The Book of
Ephesians.
Chapter 1.
(Verse by
verse study.)
By
Pastor Nick Bibile
Eph 1:1 Paul, an apostle of
Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at
2 Grace be to you, and
peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath
blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Brief Introduction.
Apostle
Paul is the author and written to the Church in
Eph 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the
saints which are at
The
author's name is Paul, Paulos means small or little.
He is called to be an apostle.
2Co
The
word apostle is a translation of the Hebrew word saliah,
which means a person who acts as the fully authoritative representative of
someone else.
Qualifications
of an apostle is that he has seen Christ, been with Christ sent directly by
Christ Jesus, he had the authority in doctrine directly by Christ.
Eph
The
apostles were witnesses of the resurrection of our Lord and formed the
foundation of the church. Their office was a first generation office and the
highest rank.
There
are no apostles today but we are all Disciples of Christ.
Ga 1:1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ,
and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)
1Co
12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily
prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps,
governments, diversities of tongues.
Eph
21
In whom all the building fitly framed together growth unto a holy temple in the
Lord.
2Pe
3:2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were
spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles
of the Lord and Savior.
The
apostles were given power of working miracles and confirmation of the truth of
Christ's authority and doctrine. His previous name was Saul but it was by the
will of God that he received Salvation and to be an apostle and the name was
changed to Paul, this all happened by the grace of God.
The letter was written to the saints in
But what does the Bible say? The word of
God is above tradition. The saints are not dead holy people where you can pray
for help but true living Christians.
Saints
are true Christians. Our English word saint comes from Latin sanctus, which means sacred. The
word sacred is something or someone who is sanctified. The Greek word is hagios, which means holy. The Hebrew word for holy is quadash, which is derived from the root qad,
which means to cut or to separate.
2Co
6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will
receive you,
18
And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
John
Calvin said, No man, therefore, is a believer who is not also a saint; and, on
the other hand, no man is a saint who is not a believer. Saints are true
Christians who are separated from the worldly unbelievers. Paul is writing this
letter not to dead people who are believed to be in heaven but to Christians
who are alive in Christ, they are called saints who are redeemed by the blood
of Christ. The difference is that the true saints are going to be faithful to
Christ. Saints, which are at
If
you are a Christian you are a saint, a holy person, Holy Spirit lives in you
and you are separated to worship and serve God. If you are not a saint, then
you are an un-holy person; means wicked, living in sin. You will be separated
from the living God and you belong not to God but to the devil. Not to the
light but to the pleasures of darkness. You may receive much comfort from this
world but the Christian comfort is different.
The
Answer
1:That I, with body and soul, both in life and in
death, am not my own, but belong to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ, who with His
precious blood has fully satisfied for all my sins, and redeemed me from all
the power of the devil; and so preserves me that without the will of my Father
in heaven not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, that all things must work
together for my salvation. Wherefore, by His Holy Spirit, He also assures me of
eternal life, and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live unto
Him.
All
Christians must be saints; and if you are not a saint on earth, you will never
be saint in glory.
Eph
1:2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father,
and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
The apostolically benediction, wishing good and giving a blessing.
By grace
we are to understand the free and undeserved love and favor of God, then we have peace. These blessings come from God as Father.
Before we were enemies of God. Our Father was Satan.
Joh
Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the
truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Do
you notice only in Christianity God is called the Father? Buddha is not called
the Father, Allah is not called the Father and
It
was the Lord Jesus Christ who revealed us to the Father.
Joh
Jesus
used the word Abba. When a Hebrew child is born and when he is able to speak
one of the first words that come out of the mouth is abba
means papa. Only the Christians can call Abba, as it is the affectionate and
respectful.
God
is our Father, who takes care of his children. As a Father he provides us, protect us, guides us and preserve us. The Roman Catholic
Church calls Pope the Father, which is an insult to God.
Mt
23:7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of
men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
8
But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master,
even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
9
And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in
heaven.
Eph 1:2 and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
This
divine human relationship comes from the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the door to
the Father. Because he is our mediator, he is our high priest, he is our
prophet. In Jesus name we pray, in Jesus name we teach, In
Jesus name we witness, In Jesus name we fellowship, In Jesus name we
live and die. When the Father looks at Jesus he sees us as saints washed in the
blood of Christ. In the same way we come to the Father through the sacrifice of
Jesus the spotless Lamb of God now seated in heaven at the right hand of God.
All
the blessings of grace and peace are communicated to us through Christ Jesus.
Eph
1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in
Christ.
The
word bless is here used in more than one sense, as referring to God, and as
referring to believers. We are said to bless God when we offer praise to him
for his goodness. Paul therefore blesses God, because he has blessed us.
and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Here
we see there is a relation between God’s fatherhood
and Christ’s Sonship.
