1
Greetings From Paul
(Eph. 1:1‑2)
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus, Grace be to you, and peace, from God, our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Most of us tend to skip over the salutations of the Epistles and to regard them as unimportant. We tend to think they are just Paul’s way of saying, “Hi there!” But these opening words are far more important than mere greeting. There is, indeed, some wonderfully deep Truth in this famous greeting from Paul. In fact, as we will see, like a symphony or concerto, these two verses are the “overture” of the Epistle;1 they introduce themes and melodies that will be emphasized over and over again throughout the letter. Just as a composer will write variations on a theme, Paul likewise returns to the themes in these opening verses in various ways throughout the letter.
We find here four groups of two.
I. THE TWOFOLD DISTINCTION OF PAUL (v. la)
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God,
PAUL WAS AN APOSTLE OF JESUS CHRIST
May we note first Paul’s name. The evidence is conclusive that Paul always had two names (Saul and Paul). It was the custom of Jews living in the Roman culture to have two names. So, as Paul was the son of a Jew who was a Roman citizen, he not only had a Jewish name (Saul) but a Roman name as well (Paul). This is clearly evident from Acts 13:9, which declares, “Then Saul, (who also is called Paul)...” It was at that time that Paul began exclusively to use his Gentile name in the Gentile environment.
Meditate a moment on the meaning of Paul’s name. It’s interesting to contrast his two names. Before his conversion, he went by “Saul,” the tallest (and vainest) of the Benjamites, King Saul, from whom he was descended. But now he takes the name Paul, which means “little.” How appropriate! Paul did consider himself to be little. In our minds today we consider Paul the greatest of all the apostles. But Paul considered himself to be the “least of the apostles” (I Cor. 15:9). Likewise, we cannot think of a greater Christian than Paul. But he viewed himself as “the least of all saints” (Eph. 3:8). Oh, that we today would have such a view of ourselves instead of the self‑elevating philosophies that have crept into Christianity in recent years.
We observe further that Paul was an apostle of Jesus Christ. As one Greek authority writes, the verb apostelloµ, from which the noun apostolos (apostle) derives, means “to send off on a commission to do something as one’s personal representative, with credentials furnished.”2 We could translate apostolos as “envoy,” or “ambassador,” someone who goes on a mission bearing the credentials of the one who sent him.
In the technical sense, apostle applied to the original twelve who were chosen at the beginning of
Jesus’ earthly ministry (Mark 3:14; Luke 6:13) and who He used to lay the foundation
of the early church and to be the Holy Spirit controlled authors of God’s
completed revelation (Acts 2:42; Eph. 2:20). They were also given power to
perform healings and to cast out demons, which were the proof of their divine
authority (Acts 2:43; 2 Cor. 12:12; Heb. 2:3-4). Since Jews always “require a
sign”(I Cor. 1:22), these were proof to the Jews of the Apostle’s authenticity.
This fact is at the core of today’s controversy over the miraculous spiritual
gifts (tongues, healing, etc.). They were meant only for Jews, and even at that
they eventually died out (I Cor. 13:8-10) because they were no longer needed.
How ridiculous and foolish it is for Gentiles today to claim that they are
performing miracles for other Gentiles when this was never the case in
Scripture.
In the broad sense, the term apostle is also used of men like Barnabas (Acts 14:14), Silas and Timothy (1
Thess. 1:1; 2:6), and other exceptional leaders (Rom. 16:7). Such men are more
specifically called “messengers” (apostoloi) of the churches
(see 2 Cor. 8:23; Phil. 2:25), whereas the original Twelve and then
Paul were “apostles of Jesus Christ.”
Why does Paul mention this? Just in case someone doubts his authority. With this term, he is saying, “I’m not just a messenger, but an official representative of the God who sent me. I’m not writing my opinion, but God’s authoritative Word.” Paul, then, was one of the apostles chosen, called, trained, and commissioned by the Lord Jesus Christ.
It’s also important to note that apostles, either in the technical or
broad sense, were not perpetuated. There is no New Testament record of an
apostle in either sense being replaced after he died. The entire concept of
“apostolic succession” is totally unbiblical. There are no apostles today. The
offices that God uses today are the “evangelist (church planter)” and the
“pastor-teacher” (Eph. 4:11).
