Ephesians

1:7-8 - In him we have redemption . . . that he lavished
upon us with all wisdom and understanding

The forgiveness of trespasses is in apposition to �redemption through his blood� and so depicts the primary way in which believers experience their liberation at present. They can be assured of the cancellation of their offences against God and thereby of a restored relationship with him.

Andrew Lincoln, Ephesians (Word Biblical Commentary, 42; Dallas, TX; Word Books, 1990), 28.

. . . the redemption which we have in the Beloved has been procured through his blood. This abbreviated expression is pregnant with meaning, and signifies that Christ�s violent death on the cross as a sacrifice is the means by which our deliverance has been won (cf. Rom. 3:35). It was obtained at a very great cost.

Peter T. O�Brien, The Letter to the Ephesians (Pillar New Testament Commentary; Leicester: Apollos, 1999), 106.

Grace is a quality which requires personal relationships for its exercise. To speak of the �wealth� [�riches�] of God�s grace implies that he has shown it in abundance toward its recipients; similarly, when he is described as being �rich in mercy� (Eph 2:4), the implication is that the beneficiaries of his mercy enjoy it in overflowing measure. So here, not only by implication but expressly, he is said to have �multiplied� his grace towards his people.

F. F. Bruce, The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians (New International Commentary on the New Testament; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1984), 260.

The terms [to ploutos, �the riches,� v7] and [eperisseusen, �lavished,� v8] with their connotations of abundance and extravagance help to make this notion of grace emphatic, while at the same time leaving the impression that words fail in attempting to describe the inexhaustible resources of God�s giving . . .

Andrew Lincoln, Ephesians (Word Biblical Commentary, 42; Dallas, TX; Word Books, 1990), 29.

that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.

A comparison of various English translations of vv8-9 will quickly show that the expression �all wisdom and understanding� has been understood differently:

RSV: ⁸which he lavished upon us. ⁹For he has made known to us in all wisdom and insight the mystery of his will . . .

NASB: ⁸which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight ⁹He made known to us the mystery of His will . . .

NIV: ⁸that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. ⁹And he made known to us the mystery of his will . . .

NRS: ⁸that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight ⁹he has made known to us the mystery of his will . . .

NKJ: ⁸which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, ⁹having made known to us the mystery of His will . . .

NJB: ⁸which he has showered on us in all wisdom and insight. ⁹He has let us know the mystery of his purpose . . .

RSV, NASB and NRS understand the expression to refer to God�s wisdom with which he made known to us the mystery of his will. NIV understands the expression to be the additional gifts of grace that God has lavished upon us. NKJ and NJB are somewhat ambiguous, and seem capable of meaning God�s wisdom, but they link that wisdom to his act of lavishing upon us the riches of his grace. Unfortunately the Greek text permits the linking of the expression with either action. O� Brien thinks that:

. . . on balance it is better to link them with the preceding relative clause, that he lavished on us . . . and to understand them of God�s gifts of grace. Similar spiritual gifts are sought for the readers in the prayer of 1:17, while in the parallel passage of Colossians 1:9 Paul prays that the believers might be filled �with all spiritual wisdom and understanding�. The phrase then gives a good rhythmic flow and allows this unit of the text (v.8) to end as the previous one (v.6), that is, with a relative clause and prepositional phrase which foreshadow the theme of the following unit. The generous bestowal of God�s grace is accompanied by other spiritual gifts, namely, all wisdom and insight, which are mentioned because of their relevance to what follows.

Peter T. O�Brien, The Letter to the Ephesians (Pillar New Testament Commentary; Leicester: Apollos, 1999), 107-8.

What might be the implications if we take �all wisdom and understanding� to mean God�s wisdom?

With all wisdom and understanding . . . explicates the sagacity and care with which God lays and executes his plans. God does nothing thoughtlessly or indifferently.

Walter L. Liefeld, Ephesians (IVP New Testament Commentary; Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1997), 34.