Ephesians 1

Background and Overview

In Chapter 1, Paul reveals to the church the Eternal Purpose of God. The main verses are verse 9 and 10.

God only has one Eternal Purpose. He set this purpose according to His own good pleasure (v9). His eternal purpose was a mystery since the beginning of time (v9), but know is revealed to the church. His Eternal Purpose is His Son Jesus Christ. In God perfect time, God will unite all things in heaven and on earth in Christ (v10).

Everything began with Christ (Hebrew 1, Col 1), sustains by Christ, and will end in Christ. For He is the Alpha, and the Omega. He is the beginning and the end. All created things in heaven and on earth to be under the Christ, will submit to Christ, will acknowledge Christ as the Lord of Lords and King of Kings (Phi 2:10)

Paul first of the two prayers to the Ephesians church consists of the following content:

1. Give Thanks for the Ephesians church (v16)
2. Ask God to Father to give Ephesians the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that they may know God the Father better
3. The eyes of their heart may be enlighten:
   1. In order that they may know the hope to which God has called them (v17)
      1. God has called us to be members of the body of Christ.
      2. Our hope is this body of Christ will one day grew into maturity of Christ and became the bride of Christ
   2. and the riches of God’s glorious inheritance in the saints (v18)
   3. and God’s incomparably great power for believers (v19)

Division

1. God’s Eternal Purpose (v1-14)
2. Paul First Prayer in Ephesians (v15-23)

Exposition