Ephesians 1:1–2 . . .

“Grace and Peace to You from God and Jesus”

As revealed in my Introduction to the epistle that Paul the apostle wrote to the Ephesians, it’s been cited by many theologians as possibly being: “a literary masterpiece,” “the crown and climax of Pauline theology,” “a distilled essence of the Christian religion,” “the most-authoritative and most-consummate compendium of our holy Christian faith,” and “full of gospel-packing punch.” Written to the church body of believers living in Ephesus, Apostle Paul’s unique letter might very well be the greatest book in the Bible.

Charles Spurgeon (1834–1892), nicknamed “The Prince of Preachers,” preached to more than 10 million people in his lifetime. He believed that his preaching about the crucified Christ was the only reason why huge crowds were drawn to his church for so many years. He wrote this about Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus: “The Epistle to the Ephesians is a complete Body of Divinity. In the first chapter you have the doctrines of the gospel; in the next, you have the experience of the Christians; and before the Epistle is finished, you have the precepts of the Christian faith. Whosoever would see Christianity in one treatise, let him ‘read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest’ the Epistle to the Ephesians.”

Before we begin our study, which will examen the first two verses of chapter 1, realize this: Ephesians is the only epistle (of the New Testament’s twenty-one epistles) that focuses on Father God and makes him the letter’s primary subject; the twenty other epistles present God the Son as the highlighted subject.

Jews and Gentles  Herein, Paul submits an account in which Father God is preparing to provide a bride for his Son, Jesus Christ. Jews and non-Jews make up a company of Ephesians called the church. Throughout “Ephesians,” Paul reveals to the non-Jewish Gentiles a noteworthy revelation: God, through his grace, has eliminated the historic division that existed between Jew and non-Jew groups. In its place, Father God created “a new humanity” — the church — where Jews and Gentiles live together in unity through Jesus Christ.

We’ll see God’s grace in action in chapters 1 through 3, as he creates a brand-new humanity. Then, in chapters 4 through 6, Paul calls his readers’ attention to a variety of ways to live in unity — Jews with Gentles — as inhabitants of the new humanity for everyone: The Jews originated from God’s covenant that he made with Abraham and his family. The Gentiles were made up of irreligious, unenlightened people who basically weren’t Jews. Since they’d once been dominated by lustful desires, Paul will refer to Gentiles as people who were spiritually dead because they were without Christ, as a result of their worldly sins. Early in this letter, Paul will scold the Gentiles — the faithful in Christ Jesus — because they’d been “gratifying the cravings of [the] flesh” (2:1–3).

Apostle Paul Greets the Ephesians (1:1–2)

From the letter’s start — v. 1–2 — three things are made clear: (1) We learn the author of the epistle to the Ephesian believers. Paul names himself as the sole author, which is also true of his letters to the Romans and the Galatians; (2) He then addresses those to whom he sends this epistle: “To God’s holy people in Ephesus,” that is, to the faithful Christian members of the church at Ephesus, the chief administrative center in Asia; he proclaims those believing saints — “the faithful in Christ Jesus” — as being resolute and unswerving in their adherence to Jesus and his truths and ways; (3) Paul then gives his apostolic benediction: “Grace and peace to you . . . ,” which expresses his consideration and kindness to his friends, articulating a genuine care for their welfare.

Let’s look carefully at both opening verses of chapter 1.

Herein, Paul includes a lot more than a writer’s credit (v. 1a). Telling his readers that he was “an apostle of Christ Jesus,” he reckoned apostleship as a worthy distinction for him to serve as one of Jesus’ messengers to reach and teach followers and devoted believers. “Apostles” (defined here) were key envoys and extraordinary ministers in the Christian church who were gracefully gifted by the Lord. With collaboration by the Spirit of Jesus, they effectively presented the gospel message to many, while governing the early church body in their regions.

The word “apostle” is used in three senses in the New Testament: (1) primarily as a messenger (see John 13:16); (2) as missionaries sent by the church to preach the gospel and make disciples of all people (Matthew 28:19–20); and (3) as well-known ambassadors of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20) on divine missions that were confirmed by the performance of numerous miraculous powers they’d been given.

Paul confirms that he’s an apostle by the expressed “will of God,” not mankind, having been intentionally called by Christ (as were other apostles) to serve him.

Look Closely at Verse 1

• “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus”  Paul gives us only a brief opening to his epistle. We don’t find the more detailed greetings we often find in his other letters. When he identifies himself as an “an apostle of Christ Jesus,” he believed it a significant honor to serve the Lord, as one of many messengers to the new humanity made up of Jews and non-Jewish Gentiles. Apostles were prime officers and ministers in the Christian church. As an apostle who’d been personally commissioned by Jesus (Romans 1:1; 1 Cor. 1:1; Acts 9:1–30), Paul exercised a significant leadership role over many churches. His words carry divine authority.

• “by the will of God,”  This phrase (used in 1 Cor. 1:1; 2 Cor. 1:1; Colossians 1:1; 2 Timothy 1:1), appears to be Apostle Paul’s ordinary designation of the source of his apostolic mission and authority. He became such a ministering apostle “by the will of God,” not by the will of man, having been expressly and plainly called by Jesus himself to serve him. The phrase further validates his authority by demonstrating the source of his office: Jesus appointed him as an apostle “sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead” (Gal. 1:1).

