Chapter 1
V1 cf Acts 9:15- Paulus is Latin for little or small. The second century apocryphal writing ‘The acts of Paul and Thecla’ describe Paul as a small, bald-headed, crooked-legged man whose eyebrows met and whose nose was hooked. I personally believe that he went by this name to describe his stature in the spiritual world, whereby having been a persecutor of the early believers, prior to his Damascus conversion, he counted himself least amongst the apostles and undeserving of Elohim’s grace cf 1 Cor 15:9. Besides, if he was bald headed as the apocryphal writing claims, why would he have shaved his head in Acts 18:18. Let us use scripture alone in our commentaries and not be misled by some of this extra-biblical literature.
Apostolos/delegate sent forth with orders. Orders are from Yeshua, not our own concocted orders. We must not corrupt the gospel freely given to us slaves of Yeshua to share with lost souls. It is not our gospel, but that of our Master Yeshua, as much as He chose Israel and made a covenant for them to be His priestly nation delegated with the duty of preaching truth of the true Elohim to the heathen/Gentile nations cf Ex 19:6, 1 Pet 2:9, Rev 1:6
Will/thelema-also translated purpose. Paul’s ministry and apostleship were not of his own will, but of our Heavenly Father Himself, Yehovah Almighty. For those who may have found it difficult to accept, or were still wrestling with the idea of Yeshua being the Messiah e.g. pharisaic Jews, Paul verified his apostleship by stating to such that it was the will of the Father Yehovah Elohim, in order to authenticate his status, without debate, hence possibly aiding in captivating the attention of a wider audience, to his writings i.e. both the faithful/pistos believers in Messiah and curious Yehovah Elohim-accepting Jews still sitting on the fence regarding Yeshua’s Messiahship cf Acts 19:1-10.
Saints/hagios-the consecrated. Paul expressly used this terminology to depict the body of Messiah composed of both Jew and Gentile. Paul in most instances used the term brethren/adelphos when strictly referring to his Jewish kinsmen. Brethren in the NT always refers to brothers of the same parents or of the same national ancestor i.e. Israel/Jacob. Note that Paul says to the saints, and to the faithful. Not all saints were faithful. Paul by the Holy Spirit was very precise in his writings. Though glossed over there is a reason why he penned this sentence so. Cf 2 Tim 2:13, Rom 3:3. There are many who attend churches in this day and age, just as in Paul’s day, who are nominal Christians, marking their weekly register, yet faithless and devoid of fruit.
V2 Paul again, as he does throughout his epistles, presents Father and Son as 2 separate entities, the Father always being referred to as Elohim and the Son as the Master/Lord/ Yeshua the Messiah. The grace/charis which is mercy and compassion from Elohim always precedes the subsequent peace/eirene (Hebrew shalom) which we have in the knowledge and hope of salvation to come cf Num 6:25-26. The order of grace followed by peace is consistent in scripture. Peace is the condition that arises from Elohim’s grace to us.
V3-14 are one sentence in the Greek manuscripts, which extols and praises Elohim the Father for His ineffable love, mercy, compassion and grace. This passage is akin to the psalms of David in its structure.
V3 By carrying out or applying spiritual blessings on earth such as healings, miracles, tongues, casting out demons, we are simply doing on earth what heaven already has at our disposal through Yeshua our Messiah. The Christian living in newness of life, though endowed with a physical body, no longer should operate carnally, but be warring and achieving victory in the spiritual realm, whose mainstay being Holy Spirit power residing within his heart and soul, to destroy the works of Satan in the heavens cf 1 Jn 3:8; 1 Cor 6:19-20.
Note that Paul from v3 and morseo evident in v11, begins to distinguish the different types of Christians in the ecclesia. Those to whom the gospel was preached to first i.e. the Jews who subsequently believed, whom Paul refers to as WE and US; and those Gentiles to whom the gospel was preached thereafter and also believed, whom Paul refers to as YOU. cf Rom 1:16; 2:9-10; 3:2.
V4-5 Predestination is NOT of people. It is referred here to the state and concept of adoption and inheritance being made available to anybody who wilfully believes upon Messiah Yeshua. Predestination is erroneously interpreted here as being that Elohim only wished for His own selected ones to enter heaven and the rest to burn in the lake of fire yet this is contrary to Matt 25:41 and 1 Tim 2:4. Rather predestination here means we are all predestined to be conformed to Yeshua’s image. Whether or not we choose this predestination from the invitation given is our own free choice.
