In One Sentence

An Exegesis of Ephesians 1:3-14

What could a person say in one sentence? Ephesians 1:3-14 is one of eight lengthy sentences (1:3-
14, 15-23; 2:1-7; 3:2-13, 14-19; 4:1-6, 11-16, 11-16; 6:14-20) in the Greek text Paul's letter. Paul used long
sentences in doxologies and prayers (Eph. 1:3-14, 15-13; 3:14-19; Rom 8:38-39; 11:33-39; 1 Cor. 1:4-8; Phil.
1:3-8; 1 Thess. 1:2-5; 2 Thess. 1:3-10), doctrinal statements (Eph. 2:1-7; 3:2-13; Rom. 3:21-26; 1 Cor. 1:26-
29; 2:6-9), and parenthetical material (Eph. 4:1-6, 11-16; 6:14-20; 1 Cor. 12:8-11; Phil. 1:27-2:11).1 Our
passage is a doxology, or a eulogy—an ascription of the blessedness of God and a hymn praising God for
His spiritual blessings bestowed graciously on His people in Christ. The opening words of verse 3 set the
tone of the passage—“Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (NET) —and the refrain,
“to the praise of His glory,” maintains it (1:6, 12, 14).

Ephesians 1:3 {Theology & Doxology}

Euvloghto.j o` qeo.j kai. path.r tou/ kuri,ou h`mw/n VIhsou/ Cristou/( o` euvlogh,saj h`ma/j evn pa,sh|
euvlogi,a| pneumatikh/| evn toi/j evpourani,oij evn Cristw/|(

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the
heavenly places in Christ,

Euvloghto.j o` qeo.j. While the passage we are exegeting is full of theology, it is not a theological treatise—
rather it is a doxology. It is a hymn of praise to God who is eternally blessed and worthy of exuberant
praise. Nineteenth century scholar John Eadie observes that euvloghto.j “in the New Testament is applied
only to God—His perpetual and unchanging blessedness, perpetual and unchanging claim on the homage
of His creatures.”2 The exact phrase Euvloghto.j o` qeo.j kai. path.r tou/ kuri,ou h`mw/n VIhsou/ Cristou

1 Van Roon, The Authenticity of Ephesians. 105-11; cited in Hoehner, 28

2 Eadie, 11

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 In One Sentence: An Exegesis of Ephesians 1:3-14

also occurs in 2 Corinthians 1:3 and 1 Peter 1:3. In Luke 1:68 the priest Zacharias prophesies, “Blessed be
the Lord God of Israel [Euvloghto.j ku,rioj o` qeo.j tou/ VIsrah,l], For He has visited us and accomplished
redemption for His people.” In a few places Paul uses the phrase, euvloghto.j eivj tou.j aivw/naj, “God
blessed forever.” (Rom. 1:25; 9:5; 2 Cor. 11:31) While Paul typically begins his letters with an expression of
thanksgiving and prayer to God for the recipients, here (and in 2 Corinthains) Paul “uses the device of the
berakah, an ascription of praise to God what he has done and will do from his people.” 3 Berakah and its
forms being the Hebrew word that is used in the Old Testament in making similar expressions of praise,
such as “blessed be the LORD” (Gen. 9:26; 24:27; Exo. 18:10; 1 Sam. 25:32, 39; 1 Kin. 1:48; 8:15, 56; 10:9;
1 Chr. 16:36; 2 Chr. 2:12; 6:4; 9:8; Ezra 7:27; Ps. 28:6; 31:21; 41:13; 68:19; 72:18; 89:52; 106:48; 124:6;
135:21; 144:1; Zec. 11:5); “blessed be God” (Gen. 14:20; Ps. 66:20; 68:35); “blessed be the name of the
LORD” (Job 1:21; Ps. 113:2); or when a person is said to “bless the L ORD.” (Gen. 24:48; 1 Chr. 29:10, 20; 2
Chr. 20:26; 31:8; Neh. 8:6)
Paul's expression of worship to God, as we shall see, leads into a cascade of theologically rich
statements; Epheisans 1:3-14 is certainly written in the form of doxology, yet it is a doxology filled with
doctrine and theology. Paul was not praising just any deity or a God who was not Himself worthy of such
acclamation. His benediction is directed to the one true God, to God the Father, the Father of the Lord
Jesus Christ. His doxology is inspired by the particular blessings which this God has graciously bestowed
upon His people whom He chose in Christ before the creation of the world. If theology is merely a
pursuit of knowledge—if it is merely academic—then it is lifeless and useless; dead orthodoxy. However,
when theology is a pursuit of God—if we love God—then theology is, or should be, exciting and is in
everyway relevant to our relationship with Him.
That theology is important does not mean the every Christian need become super-scholars. I am
not suggesting that those with an antipathy for theology and doctrine should start subjecting themselves to
volumes on systematic or biblical theology or that they start learning biblical Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek.
However, we should all seek to grow in our knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. To be sure, we are saved
by simple faith in Christ and not by precise, comprehensive theological knowledge—yet Peter admonishes
us to add to our faith, among other things, knowledge (2 Peter 1:5). The writer of Hebrews was concerned
with the spiritual maturity of his original audience, for they needed someone to teach them again the
elementary doctrines of the faith when they themselves should have been able to teach others those things;
they should have grown out of feeding on milk to feeding on the meat of the Word of God (Heb. 5:12-

