Ephesians 1 Commentary

Paul begins this letter by greeting the faithful believers in Ephesus and asks God to give them favor and peace.

He then demonstrates at length how the Trinity of God (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) are all at work in saving believers from sin. God the Father chose believers before creation itself, setting them apart for the purpose of walking blamelessly in His ways. It was through love He adopted believers into His family, but Jesus Christ the Son had to make this possible by dying on the cross.

Through Christ’s sacrifice, we are forgiven of our sins and redeemed. This gift of redemption is a free gift God has generously given those who believe. Through Jesus, we can look forward to the riches and inheritance of being with God forever.

When any believer first hears the truth of Jesus’s death and resurrection, and believes in that good news, we are not only saved from sin but are sealed by the Holy Spirit who comes to live within us and ensure that we belong to God forever and will inherit eternal life from Him. This working of the Trinity is all to the praise of God’s perfect character and essence.

Paul prays that the Ephesians would receive further wisdom and knowledge of God. That their hearts would experience the hope of everything God calls us to, to live rightly before Him in the abundant power He gives us to choose to obey Him. A glimpse of the greatness of God’s power is displayed in the resurrection of Jesus. God raised Him from the dead and put Him on the Throne in Heaven, giving Him rulership over all of creation and all people for His obedience to God.

The Bible Project - Ephesians Summary