SEV Biblia, Chapter 1:4
segn nos escogi en l antes de la fundacin del mundo, para que fusemos santos y sin mancha delante de l en caridad;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Ephesians 1:4
Verse 4. 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 agiouv, holy - fully separated from earth and sin, and consecrated to God and amwmouv, 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.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 4. According as he hath chosen us in him , &c.] 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 ( Ephesians 1:3-12), the apostle seems to speak of himself, and some others, who first trusted in Christ, as distinct from the believers at Ephesus, ( Ephesians 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 ( Ecclesiastes 11:6) where, speaking of a man's children, he says; it is not known unto thee which of them bj ywhml rjbta , 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.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 3-8 - Spiritual and heavenly blessings are the best blessings; with which we cannot be miserable, and without which we cannot but be so. This wa from the choice of them in Christ, before the foundation of the world that they should be made holy by separation from sin, being set apar to God, and sanctified by the Holy Spirit, in consequence of their election in Christ. All who are chosen to happiness as the end, ar chosen to holiness as the means. In love they were predestinated, or fore-ordained, to be adopted as children of God by faith in Chris Jesus, and to be openly admitted to the privileges of that hig relation to himself. The reconciled and adopted believer, the pardone sinner, gives all the praise of his salvation to his gracious Father His love appointed this method of redemption, spared not his own Son and brought believers to hear and embrace this salvation. It was ric grace to provide such a surety as his own Son, and freely to delive him up. This method of grace gives no encouragement to evil, but show sin in all its hatefulness, and how it deserves vengeance. The believer's actions, as well as his words, declare the praises of Divin mercy.
Greek Textus Receptus
καθως 2531 εξελεξατο 1586 5668 ημας 2248 εν 1722 αυτω 846 προ 4253 καταβολης 2602 κοσμου 2889 ειναι 1511 5750 ημας 2248 αγιους 40 και 2532 αμωμους 299 κατενωπιον 2714 αυτου 846 εν 1722 αγαπη 26
Vincent's NT Word Studies
4. Even as (kaqwv). Explaining blessed us, in ver. 3. His blessing is in conformity with the fact that He chose.
Chose (exelexato). Middle voice, for himself.
In Him. As the head and representative of our spiritual humanity.
Compare 1 Cor. xv. 22. Divine election is in Christ the Redeemer. The crown of divine sovereignty is redemption. God rules the world to save it.
Holy and without blame (agiouv kai amwmouv). The positive and negative aspects of christian life. See on Col. i. 22. Rev., without blemish. The reference is to moral rather than to forensic righteousness. Compare 1 Thess. iv. 7.
In love. Join with foreordained, ver. 5. Having in love foreordained.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
1:4 {Even as he chose us in him} (kaqws exelexato hemas en autwi). First aorist middle indicative of eklegw, to pick out, to choose. Definitive statement of God's elective grace concerning believers in Christ. {Before the foundation of the world} (pro kataboles kosmou). Old word from kataballw, to fling down, used of the deposit of seed, the laying of a foundation. this very phrase with pro in the Prayer of Jesus (#Joh 17:24) of love of the Father toward the Son. It occurs also in #1Pe 1:20. Elsewhere we have apo (from) used with it (#Mt 25:34; Lu 11:50; Heb 4:3; 9:26; Re 13:8; 17:8). But Paul uses neither phrase elsewhere, though he has apo t"n aiwn"n (from the ages) in #Eph 3:9. Here in #Eph 1:3-14. Paul in summary fashion gives an outline of his view of God's redemptive plans for the race. {That we should be} (einai hemas). Infinitive of purpose with the accusative of general reference (hemas). See #Col 1:22 for the same two adjectives and also katen"pion autou.