3 Marshall, 381

2
14).
Paul himself was concerned that believers have a true knowledge and sound doctrine. In Romans
10 Paul writes, “Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. For I
testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. For not knowing
about God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the
righteousness of God.” (Romans 10:1-3) Paul here is speaking of his fellow Jews, which, while not lacking
in zeal for God, did not have zeal “in accordance with knowledge.” They did not know about “God's
righteousness” which is imputed to those who believe. Because of this they sought a righteousness of
their own, which is no righteousness at all. For them, having a wrong theology was at the expense of their
salvation. In his letter to the Philippians Paul expresses his prayer for them, that their love would “abound
still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment.” (Phil. 1:9) Similarly, Paul writes to the
Colossians, “we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of
His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to
please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” (Col.
1:9-10) Further Paul writes, “For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for
those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, that their hearts may be
encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full
assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom
are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Col. 2:1-3) In each of these passages the word
“knowledge” translates the Greek term evpi,gnwsin. This term is sometime rendered “real knowledge”
(Phil. 1:9) and “true knowledge” (Col. 2:2), as it conveys precise and correct knowledge. Real love for God
and His people is rooted in a true knowledge of God; this knowledge is also vital for walking “in a manner
worthy of the Lord.” If we are to know how to “please Him in all respects” we must know Him. This is
the end to which we should do theology, and this is why good theology and sound doctrine is so essential
to the Christian life.
The Christian life is a life of worship. It is giving ourselves to God as living sacrifices, which is our
“reasonable” or “spiritual” act of worship. This means we give Him not just the devotion of our hearts,
but we also give Him our minds. Paul himself had the renewing of his mind as God taught him the
doctrine of Christ, the doctrine of His Word. We are awfully mistaken if we think God doesn't care what
we know and believe as long as we love Him and believe in Jesus; important as those two things are, if they
are true of us, then should we not care to truly know Him? Should we not care about His doctrine, the

