Chapter 1:
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Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 Galatians Philippians
Ephesians 1
Verse 1. By the will of God - Not by any merit of my own. To the saints
who are at Ephesus - And in all the adjacent places. For this
epistle is not directed to the Ephesians only, but likewise to all the
other churches of Asia.
Verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
hath blessed us - God's blessing us is his bestowing all spiritual
and heavenly blessings upon us. Our blessing God is the paying
him our solemn and grateful acknowledgments, both on account
of his own essential blessedness, and of the blessings which he
bestows upon us. He is the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, as man
and Mediator: he is his Father, primarily, with respect to his
divine nature, as his only begotten Son; and, secondarily, with
respect to his human nature, as that is personally united to the
divine. With all spiritual blessings in heavenly things - With all
manner of spiritual blessings, which are heavenly in their nature,
original, and tendency, and shall be completed in heaven: far
different from the external privileges of the Jews, and the earthly
blessings they expected from the Messiah.
Verse 4. As he hath chosen us - Both Jews and gentiles, whom he
foreknew as believing in Christ, 1 Pet. i, 2.
Verse 5. Having predestinated us to the adoption of sons - Having
foreordained that all who afterwards believed should enjoy the
dignity of being sons of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.
According to the good pleasure of his will - According to his free,
fixed, unalterable purpose to confer this blessing on all those who
should believe in Christ, and those only.
Verse 6. To the praise of the glory of his grace - His glorious, free love
without any desert on our part.
Verse 7. By whom we - Who believe. Have - From the moment we
believe. Redemption - From the guilt and power of sin. Through
his blood - Through what he hath done and suffered for us.
According to the riches of his grace - According to the abundant
overflowings of his free mercy and favour.
Verse 8. In all wisdom - Manifested by God in the whole scheme of our
salvation. And prudence - Which be hath wrought in us, that we
may know and do all his acceptable and perfect will.
Verse 9. Having made known to us - By his word and by his Spirit. The
mystery of his will - The gracious scheme of salvation by faith,
which depends on his own sovereign will alone. This was but
darkly discovered under the law; is now totally hid from
unbelievers; and has heights and depths which surpass all the
knowledge even of true believers.
Verse 10. That in the dispensation of the fulness of the times - In this
last administration of God's fullest grace, which took place when
the time appointed was fully come. He might gather together into
one in Christ - Might recapitulate, re-unite, and place in order
again under Christ, their common Head. All things which are in
heaven, and on earth - All angels and men, whether living or dead,
in the Lord.
Verse 11. Through whom we - Jews. Also have obtained an inheritance -
The glorious inheritance of the heavenly Canaan, to which, when
believers, we were predestinated according to the purpose of him
that worketh all things after the counsel of his own will - The
unalterable decree, "He that believeth shall be delivered;" which
will is not an arbitrary will, but flowing from the rectitude of his
nature, else, what security would there be that it would be his will
to keep his word even with the elect?
Verse 12. That we - Jews. Who first believed - Before the gentiles. So
did some of them in every place. Here is another branch of the
true gospel predestination: he that believes is not only elected to
salvation, (if he endures to the end,) but is fore-appointed of God
to walk in holiness, to the praise of his glory.
Verse 13. In whom ye - Gentiles. Likewise believed, after ye had heard
the gospel - Which God made the means of your salvation; in
whom after ye had believed - Probably some time after their first
believing. Ye were sealed by that Holy Spirit of promise - Holy
both in his nature and in his operations, and promised to all the
children of God. The sealing seems to imply,
1. A full impression of the image of God on their souls.
2. A full assurance of receiving all the promises, whether relating
to time or eternity.
Verse 14. Who, thus sealing us, is an earnest - Both a pledge and a
foretaste of our inheritance. Till the redemption of the purchased
possession - Till the church, which he has purchased with his own
blood, shall be fully delivered from all sin and sorrow, and
advanced to everlasting glory. To the praise of his glory - Of his
glorious wisdom, power, and mercy.
Verse 15. Since I heard of your faith and love - That is, of their
perseverance and increase therein.
Verse 16. I cease not - In all my solemn addresses to God. To give
thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers - So he did
of all the churches, Col. i, 9.
Verse 17. That the Father of that infinite glory which shines in the face
of Christ, from whom also we receive the glorious inheritance,
ver. 18, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and Revelation - The
same who is the Spirit of promise is also, in the progress of the
faithful, the Spirit of wisdom and Revelation; making them wise
unto salvation, and revealing to them the deep things of God. He
is here speaking of that wisdom and Revelation which are
common to all real Christians.
Verse 18. The eyes of your understanding - It is with these alone that we
discern the things of God. Being first opened, and then
enlightened - By his Spirit. That ye may know what is the hope of
his calling - That ye may experimentally and delightfully know
what are the blessings which God has called you to hope for by
his word and his Spirit. And what is the riches of the glory of his
inheritance in the saints - What an immense treasure of
blessedness he hath provided as an inheritance for holy souls.
Verse 19. And what the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who
believe - Both in quickening our dead souls, and preserving them
in spiritual life. According to the power which he exerted in
Christ, raising him from the dead - By the very same almighty
power whereby he raised Christ; for no less would suffice.
Verse 20. And he hath seated him at his own right hand - That is, he hath
exalted him in his human nature, as a recompence for his
sufferings, to a quiet, everlasting possession of all possible
blessedness, majesty, and glory.
Verse 21. Far above all principality, and power, and might, and
dominion - That is, God hath invested him with uncontrollable
authority over all demons in hell, all angels in heaven, and all the
princes and potentates on earth. And every name that is named -
We know the king is above all, though we cannot name all the
officers of his court. So we know that Christ is above all, though
we are not able to name all his subjects. Not only in this world,
but also in that which is to come - The world to come is so styled,
not because it does not yet exist, but because it is not yet visible.
Principalities and powers are named now; but those also who are
not even named in this world, but shall be revealed in the world to
come, are all subject to Christ.
Verse 22. And he hath given him to be head over all things to the church
- An head both of guidance and government, and likewise of life
and influence, to the whole and every member of it. All these
stand in the nearest union with him, and have as continual and
effectual a communication of activity, growth, and strength from
him, as the natural body from its head.
Verse 23. The fulness of him that filleth all in all - It is hard to say in
what sense this can be spoken of the church; but the sense is easy
and natural, if we refer it to Christ, who is the fulness of the
Father.
Chapter 1:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 Galatians Philippians
This version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible is a derivative of an electronic version, Copyright 1997, by Sulu D. Kelley. All rights reserved. Used by permission. It may not be modified or used commercially without permission of Wesleyan Heritage Publishing and Sulu Kelley. A special thanks to Mr. Kelley and Wesleyan Heritage Publishing for permission to create and post this version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible.
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalm
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation
