Bullet Point Bible - Ephesians 1

Apostolic Greeting

¹ From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints [in Ephesus], the faithful in Christ Jesus.² Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

Paul asserts his apostleship is derived from God's will, not human appointment, establishing divine authority for his message.
The letter is addressed to "saints" (hagioi), meaning those set apart by God, and the "faithful" (pistoi), emphasizing their trust and position in Christ.
The phrase "in Ephesus" is missing in some early important manuscripts, suggesting Ephesians might have been intended as a circular letter for churches in the region.
"Saints" refers to all believers consecrated to God, not a special class of spiritually elite individuals.
The greeting combines the Greek concept of "grace" (charis - unmerited favor) with the Hebrew concept of "peace" (shalom - wholeness, well-being).
Grace from God is presented as the foundation for true peace, both with God and within the community.
Placing "God our Father" and "the Lord Jesus Christ" together as the source of grace and peace implies Christ's divinity and co-equality with the Father.

Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ

³ Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ.⁴ For he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him in love.⁵ He did this by predestining us to adoption as his legal heirs through Jesus Christ, according to the pleasure of his will-⁶ to the praise of the glory of his grace that he has freely bestowed on us in his dearly loved Son.

This section begins with a traditional Jewish form of blessing (a *berakah*), praising God for His actions.
God the Father is identified as the source of "every spiritual blessing."
These blessings exist "in the heavenly realms" (or "heavenly places"), a key term in Ephesians denoting the spiritual dimension where God dwells and reigns, and where spiritual realities unfold.
All blessings are mediated "in Christ," meaning believers receive them through their union and identification with Him.
God's election ("chose us") occurred "before the foundation of the world," emphasizing God's sovereign initiative and eternal plan, independent of human merit.
The purpose of election is ethical transformation: believers are chosen "to be holy and blameless before him in love."
Predestination leads to "adoption as his sons," granting believers intimacy with God, family privileges, and inheritance rights within God's family.
God's choice is based "according to the pleasure of his will," highlighting His sovereign grace and purpose, not human worthiness.
The ultimate aim of God's plan is "the praise of the glory of his grace," directing all attention to God's magnificent character.
God's grace is "freely bestowed" upon believers "in his dearly loved Son," emphasizing Christ's unique relationship with the Father and His role as the conduit of grace.

Redemption and God's Master Plan

⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our offenses, according to the riches of his grace⁸ that he lavished on us in all wisdom and insight.⁹ He did this when he revealed to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ,¹⁰ toward the administration of the fullness of the times, to head up all things in Christ-the things in heaven and the things on earth.

Redemption, meaning release from bondage (to sin) through a price paid, is found "in him" (Christ).
The price paid is specified as "his blood," referring to Christ's sacrificial death.
Redemption results in "the forgiveness of our trespasses," addressing the core human problem of sin against God.
The source of this redemption is the "riches of his grace," emphasizing the boundless and unmerited nature of God's favor.
God "lavished" this grace, suggesting an extravagant and abundant outpouring.
Along with grace, God grants "wisdom and insight" to understand His purposes.
God revealed the "mystery of his will" – His previously hidden plan, now made known through Christ. This mystery centers on the unification of all things in Christ.
This revelation aligns with God's "good pleasure" or sovereign purpose established "in Christ."
The plan culminates in the "administration (oikonomia) of the fullness of the times," referring to God's management of history reaching its climax.
The grand scope of God's plan is "to unite all things in Christ," restoring cosmic harmony under His headship, encompassing both the heavenly and earthly realms.

The Inheritance Sealed by the Holy Spirit

¹¹ In Christ we too have been claimed as God's own possession, since we were predestined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will¹² so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, would be to the praise of his glory.¹³ And when you heard the word of truth (the gospel of your salvation)-when you believed in Christ -you were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit,¹⁴ who is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of his glory.

Continuing the theme of blessings "in him" (Christ), believers have "obtained an inheritance," linking to their adoption (v. 5).
This inheritance is secured through God's predestination, emphasizing His sovereign control ("works out everything in agreement with the purpose of his will").
"We" (likely referring initially to Jewish believers) who first hoped in Christ were chosen to live "for the praise of his glory."
"You" (likely Gentile believers) were included upon hearing and believing the "word of truth, the gospel." This highlights the expansion of God's plan.
Belief results in being "marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit." The seal signifies divine ownership, authenticity, and protection.
The Holy Spirit is described as the "down payment" (arrabon - a Greek term for a deposit or first installment guaranteeing the full amount).
The Spirit's presence guarantees the believer's full future inheritance, which includes the final "redemption of God's own possession" (the complete liberation of God's people).
This section, like the previous one, concludes by emphasizing the ultimate purpose: "to the praise of his glory" (cf. v. 6, v. 12).
The distinction between "we" and "you" subtly introduces the theme of Jew-Gentile unity in Christ, central to Ephesians.

Paul's Prayer for Enlightenment

¹⁵ For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,¹⁶ I do not cease to give thanks for you when I remember you in my prayers.¹⁷ I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, will give you spiritual wisdom and revelation in your growing knowledge of him,¹⁸ -since the eyes of your heart have been enlightened -so that you can know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints,¹⁹ and what is the incomparable greatness of his power toward us who believe, as displayed in the exercise of his immense strength.

Paul shifts from praise (vv. 3-14) to intercessory prayer, motivated by reports of the readers' "faith" and "love."
Faith in Christ and love for fellow believers are presented as essential marks of genuine Christian life.
Paul expresses persistent thankfulness and prayer for the believers.
He addresses his prayer to "the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father," highlighting God's relationship to Jesus and His inherent majesty.
The core request is for a "spirit of wisdom and revelation," enabling deeper, experiential "knowledge of him" (God). This is spiritual insight granted by God.
Paul prays for the "eyes of your hearts" to be enlightened—a metaphor for gaining profound spiritual understanding and perception.
The prayer focuses on knowing three specific things:

God's Power in Christ's Exaltation and Headship

¹⁹ and what is the incomparable greatness of his power toward us who believe, as displayed in the exercise of his immense strength.

The immense power available to believers (v. 19a) is the very same power God exerted ("working of his mighty strength") in Christ.
This divine power was supremely demonstrated in Christ's resurrection ("raised him from the dead"), signifying victory over sin and death.
It was further shown in Christ's ascension and exaltation ("seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms"), indicating His supreme authority and honor.
Christ's position is "far above all rule and authority and power and dominion," signifying His supremacy over every conceivable spiritual or earthly power, both now and in the future.
God subjected everything to Christ ("put all things under Christ's feet," echoing Psalm 8:6), affirming His absolute sovereignty.
God appointed the exalted Christ as "head over all things for the church," meaning His cosmic authority is exercised particularly for the benefit of His people.
The church is described metaphorically as "his body," emphasizing the vital, organic union between Christ (the head) and believers (the body).
The church is also called "the fullness of him who fills all in all." This profound statement suggests the church manifests Christ's presence and completes His work in the world, as He Himself fills the entire universe.
This section establishes Christ's supreme authority and His relationship to the church, laying the foundation for the rest of the epistle.

Additional Content

²⁰ This power he exercised in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms²¹ far above every rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.²² And God putall things under Christ's feet , and gave him to the church as head over all things.²³ Now the church is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

The Bullet Point Bible

Ephesians 1