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 In One Sentence: An Exegesis of Ephesians 1:3-14

theology that comes from His written word? Paul knew these things; he had been given a gospel that was
taught to him by Christ Himself, and it is the fullness of that gospel that inspires Paul's letter and inspires
this opening hymn of praise to the Father.
o` euvlogh,saj h`ma/j evn pa,sh| euvlogi,a| pneumatikh/|. God, who is “blessed forever” has blessed “us” with
“every spiritual blessing.” Eadie comments, “The euvlogh,saj stands in ideal contrast to the euvloghto.j—
God blessed us, we blessed God; but His blessing of us is one of deed, our blessing Him is only in word.
He makes us blessed, we pronounce Him blessed. He confers on us wellbeing, we ascribe to Him
wellbeing.”4 God's blessedness and wellbeing is intrinsic—He is in and of himself blessed (and so the
NET rendering of v. 3, “Blessed is the God and Father...”). We, by contrast, are blessed because He
blesses us. Thus, our blessedness is derived and extrinsic. We ascribe to God blessing because He is
himself blessed and because He as graciously ascribed to us blessedness.
God's people are blessed, literally, “in every spiritual blessing.” Boice observes, “The word [spiritual]
could mean either two things. It could mean that the blessings come to us by means of the Holy Spirit.
The last verses of this section (vv. 11-14) certainly teach that. Or it could mean that these are spiritual
rather than material blessings.”5 Eadie notes that Chrysostom and others “suppose that the apostle intends
a special and marked contrast between the spiritual blessings of the new dispensation, and the material and
temporal blessings of the old economy.”6 Others, such as Erasmus, understood the adjective pneumatikh
to be describing “the mind and soul of man.”7 Eadie critiques that this interpretation is “good..inasmuch
as these gifts are adapted to our inner or higher nature...But this is not the ruling epithet of the New
Testament.”8 That these blessings are described as “spiritual” has led commentators to suggest that this is
in reference to the gifts of the Spirit, or the gift of the Spirit Himself.9
These blessings certainly would include the giving of the Holy Spirit. Paul wrote to the Galatians,
for instance, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written,
'Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree'—so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come
to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. (Gal. 3:13-14 ESV) That is to
say, Christ has redeemed His people from “the curse of the law by becoming a curse” himself on their be-
half. His people are not only among the Jews, to whom the blessings of Abraham (h` euvlogi,a tou/ VAb

4 Eadie, 12
5 Boice, 10
6 Eadie, 13
7 Ibid.
8 Ibid. 14
9 Ibid.

4
raa.m) were promised, but also among the e;qnh, that is, the Gentiles. Christ redeemed His people from the
curse of the law in order that they would “receive the promised Spirit through faith.” In perfect agreement
with Ephesians 1:3, it is “in Christ Jesus” that both Jews and Gentiles receive the “blessing of Abraham”

and the “promised Spirit.”

The adjective pneumatikh, as it describes the blessings with which God blesses His people, should
be taken in its broadest sense. The noun euvlogi,a is also modified by pa,sh|; we have been blessed with “all”
or “every” spiritual blessing. “No needed blessing is wanted nothing that God has promised, or Christ has
secured, or that is indispensable to the symmetry and perfection of the Christian character. And those
blessings are all in the hand of the Spirit. Christianity is the dispensation of the Spirit, and as its graces are
inwrought by Him, they are all named 'spiritual' after Him.” 10 F. F. Bruce comments, “The nature of the
spiritual blessings here referred to is not in doubt:: they are detailed in the following words of the berakhah.
They include election to holiness, instatement as God's sons and daughters, redemption and forgiveness,
the gift of the Spirit, and the hope of glory.” 11 These “graces” are the new covenant blessings of gracious
redemption; these spiritual blessings are indeed superior to the “material and temporal” blessings of the
old covenant, which themselves were only shadows of the real and better promises God's people have in
Christ. One of the main points of New Testament theology is the superiority of the “spiritual” realities
that are in Christ to the temporal and earthly realities. Paul, for instance, makes a contrast between
circumcision that is “of the flesh” referring to the rite of circumcision commanded under the old covenant
and the circumcision “of the heart” made “without hands” referring to the sanctification of the Holy
Spirit and the union of believers with Christ—His circumcision being our circumcision (Rom. 2:25-29;
Col. 2:11). Paul also contrasts the “natural children” and the “spiritual children” or the “children of
promise.” That is, the people of God are not so counted because they are physically related to Abraham
through Isaac and Jacob; they are counted children on account of God's promise and according to faith
(Rom. 9:6-8; Gal. 4:22-23; 27-31).
The writer to the Hebrews particularly wanted to impress into his original readers' minds and hearts
the fact that the new covenant and its blessings were much superior to those of the old. Of the offering
made by the old priesthood in the earthly temple the writer says, “there are priests who offer gifts
according to the law. They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to
erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, 'See that you make everything according to the pattern
10 Ibid.
11 Bruce, 253

