<< Ephesians 1 >>
The Mirror Translation | |
1:1 Paul, employed by the delightful resolve of God and commissioned to represent Jesus Christ to the saints that are in Ephesus; also to every believer in Christ Jesus.
1:2 I greet you with the grace and peace that proceed from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1:3 Let’s celebrate God! Every spiritual blessing in heavenly places has found its definition in the fact that we are in Christ.
1:4 This association goes back to before the fall of the world, His love knew that He would present us again face to face before Him, identified in Christ in blameless innocence.
1:5 He is the architect of our design; His heart dream realized our coming of age in Christ. (See Gal.4:1-6 “…and to seal our sonship the spirit of His son echoes Abba Father in our hearts.”)
1:6 His grace-plan is to be celebrated: He greatly endeared us and highly favored us in Christ; His love for His Son is His love for us.
1:7 Since we are (fully represented) in Him, His blood is the ransom that secures our redemption. His forgiving us our sins measures the wealth of His grace.
1:8 This grace shown towards us communicates a wisdom and discernment of our worth that completely surpasses any definition.
1:9 The secret is out! His cherished love-dream now unfolds in front of our very eyes.
1:10 In the economy (oikonomia) of the fullness of time, everything culminates in Christ; all that is in heaven and all that is on earth is reconciled in Him.
1:11 This is how we fit into God's picture, Christ is the measure of our portion, we are in Him; invented and defined in Him. God's blueprint intention is on exhibition in us, everything He accomplishes is inspired by the energy and intent of His affection.
1:12 It was our initial privilege (as Jews) to cherish the Messianic hope; our lives in Christ were destined to promote the celebration of His glorious plan with man (doxa, intention, opinion.).
1:13 Now you (Gentiles) also have discovered yourselves to be equally included in Him having witnessed the unveiled logic of God. (The Word of truth, alethea, from a + lanthano, not hidden) What exciting news! Your salvation is publicly announced. Consistent with the promise of God, the Holy Spirit gives authentic guarantee to the fact of your faith, like the stamp of a signet ring that certifies a document. You are in Him!
1:14 He is our tangible link (title deed) to the inheritance that was ransomed and preserved for us. His glorious plan with man is the theme of our celebration.
1:15 I am sure you can appreciate how the news of your faith and love greatly inspires me.
1:16 I am so happy for you; my thoughts and prayers are full of you.
1:17 I desire that your knowledge of the Father will be undiluted, that you will draw directly from the source; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ imparts the spirit of wisdom to you in the unveiling of His Master Plan (glory.)
1:18 I pray that your thoughts will be flooded with light and revelation knowledge; that you will clearly picture His intent in identifying you in Him so that you may know how precious you are to Him. The saints are His treasure and the glorious trophy of His portion! (We are God's assets and the measure of His wealth!)
1:19 I pray that you will understand beyond all comparison the magnitude of His power towards us who believe.
1:20 It is the same dynamic energy that He unleashed in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and forever established Him in the power of His own right hand in the realm of the heavens.
1:21 Infinitely above all the combined forces of rule, authority, dominion or governments; He is ranked superior to any name that could ever be given to anyone of this age or any age still to come in the eternal future.
1:22 I want you to see this: He subjected all these powers under His feet. He towers head and shoulders above everything.
He is the head,
1:23 the church (His redeemed image and likeness in man) is His body. The completeness of His being that fills all in all resides in us! God cannot make Himself more visible or exhibit Himself more accurately.
Notes
1:4 “This association goes back to before the fall of the world, His love knew that He would present us again face to face before Him, identified in Christ in blameless innocence.”
The implications of the fall are completely cancelled out. katabalo - “to fall away, to put in a lower place,” instead of themelios - “foundation” see 2:20 - Thus translated “the fall of the world” instead of “the foundation of the world.”)
1:11 “This is how we fit into God's picture, Christ is the measure of our portion, we are in Him; invented and defined in Him. God's blueprint intention is on exhibition in us everything He accomplishes is inspired by the energy and intent of His affection.”
See Romans 8:29 “He engineered us from the start to fit the mould of sonship and likeness according to the exact blueprint of His design. We see the original and intended shape of our lives preserved in His Son; He is the firstborn from the same womb that reveals our genesis. He confirms that we are the invention of God.”
1:14 “He is our tangible link (title deed) to the inheritance that was ransomed and preserved for us. His glorious plan with man is the theme of our celebration.”
earnest, arabon a Hebrew word, to braid, that is, intermix, two parties intertwine, by giving something as surety and pledge. The pledge represents the full transaction. The legal document or Title Deed represents the complete value of the transaction. Like a wedding ring represents the marriage.
