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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadCambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges - Ephesians 1:14 - 1:14
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14. ὅ ἐστιν ἀρραβὼν τῆς κληρονομίας ἡμῶν, ‘who is the earnest of our inheritance.’ The Spirit is the earnest (cf. 2Co 1:22); not that the full inheritance can contain anything that is not virtually contained in the gift of Him, but our capacity to receive is not yet perfected. ἀρραβὼν is strictly ‘a deposit on account paid to clinch a bargain.’
τῆς κληρονομίας ἡμῶν. The Jew and Gentile are both included. In ἐκληρώθημεν the thought was that God’s people were His portion, here His Spirit is ours.
εἰς ἀπολύτρωσιν τῆς περιποιήσεως, ‘with a view to the final deliverance of all that God has made his own.’ Cf. Eph 4:30 εἰς ἡμέραν ἀπολυτρώσεως. This redemption lies ahead as in Luk 21:28; cf. Rom 8:23. The sealing with the Spirit looked forward to it as the seal of circumcision did. See Additional Note, p. 130. τῆς περιποιήσεως, cf. 1Pe 2:9 with the O.T. passages on which that depends, Isa 43:21, and Mal 3:17; cf. also Act 20:28 = Psa 74:2. It is possible to retain the active sense of ‘acquisition’ if we regard the redemption as the act by which God finally establishes His hold over His people, making them in the fullest sense His own. The relationship, however, is already established (cf. ἐκληρώθημεν), and it is simpler to take περιποίησις as representing סְגֻלָּה, the peculiar treasure already purchased. Westcott suggests that the whole Creation, as included in the circle of Christ’s redemption, constitutes the peculiar treasure here. There is no doubt that in St Paul’s view the whole universe is to share ultimately in the coming restoration. But the term itself suggests thoughts belonging to the period of ‘the election’ and ‘the first-fruit’ rather than to the final harmony.
εἰς ἔπαινον τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ, Eph 1:6; Eph 1:12. The glory hitherto spoken of belongs to the present. It shines out in the grace which God is even now bestowing on His chosen (Eph 1:6) and the fulfilment of the hopes of His ancient people (Eph 1:12), Luk 2:32. The glory here is that to be manifested in the consummated redemption at the Parousia, Rom 8:21.
The whole sentence is now before us. It is not really obscure. Only our imaginations find it difficult to rise into the heavenly regions whither St Paul would raise us that he may show us the vision of the truth as it has been made known to him. His language also, moulded by the experience of God’s people through a thousand years of patient discipline, is strange and unfamiliar. There is, however, no doubt as to his main purpose. He is pouring out his soul in praise to God, as point after point in the blessedness of those who are in Christ stands out clear before him. He is contemplating their position in the light of its relation to God’s universe in the whole course of its development. The starting point lies behind the creation; the goal is its consummation in the fulness of the times. The race of man, nay, all things in heaven and earth are included in the scope of his vision, as he sets forth stage after stage of the whole counsel of God. At the heart of his vision, the hidden but most firmly grasped secret of the whole development is God Himself, working from eternity to eternity, not at random, but according to a fixed and definite plan; not mechanically nor heartlessly like an impersonal Law, but of ‘choice’ and of love; nor again at an infinite distance from the work of His hands, as though His part in His creation was over once for all, and we might think of Him as ‘elsewhere at other work,’ but in present immanent power making all things work from moment to moment in accordance with His plan. And what is the plan? We can judge it only by its goal—‘to sum up all things,’ to bring each element of the universe into its true unity and order in its appointed place in His Christ. In the light of this end we can in some measure understand such of the means by which it is to be attained as have been as yet made known to us. As all are to be, so some have already been, united and restored in their true allegiance to their Head. All the blessings foreshadowed under the old Dispensation have been substantiated in a Society, which has taken the place of the old Israel, and membership in which is now thrown open to all men. Any man may now attain to the freedom and the dignity of a full-grown son of God, and enter in part on his inheritance here and now. Each one as he attains to this position is taught that he has not himself to thank for the blessings by which he is surrounded. Each blessing is rooted deep out of sight in the eternal Will of God. But he is not in consequence absolved from all effort. The knowledge is given to enable him to strive with quickened intelligence and unfaltering devotion to realize the gracious purpose of the Will which has been made known to him ‘that he may appear holy and without blame in God’s sight in love.’ And if he should wish to know the ground of this assurance, that it is indeed God’s Will for him that he should aspire to no lower a position than this, and that power is at hand to enable him to attain to it, the one answer to all his questions is contained in two words, ‘in Christ.’ Christ is at once the beginning and the end of the creation; the original plan was formed in Him, and in Him it must be consummated. He is at once the way by which the Father comes into touch with us to quicken and bless us with His Spirit, and the way by which we on our part draw near to the Father. In Him God fore-ordained, and chose, and blessed, and ‘graced’ us. In Him we find deliverance from our sins. In Him God’s ancient people knew that God had at last come to claim them as His portion, and learnt to recognize in Him the hidden source of their age-long hope. In Him His new people find the inspiration of the faith which had been sealed by the bestowal in Him of the Holy Spirit of promise. What wonder that the issue should be praise? If we ask further who is this Christ that He should be able thus to link God to man and man to God, St Paul does not here turn aside to tell us. Elsewhere, especially in the closely kindred Epistle to the Colossians, the lesson which he had to teach followed directly from a right understanding of the Person of Christ, and that doctrine therefore stands in the forefront. Here the teaching so given is presupposed, and our attention is concentrated on the practical consequences of that doctrine, as it helps to explain the position and the privileges of the Christian Church.
CH. Eph 1:15 to Eph 2:10
Eph 1:15. καὶ τὴν εἰς א*ABP 33 (= 17) boh Orig Cyr½ Hier Aug½. καὶ τὴν ἀγάπην εἰς D*G (cf. Col 1:4). καὶ τὴν ἀγάπην τὴν εἰς אcDc al latt (vt vg) syrr (vg hcl) Chrys Theod-mopslat.
Eph 1:20. ἐνήργησεν אDG &c. ἐνήργηκεν AB.
Eph 2:5. ἐν before τῷ χριστῷ B 33 (= 17) al pauc boh am Chrys Victorin Ambst.
οὖ inserted before χάριτι DG Victorin Ambst al.
Eph 2:8. αὐτοῦ χάριτι σεσωσμένοι ἐσμέν D*d syr vg.