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 In One Sentence: An Exegesis of Ephesians 1:3-14

that was shown you on the mountain.'” (Heb. 8:4-5 ESV) The priests of the former covenant served in a
physical temple that was only a “copy and shadow of the heavenly things.” Similarly he says concerning
the law, “For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these
realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who
draw near.” (Heb. 10:1 ESV; cf. Col. 2:17) The old covenant consisted of copies and shadows which
merely pointed to the “good things” that are in Christ, which are the “substance” (Col. 2:17; Gk. sw/ma)
and the “true form.” (Heb. 10:1; Gk. th.n eivko,na tw/n pragma,twn, lit. the image of the thing) The “good
things” that are the “substance” are the spiritual blessings of redemption to which Paul refers in Ephesians
1:3. Indeed, as Eadie quotes from Theodoret, “the blessings referred to here are, the hope of the
resurrection, the promises of immortality, the kingdom of heaven in reversion, and the dignity of
adoption.”12
evn toi/j evpourani,oij evn Cristw|. The blessings with which God's people have been blessed by the Father
are further described to be in the heavenly [places] in Christ. The term evpoura,nioj appears 19 times in the
Greek New Testament in 11 different forms. Most occurrences are in Paul's letters and in the letter to the
Hebrews, with one occurrence in John's Gospel (3:12). The particular form evpourani,oij appears only in
Ephesians (1:3, 20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12). In Ephesians 1:20 and 2:6 evpourani,oij is describing where Christ is
and where believers have been seated with Him. In Ephesians 3:10 and 6:12 evpourani,oij describes where
the “rulers and authorities” are and where it is that spiritual warfare with those rulers and authorities takes
place. For such reason Eadie argues that evpourani,oij does not simply refer to “heaven absolutely.”13
However, it is in heaven at the Father's right hand where Christ abides and where we also abide with Him.
Paul admonishes the Colossian church, for instance, “if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking
the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not
on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When
Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” (Col. 3:1-4) Paul here
is exhorting the Colossians to seek “things above, where Christ is,” that is, in heaven “seated at the right
hand of God.” Thus the Colossians, and any who belong to Christ, ought to think “on the things above.”
Though the term evpourani,oij is not employed, the idea is still there—as “above” indicates “where Christ
is,” which, in Ephesians, Paul twice indicates is toi/j evpourani,oij. In Ephesians 2:6 Paul writes that the
Father “raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” We are

12 Eadie, 15
13 Ibid. 16

6
blessed “in the heavenly places” because we have been raised up with Christ and seated with Him in heaven
at the Father's right hand. Thus, while toi/j evpourani,oij may refer to the invisible spiritual realm in
general, in Ephesians 1:3, as in 1:20 and 2:6, the term is in reference to where Christ is seated and we with
Him—in heaven at the Father's right hand.
Eadie rightly observes, nevertheless,

Now the gospel, or the Mediatorial reign, is “the kingdom of heaven.” That kingdom or reign of
God is “in us,” or among us. Heaven is brought near to man through Christ Jesus. Those spiritual
blessings conferred on us create heaven within us, and the scenes of Divine benefaction are
“heavenly places;” for wherever the light and love of God's presence are to be enjoyed, there is
heaven. If such blessings are the one Spirit's inworking, that Spirit who in God's name “takes of
the things that are Christ's and shows them unto us,” then His influence diffuses the atmosphere of
heaven around us.14

