Churches. The words of common courtesy become words of solemn blessing. Christ Himself blesses through the believer.
For
eijrhvnh
see Phil. 4:7; John 14:27; Col. 3:15.
ajpo; qeou' patro;" hJmw'n
...] The
hJmw'n
is omitted in the salutations 2 Thess. 1:2; 1 Tim. 1:2; 2 Tim. 1:2; Tit. 1:4; and in the corresponding phrase Eph. 6:23. For the different shade of thought compare the use of
oJ pathvr
and
oJ pathvr mou
in St John. (Addit. Note on 1 John 1:2.)
kai; k. jI. C.
] The Lord Jesus Christ is united with the Father in all the salutations of St Paul. The language in 1 Thess. 1:1, 2 Thess. 1:1-2 and Tit. 1:4 is specially worthy of notice.
Primasius adds justly: cum ab utroque gratia optatur, unum (
e{n
John 10:30) esse monstrantur.
I. A Hymn of Praise to GOD for the redemption and consummation of things created in Christ
(Eph. 1:3-14).
The whole passage is a Psalm of praise for the redemption and consummation of created things, fulfilled in Christ through the Spirit according to the eternal purpose of GOD.
This fulfilment is contemplated specially in the relation of believers to Christ, chosen in Him, redeemed, enlightened, sealed.
That which has been done already is the pledge of that which shall be. The general sequence of thought is clear. The work of the Divine love is summarily characterised in vs. 3; and then it is analysed in detail, as it was wrought beyond time in the eternal order (vv. 4-6), and then historically realised in time in the experience of believers, both Jews and Gentiles (vv. 7-14).
From first to last the fulness of the Divine blessing is shewn to be realised in Christ (vs. 3).
In Him GOD chose us (vs. 4). In the Beloved He graced us (vs. 6). In Him we have our redemption (vs. 7); even as GOD purposed in Him to sum up all things in the Christ (vs. 10).
In Him the faithful of Israel were made a Divine heritage (vs. 11). In Him the Gentiles found a place (vs. 13). In Him they were sealed by the Spirit (vs. 13), the pledge of a larger hope (vs.
14).
The rhythmical structure of the passage will be apparent, if it is arranged according to the succession of the principal clauses; and at the same time some obscurities of construction will be removed when attention is fixed on the dominant finite verbs (as in Phil. 2:6-11).