As he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and unspotted in his sight in charity.

“His meaning is somewhat of this sort. Through whom He hath blessed us, through Him He hath also chosen us. And He, then, it is that shall bestow upon us all those rewards hereafter. He is the very Judge that shall say, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." And again, "I will that where I am they will also be with Me." And this is a point which he is anxious to prove in almost all his Epistles, that ours is no novel system, but that it had thus been figured from the very first, that it is not the result of any change of purpose, but had been in fact a divine dispensation and fore-ordained. And this is a mark of great solicitude for us. What is meant by, "He chose us in Him?" By means of the faith which is in Him, Christ, he means, happily ordered this for us before we were born; nay more, before the foundation of the world. And beautiful is that word "foundation," as though he were pointing to the world as cast down from some vast height. Yea, vast indeed and ineffable is the height of God, so far removed not in place but in incommunicableness of nature; so wide the distance between creation and Creator! A word which heretics may be ashamed to hear. But wherefore hath He chosen us? "That we should be holy and without a blemish before Him." That you may not then, when you hear that "He hath chosen us," imagine that faith alone is sufficient, he proceeds to add life and conduct. To this end, saith he, hath He chosen us, and on this condition, "that we should be holy and without blemish." And so formerly he chose the Jews. On what terms? "This nation, saith he, hath He chosen from the rest of the nations." Now if men in their choices choose what is best, much more doth God. And indeed the fact of their being chosen is at once a token of the loving kindness of God, and of their moral goodness. For by all means would he have chosen those who were approved. He hath Himself rendered us holy, but then we must continue holy. A holy man is he who is a partaker of faith; a blameless man is he who leads an irreproachable life. It is not however simply holiness and irreproachableness that He requires, but that we should appear such "before Him." For there are holy and blameless characters, who yet are esteemed as such only by men those who are like whited sepulchres, and like such as wear sheep's clothing. It is not such, however, He requires, but such as the Prophet speaks of; "And according to the cleanness of my hands." What cleanness? That which is so "in His eyesight." He requires that holiness on which the eye of God may look.”

“The apostle writes this epistle to the Ephesians. The Ephesians are Asians, from Asia Minor, which is a part of Greece. These were not founded in the faith by the apostle Paul, but confirmed in it. For already, before he came to them, they had been converted, as can be gathered from Acts 19:1: "it came to pass, while Apollo was at Corinth," etc. But after their conversion and the apostle's confirmation, they persevered in the faith, and did not receive false apostles. Therefore they were worthy not of reproof, but of consolation. Hence Paul writes to them not a reproachful, but a consoling, epistle. Now he writes to them from the city of Rome, through Tychicus the deacon. His intention is to confirm them in the goods they already have, and to call them on to higher things. The manner of proceeding is evident in the division of the epistle. First, then, he sets down the salutation, in which he shows his affection toward them; second, the narration, in which he confirms them in the goods they have, at "Blessed be God," etc., up to chapter 4; third, the exhortation, in which he calls them on to further goods, from chapter 4 up to that passage in chapter 6, "For the rest, brethren, be strengthened in the Lord," etc.; fourth, the conclusion of the epistle, in which he strengthens them for the spiritual struggle, from that passage "for the rest" to the end. In the salutation, first is set down the person who greets; second, the persons greeted, at "to all the saints," etc.; third, the form of the salutation, at "grace to you," etc. In the first, he first names the person, at "Paul"; second, the authority of the person, at "apostle of Christ"; third, the giver of that authority, at "through the will of God." He says therefore: "Paul, apostle." "Paul" is a name of humility, but "apostle" is a name of dignity, because "he who humbles himself shall be exalted," Luke 14:11 and 18:14. "Apostle," I say, "of Jesus," not of Satan, as are the false apostles. V. 11: "It is therefore no great thing if his ministers," namely Satan's, "are transfigured as ministers of righteousness," etc. "Apostle," I say, and this not by my own merits, but "through the will of God." The contrary is the case in many. Hosea 8:4: "They have reigned, and not by me," etc. "To all the saints," namely who are at Ephesus, "and to the faithful" — supply "he writes." Or: I, Paul, write to the saints by reason of the exercise of the virtues, as pertains to conduct; to the faithful, by reason of rectitude of knowledge, as pertains to faith. Or: "to the saints," that is, to the greater and the perfect; "to the faithful," that is, to the lesser and the imperfect. And "to the faithful," I say, "in Christ," not in their own deeds. "Grace to you and peace," etc. Here is added the form of the salutation, in which three things are implied, each of which makes a gift gracious: the sufficiency of the gift, at "grace to you and peace"; the power of the giver, at "from God the Father"; the excellence of the mediator, at "and the Lord Jesus Christ." For a gift is then pleasing: when what is given is sufficient; when it is given by one who is powerful, as when it is given by