Catholic Commentary on Ephesians 1

"For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight." (Ephesians 1:4)

Every Spiritual Blessing

Ephesians is the most majestic of Paul's letters, a sustained meditation on the mystery of God's eternal plan now revealed in Christ and in the Church. Unlike the situational urgency of Galatians, Ephesians breathes the atmosphere of contemplation: Paul writes from prison, and the letter has the quality of a mind that has been forced by confinement to think about the largest things. The opening blessing is the longest single sentence in the Greek New Testament, a single flowing doxology that moves through the entire economy of salvation: chosen before the foundation of the world, predestined for adoption, redeemed through the blood of Christ, forgiven, the mystery of his will made known, all things in heaven and earth summed up in Christ, sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. Every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms is already given in Christ.

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. The Catechism identifies this as the foundational statement of Christian identity: the election that precedes creation, the choice of God that is prior to everything we do or fail to do, is the bedrock on which all Christian confidence rests (CCC 381). You were chosen before you existed. Your standing in Christ does not depend on anything you have yet done.

Paul's Prayer

Paul prays that the God of glory may give them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that they may know him better. That the eyes of their heart may be enlightened to know three things: the hope to which he has called them, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and the incomparably great power available to those who believe. That power is the same power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him at the right hand of the Father in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion. He put all things under his feet and appointed him head over everything for the Church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, the eyes of your heart need to be enlightened. Not just your mind but your heart's capacity to see. Pray Paul's prayer for yourself today: Lord, give me the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that I may know you better. Enlighten the eyes of my heart to know the hope of my calling, the riches of my inheritance, and the power that raised Christ from the dead now available to me.

Prayer

God of glory, enlighten the eyes of our hearts. Let us know the hope to which you have called us, the riches of the inheritance you have prepared for your people, and the incomparably great power available to those who believe. Seated above all powers, you are head over all things for your Church. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Ephesians
1
Paul’s Greeting to the Ephesians
(Acts 19:8–12; Revelation 2:1–7)
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
 
To the saints in Ephesus,* 1:1 Some manuscripts do not include in Ephesus. the faithful in Christ Jesus:
 
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Spiritual Blessings
(Romans 8:28–34)
 
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms. 4 For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love 5 He predestined us for adoption as His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the Beloved One.
 
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8 that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9 And He has made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to bring all things in heaven and on earth together in Christ.
 
11 In Him we were also chosen as God’s own, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything by the counsel of His will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, would be for the praise of His glory.
 
13 And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth—the gospel of your salvation—you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the pledge of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession, to the praise of His glory.
Spiritual Wisdom
(1 Corinthians 2:6–16)
 
15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in your knowledge of Him.
 
18 I ask that the eyes of your heart † 1:18 BYZ and TR the eyes of your understanding may be enlightened, so that you may know the hope of His calling, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and the surpassing greatness of His power to us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of His mighty strength, 20 which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
 
22 And God put everything under His feet and made Him head over everything for the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

*1:1 1:1 Some manuscripts do not include in Ephesus.

†1:18 1:18 BYZ and TR the eyes of your understanding

Public Domain