Ephesians 1:15-23

Prayer, that the Saints may fully realize their Divine privileges and prospects in Christ

15. Wherefore, &c.. The Apostle now passes from the adoring view of Divine Redemption to prayer that its treasures of grace may be realized in the whole experience and life of the saints. And this he does, as elsewhere (Colossians 1; 2 Thessalonians 1) in close connexion with thanksgiving for what they had already found [31]. "Wherefore" :because such is the greatness of Redemption, in fact and prospect.

[31] In Dean Howson's admirable Lectures on the Character of St Paul(Lect. IV.) it is pointed out that St Paul always, in opening an Epistle, joins prayer to thanksgiving, except in Epistles (1 Cor.; Gal.) marked by a certain severity.

I also as well as others who have you in their hearts; a touch of gracious modesty.

heard in his Roman lodging, doubtless through Epaphras (Colossians 1:7) among others.

your faith More lit., the faith among you, la foi chez vous.

in the Lord Jesus Reposed on and inHim, as an anchor in the ground. It is questioned whether "faith," "believe," &c. with the preposition "in," do not rather mean "faith, &c., maintained inand by connexion with Christ." But there are passages which fully prove the possibility of the simple meaning given above (e.g. Mark 1:15, where lit., "believe in the Gospel;" and cp. in LXX. Psalms 77 (78) 26; Jeremiah 12:6); and in most passages where the construction occurs a remote and elaborate meaning would in the nature of the case be unlikely.

and love unto all the saints Cp. Colossians 1:4 for an exact parallel. Here, however, the reading is disputed. Some very important MSS. omit "love," and R. V. reads accordingly "the faith … which ye shew toward all the saints." But the external evidence for the received reading is very strong. All the ancient Versions give it, as well as some of the oldest MSS., and the vast majority of others. And it is internally very much more likely than a phrase which is without any real parallel, and which couples together, under closely kindred terms, "faith in" Christ and "faith towards" Christians. And the parallel in Colossians 1:4 is strongly in favour of the received reading; for though it is likely enough that St Paul may have omittedin one Epistle a whole phrase which he used in the other (as in Ephesians 1:7 above, where the Colossian parallel omits "through His blood"), it is far from likely that he should have variedthe easy and obvious phrase in the one for a curiously difficult one in the other. The true probability is that we have here an early mistake of transcription, due to certain phenomena in the Gr. words.

The Apostle has heard with joy of their personal trust in the Divine Redeemer, and their consequent love to all who are His; "faith working by love," coming out, developing itself, in a life of holy love.

It is obvious that this "love to the saints" does not negative "love towards allmen." But it is love of another order, love of endearment, not only of good will; a necessary sequel of the family connexion of the saints; "brotherlylove." The N. T. is full of this supernatural family affection. See 2 Peter 1:7 for "love" (to all men) "added to," or rather "supplied in, love to the brethren."