1:7 The "Him"in view is the beloved Son (v. 6).
Redemption (Gr. apolytrosin) means release from slavery (cf. v. 14; 4:30; Luke 21:28; Rom. 3:24; 8:23; 1 Cor. 1:30; Col. 1:14; Heb. 9:15; 11:35). It involves buying back and setting free by paying a ransom price. Jesus Christ has redeemed us from sin (Heb. 9:15), namely set us free from slavery to it. The blood, representative of the life, of the perfect Sacrifice had to flow out of Him for this to happen (Rom. 3:24-25; cf. Heb. 9:22).
The immediate result of our liberation from sin's slavery is that God has forgiven our sins (Gr. paraptoma, false steps, transgressions).
Jesus Christ's death affected our redemption. This was the extent to which God was willing to go for us. God's grace was that great. The gift of Jesus Christ did not exhaust the supply of God's grace, however (cf. Phil. 4:19). Rather that gift is an evidence of the extent of God's favor to us (cf. v. 5).
1:8 God has given abundant grace to us, not just the bare essential amount needed. This reference hints at many other benefits of Christ's death that Paul did not enumerate here.23
"Wisdom"(Gr. sophia) is what is highest and noblest, and "insight"or "understanding"(Gr. phronesei) is the means by which we perceive it.24Again we have to decide whether the last part of this verse modifies the first part of verse 8 or the first part of verse 9 (cf. v. 4). As I pointed out above, normally the modifying phrases follow the action words in this passage. Paul's idea therefore seems to have been that God lavished His grace on us in His infinite wisdom knowing how we would respond to it. The wisdom and insight are God's, not ours.
1:9 This verse probably begins a new thought, as the NIV suggests by putting a period at the end of verse 8. The New Testament uses the term "mystery"to refer to a truth previously hidden but now made known by divine revelation (cf. Matt. 13:11; Luke 8:10; Rom. 11:25; 16:25-26; et al.).25The mystery revealed here is God's purpose to bring everything into submission to Jesus Christ in the future (v. 10). God's "kind intention"(NASB) is His "good pleasure"(NIV, cf. v. 5). "In Him"(NASB) means "in Christ"(NIV).
1:10 The Greek word translated "administration"in the NASB (oikonomia), and not translated in the NIV, means dispensation, arrangement, or administration. The main idea in this word is that of managing or administering the affairs of a household.26The dispensation in view is the millennial reign of Christ on earth during which everything will be under His rule (1 Cor. 15:27; Col. 1:20). Even though in one sense everything is under Christ's authority now, Jesus Christ will be the head of all things in a more direct way in the messianic kingdom. Everyone and everything will acknowledge and respond to His authority then (cf. Isa. 2:2-4; 11:1-10).
1:11 "In Him"(v. 10) probably begins the thought continued in this verse, as the NIV indicates.
For the first time in this epistle Paul made a distinction among believers. Until now he spoke of all believers, but here he contrasted "we"and "you"(v. 13). The "we"evidently refers to Jewish Christians and the "you"to Gentile believers, as the context suggests (vv. 12-13). Note the presence of "also"in both verses 11 and 13 that provides continuity as well as marking discontinuity.
Some translators who rendered the Greek word eklerothemen"obtained an inheritance"(NASB) introduced the idea of the believer's inheritance. The word really means "chosen"(NIV, lit. appointed or obtained by lot). God has chosen Jewish believers for salvation because He predestined them to have a part in His sovereign plan. Paul would say later that God's plan for the present involves the church, which consists of both Jewish and Gentile believers (2:14-22). However, God chose the Jews first (cf. Acts 3:26; Rom. 1:16).
This verse contains one of the strongest statements in Scripture that God is sovereign (cf. Ps. 115:3; Prov. 16:9, 33; Dan. 4:34-35). God is sovereign over all things. This includes the election of some people to salvation. "Purpose"(Gr. prothesin) refers to the goal God intends to accomplish. "Counsel"(Gr. boule) refers to God's purpose or deliberation. "Will"(Gr. thelema) denotes willingness. The idea contained in this verse is that God chose a plan after deliberating on the wisest course of action to accomplish his purpose.27
How does God carry out His plan? He accomplishes some things directly and exclusively Himself without using other agents. He accomplishes other purposes through the agency of others, secondary causes, which include angels and humans. Unquestionably God is absolutely sovereign (i.e., the ultimate authority over all things). How He carries out His plans--working with secondary causes, giving people freedom to choose, and then justly holding them responsible for their choices--is difficult to explain.28
Personally I believe the solution to this puzzle lies beyond the ability of human beings to understand and explain fully. However, Scripture clearly teaches both divine sovereignty and human responsibility.29
1:12 God chose Jews to be believers for the praise of His glory (cf. v. 6). This verse shows that the Jews are the "we"in view in verse 11. The Jews were the first to put their trust in Jesus Christ (cf. Acts 1:8; 13:46; 28:25; Rom. 1:16; 2:9-10).
The work of the Son in salvation was setting the sinner free from his or her sin and revealing God's plan to head up all things in Christ at the end of the ages. This includes the salvation of Jewish believers.
