Ephesians chapter 1

Luke
Philippians
2 Corinthians
John
1 Corinthians
Galatians
James
2 Timothy
1 Timothy
Philemon
Titus
3John
2John
1John
Jude
2 Thessalonians
1 Thessalonians
2 Peter
1 Peter

And so on to Ephesians...

vs 1

Ahhh, that old familiar intro that we know means we're listening to Paul.

vs 2

Once you've read all of Paul's letters a few times, you understand why old Christian's letters start the same way. It's a simple formula.

vs 3

This seems like such an odd start to the book. Perhaps moreso for those of us who are modern people, and spiritual stuff is a little beyond us. What are these spiritual blessings that we have in the heavenly realms? Perhaps if we read on, we'll be able to unlock this a little better.

vs 4

So our election, or predestination, seems tobe a spiritual blessing. Ok, we're drawing the bow pretty wide. I mean in that way, we're using spiritual to mean theological. Or is Paul saying that we have been chosen, and so will receive spiritual blessings?

vs 5

This sentence either starts "In love" (NIV, TNIV, possibly the NASB although it's missing a full stop and it's so difficult to tell because of all the capital letters) or there is meant to be colon after 'in love' (KJV) and so it becomes a cap to the previous idea. You choose.

Again he talks about our election, but this time it is as sons adopted through Christ. So is that the spiritual blessing he talks about? Our status as adopted children of God? Possibly. Note that this didn't happen by accident - it is part of God's will. And also his pleasure, although I have a feeling that is an old use of the word pleasure, meaning more intention and less enjoyment.

vs 6

Not just grace, but glorious grace! Paul's pretty happy about that grace. And this grace is also freely given to us, again through Christ. Perhaps grace is another spiritual blessing?

vs 7

And that grace leads to redemption, to forgiveness of sins. Now we might think that is certainly a spiritual thing, but whyso? After all, sin is so meaty and fleshy and earthy. And yet it does have an important spiritual component, involving our relationship with God.

vs 8

It's not a mindless lavishing, which is probably more akin to how we lavish things. Instead, it pleases God's full wisdom and understanding of everything that we be lavished with this grace. Giving us grace is a really smart thing for God to do, apparently.

vs 9

Now here's an interesting difference between the TNIV and the NIV - the T wants to put the wisdom and understanding as the first clause of this new idea - so it becomes God's wise and understanding way to reveal to us his will. That is also how the NASB reads it. God's will in this case is purposed in Christ, so it's a specific (albeit fairly huge) part of God's will - the salvation of all people who believe.

vs 10

This is also part of God's will - to bring into unity all things in heaven and on earth. This is a really interesting way of wording this idea - which we can assume is an end-times statement about everything bowing the knee to God, even if unwillingly. Paul saw it as a unity - we tend to see it as a dividing, sheep and goats style.

vs 11

I almost left this verse till tomorrow, because the also is confusing - it sounds like it refers to the choosing, as if we are chosen as well as predestined (as well as elected too earlier on!), where I think those are really all the same thing, and and the also actually refers to the reasoning behind our election, which begins in the next clause in vs 12. So the intervening clause, about us being predestined according to the plans of God in conformity to his will, is really just stuck in between, in a very interrupting sort of way. It's also kinda repetitive. Do you get that feeling from these first few verses? Remember, repetition is the key to remembering, especially in this culture.