb., adopted by Lachm. and Rück., and rightly so. The attraction was resolved partly by the simple ᾗ (so Theophyl. Ambrosiast.), partly, in keeping with the prevalence of ἐν in the context, by ἐν ᾗ , which latter is defended by Reiche on insufficient grounds.
Eph_1:10. τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ] The τέ read in Elz. after τά is, on decisive evidence, deleted by the later editors (except Harless). But in place of ἐν , B D E L à * min. Theodoret, Dam. Oecum. Tert. have ἐπί , which Lachm. and Rück. have rightly received. The usual form of conception, ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς (comp. Eph_3:15), superseded the apparently unsuitable ἐπί . At Col_1:20, many min. Chrys. and Theodoret have likewise ἐπὶ τοῖς οὐρανοῖς , where ἐπί , indeed, is too weakly attested, but has most probably come from our passage.
Eph_1:11. ἐκληρώθημεν ] A D E F G, It. have ἐκλήθημεν . Recommended by Griesb., adopted by Lachm. and Rück. But Matth. Harless, Tisch. Reiche have rightly defended the still more considerably attested Recepta as the more difficult reading, glossed by ἐκλήθημεν . The gloss is to be derived from Rom_8:13 : οὓς δὲ προώρισε , τούτους καὶ ἐκάλεσε .
Eph_1:12. τῆς before δόξης is, following Griesb., deleted by the more recent editors (except Harless) on preponderating evidence. An addition easily suggested; comp. Eph_1:14.
Eph_1:14 ὅς ] A B F G L, min. Athn. Cyr. Euthal. Chrys. (in the text) have ὅ . So Lachm. and Rück. But ὅ was, on account of the preceding πνεῦμα , the more easily introduced and retained, since by that means the old opinion, that ὅς applies to Christ, was met.
Eph_1:15. τὴν ἀγάπην τήν ] Lachm. has only τήν , following A B à * 17, Cyr. (alic.) Jer. Aug. (alic.). A copyist’s error, and how easily caused by the repetition of the τήν ! If the addition had been made from Col_1:4, ἣν ἕχετε would have ἣν ἔχετε been inserted instead of the second τήν .
Eph_1:16. The second ὑμῶν is wanting in A B D à , min. Cant. Goth. Hil.; F and G have it after ποιούμενος . Deleted by Lachm. and Rück. A defining addition, which was first written in the margin, and then inserted, sometimes before, sometimes after ποιούμενος .
Eph_1:18. καρδίας ] Elz. has διανοίας , against decisive testimony. An interpretation.
καί ] is wanting in A B D* F G à * 59, It. Goth. Ambrosiast. Victorin., and is deleted by Lachm. and Rück., but came to be more readily left out than added, because the concluding καί only comes in afterwards.
Eph_1:20. ἐνήργησεν ] Lachm. reads ἐνήργηκεν , after A B, Cyr. Procop.; and rightly so. The aorist, in itself more in current use, was suggested by the aorists following. And the attestation is strong enough, since the vss. and Latin Fathers cannot be taken into account.
ἐκάθισεν ] Lachm. and Rück. read καθίσας , following A B à , min. Slav. Vulg. Cyr. utr. Euseb. Procop. Tert. Jer. Ambr. Pel. An attempt to help out the construction.
οὐρανοῖς , instead of ἐπουρανίοις , though adopted by Lachm., is too feebly attested by B, Victorin. Hilar.
Eph_1:23. τά ] is wanting in Elz., but has been, upon decisive evidence, restored by Bengel, Griesb. and the later editors; comp. Eph_1:22.
CONTENTS.
After the usual address and apostolic salutation (Eph_1:1-2), St. Paul begins with an ascription of praise to God for the salvation in Christ (Eph_1:3), which he sets forth (a) as already lovingly predestined by God in eternity to the praise of His grace (Eph_1:4-5); (b) as brought about by the death of Christ (Eph_1:6-7); then (c) as made known according to the purpose of the divine kindness, to unite all in Christ (Eph_1:8-10); and lastly, (d) as really appropriated according to the predestination of God (Eph_1:11); this latter in respect as well to those who had been Jews (Eph_1:12) as to those who had been Gentiles (Eph_1:13-14), both of whom were destined to the praise of the divine glory.
Wherefore, since the Gentiles also had attained to such happiness, he too, after having heard of their faith and love, ceases not to give thanks for his readers, when making mention of them in his prayers, in order that God might enlighten them by His Spirit concerning the hope to which their calling exalted them, concerning the glory of the future salvation, and concerning the greatness of the divine power in the believers (Eph_1:15-19), which power they were to recognise by what God had wrought in the case of Christ, whom He had raised from the dead and exalted above all, and had given Him as Lord over all to be Head to the church, which is His body—that which is filled by Him, who filleth all with all (Eph_1:20-23).