That we are blessed “in the heavenly places” does not mean those spiritual blessings are at a distance or
that we do not partake of them at all now. We have been seated in the heavenlies with Christ. As Boice
comments, “That is our position now. That is where we have arrived, and we are to live accordingly.”15
When Paul exhorted the Colossians to “seek the things above” and to think on those things, he also told
them to no longer think on “things that are on earth.” He further instructed them: “Therefore consider
the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which
amounts to idolatry.” (Col. 3:5) The “things that are on earth” was in reference to the way in which they
formerly walked and lived. In “seeking the things above” they were to walk a different way. Thus Paul
moreover instructed them: “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart
of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each
other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond
all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.” (Col. 3:12-14) Being blessed “in the
heavenly places” has very real and present significance; indeed, the assurance we have of the blessings that
await us is the blessing of holiness, of a renewed heart and character—a heavenly character that develops
as we mature in our faith. This fact is important when we consider what Eadie's comment implies and

14 Ibid. 16-17
15 Boice, 61

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 In One Sentence: An Exegesis of Ephesians 1:3-14

what Boice says explicitly, “The seat next to God in which we have been seated with Christ is a throne,
which means we reign with him. We are extensions of Christ's presence and authority in the world.” 16 We,
as Christ's representatives, being seated with Him in the highest of toi/j evpourani,oij bring heaven “near to
man” as well as to those “rulers and authorities” which inhabit the lower echelons of toi/j evpourani,oij. In
fact, Paul will later write in Ephesians that it is God's purpose through the church that “the manifold
wisdom of God might now be made known...to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places [toi/j
evpourani,oij].” (Eph. 3:10)
God's people are not only blessed “in the heavenly places,” but moreover they are blessed “in
Christ.” Eadie comments, “The apostle writes of blessing—spiritual blessing—all spiritual blessing—all
spiritual blessing in the heavenly places; but adds at length the one sphere in which they are enjoyed—in
Christ—in living union with the personal Redeemer.” The phrase “in Christ” and its equivalents appear a
number of times in our passage. The phrase “in Christ” in vv. 3 & 10; “through Jesus Christ” in v. 5; “in
Him” in vv. 4, 7, 9, 10, 13 (2x); and “in the Beloved” in v. 6. The emphasis being as Eadie observed, that
God's people are blessed “in living union with the personal Redeemer.” The deep significance this living
union holds will be explored as we go through our passage. Here I only would emphasize that it is only in
Christ that anyone is blessed in such a manner as Paul describes; apart from Him these blessings cannot
truly be enjoyed. Indeed, outside of Christ abides the holy wrath of God against sin. Those who are not
God's people—who are not in Christ—await only perdition. If in anyone is blessed “with every spiritual
blessing” it is in Christ—and that by the gracious operation of the triune God. “And so the triune
operation of the triune God is introduced: the Father who blesses the Son, in whom those blessings are
conferred and the Spirit, by whose inner work they are enjoyed, and from whom they receive their
distinctive epithet.” 17

Ephesians 1:4-6 {Election & Predestination}

kaqw.j evxele,xato h`ma/j evn auvtw/| pro. katabolh/j ko,smou ei=nai h`ma/j a`gi,ouj kai. avmw,mouj
katenw,pion auvtou/ evn avga,ph|( 5
proori,saj h`ma/j eivj ui`oqesi,an dia. VIhsou/ Cristou/ eivj
auvto,n( kata. th.n euvdoki,an tou/ qelh,matoj auvtou/( 6
eivj e;painon do,xhj th/j ca,ritoj auvtou/ h-j
evcari,twsen h`ma/j evn tw/| hvgaphme,nw|Å

16 Ibid.
17 Eadie, 18

8
 ...just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world that we be holy and blameless in His presence; in
love He predestined us to adoption through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the benevolence of His will to the
praise of the glory of His grace, with which He graced us in the One whom He loves.

