The Preface of the Epistle-Ephesians 1.3-14
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Saturday February 18, 2023
Ephesians Series: The Preface of the Epistle-Ephesians 1:3-14
Lesson # 12
Ephesians 1:3 Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ. 1:4 For he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we may be holy and unblemished in his sight in love. 1:5 He did this by predestining us to adoption as his sons through Jesus Christ, according to the pleasure of his will—1:6 to the praise of the glory of his grace that he has freely bestowed on us in his dearly loved Son. 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 1:8 that he lavished on us in all wisdom and insight. 1:9 He did this when he revealed to us the secret of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, 1:10 toward the administration of the fullness of the times, to head up all things in Christ—the things in heaven and the things on earth. 1:11 In Christ we too have been claimed as God’s own possession, since we were predestined according to the one purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will 1:12 so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, would be to the praise of his glory. 1:13 And when you heard the word of truth (the gospel of your salvation)—when you believed in Christ—you were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit, 1:14 who is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory. (NET)
Ephesians 1:3 marks a transition in this epistle from the introduction to the preface of the letter in Ephesians 1:3-14, which marks the beginning of the body of this letter.
This preface begins the first major section of the letter, which ends in Ephesians 3:21, addresses the unity of the church positionally.
Ephesians 1:3-14 presents three reasons why God is worthy of praise.
The first reason is that the Father elected the church age believer in eternity past to be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:3-6).
The second reason is that the Son redeemed them at the cross (Eph. 1:7-12) and the third reason is that the Holy Spirit sealed them at their justification (Eph. 1:13-14).
Therefore, we can see that this preface not only praises the Father for His plan in eternity past to conform the church age believer into the image of His Son but also mentions the work of both the Son and the Spirit, who executed that plan.
Harold Hoehner writes “In the Greek text, verses 3–14 are one long sentence of 202 words, considered by one scholar to be the most monstrous sentence in the Greek language (Norden 1913:253). This is the first of eight lengthy sentences in the book (1:3–14, 15–23; 2:1–7; 3:2–13, 14–19; 4:1–6, 11–16; 6:14–20). Three of these (1:3–14, 15–23; 3:14–19) are praise and prayer, for which it is not unusual to have lengthy sentences. Even in present times, it is not uncommon in extemporaneous praise and prayer to have long, complicated sentences, with many subordinate clauses and phrases. In the last hundred years there has been much discussion on the form and structure of this passage. In the final analysis, it appears that 1:3–14 is a eulogy (literally, ‘a well-speaking of,’ not reserved just for funerals) whose style accords with other Jewish-Hellenistic eulogies, but its content goes beyond them. In the abundance of descriptive words in this long, complicated sentence regarding God’s purpose, plan, and action, there is form and development of thought. The form is demonstrated by the refrain ‘praise and glory to God’ (1:12; see also 1:6, 14), which is given after mentioning each person of the Trinity in the order of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The development is demonstrated by the progression from a pronouncement of praise to God (1:3), to a description of God’s great plan and action (1:4–12), and finally to its application to the believers (1:13–14). This eulogy is a very fitting introduction to the letter as a whole.”
The NET Bible writes “Eph 1:3–14 comprises one long sentence in Greek, with three major sections. Each section ends with a note of praise for God (vv. 6, 12, 14), focusing on a different member of the Trinity. After an opening summary of all the saints’ spiritual blessings (v. 3), the first section (vv. 4–6) offers up praise that the Father has chosen us in eternity past; the second section (vv. 7–12) offers up praise that the Son has redeemed us in the historical past (i.e., at the cross); the third section (vv. 13–14) offers up praise that the Holy Spirit has sealed us in our personal past, at the point of conversion.”
The contents of Ephesians 1:3-14 contain triadic pattern since as we noted these verses describe the Father’s work in electing the church age believer in eternity past (Eph. 1:3-6), and work of the Son in redeeming them at the cross (Eph. 1:7-12) and also the work of the Holy Spirit in sealing them at their justification (Eph. 1:13-14).
Ralph Martin writes “It is the Father who chooses his people in love (vv. 3–5). The one in whom the church is elected is Christ the Son, who is also the redeemer at the cost of his sacrificial death (v. 7). It is the Holy Spirit who applies the work of Christ to his people and so makes real in human experience the eternal purposes of the trinity (vv. 13–14). According to this view, the text is laying the foundation on which later creeds and liturgies will be formed; out of these raw materials will be fashioned the Christian belief in and confession of ‘one God in three persons.’ This may be so. Yet the present passage is still a long way from a set creedal statement, and it shares more in the exultant outbursts of praise that go back to the enthusiasm and charismatic freedom that characterized the Pauline congregations.”
