Ephesians 1:1

Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ (BDP) better than Ἰ. Χρ. (אAGKL).

ἐν Ἐφέσῳ. Omitted in א*B* 424** (= 67**WH)δ78. Tert. states that Marcion used this Epistle under the title ‘To the Laodicenes,’ a title supplied perhaps from Colossians 4:16. Cf. Argum. ad Col. in Cod. Am. Basil supports the omission (οὕτω γὰρ καὶ οἱ πρὸ ἡμῶν παραδεδώκασι καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐν τοῖς παλαιοῖς τῶν�). The words occur in all other codd., in all verss., and among Greek Fathers in Chr. and Cyr. Transcriptional evidence is in favour of omission (see WH Ap. pp. 123 f.).

1. Παῦλος. Without any associate, as in Romans 1:1. The absence of Timothy’s name, found both in Colossians and Philemon, may well be due to the general character both of the address and of the contents of the letter. It would be difficult to account for in a letter exclusively addressed to the Ephesians.

ἀπόστολος Χρ. Ἰ. He is writing in his official capacity. He calls attention to the fact (ct. Philippians). But his claim needs neither defence (as in Gal.), nor careful definition (as in Rom.). He holds a commission from Christ Jesus Himself.

διὰ θελήματος θεοῦ. As in 1 and 2 Cor.; Col.; 2 Tim. The authority was conferred by the Risen Lord. See Acts 9:15; Acts 26:16; cf. Acts 22:21. But it was only an extension of the commission that the Lord Himself had received from His Father (cf. John 17:18). In bestowing it He was acting in His Father’s name (cf. Romans 1:5). So St Paul traces the source of his authority (as in Galatians 1:15, cf. Galatians 1:1) back to God.

θέλημα (Ephesians 1:5; Ephesians 1:9; Ephesians 1:11; Ephesians 5:17; Ephesians 6:6) is a rare word in classical Greek. From its O. T. associations it connotes the determination of a will, not sovereign merely, but gracious; e.g. Isaiah 44:28; Isaiah 62:4; Psalms 30(29):6, 8 (see Cremer, Bib. Th. Lex.). Contrast κατʼ ἐπιταγήν, ‘in obedience to an express command,’ 1 Timothy 1:1; Titus 1:3; cf. Romans 16:26. The word recurs three times in the opening section of the Epistle. Notice esp. the light thrown on its meaning by the qualifying substantives, εὐδοκίαν (Ephesians 1:5), βουλήν (Ephesians 1:11).

τοῖς ἁγίοις κ.τ.λ. In 1 and 2 Thess. and Gal. St Paul addresses a Church or Churches. In 1 Cor. the address τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ τοῦ θεοῦ τῇ οὔσῃ ἐν Κορίνθῳ is placed in apposition with ἡγιασμένοις ἐν Χ. Ἰ., κλητοῖς ἁγίοις. In 2 Cor. the address to the Church is combined with an address τοῖς ἁγίοις πᾶσιν τοῖς οὖσιν ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ Ἀχαίᾳ. In Rom., Philip. and Col., as here, the address to ‘the saints’ stands by itself without any express reference to the community to which they belonged. It is difficult to account for this variation. 1 and 2 Pet. and Jude conform to St Paul’s later usage. The letters in the Apocalypse on the other hand are sent to the Seven Churches (Ephesians 1:11). If ἐν Ἐφέσῳ be omitted the address of the Epistle becomes quite general as 2 Peter 1:1; Jude 1:1; and Romans 1:7 according to the reading of G. The phrase or an equivalent is however better retained. In any case the address specifies three points, characteristic of Christians everywhere, on which stress will be laid throughout the Epistle. They are ἅγιοι. They are πιστοί. They are both ἅγιοι and πιστοί because they have found their true position ἐν Χ. Ἰ.

τοῖς ἁγίοις. ‘Saints,’ i.e. members of God’s Covenant People consecrated by God for Himself by His own act. See Ephesians 1:15; Ephesians 2:19; Ephesians 3:8; Ephesians 3:18; Ephesians 4:12; Ephesians 5:3; Ephesians 6:18. The position requires a moral and spiritual response on man’s part to the Divine standard which it is the object of the Divine blessing (Ephesians 1:4) and Christ’s sacrifice (Ephesians 5:27) to secure. Cf. Hort on 1 Peter 1:15.

τοῖς οὖσιν. The analogy of Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 2 Corinthians 1:1; Philip. Ephesians 1:1 shows that a geographical description must have followed.

καὶ πιστοῖς. Cf. for combination with ἅγιοι Colossians 1:1 only. ‘Faithful.’ The word may mean simply ‘trustworthy’ (cf. Ephesians 6:21, πιστὸς διάκονος) or ‘believing.’ As a Christian characteristic (the mark by which the Christian ‘Saints’ were distinguished from the unbelieving Jews who yet were ἅγιοι, cf. οἱ ἐκ περιτομῆς πιστοί, Acts 10:45) the second meaning predominates. In Past. Epp. it is used absolutely as descriptive of Christians clearly in this sense. See 1 Timothy 4:3; 1 Timothy 4:12; 1 Timothy 5:16; 1 Timothy 6:2; Titus 1:6; cf. Revelation 17:14. Cf. vv. Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 1:15; Ephesians 1:19.

ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. The third characteristic which underlies and substantiates the first two. We must beware (see Lightfoot on Colossians 1:4) of connecting ἐν with πιστὸς as defining the object of faith. It is the regular phrase throughout the Epistle to describe the true position of the Christian, the source of all his life and power and privilege. See Ephesians 2:6-7; Ephesians 2:10; Ephesians 2:13; Ephesians 3:6, cf. Ephesians 3:21; cf. ἐν Χριστῷ Ephesians 1:3, ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ Ephesians 1:10, ἐν κυρίῳ Ephesians 2:21. Here, as in Colossians 1:2, membership in Christ Jesus is both the ground of their consecration (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:2; Philippians 1:1) and the source of their faith (cf. on Ephesians 1:15) or faithfulness (cf. Ephesians 6:21). Cf. Intr. pp. lxii.–lxxvi.