• “To God’s holy people in Ephesus,”  God’s holy people are those to whom Paul addressed this letter. These members of the church at Ephesus, whom he calls saints, have dedicated themselves to living in and proclaiming the truth about Jesus. The church in Ephesus wasn’t a church body that met in a building that held a few hundred congregants; instead, Paul was addressing every Christian in a city of a quarter million people. In other words, Paul’s letter (thought to be a circular letter) was probably intended to be shared by dozens of house churches throughout the city and in many nearby villages and cities. Accordingly, he was able to address a large volume of believers in western Asia Minor.

When Paul penned the phrase “God’s holy people” (or “saints,” “faithful believers,” “holy ones,” depending on version), he referred to people chosen by God and dedicated to God as his own people. Father God called on the Ephesians to live so that they’d accurately reflect his purity and righteousness. For three complete years, Paul lived and labored, not only as the apostolic missionary and ambassador, but as a pastor. What’s more, this letter was probably intended to be written in a more general sense, to circulate among Christians. It was possibly intended to be an impressive statement of God’s eternal plan, to be presented in the churches of Ephesus and in the lives of individual Christians.

• “the faithful in Christ Jesus”  “The faithful” and “God’s holy people” aren’t two sets of people but one. Neither are they limited to being only the faithful believers in Ephesus. The faithful saints are, first of all, faithful. “Faithful” here, of course, doesn’t simply mean “true” and “trusty,” and “reliable.” It means simply “believing,” that is having faith, not in the sense of fidelity but trust. This letter’s recipients were the holy saints who faithfully believed in Jesus. They’d been called into a communion of saints by the grace of God; they’re “faithful,” as demonstrated by their believing in Christ while holding fast that faith.

Today, all the “faithful in Christ Jesus” probably regard this epistle as one that was addressed and presented to them by the Holy Spirit. As a result, we might presume that we’re similarly interested in the doctrines, promises, and duties set forth in this letter, as were the ancient Christians of Ephesus.

Breaking Down Verse 2

• “Grace and peace to you”  Paul never starts his letters with “Greetings!” Instead, all of his epistles begin with a prayer of blessing for God’s grace and peace to be given to his readers. This word “grace” is the Greek word charis. In addition to meaning grace, it also carries the idea of favor. So, when a person greeted someone with this salutation, it was the equivalent of his saying, “I greet you with grace and favor.” But Paul wasn’t addressing only the Greek world. As a Jew himself, he also wanted to greet the Jewish world that would be reading his epistles. When the Jews met each other, their customary greeting was: “Shalom!” The Greek equivalent for the Hebrew word shalom is the word eirene, which is the word for peace.

By using this pair of greetings to begin his epistles, Paul brilliantly reached out and embraced the Greek and the Jewish worlds. One scholar has said that when Paul used “grace” and “peace” in his epistle’s greetings, he successfully attracted the entire world to read his letters:

Although Paul’s signature greeting isn’t a formal prayer, it serves as his summons to God to grant the Lord’s blessing of “grace and peace” on his readers. He chose the best word — “grace” — to characterize the heart of his gospel message. For him, God’s grace was the New Covenant’s defining characteristic: “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people” (Titus 2:11).

The word “grace” was very important to Apostle Paul. In fact, God’s grace is the source of justification (Rom. 3:24) and that he gives it freely to believers (Rom. 5:15, 17), originating from the grace given by Jesus. Grace is truly unmerited favor coming from Father God who provides salvation for sinners. It’s completely undeserved, because by rights we fully deserve God’s judgment. But grace is also an everlasting provision from God, enabling his children to: (1) conform to life’s morally correct practices under the new covenant and (2) take responsibility for the ministry and service God has entrusted to them.

God is also a God of “peace.” Sadly, there isn’t perfect peace in our world. Instead, there’s human sin, hopelessness, stupidity, hostility, and so much more. Yet, our Father is a God who actively makes things right through the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ. As a result of his grace, God makes peace between himself and us by forgiving our sins and saving us from judgment. His “gospel of peace” brings about our reconciliation with God and a beneficial unity between a large variety of people who believe in him. Note: While conjoined, “grace” and “peace” become a major theme in this epistle; each word appears eleven times in “Ephesians” (NIV).

• “from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ”  Paul names the God who gives grace and brings peace: “God our Father.” Immediately thereafter, he adds “and the Lord Jesus Christ,” reminding us of the fact that Jesus is Lord! The point Paul makes herein is that Jesus Christ is himself God, while at the same time he’s the ‘Son of God’ (see Eph. 4:13). We can’t understand who God is without knowing who Jesus Christ is; we can’t have grace and peace without the Lord Jesus Christ; and we can’t access God the Father without coming to him through our Lord Jesus Christ. That’s why, in the rest of “Ephesians,” Paul keeps coming back to the gospel of Jesus Christ as being the key to every one of God’s purposes for the benefit of humanity.

What’s more, the origin of both new covenant blessings of “grace” and “peace” isn’t only Father God but also Christ Jesus. Because he was resurrected and given power and authority from his Father (Rom. 1:4), Jesus has become Lord. Paul stresses Christ’s lordship, explaining it in a new and significant way. In our upcoming studies of “Ephesians” passages, my commentaries will document how Jesus’ lordship relates to the unseen spiritual dimensions of principalities, powers, and authorities. Every chapter references this exalted title.

Paul knew well the essence of grace and peace from God in the life of the believer. He realized that receiving God’s grace must come before one can effectively walk in peace with God.

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