Ephesians 1:3-14 contains a magnificent Pauline doxology.
The term “doxology” is from the Greek doxologia and is derived from the Greek noun doxa, “praise, glory, honor” and denotes a brief ascription of praise to members of the Trinity.
It was used in both song and prayer and it was sung by angels to shepherds the night the Lord Jesus came into the world (Lk. 2:14).
The doxology was commonly employed in various parts of the New Testament epistles: (1) Salutation (Gal. 1:5). (2) Opening thanksgiving (2 Cor. 1:3f.; Eph. 1:3; 1 Pet. 1:3). (3) Final exhortations (1 Tim. 6:15f.; 1 Pet. 5:11; 2 Pet. 3:18). (4) Closing (Heb. 13:20f.; Jude 24f.).
The basic formula is the blessing formula “Blessed be the Lord” or “Blessed be the God and Father…” (Heb. Baruk; Greek: eulogetos; Gen. 24:27; Ex. 18:10; 1 Ch. 16:36; Lk. 1:68; 2 Cor. 1:3f.; Eph. 1:3; 1 P. 1:3), followed by a statement of the attributes motivating the utterance, primarily God’s activities in the lives of His people. Variants are “worthy is the Lamb” (Greek: axios, Rev. 4:11; 5:9, 12) and “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty” (Greek: hagios, Rev. 4:8).
Doxologies may begin with an imperative verb, challenging the hearers to “ascribe to the Lord glory and strength” or “the glory of His Person” (Heb: yahab, Ps. 29:1ff. par. 96:7-9; 1 Ch. 16:28f.) or “ascribe power” (Ps. 68:34), “praise the Lord” (Heb: halal, Ps. 150f; cf. Greek: aineo, Rev. 19:5, “worship the Lord” (hithpalel of saha; Ps. 29:2) or “glory in His Holy Person” (hithpael of halal; 1 Ch. 16:10).
In doxologies, the following qualities are attributed to God: (1) Glory (Rom. 16:27; Gal. 1:5). (2) Honor, dominion (1 Tim. 6:16; 1 Pet. 4:11). (3) Salvation, power (Rev. 19:1). (4) Majesty and authority (Jude 25). These are all “forever” (Rm. 11:36), or “forever” and “ever” (2 Tim. 4:18; 1 Pet. 5:11).
In the New Testament, doxologies may begin with exclamations of “Hallelujah” (Rev. 19:1), “Glory to God in the highest” (Lk. 2:14), or “Hosanna to the Son of David” (Mt. 21:9, 15; Mk. 11:9f.; Jn. 12:13).
Although God the Father is the primary focus of New Testament doxologies, there are others that are the objects of praise such as Christ (Mt. 21:9; Rev. 5:12) and His kingdom of God (Mk. 11:10).
A frequent Christological doxology exclaims “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” (Mt. 21:9; 23:39; Mk. 11:9; Lk. 19:38; cf. Ps. 118:26).
In doxologies, to the Lord Jesus Christ is ascribed: (1) Salvation and power (Rev. 19:1). (2) Blessing and might (Rev. 5:18). (3) Glory (Heb. 13:21). (4) Dominion (Rev. 1:6). (5) “Both now and to the day of eternity” (2 Pet. 3:18).
Praise is offered up “through Jesus Christ” (Rom. 16:27; Heb. 13:21; Jude 25) or “in Christ” (Eph. 1:3; 3:21). Rarely are doxologies expressed in the second person, as “Blessed are You” and “Yours” is the greatness, power, glory, victory and majesty (1 Chron. 29:11).
Originally doxologies were voiced by the congregation at the conclusion of hymns and prayers (1 Chron. 16:36; Rom. 11:33-36), in connection with the response “Amen” (Mt. 6:13; Rev. 1:6; cf. Rom. 9:5; 16:27; 1 Pet. 4:11; 5:11).
However, praise and thanksgiving do occur in the opening line of prayers (1 Chron. 29:10-13; Dan. 2:20-23; Lk. 1:67-69).
As in Jewish ritual, they may have been uttered in response to the mention of God’s name (cf. Rom. 1:25; 2 Cor. 11:31).
R. C. H. Lenski writes “Other epistles begin with thanksgiving; this one, Second Corinthians, and First Peter begin with a doxology, and the greatest of these doxologies is this one found in Ephesians. The one found in Second Corinthians is due to the intense emotion of comfort, this one to the profound contemplation of the whole work of God for our salvation. Paul glorifies God, the Fountain of our Salvation. The doxology is Trinitarian. It reaches from eternity to eternity. Both in contents and in structure it towers above all other doxologies. It is comparable to Ps. 103.”