Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
Ephesians Ch.1 / 6 Ch.s
EPH:1
** This epistle was written when St. Paul was a prisoner at
Rome. The design appears to be to strengthen the Ephesians in
the faith of Christ, and to give exalted views of the love of
God, and of the dignity and excellence of Christ, fortifying
their minds against the scandal of the cross. He shows that they
were saved by grace, and that however wretched they once were,
they now had equal privileges with the Jews. He encourages them
to persevere in their Christian calling, and urges them to walk
in a manner becoming their profession, faithfully discharging
the general and common duties of religion, and the special
duties of particular relations.
* A salutation, and an account of saving blessings, as prepared
in God's eternal election, as purchased by Christ's blood. (1-8)
And as conveyed in effectual calling: this is applied to the
believing Jews, and to the believing Gentiles. (9-14) The
apostle thanks God for their faith and love, and prays for the
continuance of their knowledge and hope, with respect to the
heavenly inheritance, and to God's powerful working in them.
(15-23)
#1,2. All Christians must be saints; if they come not under that
character on earth, they will never be saints in glory. Those
are not saints, who are not faithful, believing in Christ, and
true to the profession they make of relation to their Lord. By
grace, understand the free and undeserved love and favour of
God, and those graces of the Spirit which come from it; by
peace, all other blessings, spiritual and temporal, the fruits
of the former. No peace without grace. No peace, nor grace, but
from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ; and the
best saints need fresh supplies of the graces of the Spirit, and
desire to grow.
#3-8 Spiritual and heavenly blessings are the best blessings;
with which we cannot be miserable, and without which we cannot
but be so. This was from the choice of them in Christ, before
the foundation of the world, that they should be made holy by
separation from sin, being set apart to God, and sanctified by
the Holy Spirit, in consequence of their election in Christ. All
who are chosen to happiness as the end, are chosen to holiness
as the means. In love they were predestinated, or fore-ordained,
to be adopted as children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, and
to be openly admitted to the privileges of that high relation to
himself. The reconciled and adopted believer, the pardoned
sinner, gives all the praise of his salvation to his gracious
Father. His love appointed this method of redemption, spared not
his own Son, and brought believers to hear and embrace this
salvation. It was rich grace to provide such a surety as his own
Son, and freely to deliver him up. This method of grace gives no
encouragement to evil, but shows sin in all its hatefulness, and
how it deserves vengeance. The believer's actions, as well as
his words, declare the praises of Divine mercy.
#9-14 Blessings were made known to believers, by the Lord's
showing to them the mystery of his sovereign will, and the
method of redemption and salvation. But these must have been for
ever hidden from us, if God had not made them known by his
written word, preached gospel, and Spirit of truth. Christ
united the two differing parties, God and man, in his own
person, and satisfied for that wrong which caused the
separation. He wrought, by his Spirit, those graces of faith and
love, whereby we are made one with God, and among ourselves. He
dispenses all his blessings, according to his good pleasure. His
Divine teaching led whom he pleased to see the glory of those
truths, which others were left to blaspheme. What a gracious
promise that is, which secures the gift of the Holy Ghost to
those who ask him! The sanctifying and comforting influences of
the Holy Spirit seal believers as the children of God, and heirs
of heaven. These are the first-fruits of holy happiness. For
this we were made, and for this we were redeemed; this is the
great design of God in all that he has done for us; let all be
ascribed unto the praise of his glory.
#15-23 God has laid up spiritual blessings for us in his Son the
Lord Jesus; but requires us to draw them out and fetch them in
by prayer. Even the best Christians need to be prayed for: and
while we hear of the welfare of Christian friends, we should
pray for them. Even true believers greatly want heavenly wisdom.
Are not the best of us unwilling to come under God's yoke,
though there is no other way to find rest for the soul? Do we
not for a little pleasure often part with our peace? And if we
dispute less, and prayed more with and for each other, we should
daily see more and more what is the hope of our calling, and the
riches of the Divine glory in this inheritance. It is desirable
to feel the mighty power of Divine grace, beginning and carrying
on the work of faith in our souls. But it is difficult to bring
a soul to believe fully in Christ, and to venture its all, and
the hope of eternal life, upon his righteousness. Nothing less
than Almighty power will work this in us. Here is signified that
it is Christ the Saviour, who supplies all the necessities of
those who trust in him, and gives them all blessings in the
richest abundance. And by being partakers of Christ himself, we
come to be filled with the fulness of grace and glory in him.
How then do those forget themselves who seek for righteousness
out of him! This teaches us to come to Christ. And did we know
what we are called to, and what we might find in him, surely we
should come and be suitors to him. When feeling our weakness and
the power of our enemies, we most perceive the greatness of that
mighty power which effects the conversion of the believer, and
is engaged to perfect his salvation. Surely this will constrain
us by love to live to our Redeemer's glory.