a king or a prince; when it is given through a solemn messenger, as through a son. He says therefore: "grace," namely of justification from guilt, "and peace," that is, tranquility of mind, or reconciliation to God, as regards liberation from the punishment owed for offense. "To you" — supply "be" — from this source, namely "from God our Father," from whom all good things proceed. James 1:17: "Every best gift," etc. "And the Lord Jesus Christ," without whom no goods are given; therefore almost all prayers are concluded: "through our Lord Jesus Christ." He does not name the Holy Spirit, because, since the Spirit is the bond of the Father and the Son, he is understood as included in the extremes; or he is understood in the gifts appropriated to him, which are grace and peace. Then, when he says "Blessed be God," etc., here, by giving thanks, he confirms them in good, and this in three ways. First, by an argument taken from the side of Christ, from whom they have obtained many goods — in this chapter; second, by an argument taken from their own side, who were transferred from a past evil state to a present good — chapter 2, at "and you, when you were dead," etc.; third, by an argument taken from the side of the apostle, by whose ministry and diligence, having been placed in a good state, they were confirmed — chapter 3, at "for this cause," etc. Again, the first of these is divided into three: first, by giving thanks, he touches on the benefits in general; second, the benefits shown specially to the apostles themselves, at "which he made to abound in us," etc.; third, the benefits shown specially to the Ephesians themselves, at "in whom you also, when you had heard," etc. Now the benefits shown generally to the human race he touches on, six in number. The first, of blessing, in the certainty of future beatitude, at "blessed," etc. The second, of election, in the pre-ordained separation from the mass of perdition, at "as he chose us in him," etc. The third, of predestination, in the pre-ordained association with the good, namely with the sons of adoption, at "who predestined us," etc. The fourth, of gracing, in the conferring of grace, at "in whom he has graced us," etc. The fifth, of redemption, in liberation from punishment, that is, from the servitude of the Devil, at "in whom we have redemption," etc. The sixth, of remission, in the blotting out of guilt, at "the remission of sins," etc. Concerning the benefit of blessing, he touches on two things: first, the proclamation of praise which ought to be rendered, at "Blessed be God," etc.; second, the benefit on account of which it ought to be rendered, at "who has blessed us," etc. He says therefore "blessed" — namely by me, by you, and by others, that is, in heart, and mouth, and deed, in other words, "praised" — "God and Father," that is, he who is God through the essence of divinity, and Father on account of the property of generation. Now the conjunction "and" occurs here not by reason of the supposit, since the supposit is the same, but by reason of signification, essentially and relatively. "Father," I say, "of our Lord Jesus Christ," that is, of the Son, who is "our Lord" according to divinity, "Jesus Christ" according to humanity. "Who," namely God, "has blessed us" in hope in the present, but in the future he will bless in reality. He puts the past tense in place of the future on account of certainty. "He has blessed," I say, "us," although accursed by our own merits, "with every spiritual blessing," namely as regards the soul, and as regards the body — for then the body will be spiritual. 1 Corinthians 15:44: "it is sown a natural body, it shall rise a spiritual body." "Blessing," I say, possessed, "in the heavenly places," that is, in heaven; and this, "in Christ," that is, through Christ, or in Christ working. For he it is "who will reform the body of our lowliness," etc., Philippians 3:21. This blessing is greatly to be desired: by reason of the efficient cause, because God is this blessing; by reason of the matter, because he has blessed us; by reason of the form, because he blesses with every spiritual blessing; and by reason of the end, because he blesses in the heavenly places. Psalm 127:4: "Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord." Then, when he says "as he chose us," etc., the benefit of election is touched upon, where this election is commended: because it is free, at "as he chose us in him"; because it is eternal, at "before the foundation of the world"; because it is fruitful, at "that we should be," etc.; because it is gratuitous, at "in charity." He says therefore: thus he will bless us, not by our merits, but by the grace of Christ, "as he chose us," and freely, separating us from the mass of perdition, he pre-ordained us "in him," that is, through Christ. John 15:16: "You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you," etc. And this "before the foundation of the world," that is, from eternity, before we came to be. Romans 9:11: "when they were not yet born," etc. "He chose," I say, not because we were holy — since we were not — but he chose us to this end, "that we should be holy," by virtues, "and immaculate," free of vices; for election accomplishes both, according to the two parts of justice. Psalm 33:15: "Turn away from evil, and do good." "Holy," I say, "in his sight," that is, inwardly in the heart, where he alone beholds. 