As Mediator, the Father was his God; as God, and the second person in the
blessed Trinity Here we see Christ in his human nature as God appointed him to
be the Mediator and made a covenant with him in heaven.
Ps
89:3 I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,
4
Thy seed will I establish forever, and build up thy throne to all generations.
Selah.
5
And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD: thy faithfulness also in the
congregation of the saints.
(This
is not referring to David but to Christ, son of David as Christ seed will be
established forever and we will praise God for salvation)
Ps
89:20 I have found David my servant; with my holy oil
have I anointed him.
Ps
89:26 He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my
salvation.
27
Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.
28
My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my
covenant shall stand fast with him.
29
His seed also will I make to endure forever, and his throne as the days of
heaven.
Although
Christ is God he kept the covenant which was made in heaven, he humbled himself
and became obedient to the Father. Christ was anointed with the Holy Spirit
above measure, and supported it under all his trials and sufferings, and
Christ, as man, prayed to him as his God, believed, hoped, and trusted in him
as such, and loved him as in such a relation to him, and cheerfully obeyed his
commands. The first Adam could not obey the commandments and death came through
him but Christ as a man kept all the commandments.
Mt
He
satisfied the justice of God.
We
cannot come to him in any other way, but through him; and because it is through
him that all their blessings come to us, and therefore all their praises must
go through Christ.
who hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places in Christ.
For
us to understand the word blessing let us turn to Numbers 6:23
Nu
24
The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
25
The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be
gracious unto thee:
26
The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give
thee peace.
27
And they shall put my name upon the children of
The
word blessing is to be in the presence of God, to have his face shine upon us.
The opposite of blessing is the word curse. The curse is to be away from the
presence of God.
Mt
25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye
cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.
with all spiritual blessings.
When
the word of God says with all spiritual blessings, there is a contrast to
spiritual blessings and all spiritual blessings. The contrast is the blessing
that came in the Old Testament through Moses and of Christ. The law came from
Moses and it had its spiritual blessings but perfection is found in Christ, he
gives a perfect revelation of the
Earthly
blessings are temporary. Heavenly blessings are eternal. When Christ was with
the disciples they were blessed with all the spiritual blessings that came from
him. It is word that blessed them. But many wanted physical blessings so they
too followed Christ.
Joh 6:2 And a great multitude followed him, because
they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.
Joh 6:26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye
seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves,
and were filled.
27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth,
but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting
life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father
sealed.
Joh 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth;
the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak
unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
"Satan
promises the best, but pays with the worst; he promises
honor, and pays with disgrace; he promises pleasure, and
pays with pain; he promises profit, and pays with loss; he
promises life, and pays with death. But God pays as he
promises; all his payments are made in pure gold."
THOMAS BROOKS
For
the Christian the word of God is so precious, more precious than all the money
and the wealth of the world, there is no comparison. Because
in His word we blessed spiritually daily. Money and education cannot
change our nature. It can make a person rich on earth but death is at the
corner. After death they have to face God. Spiritual blessing is that a sinner,
God hater, an enemy of God can be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit
to a saint, who will love, adore and worship God. Christ saves His people, not
IN their sins, but FROM their sins. Oh! How amazing is this?
in heavenly places in Christ.
Also can be understood as heavenly benefits, which comes from heaven
through Christ to us. Not talking that we get this spiritual blessings
from the world, as it cannot come from a fallen world. So it’s distinguished from the world.
Christ
is in heaven so we need to think of heaven as heavenly blessings come from
heaven.
2
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
In this
world we live there are temptations from every direction to conform us to this
world. We need the word of God more than ever and stay focused on the Lord more
than ever, discipline our minds so we will not be caught up with the dazzled
glare of wealth, power, and honors. Our soul, can be ensnared by the pleasures
of the flesh, seeks its happiness on the earth. But we need to rise above them
through the meditation and prayer of the word of God. Do not meditate on this
earthly life but meditate on the future life, heavenly life which should be our
priority.
A
glorious termination!
(From Winslow's, "The Aged Christian")
Never forget that the Christian pilgrimage
has a glorious termination. We must keep
this fully in view.
We seek a city that is to come. We are not
journeying to any uncertain, imaginary place.
We are going to our heavenly mansion!
We are traveling to the celestial city!
O solemn thought!
We are wending cur way to our glorious
inheritance, and in a little while, it will
burst upon us in its glory; blessed,
indescribable, inconceivable glory; and
we shall exchange an earthly pilgrimage,
for the heavenly and eternal rest that
awaits the people of God.