PAUL WAS AN APOSTLE BY THE WILL OF GOD
If the reader is in the habit of underlining in the Bible, then the phrase by the will of God should be underlined. Why? Because this is one of Paul’s favorite expressions. In fact, the will of God is mentioned four times in chapter 1 (vs. 1, 5, 9, and 11). He never says it in a prideful way, but always in amazement that God could and would use him. Why was he amazed? Let’s just ponder his life a moment.
First, Paul was converted by the will of God. He was struck down on the Damascus road and brought to Christ. This was amazing, indeed, when we consider who he was before that conversion. As he wrote to Timothy, he was “a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious” (I Tim. 1:13). A “blasphemer” is one who slanders God, which Paul not only did but compelled believers to do in his persecution of them (Acts 26:11). Further, he was not only a “persecutor,” but was also an “injurious [person]”. The Greek for “injurious” is hubristēs, which denotes a person who is driven by violence and contempt for others. To see them humiliated and suffering brings him pleasure. We could even call a him violent aggressor, a sadist. Hubristēs appears in the list of sins in Romans 1:30, and our Lord used the verb form to describe the mistreatment He would suffer during His arrest and trial (Luke 18:32). Acts 9:1 also declares of Saul that he was “breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord.” It is no wonder that Paul was amazed by God’s will to convert him.
What an encouragement this fact is to evangelism! We have all heard people say, “Oh, I’m too great a sinner for God to save me.” Paul’s story enables us to respond by asking them, “Have you ever murdered someone? Have you ever dragged someone out of their home and beat them in the streets?” Fortunately, most people have not, but even if they have, God can save them.
Second, Paul was called by the will of God. Why? Because God had something for him to do. While in the church in Antioch, he was called to the work of God. Acts 13:2 declares, “As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.” He was not self‑appointed; he was not church‑appointed; he was called by the will of God. As he later wrote in his opening words to the Corinthians in his first Epistle, “Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God” (I Cor. 1:1). In his second letter to them, he wrote, “[God] hath made us able ministers of the new testament” (II Cor. 3:6), “and all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation” (5:18). True ministry is dictated by the will of God.
Third, Paul was commissioned by the will of God. He was commissioned to plant and confirm churches throughout the Roman Empire. Acts 13:3-4 goes on to say, “And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed.”
Ponder here one thought: Was it with pride that Paul penned these words? On the contrary. Paul wrote these words in utter amazement. He was overwhelmed by the thought that God would use him. Is it not truly amazing that God uses sinful, unworthy vessels as us?
Again, while there are no apostles today, men are still called to the
ministry by the
will of God. In a day when “the call to the ministry” is denied, it is all the more
important to emphasize it. As Paul declared of himself, “For though I preach
the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe
is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!” (I Cor. 9:16). Jeremiah knew this
compulsion as well, “His word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my
bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay” (Jer. 20:9). Paul
likewise told Timothy (I Tim. 4:14): “Neglect not the gift that is in thee,
which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the
presbytery.” This and other verses demonstrate the call and its confirmation by
others.
But may we take this truth one step further.
Harry Ironside recounts this incident:
A simple cobbler was being
introduced to a rather dignified clergyman, and when the cobbler said, “I
didn’t get your name,” the clergyman replied, “The Reverend Doctor Blank, by
the will of God.” The cobbler said, “And I am John Doe, cobbler by the will of
God; and I am glad to meet you, sir.” 3
The point is an important one. Whatever
we are and wherever we are, we must recognize it as by God the will of God. As Paul says a few
verses later, God “worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That
we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ” (vs.
11-12). And as he writes later, “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech
you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called” (4:1). As I
shared this thought with the folks in my church, I encouraged them with the
fact that if you are a rancher it is by the will of God; if you are a doctor,
it is by the will of God; if you are a lawyer, it is by the will of God; if you
are a soldier it is by the will of God; if you are a miner, it is by the will
of God; if you are a homemaker, it is by the will of God. In short, whatever
you are, it is by the will of God. It is that, therefore, that you are
committed to, and it is from that position that you serve the Lord.
II. THE TWOFOLD DESCRIPTION OF BELIEVERS (v. 1b)
to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
What does it mean to be a Christian? Many today profess to be Christians, but many are not. There are also many definitions of “Christian” in our day. Paul here gives two very specific descriptions of a true believer. This is, as Martyn Lloyd-Jones puts it, “The irreducible minimum of what constitutes a Christian.”4
A CHRISTIAN IS A “SAINT”
How this word has been perverted! Warren Wiersbe is correct when he writes, “No word in the New Testament has suffered more than this word saint. Even the dictionary defines a saint as a ‘person officially recognized for holiness of life.’”