1 Kings 16:7: "But God looks upon the heart." Or "in his sight," that is, so that we may behold him, since the vision is the whole reward, according to Augustine. And he did this, not by our merits, but "in his charity" — or ours — by which he formally sanctifies us. Then, when he says "who predestined," etc., he adds the third benefit, namely of predestination, in the pre-ordained association with the good. Here, concerning predestination, he implies six things: first, the eternal act, at "predestined"; second, the temporal object, at "us"; third, the present benefit, at "unto the adoption," etc.; fourth, the future fruit, at "unto the same"; fifth, the gratuitous manner, at "according to the purpose"; sixth, the owed effect, at "unto the praise of the glory," etc. He says therefore: "who," namely God, "predestined us," that is, by grace alone he chose beforehand, "unto the adoption of sons," that is, that we should be associated with the other sons of adoption in the goods which they are to have; therefore he says "unto the adoption of sons." Romans 8:15: "For you have not received the spirit of bondage again in fear, but you have received the spirit of the adoption of sons"; and below: "awaiting the adoption of sons." But because that which is to become fiery must become so through fire — since nothing attains participation in something except through that which is such of its own nature — therefore the adoption of sons must come about through the natural Son. And therefore the apostle adds "through Jesus Christ." And this is the third thing touched upon in this benefit, namely the alluring mediator. Galatians 4:4-5: "God sent his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, that he might redeem those who were under the law; that we might receive the adoption of sons." And this "unto himself," that is, insofar as we are conformed to him, and serve in the spirit. 1 John 3:1: "Behold what manner of charity God has given us, that we should be called, and should be, the sons of God." And there follows in the same place: "and we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like to him." Here it must be noted that the likeness of the predestined to the Son of God is twofold: one imperfect, which is through grace. And it is called imperfect, first, because it is only according to the reformation of the soul, concerning which Colossians 3: "be reformed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man," etc.; second, because even according to the soul it has a certain imperfection, for "we know in part," as it is said in 1 Corinthians 13:9. The other likeness, however, will be perfect, and it will be in glory: as regards the body, Philippians 3:21: "he will reform the body of our lowliness, configured," etc.; and as regards the soul, because "when that which is perfect has come, that which is in part shall be done away," 1 Corinthians 13:10. What the apostle says, then — that he predestined us unto the adoption of sons — can be referred to the imperfect assimilation to the Son of God, which is had in this life through grace; but it is better that it be referred to the perfect assimilation to the Son of God, which will be in our homeland, concerning which adoption it is said, Romans 8:23: "we groan, awaiting the adoption of the sons of God." The cause of divine predestination is not necessity on the part of God, nor a debt on the part of the predestined, but rather it is "according to the purpose of his will." In this, fourthly, the benefit is commended, because it proceeds from pure love, since predestination, according to reason, presupposes election, and election presupposes love. Nevertheless, a twofold cause of this immense benefit is here assigned. One is the efficient cause, which is the simple will of God, at "according to the purpose of his will." Romans 9:18: "he has mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardens." James 1:18: "For of his own will he begot us by the word of truth." The other cause, however, is the final cause, which is that we should praise and know the goodness of God — which is noted at "unto the praise of the glory of his grace." And this again is that from which this excellent benefit is commended, namely the fitting service owed to it. For the cause of divine predestination is the pure will of God, but its end is the knowledge of his goodness. Whence it must be noted that the will of God in no way has a cause, but is the first cause of all things. Nevertheless, some reason can be assigned to it in two ways: namely, either on the part of the one willing — and thus a certain reason of the divine will is his own goodness, which is the object of the divine will, and moves it. Whence the reason of all the things that God wills is the divine goodness. Proverbs 16:4: "God has made all things for himself." But on the part of the thing willed, the reason of the divine will can be some created being, as when he wills to crown Peter because he has striven lawfully; but this is not the cause of his willing, but is the cause that it should so come about. It must be known, however, that effects are the reason of the divine will on the part of the thing willed, in such a way, namely, that a prior effect is the reason of a further one; yet nevertheless, when one comes to the first effect, no further reason of that effect can be assigned except the divine will. For instance: God wills man to have a hand, that it may serve reason; and man to have reason, because he willed him to be a man; and he willed him to be a man on account of the perfection of the universe. And because this is the first effect in the creature, no reason of the universe can be assigned on the part of the creature, but only on the part of the Creator, which is the divine will. Therefore, according to this manner, neither can any reason of predestination be assigned on the part of the creature, but only on the part of God. For the effects of predestination are two, namely grace and glory. Now of the effects that are ordered to glory, a reason can indeed be assigned on the part of the thing willed, namely grace: for instance, he crowned Peter because he strove lawfully, and this because he was confirmed in grace. But of grace, which is the first effect, no