By Rev. Doug Enick
Trinity Evangelical Church, Pratt
Special to the Tribune
I think one of the most remarkable passages in all the Bible is found in Ephesians 1:3-14. It is difficult to find words enough to do the passage justice. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul employs all his rhetorical talents to set forth the glory of our redemption in Jesus Christ. We would be hard pressed to find another passage of Scripture of similar length that is so densely packed with theological truth and so full of spiritual treasures.
Remarkably, the entire passage consists of a single complex sentence, although most English translations break it up into several shorter sentences. Paul is so taken up with the multifaceted nature of our redemption that he simply cannot say enough about it. He piles up one descriptive clause after another as this or that aspect of our salvation comes to his mind until the total number of Greek words in the sentence reaches a whopping 202!
The complexity of the sentence makes it difficult to interpret at some points, but its overall message is very clear. Paul speaks of the greatness and the glory of our redemption in Jesus Christ. He considers it in its several different aspects. First, he considers it as the joint effort of the Triune God. He attributes our redemption ultimately to the will of the Father who, before the foundation of the world, chose us and predestined us for adoption as sons (vv. 3-6, 11). He speaks of the work of Jesus Christ who purchased our redemption with his blood, thus securing the forgiveness of our trespasses (vv. 7-8). And he tells us that we have been “sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it” (vv. 13-14). Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, then, work together for our salvation.
Second, he considers our redemption in terms of the benefits we receive from it: election (vv. 4-5, 11), sanctification (v. 4), adoption as sons (v. 5), forgiveness of sins (v. 7), divine revelation of God’s eternal purpose (vv. 8-9), and the gift of the Holy Spirit (vv. 13-14).
Third, he considers our redemption in terms of the glory which is due to God on account of it: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 3); “to the praise of his glorious grace” (v. 6); “to the praise of his glory” (v. 12). Paul’s mind is filled with wonder and his mouth with praise as he contemplates what God has done for us in Christ.
Fourth, he speaks of the purpose of God in summing up or in uniting all things in Jesus Christ, “things in heaven and things on earth” (vv. 9-10). The centrality of Jesus Christ is unmistakable. All told, we find fifteen direct references to our Lord Jesus Christ and the work he has performed for the sake of our redemption.
I encourage you to read the passage carefully. Even better, memorize it!