In secular Greek the word hagios (saints) meant “to stand in awe of or be devoted to the gods.” This word came right out of pagan Greek religion, but Paul had to use it since there was no other word to use. So, the word was originally used of a person who was devoted to a god. One such as this was looked upon as a “holy one” or a “holy man.”
This is precisely what we see in Roman Catholicism, which also is rooted in ancient pagan religion. To become “a saint,” according to Catholic doctrine,5 one first has to die. The person is then nominated for the position, after which one or more “judicial inquiries” take place, where the nominating advocate pleads the virtues of the nominee and gives proof of his or her worthiness. One such proof is that the nominee had to be responsible for at least two (and in some cases as many as four) miracles. Then his life is examined to see if it was “holy enough to be officially recognized by canonization.” But all this flies in the face of Scripture and denies a fundamental principal of being a Christian.
Paul, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, lifted the word hagios to a new level of meaning: “to set apart or be separate.” The same word is also translated “holy” and “sanctification.” Here is the contrast: Roman Catholicism says a saint is dead; God says a saint is alive. Being a saint is not a matter of achievement or performance; it is a matter of position. It’s not based on what we have done, but what we are in Christ. It is not dependant upon our works, but upon His grace.
Reformer John Calvin knew this first hand and wrote, “No man, therefore, is a believer who is not also a saint; and, on the other hand, no man is a saint who is not a believer.”6 Likewise, Greek authority W. E. Vine writes, “In the plural, as used of believers, it designates all such and is not applied merely to persons of exceptional holiness, or to those who, having died, were characterized by exceptional acts of saintliness.”7 In fact, Paul refers to believers as saints nine times in Ephesians (1:1, 15, 18; 2:19; 3:8, 18: 4:12; 5:3; 6:18). These were ordinary Christians who were all declared to be saints. Every Christian, every individual who has trusted Christ as Savior and Lord is a saint because he has been “set apart” from sin and unto God. Both of these realities are involved in this “setting apart” and both are the result of being in Christ.
We can probably assume that saint was Paul’s favorite term for the Christian since he used it some 42 times in his Epistles. How he loved that word! He loved saying, “Every one of you who have trust Christ as Savior and Lord is a saint, one who has been set apart.”
Think of it in this way: You cannot be a Christian without being a saint, and you cannot be a saint without being separate from the world. Many profess to be Christians, but they habitually live in and of this world. This does not mean that every professing Christian that falls into sin is lost. But this does mean that a Christian cannot habitually live by the actions and attitudes of the world. Why? Because he or she is a saint, a set apart one. A saint is not an ascetic who wears robes and lives in a monastery. A saint is one who has been set apart and one who acts like it.
We can also put it this way: We are not saints because we are saintly; we are saintly because we are saints. Many Christians try to “be holy” by legalism; they keep a list of “do’s and don’ts” and call this “spirituality.” This is backwards. What we do or don’t do does not make us spiritual (which is exactly what Roman Catholicism and legalistic Christianity teaches). We are first spiritual in attitude, which is then evident in the spiritual actions.
One commentator provides us with an excellent practical challenge here:
It [would be] better therefore that Protestants avoid calling Paul and John Saint Paul and Saint John. One does still better to avoid the terms Saint Augustine or Saint Thomas [Aquinas]. If you wish to use titles, let us say the Apostle John and the Apostle Paul. As for the other two, the bare names Augustine and Thomas Aquinas will do. No doubt all four were saints in the New Testament sense, but the use of this appellation carries the connotation that Jonathan Edwards, Dwight L. Moody, and Bill Smith of Podunk were not saints. 8
He’s right. What a blessing to know that Bill Smith of Podunk is just as much a saint as was the Apostle Paul.
So, the first thing that being a Christian means is that we are saints. We live a life that is holy because of our position of being in Christ. The greatest evidences of true conversion are holiness of life (Eph. 4:24; I Thess. 4:17; etc.) and obedience to God’s Word (Jn. 14:15, 23; I Jn. 2:1-5). Those who do neither are not saints. In our day of tolerance and generalization, words, definitions, and terminology have grown unimportant to many people. May this challenge us to exactness in our language. And a case in point is that when God speaks of saints, He speaks of all true believers.