reason can be assigned on the part of man that would be the reason of predestination; for this would be to posit that the beginning of a good work is in man of himself and not through grace — which is the Pelagian heresy, which says that the beginning of a good work is on our part. Thus, therefore, it is evident that the reason of predestination is the simple will of God; on account of which the apostle says "according to the purpose of his will." But as to how it is to be understood that God does and wills all things on account of his own goodness, it must be known that to work certain things for an end can be understood in two ways: either on account of attaining the end, as a sick man takes medicine for the sake of health; or on account of the love of diffusing the end, as a physician works in order to communicate health to another. Now God needs no good exterior to himself, according to that word of Psalm 15:2: "you have no need of my goods." And therefore, when it is said that God wills and does all things on account of his own goodness, it is not understood that he does something in order for goodness to be communicated to himself, but in order for goodness to be diffused into others. Now the divine goodness is communicated to the rational creature properly, so that the rational creature itself may know it. And thus all the things that God does in rational creatures, he creates unto his own praise and glory, according to that word of Isaiah 43:7: "every one that calls upon my name, I have created him for my glory" — namely, that he may know his goodness, and, in knowing it, may praise it. And therefore the apostle adds "unto the praise of the glory of his grace," that is, that he may know how much God is to be praised and glorified. He does not, however, say "unto the praise of justice"; for justice has place there where a debt is found, or is also repaid; but that one is predestined to eternal life is not a debt, as has been said, but grace purely and freely given. Nor does he say only "of glory," but he adds "of grace," as it were "of glorious grace" — that is, a grace in which the magnitude of grace is shown, which consists also in the magnitude of the glory, and in the manner of its giving, since he gives it with no preceding merits, but while we still exist as undeserving. Whence Romans 5:8ff.: "But God commends his charity in us, because if, while we were yet sinners, according to the appointed time, Christ died for us," etc., and shortly after, "when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God." It is evident, therefore, that of divine predestination there is no other cause, nor can there be, than the simple will of God. Whence it is also evident that of the predestining divine will there is no other reason than the divine goodness that is to be communicated to his sons.”

“According as he hath chosen us in him,.... This choice cannot be understood of a national one, as Israel of old were chosen by the Lord; for the persons the apostle writes to were not a nation; nor does he address all the inhabitants of Ephesus, only the saints and faithful in Christ that resided there; nor are they all intended here, if any of them. However, not they only, since the apostle includes himself, and perhaps some others, who did not belong to that place, nor were of that country: nor does this choice regard them as a church; for though the saints at Ephesus were in a church state, yet the apostle does not write to them under that formal consideration, but as saints and faithful; nor are these persons said to be chosen to church privileges, but to grace and glory, to be holy and blameless: besides, from Eph 1:3, the apostle seems to speak of himself, and some others, who first trusted in Christ, as distinct from the believers at Ephesus, Eph 1:13, nor is this choice of persons to an office, for all that are here intended were not apostles, or pastors, or deacons: nor can it design the effectual calling, or the call of persons in time by efficacious grace; because this was before the foundation of the world, as follows: but it intends an eternal election of particular persons to everlasting life and salvation; and which is the first blessing of grace, and the foundation one, upon which all the rest proceed, and according to which they are dispensed; for according to predestination are calling, justification, and glorification. The author of this choice is God, God the Father, who is distinguished from Christ, in whom this act is made; and it is according to his foreknowledge, and is an act of his grace, and is entirely sovereign: the objects of it, us, are not angels, but men, considered as unfallen with respect to the end, and as fallen with respect to the means; and these not all mankind: to choose, implies the contrary; and they that are chosen are distinguished from others, and are represented as few; nor do all men partake either of the means or end appointed in the decree of election; and yet some of all nations, Jews and Gentiles, are included in it; though none for any previous qualifications in them, as not for their good works, faith, holiness, or perseverance therein; for these are fruits and effects of election, and therefore cannot be causes or conditions of it: and this choice is made in Christ; and the persons chosen are chosen in him, and by being chosen they come to be in him; for this refers not to their openly being in him at conversion, as believers, but to their secretly being in him before time. Christ, as Mediator, is the object of election himself; and all the elect were chosen in him as their head, in whose hands their persons, grace, and glory are, and so are safe and secure in him: the Arabic version renders it, "by him"; not as the meritorious cause, for Christ's merits are not the cause of election, though they