kaqw.j evxele,xato h`ma/j evn auvtw/|. The Greek conjunction kaqw.j connects the preceding clause to the next.
Eadie observes, “kaqw.j defines the connection of this verse with the preceding. That connection is modal
rather than causal...These spiritual blessings are conferred on us, not merely because God chose us, but
they are given to us in perfect harmony with His eternal purpose. Their number, variety, adaptation, and
fulness, with the shape and the mode of their bestowment, are all in exact unison with God's pretemporal
and gracious resolution.”18 That “gracious resolution” and “eternal purpose” is what constitutes the
substance of Paul's doxology. The first aspect of God's purpose brought to fore and to which we bring
our attention now is election and predestination. While Paul does not go into great detail about this
doctrine, the two verses containing it convey much and we do well to listen.
The first thing we observe from the text is that He chose. “He” referring to o` qeo.j in v. 3. In other
words, God the Father is the subject of the verb evxele,xato (from evkle.gomai). The verb evxele,xato is in the
middle voice. Wallace notes that the middle voice “encompasses a large and amorphous group of nuances.
But in general, in the middle voice the subject performs or experiences the action expressed by the verb in such a
way that emphasizes the subject's participation. In may be said that the subject acts 'with a vested interest.'”19
The indirect middle is the common use of the middle voice in the NT; in the indirect middle the “subject acts
for (or sometimes by) himself or herself, or in his or her own interest.”20 Wallace gives Ephesians 1:4 as an
illustration of the indirect middle, and comments, “God chose us for himself, by himself, or for his own
interests...just as the chief end of human beings is to glorify God and enjoy him forever, so too God is in
the business of glorifying himself.”21 Therefore evxele,xato,, being in the indirect middle voice, is
emphasizing the action of God in choosing for His own purpose, which is to glorify himself in electing a
people for himself. Hoehner cautions that the middle use of the verb evkle.gomai “should not be pushed
too far, because by NT times the word had become deponent and the very act of choosing would have

18 Ibid.
19 Wallace, 414-415; emphasis original
20 Ibid. 419
21 Ibid. 421

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 In One Sentence: An Exegesis of Ephesians 1:3-14

indicated personal interest.”22 The verb evxele,xato is in the aorist tense, which indicates that “the action
belongs wholly to the past.”23 Those God has chosen He chose before they were even born, indeed,
before He created the world. God is not choosing people as they choose Him; rather, before there were
any people in existence He foreknew and chose a people for Himself.
That the objects of God's action of choosing are persons is certainly affirmed by the fact that He
chose us. “The apostle speaks of himself and his fellow-saints at Ephesus. If God had not chosen them,
they would never have chosen God.”24 There is controversy over whether election is personal (or
individual) or corporate. One contemporary of Eadie argued that election is “not the choice of
individuals, but of a multitude out of the profane world into the church.” In response Eadie wrote, “the
choice of a multitude is simply the choice of each individual composing it. That multitude may be regarded
as a unity by God, but to Him it is a unity of definite elements or members.” 25 O'Brien comments on this
issue,

“There is clearly a corporate dimension to God's election. It was God's intention to create for
himself a people perfectly conformed to the likeness of his Son (Rom. 820-30). It is inappropriate,
however, to suggest that election in Christ is primarily corporate rather than personal and
individual...Some of the divine gifts, for example, redemption and the forgiveness of sins in Christ
(v. 7), together with the sealing of the Holy Spirit following belief in the gospel of salvation (vv. 13,
14), must be understood as coming to believers personally and individually (without thereby
denying the corporate element. The plurals ('we', 'us') are common, not corporate.”26

It is truly trivial to make controversy over personal and corporate election. It is equally in error to suppose
that the number of the elect is only a few. God has indeed chosen a great multitude of people. In Genesis
15 God takes Abraham outside and says to him, “Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you
are able to count them.” And then He said to him, "So shall your descendants be.” (Gen. 15:5) Paul wrote
to the Galatians, “if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to
promise.” (Gal. 3:29) The elect are a great multitude of Abraham's spiritual descendants from every
people and nation in the world, as John's vision recorded in Revelation plainly depicts: “After this I looked,
22 Hoehner, 187
23 Eadie, 18
24 Ibid. 19
25 Ibid. 19
26 O'Brien, 99