A CHRISTIAN IS A “BELIEVER IN JESUS CHRIST”
An
important grammatical point here is that in the Greek there is only one article
(the)
before saints
and faithful. Literally, it reads, “To the saints who are at Ephesus and
faithful in Christ Jesus.” The importance of this is that the single article
connects the two designations saints and faithful. They are one
in the same.
The phrase [the]
faithful in Christ Jesus actually involves two things according to the
Greek.
First, the primary meaning is “exercising
faith.” This is the act of putting our faith and trust “in Christ” for
salvation. This is the primary meaning of the Greek word pistos. In
other words, Paul calls the recipients of this letter “believers.” Just as they
were not saints because they lived saintly lives, neither were
they believers because they lived faithful lives. Rather the
opposite was true: they lived saintly lives because they were saints by
position, and they lived faithful lives because they had truly believed. This
leads to the second principle.
Second, not only does pistos mean “trusting,” but it also means “trustworthy.” Not only has a Christian put his faith in Christ, but he is now one who is trustworthy, consistent, constant, reliable, and faithful. God not only demands faith; He also demands fidelity. There is a great lack of faithfulness in Christianity today, faithfulness to the Word of God, the house of God, and service for God. We better take a look at our profession and see if it is true possession. The true saint, the true believer, will remain faithful. True faith is evidenced by practice.
It’s vitally important that we also note the phrase in Christ Jesus. As we saw in the “Introduction,” this is one of the key phrases in Ephesians. It, along with the phrase “in Him,” occurs twelve times. Further, so important is it that Paul uses it some 160 times in all his letters. The significance of this phrase is twofold.
First, it definitively defines what the object of
faith must be. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only object of saving faith. In our
day, the word “faith” is used in a virtually meaningless way. Faith is made to be it’s own object. Thus we get
the whole popular concept of “my faith,” or “my faith helped me,” or “I have
faith in faith,” or “I was so troubled that I lost my faith.” The problem with
all these is that faith is made to be its own object. This is not only poor
grammar, but it’s also ridiculous. What’s the point in saying “I drove” unless
we say, “I drove my car.” “Drive” is the verb—“car” is the object. Likewise,
faith is a verb, so without an object, the entire concept is incomplete.
So, any definition of faith is incomplete without a consideration of its object. In contrast to today’s “faith in faith,” saving faith has as its object Christ Jesus. While some people do go beyond “faith in faith” and put their faith in other things (money, fame, etc.), the only sure object is Jesus Christ.
The relationship of faith to Jesus Christ is expressed in the New Testament by various Greek prepositions. Acts 16:31 uses the preposition epi, which suggests resting on a foundation. In Acts 20:21, eis is used, with the meaning of “to find a dwelling place in,” “to go into,” “to abide in,” or “to find a home.” Here in our text the word in translates en and has the connotation of “coming to a place of security and anchor.” So, with Christ as its object, our faith is as secure as a house on a solid foundation, or a boat safely at anchor.
Charles Spurgeon
illustrated the importance of faith’s object by telling of two men in a boat.
Caught in severe rapids, they were being swept toward a waterfall. Some men on
shore tried to save them by throwing them a rope. One man caught hold of it and
was pulled to safety on the shore. The other, in the panic of the moment,
grabbed hold of what looked to be a more substantial object, a log that was
floating by. That man was carried downstream, over the rapids, and was never
seen again. Faith, represented by the rope linked to the shore, connects us to
Jesus Christ and safety. Good works apart from true faith, represented in the
story by the log, leads only to ruin. So many are like that. They look to their
works and think them more substantial than “just faith in Christ.”
Second, the phrase in Christ speaks of being joined to Christ in a spiritual union. This means we are joined to Him, united with Him, and belong to Him. Since we are physically minded, this concept is hard for us to comprehend. Paul, therefore, illustrated this concept in several ways in his letters.
In I Corinthians 12:12-27, for example, we read about the body of Christ. In verse 27, he declares, “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” Right here in Ephesians he says the same thing:
“Speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love” (4:15-16).
So the idea is the
union of the head (Christ) with all the other members (believers) in one living
organism.
Paul also pictures this union through the marriage relationship in Ephesians 5:22-33. In the same way that the wife lovingly submits to her husband because he is the head of the marriage, the believer lovingly submits to Christ because he is the head of the Church.
