Ephesians 1:1

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:

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Ambrosiaster

AD 400

He writes not only to the faithful but to the saints to show that they are truly faithful insofar as they have been sanctified in Christ. For a good life is worthwhile and is called saintly if it is lived in the name of Jesus. Otherwise it is polluted, because it injures the Creator.

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Cassiodorus Senator

AD 585

Paul frequently declares that he was directly called as an apostle by the will of the Lord, so as to circumvent those who desired this honor with human presumptions. He writes to the saints and the faithful at Ephesus, adding his blessing as with the love of a father. .

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Gaius Marius Victorinus

AD 400

When Jesus Christ elected Paul and made him an apostle, he elected him through the Spirit by the will of God or the power through whom God works his will. Let us therefore understand, as I often say, that the will of God is the very power, greatness and substance of the whole divine plenitude. Christ—that is, God’s Word which was in Christ—is the will of God. Those who consider this more closely will find that God and his will are inseparable. .

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Gaius Marius Victorinus

AD 400

In other letters when he writes to a church and its people he does not add “to the saints and the faithful.” But now, because he desires to keep them loyal to the holy Name, so that being sanctified they will not add anything superficially in excess of the Name, he calls them simply by this name: they are the faithful “in Christ.” .

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George Leo Haydock

AD 1849

St. Chrysostom takes notice, in his preface to this epistle, that the doctrinal part in the first three chapters is treated in a very sublime manner, with long periods and sentences, which makes the style more perplexed and the sense more obscure than in his other epistles. On this account I shall first give the reader a paraphrase as literal as I can, and then make some short notes on the difficulties in the text. (Witham)

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Ignatius of Antioch

AD 108

On whose account I rejoice exceedingly, and have had the privilege, by this Epistle, of conversing with "the saints which are at Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus."

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Irenaeus of Lyons

AD 202

On of His Spirit, tending towards perfection, and preparing us for in corruption, being little by little accustomed to receive and bear God; which also the apostle terms "an earnest "that is, a part of the honour which has been promised us by God, where he says in the Epistle to the Ephesians, "In which ye also, having heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation, believing in which we have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance."

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Jerome

AD 420

Those whom he has called saintly he also calls faithful, because faith derives from the choice of our own minds, but sanctification we receive meanwhile from the abundance of the Sanctifier, not from our own will. As for his saying “faithful in Jesus Christ,” this is aimed at drawing a distinction that should be carefully noted. For there are those who have genuine faith but not faith in Jesus Christ. Someone who returns a deposit and does not deny another’s trust shows himself a faithful friend…. This person is indeed faithful but not “in Christ.” .

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John Chrysostom

AD 407

Ephesus is the metropolis of Asia. It was dedicated to Diana, whom especially they worshipped there as their great goddess. Indeed so great was the superstition of her worshippers, that when her temple was burnt, they would not so much as divulge the name of the man who burnt it. The blessed John the Evangelist spent the chief part of his time there: he was there when he was banished, and there he died. It was there too that Paul left Timothy, as he says in writing to him, As I exhorted you to tarry at Ephesus. 1 Timothy 1:3 Most of the philosophers also, those more particularly who flourished in Asia, were there; and even Pythagoras himself is said to have come from thence; perhaps because Samos, whence he really came, is an island of Ionia. It was the resort also of the disciples of Parmenides, and Zeno, and Democritus, and you may see a number of philosophers there even to the present day. These facts I mention, not merely as such, but with a view of showing that Paul would... Read More

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John Chrysostom

AD 407

Observe, he applies the word through to the Father. But what then? Shall we say that He is inferior? Surely not. To the saints, says he, which are at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus. Observe that he calls saints, men with wives, and children, and domestics. For that these are they whom he calls by this name is plain from the end of the Epistle, as, when he says, Wives, be in subjection unto your own husbands. Ephesians 5:22 And again, Children, obey your parents: Ephesians 6:1 and, Servants, be obedient to your masters. Ephesians 6:5 Think how great is the indolence that possesses us now, how rare is any thing like virtue now and how great the abundance of virtuous men must have been then, when even secular men could be called saints and faithful.

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John of Damascus

AD 749

For in regards to the works of God, meaning he and his apostolic commission from God, he surely declared, I work only but through Christ, being empowered by God. The introduction of the epistle, is to teach them in regards to the grace of Christ. Now this grace, we received from Him, and our sanctification, inasmuch as we have become partakers of His body, and have taken on His understanding. And the cause of this grace, is the goodness of God, Who is praised forever. Now the path to her (i.e. Grace), is through the blood of Christ that redeems.

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