Chapter I.
(Vers. 1.)
(Verse 1) Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus and faithful in Christ Jesus. He writes in his usual way, testifying that he is an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God. He writes not only to the faithful, but also to the saints, for they truly become faithful if they are holy in Christ Jesus. A good life is then beneficial and regarded as holy, as long as it is held under the name of Christ; otherwise, it will be defiled, since it promotes dishonor to the creator.
(Vers. 2.)
(Verse 2.) Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. He says that the grace of God is with the saints and the faithful, whom he calls our Father, because all things are from him and created and restored by him: our Lord Jesus Christ, who redeemed us by offering himself for us.
(Vers. 3.)
(Verse 3) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. This blessing is not worldly, but heavenly; not corruptible, but eternal. For the glory of Christians is not on earth, but in heaven, and it is in Christ. For every gift of God's grace is in Christ; so if anyone, rejecting Christ, seeks to be blessed by God, let him know that he is mistaken. However, God blesses differently than men. Certainly, the name of blessing is one, but it must be understood according to the merit of the person; for both God is said to do, and humans do: but God does so by His mere will impassibly; whereas humans do so by hand, effort, labor, and sweat. Therefore, God is blessed when He is praised with worthy praises; but humans bless God in such a way that He bestows the gift of His grace upon them, not according to their merits, but according to His mercy. And therefore he said: He who blessed us with a spiritual blessing; to show that a perfect blessing is given to those believing in Christ from heaven, that they may be filled with heavenly glory, lifted up above the powers of heaven. For where I am, he says, there also will my minister be (John 12:26).
(Vers. 4.)
(Verse 4) Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him in love. For God, who knows all things, knew those who would believe in Christ, as He says to the Romans: Those whom He foreknew, He also called (Romans 8:29): not only from the Jews, but also from the Gentiles. Therefore, those whom God is said to call, persevere in faith: they are the ones whom He chose before the world in Christ, that they may be blameless before God in love, that is, so that the love of God may make their conduct holy. No one obeys anyone better than the person who obeys out of charity.
(Vers. 5.)
(Verse 5) Predestining us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to himself. This is what God has determined, that believers in Christ would be adopted as sons by God, with Christ, the true Son of God, as their head.
(Vers. 6.)
(Verse 6) According to the pleasure of his will, for the praise of his glory. This pleasure God is said to have had: that by the grace given to men, he might promote the praise of his glory, so that our salvation may be the glory of God. With this he has graced us in his beloved Son. God has given us grace, for this reason we have believed in his Son Jesus Christ; for God, who loves his only-begotten Son, bestows divine gifts on his lovers.
(Vers. 7.)
(Verse 7) In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins. He demands a twofold grace; because he both redeemed us by his blood, and did not impute sins to us, that is, he redeemed and set us free.
(Vers. 8.)
(Verse 8) According to the riches of his grace, which he has lavished upon us, in all wisdom and prudence. It adds to grace because after the aforementioned benefits, the gift of wisdom and prudence in spiritual matters is added.
(Vers. 9, 10.)
(Ver. 9, 10.) To make known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Himself, for the administration of the fullness of times, to restore all things in Christ, which are in heaven and on earth. It pleased God, whose counsel cannot be revoked, to show forth in Christ the mystery of His will, in the time when He willed to reveal it to the acknowledgment of all creatures. And His will was this, that at that time all those who were in error, whether in heaven or on earth, might be reconciled to Him by Christ, when He made known that this is the gift of belief in Christ, so that their sins might not be imputed to them who receive the faith of Christ. Therefore, every creature in heaven and on earth, while learning of the knowledge of Christ, is restored to what it was created for. For when it is imbued with faith in the one God, having known the mystery of the Savior, it is restored from the error it had fallen into, knowing for certain that its Creator is the one God and Lord. Hence, it is from this that John says in the Apocalypse: 'I saw Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon and his army in heaven' (Rev. 12:7). This contradiction is partly due to error, partly due to the presumption of usurped tyranny.
(Vers. 11, 12.)
(Verse 11, 12.) In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. This is what he says, that the dispensation of the gospel was decreed by God; those from the Jews who believed in Christ. Therefore, none of the Gentiles were chosen for the apostleship; it was fitting that those who first hoped for the salvation promised to them in Christ should be chosen as preachers.
