Bible Commentary - Ephesians

Quotes & Things

David Collins

Ephesians 1:4. Calvinists begin with the proposition that ‘God knows all things and He has known from all eternity who, ultimately, would be saved and who would be lost.’ It is from this proposition that they assume that foreknowledge equals election and non-election. Indeed, God does know all things and He knows the end of all things, but this foreknowledge does not mean that God is responsible for the end.

Ephesians 1:17-19. Paul’s prayer is that God give each one of us a spiritual disposition to receive wisdom and understanding (that comes through the hearing of the word of God) that grows out of a knowledge of Him. Possessing such a disposition leads to a deeper understanding and appreciation of the eternal truths of the gospel. The apostle desires that we come to a greater understanding of the hope to which God has called us, the everlasting glory that we shall share in Christ, and the inexpressible power that He exercised toward us in regards to our salvation.

Ephesians 4:19. To whatsoever we yield our wills is our Lord, whatsoever is the motive for all our thoughts, words and actions is our master, and whatsoever we adore and delight in is our God. Thus, the man who is covetous (“eager to have more” 4124) of wealth has made mammon his god.

Ephesians 5:22. Christ is the head of the church and directs all the body’s functions and actions. Likewise, a wife must submit to her head; even as the church is overseen and directed by the Lord, so she submits to the authority and oversight of her husband

Ephesians 5:29. The term oudies, ‘no man’ (KJV), is better translated ‘no one’ in the NASB as it refers to anyone or any thing. The sense is that, there is no one that ever neglected the needs of their own body: food, clothing, etc., as indicated by the terms nourish, ekrrepho, and cherish, thalpo. This being the case, a man must demonstrate the same love, agapao, toward his own wife, he must provide for all her physical, spiritual, and emotional needs.

Ephesians 6:15. Here is a paradox, the Christian is dressed for war but preaches peace.

Ephesians 6:16. Anything that would cause us to doubt and lead us astray, temporarily or permanently, may rightly be called a “fiery dart.”