Eph 1:3 | 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 ( ; 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 ( ; ; ; ); 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). Ep 1:3-14 sets forth summarily the Gospel of the grace of God: the Father's work of love, Ep 1:3 (choosing us to holiness, Ep 1:4; to sonship, Ep 1:5; to acceptance, Ep 1:6): the Son's, Ep 1:7 (redemption, Ep 1:7; knowledge of the mystery of His will, Ep 1:9; an inheritance, Ep 1:11); the Holy Spirit's, Ep 1:13 (sealing, Ep 1:13; giving an earnest of the inheritance, Ep 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 (Ep 1:20; Ep 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; Ep 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 (Ep 4:8).

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