(Vers. 13, 14.)
(Vers. 13, 14.) In which also you, when you heard the word of truth of the Gospel of your salvation, believing, were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise; who is the pledge of our inheritance, for the redemption of the acquired possession, to the praise of his glory. The glory of God is when many are acquired to the faith, as the glory of a physician is if he heals many. Therefore, it pertains to the glory of God because he has called the Gentiles so that they may obtain the remedy of salvation through the promised faith of the Jews, having the sign of future redemption and inheritance, namely the Holy Spirit given after baptism. For indeed, the redeemed heirs have been designated, if they endure in regeneration; so that the first faith may obtain forgiveness, but the holy conversation, enduring with faith, may merit the crown.
(Vers. 15, 16.)
(Verse 15, 16.) Therefore, I also, having heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers. For according to the decree of God, He determined to make the Gentiles partakers of the promise made to the Jews, upon hearing the word of God at Ephesus, they received the faith in Christ, loving all the saints as the Lord commanded. For this reason, God gives thanks for their conversion and love, as He has deemed it worthy to unite the Gentiles with the Jews.
(Vers. 17, 18, 19.)
(Verse 17, 18, 19.) That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. It is clear that for this reason he says he prays for them, that they may know the hope of his faith in heavenly reward; for when they fully know what is the fruit of believers, they will be more inclined to cultivate religion. For now he seems to be making progress in this way, because if they are so devoted before they know the glory of the promise, they will necessarily become more inclined when they know it. However, he calls the Father the God of clarity, and the God of Christ, since the true Father of Christ is God, and God of creation. But the Lord himself says the same: I go to my Father and your Father, my God and your God (John 20:17). Therefore, he is the Father of all clarity, because all clarity, power, and dignity come from him. He is both the Father of Christ, but differently; because here (in Christ) He (God) is the true Son, and the God of all, but not so is He the God of Christ. For thus God is the God of Christ; because God is from God (the Father): but the God of the others is the cause of terror, as He (God) Himself says in the prophet Malachi: 'If I am God, where is my fear?' (Malachi 1:6).
(Vers. 20, 21.)
(Verse 20, 21.) And what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the operation of His mighty strength, which He worked in Christ, raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. He declares that the example of the salvation of the believers and the glory in the resurrection of the Savior is based on this, so that the faithful may know what is promised to them. For in a similar way, they will be exalted above the heavens in the future with Christ; as he himself says: Father, I want those who are with me to be where I am, and to see my glory (John 17:24). This is because of the incarnation of the Son of God, so that being made man, he may also be said to be above all the heavens, and sitting at the right hand of God above all creation, having the name of God by nature, not by adoption; so that those who crucified him may know that he is the Son of God. For indeed the honor that the Father gave to Him through generation, He was revealed when He was born as a suffering man, and having conquered death He rose again, ascending to where He had descended, above all the heavens. Therefore it is said, 'Truth sprung up from the earth' (Psalm 84:12). For because the Father has given all judgment to the Son (John 5:22), He is said to sit at the right hand of God, as a judge. Finally, He Himself says to the disciples: 'Up until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask, and I will do' (John 16:24). Where it says to the Jews: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the power of God and coming on the clouds of heaven (Matthew 26:64). For from the moment it became known, he began to be approached and requested, as if a judge.
(Vers. 22, 23.)
(Verse 22, 23.) And he subjected all things under his feet, and gave him as head over all the Church, which is his body and the fullness of him, who fills all in all. He says that the Father has subjected all creation to the Son, because through him all things were made (John 1:3), so that he may be the head and Lord of all. He subjected all things to him when he begot him before all things, so that through him he would make things that did not exist. By saying the whole Church, he comprehends everything that is in heaven and on earth, so that all its members may be made into a new man by confessing that he is the one through whom they were made by God. For they are joined together as members to the head, from which they draw their origin, so that all things in all may be filled. When they have returned to the confession of one God, bending their knee to Christ, it is fulfilled in all that all things may be in Him; for they are from Him and through Him they exist; departing from God, they seem to empty themselves. Hence, in another place, it is said: That all may grow unto the increase of God (Colossians 2:19).