After the invitation/calling those who respond positively by faith in Yeshua are justified and their past sins atoned for by His sacrificial blood shed for us. The justified are then ultimately glorified. To reiterate predestination is not relating to predetermined salvation but rather to conformity unto the image of Yeshua. Cf Rom 8:30 and 2 Thess 2:13. We were all as mankind chosen from creation to be ultimately saved. The Holy Spirit leads us to believe, and by so doing we may be made continuously holy in order to be saved at the end of our race of life. One cannot be saved if they are not holy. Only the Holy Spirit can make you holy. We all are invited to this predetermined state of holiness through adoption as sons of Elohim. This invitation is open to all mankind. The invitation is to simply believe on the sacrificial blood of Yeshua haMashiach. Doing so justifies us through or by faith. This consequently allows in-pouring of Holy Spirit power into our hearts and minds, cleansing out all the works of the devil, and hence making us and keeping us holy. Hence why we become labelled as saints/hagios/most holy ones.
V6-7 Such compassion, pity and love for once desperately unregenerate reprobates, leading us into the congregation of the beloved in Messiah, should indeed steer us into incessant praise for our Heavenly Father’s provision for freedom from Satan and inevitable damnation.
V7 qualifies the reference of the beloved being Yeshua Himself cf Matt 3:17; Col 1:13. Paul additionally separates the functions of Father and Son in this predetermined election unto salvation. Yehovah the Father provided the grace by allowing His only begotten Son to die and shed His blood for us. Yehovah the Son shed His blood to redeem us who believe in Him, from the devil’s grip on us through Torah breaking, and to forgive us our sins, in order to fulfil the purpose/good pleasure of the will of the Father’s grace. The redemption is specifically from the curses that we rightfully deserve from breaking the Torah and this is confirmed in Heb 9:15,22 and Rom 3:24-25. Hence why our praises go unto the Father cf 1 Cor 1:30-31; Jer 9:23-24.
8-9 This grace has been shown to us through Holy Spirit gifts of sophia/wisdom and phronesis/understanding of the will of Elohim/prudence. It was a mystery all along to prevent the devil from understanding the purpose and freedom arising from shedding Yeshua’s blood until it was too late to reverse. 1 Cor 2:5-8. Note that Wisdom is embodied in Yeshua. He is referred to as Wisdom in scripture cf 1 Cor 1:24; Lk 11:49, Matt 23:34; Pro 8. Note perisseuo/abounded means to exceed a fixed number of measure. Believers of His Son are promised abundance beyond measure in Spiritual gifts as much as the Israelites were promised physical abundance if they were to keep the Torah of Yehovah cf Deut 28:1-14.
V10 This mystery of verse 9 is further elucidated in 1 Cor 15:24-28, Col 1:19-20. The word translated dispensation is oikonomia which means administration/management/oversight. Hence this administration of the fullness of the kairos/due measure/the decisive epoch waited for, is over a prolonged period in which Yeshua gathers all in one for Elohim the Father, beginning from his ascension into heaven through to the end of His millennial reign. Note that the verse expressly states all things in Messiah i.e. in the body of Yeshua. Unfortunately, a false doctrine of universalism has arisen from twisting the verse into meaning all of mankind regardless of their sins, shall eventually be saved. It is a great heresy which promotes a laissez faire attitude towards life falsely believing that we shall all go to heaven regardless of how we live our lives on earth.
V11 It is in Messiah that we have obtained this inheritance by believing in Him, and subsequently being justified through this faith unto good works/righteousness in love cf Gal 4:4-7;5:5-6.
V12 Again referring to the Jews who believed first in Messiah cf Acts 1:8; 13:46
V13 The believing Gentiles on hearing the word of truth which is Yeshua Himself cf 1 Thess 2:13 and John 1:1-4 and the gospel of their salvation i.e. the good news of Yeshua(which means salvation) in whom they were sealed cf Heb 2:3 , after it was first presented to the Jews, then also were sealed with the Holy Spirit promised to Abraham’s seed Gal 3:14,22,28-29. Sealed/sphragizo means sealed for security from Satan. This sealing is done by Elohim the Father cf 2 Cor 1:21-22
V14 Paul unfolds this promise to mean the pledge/arrhabon translated earnest in KJV. The pledge being the down-payment given in advance as security for the rest. This is until the apolutrosis translated rather vaguely as redemption in KJV, which should be better translated as a releasing effected by payment of ransom, for the thought process in Paul’s mind to not be missed. In effect this verse together with v13 is stating that the Holy Spirit is currently working in the hearts and minds of believers, both Jew and Gentile as a down-payment, in anticipation of the full price for release from this evil world to be fully effected by that precious blood of Yeshua on His return for us cf Rom 8:21-23. We believers in newness of life await the redemption/apolutrosis. This Greek word means release by payment of ransom. Therefore, Paul and us await release of our old corruptible body to the new incorruptible body, the event of which shall occur at the rapture when Yeshua returns 1 Cor 15:52-53, by the ransom paid at calvary.
