Ephesians 1:12

Ephesians 1:12. That we should be. The final aim of the predestination to become God's heritage is that the subjects (‘we') should be unto the praise of his glory; comp. Ephesians 1:6. ‘Grace' is not named here, showing that ‘glory' is the prominent idea. As persons are more directly connected with the phrase, they are not only to praise, but themselves to be a praise. The main question, however, is respecting the word, ‘we.' As it is further explained in the next clause which is contrasted with ‘ye ‘in Ephesians 1:13, most commentators refer it to Jewish Christians, and ‘ye' to Gentile Christians. ‘Another view refers ‘we' to Christians in general, and ‘ye' to the Ephesians; but the former is much to be preferred.

We who have before hoped in the Christ. ‘Before' indicates unmistakably the Jewish Christians, who had the promise before the coming of the Messiah, and hoped accordingly. It does not mean before others, or before the second advent. The form used points to a past action still continued; hence ‘had' is not strictly correct. The E. V. has unfortunately rendered the verb ‘hope' in a majority of the instances in the N. T., by ‘trust,' and has confused the sense still more by supplying ‘trusted' in Ephesians 1:13.