Paul also speaks of this union in I Corinthians 15:22: “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (also Rom. 5). Adam was more than just the first man; he was also the representative of the entire human race. Likewise, every person was with him in the Garden of Eden. When he sinned, we sinned. But as believers, we are now alive in Christ. Likewise, as we’ll see in Ephesians 2:6, God “hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Because Christ is already in glory, and because we are in Him, we too are already in glory. Only the body awaits redemption (Rom 8:23).
Without doubt Paul got this principle from the Lord Jesus Himself. In John 15:1-17, Jesus described this union as a Vine and branches. In verses 4 and 5 we read,
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
The branches can
neither bear fruit nor even live without the Vine. Therefore, our very life comes
from Christ. We truly are part of Him.
What does this mean in practice? Is this just some mystical concept that has no practical purpose? Ponder at least four practical applications of what it means to be in Christ.
First, being “in Christ” means that we are not self-sufficient but dependent upon Him. As in the analogy of the Vine and branches, we are absolutely dependent upon Christ as the branches are dependant upon the Vine. The old adage “God only helps those who help themselves” is not a Biblical concept. Yes, the idea behind it—that one must not be lazy and must get up and do something—is admirable, but the idea that man can help himself is wrong. We are totally helpless in ourselves. We are totally dependant upon God. He empowers us to do all things in Christ.
In our day, man is the measure of all things. We see it everywhere. Man is self-sufficient, self-directed, self-motivated, and self-centered. All we hear today is man’s self-esteem and self-worth. But God says something a little different. II Corinthians 3:4-5 declare:
And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.
Paul declares here that he is nothing in himself, that he was insufficient for anything, whether it be ministry or personal living. He says that his “sufficiency” is God alone. The Greek for “sufficiency” is hikanos, which speaks of something being adequate, or large enough. It’s used in Matthew 3:11, where John the Baptist declares, “He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear.” In the same way, the Centurion in Capernaum “sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof: Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed” (Lk. 7:6-7). How we need this kind of humility and dependency in our day instead of the self-elevating philosophies that have captured the Church.
Here in Ephesians, Paul later writes: “My brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might” (6:10). To the Philippians he writes that well-known promise, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Isaiah the prophet likewise challenged God’s people:
“He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (40:29-31).
Not only are these verses a promise, but they are also a challenge. May we stop trying to be sufficient in ourselves. Strength awaits us in Christ alone. Instead of self-sufficiency, may we have a Christ-sufficiency. Instead of self-direction, may we seek a Christ-direction. Instead of self-motivation, may we have a Christ-motivation. Instead of being self-centered, may we be Christ-centered. Instead of having high self-esteem, may we have high Christ-esteem. To be in Christ means that only He is sufficient.
Second, being in Christ means that our assurance is in Him. A hallmark of cults and other false teaching is the total rejection of security. True Biblical Christianity is the only faith that teaches assurance of salvation beyond any doubt or question. Every other religious system teaches an uncertainty about eternal destiny. The reason is that only Biblical Christianity teaches that salvation has nothing to do with us, nothing to do with our works, but lies only in Christ alone and what He finished on the cross. We will see this in great detail as we continue our study of grace here in Ephesians.
Third, being in Christ means that our satisfaction is in Him. As Paul told the Philippians,
“Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:11-13).
To be in Christ means that He will meet our needs and that we are satisfied and content with that which He gives.
Preacher Alister Maclean tells of a lady in the West Highlands who lived a hard life, yet one of perpetual serenity. When asked the secret of it, she answered: “My secret is to sail the seas, and always to keep my heart in port.”9 May we always remember that wherever we are, we are still in Christ.
Fourth, being in Christ means that our authority is in Him. Because He is everything to us, His authority controls us, and it is through His Word that He accomplishes that. It is upon His Word alone that we stand.
III. THE TWOFOLD DESIGNATION OF BLESSING TO BELIEVERS (v.2a)
Grace be to you, and peace,
As one commentator astutely remarks, “The apostolic salutation is cordial and comprehensive.”10 How right he is. Verse 2 presents the two greatest, most comprehensive blessings believers possess. Oh, how great and numerous are the blessings from God to the believer! But the greatest of all are grace and peace. Let us look briefly at each and then correlate the two.