V15-17 cf v15 with 2 Thess 1:3. Faith and love may be seen allegorically in the cross. Faith is the vertical relationship we have with the Messiah, love being the horizontal relationship we have with our neighbour. The 2 must go hand in hand to fulfil the Torah. Paul commends the Ephesian ecclesia for not only their belief and acceptance of Yeshua as their Messiah, but also for working this faith through love cf Gal 5:6,13,14. To this end he prays for these Gentile faithful and loving, to receive the same gifts as the believing Jews have in v8. This is a clear marker in scripture revealing how intercessory prayer is answered for the righteous and not the unrepentant wicked cf Gen 18:22-33.
Note also in v17 how Paul again identifies these gifts of the Holy Spirit emanating from Yehovah the Father, from whom all glory proceeds cf Acts 7:2. This does not however diminish nor subordinate the deity of Yeshua the Son, who shares this glory with the Father cf 1 Cor 2:8. Also note that verse 17 does not insinuate that these believers till then were devoid of the Holy Spirit cf v13. Rather, Paul was praying for them to receive gifts of the Holy Spirit according to the measure entitled upon each individual saint cf Is 11:2, Rom 12:3, 1 Cor 12:4-11.
V18-19 Paul’s wish for the ecclesia to have this wisdom, revelation and epignosis/precise knowledge, was in order for them to ultimately understand the purpose of Yeshua’s invitation to us all, which is to have hope in salvation attained at the end of the race of life. This hope is necessary to foment perseverance on the believer’s part, to ensure that they do not lose sight of this glorious inheritance of adoption as sons of Elohim freely bestowed upon them through/by faith in Yeshua. This perseverance overcomes all tribulation and increases one’s patience, which leads to experience culminating in more hope of that cherished prize of salvation cf Rom 5:2-4; 1 Pet 1:3-5,9. Additionally, wisdom, revelation and precise knowledge bring us to understand that we have power to fight off all manner of evil in the spiritual realm, given to us from on high. 2 different words for power are used in v19 a. Dunamis which is inherent power which in this verse is Elohim’s inherent power according to the working of his b. Ischus kratos which gives a sense of forceful might. In essence we are bestowed inherent power of Elohim, which if utilized against the demonic host is forceful in might.
V20 This forceful mighty power of Elohim the Father was exhibited in Messiah when He, the Father not only raised Yeshua from the dead, but by this might, placed Yeshua at His right hand. Note that all 3 parts of the triune Elohim-head i.e. Father, Son and Holy Spirit raised Yeshua from the dead cf cf Jn 2:19, Jn 10:18, Acts 2:24, Romans 8:11. The right hand is a position of power and glory. The reason why Yeshua cannot return to earth until the appointed time is because He now has returned to a position of radiant glory which destroys wickedness, glory of which would destroy us in our corruptible bodies. Hence the need for us to first be transformed into incorruptible beings, in order for us to be in a state of glory too, and hence free from the destructive power it has over evil. I find it difficult to believe anybody who claims to have seen Yeshua in the flesh on earth, and survived the ordeal cf Jn 17:1-5; Matt 26:64; Heb 1:3-4; 1 Cor 15:51-54.; 1 Thess 4:16-17
V21-23 We are introduced to the higher positions of power in the spiritual realm. a. arche/principality/beginning, origin, the first person or place b. exousia/power/authority c. dunamis/might/inherent power d. kuriotes/dominion/lordship. All 4 are not necessarily hierarchical as this is not defined here, but rather are examples of positions of leadership in the spiritual realm. Paul is revealing to us how Elohim the Father, placed Yeshua His Son, above all spheres of leadership throughout all ages in the spiritual realm. By so doing Yeshua haMashiach is the head of all creation, being equal with the Father, and presiding over the ecclesia, which are the framework of His body. Cf Col 1:15-18; 1 Pet 3:22; Phil 2:8-11; 1 Cor 15:23-28; Ps 8:6; Col 2:10,15. Note that it was necessary for Yeshua to ascend to heaven in order for the ecclesia to come into existence by virtue of Yeshua being the head from Yah’s throne room.