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
Ephesians 1
Concise Complete
A salutation, and an account of saving blessings, as
prepared in God's eternal election, as purchased by Christ's blood. (1-8) And as
conveyed in effectual calling: this is applied to the believing Jews, and to the
believing Gentiles. (9-14) The apostle thanks God for their faith and love, and
prays for the continuance of their knowledge and hope, with respect to the
heavenly inheritance, and to God's powerful working in them. (15-23)
1,2. All Christians must be saints; if they come not
under that character on earth, they will never be saints in glory. Those are not
saints, who are not faithful, believing in Christ, and true to the profession
they make of relation to their Lord. By grace, understand the free and
undeserved love and favour of God, and those graces of the Spirit which come
from it; by peace, all other blessings, spiritual and temporal, the fruits of
the former. No peace without grace. No peace, nor grace, but from God the
Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ; and the best saints need fresh supplies
of the graces of the Spirit, and desire to grow.
Verses 3-8
Spiritual and heavenly blessings are the best blessings; with which we cannot be
miserable, and without which we cannot but be so. This was from the choice of
them in Christ, before the foundation of the world, that they should be made
holy by separation from sin, being set apart to God, and sanctified by the Holy
Spirit, in consequence of their election in Christ. All who are chosen to
happiness as the end, are chosen to holiness as the means. In love they were
predestinated, or fore-ordained, to be adopted as children of God by faith in
Christ Jesus, and to be openly admitted to the privileges of that high relation
to himself. The reconciled and adopted believer, the pardoned sinner, gives all
the praise of his salvation to his gracious Father. His love appointed this
method of redemption, spared not his own Son, and brought believers to hear and
embrace this salvation. It was rich grace to provide such a surety as his own
Son, and freely to deliver him up. This method of grace gives no encouragement
to evil, but shows sin in all its hatefulness, and how it deserves vengeance.
The believer's actions, as well as his words, declare the praises of Divine
mercy.
Verses 9-14
Blessings were made known to believers, by the Lord's showing to them the
mystery of his sovereign will, and the method of redemption and salvation. But
these must have been for ever hidden from us, if God had not made them known by
his written word, preached gospel, and Spirit of truth. Christ united the two
differing parties, God and man, in his own person, and satisfied for that wrong
which caused the separation. He wrought, by his Spirit, those graces of faith
and love, whereby we are made one with God, and among ourselves. He dispenses
all his blessings, according to his good pleasure. His Divine teaching led whom
he pleased to see the glory of those truths, which others were left to
blaspheme. What a gracious promise that is, which secures the gift of the Holy
Ghost to those who ask him! The sanctifying and comforting influences of the
Holy Spirit seal believers as the children of God, and heirs of heaven. These
are the first-fruits of holy happiness. For this we were made, and for this we
were redeemed; this is the great design of God in all that he has done for us;
let all be ascribed unto the praise of his glory.
Verses 15-23
God has laid up spiritual blessings for us in his Son the Lord Jesus; but
requires us to draw them out and fetch them in by prayer. Even the best
Christians need to be prayed for: and while we hear of the welfare of Christian
friends, we should pray for them. Even true believers greatly want heavenly
wisdom. Are not the best of us unwilling to come under God's yoke, though there
is no other way to find rest for the soul? Do we not for a little pleasure often
part with our peace? And if we dispute less, and prayed more with and for each
other, we should daily see more and more what is the hope of our calling, and
the riches of the Divine glory in this inheritance. It is desirable to feel the
mighty power of Divine grace, beginning and carrying on the work of faith in our
souls. But it is difficult to bring a soul to believe fully in Christ, and to
venture its all, and the hope of eternal life, upon his righteousness. Nothing
less than Almighty power will work this in us. Here is signified that it is
Christ the Saviour, who supplies all the necessities of those who trust in him,
and gives them all blessings in the richest abundance. And by being partakers of
Christ himself, we come to be filled with the fulness of grace and glory in him.
How then do those forget themselves who seek for righteousness out of him! This
teaches us to come to Christ. And did we know what we are called to, and what we
might find in him, surely we should come and be suitors to him. When feeling our
weakness and the power of our enemies, we most perceive the greatness of that
mighty power which effects the conversion of the believer, and is engaged to
perfect his salvation. Surely this will constrain us by love to live to our
Redeemer's glory.
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
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