GRACE
As we observed in the “Introduction,” grace is used twelve times in Ephesians and stands out as the key word in the Epistle. It is an amazing fact that grace is spoken of more in Ephesians than in any other New Testament book, even more than in Romans. Ephesians has been described as “The Epistle of Grace” and rightly so. It is a misunderstanding of grace that is at the very root of all false doctrine concerning salvation. All such teaching tries to mix grace with works, which immediately negates grace. Ephesians details what grace really means.
We will deal with grace in much more detail in future studies, especially those dealing with Ephesians 2:4‑9. But in light of the Greek word charis and its use in the New Testament, we find the following definition obvious:
The unmerited favour of God toward man manifested primarily
through the person and work of Jesus Christ apart from any merit or works of
man.
Grace cannot be earned or purchased; it can only be received.
PEACE
The Greek here is eirene which means “a state of tranquility; the opposite of rage and war; harmony.” It is important that we understand this word in light of the Hebrew word shalom. This is a common Hebrew greeting which means not so much the opposite of war but rather the opposite of any disturbance in the tranquility of God’s people. Paul in essence “borrows” the depth of the Hebrew word and brings it into the Greek. So because we are in Christ, there is tranquility between God and man. There are at least two correlations to observe here.
First, the order in Paul’s writings is always grace then peace. Why? Because peace is always the result of grace. To go one step further, one never finds peace apart from grace in the doctrinal epistles. The reason for this is that God does not give peace apart from grace; neither can we know true peace without accepting God’s grace through the person and work of Christ. May we picture it this way: Peace is the stream that flows from the fountain of grace.
Second, Paul here couples greetings from the Greek and Hebrew cultures. As we’ve seen, the Greek word is rooted in Hebrew thought. This is truly amazing. Grace is distinctly Greek in origin and peace is distinctly Jewish. But Paul brings them together in perfect balance. Could a more meaningful Christian greeting ever be found?
IV. THE TWOFOLD DERIVATION OF THESE BLESSINGS (v.2b)
from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
From whom do these blessings come?
GOD THE FATHER IS THE SOURCE OF BLESSING
Indeed God is sovereign; He is holy, absolutely pure. But praise be to Him, He is also a Father; He comes to us as a loving Father and brings these blessings to us.
THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IS THE MEANS OF BLESSING
God had to have a medium through whom He could bestow His grace and peace, and it is through Christ that we receive the Father’s blessings. May we really grasp this thought: Without Christ we cannot receive grace and peace. Why? Because Christ is the greatest manifestation of God’s grace. As our earlier definition shows, grace is the unmerited favor of God manifested primarily through Christ. John 1:17 declares this truth: “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” Sometimes we call the present dispensation “The Dispensation of Grace.” This does not mean that it is the only dispensation in which grace is evident. God’s grace is always evident in any age, but the greatest manifestation of God’s grace is Christ, and in this age man’s salvation depends upon faith in Christ.
But we also note that He is Lord. While this title is used in Scripture in the sense of master and as a honorary title, as in English (master or sir), it goes deeper. As one commentator writes,
It is the translation of Adonai, “supreme Lord,” an incommunicable name of God and the substitute for Jehovah, a name the Jews would not pronounce. It is in this sense that Christ is the Lord, the Lord of lords, the Lord God—Lord in that sense in which God alone can be Lord—having a dominion of which divine perfection is the only adequate or possible foundation . . . That is a confession which implies the apprehension of the glory of God as it shines in Christ.11
In our day Jesus as Lord is softened to mean just respect, but salvation has to do with the Lordship of Christ. The so-called “Lordship Salvation” controversy shouldn’t be a controversy at all. The true believer knows Christ not only as Savior but also as Lord.
All the truth in verses 1 and 2 sets the stage for what follows. As noted at the beginning of this chapter, these verses are and “overture” to this entire Epistle. Paul will return to the themes presented here many times. His desire throughout the Epistle is to help believers understand and experience more fully all of the blessings granted by their heavenly Father and His Son and their Savior, Jesus Christ.
NOTES
1 Lloyd-Jones, God’s Ultimate Purpose, p. 36.
2 Wuest (I Timothy)
3 Ironside, p. 13.
4 Lloyd-Jones, God’s Ultimate Purpose, p. 24.
5 Catholic Encyclopedia.
6 Commentaries.
7 Expository Dictionary.
8 Gordon Clark, p. 5.
9 Cited in Barkley.
10 Eadie, p. 6.
11 Hodge, Ephesians.