10
and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples
and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm
branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, 'Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the
throne, and to the Lamb!'” (Rev. 7:9-10 ESV; cf. 1 Pet. 2:9-10 and Rev. 5:9-10)
“Salvation belongs to our God” is the doctrine of election put in poignant expression. It does not
depend on “human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy” and God “has mercy on whomever he
wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.” (Rom. 9:16, 18 ESV) This is where many have trouble with the
doctrine of election. Much stressed is placed in the modern evangelical community on human
responsibility and free will. We certainly say with Eadie that “we protest...against any form of Calvinism
which affirms 'that man has no will, agency, or moral personality of his own.'”27 John Stott's dialogue is
helpful: “'Didn't I choose God?' somebody asks indignantly; to which we must answer 'Yes, indeed you did,
and freely, but only because in eternity God had first chosen you.' 'Didn't I decide for Christ?' asks
somebody else; to which we must reply, 'Yes, indeed you did, and freely, but only because in eternity God
had first decided for you.'”28
While this doctrine is perhaps most associated with Calvin and Augustine, Stott rightly observes
that the doctrine of election “was not invented by Augustine of Hippo or Calvin of Geneva. On the
contrary, it is without question a biblical doctrine, and no biblical Christian can ignore it. According to the
Old Testament, God chose Israel out of all the nations of the world to be his special people. According to
the New Testament, he is choosing an international community to be his 'saints' (verse 1), his holy or
special people.”29 The doctrine of election means that God has the prerogative of, as Eadie puts it,
“sovereign bestowment.” That is, the “change of relation” between God and particular human beings is
“not of man's achievement, but of God's...man does not unite himself to God, but that God unites man
to Himself, for there is no attractive power in man's heart to collect and gather in upon it those spiritual
blessings.”30
The personal nature of election is also clear in other of Paul's letters. In both of his epistles to the
Thessalonian church Paul describes them as being chosen by God. In the first letter he writes, “We recall,
in the presence of our God and Father, your work of faith, labor of love, and endurance of hope in our
Lord Jesus Christ, knowing your election [th.n evklogh.n u`mw/n], brothers loved by God.” (1 Thess. 1:3-4

27 Eadie, 24
28 Stott, 37
29 Ibid. 37
30 Ibid. 18

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 In One Sentence: An Exegesis of Ephesians 1:3-14

CSB) In his second letter he writes, But we must always thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord,
because from the beginning God has chosen you [ei[lato u`ma/j o` qeo.j] for salvation through sanctification
by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. (2 Thess. 2:13 CSB) Similarly Paul writes to the Colossians,
“Put on then, as God's chosen ones [w`j evklektoi. tou/ qeou]/, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts,
kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.” (Col. 3:12 ESV) We see in these three passages common
threads. First, these brethren are said to be “loved by God,” or “loved by the Lord,” or “holy and
beloved.” Second, they have been chosen—they are among “God's elect” or “chosen ones.” Third, there
is something manifested in them that evidenced this election, for instance, the “work of faith” and “labor
of love” ascribed to the Thessalonians.
There is some issue of translation in 2 Thessalonians 2:13. The NA27 Greek Text used by most
modern English translations reads ei[lato u`ma/j o` qeo.j avparch.n eivj swthri.an. The New Revised
Standard, English Standard,, and New Living translations follow this reading, thus translating, “God chose
you as the firstfruits to be saved.” (ESV) However there is a variant reading which says, elato umaj o qeoj
ap archj. This reading is followed by the King James, New King James, New American Standard, New
International, New English Bible, Holman Christian Standard, and the New English Translation, thus
rendering, “God chose you from the beginning for salvation.” (NET) John Calvin, in his commentary on 2
Thessalonians argued for the latter rendering. “The old translation rendered it 'first fruits' (aparchen). But
as almost all Greek manuscripts have ap' arches (“from the beginning”), I prefer to follow that reading.” 31
Calvin furthermore argued, “I think we should keep to the generally agreed translation of this verse, which
says the Thessalonians were chosen from the beginning.”32
Philip Comfort notes, however, that the “textual attestation for these two variants is divided, as it
the internal evidence...The NU [i.e. the Nestle-Aland Greek text] reading could be original because Paul
had the habit of calling the first converts in a certain geographical region the 'firstfruits'...But the variant
reading also has legitimacy because it was customary of Paul to speak of God's selection of his elect
before the foundation of the world.”33 Bruce Metzger, commenting the selection of avparch.n over ap
archj in the reading of the United Bible Societies' edition of the Greek New Testament (identical to the
NA27), relates that although “the reading avpV avrch/j is strongly supported, the Committee preferred
avparch.n because (a) avpV avrch/j appears nowhere else in the Pauline corpus; (b) except for Php. 4.15, avrch,