are of redemption and salvation; but as the means, in order to the end: the Ethiopic version renders it, "to him"; to salvation by him, and to the obtaining of his glory; as if he and his benefits, being the end of this choice, were intended; which was made before the foundation of the world: and that it was so early, is certain, from the love of God to his people, which this is the effect of, and which is an everlasting love; and from the covenant which was made with Christ from everlasting, on account of these chosen ones, when Christ was set up as the head and representative of them; and from the provision of all spiritual blessings for them in it, which proceeds according to this choice; and from the preparation of a kingdom for them from the foundation of the world; and from the nature of God's decrees, which are eternal; for no new will, or act of will, can arise in God, or any decree be made by him, which was not from eternity: God's foreknowledge is eternal, and so is his decree, and is no other than himself decreeing. The end of this choice follows, that we should be holy, and without blame, before him in love; the objects of it are not chosen because they were holy, but that they might partake of the sanctification of the Spirit; that they might be sanctified by him here, and be perfectly holy hereafter; and be without fault and blame, both in this life, as instilled by the righteousness of Christ, and as washed in his blood; and in the life to come, being entirely freed from all sin, and without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; and appear so in the sight of Christ, who will present them to himself, and in the sight of his Father, to whom they will also be presented by him, even in the sight of divine justice: and this will be all "in love", or "through love", as the Syriac version renders it; or "through his love", as the Arabic version; for the love of God is the source and spring of election itself, and of holiness and happiness, the end of it; and which is shed abroad in the hearts of God's people now, and will be more fully comprehended and enjoyed in the other world; and which causes love again in them to him. A phrase somewhat like this is used by the Targumist on Ecc 11:6 where, speaking of a man's children, he says; "it is not known unto thee which of them , "is chosen to be good", this, or that, or both of them, to be alike good.'' Some copies put the stop at before him; and read the phrase, "in love"; in connection with the words following, thus, "in love", or "by love hath predestinated us"; so the Syriac version.”

“According as he hath chosen us in him - As he has decreed from the beginning of the world, and has kept in view from the commencement of the religious system of the Jews, (which the phrase sometimes means), to bring us Gentiles to the knowledge of this glorious state of salvation by Christ Jesus. The Jews considered themselves an elect or chosen people, and wished to monopolize the whole of the Divine love and beneficence. The apostle here shows that God had the Gentiles as much in the contemplation of his mercy and goodness as he had the Jews; and the blessings of the Gospel, now so freely dispensed to them, were the proof that God had thus chosen them, and that his end in giving them the Gospel was the same which he had in view by giving the law to the Jews, viz. that they might be holy and without blame before him. And as his object was the same in respect to them both, they should consider that, as he loved them, so they should love one another: God having provided for each the same blessings, they should therefore be ἁγιους, holy - fully separated from earth and sin, and consecrated to God and αμωμους, without blame - having no spot nor imperfection, their inward holiness agreeing with their outward consecration. The words are a metaphor taken from the perfect and immaculate sacrifices which the law required the people to bring to the altar of God. But as love is the fulfilling of the law, and love the fountain whence their salvation flowed, therefore love must fill their hearts towards God and each other, and love must be the motive and end of all their words and works.”

“As by his eternal decree, according to the purpose of his good will and pleasure, he hath made choice of us to be his adoptive sons, and predestinated us to be saved and glorified by the merits and grace of his beloved Son, our Redeemer, without any merits of ours to the glorious praise and riches of his grace, by which he hath made us abound in all wisdom and true prudence. (Witham) [For additional comments on verses 6 and 8, see the Notes section, below.]”

“hath chosen us--Greek, "chose us out for Himself" (namely, out of the world, Gal 1:4): referring to His original choice, spoken of as past. in him--The repetition of the idea, "in Christ" (Eph 1:3), implies the paramount importance of the truth that it is in Him, and by virtue of union to Him, the Second Adam, the Restorer ordained for us from everlasting, the Head of redeemed humanity, believers have all their blessings (Eph 3:11). before the foundation of the world--This assumes the eternity of the Son of God (Joh 17:5, Joh 17:24), as of the election of believers in Him (Ti2 1:9; Th2 2:13). that we should be holy--positively (Deu 14:2). without blame--negatively (Eph 5:27; Th1 3:13). before him--It is to Him the believer looks, walking as in His presence, before whom he looks to be accepted in the judgment (Col 1:22; compare Rev 7:15). in love--joined by BENGEL and others with Eph 1:5, "in love having predestinated us," &c. But English Version is better. The words qualify the whole clause, "that we should be holy . . . before Him." Love, lost to man by the fall, but restored by redemption, is the root and fruit and sum of all holiness (Eph 5:2; Th1 3:12-13).”