A. Individual calling 1:3-2:10

Paul began the body of his letter by revealing the spiritual blessings that God has planned for believers in His Son.

 1. The purpose: glory 1:3-14

In the Greek text verses 3-14 are one sentence. The Holy Spirit carried Paul along in his thinking as he contemplated God's provision so that he moved quickly from one blessing to the next. It is as though he was ecstatically opening a treasure chest, lifting its jewels with his hands, letting them cascade through his fingers, and marvelling briefly at them as they caught his eye.

". . . Ephesians 1:3-14 is one of the longest psalms of the New Testament, and it is a praise psalm in its form."¹¹

 2. The means: knowledge 1:15-23

Having reviewed his readers' blessings in Christ, Paul next prayed that they would appreciate and appropriate these good things in their own lives. Verses 15-23 are one sentence in the Greek text as are verses 3-14. Intellectual understanding is one thing, but it is also important that we use this knowledge to come into intimate relationship with God.

 3. The motive: grace 2:1-10

Paul concluded his revelation of the Christian's individual calling in Christ (1:3-2:10). He began this section of the epistle by explaining the purpose of our calling (i.e., the glory of God, 1:3-14). He then expounded the means whereby we appreciate our calling (i.e., knowledge given by the Holy Spirit through God's revelation, 1:15-23). Finally He enunciated the motive for our calling (i.e., the unmerited grace of God, 2:1-10).

These verses continue the theme of redemption (1:7). The pericope is a condensation of Paul's exposition of redemption in Romans. Whereas we were once dead to God (vv. 1-3), we are now alive in God (vv. 4-10).

"Having described our spiritual possessionsin Christ, Paul turns to a complementary truth: our spiritual positionin Christ. First he explains what God has done for all sinners in general; then he explains what God did for the Gentiles in particular."⁴⁶