31 John Calvin, 1 & 2 Thessalonians. Crossway Classic Commentaries. Alister McGrath and J. I. Packer. (Wheaton Illinois:
Crossway), 1999. 96
32 Ibid. 97
33 Philip W. Comfort, New Testament Text and Translation Commentary. (Carol Stream, Illinois: Tyndale), 2008. 654-655

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in Paul always means “power”; (c) avparch, occurs six other places in Paul; and (d) elsewhere copyists took
offense at avparch.n and altered it to avpV avrch/j even though the latter expression is inappropriate in these
passages.”34
If indeed the original reading is “firstfruits” rather than “from the beginning,” how does this effect
the meaning of the verse? Calvin's comment is helpful. “If you prefer 'first fruits,' this would mean that
believers have been, as it were, set aside for a sacred offering, in line with a metaphor from the ancient
custom of the law.”35 The fact of the matter is that whichever reading is original, both statements reflect
Pauline theology. In our passage, God chose believers before the foundation of the world. In Romans 8:23 Paul
states that believers possess “the firstfruits of the Spirit.” It is interesting to note, however, that Paul often
refers to Christ Himself as the firstfruits (see. Rom 11:16, Christ is the “dough offered as firstfruits”; 1
Cor. 15:20, 23, Christ is the “firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” and is the first to rise from the
dead). It is in Revelation 14:4, nevertheless, where believers are said to “have been redeemed from
mankind as firstfruits to God and the Lamb.” (ESV)
While election involves the choosing of a corporate body of those who believe, it nevertheless
involves God's choice of particular individuals for salvation. If God foreknew the Body of Christ, He also
foreknew its members. If God foreknew a nation, He also foreknew its citizens. If God foreknew a
household, He also foreknew whom He would call to be His own children. Whether Paul called the
Thessalonians “chosen from the beginning” or “chosen as firstfruits,” it remains that He chose them. This
applies not only to the believers in first-century Thessalonica, for as Calvin remarks, “Paul did not exempt
from fear a few individuals who had been led to Christ as soon as the Gospel was preached; this
consolation applies to all God's elect, without exception.” Indeed, when he wrote to the believers in
Ephesus (or in Asia Minor) he did not say, “He chose you,” but “He chose us in Him.”

34 Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament. 2nd Edition. (Stuttgart, Germany: German Bible
Society), 1994. 568; Unfortunately, Metzger appears to use the same reasoning to deny the reading avpV avrch/j that many
scholars use to deny the genuine authorship of Paul for many of his letters, such as Ephesians or Colossians. avpV avrch/j
may not appear in other of Paul's writings, but this by no means proves that Paul did not intend to use this phrase.
Besides this, if there is one exception to Paul's typical use of arch, what would prevent Paul from “straying” from his
typical use yet again in this letter? Is not also absurd to assert that Paul “always” uses arch to mean “power” when
indeed there is even one exception?
35 Calvin, Thessalonians. 96

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