Eph 1:3, 1Jo 4:9-10 | JFB | STEP | 3. The doxologies in almost all the Epistles imply the real sense of grace experienced by the writers and their readers ( ). sets forth summarily the Gospel of the grace of God: the FATHER'S work of love, (choosing us to holiness, ; to sonship, ; to acceptance, ): the SON'S , ( redemption, ; knowledge of the mystery of His will, ; an inheritance, ); the HOLY SPIRIT'S , ( sealing, ; giving an earnest of the inheritance, ). the God and Father of . . . Christ —and so the God and Father of us who are in Him ( ). God is "the God" of the man Jesus, and "the Father" of the Divine Word. The Greek is, " Blessed us," not "hath blessed us"; referring to the past original counsel of God. As in creation ( ) so in redemption ( ) God "blesses" His children; and that not in mere words, but in acts. us —all Christians. blessings — Greek, "blessing." "All," that is, " every possible blessing for time and eternity, which the Spirit has to bestow" (so "spiritual" means; not "spiritual," as the term is now used, as opposed to bodily ). in heavenly places —a phrase five times found in this Epistle, and not elsewhere ( ); Greek, "in the heavenly places." Christ's ascension is the means of introducing us into the heavenly places, which by our sin were barred against us. Compare the change made by Christ ( ). While Christ in the flesh was in the form of a servant, God's people could not realize fully their heavenly privileges as sons. Now "our citizenship ( Greek ) is in heaven" ( ), where our High Priest is ever "blessing" us. Our "treasures" are there ( ); our aims and affections ( ); our hope ( ); our inheritance ( ). The gift of the Spirit itself, the source of the "spiritual blessing," is by virtue of Jesus having ascended thither ( ). in Christ —the center and source of all blessing to us.

Ephesians 1:3

3. The doxologies in almost all the Epistles imply the real sense of grace experienced by the writers and their readers (1Pe 1:3). Eph 1:3-14 sets forth summarily the Gospel of the grace of God: the FATHER'S work of love, Eph 1:3 (choosing us to holiness, Eph 1:4; to sonship, Eph 1:5; to acceptance, Eph 1:6): the SON'S, Eph 1:7 (redemption, Eph 1:7; knowledge of the mystery of His will, Eph 1:9; an inheritance, Eph 1:11); the HOLY SPIRIT'S, Eph 1:13 (sealing, Eph 1:13; giving an earnest of the inheritance, Eph 1:14).

the God and Father of . . . Christ—and so the God and Father of us who are in Him (Joh 20:17). God is "the God" of the man Jesus, and "the Father" of the Divine Word. The Greek is, "Blessed us," not "hath blessed us"; referring to the past original counsel of God. As in creation (Ge 1:22) so in redemption (Ge 12:3; Mt 5:3-11; 25:34) God "blesses" His children; and that not in mere words, but in acts.

us—all Christians.

blessings—Greek, "blessing." "All," that is, "every possible blessing for time and eternity, which the Spirit has to bestow" (so "spiritual" means; not "spiritual," as the term is now used, as opposed to bodily).

in heavenly places —a phrase five times found in this Epistle, and not elsewhere (Eph 1:20; Eph 2:6; 3:10; 6:12); Greek, "in the heavenly places." Christ's ascension is the means of introducing us into the heavenly places, which by our sin were barred against us. Compare the change made by Christ (Col 1:20; Eph 1:20). While Christ in the flesh was in the form of a servant, God's people could not realize fully their heavenly privileges as sons. Now "our citizenship (Greek) is in heaven" (Php 3:20), where our High Priest is ever "blessing" us. Our "treasures" are there (Mt 6:20, 21); our aims and affections (Col 3:1, 2); our hope (Col 1:5; Tit 2:13); our inheritance (1Pe 1:4). The gift of the Spirit itself, the source of the "spiritual blessing," is by virtue of Jesus having ascended thither (Eph 4:8).

in Christ—the center and source of all blessing to us.

1 John 4:9-10

9. toward us—Greek, "in our case."

sent—Greek, "hath sent."

into the world—a proof against Socinians, that the Son existed before He was "sent into the world." Otherwise, too, He could not have been our life (1Jo 4:9), our "propitiation" (1Jo 4:10), or our "Saviour" (1Jo 4:14). It is the grand proof of God's love, His having sent "His only-begotten Son, that we might live through Him," who is the Life, and who has redeemed our forfeited life; and it is also the grand motive to our mutual love.

10. Herein is love—love in the abstract: love, in its highest ideal, is herein. The love was all on God's side, none on ours.

not that we loved God—though so altogether worthy of love.

he loved us—though so altogether unworthy of love. The Greek aorist expresses, Not that we did any act of love at any time to God, but that He did the act of love to us in sending Christ.